Beasts

by Angelina Kanan

  “It was his plan to eliminate the werewolf alphas.” Jackson tossed out.

  Sebastian had made a new page and was writing about Lucian, avoiding everyone’s eyes. He finally put his pen down and looked up at us. “He was doing it for his people. All he wanted was peace; and when he realized there was a better way of achieving it, he called his plan off and admitted defeat.”

  My heart hurt for my mate. Lucian was the last family he had, and we were deciding his punishment. This had to be very difficult for Sebastian.

  “I’d like to add that he didn’t make any excuses for his behavior when I spoke to him. He admitted his way was wrong, and he was glad it worked out. I agree he only wanted peace for his people. It was a mess, but it happened; look at us.” I looked around at them, knowing none of us would be here if he hadn’t gone through with it.

  We were all quiet for a moment, processing the information. More than half the people in the room knew Lucian. This would be hard for them to decide. They had all survived hell together; they were family.

  I addressed Tate so Sebastian wouldn’t have to. “What did you think was a justified punishment after your questioning?” My palms were sweaty with anticipation. I didn’t want to see Sebastian lose his sibling.

  “Silver injections every other week for 15 years.”

  “No!” Several voices chorused together.

  “No injections.” Nomi argued. “We can’t do that to him.”

  “He was willing to do it to his wendigos.” Eli argued. “Worse, even. He was planning to kill them.”

  “Once a year.” Tasmin argued back. “Pick an amount of years you want him locked up and inject him once every year.”

  “He literally planned the deaths of werewolves. He didn’t care how many people died.”

  “He’s a prince; he was thinking about his people.” She snarled back.

  “Inject him every month, then. Once a year isn’t enough.”

  “Only if he’s locked up for a shorter period, say 5 years?” Nomi said.

  “Five?” Jackson laughed. “Eliza got 75 years and you want to give him only 5?”

  “What number would you agree to?” She shot back.

  “I’d be okay with 20.”

  Her and Tasmin both growled. Cain interrupted. “What if we alternate? Do every month for a year, every other year, for 20 years? It would feel like an eternity to him but would allow him recovery time. He would survive it while still enduring unimaginable pain.”

  Sebastian’s eyes were red as he struggled with the thought. His father had tortured them, and he didn’t want to be like him. It was difficult for him to make a judgement like this against his brother. He opened his mouth to speak and nothing came out. I felt his struggle through our bond.

  “Does anyone disagree with that?” I spoke for him.

  “Seb, you can’t do this to him.” Nomi was staring at him, eyes pleading. “It’s a majority vote, right?”

  “If you’re disagreeing, throw out an idea.”

  Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at me, shaking her head. “We can’t do that to him. Imprison him without the injection. Give him the 75 years we gave Eliza.”

  “He did worse than Eliza.” Jackson argued. I got the feeling he felt like they had played him and that was influencing his behavior right now. He felt like they had manipulated him into creating a treaty. He was choosing to take his anger out on the one person he had no relation to.

  Sebastian let out a deep breath. “What if we lock him up for 65 years and give him the injections every other month for the last 2 years?” That would still be 12 injections, but he’d be allowed to recover between them. It would be at the end, so he’d be freed when it was over. “Vote.” He commanded. Jackson was the only one who didn’t seem to agree with it, so it was what we would do. I sensed it was the last thing Sebastian wanted to do, as well.

  CHAPTER 44

  I had chosen Tasmin to interview my father. She was one of only two who had never interacted with him before. Sebastian felt Nomi would relate him back to Drakov too much to be an unbiased source of information. I wasn’t sure that Tasmin wouldn’t but found that I didn’t really care. Jackson was probably the only person in this room who wouldn’t absolutely hate him.

  “For the purpose of this discussion, I’d like to request that we refer to this man as Jonathon. Any language that connects him as your father might cloud some judgement.”

  “I think that might take away an enormous part of the argument.” Brett pointed out. “Part of his story is weighed on his actions against his family.”

