Weeks go by, nothing is right. Everyone is tense and the whole pack is reacting to the tension. We keep our distance as best we can, but my team and the guys cross paths regularly during training and running patrols.
Oliver has tried to talk to me a couple times, but I just head in the other direction. He knows things shouldn’t be like this. I’m pretty sure he’s the only one who saw through whatever enchantment was on the packhouse. I just can’t do it, he is the only one who sees the problem for what it is. The rest are just angry and aggressive, but we still don’t know what they believe.
The Elite warriors fully run pack training now. None of the ranked guys show up at all, not even Delta Kyle, and I haven’t seen Sierra since the night we left and I can’t get a hold of her, but that doesn’t stop me from messaging her and Mina every night. With no response from any of them.
I am surrounded by people and have a job to do and I still feel so isolated and alone. The depression is taking its toll. Jena and I have started staying together again. The nightmares are so bad that we sleep in the same bed most nights holding hands. We need our guys, but something magical is keeping them from us and we can’t risk being pulled in.
I was able to link Osiston and fill him in on what is happening. He said he will inform Alpha Reggie, but they aren’t going to send anyone and possibly cause suspicion. He agrees something magical is going on and will have Elena work on it.
I have been trying to use my magic and even that seems to be tied to how I feel and I can’t make the most basic things work. I am sitting out by the little fire pit in the backyard of the house we are staying in, just trying to move the ashes around.
“You don’t really want to and the magic knows it. It won’t work for you like this.”
I jump from my spot on the ground, fully ready to fight Oliver.
He has his hands up. “I just want to talk, I need to know your version of why you left. I know what I saw and what we are being told are two different things. “You aren’t a traitor, but you are more powerful than you let on. Talk to me Bitty.”
He walks next to me and sits facing the unlit pit.
I wave my hand flippantly, but it ignites, much to my surprise and Oliver’s.
“Hey! Some warning next time please.” He adjusts back to a sitting position now that the flames are at a normal height.
“I didn’t do that.” I whisper. “I mean, I didn’t mean to do that.” I move to sit on the opposite side of the fire from him. “I haven’t been able to make any magic work since that night.”
“Well, you’re talking to me, so that’s a start. Tell me what went down. The last thing I remember is you and the twins walking downstairs to see the Alpha. Cam said they had information and needed to deal with it privately. I thought maybe they were going to tell you that you were their mate and for some reason they were able to sense it early or something.”
“Are you f*cking kidding?! No, they brought me in to tell me that I’m a traitor and that they could prove it.” I don’t know what in that moment made me start talking after weeks of silence, but I told him everything that I could remember from that night, down to the shimmer around the packhouse.
“Damn! And the four of them just ganged up on you like that. That makes more sense than what I was picturing.”
“That all makes sense to you? I know Kevin and Kaley are behind The Alpha thinking I am a traitor. I can see how that would be possible since he is an advisor and had been closely working with the Alpha on everything in the pack, but the Luna and the guys? I don’t understand.”
“I see it the other way around. Kevin is the leader of the school board. Why the f*ck is he talking to the Alpha about anything related to warriors or pack protection? He isn’t an elder or a warrior. He really doesn’t need to have that much time with the Alpha. With the guys, they are going with what their Alpha says and trusting his judgment. But even that is off. They are almost brainless idiots. They are slow to make decisions and can’t focus for very long on anything, like they are waiting for instructions. That’s actually why we stopped coming to training, Luna Ava said we need to keep them out of the pack’s eye unti we can figure out what is going on.”
“Yep, gotta protect that pack image.” I say sarcastically.
“Or maybe she wants to keep the pack morale up and seeing the twins acting completely out of character would cause panic to start to spread throughout the pack causing more chaos. She is protecting the pack the best way she can being under house arrest. She sent me over today, you know. Told me not to come back until I talked to you. She wants to know if you’re okay.”
“What do you mean house arrest? Why would she be under house arrest? Why would she care? She just sat there and let them accuse me of bringing the rogues here. Even with proof!”
“According to the Alpha it isn’t safe for her to leave the packhouse so he has an Alpha command on her to stay put. She’s a smart lady and figured out ways around the command though.” He points to himself. “It’s why Lenny comes over everyday too. Obviously she wants to make sure you are fed, but she comes back and tells us how you are doing.”
“Sneaky!” I roll my eyes.
“We are all doing the best that we can. Right now we have good reason to believe that the Alpha is under some kind of spell.” He mumbles low. “I don’t even have the ability to mindlink with you now, because we are forbidden by Alpha command. And as far as proof, no one else was in that room and their memories don’t seem to be the best. Another reason we think there is a spell or something like it at work.” “Is it Kevin? Or something else?”
“No idea, but he’s a part of it because for some reason he and Kaley are the only people that come to the packhouse anymore. Even my dad stays away and he’s the Luna’s main guard. But the logic, from the Alpha, is that if she’s in the packhouse she doesn’t need protection. So he isn’t needed.”
“Oh sh*t!” I jumped up. “She’s the target! Someone is going to try and get to her. You guys all know about the tunnel now and I’m sure she’s shared the code with the Alpha, whether she wanted to or not. Anyone could sneak in and grab her. You have to watch her Oliver, especially if your dad has been worked out of her detail. They want her to control the Alpha. He can’t stay under a spell forever.”
