Chapter 10: 10: A Great Liar
[CASSIAN POV]
The aftermath of the battle was brutal. Seven warriors were dead, and many more were injured. Thankfully, we managed to drive the rogues off after an intense battle.
Blood was everywhere, and the women of the pack had returned to help tend to the injured. They handed out clothes as well, seeing as to how those who had shifted were all in their birthday suits, their clothes torn off during the shift.
"Where’s Violet?" I asked, tying the strings to the sweatpants I just put on. Soren frowned, running a hand through his hair.
"I last saw Rowan headed in her direction after Cedar mentioned she wanted to be left alone," he said. "He should be with her now, or else we would’ve heard something from him."
I nodded.
"We need to call for council," I said. "How the fuck did the rogues get into Shadowclaw’s lands?"
"They’ve never been this bold before," Soren said with a sigh. "The warriors posted on patrol also failed to report anything."
"They’re probably dead," I said grimly.
The warriors were competent. If they were alive, they would’ve no doubt reported it, and we would’ve at least have had enough time to evacuate the young and elderly.
"Let’s find Rowan. We need to―" I stopped short when I accidentally kicked something, causing me to look down.
There on the ground was Briar, lying quietly in the grass. For a second, I felt my heart stop. Panic quickly flared through my chest as I squatted down, pressing my ear against her chest. When I felt the faint beating of my heart, I let out a deep breath, which I didn’t know I held.
However, the second I realized it, I stiffened. Why did I feel so relieved? Shouldn’t I want her dead?
I pulled myself away instantly, repulsed.
"How is she still alive?" I asked, scowling. "For all she said about wanting to die, she sure has a way of clinging to life."
"Cassian," Soren said disapprovingly.
Just the mere sight of Briar had my blood boiling.
"What?" I snapped. "Don’t tell me you’re growing soft for her, Soren. Have you forgotten what she did?"
I could still remember the look in Briar’s eyes during the funeral rites. She walked forward, flanked by our warriors. Her eyes were filled with fear, but I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of sympathy.
She should be scared.
After everything she had done to her, Briar ought to pay for her crimes. If it were up to me alone, she would’ve died the day she returned to Shadowclaw. A worthless omega like her shouldn’t have been allowed to live. Willow’s death was proof of that.
When I held the knife in my hand, all I felt was rage rushing through my body. I wanted nothing more than to slit the silver blade across her throat. The funeral rites only needed a drop of blood, but it should’ve been more.
She should’ve paid with her life.
However, the rogues interrupted before the rites could properly proceed.
For a second, the image of Briar’s expression right before I left her side flashed through my head. She had looked at me with a mixture of fear and worry.
I shook the thought away. She was probably worried she would die. All that talk about wanting to end her own life was surely just a front she put up in an attempt to threaten us. As if I would fall for that.
"No," Soren quietly said, looking down at the ground. His fists clenched at his sides, and I knew I had struck a nerve. "How could I forget?"
"Good," I said, scoffing. "I was worried you had gone senile." I stepped forward, waving for Soren to follow. "Come on. Rowan must be waiting for us. I don’t want to worry Violet."
"And what about Briar?" Soren asked. When I turned back to look, he was still standing there at the same spot. "We can’t just leave her here."
"Why not?" I spat. "Am I supposed to invite an entourage to invite her in?"
"I am just saying," Soren said with a sigh, "that maybe we should bring her to the infirmary. She needs medical attention. Didn’t you notice she was already swaying during the funeral?"
"I didn’t realize you were paying more attention to Briar Argyris, of all people, as compared to the funeral procession," I said.
Soren said nothing. He bent down, placed one of his arms under Briar’s knee, and the other supported her back, and stood back up again. His movements were so fluid that he looked as though he was carrying a feather. When he walked over to my side, I could see exactly why.
Briar looked so much frailer in Soren’s arms than she did usually on her own. She was all but a bag of bones underneath her damp clothes. Her lips were pale, and she looked as fragile as a snowflake, about to melt at any second.
My fists clenched by my sides, and I didn’t even realize it until a sharp pain came from my palms. I looked down, only to realize that my claws had extended, carving holes into the palm of my hand. The moment I unfurled my hands, the wound started to patch itself back together again. Yet, the stain of red was still there.
"She is still our fated mate," Soren said lowly, careful not to let anyone hear.
"For now," I grumbled under my breath.
Soren said nothing to affirm or deny. He simply walked forward, headed straight for the packhouse where the infirmary was.
***
"Alpha Cassian!" Violet exclaimed, sitting up in her bed.
Her hand went to her blanket, wanting to pull it off to come running over, but was quickly stopped by Rowan. He shook his head at her, and she bashfully smiled.
"Violet," I said, rushing over to the bed. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Anger rushed through my body. "Where is Cedar? He was supposed to protect you. I’ll have his head for this―"
"It’s not Beta Cedar’s fault," Violet said softly. "He’s more helpful on the battlefield. Besides, we would’ve been perfectly safe if it hadn’t been for... Well..."
"For what?" Rowan asked, frowning.
Violet bit her bottom lip as her fingers played with the fabric of the blanket. "I..." She hesitated. "I don’t know if I should say this. I don’t want to cause trouble."
"Don’t worry," I said. "You can tell us anything."
"Well..." Violet exhaled heavily before she looked up and met Rowan and my eyes. "If it weren’t for the fact that Briar tried to attack me, we wouldn’t have made so much noise that it attracted a rogue’s attention."
