Chapter 49|Wisps of Regret.

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After the conversation with Alexander, Arabella reached out to her grandfather and awaited his response with her heart to her throat, wringing fingers and a throbbing headache. She almost nibbled on her fingers but caught herself in the last minute, chastising herself for nearly ruining her recently done nails.

She obliged to his response the moment it reached her with a racing heart as she turned to the corner that led to their usual meeting place.

Her mind was filled with utter confusion, her emotions pricked by nerves and thoughts of all she went through and the life she was built upon. She had thoughts on what went wrong and along which way? All her life, she has always been reminded of what being loyal to the Bane Pack caused her, a mother and a grandmother. The zeal for vengeance has been instilled in her for so long that it has become a solid part of her, the basis of her existence.

After her conversation with the Alpha, she sat and thought things through. Rethinking her past decisions and what they caused her.

The first was her greatest regret, ignoring her heart, her soul's beseeching bid for its mate, her wolf's pain at the thought of mating with someone else while her mate was found and not far from her.

The second was when she began rethinking her actions towards Isabelle who used to be her closest friend before the ultimate betrayal slashed through their family's relationship with a mighty blow, her grandfather might be true in satisfying his beloved wife's wishes but was that the best way to? She thought to herself.

The third was her new errand as a spy for Alexander, it could easily get her killed for treachery in both parts of her world.

On one hand, there was the Lichen Pack where her grandfather moved her to after her grandmother's exile from the Bane Pack, she was accepted in the Pack because of the relationship between Martin Miles and the Pack, the Pack's Delta Edgar Charles was married to her late mother's twin sister, Aunt Julie. The woman who raised her. Her grandfather's visits were mostly private, recurrent and filled with the same stories, their plans for retribution and all that until he passed his ire to her.

Her family's supposed treachery wasn't exposed to the whole world so the Lichen Pack Alpha accepted the highly respected old man and his granddaughter into his Pack, he provided them with shelter to which Martin turned down. He took residence elsewhere but in compensation with his frequent visits, the Alpha assigned Martin with Omegas to serve him without bothering to dig deep into Martin's reason for leaving the Pack in which he ruled as the Second in Command to the Alpha.

Arabella had a feeling her grandfather used a bit of manipulation to get all he wanted without questions sent his way.

The last but not the least was the feeling that swept through her at the sight of Isabelle's dried blood and the realization that she has been killed. It made her grapple with other possible explanations for the girl's disappearance. But knowing her grandfather's desperation, she knew there could only be one. Isabelle was killed. He had to fulfill his wish at the the first chance he got.

He won.

Over the years, he'd instilled a strong and vile hatred for anything related to the Bane Pack, he directed his animosity mainly at Isabelle who was like a granddaughter to him before the scandal took place. He took on a mission for revenge, to avenge his wife's cruel punishment as well as grant her wishes to have Arabella take Isabelle's place as the Luna and Queen of the De Luca Pack.

Grandpa Martin had always instilled in her head how much she was worthier of being an Alpha's Queen much more than Isabelle could ever be at any given opportunity. With time Arabella's sense of kinship for Isabelle transformed into loathe, she thrived in the thought of being the better one because of the words her grandfather fill into her head. He made her accept that injustice was done to them, he made her believe just how much they deserved much more than they had. He made her yearn, ache, dream and want more. He made her dream much higher than she could ever be and most of all he made her feel like she could accomplish and be anything she's ever wanted as long as she followed his directions and guidance.

Now, Arabella knew she'd fucked up along the way. She knew something was wrong the moment Leah came into the picture. She knew he began to see her pace as incompetence the moment she heard from one of the De Luca Pack Elders that Leah was bringing Isabelle to them herself. She had no idea how her grandpa was able to communicate and have the girl on his side but she had every intention of finding out before the night ended.

There wasn't much to trust in the girl and she's always felt the girl's barely concealed animosity in waves at all times. Initially, she thought the girl hated her for taking Isabelle's place forcefully. But as time moved on she realized whatever might be the reason for her scorn was much more than loyalty for her brother's true mate.

Arabella scoffed in disdain, in their case she was the better one because she never for once acted like she held Isabelle in high regards unlike Leah who literally worshipped on the ground Isabelle stepped on, followed the red haired everywhere only to stab her right between the eyes.

With a shrug and pursed lips, she looked twice behind her to ensure that no one was following or within her sight before sliding into the incompleted building that had turned into their meeting point.

"Why did you kill her? The plan was never to have her dead! You told me we were getting rid of her but not killing her." She cried out the moment she caught sight of the old man hidden in the shadows of the night.

"Would you have had me sending her to exile? You're still naive and gullible Ara. That girl is stronger than you think, she will return." His strong voice reached her ear. The hoarse sound strange to her ears.

The sound of the sole of his shoes hitting gravel alerted her of how close he was getting to her. Martin might be her grandfather, the closest family member she had alive but when irritated she knew perfectly how ruthless he could be and the look in his eyes when he moved out of the shadows told her he wasn't in his nicest mood. But then, neither was she.

"You could have easily sent her to the farthest end of the world." She stood her ground.

"And have that pup following her wherever she goes huh?. I personally had him poisoned the day I went to speak with him about your betrothal to him because of his adamant refusal to adhere and accept my words. What did he do? He returned from the world of the unknown with the imp in his arms and we were none the wise of where she was at prior to his return, we had no bloody idea that she was alive. Tell me how he wouldn't find her wherever she was sent to in the earth we live in now that he's had a taste of his mate's flesh? You're too naive." He spat the word that was worse than an insult to her ears for the second time that night and Arabella held the reins to her feelings tightly in a strong grip. She couldn't have herself exploding like she wanted to else he'll suspect her defense of Isabelle. He'll assume she was backing off from their initial plan.

Knowing his will to stay hidden, there's nothing he wouldn't do to anyone who dares to tamper with his invisibility.

Not even his dear granddaughter.