Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 55

"So...." Councilman Lacson lifted an eyebrow. "You are telling me that you left your pack after Prince Elijah voided your marriage to your ex-husband or mate, and then you agreed to come to the palace and work in the infirmary?"

Fiona felt her anger bubble over, but she pushed it down, keeping her expression neutral. She had been standing there for what felt like forever, answering the same questions again and again. "Yes," she replied, her voice steady but with a growing edge. "I voided my marriage to come with Prince Elijah."

The councilman's eyes flickered, and for a moment, Fiona thought she saw satisfaction in his gaze. They weren't just interested in her. They were fishing for something else-something more dangerous. They wanted to implicate Elijah.

"You voided your marriage willingly?" another councilman asked, this time a younger man seated farther down the row. He looked at her as though he could see through her. "So it was of your own volition?"

"Yes," Fiona said again, her patience thinning. "It was my decision."

The councilman leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Why? What compelled you to leave your pack and follow the Prince? What was in it for you?"

Fiona clenched her fists at her sides, but her voice remained calm. "I came because I believed in Prince Elijah and what he was trying to do. I saw a chance for a better life, one free from the restraints of a broken marriage."

"And you believed that would justify abandoning your pack?" the councilman pressed. "You left your people behind."

Fiona's heart hammered in her chest. She could feel the eyes on her again, but now, the weight was heavier. It wasn't just her future at stake anymore. They were trying to drag Elijah into this, to make her words incriminate him. "I did what I had to do," she said firmly. "For myself and for my future."

The councilman sat back, clearly unsatisfied, but before he could press further, Councilman Lacson spoke again. "It seems awfully convenient, Miss Rosenthal, that you would void your marriage right before an attempt on another Prince's life-a rival prince at that. Wouldn't you say?"

Fiona's stomach tightened. She was growing tired of this game. "No," she replied, her voice sharper this time. "It's not convenient. It's the truth."

"And yet, here you are," Lacson continued. "Someone who had been trained since she was younger in medicine, standing accused of treason, accused of harming a prince who was considered the rival of the very Prince you claim to support. How do you reconcile that?" Fiona lifted her chin, her gaze unwavering. "I didn't harm the Prince. I've only ever sought to help him."

Another murmur ran through the room, but Fiona remained still, refusing to let them see her falter. They could ask their questions a hundred more times, and her answer would stay the same.

As if on cue, another councilman, an older man with a stern face, leaned forward. "And yet, Miss Rosenthal, the evidence places you at the scene. Soldiers saw you near the Prince when the incident occurred. Are you denying that?"

"Yes," Fiona said firmly, without hesitation. "I was only there to heal the injured."

The older man's expression darkened, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he exchanged a look with Councilman Lacson, and Fiona realized what was happening. They weren't just looking for answers-they were trying to wear her down. They wanted her to slip, to say something they could twist.

But she wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

The older man turned back to her, his eyes cold. "So you deny any involvement in the Prince's condition?"

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"I deny it," Fiona said, her voice unwavering. "I had nothing to do with what happened."

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Silence fell over the room, and for a moment, Fiona thought they might finally be done. But then, the younger councilman spoke again, his voice slick with mock concern. "You must understand, Miss Rosenthal, how difficult it is for us to believe you. A healer, one who left her pack under questionable circumstances, now stands accused of poisoning a prince. Surely, you can see how that looks."

Fiona's patience was at its limit. She had answered their questions, repeated herself over and over, and still, they pushed. "I see how it looks," she said, her voice sharper now. "But that doesn't make it true."

The councilman raised an eyebrow, but before he could continue, Councilman Lacson spoke. "Enough. We have heard what we needed to hear."

"What do you think my motive is, Councilman?" Fiona's voice cut through the tension, stopping the council members mid- discussion. All eyes shifted back to her as she continued, her gaze unwavering. "Why would I harm someone I don't even know?" She had been trying to calm herself since she arrived in this hall. She had been trying to stop herself from asking them questions. Well....she failed.

"You're not the one asking questions here!" another councilman snapped, his irritation barely concealed.

"Then tell me," Fiona pressed, her voice unnervingly calm. "What is the motive for this crime you're accusing me of? Or is it that you're only seeing what you want to see? Do you simply want to implicate the Prince-force him into defending me-so you can use that as a pretext to create even more problems for him?"

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Murmurs echoed through the chamber, surprise rippling across the council as Fiona's boldness took them off guard. No one expected her to turn the tables, to question them so directly.

"Silence!" Queen Lyanna's voice cut through the growing unrest Her gaze swept across the room, and the council members immediately quieted. The Queen's icy eyes fixed on Fiona, daring her to continue.

