AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Marcella kept flicking the index card. She shifted her weight to the other foot. “The pack that was executed for war crimes in a territory war.”
“The same. Also, in the bundle, was a necklace of blue limpet shells and a pair of earrings that I loved, but Mom never wore. And when Alan was…” My fingers twitched. I clenched my fist. “When he was cutting me, calling me a whore, an abomination, videoing all of it, I saidI look like my mother. And he said something to the effect ofyou think that’s a good thing?”
I searched the AmberHowl’s gaze that she knew something, but her expression was as bewildered and troubled as I felt. Then, slowly, Marcella said, “I’ve seen the video, and it struck Demetrius and I as odd too. Your mother had an impeccable reputation. The only time anyone ever spoke badly of her was grumbling about how she’d gotten the upper hand, or how aloof she was. She had a frosty relationship with her FrostFur family, but we all attributed it to she was an Elder Luna and they are ambitious and probably were overstepping.”
“Same.” My parents had always explained the odd dynamics between my kin in FrostFur as my parents were Elder leaders, and keeping things at arm’s distance was necessary and appropriate. The First Law was very clear onpack first, and friendships and family ties just didn’t survive. Loyalties transmuted. Priorities shifted. I’d seen it happen numerous times, and never had any reason to not believe what I’d been told.
Marcella’s face shifted to a more thoughtful, deeper frown. “I’d always thought there was more to the decision to move SilverPaw territory to Montana rather than the very pat explanation he gave. Your father and FrostFur’s politics also soured quite notably after you were born.”
“Probably Sterling, Cerys, and that entire debacle,” I said. The FrostFur had never been willing to sign on to my father’smates where they’re found, no matter whatpolitics. My mother had also been a fan of honoring Gaia’s Will, just less vocal about it.
No Elder Pack had actually been willing to unilaterally support my father’s politics. AmberHowl and GranitePaw had come the closest, but in the way any politician cozied up to any idea: side-stepping and ready to jump away the instant it might bite them.
Marcella’s fingernails slid along the outline of the key taped to the card.
“What’s not in the video is what happened when Jerron showed up,” I told her. “Alan was furious to find out Dad was dead—he thought my father was alive. He thought I’d been sold. But First Beta Daniel of SilverPaw came to Alaska with Jerron. Daniel hadno ideaabout the Arctic Empire situation. He thought I’d come sniffing for something else and he needed to shut it down. And I’ll bet that something else is whatever is in that safe deposit box.”
“Also an excellent way to set your brother up so Daniel would be able to dispose of him and dismantle the last of your father’s legacy,” Marcella said, eyes narrowed.
“Exactly. But Sterling showed up and killed Jerron.”
“And since you are dead as well, Daniel has no way to conclusively dismantle your father’s legacy.” Marcella flicked the card. “Except perhaps what’s in this.”
“I hadn’t thought my death wouldprotectmy father’s work.” But that made sense. My death meant that the best Daniel could do would be to piss on my gravestone. As far as the world knew, I had died, ultimately, a mated female. Of course, the paperwork didn’t exist to support that, but if Daniel started to howl about it, he’d risk putting AmberHowl in a position to affirm it. It sounded like Sterling’s biological father was finally prepared to acknowledge him, countering the rumor ofhybrid. The waters would get very muddy, and Daniel flailing about in them would only churn up more silt.
Marcella nodded a few times, a little smile pulling at her lips while her eyes lit up with a predator’s gleam. “Ah, it all falls into place for you now. Very clever, little she-wolf, very clever. You’ve caught on to why AmberHowl prefers the waters muddy and our options open.”
“Doesn’t mean I like it,” I said, wary for which way she was going to go next.
“So tell me how you intend to get the box. Your movements will be scrutinized by everyone. We have to cover your tracks.”
I sighed. “I’m a Chronicler’s Apprentice. MaryAnne sent me into the field to do in-person inquiries for some non-specified record. Usual grunt apprentice work, especially in winter. You don’t know where I went or who I spoke to. You aren’tallowedto know.”
“Except Fairbanks is, as you said, crawling with wolves. You will be seen when you are supposed to be dead.”
“I’ll be seen, but will I be recognized?Maybe. Yes, there will be records of me at the bank, but so what if rumors I’m still alive circulate? Those rumors aren’t getting out of the arctic quickly, and if they do, you’ll know which way the secrets are flowing. My human death hasn’t been announced anyway. That’s going to be suspicious sooner or later.”
“You technically died in New York State and death records aren’t public,” Marcella said.
“Kyle’s a doctor and GranitePaw has a thumb in every hole. They’ve got wolves inside prisons. I’m sure he’s got some at the DMV and Vital Statistics. Gaia knows I’d make damn sure of that. Don’t trust he can’t make it happen.”
Her eyes now narrowed and her scent turned sharp. “True. If rumors you survived are swirling, they will look no further than AmberHowl because we havehimhere. Theywillsend spies here. Likely spies who know your scent and will recognize you.”
AmberHowl’s Grand Mysterious plan seemed to have????as step 2. Or absolute faith that they’d magically be able to strong arm their way through all of this. “Will? The GranitePaw have had spies and eyeballs everywhere for fifteen years. The bartenders at a super exclusive billionaire party on Long Island were GranitePaw! They got a doorman posted outside my building. Theykilled the wanderer hunting me. You don’t even know what a wandereris. If you’ve got lone wolves on the fringes of your sphere of influence, Iguaranteeyou at least a few are actually GranitePaw. You’ve been up on this high hill so long you forgot what the ground looks like.”
One didn’t just mouth off to an Elder Luna, but I was one silver scar and one fake mating past caring.
“GranitePaw is off building their own little doomsday bunker. The chances I will eventually bump into a wolf who knows my scent are not zero. In fact, they’re pretty Gaia-damned good, considering you paired me with Searle, and I can’t hide on this hill the rest of my life. If GranitePaw comes sniffing, tell them I went to hide with either EarthSpine or FrostFangare.”
“I am certain the FrostFangare will not appreciate me telling lies on their behalf.”
“And EarthSpine would love the attention. You can’t seriously think this Summer Scam is going to last the rest of my life. Get your contingency plans straight.”
Marcella snapped forward. I stopped myself from evading and let her grab me by the hair and twist it with her fist.
“Little,littlewolf,” she growled, leaning close andtwistinguntil my scalp started to lift from my skull.
I stayed silent and did not move, but did not break eye contact. I was supposed to break eye contact. I was supposed to bend my knees and tilt my chin up to expose my throat. Her grippulled, but I grit my neck against showing her my throat.
