Chapter 134

Josiah’s POV
These guys are strong and have heaps of allies. I don’t know why Callum and Dad thought they could take over. **“I told you all this before when they caught us. I don’t know why you had to prove something to them”** my wolf Justin says to me. **“It would be good to see mate again”** he adds as I smile a little. It would be good to see Chasity and I hope I can convince her I don’t want anything to do with Mum or Dorothy anymore.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask the man holding me. “Holding cell until we can figure out what to do with you” he answers, ushing me through a doorway in the castle.
“Jos” I hear Alexis call out to me. I turn my head but the man refuses to let me see her. “Please Brett” she says as the man stops and I turn to face her. She looks happy. I don’t think I have ever seen her happy.
“Lex, have they been treating you, ok?” I ask as she gives me a smile. “I found my mate” she states, not answering my question. “So, I’ve heard” I tell her and her eyes bulge wide open. “I met him, hence why I am here but you already know that.”
“I do” she answers, hiding her red cheeks.
“Look, Lex” I begin. How am I meant to tell her I am sorry for believing what Mum and Dad?. **“Just say it and see where it leads”** Justin states as I glance down at my feet. “I’m sorry how I acted and what I’ve said to you. I was stupid and a fuckwit. I should have believed you and not followed Mum and Dad blindly.”
“Yes, you were” she responds, looking down at the ground also. “I’m not here to build a relationship with you. I don’t want one but personally, I want to make sure you aren’t going to do anything to hurt my family.”
“I deserve that” I tell her; the regret creeping into the pit of my stomach. The two people I should care about the most I have destroyed all possibility of ever having a relationship with. My mate and my sister. “I have a mate” I whisper to her.
“I know, Cody told me” she says, and I raise my eyebrows at her. “I spoke with her. She asked if she should give you a chance and to be honest; I don’t know if she should.” I go to object but she cuts me off. “I didn’t tell her that if you were wondering. I told her I couldn’t answer only she could.”
I don’t answer. I’m shocked she didn’t say anything to Chasity. “I’ve come to tell him what I wanted to” Alexis says to Brett as he starts moving me towards the holding cell again.
“Can I have an audience with the king?” I murmur to Brett as we stop at the doorway of the cells. “I will ask” he answers as he leads me into the first cell and locks the door behind me before retreating.
………
Oliver’s POV
“He wants a pardon? After everything he has done?” I silently chuckle at Rodney, Cody, Danny and Todd in my office. “I wonder if Eli would like to answer if we should give it” I add to the conversation.
“He was very forthcoming with the information he gave” Rodney states as Todd sits up in his seat. “Well; when he found out he couldn’t lie, even if he wanted to because we would know” Todd continues, smirking from ear to ear.
“We’ve all done things to try and have our parents be proud of us. Given not everyone has hurt people in the process. I believe Josiah is remorseful for the part he played. We’ve given Todd the benefit of the doubt because he was lied to his whole life and he has changed for the better. Why can’t we offer the same courtesy to Josiah?” Danny states, smirking towards Todd who punches him in the arm.
“Todd has also shown us in his actions he was remorseful” I counteract as Todd grins in Danny’s direction. “But; you have a point. We decided before we were going to give Callum’s and Michael’s followers a choice and we can still give it. If; and that is a big if. He can show us the same way Todd has; I don’t have any objections with you giving him a pardon.”
“Thanks for yo…” Rodney started to say when a knock comes on the door. “Enter” he answers.
“King Rodney” Brett comes into the office. “Josiah would like an audience with you.”
“Thank you for you input, Dad” Rodney finishes his sentence to me. “You may show him in” he adds to Brett. “I left him in a holding cell” Brett explains taking a seat on one of the chairs. “I told him I would ask for him.”
“Go get him” Rodney exclaims as Brett gets up from the chair and leaves the office. This was my cue to vanish also. “No, Dad. Stay” Rodney states and I turn around to look at my son. “If we are going to see if he going to betray us; he needs to know a few things and one of them is you are alive and well. Only then will we be able to judge if he regrets his involvement.”
“It’s your call, son” I say, taking my seat again as we wait for Brett to bring Josiah up from the holding cell. “Who is at the coven now?”
