She furrowed her brow as she tried to work out whether William being here was helpful to her cause. It would surely be difficult for him to speak against her when she knew he was betraying the High Council. His association with the rebels, her father included, was treason. Perhaps he would support her bid to remain here on Taar-Breck for fear of what she might say if he didn’t. Then again, he was a slippery character, so she couldn’t rely on him being on her side.
As he and Andrew Rossingham entered the chamber, she felt a sense of relief. The sympathetic glance William cast in her direction told Lottie he would give her a fair hearing. She was less confident when she saw Andrew Rossingham in the flesh for the first time. She’d seen him on newscasts but in person he appeared even taller, broader. The traditional robes he wore emphasized his Taar-Breckian heritage and the human traits Lottie was sure he must have inherited from his father were harder to detect. It was going to be difficult to hold her nerve if he questioned her closely.
“Sit down, Ms. Calder,” Rossingham instructed as he took his own seat. “I have no desire to subject you to this unpleasantness for any longer than necessary.”
The warmth in his tone was a surely a good sign but it didn’t help to banish her anxiety. Swallowing hard, Lottie rushed to do as she was told. Her heart beat faster and she had to clasp her hands to stop them shaking. As she looked up into the concerned faces of the two men who would decide on her future, she felt even more guilty about trying to deceive them.
“Lieutenant Duff, would you like to begin?” Rossingham asked.
“Yes, sir. You have on your tablets a statement from Jax Brant and his brothers who categorically deny Ms. Calder’s allegations. Far from exposing her to cruelty, they took her as their mate and have shown her great love and affection. I have also provided you with statements from Victoria Walton and my own bride, Lucy. Both women describe the compassion the brothers displayed toward Ms. Calder as she received medical care here on Taar-Breck.”
Taryn shot her a look of disapproval as she let out a snort of disbelief. She’d known Victoria doubted her word but for her friend to have spoken out against her was hard to swallow.
“In addition to that,” Taryn continued, “you have my own observations on the interactions between Ms. Calder and her mates prior to the explosion on board the Bylanthian warship. I saw no signs of distress in her nor witnessed any unreasonable behavior on the part of her mates. Based on the evidence I have presented, I ask you to rule that Charlotte Calder has falsely accused her mates of horrific abuses. Allowing a woman like this to stay here on Taar-Breck would be dangerous and she cannot be granted sanctuary.”
Glancing over at Taryn, it was hard to believe that the man who’d just argued with such passion to refuse her the right to stay on Taar-Breck was the same one she’d warmed to when she met him at the peace talks.
“We’ve read the statements,” Commander Rossingham confirmed, “and while they are certainly compelling, I would like to hear from Ms. Calder. Tell me, Charlotte, do you stand by the statements you have made accusing your mates of mistreating you?”
Lottie took a deep breath. She could do this.
“I do.”
“And you refute what the other witnesses have said?”
“Yes.”
“In that case,” Rossingham said as he leaned forward to look her straight in the eye, “since it is impossible for us to determine whose account is accurate, one of the parties involved is going to have to submit to further examination. Our truth serum has never been tried on Bylanthians but it has proved highly effective on humans, so I would like you to be tested.”
Lottie couldn’t prevent a gasp of shock escaping her, but she had no time to protest.
“Lieutenant Duff, take her to a private room and see that the test is carried out immediately,” he commanded. “We will decide how to proceed once we have the results.”
As Andrew and William rose from their seats and walked from the room, all color drained from Lottie’s face. There was no way her lies would hold up against the power of a drug intended to induce honesty. She was in big trouble.
* * *
Watching Lottie via video screen, Jax could hardly believe what was coming out of her mouth. It was almost an hour since the truth drug had been injected into her veins and she was still babbling on about how she’d wanted to drive him and his brothers away. At first, she’d been tight-lipped as she fought against revealing her innermost thoughts. Then she’d responded to one of Taryn’s questions and it was as though a dam had burst. Now she showed no sign of shutting up. What she had to say was enlightening. She admitted her lies had been an attempt to fracture their relationship and have them deported from Taar-Breck. Her fear was that she was distracting him and his brothers from a higher purpose, that their love for her had made them soft. Jax was enraged that she’d imagined she was doing the right thing in trying to get them to leave her behind.
He clenched his fists by his sides as he considered her lack of faith in them. She should have known they could be with her without losing sight of their destiny. Conquering their enemies with her by their side had been the ultimate goal. Jax would have made her his queen one day. But she had betrayed the bonds between them when she decided to destroy their reputations to gain protection from other men. No matter what her motivation had been, she would be made to pay for her actions.
“I want to spank her backside raw for this,” Ren said.
“Spanking’s too good for her. We should lock her in a cage and only let her out when we want to fuck her.” Marc’s rage was palpable. “Her lies have shamed us and her behavior has made us look weak. We will have to make an example of her.”
Sadly, Jax agreed. Lottie had done untold damage to their honor with this game of hers. They were going to have to demonstrate to the people of Bylanthia that even their mate was accountable for her actions. Now that her allegations were proved to be false, the Taar-Breckians would never agree to give her shelter. They would most likely return her to him and his brothers to be dealt with.
