Page 106 of Moon Claimed
“There’s no mistake,” Rhona said, smirking.
“Rhona,” Stanley hissed under his breath. “Not here.”
She ignored the old man.
“It’s Luther custom that the leader sit in the correct chair,” Sascha said in the thick tension.
Bullshit.
At least someone cares about establishing order,my wolf muttered.
You don’t recognise the concept of pack or family,I replied,who are you to judge me?
I don’t judge. I merely care.
“Then I see no reason why we can’t proceed,” Rhona said.
I really didn’t need to say anything. That was a pretty clear declaration of her motive. Gasps rang out from my head team.
“Rhona,” Valerie hushed. “I thought you came here for… well…”
To face her father’s murderer in his own home? That’s how I once looked at this meeting and playing Grids—as a standoff and a show of strength for Herc.
More and more, I saw that Herc wasn’t exempt from blame. He drew a gun on Sascha too easily. Something happened to Murphy, and I was willing to bet Herc had a hand in his death. I saw the disgust in his eyes when I screamed at the idea of Sascha dying. It was the same disgust I’d directed at myself when I didn’t kill Greyson. Things between Herc and me would never have been the same after that moment. Maybe hewouldhave hurt me eventually. His own daughter.
And for what?
Because I was reacting to a magical bond I knew very little about? Because I was tainted by association? Because I didn’t hate the Luthers enough?
Maybe what Sascha was scared me really bad at first. That fear had generated a cold contempt that Herc’s death strengthened to loathing.
In hindsight, allowing my fear to condemn an entire race seemed so…
Ignorant.
The Luthers were trapped in this valley. And that evening in Sandstone, Greyson protected me, just like Sascha was doing right now against Rhona.
I could admit that now.
I couldn’t hold Sascha or Greyson to that sad, regrettable moment anymore. I couldn’t use Herc’s death as another shield for the feelings and thoughts I wanted to avoid.
Because those things weren’t going away.
I wasn’t sure I wanted them to.
“When you’re ready to assume your proper seat,” Sascha was saying, “the meeting can resume.”
Rhona ignored him.
“Would you like to swap?” I asked. “You know it doesn’t matter to me what seat I lead the tribe from, but it would be rude to ignore the customs of our hosts.”
I met her blazing emerald gaze and sadness filled my heart.
“I refuse to talk with dogs.” Rhona burst to standing.
“That’s the only language I speak,” Sascha said. “Woof.”
He didn’t.Oh my god.