Chapter 14 - The Road Way From Home

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

The distant shape moved slowly through the mountains, partially hidden behind clouds and darkness. At that distance, Jason couldn't make out any details. He only knew one thing.

Whatever it was, it shouldn't exist.

Each step sent a faint tremor through the ground beneath the clearing. The vibrations were subtle, but impossible to ignore.

Kael's face had gone pale,Even Darius looked troubled.

That alone told Jason everything he needed to know.

The thing in the mountains was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Elena finally broke the silence.

"We need to leave."

Her voice was calm, but Jason knew her well enough to hear the urgency beneath it.

Kael nodded immediately,For once, we agree."

The response almost made Jason laugh.

Almost.

The last few hours had been so overwhelming that his emotions felt strangely numb.

Ancient kings,Hidden bloodlines.

Assassins ,Guardians,Monsters.

Any one of those things would have been enough to change a person's life.

Jason had received all of them in a single night.

He rubbed his forehead and looked toward the forest.

The battle was over, but the smell of blood still lingered in the air.

Broken branches covered the ground. Deep scars marked the earth where warriors had fought.

A few hours ago, this had been a peaceful clearing.

Now it looked like the aftermath of a war.

Darius stepped forward and rested both hands on the shaft of his spear.

"The enemy knows where he is now."

Nobody argued The statement was obvious.

Once Jason's awakening began, hiding became nearly impossible.

The masked leader had found him.

Others would follow.

The ancient guardian turned toward Elena.

"They won't stop."

For a brief moment, sorrow flashed across her face.I know."

Jason watched the exchange carefully.

Both of them were speaking as though this outcome had always been inevitable.

As though they had spent years preparing for this exact moment.That realization bothered him.

His entire life had changed in a matter of days.

Yet everyone around him seemed to have known it was coming.Everyone except him.

A sharp frustration rose inside his chest.

"I'm tired of being the last person to know things."

The words escaped before he could stop them.

The clearing fell quiet,Elena looked at him.

So did Kael.

Even Darius lowered his gaze slightly.

Jason shook his head,I deserve answers."

His voice remained steady.

"Not pieces of answers. Not half-truths."

The frustration he had been carrying since the altar finally surfaced"My father is dead."

He looked at Elena.

"My life was apparently built on secrets."

Then he turned toward Darius.

"Ancient enemies are trying to kill me."

Finally, his gaze settled on Kael.

"And the Council seems to know more than they're admitting."Nobody interrupted him.

Nobody looked away.Jason took a slow breath.

"If I'm expected to keep moving forward, then I need the truth."

The forest seemed unusually quiet afterward.

Only the distant sound of wind moving through the trees broke the silence.

Elena eventually nodded.Not reluctantly.

Not because she had been pressured.

Because she understood he was right.

"You do."The answer surprised him.

For years, every difficult question had been met with avoidance,This was different.

His mother looked exhausted.

The kind of exhaustion that came from carrying a burden for too long.

"When we reach safety, I'll tell you everything I can."Jason studied her expression.

For once, he believed her.

Not because she suddenly trusted him more.

Because circumstances no longer allowed secrets to remain buried.The old life was gone.

All of them knew it.

Darius looked toward the mountains again.

"We don't have much time."Kael followed his gaze."What exactly is that thing?"

The guardian remained silent for a moment.

When he finally answered, his voice was grim.

"I don't know."The admission unsettled everyone.

A warrior who remembered an empire lost to history.

A man who had apparently survived centuries.

Yet even he didn't know what was walking through those mountains.

That wasn't reassuring.Not in the slightest.

The tremor came again.Stronger this time.

Birds burst from distant trees.

The ground vibrated beneath their feet.

Jason felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Whatever was moving out there was getting closer.Not quickly.But steadily.

Like something following a trail.Like something searching.

Kael immediately made a decision.We leave now."Nobody argued.

Within minutes, the group began moving.

The journey back toward the village felt strangely different.

When Jason entered the forest earlier, he had been searching for answers about his father.

Now he was leaving as someone hunted by forces he barely understood.

The path seemed shorter on the return trip.

Perhaps because his mind was occupied.

Perhaps because everything familiar suddenly felt distant.

Eventually the trees began to thin.

The first buildings of Blackfang Village appeared ahead.

A knot formed in Jason's stomach.

Several homes had been damaged during the attack.

Villagers were still awake despite the late hour.

Groups gathered near lanterns, speaking in worried whispers.

Others helped the wounded.Children clung to their parents.

The atmosphere felt heavy.Fear had settled over the village.And fear spread quickly.

The moment Jason appeared, conversations stopped.Heads turned.Eyes followed him.

Some expressions showed curiosity.

Others showed concern.

A few revealed something else entirely.

Suspicion.Jason knew that look.

He had seen it his entire life.

The look people gave things they didn't understand.He hated it.

A young boy standing beside a damaged fence stared openly.His mother quickly pulled him away.

The simple gesture hurt more than Jason expected.

Not because he blamed them.Because he understood.

A monster had attacked the village looking for him.

Ancient warriors had fought in the streets because of him.People were afraid.

And fear often needed someone to blame.

Elena noticed his expression.

Her hand briefly touched his shoulder.

It wasn't a grand gesture.Just a small reminder.You're not alone.

The warmth of it eased some of the tension inside him.

As they continued through the village, a familiar voice suddenly called out."Jason."He stopped.

The voice belonged to someone he hadn't expected to see.

Standing near the center of the village was Lyra Blackfang.The Alpha's daughter.

Moonlight illuminated her features as she stepped forward from the crowd.

Jason hadn't spoken to her since before the Awakening Ceremony.Not properly.

Not after everything that happened.For a moment, neither spoke.

The noise of the village faded into the background.Lyra studied him carefully.

Her expression was difficult to read,Concern.

Confusion,Relief,Perhaps all three.

Then her eyes drifted toward the dried blood on his clothes.

A flicker of worry crossed her face.

"You look terrible."

Despite everything, Jason laughed.

A genuine laugh,His first in days.

"That's probably because my day has been terrible."To his surprise, Lyra smiled.

The familiar expression reminded him of easier times.

Before the altar.Before the mountain, Before the secrets.

For one brief moment, things felt normal again.

Then the village bell rang.Once, twice,three times.

The sound echoed across the settlement.

Every conversation stopped.

Every villager looked toward the center tower.

Jason's smile faded.

The emergency bell only rang when the entire pack was being summoned.

Kael's expression darkened immediately.

Darius looked toward the tower.Elena closed her eyes.

As though she already knew what was coming.

A few moments later, a guard appeared at the top of the structure.

His voice carried across the village.

"By order of Alpha Magnus Blackfang, all pack members are to gather immediately.The guard paused.

His next words made Jason's stomach sink.

"The Alpha has called a judgment meeting."

And everyone in the village already knew who that meeting was about.