Chapter 14: LIES AND LOYALTY

ZARA'S POV

***FLASHBACK***

Flashback: Three days ago

The river's gentle current carried the fading sunlight, casting a warm orange glow across the forest. Ren sat beside me on the riverbank, his eyes fixed on the calm water.

“Zara,” he called out.

“Yes Ren”

"Remember what I told you about trusting your instincts?" Ren asked, his voice low and measured.

I nodded, feeling a sense of unease. "You said that if something feels off, it probably is."

Ren's gaze snapped to mine, his eyes filled with intensity. "I've been thinking... Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Maybe I should have been more specific."

He paused, his eyes searching mine. "Kael's not what he seems, Zara. Kael has changed, I've seen the way he looks at you, the way he talks to you. He's hiding something, and I want you to figure it out."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as Ren's words struck a chord in me. But I pushed the feeling aside, I convinced myself that Ren was overreacting.

"I told you, Ren. Kael's been kind to me. He and Emily have helped me understand my powers, he is loving…I could tell from the kiss we had the other day." I said, my face beaming with memories.

Ren's face fell, his eyes clouding with worry. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of. He's using you, Zara. For what, I don't know yet. But I do know it can't be good."

I shook my head, feeling a stubborn resistance. "You're just being paranoid, Ren."

Ren's expression turned grim, his eyes burning with intensity. "I hope you're right, Zara. I just hope you're right, but if you're wrong..."

He trailed off, leaving the unspoken warning hanging in the air like a challenge.

Little did I know, our conversation would be the last time we'd speak.

\---

***PRESENT***

I knew the fabric wasn't enough to determine if she was present in Ren's tent that night or not, but I had to show Kael. Hopefully, it might lead to something; I had to vindicate myself.

I could see Emily's eyes widened in confusion, she must be wondering how I got the fabric.

“It was me, I cut it” Miera cuts in, rendering us all confused, “I didn't keep it in Ren's tent, it was on the fallen log in front of his tent, the wind might have probably blown it into his tent,” she said, with a hint of sincerity in her voice, but something tells me she's hiding something.

Now I have to accept a new fate, to be indebted to Kael. I know someone is playing a game with me, but I can't tell who. Could it be Ren? Or Kael? Or Loren? I will figure it out; I must find out who, but in the meantime, I have to play along.

_ _ _

The Evening sky is a touch of orange as a Gentle breeze rustle leaves; I trek through the dense woods, my senses on high alert as I search for any sign of Ren. I had to know what had happened to him, and I was determined to uncover the truth.

As I walked, the trees grew taller and the underbrush thicker. I pushed aside a branch and suddenly found myself facing a small clearing. In the center of the clearing, a fire crackled and spat. And sitting on a fallen log beside the fire, staring into the flames, was Emily.

I slowed my pace as I gradually approached her, my eyes fixed on Emily's profile. The tension between us had split, replaced by a tentative peace after our earlier misunderstanding. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

"Hey, Emily?" I said, my voice soft, as I came closer.

She turned to me, a hint of caution still lingering in her eyes. But as she saw my expression, her gaze softened. "Yeah?"

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "I was just wondering... how did you and Kael meet?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Emily's expression changed a subtle shift from caution to reflection. "Kael saved my life," she said, her voice flat. "I owe him a debt."

I frowned, intrigued. "What do you mean you owe him a debt? What happened?"

Emily hesitated for some time and carefully scrutinized me as if reading my thoughts to know if she could trust me.

“It's nothing!! I owe him, that's it, you don't have to know more than that,” she said abruptly, trying to end the conversation.

I drew closer to her “Listen Emily” my hand softly tapped on hers’ “I know we had our misunderstanding, I know it looks as If I killed Ren but I know you don't believe it but I have no evidence to show, nevertheless you are my friend, my only friend, you can trust me” I said compassionately.

She stared at me, tears forming in her eyes. “It's a painful memory!”

“What happened?” I asked Intrigued. And then she spat it all out.

Her gaze fixed straight in the air. “I still remember the day Kael's pack invaded my village, Brindlemark. The scent of smoke and blood fills my nightmares to this day. I was just a child, cowering in the corner of a burning hut when Kael's gaze fell upon me. Something about me sparked a flicker of interest within him, and he ordered his pack to spare my life.

As the village burned to ashes, Kael took me under his wing, raising me as one of his own. He trained me in combat, strategy, and loyalty. I proved to be a quick learner, and my dedication to Kael was unwavering. I felt indebted to him for saving my life, and my gratitude morphed into a deep-seated loyalty.”

There was some moment of silence; I didn't want to interrupt what was yet to come.

“Years passed, and I grew into a skilled warrior, earning the respect of the Eastern Coast,” she continues. “However, Kael's reign as a commander was marked by strict obedience and fear. His pack's council of elders grew afraid of Kael's growing power and eventually conspired and exiled him.

I followed Kael into exile by choice, because I feel a deep sense of duty. On the surface, I remained devoted to him,” her voice turned cold, “but beneath the façade Zara, I felt a spark of resentment; it had begun to grow. I felt trapped; I felt bound by the debt I owed Kael for saving my life.”

Her words sent shivers down my spine; she has gone through a lot. Now I understand why she always supports Kael even when he is wrong. “Did you just say you feel trapped?”

Her eyes turned to me, then back to her fixed gaze. “Yes, I do.” “Sometimes my thoughts often drifted back to my village. I remembered the screams of my family, the smells of smoke, and the feeling of helplessness. My anger and hatred focused on one person: Kael's father, the alpha who had ordered the massacre.

My dedication to Kael has remained unwavering, but it is now tinged with a hidden agenda”.

My eyebrows tingled. Did she just say she had a hidden agenda??

“Yes, I said that”, she replied, obviously reading my thoughts. I looked into her eyes; it seemed she still had more to say. Emily has never been this Mean and Emotional before.

“My ultimate goal is not only to break free from Kael's grasp but also to exact vengeance against the alpha who had destroyed my family. Kael's father, this is why I will be by his side until the war is over, I would personally kill Kloar by myself.”

“When the time comes, promise me you will help me, Zara,” she said, her eyes locked onto mine. I don't know what to say,

“Promise me, Zara,” her dripping tears pierced into me.

“Of course, I will,” I said in confusion

The tension between us grew stronger, and suddenly, she fell on my shoulder; the hot tears dripping from her eyes could tell the pain and anguish she had been masking all along.

Just as I'm trying to process her ominous words, a loud howl pierces the night air, followed by the sound of drums beating in the distance. The camp is stirring, and I can sense a collective tension building.

"The Gathering has been called!!" a voice booms from the center of the camp. "All pack members report to the central clearing immediately."

Emily's smile grows wider, her eyes glinting with an otherworldly light. "It seems the time has come," she

says, her voice dripping with malice. "The time has come, Zara, the time I've been waiting for, has come."