Chapter 38
· Aubrey ·
He hesitates, and that hesitation alone is enough to make my heart skip a beat. Soren rarely hesitates. He’s always calm, always in control, always sure of what needs to be done. But right now, he looks… conflicted.
“Let’s sit,” he says quietly, taking my hand and leading me to the couch in the corner of the bedroom. I follow without protest.
The silence stretches between us as we sit, and I can’t take it anymore. “Soren,” I prompt, my voice sharp. “Tell me.”
He exhales slowly, running a hand through his hair. “They’re both in custody.”
Relief washes over me like a tidal wave, my shoulders sagging as the tension I’ve been holding onto all day begins to ease. “That’s good, right? This is what we needed.”
“Yes, but there’s more,” he says, his tone carefully measured. “There’s going to be a secret trial. The council wants to handle this quietly to avoid any public unrest. They want to make sure everything is tied up neatly before we move on Alaric.”
A secret trial makes sense. The last thing we need is a public spectacle that could give Alaric time to cover his tracks. But something about Soren’s expression tells me there’s even more.
“And?”
“I need to offer Bianca a deal,” he says finally, his voice low. “If she agrees to testify against Rhett and Clyde, they’ll lessen her sentence.”
“Wait, I don’t understand?” I just stare at him, the words not fully registering. When they do, a cold fury rises in my chest, hot and sharp, making it hard to breathe.
“A deal?” I repeat, my voice barely more than a whisper. “They’re offering her a deal? After everything she’s done?”
“I suggested it,” Soren tells me and I feel like he slapped me.
Soren reaches for my hand, his grip firm but gentle. “Aubrey, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but we need her testimony. Without it, there’s a chance Rhett and Clyde could find a way to wriggle out of this. Bianca’s testimony will seal their fate.”
“I can testify. Bianca told me what they did to your wife, Alaric’s involvement, and Clyde’s.”
“That’s hearsay, and given your history with Bianca, it won’t be enough.
When we captured Rhett and Clyde we learned Alaric is building an army.
Clyde will try to say this is just a vendetta against him and Rhett since you are my mate.
He even tried to claim he was there to stop Rhett.
” He runs his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“Rhett and Clyde won’t speak against Alaric.
Even commanded we couldn’t get them to, meaning Alaric has used compulsion on them.
Bianca hasn’t been compelled. I guess Alaric didn’t think she knew enough or wasn’t a threat to his entire operation. ”
I pull my hand away, standing abruptly. I need space.
I need air. Pacing to the window, I stare out at the darkened forest beyond the castle grounds, my mind spinning.
I should be relieved—Rhett and Clyde are in custody, and the council is preparing to bring them to justice.
But instead, all I feel is anger. Isn’t their crimes against me enough, I can testify about what Bianca told me about Soren’s wife and the council.
“She framed me, Soren,” I say, my voice tight.
“She helped Rhett kidnap me, helped him force a bond on me. She stood by while he ruined my life, and now she gets to live while my Dad is lying in a coma and we don’t even know if he’ll make it?
” I turn to face him, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “How is that fair?”
“It’s not,” he says quietly, his gaze steady and unwavering. “None of this is fair. But this isn’t about fairness—it’s about ending this. It’s about making sure Rhett and Clyde pay for what they’ve done and ensuring Alaric doesn’t get away with his part in it.”
I know he’s right. Deep down, I know this isn’t about revenge—it’s about justice. That doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.
“And what if she lies?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “What if she twists the truth to protect Rhett? How do we know we can trust her?”
“We don’t, but I don’t think she will lie,” Soren admits. “She’s smart enough to know that lying won’t save her. If she tries to protect Rhett, she dies. This deal is her only chance at survival, and she knows it. We also have an incentive to make her talk.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Survival. That’s all she’s ever cared about, isn’t it? Saving her own skin.”
“And her parents.”
I glance at him.
“Long story, I haven’t got the energy for right now, but her parents are in the dungeons with her. She gave Rhett up when I threatened to kill her parents.”
