Skins & Needles (COMPLETE)

An Unforeseen Ally

Arsen

I was betting Kase knew exactly why I asked to meet up before Charlotte and I even arrived at the clearing. Nathan would have had to tell him something after I left the Pass the previous day, if only to cover my ass. And when we stepped out of the woods, hand in hand, and saw several of the circles already waiting for us, I knew it to be true. Kase stood in a semi-circle with Cael Llywelyn, Raiden Hayato, and even Eryx Arktos. Despite my confidence in Charlotte's innocence, my heart sunk. I didn't want to end the day with my mate and I fleeing Phoenix or dead, but if we had to run, we'd do it together.

"Arsen," Kase said simply, his face crestfallen.

"Kase," I greeted in return. "I see you've already guessed why I asked to meet. Though, judging by the rest of the company, I believe you have the wrong idea."

"That's what I'm hoping," he said, "but there are still rules."

"Are we to believe that you didn't tell Charlotte Andersen the secret of the circles and then grant her your Gift?" asked Cael. From the trees behind the bosses, a few members of each circle watched. Nathan and Adrian, Ryanne and Doran, Tora, and Theodor Arktos. Nathan and Ryanne would vouch for Charlotte if need be, but if the leaders made up their mind to excommunicate us, there was nothing they could do.

"Charlotte figured out the secret of the shifters herself," I told them, and stepped forward with her by my side. Her palm was sweaty in mine, and her nervousness rolled off her in waves, but she stood strong.

"Proof?" Eryx said, his baritone voice resonating through the clearing with just that one word. I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened up the notes app.

"I was getting a tattoo from Charlotte when she asked about us being shifters," I told them. "I started recording when she began giving her evidence."

"Let's hear it, then," Cael said, and I saw Ryanne shift nervously behind him. I hit the play button and handed my phone over to the Llywelyn alpha.

Charlotte's voice played from the speakers. intermixed with occasional prodding from me,. She explained the various reasons why she thought we were shifters, or werewolves, as she'd called us then, over the buzz of her tattoo gun. Kase watched my phone intently the entire time, while Eryx leaned his back against a tree and closed his eyes. When it was finished, Cael handed my phone back and crossed his arms.

"This evidence she has presented seems like careless slips on your part," the Llywelyn boss pointed out.

"She was living with me for almost two weeks due to Thane Nathair shooting her," I pointed out. "How was I supposed to know she would go snooping in my vacuum?"

"Hey," Charlotte protested, but I squeezed her hand to keep her from going off.

"That may be true, but you didn't try to cover it up in any way," Raiden noted.

"He wasn't the only one who slipped up all the time," Charlotte said, and took a small step forward to my surprise. "It was Kase who mentioned my scent. And all of you act like, well, animals around each other. The Nathairs almost told me everything when they kidnapped me too. Don't act like it was just Arsen who made me suspicious."

"Are we really that obvious?" Kase asked with the slightest smile. I felt my heart rate pick up, hope seeping in and making me jittery.

"Kind of, yeah," Charlotte replied, and tugged at her ponytail with her free hand.

"Is there anyone who can vouch for you?" Eryx asked, moving off his spot against the tree to rejoin the other bosses. "So we know the whole conversation wasn't staged?"