That night I was escorted to the bonfire while Aaron stays locked in the cage and Liam was to guard him.

I was showcase to the pack like a prize. The werewolves cheer in victory, proud that their alpha has finaly found his mate. They celebrated too by drinking and feasting on deers that they hunted prior to this awful celebration.

Axel never leaves my side. He still doesn't trust me, but I don't expect him to. He feeds me and rattles on about how lucky I am to be his mate. How every she-wolf wants to be his. I restrain myself from saying something that'll either get me slap or get thrown back in the cage. Or both.

As he goes on and on about how he became the alpha, I count twenty-eight wolves in total. Seven are guards as far as I can see, but Im sure theres more than that though. Axel must've had the others to scout the area.

"You know your grandmother was so determine to keep your wolf a secret that she wouldn't even let me see you." Axel breathes down my neck. Goosebumps creep up my arms as he twirls a strand of my loose hair around his grimy finger, "When I saw you doing your chores one day, I had you knocked out while two of my buddies killed the farmer and his livestock just to make you think you did it."

I snap out of my daze and turn to him. "What?" I ask, voice shakey. Did I heard that correctly?

"You didn't kill that farmer." He says slowly like Im an innocent child, "You just thought that because you were near him. I figure the only way for you to find out you were a wolf is if you were the wild animal who attacked since your grandmother wouldn't tell you. Things didn't go as plan when you ranaway from the humans and didn't want to join my pack." He says coldly.

I turn my gaze to the fire. My heart pounding in my chest, quicker than normally and I choke on my breath.

All this time...

Anger boils under my skin as I come to realize the truth. I clench my hands into fists, feeling my nails dig into my skin to keep me from digging them into his face.

All the pain and guilt... the nightmares... the trauma... the fear...

It wasn't me. I didn't commit the crime, but I suffered the consequences. I suffered because of him. I endure pain and nightmares because of him. I was separated from my Grandmama because of him. I was hunted down because of him.

I was made out to be a monster because of him.

Axel places a hand on my shoulder. I suck in a breath.

How dare he touch me.

"Hey if it wasn't for me, we wouldn't be together now." He slurs as he traces his finger down my cheek.

I slam my eyes shut as I try to calm myself. Willing my body to stop shaking.

Breathe. Breathe. It'll be over soon.

I breathe in the cool air and exhale. I smile warmly at him as I trace a finger down his jaw where a large scar lay.

"You're right, thank you Axel for showing me who I truly am."

Not a monster.

"Your mate." I say instead.

***
By midnight, the moon shines high in the night sky. And there's no sign of exhaustion on anyone's face.

Originally I had plan to free Aaron from the cage while everyone is asleep, but it occur to me that werewolves don't sleep at night. In the morning, we'll move out to wherever Axel says.

The bonfire was fed firewood and embers erupt. A steady trail of smoke trail up into the sky.

Axel had an arm possessively around my shoulder. He laughs as he share stories of his past that shouldn't be shared. Anyone of sane would have run away from him, but his followers laughed and agreed with every word he said.

No wonder why the humans fear us. I would too.

"Axel," I whisper into his ear.

"Hrm?" He mumbles, barely listening as he takes a swig out of a flask.

"I need to use the restroom."

He leans into me. His breath reeks of alcohol. I hold in a gag as he reply, "Well go on then. You know we have no pots to use. Go into the woods, be sure not to stray." He slurs. His eyes barely concentrate on me.

I hold back a smile as I thank him before leaving the bonfire. Amaze how that actually worked, I went into the woods, feeling a few eyes on my back. Once I was behind thick bushes and trees. I bent down and silently scurry back to the cave.

I hid in the shadows and watch where I step as I got closer. I peek behind a bush to see if there were guards, but there were none near. They must've join everyone at the fire.

I sigh in relief as I scramble into the cave. Immediately I spot Liam leaning on the cage, picking his teeth with a nail. Aaron asleep in the cage, arms folded across his chest. He has a black eye forming and dried blood on his lip.

