Chapter 61 061
Chapter 61
Thalia's POV
The council meeting happened within the hour.
Everyone at Haven gathered in the main hall. The usual relaxed atmosphere was gone, replaced by tension that made my skin crawl. People kept glancing at my mother and me like we were the source of a plague.
Iris stood at the front and laid out the situation. "We have confirmation that Varian's pack has located Haven. We found fresh markings on our border and evidence of extended surveillance. This is the first time in fifteen years that we've had this kind of attention from a major pack."
"Because of them," someone muttered, pointing at us.
Iris held up her hand. "We don't know that for certain."
"Of course it's because of them," an older man argued. "Thalia shows up running from Varian and suddenly his wolves are watching us? That's not coincidence."
My mother stood up. "You're right. It's probably not a coincidence. And if our presence here is putting you all in danger, we'll leave. Right now. We never meant to bring trouble to Haven."
"Sit down, Elena," Iris ordered firmly. "No one's leaving until we understand the full situation and make a decision as a community."
"What's there to understand?" the older man pressed. "Varian wants them back. He's found them here. If we keep them, he'll attack us. If we send them away, he leaves us alone. Simple choice."
"It's not that simple," Connor spoke up. He'd been one of the first people to befriend us when we arrived. "We don't just hand people over to Alphas who want to control them. That goes against everything Haven stands for."
"Haven stands for wolves living independently without pack politics," someone else countered. "Not for harboring refugees from pack disputes. There's a difference."
The arguing escalated quickly. Half the room wanted us gone immediately. The other half insisted that giving in to Varian's intimidation would set a dangerous precedent.
I sat there listening to people debate my future like I wasn't even present. It reminded me too much of the hearing, of Varian and Shelly deciding what would happen to me while I stood there powerless.
"Stop," I finally said. Not loud, but firm enough that people actually quieted down. "Just stop arguing about us like we're not here."
Iris nodded. "Thalia's right. This involves them directly. They should have a voice in this discussion."
"Fine," the older man challenged. "So what do you have to say? How do you justify putting all of us at risk?"
I stood up slowly. "I don't justify it. You're right that we brought this problem here. I'm the one Varian's looking for and my mother left his pack because of me. If you want us gone, we'll go. But don't pretend this is just about us."
"What's that supposed to mean?" someone asked.
"It means Varian knowing about Haven is a problem whether we're here or not. You've stayed hidden for fifteen years by being remote and unimportant. But now a major Alpha knows you exist. Even if you kick us out, do you really think he'll just forget about you?"
That caused more muttering. People hadn't considered that angle.
"She has a point," Lily offered. "Varian's already scouted our location. He knows our numbers and our defenses. Sending Thalia and Elena away doesn't erase that information."
"So what do you suggest?" Iris asked me. "What should we do?"
"I don't know. But making decisions based on fear of what Varian might do seems like letting him control you without him even being here."
The older man scoffed. "Easy for you to say. You've already lost your pack. We're trying to protect what we have."
"And I'm trying not to be responsible for you losing it," I shot back. "Which is why I said we'd leave if that's what you decide. But at least acknowledge that this isn't a simple problem with an easy solution."
Iris called for a brief recess. People broke into smaller groups, talking in low voices. My mother and I stood off to the side, not sure where we fit.
Marcus approached us. He was the one who'd found the tracking signs initially.
"I don't think you should leave," he stated quietly.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because Iris is right about precedent. If we kick out everyone who might draw attention from a pack, we're not really independent. We're just hiding and hoping no one notices us."
"But the others have a point too. We are putting you at risk."
"Maybe. But Haven was always going to face this eventually. Can't stay hidden forever. At least now we know what we're dealing with."
Connor joined us. "I agree with Marcus. This isn't just about you two. It's about what kind of community we want to be."
When the meeting resumed, Iris laid out the options.
"We can ask Thalia and Elena to leave, which removes the immediate cause of Varian's interest but doesn't erase his knowledge of our location. We can keep them here and prepare for potential conflict with Varian's pack. Or we can try to negotiate with Varian directly, make it clear that Haven is neutral ground and his wolves aren't welcome here."
"Negotiating with Alphas never works," someone argued. "They see it as weakness."
