^“Thank you all for being here tonight,” Aidan said as we strode back into the main room of the Lodge. “I’ll consider the council’s vote in a moment and make my decision. But before that, I’d like to give Ms. Ryan the floor.”

I walked nervously towards the council. They were all seated at a long oak table. The council members stared at me expectantly, their eyes glowing eerily. I hadn’t expected to be put on the spot like this in front of a group of shifters. Fear rose inside me, but I tried to push it down.

“Thanks,” I bit my lip and stammered.

“Here. Sit next to me.” Aidan took his place at the head of the table, and scooted a chair next to his for me to sit down.

“I was hoping to speak to everybody one at a time. I think that might work better,” I said softly.

One of the council members, a lean, muscular middle-aged woman, interrupted me. “That’s not how our Council works. You’ll tell us all, then it will go to vote. Then the votes are presented to Aidan. Ultimately, it’ll be up to Aidan to decide the fate.”

“Aidan decides what?” I flinched, confused.

“Well, he is the alpha of our pack,” the woman sneered at me.

My face flushed with embarrassment. No wonder Chase Reynolds had wanted me to find Aidan. He was the one in charge here. I glanced up at Aidan, and understood immediately why they trusted him so much. His very presence exuded power and confidence.

“Why don’t you start by telling the council what you know.” Aidan stood up and paced behind the table.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath, tamping down my nervousness. “As some of you know, a nineteen-year-old woman by the name of Charlotte Smith was found murdered in Bond a few weeks ago. Her body was discovered in the parking lot of a bar towards the edge of town. She was frozen straight through, but forensics determined hypothermia wasn’t the cause of death. DNA evidence led investigators back to Chase Reynolds, a member of your pack. He’s being held in jail in Bond, on charges of first-degree murder.”

“What was he doing in Bond?” One of the youngest men in the room whispered.

Aidan’s look cut through him, silencing him.

“Apparently, Chase and Charlotte started dating a few weeks before the incident. Charlotte was a waitress at The Moose Trap, the honky-tonk bar on the Westside of town.”

The council members exchanged puzzled looks.

“Honkey-tonk?” I heard a few of them mumble.

I cleared my throat.

“So, the bad news is, Chase’s hair sample, saliva, and semen were found on the girl.” The council members’ eyes widened. “And the thing is, he can’t account for where he was during the time of her murder, either.”

“Do you believe he’s innocent?” A dark-haired woman with rough skin and shining green-gray eyes met my gaze. “If he’s guilty, why are you bothering to defend him? Send him here. We’ll know what to do with him.”

I shook my head, trying to find a way to explain it without sounding condescending.

“That’s not how the justice system works. Look, I’ve met a lot of hardened criminals in my victim’s advocacy work. Enough to know when a person is lying.” I paused. “Person, shifter, whatever.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I know Chase is telling the truth. Someone set him up. Framed him. But I don’t know why, and I need someone who can vouch for his whereabouts on the night of the murder.”

“And you’re coming to us, asking for answers? Or are you asking us to lie for Chase?” The disdain in the woman’s voice was thick.

A larger male flared his nostrils at her, and glared. “That’s enough, Greysha.”

Aidan walked behind me and placed his hand firmly on my shoulders. He gave a gentle squeeze, sending warmth through my body. I continued.

“No, of course I don’t want anyone to lie for Chase. I’ve already looked into the background of the victim, Charlotte Smith. Everything about her comes out clean. No jealous ex-boyfriends to speak of, no one who wished her ill-will at all. Bond is a quaint, small town, and she was its treasure. The Mayor’s daughter, and all.”

Chase’s Uncle Cade glanced over at Jameson, Aidan’s twin brother, who had started pacing beside the window. Sheets of snow were coming down again, blanketing the forest in white.

“Chase needs a solid alibi, then.” Jameson’s eyes darted around the room, broadcasting a signal I couldn’t read.

“Yes, for starters. And not just any alibi, he needs a reliable, trustworthy one. Something documented would be ideal,” I said.

“But the humans in Bond won’t believe a shifter. What makes you think they’ll take our word for where he was that night? They think we’re savages,” Cade cut in.

Grumbling ensued around the table, as the council began to talk amongst themselves. Their soft whispers were fast and spoke a language I couldn’t quite understand. It was English, but a very twisted dialect.

“Look,” I said loudly over their voices. “This is the best shot Chase has. I’ll keep working on my end to find reliable human witnesses who can vouch for Chase. But I’d like to know I have the council behind my back supporting me. If we work together, Chase has a chance of going free.”

“And if not?” Jameson shot me a worried look.

“Then I don’t have to remind you that the death penalty for shifters is alive and well in Alaska. If Chase even makes it that far. My guess is he’ll be killed in prison before he’s had a chance for a retrial.”

Cade exhaled audibly. “Grim prospects for Chase.” He paused. “I vote to help you. I’ll do everything in my power to find the woman’s real killer and make sure Chase is set free.”

Aidan pressed his hands firmly on my shoulders. I pressed my back into his touch and enjoyed the feeling of comfort radiating through my body.

“Will the rest of the council support Olivia Ryan?” Aidan’s voice boomed. It was less of a question and more of a command.

“Highly unorthodox to vote and answer with the girl in the room,” Cade said.

“I can leave,” I said as I gathered my things and scooted out from behind the table. Aidan’s hands held me in place.

“No, you’re staying. I’ve changed my mind; this is not up for the council’s vote. If anyone decides to not help Olivia’s investigation, they can speak with me. This meeting is adjourned.”

With that, a hush fell over the room for a moment as they all looked up at Aidan, some with disgruntled looks on their faces. He held his head high and didn’t seem to notice, or care. I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed or appalled. But whatever he’d done, it had been effective.

As the shifters one by one got up from the table, it reminded me of my childhood dinners when I’d had to ask permission from my parents to be excused. The council members acted like Aidan was the one who called the shots, and they had to obey him no matter what. I stood up from the chair and turned to face Aidan.

“That went well, I think,” he smiled at me.

“Is that what going well looks like? Felt more like an interrogation to me,” I joked. “It’ll be worth it if it helps the case. I need to prove reasonable doubt to the jury. But the prosecution has DNA evidence, and no other suspects. It’s a hard case.”

Just then, Jameson brushed by Aidan, and motioned him towards a doorway on the other side of the room that led to a bright, open kitchen.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment,” Aidan said warmly. His eyes glanced towards the other shifters lingering around the table. “You’ll be safe here. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Aidan pressed his hand to the small of my back gently before he strode towards the kitchen with Jameson. I tried not to stare as the meeting broke up, and members of the council said their goodbyes. Some of the council members had transformed parts of their bodies into their wolf-state, perhaps in anticipation of the cold outside. If the transformation embarrassed them, they didn’t show it. Others donned thick down jackets and slid their snow boots over their warm socks.

I didn’t think I’d ever get used to this shifter way of life, but it intrigued me all the same. I waited patiently for Aidan to come back. He was gone more than a few minutes, and when he returned, he had a haunted, worried look in his eyes. I studied his face, noticing the way he’d gone from relaxed to tense in the time since I’d last seen him. What exactly had Jameson told him that had him so upset?