Chapter 60: Heed The Signs

Chapter 60: Heed The Signs
On the way, I slowly felt weak. This was why everyone wanted me to stay away. I could bring chaos to Elwood. Tears blurred my eyes. I tried to wipe them away. I almost lost control of the steering wheel when I saw a person blocking my way. I cursed and stepped hard on the brake.

My head almost hit the steering wheel. I took a deep breath and waited a few seconds to calm down. When I looked outside again, my body turned cold. He was standing there with a light smile on his lips. I never thought I would see him again. The outsider.

I did not know what to do, so I stayed inside the car. It felt like deja vu. It was almost the same as the first time we met. He walked closer. I knew he would not hurt me. I could see it in his eyes. It felt like he knew me, not just as the alpha’s mate.

He knocked on the driver’s window. I held the steering wheel tightly. What was he doing here? He should not be here.

Because of fear and frustration, I opened the car door and stepped out. He stepped back a little. When I stood in front of him, he smiled. It was strange, but it looked sincere.

“Long time no see,” he said. “You looked surprised.”

“You should not be here,” I said. How could he even smile at a time like this? “This place is dangerous,” I added.

“Why not?” he asked calmly. “This land does not scare me.”

There was no fear on his face. Maybe he was more dangerous than I thought. I stepped back.

“I have to go. I should not be talking to you.”

I was about to return to the car when he grabbed my arm. I flinched and moved away. It felt like I was shocked.

“You have gotten too close to him. You’re standing where you shouldn’t stand.”

His voice turned serious as he stared at me. He did not like what he knew.

“What are you talking about—”

I stopped when I saw the necklace he was wearing. A bullet was hanging from it. It was the same as mine. I looked at his face. My mouth went dry and my breathing stopped.

“Who are you? Why do you have that?” I asked.

“Cosette, I am your ally. I always have been.”

I shook my head. That was impossible. He could not be connected to my family.

“I am here to warn you.”

“I do not know what you are talking about. You picked a wrong person.”

“Cosette, all of this is connected to you. Whether you like it or not. They can destroy this town. They already started.”

“Stop messing with me,” I snapped. “I do not even know you. You expect me to believe this?”

For a moment, pain showed in his eyes, then it was gone.

“You do not belong here, Cosette. The sooner you realize it, the better. This place will bleed because of you.”

He smiled lightly.

“Maybe this is not the right time. When you are ready to face the truth, you know where to find me.”

He walked away. I felt that even he was unsure about letting me go. Why was he so worried?

I wanted answers. I wanted to talk to him but I was afraid he would get hurt because of me.

I kept looking at the side mirror while driving back to the mansion. He stood there openly. He did not look afraid, only worried as he let me leave.

When I entered the mansion grounds and looked again, he was gone. I did not know if I should feel relieved or more afraid. How could someone like him walk freely in Elwood?

The mansion was empty when I arrived. Miss Farrah and Aunt Neela were still at the ancestral house. They would return later. I went upstairs and saw Noir. He wrapped himself around my feet, and I gently pushed him away.

I rushed to my room and searched my drawer. I found what I was looking for and felt nervous. What if my suspicions were true?

I opened the black box. Inside was a bullet.

I took the other bullet from my pocket. It was wrapped in cloth stained with blood. I secretly took it earlier from the medical tray at the gym. I compared the two bullets. They were the same. Both were gold. Mine had words engraved. The other had a single letter at the base. Z.

I sat on the bed. The bullets looked like they came from the same source. The outsider’s words echoed in my mind.

You do not belong here. The sooner you realize it, the better.

Were they behind everything? Should I tell Aslan what I found?

A meeting was held after the incident. It happened at the mansion, and I saw everything. I saw Aslan’s anger and how he became a frightening leader again.

“They crossed the border,” someone said.

“They knew the routes,” another added.

“They will pay for this.”

I listened quietly from the stairs. I did not want him to know I was there. When protecting this town, Aslan could be cruel.

“Hunt them down. Kill them. I do not want any human hunter alive in my territory,” Aslan said.

I leaned against the wall, holding my chest as pain spread inside me.

“What about the outsiders? Anyone who helped them?” someone asked.

“Kill them too. No exceptions,” Aslan replied. “If Cosette asks, just say nothing. She doesn’t need to know.”

What about me, Aslan? Can you really keep me if our worlds collide like this?