Sins of the Father

by JJ King

  The unwelcome thought of her father’s knowledge in the deaths of so many popped into Katherine’s mind and refused to leave. She wrestled with it, knowing her father, certain that he would never have been party to such a deception. She needed to know for sure. “Where did you get these?”

  “I’m sorry,” Dalia hedged, shrugging, “I can’t tell you. There are a lot of people who’ve put their lives on the line to get these documents.”

  “That’s understandable, but Dalia…” Daphne looked sick but she held up her hands, beseeching, “you’re asking us to accuse the Alpha Council of genocide based on scanned documents.” She gestured to the screen, “Horrible documents that, if real, will take down our government. What if they’re fakes?”

  Dalia shook her head, “I’m not asking you to accuse the Council, I’m just asking you to stand as witnesses when I do, and we do have the originals, but it was too dangerous to bring them in person.”

  Smart, Katherine thought, she’d have done the same. She looked at Dalia and asked the question she couldn’t shake, “Did Dad believe you?”

  Dalia nodded, “He did, which is why he planned on bringing the issue before the Council when he left for Montana.” She pulled out her cell phone and showed them text messages between herself and Pierre. Katherine quickly read the back and forth, recognizing both her father’s writing and his phone number.

  Sylvie slumped back in the chair and reached for Katherine’s arm. She gripped it tightly, hard enough to cause pain, but Katherine barely felt it. Blood drained from her face, leaving her light headed. Her father had known, and he’d been planning to confront the Council.

  Then he’d been murdered.

  “Will you be my witnesses?” Dalia asked again, taking back her phone.

  Katherine moved as if she were in a fog, looking first to her mother who arched one delicate eyebrow then shrugged, and then to Quinn who nodded his consent immediately.

  She turned to her brothers, who all looked ill at the thought of standing in front of the Council to witness an accusation of this magnitude. The reality of what they were about to do burned away the mental fog, leaving her crystal clear. She looked at her brothers, really looked, and saw the wear on them. She wondered what kind of mental and physical tortures they’d been through over the past few days to have robbed them of their normal personalities so much.

  “Well,” Katherine addressed Anthony, knowing he was the surliest of the group at the moment, “will you stand with her? With us?”

  Anthony’s shoulders slumped even more, and he sighed heavily, turning to look at Ronan and Teagan. “What do you think?”

  “Let’s just stand back and observe,” Tegan reasoned sluggishly. “They can’t blame us for being present in the room, can they?” He looked at Ronan who shrugged.

  “Then it’s decided,” Sylvie said with a firm voice, offering her hand to Dalia whose expression changed immediately from anxious to confident.

  “Thank you,” Dalia nodded and clasped Sylvie’s hand.

  Katherine focused on the moment, not letting herself think about what would happen once Dalia confronted the Council. She printed off a copy of the documents for Dalia then walked over to where Keme and Daphne were waiting for the group to gather. “Hey, how are you handling all this?” She inclined her head marginally towards his mother.

  “I’m not sure yet,” Keme admitted, scratching his chin as he spoke, “but it rings true, so I’m going to follow my gut and hear her out.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, you’re doing amazing.” Daphne pressed her lips to his bicep and smiled hopefully at Katherine.

  They turned as Sylvie and Dalia crossed the room together, still whispering confidentially. Katherine narrowed her eyes at them and wondered what they were talking about.

  Sylvie led the way to Pierre’s office with Dalia by her side and everyone else following. Anthony, Ronan, and Teagan reluctantly took up the rear.

  Katherine’s stomach contents were threatening to exit her body by the time they reached the office door. It was closed as it had been since the Alphas had arrived. She hated them being in there, ruining the memories she had of her father sitting behind that big wooden desk or sitting on the leather couches with her to debate world politics. Katherine pressed a hand over her stomach and took a deep breath as her mother knocked on the door and waited for it to swing open.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  The air inside the room still smelled of her father, Katherine noticed, stepping into the beautiful library slash office that had been her father’s sanctuary for the entirety of her life in this country. Layered on top of his scent, though, was the smell of old men, the single most repugnant smell in Katherine’s opinion, however tainted it might be.

  Dalia strode into the room, looking confident and pissed as hell. Katherine found herself completely fascinated by the woman as she marched up to the long table the Alphas had claimed and moved into the office, and stood, legs spread and eyes furious, in front of them without a moment’s hesitation. Dalia wasn’t as unafraid as she looked, but right now, when it mattered most, she looked absolutely fearless.

  “What is this about?” Malachi scowled at Dalia first and the rest of them a moment later. When he spotted the boys at the back of the room, trying to disappear into the walls, his eyebrow crept up and a glint of promised repercussion flashed in his gaze. Katherine grimaced and hoped her brothers were safe from the wrath of the Council should Dalia’s accusations fall flat. A shiver of anticipation race down Katherine’s spine and goosebumps sprang to life all over her skin. Dalia believed in what she was saying, it was written all over her, but Katherine had spent years of her life practicing remaining logical and impartial. As difficult as that was to do at times, she tried hard to retain that part of her. Still, the documents, her story, if it were true, if Dalia was right… Katherine blew out a slow breath. If Dalia was right, everything was about to go to Hell.

