Chapter 4 Denouncement

• Ryder laid on the bed and tried to sleep yet sleep was very far from him. Thoughts of Ava filled his head, he had no idea what to do about her. A part of him wanted her to suffer for causing Lily pain while another part of him wanted to get to know her better, wanted to protect and keep her safe because of the damn bond.
• He stood up from the bed and looked outside his window. It was already dark outside. He took a blanket from his bed and went outside the room.
• He walked to the prison and entered inside. Ava was lying on the floor, she had curled herself up into a little ball.
• Ryder moved closer to her and covered her up with the blanket.
• "This doesn't change a thing. I still hate you." he whispered.
• He turned around and left the room.
• ..............................
• Ava's father, Dustin Shields came home from his trip and was informed that Ava had been taken away to Fireblood pack.
• He looked at Jax who had sent for him to give him the news sadly. "I know you are disappointed with me, but there was nothing I could do" Jax said.
• "You know, after Lily came, I begged her to give up on you because I saw how you looked at her. Do you know what she told me? She told me she was never going to do that. She trusted you so much." Dustin told Jax.
• "There was nothing I could do." Jax said resolutely.
• "We both know that is a lie, there were things you could have done, you could have kept her here." Dustin said.
• Jax handed him a piece of paper, "She said that I should give this to you."
• Dustin took the letter and opened it.
• Dear Father,
• By the time, you are reading this, I would have been gone. Don't worry about me and don't come here to try and get me, it's too dangerous. I am sorry for bringing shame to you, it was never my intention to do so. Please try to live your life stress free and worry free. Don't get into a fight with Jax, it's not worth it. Take care of yourself, I love you so much and I really hope I get to see you again.
• Your loving daughter
• Ava.
• Dustin held the paper close to his chest, as if by doing so, he could hug his daughter.
• He composed himself and looked up at Jax.
• "From today onwards, I am not a member of this pack. I denounce my membership of Creekwood pack."
• "What, what do you mean by that?" Jax asked, he was very shocked by what Dustin just said.
• "Exactly what you heard, I am denouncing the pack" Dustin said.
• "But that means, you are going to be a rogue wolf" Jax said.
• "You already denounced my daughter as a member of this pack, the only reason I stayed was because of her. Now that she is gone, I have no reason to stay. So please Alpha Jax denounce me."
• "But where will you go? Do you plan to go to Fireblood pack and ask for her freedom. I wouldn't advice you to do that. Alpha Ryder is known for being ruthless"
• "Where I go is none of your business. Just make the denouncing declaration." Dustin said coldly.
• Jax sighed, despite everything that had happened between him and Ava, he still liked Dustin and regarded him as a fatherly figure.
• "Fine, since you say so. I Alpha Jax of Creekwood pack declare that from today henceforth, Dustin shields is no longer a member of Creekwood pack. He shall leave the pack before today ends and never come back unless the alpha permits it."
• After Jax finished talking, he had the sensation that something was being cut away from him. The last time he had felt this way was when he had denounced Ava as a member of the pack.
• Dustin felt like he was being removed from a warm embrace and thrown into the bitter cold. This was the feeling of being denounced.
• Nevertheless Dustin kept his face blank and bowed to Jax before walking out.
• When he got home, he packed up his important things and his clothes and entered his car and drove off.
• ..............................
• Instead of sending somebody to deliver the food to Ava, Jayden decided to go himself.
• He took some food from the kitchen and a bottle of water and proceeded down to the prison.
• Ava was sitting down quietly when she heard the door open, she looked up thinking it was Ryder, instead she saw someone else. She remembered seeing him with Ryder when she was brought down from the truck earlier.
• "OH! It's you" she said in a neutral voice.
• "Were you expecting someone else?" Jayden asked.
• "No, I wasn't" Ava answered.
• Jayden dropped the tray on the floor close to where she sat.
• "The alpha asked me to bring you food"
• "That's surprisingly considerate of him" Ava said.
• "No matter how cruel or ruthless our pack may be, we don't starve our prisoners" Jayden said with a light laugh.
• "That is very comforting to hear" Ava said.
• She picked up a spoon and took a spoonful. She looked up at Jayden.
• "This isn't poisoned right?"
• Jayden rolled his eyes and took the spoon from her hand and put it in his mouth. He chewed the food slowly and swallowed it.
• "Are you satisfied now?" he asked Ava.
• "What if you have the antidote?" Ava asked.
• "Just eat the damn food okay? It isn't poisoned"
• Ava started to eat the food. Jayden bent down and sat close to her on the ground.
• "Ryder said you bullied his sister and tried to kill her, is that true?" Jayden asked.
• "Yes it's true. I am a cruel and wicked soul. I bullied an innocent blameless soul" Ava replied.
• "So she didn't do anything to you?"
• "Why is any of this your business?" Ava asked.
• "So I can know how to beg Ryder to be lenient on you" Jayden replied.
• "Don't bother, he absolutely hates me and I don't see that changing anytime soon" Ava said matter of factly.
• Jayden stood up, "anytime you are ready to talk, I am ready to listen."
• "Don't raise your hopes up" Ava muttered under her breath.
• Jayden looked at her crouched figure on the ground, he sighed and shook his head. He wanted to help Ava, he wanted her to tell him everything that had happened. Only if she talked, would he be able to help her.
• Because if there was one thing that Jayden knew, it was the fact that Lily was absolutely not blameless or innocent at all. He sighed again and turned around and left the prison cell.
• Jayden didn't go back to the pack house, he still had one more person to deliver food to.
• He entered the forest which bordered the pack territory and kept walking inside until he got to a small house.
• He knocked on the door, he knocked several times yet no one answered.
• "I brought you some food, I am leaving it out here. If you want anything, just let me know" Jayden said. He dropped the food and went away.
• Some few minutes after he left, the door opened. Someone stepped out and carried the food inside.
• ..............................
• The next morning, Ryder sent for Jayden, after a few minutes, Jayden came before him.
• "You sent for me?" he asked.
• "Yes I did. I wanted to discuss something with you"
• "What is it?"
• "I don't know what to do with Ava, where should I assign her to work?" Ryder asked.
• "Hmmm! Our male prisoners usually work in the goldmines, while the females either do the farm work or are assigned to the houses of high ranking wolves to serve as their slaves while others become concubines. Should she become a concubine?" Jayden asked.
• "NO FUCKING WAY!" Ryder said with a growl.