Lessons in Love

Chapter 60: Verdicts

POV: Riley Campbell

“You owe Ms. Campbell an apology.” Carly said firmly.

“More than that,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to look pissed off. “I want an explanation. Why would you lie to me, to your mother?”

Shawna looked at me with such fear and sadness, I almost dropped the whole thing. “I’m out, aren’t I?” She whispered, looking down to hide the tears in her eyes.

“You were never supposed to be in.” Carly snapped at her. “Now explain yourself.”

Shawna shook her head and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I lied to you, Ms. Campbell.” She said with her eyes still locked on the carpet. “I didn’t do it to hurt anyone.” She said and looked at her mother. “You wouldn’t listen to me. You couldn’t. I understood that. But I lost more than just dad.” Shawna couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

“I don’t know what it was all like for you, but you have no idea what it was like being completely exposed in that gym. There was blood pouring down the stairs from the open door of the bunker. We heard every scream, every scrape and growl, we smelled every death, all the c*****e waiting … just waiting for Delta Rick to fall and for us to be slaughtered in that tiny bunker.” She swiped furiously at her tears.

“You don’t want me to know how to fight because you’re scared to lose me too, but if I don’t know how to fight, I’m dead anyway!” Shawna yelled. “You can’t wrap me in a bubble and lock me in the house for the rest of my life. You know the most important thing I’ve learned in the last two weeks?” She looked at Carly, I did too. The poor woman looked devastated, and I was about to put an end to all of this when Carly shook her head.

“Tell me.” She said quietly. “I promise I’m listening.”

“That I’m not going to die like that.” Shawna’s voice caught on a sob. “I’m not going to die scared and helpless, cowering in some corner.” Carly pulled Shawna into her arms. I stood back, trying not to intrude on their moment.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” Carly stroked her daughter’s hair, holding her tightly. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that’s how you felt.”

“I’m so sorry I lied to you both. I am, but please,” Shawna cried. “Please don’t make her take me out of training.” She pulled back from her mother and looked Carly in the eye. “Please mom.”

Carly stared at her daughter for a long, hard moment. “It’s not up to me.” Carly said. “I can forgive the lie. I’m your mother, and I love you. But you started your whole relationship with Ms. Campbell on that lie. All the trust you’ve earned with her is marked by it.” Carly looked at me then, and I understood what she was doing. She couldn’t punish Shawna for the lie, not when she felt responsible for it, but I certainly could.

Shawna turned and looked at me, ready to plead her case. “Ms. Campbell, I will do whatever it takes to earn you trust back.”

“Provided that your mother comes in Monday morning and signs a new permission form, in front of me. I don’t see why you can’t continue to train.” I said plainly. Shawna’s smile at that news made it hard for me to finish. “But your mother is right. You broke my trust. You’ll be back to square one. You’ll set up and clean up before and after training each day. No more advanced drills, you’ll do the same drills as the other girls, and you will not be assisting me with training the newcomers until I feel I can trust you with that responsibility again.”

I saw the disappointment on her face, but she nodded without hesitation. “I understand, Ms. Campbell. I won’t let you down again. I promise.”

Carly gave me an approving nod. “Alright,” she said to her daughter, pulling her back into a tight hug. “Go on and be with your friends. It’ll be the last time for about two weeks you’ll be seeing them outside of school.”

“Mom,” Shawna groaned.

“I said I could forgive it. I didn’t say you wouldn’t be punished.” Carly smiled at me over Shawna’s shoulder. Shawna made her way to the door, and I started to follow. Carly touched my arm to get me to hang back. When the door closed, she spoke. “I almost questioned the punishment you were laying out until I saw the look on her face.” Carly said quietly. “Advanced drills, helping to train others. My daughter hasn’t been trained before.”

“I think your mate may have shown her a couple of moves.” I said cautiously. “She knew the basics on day one. It put her miles ahead of my other trainees.”

Carly gave me a weak smile at that. “Chris used to go for long walks with Shawna on Sundays during the war. Perhaps they weren’t walking as far as I thought.” I gave her a sympathetic smile. “Thank you for helping her.”

