The Beast Within

Congregatio Luporum: Chapter Six

He came to us a broken thing.

I was not privy to his meeting with the council, but gossip spread quickly, and before the man had the chance to tell his story at dinner, the entire colony knew three things about him:

The first was that he begged the council to give him a way to atone for his sins.

The second was that he had been the right-hand man and most faithful servant to the Collector.

The third was that the council, for the first time in its history, was unsure about what to do.

Phelan came to my home shortly after the examination was concluded. It had been years since my friend sat on the council, but he had access to information that was shared among them, for they often sought the wisdom of past leaders.

And this time, it was agreed that every great mind would need to come together to solve the problem of the stranger.

"His name is John," Phelan said, "and his life, as he claims, has been an evil one. He rambled to the council about a monstrous king and asked them to decide his fate, even if it meant putting him to death."

I looked at Faye and my wife returned a confused—

"I know John," Credence interrupted with a gasp. "We have...a complicated past. The last time I saw him was..."

She paused, unsure she was prepared to tell the truth.

When she remained silent, her brother continued:

Yes, I would learn that John had a history with you.

The Collector wasn't unheard of in the colony, though no one but myself had ever been in its presence. Still, the mere mention of its name raised alarm and many saw John as a threat.

When word spread of who he was, some wanted his crimes to be answered with an execution.

But to kill one of our own was was unthinkable, no matter how wicked his past. It was a foreign and troubling concept. 

Dinner was very different that night. Instead of seating John as a guest of honor, the three long tables were laid in a triangle to block all escape routes. John stood in the center with the entire colony surrounding him.

His story would not be entertainment, it would be an inquisition.

John didn't oppose this arrangement, in fact, he welcomed it. He was ashamed of the life he'd led, and only asked that we not kill him before his tale had ended.

And what a story it was.

Born to cruel parents who had the gift of the wolf, his childhood was painted with violence. From an early age he was encouraged to be a killer, and he found pleasure in the pain and death of others. 

The more he spoke, the more distressed the colony became. A few parents took their children away to spare innocent ears from hearing terrible things. 

And then I recognized a part of his story as a part of my own: His starving pack attacked two children. A girl inflicted a wound on his mouth that wouldn't heal.

A bargain was made when the Collector found him.

When he talked of tracking the children and finding them near a fire, my fists curled. Faye leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Are you all right, my love?" she whispered. 

"I don't know."

I could see it clearly in my mind when he described the frightened girl crouching over the body of her dying brother.