CHAPTER 59
The car door closed with a soft thud, sealing us inside a bubble of tense anticipation. I sat between Asher and the lead girl, my hands trembling, my wolf restless. Outside, the world blurred in streaks of black and silver, the trees bending in the night wind. I felt like I was moving toward something I feared, but also something I had to face.
The girls didn’t speak, only shifting to get comfortable. But the lead one’s hand brushed mine once, just enough to let me know she was there. Alive and real. Maybe, in a strange way, it anchored me more than Asher ever could.
“You okay?” Asher asked quietly.
I nodded, but my throat was tight. “I will be.” I whispered. “I just… I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, it feels unreal.”
He squeezed my hand gently. “It’s real. You’re ready for it. And we’re ready with you.”
I swallowed hard, glancing at the black road stretching ahead. My wolf pressed against me, rolling and shifting, her claws barely restrained. I could feel the tension in the car.
“I don’t know what to say.” The girl next to me murmured. Her voice was soft but steady. “I mean, I wanted to say something before, but… I didn’t know if it was enough. And now…” She trailed off, her eyes on the window.
“You don’t have to say anything.” I said, surprising myself with the steadiness of my voice.” Just being here is enough. You don’t know how much it matters that you’re standing with me.
”
Her lips curved into a small, sad smile. “I guess we’re done hiding, then. Right?”
“Yes.” I said, my heart catching. “We’re done hiding.”
The drive was quiet. Not the kind of silence that makes you tense, but the kind where everyone is waiting, coiled like a spring. I stared at the shadows of trees sliding past, heartbeat syncing with the rhythm of the road. Every mile brought us closer to the council, closer to those who had doubted me, closer to the moment when all the fear and anger inside could finally be released.
Finally, the car slowed, and my stomach twisted into a knot. The council’s building loomed ahead–massive, cold, impossibly tall. Its stone facade gleamed under harsh lights, windows staring down like unblinking eyes. My wolf snarled softly, ears pressed flat.
“This is it.” Asher said, his voice low and steady. “We go in, we stay together, and we don’t
< CHAPTER 59
back down.”
+25 Points
I nodded, trying to steady the quiver in my legs. The girls behind me shifted, each of them drawing in a breath as if preparing to jump into cold water.
The doors opened, and the chill from outside rushed in. I pulled my jacket tighter, but the cold was nothing compared to the tight, electric tension in the hallway. Council members moved like shadows, their expressions unreadable, robes brushing the floor. The air smelled of incense and old stone, but underneath it lingered the metallic tang of something unfamiliar. The council could sense power, fear, and lies–and now they would sense ours, every trembling heartbeat, every surge of protective instinct in my wolf.
“Magic. There’s magic here.” My wolf hissed.
“Witches?” I asked.
“Probably.” She said.
Dennis stepped forward, parting the council members like a mountain through water. Behind him, Petra’s gaze was sharp and commanding. Asher’s hand stayed on mine–I hadn’t let go since we’d left the car.
The chamber opened before us, massive and imposing. Rows of members sat in a semicircle, robes dark and still, eyes flicking toward us. At the center, slightly elevated, sat the head of the council–a woman I didn’t remember from the last hearing. Cold. Calculating. Skeptical.
“Trinity.” She said, her voice echoing in the high chamber. “You have brought… companions, I see. Explain.”
I took a deep breath, feeling my wolf stir inside me, restless and protective. I didn’t back down. “These are people Spencer kidnapped and kept in the same tunnel with me. They survived. And they are here to tell the truth about what happened.”
A murmur ran through the chamber. Some council members exchanged glances. One of them frowned, leaning forward. “You expect us to believe their word over… everything else?”
I squared my shoulders. “I don’t expect you to believe me immediately. I expect you to listen. And if you do, you’ll hear the truth.”
The lead girl stepped forward. “We’ve seen it all. What he did. How he trapped us. How he hurt Trinity.” Her voice was steady, the edge of fear gone. “We can tell you exactly what happened.”
