Chapter 133: Take Her Away
The man’s hand hung in the air for a brief second before the sharp whistle of an arrow cut through the hall.
Rodrigo’s head snapped toward the sound just as the arrow tore through the open window and struck the man directly in the chest. His eyes widened, a strangled sound escaping his throat as he stumbled backward. One hand flew instinctively toward the arrow buried in his chest before his legs gave out beneath him, his body slamming heavily against the floor.
Before anyone could react, a second arrow flew, striking the other man square in the chest.
Panic broke out across the chamber as the councilmen scrambled under the table for safety.
"What just happened?" someone shouted. "Right inside the pack house?!"
Rodrigo was already on his feet, his gaze fixed on the open window. The curtains fluttered violently in the wind, but beyond the frame, there was no one in sight. His expression darkened as he turned back to the two dead men on the ground, the rest of the room watching in stunned shock.
Seven was the first to move. He rushed toward the bodies and dropped to his knees, pressing two fingers against the first man’s neck before checking the second. His jaw tightened as he slowly rose to his feet and met Rodrigo’s eyes with a single shake of his head.
"They’re dead."
A heavy hush fell over the room as Rodrigo’s gaze shifted deliberately across the chamber, finally landing on Charlotte.
At Seven’s words, she leaned back in her chair, the earlier panic on her face giving way to a satisfied smirk. Her fingers moved calmly over her sleeve, smoothing the fabric casually before she slowly lifted her eyes to meet his.
"Alpha," she called, her voice carrying a mocking edge. "The masked men have been killed. How are we going to find out who tried to hurt you now?"
Her smile widened slightly, confident that the silencer’s arrows had destroyed the last link tying the plot back to her.
Rodrigo arched a brow, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "There will be no need for that."
The smile vanished instantly from Charlotte’s face. The councilmen watched him in dead silence.
"What do you mean?" Radeon asked, a deep frown settling over his features.
"Because I already know who sent them."
The declaration hung in the air. Charlotte’s eyes widened, the color draining rapidly from her face.
Westerfort let out a dry, nervous laugh. "But you cannot accuse someone without proof."
"The culprit going through all this trouble to silence them is proof enough."
A low murmur passed through the council. Before anyone could object, Rodrigo turned toward the entrance.
"Guards!" he bellowed.
The heavy doors swung open immediately, and two guards stepped inside. Rodrigo cast a lazy glance toward Charlotte.
"Take Lady Charlotte and lock her in the dungeons."
A collective gasp echoed through the room before it erupted into chaos.
"What?!" Charlotte exclaimed. "You cannot do this!"
Radeon shot to his feet so violently his chair scraped harshly against the floor. "Alpha Rodrigo, please! You cannot simply accuse Lady Charlotte without a shred of proof! This is preposterous—"
Rodrigo slowly raised his eyes to meet his, his grey gaze darkening like a storm. "You want to join her?"
Radeon froze, the rest of his protest dying in his throat.
"She’ll need company."
Radeon’s mouth worked silently, but no sound came out. His eyes flickered nervously toward Charlotte before he slowly sank back into his chair, lowering his head.
No one else dared to breathe.
Charlotte stared at Rodrigo as though she could hardly believe what was happening. "How could you?" she spat, standing up so abruptly her chair clattered backward. "I am the former Luna of this pack! You cannot accuse me without proof!"
She backed away as the guards approached, her composure fracturing completely. Her voice trembled at the edges. "Alpha... you cannot do this!" She spun toward the councilmen, her eyes wild. "Westerfort! Radeon! Call him to order! How can you sit there and watch him go mad?!"
The councilmen kept their heads down, avoiding her gaze.
"Where is my son?!" she demanded. "Where is my son? Somebody call my son!"
The guards closed in on her.
"Don’t you dare touch me!" One of the guards reached for her arm, but Charlotte slapped his hand away and turned sharply on Rodrigo. "You will regret this, Rodrigo!"
Rodrigo glanced casually at the guards. "Take her away," he commanded.
"Alpha," Hogan pleaded softly. "We can deal with this more cordially, please. This is not the way to go."
Rodrigo didn’t spare him a single glance.
"Lady Charlotte is under investigation for treason and attempted murder of the Alpha," Rodrigo announced, his voice cutting clearly through the room. "Given the severity of the charges, she will be detained to prevent contact with her co-conspirators."
A heavy silence settled over the council as the weight of his words sank in.
"Effective immediately," Rodrigo added, turning his cold gaze back to the table, "she is relieved of all duties, and her authority as Luna is passed to the current Luna."
Not a single voice dared to break the stillness that followed the Alpha’s decree.
Charlotte stood speechless. She knew he was ruthless, but she hadn’t expected him to be this brazen. I should have killed him as a child when I had the chance, she thought bitterly. If only Eloise hadn’t saved him from me...
Oh, he was going to pay dearly for this.
Charlotte bit her tongue so hard she tasted the sharp copper of blood in her mouth. Her dark eyes burned into him, but drawing a slow, furious breath, she turned toward the door.
"I’ll go with you. Don’t touch me," she snapped at the guards, sweeping out of the hall with them right on her heels.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind them. Rodrigo leaned forward, resting his hands on the table.
"Now..." Rodrigo started, his eyes looking through the terrified faces of his councilmen. "Where did we stop?"