The Rejected Mate

Chapter 113

113

Alaric's POV

"I need you all to understand that we have to leave. We can't let these people hurt us. When we all leave, everyone here owes a treaty to my pack, whether it be gold, grains, silver, or bronze. I want it paid in full. My plan is going to be a success, and we will finally meet our loved ones."

"What if you fail? Will your head be used to atone for the sacrifice of the innocent lives lost?"

"I won't fail, Alaric. I don't know why you hate me so much when I did nothing to you. As they say, pride goes before a fall. You're going to die in here, Alaric. Ryan here would give you a befitting burial, don't you think?" He patted Ryan's shoulders as he glared at him.

"I don't care about this charade, Gabe. This isn't a plan. You don't know what's out there, and you all are absconding with him. Have you thought about the traps those rogues would have set in the forest? Have you thought about the weapons they have? You're going in unarmed, or a knife won't even get you that far." I chuckled, ridiculing his plans. I knew not everyone would want to follow someone who doesn't even have his plan figured out.

I mean, who would want to take sides with someone who has a plan in motion but doesn't have the requirements to succeed?

"No weapons, no insight on the path they're following. Just a group of men led by a foolish man heading out of the dungeons to meet their end," I mumbled to myself.

"Are you praying for your own life now, Alaric? You're so pathetic. I don't know why you disgust me with this attitude of yours," Gabe ridiculed me. I wasn't moved by the taunts and insults.

"You're right, Alaric. Gabe, you haven't thought about what we're up against. I mean, they're armed and definitely have the numbers. How do we tackle that?" Ryan inquired. I hoped this would make him have a change of heart and sit back in here with me while we searched for a way to get out unharmed and undetected.

"Are you going to follow in his footsteps? Of course, two birds flock together. You are all scared of the taste of freedom. I wonder how you all face the dangers in your pack if you can't be man enough to take this risk." He hoped they would listen to him.

"All odds are stacked against us at this point. If you can show me the way and help me balance it, then I can come with you." Ryan knew I would never try to deceive him, knowing how much he respected my opinion.

"Have you ever wondered what is going to happen when we go out there and don't return?"

"No one is going to save you, Ryan. If you go out with me, then you can return to save your weak friend who's so scared of these mere men."

"We were all captured, isn't that right?" I chuckled; his plan amused me. He couldn't even tell us his plan, such a foolish man, or he's trying to achieve his personal aim.

"I need you all to understand that if you follow me, I assure you of your safety, but you remember the deal. Everyone owes me a treaty," Gabe announced. One of the generals conceded to his words.

"This man is offering to help everyone genuinely. If not for that, he won't risk his life to kill a guard... We should be ready to leave, and I suggest that you all come if you want another chance to meet your family. We've been brought here to die, as he said earlier, but we can change that by following this man. Despite everyone being a leader here, we all tossed that position away and decided to follow this man, not because we're foolish, but because we want that taste of freedom," he divulged.

"I don't know why everyone thinks that he's going to succeed with this plan."

"Do you think passages built in these settings don't have keys? I'm trying to give you all a chance to rethink this. Who knows, we might have an opportunity to leave this hellhole if we stick together and understand their mode of operations? I don't know why I'm arguing, but I feel not everyone deserves to die like a foolish king. We're leaders respectively, and we deserve a fair chance at death, not bringing death upon ourselves by following someone who can't decipher his right hand from his left." I knew this was the last time I was going to say a word to anyone; I wanted them to do whatever it is they choose.

"Let everyone decide for themselves, Alaric," Ryan said as he urged me to sit back down. I helped him lock his chains together so the guards would never suspect he was a part of the plan.

"You're all cowards. A hero rises up to save us all. We should be thankful and not doing this. Come to think of it, there are better ways to handle this than what we're doing now. If he's holding the keys to our locks, then the other soldier should be the one holding the keys to the passage."

"Then we wait for him."

"Why don't you make a distraction that'll lure him into the dungeons? Don't you even have the common sense to figure out that guards don't walk into dungeons unless they're assigned to a task by their superior?" I heaved a deep sigh as Gabe grinned. I wished he would dare stroll into this cell to hit me; I'd kill him and sound an alarm so everyone could head back into their respective spots.

"This isn't your fight anymore, Alaric. Let them do whatever they want to do. I'm here with you; isn't that the reason why you were so stern about his plans?" Ryan was tired of us going back and forth. I was only doing what seemed right before my eyes.

"Would you watch people lose their lives when you know you could have saved them by warning them?" I answered his question with a question of my own.

"You've done that; it's up to them to make their decision. You can't drag a horse to the river and force it to drink." He spoke in whispers so no one could listen to our conversation.

"Let's sit back and watch how this unfolds." He heaved a deep sigh, trying to relax his mind.

I was pleased that Ryan finally agreed to stay after making me believe that he was going along with Gabe's plan.

"I hoped that you would return to your senses and come back to your former position. I'm glad you did; we can figure out a way out of this together." He wore a faint smile on his face.

"I hope we do." He conceded to my words.

Ryan was dehydrated, revealing itself through his dry lips, body reactions, and tone of voice.

"You need water and a good meal, but you need to be strong so you can return to the arms of Arielle."

"You're hilarious."

"I didn't make a joke."