\[William’s POV\]
I climb into my car and pull out my phone, checking my messages from the day, and am shocked to find a number that I don’t recognize. Frowning, I click on it and then feel my eyes widen as I take in the message on the screen.
Meet me at the old pub on Burben Street.
There is neither a name attached nor an explanation as to what it was that the sender wanted. Reading it again, I wonder whether or not I should actually go, and when curiosity weighs out caution, I rev my car to life and begin to drive.
When I arrive at my destination, I move slowly while extending my senses. Since there was no specific place to meet, I couldn’t let down my guard. As I move, I let my eyes scan the area, and when I enter and the overpowering scent of cigarettes and alcohol attacks my nose, I realize why I was asked to meet here. Of course, this would be the perfect place since I couldn’t utilize all my senses.
Going on alert, I move slowly until my phone goes off again.
Booth in the back corner.
Lifting my gaze, I look in the direction that I’m instructed to go, and when I find a figure dressed in a black hoodie with the hood up watching me, I quicken my pace.
Not speaking, I slide into the seat in front of the one waiting for me, and when his head lifts and his eyes meet mine, I find myself staring at a ghost.
“Charlie,” I hiss as he pulls back his hood to reveal his scarred face. “Why are…”
“Not so loud,” he warns, peeking over my shoulder at the bar beyond. “You don’t know if someone may be following you.”
Nodding, I grow quiet while I continue to examine Charlie as if he were some mythical creature. I guess, in a way, he was. How was it possible that someone who was said to be dead was here sitting in front of me, and why? Did this mean that my uncle was lying to the entire pack?
“What’s going on?” I ask now, needing answers. “Why are you here instead of in a grave?”
“Well, technically, I was in a grave,” Charlie admits with a smirk. “But I managed to break free.”
“What the hell?”
Did this mean that he was buried while still alive? But if that was the case, then what the hell led up to that? Did he die and come back to life? No. That was impossible. The dead stayed dead, so there was something more to all of this.
“I see the wheels in your head are turning,” Charlie chuckles, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. “I know that this may be quite a shock, but I heard what happened between Roger and Rosco and how you are next in line for alpha. That’s why I wanted to warn you to keep your guard up and don’t trust anyone.”
Don’t trust anyone. Did this warning extend to my uncle? Was he behind this whole fucking facade of Charlie being dead?
“Is there something you know that I don’t?” I ask slowly.
For a moment, Charlie doesn’t speak as his eyes slowly take me in. When his smile falters, I brace myself, knowing that I’m most likely not going to like what I hear next.
“You’re just a pawn,” he sighs. “Just as Rosco was.”
A pawn. Meaning that my uncle was up to something the entire time. I knew that he was sneaky and would do whatever it took to get what he wanted, but to use those with his own blood was quite hard to believe.
“What’s going on, Charlie?”
“Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing,” he shrugs. “That’s all I can say. Just keep your guard up, man, and don’t fall for their shit. Rosco was smart enough to get the hell out of Crystal Fang, but now you’re trapped due to your blood.”
Trapped. Why did that word work perfectly? Since I was young, that was exactly how I felt, but it was never due to my family.
“Does Rosco know that you’re still alive?” I ask now, deciding that there was no point in trying to pry information out of Charlie since I knew that the bastard could stay tight-lipped, especially if he thought it was for my own good. “Or have you been keeping this a secret from him?”
“I’ve...” he begins, but stops as his gaze snaps over my shoulder just as the sound of breaking glass reaches us. “Shit!” He snarls, grabbing the table and throwing it while grabbing me and pulling me to the ground.
Immediately, the bar around us bursts into chaos as three wolves and half a dozen men dressed all in black rush forward with their weapons at the ready.
“What the hell is this?” I growl while Rue begins to chomp at the bit to spring into action. “Does this have anything to do with you?”
“Seems they already found me,” Charlie huffs, shifting into his wolf.
‘Remember what I said,’ he announces through mindlink before springing forward. ‘And get the hell out of here.’
Not needing anymore of an invitation than that, I move, staying low to the ground while I make my way to the back of the bar. When I reach, I get to my feet and rush through my back door, bursting into an alley.
From behind me, I can still hear the commotion coming from the bar and the need to go in and fight stirs. However, I knew that if I did, it would ruin Charlie’s attempt at trying to warn me.
“Dammit!” I growl, remaining in place while reason fights with the need to do what is right.
‘Instead of standing here, you should go warn Rosco,’ Rue announces.
‘Rosco,’ I repeat, considering. ‘No, I can’t bother him with this; he already has enough on his plate with the baby.’
For now, I would keep what I knew a secret while I investigated within the walls of Crystal Fang, and once I had solid evidence to prove what Charlie was saying, I would make Rosco aware.
Deciding on this course of action, I make my way toward the busy street in time to see Charlie, still in his wolf form, bursting out of the bar and rushing away.
‘Be safe,’ I call to him through mindlink.
‘You too,’ he responds. ‘And remember what I said.’
‘I’ll remember,’ I assure him.
I don’t get another reply after that, and honestly, I don’t need it. All I needed to do now was figure out what the hell was going on and what my uncle was up to.