Page 118 of Savage Games

Brad says nothing, but his silence confirms it all.

Dean steps forward now, his expression dark with controlled fury."You let your own brother torture his mate rather than risk your position?And then you blackmailed these women when they defended themselves?"

Brad's lips twist in an ugly sneer."What was I supposed to do?Let her get away with killing him?Their story was convenient.An accident while running.I let them have that lie."

"Out of the goodness of your heart?"Dean asks sarcastically.

"I had my reasons," Brad mutters.

"Yes," Wyatt says coldly."But at someone else's expense."

Blake steps forward, his expression grave, and then rests a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder.

That’s enough.

Blake turns to Brad, still sprawled on the ground."Brad Taylor, you are stripped of your alpha rank, effective immediately."

Brad's face contorts with rage."You can't… It's my land.My father’s land.We’ve ruled for generations.It can’t end like this."

"It just has," Blake cuts him off."You have betrayed every principle of leadership our kind holds sacred.You are no alpha, and from what I’ve heard today, your father and brother didn’t deserve to be, either."

The crowd murmurs at this pronouncement, and I notice several wolves from Brad's pack exchanging glances of cautious hope.Is this really the end of their alpha?One catches my eye, nodding slightly in what might be gratitude.I realise then that Brad's abuse may have extended beyond just Maddie and me.

Dean moves forward to stand beside Blake, his voice carrying the weight of his own authority.

"You will be escorted from this territory immediately and placed in council custody until a formal trial can be arranged."

Brad's eyes find mine, burning with hatred."This isn't over."

"Yes," I tell him steadily."It is."

Two of Dean's guards step forward, hauling Brad to his feet.He hisses in pain as his broken leg takes weight, but neither guard shows any sympathy when they drag him away.

The crowd remains, silent and watchful, as Brad is led toward a waiting vehicle.No one moves to help him.No one speaks in his defense.I search their faces for any hint of loyalty or outrage at his treatment but find none.

"It's really over," Maddie whispers beside me, disbelief making her voice tremble."He can't hurt us anymore."

I want to reassure her, to agree, but the weight of what's just happened, the public confession, the exposure of our secret, still presses heavy on my chest.What happens now?What will the council decide about us?

As everyone disperses, murmuring amongst themselves, Wyatt turns to me.His eyes are steady and certain, even as blood trickles from the wound on his shoulder.

Ryan tosses him a pair of shorts, which Wyatt accepts with a curt nod.

I move to him without hesitation, my hands finding his face, my body pressing against his as if to reassure myself he's real and whole.

"You're hurt," I whisper, fingers hovering over the bite on his shoulder.“Again.”

"I'll heal," he says simply, his arms wrapping around me.

Maddie approaches hesitantly, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and hope."Is it really over?"she asks, voice small.“Is that it?”

Wyatt looks at her over my shoulder, his expression softening."Yes.No one will use what happened against you ever again."

She nods, tears welling in her eyes."Thank you," she whispers."For standing up for us."

"Always," he replies, and I know he means it with every fiber of his being.

Blake approaches, his expression unreadable."Well fought," he says to Wyatt."Although, I would have preferred being in on your plan from the start.Keep me in the loop next time.”

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