Surrogate for My Brother-in-law - Chapter 71: Chapter 71
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After Leo's announcement that he wanted a divorce, things got pretty loud in the conference room. Eva shrieked in rage. Annette and Arthur shouted over each other.
I stayed where I was. I was stunned. Leo believed me, after everything. He took my word over Eva's.
Arthur rushed to his feet, roaring in fury. I flinched back. Ethan rested a hand on my shoulder.
Leo looked over at me and frowned. I ducked my head. I hadn’t meant for him to see me act like such a coward.
“Calm yourselves,” Leo commanded. “This is pointless. I have every right to demand a divorce.”
“You can’t!” Eva shrieked.
“You’ll lose the pack, and the manor, if you do that,” Annette pointed out.
“I really, really don’t care,” Leo said. He took a deep breath, and motioned for Arthur to sit down.
To my shock, he did. I’d never seen Arthur obey anyone, ever.
“I’m willing to negotiate,” Leo said. “I have no interest in humiliating you. I just refuse to be a part of your schemes anymore.”
“What would you be willing to offer for our cooperation?” Annette asked.
“I’m willing to grant Eva a quiet, legal divorce.”
A legal divorce was done through paperwork. Another alpha would have to sign off on it, but that would be easy. Ethan could do it. Both parties signed, the papers were filed with the league of archivists, and the marriage was over.
It was a kind offer. No one but those involved had to know what had caused the separation. Both parties would keep their own possessions, and any joint holdings would be evenly split.
There would be no issues with Sable’s custody, since Leo could prove she was his and not Eva’s.
Leo and I would have to have a long, serious conversation about Sable. She was my pup, and I wasn’t giving her up. But she was also Leo’s heir, and he had as much right to her as I did.
Eva, to my surprise, shook her head. I thought she’d be quick to take the offer. It would let her keep her reputation.
“No,” Eva snarled. “I am not giving up. I refuse to be demoted from Luna.”
“Eva, if you do not accept a legal divorce,” Leo said, voice dangerously gentle, “I will convene a council of alphas.”
“What does that mean?” Eva asked.
How could she not know? She was the Alpha Daughter, she should have been taught these things. I only knew about it from reading our pack’s history in the archives. But her education should have been more complete. Maybe she just didn’t pay attention.
“It means,” Ethan spoke up, “that Leo will present his case to a group of neutral alphas. They will hear the evidence against you. They will listen to your side of the story, and consider any evidence you have to offer. And then they will make their judgment.”
“Fine. I want that!” Eva declared.
“Do you really?” Ethan asked. “The judgment of the council is irrefutable. Whatever they decide becomes the word of law.”
“So if they say Leo can’t divorce me, he can’t,” Eva said.
“Yes, but they could also levy penalties against you for deception,” Ethan said. “If they determine that your pack or your parents were involved, they could face consequences, too.”
“That won’t happen,” Eva said confidently.
I suddenly understood. Eva thought the alphas would side with her, and with her father. After all, Arthur wielded a great deal of influence over the weaker packs.
The council of alphas would not be selected fro the smaller, local packs. The council consisted of the oldest surviving alpha, one alpha chosen by the injured party, one chosen by the accused party, one chosen by the head archivist, and one chosen by random lottery.
In the old days, the king of the wolves would cast the deciding vote. Since there was no alpha strong enough to hold that position, the tie breaking position was chosen at random.
Arthur’s influence wasn’t as strong as Eva thought. He had a strangle hold on the smaller packs whose territories bordered his, yes. But outside that area, he had little power.
Eva was used to getting her way. It didn’t even occur to her that anyone would listen to me over her. That had never happened.
But this wouldn’t be the word off the Alpha Daughter against the word of a half-blood servant. This was an alpha’s word against his Luna, and his word would count just as strongly as hers. And he had evidence.
“Eva, you should take the divorce,” I said quietly.
She had made my life a living Hell. She scarred my face, bullied me our entire childhoods. She held my mother hostage and stole my baby. I should hate her.
Somehow, though, I didn’t. Maybe because despite everything, she was still my sister. There had never been anything like love or even affection between us, but I couldn’t make myself ignore our relation.
Mostly, I was just tired of it all. I wanted her out of my life. That was all. I just wanted to be free of her at long last.
