Running with the Pack - 35. Chapter 35

Mary checked Casey and Ethan for injuries even though she knew there were none. Motherly instinct required it, and she would not be denied her duty. Satisfied with her sons’ health, she moved on to the rest of the carload. Trevor and Aiden were used to this treatment, having dealt with things like this while growing up. Cody found it quite amusing, and Darius rolled his eyes and resigned himself to the fact he could not get out of it. Rafe patiently waited his turn along with Kate and Weylin.

Craig approached his son and pulled Aiden into his arms for a much-needed hug. “You had me and everyone else so scared. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to see you again. It’s good to have you home.”

“Thanks, Dad.” His voice shaky with emotion, Aiden returned the hug.

Rafe stood before Trevor, Cody, and Darius. “I’d say thank you for bringing my boys back safe but given everything lately, that just wouldn’t be the right way of putting it.” He first pointed at Trevor. “You’ve been a part of the family since you were a pup, but your actions are no less appreciated.” He turned his attention towards the two hunters. “The support and devotion you two have given everyone in this family throughout this ordeal means you’re now a part of the Tucker clan as far as I’m concerned.” The stern enforcer gave Darius and Cody a hard look. “Before you say anything, it doesn’t matter you’re not wolves. It doesn’t even matter if you like it or not either. You’re stuck with us. You’re family now, so deal with it.” Rafe extended his hand to Darius as if to shake, but once their hands clasped, he pulled the tall blond into one of his bear hugs. Cody and Trevor received the same treatment.

“So, I guess it’s Uncle Rafe and Aunt Mary now?” Cody’s usual, lighthearted jokes always elicited smiles. He leaned in and whispered in Casey’s ear. “Does this mean we’re going to be committing incest a little later?”

Casey’s eyes dilated, his pulse quickened, and his cheeks flushed while he tried to pretend nothing was amiss. All he could say was, “Yup.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m honored to be a part of your clan.” Darius dipped his head in respect. “Traveling around trying to find more of my kind I never expected to find my home or family, but all of you have made this place just that for me.”

Craig and Aiden took a few steps away for a private conversation. “How are you doing?”

“I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened, but I think I’m okay. We’ll see how I’m feeling in a few days. All that matters is I’m home with Ethan and the rest of you.”

“Marsha will be getting here the day after tomorrow, so we can spend time with you both and help out around the pack as much as we’re able.”

“I’m really happy to have you here, Dad.”

Rafe wrapped Casey and Ethan in his arms. “You boys did good. I’m proud of you both.”

“Thanks, Dad. Ethan did most of the work. Here I thought I was supposed to be protecting him, and he pushed me out of the way of getting hurt. Not sure how many bullets he took that would have hit me. His wolf sure as hell knows how to fight.” Casey ruffled his brother’s hair.

Ethan placed his hand on his brother’s arm. “You did protect me though, just like you always do. You were at my side, keeping other wolves off me so I could focus on moving forward. I couldn’t have made it through that without you. Or what you did to get me to eat.”

The family moved things into the house’s warmth. Mary fawned over Cody and Darius; when she was not, Casey had his arm wrapped around their shoulders. Her motherly smiles made them all blush.

Trevor eventually excused himself so he could spend time with his parents before he returned to school. Ethan latched onto him in a tight embrace. No words were spoken; there was no need. They would always be there for each other.

******

“Gentlemen.” Alpha Stockdale addressed his counterparts via video conference. All seven leaders of the other packs in the assault logged in for the meeting. “So far this operation has been a major success towards the peace and security of all the packs in our region. I realize there were a few who didn’t want to get involved, while others would only provided logistical support. That was their choice. We all knew doing this ourselves we would piss off some in the Lycan Council, and others didn’t want to take that risk. While our teams finish going through the town and bunker, the search for any useful intelligence and evidence that can be used later continues. However, we’re left with the issue of what to do with approximately seventy men and women taken into custody. I’m already holding seventeen who were captured when we were attacked. At present, I don’t know what their final fate will be.”

One of the Canadian alphas spoke. “Do we indefinitely imprison these lycan? Do we try to rehabilitate them? Perhaps just kill them outright? Or hand them over to the Council for trial and let the bureaucrats make them disappear?”

“I’d say execution is the likeliest scenario since I have my doubts Council prison would keep them locked up for long.” John’s harshness did not appear to sit well with the others. “Maxx, you had a good point in our private conversations earlier. Would you explain it to the others?”

