Chapter 74 - Tracker

*"Darkness is your candle." ― Rumi*

***Neron***

“There is no way you’re meeting Lady Sanguine alone.”

“With all due respect, Anthony, that isn’t your call to make.”

“Maybe not, but someone has to knock some sense into you before you walk into a trap.”

I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my right temple to quell the growing pressure in my head. After receiving Lady Sanguine’s message, I made my way to Garnet Moon at dawn with Kwame and Valerian. She knew I’d come running when she drenched the letter in my father’s blood. She threw a lure, and I took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

“I’m not stupid, Anthony.” I shot back with a glower. Valerian and Kwame stood at the corners of the office, clearly tired but alert. “However, I see this as an opportunity to get close to Lady Sanguine without Osiris around, assuming he won’t be lurking.”

“She has clear intentions on killing you, Neron.” Anthony reminded, grasping at the bloodied letter. His face crinkled in concern. “Walking into Pauline Park will guarantee a knife in your throat. How can you guarantee your safety?”

“I’m can’t, but I’m willing to take a risk.”

The other Alpha released a dispirited sigh, gathering himself. Anthony wanted to argue more but stopped himself. His eyes went from my face to my lap, nose crinkled. “Did you have to bring your pet bird along?”

Diana’s head perked up, tilting to the side. Amused, I smoothened out her feathers. “Diana won’t leave my side.”

“How…peculiar.” Anthony responded, regarding the owl with squinted eyes. “But, never mind that. If you’re going to go to Pauline Park—”

“I **will** be.” I corrected.

“Excuse me, *will be* going to Pauline Park. We need a plan. The park is a couple of miles west from the territory. Do any of you have any suggestions?”

“I do, but it is dangerous.” Kwame spoke up, stepping toward the desk. “I suggest we put a tracker pad on Lady Sanguine. It is small and very discreet. We can use the tracker to pinpoint where she is going, and we know she’ll be heading back to Osiris. It’ll give us a definitive location on Osiris’ base.”

“Is this before or after she decapitates Neron?” Valerian responded with a drop of anger in his voice. “This plan is risky, given how unpredictable Lady Sanguine is.”

“She won’t get that far, Val.” I retort, arching an eyebrow at this unusual burst of emotion from my Beta. He’s never the type to act or speak from his emotion.

“I thought the same until she stabbed me and cut my wife up. She can do even worse to you if you let her.”

“Enough.” My fellow Alpha shook his head. “Getting a tracker pad won’t be a problem. I know some people in the tech business who can offer me one at a modest price. But Kwame, you can’t guarantee Neron would get close enough to plant the tracker.”

“Okay, so we won’t use Neron.” Kwame concluded. I shot him a look, but he ignored me and continued talking. “He will still go to the meet-up, but we can send people with him who can plant the tracker.”

“Lady Sanguine specifically asked for **me**.” I reiterated. “If I bring anyone else, Dad and the Lanes will die.”

“I don’t see much of an issue on that.” Kwame muttered, burying his hands in his jean pockets. “But, Neron, you don’t have much of a choice. You can’t do this alone and you know that.”

I wanted to offer a rebuttal, but the words are stuck in my throat. All odds are stacked against me. As much as I hate to admit it, Kwame is right. The cons outweigh the pros in the situation, and it frustrated me to no end.

My Gamma grunted, arching an eyebrow as his way of saying he was right. “Alpha Anthony, I think the people best suited for the tracker placement would be one of Kiya’s friends.”

Anthony gawked at Kwame as if he suddenly sprouted another head. “I…I’m uncertain if I’m ready to risk one of my wolves for this.”

“*Let us do it, then*.”

All our heads shot behind us to see Lyra and Nikolai entering the office, determination brimming in their eyes. A hitched breath from Anthony echoed as his eyes widened.

“Mom, Dad, no!” He exclaimed, rising out of his seat. “There is no way in hell I’m risking either of you for this. What if you get hurt?”

“*Mijo*,” Nikolai responded, determined and confident. “Kiya would never harm us, no matter the circumstances. No one is better suited for the plant than your mother and I.”

“But—”

“We made up our minds, dear.” Lyra interrupted, crossing her arms. “We will break through to your sister. We did it before, and we can do it again.” She and Nikolai shared a look of understanding. “It is worth the risk.”

The fire and love radiating from the older couple suffocated me. All I could do was stare in awe at how they’re willing to risk everything just to get close to Kiya. Diana rubbed her head on my forearm as my eyes darted from Nikolai to Lyra and back. The way Lyra stood strong reminded me of someone close to my heart.

