Arrow Inferno

***

"Can you please come forward, Alpha Jeremy?" The High Priestess called with a delightful smile on her face. Like the other members of council, she looked thrilled that their alpha had found his mate.

They were in the cozy and beautifully decorated council meeting room with the Members of the Council. The Council was the highest body of authority in the pack. It was made up of eight elders, headed by the High Priestess. Gloria and Joel were both members of the council. The only non-council members present were the alpha himself, Ryan, Philip, Stan, and Paige. The meeting had commenced with the alpha introducing his mate to the council. The members were thrilled. Although two had raised the obvious issue of an heir to the throne, they'd all agreed that Luna knew best. Members had unanimously agreed that the mating ceremony could take place that evening. All that was left was for the High Priestess to ask for Luna's blessing and protection for the upcoming ceremony. After that, they could go and inform the pack and then begin preparation for the ceremony.

Everything had gone better than Jeremy had expected. The council had been too thrilled for him they hadn't opposed his request to do the ceremony that very evening. Jeremy was very happy. He planned on showing his mate some good time that evening. He was going to show Ryan how to party, werewolf style. Jeremy squeezed Ryan's hand reassuringly and stood up to approach the High Priestess.

"At this point, I'll ask for complete silence as we ask for Luna's guidance for our Alpha." The voice of the High Priestess filled the room. "We ask Luna to guide his steps, thoughts, and heart as he claims his lifetime partner tonight." The priestess picked up a wand. "We ask for protection during the ceremony." She smiled as she reached out towards Jeremy with the wand in her hand. "Even as we make merry and have fun, we..." The wand touched Jeremy's forehead... Then all hell broke loose!

The high priestess gave a loud cry and went into a trance, her eyes completely white and unfocused. Jeremy tried to raise his head but the wand kept him exactly where he was. The people in the room looked confused as they stared at the High Priestess and the suddenly glowing statue of Luna behind her. No one in that room...not even the council member who was over a century old...remembered ever seeing that statue glow hot red as it was doing that very moment. It meant just one thing. Luna was pissed!

"You have wronged him and disrespected me." The High Priestess said in an eerie voice. "You have to be punished."

A collective gasp went up from the people in the room.

"What's going on?" Paige gasped with a confused look. "Philip?" But Philip looked frozen. "Stan?"

"Not now Paige," Stan mumbled.

Ryan looked lost. He didn't know what was going on. All he knew was that everyone seemed tense in the room. Jeremy hadn't moved from where he stood in front of the High Priestess. He looked to where Gloria sat and felt a shudder of dread slither down his spine. She looked...terrified. And it broke Ryan's heart to see such a strong woman reduced to a terrified creature.

"What does it mean?" Ryan asked no one in particular.

"At this point, I'll recuse Gloria Stanton and Joel Harrington." The High Priestess, who was no longer in a trance, announced. She looked all business. "The rest of the council should please stand around the alpha. Bring your wands." She instructed.

"Why are they being recused?" Ryan asked as he watched the council members move to form a circle around his mate. "Philip?"

"As his mother and mentor, their emotions may interfere with the council's consultation with Luna. They may not be as objective as they should be so...they can't be in the circle." "Objective about what?" Ryan asked but Philip's attention was fully back on the council and his alpha.

The council, including the High Priestess, raised their wands high above their heads, pointing to the middle above Jeremy's head. The council members seemed to be in a trance. Their eyes were closed and they appeared to be listening to something. A bright red light shot up from the tip of each wand after about five minutes and came together high above Jeremy's head. The light exploded on top of Jeremy's head as though it was a fourth of July celebration. Then the council members snapped out of their trance and took steps back...away from the alpha.

"It's been decided." The High Priestess said in a loud authoritative voice. "Alpha Jeremy is sentenced to the Fort."

Gloria's pitiful moan drew Ryan's attention to her. The elder he'd come to see as a very strong woman was shaking, her fists clenched tightly in her lap. One look at her tight and terrified face showed how hard she was trying to keep in her scream. Ryan didn't have to be a genius to deduce that the Fort was a very bad thing...or place. He turned to Philip...

"What does Fort..." But before he could complete his sentence, the High Priestess was speaking again.

"You will be there for two years." A pained gasp tore out of Joel's throat at that decree. "You have a day to put your house in order. Get the one you want to be Alpha in your absence ready. You leave at midnight tomorrow. Sorry." The elderly woman added quietly.

The High Priestess' final word was like the sound of a rap of a gavel, indicating the closing of proceedings with a symbolic finality. Along with those words came Gloria Stanton's scream.

"What does it mean?" Ryan's muttered, looking around frantically but none of the people he knew looked sane enough to answer him.

Gloria was screaming and Paige was bawling her eyes out. Even some of the council members were in tears. Ryan watched as Jeremy bowed, showing his respect for the High Priestess and her elders, and then turned around and headed directly towards him. Ryan stood up and waited for Jeremy, unable to read the expression on his face. He could however feel the calmness within the alpha. It almost looked as if he was content with whatever the Fort verdict meant. "Jeremy..." Ryan began but Jeremy grabbed his hand and turned towards the door.

"Let's get out of here." He said softly. "I don't have much time."

"What's going on? What's the Fort? What does it mean?" But Jeremy didn't answer. "Jeremy answer me please." Ryan was getting desperate. "Jeremy!" He hissed as he yanked his hand out of Jeremy's and stood still. Jeremy turned to face him. "I'm not taking another step till you tell me what that was all about." He said through clenched teeth.

Jeremy stared at his mate. The man who had come to mean so much to him. The man who was the center of his world. The man against whom he'd committed the greatest sin. He couldn't believe he wasn't going to see that sweet face for two whole years. But he knew he deserved whatever punishment Luna meted out to him.

"I'll explain everything Ryan," Jeremy said quietly. "But right now, I just want to get out of here. Please."