CHAPTER 36
“ILIANA!”
“ANA!”
“You will die, Don—Dominik.”
“RAJ! SPARE THEM!”
“I will show them no mercy.”
“Jonah, please, help me.”
“ILIANA!!!!!!!!!!”
Iliana jerked awake from her sleep. She inhaled and exhaled as though she ran over a great distance. Her heart’s tempo was unlike any.
“What was that—” Iliana gasped at the sound was an instant knock on her door. She was overly sensitive at that moment she needed a few minutes to recover. She opened the door and the ray of sun that kissed her face blinded her. She lifted her hand to block the light and waited for her eyes to adjust.
“Are you alright?” The voice of Erik struck her ears.
“Erik, it’s you.”
“Yes. Did I come at a wrong time?”
“No. No…” Iliana dropped her hand. “I wasn’t just expecting…you.”
“Who were you looking forward to? Your man?”
Iliana nodded in response. “Come in.”
“Actually…” Erik held back. “I want to apologize for yesterday. I acted how you should see.”
“Erik, I understood your reasons. I have nothing against how you acted. You have a soul; you’re not made of stone.”
Erik smiled. “Come drink with me again, sometime.”
“I would love to but Erik…” Iliana was hesitant “…I can’t be seen around you as much as I am seen with Alexander. What will the people think?”
“You are correct. Then, we’ll have a drink when it’s possible?”
“Maybe.”
“Then, I’ll see you whenever?”
“Yes.”
“Bye.”
Iliana broke a fake smile before shutting the door. Erik on the other hand, felt warm inside. He claimed to have never felt this way in a very long while—since after the death of his parents.
“Erik.” The voice of Sophia resonated as she walked into sight.
“Sophia…”
“Carrying out your mission, I see.”
“We doing the same thing, Sophia.”
“Are we? I don’t remember myself getting drunk and passing out.” Sophia said.
Erik’s eyes lit up “How did you—”
“I saw everything. From when Rachel walked in, to you passing out on the counter and Rachel helping you to the couch. I saw it all.”
“You had nothing better to do?”
“Keeping an eye on Rachel that was and still is what I do. You’re getting carried away, Erik.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Not at all. I quite like it. In fact, continue this way. You are doing so well.”
Erik was confused but refused to push any further into the conversation. Although, Sophia sounded like she had am ulterior motive; like she had a side mission. Erik did not want to bother or disturb himself with anybody’s business.
“Okay. Bye, Sophie.”
“Still calling me that? We aren’t children anymore, Erik.”
Erik scoffed as he walked away. Sophia also walked away from the motel premises.
Iliana in her room, sat quietly thinking of the dream she had. Don? Dominik? She was curious to find out who he was in earlier days just for the sake of closure, but now it’s different. “Raj? Could it be Rajesh?” She pondered. “My name was called. Who’s Ana?” Iliana bit her finger. “Jonah. The Shadow pack’s Jonah?” The elusiveness of her dream disturbed her. There were no faces or pictures just voices and rainfall. “Jonah, why do you have to die?” Iliana thought that Jonah’s death has buried some important information, however, Rajesh was still alive. The problem was getting these information from him. “Alexander wouldn’t know who Ana or Dominik was. Neither would Sophia, David or Erik. Catherine. YES! Catherine should!” Iliana had Catherine as a lead to find out who those people were. She thought that Catherine might know the answers or close to the answer. Iliana prepared herself and was about to head out to search for Catherine. As she held the door knob, there was a knock on the door. She immediately opened the door and it was the person she tried to remember recently.
“It’s you!” She yelled in shock.
“What happened to me?” The masked man asked.
“Where have you been?”
“Away. I was sent on a mission.”
“I see. Well, come in.”
Iliana felt strangely in the presence of this man. A strange feeling she had completely forgotten. A strange feeling she gets when she with Alexander.
“So tell me, what has been going on? Fill me in.”
“Can we do this later, I have—actually, I have a question that I need answers to.” Iliana saw her advantage.
“What is it?”
“Are you familiar with Silver Creek history?”
“No. Why?”
Iliana sighed. “It’s the second time I’ve had this dream.”
“What was it about?”
“I don’t know. They were too…blurry; very elusive. All I heard were voices. One of the voices sounded like they were pleading, the other voices sounded like they rejected the plea and then my name came after. Now, there’s a Don, Raj, Ana and me. One of the voices cried: ‘Raj, spare them. I don’t know what it means.”
“Well, I am unfamiliar with Don or Ana but I can tell that Raj might be Rajesh, I don’t know. You have to find out from Rajesh himself.”
“I wanted to but I couldn’t find him or his lab. So I thought maybe Catherine would know—”
“Catherine…doesn’t know.”
“How would you know?”
“Trust me. Even if she did, she won’t tell you. There’s only one person allowed to talk about Silver Creek history and that’s Rajesh.”
“But I have to find out.” Iliana walked around the room with her arms folded and her head down.
“Why do you want to know?”
“BECAUSE—Because, I was mentioned in both dreams. My name was screamed. That is enough for my curiosity to be at it’s peak.” Iliana stood at a spot.
The masked man looked at her and sighed. “You have to talk to Rajesh about it, or…”
“Or what?”
“There is a library underneath the catacombs. Locked and sealed away from anyone; even the alphas. Rajesh has the key. I believe you might find out about the Silver Creek history. Get the key from Rajesh and find out about this Don or whoever. If you are caught, you will be seriously punished; which is why you should go with Alexander.”
“Oh.”
“I have heard from multiple rumors that there are certain secrets Rajesh stored in there. Only go for the books that may seem helpful. Do. Not. Go. For. Anything. Else.”
“Okay.”
“But first, you’ll have to get the key from Rajesh and back to him without him finding out. What’s your plan?”
“The plan is yet to be born. I need time.”
“Fine. Whatever you do, be safe. I should get going now.”
“Oh. Thank you.”
The masked man left. Iliana felt a rush upon knowing that beneath the catacombs, there are secrets of the Silver Creek. She was excited to embark on this mission she had given herself. Mission with Alexander, of course. While Iliana drowned herself in her plan making, a loud ping rang out of her phone. She was reluctant to pick the phone but she did. It was a text from an unknown number. She opened it…
“Damian is in critical condition. He was attacked and severely injured.” -Frida, 11:45am.