Chapter 64 064
Chapter 65
Thalia's POV
I didn't sleep at all that night.
My mother stayed awake too. We sat across from each other in the cabin not talking. What was there to say? In less than twenty-four hours I'd be back under Varian's control and we both knew what that meant.
Beth tried to convince me to reconsider a dozen times before she finally gave up and just sat with us in silence.
Around dawn, Iris came to the cabin.
"I sent a message to Varian," she informed me. "Told him you'd turn yourself over at sunset on the condition that he provides written guarantee Haven will remain untouched."
"Did he respond?"
"Not yet. But his wolves are still out there. They'll relay the message."
"What if he refuses? What if he just attacks anyway?"
"Then we defend ourselves as best we can. But I wanted to at least try to get something in writing."
After Iris left, my mother finally spoke.
"You don't have to do this."
"We've had this conversation already."
"I know. But I need to say it one more time. You don't owe Haven anything. These people you barely know. You don't have to sacrifice yourself for them."
"I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it because I'm tired. Tired of running, tired of fighting, tired of watching other people suffer because of my choices."
"Those aren't your choices. Varian is the one making threats. He's the one who won't let go."
"Doesn't change the outcome."
Beth stood up abruptly. "I can't listen to this anymore. You're both acting like this is inevitable when it's not. There are other options."
"Like what?" I challenged.
"Like actually fighting back. Like reaching out to other settlements or packs who might stand against Varian. Like doing literally anything besides just giving up."
"We tried reaching out. Samuel sent us here and now Haven is threatened because of it. Who else is going to help?"
"What about Cyrus? He offered you protection before."
"In exchange for joining his pack. That's just trading one Alpha for another."
"So what? At least you'd be alive and free to make some of your own choices. Going back to Varian means no choices at all."
"She's right," my mother added quietly. "Cyrus might still be willing to help. It's worth trying."
I thought about it. Cyrus had warned me this would happen. Had told me that independence without security was just vulnerability with extra steps.
"Even if Cyrus would help, it doesn't solve the immediate problem. Varian's deadline is today. Cyrus is days away."
"Then we ask for an extension," Beth suggested. "Tell Varian you need time to arrange things. Anything to buy us more time to find another solution."
"Varian isn't going to grant extensions. He made that clear."
"You don't know that unless you try."
Around midday, Derek returned. Just him this time, no other wolves.
"I have Alpha Varian's response to Haven's terms," he announced to the group that had gathered.
Iris stepped forward. "What does he say?"
Derek pulled out a piece of paper. "Alpha Varian agrees that if Thalia Winters surrenders herself by sunset today, Haven will be left unmolested. He will not claim authority over this settlement or interfere in its operations. This guarantee stands as long as Haven does not harbor any other fugitives from his pack in the future."
"That's it? He just agreed?" Iris sounded suspicious.
"He agreed because he's getting what he wants. Thalia back under his authority where she belongs."
"I'm not property," I snapped.
Derek smiled coldly. "Alpha Varian disagrees. You were a member of his pack. You left without proper release. By pack law, you still belong to him."
"The arbiter ruled otherwise."
"The arbiter ruled on a specific legal question. This is about pack authority and tradition. Alpha Varian is within his rights to reclaim a member who abandoned their responsibilities."
"I didn't abandon anything. He exiled me."
"Exile doesn't equal release. We've had this conversation before."
Iris held out her hand. "Let me see that guarantee in writing."
Derek handed over the paper. Iris read it carefully, then passed it to Marcus who also reviewed it.
"It's legitimate," Marcus confirmed. "Signed and sealed. As binding as pack agreements get."
"Which isn't very binding," Connor muttered. "Pack agreements are only as good as the Alpha's word."
"True," Iris acknowledged. "But it's more than we had before."
She turned to me. "The choice is yours, Thalia. No one here is going to force you to go. But if you do, at least we have this."
I took the paper and read it myself. The language was formal and clear. Varian promised to leave Haven alone in exchange for my surrender.
"I need to talk to my mother," I said. "Alone."
Derek shrugged. "You have until sunset. Use the time however you want."
My mother and I walked to the edge of the settlement where we could have privacy.
"Don't go," she pleaded. "Please. We'll find another way."
