Rejecting Her Twin Alphas Novel Free by Azrael Meow

Hombre-Lobo

Amber

 

 “I did it in defense of Alpha Victor Brooks,” I state to the Council. I feel the intensity of all of their gazes, especially Beaudry Millar’s. I know he hates my grandfather and is probably projecting that hatred onto me. I can sense tension coming from Skylar and Tyler. 

 ‘They sense your tension,’ Lilith speaks up.

 “You did it in defense of Alpha Brooks?” Edmund reiterates, and I nod.

 “Yes, Sir,” I respond.

 Edmund sits back and looks at the other council members. “Tell us your account of the events of that day.”

 “My mates Tyler and Skylar Brooks and I had been casually hanging out when Alpha Brooks came up to us and ordered me upstairs,” I start. I refuse to hold back the truth no matter what. 

 “Did he say why?” Edmund asks.

 “No, just that he needed me to stay in the house,” I respond. “I went upstairs as ordered, but my wolf, Lilith, became restless. She was urging me to follow my mates. I saw flashes of a battle and knew I had to be there to help,” I continue explaining with the rapt attention of the Council.

 “So, you disobeyed an order?” Beaudry Millar asks.

 A growl rumbled behind me, and I knew it was from my grandfather.

 “Calm down, Norman,” Edmund mentions. “Ms. Payne, answer Councilmember Millar’s question, please.”

 “I was driven by instinct,” I state. “My wolf was adamant that I needed to help my mates and the pack.”

 “But you disobeyed Alpha Brooks’s order?” Beaudry states.

 “Hang her!” Someone shouts.

 “Beta Timmons, one more disruption, and I will have you removed,” Edmund points at the beta.

 I glance back as Beta Timmons sits in a huff. I take a few deep breaths.

 “So, after you disobeyed your alpha,” Councilman Millar starts, “Is he even your Alpha? Are you an official member of Nightstar?”

 I open my mouth to respond and glance back at Victor, who nods. “Yes,” I mutter.

 “Alpha Brooks, please approach the bench,” Councilman Millar orders.

 Victor approaches and stands beside me. He smiles softly at me.

 “Is this young woman an official member of your pack?” Millar asks.

 “Yes, sir,” Victor responds. “We haven’t had a ceremony yet, but she is my twin sons’ mate and has been marked by them.”

 “So, she isn’t an official member of Nightstar?” Millar clears his throat as he speaks.

 “I know the laws, sir,” Victor argues. “They state that since my sons have marked Amber Payne, she is an official member of my pack.”

 “He’s right, Beau,” Edmund nods. 

 Beaudry Millar makes a face, “So after you disobeyed your alpha’s order, what did you do?” He asks me.

 “I ran out of the packhouse and shifted. My wolf took control,” I state.

 “Do you not have control of your wolf?” Beaudry asks.

 “She is quite strong, sir. She is not like other she-wolves,” I respond. “I shifted, and we ran into the fight. I saw that Alpha Timmons had Alpha Brooks in a death hold, so Lilith took control. It happened so fast. I blinked, and the next thing I knew, Lilith had Alpha Timmons’s throat in her mouth, and he was dead.”

 “She is a murderer!” Zachary Timmons shouts. “She murdered my father!”

 “Guards, remove him,” Edmund orders.

 “She is a murderer!” Zachary keeps screeching as he is dragged from the room. 

 “Alpha Brooks, I would like your side of the events,” Edmund says. “You may take a seat for now, Ms. Payne.”

 I sigh and return to my seat. My father squeezes my hand. “You did good, sweetie,” He smiles at me.

 “Then why don’t I feel good,” I mutter.

 Tyler touches my shoulder, and I lean into him.

 “Yes, I ordered Amber to remain in the house,” Victor starts. “I feared for her safety due to a few other incidents,” He continues.

 “Why did you fear for her safety?” Edmund asks.

 Victor glances at us, then at Beta Timmons, “Alpha Timmons paid a member of my pack to kidnap her.”

 “That is a fucking lie!” Beta Timmons stands up and shouts. 

 “Beta Timmons,” Edmund growls. “Guards,” He points his gavel at Beta Timmons.

 “This is bullshit!” Beta Timmons continues to shout as he is dragged from the room.

 “A member of your pack was paid to kidnap Ms. Payne,” Edmund clarifies.

 “Yes,” Victor confirms.

 “Why?” Edmund asks.

 “He knows why,” Grandpa mutters.

 “Dad,” Uncle Henry drawls.

 “Amber Payne is a Hunt wolf. She is of royal blood and highly sought after,” Victor explains. “I don’t know why Alpha Timmons paid someone to take her. Alpha Timmons arrived to demand we release his nephew Oliver Timmons.”

