Chapter Fifty-eight
Faelen’s POV
I sat on the cold floor, watching the sunlight pierced through the small barred window above in the cell, my mind spinning with thoughts of everything.
Since seeing Hunter the previous night, I couldn’t stop replaying the events in my head.
Every word and look of betrayal in his eyes struck me as he questioned me.
I had hoped… no, I had prayed… that talking to him again would at least make him see that I wasn’t his enemy, but now I wasn’t sure.
The stone walls around me felt like they were closing in, and the weight of what I had done seemed heavier each passing moment.
I then heard footsteps echoing down the hall. My heart leaped into my throat, and I pushed myself up from the floor, smoothing my dirty clothes with shaking hands.
It was him. I knew it even before he appeared in front of my cell. Hunter stood there, his tall frame looming in the dim light, arms crossed and jaw clenched.
His eyes met mine, and I could still see his anger just beneath the surface. But there was something else too I couldn’t place.
He didn’t say anything at first. Just stared. I tried to meet his gaze, but the weight of his disappointment made it hard.
Eventually, it was Caleb who spoke, stepping up beside Hunter. “Faelen,” he began, his voice calm but urgent. “We need to know everything. If what you’ve told us is true, we don’t have much time.”
I nodded quickly, my heart racing. “I’ve already told you what I know,” I said, my voice shaky. “Belladonna’s backing Steeprock. They’ve been planning this attack for weeks. It’s going to be fast, and it’s going to be brutal.”
Hunter’s fists tightened at his sides, and I could see the muscles in his jaw flex. He was still so angry with me, and I didn’t blame him.
I had lied to him, to everyone here, for so long. But I couldn’t let that stop me now. I couldn’t let my guilt or my feelings for him cloud what was at stake.
“And I still ask, why should we believe you now? You’ve been lying from the start.” Hunter’s voice was low, each word spoken with bitterness. “And please don’t say because you care about me.”
I swallowed hard, thinking of what to say and how best to convey it, my eyes filling with tears that I fought to hold back.
“Because… I couldn’t just stand by and watch this pack, the people in it be destroyed. I had to tell you the truth, even if it means exposing myself. I’ve already betrayed my own pack by coming to you, they’ll definitely kill me now. And as much as I’d like you to believe me, whatever you decide to do with me couldn’t be any worse than what they’ll do.”
Hunter scoffed, his face and expression unreadable from where I stood.
“So go ahead and do what you decide with me,” I continued, “but don’t be foolish enough to not believe me. If you don’t act now, they’ll tear Howle Wulf apart.”
Hunter’s gaze was sharp, but there was hesitation in his eyes. He didn’t trust me, and I didn’t blame him.
But I had to somehow make him see that I was telling the truth, at least about the attack. It was the whole essence of my being there after all.
Caleb stepped in again, his tone more rational. He’s always been. “If she’s right, Hunter, we need to act fast. We need to mobilize, prepare for the attack.”
Hunter turned to him, his brows furrowed in thought. I could see the conflict in him… the same kind I had been battling for so long.
Trusting me would mean putting himself, and everyone he cared about, at risk. But ignoring my warning could mean the end of Howle Wulf.
“There’s more,” I said, taking a shaky breath. “It’s not just about the attack. Zodd’s plan is bigger than that. He’s using Steeprock to make it look like they acted alone. If you retaliate, it’ll start a war between your packs, not with Belladonna. That’s what he wants. He wants to weaken you both.”
Hunter’s face tightened, and I could see the realization setting in. Zodd was playing both sides, and if Hunter didn’t act carefully, everything would fall apart.
He turned to look at me, his voice quieter now but still filled with that hard edge. “If you’re lying about this…” His voice trailed off, the threat hanging in the air between us.
“I’m not,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I’ve already made my choice. I’m on your side now, Hunter.”
He stared at me for what felt like forever, the weight of his gaze making my heart pound.
I wasn’t sure if he believed me or if he ever would. But I had done what I could. The rest was up to him.
After what seemed like an eternity, he turned away from me. “Keep her here,” he ordered the guards, his voice tight with anger. “Day and night. She doesn’t leave this cell.”