“So far, all we know is each of those shifters are part of the rogue gang. The ones taken prisoner during the attack on us, Ember Moon, and Parker Valley have definitely committed crimes. Some of those taken into custody at the town might have committed crimes against other packs at some point, but so far we don’t know. And we might never find out.” Maxx leaned in towards the camera, placing his elbows on the desk. “I’m not willing to vote to arbitrarily execute them just for belonging to a pack that by our definition is a criminal group. At least not yet.”

There were nods of agreement from the fellow leaders.

Dave Redmond from Ember Moon flipped on his microphone. “Do we have any data yet on what percentage of these people are lunis or possibly omegas?”

“What does it matter what type of lycan they are? Or what ranking? A criminal is a criminal in my book,” an alpha from New York stated flatly. “We’ve been living in fear of that gang for some time. For all our pleas for assistance, it took an attack on Parker Valley for anyone to take notice.”

“Alistair, I for one am sorry we didn’t act sooner. Or attempt to bring the regional packs together to deal with this. We’ve always believed things like this would be handled by the Council.” John paused momentarily. “Given our size here at Parker Valley, I should have taken a more active role in helping our neighbors. Sometimes without realizing it, we still cling to the old beliefs of survival of the fittest.”

“I don’t blame you directly, John. You are several hundred miles away from my territory. It’s not like I’m a close neighbor to you.” Alistair sounded flustered. “I’m just frustrated it’s taken so long but grateful the raids might finally be at an end.”

“My point, Alistair, is based off the initial debrief of one of the hostages.” Dave picked up a report off his desk. “He mentioned the rogue leader claimed to have built his gang by taking in those who were shunned or banished from what he described as respectable packs. This gang leader alleged to have exploited their lack of a pack, and took them in. He taught them what they needed to survive in his world and made use of their resentment for being cast away. I would hazard to describe him as Fagin of the Artful Dodgers. Perhaps a few of the lycan he’s taken in were more Oliver Twist than hardcore believers.” Dave fell silent for a moment.

“I’ll concede some, or even all those banished as described, could have been legitimate exiles for criminal or other disruptive reasons.” Dave observed the faces on his monitor for their reaction. “Wolves especially are social animals though, and to survive we need a pack. Without one, many go feral or just give up and die. If, and I’m just throwing out this possibility. If some of these lycan joined the gang as a result of not having anywhere else to go. Not having a pack, whether from being exiled for being born lunis or considered an omega. It seems we have a responsibility here to try and rehabilitate any we can.” He sat back waiting for the others to consider what he said.

“How can we know for sure if the information gained from the hostage debrief is even accurate, or if he was fed a line of bullshit?” There was anger in the voice of the Canadian who spoke. “What about the non-wolves we captured? Do we simply ask each prisoner if they felt lonely before joining a gang of thugs?”

“I get that we’re all mad and frustrated with the situation but listen to what I said.” Dave ran his hand through his hair to alleviate his frustration. “All I’m suggesting is we investigate instead of considering a mass execution of those involved. Just because I’m a predator and felt the blood lust when my pack was attacked doesn’t mean I want to arbitrarily kill all those involved. Even if it’s the ultimate outcome.”

“Gentlemen, it’s still the early stage of the investigation.” John Stockdale decided it was time to reenter the conversation. “My personal opinion here is based on my pack recently starting to take in stray lunis. As well as a few lupus we’ve encountered who didn’t have a home. What Dave is suggesting doesn’t seem out of line. Given the choice of going it alone, possibly turning feral from a solitary life or having a home regardless of what it makes you do, most social animals would choose the pack. I’m sure there are some who joined strictly because they have no respect for others, and I’d have no problem terminating them. But as Dave said, if some fell into this gang because of exile due to their species or rank, we should try to help if they’ll agree.”

“Dave makes a valid point.” An upstate New York alpha interjected. “I’ll admit our pack used to banish anyone it found to be a lunis, and I know some still do. The old way of thinking said they were a mistake or some sort of evolutionary defective shifter for being unable to take a full lupus form. The last one born here was well before I took over, and we don’t currently have any living within our borders. My roommate in college one year was a lunis who turned out to become a great friend all through school. He was from a more accepting pack, but it was still rough for him.” He hesitated for a moment. “Since we don’t have any lunis here, the subject of changing our laws has never come up. Though in retrospect I should address that. I will concede that for some shifters like the lunis, who’ve been chased from their home for the way they were born, even a life among criminals would be preferable to going it alone.”