She reminded me of Mom. My heart lurched painfully, making me wince.

Anthony cast his eyes down on his table, defeat infusing with his scent. He slumped his shoulders as he sunk in his seat again. Going over all the possibilities in his head, he knew in the end, it can only decide on one. A sharp sigh left his lips as he glanced back at us once more.

“Can’t argue with my parents.” He chuckled, almost bitterly. “We have little time until the meet, so let’s go over what we’re going to do.”

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Pebbles screamed underneath my feet while I paced around the desolate park, the heat of the sun incinerating the hairs on my arms. Five minutes until noon and I’m restless as fuck. The scenery, although peaceful, did nothing to calm my nerves. Pauline Park was barren, void of both human and animal life. Surrounded by Mother Nature’s seedlings and rocks is a winding hiking trail leading toward a dense forest preserve.

“**Just breathe, Neron**.” Onyx suggested, also pacing in my mind, alert. He seems as tense as I am. “**She’ll be here**.”

“*I know, and I am breathing*.”

He scoffed. “**Your anxiety is as thick as frozen butter**. **But don’t fret; we have a plan and it’ll work**.”

I know it will because it is a good plan, albeit the evident risks. Checking my phone, 12 PM read on my screen in bold white letters. The five minutes passed by faster than I thought. I tightened the straps of my unease and donned my armor of confidence. Lady Sanguine should be here any second now. My eyes scanned the earthy area, noting Lyra and Nikolai hidden in the trees, waiting with bated breath. Diana, my little partner, found her spot in one of the adjacent trees, hidden amongst the leaves.

However, I couldn’t help but feel another pair of eyes on this place. Unfamiliar.

“**DUCK**!”

A sharp whistle whizzed toward me and I dropped to my knees, scarcely missing the object overhead. One look above told me that that Onyx just saved my life. A blade with a nebula-like red and green hilt is embedded deep in the tree bark, pungent with wolfsbane. The bark would’ve been my face if I reacted a few seconds late!

“Damn, I missed. I can never have fun with you around.”

I turned my head to see Lady Sanguine seated on a bolder with one leg folded over the other. The sun shining on her only enhanced two things: her beauty and her crimson orbs. Still donned in the black dress she wore during the attack, with a sickly sweet smile, she waved.

“Kiya.” I responded, standing erect.

“*Lady Sanguine*.” She corrected with an eye-roll. “I’m surprised you’ve showed up. A son’s love for his father is unparalleled.” A grumble escaped her chest. “I would’ve asked Raina to come, but you know how it is. Stress isn’t good for the baby.”

“You knew she was pregnant. That’s why you didn’t kill her.” I commented, and she shrugged. “You still have a heart.”

“That is debatable.”

“I did as you asked. Now, tell me where you took my father and the Betas.”

The woman scowled at me, undoubtedly put off by my demands. Hopping on her heels, she waltzed over to the tree where her knife was at and pulled it out of the tree trunk. “I rather show than tell you.”

“Show me?”

“Yes. I’ll take you to them. But on one condition,” Her scowl melted to a grin as she waved her deadly blade in front of me. “If you agree, which you *will*, that means you have agreed to be part of my game. Unconditionally.”

The mischievous twinkle in her eyes told me she fully intends to win. If I agree, the odds of my death will exponentially increase. If I disagree, everyone dies. But I have no choice. I’m willing to risk it all if it meant Kiya didn’t have to kill anymore. If I have to take the plunge into danger to ensure that she can return to the light, I’m ready to take that leap.

“I agree to your terms.”

“Splendid!” Lady Sanguine purred in sheer delight, her pearly teeth shining. “Let us begin, shall we?”

“**Kiya**!”

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***Kiya***

Drowning. Submerged in an infinite sea of impenetrable black. Everywhere I look, everywhere I turn, I see nothing. Gloom blinded my vision but attached its strings around my body as I’m forced to perform a dance of darkness like an unwilling puppet. I have no say, no control, no will. Being stuck in the sunken place is tantamount to having an eternity pass by with no ability to grab hold onto time. The world moves on, but I’m stuck.

I couldn’t *think* straight.

I’ve done things. Bad things. Some I regret and many I don’t. However, my biggest regret of all is my parents seeing their moonbeam losing her light. Their daughter couldn’t settle without the deaths from many. Her spirit lost amid the darkness, refusing to release her. But they had power. Their voices did something. I turned on my heels to see Mom and Dad approaching with caution, eyes trained on me.