One of the council members raised an eyebrow. “And why now? Why did you come forward
<CHAPTER 59
only after we went to her pack?”
+25 Points
I spoke then, my voice growing stronger with each word. “Because it wasn’t safe before. Because my parents still have power. Because fear kept them silent. But he doesn’t have that power anymore. And we won’t let him–or anyone like him–hurt anyone else again.”
The chamber was quiet after that. My wolf’s tension mirrored my own; I could feel her pressing against the walls of my chest, her teeth and claws bared, ready to protect. But there was also relief–a sense of alignment, of readiness.
Another council member, older, with hair like silver threads, leaned forward. “You are asking us to take the word of those who were under the influence of a powerful manipulator. Why should we not consider this tainted by fear and coercion?”
I met his gaze steadily. “Because we are here willingly. Because we are not afraid anymore. Because we are ready to speak for ourselves, and they are ready to speak for me. And if you listen, you will know the truth as clearly as we do.”
The lead girl nodded. “We’re done hiding. We’re done being afraid. And we’re not the only ones. There are others who can back up our story if needed.”
The council seemed to stir uneasily. I could feel it–their magic probing, testing, trying to sense lies or deceit. My wolf growled low, and I felt it vibrating inside my chest, steady and true. Every heartbeat screamed the same thing: we’re telling the truth. And the council could feel it.
The head of the council leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. “Very well. You will testify. One at a time. You, first, Trinity. Tell us everything. Start from the beginning, and do not omit anything.”
I swallowed hard, feeling the tremor in my hands, the adrenaline in my veins. “I… I was in the packhouse with Asher and his family.” I began. My voice shook at first but grew stronger. “He attacked with several rogues he had on the payroll. The Alpha family were shot with wolfsbane, but he shot Asher with a silver bullet. Asher almost died. That gave him the chance to take me. He dragged me to that town and chained me up. These girls were already there, trapped for months. I escaped during a storm, a cave–in flooded the tunnel. I made it out, but Spencer was waiting. He attacked, and he would have killed me if I didn’t kill him first. That’s what happened this time. Would you like me to tell you what happened when I lived in the same house as those people? Because my mother and father are definitely not as innocent as you might think.”
The council members listened silently, some frowning, some scribbling notes, others simply staring. But none of them interrupted. And that alone gave me courage.
< CHAPTER 59
+25 Points
“No. We just want to hear the events of what happened in that town. Alright, we’ll listen to the next girl.” One of the councilmen said.
The girls followed, each recounting their experiences. Their voices differed–some soft, some firm–but all carried the weight of survival and the fire of truth. They described tunnels, threats, fear, control, my rescue, my protection, the times I helped them escape. As they spoke, I realized something astonishing: we weren’t just telling our story. We were reclaiming
- it.
When the last girl finished, the chamber was silent. I felt my wolf stir, expectant, ready to roar at any challenge. My eyes met Asher’s, and he gave me a small, reassuring nod. Dennis loomed behind us, solid and immovable. Petra’s sharp gaze cut across the chamber like a sword.
Finally, the head of the council spoke. “We will deliberate on this. Your testimonies have been heard. The evidence is… compelling. We will consider it carefully.”
I felt my shoulders relax slightly, but only slightly. The battle wasn’t over yet. But for the first time in years, I felt the tide turning. For the first time, I felt my power, my wolf, and my allies aligned.
As we left the chamber, the girls close behind me, Asher whispered, “You did it. You stood. You spoke.”
I nodded, my wolf finally settling a little, purring deep inside me. “We did it.” I said. And for the first time, I meant it–not just me, but all of us.
Outside, the night had not changed. The black car waited. The forest pressed close. But I no longer felt fear. I felt strength. I felt unity. I felt ready for whatever came next.
And in that moment, I knew one thing with absolute certainty: Spencer’s shadow might be long, but the light we carried was longer.
Kylie K
don’t forget to follow me on i********: *kyliek.author*
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
SUMMARY (~1000 Words in English)
