Scum (Book 2)

129. Rights

Liam’s POV

I was told the moment Cheyenne woke, but I couldn’t immediately go see her because I have to get ready for the council.

My mate’s mentor is already here, and she’s already been advocating for Chey’s release, something my parents keep me in constant communication about, since it’s likely that the woman isn’t the only person I have to convince of my sincerity.

I love Chey, and I won’t stop loving her, but to everyone that she’s ever told about me, I’m just a man who used her until I got bored and cast her out.

That was never the case, but I can’t even properly defend myself against those allegations because I don’t have a legitimate answer.

Yes, I was angry because I thought Cheyenne was still waiting for her mate. Yes, I did things to try and push her to the edge, hoping that she would choose to be with me, if only for self-preservation reasons.

If that didn’t work out, I hoped that she would attack me, giving me a valid excuse to put my mark on her, but she didn’t do that either. Instead, she shut me out completely, and even now that I’ve got her back, she seems lost to me forever.

Dressed in business wear, I head to the general meeting room, where Chey’s mentor and friends are already waiting.

I know they haven’t been here long because they're loudly updating someone on how they were treated; no doubt a ploy to seek compensation on behalf of their infant daughter, so I quickly jump in, not wanting to potentially cost my father more money.

“Hello, Alpha Franchelle. My name is-” I pause, shocked to see the woman from the gambling authority.

“I know who you are, so you can save the introduction. Where is Alpha Lively?”

“My mate isn’t quite ready to join us yet.” The woman narrows her eyes at me, probably because she’s noticed my refusal to call Cheyenne by her new title. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not that.”

“Yeah right,” Chey’s friend says. “Our Alpha told us what you did to her. You just want to continue belittling her.”

“I can admit that I made major mistakes in handling my relationship with Cheyenne, but I-” My nose flares as my mate's scent picks up.

For whatever reason, she’s wearing a dress that I’m almost positive was picked to piss me off.

She looks too good in what she’s wearing, but by the time I compose an appropriate way to ask her to change, Kelvin and his father come in with the council members we were waiting for, sparking a weird reaction from Chey’s mentor.

“Ah, Alpha Lively. It’s a shame we’re finally meeting under such terrible circumstances.”

“Sir?” Chey says, confusion in her tone. “Have you been trying to meet with me?”

“Not really.” My mate makes eye contact with her mentor, who subtly shakes her head as though there is something we don’t know about.

“So… We’ve been called because there's been a dispute among alphas and mates; am I right?” My father goes on to explain the situation from an outsider's perspective, which irritates my mate to the point that she can’t stay quiet. “Alpha Lively, I do understand that this is a difficult situation for you to be in, but please, show some respect.”

“Respect?” She questions, chuckling as though the word is funny. “This pack knows nothing of respect.” Dialogue gets tossed back and forth, and by the time it's my turn to speak, I feel like I already won.

“I genuinely didn’t know she was my mate. If I did, I would have been proud to claim her.” Cheyenne snorts, then calls on Kelvin to act as a witness.

I thought my gamma would have been smart enough to at least water the story down a little, but he tells the council members everything he saw, and at the very end, he places the ring I bought Cheyenne on the table.

I gave my mate that ring as an indication that I was choosing her, but the way he’s speaking makes it sound like it was an admission of her being mine.

“I’m not sure where my gamma received his facts, but-”

“Liam, do keep in mind that you are not yet an alpha. Most of the people in this room outrank you, including your mate. It would be wise for you to stop speaking.” That was odd…

I’ve already had a terrible experience with the council, and this one seems to be following in its footsteps.

Again, conversation starts to flow, and in the midst of it, Chey negotiates for the safe return of Marissa, Jett, and Sophia, but for whatever reason, a brief intermission is called just before we get to start talking about her.

I thought that was a bad indication for me, but while I was waiting for the meeting to reconvene, one of the council members waved me over, and handed me a sheet of paper that nearly made me attack.

On it, it says that Cheyenne is a threat that needs to be contained, and apparently, the council needs my help to do it.

Chey’s POV

“What?” I ask, not fully understanding what my mentor is saying to me.

