“What's wrong? Have they made a decision?”
“They're about to make the wrong decision,” Nonny declared, her face filled with equal proportions of determination and anger, “and you and I are going to sort it out.”
I passed Patrick to Misaki and swiftly got to my feet. “Nonny, I'm not sure what I can do.”
Nonny's eyes filled with determination. “Charlotte, you love my grandson, don't you?”
I stared at her for a moment, before I responded. “I do.”
“Will you do anything I ask, if it will save him?”
The answer left my lips before I considered. “Yes.”
She caught my hand, tugging me out of the tent. “Come on.”
Rowena stood up. “Wait, Nonny! What's going on?”
“Too much to explain and we need to get back before my absence is discovered,” Nonny muttered, dragging me along in her wake.
“I'm coming with you,” Matt announced.
“You won't be allowed in, Nick and Rafe have already tried.”
I came to a standstill. “Nick and Rafe?”
Nonny nodded, urging me along. “Nick approached the Tremaine elders, offered Conal a role within the Lingard pack. The elders wouldn't agree because we're werewolf, not shifters. So now, we've got to try something else.”
With one last, confused glance at Matt, I let Nonny lead me from the tent and we kept up a frantic pace through the darkened camp.
“Nonny, I began tentatively, “I don't know how to help. Pack meetings are off limits—”
“I don't give a fat raccoon's butthole about the pack rules,” Nonny interrupted angrily, “they'll listen to what we have to say, young lady.”
I'd never seen this side of Nonny before, she literally bristled with fury and her hot temper seemed as iridescent as the red tiered skirt she was wearing.
She gripped my hand tightly, leading me out of the camp and I followed her silently through the woods, Nonny finding her way effortlessly in the darkness.
Flickering firelight was discernible in the distance as we approached. In the glow of the fire, I saw the Tremaine pack congregated together. Conal stood apart, in front of the elders, standing tall and defiant, his stance giving no indication of his inner turmoil. A flicker of pride flared, knowing he wouldn't allow them to break his spirit.
In the group of elders facing Conal, Kenyon and Ralph Torres were visible, along with some other faces I didn't recognize. Nonny drew me forward until we reached the periphery of the crowd. I was surprised to see Amoux waiting for us, an anxious smile appearing briefly on her lips when she spied us. “They're still arguing,” she whispered, “but tradition is winning.”
Nonny straightened her shoulders. “Wait here, Charlotte. I'll call you when I'm ready.”
Amoux interlinked her fingers through mine and we watched Nonny march through the congregated crowds, creating a tempest of whispers in her wake. The little woman was clearly a force to be reckoned with when she was angry.
Silence descended when Nonny approached the elders. Conal glanced up, seeming startled by the unexpected appearance of his grandmother.
“I wish to speak to the council of elders on behalf of my grandson,” Nonny announced, her voice clear and loud. “Will you grant permission?”
The elders glanced at one another before one of them spoke. “No further arguments will be considered, Juanita Tremaine. We have reached the end of adjudication and are preparing to pass judgment.”
“These comments are pertinent and must be heard before a decision is made,” Nonny insisted, her tone emphasizing she would tolerate no arguments.
The man who'd spoken on behalf of the elders opened his mouth to respond, but Kenyon interrupted. “This is a serious matter. If there's significant evidence we haven't yet heard, surely we have a responsibility to listen before a decision is made?”
I wondered if anyone else caught the brief flicker of triumph in Nonny's eyes before she suppressed it and spoke. “I call Charlotte Duncan before the elders.”
Noise rose among the group, hushed voices whispering to one another urgently. The first elder frowned, his face ruddy with annoyance. “That is unacceptable. Charlotte Duncan is not a Tremaine pack member.”
“On the contrary; Charlotte Duncan is a Sister of the Tremaine pack. Have you forgotten that fact, Kurt Marrok?”
The man puffed up, bald head shining in the firelight. “Of course not, Juanita. But I don't believe—”
“I am the secret keeper – surely you're not questioning my knowledge of pack law? A Brother or Sister of the Pack may be invited to any meeting called by the elders.” She turned to me, beckoning with a finger. “I have invited Charlotte Duncan to this meeting.”
