INDEED, I SPOKE OUT

Aria's POV

The meeting room was stifling as every face in the room turned towards me, one could see that most of them looked at me like I was some fragile flawed creature that happened to be on display. I had been commanded to kneel down before the assembled cabinet officials and the two Alphas despite Alpha Caden displeasure.

I could feel my heart pounding like ever before in my chest as the whispers I heard which stopped and floated around me, I tried not to coward out at their sharp and judgemental whispers and gaze.

I instead kept my head and gaze lowered as I tried to steel myself against the endless wave of embarrassment, shame and humiliation from last night that I was still suffering from. I slightly looked up as the whispering shifted into murmuring, Alpha Talon sat at the end of the room with his eyes flickering with intense cold and a dismissive gleam.

Just beside him, adjacently, Alpha Caden who I have come to learn his name, sat with a warm gaze which steadily rested on mine. Every now and then since we gathered here for ‘a meeting’ about me, I could feel his eyes on me, so often and when I looked up, I couldn't help but quickly avert my gaze.

I just didn't understand him and why would such a powerful Alpha like him want me? What does he want me for when even my own pack and mate rejected and threw me aside? Could he truly be my mate as he claimed?

The meeting continued and stretched on for eternity, most of what was said, I couldn't hear them because I was lost in my own turmoil and doubt about Alpha Caden. At the moment, what I kept feeling was the ache from the rejection from last night. It lingered and still felt raw. I just think my heart already has an open wound for it.

I glanced up again to see Alpha Caden's eyes which held a firm resolute and an unyielding decision to what was being discussed. And all these just puzzled me, filling questions in my numb heart. What could he have possibly seen in me? I can't even see myself pass a worthless omega. I have nothing to offer him, or what can I possibly offer him? Nothing, right?

Even despite everything, a part of me wanted to believe that… maybe, just maybe I could be worth something. I could be worthy of acceptance even though it was a little bit the other part that was truly me, doubted and wondered when this cruel joke of my life was going to… The remnants of last night's pain surged and swirled round me, inward and outward, I tightened my arm around me to offer some comfort which I knew wasn't there.

“Are you okay?" Alpha Caden's soft voice tore my thoughts, as he leaned towards me but Alpha Talon pulled his sleeve to face him.

“And this is what we are still talking about! She is weak, no matter how you care, she is an omega who isn't even worth to bear that title. Alpha Caden, you have to reconsider what you did last night and what you are still thinking. Can you just imagine someone like her beside someone like you? How filthy! She can't belong to someone as powerful as you. She isn't worthy of being beside you as your mate," Alpha Talon's harsh and unrelenting voice filled the room.

I could taste the disdain in his voice as the rest of his cabinet ministers nodded and murmured in agreement. They echoed his sentiments with a mixed expression of disgust and indifference to what I felt.

Why does he hate me so much? Hasn't he rejected me? Why does he care about how Alpha Caden sees me? I found myself clenching my fists in anger and humiliation as my nails dug into my palms. Despite everything I had been through and in their hands, especially Alpha Talon, this hurt more than us should have. Each word that processed out of their mouth, stuck a cord and stung as the dagger went deeper.

“And like I said and would say it over and over again, Aria is my mate and you are all free to say whatever you have to say about her. That's your opinion about her, her past and your opinions are irrelevant and of no importance to me." Alpha Caden softly said, glaring at everyone, there was an edge to his words despite it being calm.

The room was suddenly in silence as I looked up to him in surprise and shock again, I felt my heart stumbling over and over itself for this man before me. I searched his face for sincerity. Does he truly mean what he just said? Or was just saying it to get Alpha Talon off his back? His eyes were steady and resolute and warm when they met mine, this comforted me yet frightened me. I didn't know what he was thinking, I didn't know what to think about all these or what to feel. Should I be relieved to have someone like this? Or should I be cautious of him?

I was beyond words confused as I felt my heart spin in my mind, I was torn in different places, in disbelief, in gratitude, in doubt, in relief, in fear, in longing. The urge to run into his arms, to find solace and acceptance but I could only hold back because I was afraid and wary. Trust was something I couldn't enable at the moment, not after all I had endured, especially from people I once trusted over and over again.

In the midst of my thoughts, I heard Alpha Caden's voice, that brought my back to the moment, softer than before, his voice. “Aria, can we just leave? Can you just leave with me? I don't know how you were able to endure till now but it's clear you are no longer welcome here and I would rather have you with me at my pack where you would be valued and welcomed. Safe with me… not here,” he uttered with a small reassuring smile that just made my heart spin and twist in my chest, painfully.

There was something that unsettled me in his words, the calmness and quiet certainty that came with it but in a way, gave me a little hope that I could hold onto. I bit my lips as I thought about it, I was conflicted with my tangled thoughts. Was it truly possible for me to be valued by someone let only the entire pack? Can I truly feel welcomed in another pack after escaping this place, this pack that held nothing to me but misery, sorrow and pain?

But before I could put my thoughts together and give him a response, Alpha Talon was on his feet with his fists clenched and in a sharp voice yelled at Alpha Caden. “And what does that statement mean? You think you can waltz into our pack and devalue our member? Do you really think we don't value her? You can't tell her we don't value her or she isn't welcome here!" He sneered with a look of barely restrained anger and frustration.

What was he angry at? The truth? What was he frustrated at? That someone cared for me? I don't understand him.

