92. Respect

Hyacinth opened his mouth but no words came out.
Seff was glad to say them, because she knew it would incite chaos.
“*He* killed my parents.”
She didn’t know if her pack leader knew that *she* knew what he did, but when she finished that sentence, she saw in Hyacinth’s eyes that he knew he was as good as dead.
And she didn’t know why a savage kind of delight flared in her chest like a flame. *He deserves to be punished*.
As quick as it came, the dark elation vanished and she was left blinking as if coming out of a daze. She sought Hawthorn—he was there in a heartbeat, taking her hand and pulling her away. “Stay with me,” he whispered.
“Always,” she whispered back.
It was better to be a good distance away, because Kiran seemed to grow. Rage broadened his shoulders, drew harsh lines on his face, made the gold in his eyes sharper than a sword. “You *what*?!”
A shiver went down Seff’s spine at his carnal snarl. The Sun Delta released Hyacinth from her hold so Kiran could grab his jaw in one hand, lift him easily off the ground, and slam the back of his heading the nearest pillar. Hyacinth’s yelp echoed into empty space.
Doors started to click and creak open in the hallways bordering the courtyard with curious heads peaking out. But they didn’t get much further than that. Whether it was the odd appearance of another Alpha suddenly being pinned to a wall of stone, their enemy Moon Luna standing with her arms crossed and her face alight with excitement, or just the random gathering of six wolves in the dead of night…all Omegas decided it best to not make themselves seen—or watch.
Unlocking the white box that was handed down from one Amaranth to the next was a moment Seff would never forget. It felt like discovering a piece of herself she didn’t know she was missing. The paper, thin between her fingers, was an artifact of her bloodline, of her beloved pack. How could she burn it? How could she be so heartless to not let the souls of the reason for the records’ origin have a piece of their pasts returned as well?
All of their frantic wanderings back in her room, making a deal with Sienna, banking on chance and hope—it all went far better than anyone could have imagined. Seff was inches close to what she longed for: peace with Kiran and Selene. She would not be a vessel, but she could at least give them the closure they, despite all the terrible things they did, deserved.
Peace was all and well, but with that, always, whether before or after, came bloodshed.
Magnolias were not known for any kind of violence. Seff never cared for mock battle that ended with an injury. But now…perhaps spending so much time between the ruthlessness of the Sun and Moon…her tongue was dry and thirsted for bloody justice.
“You cowardly piece of fucking shit,” Kiran roared at Hyacinth, slamming his body into the pillar once more. “Just when I thought you couldn’t sink any fucking lower.”
“Let’s take a vote.” All eyes turned to Selene’s announcement. Seff admitted she was unnerved at the Luna’s enjoyment of the situation after only a minute ago weeping as she curled in on herself. “Either we kill the rat or we don’t. Then we decide *who* gets to kill him.”
Wisteria and Hawthorn reeled in horror. “No!” Wisteria cried.
Selene’s smile warped into a snarl. “What do you mean, *no*? Like for like. He killed your packmates to spare his own ass from falling into hot water.”
“Murder doesn’t justify murder!” reasoned Wisteria. Hawthorn held her back with an arm around her waist.
Kiran released Hyacinth—only to smash his knuckles into his face so hard he blacked out and collapsed. Wisteria whimpered. Selene stalked over to her, and Seff tensed. She could never fully stand her ground against any Alpha, but she would protect her best friend’s mother—her own mother’s best friend—with all she had.
Selene knew that. Her blue eyes flicked to Seff and back to Wisteria in a heartbeat. “What would you have happen, then?”
Wisteria was a flower, but she would not bend to the moon’s ferocity. She hardened her expression and stared Selene down. “I do not condone what he did. I will never forgive him for killing Linden and Alarik. But I believe in *fair* justice. You two”—she shot a glare at Kiran—“do not get to decide the law for the Magnolia pack. We will take him back to the Manor and you will not harm him anymore.”