Bringing the video conference to a conclusion, John shared his final thoughts. “We still have a lot of work to do. All our packs are working together in a way we rarely do. I’m sure this will end up pissing off the Council when they figure out we’re not going through them. I for one would like to keep this matter and all related decisions on a more regional level for our own safety and security. I’m but one vote in the decision though. We should hopefully have the data collection completed within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. That gives us some time to make a decision on what to do with the rogues we’ve captured. Thank you all for your efforts in this. If there is nothing else, I bid you all a good day and look forward to our next meeting.”

******

It was the first chance Darius had to visit the jail since getting home. He nodded to the guard as he entered the main cellblock, picking up a chair as he headed towards the prisoner he came to see.

“Since you’ve returned, I trust your trip was a success?”

“Yes, it was. We were able to recover everyone that had been taken and got out without any deaths on our side.” Darius sounded happy.

“So your young friend’s back home with his mate. That’s good to hear.”

“I wanted to thank you again for helping us. The information you provided made much of this possible.”

“Seeing your friend for who he truly is, I could not sit by and not help. I still would have assisted most likely just due to his nature, but one so rare as him…” Gaelan fell silent for a moment deep in thought. “It’s easy to understand why so many different species of shifters are surrounding that one. Why you devote yourself to his protection. The old stories I know tell of how those of the elements like him were the friend to all shifters without exception. It was their kind who are said to have brokered the end of the wars among the gods. And they taught old enemies how to live together.”

“I heard some of those stories as I was growing up. Ethan doesn’t know why he’s drawn to all shifters, but he embraces the differences in all of us. He tries to see what’s special about each. His indirect influence on the friends he keeps caused the alpha here to extend membership in this wolf pack to all species of lycan living within the territory.”

“I never much believed those old bedtime stories, until now. Seeing the sadness in his eyes as the ice formed around him at the thought of his mate… It made me realize just how ashamed I am of who I’ve become. I know my end is near. No pack could overlook my crimes, but at least I’ll go with a lighter heart having met one such as him.”

“Wait for the outcome of your trial before you prepare yourself for the end. You may yet be surprised, and I will gladly speak on your behalf.”

Both men fell silent.

******

Ethan was curled against Aiden as they laid in bed. It was the first time they had been home since the attack, and if felt nice to be in their own bed again. The clock on the nightstand showed it was well after noon when his eyes finally opened. Unless there was a need, neither had any plan to get up. They were still tired from using their alpha hybrid for a prolonged period of time, and Ethan doubly so for having done so many healings in such a short time.

Seeing his big bad was watching him, his curiosity finally won out over the need to get more sleep. “How’d you pull off the flame armor? Or what looked like a sword?”

“I’m not really sure. It seemed to just happen. I kind of thought you did it. Especially after you showed up in your ice armor swinging that sword.”

“Seeing you like that was almost exactly how I pictured you when I carved the pumpkin of your alpha for Halloween.”

“Maybe when you bit me during our mating you passed some of your abilities on to me. Like I did with you.”

“Now that I’m remembering more, it was strange seeing your eyes red. The glow was brighter than I’ve ever seen when they turn amber. It was even brighter than the night you bit me.”

“I didn’t realize they’d gone red. I could feel a tremendous rage flowing through me. I was afraid the other hostages might get hurt. It also pissed me off that I was getting hit with silver bullets since those things hurt like hell. Even with the pain and the anger, there was a flow of energy I’ve never felt before, and things started bursting into flames. It didn’t take long to figure out how to direct it onto a target. Then the armor formed, and no more bullets got through to me. Guess that gives new meaning to the term seeing red.”

“It was really cool to see you like that. I know I scared a few people by going all human torch in the bar. Well, wolfie torch since I was in my hybrid already.”

“I don’t know if it was because of some gift you gave me, or if you were causing it in other ways. It did make it much easier to protect the others. Seems like we balance each other in everything. Your wolf is white, and mine is black. You seem to favor ice, while I took on fire. I guess we’ll never really know for sure, and I’m okay with that. All that matters to me is we’re back in each other’s arms where we complete one another.”

“When we first figured it out with me, you taught me strong emotions brought it on. You said you were filled with rage. Maybe it’s the same for you. It kind of makes sense since we were made for each other I could pass some of my own abilities on to you. After all, you did turn me into a wolf.” Ethan laid quietly for a short time, wondering about something else. “Did you… Did you have dreams while you were gone that seemed like you were looking through my eyes?”