“Dad, Hunter, Tim, Rick and Joshua. There’s more regarding Josiah, King Oliver” Cody states, as I turn to look at him. “Alexis has already spoken with her” he includes as another knock comes on the door.
“Enter” Rodney calls out and Chastity walks in. *“You are talking about Josiah being Chasity’s mate?”* I query Cody, Rodney, Todd and Danny through a mind link. *“What? You already knew?”* Todd exclaims back to me.* “Yes. She confided in me. Josiah told you; I take it?”* I answer.
All four men nod their head at me. “Chasity; we have Josiah coming up shortly” Rodney voices as Chasity gasps backing towards the doorway. “We won’t ask you to stay but we want to give you the opportunity to voice your opinion on what we should do, considering Josiah is claiming he is your mate and wants to help us.”
“He does?” Chasity gasps again and Danny nods in her direction. “I think he’s my mate but what I’ve heard, I don’t know if he is. Roland’s always claimed I am his mate but I don’t feel a pull or anything towards him. Josiah; I get a pull to go to him, but that could be a spell or something. I tried to reject him, just in case but he ran away.”
“You don’t have a spell on you now” Cody states, giving her a smile. “He should be here shortly and if you feel something; you can decide what you want to do.”
“Do you want him as a mate?” Danny asks and Chasity shrugs her shoulders. “Dad always told me the mate bond is sacred. Hecate knows what she is doing and there is a reason we are paired. But if he got someone to put a spell on me to make me believe we are mates…” “I didn’t” a voice comes from the doorway.
Chasity jumps and she takes a few steps backward towards me. I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. “King Oliver, nice to see you didn’t die after all. I am assuming Jeffrey and Campbell were planted at the coven to keep an eye on Queen Amelia. Dorothy said she felt the power of the kingdom shift; if you are alive, how could that be?”
“I retired and gave up the kingdom to Rodney. What she felt is true, he is the king” I tell Josiah who walks forward and takes a seat in the middle of the room. “The men here tell me you are willing to help us.”
“I won’t kill my mother if that is what you are asking. I am willing to help your bring Dorothy, Roland and her back here to face a trial” Josiah states, looking around the room.
“You do know if we hold a trial, they will most likely be sentenced to death” Rodney exclaims as Josiah nods his head at him. “If that is what the verdict is; so be it. I won’t be the one handing their punishment.”
“We really are mates?” Chasity asks, moving over to Josiah, grabbing his hand before sitting next to him. “Yes” he answers, giving her a smile. “I want to be your mate if you will have me” he adds as she smiles back at him.
“You both will need to talk about it more” I state, glaring at Josiah. Not that I will deny the mate bond between the two of them. This is my niece. I watched her grow up as though she is my own daughter. I will not let anyone hurt her and Josiah is at the top of my list for people that could hurt her. “Before that; we will need to talk about how we are going to get Dorothy, Roland, Penelope and anyone else they may have working with them.”
“There isn’t anyone else” Josiah states, turning his focus on me. “Even at the coven?” Cody questions as Josiah shrugs his shoulders.
“Roland yells out orders” Josiah explains and Chasity nods her head in agreement. “Those following are following blindly. We never explained what is happening and from what Mum and Dorothy have told me; they don’t like we are there. There are a few warlocks who may look for a fight but for the most part; they would probably leave you alone if you show you won’t hurt them.”
“They couldn’t harm us, even if they wanted to” Todd chuckles as Josiah turns his gaze to him. “We had a spell placed on us to stop magic from hurting us. The ladies can leave anytime they want; they aren’t affected by the spells Roland used. It was a precaution we did before agreeing for them to go” he elaborates further.
I can see Danny fuming at the information. As soon as his eyes glaze over, I link into his conversation. *‘Why the fuck would you tell him that?’* Danny shouts at him through a mind link. *‘Oliver, Rodney; I know you both are listening. Tell him, he is a moron for disclosing this information.’*
*“No; I agree with the information he gave. We need him to trust us. I have a plan. I'm not sure if it’s going to work, but a plan none the less”* I answer him. *“By all means; share it with the rest of the class”* Rodney exclaims and I let out a chuckle.