The soft rustling of leaves outside the council hall accompanied Aveline's quick steps. She had arranged to meet Gabriel in one of the pack's quieter courtyards, where the rising moon was shining on the stone benches and flowerbeds. She had told herself this was merely a conversation, a way to uncover the truth. Yet, as she approached, her heart crashed with a mix of determination and unease.
Gabriel stood by the fountain, his broad shoulders demarcated against the night sky. He turned when he heard her approach, his expression calm but unreadable.
"Aveline," he greeted, his voice low but steady. "What brings you here so late?"
"I needed to talk," she said, keeping her tone light despite the heavy intentions and many questions she had inside. "About everything that's been happening."
Gabriel offered her the bench beside him, but she remained standing. His gaze fixed on her for a moment before he dropped the attitude and leaned against the fountain's edge.
"All right," he said. "Talk."
Aveline crossed her arms, studying him carefully. "The alliance, the ambush at the border, your sudden rise to power, none of it adds up, Gabriel. You've always been honest with me before, but now… I don't even recognize you."
Gabriel's jaw tightened, but he gave her a faint smile. "I'm still the same man, Aveline. Some things have changed, yes, but not who I am."
"Then explain it to me," she pressed. "Why did you take over the rival pack? What sacrifices did Cassian mean when he said you're ruining everything? And why won't you tell me the truth?"
For a moment, Gabriel said nothing. He shifted his gaze to the water dropping from the fountain, the sound of the water became audible due to the silence that existed amongst them.
He finally spoke with his voice full of regret, "Some truths are more dangerous than lies," he said. "You're asking questions that could put you in harm's way."
"I can handle myself," Aveline shot back. "What I can't handle is being left in the dark."
Gabriel turned to face her fully, his eyes locking onto hers. "You're not in the dark. You're standing in the middle of a battlefield, whether you realize it or not."
His words brought a lot of memories that washed over Aveline. She saw Gabriel as he once was, her anchor, her confidant. She remembered the nights they spent planning ways to protect the pack, his unwavering faith in her abilities, and the quiet moments when he had been her source of strength.
One memory stood out vividly. It was after her mother's death that grief had threatened to consume her. Gabriel had found her in the woods, with her eyes totally from the number of tears she had shed from the horrors of her mother's death.
"You're stronger than this," he had said while kneeling before her. "You don't have to face it alone, Aveline am always here for you".
That Gabriel, the one who had believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself, who could take worlds apart for her is now different from the man standing before her now, covered in secrets and half-truth.
"Why won't you trust me?" she asked, with a whispered voice.
Gabriel relaxes his expression, but only for a moment. "It's not about trust, Aveline. It's about survival."
Gabriel stepped closer with a lower voice. "You think I'm the only one hiding things, but you're wrong. There's a threat in your pack, Aveline. Someone you trust isn't what they seem."
Her breath caught. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying you need to be extra careful," Gabriel replied. "Not everyone who claims loyalty to the pack has its best interests at heart. And that includes Elder Thorne."
Aveline's heart sank. Thorne had always been a big presence in the pack, his decisions are respected and his loyalty remains unquestioned. But the hidden conversation she'd overheard the night before suddenly became clear in her mind.
"What do you know about Thorne?" she demanded.
Gabriel shook hi head and said. "Aveline I will advise you to be careful about the games out there but I don't have enough answers to what you want. its a lot of dangerous games out there."
His words left her confused. Could Thorne be hiding something? And if so, what was his endgame? Her loyalty to the pack warred with her growing suspicion, leaving her caught in an impossible situation.
"Why should I believe you?" she asked, her voice occupied with bitterness. "You've already lied to me once. You faked your death, Gabriel. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"
Gabriel's face hardened, but there was pain in his eyes. "I did what I had to do to protect you, Aveline. And I'd do it again if it meant keeping you safe."
His words struck got to her, and she clenched her fists. "Maybe I didn't need protecting. Maybe I just needed the truth."
"And maybe the truth would have destroyed you," he shot back. "Did you ever think of that?"
The tension between them became electric, their shared history also took a big toll on the conversation at hand. Gabriel took a step back and ran a hand through his hair.
"You have no idea how much I've sacrificed for you and all this," he mentioned angrily.
Gabriel paused at the edge of the courtyard while taking his leave, he looked at her and said "You're playing a dangerous game, Aveline," he said it while being inaudible due to the fountain sound and without looking back. "I hope you know what's at stake."
Before she could respond, he was lost into the shadows, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Aveline's heart raced as his words kept playing in her mind. What did he mean by "the stakes"? And why did it feel like the more she uncovered, the less she truly understood?
As Aveline stood there, fighting with her emotions, a sharp knock on the courtyard gate startled her. A young scout burst in, his face pale and his breathing labored.
"Miss Aveline," he gasped. "Urgent news from the council. You're needed immediately."
Her chest tightened. "What's happened?"
"It's Elder Thorne," the scout replied, his voice trembling. "There's been…an incident. He's calling for you."
The chill of Gabriel's warning crept over her as she followed the scout into the night. Whatever was waiting for her at the council hall, she knew one thing for certain—nothing would ever be the same again.