Chapter 41
Sitting alone in my room, I tried not to let the frustration eat away at me. The meeting to plan the defense against the banshee attacks was happening right now, and I had been specifically told to stay out of it. Jeremiah had forbidden me from joining, saying it was “not my place.” His words had stung. I knew I could help—why didn’t he?
I paced back and forth, my heart aching for the families who had lost loved ones, for the children who were now without parents. Sitting around doing nothing made me feel useless. And Jeremiah knew that, yet he’d still kept me locked away.
“Well, forget that,” I muttered to myself. I wasn’t going to sit here and do nothing.
I grabbed my cloak and threw it over my shoulders, pulling the hood over my head. Maybe, if I wasn’t allowed to help directly, I could do something else. Perhaps just listening to the people affected would make a difference, or at least ease some of their pain.
I made my way out of the packhouse and walked toward the heart of the village, where I knew some of the families gathered. As I approached, I noticed a group of men and women huddled together under the shade of an old oak tree. They all looked tense, gripping small weapons, and their voices carried a hint of urgency.
Carefully, I approached and slipped to the back of the crowd, keeping my hood low so no one could recognize me. It was risky, but my recent encounter with Adam had shown me that people opened up more when they didn’t realize who I was.
One of the men spoke, his voice full of bitterness and frustration. “The Alpha hasn’t done anything yet to stop these creatures from attacking us. How many more people need to die before he takes action?”
There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, and I recognized the man who had spoken as Jacob, a strong-willed elder in the village whose young son had been killed in a recent attack. His grief was raw, and his resentment toward Jeremiah was clear.
Jacob continued, his voice rising. “I say we stop waiting for him to do something. We’re capable of finding out where these monsters come from and what they want. If we can capture one of them, maybe we can get answers.”
A man beside him, Trevor, frowned. “And how, exactly, do you think we’re going to capture one? We barely survive their attacks as it is.”
Jacob met Trevor’s gaze with a determined stare. “We’ll have to be smart, move fast, and plan carefully. But it’s the only way to know more about these banshees. Sitting around and doing nothing hasn’t worked. We have to take matters into our own hands.”
A woman in the group, whom I recognized as Lydia, squeezed Trevor’s arm nervously. “But Jacob... is this really the right way? And if we do it without the Alpha’s permission, how will we even get close to one?”
Jacob’s eyes flashed with frustration. “The Alpha’s too busy making alliances with people we can’t even trust. He has no time for us. We’ll handle this ourselves.”
I swallowed, feeling an uncomfortable weight settle in my chest. My father was not the enemy here, but it wasn’t the right time to correct them. Right now, these people needed support, not more conflict.
“I think Jacob’s right,” I heard myself saying, surprising even myself. All eyes turned toward me, and I kept my head low, trying not to make eye contact. “To fight this enemy, we need to understand it. Capturing one of them might be our best chance to learn.”
Jacob nodded in approval, and Trevor seemed to soften a bit, his resistance easing.
“All right,” Trevor said after a moment. “So, what’s the plan, then? You can’t just walk up to one of those things and expect it to sit still.”
Jacob gave a grim smile. “No, we’ll have to be clever. We leave at dawn. Everyone meets at the gates, fully prepared. We’ll bring enough weapons, ropes—anything that could help us subdue it.”
Lydia’s face was pale, but she nodded determinedly. “And if anyone asks what we’re doing?”
Jacob’s gaze hardened. “No one says a word. This is between us and no one else.”
A shiver ran down my spine as I listened to their plan. They were all so desperate to save their loved ones, and I couldn’t blame them. I could feel the weight of their loss and frustration, and it was contagious. They were right—something had to be done. I was determined to be there with them, even if they didn’t know who I was.
As the group began to disperse, I turned to head back toward the packhouse, but I froze when I saw Adam standing right in front of me, a curious smile on his face.
“Tree girl,” he said softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
I smiled awkwardly, trying to keep my hood low. “I, uh... didn’t expect to see you either.”
He looked me over, noticing the hood pulled down over my face, and raised an eyebrow. “You know, disguising yourself as mysterious isn’t exactly going to help. People know who you are, you know.”
My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly composed myself. “Do they?”
Adam chuckled, shaking his head. “Not everyone, but I recognized you. I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re here for the same reason as all of us, aren’t you?”
“Maybe,” I said, avoiding his gaze. “I just… I hate sitting back and doing nothing.”
Adam’s expression softened. “I understand. A lot of people feel the same way.” He paused, looking around to make sure no one was listening, and then lowered his voice. “But are you really planning to go through with this? It’s dangerous, you know. These creatures… they’re not just monsters. They’re something else entirely.”
“I know,” I replied, feeling a flicker of fear. “But people are dying. We can’t just sit around and wait for the next attack.”
Adam nodded slowly, as if weighing my words. “You’re braver than most, I’ll give you that. But sometimes bravery can look a lot like foolishness. Be careful.”
I gave him a small smile, feeling a warmth I hadn’t felt in days. “Thanks, Adam. For the warning and… for everything.”
He shrugged, looking away slightly. “Someone has to look out for the tree-climbing girl. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt before I have the chance to tease you again.”
I laughed softly, feeling a bit of my anxiety melt away. His humor was infectious, and it was exactly what I needed right now.
As he turned to walk away, he stopped and glanced back at me, a more serious look in his eyes. “Astrid… just remember, life’s messy. It doesn’t always make sense. But if you can find a way to help people and stay true to yourself, that’s what matters. Even when it’s hard.”
I nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude for this unexpected friend. “Thank you, Adam. I mean it.”
He gave me one last nod before disappearing into the trees, leaving me with his words echoing in my mind. There was a strength in them, a reminder of why I was doing this. People needed help, and I wasn’t going to turn my back on them.
With renewed determination, I hurried back to the packhouse to gather what I’d need for the morning. This mission might be reckless, and it was definitely dangerous, but it was a risk I was willing to take if it meant protecting the people who had lost so much already. And maybe—just maybe—it was a step toward earning their trust.
As I packed, I thought back to the faces under that oak tree, the looks of desperation and hope that flickered in their eyes. Jacob, Trevor, Lydia… they were counting on this, counting on all of us. And, without even realizing it, they were counting on me, too.
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