Chapter 19
JUDGE
Somewhere above, a pipe drips with an almost rhythmic patience—plink, plink, plink.
Padding my weapons, I ensure they’re secure in case she tries to come at me. I hardly ever have them near Diana, because I don’t want her to see me as someone worth fearing, or trying to grab them herself.
I step into the small concrete room with a glass window at the very top, one that can’t be opened. It’s just to give this prisoner a sense of day and night.
The lights flicker as I pull a chair from the hallway and into the room. Selene sits on a cot, one arm bandaged, and one side of her face bruised purple and green. Her lip is split, but she still smirks, the kind of smirk that says she’d bite my hand off before thanking me for anything.
She watches me like she’s already decided that pissing me off is worth the possible death penalty.
“Well,” she rasps, voice dry. “Happy now? Went through all that to take one omega?”
“You’re lucky we showed up. That alpha was a part of the Red Fangs, and they deal with human trafficking. You’d probably have no organs by now, which they cut out while you’re still awake, just so you know.”
Selene leans back, exhaling through her nose. “What do you want with me? Where is Diana?”
His jaw tightens. “Diana is under my protection now.”
Selene’s breath catches, but she hides it with a scoff. “That what you call it? Protection? What happened to her while she was in heat? No one will tell me.”
“I took care of her.”
For a second—a very brief second—Selene’s defiance falters. Her throat moves as she swallows, eyes darting all over me, the room, then down at her wounds.
“I want you to write a letter,” I say, pulling out a folded-up piece of parchment and a pen from my pocket, “that tells her you’re alive.
Then you’re going to add something in there that only you two would know, so she knows it’s you.
I will be reading it, so don’t try to include anything I wouldn’t approve.
We’ll rewrite it a hundred times if necessary. ”
Selene’s eyes harden. “What’s going to happen to her?”
For a while, we just stare at each other. There’s something about this woman I don’t like, which is why Diana won’t be seeing her again. A letter will suffice. “She will live here and be mated to someone,” I carefully reply.
Finally, Selene exhales, muttering, “What happens to me?”
“When I think your use is gone, I’ll set you free.”
“And what dictates that?”
I pass her the paper and pen. “That’s not relevant. Now write the letter, and you’ll be given proper medical care, food, and water.”
Selene takes the pen and paper, sadness crossing her face. “I’m only doing this so she knows I’m not dead. Not for you.”
“Don’t care the reason. Do what I asked.”
I watch and wait as she writes, having to shift so she can put the paper on a bench.
Hopefully, this will allow Diana not to worry about Selene.
At the very least, I will have done my duty to ensure those close to her are not harmed for her actions.
What happens to Selene after this is something I could care very little about.