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Chapter Thirty-Four

AUTUMN

T his trial is bullshit. The way that murderer has the nerve to touch the Queen’s throne, so confident and cocky, makes me want to shove a charred leg bone down her throat and twist. But when Renall stands and faces the pack, my thoughts evade me. He’s naked as always, but his stance is proud and confident. The bond trickles with resolution and a hint of anticipation. He already knows and understands what his fate is to be. So do I. I barely got to sleep last night thinking about it, and when he never came to bed. He never said goodbye … or maybe he didn’t want to.

Renall starts growling into the crowd. I roll my eyes because of course, this is going to be in werewolf.

“It’s clear to me now,” Onai’s voice is a whisper beside me. I’ve never been more grateful for her. “That I would have never received a fair trial. One does not live as long as I do without making his share of enemies, or without failures to account for. As for my past crimes, I apologize. For leaving the cave and finding my Guardian.” He pauses to look at me. “I will never apologize. I do not know how I was able to leave or why, but my mate is worth whatever the Gods have decided for me. I would do it again if I had to. I love you, Awe-tum, until my dying breath, my soul is yours.”

A tear traces its way down my cheek. So many beautiful words from him at once. I don’t know which to take in first.

Renall continues, “Before my fate is put to a vote, I have chosen it for you. I invoke the Blood Rite.”

Growls and gasps echo around me.

“Blood Rites are no longer,” Zev combats with a snort. Snickers echo from the crowd.

“I am Renall of the Warrior Clan, the blood of the Sun God runs in my veins, the Blood Rite is my Gods-given right.”

I turn to Onai. “What is a Blood Rite again?”

A wide-eyed Onai leans in. “It hasn’t been done in centuries. The warrior fights his accuser for his innocence and pays for it in blood. They fight until either him or the accuser is dead. If he lives, he is proven innocent. But if he dies …”

“He’s been found guilty,” I finish. Renall had been planning this. He didn’t spend last night with me because he knew it would mean saying goodbye.

“Very well,” Zev smiles and with arms raised faces the crowd. Onai translates, “Who would like to be Renall’s opponent or opponents? Clearly every accused has the right to fight for his penance.”

Every accuser? That slick son of a bitch. Zev knew, the sly smile on his face tells me all I need to know. Zev and Lupe had definitely expected, and possibly even planned this. Being one of the ancients, Renall is Zev’s only real competition now that he has a Guardian. With him out of the picture, his seat as Alpha would probably never be contested.

Renall hops down onto the cave floor as tables and chairs are being tossed to the sides and down the hallways. Guardians are fleeing to the steps to watch from the second and third floors, while his accusers are leaping onto the now-vacant cave floor for a taste of blood. Renall’s blood. My mate’s blood.

My blood boils and bile rises in my throat. I swallow it down before standing to my feet, drawing attention. “And what of my fate?”

Onai quickly translates in werewolf.

The cave hushes again, all eyes turn to me. Renall’s stare is heavy on me, but I don’t spare him a look. I can barely hold it together as it is. Zev turns around as if he forgot I was even there. He’s willing to sentence my mate to death, but can’t even remember his Guardian is watching. He glances back at Lupe, who only offers him a nod.

“Well, obviously you can’t be allowed to leave, now that you know where we are.”

“I can’t leave?” My sweaty fists clench and unclench at my sides.

There’s a pause as Onai translates once again. “We couldn’t lose the secrecy of our location.” He scoffs. “Plus, we will never be able to turn away an unmated Guardian. With Renall’s death, you can be mated with another wolf and the line can carry on.”

“But I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for Renall.”

“And we appreciate his sacrifice, but he never would have left if he didn’t disobey my Alpha order. So everything recouped on that trip is fruits of the poison tree, so to speak.”

“I’m a piece of fruit, a piece of property to be decided about as if I weren’t here? My virginity is a thing to be handed out to the highest bidder?”

“Well … that is how things are here in this pack. If you don’t choose to remate, you will suffer the same fate as Renall.”

“So my options are death or rape?” Onai is quiet as she translates this time.

“That is how things are done.” He looks smug, too smug. Zev’s not smart enough to have come up with this plan on his own. This has a conniving Lupe written all over it. Her arrogant smirk behind him says it all.

I spit at his feet. “You are weak.” Onai meekly translates. The cave silences at my insolence.

“Excuse me.” He growls, takes two full steps before he backhands me. My neck snaps to the side and the sting of the pain in my cheek is nothing compared to my pride. I spit again, this time it’s tainted with blood.

A low, threatening growl resonates from Renall that echoes in my heart. But I find the strength to continue so if these are my last words, I will make them count, “This pack is failing because you are weak. You speak of obedience and obeying your laws, but your laws are bullshit. Our numbers are dwindling because of you and your failure to protect them, failure to bring Guardians here. You will be our end. Renall was right to disobey you. I would ignore you too. This pack needs a strong leader, a fierce warrior in these times against the humans, not a coward who wants to hide, pillage, and one who condones rape.”

Then I take a deep breath, and just as Onai has secretly taught me, I growl in their language, loud for all to hear. “I will never be mated to another wolf. If Renall dies, I die with him. My fate is tied to his, always.” With my final words, I leap onto the cave floor, prepared to meet the same fate as my mate.

At first there is stunned silence. Whether from my words, my sheer disobedience, me using their language, or the fact that I would rather die than bang another wolf is something I’ll never know.

But I wasn’t going down without a fight—for my life, or Renall’s.