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“You know I’m not the leader.” He gestured to his fellow Elders. “I was outnumbered by fools who believed in Eli’s lies. Perhaps the Board needs some changes.”
“Eli’s most persuasive,” a stocky Elder protested. “How were we to know he was lying?”
“You should have listened to me,” Elder Ammon said with a sneer. “I warned you that Vira turning on Eli was proof he had gone too far.”
Vira looked momentarily startled.
“We made contact with all of the compounds and warned them,” the man continued. “They were all missing a couple of troublemakers. Eli kept feeding us with misinformation, and we expected an imminent attack from the werewolves, while the other compounds feared an attack from us. Communication was our biggest weakness in the end.”
“My pack would never resort to violence, not like that,” Byron said. “In this day and age, it’s pointless.”
“Eli was trying to provoke you,” Elder Ammon said, casting a scornful glance at Eli. “When that didn’t work, this last pathetic effort must have been an act of sheer desperation. What a waste.”
Byron eyed the Elders. “The police are currently distracted by some of my people. You’ll be able to leave through the back. I have somebody waiting there to direct you out of town.”
“Once we leave,” Elder Ammon said, “there won’t be any more visits from your kind, correct?”
“We won’t bother you if you don’t bother us,” Byron said.
The old man looked at him with disdain. The rest of his group were warier. “Well,” he said, eyeing Vira. “Shall we return?”
Vira glanced at Margo. “I’m staying here.”
He cast his gaze at Margo. “And is there anything else you want to tell me?” he asked Vira after a moment.
“Only goodbye, Elder Ammon.”
“If only you had been a boy.” He sighed. “If you want to protect the lost child, you must take responsibility for her actions. Are you willing to do that?”
Vira looked at Margo, her eyes glassy with emotion. “I’ll take responsibility for the child. From now on.”
Her words felt like an oath and an apology, an attempt to fix the mistakes of her past. I cleared my throat, feeling pretty emotional myself.
Elder Ammon glanced at his fellow Elders who bowed their heads as though allowing him to decide for them. “For providing us with information on Eli, I’ll gift you your independence. There are conditions, of course. You are not to return to the compound, you are not to speak of us, and you are not to communicate with any other compound. You most certainly need to obey our rules for the rest of your life.”
“She’s not going to be living under your rules again,” Byron said. “As long as she’s under our protection, you don’t get to dictate to her. If your people come here again, whether by your word or not, there will be blood. If you come for Margo or Vira or any member of my pack, there will be consequences. Keep away, and we’ll do the same.”
The old man cast his gaze over Eli and harbingers he had trained. “I’ll agree to your terms. If necessary, Vira will be our contact from now on, but if she’s ever turned into a wolf,” he glanced at Margo with disgust, “then our peace is broken.”
“Agreed,” Byron said.
“And Eli?” Vira asked. “What will happen to him?”
“The sensory room, naturally. He’ll be remade.”
“It didn’t work on me,” she said. “Not forever.”
He smiled, and it sent chills down my spine. “You and Eli were never the same.”
None of us felt comfortable until the harbingers left, escorted by a number of the pack.
Byron sank into the chair next to Margo. “Of all the days…” He glanced at Margo. “Are you all right? Do you need medical attention?”
“I’m fine,” Margo said, though her voice still sounded hoarse. “Vira, was that really your father?”
“I suppose he is,” Vira said. “But I’ve always seen him as one of the Elders. When I finally got through to him and told him about Eli’s power and how he was bringing strangers here, he was livid, but I think he’s enjoying all of this, too. I almost pity Eli.”
“Do we trust them?’ I asked.
