24

***THEODORE***

"Not punishing the one who's caused them pain is one thing, but seeking her help is another thing that shouldn't be done! What is this, Alpha king?!"

Aiden snaps from his seat, his palms banging against the desk that stands before him, and I grip tightly onto the edge of my seat; feeling the anger buzzing through me.

"I agree with Aiden. We made this council for a reason, and you might be the strongest of us all, Theodore; that doesn't make the rest of us useless. This council wouldn't be without each, and every one of us. This pack would not be without us, and I think it's time you start considering our opinions. I can not stand by any longer, and watch you lead us to ruins. "

Joe speaks, backing Aiden; the anger oozing through them dripping from their voice.

"I think we should all calm down. " Eric speaks, raising from his seat to stand before them. "I understand that you all are very angry with our next step, but you should also understand we wouldn't do this without a reason. "

"And you should also understand that the woman is innocent of the crime you accuse her of. "

All heads shoot towards the direction of Rio who stalks towards us with huge heavy steps.

He stops before me, and bow, before turning back to the rest of the council. "You judged a woman blinding without trying to find out the real truth behind the matter. You concluded she's guilty of the crime you accuse her of just because she worked for the humans, but you never took into consideration that she might be innocent after all? What happened to justice, and fairness? I thought that used to be a thing. "

"What are you talking about, Beta?" Andrew raises from his seat with a scowl directed to Rio, and my gaze snaps to Rio; equally curious about the findings he might have.

"I'm saying that, " He trails off, pacing across the room, and meeting the gaze of each Alpha, "Isberlt Queen is innocent. "

Aztec growls within me in response, and I shut him down to listen to Rio.

"Have you been with that woman long enough that she's succeeded in brainwashing you? Do you say she's innocent? This woman is a wolf, mind I remind you all, " Joe says, spreading his arms, "And worked amid humans in the hunt for wolves, but somehow she remains harmless, and unhurt as the wolves were used, and forced against their will! So please do tell me! Why did they leave her harmless when she was within their very clutches?!"

"As per that question, I do not have an answer to it. What I do have an answer to is the innocence of Isberlt Queen. She worked with them, without knowing their evil schemes behind closed doors. She's a victim here, and you all should accept that, and stop treating her like this!"

"You do not have proof, beta! Without shreds of evidence, your words are nothing, but flimsy vocals! You claim her to be innocent yet she remained unharmed while being in their midst. You claim her to be innocent, yet she didn't know about the Sera that could harm the wolves? " Joe questions with a lift of his brows, and Rio nods.

"Exactly, she didn't know about it. She knows about none of these!"

"I'm afraid a taste of that bitch's cunt has infected your logical sense of thinking. "

Aiden speaks.

"You do not speak to me that way, Alpha. "

Shaking my head, I bang my hand on the arm of the chair; turning their attentions back to me.

"I believe I'm still sitting before you all. " I gaze across their faces, each of them having a scowl etched to their face. Raising from my seat, I cross my arms behind my back, and march towards them, saying, "I understand that you all are a man of your own, and yes, you have the right to voice out your opinions. This pack wouldn't be standing tall, and mighty without each of you, and I'm glad that you have stood beside me during difficulties, deeming this pack victorious over its enemies. It's the same I ask from you now. I understand that you all hate the slave, she has caused such great harm to us, and the people we call family, and you have every right to feel that way towards her. " I stop beside Rio, and jerk my head towards the seat beside Eric. He takes the gesture, and nod, before walking towards Eric, occupying the seat beside him.

Turning back to the disturbed Alpha's, I say, "But I am giving her the benefit of the doubt, and so should you all. Not only has she claimed to be innocent of what we accuse her of, but the Beta is also backing her up. That alone with the fact that she's a dangerous weapon we can use against the wolves is enough for you to give her a chance. She knows everything about these humans, and she knows what they are capable of. This will help us in getting the rest of the wolves that are still trapped within their clutches. "

"So you're telling us to trust her?"

Andrew lifts his brows at me, and I smile at him.

"I'm telling you all to give her the benefit of the doubt. She's still within our clutches, and if she tries to do anything in opposition to our plan; she'll be punished greatly for it. "

I assure, and Aztec growls within me in opposition to my words, but I ignore him, watching their expressions.

"Alright, " Joe speaks, the others nodding to his words as he says, "We'll give her a chance. For the sake of the wolves. "

I nod with a smile as I look towards Eric who winks at me. Bastard.

It's left to you, Isberlt. To prove which side you truly belong to.

***ISBERLT.***

"How's it going?"

I look back with a smile as Heather walks in with a tray of food in hand; the smell of freshly baked bacon greeting me.

Putting the laptop aside, I grab the tray from her with a chuckle, "It's not looking so promising."

I sigh as I drop the tray on my lap, staring at the analysis I've managed to draw up across the screen.

For the past few days, I've been working on finding out everything about the Sera, and everything I've come up with so far isn't good at all.

There seems to be no cure for the Sera, and without the cure, they will forever remain that way; till it slowly kills them from inside.

Why Doctor Zion have decided to do this is what I do not understand. Why have wolves at your disposal only to kill them? Just why?

"Is it that bad?"

Heather questions besides me, and I shake my head with a sigh before grabbing the mug, taking a sip of the hot coffee.

"I really can't say. "

I tell him, and she grabs hold of my shoulder, squeezing the flesh, and bobbing her head with a smile, assuring me.

I return her smile with one of mine before taking another sip as a thought runs through my mind, "How's he faring?" I ask her, and she chuckles, shaking her head.

"Moody all the time. I'm afraid he will just burst one day. "As the Alpha King ordered, Peter took my place, and has been working my jobs. The sight of him suffering for everything he tried to do to me, pleases me more than I thought it would.

"Too bad he can't do anything by the way. How's Evelyn by the way?" Over the past few days, I've bonded more with Heather, and come to know Evelyn is a sweet little sixteen years teenager with a pleasing personality. Heather's gave birth to her after being raped by one of the opposing pack during a war that happened years ago. I can still remember the way my heart broke for her when she told me her story.

"She's fine. She's faring well, and she keeps whining about meeting you. I told her to lay off for now as you have more important things to do at the moment. "

"Oh, please no. Do let her come when she wants to. I enjoy her company."

I tell her as I drop the mug, and she chuckles, me joining her.

Our little happy moment is cut short by the creak of the door, and my eyes go in the direction; my gaze meeting her scowl.

What is she doing here?

"Slave. " She utters with nothing but hatred dripping off her tone, and I raise my brows at her. "The Alpha King calls for you. "

The Alpha King? Calls for me? And ordered his mistress to relay that command?

"Come with me. "

*Thoughts?! Thoughts?!! Thoughts?!!! Sweethearts? My editor, and I agreed to make a slight change to the book title, and cover. What do you all think of it? More preferable than the last one, or nah? Next update on its way! *