Chapter Fifty-Two
Iwalked into the office early the next morning. I was still exhausted, but I had things to do. Alannah stood with a shout. “Amy! You’re back.” She ran over and hugged me. “I was so worried when I hadn’t heard anything from you.”
“I just spent some time with my mom on an island off the coast. Cell service was bad.” I sniffed her. “You smell good.” I pulled back, patting her back. “I like the perfume, what is it?”
She looked a little confused for a moment. “It’s vanilla.”
I smiled. “It smells great, but I can tell it’s wearing off. You might want to add a little, so it lasts all day.” I winked at her as understanding entered her eyes.
“Good idea. I’ve been running around all morning, so I was really sweaty.” She turned around and went to her desk, pulling the bottle from her purse and spraying herself. She turned to me expectantly. “How’s that?”
“Perfect.” I looked around. “Is Rick in?”
She shook her head. “He left early yesterday after his meeting with the Alpha. I think he wasn't feeling well.” She sat down at her desk. “He left instructions on your desk on the slim chance you came back.”
“Thanks Alannah.” I winked again and turned into my office.
I hung up my coat and purse and sat at my desk, booting everything up.
I pulled my laptop out of my bag and set it up next to my work computer.
The newly installed privacy screen protected what I was doing from the camera and any looky-loos.
I booted both computers up as I grabbed the instructions.
There were a few maintenance pieces to handle, and then the last instruction caught my eye.
‘After you’ve completed everything, I hid a Trojan inside the main mainframe.
You have eight hours from the moment you boot your computer up to purge it from the mainframe or else everything is lost. Good luck. ’
“Fuck.” I swore, but in reality I was ecstatic.
Now I had a reason to poke around the entire system.
I dropped the paper and looked at both screens.
My work computer had a timer visible on the bottom screen counting down the eight hours.
I stretched to get to work, but my laptop screen was flashing.
I hadn’t had time to check my computer last night. I crashed hard after porch wine, and explaining my captivity for the last week.
I still remember Toya crossing her arms.
“So you just hung out in a jail cell?” Toya looked at my mom and Wendy. “Why the fuck would you do that?”
I scratched my head. “Okay, before you judge me, there were a few reasons. One, I was weak from the draining. I needed to rebuild our strength before we ran away. Second, I needed to find a way to stop the drain. And last, Vince was talking. In the few days when he came in, he talked a lot. More than he realized.”
“How much could he have said that was more important than Carly?” Wendy’s voice was soft, but it hit me like a sledgehammer.
“Nothing is more important than Carly.” I shook my head as I took a swallow of wine. “But they revealed Lycans were still alive.” Everyone perked up at that, my mom in particular.
“That’s impossible.” She shook her head. “I remember the devastation of the clans.”
“Clans?” Wendy turned to look at my mom.
She nodded. “Lycans stayed in clans. Much like the wolf packs, but a different title, with a different rule. Plus, depending on the clan, it gave you standing.” She turned to me. “You must have heard wrong.”
I shook my head. “They chased the living Lycans into the mountains and lost the trail. They even hinted that the Goddess was keeping them safe.”
My mother sagged against the railing. “They might still be alive.” Tears trailed down her face. Her eyes danced to mine. “Our family might still be alive?”
I lifted my shoulder. “I don’t know. I just know a basic area, and that they were sure some were still alive.”
My mom stood. “Let’s go.”
I grabbed her hand before she could leave. “I was told today that the lycans weren’t for me to find.”
My mom turned back to me. “What do you mean?”
I nodded to the house. “That’s something for Carly to do.”
“She’s a fucking child, Amy. How the hell is she supposed to find and bring home the clans?” I pulled her back against the railing.
“You think I don’t know that? But I also believe the Goddess has her own plans for everyone.
The Lycans are destined for Carly. We already have too much to worry about.
With Vince working with Verity. Rowan being surrounded by people trying to kill him, Verity using magic on him, and the rogues attacking packs still. ”
The beep of my computer drew me back to the screen.
