Chapter 4
1393 Words
Chapter 4
Her Limit
ARIA
I expected him to drag me back. I expected chains and punishment and maybe worse.
Instead, Lucien went still.
He stood there naked in the moonlight and his eyes locked onto mine. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The only sound was the stream rushing over rocks and my own ragged breathing.
Then he said one word.
"Explain."
I wiped my face with the back of my hand and tried to steady myself.
"The night before my father confessed," I said and my voice shook, "he told me he had discovered something. Someone was embezzling from the pack alliance funds. He had been tracking it for weeks. He said he had proof and he was going to bring it to you the next day."
Lucien's expression did not change.
"He never got the chance," I continued. "The next morning your wolves came for him. They dragged him away and I never saw him again. Three days later they told me he was dead. That he had confessed to treason."
"And you expect me to believe that?" Lucien's voice was cold. "You expect me to believe your father was some kind of hero who stumbled onto a conspiracy?"
"I expect you to believe the truth."
"The truth is that your father sold intelligence to rogues. The truth is that three of my wolves died because of him. The truth is in the reports sitting on my desk."
"Then your reports are lies."
His jaw tightened and I saw his hands clench into fists. For a moment I thought he might shift again or let his wolf tear me apart.
But he did not.
"If you're lying," he said slowly, "I will make you regret every word that just came out of your mouth."
"Then I'm already dead anyway," I shot back. "What do I have to lose?"
Before he could respond, footsteps crunched through the underbrush behind me.
I spun around.
Theo Hartley emerged from the trees with his hands raised in a peaceful gesture. He wore dark clothes and his expression was calm but his eyes were sharp.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said. "But I thought I should make sure everyone was all right."
"How did you find us?" Lucien demanded.
"I followed you. I saw you jump out a window in wolf form and figured something interesting was happening." Theo looked at me and his expression softened. "Are you okay?"
I nodded even though it was a lie.
Theo turned back to Lucien. "I heard what she said. About her father and the embezzlement."
"You were eavesdropping."
"I was paying attention. There's a difference." Theo took a step closer to me. "Aria, if what you're saying is true, then you're not safe here. Come to my territory. You'll be protected there. No one will touch you."
He extended his hand.
I stared at it. Part of me wanted to take it. I wanted to run as far away from this place as I could. But another part of me knew that running would only prove Lucien right. It would only confirm every terrible thing he believed about me and my father.
Before I could decide, Lucien moved.
He stepped between us and his body blocked Theo's hand from my view.
"She's under my authority," Lucien said and his voice was low and dangerous. "She stays."
"Your authority?" Theo's tone stayed light but there was steel underneath. "She's a prisoner, Lucien. Not pack. You have no claim on her."
"I have every claim. Her father's crimes put her in my custody. That doesn't change just because you decided to play hero."
"And what if her father didn't commit any crimes? What if she's telling the truth?"
"Then I'll deal with it."
"Will you?" Theo took another step forward and now he was close enough that I could see the tension in his shoulders. "Or will you just keep her locked up because it's easier than admitting you might have been wrong?"
Lucien's wolf snarled and I heard it even though he was still in human form.
"Back off, Theo."
"Make me."
The air between them crackled with power and I knew they were seconds away from tearing each other apart.
Then I heard it.
A sound like branches breaking. Like something moving fast through the trees.
Lucien and Theo both went still.
"Rogues," Lucien said.
They came from all sides.
Five of them. Maybe six. Their eyes glowed in the darkness and their teeth were bared. They moved with the kind of coordination that said this was not random. This was planned, it was an ambush.
Lucien shifted instantly and his wolf was massive and black as night. Theo shifted a second later and his wolf was lighter, almost golden.
I had no time to think.
One of the rogues lunged at me and I dove to the side. My hand closed around a fallen branch and I swung it hard. It connected with the rogue's skull and he yelped.
But he did not go down.
He turned on me with fury in his eyes and I knew the branch would not be enough.
So I shifted.
My wolf tore free and the world sharpened into focus. The rogue came at me again and this time I was ready.
I met him head-on. Claws and teeth and raw instinct. He was bigger than me. Stronger. But I was faster.
I ducked under his attack and sank my teeth into his throat. Hot blood filled my mouth and he went down hard.
I did not wait to see if he would get back up.
Another rogue was coming from the left and I spun to face him. This one was smarter. He circled me and looked for an opening.
I gave him one… or I made him think I did.
When he lunged, I twisted and raked my claws across his side. He howled and stumbled.
I finished him with a strike to the back of his neck.
Around me, the fight raged. Lucien and Theo were handling the others and between the three of us, we cut through the rogues like they were nothing.
But I knew this was wrong. Rogues did not attack like this. They did not target specific wolves.
Someone had sent them.
The last rogue fell and the forest went quiet.
I shifted back to human form and stood there breathing hard. Blood covered my hands and my dress was torn but I was alive.
Lucien shifted too. He looked at me and something in his expression had changed.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked.
"My father taught me."
Before he could respond, more footsteps echoed through the trees.
Logan appeared with a dozen wolves behind him. He stopped when he saw the bodies and his eyes widened.
"Alpha," he said. "We heard the attack. Are you all right?"
"We're fine," Lucien said. "Where were you?"
"Patrol on the northern border. We came as soon as we got word."
Too late, I thought. Too convenient.
Lucien must have thought the same thing because his eyes narrowed.
"Get rid of the bodies," he said. "And double the patrols. I want to know how they got this close without being detected."
"Yes, Alpha."
Logan's gaze slid to me and for just a second I anger or was it fear?
Then it was gone.
We walked back to the pack grounds in silence. Theo stayed close to my side and Lucien walked ahead. When we reached the main courtyard, wolves began to gather. Word had spread fast.
Katherine stood at the front with her arms crossed and her expression cold.
Lucien stopped in the center of the courtyard and raised his voice so everyone could hear.
"Aria Wren is under my personal protection," he said. "Anyone who touches her answers to me."
The crowd went silent.
Katherine's face went white with rage. Logan's expression was unreadable. And Theo smiled like he had just won something.
Lucien turned to me and grabbed my arm. He pulled me aside and lowered his voice to a growl.
"You have three days to prove your father's innocence," he said. "If you can't..."
He leaned close and his breath was hot against my ear. "I'll make you wish I had just killed you when you arrived."
- Writer
