Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox)

Chapter Fourteen: A twirl of emotions

The room fell silent.

Sophia was the first to break the silence, glancing around.

Aria and Shana shared similar looks of apprehension while Knox's face remained blank.

"What is going on?"

Aria turned to her, "You really weren't the one that placed the necklace in my room."

It was a statement rather than a question.

The usual glare left her face as she shook her head negatively.

"Why do you all look like that? What is going on?" Sophia asked again.

Shana sighed, "We need to get that necklace off Aria's neck or it's not going to end up good for

anyone."

Sophia blinked like the solution to their problem was the most obvious thing in the world, "Then just

simply remove it."

Aria yanked at it again but it didn't budge.

"I can't take it off. The magic isn't letting me take it off."

"What exactly will happen if it doesn't come off?"

Knox finally spoke, "She is going to die."

Sophia stood digesting the information. Every bad thing that had happened started with Aria's arrival.

Her life had been good.

Even though she wasn't mated to Knox, he still paid her attention.

The thought crossed her mind that with Aria gone, perhaps everything would return to normal.

Her wolf growled angrily at her and Sophia knew Aria dying wouldn't be a solution to her problems and

it would be the wrongest thing to let her die when she could help.

"If it's about magic I know people we can talk to."

The three wolves turned to her mirroring the look of shock.

Aria's voice conveyed her skepticism, "You are going to help me?"

Sophia folded her hands taking a defensive stance, "I don't like you doesn't mean I want you dead."

"Who are these people?" Shana asked, stepping forward.

"Before I came to the Nightshade pack, I was part of a pack that coexisted with witches. The wolves

protected them and in return they used their powers to help with healing and stuff like that."

"So why did you leave?"

A blush crept into Sophia's face as she looked down, "I heard Knox was hot."

Aria almost laughed.

"Anyway", Sophia continued, "I told my parents and they let me leave. I can go back whenever I want

to so if it's a magic problem, I know a number of witches that can help. Plus it would be really nice to

see my parents. I've missed them."

Knox looked at Sophia quietly. He had always seen her as a wolf to satisfy him. It never occurred to

him that she had a story. That she was a wolf with affection.

Aria turned to Sophia, "So they will help?"

Sophia nodded.

Shana took a step forward, "Then what are we waiting for?We should be halfway there by now."

All three females made to leave the room.

"No."

Aria was the first to turn to him, "No what?"

His gaze swept her beautiful face, "You are not going with them. Sophia and Shana will go see the

pack. Mark will go with them but you Aria are staying back."

Aria tried to protest but Knox stopped her, "I can't send you off with them with that mark. If something

happens, they would be the first wolves you would attack."

"But-"

"Knox is right. You need to stay back where he can watch you. I might like you Aria but I really don't

want to be torn to shreds. I managed to avoid that happening for five hundred years and I will tell you

now. I won't go down without a fight."

The humor was apparent in Shana's voice but Aria was in no mood.

Her wolf growled at her telling her that she was being unreasonable and their mate was right.

She sighed, "Fine. I will stay behind."

"I will go to Lydia now to get supplies. Do I need to send Mark to you?"

"No, just tell him I have given the order."

Shana nodded.

"Once you tell him, leave immediately."

Sophia and Shana walked out the door.

"Sophia." She stopped as Knox called her name.

"Yes Alpha?"

"Be careful."

***************

Aria paced outside the pack territory. She stared at the mark on her arm. It was still the same.

She wiped her wrist angrily trying to clean it off.

She yanked at the necklace again.

Suddenly the world felt constricting, like the walls were closing in on her.

The air in her lungs felt thin, the more she tried to grasp for it, the more it evaded her.

"Aria." Lilian rushed to her.

"I can't." She gasped out, "Help.. I can't."

"Aria, stop talking. You are having a panic attack. I need you to try to take a deep breath."

Couldn't the older wolf see that she was trying so hard to do that?

"I can't."

"I know it's hard. But I need you to Relax and try to take a deep breath. Just one Aria. Just one. Come

on."

Aria tried to suck in a breath but it was hooked.

"Good. Now I need you to take a deeper one."

She tried again. Succeeding more than the first time.

"Keep doing that." Lilian rubbed her hand on Aria's back.

Aria continued until her breath returned to normal. She collapsed against the tree.

Lilian sat beside her giving the younger wolf a moment to collect her thoughts.

"Has that ever happened before?"

"No." Aria's voice quivered, "I don't understand what is going on in my life anymore. Everything was

fine, then Liam rejected me and everything just fell apart. Now I'm going to die because of a mark that I

didn't even want in the first place and and-"

She broke down into tears.

Lilian pulled her closer as Aria sobbed in her arms.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's fine honey."

When Aria stopped crying Lilian asked, "How are you going to die from the mark? I've never heard of

the mark killing anyone."

"This stupid necklace or Crystal," she yanked at it, "Is corrupting the mark and I'm going to lose control

of my wolf."

"Oh dear. Can't you take it off?"

"No. It won't come off."

"The last thing you should be doing is sitting around."

Aria folded her arms pouting like a pup, "Tell that to Knox."

"He isn't helping you find a solution?"

"He sent Sophia and Shana to meet with some witches since the Crystal is magical and he didn't let me

go with them."

