Chapter 83 Ten Dead

*Lucas*

Some of the lights of the cafe cast a soft glow giving all of us a clearer view of the slaughter. Apparently, no one in this cafe was human. We were all wolves.

"Rose is gone," my mother said, tears falling on her cheeks. The hold Rose had on her hand loosened and the choking and gagging we heard from her had stopped.

My mother was sobbing uncontrollably. I felt a tug at my heart. This wasn't the reunion all of us had wanted.

"Let's lay her flat on the floor so we can do CPR," Connor said.

"Diana, call 911," I told her. Connor and Michael gently placed Rose on the floor with me supporting her head.

"But Dad it's her time-..," Diana began to reason with us.

"Diana,  CALL 911 NOW!" I yelled at her. She jumped where she stood, surprised at my outburst. She put her cappuccino down and left the table, walking to the coffee bar. I couldn't believe my daughter executed her first massacre in front of all us. We weren't talking about just one or two wolves. Eight wolves had their heads hanging limply on their sides while the barista was foaming at the mouth poisoned by the very coffee she had made.


Diana went behind the bar of the cafe to call 911 using the cafe's landline. I looked down at Rose's pale face. We needed to get her breathing again and help stabilize her before the paramedics get here.

Alpha Connor started the chest compressions, counting as he pumped, while Michael positioned himself to make sure Rose's airways were unblocked. I gently held her head in place.

"One, two. One, two, One, two," Connor counted. Connor quickly performed the chest compressions, doing two chest compressions a second to get her heart to start again.

"The EMT's will be here in ten to fifteen minutes," Diana said quietly. She then sat beside my weeping mother who Athena was trying so hard to console and went quiet. I noticed her eyes glaze over. She was speaking to Onyx.

"Come on, Rose. Don't die on us!" Michael said. "If you become tired, Alpha Connor, I'll take over." Connor glanced at him without stopping.

"I'm good. It's only been a couple of minutes. Come on, Rose. Breathe!" Connor continued the two count per second chest compressions. It was over five minutes when a miracle happened.

She finally moved and coughed. Michael leaned over above her face. "Oh thank Goddess! She's breathing!" Michael exclaimed.

"Rose?! You're alive! You saved her. Thank you, Moon Goddess!" My mother let go of Athena, rushed to Rose's side and knelt down beside her. She picked up Rose's hand and kissed it. Whatever Rose may have done didn't matter. What mattered was their friendship. She was my mother's dearest friend, her family.

Alpha Connor checked her pulse and vitals. "She looks like she's going to recover," Connor said, kneeling back on his feet, relieved. "The EMT's will be here soon. If we stay here, we'll all be going to jail. Well, except for Josie, that is. You can make up a story. A robbery where they killed everyone, but you. Michael, let's take all their valuables so the story is plausible." Michael nodded his head and stood up, walking to the nearest rogue. Alpha Connor followed him and went to the next rogue to collect his things.

"What about the barista?" Athena asked.

"They'll think it's a double-cross," I answered. "Mother, will you be okay by yourself? Do you have a phone? Let's exchange numbers. Once Rose is okay, we'll come pick you up. You can start living with me," I told her. She looked at me, astonished.

"Do you mean the both of us?" My mother asked.

"Yes, Mother, the both of you." I glanced up at Diana who was looking down at the floor, ashamed of what she had done.

"Diana, it was us or them. You did a good job," I told her. "And thank you for warning us about the coffee. We heard the whisper, but you could have just used mind link to tell us." Diana raised her eyes at me and heaved a sigh, relieved I wasn't angry at her.

"Don't worry about Rose, Nana. She will get well and feel like her old self again. I asked Onyx to give her a second chance. She agreed because of you Nana. If you could forgive her inspite of her betraying you, then we can too," Diana told us. My mother got up and kissed Diana on the the cheek.

"Thank you, Granddaughter," she whispered.

My mother knelt back down to where I was with Rose and handed me her phone so I handed her mine. We both placed our numbers in the respective phone.

"Alright, we got all their valuables," Michael said, shaking a garbage bag infront of us. "We need to go. Luna Josephine, just say the thieves dimmed the lights and you couldn't see much, but you heard the screams. Rose heard them too and panicked which is why she had a heart attack. After they left, you called 911 and did CPR." My mother nodded her head.

"I'll tell them that story. Now go before you all get into trouble with the law. I'll call you, Lucas, when we get to the hospital. Son, thank you." She smiled at me and an image of her smiling at me when I was a little boy flashed through my mind. I was glad she was alive.

