Aries

Chapter 39 • The Night Ariel Left

Aries

I stayed awake after the crack of dawn with Hermes in the office, trying to form the plan to our first attack on the witches. I didn't feel the urge to hurry to be met with an empty bed. Her absence cast a bleak darkness over the palace.

Even though I worried about her reaction to my white lie, I nonetheless awaited her return with my at-most yearning.

Ariel's family were still asleep, unaware of the unfortunate death of their son.

I felt restless and wandered outside the mansion until I found my recently favored spot.

My remorse was eating me alive, inside out. I hid the truth from them, from Ariel, and didn't know if they would ever forgive me. I didn't know if she was would ever forgive me. Alpha Harris might consider this as an act of betrayal and break our alliance. He could even stand against me in war.

Could he? My wolf piped up.

I ignored him. I was in no mood for his incessant blabbering.

With my head in my hands, my thoughts were dragged back to Ariel. I needed her to tell me it was all going to be okay. I needed to feel the comfort her presence provided. When she was around, I felt like a piece of me had returned, filling the hollow shell that I had become from my miserable years on this wretched planet. I wanted her to place her hand on mine, to feel the fire that danced upon my skin with her every touch. I wanted her to reassure me, to say that she'll forgive me, but I knew deep down that that was not going to be the case.

I hid the death of her brother from her. She left thinking he was safe. She left to save him from death. And here I was, knowing well enough that her efforts were wasted but I let her leave anyway. What I did was truly unforgivable and Jake was right.

"Stop thinking so hard, you'll hurt yourself." Jake's voice sounded from behind me.

I was sat in the garden, on the bench near the pond that Ariel loved.

"How did you find me here?" I asked him sullenly, not even bothering to look back over my shoulder.

Jake came into view, smirking at me, "This place is Ariel's favorite. Well, second to the kitchen of course."

I halfheartedly laughed, "Girl does love her food," I jested, before patting the space on the bench beside me for him to grace me with his presence.

Jake sat down, looking at me intently.

"You made a mistake, Aries." He stated out flatly, "You didn't kill the kid though. It's not your fault...but he's dead. You couldn't have changed his fate. It was going to happen regardless of Ariel's presence," He continued, shrugging. "Even though it was a stupid mistake and for the first time since I've met you, i couldn't really condone your decision to keep her in the dark. But we're not saints Aries," he said sighing, "and we're not dealing with a tangible enemy here. These people are witches, and they have conjured help from dark Olympian rulers; who betrayed their own kind." Jake added, pausing and pursing his lips, before placing a supportive hand on my shoulder blade, "This pack looks up to you, we knew the consequences of standing by you, so did Ariel. She loves you, don't ever doubt that. You'll just have to give her time after you break the news to her. As for the pack, we blindly follow you because you are Aries. You're the goddamn god of war. The witches are retaliating fiercely and that's a good sign. They're going to try to hurt everyone you care about to make you back out. It means that they're scared out of their minds. We are going to win this, and once the war takes place, you can not stop. No matter who dies Aries, promise me you'll keep going. You have to fight for us. Fight for good in this world. Fight for Ariel. Fight for Adrien, you have to make his death count for something."