Chapter Thirty-Three
“The Council has heard the testimony from the witness for Edward Boudier. The Witch of Yazoo was shown at the scene of the crime. She gave testimony that she saw Jaxon Taylor break into the house and murder Caroline Boudier and John McGregor. We would now like to hear from Barrett Middleton’s witnesses regarding the charge against Guardian Jaxon Taylor.” One of the ten Council members spoke, his voice echoing in the cave.
Barrett alone stood in front of the Council while Jaxon stood off in the shadows with his hands chained behind his back. The meeting was closed to the other Guardians. Only the Pack Masters were allowed entrance. Once the verdict was announced, they would move near the top of the peak where the Guardians were gathered in a circle to see the outcome.
“I’m afraid I have no witness.” His stomach clenched.
The council members looked at one another and frowned.
“But how will you counter the accusations made against Guardian Jaxon Taylor?” one of the Council said.
“I am here as a character witness.”
Boudier snorted. “Are you serious?”
Barrett ignored Boudier and addressed the Council directly. “May I continue?”
“Go on.”
“Jaxon has never harmed an innocent civilian since I’ve known him. He’s one of my finest Guardians and has done his job without reproach. The death of Caroline Boudier was an accident. I believe the crime scene results will show that she fell and impaled herself.”
“That’s not what my witness saw,” Boudier yelled out.
“Let Middleton speak,” one of the Council members admonished. He waved his hand for Barrett to continue.
“Your witness is a liar. I suspect you brokered a deal with her so she wouldn’t have to go back to the cemetery.” Barrett glared at Boudier.
“As far as John McGregor goes, John attacked Jaxon first, and he bit him with his silver teeth.”
“Silver teeth?” One of the Council members cringed and looked at Boudier.
“My son-in-law was a bit… quirky.” Boudier shrugged.
“The death of John was self-defense. It was either kill or be killed,” Barrett stated. “I would have done the same if I were in his position.”
The room grew quiet.
“If you please, I have a witness who is here of her own volition, despite the fact that Arkansas and Mississippi have planned to do her harm.” Boudier waved at Ella.
Ella cringed and took a step back as if she realized she had picked the wrong fucking horse in this race. But it was too late now.
“Barrett has no witnesses, and Jaxon himself has admitted to killing two Weres—one who was my wife.” Boudier fisted his hands at his side. “I demand justice. I demand blood for what was taken from me.”
Barrett tensed, waiting for the Council to speak. He cut his eyes over at Jaxon. He was still standing there with his head held high, like he was determined to die for his female.
The Council members turned their backs to him and whispered and murmured among themselves.
Every second that ticked by made his chest hurt even more.
The Council finally turned around and faced them. Barrett tried to get a read on them, but it was impossible. They were as somber as priests.
“A verdict has been reached in this Tribunal. Once it is stated, it cannot be taken back or changed. It’s final.”
Silence.
“We have found that Edward Boudier had demanded justice for his wife and son-in-law. And it is by law that we demand a blood debt be paid by an Arkansas Guardian. A life for a life.”
“Yes!” Edward Boudier let out a triumphant shout, and it echoed in the cave they were standing in.
Nausea swamped over Barrett hard and fast, and he forced himself to stand there.
“Barrett, you’ve been a great leader of Arkansas and we commend you on that. But Jaxon’s life has to be sacrificed for the crime he has committed.”
“What you are saying is that you need an Arkansas Guardian to die for Boudier? Despite the fact that Boudier is a danger to his own kind?” Barrett said.
“The Council’s verdict is final,” one of the Councilmen said with conviction.
“Don’t look so sad, Barrett. You’ve got lots of other Guardians. You won’t miss one.” Boudier smirked.
“You are not allowed to speak, Boudier,” one of the Council chided. “You’ve had your say. Now we must see the punishment through.”
Barrett looked at Jaxon, who didn’t make eye contact. Jaxon stared straight ahead. A single bead of sweat rolled down his temple and onto his shirt.
Barrett walked over to where Jaxon stood, and suddenly two the Louisiana Assassins appeared out of the shadows to escort Jaxon out.
Barrett glared at Brutus and Killian. “I will walk out with Jaxon.”
They stepped out of the cave and onto the top of the mountain, where Guardians from Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas waited. The Council walked out first, followed by Boudier. Barrett waited a second and fell into step with Jaxon at his side.
“I’m sorry, Barrett. I’ve let you down.” Jaxon murmured. “But I couldn’t let her die. She’s pregnant.”
“I know.” Barrett cleared his throat as they stepped out into the clearing at the top of the mountain.
The Council members lined up to address the werewolves. Silence fell over the crowd.
“The verdict is guilty. Arkansas must pay Louisiana a death in exchange for the two lives Boudier lost.”
Rumblings and murmurs rose up among the Guardians. Only the Louisiana Guardians were silent.
