Chapter 35 FATHER'S SECRET

Chapter 35 FATHER'S SECRET
Joyce's POV

I stared at the photo of Elias. Blood covered half his face, and one eye was swollen completely shut.

"We have to save him," I said.

Dalton put the photo face down on his desk. "We are not trading that collar for anyone."

"This is a trap."

"Or he might be dying because he helped us." I grabbed Dalton's good arm.

"And if we give Vane the collar, he will use it to destroy every pack in the country." Dalton frowned. "I cannot risk that."

Victoria crossed her arms. "We need more information. Your father knows something he is not telling us."

Dalton looked at Marcus. "Get my father here. Now."

Twenty minutes later, Former Alpha Grey walked into the office. 

“Son, my bones are not as strong as they were. Why have you dragged me out?”

"The Moonstone Collar, tell me everything."

Grey's face went pale. "I told you not to open that case."

"I did not open it. But Vane has Elias, and he wants the collar in exchange."

"Let Elias die."

The words struck me. I stepped forward. "How can you say that?"

"Because I know what that collar can do. I have seen it." Grey walked to the window and stared out at the forest. "My father stole it from the Hunters during the Great Pack Wars. Sixty years ago. He thought he was protecting the packs."

"What does it do exactly?" Victoria asked.

"It breaks the mate bond, permanently. And it kills the wolf spirit in both mates." Grey turned back to face us. "Once you put it on, you stop being werewolf. You become human."

I felt sick. "That is what they want to use on us? But why are they just asking for it now?"

"I guess they just found out about it."

Dalton sat down heavily in his chair. "Why did you keep it? Why not destroy it?"

"Because the council would not let me. They said it was pack history. A trophy from the war." Grey's voice was bitter. "I argued for years. But they overruled me every time… And what the guard brought isn’t the collar. I lied about its whereabout."

"So where is it now?" I paced in the room.

Grey looked at Dalton. "Follow me."

We went down to the basement. Past the vault where the case the guard brought before was found. Then Grey stopped at a blank wall and pressed his hand against the stone.  

A section of the wall swung inward.

The room was cold. A single pedestal stood in the centre with a glass case on top. Inside the case lay a silver necklace.

It was beautiful and made of delicate chains woven together with moonstone beads. 

But standing near felt wrong.

"The Moonstone Collar was forged by humans who hated werewolves. It took them ten years to make it."

Dalton reached toward the glass, and Grey grabbed his wrist. "Do not touch it. Even by touching the case, you will feel it trying to break your bond."

"How does it work?" Victoria asked.

"You put it on the female mate, the bond shatters within minutes, and within an hour, both mates lose their wolves." 

I wrapped my arms around my chest.

"We cannot give this to Vane," Dalton said.

"No. You cannot." Grey headed for the door. "Let Elias die. It is the only choice."

After he left, the three of us stood in silence. 

"We can find another way," I said.

"There is not." Dalton took my hand. "I know you want to save him, but we cannot risk this."

"So we just let him die?"

"If we have to. Yes."

I pulled my hand away. "When did you become so cold?"

"I am not cold. I am being a leader." Dalton's voice was rough. "Pack members died today, Joyce. I will not let more die because I made an emotional decision."

"Elias saved our lives with his information. We would not have known about the attack if he had not warned us."

"Or he set up the attack and played hero to gain our trust."

I wanted to hit him. "You do not believe that."

"I do not know what I believe." Dalton walked out of the room, and I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway.

Victoria put a hand on my shoulder. "He is scared, and when alphas get scared, they get controlling."

"I am scared too. But I am not ready to let someone die."

We went back upstairs. The pack council was gathering in the main hall. 

Dalton stood at the front with his injured shoulder wrapped in fresh bandages. "The Hunters want to trade Elias for the Moonstone Collar. We need to vote."

Taylor spoke first. "We cannot give them the collar. The risk is too high."

"Elias helped us," Solomon said. "We can’t forsake him."

"He might be a spy."

The arguing started. 

"Enough." Dalton command. "We vote now. All in favour of the trade."

Three hands went up.

"All against."

Five hands. Taylor's went up first.

"The vote is decided. We do not trade." Dalton looked at me. "I am sorry."

I left the hall. Walked straight to my room and locked the door. 

I paced the room for an hour. The house got quiet as people went to bed. I waited until the hallway outside my door was silent.

Then I went downstairs. The basement was empty. I pressed the stone that opens the hidden room.

I stood in front of the glass case and looked at the collar. 

I lifted the case’s lid. My fingers went numb as I picked up the collar.

I shoved it into my jacket pocket and walked out.

The front door creaked as I opened it. I held my breath, but no one came. The night air was freezing, and my breath made white clouds.

I had memorised the address from the note. An old lumber mill on the east side of town.