Aiden propped himself up on an elbow. “Yes, I did. How’d you know?”

“I was having those dreams too. The first couple days they scared me enough I couldn’t sleep. I did everything I could not to sleep so I didn’t have more nightmares.”

“I just figured it was my imagination telling me you were safe. I needed to believe that to get through each day, or I would have given up.”

“It was weird seeing the chain holding you to a chair with a strange man talking to you. The first few scared me the most though. It was pitch black, but I could hear weird stuff in your voice. There was a flash of bright light that woke me. Next, I remembered it was dark, but I could see chains on you. I’m not sure if I was looking through your eyes or down at you. You had chains on, and it felt like it was burning on my wrists and ankles. Next time I closed my eyes, everything was dark. It was like I could see you dreaming. Oh, that chair I saw you in, it’s in a million pieces now. My wolf smashed it.”

“For me, it was as though I was seeing what you were seeing. I knew you were at the Tucker house, and I could hear Mary trying to get you to eat. It seemed like once or twice I was looking at you, and you had the most hauntingly empty look I’ve ever seen.” Aiden pulled Ethan extra close and kissed the top of his head. “You might have been sitting in front of the mirror or the window in their living room.” Aiden sniffed a few time, and wiped a tear from his eyes. “The ceiling in my cell was reflective. I laid there several times staring at myself, wishing I was with you. When I woke there the first time, I was blindfolded. I remember a little, like not being able to move, but I couldn’t focus on anything. It’s all still hazy. Later, they woke me to meet the gang leader. After that, the blindfold was off, the room was dim, and I had silver laced cuffs on. It burned me too. It wasn’t until after they put me in the chair for the first time they removed the cuffs.”

“When I finally told the others about my dreams, and why I wasn’t sleeping, Grandpa Weylin said there were rumors alpha pairs sometimes develop a type of mental connection. But that no one really knew for sure since alphas don’t talk about it.”

“I guess it’s just another mystery with us. It did give me the strength to stay calm, and not do anything stupid. I’m not going to say I liked it there, but those conversations I was having with their leader were interesting. I’ll probably never know how much of what he said was true, and how much was to see if he could get me to join up with them.”

“One of the times I couldn’t stay awake any longer, I kind of remember you talking to him. I don’t really remember much of what was said, but it seemed like a friendly conversation. It wasn’t an interrogation like I would have thought. Did you guys talk about Battlestar Galactica? What’s babylon five?”

Aiden gave a little laugh. “Yeah, he would throw out some sci-fi reference, and Battlestar Galactica was a common point of interest. B5 is another cool space show. When he walked into the cell, there were bright lights shining in my face. He asked how many lights I saw. I didn’t get what he meant until he mentioned Star Trek. Remember the video clip we ran across on YouTube?”

Ethan nodded. “Maybe we can cuddle on the couch and watch some episodes of Battlestar or that other one. For being a big, badass, tough guy, I know you like those shows, and are a huge sci-fi geek at heart. Plus, I’ve never seen them.”

“I’d like that. I think you’d enjoy them. I’ve got a lot of TV shows and classic movies to introduce you to: Forbidden Planet, When Worlds Collide, Star Blazers, and a lot more. I hate to even suggest this, but maybe we should get up and get something to eat.” Aiden’s stomach growled, and his pup’s soon joined the chorus.

******

“Sir, the coalition of packs finally pulled out this morning. We were able to get our first people into the site to see what’s left. It appears they were quite thorough.”

“It took long enough. They’ve held us up for a fuckin’ week. Were you able to recover anything from the bunker?”

“No, sir. They had a demo set off charges inside as they were leaving. The entire underground complex was destroyed. The blast was substantial enough to bring everything down, and it took a good portion of the town when it collapsed in. What areas we could gain access to had absolutely nothing in them. Everywhere else is too unstable to attempt to enter, or there are still fires burning. From the surface, it looks like a mine collapsed under the town. We’re not sure what they used for blasting, but it was enough to register with the USGS as a man-made earthquake.”

“That’s unfortunate. The facility wasn’t cheap to build and would be expensive to replace, provided we could find another suitable location. There are going to be a lot of unhappy people if they find out their merchandise was lost or taken. Especially if their investment isn’t returned. I’m sure a few will so be nervous they could be exposed. Keep your ears open, and let me know if it seems like they found anything of use to tie that group to us.”