As angry as he was at Lottie, his heart still lurched when her head lolled to the side. The drug had clearly overwhelmed her at last. Before she could drop to the floor, the medic who was in attendance to ensure her wellbeing during the interrogation caught her. She eased Lottie down and laid her out gently as she slipped into unconsciousness. Jax had to fight the urge to go in there and scoop her up into his arms. She deserved none of his tenderness right now.
Jax and his brothers all looked around expectantly as Taryn came into the room. Waiting for his pronouncement, none of them spoke.
“We see no reason why we should grant her request for our protection,” Taryn said.
Tension Jax hadn’t even known he was holding in his shoulders released and he slumped forward. He’d been watching the situation unfolding so intently these past few days, he hadn’t realized how much Lottie’s actions had affected him.
“What happens now?”
“That is for you to decide but I warn you, if we release her into your care and she comes to any harm, we will no longer support your claim to Bylanthia.”
That was fair, so Jax nodded his agreement. Although they intended to make Lottie sorry for all she’d done, she would come to no real harm at their hands.
“She will pay for her mistakes, but we will ensure she is well looked after,” Jax said.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daen give a slight shake of the head. It occurred to him then that his youngest brother had been more quiet than usual since they first learned of Lottie’s accusations against them. If Daen felt the hurt more acutely than the rest of them, it stood to reason that he would find it harder than the others to recover from this. Jax promised himself he would keep a close eye on Daen over the next few days.
“A shuttle is on standby to take you back to your ship,” Taryn said. “Now that matters are resolved here, I know you will be anxious to leave.”
Jax reached out to
clasp the Taar-Breckian’s shoulder in a gesture of friendship.
“Thank you for all you have done.”
With a brisk nod, Taryn left them. Jax looked at the video screen, to where Lottie still lay, unmoving, on the floor of the interrogation room. She had forfeited her right to rule at their sides. When she woke, she would find her role in their lives had changed.
“We must prepare to leave,” he told his brothers. “Marc, procure some shackles. We have a prisoner to transport.”
Chapter Five
A cold breath of air whispered across her skin, rousing her from a peaceful slumber. Lottie opened her eyes and found herself staring at a cold steel wall. She sat up and found she was completely naked, but for something wrapped around her left ankle. It took a few rapid blinks to clear her sleep-fogged vision and then she saw there was a heavy cuff shackling her. A chain ran from it and disappeared through a hole in the wall. She shifted her foot experimentally and found the restraint to be quite secure. There was enough length in the chain for her to get up and move around, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Her head ached, and she felt a tremor of fear run through her.
Drawing her knees up to her chest, she studied her surroundings more carefully. The room was sparse and gloomy. The only light came in from the corridor, passing through the shimmering energy field that barred the exit. Considering there was no possible escape from the room, the manacle around her ankle seemed like overkill. She realized it was there for a purpose, though—to make sure she knew she was a prisoner.
On the floor in the corner was a drain above which there was a very basic-looking shower. In the absence of any other option, a person would have to both relieve themselves and wash in that corner. She screwed her nose up in disgust at the thought and hoped she would not be in here long enough for it to be necessary for her to use the limited facilities. Her gaze drifted to the ceiling and she spotted a surveillance disk. There would be no privacy in here, but she doubted she would be kept in this horrible little cell for long. If her suspicions were correct, she was on a Bylanthian warship and it could only be a matter of time before her mates came to let her out.
Her heart beat faster as heavy footsteps fell in the corridor outside and she realized just how exposed she was. Anyone walking past could stop and look in at her. There was nothing to hide behind. Her relief when she saw Marc at the doorway disappeared the moment he deactivated the energy field and stepped into the room. In this confined space, he seemed even taller, broader than usual and his presence was threatening. Usually he had Ren by his side wherever he went but tonight he was alone and that immediately put Lottie on alert. It signaled that things were not the same. The expression on Marc’s face was grim and Lottie knew she was in trouble.
“Get up.” There was no arguing against that stern command.
Lottie hopped down off the low bench she’d been sleeping on. Slightly unsteady, she swayed from side to side until she managed to right herself. Standing with her back straight and her knees locked, she studied the man in front of her. Although Marc was the brother who enforced the law and punished Bylanthia’s enemies with ruthless efficiency, Lottie had never feared him. Now, though, the anger bristling off him made her wary.
“Kneel,” he ordered.
“Marc...”
“Captain Brant,” he corrected.
So, he wanted to play it that way, did he? Lottie got that he was angry with her, but it seemed a bit ridiculous to require such formality. Wanting to make the first move toward reconciliation, she took a step closer to him, her arms held out placatingly. He gave a signal she didn’t understand. A split second later, she realized he hadn’t been gesturing to her but to whoever was watching the surveillance feed. She heard a whirring sound and suddenly her left leg was pulled sharply back as the chain around her ankle retracted. Thrown off balance, she spun around and dropped to the floor, landing heavily on her backside.
