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He drew a shaky breath and wrapped his arms and legs around me again, squeezing more carefully this time.
I sighed, smiling, and nuzzled him before drifting into the most peaceful sleep.
I sat outside the council building, tapping my foot nonstop until Alil finally emerged.
When he saw me, he shook his head and let out a breath as though he'd been holding it the entire time he'd been in there.
I stood, meeting him halfway.
“How was it?” I asked, holding his arms at length.
“Intense,” he said, “but I couldn't tell you how it went really. They're so hard to read.”
Worry flashed across his face, and I couldn't help leaning in and pressing my lips to his forehead.
“Don't worry. Things have already gone better than expected since we got here.”
He gave me an incredulous look.
“Are you kidding?” he demanded, poking me under the ribs where I was still slightly sore from my new wounds. It hadn't even been forty-eight hours since I'd received them after all.
I winced and he gave me a pointed look.
“Forgot about that part, did you?”
“No,” I laughed, and he looked like I'd lost my mind.
I couldn't help this strange optimism. After the initial disaster, no one had treated me like I was a monster. A few friends had stopped by to see how we were this afternoon. My parents hadn't allowed them to stay for long, but it made my heart feel so full.We had such a connection in our own city. We knew nearly everyone, and they knew us. They wanted us to be okay above all else.
Even on our walk to the council building people had been kind. Someone I didn't even know told me they were glad to see me on my feet “after last night” and someone told Alil they had been praying for his safety after he had been taken away and were glad to see that he was good as could be.
The attention made Alil a little bit flustered, but I had seen him look back at the alpha who had said it with wonder in his eyes.
“You're feeling better already,” I pointed out. “And I got to wake up comfortably in my bed with you this morning. What is there to complain about?”
He pursed his lips.
“Talk to the council and see what they decide before you start celebrating, please.”
I sighed and nodded, releasing him so that I could go inside, but he stopped me and pulled me by the wrist to give him a sweet kiss before releasing me.
“Good luck. I'll wait right here.”
I nodded and went to my supposed doom.
The moment I entered the room though, I understood Alil's trepidation.
Everyone had been kind so far, but the council building was not very warm and welcoming. It was intimidating.
Inside was dark and cool and empty but for some sort of human technology boxes standing in the back, and a table directly in the middle.
There, all the members of the alpha council sat. From above, a single hole—what would normally be used as a smoke escape—allowed in a spotlight of sunlight to illuminate them.
Saar, who I knew well-enough already, pushed out the only empty seat for me to take.
“We have already heard Naz's and Alil's stories, and now, we would like to hear yours,” Head Alpha Kion said.
I nodded but didn't start straight away because suddenly, I didn't know how to begin.
