Chapter 38


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    The trail didn''t start that night, but rather first thing the next morning. I slept a little that night, but Seth


    didn''t sleep a wink. I didn''t know what he was nning to do, he refused to tell me in the worry I would


    talk him out of it. Which proved to me that whatever his n was, it was a stupid ass n and he knew


    it.


    When morning finally came, in a soft rise of a mncholy sunrise, the two of us got up and changed.


    Seth put on his designer dark blue suit,bed and gelled his hair back before donning his signature


    gold Rolex. He looked like an Alpha ready to take charge...or a vain millionaire that always got what he


    wanted. Both were apt descriptions of Seth Zev.


    I dressed in a in white shirt, tucked into a pair of high-waisted straight ck pants and t shoes. I


    put my hair into two braids and did basic makeup, trying to look older but professional. This was my


    first time meeting the other Alpha''s, and despite what Seth said, they would be judging me because of


    my age.


    "Oh" Seth suddenly said, turning to me with a small velvet jewellery box in his hands. "I guess it seems


    stupid to ask you now".


    I gave him a long look, "you were going to ask me to marry you on my birthday?"


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Seth sighed heavily, "yeah, I was. You''re seventeen now, so officially we''re legal back at home. So,


    yeah, I was going to ask you to marry me. But, with everything going on Ipletely forgot".


    "You forgot? How do you forget to propose to someone?" I angrily shook my head at him. He''d never


    change. "Your romance stills my beating heart" I deadpanned sarcastically. Seth''s lips twitched into a


    smirk, as he bent down and kissed the top of my head. I held out my hand and Seth ced the ring box


    onto my palm.


    "Seth!" Dean suddenly shouted from downstairs. Seth sighed heavily as he nced over his shoulder


    at the door, before turning back to me.


    "You don''t have to wear it. I''d like you to, but if you want me to do it properly when we get home, I will"


    Seth said, kissing the top of my head once more. "Five minutes and we need to get going. I''ll be


    downstairs". He left me on my own, as I sat down on the bed with the ring box in my hand.


    I was furious. I didn''t ask for much, but I expected him to at least make an effort when he proposed to


    me. I hadn''t expected him to ask me so soon, but I didn''t think it was fair that he did it so casually. Seth


    wasn''t romantic, I had epted that, but this half-assed proposal was not good enough.


    "Stupid Alpha" I muttered, shaking my head at Seth. That boy didn''t have a damn romantic bone in his


    body – who the fuck forgets to propose to their girlfriends? I shook my head in annoyance as I opened


    the ring box. For a moment my anger evaporated as I looked at the ring, it was small and dainty...and in


    the shape of an arrow. Small diamonds shone in the white gold as I admired it.


    "Stupid fucking Alpha" I sighed, shaking my head as I tried not to smile. That damn boy was cute


    sometimes despite his idiocy. He knew I''d never want somethingrge and shiny, that just didn''t suit


    me. So, he''d got one custom made in the shape of a bow.


    Part of me wanted to shove it back in the box, and demand that he gets down on one knee and ask me


    properly. But, therger part of me knew it was pointless. I would say yes, no matter what, so it was


    futile to make him do it all again. And I couldn''t take the risk that the damn idiot would ''forget'' to ask me


    again.


    I slipped it onto my finger as I snapped the box shut. Shaking my head, at how easily I let him get away


    with it, I headed downstairs where I was greeted with my second unpleasant shock of the day. And,


    unfortunately, I didn''t think it was thest surprise of the day.


    Dale, Seth''s slightly younger brother, was in the garden with my mate and they were obviously arguing.


    The two looked so alike that they could have been twins, but Dale was slightly rougher in appearance –


    hair not as neatly styled, stubble not as close cut and his clothing casual. Even though I couldn''t hear


    their argument, it was obvious through the closed French patio doors.


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    "Why is Dale here? And why are they arguing?" I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest unhappily.


    "I was just about to ask you the same question" Dean frowned, as we shared a worried look. "I don''t


    know what the Alpha is nning, but I already don''t like it".


    "Yeah, tell me about it" I snorted. "But, you know what he is like. Typical Alpha male, won''t take anyone


    else''s advice".


    Dean gave me a side eye, "you guys fighting again?"


    "Not exactly. I''m trying not to lose my temper with him...not today anyway. After this trial is over, and


    hopefully everything goes alright, he''ll have some things to answer to". I paused, ncing at the two


    brothers arguing. "But don''t worry, I''m a woman, I can hold onto my anger for a long time".


    Seth and Dale soon came back into the house, Seth was calm and collected as always but his brother


    was rigid with tension and anger. He muttered a quick greeting to me, before Seth whisked me out the


    house. Dean, Dale and the other Wolves we''d brought with us stayed in the house.


    "You''re wearing the ring" Seth said, offering me a small smile. He was trying to act normal, but his


    nervousness and strain was crackling in the air around us. He was as stiff as his suit.


