A night attack throws the pack into chaos, forcing everyone to choose sides. Loyalties shift, alliances crack, and the fallout begins. Lots of angst. Kieran discovers there’s more than one way to stand with a brother who isn’t his. Big turning point, marking a new phase. Important, if you want to understand what's going on.
TW: on-page death (non-graphic), discussion of a murder, parental abuse, high-stakes pack politics involving possible cancellation of a character.
Kieran woke drenched in sweat, certain something terrible had happened.
4 in the morning. There was no sound or anything to alarm his cells to such a degree. Still, he got up. There were instincts, human or not, that you just don't ignore.
He looked through the window, expecting to find nothing. Had to blink a couple of times to be sure he was seeing right.
Cause there a body sprawled on the grass in front of the entrance. He had to crane his neck to see properly, it was a 12 floors down, but still. Long red hair and a womanly figure was all he could recognize.
Jesus fucking Christ, okay.
Suddenly, he was very glad Alessia wasn't staying with him today, or he wouldn't have been able to concentrate through his fear.
Should he go down and see? He hurried to the door, bracing against the railing on the staircase, considering. He should call Oscar. No, he should check who it was.
It couldn't be Melissa, right? She was at the Executioner's building, of course nothing could have happened to her, right? Who else had such long red hair?
Could be a random person? But killed in front of their apartment filled with wolves? Hardly a coincidence.
There were voices upahead on the 13th floor. The door to Isaiah's apartment was open.
His legs carried him upstairs before he could reason with the decision.
The place was dim, immersed in morning twilight as if the lack of light could protect its residents from what was happening.
To his relief, Melissa stood in the corner, alive and well. With a wall behind her back and the sofa between her and the rest of the room. Covering as if she did something wrong, hugging herself tight.
Surprisingly, Rip was the closest to her, as if guarding her from the other side, though at least three steps away. Not enough to touch, but close enough that anyone getting to her would have to go through him.
Hector and Arnie stood on the other side of the room, two blond heads in the murky darkness, one curly and one straight and combed.
On the sofa, there were Seline and Dylan. The wolf looked sleepy, trying to blink himself to full attention. Seline was wrapped in a fuzzy bathrobe, keeping it tight to her as she watched the room silently. Both Silversteins had an unguarded angle, with their backs to the window, facing the rest of the room to watch it.
Not expecting new attacks, then.
In the middle of it stood Isaiah, as if trapped between all these people under the staircase. With his back to the wall, all surrounded.
Kieran didn't like that position one bit.
"What happened?" Kieran blurted out. He must have interrupted Hector mid-sentence, cause the blond wolf gave him an angry glare.
Silence. Isaiah didn't even lift his head, tilted to the side, face empty of emotion. Like an onlooker caught
"Isaiah killed Margaret," Hector growled, tossing his hand like the whole thing was inconvenient, not catastrophic.
A quiet but unmistakable snarl carried from Rip at the words. "Margaret attacked Melissa."
"In her apartment?" Kieran asked.
"No, she asked her to meet her downstairs and attacked her."
Careless, Kieran thought, eyes flickering to Melissa. Did she truly go down to meet her mother in the middle of the night like that?
But it was also making sense now. Rip's position at Isaiah's right, not just almost but definitely defensive, Isaiah's intervention...the killing intent must have been strong for him to step in so souverenly.
"Why weren't you more careful? This is a Blackwell issue. Why would you go against their leading witch?" Hector blustered.
To be fair, Isaiah tried very hard not to. He only promised Melissa protection. It seemed a mild, reluctant promise to Kieran at the time. Clearly, it really wasn't.
"You and Matthew had to drag us into your family mess?" Hector snarled, a vein pulsing on his forehead.
"Yeah, people attacking their kids is such a banal problem, why couldn't they have solved it?" Rip hissed, crouching a little in front of Melissa. The protectiveness seemed more genuine now, like it wasn't just on Isaiah's will and orders he chose that spot.
Position is never random to a wolf.
Rip had obviously learned the language. Hector was snapping and hissing in a way that revealed he knew it by heart, without having to think.
Now, Arnie looked very calm, hands loosely hanging next to his body, though his fingers twitched here and there. Deliberate body language, he was fighting his natural reactions. Smart boy.
Obviously knew how to treat wolves. Or maybe just his brother, which wasn't little. Whether his role would be to just rain on Hector or anyone else, Kieran was glad he was there.
"Where is Dominick?" Kieran pitched in. "Someone should call him."
Melissa hunched her shoulders, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's on his way."
Kieran nodded, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He wanted to go to her, take his position, show where he stood. However, he wasn't entirely sure about everyone else yet, and this angle did offer a good range of choices.
"Your brother is on his way too," Arnie muttered in Kieran's direction. That had the dark-haired human raising his eyebrows.
"He better be," Hector gnarled. "This is a Gray deal more than anything else."
That earned him an elbow from Arnie. "We are glad you called us, Isaiah." Soothing, gentle tone. The kid was doing his best. "We can all discuss it in peace and prepare ourselves."