Barrett searched the crowd until he found Jack Wellbourn. The Mississippi Pack Master stared back at him with the briefcase clutched in his hands. He let his gaze drift over to his Guardians. As promised, Jack had positioned his Mississippi Guardians in between each Arkansas Guardian.
He stepped forward to address the crowd, but a female screamed. He looked toward the woods.
“Wait! Wait!” Ava came barreling out of the woods and dodged Brutus, who tried to prevent her from running up to Barrett.
“Ava. I told you to go…” Barrett glared down at her. And then froze as her scent hit him. Ava was pregnant. How had he not recognized this before?
He must have been too caught up in trying to figure out a way to get Jaxon out of this mess.
“You can’t kill Jaxon. It’s not right.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
He looked upward into the sky. “Ah, you women. You never trust me.”
“You found a way out of this?”
He lifted his head to the crowd and froze when he spotted Damon edging closer to the middle. Damon frowned when he saw Ava.
Barrett hadn’t known Damon would show. But it was then he knew it was fate. It was then he knew what he had to do.
Barrett leaned down and looked her in the eye. “Promise me when this is over that you will take care of Damon. He’s a good male. Don’t let him feel guilty for any of this.”
“Feel guilty? I don’t understand.” His eyes widened. “What are you talking about, Barrett?”
“I’m sorry for what I’m about to do. I hope you can forgive me one day, Ava.” He grabbed Jaxon and shoved him toward the line of Mississippi Guardians, who caught him before he hit the ground. Jack’s eyes widened, yet he didn’t move.
Barrett grabbed the silver knife out of the waistband of his jeans and seized Ava. He clamped a hand down on her mouth and held the knife to her throat. His gut twisted and turned as she tried to break free.
He had to do this to save Jaxon.
He had to do this to save his Pack.
He had to die to save the future of Arkansas.
“What the fuck are you doing, Barrett?” Damon broke through the line of Kentucky Guardians. “Get your fucking hands off her.”
“You do know, Damon, that Ava was always supposed to be mine, right?” Barrett called out over the roar of the crowd.
Everyone went silent.
“Get your fucking hands off her now, Barrett.” Damon growled.
Barrett didn’t move. He knew the only thing Damon would kill him over was Ava. Damon and Ava and their little one on the way would protect the state of Arkansas. They would be the future of the Pack.
Once this was over, they would find the paperwork that legally gave Damon control as Pack Master in case of the Barrett’s death. They would also find enough evidence on Boudier to send him to his death as well.
But first someone had to die.
In order to save Jaxon, he had to die.
In order to protect his Guardians, Barrett was willing to do it.
Barrett leaned down to Ava’s neck. To everyone else, it looked like he was kissing her.
“I’m sorry. This is the only way I can save Jaxon. It calls for a death. They will get a death. Not his. But mine.” He pressed the blade to her neck, enough to draw a drop of blood.
“Forgive me, Ava. Take care of Damon,” he whispered.
A demonic growl erupted. Damon lunged and shifted into wolf in midair.
Barrett timed it just right, and right before Damon landed, Barrett shoved Ava out of the way and turned the blade of the knife to his chest. The weight of Damon shoved the silver blade into his chest, ripping apart the chambers of his heart as it sliced through the muscle. Something flickered in Damon’s eyes, and he backed away from Barrett. Barrett’s heart slowed, and he could feel the blood pouring out of his chest. Unimaginable pain sliced through his chest as the silver began to poison him. He fell to his knees. He only had seconds before he would be dead.
Barrett looked at the crowd. Jack looked horrified at what had happened. He looked over to where his Guardians stood. Mississippi Guardians were holding back Braxton and Jayden, who were trying to get to him. Zane had shifted and was growling and biting the five Guardians holding him back. Lucien had started a fight, and it took three Mississippi Guardians to hold him down. Jaxon, still in chains and restrained by the Assassins, sank to his knees, yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs. Ava started toward him, and Damon in wolf form was pacing back and forth, unsure of what had just happened.
Barrett got to his feet. He was acutely aware of the silver poisoning what was left of his heart. He struggled to breathe and coughed up blood. It wasn’t finished. Not yet. He looked at the horrified expression of the Council and walked backwards to the edge of the mountain. He didn’t want his Guardians to watch him take his final breath.
“You hereby have your blood debt. Paid. In. Full.” The heel of his boot found the edge of the mountain. He held his arms out to his side. He looked up at the sky one last time before he felt the last beat of his heart.
He fell back into nothing.
He didn’t hear the screams of Ava or the wails of Jaxon. He didn’t hear the curses of his Guardians trying to break away from the Mississippi Guardians restraining them. He didn’t hear the yells of Boudier saying it wasn’t Barrett who was supposed to die. It wasn’t even the sounds of the crowd demanding the council do something. Anything.
The last thing he heard as he looked up at the starlight sky was the howl of the wolf who had killed him.