Chapter Fifteen

Christopher

“Do I hear two,” Father demands, snatching Marcus’s phone from his hand. “Where did this come from?”

Marcus growls at him, “It’s a blocked number. Why didn’t you tell me that Danny was the one that tried to mark Celina?”

Dad’s face falls and rubs his face. “Because things are already tense enough with these rogue attacks. I didn’t want you to find out about Danny because it looks bad. I didn’t even know what happened to him that day. I suspected something after I learned of your daughter’s attack, but I never wanted to ask her about the assault since it involved her mate. I finally forced her the day she flew in, and that’s when I knew for sure that it was Danny.

“My only intention in trying to keep it secret was to prevent further escalation in our already unsteady relationship. I understand the lycan rogues are causing problems with your species, and I promise I’m doing what I can to prevent further carnage. You just have to trust me when I tell you that I was not aware Danny attacked and killed your beta, or attacked your daughter until I spoke with Celina.”

Marcus runs his hands through his hair. “What happened between you and Danny?”

I fold my arms and wait for that answer myself. I never got a full answer to that. Father hesitates but finally answers after a moment. “I honestly don’t know. I was sitting in my office one day going over a pack expansion proposal. Danny came in demanding that I step down as king and give him the throne, and only him. I asked him why he was wanting this but then he full-out challenged me, right there in my office. He even shifted and lunged for me while I was still in my human form. I shifted and pinned him and demanded to know what was wrong with him. He swiped at my waist. I backed off to try to get him to talk to me, but he yelled that he rejects my rule and then bolted. I never heard from him again.”

“That doesn’t sound normal,” Zeke interjects, stepping forward. “Had his behavior been changing?”

“It was easier to piss him off,” I answer, thinking back over our phone call from that day. “The day he left, he demanded that I come home. Since I was overseeing a dispute between two lycan packs, I told him that the soonest I would be able to return home was in a week. He called me a selfish prick and hung up on me. A few hours later, Dad called to tell me Danny ran off.”

“Interesting,” Zeke says, looking me over. “A lot of problems seem to revolve around you.”

I give him a warning growl but he holds up his hand to explain. “The Council is pissed you marked Celina. Danny didn’t want you to be named King with him. Ever since you came into Celina’s life, attacks on her have become more extreme. And you’re on probation.”

I glare at him and was about to respond, but Dad beat me to it. “You’re not wrong. Also, Celina has been attacked several times, and the council seems like they want to put a collar on her and keep her leashed.” He holds his hand when Marcus and Xander growl. “No offense. I’ve just never seen the council so invested in a wolf like this before.”

“Screw wolf, even lycan,” Xander says quickly, starting to understand everything that is going on.

“Are you suggesting the council is planning a revolt?” Marcus asks.

“Not everyone,” Dad says, raising his brow, “but my son’s tribunal should give us a fairly long list of suspects.” He looks at me. “Your trial is in three days, by the way. You might want to find a suit and prepare your will. I can’t find a way out of this for you, and the council seems eager to hang you.”

I grimace when that dreaded realization hits me. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Don’t thank me, thank your beast.”

On the day of my trial, I’m standing outside of Celina’s room; watching her sleep. I’m not allowed in since Dr. Benson has her sedated. It’s not for pain, but more so she can rest. Her family keeps waking her, the council keeps calling her, and her friend, Jenna, keeps checking on her. Celina is the Alpha Queen without actually being the Alpha Queen. She’s magnificent, and she’s mine.

“Do you want to go in and talk to her,” Jenna asks, coming to stand next to me. “I can distract Dr. Benson if you want.”

I shake my head. “I’d rather wait until I find out if I’m going to be executed. The less time I spend with her, the easier it will be on her wolf once Rajin passes.”

Jenna stands there in silence, watching her with me. “You know, Celina is a stubborn girl, and I know she’ll be okay in the long run. She survived one mate’s death already. I mean it nearly killed her, but she did it. So I know she can do it again.”

I grit my teeth as I try to push my pain away. I’m trying to have my emotions remain deadened so I can keep Rajin tame. He wants to be in there with Celina, but I have to keep my distance now. “I wish she wouldn’t have to.”

Jenna looks up at me with sympathetic eyes. “If it wasn’t for Mara, Celina wouldn’t have survived his death. She was just so young and new, she didn’t know how to handle that kind of pain. Mara took care of her and brought her back to her old self. She and her wolf are perfectly synced now, which is one of the reasons she’s the strongest wolf in our existence. It’s also why she respects Mara so much. She’ll never go against Mara’s choice, and will do whatever she can to protect her.”

I give her a quizzical look, glancing away from Celina for a moment. “What are you telling me?”

“I’m telling you, that if anyone is willing to save your ass, then it’s her. Celina knows our laws more than the council. Mainly because she loves trying to find loopholes to get out of her obligations, but that’s beside the point. She’ll know a way to get you out of this.”

