Chapter 36 036
Chapter 36
Thalia’s POV
Varian waited for my answer.
He didn’t raise his voice or repeat himself. He stood in front of the cell with his hands behind his back, watching me like he was waiting for something to fall into place.
Shelly stood a step behind him. Close enough that I could tell she felt protected. She didn’t look nervous. She looked patient.
I took a breath.
“I’m not apologizing,” I said.
My voice sounded steady. I didn’t feel steady, but I wasn’t shaking either.
Varian’s jaw tightened slightly.
“You’re refusing a direct order,” he said.
“I’m refusing to say something that isn’t true,” I replied.
Shelly let out a quiet sigh.
“Thalia,” she said, “you’re making this harder than it needs to be.”
I looked at her. “For who?”
She didn’t answer.
Varian took a step closer to the bars.
“You put your hands on Shelly,” he said. “You caused trouble in the pack. An apology would put an end to this.”
“I didn’t start it,” I said. “And you know that.”
“That’s not what matters anymore,” he replied.
“So the truth doesn’t matter,” I said.
“What matters,” he said, “is order.”
I nodded slowly. “Then do what you were going to do anyway.”
Silence followed.
Varian looked at me for a long moment. I couldn’t read his expression anymore. I didn’t try.
Finally, he turned his head toward the guard standing near the door.
“Release her,” he said.
Shelly turned sharply. “Varian—”
“She leaves the pack today,” he continued. “No title. No protection. No claim to pack territory.”
Shelly opened her mouth, then closed it again.
“She is not to return,” Varian added. “Ever.”
The guard nodded.
I felt something tighten in my chest, but I didn’t say anything.
Shelly looked at me.
“You could have avoided this,” she said.
“I could have lied,” I replied. “I chose not to.”
The guard unlocked the cell.
The door opened.
“Move,” he said.
I stood slowly. My legs felt stiff, but they worked. I stepped out of the cell without looking back at it.
Varian didn’t speak again.
Shelly didn’t either.
They stayed where they were as the guard led me down the hallway.
The corridor felt longer than before. The walls were bare. The torches were spaced far apart, leaving shadows in between. My footsteps echoed. The guard’s steps were steady and unhurried.
We reached the main exit.
The doors opened, and cool air hit my face.
My mother stood near the gate.
She looked tired. Older than I remembered.
She walked toward me as soon as she saw me.
“Thalia,” she said quietly.
I stopped a few steps away.
“They’re sending me away,” I said.
She nodded. “I know.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
“I’m sorry,” she said finally. “I tried to change his mind.”
“I know,” I replied.
She reached out like she wanted to touch my arm, then stopped herself.
“They gave you supplies,” she said.
A small pack was placed on the ground near my feet. It wasn’t much. Food for a few days. Water. A cloak.
“You’ll need to leave before sunset,” the guard said. “You’re not allowed to cross back into inner territory.”
I picked up the pack.
“Is that everything?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said.
I turned to my mother.
“You don’t have to walk me out,” I said.
She nodded, like she was relieved not to be asked.
“Be careful,” she said.
“I will,” I replied.
I walked past the gate without looking back.
No one stopped me.
The path away from the pack grounds was familiar. I had walked it many times with others. Now it felt different. Quieter.
There was no pack presence in my head anymore. No background awareness. No connection.
Just my own thoughts.
I walked for a while without stopping.
My body moved on habit more than intention. One step after another. I focused on the ground in front of me.
After some time, I stopped near the outer border.
I turned and looked back once.
The pack lands looked the same as they always had. Nothing about them showed what had just happened.
I turned away.
The farther I went, the quieter it became.
The sun moved lower in the sky. The light shifted. I adjusted the strap of the pack on my shoulder.
My feet started to ache. I ignored it.
I reached a clearing near the edge of the territory and stopped.
I sat down on a fallen log.
For a few minutes, I just sat there.
I wasn’t crying. I wasn’t angry. I felt empty, like something had been removed and nothing had replaced it.
I thought about Varian.
Not what he said. Not what he did.
Just the fact that it was over.
I stood up again.
I didn’t know where I was going.
I only knew I couldn’t stay there.
I walked until the sun dipped lower.
When the light started to fade, I found a place off the path and stopped for the night.
I ate a small amount of food and drank some water.
I wrapped the cloak around myself and sat against a tree.
The night was quiet.
Too quiet.
Without the pack bond, everything felt distant. Sounds didn’t carry the same way. The forest felt larger.
I slept lightly. When I woke, it was still dark. I stayed where I was until morning.
When the sun rose, I packed up and started walking again.
My thoughts stayed simple. Where to find water. How far I could walk. Where to rest.
That was enough for now. By midday, I reached unfamiliar land.
No markers. No signs of pack territory. I slowed my pace. I stayed alert, watching my surroundings. I didn’t know what would come next.
But I was still standing. And for now, that was enough.