Chapter 199: Treason?

Alpha Augustus already had more than enough things to worry about, and he had already concluded that he was going to get rid of the headaches that had been accumulating in his pack these past few months.

And he didn’t want to start thinking about the strange occurrence that had been happening to him these past few days.

Maybe he did.

At first, it was her dress sitting on his bed.

Then, it was her slipper.

The one he’d bought for her during the first week of their wedding.

And then, he’d actually seen her.

Elena. His first wife.

He’d seen her in that same dress and shoes, feets away from him and walking into a dark corner.

His heart had almost stopped, and he had run after her. But she had vanished.

It’d happened two more times, and each time, he would run after her, and she would disappear before he could reach her.

It’d kept him up at night a few times. Was she alive? He didn’t know. But he wanted to.

But right now, there were more pressing matters. Word had just gotten to him that the guards and Conan himself had arrived from Riverrock...along with Jaime.

Augustus didn’t just look angry.

He looked almost nonchalant. Like it didn’t matter anymore. He was about to rid himself of all this, after all.

Augustus had specifically told his guards to lead Conan to a more secluded part of the castle. The council of IronRidge had also been invited for this.

Augustus arrived at the gathering, accompanied by his beta.

Everyone was standing, waiting for him.

Jaime, who had changed from both hands and legs looked up at his father with relief in his eyes, and then he glared at Alpha Conan. Jaime believed Conan had made a big mistake by bringing him back to IronRidge territory...to the castle itself!

"Father!" Jaime cried and tried to stand up, but the wolves from the Riverrock held him back down.

Augustus glanced at his son, and Jaime shrank a little and felt tense when he saw a flicker of disapproval and disappointment in his father’s eyes.

"Alpha Augustus," Conan started, stepping forward, "I believe you must have received my letter, and you know what your son has done to make me break our alliance,"

"I have," Augustus replied, "But I must appeal to you to reconsider the alliance, Alpha Conan,"

"I cannot reconsider anything, Augustus. Your son attempted to kill me, in my land."

"You attempted to force yourself on Beatrice. You are a sick man who deserves to die!"

Conan laughed and smirked at Jaime, "I actually fucked her, and I have been fucking her ever since. Tell me...am I dead?"

"I’ll kill you!!" Jaime tried to move again, but this time a claw was plunged deep into his side, and he groaned and collapsed again.

"Your father knew exactly what he was getting your sister into when he requested that alliance," Conan said, and then pointed at Augustus with a flat look, "He sacrificed his daughter for his Pack’s protection...and you ruined it all at the end. Now, I have you and your sister as my prisoner...and IronRidge is standing on its own again,"

Jaime snarled at Conan then he turned to his father, expecting him to say something against Conan.

To threaten him back.

Now that Conan was here, IronRidge had the advantage. They could swarm on him and kill them all right here. And Beatrice would be free from his torment.

But the next words that came out of the Alpha’s mouth had Jaime’s jaw dropping to the floor, "My son and daughter attempted to kill you, and they both deserve what is happening to them,"

"Father!!" Jaime cried, his chest starting to burn, "Please, Father. You can’t do this. He’s the villain here. He—"

"I have no use for those who cannot learn," Augustus suddenly snapped at his son, his hand tightening to fists, "And those who think they can go against me! How dare you, Jaime?"

Jaime looked so confused, "Father..."

"Did you really think I wouldn’t find out what you’ve been doing all this time? Did you think the Alpha was stupid?!"

"Father, what are you talking about?" Jaime yelled this time, his chest heavy from too many uneven breaths.

He stared at the other people present — the guards, and the council members present. Everyone was staring at him with that same pissed, scornful look as though he’d done them a great betrayal.

He suddenly felt so small.

What the hell was actually going on here?!

"Bring her!!" Augustus suddenly instructed loudly, and two seconds later, two guards were dragging a woman toward the gathering.

"Get your hands off me!! How dare you do this to me!! I’m your Luna!! Get your hands off!!"

Jaime looked flabbergasted now. Why was his mother being dragged like that, and why was no one moving to stop it? Why were they also staring at her like she had committed a grave offence?!

The guards pulled her to the middle of the gathering and forced her down on both knees, "I’ll fucking tip your throats out! How dare you treat me this way?!"

When she tried to stand up, they pressed her back down, and she had no choice but to sit there.

"Augustus!!" Evangeline raged, throwing respect and honorifics out, "What the hell is this?!"

"I should be asking you that," He retorted, staring down at her with spiteful, sharp eyes that brought chills down her spine, "How dare you commit treason against this Pack?!"

Treason?!

"I don’t know what you’re talking about!" She pulled against the guards again, but it didn’t make a difference.

"You and your son have committed treason against IronRidge, and you must pay for it!"

"Father, you’re not making any sense!!" Jaime yelled this time, "We would never go against this Pack!"

"Yeah?" Augustus drawled angrily, and then he pointed in a specific direction.

Jaime followed his gaze, and it settled on the storage room. His storage room.

"What have you kept inside here, Jaime?" Augustus asked.

Jaime’s brows creased, "Are you implying that I have hidden something in there?"

"That is exactly what I’m implying, and you know it!"

Jaime almost laughed. No, he bared his teeth and actually laughed out loud, disbelief shimmering in his eyes, "Then let’s not waste another second. Get the keys and let’s see what it is that I’ve got to hide!"

"Where are they?"

"My chambers,"

Jaime described exactly where he’d kept the keys, and one of the guards immediately moved to retrieve them.

In less than a minute, he had arrived with it.

"You’ll find nothing more than I usually keep in there, Father," Jaime said as he was dragged along with his mother toward the storage room, "Whoever told you I had hidden anything in here has only deceived you!"

Augustus didn’t reply at all.

As soon as they arrived in front of the heavy, metal door, a guard stepped forward and started to undo all the locks with the keys.

Jaime had a smug look on his face.

They would find nothing in there but the usual — Emergency supplies, trade samples, sealing materials and weapons. Nothing more.

But as soon as the doors were unlocked and the doors were pushed open, all hint of smugness and confidence vanished from the heir’s face.

And everyone gasped at what they saw in here.