18. Interrogation
Interrogation
Evangeline
Last night got a little out of hand.
Or a lot out of hand, as Auggie loves reminding me.
Technically, he has no proof other than speculation and apparently a face I make when I lie (and the blood covering me when I got home).
But I have learnt from my past mistakes and stayed quiet rather than trying to defend myself.
He wouldn’t relent, even after I gave him the face.
Eventually he tired himself out (I was falling asleep) and he sent me off to my room with the promise of consequences in the morning.
He was up bright and early. Ready with those consequences in the form of a Council folder and a stern face as he forced me out the door.
I knew where we were heading five minutes into the drive. It’s the same route we take every time.
The Council building.
A horribly modern thing, which could be considered beautiful, except that every annoying thing that has ever happened to me has taken place in that building.
Namely meetings.
They’re considerably boring.
It seems every Councillor has decided to come into work today. The scent alone is one thing, but it’s the number of eyes on me that have me shifting my weight from foot to foot as Auggie signs us in.
The Beta at the reception keeps his gaze locked on the magazine he’s reading, and if Auggie wasn’t already pulling me through the barrier, I would have asked for some gossip.
Alphas are everywhere.
Raised voices and angry scents stream down the corridors. We weave through the crowds, but the one consistency is my name repeated on the lips of everyone I come across.
We shuffle into the big Council chamber. An oval room with tiered seating in a crescent moon shape. Alphas enter in droves, voicing their opinions on what to do with me loudly.
Auggie tugs on my hand and brings us to the centre of the room. Perfect, if anyone had missed me before, they can’t now.
The doors shut, and I finally look out. Thankfully, not every Councillor is in attendance, but enough are to make me squirm.
“Omega Evangeline. You have been brought here to answer some questions about an incident last night.”
“Lets cut to the chase, shall we? Most of us have been here for hours already. Did you kill Alpha Morgan Dean?” What a charming guy.
“Who?”
“You’re saying you don’t know who Alpha Morgan Dean is?”
“I don’t have a clue who that is.” True (ish), I mean I can guess from context.
Another Alpha leans forward. He projects a calm and helpful scent of chamomile and eucalyptus.
“Where were you last night?”
“I was with my friend Lila.” I say with a bright smile.
A few Alphas exchange glances, and I can see the doubt creeping in. Hopefully, she withstands questioning. She already told me she wouldn’t say anything, but I wouldn’t blame her if she caved.
They kept going back and forth, trying to catch me out, but I remained steadfast in my denial. They brought in more Councillors and it started all over again.
They tried accusing me.
“Stop lying. We know you did it. You’re a killer, Omega Evangeline.”
They tried sympathising with me.
“It’s okay if it was self defence. You can tell us. We’ll make sure no one ever hurts you again.”
They tried to trick me.
“After you killed him, how did you get home?”
Amateurs.
Then they brought out the big guns. Alpha Councillor Knight Ashford.
“You’ve been good lately, why did you do it?”
I swallow roughly. What nearly breaks me is Auggie’s look of complete humiliation, and for that I am truly sorry.
I have only ever wanted to make him proud of me.
He is one of the few Alphas I have ever felt comfortable with.
He took me in when no one knew what to do with me.
I followed him around. Some might have called it stalking.
He did. He called it that. Until eventually he brought me home with him and became my guardian, my family.
It was better than having to hunt me down from whichever home I ran away from next.
Or trying to explain to the foster family he was putting me with that I was not pretending to try to kill her Alpha son, I was actually attempting to murder him.
“Do you need to be moved homes?”
Auggie growls and I scowl. The thought alone earning a reaction from me when I have been ignoring everyone else’s attempts.
He squats in front of me, bringing us eye to eye.
“Have you been feeling restless again?”
They keep going and I space out. More and more Councillors fill the remaining auditorium seating, but the only face I stare at is the one so similar to my mate.
He doesn’t question me like the others, and only occasionally looks at me. Other than that, his gaze remains firmly on the documents in front of him.
“Omega Evangeline. Despite what you might think, we’re not here today to determine if you did it or not. We know you did. There were cameras. We’re just waiting on the footage. We are here to figure out why. We need to know how to keep you safe. We have to decide what to do with you.”
My chest tightens. Up until now, I was sure they didn’t know for sure. Even if they did, they wouldn’t care. Right? They’ve seen me do this before. It’s not like they’re going to send me away or lock me up.
Auggie leaves my side, and the world swallows me whole. I need to leave. I have to run. I can’t be here.
“Let’s adjourn here. We could all use a break to think.” Alpha Knight speaks directly to me.
They all stand and move towards the exit, and I run.
I know I won’t get far, but I can’t keep sitting in this building knowing that my fate is being decided without my input.
Voices follow me, and I don’t need to hear them to know what they are saying.
Look at her run. She’s guilty. She might as well confess.
The further I get, the freer I feel.
I skip, bouncing as I move, letting my hair whip against my face.
Smoke washes over me.
Him.
Here?
Locked in a struggle with four other Alphas, he fights to get to me.
They’re around the same height and strength by the looks of them (typical Alphas), but he is more desperate.
