Chapter 176
Chapter 176
RHEA
They offer me tea, and I don’t know if that’s a polite gesture or if there’s something in that. So, I don’t accept. All I want is to be out of here, especially now that I’ve been released from those restraints.
The only way to leave is to convince them that I’m not in any danger, or that I won’t become one. I’m sure I can control my wolf, control the urges to hunt. It’ll take some work, but I can manage.
The man in the middle, Councilman Deras, now that I’ve learned his name, has been watching me in a way that I find unnerving.
“I’m certain you’ve other concerns bigger than me. Don’t you?” I tilt my head and say.
It’s been hours. So many hours, and all I want to do is run back and just rest.
“You are our biggest concern as of now.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “What is it that I can do then? I don’t know the witch who did this to me, I don’t know if she can reverse it. And frankly, I don’t know anything that will help.”
“We’re not here to punish you-”
“Then let me go. If you can figure out a way to solve my madness, to make it better, then do it, but until then, let me be. I’ve been handling myself perfectly, and I can promise that there won’t be any more deaths.”
“Your promises mean little,” he replies. “When you’re losing yourself, you’re becoming an animal that doesn’t think. That can’t stop. Do you understand?”
“Then you must also understand that I’ve been here for hours, no longer restrained. If I wanted to, I would’ve started tearing your heads apart, but I haven’t.” I remind him. “That is control, which I have.”
I don’t lie about this. Every nerve ending in my body
to
do that, but I force myself not to.
At least not until I’ve my own orders in place.
“You do make a point. But we still need to consider that releasing you means letting go of a threat out into our world that is capable of anything.”
I lean forward from my chair, “But I haven’t done anything!”
Deras doesn’t reply to that.
“I don’t know what more you want from me,” I say, quieter now. “You want me to fall on my knees and beg? Swear myself to some Council code you all pretend isn’t corrupt? I’m not a danger, not unless someone forces my hand. And if you’re that certain I’ll become one, then kill me when it happens. But let me go home now.”
I can’t do this any longer. And thankfully, there’s some part of that the Council Head that he considers my request.
He rises up from his seat and turns to the other two who are still here, still taking notes, more like examining my behaviour. Perhaps to see when I’d finally become the rabid animal they fear, or to see if I’m lying about something.
“I’ll take your request into account, Rhea. Only because you are one of us and you’ve had a history of serving us. And we‘ thankful for the efforts you made in ensuring that one of our problems was dealt with—”
He’s talking about Aron, and the poison I gave him.
1/3
18:14 Wed, 21 May MD.
They offer me tea, and I don’t know if that’s a polite gesture or if there’s something in that. So, I don’t accept. All I want is to be out of here, especially now that I’ve been released from those restraints.
The only way to leave is to convince them that I’m not in any danger, or that I won’t become one. I’m sure I can control my wolf, control the urges to hunt. It’ll take some work, but I can manage.
The man in the middle, Councilman Deras, now that I’ve learned his name, has been watching me in a way that I find unnerving.
“I’m certain you’ve other concerns bigger than me. Don’t you?” I tilt my head and say.
It’s been hours. So many hours, and all I want to do is run back and just rest.
“You are our biggest concern as of now.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “What is it that I can do then? I don’t know the witch who did this to me, I don’t know if she can reverse it. And frankly, I don’t know anything that will help.”
“We’re not here to punish you-”
“Then let me go. If you can figure out a way to solve my madness, to make it better, then do it, but until then, let me be. I’ve been handling myself perfectly, and I can promise that there won’t be any more deaths.”
“Your promises mean little,” he replies. “When you’re losing yourself, you’re becoming an animal that doesn’t think. That can’t stop. Do you understand?”
“Then you must also understand that I’ve been here for hours, no longer restrained. If I wanted to, I would’ve started tearing your heads apart, but I haven’t.” I remind him. “That is control, which I have.”
I don’t lie about this. Every nerve ending in my body wants to do that, but I force myself not to.
At least not until I’ve my own orders in place.
“You do make a point. But we still need to consider that releasing you means letting go of a threat out into our world that is capable of anything.”
I lean forward from my chair, “But I haven’t done anything!”
Deras doesn’t reply to that.
“I don’t know what more you want from me,” I say, quieter now. “You want me to fall on my knees and beg? Swear myself to some Council code you all pretend isn’t corrupt? I’m not a danger, not unless someone forces my hand. And if you’re that certain I’ll become one, then kill me when it happens. But let me go home now.”
I can’t do this any longer. And thankfully, there’s some part of that the Council Head that he considers my request.
He rises up from his seat and turns to the other two who are still here, still taking notes, more like examining my behaviour. Perhaps to see when I’d finally become the rabid animal they fear, or to see if I’m lying about something.
“I’ll take your request into account, Rhea. Only because you are one of us and you’ve had a history of serving us. And we’re thankful for the efforts you made in ensuring that one of our problems was dealt with—”
He’s talking about Aron, and the poison I gave him.
1/2
་་་ས་
3+ 04/0
(+20)
Chapter 176
The worst part? They don’t know that Kael is still alive.
“So I can leave?” I quickly rise up on my feet.
“You can,” he nods. “But we will be keeping close watch on you, and we’ll be in contact.”
“Sure.”
“Where are you going to go?” He questions, his gaze narrowing.
“Where do you think?” I arch my brow. “Home, of course.”
“And which home is that? The one in the south, where your family still lives, not too far from here, or the one where a prisoner resides that should’ve been brought in already?”
Right.
I swallow hard before answering. “I need Aron’s help. He’ll ensure that the madness is contained, that if it ever becomes an issue, he’ll be there to help.”
Deras steps forward, closer to me, his tall frame towering over mine.
“Our wolves will continue to watch the borders of the BloodClaw pack. And if they see Aron at any time of the day or the month, they have orders to bring him in for his crimes.”
I avoid responding to it at all. “So, am I free to go now?”
“Ah, yes, of course.” He steps away from the door.
I force a smile on my face before I start walking out of the same room I’ve been in for hours. I don’t even know what day it is anymore.
I waste no time leaving the headquarters. Unfortunately, there’s something within, something they injected me with earlier that can’t help me shift, so until that has passed, I can’t shift.
It’s a long fucking way, even if I take a bus.
The warm sunlight hits my face as I walk through the gardens that stretch across the Council grounds. Once I leave this place, I can find a phone to call Aron, to tell him that I’m alright, and perhaps hitch a ride.
“Rhea!” The familiar voice comes to me, and I almost stop.
But then I register it, his voice, Cade’s voice and the betrayal. He ought to be the one who informed the council about me, after I begged him not to.
“Rhea!” He calls out again, and this time, I don’t walk. I just stay still and wait for him.
And I can smell him before he comes into my line of vision.
He stands in front of me now, a concerned look on his face.
“You told the council about me, didn’t you? That I was alive. Why?”
“I couldn’t-”
“Of course, you couldn’t.”
“Rhea,” He steps closer and I just back away. “I was scared you were going to turn, that you were going to become like him. And I didn’t want that for you.”
2/3
18:15 Wed, 21 May
Chapter 176
MU
健64%
“Why?” I breathe out. “I rejected you. Why do you care about what I become or not?”
“Because you were my mate. We were mates before Aron changed all that, before he forced you to be his
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Cade-”
“It does, Rhea.” He steps in, closer to me. Too close for my comfort. “It could’ve all been different. You would’ve been with me.”
“I can’t change the past.”
“But you can change what’s going to happen.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Don’t go back there. To him. To the man who ruined your life, who ruined everything for us. Don’t let him have what’s left of you. He’s taken enough already, Rhea.”
AD
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