Chapter 12

Christian

You should come out and see this.

Gamma Arnold mind linked me, making me drop my pen, trying to put a meaning to his words.

See what? I asked through the link once again.

Find out for yourself, will you?

I dismissed the papers I was engaged in, before moving out of the pack house towards the garden fields, where all the whispers were coming from. Dominic had gone for some important meetings with the council and other packs, leaving me in complete authority and in charge of the pack.

Some warriors and pack members had collected outside, circling around something.

"What's going on here?" I pushed through the people to get a better view. I was caught off guard watching the two warriors that I had sent with Mia, completely bruised and tattered in blood, struggling to keep their eyes open.

"Beta Christian!" One of them struggled to speak as he gasped for air.

"Where is Mia? What happened to you guys?" My mind was caught in a haze of rage as the only thing that blared like an alarm in my brain was Mia. Where the fuck was she? Was she alright? Who attacked them? Did they take her away? Was it Balthazer?

"I'm asking something!" I roared as some people close by almost flinched at the loudness and authority of my tone. "Who the fuck did this to you? Answer me now!"

One of them opened their mouths with a lot of difficulty, only to utter the words that punched the air out of my lungs, making my heart twist.

"Beta..M..Mia, she atta..cked us." No! It couldn't be. She… she was at our side. She couldn't… she possibly wouldn't..they were mistaken. They had to be mistaken. I stood there like a statue, not giving away a single hint of the turmoil my heart was fighting. No! No! No! It couldn't be true. They had to be lying.

"The blades that pierced them were not only made of silver, but they were also laced with silver poison, Beta," Arnold informed, making me discreetly clench my fist.

Fuck!

This can't be happening. She changed. She proved it to me. Was that all a lie? All those emotions that bubbled out of her, the affection, it was all an act.

"Take them to the medical wing," was all I managed to say in my dark, venomous tone. What was I going to tell Dominic? He gave me her responsibility and trusted me with it. What the hell was I going to explain to him? "Dismissed everyone!" Fuck! I had to go for a run.

**********

Mia

The book snapped shut in my hands as my heart jackhammered against my chest. It was just a coincidence, right? The mark on my wrist resembling the one in the book? It had to be. That was the only explanation my mind came up with.

I stayed up the whole night to finish the book and it was 9 in the morning. I was hoping to get through all of it, but around ten pages were still left when a knock was heard on my door. Why the hell is everyone so obsessed with me that they can't even leave me alone?

Frustration crawled on my skin when I had to go all the way to my door to pull it open.

"What?" I snapped, knowing it would be none other than Desmond, since he was paying me a little more visits than necessary. But my next words died down in my throat when I realized the person standing with a raised brow, and hand tucked behind his back.

"D..Dad?" I stammered. Wasn't he going to come back tomorrow? What is he doing here already? I moved to block the view of my bed where the Grimoire of Eldritch enchantments was currently lying. I was so pissed that I didn't even bother hiding it. Shit! He can't look at it.

"You sound rather disappointed?" His voice was clipped and to the point. "Was I interrupting anything?" He frowned and my gaze fell on his leech, giving me a weird look.

"No. Absolutely not. If you needed to see me you could have just sent him to get me," I stated, pointing at Anthony.

"I see you are not happy to see me here, shall I take it?" His look was pointed.

"No, no, of course not dad. I'm glad you are back. What did you want to talk about?"

"Meet me in my office."

*********************

Never in my life before have I felt nervous sitting before my dad. I had always been confident. Always the one to feel proud being his company. To be taught everything by him. To learn how to make my enemies grovel at my feet. But today was different. The air was thick. The time was passing agonizingly slow and I couldn't help but fast forward my way out of the room. The intensity almost made my skin crawl. Things were different. Very different. I just hope he doesn't notice his missing book.

"Red Moon Pack," he stated with his eyes fixed on me. " I'm sure you enjoyed it there?" What the hell was he getting at? Does he know Christian was my mate? Should I confront him about it? But Sylvia strictly forbade me. I couldn't. Not yet.

"Enjoy?" I scoffed, pulling up my best act. "I actually did. Imprinting every little weakness of the pack in my mind and thinking of ways we will be destroying them in the future was obviously nothing but enjoyable dad."

"Good thing you learned after me. Otherwise it would be a disappointment, wouldn't it?" He leaned in on his elbows over the mahogany table, as if challenging me to differ.

"Right, it would."

"That's what I thought," he nodded in satisfaction. "Now," he picked up a paper and pen and dropped it before me, "I need you to jot everything down for me." And I did what he wanted. Das was right, I didn't want to be a disappointment. I couldn't be.