“Understood, sir. Two humans and one shifter believed to be couriers arrived to pick up a shipment while we were there. They were dealt with, so there should be no questions. I’ll keep some people there for a while in case any stragglers show.”

“Now, what can you tell me about these two wolves I’m hearing reports about? All sounded a bit miraculous. Also, claims that ferals were cured. Our best people have tried for years to create a cure with no luck. Not like there’s any profit in curing that vermin.”

“The information is sketchy at best, and most of what we heard is impossible. Like the cure for ferals. If even a fraction of the information is correct, it sounds like they are both extremely powerful. More than likely, some of the lycan drug was released into the air handling system of the complex during the fighting, and people were hallucinating. We’ll still check it out. Always good to know who the strong are since they make good allies. Our people aren’t entirely sure which pack they’re from. We’re trying to get better intel on them so we can ID them, and put our resources into watching that pack closer.”

“Good. I want to know if they are a potential threat to us, or an asset we can exploit. Let us know if Jean-Pierre makes contact. That bastard had better be grateful we tipped him off before those do-gooders went in and wrecked everything.”

“I’ve sent a message for him through the normal channels, but he hasn’t responded yet. If he made it out alive, he’s probably trying to lay low for the time being and will make contact when it’s safe.”

The line went dead without further comment. “Good talking with you too, sir.”

Looking at a monitor of the outer office, he turned up the volume when he saw his assistant answer the phone. ”Director of Council Security’s office. No, I’m sorry, the Director is currently in a meeting. May I have him call you back when he’s free?”

******

Two days after getting home, Ethan and Aiden walked into the medical center accompanied by Casey and Cody. The Doctor and staff were happy to see them since they weren’t equipped to handle as many patients as they currently had. Everyone was resting comfortably, although space was cramped. Where there would usually be one person, now there were six to seven. Ethan set to work right away, taking it one room at a time. Doctor MacRae would explain to everyone Ethan was there to help them, and they could trust him. A few were fearful but nodded. As the blond teen neared the first patient of the day, the guy appeared to be barely older than him.

Ethan could smell the fear rolling off his trembling patient. His voice was soft and calm in hopes of putting the man at ease. “I just need to put my hands on your head and maybe on your chest. Is that okay? You should feel better when I’m done.”

Getting a nod, Ethan reached out. They stared at each other as he began his work. The more Ethan’s eyes glowed, the patient’s look of fear faded and was replaced with wonder.

As Ethan was finishing, he spoke again. “You’re going to go to sleep now, and when you wake up you should feel better. Hopefully your mind won’t be cloudy.” Moments later, as he pulled his hands away from the young man’s head, Aiden and Casey helped the unconscious man lie on his cot. Ethan spent around enough time with each person to make sure it was a thorough job. Since this was a follow-up visit, he did not need to use as much of his own energy to complete their healing process.

By the time he was finishing with the third patient, one of the nurses walked in to give him something to drink. “You’re to take at least a ten minute break before you do the next one. Doctor’s orders. And I’m supposed to watch to make sure you listen.”

“I’m doing okay. Not dizzy at all today.”

“That’s why he told me to stand here and watch. Said you’d say you’re okay and try to go right back to work.”

Ethan crossed his arms and tried to look unhappy, but he accepted the tea the nurse had brought him with a smile. Aiden tried not to laugh. Casey and Cody failed to hide their enjoyment. Another nurse came in and began logging the vital signs for the three Ethan had already worked on. When she finished, her male counterpart in the room nodded.

“I don’t suppose music is allowed?” Ethan gave his most innocent look hoping to get his way. “It seems awfully quiet in here.”

“Whatever you do, don’t look at him.” Aiden teased. “No one can resist his use of the puppy wolf eyes.”

“Could have warned me before I looked. I’ll see what I can do.” The nurse left. A few minutes later, he returned with a player and a small speaker. “The doctor said we could use this as long as we keep the volume down.”

As the music played, Ethan got back to work on the next patient. The blue glow of his eyes showed bright. It felt like the music made his work go smoother and quicker. After another thirty minutes and three more patients completed, he pointed to the speaker. “What band is that? They’re very good.”

