CHAPTER 143: Imprisoned
ARON
“You have been asked to stand within the Council’s presence and give an account of your actions. You have violated the rules and traditions of this land, of our ancestors. The crimes that you have been accused of have been verified and deemed true.” The man on the far left, standing, says loudly. “You’ve been charged with the following violations–use of dark magic and other such means to gain and control the power over multiple packs. Violating the sacred laws by murdering and slaughtering the members of those packs that refused your command. Going against the Council’s orders multiple times, and threatening the very foundation of this system’s existence.”
It has only been five minutes, and I can feel a headache brewing.
“Oh, just get on with it.” I groan, my hands tightening on the arms of the chair.
The room isn’t that much of a big place, but there are at least a hundred wolves, the councilmen and others who are here. It‘ s a grand meeting, and I can tell that everyone’s waiting for the verdict.
The man on the left clears his throat and continues. This time, he cuts to the chase.
“You’re charged with high crimes against our laws. Therefore, you’ll be stripped of all your titles, of all your packs and all the land that you have claimed. You’ll be imprisoned for the duration that is determined–two years. Until then, you will remain under strict observation and take no position as a member of the Bloodclaw Pack upon your release, or any pack.” Right.
“Do you understand the verdict?”
I take another deep breath. My skin is itching, and my eyes won’t focus.
“I understand,” I grit through my teeth.
“You’ll remain under the Council’s custody for the remaining two years, in the High Prison,” the man says again.
Two years.
Clearly not long enough. But I go with it.
It’s the best thing I can have right now. Some quietness and peace from all of this chaos that my mind has been in for the last couple of years.
Perhaps the death of my wolf was the best thing that could ever happen to me.
Or the worse.
I still wasn’t sure.
It has been a few blurry days.
Once the crowd begins to clear, Kovas approaches me, leaving the rest of my men behind.
“I think you’re finding some enjoyment from all of this.” He states.
“Far from that.” My eyes trail around the room, and the other members who still linger. “But it had to come to this one day, sooner or later.” I take a few steps, my body still recovering.
I’m tired, weak and I’m fucking done with it all.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come up with an escape from all of this? Because I can do that.” Kovas‘ voice is low and quiet.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve to pay for the crimes I committed.”
“Aron-”
“Kovas, let it go.” My head snaps to his. “The things I have done, the people I have killed have stained my hands in blood for the rest of my life. I know I can escape anytime if I want to. But right now, I just need some time to be alone and to think. And I can’t do that anywhere but here.”
“In a fucking prison?”
“Oh, we all know it’s not a prison. How many prisoners has the Council captured in the past decade? Close to none. Trust me, I’ll be fine.”
“I can’t just leave you here and go back.”
“But you have to.”
Successfully unlocked!
Kovas doesn’t respond for a long moment. He just stares at me like he doesn’t recognise the man standing in front of him. Maybe he doesn’t. Hell, I don’t even recognise myself anymore. I’ve never spoken this quietly, this… tiredly. There’s no rage left, no Kael clawing his way through my chest, no burning ache that wants to destroy everything in reach. It’s all gone. Hollow.
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CHAPTER 143: Imprisoned
“You sound like you’ve already given up,” Kovas finally mutters.
“I haven’t.” I shake my head.
“What about…” he pauses for a moment, trying to find the right words and the way he should say it, but I already know what
he wants to say.
“Rhea?” I look away from him and take a deep breath. “She was never mine, never will be. Wherever she is, let her be.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.” My tone is flat, final. “She chose her path. I chose mine. It ends here.”
A man behind clears his throat and interrupts both of us. It’s not a councilman, but one of the council warriors who approaches me.
“Mr. Doro, your time to leave is here.” He states.
“Right.” I look over at Kovas, who looks like he has something more to say but doesn’t.
“I’ll see you soon.” I nod and then step past him.
The High Prison is near the temple grounds where they had once told me to come. There’s a mountain beyond it where the Council’s prison lies. I’ve heard of it, never been in, but I suppose that will change today.
Another pair of warriors joins the one that’s escorting me toward a vehicle that waits for us.
They don’t bind my hands. There’s no point in that.
They know very well that this is only happening because I let it happen. Otherwise, it would all be different.
It could take Kovas a few hours and a witch from the land of magic to rebirth my wolf, and I could destroy everyone all over again. But those aren’t my intentions anymore.
I lost the only thing that ever mattered to me, and I won’t get her back. Ever. There’s absolutely no fucking point of anything.
I deserve it.
What she did.
It was fair.
A man in dark robes greets me as I’m taken inside.
“Aron of BloodClaw,” he says. “You’ve chosen exile.”
“I’ve chosen silence,” I answer. My voice comes out rough. “You’ll give me that?”
He studies me for a moment before stepping aside. The warriors that came along with me began to make their way back onto the grounds above while I remain here, within these dark walls.
“You’ll have a room. You’ll be fed. And no one will come unless called.”
“Good.”
I step through the doors as he leads me to the stairs. It takes a while, we make through several hallways until we’re in the highest section of the structure.
The robed man takes me into one room and leaves immediately.
It’s a barred room, a little too bare for my taste. But I go along with it.
The click of the key echoes into the silence that’s within the tower as he locks me in. I don’t protest or do anything at all.
I sit down on the edge of the bed and just breathe. It was going to come to this. I just didn’t expect it like this.
My father always said that anything that rises too quickly is bound to come crashing down even faster. And this is me crashing down.
My wolf is gone.
She’s gone.
And so am I.
There’s no rage.
And neither any redemption. Not for my soul.
But maybe this is it. The ending.