Not even the darkness could obscure the undying love I have for them. That love picked up its sword and fought away the threads and claws threatening to imprison my heart and mind in its dungeons. Light, as a single strip, pierced through the black and beckoned me toward it.

It happened before. With Diana.

“*Bebita*…” Mom whispered, her hands cupping both my cheeks. The icy prison holding my spirit hostage crackled and broke, piece by piece, as I fought my way out. Dad came up by my side and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my forehead.

Their love unlocked the gates behind my eyes and tears rushed down my cheeks like a pair of wild waterfalls. I felt like I could breathe again, see again. I’m not Lady Sanguine. I’m me. And I’m exhausted.

“Mom…Dad…”

“Are you okay, *Mija*?” Dad asked me, rubbing my shoulder. I shook my head. “Tell us how we can help you.”

“I’m tired.” I whimpered when Mom rubbed my tears away with her thumb. “Nothing feels normal anymore. I feel like I can’t escape.”

“You can and we can help make it happen.” Mom insisted, drawing me into a hug along with Dad. Their hands rubbed my back “All you have to do is come with us. Can you do that?”

“I can’t.” My eyes fluttered shut as my head rested on her shoulder. I feel like a bird trapped in a cage of iron and rust. And Osiris has the key. “Osiris won’t let me go. I’m bound to him and I don’t know how to stop it.” I was so tired of constantly battling the demons that live in my head day in and day out. Every single time I emerge strong, the demons come back stronger. The memories, the trauma, the phantom sensations—anything and everything between was picking away at my resolve.

Being strong constantly was exhausting. All I wanted was some rest, and I slipped into everlasting darkness with my inner child.

I feel so lost.

“Kiya, listen to me.” I turn my head slowly to be met with Neron’s blue eyes. I almost forgot he was with me. He grabbed both my hands and caressed the back of my palms with feather-like touches of his fingers. Faint tingles rocketed through my veins. “On my honor, we’ll get you and Artemis away from that madman. Behind every cocky grin is a weakness, so do you know any weaknesses Osiris might have?”

“Artemis…”

My jumbled mind assembled fragmented pieces from all corners of my mind to form a unified picture that punched me in the gut. The wind was knocked out of my lungs and my world spun like a toy top, clouding my vision; all in response to the missing piece. The most sacred piece. I find myself in the beginning stages of a panic attack when I couldn’t connect to my wolf.

“Artemis!”

I threw myself off my parents and Neron, clutching my head as a pounding headache entered. I tried, over and over, to grasp the revered connection between mortal and wolf only to be met with a block. Artemis’ missing presence sent my mind in a whirlwind of mania. My parents and Neron tried to speak to me, but I couldn’t make out what they said. Their voices were muffled against my ears and my skin grew sensitive to their touch.

“Don’t touch me, please!” I wanted Artemis! I wanted my wolf!

Panic exposes vulnerability, and vulnerability gave the opportunity for the snake to slip in. Darkness billowed into my mind again through the bond, pulling me back into its depths. Before it could take control again, I ripped Amber’s necklace off my neck and threw it at my parents. “That is Osiris’ weakness! It belonged to Amber, the avatar before me!”

To silence me, the darkness blackened my world, plunging me back into its prison.

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***Lady Sanguine***

Weakness is failure and if there is one thing I’m not, is a weakling. No one will disrupt my plans; not even my damn self. Darkness is where I feel the safest, and I intend on staying there long after I get rid of my tormenters.

And speaking of, one of them is already with me. I have the Alpha bastard right where I need him. After all, he *agreed* to play my game.

“Kiya?” I heard my father ask, fear trembling in his voice. “Are you still there?”

I stood erect on my heels, wiping away the stray tears off my face before sucking in a sharp breath. Turning my head, I shot the sweetest smile at my parents. “Mom, Dad, you both should go home. I’m doing all of this for a reason and I hope one day you’d understand.”

Then, my eyes found Neron’s frightful blues. “As for you…”

Just like clockwork, a black swirling portal brimming with violet and red energy appeared behind Neron; a nice benefit for having the dark witches to do my bidding. And like the fool he is, Neron noticed the magic behind him too late.

“You’re **mine**.” I charged toward the Alpha and tackled him like a football player to where we both landed inside the portal, swallowing the both of us.

Father and son are now at my mercy, and I’ll have the absolute pleasure of torturing them both.

*Just as they tortured me*.