Chapter 23
This might be the oddest trial yet. Caidrik sat on the bleachers of the high school football field with Nadia pressed against one side of him and Taryn on the other. The metal seats bit through the layers of his jeans.
Pack members had filed in around them until the bleachers were dotted with familiar faces, everyone facing the track on the closest edge of the snow-covered field. Down on the snowy ground, Solomon stood with his gray coat snapping hard in the wind, the grimoire, as usual, balanced in his hands.
Caidrik bet the male really did sleep with the thing under his pillow. “We need to get him a decent job,” he muttered under his breath.
Nadia tucked her scarf closer around her neck. “I’ve thought of a couple of classes he could teach. It’ll make him feel more needed around here.”
That was sweet. Caidrik had thought to make the guy go find all of the animals that had rabies and take them on one by one. “Okay.”
“Thank you for attending the first public trial,” Solomon said to the crowd. His voice carried easily over the field, sharp and clean. “This is one that will reflect decision-making and pack protection. Caidrik, are you ready to proceed?”
“Sure,” Caidrik said as the wind kicked up harder, tugging at his jacket.
The sky had finally cleared to a deep winter blue, but he could smell more snow riding on the wind.
He stood and turned to face the crowd, shoulders tight.
“Listen, I’ve about had it with these trials.
” He glanced toward the far edge of the worn bleachers where Luca sat.
“Let’s get them all over tonight. One after the other. ”
“Works for me,” Luca said, not bothering to stand. “This is getting tedious.”
“Could not agree more,” Caidrik said. He turned back toward Solomon. “Does that work for everybody?”
Solomon cleared his throat. “You can go all night, but you’ll each have one challenge left tomorrow late afternoon. I need time to set up for it after I seek more instructions, which I hope are at the pack museum.”
“Good enough. Then by tomorrow night, we’re done,” Caidrik said.
Nadia jumped, staring at Solomon.
“What happens if two challengers are still standing?” Gail called from the top of the bleachers. She was bundled in a light, fluffy-looking pink coat and wore wide-rimmed sunglasses.
The sun wasn’t that bright, but they were pink, so it must’ve been a fashion choice.
“They fight to the death,” Solomon said, his tone solemn. “You’re all more than welcome to read the grimoire if anybody still can.”
Gail pushed her spectacles up. “I’m happy to take a look later, although I’m sure I’ve forgotten more than I once knew.”
“I’d like to join you,” Nadia called, snuggled deeper into her thick black jacket beside him.
“That’d be fun,” Gail said.
Caidrik didn’t have time for this. He wanted these trials finished, done, buried. He didn’t much want to kill Luca, but he’d do what he must to end this uncertainty. “All right, let’s do this.” He had no clue what ‘this’ might be.
“Have a seat,” Solomon motioned.
“Fine.” The bleachers were freezing ass cold beneath Caidrik when he sat, but he wasn’t about to complain. He leaned slightly toward Nadia. “You warm enough?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, her hands swallowed by thick gloves.
He glanced to his other side. “Taryn?”
“I’m as warm as I could be.”
His mother sat on Taryn’s other side and leaned around her. “I think everyone’s warm, honey. Do you have any idea what this is about?”
“No.” When he’d first been instructed to go to the football field, he’d figured there’d be some kind of physical challenge and had honestly hoped he could just get in a fight with Luca and get it over with.
“Very well.” Solomon motioned toward the side entrance with a ‘come here’ gesture.
An old, battered truck lumbered into view, tires crunching over packed snow as it rolled onto the track and stopped directly in front of Caidrik. The doors flew open. Two of the pack’s enforcers jumped out and moved to the back, lifting the lid. They hauled out three males, bound and hooded.
Caidrik smelled the air. “Are those humans?”
“I think so,” Nadia said quietly.
The scent was unmistakable, sharp with fear and sweat that had gone sour in the cold.
The wind carried it straight to him, tangling with exhaust from the truck and the clean bite of snow.
The enforcers reached up and yanked the hoods off in one rough motion, then stepped back, leaving the three men standing there exposed, blinking and swaying slightly on the frozen track.
“What is going on?” the man in the middle spat.
His voice cut sharp and angry through the field.
“This is kidnapping, false imprisonment, and assault.” He stood at about six foot four with his blond hair whipping loose around his face.
He wore jeans, a button-down shirt, and a white lab coat that looked absurd against the snow and wind, the hem snapping hard against his legs.
He twisted his head toward the men flanking him. “Are you two okay, brothers?”