  Tasmin nodded, “I agree. And I think when it comes to his family members, they may refer to him as their father. I’m asking that the rest of us do our best not to relate them back to him.” Brett shrugged in agreement with her. “I’d also not like to sit here and lecture you. He’s got a lengthy story with many horrible actions in between. I intend to bring light short bits of the story, opening the discussion to each individual part. Then, we can combine all our information to come to a final decision.” She looked around to see if anyone had a problem, but no one spoke up. “This will also help to avoid my story being as painful as Leith’s had been.” She smirked at him, and he rolled his eyes.

  “I didn’t volunteer to do that, you know. If someone had asked if it was what I wanted, you’d have known it wasn’t that.” Chuckles and smirks spread around the table. This topic was so heavy we were all desperate to lighten the mood somehow. Leith was letting us use him to do so.

  “I’ve chosen to begin my story more than 30 years ago. Jonathon mated with Eliza, stayed with her while she birthed their two children, just to exile her back to Lunar Island. After her exile, he forbid any contact between Eliza and her daughters, creating a façade that he’d had her killed.” Tasmin paused and looked around. “Before any of this begun, he already showed signs of an issue with lycans. Anything to add?”

  I looked at Jackson, afraid of how he might react to what I was about to say. “He took another woman and had a child less than 7 years later. He is still with her to this day; he loves her.” Jackson looked at me, hurt evident on his face. “I’m not trying to say anything bad about you, Jax. But if I were alive and unable to reach Sebastian, I’d expect him not to move on.”

  “She’s right,” Cain spoke up. “It looks bad for him. Makes it seem like he never really cared about his mate.”

  Jackson looked away and nodded, but kept his mouth shut. Guilt ate at me.

  “Jonathon was approached by his mate with a plan that would allow them to be reunited. He agreed to work with her; not caring that the plan was to eliminate the many wolf alphas he knew and was friends with. It seems he didn’t tell Eliza about his new life.” Tasmin stopped to see if anyone had something to add, but no one did. She continued. “He was aware they were experiments and would not be released until they could be controlled. When his daughter Gabby had been bitten, he was aware it would not affect lycans. She was executed anyway.”

  Eli was shaking. “He knew?”

  “He wanted her dead. And he agreed to the plan, knowing he always intended to find a way to sabotage it.” My eyes met his from across the table. “She went to him the night before she died, begging him not to kill her. He convinced her that her death would save people, knowing that she was never a danger to begin with.”

  His chair slammed on the ground as he stood abruptly. We watched him pace back and forth, shaking and turning red. Anger and pain were thick in the air as he put his fist through a wall. “I want his head!” I cannot describe the pain behind his words. His hand hit the wall again, over and over, before he rested his head against it, crying. It was painful to watch. Eli hadn’t known any of this, and to watch him process it was devastating. He’d believed she died to protect her people and never knew she had been afraid to die.

  No one said anything as he wept, allowing him to grieve. It was impossible to imagine exactly how he felt. Eventually he slowed, taking the time to co
mpose himself before he came back to the table. “Sorry.”

  Tasmin put her hand on his arm. “There’s no need to apologize. I’ll continue when you’re ready.”

  He nodded, “I’m good now, thanks.”

  She looked at him a moment longer before starting back up again. “Jonathon helped his son in the creation of the treaty. He led the alphas to an event that was supposed to end in their death. It didn’t work out that way, but a lycan still lost his life.”

  “He also tried to convince us the treaty wasn’t necessary. And wanted a very lenient punishment for Russel.” Sebastian added.

  Tasmin frowned. “After the lycans went back to Lunar Island, he received word from Eliza they were calling it off. Peace had been reached. Then Eli got bit, and you guys showed up. Selene bit Eli which created a sire bond and made it obvious the lycans were involved. When they fled, he locked up Selene intending for her to take the fall if Sebastian didn’t come back in time.”

