Chapter 62
Chapter
Sixty-Two
Sitting in the center of the clearing, I took a deep breath and let it out.
Smoke filled the air, and I pushed myself to shift.
Exploding out, fire burst from me as I shifted into my full dragon.
Then, just as quickly, I shifted back down to my Draconic form.
Taking another slow breath, I shifted back into my full form before swapping back to human.
“I don’t understand how you shift that fast.”
I smiled, turning to Beau. “It’s just a matter of practice and control. You could probably do it too.”
“Yeah, well, you need to have some claim to fame for the family.”
Snorting, I raised my eyebrow. “How about the fastest? Or the one who can make the hottest fire?”
“Have you beaten Colt yet?”
My lips pursed, and she burst out laughing.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
Shaking my head, I aimed a solid punch at her stomach, but she had been ready for it. Dodging, she sent a fist flying at me, trying to hit my shoulder. It didn’t work as I turned my body to the side. I did, however, get a leg under her, and she collapsed onto the floor with a huff.
“Damn it. That was rude.”
“Maybe you’re the one who should work out a bit more, little sister.” I chuckled and grabbed her arm, pulling her back up. “You’re getting a little slow there.”
Beau shook off her dress. “I wasn’t actually trying! You played dirty! Plus, this hasn’t gone anywhere.”
She slapped my stomach, and I chuckled. She wasn’t wrong.
I’d been working out more, but it wasn’t going anywhere.
I’d got down to two-eighty-five, but that had been weeks ago.
Part of me wanted to ask Colton if he was doing something.
He was too busy dealing with his own weight gain to worry about mine.
He’d finally hit one-twenty-eight and was so ecstatic he almost cried.
Eva said it wasn’t enough, but he looked healthier, and I celebrated it with him.
“What are you doing out here? Did you want to spar?”
“Nah, Dad asked me to come get you. He got a reply from the Council.”
My brow furrowed. “It’s been what…four weeks? What took them so long?”
Beau shrugged. “I’m sure Dad will tell us.”
Following her, I grabbed my sweats and threw them on.
I was walking up the porch when a car pulled up in the driveway.
My eyes widened when I saw Keith getting out.
Growling, I was about to shift when a hand clamped down on my shoulder.
Turning, ready to snap at whoever was holding me back, I realized it was Colton.
He gave me a soft smile before shaking his head.
“Ty called him. I said it was fine.”
“But…”
Colton looked down for a moment. “Can you get dressed and then grab Kayla? Lauren is playing with her in the nursery. I have a bottle ready if she needs it.”
He was distracting me. I knew it. He knew it, and everyone in the house probably knew it. My eyes locked with my brother’s, who had frozen partly up the driveway. Keith looked like hell. His beard was unruly, and his hair was a tangled mess. He also looked thinner.
My lips pursed before a let out some smoke from my nose. Turning, I kissed Colton on the head.
“Yes, my mate. Did you need anything?”
“No, I’m good. We are meeting in Ty’s study. Just come down with her and make sure Lauren comes down too.”
I nodded and turned my back on my brother. I didn’t want to, and my dragon wanted to at the very least punch him, but Mom would yell at me for fighting. Colton followed me as well, which helped. He didn’t need to be speaking with Keith. There was nothing my brother could say to excuse his betrayal.
Heading up the stairs, I changed into some jeans and a shirt before putting on my glasses, pulling my hair back into a tuft of a ponytail and heading into the nursery.
Lauren was on the floor, surrounded with toys, and Kayla was in her lap, squealing excitedly as she reached for things, but Lauren would let her get close before snatching her back.
It sent her into a fit of giggles, and Lauren was laughing as well.
“I hope you haven’t gotten baby fever.”
Lauren snorted. “As much as I love your daughter, Marcus, I think I am still going to need a few years before we talk cubs. I need to scrub everything that Colt went through out of my head. Despite him having an incredible birth.”
Groaning, I rubbed my face. “I doubt yours would be nearly as bad if you or Beau wanted to carry a little one.”
