Part 70. Jade’s Mistake

Her blood chilled as soon as those words sank in. Nora’s pack. It almost slipped from the back of her mind that her father declared war on them. She believed those were spoken out of anger and grief of losing his son. Apparently not.




Guilt swarmed her belly as the omega realised how it started all because of her. With Jacobs worsening condition, they would also have to deal with this threat issued by Nora’s pack. How could Noras father do this to his friend? The omega believed that he would let it go.



Ava took a step further, her stomach feeling queasy due to the sight and smell of the blood.



“Are you sure it’s her pack sign?”



The Alpha let out a sigh, his hand tugging on his locks in frustration. “Yes, I could recognise it from anywhere.”




Before she could open her mouth, Dante turned on his heel, letting out a howl to signal the pack members. The patrol guards will easily find them and take the body away. Suddenly the back of her neck was burning, and it was prickling, and without knowing why, she thought for a second that they were being watched. Ava feared they were being followed to the woods.





“We should get out of here, Alpha,” She said, hurriedly rushing towards him and wrapping a hand around his wrist. The Alpha staggered back at the sudden pull; his brows pulled together.




The omega did not even register where she was stepping, instinct and habit taking over, making her walk towards the path that curled back towards the packhouse. Ava set her eyes to the target in front of her, getting out of there as soon as possible.


Dante tried to appease her to slow, trying to stop her, but she did not listen.
***
Once they were inside the packhouse, Ava wanted to wash her hands.



It’s been several minutes, and she has still not washed her stained hands. The blood appeared dry, darkened to a strange, brown colour that almost matched the hideous carpet covering most of the floor.
Dante dragged her to the small room, which was dark and cluttered, only a tiny square window allowing light to fall into the space they mainly used for storage.




The Alpha dragged her because it’s convenient and quiet, away from the main hall and the rooms, she guessed, wanting to keep it a secret from his father.



Zach and Ares joined them seconds later, all of them pressed in a tiny space together. Ava tried to stay calm, heart thumping loudly in her chest, stomach sinking with each breath she took.



A young woman was dead because of her.




That’s the only thing she could focus on, her head cast down, staring at the muddy shoes. If the Alphas sensed the shift in her mood, they did not say anything—something she was grateful for.




Zach let out a curse, his mouth twisting. “How did anyone get in? We have a strong border control!”




“I think the intruder knew the schedule; they must be keeping an eye.” Ares chimed.




Dante huffed. “Also, the streets were empty today, so I think it gave the person a perfect opportunity.”




Now that Ava thought of it, the Alpha had a point. It wasn't easy to get in unless you were a part of the pack or knew someone from inside. After that fateful night with Damon, Zach made sure to secure the borders. Maybe the Alpha already knew that Nora’s father would keep his word.




“We should go and meet the family of the woman.”



Zach hummed. “Ares, you go do that. I need to make sure that the patrol guards are taking care of the body.”




Dante made a sound, his arms crossed against his chest. “I will go talk with the border guards. They might have seen someone or something suspicious.”




She drowned out their voices, her vision getting blurry. If it’s the beginning of the war, then they should be prepared. Judging by the body in the woods, the enemy won’t resort to playing dirty. It was a warning that they would stoop lower to win. A shiver racked her spine.




“Ava!”



She jerked as someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, the omega noticed Ares staring at her, confused lines marring his face. The Alpha took a step in her direction, tilting her chin.



“You must be shaken from the incident, Ava. Why don’t you go and rest?”



She sagged in his hold, not trusting her mouth and simply nodding along.
***
Rayly greeted her in the living room as Ava was about to step. The beta tugged on her wrist and pulled back, noticing the wince that left the omegas mouth. Her friend's eyes roamed around, lips pressed in a line when she saw blood.




“What happened to your hand, Ava?”



The omega didn’t want to talk about it again, toes curling as she recalled the incident. She had to tell the beta and everyone else to be very careful from now on. “Dante and I found a dead woman in the woods. It was Nora’s pack.” Ava summed it up, already feeling a strange sort of detachment because it’s so surreal. It felt a bit like a dream, or perhaps, more accurately, a nightmare.




She saw the way Rayly flinched, her face paling and a curse slipping from under the betas breath. “Please tell me it isn’t what I think it is.”




Ava was overwhelmed, and her chest still hurts, and on top of everything, she suddenly realised everything was damn quiet – unusually so. The omega tugged her friend into a solid hug, and when she pulled away, there were deep worry lines on Raylys face. “I am sorry. We have to take be safe now, please,” She said earnestly, “and take your phone with you if you go out. You never know.”





“Y-Yeah. You too.”



With that, Ava waved as she turned to head back to the cabin, and Rayly watched her until she was out of sight before making her way inside.



The front door of the cabin creaked in its hinges, and inside, the air was thick with dust. If it were any less cold, Ava wouldn’t hesitate to open up a couple of windows, but without proper heating, that’s not a good idea. As soon as she settled on the couch, her head lolling back, the Alpha’s words from earlier echoed in her ears.



Only pack members or the people who knew the members were allowed in.
***
Inside Jade's room, it smelled old, like the ancient carpets, the dust clinging to the cobwebs in the corners. The walls were lined with heavy bookshelves that were stacked with small bottles and mason jars, all containing herbs and some colourful liquids. There’s a round table in the middle of the room with stacks of cards, a crystal ball and a few bowls with differently sized crystals.



The witch was sitting behind an old, sturdy desk right at the back, a couple of candles lighting the rather dark space. At the intrusion, her back bowed, and her eyes still as sharp as ever dug onto Ava.




“Hello, Jade,” Ava greeted her and closed the door behind. Her eyes roamed around, nose turning up as she tried to take in the residue of scent. There was no trace, just as she expected. “Did Clive leave already?”




The witch made a non-committal sound in the back of her throat, her fingers closing around a tumbler filled almost to the brim with amber liquid. Her jaw was clenched tight, head cast down.




“Isn’t it too early to start drinking?” The omega tried to lighten up the mood.



Jade let out a sigh, looking up. “Why don’t you ask what you came for, Ava?”




Her face flamed at that. She thought the witch wouldn’t catch onto her ulterior motive. So much for thinking that. With a sheepish smile, Ava settled on the chair in front of her. Inhaling deeply, she reached out for the witch’s hand and stared into her eyes.



“I am sorry for being suspicious, but there’s a woman dead in the woods.”



The witch shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. She abruptly pulled back and wiped at her tears. “I should be the one apologising! When he asked to stay the night, I should have known.” Jade covered her face, shoulders shaking as she leaned forward. “I am so sorry, Ava.”



Abandoning her chair, Ava immediately got up and rushed to comfort the witch, rubbing her back. Jade would have never done it if she knew about Clive.



“You had no idea.”



Jade hiccuped, pulling back. She lifted her head; eyelashes clumped together. “Will the Pack Alpha believe me?”



Her chest tightened at the question, mouth parting as the omega thought back to look on Zach’s face earlier. He appeared murderous. Ava gave her a reassuring smile. “I will convince him.”
***
Slowly the things will unfold ;D
***