Mute

Chapter 42

Caspian’s POV.

I stayed by Aria’s side, watching her sleep. Her breaths were shallow and steady, an exact opposite to the turmoil I imagined she had endured.

As I gazed at her, my mind was filled with questions and fears. What had she gone through? How had she escaped the rogues? Each question gnawed at me, but amidst all the anxiety, there was a small comfort in knowing she was alive.

Elijah entered the room quietly, his expression grim. “Caspian,” he began, “the men guarding the pack haven’t seen any rogues. There’s no sign of them.”

I clenched my jaw, bitterness seeping into my voice. “They’re hiding, Elijah. They know we’re looking for them

now.

At that moment, Aria stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, and relief washed over me. “Aria, you’re awake,” I said softly, leaning closer. “How are you feeling?”

She began to sign with urgency, “I have something to tell you.”

“Rest, Aria,” I insisted, but she shook her head, her eyes determined.

I’m fine,” she signed. “I need to tell you everything.”

Elijah watched intently as Aria started her story. “I met Ethan at the party. He seemed kind and genuine. He came outside with me for fresh air, then he visited me at the resort, brought me gifts, and acted like he was interested in

me.”

“Who is Ethan?” Elijah interrupted, his confusion evident,

Jealousy flared within me at the thought of another man showing interest in Aria, but it was clear this story was far from simple.

“Ethan lied,” Aria signed. “He claimed to be a prominent member of the pack, said he stayed out in other packs but came here for special occasions.”

Aria’s hands moved quickly as she continued. “After I left the wedding, I met Ethan on the road. He defended me when pack members insulted me, calling me a wrecker. He told me I had nowhere else to go since everyone hated me for supposedly ruining the marriage.”

I cursed deeply under my breath. The idea that Aria had been humiliated and accused by our own pack members was infuriating.

“Ethan took me to his place to meet his sisters. They were warm and welcoming, made me feel comfortable,” Aria signed. “But in the middle of the night, I woke up from a nightmare and found them staring at me creepily. They acted concerned and tried to make me go back to sleep. Something felt off, so I tiptoed to their basement to see what they were up to. There, I found Ethan and his sisters torturing and killing Lightshadow pack members.”

I could barely believe what I was hearing. My fists clenched as I listened, struggling to process the betrayal.

“Ethan and his sisters are rogues,” Aria signed. “They’ve been blending into the Lightshadow pack by hiding their rogue smell and deceiving people with their wealth, claiming to be prominent members. They always talked about their parents, but I never saw them.”

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Aria’s hands trembled as she continued. “They tried to kill me, but I fought back and escaped. They chased me, and I only managed to hide under a swamp, rubbing mud on my body to mask my scent. If I hadn’t done that, they would have caught and killed me.”

As I watched Aria sign her harrowing tale, a cold, unrelenting fury built within me. Each gesture of her hands. painted a vivid picture of the horrors she had endured, the betrayal of having rogues infiltrate our pack. My fists. clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white.

“Rogues in my pack,” I growled, barely keeping my anger in check. “Doing such unspeakable things. How could this happen?”

Aria’s eyes were steady, filled with determination as she continued signing. She was pleading for action, for justice.

“I will ensure you are safe,” I told her firmly, the words a promise and a command.

Aria shook her head, her hands moving with bold precision. “I’m fine,” she signed. “You need to rescue your members who are already held captive by these rogues.”

Elijah, who had been listening intently, stepped forward and added, “She’s right, Caspian. We need to focus on rescuing our pack members.”

I took a deep breath, trying to control the tempest within me. “I give you my word, Aria. We will find these rogues and kill them. They will pay for what they’ve done.”

Aria met my gaze, her expression unwavering. Her hands began to sign again. “Without me, you won’t be able to locate these rogues.”

“What are you insinuating?” I asked, a mixture of confusion and concern creeping into my voice.

“I have to go with you,” she signed, her gestures deliberate and empathic. “Only I know where they stay.”

“No,” I said sharply, shaking my head. “I won’t expose you to further harm. You’ve been through enough already.”

Elijah stepped forward, his voice calm but insistent. “Caspian, think about it. She knows their hideout. We can’t afford to go in blind. We need her to lead us.”

As much as I wanted to agree with Elijah, my protective instincts took over. “No, Aria,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “I won’t let you go with us. You’ve been through enough. It’s too dangerous.”

Aria’s eyes blazed with determination as she began to sign furiously. “I won’t let you stop me,” she signed, each gesture sharp and precise. “I know what I saw. I saw people getting tortured and killed. I could have been like that

too.”

I felt a knot tighten in my chest as I watched her hands move. She had a point, but the thought of her facing that danger again was unbearable. “Aria, I understand, but your safety is more important. We can find another way.”

“No, you don’t understand,” she signed back vehemently. “I was there. I saw the horror. Those people need to be rescued, and I know where to find them. I can’t just stay behind and do nothing.”

Elijah stepped in, his voice a calming force. “Caspian, she’s right. She has firsthand knowledge that we need. We can’t do this without her.”

I felt torn, my need to protect Aria crushing with the undeniable logic of her argument. “Aria,” I said, my voice softer but still bold, “I can’t risk losing you. You’ve been through too much already.”

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She took a step closer to me, her eyes locking onto mine with a fierce intensity. “And I’m still here,” she signed with all forms of seriousness. “I survived, and I will help those who are still suffering. I won’t stand by while more people die.”

She was unwilling to back out, and I realized there was no changing her mind. I sighed deeply, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “Alright,” I conceded, my voice heavy with reluctance. “But you stay by my side at all times. We do this together. I can’t lose you.”

Aria nodded, her eyes softening slightly for the first time in a long while, as she signed, “Together.”

Elijah placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll keep her safe, Caspian. And we’ll make sure those rogues pay for what they’ve done.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing h

eart. “Alright. Let’s prepare to move out. We need to end this, once and for all.”