Chapter 9 Father Lockwood

*Athena*

I arrive home before sunrise hoping to get back into the mansion undetected. I was hoping the cold would keep the wolves in their beds where it is nice and warm.

I saw my father's car parked in front of the mansion as I slid open my secret passage way. What is father doing here at this time, so early in the morning?

I crouched low and slid behind the bushes surrounding our mansion, making sure no one was around, and crawled to one of the windows of my brother's office. I could hear my father's voice berating my brother Chase.

"You aren't sure she's dead?!" I heard my father exclaim angrily. "How could you be so careless?"

"My assassin has not called nor have I been able to contact him. He said he was going to the hospital to finish her off. He might be having difficulty entering the premises given the situation she's in." I heard Chase trying to explain.

"And what about the half breed?! Don't tell me the child lives? You do know that unlike the human gestation period, the wolf pups develop at a shorter period of time. If I am not mistaken, the woman is on her seventh month. The pup is already at term. With the proper medical care, it is possible to deliver the pup without complications. Have you contacted any of the hospitals within the area?"

"No. I was scared they might have caller ID if I inquired regarding an injured pregnant nurse. Do not worry father, if the child lives, the next of kin is the nurse's parents. I know where they live. It will be easy for me to exterminate them at night when they are asleep."

"And what about your scandalous brother?"

"He is dead. As well as his Beta. I have already received the call to claim his charred body at the local morgue."

"Good. All of my hopes of becoming a Council Elder will be of naught if word comes out I have a half breed grandchild, who will inherit the title of Alpha when he comes of age. I have told your brother time and again to never put me in a position wherein all my ambitions will be flushed down the drain. Fortunately for you, gambling is not a concern with the Council. Only half breed wolves from formidable Alphas." I can't believe my father would be so ruthless. To kill your own grandchild just to become Council Elder?! Who would have thought?

"There is one other thing. The territory in upstate New York which your brother has blocked my intention to sell. Get the documents ready. My buyer is getting antsy."

"The territory used to take in helpless wolves? The orphanage is located there. What will happen to them?" Apparently, Chase had a soft spot for the needy.

"They will need to fend for themselves. I did not create an empire to feed wolves who can not feed themselves. They are of no use to me. They will be evicted from the premises or I will send a human army to kill them." I gasped. My father couldn't do that. How could he become Council Elder with this kind of mindset?

"Father, if the Council finds out, how can you become Elder? Isn't it the mantra of the Council, the good of the wolves comes first above all?"

"Don't you ever listen? I will send a human, HUMAN army, to kill them. I will hire those gangsters from the street. They can play target practice on those hapless wolves."

"And if the wolves shift to their wolf form?" My brother asks.

"I don't know how you can be my offspring when you are devoid of critical thinking. That is what wolfsbane is for, you idiot! Now get me those damn papers! Now, Alpha! Now!" My father bangs his fist on the table and I jump from the sudden noise. I see the sun peeking through the horizon. My signal to get into the mansion as soon as possible.

I was wrong all along. Chase didn't have the guts to think up all of this. It was my father!

I crawl back to the entrance of my secret passageway and enter the mansion. I slide open the panel under the stairs and check if anyone was awake.

I hear the cook in the kitchen preparing breakfast. I walk up the stairs to my bedroom as fast as I could. I enter my bathroom and turn on the shower to rinse off the night.

I couldn't look at myself in the mirror. I was too ashamed to be a Lockwood.

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*Eric Lockwood*

"Where's Athena?" I ask my younger son about his baby sister. I knew she was close to Lucas. In an event like this, I knew Lucas would come to her for help.

"Sleeping upstairs. Why?" Chase and his stupid questions. He takes after his mother, the artificial wolf that she is.

"Are you sure she's upstairs? Have you gone to check if she's there?" I ask him. "It's almost sunrise. Don't tell me not once did you go up and check on her." My son is such a hopeless case.

"I haven't. I've been busy as you can see. Doing your dirty work." My son continues to look for the documents I need through the computer.

"If you can't find the documents in the computer, I suggest you go through the files in that filing cabinet over there." I try to point him in the right direction. "I'll go check if your sister is upstairs." The light from the sun was already peeking through the gray of the snowy weather. I had to make sure my daughter was upstairs and blind to the events that have just transpired.

I knock on her door and wait. No sound, no answer. I knock again. I hear the bathroom door of her room open and footsteps heading towards the door. It opens.

