Chapter 41
Confessions.
Jason.
A flame of recognition flickered in my eyes as the brother and sister emerged from the woods, looking beat up and panting; they must have had a hard time finding the meeting spot. I had their faces etched in my memories, and in my feelings a shade of gratitude—they had facilitated my conquest after all in betraying their alpha; why were they now acting angry as if they had not been a huge contribution to the annihilation of their pack? What bothered me most was the fact that the pack I had destroyed seemed to be Clarissa’s, which she had been separated from. I never intended to do anything that would hurt Clarissa in any way, but it seemed I had destroyed a part of her. I could see the shock in her eyes when Mirian and Elliot pointed their accusing fingers at me. I was at a loss for words.
"Jason? Do you know them from anywhere? What are they talking about?" She questioned me, her eyes hard on me.
"Um, Clarissa, you have to calm down." I said, taking a seat to prepare myself for her reaction.
"I am calm, Jason," She replied, still looking me in the eyes.
"Okay, so. How I met them. It was complicated; I met them at war.
"War with?" Clarissa pressed on.
"War with Clyde’s Pack; they were the most formidable pack that existed, but we had them conquered."
At the mention of Clyde’s name, Clarissa’s countenance changed to a shocked one, as though she were trying to catch her breath.
"Clyde’s pack? You mean you destroyed Clyde’s pack?" She asked with specks of denial in her eyes.
"How was that even possible with the strength of the Orhert?" I participated in its intensive training myself," She said again.
"Well, when we examined its corpse, it turned out that it was drugged with a substantial amount of atanaxins." I explained.
"By the goddess, who would do such a terrible thing?" Clarissa exclaimed. Her countenance showed that she had a lot roaming around her consciousness; had she no family back home? A lover or something? What had made her leave the pack in the first place? Was she a criminal or a spy who had barely escaped the angry clutches of her pack? I found myself itching to know every single thing about this woman, from her past to her present and future—everything.
"As for who poisoned the Orhert, If my intuition is correct, I have these two to thank. Why don’t you tell her what happened to Orhert, Mirian, and Elliot, and in details too? And also, what happened to your Alpha, Clyde?" I asked and watched Elliot and Mirian melt with guilt.
Mirian:
As Clarissa stared at us with a mix of shock and anger, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of guilt pressing down on my shoulders. I exchanged a nervous glance with my brother, Elliot, before mustering the courage to speak. "Clarissa, it’s true that we played a part in destroying Clyde’s pack," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "But it wasn’t just out of betrayal. There’s more to the story than you know."
Taking a deep breath, Elliot and I took turns explaining how our parents were once part of Clyde’s pack. They were loyal and devoted members, but one day they were falsely accused of committing a crime they didn’t commit. The pack, under Clyde’s Father’s leadership, sentenced them to death without a fair trial. We were devastated, angry, and seeking justice for our parents’ wrongful execution.
"When we discovered that Clyde was beginning to walk in his father’s footsteps by planning to expand his territory, we saw an opportunity to take revenge," Elliot added, his voice filled with bitterness. "We poisoned the Orhert and got some influence through Gray, gaining their trust and access to their resources. It wasn’t an easy task, but we were determined."
Mirian continued, "We managed to drug the Orhert with atanaxins, weakening it significantly. We also trapped Clyde, locking him away so he couldn’t lead the pack during the crucial battle. It was our chance to cripple his influence and make him suffer, just like his father had made our family suffer."
Clarissa listened intently, her expression softening as she absorbed the information. "I had no idea you both went through such pain," she said sympathetically. "But does that justify betraying your own pack and causing the deaths of so many innocent wolves?"
"We didn’t want any more innocent bloodshed," Mirian replied, tears welling up in her eyes. "We thought taking down Clyde would prevent further atrocities. We wanted justice and closure for our parents."
Jason::
As I watched Mirian and Elliot confess their actions, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted. On one hand, I understood their desire for revenge and justice. But on the other hand, their actions had caused immense pain and suffering to many others, including Clarissa, who seemed genuinely hurt by the revelation.
"I’m not going to pretend that what you did was right," I interjected, my voice firm. "But I can see that your motives were fueled by deep pain and loss. However, you must understand that revenge is a double-edged sword. It might bring temporary relief, but it also perpetuates a cycle of violence."
Clarissa nodded in agreement, her eyes still reflecting a mix of emotions. "Jason is right. I can’t condone what you did, but I can understand why you did it. Still, we need to find a way to break this cycle and find a path towards healing and forgiveness."
Mirian and Elliot exchanged glances, clearly grappling with their feelings of guilt and remorse. "We know we can’t undo the past," Elliot said, his voice filled with regret. "But we are willing to accept the consequences of our actions and try to make amends."
Clarissa took a deep breath, seemingly trying to find the strength to forgive. "I don’t know if I can forgive you right away," she admitted. "But I believe in second chances. If you truly want to make amends, you’ll have to prove it through your actions from now on."
Mirian and Elliot nodded solemnly, accepting the challenge. "We understand," Mirian said, wiping away her tears. "We’ll do whatever it takes to make things right."
Clarissa :
No, Jason, I don’t think you understand fully. I myself understand how it feels to be betrayed by your pack, one you have sacrificed a lot for." I chipped in, my heart full of remorse for the brother and sister.
"I officially apologize to you guys, Mirian and Elliot—as one who was almost the Luna of your pack, I am sorry for the grief you passed through alone, and I promise that if you join this new pack, I'll make sure to make it up to you." I said, and Mirian and Elliot bowed their heads, overwhelmed by their emotions.