Chapter 63 063
Chapter 63
Thalia's POV
Haven changed overnight.
The relaxed atmosphere disappeared. People who'd been friendly before now avoided eye contact. The community that had seemed so peaceful and unified was now fractured and tense.
Marcus organized defense training the next morning. About fifteen people showed up. The rest stayed away, making their position clear without saying anything.
"We need to establish clear watch rotations," Marcus explained to those of us who'd gathered. "Four-hour shifts, always at least three people on duty. We cover all approaches to the settlement."
"What do we do if we actually see Varian's wolves?" someone asked.
"Signal immediately. Don't engage unless absolutely necessary. Our goal is early warning, not confrontation."
I joined the watch rotation even though several people clearly weren't happy about it. Connor was assigned to the same shift as me that first night.
We walked the perimeter in silence for the first hour. Finally Connor spoke.
"You don't have to do this, you know. The watches. You're not a full member of Haven yet."
"I'm the reason you need watches at all. Seems like I should help."
"That's one way to look at it."
"What's the other way?"
"That Varian's the reason we need watches and you're just his excuse."
We kept walking. The forest was quiet except for normal night sounds. Every snapping branch made me tense.
"Can I ask you something?" Connor ventured after a while.
"Sure."
"Why didn't you just join Cyrus's pack when he offered? Would have solved all your problems."
"It would have traded one set of problems for another. I'd be safe but I'd also be owned by another Alpha making decisions about my life."
"Is that really worse than this? Being hunted and putting other people at risk?"
I didn't answer right away. "I don't know anymore. A month ago I was sure independence was worth any cost. Now I'm not so certain."
"For what it's worth, I think you made the right choice. Not the easy one, but the right one."
"Even if Haven gets attacked because of me?"
"Even then. Because if we give in every time an Alpha threatens us, we're not really independent. We're just wolves without a pack pretending we have freedom."
Our shift ended without incident. I went back to the cabin exhausted but too wired to sleep.
Beth was still there. She'd decided to stay for a few days to help with preparations.
"How was watch duty?" she asked.
"Quiet. Probably a good thing but it makes me nervous. Like waiting for something bad to happen."
"That's because something bad probably is going to happen. Question is when and how we respond."
My mother was already asleep in the other room. Beth and I sat by the fire talking in low voices.
"Ruth wants you to know you're welcome back in Greystone anytime," Beth mentioned. "If this doesn't work out."
"And put the whole town at risk again? Varian already pressured their trade relationships last time."
"Ruth says she doesn't care. Says you're part of Greystone whether you're physically there or not."
That made my throat tight. "Tell her thank you. But I think we need to see this through."
"Even if it ends badly?"
"Especially if it ends badly. I'm tired of running from the consequences of standing up for myself."
Three days passed. The watches continued. Nothing happened except we all got more exhausted and paranoid.
Then on the fourth night, everything changed.
I was on watch with Lily and a man named James. We were checking the eastern border when Lily spotted movement in the trees.
"There," she whispered, pointing.
I saw them. Five wolves moving through the forest. Not trying to hide anymore. Walking openly toward Haven.
"Signal the others," James ordered. "Now."
Lily ran back to sound the alarm while James and I stayed to observe. The wolves weren't attacking. They were just walking. Like they owned the place.
The lead wolf shifted to human form as he got closer. I recognized him from Varian's pack. His name was Derek and he'd been one of the guards at the pack house.
"We're here to deliver a message," Derek called out. "For Thalia Winters."
"I'm here," I responded, stepping forward despite James trying to hold me back.
Derek smiled. "Alpha Varian offers you one final chance. Return to the pack willingly by tomorrow sunset. Face the consequences of your defiance properly. If you refuse, he will come collect you himself. And anyone who stands in his way will be considered an enemy of the Northern Pack."
"Northern Pack?" I repeated. "Varian isn't Alpha of the Northern Pack."
"He is now. Alpha Aldric stepped down two weeks ago. Varian absorbed the Northern Pack into his own. He controls both territories now."
My stomach dropped. That changed everything.
"You're lying."
"Check with your contacts in the region if you don't believe me. Aldric is gone. Varian is now the most powerful Alpha in four territories. And he wants you back."
