Chapter 9

The tension was palpable between the two of them as Evangeline took in the extensive damage,in the alpha's office, his jaw was still working with built up rage and his fist was clenched in an attempt to control his emotion,Evangeline didn't know what to say that would make his rage overwhelm him and he would do something drastic.

"Am sorry Alpha, but I feel you have to sit for what am about to tell you".

 Marcus gazed at her his eyes smoldering from the barely restrained rage, his wolf was so close to the surface , ready to pounce and rip out the throat of whoever dared to provoke him. It made Evangeline realize that they won't be sitting down anytime soon, he wanted her to state her business as soon as possible and get lost.

Apparently, by keeping things from Marcus they had made the alpha feel weak, like an outsider, he felt left out in his own pack and he wasn't having it, when the silence stretched for too long Marcus snapped "get on with it Evangeline, I don't have all day".

"Luna may not be who she claims she is, I am not accusing her in anyway of being a traitor, but there are a lot of inconsistencies in her story, she claimed to be from red moon pack but red moon pack is advanced in medicine and technology ans she said her pack still used healers".

"The only two pack that are yet to fully accept technology am afraid was the blackmoon pack and they rogue wolves". 

Her words made Marcus pause, he was considering telling her what cressida had earlier told him, but on second thought decided to keep it to himself.

The next words that left his lips startled Evangeline, she had expected him to get erratically angry and order Lauretta to his office or maybe the dungeon and torture her within an inch of her life but Instead his words were:

"My sentries , why wasn't I informed about their health?".

Marcus asked through gritted teeth , barely able to get the words out. Evangeline fell to her knees before him, the amount of rage and implications such a small question carried it was enough to get accused of committing treason. 

"Alpha am sorry it was an oversight, we were of the opinion that you wouldn't care".

"You think am that terrible and vain that I wouldn't care about the life of my people?, people I work my ass off caring for protecting"

"No alpha, that is not by any means what I meant , I was trying to say , you have been so busy and stressed, we didn't want to add to it unless it was wholly important. We were so busy trying to stabilize the guard that we lost track of time".

"How long have you known Lauretta was lying? The day you sent her to me, I asked her some questions and found the loopholes in her stories as I was once a member of Red moon pack before I was mated here".

The pain her words held was so deep that Marcus let go of some of his anger".

Evangeline had done nothing wrong but tried not to make accusations when she wasn't sure, she had slowly gathered evidence until she felt it was time to address her alpha about her concern, she had given her life and services to this pack everyday never taking a break as a coping mechanism for her husbands death.

Evangeline's husband had been a warrior, long before he was even born or became the alpha of the pack, he was a very fierce and feared warrior when his own father rules and he was one of the men that was ruthlessly slaughtered by rogue wolves exactly three months after his mating ceremony.

Evangeline had been just thirty then, waiting for her husband to come home, when she got the news of his death, she was devastated, she went crazy, acting abnormally for a while, it took years before she was able to gather herself together, she could even have gone back home, to her pack. Instead she decided to honor her husband and stay in the pack, donating her time to treating the ill and injured.

She was never wed, or even so much as dated anyone else, she threw a tantrum whenever the former Luna tried to match make her and locked herself in for days. To Evangeline, her work was her escape, she worked tirelessly like a woman chased by the hoards of hell. She worked day and night not taking any breaks , trying to numb the pain by over working her body, she never had a child but she was one of the most respected women in the pack and of course valuable.

Marcus took in the broken woman with her graying hair kneeling before him and he felt pity, he felt like some horrible monster for being so insensitive , her pack had just been wiped off with every one she knew and loved gone and even here she was being tormented, by him, his wolf whimpered, this was all cressida's fault for riling him up earlier.

Now she was gone and he was here taking out his anger on innocent folks, acting like a little kid who couldn't control his emotions ,just because one of his lovers was acting up, apparently she was jealous of a woman who was obsessed with him and was acting up because of an Omega he hadn't even said anything but a few words to.

