Alex straightened his shoulders and stepped forward, every pair of eyes locking onto him. Everyone stood up and bowed as a sign of respect.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” my mate said.
His strong, booming voice made my heart tremble. Not long ago, he had been on the brink of death. Now, he stood before them, looking every bit the king he was meant to be. He seemed untouchable–immortal, almost. But after everything, I knew better. He could get hurt as well and I didn’t want to lose him again.
“I don’t need to explain the severity of the crimes committed by the ones standing before us,” Asher began, his voice carrying across the room like a blade slicing through air. “But I can say
this–our world would be a far better place without them.”
His words landed heavily, and I saw the ripple effect in the
room. Some flinched. Others nodded grimly.
I swallowed, forcing my hands to remain steady at my sides. I
had known this was coming, but hearing it aloud made my
chest tighten.
Not because I disagreed.
But because a part of me still mourned. Because I’m not just losing a crazy bitch sister, but also a brother I had once loved and believed in.
A beautiful woman that I’d never met stepped forward and asked the 3 criminals, “How do you plead?”
Michael lifted his head, his expression stripped of all its former arrogance. “Guilty!” His voice was raw, barely more than a breath.
I hadn’t expected it to hit me like a punch to the gut, but it did.
For a fleeting second, I wanted to reach for him–to do something. But then, I thought about Asher’s nightmares, the fear in his voice when he spoke of the things Michael had done.
Michael had made his choices. And now, he had to face them.
Kylie stepped forward next.
“I plead guilty,” she said, her voice oddly calm. But what struck
me most wasn’t her confession-
she was staring at Matthew.
I didn’t know what she was searching for–acceptance,
forgiveness, maybe something else entirely. But Matthew
wouldn’t give it to her. He met her gaze for only a second before turning away.
Isaac, unsurprisingly, was the last to speak.
“I plead not guilty.”
Even now, he was the same–cold, arrogant, completely blind to the harm he had caused. How could he–of all people–plead not guilty?
The woman in charge barely reacted. “The jury has reviewed the evidence thoroughly. A decision will be reached after the
recess.”
I let out a slow breath, my hands clenched so tightly I could feel my nails pressing into my palms.
Kylie might have been changing, but it was too little, too late.
And the only person I truly felt for was Matthew. He had been dragged into this mess simply because of who his mate was. And now, he was being punished as well.
Chapter118
The trial ended for now, and we left the royal packhouse. None
of us spoke. The weight of everything was simply too much.
For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no plan.
No strategy. Just waiting.
After a long moment, I finally exhaled. “When this is all over,” I
said in a soft voice, “we need to take a break. A real one.“”
Alex let out a chuckle. “You mean. a vacation?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Because if we don’t, we’ll just keep getting
dragged back into the past.”
Before I could say anything else, Jayden approached.
“Can we talk?”
I blinked at him. “Why now?”
He rubbed his face. “Because my mind is a mess and I wonder
what’s on your mind right now.”
I exhaled slowly. Actually, I do have one question for them.
“What happens if I’m the one forced to make the final decision?”
Chapter118
They were already angry at me when I had to punish Kylie and Michael. What happened if I had to take their lives?
Violet’s POV
Jayden exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair, “I’m not going to sugarcoat anything, but I know you’re making this decision with the right intentions. Even if it’s not easy”
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “No matter what happens today, everything between us shifts. I’m done bending over backward to keep people in my life who hesitate about
standing by me. If someone wants to leave, they’re free to go- but I won’t let them manipulate me into begging.”
Philip frowned, and I caught the flicker of uncertainty in his
eyes. “Why do you say that? You’re still our sister”
I let out a humorless chuckle. “No, Philip. You just refuse to see
the distance growing between us.”
He lapsed into silence, his jaw tightening.
Chapter119
Chapter119