"We'll send some people to keep an eye on you at the hospital," I told her. She nodded her head.

"Lucas, I'll just get Mother's number from you. Mother, keep safe. I'll see you soon," Athena said. We suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of sirens. "Let's go. I can't go to jail. I have kids to rescue tomorrow." Athena stood up and hurriedly went to the door. I patted my mother on her shoulder, stood up and gestured to Diana.

"Come on. Let's go." I stuck out my hand in front of Diana and she placed her hand in mine.

"See you Nana. Don't worry. Onyx is always keeping watch," Diana assured her.

We hurriedly walked to the entrance of the cafe with Michael and Connor right behind us.

"Cover your faces," Diana instructed us while adjusting her scarf around her face. "Someone is watching from across the street. I need to kill him before he reports to One."

"Diana, we'll do it," Michael said. "Just head back to the hotel."

Connor took a quick look outside through the window. "Here comes a bus. We'll split into two groups. As the bus approaches, you guys go out first to distract him and Michael and I will do the rest."

When the bus was near, Athena, Diana and I quickly exited the cafe and walked back to the hotel. I secretly glanced behind me and saw he was following us from across the street. He didn't notice Connor and Michael run across after the bus had passed. They caught up to him as we crossed the street. By the time we got to the other side, Michael and Connor had already positioned the rogue sitting alone on a bench, his cigarette still burning in his mouth.

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*One*

An elixir dealer called me to tell me a rogue by the name of Rose wanted to speak with me regarding the granddaughter of Eric Lockwood. After the Chief called me to say they had decided against rescuing Second for me because of communication problems and that killing Diana was not possible tonight, I thought all opportunities were lost.

"Give her my number," I instructed the rogue.

Within minutes, my phone began ringing showing an unknown number. I answered the call knowing it was the she-rogue calling me.

"Who is calling?" I asked to confirm.

"Rose. May I please speak to One?" Rose asked.

"Speaking. What do I owe the pleasure?"

"I saw a bulletin you posted for information on a list of wolves. One of them is the granddaughter of Eric Lockwood. She goes by the name of Diana Lockwood-Crowne. She is mated to Alpha Ethan Crowne," she said.

"Tell me something I don't know," I replied. Here is another wolf who wanted money for information I already knew. So many needy and greedy rogues.

"Well, she's going to meet someone later after the ball," she answered.

Now that was information I was willing to pay for. "Who and where?"

"Before I tell you anything, I want a downpayment," she told me. Clever wolf, but not so clever.

"Alright, have it your way. I'm hanging up," I threatened her. "Then you will get nothing."

"Wait!" She screamed. "Fine, she'll be meeting her grandmother at the cafe at the corner across from the hotel." I knew the cafe she was talking about. The barista there was a rogue and dealt elixir for me too.

"Grandmother?" I asked, puzzled. Diana Lockwood has a grandmother?

"Yes," Rose said.

"Interesting." If Diana Lockwood is to meet this grandmother of hers, definitely Lucas will accompany her. I could get all of them at one place. "Anything else?"

"I would like you to include the grandmother if you are to capture or kill the granddaughter." This rogue had a grudge against the grandmother?

"Why? What has she done to you?" I probed.

"I just need her to vanish so I can take her place at work," she quickly replied. Obviously she was lying.

"Very well. As for payment, what do you want?"

"I want several bottles of elixir," she said. I laughed. Elixir was gold and she wanted several bottles of it.

"I'm sorry, the mage who produces the elixir has gone missing and there is limited stock. I can only give you two bottles and maybe some cash. Get the bottles from your dealer. He will also pay you the money I promise. However, if this information turns out to be a con, I will have someone slit your throat where you sleep. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes," she croaked.

"Come again. I didn't hear you."

"I said yes!"

"Good. A team of rogues will be at the cafe when you arrive. And Rose, you better be at the cafe. My team will report back to me if you suddenly make yourself scarce."

"Sure, I'll be at the cafe. One, you won't regret this," she said and she hung up.

I dialled the number of Ten. With Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth absent, I couldn't have Six, Seven, Eight and Nine doing dirty work. I needed them at the casino. Besides, the barista at the Cafe and the elixir dealer who called me were two of Ten's dealers.

It rang a few times before he answered. "Ten, I need you to go to the cafe beside the Four Seasons. Bring your team with you."

"What for? I just collected our take from her the other day," Ten asked.

"I need you to kidnap the granddaughter of Eric Lockwood and her grandmother, too. They will be meeting at the cafe tonight. Make sure you bring your best fighters with you. Lucas Lockwood will probably be accompanying his daughter."

