by Chanel Hardy
“Stop!” A female voice chimed in from outside the circle. Jon halted, with the torch still in hand, as he and everyone else looked around with confusion. A tall woman with short blonde hair, slicked backwards behind her ears appeared from behind a crowd on the left. Her bold green eyes sent a shock through Jon as she headed toward the center of the circle.
“Martina?” Jon whispered under his breath as she marched toward him.
“Put that torch down, or we’ll kill you where you stand.” She glared at him, as twelve more people arrived from outside the circle. The crowd gasped, looking at each other and whispering as the council members from Regions One and Three accompanied by their henchmen appeared before them to interrupt the execution. “Now.” She reiterated, as Jon slowly handed the torch to a henchman, who doused the flame out with water.
“What is the meaning of this?” Kareem’s eyes expanded with anger, veins emerging from his forehead as he confronted Martina, a council member from Region One. “Why are you here?” They stood face to face, both nearly identical in height.
“You didn’t think you could get away with your little killing spree, did you?” Martina said to him. her lips formed a small smirk as she observed his expression. Hank didn’t budge, he stood his ground, unintimidated by Martina or her crew.
“What goes on in my region is out of your jurisdiction. Go back to California, this is none of your business.”
“I don’t think so.” Another woman approached them, shorter than Martina with a faded haircut and dark skin. Pamela, from Region Three. “The unauthorized murder of shifters from any region is all of our business. You and your council are being legally reprimanded for your actions.”
“Reprimanded for taking the necessary steps to catch fugitives? This is nonsense!” Kareem was furious.
“You went against strict protocol to feed your own half-baked agenda. As a member of the council, and an elite member of the community, I expected better from you. But I can’t say I’m surprised.” Pamela gave him a sarcastic grin. “Release these prisoners. We’ll be taking it from here.” Pamela snapped her fingers, and one of the henchmen her region approached River, removing the tape from her mouth and cutting her down from the frame. The other henchmen grabbed Hank and Jax, removing the tape from their mouths. The council members of Regions One and Three surrounded Hank and his men, holding the same metal collars that Kareem had used for Jax.
“Kareem, Jon, Lester, and Edward. Council men of region two, you have herby been stripped of your titles of authority. You will be taken prisoner at Headquarters in Region Three until your trial. But I wouldn’t get your hopes up in a ruling in your favor.” Martina winked at Kareem, watching in satisfaction as the Henchmen placed the metal collar around his neck.
“You’ve gone soft. All of you. It’s pathetic. I did what needed to be done. You should be kissing my feet.” Kareem said angrily through clenched teeth.
Martina moved in closer, the tip of her nose pressing against Kareem’s. “The only pathetic one is you. Taking the lives of the innocent and putting shame on the entire community. You deserve to burn. You and your retched lackies.” She backed away from him, as the rest of the Region Two council and their henchmen were given collars.
“You are being charged in the death of Theodora Banks…” Jax’s heart sank as he listened to Pamela read off the names of the murdered shifters. The shifters he had befriended, that trusted him. All dead because of Kareem.
“You son of a bitch! You killed them all!” Jax began to charge at Kareem, but the henchmen held him back before he could get to him.
“Take the prisoners back to the van. We’re done here.” Martina ordered for everyone to clear the scene, as they prepared to head back to the Headquarters building.
Chapter 14
River, Jax and Hank were all led to separate vans to be transported back to headquarters. were all put in different vehicles. River sat in one of the vans with Martina and Pamela sitting across from her. The two women stared at her, with blank faces that made her uncomfortable. They were only a few minutes away from the building, so thankfully for River, the uncomfortable feeling wouldn’t last long.
“River, is it? You’re a beautiful young lady.” Pamela complimented, with a blanketed smile. River didn’t respond. She didn’t know what would happen following her cancelled execution. The mention of a trial gave River an ounce of hope, but even the opportunity to plead her case wouldn’t guarantee her freedom. She was still responsible for killing two shifters, not including Desiree, who was killed by Tasha. She wondered if the council would still hold her responsible for Desiree’s death.
“What happens now?” River asked.
“The leaders of Region Two will be put on trial in Texas, where their fates will be determined. However, you, Jackson and Hank will be dealt with here. If found guilty, you will face either imprisonment or execution.” Marina’s words killed the small amount of hope that River had left. There was no way they would let her go. Not for all three murders. “But, unlike Kareem and his men, we believe that every shifter should be able to defend themselves and given a second chance. Purebreds and feys alike.”
“We believe in growth, and progressing as the times change. The methods of punishment used by our community have become inhumane and outdated.” Pamela chimed in. “Unfortunately, some leaders have a hard time adjusting to change. But they are in the minority, and won’t be an issue for long.” Martina and Pamela gave each other gratifying glances, and River knew they were referring to Kareem and his men.
“What about Jax? He only killed to protect me. He never meant to hurt anybody.” Said River.
“We’re aware of that. But as you may know, Jackson is… special.” Said Martina.
