Page 57 of Henri's Little One
“No, Alpha. Frank was very careful.”
“We’ll have to get him and Rene together and see if young Vitas is correct, but not today. Gather the Enforcers from both households, all the Betas, Henri’s household including Aline, Bertrand, the Russian girl, and all the Mates and bring them to Garou, Conference Room A. I’ll send cars. Make sure the Mates are in the two limousines with one Beta each and have six Enforcers follow each car.” Armand sighed. “Be there by three.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
§ § §
Garou Industries
Madison and Fifty-Fourth Street
Sixty-sixth floor
Secure Executive Conference Room A
The European Council arrived with Julien and Henri before the others, and they took their place on the dais in the front of the room that held sixteen. “Very nice, Alphas, and you say that Garou Industries owns the building?” Alpha Macar cast his discerning gaze around the room.
Alpha Lefebvre shrugged. “We have a building in France, not as monstrous, but compact, historic.”
Julien smiled at Henri and whispered, “The French, gods love them, the most competitive wolves on the planet and we should know, all of the loup garou descended from them.”
“I’ve seen the building in Paris, I own a home there, it’s small but beautifully done.” Henri smiled evilly.
“Don’t Henri, we can’t afford to antagonize them.” Etienne still spoke sotto voce.
“I just complimented them.”
“By telling them their building is small?” Etienne gave Henri a stern look.
Henri turned his head to listen. “I think I hear the Mates arriving.”
“Go see to them. Your humor is getting us nowhere here.” Etienne chuckled.
The Mates and the members of Henri’s household were escorted into the room accompanied by the eight Betas. They sat in the theater-like seats. Hughes entered with two Enforcers on either side, then Chernof, in chains, with Martin, Rene, six Enforcers, Armand, and Rémy. Kristina was accompanied by Aline and Bertrand.
Armand and the seven North American Alphas strode up to the dais to join the Europeans. He took his place in the middle seat between the two councils. It seemed that the North American Enforcers rounded up the rest of the Russian Council because they were perp-walked into the room, accompanied by six Enforcers each, with thick-linked chains serving as handcuffs.
The Enforcers seated the Russians in the back of the room.
“With your permission,” Armand turned to the Europeans, “I’ll bring this Assembly to order.”
Orlov, one of the Russian Council, Henri believed he was Seventh, shouted out, “By what right do you bring the Russian Council here in chains?”
The eldest loup garou in the room, stood. “I am Alpha Iwo Aleks Chlebek and the oldest among you. The Russian Council stands accused of allowing Chief Alpha Chernof to commit high crimes and misdemeanors in the name of the Russian Council unchecked by his fellow Alphas,” he shouted.
The Alpha rose from his seat. “I will read the charges. Chief Alpha Chernof stands accused of the mistreatment of humans, the murder of humans and by doing so, causing death to come to their loup garou mates. He stands accused of murdering any loup garou who had a trace of human blood even though our bloodline shows that he is, himself, one-eighth human. How do you plead to this first charge?”
Chernof could barely stand, yet he rose and said in a loud voice, “I am The Russian Alpha. All those in my packs are in my care. Once they mate and join a pack, they cease being human and are therefore under my hand. If I choose to execute them for crimes, it is within my purview.”
The room broke out in choruses of “No, never.”
The Alpha called the room to order. “I will read the second charge. You attempted to rape a full-blooded loup garou who is not your Mate and claimed him as yours.”
“He is mine, let Giraud prove otherwise. Giraud is Eighth, he doesn’t deserve an Omega with such a great gift. I challenge him for Vitas Anton Kosloff.”
The Alpha growled, “You are in no position to challenge anyone. Should we prove the first charge, you have forfeited your head. Should we prove the second, you shall be drawn and quartered before you are beheaded, and there is yet a third charge pending against you.”
Chernof stuck out his chin. “I spit on you and your charges.”