 “Why did you have his nephew?” Edmund asks. “I know why, as he is currently being held in the stockade, but please tell the court.”

 “Oliver Timmons was mated to Savannah Grant, the daughter of my Beta, Richard Grant,” Victor explains. “Richard and I both had a bad feeling about Oliver but looked past it in order to sign an alliance with the Dark Knights Pack. I now regret that decision.” He pauses. “Oliver Timmons raped Savannah,” Victor says, and Skylar growls.

 I glance at my mate, who seems lost in thought. I take a deep breath and lean against my father. Tyler frowns and pulls his hand back. 

 “You have evidence that this alleged rape occurred?” Councilman Millar asks.

 “My mate and Luna, Sheila, and Beta Female Juli heard Savannah screaming. My beta’s son Ethan then broke into her room and found his sister being assaulted. She suffered quite a few injuries,” Victor tells the Council. “We locked Oliver up and called the Council.”

 “Right,” Edmund nods. “Bring Beta Timmons back in, please,” He orders the guards. “You may take your seat, Victor.”

 Beta Timmons is heard cursing at the guards as the doors are opened. They drag him towards the bench. “This is bullshit.”

 “Beta Jason Timmons,” Edmund growls. “You will answer our questions or be removed and held in contempt.”

 “My brother was murdered,” Beta Timmons spats. “By her,” He points at me.

 “Beta,” Edmund drawls. “You heard the stipulations. They are not up for debate.”

 Beta Timmons turns to me with a vicious glare causing my mates to growl.

 “Settle down,” Edmund orders and bangs his gavel. “Beta Timmons, why was your brother Alpha Timmons as the border of Nightstar that day?”

 “We were there for my son, Oliver,” Beta Timmons says with a quivering lip. 

 “Why was Nightstar holding him?” Edmund asks.

 “I don’t know,” Beta Timmons snorts.

 “Alpha Brooks says that your son Oliver raped his mate,” Edmund states.

 “Raped?” Jason snorts. “You can’t rape your own mate. He was mating with her.”

 “No, she was raped,” Victor speaks up.

 “Alpha Brooks,” Edmund warns him. “The same rules apply to you.”

 “My son did nothing wrong,” Jason continues. 

 “Raped is very serious, Beta,” Edmund huffs. “Forcing someone, whether they are a mate or not, is rape.”

 “Females these days want liberation and other crap,” Jason snarls. 

 “Ask him why his brother tried to kidnap my granddaughter,” Grandpa mutters.

 “I’m getting to that, Norman,” Edmund looks at him.

 “Was retrieving your son the only reason your pack was there?” Edmund asks.

 “Y-yes,” Beta Timmons hesitates.

 “Was it?” Edmund asks in a deeper tone. “What was the real reason why Dark Knights arrived on the border of Nightstar on the day in question?” 

 Beta Timmons struggles to resist the Councilman’s question. “I-I-“ He stutters. “We were there to take the Hunt wolf,” He blurts out and immediately covers his mouth. “Shit,” He curses.

 “That’s all I need from you, Beta,” Edmund nods. “You may be seated.”

 Beta Timmons hangs his head as he returns to his seat.

 “The Council will now discuss the case and decide on Ms. Payne’s fate,” Edmund says. “Court is adjourned,” He says and slams his gavel. He and the other council members rise and walk out of the room.

 I take a deep breath and lean back. I look up at my mates.

 “It’s going to be okay,” Tyler smiles at me. “Beta Timmons put his whole foot in his mouth.”

 I nod, “I have to go to the bathroom,” I mutter and get up and stumble over my father. I walk out of the chamber. Everyone else is behind me, but I don’t look back as I head straight for the ladies’ room. I walk in and rush into a stall. I do my business and hum while sitting there. The door opens, and a couple of other women enter. I think nothing of it as I leave the stall and approach the sink. I notice one of the women is Anita Timmons, Keith TImmon’s mate. I sigh as she looks me over. I want to apologize for killing her mate, but I don’t know what to say. I just look down and proceed to wash my hands.

 “You know I should thank you for killing my mate,” Anita says. “He was a terrible mate.”

 I take a deep breath, “I didn’t mean to do it, Luna,” I tell her.

 Anita presses her lips together, “You don’t have to call me that. Just Anita is fine. My son Zachary will be Alhpa, and his mate Hanna will be Luna.”

 I sigh as she speaks. I feel so guilty about what I did.

 ‘You did nothing wrong,’ Lilith speaks up. 

 “I am very sorry for what happened,” I state.

 “Keith was an idiot. He should have known what could have happened when he attacked another pack,” Anita says causally and looks at the other woman. “Have you met Jason’s mate Sarah?”

