Chapter 67
REID:
I have no response to that yet as I cross over the bodies on the ground. The bodies are that of the warriors guarding the entrance into my quarters. They were still alive, though, because I could hear their faint heartbeats.
“First, is this your doing?” I demand from Diana who is simply standing there with a somewhat pitiful expression etched on her face. I would never expect to see her in such a mood because the two times I met her, she had been one angry bird.
“I had to,” is what she says in response. And before I could even demand to know why she what to go all out to knock out my men, Hunter had decided to take the stage.
“You bitch! So it is you who has been giving us a hard time for the past hour! What the hell are—”
Before Hunter could go any further, I quickly shut him up by raising my hand. He obviously recognizes what I mean by that because he goes quiet after that while I continue facing Diana who did not react to Hunter’s words.
“Is it true that it's your doing?” I ask, referring to what Hunter was accusing her of.
She nods. “I had to.”
Now that was getting annoying because she keeps repeating that she had to. What makes her think I am cool with such an act from her?
“Give me one good reason why I should not get you locked up now. Just one good reason.”
“Because I already told you I need your help.”
“Isn’t that ridiculous? You need my help yet the first thing you do is give my men a hard time into thinking we are under attack. Then after, you knock out some of my men. And you need my help?”
She starts to take a step closer to the balcony. And just as expected, Hunter throws some words at her.
“Stay where you are!”
I have to turn my head to the side to look at him. “Would you please calm down for a moment? I know you hate her guts but I’m still in charge here,”
What I get from him after that is a loud scoff which I choose to ignore and stare back at Diana who has already taken a step up the balcony.
“I’m sorry I had to cause your pack a bit of scare before revealing myself to you—”
I cut her off midway. “Not a bit. A whole lot.”
“Still I am sorry. But there was no other way I could come meet you without getting a lot of attention to myself. Ang knowing the Red Legion, we do not like to operate in the open. We never do.”
“What is the difference now? You have still succeeded in getting a lot of attention to yourself.”
“At least they will not know it's me. That’s the difference.”
That made sense, I tell myself inwardly. Still, I was not cool with the whole setting. Why on earth would she be here in the first place? And for crying out loud, she just told me not too long ago that she needed my help which I find really strange because it should be vice versa.
“Are you going to tell me why you need my help already?” I state, already eager to know what she was here for. I cannot even deal with the whole idea yet that she indeed needs my help. Could be a fluke for all I know.
I notice the sadness that fills her eyes. Had something gone wrong? Seeing her that way makes me want to console her but still, I am being wary. I still have an idea of how the Red Legion operates so I would not want to be involved in something I would not be able to get out of.
“The Elder...” she starts with that, and my curiosity level instantly increases. After a sniff, she says, “He’s dead.”
The first reaction that hits me is shock. Then the next is confusion. It is then followed up with worry because how on earth would the Elder be dead?
“Elder Griffith is dead?” I ask, expressing turmoil.
“Yes,” she admits.
“How did that happen?” I demand to know.
“We were attacked. The Red Legion suffered an attack from the Abomination. We never expected it and that is what led to the Elder’s death.”
“The Abomination?”
“That is what the Elder called it before he passed on. I think it is the same thing that has been giving you problems in your pack. And unfortunately, it came at us too while we were unprepared. All that is left of the Red Legion now is just me and a few of my men. Which is why I am here to seek your help.”
I try to process everything at the same time. How could the Elder be dead? He was meant to help us with the issue and now he has been killed off by the same thing that had been causing us problems. What in the world is going on?
“What exactly do you need my help for?” I shift my focus back to Diana because honestly, I am not in line with her yet.
“Revenge.” is the single word that she utters from her mouth which only puts me further on edge.
“I don’t understand a bit of this right now. You want revenge? On what? Something greater than all of us?”
“Are you still listening to her, Reid? I knew the moment I saw her here that she was not here for anything good. Now she has proved me right.” Hunter says to me from behind.
“Beta Hunter, this is none of your business. I know you cannot stand me and neither can I. That is why I brought the issue to your alpha because he seems more a reasonable being than you.” That was Diana’s response to Hunter’s rebuff. And if I am being observant, which of course I am, shots were fired at me as well. But I would not clamor about that.
I was not even thinking of what banter had been thrown against the other to know that Hunter would take her words personally. Because before I knew it, Hunter has gone past me and was aiming right for Diana.
I was not able to do anything at the moment because of how slow I was to react. Geez, this is going to turn messy. The problem is I seem to forget some details too easily.
Hunter has finally gotten right in front of Diana, but before he could take a hit at her, she vanished from there.
At first, I was confused. But the confusion does not last too long when I recall how the Red Legion operates — in the shadows.
My eyes flash to the side to see Diana standing there which was quite a distance away from the enraged Hunter. I need to do something about my beta’s anger before he becomes the end of me.
“Stand down, Hunter. I will not repeat myself.” I instruct my beta who is about to charge at Diana again.
“You heard what she said, didn’t you?” Hunter faces me with his anger still reflecting on his face.
“I did,” I tell him nonchalantly. “But it does not give you the right to have a go at her. What are you? A sissy?”
I notice how his face floods in embarrassment as he starts to come back up the balcony. The moment he starts to do so, Diana starts to make her way back to where she initially was.
“Back to what you were saying,” I start with that to the lady in red, “How do you want to exact revenge on something you have no power against?”
She takes her time before responding to my inquiry. “Well, me being here is to help you do what needs to be done. Elder Griffith, before he died, told me all that you need to do to end the situation. So I am here to try to see how best I can help in achieving that.”
“You need to ask yourself something, though. How is it possible that an issue that only involves my pack and a rival suddenly becomes a problem for the Red Legion? It is strange.”
“There was something the Elder failed to mention to you. As a matter of fact, he could not mention it to you.”
I am suddenly curious to know what detail the Elder left aside when I sought his help. “And what might that be?” I ask.
“The Abomination comes for those who interfere in its business. Simply put, the Elder should have never had anything to do with it. Be it telling you what needs to be done or the history surrounding it.”
“So you mean the Elder’s death is my fault?”
“Apparently, it is.”
“This is absurd,” Hunter speaks. “How is that our business? We were only there to seek help in getting over the issue.”
I watch as Diana looks Hunter dead in the eye and says, “You shouldn’t have.”