POV: Beta Ben Westlake

It took everything in my power to not pace the room, waiting for the votes to be cast and Riley to return. I stood rigid in front of the officer’s table, nodding and smiling and making idle conversations with people who stopped to talk. Mostly, they were congratulating me, but a few stopped to tell me how sorry they were that my father had beaten us. It was incredibly awkward.

I saw Shawna come back out of the room Riley and Carly were in. She looked like she’d been crying, but she was smiling and hugging her friends. Whatever had happened seemed to have come to a satisfactory conclusion. Carly and Riley finally came out of the room a moment later. Carly put her arm around her daughter and kissed her cheek before going to vote. Riley was making her way through the crowd. People kept stopping her to shake her hand and make conversation. She smiled politely to each person who impeded her path back to me.

Riley finally looked up and made eye contact with me. She smiled at me, and I was struck with how perfect a smile she had. She had been guarding her emotions in the other room, but now she lowered that guard so I could feel how happy she was. I smiled back at her as she ended the conversation she was having and walked up to me.

“Hey,” I smiled as she got close. I put my arm around her shoulder and felt her stiffen for a moment.

“Sorry,” she shook her head, laughing a little. She snaked her arm around my waist and leaned her head into my shoulder a bit. “I forgot we could do this now.” She looked up at me and smiled.

I wanted so badly to kiss her, but I was worried that if I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop kissing her. “You seem happy.” I said and put a kiss on her forehead instead of her lips.

“I am.” She smiled brightly. “It was good chat.” She said, almost surprised by the outcome.

“Okay, is that everyone?” I heard Sam yell over the din of the crowd. “Can we get three volunteers to help with the counting?”

A few people raised their hands, including Tom. Sam made sure to pick him. It would look good on us to have him in the room after he’d made such a scene, and it would ensure he knew the vote was fair and legitimate. The last thing we needed was for someone to be crying foul play on the vote. The process would take about an hour. Most folks went home or for a walk, though some took the opportunity to hang out and socialize.

My mother retreated to my suite to avoid any more uncomfortable conversations, while Riley, Rick, and I headed to my office. Riley shared her story about Carly and Shawna to pass the time. Rick and I clearly were preoccupied with what was happening downstairs. Just shy of the one-hour mark, Sam texted and told us to come back.

“Here we go,” I said quietly, standing up.

“Ben,” Riley took my hand as she stood as well. “It’s going to be okay.” She smiled. “I think they have your back.”

“Damn right, they do!” Rick said firmly. With that, we headed back to the hall.

Sam gave us a sly smile when we walked in, and I breathed a sigh of relief. That had to be good news. Riley gave my hand a squeeze and kissed my cheek. She gave me a smile that basically said she’d told me so and went back to her seat. I smiled and shook my head at her before going back to mine.

Once everyone had filtered back in, Sam handed me an envelope. I opened it and read the document aloud. “With 92% of the vote, it is passed that the current officers will remain in charge of pack business until the Alpha returns or until the council’s deadline is reached. 97% of voters agree to have our three new members officially brought into the pack. Both votes have passed.” It was official. We had two weeks to find Marcus, Eleanor, and the succession plan.

We gathered the maid, the cook, and Riley at the front of the room and inducted them immediately. Everyone stood silently as we made them take the vows.

“Do you swear to honor and obey the directions of the Alpha and Luna of Sapphire Lake Pack?” I said.

“I do.” The three of them said in unison.

“Do you swear to uphold the laws, by-laws, and charters of Sapphire Lake Pack?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to defend, guard, and / or safeguard Sapphire Lake from threats known or yet to be uncovered?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to protect your packmates,” I read off the sheet in my hand. That was all the vow was supposed to say, but I held my hand up before they responded and added. “From all threats, including those that may originate from within this pack?”

Riley smiled at me as all three of them said, “I do.”

“Welcome to Sapphire Lake.” I said. All three of them grabbed their heads or rubbed their temples. In acceptance of their vows, the pack pushed all at once to link with their minds to force the mind-link open to them. The discomfort as the voices flooded their minds passed a moment later, and the three of them breathed easier, smiling at one another and at me.