“Sadie was the salvation of Silver Valley, Darla,” the nicer man says. “It looks to me like a favorable pattern.”
“You would think that, you hopeless old fool!” Darla hisses. “The packs will fall apart—”
“Enough,” one of the men from the other side of the table speaks. “None of that is important right now. Trina, it was reported that you used magic last night to harm wolves. Is this true?”
“Yes,” I answer. “But I—”
“I’ve heard enough,” Darla says. “I think we should proceed with execution.”
What the shit?
“Darla,” the nice man says. “You’d need a majority vote and permission from the alpha.”
“I think his lack of presence here answers that well enough,” Darla snaps.
Her words cut shreds from my heart, and I have to hold in a sob.
Why isn’t Owen here? Is he just leaving me to my fate? I don’t understand.
“Trina,” Rafe says. “It looks very bad for you that you kept your powers a secret. It appears that you infiltrated us with the intent to hurt us with your magic. Do you realize that?”
“I didn’t know!” I cry, the words bursting out of me. “I never knew I was a witch.”
Darla laughs, a sudden, sharp sound. “As if we’d believe that!” she says. “How could you walk around your whole life not knowing you were a witch?”
I shake my head, tears slowly trickling down my cheeks.
How do I convince them? I don’t know what to do.
“We have a confession,” Darla says. “At the very least, we should lock her up.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Rafe agrees.
I stand there in complete, utter terror, my mind hollow and dark.
I can’t think, I can’t speak. I…
“Wait!”
Owen’s voice. I’m so relieved I almost collapse.
“Owen,” I gasp. He hurries to my side and takes my hand. Following close behind him, I see Sadie, Shane, and Rhys as well as a couple of people I don’t recognize, but they look vaguely familiar.
“I am here as Trina’s defense,” Owen says. “Trina did not even know she had powers until recently. That can be confirmed by me, and by Sadie.”
Sadie strides purposefully to the end of the table, standing near Owen. She looks commanding and even slightly intimidating, and I feel a ripple of uncertainty flow through the council.
“I can confirm Trina’s heritage as a witch was recently unlocked,” Sadie says. “She isn’t lying.”
No one refutes her. Darla wears a disgusted look, but doesn’t speak.
“I will add to the testimony that Trina acted in self-defense,” one of the women says. With a jolt of recognition, I realize it’s the woman who was with the bullies last night. “A small group of us went there to confront her,” she continues. “It got out of hand. Trina didn’t really hurt anyone; they were only knocked off their feet. But then, my friend had a seizure… the disease finally hit her, and I saw Trina help her.”
“Oh?” the nice old man says. “Did she use magic to heal her?”
“I’m not sure,” the girl says. “But Janice was better, and then they took her to the infirmary. Trina tried to help.”
“Furthermore,” Owen says, “these pack members came to my house late at night, knowing I would not be there, andattacked my mate. I demand action from the council on this matter.”