“It’s a group from Pittsburgh called Candy Apple Blue. I ran across them when my old college roommate told me I should listen to a show on an internet station. The show has this cool DJ named Jaggy with a sweet southern accent, and a voice that lights up the room. Rumor has it he’s a golden lunis. His show’s really good, and he plays some great music I haven’t heard anywhere else. Instead of just spinning tunes, and maybe giving the name of the song here and there, he talks about the song and the groups. Giving more information than I’ve heard anyone else do.” The nurse was excited telling someone new about the group and his favorite DJ. “Anyway, he was playing a few songs from Candy Apple Blue and between tracks was talking about their music and how great the people involved in the group are. Between really liking the music, and them being a local group, I started buying their songs to add to my music collection. Besides, one of their featured lead singers, Nick Bramlett, is a total studmuffin.”

“I like it a lot. Their music makes me feel good and was helping me concentrate on healing. These guys seem to like it too since they’re smiling. I’d kinda say listening to them was giving me an energy boost.”

“They’re good. Candy Apple Blue makes me think of those beautiful sapphire blue eyes of yours and the way they shine.” Aiden turned towards the nurse. “You said they’re from Pittsburgh? I’ll have to get the information on the station and DJ Jaggy when we’re done. Would be cool to listen to him.”

The nurse nodded as they moved to the next room.

“Maybe if they perform locally, we can drive down and see them live.” Aiden kissed the back of his mate’s hand.

******

The pack did not wait long to deal with the Michael issue. Neither the Council, nor the alpha wanted this hanging over Parker Valley any longer than necessary. John considered issuing and carrying out an order for summary execution based on Michael’s actions following exile, and he would have been perfectly justified in doing so. However, he always advocated that everyone was entitled to a trial. He could not turn his back on that ideal now. John felt what his son had done needed to come out. There would be a trial, even if the verdict was already written. He would not pass the responsibility to others for what he knew was needed.

As captured rogue prisoners were processed and interviewed, any who talked and appeared to have knowledge of Michael’s arrival and subsequent activities were placed in a separate holding area. Additional interviews were rapidly conducted, and anyone believed to have information was transported to Parker Valley. Members of the coalition packs escorted the prisoners and remained on hand to ensure their own interest were looked after. Within a week, everyone was notified the trial would commence immediately.

Helen Vale was called out of judicial retirement to sit as lead judge at the behest of the alpha. She knew her role as judge was to ensure proper procedure was followed. The Alpha privately mentioned he wanted it to be as fair a trial as possible. He knew the verdict would be guilty, and he would carry out his son’s execution at the conclusion.

The community hall was packed the day the proceedings began. Everyone wanted to hear what would be said and what had been planned. The people wondered if he would even take the stand to defend his actions. All the pack hoped this wouldn’t destroy either of their beloved leaders.

“Michael Garrett Stockdale, you have been brought before the pack and this tribunal so we may consider the charges which have been brought against you. Based on statements taken, you are charged with enlisting the aid of rogue forces to attack this pack. Attempting to contract for the assassination of its alpha and luna. Attempting to contract for the kidnap and murder of two of its members. Providing information and support to an enemy pack. Being directly responsible for the attack, which lead to the deaths of ten pack members and the kidnapping of twelve more. The prosecution would very much like to tack on charges of violating the agreement of your exile. However, that matter will be left to Lycan Council courts to decide. How do you plead on the charges against you?”

“I am the rightful alpha of this pack and have returned to take my place as leader following in the footsteps of my ancestors. I do not recognize your authority to charge me with anything. I expect you all to kneel and show respect to your alpha.”

“The defendant’s unwillingness is noted, and a plea of not guilty is hereby entered on his behalf. The defendant has refused the assistance of legal counsel. A lack of defense may end up hurting you. We will only be able to base our decision on the prosecution’s case. Unless you wish to mount your own defense. If you wish to reconsider legal assistance, now is the time.”

Michael refused to respond.

Judge Vale nodded to the prosecutor. “Mister Richards, if you are ready, the prosecution may present its first witness.”

“The pack calls Raphael Bouchard, former first lieutenant of the rogue gang identified simply as The Organization. We would like to note to the court no plea deal, or offer of leniency has been extended to this prisoner.”

A man was brought in and placed in a chair and had his shackles secured. Aiden watched; his mind drawn to when he had been brought into Jean-Pierre’s office and likewise restrained.

Judge Vale addressed the prisoner. “Mister Bouchard, I want it made clear you have been made aware charges are likely to be brought against you for your involvement in the attack on this pack, and any testimony you give might be used in evidence against you.”

“I understand, Your Honor.”

