The Silver Dagger

Judgement

"That may be zo, but ze girl didn't take it - sie wasn't even born at the time."

"She refuses tae give it back!" Tamhas argued.

"Ist this true, Aiyana? Come up here where we can all see you."

Nate squeezed her fingers as she left his side and she gave him a thankful smile. Walking to the front of a room full of humans was nothing like walking through a room full of powerful alphas and betas. Their powers buffeted her like random waves on an ocean shore. Could they tell what she was? Were they extending their powers on purpose to test her own? She knew she couldn't hide that she had power - no wolf could - but how much a wolf had wasn't always obvious. She did her best to make her powers seem as small as possible. She didn't want to risk another headache from some of the inflated egos around her deciding to test her strength.

"Ist what he says true, Aiyana?" Alpha Nils prompted once she was facing everyone.

"May I explain?"

"Just answer ze question."

Since she clearly hadn't given it back, there was only one way to answer. "Yes."

"Why?"

"At first I didn't believe him. I thought the dagger was a letter opener and it was the only thing I have of my father's. They didn't even bother to ask - Colum just showed up one day and tore up my aunt's house and beat her, then..."

Alipha Nils held up his hand. "Alpha Miguel already explained." 

She nodded and took a long breath to think of what she wanted to say. "I have since learned that my father did steal the dagger, but he had a good reason."

"Und that was?"

"Tamhas uses the silver to enhance his power. My father witnessed him forcing a woman to forget everything and believe she was a slave. I think my father stole the dagger to keep him from using it again."

Alpha Nils was shaking his head. "Silver leaches a wolf's powers, not enhances it. You are old enough to know zat."

"It enhances Tamhas'."

"Nein, it ist impossible und besides the point. If ze woman belonged to his pack, he had every right to punish her as he wished."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "The European Council condones such treatment as punishment?"

"Of course not. The council would have looked into it if ze woman had filed a complaint."

Her wolf growled in her head. "How could she if she couldn't even remember her name?"

"Both points are beside the point," another of the council members said. Aiyana thought he might be from Norway but his accent was barely noticeable. "You have asked us here to ascertain how to address the matters of vandalism, assault, battery, kidnapping, and breaking and entering. I suppose we can also add murder since Alpha Tamhas has admitted to as much. Do either of you deny these charges?"

Colum bowed his head. "N..."

"Haud yer weesht ye glaikit rockit," his father yelled at him. "We deny everythin'."

"Everything?" Alpha Nils asked.

"Everythin'! Ah caa fur th' vote."

"You realize you are not leading the meeting, correct?"

"Aye, but it is mah reit tae ask fur th' vote."

"But if you deny the charges, we must go over the evidence. The onus is on the Americans to prove you are guilty, but if they aren't allowed to show their evidence, guilt is assumed," the Norwegian said.