MARKED | COMPLETED

Chapter 24

There had never been a doubt in my mind that his decision would wreak havoc within the pack. As Aisling stood on the very last porch of the cabin, I watched as he announced his commitment to Alpha Sorley—it seemed to sour everything, working like acid and quickly destroyed everything we worked so hard on.

Cummins had been the first to voice his outrage—speaking in an old language that I only knew snippets of and those few words that I understood caused a violent cringe to wrack through my body. Another member of the pack, a girl not much older than me, stepped forward, barely a few feet away from Aisling and I. Instinctively Reece stepped in front of me. She stared at me as if I'd betrayed her, and in an instant I had to look away from her, drawing a deep breath.

"I don't want to be Tuaisceart," she said in such a low tone that only those closest could hear her. I saw the tremor in her hands; the tremble of her lips. "I can't be a monster."

Is that what we'll become? How much of ourselves would we lose once Aisling became Alpha Sorley's companion? I spent so long despising our traditions that I never once stopped to think that maybe we would lose them—it made me sick to my stomach to imagine that we would have to adapt to Tuaisceart's way of life.

But I didn't know how to answer her.

I knew that, much like her, I didn't think I was capable of becoming a monster to suit Alpha Sorley and Luna Aedan's standards. I didn't want to imagine what level of cruelty, of brutality, that Tuaisceart endured every day with them in charge.

There had been a reason that Tuaisceart had been the first to secede from the Mionlach. They believed that we were too soft—our traditions weren't creating the perfect monsters they desired as warriors. They abandoned the Morrigan for that very purpose.

What if, in the end, we had no other choice?

I shoved my hands into my pockets to hide the sudden shakiness of my fingers.

"We won't," I answered her, even though I doubted myself.

"Nothing is going to change," Aisling called out.

"Everything is going to change, Aisling!" Cummins spat. "Becoming her companion—you're dooming this pack."

Sounds of agreement swept through the crowd. Aisling swept his gaze to me, but I couldn't offer him anything at this point. As his Luna, I had to stand by his side—in the end, I understood that this was our safest solution. I understood that he (we) believed that this was the right choice for the pack. But every time his blue eyes caught mine I found a part of my heart breaking all over again.

I went back to the very first day after my Shifting when Anabel Buckley had asked me when my loyalty to Aisling ended—wouldn't this be the point? Shouldn't this be the point where I stop being such a faithful Retriever? I sharply turned away from Aisling's gaze and locked my eyes ahead. I didn't know what to do... I didn't know what to say.

Soon, others began to speak up—none, it seemed, were in favor of Aisling's decision. I heard my name several times, and I did my best to ignore it. What would I tell them? I didn't like this, either, but my reasons for thinking that way were vastly different. I felt backed up against a wall, cowering away while Alpha Sorley slowly began to take everything from me.

And it made me angry.

Without thinking, I walked toward the crowd. I felt that instant draw of Aisling's emotions—of confusion and abandonment—while I felt so numb. I told him that he would never lose me, and yet... he did. I looked back, toward the porch where he stood alone, while Shaun and Reece tried to calm down the crowd. They paved a small passageway for me, still calling out to me and I continued to remain silent.

This, I thought. This is where my loyalty ends.