Chapter 93
“Alpha… I am here today to confess my crimes of treason.”
The room around me became icy cold, a deafening silence hanging as no one even dared to breathe too loudly. All of them too shocked over my words.
And, among them, seeming the most shocked and hurt… my father. I hadn’t told him what I’d done. In fact, we’d barely spoken the last few months since we’d had that argument about Isabella. Not because I was still angry at him, Goddess knew I was in the wrong there, but because I was ashamed. I’d tried to force him into doing something that jeopardised not only his safety, but my mother’s also. Even in grieving, it was stupid.
Leo looked me up and down, the only person who hadn’t been affected by my sudden announcement. Knowing him, his mind was already thinking of ways to turn whatever I was about to say into something that could benefit him.
“…Elaborate,” was all he said.
Strong. I needed to be strong.
“I…,” I started, my voice choking up from nerves before I could get the words out.
Focus.
“I… I am responsible for the attack upon Ray, the warrior working evidence that night,” I finally said. “I went to acquire the knife for my own personal vendetta. In doing so, Ray and I
got into a semi-physical altercation whereby he tried to restrain me.”
I could feel Benjamin’s eyes on me, almost silently willing me to stop; stop before I said more than I needed to. I’d left him in that room without any room for discussion, knowing without any doubt that this was what I needed to do.
“Regretfully, in my grief and rage,” I continued, “I ordered that he let me go so I could continue what I’d set out to do. Ray then lost his footing in surprise, falling and inflicting injury upon himself. It was not my intention for him to get hurt… | was only determined for justice and it was an unfortunate result.”
“…Justice?” Leo prompted, his face unreadable as he listened. Like father, like son. They did that so infuriatingly well.
“I believe wholeheartedly that the one responsible for Ava’s death was the girl, Isabella. I felt… guilty… wronged… angry that no one else could see it. So I made the mistake of trying to deliver what I thought would be justice; I wanted to kill her with the knife she used to take Ava’s life… and I wanted to do it slowly, poisoning her insides with the silver. Only I wasn’t strong enough to finish the job.”
“Okay…,” he said, taking a second to let everything sink in. After a few moments, he finally adjusted in his chair, frowning. “So how did the knife end up at the Knight boy’s housing then?”
My chest clenched. I hadn’t thought through what to say for that. Of course, he’d want to know that information. In trying to avoid a war though, I couldn’t just defuse one problem only to replace it with another.
I looked to Benjamin. Just a quick glance, my eyes flicking for only a second, but it was enough to see him ever so slightly shake his head. That secret would hurt everyone involved and only serve to create more conflict.
“…Bash and I are old high school friends,” I finally said. “A good man. He found me after I’d fallen asleep in the woods and graciously allowed me to sleep on his couch. My father and I had fought terribly only hours earlier and I didn’t feel ready to go home yet. I must have dropped the dagger accidentally during my fatigue. I am thankful for his kindness.”
“Well, you see…,” Leo said, taking a deep breath after having heard my story. “Therein lies part of the issue here. You have been coming to me almost every week since Bash’ incarceration, advocating for his release. Some might say… almost a bit too passionately. Now you’ve come to tell me a story, on the cusp of war, where you claim to hold strong enough authority to override top tier orders. Only someone of Alpha blood could attempt something of that magnitude… so I’m inclined not to believe you, Winona. Whatever this… motivation is, I feel that perhaps it might not be entirely without… emotional influence, shall we say?”
I felt my legs go weak. He didn’t believe me? And not just that, but he hinted suspicion over Bash and I’s relationship.
But, no, the only people who knew for certain about that were Bash, Benjamin and myself. Anything he believed, in that respect, would have to be speculation at best. So long as I didn’t provide that confirmation myself, he wouldn’t be able to prove.it.
“Alpha,” I said between clenched teeth. “With all due respect, I
would remind you that I am also a Saintess, not just a mere Beta heir. Whilst I vehemently regret my actions that ultimately undermined your authority, I am fully capable of the events I spoke of today.”
“Very well then…,” he said before raising an eyebrow questioningly, almost daring me to argue back. “…Prove it!”
Prove… it?
“Alpha? I don’t think I understand your meaning.”
“You claim to hold the authority to override even commands from an Alpha. So, prove it… or I will be forced to not believe your claims.”
I felt sick, the pressure of his demand being almost too much to bear. The last time I’d used that tone of authority, it had almost killed me. I still vividly remembered the increasingly worse effects it had on me, building up until I almost passed out on top of Isabella in the hospital. A crucial moment I had needed it… and I’d failed.
… Yet now I needed it once more. Not just that, but to demonstrate it in front of Leo and the entire council so they could all stand witness.
Would it kill me this time?
“Bring a warrior in, please,” Leo ordered.
There was a momentary pause as the doors to the hall were opened and a warrior stepped inside, approaching to bow his head to Leo.
“Alpha,” they greeted.
“Ah, Anthony, perfect. Good to see you. Pardon me whilst I do this, but,” Leo’ tone then instantly changed to one of an Alpha, “I hereby order you to stand there until further notice. All further orders, regardless of who they are from, are to be disregarded until I personally excuse you.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I looked around nervously at the faces surrounding me, all expecting me to perform for them. It wasn’t as though I didn’t want to prove it… more so that I hadn’t been able to grasp ahold of the energy required to accomplish it recently; nor had I particularly wanted to after seeing how it ended last time.
“Alpha…,” I said carefully. “The situation back then was under extenuating circumstances and I paid a price. This… authority… came at a cost that was almost my life. It was the reason I never successfully killed Isabella as I’d planned to do. When I used the command out of desperation, it was almost my undoing.”
Leo scrutinised me, observing my every move as though I was an opponent in chess rather than just a girl trying to accomplish something for the greater good.
“Well, I suppose it all depends on how determined you are now to save the Knight boy’s life then, wouldn’t you say, Winona?”
There was no way out of this. Leo was clearly set on either having me prove myself or allow for the war to break out. Or was it perhaps that he wanted my claims to be true? That there was some outcome he sought to gain from rny confession being confirmed absolutely legitimate with
I turned to look at Anthony, steadying my breathing as much as possible, and reached towards where I remembered that energy inside me was. It was lurking, just out of reach, but if I could just… stretch… just a little bit more…
“Anthony, I order…,” my words came out flatly. There was no more authority to my tone than that of my Beta status.
I couldn’t do it.
“Alpha, I can’t…,” I said, anxiety beginning to build itself up inside me. “I can’t control it. Last time it just… happened.”
Leo sharply exhaled, a mild hint of irritation as he did so. “So, what I’m hearing is that you’re lacking the appropriate level of motivation, is that right?”
“I just-”
“Very well then,” he said, cutting me off. He then turned his attention to an attendant nearby. “Bring Bash in.”
“Right away, Alpha,” they replied, leaving to carry out his request.
“No. No, that’s not necessary,” I interjected. “I-I’ll try again. I’m sure I can manage.”
“Nonsense. Everything you’ve told me today has indicated that this authority is only achievable during a more serious circumstance. So be it.”
The doors then opened behind me and I sharply spun my head towards where Bash was being brought in.
