Chapter 37
AMELIA
“Fuck! I get our guys killed. It’s all my fault.” I felt my heart crushing right now. How did I miss it?
“You’re not making any sense, Amelia. Care to explain what’s happening? Aside from Alec motherfucker Webster, who are these people?”
I pointed to the older guy two heads from Alec. “This old man is Rolden Banks’ father. Get the connection?” Rolden Banks was the only guy we identified who was supposed to be dead two years ago.
“Son of bitches. Alec and Banks knew each other.” He growled angrily, hitting the steering wheel.
“Yes, but that’s the only connection we have. It’s not even a piece of evidence because we killed that man.”
“What?” His widened eyes glared at me. “What the fuck do you mean by that?”
I swallowed hard as I tried not to let my emotions burst out.
“About a year ago after I passed my training, I had a final test. Me and Ren had our mission. I will understand if you will change your view about me after this. Our mission was in Vietnam. Our target was poachers, mostly foreigners. Instead of targeting wildlife, they were targeting young werewolves for fun.” I wiped my tears. When I looked at Ryden, he was staring outside the windshield.
“They used tranquilizers and killed young werewolves in their wolf formed and cut the head and collected them as—”
“As trophies.” He swallowed hard.
“Yes. That man is human. He’s rich and well-connected. I didn’t know he was connected to Alec back then. I didn’t ask questions more than what’s on the assignment because I was aware we never targeted women and children.” I showed him the old picture of the man and Rolden. The only picture I got from the council because they were both dead. “I have a feeling I was the target that day. How did he know where I was or that I was the one who killed his father, I don’t know. I shot him hundreds of yards away.”
“Maybe you’re not the target.” He pulled up and drove us to the pack house. “Or maybe there was just leaked in your shadow organization or whoever you work for.” He didn’t even ask about it, and it made me feel more guilty.
Then I sensed calmness in my thoughts. “Or maybe we were the target. If he’s father was human, then maybe his mother was a werewolf.”
“That’s why he had a record in the council. Don’t be hard on yourself, ladybug. The target was our pack. That’s all. When we get enough evidence to nail that son of a bitch, I will kill him myself.” Was he talking about Alec?
“Don’t act impulsively, Ryden. You have a lot to lose. We do it smartly.”
He took my hand and kissed it. “I’m proud of what you’ve done. That was beyond inhumane, what they did back there. I would have killed him myself if I knew that kind of people had existed.”
“Thank you for not making me feel worse.”
The pack house seemed back to normal. The guys were on the new sets of couches.
“Alpha.” Walker came and sniffed. “I want to talk to you if you’re not busy.”
“About what?” Ryden asked him stiffly.
“I think I have a way of helping you find out who attacked us.”
“Okay. Follow me to my office.” Then Ryden held my hand, and the last thing I’d ever expected him to do just happened before everyone. He just kissed me, shutting up the people watching us.
“Way to go, Alpha. Thanks for keeping it between us,” I said in my head.
And it surprised me that he replied. “I will smash his mouth if he tried to kiss you again.”
I smiled against his lips, and I said, “Hard launch, I see.”
“We know, our future luna.”
“I told you.” Ryden smiled before he left, leaving me stunned alone as Walker followed his alpha to the office.
“Amelia, come and join us.” Jeong Lee gestured.
“What are you playing, guys?” I saw a board game but was not familiar with it.
“Small world: Underground. It’s cool. Wanna join us?” Kalel asked.
“I’ll just watch you, guys. Alpha and I have somewhere to go.”
“I told you, guys. Give me my money.” Landon held out his hand. “I won. Come on, pay me. I told you they’re mates.”
“What the hell? You all bet on us?” I stared at them one by one, and they went silent and not even made a move, even Landon. “What are you waiting for, pay him.”
They sighed in unison and laughed.
“I thought you were mad.”
“Why would I?” I fist-bumped with Landon. “How much did you make?”
“Two hundred.”
“What?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You should start a business. Money laundering.”
“So how did you do it?” Reede asked me.
“Did what?”
“We saw it all happened, Amelia. I saw what Ren did, too.”
