Treasure

The old Council was shaking with anger as they were led into the dining hall. The place was packed, standing room only, and they were led past angry wolves to the front where they were sat at a table and shackled to the chairs. In front of them, at a table, sat three people with a camera and flat screen at the end. The two European Council members were on the screen, looking pissed. Behind them seven Alphas and an empty chair. The two Council lawyers that they had planned to use as prosecutors, Mark Restwell and Vernon Kemp, were now seated next to them.

The three looked at the cameramen in the room and realized this was being broadcast live to every Pack. “What is the meaning of this,” Gruber said. “We are the Council, we will not stand for this!”

“Not anymore,” Charles said from the table. “Eight Alphas voted this morning to unseat the North American Council members and voted in Charles King and Oscar Millner as the new Council members. After playing the evidence for the European Council members, the vote to remove you as Chairman was unanimous. Jack Coffey, former Alpha of the Banff Pack, was elected Chair under the rotational agreement for the North American Packs to set the next Chairman.”

“For the record,” Chairman Coffey said, “The following Packs voted for removal of the North American Council members and unanimously approved their replacements. Adirondack, Arrowhead, Banff, Blue River, Denali, Katahdin, Monongahela, Oxbow Lake.”

“Objection,” Mr. Restwell said. “The Arrowhead Pack has not been recognized by the Council and should not have been allowed to vote to remove the existing Council. This whole process is void.”

“Pack Law sets the Alpha position unless the Council agreements are activated,” Sawyer Nygaard said as he rose from a seat at the adjacent table. “Alphaship is automatically granted if you have a heredity birthright, territory and Pack members submitted to you. As of last night, Alpha Rori met all criteria. She has inherited both the Alpha title and the territory of the Arrowhead Pack, and her Pack already includes almost thirty members. In the case of a birthright Alpha, Council approval is not required, that is only for challenges or open positions.”

“Objection overruled,” Chairman Coffey said. “The proceedings are complete. The old Council is gone and a new one has been properly formed. Mr. Prosecutor, the charges please.”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman,” Sawyer said as he brought a paper over and handed it to the Defense lawyers. “Mr. Forrest, Mr. Waterman and Mr. Gruber are charged with the following crimes: Unlawful destruction of a Pack, premeditated murder, attempted kidnapping, conspiracy to commit rape and conspiracy to commit murder of a human. The Prosecution will be seeking a sentence of death,” he said.

“Mr. Chairman, I have had no time to prepare for this,” Mr. Restwell said.

“This is a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial,” Sawyer said. “However, they are not the only ones to face charges. Bring forward Alphas Daniel Forrest and Theo Waterman.” Alpha Forrest was seated and shackled next to his father, while a battered Alpha Waterman was wheeled to the table, still shackled to his chair.

“This is outrageous,” Mr. Kemp said. “We have laws, you can’t just beat the crap out of someone after they are detained!”

“We didn’t,” Rori King said as she walked into the room. The place went silent as she walked to the empty chair by the other Alphas. “That was a separate matter related to the attack by his Pack members on two humans that landed one in the hospital. It was a poor decision by the Alpha and his Beta, because the man they injured was a Chapter President of a biker gang. What you see is their justice.” She smiled as she thought about it. “I’m sure the video of it will make fun viewing during the down time.”

The crowd erupted in laughter, causing the Chairman to gavel the hearing to order again. “Mr. Prosecutor, charges against the Alphas please.”

“Certainly, sir. Alpha Daniel Forrest is charged with conspiracy to commit rape, bribery and conspiracy to commit murder. Alpha Theo Waterman is charged with conspiracy to commit rape, conspiracy to commit murder and assault of humans.”

“You may proceed with the evidence,” the Chairman said.

“Thank you. As everyone knows, seventeen years ago tomorrow the Arrowhead Pack was wiped out by a surprise attack. At the time, the Council members here were able to hide our nature from the human authorities and those killed in wolf form were later declared dead. However, they did not find out who did it. It was only at the trial of the Bitterroot Pack members last year that we found out the true killers.”

He paused as he walked over to a man sitting at a computer and handed him a memory card. “The initial investigation was flawed, and we now know why. The Council didn’t find the truth because they were part of the conspiracy to destroy the Pack, along with Alpha Todd and Alpha Will Nygaard.”

“Objection, Alpha Nygaard is not here to answer these charges,” Mr. Restwell said.

“Alpha Nygaard’s Pack was issued an arrest warrant for him when the attack started here. The acting Alpha, Carson, reported that his father went missing three days ago and has broken his Pack bond. All Packs have been informed of his rogue status and have been directed to look for him,” the Chairman said. “Objection denied. Continue, Mr. Nygaard.”

“The prosecution need not call any witnesses, instead we will let their own words establish probable cause. The first recording was made in the conference room of the Bitterroot Pack. We will pick up immediately after the hearing on Coral Nygaard was concluded.”

“Objection, the Defense has not had a chance to review the tape and the use of recordings made without my client’s knowledge is prejudicial,” Mr. Restwell said.

“Source of the tape?”

“It was made by then-Beta Ron Carlson of the Bitterroot Pack, Mr. Chairman.”

