Shattered Pack

by Erin, Aileen;

  “I don’t know. But it’s not just Theron she’s killed…”

  Wait. What? “What do you mean it’s not just Theron?”

  “I don’t have any evidence.” Ciara laughed harshly. “Vivian made sure of that well enough. When my father was murdered, I was devastated, but I didn’t imagine her scent all over my parents’ rooms. It was there. She had an excuse at the ready, but it was bloody convenient.”

  Oh God. Her dad?

  “When my younger brother was found in pieces… I was sickened. Wracked with grief. I couldn’t even begin… But she was murdering my family, and no one did a fecking thing. Not a damned thing.” Her voice shook as she spoke. Tears of anger and sadness rolled down her face. “When I spoke to Donovan, he dismissed me. Every friend I turned to denied the truth until it was me against her. I was galvanized to keep up what I was doing. I had to make the pack see that Vivian was mad, but she flipped everything I said and made them think I was mad. The harder I tried, the worse off I seemed. And of course, they thought I’d lost my mind. I was making myself crazy trying to find proof of her wrongdoing and ranting at anyone who would listen.” Ciara took a second to catch her breath. “There are some who know of her actions. Who see through her. But they’re not enough. Especially not when Donovan backs her time and again.”

  I couldn’t believe that Donovan wouldn’t see through Vivian. Especially if everything that Ciara said was true, and I didn’t doubt her. She wasn’t lying. I’d have been able to smell that on her. There had to be something else at play here. I just didn’t know what, and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around what she was saying. At least not yet.

  I grabbed the tissue box on her desk and held it out to her. “How’d you end up here?”

  “I was cut to the onions, you know?” She said as she wiped her face. I had no idea what that bit of Irish slang meant, but I nodded. “I still had my mother and sister, but I didn’t think Vivian would dare touch a female. It’s just not done. And I couldn’t let her get away with her machinations. But when my sister disappeared—” Ciara took a shaky breath. “She was found tortured. Raped. Beaten. And I nearly died myself. I’d never hear her laugh again. Never see her sweet smile. And it was my fault. If only I’d let it go.”

  “They didn’t…” No one would do that to a female. Not in our community.

  “It wasn’t Weres who got her.”

  “Who could kill a female Were?” We were strong. No human could get the upper hand.

  “Who do you think?”

  Another supernatural. But any pack would start a war over a missing female. “Did they ever find the attacker?”

  “That’s a question for your mate. By the end of it all, I was declared a rogue female. Not allowed to leave the pack, but not welcome at any pack gatherings. No one would speak to me about anything of substance. When I had nothing left, I ran away. My mother’s still in Ireland. I tried to convince her to come with me, but she refused. So, I left on my own. Came to America. Your father found me staying in a horrible motel. He listened to my story and took me in, but you’ve been my salvation. As a little girl, you’d pull on my skirts and cry when your mum upset you. I’d dry your tears and we’d bake cookies.” She grabbed my hand with both of hers. “I cannot let the same thing happen to you. I wouldn’t survive it.”

  I couldn’t believe everything that she’d been through. That I was so clueless about it. She said that I’d been her salvation, but if I’d known, maybe I could’ve done something. I didn’t know what, but the thought of losing a mate was horrific. She’d survived against all the odds, and my respect for her grew tenfold. I certainly wasn’t that strong. If something happened to Donovan, I didn’t know what I’d do.

  Shit. What was I walking into?

  Cosette was right. The Irish pack was a mess, and even if only one small part of Ciara’s story was true, Donovan wasn’t just too busy to do his duties as an Alpha, he was completely negligent. How did he not know what was going on in his own pack?

  The last thing I wanted to do was start a battle with a mad she-wolf. Because when Weres went bad, they didn’t do it by half measures. Mad wolves lost all sense of reality and succumbed to their baser wolf emotions. They were what humans called psychopaths. They didn’t have a conscience and didn’t know right from wrong. They only knew what they wanted, and they wouldn’t let anything—or anyone—stand in their way.

