“I killed him! I killed the Alpha!”
Chapter Twenty
Chann
Shock froze me in place as the little boy cried into my shoulder with great, wrenching sobs that tore from him as he clutched me like a lifeline.
“Owein, what are you talking about?” I pressed, scooping him up. “Alarick is upstairs. I saw him just before I came down here to play with you this morning.”
“Alpha Raff,” he cried. His dark hair was sticking to my shirt now as I shifted him.
Pixie, we’ve got a big problem, I told her grimly. He thinks he killed Raff.
What? she exclaimed.
I don’t know yet, he just yelled it and threw himself at me. I’m figuring out what I can, but we’re gonna need a little help here after all, I think.
I’ll go get the others. Focus on him first. I felt her mind slip from mine and assumed she’d shifted back to her human form to grab everyone else.
“Owein, I don’t know what you mean, pup. Raff isn’t dead,” I told him, cradling him against me.
“He is, he is!” the boy insisted. “Alarick is alpha now, so Raff is dead, and I killed him and Borris, and Zelda’s sad now and I’m bad!”
“Shhh,” I soothed, stroking a hand across his back as I rocked him. “Calm yourself, pup. We’ll work this out. Look at me.” When he wouldn’t, I forced his chin up. “Owein, I swear to you, as an omega of this pack, neither Raff nor Borris are dead. I don’t know who told you they are, but they are wrong. I need you to calm down and talk to me, do you understand?” Hiccups punctuated his sobs as he attempted to nod, and I continued to rock him as he slowly started to calm, the violent shaking slowing as my wolf and I offered him what comfort we could.
“Owein, even if they were dead, you were here while they were away. I know because I saw you when I picked up Luna. Why would you think you killed them?”
“I heard them talking,” he whimpered. “They said that someone had tricked Borris into poisoning Alpha Raff and that Borris was a traitor, and they were gonna kill him for it and that Alarick was alpha now because Alpha Raff had died.”
I sighed, leaning my head against his. “Your ears are very big, little pup, but they picked up a lot of things that aren’t true,” I said seriously, continuing to rock him. “But that still doesn’t tell me how it’s your fault or why you’re bad. It just means you need to come talk to someone if you’re scared or confused. Any of us would have told you the truth, and you wouldn’t have had to be frightened.”
A knock sounded on the door behind me, and I sighed as Alarick, Pixie, Shannon, and Fillian came in. “Hey, little man,” Pixie greeted with a smile.
Owein whimpered, clutching onto me, and glanced at Shannon who shook her head.
“Zev?” I inquired.
“With the kids,” Shannon replied. “It was easier than switching him out for Pixie.”
“Are you going to kill me now?” Owein asked Pixie, his dark eyes wide, and she scrambled back so fast she nearly fell over.
“What?” Her head whipped between the others. “Huh?”
“Apparently he’s been hearing a lot of very scary things,” I informed them, trying to keep my voice light. “He heard that Raff and Borris had both been killed and that he had killed them. We were just getting to that part when you got here.”
“Hello, Owein,” Alarick greeted gently, kneeling beside him.
“Alpha,” he whimpered, bearing his throat.
“No one is here to hurt you, pup. My beta is here because her power lets us see when you tell the truth.” Owein blinked up at him, and then glanced at me searchingly.
“Yes, that’s my brother’s power too, but he’s busy with your friends since Zelda is with Borris,” I explained gently. “They don’t need to be here for all of this, so Zev is keeping them busy while we talk to you.”
“Owein, I wouldn’t hurt you, just like I’d never hurt any of the other pups,” Pixie assured him. “Not now, not ever.”
More tears trickled down Owein’s cheeks as he shook his head. “Yeah-huh.” He began to cry in earnest again, turning back into me.
“Shannon,” Alarick called, gesturing to Owein. Shannon sat beside us on the floor before reaching up through the slats of the rocking chair, taking Owein’s hands. Her eyes began to glow, and I knew she was using her power to help calm Owein so he’d be able to speak with us. He sniffled a few times and smiled at her, and she sent a reassuring smile back. “Alright, pup. I know you’re frightened. I’m sorry that you are, that any of my pack are, but that’s why we’re here, so that you can talk to us. Can you tell us now?” He subtly waved a hand, and I knew Pixie would be using my brother’s power, analyzing every word Owein said.
He cuddled in close to me and squeezed Shannon’s hand. “I told Omega Chann that I killed Alpha Raff. I thought Beta Pixie was going to come and kill me because I was a traitor like they said Borris was since he got killed for giving Alpha Raff the poison.”
“Well, that’s silly for several reasons,” Alarick began gently. “First, my father isn’t dead. Second, neither is Borris. Third, even if Borris had died, Pixie wouldn’t have killed him. Can you tell me where you heard any of that?”
He shrugged. “All over. A lot of the wolves say it in bits and pieces.”
“They told you my beta was coming to kill you?” Alarick pressed.
He cocked his head, considering the question. “No, I guess not,” he replied slowly. “They just said that Borris had gotten himself killed by Pixie for being a traitor and killing Alpha Raff.”
“And you thought you killed Alpha Raff,” Alarick surmised, settling onto the floor to see him better.
“I did kill him.” He paused. “Well, I did until he wasn’t dead. I mean, I thought I did.”
“Did you put poison in his food, Owein?” Alarick’s question was gentle as he placed his hands on his lap.
“No!” Owein objected immediately.
“Did you go to the convention to help Borris drug anyone?” Alarick asked him.
“No,” Owein answered, shaking his head. “I can’t go anywhere, I’m just a pup.”
“Did you give Borris the poison to give to my father?” Alarick had his head cocked now, considering the boy as though searching for something.
“No,” he sputtered. “Where would I get poison?” He looked at me like the question was insane, not that I blamed him.
“Owein, can you tell me how you thought you were responsible for killing Alpha Raff? Because if you didn’t give anyone poison, or go to the convention, or put the poison in his food, I’m not quite sure I understand how you’re responsible.” Owein froze on my lap, looking frantically between us, a whimper slipping through his lips.
Alarick’s eyes were sharp as he stared at Owein. “Owein, did you do something to Borris before he left to go with my father?”
“Yes,” he whispered. Pixie’s wide eyes met mine, the green in them bright as she nodded, confirming the truth of his statement.