Chapter 102 by Cara Anderson

Ch. 102 Not Guilty

Mallory’s POV

Nathan helped Evelyn into a chair and stood watch over her while she gave her testimony. His arms were crossed over his chest and he never took his eyes off of Miles, like he expected him to leap from the dais and attack her himself. Actually, I wouldn’t put that past him.

One of Nathan’s men came in a few minutes later with Regina in tow but no one spared her a glance, enthralled with Evelyn as we were. If she was lucky, her testimony wouldn’t be necessary at all.

Evelyn told the council how she came to serve in Alpha Quade’s household and unfortunately, the story had a familiar theme. Apparently even the women in Blood Claw pack hadn’t been immune to his abuses. Quade had found her attractive when she was younger, used her until his interest waned and only granted her the opportunity to remain in his service out of a desire to retain her father’s loyalty, all for access to his wealth.

She went on to describe the way he’d forced her to introduce him to Miles and the conversations she’d overheard between the two of them. Apparently the two of them had concocted quite the master plan to amass more wealth and power than any one wolf should have.

Miles had friends in high places. Friends who would need to be eliminated in order for the two men to achieve their goals. If Quade could get his hands on the weapon he was searching for, Miles could get him the access to use it on anyone who stood in their way. A marriage made in heaven.

As it turned out, one of Quade’s former pack members had been mated to a Hazelwood she-wolf. He’d been milling around the Alpha’s office, waiting to discuss joining the pack, when my father’s Beta had come rushing in to tell him about the mercury he’d found. In his haste, the door hadn’t closed completely and the man had overheard their conversation.

“My parents died because of a fucking rank climbing wolf and a cracked door.” I muttered as I listened to her story.

Cary slid his arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his side, bolstering me as the truth poured from Evelyn’s lips.

“Thank fuck he never heard them mention where it was.” Clay whispered.

“Thank fuck that deed was the only record that the tract of land belonged to Hazelwood and Alpha Brooks had the good sense to hide it. I know it doesn’t help much, but your father was a brave man to keep that secret even when Quade tortured him. A lesser man would have cracked.”Colton added.

“It does help, actually. Thank you!” I reached over and laced my fingers through his, letting our entwined hands dangle in Cary’s lap.

The three Council members seemed to accept Evelyn’s version of events but it wasn’t until she told them of Miles’ and Quade’s plan to eliminate them and replace them with their own men that I knew we really had him. The women gasped and Arthur’s face was so red, I thought it might explode.

“Then, as Alpha Richardson escorted me inside today, we were attacked. My own brother tried to have me killed.” Her voice cracked as she admitted that fact for the first time. “I recognized his best friend as one of the men who attacked us so I know he ordered the attack.”

“Thankfully, I anticipated that possibility and had my own warriors standing by.” Nathan interjected. “We were able to take most of them into custody. I thought you might be interested in interrogating them.”

“Oh absolutely we would.” Roselyn confirmed.

Evelyn corroborated Darcy’s testimony, detailing the abuses she’d witnessed Quade perpetrate against her and other she-wolves. Between Darcy’s more detailed testimony from today and Evelyn’s account of Darcy’s condition after the repeated assault’s, she was acquitted of Quade’s murder.

“After hearing what he subjected you to, his own mate no less, I would say the man got off easy.” Councilwoman Connely pronounced.

Braden had snarled and growled with each new mention of Darcy’s bruised and battered body after Quade or his men beat her, or the excruciating pain she suffered when he fucked other women, leaving her to scream and writhe in pain for hours. But when she talked about the way Darcy nearly bled out from a severed artery, inadvertently slicing her wrist when she tried to hide under the bed and pulled the cuff too tight, Nathan had to restrain the man.

After Darcy’s verdict was read, it was our turn. I was hopeful that we’d be acquitted as well but didn’t want to be overly optimistic. Although by the look of unbridled fear on Miles’ face, maybe I should have rethought that stance.

“First and foremost, I think it goes without saying that we are returning a verdict of “Not Guilty.” Arthur announced and a collective rush of air whooshed out as we all released our held breath. “Secondly, please allow me to apologize on behalf of the entire council for the horrors you’ve all suffered.

“It’s incredibly eye opening to see how easily we’ve all been manipulated. I can assure you, the three of us will be re- evaluating the way we vet accusations moving forward. Clearly, trusting one of our own is not as straightforward as we thought or perhaps as it should have been.”

