Chapter 35
- UM.
I pushed open the door, my Luna senses immediately picking up traces of Jared’s scent
mingled with my sister’s scent.
The windows cast long afternoon shadows across the stone floor as I walked in. The familiar scent of dried herbs and bolling poultices filled the air, but today something felt different
The silence in the house felt deliberate. My enhanced hearing could usually pick up the smallest sounds, but today everything was muffled, as if someone was using magic to dampen supernatural senses. It was nothing like I had ever seen
Moving through the shadows of dusk, I fought the urge to let her eyes shift and pierce the darkness. As the reborn Lun could feel the approaching full moon pulling at my consciousness, whispering ancient secrets I was still learning to understand. But I couldn’t reveal my power – not yet, not even to Serena. I felt at ease knowing that Maria didn’t know everything about my past, it was for her own safety,
For their own safety.
Rounding the comer, I nearly collided with my sister, who was standing before Jared.
“Silverstone!” Serena’s voice carried forced lightness. “You’re home early. She looked at me, brows shut up, her eyes wide
“I didn’t think you’d be back so early. How did it go?”
Jared’s amber eyes flickered over me assessingly, but I kept her heartbeat steady, pretending not to notice that he was staring
at me.
“Where have you been, Silverstone? I barely see you these days.”
“I’ve been busy with pack activities. Seems you’ve been really busy yourself, always on an emergency call.” I added, a weird smile playing on my lips.
He avoided the question, it was as if he didn’t know what I was talking about.
“Why are you here?”
“Sis, Jared and I were discussing the fish populations near the mill.” Serena said excitedly. She never had any interest in thi pack’s activities so seeing her this excited discussing with Jared about the fish mill, made me curious.
“Yes, I’ve drafted a new proposal to help keep them safe. The Luna cycles affected their migration patterns” Jared nodder smoothly, his gestures were overly exaggerated, an act of manipulation.
“Fascinating.” I murmured, maintaining my facade of ignorance while my inner wolf raged at my sister being so closes Jared. I swear if he ever hurts her I’ll make sure he doesn’t live to see the light of day.
I turned to Serena, my eyes burning with so many unanswered questions.
“Since when did you suddenly develop interest in the pack’s affairs? I thought you were a beauty queen and be en had no affairs running a pack but walking on stages?” I asked, surprise flickered on my face
“I noticed that you’ve been too busy lately so I decided to assist you.”
1 let out a soft smile, patting her shoulders. No doubt I was impressed seeing her sudden interest in the activities of the pack. I wish my father was alive to see this day.
He would have been so happy. This was his dream, to see his girls work together for the benefit of the pack.
I waited patiently for him to say anything about the text he sent to me but he didn’t. I have noticed that any time Serena was in our midst, he kept our conversations very professionally.
He doesn’t bring up his feelings or anything that’ll make you think he had interest in. It was like he was scared of anyone finding out. Like he was scared of Serena finding out.
He
didn’t say anything about his missing bag either, I looked around and there was no trace of Lisa.
That was weird as they were just together a while ago.
Where could she have gone?
I turned to my sister, “Serena, where’s your friend?” I asked, concern etched on my face.
She turned to Jared, surprise etched on her face.
“You didn’t tell her?”
“Tell her what?” I looked at Jared who looked rather unbothered than confused.
Then suddenly, he choked out. “Lisa traveled to see my mother. She called in sick last night.” It was as though he forgot
about it for a while.
“It’s so sad to hear that, How’s she?”
“Not good, Silverstone. She was infected with wolfsbane” he continued, his voice emerging soft and fragile, like autumn leaves drifting to the ground, with words that quiver and fade at the edges.
“You could have gone with her, there’s no need to stay back in the pack. Besides, Klein can handle things on your behalf. Your mothers health is paramount, Jared”
His face immediately turned sour at the mention of Klein’s name, indeed Klein was a threat to him.
“I wanted to go with her before the incident in the pack. His was raspy, or should I say, tense?
For a lot of reasons I didn’t believe what Jared said about his sister’s whereabouts. Besides the last time his mother was sick, that was the same time we had a major invasion in our pack. One that really needed his presence but he left regardless, “Your mother comes first, Jared you can go. I’ll handle things on your behalf” I said calmly, faking a smile.
The issue wasn’t something we couldn’t handle without him, but he still insisted on staying behind. Who knows, this might just be another opportunity for him to extort money from the pack.
“What time did your sister leave?” I waited for him to shoot himself in the leg. My question was like a time bomb that would explode anytime soon.
I counted a few seconds in my head, placing a bit in my mind.
“If he says the truth, then Lisa is really his sister. But if he says otherwise, then, I might have more enemies than I think I already have.”
–“She left very early this morning, she left with the first bus.” His lips curled up, but his gaze was downcast.
That’s a big lie, the time I saw them with the bag in the cafe was past noon.
What could Jared be hiding this time? A lot of things ran through my mind. I needed to set a trap for him. This time around there’s no escaping.