“Maybe. We also won’t recover the same as Colt either.”
“No kidding. I don’t think any shifter does.”
She held Kayla up, and I took her in my arms. She sputtered and giggled. I tickled her sides, and she dissolved into more giggles, and I smiled. Lauren got up and threw the toys into the bin we had.
“Meeting downstairs with the family. Keith is here too.”
She froze, her eyes narrowing. “Why is he here?”
“Dad called him. I don’t know why. Colt stopped me from attacking him. He also said I’m on Kayla duty so I don’t punch him.”
Lauren patted my back. “Don’t worry. I’ll do it for you. He didn’t say anything to me.”
I snorted, and we made our way down the stairs to Dad’s office.
It was already full. Dad was sitting at his desk, Mom standing next to him.
Keith was sitting on the couch as far away from everyone as possible.
He clasped his hands together, focusing his eyes on them.
He looked the same as when we were kids and sat in front of Dad when we got into trouble.
Peter was sitting on the opposite side of the couch, Laila sitting on the armrest.
Colton was standing in the back, leaning against the bookshelf, and I walked over to him, kissing his head. He flashed me a smile, but there was a lot of tension in how he was standing. Lauren stood behind Beau, who was sitting in one of the single chairs.
Dad tapped his desk with his finger. “I wouldn’t say we won, but in a way, it feels like a small victory.”
Colton tightened his grip on his arm. I wrapped my arm around him, holding Kayla close. Dad continued, filling the page.
“On one hand, we have the Dark Night pack. I think the reason they were taking so long was that they reached out to the pack first. We requested amends to be made. Their entire pack was at fault. They endangered Mason, attacked Marcus at the mall, then took over the house. They separated Ebony Blackfell’s crimes from the pack for organizational purposes; it looks like.
” Dad frowned. “They accepted the terms, but wish to speak with us regarding a lesser punishment.”
Beau grumbled, her arms crossed over her chest like Colton’s. “They all deserve to die. I don’t know why they think they can bargain for it.”
“Really, it’s up to Marcus and Colton. Since I’m currently Alpha and the head of the house, I will need to be there, but I will direct all the punishment to Marcus and Colton.”
My lips pursed, and I looked down at my mate. He was frowning, but there wasn’t anything to give away what he felt like doing. Colton looked down for a moment.
“I would be willing to meet with them. Though I don’t think I want to change my mind.”
“Understood.” Dad wrote something down on the paper and then moved it to the side. “Now, Ebony…”
I growled. “She dies.”
Dad nodded. “I understand. I’m sure that Flynn Blackfell will bargain for his daughter’s life, but the Council already agreed that the execution is on the table.”
Colton flinched next to me, but I held him tight.
After what she did to us, Ebony would die.
I wouldn’t have it any other way. With or without the Council’s agreement.
It just made it easier for everyone. It peeved me, though, how much money my family had to throw at the Council for them to agree to this.
Even with all the evidence, they still required money.
Everyone agreed not to tell Colton, because he would lose it at the price of his freedom from Dylan.
“As for the request for Red River...” Dad frowned. “They aren’t willing to put the pack at fault.”
My eyes widened, and Lauren growled. “The fuck? Are you kidding me?”
Dad put up his hand. “They don’t agree that the actions taken by Dylan Genesis were for or at the behest of the pack. However, they had implicated the entire leadership; previous, current, and future.”
Colton sucked in a breath. “Future?”
Nodding, Dad gave a sad smile. “All three of the current leaderships have pups. They believe that wiping out their entire line would be sufficient.”
Looking down, Colton was shaking. I knew he hated Dylan and his brother.
While I didn’t remember, Dylan came clean himself that he was behind breaking me.
He was also the mastermind behind the bond-breaking drug.
We knew that as a fact. Colton said that Selene hadn’t figured out how it worked, but if it was something that could actually work on any shifter, it would destroy the very thread of our world.
“I don’t…I…” Colton was tearing up.