His mind flashed back the the kiss they had shared and his fingers dipping into her lush petal, Lauretta would be the death of him, they were discussing the future of the pack and how Lauretta may or may not be a traitor and a sabotage and all he could think about was her slick wetness.

"You may get up Evangeline".

He muttered, Evangeline was shocked at the abrupt change in the tone of his voice and mannerism, she looked up at his face for the first time that evening, his expression was clear, sincere dare she say remorseful .

"Am sorry for being so hard at you but from the mess on my wall , I was already mad at Cressida for being well her usual bratty self".

"Explain to me in as much details as you can, how my sentries ended up the way they did?"

"Apparently it was poison, when Lauretta came into the pack and fainted, I was called in to treat her and discovered a poison destroying her from the inside, probably the same stuff that took away her wolf spirit. I tried to flush it out with drips and injections but it didn't in any way stop the progress of the poison."

"So I focused on giving her immune boosters and other drugs to slow the effect of the the poison, while I took samples from her, just in case she was poisoned by rogues and they want to use the same tactics on us, we would have the antidote, before the poison did as much damage to us and of course Lauretta would have her cure but every attempt I made seemed to fail".

"I was still working on a cure when the sentries were rushed in all twenty of them the same symptoms of poisoning,I had to induce a coma because the pattern was similar and I had to save their wolf spirit if I could ".

"I then began questioning the other warriors that had brought them in and apparently, they had gone to secure our territory and then gone for a run outside the territory, they had a drink from a water source there and began experiencing this symptoms".

They ran back to our boarders before collapsing and were brought in by their mates, when I tested the poison, it was the same one in Lauretta and I didn't know what to do ,they men wouldn't have long to live and I would have failed them.

Evangeline bursted into tears and Marcus handed her a handkerchief patting her shoulder awkwardly,if he was being honest a crying woman was one of his greatest weaknesses. When she had calmed considerably, she continued her tale. 

"Later that evening,Lauretta had left the border , it was her off day but I had to send for her because the cases was overwhelming, apparently she had formulated the antidote and taken it, I ran tests to ascertain its effectiveness and she was completely cured ,the poison was still in her system but it was in active , I gave the guards a dose and they are now out of danger zone".

"I barely had a chance to thank Lauretta or ask her how she developed the cure that fast, even though she did confess to me that she created the poison, it was for herself to kill herself"..

Oh my goddess Cressida was right. I had brought in a poisoner to our pack, she might have poisoonsd all of us for all I know and she had been serving in the kitchen.Marcus mind spurn but as if Evangeline followed the line of his thoughts she broke in.

"I don't think Luna is a bad person, she helped us, she could have kept her mouth shut and let those men die to protect her identity but she didn't, instead she saved them even when they treated her badly".

"And those women in the pack that bullied her with her skill she could have gotten them all killed , in fact wiped out the entire pack but she has been helpful and subservient so there must be some truth in her story. She may be keeping secrets for her personal safety.

Evangeline wondered why she was protecting Lauretta but every word she uttered rang true even to her own ears, everyone was entitled to their secrets, Lauretta obviously just needed a safe space to hide and sort herself out, as long as she doesn't become an enemy she could even come in handy in the war.

"What do you suggest I do".

Marcus asked Evangeline sounding defeated,afraid that his growing feeling for Lauretta would jeopardize the pack, it hurt him more that she had tried to remove her precious self from this world, more than even the though of her poisoning him and his entire pack and his emotions scared him.

"I suggest we keep her close , make her feel safe and protected make this place into a home for her, so she would help us protect it , She had no wolf but with her skill, I would groom her, if she can make more of that poison, we don't need to fear the rogues with her set skill we stand a huge chance, only of course if we can get her fight on our side".

Marcus and Evangeline stared at each other for a while, a grin coated each of their features they had come to a mutual understanding and Marcus was relived he didn't have to hurt Lauretta , somehow he had a soft spot for that small pretty girl with wide silver eyes.

Evangeline felt Lauretta would be the same age as her first child if she had gotten a chance to have children with her mate before he died. 

"I would leave Lauretta's care into your capable hands, but from now on I want feedback from your progress with her, place a guard on her at all time , she is a valuable asset to this pack now and deserves our protection". 

