Chapter 79 Hidden Grandmother

*Ethan*

It was a standing ovation. Two legends nominated for High Councilman. It was a long shot since I knew the Elders would elect their own unless Onyx would intervene which I was counting for.

Eric Lockwood couldn't hold back his anger. He had to embarrass himself infront of everyone. I didn't even bother to turn around and look at him. He was such a disgrace just like my own father.

The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood up at attention. There was something not quite right. I glanced at Diana who was looking at something or someone behind me.

"Ethan, darling, what's wrong? You seem to be nervous," my mother said.

"Stay vigilant, Mother. I just got one of those feelings," I answered. "Intuition, I guess."

"Watch out for Eric Lockwood," I heard the whisper from out of the blue. I turned around and saw Eric Lockwood's back towards me. He seemed to be fidgeting with something in his hands which was hidden from my view.

The elderly Lockwood turned around abruptly, facing me, and I saw the rage in his eyes. I noticed one of his hands was wrapped in a handkerchief which meant he had something on him that was silver. I pushed my mother and my baby sister behind me to shield them from harm's way. Eric Lockwood looked like a man who had a purpose and that purpose was to kill. I watched him position himself into a stance to throw something at me. I braced myself for impact which didn't come.

Instead, Eric Lockwood clutched his chest in pain like he was having a heart attack. The color of his face which was red a moment ago had turned pale and his eyes were shut tight, while he winced in evident pain.

"Is their a medical practitioner here in attendance? I think the Elder needs a doctor," I heard someone say.

A man rushed up to him and escorted Eric Lockwood back to his table. The way he put his arm around Eric looked oddly familiar.

"Andrew is here." I jumped at the sound of Diana's voice. "Did I scare you?" She asked amused. I nodded my head.

"What do you mean Andrew is here? Isn't he locked up?" I asked.

"He is using one of his powers. He has the gift of astral projection and when necessary he can possess a host body." Diana scoffed. "He thinks he's so clever. Leave him for now. Let him do what I think he's about to do," she replied

"Break out of prison?" I asked, my eyebrows raised in bewilderment.

"Maybe," she answered. I'll leave it to Onyx then.

"How did you get here so quickly?" I asked.

"I jumped off the stage," she said. "People were too busy looking at my grandfather to notice." She laughed. "Alpha Connor took a picture of me though."

"Your grandfather is one mean sonofabitch. Are you sure you're related?" I kissed Diana on the cheek after I helped her in her chair beside me. She nodded her head enthusiastically, loving how tonight had turned everything upside down for these wolves.

"I wondered the same thing when I was kid when I had my playdates with Lucas. Lucas wasn't like his father or his mother. Lucas's mom's pack were wolves who were ruthless. Killed without hesitation," my mother said. "She was bright and cunning, but loved attending parties. I did see her get mad once at one of their household staff for always ignoring the doorbell. Poor thing wouldn't stop crying. Eric Lockwood was the same, if you cross him, he'd kill you. He never showed any mercy nor compassion." My mother sighed. "Lucas's mom died shortly after Athena was born. This is why Lucas and Athena are close. Lucas was practically Athena's father, mother and big brother rolled into one. Rumor has it Lucas's mother was killed by Eric Lockwood ,but I knew Lucas's mother. She was one unrelenting wolf. She wasn't the type to die by Eric's hands." Athena was listening to my mother intently. She must have not heard a lot about her mother when she was growing up.

"You're right. She is an unrelenting wolf. Tenacious." Diana's eyes sparkled. "She's here actually," Diana added. All eyes turned to her in astonishment.

"My mother is here?!" Athena asked, rising from her chair. Aunt Daisy pulled her back down and began rubbing her back to calm her.

"Here, have a drink of water," Aunt Daisy told her. Athena shook her head and motioned to Michael who was standing beside our table listening to our conversation.

"I need something stronger. Michael, get me two shots of scotch please. On the rocks ," Athena requested.

"Righy away, Little Miss," Michael winked and hurriedly went to get what Athena requested so he could come back to the table quickly.

"Where is she, Diana? If she's here, I deserve an explanation," Athena's bottom lip started to quiver. I shook my head sadly. She probably thought her mother faked her death because of her. Judging by Eric Lockwood's behavior though, I highly doubted the children were the reason.

"Who's here, Diana?" Lucas asked, a quizzical look in his face. He seated himself. Alpha Connor did the same beside him.

