Claiming Treasure

Carson’s POV

Near Two Harbors, MN

Since we were arriving in the middle of the night, we had to fly into the Duluth airport instead of the closer Two Harbors airfield. A rental car was waiting, and I drove north to rejoin my family at Arrowhead. As soon as my car turned west from Two Harbors, I sent a mental call to my brothers, hoping one was awake at five AM and in range. Chase was the only one that answered. “Morning, Carson! Good to have another clown for the circus,” he said.

“You’re up early.”

”You aren’t the only Alpha flying in this morning for the trial. With Roadkill gone, we’re short Betas, and I’m coordinating transportation and lodging. Where are you?”

“Heading north on 12, ten minutes from the airport. What’s going on?”

“Our enemies smell blood in the water, Carson. You’ll be placed under arrest when you arrive for violating a Council order, in that you did not stop and return Heather to the Council when directed.”

“Damn right, I didn’t.” If that’s the fight they wanted, that is the fight they would get. “What does Sawyer say?” Our oldest brother was the Lawyer in the family, Chase was the Doctor, and I was the brother no one expected to be more than a loyal Beta.

“Stick to the asylum claim, but there are problems. Heather couldn’t technically request asylum until she reached your Pack lands.”

Shit. “So I’m fucked,” I said.

“We might need to nullify a jury, like with us. If you survive the trial, you will face an Alpha challenge over your actions. We aren’t the only side wanting to flip the jury by changing the minds of some Alphas. The offense of taking the woman away is enough for the Council to allow the aggrieved person the trial by combat. If you lose, they pick up a seat on the jury against Rori and me.”

I knew my reputation in the Council; I was the Alpha by default, not by merit. If they couldn’t get me removed legally, they’d do it the old-fashioned way. “Has anyone filed a challenge with the Council yet?”

“Rumor has it there was one filed within an hour of the fight.”

My wolf growled at the thought of a challenge, wanting to taste the blood of the man who thought to take what was MINE. “The Cascade Pack is ours to rule and protect,” I told my wolf.

“No one hurts her,” my wolf told me. It was a little weird having him back in my head so much after decades of apathy. Now that he was back, I was stronger and more determined than ever.

“Then, a fool will meet the teeth and claws of a Nygaard Alpha,” I told Chase.

“THAT is the Alpha we need today,” he told me. “I’ll meet you for breakfast at the dining hall.”

I closed the connection and drove, arriving at five-thirty at the main gate of Arrowhead. I noticed that security had changed; the Arrowhead guard was standing with a Council Enforcer and a warrior from Oxbow Lake. I stopped the car and rolled down the window. “Morning,” I said.

“Good morning, Alpha Nygaard. The Alphas are expecting you in the dining hall,” the Oxbow guard said.

The Council warrior had moved to the passenger side and knocked loudly. I rolled down the other window. “What is your problem,” I snarled.

“You are under arrest, Alpha Nygaard. As such, Enforcers are to be with you at all times. Unlock the door, please.”

I hit the button, and the big man got in. “Stay the hell out of my way, Enforcer.” He was smart enough not to say anything as I rolled the windows up and drove. I parked my car in the Alpha Mansion driveway, then got out and walked up the hill to the expansive Pack House. I ignored my guard as I walked inside, and an Omega took my coat.

Conversations stopped as I walked into the dining hall and spotted Rori and Chase at the head table. The room was half full, and I recognized some of the European and American Alphas and two Council members. I smiled as Rori got up, and I gave her a big hug as Chase welcomed me back. “Good flight?”

“Slept most of the way,” I said. “I’m starving. I’m going to grab a plate.”

“No problem, the buffet will be open until nine, and the proceedings start at ten,” Rori told me. I went over to the food, loading up with biscuits and gravy on one plate, then pancakes with bacon on the other. The day was always better when you started with pancakes, as Mom used to say.

I carried the plates over as I thought about what Heather must be thinking now. She had done nothing but fall in love, and her life was in danger again, this time from those who had protected her. I took a seat next to Sawyer, who was feeding his mate Ashley off his plate. I smiled at the gesture; it was a male wolf’s way of ensuring his baby would be healthy and reinforced the bond with the mother. There was no greater love than giving her your bacon.

