26. Jace

Langston had kept the pack from leaving the auditorium at my behest. A pack needed direction, and I would give it, even as my rage seethed. I ordered him and many of the male members of the pack to get ladders out and use lightbulbs from the janitor's closet to replace the lights.

The crowd sat, mostly quiet, while the men worked. Even in the darkness, lit by flashlights and cellphones, I could see their eyes on me. What I didn't see was Eren. I'd scanned the crowd as soon as I came back from chasing Kirsten. All I'd wanted was to tear his throat out, but the coward had disappeared as soon as the lights went out.

I didn't want to be here. At this point, I didn't give a shit about any of it. All I wanted was to be with Kirsten. My wolf whined and snarled, urging me to leave and rush to her cabin. I couldn't. As the alpha, I had responsibilities. Besides, Kirsten likely wasn't in the mood to see me just yet.

When Langston flipped the breaker and over half the lights flashed back to life, I squinted at the sudden brightness. Instantly, the crowd peppered me with questions.

"Where's the witch?"

"Explain this curse."

"What the hell is going on, Jace?"

"Enough!" I shouted.

They instantly hushed. Now they stopped? That fast? I could have shut them up when Kirsten was up here. I hadn't defended her. The thought sent an agonizing spike through my chest. I'd been too enraged at Stephanie and Eren to worry about the way my pack was treating her. I was the alpha. One word from me would have ended it.

The hurt I'd seen in her eyes, the way she'd turned her back on me? All because I'd been too pissed off to bother protecting my mate. What fucking good was I if I couldn't even do that, couldn't even do the only thing a mate was supposed to do? Shame washed over me.

It was time to put an end to this. Set it all on the table. Now and forever.

"Dorothy Holly," I said, raising my voice so everyone could hear, "was a witch who lived in the far reaches of our pack lands over a hundred years ago. It was before our lands had extended farther toward Scottsdale, and she lived there in peace. After my parents died, the night of the ceremony that proclaimed me as alpha, I took off into the forest in a fit of despair and stumbled upon her." I gritted my teeth. "In my drunken state, I tried to steal her magic."

Surprised murmurs erupted, and Langston shouted them down. "Quiet! Let your alpha speak."

When they had settled again, I continued. "She cursed me for my impropriety. And from that day forward, I was stricken to suffer a life without a mate, and without the ability to form a romantic bond with any woman. Dorothy was Kirsten's great-grandmother."

Silence.

"I had my suspicions and reservations about Kirsten at first," I went on. "From the day Dorothy cursed me until the day I met Kirsten, I loathed witches. Cursed the very idea of them, because of what they'd done to me. What they'd taken from me. But once I got to know Kirsten, to understand her? My mind changed. Kirsten would never hurt a soul. I know what she is to me, and I know what my wolf recognizes. She is my fated mate."

This time, the voices rose in gasps, surprised curses, shouts of dismay. Even Langston's massive form couldn't calm the crowd.

But I could. Unlike when they were shouting at Kirsten, I thought bitterly as I raised my hand. The pack calmed once more.

"I, and my wolf, have chosen this woman. Fate chose her for me, and I accept. If I can get her to forgive me, I will make her my mate." I pointed out at the crowd, and all my rage poured into my words. "I am not the only one who needs to seek forgiveness. My pack needs to seek her forgiveness as well."

I stared out at them, seeing the looks of shame start to come over faces, eyes unwilling to meet mine, shuffling feet, red cheeks. They knew what they'd done.

Lory Shelton raised her hand. "Jace? May I speak?"

With a nod, I gave her my blessing. Others nearby turned or craned their necks to see her.

"I've gotten to know Kirsten a bit. I'd like to call her a friend, maybe. Or someone on the way to being a friend. All I can say is…" She took a deep breath. "I was ashamed of my pack for what they did. But I'm more ashamed of myself for not speaking up, shouting them down when they were hurling accusations at her."

You and me both, I thought.

"She's never been anything but kind to me. Kirsten is a wonderful person from what I've seen, and I think she would be a great match for Jace."

"She is," Shayna added, stepping forward. "You all know me. I may be mated to another pack's alpha now, but I grew up here. Was born and raised in this town. You know I don't lie. I've seen a change in my brother since he met Kirsten. I've spoken to her a few times. She is exactly what he needs. I'm with Lory." She planted her hands on her hips and cast a disgusted look over the whole crowd. "You should all be fucking ashamed of yourselves."