"There is no other way. Not one that doesn't risk innocent lives."
"Then we risk them. We fight. We do anything except walk you back into that monster's hands."
"He's not a monster. He's just an Alpha who thinks he owns me. That's how they all think."
"Not all of them. Cyrus offered you a partnership, not ownership."
"Cyrus offered me a trade. My independence for his protection. That's still ownership, just with better terms."
My mother grabbed my shoulders. "Look at me. Really look at me. I spent thirty years in a pack under an Alpha's control. I know what that life is like. The constant judgment, the lack of real choice, the feeling that you're never quite good enough. I don't want that for you."
"You had that life and you survived."
"Survived isn't the same as lived. I want you to actually live, not just exist under someone else's rules."
"What if existing is all I get? What if this is as good as it gets for wolves like us?"
"Don't say that. Don't let Varian make you believe you're powerless."
We stood there, my mother crying and me trying not to.
"I love you," I finally whispered. "But I have to do this."
"Why? Give me one good reason why you have to surrender to him."
"Because if I don't, people will die. Haven will be attacked. And I'll spend the rest of my life knowing I could have prevented it."
"People might die anyway. Varian might attack Haven even after he gets you back."
"Probably. But at least I tried to prevent it."
My mother pulled me into a hug. "I'm not letting you go alone. If you're going back to Varian's pack, I'm going with you."
"No. You're staying here at Haven. You're safe here."
"I'm not safe anywhere without you. And I'm not losing you again."
"Mom—"
"No arguments. We left his pack together. If we're going back, we go back together."
I wanted to argue but I was too tired. Too emotionally drained to fight about it.
"Fine. We go together."
We walked back to the cabin. Beth was waiting outside.
"You're really doing this," she observed. Not a question.
"We're really doing this."
"Then I'm coming with you. At least to the handoff. Make sure Varian actually honors the agreement."
"Beth, you don't have to—"
"I know I don't have to. But I'm doing it anyway. You're my friend. I'm not letting you face this alone."
The afternoon dragged by. People from Haven stopped by to say goodbye. Some were apologetic, saying they wished there was another way. Others were clearly relieved the threat would be gone. A few didn't say anything at all.
Connor and Lily came together.
"This is wrong," Connor stated. "Everything about this is wrong."
"I know. But it's happening anyway."
"Is there anything we can do? Anything at all?"
"Just remember us. Remember what happened here. And if other wolves show up running from packs in the future, maybe think twice before voting to throw them out."
Lily hugged me. "I'm sorry we couldn't do more."
"You did what you could. That's enough."
As the sun started to set, my mother and I gathered our few belongings. We didn't have much. Just the clothes we'd arrived in and some supplies Haven had provided.
Beth, Iris, Marcus, Connor, and Lily walked with us to the eastern border. Derek was already waiting there with his wolves.
"Ready?" he asked.
"No. But I'm here anyway."
Derek gestured for us to step forward. "Alpha Varian will be pleased you came to your senses."
"I didn't come to my senses. I'm doing this to protect people who don't deserve to suffer for my choices."
"Call it whatever you want. The result is the same. You're coming back where you belong."
I turned to Iris one last time. "Take care of Haven. Don't let what happened here make you stop helping others who need it."
"We'll try," Iris promised. "And Thalia? For what it's worth, you're braver than most wolves I've met."
"Brave or stupid. I'm still not sure which."
My mother took my hand. "We go together."
"We go together," I repeated.
Beth stepped forward like she wanted to hug me but Derek held up a hand.
"No more delays. Alpha Varian is waiting."
We started walking. Away from Haven. Away from the first place that had actually fought for us.
Toward Varian and whatever punishment he'd decided we deserved.
I didn't look back. Couldn't bear to see the settlement disappear behind us.
My mother squeezed my hand. "We'll get through this."
"Will we? Because I'm not sure there's anything to get through. I think this is just where our story ends."
"Stories don't end. They just change direction."
I wanted to believe her. Wanted to think this was just another challenge we'd overcome eventually.
But as we walked deeper into the forest with Derek's wolves surrounding us, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking toward something we'd never come back from.
And that maybe freedom had always been an illusion I'd been too stubborn to let go of.