“You are too soft, Colt. They should die.” Laila snapped. “They are being raised by those assholes and they won’t be any better. They will be the reason that the cycle continues.”
Dad hushed her. “Laila, your feelings on the matter shouldn’t…”
“They should! I had to take care of Colt while he was in pain! While what they were doing tore him apart! We all were! They deserve to die! All of them! If we are going to put it to a vote, you know they will lose.”
The bond was going haywire. Colton was struggling. Dad looked up at me, and I shook my head. His lips pursed for a moment.
“We have until the thirtieth to tell them what we have decided. So we have some time. I know this will be an extensive discussion; however, ultimately, it will be up to Colton and Marcus.” Dad growled at Laila, who I assumed was about to open her mouth.
“End of story. If you want to talk to them about your feelings, you’re welcome to.
However, the decision will be up to them, and we as a family will be supportive of their decision. No matter whether it’s showing mercy.”
I nodded. This was the best we could ask for, and I could talk to Colton about it later. He was still shaking, and I could see his hands curled up into fists. Since having Kayla, it would hit him harder with the kids. Despite his anger, his brother was still family, even if only half.
Dad leaned back in the chair. “The other reason I thought I would bring everything together is regarding Keith and Queen.”
My eyes widened, and everyone looked at Keith. He seemed surprised throughout all of this that both Ebony and Alpha Genesis were going to die. His face lost a bit of color and it still hadn’t gotten it back. It just showed how out of the loop he was.
“Dad…I’m sorry. I know…I know I made a mistake, but I don’t think…”
“You’re right. You didn’t think.” Dad snapped at him. “You didn’t bring it up to us. You knew that if we found out, we would have probably killed Alpha Genesis right there. He deserved it after everything. I’m just glad we have this to make it easier.” He waved the papers at Keith.
Keith looked broken. “I didn’t know!”
“Then why did you insert yourself into something you knew nothing about?” Dad yelled at him.
“Because Queen said…” He stopped mid-sentence, burying his hands in his face.
I took a breath. “She promised to be the mate you wanted, didn’t she? That she would come home. Be the mother and mate you wanted. All if you got rid of Colton.”
“YES!” Keith turned on me. “She didn’t say get rid of Colton! She said we were giving him back to his fated mate! You didn’t even remember him!”
My growl shook the windows, and I struggled to hold my dragon back. “You think that made him any less of my mate? We have a child together!”
“We would have kept her! You would have had her. Genesis didn’t want her.”
“You realize that makes you sound even more horrible, right?” Beau chimed in, her horns out just like mine. “I didn’t realize just how far you would fall to get someone to fake being your mate who doesn’t love you at all. Now I know. I’ve never been so fucking disappointed in my life.”
Keith growled at her. “You don’t know what it’s like! You don’t understand!”
“Of course we don’t!” Beau snapped back. “You ruined what feeling of happiness we could have for our fated if we ever met them! You ruined that for all of us. Mar most of all!”
“Oh, yeah, you take your favorite brother’s side. I expect nothing less of you.”
Beau stood up, yelling at him. “It’s not about sides, Keith!
It’s about you being a fucking asshole from the moment you got it in your head that you were going to be Alpha.
That’s what fucked you up. You shoved a rocket up your ass and thought it would take you up to the moon, and all it did was shoot you into the ground. ”
“You don’t know anything about what it means to be an Alpha!”
“Other than the fact that you let it destroy your entire relationship with your family? I wouldn’t fucking want it either! Not with how you’ve let it ruin everything.”
Keith growled, but it was overshadowed by Dad. “Stop it. Both of you. If Keith doesn’t realize what he has done, then he will learn. You can’t shove it down his throat.”
I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh. Dad shot me a glare, but Peter looked back at me, the same struggle on his face.
Colton still hadn’t moved, his mind elsewhere.
Leaning down, I kissed the top of his head.
He turned and reached up, grabbing Kayla from me.
This freed me to wrap my arms around him and pull him against my front.
Trying to protect him, even though most of everything that was going on was in his head.