KAIDEN
I didn't have time to clear up my confusion as rogues slowly filled the room. I drew out my dagger from the sheath around my belt, holding it in front of me.
"Both of you get out of here," I said, not taking my eyes off the rogues. One sped towards me, and I flung my dagger towards him with a precision that he couldn't dodge. The dagger lodged in his forehead, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
I yanked my dagger from his head, turning as I still felt their presence. I glared at Aria. She was always stubborn. However, it was one of the things I loved about her. She might look like the weakest werewolf in the room, but she wouldn't give in easily, even when mistreated, and she knew exactly when to fight back, but it was another thing that I hated about her.
"I said leave," I growled.
Lyra gripped her Aria, pulling her. "Come on. Who's better off fighting rogues than the future alpha himself?"
"Um…But–" Aria stammered, her eyes were bright with tears in them, and she chewed on her bottom lip.
"No buts. Let's go, or else we shall be killed!" Lyra snapped. I watched as the two of them ran across the hall, dodging flying arrows, my forehead creasing.
That was Aria's scent. Why would Lyra lie that it was hers? I had known Aria longer than I hated her. She was once the woman I dreamt of having as my mate. I thought her to be perfect, the most beautiful she-wolf I had ever seen, and a unique one at that, not following the beauty standard set in the pack house. I had memorised every inch of her body while growing up, including her scent.
Even if I were dying, I'd never forget the way she smelled. But Lyra claimed it to be hers. Maybe it was Lyra. Perhaps I was confused.
Peter had smacked me on the head earlier, and I guessed that was what confused their scents.
"If the future alpha dies, who shall marry my daughter?" I heard a grunt beside me, followed by the thud of a body.
A rogue that was behind me had his neck sliced by Gamma James, Aria and Lyra's father.
"My mate?" I murmured. I hadn't even claimed her yet; she had flung herself around me, and I couldn't push her away fast enough due to the rogues!
My wolf snickered. "That desperate whore."
There was no way I could be mated to her either. My wolf hated her smell and always tried to take her over to kill her. I suppress him most of the time. Getting mated to her will be a disaster!
"My wife and I shall sit with your father after this to talk about the Luna ceremony and your coronation as alpha," he said.
I fought back a curse, barreling into a rogue. "I don't know what you're talking about."
I didn't choose or claim her. She would never be my mate! I lost interest in the conversation, focusing on driving the rogues back. Eventually, we succeeded—a few of the rogues lay dead on the floor, while the others managed to escape.
"Alpha," Elder Morric, the oldest and wisest Elder in the pack house, bowed low in my presence.
I stared at the other five behind him, and I nodded to acknowledge them. There were six elders in the black moon pack house, concerned with preserving pack stability, usually retired Alphas, Betas, Gammas, or Seers.
"Speak," I said to Elder Morric. Just then, I felt her presence behind me. I stiffened, refusing to stare at her while Lyra walked up to me, pressing her body into mine.
My wolf growled, slamming hard against my ribcage, threatening to burst out as her scents invaded my nostrils.
'Stop it,' I growled.
'You keep tolerating her while discarding your mate!' My wolf snarled.
I ignored my wolf, looking at the elders.
"We haven't had a security breach in a long time, at least not from so many rogues. Besides, the pack house security system is one of the best in this region and–"
"What are you trying to say?" I grunted, politely cutting him off.
"We are saying the rogues didn't just attack by accident. Someone gave out information." Elder Morric murmured, his expression grim.
I extended a brow, as I stared down at him, with a hardened gaze, "Is that so? Who do you reckon did it?"
"It could be anyone in this hall," he said.
The hall fell silent, and a pin could be heard if dropped. No one spoke a word.
"Right," I snorted, rolling my eyes. As if anyone would come out to say they betrayed their pack house when they know they could be killed because of it.
I looked at each face, and they all avoided my eyes. It was hard to tell if a traitor was in here, except that the seer was here. She was with my father. I had left the two of them before the event started.
I cleared my throat, about to announce for the seer to be brought in to find the traitor, however I stopped as I heard Lyra's shrill cry.
"I cannot betray my pack house and mate, Aria. I need to tell the truth," Lyra sobbed, stumbling.
She crumbled to the ground like her legs couldn't hold her anymore. A few scratches lined her face and her hands, like she had fought with an angry cat.
"What the hell is going on?" I snapped.
"Aria knows what happened. I tried to bring her here to confess to it, but she wouldn't say anything, and she kept hitting me." Lyra said, more tears streaking down her cheeks, and she blew noisily inside the handkerchief with her.
I looked at Aria, who stood frozen on the spot with her jaw slackened.
"What is she talking about?" I asked.
"I-I have no idea. I didn't hit her. I'd never touch Lyra. I don't know why she's lying," Aria fumbled over her words.
"You hit me, stop lying. You're just jealous of me, that's why you sabotaged the event!"
"I did nothing!"
"You did!"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Lyra and Aria went back and forth.
"Can someone at least tell me what the fuck is going on, or do I need to force the words out of your mouths?" I glowered at them. Aria shifted from one foot to another, saying nothing.
But Lyra spoke up. "Aria opened the gates for the rogues to come in. She betrayed her pack house and alpha."
My blood ran cold, and I stared at Aria unblinking, memories from eight years ago I desperately tried to forget rushed into my head all at once.
My mother, in her pool of blood, was lifeless and unmoving. The rogues had attacked unexpectedly, and it was because of one woman. Aria's mother. A fucking traitor!
I let out a short, rapid gasp, yanking off the tie around my neck as it constricted my air flow.
"You brought the rogues in?" My voice sounded strangled.
Aria's face paled, then she shook her head frantically. "I…I will never do that. She's lying!"
"How can you call my Luna a liar!" I barked at her.
Aria flinched back in surprise, and she swallowed visibly. "Don't tell me you believe what she said."
Why shouldn't I? Her mother had betrayed the pack house without looking back. My mother died as a result of it. Her mother's blood ran through her veins. So, they were the same. I was fucking warned, but I never listened. I had thought it was unfair to judge young Aria because she knew nothing.
Now, I understand I was sentimental and stupid!
"What shall we do–"
"Aria Frost, by order of I, Alpha Kaiden Thorne, and the laws of this pack…you are under arrest for treason!" I said in a loud, cold voice.
Gasps echoed around the hall while Aria stumbled backwards. I wasn't done yet.
"Have her restrained, silver cuffs, and a full patrol escort to Ironbrook dungeon. She's to be treated as a war criminal!"
"No!" Aria screamed, her horror-filled voice made my heart clench in pain. "You are my mate. I feel it, Kaiden. How can you believe a liar over your mate?!"
The room filled with murmurs.
"Mate?"
"Alpha Kaiden has two mates?"
"Impossible."
My heart thumped, and I felt my wolf straining inside of me. "Don't do it, Kaiden. Don't do whatever you're thinking of!"
"Mate?" I snarled, marching towards her. I gripped her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Even if the goddess begged me to accept you, I won't. I reject you, Aria Frost!"
My wolf let out a mournful howl as the bond shattered into tiny pieces, my ears rang briefly, and I saw Aria collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain.
'What have you done, Kaiden? You're going to regret this!'
Better to regret it than live with my mother's killer. This was the right thing I should have done a long time ago when I felt the pull towards her; even my father would be proud of me.