sooner treat a bear this way,” I replied, digging my claws into my palms. “These people have families that want to see them come home. They have children and lives.”
She opened her mouth.
“What would Herc say?” I asked her quietly, very much aware of the silence in front of me as well as behind.
“I’ll never know.” Loathing oozed through her emerald eyes like thick mud.
“You won’t. That’s because he used a gun on a Luther too.”
Rhona’s fist whipped out and only my new strength stopped me falling on my ass. My head rocked to the side, spinning me. Face to the Luthers, I battled to keep my wolf from ripping my sister’s head off.
Sascha pushed through the row to stand in the middle. His gaze fell on his injured pack members. Over the blood and pain, I smelled his horror.
I’m not backing down this time, I reassured my wolf.
She hit you.
I know. Trust me on this.
The stewards left their hiding spots on the tiers. While everyone else spent the first hour digging tunnels for future plans, I could assume that this team—under Rhona’s direction—made themselves a lovely battleground instead.
In control, I faced Rhona again.
Shooting holes in Luthers hadn’t done it, but Rhona was aware she’d overstepped by hitting me. And in the eyes of her supporters.
Stepping around her, I planted myself before the stewards. The Dakota woman was here.
Valerie.
Billy. Laura. Foley.
Several others from Rhona’s rally last night.
Fury filled my heart. “Put. Down. Your. Weapons.”
I stalked in front of them, meeting their gazes. “Now.”
Foley was the first to cave. After that, the rest followed.
“Each of you will attend a disciplinary hearing in the next two days that will decide your continuing role in this tribe. Valerie, effective immediately, you are no longer part of the head team. Your part in this horrific plan fills me with disgust. All of you, wait for me at our entry point for further orders.” My hands shook.
Turning from Valerie’s pale expression, I ignored Rhona again.
I located Sascha and tilted my chin. “The Ni Tiaki forfeit this grid to the Luthers with our sincerest and deepest apologies. Most of us share your horror and disgust for what a small and idiotic number of our tribe decided to do today. Please collect your injured and let us know if we can aid you in any way.”
Rhona exploded. “You can’t forfeit—”
I clicked my walkie on. “This is Big Red. Due to the actions of the south team under the direction of Rhona Thana, our tribe has forfeited the grid. The battle is over, everyone. This is an order for all stewards to gather at the manor without delay.”
She grabbed my shoulder.
I gripped hers right back. “I have a responsibility as head steward to protect this tribe. From our opponents,” I gestured at the stricken Luthers, “and from other stewards. I love you, Rhona, but what you did tonight was very wrong.”
She reeled back.
“Remember that what comes next I do as your sister and also as your leader. I hope you can accept that someday.”
“Will I accept the orders of someone who helped to kill my father?” she hissed for only us and the Luthers to hear. “Over my dead body.”
“You don’t have to accept my orders,” I told her. “But that choice will come with consequences. I’ve given you more than enough time to get a hold of your hate. Now you’re hurting others and I can’t stand by while that happens.”
I strode to where Sascha crouched beside a screaming she-wolf caught mid-shift.
He gripped her chin, locking gazes with her. “Shift,” he said in a gravel-ridden voice.
She sighed, completing the transformation to become a small brown wolf.
“Can I help in any way?” I said to his tense back.
He stroked the wolf’s head, and I took in the matted blood covering the fur on her chest.
“No,” Greyson answered. “Tribe presence here will create more problems than it will solve.”
I agreed. “This won’t go unpunished.”
He didn’t answer, and though I hadn’t fired the guns myself, if I’d been in wolf form, my tail would have been tucked between my legs.
How could Rhona do this?
Leaving him, I pulled out my phone, taking pictures of those I passed—of their wounds and tear-streaked faces, along with some videos of screaming Luthers and loved ones shouting for help.
Most stewards had left when I reached the entry point. Those who’d covered the farthest area trickled in last, shock blanketing their faces.
“Return to the manor,” I called. “All will be explained there.”
Pascal joined me, along with