I pulled onto Heavenly Street and parked in an empty spot in front of the DMV. The Witch-Shifter Coalition was next door, and all the choice spots were taken. The office was in a historical two-story brick building with lead glass windows and large wooden double doors. I walked past the empty front office and into the inner sanctum. Six ornately carved high-back chairs lined a stage-like area. Six people, two women and four men, were seated, all with the same look on their faces as my high school principal when she’d caught me smoking in the girl’s room my junior year. I’ll admit I found the idea of being suspended for three days appealing.
The witch side of the coalition consisted of my dad, Kent Kinsey, Golda Gedes, a local historian, and Tanya Gellar, the local doctor-slash-medical examiner. Tanya and I had a long, unpleasant history that went back to high school but we’d developed a grudging respect over the past few years. The fact that she was dating my dad had taken a hot minute to get used to, but I’d made my peace with their relationship, as well.
On the therianthrope side, we had bear shifter Bryant Baylor, my father-in-law and Arcturus for the bears and other large shifters in town. Next to him was cougar shifter Mary Lowe, matriarch for the felidae, and then raccoon shifter Steve Crandell, the paullulum mammalia, aka the tiny critters alpha.
“Where’s Ford?” Bryant asked.
“He’ll be here,” I said. “He had a meeting he couldn’t get out of.”
“Bunch of bureaucratic B.S.,” Steve complained. “This is more important than politics.”
“Now, Steve,” Mary soothed. “The boy has a town to run. He’ll be here when he gets here.”
I was sure Ford would love being called boy...not. Mary was older than his mother and had known him since he was in diapers, so I knew he’d give her a pass.
Steve piped up again. “I hope it’s before Jensen shows.” The small critter alpha looked as nervous as a chicken in a wolf’s den. I couldn’t blame him. His people were prey animals, and a whole pack of predators showing up didn’t bode well for them.
“Ford will be along shortly,” I promised, hoping it wasn’t a lie. Brahm Jensen had looked at me in a way that made my skin crawl. I’d feel better having my mate by my side when he and his werewolves arrived, too.
“Me too, but while we’re waiting, I’ll fill you all in on what I know so far. I ended by summarizing Sarah’s findings, leaving nothing out. “I’m worried about what his affiliation with Clayton Driver means.” The room was silent as I spoke, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
Tizzy perched on my shoulder, her tail twitching. “The coalition is wound tighter than a hydra’s butthole after bad sushi.”
The visual gave me the ick. “Thanks for that,” I said. “You should’ve been a comedienne.”
She puffed her chest out. “I’m here all week, and I perform for nuts.”
“You are nuts.” I scanned the silent coalition, worried that I’d broken their brains. “Do you want me to go over it again?”
“Not necessary, dear,” Mary Lowe replied. “We’re just taking a moment to digest the information. If I understand correctly, you’re worried you didn’t identify all of Adele’s followers. You’re worried there’s someone in town that is still a part of her cult.”
“Correct.” I nodded. Adele Adams had been the witch behind most of the Arete’s activities in town. As far as I knew, the main players had been her, Clayton Driver, Robert Townsend, and Frank Leggert. Townsend, the old little critter alpha, had been a coalition board member like Adele. On the other hand, Frank had been just a beaver shifter who enjoyed his booze and had a mean streak. He’d gotten into a drunken fight with Tizzy after she kissed his wife at a party. All of them were dead now, so none of them could be responsible for bringing the wolves to town. “I’m worried that there’s still someone who’s following her teachings. Maybe more.”
“More?” Tanya asked, horrified. “You mean there might be more than one person still on that crazy’s train?”
“Give that lady a prize,” Tizzy announced. “She’s not as dumb as she looks.”
Tanya narrowed her gaze on my squirrel. She reached out and took my father’s hand. “Sweetheart,” she said to him, flipping her wavy, strawberry-blonde hair with the back of her other hand. “How does squirrel and dumplings sound for dinner?”
My dad shook his head. “Lupita would never go for it.”
