Jasmin

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Eric was being good, almost friendly about the whole Council thing. Explaining what things will look like, who will be there; apparently Marcus's parents and an Elder from his original pack. Where I am to look, how to sit, how to address questions, no fidgeting.

"The big thing is that you are not a member, so your words will have little weight. Be polite."

"I know how to be polite." I snap, the whole conversation started on the long bus ride an I am getting tired of it. I know he is trying his best, but my large bag sits beside me. I actually carried it through school all day as I couldn't leave anything in my locker. Fear growing steady all day about what will happen. Why did I say I would come? For him, I love him. I am so scared.

"This is a bit of a problem. No one has talked outside in years, since the days of the nuns and the schools. It is huge that Marcus would do such a thing, especially after he was marked for something before. We all heard the stories of what happened to the kids then, we know better."

"I am not a crazy nun who thinks you are insane and blasphemous. I am not a scientist who wants to cut you open and experiment. I am a teenager who had a boyfriend who ran away from me. He just left me." The last comes out in a barbed, serrated tone. Like I want to use those words to cut myself away from this whole ordeal.

"Thats the thing, Jasmin. I don't think he would ever leave you. Something is wrong." Erics' voice softens, he pats my shoulder. "We have to be missing something."

...

Eric comes in to the meeting with me and we sit side by side. There seems to be a dozen adults ranging in age from thirties to sixties or older. They all seem so quiet. I notice three off to my right who seem to be just a bit distant, disconnected with the large group in front of me. They must be the other pack. The one man, now that I look, really does look like Marcus, the lady gives off a soft and warm feeling, next to the tall muscular husband. The elder is holding the ladies hand and the man sits close enough that their thighs and shoulders are touching.

Marcus' father looks at me and I realize I had been staring. Oh what all these adults must think. I didn't do any makeup so my face just stands out in this crowd as so bright, fair. Everyone has such long hair, even Eric, yet mine I have only allowed to grow out recently to about three inches on top and still shaved short at the bottom, waiting for the top to catch up. I am so out of place. At least Eric's mom lent me a clean button up shirt.

"Eric, please introduce our guest." An older woman on the left said softly.

Eric bowed and stood, pulling me up. "This is Jasmin Thompson, niece of Gretta Mayer..." Oh dear, where did he get that? I tug his hand and whisper as quietly as I can to Eric.

Bluntly truthful. "I have no relation to Gretta. I don't even really live with her."

Eric kneels down; "I need to know who your family is to introduce you."

"I don't have a family." Silence. I really hope they didn't hear any of that. But Eric was not as quiet as I was. I look at Eric and he stares into my eyes a bit, giving me a measuring look. He finally nods. We turn back to the room, no one had moved. My hear beat is fast and all I was trying to do was not allow a lie. Eric told me to be bluntly truthful. I thought letting him introduce me like that would be breaking that trust.

"This is Jasmin Thompson, mate of Marcus Peters." Eric states. The room seems to loose all oxygen. No one had moved, no rustling or even gasps. Yet the pronouncement is met with something that shows true shock. I feel like Marcus' parents are trying to drill holes in me. I stare at the carpet. I wait.

"Welcome Jasmin, to the Minahikwahtik Pack Council." I see Samuel, a friend of Marcus'. I had been introduced to him a few weeks ago, I remember how he smiled at me when Marcus called me his mate then. I remember to look down, but feel my heart slow just a bit. No longer trying to escape my chest. I take the time to focus on my breathing as Eric said that any pauses in the conversation were time to reflect and to just stay calm. I am glad he warned me as it seemed to take forever before anyone else spoke.

"When was the last time you saw Marcus." A youngish man, spoken harshly compared to Samuels soft tones.

I was ready for this. Knew what type of questions would be asked. "Last Friday evening we were spending time at the cabin, we were talking. He left the cabin after supper and I have not seen him since."

"What were you speaking of?" Female, left side, less of a pause. I remember not to raise my head.

"Werewolves. Marcus said he was able to shift, we spoke of that." I thought that short and simple worked with Eric, why not again. Again not a very short pause, guess this may be faster than I expected. The first pause was over ten minutes, I had counted as a way to calm myself, now we are down to two.

"Why do you think he would say such a thing?" Voice sounds like the angry man again, not sure.

"Because Marcus is a werewolf." Again a silence, I continue with my planned words. "He said that before our relationship went farther that he had something to say. There are secrets in both our lives that we need to get through so that our relationship would be strong. This was the next step." The last bit choked me up a bit. There is still so much that I need to tell him. I am ready to tell him. But he isn't here to listen. Why did he run.

"This is not the first time he has disappeared, nor the first time he has flaunted the edicts of our trust." Said Marcus' father. It seems harsh to my ears to have someone speak of their child that way, yet I remind myself that Sally's family is the exception, the golden family I worshiped for the last years in hope my future may be like that. Marcus gave me a different feel for his parents, yet I still did not expect such a cut from him. I stay quiet. Count again.

"This is very different from when he was so young. He was properly punished when found in the community on four feet. He was marked a Rogue at 12 when he hunted man. This is not a revealing of our nature to others, but a bringing in a mate to the pack." A very old man, seated in prominence at the middle of the gathering was quiet and calm. These words confused me and I tried to solve their riddle in the silence, yet the quiet did not last long, I forgot to count.

"She is not his mate." Again, his father spoke. "He spoke of a mate back then too. Of his perfect girl. He mumbled about it for months after we caught him from his first run. He blamed the death of the man on her, someone who we later found out was engaged to a lady and they were looking after her two granddaughters, something about protecting his mate. It never made sense. He is not stable, we had hoped this move would ground him, balance him. Clearly it has not. He is a danger." The last words cut through me, as I am guessing he intended. His anger vibrant.

"Marcus would not hurt anyone." I couldn't stop it. It was quiet, and my mind was spinning. "He would never hurt anyone." This I knew in my soul. He is strong, but so gentle, caring and kind. His anger always there but caged. I had seen how well he can call it back, it never lasted long, always he forgave. David pushed him often, he would be the one to say these things.

His father continues, staring at me with hate in his face, I forget what Eric told me and just watch this man spew evil about his own flesh and blood. "He did, he ripped apart an old man when he was twelve. He ran away as soon as he was no longer watched as closely as he was from his earlier disappearing act. This is not new for Marcus. He hunted, laid in wait, and when no one was around, dragged him into the forest and disembowelled him. We caught up to him hours later, he had shifted back to human and was sitting in the trees screaming that the evil had to die, he had to protect his mate." The mans voice was slicing into me. This didn't sound like the Marcus I knew. He never even raised his voice at the kids in school who were rude to him and Eric for being different. He was not a killer. Tears fell from my cheeks that his father would talk about him so horridly. I just kept shaking my head, it wasn't true. His father, who is staring at me like I am repugnant, just keeps talking. I can not control my breathing, I am gasping like I had just run a mile. "Marcus killed some poor old alcoholic who was trying to better his life, for some non existent girl. Steven Boiko died because of my son." The last bit is yelled into the council room. The last sentence meant to destroy me. It did. The name destroys me.

Steven Boiko. Daddy? The whole world goes black.