Trial of Fates

Chapter 14

A/N In honour of Halloween, here's an extra chapter of ToB! Hope everyone had a spooktastic night!

The hostess waves them inside. They slide into a dark leather booth in the corner. She can tell the silence has fallen around them as the sound of the music fades away. There's a tablet on the table to order food so they don't even need to speak to a waitress. Natania absentmindedly scrolls through the menu, selecting some meat-heavy dishes and slides the tablet to Branson.

He barely glances at the tablet, selecting something seemingly random and shoving it aside. "I just don't see why he would hurt you, who he loves dearly, when he treats the pack like his own children." Branson says, his tone argumentative. "Nat, no one goes hungry in winter, he worked on expanding the road himself. He personally trains anyone who's willing. Hunts with the entire pack, and he actually changes the pack rankings to reflect someone's merit. They're not just set in their parent's rank. And anyone is welcome to bring their concerns to him."

Natania scowls. "I did most of that, except the road." She hadn't even considered trying to expand the road, not that she was trained in construction. Natania had done her best to ensure no one starved to death in winter, to her father's disapproval, but that didn't mean they weren't hungry.

"You did," he says. "He does it," he pauses, contemplating, "uh, better."

Natania grumbles under her breath but lets it go. "What rank are you now?"

"Fifth," he replies, with a burst of pride.

"You were third in my pack." She points out.

"Yes," he agrees. "But we both know I didn't earn that rank. My only merit was being your foster brother. This time I earned it."

"That's not true. There's more to the pack than hunting and fighting."

"I know. That doesn't change the fact that you wouldn't have picked me if we weren't raised together. Don't bullshit me Nat," he says when she starts to cut him off. "I'm not offended by reality. I was weak and could barely stand on my own two feet. I've grown a lot these past few years and I'm proud of who I am now. I don't need you to protect me anymore."

Natania doesn't have a good response, in reality, he was right. She would have ranked him around seventh, if she hadn't had personal feelings on the matter, so she changes the topic. "Look, I'm not saying he's not a good alpha, he is. And I'm glad you're happy. But I'm not exaggerating when I say he will kill me if I go back." She raises her hands at his protest. "Maybe not on purpose, but that doesn't change the outcome."

"The pac-"

"The pack didn't reject him!" she shouts. He flinches at the sudden volume and she quiets her voice. "Why do you think I kept disappearing?"

"You were sick," he replies, with the utmost confidence.

"We don't get sick that often, Branson." She taps on the table with her fingers. "I didn't get sick for twenty years and he shows up and I'm sick every two weeks?"

A blush creeps into his cheeks. He doesn't look at her as he replies, "I thought you were pregnant."

It's Natania's turn to flinch. "Only once," she mutters.

Branson glances at her inquisitively. Natania realizes she had never heard Rig tell anyone why she had been bedridden the month after the incident. She had thought he'd told them she was grieving the miscarriage, that's what he'd told her, but she'd never told anyone in the pack in the time before she had run, and no one had ever asked about it. Maybe only Rigaldo himself and Rolf knew what had really happened.