Chapter Twenty-Nine

Nobody likes the bringer of bad news.

—Sophocles

 

PENN WAITED NERVOUSLY at the Mitchum border with the scroll in his hand. He had to switch it back and forth, wiping his hands dry to keep from sweating on it.

Malcolm, Grace, and his mother approached, all with grim faces.

“Penn, tell me why you have severed ties with your pack and did not complete your mission,” Malcolm ordered.

“Forgive me, Alpha.” Penn bowed. “I was tasked with a higher purpose and had to sever ties for the security of that mission. It is with profound regret that I have been deemed to deliver this to you and the Mitchum pack.” Penn wiped at his face as his mother began to cry.

Penn extended the scroll to Malcolm as Grace began to shake, and she covered her mouth with her hand. Malcolm’s hand shook as he took it.

“Penn,” Malcolm whispered.

Penn nodded. “Tribunal, from Iver, the Riddle Wolf. And I believe the other Pillars were there, though I cannot say for sure. But he—he was there.”

His mother fainted, and Grace caught her.

“Come, Penn, you are welcome. You can restore your links,” Malcolm said, motioning to Penn and then hugging him. “I should not have shouted at you.”

Penn breathed in relief and closed his eyes. Strangely, his links weren’t fully restored, but he didn’t question it as he hugged his Alpha. Malcolm released him and Penn rushed to his mother, picking her up from Grace’s hold on the ground.

“I’ve got her,” Penn said and followed the other two to the packhouse, carrying his mother.

“Take her to my unit,” Grace whispered.

“Adler,” Malcolm called as they entered the packhouse. “Gather the council and pack in the chamber. Send a messenger to the Steele Pack; they will need to be here as well. And call Tristan.”

Penn carried his mother to Grace’s infirmary, and Grace called for a nurse to tend to her.

“She’s fine, Penn,” she said. “She just fainted. Go on to the chamber. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Penn headed down the long hall, his feeling of dread overwhelming. He went into his family quarters first to change for the meeting. There, he stripped off his clothes, intending to bathe quickly, but his hand stopped at the sore place on his chest. Penn looked down, and all breath left him in absolute shock at the swirling pattern of black ink there—ancient symbols he didn’t know how to read.

“Oh my God.” Penn gasped and finished the quickest shower of his life.

Penn dried himself, threw on his more formal clothing and shoes, and ran. He searched for Elias Karlsen, their pack’s oldest member and historian. Penn panted as he knocked furiously on the elder’s door.

“Yes, yes,” Elias said from inside. “Who is it then?”

“Penn Halvorsen, sir, seeking your counsel,” Penn said and waited.

There was a heavy sigh. “Come in then, Penn; you can help me down to the chamber room.”

Penn opened the door and entered; seeing Elias struggling to get an arm in his jacket sleeve, Penn stepped over and assisted.

“I had it,” Elias admonished. “Now, what’s this all about? What counsel do you need, young Wolf?” He eased himself back down into his chair.

“Can you read the old language? No, I mean the language before our old language? I don’t even know what the name of that language is.” Penn began to pace.

“I can read many languages, the original—the first language—and the old language, yes.”

“I need you to read something for me.”

Elias held out his hand expectantly, and Penn unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the flap to the side.

“Huh. Well, get my glasses,” Elias said with a frown as he stared at Penn’s mark. “Come closer.”

Penn handed him his glasses and stepped in.

Elias inspected the marking and then looked up at Penn. “It’s a name in the first language. It reads ‘Ivarr’ in the old tongue, and Iver in the more modern translation. Bow warrior, archer, or in this case—” Elias leaned in again. “—it would indicate Iver, the Pillar. Also known as the Riddle Wolf.” Elias leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands, waiting for Penn expectantly.

“So it says Iver’s name,” Penn confirmed, wide-eyed.

“Yes, young Wolf,” Elias said.

“And the rest of this—” Penn motioned to the swirling runes and designs.

“Best you let him explain that to you,” Elias said, but it was clear he knew what it meant.

“Tell me, elder,” Penn pleaded.

“What does your Wolf say?”

Penn frowned, realizing Wolf had been suspiciously quiet.

Elias hummed, then held up a firm hand. “And bring the wrath of a god down on my head? No sir, sonny. He’ll tell you what it means, or he wouldn’t have put it there. Now, help me up and down to the council chamber. I hear we are in a bit of trouble.”

“Ja,” Penn said, and Elias laughed as if he knew a secret.

“Aye, boy, it’s aye,” Elias chortled.

“Right.” Penn realized his mistake, having used Iver’s language rather than his own. He extended his arm for Elias.

They made their way slowly, at Elias’s pace, to the great chamber. Everyone was already there, including his mother, whom he acknowledged. She looked much better and indicated the seat next to her. He silently told her he would join her after escorting the elder to his seat down front.

“Thank you for your counsel,” Penn said, and Elias took his place.

Penn made his way to near the back of the room and took his place next to his mother. She squeezed his hand.

