Chapter Seven
Laura's Pov
I wake up to the sound of Linda's giggles coming from the kitchen. A part of me wants to crawl back under the covers and sleep away the exhaustion that gnawed at my bones, but I forced myself to my feet.
If my five-year-old little bundle of energy was in the kitchen, it could only mean one thing.
That the kitchen floor was covered with flour or completely filled with popcorn and milkshake.
I freshen up in the en suite bathroom, change out of my party clothes into a boring big hoodie before making my way down the stairs.
"Mummy!" Linda squealed, rushing forward, wrapping her small arms around my leg in a big hug.
My kitchen, thankfully, was not in utter chaos, although most of the cereal and milk were spilled on the table instead of the bowl beside it. I shook my head.
Alexander sits on the counter, sipping his morning tea.
He stayed through the night.
The events of last night wash over me and my cheeks go red in embarrassment, remembering how I had pulled him on top of me. I turn away quickly, pouring out the cereal properly for Linda instead.
Then my mind went back to the more disturbing details of last night.
Vampires.
My best friend abducted and flown into the night. Lucien himself.
The air suddenly felt cold, despite the hoodie.
I spot Alexander jump down the counter from the corner of my eyes. My breathing quickens slightly. "Why don't you go eat breakfast? Mommy will be with you in a bit," I say, pouring some water into the bowl.
I hand Linda the bowl, kissing her forehead, watching as she bounds off, just as Alexander comes to stand beside me.
"Look, about last night..." I began. My fingers traced the hem of my hoodie nervously.
He gave a chuckle, leaning in. "You don't have to speak of it, Laura. Let it be our secret," he said, patting my head with his tattooed hand.
Shaking his hand off, I glared at him. Of course, I nearly forgot how annoying he could be. He smirked, turning around and running the sink, placing his cup under it.
"I'm out," he announced. I didn't need to ask where. Alexander came and went, sometimes staying back to babysit Linda while I attended to pack issues. He came just for her most times.
I watched him as he made his way to the back exit in the kitchen. He was almost out when I called after him. "What about Kayla?"
He paused, his fingers stilled over the door knob.
I crossed the room to meet him. "The vampires got her. We have to rescue her before something worse happens."
Alexander let out a sigh. "And that's exactly what they want you to do. They're not here for her, Laura, they're here for you."
He stepped out, shutting the door behind him.
My eyes lock on the spot where he was a moment ago. How could he? I thought, clenching my fist. Anger whelmed up in the pit of my stomach.
So he expected me to just sit around and do nothing?
The proposal was inconceivable.
Turning around, I stormed upstairs, into my room, shuffling through my shelf for my armor.
I was the alpha king.
And above that, I was Kayla's best friend.
I gritted my teeth. Kayla went to that party because of me, all to make sure that I stepped out for my twenty-third birthday.
I was the target, not her.
If anything happened to her, it would be my fault and the goddess help me, I was going to hunt down every last vampire if they as much as touched her.
I fastened on the armor, a slick polished metal that coated my skin, framing my figure closely. I let my hair loose, the brown curls stopping just above my shoulders. Reaching for my phone on the desk, I called my beta.
"We have a situation. I'll be at the pack house in ten minutes. Call a meeting. Meet me there."
"Yes, alpha king," Reina's reply came through immediately. I was about to end the line when I remembered I still had Linda to take care of.
The meeting would be important and I couldn't take her along. "Tell Tessa to report here," I said. "She'll be looking after Linda."
Reina replied in the affirmative and I slipped the phone between my customized belt before stepping out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Linda asked in her little singing voice, glancing up from her cereal as I crossed the parlour to the front door.
"Something terrible happened," I said, ruffling her straight hair, darker than mine.
She looked nothing like me, a fact I was constantly aware of. Her golden eyes constantly reminded me of Lucien. I loved her, dearly, but Lucien's image brought back bad memories.
Pushing his image out of my head, I straightened up. "Aunt Kayla is in trouble. Mommy has to go rescue her."
"Like a superhero!" Linda threw her hands into the air with a big smile.
I chuckled. "Yeah, just like that."
Stepping outside, a motorcycle sped into view, parking expertly in front of the veranda. Tessa took off her helmet, hopping down the bike.
"Alpha king," she bowed.
"Thanks for making it at such short notice." I sigh in relief, handing her the keys. "Make sure Linda doesn't take too much sweets. Her sugar level spikes up and her claws shoot out in her sleep." I inform her briskly, placing the keys into her hand.
Tessa nodded. She was a member of my inner circle and concurrently, one of my trusted warriors.
After she walked in, I entered the car, driving off to the pack house.
A tall building beside the national park. It was at least three floors high, a wolf head carved at the highest point of the roof. A gazebo stretched beside the building, where young wolves practiced, training with sticks.
Mira, the pack instructor stood straight, her staff locking beside her. She saluted me as I walked past, her students immediately following suit.
Reina stood at the entrance as promised. Her lips thinned into a line upon seeing my serious expression.
"I called the meeting in your office," she informed, keeping up with me as I marched ahead. Very few people were present on the ground floor. We took the lift, making our way straight to the topmost floor where my office was on the second door by the right.
Reina stood guard by the door. Inside, my three trusted warriors, Piper, Ajax and Txunamy, were present, a team that formed my inner circle along with Reina and Tessa.
The girls were strapped in armor, standing at attention surrounding the center table with neutral expressions.
"There was an attack at the outskirts of town. Kayla was kidnapped," I say them, getting straight to the point. The sooner we made a plan, the faster I stormed into the vampires' lair with my army and put an end to them.
"A masked party." The words rolled out of my tongue with distaste. I sat down on the swivel chair, crossing my legs.
Anger flickered below the surface of my eyes. Anger that I had been outsmarted and ambushed.
It might not have been a masked party at all. But a cleverly designed trap.
"Ajax, I need you to find out everything about the person who owns the place and hosted the party. Kayla was invited. Things may not be as they seem."
"Yes, alpha king!"
I was about to issue out more commands when the door bursted open and Mira stood at the entrance, her chest heaving, expression unreadable.
"Alpha king. There's someone here to see you. I tried to stop him but..."
She trailed off, just as a man appeared at the doorway. He took off his hood revealing piercing gold eyes, dark hair falling across his face in waves. I would have recognized him even in my dreams.
My hands curled into fists under the table.
Lucien.
"What are you doing here?" I spat.
"Isn't this the part where you thank me for saving your life?" He raised an eyebrow, walking in, instantly filling the room with his presence.
I met his stare, hatred shimmering just below the surface. "I would have handled it," I said slowly, my voice measured.
"Sure." He scoffed. His eyes glancing across the room, stopping on the group of girls present for a brief moment, then returning back to me. "I want to meet with the alpha king."
"You're gonna need an appointment," I shot back without missing a beat, rising to my feet.
He stopped moving, his nostrils flared. He hated being out of control. I could see it in every twitch of his muscles.
"It's about the vampires," he gritted his teeth.
I held his gaze for what felt like forever, the fire crackling between us. The tension was enough to cut through with a knife. He met my stare with the same intensity. A minute ticked by, us locked in a contest of wills.
Then finally, "Leave us, girls."