I recognized the name of the man who'd spoken, but not the face. A glance across the group of elders located the person I knew as Marrok. He was the one who had caused so much trouble when we'd first suggested moving everyone into Zaen, refusing to accept the mark of the wing. And then, when I'd spoken to everyone after the Naberius attack – that had been him again. A quick glance between them confirmed the two men must be brothers because they resembled one another so closely. Glancing from him to the man who'd spoken to Juanita, I tried to get the situation clear in my mind.
“Kurt Marrok is the elder who spoke with Nonny just now, he's the leader of the elders. His brother Udolf is the one who's the real troublemaker, but I suspect they've joined forces,” Amoux whispered. She patted my shoulder reassuringly, propelling me forward. “Good luck.”
I walked past the crowd, aware of curious stares. Nausea welled in the pit of my stomach. I had no idea what Nonny intended to do, or what she expected of me.
I sought out Conal instinctively and he gazed across the distance, his features softening into more relaxed lines as I approached. For a minute, we watched each other and no words were needed. I hoped Nonny's plan was something brilliant because the thought of losing Conal was agony.
Nonny offered me a bright smile and I came to stand beside her, wondering if I was expected to say something. Did she think I knew what to do? Panic rose in my chest, blossoming into relief when Nonny spoke.
“Esteemed elders of the Tremaine Pack,” she began, “I implore you to consider further pertinent information before judging my grandson.”
“Go ahead, Juanita,” Kenyon agreed, and I caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
Nonny's voice was reassuring when she spoke. “Charlotte, are you aware of what the elders intend to do tonight?”
I licked my lips nervously and inclined my head. “They plan to remove Conal from the pack.”
“You understand what censuring is?”
Again, I bobbed my head and glanced at Conal. He threw me a subtle wink and nodded imperceptibly, and I suddenly felt much better. Whatever Nonny was planning, I would follow her lead if it meant the elders might be swayed. I returned my attention to Nonny and saw her watching me, suddenly understanding that she wanted me to explain my knowledge of censuring. Taking a deep breath, I began to talk. “Censuring means the pack member has to leave the pack forever, leave behind everything they know, everything they love, to be cast out from the security of the pack. They cease to exist in the eyes of pack members.”
“We know this, Juanita. What is your point?” Kurt Marrok demanded.
I decided on the spot that I disliked Kurt Marrok, as much as I disliked his brother.
Nonny pierced him with a steady glare before she returned her attention to me, taking a moment to compose her next question. “You are in love with Conal Tremaine?”
“Yes.” Instinctively, I sought out Conal's face again. He met my gaze, his expression filled with love.
“When did you first realize you were in love with my grandson?” Nonny questioned gently.
Blushing furiously, I wanted to look away from Conal, wanted to run away from this blunt question, asked in front of so many curious onlookers. People who were aware of my complicated past with Conal and L
ucas. What would they think, if I told the truth? Would they understand the decisions I'd made, the choices which had shaped my life, to the point I was at in this moment? Conal's gaze remained firmly focused on mine, as though he was passing on his strength through sheer willpower. I willed myself to speak the truth, to do whatever it might take to save him. “Almost from the very minute we met,” I answered quietly.
“You were kidnapped by the shifter, Laurence Armstrong, held with Conal. You loved him then?”
I shut my eyes for a moment, nodding curtly. “I didn't recognize it as love then. But yes, the attraction towards him was extremely strong. We had a powerful connection.”
Nonny eyed me cautiously, and I dreaded what might come next. “How can that be? At the time, weren't you in love with Lucas Tine, the vampire who fathered your child?”
I gulped down air, trying to regain my composure even as panic bubbled to the surface again. Nonny appraised me calmly, her eyes focused on mine. Shameful tears brimmed against my eyelashes. “Yes. I was in love with Lucas.”
