85.

-HIM-

“Where’s the she-wolf who is the reason behind this?” The Judge asks. My wolf is excited all of a sudden because we have finally come to the part which we have been waiting for.

Till now, it had been easier than I had expected- convincing the council and solving this matter without having the council making a fuss about it. I am somewhat surprised by this and so are my pack members.

“My brother is looking for her,” I answer the Judge.

“Has she gone missing as well?” He inquires in return.

“She wouldn’t be able to escape tonight. Everyone’s on alert and the whole pack is being thoroughly searched,” I tell him.

“That’s great to know,” The Judge comments before asking, “What about your mate? Any updates on her?” Suddenly, that anxiousness that I have been feeling previously is back.

“She is still unconscious,” I tell him. His face is still void of any emotion and very unreadable. Even though the matter with Tiffany is sorted, I am somewhat unsure about what they’ll do with Cybele. Anyway, I am already mated with Cybele and there’s nothing in the world but death that could change that or break our bond.

“I would like to meet your mate once she is awake,” The Judge tells me grimly. At this, my heart leaps a beat and the anxiety rises inside me. Right now, I find myself in no situation to say no straight to their face.

“What if she doesn’t want to meet you?” I ask instead. I have already decided this that I wouldn’t let them meet her if she doesn’t want to. I wouldn’t let anyone force anything on her.

“In that case, I’d like to remind you that this not our last visit in your pack,” The Judge replies with the same stiff and grim tone. His hard, cold grey eyes seem harsh and unpredictable. I wish I could know what’s happening behind them.

“Alright,” Is all I said before adding, “I express my gratitude to you and the council for helping my pack in this,”

“The very purpose that had brought us to your pack has not been fulfilled. Since everyone is already here, I want the meeting to commence now…” He addresses to the room before turning to me, “Until that she-wolf is found,”

So, we sit down for the meeting and it commences shortly after. For the rest of the time, I find myself looking at my watch every ten minutes and asking Derek through the mind-link if he has any news on Tiffany. His answers disappoint me till the dawn.

Meanwhile, I find it hard to concentrate on the meeting. I find myself zooming in and out most of the time. Although the Judge’s hard grey eyes never fail to pull my mind back in the room. When the first rays of sunlight greet the earth, Davis finally mind-links me.

“Found that bitch,” He tells me through the mind-link.

“Where?” I ask, feeling excited all of a sudden. If I let my wolf take control then he’d go straight to her and burn her alive until there’s nothing left of her but her ashes.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I tell you,” Davis replies. I don’t miss the undertone of anger in his voice before he tells me, “She bribed one of the patrollers to let her out of the pack,” His words feed my loathing for Tiffany even more.

“How did you find out?” I ask through the mind-link while feeling the Judge’s eyes on me. The meeting is still going on and I am starting to get very restless. I want to step out of this room as soon as possible.

“We caught them sneaking out. I’ve got that bitch tied up and that patroller burned to the crisp,” Davis answers.

“What is it, Beta Jake?” Asks the Judge as soon as I snap out of the mind-link. I notice that the whole room is silent and everyone’s eyes are trained on me.

“Tiffany has been found,” I tell him. At my words, the lines on the Judge’s forehead disappear. A very subtle gutturalness climbs on his face that could send a shiver down anyone’s spine due to its eeriness.

“Let’s go and greet her then,” The Judge says while standing up before he heads out of the room with only two council members. The rest of them stay with our pack officials as the meeting continues without us. I follow the Judge out while dad stays back.

Brooke comes with me. I notice her only when mutters beside me, “Finally,”

When we step out of the administrative building, it’s still dark outside but the sky is starting to abandon the darkness. I lead them to the part of the woods where they are waiting for us with Tiffany.

We walk for only a few minutes before we are there. I notice the warriors through the gaps of the trees first before I am able to spot Davis amongst them. It’s only when we reach near them, I am able to see Tiffany. She is kneeling on the ground. Her clothes are somewhat torn and her hands are tied behind her back but she doesn’t stop struggling to get free.

Her eyes widen as soon as she sees us. She abandons her struggles to get free when she notices the Judge and the council members and turns pale instantly.

“You cannot do this to me,” She gritted at me with a glare. I am surprised to find that she still has the audacity to talk like that. I don’t miss how Davis is doing everything to not abandon his self-control and turn her into ashes.

“As the head of the werewolf council, I am asking you if you attempted to harm a human, who also happens to be the Beta Female of your pack?” Asks the Judge grimly, “The evidence found against you are very convincing so, I must remind you that you shall only speak the truth otherwise you will face a very hard judgment,”

Tiffany surprises everyone of us by showing the audacity to glare at the Judge and declare, “Yes, I have and she is not the Beta Female of this pack. She could never be,”

At her words, some of the warriors growl before a speck of fire appears out of thin air and catches on her hair. I am quick to absorb it and warn Davis, “Not with her, Davis,” Tiffany screams at the sudden fire and clutches her hair that has been burned away.

“On behalf of the council, I strip you of your wolf and condemn you to the Bircilla for ten years on the charges of attempting to harm the Beta Female of your pack and an innocent human.” The Judge announces grimly as the rays of the sun starts to filter through the trees.

Everyone turns somewhat pale at the mention of Bircilla. Dying is considered better than being sent to Bircilla. It is the place where the council put those wolves who have committed the gravest of crimes.

What makes the place worst is that it's run by Lycans and they don't show the slightest of remorse. Most of the times those who are sent to Bircilla never come back. Just thinking about all the dark things that are done there makes my blood run cold.

In the past, there hasn't been a single wolf from my pack who had been sent to Bircilla. Heck, no wolf from my pack has even listed in any defaulter's list under the council. Tiffany's the first one from our pack to face such judgement. It's good for her but it's bad for our pack's reputation.

Although, I couldn't care less. She deserves this for putting Cybele's life in danger and risking the pack's future.

"This isn't fair!" She sobbed, "You haven't given me the chance to defend myself! I need a lawyer!" She screams, making everyone's skin crawl. At this, Brooke hits her hard across her face.

"You can have a lawyer and we can put this case to trial formally in the council itself but till then, you are condemned to Bircilla," One of the council members spoke this time. "The Lycans will be here by the afternoon to take her,"

I don't miss how the wolves around us turn paler at the mention of the Lycans. We never had any Lycan visit our pack before. They are a rarity but I have met them once while travelling to the council. Since both the kinds are the children of the night, our governing bodies work closely together. Although, our laws and ways somewhat differ from each other.

"No, you cannot do this." She sobbed.

"Take her to the prison and keep her there until the Lycans arrive," I tell one of the warriors before Tiffany's being taken away.

"Do you want me to take care of her?" Brooke offers with a dark undertone as we watch Tiffany troubling the warriors who are trying their best to handle her decently.

"That wouldn't be necessary," I tell her. After Tiffany is sent to the pack prison, we go back to the meeting. Fortunately, it ends shortly after. I couldn't help but feel relieved. It felt like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulder until the Judge personally approaches me, "I have met everyone from you pack except you mate,"

"She is still sleeping," I tell him up straight.

"We are going to be here till noon. I am sure she'll wake up before that. When she does, you must tell her that I wish to talk to her," He tells me grimly.

"I am grateful to you for what you have done but I am afraid that it might put unnecessary pressure on her,"

"Talking never does anyone any harm. I'll wait for your call after she's awake," He tells me sternly before walking away.