Mark hurriedly took it off and handed it to Cam, jumping when Newell growled under his breath. He looked from one alpha to the other, clearly terrified, and Tim felt a wave of sympathy for him. He was probably as much an unwitting pawn in all this as Tim was.
“Get over here and keep quiet,” Newell barked, and Mark rushed to obey his alpha.
Cam studied the jacket. Now it wasn’t attached to Mark anymore, Tim could easily tell it was the jacket that carried the scent, not Mark. “This is new, right?” He held it up, directing the question to Mark.
Mark looked to Newell, who glared and shook his head.
Seb stepped forward, Nathan followed, close but not touching him now.
Tim went to go to him, but Alec’s claws threatened a repeat performance and he halted in his tracks.
“Stay put for now,” Alec whispered.
Tim grumbled his displeasure, but stilled.
“Alpha Harley,” Seb began. He then glanced at Mark as if asking permission, and Tim could swear he saw Mark give a tiny nod. “I spoke to Mark on the way up here. He said the jacket was given to him by Alpha Newell as a thank-you from the pack.”
Newell pointed a clawed finger at Seb. “That’s a fucking lie. How dare you—”
“Silence!” Cam’s roar echoed around the room.
Newell snapped his mouth closed, rage dripping off him. Tim could smell it across the room.
“Alpha Stephen Newell,” Cam intoned. “I hereby accuse you of attempting to cause bodily harm and/or death to members of this pack, with the intent of discrediting the alpha and taking the pack for yourself. I also accuse you of putting a member of your own pack in danger to help facilitate this.”
“Based on what evidence? The word of a newly turned and a rogue shifter?”
Cam raised an eyebrow and carried on. “As is my right, I will take this to the alpha council and ask them to rule accordingly.”
“They’ll laugh you out of court.” Newell abruptly stood, his chair flying back across the room. He pointed at Nathan and Jared. “If you do this, I’ll be forced to tell the council about them.”
Cam nodded. “As isyourright.”
“Add that to your latest illegal pack member—” Newell turned his attention to Seb, and Tim immediately stiffened. Gareth and Alec weren’t letting him go anytime soon, though. “—coupled with your other transgression, the council is going to be far more interested in you than me.”
He looked far too smug for Tim’s liking.
“The council will find all the paperwork was in place before Mr Calloway was bitten.”
Newell narrowed his eyes. “That’s impossible. There wasn’t enough time to—”
“How would you know exactly how much time we had?” Cam walked over to him, stopping just out of reach.
Newell paled slightly as he realised what he’d almost implied. “It was on our doorstep. Naturally we heard about the attack. We were watching out for Calloway, as agreed by our packs.”
“So where were your men?” Cam glanced at Wes and Mark, but neither spoke. Not that anyone expected them to. “Where weretheywhen an innocent human was attacked?”
“I’m sure there’s a—”
“And how was it that my men managed to get there first, when, as you say, it happened on your doorstep?”
Cam’s expression betrayed nothing, but Tim couldn’t stop his smile from appearing. They fucking had him, and Newell knew it.
“I’ll see you at the council meeting.”
Cam smiled. “You will.”
Newell turned to Wes, nodded, and then scowled at Mark. “Let’s go.”
