17. Loyalty

Chapter 17

Loyalty

Titus

T he moment Seventeen tells us we’ve been called to the Great Hall, I know another Trial is about to take place.

I keep catching Sinclair giving me these long, inquisitive, thoughtful looks, like she’s trying to reconcile the man I’ve let her see with the man who’d check on her grandma.

Now is no different. We’re the last pack to arrive at the Great Hall, and she’s surveying me from the corner of her eye. I wonder if she’s figured out the elevator getting fixed was me too. Pretending I don’t notice, I look down at the polished marble floors.

I remember how my blood looked pooled on the glossy surface after being lashed, how slippery it became, and an uneasy feeling sinks into my stomach.

The packs are standing in distinct clusters, but Paisley immediately waves Sinclair over to her alphas and her.

My hackles rise when I see the Beryll alphas after everything they put us through, whether intentional or not. Well, they did intentionally lie about Sinclair’s whereabouts so they could gather information to lord over us for the Intelligence Trial. But I can tell Paisley’s friendship means a lot to Sinclair.

I’m not saying I trust her completely, but I won’t discount the value a friend can play in a place like this. Especially for Sinclair; she has— had no allies before us. At least me my brothers and I always had each other.

“Do you know anything?” Sinclair whispers, gesturing with a nod toward the Cyan and Azurite Elder standing in the front.

“Only that it’s a Trial,” Paisley responds quietly. “There’s only Loyalty and Fortitude left.”

I make eye contact with Bishop and Ecker, and we share an unspoken word of solidarity. Whatever it is, we will get through it together.

“Noble alphas and omegas,” the Azurite Elder begins. “I’d like to first congratulate you on making it this far in the Trials. You have all succeeded in proving your Courage and Vigilance. Now it is time for you to prove your Loyalty.”

“A long speech on the virtue of loyalty is not necessary, for it is one of the innate principles all great alphas are born with,” the Cyan Elder continues. “It is our nature to band together, to form packs, families , but that does not mean it is always easy.”

I crack my knuckles as I consider our Intelligence Trial assignment. How loyal is it to spy on our own members? Or to lie about it being a one-time break from tradition when we now know the Berylls were assigned to us? It makes me wonder if all the other packs were told the same thing, fed a crock of shit.

I know the Echelon is full of two-faced hypocrites, but somehow I’m still surprised every time they show it.

Or maybe I’m amazed at how blatant their double standards and backward morals are. Yesterday was the most shocking example: the Cyans getting away with drugging and brutally attacking our omega without consequences or retaliation.

“By now, all of the omegas have been mated to one or more alpha within the Trial packs. The resulting alpha aversion is quite severe among nobles. A fact we were reminded of at the last brotherhood night.” The Cyan Elder doesn’t even try to be subtle as he cuts his gaze under his mask to the Cobalt pack.

I was sickened, but unfortunately not surprised, when I heard what happened at the brotherhood night with the Cobalt omega after we left.

The Cobalt omega puts on a brave face, lifting her chin stoically, but pain weighs down her features. Sinclair, on the other hand, doesn’t bother hiding her feelings on the situation with the most repulsed look on hers.

Though I may not always agree with her methods, the girl has a fiery passion for justice that is admirable.

“If courage and fortitude, intelligence and vigilance are the bricks that make up our foundation, loyalty is the mortar,” Azurite projects as if giving a campaign speech, polished and strong.

“To test your loyalty, we will ask one thing of each of you.” 1 My heart pounds as he draws out the final instructions. Ecker and Bishop are tense and ready next to me, Sinclair tucked protectively between them. “Give us permission.”

The doors under the balcony open, and more Elders in gold masks and black cloaks like for the ceremony come out. Two Elders from the four families create an imposing row behind the Azurites and Cyans.

My stomach churns at the insinuation of all ten of them lined up, only to be confirmed when the Cyan says, “All of us.”

“ Jesus Christ . . . ” I exhale, and similar hushed sentiments of shock murmur through the packs.

Sinclair turns to Bishop, genuine horror in her eyes. He shakes his head assuredly. “Not a fucking chance.”

“Will the aspiring Cyan alphas please step forward with your omega,” Azurite summons.

Yves and the other two move to the front to face the Elders. Merigold trails slightly behind. Eric grabs her arm and drags her in front of them, and her eyes fall to the floor and there’s a nervous shake to her hands.

“Yves and Eric Cyan, as the bonded mates of this omega, do you grant us permission and unconditional access to enjoy the pleasures of your omega?”

“I’m gonna be sick,” Sinclair hisses under her breath. If it wasn’t such a vast room, it would probably be audible in the dead silence.

Yves rolls his shoulders back and sniffs before saying without hesitation, “We do.”

A collective gasp leaves the crowd, and waves of aggression and protectiveness emit from the other alphas.

“Very well then.” The Cyan Elder holds out his hand to Merigold with a lecherous grin curving under the golden beak. “Come with me, dearie.”

This is utter insanity .

My blood heats and my pulse thrums, adrenaline already pouring into my bloodstream.

Merigold takes the Elder’s hand and hesitantly lets him pull her away from her alphas, her mates .

“How can they do that?” Ecker balks as Merigold looks over her shoulder at them, fear and heartache in her eyes. None of her alphas move a muscle.

Merigold and the ten masked Elders disappear into the room under the balcony.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of the opening door instantly silences the hushed clusters of conversations that broke out since they went in. 2

The Cyan Elder walks out, straightening his tie, while the Azurite smooths his tucked in shirt. He and the Cyan are the only two not in black cloaks, and I’m sure the fact they waited to make these adjustments until they were in full view was wholly intentional. It’s these subtle shows of power that the Echelon is so good at wielding. Small but constant reminders to make sure you never forget whose heel you are under.

Merigold is next to walk out. My stomach sinks upon seeing her state. Her normally high and tight ponytail is loose with strands falling out. The left strap of her dress is frayed and barely staying together. Mascara streaks from her eyes, and a fresh red handprint lights up her cheek.

She walks to her alphas with her shoulders curled in and rubbing her wrist. Angry red stripes wrap around her wrist and ankles where they must have held her down, already turning to bruises in some places.

Yves tries to wrap his arm around her shoulders when they step back to join the rest of the packs, but she pushes him away and rubs her teary eyes.

“This is so fucked,” I scoff in disbelief.

And then our names are called.

Every one of us goes rigid with tension as we slowly make our way to the front. I don’t know what’s going to happen when Bishop and Ecker refuse to give permission, because there’s no way in hell they ever would.

Maybe they will give us lashes or some other painful form of humiliation in reprimand. No matter how bad the consequences are, it will be a hundred times more sufferable than turning Sinclair over to these wretched men.

“Bishop and Ecker Cerulean, as the bonded mates of this omega, do you grant us permission and unconditional access to enjoy the pleasures of your omega?” The Azurite presents the same request.

“Hell no,” Ecker spits, and Sinclair audibly exhales. Though I’m sure she never expected anything different, her relief is still palpable.

“You understand your Loyalty Trial’s success is dependent on your answer to this request?”

“We do,” Bishop says stoically. “Out of profound and undying loyalty to our omega, we knowingly refuse to grant permission.”

My heartbeat pounds in my ears as I work to think of another way out of this that doesn’t put Sinclair on the chopping block but keeps us from completely failing the Trial.

There’s only one thing that comes to mind, and when the Azurite and Cyan whisper something to each other, I know our time is running out to make a move.

So, I step in front of Sinclair and drop to my knees.

1. “Start a War” by Klergy, Valerie Broussard through end of chapter

2. Continue playing “Start a War” by Klergy, Valerie Broussard through to next chapter