Luke impatiently tapped his fingers against the hard wood of the desk. He wanted to be out in the woods, not here, where he was duty-bound to listen as his uncle and the other elders droned on and on about the current affairs of the clan. He usually dealt with the business end of being Chief stoically, but not today. Tonight was a full moon and his blood boiled with the prospect of hunting in the woods beneath the glow of the winter moon.

He breathed a mournful sigh, hoping that this business would be over soon. They already knew every detail they needed to report to him, so why not just do it and avoid putting him through this misery?

Suddenly, the door to the study flew open.

His clansmen typically never interrupted a meeting, so Luke was taken aback by the intrusion. Even more, he didn’t expect a young man to come hurtling through the doorway. The boy landed on the floor with a heavy “thud” that looked as painful as it sounded. The kid groaned, but Luke ignored him in favor of the men who stepped into the room after.

“What is the meaning of this?” Luke posited the question in his sternest “Chieftain” voice. He nodded curtly toward the downed boy, who was currently looking up at him with wide eyes. He couldn’t tell if the kid was frightened or just merely stunned by the harsh landing.

“Chief.” Joe said as he bowed his head in deference. “Please forgive our intrusion, but there has been an incident and we request an audience.”

“Coming unannounced as you are-” Luke’s uncle began, but Luke cut him off with authoritative his hand. His uncle needed to understand that Luke was the Chief and he’d make his own damn decisions for himself.

In all honesty, he was grateful for the interruption.

What he didn’t like was the young and very white, non-Métis boy lying on his study floor. He had a sneaking suspicion this situation foreshadowed a problem he really didn’t need right now. He could feel a headache coming on...

“It is fine. I’ll hear him out.” Crossing his arms, he leaned back in his seat and narrowed his eyes at the young Métis man standing over the boy. “But Joe, your reason for this better be a hell of a good one.

“As everyone here is aware, my younger brother was viciously gunned down.” Joe began. He looked around the room, his eyes scanning all of the elders as if waiting for his words to sink in. Then, he pointed to the young man at his feet. “He was killed in cold blood by the very person you see right here.”

“That’s not true!” The accused cried. Luke shifted his gaze to the young male. The boy tried to struggle to his feet, but Joe forced him back onto his knees with more force than was strictly necessary. Fingers tangled themselves into the lad’s hair, holding him in place. The boy struggled against Joe’s hold, but a vicious tug on his hair stilled his movements.

“He killed Danny, you say?” Luke questioned as he immediately sat upright. He leaned forward in his chair. He studied the young man as if he could ascertain the truth of Joe’s accusation just by looking at the kid.

“Yes! His scent was all over Daniel after we found him at the cemetery. He trespassed onto the border of our outer perimeters and Daniel happened to be running it at the time.”

“We cannot just allow them to kill one of our own!”

Luke expected the outcry and wasn’t surprised when it came, but he cast a warning glance toward the man who’d spoken out of turn.

“We must avenge young Danny!” Another chimed in and Luke feared they might work themselves into a frenzy if their ire wasn’t reined in.

“You will be silent!” Luke said loudly and the study quickly fell into an uncomfortable silence. He rarely raised his voice and never had he done so to an elder before, but he would not allow his authority to come into question. “If anyone else speaks out of turn, they will be removed from this room. Am I understood?”

Satisfied with the silence that followed, Luke turned his gaze to Joe. “Until the boy’s guilt is ascertained, I’d rather you refrain from ripping every strand of hair out of his head just yet.” Luke reasoned. “We’ll save the scalping for later…”

He’d not really meant it as a joke. He’d only been trying to calm Joe – and the whole damnable situation – but he regretted the words as soon as he saw the young men in Joe’s hold flinch. Luke was sure the kid turned several shades paler – if that was even possible, given how pale he already was – and his gaze settled on Luke with fear in his eyes.

Luke sighed. When he spoke again, he did so in a quieter voice, but with no less authority. “Joe, release him. I won’t say it again.”

Joe finally relented his hold and Luke watched as the young man sunk back down to his hands and knees on the floor. He realized that Joe had essentially been holding him upright by the hair of his head.

He looked back at Joe, who glared at him with anger and frustration.

Luke understood the anger and the desire for justice that would never be served otherwise. Danny had been Luke’s second cousin on his mother’s side. The boy had been smart, albeit headstrong, just like his brother Joe. He’d skipped a couple of grades and had started taking college courses. Danny had been a source of pride for his family and for the clan.

Only seventeen years old…

But the kid sitting on his study floor was young as well, possibly only a couple or so years older than Daniel had been. Could Luke met out punishment just on Joe’s word alone? Could he trust that Joe wasn’t blinded by his thirst for vengeance?

No. He wouldn’t have too. He himself had taken in the strange scents that had come off of Daniel’s body after it had been discovered. One of those scents – the most prominent one – clearly belonged to this boy.

While his mind was occupied by the prisoner, Joe moved closer to Luke’s desk.

“Those who did this must be punished!” Joe demanded as he slammed a fist against the desk. Luke didn’t flinch at the sudden movement. He simply moved his gaze from the prisoner and focused it on Joe instead.

“You will keep hold of your temper, Joe.” Luke wasn’t ready to start a riot just yet. He wanted details before he decided upon any course of action. “Are there any other explanations for his scent being on your brother? Perhaps he knew him from college? Maybe they were friends?”

“They were not friends!” Joe hissed. “Danny wouldn’t have been friends with his kind. He’s chums with Bronson’s gang.”

Luke’s eyes widened and he slid his gaze back to the boy in question. “You sure he acted alone then?”

“Not really. I caught their scent as well.” Joe admitted. “But, like I said, his was all over him. We cannot allow him to live. He must pay for what he has done!”

Luke understood Joe’s desire for vengeance was borne out of grief. He was grieved that Danny was dead as well, but he would not sentence this man to death without first speaking to him about the incident. Luke leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together as he stared at the boy. Pale skin with a smattering of freckles, fair hair, and pink lips chapped from harsh winter winds.

“The stranger will live until he’s allowed to give his side of the story.” Luke finally declared. “I will speak with him first and then his fate will be decided.”