57. Tit for Tat

Lauren.

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. Today was the day of the trial and I was sweating buckets. I didn’t know what to expect.

I didn’t know if my case would hold out in court. Sebastian was an Alpha after all. Not just any alpha, he was well respected. He was like royalty.

I had expected him to change his mind concerning the matter, but he didn’t. We’ve barely talked since he dropped the bomb on my lap. I guess we were both avoiding each other.

I put on my makeup. Choosing to go with a natural look. I had on a pencil skirt and a silk blouse. I was going into a man’s world. Where they were the ones that yielded all the power. I needed to look put together. To look like the badass boss bitch I was. Otherwise they would eat me up and spit me out.

My door opens and I expect to see Sebastian. Praying that he has come to tell me that he has changed his mind. That he will start the process of separation, but it isn’t him who walks into my room.

Phoebe glares at me the moment our eyes meet. She hasn’t hidden the fact that she loathes me.

Staying in the same house as her hasn’t been akin to drowning in sulphur.

“How can I help you Phoebe?” I ask. My voice is cool, calm and collected.

The woman has been a pain since she arrived. I am trying to be respectful but I am not sure how long that would last.

Most of the time I feel like tearing her head off. The only good thing is that despite hating me. She has embraced Krystal and it seems like she genuinely adores her.

“Why are you such a heartless bitch? Sebastian is your mate for heaven sake! So why are you taking him to court over a misunderstanding?” she yells.

It doesn’t faze me. I put my brush down and turn to look at her.

“If being tortured for two weeks is what you call a misunderstanding then you’re as hopeless as he is” I mutter, trying to reign in my anger.

I hated how everyone expected me to walk away from this. Forget about everything and move on. It wasn’t fucking fair.

Like I keep saying where is my justice? Why wasn’t anyone fighting for me? Everyone was so quick to fight for the innocent souls that were killed.

They were eager to send me to hell for my wrong doings. Now that everything has been settled no one wants to acknowledge that they did me wrong. That I was innocent and I suffered at their hands for something that wasn’t my fault.

I hear Blue and Midnight growling in my head but I calm them down. It seemed like they were the only two that were on my side.

Phoebe snarls at me. Her eyes closing into slits.

“If you think you can take my godson to court so you can get his money then…”

This time I don’t hold back my growl. “Woman! I’ve got my own fucking money. Unlike Miranda I am not a broke bitch that is after Sebastian’s bank account”

"You will not speak to me like that. I am your elder, respect me damn it!"

I snicker. "Respect goes both ways and so far I haven't seen shit from you"

We have a stare down for a while. Our wolves fighting for dominance. Finally she averts her eyes after realizing I was more dominant than she was.

“If you have nothing important then I suggest you leave before I find myself doing something I might not regret” I say through gritted teeth.

She has been criticizing everything I do. From how I cook, to how I dress, to my parental skills. She makes nasty comments whenever I am near. She was a version of the evil mother in law.

At the orphanage we were told to respect our elders but damn it. Phoebe was driving me up the wall.

The worst thing is that we didn’t even know each other. Yet she treated me as if I were an enemy to the people.

She huffs before turning to the door. Giving me one last scathing look before she leaves. The fact that she just barged into my room without knocking proves just how much she disrespects me.

I finish getting ready and leave. The kids were at school and most of the pack members were at their daytime jobs. I doubt they even know what's going on or if they did they're keeping quiet about it.

Nothing exciting happens during my drive to the courthouse. Except that my nervousness reaches its peak.

“Will you come down? You’re making me antsy” Midnight says, pacing in my head.

“I can’t help it. I am anxious”

“You’ve got this Ren. Remember we will be with you” Blue chimes in.

Damn did I need to hear that from them. I feel like it’s me against the world. At first the court wanted to refuse my request but my lawyer somehow convinced them. Even though they accepted it reluctantly.

I reach my destination and find Christine, my current lawyer waiting for me outside the building. I get out of my car while trying to calm my erratic beating heart.

“You ready?” Christine asks me once I reach.

“As ready as I’ll ever be” I murmur.

“Don’t worry, everything will turn out great” she says rubbing my shoulder.

I wanted to believe her but a part of me was skeptical about the whole thing.

We get inside the building and she leads me to the room assigned to our case. Before entering I take a deep calming breath.

You can do this Ren. I say to myself. Trying to boost my confidence up so that I can face whatever was waiting for me on the other side.

I get in and every eye turns to me. Majority of the people inside were men. Phoebe was there and a couple of other women but it seemed like they were on Sebastian’s side.

