Book 2 - Page 60 (1/2)

Leidolf shook his head. “I wouldn’t take a newly turned lupus garou. Too much of a responsibility. They don’t know our ways and would need constant supervision.”

“As if you can be that choosy, dear brother.”

“And there’s our line to think of.”

“You mean because we’re royals?” Lelandi rolled her eyes.

“It never meant much to you, but someone has to keep the line going. And not by mixing up with a gray either.”

Their mother smiled. “Just like the old days. I forget how much you two fought.” She sighed. “Your mate is motioning for this event to get under way. Save your teeth and claws for the one who deserves your wrath, if Darien should fail in his mission to avenge Larissa’s death.”

“He won’t fail,” Lelandi said with confidence. But she sure as h.e.l.l wanted to know who he was going to be pitted against—who had killed her sister.

In front of his gathered pack and their guests, Darien raised a gla.s.s of cider, his free arm around Lelandi’s waist. “We’re gathered here to celebrate the mating between our clans of Silver Town and Wildhaven. Lelandi is not only a royal,” Darien said, pausing until the gasps died away, “but the daughter of pack leaders on both her paternal and maternal sides. So we are much honored to welcome Lelandi and her family into our embrace.”

“Hear, hear,” a chorus of grays and reds responded.

He raised his hand for silence. “Now for the grievous news. A pack bands together as a family, a united front against all others. But when one of our kind deviates from acceptable pack behavior, the individual must be dealt with swiftly and harshly. A death for a death, although in this case the murderer has killed more than one. But we can only mete out justice once.

“Normally, I would challenge the murderer and face him in our way, wolf to wolf. But I ask my Uncle Sheridan, sheriff of Silver Town, to fight on my behalf.”

Low conversation filled the room and Lelandi glanced at Darien. He pressed her close and whispered in her ear, “I know what I’m doing.”

Sheridan stood tall, a small smile curving his lips. He glanced at Trevor.

“He has agreed to fight Trevor.”

The room was deadly silent.

Red-faced, Trevor stood his ground.

Lelandi looked up at Darien, tears in her eyes. Trevor wasn’t the killer. How could Darien have made the mistake?

“Trevor admitted he lied about taking care of mudslide victims on the night of the shootings. Why? He wouldn’t reveal the answer. But Uncle Sheridan knew. Trevor had hired the gunman who shot Lelandi, Tom, and Sam. He appeared on the ridge and killed the gunman before anyone could question him. The motive, you ask? He wanted to be sheriff. He thought his sister’s mating with me would secure that position for him in the future. But some might have heard rumors Larissa’s offspring were not my own and when Ritka revealed this to Trevor, he dreamed up this blackmail scheme. Through the sheriff’s diligence, he discovered the money in a bank account in Green Valley in Trevor’s name.”

Trevor shot a dagger of a glare at the sheriff.

Darien motioned to Chester. “Acting on our behalf, P.I. Chester McKinley helped to uncover this treachery. All the puzzle pieces fit together. Trevor was a condemned man living on borrowed time.” Darien’s spine stiffened and his eyes held a feral gleam.

But Trevor didn’t look like a condemned man, which made Lelandi suspicious that Darien and he had cooked up this whole charade.

“Except for one thing.” Darien waved at Carol. “I wouldn’t have revealed Carol’s special gift because it’s her choice, but she’s agreed to save a man’s life.”

Carol nodded.

Lelandi stared at her. She knew, too? And didn’t tell Lelandi? Inwardly, she growled.

“Carol has second sight.”

m.u.f.fled conversation renewed.

“She saw not Trevor in the vision, but another man, who shoved the chair out from under Larissa’s feet, allowing her to strangle until she was dead.”

Darien held onto Lelandi when she felt ready to collapse, but she had to remain strong as the pack leader’s mate, and she bit back the tears, willing them to stay at bay.

“Carol’s visions aren’t clear all the time, she explained to me. But one thing was—he wore a police uniform.”