Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
The moment she stepped into our building looking for a job, I smelt her innocence.
Not in the sense of her virginity; no, that was gone long before we got to her.
She was experienced in that area and very open-minded.
But purity is near impossible to explain.
It wasn’t just how she looked; it was more a sense.
Everything about her was pure; her thoughts were pure and had no malice, despite her pain, her intentions, and the way she carried herself.
She had this aura around her, following her, leaving pieces of herself everywhere she went.
Her heart truly has no limits for ever giving, not asking for anything in return.
Imogen is the sort of person who will give until she has nothing left.
She gives herself over completely if she thinks it is in another’s best interest. She trusts blindly, yet when betrayed, fights wildly—almost irrationally—in her anger, only to continue to forgive and let others take from her even when it is killing her slowly piece by piece.
But I doubt the girl has ever held a grudge in her life longer than five seconds.
It isn't in her nature. She can forgive and forget like it is a flick of a switch, always choosing to give another chance, no matter how much we wrong her.
I fear that will be what gets her killed, though.
I know we have taken from her, taken her choice, taken that innocence from her.
But what we found after taking everything from her, is everything she is capable of.
The girl has flare and fire deep within her she keeps hidden away, never trusting of her own emotions never letting them show even when we knows she was breaking.
She has the ultimate control within herself and what she feels, yet in her thoughts she feels out of control.
Sure, we have seen her anger, but with it came her forgiveness.
It’s like she isn’t satisfied unless she has nothing left.
Like she is more comfortable, having nothing, like she thinks she is undeserving.
When I left Imogen this morning, something pulled at me.
This overwhelming sense of longing, even though she was right in front of me.
Walking out of the house, I felt like I was losing everything I love about her, yet I knew by the look in her eye that she had found an additional reason for life.
Her eyes held hope even in impending doom.
She no longer fears her death, and I wonder why she suddenly has the light back in her eyes.
I’m left wondering who else she has to fight for.
Same as last night when she woke; I had this immense feeling she was saying goodbye, the way she touched me, the way she said my name was almost like she was afraid it would be the last time she would speak it.
Getting in the car and driving to work with Tobias, I know he feels the shift too, something has changed.
I just can’t put my finger on it. Something deep is nagging, trying to pull me back to her.
The pull she has over us is always there, yet right now we truly have to fight against her pull, just to stop ourselves from turning back and going home again.
Neither of us saying a word, both trapped in our own heads.
When we pull up to work, we both stand silently waiting for the elevator, both watching the numbers go down.
“You feel it, right?” Tobias asks, glancing in my direction before looking at the stainless-steel doors. I nod.
“Something has changed, I can feel it in every part of me. What if we broke her?” he asks.
Worry laces his words. I have never seen Tobias like this; he is always so concealed in the way he feels.
Even after centuries being by each other’s side he always keeps those walls up, never letting slip how he truly feels, keeping himself guarded and not giving anyone the chance to hurt him, not even me.
Yet Imogen has softened him. It used to bother me, jealousy can be a cruel thing sometimes.
We have known her for a year yet her impact on him has him opening up, letting both Imogen and myself in.
I haven’t had that effect on him, and we have been together for centuries.
Tobias has always been the dominant one, the one who needs control and I let him have it, but with her came a sort of possessiveness that both of us weren’t prepared for.
I love Tobias, but if I had to choose, I would choose her and I know Tobias would choose the same.
She is light in our darkness. I worry the darkest parts of us are tainting her and will be her undoing.
We have already condemned her, took her idea of life away from her selfishly, all because we couldn’t live without her.
“We haven’t broken her. I don’t know, I could even taste it in her blood. Something is different; like something is coming alive in her, then there is also something else.”
“Something else?” Tobias asks, pressing the button to our floor.
“She tastes like a werewolf. I can literally taste you in her blood.” Tobias glances at me and I can feel his head racing trying to think of why. When I suddenly feel a light click on inside him.
