They stared at me.
It was Ned who finally spoke up. “All of you are questioning these folks, but what I haven’t heard yet was a ‘thank you.’ I know you were raised better than that.”
“Meaning, what?” Mayor Gene demanded.
Ned stepped closer to Gene. “Meaning, stop acting like an ass, Eugene. You’re here demanding answers from Mrs. Lennart when what you should be doing is expressing gratitude for not being dead.”
Mayor Gene took a step toward Ned. They were almost chest to chest now. “You don’t even live here, Ned. Stay out of this.”
Ned drew himself up straighter. “No, I don’t believe I will. You and I discussed this prior to me inviting the Lennarts and their people here. I told you what might happen. You agreed that it was a small price to pay. Now you’re just playing it up for the crowd.”
Mayor Gene crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s right. You told me, Edward. I don’t recall you asking me for permission to do it.”
“Ask you?” Ned’s voice was very quiet. “Since when do I need to ask you for a damn thing, Eugene?”
Gene’s face turned red. “Since I’m the goddamned mayor of this town! What gives you the right to have a say?”
“Because I’m the largest employer Penderton has. I’m responsible for the welfare of the people I employ, and that’s damn near two-thirds of Penderton. You carry the keys, but I feed the town. You know it, I know it, and everyone here knows it. And I will do whatever I have to do to protect my employees and my family. Sanders is right here.” Ned pointed to a man with thick, dark eyebrows. “Ask the builder union president if he’d rather be dead or let her claim the town for a week.”
“I don’t need to ask Sanders a damn thing!”
Sanders raised his fuzzy eyebrows. “I didn’t just hear you say that.”
“I may not live here,” Ned declared, “but my mother and my sister still do, Eugene. And the acreage that’s brought these people here is my acreage. I owned it and I gave it to them. What have you done to save this town and the people in it?”
As amusing as it was, this was getting out of hand.
I raised my voice. “We have no plans to take control of the town, demand anything from you, or interfere in your governance.”
A small group emerged from the gates and headed for us at a quick trot. Conlan, Darin next to him, followed by Helen, Luiza, and two other shapeshifters. Always happy to see my son, but the timing wasn’t great.
The town council turned to look at the new visitors.
Conlan reached us and went down on one knee, looking down at the ground. The rest of the group did the same.
A formal Pack greeting. What was he playing at? I glanced at Kate. She propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes wide. She seemed as surprised as I was.
“Greeting, Beast Lord and Consort,” my son announced. “We’ve arrived as ordered.”
The town council people gaped at us.
“Rise,” I told him.
The small group rose at the same time, as if they’d choreographed it, with Conlan looking straight ahead. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Keelan close his eyes for a second and nod in approval. Mystery solved.
The group scattered, everyone taking a spot, with Conlan moving to stand next to Keelan and Darin behind him.
This conversation was growing tiresome. “As my wife said,” I told them, keeping my voice calm but putting a bit of finality into it, “we don’t have any reason to keep Penderton.”
“So you say,” a man in overalls called out.
“We do,” I told him. “When one of us gives their word, we mean it.”
Kate nodded. “Once we neutralize the threat, we’ll take ownership of the land you’ve given us.”
Technically, it was land Ned had given us but I didn’t want to restart that fight.
“That land is in the forest, miles from here,” I said. “Keeping Penderton would make the town our territory. We would have to defend your town from threats, and as welcoming as you all are, we’re not running down here through the woods every time you have an issue.”
The man in overalls opened his mouth, but Mayor Gene waved his hand at him.
“I’m just trying to wrap my head around this claiming thing,” he said. “What does this mean in practical terms? For us?”
“Basically, nothing. Your area has been claimed for years already by the forest,” I said. “Your daily lives will remain the same.”
“I don’t remember anything like that happening,” Ruth said. “There was a red flash when you did it. Everyone saw it. I don’t remember the flash.”
“You may not have noticed it if it was done during the flare,” Kate said.
“How do we know you didn’t just make this up?” another woman asked.
“People, please,” Ned said.
Kate sat up fully and addressed the woman. “When the forest bombarded the town that first time, it infected you with spores. That was the brown powder you saw. The spores stayed dormant in your lungs because the magic of the forest suppressed it. When some of you tried to leave the area, the spores sprouted and made you sick. That’s how you know this area was claimed.”
They took a moment to digest it.
“What happens to the spores now?” Mayor Gene asked.
“Nothing. I killed them all when I claimed the town,” Kate told them.
The small crowd stirred.
“You can leave at will now,” I clarified. “You won’t die outside of Penderton’s boundaries, at least not from the spores. Although, I would recommend staying here until we’ve dealt with whatever is in that forest. You are safest here, where her magic can shield you.”
Nothing.
They still weren’t getting it. Okay. I laid it out: “Your choices were a giant spore bomb exploding in the center of town or being magically protected for a few days. Consider us the lesser of two evils.”
“When are you going into the forest?” the man in the overalls demanded.
“Tomorrow morning if the magic holds,” I said.
“Don’t take too long,” the man said.
Really? I hadn’t realized we were on the clock.
Mayor Gene turned and looked at overalls guy.
I let a little gold roll over my irises. The tiniest hint of an alpha stare.
The man took a step back. That’s better.
Ned heaved a sigh. “Brighton, what are you even doing here? Did your folks let you out of the basement? Bless their hearts, they must think it’s Thanksgiving.”
“We’ll take volunteers,” I said. “Does anyone want to go into the woods with us to save your town from the evil?”
Nobody moved.
“Mr. Brighton, is it? Would you like to join us? Make sure we stick to your schedule?” I turned the stare up a bit and held his gaze.
Mr. Brighton swallowed and looked down. “No.”
“Glad we have that settled,” I said. “If there’s nothing else, we have sandwiches to eat and injuries to heal. I’m sure you all have things to do as well. Please don’t let us keep you.”
Mayor Gene looked at Ned. Ned didn’t say anything.
“Thank you,” Heather said.
People looked at her.
The interim head of the town guard squared her shoulders. “Thank you for saving the town and looking out for my guys. And for killing the spores. We appreciate it.”
I turned off the alpha stare and smiled to put her at ease. “You’re welcome,” I said.
10
The cold evening breeze swirled around me. I leaned on the rail of our third-floor balcony and watched the last glowing coals of sunset burn down to a cool indigo. The days were growing shorter and shorter. Winter would come soon.
Voices and laughter floated up from the floors below. The shapeshifters were having one last feast before the battle tomorrow. Conlan was in the middle of it, soaking up all the jokes and the friendly snarling.