More and more people spoke out in defense of Kirsten. Mira Clayton, a cashier at the grocery store, spoke of how kind she was. Debbie Langley, a server at the diner, said the same. As more and more people who'd interacted with Kirsten spoke in her favor, the only thing I wished for was that Kirsten was here to hear this.

Finally, I raised my hand for silence. "I chose her as my mate. There will be no vote. In this, my word is law. I ask for no approval. The only thing I ask is that you trust your alpha. Do you trust your alpha?" I asked, raising my voice to a shout.

A moment's hesitation, then fists began to rise into the air.

"Stone," one voice called out, and others answered him.

"Stone."

"Stone!"

"Stone, Stone, Stone, Stone, Stone…"

The chant built, the pack chorusing my name. My father's name. Echoing until the walls vibrated.

Turning toward the backstage area, I called to Abigail, who stood off the stage out of sight. "Bring her out."

The voices died down as Abigail hauled Stephanie onto the stage. Abigail kept glancing at her with heartbroken disgust as she nudged her toward me. Stephanie almost stumbled as she neared me, tripping on her own feet. Black lines of mascara streaked her cheeks.

"Jace, I—"

"Shut up," I growled, silencing her. She pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob.

Every eye in the room pierced us. It was as though Stephanie and I were the only people on earth at that moment. I hadn't wanted a big scene. When I doled out punishments, they were never public. Never mean-spirited. I didn't operate the way Eren did. But this? This had to be dealt with so that everyone, every member of the pack, knew.

"Now that we have everyone's undivided attention," I said to Stephanie, "all I can do is list how you've betrayed the pack. First, you passed sensitive information to another pack's alpha. Second, you spied on Kirsten, a woman under my hedge of protection, and relayed what you knew of her to another pack's alpha. Third, you told a rival alpha deep and personal secrets about your own alpha. Fourth, you lied to your alpha. I asked you, directly, if you were speaking to Eren, and you fucking lied.

"While I can understand your concern for me," I said, easing the harshness in my tone, "I still have to ask you, Stephanie, why? Why in the name of God would you tell my secrets, especially to someone like Eren Miller? Speak now. If you have anything at all to say in your defense, this is your one and only chance."

Stephanie wiped at her nose with a handkerchief. She looked out at the crowd, but must have found their angry glares too painful to suffer and turned her eyes back to mine.

"Jace, I… I love you. I always have. Since we were kids," she said, breaking into another sob.

I'd always known she'd had a crush on me. I'd even contemplated taking her as a mate to try and hide the curse and get the elders off my back. It would have been a loveless, lifeless, sexless pairing. Not only because of the curse, but because I felt nothing for her. I'd considered her a friend and nothing else. Hell, if I'd tried to take her as a mate, there was a very good chance I wouldn't have even been able to consummate the pairing. There was simply nothing there.

Her feelings shouldn't have mattered, though. She knew what I wanted. I had been clear about my intentions with Kirsten from the start. My council understood. Or I thought they did.

"You've always been blind to how I feel for you," she continued.

I let her go on, not bothering to correct her.

"Everyone in town knows I wanted to be with you, but…" She sniffled and wiped her nose again. "Eren Miller found out. He'd kept his ear to the ground, I guess. He cornered me when I was shopping in the city with my sister. He, uh, he told me that he had his eyes set on a new lady in town. Kirsten. He said that… that…" She sucked in a trembling breath. "Oh, God, Jace, can't we do this in private?" she begged, casting a furtive glance toward the crowd.

"They are your pack," I said, my voice stern and unyielding. "They are family. When one betrays family, one must confess to family. Now, do it."

She shuddered but nodded. "He said that since I wanted to be with you, maybe we could help each other. We talked over a few days, and, well, he asked about anything that Kirsten might be doing to manipulate you. Something that could be used to tear you apart. That's when I told him about the curse, what I'd overheard. Eren said that to twist my head. He told me Kirsten was playing you for a fool. That she needed a more, uh, aggressive alpha to keep her under control.

"Every time we spoke, Eren would keep talking about how much it looked like you cared for Kirsten and that if we didn't do something, it would be too late. He kept feeding into my jealousy, Jace. I'm sorry. It was like he knew the exact buttons to push, and I broke. He broke me, and I told him everything. I shouldn't have. The moment the words tumbled out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn't have spoken, but it was too late."