Kiran’s jaw clenched. Seff had a strong feeling that all he wanted to do was bash Hyacinth’s face in. She shook her head. *Stop thinking so cruelly*! she snapped at herself.
“He deserves—” he began in a rage, but Seff interrupted,
“I appreciate you defending me, Kiran, but…you don’t need to fight my battles.”
Selene snorted, and he whirled to glare at her. “What, are you fine letting this bastard—”
She held up a hand, which only made him angrier. “It is out of our hands, Kiran. Let’s bury the bone. That bastard will get what he deserves when the time is right.”
Seff almost smiled at his following mumbling—the Sun Alpha, *pouting*. Just as quickly, he said, “Let Seff be the final judge of this *fair justice* trial.”
Smile gone. She felt the stares of five wolves pin her on the spot—trap her in a spotlight of moral indecision.
Hyacinth Furze was her Alpha, her pack leader. She had grown up innately trusting him. It felt fundamentally wrong to want to betray a packmate, especially a respected member.
But that’s what he did. It wasn’t so easy to forgive someone who killed her parents and tried to kill *her*.
She didn’t wish death on him, but as she stared at his pathetic prone form lying in the grass, she agreed with Kiran: he would get what he deserved.
“I’ll tell the truth as I see it,” she said finally. There was a beat of awkward silence. She didn’t want to be the one to address it, but someone had to continue. “Now what?”
“Follow or stay or leave,” Selene murmured. Seff looked at her, and the Moon Luna’s expression neutral, but her voice—a queen’s voice—held a kind of gravity. “We will respect your choice, Seff Amaranth.”
The name sounded foreign—*my name is Seff Bleize*—but then it sounded *right*. Like a settling of prophecy, just like her claiming herself as a reincarnation.
To her even greater surprise, Kiran dipped his head. “We never gave you a choice. While I Chose you, the initiation into the Sun pack is incomplete, so you’re free to choose where you go. Although it is a pity that we—”
Selene clapped a hand over his mouth to keep him from finishing the sexual comment. “Continue,” she intoned passively, even when Kiran licked her palm so she would retract her arm. Seff heard a muttered, “Fuck you.”
*How strange*, Seff thought, *that I would be amused by them after less than a day ago I hated them so much*?
Hawthorn’s fingers slipped into hers when he came to her side. At her other shoulder, Wisteria had gathered the white box and locked it, entrusting Hawthorn with the key that he shoved deep in his pocket.
She felt empowered by their presence enough to announce, “Magnolia Manor stopped being my home I think a long time ago. Home is the wolves we love. I’ll go and testify, *maybe* be the final word, but after that…” Seff looked at Hawthorn; his smile was infectious. “We’ll figure it out.”
Nudging him with her elbow before he could stare at her for too long, he cleared his throat and dipped his head with respect at the Alphas. “I still don’t know what’s going on between the three of you, but I promise I’ll take care of her, wherever we go.”
Selene and Kiran were too proud to do anything but make noncommittal grunts. Even if they “let her go,” they still “lost” Seff to a local Magnolia whelp. She knew they were thinking, *She chose* him *over* us?
Honestly, she couldn’t care less.
But Selene surprised her again by saying, “You are always welcome back to Castle Night.” She looked pointedly at Kiran after a beat of silence.
He rolled his eyes. “Sentiment is ridiculous. Apollo’s Keep is open.”
Seff couldn’t help her laugh. “Get better guards at the gate and I’ll consider it.”
“Will you consider staying the rest of the night before you return?”
She blinked at the gentle offer. Glancing up at the warm night sky and then to her packmates and their subtle grateful nods, she smiled at both Alphas. “Yes please.”
Without any goodbyes, Seff was drawn away by Hawthorn and Wisteria. She couldn’t help looking over her shoulder at Kiran and Selene standing together, even after he ordered Sienna to get one of his lesser Alphas to carry Hyacinth.
It felt wrong to not say any parting words. But what were any of them to say?
Altan, however, had plenty to share.