Chapter Thirty-One

The Fortress

Harry followed Edgar outside the bar.

“Don’t worry about them,” Edgar told Harry when Harry glanced at the angry wolves and vampires, “they’re way too inexperienced to take the two of us on.”

“Yeah,” Harry replied, sounding a little unconvinced.

“Let’s see what else they’re up to here,” Edgar said. He nodded in the direction of the conference center. “I wonder how long they will be in there.”

Harry paused. “Judging from the convoy and, the tension in the air, my guess is they have another hour or more —unless someone or a group of them walk out,” he said.

Edgar nodded. “Let’s take our chances. Unless you want to stay back here and keep an eye out for me.”

“I’m going with you,” Harry said.

Edgar laughed. “No problem. I don’t mind the company.”

They walked in silence after that. Further inside the property, the land had been sectioned off into what looked like plots for housing. Construction had commenced on some of the sites. Edgar frowned. Had he been wrong in assuming this place was just a club for bored, rich supernatural creatures looking for fun? On the inside, this place looked more like a self-sustaining development. As they walked further up the hillside, Edgar noticed there was even more activity. A huge mall was nearly complete. Its development was concealed by the hillside.

“This isn’t what I expected,” Edgar told Harry.

“This is also beyond my wildest imagination,” Harry said, taking in the impressive structure. “They’ve hired the best architects too.”

“Yeah. Whoever invested in this place certainly has a lot of money to play around with,” Edgar said. He peered in the opposite direction. “What do you think they’re doing over there?” He pointed at a couple of trucks in the distance.

“Let’s go take a look,” Harry said.

They hid behind vegetation and partially constructed structures as they made their way to what looked like some kind of training camp.

“Edgar!” Harry pushed Edgar to the ground as a stray bullet whizzed past their heads. “We need to get out of here.”

Edgar didn’t need to be told twice. He’d figured out what was going on here at last. This wasn’t a vanity project for supernatural creatures. Whoever was behind The Evening Club was slowly building a fortress and training their own army. Did they plan on waging a war on humans or other supernatural creatures? Edgar wondered as he and Harry ran.

Edgar leapt over the gates as they closed in on them. Harry landed on the sand, creating dense dust clouds. Edgar jumped inside the van. He flung open the door for Harry. Harry jumped inside just as Edgar took off. Gunshots filled the air behind them.

“That was close.” Harry breathed a sigh of relief and brushed perspiration off his forehead.

“Yeah,” Edgar said. “Please call my pilot and tell him to have the plane ready for us to leave within a few minutes.”

Harry called their pilot quickly. “Did we find what we came looking for?” Harry asked after he had hung up.

“I don’t know. Nothing about The Evening Club makes sense to me. I am more confused than ever,” Edgar admitted. “I thought we were looking for some kind of secret club, instead we had a run-in with a trained army. Did you manage to see if the army was made up of humans or supernatural beings?”

“I didn’t see anyone. The only thing I saw was bullets flying.”

Edgar sighed. “I guess we got our answer then. Whoever is training that army is using magic to make them invisible. Magic can make anyone invincible.”

“Yeah, it can,” Harry agreed.

“This entire place seems like a little town or city. It’s almost as if the owners want to cut off all contact with the outside world and create a world only for the people living inside. They have their malls, eateries, bars, entertainment, conference center, army, and hospital. They’ve considered everything. But, why would someone want to do something like this? Why would they want to exist in isolation?” Edgar asked. He couldn’t imagine cutting himself off from the outside world.

“Maybe they want to create their own Utopia,” Harry said.

It sounded pretty far-fetched to Edgar. Utopia did not exist simply because it had failed to come to fruition. Who decided what existed in a perfect world when different beings had different concepts of a perfect world?

“It doesn’t make any sense to me,” Edgar said. He slowed down once they were inside the airport. “Maybe we will make sense of what happened there once we are back home.”

Harry nodded. “Maybe we will.”

Fortunately for them the flight back home was uneventful. “You should stay at the mansion,” Edgar said, once they landed.

Harry hesitated. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this.”

“I am sure, and yes I have to do this. It’s the least I can do after what I put you through today,” Edgar said.

Harry smiled. “Thank you. I don’t think I have the energy to even call a cab.”

Edgar patted his shoulder. “I don’t expect you to. In fact, you’re welcome to stay at the mansion for as long as you need to.”

***

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. Why was Edgar so nice to him? Surely he suspected by now, that he and Elena had been in cahoots all this time? Was the Alpha really as forgiving as everyone said he was?

He glanced at Edgar. Yes, he was. He’d seen him forgive many wolves who’d double-crossed him. Edgar had a heart of gold. Was this why Elena had chosen to remain with him? Because she knew no matter what she did, Edgar would always find it in his heart to forgive her.

“Oliver will show you to your room,” Edgar said, once they were inside.

“Thank you,” Harry said.

Harry showered first then flopped on the guestroom bed.

Did Elena know he was also here? If she didn’t, it was only a matter of time before she learned he was here or sniffed him out. He shivered. He didn’t want to help her in any way from now on. He’d learned a valuable lesson today while exploring the mysterious property — Elena hadn’t told him the truth at all about her business ventures. She was a first-class liar. He’d also realized something else. He was a wolf. He’d always be a wolf. And he was Edgar’s beta. He’d felt the wolf in him come alive as they’d raced out of The Evening Club. The feeling had been exhilarating. He didn’t ever want to forget how wild and free he’d felt. Somehow Elena had repressed that side of him. It was Edgar who had taught him how to control his transformation. The only time any of them were ever truly vulnerable was during a Full Moon.

Harry was falling asleep when he heard a familiar rhythm of footsteps. No! He glanced at the door. He didn’t want to speak to Elena now. He shut his eyes. It was time he put his magical abilities to the test. Harry murmured a simple spell to keep his door locked. Not even Elena knew that his birth mother had been half-wolf and half-witch. He’d inherited his mother’s magic. Although his powers had grown over the years, Harry never used them. Until now. He turned away from the door and drifted off to sleep as the person on the other end rattled the door handle. They could turn it as much as they wanted. The door wouldn't budge.

***