I watched as he stormed out of the dungeon, Caleb following closely behind. My heart sank as the heavy door slammed shut, the cold of the cell seeping into my bones.
I had told him everything I knew, risked everything. But as I sat there, alone in the darkness, I wasn’t sure if it had been enough.
Tears slid down my cheeks as the full weight of what I’d done crashed over me. I had risked my life to save Hunter and his people, and yet I had no idea if it would make a difference.
Would they listen to me? Or was it even already too late?
I wrapped my arms around my knees, burying my face in them as silent sobs shook my body.
My precious mission that had been a lie, my loyalty, my heart… they was all tangled in a web I couldn’t seem to untangle.
All I could do now was hope that somehow, Hunter would see that I wasn’t the enemy, and that I was trying to save him.
…
As I remained there all day, I heard footsteps again from the hallway, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I tensed, half expecting Hunter to return with more accusations or even worse, a final decision on my fate.
But it wasn’t him.
Caleb appeared in the doorway, his expression conflicted as he approached the cell. He looked at me with a mixture of sympathy and confusion.
He held a folder in his hand, as if he’s come straight out of his office here.
“Faelen,” he said quietly, crouching down to look at me through the bars. “I’m trying to understand why you’re doing this. You know how dangerous it is. You know what could happen to you.”
I swallowed hard, wiping at my tear soaked face. “You know what’s between us, Caleb. You’ve always known, even though none of us fully understand it. So I had no choice,” I whispered. “I couldn’t just sit by and let them destroy this pack. Destroy him.”
Caleb sighed, his brow furrowed deeply, understanding forming on his face. “Look, Hunter is furious. He’s hurt and I think that’s making him to not want to trust you, and honestly, after everything… I don’t blame him.”
My stomach twisted, hearing the truth of his words. I knew this was the risk. I knew I’d broken the trust I’d built with them.
But I couldn’t regret what I’d done, not when the lives of so many hung in the balance. Especially Hunter’s .
“He doesn’t have to trust me,” I said, my voice rough. “He just has to act. If you don’t believe me, Caleb, then it’s all over. Zodd will tear this place apart, and even Steeprock will go with it.”
Caleb stood up, pacing in front of the cell. “Hunter is stubborn, but he’s not stupid. He’s listening, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. He’s already sending scouts out to the border.”
That small bit of news sparked a flicker of hope inside me. Maybe I had gotten through to him after all, but it was a fragile hope, one that could easily be shattered if things didn’t go the way I feared.
“I just need more time,” I murmured, my voice barely audible. “I need to figure out how to stop this before it’s too late.”
Caleb stopped pacing and looked at me, his expression softening slightly. “Time might be something we don’t have much of, as you know, Faelen. But if what you’re saying is true, we’ll need every advantage we can get.”
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. “Then help me. Please, Caleb. I know I’ve messed up, but I can still make this right. I can give you more information. There has to be a way to stop this without bloodshed.”
He looked at me for a long time, his eyes searching mine as if he was weighing the truth of my words.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll talk to Hunter again,” he said, his voice hesitant. “But no promises, Faelen. He’s not just angry… he’s hurt.”
I flinched at that. Of course, he was hurt. He should be.
I had lied to him, pretended to be something I wasn’t and in the process fallen for him and him me, when all the while, I had been gathering information, even if I hadn’t acted on it until now.
But my feelings for him were real. That was the one truth in this mess, and it made everything so much more complicated.
“Thank you, Caleb,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Just… tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I never wanted it to be like this.”
Caleb nodded slightly before turning to leave. I watched him walk away, the heavy door closing behind him with a resounding thud.
And then, once again, I was alone.
The hours dragged on, the darkness of the dungeon making it impossible to tell if it was night or day.
My body ached from the cold, but it was the uncertainty that ate at me the most. What would Hunter do? I wondered.
Would he act in time? Or would his anger continue to cloud his judgment?
I tried to stay calm, to keep myself from drowning in fear, but it was getting harder with each passing minute.
Every creak of the dungeon door made my heart leap, every sound made me think it was Hunter, coming to tell me my fate.
The uncertainty was frustrating.