Chapter 11 Trish
Trish
That’s him? My wolf huffed, not at all impressed with the warlock who stood by the bonfire.
Vincent Matthis was decent-looking in that clean-cut, pretty boy way, with a strong jawline and blond hair swept to the side of his face. Tall, but not shifter male tall. Definitely not dark and mysterious like I’d expect some rumored powerful warlock to be.
I could see why some of the other females were sitting up straighter in their seats, but Vincent wasn’t my cup of tea.
Not that I had a type.
I glanced at Jaxon, seeing the tension in his shoulders, and then looked straight ahead again.
Vincent knew the effect he had on the crowd and smiled cockily, absorbing it. “For those who received my invitation, I apologize for the dramatic flair and bit of secrecy. I’m grateful to Ossory Pack for hosting this event and allowing me to steal the spotlight for a moment.”
The tone of his voice was soothing. Magical almost. My wolf zoned in suspiciously while the other witches and warlocks seemed to relax. Sarah Ossory blinked her pretty eyes at Vincent, stepping back so he could take over.
“I come to you tonight with a matter of grave concern.” Magic carried Vincent’s voice louder so everyone could hear. “All of us gathered here today have been raised on the stories of what goes on behind the purist humans’ concrete walls and electric borders designed to keep nature out…”
A chorus of boos rippled through the crowd.
Vincent’s gaze seemed to land on our table of wolf-witches before it swept over the gathering as he raised his hands to quiet them down.
“And we know they call our wolven brethren mutants,” he said. “They say magic is a disease of the mind. An illusion. One that can only be explained with science.”
I ignored the few eyerolls and disbelieving chuckles, feeling uneasy at his words. Nothing he was saying wasn’t common knowledge.
But my pack had more of that knowledge than others did. Even Calla, Gentry, and Jaxon’s packs, despite their close proximity to Ethica’s human borders, hadn’t come to Cerberus’s aid during the great battle until the last possible minute.
My mom and Aunt Coral had grown up with the humans.
They’d escaped before escape was known to be possible.
And it was my Alpha who’d taken on the human city closest to us, challenging them and changing things for the better in our region when she stopped the experimentation on wolf shifter pups and forced them to open their borders.
Alpha Kera had established trade with the human city of Ethica and ushered in a new era for our territories.
But the human city still operated much the same as it always had. According to Mom, humans were brainwashed and slow to change.
“After the bio-cleanse wars in our ancient past, when the humans built their purist cities and the wolf packs formed their protective territories to heal the earth, humans thought they could rid themselves of nature and magic,” Vincent continued to give us a history lesson, speaking with the passion of a male personally scorned.
“But nature and magic cannot be eradicated. Earth is magic. Life is magic.”
He paused as cheers rang out.
I wanted to join them, but something wasn’t sitting right with me. And the rest of my coven was also silent as we waited for the warlock to get to the point.
“We all know the stories of Ethica and the battles in the west.” Vincent looked directly at our coven.
So much for anonymity. I shrank in my seat. Jaxon’s fists tightened on the table, and the others in our coven tensed. Whispers rippled through the crowd. Eyes turned our way. Calla’s wolves growled as they raised their heads, pressing their bodies against her legs.
“But the atrocities the humans committed against wolf shifters are not their only sins.” Vincent turned away from us and it seemed the warmth of the fire went with him.
“The humans’ crimes continue unchecked behind their walls as they target the very earth herself—and the stewards she chooses at birth to host her magic. ”
Everyone went silent. Even the fire refused to crackle. I inhaled a slow breath, already knowing where this was going.
It was a question I’d grown up with. One my sisters and I’d asked a thousand times, every time our mom told us her history. She’d never been able to answer. Were there more like her trapped among the humans?
By the disgust marring Vincent’s expression, I assumed he knew the truth. “Witches and warlocks are born under human purist rule, forced to hide their true natures or risk being discovered and tortured. We live free while our brothers and sisters are burned at the stake.”
The crowd broke out in fevered whispers.
I glanced over my shoulder, wishing I wasn’t so far out of telepathic range of my sisters so they could also be hearing this.
When I faced forward again, the warlock was staring straight at me. Our gazes locked, and the wind rushed by my ears. A heartbeat passed as I felt the truth of his anger. The pulse of his power. It awakened something in me, tugging and pulling lightly at my skin.
This isn’t good.
“What are you asking us to do about it?” Jaxon’s deep voice broke the spell the warlock was casting.
Vincent’s smile had a cruel edge. “With the help of the most powerful among you, I plan to tear down their walls and remake the land as it once was, giving magic free rein again.”
Sarah Ossory was the first to start clapping, and slowly, others joined in. A fist pounded against a table. Someone yelled their agreement. Until the whole crowd was worked up. An eagerness to fight rippled around us.
They don’t know what they’re saying.
The others at my table were quiet. A stone had lodged itself in my stomach after that strange meeting of eyes with the warlock and my wolf was anxious to get out of here. Jaxon sat with his arms folded over his chest, watching the warlock as if trying to solve a puzzle.
Vincent bestowed his smile on the crowd before addressing Jaxon once more. “Is something wrong, Alpha?”
A hush fell over the festival as all eyes turned our way. To Jaxon’s credit, he didn’t flinch under the weighted stares. I’d have peed myself in his seat.
“I’m trying to figure out why only a select few are invited to this war you’re proposing.” Jaxon shrugged with one shoulder. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to bring this matter to all the wolf pack leaders and open the enrollment in your army to anyone who wants to join?”
If Vincent felt the division start in the whispers, he didn’t acknowledge it.
His disarming smile never faltered. “While it’s not the time to discuss war strategy, I’ll humor you with this.
I’d never risk the life of those not strong enough to—or inclined to—fight.
Something I would hope you’d understand as an Alpha. ”
Jaxon held in the growl I knew he wanted to give as Vincent turned, showing him his back and dismissing him.
That’s not how you do things. My wolf started growling at the obvious disrespect.
Jaxon’s hand landed on my shoulder, silencing my beast with the simple touch.
“For those who received my invitation and wish to join me in righting the wrongs of this world, the trials begin tomorrow morning after breakfast in the eastern adjoining field,” Vincent said, walking away.
The bonfire grew higher as Halley’s Comet made its way through the night sky above us. War cries from the crowd raised the fur on my wolf’s spine.
Vincent stopped, giving our table one final challenging smile. “Not all of you will make it, but you’re welcome to try and prove your worth.”