"If I were Tristan, I would have had you call Roman back the minute he responded to you." Captain Park spoke.
It seemed like she had taken over the whole operation.
Tristan sat at his desk, watching her silently.
I couldn't tell if he was silent because he didn't know what else to do or if he was just thinking.
All in all, this evening had been a lot and everyone looked exhausted, especially Bridget. But also, everyone was still going at it, brainstorming and trying to find a way to capture my ex boyfriend without putting me or the pack in danger.
"T had Crystal text him back the minute he found out." Bridget spoke.
I was about to say that.
Not because I didn't think Captain Park didn't know already. Tristan had me debrief everyone in this room the minute he had called the meeting.
But I did think she needed a reminder with the way she was talking like he had messed everything up.
"A text doesn't prove anything." Captain Park spoke. "Anyone can send a text message. If I were Roman Desireè, I wouldn't respond either."
"If that's the case then we might as well be on the wrong track as well, don't you think, Captain?" Nia asked.
I had never met Nia before today but she seemed cool. I mean I hadn't really had a conversation with her but she had called out Raphael and that's good in my books.
I looked at Tristan again. Maybe that's why he was in a bad mood.
Was it Raphael?
I mean the things he said...
Or rather was insinuating. Raphael had shown me from the get go that he didn't like me. But here I was trying to help take down Roman, which wasn't easy for me; might I add. And he kept trying to find little reasons to incriminate me for a crime I wasn't guilty of.
I didn't like that Bridget must have been right about one thing.
'The pack's going to start turning against their alpha....'
And it was starting with people in his circle.
Captain Park shot me a look I couldn't quite decipher as if she were wondering how many enenmies I might have.
"It has to be Roman." May spoke. "He gave her the phone case and he's the only one with enough motive to want to spy on her."
"The luna was secretly our alpha's mate and an affiliate of Roman Desireè. I think lots of people would have wanted to spy on her." Rick stated.
I thought about that, if I was a Silvercrest werewolf and I knew of a human raised girl who had just moved into the pack, I would be curious. Which a lot of residents here had been when I first moved here.
Then I find out this girl's boyfriend had been a spy all along? I'd be more than curious, I'd be suspicious.
But wait, we're not done, the aforementioned girl is also the secret luna of the pack but she only becomes the luna right after a terrible attack which she was present for but didn't get hurt.
That would convince me that there's something fishy about this girl.
Hold up. You thought I was through? No ma'am, there's more Van Cliffe wolves might be after her.
That just spells trouble.
Okay, now for the craziest bit and I swear this one is like a really bad plot twist. That spy boyfriend? Remember him? He has been spying on her as well but get this! She ain't got no proof!
I'm not going to lie to you, on the outside looking in, Crystal Swan seems really shady.
"Hold up." Nia lifted her hands. "Nah-uh, you guys are not about to tell me that we've been here for three hours and we don't even know what the hell we're doing."
I looked at the clock on the wall.
Goodness, was it really this late?
I remembered that Aunt Sarah had made me promise to call to check in every night.
Did my first night count?
I also realised I hadn't gone back to take Anita up on dinner, and I seriously regretted it.
"No body is saying that!" Bridget spoke in frustration. "Rick, shut up."
"Just a theory." Rick muttered, blushing slightly.
"I don't think we should dismiss Mr Ricardo so quickly." Captain Park spoke.
"Yeah." Peter got up and walked over to the board that had been filled with so many details from my little statement that I wanted to believe some had been made up.
"We have a mole to consider." Peter spoke. "And a couple of people in the pack who might not want a halfling luna, anyone could be plotting against her or trying to catch her in a Roman entanglement."
"People plotting against her?" Tristan spoke sounding somewhat offended.
I didn't want to believe that anyone would stoop so low as to fake a whole Roman controversy just to get me to slip but I knew it wasn't impossible. It's not like everyone here greeted halflings with open arms. And even though I hadn't seen the overall reaction to me being luna, I had seen how people like vice headmaster Marin and Raphael had reacted with passive aggression and active aggression respectively.
"I hate to be the new Raphael, but I do see how that can be likely." May spoke in a small voice.
She looked at me, as if in concern. "Having Van Cliffe wolves on your tail isn't a good look. Especially not for a luna."
