Chapter 124

[Evelyn’s POV]

It was strange seeing Alexander back in his wheelchair with his mask firmly secured on half of his face. He looked fierce and unquestionable. And that was exactly what we wanted.

“You do realize that you’re coming with us, don’t you?” he questioned pointedly.

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head.

“Wait, what?”

He nodded his head. “Yes, I want my wife to stand at my side as I make the grand announcement that Michael Kingston is not of sound, body, and mind. I want you there so you can watch as the Royal guards take him away so you can finally rest easy with the knowledge that he will never hurt you again.”

My chest filled with warmth and I quickly headed back to the wardrobe to find a better suited outfit. Thanks to Claire and her incredible know-how, I had a tasteful dress suit that was perfect for the occasion. Both Nina and Wendy were quick to compliment me on my choice of clothing; however, my nerves were still horribly on edge.

I really hadn’t anticipated Alexander to request my presence alongside him in the courtroom that day. I sort of figured that since this had been a personal matter between him and Michael, it wouldn’t have been necessary.

But he and Oliver made a firm claim that this whole case very much involved me since it was my brother who ended up as one of the main victims of Michael’s evil plans.

He had a point. Although I wasn’t exactly keen on wanting to be in the same space as the Alpha King—who just so happened to be another threat that had to be dealt with in due course, it was important that I was kept in the loop of Alexander’s plan as much as possible.

Oliver had made sure to fill me in beforehand. Apparently, Alexander had called for a private audience with the King and the head of the Royal Guard. Naturally, there was a judge present as well as a few unfamiliar faces to fill in the jury.

But I had a feeling that as soon as Alexander would present the video evidence of Michael speaking to the mechanic, the whole case would wrap up within minutes.

If we’re lucky, that is.

I’d never been to the Regional Court House before now. The place was utterly massive and adorned with tall sculpted columns, making me feel horribly small. I tried to remain as calm as possible while keeping up with Alexander’s steady strides.

“Everything is going to be just fine,” he said quietly.

“Where is Michael now?” I asked.

“Oliver has him detained with two of our armed guards. Trust me, he won’t try anything.”

In the pit of my stomach, I still felt mildly guilty for the announcement Alexander was going to be making to the room. In a way, Michael was crazy. But to have him publicly labeled for life was going to ruin every and all chances of him ever being able to have a fair and decent future.

After everything he’s done, does he really deserve a future?

Yes, a large part of me held a huge grudge against him for the transgressions he made toward me. I just had to keep reminding myself that Michael wasn’t someone who ever owned up to his own mistakes and faults. He never apologized for trying to take advantage of me that night, nor was he even remorseful for his actions against Alexander.

Michael was unfeeling and unpredictable—that alone made him dangerous.

As the two of us entered the main courtroom, my heart jumped into my throat when I saw, sitting beside the Judge was the King himself. The man looked no older than my own father as he sat proudly in the noticeably larger seat on the bench. He wore an intricately designed suit with a series of large rings all along his finger.

Everyone turned their heads to look at us.

The King cleared his throat and wore a casual grin. “Ah, Alpha Alexander. Please step forward.”

We approached the main Judge’s Bench and showed our respect for the Royals present.

“Your Majesty.” Alexander’s voice was nearly void of emotion. “Thank you for taking the time to attend to this urgent matter.”

“Think nothing of it,” the older man said easily. He turned his head slightly to glance in my direction when I wished he hadn’t. “This must be your Luna. I will say, I was hoping to meet her under less dire circumstances.”

The edge of Alexander’s mouth curved upward. “Apologies for any delays on that. Our marriage may not have been the easiest adjustment for either of us in the beginning. But after some time, I’ve come to the realization that I would not want anyone else by my side going forward.”

I couldn’t stop the heartfelt smile that touched my lips. I turned my head to glance at Alexander. There was no describing the feeling that swelled around my heart.

“I can see your Luna feels the same,” the King acknowledged. “Evelyn, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You originally come from a smaller pack, correct?”

“Unfortunately, yes. The Silverwood Pack has dwindled in size over time, Your Majesty. I can only hope that in time, things may get better for them,” I said.

He gave a curt nod and allowed the case to proceed. I excused myself from Alexander’s side to move over toward the plaintiff’s table and took out all the appropriate files. Everyone directed their attention solely to Alexander and without a hitch, he captivated the room.

“Your majesty, your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what I am about to bring to your attention is not something to be taken lightly. Nor, does it bring me any pleasure in admitting. But it is with a heavy heart that I can no longer withhold such information, for I fear it will cause a potential danger to the general public more so than it already has. My Stepbrother, Michael Kingston is not of sound, body, and mind. He has proven on various occasions that he cares for nothing and no one other than himself and will go to extreme lengths to achieve his terrifying ambitions.”

I had to admit, hearing Alexander talk with such authority was both nerve-wracking and insanely attractive. Not a single witness to this testimony dared to interrupt him.

“You see, ever since my unfortunate accident all those months ago, things had not been easy. Over time, I learned how to adapt to my new life; but, during that same time, I felt as though something wasn’t quite right. My mind kept wandering back to the accident and what could have caused it.”

“Investigators claimed that it was a freak accident, was it not?” the King commented.

“I’m afraid not,” Alexander replied coolly.

From that point on, I kept my eye on the Alpha King and tried to decipher the man’s reaction.

“It took a considerable amount of time, but my pack managed to find the damaged vehicle from the crash. It was discovered that the brake lines had been severed beforehand.”

A good handful of the jury members actually gasped, whereas the King went still in his seat.

Interesting...

“From there, we located the exact mechanic who’d been bribed to carry out the job—the job that had been undeniably enforced by Michael Kingston.”

“Now, Alexander,” the King admonished. “These are serious charges. What proof do you have that Michael is truly behind it all?”

“You best believe that I do.”