Eva snarled at me when I spoke. “How dare you?” she yelled.
Eva swiped at me with her hand transformed to reveal claws.
“This is all your fault!” she shrieked. “If you had just done what you were told, and kept your mouth shut, this wouldn’t be happening!”
Eva moved to dive across the table to beat me down, just like she always did. I froze up. My body refused to move. I don’t think I was afraid. It was just too deeply ingrained in me to stand still and take it when Eva was angry.
Ethan swept me out of Eva’s reach and held me close against his side. Leo restrained Eva.
Eva struggled in Leo’s grip. She was no match for a battle tested alpha, though. He pinned her easily.
“Unhand my daughter!” Arthur demanded.
He stood up an tried to face off against Leo. I turned my face into Ethan’s shoulder. It was never good for anyone when Arthur was that angry.
“When she stops being an idiot and attempting to assault a healer in her own hospital, I will,” Leo said.
His voice never rose above the soft tone he’d used to ask for a divorce. He didn’t snarl or growl. He was the picture of calm, and it was painfully obvious he was the strongest wolf in the room.
My wolf, of course, rumbled in delight. I shushed her. Yes, Leo was a fine, strong alpha, but that didn’t matter anymore. He knew the truth. He wouldn’t want anything to do with me.
“I’ll contact the archivists,” Ethan said once Eva finally fell silent. “They’ll make their choice and activate the lottery. It’ll take Alpha Titian about a week to reach your territory.”
Leo nodded, and released Eva. Alpha Titian must be the current eldest alpha.
Leo said, “I trust you to be impartial, Ethan, but there’s a good chance you’ll be called to testify. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to be my choice.”
“It wouldn’t,” Ethan agreed. “I suggest Richard, from the eastern territories. He’s not affiliated with you or with Arthur, and his pack is stable enough that it won’t be a hardship for him to travel.”
“You’ll have to pick an alpha,” Leo informed Eva gravely. “And it cannot be your father.”
Eva grumbled and named one of the alphas her father controlled, Alpha Drake. I wasn’t surprised.
“The council will convene in my territory, in one week,” Ethan declared, “I will stand as host.”
And that was it.
I stayed where I was. I was stunned. Leo believed me, after everything. He took my word over Eva's.
Arthur rushed to his feet, roaring in fury. I flinched back. Ethan rested a hand on my shoulder.
Leo looked over at me and frowned. I ducked my head. I hadn’t meant for him to see me act like such a coward.
“Calm yourselves,” Leo commanded. “This is pointless. I have every right to demand a divorce.”
“You can’t!” Eva shrieked.
“You’ll lose the pack, and the manor, if you do that,” Annette pointed out.
“I really, really don’t care,” Leo said. He took a deep breath, and motioned for Arthur to sit down.
To my shock, he did. I’d never seen Arthur obey anyone, ever.
“I’m willing to negotiate,” Leo said. “I have no interest in humiliating you. I just refuse to be a part of your schemes anymore.”
“What would you be willing to offer for our cooperation?” Annette asked.
“I’m willing to grant Eva a quiet, legal divorce.”
A legal divorce was done through paperwork. Another alpha would have to sign off on it, but that would be easy. Ethan could do it. Both parties signed, the papers were filed with the league of archivists, and the marriage was over.
It was a kind offer. No one but those involved had to know what had caused the separation. Both parties would keep their own possessions, and any joint holdings would be evenly split.
There would be no issues with Sable’s custody, since Leo could prove she was his and not Eva’s.
Leo and I would have to have a long, serious conversation about Sable. She was my pup, and I wasn’t giving her up. But she was also Leo’s heir, and he had as much right to her as I did.
Eva, to my surprise, shook her head. I thought she’d be quick to take the offer. It would let her keep her reputation.
“No,” Eva snarled. “I am not giving up. I refuse to be demoted from Luna.”
“Eva, if you do not accept a legal divorce,” Leo said, voice dangerously gentle, “I will convene a council of alphas.”
“What does that mean?” Eva asked.
How could she not know? She was the Alpha Daughter, she should have been taught these things. I only knew about it from reading our pack’s history in the archives. But her education should have been more complete. Maybe she just didn’t pay attention.
