Page 60 of Omega's Flight

"No," Holland broke in. "We were given proof. Journals, written by the first Alpha's Mate in Mercy Hills. Quin found one for me in at an auction, written in the old tongue. My grandmother made me learn, something I didn't appreciate until I found I could read them. They tell a very different story of what we were before the Enclosure."

Roland was quiet again. "I don't know if I can believe you. You haven't played the game entirely truthfully all along."

"Name one time we flaunted the common law of the pack," Quin demanded quietly. "Name one instance we said we would do something and didn't." He waited.

Cas felt a hand in his and he glanced down to find that Raleigh had let go of the table and slipped his hand into Cas's. His fingers were cold, his palm damp, and he was breathing in an odd rhythm, like he wanted to yell or scream or run and was only a hair's breadth from giving in to the impulse. Cas squeezed and when Raleigh didn't look at him, he shook the clammy hand in his until Raleigh turned in his direction.

"It'll be fine," he whispered, barely any noise to his words for fear of the phone picking it up. "Roland's halfway to agreeing with us. We'll have to give him something, let him come to us in tiny steps. But this is a good start."

Raleigh nodded, but the sick look on his face didn't fade at all.

Roland sighed at the other end of the call. "I don't know, Quin. Some of the shit that went down around that first True Omega was pretty shady."

"I don't think Abel ever promised we'd keep him virgin for anyone. And it would have been Montana Border to reap the benefit, except the benefit of Jason is that everyone is better fed and happier. Montana Border would have been disappointed, waiting for the magic fairy dust to sprinkle itself over his pack."

Roland snorted a laugh and agreed, and Raleigh's death-grip on Cas's hand loosened.

It was interesting how Quin could talk about what True Omega really did without saying anything at all. Like he sucked all the importance out of a statement, rendering it no more interesting than a comment on the weather. Cas tucked that away in the back of his brain to practice on later. Once Garrick had passed the bar, it would be Cas's turn, and this skill might just become important after all.

"If you like, I can see if we can find someone to make a copy of the journals for you," Holland offered tentatively. "We only have one English copy, so it might take a while to get done." He sighed. "I should have typed it."

"We'd like to be able to read it, my dear," Quin said, amused. "Unless you actually meant to send that email in a code."

Holland gave a low growl, very short, but his lips were twitching. "Getting someone to type it might be a good idea though," he added thoughtfully. "Then we could just print copies. Or have it bound?"

"We can talk about that later," Quin promised. "Roland, I have tribunal in twenty minutes, I'm going to have to go. With respect to the pups—why don't we let them stay here for a while, at least, and see how things do? Until the end of the school year, anyway."

"Degan won't agree to that, and you have no ground to stand on with them, Mercy Hills. We want them back. And that omega's not getting repudiated until the pups are back in Jackson-Jellystone."

Quin frowned at the phone, then twisted in his chair to look at Raleigh and turned his hand over, palm up, raising his eyebrows in inquiry.

Raleigh bit his lip for a minute and gnawed at it hard enough that Cas expected to see blood, but then nodded. Whatever relaxation had come to him earlier had fled, and his body was as tight as a snare wire.

Quin nodded and reached for Holland's hand. "We're going to leave you with Cas and Raleigh to work that out. But I should warn you that there's some other information you should know before you finalize your decision."

"Really, Mercy Hills? Can't you just admit that you're not getting your way this time?"

Holland stood up and urged Quin to his feet, gesturing for Cas to take Quin's seat. "Roland, Quin and I really do have to go. Cas and Raleigh can explain. If you really want to insist on sorting this out between Alphas, Quin has an opening on Thursday morning, but then we're going into the city all day Friday. Cas has worked with many of the packs to resolve disputes and Raleigh will have information that you will need to hear to make a reasoned and just decision in this situation."

"Is this one of your stalling tactics? Hoping to wear me down? It won't work."

Quin made a face, but his voice when he replied was reasonable. "I didn't expect it to. I'd meant to call an hour ago, but I was reviewing reports ahead of the hearings this afternoon. You know how it is."

"True," Roland agreed. "If I don't like what he says, though, you know we'll need to talk."

"I know. I should be back in the office around eight or eight-thirty tonight if you really feel you need to call. But Cas has my proxy in this and what he agrees to, I'll put my paw to it."

Roland's end of the call was quiet for a moment, then he said, "He is your brother, I suppose."

"He is. And he has signing authority here, to prove my trust in him." Quin took a step toward the door and paused. "If you could send over the paperwork so we can bring Raleigh inside legally and openly as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated by us all."

They headed for the door and Quin mouthed a thank you at Cas.

Cas nodded back, then looked at Raleigh. "It'll be okay," he whispered. "I've got this." Maybe if he said it often enough he would start to believe it.

Raleigh nodded and straightened his back, loosening his shoulders like he was preparing for a fight. "I'm ready."

Cas straightened his papers and prepared for battle.