The Past
The days following Noelle's tense confrontation with Bethany were a blur of meetings, patrols, and whispers. The packs were restless, the prospect of a treaty between Micky's pack and hers stirring both hope and dissent.
Noelle, however, found herself unable to focus. The encounter with Bethany had reopened wounds she thought she had buried long ago, and the emotions she had worked so hard to suppress now clawed their way to the surface.
She stood on the edge of the training grounds one morning, watching the warriors practice their formations. The rhythmic clash of steel and the sharp bark of commands filled the air, but Noelle's mind was elsewhere.
The memory of Bethany's tearful apology played over and over in her head, mingling with fragments of their shared past—late nights whispering secrets, stolen laughter in the face of adversity, and the moment Bethany had vanished without a word.
"You've been staring at them for an hour. They're starting to think you're judging their footwork."
Noelle turned to find Darren, the pack's beta, standing a few feet away, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. His easy demeanor was a stark contrast to the tension that had taken root in the pack since Micky's arrival.
"I'm not judging anything," she said, forcing a smile. "Just… thinking."
"Dangerous habit," Darren teased, stepping closer. His tone softened as he added, "You've been off ever since the treaty talks started.
Want to talk about it?"
Noelle hesitated. Darren was a trusted friend, but the weight of her emotions felt too personal, too raw to share. "It's nothing," she said finally. "Just trying to wrap my head around everything."
Darren didn't look convinced, but he didn't press. "Well, if you need a sparring partner to clear your head, you know where to find me."
"Thanks," Noelle said, grateful for the out.
As Darren walked away, her gaze drifted back to the warriors, though her focus remained distant. She needed to do something—anything—to regain control of her spiraling thoughts.
---
That evening, Noelle found herself walking the perimeter of the territory, the cool night air soothing against her heated skin. The forest was alive with the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures, but she was too preoccupied to notice.
She had just reached the river that marked the boundary between the two packs when she heard a soft rustle behind her.
Instinctively, she turned, her body tense, but relaxed when she saw Bethany emerge from the shadows.
"I thought I might find you here," Bethany said, her voice tentative.
Noelle crossed her arms, her posture guarded. "What do you want?"
"To talk," Bethany replied. "If you'll let me."
Noelle hesitated before nodding. "Fine. Talk."
Bethany took a deep breath, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness.
I know I hurt you in ways I can't ever make up for. But I want you to know that leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done."
"Then why did you do it?" Noelle demanded, her voice cracking with emotion. "Why didn't you at least tell me?"
Bethany's eyes glistened with tears. "Because I was scared. I thought… if I stayed, I'd drag you down with me. I didn't want you to give up your future for me."
"I didn't have a future, Bethany," Noelle shot back. "Not after you left. You were my family. My everything. And you threw me away like I didn't matter."
Bethany stepped closer, her expression pleading. "You mattered to me, Noelle. You still do. That's why I'm here. I want to make things right."
Noelle shook her head, her emotions a tangled mess of anger, pain, and a flicker of longing for the bond they once shared.
"You can't just show up and expect everything to be okay. It doesn't work like that."
"I know," Bethany said quietly. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to prove to you that I'm not the same person who ran away."
Noelle wanted to believe her, but the scars of the past were not so easily mended. "I don't know if I can trust you," she admitted.
Bethany's shoulders sagged, but she nodded. "I understand. Just… please, give me a chance to try."
Before Noelle could respond, a sharp howl echoed through the forest, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Moments later, Darren appeared, his expression grim.
"Noelle, we've got trouble," he said. "There's been an attack near the border."
---
The scene at the border was chaos. Warriors from both packs were scattered, some nursing injuries while others worked to secure the area.
The ground was littered with broken weapons and the unmistakable scent of blood hung heavy in the air.
Noelle and Bethany arrived to find Micky standing in the center of the commotion, his face a mask of fury. He was speaking to one of his men, his voice low but intense.
"What happened?" Noelle demanded as she approached.
Micky turned to her, his jaw tight. "Rogues. They ambushed one of the patrols."
"Casualties?" she asked, her stomach twisting.
"Two dead, three injured," he said grimly. "They hit hard and fast, then disappeared into the forest."
Noelle's hands clenched into fists. Rogues were a constant threat, but this attack felt calculated, deliberate. "We need to track them down before they can strike again."
"We're already on it," Micky said. "But this changes things. The packs are already on edge, and this will only make matters worse."
He glanced at Bethany, who had been silent since their arrival. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone softening.
She nodded, though her expression was troubled. "I'm fine. But we need to figure out who's behind this."
Noelle's gaze flicked between the two of them, a surge of jealousy flaring despite herself. Shaking it off, she focused on the task at hand.
"We'll need to increase patrols and tighten security around the borders."
Micky nodded. "Agreed. I'll coordinate with my beta to ensure both packs are covered."
As they worked to organize their efforts, Noelle couldn't shake the feeling that this attack was only the beginning.
The rogues were growing bolder, and the fragile alliance between the packs was a tempting target.
Bethany caught her eye as they prepared to head back to the main camp. "Whatever happens, I'm here to help," she said quietly.
Noelle nodded, though her heart remained conflicted. For now, the past would have to wait.
The future of the pack—and possibly their lives—depended on it.