  “Goddess,” I muttered. “It didn’t happen by chance. He sent someone into the mountain and let it be Eli.” Even I had believed he just got lucky, but it all made sense now. He only had one last chance to make his plan work, and he’d taken it. “He’d known the wendigos would be leaving, yet he sent someone after them. I’m betting he knew I’d do something to try to save Eli.”

  I watched Jackson shaking his head. I wondered how much of this he’d known.

  Tasmin started back up again. “Before the wendigos left, he found a way to inject them with wolfsbane. Knowing they’d self-destruct, he was intending to kill the lycans along with them. He waited for Selene to come to him about Sebastian’s death before he went forward with his plan. Jonathon stripped her wolf to be sure there wasn’t another lycan left alive.”

  “When I came to him, he was proud to have been successful. He had no remorse about any of it.”

  Sebastian nodded at me, “Same with when I questioned him. Jonathon didn’t regret any of it and was angry to have failed.”

  “I’m recommending we strip his wolf and lock him up until he’s dead.” Tasmin finished up her story. “Anyone who disagrees is free to speak.”

  “Lucian and Eliza both had a hand in killing more people.” Jackson was the one who spoke, and I sighed. I’d had a grim feeling he would defend him.

  “Not really,” Nomi argued. “Eliza and Luc both intended to kill the wendigos and the werewolf alphas. In addition to that, they killed their failed experiments. Jonathon was okay with killing the wendigos, the alphas, and all of the lycans. The only thing he’s free of was killing the experiments. Isn’t erasing an entire population worse?”

  Jackson stayed quiet.

  “Eliza and Luc were also both fighting for a good cause. They both wanted peace. Neither of them had an evil motive.”

  He closed his eyes. “Why strip his wolf if you’re going to lock him up for the rest of his life?”

  “Give him silver injections every month that he’s locked up until he dies. Let him keep his wolf; it doesn’t make a difference.” The idea came from Eli.

  I frowned. Neither idea sounded right.

  “Every 6 months?” Tate suggested, attempting to be less harsh.

  Everyone continued suggesting things, going back and forth in severity level. It still wasn’t right. None of it made me happy or would bring justice for what happened. He’d done so much. No matter what situation that man was in, he was evil. Someone like that couldn’t be trusted.

  “Stop.” It had turned into an argument as no one could agree on a single thing. “None of those are the answer. He’s done so much wrong his entire life. This situation was not the beginning of his evildoing. He needs to be stopped from doing anything else. I think we should sentence him to death by silver injection.”

  “Selene…” Jackson’s eyes begged me to take it back. I wondered how he was able to do it. How could he set aside everything we’d been through to find love for our father? It would never make sense to me.

  I felt Sebastian’s mind reach out to me. Is that really what you want?

  A blizzard of emotions filled my body. I was nervous at my suggestion; I had always hated him for being able to kill his family. I was scared they’d agree, and I’d become everything I’d hated my father for. Nausea swam around in my stomach, feeling the full weight of my suggestion. Part of me wanted to cry for everything I’d been denied. I didn’t grow up with a parent who was there for my every need. I was robbed of the one parent who might’ve given me the love a child deserves. My best friend had been ripped away from me. He was the cause of it all.

  “Vote. Brett and Tate?” I turned to them. Tate shook his head, but Brett nodded. “Cain, Leith?” Cain nodded.

  “I think we should revisit torture, so I’m going to say no.” Leith shrugged.

  “Nomi, Tasmin?” I turned to the mated pair, willing them to side with me. I felt their emotions being shared with me; respect, sadness, and strength filling me up.

  “We both agree.”

  I turned to Jackson and Eli, anticipating an argument from at least one of them. I raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s the least he deserves, but I’d also like to revisit torture if this gets voted against. I’ll vote with the majority.” It came from Eli.

  Jackson was shaking his head, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. “I can’t vote to kill my father. No.”