"Tell Varian I'm not coming back. Not willingly. Not ever."
Derek shrugged. "Your choice. But understand what you're refusing. Varian isn't the same Alpha you left. He's stronger now. More connected. And he's done being patient."
"Why does he even want me back? I'm just one wolf. Why go through all this trouble?"
"Because you defied him publicly. Because you embarrassed him. And because Alpha Varian doesn't let anyone walk away from his pack without permission. You set a precedent that other wolves might follow. He can't allow that."
Derek and his wolves turned and walked back into the forest. Just like that. Delivered their message and left.
By the time they disappeared, half of Haven had gathered behind us.
"What did they say?" Iris demanded.
I told her. About Varian's ultimatum. About him taking over the Northern Pack. About tomorrow's deadline.
The news hit everyone hard. Varian controlling two major territories made him significantly more dangerous than before.
"We need another council meeting," Thomas announced. "Right now."
"It's the middle of the night," Connor protested.
"I don't care. We need to decide what we're doing before tomorrow sunset."
We all trudged to the main hall. People looked scared and angry. The fractures in the community were more obvious than ever.
Thomas didn't wait for Iris to call the meeting to order. "We've heard Varian's terms. He wants Thalia by tomorrow or he attacks. We need to vote on whether to comply."
"We already voted on this," Lily argued.
"That was before he absorbed another pack. Before we knew how powerful he'd become. The situation is completely different now."
"The principle is the same," Connor countered. "Do we bow to Alpha demands or do we stand our ground?"
"Standing our ground means fighting a war we can't win," Sarah pointed out. "Varian has two packs worth of warriors now. We have thirty-seven people total, and half of us aren't fighters."
"So we just hand Thalia over like she's property to be traded?" Beth challenged.
"We protect our community. That's our first responsibility."
The arguing escalated. People shouting over each other. Old alliances fracturing. Friends turning on each other.
I watched it all happen and felt sick. This was my fault. All of it.
"Stop," I finally shouted. "Just stop fighting about this."
Everyone turned to look at me.
"I'll go," I announced. "Tomorrow at sunset. I'll turn myself over to Varian."
"No," my mother gasped. "Thalia, you can't."
"I can and I will. I won't let Haven be destroyed because I'm too stubborn to face consequences."
"Those aren't consequences," Connor argued. "That's submission to an Alpha who thinks he owns you."
"Maybe he does own me. Maybe I was never really free in the first place." I looked at Iris. "I'll go voluntarily. Haven stays neutral. Varian gets what he wants and leaves you alone."
"You don't know that he'll leave us alone," Marcus warned.
"No. But I know he'll definitely attack if I don't go. At least this way you have a chance."
My mother was crying. "We didn't run all this way just to give up."
"We didn't run all this way to get innocent people killed either."
Iris studied me. "Are you sure about this?"
"No. But I'm doing it anyway."
"Then we need to negotiate terms," Iris decided. "If you're going back, we get something in writing that Varian will leave Haven alone."
"He won't agree to that," Thomas scoffed.
"Then Thalia doesn't go. Simple as that. If she's turning herself over, Haven gets guaranteed protection in return."
"How do we enforce that?" someone asked.
"We don't. We just have to trust that Varian's word means something."
Beth grabbed my arm. "You can't do this. There has to be another way."
"There isn't. Not one that doesn't end with people dying."
"People might die anyway. Varian might attack Haven even after he gets you back."
"Probably. But at least I won't be responsible for it anymore."
The meeting broke up with everyone exhausted and defeated. My mother and I went back to the cabin.
She didn't speak to me the entire walk. When we got inside, she finally turned to face me.
"I left Aldric's pack to stand with you. Gave up thirty years of my life because you refused to submit. And now you're just going to walk back into Varian's control?"
"What else can I do? Stay here and watch Haven burn?"
"Yes. If that's what it takes. Because once you go back to Varian, you'll never get away again. You know that."
"I know."
We stood there in the dim cabin neither of us knowing what else to say.
Because she was right. Once I went back to Varian, that was it.
No more running. No more fighting. No more freedom.
Just whatever punishment he decided I deserved for defying him.
And I had less than twenty-four hours to prepare for it.