I looked at Tristan. The people in this room were his counsel and what I mostly got from what they were saying was 'drop her'. And if I didn't know I was innocent, honestly, I wouldn't be on Crystal Swan's side. The evidence against the girl screamed 'guilty'.
Tristan stood up. "Did I ask you to give me a list of people who might not like my luna and why or did I ask you here to help me get the bastard who betrayed my pack?" He spoke sternly.
I heard the alpha's authority in his voice and the same fierceness he had when he has told Raphael that I was his heartbeat.
I don't know if anyone has ever genuinely told you something like that but no matter how you feel about the person, it moves you.
The mating bond had been a mystery for me from the beginning. Especially when I looked around and saw other mated couples. They were so obsessed and utterly in love with each other but here is was knowing completely well that I couldn't even come close to returning the affection Tristan haboured for me.
And what frightened me is that I knew everyone in the pack would start to see it too.
"The alpha is right." Captain Park spoke. "Let's focus on one problem at a time. We need to call Roman Desireè as soon as possible. Before we lose our window of opportunity."
Captain Park turned to Tristan. "It's your call, alpha."
Tristan nodded firmly. He stood up.
"Nia and Peter, I need you to be on those computers and try to track his location or anything he might say that will give us a hint on where he is. Rick, extra audio, if you even pick up the sound of someone else breathing in the background, I want to know."
Tristan walked over to me, he stared right into my eyes.
"Are you ready for this?"
Hell no.
"Yes." I spoke with a nod.
Texting Roman a simple 'what do you want?' wasn't speaking to him again. As Captain Park had said, anyone else on this end could have continued the conversation.
He hadn't responded to the text message and part of me had been relieved.
A call? That was a different story. A call almost always required an immediate response. And it was up to me to keep it going.
Talking to Roman used to be the easiest thing in the world but now? After everything that had happened? With what I was planning on doing to him? It was a whole other story.
"Phone." Tristan instructed.
Bridget brought my phone to me. She had been tasked with thoroughly screening through it with Nia and I was glad I wasn't the type of person who trash talked people over text messages. Otherwise I would have been in big trouble with her.
She handed me the phone. "You know the game plan. You have to convince him that you're on his side." She told me.
Yeah I know, convince him I still had feelings for him. I looked at Tristan from the corner of my eye.
Yeah that wouldn't be awkward at all.
I wiped my hands on my jeans.
"Okay, tell me when." I spoke, my voice shakey.
Tristan knelt in front of me. He looked right into my eyes. "Hey, you can do this, okay? And I'll be right here the whole time."
No offence, Tristan, but that didn't make me feel better at all.
I thought of Raphael's provocative words. 'Pretending' to still care about Roman wouldn't be difficult for me. I did care about him in spite of everything he had done. He's still the only person I had ever shared a genuine connection with here in Woodfell. But the minute everyone in this room saw that my feelings were real, it would confirm Raphael's theories about me being a spy and then what position would that put Tristan in?
Has an alpha ever had to throw his own luna in the dungeons or whatever they had here?
I didn't want it to come to that, of course. Yes, I still cared about Roman and what happened to him. Yes, I still felt that ache in my chest when I thought of him.
But I couldn't deny what he did and maybe three months ago, if Roman had contacted me and said he needed help, I would have jumped at the opportunity to do just that. Because then, a part of me always believed he could be proven innocent. That everything that had happened had been a huge misunderstanding and maybe he had been forced or framed?
Anything that would explain why the man I knew and loved would commit treason.
"I have a suggestion." Bridget spoke up.
"Well say it now, we really have to get a move on with this plan." Captain Park spoke, sounding slightly frustrated.
Bridget looked at Tristan. "I don't think you should be here for this."
Tristan narrowed his eyes at Bridget.
He didn't ask why and I knew it was because he already knew.
Judging by the looks on May and Bridget's faces, they knew too.
Nia and Rick looked indifferent. I don't know if they knew about my arrangement with Tristan but it wouldn't take a romance novel enthusiast to notice that Tristan and I didn't touch or even give each other googly eyes.
I knew what I was doing to Tristan by not returning his affections. He never once forced me to but it's a basic law of the mating bond that feelings shouldn't be one sided if the bond has been accepted.
