Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 184 You Will Regret
With the Omega’s settled comfortably in their rooms, Ann left two guards outside each of their doors with strict instructions not to let anyone in or out other than herself or Adam.
They made their way to the entrance hall in a grim silence. The horror that these girls had been subjected to over such a long period of time would take years to fix. She couldn’t believe that her father could have been so impassive about it all.
It was just yet another crime to add to Narcissa’s long list of transgression’s and when it came to the time for her to answer for her crimes again, Ann would not grant her the mercy of a quick death, she intended to make her suffer as much as her people had suffered under her rule.
The Elders turned to greet Ann with deep bows and Ann used this time to search out Bartholomew, who had positioned himself at one of the exits to the entrance hall with a small retinue of guards.
A quick glance to her right revealed the staircase lined with the royal guard, and behind her, her own guard waited stoic and ready for the confrontation that they knew was coming.
Ann closed the distance quickly, her aura swirling around her as Maeve sat side by side in her eyes with her, her golden irises burning brightly on one side, instilling a sense of unease in the Elder’s that were closest to her. Bartholomew murmured something to the guards at his side and began to make his way through the crowd. Ann was relying on him to indicate which of those gathered here was Elder Linus. All she had to go on was that he was a male and that made up approximately half of all the people gathered here.
She narrowed her eyes as Bartholomew came to a stop next to a hooded man, and nodded slightly with his head, indicating that this was the man that she sought.
“Elder Linus!” Ann’s voice rang out loudly, echoing around the vast hallway and amplifying the sound. The man next to Bartholomew turned his head slightly toward her and reached up slowly, lowering his hood as he regarded Ann with what could only be described as contempt.
“Yes, my Queen?” He answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he met her stare with a boldness that showed he had been allowed to do as he pleased for far too long.
“I have some questions for you regarding your interactions with the Omega’s in service within the Enclave,” Ann answered coldly, with Adam standing at her side, his wolf’s aura interweaving with Ann’s as it rippled through the hall.
A faint murmur arose from the elders a*s*sembled and Linus’s face split into a mocking sneer.
“Really? The Omega’s? I command, and they serve. It’s incredibly simple, your highness, what is there to question?”
Ann clenched her fists at her side, silently willing Maeve to reign her anger in. He knew why she was here, and he didn’t care. He was openly mocking her.
Privately Ann agreed with Maeve that the Luna’s justice would be incredibly appropriate right about now, but she refused to sink to his level.
“Don’t play games with me, Linus.” She hissed, “I know what you did, and are still doing. It ends now. Guards! Arrest Elder Linus and take him to the holding cells below.”
With those words, shocked gasps arose from the Elders surrounding them, and cries of protest were shouted as the guards moved in towards him.
Linus never moved, nor broke eye contact with Ann as the guards forced their way through the crush of bodies objecting and pushing against their advance.
Ann had expected some resistance, but not as much as was being displayed at this moment. Linus grinned as the cuffs closed around his wrist and laughed lightly, never breaking his stare that was fixated on Ann.
“You will regret this, little Queen. You have no idea who you are going up against.” He shouted casually as the guards began to lead him away.
Ann could feel her heart beating rapidly inside her chest with the adrenaline of the moment and she was suddenly grateful for Adam’s presence beside her.
Bartholomew smiled warmly at her, the sight rea*s*suring and encouraging, as she inhaled deeply and made her way to the front of the confused and irate elders.
She held her hands up for silence as she prepared to address the many faces that looked to her for an explanation.
“Elder Linus has been accused of very serious crimes against the Omega’s that work here.” Ann began as a few snorts were heard amidst the low murmurs.
She narrowed her eyes and continued, embracing Maeve’s confidence to help her get through this first hurdle.
“I will not tolerate the abuse of our Omega’s who serve us faithfully. I also refuse to tolerate the r**e and murder of any person who dwells within our kingdom. The fact that I am having to announce this so publicly speaks volumes as to how this kingdom has been run underneath my father’s weak leadership.” She continued, her voice gaining strength the longer she spoke.
“The fact that none of you acted on this atrocity that has, by all accounts, gone on unchecked for the past five years tells me two things. Either you were complicit in the crime itself, or you were complacent enough in your duties that the Omega’s felt they were no longer able to trust in you, and your protection.”
The hall fell silent at her furious words, and many of the elders a*s*sembled bowed their heads in shame. “You are Elders of the royal Enclave. It is your duty to serve the interests of the people in the kingdom and protect them from tyranny. Yet you have all allowed a murderer and a r****t to walk among you unchecked.” She spat with disgust.
“This ends today. Any member of the Enclave who is not willing to act in the interests of the weak and the vulnerable, who has no interest in protecting them from exploitation and harm, then leave now, for you are not welcome here!” She roared into the heavy silence that had descended.
Not a single person moved as she stood before them, their heads remained bowed and their eyes were firmly fixed on the floor.
“I have all the evidence that I need to conduct a trial and I will handpick the elders who will preside over the case at the earliest opportunity” Ann stated firmly as she cast her eyes over the pitiful figures before her. “Do you have any questions?” she challenged as she waited patiently for an answer.
But the voice that answered her was not familiar to her and sounded almost amused at the situation. “I have a question,” a voice spoke from behind her as she whirled furiously to meet the owner of the voice, only
to realize with a sinking heart that amongst all of the chaos, their visitors had arrived and entered the hallway completely unnoticed.
“Am I to expect that all of your welcoming parties are conducted this way? Or is it that we are part of the privileged few who get to see the famed Alpha Queen in action?” Alpha Felix asked with an impish smile as he regarded the scene with mild amusement.