CHAPTER 30: THE HEARING 1

HAZEL

The room erupted.

Sentinels poured in like water through a broken dam. Delta was there first, her face twisted in false horror, and she grabbed the bedsheet off Milo’s bed and threw it over me. The fabric was warm and smelled like him and I clutched it to my chest while I kept screaming.

"What happened?" someone shouted.

"Goddess, what did he do?"

"Get away from her!"

Hands grabbed me. Pulled me toward the door. I caught a glimpse of Milo’s face over someone’s shoulder. His eyes were wide. Shocked. He was saying something but I couldn’t hear it over all the noise.

Then someone hit him.

The sound was sharp. Wet. Milo went down hard and the sentinels swarmed him like wolves on wounded prey. Fists flew. Boots connected with ribs. I heard him shouting that he was innocent but his voice got drowned out by all the angry voices calling him monster and scum and worse things I would definitely be repeating.

Delta wrapped her arm around me and pulled me out into the hallway. The cold night air hit my skin and I realized I was still half dressed. Still covered in the evidence of what we’d done. What I’d let happen and then twisted into something else entirely.

"Come on," Delta whispered. Her voice was shaking. "We need to get you cleaned up before anyone else sees."

She led me through the dark paths back to my quarters. My legs felt weak. Like they couldn’t quite support my weight. I leaned on her and let her guide me inside.

The door clicked shut behind us.

Delta steered me toward the bathroom. Turned on the water. I stood there while she wet a cloth and started wiping my face. The water was warm. Gentle. She cleaned away every trace of Milo with careful strokes like she was handling something precious and breakable.

"Is this smart?" Delta asked suddenly.

I looked at her. "What?"

"This." She gestured vaguely at my face. At the situation. "Your parents will have to intervene. There will be an investigation. The elders..."

I slapped her.

The sound echoed in the small bathroom. Delta’s head snapped to the side and she pressed a hand to her reddening cheek. Her eyes watered but she didn’t cry.

"Do I look like a fool to you?" I kept my voice low. Controlled. "Do you think I would do something like this without thinking it through?"

"No, Miss Hazel." Delta’s voice was barely a whisper.

"I’m smart." I grabbed the towel from her hands and dried my own face. "I can handle this. My mother will support me no matter what. And who will believe a mere sentinel over me? Over the Alpha’s daughter?"

Delta said nothing. She just stood there with her hand pressed to her cheek and her eyes on the floor.

I finished drying my face. Checked my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red from all the false tears and maybe the strings of cum that soared to the wrong place. My hair was messy. I looked exactly like someone who’d just been through something terrible. Perfect.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in," I called.

Another omega servant stepped inside. She was younger than Delta. Newer to the household. Her eyes were wide when she saw me.

"Luna Hazel," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Your presence is needed in the circle of the elders."

Delta sucked in a breath. I saw the horror flash across her face. But inside my chest, something bright and hot bloomed. Triumph. The elders were fast. This was good. It meant this shit-show would be over quickly.

"Tell them I’ll be there shortly," I said.

The young omega nodded and scurried out.

The moment the door closed, Delta turned to me. "This is bad."

"Bad?" I raised an eyebrow.

"If a sentence is made..." Delta’s hands were shaking now. Badly. "Sentinel Milo will be put to death."

I smiled. "Is that not the whole point?"

"I don’t know if I’m comfortable with doing that." The words tumbled out of Delta’s mouth in a rush. "Miss Hazel, he’ll die. They’ll execute him. For something he didn’t actually do."

I looked at her. Really looked at her. Delta had been loyal for years. She’d helped me with countless schemes. Covered for me. Lied for me. But now I saw something in her eyes that made my stomach tighten. Fear. And worse. Doubt.

"Are you switching up on me now, Delta?" I kept my voice soft. Dangerous. "I thought you were smart enough to know when our darlings need to be killed."

Delta’s face went pale.

"I really did try my best with Milo," I continued. "But he is a spark that will explode in my face. I cannot let that stand. You understand that, don’t you?"

"Yes," Delta whispered.

"Good." I turned back to the mirror. "Now dress me. I need something that is white and feminine but not try hard. Something to appeal to the senses of those old fucks and paint me as innocent and worthy of saving."

Delta got to work.

She pulled dresses from my closet. Held them up one by one for my approval. Too elaborate. Too casual. Too revealing. Finally she found one that was perfect. A simple white fabric that fell to my ankles. Long sleeves. A high neckline. It looked pure. Untouchable.

I let her help me into it. The fabric whispered against my skin as it settled into place.

"Jewelry?" Delta asked.

I tried on earrings first. But it was too much. Then a bracelet. Wrong again. Then I saw the simple silver pendant on my dresser. I picked it up and fastened it around my neck. It sat perfectly at my clavicle. Delicate. Innocent. It tied the whole look together.

"Perfect," I said.

Delta didn’t respond. Just stood there with her arms wrapped around herself like she was cold.

I left her in the room and stepped out into the hallway.

The walk to the elders’ chamber felt longer than it should have. My footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Torches flickered in their sconces. Shadows danced across the floor like living things.

When I reached the heavy wooden doors, I paused. Took a breath. Let my shoulders slump just slightly. Let vulnerability show in my posture.

Then I pushed the doors open.

The chamber was circular. The elders sat in their high backed chairs arranged in a semicircle. Seven of them. All old. All powerful. All men except for Elder Moira who’d survived four Alphas and buried two husbands.

My parents were there too. My father stood near the elders with his arms crossed. His face was hard. Unreadable. My mother sat off to the side with her hands folded in her lap. When she saw me, something flickered in her eyes. Recognition. Worry.

And on the floor, not too far from the elders’ feet, was Milo.

They’d beaten him worse since I’d left. His face was swollen. Blood dripped from his nose. One eye was completely shut. His hands were bound behind his back with thick rope soaked in wolfsbane. He was on his knees.

When he saw me, he tried to speak. But one of the guards kicked him in the ribs and he doubled over with a choking sound.

"Welcome to the hearing," Elder Cormac said. He was the oldest. The one who’d served the longest. His voice was dry as old paper. "We thank you for coming, Luna Hazel."