CHAPTER 30

“What do you mean he passed away?” Alexander asked in his perplexity.

“He died. I was told yesterday. Poor boy’s got no family but me and now he’s gone. I’m all alone.” The old man expressed his sorrows.

“I see. I sympathize with you, Hubert. You are not alone; you are in the Silver Creek, everybody is your family here. We’ll look after you.” Alexander assured Hubert before walking away with Iliana.

“Alexander, Hubert’s not a werewolf?” Iliana asked.

“He is not, but Pedro is. Pedro is a hybrid werewolf. Not an inbred hybrid. He was part of an experiment when we were younger. There was nothing I could do at that time.”

“Why was he used as an experiment?”

“He was an orphan. Rajesh took him in but as a lab tool.”

“I see.”

“His processes was shut down by other alphas but it was too late for him; the process was already complete. What I can’t understand is why he died. Come, let’s go see Rajesh.”

As Iliana walked beside Alexander, she felt an ominous presence; a malicious eye watching her. It was the same as in the past. She shrugged it off but couldn’t help but stay on guard.

The malicious stare lingered even after the entered the forest to the cabin. It was discomforting. She tried to shrug it off but couldn’t.

“Alexander…”

“I know. I’m here with you; they wouldn’t dare come near you.”

Iliana felt safe as Alexander said this words. It was assuring.

They arrived at the cabin, and just as they expected, Rajesh was there. He was behind the counter slurping on multiple bottles of alcohol. His great tolerance has become his excuse to drink as much as he wants without getting drunk. There were more than 3 empty bottles of wine and whiskey while he just emptied the fourth.

“Rachel…” He perceived Iliana. “I was not expecting you.”

“Rajesh, we need to talk.” Alexander said.

Rajesh scoffed. “Talk about what? You were gone for two weeks and now you want to talk? Perhaps you should talk to me at my house in the middle of the night. Scream my name, I need that popularity.”

“What happened to Pedro?”

“Ah, Pedro, we’ll miss him. Don’t worry, he’ll be replaced.”

“What…did you do to him?” Alexander’s voice changed. It took a deeper tone filled with rage and underlying anguish.

“Alexander, come have a drink with me. Let’s talk.”

Alexander only thought about attacking Rajesh at that moment. He was fueled with too much rage but he had his first sense for reasoning.

“Start talking.”

“Rachel, would you like a drink?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Iliana said. She found herself a seat on the couch near the counter.

“Rajesh, talk.”

“What can I say? Pedro went on a rampage and suddenly I heard about his death. You weren’t there, you wouldn’t know.” Rajesh left the counter. “You thought I killed him?” Rajesh scoffed. “I have better things to get rid of than an orphan. I don’t want my hands dirty.” Rajesh walked closer to Alexander. “Or maybe…you, Alexander, are the murder.”

“Don’t you dar—”

“Why did you disappear the moment we lose one of our own? And what’s worse? You…were the last person he attacked. Am I wrong?”

“Alexander did not do it.” Iliana entered walking to stand by Alexander. “He was a victim of the attack. He was brutally injured.”

“Is that what he made you believe, Rachel? Poor girl.” Rajesh shook his head in disapproval.

“What do you mean? I treated his wounds.”

“Sure, you did.”

Alexander was quiet. Restraining himself from any further speeches. Iliana could feel Alexander’s aura changing becoming too…blood lustful.

“Rachel, let’s go.” Alexander said as he planned to leave.

“Wait…” Rajesh stopped him. “What about what you said you will have under control?”

Iliana noticed Alexander tighten his fist. “There is…” Rachel intervened “There is a core, and it is unstable and power is leaking out of it because there may be a crack. The core hasn’t been found yet.”

“What a team you two are.” Rajesh said as he made his way back to the counter to continue his drinking. “The clock’s ticking, Alexander Robinson. Time is not on our side.” Rajesh scoffed as he doused himself in more rounds of alcohol.

Alexander and Iliana left the cabin in silence. Alexander seemed slower in his pace. It had Iliana bothered and curious. Should she as? Should she not ask? She wasn’t sure. For some reason, she could sense something from Alexander. Something she could explain but without words.

“Don’t worry, Rachel. I’m fine.” Alexander said noticing her worried glances at him. “Let’s take you home. It is getting late.”

Iliana nodded as they both walked to the motel. They arrived at the motel and the night was starting to reveal itself.

“Sorry I spoke when I was not supposed to.”

“Well, I’d say you’re my hero. You defended me.”

“Obviously, you knew your way out. You were just too infuriated to think of them. Now, I see why you get mad at Rajesh.”

“Forget him. Rachel…” Alexander looked into her eyes. “Your plan to keep pretend will soon come to an end, you’ll have to decide if you want to be an actual member of the or not. If we go further into this and you are found out, it won’t be well for the both of us. When you decide, I’m always here to listen to your decision.”

Iliana let out a tiny smile and nodded.

“I’ll be on my way.” Alexander said as he was about to leave.

“Wait…” Iliana remembered something; rather, someone. She remembers talking to the person but does not remember their face or anything. She shrugged it off. “Never mind. Goodnight, Alexander.”

“Good night, Rachel.” Alexander walked away.

Iliana walked into her room and the memory of this certain person came back. She could not remember who the person was. She knows this person yet could not remember them. She shrugged it off once again. Meanwhile, Iliana’s escape plan resurfaced as the werewolf that attacked Stuart and Samuel is supposedly dead. Perhaps it was a good chance to try her luck. He thought about leaving that night but she was stuck between two paths:

Going back to the Shadow pack and telling them all that has happened but get hunted down by the Silver Creek leading to a battle that could shake the foundations of the entire werewolves,

Or…

Stay in the Silver Creek as Alexander’s partner while still gathering useful information about Silver Creek and it’s secret but still potentially put the Shadow pack and entire werewolves in danger and cause an inevitable war.

Either way, there was an inescapable danger ahead.