Chapter 249
Tears start trickling down my face.
“Aaron, we can’t let this happen!” I say desperately. “We have to prove you’re innocent.”
“I know, Leah, and believe me, James is working on it, along
with a few other people who owe me favors. But we can’t
count on them being able to convince the Council when it
comes to the actual trial. It’s going to be a sham. They want
an excuse to get rid of me and what I represent. So when
the time comes, I need you to promise to break our mating
bond. Maybe it’ll kill both of us. But I know you’re strong and
determined. It’s the only chance we’ve got to make sure one of us goes home to Ethan.”
I nod through the tears, but it’s not enough for Aaron.
“Promise me, Leah,” he says in a gentle, but firm voice.
“I promise,” I managed to utter, though my voice is breaking
with sadness.
Aaron pulls me into him and I bury my face into his shoulder, trying not to sob.
“I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” he says, his voice rough.
“I would do anything to keep you safe. You and Ethan. You know that, right?”
I nod, and then Aaron urges me to look up at him.
“I love you,” he says. “I’ll always love you. In this life and the
next.”
I want to reply, but I’m too choked up.
Aaron leans in and kisses me gently, tenderly, and I can feel all of that love flowing over me.
It ends too soon, and then the Enforcers are telling Aaron his time is up.
Aaron gets to his feet, but I’m frozen, in denial that we’re even here and this is happening to us.
He tells me one last murmured goodbye, leans down to kiss me on the head, and then he walks out, leaving me alone in that sparse room.
I break down then, crying until my chest aches and I’m worried my heart is going to give out on me because it hurts that badly.
But once I get all that out of my system, my determination
kicks in.
I am not going to sit here crying and let my mate be taken
from me.
I get up and go to the door, banging on it and yelling until finally one of the guards they left out in the hallway opens the door.
He tells me to shut the hell up, but I demand to see Karolina.
I’m not sure whether my request will be granted as the guard glares at me and then slams the door.
However, maybe ten minutes later, the door opens and
Karolina walks in.
“I hear you’ve been causing quite the commotion,” Karolina says, crossing her arms and regarding me somewhat
dispassionately.
I wonder if I’ve done the right thing in asking to see her, but it seemed like maybe she was trying to help me in the past, and I don’t have any other good options right now.
“Councilwoman, I want to appeal to your sense of justice. I
know you care about the future of wolves and the packs. How
can we move forward if the Council is more interested in its
own standing than carrying out actual justice?”
Karolina’s features tighten, and I can tell I’ve hit some kind of
nerve, I’m just not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.
“What do you mean?” she asks, and I hope that means she might be willing to listen and help me.
I tell her everything, from how Aaron ended up with the power of three Alphas, even though it was never an ambition of his, to the things my father and brother did, even about the Al tech and things I don’t actually remember, like the attack on the hospital and how Aaron had to hide Ethan’s existence even from me to keep him safe from those who would hurt
him.”
Karolina looks thoughtful by the time I’m finished my long–winded tale, but I still can’t tell if it’s swayed her to my side and she’ll help me get Aaron out of this situation.
“You certainly have had quite the adventure,” Karolina says with a small, reserved smile I can’t read. “I can’t make any promises of course, but I want to reassure you that I’m personally invested in making sure that Al tech ends up in the right hands and that this situation resolves in a satisfactory manner.”
“Thank you, Councilwoman,” I say in relief, but there’s still this hint of unease I can’t quite shake.
It’s probably not surprising considering everything I’ve been
through. That apprehension will probably stick with me until
both Aaron and I are home safe with Ethan.
And maybe we’re one step closer to that now that I’ve spoken
with Karolina.
Karolina bids me goodbye and then leaves the room.
Now all I can do is hope.
And wait.
