Chapter 177
Chapter 177
RHEA
A laugh erupts out of me, “Oh, you’ve got to be joking-”
His hand reaches out and catches mine. I try to pull it away from him, but he doesn’t let go.
“I can keep you safe,” He says slowly. “Just stay, Rhea, I know you think you’ve changed, you’re different. But I see her in you still. The part of you that aches. It aches to be normal, to be free. You can’t have that with him. He’ll just turn on you. He’ll only ruin you.”
“Let go of me, Cade.”
“No, listen to me. Don’t go back to him.”
“Why would I do that?” question before shaking my head. “You don’t know what’s going to come, and there’s no way you can help me in that. But he can, he understands and he will always choose me over anything and anyone. You will run to the Council the first minute you think I’m dangerous.”
My hand wraps around the wrist of the hand he’s holding mine.
His eyes flash in warning.
“I’m trying to help you.”
“You can’t.”
I feel him flinch, but his hand remains. It remains, like he still doesn’t believe what I’m saying. “Rhea, don’t—” I squeeze, hard enough for his fingers to let
go, to release me.
“I’ve to go.”
“You’re making a mistake. Don’t.”
I turn and start walking, unable to stand another moment in the Council headquarters with everything.
I don’t make it far before I stop and turn to Cade once more.
“I would’ve never died if I hadn’t killed his wolf and followed your Council’s orders. But it happened. I died, Cade. And I’ll never have that part of me back again, but at least I’ll know that I won’t have to suffer like that ever again if I have Aron.”
He doesn’t respond. And maybe that’s enough.
Releasing a breath, I turn back around and continue on my way, not letting any of this hold me back. I know well where I want to be, with who I want to
be and I don’t want to change that.
Because the truth is clear, as much as the Council is willing to help me, I don’t trust them. They want me gone and if it comes down to it, they won’t have
an issue putting me down.
They will never protect me, but Aron will.
He always does, no matter the consequences.
I reach the gates that are the exit from the Council grounds. Once I leave, I make my way into the bustling town that the council has settled in and try to find a phone booth.
When I do, I call the only number I can remember.
Aron’s.
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Chapter 177
He picks up on the second ring and immediately knows it’s me.
“Rhea,” He breathes out. “Where are you? Did the council–”
“I’m fine.” I quickly say before his anger surfaces. “They wanted to talk, so they took me.”
“I’m coming.”
“No. You can’t come here.”
“There’s no way I’m not-”
“Aron, they’re going to take you if they see you. They’ve got their warriors at the borders. And if you come here, you’ll just make it easier. I reason with him. “I’m fine. They didn’t do anything to me. They just took some of my blood and told me a few things.”
“I don’t care, Rhea. I’m coming to get you. I’m not far from the town. I’ll come-”
“No,” I snap. “Just don’t. They’ll take you, and I need you right now. With me, not inside a cell or dead.”
He’s quiet for a long while before he signs. “Fine. But I’ll send Kovas then. He’s with me.”
“But you’ve to go back.”
“Not until you’re with me.”
“I’ll come with him home, but you need to go back there, Aron. You can’t be lingering in the South. Someone’s going to recognise you and report to the council.”
“They won’t.”
I can’t argue with him any longer. My fingers press against my forehead.
“Where are you?”
“Send Kovas alone. Go home.” I repeat one last time.
“No.”
“Aron-”
“I’m not leaving you out there alone, Rhea. Not with those bastards around.”
“You’re not helping me by hovering like a threat they can smell from a mile away.”
“I don’t care if they smell me,” he growls. “I care if they touch you.”
“And I care that if you’re still out here when I’m back, they’re going to take you, and there won’t be a single thing I can do to change that. They want to know about your wolf, Aron. The one they think is dead. They’ll find him alive inside you. And you can’t let them, so please, go home. I’ll come with Kovas. Just go home and I’ll be back in no time. Please.”
He’s silent, silent and I wonder if I’ve made it through him, if I’ve somehow managed to get to him.
“Okay,” He finally says.
“Promise me.”
“I’ll go, Rhea. Just don’t be long.”
“I won’t.”
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Chapter 177
“Kovas will be there in an hour. Where are you?”
Hlook around my surroundings and see the street I’m on.
“14th street. There’s a cafe at the end. I’ll go there and wait.”
“Don’t leave.”
“I won’t.”
And that’s the end of the conversation. He’s hung up. I put the receiver down and exit the booth before going into the cafe to find a seat
It takes a while for Kovas to come. When he does, he’s already walking in and spotting me.
“Are you fine?”
“Yeah,” I get up from my seat. “They didn’t do anything to me.”
He nods and leads the way out. Before he opens the door of the car, I look behind, over at the phone booth where I had just been, and I see someone standing in it.
And that man is staring right at me.
I was right.
They assumed that Aron would come, and that they’d be able to get him too.
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