SCENT OF BETRAYAL

Prophecy

Aria

"Grandmother, he killed an innocent man."

I flare my hands in frustration. Why does nobody understand this? A man who saved my life was just brutally murdered, and my grandmother acts like it's just another day in the Flynn pack.

"Don't be silly, Aria. He was a rogue. You don't understand how violent they can be!" She answers back firmly.

What I don't understand is how my grandmother can consent to such cruelty.

All my life, I've been sheltered and protected. Kept from any harm.

I never even knew rogues could come in here.

I know a rogue killed my parents when I was too little to understand what had been going on, but grandmother raised me to care, to show compassion.

She's always claimed that's the role of a Luna, so why is she ignoring all her teachings to justify unlawful death?

"I can't believe you. And Cassius had no right! He attacked the Flynn pack. He was with me!" I yell back without thinking, and I hear the sound before I process what she's done.

The force of the slap has my head hanging left for a second.

My grandmother has never hit me before. This...

"Aria," she sighs, and slumps her shoulder. "My child, I love you more than anything, and when I saw you with—I thought—" she breaks down.

I hate seeing my grandmother weak, or in tears. I know she worries for me.

That's why she acted the way she did yesterday, but I still can't understand it.

I reach out for her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. Please forgive me, grandmother."

She holds me away for a while, tucks my pale blonde hair behind my ear, and cups my face.

"No, you didn't need to see that, Aria. I will speak to Cassius about what he did. He shouldn't have done that in front of you."

I nod at her words, feeling a little lightheaded about the whole thing.

"But you have to understand that you are his mate, Aria. He worries for you just as I do. Please do not hold his rash judgement against him. I'm sure he was just as scared seeing you with a rogue."

I tuck my chin closer to her. "I understand."

She wipes her eyes, "Alright. Why don't you go spend some time with Piper, hm? You know you won't be seeing each other for a while when you're mated, child."

My cheeks burn red at this. I forgot that in a little while, I’ll be leaving my pack, and joining Cassius.

Cassius, who beheaded a man right in front of me.

The memory still makes me shudder, and my grandmother pats my back softly, but I oblige, and go to my best friend.

Piper is walking rather briskly, a basket in one hand, and a knife in another. Her auburn hair dances in the wind, as she approaches me, and I smile.

"Aria," she drops the basket, and envelopes me in a hug. "Oh, dear goddess. I thought you were hurt. The pack's been buzzing with news of your near a*******n. I was so worried."

I let her pat my hair as she holds me. Ever since grandmother found Piper, an almost starved child at the pack borders, we've been best friends since forever.

She's the one person who's always been able to understand and speak to me like a person.

I don't know what I'd do when I have to leave her here.

A year ago Piper found her mate, buy she doesn't like to talk about it, and from what I hear—although it's just baseless rumors, he is a rogue.

Piper didn't reject him because the pain might be too much, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with him.

I sympathize with her, and understand why she'd rather stay here.

I can't imagine Piper being hounded like that man, and killed for being a rogue. The thought leaves a sour taste in my tongue.

"I was with grandmother. Thanks." I reply weakly,

"What is it? I just spoke to Cassius, and he couldn't stop talking about how quickly he slayed the rogue. Oh, you must be so in love with him now, aren’t you?" She speaks with stars in her eyes.

In love with him?

I'm still upset he even did that, but I don't want to spoil my mood by talking about it.

"The rogue saved my life, Piper. I owe him. He shouldn't be dead." Is all I say, and Piper peers at me intently like she's trying to read my thoughts.

"This has put you in a really bad mood, hasn't it? Come, let's have breakfast together. Grandmother says you haven't had anything to eat since yesterday." She whispers in a soothing tone.

I follow her, up into the dining rooms, and just as we're about to enter, I hear laughter coming from inside.

"You should have seen her with the Alpha. I've never seen anyone more desperate, Eliana. She acts like he doesn't have a mate."

Those words have Piper freezing beside me, as we both pause in our tracks.

Who are they talking about?

I recognize Rachel's voice, and she's talking to Eliana?

"She forgets that being best friends with the future Luna doesn't make her anything more than a pitiful shifter, with no mate." Eliana replies.

Are they? Piper?

My knuckles tighten in annoyance.

Beside me, Piper's face has lost all color except the twin spots of red on each cheeks.

I can't tell if she's furious or embarrassed. Probably both.

"A rogue." Rachel confirms, and I lose it.

"Don't you have better things to do than sit down here, and gossip all day?" I barge in harshly.

Piper doesn't follow me inside, and both girls stand up so quickly they nearly knock themselves down.

"I'm sorry, Aria." They reply in unison, their heads held down.

They should be apologizing to Piper, not me.

"The person you should be apologizing to isn't me." I respond, with annoyance, but when I look outside, I don't see Piper there.

"We're very sorry. We'll apologize to her." They say quickly, and leave before I can say another word.

***

"Are you sure this is safe, Piper?" I ask, stumbling over rocks as I trudge up beside her.

After those gossipy girls left, it took me nearly an hour to find Piper, and when I did, thankfully she looked a little better.

When I tried to apologize for what they said, she just shut it down, and said she was fine.

Of course, I doubt she's actually fine.

No one deserves to be insulted like that, but I didn't want to offend her by bringing it up again.

I then got distracted when she started talking about my birthday celebration, and all the preparations that are being made for it.

It's in three days, and I feel more nervous than excited, so like a wonderful best friend, Piper offered to take me for a walk.

Compared to me, Piper is a lot more versatile in things in the pack.

Sometimes she trains with the guards, and other times she helps out doing anything and everything.

So grandmother trusts her to keep me safe most of the time, which is the only reason she even lets me out of her sight.

"This is the only chance you have to see this beautiful place I want to show you, Aria. You don't want to back out now, do you?" She teases me playfully.

I roll my eyes. "I'm not dying. I can always come back and hang out with you." I know I'll miss the Flynn pack terribly.

She smiles. "I know, but I really want to show you this place now. I found it while on a walk, and it's so beautiful."

The distant sound of a wolf howling nearly freezes me in my tracks, but when I turn to Piper, we both burst into laughter.

I take another small step into the direction of the thicker part of the forest, my eyes straight ahead.

"Okay, fine. Only because you're my best friend, and I love you so much. And just so you know, I don't care what those girls were saying earlier today. I don't think you're pitiful, Piper. I think you're—"

Piper cuts me off. "What was that?" From the dim moon light, I catch a frightened look on her face.

"What was what?" I ask carefully.

"That sound just now, it sounded like—" That's all I hear, before something drags Piper down the ground.

I stumble back in panic, my hand pressed firmly over my lips to conceal my scream.

"Piper?" I call out carefully.

"Piper, are you—agh!" Something rips me off the ground, and presses an awful smelling substance under my nose.

That's the last thing I remember, before everything goes black.