Parker looked at Grayson. “Carry on.”
Grayson swallowed. “She screamed at the kid to get out. At first, I thought she was helping him. But then she turned to Remy and started crying and shouting, saying she refused to share him with anyone—including the pups; she said she’d kill them all just like she’d killed the others. She was jealous and raging, and she hit him over the head with a lamp.”
“Lies!” shouted Deanne. “It’s all lies!”
“One more outburst and you will leave this room,” Landyn warned her. He turned back to Grayson. “Continue.”
“I don’t know what happened after that; I ran. I wanted to take the pups with me, but I couldn’t get inside Remy’s cabin without being seen. I knew that I had to go for help.” Grayson’s face scrunched up. “They’re both sick in the head, and neither of them should be anywhere near kids.”
Deanne leaped to her feet, but Remy tugged her back down and hissed, “Quiet.”
There was a short, pensive silence that was broken by Harrison. “This is a matter that needs to be thoroughly investigated—a case separate from the matter of the shelter.” Parker and Landyn nodded their agreement. “In light of what has been said today, I’m satisfied that Remy attempted to sabotage the shelter in an attempt to help him gain what he wanted.”
“Remy Deacon, your application is dismissed,” declared Parker. “With regards to these allegations, an investigation will begin straightaway. I believe in being innocent until proven guilty. Even so, the pups of your pack will be relocated until the case is resolved.”
Deanne gasped, but Ryan thought she didn’t look very upset. The crazy bitch was probably pleased the children would be out of her way.
“My wolves will escort you back to your territory and take the pups to safety,” added Parker. “This meeting is over.” Each of the council members rose and left the room, and Makenna made her way to Dawn. The feline wrapped her in a hug, happy and relieved.
Remy very slowly rose to his feet, like a snake uncoiling. He glared at Dawn. “I warned you. You’ll regret this. All of you.” His eyes went to Ryan. “Especially you.”
Ryan didn’t have to ask what he meant. But if he really thought the York Pack would get anywhere near Zac, he was a dumb son of a bitch.
“You lied to me,” Deanne growled at Makenna. “My son never touched you.”
Makenna flashed her a taunting smile. “Didn’t he?”
A crease formed between Deanne’s brows. The woman was so paranoid where Remy was concerned that she had no confidence in her own convictions. “Remy, it’s not true, is it?” He didn’t answer, just headed for the exit. She trailed after him, repeating her question.
Dante waited until Remy and his wolves left before speaking. “I half expected him to attack.”
Ryan gave a quick shake of the head. “He still thinks he has the upper hand. If he knew that we’re fully aware the York Pack are his guests, he would have reacted very differently.”
Grayson moved to Dante. “You’ll kill Remy, right? The sick fuck needs to die.”
“He’ll die,” Dante vowed before calling Trey and telling him the result of the hearing. Hanging up, he said, “The extremists left.”
Makenna wanted to be relieved by that, but there was no saying the humans wouldn’t return. Still, she’d count today as a win. She linked her arm through Ryan’s. “I’m fucking ecstatic that the pups will be taken from Remy.”
“Me too,” said Jaime. “You know, I wasn’t all that superstitious until I met you. Did you see Emilio’s face when it started to rain? Priceless.” Nodding, Madisyn chuckled.
Makenna looked up at Ryan. “Are you a believer yet?” He grunted. “Fine, be irrational.”
Ryan just didn’t understand her. “How can you call me irrational when you picked your clothes this morning based on what your horoscope told you?” Who did that?
“Well, if you remember correctly, it told me to prepare for wet weather. Turns out it was necessary. Although . . . I suppose it’s worth considering that if Emilio hadn’t killed that spider, it might not have rained. In that sense, maybe it wasn’t fated to rain. Unless, of course, the spider’s destiny was to die at Emilio’s—”
“Stop, stop,” Ryan told her. He just couldn’t take anymore. “Let’s just go.”
“Always so grouchy.”
Whatever.
CHAPTER TWENTY