Broods Of Fenrir - By Coral Moore Page 0,63

174

came to me unmated.”

Ansvarr shouted from his position, “That is a technicality. She was promised to me in exchange for a treaty. I demand her return.”

Brand"s gaze didn"t waver from Ingrid. “Respected Arbiter, that treaty took place over twenty years ago. If he meant to take her as his mate, then he should have done long since.” His eyes turned to Dagny. “Returning her will be impossible, because now she is my mate.” Ingrid"s mouth dropped open. That they"d managed to do what her mother hadn"t predicted filled Dagny with satisfaction.

Ansvarr surged to his feet again and bolted toward Dagny. Despite the jolt of panic that shot through her, she remained still. Perhaps it was naive, but she needed to prove she wasn"t afraid of him any longer.

Brand intercepted him before he reached her. He tripped Ansvarr to the ground and drove a knee into the middle of his back. She exhaled the breath she"d been holding and clasped her hands together.

Ingrid motioned to one of the other males. He gave her a baleful look before rising and walking to where Brand and Ansvarr struggled on the ground. He wrestled with Brand to unseat him, then pulled Ansvarr back to his feet.

Ansvarr snarled as the other male dragged him away and back toward his position. “The Black Wolf is too cowardly to fight me? You killed our sire with his own sword, and you won"t stoop to fight me?”

Teeth bared, Brand took a step toward his slowly retreating rival. “I"ll fight you, no matter what decision is reached. I just wanted it known that you were unable to claim the female I"ve taken as my mate.” His lips lifted into a predatory grin.

The largest of the males snickered. With a mane of red-gold hair falling around him, his similarity to Bera was striking and he could only be Björnkarl. The bass rumble of his voice 175

filled the clearing. “Is that your complaint, Spearson? Your brother took the bitch you couldn"t mount?” Ansvarr rounded on him. “Stay out of this, old man.”

“Watch your tone with me, pup.” Björn"s eyes darkened to black in the space of a heartbeat, all luster fading from them.

“You"re the one who insisted on putting this to our decision when it is clearly a private matter.” As he resumed his seat, Ansvarr glared at those around him, but said no more. The male who had retrieved him took his seat as well. A general resettling occurred throughout the line, some of the males casting sidelong looks at Ansvarr.

Brand returned to his previous position. Satisfaction trickled from him through their bond, along with a sense of anticipation, as if Brand couldn"t wait to get his hands on Ansvarr again. Dagny admitted a certain amount of excitement to see that herself. She knew it was barbaric, but the idea that Brand would fight for her pleased her.

Ingrid took control of the group again after several moments of silence. “May I then assume, Björnkarl, that your vote is against punishment?”

Björn leveled an annoyed gaze at Ingrid. “Put another word in my mouth, and you"ll regret it, bitch.” He waited until her neck bent in acquiescence. “My vote is neutral. I care not at all for their family squabble. The matter should be settled between them, not brought before us.” Aside from the one seated directly beside Ansvarr, all of the males cast their vote agreeing with Björn"s assessment.

Ansvarr"s irritation increased with each vote.

Ingrid turned to face Ansvarr. “Your claim is denied.” He lifted his face to regard her with a hateful glare.

“You purposefully chose this Conclave to support the outcome you wanted.”

“The only male I chose was Erik, and that was merely convenience because of his proximity. If you would have preferred to wait a week to find another earl who would travel here, you should have stated such. Magnús came with you.

176

Agmundr and Haukr both came with Björnkarl.” With each name she recited, she pointed to one of the males before her.

“I suggest if you have an issue, you take it up with the senior member of this Conclave.” She turned her head to Björn and offered him a respectful nod, which he didn"t return.

Dagny wondered at her mother"s behavior. Was Ingrid pointing out the allegiance of each male so Brand would know?

She dismissed the thought after brief consideration. Her mother was nothing if not vain; she craved the attention and was making the most of it with grandiose gestures.

Ansvarr"s balled fists shook where they rested on his tense