22. Deceiving Senses

Paul - His villa
I’ve never been so enraged, not even when Alin challenged my decision in front of everyone, nor when my father or Lexa left me. There’s something inside of me, a weakness I need to smother.
Laura’s presence transforms me into a person I don’t recognize. I don’t want to change for a woman who’s not mine to keep. A sad chuckle comes out at the thought that I claimed her nevertheless. What was I thinking?
Why do I insist on seeing her as anything other than a selfish bloodsucking strigoi? Blood boils inside my veins. I can't explain what's happening to me, but I'm certain of one thing. I should have killed her on the spot.
Marching like a blind lunatic, I bump into Ana, who is dusting a table in the corridor. She opens her mouth, most probably to apologize, even though I’m the one who wasn't paying attention.
I talk first. “Ana, tell Dan to come to the living room. I’ll be waiting for him there. After that, take Laura from the study room and see her to one of the guest bedrooms. She’ll be staying with us.”
"Are you referring to the strigoi?" Her eyes narrow, as if I'm playing a practical joke on her.
"Yes. Don't question me or roll your eyes behind my back." I'm not sure why I'm saying this since I bet she'll do both.
Right after I enter the living room and take a seat on the couch, Dan comes as well.
“What happened, boss?”
He seems in a good mood. Most probably because he is relieved from the temporary duties I left for him while I was gone with Laura on the Sohodol Canyon.
"Nothing noteworthy. Just a little drama. But we'll speak about it afterward. Right now, I need you to notify the pack that we'll be having a meeting here at the villa tomorrow night."
“That’s odd and on short notice. Usually, we gather the entire pack only at the full moon.”
“I know, but I have an important announcement to make. I can’t wait for a month; it’s urgent.”
He nods. “Noted. Are you sure you want to gather here? I mean, we never do this for the whole pack.”
"It's better this way. Except for our pack, I don't want anybody else to hear what I have to say. If someone spots the gathering, they'll think I'm hosting a party. There's nothing wrong about it."
"Alright then. I will inform the pack. Is it okay with you if I ask some of the members to bring food? Maria's food is amazing; much better than your chef's. No offense."
The door swings open wide, and Ana enters without knocking. That's not in her character. By her fast breathing and distress, it must be something serious.
I raise an eyebrow and wait for her to speak.
“The strigoi is gone! A window was open, and I think she jumped from there.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to stop the looming headache. “Firstly, you should start calling her Laura, not strigoi. Secondly, I’ll track her down. It’s an easy task considering the quantity of lilac perfume she’s using.”
“Lilac perfume?” Ana asks. “I haven’t sensed any.”
"You hadn't been paying attention. She's always using it." I lift my gaze to check Ana and Dan's expressions. They're both wolves, and they should have detected the aroma just as readily as I did. "Come on, guys!" I chuckle and lean on the sofa. "Wait, isn't it April Fools' Day?"
"It is, in fact." Dan's expression brightens. He claps his hands together and smiles. "But you're the one who's playing a joke on us. This is the second time that stri–" He coughs and then repeats the whole statement. "This is the second time that woman has visited this villa, and I know she doesn't smell like lilac." Dan scuffs his chin. "Though she doesn't smell like the other strigois either, now that you mention it."
Ana’s eyebrows furrow. “Yes, she doesn’t have any particular smell. That’s odd.”
I don’t understand what’s happening, but they don’t seem to be lying. This means Laura didn’t lie when she told me she doesn’t wear any perfume.
How much of what she’s told me did I consider a lie just because she’s a strigoi? How was she supposed to trust me when I didn’t trust her back? Trust is earned, not demanded, and I didn’t do anything to earn hers. I pushed her away, treated her like crap, called her an abomination, and now I ask her to trust me?
My heart aches badly, more than I knew was possible. Leaving the couch, I march toward the door. "I need to go out and find her. You two stay here."
I hear Ana’s voice from behind me. “She took a car.”
“What car?” I ask without turning around.
“The Alpha Romeo.”
This simplifies my search even further. "I'll take another car. The GPS app will direct me to her whereabouts."
This woman has made a habit of running away from my villa. The first time I let her go. Now, things are different. I claimed her and she’s mine. She’ll face the pack and show them all she’s my mate. I sigh. That won’t go smoothly at all.
As I go to the garage, I can’t stop thinking about the peculiar lilac scent. Why only I can sense it? From what I know, Ana and Dan have the same fine tracking skills as I do. And it’s so strong that they couldn’t have missed it. That aroma barges inside your spirit and entangles with your very soul. Or is it just me?
I enter the garage and search for the keys to the BMW. As soon as I find them and get inside the car, I turn on the ignition and drive off.
Turning toward the screen on the car’s board, I open up the GPS. The car has stopped in front of Bellu Cemetery. Frowning, I fix the system to point the fastest route toward Laura.
The lilac aroma hits me the instant I go beyond the cemetery's gates. Until now, I've dismissed it as a mere perfume, but there has to be more to it. I follow it, unsure of what I will say once I find her.