Apparently, the group that came today is one of those accusing me of having ties to those who oppose the council.

I’m neither in favor of nor against them, but somehow, it’s being said that I lean towards abolition.

“I don’t think you’re going to leave this place today, but you need to play it cool.”

“Play what cool? I don’t want to be here with him. He committed a crime.”

“Cheyenne, please calm down. There are no laws against claiming a fated partner and as of right now, your mate's only crime is taking your gammas family.”

“Are you trying to tell me that I’m stuck here?”

“No. I won’t allow it, but I will need to leave and gather allies.” Politics aren’t my strong suit, but I know that if I stay on Alpine soil…

“I will destroy this place. That's a promise, not a threat.”

“And it would give them exactly what they need to kill you.” Franchelle shifts forward, lowering her voice even more than she already was. “Mateo thinks that the anti-council faction is disguising themselves as supporters. I don’t know the man who came today, but most of what he was saying goes against council law.”

“Then why do I have to stay?”

“Because we don’t know if this is the beginning of their plan, or the end.” Before I can question the woman further, the meeting is called from its recess, and just like Franchelle predicted, the council sides with Liam.

According to them, he didn’t break the law because I voluntarily followed him. Of course, they’re neglecting the fact that he was threatening people I care about, but the real telling factor in their decision is that they are now accusing me of warmongering because of what I did to Liam’s room.

“I don’t understand why that has anything to do with the situation at hand. I’m asking for a rejection, not denying Alpine compensation for damages.”

“It’s good to hear you acknowledge your mistake, but the council does not get involved in matters of the heart that are still unresolved.”

“According to who?” I hate how unusually quiet Liam is during this exchange, but I guess he doesn’t want to be reprimanded for talking out of turn again. “If the council makes me stay here against my wishes, you are essentially declaring me a prisoner of war. As an alpha with a pack, I have more rights than you are allotting to me.”

“Rights that you forfeit the moment you traded yourself for the lives of others.” I don’t know much about council law, but I know that imprisonment without a sentence cannot last forever.

“Then how long am I stuck here?”

“Three weeks. Then we will reassess. Alpha Liam, I trust that you’ll respect Alpha Lively during her stay.”

“She is my mate and the future Luna of this pack. There’s nothing I would do to harm her.” I swear I almost shifted and attacked, but Marissa and Jett are still on territory, so I’ll just wait to make sure they’re gone.

“One more thing… If anyone in this pack is harmed by you in any way, we will allow Alpine clearance to annex Valoria.”

“How much is he paying you?” I couldn’t help but blurt the question out because it’s clear to me that someone is in someone else's pocket, I just don’t know who.

“Are you accusing the council of being corrupt?”

“Not the council; just you.”

“Cheyenne.” I get that my mentor is trying to help me, but I think it’s long been established that she can’t.

“No worries, Alpha Franchelle, we can always arrange for another set of representatives to swing by. I’m sure the decision will hold.” I lock eyes with the council member, completely aware that he’s threatening me.

If I keep dragging this out, three weeks may turn into four, then five, and so on…

This is their way of showing me that no matter how strong I am, they are still in control.

If I weren’t already aware of the inner turmoil within the council, I would think this is the way they operate, and I would likely turn against them, but I know better than to think that, and my only concern now is…

“If I’m stuck here, I’ll lose my job and my pack depends on me. Aside from that, I’m still in the were-nursing program, and I can’t miss more than a day, or I’ll have to start from the beginning.”

“I’m sure your mate will be more than willing to work out a schedule with you. After all, he’s done it before.” I know when a person is trying to be antagonistic, and this is it.

If I react with violence, my leadership could be called into question, and I could lose my pack over it. In that case, Liam would go back to outranking me, making me ‘worthless’ in terms of council protection.

Right now, this whole situation feels like one of the unknown fights Alpha Franchelle warned me about during our second meeting, and so, I yield, shocking not just Liam, but Alpha Lucas as well.

Both men know me as someone who’s never learned to back down from a challenge, but I have matured during my time away.

“I respect that the council has made its decision, but if there are no objections, I’d like to reach out to my boyfriend.”

“Your what?” Liam whispers, hopefully hurt enough to reject me.