“Juanita, I'm having trouble understanding where you might be leading with this line of questioning,” Kenyon warned, his eyes filling with sympathy as he watched me struggling to maintain control of my emotions.
Nonny patted my shoulder. “I'm sorry, Charlotte. I'm truly sorry to raise this subject when you've endured so much grief in your short life. But it's important that the elders understand the ramifications of your relationship with both men.” She turned towards the elders, raising her voice. “I want to ensure that you understand what happened between Conal and Charlotte. Conal has advised you that he found his life mate in Charlotte; he has given you his reasons why he won't marry anyone else. What you're seeing and hearing from Charlotte confirms what she would have struggled to identify, not being a werewolf. I believe Charlotte found her life mate in Conal, but she had no way of recognizing him as such.”
“This is nonsense, Juanita,” Kurt Marrok blustered unhappily. “Humans do not have life mates.”
“She's not human,” Nonny counterattacked immediately. “She is Nememiah's Child. While not recognized as supernatural, she is undoubtedly not human.”
“We have no evidence to suggest that Nememiah's Children took life mates,” Ralph Torres said carefully. He cast a compassionate eye over Conal and then me. “If we could find proof, it should be considered.”
“I'm not sure it can be considered,” another elder argued. “The debate here is whether Conal has broken pack law. Whether he has found his life mate is unimportant. He's expected to marry a werewolf. A pureblood female. Whilst I sympathize,” the man looked over his glasses at Conal, “and I wish I could find a way to overlook this issue, I'm not certain that Conal finding his life mate in Charlotte is enough.”
Disappointment slammed into my lungs when I understood Nonny's attempt to fix things was doomed to failure. The pack wouldn't consider her argument, weren't willing to change their minds. Conal and I stared at one another, lost in each other's gaze while Nonny stepped back, apparently considering her next course of action.
“Is there anything else, Juanita?” Kurt Marrok asked solicitously, sounding calmer now Nonny's plan had been thwarted.
“Yes. Yes, there is.” Nonny inhaled a deep breath and regained her composure. The crowd seemed to collectively step forward, their attention focused firmly on Nonny as she began to talk. “I had hoped you would see the validation in my argument, but that's obviously not to be. My grandson is the man I'm proudest of in this world. He and I have always been supportive, and proud, of our roles within the Tremaine Pack.” She sighed deeply, and her shoulders slumped, making me anxious about what she was about to say. “I'm admitting to you now – that for the first time in my life, I'm ashamed of this pack. Ashamed to admit I'm a Tremaine werewolf.” Her voice wavered a little and she swallowed heavily before continuing. “Conal has done everything he could, to keep our pack together, put the pack above all else. He kept you together, worked with Charlotte and the other groups to keep you safe. And this is how you intend to repay him.” She stalked towards the watching crowd and glared at them. “What do you intend to do, when this war is over? Most of you work for Tremaine Industries. You're about to censure the man who writes your paychecks? Will you pretend he doesn't exist when you receive your income every week? Those of you who have proudly proclaimed him to be the godfather to your children – how will you explain his absence from their lives? All of this,” she waved her hand expansively across the line of elders, “because he loves a woman who isn't a werewolf.”
Some of the pack shuffled uncomfortably, others shouted out support for Conal. Kurt Marrok stepped forward, his expression thunderous. “Juanita! That is enough.”
Nonny whirled around to face him, her eyes filled with fury. “It is not enough! This entire situation is a farce, an antiquated rule for an antiquated pack. How many people have we lost to this war already? How many people have died for no reason, and yet now you would send our Alpha into censure because of the choices he's made? How many of our pack must we lose, before we say enough?”
“The rules exist for a reason,” Kurt Marrok roared. “To keep our pack strong, with pureblood werewolves!”
“And yet we fight this war, to keep both pureblood and non-purebloods alive? If the purity of our blood is so important, why are we defending those of our pack who don't have it?” Nonny shouted. “What of your brother's wife, and their children? Would you not cast them out to meet their fate?”
“That is a complete nonsense, woman!” Kurt Marrok shouted back. “You're making excuses, only because he is your grandson!”
