by Jessica Snow
"Lord Talbot," Keith said as he nodded, taking a flute of ginger ale. The table had been set up with clearly marked non-alcoholic beverages, not only for Melanie but for the number of representatives that were underage. "Your daughter looks very mature for her first trip to the Gathering."
"Thank you, Lord Lockwood," Talbot replied. "While I know it’s irregular for such a young woman to act as Alpha Female, I felt it was good training for her eventual role, either in my Clan or in her Mate's."
"A wise decision. Tell me, are your quarters sufficient? I know that the Towers are not quite the same as the Manor, and to be honest, I've been worried all day."
Talbot took a sip of his own drink, setting it aside. "You and your Clan have done an admirable job. I take it that you've rented out hotel rooms around the city for the Clan Lockwood members we've displaced for the next few days?"
Keith nodded. "Actually, a combination of things. About half of the rooms were from Clan members who decided to take vacations. Part of that was I agreed to pay for Disneyland tickets for any of the children who wanted to go. But yes, some of the members are doubling up or taking hotel rooms. Also, I opened the Manor to those who wished to get away there as well."
"Uh oh, house party while the parents are away," Talbot joked, smiling slightly. "I'd hate to see your cleaning bill for that one."
Keith laughed and shook his head. "You know hosting the Gathering is always an expensive business. But I wouldn't have it any other way. It gives me a chance to look friends like you in the eye and shake hands, something we rarely get to do."
Talbot nodded, then looked over to his daughter. "Your sister seems to be doing a fine job teaching her about Gathering politics."
"She's not the only one. If we're not careful, your daughter is going to be running rings around us in that field by the time these few days are over. How old is she now, twelve?"
"Eleven, actually. She turns twelve in July," Talbot replied. He finished his drink and set the glass on the table. "Lord Lockwood, can I speak directly with you?"
"Of course," Keith said, the two of them walking away from the table and around the small knots of people. It was easy to see where allies and enemies were, along with the suddenly changed groups who were still unsure of the others due to the shakeup that the Hunter attack at the last Gathering had caused. "What can I do for you?"
"There is a rumor going around that you wish to step up your attacks on the silberjagger," Talbot said. "That after your rescue mission, you plan on taking the fight further. Are you sure about this plan of yours?"
"I am, but I will speak on it tomorrow. As you know, I can’t propose anything during tomorrow's business, only report and speak my mind."
Talbot snorted with a smirk. "Yes, because we know that both Lady Thornblood and Lady Lockwood would disagree with anything that you speak. Come on, Lord Lockwood. While I understand the role you took and congratulate you for your making something out of a disaster, you hold a very powerful position despite not voting."
Keith smiled tightly, controlling his temper. "You'd be surprised, Lord Talbot. If you knew Kimberly and Akiko as well as I do, you'd know they are very independent women, and even I may be surprised during the meetings tomorrow by their actions."
"I look forward to seeing that, if only for your reaction," Talbot replied. "But let me finish, so as to not prevent us from speaking with others. Clan Talbot is not in favor of war at this time. First of all, my Clan is in no position to give people for a war. I'm a first generation Alpha, after my father split his territory rather than have his sons fight for Alpha status."
Keith remembered, thinking of what had transpired twenty years prior. Clan Llanwelly had been one of the most powerful in the Pacific Northwest. Their Alpha had not just two but three Mates, Mating two of them within days of each other. The Mating had resulted in two boys being born on the same day, again within minutes of one another. The two boys had been raised as equals, even though they had different mothers. When he was ready to retire, instead of deciding which of his sons was to be Alpha, he had split his territory in two, creating Clan Talbot and Clan Conliffe. While not small, neither Clan was the power player that Llanwelly had been, mainly because the two Clans rarely agreed on anything.
“I’m familiar with your Clan's history, Lord Talbot. Let me say I’m not asking anyone to sacrifice more than they are willing. However, when you hear me speak tomorrow, you may change your mind on the need for unified action. Now, if you'd please excuse me, I see my Mate is looking like she needs some refreshment."
