Alec’s

"Alec, is there really a need for Calvin to stay in the dungeon?"

I sigh once again as Piper's voice pulls me from my thoughts.

"You know I can't," I reply, taking in a deep breath. "He plotted against me; that's a crime that can't go unpunished."

"B-but what he did led you to your true mate and stopped you from taking an impostor as a mate. That has to mean something," she tries to reason, her desperation clear in her eyes.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

"It doesn't work that way, Piper. He conspired against an Alpha and his actions led to a sequence of events that nearly destroyed Sadie's life. Imagine if Sadie had actually died three years ago."

Her eyes fill with tears. She's my sister and I know her. I know her. I know that, despite the truth of my words, she's determined to save her mate.

"Please, Alec. You have your mate, and you know how strong the bond is. It's stronger for me because Calvin has already marked me. I can't see him suffer. I just can't."

My heart constricts at the pain in her eyes, but there is nothing I can do. Calvin connived with another to drug an alpha. That isn't a small crime. Besides, Sadie deserves justice.

I know it's not enough to undo everything I did to her, and Calvin isn't wholly to blame for the torture I put her through, but at least she deserves to get some form of justice.

"I know, Piper, but I can't and won't allow it." I tell her this time with authority. "Calvin has to pay for his crimes. Sadie paid for a crime she didn't commit. Do you think it'll be fair to her to let Calvin go scot-free?" She goes to say something, but I interrupt her.

"Besides, Sadie is now an alpha, and this is as much her decision as it is mine. She has the right to decide what to do with Calvin, given that his actions had the biggest impact on her."

She slumps in her seat in defeat. She knows what I said is the truth. Being an alpha gives Sadie the right to make decisions concerning what to do with Calvin. That is something I refuse to take from her after everything else I have taken from her.

"What will happen to him?" she whispers.

"I don't know," I answer. "It's mainly up to Sadie, but for now, he'll stay in the dungeons until a sentence has been made."

This time, she doesn't stop the tears from falling. They run down her cheeks freely. I hate seeing her in pain. I hate seeing her like this, but I just can't do anything concerning this matter.

I can't, and I won't take this away from Sadie. I know it will not absolve me from my own mistakes, but I won't make things difficult for her. I won't stand in the way of her getting justice.

I love my sister and would do anything for her. Anything but this. Anything but releasing Calvin from the dungeons. She needs to understand that what he did didn't just affect me.

"Is there really nothing you can do?" she asks, her words breaking as she says them.

I sigh. I feel like we are going around in circles now, and it's beginning to frustrate me.

"No," I answer. "And even if there was something I could do, I wouldn't do it. I know he's your mate, but you have to understand that his actions made me hurt my mate. It's because of his actions that I am here in this mess with my mate hating my guts."

My words make her cry harder. Running my hand down my face, I stand up, about to go comfort her, when a scream stops me in my tracks. "Mommy!"

I hear Aspen's voice, and she sounds terrified.