I don’t look at Sebastian when I take my seat. I keep my eyes focused in front of the room. Soon enough the judge arrives and the session begins.

“So Mrs. Ashford it’s my understanding that you’re suing your mate for wrongly accusing you?” the judge asks.

I stand up respectfully and answer him. I could already tell that the judge won’t make this easy for me.

My intuition already knows that he has picked a side and it isn’t mine.

“The council elders tell me that it was a misunderstanding. That all evidence pointed to you” he continues.

“You’re Honor if I may.” Christine stands up. “That may be the case, but they shouldn’t have taken into account the words of a nine year child who was scared out of her mind. It wouldn’t have hurt anyone for them to investigate further”

Immediately Sebastian’s lawyer stands up. “I object. According to my sources Krystal is the next oracle so they didn’t have reason to doubt what she said”

I glare at both Sebastian and his lawyer. The last thing I wanted was word to get out about who Krystal was and the position she would hold in future.

Once this was done, Sebastian and I were going to have words about him keeping his fucking mouth shut.

“And how do you feel about all these Alpha Sebastian? What is your plea?” the judge asks Sebastian.

Bringing me out of my murderous thoughts.

Everyone turns to the man. Eager to hear what he was going to say. He stands up confidently. His suit fit him to perfection. His facial expression is neutral. When he speaks, his voice is strong, calm and assertive.

“Guilty”

The one word from his mouth turns everything into chaos. Everyone is shocked, each one vocalizing their opinion. That being that, he was innocent and shouldn’t be taking a guilty plea.

I see Phoebe glare at me from the corner of my eyes. If looks could kill, I would be dead and buried a long time ago. Micah is seated next to his mother. I didn't even notice him until now.

“Order in my court” the judge commands while Sebastian takes his seat.

The fact that he looked calm and collected. Unbothered. Irritated the hell out of me. Once everyone is settled the case continues.

We take a break after and then come back to hear the ruling of the judge. Despite the fact that we had a strong case, I knew that the odds weren’t in our favor.

Like I said, I was in the minority here. Most of those present didn’t see what was wrong with what happened to me.

“After seating with the jury we have come to a conclusion. What was done to you Mrs. Ashford was wrong but it doesn’t warranty you to take your mate to court. It was a misunderstanding that I am sure you can sort out as a couple. The only thing I will ask Alpha Sebastian to do is to issue you with an apology which I have been told he already has. So with that, the case is closed”

I look at Sebastian and for the first time since we got here I see emotions playing on his face. By now I can tell when he was angry. Right now my mate looked downright livid. What he was angry about, I don’t know.

I slump in my seat feeling defeated. If was not going to get a separation couldn't they just give payback atleast?

“This case is far from closed” a familiar voice interrupts the commotion.

Sylvia walks down the small aisle and heads to the front. The judge bows down in respect but she doesn’t seem to acknowledge that.

“What you’re doing is an injustice” she says looking at the judge. I could feel her anger all the way to where I was seated.

The judge speaks. “We saw no need of dragging this. Mrs. Ashford will be compensated with an apology that’s…”

“If you dare finish that sentence I will forget what I was sent here to do and I will rip your head clean off your shoulders” Sylvia snarls and the judge audibly swallows.

I couldn’t help but admire how badass the woman was even in her old age. She turns around and faces us.

“Here is the thing, Lauren is important to the moon goddess and she won’t let any injustice against her pass. She knew what sexist pigs the lot of you are so she sent me” she begins.

“This is how things will go and how the moon goddess wants things to happen. Everyone that was involved, that is, the elders, the enforcers who went to arrest her, Alec and Sebastian. They will all receive the treatment that Lauren suffered at their hands. She will be allowed to watch as they are tortured, if that’s what she wants. If anyone has a problem with this decision they can take up with the goddess herself. If I hear a peep against Ren, I will hunt you down. Am I fucking understood?”

Everyone was shocked but they nodded, mostly out of fear. This went down better than I expected and I won’t complain at the turn of events.

Sylvia walks to me before pulling into a hug. I hug her back grateful before we both step back. She smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back.

“The goddess sends her love and she says she’ll make contact with you soon. She has work for you”

By the gasps I hear around me, I assume people don’t know exactly who I was. I had finally accepted my role as the goddess’ enforcer and executioner. It no longer bothered me once Midnight explained to me what that entails.

“I am looking forward to hearing from her” I tell her. Happy that for the first time in my life I have a purpose.

I then look at Sebastian and the elders. Sebastian looks unmoved but the elders look shaken.

I grin. Tit for Tat is after all a fair game.