River squinted her eyes at them. “What is that supposed to mean?” The two women looked to her with pity, realizing that she had most likely been unaware of Jax’s family past.
“Jackson’s father was a member of the council. Which makes him next in line for leadership in Region Two.”
“What?” River was dumbfounded, as she sat with her mouth hanging open. It was as if her entire relationship with Jax had suddenly come crashing down. Her heart wanted to believe that there was no way he could’ve known about this. He would never keep a secret like that from her. Especially considering everything they had been through. Or could he?
“We’re here.” Said Martina as they arrived at headquarters. River was escorted out of the van, with her hands still bound with the rope. She could see Jax and Hank being escorted out of one of the other vans to her right, but everyone was moving so fast that her and Jax couldn’t get more than a few seconds glance at each other. But she could hear him calling for her as he was forced inside the building.
Once they walked through the large double doors, everyone made their way to the sixth floor, where the main conference room was located. What only took a few minutes, felt like a lifetime as River nervously anticipated her trial. The members of the council from Regions One and Three all sat in seats that surrounded the onyx marble table. Kareem, and the other members of his council, were huddled in a corner in their metal collars, surrounded by henchmen guards.
“Jackson, please come before the council.” Pamela called to him. Jax gazed around the room as all eyes were on him. He slowly approached the front of the room, standing before all eight members. Pamela stood up from her seat. “Jackson Kinnard, responsible for the deaths of four servicemen, and harboring a fugitive. How do you plead?” Silence filled the air, as Jax hesitated before he could give an answer. He looked at River, who stood at the edge of the room, staring at him with a solemn face. She turned her head away, breaking eye contact. She didn’t want his feelings for her getting in the way of him making the right choice for himself.
“Not guilty.” He answered. The council members all looked at each other, more impressed than surprised by his plea of innocence.
“Why do you feel you are innocent?” Pamela questioned.
/> “I did what I had to do to save myself. My friend Will was killed. The man who killed him deserved to die.” Martina raised her left eyebrow, grazing her chin with her right index finger. “As for the other men I killed, it was either us or them. Like I said, I did what I had to do, and I don’t regret any decision I’ve made that have kept me and River alive.”
Pamela looked to all the council members for their consideration before the vote commenced. One of the other council members gave her a subtle nod, as she turned back to face Jax, prepared to declare his fate.
“All those on the council that vote in favor for his innocence, raise your hands now.”
Martina’s hand went up first, followed by four others, one of them including Pamela. River let out a loud sigh of relief from the back of the room, holding her palms together with her head raised to the ceiling. Jax would be free, and for a moment, she no longer cared what her own fate would be. For once, someone she loved wouldn’t suffer because of her, and that’s all that mattered. But Jax didn’t seem so happy about their decision. His main concern was River, and if he could get her out of this. One of the henchmen approached Jax to cut his hands free and remove his collar.
“This is absurd!” Kareem blurted out. “You idiots don’t deserve to serve on the council!” An electric shock sent Kareem to his knees, convulsing in pain as Martina held the device that controlled his metal collar. Her thumb pressed against the button with force, as she took pleasure in watching him suffer.
“Speak again, and I’ll turn your insides into mush.” She threatened through gritted teeth before letting go of the button. Kareem tried to catch his breath, squirming on the floor like a feeble child.
Pamela continued with the trial proceedings. “Up next, River Lewis.”
Chapter 15
River made her way toward the front of the room, taking slow paces forward and keeping her head down as she passed by the council’s table. She stood front and center, feeling like she was already being executed before a verdict had been given. “River Lewis, responsible for the deaths of Kayla Cooper, and Leon Cooper. How do you plead?” Asked Pamela.
River looked down at her bound wrists, which were bruising red from the tightness of the rope. She looked back up at the council, and could see Jax peering at her from the corner of her eye. She inhaled slowly, taking in the cold air from the room. “Guilty.”
Jax’s eyes shot up in disbelief. “River, you don’t have to do this!”
The council members looked around at each other, surprised by River’s bold plea. “Why do you believe you are guilty and should face punishment?” Pamela asked.
River thought about every aspect of her short life that brought her to this moment. Every decision she ever made that led her to this room, in front of these people. Memories of the day her parents died flashed through her mind. Watching her mother lean against the passenger door of their family car as nine-year-old River tugged at the hem of her mother’s dress, begging to ride in the front seat. Anything for my little girl. Her mother kissed her on the cheek, and River could still feel her mother’s touch from all those years ago.
“I killed Kayla. I was angry, because she murdered by best friend. That night at the party, I let my emotions get the best of me. Instead of allowing the council to punish her for her actions, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It got my aunt killed.” Tears began to flow from River’s eyes as she gave her emotional testimony. “She killed Desiree, but only because she was protecting me. I put her in that position, I’m responsible.” River closed her eyes, and she could see her mother’s face again. “I’m responsible.”
