“I cannot grant you your freedom. Your pack’s actions go against everything this council was set up to prevent. However. You were not the alpha or beta of that pack, and in light of your eventual assistance to Alpha Harley, I am willing to spare your life.” Felix’s shoulders sagged a little, and Mark let out a sigh in relief.
Not that he had any vested interest in Felix’s life. He’d fought at that warehouse with the rest of his pack, but that was over, done with. He wasn’t keen on seeing anyone sentenced to death.
Karin signalled to Anna and Asha, and they quickly moved to replace the two R-pack shifters holding Felix. “Felix Martyn. You are hereby banished from London and all the pack territories within its boundaries. If you ignore this ban, it will be your death. I have arranged for you to join the Penwith Pack, based near Penzance.” Mark winced. Fuck, that was like the backend of nowhere. “You will be on two years’ probation, and the alpha there will have full authority to deal with any transgression as they see fit, up to and including death.” She gestured to Anna and Asha. “Take him away.”
Felix went willingly enough.
I guess anything is better than death. Even a strange pack out in the sticks.
Mark hadn’t missed the fact that Alpha Wallace made no mention of all the information Felix must have given R-Pack about Newell.
Bollocks.
That didn’t bode well for them at all.
He shuffled closer to Will, needing to feel his warmth. Clearly feeling the same way, Will found his hand and gave it a quick squeeze before letting go.
Alpha Karin Wallace looked from Newell to Harley, then drew herself up to her full height. Mark’s mouth went dry and his heart set off at a gallop.
This was it.
“Alpha Newell. Your accusations against Alpha Harley, while found to be true, were deemed not relevant by the council. The matter was dealt with efficiently, and more importantly without involving the human authorities. The human in question is now happily bonded and part of the Regent’s Park pack, and all the necessary paperwork is in place. There is no evidence that anything illegal ever occurred, and the council are satisfied that this situation has been successfully dealt with.”
Mark’s gaze shot to his alpha, expecting him to be seething at the news. But Newell appeared calm and nonplussed.
She turned to Harley, and Mark held his breath. “Alpha Harley. Your accusations against Alpha Steven Newell were more complex. Alpha Newell denies that he, or any member of his pack, were in collaboration with the remaining rogue shifters that attacked your new pack member. His beta corroborates this. Those rogue shifters are now dead, as are the ones who kidnapped the human, and while Felix Martyn provided a great deal of evidence to support your claims, without the physical proof you initially submitted, we cannot, in good conscience, take the word of a now-banished rogue shifter against that of an alpha. Especially one who was involved in the attacks in the first place.”
Fuck.
Mark knew his lies would be damaging, but hearing it laid out by the council leader let it properly sink in. He felt sick. The need to look at Alec, to try and show him how fucking sorry he was, almost overwhelmed him. He clenched his fists and kept his gaze on the council leader.
With a sigh, she carried on. “Which essentially leaves us with your word against that of Alpha Newell.”
The smug expression on Newell’s face made Mark’s stomach turn. This was what he’d obviously been hoping for. Mark wasn’t all that well versed with alpha law or pack law, whichever this came under, and he had no idea what happened now.Is that it? They just leave and go about their business as usual?
Alpha Wallace stepped down to the ground level, her expression serious. “As leader of the council, I have the authority to remove you both from your positions as alpha. But law dictates I must treat you both equally, and so I choose not to take that course of action.” She glanced at Alpha Harley and gave him the barest of nods.
Mark worked hard to suppress his smile at her subtle show of favouritism. The fact that the leader of the council disliked Newell was the one highlight out of this whole fucking mess. She might be bound by the laws to treat Newell fairly, but now everyone knew what she personally thought of him.
When he turned to look at Newell, Mark almost laughed at the sour expression on his face. The effort not to react must’ve been killing him.
“The council, as a whole, feel the animosity between your two packs has reached an unacceptable level and will only be resolved by the removal of one of you. That leaves us with one option to settle this.” She gestured to the clearing. “And that is why we chose to have the meeting here instead of inside.”
Oh shit.
“The old laws are still relevant for a pack dispute such as this. Alpha Newell, Alpha Harley, you will fight to earn the right to keep your position as alpha. You may fight to the death or offer leniency if the loser submits. The loser will then relinquish their pack and their title and relocate to another pack that both they and the council agree upon.” She glanced between them. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
She nodded. “Very well. Please have your pack move to the edges of the clearing. Any interference from pack members will mean an instant forfeit.”
Mark started to turn away, but Newell’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Alpha Wallace, if I may speak?”
She raised an eyebrow but nodded. “You may.”