"Discuss? What is there to discuss?" Hector pointed at Melissa. "Have her and that useless human fiancé go weather this out with the Grays. They wanted this Blackwell idocy, I don't know why my brother should suffer the consequnces."
"You don't have to stand on my side," Isaiah said evenly. It was the first time Kieran heard him speak. "Packs don't know we are in alliance. You don't have to involve the Wolfsons."
Which was a kind offer.
Killing a wolf? The usual deal; it happened all the time. Wolves killed each other, between packs or not. An Executioner doing it was seamless and rarely questioned.
Killing a human? Pretty big deal. Didn't happen to wolves, even if the reason was fair. It was a sign of madness, wildness, of loss of control. Strictly forbidden, cause it involved human authorities and angered them. Many wolves didn't survive doing such a thing, often handed over by their packs or kicked out as a punishment, hunted by wolves and humans alike.
Killing a witch? The sacred light to a wolf's shadow, the rare and precious gems of every pack, the pure goodness of their magic and its calming effect?
That wasn't just scandalous. It was unheard of.
Even if Isaiah was an Executioner, respected by the city's biggest packs. Even if his word was the law, that was...An Executioner is only an Executioner if others believe he is.
This could take down even Isaiah Wolfson and everyone he was connected to.
So, Isaiah's offer to let Hector fight for uninvolvement was generous. Generous, dangerous and self-destructive.
Seeing Hector actually stop and think about it had Kieran seeing red for a second.
"Of fucking course you have to be on his side," Kieran said to Hector seethingly. "How can that even be a question? He is your brother, you can't just abandon him when things get tough."
"Easy for you to say," Hector grumbled, but he tugged his chin in shame. Pacified, then. Alright, that was one.
Arnie's blond eyebrows drew together and he elbowed Hector again. Not a gesture just anyone could afford from Wolfson's branch leader in Vienna.
But he was clearly in agreement with Kieran, and that settled his anger a bit.
Isaiah didn't protest it further. Good. At least some self-preservation.
Loud steps echoed through the open door before Dominick whirled in, suit and all, with crumpled buttons all wrong.
Before anyone could say anything, Dominick strode across the room towards Melissa, brushing past Rip without a thought and taking her by the shoulders. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine-"
"Thank goodness," he said, pushing her against his chest with a relieved sigh. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I should have stayed just like you said, I should have-"
"You're here now," Melissa muffled against his shoulder, eyes wide, but shoulders sagging in relief. "It's not over."
That seemed to wake Dominick from his worried trance as he turned around, still holding Melissa close, to take in the scene. He gulped down, but straightened his back to full height, which was impressive, towering even over the Executioner.
They all stood in silence for a while, taking in what that meant. Hector swore under his breath, Arnie's hand on his shoulder.
Seline and Dylan blinked owlishly, looking back and forth. Dylan was looking more spooked by the minute. At least Seline had the decency to hide her confusion, observing and thankfully quiet.
Another set of steps neared, more composed and dignified than Dominick's.
They waited in silence till Kieran's older wolf brother, Oscar, appeared in the doorway.
He was dressed in a cloak, having had enough time to prepare, stopping purposefully slow next to his younger brother. "Ah, everyone's here, excellent. We can solve this at once."
"Does this have a solution?" Kieran asked. Oscar was a wolf and a successful lawyer specializing in law concerning packs and human-wolf relationships. He was the most experienced with such scandals, even if this was out of proportion.
After all, Oscar had taken the case of Isaiah's friend, Shawn Minz, and his human assault accusation in the States on himself in exchange for Isaiah's protection of Kieran while their parents, the Gray leader pair, were away.
"Certainly," Oscar commented dryly, black hair combed neatly out of his face. "Kieran, pack up. You, Melissa and Dominick will come home with me."
Kieran's eyes widened, turning towards his brother. "What about Isaiah?"
Oscar looked at the Executioner briefly, scoffing with disdain. "Our deal is finished. He is not our concern now."
"He agreed to protect Melissa, because the Gray pack vouched for this Margaret issue," Kieran protested, a shiver running down his spine. This was bad.
"We never agreed on anyone killing a witch," Oscar said, "even less the Blackwell leader."
"She came after me," Melissa said, having freed herself from Dominick's hold, though he had a hand on her elbow now. "Mot- Margaret attacked me."
"Witches don't attack people," Oscar said.
"And mothers don't attack their daughters, yet here we are," Melissa said. Kieran liked her fighting spirit.
"Witches have pure, positive magic. They don't have killing intents and they don't attack people," Oscar said, tone unwavering. "They aren't wolves. They don't get mad."
"But that's how it was," Melissa said, sounding frustrated now. "You can't blame Isaiah for that. He fulfilled his part of the deal. He protected me."
"It doesn't matter how it was. It only matters how it will look like and what we can prove. And what we have is one dead witch and one guilty Executioner. With questionable origins, I might add."
Kieran scowled. "Questionable how?"
"Attacking his father? Exiled from his pack? Really, madness doesn't seem such a far-fetched guess."
"Oh, suddenly it's about his reputation?" Kieran sneered. "But it wasn't when you let him carry the risk to weaken the Blackwell pack while looking all noble for helping a witchling child?"
