Chapter 18
The road back to Red Fang was long, but quiet.
I didn’t speak much during the journey. Not even to Kael. I stared out the window, my hand absentmindedly toying with the worn edge of my cloak. The pine trees blurred past. My reflection in the window didn’t blink.
Kael glanced at me a few times. Which I didn’t notice.
But the words Damien had said before I left Silverclaw kept circling my mind.
“Don’t trust him.”
I hated that it still echoed in my head.
I didn’t want to doubt Kael. Not after everything. But the seed was there now. I felt it growing in the silence between them.
The next morning, the carriage rolled into Red Fang pack. I stepped down with a warm smile. This was my first time here but I already had a chilling feeling that this was home. “Welcome, big sis Alice.” Liora said with a cheerful smile. She was the first to welcome me. Then Alpha Jareth walked over to me his hands crossed behind his back.
“Welcome home my daughter.” He stretched his hands towards me and I took it with a smile. The halls were different here. The pack members waved and danced to rejoice the arrival of Alpha Jareth.
It was very lively and I enjoyed every bit of it.
We got to the Pack house.
“You’re home,” my father said, pulling me into a firm embrace.
“Thank you father, it’s really lovely here.”
“I’m glad you are enjoying it.” He chuckled and held my hand taking me to a room.
He urged me to come in.
“This was your mother’s room. I never took anything out of it since she left. I thought of her each day.” Alpha Jareth tone turned sad.
I brought out my jade pendent staring at it.
“Oh, she gave you that.” He muttered.
I looked at him.
“I gave her the day she was leaving. To prove that I’ll always be with her.”
I nodded at my father and embraced him tightly.
“I’m just glad you are back. No one will hurt you here. I promise to protect you.” Alpha Jareth said.
“I’m not staying,” I replied softly, holding onto the hug just a moment longer.
Chapter 17
Alpha Jareth pulled back. “What do you mean?”
“I came to say goodbye properly this time.”
His brows creased. “Alice-”
“I have to find a way to stop all of this” I said.
“I’m also working on it. We have enough guards and I can seek help from other neighbouring packs.”
I shook my head. “That will only cause more blood shed. They’re after the pack and I doubt that they would stop not until they get it.” My lips pressed together tightly, my fist clenched at my side.
Alpha Jareth walked forward slowly and paused with a loud sigh. “I am ready to give up the pack.”
“No.” I said immediately. “If mother wanted you to do that, she wouldn’t have left in the firs place. I saw how happy those pack members were and I can say they are proud of who they call Alpha.”
He turned to me. “You are just like your mother, feisty.”
“I will go father, they gave me two days and it’s already passed. I don’t know what they might dc next but protect Liora.”
“You’re not going alone.”
“I won’t, I have Kael.”
Alpha Jareth’s expression tightened. “Him?”
I nodded. “He won’t leave me. I know that.”
Alpha Jareth relaxed. “I believe in you.” He said finally. “You can go.”
We both left that afternoon. Liora couldn’t hide her sadness. I had to assure her to come back soon and that I would buy her lots of sweet things.
She asked where I was going but Kael stepped in and said i was going to teach some people
essons.
Kael led the way through the high trails-less traveled, less likely to be tracked. I followed in silence until nightfall, when we reached a plateau overlooking the cliffs.
‘We rest here,” Kael said, pulling out a thin bedroll and setting up near the fire pit.
sat, my arms folded.
‘Teach me,” I said after a while.
Kael looked up. “Teach you what?”
“To fight.”
He blinked. “Now?”
“Yes, until I can kill with my hands.”
He studied my face. “What brought this on?”
“I’m tired of being helpless,” I said simply. “No one else will fight for me. So I need to learn to
Chapter 18
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The shadowborn were oddly silent. I expect
there was nothing.
Kael didn’t go easy on me.
One afternoon, he disarmed me and pushed me to the ground.
“You keep flinching,” he said.
“I’m not,” I growled, my breath heavy.
He dropped beside me, “You don’t trust your footing.”
I looked up. “It’s not my footing I don’t trust.”
Kael didn’t respond. He said nothing just staring at me.
That night, we lay side by side near the fire. He wrapped an arm around me when the cold rolled in. I didn’t resist it.
“Do you think the Shadowborn are watching us?” I asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t they attacked again?”
“Probably waiting.”
“For what?”
He was silent.
Then, “You.”
I didn’t ask anything else. I let myself fall asleep in the curve of his body, the heat of him keeping me grounded.
But in the middle of the night, I felt him move.
I kept my breathing slow and I didn’t open my eyes.
Kael stood up and moved toward the trees.
I waited five seconds, then followed.
I crouched behind the thick brush as Kael stopped near the edge of the woods. The moonlight revealed a second figure emerging from the shadows.
Tall and covered in a dark cloak.
I squinted, I couldn’t see the face-but I saw the gesture. A hand on Kael’s shoulder.
Then a voice, Low.
I moved closer, close enough to hear just one word.
My name.
And then the stranger’s cloak shifted.
I caught sight of the sigil on the back it was Shadowborn
Chapter 18
4:16 pm