We all sat down at the table of eight, with Alpha Coral, Beta Ron, and Beta Teri being the rest of the table. I switched to the family bond so we could talk without being overheard. “What is your legal advice, brother?”

Sawyer took a bite for himself, then pulled Ashley over until she was sitting on his lap. “Have a good last meal?”

My jaw dropped, that wasn’t what I expected, and the others cracked up when they saw my face. “What is going on?”

“When you returned home, I informed the Council that Heather was at the Cascade Pack. I also informed them that Heather had asylum, granted by you as the Alpha. They weren’t happy; they demanded I get in touch with you and force you both to return. I refused, quoting the Asylum laws, and reminding them that I was a fellow Alpha and could not demand ANYTHING from you.”

“That must have been a fun conversation.”

Sawyer nodded. “Well, let’s say it was a good thing you went dark on communications because your Betas caught an earful from Councilman Baronsky. He’s leading the charge to return Heather and have her put to death.”

“Because if Heather is dead, his granddaughter will not receive as much punishment for her actions,” Coral added.

Sawyer nodded and continued. “The Council lawyers spent a few hours reviewing the law, as did I, and they took things a different way. They have charged you not for granting asylum, but for disobeying a Council directive to return Heather for trial. Under the law, if they can prove an illegal act preceded the granting of asylum, then the asylum is not valid. As we speak, Council Enforcers are making their way to the Cascade Pack. If we lose, they will demand entrance and will execute Heather on sight.”

My wolf roared to life at those words; I stood, sending my chair flying, and my growl silenced the room. I barely fought back my shift, growling at the Enforcers and Warriors who were moving to surround me. Others were moving between me and their Alphas or Lunas.

“Relax and sit back down, brother,” Coral said as she rubbed my back. “Sawyer informed Mom, and we have a plan. She isn’t part of your Pack, and if necessary, she and Frank will take her into hiding. They won’t get to her, she promises you.”

I pushed my wolf back down, took a deep breath, and waved the Enforcers back. I retrieved my chair and sat back down to eat. The room returned to normal now that the threat of an enraged Alpha was over. “What defense do I have for ignoring the Council order?”

“Ignorance is out. The Council forced Chase to contact you and order you back, and you ignored the order.” I glared at my younger brother. “Don’t get mad at him, he and Rori are in enough trouble without adding another charge of Council disobedience. They couldn’t force you to do anything, so they aren’t liable.”

“What else?”

“The Council orders can’t go up against the instinctual nature of our wolves. Protection of a mate, safety of a family or vulnerable Pack member, or being under an active Alpha order. There was a case two centuries ago where a Beta was found not guilty because the Alpha Order was still in place.”

What a shit sandwich. “Can we nullify the jury?”

“I don’t know, with all the Alphas here, that will likely be the jury, especially since a Russian pack was aggrieved,” he said.

I had one idea, but it was a long shot. “Let’s talk about other things while we eat,” I finally told the table. “How is your pregnancy progressing,” I asked Beta Teri.

“Good, no morning sickness yet,” she said with a smile. I finished my breakfast as we talked about the babies, the weather, and anything other than the upcoming trial. When we finished, the ladies decided to hit the pool, the water being the preferred exercise for pregnant females. Chase led Sawyer and me to his office. I left the Council guard outside and closed the doors, soundproofing the room as I explained my idea.

We emerged just after nine, going our separate ways. Sawyer went to change and prepare, while Chase had to stop by the Clinic and check on his patient. I went to my room, calling home to check with my Betas. Heather and Colletta were still sleeping, and Carl was leading the warriors on their punishment run. I laughed as Angelina told me of Frank’s challenge; he was a stronger wolf than any of us believed possible. He made Mom very happy, ‘multiple times’ as Angelina put it, enjoying how she could tease me about my mother’s sex life.

I didn’t care. My Mom had been a hollow shell after rejecting our father in his descent to madness, only holding on to life because of her grandchildren. Seeing her truly happy was worth any amount of brain bleach at the thought of Mom having sex.