“You may proceed, Mister Richards.”

The prosecutor stood before the witness. “Mister Bouchard, were you present at the time the defendant arrived in your town and first approached your former employer?”

“Yes, sir. He walked into the bar like some cocky frat boy out to win a bet with his buddies. He was told he’d best turn around and walk out. But he indicated he’d stay as it appeared to be the place he was looking for.”

“So he was intentionally trying to find your gang? Did he make any requests or indicate what he was looking for?”

“It appeared so. When we asked him if he was looking for trouble, he just laughed and said he had a potential business deal to discuss with whoever was in charge.”

“Did you hear what this business proposition was?”

“He wanted assistance at getting back at his father and the pack or watching it all burn. Wanting to take the pack by force and thought we could help him.”

“What reason did he give for wanting to go after the pack?”

“Claimed another wolf and his human pet got in his way of becoming alpha. He offered a trust fund in exchange for our help and said there would be plenty more if we killed his father. Pretty much told our leader to name his price.”

“Were there any discussions on what he wanted done to the wolf and human he mentioned?”

“He wanted the human gang raped by our people before being slowly put to death in front of his mate. Then give the wolf an equally painful death.”

“Did your employer seem interested in helping him?”

“We were more interested in the trust fund he was bragging about. Turning him into our bitch for a while was a bonus. The drawback was he enjoyed what we did to him. Took all the fun out of it. We really didn’t expect to get any useful information from him. We were curious if he could provide us intelligence on your pack. To see if attacking you would be profitable for our style of business.”

“And did the defendant provide you with information on our pack?”

“Yes. He was continually giving information on security he knew about, locations of targets, you name it. We drugged him to see if his story would change, and it remained the same. Right down to how often the alpha pair traveled with guards. He just kept going on about how he was going to retake what was his or hoped we decimated the pack and left nothing standing. If he couldn’t have it, he wanted everyone dead.”

“You mentioned drugging him. To the best of my knowledge, there are no known drugs which would work the way you describe. Lycan by nature are not susceptible to such things. Would you please elaborate?”

“One of our business ventures was the distribution of a drug engineered specifically to have an effect on lycan. A light dose makes the lycan high similar to humans and their drugs. A heavier dose makes them very compliant and easy to manipulate. Not that he needed any. He was more than happy to assist with or without the drug. We mostly used it on him to keep him quiet.”

“Why are you providing us with this testimony?”

“The attack I ordered on you, over my leader’s objections, led to the loss of life for a lot of our gang members. People I knew. I realize it also led to a loss of life here and in the other two packs. As callous as it sounds, that’s generally the outcome from an encounter with us. It also led to your assault on our town, causing more loss of life for people I know and the destruction of my pack. It seems he’s the common enemy of both our packs. Given what I’ve done, I have no expectation my life will be spared, and I’m not sure I want it to be. But I would like to know the one who put both our people on a collision course gets his dues.”

“Why didn’t the order come from your leader? Why are you claiming responsibility for the attack?”

“We had all our assets in place for a raid against you. I thought I saw an opportunity to impress him or replace him if I was successful. He decided it wasn’t worth the risk to us and planned to cut our losses. What I saw as weakness for not striking was his understanding of the battlefield. He was away on business, and I gave the order to go in.”

Seven more gang members testified against Michael, and the prosecutor indicated he had another eight if needed. Some stated how they were present when Michael gave pack security details to the gang, and others about how he gave financial information on the alpha pair. Several confirmed Michael repeatedly talked about how he wanted Ethan tortured as violently as possible in front of Aiden. Everyone who testified stated how they loathed Michael for the type of person he was. When they realized they had the Aiden he had been talking about, they could not help but admire the young deputy. Even if some were jealous of the interest the gang leader took in his captive.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I think that is enough for today. This tribunal stands in recess until tomorrow morning at nine.” Judge Vale brought the day to an end.

Jackie sat quietly in the front row next to John, listening to the evidence given against her son. Her emotions remained guarded as she heard everything he had done. As the tribunal concluded for the day, and Michael was being escorted out, nobody noticed her right hand shifting into a paw. Or the razor sharp claws extending from the tip. She had always stayed out of the political and administrative functions of the pack. Instead, she remained the faithful and devoted mate to the alpha; giving her advice in private when needed, and doing all she could to support her husband and the pack in public. It took everyone by surprise when she stood as Michael was marched past her. Her paw rose high as she prepared to strike.