She dissolved into more sobs, her knees wobbling, but she managed to stay standing. While she cried, I glanced over at Abigail, who was staring at Stephanie with pity more than anything else.

Stephanie did look miserable. My heart wasn't made of stone. Her anguish and confession told me all I needed to know. Love made you do dumb things. Sometimes, it made you do awful things. Would I be as cruel as Eren? Or could I be a better alpha? All Stephanie had done was allow Eren to manipulate her. The things she'd done may very well have ruined my relationship with Kirsten, which I couldn't forgive, but if that was true, then all I had left was my pack. If that was true, then the pack needed to remain a kind and just place.

"Stephanie?"

She looked at me, her beauty smeared and blotched by tears. "Are you going to excommunicate me? Please, Jace. Please, don't. I can't live without the pack."

Acting as though I hadn't heard her words, I raised my voice to be sure the whole pack heard. "You have betrayed the trust of the alpha. You have betrayed the trust of your pack. The penance for that, in most packs, would be to be cast out. Sent off into the world without a home, without a pack to call your own."

She was trembling now, literally shivering in terror, her head shaking back and forth ever so slightly.

"My pack is not one to be crossed, and I am not an alpha who will accept betrayal." I glared at her for a moment, then allowed my face to soften. "But I am not an alpha like Eren Miller. I won't allow my own emotions to influence my decisions."

Stephanie's eyes widened. I could see hope there. Hope and a wish she didn't dare speak.

"You will be stripped of your place on the Crestwood council, never again to have a seat there. For a period of ten years, your movements will be monitored, and at any point in time, I reserve the right to confiscate your phone or computer to search them for signs of further betrayal. In exchange for these stipulations, I will allow you to remain a part of the Crestwood Pack."

Stephanie's legs finally gave out. She collapsed to the ground, sobs of relief wracking her body.

"But remember," I said, kneeling down to look her in the eye, "you don't just have to prove yourself to me, but to them as well," I said, gesturing at the gathered crowd.

Many of the faces there looked less than enthused with my decision. Most of them would have happily dragged Stephanie to the town limits and left her there. My leniency might, in time, end up feeling more like a punishment. She would have to look her fellow pack mates in the eyes for years to come, knowing that they would always know she was a traitor.

"Also, make no mistake, Stephanie. Your feelings for me were never, have never, and will never be reciprocated. You may be a part of my pack, but I will never trust you again. Kirsten is my mate, and if I lose her, then I will happily spend the rest of my days alone."

The door opened, and Waylan rushed in. The look on his face did not help my mood. I didn't think I'd ever seen him so worried or strained. He had bad news.

Looking at Abigail, I said, "Get her out of here. Take her home." I waved to the crowd. "Go home, everyone. We're done here."

The rustle and thump of people filing out, boots on wood, clothes rustling, aggravated me for some reason. Like wool on sweaty skin. They were going back to their lives, happy and content. Mates to share their beds and lives with. All while mine was slipping through my fingers.

When Waylan made it to the stage, I pulled him aside. "Did you find Kirsten?" I asked.

He nodded, a pained look on his face. "Yeah, she was outside. I gave her a ride home."

"Well? How is she?" I was desperate for any word. Any news.

"She's not happy, bro." He cut his eyes over at Stephanie as Abigail led her from the stage. "That chick should pay for what she did."

"I've allowed her to stay, but under very strict rules. I won't turn out a woman who's been manipulated. Even if what she did was, in the eyes of most, unforgivable."

"It should be her leaving town, not Kirsten," Waylan hissed.

That sent an icy knife of fear into my chest.

"She's leaving? Kirsten's leaving town?"

Waylan shook his head, a distraught look on his face. "It's what she said. Told me she wouldn't be here tomorrow and basically wished me a good life."

For a moment, I stood there, unsure what to do next. I'd tried to talk to her in the parking lot, but that hadn't gone well. Yet, there was no way I could let her go. Not without one last shot.

Not bothering to say anything to Waylan, I leaped off stage, shifting mid-air. My wolf wove its way through the crowd, and once I was outside, I picked up the pace. My paws rasped over gravel, then dirt, then the smooth blacktop of the road as I sprinted toward the cabin. Toward Kirsten.

When I was close, I shifted back and closed the distance between us, wondering what I'd say to her to try and make things right.