Chapter 14: The Shack

Vanya pulled her curtains wide as she returned to her bedroom.
*Charity case.* Her teeth clinched at the words, and she heaved onto the feather tick mattress, drawing the covers closed behind her with a fierce jerk.
She let out a disgruntled groan, flopping back against her pillows. But, seconds later, she was on her way to the practice field when she noticed Randall scurrying around a corner. She wanted to confront him about Rowan at first. She was furious at everything Selene had revealed to Cassian. But something urged her to leave things be for the time being.
Randall was walking briskly and silently, something she had never seen him do before. His gaze appeared to be fixed on something ahead. When she noticed her adopted father walking to the north-east side of the manor, she made a spur-of-the-moment decision to follow him.
Vaya had no idea what Randall was up to, but she intended to find out the moment Randall snuck into the dispensary.
Quickly, she was on stealth mode. She hid behind a corner till Randall resurfaced a few moments later, holding a black bag.
*Why do I have the impression you're up to something, Dad?* Vanya pondered as she proceeded to follow her father.
Despite the fact that she was much lighter on her feet, she crept even more quietly. Vanya had become a master of stealth after years of practice, pursuing rogues and sneaking up on opponents. She could crouch in the shadows for minutes, if not hours, unnoticed and unheard. It was something she had to be able to do as a hunter and a fighter. Sometimes planning and stealth were more valuable than brute strength and attack. Now, it would seem, was one of those times.
Randall had no idea his daughter was tracking him down.
Vanya became increasingly curious and confused as she followed Randall out the manor's gates and into the Westwood Forest, ahe large wilderness twice the size of Hollows Forest, where rogues were frequently spotted.
*What are you up to, dad?*
Her brow creased fractionally as he noted that Randall hadn't looked back even once as he ran into the deepest part of the woods. Randall couldn’t just be taking a late morning stroll.
Her questions were soon answered when came to a halt in front of an elderly woman at the top of a small incline of a shack.
Vanya crouched behind a tree, and tried to steady her breathing. She was still quite far off from Randall but she could see that her father talking to the old woman. Creeping forward silently, taking great care not to step on any twigs or branches or even a fallen leaf, she drew closer, walked on the side the hut and looked up at the top.She noticed a tree close to the hut and effortlessly climbed it without making any noise. The tree didn't reach all the way to the top of the roof, so she jumped slightly upward and held onto the very edges of the roof and jumped on the steep roof quietly. She's small and light and her steps were precise.
She smirked a little at how awful the hut was in, allowing her to listen carefully for sounds of footsteps coming out the windows.
“...I need more bandages and painkillers,” Vanyra overheard a woman say.
“I'll try again tomorrow. Dr. Ryan is becoming suspicious.” Vanya could hear her father's tense voice.
She crept forward, peering through the cracks to see what was inside. The sunshine seeped through the tree canopy, giving her a clearer perspective of what was going on. Her father was in the middle of the room, while a cloaked woman stood by the bedside. Her mouth fell as soon as she saw an unconscious large wolf in the bed.
“My son doesn’t need you to try, Randall. He needs you to go back to your mansion and grab some pills for him," the woman insisted.
*Her son? Why is he still in his wolf form?* Before Vanya could fathom her own question, she gasped. He’s a *rotter*. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
“I'm doing everything I can to help you here, Elizabeth. We have eyes everywhere now that Lord Alaric is here. Lachlan has increased security. And, as I've already mentioned, Dr. Ryan is becoming suspicious,” Randall explained.
“I don't care. Don't forget that if it weren't for your daughter－”
“Please, Elizabeth, don't involve her in this.”
“Well, if it wouldn’t be for her, my son wouldnt be in so much pain right now.”
“She didn’t know that. Please…”
*Selene*?
“I'm talking not about your biological daughter, Randall. I'm referring to your adopted one.”
“Vanya?”
Vanya's throat ached and her chest felt like it was going to burst at the mention of her name.
“She’s a nosy one.”
Randall sighed heavily. “he's only doing her job, Elizabeth.”
“The king, on the other hand, believes otherwise.”
*The king?* Vanya felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. *Are they referring to King Lothair?*
“Oh, you're now referring to *him* as that?” Randall gave a sly grin.
“Why not? He will sit on the throne and be our king when the time comes.”
“I'm sure he'd agree with me that it's too early to call him that. King Lothair is still alive. He is still our king. Regardless."
Vanya soon deduced that they were discussing another ruler.
Elizabeth grunted. “Your king, but not mine. Randall, pay attention to what you're saying to yourself. I can't believe you're still somewhat loyal to that bloodsucker”
“I’m not loyal…”
Vanya noticed the sadness in her father’s voice when he implied he was no loyal to The Royal Coven. But her father was a man of integrity. He'd never associate himself with scumbags. There was simply no way.
“Well, if you believe that helping us makes you a traitor, I guess you are.”
Vanya was suddenly overcome by a nearly unbearable sense of indignation, and it took all of her self-control not to leap out and attack the woman and her unturned and unconscious wolf in the bed. She could not let her confusion, shock, and anger get the better of her. She needed to grasp what was going on before she could decide what to do next. Understanding the situation before planning an attack was one of the many tactics Lachlan had taught his troops.
