Chapter 18 - Trina
The next morning, Owen leaves early for the infirmary, and I take my time getting up. My arm still hurts, and I’m rattled from the night before, so I’m debating whether or not I should go to work.
Angela might hang me. But if I show up unwell and screw things up, she might do worse.
While I make some coffee, I allow myself to wallow in depression a little. The job at the museum has always been a haven for me, and I considered myself very lucky to have a job I loved that didn’t ask too much of me. Since Angela came back, the job has turned into the exact opposite.
I’m still on the fence about going when there is a sharp knock on the door. I hurry to answer it, feeling flutters of nervousness rising in my belly. When I open it, a tall, stern man with very pale blond hair is waiting for me.
“Trina? I apologize for being here so early, but there is an urgent matter to discuss. My name is Rafe, and I’m from the Council of Elders.”
“The… wolf council?” I ask fearfully.
“Correct. I need you to come with me.”
“I should wait for Owen,” I reply, hearing my voice trembling.
“He’s been notified. It’s up to him if he wishes to attend. For now, we need you to come to an official hearing.”
I stand and stare at him for a moment, wondering what will happen if I refuse.
The one thing I do know is that I’m scared shitless of going with him.
“Please don’t resist,” he says softly. “I don’t want this to get ugly.”
My panic level shoots up a notch, and fear grabs me by the throat, almost choking the breath out of me. I nod, trying to hide the tears in my eyes.
“I’ll just… get my purse.”
To my surprise, Rafe follows me into the hall and watches me collect my stuff, then lets me go ahead of him as we leave the house and walk out to the car. I can’t escape the feeling that I’m being taken prisoner before even getting a trial.
Or knowing what the fuck I’ve done.
“Can you tell me what this is about?” I ask as we pull out onto the street.
“It will be better if you just do as you’re told for now,” he says. “The council will explain everything.”
“Will Owen be there?” I ask, my voice sounding small and trembly, like a little kid’s.
“As I said, he’s been notified. It’s up to him if he wishes to attend.”
I shrink down in my seat, trying not to cry. I manage not to lose control of myself, but a few tears streak down my cheeks. Even though I keep my face turned towards the window, I think Rafe notices my tears, anyway.
We drive through the outskirts of town onto a quiet country road.
After following it a short way, Rafe turns into what looks like a solid line of trees.
I sit up suddenly, afraid that he’s about to kill us, but the car moves easily through a small gap between two impressively thick tree trunks, and on the other side, I can see the narrow track we’re following.
The dirt road loops and turns, fully surrounded by scrub at all times. When the cover finally peels back, the sharp, dark shape of a building rises to block out the sky. I shrink down in my seat as it rises above us and we drive into its dark shadow.
This is a bad place.
Stones crunch under the tires as we pull up out front. I take in the details of the house, realizing it could be quite pretty, but instead, it just drips with bad vibes.
“Okay,” Rafe says. “We’re here. I need you to come inside.”
“In there?” I protest.
“Yes. The council is waiting.”
Rafe gets out. I try to follow, but my hands are shaking so badly that I can hardly turn the door handle. He opens it from the outside, and I try to get out of the car without tripping over my trembling knees.
Rafe doesn’t say anything as he gets behind me and practically herds me towards the house. When I open the big, heavy door, pain shoots through my chest as if my fear has become a living thing and something is warning me not to go inside.
Terrible things happened here.
“To the left,” Rafe says.
I look around the foyer, and even though it all looks pretty hostile, the hall to the left is definitely the worst. Rafe shuts the front door behind us and directs me down the hall, following behind me so I can’t turn back.
With every step, my fear grows. Sweat pours down my sides, and my heart flutters up into my throat. By the time we reach the small room at the end of the hall, my mouth is brick-dry and my chest is aching with tension.
“Stand at the end of the table, please,” Rafe says.
I walk slowly into the room, approaching the massive, gleaming table where five others are sitting, three women and two men. Rafe takes a seat amongst them, and I stand at the foot of the table, exposed to their scrutiny.
“We are the Council of Elders,” one of the women says. “And you’ve been called here to answer accusations of treason.”
“What?” I murmur, my voice caught in my throat. “I don’t understand.”
“We just want to hear your side of the story,” one of the men says gently. He doesn’t smile, but he looks at me encouragingly. The woman by his side glares at him harshly.
“You used magic against wolves,” she almost spits. “It was bad enough when we thought you were human, but this! Another cursed witch! How can this be?”
“Sadie was the salvation of Silver Valley, Darla,” the nicer man says. “It looks to me like a favorable pattern.”
“You would think that, you hopeless old fool!” Darla hisses. “The packs will fall apart—”
“Enough,” one of the men from the other side of the table speaks. “None of that is important right now. Trina, it was reported that you used magic last night to harm wolves. Is this true?”
“Yes,” I answer. “But I—”
“I’ve heard enough,” Darla says. “I think we should proceed with execution.”
What the shit?
“Darla,” the nice man says. “You’d need a majority vote and permission from the alpha.”
“I think his lack of presence here answers that well enough,” Darla snaps.
Her words cut shreds from my heart, and I have to hold in a sob.
Why isn’t Owen here? Is he just leaving me to my fate? I don’t understand.
“Trina,” Rafe says. “It looks very bad for you that you kept your powers a secret. It appears that you infiltrated us with the intent to hurt us with your magic. Do you realize that?”
“I didn’t know!” I cry, the words bursting out of me. “I never knew I was a witch.”
Darla laughs, a sudden, sharp sound. “As if we’d believe that!” she says. “How could you walk around your whole life not knowing you were a witch?”
I shake my head, tears slowly trickling down my cheeks.
How do I convince them? I don’t know what to do.
“We have a confession,” Darla says. “At the very least, we should lock her up.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Rafe agrees.
