The Ancients

28: Contravention

Reece's tone was serious, making me feel anxious. What was he about to tell us that sounded so... grave? Emmet and I both started to feel uneasy. Weary.

"We promise," both Emmet and I finally replied in unison.

A slight breeze ran through the thin fabric of my bordeaux-coloured jumper, but instead of retreating to the interior of the house, I remained frozen to the spot, waiting.

Anticipating. Wondering.

Reece sighed and ran a hand through his dark mahogany hair, causing it to poke into every direction. His eyes looked tired, faint dark rings shadowing them.

"I don't want to lead the pack anymore the way things are," he said finally, speaking uncharacteristically slow, careful to choose the right words.

Not yet offering our older brother any kind of reaction, both Em and I stayed silent. Cold shock ran through my body like a stream of ice.

"As alpha, it is my right to lead my pack. But with the council constantly looking over my shoulder and forcing me to make choices I don't agree with, I do not feel fit for that role anymore. I can't force you to do anything, even if we're family. But Jarred and I are going to leave, someplace we can be by ourselves and live a free life. Not like a group of soldiers, playing little meaningless wars with each other, while more important things happen around us. It's not safe here anymore."

At first, I had thought Reece was just having a weak moment.

But when he didn't rant on about how unjust he deemed the council, I knew he wasn't kidding and he was not having any kind of mental breakdown either. He was being serious, and by the sounds of it, he and Jarred had been thinking about actually doing this for a while now.

There was but one question that popped into my mind. It was a question I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to.

"Does anyone else know?" Emmet asked, leaving me to debate with myself.

Reece shook his head and closed his eyes briefly.

Did Reece really want to leave Everett Valley? For good? 

Reece's promised had to be somewhere in Espheros, and since he hadn't found his within Everett Valley, it had been almost clear that he'd be one of those that ended up working for the council. 

Maybe that was the true reason Reece wanted to leave, and the fact the council kept breathing down his neck only gave him even more reason to. 

Though it made me wonder what Reece even thought about promiseds and all they inclined... After all we'd been through with our parents... It was strange to think we'd never really thought about having a partner. Or a family that went further than just us three siblings...

A jab in my chest reminded me that mine was here. 

Could I really leave him, even I had no intention of getting seriously involved him? 

I didn't have the heart to reject him but not the courage to get involved in any way either...

"No. Jarred and I have only been thinking about it ever since the incidents here, and I've been certain about my decision. I wanted to inform you first and give you enough time to really think about what you want. I feel like we're being hunted with hardly any investigation from the council... I can't stand for that nor be responsible for any further incidents that might occur. Once the older generation feels wary and start complaining, it'll be me they will come to." 

Reece paused before he continued. 

"I'll tell a few others soon and give them the same choice. I would like for you to come. It would make my decision that much harder if you didn't, but you are both old enough to make your own choices, no matter my status. Something is wrong here, and we won't figure out what with the council watching us. I reckon we'll all be killed if we don't leave."

Both Emmet and I let Reece's words sink in.

Torn between what I wanted and what was right I contemplated remaining here because it was expected and leaving because on some level, my brother was right. We had been puppets on strings, pulled and cut off by the council members as they pleased. 

Him much more so than anyone else.

Reece was always the first to be blamed, no matter if he truly carried any fault or not. 'It shouldn't have happened—Reece should have been aware. Reece needed to find out who it was.'

It was like they didn't want him to make progress. Wanted him to do something but nothing really.

It wasn't common for packs to have a council anyway. It was not in the alpha's nature to rule aside others. He took care of his pack, and only him. What was the use in having one, if not for him to rule? It seemed he only served as an advocate, carrying out orders rather than making them.

I had always known Reece struggled with this. But I never imagined that the burden he carried upon his shoulders was truly strong enough to leave behind everything he'd ever known. I knew if we decided not to go with him, he would be breaking apart our family. It would crush him as much as it would crush me.

We decided to retreat into our rooms to make up our minds. I got little sleep that night.

I thought about my friends, if they'd even join us, if we'd go. If I'd go.

It was hard to imagine Kendra leaving her family.

Her entire family had lived by council laws and rules for generations, much longer than mine.

My mother was the only one who ever felt compelled to become a council member, and she only became one when... well, shortly after everything in her life propelled downwards and never managed to come spiral its way back up.

And now I had to choose between my friends and my family. To let go of a life I had never lived differently.

And leave behind a Promised I hadn't even gotten to meet yet.

Chapter Question: Big decision to be made. Do you think Reece is right to want to leave? And do you think Catherine should follow? 

Reader Question: Do you have any siblings? If so, how many?

I got one. A younger brother. Though at times I feel more like his mother, lol.