Episode4:The Burden of Truth
1175 Words
Amara's breath hitched as Kael’s words hung in the air. Now do you believe me? They reverberated through her mind, each syllable like a hammer against her fragile sense of reality. She didn’t respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the lifeless rogue wolf sprawled at Kael’s feet. Its body, large and imposing, seemed to shrink in the moonlight, its earlier menace replaced by eerie stillness.
“I…” She swallowed hard, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Kael sighed and turned away, his shoulders tense. He wiped blood from his face with the back of his hand and crouched to examine the rogue’s body.
“We need to keep moving,” he said without looking at her. “This wasn’t the only one. They always hunt in packs.”
Amara’s legs felt like lead as she forced herself to follow him. Each step she took deeper into the woods was a step further from the world she thought she knew.
---
The silence between them was deafening. Kael moved with the precision of someone who belonged in the forest, his steps light and deliberate. Amara, on the other hand, stumbled over roots and caught her clothes on low-hanging branches.
“You’re slowing us down,” Kael said after a particularly loud snap of a twig under her foot.
“Well, I wasn’t exactly trained to run through forests in the middle of the night,” she snapped back, her voice laced with frustration and fear.
Kael stopped and turned to her, his gray eyes glinting in the moonlight. “You need to trust me, Amara. I’m trying to keep you alive.”
“I didn’t ask for any of this!” she shot back, her voice breaking. “I didn’t ask for wolves or rogues or… whatever this is. I just want my life back!”
Kael’s gaze softened, but only slightly. “I know this is overwhelming, but there’s no going back. Not now. You’re part of this, whether you like it or not.”
Amara clenched her fists, biting back the tears threatening to spill. She hated how powerless she felt, how every step forward seemed to pull her deeper into a world she didn’t understand.
---
They finally stopped when they reached a small clearing. The moonlight bathed the area in a pale glow, and Kael motioned for her to sit.
“We’ll rest here for a bit,” he said, his voice low.
Amara dropped onto a fallen log, her body aching from the night’s events. Kael stood a few feet away, his back to her as he scanned the trees for any sign of movement.
“You’re not going to tell me everything, are you?” she asked after a long silence.
Kael glanced over his shoulder. “You’re not ready for everything.”
“Try me,” she challenged, her voice firmer than she felt.
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“Start with my father,” she said. “You said he was connected to the packs. How?”
Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Your father wasn’t just connected to the packs—he was the heir to one of the most powerful lineages. He walked away from it to protect you and your mother.”
Amara stared at him, stunned. “Why would he do that?”
“Because being part of the packs isn’t just a title—it’s a responsibility. And it comes with enemies,” Kael said, his tone grim. “He knew that staying in the packs would put a target on your back. So, he left. Tried to live a normal life.”
She shook her head, struggling to process the revelation. “But if he left, why are they after me now? Why not leave me alone?”
Kael’s gaze darkened. “Because your bloodline didn’t just disappear when he left. It still carries power—power that some would kill to control.”
Amara felt a chill run down her spine. The weight of his words settled heavily on her shoulders, and for the first time, she realized just how dangerous her life had become.
---
The sound of rustling leaves snapped her out of her thoughts.
Kael’s head jerked toward the noise, his body immediately tense. He motioned for Amara to stay quiet as he moved toward the edge of the clearing.
“Kael—” she started, but he silenced her with a sharp gesture.
The rustling grew louder, and Amara’s heart pounded in her chest. She gripped the edge of the log, her knuckles white.
Suddenly, a figure stepped into the clearing.
Amara gasped as a young woman emerged from the shadows. She was tall and lean, with striking blue eyes and dark hair that fell in loose waves around her face.
“Kael,” the woman said, her voice smooth but edged with tension. “You’ve got yourself in quite the mess.”
Kael’s posture relaxed slightly, though his expression remained wary. “Rhea,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
Rhea’s eyes flicked to Amara, her lips curving into a faint smile. “I could ask you the same thing. You’re a long way from home.”
Kael stepped between them, his stance protective. “She’s under my protection.”
Rhea raised an eyebrow, her gaze lingering on Amara. “Interesting. She doesn’t look like much.”
Amara bristled at the comment but said nothing.
“She’s more important than you realize,” Kael said firmly. “And she’s not safe here.”
Rhea’s expression sobered. “None of us are safe, Kael. The rogues are growing bolder. They’ve already breached the northern borders.”
Kael cursed under his breath. “How many?”
“Too many,” Rhea said. “And they’re not just after territory anymore. They’re hunting.”
Amara’s stomach churned at the word.
“We need to move,” Kael said, his voice urgent. “The longer we stay here, the more vulnerable we are.”
Rhea nodded, her gaze turning serious. “Agreed. But you’ll need help if you’re going to protect her. And lucky for you, I’m feeling generous.”
Kael hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Fine. But no games, Rhea.”
The woman smirked. “You know me too well.”
---
As the three of them set off through the forest, Amara couldn’t shake the feeling that her world was about to change even more. Kael’s words about her father, the arrival of Rhea, the growing threat of the rogues—it all painted a picture of a future she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
But one thing was certain: she couldn’t go back.
She glanced at Kael, his tall figure moving with a confidence she envied. He was frustratingly
cryptic, but she couldn’t deny the sense of safety she felt with him.
For now, that would have to be enough.
- Writer
