Itâs why Iâd been going back and forth to Greyhound and the Capital this whole week.
Noah had also been complaining non-stop since then. Drowning in paperwork wasnât the way he wanted to go, so he says.
âWalkerâs trial had been pushed up to the same day as the Dixons. With Chamberlain, Val and Benicioâs confessions, we have enough to make sure the Beta doesnât get off. For now, Walkerâs in solitary confinement. His lovely wife is on house arrest here, in the Capital. The Chancellor decided to wait until the pup was born to indite her. She wonât get off easy though. She still knew about the attack and so readily condemned you to die there too. As Luna, well,â
Meredithâs sharklike grin is lethal, âShe shouldâve come clean about the attack even if she was given the title until after the fact. Falsely alleging an Alpha as her mate doesnât give her any points either. With your recount of the events, along with the confessions, theyâre all as good as f ucked.â
The ex-Alpha slid the folder containing all the details about their cases over to me. I glanced at the first few pages, noting that upon investigation, it was found that Benicio still had contact within Reddusk. A childhood friend, apparently, who still fed him information about the happenings within the pack.
Itâs how he knew about Lilaâs existence.
But how he knew I was close to her was still unanswered. Leaning back against the chair, I tapped the nail of my finger along the surface of the table. I let out a considering him, âWe have three confessions,â
I peered up to Meredith who rose a brow at what I was getting at, âWhy not make it four?â
The meaning behind my words hung in the air for some time. It was no secret that the fate of the rogues were as good as dam ned with or without my intervention. We had enough confessions to make do with, but it wasnt enough for me. Meredithâs face brightened with understanding the second she realized my intent. Her confusion twisted into a pleased smile, âFio⦠yes, weâve let her off for too long. Her mateâs already used up his importance. Why not see if little Fio has anything new for us?â
The little huff my wolf let out made me grin. She was in agreement.
Yes. Yes, we have let her off for too long.
Admittedly, the subject of Fio had been secondary to everything else thus far. I had no real belief that she knew anything more than Val did. The duo hadnât held much importance to Xeneron, that much was clear. They mightâve been among the higher ranks, but Xeneron was the type to keep his cards close to his chest. I doubted anything substantial would come from our game but even so, I owed little Fio a visit.
Itâd hardly be fair if I played with one and not the other.
Shifting my attention back to the documents sc att ered over the desk, I moved the first few pages from the pile until I found what I was looking for. My eyes pinned onto the image of Fio. Rather, the 13:14 The Female Alphaâs SanctionL no 90%
ghost of her. Dark matted hair clumpy from oil, sunken cheeks, dark circles emphasizing how exhausted she must be, and the delicate curve of her throat looking fragile with how much fat she lost.
Those dark eyes stared back at me.
I couldnât postpone it any longer.
I had a promise to make good on.
***
Breaking Fio had been easier than dealing with Vat.
She laid on top of a metallic psychiatric bed, strapped down by her wrists and ankles. The thick bandage lined with silver in her mouth was put there to prevent her from biting down on her tongue.
âSheâs been rabid since the confrontation with Val,â
Opal explains, calmly observing the woman in question from the two-way mirror.
âHer refusal to eat put her at risk, so we had to transfer her here. The mate bond is wearing her down.
The separation from her mate is driving her mad more so because she still feels Valâs emotions no matter how faint. Her control over her wolf is slipping. We arenât sure how much time we have left before she gives in.â
Standing before her now was peculiar.
She was far smaller than before. Her bones protruded from her skin, highlighting how malnourished she was. Her refusal to eat hadnât helped with that. In some way, this mustâve been her final revolt. She knew she wasnât going to get out of this mess so sheâs trying to end it. Sheâs trying to find refuge in her death.
The dazed demeanor she presents didnât change upon my entering the room. She stayed unnaturally still, eyes fixed unseeingly at the ceiling. If she hadnât been blinking ever so slowly, I wouldâve mistaken her for dead. This dream-like state had been a shock to burst in on. It was so unlike the fiery deviant Iâd known her to be.
âYou must be tired.â
I say softly, moving closer until I was sure I was within her eyesight. Reaching out, I held onto the top rail of a chair and dragged it over to me. The screech of its legs scrapping against the stone beneath us irritated my wolf but she wisely kept silent. I kept my attention of Fio whilst sitting down.