Evangeline bowed deeply.

"Yes alpha I would make sure your order is followed to the latter". With that Evangeline was free to return to her hospital.

Lauretta and the others had already risen from their bow and was attending to their patients, giving the ones awake food and water and the others a bed bath. Evangeline took in Lauretta she could see the guilt and pain clearly written on the young girls face.

When they were done attending to the patients Evangeline called Lauretta to her office, the girl looked so small sitting at the edge of the sit and looking everywhere but at her face.

"I don't blame you Lauretta, you're a very strong woman and did what you had to do to survive".

My strength almost got innocent people killed and I don't know how many others have died from such a silly mistake.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Lauretta your strength and ingenuity has saved you and saved them. You should be proud of yourself, at just eighteen you have saved yourself and twenty other people , you have gone from being insignificant ,to being a healers aid".

"I am proud of you child, if I had a daughter I would have wanted her to turn out exactly as you turned out, strong, good hearted and independent, tears were pouring from Lauretta's eyes, she felt for a moment her own parents were speaking through Evangeline".

"Thank you doc".

Luna muttered through the thick lump on her throat, she almost came clean to Evangeline there and then but she immediately clamped down on that urge , not yet , she didn't know if Marcus would see another alpha under his roof as a threat even though she was without her wolf.

At least with this identity of an Omega, she was safe, protected and she had a job, she couldn't jeopardize this comfort not yet unless it was absolutely necessary. 

"Did you tell the alpha?about the whole situation?"

Evangeline nodded, it was my duty to inform my alpha, he had a right to know what happens in the pack, silently Luna thanked the stars she had kept her mouth shut , Evangeline might be friendly and kind but her loyalty was first to her alpha as it should be.

"does he hate me? Does he want me gone from the pack? Honestly I would understand if he wants me gone, I had caused harm although unknowingly to the people he is sworn to protect ". 

"No , of course not Lauretta on the contrary, the alpha wants you to stay, he feels with training you would be invaluable to the pack and he understands it was an accident so relax and stop panicking".

Luna searched Evangeline's face and found no lie there with a pang she realized that she was the only one lying and keeping secrets but there were some secrets that are taken to the grave unless absolutely necessary.

"Lauretta".

Evangeline called her snapping her out of her thoughts, 

"do you still have samples of that poison with you".

"Yes I do, it's in my wardrobe I would go get it now".

Luna ran to her room and returned a few minutes later with the big satchel that contained the powder, Evangeline thanked and dismissed her to go continue her duties , then she went to isolate the poison into the fume cupboard in the laboratory then she passed an instruction to the lab technician , that there was a highly toxic compound in the lab and they should endeavor to mask up and rotate the shift.

Evangeline endeavored to keep the rest of the antidote in the refrigerator, where compound was usually stored it was small but with Lauretta's help they would be able to make more of it. The women talked for a while, then each went back to continue their duties, by late evening their patients were healthy enough to return home and rest a few days before resumimg work.

Luna knew she couldn't put off seeing alpha Marcus anymore, a part of her wondered if he hated her now for making members of his pack sick. She passed by his office and chickened out there was a huge hole on the wall that was getting fixed. Luna decided to postpone it until tomorrow, surely they wouldn't be attacked yet.

The day was beginning to catch up with her, she was sweaty, emotionally and physically exhausted and just wanted a very hot shower and her bed,she banged the door open and barged in, stripping without turning the light on, she loosened the bun her hair was in , allowing it to fall in waves to her back comforting her with its warmth and softness, with one hand massaging her head, she turned blindly towards the direction of the light switch , so she could to arrange her clothes as she had no night vision anymore a startled scream left her lips at what she saw.

There in her bed sitting,watching her like she was cold water under a dessert sun was none other Alpha Marcus, Luna stood stunned watching him as his eyes lazily trailed her naked form, his unabashed gaze lingering on her bushy curls, it seemed like an eternity but it only actually took a heartbeat for her to realize she was naked in front of a certain alpha that is most certainly mad at her.