Feral Bonds

Chapter 59

Natania walked to the middle of the valley, her small pack keeping pace behind her, and glared over the collection of wolves that had gathered. Over a hundred, her estimate had been off. She recognized some of them, Alistair, Alexandria, Iris, Noah, Tyson, his father Reagan, and his uncle Tristan. Alicia, Gerald, Barry, Jasper. Her lip curled when she took in Rigaldo, his silver pelt seeming to glow in the darkness.

Tristan stood in the center and she halted a couple feet in front of him. "Greetings," Natania said as her pack spread out behind her, a pitiful number of them considering the horde they were facing. Gretchen walked to her side, but halted slightly behind her when Natania blocked the way with her tail.

"Greetings," Tristan said, straightening his posture. "As there is no animosity between us, I was nominated as the speaker of this council of purebloods" He glanced over her. "I assume you already know why we're here."

Natania flicked an ear. "You think I violated pack law by refusing to take a pureblooded mate, refusing to bear a child and by taking a female to mate, by taking a witch to mate."

"Yes," Tristan said. "And by murdering your kin."

Natania lashed her tail. "I attacked those who intruded on my territory with the intent to kill me and mine. That is not against our laws." She flashed her fangs. "And I was freed of my obligation to mate and bear children when I became sterile."

"Since when?" Rigaldo spat, taking several steps forward.

Tristan bared his teeth at the silver wolf and he halted, but didn't return to his place in line.

A growl rumbled in Natania's chest. "Since you broke every bone in my body," she snarled.

"I neve-"

"Oh really?" Natania closed her eyes, grabbing the mind of every wolf in the clearing and forcing the memory into them, forcing the pain into them. "I must be mis-remembering."

"Guess you'll have to kill me then."

"I don't need to kill you, to break you," Rigaldo snarled, hovering over her in a hospital bed.

Waking up to Rolf rebreaking the bones in her legs that didn't set properly. Rolf's horrified voice. "He broke pretty much every bone larger than a fingernail."

When she set them free the wolves shot disgusted and horrified looks at the silver wolf, and a notable space opened up around him. Rigaldo glared at her with enough hatred to melt glass. She raised her head higher, but her attention was on Tristan.

"If you don't believe her," Rolf growled, stalking forward with his head lowered. "I can witness the years of injuries she suffered at his hands."

Rigaldo curled his lip. "You worthless lying traitor."

Tristan roared, "Quiet!" He glanced at Rolf. "Half bloods have no voice here, but... I believe you." Rolf bowed his head and retreated back behind Natania. "We will deal with this blatant mistreatment of a mate after." He curled his lip at Rigaldo for only a moment, then turned back to Natania.

Tristan met Natania's gaze, his eyes full of pity. "I recognize your freedom from the requirement to mate and bear children." Then he straightened and his gaze hardened. "But you have still endangered the packs by allowing a witch to bind you."

"The binding was taken willingly," Natania told him, "to protect my people, should I lose control."

Tristan blinked in confusion, then seemed to understand. "I see." He grimaced as he added, "Then you are also a danger to us."

"I'm not a danger to anyone who doesn't threaten me in my own home," she snarled. Shadows tried to trickle out of her paws and she curled her toes to hold them back.