“No, can’t be. I saw she was on the pill. I noticed them in her bag,” I answer his thoughts.
“I haven’t seen her take them, though, have you?”
I tried to think, but I come to the same conclusion: the only pills I have seen her take are pain meds.
“She can’t be, can she?” I asked.
“Ring the council and get her blood test results. Surely, they looked for everything.” The door opens, and my eyes instantly dart to her desk even though I knew I wouldn’t find her there.
Walking to my office, I pull my phone from my pocket, deciding to call Tarina.
If anyone has seen her blood test result, it’s her, and I know she will answer with honesty.
The phone rings for a couple minutes and I tap my foot impatiently. Sighing when I hear her chirpy voice.
“Little unexpected, Theo, what are you calling me for? I know it isn’t for a friendly chat.” She doesn’t even hide her shock. Besides going to the council, I never speak to her. Yet I know I can trust her.
“You know me too well. I’m actually calling about Imogen’s blood results.”
“Oh, your mother picked those up yesterday for you, I can check her file, though.”
“Yes, please, Tarina.” I hear her typing away on her computer, before she makes a weird noise and rapidly typing again.
“Her file has been deleted, completely wiped,” she murmurs. “Give me a sec, Theo. I’ll check the other computer.” I wait, but the same result.
“It’s gone, Theo. I think someone has tampered with her files and wiped them clean. Her name doesn’t even appear in the database at all.” My heart hammers when Tobias comes in the room. I hang up the phone, not even saying goodbye.
“What?” Tobias asks, alarmed.
“She said Mom took her physical file, yet when they checked her digital file, it was gone.”
“What would your mother want with it?” Tobias asks, his voice not hiding his anger.
“Call her now,” he hisses at me. His eyes change to that of his wolf. I dial her number, and it goes straight to voicemail. Fear shoots through the bond and it isn’t either of us. We have nothing to fear yet, but the feeling vanishes as quick as it appeared.
“I know you felt that,” I state staring at Tobias. He nods.
“Yes, but maybe, she startled herself. She feels calm again. Or maybe your mother is with her,” Tobias says, making me relax slightly.
The morning passes by quickly, I tried to call my mother a few times, I always getting voicemail.
I know if she is with Imogen, she will have no service.
So, I let it pass and know I’ll be able to ask Imogen for her results once we get home.
I know my mother would have told her, but nothing comes from the bond and after an hour of feeling nothing coming from Imogen, worry sets in.
I pull on my teether to our bond, pulling on the link that joins us, but when I felt nothing, I go into Tobias’s office.
“What, Theo?” I can tell from his tone it still pisses him off that my mother took her files. I’m nervous to ask him. Sensing my nervousness, he peers up, his eyes softening slightly.
“I’m sorry, I’m just stressed,” he says, running his hands through his hair. I watch him; God, I love this man no matter how infuriating he can be.
“I can help with the stress,” I say, my eyes darkening as my dick twitches in my pants.
“Tempting, but first, what’s wrong?” I completely forgot the reason I originally came in, suddenly feeling guilty for distracting myself.
“Can you feel her through the link?” His eyes glaze over, searching for her. The pull we always fight so hard against.
He stands abruptly, knocking over his chair, his beast enraged, flinging the table into the wall.
I step back. I know he wouldn’t hurt me, but I know his beast doesn’t enjoy coming up empty.
The fact he has come forward at all is proof enough of what Tobias finds.
His entire being shakes with anger, yet also panic.
The ringing of the phone that lay on the floor pulls him to his senses, distracting that primal side of him long enough for him to regain control of his emotions.
He stalks over, trying to pick up the phone, his claws impeding it, as they slash through the carpet.
I quickly go over, picking it up. “Hello?” My father’s worried voice comes through the phone.
“Have you spoken to your mother today?” That’s how I know something is definitely wrong. Something that includes not only my mother, but our mate. This is no coincidence.