Chapter 96

{So you're the special girl that El-kor is interested in?}

My sole focus now was blocking my thoughts and trying to appear calm.

'So it was El-kor.'

I smirked, {Special? Aw, isn't that nice.}

{Hmm…} Ainur hummed, {There is something about you… I can't quite place it though.}

I smiled again, more of a hidden grimace though. Every facial expression had to be calculated.

{What'd he want?} I asked. The Elf looked deep in thought as I studied the horrific leathern face.

{Hm? Oh! He wanted to send a message, through me.} He scoffed.

I raised my eyebrows in impatience and annoyance doing my best to appear unimpressed but the Elf seemed solely focused on the fact that it was him that had been asked to be a delivery boy.

I dusted off the wooden chair next to me and sat on the creaky thing with my right knee crossed over the other and my hands resting on it with my back straight.

Ainur's gaze snapped to me, {He sat there you know.}

I smiled falsely and said sarcastically, {Thank you.}

It was annoying speaking like this; I could never tell if they received my words or not, and I couldn't sense them like I could Lycans and Shapeshifters. I was very grateful for the fact that I couldn't smell them like before, although the smell of the prison block was just generally bad, and that he couldn't touch me.

I cleared my throat trying to regain his attention.

He looked at me alarmed.

{The message?} I asked.

{Ah, oh yes.} He patted his chest as if to emphasize the importance of it, {In two months time a girl will be dropped off at the front gates of this pack.}

I nodded my head, {That's the message?} I asked, because I had sinking feeling it wasn't.

He fisted his hand which made it crack and pop. I swallowed disgusted. He put it to his chin and looked into the distance his wraithlike face scrunched in thought.

{What are you?} He asked.

I rolled my eyes thinking back to my first introduction to Elves.

{The message, Ainur.} I said more annoyed than insistent.

He raised his head and relaxed his fist, I scrunched my nose and lips in distaste at the new sounds.

{How?} I assumed he meant how I knew his name. He glanced at Raph for the first time and my stomach clenched in fear.

{Ah… who's he to you? A brother? A friend? Just a Beta, or…} He threw me a lingering glance, {A mate.}

I sat perfectly still although I knew my heart was going crazy.

I cocked my head to the right a mischievous glint in my eyes, {Wouldn't you like to know?}

{Yes, actually I would.} He said simply.

I looked at him blandly, {Would you care to finish the message?}

{Ah, yes. The most exciting part. You cannot tell anyone of this, if you do, he will kill them.}

'Kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them…' The words kept looping through my head along with all the faces of people that the information would be relevant to.

'Raph, Thresh, Thomas, Charm…' They couldn't die.

I took a breath when I realized I had stopped breathing. I focused on sounding calm but by the smile on Ainur's face I could tell he knew he'd rattled me.

{How? How would El-kor be able to kill them? And if I can't tell Thr- the Alpha about it then what am I supposed to do with the information?} I asked in a fury, my face remaining passive.

The Elf's smile widened revealing black teeth, {El-kor has his ways. My general snuck in here successfully and out. I'm sure he could sneak back in and slit your mate's throat while he slept. The others would be just as easy. And I'm sure you can figure out what to do with this information, just be there in two months.} He sat down on the thin bedding on the concrete floor with a satisfied smirk on his black skin.

{Now goodbye.} He waved his hand indicating for me to leave.

I stared into space for a few moments, desperately trying to think of a way out of this.

I got up and left the cell that was starting to feel more and more like the one I'd been in previously. I heard the lightbulb's chain chink against it and the door shut.

Once I was sure the Elf couldn't see me anymore I let my emotions show on my face, but quickly hid them remembering that Raph was right there.

I crossed my arms across my midriff, knowing I looked vulnerable.

He reached his arms around me. I wanted to cry. To purge myself of these emotions and the fear. I rested my head on his firm chest and inhaled his scent. It usually calmed me but all I could think was, 'What if this scent disappeared?'

But I held onto him.

After a few minutes of standing like that he separated and held my shoulders then slipped his hands to my arms, that never failed to cause a shiver run through me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I glanced at the door and nodded, "Yeah."

He just stared at me then nodded for me to walk.

~~~~~~~~~

We walked out of the prison and he held me again but this time from behind. I looked around at all the Lycans near the building my eyes darting quickly.

"It's okay," Raph said in my ear, fanning the hairs there causing me to stiffen. Then he placed a kiss there which made my back nearly spasm. I looked around fervently.

Raph sighed and removed his arms from me. Without looking back I scampered to the car.

Raph got in and turned the ignition, it was really cold.

I was staring at my feet but looked up slowly when I saw that we weren't moving.

"What did he say?" Raph asked when I met his eyes.

I shook my head, "Nothing. He just rambled and I thought he was leading somewhere with it but in the end there was nothing." I lied.

Something in me tugged and I felt sick. Before, with the whole thing in Vancouver I hadn't outright lied to him, I'd just not told him. But now, now I was lying to him and I felt sick.

"Okay, but what did he say to make you so worried and upset?"

'That you would die if I told you.'

I wanted to pretend I couldn't even talk or form words properly. It was a thing I used to do to my siblings when I didn't get my way or they didn't do what I'd asked. It was immature and pathetic but I occasionally got my way.

But no. I couldn't play the "invalid" with Raph, he would see through it.

I rubbed a hand up my face and into my hair then rested my head on it.

"A lot of things." I answered in a whisper.

"Like what?" Raph asked gently and softly.

'I can't tell you!' I wanted to scream so bad, but I had a feeling Raph wouldn't believe that he would die, I had a feeling he believed he was a little invincible.

I shook my head trying desperately to form a lie, a believable one.

"They were nonsense at first, but as he continued he got more and more serious and… just mean." I was panting now hopefully Raph would just take it as me being worked up.

I was worked up.

I looked out the window at the prison, but in my mind I only saw those ink black eyes staring at me maliciously.