My Alpha's Betrayal: Burning in the Flames of His Vengeance novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Sentence

The seven Alphas deliberated for a quarter of an hour, and nobody in the lodge made a sound.

Tobias stood alone in the middle of the floor.

He did not look at the hearth, or at Crane, or at the rings glittering around Crane's feet.

When the eldest Alpha spoke, she spoke to him alone.

"Tobias Kincaid. You have confessed to a blood crime, and you confessed it before you were asked. That counts for you."

"It doesn't count for them," he said.

"No," she said. "It does not."

She struck the floor once with her staff.

"The Moot's sentence is this. You give up the Alpha seat of Stonebrook for one year, starting today. In that year you rebuild Redcliff's lower row, board by board, with your own hands and no one else's money."

A breath went around the room.

"You bury the dead together, and you say their names at the grave. Each survivor of Redcliff who wants it may ask for a place in Stonebrook, and you do not refuse a single one."

"I won't."

"Stonebrook is held by your captain until the year is out. Odessa Ness, do you accept?"

Odessa straightened by the wall.

"I do," she said, hoarse. "I'll keep it warm for him."

"At the year's end," the eldest said, "this Moot will ask the people of the lower row if they will have you back. If a single family says no, you will not have the seat."

Tobias bowed his head.

"I accept," he said.

I heard a sound beside me, and I realized that it was Bryn, letting out a long, shaky breath.

The eldest turned her eyes to Emmett.

"Emmett Drummond. You brought us a roster. We have heard a packless woman and the men of Redcliff say the Alpha was told the doors were clear. Whose word was that?"

Emmett opened his mouth.

"The roster is before you," he said smoothly. "I warned him. I wrote it down."

"You will stay for the Moot's questions."

← Chapter 19 · All chapters · Chapter 21 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend