Chapter Twenty-Three

I surveyed the wrapper from my sub sandwich and gave a long sigh. I crumpled the empty chip bag, took the last sip of my soda, and leaned back in my chair. Tony had finished his sub, too, and Eliza took her final bites.

“Next time we’re hunting Salamanders all day, let’s remember to take a lunch break,” I said.

Eliza smiled at me, and I got up from Sheila’s kitchen table and walked to the base of the stairs just to make sure Carson wasn’t making any noise. Still sleeping soundly.

When I rejoined the others, Eliza cleared the garbage from the table. I paced around the kitchen to release my jittery energy.

“Anyone heard from Newt?” I asked, though I knew the answer. I looked at the clock. “The other Salamanders ought to be here by now. They’re probably getting the fires under control.”

“Do you want me to turn on the radio?” Eliza offered.

“No. No, I don’t.” I ran my fingers over the countertop, not sure what I did want.

“Are we going to talk about it?” Tony asked.

Eliza watched me.

“About what?” I stalled for time.

“About the Council Special Ops ordering us to bring them Carson by six o’clock.”

I looked at the clock again, even though the time hadn’t changed. Four forty-five.

“What’s to talk about?” Eliza’s voice sounded strangely flat.

The words burst out of me. “There’s nothing to talk about because I won’t bring Carson to them. Not even if they ‘allow’ me and Eliza to accompany him. No way. I don’t trust Chris Usher and I don’t trust James whatever-his-name-is.”

Tony nodded approval.

“Robinson,” said Eliza. When I turned to her, she clarified, “James Robinson.”

“Whatever. I don’t trust him and I’m not sure you do, either.”

“He’s extremely competent. He will protect Carson.”

“No, he won’t. Because I’m not turning my baby over to the council. Who knows what they’ll decide to do? I will not have him used as a pawn in some Werewolf power struggle.”

Eliza opened her mouth, closed it, and rubbed her forehead. Finally, she said, “I’m not sure you two realize the full ramifications of what you’re saying.”

“Really?” Tony asked. “I’m fairly sure I understand the situation.”

“You’ll be labeled rogue, you know. A rogue wolf, Tony. You and Carson. You might be strong, but can you fight off the full might of the council when they come for you?”

“Have to catch me, first.”

“Dammit, Tony!” Eliza shouted. “You want to atone for your sins? To make up for running out on Dave? You turned your back on the pack and now you’re Carson’s savior? Tony against the council? You’re the only one who cares about his welfare? You think I’m not looking out for his best interests? You think I can’t protect him better than you?”

Tony leapt to his feet and I thought he would punch Eliza in the face. The room roiled with energy.

“Stop it!” I yelled. I pushed my way between the two of them. “Just stop it.”

When they both turned their attention to me, I ran my hands through my hair and tugged on the ends in frustration. “We can figure this out. No blaming and no yelling. We’re all on the same team here, right?”

“Right,” said Eliza.

Tony jerked his shoulders in quasi-agreement.

“But we’re out of choices,” Eliza pushed.

“We always have choices. Okay. Okay. Let’s think. If we take Carson to them, they might strip his powers,” I said. “They’re unlikely to negotiate with the Eclipsers, but I think the council is already uncomfortable with me. They want Carson under the control of a formal pack structure.” I held up a hand to stop Eliza. “Yes, I know. That’s something I can remedy right now—James made that all too clear.”

“You promised. You promised to move to Greybull and bring Carson fully into the pack. You promised,” said Eliza.

“I remember.” A surge of anger shot through me.

I walked the length of the kitchen, while formulating my next thoughts. “All right. The council might decide to strip Carson’s powers, because he’s too dangerous even under supervision. Or maybe because they fear a rash of Salamander arsons will draw too much human attention? Maybe they worry about the paranormal connection becoming public somehow?”

“Could be,” said Tony.

“Or maybe the council’s worried the Weres can’t defeat the Eclipsers?”

“A bunch of rogue Salamanders wouldn’t worry the council,” Eliza said. “We’ve no reason to be afraid of them. Besides, I still think the council won’t strip his powers. We need strong Weres. They want Carson. I think they really want to protect him.” Eliza gestured earnestly with her hands.

I grimaced. “I just don’t trust them. They—Chris and James—they treat me like I’m barely worth their notice. A lowly human. Like the only important thing about me is my son.” My hand moved involuntarily to the bruises on my neck. “They probably wish I were dead. Then they could just take Carson and do what they want.” I looked at Eliza. “Why couldn’t they have sent someone else? Someone reasonable?”

Her mouth twisted. “James is supposed to be the best.”

“But you don’t like him either. I can tell.”

“No, but I don’t have to like him to know he’ll do everything in his power to follow the orders of the council. You don’t want to make him an enemy.”

“He’s making me an enemy,” I grumbled, meaning it, sort of.

Dammit. I knew Eliza was right. What she said was logical. We didn’t want the full strength of the council after us. But I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bring myself to trust James Robinson with the welfare of my son—not when the Special Ops force considered me a second-class citizen. I didn’t want Carson under the control of people like that.

Something I hadn’t recognized before suddenly crystallized for me.

I didn’t want Carson to grow up in a pack.

I froze, shocked by my own thoughts, and quickly turned to stare out the window, unwilling to look at Eliza or Tony while my mind sped.

Tony was right, what he said to me earlier. Weres could lose their humanity. I saw it in the way Chris Usher devalued my existence, in the way so many of the Weres I knew—good Weres and my friends—were preoccupied with issues of dominance, continually throwing around their paranormal weight. They might have powers I didn’t have, but they also had their share of weaknesses, one of which was their inability to see the true worth of non-Weres—humans, Salamanders, Witches. I didn’t want Carson to be like that. I wanted him to respect all peoples, regardless of their difference, regardless of their powers or strength. He wouldn’t learn that in a pack.

Carson was the strongest Were. If I didn’t help him temper such power with wisdom, compassion, and tolerance, he could be the most brutal. I needed to make sure that didn’t happen. Me. His human mother.

I could cede control over his future to no one. Not the Greybull pack, not the council, not James Robinson.

When I turned around and faced the two Weres, I knew my voice was steady. I made my decision; now Eliza and Tony would make theirs.