His eyes lock on me and he tears himself out of their grasp.
He breaks through and I run to him. I bury myself in his scent, nuzzling as close to him as possible.
The Council can take everything from me if they want, but they can never take this.
“You have got to tell me your name, Little Killer.”
His voice is deep and yearning (one hundred per cent swoon worthy).
The sound of Auggie’s voice cuts through my thoughts. I’ve already caused him enough trouble. I should have known he would chase after me when I ran.
“Evangeline. What do you think you’re doing? You cannot leave a meeting like that. You’re in serious trouble.”
I try to give him my pleading eyes and hope that he falls for my pathetic excuse of an apology, but he stops me with a glare.
Vibrations slide over my skin, rattling my bones and forcing my pulse to quicken. Pleasure shoots up my spine. The growl is a clear warning, violent and foreboding, but my body doesn’t seem to care.
I let out an involuntary gasp, and every limb relaxes.
“Do it again,” I whisper.
“Brother?”
Everyone seems frozen. Passersby staring at a car crash. Only we are their focus.
I slide down my mate’s body, standing on my own two feet so I can present my mate.
“Alpha August, this is my mate.” I beam at him.
The corridor stands still, eyes wide with horror and fascination.
I glance at my mate. His tall, golden stature, with features of a god, but I see underneath his facade, there’s something dark there, coated in blood, which calls to me.
In contrast, all they see are the dark parts of me.
I bet they think they can still see the blood of that Alpha splattered on my pale skin. We don’t look like we should work.
Alpha Browen coughs, choking on air, his eyes pinned to where his brother’s hand rests around my shoulders.
“Mate?”
He sounds horrified.
Alpha Cassius’s arm flexes, and I know he sees it too.
“Scent match.” He adds proudly, refusing to be dissuaded by his brother.
He runs his fingers through his hair, tugging on the long strands. He looks more exhausted now than he did five minutes ago. “Fuck,” he mutters.
“Evangeline, I said we would need to talk about this,” Auggie groans, wiping his hand down his face. He’s using the same coaxing tone when he wants me to leave my shed. “After this mess, I don’t think the Council would ever allow you to court and mate.”
He’s silly. Why would the death of an insignificant stain on the world even come up in a conversation about mating? I’m sure this will all blow over, Auggie will calm down and Alpha Cassius can be mine.
My mate doesn’t come to the same conclusion. His large, hard chest finds my back, pulling me close and wrapping me in his arms.
Alpha Browen speaks. “Little brother. I don’t think you quite know what you have got yourself into. Come to my office. We can talk and sort everything out. Let her go.” His words sound nice, but I don’t like what he is implying.
Does he not think I’m good enough for his brother? Does he think we have made a mistake? There’s no mistaking a scent match.
A loud growl echoes around us, deepening and intensifying. Evidently, that was the wrong thing to say. The Alpha sweeps me into his arms. His growl constant, a dare to anyone trying to break us apart.
“I am not a child! Do not fucking treat me like one. I know more than you think. She is my scent match. She is my mate. Nothing you have to say will change that.” His voice booms, anger penetrating every corner of the office.
He turns his violence on August. “And you. The Council can’t do shit to stop us from mating. She doesn’t need permission, and I sure as shit don’t give a fuck if I have their blessing,” he sneers.
If he weren’t holding me, I would be on the floor at his feet.
The crowd gathering around us part. Alpha Henri strides through the gap, his eyes connecting with his pack mate first before falling over me. His eyes widen with alarm and recognition. He wasn’t in the meeting, though I am assuming he’s here to weigh in on the issue that is me.
“You.”
“Hi.”
I would wave. It would be the polite thing to do, or maybe lowering my gaze, or perhaps I should be on my knees when I greet him.
I haven’t been allowed in the lectures on etiquette after mating.
I’m assuming my mate wouldn’t want me on my knees for another Alpha.
I should ask about attending those classes.
“Angel?”
I peer up at my mate.
“Yes.”
“You drifting?”
Well, I wasn’t listening.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” He snuggles me into his arms, burying my face into his scent gland. Smoky.
“I’m assuming this is why you called me in on my day off?” Alpha Henri asks. “Why don’t we all cool off for a minute.”
“Cool off? That’s my brother and you want me to leave him with that Alpha killing psycho?”
Before Alpha Cassius can react, August growls.
“She’s still an Omega, and my ward. She’s no danger to your brother, and Councillor or not, you better watch your fucking tone.”
Alphas, so dramatic.
“Browen. You’re not thinking clearly. Take a step back and look at them. They’re fine, he’s fine.”
His calming tone has the desired effect. Alpha Browen spares one last glare before storming off, with Alpha Henri following behind.
August shakes his head, muttering about knottheads before he turns his attention back to us, or more accurately, Alpha Cassius.
“You got a name, boy.”
He postures, knowing full well who my mate is.
But he doesn’t take the bait. “Alpha Cassius Atwood.”
“Alpha August. I’m Evangeline’s foster father. I’ve heard very little about you. Let’s change that.”
“Fine.”