Chapter 148 Accusations
“I’m not talking about this again,” Santino growled. Alexandra sat across from him at his desk. She alwa ys came to his office to talk about Damon now, because it was a frustrating conversation and she never wanted to have it in front of the kids. Santino didn‘t even need her to say anything, now. She had a certain expression on her face when she‘d come into his office and sit down.
“You haven‘t even heard what I have to say,” Alexandra said, crossing her arms. “You don‘t have to say anything. I know what this is about,” Santino grumbled, shifting the papers on his desk. Of course, Alexandra caught him at a time when he didn‘t have anything to work on. A lull in his day. He had no reason to make an excuse to back out of the conversation and he doubted anyone would be calling him. “Santino, you can‘t keep avoiding this conversation,” Alexandra argued. “We‘ve had the conversation. My answer hasn‘t changed,” he said. “But you didn‘t see him. He really sounded like he‘d changed and like he‘d give up his lust for power for the chance to raise his son,” Alexandra said in a rush.
Santino had heard it all before.
“I know this. You‘ve said it before,” he pointed out. He grabbed a pen and flipped it back and forth between his f ingers.
“But you‘re not listening,” Alexandra argued.
Santino growled and sat up straight, throwing the pen aside. “I am listening. I’m just not willing to jeopar dize the safety of the pack on a hunch. You shouldn‘t be either!” “It isn‘t a hunch,” Alexandra cried, thro wing her arms up. “I saw him!” “He‘s tricked you before,” Santino reminded her, propping his elbows on the desk and resting his chin on his hands. “He is just asking for an appeal,” Alexandra said.
“The pack had a fair trial and the sentence was imprisonment for life. If he wants an appeal, he will hav e to wait until the proper amount of time has passed to petition for one. I can‘t grant appeals on your wo rd alone. That would be unfair to the sentence the pack voted on,” he explained. He shouldn‘t have had to explain any of this. Alexandra knew pack law. She knew how it worked, but she was asking Santino to make exceptions for a man he had no desire to see free ever again. As an Alpha, he couldn‘t always let his personal feelings get in the way, but on this matter, he was relying on his personal feelings and the experiences he‘d Damon already. The madman was still dangerous..
The fact that Alexandra was asking Santino to show favoritism and break pa ck protocol for her brother told him that she wasn‘t thinking rationally. Damon had her good and fooled, again. Santino had to protect the pack and protect his family. That included Alexandra. Even if meant pr otecting her from herself. “It doesn‘t seem like you‘re actually listening to me,” Alexandra complained, s haking her head.
“I‘m sorry, Alex. I wish I could say that I trusted him enough to make an exception, but I don‘t. He will ju st have to show, over time, that he‘s changed. Then the pack can decide whether he is deserving of an appeal,” Santino said. “That is the only fair way.” “I wish you could have seen what I saw,” Alexandra si ghed, softening in her chair.
“Even if I‘d seen it, I wouldn‘t be playing favorites with him. Damon will have the chance for an appeal when the time is right, base don pack law. If he is still remorseful and willing to do right by his son by then, then he‘ll have a better case, ” he said.
“You know, you don‘t have to trust Damon,” Alexandra muttered. “You could just trust me.” “That is not f air,” Santino said slamming his hand on the desk.
Alexandra started and leaned away from him.
“This has nothing to do with me trusting you. It is about Damon, his manipulative skills, and your repetiti ve wish to trust him,” Santino said. “Why can‘t you trust who I trust? You did the same thing with Willia m,” Alexandra accused.
Santino rolled his eyes. “Alex, we‘ve come a long way since then. Besides, William was trying to sleep with you. Damon could try and take over th e pack again. Both impact me and our family personally.” Mercifully, the phone on Santino‘s desk rang. He sighed in relief and answered it. “Santino, we have a problem,” Logan‘s voice came through the line. “Is it Serena, the twin s?” Santino asked, immediately thinking the worst. “No, they are all fine. Damon has escaped,” Logan r eported. “WHAT!?” Santino roared, jumping out of his seat. “The guards said a woman with a baby cam e to visit him. Apparently, she‘d been there before with Alexandra, so the guards let her in without quest ion. Next thing they know, Damon, the woman, and the baby were gone.” Logan explained. Santino sig hed and dropped down in his chair again. His hand tightened around the phone.
“I have to go,” Santino said. He needed to get to the prison and see if he could pick up Damon‘s trail. He grabbed his coat and headed for the office door guards thought she was cleared for visits,” he explained.
“Oh no. Is this real?” Alexandra asked, face paling. “Are you really that surprised?” Santino asked. “What does that mean?” Alexandra countered, surprise turning to anger.
“You‘ve been pestering me to appeal his sentence for days and you took Larissa to see Damon behind m help him escape,” she argued, throwing her arms out to the sides, her head back on her neck.
“Unfortunately, I don‘t know if I believe you. I‘ve got to go see if I can track Damon and Larissa down before they get to their destination.
He knew that if he stayed any longer, he‘d run the risk of losing his temper. He wasn‘t sure if he actually thought that Alexandra was capable of helping Damon es
Given Alexandra‘s desire to help Damon, he couldn‘t rule it out. Even if she hadn‘t intended things to go idea in Larissa‘s head, unintentionally. Not to mention, she hadn‘t reinforced the ‘no visitation‘ rule with the guards, which allowed Larissa to waltz right in to break Damon out.