Chapter 109

Nathan

The days that passed were cold and silent. I exchanged mere nods with Olivia, her soft smiles like whispers of the sun through the icy frost of our conversations.

Every word between us felt strained, echoing with an emptiness that seeped into the marrow of my bones.

A few days after our confrontation, I found myself in the Council hall, surrounded by the grim faces of the Alpha Council.

They gathered around the table, their faces etched with lines of worry. The monstrous creature that had been sighted roaming around the edge of our territory was the topic at hand.

“We’ve seen a decrease in sightings,” my father announced, his eyes grim. “But that doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet.”

There was a murmur of agreement from the gathered Council members. A chill ran down my spine, not from the cold air but from a looming sense of dread.

Just then, Elder Mingan spoke. “Well, young Nathan?” she asked. “It’s the end of the week. Have you found any information for us? Anything to convince us that the monster should not be euthanized for its own sake and for the sake of our pack?”

I swallowed.

Alvin was the 'monster' they were talking about. His transformation had always been a terrible thing, a curse that he bore alone. My heart pounded with fear and guilt. He needed us, needed me, but I had let my feelings and pride get in the way.

“Yes,” I said, standing from my seat. “I saw the monster the other night. I believe that it may be a rogue.”

Another murmur around the table.

“And?” Alpha Mike chimed in.

I cleared my throat. The lie that slipped out was calculated, not made up on the spot. Despite my argument with Olivia, I knew that Alvin did need our help; she was correct in that regard. ‘

I might not have been able to personally help someone who didn’t want help, but at the very least I could keep the Council off of his trail.

“It was enormous,” I described, gesturing with my hands to indicate the size. “Bigger than any wolf I’ve ever seen. It had glowing blue eyes, and it was… Missing an ear. Like it had lost it in a fight.”

“Interesting,” my father said, leaning on his elbows, his hands clasped together in front of him. “All of the accounts we’ve heard have described the monster as having yellow eyes.”

I shook my head. “Well they’re wrong. People don’t see things correctly when they’re scared, but I got a good look at the monster because I was intentionally looking for it. I swear it had glowing blue eyes.”

My father nodded and leaned back in his chair. He seemed to believe me; I had rehearsed my lie well over the past few days.

“Where did you see it?” Alpha Mike asked.

“I followed it,” I replied. “It was headed toward the east side of town, where the forest starts climbing up into the mountain. I think it might be living in the old coal mines.”

It was settled. Once again, I threw them off of Alvin’s trail; the mines were in the exact opposite direction of where Alvin lived. They believed me, their grim faces marked with determination and fear. Fear for a ‘monster’ that wasn’t actually a monster at all.

Eventually, they would discover that this so-called ‘monster’ wasn’t in the old mines, but by then, I hoped to have Alvin somewhere safe at the very least if Olivia and I couldn’t convince him to stop his senseless fear mongering.

The Council decided on a hunt to eliminate the creature, to remove the threat to our town, to our people. But they didn't know the truth. The ‘threat’ was one of us, our own, twisted by a war that had left him broken and scarred.

With the meeting adjourned, I left the council chamber, my mind filled with dread. I headed straight back to the villa with only one thing on my mind: Olivia.

My heart pounded in my chest as I knocked on her bedroom door. She slowly opened it, her face becoming grim and dark as she looked up at me.

“Nathan,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “What do you want?”

She was still mad at me, and I didn’t blame her for it. But I knew that I could make it up to her.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding as I forced the words out.

“I'm sorry, Olivia,” I began, my voice thick with regret. “I don't want Alvin to get into trouble. I... I want to help. I threw the Council off of his trail for now, so it should buy us enough time to figure something out.”

She blinked, surprise lighting up her features.

And then, suddenly, she smiled. It was a wide, genuine smile that I hadn't seen since our argument. And suddenly, she was wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace, her warmth seeping into me.

I froze, surprise holding me still.

“I...I don't know what to say, Nathan,” she mumbled into my chest. “Thank you...”

I awkwardly patted her back, struggling to regain my composure. Her closeness, her warmth was overwhelming, and it stirred up feelings I’d been trying to suppress.

But now wasn't the time for that.

I gently pushed her away, my cheeks flushing. “We need to plan, Olivia,” I said, my voice coming out more harshly than I intended. “We should hold a secret meeting, figure out how to protect Alvin from the Council...from our own people.”

She nodded, her eyes gleaming with determination. “Yes,” she agreed. “We need to protect Alvin.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling a bit breathless. “Tomorrow night, after sundown. I think that we should invite Angela and Levi. They’ll both be helpful.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice soft. “I’ll call Angela and let her know. And… Thank you, Nathan. Really.”

I nodded again, avoiding her gaze. “Good. I'll...I'll see you then, Olivia.”

And with that, I turned and left, my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel her gaze on my back as I walked away, could feel the warmth of her hug still lingering on my skin.

The challenge that lay ahead was a daunting one. Protecting Alvin would be a dangerous task, one that could cost us everything. But it was one I was willing to take. Alvin was our friend. He had suffered enough. It was time we helped him, showed him he wasn’t alone in his struggle.

As I walked away, my thoughts whirled.

But amidst the fear, the guilt, and the anticipation, one thing was clear. I would do whatever it took to protect Alvin, even if it meant standing against the entire Council.

And with Olivia by my side, I had hope. We could save Alvin, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to mend the rift between us.

Because despite our disagreements, despite the harsh words and heated arguments, I cared about her, more than I was willing to admit.

And now, more than ever, we needed to stand together, for Alvin, for ourselves, and for the sake of our fractured friendship.