Chapter 76
Chapter
Seventy-Six
Once I stepped in and sat down between Tyson and Marcus, I took in the chamber we had stepped into.
The whole place looked exactly how I would picture a High Council chamber, or even an audience room for a king.
They built the entire place with a dark stone, and they had also made the pews we were sitting in from stone.
The whole place was immense. Maybe the same size as the entire library at the university. On the far side, seven chairs had been raised so high that I doubted Marcus could reach them, no matter how high he stretched. Everything up there also comprised stone.
It was incredibly medieval. Marcus put his hand on my knee, which I hadn’t realized was bouncing. My eyes scanned to our right, where there was another set of seats. Those seats also held other shifters. They were talking low, and a few were glancing over at us.
Mar, who else is here?
From what Dad said, other people had been victims of Dylan’s escapades. They are here as well, having put in their own requests along with ours.
My eyes widened as I looked up at him. He brushed some hair back that had fallen out of my braid from the flight over.
Dylan hurt many people on the way to get to you. I know two are the mates from two of the guards who died at the school. The others, I’m sure, have the same issues.
My eyes fell. They probably hate me too. If they knew it was all to get to me.
Marcus lifted my chin. No, Colt. They hate Dylan. He did this. If it hadn’t been you, it would have been something or someone else.
It was hard to believe him when everything stemmed from me. My birth and how I was born. Still, I let it go. Opting to just lace my fingers with his and hold him tight.
I jumped when a loud bang of the door shutting behind us filled the room. Looking back, the seats of the Councilors were filling in. Wearing their full uniforms, they all settled down before the one sitting in the center cleared his throat.
“We are here today for the enactment of the punishment against the Red River Pack’s leadership. Bring forth Dylan Genesis, Fredrik Fisher, Samuel Fisher, Dale Stein, and Lawrence Stein.”
I swallowed, looking at the guards who entered, followed by those whom I had known my entire life. They were being held by silver chains and then locked into loops that I hadn’t seen on the floor as they stood before the Councilors.
“Your crimes have been too numerous to be ignored.”
Mike leaned into my ear and whispered. “Yeah, and the Alford’s pockets too deep.”
I pressed my lips together, and Marcus glared back at him. He shrugged, sitting back and bringing Sabrina to his side. It was hard not to laugh.
“You have rejected your oath as leadership, choosing violence, selfishness, and acting against the laws and natural order that we have as supernatural beings.” The center Councilor stood up.
“This is not a time for judgement. That has passed. The Council has found you guilty, and you will forfeit your lives.”
Sucking in a breath, my hand began to shake. Marcus wrapped my hand in both of his. This was it. Not just Dylan, but my brother and my father were going to be killed as well. It was hard not to let tears blur the room.
“A representative has been chosen to enact your punishment.” The councilor nodded to one guard who was standing next to Lawrence Stein.
He stepped up, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. “First will be Florence Harper, please step forward.”
A woman stepped forward, and I was surprised. She was shaking, but there were no tears. Her rage was almost coming off her in waves. Swallowing, the guards brought Lawrence down onto his knees and chained him up, facing us. His eyes weren’t on anyone but the woman.
“Fitting it would be you.”
“You deserve this, Law.” She looked at the entire line of leadership. “All of you deserve to rot in hell.”
The guard passed her a sword and, without a single ounce of hesitation, she swung it and brought it down, decapitating him.
I wince, doing my best not to look away.
Marcus rubbed my leg, but I struggled to keep my composure.
They deserved this. I knew it. Seeing it, though, was something else entirely.
“Kieran Tomas.”
A wolf shifter stood up and hugged the woman before walking over to Dale Stein.
He had been Gamma when my father was Beta.
He was older, and it looked like all of this had just aged him more.
Spitting in front of Dale’s face, he declined the sword.
Wrapping his hands around Dale’s neck, he growled low.
“This is for my fated.”
The sickening crack of his neck being snapped echoed in the chamber, and I flinched this time. My chest rose and fell as I watched my brother drop to his knees. His eyes met mine, and all I saw was guilt. It didn’t make it better, but at least he knew.
“Michael Kirst.”
I turned around as Mike stood up. My mouth dropped open, and he reached out, patting my shoulder. Swallowing, I watched him as he walked to stand in front of my brother. He squatted down, speaking to him quietly so that none of us could hear. Eventually, Sam hung his head and nodded.
Mike reached out and snapped his neck, and I turned to the side.
Marcus’ back was straight, but he was still holding me.
Standing up, Mike shook his head, looking down at my brother before turning back around.
He came back, and I reached out to him. His hand was shaking as he held mine for a moment.
Letting me go, he sat back down, and Sabrina scooted closer, speaking to him through their mind link.
