Chapter 245


    AARON


    “No!” I shout, stepping in front of Leah as if I can protect her from this “Leah had nothing to do with it.


    Our son needs his mother. You have no right to detain her as well!”


    “Alpha Rathborn, you will conduct yourself in a calm manner, as befits your station,” Samsen says


    coldly.


    Meanwhile, Petyr is making some kind of call on his phone.


    “F uc k you, Samsen,” I say crudely, making the Elder look even more unimpressed. “My wife is


    innocent in all this. So no, I’m not going to stand calmly by while you detain her. I’ll go with you for this


    farce of an investigation and trial, but you leave Leah out of it. You’ve got no proof she did anything


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    wrong.”


    Samsen arches an eyebrow and gives a cynicalugh. “No proof? She has Tobin’s Alpha powers. What


    other proof could we possibly need?”


    Before I can answer, there’s amotion in the hall outside the room.


    Jameses in, looking pis sed as hell, because after hime twelve Council Enforcers,


    I immediately growl and back up, taking Leah with me until we’re almost cornered. Which is definitely


    not ideal.


    I know I could most likely rip through every wolf in this room ande out victorious.


    Except then the Council wouldn’t just send out Enforcers to detain me


    They’d send out a hit squad to put me down like a rabid dog


    I knew the Council woulde for me


    I never imagined they’de for Leal as well


    I could make peace with the thought of whatever the Council had nned for me, as long as I knew


    Leah was safe.


    But now that they want to take Leah as well, leaving our son defenseless?


    Well, that’s a whole other story.


    Samsen and Petyr motion for the Enforcers to hold back


    “Is this really how you want things to end for you, Alpha Rathborn?” Petyr asks “Is it how you want


    things to end for your wife? Or your son?””


    Da mn it.


    They’ve got me by the balls, and they know it.


    “You’re going to regret this, both of you,” I say, and the words aren’t much more than a snarl


    Both Samsen and Petyr pale a little, though they try to cover it up with anger.


    “Stand down, Alpha Rathborn!” Petyr yells, and I get some satisfaction out of that. I can tell he feels like


    he’s losing control of the


    situation


    That right now, in this room, he isn’t the top Alpha.


    I am


    I slowly straighten and rx a fraction


    I don’t need to show them how powerful I am.


    They already know it.


    “Fine, we’ll cooperate and go with you,” I say, but then I let my eyes glow menacingly with my wolf. “But


    know the only reason I’ll be sitting there in that cell is because I want to be. No bars-silver or otherwise-


    can keep me captive if I decide I want out.”


    Samsen motions for the Enforcer wolves to restrain me, and it’s almost funny to watch them all waiting


    for someone else to do it, until Petyr finally grabs some poor guy and hauls him forward, then shoves


    him toward me.


    I strut forward and hold out my handspliantly.


    The Enforcer edges forward and then quickly snaps silver cuffs around my wrist.


    I hold his gaze as I lower my arms slightly, then twist my wrists, making the cuffs snap apart and drop


    to the floor like they were made. of flimsy stic.


    The Enforcer gulps audibly and jerks backward from me, as if he’s worried I’m going to snap him next.


    Smart guy


    “Alpha Rathborn!” Samsen snaps impatiently. “Enough of your games. You will cooperate!”


    “No cuffs,” I drawl. “Not for me, and dam n sure not for my mate.”


    “Very well,” Petyr says angrily. “But if you try anything else, you will be injected with a wolfsbane


    sedative. Do I make myself clear?”


    “Crystal,” I say cuttingly, narrowing a gaze on him.”


    If hees near me with a wolfsbane sedative, I’m not the one who’ll be going lights-out.


    I turn to Leah, who is staring at me with wide, apprehensive eyes


    “We can’t leave Ethan. Lillian is dead, and he’s never been away from you for more than a few hours,”


    she says tears gathering at the edges of hershes.


    “I know, love,” I say, pulling her closer. “But James will guard Ethan with his life, and care for him like


    his own. I promise, I’ll get you out of this mess as quickly as I can.”


    I’m already nning to call Ryker and also drag in every favor I’m owed by Old Country wolves and


    Councilmembers alike.


    In that moment, I don’t care that we have an audience


    I only have eyes for my mate, and I never imagined I could love anyone as much as I love her right


    now.


    I’m going to fight tooth and nail to get us both out of this situation.


    And then I’m going to make the Council wish they’d never been foolish enough to cross me.