Chapter 338: Betrayal
Bishop stared at Réne and Alicia, wondering just what the hell was happening. It felt like he had been sucker punched by people who he had lived with and ate with for the past four years.
It was only with new eyes did he see Alicia’s smirk right before she dropped her head. He used to think that she was shy and that it made her uncomfortable to meet other people’s eyes. But it turned out that looking at the ground was so much easier than trying to control her expressions.
"I am not a traitor," he announced, standing tall against the onslaught of hatred and disdain being flung his way by the very humans he had wanted to protect. "I am not responsible for what happened last night."
Réne closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "I considered you my best friend," he said at last, his voice carrying across the now silent audience. "I never once doubted your commitment to me or to this base, but now I know the meaning of knowing a face but not a heart. You might not have dealt any killing blows, but you were the one who brought the rebels through our gates. You are the one who put a knife in their hands."
"It wasn’t me," gritted Bishop, his teeth clenched together so much that he was getting a headache. Gripping Sophia’s hand harder, he took strength from her. It was fine that no one believed him; at least she was still at his side.
As if his move reminded Sophia that her hand was still in his, she quickly flung his hand away before rushing over to Alicia’s side. Grabbing the other woman’s arm, she hid behind Alicia’s back, looking at Bishop like she had never seen him before.
"If it wasn’t you, then why didn’t you stop it?" demanded Réne. The crowd, now completely focused on Bishop, nodded their heads along with their leader.
"Yeah!" shouted one brave man who had locked himself in the bathroom all night long. "Why didn’t you stop it! If it wasn’t you, then why didn’t you stop it?!?"
More voices echoed his sentiments, but Bishop couldn’t give a fuck what the others were saying. Why was Sophia treating him like a monster? Like she had never seen him before? She knew all his deepest, darkest secrets; he had never hidden his past from her. Four years of being by his side, and now she was acting like he could kill her at any moment?
Dear God, why wasn’t this making any sense?
Alicia gently stroked Sophia’s hand before getting her to let go. With her head still down, she approached Bishop like a bunny might have approached a wolf. Her entire body trembled until her front was almost completely pressed against his.
"It’s not personal," she said softly. Her words were nothing more than a sigh on the wind, but Bishop heard every last one. "New Dawn Sanctuary is meant for humans and only humans. I won’t have it dirtied by having an angel living amongst us."