The night in his room right after he had claimed me, when the empathy link had been at its peak, I had finally realised what me rejecting Tristan had felt like. How much pain he had been in for the longest time.
The claim had made it hurt less but the truth was the knife I had buried in him when I first rejected him was still there, someone had just covered it with pretty flowers.
I knew what I had to do to get Roman to trust me and I would rather not have Tristan around to witness it.
"I think Bridget is right." I spoke quietly avoiding Tristan's gaze.
Telling Tristan I didn't want him around while I flirted with my ex boyfriend was horrible enough but it was even worse with all these people present to hear it.
"Actually it might be better if there were as few people in the room as possible. Just so the luna doesn't get distracted." Captain Park stated.
Everyone turned to look at Tristan waiting for his confirmation.
I tried not to look him in the eye but his expression was blank and that worried me all the more.
"May, Bridge and the Captain will stay -"
"Actually, can it just be May?" I asked, not wanting to interrupt him and make things worse but out of everyone here, I felt like May would be the least judgemental.
Bridget was Bridget. Everything she heard in this room would be filtered through her 'I hate Crystal' mind and transferred directly to Tristan, probably making everything worse than it was.
Captain Park was a senior and experienced person but I can't forget that she did her job based on solid logic. I had seen it during my trial concerning Roman and after the Van Cliffe incident.
I didn't need someone who acted on stone cold logic and risk misinterpreting my emotions. I needed someone who would at least try to understand.
Tristan simply nodded. "Whatever works best for you." I couldn't tell if there was bitterness in his voice or not.
"Captain, you're in charge, Nia and Rick, monitor the call from the next room. Pete, you're with me, we'll head to HQ and pick up a few things. Bridge, you stay here and keep me updated." He ordered.
"Yes alpha." They all told him.
He didn't look at me before leaving and I couldn't really blame him. Peter squeezed May's hand before leaving after him.
Bridget didn't glare at me or anything but I knew she wasn't exactly happy.
She gave me a 'don't mess this up' look before leaving as well.
"Try to get as much from him as possible." Nia told me as she and Rick gathered their equipment. I knew they could tell that the mood in the room had shifted.
"All the best, Luna." Rick nodded at me before he left with Nia as well.
Captain Park, who had been saying a few things to May, marched up to me. I thought she'd be mad that I hadn't wanted her in here but she didn't look mad.
Well Tristan hadn't exactly looked mad either but I knew he was. These guys knew how to hide their emotions way too well.
"Roman Desireè." Captain Park spoke as she handed me a folder that I hadn't noticed she had been holding behind her back.
I looked at the front cover that had 'R. DESIREÃ' printed on the front.
I looked up at Captain Park. I knew what this was immediately.
After all there was one with my name on it in existence somewhere around here.
"Why are you giving me this?" I asked.
"Because I don't want you to forget whose side you're on."
I stared at the folder.
I had sat through the trials. I knew all the evidence against Roman. I knew what he had done. I didn't need to be reminded.
"I know whose side I'm on." I told her sternly, forgetting that I was supposed to respect her.
On the other hand, wasn't she supposed to respect me? I was the luna.
And why couldn't everyone just trust that, as the luna(no matter how reluctant), I wouldn't want to hurt the pack.
But most importantly and probably more true, I wouldn't hurt Tristan. At least any more than I already had.
Captain Park looked amused.
"I'll leave this here anyway." She slid it onto the table closest to me before turning to leave.
May walked towards me. "Are you ready?" She asked.
I nodded.
I just wanted this to be over.
"I'll be over there." May spoke. "I'm just giving you space but know that I'll be here to guide you if you get stuck."
I knew May would still be able to hear everything I would say. So would Nia and Rick but it would still be better if I didn't have to look at them while doing it.
"I know this is hard." May spoke softly. "But do your best, okay?"
This is exactly why I had chosen May.
She turned to go sit at the table which was still filled with plans and schemes. "Whenever you're ready." She spoke with an encouraging nod.
My nerves ate at me as I looked at the phone.
I picked out the phone number. I allowed myself to stare at it for only a few seconds before quickly pressing the call icon.
It started ringing and I shut my eyes
It rung thrice, then four times... seven... nine...
