Chapter 21 — Rhiannon
“Three attacks in two days,” Xander says. He’s pacing behind his chair in the study. For once, I’m the only one sitting.
Olcan had just finished wrapping my wound when Branson and Ethan burst through the infirmary doors carrying Holden between them. His mid-section was drenched crimson, the blood soaking through his clothes at an alarming pace. Olcan rushed him to a separate exam room.
Despite Ethan’s attempts to make me rest, I demanded we inform Xander at once of the situation. The issue had gone from bad to worse, and I couldn’t afford to have him hear it from anyone else.
Not long after I informed Xander of the attacks on Ethan and Holden, Elder Stasio appeared and the two of them had it out in the halls. I’m certain that their shouts could be heard throughout the entire fortress before Elder Stasio had stormed off, seething with rage.
Now, we’re gathered in Xander’s study. Ethan stands on one side of the room with Thea and Gemma. Conan, Branson, and Akila stand around me.
“Do you think Jayme could have escaped and stabbed you while aiming for Ethan?” Xander asks, lines deepening across his forehead.
“No, it wasn’t Jayme.” I hold Xander’s gaze without blinking. “He would never.”
The memory of that moment flashes through my mind again. The glint of the dagger hurtled toward Ethan, and a fury erupted inside me. I didn’t even think. My body just moved.
I’ve always been protective of those under my command, but this was different.
When I jumped in front of that knife, it wasn’t strategic or calculated.
It was raw and personal. Almost desperate.
My wolf didn’t hesitate or question. It simply knew that Ethan’s safety mattered more than protocol, more than my own safety, more than anything else.
Why did I react that way? The question lingers as I flex my bandaged arm, testing the pull of the wound.
My wolf stirs in a way that unsettles me. This intense feeling for a human, it’s not something I was prepared for.
Xander stops pacing and gives me a skeptical look. “You’re certain? With everything that’s happened—”
“I’ve trained with Jayme for years,” I cut him off, my tone of voice leaving no room for doubt. “I know his movements, his fighting style, his scent. I know him. Even in a cloak, I would recognize him instantly, if I believed it could’ve been him in the first place.”
Conan nods. “I would’ve recognized him as well. It definitely wasn’t Jayme.”
“They’re right,” Ethan says. “I saw that the attacker had Shaman tattoos on their arm. Blue intricate patterns, just like the ones Elder Stasio has.”
Silence settles over the room as the implications of this sink in. Xander’s expression darkens.
“This changes things.” His voice drops. “If one of the Shaman is responsible for attacking my Commander and my Luna’s guest, while the Shaman’s daughter lies injured in our infirmary...”
Thea steps forward, her hand protectively cupping her belly. “This summit is unraveling, Xander.”
“But why would the Shaman attempt to kill Ethan?” Gemma asks. “He poses no threat to anyone. There is no logic to it.”
“Can either of you confirm the attacker was Shaman?” Xander turns to me and Conan.
I exchange a quick glance with Conan. “No. I was struggling with the blade. I didn’t notice the markings, but it doesn’t mean they weren’t there.”
Conan shakes his head. “I shifted immediately and was too concentrated on bringing them down.”
Gemma’s brows furrow as she looks at Ethan. “So, you were the only witness to the Shaman markings?”
“I know what I saw.” Ethan’s face hardens.
Rage flares in my chest. “Are you questioning his word, Lady Gemma?” I say before I can stop myself. “When has Ethan given you any reason to doubt him? He’s been nothing but selfless since he arrived!”
Xander’s head jerks back at my outburst toward his mother. “Commander, she was simply—”
“Simply what?” I leap up from my chair. “Looking for a convenient scapegoat? A human to blame instead of addressing the real threat?”
My wolf snarls beneath my skin, bristling at the perceived threat to Ethan. Rationally, I know I’m overreacting, but I can’t seem to control myself.
My voice rises with each word. “He’s risked his life to help us understand what’s happening.
He’s been snatched from his world, forced into combat training with Lycans, enlisted as your Truth Seer, and now someone just tried to kill him.
And you’re questioning his eyesight? Or is it his loyalty you’re actually suspicious of?
You seem almost eager to march him to his death. ”
Conan steps beside me. “Commander, I don’t think that’s what Lady Gemma or our Alpha meant.”
“Conan’s right,” Ethan’s hand grazes my elbow. His touch is brief and subtle, but grounding. “They are just being thorough. I understand.”
The feeling of his hand on me sends a cool current through my skin, subduing my anger enough to see the shock on everyone’s faces, especially Xander’s. I realize I’m standing between him and Ethan, my body positioned defensively.
“Apologies, My Lord.” I step back, heat flooding my face as I bow my head. “Lady Gemma, please forgive my outburst. My injury has left me tired and on edge.” I hold my bandaged shoulder and return to my seat, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
What is going on with me? I try not to think about it.
“It happens to the best of us, my dear.” Gemma accepts my apology with a gentle tip of her head, showing unexpected mercy considering my completely disproportionate reaction to her reasonable question.