"What did we miss?" Alpha Connor looked around, pausing at Athena then finally resting his gaze on Diana. Diana opened her mouth to answer him, but Michael interrupted.

"Here, I took the whole bottle of scotch and brought several glasses with ice. And I told my superior I quit. So now, I can join you." Michael poured some scotch for Athena, placed the bottle and glasses at the center of the table, and sat down in an empty chair beside Matt. "So where were we again? Ah the hidden grandmother." Michael leaned back in his chair and flexed his neck. "Where is Josephine Lockwood, Diana?" We all heard Lucas gasped loudly. Now all eyes went to Lucas.

"My mother is alive?!" Lucas exclaimed loudly.

"Dad, shush. Someone might hear you."

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*Diana*

"M-m-my mother is here?! B-b-but there was an accident, a body. We h-h-had a funeral. Remember Michael?" Lucas asked Michael in hushed tone. Michael nodded his head.

"My family had just come back to the pack after living in Washington D.C. My father was a tax attorney and worked briefly for the IRS. That's when Lucas and I became friends. It was a tough time for Lucas. He lost his mother and his bestfriend and became Athena's guardian all at once," Uncle Mike told everyone.

"She obviously faked her death." My dad shook his head in disbelief. "Where is she, Diana? Where is my mother?" I saw the anger flicker in my dad's eyes. He had all the right to be angry at her, but after all he's been through, he for one should understand that everything happens for a reason.

"She's in the hotel, Dad, because she works here. Sorry, if I didn't tell you while we were still upstairs. She wasn't suppose to go to work today, but they were understaffed for the event. She arrived when we were already about to walk the red carpet." My dad closed his eyes, trying to calm down. When he opened them, his eyes were red and I could see his tears. He was trying hard not to cry.

"Why did she leave? Do you know?" My dad asked, his voice cracking slightly at the end. I nodded my head and lowered my eyes. The answer was something my dad, especially Aunt Athena would find hard to accept.

"I'm sorry, Dad. It's not up to me to tell you why she left," I said. My dad looked up at the ceiling and scoffed. I didn't expect the tone of voice he gave me when he spoke again.

"But it's okay to tell me she's here? Why bother telling us then?" My dad took a glass and poured some scotch into it. He downed the shot quickly, clearly frustrated at me.

"Lucas..." Uncle Mike began, "please don't use that tone of voice like it's Diana's fault. If there is anyone here who should have deeply rooted abandonment issues, it's Diana. May I remind you, your family completely wiped out her mother's entire family. You should be ashamed of yourself," Uncle Mike said in a stern tone.

"Fine. I'm sorry," my father quickly apologized, though insincere. "But why tell me my mother is here when you won't give me the reason why she faked her death, Diana?" My dad couldn't understand it wasn't my story to tell.

"Dad, because I need something from her. Whatever reasons she had for leaving you, it's better you ask her."

"I'm asking you." My dad was acting like a child and Onyx had enough.

"Lucas Lockwood, you impetuous child. You have two legs and a tongue which you do not use to your advantage. Your mother stole gold and money from your father partly due to her drug addiction and gambling. The rest she gave to her pack who was also in financial trouble at the time. Your father was a greedy man who did not honor the agreement when he mated with your mother. In the end, she decided it was better to fake her own death than be killed by your father. You and your brother were spoiled children who did not even notice the changes in your mother. When she gave birth to Athena, she knew her days were numbered. Thus, her untimely death," Onyx said, her voice dangerously low. "As for her pack, black gold was discovered in their lands which they did not want to sell. Eric Lockwood, in his quest to retrieve the money taken by your mother, aided a private army hired by humans to exterminate her pack. The Alpha and his pack expected a fight, however only death came. Your mother is the only remaining survivor of her pack and has an artifact that I urgently need."

"Thank you, Onyx, for the information. But do remember, Diana is my daughter. I have the right to ask her," my dad said. Onyx growled her displeasure. In one instant, I was at the other side of the table, placing my face so close to my dad so he was forced to peer into the glowing eyes of Onyx.

"You forfeited that right when you asked her mother to terminate her pregnancy, Lucas. I have not forgotten the choices you have made. The only reason you stand infront of me is because Diana loves you. Do not forget that." I gripped my father's arm and he yelped in pain. "Do remember where you stand." I turned my head to gaze at the wolves seated at our table. "That goes for the rest of you. Now, I have to deal with a certain wolf before he thinks it is clever to make elixir through a host." I felt Onyx drift away.

