Captive of The Beast Alpha: Drugging the CEO Was a Mistake. Chapter 53: Hansel: I’ve found my Veylar

The judgnt box was smaller than I rembered.

I stood in the centre of the council hall with my hands clasped behind my back, trying to control the anger simring just beneath my skin.

The Raze could sense my emotions. It could feel the hostility radiating from every corner of this room, and it wanted out.

Days ago, it would not have been easy to control it without my suppressant, but I’d gone 48 hours without popping any pills.

They’d summoned this morning—a formal notice delivered by Beta Thomas before the sun had risen. I hadn’t even had ti to check on Naya before leaving. The healers had yet to give any information, and I was worried.

The not-knowing was eating alive.

But right now, I had bigger problems.

The council hall was packed. Every seat in the gallery was filled. I scanned the crowd, taking note of the faces staring back at with various expressions of anger, disgust, and satisfaction.

From where I was, I could see my father seated among the high ranks, his posture rigid, his face blank, but I could see the tension in his shoulders.

Beside him sat Eleanor—my stepmother. She didn’t bother to hide her expression. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth as she watched stand in the judgnt box like a criminal. This was what she’d always wanted. To see brought low and punished.

She had waited a long ti for this.

My brothers filled the benches behind them. So wouldn’t et my eyes, others stared openly, while Elon wasn’t there with them. I spotted him leaning against the far wall, his arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but I caught his eye for a brief mont. He gave the smallest nod.

The families of the healers my Raze had killed sat together in three rows on the left side of the hall. All dressed in black. All with hollow, devastated expressions that made my stomach twist with guilt.

Four people. Four pack mbers who’d only been trying to help were gone because I couldn’t control the monster inside .

I also recognised so of the dostic staff from the pack house scattered throughout the gallery. Maids and cooks and groundskeepers. All here to witness my judgent.

The oldest elder—a man nad Thaddeus with greying hair and eyes like chips of ice—cleared his throat, and the room fell silent imdiately.

"This hearing is now in session," Thaddeus announced. His voice echoed through the hall. "We are here to address the events of two nights ago, during which Hansel Ward’s Raze killed four mbers of our pack. Additionally, we will address his continued refusal to accept his duties as Alpha-in-training."

My hands tightened behind my back.

"We will hear testimony from the families of the deceased," Thaddeus continued. "Then the accused will have an opportunity to speak. After which, this council will render its verdict."

He gestured to the first family. "Please proceed."

A woman stood up from the front row. She was maybe forty, with greying hair and red-rimd eyes. I recognised her—she was married to one of the healers. Maxim. A good man who’d served our pack for over twenty years.

She walked to the centre of the hall. When she spoke, her voice shook.

"My husband Maxim was a healer," she began. "He dedicated his life to helping others and saving lives." Her voice cracked. "Two nights ago, he was called to help Hansel Ward, to try to control his Raze before soone got hurt."

She paused, wiping her eyes with a trembling hand.

"Maxim had helped with Raze episodes before, so he knew the risks. But he went anyway because that’s who he was. He never turned away from soone who needed help." Her voice rose, filling with anger now. "And what did he get for his kindness? Your Raze tore him apart. Literally tore him apart while he was trying to save you."

I lowered my gaze in sha.

"My children will grow up without a father," she continued, tears streaming down her face. "My youngest is only six years old. She still asks when Daddy is coming ho." A sob escaped her. "How do I tell her that he’s never coming ho? That he died trying to help soone who couldn’t even be bothered to take his suppressants properly?"

She turned to look directly at , and the hatred in her eyes made flinch.

"Maxim has served this pack and in the pack house faithfully for twenty years. And this is how you repay him."

She walked back to her seat, and another person stood. This ti it was an older man, probably in his sixties.

"My daughter Emma was one of the healers who died," he said. His voice was quieter than the first woman’s, but sohow that made it worse. "She was twenty-eight years old. Newly mated. She and her husband were trying for their first child."

He paused, his hands shaking.

"Emma loved being a healer. She used to say it was her calling. That helping people made her feel useful." He laughed bitterly. "She was in the pack house that night, visiting her mother, who works in the pack house kitchen. When the Raze escaped, she tried to help and protect the other staff mbers."

His voice broke.

"I found her body myself. Or what was left of it." The grief in his words was unbearable. "No parent should have to see their child like that or bury their daughter in pieces."

I wanted to look away or disappear. But I forced myself to keep my eyes on him and to witness his pain. I owed him that much.

"Emma trusted the Ward family," he finished. "She believed in serving the pack. And it got her killed."

He sat down heavily, and a third person stood. A young man, maybe twenty-five. He looked angry. Furious, even.

"My brother David was the third healer," he said, his voice hard. "He was my best friend. The person I looked up to more than anyone in the world."

He stepped closer to the judgnt box, getting right in my face.

"David died trying to protect innocent people from your Raze. He died a hero. And you—" He pointed at , his hand shaking with rage. "You just get to stand there alive and unpunished while my family plans his funeral."

The room was completely silent.

"The Ward family has taken enough from this pack," the young man said. "When is it going to stop? When are you people going to be held accountable? Every full moon is greeted with fear of the unknown. When was the last ti we had a celebration in this pack without looking over our backs? Is this the first ti the Raze has attacked and killed people, and yet, Hansel Ward always manages to go scot-free. I demand justice this ti around, except this council is telling us the Alpha and his family are above the law."

Elder Thaddeus gestured for him to sit. The young man glared at for another long mont before finally returning to his seat.

The fourth person was too hurt to speak. He was sobbing like a baby, so they had to let him pass.

Thaddeus turned to . "Hansel Ward, do you have anything to say?"

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"I’m sorry." The words felt pathetically inadequate. "I know that doesn’t an much. I know saying sorry doesn’t bring anyone back or ease your pain. But I am truly, deeply sorry for what happened."

I looked at each family in turn.

"I have no recollection of that night. No mory of what my Raze did. But that doesn’t excuse it. Four people are dead because of . Four good people who were only trying to help." My voice roughened. "I can’t change what happened, nor can I undo the damage. But I want you to know that I will carry this guilt for the rest of my life."

The room remained silent.

Elder Thaddeus nodded slowly. "Your apology is noted." He paused. "However, this council has additional concerns beyond the deaths. You have repeatedly refused to participate in Alpha training. Despite being nad as your father’s successor, you have not attended a single training session or council eting."

Another elder spoke up—a woman nad Beatrice, who I knew was a close friend of Eleanor. "You show no interest in your duties. No respect for the position. If you are unwilling to fulfil your role, perhaps it’s ti to strip you of the title entirely."

Several council mbers nodded in agreent.

"Before we render our final verdict," Thaddeus said, "you have one more opportunity to speak. To explain yourself and to give us any reason why you should not be severely punished for these cris."

This was it. The mont that would determine everything.

I looked around the room one more ti.

I saw the satisfied smirk on Eleanor’s face and the calculating expressions on half the council mbers—the ones who were her allies, the ones who’d been waiting for an excuse to get rid of for years.

If this had happened a week ago, I might not have cared. I might have accepted whatever punishnt they handed down without argunt.

But everything was different now.

I had Naya, who is my mate and my Veylar. Now that I could control my Raze, I could track down who’d killed my mom.

And being a Raze wasn’t always a bad thing—especially when you had your Veylar present.

"I have sothing to say," I announced. My voice carried through the hall. "Sothing that changes everything."

Thaddeus raised an eyebrow. "Proceed."

I straightened my shoulders and looked directly at the council.

"I’ve found my Veylar."