The council erupted.Voices raised in protest, anger, disbelief.Through it all, Conall sat frozen as accusations swirled around him and Quinton.
Stewart twins’ scent and color.
Impossible,Quinton said flatly, his voice cutting through the chaos.We never went anywhere near that mine.Neither of us.
That’s what someone would say if they were guilty,Raymond Gonzales observed, his weathered face creased with concern.But there was something in his tone that made Conall’s wolf stir uneasily—not just concern, but an eagerness to pursue this line of investigation that felt disproportionate.
Evidence can be planted,Una Sanchez countered sharply, surprising Conall with her immediate defense.Someone could have gathered Stewart fur from anywhere—training grounds, patrol routes, even their apartment.This proves nothing.
Conall frowned.Una’s passionate defense should have been reassuring, but something about her intensity felt performative, as if she was playing a role rather than expressing genuine conviction.
For a moment, Conall found himself analyzing the strange dynamic between Raymond and Una—ostensibly taking opposite positions, but both managing to stoke controversy rather than calm it.Raymond pushing for immediate investigation while Una’s overly aggressive defense actually almost made the accusations seem more credible.
Stop it, he told himself firmly.These people have been your family your entire life.Raymond took you both on your first solo navigation run through the southern hills, and once carried Quinton three miles back to the packhouse when he broke his ankle on patrol.Una helped cover for you the time you snuck out to chase a rogue deer and got lost overnight.These people have spent years looking out for you.They’re just trying to help.
Where is this evidence now?Anders asked, cutting through the emotional reactions to focus on practical matters.
Everything is secured in a safe deposit box in Roswell—neutral territory, no shifter influence.
Roswell.Two hours away, in human-controlled territory where pack politics couldn’t interfere with evidence storage.
And you gathered it carefully?Preserved it?Anders asked.
Photographed everything in place, collected samples according to forensic protocols, documented chain of custody.Nadine’s voice carried the crisp efficiency of someone with investigative training.
We need to examine this evidence,Malcolm decided, his alpha authority cutting through the continued murmurs of dissent.If there’s proof of wrongdoing, we’ll follow it wherever it leads.
I’ll retrieve it,Nadine said, already rising from her chair.
I’ll drive you,Conall offered automatically, the developing bond making her safety his immediate priority despite the accusations hanging over him.
No.Her refusal was sharp, immediate.I won’t risk having evidence compromised by someone who might have a vested interest in its destruction.
The words hit like a physical blow.He felt her internal war—part of her was drawn to him instinctively, but her logical mind insisted that someone with Stewart genetics was involved in Gregory’s death.Her training told her one thing while something deeper suggested another, and she was choosing to trust evidence over instinct.
That’s ridiculous,Quinton said, his voice tight with offended pride.Conall would never tamper with evidence.Neither would I.
Wouldn’t you?Nadine’s gaze moved between the twins.If that evidence proved your guilt, wouldn’t self-preservation override ethical considerations?
Not for Conall,Quinton replied with absolute conviction.Never for him.
Una leaned forward, her earlier defensive stance shifting.Maybe we should consider that someone wants us to suspect the Stewart twins.This could be misdirection—make us focus on internal threats while the real enemy operates freely.
Or maybe,Raymond countered, his voice carrying grim certainty,we need to face the possibility that trust has been misplaced.The twins have access to everything—patrol schedules, communication protocols, security measures.They’d be perfectly positioned to cover their tracks.
Conall forced himself to focus on the legitimate concerns being raised rather than imagining conspiracies where none existed.Raymond and Una were both trying to help in their own ways—Raymond by ensuring the investigation was thorough, Una by pointing out potential flaws in the logic.Their approaches were different, but their loyalty to the pack was unquestionable.
Enough,Anders said, his military precision cutting through the increasingly heated debate.I’ll accompany Ms.Torrance to retrieve the evidence.Neutral escort, chain of custody maintained, no opportunity for compromise by any interested party.
Relief flooded through Conall—not just because Anders’s proposal solved the immediate problem, but because it demonstrated that their lead guardian wasn’t automatically assuming guilt.Anders was approaching this like the professional he was, focused on facts rather than emotions.
That’s acceptable,Nadine agreed after a moment’s consideration.
We’ll go after this meeting,Anders said, and Malcolm and Larissa both nodded their approval.
In the meantime,Malcolm said,we have a serious problem.Unknown operatives with the resources to capture pack members.We need to identify them and neutralize the threat.
I can help with that,Nadine said quietly.
