Greykin Mountain

| 39 | Betrayer

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Elias let go of Jackson's scruff once they were in the courtyard, but when he tried to get up, the Beta pressed his paw into his back and made him stay down.

          "Get the chief," Elias said to an Eta who had started making their way over.

          The wolf nodded and rushed off.

          "I wasn't doing anything!" Jackson insisted, trying to look up at him. "I don't know how I got out there!"

          Elias scoffed. "Shut it, rogue," he snapped, smacking his head.

          "What's going on?" came a flurry of voices.

          The pack started emerging from their rooms, stepping outside to see what was happening. And as all their eyes fixed on him, Jackson squirmed uncomfortably.

          "What are you doing?" Tokala called.

          Thank God—he'd help, right?

          Jackson turned his head and set his eyes on the orange-haired man, who stopped in front of Elias.

          "Let him go."

          "I caught him sneaking around outside the walls," Elias snarled, glancing down at him.

          "What?" Tokala asked, also looking down at Jackson. "Is that true?"

          "I-I don't know how I got out there!" he insisted. "I woke up, and I was there!"

          Elias smacked his head again. "Bullshit."

          "Hey, calm down," Tokala uttered, trying to usher Elias away from Jackson, but the black wolf snarled and shoved Tokala back. "Elias, what the hell?"

          "Stand down, Tokala," he growled as concerned whispers travelled around the courtyard.

          And then came Aysel. "What are you doing?" she called, hurrying over.

          Damon approached, too. "Elias?" he asked, confusion in his voice.

          Jackson watched both Alphas stop in front of him beside Tokala; Damon eyed the black wolf skeptically, but Aysel seemed to have a smug glower on her face.

          "I caught him sneaking around outside," Elias repeated. "I told you he was up to something. I caught him on his way back from updating his little rogue friends."

          "I knew it," Aysel said, turning her head to look at Damon, and then over at the council when they stood behind them. "He's up to something, Damon. The proof is all here."

          "What proof?" Tokala asked with a scoff.

          "Tokala's right," Damon said, looking around at everyone. "This doesn't prove he was doing anything suspicious." He set his eyes on Jackson. "What were you doing out there?"

          Jackson huffed irritably, trying to shake Elias' paw off his head, but the Beta didn't let go. "I-I don't know," he answered as calmly as he could. "I went to sleep, and the next thing I knew, I was standing out in the forest."

          "Bullshit," Elias uttered.

          "What are you talking about?" Tokala questioned.

          "I was just...there!"

          Aysel scoffed.

          "M-maybe it was whatever you made me drink for the initiation. What if it didn't wear off completely? Because I don't remember getting out there at all."