The Verdict

The Verdict
ARIA

Ryder's hand tightens around mine and I turn my head to look at him. 

He nods at me encouragingly and with so much confidence that I can't help but feel calmer. Right now, we're waiting for a meeting that could change the outcome of this entire war, so I don't know what to expect. 

There's a whole lot of resentment toward Nocturns and everyone who supports us, but the other packs have already figured out that they won't get rid of us so easily, so if we don't agree, more people will keep dying. 

It's crazy for me to think about everything it took to get us here. Was the attack at Moon Rose truly two days ago? The helplessness I felt back then washes over me once more as the memories crash into me. No matter how hard I try to forget how terrible those moments following Ryder's arrival were, they keep coming back, demanding to be acknowledged.  

Ryder and I were staring at Ray, who was clearly dying. It crossed my mind a few more times to just finish the job so there would be no chance that he would come back from the dead, but I was distracted by a group of people leaving the packhouse, peering at us like we were monsters. 

I recognized them. Some of them were Yarina's guests. 

They reacted quickly once they figured out that Yarina was dead. They shifted and started toward us. Ryder jumped in front of me, ready to protect me, but some of them were Nocturns. He wouldn't stand a chance against them, not if they used their powers. 

And why wouldn't they?

There were nine of them in total and upon hearing the commotion, more kept coming. For a moment, I felt utterly hopeless, and I couldn't help but envision our deaths. Did we really come this far to lose now? After so much suffering...was this how our story would end?

I exchanged one last look with Ryder before concentrating all my energy on the bond. My goal was to make sure he'd be protected against all these attacks. 

I needed him to be safe, and working together was the only way we'd make it through this. 

I jumped at the first wolf that got close to us. Ryder went to attack others and it became harder for me to keep an eye on him. As I fought my way through the group, I no longer felt pain or anything that rooted me. My focus was on making it out of this place. I wanted to go home. 

Those words flashed across my mind over and over again until the last wolf fell to the ground amidst all the others. 

Only Ryder and I remained.

We shared a look over all the bodies, but before we could approach each other, more wolves came toward us from all directions, and I felt hopeless all over again. 

Ryder nudges my arm and I open my eyes. I was lost in yet another one of those unpleasant memories and I can tell by the look in his eyes that he knows. 

It's time to head inside. 

My legs somehow steadily get me across the lobby of Moon Rose's great council hall. The sound of our footsteps is echoing, blending with the ones of the guards accompanying us. 

Nervousness spreads through me. I even feel it in the tips of my fingers. I cling onto Ryder, though, letting his optimism carry me through this because I no longer know what to expect. 

The doors are opened for us and something inside of me twists at the sight of all these Alphas seated around the table. Some of them are watching us sympathetically while others are clearly bothered by our presence. 

Seated at the very end of the long wooden table is Beta Wilson, who has taken over the Moon Rose pack. 

Naturally, I mean the real Beta Wilson—the mute man who tried asking me for help when I'd first arrived at Moon Rose. 

In many ways, he was the one who saved Ryder and me. When we were surrounded by all those wolves, I thought we were doomed. Fighting a group of around ten wolves was one thing. 

Fighting a much bigger group of Gamma guards who were snarling at us? That was another thing entirely. 

But Beta Wilson showed up in wolf form, and his howl was enough to subdue them. Because Yarina, who'd been controlling him and suppressing his new Alpha Command, was dead, he was able to exercise his power over the pack freely. 

And so, we were saved. 

It's incredible how one single moment can make so many things right again. Even the fight that was happening at the farm came to a stop once he showed up. It killed me to stand among the devastation and see what hatred had done to so many innocent people. 

It was only then that I found out that the mob of angry people who'd initially attacked Yarina and her group had been gathered by Luca. He couldn't think of another way to get me the help I needed on time, and so he convinced as many people as he could to gather and fight back. 

Thank goddess he was safe. So was the rest of his family. 

The same couldn't be said for many other Ironclaws, though. 

I make eye contact with Beta Wilson, or rather, Alpha Wilson, and he smiles at me reassuringly. His interpreter welcomes us both, and then informs us that the council has come to an agreement concerning the fate of the Nocturns. 

My stomach twists into a million little knots. 

Ryder's hand tightens around mine under the table. We've been anxiously waiting for this moment for the past few days. Since the death of the Nocturn trio that turned everything on its head, Alpha Wilson contacted the other Alphas and informed them of what happened at Moon Rose and Ironclaw and how, with the help of Ray Laws, they planned on taking over all the packs. 

It seemed that everything happened right when it was supposed to because Ray had already arranged the meeting with the other Alphas. He managed to stay alive long enough to testify to this, under duress and the influence of many Nocturns, of course. This served as proof to the other Alphas of what would happen. 

He died shortly after that. 

It was a relief to both Ryder and me, knowing that he would never again torment us. 

"The decision is as follows: From here on out, the killing of innocent Nocturns will be punishable by death, and every pack must report their number of Nocturns to the new Nocturnal Council. This will consist of six Alphas and one chosen Nocturn, who will overlook all matters relating to Nocturns."

The rest of the words just fade into the background for me. I can't believe it. After all this time...we did it. The circumstances might not have been as ideal, but we managed to secure a safe world for any Nocturn who simply wants to live without having to hide their identities. 

We did it.