My heart pounded in my chest, both at the relief of finally being able to put this whole nightmare behind us, but also at the fact that Miles was surreptitiously trying to slink away through the back door. I didn’t think my sanity would survive him being loose in the world, ready to pounce the moment we let our guard down. I didn’t want to live that way anymore.

Fortunately, Arthur must have anticipated he would try to run, because as soon as he opened the door, a hulking wolf stood in his way, ready to apprehend him.

“Oh yes. Thank you Daniel.” Arthur addressed the man first and then his former co-councilman. “Miles, you’re under arrest. Unfortunately as a member of this council, we don’t have the authority to sentence you, but I’m not too worried. I think the men who do have that authority will be more than interested to hear the plans you and Alpha Quade had for them.”

Miles was forcibly removed from the room, kicking and protesting his innocence the whole way. The guard, Daniel, just hauled him along as if he was little more than a minor nuisance. I couldn’t remember when I’d seen something quite so entertaining.

Once Miles was dragged from the room, we were dismissed with the understanding we could be recalled to provide testimony against him when the time came. Although Arthur told us he felt reasonably sure it would be unnecessary. I hoped that was true. I was beyond ready to put this chapter of our lives behind us and focus on the future.

‘Shall we celebrate?” Nathan suggested when we all spilled out onto the front steps of the Council headquarters.

“Oh, we’re going to celebrate.” Clay wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Just as soon as we get our Luna home to Black Moon.”

Nathan’s brow furrowed momentarily but he managed to chuckle good naturedly. He turned to Braden and Darcy but the man only had eyes for his mate. Darcy wore a shell-shocked expression but the way she leaned into him told me if she hadn’t accepted their bond already, she was close to it.

Despite the mistakes she’d made, I didn’t believe she was a truly malicious person deep down. And she certainly hadn’t deserved the things Quade had done to her. I truly hoped braden could help her heal and they could find happiness together. We might never be best friends, but I didn’t hate her.

“Let’s go, little wolf.” Clay said, lifting me into the SUV that had just pulled up.

“Thank you for everything, Nathan.” I leaned out the car door to say goodbye.

“No need to thank me, Mal. I told you I’d always be there for you and I meant it. As long as you are safe and happy, that’s all the thanks I need.” He replied, waving back to me as Clay closed the door between us.

Colton climbed in the other side and scooted in next to me. He pulled me into his lap, letting my head rest between him and Cary. Clay pulled my feet into his lap and ran his hands up and down my legs in long soothing strokes.

“Go to sleep, little Omega. You’re safe now. No more Quade, no more Miles. No more being separated from you mates. It’s time to let us spoil and pamper you, give you the future you deserve.” Colton whispered.

“Mmm. I like the sound of that.” I answered sleepily.

After all the stress of the day, of every day since I learned the truth of my heritage really, my system was

crashing fast. I melted into my mates, trusting them to take the reins for a while. Raven purred in my head, completely content to have her mates’ undivided attention. I drifted off to sleep, knowing when I woke up, I’d still be safe in their arms and we’d all finally be home.

“Here, hand her to me.” Someone said as I felt myself being lifted into strong arms.

“Careful! Don’t jostle her.” Someone else hissed.

“I’m not jostling her! I’m walking. There’s a difference.” A third voice argued.

The part of my brain that would recognize my mates voices no matter how tired I was registered that I was safe. That was all I needed to slip back into a dreamless sleep. The next thing I knew, I was being laid on a cushiony mattress while warm hands slid over my limbs, taking my clothes with them.

“Raise your arms for me darling.”

Cary’s hushed voice barely registered.

I mumbled something incoherent and heard someone chuckle. Then a soft shirt was pulled over my head before being lowered back to the mattress. I turned over and cuddled into the pillow beneath my head. It smelled like all three of my mates. It smelled like heaven.

The last thing I remembered was being surrounded by warm bodies and my mates’ delectable scents. But when I woke up the next morning, it was to something much less appealing. My mates were all missing from the bed but my mother and Luna Erika were hovering over me like a couple of hawks about to swoop down on their prey.

“Time to wake up, sweet girl.” Luna Erika chirped. “We have a Luna ceremony to plan!”