Chapter 26: Regent

The grange hall was full by moonrise.

Half the pack came in with IV poles, because I'd told them they could go if they took the poles.

The windows were open, and the strays stood outside them three deep, faces in the screens.

The Council sat at the long table on the stage.

The eldest was in the middle in her wheelchair, with her brooch pinned on straight.

Boyd stood at the lectern beside her.

He wore a black tie.

"Friends," he said. "This has been the worst week in the history of this pack."

He shook his head slowly.

"By the old law, the Beta stands as regent until the seat is filled. I didn't ask for it. I'll carry it."

"And the first thing a regent does is enforce the law. Geneva Coulter."

Every head in the hall turned.

I was standing in the center aisle.

Stellan was on one side of me.

Lucille was on the other, in her quilted vest, with her arms folded over the front of it.

Behind us, Mirabel sat in a wheelchair the kid was pushing, with an IV pole and a hospital blanket over her knees.

Boyd looked at his daughter.

For one second the smile went out.

Then it came back.

"Doc," he said. "You broke your exile."

"I did," I said. "Here's why."

I walked up the three steps to the stage.

He couldn't stop me, with four hundred wolves watching.

I reached into my shirt and took out the gauze.

I unfolded it in front of the eldest: two slugs, crescent sides up.

"This one I took out of Stellan Rutledge on September tenth," I said. "This one I took out of Jarrett Rutledge yesterday at noon."

"Both from the pack armory. Only one man holds the key."

The sound went through the hall.

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