Turning back around, I came face to face with my father. He was on his knees, sneering at me. As though his anger was ever justified.
“I should never have agreed to your birth. You have brought nothing but ruin to our lives.”
The guard kicked him in the side before reading from the page. “Tyson Alford.”
I looked at Tyson, and he stood up. His anger was almost as strong as the woman’s from before. He stepped up to my father and grabbed his neck, lifting him off the ground as his horns grew from the top of his head.
“You don’t deserve to speak to him. You are nothing.
Not to him or anyone else. Your very breath is a blight.
That boy is stronger and more special than you will ever understand.
Through him, I gained a son who has completed our family and made them better in every way.
You couldn’t see his potential, and that’s on you.
Instead, you stood by while he went through hell.
Now, I pray that the old gods put your soul through the same fucking torture he went through. ”
The moment his neck snapped, tears streamed down my face. Not for my father. There would never be a time I would cry for the man who I thought was my father. Who, when I was younger, I tried to be the perfect child for.
No, it was for the only father figure I had come to respect. Tyson acknowledged me, and it was too much. Tears streamed down my face, and as he sat back down next to me, he wrapped his arms around me.
“You are my son, Colton. That will never change.”
Nodding, I tried not to make a sound. I took a breath and sat up straighter. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I felt Mike rub my shoulder. Marcus squeezed my hand, but let it go.
“Finally, Marcus Alford.”
I looked up at my mate, my Alpha, as he stood up. Making his way down to the front, Dylan cackled. Even from here, he smelled feral. There was probably nothing of his humanity left. His eyes turned completely yellow as he thrashed against the chains.
“You think you won? You think I won’t get him? He is mine! Mine! He will always be mine! It is his fate! Built for me! Born for me!”
I snarled, showing my canines, but Tyson put a hand on my knee. Dylan threw his head back and laughed. Marcus didn’t say anything as he walked up to Dylan.
“You know, I remade you. You were so happy without him. It was so simple to break you two apart. Do you really think you deserve him after that? You think he can’t see the monster you are? He will only have eyes for me, dragon. Only me. I will follow him forever.”
“You won’t. This is the end of the line, Genesis. You will go to hell, and if anything, I hope the knowledge that you will never have him torments you for eternity.”
Marcus shifted his arm, his claws showing his black scales, and even a few of the other shifters whispered.
He wrapped his hands around Dylan and I started to shake.
Bringing Dylan’s face forward, Marcus spoke into his ear.
Suddenly, the manic smile that had been on his face dropped.
He stared at me over Marcus’ shoulder. His eyes widened even more as Marcus continued to speak.
Just as Dylan opened his mouth, Marcus crushed his neck in his claws. I sucked in a breath before I covered my mouth and broke down. His body dropped to the floor in a crumpled mess. It was done. It was fucking done. Dylan was dead.
Burying my head in my hands, I sobbed, not bothering to be quiet. The sheer relief that flooded through me was as if I were suddenly whole again. That after so many years of breaking, after every touch, every word, everything that he had become, he was gone.
Marcus came back and held me to him. I cried into his chest, and he didn’t hush me, just calmly ran his hand down the back of my head. The Councilor cleared his throat as the others stood up.
“Punishment against the Red River pack leadership has ended. As requested by the main party, the children of the leadership were spared. However, they will never take up leadership positions in their lifetime. This concludes our business here today. You may see yourself out.”
The Councilors all turned and headed out the small door on the platform they were on. The door behind us opened, and more guards came in, unchaining the bodies and carrying them out. I sat there, more than a little shell-shocked at how it was now, suddenly just over. It was done.
Marcus had to pretty much lift me up, and he, along with Mike, helped keep me righted as we walked up the stairs. At one point he picked me up, but I shook my head. The stairs were enough to help me push forward. We all made our way out of the Council’s building and just stood on the steps.
“Colt, are you okay?” Sabrina asked, wiping my cheeks.
“I…don’t know.” I looked up at her, then Mike, and Marcus. “It’s so much.”
Marcus kissed my head. “He’s gone, mate. He’s gone, and you are free.”
I snorted. “As free as I can be.”
Everyone around me chuckled. Looking at everyone around me, Eva was the first to reach out and squeeze my hand. I felt as if I had found my home. I was home. I had a family. I had a mate. I had everything I didn’t think I would ever have.
Not just that, but the nightmares that had taken hold of me were gone. Thanks to them. Shaking my head, I pressed my fingers into the corners of my eyes to stop the tears, but I couldn’t.
“Colt…”
Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. “I’m fucking hungry.”
Eva threw her head back and laughed. Everyone else smiled. Marcus pulled me into a hug, and I grabbed his face, pulling him down and kissing him.
“Can I still take you up on the offer of Angelino’s?”
He smiled. “Of course. You can have whatever you want.”