Ava was afraid. It wasn’t just because she had been told Dorian was coming for her. No, Dorian wasn’t that stupid. He wasn’t the kind of man who charged into Dorian’s land without a plan. For soone on the run, formulating a plan may be next to impossible.
But that wasn’t what had her hands shaking as she stood outside the packhouse, watching the gathered rogues muttering amongst themselves, throwing her sharp looks whenever they thought she wasn’t paying attention.
They hated her.
They saw her as the reason their fragile peace had been shattered. They saw her as the reason Lucas’s n were standing at the borders effectively trapping them in when all they had ever wanted was freedom.
Nolan had explained the situation. Dorian was the enemy. But no one cared.
Ava could feel the tension in the air thick as a storm about to break.
She wasn’t safe here.
Missy, sensing her nervousness, reached out and squeezed her hand. "Ava, it’s going to be okay."
"I wish I could believe you," Ava muttered, running a hand through her tangled hair. She hadn’t slept properly in days. She swallowed hard. "If I could just access my wolf, maybe I’d be calr. Maybe I’d feel stronger."
Missy tilted her head. "What do you an?"
"We’ve been working for weeks, and I’ve done everything you asked to. So why won’t she respond? Why do I feel like I am all alone in this?"
Missy hesitated, concern flickering in her eyes. "Ava, I don’t have all the information about you or your abilities. I’ve never worked with a Daughter of the Moon before. But what I do know is this. You’ve been using your powers without your wolf’s natural healing ability to balance it out. That kind of energy drain can kill you."
"What?"
Missy sighed, looking deeply, painfully apologetic. "I didn’t want to say anything before.... but now I’m starting to think sothing is blocking Willow completely. If you keep pushing your powers, it’s only a matter of ti before your body gives out."
Ava stared at her, her stomach twisting into knots. "Basically, I am useless."
"No! That’s not what I’m saying. But you need to stop thinking you’re alone in this."
Ava gestured wildly around them. "I have an entire rogue pack that wants gone. I have an ex-mate who can’t decide if he wants to love or kill . And my own wolf is giving the silent treatnt."
Missy sighed. "You’re not alone, Ava."
"I have to leave. It’s been three days, and Dorian hasn’t made a move. Everyone here is on edge, and if I stay any longer, soone is going to snap. I can go back to the Crimson Pack..."
Missy’s sharp inhale cut her off. "Ava, I know you’re still angry with Lucas, but... be honest with yourself. Do you see yourself being with him again?"
Ava felt her heart stutter.
For a split second, she let herself rember.
She rembered how he had taken her in albeit begrudgingly, how he protected her, how he loved her, made her feel like a woman.
She had loved him. God, she had loved him. Despite the fact that she had originally planned to use him for her own selfish plans.
But Lucas had never trusted her.
And trust was everything.
Ava exhaled shakily. "No," she admitted. "And I have to get this damned mark off."
Missy winced. "Sweetie, that’s not going to be easy. No one is going to risk a rejection ritual for you. Lucas would have the head of anyone who tried."
Ava’s stomach twisted with frustration. "So I’m stuck with his mark on ? Forever?"
Missy gave her a sad smile. "I’m afraid so. Unless, of course, he dies... or you form a stronger bond with soone else."
Ava let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, so all I have to do is fall in love with soone else? Great. Let just order a new mate off the supernatural dating app real quick."
Missy chuckled despite the seriousness of the conversation. "I was kind of hoping for Dennis, actually."
Ava turned to her with a look. "Dennis? Seriously? He is Lucas’s brother."
Missy shrugged, looking only slightly guilty. "Look, I know it’s selfish, but I was thinking about the future. If you and Dennis bonded, it could strengthen the rogue pack."
"Don’t look at like that!" Missy laughed. "Dennis is a good man. He’s strong, he’s kind, and he’s clearly got a thing for you."
Ava exhaled. "He deserves soone who truly loves him. And I... I don’t know if I have that to give."
Missy studied her for a long mont before nodding. "You’re right. Maybe soday, love will find him."
Ava sighed, rubbing her arms as the cool night air settled around them. "Yeah. Maybe soday."
But what neither of them knew was that soday had already arrived, love was right at the gate scoping out the place.
*****
Dennis stood at the center of the clearing, watching as the pack gathered in a slow, reluctant shuffle. He knew what they were thinking.
Another eting? Another speech?
Yes. Because if this madness didn’t stop now, it never would.
He took a deep breath, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He had never been the type to enjoy giving speeches, but this wasn’t about him. This was about the pack. The group of misfits and outcasts who had sohow ford a family.
When the murmuring finally died down, he spoke.
"Every single person here ran away from sothing," he began, scanning the crowd. "Every single one of you. Myself included."
That got their attention. A few heads lifted, so exchanging glances.
"This pack took you in without questions. We made no judgnts," he continued. "So tell , why are we not extending that sa courtesy to Ava?"
The ntion of her na sent a ripple of discomfort through the crowd.
Dennis exhaled slowly, reigning in his frustration. "Blaming her for Lucas’s thoughtlessness is unfair."
There was a pause, then a few quiet grumbles.
Dennis let that settle for a mont before continuing. "Besides, Lucas ans no harm. I know that so of you have been badly hurt by him, and I will never invalidate that. But for the sake of our freedom which is just around the corner, we need to find a way to be at peace with this."
So of the pack mbers nodded in agreent, others still looked unconvinced, but at least no one was outright yelling.
Dennis took a step forward, bracing himself for the next part. This wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be said.
"Which brings to sothing else we need to address," he announced, scanning their faces. "If we want to stand as an independent pack, the High Council has made one thing clear, we must all stand trial for the cris we committed in our forr packs."
A ripple of alarm spread through the crowd.
Dennis raised a hand to silence them. "Listen to . Depending on what our cris are, the council will pass judgnt. Those found innocent will be let go. Those with minor infractions will serve so kind of community service."
More murmuring. More unrest.
Dennis clenched his jaw. He had expected this. Hell, he had felt the sa way when he first heard it.
But if they wanted to build sothing real, a future where they could live, not just survive, this was the price.
"I promise to fight for each and every one of you as much as I can," Dennis said. "But if we’re going to build the rogue pack from the ground up... this is what we must do."
He let that sink in before he continued.
"If we go through with this, we will be able to move freely. We will be able to trade, own land, have businesses be successful. We will no longer be outcasts."
That finally seed to strike a chord.
There was a pause, then a few scattered claps.
The applause grew louder, whistles and howls joining in, filling the clearing with a sense of unity that had been missing for days. Dennis let out a slow breath, allowing himself a small smile.
From the back of the crowd, Ava caught his eye. She was smiling, too.
The eting dispersed, but Dennis had no ti to bask in the success. He had another eting with Lucas to discuss his decision.
Dennis headed toward the gate, rolling his shoulders to release so of the tension creeping in.
Sothing caught his attention. There was a figure in the distance, beyond the gate. A woman.
She looked haggard, her clothes torn and dirty, her stance unsteady. The guards had already stopped her, their postures alert.
From where Dennis stood, he couldn’t see her face.
A strange sensation buzzed in his veins. He felt like he knew her or had seen her sowhere before. He frowned, his body instinctively tensing.
Shaking off the feeling, he approached the gate. "Who is she?"
@Lindsey_ Tennyson: As usual, you keep coming through.
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