Chapter 17
A tremor rocked through my body as Patrick’s words echoed in my ears. “They have to be put down.”
Trace surged forward, purple fire swirling around him. “If you make one move against my mate, I will remove your head from your body.”
Declan grabbed his shirt, pulling him back. “Don’t. It’s what he wants.”
A hint of fear flickered in Patrick’s gaze, but then he turned his focus toward The Assembly. “See? They already grow unstable, thanks to her.”
“Leighton’s never dealt with abilities before,” Colt argued. “She didn’t grow up in this world. We were all a little unstable when we manifested. She just needs time.”
Harris, the shifter assemblyman, narrowed his eyes at Colt. “But you weren’t at full power when you manifested. You were able to grow into your gifts. Leighton is already at maturity; her powers are far stronger. She could hurt someone.”
Darius cleared his throat. “Permission to speak?”
Marjorie nodded. “Go ahead.”
“Leighton may be stronger than we were when we gained our powers, but she is also far more mature. That will be an asset. I predict that she will gain control far faster than we all did. I’ve seen her with her mates. She’d do anything for them. I think we need to give her that chance.”
Alister whirled on Darius. “You knew about this, didn’t you? That’s treason.”
Darius didn’t show even a hint of fear. “I didn’t know. But I do know Leighton’s character.”
“Liar,” Alister hissed.
Darius’s entire demeanor shifted. “Say that again…”
“He didn’t know,” Colt said. “No one did. Dash made amulets so we could hide it from anyone we came across.”
Raphael sniffed. “Not strong enough for me.”
“Clearly not,” Colt muttered. “We were trying to give Leighton some time before we brought everything to you and asked for permission to cement the anchor bond.”
I sent a look in Ronan’s direction.
He clearly read the question in my expression. “The anchor bond will naturally start to form, but there’s a ceremony to complete it. That’s when it will truly take hold.”
Patrick scoffed. “Like you’d deign to ask for The Assembly’s permission. You do whatever the hell you want, and it’s a danger to us all.”
Marjorie pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaustion clear on her face. “Enough, Patrick. Your bitterness isn’t helping matters.”
He snapped his mouth closed, but it was clear he would’ve rather snapped her neck.
“This can’t stand,” Alister argued. “It puts us all at risk. The police are already involved. Leighton could expose us to the humans.”
Harris straightened. “Why are the human authorities involved?”
Colt let out a breath and glared at Alister. “Because someone moved Maryanne’s body and called in an anonymous tip that Leighton might be involved.”
Alister’s hands fisted. “I don’t like your insinuation.”
“Then let me make it quite clear,” Colt said. “There was only one other person who could’ve known about Maryanne’s death and her location. Your son.”
Alister’s eyes bled red again. “I won’t have you throw Damien under the bus because you need a scapegoat.”
“It’s true,” Ronan growled. “He was planning on meeting Maryanne there. He paid her thousands of dollars to take Leighton.”
“Says who?” Alister demanded.
“Says me.” My voice had the slightest tremble to it, but it still cut through the noise. “Maryanne told me. Your son would do anything to cause me pain.”
A muscle in Alister’s jaw ticked. “All he wants is to be a part of his rightful bond.”
“This isn’t his bond, Alister,” Saoirse said coolly. “The fates have not deemed him to belong here. Whether that’s because he simply isn’t strong enough or that his soul has gone dark, we don’t know.”
“I won’t stand for your insults,” Alister snarled.
Saoirse didn’t waiver or back down. “They aren’t insults. They are the truth.”
Delphine nodded. “This may not be the outcome you and your son hoped for, but it’s the truth. He doesn’t carry the mark of our leadership bond.”
“Because they blocked him!” Alister demanded. “I don’t know how, but they did. Black magic perhaps.”
Delphine laughed, the dark skin around her eyes crinkling. “You don’t think I would sense that a mile away?”
Alister glared at her. “Maybe your powers are weakening.”
All amusement slipped from Delphine’s expression. “Watch what you say, Alister, or you could get a demonstration of just how powerful my gifts are.”
He snapped his mouth closed, struggling to keep his words inside.
Delphine nodded and then turned to the rest of The Assembly. “Let us convene.”
They all went silent, doing the mind speak thing again. I tried to read their faces as they conversed. I knew that Saoirse would be on our side, likely Delphine, as well. But Raphael would call for our deaths. Where Harris and Marjorie would fall, I had no idea.
Declan moved in front of me, his hands cupping my face. He didn’t say a word, simply dipped his head and brushed his lips across mine. Comforting heat spread through me. I could lose this. Lose him or any of the rest of the guys.
A throat cleared, and I jerked back.
“We have spoken,” Marjorie declared.
Raphael looked as if he’d been sucking on a lemon, and that gave me hope.
Marjorie’s gaze swept over us. “We are not pleased you went against the wishes of The Assembly.”
My stomach dropped, and Ronan gripped my hand as if he might bolt with me in tow.
“But we also understand that the circumstances were extreme,” she continued. “We will give you thirty days for Leighton to get her powers under control. If she cannot, we will have no choice but to sever your bond.”
A low snarl escaped Trace’s lips.
Marjorie leveled him with a stare. “This is for the protection of you and all of our people.”
Dash clamped his hand on Trace’s shoulder, squeezing hard. “Thank you. We will do everything we can to train Leighton thoroughly.”
“This is outrageous,” Patrick burst out.
Delphine’s gaze snapped to him. “This is our ruling.”
Alister glanced at Patrick. “She won’t be in control in thirty days, and they’ll put her down.”
A wave of nausea swept through me.
“The only people who need to be put down are you and your rabid son,” Trace clipped.
“You little—”
“Enough!” Marjorie yelled. “Colt, take your people and go. Clan leaders, remain in place.”
I saw what she was doing. Trying to create distance so things didn’t escalate.
Colt saw it, too, because he quickly nodded and motioned for us to head back up the aisle.
Ronan wrapped an arm around me and guided us away from The Assembly and the clan leaders. I wanted each step to bring relief, but the thudding of my heart didn’t slow. Not when we left the amphitheater, not when we reached the SUV.
We stopped just beside the vehicle, and Colt beeped the locks.
Dash moved to open the front passenger door but stilled. His gaze was locked on something on the windshield. He plucked out a piece of paper from beneath the wiper, and his expression went lethal.
Ronan grabbed the paper from him, and I peered around him to read it.
YOU BOUND YOURSELF TO THEM WITHOUT ME. YOU’LL PAY IN BLOOD.