  I didn’t want to announce the decision. Jackson had allowed us to make a group sentencing of our father, and now he would die. If he’d just done it himself, it would be a decision he was okay with. Sebastian cleared his throat. “That’s 3 for no and 5 for yes. If Eli is choosing to go with the majority, that becomes 6 for yes. It’s been decided. He’ll die by lethal injection of silver.” He never added his own vote, and I was curious what it would’ve been, but he was right. It didn’t matter what his choice would’ve been.

  CHAPTER 45

  The decision on what to do with the wendigos was more difficult than the other 3. It was wrong to kill them. They were an entire group of people who were intelligent and capable of life. On the other hand, if they died later, we had no way of controlling the wolfsbane spreading. There was also the knowledge that they could be sired and switch allegiances easily. It didn’t seem likely that werewolves would feel comfortable with the idea of leaving wendigos alive.

  There was an option that would solve everything, but it wasn’t ideal. Just thinking about it broke my heart. I had just found a place I wanted to call home, and it didn’t look like I’d get to keep it. I proposed we trap them on Lunar Island. I had been met with silence. Lunar Island was their place; it had been their home for centuries. It had also been their prison, creating decades of evil memories. We decided to sire them all to one lycan and to release an alpha command for them to unite under an alpha. No one argued when Eli was suggested to be alpha.

  Sebastian caught up to me after the meeting, pulling me aside. “That was a bold suggestion coming from someone who’d been resistant to being queen.”

  I stifled a smile, “That was a long time ago. I’ve already become queen, might as well make decisions like one, right?”

  “I’m proud of you. The thought of killing them all terrified me; it was wrong. Your idea never would’ve occurred to me.”

  I nudged his arm, “That’s because I’m a genius and you’re not.”

  He didn’t smile back, looking away instead. “I should’ve known it started with the lycans. If I hadn’t been so focused on coming here to be with you, I'd have thought about the crypts. Lycans were the only ones with access to the wendigos. I’m as much at fault for this as any of the others.”

  “Hey,” I took one of his hands. “By that point it was already done. You wouldn’t have changed much, and you never would’ve gotten this treaty. You can’t beat yourself up over this.”

  He tried pulling his hand away, but I wouldn’t release it. “I should’ve been able to stop Lucian. I should’ve seen it.”

  “Is that
what this is about?”

  Sebastian closed his eyes, breathing deeply. “I can’t protect him from this.” I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him close. He felt guilty for the judgement we’d given his brother. After everything they’d suffered together, he was now the one locking him up.

  “Sebastian, he knows that. You’ve brought the peace he wanted so badly. He’s okay with the cost. Lucian knew what he was risking.”

  He pulled back, “Are you going to be okay with it? Killing your father?” His eyes were searching mine, looking for an indication that this wasn’t what I wanted. I couldn't talk about it without thinking of Jackson. Knowing how much this would hurt him made it too difficult for me.

  “Will you be okay giving up the island? It’s your home.”

  One of his hands came up to my face, brushing stray hairs behind my ear. “My home is with you now. I’m excited to experience something new. You’ll get to introduce me to whole new traditions on the mainland.”

  I laughed, “I think you’re going to be very disappointed. We don’t have traditions like you do.”

  “We’ll just have to make them up ourselves. Small price to pay for peace, wouldn’t you say?”

  The lycans had wanted peace, and now they would get integration. They’d have to come to the mainland and create a new life, starting over in unknown territory. With the treaty that had already been signed, all we had to do was secure land. I suggested the one I had been using for the past few years. It was a place Leith and I had both called home, and it seemed like we would again. Sebastian and I agreed to send Leith with the rest of the lycans while we went to Lunar Island. The house we’d lived in was big enough for the small group here, and Dylan had agreed to temporarily house the others while we worked to build a home.

  ✽✽✽

  We’d agreed to three days before we left for the island, allowing us time to prepare. Eli had a life he was now giving up. I knew how difficult that could be, but also how freeing. A part of me was glad to give him some distance to the devastation experienced in Old Moon. This could give him a new purpose to his life; something to look forward to.