Chapter 179
HANNAH
"And what did the council finally decide?" Cade asked his father as he took a seat.
Everyone leaned forward to catch the Alpha's words. The council's decision was what we had all spent a lot of tense hours expecting.
"The investigation has begun," the Alpha informed us. "But the duel cannot take place until it is confirmed that Dawson is guilty."
My father sat back with a sigh. "I was expecting them to say something of the sort. They wouldn't want to condemn Dawson based only on allegations-". Cade made an impatient movement. Clearly he wanted Dawson punished immediately for his crimes, as did we all. My father waved his hand. "But no matter. One way or another, Dawson is going down. At the hearing, I will present all the evidence I have. There's no way Dawson will be able to squirm his way out of that."
All eyes were on my father now.
Jace said, "And this evidence, it will be enough?"
"Oh sure it will," my father said without hesitation. "As Dawson's former chief of security, I got access to some of the CCTV footage of that night. They are saved in a drive and wife has them. Why else do you think Dawson was so threatened by me? If I accused him, he could lie his way out of it. It would have been my word against his but cold, hard proof... that is another thing entirely."
"Good. Good," Alpha Wallace said, nodding. The shadows had left his face any he looked less worried now. "I will get in touch with my contacts to facilitate the investigation. The sooner he's tried, the less time he'll have to scheme his way out."
"I agree," said my father.
I asked the question I had been burning to ask. "What happens if he's found guilty?
Alpha Wallace smiled. Not a pleasant smile but a cold one as he said, "Normally he would get a sentence but not this time, I have challenged him to a duel. His fate is now in my hands."
************
The large courtroom was quiet but it was not because there was no one inside. It was almost filled up with the required number of spectators. The seats for the jury were empty. For now.
I walked in with my mates behind and beside me. Before we took the seats designated for us, I let my eyes roam over the courtroom, over the mostly unfamiliar faces.
Asher wasn't in the courtroom. Why?
Was he going to arrive later? Was he not coming at all?
"Let's sit," Cade whispered in my ear.
I noticed then that people, lots of them, were looking our way, at me especially. I think they suspected that in a way all of this was about me.
I let Cade lead me to my seat.
In the front row, my parents sat side by side, still and silent. My mother was clutching my father's hand tightly. My father was a key witness and I hoped his testimony would nail Dawson.
Dawson couldn't escape this time, I hoped. He had gotten away with too much already. It wouldn't be fair if he talked or bribed or fought his way out of this one.
Within five minutes, seven men glided into the courtroom. They were dressed in long flowing robes, black at one end, white at the other. They were the councilmen who would decide Dawson's fate. We all rose as they took their seats on the raised platform in front of the courtroom.
Dawson was led in with two guards flanking him. His confident aura was gone though he tried to hide it well but everyone could see his dark eyes darted here and there as if he expected someone or something to leap out at him.
The truth had come to haunt him after all this time and he was scared. Good.
"We begin," said one of the robed men, the one in the middle who was the judge. He had a large silver brooch in the shape of a snarling wolf's head with two daggers crossed above it.
He sat. The man next to him, very tall and very thin, stood, turned to Dawson standing now alone in the dock. "Alistair Dawson, you stand accused of treason and the murder of Keith, former Alpha of Breakstone. How do you plead to these charges?"
"Innocent!" Dawson said, glaring defiantly.
The courtroom's silence broke. People, putting their heads down, began murmuring.
"Silence!"
The judge's voice rang out, cutting through the muttering in the courtroom like the crack of a whip.
"And so it begins!" I heard Cade whisper.
"Where were you on the night of the fire that claimed the lives of Alpha Keith and his family?" the thin man asked Dawson.
"At home," Dawson replied. "My guards can confirm-"
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