"Crystal." A way too familiar voice answered in relief.
"Ro-" I couldn't stop myself from choking up. "Ro? Is that really you?"
Tears started streaming down my face. Anyone would be able to tell I wasn't acting. I really wasn't.
It had been too long since I heard his voice.
And let me tell you something, it wasn't that cute crying that you saw girls do in the movies. It was full on ugly crying.
"Yes babe." He laughed a hysterical, kind of unbelieving laugh. "It's me, baby, it's me."
I turned towards the other wall. I suddenly felt embarrassed for shedding tears.
He didn't deserve any more of my tears. I tried to convince myself.
"Crystal, oh Crystal..." he sighed. "I didn't think you would call - I mean when I hadn't heard from you or Chris - I... almost lost hope."
Crap. He had mentioned Chris, someone I had pointedly been trying to keep out of this. I didn't turn to see May's reaction.
"Can you blame me?" I didn't want to sound too resentful but even if I was pretending to still have feelings tor Roman, no normal person wouldn't be mad in this moment.
"What the hell, Ro? You're a freaking spy? You were lying to everyone! Even me!"
There was silence for a second and I thought I had scared him off.
"Where are you, Crystal?"
I hesitated. I turned to look at May.
"Lie." She mouthed.
"In the woods!" I huffed. "Where else do you think is safe to talk to you? That's why I took so long to call you back. I had to get away."
"Can't be easy now that you're luna, huh?" He spoke, I could detect sarcasm in his voice.
"I wasn't the only one keeping secrets." He spoke in accusation.
"I'm sorry, are you really judging me right now? You freaking bugged me!"
"I was - it was the only way I could keep you safe."
"Keep me safe? Keep me safe from what? Roman tell me what the hell is going on. How did you become a spy? Why did you do what you did? Why did you lie?"
"I know you have questions, Crystal." He spoke more hurriedly. "But right now I'm only concerned about your safety. I told Chris that you needed to get out of Woodfell as soon as possible. I can help you get out, you just need to -"
"What are you talking about, Roman? How am I in trouble?"
I heard him sigh as if he was angry about me interrupting him. "Seven wolves came after you, right? Van Cliffe wolves. I don't have to tell you how bad that is."
"How did you know that?" I demanded. "Do you have the whole Woodfell bugged too? Is that it?"
"Crystal! I'm trying to save your life! Would you just listen to me?" I could hear the frustration in his voice. I heard him take in a deep breath. "Do you trust me?"
I looked at May.
She nodded.
I know they were all expecting me to say yes. That was the point of all this, right? To gain Roman's trust.
But I knew Roman and he definitely wouldn't believe it was this easy.
"I don't know how you can ask me to do that... after everything."
May frowned and looked confused.
I lifted a finger at her telling her to hold on.
"Baby - Crystal." His voice cracked.
Was he? Was he crying? I had seen Roman cry once before. And let me tell you something, it took a lot to make Roman cry.
Roman buried things, especially things he thought could be 'weaknesses', he pushed them away so deep that no one would ever be able to find them.
"I'm so sorry for everything. I didn't want to hurt you or your family. Trust me. But... remember when I told you my past was messy?"
"Yeah?"
"Well you don't know the half of it." He let out a humourless laugh.
I felt more tears form in my eyes.
I so wanted that laugh to be real. I wanted him to be real. Him to be here. I wanted this whole thing to be a horrible joke.
Come back. I wanted to beg. Come back to me.
"Are you in trouble, Ro? You said you needed my help? Have you gotten yourself into something -"
"I promise I'll explain everything. Just - I need you to meet me, to come with me. I can keep you safe."
I froze. "You want me to come with you?" I whispered.
That was the plan, wasn't it? Leave Woodfell with Roman. Find a place where we would actually feel accepted.
But not like this...
"Roman, you're asking me to leave my family. To leave -"
I stopped myself. I was going to say Tristan which would have been a huge mistake.
"That has always been the plan, Crystal. Remember? You and me against the world."
I fought back tears but allowed myself to sniffle. I wanted him to know how this was affecting me too.
"You - Roman, you know it's not that easy right?"
