"Storme, what's going on?" Hope moved in beside her, her husband, Wolfe, moving protectively to flank her as Styx flanked Storme.
"He killed her family." It was Cassie that spoke, her voice eerie, lacking any emotion, any fear, compassion, mercy or pain. "He's the Breed that tore her brother's and father's throats out."
It was said so matter-of-factly. As though those deaths were little or nothing in the total scheme of life. But they were everything to Storme.
"Marx Whitman," Cassie continued, her voice turning slightly hoarse, strained.
"Dad. Do something."
"There's nothing he can f**king do," Marx snapped back at her, his teeth flashing dangerously. "I'm under Breed Law as well where my protection is concerned, you stupid little girl. I can't be punished for anything. I have committed no crimes since I joined Haven."
As though the crimes he committed before could be wiped away so easily.
Dash stepped forward, his larger body keeping his wife as well as Cassie pushed behind him. Storme was aware of them surrounding her, the males positioned to ensure that the Coyote came no closer.
"We may not be able to punish you, but you won't be allowed to torture Storme with your presence either," Wolfe snapped back.
Storme would have been surprised if it weren't for the fact that it took all she could do to control the rage tearing through her, demanding justice, vindication.
"He killed them," she whispered through numb lips. "And he enjoyed it."
"I haven't killed since accepting Breed Law, outside my capacity as an Enforcer."
Triumph glittered in his brown eyes. "I do what I'm told. I'm a good little Coyote now, Ms. Montague."
She wanted to scream. Her fingers curled into claws as she fought back the need to jump for him, to rip the smirk off his face.
"Find his alpha," Dash demanded, his voice low.
"Have him held," Styx demanded furiously as Marx's gaze glittered with surprise and his lips twisted into a snarl of disgust.
"Your precious princess, Cassie, can tell you that arresting me would be a mistake."
Cassie flinched as his gaze raked over her.
"Cassie?" Her father questioned her.
"There are always loopholes," Cassie drawled, though her voice was strained and hinted at indecision. "Unless we can prove he's committed an act of aggression against Breed Law, then there's nothing we can do. And I can't prove it." Her eyes glowed within her paperwhite face. "Even though I know he has."
Marx laughed bitterly at that. "Look around you, Alpha Gunnar. Arrest me, hold me for crimes committed while in the labs, and you'll lose the trust of every Breed here.
Just because your little witch"--he flicked his fingers to Storme--"wants to believe I've done something, doesn't mean I have."
He was right. Even Storme knew he was right. There was no way for Styx or Wolfe to punish the Coyote for the crimes he had committed that night, because he had technically been under the control of the trainers, Council scientists and soldiers he had been trained to obey.
"Get her out of here, Styx," Wolfe ordered from Styx's side as Storme continued to stare at the monster from her past. "We'll find Jonas and handle this."
"What is there to handle, Alpha Gunnar?" Marx gave a sneering laugh. "There's nothing to handle. I'm a resident of Haven, you can't change that without breaking the laws you made."
Silence descended. Even the music that had been playing before the Breed showed up had eased. All eyes were trained on them now. Hundreds of eyes, Breed and human alike.
"The Mating Articles," Cassie stated then.
"She's no f**king mate of his!" Marx exclaimed contemptuously then. "She stinks of her fear and hatred of us, just as her father did. He wanted nothing more than to destroy every Breed he ever created, and she knows it."
Storme stared, waiting, watching, her eyes narrowing on the hated, squared face of the Coyote that had destroyed her life.
He wasn't handsome, graceful, or charming as the other Breeds were. His features were out of sync, as though his genetics had somehow attempted to merge physically as well as psychologically.