  That was why places like St. Ailbe’s existed. Weres who might go mad could be singled out early, retrained, and shown how to keep the madness at bay. If that didn’t work, then they had to die. There’d be a tribunal, and the person making the accusation had to have three examples—solid proof only, no hearsay or rumors—of their madness. Then, once everyone said their piece, including the wolf in question, the pack voted on whether or not the Were had gone mad. Once that happened, the Seven would take care of it. It usually took more than one Alpha to kill a mad wolf.

  Maybe I could stand up against Vivian if she wasn’t mad and didn’t have the support of the pack, but if she was mad… I didn’t have a hope of winning against her, even if I was more alpha. She’d be too strong. Not until Donovan and I had our ceremony, and he wasn’t going to schedule that until after I met his pack. That gave Vivian plenty of time to poison them against me.

  I rested my elbows on my knees and cradled my head in my hands as everything sank in. “What am I going to do?” Because any way I sliced it, I was screwed.

  “I don’t have any advice to give. I’m sorry. If I’d thought of a way to prove Vivian’s madness and give her the end she deserves, I’d have done so already. All I can be is a cautionary tale and hope you delay going to Ireland for as long as possible.”

  Being Donovan’s mate was going to be trouble. If I’d known what I was getting into—

  No. That wasn’t right. Even knowing what Ciara had told me, I wouldn’t give him up. If Vivian wanted a fight, then she’d get a fight. But I needed an explanation from him. I had to hear his side.

  You okay? Donovan must’ve felt my worry.

  We need to talk.

  Are we okay?

  Ciara told me some concerning things.

  Ah. I wondered when we’d have a chat about this.

  That took me by surprise. A little warning would’ve been nice.

  I’ll be waiting for you in your rooms.

  Then it was true. Not that I doubted what Ciara just told me, but I’d been holding onto a tendril of hope that there was some sort of misunderstanding.

  I felt him switch his focus and took a breath. When I glanced up, Ciara’s lips were pressed so tight they were turning white.

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “You have to be. You’re the closest I’ll ever have to a daughter. If something were to happen to you…”

  “Love you, too.”

  “Then you best take care of yourself.” Ciara got up, brushing her skirts straight. “If there’s anyone who would be helpful—who you could trust—look up Saoirse. I’m not sure if she’s still with the pack, but she might be.” She gave me a satisfied nod as if to say she’d said her piece and was moving on. “I’ll see that some food makes its way to your room.”

  “Thanks.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her I wasn’t the least bit hungry after hearing her tale. Instead, I let Ciara hurry off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  My trek back through the estate was slow. I knew I had to talk with Donovan, but I wasn’t sure where to start so I took my time, meandering my way back to my room. The whole time I walked, I tried to process everything that Ciara had been through. The story blew my mind. It was a huge feat that she’d survived everything Vivian had done to her. I’d always known Ciara was strong, I just hadn’t realized how brave she was.

  And I couldn’t ignore the fact that Ciara had given me a second warning about the Irish pack in as many days. It felt as if fate was knocking, and I had no choice but to open the door. Avoiding any trips across the ocean was the best option for now. Ther
e was no rush to complete our bond. Donovan had said that over and over again. For the first time, I wondered why he was so adamant that we wait.

  Did he know that there was a mad wolf in his pack? And if so, what else was he keeping from me? Because that was kind of a big deal. If this relationship was going to work, I needed full and complete honesty.

  As I made my way toward my room, I swore that I’d get to the bottom of this. If not for myself, for Ciara. She was a kind woman who’d put up with all of my endless crap with a grace I could only hope to emulate. Eventually, I’d be joining the Irish pack, and when that happened, I was going to be ready. Mad wolves and all.

  Chapter Seven

  Donovan was waiting in my rooms as promised. I closed the door and leaned back on it as I tried to figure out where to start.

  “It’s not as bad as you’re thinking,” he said

  “Really? Because it sounds pretty terrible.”

