He Traded Me for Land, Now I Write the Rules novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Ward

Adeline's POV

The Council's morning session was held in a round room with a high ceiling, and every seat was full.

Word had gone around about the dinner.

Toby sat beside me in his good jacket, with his hearing aid turned up.

Everett sat on my other side and kept both hands in his lap.

He had handed me the summons in the hall at six that morning, and he'd said, "I have a thing to tell you, and it can't be said in a hurry."

I'd said, "After."

He'd nodded.

Damon sat across the floor with Ned Garrity beside him, and Camille wasn't there.

The Chair read the petition aloud.

Damon rose.

"Madam Chair, this is a family matter, and I'd rather not make it a public one."

"It is already public, Alpha Falk. You filed it."

A few people laughed.

"The boy is registered as an Ashgate ward," Damon said. "He was taken from his dormitory in the middle of the night by an Alpha of another pack, who then filed a guardianship without my consent."

"He walked out with me," I said.

I hadn't been called on.

The Chair looked at me over her glasses.

"Miss Hartigan, you will have your turn."

"I'd like to take it now."

She considered that, then nodded.

I stood.

My hands were cold, and I put them on the rail in front of me.

"My brother is sixteen," I said. "My mother died four years ago, and the Alpha at that table paid for her last surgery."

Damon tilted his head and let it stand.

"She died anyway. After that, he said out loud that I owed him nothing."

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