Chapter 28 Chaos meets pain
ARLENE
“Thank you,” I muttered and paid the cab driver before getting out of the cab.
I was back in my Pack to find the book that the janitor had talked about. I would never give up on my search, and soon, these people would be exposed.
I swung my head around, searching for the janitor when the cab drove away.
I turned around and headed in the direction of the bar where we had met. When I got there, I rang the bell and waited for the girl to answer the door.
Soon, feet shuffled to the door of the bar, and she pulled the door, then looked up and stared at me with red, watery eyes.
“Hello, welcome to the Century Bar," she said and moved out of the way. Her voice sounded weaker and seemed to have no life in it.
I wanted to ask her what the matter was, but stopped and walked in instead.
My heart clenched when I looked over at the table beside the window and found it empty. I glanced at the wristwatch strapped around my wrist, then back at the table.
This was unlike him. The janitor was punctual at all his meetings.
I looked at the door, then sighed and walked over to the table. I sank into one of the seats then stared at the empty one across me, his story echoing in my head.
For someone that hurt and determined, he should have been here a long time ago, or did something…
“Stop with the negative thoughts," I scolded myself and shook my head, sighing loudly.
“He will be here soon, I'm sure," I whispered to myself.
Fifteen minutes passed, and soon, it turned out to be thirty minutes and was slowly heading toward an hour.
I sighed and glanced at my wristwatch, filled with impatience.
I had to lie to get out of that Pack. I told Miles's stepmother that I would be back in two hours. It took almost an hour to get to my pack.
I sighed loudly and stood up, then paced around the window.
“Do you need anything?" The little girl asked as she approached me.
I glanced at her and shook my head, then turned back towards the window.
“Are you waiting for someone then?" She probed further.
I looked at her again and pulled off my shades. Her eyes widened, and she gasped loudly, but a finger over my lips silenced her.
She bit her lips and trudged closer, constantly glancing back at the counter as she got closer.
“You are Princess Adriana? Why did you come here?" She asked, grinning.
My heart gave a wild leap, and pain shot through my throat.
“Adriana?" I whispered in a breaking voice, my lips parting and slamming shut.
“I … I am not princess Adriana,” I muttered, trying so hard to stop the little girl from noticing the pain in my voice.
She shot her head back and her brows raised.
"Then, you must be Princess Arlene, am I wrong?” She questioned, and I nodded my head.
"Yes, I am Arlene.”
She gasped and gripped my hand, taking me by surprise.
“Then, are you here to see your sister?" She asked, and my brows raised.
"No, I…" I stopped talking and grabbed her hand when I noticed the scars on it.
“What happened to you? Who did this?" I whispered in horror and bent down to her level.
The happiness in her eyes vanished, and her face fell.
“Tell me the truth, who did this?" I asked, shaking her.
She looked up at me again, tears gathering in her eyes.
“Are the people here hurting you?" I questioned.
Her lips trembled, and her face heated up, a wave of fear in her eyes.
I was sure the girl was going through some kind of physical abuse in there, and I would make whoever did this to her pay.
“Is it…”
"Kate!” a man's voice thundered in the bar.
She gasped and snatched her hands from my grip, then bolted away from me.
I knelt on the ground, staring at the door she had rushed into, while anger bubbled in me.
“Bastard!" I cursed and wore my shades, then straightened up.
As I began to march towards the counter, the exit door burst open and a boy rushed in.
“Sir! Sir!" He called, panting loudly.
I paused and turned to look at the boy.
A huge man marched out from the door the girl had entered, and my eyes darkened in anger.
“What?" He groused in anger.
“The janitor! He is dead!" The boy howled, and my blood froze.
My head swirled and I gasped loudly, then staggered back.
“What…what did you say? Who died?” I asked in a trembling voice.
The boy looked at me and ran his eyes over my body, his brows raised.
“The janitor! Do you know him?" The boy snapped.
I gasped in horror and staggered back, gripping the counter for support as the boy's words echoed in my head.
How was that possible? How was that…
“No, no, it's not true, he can't die like that!" I blurted out.
The boy stopped speaking, and they looked at me in confusion.
“Ah! You were the one with him the last time? Did you come to see him again? Are you sure he didn't die because of you?" The man asked, and rage coursed through me.
"Shut your mouth, you child beater!” I growled loudly and lurched towards him, showing off my fangs.
The man staggered back and gasped in fear as my glasses fell off.
I spun around without thinking twice and grabbed the hand of the little girl who was hiding behind him.
“Hey!" The man growled, but I didn't even spare him a glance as I raced for the door with the girl.
“You know where the janitor lives, right?" I asked her when we ran out.
“Yes!" She chirped and ran off, waving for me to run after her.
I followed her, not minding the stares I was receiving from people who recognized me.
We ran into a lonely lane and followed that path until we reached a house. Unlike the path, the house was flooded with people and sad faces.
I paused and tried to catch my breath while staring at the house with tears in my eyes.
I hoped it wasn't true all the way to this place, but looking at the expressions, I feared it was true.
“Miss, you will take me with you when you leave, right?" The girl asked as she tugged on my arm.
I raised my head and wiped the tears on my cheeks, then nodded my head.
“Yes," I whispered and straightened up. I grabbed her hand and walked gingerly to the house, my heart racing.
The people who saw me moved out of the way while whispering amongst themselves.
I paused and let go of the girl's hand, then entrusted her to one of the women standing there before continuing my walk to the house.
My trembling hand stretched and pushed the door that was hanging loosely to a nut, then stepped into the slightly dark room.
My chest tightened, and pain washed over me when I saw the old man lying on the ground, covered in cold blood.
His skin was as pale as that of a ghost, and in his hand was a pendant.
I moved forward towards his dead body to be sure, but one of the men in the room stopped me.
“You have to step back until the Lycan kings arrive, my lady," he muttered, but I didn't listen.
I could have turned around and walked away to avoid meeting my brothers, but I couldn't.
“I need…I need to get the pendant…I need…”
"You can't!”
I growled loudly and tore out of the hold, then reached for the pendant.
Before the men could grab me, I had it in my hand already.
"Let go! Let go!" I screamed and tried to fight them off as they dragged me away from him.
I needed to know where those bastards were. They were the ones who did this to him! I was sure of it!
"Adriana, stop!” A familiar voice thundered in the room, and I froze.
Tears dropped from my eyes, and I quieted down.
"I am not Adriana, brother,” I whispered to Alpha Killian and raised my eyes, my gaze meeting the mark on the wall.
They were the ones. The man was right, they were watching.
“Arlene, what are you doing here…”
My head swirled, and my wobbly legs gave way to the ground. I fell into the arms of one of my brothers before darkness engulfed me.