"Of course. And congratulations, I've heard a boy?"
Keith smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm very excited. Thank you for your honesty, Lord Talbot. Have a pleasant party."
You know I didn't need any drinks.
Keith made his way over to the table and grabbed a glass of fruit juice, bringing it towards Melanie and Edward. I know, but I needed a good excuse for breaking off the conversation. I understand the man lost his Mate, but if I had let him keep going, he would have talked my ear off. No thanks. By the way, have you seen Akiko?
She's riding herd on the old Thornblood allies, and doing quite a good job of integrating them. I just saw the Mac Tire Alpha Male shaking hands with some man that Akiko had introduced him to. You should have quite the coalition by the time tomorrow's business kicks off.
Keith followed Melanie's gentle prodding over their Link, and saw Akiko speaking with another group. Keith reflected that with her semi-independent status, she and Kimberly were able to bridge gaps they hadn't been able to before. With proposal and voting rights for Gathering business, they were equal in power to any Alpha Male, while at the same time were familiar with the behind the scenes maneuvers. It was an unexpected bonus, and one he knew he would have to use in order to gather the Clans together in a unified group. He’d need it to truly bring war to the silberjagger.
Bringing Melanie her juice, he clapped Edward on his shoulder. The gigantic Aklark looked uncomfortable in his suit, which was black like Keith's, however, his shirt was of a green silk to reflect his status as Kimberly's Mate. While technically he had no official status, nobody was going to argue with the giant. "How's the party going for you, Edward?"
"More like the sort of function my father would be more comfortable with than me, but so far Melanie has done a good job of steering me clear of any major mistakes. I could go for a good hamburger, though."
Keith chuckled and gave Melanie a kiss on her cheek. "We all could. But could you imagine what a room with this many Lycans, you and Melanie would look like if we really got down to eating? There'd be vegetables, snippets of beef and sinew flying everywhere. I'd probably need to have someone clean ketchup off the light fixtures tomorrow."
"True. How's the politicking?" Edward asked, looking around. “I’ll be honest, I've kept up more of the silent protector type than speaking. I just haven't had enough time to learn about things yet."
"Don't worry, I was the same way last time," Melanie said. "Trust me when I say I'm barely understanding things myself. Thankfully Kimberly and Akiko are handling their end so well. I haven't even had any dirty looks at all tonight."
"I have," Edward said, "but I expected it. Nobody has been willing to say anything, though. I guess I'm just that intimidating."
You? Don't forget, they know that if they offend you, they have to deal with me, Kimberly said to all three of them over their Link. While Keith and Melanie couldn't hear Edward yet, Kimberly could Link with all three of them, and waved from her side of the room. Edward smiled back and waved, blushing.
"My Mate is a bad-ass," he said shyly. "That's kind of cool."
"Oh, you're pretty bad-ass yourself, big man," Melanie said, patting his arm. "But yeah, she is pretty cool."
"Okay, well, I'm off to see how Akiko is doing. I'll see you two later?" Keith said. "That is unless you'd like to join me?"
Edward shook his head. "No, that's okay. She's a fine person, but I'm starving, and I think I j
ust smelled the help bringing out Swedish meatballs. I'm going to see if I can sneak a platter or two in before everyone starts staring."
"And you know how pregnant women are with their appetites," Melanie said, giving Keith a kiss on the cheek. "Go on, we're fine. Trust me, I'm listening in, and if you really need me, I'll be there."
Melanie and Edward walked over to the table, where Edward's nose was correct. Fresh platters of appetizers had been laid out, and Edward quickly snatched a shallow bowl to contain his pickings. "I know I come off as a bit of a rube doing it this way, but I wasn't able to eat at lunch, I was so nervous," Edward said, using a long bamboo skewer to slide three meatballs at once into his mouth. He looked at one of the trays, curious. "Say, what is this?"
