24: Just the Beginning

**Raegan**

True to his word, Coal and I were moved into the largest suite on the ground floor the next morning. I'd watched the Omegas smile at me as they took my things from the Luna Suite and made their way to the elevator. Many of them I recognized from before I left, but a few were from Kai's pack. Those one's especially treated me with a respect I wasn't sure was due.

Coal lingered near me at all times, though he was on his phone for a good chunk of it while I waited for him to join us for breakfast. Everyone was still here in the palace. Mom, Jayce, Morgan, Johnny, even Cassian and Watson were still here. They'd insisted on seeing my rehabilitation personally. And I was woman enough to admit that having them all here with me while Kai was under the same roof as us was a relief.

"Luna," a soft, feminine voice called to me. I turned to see who disrupted my thoughts and saw Carrie and Emily standing in the doorway with their heads bowed and small smiles on their lips. I gasped and rushed for them.

I hugged them tightly and they hugged me back.

"Or should we say Alpha now that Alpha Kai can't punish us for it," Emily snickered.

I sighed heavily and relaxed against my friends.

"Just Raegan," I said softly, inhaling both of their scents deeply.

They giggled and pulled back from our hug.

"You escaped," Carrie breathed, touching my cheek gently.

I nodded, "and so did everyone else. He's got no power anymore. He's nothing."

Tears fell from Carrie's eyes. "Safe," she nodded.

"Finally," I replied with a smile.

"We thought you were lying when you said the palace treats Omegas better than Kai did," Emily whispered, her eyes casting to the ominous Beta King pacing the suite behind me.

"They're treating you all well here, right?" I cupped one of each of their cheeks in my hands, scanning them for injuries.

They nodded, "of course." Carrie said.

"Good, good," I smiled again.

"Are you ready to see the council, dove?" Coal called out behind me.

I turned to face him, "ready as I'll ever be."

Hand in hand, we wove our way through the palace halls and down to his office.

When we arrived the whole council was already present and stood with their heads bowed as we entered.

Cassian and Morgan were present as well, and showed their respects to us in kind.

Coal sat at his desk and gently tugged me onto his lap. My breath hitched but I steadied myself by inhaling his scent over and over and reminding myself that I was with Coal. I wasn't with Kai.

"Sit," He commanded in a detached tone. I leaned into him until my back was flush with his front. He placed his hand on my lower abdomen, stroking gently in a soothing manner.

"I see you have returned, Miss Martin," Councilman Easton grinned at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I have."

Coal growled in warning at the over-confident council member.

"Why have we been called?" Councilwoman Veronica asked with no lack of irritation in her voice.

Coal nuzzled my neck gently, inhaling my scent to calm himself. I bared my neck to him to give him all the access he needed.

"You've been called because the former prince is currently locked in my dungeons and I want nothing in the proceeding of his trial to be questioned or deemed unfair. I need your presence during the course of the investigation and prosecution as I want to only go through this once and be done with it." Coal said.

The council seemed to tense all together all at once.

My beastly side bristled at the sight of it.

"The Prince--" Easton started, but Morgan cut him off with a growl.

"Former prince," He snarled at the old man.

"The *former* Prince is in your dungeons?" Easton looked shocked, and more than a little angry.

"He is. Detained by Alpha Grace in Texas upon my mate and her guard's escape from the home in Arizona he was holding her hostage in."

"The home he also held my little brother hostage in," I grumbled.

Coal hummed his agreement and I felt the presence of his wolf in his aura. The council shifted uncomfortably under the weight of it, and I almost smirked at the sight.

In the short few years I'd been unfortunate enough to deal with the council on a regular basis, I had learned to hate them. Self-righteous bastards is what they were, and they needed to be disbanded. And they would be the moment I was marked by Coal.

"Do you have proof?" Charles asked, his jaw set.

A few of the council members glared at him, and three distinct growls resonated at his question.

"Watch your tone, Councilman Charles," Cassian snarled.

"We have proof," Coal said sternly, "my mate can provide testimony, as can her guard, and Kai has admitted to his crimes in full."

The room fell silent as the council pondered his words.

"What of his mark?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, what about his mark?" Ally repeated.

Coal went rigid beneath me and my skin flushed.

"He has claims to Miss Martin through his mark. She should be imprisoned with him--" Easton started.

"For what crime?" Phillip scoffed, "she is the victim here, Easton. She is right where she belongs." The man flashed me a sympathetic look.

"My mate belongs at my side," Coal said. His voice was the same eerie calm that it took when he was near losing it. I swallowed and leaned more of my weight into him. He took in a deep breath, wrapping both arms around my waist and resting his palms against my abdomen. "She will not be imprisoned with him, and the mark will be removed."

"Impossible," Charles scoffed.

"Your Majesty, she is Kai's mate now. His fate is her's now. It is better to know that now than later." Easton sounded like the cat who got the cream. It irked me.

"Kai is no mate of mine," I snapped at him, baring my teeth, "I did not ask for his mark, and the Goddess you believe in did not ordain his mark on my skin. He is a vile creature, and if I have to travel to hell and sell my soul to the King of the Underworld themself to remove his mark, I will."

The room fell silent once more at my words. It was strange that they seemed shocked by my words. Did they expect me to roll over and accept his mark and him as my mate? If I was going to do that I wouldn't be here, with Coal, or at the palace. Idiots. The lot of them.

"Rooms have been set for each council member to stay in while we proceed," Coal said after a long breadth of silence, "the whole council must remain on palace grounds to ensure a fair and just trial free of my and the kingdom's partiality. Any council member who leaves palace grounds without notifying myself, or my officials will be dealt with swiftly. Am I clear?"

His aura pulsed around us and the council bared their necks in submission while muttering their agreements.

"Good. Dismissed."

With those two words the room emptied until it was just me, my mate, his best friend, and my brother.

"Assholes," Cassian grumbled.

Morgan scoffed, "you can say that again."

Coal's arms were still tight around me and his anger was palpable.

"Coal," I whispered.

He nuzzled my neck, "yes?"

"We have to meet the press soon, do you want to rest before then?"

He nodded, inhaling deeply and then placing a soft kiss on my neck. I shivered in delight at the small intimacy.