Oscar fixed him with a hard stare as if he had noticed him for the first time. As if Kieran were a pest, rejecting the open window that Oscar offered for his escape. "Stop butting in. Pack up, we are leaving right now."
"Before the sunrise? So that when the packs find out, it's just an Isaiah-Margaret conflict?" Kieran pressed. "I get it now. Gray pack gets out unscathed while you throw Isaiah to the wolves?"
Oscar's nostrils flared up. "He’s finished. Best he can do is not take the rest of us with him." He pointed with his chin towards Rip, Seline and Dylan. "You three should retreat. Go home, hide, wait it out. The Wolfsons should distance themselves from this as well. That's my best advice."
Red fog again. Kieran's heart drummed loudly in his ears. He took slow breaths through his mouth.
"Now, let's go you two, before it's too late," Oscar barked at Dominick and Melissa.
The red-haired girl didn't budge. "We can't just leave him to take the blame-"
"You staying won't make it better for him. Nobody will believe you anyway, a witch is more precious to packs than a human girl. You'll just go down too." Oscar shrugged. "Be my guest. Dominick isn't that stupid."
Dominick swallowed heavily, looking down at Melissa. Then at Kieran. He let out a long breath, then swung an arm around Melissa, squaring his shoulders with a defiant glare.
Oscar scoffed. "Fine. Less trouble for me. Kieran, let's go."
Cold sweat trickled down the side of Kieran's face. With the way Oscar stood, Kieran was at his left, which made it appear as if the Gray brothers were in agreement, but Kieran was in a lower standing. Here to follow, not to have a say.
Position is never random to a wolf.
The stuntman stepped down from the hallway elevation fully into the living room to stand in front of Isaiah. Then he turned towards Oscar, planting his feet.
The Gray heir let out a sharp exhale. "Stop with this nonsense, Kieran. I said we are going home."
Kieran crossed his arms on his chest. "No."
"That's an order."
"No," Kieran repeated simply.
Oscar looked around self-consciously. Such blatant disobedience in front of an audience was humiliating. "You can't decide this on your own."
Even if Oscar pulled back, even if the Grays wanted to leave Isaiah to be ruined, with Kieran staying with him, it wasn't possible. A second son, human or not, of the Gray pack signalled support.
Kieran could force their involvement and they all knew it.
All the previous neutral, slightly inconvenienced annoyance left Oscar's face, growling joining his voice. "Listen to me, Kieran."
Kieran cocked an eyebrow at him. "Make me."
This had always hung between them. Since Kieran waited for a shadow to manifest, until his late teens, since they all kinda knew Oscar would be the wolf and Kieran would always be human, always less, always defined by what he lacked.
Physically, Oscar was stronger. He could make Kieran do anything. Even with all his training, his workouts and his fighting skills, Kieran could not best a wolf in sheer strenght. If Oscar wanted, he could drag Kieran out by force.
They never had a fight so serious that Oscar would risk that move and what it would break between them.
Another drop of sweat. Kieran fought not to ball his hands into fists, to not let a fighting intent show through. That would just provoke the wolf shadow more. He didn't want to drive Oscar to his instincts, provoke him beyond his human reasoning.
Would anyone help him if Oscar actually went that far? Dom might, but he would be no help. Hector would never. Dylan probably wouldn't dare to go against an older wolf. Rip had no reason to help.
Isaiah might. Maybe. Kieran was pretty sure he didn't condone wolf violence against humans, but he might agree with Oscar now...well, assuming he cared as much as Oscar did, to get Kieran out of there.
Nobody moved though.
Oscar was grinding his teeth together, but didn't actually move closer. If anything, he looked like he was about to bail.
Kieran looked back to Isaiah. The Executioner hadn't moved, hadn't said anything. Fighting for a neutral calm expression, like this wasn't his concern, like this wasn't a big deal.
But he looked so...alone and lost to Kieran. In that moment, with only Rip at his side, with Hector and Arnie looking helpless, with Seline and Dylan all confused...No witch to speak for him. No wolves to back him up. Just Rip—barely more than a boy.
Who did Isaiah have on his side, unconditionally and absolutely, who understood the meaning of what was happening? What danger were they heading towards, and how to help?
Kieran let out a long breath, resolution settling over him like armor. "I don't care what you do. Retreat, hide, disown me, whatever—I'm staying."
“It’s very ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-esque,” one official said.
“...this effort may appear to address certain forms of stigma against Christians, particularly against Catholics. In reality, it will weaponize a narrow understanding of religious freedom to legitimize discrimination against marginalized groups like the LGBTQ community.”
Charlottesville is the latest loyalty test from Trump. Support me, no matter what I do or say. Support me on the birther myth, on calling Mexicans rapists. Support me on halting all refugees. Support me on halting immigration based on religion. Support me on "pussy grabbing." Support me on a Holocaust Memorial Day statement that doesn't mention Jews. Support me on North Korea. And now, support me on being very soft on Nazi demonstrations. The litmus test now is who disagrees with him on Charlottesville but keeps working with him on other issues. The only way that anything will change is for politicians and business leaders to stop working with him.