"Father, you scared me." Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she was wearing a bath robe. She kisses me on the cheek which she usually does when she sees me. "You're home. I thought you'd be away until next week on business?"

"I got back early, Athena. You're up early, pumpkin. Did you sleep well?" I look into her eyes to see if she would lie. She looks at me straight in the eyes and nods her head.

"Yeah, until around 2AM. I had an essay to finish." She points to the sheets of paper on her desk. "I was going to go back to sleep but I have to head to campus. There's a book I've been waiting to check out from the library. Uhmm, and there are pancakes waiting." She smiles. My youngest is like me...bright. I used to think my eldest was the same until I had to get rid of him for impregnating a human and blocking my every move. I wish I was still Alpha, but I needed to pass it on.

"I'll meet you downstairs then?"

"Yes, Father. I just need to get dressed. Have a stack reserved for me." She closes the door. Good, my youngest has no idea what has happened. I just need to be ready for the waterworks when she finds out Lucas has passed.

She comes downstairs with her usual travel bag full of her clothes to take back to her apartment and her backpack. She comes home every now and then to hand over her wash and goes back with a set of newly laundered clothes.

"Father, I need some money. Is Luke in his office so I can get my allowance?", she asks. Damn, I forgot Lucas usually gives her her allowance.

"No. I don't think he's here."

"I can hear someone inside his office. Maybe it's him." She stands up from the table to walk over to the office.

"I'll give you your allowance, pumpkin. Here, and there's a bit extra. Why don't you take my credit card and buy the stuff you need?" I hand her $1000 in cash and my card. Her eyes widen, happy she gets extra cash and a card too.

" Oh thank you, Father." She comes to me to kiss me on my cheek. "Thank you, thank you."

"Have a good week in school. I'll see you Friday." I hug her.

"I will, Father. You too...have a good week. I'll see you soon." She picks up her bag and backpack and heads to the back where the garage is to get her car.

I pick up my mug of coffee and wait for her to drive out to the driveway leading to the gates of the estate. She honks before she swerves into the driveway. She probably saw me standing by the window.

For a moment there, I felt bad for her. But this is all for the best.

__________________

*Athena*

Phew! I was able to fool my father. I was taught by him anyway. If he had only known I had fooled him, he'd actually be proud of me.

I head over to my bestfriend's house. I messaged her I was on my way to pick up the provisions I asked her to fix for me. She messaged back saying everything is ready for me.

I yawn, so I turn on the radio to keep me awake. I have had only a few hours of sleep, but I needed to get back to Luke and tell him what I know. I messaged him I had some important details to tell him. He told me to meet them at the small room they were staying in.

My bestfriend was waiting at the side of the road with a travel bag and backpack. We were both freshmen at the same university so it didn't look suspicious if I were to pick her up.

She opens the back door of my car and dumps all her bags. Then opens the passenger door and gets in. She waves at her father who just like mine, was watching from the window.

I drive off towards the direction of our school. I'll drop her off halfway and she could take the bus to the University.

"You haven't had any sleep, have you? What's happening Athena?" she asks me, hoping I'd tell her something.

"Something bad, Rose. I can't tell you. I'll be putting your life in danger if I do." I stop at the red light. "Is everything I asked inside one of those bags?"

"Yep, even the money you have me keep for you. It's really that bad, huh?" She looks at me feeling sorry for me. She knows my family, although wealthy and powerful, have many problems.

"You'll find out soon. I have a feeling it will be on the news, too."

"Gosh, on the news? You won't be in it I hope. Right?"

"No. But it will be a sad time for my family. I need you to play the part. So less knowing, more acting. Just keep vouching for me if my father or brother Chase calls. Tell them I'm at the library studying. The same old story. Ok, Rose?" I beg her.

"That's not going to be a problem because you're usually there anyway." She sighs. "Will you be attending class today?"

"I don't think so. That's not going to be a problem, anyway. I'm done with all my projects. I just have to pass in my essay which is due in two days. I've already finished it."

"Gosh, can you do my essay?" She asks me.

"Sure. Anything for my bestfriend. Rose, I'll drop you off at the bus stop and give you some money. If you want, you can take a cab."

"It's fine, Athena. I have some money left from last Friday. You gave me some remember? So I could buy you those paper refills."

"Keep it. I'll give you some more. Just keep vouching for me." I look at my rearview mirror. I noticed a black car following us. "Change of plans. We are going to the University," I tell Rose.

Damn you, Father!

Well...there are many ways to skin a cat.