    "I don''t want to argue right now, so let''s not talk about that" Imented, frowning up at him. Seth''s


    expression didn''t change, but he nodded tautly and took my hand in his. His uneasiness was making


    me feel even worse. Seth had some sort of hair-brain-scheme to get him out of facing the death


    penalty, but I was pretty sure I wouldn''t agree with it – and he knew I wouldn''t, which was exactly why


    he hadn''t told me about it.


    Seth''s trial was being held at the conference room in Alpha Parker''s office building. When we arrived,


    four of the other five Alpha''s were already there. There were seven Alpha''s in the country, including


    Seth and Alpha Parker, and they were all here to pass judgement on Seth''s mistake.


    "Gentlemen" Seth nodded professionally at the other Alpha''s. He then introduced me to the other


    Alpha''s. First was Alpha Trevor Wells of the Ecliptic Dark Pack; an elder man whose reddish hair was


    beginning to turn grey, he regarded Seth with a cool unwavering nce. Second was Alpha Jack Arthur


    of the Mascon Fire Pack; a young eighteen year old Alpha who looked a little lost in hisrge suit. Third


    was Alpha Tristian Masters of the Sr Mask Pack; a man whose lip practically curled in disgust when


    he nced between Seth and I.


    Thest person I was introduced to, was someone who instantly peaked my interest. Alpha Quinn


    Danvers of the Red Knox Pack – the Alpha that Seth had just been visiting only days before. Quinn


    was a handsome man, with a southern ent so thick that I was almost convinced it was put on. He


    seemed nice, as he shook Seth''s hand and greeted me kindly. But I couldn''t help me but remember


    what Seth had told me about Quinn''s mate, who had died before he''d ever found out her name. And


    even though Quinn was perfectly turned out, there was a slight haunted look in his eyes when no one


    was looking at him.


    "So, we''re just waiting for Sam" Sethmented, as the two of us sat down on the long conference


    table with everyone else. Of course, Alpha Parker had sat himself at the top of the table – he looked


    smug, like he was happy to get me and my mate in trouble. I hated that guy, had since I was a kid.


    "Yes, Sam said he''d be here in a moment. He was just visiting the Yellowstone Wolves we have locked


    up" Alpha Parker replied.


    "Of course he is" Seth muttered dryly. I''d not actually met Alpha Sam Caster of the ck Bloods Pack


    yet, despite the fact that it was his dispute with Seth that had caused the entire war and Yellowstone


    situation we were in.


    When Alpha Caster did turn up, he gave Seth a cocky look that made my mate''s teeth grate, before he


    sat down at thest seat avable. There was a long moment of pause before Alpha Parker cleared his


    throat and stood up.


    "I have called you all here, to convene the Council, on the matter of treasonmitted by Alpha Seth


    Zev of the Equinox Pack" he began. I bit my tongue as not toment and tell all these people that my


    mate was innocent and had simply made a mistake. "We are all familiar with the Yellowstone situation


    that was spearheaded by Seth ten years ago. However, we have recently discovered that one of the


    She-Wolves was pregnant at the time of her capture. Pregnant with Alpha Sam Caster''s child. She has


    since given birth to a son who had been raised as a Wolf in Yellowstone".


    The Alpha''s all exchanged looks but none of them instantly said anything. But, after a few seconds,


    Alpha Parker turned to Seth. "As you are aware, if found guilty of treason the penalty is death".


    Seth nodded, "I understand. However, before the presentation of evidence begins, I would first like to


    speak". Alpha Parker didn''t look happy but he nodded. My mate squeezed my hand oncest time,


    before dropping it and standing up. I took a deep breath as every eye in the room trained on Seth. My


    mate inhaled deeply before beginning.


    "I was only twenty when this situation with Yellowstone urred. I was nothing more than a child with


    only two years experience. I didn''t know of the She-Wolves rtionship with Sam nor that she was


    pregnant. If I had, my decision would have been very different. However, I understand the pain and


    suffering I have caused with my actions. I was wrong and there is nothing I can do to change that now".


    He paused for a moment, before carrying on. "I am not na?ve enough to think that I will not be punished


    for this decision, with a very high chance that I am going to be executed. This timest year, I would


    have stood here fighting and yelling until myst dying breath. But, as I grow older, I grow my selfish.


    And now that I finally have a mate, I am more selfish than ever. And, so I am so selfish that I don''t want


    anything to take me away from my mate and the future we''re bound to have together".


    My heart was racing nervously, because I could see that Seth was about to unleash his dreaded n.


    "So, I propose a way for us to both solve this dilemma and allow for me to continue being selfish". Seth


    turned to me briefly and his eyes conveyed a silent message, begging me to forgive him.


    And then he said those words that hit me like a damn bus.


    "I, Alpha Seth Zev of the Equinox Pack, renounce myself as Alpha. I hand the position over to my


    younger brother, of the same bloodline, Dale Zev. From this day and for every future day he wishes to


    rule, he will be the new Alpha of the Equinox Pack".


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