Bound To The Broken Alpha (Amy and Daniel) novel Chapter 491

491 More Time

97

Finished

1. it. No insignia beyond simple markings. No raised voices. No crowd. This wasn’t for spectacle. It was for record.

Clara was brought in from a side door.

She looked thinner. Her hair was tied back, neat but not styled. She wore a plain gray uniform, no rank markers. Her wrists were free. Her ankles too. That alone told me this was not a performance of guilt. It was a process.

She saw me almost at once.

Her eyes didn’t widen. She didn’t flinch. She didn’t smile. She just looked at me, steady and focused, like she was memorizing the room and everyone in it.

I didn’t look away.

One of the officials spoke. “Clara Elridge, this session marks the beginning of formal judicial proceedings against you under Northern Accord Law. This is not your trial. This is the acknowledgment of charges and the initiation of record.”

Clara nodded once.

“You will be informed of your rights, your restrictions, and the structure of what follows,” the official continued. “You will be given time. You will be given counsel. You will be given the opportunity to respond at each stage.”

Clara’s voice was calm when she answered. “I understand.”

Another official read out the list. Not details. Categories.

“Conspiracy across territorial lines.”

“Facilitation of unlawful detention.”

“Misuse of authority.”

“Collaboration with hostile leadership.”

Each charge was followed by a pause.

Clara acknowledged each one,

“I hear it.”

“I understand.”

“Yes.”

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8:06 Sat, Apr 11

Chapter 491 More Time

Her tone didn’t change.

97

Finished

I felt Daniel’s hand shift closer to mine, not touching, just there. I kept my eyes on Clara. I wanted to see if she would look at me again. She didn’t. She stared straight ahead, listening.

“Do you contest the jurisdiction of this court?” an official asked.

“No,” Clara said.

“Do you contest the validity of the receiving process?”

“No.”

“Do you require medical review before proceedings continue?”

She hesitated. Just for a second.

“No,” she said. “I’m fit to proceed.”

The official nodded and made a note.

“This process

will extend over several phases,” he said. “There will be evidence review, witness intake, cross–territorial verification, and closed deliberation. This may take months.”

Clara exhaled slowly. “I expected that.”

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