Jenna holds up a cell phone and gives me a pointed look. “Call her.” She opens the door at that point, and my phone goes off to tell me it’s time to meet the Beast Council. I give Celina one last glance before leaving to receive my death sentence.

Silently, I walk to the guarded meeting hall. It seems fitting. The first place I heard my mate’s voice is the same place I’m going to hear my death sentence. The room is empty, aside from a table in front of a large flat screen. I have requested to remain near my ailing mate, and since I partially marked her they’re forced to adhere to my request.

When I sit down, a sea of faces sit behind six members of the High Beast Council: Councilors Geoff Tribidoux, Mary Anne Rollins, Larry Higgins, Leopold Beavoux, Giselle Rovoure, and Barthlamue Gregorey. Each one of them has an unpassable expression, clearly ready to give me my death sentence. I still don’t know why they’ve never liked me. I’m the strongest in my family. Danny never even came close to my strength.

Geoff claps his little portly hands, claiming everyone’s attention. “You all know why we’re here. This is the trial for the Crown Prince of Beasts Christopher Isiah Dupont. We will hear from Prince Christopher, his father, and then we will make our ruling.

“Prince Christopher, you are charged with claiming a mate during the Claiming Ceremony, in which you were not a participant. The punishment for this is death. How do you plead?”

Does it matter? “I would like to amend the reading to include that the participant that I had marked is my destined mate.”

“The rules do not have a clause for a destined mate,” Leopold inserts, with enough force to make his jowls move. “You cannot amend the reading in an attempt to garner sympathy. You have two answers you can give. Guilty or not guilty. Now, which one is your answer?”

I’ve never liked him. “Not guilty in this matter, as it was my beast who marked our given mate.”

“Gentlemen,” my father cuts in, appearing in a split monitor that looks to be in the Alpha King’s office, “we’ve discussed that Prince Christopher is a lycan. Their desire to mark their destined mate is near impossible to control. There have been cases of females being marked and taken from behind, before the female even realized their destined mate was close. Leo, I believe that’s how you met your lovely mate on your wedding day.”

Leo’s face reddens, his whiskered cheeks pushing up towards his violet eyes. “The way I acquired my mate is not what is on trial today, Exzicial. However, your son’s is. Please keep the context related to the events during the Claiming only.”

“I planned on waiting until after the Claiming,” I start to add to my defense, “however, at the last possible second I discovered Rue about to sink his teeth into her neck, and I lost control over my beast.”

Leo’s eyes harden. “Yes, we are aware of Mr. Lubote’s traitorous actions. However, he still wasn’t the one to mark the Alpha Princess, Celina Stormwood, during the Claiming.”

I glower at them. “My beast was the one to mark the princess, not me.”

“And you made zero attempts to stop him.”

“I couldn’t because I lost control. I didn’t even know she was marked until Dr. Benson informed us.”

“Yet you admit that she was marked by your beast.” Geoff cuts in. “She was marked by him during the Claiming. No matter the circumstances, she cannot be marked by a non-participant. The rules regarding the Claiming Ceremony are quite clear: Under no circumstances, may a non-participating man be allowed to mark participating females before, or during, the Claiming. Failure to adhere to this absolute law is death.

“Since there are no stipulations, no allowances, no exclusions, you are not able, nor under any circumstances, were you allowed to mark her during the Claiming. Do you have any further requests, or final words before you receive your sentence?”

I close my eyes and clench my hands before opening them; still keeping myself emotionally stunted. I open my eyes slowly as I speak my request. “I request that you hear from Celina before making your final decisions.”

“Yes, please,” Father says quickly. “We should hear from the victim herself.”

“From what I understand,” Leo inserts quickly, “she’s still recovering from the attack itself.”

“Still,” Mary Anne asks, tossing her fiery red hair. “How severe were her injuries?”

“It’s more of the Wolfsbane from the lycan she was actively killing when Rue ambushed her, instead of physical injuries.” My father explains. “The amount of Wolfsbane was substantial and enough to put her on a respirator.”

“She killed a lycan? Who was the lycan?”

My father rubs his face. “I haven’t broken the news to his family quite yet.”

“As a council member, we have the right to know.”

My father looks up and locks eyes with Council Woman Giselle, and immediately her emerald eyes widen while she lets out a painful cry. “I’m sorry Giselle. Francis is who was killed by the princess. We know he intended to target her because he had ingested and injected himself with massive amounts of Wolfsbane before attacking her.”

“No!” She screams, covering her mouth with her dainty hand. “We only had a stupid petty argument. He was supposed to come back. He always comes back after a month.” Mary Anne pulls her into a tight embrace to quiet her.

Geoff clears his throat. “This is indeed a startling development. We will honor your request to call the Alpha Princess after a short recess, but our decision shall not waiver. Prince Christopher, for violating the sanctity of the Claiming Ceremony, you are sentenced to death; and will be executed by a lethal injection of silver and bromine.”