Page 44 of Henri's Little One
“I’m sorry, sir, no one can leave. I suggest you go to the library where you were summoned.” The Beta loomed over him. He turned to walk away. Hughes attempted to run around the Beta, but he was too fast and too strong.They trained with the Alphas.
“Again, I suggest you go to the library. The Alpha has summoned the household.” The Beta grasped his arm and roughly escorted him back into the house and up the stairs to the library.
The Alpha, The Alpha Mate, Alpha Giraud, and Alpha Mate Vitas stood at the beginning of a line, questioning each member of the household. The Alpha Mate asked a question, the next person in line answered, and Alpha Mate Vitas nodded. The strange Beta forced him to the head of the line.
Hughes stood in front of The Alpha. The Alpha gave new meaning to the word imposing. His presence filled the room and what wasn’t filled by The Alpha was taken up by the other man that stood beside him. If The Alpha was an Emperor, this other man was a Warrior Prince. The unknown Beta forced Hughes to his knees.
“What is this, Regis?” Armand’s forbidding stare turned Hughes’ blood to ice.
“He attempted to escape using the basement door. I took the liberty of checking his cell phone log. The last number he called was the Waldorf-Astoria.” Hughes tried to get up. Regis kicked his knees out from under him and seized his shoulder. A sharp pain tore through Hughes.
The Alpha thundered, and the second Alpha’s eyes turned hard as stone. They had well and truly caught him.
“Did you knowingly conspire to tell the Russian First Alpha, Alpha Chernof, the inner workings of the North American Council and give information concerning the private lives of its Alphas?” The Alpha Mate asked in a quiet voice. The room fell into complete silence.
“No…”
“Lie.” The little Alpha who must be Vitas said in a whisper. The Alpha’s lips tightened and he stared intensely at Hughes for a long moment. “Pierre hired you nine months ago, just after Alpha Davidoff arrived in Manhattan. Have you been spying for Chernof the entire time you’ve been employed?”
“No…I…”
“Lie.” The small Omega pronounced in a now sotto voce.
“Did you tell Alpha Chernof that Alpha Mate Donal was a former prostitute and drug addict?”
“I didn’t deliberately tell…”
“Lie,” Alpha Mate Vitas cried out.
“Did you, at the instigation of Alpha Chernof, tell Nigel Bales about Alpha Mate Julio’s whereabouts knowing that Alpha Davidoff thought he was Alpha Daurensbourg’s Mate and knowing that Alpha Mate Julio could be hurt?”
“I didn’t think that he would…”
“Again, another lie.”
“Did you, at the request of Alpha Chernof, call Detective Stawski and suggest that he demand Detective Sergeant Murphy bring him to Alpha Bellaire’s home?”
“He was looking for Richard Kerrigan, I only told him where to find—”
“Liar!” This time Vitas shouted.
He burst into tears sobbing and pleading for his life. “I owed money to Ferone. He threatened to tell you. I had to pay him…”
The Alpha grabbed him by the throat. “I should tear out your throat right now, but I want you pissing your pants in anticipation of the death I will give you for daring to compromise the lives of the Alpha Mates. There is much I can forgive, but this I cannot stand! Take him away to the cells in the sub-basement until he testifies at the Assembly. I can’t let him live. But if he cooperates, I can insure that his death is relatively painless.”
Hughes couldn’t comprehend that he was still alive. He’d never escape the retribution the Alpha planned, but he clung to the promise of a peaceful death if he told the truth. If only he were a stronger man, this position would have brought him great wealth and influence. He bargained with the devil and lost his life.
§ § §
“Alpha, I must commend you for your forbearance. I would have ripped out his throat.” Henri pulled Vitas under his arm.
“Don’t be so sure I won’t. Hughes is safe for the time being. At least until the Assembly. We’ll call him to testify when the Europeans and the other Russians arrive. Let’s go and join the small celebration for your wedding day. Pierre, I’ll deal with you when I return.”
Pierre prostrated himself on the floor in front of The Alpha. “If there is anything I can do so that you can find forgiveness in your heart…”
“There isn’t. Not right now. I may be able to deal with you rationally another time. Meg, go down to the kitchen and get him out of my sight. Pierre, you are under house arrest.” The Alpha pivoted to Martin. “Call the Colorado pack and ask for a couple training as a housekeeper and factotum and have them flown to New York.”
“Armand…” Sean called out. “Please, not yet. Calm down before you do something that will hurt both of us. Take some time to think on this.”
