Encounter(11)

"No," he said firmly.

He said it with determination, making it clear that he meant it. I looked at Wyatt in surprise, amazed by his courage to go against Eliana's wishes. Eliana seemed shocked and speechless, as if she had just been confronted with reality. It was a rare sight to see someone stand up to Eliana and refuse her demands, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Finally! Someone had actually said no to Eliana after all these years! My laughter caught Eliana's attention, and she gave me a menacing glare when no one else was looking. Then, with a sad expression on her face, she turned her gaze back to Wyatt.

"Why... Why?" she stammered, sounding vulnerable and hurt, like an injured puppy.

Wyatt replied bluntly, not sugarcoating his words. "It's a combat class. If you're not feeling well enough to participate, you should take a rest. Otherwise, you might distract others from their training if they have to take care of you."

Eliana's face turned pale and green, losing all color. Her already fair complexion, deprived of sunlight for so long, now resembled that of a vampire.

"I'm sorry, I'm leaving now," she muttered, lowering her head and walking away.

"Poor Eliana," Emily commented sympathetically, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

With Eliana gone, we continued with the class. Wyatt was a serious teacher, rarely showing a smile, and everyone followed his lead. As the class concluded, my classmates formed groups to go for dinner, while I remained alone, quietly packing up my belongings.

"Why don't you join the others for dinner?" Wyatt asked, coming closer to me.

"I prefer to eat alone," I replied, wondering why he even cared. I didn't have many friends, or worse, I had no friends here. Ever since Eliana arrived, my friends had become her friends, leaving me isolated. But I didn't want to admit it to Wyatt.

I didn't want to sound pathetic.

Wyatt nodded and walked away. I looked at his back until he disapeared out of my sight. Then I headed to the canteen on my own.

Over the next few weeks, time went past like river. Just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, the Rogues attacked.

Late one night, while the Warriors were patrolling, a group of unfamiliar wolves infiltrated our forest and attacked our pack. They severely injured a three-year-old child. The situation was grave, and without hesitation, my father, Wyatt, and the Warriors quickly set out to pursue the Rogues.

According to our werewolf traditions, any Rogues who infiltrate our pack are considered a threat. They target the elderly, the weak, and the children without showing any compassion. That's why we eliminate them to protect our pack.

Today is the second day since they left. I don't know if my father and Wyatt have caught up with the Rogues. I pray for their success.

"Odette!" A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I quickly got up to answer it. As soon as I opened the door, a group of people surrounded me.

"Quick! Put handcuffs on her!" Samantha, a pack member, ordered, and two men rushed forward to restrain me.

"What are you doing?" I shouted, feeling anger coursing through me.

Samantha slapped me across the face in front of everyone.

Slap!

"You thought you could pull off something like Ocean's Eleven, Odette?" she sneered.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been colluding with the Rogues, and now you're trying to argue?"

"That's not true! I..." I started, but was interrupted by another slap.

I tasted blood in my mouth as my cheeks swelled from the impact. Samantha must have hit me across the mouth this time.

"We've captured a Rogue. He's in the meeting room, and he claims to know you," Samantha said, her gaze filled with contempt. Then, she turned to the two men restraining me and ordered, "Take her to the meeting room."

"Let me go!" I protested, struggling against the restraints, but my hands were bound behind my back, leaving me helpless.

We entered the conference room,and Samantha approached me. "Odette, I've tolerated you time and time again, but I never expected you to actually collaborate with the Rogues. You claim you don't know them, yet they're here in our pack looking for you. How else do you explain it?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice filled with panic.

Samantha pointed to a young man standing in the corner. He looked thin, around sixteen or seventeen years old, with disheveled white hair, a dirt-covered face, and tattered clothes.

As soon as he saw me, tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry, Odette, but I couldn't keep it a secret any longer! I'll die if I don't get Wolfsbane!" he cried out.

"What are you talking about? I don't know you at all!" I pleaded, desperately trying to make sense of the situation.

"It's no use, Odette. Lucas threatened to kill me if I didn't retrieve Wolfsbane for him. Didn't he ask you to help me steal it? Two days ago, we tried to break in and get it ourselves, but we failed. I had no choice but to come here once I knew death was imminent," he explained.

"You're lying! I don't know you at all!" I protested, turning to the others in the room. "I swear on my mother's name that I don't know him. He's lying."

"Odette, admit it! Aren't you wearing a moon bracelet? I know it's your mother's legacy," the boy revealed.

My face turned pale as soon as he mentioned the moon bracelet.

Everyone knew about my necklace, but only my father, Wyatt, and I seemed to know that it was a gift from my mother.

How did he know?