Chapter 116

Tristian

Many questions are racing through my mind especially with Leah being here right now and even saying she isn't here to reject me. I want nothing more than to hold her close and continue to redeem myself to be the mate she deserves.

Maybe everything will work out in the end. If Leah accepts me, then maybe I'll have a clean slate to work with. Of course, I don't expect us to jump into being mates. A trial period will be needed so she knows she can trust me. I also need to know I can trust myself.

As I think more about it, I picture my life with Leah. I won't be an Alpha anymore... yet that doesn't bother me at all. Instead, I see myself helping her mix up herbs for her patients and even doing small chores around the pack.

In a way, it's a relief not to have all that pressure anymore. I won't have a pack to think for nor be responsible for everyone as a whole. I'll be part of a pack at least and won't go insane. I'll have a home, a beautiful mate, and a bright future. Even if my rank is that of an Omega, I know I'll be happy.

'You bastards...' That voice brings me back to reality. Daydreaming is fun as is looking forward to the future, but more pressing matters are in the way, especially with Penelope staring us down with a disgusted glare.

Royal Pack's Beta, Carmen, has Penelope pinned to the ground as a way to keep her in place and to stop the fight. She isn't even in her wolf form yet she overpowered Penelope so easily. Her strength is amazing and she isn't even using half of it... I shudder to think what Xander's full strength is like.

'You have powerful friends even if you're exiled like the rest of us.' Penelope snarls and scratches the ground. I grimace and take a step back out of instinct. Every fiber of my being is terrified of her. 'You can't even fight me on your own. How the mighty has truly fallen!'

"Y-you fight dirty now... and you know it." My raised voice is hoarse and weak making Penelope curl her lip in satisfaction. It's too late to fix things between us so I don't bother trying. I've been trying to do so for a while now and all I ever get is more claw marks.

'Aww, it's the poor fresh rogue saying it's not fair?' Penelope coos before growling as Carmen tightens her grip. 'You stopped being fair long before you unjustly exiled me, Trisy. Don't act as if you didn't start this in the first place!'

I flinch and clench my fists. Penelope is only stating facts. I'm an sshl and nothing can change that. I exiled her based on Dahlia's word alone and even scarred her out of spite. No matter how much I regret my actions, nothing will change between us.

"Oh, hush already." Carmen rolls her eyes and sighs. "Your life sucks because you were wronged and lost your mind. We get it... nothing can change the past. Revenge isn't going to change anything other than make you a self-absorbed monster... just like Tristian was back when he ruined your life."

Penelope snarls and tries to snap at Carmen but she can't reach her nor does Carmen look threatened at all. She looks very casual and calm. "Do you wish to stoop down to his level? Or rise above and be better?" She then sighs again and shakes her head. "Why am I trying to reason with a rogue...?" She mutters under her breath.

Penelope growls lowly before looking back towards Leah and me. 'Your little love story is never going to work anyway. Not when you can't even remember your first time meeting her, Trisy.' Her voice is gruff yet smug.

I frown deeply. "W-we've never met before this... I don't understand why you both..." I hesitate and look to Leah who won't look back to me. "Have we... really met before this?" I ask nervously.

Leah frowns as well and won't meet my eyes. 'Of course, you have!' Penelope replies and I look back to her. 'Don't you even remember your first crush? You wouldn't stop talking about the fawn-eyed girl you met back then! Well... you did after Dahlia started getting pretty to you I guess.'

Fawn-eyed girl? After looking back at Leah... it clicks and my eyes widen. I did know Leah before... she's the little girl I comforted in the past. The pretty girl became plain in my mind once Dahlia started to mature more.

'You even treated her like a girl who wanted your attention because you saw yourself as all that!' I tense again as Penelope mocks me. 'You left her crying and feeling foolish because she was excited to see her friend again. Such a cruel man you were!'

Leah grits her teeth and still won't look at me while I never take my eyes off her face. It's all coming back to me in a flash. How could I have been so cruel back then? I can't blame Dahlia for it either. I knew I was arrogant but... to go as far as making a little girl cry?

Penelope then sounds proud, almost like her old self. 'I stepped in and cleaned up your mess as usual. Poor thing wouldn't stop crying until she had someone to comfort her. She must not have had many friends... poor mite...' I look over to my old friend. She almost seems normal again... but her bloodshot eyes give away her rogue madness.

"... You're right. I didn't have many friends. None that I wanted to connect to back then." Leah finally speaks. "I was the outcast of my family and was abandoned. The first wolf to give me the time of day was Tristian which made me cling to that image of him for years."

I flinch and look down. I hate that I've hurt her so much. Did she know who I was when I was in prison? When she nursed me back to health? I know the answer to those stupid questions... of course she did.

"I thank you for comforting me that day, Penny." Leah continues and smiles warmly. "And I'm sorry for what you've gone through. My words won't reach now... and I understand that. Still... you helped me get to where I am today."

Penelope stares her down. 'Get you back to Trisy you mean. You poor mite.' She's mocking Leah now making me growl lowly. 'I feel so sorry for you. Just reject him and be done so I can get back to my fun, dmn it!'

"I'm not going to reject him." My heart leaps at Leah's immediate response. "I'm not accepting him right away either." My heart sinks but I keep my mouth shut. "However, I need to make this choice on my own. I'm not letting you torture him. I'm not letting him die either." She takes my hand tightly. "I hope you find peace soon, Penny... but this ends now."

Before Penelope can growl again, Carmen suddenly knocks her out and she goes limp. The Beta flashes a grin towards Leah. "Let's go before she wakes up. I'm sure she'll be pssd." She then eyes me. "Think you can make it or do you need a ride?"

I can tell Carmen doesn't trust me. I open my mouth to say I can but then I start feeling lightheaded. "Tristian?" Leah's voice starts to get faint as the world spins and tilts. "Tristian!" The last thing I see is Leah's worried expression as my world goes dark.