The Law Of The Hearth

"Seize her!"

Brask moved first. He crossed the room in two strides, a huge hand reaching for Lena's arm. She didn't even have time to scream.

Kane was faster. He slammed into Brask's chest and sent him crashing into a bookcase. Claws burst from his fingers, and his eyes burned gold.

"Touch her again," he snarled, "and I'll tear your arm off."

"Kane, stand down!" Victor's voice cracked across the room like thunder.

It wasn't just loud. It was heavy, and it pressed on Lena's chest until her knees almost buckled. The guards behind Corvin dropped to one knee. Selene staggered and caught the back of a chair. Even Brask, sprawled among fallen books, lowered his gaze.

Kane did not kneel, but his claws slowly curled back into fingers.

"Thank you," Victor said quietly. He stepped between Lena and the council. "Now. Elder Corvin. You are standing in my home."

"I am standing in the home of a pack Alpha who has hidden a condemned bloodline," Corvin said, his smile gone. "That makes it the council's business."

"She is under my roof. By the Law of the Hearth, no wolf may be taken from an Alpha's house without his consent."

"The law does not protect traitors."

"She is nineteen years old. What did she betray?"

"Her blood betrayed us." Corvin lifted his chin. "The Silver Moon line was condemned nineteen years ago for treason and the slaughter of three packs. The decree was clear. Every member of that bloodline is to be put to death."

Lena's mouth went dry. "What?"

"Lies," Naomi said.

"It is law."

"It is a lie." Naomi's voice broke. "Adrian never—"

"Enough." Elder Maren pushed herself up from the floor, shaking, one hand on a chair. She had lost her cane, and she looked ten years older. Still, her voice came out sharp. "I want to know something, Corvin. Who signed that decree?"

"The council."

"Did we vote?"

Corvin's expression didn't change. "Of course."

"I was there that night. I sat in that chamber. I don't remember a vote." Maren turned slowly toward Brask. "Do you?"

Brask frowned. He rubbed his jaw and looked at the floor. "There was no vote," he said finally. "Corvin brought the paper already sealed. He said the Alpha of Black Ridge had verified every word."

A strange silence fell. Selene's face had gone very still.

"Ronan Voss," Victor said softly. "Of course."

"My father had nothing to do with that," Selene said sharply. "He told me the Silver line died out years ago. He said there were no survivors."

"And yet here is one," Maren said, "standing in front of you with a moonstone burning in her hand."

Lena looked down. She had almost forgotten the stone. It had faded back to a dull glow, and she could finally let go. It fell into her palm like any ordinary pebble.

"Take it," she said, and held it out to Corvin.

He didn't reach for it. His pale eyes were fixed on her, thoughtful now, calculating.

"A decree signed by one man is no decree at all," Victor said. "If you want my guest's life, call a full council trial. Let the whole assembly vote."

"You would risk it?" Corvin asked softly. "If they vote against her, you cannot protect her."

"If they vote against her, I'll answer for it. But not tonight, and not in my house."

Corvin looked at Victor for a long moment. Then he smiled again, and Lena realized with a chill that he had expected this. He had walked into this room hoping for it.

"Very well. The full moon is in seven days. We will hold the trial at the Moon Ruins, before every pack leader in the region." He bowed. "Until then, Miss Hart remains under your roof. No wolf will touch her."

"Agreed."

"Wise, Alpha." He turned to the door. "I would not let her out of your sight. The forest has so many dangers."

The council filed out. Selene paused at the threshold. She looked back at Lena, and for the first time her face was not cold. It was uncertain, almost frightened.

"I didn't know," she said. Then she was gone.

Lena sat on the edge of her bed with her bag open beside her. She hadn't packed anything yet. She was just staring at it.

Her mother stood in the doorway with her arms wrapped around herself.

"You're thinking of running."

"I'm good at it."

"Lena—"

"No, Mom, it's what we do. We pack a bag, we leave in the night, we find a new town and learn a new name." Her voice shook. "I've done it six times. I could do it in my sleep."

"This time is different."

"Why? Because there's a house? Because there's a boy who keeps growling at people for me?" Lena laughed, but it came out cracked. "They want to kill me, Mom. They signed a paper about it before I was even born."

Naomi crossed the room and knelt in front of her. Her hands were cold. "Listen to me. Your father was Adrian Vale, Alpha of the Silver Moon pack. He was good, and kind, and he loved you more than his own life. He died protecting you."

"He was an Alpha?"

"The best one I ever knew."

Lena swallowed. "Then that makes me..."

"The last of his line." Naomi's eyes filled. "I'm so sorry. I wanted you to have a normal life. I wanted you to bake banana bread and wear cardigans and never hear the word wolf."

"Mom."

"I wanted you to be safe."

"I know." Lena closed her eyes, and a tear slid down her cheek. "But I don't want to run anymore."

Naomi stared at her. "What?"

"I'm so tired of running." She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I want to know who my father was. I want to know who killed him. And I want to know what I am."

"Lena—"

"I'm staying."

For a long moment, her mother didn't speak. Then she pulled Lena into a hug so tight it hurt.

"Okay," Naomi whispered into her hair. "Okay. Then I'll make sure you live to see it."

A soft knock sounded on the open door. Kane stood there with his hands in his pockets, trying to look casual and failing.

"Sorry. Am I interrupting?"

"No." Naomi stood and wiped her eyes. "I'll let you two talk. I need some air."

She squeezed Lena's shoulder and left.

Kane looked at the open bag on the bed. "You're packing."

"Nope. Just thinking."

"About leaving?"

"About not leaving." She kicked the bag off the bed. It hit the floor with a thump. "Congratulations, you're stuck with me."

A slow, relieved smile spread across his face. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Don't get used to it."

"Too late."

He sat on the window seat across from her, and for a while they just listened to the house settle around them.

"I meant what I said in the courtyard," Kane said quietly. "About the bond. But I won't push. I won't ask for anything you don't want to give."

"I don't even know what I want."

"That's fine."

"I might never want it."

"That's fine too."

She looked at him, really looked. There was no smirk on his face, no mask. Just a tired boy who had spent years protecting everyone he loved by pretending to love no one.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For not making me choose tonight."

His eyes warmed. "Get some sleep, Lena. Tomorrow we start figuring out how to win a trial."

He left. She lay back on the bed, stared at the ceiling, and, for the first time in years, felt almost safe.

She woke to a pounding on her door.

"Lena!" Theo's voice was raw. "Lena, open up!"

She stumbled out of bed and yanked the door open. Theo stood in the hall with his hair wild and his face gray. Kane was behind him, and Victor behind Kane. Mrs. Bell was gripping a crumpled sheet of paper in both hands.

"What's wrong?"

"It's your mother," Kane said. His voice was strange. "Lena. She's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

Mrs. Bell held out the paper. Lena took it with shaking fingers.

My darling Lena,

I love you more than my own life. I'm going to end this tonight, once and for all. Please don't follow me. Stay with Victor. Stay with Kane. Live.

I'm so sorry.

Mom

At the bottom of the page, stuck to the corner with a smear of wax, was a gray button from a gray coat.