“You okay?” he whispered as the meeting was called to order. She confirmed she was, and they both turned to the front.

“We have received notice of a Tribunal for the Mitchum pack,” Alpha Mitchum announced and held up the unopened scroll.

Heads bowed, and already the hush of silent tears could be felt in the great hall.

“I call forth the Four Pillars,” Malcolm said, and Councilman Adler rang the large bell behind the dais four times.

Quiet gasps were heard as four white-and-gold-robed figures appeared. Penn glanced among them, found Iver, and quickly looked back down. His heart began to beat wildly, and his Wolf suddenly stirred as if wanting to shift. Penn was so confused but decided paying attention was the wise thing to do.

Malcolm and the council bowed as everyone in the chamber stood and also bowed.

“Be seated,” Hanne said and turned the floor over to her brother.

“Read your scroll, Alpha,” Sven ordered.

Malcolm stood and broke the seal, then unrolled the parchment and read: “This message will be sent to all Alphas of every pack. The Mitchum and Steele packs are on notice until the day of reckoning. To meet in this place of death and witness, I, Iver Jorgensen, the Riddle Wolf, eldest Pillar, call forth under Wolf law, the great Tribunal against these two Wolf packs.” Malcolm bowed to the Pillars and then took his seat.

As Iver Jorgensen moved to the center to speak, Penn took his first real look at him. Though he was still recovering, he was huge, monstrously so, but striking in his white robes and gold embellishments. Penn swallowed the lump in his throat as Iver’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching. When they met his, Iver inclined his head at Penn and began.

“My name is Iver Jorgensen. My fader in this time is Gundar Jorgensen, Alpha of the Bellum Wolf pack of Norway. We came to the Mitchum land to wage war at the Creator’s direction for violations of Wolf law. These violations caused great suffering, along with treaty and decree violations. If victorious, we would have taken your home and control of this land. Your pack defeated us in a battle unlike any we were prepared for. The rules of Wolf war do not limit methods to traditional fighting, so for that, we understand you are the victor, and we, the defeated. We will wage no further war with your pack but will settle on terms and reparations for the worst violations of Wolf law ever known in our history. The Creator is not satisfied with your victory.” Iver stopped and waited.

Penn looked to the scribes who were furiously writing and then to everyone, who seemed to hold their breaths for the worst of it. He looked at his mother, who stared ahead as if seeing ghosts.

Iver continued. “Two of the greatest Wolf laws have been violated most cruelly and horrifically. First, I will tell you about the Mitchum pack’s war violations. Then, I will give an account, and my body serves as evidence of their actions. The Mitchum pack failed to burn or bury the bodies of their enemy, which would have allowed their souls to transition to the stars. Forever keeping them locked in their rotting corpses on this earth. Never to pass on to their immortal life in the sky with the Great Mother and the Great Father as all Wolves are promised. Their souls lay at the bottom of a cave where the Mitchum pack threw them over the edge and into a deep ravine. A wide fault deep in the earth where it is ice cold and stone. Where no earth can claim them. Where the temperature keeps the bodies decomposing slowly. A long torture to the trapped souls and their families who know their spirits have not left this world.”

Britt stepped forward. “This is the greatest law of the Wolf. To burn or bury the dead, whether enemy or friend. No mortal Wolf can decide the eternal fate of another Wolf without penalty from all Wolves. The Great Mother and the Great Father demand it.”

Iver took in a deep breath. “The second violation of Wolf law—leaving an injured Wolf for dead. The law demands a clean death after battle or rendered aid. Wolf law does not allow a survivor to be thrown over the edge, to hundreds of feet below, piled between his two dead brothers and brethren. For two weeks, apart from my rescue and recovery, I was starved and unable to heal from iron poisoning in the bloodstream. I lay between my brothers, unconscious, unable to die or shift in the ice-cold, while my brothers rotted around me.” Iver closed his eyes for a moment.

“I woke, weak, starving, and crawled through the dark. Through the death pile and to the sound of water to fulfill this promise to my two brothers and my warrior brethren. To my fader, who now knows I am alive. He ordered me to honor our dead, honor my brothers and release their souls.

“Penn Halvorsen,” Iver called out over the crowd.

Penn’s mother sucked in a breath and began to tremble. Penn reached down and squeezed her hand before he stood.

“To the dais,” Iver commanded.

Penn felt the entire world’s eyes on him as he walked to the end of the row and down the side aisle to the front. There, he bowed and stayed prostrate.

“Rise, you, Penn Halvorsen, who rendered aid to a wounded Wolf that you found alone, dying in the woods. Even upon realizing the Wolf was your pack’s enemy, you eased the suffering of the poisoning and provided a safe haven. Be it life or death for the Wolf, you provided care and compassion, prayed to the Pillars, and gave medical aid and provision. All while not knowing the true identity of the Wolf you saved. I, Pillar Iver, was that Wolf, and for this, I pardon you and your parent from all violation of Wolf law.”

Iver paused and locked eyes with Penn. His eyes said do not move, and Penn stayed. Iver turned back out to the crowd.

