Chapter 82: Chapter 82

~ HENRY

The silence stretched through the inky darkness of my room, curtains billowing softly letting slivers of light in before quickly slamming back.

The room smelled like my despair and the several bottles of alcohol I’d downed overnight and into this morning.

My eyes ached from lack of sleep, my mouth was dry from my refusal to drink water, and most of all, I could hear my own heart pounding in my ears as blood rushed through my body.

I’d spent the whole of yesterday going through every fucking inch of the evidence found in the rogue den. I’d gone through every letter detailing the attacks that should be made. I saw the progression from mere threats to actual violence.

I saw the letter instructing one of the rogues to stab and kill Nyssa and I remembered how that day, like a coward I ran, leaving her in the field where she almost died.

I never even went to check on her.

I grabbed the nearest bottle to me, tipping over the contents into my mouth. The whiskey burned my throat before settling like lead in my stomach. I couldn’t remember when last I’d eaten something. It had to have been before Alisa’s visit yesterday.

I dragged myself to my feet, swaying slightly.

On a good day, alcohol had little to no effect on wolves, but considering how much I drank and for how long, it was a miracle I didn’t feel more than a little buzzed.

I pulled open the curtains, wincing at the onslaught of light. I could hear birds chirping outside and voices of people going on their merry fucking way. I should’ve been out there, instead, I was inside my house going over the documents that showed how badly I’d fucked up.

“Why didn’t you try to defend yourself harder, Nyssa?” I hissed, combing through pages of documents that proved her innocence. “Why didn’t you stay and prove it?”

“Would you have listened if she did?” my wolf asked in a mocking tone. “You were so eager to prove her a villain, now look what you fucking did.”

“You were as much a part of this as I was,” I hissed. “Don’t you dare try to put this on me.”

“It is on you!” he spat. “I was against this whole thing from the start. Now she’s gone. What the fuck are you going to do about it?”

He slammed the wall down between us, leaving me feeling emptier than I had mere moments before.

I knew I couldn’t let this slide. Now that she’d been proven innocent, I could bring her back. Yes, that was the right thing to do.

I stumbled over to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The streams of ice-cold water sobered me up immediately. I was acutely aware of how exhausted and hungry I was, but that had to wait.

I had shit to do.

The smell of alcohol still lingered on me slightly but if anyone at the pack house noticed, they didn’t say a word.

The council was already waiting for me in the meeting room when I arrived and I couldn’t help but notice that Alisa wasn’t present.

“Did anyone call her?” I asked, earning a few whispers from the men. “Can someone stop mumbling and fucking say something?”

“She didn’t answer her calls, Alpha,” one of them said quickly. “We tried to reach her father as well but he is… busy.”

I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

I tolerated her quirks because they were amusing at first, but refusing to show up when I called was obvious disrespect and I’d be damned if I let her or anyone else disrespect me in the presence of my pack.

“Once this is over, find her. She will be punished appropriately.” I cleared my throat, going into business mode. “I’m sure you are all wondering why I called you here.”

I tossed the stack of documents onto the table.

They glanced at it carefully, shooting each other identical looks of wary, but no one dared to pick it up.

“Don’t just fucking stare at it!” I snapped.

They lunged for it immediately, flipping through page after page of documents. The silence stretched through the room as they stared at all the letters coordinated attacks.

“Nyssa was innocent,” I announced. “And you all fucking let her be taken! What is the use of having a council if not one of you can use your fucking brains? What is your job if not to advise me?”

No one spoke.

They all bowed their heads to the ground, the smell of their fear and worry permeating the air.

Part of the blame lay with me, I knew that. I had accused her as well, but they had egged it on, hey fueled it. Not one of them came to her defense or asked for evidence. They further drove the wedge of doubt into my chest.

“I am going to get her back.”

At that, they all snapped up to me. “Alpha, I don’t know if that is a good course of action. The King has claimed her as his. Going to get her back now would be like trying to come for his mate.”

“She was my mate first!” I growled low.

“But you are now mated to Alisa,” they tried to bargain. “I think it is best if we let sleeping gods lie. We can apologize to her, send her a card and let her know that she has been found innocent of all charges, but I would ask that you—”

“I was not asking for your advice!” I snapped, cutting him off immediately. “I will be leaving tomorrow. No one is to know of my movements. I will leave and return with Nyssa.”

I could sense their unease at my words, but they knew better than to speak.

Nyssa would take me back, she always did. I’d just plead with her and apologize profusely. There was no way she could reject that, not when it’s all she has ever wanted.

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