Chapter 197 Back in Vahl 3
Chapter 197 Back in Vahl 2
Ira's POV
“Alpha Andre, I'll advise you to speak with caution as anything you say will be used to hold you accountable.” Alpha Romano's voice cuts through the hall like a blade.
Every Alpha seated around the council table watches Andre with sharp, calculating eyes.
“You accuse the Sempyrs of starting the war, but with what we have here today, that appears to be false.” Romano continues.
A muscle tightens in Andre's jaw.
“False?” he repeats. “You dare call it false? I risked my life defending Vahl Pack. I stood between my people and destruction. I sacrificed everything to ensure the Sempyrs never took control of my pack.”
I grit my teeth. He lies so easily.
The more he talks, the more something hot and tight builds in my chest.
“I traded my life for the safety of this pa...” his words get stuck in his throat when he sees the person who just walked in.
The hall's attention shifts toward the entrance where an elderly woman steps inside.
Her back is bent with age and her movements are slow, but the heat of the hatred burning in her eyes can almost be felt.
The moment Andre sees her, the color drains from his face.
That catches my attention.
“From your reaction, Andre, we are glad you recognized this cook,” Alpha Davan says. “If you don't mind, we'll all listen to Lady Mira while she proves what she wrote to us in her letter last week.”
Andre looks ready to explode.
Lady Mira walks forward carrying a worn carton box in her feeble hands.
She opens it carefully and begins passing around several sheets of paper.
“Thank you alphas for giving me a chance to avenge my son.” she says with a quiet tremble in her tone.
The room grows quieter, but she waits until every Alpha has a copy before continuing.
“The letters in your hands were written by Alpha Andre to my son.”
“That is a lie!” Andre lunges forward.
Several Veilfang guards immediately block his path.
Other guards that came with us move as well.
For a second it looks as though he might try forcing his way through them.
“Those papers are fabricated!” he shouts. “Anyone can write nonsense on parchment. You have no proof that they came from me.”
His eyes flick to the pages, betraying panic beneath the surface, mixed with a deeper fear as he realizes he has no idea which letters she holds.
Lady Mira straightens.
“In those letters, Alpha Andre promised to ease my son's family's burdens if he joined the movement to eliminate the strays.”
Murmurs spread around the hall.
“In another letter, he writes that the Alpha needed to die because he was incompetent and allowed the strays to multiply.”
Andre's face turns crimson. “That is not true! I would never write such a thing. Never.”
Ruel leans back slightly. “That is easy enough to prove.”
Andre's eyes snap toward him.
“Order one of your men to bring samples of your handwriting. That way we can compare them ourselves.”
Other alphas nod and uncertainty flashes across Andre's face.
Then he points at one of his guards.
“You. Go.”
The guard immediately bows. But before he can leave, a guard from Romano's pack steps forward, Bukasvad and Cael right beside him.
“We'll accompany him,” Cael says pleasantly. “Just to ensure he brings exactly what was requested.”
The look on Andre's face is priceless.
The three men leave.
A couple minutes later they return carrying several documents.
The comparison takes almost no time.
Even from where I'm sitting, I can see the matching handwriting. It has the same slant, the same strokes too and finger print.
Sweat beads along Andre's forehead.
“Thank you, Lady Mira,” Alpha Davan says. “You may step away.”
Tears glisten in the old woman's eyes as she bows and leaves.
Davan then turns toward Andre. “You will be given an opportunity to defend yourself.”
Andre says nothing.
And alpha Davan nods before turning to the door. “Bring in the next witness.”
The moment the woman enters, Andre shoots to his feet. “Gestrid. What is she doing here?”
Gestrid… this is Gestrid.
She has bruises covering her arms and a side of her neck.
Yet she stands, holding herself tall.
Andre spins toward the guard he commanded to get him his scripts. The man he clearly trusts or expects to always follow orders.
“I told you to...”
“Kill her.” The guard's voice slices through the room. “You told me to kill her.”
The entire hall freezes.
“I didn't,” Andre snaps.
“How could I when I knew the Alpha Council would be present today and she's one of our only hopes of ever getting freedom from this hell you believe is leadership.” The guard's eyes burn with disgust.
“You bastard!” Andre growls.
“Remain calm,” another Alpha warns. “Or your behavior will be considered evidence against you.”
Gestrid releases a slow breath.
Then she faces the council.
“I've been imprisoned for months since revealing that I am Alpha Andre's daughter.”
“You are not my child, you bastard!” Andre's shout echoes off the stone walls. “I gave you life even when I knew you belonged to another man, but I regret it. She was unfaithful.”
“She didn't know you existed!” Gestrid screams. The pain in her voice travels through the room.
Andre’s eyes darken “She should have waited, just like I did!”
“And you filled her with such hurtful words that she carried guilt so great she was willing to die for you.” Her voice breaks.
Andre falls silent, noticing the expressions around him.
The way the Alphas are staring with judgement.
“What sort of child's play is this?” he asks stiffly. “Are we here to discuss my private matters or...”
“You locked your child in a cell for months, Alpha Andre,” Romano says.
“Yes. A child who had the audacity to strike her Alpha. She's lucky I didn't order her execution.” Andre defends.
“And what happened that she became enraged enough to hit you?” Ruel asks.
Anger flashes openly in his eyes before he speaks. “She is insane.”
The lie is instant.
“She is a danger to the pack. Because I still cared for her, I chose to isolate her while ensuring the members of my pack saw justice carried out.”
“I was there that day,” Ruel says. “When Gestrid accused you of orchestrating everything, you admitted it. You never denied a single accusation.”
Andre's expression hardens.
Ruel continues. “No sane man admits to crimes invented by a madwoman. But you did.”
“Interesting,” Davan comments, folding his hands. “Because according to the records before us, Gestrid has spent years overseeing pack finances and managing supply distributions.”
Several Alphas nod also checking the reports.
“How exactly does a responsible Alpha place an insane person in charge of duties requiring judgment, organization, and accountability?” Davan asks.
Andre opens his mouth but nothing comes out.
Romano's eyes narrow. “Because of the lies you have so boldly spoken before this council today, your credibility has been reduced drastically before our eyes.”
“I have one question for you.” Davan's fist clenches. “How did Alpha Thalrik die, Andre?”
Every Alpha in the room fixes Andre with a deadly stare.
The man shifts on his feet.
“The Sempyrs killed him and his mate,” he answers casually. “And foolishly, it's clear that you've housed your very enemy.”
Davan slams both palms onto the table, startling even me.
“Years ago you claimed you had no idea.” He rises to his feet. “You said my brother had already left before the war. Now you are saying he was killed alongside his mate by the Sempyrs?!”
Andre merely shrugs. “Back then Vahl was in chaos. I lied to protect my pack. But now that all the Sempyrs have been eliminated, count it as justice already served. If you feel it's not enough, then do us all a favor and slit the throat of that last bitch standing.” He spits out.