“I think we’ve heard enough,” Ed Taylor said, and I swear he glanced at my naked ring finger. “Ms. Wade, is there anything else you’d like to say to the council before we dismiss for deliberation?”
“Um…” I began, as my heart tried to launch itself up my throat, and Faythe motioned for me to rise with a subtle openhanded gesture.
I stood, then started over, my hands clutched in front of my skirt to keep them from shaking. “I just want to thank the council for the opportunity to speak in my own defense.” My father had made me practice it just like that. “And I want to say that I’msosorry. I was trying to do the best thing for Robyn, and obviously I made the wrong call. But my intent was never to break the council’s laws or defy its authority.”
“Yet that’s exactly what you did,” Taylor observed, and my pulse spiked again. “Our rules exist for a reason, Ms. Wade, and your disregard for them led to the slaughter of four humans and adangerousamount of news coverage. Your actions are also responsible for delaying our discovery of the hunting club itself, the consequences of which could be far-reaching.” He stood, and my heart dropped into my stomach. “Okay. We’re going to take a minute to deliberate, if we could please have the room.”
I tried not to assume that he hated me just because I’d dumped his son, but I’d pleaded guilty to several very serious charges, depending on the council’s mercy at sentencing, and the temporary chair didnotseem to be in a generous mood.
“I don’t think we’ll need very long,” Blackwell mumbled as I turned to leave the room. Several of the others nodded in agreement.
My father looked like someone was trying to cut his heart out of his chest, right there in front of everyone.
Faythe looked like she wanted to vomit.
That’s when I understood just how badly my inquisition had gone. They weren’t just going to cut off the ends of my fingers or take my canines. They were going to lock me up.
In a cage.
The council would see that as a mercy; after all, they were sparing my life. What they didn’t understand was that I couldn’t survive another cage. I would lose my mind. I would have nothing to do for months—maybe years—on end but remember the last time I’d been locked up.
My chest felt tight and I couldn’t draw in a breath. My mouth opened, and I sucked at a whole room full of air but couldn’t drag any of it in.
Bars. Bruises. Pain.
I bent over with my hands on my knees, fighting the looming panic attack, but the world began to swim around me as I lost the battle.
Locked doors. Blackened windows. Torn clothes.
“You’re dismissed, Abigail,” Paul Blackwell said, and I tried to stand, but my vision flickered and I stumbled.
My father stepped forward and Faythe reached for me, but then Jace was my side, one arm around my waist. Practically holding me up. “Wait. I’d like to address the council,” he said, and the sound of his voice opened my lungs. I sucked in a deep breath, then turned to look up at him, clutching the edge of the table for balance.
The look in his eyes—like a kamikaze in a tailspin—made my heart race in panic.
“No.” I let go of the table and blinked to clear my vision. “Jace, whatever you’re about to do, don’t.”
“Sit.” He pointed at my chair, and my body obeyed before my mind could think to object.
“Let’s hear him,” Blackwell said, and I knew from the glee in the old bastard’s voice that he knew exactly what was about to happen—and that he’d enjoy every minute of it. He’d never been Jace’s biggest fan.
“The council will hear Jace Hammond, Alpha of the Appalachian Pride,” Ed Taylor said, sinking back into his seat at the head of Faythe’s dining room table.
Jace clasped his hands at his back and looked at each of his fellow council members in turn, ending with Ed Taylor. “As her Alpha during the time in question, I take full responsibility for Abby’s actions.”
“No!” I stood again, and that time, no one told me to sit.
Jace didn’t even look at me. “What happens in my territory is ultimately my responsibility, and I should have seen what was going on. If I’d been more involved, I would have figured it out. So, if you have to punish someone, punish me. But leave her alone.”
“Wait a minute!” I turned my back on him to plead with the council. “I’mthe one who lied.Imanipulated my way into that job, andI’mthe one who killed Gene Hargrove. Jace had nothing to do with any of that. He hadnoidea what I was doing.”
“But don’t you think he should have?” Milo Mitchell leaned back and crossed his hands over his stomach, and anger raced up my spine. He’dalwayshated Jace and had voted against confirming him as Alpha.
Unfortunately, I had no idea how to answer. Claiming that he couldn’t be held accountable because I’d outsmarted him wouldnothelp his case. Before I could come up with a suitable response, Jace answered for me.
“Yes. I should have. I move that the council apply the charges brought against Abby Wade against me instead.”
“Jace…” I turned to him with tears in my eyes. He was ruining his career for me. He was ruining hislifefor me.
