Chapter 292

Chapter 292
Ashley pov

Everything happens in a blur. The bears gather their stuff fast, one of them releases the guy they think is a spy and in no time, I’m swept off my feet and Ronan is carrying me away from the camp the same as Constantine is carrying Dominic with everyone else following behind us.

There’s no point to argue with them, so I don’t utter a word and close my eyes, choosing to let the sleep take me rather than focusing on the mess that surrounds us these days.

By the time I wake up, we’re already entering the cover of the mountains and soon after, Ronan finally lets me down on my feet. My legs feel like jelly, so he lets me lean against him a little until someone starts a fire and I can sit by it while the rest of them are building a makeshift camp.

The fire crackles softly, sending sparks into the chilly mountain air, letting me forget where I am for a moment. I sit close, my arms wrapped around my knees, watching the flames dance. Soon, the new camp is quiet. The bears are off somewhere, deep in discussion, and Constantine is tending to Dominic.

For once, I’m alone, and it gives me a rare moment to breathe.

I close my eyes, letting the warmth of the fire seep into my skin.

Tomorrow, we will start training. I know it will be tough, but I’m sure I will also learn a lot from them. Different techniques and things I’ve never learned in the Academy.

In return, I will share everything I know, every trick and tactic I was taught. It feels good to be useful, to know that I can hold my own if things go south and can help them at least a little.

The sound of footsteps nearing me pulls me from my thoughts. I glance up to see Gio approaching, his expression soft, almost hesitant. He sits down beside me, his gaze fixed on the fire. For a moment, we sit in silence, the only sound the crackling flames between us.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Gio finally says, his voice quiet. “I owe you an apology.”

I blink at him, surprised. “An apology? For what?”

“For everything with Kaiden,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was involved. Not directly, but I didn’t stop him. I knew what he was doing was wrong, and I didn’t do anything to stop it. I should have and I absolutely must apologize for my lack of actions.”

I study his face, the guilt etched in every line. “You didn’t have to come and say that,” I tell him honestly. Ever since I found out he helped the bears, I haven’t really seen him as an enemy anymore. “But I appreciate it.” I add.

“I had to,” Gio insists. “I needed to make things right. Or at least, try to.”

We fall into another moment of shared silence, the weight of his words settling between us. After a moment, Gio speaks again, his tone a lot softer.

“I didn’t want to be part of this mess. I was planning to leave the kingdom, go back to the Academy. I wanted to claim my mate.”

I raise an eyebrow, curious. “Your mate?”

“Nathan,” Gio says, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Your favorite professor.”

I can’t help but smile at that. “Nathan? Really?”

Gio nods. “Yeah. I was going to leave everything behind, go back to him. But the king and Kaiden had other plans. They locked me up before I could go.”

My smile fades as I process that. “I’m sorry, Gio.”

“It’s not your fault,” he says quickly. “But it’s part of why I’m here now. I want to help fix what’s broken. And I need to warn you.”

I tilt my head, suddenly wary. “Warn me?”

Gio’s expression grows serious. “We need to be ready. There’s a war coming, Ash. Whether we want it or not. The king, Kaiden, the hunters, they’re not going to stop. We have to be prepared. This war might end all the madness, or it might kill us all.”

His words send a shiver down my spine. I know he’s right. I can feel it in the air, the tension, the sense of something big on the horizon.

“I know,” I whisper. “That’s why I’m here. I’m not going to let them take us down without a fight.”

Gio smiles, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. “You’re stronger than most people I know, Ash. We’ll get through this. We have to.”

I nod, agreeing with his words, letting his positive outlook infect me a little. “Yeah, we will.”

For a while, we sit there, watching the fire burn. It feels good, having someone to share the weight of all this with. Gio might have made mistakes, but he’s here now, and that’s what matters.

But then, Gio speaks again. “Do you ever think about what it would be like if none of this had happened?”

“All the time,” I admit. “Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if we weren’t always fighting, if we could just, you know, live.”

Gio nods slowly. “I wanted that too. Just to live, to be with Nathan. I thought I could get away, but this war pulls everyone back in. Funny how we’re forced to fight a war that isn’t ours to begin with.”

“It’s hard to escape. But maybe, when it’s all over, we’ll find a way. Perhaps we’ll get that chance to change things and make life easier for everyone.”

“Maybe,” Gio agrees. “But until then, we will fight.”

“We will fight,” I repeat. “For each other.”

Gio smiles, a little more at ease now. “You’re not alone, Ash. We’re all in this together. I know everyone’s been repeating the word ‘together’ to you all this time, but please don’t forget that we mean it. I mean it. I’m on your side, no matter what.”

I can’t help but grin at him. “Thanks, Gio.”

My words echo in the silence around us, but Gio isn’t trying to keep up with the conversation or leave, which turns out to be rather nice, as surprising as it is. Funny how somehow, I’ve found the most unlikely allies.