“Objection denied, the Pack can record their own proceedings. Proceed.” The audio recording was played, and you could see the emotions play across the audience as the contents went out. The Alphas who had voted the Council out had done it largely on the content of this recording, and they sat stone-faced along with the Council. The shock and betrayal in the faces of the Donner and Casper Packs, that was difficult to watch, along with the pain and loss in the faces of the Oxbow and Adirondack packs. When the recording finished, the defense didn’t know what to do, so Sawyer played the next tape. This was the confession of Theta Thomas, made the day before in the safe room of the Arrowhead pack, followed by his phone call with his Alpha.

When the recording stopped, the Chairman needed thirty seconds to get the room back under control, aided by the Alpha commands from the friendly ones. “The proceedings will recess for thirty minutes so the Council may determine if the charges should be held over for trial. I would remind everyone that the prisoners are under Council protection, and any attempts to harm them will be dealt with harshly.” He gaveled the hearing to an end, and everyone waited standing until they had left the room.

The defendants were escorted from the room to a small office, where they were allowed to meet with their lawyers. “Here’s your discovery,” Sawyer said as he brought a box of documents into the room.

When he left, the lawyers let out a long sigh. “I’ve seen convictions on far less,” Restwell said. “I would advise you to allow me to negotiate a plea deal that will save your lives.”

“Never,” Gruber said. “You find a way out of this.”

He just laughed. “Right now, the safest place for you five is IN a council prison,” he said. “Did you see the faces of the people out there? All the ones with family members that you killed, not to mention Alpha Rori and her claims. If they document what was on those tapes with money transfers and eyewitness testimony, you’ll die, all of you. Not an easy death either, do you remember what happened to Alpha Todd and his men?”

“We did what we needed to do,” Craig Forrest said. “I won’t apologize, and I won’t plead guilty.”

“Then you and your line will die,” Kemp said. “Your Packs will be decimated, perhaps even disbanded. You’re dead, you just haven’t realized it yet.”

They talked for a while longer, until a guard opened the door to call them back to the hearing. They were led or wheeled in and sat again at the table before the Alphas and the Council called it to order. “The Council has found sufficient evidence to hold this matter for trial. The accused Alphas and Mr. Forrest are hereby removed from their positions, and their Packs will be placed under the supervision of the Council as follows. Mr. Malloy will be temporary Alpha of the Donner Pack, Mr. Zola the Bitterroot Pack, and Mr. Millner the Cascade Pack.” The three men were retired Alphas, Zola from a European Pack, but not retired long enough to be on the Council yet. Charles had been elevated as an exception to the rule, as he was less than ten years away and he was the oldest of the suitable candidates.

The two Alphas and Councilman Forrest winced in pain as their Pack bonds were ripped from them. Their men, no longer bound by Alpha commands, were free to let their true testimony and feelings known now, and it wasn’t pretty. “The blessed female is not a prize to be traded,” one of the Donner Betas said with a snarl before the Chairman established order again.

“Take them to the cells,” Chairman Coffey said. “Trial will be one week from Monday, eight o’clock, right here. These proceedings are complete.” He banged his gavel and the Council and Alphas rose, walking from the room. Rori and the other Alphas followed, and she finally felt safe and accepted.

Rori and Chase were busy socializing and building alliances the rest of the evening. What they had pulled off, with Michael and Margaret’s help, was nothing short of astounding. They had not only convinced six other Packs of the Council conspiracy but rallied those Packs and the Brotherhood to Oxbow Lake for the final showdown. In one afternoon, the Alphas had united their kind against the entrenched evil that had controlled them and said, “No more.”

It was after midnight when the two got back to their room. They wanted, they needed each other, their bond would accept no less than their joining, no matter how tired they were. They made love slowly and tenderly, both enjoying the sensations of their bond and bodies. When they crashed over the edge, their bodies clinging to each other, all Chase could say was, “I love you.”

She relaxed down onto the bed, her head resting on her chest while he remained inside her. “I love you too,” she said, and with that they were asleep.

They rose the next morning at seven with the sunrise. “What do you want to do today,” Chase asked as she finished in the bathroom.

“I want to see for myself where it all happened,” she said. “Seventeen years ago today,” she said as she started to cry.

“I’ll talk to your uncle and see if we can arrange something,” he said.

“I don’t want a big production,” she replied. “I don’t know how I’ll handle it, and I don’t want a bunch of people around. That’s why I want to do it early.”

An hour later, they had been joined by Coral and Michael in his Jeep, bouncing along the bumpy trail towards the Arrowhead Pack ruins. They parked near the foundation of the Pack House and got out. Rori was shaking as Michael showed her where the buildings had been. She was crying as she imagined how it must have looked when she was a baby.

Her wolf couldn’t take it any longer when they got to the safe room, where so many of her Pack had died. She shifted, destroying her clothes as her wolf came out. She let out a pained howl, then ran off for the woods.

“Stay here,” Chase told Michael as he pulled his own clothes off and shifted. Coral was right with him, and the two siblings ran hard to catch up to his mate. They were miles away, running hard, but Rori was the fastest wolf they’d ever met.

Coral stumbled as the wind shifted, bringing a new scent to them. Chase caught it too and growled. “Rogue,” he sent to the two women. “Rori, come back to us, it’s not safe.”

Coral veered off towards the scent, cresting a small rise until she could see what was on the other side. A man was kneeling on the ground, looking at a pile of stones. The smell hit her like a truck, causing her to stop and shift back to her human form. “It’s him,” her wolf said.