Alpha Convict - Burgov Series I

10. Sasha

I watched him in disbelief trying to understand what and why he just said.

He doesn't remember?

Doesn't he know that he just buried his every chance at getting out of here? He admitted that there's a possibility he did it, and murmurs from the people gathered in the courtroom were obviously not praising his honesty.

Maybe his conscience was eating him alive? Yeah, probably.

I still don't know why would he deny meeting Claudia that night, because I have no doubt in me that they were together. How else would her phone, blood and gift from me ended up in his damn car? Everything is so clear, yet I can't understand any of this man's motives.

Why deny everything just to admit he can't remember some parts? It's like he wants to prove himself guilty and this just doesn't make any sense.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" - one of the judges asked, leaning closer in his seat and looking intently at Benson.

"I said I don't remember." - VanWoert repeated himself and I have to call bullshit here. No one would be so calm in delivering such a statement. Yet Benson VanWoert was just sitting there, resting his head on one hand as if he was in some boring business meeting and not going through a trial for a murder. Maybe that's his new way of getting away with it? Maybe he would pledge temporary insanity and try to get away with it?

"So you admit that you saw Miss Montgomery?" - the same judge asked.

"No, I stand by my words, and as I said there is a chance I could see her in the passing. But that doesn't make me a killer, does it? This girl… Miss Montgomery wasn't my Mate, and I had no reasons to hurt her. I never hurt any of my wolves, so why would I hurt her?" - Benson said calmly, too calmly for my liking. I know there are some incredibly well-composed people out there, with nerves of steel, but his behavior could incline he either didn't care about the outcome of this trial, or was a sick sociopath capable of doing the most despicable things. His dark, lifeless eyes made me lean towards the latter.

The chubby, red-faced lawyer sitting next to Alpha VanWoert stood up and smoothed his three-piece suit, as if his appearance was the most important thing at this moment.

"That doesn't matter, esteemed judges. My client admits he was under the influence of alcohol, but that's not a crime. The prosecution still hasn't presented any proof that Miss Montgomery was in fact deceased." - he smirked with his frog lips at Mister Quentin, who on the other hand tried to hide his own smile, as if he was just waiting to be taunted.

Mister Quentin stood up and handed another of his papers to Benson's attorney and the second one to the group of old judges sitting in the front of the courtroom.

"Thank you for pointing that out, Mister Wilcox." - Quentin smirked - "This is a lab report stating that in Alpha VanWoert's car over a gallon of blood was found. We matched it with miss Montgomery's medical records from the Midnight Banes hospital and it belongs to the same person. Miss Claudia Montgomery. And I don't think I need to say what happens when a woman loses a gallon of blood?"

I feel my tears slipping once again from my eyes, just like the evening Noah Quentin visited our home and told us the exact same thing. No matter how much time passed I still can't make my peace with this unjust death. Claudia was many things, she had a sharp tongue and not everyone loved her, but she was a good girl, and a great friend who didn't deserve fate like this.

"But you still have no body, no murder weapon, and no motive. Circumstantial evidence aren't enough." - the red-faced lawyer pointed out.

"We will decide if it's enough." - one of the judges with a very intimidating aura answered with finality in his tone.

I glanced at my former Alpha and I noticed his eyes were focused on the seven judges, going from one to the other with no end. But what surprised me was that he was smirking under his nose.

I have no idea what the hell he found so amusing about this situation, and I even started thinking that maybe his insanity isn't just a ploy to win the case, but a real deal. Otherwise why would a murder suspect be smiling in the courtroom with this amount of eveidents against him? This just doesn't make any sense.

Suddenly his eyes snapped my way and his smirk disappeared, giving place to the hard glare. Yeah, blame me for the mess you ended up in. Very mature.

Surprisingly Alpha's attorney, who I personally think is an overpriced buffoon, wasn't arguing with the judges. In our world we knew that it could only bring your downfall even faster. Our laws didn't work as human's one. Our lives and even deaths were all to serve the species, and they belonged to those in charge. They could send us to fight their battles, they could resettle us as they pleased, banish even and despite there being some ground rules about not harming common wolves, we all knew that lives of those who didn't reside in the Pack House didn't mean much. Typical oligarchy.

I'm not stupid, I know that if Claudia wasn't Alpha VanWoert's mate they wouldn't even show up in the Pack to investigate. But her Luna in making status made that possible. And I was well aware that if Benson's lawyer would prove they haven't met, the Alpha could come out without even a scratch. That's why I asked them straightforwardly if they wouldn't care for any ordinary she-wolf, and admitting it, they knocked the defense line from Wilcox's hands. It was a bit of a gambling, but I came here today to make sure he pays for Claudia's life.

Judge who was sitting in the middle, which from what I read was a spot for a chairman of the sitting, took the stack of documents in his hands and adjusted them with a loud thud over the wooden surface in front of him.

"We need time to confer. Let's take a thirty-minute break." - the judge said and the seven of them stood up and left the room.

I started standing up from the witness stand at the same time when a guard came to take Benson away. He sent me one last hateful glare before the door closed behind him.

I walked with the crowd to the empty corridor where by one of the walls Vanya was waiting for me. He pushed back from the place he was standing as soon as he saw me, and he came closer wrapping his arms around me. Standing in his comforting embrace I started sobbing once again, and he let me get this all out.

