Chapter 135

The Pack

Dr. Malachi Waterstone had a visitor.

The gentleman wore an expensive suit, finely constructed without seeming ostentatious. Everything about him was well-kept and held perfectly in place as if by some small bit of magic. His shoes shined and his cufflinks glinted.

He was powerful, without a doubt, but carried himself with an old-world benevolence that earned him trust in many circles.

And, of course, no one knew his true identity.

“I hear there was an incident.”

The frequency of his voice vibrated easily into the air, the slightest darker rasp making it only more intriguing.

“Incident?”

Dr. Waterstone looked uncomfortable even sitting at his own desk in his own office in the building where he oversaw an entire scientific operation. But whenever the gentleman came to see him, his prostrating persona fell and he was a simple scientist again.

The doctor had been playing at being an Alpha. The gentlemen came from a line of Alpha leaders centuries old.

“Don’t waste my time.”

The doctor sighed. “She ran, yes, but she came back,” he said, defensively. “I do not believe it was an escape attempt.”

The gentleman said nothing.

“And her work here is too valuable,” the doctor added. “Really, if you might reconsider our original plan I could use her long term. She would be a huge asset to the work, permanently.”

“No.”

“Sir, with all due respect—“

“No!”

The gentleman slammed his palm down on the wooden armrest of his chair. He did not flinch, though it must have been painful.

“We agreed,” he said, his voice darker than before. “Use her as you need, but she will bring Dominic here. And then she may be disposed of, however you see fit.”

The gentleman placed a suitcase on the desk in between them. The doctor opened it to reveal stacks and stacks of crisp dollar bills. He did not have time to formulate a response to his benefactor.

The gentleman was already gone.

Dominic

Nighttime was the worst. Either I tossed and turned, restless with worry, or else I fell deep into a sleep that brought nightmares involving Mira.

This time, I was reliving our wedding night. It started out a beautiful memory, but soon all the faces around me turned into sinister masks of tormented souls. When Mira was halfway down the aisle she stopped, then turned into a giant bird and flew away.

Celeste arose from the shadow of Mira’s absence, and led me into the woods. She led me to the bower, to that ceremonial place of consummation and lovemaking. I was confused, sad, but not unhappy. Her touch was comforting, her smile familiar and safe.

I lay down on the soft bed, my heart racing so much I could see my rib cage expanding against my skin. Celeste kneeled next to me, caressing my bare chest.

Then, suddenly, she stabbed me in the heart.

— — —

I sat upright, covered in sweat, my breath heavy and loud in the room. My right hand clutched over my heart, trying to slow it down manually. I could hear its beating as an echo in my skull.

My eyes fell to the empty space on the bed next to me.

“Just tell me where you are,” I whispered to the lonely air.

I dragged myself up and out of bed, begrudgingly preparing for the day. A day I had been dreading for days.

Tonight was the night of the banquet. Everyone was in order, it should go smoothly, but I had a pit in my stomach at the thought of attending.

I was meant to be there with Mira, with my Mate, with the woman responsible for so much of the event’s planning. Instead I had to be there alone.

My phone rang as I left my apartment.

“Hi Celeste,” I said as I picked up.

“Good morning!”

She had clearly woken up in a better mood than me.

“Just checking in, seeing if you want to grab coffee to go over last minute details.”

I paused in the hallway. “I’m actually,” I stalled, not totally sure what I was avoiding. “I have some things to take care of first, but I trust you to take care of everything. I will see you later.”

“Oh, okay,” she said, not hiding her disappointment. “Will you still pick me up before?”

“Yes, of course,” I said.

“Excellent!” Celeste’s voice piqued through the phone. “Also I’ll be wearing green.”

I wondered at her sharing that information after we hung up, and realized she was implying I could match with her. Or perhaps she wanted flowers? I decided to stay neutral in my black suit with black dress shirt.

The day went by slowly, and I avoided the outer world as best I could. I stared for hours at the same information I’d gathered since Mira’s disappearance. I saw nothing new. I made a dart board out of a map, and that helped deal with some of my frustration.

As I knocked on Celeste’s door later that evening, I had a sinking feeling that it was all a mistake. That I should have let someone else take charge or stayed at home tonight or just cancelled the banquet all together.

But when she opened the door, I was transported out of my frenzied mind.

Celeste was beautiful, there was no denying it.

Her dark hair was long down her back and pinned out of her face. Small braids twisted throughout her tresses, ribbons twisted within. Her dress shimmered like scales of an emerald dragon, clinging to her slender body as it cascaded down to her feet.

The smile on her face meant she saw my reaction, and it pleased her.

“I guess I don’t have to ask you how I look,” she said, teasing, as she draped her arm through mine. “You’re not so bad yourself— tall, dark, and handsome.”

I cleared my throat. “Shall we?”

“Yes, please.”

The banquet was a huge success. A huge turnout from local members, and various new faces as guests were invited from outside. In spite of a missing Luna, the Pack was still strong and was rallying together.

It made me glad to see people enjoy themselves. Still, I could not help feel that the world was moving on and leaving Mira behind. And maybe I would get left behind with her too.

I watched Celeste as she mingled, grateful that she had offered to help. She kept herself moving, but often looked over to find me across the room, to check on me. If she passed by me, I would feel her fingers brushing my arm or her hand trace across my back.

I had not been so aware of someone else’s body in proximity to mine since Mira left, and the guilt of it being Celeste did not spare me. I channeled everything into being presentable and respectable among my people, and prayed for the night to end.

“Walk me home?”

Celeste found me as I was saying goodnight to a few elders as the event was clearing out.

“Of course.”

The night was warm, but Celeste still clung to me as we walked.

“Thank you, again, for letting me help,” she said softly. “It just feels so good to be involved again, to be a part of the community.”

“Right.”

“Everyday,” she went on, “I feel a little more like my old self. I feel like that past three years could just wash away like they never happened.”

I found myself wondering if it would be better that way. If erasing and forgetting the painful parts of life is better than having to work your way through it.

“And tonight,” Celeste said, “It almost felt like how things could’ve been, would’ve been, if I hadn’t left.”

She stopped walking, forcing me to stop with her.

“Dominic.”

Her voice was silky as she looked up at me, her eyes full of yearning. The moonlight on her face made her look like a radiant goddess. She put her hand on my cheek, and I felt tension leave my neck.

She pulled my face carefully towards hers, and I had no strength to resist her. All the pain I was feeling would just melt away as I leaned towards her lips.

My phone rang.

I jumped away from Celeste so fast I almost knocked her over.

“Dominic!”

“Rae? Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” she said quickly. “But—“

She paused, I waited.

“I think I found Julian.”