Chapter 98 *

Chapter 98 Chapter 98
Angelina’s POV
Zoey's feet kicked at the air. Her hands grabbed at my wrist. Her eyes went huge.
Around us, people gasped.
"Aria! What are you doing?!"
"Let her go!"
"Stop!"
I ignored them all. Looked directly into Zoey's face.
"Pushing people is fun?" My voice was cold. Flat. "Then you should experience what death feels like too."
Zoey's face started turning red. Then purple. Her mouth opened but no sound came out.
Her eyes rolled back slightly. Pure terror.
"ARIA!" Kai grabbed my arm. "What the hell are you doing?!"
I didn't look at him. Kept my eyes on Zoey.
"Let her go!" Kai pulled at my arm. "You're killing her!"
"That's the point."
"She didn't do anything!"
"She pushed Mia."
Zoey suddenly found her voice. Gasping for air between words.
"I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T PUSH HER! I SWEAR!"
Tears were streaming down her face now. Mixing with snot. Her whole face was a mess.
"PLEASE! PLEASE LET ME GO! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
She was sobbing. Her body shaking. "KAI! KAI HELP ME! PLEASE!"
Kai looked panicked. He turned to the crowd. "Someone help me! She's going crazy!"
But nobody moved. Everyone just stood there. Zoey kept screaming. "I'M INNOCENT! SHE'S LYING! SHE'S MAKING IT UP!"
Her voice got higher. More desperate. "I DIDN'T PUSH ANYONE! YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!"
She was using her best "weak girl" act. Playing the victim.
And it was working.
I could see people's faces changing. Starting to look at me like I was the bad guy.
"Does she have proof?" someone whispered.
"Maybe it really was an accident."
"Aria's being kind of harsh."
Kai's voice got louder. More confident now that he had support. "You don't have any proof! You can't just accuse people without evidence!"
He stepped between me and the crowd. Like he was protecting Zoey.
"She's my girlfriend," Kai said firmly. "And I know she would never push someone. You're being completely unreasonable right now."
I turned my head slightly. Looked at him.
His face was determined. Like he thought he was doing the right thing.
"This is too much, Aria," he continued. "I get that you're strong. I get that you saved everyone. But that doesn't give you the right to hurt people without proof."
He paused. His expression softened slightly. Like he was trying to be understanding.
"Look, I know you had feelings for me before," Kai said. His voice got quieter. More gentle. "And I know it's hard seeing me with someone else. But you can't take it out on Zoey. She didn't do anything wrong."
For a second, his eyes showed something else. Pity mixed with awkwardness.
"I'm flattered, really," he added. "But attacking my girlfriend isn't going to change anything between us. You need to move on."
The realization of what he was saying almost made me laugh.
He actually thought this was about him. That I was jealous.
"You need to let her go," Kai said firmly. "Right now."
I looked at Zoey. Her face was almost blue now. Her struggles were getting weaker.
Then I heard Silas's voice. "Master wouldn't accuse someone without reason."
I glanced over. Silas was walking forward. His face serious.
"Master always has her reasons," he said. His voice was firm. Confident. "If she says Zoey pushed Mia, then Zoey pushed Mia."
Kai turned to face him. "You don't know that!"
"I know Master." Silas stopped a few feet away. Crossed his arms. "She doesn't lie. She doesn't make mistakes like this."
He looked at the crowd. "Mia was standing on that branch. Reaching for another branch to break. She was balanced. Careful."
"People don't just fall from a position like that," Silas continued. "Not unless something makes them fall."
He turned to look at Zoey. "And Zoey was right behind her. Close enough to reach."
"So tell me, Kai. How exactly did Mia fall?"
"She lost her balance! It was an accident!"
"Bullshit."
Everyone turned. Mia was walking forward now. She stopped next to Silas. Looked at me. Then at Zoey.
"I remember now," Mia said slowly. "Right before I fell. I felt something. On my back."
She raised her hands. Pressed them against the air like she was demonstrating.
"Two hands. Pushing me forward."
The clearing went silent.
Mia's voice got stronger. "I didn't just fall. Someone pushed me. Hard."
She turned to look at Zoey. "And the only person behind me was you."
Zoey shook her head frantically. Or tried to. My hand was still around her throat.
"No," she gasped. "No no no, that's not true! You're lying! You're both lying!"
Her eyes were wild now.
"She's making you say this!" Zoey pointed at me with a shaking hand. "She's controlling you! Making you lie for her!"
Mia's expression hardened. "Nobody's controlling me. I know what I felt."
"YOU'RE LYING!" Zoey screamed. Her voice cracked. "EVERYONE KNOWS YOU AND ARIA ARE FRIENDS! YOU'RE PROTECTING HER!"
Tears were pouring down her face. Mixing with sweat and dirt.