“I guess,” the one on his right said, shoulders hunched as he flexed his numb hands.
The other guy nodded.
The blond in the lab coat faced the crowd again. “I am Brother Jeremiah of the Flock,” he said. “I’m also Dr. Bankston from the next county. I have no idea what you think you’re doing, but this will not stand.”
Caidrik felt something tight and unpleasant settle in his chest. He’d heard of Brother Jeremiah.
The Flock. A commune tucked several mountain ranges away, often having protests in Silver Pack territory.
Caidrik had never bothered to figure out what they protested.
“What is going on?” he demanded, shooting a look at Solomon.
“I have the three humans,” Solomon said calmly.
Caidrik’s jaw clenched. “Stop this right now.”
Brother Jeremiah straightened. “Where are we?”
“You’re in Slate Pack territory,” Solomon said.
Caidrik cut him a look.
Brother Jeremiah frowned. “Slate Pack territory?” He tilted his head. “I don’t know what that is. Is that a mountain range?” He looked to the shorter, dark-haired guy on his right, who just shrugged.
A bad feeling crawled deeper into Caidrik’s gut. “This is a bad idea, Solomon.”
“It’s one of the requirements.” Solomon looked on dispassionately.
“What the hell is happening here?” Brother Jeremiah winced. “I mean, heck.” His eyes kept moving, tracking the crowd, which had to be so weird. “Are you all looking to join our commune?”
“No,” Caidrik said flatly. “I don’t know why you were taken, but I will find out.”
“Well,” Solomon said, “this is why.” He nodded toward two of the high school football players stepping forward from the edge of the field. Danny Jordan and Freddie Spruce. They looked pale and tense, breath coming fast in the cold. Both glanced at Caidrik, then back to Solomon.
“Now,” Solomon said.
Caidrik stared at him. “Now what? Don’t touch them. They’re human.”
Brother Jeremiah stiffened. “Of course we’re human.”
“What is happening?” the guy on his left asked, his voice thin and cracking. He was shorter than Jeremiah and had bright red hair. Seemed to be in his early twenties at the latest.
“Now,” Solomon said again, louder.
Both boys turned and leaped forward. Midair, their bones snapped and shifted, and their jackets tore and dropped to the ground as fur burst through their skin. Wolves hit the track where human-looking teenagers had stood a second earlier, claws scraping against frozen ground.
The guys flanking Jeremiah both gasped and backpedaled toward the truck.
Brother Jeremiah spun and thrust out a hand, palm forward, his voice rising. “Devils or demons, go to hell. God, give me the strength to fight this evil,” he yelled.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Caidrik snapped, standing. “What are you doing, Solomon? You just broke about fifty laws.”
“Sorry,” Solomon said evenly. “It’s part of it.” He motioned to the enforcers stationed near the truck. They moved in close, boots crunching against ice, and gently but firmly guided the two humans back toward Brother Jeremiah.
Jeremiah had gone pale enough to blend into the snow and seemed to be praying under his breath, lips moving fast, fingers twitching like he wanted something solid to grab onto.
Caidrik shook his head slowly. “What now?”
“Well, that’s your problem,” Solomon said. “These are humans. Rather public ones. They have no issue organizing protests. Also, they’ve recently developed a new and fairly impressive social media presence.”
Caidrik didn’t blink. He just stared at the three of them. His job was to kill all three. That was the answer baked into the laws whether he liked it or not. The wind cut across the field again, cold biting at his ears, but he barely noticed. He glanced at his mother.
She shrugged. “This is weird,” she said. “I don’t know what you’re supposed to do.”
He looked at Taryn.
“You have to kill them,” she said without hesitation. “It’s a pity. The middle one’s pretty cute, but our laws are clear.”
He looked down at Nadia as she slowly stood, her breath puffing white in front of her face. “You can’t just kill them,” she whispered. “They didn’t ask to be kidnapped.”
“What do we do with them then?” Caidrik muttered.
“I don’t know,” Nadia said, voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. “But we don’t go around killing humans, especially when this is our fault.”
Taryn shook her head and stood too. “She’s too soft to be Alpha female. You know what you need to do to protect the pack. If you want, I’ll take the one on the left.” Her eyes flicked toward the men. “Brother Jeremiah’s yours.”
Brother Jeremiah squared his shoulders, hands clenched. “God is on my side, you evil beings.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Caidrik snapped. “Shut up. We’re not evil. We’re wolf shifters.”
“Evil,” Brother Jeremiah hissed.