Chapter 90
I could still feel Jake’s arms wrapped around me, the lingering warmth of his embrace as I stormed out last night. I hadn’t been able to sleep. His words echoed in my head like a relentless drumbeat: *If something happens to me, you might have to leave.* I couldn’t bear the thought. I didn’t want to leave him; I wouldn’t. The mere suggestion made my chest tighten with fear and anger.
As I walked into the meeting room, Fatima and Selena were already there, deep in conversation. I took a deep breath and joined them, forcing a smile onto my face even though my mind was still racing.
“What happened?” Fatima asked, her sharp eyes narrowing as she noticed my tense expression.
“Jake…” I hesitated, running a hand through my hair. “Jake thinks I might have to leave with the babies if things get worse.”
Selena’s jaw dropped. “Leave? He wants you to run away?”
I clenched my fists, feeling the surge of emotion rise again. “He doesn’t *want* me to. He said it might be necessary, for the babies’ safety.”
Fatima’s expression softened. “Priscilla, he’s only thinking about your safety. You know that, right?”
“I do, but it doesn’t make it any easier to hear,” I snapped, then immediately regretted it. I sighed, sinking into a chair. “I just don’t want to leave him. I don’t want to be without him, and I don’t want our children to grow up without their father.”
Fatima moved closer, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “No one wants that, Priscilla. But if it’s the only way to keep them safe…”
“Don’t say that,” I interrupted, my voice pleading. “Please, Fatima.”
She nodded slowly. “Alright, but it’s something we have to keep in mind. Which is why we need to find this person, and we need to do it quickly.”
Selena leaned forward, her expression determined. “Then let’s get to work. I have a source—a contact who might know something. They’re a bit… unconventional, but they’ve helped me in the past.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Unconventional how?”
“You’ll see,” Selena said with a sly smile. “Meet me in twenty minutes outside the pack’s eastern gate.”
Fatima and I exchanged a look, a mix of curiosity and unease. “This better be good,” I muttered, pushing myself to my feet.
Twenty minutes later, we were trudging through the forest, following a narrow, overgrown path. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. I could hear the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of twigs underfoot.
“Who is this source?” I asked, trying to keep up with Selena’s brisk pace.
“She’s a bit of a recluse,” Selena said. “Her name is Elara. She’s not part of any pack, but she has a way of knowing things. People call her the Whisperer.”
“The Whisperer?” Fatima scoffed. “Sounds like something out of a bad horror movie.”
Selena chuckled. “Maybe, but she’s good. Trust me.”
When we finally reached a small clearing, I spotted a figure sitting on a fallen log, shrouded in a long cloak. As we approached, the figure looked up, and I saw a pair of striking green eyes staring at us from beneath the hood. She looked to be in her fifties, with silver streaks in her dark hair and a face etched with fine lines.
“Selena,” she greeted with a voice like gravel. “It’s been a while.”
“Hello, Elara,” Selena said warmly. “We need your help.”
Elara’s gaze flicked to me, then to Fatima. “New faces. Interesting. What brings you here?”
I stepped forward, feeling the weight of her scrutiny. “We’re looking for someone,” I said. “A dangerous person who’s trying to divide our pack.”
Elara nodded slowly, as if she already knew. “Yes, I’ve heard whispers about this. Shadows moving in the dark. But it’s not just one person, is it?”
Fatima frowned. “What do you mean?”
Elara pulled back her hood, revealing more of her weathered face. “There’s a network, a web of people being influenced. They’re being led by someone who knows how to manipulate fear. I’ve seen this kind of thing before.”
“Do you know where we can find them?” I asked, my voice sharp with urgency.
Elara smirked. “I might have an idea. There’s an old hunting lodge deep in the woods, about a mile west of here. It’s abandoned, or at least it was. I’ve seen people coming and going recently, and one of them had a very distinctive ring. A gold band with a black stone.”
I exchanged a glance with Fatima, my heart racing. “Andrew’s ring,” I whispered. “He always wears that ring.”
“So, he’s definitely involved,” Fatima muttered, shaking her head.
Selena looked at Elara. “Why are you helping us?”
Elara’s eyes softened for a brief moment. “I may not be part of your pack, but I know the kind of man your Alpha is. Jake is a good leader, and he doesn’t deserve this betrayal. I help because I’ve seen what happens when good leaders fall.”
I nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude. “Thank you, Elara.”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t thank me yet. Just be careful. Whoever is orchestrating this is dangerous, and they won’t hesitate to kill to keep their secrets.”
We made our way to the lodge, moving quickly but quietly. It was an old, weather-beaten structure, half-hidden by the dense forest. The windows were shattered, the roof caving in at one corner. It looked abandoned, but the fresh footprints in the mud told a different story.
Inside, the place was empty, save for a few discarded items: a broken chair, some empty bottles, and a small table in the corner. And there, glinting in the weak sunlight streaming through the broken window, was Andrew’s ring.
Fatima picked it up, turning it over in her fingers. “This confirms it,” she said. “Andrew is definitely part of this.”
“Do we take this back to Jake?” Selena asked.
I shook my head. “No. If we confront him now, he’ll deny everything, and we’ll lose our chance to find out who he’s working for. We need to keep an eye on him, make him think we don’t suspect anything.”
Fatima nodded in agreement. “Right. Let him lead us to whoever is behind this.”
Selena slipped the ring into her pocket. “I’ll keep this safe. If he notices it’s missing, we’ll know he’s starting to panic.”
We left the lodge, heading back toward the pack house with a new plan forming in our minds. As we walked, I felt a flicker of hope. We were getting closer, piece by piece.
But when we got back, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I glanced around, scanning the tree line.
“What is it?” Fatima asked, noticing my unease.
“I don’t know,” I said quietly. “I just have this feeling… like someone’s watching us.”
Selena’s expression turned serious. “Then we need to be even more careful. If they know we’re onto them…”
“They’ll strike,” I finished for her, a cold shiver running down my spine.
Fatima put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “We’ll get through this, Priscilla. We just have to stay one step ahead.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. We had a plan, and we had each other. That had to be enough.
For now.
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