Aysel
I returned quickly back to where I had left Skylar.
She was no longer by the tree I left her.
I saw a trail of blood on the ground and followed her to the changing cabin.
She was seated with her back against the wall, looking pale.
I felt a twinge of guilt, she had only been trying to help me, and she’d nearly been killed for it.
“You’re safe now,” I said, crouching beside her.
“The rogues are gone.”
Skylar’s eyes darted to the door.
“Aysel, did you find him?
Was he one of them?”
“I’ll explain later.” I gently helped her sit up straighter.
“But right now, I need you to stay here.
Don’t leave this cabin until I come back.
Do you understand?”
She nodded weakly.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.” The word tasted like ash in my mouth.
“I need to handle something.”
I stripped off Magnus’s jacket and handed it to Skylar.
“Keep this.
Don’t let anyone see you with it.
And don’t tell anyone about what happened tonight.”
Skylar clutched the jacket to her chest.
“Aysel, be careful.
Your family….”
“I know exactly what my family is.”
I changed into the spare clothes that were usually kept hidden in the cabin and I tried to scrub the blood from my hands and face as much as possible but there were still streaks of blood and dirt.
I went back home, ignoring the guards at the gates who cast curious glances my way.
The wedding had been hours ago now.
I wondered if they’d even noticed I was gone.
I found Remus, my father, pacing the living room like a caged beast.
Mother stood nearby with her hands clasped together.
The moment Father saw me he crossed the room in three strides and struck me across the face before I could speak.
I felt the sharp sting of the slap but it quickly faded away.
I looked up and met my father’s gaze without blinking.
“Stupid,” he spat.
“Reckless.
Do you have any idea what you’ve done?
Standing up in the middle of the ceremony, refusing Damon in front of every Alpha in the territory!
You’ve disgraced this entire pack!”
“Father…”
“Silence!” His hand rose again, but he held it back.
“You have humiliated us.
Do you understand that?
The alliance we’ve spent years building with the Blackwood pack is destroyed, because you couldn’t keep your emotions in check!”
I turned my head to look at my mother, there was a tiny flicker of pity in her eyes as she spoke.
“Aysel, I understand this has been difficult for you,” she said softly.
“The wedding, the circumstances…
but you cannot let things spiral out of control like that.
You should have handled it privately, with dignity.”
Difficult for me.
I almost laughed.
I walked into the house looking like I had been to war and yet no one asked about where I was or why I was looking like this.
“You know it’s her sickness,” she continued, “The sadness has made her erratic.
We should have seen this coming.”
“Of course, we can all cuddle the sick girl who only gets sick conveniently during the ceremony.”
“How dare you speak back?
You….” Father raised his hands to strike me again but Damon walked in at that moment.
“Alpha Remus.
I’m sure she has learnt her lesson.
He turned to me, “You’re back.
I was worried…”
“Please.” I held up a hand.
“Don’t pretend you care now.”
“Alpha Damon, please stay out of this,” Father growled.
“This is a family matter.”
I scoffed.
“Family matter?
Is that what we’re calling it now?”
I pushed past him and Damon and walked straight to Celestine’s room.
She was propped against the headboard, looking sickly pale as her eyes widened with the innocent confusion.
“Aysel,” she whispered.
“What are you doing here?
Where have you been?”
“Enough,” I snapped, “I know what you did tonight.”
Celestine’s brow furrowed.
“I don’t understand.
I’ve been here all evening.
What could I possibly have…”
“You sent those rogues.”
“Rogues?” She shook her head weakly.
“Aysel, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Why would I send rogues anywhere?
I can barely walk to the bathroom.”
She was good.
She was so fucking good at this and I was tired of her games.
I stepped closer to her bed and struck her across the face hard.
“If you had wanted revenge, you should have come after me directly.” I said coldly.
“But bringing rogue wolves into Moon Valley puts every innocent person nearby at risk.
That crosses a line.”
“What is the meaning of this?”
Father had appeared in the doorway with Damon and my mother behind him.
His face was red with fury.
“Rogues,” I said, straightening up.
“Rogues have entered Moon Valley.
They attacked me tonight.
They nearly killed Skylar.”
The room went very still.
Father’s expression shifted from anger to alarm.
“Rogues?
Here?”
“Attacked you?” Damon stepped forward, his brow furrowed.
“Are you all right?”
I ignored him.
“I think someone hired them to attack me and I know it’s Celestine.”
Celestine was already crying, her hand still pressed to her face.
“Aysel,” Mother said quickly, “that’s ridiculous.
Celestine is sick.
She can barely stand, let alone hire rogue wolves.”
“We need to investigate,” Father spoke, already pulling out his phone.
“If there are actually any rogues in the territory…”
“Aysel says she was attacked…” Damon began.
“I’m not saying she wasn’t attacked,” Mother cut in.
“I’m saying she’s mistaken about the source.
Aysel, I understand how painful having the wedding ruined but you can’t go around accusing a sick girl of something so terrible just because you’re jealous.”
I stared at her.
Jealous.
She thinks I’m jealous.
“You think I care about the wedding?” I asked incredulously.
“Of course you do.” Mother spoke again her voice was gentle but condescending.
“Any woman would.
But Celestine can’t be blamed for what happened.
She didn’t make Damon choose her.
She didn’t force you to run away.
You need to accept that and move on.”
Damon stepped forward.
“I think we should still investigate.
There must be a way to…”
I looked at him.
I had always thought he was only weak when it comes to Celestine but even now, in a matter as serious as this, he was indecisive.
“Your own brother Kael died at the hands of rogue wolves.
Do you really want to see that same tragedy repeat itself in Moon Valley?”
As if he finally realized the danger of the situation, he hesitated a bit but Celestine reached out and grabbed his hand.
“Kael,” she whimpered, her voice trembling.
“It hurts.
Everything hurts.
Please don’t leave me.”
And just like that, his attention was back on her.
He sank onto the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his, murmuring reassurances.
“Enough of this.” Father’s voice cut through the room.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it.
I’ll have my men sweep the territory for rogues immediately.
But Celestine, in her current state, can’t be accused so hastily.
She’s been unwell for months.
You know this, Aysel.”
“Aysel.” My mother placed a hand on my arm.
“Stop concerning yourself with this matter.
It isn’t something a woman should be meddling in.
Focus instead on preparing to remarry Damon.
When the time comes, Celestine could even live with you both, under my care.
I’ll make sure everything is handled properly.”
I stared at her.
“You want me to marry Damon and have Celestine live with us?
Like a sister-wife?”
“I want you to do what’s best for the family.” Her grip on my arm tightened.
“Sometimes that requires sacrifice.”
I looked around the room.
Not a single person had asked if I was hurt.
Not a single person had noticed that I’d survived an attack by three rogue wolves completely unharmed.
Not a single person had questioned how that was possible.
I felt a cold realization settle in my chest.
This was it.
This was fucking it.
“You know what?” I stepped back from them.
“I’m done.”