“Oh, what’s that?”
“Well, it’s a stressful time not just for us but for, well, for the whole pack, and one thing that I thought could, well, lift morale would be—well ...”
I’m about to throw him down a well if he doesn’t spit it out. “What, Tobias? What are you thinking?”
Here he stands, shuffling around the coffee table to approach me.
“There’s nothing quite like a marking ceremony to raise people’s spirits, is there? You and the young alpha cut quite the silhouette. I was thinking perhaps making things official could help bolster the pack.”
I’m too stunned to speak. My mouth flaps uselessly as my head shakes slowly.
“You—you want—me and Jasper to have a marking ceremony, while we’re on the brink of war—to make people happy?”
“Well, yes! Happy people aren’t quite as frightened, you see, and if the pack thought you and Jasper were confident enough about your success in this battle that you saw a future for yourselves after it, then the whole pack could share in your confidence.”
“But I’m not,” I snap. “Confident. I’m not sure we’re going to get through this.”
Tobias literally steps backward, his mouth twisting into a horrible shape.
“Oh I see.”
“No.” I rub my face. “That’s not what I mean—of course we’re going to get through this, we have to. But I don’t see how now is the right time for a marking ceremony. Plus, don’t you think orchestrating the whole thing would be a bit of a distraction?”
Tobias’s horrified expression softens into a thoughtful one, almost like he’s been scheming for a while and now gets to share his whole plan. “Well, that would be the point, dear boy. And it wouldn’t be a distraction for me. Once I’ve seen the alpha safely to the retreat, there’s not a lot else for a pack secretary to do. I’m not a warrior or a strategist, you see.”
I study his face for a minute. Can he be serious? Or is he, like all of us, looking for the best way to contribute and feeling like what he has to offer is insufficient. His expression is hard to read, a mix of hope, desperation, cunning, and fear.
“Is it okay if I say I’ll think about it?” I ask.
“Of course, of course. Take your time. Though, well, not too much time. The full moon is in three days.” He claps his hands together as if he’s already watching me walk down the aisle or whatever. “Oh it would be a boon for the pack.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Hey,” Jasper says, entering from the hall with a large black duffel over his shoulder. “We all set?”
I try to show him with my eyes how freaking thankful I am for the distraction. “All set.”
“Everything okay?” Jasper looks between me and Tobias.
“Oh everything is just wonderful,” Tobias says.
“Great.” Jasper narrows his eyes at the mustachioed man. “My father is ready to be moved to his transport.”
“Wonderful, I will attend to him immediately.”
“Thank you, Tobias.”
Jasper nods at his subject, then Tobias scurries rat-like away from us, disappearing into the hall.
“What’s going on?” Jasper says, studying my expression now.
“I’ll tell you later,” I say. “Shall we?”
The elevator pings as we arrive in the basement parking garage and step out onto the concrete.
“My car’s over here,” Jasper says, taking the lead.
As we make our way across the lot I hear another ping, and through the square columns I notice a service elevator door opening. Tobias steps out, manilla folder held at his side,followed by Jericho’s team of healers and security wolves, who are surrounding the gurney. Jericho lies motionless as they wheel him out of the elevator and toward the back of a large black van with no windows.
