Chapter 217

Grace

"I just--"

"Did we not go over keeping you calm?" Esme hissed. "Didn't we talk about not acting like you had a hair trigger?"

"He was twisting my words! I had to say something."

She stared at me. "What did I tell you about redirection?"

I blinked at her and winced as it came back to me. "That... my statement would set the tone of the questioning. That I had to finish it."

"And if you were interrupted? As I told you that you would be?"

My shoulders slumped. "That I had the right to finish."

"And yet?"

"You could have stopped me earlier," I said. "Isn't that your job as my legal representation?"

She tilted her head. "You hadn't heard a word I said until I grabbed you."

She sighed. "And besides, you were steering the conversation in a decent direction until you started trying to defend your choice."

She sighed, turning away from me and flopping on the couch. "I can only hope I've done enough damage that Sean will back down."

"What does that mean?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "I hadn't intended to have to prove Eason had the right to step up or that there was a good reason to. Using your emotional state to get out of this could weaken your image, but there wasn't much choice with him trying to put charges on Eason." She shook her head. "And what a fucking headache that would be."

"That document's fake?"

"Of course not," She scoffed. "Eason is in less of a state to be put on trial than you are. He's still..." She shook her head. "Never mind. An hour isn't a long time to get on the same page. If we're lucky, Sean is going to back down since I've played the illness card."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then, I counter-sue for damages with the Inter-Species Court." She shook her head. "Your best bet to get out of this cleanly was to stick to werewolf law, though."

I huffed as she opened her document again and started to read and make notes. I started to pace.

"How were you supposed to bring up the liaison thing anyway?" I asked, huffing.

Esme sighed, shaking her head. "After your statement, there was going to be direct questioning by the Chief Justice about how much you knew. She was going to try and persecute you as the daughter of the late alpha as obviously knowing more, and I was--"

"Going to ask how," I said, shaking my head, remembering everything we'd talked about. "I'm not a political science major, and the education system doesn't teach it."

I cursed. "I..."

"Fucked up? Yes."

"But, you got to talk about it," I said. "That has to be enough."

"The added pressure of the lack of education would have made a stronger case. With the evidence as it stands, and before any extra probing, he's going to have to weigh the issue presented or expose himself as gunning for Mooncrest."

She sat back. "Either way, you should know that this case is barely the beginning. Sean is gunning for Mooncrest, and the easiest way to do that is to kick you out of the alpha spot."

"And Eason?" I asked. "You've already basically told him that you'll put Eason in my place."

She glowered at me. "Eason isn't currently a citizen; he's known to be gay and doesn't want to run Mooncrest." She sighed. "I'm using him as a threat because of his connection to Northfall, but it's not a real threat."

I set my jaw. "You're saying Eason wouldn't take the position."

"I'm saying he'd hate it, and I wouldn't do that to him."

I sank into a chair, my head spinning. "So, what now?"

"We wait to see what his next move is, and you work on sticking to the plan."

I glowered at her. "And depending on his next move, we what?"

She tilted her head. "If he got the threat I meant to give, we'll be out of here in a few hours with the promise of a liaison. Sean needs to out you in an indisputable way. Trying to out you now without putting you through proper protocol will be hard. He'll have to take responsibility for the state's negligence and put you through your paces. You'll have to pay some sort of fine for your choices, but it won't be the same as if you were convicted of criminal negligence."

Relief washed over me, momentarily erasing the tension that had coiled in my stomach. I was prepared to pay a few fines. I knew there would be at least a few thousand dollars in fines. I jumped to my feet again, frustrated and irritated. Maybe I could get out of more of them if I knew for certain if there was a liaison during Eason's time as steward. I dialed Eason's number and waited for him to answer, but it went straight to voicemail. I frowned and tried again, but I got nothing. He couldn't be sleeping, and he knew what today was. What the hell was he doing? Was he still brooding about the vampire meeting? Was he upset about something else? Making out with George or just playing with the kids? I wanted that to be the case. I wanted him to just be napping or doing something completely innocuous, but I couldn't convince myself of that.

I bit my lip as a spike of fear went through me.

Had he stormed off to that vampire's coven? Was George still watching my kids? Or had he stormed off to Northfall or some other place I had no hope of finding him at? Panic threatened to claw its way up my throat, fueled by the uncertainty. What if he didn't come back? Or what if that vampire had attacked my house?

I could see that little girl in the paper staring at me from my memory with Cecil's eyes. My stomach lurched. I started to dial him again when Esme's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, laced with a hint of amusement.

"You're trying to call Eason?" Esme asked. I looked over at her. "Stop."

"Why?"

"Because you're working yourself up for nothing, and I need you to focus. Him having access to a liaison or not won't do anything for your charges."

"Maybe I wanted a bit of support."

Esme cocked an eyebrow. "If you wanted a kick in the ass, I can give you several more."

I set my jaw. "What is a liaison supposed to do?"

"Offer guidance. They also act as the state's eyes and ears within the pack. Think of them as less than friendly inspectors."

I scoffed. "Right, friendly inspectors who report every sneeze and sniffle."

"Precisely," Esme said, a glint in her eyes. "But here's the beauty of it all. You have the right to request a specific liaison, someone you trust, someone who understands Mooncrest's unique situation."

My mind raced. "I don't know anyone."

"You could ask for your father's liaison," Esme said. "I fully intend to."

I frowned. "My father... had a liaison?"

She nodded. "He, too, inherited the pack on the wings of his father's death."

I swallowed and turned away.

"If he's not available, then we should ask for someone familiar with your territory's history, someone Sean wouldn't dare manipulate easily."

Relief washed over me, replaced by a flicker of trepidation. "But asking for someone specific might raise flags, right? He'll think the liaison has been compromised."

"You're thinking," she nodded. "Good. And yes, it might, but it's a calculated risk and one that should bowl over, considering the negligence on the other side. Besides, wouldn't you rather have someone you trust watching your back, even if it means keeping them on their toes?"

I nodded. "And if not?"

"Then, you give your liaison enough to right the reports and no more," she said. "There are limitations to what a liaison has rights to have access to and things you don't have to share. I suggest you get yourself a thorough education on it because if it's not someone you can trust, it'll be someone working for Sean, Fenris, and whoever else is in league with them."

This was turning into more of a headache than I first thought. Just then, a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Esme called.

The door creaked open. Charles stepped in with Elara right beside him. She smiled and looked at Esme.

"Lady Brighthollow, it's always a pleasure to see you causing trouble."

Esme laughed and crossed the room to embrace her. "Lady Fireborn, it is always a pleasure to have such an esteemed audience." She looked at Charles. "The sword is a brilliant touch."

He smiled and closed the door behind them. "Glad I could help."

He glanced over at me. "Are you in the middle of strategy?"

"Not so deep we can't share a moment," Esme said and turned back to me. "Please take a seat."

While the trial was far from over, a seed of hope had been planted. For the first time, the narrative was shifting, and I finally had a fighting chance. As the room emptied, Charles approached me, his expression unreadable. "She's good," he muttered, glancing towards Esme who was speaking with Luna.

"The best," I agreed, meeting his gaze. "And thanks to her, I might just have a future after all."

He nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps. But this battle has only just begun, Grace. Are you ready for what's to come?"

His words held a veiled warning, a reminder of the powerful forces arrayed against us. But I straightened my shoulders, newfound determination burning in my eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be," I declared. "Let's see what they have."

Together, we stepped back into the chamber, ready to face the next challenge, the weight of truth and justice our unwavering shield.