"It is just his way of protecting you."

Aria sighed, "I know but it's still annoying. I didn't even ask, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, well my mate refuses to acknowledge that he is an old wolf and still has the excitement level of a

pup. With the alliance, he is finally able to visit the Nightshade territory. He has always wanted to but he

is an Alpha that commands with respect so since Knox asked that no one enter his territory, he

respected that."

Aria smiled, "But now-"

"Now he was the first one up this morning and he announced that we were visiting the Nightshade

pack. I could see the excitement in his eyes, hear it in his voice."

"What you have with Alpha Randy is what I've always wanted."

Lilian tapped her hand affectionately, "You will find someone. You don't have to spend the rest of your

life with your mate. When you meet someone that cares for you deeply and you feel the same, then

you two can form the bond."

The wind blew at the leaves, carrying them off the floor. Aria closed her eyes and wondered what it felt

like to the leaves. Would everything be easier? Just going where the wind takes you.

"I never got the chance to see my parents together but it sounded like they were really happy."

Lillian smiled, "They were."

"My wolf thinks Knox is her mate." Aria blurted out.

The older wolf kept quiet as seconds passed, "But your mate."

"Yes. He rejected me. That is what I don't understand."

"Are you sure you were really mates? Maybe your emotions clouded how you felt about him, making

you think it was a mating pull."

"I don't know. Liam felt so right. I thought beyond a doubt that he was the wolf for me. My wolf liked him

too but with Knox, it just feels so different. The pull is almost blinding."

"Maybe you are right and Liam is your mate,there is such a thing as second mates. The moon goddess

shows mercy and grants you another chance."

Aria laughed mockingly, "I don't think the moon goddess cares about me at all. If she did, she wouldn't

have made it difficult from the very beginning by giving me this stupid mark, it's not like that thing even

works."

Aria tapped on it, mocking it. "Work. I command thee to give me powers."

She laughed out as she turned to Lilian, "See. Broken." She sniffled, "Just like me."

Lilian pulled her in again, "You are not broken. The moon goddess chose you for a reason. You will see

that soon enough."

Aria detached herself, staring at the down end of the territory. The Nightshade territory was beautiful.

The flowers lined and trimmed to perfection. The little fountain that sat in the middle made her think of a

wishing well.

She wished it was true. She would have long ago wished away Seraphina and the mark then wished

that she would see her mother.

"You never finished telling me the story of how Lucas was banished."

"I don't think now is the best time for that."

"Please Lilian. The thing I need the most now is a distraction."

Reluctantly, Lilian nodded, "Where did I stop?"

*********************************

Randy folded his arms around his back as Knox showed him his territory.

"It's a really big land, Knox. How were you able to claim it?"

"There wasn't really anything to claim. When we got here, there was nothing on this land. It was never

my intention to be an Alpha. Ryder, Jacob, Melody, Shana, Lydia and I were just wolves living and then

one day a whole family came on the land. They never left. Over time, more wolves joined in. I noticed a

pattern, they were all running from something in their past."

Randy nodded, "So you understood."

"Yes. Then they all started treating me like a leader until Ryder pushed me to claim the title. I put the

law that no one should enter my territory to protect my wolves from whatever it was they were running

from. It became my purpose as an Alpha to safeguard the lives entrusted to me, to provide them with a

home where they can heal and find solace."

Randy nodded his head with respect for the younger Alpha, "Can I ask a question, Knox?"

Knox nodded.

"Why did you refuse to fight Nikolai? We have all heard the stories about your wolf. You would have

won."

"Nikolai was family even though we didn't share the same blood. I vowed before the moon goddess

that I would never take the blood of a family member. I already put my father through so much suffering

when my mother's life was exchanged in place of mine."

As Randy and Knox continued their walk through the territory, a gentle breeze rustled through the

dense foliage, carrying with it the sweet scent of wildflowers and the earthy aroma of the forest. The

wind seemed to dance among the trees, whispering secrets and tales of the past.

The trees covered them as they walked.

Knox stopped, his heightened senses detecting a presence.

"What is it Knox?"

"There is someone here with us."

They both turned at the same time to see a wolf staring at them.

Knox's wolf relaxed, "Melody."

Melody shifted into her human form, her eyes downcast.

Knox folded his arms glaring at her. She was still his sister even though they weren't related by blood.

"Where have you been? I made it very clear that no one should leave the territory."

Melody sucked in a deep breath. Her voice quivered as she spoke, "I'm so sorry Knox."

"You should be. How do you expect me to protect you if I know where you are."

She shook her head, "It's not that. I messed up. I messed up real bad."

She revealed the vile, "Julian gave this to me to poison you."

Knox's body stilled, "Why would he give you that and what were you doing with him?"

"I'm really sorry. My mother." Melody cleaned the tears from her eyes. She is alive and he is keeping

her captive. I had. I had no choice." © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

His entire body weakened as the realization set in, "How long have you been betraying me?"

"Two months."

"You put the necklace in Aria's room." It wasn't a question.

Melody nodded.

She kept her eyes downwards because she couldn't bear to meet his eyes, to see the pain of betrayal

that they would be carrying.

"There is one more thing. They are not waiting till the next full moon. Julian and Nikolai are attacking

tomorrow."