Nonny deflated as quickly as she had risen to anger, watching Conal fondly. “Then I'm left with no other choice. You have obviously chosen your path.” Nonny turned to me and clasped her hands together. “Charlotte, will you accept Conal as a member of your pack?”
I stood mute for a few seconds, wondering what Nonny was doing. “I have no pack, Nonny.” I stumbled over the words, despair bringing me close to tears. I wished I did.
“Of course you do,” Nonny disagreed quietly. “You are Nememiah's Child. You belong to the Children of Nememiah pack. Who here can argue that the ancient members of Nememiah's Children did not consider themselves a pack or a grouping of some type?” She gazed at me, her eyes filled with determination. “May Conal have permission to join your pack?”
“This is rubbish!” Kurt Marrok spat angrily. “Another trick intended to allow you to get your own way! Charlotte does not have a pack! Conal can't join her when he's been censured by the Tremaine pack! He must leave and this will no more work than the ploy of letting him join the Lingard pack!”
“I have to argue that point, Kurt.” Conal spoke up, winking at me. His entire demeanor had suddenly relaxed and I experienced a little shred of hope blossoming in my heart. “I can join Charlotte's pack.”
“Explain, please, Conal,” Kenyon requested politely.
“The elders were correct to refuse me access to the Lingard pack. They're shifters, I'm werewolf.”
“And Charlotte is an angel and you're a werewolf,” Ralph offered. “As much as I'd like to, I can't see what you're proving with this argument.”
Conal's gaze remained locked on mine when he responded. “There's a significant difference. I carry the blood of angels; the blood I drank from Charlotte runs through my veins. And I have the mark of Nememiah on my shoulder, confirming my allegiance.”
Nonny grinned, her own shoulders straightening. “I believe Conal's right. The Tremaine pack can't stop Conal from joining Charlotte's pack and in turn, from remaining here in our group.” She caught my eye and smiled warmly.
Kurt Marrok was enraged, and judging from the look on Udolf Marrok's face, Amoux's suspicions that they'd orchestrated this situation together were proven. “This is not possible!” Kurt Marrok growled. “You will destroy this pack with your actions this night, Conal!”
Conal clasped my fingers in his. “No,
Kurt. I believe it's you and Udolf who've created this mess.” He inhaled deeply, glancing around at the group standing before him. “Gentleman. Ladies. I'll consider myself officially censured, and leave you to sort out this mess.”
“Conal, wait!” Kenyon announced, sounding alarmed. “The elders haven't made a final decision!”
Conal smiled at me, brushing his thumb across my jaw. “Not my problem. I'm leaving with my new pack leader. She's had a long day, trying to keep your sorry asses secure and a longer night, trying to protect me.” He flicked a casual glance towards Kenyon. “You can let me know your decision about who your new pack leader is going to be in the morning.”
“I'll also be taking my leave.” Amoux stepped from the crowd and came to my side, her delicate features pale but determined. “I wish to join my son and become part of Charlotte's pack.” She glanced across at Nonny and the older woman nodded her approval.
“I'll be leaving too,” Nonny announced. “Charlotte's pack needs a Secret Keeper.”
Conal led the way, drawing me through the hushed crowds, leaving a dazed Tremaine pack staring after us.
Chapter 27: Relief
A welcoming committee waited for us at the edge of camp, led by a grinning Matt and the rest of my adopted family. Ripley stood quietly to one side with Acenith and it was easy to figure out how everyone had known the meeting's outcome.
“Hear you've got a new pack leader,” Striker announced with a smirk, gripping Conal's hand in his and executing one of those complicated handshakes only men seem to do. Conal grinned back, pulling Striker into a loose embrace and slapping him heartily on the back.
Matt wrapped his arms around me and I leaned against him for a long time, comforted by his warmth. The events of the evening had driven me to the point of exhaustion, and I was emotionally vulnerable. It was nice to have my father's strength surrounding me. “You okay, baby?”
I nodded. “Relieved.”
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