Chapter 87: Sutton

Lucas and I made our way downstairs to the formal dining room where the talks were being held. As we approached we could hear Anders’ voice echoing into the hallway. We slowed to listen.

“…was under investigation prior to her disappearance,” Anders spoke. “We’ve had reason to believe she had been leaking pack information for years. The whole reason Beta Mason had taken her on their trip was to give us the opportunity to search her belongings and correspondences. It’s my right to demand she be returned to my pack to stand trial.”

Rage boiled up inside me. Nova was snarling in my head, wanting to take control to shut him up for good. I knew Anders would try to convince them to turn on me but I never expected him to accuse me of treason. My fists clenched and I stormed into the room before Lucas had the chance to stop me.

“That’s an outright lie,” I announced, all eyes turned to me. “I have never given any information about your pack business to anyone.” I turned to the rest of the room. “What he is claiming is impossible. I never had access to compromising information in the first place. How could I when I was barely allowed to leave the house.”

Anders feigned offense. “Save your attempts to protect yourself, Ms. Langston,” he said cockily. “We have the proof.”

“Fabricated,” I spat. “Or perhaps it was your Beta betraying you. Either way, it wasn’t me.”

Anders looked at me with hatred simmering in his eyes but it was Mason that was making me nervous. His gaze was pinned to my neck. His breathing was heavy and his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white. The vein in his forehead looked like it was about to burst.

Lucas repositioned himself between me and Mason. The energy rolling off of him was palpable. Even Anders had to take a step back. But Mason was entranced. Barely in control. Kahn was pushing hard to be let loose.

“Anders, you better control your lap dog before he does something incredibly stupid,” Lucas rumbled.

“Mason, leave,” Anders commanded his Beta.

He grunted slightly as he fought the command. “But she’s mine,” he forced through gritted teeth.

Anders looked him dead in the eye. “No, she isn’t.”

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver through me. Nova growled, also sensing a deeper meaning to his statement.

“Go,” Anders commanded again.

This time, Mason couldn’t fight it. He stormed out of the room. I felt Lucas relax but only slightly. He kept himself in his protective position in front of me. The corner of Anders lips twitched. I didn’t know if it was in amusement or disgust. Either way, he turned back to address the room.

“As I was saying before I was interrupted,” he continued, “Ms. Langston is to be remanded into my custody to be returned to the Dawn Stalker territory to await trial for treason. As per our royal laws, it is my right to execute this action.”

Soloman stood from his chair shaking his head. “You have no such right, Alpha Anders. That law dictates that your charges should be brought before the Royal Council. Not a conclave of Alphas. Even then, they are subject to Royal review to determine whether they are true. Even then, as the fated Luna of a rival pack, the Council maintains the right to commute any punishment should we deem the damage of her actions as negligible. Your actions, however, during your search for Luna Sutton, are far more concerning.”

I noticed Anders’ fists clench behind his back as he struggled to keep a neutral façade.

“I’m not sure what you are referring to, Ambassador,” Anders stated.

“He’s referring to the intentional breach of border etiquette,” Alpha Renward argued. “Your blatant disregard for our ruling to deny your men unlimited access to our lands. And the outright attacks on our people. It’s these actions that led us to call this conclave.”

“Which I wasn’t invited to,” Anders snapped. “Tell me, Alpha Renward, how were you intending to allow me to defend myself without being present.”

“You would have gotten your chance,” Lucas interjected. “In front of the Council, if need be.”

“Well, let’s not waist the Royal Council’s time and deal with the issue now,” Anders said. “I made no such order to attack any of my neighbors during the search for Ms. Sutton…”

“Luna,” Lucas corrected. “You will address her as Luna Sutton.”

Anders smiled stiffly. “Of course,” he replied stiffly. “If my men became a bit too… overzealous in the search for LUNA Sutton, then I will be glad to address their behavior upon my return home. But I am not the only one to blame for any violence that may have occurred, Alpha Lucas. Had you informed me of her whereabouts from the start, we could have called off the search weeks ago.”

“I would have but you refused to give me her name,” Lucas stated smugly. “Alpha Renward, did Alpha Anders provide you with the name of the woman he was searching for?”

“No, he did not,” Alpha Renward concurred.

“Don’t play the fool, Danvers,” Alpha Anders spat. “You knew exactly who she was.”

Lucas took a step forward, getting mere inches away from Anders’ face. “Now, Alpha, what would make you assume that? Why would you think she would stand out as someone on the run?”

He was trying to push Anders into admitting I had been beaten. That it would have been obvious by the condition I was in when I turned up. They continued to stare each other down. Finally, Alpha Thane stood up to speak.

“We have established that Alpha Anders has no form of recourse against Luna Sutton at this time,” he stated. “Our purpose for being here was to address his overstepping during the search for this young woman. Now that her identity and whereabouts have been established, there should be no reason Alpha Anders can’t promise to withdraw his men from his neighbors' borders and re-establish peace between the packs.”

“While Alpha Lucas harbors a traitor?” Alpha Anders spat.

“Of which you can petition the Royal Council for the proper actions,” Alpha Thane insisted.

Anders ground his teeth. His eyes darted between Lucas and me.

“Fine,” he barked. He leaned in and whispered to us. “This isn’t over.”