"Diana, honey, let go of your father," Ethan said. "He's just frustrated. You know he means well." I shook my head, regaining my control of my body, and immediately let go of my father, who was still wincing in pain as I held him.

"Quite a grip you have there, kiddo. Let me take a look at that." Uncle Mike lifted my dad's arm to check for broken bones then lifted his sleeve. "No broken bones, just a bruise which will be gone in a couple of hours. Don't say I didn't warn you, Lucas." My dad lowered his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Dad. You know how Onyx is. She doesn't like being treated like a subordinate," I apologized. I gave him a small hug to show him how truly sorry I was. Onyx had a temper. They should get used to it.

"Sorry too, pumpkin. I should know my place," my dad lamented. He patted my arm and Ethan escorted me back to my chair. Alpha Connor took a swig of his beer and raised his finger to grab everyone's attention.

"I remember that pack that was exterminated. I was a young boy then and my father was friends with the Alpha of that pack. It was a pack in Austin, Texas and they were a ruthless pack. They would kill any wolf that tried to enter their territory unannounced especially rogues.They were called the 'Rogue Killers'.  Unfortunately, they were all poisoned by silver." Alpha Connor paused trying to recall more of what he knew. "They were rich because they grew wheat and cotton. They must have gotten into financial trouble during the recession in the early 80's. I remember my father did," Alpha Connor said. "So there was oil in their land. No doubt there would be. Texas is the oil capital of the country. But why kill them though? Eric Lockwood could have earned more money if he just helped with drilling that oil."

"He was looking for an artifact, Alpha Connor. The main reason why he mated with my grandmother. The wolf who mated with the black wolf of legend long ago was from that pack. He was given something of great value by the black wolf which he promised to keep safe and hidden. This artifact has been passed from one generation to the next until the day the black wolf returns," I explained. Alpha Connor nodded his head in understanding and turned his head to where my father was seated beside him.

"Lucas, you need to speak to your mother," Alpha Connor said. My dad looked at him in astonishment. "Stop being a whiny little boy and talk to your mother." My dad gave him a dirty look.

"Luke, I'm going to speak with Mother for Diana's sake. Won't you come and speak to her too?" Aunt Athena asked. "Let's look for her when the party ends and the guests go to their respective rooms."

"I don't know Athena. I mourned her death. I can not do it again," my dad said, sorrowfully.

"I'll come with you then Athena," Uncle Mike said.

"I'll go too," Alpha Connor said.

"Oh yeah, let's all go." My dad raised his hands in the air, exasperated. "Hello, my father is here. If he finds out about Mother, he'll kill her," my dad said in a hushed tone.

"Don't worry, Dad. No one is dying here tonight unless Onyx says so. And guys, we won't have to look for her. She'll find us. Well, actually she'll come and find me." I grinned at them.

Ethan's phone began to ring. He took it out of his coat and looked at it. It was Colt.

"Colt, are there any problems?" Ethan asked and paused to listen to Colt's answer. "I see. I'll give her the message then. Thanks Colt." He hangs up and turns to me. "There's a message for you. Granddaughter Diana, let us meet at the cafe around the corner after your party. I'll wait for you there. Josie."

"I told you she'll find me," I told everyone.

The servers began placing plates of steak infront of us.

Finally, food!

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*Andrew*

Ah! Steak! This I could enjoy even if the food wasn't going to end up in my stomach. I sniffed in the beautiful aroma of the steak the server placed infront of Chase's body.

If I couldn't break out of prison, maybe I could do this on a semi-permanent basis. I could strike a deal with Eric Lockwood and promise him to make him a wealthy man.

Suddenly the steak disappeared and I felt myself float away from Chase's body.

"No!" I used whatever mental strength I had in me so I could get back into Chase's body. I struggled with the force that was taking my essence back to my body inside that pitiful small cell.

A pair of long sharp fangs buried themselves into my shoulder and dragged me away. I screamed as the searing pain spread throughout my body. I was then forcefully thrown into the air and my essence quickly went back to my body. I woke up in my small cot enveloped in darkness. I tried to sit up, but I was hindered by the pain in my shoulder. I touched it and was shocked to feel my own warm viscous blood gushing out from the bite on my shoulder.

I noticed a green light in the corner of my cell. I suddenly felt afraid. The green light was unmistakably a pair of green eyes staring back at me.

"Next time, it will be your neck. Make no mistake, Mage," the low voice echoed in my cell.