Everyone in the room stood silent, as Pamela, Martina, and the rest of the council gathered their thoughts before making a final verdict. Pamela’s eyes circled the table, before getting the final acknowledgement from every member. “All those on the council that vote in favor of her innocence, raise your hands now.” Four members of the council raised their hands, including Pamela. That left four other members who found her guilty. River didn’t know what this meant, and judging by the shock on the faces of everyone in the room, neither did they. “Well, looks like we have a tie. This is interesting.” Martina said with a raised eyebrow.
“There is no tie.” Jax approached the table with his hand raised. Each member of the council turned their heads in contempt. “I vote in favor of her innocence.” He said.
“You can’t do that.” Said Martina. “Birthright or not, you haven’t taken your oath to serve on the council.”
“I don’t need to. You’ve already stripped Kareem and the rest of the leaders in my region of their roles. Region Two has no active members of the council. I’m of age, which makes my role effective immediately.” The council members muttered within each other, questioning the validity of this rule that Jax had just thrown at them.
“He’s right.” Said Pamela. “There are currently no active members in Region Two, which makes Jackson’s leadership official. His vote is valid.”
Martina looked at Pamela with pursed lips, knowing her words couldn’t be challenged. Martina looked back at Jax. He was even more clever than she thought. “Well I guess it stands then. River Lewis, you are free to go.”
River couldn’t believe it. She stood there, frozen and unsure if she was hallucinating. But the second Jax ran over to her, grabbing ahold of her arms and kissing her with every ounce of energy he had in him, she knew it was real. One of the henchmen walked up to her, interrupting their intimate moment to cut the rope from her wrists. The rope fell away, as she threw her arms around Jax, squeezing his rib cage. The entire room watched in awe as the young couple’s love radiated the room.
“I’m so sorry, about everything. I just want you to know that.”
Jax kissed her again, with his hands pressing the sides of her face. After all the pain, the running, the fighting, it was all over. But River didn’t understand what his new role as councilman would mean for their relationship. She still wanted nothing to do with the community, but Jax had already agreed to his commitment. This didn’t sit well with her.
“What about the council?” She pondered. “You’re one of them now.”
“None of that matters right now. We’ll make it work. I promise.” He caressed the edges of her mouth with his fingertips.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Said Martina, rolling her eyes at their adolescent romance. “We’ve still got work to do.”
Jax and River moved away from the center, as the council prepared for Hank’s trial. As Jax led River towards the back of the room, River saw a figure moving from the corner of her eye. She looked to her left, and that’s when she saw him. Kareem had snatched a gun from the holster of the henchman guarding him. He aimed it in their direction, the barrel of the gun pointed directly at Jax. River’s stomach dropped, as her whole world came to a standstill. She pulled herself against him, clenching the sleeves of his shirt as two bullets pierced through her. She hung from him, as blood soaked through her shirt.
“River!” Jax held on to her as her arms dropped to her sides, his hands covered in the blood gushing from her wounds. Chaos erupted in the room as two henchman tackled Kareem to the ground, disarming him before he could fire another bullet. Martina raised up from her seat, pressing down on the device that controlled Kareem’s collar.
“Get him out of here! Now!” Martina demanded, running over to Jax and River. River’s nearly lifeless body laid in-between his lap as he sat on the floor, his hands shivering, and his body overwhelmed with shock as he held her.
“No-no-no-no! You’ve gotta stay with me! River please!” He pleaded through quivering lips. He ran his blood-smeared hands over her face, brushing her hair away from her eyes. She looked him in the eyes, as her vision became glossy. Her breathing became shallow, her last words getting caught between gasping breaths.
“I’m… o-okay.” She uttered as blood filled her lungs. She could hear people gathering around her, but her only focus was on Jax.
> “Somebody help her! Please!” Jax begged. His eyes darted around the room waiting for someone, anyone, to do something. Hank approached Jax, kneeling down beside him and placing his hands on Jax’s shoulder.
“She’s gone. You have to let her go.” Hank told him.
“No. I won’t let her die.” Jax said to Hank. He peered down at River, as she held on to her final breaths for as long as she could. “I won’t let you die. You can’t leave me.” The tears flowed from his eyes as he cradled her, holding the side of her face with his palms. River didn’t speak. She just smiled. A smile that told him, that it was okay to let go. She was ready to accept death’s hand into the afterlife.
“There is a way. To save her life. But it comes at a cost.” Martina told Jax as she kneeled next to him while he grieved. Jax’s eyes shot up at her, wondering what exactly it was that she had up her sleeve. Whatever it was, he was more than willing to take a chance. “Only the blood of a purebred can save her life.” Martina reached over to one of her henchmen, and pulled a small metallic pocket knife from his jacket. “She must drink from the flesh of the pure. But in doing so, you give up your human form forever.” She unfolded the knife, exposing the sharp blade.
“Jackson, you can’t possibly consider doing this.” Hank protested. But Jax didn’t acknowledge him. He just looked down at River, who was still breathing but losing consciousness. He knew that he was running out of time.
“Give it to me.” Jax held his hand out for Martina to hand him the knife.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I must remind you, that you will be making the ultimate sacrifice.” Martina reiterated to him.