"I believe it is a little joke from Akiko," Melanie said, picking up the green wrapped roll and biting. "Yep. She had mentioned this the other night, but I didn't think she was serious. She calls this Irish sushi. It's corned beef, mashed potatoes, and boiled cabbage rolled up like traditional Japanese sushi. I think the sauce is a mix of brown mustard and wasabi if you want to give it a go."
"Sure, why not?" Edward said, popping one into his mouth. "By the way, thank you for not telling Keith or Kimberly about the comments we heard," he said, referring to some of the whispered comments they had been on the receiving end of. While Melanie's presence was by this point more or less accepted, Edward was still unknown. Considering he was Aklark, he was greeted with even more suspicion, and more than a few whispered comments. While Melanie hadn't made out a lot of what had been said, Edward's sharper ears had, despite the Lycans' attempts to hide them. Still, in the interest of preserving the peace, they had both held their tongues.
"You're better at this than you realize. Besides, while you’re learning how to use your Link with Kimberly, I bet she's heard everything already. I can almost guarantee you that she's dealing with it in her way."
"I hope nobody gets hurt,” Edward replied with a soft chuckle, spearing another meatball and chewing on it. "We don't need any more of that."
"No, knowing Kimberly the way I do, she's going to be much more subtle. What was it Frank Hebert said in Dune? It is the slow blade that pierces the shield. I suspect that Kimberly knows that lesson very well."
Edward nodded, shivering slightly. Melanie noticed. "What is it?"
"Sorry, I just know more about the loving side of Kimberly, and the honest warrior who I saw during the assault to rescue you. I guess I have to get used to the subtle politician and noble part of her as well. It's a side I'm not entirely comfortable with. Reminds me too much of my father."
Melanie nodded, thinking of the little interaction she had had with Ben Stormstout. A consummate tall tale teller, there was always an angle to whatever the man said, it seemed, and his continued presence in their lives was something Keith worried about. "There's a difference between your father and Kimberly," Melanie said finally, sneaking a meatball away from Edward. "Mmm, those are good."
"Here, you can have the rest," Edward said, handing her the greatly diminished bowl. "I think I'll move on to just drinks. So what is different?"
"Let's see," Melanie said, pretending to think. "Well, Kimberly's about eight inches shorter, a hundred and fifty or so pounds lighter, and at least in my opinion, has much nicer boobs and butt than your father."
Edward laughed, getting the joke. "I'm glad about all those things, that’s for sure."
"More importantly, though," Melanie continued, "Kimberly might be political and subtle at times, but her heart's always in the right place. There's a line she's not going to cross, a moral one for sure. She'll never put anyone in the position that your father put both of you in."
Edward thought, then nodded his acceptance. "You're right, of course. Thank you, Sister.”
"You are welcome. But I'm not calling you Brother. Too tempting to make a bad joke," Melanie replied. "I doubt you need that nickname."
"Good point."
Chapter 43
The Gathering, which had gone well for the first eight hours of meetings, was finally reaching areas of disagreement. For Keith, it was actually a record, in his estimation. The attack by the Hunters had forged a sense of unity among the various Clans that hadn't existed in generations. What had once seemed like causes for major disagreement, had instead been excused as minor quibbles, and motion after motion had been either voted up or down with large majorities with no fighting afterward.
Keith had to admit that some of it was the huge coalition that he found himself the linchpin of. With most of Clan Lockwood's allies, such as the Blanc Loup and the Mac Tire, along with Clan Thornblood's allies, such as the Lykos and the Bez Beco, all working in concert, most of the other unaligned Clans joined in just to go with the majority. Issues such as travel rights, revenue sharing and trade deals, which had almost derailed the last gathering, were passed with a minimum of fuss.
Keith noticed that a certain pattern developed. While Clan Thornblood and Clan Lockwood still took their original initial positions, Kimberly and Akiko both debated their points respectfully, moving towards a compromise that Keith had to admit was better than he had expected possible. Most importantly to him though was that each of the compromises strengthened the ability of the Lycans to wage war against their enemies.
