Clentine:
"I hope you find the strength to go back and be the person you were before you found out about your father’s cris," the council mber said, patting the back of my head. After my father was thrown into jail, he was taken to the North today. His journey had started. They didn’t give him any clothes, and it was expected that they would make him step out and walk around many of the packs completely naked, while one of the warriors would explain what he was being punished for. However, sadly, the royal beta who had taken part with my father, he self-exited, so there wasn’t any justice brought to his victims.
As for my pack, my stepmother had been cleared of all accusations, as if nothing had ever happened, so she and my stepsister would stay. The original plan remained: my stepsister would marry soone, and he would beco the Alpha. I hated that my stepmother never believed a she-wolf could be an Alpha. Now she would face the consequences, her daughter had to find a mate soon, or soone else would take over the pack.
"Thank you so much for showing support to the victims and not giving my father a chance to lie out of this punishnt," I said to the council mber, my eyes quickly following my squad mates. They were now loading their bags into the car. They would be dropped off to their packs for the next three days.
"It’s okay. It was our job. It was the bare minimum we could do," the council mber replied.
He was right, honestly. There should be so investigation done about the Alphas once in a while. From what I heard, the royal beta of our pack was going to help my stepmother take over until Leysa got married. It was hypocritical, considering my stepmother never believed a she-wolf could lead a pack, yet now she wanted the throne.
I didn’t want to be left alone in the pack with them. The pack felt suffocating—especially the pack house, crowded with people I honestly didn’t like. After saying goodbye to the council mbers, I walked over to my squad mates. Not that I could go with them either. They didn’t like , and I didn’t like them. Nothing would be different in their pack. I’d rather stay here and deal with the devils I already knew.
"Have a safe journey," I said to my squad mates, who began to nod their heads.
"Bye," I then uttered and turned around to leave. I didn’t even want to look at each one of them one by one. I just sprinted back into the pack house.
It had been pretty weird with Yorick. Ever since he ca to the pack, he’s been acting so strangely. Everything was a personal jab at him. Every comnt I made, he would retaliate so harshly that I stopped talking to him entirely.
Once I walked inside the mansion again, I found the ogas on the first floor, as if they had been waiting for my arrival, because my stepmother and my stepsister were already there.
"What’s going on?" I asked them.
"We just wanted to thank you," Mrs. Fiona said, stepping forward. The guilt on her face and the regret in her eyes were heartbreaking. I knew it wasn’t entirely her fault. She was as much a victim as the others. No one had spoken up, so there was no reason to single her out. Others in the mansion knew what was happening, but not one of them dared to speak. And I understood why. When I was being abused, did I go to the council? No. I was scared, what if they didn’t believe ? As we all know, the rich protect their own.
"It’s all right, Mrs. Fiona. But now that you know, please understand, the council isn’t made up of bad people. They’ve just been misled. The spies they’ve placed in the packs are also being influenced by the rich. So if you ever have issues, speak directly to the council," I said, watching her daughter smile with relief, happy to be free. I noticed others looking at her like she was a savior, and I loved that for her. But not everyone looked pleased.
"They don’t need to go to the council. They still have their Luna," my stepmother said, sounding smug. You’d think she’d be worried about what might happen if her own cris ca to light, because I knew for sure Glinda wasn’t innocent. If not guilty of this, then of sothing else, I was certain of it. Still, I didn’t have ti to stick around and find out. Maybe on my next visit.
"Then I hope you would act like one," I said to her, reminding her of her duties because she tends to forget quite often.
"You don’t need to think like that, Clentine. Just because you get to hold a sword now, you think you’re better than the rest of us?" Glinda said, and I could already sense her hostility. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to the pack mbers left behind.
"Anyway, Beta Ross," I said, turning to him and locking eyes. "I hope you’ll remind the Luna of her duties, and of what happened to my father, to William Stark, try not to repeat your mistakes, because I’ll be back next session. And I wonder who else will face punishnt then." I smiled, though I kept one eye on Glinda and Leysa, sitting at the dining table like they didn’t have a care in the world, wine glasses still in their hands.
I hated how every ti sothing happened, they’d reach for a wine glass like it was all just a show to them. And of course, my stepmother was upset, her power source, William Stark, was gone.
"Don’t worry, Clentine. Who knows if you’ll even co back next ti? But let remind you of sothing," she said, standing and strutting over to . "You can never catch for my cris," she smirked.
And that, I took it as a challenge.
"We’ll see," I said, stepping back and walking past her, my shoulder brushing against hers. As I left, I shot Leysa one quick, sharp glance.
Now I was in my bedroom in the attic. It was quiet. My stepmother and stepsister had gone out for dinner with Beta Ross and the other Royal Gamma and high-ranking pack mbers. The ogas brought up a tray of food. They had prepared a lot for , but I felt alone in that room.
"We should have changed our rooms. There’s no father around to force us into this attic," Mint said, but I shook my head, my arms folded over my chest, my eyes looking out the window at the moon.
"I’m not here for luxuries, Mint. Don’t get too comfortable. Glinda is right, who knows if we’ll even be able to co back next ti," I reminded her. Even though I acted confident, the truth was we never knew what would beco of us in the next mission, or if we would even make it back.
That’s when I heard sothing scratching at the window. I instantly jumped to my feet, fists clenched, because in the back of my mind, I knew I had made a lot of enemies, the bad kind.
"It’s coming from that window," Mint said, pointing to the other side of the attic.
I rushed over, grabbing an old vase from the side. The mont I opened the window, I held the vase up, ready to hit the intruder, but my hand stopped in midair.
Then I looked straight into the eyes of my mate, Haiden Raze.
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