Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87502 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87502 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
"What?" I asked. "Why?"
Beside me, Kor frowned.
"What's this about? I need to put these packages in the car first."
“Go on—the Moon Widow and I will wait for you.” Father MacKaity waved him off.
Kor hesitated, as though he wasn’t sure I was safe, but I nodded at him. He walked rapidly to the car and began putting his packages in the trunk. As he did, I turned to the priest beside me.
“Father, what’s this all about?” I asked quietly.
Father MacKaity gave me a long look and the seriousness in his faded blue eyes made my pulse begin to race again.
"I think you know what it's about, lass."
I opened my mouth to protest that I absolutely did not know what it was about, but before I could speak, Kor was back.
“All right, let’s go,” he said. “But where are we going?”
Father MacKaity didn’t answer. He only nodded at us and said,
"Come with me—we've no time to lose." His gaze moved between us. "The Council of Elders is already convened."
And suddenly I knew, with terrible certainty, that my perfect day was over.
THIRTY
VIVIENNE
There didn’t seem to be any choice. I felt like the eyes of the entire town were on us as Kor and I made our way to the town hall—a dinky little building that doubled as a bingo parlor and the meeting lodge for the Order of the Benevolent Gray Wolves Men’s Club (for Pack members only.)
As we walked into the hall, I noticed that it was already half full—I saw plenty of townspeople I recognized and all of them were staring at Kor and me with accusing eyes. At the front of the hall, on the shallow stage that was two steps up from the main area, the Council of Elders were sitting at a long table. They looked like a quartet of ancient crows, waiting to pass judgment.
I wanted desperately to take Kor’s hand and squeeze it—to feel his warmth for reassurance—but I didn’t dare. It wouldn’t look right to be seen holding hands with a handsome young Alpha when my husband wasn’t cold in his grave yet.
Kor must have had the same thought, because he didn’t reach for my hand either. But he walked close enough beside me that his arm brushed my shoulder, and the back of his hand touched mine. It wasn’t much, but it helped.
“Ah, there they are.” Elder Leary beckoned for us impatiently. “Well come on—come up here, the two of you.”
We walked up to the foot of the stage and stopped, as though by mutual consent. Kor frowned at the Council of Elders.
“What’s this about?” he demanded. “What do you want with me and Vivienne?”
I heard murmuring from the crowd at our backs and wished that we were back at Wolverton Manor, eating waffles again. Or anywhere, really, where we weren’t so obviously being judged.
“That’s enough, young man,” Elder Leary snapped, giving Kor a withering look. “You’ve both been called here today because there have been complaints made against you. Very serious complaints, I might add.”
“Complaints? About what?” Kor said, frowning. He didn’t seem cowed at all, and I tried to draw courage from him.
“Well…perhaps we’d best let the plaintiff come forward,” Elder Leary said. “Harris? Come out here and state your case.”
Harris Murdoch came swaggering out, both thumbs hooked in his thick leather belt. He still wore some bruises from his fight with Kor the day before.
“Oh, you’ve got to be joking!” Kor exclaimed, frowning at the Council. “You called a whole meeting just because this male complained that I whipped his ass?”
“You didn’t whip anything, pup!” Harris growled, glaring at him. “And besides, I have a legitimate complaint against you!”
“Yeah, right.” Kor rolled his eyes. “Look, Murdoch—it’s not my fault you can’t win a fight on your own, so you have to get the Council of Elders to back you up.”
Harris Murdoch’s face flushed bright red.
“Fuck you, Jamison! This doesn’t have anything to do with the way you attacked me yesterday.”
“The way I attacked you?” Kor shook his head. “You know, a real Alpha fights his own battles instead of begging for help.”
“I told you, this ain’t about the fight!” Harris snarled.
“Well, what is it then?” Kor asked, lifting one eyebrow. “Did I hurt your feelings when I came to town to claim my birthright? Maybe you don’t think you can win the Alpha Challenge if I’m one of the Alphas fighting?”
“Hey—I can fight you any day of the week and mop the street with you!” Harris’s face was purple by now. His hands were balled into fists of rage, and the crowd was murmuring.
“Right. Just like you did yesterday.” Kor nodded coolly.
“Why, you—” Harris began but Elder Leary interrupted.
“All right, enough of this! The complaint that was made has nothing to do with the altercation that occurred on Main Street yesterday.”
“Then what is it about?” I asked, daring to speak up at last.