Chapter 56 #2
Silence settled over the room as we each processed the gravity of the situation. A sense of defeat filled the air.
Dominic’s phone pinged, breaking the heavy mood.
“Liza, your parents will be here soon. I’ve invited them to stay here.
With the news of your existence out there for the whole world to see, I’m sure it won’t take long for the pack members to figure out who the omega is.
I don’t want your parents to be hassled because of it. They’ll be much safer here.”
I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
My parents’ faces flashed before my eyes.
God, they must’ve been so terrified when a security team descended on their home, telling them they needed to come with them to the Keller Estate.
I assumed one of Nico’s men would have debriefed them on the ride over.
No doubt they’d blame themselves for not doing a better job of keeping my identity a secret.
The news anchor’s voice broke through the video footage.
“As you can see, this is damning evidence that the Keller pack was involved in some sort of attack on another local pack. To date, nobody has come forward to identify the massacred pack, and Dominic Keller’s representatives have refused to comment.
Meanwhile, speculation has begun on the identity of the omega in Presley Acres.
Authorities say they’ve received no tips on abnormal activity, so they could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the mystical creature. ”
The ringing of my phone drew attention away from the screen. Dominic, Persephone, and Ty all stared at me as if the device was a ticking time bomb. It was an unknown number. With shaky hands, I answered the call and put it on speaker.
“Hello?” My voice wavered, betraying my anxiety.
Before a word was uttered, I knew it was him.
“Hey there, Liza,” Castro’s smug voice came over the line. It had an almost sing-song quality to it, sending shivers down my spine. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, but I couldn’t expose them without exposing you.”
I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palm, leaving half-moon indentations in my skin.
There were so many things I wanted to say to Castro, but I bit my tongue, allowing him to explain why he’d called.
From what I understood about Castro’s mind, I was certain this wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation.
He had a plan, and this was part of his execution.
Castro continued, his voice so calm that I wondered if he was drunk or high.
“This was the best course of action. I hope you can see that. It’s obvious that this pack is corrupt and will continue to taint you the longer you’re associated with them.
” He paused and sighed loudly. “You know you don’t have to stick around there, right, Liza?
I can make all of this go away. One call and I can report that they were all false rumors.
I’d tell them that the video was fabricated, even though it clearly wasn’t. ”
Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath as they waited for me to respond. “What do you want?” I spat out, trying my best to keep my emotions in check. Across the room, Ty growled.
Castro chuckled darkly on the other end of the line.
“I have a little friend in town who will be waiting for you. They’ll bring you directly to me.
Don’t even think about bringing someone with you or having them follow you.
” He laughed. “You must know me well enough by now to believe me when I say that anyone trying to follow you will be killed.”
I swallowed past the heavy lump in my throat.
“Once I’ve got you, I promise to make everything go away.
One call to the media from me and it all disappears.
It’s that simple, sweet Liza. Make your decision quickly, though.
I don’t like being made to wait. Phone me back on this number when you’re ready to come to me, but don’t take too long.
You only have twenty-four hours to decide, and not a second more. I won’t be so… generous this time.”
“Never,” I whispered, my heart pounding, but Castro had already ended the call.
Ty’s viscous snarl reverberated through the room, and I looked at him. He shook his head and growled, “Don’t even think about it. You’re not sacrificing yourself to that monster to protect us.”
Nico stepped forward, his face still red with frustration.
“We have to move now that Castro’s given us a twenty-four-hour deadline.
” His voice was resolved, as if he’d snapped out of his mourning and back into his role as head of the security team.
“I’ll get to the bottom of this footage.
” He turned to me. “In the meantime, you should stay put. Don’t step a foot outside the mansion—not even for a quick breath of fresh air. Understood?”
I nodded.
It was Persephone’s grip on my hand that captured my attention, breaking me from the spell Castro had cast with his offer.
Her eyes held a fierceness I hadn’t seen before.
“You’ve suffered enough because of us. Don’t even think about going to that monster.
We will protect you now, no matter what led us to this moment.
” She cupped my chin and forced me to look her in the eyes.
“Get any ideas of going to that monster out of your head. Do you hear me, Liza?”
I blinked back tears just as the door opened and my parents walked in. They rushed over to embrace me, their concerned faces a testament to the love they felt for me. I clung to them, tears streaming down my cheeks as I locked eyes with Ty over their shoulders.
His expression was resolute, all traces of doubt vanishing. At that moment, I decided that going to Castro was not an option. My pack—my family—would stand by me, come what may.