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I said, “So that’s a twist.I’mthe bastard.”
“So it would seem. It’s more important than ever you not be discovered.”
Daniel had been biding his time. That’s why he’d been telling everyone I wasUnwanted. He’d literally thought I was. He’d destroyed me, and Dad had let him, because my lack of a mate made me a chain around Dad’s neck. A giant blinking sign ofSINNER SINNER. Dad had put his support behind Jerron, but then Dad had died, and Daniel had set Jerron up to mangle whatever remained of Dad’s influence.
And why did Alan hate my mother? Why did my grandparents not like her much either? Why did FrostFur not like Autumn?They were the ones who forced her to mate my father.
Henri watched Demetrius roll up the parchment. “We’re compounding sins, Demetrius. We’re committing theexactsame sin if you intend to continue this beyond July.”
“I intend to do what I have to do for the species,” Demetrius said.
“Thenintercede,” Henri snapped.
“The challenge has been issued and I can’t stop it!” Demetrius growled.
Henri jabbed a thick finger in Demetrius’ direction. “Then figure out a way todelayit. He’s got to beat Alan, or he’s going to set us on a path to damnation. We’re just repeating the same history over and over! Give the wolf another year to train.”
Searle’s glance raked over me before he inclined his head towards Henri, maddeningly quiet and soft-spoken as always. “He’s closer to thirty than twenty. He is what he is, and you can train and refine what that is, but he is not and will never be what he could have been with proper training from the beginning.”
Henri blew out an aggravated breath. “I would normally agree with you, but that wolf is the most intense asshole I haveevermet. He’s as wicked and mean as that silver scar on his belly. He grew up ratting and eating vermin to survive, and he’s got that same dirty, filthy grit in how he fights. He goes into the ring to break, dominate, and if pushed, maim and kill. Everyone hates him, but they’re all terrified of him and half of them can’t help but follow him around like enthralled puppies. He’s a goddamn storm that rolls through those barracks on the daily and every time I have to go down there or deal with it, I wonder if I’m going to find a dead body. I donotturn my back on him.”
“Sounds like you’re a little intimidated yourself.”
Henri snorted and brushed off the comment, but gave me a look that saidI’m not saying anything for your sake.
Demetrius spoke over them. “We have two more scrolls to read. Decisions later.”
“They’re probably statements about Jerron and I,” I said, feeling full and nauseated. “Affirming our true pedigrees.”
Because sure, add more nails to the coffin before we chucked it into the ground.
The second scroll was exactly what I expected.
Let it be known that at the moment of my death I state the truth to the Wolves & Before Gaia:
My son, Jerron, first born, was sired by Rodero of SilverPaw, who was the wolf at my side, but not my true mate.
Autumn
Elder Luna of SilverPaw
I passed the scroll to MaryAnne. “Housekeeping.”
MaryAnne nodded soberly.
I fiddled with the wax seal before opening the third scroll. Might as well get it over with. Bandaids and all.
Let it be known that at the moment of my death I state the truth to the Wolves & Before Gaia:
My daughter, Winter, second-born, was sired by my true mate, Alpha Birk of BlizzardFall. I returned to SilverPaw very freshly having fallen pregnant. Rodero agreed to claim he had sired her on me when we celebrated our reunion, and to raise her as his own.
Winter is not a product of rape, but it was my Chronicler husband’s plan to state such, if her actual pedigree was ever revealed by means beyond his control. If such a revelation has occurred after my death, it is a lie.
Autumn
Elder Luna of SilverPaw
“What the...” I stared at the parchment. Marcella took it from me and skimmed it, then she sniffed it, stared at it, and Demetrius had to get in his own gawking disbelief.
