Chapter 44 ~Unknown Caller~
(Xander's POV)
Jackson's eyes widened to almost two times their original size.
“Did I stutter?” I tugged at his shirt. “Better start talking, motherfucker.”
I could hear Nova's voice yelling in the background. “Leave my brother the fuck alone, Xander.”
Luna Jacqueline’s mouth hung open, and then she turned to my father. I could see her from the corners of my eyes. “Fix this.”
My father walked up to where I was about to beat the shit out of Jackson. “Xander! Leave the damn boy alone. I'm sure there's a calmer way to solve this.”
My breathing quickened, sharp and uneven with anger as I continued to glare at Jackson.
Slowly, I released my grip, but not without giving him a final shove.
“Is what Xander said true?” Alpha Varon spoke to Jackson. “Where's the girl?”
Jackson was panting softly. “I dropped her off at her parents because she had been distressed that ‘somebody’ was cheating on her.”
He glared pointedly at me when he said, ‘somebody’. I scoffed.
“Then where the fuck is she?” Nova asked and Jackson looked at me.
“Ask him.” He spat out.
I didn’t fully believe he had nothing to do with Fiona’s disappearance and I voiced this out. “I'm going out to look for her, and if I find out you had a hand in this—you're gone.”
I was about to storm out when Calvin placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Hey, Alpha, it's late. We can find her tomorrow.”
You think I give a shit about whether or not it's late? I don't know where Fiona is!
“Not a chance.” I said, ready to leave.
"At least let me come along.”
Yara spoke. “Me too.”
“Whoa—no.” Calvin exclaimed. “Stay back.”
She looked about to protest, but Calvin shook his head. “In case she comes back. Be around, okay?”
Alpha Varon spoke up. “Despite your display of uncouth behavior, I'll release a search party to accompany you.”
Nova rolled her eyes and yawned, seeming to be bored, or maybe just uninterested. “Anyway, I'm going to sleep. Have fun searching.”
“That's such an insensitive thing to say.” Yara snapped back at Nova.
“Who gives a shit?” Nova scoffed. “You people shouldn't be here anyway, but my father took you in. And now Xander is attempting to physically assault my brother. For what? His stupid mate!”
I moved towards Nova, but Calvin held me back.
“Calvin, leave me alone.” I seethed.
“Oh, what? You wanna punch me too now, huh, Xander?” Nova's eyes were flashing now. “As if you've not done enough.”
“Nova, you are such a fool.” Yara stepped towards her.
But Nova's eyes were clearly on me. “You went to find the most vanilla piece of shit out there was to replace me. That's a total downgrade Xander, you should be ashamed of yourself. Talking ‘bout she's lost! Heck, get lost too.”
“Nova!” Calvin barked at her.
“No, leave her. Let her spew all the shit she has to say.” I laughed darkly. “But bear in mind that Fiona is ten times the person you are.”
“Oh, please.” Nova rolled her eyes. “She could never be half of me if she tried. Heck, the bitch can't even shift! Who knows what she is, because she's clearly not a werewolf.”
Yara, who was close to Nova, spoke to her. “Hey, listen fool, there might be men here who can't touch you, but trust me, one wrong word from you, and I'll scratch your eyes out.”
“Oh, look. It's ‘dumber’.” Nova smirked.
Yara raised her hands to give Nova what would have been the most satisfying slap, but was stopped by Luna Jacqueline, who gripped her hand tightly.
“Hey! Watch it, girl.” Luna Jacqueline spoke through her teeth and Yara glared at her.
“Enough!” Alpha Varon exclaimed. “Have you all gone mad?”
Nova turned to her father. “Dad, this is all your fault. You brought in these people here!”
Jackson tugged at his sister's hands, and they walked inside. “Come on, Nova. Let's go.”
Before they left, Nova looked at her father. “Fix this mess, dad. I'm not dealing with this shit… not after all I've been through.”
And to me, she said. “I hope she never comes back.”
Then they both left.
I could see my father was about to start one of his sermons.
I wasn't having it. “Come on, Calvin. I'm out of here.”
–-----
We'd been searching around the woods for hours now, and yet there was no sign of Fiona whatsoever.
“What really happened?” Calvin asked finally. “Was what Jackson said true? Did you cheat on the Luna?”
I took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth. “Yes. Dakota and I… we kissed.”
Calvin stopped mid-walk. “Damn!”
“But if it helps, she kissed me first.” I shrugged.
Calvin turned to me. “No. No, it doesn't help.”
“But it was bound to happen,” Calvin continued. “She's back, you know. And she's probably hurt. When Dakota comes, she comes to collect.”
Calvin was right.
“I've put her in her place, though.” I said.
Calvin didn't look so convinced. “I hope so. You both were quite an item, and it's just sad that Luna Fiona is the one caught up in all this mess.”
“It wasn't my plan, but I guess that's just how things turned out.” I gave a small, sad laugh. “You know, I feel responsible for her going missing.”
“How so?” Calvin asked.
“If she didn't see us kissing, get upset and decide to go home… she'd have most likely been safe now.”
Calvin shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know where she is or who took her, so…”
I could only pray she wasn't in danger.
No mindlink.
No communication.
Nothing!
We'd walked deep into the woods by now and we were exhausted.
It was probably midnight by now.
And Fiona was not in sight.
“Listen, I think we should go back to Nightfang or maybe stay at a hotel or something. Tomorrow we can continue the search.”
“I can't sleep knowing that Fiona might be in danger, Calvin.”
“I get that. But it's late and there's no sight of her.”
Reluctantly, I agreed. But I wasn't going back to Nightfang, not today at least.
“Let's go find a hotel, come on.”
As we returned to where we parked the car, my phone began vibrating in my pocket.
Who was calling me by this time?
“Who's that?” Calvin asked.
“I don't know.” I retrieved my phone and stared at the unknown number.
I picked the call.
“Is this Mr. Alexander Grayson?” An unfamiliar voice called out.
“Yes… yes it is.”
My heart was already beating rapidly as I imagined the worst.
No… please let it not be Fiona.
“Come down to Royal Haven Medical Centre, there's been an emergency.” this voice said simply and urgently.