  “’Tis, but…” He stood up from his perch on the foot of my bed. His dark hair was still damp from his shower, and his frown was particularly pitiful. “I know Vivian is a problem, but I haven’t felt comfortable doing anything about her. I—” He crossed his arms. “God. This is bloody awkward. I slept with her a long time ago, and I regretted it immediately. She’s used it as a weapon against me for ages.”

  “A weapon. Why? How?” That seemed pretty impossible. Donovan was the Alpha. She couldn’t order him around, and it wasn’t like Donovan had some weird fetish or something she could lord over him.

  “I left before Vivian was awake, hoping to pretend it’d never happened. That hurt her feelings, and she threw a bit of a fit.” He said it very matter-of-factly, but I had a feeling that “bit of a fit” was a massive understatement. From what Ciara had said, the woman was totally batshit. “I felt horrid for hurting her. She thought it meant much more than it did. I didn’t think I’d given her that impression, but…”

  I laughed. “She was playing you.”

  “I realize that now, but I didn’t then. I was so distracted by the responsibility I’d taken on by joining the Seven that I couldn’t fully see what was in front of me. By the time I did, it was too late to do anything about it.”

  Under all the power and easy smiles, Donovan was a genuinely nice guy. If he thought he’d honestly hurt Vivian’s feelings, I could see why he’d let her get away with too much. But what Ciara was accusing was pushing the limit of what was acceptable. He was the Alpha. It was his job to keep his wolves in line, especially when pack members were turning up dead.

  “Did Vivian murder Ciara’s family?” I held my breath, waiting for an answer and hoping that Ciara had grossly exaggerated.

  “Honestly, I don’t know for sure—I’ve not one single shred of evidence—but my gut says Ciara’s story is fact.”

  The air rushed from my lungs. He was letting a murderer roam free? “Why haven’t you done anything?”

  His eyes widened. “Without proof? I’m one of the Seven. The way I act and lead my pack serves as an example for every other pack on this planet. If I start acting on the whims of a Were half-gone with grief over the loss of her mate, killing another Were with not a shred of evidence, then what does that show to everyone else?”

  Shit. He had a point. “Let’s leave proof out of it for now. Is Vivian mad or just evil?”

  “Vivian’s mad.”

  I stomped over to him and gave him a shove. “You idiot! If she’s a mad wolf, then you have to take her out. Everyone knows the rule. A mad wolf cannot live. To hell with proof.”

  “I agree,” he said calmly, taking my hand. “But I uphold the Law. That’s my job as one of the Seven. If I kill her without the proper tribunal and proof, then I call into question everything that the Seven does. I don’t have any proof that Vivian’s mad, and if I kill her without it, what’s to prevent someone like Imogene from calling Tessa mad and taking the matter into her own hands? Every feud would end with someone killing another Were and getting away with it. The wolf was mad. They had to be taken care of.”

  I backed away from him. “How long have you known?”

  “A long time.”

  “Before you slept with her?”

  “No. She hid it well.”

  This was a huge problem. “Why did you sleep with her in the first place?” I didn’t want to know the answer, but I needed to know.

  His regret and guilt came through the bond, sinking like a weight in my stomach. “It was a very, very long time ago, and I was lonely. I’d just joined the Council. It was harder than I thought it’d be. I was stressed and confused and trying to sort it all. And fuck it, I just needed someone to talk to. And she was there. Bloody convenient, too…” He rubbed his forehead. “Ciara might not know it, but I worked hard to figure out what was really going on. I’d been called away on Council business when her mate and father were murdered, so I wasn’t there for all of it. But I tried to catch Vivian. This was before you could put up cameras everywhere and have proof. I took time off from the Seven and tailed her. I had others watching her when I wasn’t around. She never made a move until I called off the watch, and then something would happen. I even put Vivian in solitary for a while. I interrogated her for days on end, but she never broke. Her scent never smelled of lies, and the pack backed her up. Eventually, I had to give up or I’d look mad myself. I believed Ciara—in my heart, I knew she was right—but I hadn’t any proof. So I got her someplace safe before Vivian could do anything worse to her. Why do you think I asked your father to take Ciara in? To let her be as she wanted and not force her to join the Wayfarers?”

