Total pages in book: 202
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
Several are undressing, shifting, and I’m in shock as I see more and more people doing it, too.
Aphra snickers from her chair by the stage, Halla tucked to her side, hiding her face in her stuffed butterfly, which Linc handed to her when we pulled in. I completely understand why Aphra is amused by this. As for Halla, she’s such a sweet little girl and I’m again filled with relief that we found her, that she’s back with her mother. There are other kids here, too, though, so I wince and call out, “Maybe someone should…” but I trail off watching more people drop their clothes to shift to wolf shape.
“Is someone going to stop them?” I ask as I see blood gushing from Larry’s nose. Larry curls into a ball and does his best to shield his head with his hands.
Brody looks my way and shrugs, speaking loud enough for his voice to carry. “I think this is long overdue. These people have had all their choices taken away, even their very nature denied them. They’re doing what they should be doing. What they should’ve done long ago. You want me to stop them from standing up for themselves?”
I expect the now-shifted pack members to rush my brother and start attacking, but that’s not what they’re doing. There are at least twenty in wolf shape standing in front of him, growling and showing their teeth but standing together. I think they’re all waiting for him to regain consciousness so they can show him they’re shifted because he no longer has the power to tell them they can’t be who they are. I think they want him to attempt to shift and try to intimidate them with his larger wolf and are eager to watch him fail.
My brother is blinking, squinting, looking disoriented, but paying his own pack no mind.
Malachi squats and yanks the thick layer of silver tape off his mouth.
No doubt about it, Wyatt is wide awake now.
He hisses at the pain, “What the fuck?”
He groans, face looking pained and I hope he’s got a killer headache.
Brody is still looking at me with his eyebrows raised, waiting for my answer.
I shake my head.
“Stacy? You upset? Someone should hear from Stacy before anyone else does anything,” Malachi calls out. “Stacy is the reason we’re all safe from Wyatt. Stacy endured his abuse for her whole life. I want to know what she thinks.”
Grey looks at him with that amped, angry look still on his face.
“Honey?” I say, grabbing his hand.
Grey’s eyes move to me and soften just enough that I know he’s not about to go beat Malachi to a pulp.
A bunch of yesses are chimed out along with a few people calling my name.
“Go ahead, babe,” Grey invites, jerking his chin toward the stage.
Malachi produces a knife from his pocket and cuts through the rope on my brother’s hands and feet.
Wyatt manages to get himself to a sitting position on the stage but he’s holding his forehead with one hand, the back of his head with the other, rocking a little and looking like he’s in agony.
Brody calls out, “For crimes against your pack, we’re about to take a vote on what happens to you, Wyatt. Seems like there are some folks who have words for you first.”
Wyatt looks over at Brody, squinting.
Brody goes on, “Perhaps Greyson Blackwood, for the crimes against his mate. Jason Creed, on behalf of his sister, Sherry, who you did not treat very well. No surprise you treat a mate poorly when look at how you treat your pack. Also, Riley Savage, for repeated attempts to take his mate, for abducting his sister-in-law, as well as attempting to murder him. Tyson Savage for ordering his murder as well as committing arson against his property, putting his pregnant mate at risk. All Arcana Falls council alphas for your attacks on them, this land, their pack. I’m told Aphra Starling here has beefs that alone would call for a death sentence or life sentence in prison. She said you seduced her while she was mourning her dead mate and then flipped the script.”
Oh my goodness! My eyes dart to Aphra.
“And me. First because you sold my mate and several other women into prostitution, though just hearing the shit you pulled as the supposed leader of this pack, I’d like to rip your goddamn throat out, too.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Wyatt asks, barely looking at him, still squinting and holding his head. “You the fucker trying to take what’s mine? Where’s my mate? You gonna try and take her, too?”
“Your mate has been summoned in case she wants to speak up for you in your defense. Or against you. We’re also recording this for the sake of posterity,” Brody says, gesturing to someone beside him that I don’t know, who’s holding his phone up. “And you should answer to these people, the people you let down with your mismanagement of the Silver Hills pack who you’ve abused. The condition of that pack’s land is a vivid illustration of the type of leader you are. Or were. Stacy Blackwood can have her say, then we’ll open it up for anyone who wants to converse with the accused. Or to speak up on his behalf.”