Chapter 14 Fernandez.

Chapter 14 Fernandez.
Fernandez.

The body appeared at dawn.

Marco saw it first, he was leading the eastern patrol team when he stumbled on a wolf kneeling at the border stones, barely alive.

The knife was still in the wolf's hand, the envelope tucked in his jacket.

Before I was done with my call, Marco had brought him in already. He knew better than bringing him into the main house. The guardhouse at the lower gate, where we kept prisoners we weren't ready to deal with yet.

I stood outside observing before I went in.

The morning was cold. It was still dark, the sun was yet to come out but people in my pack were already making coffee, walking to work, just... Living their lives.

Nobody knew yet that a dead man had been left at our doorstep. War was coming to us.

I pushed the door open.

The room was small, it contained a table and two chairs, a small light that flickered when the wind blew.

The wolf was sitting in one of the chairs, wrist bound behind him, his face had bruises and dried blood. Marco stood at the corner, against the wall, arms crossed.

"He's refused to say anything." Marco said as I walked in.

I pulled out the second chair and sat facing the wolf.

I caught a glimpse of the letter, the burns on his forearms, two missing fingernails.

That was Detlef's specialty- slow, methodical, diabolical and painful.

"You're from Detlef's pack," I said.

The wolf raised his head, eyes swollen, nearly closed, he looked ashamed.

"I was," he said "he knows I work for Xavier, he's known me for weeks now."

"Xavier Gray, Detlef's brother."

"Yes!"

I leaned on my chair "so why has he sent you here to me?"

The wolf laughed, it sounded horrible. "You thought he sent me to you? He threw me out like a piece of garbage. Cowardicely left me at your doorstep with a knife and letter." He lamented looking down at his missing fingers.

"He's trying to let you know he's aware of your spies in his pack, and he wants you to know he'll come back for her."

I was surprised. "What did you just say?"

The wolf now looked pitiful.

"The envelope - open it."

I brought out the envelope from my jacket, I guess Marco gave it to me when I came in- I can't remember taking it.

I tore it open, a photograph slipped out, I unfolded it and turned it over.

My mother's grave.

I remembered the cemetery behind the pack. I'd buried her when I was only seventeen. I stood in the rain while she was being lowered into the ground, my father was torn apart, he never healed, moved on or put himself back together after her death.

No outsider had seen the cemetery. It was sacred ground, protected by wards older than the pack. The only way Detlef could have this photo was if he was there.

I stared at the photo for a while. The headstone was neat, which meant it had been taken a very long time ago, not quite long after she passed. Years before I was crowned Alpha.

He's been on my matter that long? Wow.

"When did he give this to you?" I inquired.

"Last night, before I was brought here." The wolf winced from pain. "He said you'd understand, and you know what it signifies."

I returned the photograph to the envelope and kept it on the table.

"Tell me a little about Xavier."

The wolf lifted his head. "What?"

"You mentioned that you worked for him. Tell me about his plans, what he wants, and what games he and Detlef are playing."

"If you must enjoy the privilege of surviving on my land, then you must give me something of its worth."

He looked at Marco, then turned towards me.

"Will I be given grace to live if I tell you all I know?" He asked head bowed.

"I am a man of my words.''

"So apparently, Xavier has this special army he's been building for three years,wolves from different packs he defeated and dissolved, rogues from the northern territories, anyone at all that hates the Blue Crescent pack or it's Alpha, he's been patiently waiting for his moment.

"What moment?'

"When Detlef makes a mistake, that'd cost him his pack.

"Because of the girl."

"Yes, he's been observing how much she get to Detlef, how reckless she makes him. But when you took her, he stopped. Detlef's anger is undone and Xavier sees it as an opportunity.

"So Xavier wants Detlef's pack?" I asked.

"Yes."

"So what does it have to do with Zemirah?"

"He wants her to help him, he probably thinks she wants revenge against Detlef."

I got up, the chair scrapped against the floor.

"Keep him here," I said to Marco. "Dress his wounds, and also give him food and water.

"And then?

I picked up the photograph and looked at it one more time.

"Look into Detlef's matter.”

\------

I went back to the house because it was becoming sunny.

The part from the guardhouse wound through the lower gardens, past the fountain where my dad used to throw coins whenever he was expecting a good thing to happen. The hedges my mother planted when she carried my pregnancy. I was raised here, I knew every corner of this building but now that it has been invaded, I didn't know what to think.

I wondered how many times Detlef had trespassed, or what else he had seen.

The front door was open when I got there, Elara was making coffee.

I did not knock, I just wanted to see Zemirah, to be sure she was safe.

The door was open, I pushed it wider and stepped in.

She was awake.

She sat by the window, knees drawn up to her chest, she had on one of the sweaters Elara had given her, her hair was lose, tangled, she didn't turn as I came in.

"You're up early," I said.

"I woke up with the sun" she said. "I don't sleep well in a dark room."

I already knew that.

"Someone came through the gate." I said.

"What happened?"

I explained everything to her, excluding the part of Xavier wanting to use her to get back at Detlef.

"Why can't he just let me go?" She asked looking sober.

She was quite for a while
"I thought once I was gone, he'd forget about me?"

"That's not how obsession works."

"I know." She pulled her knees tighter.

"Zemirah?"

She didn't look at me.

"Zemirah look at me."

She did reluctantly.

"Whatever happens next I'm going to protect you with my life, no one would hurt you again."

"You can't promise that." She countered.

"Well... I am Alpha, I can, I will."

"No you can't." She got up from the bed, she was very small, it made me chuckle.

"Nandez I'm very grateful you came after me but no one can keep me away from det, I was mated to him."

I let her pour out her heart before interrupting her. "I can't change what has happened to you, but I'm not going to let it happen again."

She looked at me.

"What did he send with you?" She asked.

I almost told a lie.

I pulled the photograph from my jacket and held it for her to see.

She took it.

"Your mother?"

"Yes."

"My mother- She died when I was born, I never got to know her, my father never spoke about her. The only memory I have of her, is her name on that headstone"

I didn't say anything, I didn't even know what to say.

She gave the photo back to me, "are you going to kill him?" She asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to become him, he takes things from people because he has the power to, my father was like that too, I trained myself not to be like him, neither will I be like Detlef Gray.

"I really hope you win."

"Well, loosing is not an option."

She smiled.

"You're crazy," she said "you know that yeah?"

"Well," probably. I said smiling at her.

I moved to the window, she joined me, we watched the mountains together.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"I don't want to hear it."

"I know, but it's important you do." She added trying
to convince me to listen.

She then told me about the kiss and how he'd fucked her, and how she'd miscarried a baby.

She was crying and shaking, I didn't know how to console her.

Detlef had really done a lot it a short while, but he had me to contend with now.