"Why?" He demanded. "Because of Tristan? You can't tell me you love him, Crystal. You rejected him for a reason. I know he is forcing you to be with him to spite me." There was so much resentment in his voice.
Is that what he thought? Or what his mole had told him?
"You know about Tristan?"
What I really wanted to ask was how long he had known and how much but I found that I couldn't really say the words.
I didn't want to talk to Roman about Tristan. For some reason, the idea upset me. Made me angry even. Roman didn't get to judge Tristan like he knew him.
"Of course. And I can rescue you from him. He'll never find you with me."
I noticed May trying to get my attention. I turned to face her.
'Location.' She had written the word down on a piece of paper.
"Roman -"
"Do you love me?" He asked.
I couldn't help but hesitate.
"I - I know asking you this isn't fair. Hell, asking you to trust me isn't fair but you know me. It is still me, baby. And what I told you the night of the AAP ball? None of it was fake. I meant it. I love you and you're still the best thing to ever happen to me. Come with me, let me keep you safe."
I ran a hand down my face.
"Just - I love you Ro. You know I do."
I don't know why I let myself say that.
I should have just said yes, let the plan go into motion.
Why was I stalling?
At the back of my mind, I knew why.
I sucked in a deep break.
"How did you know about the wolves, Ro? Did you send a wolf to attack Joshua Melrose?"
I knew May wasn't happy.
Nia and Rick were probably face palming themselves right now.
I was just supposed to get the location from him and leave the interrogation to them.
"No." Roman huffed. "It's complicated, okay?"
"He almost died." I spoke.
"Yeah - just... Crystal -"
"Are you behind the attacks, Roman?"
"I don't call the shots, okay?" He spoke in frustration.
He didn't call the shots? Then who was? Was someone controlling Roman?
"Listen, Crystal, we can't have this conversation over the phone and I can't talk for much longer."
"One more thing." I just couldn't help myself. "Who are you working for?"
There was a longer pause. I thought he would abandon ship for sure now.
"I can't tell you that. At least not right now."
I didn't know I was holding my breath right then.
So someone was giving Roman orders. I don't know why that made me feel so hopeful.
"Okay. Fine but I have another question."
"You said one more thing, baby." He sounded exhausted.
"Roman. Are you -" I cleared my throat. I needed my words to come out as clearly and concisely as possible. "Are you - do you have my mother?"
There was another pause. Then a laugh.
"You're smarter than I thought, baby."
I felt my knees go weak. I used the closest thing I had for support.
"Oh my gosh. You're with her? Is she safe? Can I -"
I wanted to talk to her. But I didn't know if I could ask Roman to do that.
"I'm not with her right now and -"
"Is she safe?" I asked.
I had so many questions but this was the most important right now.
"Yes. She is. And I can take you to her. Just come with me, okay? Will you come with me?"
"Yes." I replied almost too instantly. "Yes, I will. Where can I meet you?"
"My old place. I know it's still empty. Meet me there tomorrow at exactly 11.pm. It won't be hard to slip out of the ball by then. Even if you're the luna, everyone will be too preoccupied. Meet me then and we can leave."
"But how will you get past the borders?" I asked.
At least I hadn't completely gone off script.
"Don't worry about that. I will handle everything. Listen, baby I have to go but you have to remember that you can't tell anyone. Not even Kat or your uncle. Not a word, Crystal. I know leaving them will be hard but - you'll have me... you'll have your mum."
I felt my heart clench. I know this wasn't real but I wanted it to be. I so desperately wanted it to be.
"Okay." I agreed. "Okay, Ro."
"Baby? You have no idea how happy you have made me. I can't wait to see you. I love you Crystal." He sounded so genuinely happy.
"I love you too, Ro." I spoke and I hated myself because I knew I meant it.
"See you soon."
He hang up.
Not even a second later, Nia and Rick came back in.
"We couldn't get a location. He's good." Nia spoke sounding slightly frustrated.
"But at least we know where he'll be." Rick added.
Nia smiled at me. "Good job, Luna."
I found May's eyes on me. She frowned and for some reason I suspected she knew I hadn't been faking it.
"Didn't you guys notice something weird that Roman said?" She asked, she had a disturbed look on her face.
"He said they were seven rogues that came after Crystal. We only have six in custody."