Merida
I know you're probably not going to answer this but I thought I should ask.
Is Mia in danger?
Merida
I finish off the email as I hit send. Even though the email's likely to hit Father's inbox within a minute, I know he's not going to answer it. Nor the dozens of other emails I've sent over the last two weeks.
I close the laptop as I lean my head back against Father's leather chair. It's only been eight hours after the attack. Non-stop phone calls to nearby pack members, check ins with the warriors, updates with the clinic, and invoices from the contractors.
And the cherry on top: Mia's sister.
Well rather, it was her biological father and then her sister.
Melody stirs within me at the thought of Mia's sister and I can't seem to render his emotions as anything but jealously. But it's Mia's sister, I have nothing to be jealous of. It's not like she's going to just up and leave her own mate over a stranger she hasn't seen in nearly a decade.
If anything, we should be worried. A human magically walks into the pack followed shortly by a group of vampires.
Not only that, but she shows up two weeks after Mia's father Desmond sends Stephanie and Peter a letter with a photograph of the burned down house Natalie and Elijah died in. My heart clutched as I think back to that meeting.
It was the first time in a long time that I've seen my Father lose control over himself.
I stumble into the office nearly tripping over the ruins of broken chair as I immediately become lightheaded.
I'd been headed out to the training grounds to watch Mia train with the others. It became a favorite past time for me ever since she decided to settle here. As I descended the stairs, Mother fled pass me in a blur. The smell of salt that lingered and the brief sight of her tears were the only things that tipped me off before the crash thundered from the office.
I froze for a moment deciding between either parent before I decided that Father took the top priority. Besides, it wasn't good for the pack if the Alpha was angry.
I march directly to the office slipping through the troves of wolves that were struggling to flee. The waves of my Father's anger became suffocating to anyone that stood near it but this wasn't something usual. My father would rarely get angry over anything and even if he did, he'd never allowed it show. The last time I remember was when Mia directly challenged him the day she first arrived, but even then, he was mildly upset.
I mentally pushed against my Father's rage as I entered his office. In a moment, the fatigue vanished as I took note of the pieces under me. Luckily, the only thing that he broke was one of the chairs that sat across from his desk.
Closing the door behind me, I braced myself against an old and pissed off demi-god. "Father." I begun. "What happened?"
"Where's Mia?" He demanded as Melody rose to the surface. I held him back as I answered.
"Training grounds."
He nodded as some of the tension left him.
"Why? What's going on?"
Father paced from one end of the room to the other before stopping at his desk. "How much did Mia tell you about the other half of her family?"
"Nothing, all I know is that her father and sister moved to California after the divorce."
"She's told you nothing else? About them? About her father?"
"No, as far as I know Mia has no contact with them."
"And neither does Stephanie." He growled.
"Father, what's going on?"
"He knows."
"What-"
"He knows about us. About our past.” Father breathed sharply, turning a letter in his hands over to me.
I move forward to take the opened letter. It was dated last night to Stephanie from a man named Desmond Agrinya. Within it, was a few brief paragraphs. I froze as I scanned over the contents. The beginning of the letter was nothing out of the ordinary. Information about their daughter's, a woman named Alexandria, residency. Then it changed, to the revelation about the information that Desmond knew.
He said that he knew about the pack, that he knew they were werewolves. But that wasn't the shocking part.
"How could he know that you would meet Stephanie? Days before you two even met?" I asked Father but he pushed me to keep reading.
And then it hit me. Towards the end of the letter was the location and information about a burned down house. The house that my biological mother and older brother died in years ago. Set ablaze by the Blue Moon Coven. Within the paragraph, was information about a closet and a window that was never fixed properly.
I didn't understand what this meant but there was one thing for certain. Desmond Agrinya knew things about us that a mere human shouldn't.
"There's no way Mia could tell him something that she didn't know." I told him. "And I'm certain Stephanie couldn't have known any of this either."
"I know, because until today I was the only one who knew about the window." Father said.
"How could a human know something that hasn't been told?" Worry snaked through me and I felt the urge to run to Mia. "Maybe he could've stumbled upon it?"
"Impossible." He shook his head. "The house was hidden by magic and since then is nothing more than ashes. The window isn't there anymore."
My stomach turned to knots as my mind could only come to one conclusion. If Mia's father knew about this then, he had to be there before the house burned down. It was the only way.
"It would explain Mia's resistance to magic." He muttered.
Father's right. The only way for Mia to have magic would be if one of her parents had it. "But, do you really think he was there? That it's possible for him to be apart of the Blue Moon Coven?"
"What Desmond is, what he could've done will change nothing about what Stephanie means to me." Father spoke more to himself than me. But I agreed, if this was true, nothing will change between Mia and I.
