USELESS?

31

The following week passes quickly. Tristan and Reine manage to confirm that what we figured out was, in fact, the truth. Justice Helm was indeed the boy in the photos, and Talia's younger brother. We didn't tell her what happened to him yet, but told her his disappearance is part of another investigation.

Joseph and Victor decide to write their own vows, but to also include the basic claiming vows as part of their ceremony. Joseph is extremely nervous about the vows he has written, but won't show them to anyone. Archer and I tease him, suggesting he's made them raunchy.

My parents are arriving this afternoon, along with Joseph's parents and older brother, and Talia's parents. Everything is coming to a head within the next three days. Tomorrow is the rehearsal for the ceremony, with the ceremony the following morning at ten, with a pack feast to follow. Then, my parents, Archer, Jeremiah, Anthony and I will go to the completed arena just before sunset to wait for Dale and his mate.

I think I'm as nervous as Joseph. I can almost feel Angel pacing agitatedly in my mind, ready to get the challenge over with. After lunch, Anthony and I take two pack SUVs to the private airstrip to pick everyone up.

When the plane has landed, we usher Joseph's parents, Isaac and Rebekah Andrews, and his brother Benjamin into the first SUV with Talia's parents, Darren and Selenay Helm. My parents join Anthony and I in the second SUV, so that we can discuss the investigation and upcoming challenge.

As soon as we are on the way, Anthony hands my father the photos we received from Dale. We put the photos in a small album, to protect the photos and make them quicker to go through.

"We've confirmed that the boy in the pictures is Justice Helm, Orion." Anthony tells him. "Brace yourself. Those photos aren't pretty."

My father opens the book, and visibly flinches. As he flips through the photos, his face pales, turns green, then red with rage. By the time he reaches the final photo, his face is nearly purple. He hands the book back to Anthony. My mother gives him a curious look.

"You don't need to see that trash, my love," he tells her. "Have we got confirmation on whether or not the boy was your father's mate?" He asks.

"That's the only thing we can't confirm," I say. "We've found the warlock who enchanted the rings, and Ty purchased them when he was 18, which argues he always planned to choose his mate, rather than accept the one the Goddess gave him. The warlock lives two doors down from the Helms' residence prior to Justice's disappearance, and believes they blamed him for it, hence the move.

"According to the Warlock's records, Justice disappeared about a week after Ty picked up the rings he ordered," I continue. "But since Justice was only 18, he wouldn't have felt the mate pull, so the only one who would have known was Ty, and maybe Dale's father, if Ty told him the truth."

"But at this point," Anthony adds, "we also can't find any other motive for Justice's death. My father was probably angry that his mate was not only male, but apparently human as well. He treated human/werewolf pairings almost the same as same-sex pairings. He would exile them, but in the case of human mates, he'd send them off as 'envoys' to other packs...and make sure they were aware they were not welcome back."

"Well," said my father, "I think the judgement on this is pretty cut and dried. Once we tell the Helms, they should be able to scry for our final answer, but with everything else, that's just icing on the cake. I'll have a private word with your pack historians and your mother after the challenge, and make the official proclamation when I return home. I'm sorry, son."

"I suppose the pack is going to have to be told everything, then" Anthony sighs. "We'll take care of that after the proclamation, so they're not wondering. Though, I'm going to have to talk to Tonia before then"

"You're not alone in this," I remind him. "I'll be here through everything. I know this sounds cruel, but it's a good thing you and Tonia weren't very close to your father."

"You know," Anthony says, "Tonia was firstborn. By law, she should have been Alpha, but our father passed her over. He said our pack would never have a female Alpha."

"Where is she now?" My mother asks.

"Funny enough, her mate is the only child of the former Alpha of their pack, and an omega. So, when her father-in-law retired, he named her alpha, and his son is the Luna. The only reason we have treaties with their pack is because I had already taken over as Alpha here."

"Well, then," my mother smiles, "everything worked out as the Goddess intended. Which pack is she the Alpha of?"

"She's alpha of the Black Moon pack." Anthony says, proudly.

"Hmm," murmurs my father, "Strongest pack in the mid-regions. Impressive. I knew they were one of the few packs with a female Alpha, but I didn't know her background."

"My mother and I are very proud of her," Anthony says as we pull up to the pack house. "The pack was nearly bankrupt and dying when she took over two and a half years ago. Now it's flourishing. She and her mate have two pups, and another on the way."

We make our way into the house, and show our guests to their suites so that they can rest and refresh themselves before the pack dinner to introduce them all this evening. We've requested an extra table be added to the dais in order to seat the families of the soon-to-be mates and our guests.

Anthony's Aunt Kassie and Uncle Timothy, Victor and his sister Tamsen will be sitting with Joseph, his brother Benjamin, and their parents, Issac and Rebekah. From what I understand, Tamsen and Benjamin both lost their mates, and are hoping to meet their second chance mates soon.

The pack dinner goes well, and everyone retires for the night. The next two days are going to be extremely busy.