Page 29

F aye

“Are you sure you don’t want to take a break first?” Eli asks, worry in his voice.

“No,” I say, stomping through the castle.

“Maybe take a shower? Eat?” Maverick says in that same concerned tone.

“No.” This ends now.

I throw open the council room doors, and Lance, Brock, and Hector glance up, their faces full of shock. Instantly, their ultima power washes over me, but it’s like the wind blowing through my hair, not a commanding presence. Their gazes rome over our bloodied bodies, and horror washes over them.

I slam one bloody hand on their table, and all eyes snap to me.

“You’ll be happy to learn that your complete incompetence led to Dexter, Kurt, and his alphas kidnapping me.

Apparently, their plan was to kill me so I couldn’t testify tomorrow.

They believed that then Kurt would get off scot-free.

Let’s not pretend that plan probably would have worked because if there wasn’t a neon sign pointing to them as my attackers and a video personally taken by one of you three, my death wouldn’t have been attributed to them, and I wouldn’t have gotten justice. ”

“Hold on–” Hector begins.

“I’m not done,” I say, my voice just below shouting.

“The three of you are going to issue a public statement, making it clear that Kurt killed my brother, making it clear he killed Serra, and making it clear he and Dexter tried to kill me. Regardless of the consequences that may come from Pack Obsidian, you will tell the truth about what happened, because all of us deserve what little justice you can offer us after all you’ve done. ”

It’s Lance who speaks this time. “Done,” he says, his tone almost impressed.

“And moving forward, you will treat omegas with the fucking respect they deserve. Being an omega doesn’t mean our opinions, values, and needs don’t matter.

We birth you self-absorbed, know-it-all ultimas and alphas.

You need us just as much as we need you, and you’re going to act like it.

And if you don’t, I will use the collective power of my mates to start a fucking revolution with the omegas.

See how fast you alphas and ultimas stay smug when the omegas reject you . ”

“Eli?” Brock says, sounding shocked.

Eli sets a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be proud to back my mate up on any revolution she might create, and will also willingly take one of your places on the council if you fail to do your jobs again.”

“Faye is right,” Lance says without hesitation, looking at the other two ultimas. “Things need to change. What happened with Kurt can never happen again. The council can never be too afraid of an alpha to do what needs to be done.”

Brock leans back in his chair, studying me, but I have no idea what he’s thinking. “Agreed.”

Hector huffs.

Eli smiles. “Actually, I know of another ultima who would be glad to take someone’s place on the council. Maybe someone too afraid of the alphas to do his job.”

Hector’s mouth drops open, and he clears his throat. “Well, the omega has made several… important points. I, for one, am not a man opposed to change.”

“Good,” I say, leaning away from them.

Looking at my men, I see five stunned faces. Five faces filled with pride and wonder.

“Now,” I tell them, “let’s go find a shower that can handle six people. We need to clean up and then start seeing what injuries might need to be tended to by the healers.”

“Agreed, my queen,” Cayson says with a little bow.

I turn and head out the door. I walk away from every drop of pain Kurt and his father ever gave me, from the disappointment and helplessness the council made me feel. I’m heading on to a new and better life, with my five men by my side.

And a warm shower. Which, you know, isn’t the worst ending to this story.