“And neither would Hazel,” Tizzy exclaimed. She looked at me. “Right, Haze?” When I didn’t reply, she asked again, “Right, Haze?”
“Your mouth is going to get you barbecued,” I replied. “But right.”
She giggled. “Like I always say, if nobody’s threatening to roast you over a spit, you’re not trying hard enough.”
I gave Tanya a nod. “To answer your question, yes, I believe the Arete is a larger group than we initially realized. If the new werewolves in town are affiliated with the Arete, then it’s not merely a few rogue witches and shifters trying to seize power. It’s a much more extensive network. One that could stretch across the country and possibly even the globe.”
“Then we definitely don’t want them getting a toehold in our area,” Steve said.
My dad finally spoke up. “I thought this might be shifter business, but it sounds like Jensen’s presence in our town is bad for everyone.”
Steve stared at my dad. “Who’s to say Kinsey isn’t involved? If the rumors are true his wife had been part of Adele’s group.”
“And she’s dead,” Bryant interjected. “At Kent’s hands. Which in my book puts him in the good guy territory.”
I know my father-in-law was trying to help, but ouch. My dad hadn’t killed my mother on purpose. After he’d discovered his wife had been responsible for the deaths of my BFF Lily’s parents, my father had tried to sever the matrimony bond that tied the two of them together as husband and wife. The spell to break the soul-deep tie was tricky and dangerous on a good day and could’ve killed both my parents. As it was, only my mother had died. Dad had spent almost two decades in witch-prison for the crime.
Dad remained stoic, but I could see the accusation smarted. His eyes widened a hair as he took his phone from his pants, quickly checked the screen, and then put it back.
Ford walked in, and my shoulders sagged with relief. “Glad you could make it,” I half-heartedly teased as he took his place beside me.
He glanced around the room, his expression determined. “I’m sure Hazel got you all up to speed.”
Bryant nodded “Jensen will be here soon. He thinks he’s going to get permission to stay in Paradise Falls, but we all know that’s not going to happen. We need to make it clear that he and his pack need to leave.”
There were murmurs of agreement from the other members of the coalition.
“And how are we going to do that?” Ford asked. “Hazel says his name is on the deed to the property, and I can’t find any evidence to the contrary.”
“Because someone got rid of all the paperwork,” Tanya said. She straightened her back and then gestured in my direction. “Can’t you do one of your reveal spells to find out who messed with the court records?”
My reveal spell didn’t quite work like that, as Tanya well knew. She was the medical examiner in town and had worked on a few cases with me. Even so, a reveal spell wasn’t a bad idea. “I can try and see what I can see.” I shrugged. “The spell can’t give me the who, but it might point me in the right direction.”
“Hush,” my father cautioned us. “Jensen has arrived.”
I hadn’t heard anything. Had my father developed super hearing? “How do you know?”
He slipped a phone from his pocket and showed me the screen. “New security cameras outside the building. It sends an alert anytime someone opens the front door.”
That must have been why he’d been checking it before Ford arrived. The door swung open, and Brahm Jensen strode into the room. As he entered, two of his pack members flanked him, and the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with an athame.
“Well, well. The gangs all here.” He winked at me. “Looks like I’m right on time,” Brahm said smoothly, his gaze sweeping over the gathered council members before landing on me again. His leering grin made my stomach knot. He turned back to the seated coalition members. “It’s a pleasure to greet you,” he said, oddly formal. “The Wayward Impala Pack presents itself in open friendship and kinship.” His two sidekicks snickered. He gave them a withering stare, and they immediately sobered. “Excuse my second and my beta.” Jensen’s eyes were hard. “They’ve forgotten their manners. It’s been a while since we’ve had to ask permission to be somewhere.”
“I bet his sidekicks think ‘manners’ is a new deodorant.” Tizzy waved her hand in front of her nose. “So they avoid it like the stinkers they are.”
The tug of a smile on the alpha werewolf’s lip and the bristling of his cronies told me they’d heard her.
