Chapter 249 249: Reunion at the oak tree...

Neriah

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

"Yes," another warrior confirmed "She said she hasn't been here long," he pointed out. "If she's been waiting for Thames, surely she would have seen the intruder pass by."

All eyes turned back to me. I felt my mouth go dry. If I don't answer correctly, I might be buried alongside the strange man.

"I was meditating," I said, the half-truth coming more easily than expected. "When I meditate, I … lose track of time and my surroundings. If someone passed by, I wouldn't have noticed."

"Didn't you just say you were waiting for Thames?" Their leader asked again.

Thames came to where I was and took one of my hands, placing tiny kisses on my knuckles before he let out an easy chuckle.

"Ah, well, she's probably just flustered from being questioned and that's enough, you all. I was with her. We had a slight quarrel and she came into the forest. We were together when I got a mindlink from the Alpha and I left her alone to wait for me," he turned to me and gave me a small, reassuring smile. "Right?"

I hesitated, glancing at him before quickly nodding. "Yes, I must have misspoken."

The warrior leader didn't look convinced, but before he could push further, my father let out a huff of frustration.

"Enough of this nonsense," he snapped. "How dare you insinuate that my daughter would know anything about that devil?"

"I'm sorry, Alpha," the warrior leader quickly bowed his head and then turned to me. "I'm sorry, little miss."

My father turned to me, studying my face for what felt like an eternity, his dark eyes boring into mine as if trying to extract the truth by sheer force of will. Finally, he made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.

"Get out of my sight," he hissed. "Return to the pack immediately. We will discuss your disobedience later."

"Alpha, she wasn't…"

you either, Thames. You know better than to

hurried away, careful not to look up at the oak tree as I passed. I could feel my father's eyes on my back until I disappeared into

My mind racing with the implications of what I had done. I had lied to my father, to the pack's

regret my decision. For the first time in my life, I had acted solely on my own judgement, and my own instincts. There had been something in those forest-green eyes that had compelled me to help

thrill – the sensation of having taken the first step on a path of my own choosing. Whatever consequences

felt I had truly done something meaningful, something that defined me as more than just the Alpha's daughter. And despite the uncertainty ahead, I couldn't help the small smile that curved my lips as I made my way back to the pack,

~~~

the forest until after three days. For some reason, my father limited movement outside the pack and warriors tripled on each entrance spot. Despite all my attempts to know what was happening, Thames

Those three days, felt like torture

cell as I paced back and forth. The walls seemed to close in with each passing hour. I'd tried subtle questioning at dinner, casual inquires during pack gatherings to some of the warriors I was friendly with, even attempted to eavesdrop on my

under a strange tension that nobody would

had woken up earlier than before and was too tired to start my

my window and saw several alphas arriving, together

arriving when it

my father hadn't wanted me

a dark cloak over my nightdress. I crept through the silent house, careful to avoid the creaking floorboard outside my parent's room. Once outside, I

commotion at the main hall, making it suprinsingly easy for me to navigate through the shadows between

glowed faintly in the pre – dawn light. Two

through the gap between post while

the forest. My heart was beating from anticipation and thrill. The cool morning air filled my lungs as I ran, branches whipping past my face. Freedom – even if temporary –

something just felt right. I ran through the familiar path, deciding if I didn't see him, I'll come back home immediately before anyone missed me. Dawn was breaking now, painting the forest in soft hues of pink and gold,

the tree, I paused when I noticed someone was there. The closer I got to it, the

leaning against the tree. He was dressed differently from the other

nightdress beneath the cloak, my messy hair and my breathlessness. The man lifted his head as

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