 I shake my head and nod at the other woman, “I can’t say I have.” I nod at Sarah. I turn back to my hands and finish washing them. “Excuse me,” I mutter and saunter to the paper towel dispenser. I hear Sarah and Anita whisper something. I look back, and a cloth is placed over my mouth. I gasp at the overwhelming scent of wolfsbane and chloroform. I start to get dizzy. Sarah and Antia are both holding onto me.

 ‘Fight it,’ Lilith growls.

 “Let go of me,” I yell and punch Anita. She drops the cloth and stumbles back. Sarah still has a hold on me. I hit her and swung us around to slam her into the wall. She falls to the ground, and I run out of the bathroom. I collapse to my knees as the wolfsbane takes effect on me.

 “Amber!” Tyler shouts. 

 I hear a rush of footsteps running toward me. Tyler and Skylar kneel beside me. “They,” I point at the bathroom. “They,” I mutter and lean against Tyler.

 “What happened?” Uncle Henry shouts.

 “They,” I point at the bathroom.

 “What the hell?” I hear my grandmother shout. “It’s Anita and Sarah Timmons,” she announces. “Did they attack you?”

 I nod as I am still dizzy.

 “Step aside,” Dawna orders my mates.

 They both growl.

 “I can reverse the effects of the wolfsbane,” She snarls back. 

 “How do you know it’s wolfsbane?” Tyler asks.

 “Can’t you smell it?” Dawna chuckles and kneels in front of me while my mates stand up. She waves a vial of something under my nose, and I instantly feel better. I shake my head, and Dawna smiles. “Feel better?” 

 I nod.

 She pats my shoulder, “Help her up,” she orders my mates.

 Tyler and Skylar pick me off the ground, and I lean against them.

 “What happened?” Edmund Cleary approaches us as guards are dragging Sarah and Anita away.

 “They attacked my daughter,” My father growls.

 “Amber?” The councilman looks at me.

 “I-I-“ I stutter as my mind is a little foggy. “Anita put a cloth with wolfsbane and something else over my mouth.”

 “Smells like chloroform,” Dawna chimes in.

 “Yeah,” I confirm. “I was drying my hands, and they put the cloth over my mouth.”

 “Did they say anything to you?” Edmund asks.

 “We were just chatting,” I mention.

 “Well, we’ll deal with that later,” Edmund breathes. “For now, the Council has reached a verdict.”

 “Already?” Grandpa snorts.

 “Everyone, please go back to the chamber,” Edmund announces and scurries away.

 I feel nervous as I walk into the chamber with my mates. I want to sit on Tyler’s lap but take my previous seat. 

 The council members all file in and take their seats behind the bench. 

 “Amber Payne, please rise and approach the bench,” Edmund orders me.

 I take a deep breath and comply. I stand before the bench with my heart pounding and my legs feeling like jello.

 “Amber Elyse Payne, you have been accused of murdering Alpha Keith Timmons of the Dark Knights Pack,” He states.

 I gulp and do my best to steady my breathing.

 ‘It’s going to be okay,’ Tyler mind links me.

 ‘We are here for you,’ Skylar counters.

 I glance back at them, and they are both smiling. I sniffle and face the Council.

 “We, the Council of Silver Moon Manor, find that you, Amber Payne, did indeed kill Alpha Keith Timmons,” Edmund states, and my heart drops. “But you did so in the protection of your pack alpha, Victor Brooks, so we find that you will not receive any punishment.” 

 “THAT’S FUCKING BULLSHIT! THAT BITCH KILLED MY BROTHER!” Beta Timmons bellows. I glance back as he leaps over the railing and rushes toward me, but he is cut off by the guards, who slam him to the ground.

 “Remove him!” Edmund orders. “Take him to the cells!”

 Beta Timmons continues screaming as he is dragged out of the chamber.

 Edmund shakes his head, “Ms. Payne, you are free to go.” He smiles at me. “We are adjourned until after lunch.”

 “What’s going on after lunch?” I wonder out loud.

 “Ask your uncle,” Edmund winks and rises.

 I turn and walk towards my family. Tyler pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head. “Uncle Henry?”

 My uncle picks up a large folder that appears to be full, “We are going to take down Dark Kinights and several other packs,” He grins. 

 “Carlton?” I hear Victor say behind me. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

 I turn to see a similar-looking man approaching Victor. He is a bit slimmer than Victor but a little taller. He grins at Victor.

 “I told you that I would be here, Vicy,” The man snorts and looks at us. “Hey, boys,” He greets the twins before looking at me. He holds a hand out to me, “Carlton Brooks," he grins. “It’s nice to meet you finally, Amber.” He says, and a chill runs down my spine.

Chapter 44 - Rejecting Her Twin Alphas Novel Free by Azrael Meow