Under Investigation

Chapter 9

The cuffs tighten around my wrist and dread fills my core. This could be it. Ekon walks me up to the stand, he waits for me to sit down before he steps back to the side. He crosses his arms and leans back against the wall as he stares off over the pack. I watch as a small female walks over, her petite feminine stature contrasted with dark eyes and near silver pin straight hair. A stark contrast. Her caramel skin compliments her features beautifully.

Her watchful eyes watch as I cross my legs and release a slow sigh, discomfort radiates from the tight skin on my back. With luck another day it'll be healed, if I'm not dead. "Please state your name, age and rank for the record."

"Adira Lee, 28, Delta of the Blood Lust Pack." The woman nods and meets my serene gaze.

"Miss. Lee, I'm Edith, I'll conduct your interrogation. While you are on stand you are under an oath of truth and honesty. Do you promise to speak only the truth and nothing but the truth?"

"Yes Ma'am." She nods and pulls out her notes and documents to review as she starts.

"We'll start easy and get progressively harder." I nod silently and stare at her, unwavering in my beliefs. I know what I have done. "What are your duties to the pack?"

"I handle pack matters and anything that pertains to unranked members. If there's a request that needs to be made, a shipment needed for items. I handle those matters." Then I have to clear them by the Alpha.

"Did you have authority to manage these matters by yourself or did you have another wolf above you to clear things with?" She asks with a curious tone.

"I had to clear matters with Anthony Lewd, the Beta, with certain questions. Example being an extension of time for payment of fee. If there was a shipment going out or coming in, I had to talk to Roberto Lee, the Alpha." I watch as she makes a note and continues without looking up.

"Was there ever a time where Mr. Lee refused orders and that would cause neglect or poor health to a member?"

"Without a doubt, yes, he refused orders often; when they did go through there would be a hefty fee to charge per import or export." I answer with no hesitation.

"Does the same apply to Mr. Lewd?"

"Yes Ma'am, their refusals to a request would lead to neglect, abuse, malnutrition and punishment to the unranked members." She glances up with interest and nods.

"Very well." She hums and flips pages. "Have you personally witnessed abuse, neglect or punishment to a member that was ordered by them?" I turn my eyes to stare at the many faces that watch me, pain in their eyes and my heart aches. I've failed them.

"Multiple occasions. In the reports I've managed to recover, there should be a list of witnesses of their punishments and actions that caused damage, to property or bodily harm." I'm just as evil as they are.

"Were you ever required to harm an individual?"

"Physically? No, but I've stood by and let it happen. I was a bystander to their pain and punishment. My submissive actions let them suffer, to me that's just as bad." Edith turns her dark brown, if not black eyes to me. As if to read my soul. I may not have spilled their blood but I didn't stop it either.

"Were you required to collect the 'fee'?" She asks and I nod.

"Yes Ma'am, there's a list of occasions given that I was the collector of the money and who I gave the money to." The remaining council judges flip through their paperwork in interest. The tall bald man with gray eyes hums and raises a finger to garner attention, his pale skin bright under the bleak lights.