I stand there in complete, utter terror, my mind hollow and dark.
I can’t think, I can’t speak. I…
“Wait!”
Owen’s voice. I’m so relieved I almost collapse.
“Owen,” I gasp. He hurries to my side and takes my hand. Following close behind him, I see Sadie, Shane, and Rhys as well as a couple of people I don’t recognize, but they look vaguely familiar.
“I am here as Trina’s defense,” Owen says. “Trina did not even know she had powers until recently. That can be confirmed by me, and by Sadie.”
Sadie strides purposefully to the end of the table, standing near Owen. She looks commanding and even slightly intimidating, and I feel a ripple of uncertainty flow through the council.
“I can confirm Trina’s heritage as a witch was recently unlocked,” Sadie says. “She isn’t lying.”
No one refutes her. Darla wears a disgusted look, but doesn’t speak.
“I will add to the testimony that Trina acted in self-defense,” one of the women says.
With a jolt of recognition, I realize it’s the woman who was with the bullies last night.
“A small group of us went there to confront her,” she continues.
“It got out of hand. Trina didn’t really hurt anyone; they were only knocked off their feet.
But then, my friend had a seizure… the disease finally hit her, and I saw Trina help her. ”
“Oh?” the nice old man says. “Did she use magic to heal her?”
“I’m not sure,” the girl says. “But Janice was better, and then they took her to the infirmary. Trina tried to help.”
“Furthermore,” Owen says, “these pack members came to my house late at night, knowing I would not be there, and attacked my mate. I demand action from the council on this matter.”
“I’m sure those people were concerned for your welfare,” Darla says. “The situation only escalated because the witch used her powers.”
I really hate her, and from the looks of the others, she’s not popular here, either.
“Darla,” Sadie says, her voice firm. “I heard you play a similar tune at my trial. Don’t you have anything new to say?”
Sadie had a trial?
The two women glare at each other. Eventually, it’s Darla who looks away.
“I want these pack members reprimanded,” Owen says. “They are all very lucky they were allowed to leave my property unharmed last night. I will defend my mate and my property, with lethal force if necessary.”
“We stand with Owen,” Rhys says. “Any challenge made against him will result in direct opposing action from all of us. End the trial now before this gets messy.”
“We will interview the perpetrators,” Rafe says, looking displeased but resigned. “I hope that appeases the alphas?”
Rhys, Owen, and Shane all confirm their satisfaction, and Owen calls for the end of the trial. All the council members look displeased—especially Darla—but they agree. Owen takes my hand to lead me outside, and my head spins as we go down the dark hallway.
Get me the fuck out of here!
The light from the foyer gets brighter, and I hold tighter to Owen’s hand, rushing to get out. He jogs ahead of me, and both of us practically run out the front door. The second we get outside, I throw my arms around Owen’s neck and hug him as hard as I can.
“I thought you weren’t going to come,” I whisper, burying my head in his shoulder. “I was so scared.”
“I had to organize some backup,” he says, stroking my hair. “Don’t worry, Trina, we’ve got you.”
I cling to Owen for a bit longer, slowly composing myself. The others say their goodbyes and depart, then Owen turns to me.
“I have to go back to the infirmary, but I’ll take you home now. You must be in need of a rest after that.”
“Actually…” I begin hesitantly. “Could you take me to work? I’d like to show my face there, to appease Angela. It would be better to make an effort to come in instead of taking the day off.”
“Okay,” Owen says. “If you’re sure.”
“I am,” I reply. “Thank you.”
I don’t want to tell him, I’m afraid to be home alone in case something like this happens again.
Owen drives me into the museum and even comes in with me to smooth things over with Angela. Even though I’m still rattled, it feels good to be in a quiet, orderly place with work to do that occupies my mind without stressing me out.
Luckily, I’m not on the phones today. I don’t think I could even fake being bright and cheerful.
***
While I’m organizing the library and updating the filing, I’m drawn to a section of older texts. Even though the books have historical significance, they are too fragile to be on display at the upcoming gala.
They should be wrapped in protective sheets and put in the special section, I think. But even Sadie is barely allowed up there now.
Since Angela came back, she has moved most of the very valuable items to a locked cage in the very back of our storage area. Only Angela and Fern have full access to it, and I know Angela would never let me in there.
She thinks I’m a fumbling idiot. As if I haven’t already worked here for years. I probably have more experience with artifacts than she does!
I take the old books out one by one, carefully going through them. One of the books feels warm to me, and I’m immediately worried something is wrong with it.
Mold can be a big killer of these old texts. We should probably treat the paper.
After a quick look through the book, I don’t see any sign of decay. Puzzled, I flip carefully through it, and a few pages slip through my fingers as the book falls open on a page near the back. I’m about to close the book when I realize what it says.
“Awakening a witch’s powers.”
No fucking way!
I read through the ritual, but it’s incomplete. As I flick through the book, I realize parts of it are missing.
It might have been damaged over the years, and those other pieces are lost… unless the rest of it is in the vault.
The more I think about it, the more sure I am that I will find the pages I need locked up in the cage out back. When Angela first arrived, it was pretty chaotic as we moved things around, and it’s entirely possible these texts got separated from the others and accidentally moved to the library.
But how the hell am I supposed to get back there?
Immediately, I think about asking Sadie, but I couldn’t ask her to risk her job that way.
Besides, there’s no guarantee that Angela would let her have the key.
I toss the thoughts around in my mind, and then I realize the gala is only a few nights away. An idea blooms in my mind.
All of us were invited, but none of us intended to go—the gala will most likely be desperately boring, especially to people who work here. But now, I’m inspired.
I stack the old books together and hide them in a section at the end of the aisle, then hurry to find my phone.
I better ask Owen if he owns a suit and find my best dress. The two of us are going to the ball.