Page 61 of Stealing Sloane

As the car carried them to the upper floors of the building, Sloane drummed her fingers on her arm. When they reached their destination and they stepped out, Jacob said, “We could have done this at home you know. You didn’t have to come here. Or watch any of this.”

“Yeah, but … I would have gone crazy, waiting for word.” They walked past the reception area and straight to the conference. There were already several people there waiting for them, including Jacob’s parents, Cliff, and of course, Stella. To her surprise, Devon and Charlie were there as well. As soon as she saw her twin, Stella rushed over and gave her a hug.

“How are you?”

“Good.” She wasn’t feeling good at all, and her stomach was all in knots, but the reply was automatic.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Stella said. “I couldn’t sleep a wink.”

Sloane gave a little laugh. “Me neither.”

“Sloane,” Devon greeted, then pulled her into a hug. “Nice to see you.”

“Same. I thought you were in New Mexico, though.”

“I had to be here.” Blue eyes so like her own looked back at her. “Forthem.”

The knots in her stomach grew even tighter. Indeed, that’s why she had to see this through herself. For their parents.

“It’s almost time,” Lizzie, who had been behind the laptop set up next to the projector, said. “Everyone, take your seats.”

Sloane occupied the chair in front of the camera and Stella and Devon sat on either side of her. The projector whirred to life, and the screen at the far end of the conference room lit up.

“We are commencing this meeting of the Lycan High Council, on this day …” droned the voice of the council’s secretary. The rest of the members sat around the table, their faces somber.

Sloane swallowed, fearing that wasn’t a good sign. Stella placed a hand over hers and squeezed it, and Jacob, who stood directly opposite her, gave her a reassuring nod.

“Now,” Mr. Ngozi began once all the formalities were done. “Let’s get down to today’s business. After a thorough investigation into the activities of Ronan Forte, Alpha of Boston, we have found him guilty of various crimes, including murder against fellow Lycans, Erin Henderson, George Halliburton ….” He listed off a dozen or so more names. “…. and Owen and Rebecca O’Neill.”

A prickle ran over the back of her neck over the last two names on the list.

Owen and Rebecca O’Neill.

Their parents.

“Oh my God,” Stella cried, covering her mouth. “Sloane …”

Sloane felt a lightheadedness come over her, and had she not been sitting, she surely would have fainted.

After Jacob’s family had rescued them from Ronan, they immediately reported the incident to the Lycan High Council. Thankfully, with the initial evidence in the diary, the council had enough reason to send the Alpha and Garret to a temporary holding facility in Arizona.

Of course, with the chaos surrounding the attack, the council could not simply take Sloane and Jacob’s side without getting Ronan’s version of events. Once Ronan had recovered, he played the victim, telling them he was the one attacked and for no good reason. However, the information in his diaries, plus evidence Lizzie gathered from the Boston Police Department’s files, tied Ronan to various crimes, including the murders of Sloane, Stella, and Devon’s parents, plus a few more over the years since he took over as Alpha. Also, now that Ronan was in custody, almost everyone in the Boston clan spoke out against him andtestified about how he turned the clan into his personal criminal empire.

Still, because Sloane and Jacob had trespassed into Boston first, they had been punished with home detention in New York until their sentencing. They had to wear tracking anklets, and their movements were limited to Jacob’s apartment and Lone Wolf’s offices.

“Does that mean you’re free to go?” Devon asked.

“I’m not sure.” Jackson had said they still might face some punishment because they did break the rules. But whatever, it was, she would gladly face it, considering Ronan was now going to be put away for life.

Mr. Ngozi continued. “Now, as for the matter of Jacob Martin of New York and the Lone Wolf Sloane. Although they willingly broke Lycan law by entering another territory, considering the circumstances and the great risk they undertook to bring to light Ronan Forte’s crimes and the overwhelming support of the Boston clan, we consider their one-month detention as time served and order they be released at once.”

“Yes!” Jacob shook his left foot. “I can’t wait to get this thing off me.”

“Ronan Forte is therefore stripped of his position as Alpha, and sentencing for Ronan Forte will be confirmed one month for now. His Beta, Garret McCall, will also stand trial for his part in the various crimes against Lycans.…”

As everyone celebrated, a myriad of emotions ran through Sloane, and once again, the dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. She searched the room until she found Jacob’s familiar face, his jade green eyes already trained on her. Just that one look from him calmed her fears and the storm within her.

It was strange how her life had changed so much in one month. Normally, having to stay in one place for so long would have driven her crazy. Yet, despite the uncertainty around them,the time she had spent alone with Jacob in his apartment had been nice, though, a few times they did drive each other up the wall.

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