Chapter 32 Redemption
Eric's POV
That was the worse pain that Serenity and I had shared, in fact the last few were just some random emotional out burst, that at one point I had to step out of a pack meeting, cause Serenity was, seem to me crying.
I chuckled, yeah, make a crybaby out of me, cherry blossom.
Then I felt Jean’s gave my arm a squeeze.
“Everything will be fine Eric,” she says, “I know it will be.” She raised her hand over my face stopping me to respond, “And don’t give me that crap of I hope its sooner or I hope so… I’m saying this cause I know it will be alright. Everything will fall in place in its proper time.”
She then gave me a real smile, “She’s the moon goddess’ daughter for crying out loud, and not to mention Siam’s alpha sister, give her a little trust.”
“Thank you.” I said “Somehow it made sense.”
She balled her hand into a fist and put it over her hips, “What does that suppose to mean?”
I laughed, “That you did good.”
She gave a small bow, “Thank you.”
“Looks like you two are having fun.” We both turned and saw the others walking toward us.
“Yeah, well…” I grinned and glanced at Jean, “little miss run away here just gave me a lecture of what to do in a party.”
“Well, show us.”
I shook my head, “Am good right here.”
“Of course you are.” Jake says with sarcasm making us laugh.
“I hope I can say the same for Mr. Player here.” Jean says.
“What?” Aaron had a satisfied grin underneath his just-make-out do, “I’m unmated and young,” he glanced at Jake, “the remaining one I might add.” We all grinned at Jake who shook his head, “So might as well have fun.”
“You know Serenity is gonna go all ninja on your *ss when she finds out about it.”
“And I’ll tell her that it was the only way I can cope with the depression of what happened.” Aaron says casually.
“Way to use my sister’s abduction to your advantage.” Siam said.
“Like I said, might as well have fun.”
We laughed again, until Kirk walked up to us carrying a box.
“What’s that?” Aaron asked.
“Gift.” He said, “It was delivered at the gates and left to the guards.”
“It’s one of the biggest gifts here.” Jean says, “Let’s open it!”
“I don’t know.” Anna said.
“Why not?” Jean says handing her cup to Aaron, “Just a sniff then.” She leaned in and frowned. “There’s no scent.”
“That’s impossible.” Jake whined. “Are you even a real shifter?”
“Then tell me what is inside, oh great one.” she says.
Jake sniffed and so did I and from the looks of things so did the others.
“What is this darn thing?” Jake grabbed it and tore off the wrapper.
“Jake I don’t think you should-“
I was cut off with the tearing of wrapper. And what we saw stunned us, we stared at the glass box that Jake was now holding until Anna screamed at the to of her lungs and Siam pulled her toward him and hid her face in the crook of his neck.
“Take that out of here now!” he bellowed.
I turned to Cam and Jean who was just shock and staring at it, Aaron took off his coat and covered it up and ran with it to the war room.
“I want to know who dropped off that gift I want him found and I want him interrogated!” Siam shouted orders as Anna shook in his arms.
Jake checked on Cam, as she nod to tell him that she was fine.
“I’ll go-“
“No,” Jake said, “stay here. I’ll take the boys and check the perimeters-“
“You take the south, I’ll take the north.” I said, “I know that place better than you Jake. Aaron can take the east. Kirk check the west area.” I turned to Siam, “Stay in the war room until we have cleared the area, I’ll send guards to check until the borderlines of the pack, but I can’t go beyond that.”
“I don’t care, I just want the culprit to be found.” Siam hissed.
“We’re on it.” Jake said and we left.
By one in the morning we’ve cleared the area and were at the war room with the other alphas, Uncle Luke and Siam.
“Where’s Anna?” I asked the moment I step inside.
“With Mama Ellena.” Siam says, “The girls are in Anna’s room.”
“Do you know who it is?” Aaron asked.
“Jim.” Siam sighed.
We frowned, Jim was the head guard of the King and Queen.
“It’s definitely from the hunters.” Uncle George said.
“How do you know?” Jake asked.
“Killed execution style.” Uncle Luke pointed at one of the heads inside the glass box that showed a whole on the back. “Gun shot at the back of the head, scars on the face indicates the torture with the use of silver objects then beheaded.”
“The head of the hunter is famous for his collection of head trophies and skull of his every kill.” Gil, another Alpha added.
“From the looks of it,” Orlando checks, “They have been dead for a couple of weeks, preserved especially for this day.”
“This is going against Serenity’s deal,” Jake snapped, “we have to attack now.”
“No.” Alpha Finn says, “That’s exactly what they would expect, and don’t you boys go rogue either and plan an attack on them by yourself.” He says, “Frank Benson is known to be brutal and heartless, he will kill you no matter what rank you are.”
“Well, we can’t just stand here and do nothing.”
I stood there listening to them, while I go through everything the past week. There were no more physical pain from Serenity, there was just the erratic change in her emotions.
Then it dawned on me.
Jim and his men were killed two weeks ago, two weeks ago we found out about Anna’s pregnancy, the emotion that went through her… longing, pride, worry, nervous… Scared.
“Eric?”
I looked up at them and they were all looking at me.
“You ok?” Uncle Luke asked.
“Yeah, I was just thinking…” I said.
“Of what?”
“There had been no physical pain from Serenity.” I said, “But her emotions are erratic, the night we found out about Anna’s pregnancy… she was longing for something, then felt proud of something, until she turned worried, nervous and scared…” I looked up at them, “most of the time she’s calm but she’d suddenly feel guilty, confused and scared…”
“What are you saying Eric?” Alpha Phil.
“That it’s possible that they’re watching us.” I said. “That she knows what is happening here and they’re using that as leverage on her.” I glanced at glass box with three head in it, “That she is being ask to do something against her will or else it will be death for us.” I glanced at Siam, “To your family in particular.”
The other alphas turned to Siam, all had a look of fear on their face.
“What do you plan to do Siam?” Uncle Luke asks.
“Nothing will change,” he says, “we stay here, do as planned and act as if nothing changed.”
“But you’d be in danger here-“
“If Eric’s assumption is correct, I want every pack on high alert.” Siam looks around at the alphas who nodded in respond.
“And Serenity?” I asked.
“If you’re right,” he frowns, “then there’ll be more deaths after this, and that will lead us to her.”
