“As you wish, Neville,” she says. “We won’t kill her… not yet.”
Chapter 21 - Rhys
Standing in front of the council, I stare Darla down, waiting for her to follow up on her threat. I can feel the tension in the room, and it isn’t just from Aaron and his buddies being dragged out by Owen and Shane.
There will be a separate trial for those gutter rats, and they should face execution for what they did to me!
“Not yet,” Darla repeats, her face calm as she stares at Sadie. “And I’m still not convinced we should let her go at all.”
Neville tries to speak, but Thorne cuts him off.
“We’re well-aware of your questionable ideals,” Thorne snaps, disgust plain in his voice. “I don’t want to hear it again. This witch should be killed right here and now. Are you going to deny the lies and deception done to you, Alpha Rhys?”
I shake my head, all my conflicted emotions rising in my chest. “I can’t. It’s all true.”
Sadie stiffens by my side as if she isn’t sure if she should stay or try to run. I put my hand on her arm, silently willing her to stay still.
If she runs, it’s all over. They’ll call a blood hunt, run her down, and rip her to shreds.
“But I would hesitate to kill the witch, even so,” I say as calmly as possible. “I think the ritual has been effective.”
The others all start talking at once until Darla shouts on top of them all.
“Prove it!” she yells. “I had three of my pack members sicken this morning, and I believe you struggled against fourlesser wolves when you should have been able to tie them in knots! Explain yourself.”
“I did struggle against Aaron and his three supporters,” I say. “But overall, I’ve had increased vitality. I also believe other members of my pack are improving—just very slowly.”
That’s just a flat-out, bold-faced lie.
I can see the others trying to process this news. All I want is to get Sadie out of here alive. At this point, I’ll do anything to make that happen.
And I don’t know what I want to do with her, either. But she can start by explaining herself, and then I’ll decide if I want to throw her back on the council’s mercy.
I can see that every member of the council is having mixed reactions to the news. None of them believes me, but they’re reluctant to call me out on it, too.
If we get out of here without a fight, I’ll have a couple of days at most to sort this out on my own. Dealing with the traitors will also hold them up a little.
“I’ll speak for the others,” Neville says. “No matter what sympathies I have, we can’t kill her unless we know for sure if her magic is connected to our sickness. If there is any chance of saving the packs, we have to risk leaving her alive.”
“You don’t speak for me,” Darla almost spits at him. “I am beginning to think I’d rather die than trust a witch. This encounter has only proven all the old records true. She’s a liar, and she infiltrated the pack so she could hurt our wolves.”
“She saved my life!” I snap, and no one refutes me.
Owen and Shane return after locking up Aaron and his goons, and they take their places at the end of the table.
“Since the other alphas have joined us, let’s put it to them as well,” Faye says. “Alpha Rhys moves to save the witch’s life, for now. He wants to investigate further if the ritual has worked and if other wolves might be saved by keeping her alive. What are your thoughts?”
Owen and Shane look at each other, then at me.
“I need a private word,” Owen says, standing up.
“Me too,” Shane says, and they take me aside.
“Are you sure about this?” Owen asks when we’re well outside the council’s hearing range. “I saw the footage, remember? She’s unstoppable and dangerous.”
“And she lied to you,” Shane adds. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“I just need you to trust me,” I reply. “We’ve been friends our whole lives—you know I’ll always do the right thing, don’t you?”