“For fuck’s sake, Marc,” she muttered angrily as she rubbed her throbbing bottom. “You’ve made your point.”
Before she knew what was happening, she was on her feet once more and being forced to bend over the bench. Her bare breasts pressed uncomfortably against the cold, hard surface as Marc put a hand at the back of her neck to hold her firmly in place. She squeaked when he began to spank her. These were no love taps. He struck her hard, first on one butt cheek and then the other. Lottie wailed and tried to kick out at him. Marc tightened his grip and growled in displeasure.
“Do. Not. Move,” he said, enunciating each word sternly.
Suddenly frightened of what he might do if she continued to resist, Lottie forced herself to stand perfectly still. This was not the man she knew intimately, but she was acquainted with him. She’d seen what Marc could do when angered, had witnessed him tearing a man limb from limb. Physically, she was no match for him.
As his palm rained down blows on her tender flesh, Lottie wailed. Although the spanking hurt, she was more upset by the coldness Marc was showing her than anything. The skin of her bottom flamed with heat and tears streamed down her face. Usually when he disciplined her, Marc would utter assurances, gentle words meant to take away some of the sting and remind her that he was acting out of love and concern. This time, he remained worryingly silent. Lottie’s mind was so overwhelmed with questions about what that meant, she barely registered the pain on her backside anymore.
Almost as quickly as it started, the spanking was over. Instead of pulling her into his arms to comfort her as he would once have done, Marc stepped back and left her to sort herself out. She stood and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Be warned, I have not even begun to make my point,” he said. “Now kneel, prisoner.”
Lottie gasped. He was not even going to call her by her name. This was way worse than she’d imagined. Without hesitation, she got down on her knees and awaited further instruction. She’d enjoyed games of dominance and submission with the brothers often enough for her to know the drill, but there was nothing remotely playful about this. Marc’s demeanor told her he was deadly serious.
“Now, place your forehead on the floor and stretch your arms up over your head.”
As she moved into position so she was bowed down in supplication, she found that putting her arms up like that raised her bottom slightly.
“Clumsy,” Marc scolded. “Get up and try again.”
Lottie struggled to her feet, the cuff around her ankle inhibiting her movements. She took a deep breath and sank to her knees as gracefully as she could before prostrating herself at Marc’s feet. She knew if she didn’t please him with her elegance, he would make her do this all night, so she was sure to move slowly and deliberately into the required pose.
“Better,” Marc said grudgingly.
Lottie allowed herself a small smile for having thwarted his plan to make her repeat the action until she was driven mad by it.
“Now, when I give the command, you will get up and follow me. You are not to speak unless expressly asked to do so. When we arrive at our destination, you will kneel just as you are now. You will behave or suffer serious consequences.”
“I understand,” Lottie mumbled.
“I didn’t ask if you understood. I told you what would happen and instructed you not to speak. You will receive punishment the next time you disobey a simple instruction. Now, get to your feet.”
Lottie scrambled to her feet and waited silently as Marc removed the cuff from around her ankle. Its lock, she noted, was opened by his thumb being pressed against a metal rivet on the side. It was no doubt programmed to read his print or his brothers’. If that was put back on her, she would not be able to get it off by herself. Marc stood and turned to walk from the room. Lottie followed a few paces behind. Her head was bowed, partly because she suspected that showing submission would win her favors from her mates, but it was also out of genuine apprehension. She liked her body but that didn’t mean she wanted to put it on full display for anyone they encountered.
They walked up the stairs onto the main deck of the ship and her heart thudded frantically. They were heading toward the canteen where the men all took their meals. Not sure what time of day it was and whether there would be anyone in there, she took a deep breath. She followed Marc into the room and found it crowded. If this was her penance for letting him and his brothers down, then she would bear the embarrassment with grace. Hopefully, they’d soon be able to put everything that had happened on Taar-Breck behind them.
Men turned to look at her and some made vicious remarks as she made the long walk toward the front of the hall where Jax and the others were waiting. The entire crew, it seemed, had turned out to witness her humiliation. Hyperaware of her nudity, she kept her head low and hurried along behind Marc. A tear sprang to her eye as she heard some remark about the ugliness of her face now that it bore that horrendous jagged scar. It hadn’t been something that bothered her until now.
Some men jeered openly at her and she realized then that she’d only ever enjoyed their respect because Jax demanded they show it. She’d thought of herself as a warrior, fighting alongside them but, suddenly she saw herself as they must have seen her from the start. She was just another feeble woman whose place was far beneath them. Her hopes that she would somehow make millennia of gender inequality a thing of the past seemed foolish now.
“The prisoner,” Marc announced when they came to a stop at the front of the room.
Lottie glanced up to see Jax sitting on a high-backed chair looking more regal than she’d ever seen him. There was no doubt that the man before her was born to rule. Power and dominance radiated from him and she flinched as he directed a stern glare at her. Standing on his left was Ren, whose jaw was clenched tight. Daen was on the other side of Jax but the youngest of the Brant brothers was staring off into the distance as though unable to bear the sight of her.
Tamed by Her Mates Page 5