“It means,” Ethan spoke up, “that Leo will present his case to a group of neutral alphas. They will hear the evidence against you. They will listen to your side of the story, and consider any evidence you have to offer. And then they will make their judgment.”
“Fine. I want that!” Eva declared.
“Do you really?” Ethan asked. “The judgment of the council is irrefutable. Whatever they decide becomes the word of law.”
“So if they say Leo can’t divorce me, he can’t,” Eva said.
“Yes, but they could also levy penalties against you for deception,” Ethan said. “If they determine that your pack or your parents were involved, they could face consequences, too.”
“That won’t happen,” Eva said confidently.
I suddenly understood. Eva thought the alphas would side with her, and with her father. After all, Arthur wielded a great deal of influence over the weaker packs.
The council of alphas would not be selected fro the smaller, local packs. The council consisted of the oldest surviving alpha, one alpha chosen by the injured party, one chosen by the accused party, one chosen by the head archivist, and one chosen by random lottery.
In the old days, the king of the wolves would cast the deciding vote. Since there was no alpha strong enough to hold that position, the tie breaking position was chosen at random.
Arthur’s influence wasn’t as strong as Eva thought. He had a strangle hold on the smaller packs whose territories bordered his, yes. But outside that area, he had little power.
Eva was used to getting her way. It didn’t even occur to her that anyone would listen to me over her. That had never happened.
But this wouldn’t be the word off the Alpha Daughter against the word of a half-blood servant. This was an alpha’s word against his Luna, and his word would count just as strongly as hers. And he had evidence.
“Eva, you should take the divorce,” I said quietly.
She had made my life a living Hell. She scarred my face, bullied me our entire childhoods. She held my mother hostage and stole my baby. I should hate her.
Somehow, though, I didn’t. Maybe because despite everything, she was still my sister. There had never been anything like love or even affection between us, but I couldn’t make myself ignore our relation.
Mostly, I was just tired of it all. I wanted her out of my life. That was all. I just wanted to be free of her at long last.
Eva snarled at me when I spoke. “How dare you?” she yelled.
Eva swiped at me with her hand transformed to reveal claws.
“This is all your fault!” she shrieked. “If you had just done what you were told, and kept your mouth shut, this wouldn’t be happening!”
Eva moved to dive across the table to beat me down, just like she always did. I froze up. My body refused to move. I don’t think I was afraid. It was just too deeply ingrained in me to stand still and take it when Eva was angry.
Ethan swept me out of Eva’s reach and held me close against his side. Leo restrained Eva.
Eva struggled in Leo’s grip. She was no match for a battle tested alpha, though. He pinned her easily.
“Unhand my daughter!” Arthur demanded.
He stood up an tried to face off against Leo. I turned my face into Ethan’s shoulder. It was never good for anyone when Arthur was that angry.
“When she stops being an idiot and attempting to assault a healer in her own hospital, I will,” Leo said.
His voice never rose above the soft tone he’d used to ask for a divorce. He didn’t snarl or growl. He was the picture of calm, and it was painfully obvious he was the strongest wolf in the room.
My wolf, of course, rumbled in delight. I shushed her. Yes, Leo was a fine, strong alpha, but that didn’t matter anymore. He knew the truth. He wouldn’t want anything to do with me.
“I’ll contact the archivists,” Ethan said once Eva finally fell silent. “They’ll make their choice and activate the lottery. It’ll take Alpha Titian about a week to reach your territory.”
Leo nodded, and released Eva. Alpha Titian must be the current eldest alpha.
Leo said, “I trust you to be impartial, Ethan, but there’s a good chance you’ll be called to testify. It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to be my choice.”
“It wouldn’t,” Ethan agreed. “I suggest Richard, from the eastern territories. He’s not affiliated with you or with Arthur, and his pack is stable enough that it won’t be a hardship for him to travel.”
“You’ll have to pick an alpha,” Leo informed Eva gravely. “And it cannot be your father.”
Eva grumbled and named one of the alphas her father controlled, Alpha Drake. I wasn’t surprised.
“The council will convene in my territory, in one week,” Ethan declared, “I will stand as host.”
And that was it.
End of Surrogate for My Brother-in-law Chapter 71. Continue reading Chapter 72 or return to Surrogate for My Brother-in-law book page.