CHAPTER 136
SEBASTIAN’S POV
I left the castle early in the morning for the association’s headquarters. I had filed a complaint concerning the letter Hermes sent to me the same day it arrived to the executive committee, and they decided to convene in my favour today to pass judgment.
Hermes is such a fool to think I’ll let him have Brianna back after everything he put her through.
“I’m just here to make one thing clear to you. She was the prettiest and hottest of my slaves. And she still is. Finding a replacement for her has been fucking hard! So you better watch your back. Because I might want to take her back as my sex slave.”
“After all, you’re married, and you’re probably treating her as nothing more than a maid. But I want her back in my bed,”
I closed my eyes and breathed out heavily as his words that day we fought at Nolan’s funeral cut through my mind. His intentions for wanting Brianna back weren’t good. His intentions towards anything weren’t good at all.
Over my dead body will I let him come any close to her or lay his filthy hands on her again! And no amount of money can change my mind. His promising to refund thrice the amount and find me a new slave was as useless as trying to bail out the ocean with a spoon. He should know better.
I made Brianna vow; to protect her from her past, from anyone who tries to ever hurt or disrespect her. She was the love of my life. My better half. The mother of my children. I’ll never let any harm get to her.
The board room was spacious and elegantly decorated, with a large rectangular table and plush leather chairs. I waited there for a little time before the members of the executive committee, headed by Dylan, joined me. Smartly dressed in their formal attires, they maintained a serious business-like demeanour, ready to take on the world.
I hope they acknowledge my plea and punish Hermes as he deserves. A punishment like sentencing him to life imprisonment or banishing him from the face of the earth. That way Brianna won’t have to worry about him ever again.
I saw the fear in eyes and body movements that morning we received that letter. Since that morning, she had been cold and distant even though she did her best to hide it from me. For a long time, I hadn’t seen her feel that way so it really got to me. It shattered my heart to pieces and made me feel like I failed in the promise I made her. If I could make a wish right now, it’d be that Hermes never existed. That he never entered her life. That he’d suffer the most excruciating pain imaginable for what he put her through.
“So Sebastian,” Dylan gestured, his hawk-like attention focused on me. “Please do let the rest of the committee know why you have summoned us here today.”
Rising to my feet and adjusting the button of my suit, I cleared my throat slightly and briefed them on the reason I had summoned them before taking my seat.
“We have heard what you said,” Vincent, the second in command after Dylan, heaved a sigh. “Apparently, it’s against the auction rules to demand a slave back after she’d been sold, and no Alpha King, not even Hermes, is exempted from this. And from the way you spoke about this, it’s very obvious you have no intentions of ever giving this slave up. I understand,” he half-shrugged, flashing me a knowing, dirty smirk.
In an instant, I knew where his mind was heading. But it was far more than that. How do I tell them Brianna is more than I slave to me now? Tell them we were married and she was pregnant with my babies. Tell them she was now a Luna, my Luna and not a slave anymore. The more I thought about it, the happier I am we have come this far. The more I realize it’s better not to let these Alpha kings seated before I know. After our wedding, she made me promise not to tell them even though I tried to kick against it.
“But before we deliberate on this and reach a verdict, we will have to see the letter,” he flashed a benign smile and lent out his hand. “You know just as a piece of evidence.”
“Excuse me,” I uttered in disbelief, jutting forward. “Are you trying to say I’m lying or what?”
If they were asking for the letter, that meant they didn’t believe me one hundred per cent. And they never informed me beforehand about bringing it along.
“We’re not insinuating anything,” Dylan cut in. “We are just following the legal process. And in every legal process, you must present the evidence before a judgment is passed.”
I stayed quiet and glanced away briefly in thought. Out of anger, I had torn the letter to pieces that morning. The only copy. Even if I were to use the toughest of glues, the amount of it would hold it back together again. What the fuck do I present them with now? I didn’t expect this at all. I hope this will go smoothly without any delay or hindrance.
I looked back at them. “I don’t have the letter.” From the look on their faces, it was as if they expected me not to have it.
“Sebastian,” Vincent sighed and looked at me in somewhat pity. “I’m afraid if you don’t have that piece of evidence then we can’t proceed with passing a judgement. I’m sorry, but we will have to adjourn till you have it.”
As if it was rehearsed, they started getting up, ready to leave.
“Are you been serious right now?” I rose in anger. “Why didn’t you at least tell me this beforehand?”
“You should have known better Sebastian,” Dylan shot back at me. “Tell me, do you go to court without a lawyer, without gathering evidence to back you up?…”
“Cut that crap, Dylan. You and I know this is the right thing to do. Hermes is a psychopath! If you don’t do something to bring him to order and stop his madness, then he’ll go around wanting every slave that has been sold since the start of the auction back. I know his father started the auction but that doesn’t give him the right to act the way he’s doing now. You guys are the executive committee, you can just sit back and watch him act like he owns the fucking universe! Do something or I may be forced to act on my own accord!”
My words ripped out from my throat and cut through the atmosphere like a sharp sword, leaving it bleeding with silence. All three of them stood rooted to the spot, shock and confusion marring their features as they observed me as though I was a foreign creature.
They didn’t expect such an outburst. But for Brianna, I was willing to tear the world apart. If they fail to act, then I will be forced to take matters into my own hands.
“Are you listening to yourself, Sebastian?” Dylan scoffed incredulously, shaking his head in disapproval. “You’re losing control. You sound desperate. Don’t let us think there is something more to this. Perhaps, a personal grudge you harbour for Hermes. The fight at Nolan’s funeral was enough to raise suspicions…”
“Is that what this is all about?” I spat, moving away from my seat and advancing towards them. “You refuse to pass judgment because you think I’m lying and plotting against Hermes?…”
“This isn’t that big an issue,” Malcolm, the third committee member hinted. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big fuss about it. Simply go to your castle, get the letter, and show it to us, and we’ll deliberate on the matter and know what next to do. Unless there is something you’re keeping from us, I see no reason for you to act this way.”
I was bereft of words as I stared at him, anger surging like wildfire inside me though I was doing my best to hold it back to avoid doing something that might cost me.
“You’re a reasonable man, Sebastian,” Dylan came forward and patted me on the shoulder but I defiantly shook it off and looked away in frustration. “Don’t do anything you’ll only end up regretting. Tomorrow morning, come with the letter. We need to know if Hermes was actually the one who wrote it. We’ll be more than glad to pass a judgement and bring him in order.”