“I merely wanted to establish that if Ethan’s assailant is Shaman, we’re dealing with multiple culprits within our territory. ”
Xander, however, studies me for a moment longer before speaking carefully.
“To be clear, Commander, no one is questioning Ethan’s loyalty.
Our Luna considers him family, which makes him important to this pack.
To me. You have my gratitude for protecting him.
” He turns to Ethan. “Your contributions have been invaluable, and we all appreciate what you’ve done for us. ”
“Thank you, Alpha,” Ethan says, but his gaze stays on me rather than Xander.
“I believe what you saw, Ethan,” Xander continues, “but without concrete evidence, we can’t accuse the Shaman delegates of attempted murder, especially after two of their own have been attacked on my land. It would destroy any chance of peace, possibly start a war.”
Ethan nods. “I understand, Alpha.”
“Speaking of the delegates, has anyone spoken to Holden?” Akila looks at Branson and Ethan. “What did he say happened?”
Branson shifts his gaze from Ethan to the ground. His reluctance to speak is obvious in the way he carries himself.
Ethan catches Branson’s eye, his own eyes holding a quiet apology before he speaks. “Holden claims that he was in the dungeons when Jayme reached through the bars of his cell and grabbed him, clawing him across his side and abdomen before he managed to escape.”
“Do we know why Holden went there in the first place?” Lady Gemma asks.
“It doesn’t matter,” Xander responds. “He still should have been safe with Jayme behind bars and the guard only feet away from him.”
He slams his fist onto the desk, making everyone in the room flinch.
His eyes flash dangerously, a hint of silver bleeding into the blue.
“I’ve had enough! First Haron, then Ethan, now Holden.
Assassins lurk within my lands, striking the guests of Kortan from the shadows every day. This is unacceptable!”
“My Lord.” I tread lightly. “I understand your frustration—”
“Frustration?” Xander cuts me off. “This is beyond frustration, Commander. This is a direct challenge to my authority as Alpha.”
“Commander,” Akila steps forward. “I’ve been hearing whispers among the other guards. If word of chaos in Kortan spreads to neighboring enemy packs, they’ll likely view it as the perfect opportunity to invade.”
“Akila’s right,” Gemma says. “Our reputation is at stake, and we must consider that the Shaman may believe that we deliberately lured their dignitaries here to attack them. This could have already sparked a war, Xander.”
The word war lingers ominously in the air. We all know what that would mean: bloodshed on a scale none of us have seen in our lifetimes.
Xander rubs his temples, his anger buckling under the demands of leadership. “Both of Elder Stasio’s children have accused Jayme of attacking them. I have no choice but to bring Jayme to trial before the Council, immediately.”
My heart drops. “A trial? We haven’t had a chance to conduct a proper investigation. You would be leading him to his death.”
“What would you have me do, Commander?” Xander’s voice is strained but resolute. “I am to be a father soon myself. Were I in Elder Stasio’s place, I would demand the same justice for my whelps.”
Stepping closer to his desk, I do my best to keep my voice level despite the panic brewing inside me.
“My Lord, I understand the need for swift action, but executing one of our own without sufficient evidence...” I pause, choosing my words carefully.
“That burden will weigh on all of us. On you. Forever.”
My eyes flick briefly to Ethan, whose face has become increasingly pale since he broached the subject. He knows as well as I do what’s at stake for Jayme, and perhaps for Ethan as well.
“I agree with Rhiannon,” Thea says, moving to stand beside Xander.
She places a gentle hand on his arm. “Yes, we would want someone to pay if our child was attacked, but what if it was our child who was wrongfully accused of being the attacker? Wouldn’t we want every possibility examined before they faced execution?
We need to be sure before we cross a line like that. ”
Branson, who had kept silent until now, squares his shoulders. “My Lord, Jayme is my brother. I know him better than anyone. Despite his challenges, he would never do this. Please, Alpha. Allow the Commander time to investigate properly.”
Xander looks at all of us, conflict evident in his expression. I can see him wrestling with his duty as Alpha to protect our territory and his loyalty to the pack members who have served him faithfully.
“Elder Stasio is demanding justice,” he says finally. “His anger is justified.”
“Elder Stasio is a reasonable man,” Lady Gemma counters this time, now siding with us. “He’s hurting, yes, but he can be reasoned with. If we explain that we’re conducting a thorough investigation to ensure true justice is served, he may understand.”
I take a breath, steadying myself. “Give me two days. That’s all I ask. Two days to find evidence of what really happened.”
Xander’s gaze sweeps across each of our faces, lingering on Thea’s pleading eyes, then Branson’s determined stance, before finally settling on me.
“Two days,” he concedes at last. “Not a moment longer, Commander. After that, Jayme goes before the Council, and we accept their judgment, whatever it may be.”
Relief floods through me, though I’m careful not to show it too openly. “Thank you, My Lord.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Xander warns. “If you can’t find concrete evidence to exonerate Jayme, I expect you to stand with me when I deliver the Council’s verdict, even if that verdict is execution.”
“Yes, Alpha,” I say.
Jayme, I won’t let you down.
I’ll need every second of the next two days to prevent an innocent wolf from being sacrificed for nothing other than political expediency.