Chapter 426

[ 974 words ]

Talia’s POV

“You conspired with rogues to kill my Chief Warrior,” I said angrily and held the dagger up for everyone to see. “The six rogues that attacked Walden had the same dagger. Do you understand how that looks?”

“I did no such thing,” Geoffrey said as he finally stopped struggling. Nolan finally released him as he, Marco, and Henry created a defensive circle around him. “I was defending myself against Alpha Henry.”

“You liar. I…”

“Let him finish,” I said, interrupting Henry.

“I only came to see how Walden was, and Alpha Henry attacked me,” Geoffrey explained.

“Do you really expect us to believe that?” I scoffed.

“You are condemning me for having that dagger?”

“I have.”

“Why? I know I am not one of your favorites, but you can’t believe me, an Alpha, would work with rogues. Anyone in this territory could have bought those daggers and given them to the rogues. Half the smiths on the eastern road would sell to whoever paid.”

“Then explain what you’re doing in this room tonight,” I demanded.

“I told you I wanted to check on Walden,” Geoffrey repeated.

“It’s the middle of the night,” I went on. “Walden is not your pack, not your friend, and not your business. You have no reason to be standing over his bed. So tell me what brought you here.”

He stayed silent.

“Geoffrey, please say something. Tell them why you’re here. Just explain it,” Arya pleaded.

Geoffrey’s calm demeanor shifted to anger. “You’re standing with them,” he accused.

“I’m asking you to explain!”

“You’re picking them over me? Over your own brother?” Geoffrey demanded. “You tried to kill two people! I won’t be a murderer or an accomplice,” Arya argued. “How have they brainwashed you, Arya? You know what it was like for us, how we were always left out, treated like we didn’t belong. I swore I’d never be powerless again,” Geoffrey continued.

“Geoffrey,” Arya started.

“You damn naive fool,” Geoffrey snapped, cutting her off. “If you’d just listened, we could have been on top, both of us. I had every step figured out. All you had to do was go along. I just wanted us to finally matter, but now you look at me like I’m nothing to you.”

Arya didn’t answer. She stared at her brother, pain flickering across her face. Then she looked down, shoulders curling in like she was bracing for a hit. She stayed quiet.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” Geoffrey snarled.

“That’s enough,” Nolan cut in. “You’ve had your chance to explain yourself, and you’ve used it to shout at your sister. We’re not listening to another word.”

“Alpha, you’re going to regret….”

“Not another word!” Nolan said.

“Marco, Henry, take him to the dungeon. He stays there tonight, and he stands trial in the morning,” I ordered.

Marco stepped up on Geoffrey’s other side. With both of them there, Geoffrey didn’t fight. He didn’t look at Arya as they took him out, and she kept her head down.

The door shut behind them.

Arya’s legs gave out. Della caught her and helped her sit on the end of the bed. Arya pressed her face into her hands, shoulders shaking as she sobbed without a sound.

“He did it,” she wept. “He actually did it.”

“Arya.” Della crouched in front of her. “What plan was he talking about? What did he ask you to let happen?”

“He told me he had a surprise for me. That was why I skipped my patrol.” She wiped her face with the back of her wrist. “But his surprise

was telling me he had a way to make me Chief Warrior Geoffrey sard once Walden disappeared, the position would be mine.”

Della’s head came up sharply. “He said that to you? In those words?”

“He said Walden would disappear,” Arya confirmed.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Della demanded.

“I warned Geoffrey not to hurt Waldon. He said sacrifices have to be made,” Arya explained. “I thought he was just talking, trying to sound tough. I never thought he meant it. I never thought he’d actually do it.”

Della sighed in frustration. “You wanted to believe he wasn’t a monster.”

“I warned him. I promise I did, but it didn’t matter. By the time he told me about the plan, Geoffrey had already done it,” Arya said. “I wasn’t hiding it. I just didn’t want to believe he really did it.”

I wanted to be angry with her for keeping things from us, but all I felt was pity. Arya found her brother after thinking he was dead, only to lose him again like this. At least I knew Arya was loyal to us.

“You understand what he’s done is a serious crime,” Nolan said, and Arya nodded.

Arya nodded. “What will happen to him?” she asked.

“He paid rogues to kill a ranking warrior of a pack governed by the Alpha Queen. That alone is treason If Walden or even Henry had died tonight it would have thrown the whole territory into chaos and threatened the life of the Alpha Queen and Bloodmoon,” Nolan explained.

“Will he be exiled?” Arya asked.

“No, I’m afraid not,” I responded. I couldn’t bear to tell her the truth. Nolan felt my

conflict through the mate bond and decided to tell her.

“Bloodmoon law is old, and it isn’t

flexible,” Nolan said. “For conspiring with rogues; gravely injuring the Chief Warrior, and threatening the safety of the Alpha Queen and Luna, he will stand trial. With the overwhelming evidence, he will be found guilty, and he will be executed.”

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Arya let out a broken, heart-wrenching cry. She could barely breathe between sobs. She slid off the bed onto the floor, and Della went with her, holding her while she cried. None of us said anything as nothing would have helped.

“Please,” she begged, grabbing my leg. “Just let me see him before the trial. I just want to talk to my brother one last time before you take him from me.”

“You can see him tonight,” I promised. “I’ll arrange it myself.”

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