The heavy door to Aveline's quarters closed behind her, and she leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. The meeting with Gabriel had left her mind spinning. His words, his cryptic warnings—they were impossible to ignore.
She walked through the small space, her thoughts bubbling into each other. Gabriel was alive. The truth she had yearned for was finally within reach, but it came tangled in riddles and half-truths. What did he mean about forces within their pack? Who could she trust?
Her eyes fell on the drawer where she had kept Gabriel's letter, and a different feeling went through her upon seeing the letter. She wanted to believe him, to hold onto the hope that the man she had loved was still on her side. But his unclearness troubled her.
The knock at her door startled her from her thoughts. She straightened, trying to arrange herself. When she opened the door, her father stood there, with an unreadable expression.
"Aveline," he said while stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "We need to talk."
She crossed her arms. "What is it, Father?"
He stood there without saying anything for a while just looking at her and trying to study her thought. finally, he said, "I know this is a difficult time for you, but you need to stay focused."
Her brow heightened. "I am focused."
"No, you're distracted," he replied sharply. "I've seen the way you've been acting since the gathering started. Your head isn't where it needs to be, and that's dangerous for you and for the pack."
Aveline raises her voice at his tone. "I'm doing my duty, Father. Just because I'm not everywhere doesn't mean I'm weak."
He sighed, and his shoulders dropped slightly. "This isn't about weakness, Aveline. It's about priorities. The pack cannot afford for you to be caught up in personal matters right now. Whatever is disturbing your mind, you need to set it aside."
She tightened her jaw instantly and said. "And what if those personal matters are tied to the pack's safety? What if—"
"Enough," he interrupted, with a firm voice. "The council is watching you closely, especially Elder Thorne. If they discover your decision-making involves emotions or you hesitate in any form, they'll use it against you. Do you understand?"
Aveline swallowed hard, nodding despite the storm of anger inside her.
"Good," he said. "Now get ready. Tonight's dinner is critical. Show them the warrior you are, not the girl they think they can manipulate."
With that, he left, leaving Aveline alone with her thoughts once again.
The dining hall was grandeur, filled with murmurs in low conversations and the sounds of silverware. Aveline sat at the end of one long table, her gaze searching the room. Warriors, council members, and emissaries from both packs filled the space, their expressions ranging from guarded to openly curious.
Elder Thorne, seated across from her, met her eye and gave a thin smile. The old wolf was as sharp as ever, his eyes set Aveline on edge.
"You seem preoccupied tonight, Aveline," he said, his tone light but filled with insinuation. "I hope the gathering hasn't been too overwhelming."
She forced a polite smile. "Not at all. It's an important opportunity for both packs."
"Indeed," he said, shaking the wine in his glass. "Though I imagine it must be complicated, given recent revelations."
Her stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
She forced a polite smile. "Not at all. It's an important opportunity for both packs."
"Indeed," he said, shaking the wine in his glass. "Though I imagine it must be complicated, given recent revelations."
Her stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
Thorne leaned forward slightly, with a low voice. "Oh, just that certain connections can make diplomacy more personal. Take your history with Gabriel, for instance."
Aveline's grip on her fork tightened, but she kept her look neutral. "My history with Gabriel is irrelevant to the matters at hand."
"Of course," Thorne said, with a wide smile. "Still, it must be unsettling to see him now, leading the very pack that has been our rival for so long. One has to wonder what led him down such a path."
She looked at him abruptly. "If you have something to say, Elder Thorne, say it."
He chuckled softly. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of making accusations. I'm merely observing. But I do hope you're careful, Aveline. Trust is a fragile thing, especially in times like these."
Her mind raced after hearing his last words. Was he hinting at something? Did he know more about Gabriel's disappearance than he was letting on?
After the dinner, Aveline moved to the training grounds, needing to clear her head. The cool night air was all she needed at the moment, but she welcomed the distraction of people still awake.
Elder Thorne's words kept replaying in her mind, each one increasing her doubts further. He had always been a cunny and calculating person on the council, but now she couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something.
Could he have been involved in Gabriel's "death"? The thought sent a chill down her spine. But if Thorne was involved, how deep did the conspiracy go? And who else might be involved?
Aveline swung her blade at a training dummy, the move helped her burn off some of her frustration. She couldn't afford to let her emotions be the master of her judgment. Not now.
When Aveline returned to her room for some alone time, someone suddenly stepped out of the shadows. Aveline reached for her dagger immediately, but the man raised his hands to signify peace.
"It's me," he said, with a low and familiar voice.
She slightly relaxed herself after recognizing Cassian, Gabriel's second-in-command.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, with a low voice.
"I came to warn you," he said, looking around to ensure they were alone. "Gabriel isn't the man you think he is."
Cassian stepped closer, and his tone became urgent. "The pack he's leading now, it's not just another rival pack. The pack is filled with rogues, mercenaries, and wolves who answer only to him. And they are loyal to a fault, the cost of their loyalty isn't something you'd want to know."
Aveline's mind felt uneasy again. "What are you saying? That Gabriel is dangerous?"
"I'm saying he's changed," Cassian said. "Whatever you think you knew about him, forget it. The man you loved is gone."
She looked at him with her heart beating faster than ever. "Why should I believe you? You're his second. Aren't you supposed to be loyal to him?"
Cassian kept his cool before saying. "I am loyal to a fault. But there are lines I won't even cross. And Gabriel "He's not the man he used to be."
Aveline tried to look carefully and thoroughly at him to confirm his sincerity.
"What does he want from me?" she asked.
Cassian didn't want to answer initially, but then he said, "That's something you'll have to confirm by yourself. But whatever he tells you, always remember this: He's playing a game. And you're a piece on his board."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Aveline standing alone, her thoughts filled with mixed emotions.
Aveline sat on the edge of her bed. Cassian's warning kept troubling her mind, clashing with the hope she had held to since seeing Gabriel again.
Was Cassian telling the truth? Had Gabriel truly changed? Or was this just another layer of deception in a game she didn't yet understand?
Her hand moved over the drawer, where the letter lay hidden. For the first time, she didn't want anything to do with the letter.
suddenly, she heard a knock at her door. but when she opened the door, there was no one there but just a folded piece of paper on the floor.
She picked it up, her hands kept shaking as she unfolded it. The message was short:
"Beware those closest to you. The wolves in sheep's clothing are watching."
Aveline's heart kept pounding with the letter in her hand. The game was growing more dangerous, and she was caught in the center of it.
But one thing was clear if she wanted answers, she would have to uncover the truth herself, no matter the cost.