Dominic sat still, his fingers wrapped around the arm of his chair, his eyes on the table.

"How did this happen?" Radeon pressed his palms flat to the wood and leaned forward. "How is she alive?"

Elder Hogan’s laugh filled the hall before he’d finished the sentence. "You should be more worried about what the Alpha will do to you." He leaned back in his chair, arms folding across his chest, his eyes moving slowly around the table. "For a few pieces of silver, you are going to lose your head."

The laughter from the elders who had not voted resounded in the hall, and Radeon’s jaw tightened as he watched them.

His glare cut to Hogan.

"The only reason you didn’t raise your hand is because your son is his beta." His jaw clenched.

’’Everyone here knows your loyalty lies with no one."

Hogan’s lip curled slightly. "And yours lives with the man who wants his brother’s birthright."

Dominic’s eyes came up slowly and found Hogan, and Hogan looked back at him without moving. The muscle in Dominic’s jaw jumped. His hands closed on the table.

Westerfort, another elder turned to Charlotte, his voice dropping low enough that only she could hear. "What do we do now." He pressed his hands flat to the table to stop them shaking. "The Alpha will not forgive this. How do—"

Rodrigo’s footsteps reached the hall before he did.

Every voice stopped. Heads dropped one by one, eyes going to the table and staying there. Westerfort’s hands went flat and still.

Radeon straightened, then seemed to think better of it and hunched forward again. Charlotte pressed her fingers into her dress, her eyes fixed on a point in front of her that had nothing in it.

Rodrigo stopped at the entrance.

He stood there and looked at the room, his eyes moving through the elders, and the corner of his mouth curved. He crossed to his seat and sat down.

He leaned to his right, hiseyes moved through them slowly — first to Dominic, whose jaw looked like it had taken a fist, then to Charlotte opposite him, her face pale and pinched, then through the rest of the table.

Nobody moved.

"Now." He tilted his head to the side. "Where were we?"

Dominic’s teeth pressed together. His eyes stayed down for a moment before they came up, and his chest moved with a slow breath.

"How did she survive when the guards with her died." His voice came out tight and careful. "Who is this woman? Something is definitely strange about her. We need to look into the girl—"

"The girl?"

Rodrigo’s voice came out quiet, and every head at the table lifted to him.

He raised a brow, looking across at his brother with an expression that was grave. "Are you perhaps disrespecting the Luna of Vermont Pack?"

Dominic’s mouth closed. His jaw worked once before his eyes went back down to the table.

Rodrigo let the silence sit. His eyes moved around the room without hurrying.

He raised a brow, his expression almost pleasant. "Are you perhaps disrespecting the Luna of Vermont Pack?"

Dominic’s mouth closed. His jaw worked once, and then he looked away.

’’I am waiting.’’ Rodrigo spoke, his voice grave.

Just then, the council halls opened and twelve guards marched in, mounting the doors.

The elders began to shift in their chairs as they cleared their throats.

Dominic straightened, his hands tightened into fists, as his jaw worked.

’’I mean no disrespect, Alpha.’’

Rodrigo’s eyes stayed on him a moment, then he smiled.

’’Good,’’

His eyes left him and moved unhurried through the faces around the table,

"Now, to the elders who had raised their hands."

At his words, the table stilled, all color draining from their faces.

His voice came out low, his both elbows resting on the arms of his chair. "You would have been hanging on the city walls if the Luna had died."

Their eyes widened as they stared at him, their mouths falling open.

He paused, glancing between them. "You thought a mere vote of thanks would get my brother in this seat?’’

He chuckled dryly. I must have become lenient for you to think that.

Dominic’s expression hardened.

"Your creator wanted you alive, and performed something of a miracle on your behalf. You should thank him."

He looked at each of them long enough to make sure they felt it.

Radeon’s throat moved. His hand on the table curled slowly inward.

Rodrigo’s eyes moved to his brother. "You should fill your time with something more important, brother." His expression darkened as he held his gaze.

’’I’ll forgive you this time. We don’t want to spill blood on such joyous ocassion now, do we?’’

Dominic’s head came up and something moved behind his eyes before it died back down. His throat worked.

Just then, the doors opened and the Matriach walked in.

She tapped her staff once against the floor. "The Luna lives. The Alpha remains Alpha of Vermont Pack." Her eyes moved around the room. "The coronation of a new Luna is in two days. This meeting is over."

The elders began to file out one after the other, leaving quickly.

Dominic and Charlotte were the last to stand.

Charlotte pushed herself up slowly, her eyes moving to Eloise at the far end of the room and staying there for a long second before she turned toward the doors, Dominic a step behind her.

The doors closed.

Rodrigo leaned back as the hall settled into quiet around him.

"How is the girl?" Eloise crossed toward him, her staff quiet on the floor.

"She’s awake." He didn’t look up.

She exhaled. "That is good.’’ she sighed. ’’What did she say happened?’’

Rodrigo’s eyes remained closed for a few seconds, and then he opened them.

’’Nothing.’’ he said. ’’She cannot remember.’’

Eloise held his gaze, and then she nodded.

’’That is fine, as long as this is behind us.’’ she said.

’’I’ll send the servants to move her into her own quarters."

Rodrigo stiffened at her words, and he stood. "That won’t be necessary."

Eloise frowned, "You’ve already moved her out?"

He turned toward the doors without answering her.

"She’ll be staying in my quarters."

Her lips parted. Her staff stilled in her grip. She drew a breath around the question forming in her mouth — and he was through the doors before she found it, the wood swinging shut behind him, leaving her standing alone in the empty hall.