“She is under my protection as a valued member of this great pack. And for your information Caden, before Aria was ever yours, she was mine. If I hadn't rejected her, you wouldn't be here spitting nonsense, so you had better behave yourself and cooperate with me!" He added with a glare.

My heart skipped at the bullshit he just uttered, I stared at him in disbelief which flooded my senses. What? Protection? Ss what again? He had just rejected me without thinking twice before the entire pack and even beyond and he dared to talk about value? What? Is he being serious right now?

I looked up to see if he truly meant what he just said, for any sign of sincerity but all I saw was a flicker of something I couldn't comprehend, something darker and possessive that just made my skin crawl inwardly.

“Why… why? What is this? Why are you doing this? Huh?” I whispered in anger without thinking.

He completely ignored me as he took long steps towards me then reached for my hand and just roughly pulled me up. His touch was cold against my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Now, all eyes were on us, especially me as he held me close with his fingers curled round my hand, one would think he was claiming me.

This was weird, he would never hold me like this, even when I had fainted in his presence, he never held me. Why now? There was no warmth or comfort in his touch, just a strange bitter feeling that reminded me of the bond he has easily broken. His touch was nothing like Alpha Caden's touch.

Alpha Caden?

I looked up at him to see him watching us with a tense jaw and clenched fists as his eyes darkened on Alpha Talon's fingers around my wrist.

“Just so you know, Aria belongs to this great pack, she belongs here, to me, to this pack. I have no intention of releasing her to you, not now, not ever. You can leave while we see Aria is being taken care of…” he spat to my hearing.

"Taken care of? Who? Aria? Here?" Alpha Caden roughly interrupted with anger flashing in his gaze as he stepped forward slowly.

“Don't you remember humiliating her after rejecting her before everyone, not just here but in other packs? Those who were watching the event. How can you claim to care after that horrible experience?" He paused as he took a deep breath and faced me, his voice softer as he reached out for me.

“Aria, you really don't have to stay here! Alpha Talon is just bluffing, he can't stop me from leaving here with you if you want that. Remember you don't owe this pack and them anything. You can come with me!"

My heart pounded as I found myself in the middle of the ocean, the freedom I had always carved for, shone in Alpha Caden's eyes but Alpha Talon's grip on me was just a reminder of the world I was used to, known all my life. My fear clashed with hope as I found myself unable to move.

"Just take a deep breath, whatever decision you take is fine with me!” He assured me with his outstretched hand.

“I…” I did as he advised as I glanced between the two Alphas, doubt and yearn crawled around my skin. As much as Alpha Caden's offer was just what I knew I needed and something I had always dreamt of, escaping this pack, a life of scorn but could I really believe him? What if he is just a double portion of who Alpha Talon was? Alpha Talon might look cold and arrogant but he was chilling sweet with people especially those in other packs. He was only extremely intimidating to me and criminals in the pack.

The fear of jumping from frying pan to fire was holding me tight. Could I really trust this innocent sweet looking man before me? Especially after everything I had been through since I could walk?

Seeing my hesitation, they both spoke but I only listened to Alpha Caden. He stretched his hand towards me further and uttered in a gentle voice. “You just have to trust me and come with me. You don't deserve this kind of life, this pain and humiliation, help me to help you and get you away from all these!"

“Yes… I… I will go with you, Alpha… Caden!" I uttered in a shaky voice after another deep breath, I nodded my head with a small smile at him. His kindness got to me.

I hadn't even processed his gentle smile back when Alpha Talon's grip on me tightened painfully, yanking me back. I had completely forgotten about him.

“Aria, you are not going anywhere, not in your dreams or in reality! If I don't give you the permission then you can't, I am the only one who can decide when you leave, not him, Aria Stonemore!” He yelled at me.

He suddenly knew my name, he only referred to me as omega, what changed? My stomach churned in anger and frustration. How can someone be so cruel and wicked? In my miserable life, I have never had anyone fight or stand up for me and he thinks he can control me again like before, to a life I had never wanted?

“I am the only one who decides that, not you, Talon! I don't belong here, I never did and you made that clearer than day the very moment you rejected me!” I said as I yanked my hand from his grip.

The room was filled with tense silence as they all looked at me angrily and in surprise. I am sure they never saw that coming, he was glaring at me, I met his gaze with bitterness and hurt, not the usual fear.

“What?" He uttered, his face twisted in rage.

“Can you see what you have caused? She wouldn't have done this if not for you! She wouldn't have dared!” He yelled at Alpha Caden.

“You just made her disrespect me before everyone, you will both regret…” he was still spitting.

"I will take it from here, Aria, let's get out of this deep shit!” Alpha Caden cut him as he stepped forward, grabbed my hand and together we ran towards the door.

"Guards!” We heard behind us.

"We don't have much time, we need to race to my car. I had spoken to my escorts, they will help us secure the gates, we just need to escape these packhouse walls,” Alpha Talon explained as we ran towards his car.

"Guards, secure the gate. Don't let them get out of the packhouse!” He yelled behind us. He was so livid and so unbelievable.

I got into the car as Alpha Caden's driver started the car before we even sat properly. The guards had the choice of either locking the gate or getting run over by Alpha Caden's obviously dangerous driver.

I felt Alpha Caden's warm hand on my back as we drove out of the packhouse and sped off to the west border.

“You are now safe and free, Aria!" He assuringly said to me with a warm smile. I gave him a small smile as I allowed myself to believe his words. Can’t remember the last time someone comforted me.