AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Abby nodded. “Seems to be,” she agreed. “We’re not here as a court, right? But a reconciliation?” She had only a hazy idea what that meant. If someone had warned her, she would have done some research on this! But she didn’t want to be the judge —not of Benny, not of anyone.
“Right,” Olivia agreed. “Not punishment, but a path forward.”
Was that the difference? Abby liked it anyway. It was what they made it after all.
“You’ll speak for the women,” Abby said to Olivia. Olivia started to protest, then just nodded. “Pick your six others who will speak and question.”
Olivia walked to the front of the panel that King was setting up. She surveyed the room. “Rose?”
Rose shook her head. “I’ve had my reconciliation,” she said quietly. “I’m here to stand witness of it.”
Olivia nodded. “Karen?”
Karen shook her head too. “I’m where I need to be.”
But the next women Olivia called came forward. They quietly took the seats, and Olivia talked to them in low tones about what it was she had in mind. Abby wished she and Olivia could talk mind-to-mind — she’d like to know what Olivia had in mind too.
Olivia glanced up at that.Like this?She asked.
Abby stared at her.It was that simple?
Between you and I, I think not linking was the hard thing. Maybe that’s what kept us at arms distance,Olivia said.
Possible, Abby thought, with a glance at Benny, especially if Benny’s theories were right. And he was going to kill himself and deprive all of them of his insights? Bastard. She was suddenly very angry at him.
Easy,Olivia said.Lock down all those links of yours. Suicide is essentially a selfish act, and those left behind are often left to deal with anger and guilt and mourning all balled up. But it won’t do anyone any good here.
No it wouldn’t. She nodded at the woman and walked to the lectern that King had found. The room quieted. “Truth and reconciliation,” she said. “It’s a process of healing, really. It’s been done at the national level in South Africa and Canada, and it’s done on the individual scale in family counseling. We’ve been hurting too long. The burden of what happened here at Wolf Harbor has grown too great. So we’re going to talk through it. We’ll figure out a path forward. But we’ll talk for as long as it takes. Maybe we won’t get everything solved tonight. But then we reconvene until we do. Because we are a pack. And we will heal the wounded among us.”
She looked around the room. Stefan and Michel were there, representing the research staff. Was there any reason to call in the others of that group? She didn’t think so. “Synde isn’t here,” she said to Olivia. “And neither is Ricci or Brighton. Do you want me to bring them home for this?”
Olivia shook her head. “Not at this time.” And then privately,not ever, if I have any say. I do not want to do this with Ricci and Brighton — or any of Jones’ men who were left behind here. That’s a whole different can of worms.
Abby nodded. “George, one of the resort trainers, and Rachel, who was in my cohort, are also missing.”
Olivia glanced at the women beside her. “We’re OK with that.”
More people filed in. Abby frowned, puzzled. It was Emily, Betsy, and Alice, and a handful of other women from Vancouver. They were followed in by Maggie, Benny’s friend from the motorcycle club. Maggie went to sit by Benny. He shook his head, murmuring something to her. She just patted his leg and stayed put. “Emily?” Abby asked.
“We’re here as witnesses and we’ll carry the story back to the other women,” Emily said. “There are so many unanswered questions. And we need to know.”
Abby glanced at Olivia, who just nodded.
“Where do you want to start?” Abby asked.
The door opened again, and Abby’s eyes widened as the girls from the school filed in. Joy went to join her parents, and Sarah took a seat next to Maggie. The others filled the back of the room. King went out the door, and when he came back, some of his staff came with him bearing folding chairs for the girls.
Benny turned and looked back. “No, Alpha, please,” he said hoarsely. “I don’t want them to know what I’ve done.”
Sarah reached across Maggie and took Benny’s hand. “It was done for us,” she said simply. “What was done at Wolf Harbor was done so that we might live. I made it through first shift without the serum. But most of these girls wouldn’t — notwithout the serum. Because of you and Dr. Lebenev and the others, they will live.”
There was a murmur among the women by Olivia. “What does she mean?” one woman asked, her voice hoarse. Abby remembered her from the spa day but couldn’t put a name to her. I need to do better, she thought fiercely.
“Stefan?” Olivia said. “Could you walk us through what you were trying to do and why? I’m not sure everyone knows.”
Abby closed her eyes briefly in pain. Had they neglected the women that badly? They didn’t even know what their sacrifice had been for?
Stefan stood up, looking a bit uncertain. Abby nodded at him. “Think of them as a panel of potential grant providers,” she said quietly. “Be the professor, not the mad scientist, and tell them.”