  I sat down on the bed as I thought. The fact that she wasn’t tied to us—the only female allowed to be lone—made so much more sense. Donovan had ordered it.

  “I wasn’t close with your father. He’d only gained the pack from his father a few years before, so I thought Ciara might trust him. He agreed as a favor, which I’ve yet to repay. But I gave her my protection. I’ve had my second watching out for her mother. I won’t let her lose anyone else. But I don’t have any bloody proof. No one has seen Vivian doing anything against our Law. She’s covered up her scent, not left a strand of hair, and no one will come forward with anything against her. I need three pieces of evidence to call the tribunal and I haven’t got even one. All I have is what Ciara said, and she didn’t see Vivian committing these murders. She’s just assuming a lot of it.”

  So we needed proof. I could put cameras throughout the stronghold. I’d catch her. “You know she’s probably causing all kinds of problems while you’re away.”

  He laughed bitterly. “She’s causing massive problems. Has been. There are constant rumblings along the bonds, keeping me up at all hours. I’m breaths from the pack blowing up. It’s a right mess, but I haven’t the time to fix it. I’m rushing all over for the Seven. And now the problems with the fey… I don’t have time to catch my breath. And yes, I know Vivian’s goin’ around tellin’ people that she’s my bloody mate, but ‘tisn’t true. Everyone who has half a sense knows that. And once you and I are mated, everyone will see through her lie. It’s not worth the fight.”

  That stung. It felt like he was saying I wasn’t worth the fight.

  He sighed. “I’ve hurt you now, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

  I waved him off. “It’s fine.”

  He hissed. “Kiss of death. Isn’t that what you call that word?”

  “Aye.” I copied his accent. “It ‘tis.”

  He sat next to me. “We don’t need to go to Ireland for a while. If I get called back, I can go without you. Just give me some time to take care of this problem, and you won’t have to deal with her.”

  I squeezed his hand. “You idiot. Your messes are mine now. We’ll deal with it together.”

  He shook his head. “Vivian’s an extremely clever wolf. I don’t want you anywhere near her.”

  I gave him a shove. “Hey! I thought you said I was strong.”

  “It’s not to do with you,
but more with her. You can’t predict what Vivian will do.”

  “Donovan. I’m a Wayfarer.” I could help him. Fixing packs and taking care of mad wolves was in my DNA.

  “Yes.” He grinned. “I’m aware.”

  “You know that means that I’ve seen mad wolves and packs in all kinds of distress. Right?”

  “Aye. I do. But Vivian’s different.”

  “No. She’s not. I was there with the Ohio pack two years ago. Remember when the Alpha went crazy and killed all but two of the females in the pack? He’d been using his power to get other people to do the killing for him. It was sick what he did to those Weres.” I shuddered as I thought about it. “And the Florida pack?” Donovan winced. “Yeah. I saw that happen. That human he dismembered? I talked to him just before he murdered that guy. I know what being mad is. They always trip up. You can always find some reason to call the tribunal.” There were differences in each case, but at their core, mad wolves were always the same. “Do you think maybe you’re too close to the situation to see a way through?”

  “I don’t think so, but I can’t rule it out.” He leaned into me. “You sure you want to be my mate. Mess and all?”

  “Yup. I’m in.” I pressed my forehead against his. “I can help. Trust me. It’s going to be okay.”

  “I’m worried for you. Cosette gave you that bloody coin—” His fingers brushed my wrist and the chain that held the coin in place. “—and I know that I have to protect you from all of this.”

  “Don’t worry so much.”

  His eyes glowed blue. “It’s my job.”

  “You need fewer jobs.”

  He collapsed back on the bed, pulling me down on top of him. “Yes, but I happen to enjoy this particular one.”

  He was changing the subject, and I let him. It was enough for now. But I wasn’t giving up on lightening his workload. The Irish pack promised to be as much fun as Cosette had warned me.