"What are you doing here?" Liam asks calmly. "Shouldn't you be snuggling with the alpha?"

I walk to him and he stands to his full height. Arms cross over his chest defiantly.

"Why I wanted to have a casual conversation with my uncle." I reply, keeping my eyes focus on him. I don't bother putting on a fake smile for him.

"We are way past casual conversation."
He stalks slowly to me, but I don't move. "Now why are you here?"

"I'm releasing Aaron, and we are going back to Adrirea." I say with confidence. Theres no need to hide the truth with him. He knows what I plan to do.

"Why do you defend him? Do you like him?" He asks, curiosity in his voice. He knows the answer though. He knew the answer long before I did.

"Isn't it obvious? He is the only true person who has shown me kindness." I reply.

"And you think that makes him special?" He laughs without humor.

"Yes. He has done nothing. He is innocent." I raise my head toward him, to show that I am not afraid.

Anger boils in his eyes and the calmness in his voice was gone. "Nothing? You think his kind have done nothing? They killed your parents! My sister like they were demons! Are you that naive? Just because he has a pretty face you want to forget what the humans have done to our people?" He seethes.

"Oh believe me when I say I have not forgotten what the humans have done to us. What they done to me." I grit my teeth, "I've been chased from my home, hunted for my head, but Aaron is not them. He didn't kill our family. He didn't even know we existed!"

"He's a liar! They all are! They've been hunting our kind for generations! They'll never accept us. They fear us because they know we are more powerful against billions of them. I'm surprise we haven't gotten rid of them a long time ago." He clenches his hands into fists in anger.

"Not all humans are evil, Uncle." I say calmly, as I take a step forward, "I know its hard to believe for you, but they're just like us. They have familes they care for. Children. Innocent children who have their whole lives ahead of them. Do you really want to take that away from them?"

A flicker of emotion passes through his eyes, but they are gone and replace with hate. "They are humans. They will grow up to hate us just like their ancestors and the cycle will just continue until everyone is dead."

"Or will it?" I ask softly, "What if we take the first step forward if they won't? We can be the ones who call for peace. We don't have to fight back. It won't do any good. Please Uncle, be the one to help make peace. Let Aaron go."

Time seems to hold its breath as Uncle considers his options. Glancing back and forth between Aaron, who's awaken fron the commotion and me.

He turns back to me and seem to really look at me, like he sees something in me that only he can see. He smiles warmly, "You... are just like your mother. Even though the humans didn't accept her, she didn't hate them. She loved them. She loved your father." He says, his eyes blurrying over.

"Do you think she'll appreciate you doing this? Have you ever thought of that?" I ask, my voice straining.

He looks down at the ground, "No, I suppose not. I hope she'll forgive me if we're ever reunited."

He hands me a key, and nods towards Aaron. "Hurry. I'll keep watch."

I race to Aaron's cage, my hands shake anxiously as I unlock the cage. He crawls out and wraps me in a hug, tightly. I breath in a sigh of relief as I return the hug.

I release him, "Come on we got to go." I help him stand up, his legs unsteady from lack of movement. He clutches his side and looks at Uncle, who acknowledges him from the cave's entrance. Im sure Aaron still holds a grudge againist Uncle for beating him up.

"If you travel deeper into the cave it'll lead you to the otherside where they won't see you." Instructs Uncle, "Stay on path and you'll be back in Ambervault. Take your horse and warn the king that war is upon us."

I turn to him, "Wait, you're not coming?"

He smiles warmly. "I'll distract them, but you two must get out of here. I'll be fine."

I look deep into his eyes, and knew that he was lying. He won't be fine. Tears brim my eyes as I run toward him, engulfing him in a hug that could be our last. He stiffens, but he returns the hug quickly. He holds me tight.

Aaron places a hand on my shoulder, "We have to go," he says and I know he's right.

I nod, slowly releasing Uncle. He looks at Aaron and says, "Promise me you'll take care of her."

Aaron nods, "I will. I promise. Come on Rieka," he takes my hand and leads me away. I take one last look at Uncle before we break into a run.