11
Ness
Bri stayed in the car,though the way she and Ryder spoke to one another, I suspected she wanted to join in. Though she was Ryder’s mate, I thought he was being a bit overprotective. She was still a dragon, after all. She could handle herself among a pack of wolves so long as they didn’t bring out any poisons tonight.
They had no reason to prepare poisons again, unless they feared Ryder would always be right behind me. After he’d helped me with Harvey the other night, maybe that was what Alvin believed. Perhaps it was for the best that Bri stayed in the car.
Her mate had nearly died not long ago. My pack had poisoned him. I’d spent much of that night curled up in his lap, wishing that my will alone would give him the strength to live. Perhaps my hound had chosen him that night, as I listened to his heartbeat begin to fade.
She could have lost the love of her life because of me. The guilt rose again and this time, I couldn’t fight it back. As if he could read me like a book, Ryder touched my shoulder. It was the barest brush of his knuckles against my shoulder blade, but it was enough to settle the grief trying to take ahold of me.
The pack awaited us behind Alvin’s house. They were gathered tight, casting accusing glares at me. Catriona had an arm around Janessa’s shoulder. Janessa was my age, but she seemed much younger tonight. Maybe it was the fact that her eyes were as wide as saucers. Maybe it was how she hunched in Catriona’s embrace.
Haylee and Kelsey weren’t far away from the crowd of accusing faces. The women hid their interlaced fingers behind their bodies. I got the feeling they were holding onto each other for dear life.
Dad was here, too. He pushed away from the pack and wrapped his arms around me. His hug was crushing and completely unexpected. When he pulled away, he took a moment to put a hand on Ryder’s shoulder. Dad gave Ryder a fatherly shoulder-squeeze before giving Connor a dark glare.
Connor bowed his head in acceptance.
Alvin wasn’t here yet. Neither was Harvey.
My heart leapt nervously. I had an opportunity. Maybe I didn’t have the evidence that I’d wanted, but the pack was all in one place. I pulled away from Ryder, which might have been my first mistake.
“You all need to listen to me,” I said, my voice hushed and hurried. I didn’t know how much time I had. “Alvin has been killing human women. You have to believe me. I found the evidence. I’m working on finding the bodies.”
Catriona coughed. I stiffened and looked back, expecting Alvin to have appeared out of nowhere. Alvin wasn’t behind me, though. I looked back at the pack with confusion.
“Vanessa,” Dad said, pleading.
I bit my lip to keep from crying. The pack, people far older than me, shook their heads. They whispered to one another. I could only catch bits and pieces. They called me crazy, obsessive, a troublemaker.
I stumbled back. Ryder was there to catch me. This time, his hands weren’t enough to steady me, though. He caught my elbows and pulled me into his body so I could lean against him.
I was grateful for his presence in my life, even if he had ruined me forever. Maybe I would never love another man the way my hound loved him, but at least he was here now.
“I’ll find proof.” My nails bit into my palms from how tightly I’d clenched my fists. “I will find proof, I swear it. Those girls deserve that, at least. All of you, though? I’m starting to think that you don’t deserve anything.”
My tongue felt barbed, but the presence of my arcana hadn’t reared its head yet. I was safe for now. My words weren’t going to tangle anyone into something they couldn’t fight.
Haylee opened her mouth. She stepped forward, but Kelsey tugged on her hand and pulled her back. Haylee gave her friend a beseeching look, but by the time Haylee turned back to me, Alvin had appeared.
The pack went silent. Alvin chuckled to himself until he noticed Ryder. The sound that Alvin made in the back of his throat could have been called fear, but Alvin managed to control himself before many noticed.
“You’re not pack, sir,” Alvin said to Ryder.
Ryder squeezed my shoulder. “Are you going to throw me out? All by yourself?”
Alvin’s face turned red. He spun and put his back to everyone, as if to tell Ryder that he wasn’t afraid of the dragon shifter’s presence. We all knew it was to hide the rage that had reached Alvin’s face.
The pack murmured amongst themselves. I could hear their nervous breathing and Catriona’s gentle soothing at the back of the crowd.
With his back to everyone still, Alvin said, “I’m sure you all know you’ve been summoned here because of Ness. Because of her, you aren’t allowed even a moment of peace.”
I gaped. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but that didn’t stop the chill fury roiling through me. I lunged forward only to have Ryder drag me back.
“My son isn’t here with us tonight because Ness crossed a line. She inflicted serious and irrevocable harm against my son. His eye will never grow back, no matter how many times he shifts. That is a crime worthy of punishment.” Alvin faced the pack and stared them all down. “Right?”
There was a low murmur of conflicting tones. My hopes soared for a brief instant.