An unnerving silence marked the journey to the rival pack's territory. Aveline sat as if she were on edge in the carriage, and the Alpha and her father were seated beside her. Her fingers tapped restlessly on the hilt of her dagger, her mind a storm of emotions. Gabriel's letter haunted her thoughts, its cryptic words leaving more questions than answers.
"I never left you."
Those words kept playing in her mind repeatedly as the carriage rolled on, each turn of the wheels pulling her closer to a truth she wasn't ready to face. Elder Thorne's warnings played on repeat as well. "Be vigilant, Aveline. Trust no one—not even those you think you know."
The rival pack's stronghold finally appeared further ahead, its dark stone walls towering like silent sentinels against the fading sunlight. The sight was both awesome and frightening, a reminder of what was at stake in the gathering.
As they passed through the gates, Aveline couldn't ignore the number of eyes on her. Warriors lined the walls, their expressions unreadable, their presence a constant reminder of where they were to them and that they were in enemy territory.
"We're not here to make friends," Elder Thorne murmured, his sharp gaze scanning their surroundings. "Keep your guard up."
Aveline nodded silently, and her alertness increased. The courtyard was filled with lots of tension as packs from neighboring territories arrived, their faces mixed with curiosity and unease. The atmosphere was electric, charged with unspoken hostility.
But Aveline's focus remained singular. The mystery of Gabriel's death—or survival—was all she could think about.
The sound of a horn silenced the crowd, drawing all eyes to a raised platform at the far end of the courtyard. The rival pack's leaders stood there, their presence commanding.
And then, he appeared.
Gabriel.
Aveline's breath seized as he stepped forward. Time seemed to freeze, the world narrowing to the man standing before her. He was alive. The realization hit her like a tidal wave, the ground beneath her seems to shift.
He was different. His once wild, carefree energy had been replaced by a steely composure. He looked older, more battle-worn, his green eyes holding a depth she didn't recognize.
Gasps rippled through her pack, whispers erupting like wildfire.
"Gabriel?" one of the warriors murmured in disbelief.
Aveline's heart thundered as her mind scrambled for answers. He was alive—and not just alive, but the Alpha of their rival pack.
Her emotions churned—relief, anger, betrayal—all colliding within her. She twisted her fists, forcing herself to remain strongly composed.
Gabriel's gaze swept the crowd, but when it landed on her, it lingered. The intensity in his eyes was a silent acknowledgment, one that left her reeling.
The formalities began, with speeches and introductions, but Aveline barely heard them. Her thoughts were consumed by Gabriel's presence, by the endless questions now raging in her mind.
Why had he let her believe he was dead? Why was he standing here, leading their enemies?
And then came the moment she had dreaded.
"The Alpha has requested a private audience with you," a rival warrior informed her.
Her stomach dropped as Gabriel came close to her.
He led her out of the hall, the noise of the crowd fading as they walked down a minimal-lit corridor. The silence between them was heavy, each step they made kept echoing in the small space.
They stopped in a small chamber, the heavy door closing behind them with a loud sound. Gabriel turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Aveline's heart pounded in her chest, and her anger and confusion showed all over her person.
"Gabriel," she said, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to sound steady.
He turned slowly, his eyes fixed solely on hers.
"Aveline," he said, with a similar tone she is accustomed to only this time with a firmness she isn't used to from him.
She stared at him, her chest filled with mixed emotions she couldn't understand. Relief. Anger. Confusion.
"You're alive," she finally said, with a low voice that was closer to a whisper.
"I am," he replied, his tone calm but filled with something she couldn't place.
Her fists tightened. "Do you have any idea what you have made me gonen through? What you've put all of us through?"
He looked away, his jaw tightening. "I had no choice."
"No choice?" Her voice rose, anger overtaking her shock. "You let me mourn you, Gabriel. You let me believe you were gone forever. How could you do that?"
Gabriel stepped closer to her with his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and resolve. "Because it was the only way to keep you safe."
Her heart pounded. "Safe from what?"
"From forces you don't yet understand," he said, his voice low.
"Then make me understand!" she demanded, her frustration boiling over.
He hesitated, the silence between them went cold. "I can't. Not yet."
Aveline's hands trembled as she fought to keep her composure. "You owe me the truth, Gabriel. After everything that's happened"
"I owe you more than you can imagine," he interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "And I will give you the truth, Aveline. But not here. Not now."
She stepped back and shook her head. "You expect me to trust you after all of this? After you lied to me, abandoned me?"
"I never abandoned you," he said, his tone unwavering. "Not for a moment."
His words went through her and immediately extinguished the anger burning in her, awakening something deep within her. But before she could respond, the door opened, and a rival warrior entered.
"Alpha," the warrior said. "You're needed in the council chamber."
Gabriel's look fixed on her for a moment longer before he nodded.
"This isn't over," he said softly as a promise.
Gabriel turned and went with the warrior, immediately leaving Aveline alone in the room with her mixed emotions
As Aveline made her way back to her quarters, her mind was bubbling with various thoughts. Gabriel was alive. He claimed he had staged his death to protect her. But from what? And why now, of all times, had he revealed himself?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a movement outside her window. She froze and her senses were on high alert. Something or someone was out there.
She moved to the window, her eyes searching the darkness. For a short moment, she thought she saw a shadow disappear between the trees, too fast to be natural.
Her heart raced as she stepped back from the window, her mind racing with possibilities. Was it a rival scout? Or was it something far more dangerous?
Whatever it was, she knew one thing for certain: the gathering was only the beginning. The truth Gabriel spoke of was buried deep, and unearthing it would come at a price.