Soren stands, closing the distance between us in two strides.
He cups my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his gaze.
“I hate this as much as you do, Aubrey. But I need you to trust me. I need you to trust this is the right move. We’re so close to ending this, to being free of all of it. Please.”
His words, his touch, the raw sincerity in his eyes—it breaks through the wall of anger. Slowly, I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Okay,” I whisper. “I trust you.”
Relief flashes across his face, and he pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly. I close my eyes, resting my head against his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart calm my racing thoughts.
“I hate this,” I murmur again, my voice muffled against his shirt.
“I know,” he says softly, kissing the top of my head. “But it’s almost over. Just a little longer, love, and we’ll finally be free.”
I cling to those words like a lifeline, hoping he’s right, hoping this nightmare really is almost over.
“So what happens next?”
“The trial is tomorrow. We have Clyde and Rhett here. I don’t trust the council fully so I demanded we hold them. Then we plan the wedding. We have a plan, it will work.” he assures me.
I sigh heavily. That doesn’t make knowing Bianca will barely be punished for her crimes any better, but at the same time, I don’t believe her crimes against me warranted the death penalty.
However, Clyde’s and Rhett’s definitely do.
And we are only just learning the full extent of Alaric’s crimes.
“I need to shower and then check on Max,” Soren states.
I nod before pausing.
“Can I borrow your phone? I wanna check in with Mom, see how Dad is doing?”
Soren pauses, pulling his phone from his pocket and passing it to me. “Why didn’t you use the landline?”
“Issue at breakfast, I could feel you. It set my anxiety off. So I’ve spent the day in here not wanting to scare Max or the staff.”
Soren sighs. “Let me shower and see Max, then I’ll take you for a run. It might help.”
I chew my lip nervously and reluctantly nod, as he wanders off into the bathroom. I dial my mother’s number to check on my dad.
It’s strange, after everything with Rhett and my parents disowning me, I feel relief upon hearing her voice.
Maybe it is because I know they only did it hoping I would choose them, and how I wish I did.
At the same time, I don’t regret it because it led me to Max and Soren.
My father’s pack is no longer home for me; I found home here.
I get her voicemail, it makes me wonder if Dad is ok because she hasn’t answered for a few days now.
Soren told me she would be busy with damage control because he has also been helping on that front, since they want to keep everything quiet as long as possible—at least until the wedding.
I just hope my father wakes before I have to walk down that aisle.
· King Soren ·
The next day
The hall feels heavy, weighed down by the stone walls and the tense anticipation that hangs thick in the air.
Damian walks toward me, his usual cocky grin replaced by a hardened expression.
He knows how important this trial is. Everyone here does.
If word of it leaks out, we risk chaos—not just in our kingdom, but across every pack aligned under the council’s protection.
I glance at Aubrey, seated beside me. Though her face is impassive, I can feel the turmoil beneath her calm exterior through our bond.
Her anger simmers, her fingers tapping restlessly against her thigh.
I reach over and place a hand over hers, stilling the movement.
She relaxes slightly at my touch, but the tension in her body remains.
She hasn’t said it but I know she is nervous about facing Rhett today.
“You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to, we have enough evidence,” I whisper to her, though I already know what her answer will be.
She turns her gaze toward me, her eyes hard and determined. “I do. I need to see this through.”
There’s no arguing with her when she’s like this. And truthfully, I don’t want to argue. I want her by my side for this. She deserves to see justice served, especially after everything Rhett and Bianca put her through.
Damian stops beside us, having checked the security measures we have in place.
“Ready?” he asks. I nod, rising. I hold my hand out for Aubrey to take, and she reluctantly does.
This is the first time she has been off the castle grounds and despite being nervous, she is keeping her instincts in check.
Though I can feel the sensory overdrive in her through the bond; every little noise, every flickering of light or movement and voice has her jittery.
We are in the old council chambers, one rarely used.
Located on the old castle grounds which are no longer part of the main one but where the ruins of the original castle are.
This outer building is in working order, it has been well maintained despite hardly being used.