Chapter 179
SA
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The shadow is shaking with fear, and I have to remind myself that he tried to blow me up with a bomb. They made the wolf that planted the bomb in my room kill himself pretending to be the Alpha King. As soon as Ragnar steps into his space and releases his affinity, he begins to panic.
“Just kill me,” he says flatly. “I’d rather it be you than him.”
“Is that right?” Ragnar crouches down in front of him. “You’re afraid of your father?”
He lowers his head, attempting his best not to stare into his eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but the answer is more than obvious. The flame in Ragnar’s hand goes out, but he reaches for him with his hand still hot.
Benjamin Galloway growls as Ragnar lifts him off his feet by his throat. Little sparks rise up and light the torches around the entire council room. The guards all step forward. Elder Baldr takes my hand and leads me back to our podium.
The council room is completely settled down. I’m just learning about this. It means that Benjamin Galloway is about to be executed publicly for everyone to see on national television. It’s usually up to the Lycans to decide. It’s not easy to wrap my mind around the fact that we’re the same age, but what he did cannot and will not be overlooked.
“Benjamin Galloway is charged with attempted murder of a Queen. Usurping the Rogue King and claiming a mate not his to claim. He is charged with-”
“I didn’t know,” a woman cries. “You can’t do this.”
“What is the charge for bond betrayals?” Xavier asks coldly. Her attention snaps to him.
“Death to both parties,” Alex answers him. “Betraying your mate and bearing children is a crime against your bloodline and the crown. The pups would be taken and placed in our foster system to be trained to serve and castrated.”
“No! You can’t do this. Xavier, I didn’t know! Please!” she screams at the top of her lungs. A vampire appears behind her and covers her mouth.
“The choice is up to you,” Ragnar adds.
“I think it’s a fair punishment,” Xavier states.
The woman screams and tries her best to break away from the vampire. Xavier looks over at me and sighs. He sits back and watches as the Vampire drags his mate to the center where she’s going to be executed beside the shadow wolf.
She fights and is trying to get Xavier’s attention, but he’s simply watching as if nothing were out of place. Benjamin Galloway has a smile on his face. He doesn’t care about her or their children. I sit back. Elder Baldr takes my hand and lets out a heavy sigh.
Ragnar repeats Benjamin’s offenses and moves on to her. The two of them are placed in the center podium. All the cameras turn to them as they’re chained to the platform.
“Don’t look away,” Elder Baldr says gently.
I link my fingers with his. The vampire that had been holding her takes a silver bowl from one of the guards, and another pushes over a cart. The woman continues to plead as she is doused in whatever is in the cart.
“Are you sure about this, Xavier?” Ragnar asks.
“Yes,” Xavier answers. “I’m never going to forgive her.”
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Chapter 179
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“You asshole!” she screams at the top of her lungs. Her eyes lock in on his. “He was a better mate than you ever were!
“I’m sure he was,” Xavier smiles. “That was the point, wasn’t it? And you fell for it so easily. You were never fit to be my Queen. You have only your weakness to blame. Look at him, Ingrid. You’re about to be incinerated, and your children just became slaves. All he cares about is the damage he’s inflicted.”
“What about the damage you’ve inflicted?” she growls.
“I’m the Rogue King, bitch,” he scoffs. “It’s what I do.”
She flinches at his indifference. The two of them stare at one another as Ragnar raises his hand and fires a small flame at the podium. The chemical they were doused in ignites like wildfire. Her screams break my heart, but I can’t bring myself to look away. When the screaming stops, I look up at Xavier, who is staring at the bodies burning on the floor.
The cold expression remains throughout the rest of the hearing. A worldwide manhunt for the rest of the shadows is sent out with a two–hundred–million–dollar bounty and a royal pardon. Officially, everything I had brought up regarding my mother’s files was confirmed and is now the Shadow’s fault, which led to the bounty–and–pardon agreement.
“I have one last inquiry,” Xavier says as he stands. “I would formally like to renounce my claim to the Rogue throne. I hear by pass it down to you assholes,” he takes a deep breath and turns his attention to me. “You have my thanks, little one.
“I don’t know how you do this or why you even care. You can spend your life serving these ungrateful dogs, and they’re still going to treat us the same way. You lowered yourself to the likes of a pack that belittled you and treated you like you were nothing, and then had the audacity to call you a traitor.
“You can kill them all now, you know. I’ve seen what you can do, and with your power, I’d clean it all away. They’ll turn on you when you least expect it. You know that. Keeping them around to serve is a kindness they would never extend to you or your family, Sweetheart. Your efforts will always go unappreciated. You can build them homes and give them a place to safely lay their heads, and in the end, it still wouldn’t be enough. I’ll see you around, Sophie.”
“Xavier,” I call out to him. He stops and looks back at me. He looks completely defeated. “You have a place in our home if you want it. Maybe you’re right. They didn’t deserve you. I’m sorry.”
“You’re the Queen,” he smiles. “Even when you’re wrong, you’re right. Never apologize to these animals. You’ll never see them regret their mistakes. You shouldn’t either. Take care of yourself. If you ever need me, you know how to find me,” he says, placing his hand over his chest and then turning to Ragnar. “I’d say take care of her, Kid, but I think she’s got it.”
Ragnar gives him a nod and turns his attention to me. I don’t know what to do or say. I hope that one day he’ll wake up and decide that even with everything that’s happened, this is his place.
“You’re a coward,” the elder from before shouts. Xavier pauses. “You’re just going to leave everything we’ve worked so hard to obtain? I have worked my ass off for you, and this is how you repay me?”
“Yeah,” he laughs. “Maybe try straightening out some of the details before you go conquering anymore lands,” he shoves the door open. “Best advice I ever got.”
He flips him the bird as he walks out the door. The Elder growls and sits back down, shaking his head with disapproval. I can’t help but laugh because not a single thing he said was wrong. Elder Baldr gets up and motions for Ragnar to come take a seat. He does so without complaint. He takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
“Well,” Elder Baldr steps onto the platform where the bodies are turning to ash. “That was a first for me. I honestly thought he was going to let her live. I think I respect him a little more. Let’s take this as a lesson. Do what the Alpha King did. Learn a fucking code. The council is done. See you all when they bring in the others. I hope they’re as dramatic as this.”
“Elder Baldr,” my grandmother growls at him.
“All right, I’m done,” he rolls his eyes and goes to sit next to her.
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Chapter 179
“Are we really just going to let Xavier walk?” the Vampire King asks.
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“Yes, it has always been an option. Give him some time. He just lost what was left of his home,” Elder Baldr says. “You, Elder-”
“Veyron Mason, sir,” the man who called Xavier a coward answers him with the same disillusioned expression on his face.
“You’re promoted. Until we can find a more suitable King or this dramatic one comes back, you are officially the Rogue King. Straighten out some of those details you mentioned and see where we go from there.”
“What?” he says, looking around at the others. Some of them smile and nod as if approving of the decision.
“All those opposed?” Elder Baldr asks. No one raises their hands. “All in favor?”
“Aye,” almost everyone raises their hand. “There you have it. Veyron Mason, the Rogue King. It’s a strong name. I’m not sure how your hierarchy works, but you have resources all around you to help your people. I guess now you can make better use of them.”