Cursing mentally, Vanya returned to the situation at hand, aghast at what she was hearing.
“Listen, Elizabeth, I have to go.”
“The medicines?”
“I’ll try again tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? But my son－”
“I’ve already told you. I can’t just leave home without being asked where I'm going. And every time I'm evasive with my responses, I raise doubts. Celeste is also starting to ask questions.”
“She’s your wife. Deal with her.”
“I'm dealing with things as best I can. I don't want you to lose your son, therefore I'm trying to help you here. Believe me. But becoming the pack's beta isn't easy,” Randall shook his head slowly. I can't just go wherever I want and do anything I want.”
Fear started to twist its way into Vanya's heart. What was her father up to? How could he betray the pack like this? There had to be an explanation. Perhaps Elizabeth was an enchantress, and he was enchanted by the old woman. There was simply no other reason for why he would put everything on the line for her and her son. And who was this King they were referring to?
"We have placed our trust in you," Elizabeth remarked as she started to rummage through the bag Randall had brought with him.
“I understand, Elizabeth. And, once again, I'm doing everything I can here. Nothing has changed. Inform the others that we will stick to the plan.”
Vanya's world came to a halt for a few moments while she processed this new information. *We? Plan? What plan do you have?*
Even as she saw the situation develop in front of her, her mind tried to piece together the puzzle for answers. Without a doubt, the young wolf in the bed was a rotter. Rotters were unable to revert to human form since they had lost entire control of their minds. Aside from their evident hostility against everything and everyone, being confined in their wolf form was what distinguished them from regular wolves or lycans.
Vanya tried so hard to grasp what her father was doing with Elizabeth and her rotten son, but she couldn't. And what exactly was she talking about when she mentioned a plan?
Vanya guessed that his father was not under a spell based on how normal he talked and appeared. He was voluntarily helping the old woman and her son, as well as everyone else involved.
The thought sickened her.
“What about your drunken lord? *He* doesn't enjoy having him around, you know,” Elizabeth said, her eyes gleaming when she found a vial in the bag.
“Tell *him* that Lord Alaric has only extended his stay for the wine, and that he will be returning to The Capitol this weekend.”
Could Randall and the rotters be plotting something? Vanya almost blew her cover right there and then. She noticed the wind had suddenly picked up when she heard a leaf rustle.
“Filthy royal ass.” Elizabeth scowled and shook her head. “I can't wait for the day when the sun sets on those disgusting bloodsuckers at The Capitol.”
*Are you plotting a coup with the rogues, dad? You may have your reasons, and they may be your own kind, but you pledged to protect the pack from them.*
The hunter's eyes were welling up with tears, and as mortified as she was, she couldn't move to wipe them away. This was madness! Her heart thumped as she tried to comprehend the rest of what she had heard. She knew she had to inform Alpha Callum about what she had just witnessed, but could she expose the man who had given her a second chance? She was well aware that betraying the pack would result in her father's death. She couldn't do that to Randall. And right now, she needed to return to the mansion as soon as possible. She needed to think everything through and what she was going to do with the information.
“I need to go back,” Randall said, motioning to the door.
“What about your daughter?”
“She woudn’t be a problem.”
“Oh yeah?” Elizabeth pointed at the wolf on the bed. “What about him? My son?”
“Let’s be very clear here, Elizabeth, Vanya didn’t do that.” Randall’s jaws clenched.
“But she caused this!”
“As I have stated, she was merely doing her job. And I'm sure your king would agree with me on that.”
Elizabeth let out a snort. “I wonder how he'd react if he saw you mocking him like that.”
“I'm not making fun of him in any way. All I'm saying is that, while you think King Lothair doesn't deserve the crown, just like his predecessors, he is still our king. And he is still my king while he is on the throne.”
Their conversation was abruptly cut short by the wolf's groan. Elizabeth dashed to the bed and took her son's hands in hers. “What is it, son?”
The wolf growled, but his body was too feeble to make any significant movement, and his eyes stayed closed.
“Maybe he’s pain. Give him some painkillers. I’m leaving－”
“He’s not in pain.” Elizabeth looked up.
“What is it?”
“He's smelling something.”
Randall appeared to be a little apprehensive. “What is that odor?”
Elixabeth closed her eyes, and when she opened them, the following words sent chills down Vanya's spine. "There's someone here."
*No, no, no! Dammit!* Vanya had no idea what to do except stay still and hidden, keeping an eye on the situation in case things escalated. How did she find herself in this situation?
“Are you sure?” Randall asked in hushed tones.
Elizabeth looked up towards the ceiling and nodded.
Vanya paused for a few seconds, her eyes darting everywhere, before breaking into a sprint. Her father had just betrayed the pack, as much as she despised admitting it, but she couldn't betray him by exposing him. And right now, she'd do anything to keep him from finding out that she knew. She was aware, though, that she would have to confront him soon. But she needed time to think. She couldn't risk losing Randall.