  “I am Dalia Little Foot,” Dalia began, sounding as regal as Sylvie ever had, “and I am a natural born Alpha.”

  Instantly, murmurs of descent rose up among the Council members. Malachi scoffed and flicked his hand toward Dalia, dismissing her immediately, “You’re wasting our time Dalia Little Foot. Leave of your own free will or we will have you escorted out.”

  Katherine froze in place, barely daring to inhale.

  “Actually,” Sylvie stepped up beside Dalia with a saccharine smile that fooled no one, “this is my home and Dalia is a guest. There will be no escorting her out.”

  Katherine nearly swallowed her tongue. Oh shit, she thought, Mom better know what she’s doing.

  “Actually,” the frown on Malachi’s face deepened, “this home has been commandeered by the Alpha Council as is our right under law and is, therefore, under our oversight.”

  Katherine debated for a second before following her mother’s lead, “That’s not technically true, though, is it?” She smiled sweetly at the head of the Council and reached into her brain for the information she needed. It was there, waiting for her to retrieve it, and she sent a silent thank you to her father for the endless hours they’d spent reviewing pack law. “The Alpha Council only has the purview to commandeer a home or property in the case of declared war against the pack. There’s been no official declaration of war, as far as I know, but of course, I’m just a woman.” She blinked her eyelashes innocently at Malachi, who looked like he wanted to kill her on the spot and then turned to look at Quinn whose expression betrayed his pride in her. “I mean, we could always consult with the Geliget representative. You know,” she looked back at Malachi whose shocked expression replaced the scowl on his face, “the one I’m married to.”

  “What nonsense is this?” Malachi sneered, “The Geliget are just figments of childish superstition.”

  “Really?” Quinn stepped through the crowd to stand before the Council. “Because I’m pretty sure my father, Jonah Deschains, would disagree with that statement.”

  Mala
chi’s eyes went wide and he appeared to stop breathing. His cheeks turned a deep shade of burgundy as he stared at Quinn, finally seeing the similarities between the two men. The Alpha Council were among the only wolves ever permitted to meet the Geliget, a rule that was set in stone, so Katherine knew Quinn’s words had shocked Malachi and the rest of the Council into instant and total belief. Quinn motioned to Dalia and arched his head toward the Alphas, “She deserves to be heard.”

  Dalia nodded her thanks to Quinn and raised her chin to address the Council again. “I am Dalia Little Foot, wife of Jacob Little Foot, co-Alpha of Canada.” Sidelong glances met her announcement. “I am a natural born Alpha.” With those words, Dalia leveled her gaze on Malachi and opened to her power.

  The effect was instant. The fine hairs on Katherine’s arms strained upward and her skin began to tingle. Dalia had warned them that she would display her power, but she’d promised to control it and direct it away from them. True to her word, Malachi and the other Alphas were cowing before her, clutching their heads as she stared them into submission. Every guard in the room sprang into action, pushing their way to Dalia, reaching out for her.

  She lifted a hand, gently floating it in the air, then brought it down by her side with a swish. The guards fell to the floor gripping their heads. She glanced over her shoulder and spoke quietly, “Fall back and the pain will end.” The guards scrambled to the sides of the room, gasping as the pain ceased. They stared at her in abject wonder and fear.

  It lasted only seconds, but when she stopped, Dalia smiled, looking confident she’d made her point. Katherine couldn’t have agreed more.

  “As I was saying,” Dalia continued as if nothing had happened, “I am a natural born Alpha and I have spent my life seeing the lives of our people, what will be and what has been already.”

  Malachi’s jaw tightened, but he remained silent, staring at her.

  Dalia’s voice rang out clear and loud. “I am here today on behalf of my people, on behalf of the Algonquin, the Mi’kmaq, the Beothuk. I am here on behalf of the Iroquois, the Blackfoot, the Anishinaabe. I stand before you representing all the people of this land who you,” she glared at the Alphas, swinging her gaze over them, “conspired against and murdered to gain control of the New World!” She slapped the photocopies onto the table in front of Malachi and leaned forward, looming over him, “This is the proof of your crimes, copies of documents my people have safe and ready to deliver to the Geliget. You will pay for the genocide you’ve committed.”

  Dalia’s words echoed through the room. Katherine watched the Alphas, waiting for any reaction to the vicious accusations leveled against them. Slowly, Malachi turned to look at his fellow Council members, receiving nods from all but one man, who shook his head and frowned, his eyes darkening with anger. Katherine’s gaze flicked from one to the other and the more she looked, the more convinced she was that they were communicating. There was a silent argument raging between them and it looked like the Alpha who’d said no was losing.

  Malachi lowered his head and heaved a heavy sigh, his hands falling beneath the table. Katherine saw the move and wondered, her eyes shifting to his lap, but before she could finish the thought, before she could alert Dalia, a shot rang out.

