Chapter 11
Rolling out of bed I head to the bathroom feeling like I have the worse hangover. Glancing at the clock good still early. I want to get an early start. Rushing down the back stairs and heading to the kitchen I grab a mug of coffee and a muffin. Slipping out almost unnoticed. “alpha will you be taking lunch in your office again?” “Yep, thanks Annie” I call over my shoulder.
Slipping into the office closing and locking the door behind me. “alright computer it’s you and me and I say spill.” I order as I make my way this was the room in my dream last night. Looking around noticing the torn pink wallpaper at the ceiling line. The bay windows now have a stained glass piece instead of a clear one. How did I dream about how this room used to look? And why is my grandfather’s office in his sister’s room?
Reading Artemis’s dairy or well parts left me so confused. In one entry she’s a sadly ignored pup the poof she’s a happy well-adjusted princess. The stories I have grown up with are no longer making a ton of sense.
While the computer starts I open the first drawer in the file cabinets. The very first file is Apollo the second Artemis. I thought about it for half a second before I ripped them from the drawer. Skimming the rest of the A’s for the other winters with A names. Nothing. I wonder. The last drawer is not labeled. When I tried to open it I found it locked. More secrets I see.
“fine but know this drawer I will win 'cause I’m smarter.” Okay, maybe not since I’m talking to a drawer. Well, let’s have a look at these files. Sitting at the desk I type in the password. Okay, let’s change that to something else. Got it grumpy bear. Yep, that works for me.
Okay, contracts let’s see I changed all the settings so only ten-minute lockouts for three wrong tries. Let’s see Apollo nope Artemis. Nope. One more try then locked out for a little bit. Tapping my lip looking around the room. The photo of my grandmother still sits on the desk. Picking it up the glass bends.
Taking the back off. Unfolding the paper that was pushing against the back.
Red eyes beware they will come for you for me for us the red eyes see All know all. The red eyes plague me day and night. They will come and take it all. The red eyes will be the downfall. She went to him willing she layers with him she gave it all to him and left me empty….
It goes on and on about red eyes. What does this mean and why was it hidden? Sounds like someone was a traitor. Hitting the hint button that finally showed up as “red eye” someone is a little crazy pants. Fuck it why not I typed in traitor and it clicked open. Well, that doesn’t make me feel great. Let’s just take off the password, and contract for -service to the Winters pack-. Reading the top page I am shocked. This is a slavery agreement from the looks of it. Scrolling without reading several pages of wordy language is confusing. Getting up I go to the files cabinet pulling the first drawer out again skimming until I see the Black Rose pack. Pulling the thick file I take it back to the desk.
The contract is the first thing I see it’s not signed. Flipping through bank statements for deposits from the black rose. They sent a lot of money here. Why are we just getting by then?
The more I go through the file the more confused I get. A knock on the door breaks my focus “ who is it?” I holler pushing the black rose file to the side and grabbing Artemis’s. Opening I see two pictures one of a bright happy smiling pup. Her hair shines like glass her eyes look like liquid gold. The other is a picture of her only older. Dull hair and eyes the smile is big and happy but definitely doesn’t glow. “Alpha it’s Annie I have your lunch.” “coming” opening the door she hands me a paper sack and a bottle of water. “thanks Annie” “alpha” she bows and scurries away.
Settling back down I eat as I read her file. Not finding answers I open Apollos. the two pictures were both happy and bright he lost a little shine but not as much as his sister. Next his birth certificate. Flipping it when something caught my eye. Pup b. Woo, wait I grabbed Artemis's file finding her birth certificate pup a. WHAT!!!!!
Jumping up I start pacing the room. If Apollo is pup b that means he was meant to be the beta, not the I’m not meant to be. Is this why they hate us so much? Think think think stupid think oh okay so I need to call a meeting but not a meeting with the council. I know they should know about these attacks back then with the rogue king so I’ll call a meeting dinner thing under the rouse of asking about the rogue king. Yes, this will work I mean I need those questions answered too so win, win. Wait slow down stupid dummy.
I need to wait and gather as much information as I can so I’m not calling too many meetings about the same thing.
Settling back down I pull out a notebook and pen and start jotting down all the questions that pop into my head as I go through just these three files. If all of them are like this it’s going to be a long task.
By the time the sun started to set I had more questions than I actually found answers to. I don’t know how I feel right now. Just reading that the alpha good was ripped away from Artemis behind her back makes me feel dirty. Trailing my fingers over the cool smooth stone of the hallway that I grew up running through now seeing them differently.
How do I make right what is done? I bet that’s why the black rose pack has ignored or declined every correspondence I've made to them. I don’t know if I would talk to the people that took so much from them.
“Hey what’s wrong?” Sally says leaning on my door. “nothing just tired.” “I never see you anymore.” She pouts “it's been two days just two days you’ve gone longer.” I chuckle. “so any juicy gossip yet?”