Vanya watched for the past couple of days how big of a toll Claudia's death took on me. Moving didn't help either, because even though I took Nor up on his offer, it was hard not to belong to a Pack. But Vanya, like usually, tried to stay my rock, he knew as well as I did, that only by bringing my friend the justice she deserves would he help me. It became my mission, the only thing that kept me going, so being the best big brother he is, Vanya did everything he could to help me make that happen.

"Is it done?" - he asked after I stepped away from him, unsuccessfully trying to wipe the stains my tears left on his shirt.

"No." - I shook my head. - "The judges are still deciding. We have thirty minutes." - I said wiping my nose with the back of my hand.

"How about a coffee then? I saw a buffet downstairs." - he said pointing with his thumb to the double door guarded by two warriors.

This part of the building was accessible only for the witnesses and people who received an invitation. So it took me off guard how many people came to see VanWoert's trial, and why they even cared. But I guess it's a precedent that Alpha would actually answer for his wrongdoings.

I nodded with a sad smile, and with one hand around my shoulders Vanya led me downstairs. The small caffe was crowded and most of the faces we passed belonged to those who were just a minutes ago sitting in the courtroom with me.

"... they would never allow her to take over, it's just a matter of time…" - I overheard one couple speaking in hushed voices, but Vanya led me further in before I heard the rest.

He ordered two coffees and we sat in silence by one of the smallest tables. It looked like we were the only ones that weren't excited to be here. The only ones who truly cared about the victim and not for spinning the rumor mill even harder.

After a few minutes of drinking in silence I felt a presence close behind my back, too close for even this crowded little shop, and the frown that creased my brother's forehead told me it wasn't just someone passing by.

"Did you two come for the show like the rest of the vultures?" - the feminine voice said with venom in it, and even though I spoke with her once I wouldn't mistake Sabine VonWoert for anyone else.

I turned in my seat to face her, yet I didn't stand up, she wasn't my superior anymore, after all.

"No. We are the witnesses if you must know." - I told her and I noticed how Beta Trevor was trying to steer her away from me, probably to not make a scene.

"Sabi, let's go." - he whispered to her, but whispering in the room full of werewolves was as good as drowning a fish.

She ripped her elbow from his grip and stepped closer to me, leaning just an inch from my own face.

"You have no idea what you just did. Not only are you putting an innocent man into prison, but you are making lives of hundreds that much harder." - she hissed and I could feel her mint breath on my skin.

"He is not innocent. But Claudia was, she deserves justice. Your brother however is right where he belongs."

"My brother has many flaws, but you know who he was for all of us?" - I shook my head. - "A shield. No one would touch the Pack when he was an Alpha. And if they sentence him, which I'm sure they will after that sappy charade you just did, Midnight Banes would be ripped to pieces and divided between our neighbors. I hope it was worth it." - she said, stepping away and leaning into Trevor's embrace. I watched them leave the shop without even stopping when someone called their names.

I turned back around and looked at my brother. Vanya was sipping his coffee with stiff shoulders.

"Can you believe her?" - I scoffed and he set his cup down and looked at me.

"She wasn't lying. VanWoerts aren't perfect, but they created a safe place for many. Remember that they were the only ones who took us in."- my brother said calmly.

"Do you think we made a mistake?" - I asked unsure of myself.

He put his hand on top of mine.

"No. What happened to Claudia needed to see the daylight. But things in Midnight Banes might get complicated. I'm not sure if the League would allow Sabine to stay in charge. She's smart, but she's not a warrior, so she would be Pack's weakness."

"Oh please, her brother wasn't a fighter either, unless we call taking down a bottle per day fighting." - I mocked taking another sip from my cup.

"He is strong and unpredictable, and that's enough to keep other wolves away."

That gave me a lot to think about. I had no love for the Alpha's family, but in the Midnight Banes still lives many that I do care about. Like Norvin for instance.

Is it possible that we made a mistake? Maybe if I would have told Sabine first she would have drawn the consequences for his actions without putting the lives of many in jeopardy.

Well it's too late for that now. But I bet he would learn his lesson and when he leaves the prison they would rebuild their Pack.

We drank the remains of our drinks and we started to get back to the courtroom to hear the verdict. We took the seats in the back of the room, because those in front were already taken by the news thirsty spectators. Sabine calling them vultures was oddly accurate in those circumstances.

The judges returned to the room and finally the silence fell upon us. I saw Mister Quentin, as well as Aloha VanWoert and his lawyer standing up, awaiting their verdict in tense anticipation.

The judge in the middle cleared his throat and sat up straight in his seat.

"This wasn't an easy case. And we've taken every aspect under consideration. Not only the proofs provided by the prosecutor, but also the long list of complaints we received for Alpha Benson VanWoert over the last few years. We believe he is beyond any form of rehabilitation, therefore our unanimous verdict is death penalty."

His words awoke an uproar in the room and I felt how my own heart skipped the beat. Death. That's something I wasn't expecting. I thought they would sentence him for ten maybe fifteen years, and it would give him enough time to sober up and think about where he went wrong. But life for life… that's not justice for Claudia, that's a witch-hunt for someone they didn't like.

"The sentence will be made in thirty days. I close this session." - the judge almost shouted over the voices of the gathered crowd.

My eyes locked on the guard who came in to collect Benson and I didn't know what to make out of the turmoil in my head. Then my former Alpha stood up, and as if he felt my eyes on him he turned to face me. Maybe I was wrong, but I think he smiled, as if he was releasing me from any guilt I had in me. But I'm not sure I can do it myself.