Chapter 58: Chapter 58

~ NYSSA

Before noon, news had spread round the pack that the lycans had found the rogues.

I wasn’t sure who started the rumor or how much truth there was to it, but it bothered Henry enough that he called the council again and spent a full hour telling us how bad it made the pack look that the lycans were the ones to find the rogues.

I could barely focus during the meeting. All I could think about was how mere hours ago, Rowan and I were in this very room, pressed up against that door.

“Am I boring you, Nyssa?” Henry snapped, his voice bringing me back to reality.

He stood at he head of the table as always, hands crossed over his chest in annoyance. The other council members sat in their seats, expressions varying from boredom to frustration.

“Yes, actually, you are,” I said, sitting up slowly. “We’ve been here all day. Does it really matter who finds the rogues? If it is true and the lycans have found the rogues, then we get rid of the bastards who have been trying to kill us, and we get the lycans out of our pack.”

His eyes flashed with anger. “Don’t pretend like you care about this pack, Nyssa, we all know that you can’t wait to get back to the King. We all heard your little escapade in this room.”

My cheeks burned a bright shade of pink at his words. I knew people had heard, but I didn’t expect that the information would go round that fast.

I squared my shoulders, keeping my voice clear as I spoke. “What I do with my time is none of your business.”

“It is my business!” he spat. “You cannot whore yourself to the King—”

“Like Alisa whores herself to you?” I asked, gesturing to Alisa who was sitting quietly beside him.

She’d been smiling when he spoke, but at my words, her smile quickly dissolved into a deep frown.

“Henry is my mate,” she snapped, trying to defend herself.

“And the King is mine.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why are we even having this conversation?”

“Good question.” I turned to Henry. “What is your point? Are you so eager to compare dicks with him that you can’t even see that our pack is going to be rid of those rogues once and for all?”

The other council members stared at him, waiting for a response.

I knew Henry well, I knew just how petty he could be. I’d loved him regardless of it, but looking at him now, I couldn’t believe I was ever in love with him. He didn’t say the words, but it was obvious that he would’ve rather we had the rogues longer than accept help from Rowan.

“I think this meeting is over,” he said finally.

I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “You’re impossible.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond before rising to my feet and storming out the door. I felt his eyes on me the whole time, but I ignored it.

I’d dealt with enough bullshit for one day, from Rowan and from Henry.

I was done.

The idea of ice cream in bed seemed so delightful. I could almost taste the sweet vanilla flavor.

It was so close, I was so close until someone stepped in front of me, blocking my view of the exit and Eric who stood by the car.

I blinked twice, trying to make sense of the body that was in front of me. I looked up at Aria standing in front of me, hands shoved into the pockets of her jeans.

She was dressed casually as always with that same blue jacket she seemed to love.

“Do you wear this every day?” I asked, unable to stop myself. She cocked her head to the side, her brows knitted in confusion so I continued. “The jacket.”

Her mouth formed an o. “No, I have a lot in the same color.”

“That makes sense,” I mumbled before fully taking her in. “Do you need something?”

“I wanted to apologize.”

Of all the things I expected her to say, this was not one of them.

I thought she’d berate me about parading around with a guard when I was mated to her brother. I thought she’d call me a whore like Henry had.

Then again, when had Aria ever done anything like that? She’d always been objective, even when she didn’t have to be.

“I should never have barged into your house,” she continued, voice soft. “And I should never have tried to give orders. I suppose it’s a bit difficult to turn off the princess act. I’m just used to ordering people around.”

I raised a brow, watching her silently.

“Say something,” she urged.

I thought about it for a moment. “I accept your apology.”

“That’s it?” she asked in disbelief and I shrugged.

“Were you expecting something else? An applause maybe? You did the decent thing and apologized. What do you want from me, Aria?”

“I want to be friends.”

I scoffed. “I think that ship has sailed.”

“Why?”

“Why?” I asked, a bitter laugh leaving my throat. “Aria, we can’t be friends as long as Rowan is your brother and my mate. We can’t be friends because I can’t have a friend who I know will always pick his side when it comes down to it.”

“Eric is tour friend,” she shot back. “And he will pick Rowan’s side if it comes down to it.”

I nearly pulled my hair out of my scalp in frustration. “This isn’t about Eric! This is about you! This is about the fact that we were good and the next thing I know, I’m being sent out of the palace and you didn’t even try to reach out to me. You called me with your brother there, listening in. That was a shitty thing to do.”

She began to speak, but I held up a hand to stop her.

“It’s late, Aria. It’s dark out and I want to go to bed. I don’t have the energy for this. I just want the rogues gone, and I want you and your brother gone.”

I stepped aside her to leave, but quickly came to a halt.

Rowan strode into the pack house wearing the same shirt from earlier, but this time, it was almost completely drenched in blood.

His white hair had red streaks in them, his nails were dark, and in his hands, he held a dripping head.

I recognized the face instantly, it was the same rogue that stabbed me.

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