Chapter 17 Chapter 17
I screamed and was frozen in shock when a huge masculine figure in a cloak appeared in front of Kim and picked the paper that had fallen.
I ran to the door of the passageway I had come from, surprised that it was now locked. I glanced back and noticed the man grab the bag from Kim before shooting her again in her head.
I didn't look back and started running in the direction of the normal route, running faster than I had ever run, not paying attention to anything else.
It felt like it took forever till I finally arrived at the pack house, burst in through the gates and ran to the door, banging it really hard.
"Hey!" the guard, who I only noticed had been running after me since I ran into the compound, said. "Why are you out here?"
"Please open the door." I continued banging the door till it was opened from the inside. I dropped to the floor, panting.
"What's wrong?" The guard inside asked.
"Kim! Kim, she was shot. Someone was shot right in front of me. Kim was shot. I witnessed murder right before my eyes!" I didn't realize I was hollering till Mason ran to meet me in the living room.
"Why are you screaming?" He spat? "And what the heck happened to you?"
I couldn't speak again, my breath was stuck in my chest, if that made any sense.
"Speak!" He demanded.
"She said Kim was murdered in her presence." The guard explained.
"What the hell? Where were you?" He glared at me.
"What's with the noise?" Vladimir said as he strolled down the stairs.
"Why did you mind-link me to come downstairs?" Alpha Keegan also strolled downstairs, glaring at Mason. "Whoa, what's wrong with her?" He stopped in front of me.
"She said she witnessed Kim being murdered." The guard reiterated.
"Kim?" Vladimir asked rhetorically. "Where? How?"
"At the Mike Stone garden." I still panted as tears rolled down my face.
"Why were you there at such a late hour in the night?" Alpha Keegan's forehead creased.
"I don't know... I... We... She had said she had something to tell me and I should go alone, but when I arrived, she was searching for something and was shot, right in my presence. A man in a cloak appeared in front of me with a gun in his hand and took Kim's bag away."
"Why did you go to her? Don't you know she's a traitor?" Vladimir frowned at me for the first time.
"Did she hurt you?" Alpha Keegan crouched beside me, his jaw and fists clenched.
"No," I shook my head, "but she was murdered." I cried and subconsciously rested my head on his chest to sob.
"Don't hug me!" he growled and pushed me away, standing up straight.
"It's fine. We'll investigate this." Vladimir pulled me by my arm and into his warm embrace.
I returned the hug, sobbing in his chest.
~ KEEGAN ~
My blood boiled from the fact that my omega was almost hurt and why she was letting Vladimir hug her. It wasn't my fault that I had a long-term hatred towards hugging.
"Why did you go to her alone?" I asked her again, keeping my clenched fists behind my back.
"Sh-she said she has a deep secret to tell me that'll save our pack from danger." She sobbed in Vladimir's chest.
"What secret?" He pulled away from her, an emotion I couldn't define danced in his golden eyes.
"I" her sobbing interrupted me.
"What did she tell you?!" He demanded, shaking her shoulder a bit with his eyes widening a bit.
"Alpha Vladimir, she's still in shock." Mason stepped in between them. "Please let her rest then we can interrogate her tomorrow."
"Take her to her room." I ordered Mason who nodded and held the Omega to lead her to her room. "Do you perhaps know anything about what Kim had to say?" I lifted a brow at Vladimir.
"How am I supposed to know that?" He frowned.
"I don't know. Why did you seem worried about it?"
"Because she mentioned that our packs could be in danger. I look out for every member of my pack and can't bear for anyone to be harmed, regardless of their status." He said, though the last part wasn't exactly necessary to have been added. "I'll see you tomorrow." He took his leave without tapping my shoulder like he'd normally do just to bother me.
I headed up the stairs and stopped by Jane's room.
Once again, the door was half-opened, giving me the chance to peek into their room.
My omega was quivering as she sat on the floor while Chloe brushed her hair with her palms, her forehead creased in concern.
I listened to them this time. "It'll be fine." Chloe assured her.
"No, it can't be. She was killed and I couldn't do anything. She wanted to give me something, she had a note to give me, but the huge man in the cloak picked the note and took her bag. Her dead body would still be in the garden. I'm certain she could've still been saved, but the man shot her right in the head again. This is the first time I'll ever witness murder and it traumatizes me. I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep again. I'm sure the guilt of not doing anything to save her and seeing her die would haunt my dream."
"No sweetheart, it's not your fault." Chloe pulled my omega's head to her chest, wrapping her arms around her.
"If only I had gone by exactly Eleven as she had requested, she could've escaped the murder. I don't know what to think now. She begged me to be early, but I was late."
"It's definitely not your fault."
"I should've just told her I wasn't interested in knowing whatever secret she had to tell me." She sobbed as tears rolled down her face endlessly.
Chloe was silent for a while, only stroking her hair. "
It'll be fine."
"Stupid map." My omega pulled out a piece of paper from her hair tie and threw it across the room.
"Just be calm. I'm sure you'll feel better when you wake up tomorrow morning."
I headed to my bedroom and nind-linked Mason to come to my room with a glass of milk since the omega was in no condition to help me out now. "Cone in." I said before he knocked.
The door knob twisted and Mason walked in.
"I hadn't even knocked yet." He chuckled, an expression he rarely ever showed.
"Your footsteps." I summarized. "Oh." His face returned to its normal sternness. "The milk." He handed the glass of milk over to me, staring around at my room filled with shattered glasses. He patently wanted to ask about it, but didn't, maybe he realized it wasn't his business to deal with.
"Any news?" I asked, sipping the milk. "Crescent pack members have been able to take care of the attacks, for now, so they're already traveling here and will arrive in a maximum of a week. They can arrive tomorrow or the day after or the day-"
"I know what maximum means." I cut him off.
"Sorry Alpha." He bowed his head in apology. "Any other news?"
"Crystal said the pack is being handled smoothly with only a few lapses in cleaning and other aspects." "Okay. And anything about Vladimir?" I lifted my gaze to him, taking the remnant of the milk in one go.
"I'm so sorry, Alpha, I was too occupied and forgot to do my research about him."
"I need you to keep an eye on Vladimir and discover every of his motives. If possible, figure out what the meeting will be all about before the official day of the meeting. You know the relationship I have with him and understand why I can't trust him."
"Yes, I do." He replied, though I didn't ask a question.
"Try your best to discover what you can in the few days we have left before we return. "
"I'll work towards that." "Also, make sure to keep an eye on the omega." I ran my finger along the brim of the glass.
"Jane?"
"Yes, the omega. Keep an eye on her. I'm curious to know why she wanted to know a secret without informing her pack members. Plus, she's been acting a bit strange lately. Pay attention to her for any suspicious acts."
"Okay, I'll keep an eye on her."