I reached up and patted her tail to quiet her.
Jensen gestured to one of his men, a guy with shoulder-length, dishwater blond hair. He was nearly as big as Brahm in size and height. “This is Ardell, my second.” The other man had dark brown hair and was stockier but shorter by several inches than them. “And this is Richard, my beta.”
“Great,” Tiz muttered. “All this town needs is another Dick.”
This time I gave her tail a yank.
“Ow,” she complained. “That hurt.”
“They can hear you,” I whispered.
“I know,” she whispered back. “That’s the point.”
Brahmic Jensen’s gaze was steely for a moment before he barked a laugh. “Squirrel’s got a point. Richard has always been a bit of a dick.”
The shorter man snarled, staring murderous daggers in Tiz’s direction.
“Anyhow,” Jensen said. “Now that we’ve had our introduction, we’ll be on our way home.”
“That’s not how this works,” Steve said. “You need our permission to stay.”
“Oh.” Jensen shook his head. “Are you saying you’re not planning on giving it?”
The raccoon shifter visibly recoiled.
“That’s exactly what he’s saying.” Bryant rose to his feet, showing solidarity with his coalition counterpart. “You need our permission.” Brahm Jensen was big, but the bear shifter was even bigger. Bryant’s deep voice was edged with anger, and his normally calm demeanor was fraying. “We don’t want you here, and we certainly don’t want you disrupting our town.”
“Too bad, so glad I’m not you because I’m not going anywhere,” Jensen snarled. “My pack and I have every right to be here.” He held up the document he’d shown me earlier. “This meeting is a mere formality.” He waved his free hand in a flourish. “A courtesy, if you will. But don’t think for a moment that I’ll vacate my legal and rightful property because you all have your panties in a twist.”
“That’s not up to you,” Bryant said. “Paradise Falls has its own set of rules. I’m Arcturus. Which means there’s no place for you or your pack here.”
Brahm’s smile didn’t waver, but there was a glint of something dangerous in his eyes. “That’s disappointing to hear, Arcturus, but I suspected as much. Which is why I’m invoking the Rite of Arphlitian.”
A heavy silence fell over the room. My stomach twisted as I glanced at Ford, who appeared more than a little surprised by Jensen’s declaration—he looked worried. I’d never heard of the rite before, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know it wasn’t a good thing.
“What’s the Rite of Arphlitian?” I asked, my voice cutting through the silence. I turned to Ford, hoping for an explanation.
He exchanged a grave look with Bryant, then said, “It’s an ancient shifter tradition, Hazel. A duel to the death, used to settle territorial disputes. The winner claims the territory for themselves, and the loser… well, they don’t survive.”
“A duel? To the death?” My blood ran cold as I pivoted my gaze to Jensen. “No.” I clenched my fists, ready to throat punch the bastard. “It’s a resounding unequivocal, not-only-no-but-hell-no no.”
“The Rite can’t be refused,” Jensen said, a smug smile spreading across his face.
I gave Ford a pleading stare. I needed him to back me up on this.
Instead, he reluctantly met my gaze then shook his head. “It can’t be refused.”
My father-in-law fighting someone to the death hadn’t been on my list of things that might happen today. I scanned the coalition members, hoping someone sane would pipe up. I gestured at them. “Someone make this make sense.”
Golda Gedes, our historian, gave it a go. “The Rite of Arphilitian is an ancient and acknowledged ritual that allows shifters to settle territorial disputes. Dating back as far as recorded history can go, it’s been crucial for their identity and survival. This rite is performed during special lunar phases or celestial events. Two challengers face off, under strict rules to ensure fairness. No shifting, no magic, and no interference. The winner gains control of the disputed territory.” Her expression was sad as she cast a glance at Bryant. “As Mayor Bryant said, the rite can’t be ignored. It’s deeply embedded in shifter culture and spirituality. Ignoring it would disrupt their societal structure and invite divine retribution, as it’s seen as both a spiritual and cultural necessity to maintain order and prevent chaos.”
