When I entered the castle, people were running all over the place. I searched frantically for Even and suddenly spotted him at the bottom of the staircase, talking to the Gamma, Marvel.
I was almost out of breath by the time I reached him.
“Even, have you seen Melanie?”
Marvel quickly left and Even’s face visibly darkened with a somber expression.
“Hazel, what are you doing here?”
“Answer the question.” I demanded and then added softly, “Please.”
He rubbed the side of his face.
“She was killed.”
No.
“I was too late,” I shook my head with immense guilt, quickly hyperventilating, “I saw Melanie dying in my dreams and I still couldn’t stop it, it’s my fault-”
“Hazel,” Even clasped a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down, “It’s not your fault, you didn’t know.”
“Who killed her?” I asked abruptly and he clenched his jaw.
“Mila.”
I was hit with another hard blow.
“You’re lying, it wasn’t her, it couldn’t be. She left with the other rogues, right? Right?” Things were falling apart and I didn’t know why. Mila wasn’t a killer.
“No, it’s true, that filthy rogue killed one of our wolves, I saw it with my own eyes.” We turned around and saw Harry walking down the grand staircase.
Even extended an arm infront of me, as if he were trying to protect me, but I couldn’t just stand there. He manipulated Aria, he had something to do with this, too.
“I don’t believe you.” I spoke up.
“Excuse me?” Harry glared down at me but I stood my ground, “You don’t believe me? You’d rather take the word of a rogue than the word of someone in your own pack?”
I ignored Even’s cold stare warning me to stop talking, “Yes.”
“Why am I not surprised? You sympathize with her; her, the rogue, even though she was the one who kidnapped you and tried to kill you? Wake up, Hazel,” He snapped harshly, “She isn’t your friend nor the person you think she is.” With that, Harry stalked off.
I still couldn’t believe anything he said; I wouldn’t.
“Do you believe him?” I asked Even, who looked indifferent.
He looked at me and sighed, “No one else saw what happened. Harry and Mila were the only ones in the same room when Ken found them. No one else knows the truth except for Harry and Mila.”
I could see it in his eyes; he had no choice but to believe him.
“What does Mila say?”
“She didn’t say anything.”
“Why not?” Has anyone even tried to talk to her?
“Because she knows what’s going to happen.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’re not going to like it.” He was evasive, hiding something important from me.
“Even, I need to know.” I stared imploringly into his blue eyes and he finally broke.
“Come,” He grabbed my hand led me outside, where all the other werewolves were. They were loud and angry, all of them thrown into a tight circle, surrounding something in the middle.
Even pushed us through the crowd, until some started to part for us.
Alpha Ares and Luna Alex were standing on a slight platform above the crowd, trying to settle them down.
All eyes were on the people in the middle of the ring; Mila and Ken.
Ken’s aura was severely fading. He couldn’t live without his mate for very long.
Aria and Harry were off to the side, their expressions blank. Everytime I saw her I couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
“What’s happening?” I asked anxiously.
“It’s against pack law for any wolf to kill the mate of another. Such an act would provoke a fight to the death.”
Everything stilled.
“There has to be another way. I’m not going to let anyone else die!” I cried and tried to fight my way through the crowd to get to them but Even grabbed my arms before I could get any farther.
“Hazel, you can’t change the law, you can’t change what’s already been decided.” Even told me sternly but I shook my head.
“I can if I try.”
I shook him off and made my way to Mila.
“Mila!” I yelled but she didn’t turn her head that signaled she even acknowledged me.
Mila!
Go. Save yourself from this gruesome sight. She sounded. . . at peace.
You didn’t do it, I know you didn’t, so why aren’t you fighting back?
Who are they going to believe, Hazel? A high-ranking wolf or a dishonorable rogue? She shook her head and I could feel her sadness, This way, I can rejoin my mate in heaven.
But it’s not fair.
Life as a werewolf never is.
I yelled more things at her but she’d already shut me off.
If I couldn’t stop Mila, I had to stop Ken.
I pushed passed more people and finally saw him. I walked right up to him and said loudly, “Ken, she’s innocent!”
“Hazel?” His soul was crushed, his eyes hollow. This wasn’t him.
“Mila didn’t kill Melanie.”
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know, but please, you don’t have to do this-”
“It’s pack law. My mate is gone and there’s nothing I can do about it.” This wasn’t the same Ken I’d come to know. There was only pure revenge in his eyes.
He turned his back on me and faced Mila, who didn’t run.
No one was doing anything, all anyone was doing was chanting “kill the rogue”.
I had to do something.
I just didn’t know if it would work.
I shut my eyes and tried to feel the bond that had held Ken and Melanie together. I felt for the bond that was still lingering, surrounding Ken but slowly dulling. I felt the utter despair that was crushing him and how his insides were nothing but hollow. The hateful energy rolled off of him in waves, which broke the chains around him.
It was done.
I opened my eyes and everything had changed.
I’d restored his aura, it was now beating with new energy.
Ken was so shocked that he closed his eyes and collapsed onto his knees.
His bond to Melanie was dead.
“Ken?” Ares asked when he didn’t stand up.
“It’s gone.” He said quietly. “The bond is gone.”
“That’s impossible.” Some people were talking amongst themselves in confused whispers.
“No,” I said loudly and everyone stared at me, “It’s not.”
“The Moon Goddess,” Ken said in awe. Some people bowed to me but some didn’t; Aria and Harry were among them.
“I broke your bond, Ken. You’re free.” I told him calmly, unable to predict his reaction.
Ken didn’t hug me but he didn’t go to kill Mila either.
Instead, his aura withered a bit and he looked at me one last time before running into the woods.
Was he mad about what I did?
I saw Aria turn to go after him but Harry stopped her.
Everyone turned to Ares and Alex, who looked at each other in worry. After talking for a moment, they finally agreed to a decision.
“Mila, you’re free.” Ares announced and everyone gasped.
“Alpha-”
“On one condition, you find my daughter and bring her back to this pack.” He finished and Mila bowed gratefully.
“I’ll try my best.”
She picked me out of the crowd and gave me a small nod before running into the woods.
I hoped she came back one day.
“Why did you let her go? How do we know she won’t just run away?” Harry asked suddenly and there was an uproar from the pack.
Many were angry that he just let a killer run free.
“We don’t.” Ares shrugged as he took Alex’s hand and walked back into the castle. The crowd soon dispersed until only Even and I stood alone in the field.
He walked over to me and gave me a brief hug. I was so surprised that I didn’t do anything for a moment until he started to pull away, in which I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Did I do the right thing?” I asked softly.
“You saved two lives today,” He responded in my ear, “I think that qualifies as the ‘right thing.’”