  Everything happened at once. Dalia slumped to the floor, clutching her abdomen as blood poured from her body, onto the Persian rug that had graced the floor for years.

  “Mom!” Keme pushed Daphne to the floor then shoved his way forward, heaving Quinn to the side to get to his mother. Katherine felt Quinn’s hands grab her a moment later, dragging her to the floor as more shots rang out. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Keme dragged his mother’s body away from the Alphas, who were roaring with fury and commanding the guards to “Kill them!”

  “Stay!” Quinn shouted above the roar of bullets and screaming, then he leapt up and lunged toward Malachi, whose face was set in a horrible mask of rage.

  Malachi pointed the gun at Quinn and pulled the trigger over and over, emptying the clip into his chest. As each bullet sliced through his body, Quinn jerked, his body stumbling and falling to the floor as blood poured from the holes. Ignoring her husband’s request, Katherine pushed up from the floor and raced across the room.

  Quinn would be fine, she knew that even though her heart squeezed painfully in her chest to see him hurting. She sidestepped his prone body and crashed her hand down on Malachi’s wrist as he reached for another clip, sending the gun skittering across the room.

  She reached for him, intent on tearing him apart. The certainty that Dalia was right, that the Council had murdered thousands upon thousands of innocent people fueled her hatred. Katherine screamed when she was jerked back just as her fingers reached his face, scraping down his cheeks to leave long red gashes.

  She twisted around, slamming her elbow into her attacker’s face and heard the crunch of bone. The guard grabbed his face and roared, leaving him open. Katherine shoved her fist into his throat and grabbed the back of his head when he pitched forward to catch his breath. She shoved his head down hard and brought her knee up, connecting with his face. He slumped to the floor and didn’t move.

  Katherine turned back to Malachi, her eyes only on him. All around her the room exploded with violence. She could hear her friends and family yelling as they fought the Council’s guards, but she didn’t take her eyes off Malachi.

  He was their leader, the final voice in any decision. It had been his name on the letter, his words had started the genocide, and it was by his hand that Quinn now suffered. The thought that he may have been responsible for her father’s murder as well, threw Katherine’s wolf into a frenzy.

  “Did you kill my father?” Katherine growled. She grabbed the table and pulled with every ounce of strength she had, wrenching it up and over with a crash. “Did you? Did you and your fucking minions set one of your guards on my father because he had the balls to stand up to you?” She stepped over the overturned table and advanced toward Malachi.

  “Guards!” He shouted, backing away from her with his hands held out to ward her off.

  Katherine’s lip turned up in disgust, he can’t even do his own fighting. She stepped closer to him, away from the crowd, ready to strike him down.

  The pain began slowly at first, like a pin prick behind her eyes. Within seconds, pain so intense it erased everything else erupted in her head. Katherine tore at her head, desperate to make it stop, and curled forward holding her temples, her mouth open in silent screams. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t call for help, it was everything she could do to still draw breath. Katherine twisted in desperation, searching for someone to help her, and her heart sank in terror. All around the room, her friend’s and family’s faces contorted in agony. Alphas mercilessly stared down their prey, driving them to their knees one by one. Katherine fought against the pain, but it overtook her, buckling her legs from beneath. She fell to her knees and saw Malachi’s shoes enter her blurry vision as she shook uncontrollably under the strength of his power.

  He knelt on the floor beside her and leaned into her, pressing his mouth against her hair. Katherine wanted to tear herself away from him, he made her sick, but her body wouldn’t work. “I made the call to kill your father,” he whispered in her ear. “He was so stupid, so naïve, to believe that his Alphaship here came with no strings attached.” Malachi chuckled, and the sound gritted through her bones. “Then he had the audacity to ask us if we were responsible for killing those savages, as though they mattered.” He tucked a strand of hair behind Katherine’s ear and leaned even closer “You should have learned from his mistake. Too bad you didn’t know.”

  Tears streamed down Katherine’s cheeks and she didn’t know if it was from the pain, her desperate rage, or the knowledge that her father’s murderer was going to get away with what he’d done, and with what he was about to do.

  “You have a bad habit of putting your nose where it doesn’t belong don’t you, little girl?” Malachi hissed. He grabbe
d the back of her neck and dug his nails deep into her skin but it barely registered through the agony in her head. “You’ve ruined enough. My army, my serum, it’s all gone because of you.”

  Somehow the impossible pressure built, pushing at her mind until there was nothing but pain and endless darkness. It swallowed Katherine’s vision, blacking out everything but the sound of her racing heartbeat. She closed her eyes and summoned an image of Eve, so sweet, so innocent, so …

  Katherine pushed against the darkness, refusing to give in. Eve was here, too close to the madness to be safe. There would be no one left to fight for her, to keep her safe and love her if... Katherine focused her mind on that one thought and pushed against the pain, trying her best to shove it out.

  It felt like a lifetime, an endless amount of pain and darkness that wore at her. Katherine’s body and mind began to tire, to break down and fight against herself as she struggled to stay focused. She pressed her nails into her palms, pulling her body into itself as she pushed out with her mind.