Thoth: WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!
Oh shit.
I sighed before I pulled up our chat screen. The dark screen was full of messages that I had missed.
Thoth: Hey. You missed our chat last night. We were going to work on getting into the mainframe. Is everything okay?
Thoth: Amy? Hey. It’s been hours. I’m starting to worry.
Thoth: Amy? I called your dad. He said he hasn’t been able to get in touch with you, and he’s even starting to worry. Is everything okay? We are starting to panic.
Thoth: Okay, listen, I know you are probably busy. Especially with the kids. I know you said that the king was in the past, but maybe you should reach out to Rowan about the kids. Maybe he can help.
Thoth: Hey it’s been another day. Are you okay? I fully expect you to message me back today. I called you but you didn’t answer.
Thoth: I just realized it might be weird that I called you…I got your number from your dad. I figured since we are friends, you wouldn’t care.
Thoth: Okay, don’t be weird about me calling you.
Thoth: I’m panicking.
I laughed at that. Thoth was adorably awkward. I really liked that about him.
Thoth: Hey. This is the third day you haven’t answered any messages from me. I don’t know if you have decided to hate me or something, but if you could just tell me you’re safe and okay. That would be enough. Even if you never wanted to talk to me again, I’d be okay just knowing you were safe.
I froze at that last message. That hit differently. I knew he was worried about me, but this sounded a little different.
Thoth: Amy, please answer me. I’m about to charge into Vince’s pack and kill everyone.
There was a gap in time before the next message came in.
Thoth: I have a pit in my stomach that something happened to you. I’m trapped by everything going on and I hate that I can’t come there to see you for myself. Please, Goddess, answer me.
Thoth: I’m sick with worry. I tracked your phone to the airport. Your mom is at the cabin, same with Toya’s and Wendy’s, so I know they are safe with your pup. But yours hasn’t moved in days. Are you gone, and I’m just too stupid to realize it?
Thoth: I tried to make it to Vince’s pack through the woods today, but there are traps everywhere. I nearly died as I fell into a pit full of spears. Your father had to pull me out. It took a full day to wake up and now I’m stuck in bed.
Thoth: I begged the Goddess to tell me if you were still alive. I needed a sign, anything, to know you were still alive. But I got nothing. I think she hates me for hurting you.
Hurting me? What was he even talking about? All he’s done since coming into my life was help me. He helped me with school, with hacking into Vince’s mainframe, advice, fuck he even told me to wait before making any decisions about mating someone.
Thoth: Please be alive.
Thoth: I don’t think I would survive without you…
And then the last message pulsed on the screen. I could feel his anger and frustration through the computer.
Thoth: WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!
I reread all of his messages and I felt a pained crushing weight in my chest. I made him worry. I made him panic, and I felt horrible. “Why do I feel bad?” I whispered to the screen.
“Did you do something wrong?” I jumped and looked up to find Alannah at the door with a mug of coffee. “Sorry. I was just bringing you your coffee when I heard you whisper the question.” She smiled. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
I smiled and waved her in. “You didn’t. I was just confused by my feelings.
” I laughed. I pointed at my computer. “I had to get it fixed, and I missed a call with an acquaintance. She has been close to me, and helping me with my human business side hustle. She was worried about me, panicked really, and I felt terrible about it.”
“So not a friend?”
I shrugged. “She’s helped me a lot. We talked a lot over the computer but never met, or even saw, each other.” I sat back. “I don’t know if you could call that a friendship.”
Alannah set my cup on the desk and smiled. “I think you are focused on the wrong things. So what if you have never met? Did you talk to her about life, about stuff that wasn’t related to your business?”
I nodded. It was hard to keep track of what I could say in front of the damn cameras. “Yeah, she knows a lot about my life, and I know about hers.”
“Then stop diminishing your relationship. You feel what you feel. You can make friends online. I mean, humans fall in love over the internet…why can’t we make friends?” She turned and left me to think over her words.