Aria's POV
Celeste responded in a cool, collected voice, "You've heard her lies." Her cold eyes darted to me with fake sympathy as she stood in front of the council. You've now seen the threat she represents. How long can Crimsonhowl afford to overlook her betrayal?
With my wrath brewing in my veins, I clinched my teeth and muttered, "She is not a traitor." Celeste, you are distorting everything. If anybody in this room is collaborating with rogues,
"Enough!" The room became silent as Elder Malrick's words echoed. He turned and nodded to Celeste. "What evidence do you possess?"
Celeste came forward with a piece of blood-stained fabric. My stomach turned over.
She held it out for everyone to see and remarked, "This was found near the border." "It smells like Aria."
"That isn't feasible," I yelled. That is something I have never seen before!
"You would deny it, of course," she said in a tone that was almost pleasant. "Don't you find it so easy to lie? similar to your parents.
Anger clouded my view. "You dare not involve them in this."
Celeste grinned. "Why not? The crimes of the past tend to recur in a humorous manner.
The council's dissatisfaction was evident as they spoke among themselves.
"Aria Nightshade," Malrick murmured, his tone laden with condemnation. "For far too long, you have been a burden to this pack. You pose a threat to our future and safety. The council has decided to banish you from Crimsonhowl. With instant effect.
"No!" I yelled, but the force of the pronouncement caused my voice to break. "You can't."
"Remove her," Malrick commanded.
Whispers filled the room as the guards grabbed me by the arms and pulled me to the doors.
The commotion was broken by Kael's voice. "This is an error."
My eyes met the guards' as I twisted in their hold. I begged, my voice no more than a whisper, "Help me."
Despite his inscrutable look, Kael remained still.
With a chilly tone, he said, "You're no longer their problem." "Show that you deserve to live if you want to."
I ceased to struggle as the soldiers dragged me out the room after his words hit me like a blow.
The black line of trees that marked the end of all I had ever known, the Crimsonhowl boundary, loomed ahead. My chest hurt from the hollowness that was growing inside of me, not the cold.
I took one look behind me in the hopes of seeing someone who could put an end to this craziness. The hamlet behind me, however, was quiet and unconcerned.
Gareth shoved me ahead and murmured, "Good riddance." "You're fortunate they didn't kill you."
Despite the knot in my throat, I spoke sharply as I responded, "I'll remember that, Gareth." "Don't cry to me when your priceless pack breaks up."
With a sour chuckle, he took a step back. "No longer my problem."
With the burden of exile bearing down on me, I crossed the border by myself. Here, the forest seemed darker, the trees squeezing closer together as if they might engulf me. I was on high alert, flinching at every sound.
Then I smelled it—sour perspiration and rotten flesh.
Rogues.
Before I could even react, they were there, their eyes gleaming with ill intent. Out of the darkness, four of them appeared, their motions deliberate and predatory.
One of them, with a scar along his face, scoffed, "Well, look at this." "A little lamb that got lost and was left alone in the woods."
I retreated and said, "I don't want trouble."
With his fangs bared, another outlaw laughed and said, "Oh, but you've found it."
They made a lunge.
It was instinct. With excitement pumping through my veins and my pulse racing, I dived beneath the first assault. I grabbed a fallen branch and gave it a powerful swing, striking one rogue in the jaw.
It was insufficient.
My lungs were crushed by the weight of a second rogue who tackled me to the ground. I kicked and clawed and twisted, but their numbers were too much for me.
Over me, Scarface towered, his claws gleaming in the dim light. "You'll send the packs a great message."
He held out his hand to hit.
The rogues were frozen in their tracks when a thunderous roar tore through the atmosphere.
Kael's amber eyes glowed like fire as he stepped out of the darkness. Even the outlaws faltered before his presence, which was a force of nature.
He hissed, his voice a deep rumbling that chilled my spine, "This one's mine."
The outlaws looked at one other uneasily and then retreated. Scarface growled, but he and the others withdrew, vanishing into the night.
When Kael turned to face me, I briefly saw a flare of rage, impatience, and something more in his eyes.
Wincing at the bruises that were starting to appear along my ribs, I forced myself to stand. "You didn't need to."
With a sharp tone, he cut in, "Don't take this for kindness." "Until you prove yourself otherwise, you remain a threat."
"So why save me?" I glared at him and snapped. "Why not leave me to the rogues if you feel that I'm such a burden?"
Kael's mouth clenched. "Because I'm different from them." And, despite your desire to think differently, neither are you.
Unspoken meaning weighed heavily on his words as they hovered in the air.
I crossed my arms, fighting the thankfulness I didn't want to feel against my rage. "So what? Are you just going to abandon me here?
Before he spoke, Kael was silent for a long time. "Come with me."
I was taken aback and blinked. "What?"
"You're looking for shelter?" His voice was agitated as he spoke. "Show that you are worthy. Don't make me regret this; come with me.
I paused as the hard truth of my circumstances clashed with my pride. However, survival prevailed in the end.
I murmured, "Okay," and moved in his direction.
Without saying another word, Kael turned, his wide shoulders fading into the darkness. With wobbly yet determined steps, I followed.
I couldn't get rid of the sensation that something had changed between us as we strolled. His wolf let out a low growl that chilled me to the bone.
I broke the calm by whispering, "Your wolf." "What causes it to react that way?"
Kael's face was inscrutable as he did not respond.
However, his wolf awoke once again as we approached Duskridge territory, its roar resonating in the atmosphere like a warning. Kael was resisting whatever relationship we were developing, and I wasn't sure who would prevail.