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I'M THE VICTIM HERE! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME AND YOU'RE ALL JUST STANDING THERE!"
I was sick of Zoey's lies. I started walking. Dragging Zoey with me.
Toward the pile of mountain lion bodies.
"Aria! Stop!" Kai ran after me. "Where are you taking her?!"
I didn't answer. Just kept walking.
"ARIA!"
I reached the pile of bodies. The blood was still pooling underneath them. The smell of death was thick.
I lifted Zoey higher. Held her over the pile.
"No," Zoey gasped. Her voice was barely a whisper now. "Please... please..."
I was about to drop her. Let her fall onto the corpses. Let her feel what terror really was.
Then someone shouted.
"LOOK! THE SKY!"
I stopped. Looked up.
Five shapes in the distance. Getting bigger. Getting closer.
Helicopters. Military helicopters.
The sound of their rotors filled the air. Getting louder with each second.
Around me, people started cheering.
"THEY'RE HERE!"
"WE'RE SAVED!"
"OH MY GOD, FINALLY!"
The helicopters came in fast. They landed in a perfect line on the flat grass near the campsite. The downdraft from their rotors made everyone's hair whip around. Dirt and pine needles flew everywhere.
I let go of Zoey. She dropped to the ground. Gasping. Coughing. Her hands went to her throat.
I turned to face the helicopters.
All five were military grade. Black. No markings except for small serial numbers.
The rotors started slowing down. The doors opened.
And soldiers started getting out.
All of them were wearing black military uniforms. Perfectly pressed. Perfectly coordinated.
They were all tall. All of them at least six feet. Muscular. They formed two lines. Creating a path between the helicopters and the campsite.
Then the door of the first helicopter opened.
And Caelan stepped out. He was wearing the same black military uniform as the others. His dark hair was perfectly styled. His face was cold.
But there was something else in the way he moved. Something almost casual. Like he owned everything around him and didn't need to prove it.
He walked down the line of soldiers. His hands in his pockets. The soldiers stood at attention as he passed.
Behind me, I heard gasps.
"Oh my god."
"Who is that?"
"He's so hot."
"Is he military?"
"Look at all those soldiers!"
"This is like a movie!"
Caelan's eyes scanned the clearing. Taking in the scene. Then his gaze found me. He started walking toward me.
Zoey was still on the ground. Coughing. Trying to catch her breath.
She looked up. Saw Caelan walking toward us.
Her entire face changed.
Her mouth fell open. Her eyes went wide.
"Oh my god," she breathed. "Oh my god, he's gorgeous."
She tried to stand up. Failed. Tried again. Managed to get to her knees.
"Help!" Zoey called out. Her voice was raspy from being choked. "Help me! Please!"
She pointed at me with a shaking hand. "She attacked me! She tried to kill me! She's insane!"
Caelan kept walking. Didn't even glance at Zoey.
"Officer! Military officer!" Zoey's voice got louder. "You have to arrest her! She assaulted me! She accused me of things I didn't do!"
Caelan walked right past her. Like she didn't exist.
Zoey reached out. Tried to grab his leg as he passed.
"Please! She's dangerous! You have to—"
Caelan's leg moved. His boot connected with Zoey's shoulder.
The kick wasn't hard. But it was enough. Zoey flew backward. Hit the ground hard. Rolled twice before stopping.
"OW!" She clutched her shoulder. "What the hell?! I'm the victim here! Why are you—"
But Caelan wasn't even looking at her. His arm came out. Wrapped around my waist.
Before I could react, he pulled me against him.
My back hit his chest. His arm was firm around my waist. Holding me close.
Behind him, the five helicopters sat on the grass. Their rotors still. The line of soldiers still standing at attention.
The visual was overwhelming. And Caelan standing in the middle of it all. Holding me.
Around us, I heard the reactions starting.
"Oh my god."
"Did you see that?"
"He just kicked her and grabbed Aria!"
"They must be together!"
"They look so good together!"
Girls were squealing now. Actual squealing.
"He's so hot!"
"The way he just ignored that girl and went straight for Aria!"
"This is so romantic!"
"I'm dying! This is like a drama!"
"Look at all those soldiers! And those helicopters! Who is he?!"
"He has to be someone important!"
"Maybe military special forces?"
"Aria's so lucky!"
Someone started crying. "Why can't I have a boyfriend like that?! All the hot ones go to other people!"
Another girl agreed. "Seriously! The good ones are all taken!"
"Or they're military and we never see them!"
"Life is so unfair!"
I stood there. Frozen. Caelan's arm was still around my waist. His chest was warm against my back.
I could feel his heartbeat. My own heart was beating faster. I could feel the acceleration.
And the strangest part was... I wasn't pushing him away.
I should shove him off. Tell him to let go. But I wasn't doing any of that.
I felt my face heating up slightly.