Hanne stepped forward. “These are the original violations that brought you war—the original violations of Wolf law, the breaking of the Steele Treaty, the infringement of Thomas Mitchum’s council-voted, Pillar-approved decree. The birth of a half Wolf, abandonment and the later turning of a half Wolf without consent, and all the suffering resulting from those actions. The kill order for the son of an Alpha, formal heir, and the attempted assassination of a Wolf and his mate.”

Penn heard Thomas quietly whisper to Ryan behind him. He glanced back without turning too obviously and saw a wide-eyed Ryan and a shocked and staring Thomas who couldn’t take his eyes off Hanne.

“She is my Fire Goddess,” Thomas whispered in awe. Penn directed his attention back to the front when Ryan put his fingers to his lips at Thomas and pointed to the front where Iver was speaking again.

“Reparations and terms. For the first violation, all Bellum Wolves will be provided a warrior’s pyre. They will be brought up from the Mitchum and Steele death pit and given the rights you denied them. Second, Isak and Erik Jorgensen, sons of Alpha Gundar Jorgensen, will be recovered and a formal heir pyre prepared. This, to honor them and remove the insult you have committed against a great Alpha and against his two eligible, unmated sons and the violation against them.

“Third, to amend this great violation and save your pack from damnation by all other packs, the Mitchum Wolf pack will agree to give up half their land to the remaining Bellum pack, and all eligible Mitchum unmated Wolves are promised to all eligible unmated Bellum Wolves. Any mate pair will be accepted by all three councils. The Mitchum, the Bellum, and the Steele. The battle and violations occurred on Steele pack land; therefore, they are involved and complicit. All cross-pack mates will be approved to promote the peaceful joining of the two packs, with the third, the Steele pack, serving as overseer and liaison between the two larger packs.”

Iver paused for only a moment to glance at Penn. “For the second violation of Wolf law, for leaving an injured Wolf for dead. I, Iver Jorgensen, son of Alpha Gundar Jorgensen, demand reparations and terms—a mate of my choosing from the Mitchum pack. Twenty acres of land from the northern border of the Steele pack land to the lake and the remainder extending to the furthest eastern border of Mitchum pack lands, where I will reside with my chosen mate and oversee this restitution and progress of integration between packs.”

Iver reached up and opened his robe. A lone claw protruded from Iver’s finger, and he slashed it on his chest from right to left to the center of his chest. Everyone gasped, and Penn covered his mouth with his hand as his eyes burned with something unfamiliar.

“I will wear this mark, unhealed, until the Great Mother and the Great Father’s law has been upheld. I am the Riddle Wolf, the earthly hand of our Creator, undying and destined to wield the touch of life and the touch of death. I offer you this one opportunity to right your cruel wrongs.” He glared out at all of them as he traced his human finger over the wound on his chest for them all to see. The wound bowed outward in a rounded, ugly red scar.

Iver closed and tied his robe. “Penn Halvorsen.”

Penn bowed again.

“I select you as my mate,” Iver said.

Penn’s mouth fell open as Iver went to his siblings and stood with them. Penn turned back to his mom, who wore the same expression as he did, and then he faced the front again.

We mate the Angel of Death, Wolf said.

And Penn nearly laughed even though nothing was funny right now.

Hanne stepped forward again. “Notify the Alphas; prepare for the Tribunal according to Wolf law and old custom. Prepare yourselves.”

Then Britt came down the stairs, and Penn’s eyes went wide as she kissed him on the cheek before vanishing. And then Sven kissed him, and Hanne kissed him. Last, Iver leaned in and told Penn to meet him at the cave, then kissed the side of his forehead and vanished.

Penn wobbled, and someone caught his arm—Ryan. Penn’s entire body was shaking. “What just happened?” he whispered to his friend and his own savior.

“Come here; sit down before you fall down,” Ryan said quietly and tugged him to Thomas’s vacated seat. “Thomas has gone to discuss everything with the council and his father. Are you okay?”

“I don’t think I am,” Penn said and looked up as Elias hobbled over.

“‘Intended mate,’” the elder said, telling him the rest of the words now. “If you accept, it will change to ‘eternal mate.’” Elias patted Penn affectionately on the head and walked away.

“I’m supposed to mate that?” Penn whispered.

“I mean, he’s—” Ryan rubbed a hand over his mouth and checked behind him, probably for Thomas. He half smiled. “He’s a hot god. Scary as fuck, though.”

Penn laughed. “Coming from you, that doesn’t really help.”

“Maybe he has a sweet side like me?”

“Maybe,” Penn said as his mother approached. “Oh boy.”

Ryan’s expression changed as his eyes glanced from Penn to his mother. “I can’t help you with that, but you know where to find me for anything else.”

Penn stood and stuck out his hand, but Ryan hugged him instead. Thomas had returned and motioned for Ryan to join him.

“We just lost the northern land and gained a pissed-off death god for a neighbor,” Thomas said.

Ryan pointed at Penn. “But we like him.”

Thomas just shook his head.