Now, however, at the end of the first day, with the sun going down, the big issue in the room was being worked towards. Keith felt his hands clench as he had to sit and listen to the comments from some of the others.
"I do not wish to call into doubt either the honor of Clan Lockwood or Clan Thornblood. Every member here is an honorable and noble Lycan," Lord Dumas-Vez, one of the unaffiliated Clans, said from his seat. "I myself watched as Nioclas Thornblood fought with all of his heart to repel the invaders. But the facts are unequivocal. This war is a war of vengeance, sought by the Lockwoods and the Thornbloods for the losses they incurred. And sadly enough, those same losses come about because of the very actions of those same Clans. There would have been no reason for the Hunters to attack us if Lord and Lady Lockwood along with Melanie Lockwood had not killed one of the Hunters in this city, and we all know who sold out the Gathering to the Hunters before. While I understand your anger and your desire for more blood, I don’t feel it’s time for a war, not when our own wounds are still so fresh."
Keith stood to say something but sat down when he saw Akiko look over at him, her eyes knowing. Instead, he nodded to her and let her stand to speak. "Lord Dumas-Vez, I understand what you’re saying, and before I make my reply, I would ask my Sister, Lady Melanie Lockwood, to speak to us. I know she’s not of this Council, but we have granted her seating rights with her Mate, and I feel her words are important. Any objections?"
There were none, and Melanie made her way to the center of the area. Everyone could see the swell of her belly under her loose top, and more than a few smiled sympathetically as she tried to work her way in between two of the tables that had been set up before they were pulled apart for her. Akiko brought a chair into the area, which Melanie respectfully declined. "I've been sitting down for the past two hours, I think a little bit of standing will be helpful."
"Of course, Melanie Lockwood," Akiko said, falling into the formal forms of address that still ruled the meeting. Addressing her as Sister or by first name only would have been a mistake. "If I may ask, could you please relate to this Gathering what was told to you by the kinbushi that you knew as John."
For the next twenty minutes, Melanie related her conversations with the man who had claimed to be her jailer, physician, and possible adoptive father for her child. She saw as both Alpha Male and Female grimaced as she related the story. Finally, she wrapped up her story with her rescue and stabbing John before kicking him down the stairs.
"And you’re sure that he was killed?" Akiko asked, who had remained in the area between the tables with her. "You are positive?"
"The blade cut both his jugular vein and carotid artery, based on the amount of spray that cove
red my shirt and body," Melanie replied evenly. "While there is a small chance of survival if someone had immediately sealed the wound, considering that less than two minutes later Kimberly Waldwyck leveled the building with rocket fire, I’m very certain he is dead."
"Thank you, Melanie. One further question, something you said earlier. In one of your conversations with John, he said that they had never captured an Alpha level child. Could you please go back to that conversation, and try and recall exactly what he said?"
Melanie nodded, using one of the skills that had been one of her strongest skills even when she had been a normal cop, a nearly flawless ability to recall conversations with other people. "He said, the best way to defeat the werewolves is to use their own kind against them. So your child, son or daughter, will become the Order's greatest weapon against werewolf kind. Combining our training with their physical skills, they'll be one of the best soldiers our kind has ever seen. Imagine, the speed, strength, senses of a prime Alpha, able to blend in amongst werewolf kind, but armed with our sense of purpose and skill."
Akiko nodded. "I now ask your opinion, one that I must admit when you first told me scared me to the depths of my soul. Do you think that John had done this sort of brainwashing before?"
Melanie shivered as the implications became clear to her as well. "It may have been. John was certainly capable of it, I think."
Akiko nodded and came over to Melanie, placing her hand on her shoulder before clasping arms with her. "Thank you, Melanie Lockwood. I have no more questions, but thank you for your bravery and words."