"But there's only one way to find out." He looked at me. "Merida, I need you to accept my offer. Will you become Alpha of the Saga Moon Pack until I return?"
My eyes snap open as a rhythmic tapping beats at the door. Great, right on time.
I knew I should’ve gave this time. But with the way things are right now, I couldn’t continue to let a potential threat stay in the pack house.
Kristen enters first bowing her head quickly followed by Mia’s sister, Alexandria. They’re both dressed in the same clothing from last night, although I notice Alexandria’s coat is missing. Kristen’s eyes dart across the room before landing on the desk.
She’s upset, I’m aware. I would be the same way if my father called my mate into the office less than eight hours after an attack.
Unfortunately, she needs to understand that I have to put the pack first, regardless of what she is to my pack members.
“Kristen,” I acknowledge. “How are you feeling?”
First step to dealing with a tense mate, ease the wolf.
“I’m fine.” She breathes but the tension doesn’t leave her.
“I’m glad.” I turn to the topic of the meeting as Mia walks in. Melody lurking from within. Waiting.
My mate doesn’t bow as she crosses the room and takes her spot to the wall next to the fireplace. Not far from me but also not far from her sister.
She’s protecting her. Melody notes. I force down my rising insecurities as I mask my desire to pull my mate closer to me behind a professional smile.
“Alexandria, I presume. I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself after last night’s…. events.” As that last word leaves me, Melody’s gaze lingers on Alexandria, waiting for any response. “My name is Merida Lykos, you can consider me the… leader of this group.”
“Alpha.” She says bluntly, shifting from one foot to the other. “Of this pack, is what you’re trying to say.”
Bingo. Let the games begin.
“It seems you are well informed.” I ponder. “Makes me wonder just how well informed you are.”
“I know enough.” She crosses her arms and takes a quick glance towards her sister. Mia eyes glance back for a moment before scanning over to me.
“You know about werewolves?” I question.
“Yes.”
“You know about what your mother is? What Mia is?”
“Yes.”
“How did you find our pack?” I corner.
“I—I received a tip.” She stumbled.
Mia shifted from her spot as I pushed. “From who?”
“Look, Merida—“
“Alpha.” Melody growled.
“I didn’t led them here if that’s what you’re thinking!”
My eyes narrow. “Then how the hell did you even get past the front gate?”
“I did it.” Kristen confesses. “I let her in.”
All eyes in the room went to Kristen, whose neck began to bend slightly. “When I did, it must’ve accidentally gave clearance to the vampires as well.”
“How did you even-“ I began.
“I felt her coming, I could sense it. So I snuck into the control room.” Kristen muttered. “You know what it’s like.”
She’s right, and as pissed off as I am right now, I know deep down I practically did the same thing when Father tracked down Mia.
Frustratingly defeated, I decided to set the issue aside for right now. But then one thing came to mind.
Brush it aside and save it for another day. I think to myself.
“Well, our main issue is handled. Kristen, I’ll decide on a punishment for you later. Alexandria, since you are Mia’s sister, you’ll be under the pack’s protection,” And surveillance. “for your duration here. Please take all the time you need.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be needed.” She replied.
“Alexandria,” I respond confused. “I’m sure after last night-“
“We’re leaving. Tonight.” She said. “I came here for one thing and I’m not leaving without my sister.”
Shock, anger, confusion ran rampant throughout every nerve in my body to the point where all I could do in that moment was laugh.
“I’m sorry. But I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
I glanced around to see the worried yet equally confused expressions on everyone in the room.
“Alpha Merida, I’ve been searching for my sister for years. I came here to take her back.”
“Take her back!” I burst through the insane giggles. “And where do you think you’re taking her?”
“Home.”
The air in the room began to shift as the laughter quickly died. “My mate is home.”
“Her home is with her family.”
“I am her family.” I said darkly.
“Her bloodline is her family.” Kristen take a step closer to her mate, shifting her body in a way that would allow her to move Alexandria in an instant. “My sister and I are leaving.”
Melody growled as my claws dug into the desk. She was going to take Mia? My mate! Away from me? Fucking unbelievable.
“Not. Happening.” I snapped.
Alexandria’s body stiffened as she stood her ground. Which only served to piss me off even more.
“That’s not your choice.” She said with an eerie calmness.
Everyone’s attention shifted sharply to Mia, who held herself with her arms wrapped around her body.
“So,” I said, mimicking Alexandria strange calmness. “What do you choose, Mia?”
Her eyes close for a moment as she battles herself. I stare at her in disbelief over this insane decision. She really couldn’t be contemplating this.
“I want to leave.” She whispers.
Something within me snaps. “Everyone get the fuck out the office!” I order.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
