Episode 17: Hollow Hall Confrontation
253 Words
As the convoy drove for hours through dense woodland and snow-dusted mountains, Aelin's nerves twisted into knots. Hollow Hall loomed at the heart of neutral territory, a fortress carved into a cliff face, its stone walls bearing carvings that were centuries old. Wolves and humans from every pack milled about the courtyard; their curious stares prickled Aelin's skin as she stepped from the car.
Inside the cavernous hall, a semicircle of elder alphas awaited, their grey heads framed by flickering torches. At the center stood Victor Blackwood, his dark hair slicked back, his mouth already twisted in a sneer. "I accuse Damian Stone of harboring a human mate, exposing our existence to outsiders, and neglecting his pack," he proclaimed. Murmurs rippled across the chamber.
Damian's jaw clenched, but his voice was steady. "My mate has not exposed us; she has protected us. The breaches came from within my own company, orchestrated by someone aligned with you." Gasps sounded. Aelin’s heart pounded; she hated being spoken of like a crime but refused to shrink. When the oldest elder, a woman with hair like snow, asked if she had anything to say, Aelin stepped forward.
"I was born human," she said, her voice carrying farther than she expected. "But my loyalty lies with the Crescent Moon Pack. I have bled for them. Those who attack us, human or wolf, are our true enemies." Silence fell. Even Victor blinked. For the first time since arriving, Aelin felt the tide shift—if only by a fraction.
- Writer