Fiona didn't flinch. "Answer me," she said, her voice steady. "What is my motive? What am I gaining from this? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're not after justice. You're targeting me to get to Prince Elijah."

thick, tension stretching as the council exchanged uneasy glances. One of the older councilmen, his face lined with frustration, finally spoke. "This is preposterous! You could be punished

out the obvious?" She leaned forward slightly, her voice low but sharp enough to cut through the silence. "Tell me why do you think a Prince, competing in the Rite of Kings, would recruit a healer? Why would he choose someone like

shifted uncomfortably but said nothing, and Fiona pressed on. "It's clear, isn't it? He needed someone he could trust. Someone who wasn't bound by palace politics. Someone with skill and experience-someone whose loyalty

to the Queen, frowned.

healers. This wasn't about treachery-it was about survival. He

air like a storm about to break. The councilmen exchanged nervous glances, and Fiona could see the wheels turning in their heads. They hadn't expected this. They had wanted her to break, to stumble- but instead, she

want," Fiona said, her gaze sweeping over the

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he was up against. And if you're so desperate to find a villain in all of this, maybe you should start

of the councilmen shouted. Almost immediately, four burly guards tried to approach

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entrance, was Prince Elijah. Dressed in all black, his tailored coat hugged his broad shoulders, and his dark pants made his tall frame even more imposing. His hair, casually combed as if he had just rolled out

Elijah's voice echoed through the chamber, silencing the murmurs. He walked with deliberate steps toward Fiona, his eyes steady. "Fiona Rosenthal is someone from the Rosenthal family, the greatest healers in

interrupted. "Your Highness, we did not summon

"I don't need an invitation," he replied coldly. "I can prove Fiona didn't do anything to the rival prince. Are

he had no right to interfere. The room

scene unfold. His expression was unreadable, but his voice left no room for disobedience. "Elijah," he said, his gaze sharp. "Do you

his father, undeterred.

long moment before

"Fiona Rosenthal has the ability to diagnose an illness, injury, or poison simply by touching someone. She has been trained to do this since she was a child. It is a gift her family is known for. The moment she opened her eyes, she was expected to

a blessing. But Elijah had just laid it out as part of her training, something she had learned from a young age. He made

would be critical during the Rites. That's why she's here. Not to harm anyone, but

He stood next to Fiona, his presence a wall between her and the accusations being thrown

this," Elijah murmured to her before turning his gaze back

serious but reassuring. "Tell them what

She faced the council. "The Prince didn't seem to have any visible injuries at first. Werewolves heal quickly, so he wasn't a priority. But when it took him longer than usual to recover, Tbecame

her eyes scanning the room, seeing how the council members were hanging on her every word. "I immediately called for Kariana to assist, but before I could explain anything, Her Majesty the Queen had already ordered my arrest. I didn't get a chance to tell anyone

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voided your marriage to your ex-husband or mate, and then you agreed to come to the palace and work in

expression neutral. She had been standing there for what felt like forever, answering the same questions

in his gaze. They weren't just interested in her.

the row. He looked at her as though he could see through her. "So it was of your own

leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Why? What compelled you to leave your pack and follow the Prince? What was in it for

Prince Elijah and what he was trying to do. I

pack?" the councilman pressed. "You left

weight was heavier. It wasn't just her future at stake anymore. They were trying

press further, Councilman Lacson spoke again. "It seems awfully convenient, Miss Rosenthal, that you would void your marriage right before an attempt on another Prince's life-a rival prince at

"No," she replied, her voice sharper this time. "It's

was younger in medicine, standing accused of treason, accused of harming a prince who was considered the rival of the very Prince you claim to support. How do you reconcile that?" Fiona lifted her chin, her gaze unwavering. "I didn't harm the Prince. I've only ever sought

the room, but Fiona remained still, refusing to let them see her falter. They could ask their questions a hundred

a stern face, leaned forward. "And yet, Miss Rosenthal, the evidence places you

"I was only

Lacson, and Fiona realized what was happening. They weren't just looking for answers-they were trying to wear her down. They wanted her to slip,

she wouldn't give them that

her, his eyes cold.

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Chapter 55

voice unwavering. "I had nothing to do with what

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and for a moment, Fiona thought they might finally be done. But then, the younger councilman spoke again, his voice slick with mock concern. "You must understand, Miss Rosenthal, how difficult it is for us to believe you. A healer, one

over and over, and still, they pushed. "I see how it looks," she said, her voice sharper now. "But

raised an eyebrow, but before he could continue, Councilman Lacson spoke. "Enough. We have heard what we needed

you think my motive is, Councilman?" Fiona's voice cut through the tension, stopping the council members mid- discussion. All eyes shifted back to her as she continued, her gaze unwavering. "Why would I harm someone I don't even know?" She had been trying to calm herself since she arrived in this hall. She had been trying to stop herself from

not the one asking questions here!" another councilman snapped, his irritation