CHAPTER 78

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
There was only one person I could think of that would want to harm Nadia. That fucking coward. If he had harmed Nadia in anyway, I was going to forget that he was my father. Snapping out of my state, I moved, my feet rushing downstairs where Walter and the other sentinels were chain smoking. The death of twelve of our members had shaken everyone from my pack and I had felt like someone was slowly tearing my soul apart. I could barely even meet their gaze.

“Alpha,” Walter called just as I was headed for the door.

I turned around,” Yes?”

“We lost twelve of our men today,” he began, his tone ladened with sadness,” They were our friends, our family and now they are gone. Just this once I’m asking you to clarify something to me; Is this constant attack related to that Dela Fuente Woman? And if so, is she really worth losing the members of your pack?”

I understood how felt but how was I supposed to give him a clear answer when I didn’t have one? This assassin, whoever he or she was, may or may not have something to do with Nadia and if in the worst case scenario they did, then what was their exact connection to Nadia?

I walked over, placing my right palm on his shoulder,” All of us are hurting right now because we’ve never been hit this bad before. All these deaths of our members will not go in vain that’s for sure but as to whether this has something to do with Nadia, that I cannot answer,”

“Why? Because you are protecting her?” Another member spoke,” Yeah, we’ve heard all about your encounters with her. No offense but at least with Laila, we didn’t get assassinated,”

“Do not talk about Laila,” I snapped. How dare they compare Laila to Nadia when they were complete opposites? Were they though? While one had never given shit about my feelings, the other was however keen on denying them.

“You know we are right. Laila may have broken your heart but at least we still had the dignity of our pack. Now the others packs don’t even want to associate with us and adding to that, the man who is supposed to lead us seems to be thinking with just his dick,” Another member snapped.

“Watch your mouths,” I warned.

“Or what? You will kill us? Or perhaps punish us with silver?” He mocked me.

I took a deep breath expelling it,” I will forget you all ever said anything to me because the shock of losing our pack members must be weighing heavily on you. I will excuse this as a way of your grieving. Now if I may, I have a funeral to prepare for. I should see you at the pack house in an hour,”

I walked out, refusing to tune in my werewolf hearing despite knowing I would be the topic of discussion the moment I left. I didn’t want to hear their words, knowing they had a right to think whatever they wanted regarding this situation which I was slowly losing control of. I was supposed to their Alpha, protecting them and not subjecting them to the constant torture. I knew they feared for their lives, wondering if they were going to live through the day and make it through the night. I hit my steering wheel. Had I really gone soft because of Nadia? If so, why was I stuck here, worried sick about what might have happened to her? Why did I care that she may have gotten hurt?

Where was the big bad alpha I wanted to be after Laila’s betrayal? All that talk about hunting down the killer had turned out to be bullshit and now I just lost more members of my pack. Who the fuck was this assassin and could they really be associated with Nadia? If they did, then what exactly was their link? She had no blood family of hers left. Unknown relative perhaps? An old friend maybe? I hit the steering wheel again, letting out a frustrated growl. I wanted to rip out of my clothes and just go running through the forests, probably pick a fight with another Alpha. Maybe then I would feel better.

I started the engine, literally flying across town, not caring that I was way over the limit. My first stop was at the Dela Fuente Mansion. Standing outside it, I gazed up at the front door, looking longingly at it. Only a few days ago, we were going great, enjoying each other’s company and exploring our sexual wants with each other. Now it felt like we were complete strangers, fighting on opposite sides and not knowing if we were ever worth it to each other. Maybe, just maybe, it would all go back to normal when this blows over. Maybe I would get to take her out on that date and she would be dressed in a red dinner dress, one more beautiful than the one she wore with him that night. Ugh! That fucking hybrid. The thought of Drake had to pass through my mind for me to snap out of it, clearing my throat noiselessly, quickly glancing down the street before remembering why exactly I was here in the first place.

“Sasha,” I called out as loud as my voice would let me,” I know you can hear me and I know you don’t want to see or hear me. You are probably saying something disgusting about me right now and I get it. We are fighting in opposite sides and- “The door suddenly bust open, Sasha marching down the stairs. Oh, so the spell had been lifted. That was a bad idea considering the threat was still very much high.

“Sasha, I-“Her hand came hard into contact with the side of my face, pain shooting through me for a brief moment. Before I could even process that, she grabbed the collar of my shirt, her tears eyes spitting rage.

“Where the fuck is she? What did you do to her?” She snapped.

I easily restrained her,” I did not do anything to her. So calm the fuck down and lets solve this but first, you are going to have to answer some questions,”

“Are you out of your mind? What makes you think I’d even want to associate with the likes of you?”

“You would have had that choice if you had stayed in the house and not set foot out of it,” I said, retrained in my voice. I hated doing this to my mate but if this was the only way I could get the answers, I needed then so be it.

“What are you-“

“Quiet,” I ordered, easily lifting her lithe body in my arms. Her attempts to fight me off were feeble and judging from how weary she was, the grief of losing Mrs. Heathers must have hit her so bad.

Tying her up did prove quite difficult because she kept trying to find an opportunity to dig her sharp nails into my skin but eventually I did, then put her in the backseat. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the type to keep quite and nothing in my car could work as a gag.

“You really are pathetic, you know that?” she started,” You know when I first met you in that club, I was honestly happy you got together with my best friend. For the first time, she was willing to walk away from a man she’d been loyal to for three years. They were going to get married and somehow, she picked you over those three years. You opened her eyes before she could make a big mistake but now, I’m wondering if it was all ever worth it. Right now, I would have preferred her making a huge mistake by marrying that nerdy douchebag than living her life in constant threat of the man who robbed her of her family. How do you even sleep at night Collins knowing that your father murdered Nadia’s family in cold blood and you still do nothing about it?”

I gripped the steering wheel tight. If she was trying to get on my nerves, then it was working quite well. Yet, my lips remained sealed, eyes focused on the road before me. I blocked her out, focusing on my thoughts. I had no idea what to worry about more; was it my father possibly having done something to Nadia or was it my pack’s faith in me tottering because of the members who died today. Eventually I arrived at the pack house, a heavy feeling clinging to my heart. The members were clustered in small group, some women crying while the pups looked a bit disturbed. What was I supposed to say to them when I had abandoned them for the past three days?

“Where have you been Collins? Everybody has been-Sasha?” Danny’s eyes dragged to the woman sticking her head out of the window. Ah! I had forgotten that they had hooked up.

“Hello Danny,”

“W-What is going on Collins? Why is Sasha in your backseat?” he questioned, a bit of worry in his voice.

“I said I was going to reclaim my pack, didn’t I? I’ll do anything to keep them safe,” I replied, not blinking.