Prevent chaos? Too freaking late. Chaos was not only on the menu, it was the freaking special of the day.
Brahm’s smile widened, clearly enjoying the reaction his challenge had provoked. “Exactly. And since your council seems so adamant about not granting my pack the sanctuary we need, I think it’s only fair to settle this matter in the old ways.”
Bryant Baylor was already stepping forward, his eyes blazing with fury, but Ford stopped him with a hand on his arm. “No, Dad,” Ford said, his voice quiet but firm. “I’m the one who has to do this.”
A soft noise of protest escaped me.
Bryant shook his head. “I’m the Arcturus. It’s my responsibility—”
Ford’s expression was earnest. “I’m your second, and as such, I can be your champion.” He gave his dad a reassuring nod. “I’m also the mayor of this town, so that sort of puts me at the top of the food chain over the witches and the shifters. It’s my job to take on any territory disputes because it will affect not only the shifters under you but the witches and shifters under the rest of the coalition.”
Mary said, “I accept Ford as my champion.”
Steve followed suit. “I accept Ford as my champion.”
I blinked back tears, filled with disbelief at what I was hearing. Then my dad, Tanya, and Golda all accepted Ford as well. Bryant was the only hold out.
Ford put his hand on Bryant’s shoulder. “Dad? Will you accept me as your champion?”
Bryant bristled with anger and anxiety. Finally, he said, “Your mother’s going to kill me.”
Ford arched a brow at his father, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. “Is that a yes?”
The tension in the room was nearly unbearable as Bryant stepped back, his jaw clenched tight with the effort. He nodded. “Yes, that’s a yes, my son. I accept you as my champion.”
It took every ounce of courage and willpower not to cry out. Now wasn’t the time to argue with Ford. The damage was done, but boy-howdy, the man was going to get an earful as soon as we were alone.
Ford turned to face Jensen, his expression hardening into one of resolve. “I accept your challenge. In two days’ time, we will fight when the perigee moon rises,” he said, his voice steady. “But know this, I will do whatever it takes to protect this town. Paradise Falls will never belong to you.”
Jensen’s eyes glittered with satisfaction. “We’ll see about that.” Without another word to us, Brahm and his pack strode out of the meeting. I heard Dick ask, “What’s a perigee moon?” Then he squawked when Jensen cuffed him in the back of the head as they went out the front door. It felt like the temperature had dropped several degrees, the chill settling deep into my bones.
“It’s a supermoon,” Tizzy said quietly. “In case you were wondering.”
I wasn’t. As chief, I had to be aware of all the full moons, because shifter crime went up significantly during them. I stared at Ford, my heart pounding with fear and rage. The determination in his eyes, the resolve in his voice—it should have reassured me, but it didn’t. Instead, I felt like I was watching him walk straight into the lion’s den.
But the fear that gripped me wasn’t something I could shake off so easily. I could see Brahm’s smirk in my mind, the cold calculation in his eyes. This wasn’t a challenge to him—it was a game. A game he’d played before and one that had likely ended in the death of his opponent every time.
The rest of the Coalition members were watching us, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. My father stepped forward, his face etched with worry but also an abundance of respect.
“We’ll do everything we can to support you, Ford,” Kent said, his voice steady. “But this town can’t afford to lose you.”
“And we’ll keep a close watch on the pack to make sure they don’t try anything funny,” Steve added, his gaze serious. “Cheating will be an instant forfeit.”
“Thank you,” Ford said. “I’ll take all the help I can get.”
As we left the Coalition building, I couldn’t shake the gnawing dread in my gut. The werewolves had brought darkness with them, and that darkness was spreading, threatening to consume everything in its path. One thing was certain, though, Ford and I had much to discuss, and I was sure he wasn’t going to like what I had to say. Brahm Jensen wasn’t just a threat to the town—he was a threat to the man I loved. And no matter what, I wouldn’t let him take Ford away from me.