Rogan, was it all a lie? I forced myself to look him in the eye even though my voice broke. Tension and unspoken facts filled the painfully long stillness between us.
Standing close to the window, Rogan's sharp features were highlighted by the dim moonlight as he peered up. He said, "Ava, what are you talking about?" but his hesitancy betrayed him.
I tightened my hands, using all of my strength to control my emotions. "Avoid playing tricks on me. This marriage is what you are proposing. Was it merely an attempt to keep Aria near? As I spoke, the words had a harsh taste.
Rogan's jaw tightened and he remained silent for a minute. Then, with tight broad shoulders, he turned away. In a quiet but forceful tone, he finally asked, "You think I'd marry someone for such a reason?"
"What am I meant to believe?" I retaliated by taking a step closer. "Everything suggests that! The secrets you've been harboring, the way you've been staring at her since she came back. Rogan, I need the truth. I'm worthy of it.
His eyes were burning as he whirled around. "Ava, you have no idea what you're saying. Never assume you understand something you can't even begin to fathom.
Although it hurt, his dismissal strengthened my determination. I challenged, my voice shaking with rage and desperation, "Then help me understand." "Because I feel like I've been a mere pawn in whatever perverse game you're playing right now."
With the exception of my erratic breathing, the room became quiet once more. For a while, I thought Rogan may come clean as his eyes softened. However, he turned aside once more, speaking in a low whisper. "It's not that easy."
Something snapped within of me. "Rogan, stop hiding behind your walls! Despite everything I've given you, including my love and trust, you've only kept me in the dark. What's the purpose of all this if you can't be truthful with me?
He sighed long and wearily, his shoulders drooping slightly. "You're correct. You are entitled to answers.
He turned to me completely, his face unreadable, and I held my breath. He started to say, "Aria and I," but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. In a rare display of sensitivity, he ran a hand through his dark hair. "We have past events. complicated past.
Even though I already knew, my heart fell. It was like a dagger twisting deeper when he admitted it. I whispered softly, preparing myself, "Go on."
"There was something between us years ago, before she vanished," he said. It wasn't what you think, though. We were compelled to form a bond that neither of us desired. It was strategic and political. for the pack's benefit.
I scowled as I attempted to understand what he had said. "Yet you showed concern for her."
Without hesitation, he answered, "Yes," his candor striking me in the chest. However, not in the manner you have in mind. Not the manner in which I I could feel the battle raging inside him as he drifted off.
"Rogan, not the way you what?" My voice was no more than a whisper as I pressed.
For a split second, I saw something vulnerable and raw in his eyes as they met mine. He whispered, so softly that I nearly believed I had dreamed it, "Not the way I care for you."
Instead of healing my broken heart, the words simply made me more perplexed. "So why?" I inquired. "Why do you keep me at a distance? Why give me the impression that I'm up against a ghost?
He gave a headshake. "Because I'm attempting to keep you safe, Ava. From this existence, from me. from all the consequences of being bound to someone like me.
The sound was hollow in the tight air as I laughed bitterly. "Keep me safe? By shattering me into fragments? I would hate to see what destruction looks like if that is what protection looks like.
Rogan's face grew serious as he took a stride toward us, bringing us closer. Do you believe that I wish to harm you? Do you think I like this? I got a chill at the intensity and lowness of his voice. "I have done everything in my power to protect you from the worst things in this world."
With tears in my eyes, I begged, "Then let me in." "Stop excluding me, Rogan. Don't act as though I'm too weak to face reality.
He looked into my eyes for a long time without saying anything. At last, he gave a barely noticeable nod. "You're looking for the truth? Alright. However, what you hear may not be to your liking.
The sound of rushed footsteps reverberated from the corridor before I could reply. Aria stood there with her eyes wide with desperation and her face pale as the door exploded open.
Her voice was strained as she stated, "We have a problem." "This is Victor Langston."
The name made me jump with terror, and I looked at Rogan, whose face had frozen. He demanded, "What does he want?"
Aria gave a headshake. "He's requesting Ava."
I felt a chill of fear descend. Rogan took a defensive stance and moved in front of me right away. His voice was filled with menace as he hissed, "He's not getting anywhere near her."
However, Aria's subsequent remarks chilled me to the bone. He claims he will only speak to her. He'll start venting on the pack if she doesn't come out.
I felt as though every eye in the room was on me, and my breath caught. "What does 'taking it out on the pack' mean to him?" Even though I wasn't sure I wanted the response, I asked.
"He's hurt two guards already," Aria remarked somberly. "Ava, he's not bluffing. This is a severe matter.
Rogan turned to face me, fear and rage mixed together on his face. "You're not leaving the house. I'll take care of this.
"No," I said, startling even myself with how steady my voice was. "It's about me. If I avoid him, more people will suffer harm.
With a tone that seemed almost desperate, Rogan retorted, "And if you do, you'll be walking straight into his trap." "I refuse to allow that to occur."
I looked him in the eye and firmly responded, "You can't stop me." "I made this choice."
With my heart racing, I turned and headed for the door before he could continue to dispute. I shook my head when Aria tried to stop me. I said, "I'll be fine," but I wasn't sure if I believed it.
I sensed Rogan's presence behind me as I entered the corridor. With an unassailable tone, he declared, "I'm coming with you."
Victor Langston was waiting for us when we arrived at the pack's gate. A menacing smile grew across his face as his black eyes met mine.
"Ah, Ava," he murmured with ease. "I was starting to doubt that you would arrive."
"Victor, what do you want?" Despite the anxiety pulsing through me, I asked in a steady tone.
He ignored the snarl that rumbled from Rogan's chest as his smile grew and he took a step closer. "Oh, my dear, it's not about what I want. What you're willing to give is what matters.
A group of his soldiers moved forward, pulling a bound and bloodied body into the light as he clicked his fingers. I gasped when I recognized the face.
My dad was the one.
"Your move, Ava," Victor replied in a malicious tone.