Page 40 of Crave

None of that mattered right now, though, because I sat before the full Town Council and held in a groan. Obviously, it was a slow day, because all five members had shown up—including Grim. His name wasn’t actually Grim, it was something Raine and her consorts called him due to his penchant for wearing a black cowled cape, and being tall and skinny. And pasty pale.

Murphy leaned closer to Merrick and whispered, “I get it now.”

I gave them a frown. The Town Council weren’t like Raine and Nico. They were traditionalists as much as they could be, most of them being old as hell and stuck in the seventeen hundreds with their ideals. That meant these proceedings were done with some kind of pomp and gravitas. Except Nico, who always looked bored, despite being the oldest of them all.

Raine sat in the back row with Lucius and Judge, who were watching the proceedings. The idea of such dangerous vampires—who made my instincts go haywire—sitting behind my Manix made me feel squirrelly, but I ignored it. I trusted Raine and her consorts, mostly.

“So you hold no remorse for the murder of these two men?” Grim asked, and I winced. I couldn’t even fake remorse for the death of Wilkie and his Packmate.

“No, sir.” I wanted to correct him that they were Manix and not men, but I held my tongue. Talking back wasn’t going to change the outcome of this trial, and I knew it. I knew what the result would be as soon as Grim and Eduardo sat down. Nico and Catherine, the head of the Council, were pragmatists, but the rest? Not so much. They’d have the majority, and I knew the result wouldn’t be in my favor.

“If presented with the same scenario, would you do it again?”

I looked Tomas—Grim—dead in the eye. “Without hesitation.”

He huffed and looked around at his counterparts. “So be it. I find Tanner McCulloch guilty of breaking the covenants of our community and suggest execution immediately.”

“What?!”

“That’s fucking ridiculous! Youcan’t!”

Susannah and Quinn’s protests were loud, and I almost smiled at their defense of me. Looking over my shoulder, I gave them what I hoped was a reassuring look.It’ll be okay,I mouthed, projecting way more confidence in the outcome than I actually felt.

Catherine snorted. “Unlikely, Tomas. We aren’t in the business of executing perfectly fine vampires to satisfy your repressed bloodlust. I vote we find him not guilty and let him get back to the business of healing.”

“Healing them straight into a hastily dug grave,” one of the other Council women complained, and they bickered back and forth for a while.

Finally, after another thirty minutes of negotiation, they turned back toward me. The scent of Omega distress was starting to make my skin itch, and I wanted them out of here already.

Catherine spoke, her lips pinched. “Tanner McCulloch, we find you guilty of breaking Dark River’s covenant laws. These are sacrosanct and create the very foundation of our society. While the circumstances certainly made your actions warranted, you were acting outside your Convocation given orders—faroutside—and therefore are not covered by the exemptions that could apply. Therefore, we have no choice but to expel you from Dark River, with a non-reapplication period of two hundred years.”

I swallowed hard, pushing away the feeling of being cast adrift once more. I could be dead, and that was a fate I was glad to escape for the second time in my life. “I understand.”

Merrick stood. “This is bullshit. He could’ve buried that waste of space and never mentioned it again, and you assholes would never have known the difference. You’re punishing him for being honest, and that is the most backwards bullshit I’ve ever heard. He was protectingOmegas.You mightn’t understand what that means up there on your fucking high horses, but to the Manix, it makes him a hero.”

Catherine raised an eyebrow at Merrick, and I moved toward him, placing my body slightly in front of his. “Then I suggest you take yourheroand leave Dark River.” She gave me a sympathetic look. “You have until dawn to gather your things.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said softly, then turned to the Pack. “Let’s go.” I needed them out of the room, away from the threat of the most powerful vampires in Dark River. I wasn’t sure where this protectiveness had come from, but now wasn’t the time to examine it.

I met Raine and Judge outside, though Lucius was gone. Raine looked peeved. “I’m sorry.”

I waved her comment away. “I made my own choices. I wasn’t lying, I’d do it all over again.” I looked at Quinn and Murphy. Remembered how brutalized they’d been. Then glanced at Susannah, imagining the horror of what her future would have been if I hadn’t interfered. If I hadn’t arrived in time. “Every damn time.”

Raine nodded, looking around at the Pack. “Excuse us for a moment,” she murmured. I hesitated, then she grabbed my shoulder and pulled me along. “Judge will protect them if they need it. Which they won’t.” She dragged me further away from the group, and despite her reassurances, I kept them in my eyesight. Raine dropped her voice low. “Even if you aren’t a citizen of Dark River anymore, you’re still working for me. I’m happy to relieve you of your position if you want to head out and find somewhere new to settle. I’m also happy for you to return to wherever the Manix decides to stay and continue on with your role for as long as you like. The choice is yours now, Tanner.”

I frowned, my eyes sliding back to the Pack over and over. That was what they were, a Pack. They mightn’t have bonded yet, but I had no doubt they would. Merrick and Murphy would protect the Omegas, and eventually, they’d have a bonding ceremony. After that, there’d no longer be a place for me.

When had I become so attached to them? During the yearning? Or before that, when Susannah and Quinn had been so stubborn, so defensive in my office as I patched up their injuries? Maybe right even at the beginning, when Susannah had yelled at me at the Alpha General’s mating party? I was heading down a path that was going to end in heartache, and I was unwilling—or unable—to stop it.

I looked back at Raine, clearing my throat. “I’d like to continue on as the town doctor for however long they’ll have me, or until they train up someone new. There’s a Pack expecting its first litter of cubs with their male Omega, and I think they’d be happier if I was there.”

Raine just smiled at me, like she knew I was full of shit. “Certainly, Tanner. I’ll pass it by the Alpha General.”

I winced. “I know it's a lot to ask, but is there any way we could keep this between us? The whole Alpha-murdering and burying in the woods thing?”

Raine raised an eyebrow. “No.”

Fuck.The Manix wouldn’t want me back anyway then. Who’d want a murderer delivering their cubs?

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