Page 118 of Shifters Unifying

“There is only one way to determine the truth of my accusation,” I said. “As the most skilled in the talent, Torbin must delve her mind to determine her allegiance. She will not be able to hide from his mental questioning.”

“And how will we know that he speaks the truth of what he finds in our alpha?” That had come from Evie, and Ahmie nodded beside her. “How will he share this with us?”

Torbin growled at the implication that he could be anything less than honest.

I gestured for him to remain silent. “I have already considered this concern. To alleviate it, I will use a relic to connect a jury of twelve to Torbin as he delves her mind. These can be twelve shifters of your choosing.”

Marcus frowned. “What if a spy is selected in the twelve?”

“Then the spy will only discover what they likely already know. However, if twelve share the same visions, then there will be enough witnesses to determine Salali’s treachery.” I had no idea if I could pull all that off or not, but it was a risk I was willing to take. I continued. “Those same twelve will also determine her punishment, and I will approve it.”

A tumult erupted in the assembled shifters. Names were shouted and arguments began almost immediately. Anger, resolve, and passion spiced the air. Shifters jostled one another, and the horde threatened to turn into a mob.

Torbin slammed the large rock on the table like a gavel. “Silence!”

After the crowd had stilled, I nodded to him. Louder, I announced, “You have one hour. Make sure you have twelve. Iamthe multimorph.”

They exploded again, but I’d said my piece. So, my heart pounding, I marched up the steps in the center aisle and exited the conclave.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

logan

No Man’s Land

Midday

Sneaking across Louisiana was going to take too long, and every step was a fight against turning around to save her and her son. I’dchosento leave them behind.Fuck.

As it was, we hadn’t gone far, and a thunderstorm built in the sky behind us.

A scream shattered the silence, reverberating through the quiet, shaking the earth beneath my paws. I halted in the middle of the dirt road and turned around, whining. That had been her. Acheron had discovered her treachery.

Olivia shifted to her human form, her blonde hair moving in the customary wind. “That can’t be good.”

I shifted, too. “We should go back.”

“Not happening,” John growled.

“We’re not giving up our head start,” Olivia added. “We have to get to Emma. There’s no way Acheron is going to let this go without some kind of retaliation.”

Phil shifted from wolf to human, his face grim. “Wasn’t just me that heard it, then.”

Jasper appeared. “What’s going on?”

“She screamed. What’s he doing to her? To her son? Because ofus.”

Shit.I hated second-guessing myself. If we’d stayed, we could have figured out how to break through the warding. All I could see was Callie. I’d left a child behind to be tortured and eventually die.

Jasper circled me, warily, and leaned close, taking a deep sniff of my neck. “Ye don’t smell right, Logan. Do ye have murder on yer mind?”

“Can’t you take anything seriously, asshole?” A hard shove put space between us before I decked him. “Get off me.”

His gaze narrowed. “Aye, but a seed of something has taken root in ye. Three parts desperate and one part reckless.”

Olivia moved cautiously to Jasper’s side and turned to study me. “What are you talking about, Jasper?”

“He’s talking about me leaving a kid and his mother behind to die. A kid and his mother. How could I leave them behind without even trying to break through the ward?” There had been something familiar about the woman, something I couldn’t put my finger on, and the decision already haunted me.