Chapter 52 #2
It wasn’t until I had finally decided on a dark red bra with bits of fabric crisscrossing to cover my breasts and a matching thong that I finally made my way back home.
And it was as I again went through the process of checking my car that I finally let myself think about everything that had led up to this point.
But as I began thinking over all the events that had led up to the need for me to thoroughly check my car, a few things started to stand out in my mind.
Aiden had told me multiple times that Alpha Austin had never been able to pick up a strange scent on his car even though it seemed that his brakes had clearly been tampered with.
Whoever had done it was supposedly the same person behind my attempted kidnapping as a baby.
They had hired help. They had the funds to hire hitmen. Funds to buy expensive polonium-laced poison with a magical deadly herb inside of it.
Whoever had tampered with my car had been smart enough to do it in the morning when Istopped to get my tires checked. Most likely, it had been done by the hired help.
The wolf…the wolf was big. An alpha. I’d seen Dylan’s wolf. My kidnapper definitely had the same characteristics most alpha wolves had.
And then finally, the day I’d seen Jake and Lexia’s wolves for the first time…
It all made such perfect sense; I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen it sooner.
They hadn’t been out to kill me, more like remove me from the situation.
It had never been about killing me. It had always been about claiming me.
They were getting desperate to be rid of Aiden now, so they were getting sloppy.
For all I knew, Ray had probably been instructed to only kill Aiden by setting off the crate of fireworks.
Everyone else around him was just collateral damage.
I swerved my car, headed to the one destination I knewI’d get my answers. I wasn’t going to ask anyone for help. No, I was going to do this on my own.
“Rose.”
It was Aiden. He must have felt it. Felt the change in my mood. Felt the rush of adrenaline and determination.
So Idid the one thing I'd promised never to do again, I firmly slammed my wall up before he realized what I was doing. Because I knew he'd try to come after me if he figured out what was going on in my mind. I had to make sure I was absolutely right before I broke the news to Aiden.
“What are you doing here, Rose?” Lexia asked snootily as Istood at the front door of Lexia’s house.
“Give me the antidote,” Ipushed.
Lexia’s eyes nearly bulged.
“What are you talking about?”
“Dammit, he’s dying! Dylan’s dying and all you can think about is furthering your own goals! You poisoned him and you tried to harm Aiden all for your father! Give me the antidote or I’ll tell everyone what you’ve been up to,” Isnarled. Her eyes glowed yellow.
I was going to lose control if Lexia didn't budge.
I hadn't seen it before, but now the resemblance of Lexia's wolf to the wolf who had kidnapped me was evident in my mind.
Mr. Evans had been the wolf that kidnapped me, probably covering his scent with sage like he'd covered my scent so no one could find me back then.
“Rose,” Lexia’s voice was alarmed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I would never poison Dylan…he’s—” She stopped short, unable to complete the sentence.
“I know you’re working with your father.
” My voice was steely, firm. Lexia looked at melikeI'd grown two heads. “It’s a breach of the alliance. I’ll report you.
Don’t think I won’t. You’ll be kicked out of our alliance and excommunicated from the southeastern cooperation bloc.
You're the one responsible for Alpha Austin's murder. This is your last chance to—”
A sick booming laugh echoed from behind Lexia.
The blonde turned, surprised.
“Lexia doesn’t have a covert bone in her body. You really think she’d be able to pull something like this off? She's too short-sighted for the level of planning I put into all of this.”
Lexia pulled back from the door, revealing Alistair Evans standing with crossed arms. His muscles were nearly bulging out of his dark gray t-shirt.
“Mr. Evans,” I said stiffly. I nudged past Lexia, entering the mansion. “You’ve been found out. Give me the antidote or you will be reported.”
“Ah, well…I guess it’s time to put my plan into action then.” He leered at me.
“Dad?” Lexia asked in an alarmed voice. “What’s...what’s going on?”
Alistair didn’t reply to his daughter. Instead he grabbed my wrist, hard, pulling me deeper into the house and then he broadcasted the message through the mind-link that an alpha was able to share with another alpha.
I, being the luna, also got the message.
And I realized with a sinking heart that Dylan would also be getting this message.
There was no wayI'd be able to stop them from coming.
“Aiden, I have your Luna. I challenge you for the position of alpha of your pack. Come meet me at dusk at my pack’s temple.”
“No!" I shrieked, struggling to wrench my wrist away from Alistair's fingers clamped around it. "He's still recovering from his injuries!”
Alistair merely grinned crazily.
I shredded my mind-wall to pieces.
“Aiden...Aiden...baby, I'm sorry. I made a mistake. Please don’t come. I’ll-”
But I couldn’t say anything else because he slammed a wall up of his own, shutting me completely out. And no matter how much I tried; I couldn't get through. It was like pushing against steel, his wall wouldn't even budge.
I couldn’t even mind-link him which meant he'd closed himself off to the entire pack. I knew what that meant. He wasn’t going to listen to me.
He wasn't going to let anyone else reason with him either. He was going to come here despite being injured. Dr. Danvers was discharging him tomorrow with strict instructions to spend another week recuperating in the comfort of his own home. I had to get out, had to fight back. But what could Ido? I couldn’t even turn into my wolf because I was pregnant.I'd tried going for a run a few days ago to clear my head but my body wouldn't let me.
According to Dr. Danvers, it meant my baby had developed faster than most and that's why, at only one week short of two months pregnant, I could no longer turn.
My heart sank at the fact that I was helpless in human form.
I filed my pregnancy away into the back of my mind. Aiden would lose control if he knew.
Lexia's POV
"Dad, what are you doing?" I demanded after he'd locked Rose inside the guest bedroom.
I was both shocked and terrified. I didn't know everything, but the extent to which I had become aware was painting a very horrible picture of my dad in my mind.
"You can't do anything right," Dad growled with crossed arms. "You only had to do one thing. BecomeAiden's luna. You couldn't even do that!" Dad spat angrily.
My eyes filled with tears. "I know I've always been a disappointment for you, Dad," I choked out.
"And I know it was your dream to see me as his luna and I tried.
" I looked up at him pleadingly. EverythingI'd done, I'd done for his approval, and it hurt knowing I'd let him down.
"I really tried, but he loves Rose. And-and—” Igave a shuddering breath, eyes on the floor like a child contrite over her mistakes.
"I want him to be happy. I see that now.
" I looked back up at dad. "Whatever you're trying to do to get Aiden to come back to me, it won't work," I said warily, eyes on the door that Rose was beating against violently.
"Let her go before this all gets out of hand. "
"You idiot! You think everything has to do with you," Dad scoffed. He walked brusquely past me. "I need to get ready.” Dad’s voice was ominous as he went to make last-minute preparations for his upcoming battle.
I looked at the door, it was shaking from the force of Rose pounding against it incessantly.
I felt bad for her. Yes, she stole Aiden from me, but I never wanted her to come to any harm.
Rose blamed me for poisoning Dylan, but the truth was, no matter how much I didn't want him to be my mate, my own biological wiring rebelled over ever seeing him in distress.
Even the day he'd been poisoned, I'd been unable to sleep the entire night, worrying over him. Nightmares of him writhing in pain on the ground had plagued me for many weeks after. This wasn’t right what Dad was doing.
I was here for winter break, before my second semester started for law school.
Dad kept telling me to go back early, a change of scene would help brighten my mood, but I kept delaying my departure.
Was this why he wanted me gone? I took a step towards the room that held Rose prisoner.
My heart was urging me to open the door. To let her go free.
"GET DOWN HERE, LEXIA!" Dad roared.
I flinched, turning to go to him.