I was dressed and ready when Sawyer arrived to take me to court. As we suspected, my trial would be first; Tatiana was still healing, and they wanted my status resolved before the jury convened for Rori and Chase. We walked into the room at the Pack House, the cameras rolling as the proceedings were broadcast to Packs around the world.

It didn’t take long for the fireworks to start. When Alphas were called forward to form the jury, Rori went to take her place for the Arrowhead Pack. “Objection,” Prosecutor Matthew Kirk said to the Chair. “Alpha Rori pled guilty to charges and is pending sentencing. Surely we are not allowing her to sit in judgment over her brother?”

“Sustained,” Chairman Coffey said. “Alpha Rori, step down.” Alpha Kirk and his Luna, who was sitting on the jury for him, smirked in triumph, knowing they had just knocked a vote away from me. As Rori walked back to sit behind me, Beta Ron walked forward and took her place.

“What is this,” Alpha Kirk said. “He’s not even an Alpha!”

“Alpha Chase would be barred under the same rule, Mr. Chairman. Beta Ron is next in line for the Alpha position at Arrowhead,” Sawyer responded. “The Alpha is within her rights to appoint a substitute if she is not able to fulfill her responsibility to the Council.”

The arguments went on for a few minutes, but Sawyer had the law on his side. Sawyer and I stood as the reading of the charges. When asked for my plea, I answered, “Not Guilty.”

The prosecution’s case went quickly. Chase was forced to testify, and he confirmed he sent me Councilman Baronsky’s demand to stop and return Heather to the Pack House. The Prosecution was ready to call multiple witnesses from the pursuit, but Sawyer cut that off, stipulating to the fact that I took Heather off Arrowhead lands and onto Cascade Pack lands. “The prosecution rests,” Alpha Kirk said.

“The defense calls Alpha Carson Nygaard,” Sawyer said. I went forward and was sworn in, sitting in the witness chair before the Council. “Alpha Carson, you were present in the room when Heather Rhodes confronted?”

“I was.”

“Why did you interfere?”

“I had to,” I said. “Heather is my friend. I met her late last year here at Arrowhead Pack. She was pregnant, injured, and in danger from the mob that was forming. I picked her up and removed her from a volatile situation until cooler heads could prevail.”

“Did cooler heads prevail?”

“I would say no. A posse was sent after us, intent on killing her without a hearing. I contacted my Beta and had him drive the car around, then drove to Alexandria and took a plane back home.”

“Your brother told you of Councilman Baronsky’s order, did he not?”

“He did, and I ignored it. Tatiana Petrovsky is a member of his home Pack; he is hardly a neutral arbiter of her fate. She knew of us, and I explained to her the options before arriving home. She formally requested asylum on behalf of her children, and I granted it.”

“Objection,” Alpha Kirk said. “The Council has not ruled on the validity of the asylum.”

“Nor has the witness stated it had done so,” Sawyer responded. “He merely stated the facts of the situation as he knew them at the time.”

“Overruled,” the Chairman said. “Proceed with your questioning.”

“You saved Miss Rhodes from a mob because of her pregnancy?”

“In part. Heather did not know that she is carrying twin werewolf babies. All babies are to be treasured and protected at a time when there are not many pregnancies among our kind,” I said. “Well, unless you are part of the Arrowhead Blessing. Alpha Rori started a baby boom, this Pack has four more pregnant members since New Years, and two more at Oxbow Lake,” I said with a smile. The trail feed moved to the audience, and I watched as women looked at their mates with longing. Rori had made it clear at her trial that Luna was watching and had chosen sides, her blessing of fertility being evidence of that.

“Would you have done it if she was not pregnant?”

“Yes, without hesitation,” I replied.

“You knew that removing her was defying Council edict, and you could be prosecuted and punished for this?”

“I did, but I didn’t care about what might happen to me.”

He turned to the audience. “Why? Why would you defy the Council over a mere HUMAN?”

I paused for dramatic effect, leaning forward and looking directly into the camera. “I rescued Heather from them because my wolf and I recognized that Heather Rhodes was my choice mate.”

The room exploded in shouting and disorder as I sat back and waited for calm. I’d publicly claimed Heather as my own, and now I needed to keep her alive until she agreed to the change.