The Binding Oath

Chapter 4 : A Rogue's Gamble.

Mireya's POV

What could I say? I was back in my cell. Locked up, yes, but alive. That lightning, that sudden storm… was it really a miracle? A sign from the Moon Goddess? Or just the strangest coincidence?

Either way, Damon had the final say. And he chose to spare me.

Lost in thought, I suddenly caught the voices of two guards walking past my cell.

— “What about that raid the Alpha is planning against the Nightfall? Are you joining it?”

— “It would be an honor, but no. He’s only taking the best warriors. They leave in two days, once the preparations are done.”

— “Really? I thought you were one of the best. You’ve always dreamed of it.”

— “It wasn’t just a dream, it was a goal… But who knows, maybe one day you’ll make it too.”

Their laughter faded down the hall, but I remained still, uneasy. If Damon left, I wouldn’t stand a chance. I had to find a way to be part of that expedition.

I had to act fast. Without thinking, I knocked on my cell door. It was the first time I’d ever done it, and the guard reacted immediately.

"What do you want?" he barked.

"I… I need to speak to the Alpha. Tell him I have very important information for him," I said quickly.

The guard almost laughed. If you really had such valuable information, why didn’t you give it sooner?"

His mocking tone fueled my frustration, but I kept my voice controlled. "Let’s just say things have changed. But fine, don’t tell the Alpha. If something happens to your pack, I’ll make sure he knows I tried to warn him, but you stopped me. Your choice."

I stepped back from the door. Silence. Then his voice came again. "Give me the information, I’ll pass it on."

"No. I’ll only speak to him."

This time, nothing. No answer. "Hey! Can you hear me?" Still nothing.

I banged on the door. "Hey!"

"Shut up!" he roared.

I thought it was over, that he’d never take me seriously. But then, the door burst open with a loud crash. Two guards stormed in and grabbed me.

"You win," one of them growled. "The Alpha will hear you. But if you waste his time, you won’t leave alive."

As they led me before the Alpha, a question gnawed at me. Was it really fear of death that had pushed me to seek a place in the expedition? Or was it… because of him? To stay by his side, to protect him?

After all, he had spared me. And I owed him for that.

They threw me harshly at his feet. He began circling me, perhaps to unsettle me or to show me that he was in no way dependent on whatever I had to say.

"You have quite the talent for testing my patience. Your continued presence among my pack irritates me more than anything. So choose your words carefully. They may well be your last. Now… what is this great piece of information you insisted on giving me face to face?"

His threatening tone chilled me. For a moment, I doubted my decision. But I drew a deep breath and forced myself to speak.

"Forgive me, my Alpha. I have no crucial information to give you, as I claimed."

At those words, his eyes darkened, and I hurried to continue.

"But I do have something of equal value to offer. I’ve heard about the punitive expedition you plan against the Nightfall Pack… and I want to be part of it."

He threw back his head and burst into a sarcastic and thunderous laugh, before lowering his gaze back to me, his expression hard again.

"For a joke, that’s the best one I’ve heard in a long time." Then his voice turned cold. "So you really don’t care for your life anymore… I’ve already shown you that the survival of my pack comes before anything let’s lay out the facts. You, a supposed spy, caught red-handed, spared from execution only by divine intervention… now want to join the very expedition against those you are accused of leading to my pack?"

A heavy silence fell. But I stood my ground.

"My Alpha, I’ll say it again: I am not a spy. I had nothing to do with the attack your pack suffered. If I offer my help, it is only out of gratitude, because you spared me when everyone else demanded my death. And let me remind you I am a rogue. I was born and raised in the forests. I know the terrain better than anyone. If you wish to strike your enemy by surprise, my skills could serve you well.”

He kept circling me, his steps slower now, less certain. And for the first time, I felt that my proposal was no longer entirely unthinkable in his eyes.

"To prove it to you," I pressed on. "You said it was just a handful of men who attacked you that night. I can show you the gaps through which I, a a spy, could have led the enemy in large numbers straight to your heart." At these words, he stopped, bent down to my level, and held my gaze for a long moment.

I couldn’t tell exactly what he saw: sincerity, determination, or simply the truth. Maybe it was even curiosity. But When he stood up, he signaled to a guard. "Bring me a map of the region." Then he began pacing around me again.

When the map arrived, he spread it on a table and gestured for me to come closer. "So, what are these gaps through which you could have let the enemy in large numbers and strike at the heart of my territory?"

This was exactly what I needed to prove my words and finally show my innocence.

"Here is the north of your territory and the surrounding forest. This is roughly where your men captured me," I said, pointing on the map. Surprisingly, Damon was giving me his full attention.

"Here, to the east of the territory, we have this waterfall, the Lumen Cascade."

"Yes, it’s hard to reach," Damon added.

"True, but the enemy could use it to invade the entire territory in a single night. What you don’t know is that there’s an unguarded cave in the heart of the forest, with a tunnel leading directly under the falls. I used to play there as a child, and that’s how I discovered it."

"And how is it that we never knew?" he asked, his face shifting from confidence to concern.

"Well, you said it yourself: the

area is hard to reach. And the Bloodhowl are… let’s say… not curious enough."