Revolting

The entire atmosphere of the room changed when Sarah entered. Hannah became tense, her body shrinking down into her usual defensive posture, her eyes darting around the room as though she were looking for an unseen threat. Michael reacted to Hannah's unease, stepping forward and forcing his body between Hannah and

the table full of Alphas. Alpha Eudora's head tipped slightly to one side, her expression confused, almost as though she were listening to a voice that no one else could hear. In response to Eudora's expression, her mate was edging closer, and the red-headed woman had her hand on her weapon.

"Alphas, first let me say what an honor it is that you would allow a lowly rogue such as myself into your presence." There was something slightly sarcastic in her words, as though they had a sharp edge to them. Although she called herself a rogue, she was boldly looking at each representative around the table and staring them in their eyes. A fact which had more than one alpha sitting up with a frown.

"I met up with Alpha Michael in the Northern Kingdom territories just a few months ago." she said smoothly. "I've been living like a wild pig for the last two years, since I was driven from my pack."

Shane shifted uneasily in his chair, feeling uncomfortable with the tone of her speech. He wanted to hurry her along. "And how would you describe Michael Bishop?"

The older woman glanced at Michael indifferently. "He has all the typical traits of an alpha male, that is why I followed him. He is strong, protective, and aggressive. He's also egotistical and arrogant. Single-minded in the pursuit of what he wants, and in this case, he was determined to rescue this girl."

As she spoke, her hand was easing behind her. The alphas sitting at the table could not see the motion, but Michael, from where he was standing in the far corner could see that she was reaching for something underneath her shirt. He tensed, and in a flash the entire room erupted into chaos.

Sarah leapt up onto the conference table, a kitchen knife in her hands, her eyes madly fixed on Alpha Eudora. Alpha Eudora was grabbed out of her chair by her massive husband, and the red-headed warrior had her sword drawn and ready. But Michael Bishop was faster than all of them. With a roar he lunged across the room and used his massive body to tackle Sarah down from the table. They wrestled for a moment, but Sarah was no match for the massive man. He squeezed her hand until the sound of breaking bones was audible. Sarah screamed and let the knife fall from her mangled fingers.

Michael hauled her to her feet and held her facing the rest of the Alphas, who were now out of their chairs and in defensive postures. He yanked Sarah's hand behind her back and held her in a joint lock so that she could not move. She stood there panting, her hair flying wildly around her face, her eyes still locked on Eudora.

Eudora elbowed her way out from behind her protectors and moved around the conference table toward Michael and Sarah. Jericho Carrole hovered behind his wife, and the redhead advanced from the other direction, her sword still drawn and read.

"What is this?" Shane demanded. "Michael!"

Eudora held up her small hand, and effectively silenced Shane. She moved a chair aside and stood directly before the older woman. Sarah writhed like a rabid animal, her teeth snapping as though she were ready to bite into the younger woman, even in her human form.

"Who is she?" the red-haired woman finally voiced what the entire room was wondering.

"She is Sarah Sakwa," Eudora said quietly. "My father's wife. The woman who murdered him. Isn't that right, Sarah?"

Sarah snarled until Michael pulled her arm up and the pain effectively silenced her.

Eudora stepped even closer, until there was barely a breath between the two women. "The trees told me that there were evil intentions afoot," her voice was soft, almost melodic. "Trees can be very vague. We thought it was Michael Bishop making them uneasy. But it was you, wasn't it? What a happy accident that you fell in with Michael Bishop and Hannah, and they lead you right back to me."

A sick smile spread over Sarah's face. "A happy accident. Or fate," Sarah growled. "I came to finish what Vinny started. You stand here like you are some kind of queen, but you are just an illegitimate bastard. Black Crow belongs to ME." In a flash her free hand went under her shirt, and her hand came up into Eudora's chest, driving the silver dagger between her ribs. Her face was an expression of pure triumph as Jericho roared in furious agony. But again, a small gesture from Eudora stopped him. Without even a whimper of pain, she pulled the dagger out of her own body and held it up for Sarah to see. The wound didn't even bleed.

Sarah's eyes darted from the dagger to the wound, but there was no wound, only a tear in her blouse to show that the knife had ever penetrated. "But... it's silver! It's pure silver!" "Oh dear, Sarah." Eudora turned the knife so that she was holding it by the silver blade, there was no sizzle, no sign of discomfort. "There's so much you don't know about me." Sarah's mouth was opening and closing like a fish as her eyes flashed with outrage.

Eudora stepped back. "You could have lived out the rest of your life in peace," Eudora said with a shake of her head. "Just like Vincent. If you had just left me alone." She met Jericho's eyes and then she turned her face away, so she didn't have to see what was next. Jericho moved in a black blur, wrenching Sarah's head with such brutality that the spine was severed and only skin and muscles kept the woman's head attached to the rest of her body. It now dangled against her chest at an odd angle like a rock in a sock. Michael released the body and let Sarah's corpse drop to the floor. Jericho stepped over the body, collected his mate in his arms, and pressed her tight against his body. Everyone in the room was silent for a moment, until Hannah broke it with a stifled sob.

She ran to Sarah's body and gathered it in her arms. Michael stood over them, his shoulders hunched, his face blank, not sure what he was to do next.

"Gentlemen," Eudora sank back into her chair as though nothing had just happened. "We should not allow what has happened just now with Sarah Sakwa to affect our decision regarding Michael Bishop. He is not responsible for her actions." She looked up at Michael with calm eyes. "Mr. Bishop, it's your turn now. What would you say in your own defense?"

Michael looked over the room until his eyes settled on his mate, who was still softly crying over Sarah's body. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I have no defense. I did everything that they accuse me of. I hunted rogues ruthlessly and obsessively. I commissioned the poison. I killed many before I shot William's mate. And it's true that I ran blindly into Rebel Moon territory in pursuit of my mate after she rejected me. I fought with a human, and I'm not ashamed to say that he was a worthy opponent. The bite was unintentional, it just happened in the fray of battle, and I deeply regret that the young man died." He sucked in a breath. "I can't undo what I've done."

"I've lost everything. My pack. My position. My wealth, my status. All of my friends. The respect of my peers. I became the thing I feared and loathed the most." Hannah stood up, aware and alert to her mate's sorrow. He drew her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and sighed. "But I found Hannah." He smiled down at her sadly. "And I will lay down everything, including my life, to keep her safe."

The room was quiet for a long minute.

"Fine. Leave us now, Bishop." Shane dismissed him. Michael nodded and took Hannah from the room. She took one last, unhappy look at the body on the floor before she followed Michael out of the room.