Hitting the button on my phone, I hold it out, turning to volume up to max. The room goes silent as the recording plays out.
“Such a lovely shade of blue eyes. Quite unmistakable, really. And to think, she nearly fell into the road. Why, if I hadn’t grabbed her arm, who knows what would have happened?”
“Threatening children now, Alicia?”
“It’s more of a promise, really. Quite simple. You keep your word, and Elise Michaels remains unharmed.”
“You think holding the safety of Elise Michaels over our heads will make us dance to your tune? Your father is already extorting us with what I strongly suspect is false evidence—,"
“It’s not false! My father has you tied up, Tristan!”
When the recording ends, Sienna’s father steps forward. He looks pale. “What the hell is going on here?”
I take a deep breath. This is it.
“Two days before the start of the Bonding Trials, Counselor Erikkson came to my office with two folders, which he claimed included evidence that would destroy our family if it were to be made public.”
“What kind of evidence?” my father asks. My throat aches as I turn to him. Fuck, but I hope he’s the man I think he is. I didn’t want it to come out like this.
“Firstly, that you were extorting Council funds and engaging in corruption, being paid to make certain decisions that would benefit criminal groups across Navarre.”
Gasps ring out across the room, and my dad pales. “Oh, Tristan.”
Tell me I haven’t done all of this, to try and protect you, for nothing.
“It’s not true.” He shakes his head. “Tristan, if you had come to me with this – I could have explained. Milo is fully aware of what’s been going on.”
The Justice Councilor nods, his usual sour face replaced with intense concentration. “Tristan. Are you telling us Erikkson blackmailed you?”
The relief to finally know threatens to buckle my knees. “Yes, he did.”
“Tell them the rest,” Alicia snaps. We all turn to her, disheveled on the floor . She cackles when she looks up at me. “Tell them the truth about youralpha pack, Tristan Cohen.”
My lips tighten, and I turn to where Gray and Logan stand next to me. Both of them are pale, but they nod at me.
It’s time. The secrets we’ve been keeping have torn us apart.
For better or worse, we need to start stitching ourselves back together.
“You want me to do it?” I offer, but they shake their heads.
Grayson holds out his hand to Logan. “Shall we?”
Jax comes to stand next to me as their hands curl together.
Gray clears his throat, and eyes move to him, dropping down to take in their joined hands. Turning away, I watch the faces in the crowd, looking for their reaction as Gray starts to speak.
“I’ve been in love with this man for three years.” His voice shakes. “I was too afraid to admit it, too afraid that people would turn their backs on our pack and we’d all suffer for our choices.”
He turns to Sienna’s parents. Her dad is frowning, but her mom is watching them both closely, a contemplative look in her eyes. “They blackmailed you with this.”
It’s not a question, but Gray nods anyway. “They did. And Tristan made the decision to do as they asked whilst we tried to find a way to expose the Erikksons for what they are.” His lips tighten. “Blackmailers. Liars. And traffickers.”
Sienna’s parents freeze. “Traffickers?” her dad asks slowly. “What do you mean?”
“I found evidence in Councilor Erikkson’s office that show he’s working with people in Herrith to traffick Denied omegas.” Everyone turns to me. “There was a list of names. Mine was at the top. If Erikkson could force us to Deny Sienna, she would be sent over the wall and the traffickers would be waiting.”
Sienna’s mother looks petrified. “But… she’sgone. More than an hour ago.”
