The message cut off abruptly, leaving behind a silence dense with implication.
That proves nothing except that Gregory was angry at our pack,Sarah said firmly.He was Vincent’s enforcer.We defeated his alpha and then banished Gregory.Of course he’d blame us for his exile.
It proves he specifically feared the Stewart twins,Una countered.Why single them out unless he had reason?
Because he was a paranoid bastard who couldn’t accept that Vincent’s reign was over,Nick shot back.
Nadine watched the developing argument with growing unease.The evidence was having exactly the effect she’d expected—dividing the pack against itself, forcing them to choose between loyalty and justice.
But something nagged at her about the scent evidence.
The sample supposedly from Conall carried undertones that didn’t quite match what she’d experienced during their close encounters, subtle differences in the way his natural musk mixed with pack scents.
Of course, these were small variations that could be explained by time and environmental degradation.
Or by careful manipulation.
What’s your assessment?Malcolm asked Larissa, cutting through the debate.
The circumstantial evidence is interesting but inconclusive,Larissa said.Gregory’s voicemail could be dismissed as paranoid rambling.But the physical evidence—the scent trails, the blood samples, the patrol schedule—that suggests insider knowledge and direct involvement.
Around the table, council members considered the evidence.
The evidence is damning,Una said.Scent trails, blood samples, physical items—this isn’t circumstantial anymore.We’re looking at a coordinated assassination carried out by pack members.Her gaze moved between the twins with obvious suspicion.People we trusted with our security.
That’s not evidence, it’s a collection of coincidences,Sarah said, shaking her head.Conall and Quinton have protected this pack their entire lives.They’ve bled for us, fought for us—
And maybe decided we weren’t worth protecting anymore,Raymond interrupted, his tone grim.Vincent’s regime corrupted good people before.Made them believe terrible things were necessary.Maybe Gregory offered them something they thought they needed.
Gregory was Vincent’s enforcer,Nick said firmly, his own protective instincts flaring.If anyone was corrupted by that regime, it was him.The Stewart twins helped install our current democratic leadership.
Stephanie shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her silver hair catching the afternoon light.I’ve watched these boys grow up,she said slowly.Watched them learn to fight, to protect, to put pack needs before personal desires.She paused, studying the twins with eyes that had seen decades of pack politics.But I’ve also seen what desperation can do to good people.What fear can drive them to justify.
You think we’re capable of murder?Quinton asked, his voice measured despite the obvious strain.
I think you’re capable of anything you believe serves the greater good,Stephanie replied honestly.The question is whether you believed Gregory’s death served that purpose.
Anders cleared his throat, drawing attention with his characteristic precision.From a security perspective,he said, clearly processing implications,if the Stewart twins have been compromised, it represents a massive intelligence breach.They’ve had access to patrol schedules, strategic planning, alliance communications—everything an enemy would need to systematically undermine our operations.
You’re talking about them like they’re already convicted,Sarah protested, her voice tight with emotion.
I’m talking about them like they’re a potential security risk,Anders corrected, though not unkindly.Which they are, based on this evidence.Whether that risk stems from deliberate betrayal or external manipulation, the operational concerns remain the same.
Una nodded approvingly.Finally, someone’s thinking practically.If they killed Gregory, what else might they have done?What other operations might they have compromised?
If,Nick emphasized.That’s a big word you’re all ignoring.If they’re guilty.But what if they’re not?What if this evidence was planted by the real killer to frame them?
Then why haven’t they offered an alternative explanation?Raymond asked pointedly.Where were they when Gregory died?What can they tell us about how their scents ended up at a crime scene they claim never to have visited?
The questions hung in the air, and Nadine watched the twins exchange a look that carried decades of shared communication.Through her developing bond with Conall, she felt his growing desperation—not just at the accusations, but at his inability to provide satisfactory answers.
Go over our movements for that time period,Conall said finally.You’ll find only routine patrols, training sessions, administrative duties.Nothing that would explain how our scent signatures ended up at the mine.
Which is exactly what you’d say if you were guilty,Una pointed out.
And exactly what they’d say if they were innocent,Sarah countered.
Stephanie raised a hand for calm, her elder authority commanding attention.What troubles me,she said thoughtfully,isn’t the presence of evidence—it’s the convenience of it.Scent trails that lead directly back to our territory?Personal items ‘accidentally’ left behind?It feels orchestrated.
