SWNOVELS Chapter 58
Chapter 58
**Shawn
“I can’t believe this!” I exclaimed, my frustration pouring out in waves of exasperation. “After everything we’ve been through, they still talk down to us like we’re a bunch of mangy mutts. It’s beyond infuriating!”
Beside me, Kora nodded vigorously, her eyes ablaze with anger. Realistically, she probably should not have humored me, but her agreement with my outrage momentarily ecl*psed her common sense. And honestly, who needs common sense when you have a righteous cause?
I sprang up from my seat, eyeing the poor wolf who had become the target of ridicule. I couldn’t even remember her name-let alone the reason she ended up rotting away in the traitor’s cave-but there she was, five seconds away from bursting into tears, just trying to wait tables at the packed bar.
“I can’t just stand by and watch this,” I declared, my determination fanning the flames of my voice. The room seemed to shrink as I locked eyes with the pack members subjecting our fellow exiles to merciless taunting. It was high time someone put an end to this madness.
Kora hissed at me to wait, her voice a desperate plea for caution, but I was already on a roll. I knew my Luna would be livid at the extra political mess she would have to clean up because of my impulsiveness. But deep down, I knew she agreed with me. This was wrong, plain and simple, and we were obliged to stand up for the underdog.
“Enough!” I bellowed, channeling Mason’s Alpha energy and praying for even a sliver of his intimidating presence. Every eye in the room snapped in my direction, a mixture of surprise and curiosity etched on their faces. “Leave her alone!”
A murmur of dissent rippled through the crowd, but I stood firm, refusing to be silenced. I strode forward, my posture radiating defiance, and my head held high. The tension in the room cra ckled with electricity, and I could practically taste the impending confrontation in the air.
One of the pack members stepped forward, a sneer curling his l*p. “And who are you to speak for her? You’re just a traitor like they were.”
His words hit me like a wet mop to the face, but I wasn’t about to let his verbal assault dampen my resolve. With my shoulders squared and gaze unyielding, I met his taunting stare, my voice resolute and unwavering.
“Being banished doesn’t diminish my worth, my friend,” I retorted, injecting a touch of sarcasm into my words. “And it certainly doesn’t grant you the right to degrade others. We all deserve respect, regardless of our past missteps.”
Without warning, he swung a punch aimed at my jaw, trying to silence me with a blow.
But I was faster.
My instincts took over, and I deftly sidestepped his clumsy attack. Then, in one swift motion, I unleashed a punch. of my own, catching him square in the nose. The room exploded into chaos as the brawl crupted, the percussive symphony of fists colliding filled the air.
As the dust settled and the chaos subsided, a palpable silence hung. Bloodied and bruised, I surveyed the aftermath of the brawl. Some pack members nursed their injuries, their egos bruised more than anything else.
Others regarded me with a mix of newfound respect and, dare I say, a tinge of fear. At that moment, the true significance of the fight hit me. Kora was grumbling somewhere behind me, sounding more distressed than I could remember, and I grimaced.
This was more than just a physical scuffle-it symbolized a larger struggle. A battle against prejudice and
discrimination within our pack.
The traitor’s cave didn’t define us; it was how we rose above it that truly mattered.
And so far, we hadn’t risen very far at all.
As the room gradually returned to a semblance of order, Kora approached me, her eyes wide with concern and exasperation. She gently touched my bruised cheek, her voice tinged with worry.
“Shawn, what have you done?” Kora sighed her tone a blend of frustration and affection. “You know Mason is going to be furious. I can already hear the lectures about responsibility and political fallout ringing in my cars.
I winced at the thought of facing Mason’s wrath. My Luna had been dealing with enough political hem-hawing lately, and here I was, adding fuel to the fire. But despite the impending scolding, I couldn’t help but smile at Kora’s genuine concern.
“I know, I know,” I replied sheepishly, trying to sound remorseful but failing miserably as a grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. “But sometimes, you just can’t sit back and watch injustice unfold. Someone had to stand up for her.
Kora rolled her eyes, a mixture of amusement and frustration evident in her gaze. “Oh, I know you can’t resist. playing the hero, even when it means stirring up a mess. But next time, can you try to avoid turning the entire pack upside down?”
I chuckled, knowing she was right, My impulsive nature had a tendency to create more chaos than clarity. “I’ll do my best, Kora. No guarantees, though. The call of justice and all that, you know?”
She shook her head in mock disbelief, but I could see a glimmer of affection in her eyes. Despite my foolish antics, she knew I meant well.
“Well, while you were busy being the fearless defender of the downtrodden, I’ll have to be the one to clean up this mess, Kora said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “You owe me big time, Shawn.”
I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Consider it done. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Maybe I’ll even write you a heartfelt apology letter. Would that make you feel better?”
Kora laughed, a sound that cased the tension in the air. “You know, you’re lucky you’re so charming, or I would have left you to face the consequences of your actions all on your own.”
With a wink and a grin, I put an arm around her shoulders. “Well, lucky for me, I’ve got you to keep me in line. Who needs Mason’s lectures when I have your disapproving glances?”
She playfully nudged me with her elbow. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll still give you an earful later. But for now, let’s focus on fixing the mess you’ve created.”
Together, we set about restoring order, helping those who had been injured in the brawl, and reassuring the pack members who had been caught in the crossfire. Slowly but surely, the tension dissipated, replaced by a renewed sense of unity and empathy.
As the pack members began to disperse, their whispers filled the room, carrying with them a newfound respect for those who had once been branded as traitors. The fight, as chaotic as it was, had stirred something within the pack -an awakening to the injustices that had been perpetrated and a realization that change was not only possible but
necessary.
In the aftermath, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, not just for my own actions, but for the pack as a whole. We were flawed, yes, but we were also capable of growth and redemption. And as we rebuilt the bridges that had been burned, I knew that our pack had the potential to become stronger than ever before.
As Kora and I stood side by side, surveying the room, she leaned in and whispered, “You may be a handful, Shawn, but you sure know how to make a statement.”