<h4>Chapter 435: 435-Hello Council</h4>


    <strong>Clementine:</strong>


    I had picked certain tapes for one reason only, and it seemed like it would matter now. There was also the one where Oriana ordered the Alphas to leave me in the North. Those, along with the other painful moments, including when they left Sadie behind, the pregnant teen, went to Ian.


    I kept the more damaging tapes, the ones that showed our private moments and everything they should never have shared.


    Ian stared at the tapes before setting them down. Then he lifted his hands and cupped my face.


    "This is not the end," he told me softly. "We will meet again, and this time, we will be victorious."


    He kissed my forehead, his touch was so steady.


    "Let’s go and y these monsters of the South," he whispered before I started to pull away. However, I noticed there was a little resistance from him.


    "Hey, there is no need for us to part ways so quickly. First, let me go and find out if the council members are at the main council building or visiting any nearby packs," Ian requested as he held my hand when I was about to run off.


    I watched him for a moment and then smiled.


    "Okay, let’s go," I replied, agreeing with him.


    Together, we ran off. We had to hide multiple times. We had to hide from others, make sure the cars had passed, and thene out at night. At this point, it had been a whole day, and what Ian did more specifically was go to random shops and stores, somehow managing to call the council buildings to find out where they were.


    "So, any luck?" I asked him as he stepped out of one of the stores, rubbing his hands together. I could see fog in front of his mouth when he breathed out.


    "Yeah, they’reing to a nearby pack in two hours," he whispered.


    "Oh, well then, you should start moving too, Ian. You have to go and find the biggest news channel, remember? After three hours, you are supposed to release the footage," I stated.


    I yed with the buttons of his shirt anxiously. I was really worried because if the n did not work, what would happen to us and the others? It had to work. The people needed to know what they were doing, and that the next time a session was held, it might be their own children sent north to fight the monsters they were creating just for fun.


    "Yeah, I think it’s a goodbye for now then," Ian whispered, cupping my face in his hands and leaning down to kiss me again.


    "Take care," I uttered back, feeling defeated as I watched him go. It was so unfair. We had just gotten married two days ago, but we needed to tackle this issue before starting our life and its new Chapter.


    As we separated, I began to pray that we would meet again.


    The good thing was that the Academy still did not know if Ian and I hade back. Even Miss Rue had no clue.


    She probably thought we would being through the train to expose her for wanting to kill a crusader and for being a snake.


    That kind of helped us. Otherwise, there would have been notifications sent out to find us by now.


    After a two-hour walk, I reached the council office of this pack. It was a small pack, but I had heard there was a meetup with the council members, so I arrived as well.


    I began to pace, waiting around the door, and finally, the cars pulled up. I straightened my posture, hiding behind the wall of a nearby shop as I watched the council members step out.


    It was the same ones, but now only two siblings remained. The eldest council member, Sylvia, and the male council member, Roberto.


    I stepped out from behind the wall and rushed toward them. They were still being greeted by the pack’s alpha when I appeared, and I noticed how everyone went silent for a moment, of course, because they recognized me.


    "I did not know the crusaders wereing here," the alpha remarked, looking stunned.


    His eyes were wide open, and I noticed he had a daughter, probably my age, standing right beside him.


    I could not be sure, but it seemed like next time it could be his own daughter.


    "I need to speak with you," I told Lady Sylvia, ignoring the alpha.


    "You were not—," the alpha instantly shut up but I already knew what he was going to ask me.


    He had not seen me in the recent tapes.


    "Wait, does the academy know you are here?" the alpha asked, trying to ce his hands between me and Sylvia to separate us.


    "Maybe you can ask them when you send your daughter there," I snapped, watching him slowly lower his hand.


    "Let’s go. We should talk inside," Lady Sylvia spoke in a soft, gentle tone, the same way she always did. It carriedmand and authority, and at least she was willing to listen.


    She led me inside, and we entered the hall, therge hall where important matters were discussed. Lady Sylvia and Lord Roberto took their seats, while the alpha took his time sitting down.


    I kept an eye on them to make sure they were not informing anyone on their phones. His daughter showed little reaction. She stood in the corner with her hands folded in front of her abdomen, her eyes lowered.


    "So, you are a runaway. How did you manage it?" Lady Sylvia began.


    "I came straight for the north," I replied, meeting her gaze.


    "Have a seat," she offered from across therge table.


    I sat down and straightened my posture.


    "Do you think it is fair that the academy exists?" I asked. That was my first question, and I noticed the way she tilted her head.


    "I think we have answered that question for many people before. It is not about choice. It is a necessity," she replied, speaking the same way they always did when confronted about the academy.


    I shook my finger at her as I decided to steal the world from under her feet.