CHAPTER 72

"I never cared for the position. All I ever wanted was to be a good leader for the pack. My lack of ambition made me blind to the greedy and overambitious nature of my twin. Standing here now, I regret not wanting more before it was too late," Cole said savagely.
If there was anyone who understood what it meant to truly have regrets at that point, it was Asher. He knew perfectly the feeling of helplessness that came with it, just like it was mirrored on Cole's face as he stood clenching and unclenching his fist.
"But you died," Asher said slowly. "Rumour has it that he drove a knife through your heart and watched you bleed to death." Asher wanted to be certain about the man before him. He was not about to go to the warfront with someone he could not trust. For all he knew, the brothers could be triplets instead of a twin like everyone believed and Cole was the one sent to lure him.
"He did drive a knife through my heart but Collins was never man enough to face up to me. He is a coward. Even after he drove the knife through my chest, he ran off because he was too afraid that I could still fight him back," Cole said with a derisive snicker. "The rumour was just that, nothing more. It was probably Collin's way of spreading more fear in the heart of the pack and it seemed to have worked."
"How do you know that?"
"After I was dumped for the dead by Collins, some nomads rescued me and we travelled far away from my pack while I was recuperating. When I was well enough to talk, I told them all about myself and Collins. Then and there,they promised to help me whenever I wished to have my revenge," he paused then turned his back to Cole. "I already imposed enough so when I set out for here, I didn't let them know. But they searched for me and went straight to my pack." His expression grew pained as he said the word. Asher said nothing and waited for him to continue. "Obviously, they couldn't just waltz into the territory. But the wolf they spoke to told them how the pack was in ruins and everyone was living in fear of Collins. He sees himself as a god now. He wants a world were no one can stand against him and anyone who tries would be crushed to powdered bone."
"Do you believe that no one can win against him?," Asher asked in a measured tone. He wanted to know the answer to really ascertain what he was going to face. He saw a smile creep up on Cole's face.
"We both know he's no god, just a greedy and heartless bastard. I know for a fact I'm going to win this time around," he answered.
"What is your plan? What did you think Rose could do to help?." He finally asked about his only interest. Shana was out there somewhere with the cold-blooded bastard they were talking about and merely thinking about what the wolf could do to her or was at that moment doing to her, made him cringe.
He needed to get her out as soon as possible and to do that, he needed to know his enemy.
"I don't have a plan," Cole said shaking his head. "The nomads told me he has too many loyals around him despite his despicable acts. They would do anything to protect him because of his money and power. Winning over men who are driven by their own selfish ambition isn't the easiest of task," he said and took a deep breathe. "I went to Rose hoping she could get you on board to help but she told me you both weren't.....,"
"Cole," Mila warned firmly.
"I'm sorry."
Asher's eyes had become pained knowing what Cole was probably going to say. It was another reason for him to regret his actions towards Rose.
"What if they have more reason to be disloyal than loyal?," he asked, taking his mind off his regrets to focus on what was his priority.
"That could work only if we get to meet his minions one on one. I'm guessing we do not have the time for that," Cole stated.
"Agreed," Asher said with a deep, regretfully sigh. "We have to think of something soon. I need to get mymate out of there."
"I was just wondering, how did you know Collins has her? That she is missing does not mean she was kidnapped like you believe. What if she left because she wanted to? I'm sorry I've to say this but it's no news you both aren't exactly the ideal mates."
"First, it's a gut feeling I had and she had called me in panic at the moment of her kidnap. So, I'm certain she didn't leave by her own will," he finished with veiled anger. "Secondly, keep whatever you hear and your opinion about my mate to yourself."
"Alright," Cole conceded. "What's the plan?"
"I need to think. I don't want to do anything stupid that would provoke him into hurting her. But I need a plan soon."
"Agreed," Cole said back to him. "How about the two wolves from your pack and your housekepper, do you think he's holding them against their will too?"
"I doubt if he's holding Thomas and Adele against their will. They were in on his plan to start with. But I would say he has my housekeeper against her will. I hope she's hanging in there."
"If she isn't dead," Cole said bluntly. That got him a really dirty and warning look from both wolves in the room with him. He was only speaking the bitter truth.
And it was really, really bitter going by the look on Asher's face.
★★★★★★★★★★
"Why are you doing this?," Shana asked looking up into the blazing face from her position on the dirty floor.
"Shut your mouth or I would be forced to do it for you," she screamed at her.
That didn't faze Shana. She was really interested in knowing the reason a person Asher had trusted with his life and home could do something so heinous. But it was not going to help her to keep insisting on knowing the answer, for now. It looked like she was going to be kept alive for sometimes and it should be enough time to get an answered.
"I need water," she said instead.
"You can't have it Luna. This isn't your house where you order everyone around. You are just an ordinary Crier for goodness sake."
"I beg you," Shana pleaded, swallowing her pride. After all, it was going to be useless if she died of dehydration alongside her unborn baby.
Her hands went to wrap protectively around her flat tummy at the thought. What kind of mother was she? She had not had a single thought about the baby until now.
"I don't care if you are carrying the bastard's bastard. It does not change my decision, Crier. You'll have food and water when I think you deserve it and that time is not now.
She turned to go out the door and Shana moved very fast, wrapping her arms around her legs to tackle her to the floor. But alas, she was no match for a wolf still in her prime.
She was springing off the floor almost immediately and Shana felt the first kick hit her thigh. Her eyes rolled back in her head at the pain as she doubled over unit the floor, her arms wrapped around herself to protect her baby as more kicks followed, accompanied by angry words she could not make out in the haze of pain.
"Elise," another voice said from the small door. Shana said a prayer for the intruder as the kicking stopped immediately. "You should stop taking it out on her. You don't want her dead before she serves the purpose she's here for," the masculine voice said. "You can have another go at her when she's no longer useful but for now, treat her right" he added and Shana rollback her prayers.
From his voice, Shana knew Elise was the better of two devils.
"I just can't stand her anymore. I can't stand them all, most especially the bastard," she said sobbing.
"I thought you liked him," Shana wanted to ask but kept her mouth shut and concentrated on nursing the pains firing through her body.
"I've spent years catering to him against my will. It was good enough when his life was as worthless as mine but since the Crier, he's had a reason to be happy. Why should he be happy when my Adam never even knew peace while he was alive? Why should the son of that witch even lead the pack?," she said brokenly as her sobbing reached a crescendo. Then she continued again, "And he was going to get even happier. More of him was going to start roaming this earth while Adam wandered around without peace. If you had not stepped in fast enough....," she ended, continuing to sob.
Shana finally had an idea of what was going on. Apparently, Elise had had a thing for Adam and he had her loyalty. She was going all the way by helping him have his revenge.
Whatshe was not so sure about was whether Adam knew about how Elise felt about him or not.
"He's never going to know peace. I promise you," the masculine voice replied.