a P
initial shockwave of my accusation gave way
ked at Elois, and for the first time, I saw murder in my father's eyes. The love
"No..." she whispered, the word lost in the upr
crambled to his mother's side. He shook her arm frantica
s a confessi
their fear condemn them more effect
g through the noise like a judge's g
stone used in the ritual. I addressed Elder Edgar, who l
is... in doubt, he no longer has the right t
my father's murderous face, then back at me. "That
known for our... mercy." The word dripped wi
is father, let us make hi
hing the proceedings with wide, terrified eyes. "I dema
It was designed for situations exactly like this: when a child's paternity was unknown or disgraced. The rite
status. He would lose his inheritance. He would become, offi
down on Elois, and
with animalistic despair. "You c
d like claws, but stopped short
was a raw, gravelly rasp, the soun
s she
ly acknowledging his cuckolding and personally order
crambled to obey, pulli
er! I am your son! I am!" He crawled on his
m away with a snar
fore the White Pack was slaughtered, our people had crawled to Esley just like that,
s. Elder Edgar read the proclamation, his vo
Esley, henceforth, is bound to the bloodline of his mother, Elois Mercado. His name sh
. The name 'Esley' beside mine flickered, and then vanished. A moment later, it reappeare
ed, inhuman wail tore from his thr
him, a broken, empty shell. I
led uncontrollably, staring
t a cold, empty calm. This was not victory. This
doors of the Ancestral Hall were t
ating power and authority. On their cl
an Pack h
/1/122723/coverbig.jpg?v=0388d3475f5f22fde9fb432c84155328&imageMogr2/format/webp)