"Not negotiating means either giving in to intimidation or preparing for war," Iris countered. "Neither option is great."
The debate continued for another hour. Finally, Iris called for a vote.
"All in favor of asking Thalia and Elena to leave Haven?"
About a third of the hands went up. More than I'd hoped but less than I'd feared.
"All in favor of them staying while we prepare our defenses and attempt to negotiate with Varian?"
Just over half the hands rose.
"All opposed to both options?"
The remaining hands went up, people who clearly didn't like any of the choices.
"The majority supports Thalia and Elena staying," Iris announced. "But I want to be clear about what this means. We're choosing to stand our ground against potential pack aggression. Everyone needs to understand that risk."
"What about those of us who voted for them to leave?" the older man demanded. "Do we just accept being outvoted on something this important?"
"That's how community decisions work," Iris responded. "We vote, we accept the result, we work together. If you can't live with that, you're free to leave Haven yourself."
The man looked furious but didn't argue further.
After the meeting, my mother and I walked back to our cabin in silence. When we got inside, she finally spoke.
"A third of them wanted us gone. More than I expected."
"But two thirds wanted us to stay. That counts for something."
"Does it? Because those people who voted against us, we still have to live alongside them. Work with them. Trust them to have our backs if Varian actually attacks."
She had a point. Winning a vote didn't mean winning people over.
"Maybe we should leave anyway," my mother suggested. "Before this gets worse. Before Haven gets hurt because of us."
"Where would we go? Back to Greystone where Varian can pressure the whole town? Somewhere completely new where we don't know anyone? At least here we have people willing to stand with us."
"Barely. By a slim majority."
I didn't have a good argument against that. She was right that our position here was precarious.
There was a knock on the door. Connor stood outside with Lily.
"Can we come in?" he asked.
We let them in. Connor got straight to the point.
"Some of us want you to know that we're committed to backing the council's decision. You're part of Haven now as far as we're concerned."
"How many is some of us?" my mother asked.
"About twenty people," Lily answered. "The ones who voted to let you stay and actually mean it. The others who voted that way, some of them just didn't want to look bad. But there's a solid group who genuinely believe you belong here."
"Twenty out of thirty-seven total," I calculated. "That's barely half."
"It's enough," Connor insisted. "Enough to make sure you're protected. Enough to stand against Varian if it comes to that."
"You'd really fight a major pack Alpha for two people you've known less than a week?" my mother questioned.
"We'd fight for the principle," Connor clarified. "For the idea that Haven doesn't bow to pack authority. You're just the current example of that principle."
It should have been reassuring. Instead it felt like we were becoming a symbol for something we never asked to represent.
"What happens now?" I asked. "Practically speaking."
"We increase security," Lily explained. "Set up better watch rotations. Prepare defenses in case Varian tries something. And Iris is going to attempt to send a message to Varian making Haven's position clear."
"That he's not welcome here?"
"That Haven is independent territory and we don't recognize his authority. It probably won't stop him but at least it establishes our stance."
After they left, my mother and I sat in uncomfortable silence.
"I thought finding Haven would solve our problems," I admitted. "Thought we'd finally be safe."
"Nowhere is really safe when you're running from an Alpha who won't let go."
"So what do we do?"
"We prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Same as always."
That night I couldn't sleep. Again. I kept thinking about Varian's wolves watching the settlement. About how we'd led them straight here despite our best efforts.
About how everywhere I went, I brought trouble.
Around midnight I heard movement outside. I looked out the window and saw people gathering near the main hall. Something was happening.
I got dressed quickly and went to investigate. My mother followed.
Marcus stood in the center of a group holding something. When we got closer, I saw it was another carved marking. Fresh, like it had been made within the last few hours.
"They were here again," Marcus reported grimly. "Left this on the eastern border. And there's a message carved underneath the symbol."
"What does it say?" Iris demanded.
Marcus turned the piece of wood so everyone could see.
Three words carved below Varian's pack marking: "Return what's mine."
Everyone looked at me.
I felt my mother's hand grip my arm. Felt the weight of every eye on us.
Varian wasn't giving up. Wasn't going to respect Haven's independence or accept the council's decision.
He was making it clear that this would end one way or another.
And Haven was about to find out exactly how far he'd go to get what he wanted.