Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 43 - Blame

With a commanding flick of Edda's wrist, the onlookers hastily dispersed. She slid into a booth carved into the rock, beckoning over a runner, and instructing him to find the Alphas and have them join us.

I nervously sat too. Grateful of the warm, hard, length of Jack's thigh against mine as a wordless comfort.

While we waited, runners appeared with drinks for the table. A bottle of wine, a thick glass decanter of whiskey and of course a pitcher of water.

Surprising me, Jack snatched up a glass and poured himself a huge glass of whiskey. His hand shook lightly as he filled his glass, and I gave his leg a light squeeze.

My attempt to calm him seemed only to exacerbate his anxiety and he drained his glass in one long pull. The clink of it hitting the table drew a curious glance from Edda, but she made no comment.

My father was the first to arrive with another slightly taller man.

Introducing the stranger as Alpha Nick Holton, Julian nodded to me and Jack. "This is my daughter, Charlie and my Beta's son, Jack."

Nick was blonde with striking green eyes. His hair was styled messily and hung to his shoulders. He looked more like the cover model of a cheesy human magazine than an Alpha wolf.

Smiling, the man murmured a "hello". His gaze lingering with interest on Jack.

I looked between the two, trying to gauge if they knew each other, but Jack was looking out into the crowd. An agitated set to his jaw that I didn't recognise, nor could I place the emotion in his eyes.

I followed his gaze and was surprised to see he was watching the incoming arrival of Alphine Rebecca Wren.

She was a bit of a celebrity amongst our kind. Alphine (female Alpha) from the early age of seventeen, she not only took on a tough role, but excelled. Added to that her striking beauty, she was admired by men and women alike.

I swallowed a knot of unease as I felt Jack's thigh go rigid with tension. The blonde slipped herself into the booth to join us. Her white flowing gown, blonde waves, and cornflour blue eyes gave her an angelic beauty.

I swallowed my questions as the last three Alphas arrived.

My father made hurried introductions, keen to get on with the conversation.

Alpha Scott Hall was a barrel of a man. His square jaw and wide shoulders made his short stature look quite stocky, but the kindness in his brown eyes spoke volumes to his gentle nature.

The last two to sit, were Alphines. Although neither had risen to the levels of infamy that Rebecca had achieved.

Alphine Fern Walker was a short, angry looking thing. Her black hair fell around her face in dark curtains, obscuring most of her petite features. She barely grunted as she arrived at the table, sitting with her arms folded and her lips mashed into a thin white line.

Alphine Naomi Hawks was an older lady. Her grey eyes fixed me with a questioning stare as she settled into her spot. The soft lines of her face detailed a happy life with many a laughter line to be seen.

With everyone present, Edda leant forwards, resting her elbows onto the table and steepling her fingers into a thin tipi. "I don't know about you, but when there is fun and dancing to be had, sitting talking business in the last thing I want to be doing."

Not interested in hearing responses, she continued. "Having that said, this needs to be dealt with, and we are all affected. It is time to put old mysteries to bed and fix potential issues..." her eyes landed on me, "...before they become a problem."

My father opened his mouth to speak but she held up a silencing hand. "There are too many egos around this table to have a civilised discussion and I refuse to spend my evening supervising squabbles."

A huffy growl erupted from the tiny demon that was Fern Hawkes. But even she had the sense not to argue.

I couldn't help but be relieved that I wasn't a member of her pack.

"So, this is how it is going to work." Edda slid a steely gaze over us all, pinning us each in place with a straight jacket of pure power. "I am going to speak, and you are all going to listen. And if you have something pertinent to add, you will allow your wolf to light your eyes."

A grimace marred Fern's face. "Pretty much asking us to put out hands in the air like pups?"

The withering look sent her way was enough to end that line of questioning.

"You are all pups to me." Edda dismissed. "Now. The first of tonight's burning questions must be asked... Why did Charlie get her wolf so late?"

All eyes fell on me, most with a look of either shock, disgust, pity, or a mixture of all three.

I felt my wolf stir restlessly in my mind. She had been very quiet recently but now almost seemed to be pacing my subconscious.

The Elder power imbued Edda's next words and sent a shiver running through me. "...And I want the truth. Your wolves will have no choice but to tell me the secrets of your lives."

The runes on Edda's arms seemed to shudder and vibrate, trembling with the Moon Goddess's power.

My wolf whined in my mind, and I felt her pulled to the surface. My eyes suddenly gleaming with her consciousness.

Suddenly I was in the backseat. A position I hadn't consciously agreed to.

My growled words were not my own when my lips began to move. "The blame lies with me. It is my fault."