She studied their faces. “Before we left the Moon, she gave us a warning: the Dark God draws his power from werewolves. Don’t give him your power by fighting your allies, by quarrelling, by sitting here and doing nothing. Please, help us.”
The council members looked around, none wanting to show weakness.
Finally, Camila stood and smoothed her cloak. “What you say is fair, but I think that very few will be willing to work with your family. They might work with the Order. And for those who can look beyond the past, what is it that you need?”
A deep wave of relief surged through me, and Savannah closed her eyes as a heavy weight seemed to slip from her shoulders. When she opened them again, she was almost smiling. “We need knowledge. Everything your loremasters might know that could help us figure out how to stop him. If there are any diviners among you, we need to know where he will open the rift.”
Savannah looked to me, and I nodded. “If you don’t want to come to face him in person, fine,” I said. “But send backup. Weapons. Anything. And prepare your homes, because if we fall, you’ll be next.”
We spent the next hour in intense negotiation. Several packs bowed out entirely, but some were willing to send help, or at least to consult their loremasters—which was what we needed, more than anything.
Mac was already texting instructions from Savannah to his pack. After she walked away, he turned to me. “I’m sorry, Jax. I didn’t know what you two had done already. After the dream and your father’s call, I just got caught up in things.”
“I know. We all did.”
As the sun moved on, Camila took me aside. “The Superior pack will do what it can to help Magic Side. But make no mistake, you’ve not acquitted yourself here, Laurent.”
Gratitude died on my lips as she continued. “Necessary or not, what was done to Savannah’s wolf is unconscionable, and the council cannot abide it. I spoke with the high elders while you were making plans. We’re agreed—if you don’t undo what you have done, you won’t have a seat in this circle. We will not accept you as the alpha of your pack. Only your father. Frankly, I cannot imagine how your pack will follow you, knowing what they do now.”
I was to be shunned and replaced by my father? And they thought Magic Side would take that lying down?
I tightened my forearms to keep my claws in check and bent my head to hers. “You can tell the elders that if I can’t bring back her wolf once this is over, I’ll happily go into exile. But don’t you dare ever challenge me again in this way or try to use my father against me.”
“He agrees with us, you know.”
“I know,” I said, my heart aching as I started to walk away.
“And Jaxson…”
I paused at the way her words hung.
“Savannah is fierce and speaks strongly. But we cannot be blind to the prophecy, not when it’s been proven right once already. She’s a threat. We’re letting you both walk away now, but if for one second it looks like she’ll turn toward the Dark God, she will need to be dealt with. For the good of all our packs.”
I didn’t turn around, and when I spoke, my voice was more animal than man. “Let me make this clear. If anyone lays a hand on her, you’ll wish the Dark God had gotten to you before I did.”
Unable to restrain myself any longer, I left the circle of wolves.