Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 72

A long silence followed the Elder’s opening declaration, stretching over the chamber like a held breath. Then, the one seated at the center of the semicircle rose to his feet.

He was the eldest among them—his presence calm but commanding. Silver at his temples, a single braid trailing down his shoulder, and eyes like polished stone—he spoke with a weight of authority earned through decades of judgment.

“The Council recognizes that this hearing was delayed as additional context was reviewed in the last forty-eight hours,” he said, his gaze sweeping across the chamber. “This hearing has been convened to examine the circumstances surrounding the rogue Omega brought before us. We proceed now to question those whose testimony may aid in determining the truth.”

He turned his head slightly, the air in the chamber tightening.

“Alpha Garrick Blake,” he continued, gaze steady as it swept toward the opposite side of the room, “you have been called before the Council for questioning. Step forward.”

A quiet shift rippled through the chamber. All eyes followed the movement as Garrick stood.

He smoothed the front of his coat, jaw tense, and offered the Elders a respectful nod. But even from where she knelt, Kaelani could see the rigidity in his posture—the way his steps were too measured, too careful. This was a man who prided himself on composure. And yet, something in his gait betrayed unease.

He walked to the front of the room where a structure waited for him—glass-paneled on all sides, lined with subtle bands of silver and faintly glowing etching around the base. Not quite a cage, not quite a stage—but unmistakably a place of isolation.

A signal blocker. No mind-links would reach in or out once sealed.

A voice rang out from the side—another official, seated at a glowing interface.

“Mind-link dampeners engaged.”

A faint hum vibrated through the chamber as the field activated, casting the enclosure in a faint shimmer. Alpha Garrick entered, the panel closing behind him with a soft, final hiss.

He sat slowly in the lone chair inside. A single beam of light illuminated him from above, harsh and clinical, throwing shadows across his face. He looked toward the Elders with a carefully neutral expression.

But Kaelani didn’t miss the way he avoided looking in her direction.

Not yet.

The Elder’s gaze fixed on Garrick behind the transparent walls.

“Alpha Garrick,” he began, his voice formal but edged with skepticism, “we’ve reviewed the sworn statement you submitted earlier this week.” A glowing slate hovered beside him, its contents pulsing faintly in the air. “You confirmed that Miss Kaelani is—was—a registered member of the Silveredge Pack and has been missing for the past five years.”

Garrick nodded solemnly, hands clasped before him as though in mourning.

“That is correct, Elder.”

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