"So take the girl and her grandmother, but kill Lucas Lockwood. Anything else?"

"There's a rogue named Rose. Make sure you kill her, too," I told him.

"Rose? Old she-wolf who works at the Four Seasons? She's a paying customer, One. Her and the other old she-wolf she's always with," Ten replied. He obviously knew her. "She's one of those nice rogues always giving out food when she can."

"Well, she just tried to con me. She isn't as innocent as you think, Ten. Kill her. She isn't worth the cash I'm supposed to pay her for giving me information on Diana Lockwood."

"Sure thing, One. We'll make sure we kill the rest and dump their bodies in the meat grinder." Ten abruptly hung up.

Now, I just had to wait.

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*Ten*

I decided not to go inside the cafe. I didn't want to die just yet. Instead, I ordered my team leader to do what One had instructed me to do. If all went well, I promised him he would take my place once I went up in rank.

"Call me when you have the girl and the old lady. Make sure there are no survivors," I told him while showing him a picture of Diana Lockwood I found on a known wolf social media page. He nodded his head and smiled sinisterly.

"You can count on us, Boss," he assured me.

I dangled a small amber bottle infront of him. "Here, this is a potent extract of wolfsbane. Have Emily pour it into whatever the wolves order except for Diana's." I handed him the bottle then took out two syringes from my pocket. "These contain a potent dose of the witch's sleeping draft. Inject this into Diana and her grandmother and they'll fall asleep in minutes." He nodded his head and placed the syringes in his pocket.

I stood across the street and watched them enter the cafe. My team leader first went to Emily to tell her what I wanted done. She nodded her head enthusiastically and I saw her take the small amber bottle from him. After talking to Emily, they all sat down at separate tables to wait.

I was on my eigth cigarette when I noticed Rose and her friend enter the cafe. They ordered together, but sat separately. That, for me, was strange because those two always did everything together.

It was cold and the snow was falling heavily on the ground. I walked around and shook the snow from my coat. Twenty minutes had passed and I was getting bored. I decided to go to the cafe and hang-out there where it was warm when I noticed a group crossing the street. I couldn't tell if it was them. I sniffed to see if the wind had picked up their scent. I could only smell the delicious scent of roasted chicken, my favorite dish.

They entered the cafe and I watched as two of them went to the bar to order, the other two sat down near the door and one went to where Rose's friend sat. So Rose's friend was the grandmother of Diana Lockwood? Wow!

I sent a message telling One the meeting between granddaughter and grandmother was happening and I'd message him when we had them in custody. He messaged me back with a thumb's up sign.

I saw Emily, the barista, serve the four wolves, who were now all seated near the door, their coffee. I waited for them to drink their coffee, but none of them did. Great. I messaged the team leader to take out the four wolves when they had the chance. He didn't message me back. I decided to message the rest of the rogues that were with him. None of them messaged me back.

The four wolves suddenly stood up and walked to where Diana and her grandmother sat. I also saw Rose stand up. Why wasn't my team moving?!

An expensive car with several black cars behind it caught my eye while I was debating whether or not I should enter the cafe. Eric Lockwood was leaving the hotel. When his car and its entourage were about to drive past the cafe, the lights inside suddenly dimmed, giving ample cover to whatever was happening in the cafe. I tried to cross the street, but my legs wouldn't move. What was happening?!

Some of the lights inside the cafe came back on after a few minutes, but someone had drawn the curtains over the windows of the cafe. I still couldn't see. Maybe it was my team making sure no one would see them through the windows.

I waited for the team leader to call me to tell me the deed was done. I saw some movement, but I wasn't sure who was moving inside. I just had to be patient and wait for the call.

All of a sudden, I heard sirens from a distance, becoming louder as the minutes passed. The door of the cafe finally opened, but it wasn't my team who came out. It was Diana Lockwood with two wolves, scurrying away from the cafe back to the hotel. A bus drove by, covering them, so I hurriedly chased after them.

"The black wolf sends her regards," my wolf said, whimpering.

"What do you mean?" I asked my wolf while I followed Diana Lockwood.

"Your entire team is dead. All killed by the black wolf herself. Unfortunately, she says our time in this world is about to end," he answered.

"What?" I couldn't understand what my wolf was talking about. I was about to die? What was he talking about?

A pair of hands from behind me unexpectedly grabbed my head tightly and forcibly twisted it, breaking my neck.

This is what my wolf meant.