Chapter 83

[ 1,296 words ]

Aria

I look at the lock of hair that came with the note Barric and Theo found when they were patrolling the area.

The perfect golden coil reflected the light from the torches on the wall.

I’ve brushed that hair, braided it.

Tugged on it to display my annoyance.

Wiped the blood-stained strands after a night of bar brawl.

My hand trembles, something deep inside me refusing to believe what I’m seeing.

A note with only one sentence sits in the center of the table.

How could one small string of words mean so much?

A life for a life.

Your choice.

Hazel.

My stomach drops.

“How the hell did they find her?

I whisper, but it isn’t really for the room.

It’s for the part of me that still hopes this is some kind of mistake.

The part that wondered how they knew about my life in the city and why they would choose to go after her.

She is the only one that matters whom they could reach, my wolf growls, low and certain.

They mean to lure us.

“They know Aria is Sypher,” Liam says, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

I look up to find his eyes locked on the hair, his jaw tight.

I studied my brother’s face, the tight lines, the dilated pupils flashing the gold of his wolf and the familiar human blue.

It was like he was personally offended by this, but…that can’t be right.

Is he pissed at me?

Liam looks around the table where Ronan, Barric, Kade, Felix, Theo, Kiara, Marcus, Sebastian, and Dex sat.

“Why else would they take the one human who means anything to her? They are sure she’ll give herself for the girl.”

I swallow hard because they aren’t wrong.

I would.

In a heartbeat.

“Not in this lifetime,” Kade’s voice is like a whip as he narrows his eyes on me as if he could hear my thoughts.

“I am not abandoning Hazel,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Aria, we have to think this through,” Ronan says, “This note tells us more than they probably want us to know.

In a way, it’s as much a mistake as it is the blow they believe it is.”

“I really don’t have the patience for your long-winded answers, Ronan.

Spit it the fuck out.

What am I missing?”

“The Assembly knows we’re in the mountains, but the fact that they left a note inside, trying a full-on attack, means that they know they can’t get in.

They know this place is impenetrable, so they need to do something else.

We also know they think you’re a threat because you’re the one they want to trade for.”

“Or,” Felix adds, “They want to use her to reinforce the Vail and maintain their power.

After all, it was Sypher magic that created it.”

Shit.

They’re right.

I hate it.

Rage and frustration muddle in my chest, and suddenly, that piece of paper sitting in the center of the table is too much.

A taunt lights the protective fire as I imagine what those bastards are doing to her.

Kiara put a calming hand on my shoulder.

The female offering her silent support is what allows me to unclench my finger before I burn that piece of paper to ash.

“So, what the hell are we going to do about this?” Dex asks.

“This is clearly a trap,” Sebastian says.

“Who’s to say they haven’t already killed the girl?”

“Bash has a point. No one in the Assembly can be called tolerant of humans,” Theo stressed.

Kiara gives me an apologetic look.

“And then there is the possibility that even if they hadn’t, they would kill her once they get their hands on what she wants. She would be a loose end to them.”

I stop listening.

They would kill her either way.

Kill her, unless I come for her.

My nails dig into my palm.

Hazel is out there.

Alone.

Afraid.

In the hands of monstrous people who only cared about power.

Theo steps forward, his presence cutting through the chaos and heat beating in my veins.

“Enough.

We’re just riling her up.

How about we focus on something actually helpful?”

“Like what?” Kade asks

“Creating a strategy,” Theo says.

His eyes meet Barric’s, and Barric nods.

Theo then looks to Ronan, “It’s time to go on the offensive. Not just getting the human back but targeting the Assembly in a way that will knock them off their feet. The only way to stop this is to cut the head off the snake. We could use this to our advantage.”

There’s a ripple of agreement.

Nods.

Grim acceptance.

It makes sense.

Strategically, it makes perfect sense.

They want a trade, and we need to get close to them.

There is only one real problem with it.

We don’t have the time they would need to make an effective plan.

Not if we want any hope of saving Hazel.

“We don’t have time for that,” I say, my voice slicing through the fragile calm.

Every head turns toward me.

Theo’s gaze softens slightly, but he doesn’t back down.

“Aria—”

“No.” I step away from him, the heat inside me flaring.

“You’re talking about planning, gathering forces, building an attack.

That takes time.

Hazel doesn’t have that.”

“It’s necessary—”

“What if they hurt her?” My voice cracks, and I don’t even try to hide it.

“What if they decide I’m not coming and just—”

I can’t finish it.

I don’t have to.

The image is already there, vivid and horrifying.

Hazel, lifeless.

Discarded as if her life means nothing.

A dark part of my psyche wants to laugh at how foolish I was to think I could stay away from her and keep her safe.

Just like Liam tried to do for me.

My fire surges, licking at my veins.

They won’t hurt her, my wolf snarls.

Because we’ll get there first.

Ronan moves around the table, walking to me.

His presence is an immovable, solid force.

“I know,” he says quietly, and that almost makes it worse.

“I know what you’re thinking. But we can’t go in there blind. Without a plan. It could mean more than just the loss of her life.”

I tip my chin up to look him in his eyes.

“Don’t ask me to gamble with my best friend’s life.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“It might as well be,” I snap.

“I’m not risking everything on impulse,” Ronan growled, his voice turning Alpha now.

“That’s what they want. They want you reckless. Emotional. Easy to control.”

He’s wrong, my wolf growls.

We are not helpless.

I take a step closer to Ronan, lowering my voice but sharpening every word.

“You’re asking me to sit here while they hold her over me like bait.”

“I’m asking you to think. To help us turn this into something we can use to stop them.” He grabs my arms, his voice gentling.

“I know you’re scared, but I promise you we will get Hazel back.”

He said her name.

Not human.

Hazel.

And that made all the difference.

It cut through the haze of anger like a sharp blade.

“Then what do we do, because it needs to be quick?” I press.

“We figure out the best way to turn the tables. I know the packs who were targeted by the assembly will stand by us, but it’s possible there are more that will stand with us too,” Kade says.

“Then let’s make contact a priority,” Barric inputs, “we can send scouts to make contact and reduce the time, put in a caveat of coming back with us now.”

“That could work,” Liam scratches his chin.

“What about when we get there?

How are we going to make sure of this encounter?

Doesn’t it become another drawn-out battle of wills?”

“He challenges him,” Felix announces, drawing every eye to him.

I turn toward him slowly.

“What?”

Felix doesn’t look at me.

His eyes are locked on Ronan, sharp and unyielding.

“You heard me. Challenge Aldren, Alpha to Alpha. It’s the one challenge he cannot reject. Not even his position on the council will save him from it.”

Ronan’s expression darkens.

“This isn’t the time—”

“It’s exactly the time,” Felix interrupts.

“We use the trade they issue to get us close, and then you challenge Aldren publicly. His pride won’t allow him to say no. And when you win, you will hold the most powerful political position. There will be nothing stopping you from dismantling the council, or leading it.”

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