Oh, that. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, Amelia. We can keep a secret,” Jeong Lee said.
“Yeah. We promise.” Kalel did the pack symbol of honor and placed a wolf sign on his chest.
I looked at Kalel, Jeong Lee, Landon, Reede, and Trent who were sitting on the sofa in silence. “You mean, this.” I snapped my fingers and the fire lit up.
They gasped in chorus.
“How did you do that?”
“A magician never reveals his secrets.”
They all sagged in dismay.
“What about this?” I opened my palm and a fireball emerged.
“Whoa! That’s a cool trick.” Walker just joined us. “How did you do that?”
“Magic.”
They knew I was messing with them, chuckling at me.
“So you have a new fan club, huh?” Zeph arrived and gave me a scrutinizing look. “What’s with the scarf and coat?”
“Alpha and I will go somewhere cold. It’s something important I can’t discuss right now.”
“Will you come with me? I need to talk to Ryden. Where is he?”
“In his office.” I stood up. “Guys, we’ll talk again, okay? If you need something, just text me or Dm me. See you later.”
“What do you want to talk about?” I asked Zeph as we reached the office door, and he hadn’t said a word.
Then he sniffed me. “You smell like Ryden.”
I leaned back and made a face. “You’re weird. Don’t do that.”
“I’m not gonna ask you something personal, Am. And I don’t wanna know, especially when you’re with Ry, but I’m glad you finally gave him a chance. It means you’re staying.” He went inside the office.
I stood there for a moment trying to process what he just said.
“Amelia, are you coming in?”
I sighed deeply before I walked inside. Ryden was still on his chair, reading something.
“What’s that?”
“A business proposal. Boring stuff,” he said and smiled at me. Then he turned to my brother. “Zeph, Amelia, and I—”
“For fuck’s sake, don’t—” He raised his hand. “I don’t wanna hear about it, but you two deserve each other, and I want my sister to be happy. So don’t mistreat her the way you did before. Alpha or not, I will cut your head off.”
Ryden stood laughing. “How did you know?”
“Your scent is all over her, asshole. And that’s my baby sister, you dickhead.”
“She’s only four years, six months, eight days younger than me, pighead. You made sound like she’s underage and what we did was a crime. And yes, she’s your baby sister, but she’s also my mate. So shut the fuck up.”
I groaned loudly. “I’m standing right here, duh!”
Zeph loved me, and I knew he understood, and he knew Ryden would not do something to intentionally hurt me.
“I swear to the Goddess, I will treat her like my equal, my queen, my other half. Maybe one day if there’s no threat to us, I will propose and marry her.”
“Right.” I rolled my eyes. “And I will say yes, we get married, and live happily ever after.”
Ryden smiled, eyes glittering as he came to me and hugged me. “I can’t promise you the stars, but I can afford fireworks.”
“Just shut up,” Zeph grunted. “It’s weird enough watching you two like this.”
“Zeph, he’s my mate. Better get used to it by now, and this is what you all want. To give him another chance.”
“Right.” He pointed at Zeph. “What I was trying to say before you interrupt me, is, we’re going to see Califf’s brother in New York. So, take care of the pack while I’m away. Call me if there’s an emergency or dial Zarah if it’s a life-threatening situation.”
A portal appeared at the corner that caught our attention.
Then Zarah came out from it. “Look at you. You finally take my advice.”
“After you almost killed me with that drink?” I narrowed my eyes at her.
Zarah laughed. “It has a different effect on you. Noted.” She turned to Ryden. “Good job, Alpha, and congratulations to both of you.”
“So, are you taking us to New York with your portal?”
“Yes, Ryden. I already sent a message to Calder. Expect tests before you meet him.”
“What kind of tests?” I asked.
“You’ll know when you see it. Good luck.”
“That’s helpful.”
“It’s good to know that you didn’t burn him alive. You’ll make a cute couple. A ladybug and a beetle.” Zarah smiled meaningfully at me.
Wow. This woman was something like she had multi-personality or something, but one thing was for sure, though, she was not a wicked witch, and she was on our side.