Chapter 92

‘Come in if you dare,’ I replied the unknown number and set my pocketed my phone.

“Celeste, I have to find Jabari,” I said to my friend, standing. She rushed to her feet to block me.

“No, wait. You can’t leave until you promise you’ll spare my parents,” she grasped my shoulders. “Please, Aysel.”

“Your parents are traitors. As much as I would do anything for you, this is outside what I can do. Except they aren’t part of this, there is no way I will let them walk free.”

“I-I know they will be punished but maybe a sentence? I don’t want to lose all my family, please.”

“When the time comes for that, I’ll see what I can do.” I tried to sidestep her but she blocked me again.

“You promise?”

“I promise.” I was starting to get impatient but she was adamant about getting a promise.

“Now, let me pass. Skylar is here.” Her eyes widened and she looked around as if expecting Skylar to be sitting in the room with us.

“Where is she?” She asked, still looking around.

“She just texted me. That’s why I have to find Jabari.” She wrapped a hand around herself as I spoke, her expression falling.

“He – he killed my brother,” she whispered, then hiccuped suddenly.

“It was either you or him. At that point, Lucien already stopped being your brother.”I tried to leave but she blocked me again. I had an insane urge to push her out of the way but I held myself.

“What did – Why do you hate him so much? He apologized countless times. I feel -I feel you –

“Hold that statement, Celeste. I know you are hurt but I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense. Lucien never meant any of his apologies. He assaulted me and connived with the people who took my child. I won’t lie to protect your feelings. Your brother was a monster and I don’t want to hear anything about him again.” When I tried stepping out of the room after that, she didn’t try to stop me.

I found Jabari working with his tablet at the dining table. He raised his head when I approached, setting aside his work.

“What is it?” He asked. I handed him my phone in response. He scanned through the texts exchanged between me and the unknown number.

“She wouldn’t try to come here. She’d be stupid to do that. Her best bet is to lure you out which – My phone pinged and he stopped talking, looking at the screen. I took the phone from him and my stomach dropped.

The picture was blurry and dark as night had fallen but there was no mistaking who was in the picture. Her white hair was recognizable even without her face showing. A text followed the picture.

I’m giving you an hour.’ I looked at Jabari who was already barking commands into his phone.

“I am going,” I said.

“That’s the stupid move she wants you to make,” he hissed at me, aggressively clicking the end button on the call. You are not going anywhere. We will handle everything.”

“If anything happens to Levana He cut me off.

“There’s nothing you can do to help her. Give me a second.” He held up a finger and clicked away on his phone. He pressed the phone to his ear and I heard it ring. Someone picked up in less than a second.

“Help me remind Aysel that she isn’t allowed to leave the house,” Jabari said into the phone.

“Where is she trying to go?” I heard Valens’ voice from the other end of the call. My eyes widened. He’d ignored all my calls and texts throughout the day but he picked up in a second once Jabari calls.

“Skylar has Levana. She’s making a bargain.”

“Mike’s Luna? Who is retrieving her?” Valens didn’t sound bothered in any way, as if he didn’t just hear someone was being held hostage, a Luna at that!

“I called a squad already I yanked Jabari’s hand down and pulled the phone out of his grip.

“So you can talk to him but not me?” I shouted into the phone, gnashing my teeth.

“Aysel, put Jabari back on the phone.” He sounded beat. My wolf whined at the quiet way he spoke.

“Are you alright? What happened? What’s happening? Talk to me.” I took a seat opposite the Beta while I waited for my mate to say something.

“I am trying to make sure you are safe. Do not go anywhere, little moon. Please.”

“Valens, you’re scaring me. Why do you sound like this?”

“I am scared.” My spine straightened. My heart slammed as I sat upright. “I am f*****g terrified right now, Aysel.”

What – What is happening? Come on, I am not as defenseless as you think. Are we losing?

Tell me what’s going on,” I said, my voice rising towards the end of my sentence.

“It’s you they want. I – I am afraid because I know what I stand to lose from a single wrong move.” He let out a breath. “I have never had anything to lose before but now – now I stand to lose everything.”

You are not losing me,” I assured him. “I am I safe. I am fine. You don’t have to worry about me.

The rational part of me wants to believe that.

I have never lost and I may never lose. Skylar is too small a threat to me but my heart hurts when I think of what is at stake. She wants you.

I cannot find her fast enough, Sagira.

“If you could see me, you’d know that I’m fine,” I said. Silence greeted my words so I continued,

“And if I could see you, I’d know you are fine.”

The silence continued. “We should be together at this time, Valens. It’s killing me not knowing what’s happening with you and by the sound of it, it’s affecting you too.

“I’ll come home tomorrow. I love you.” I heard the call end. I pulled the phone away from my ear and leaned into the seat, my head falling back.

“I’ll send you an update when we get Levana.

You can go to bed now,” Jabari said. I raised my head and glared at him but I didn’t argue. I took myself up to my room and lay in bed, fighting back tears.

I didn’t want to disobey Valens but I didn’t want to be here while he was out there. Maybe I wasn’t needed there but I wanted to be there.

What use was a Luna who hid out in times of battle? I could not tell how things were progressing. Everyone said they would keep me updated but they were all too busy to play catch-up with me. I was the only useless one.

I closed my eyes, imagining what Levana would be going through at this point. I hoped nothing bad would happen to her. Maybe I should have gone to get her myself but I wasn’t stupid.

Sending warriors was more sensible than me going out all alone to confront Skylar and whoever else she had out there.

It took hours but my mind started to shut down, my body relaxing in sleep. I went in and out of sleep for a while but then my phone beeped with a message. My phone screen lit up and I sluggishly pulled it from the dresser beside my bed to check who the text was from.

Too scared?” A message from the unknown number came but another text came in at the same time and it was from Valens. I clicked on the message with speed.

Whatever you do, do not leave home. I am on my way. I love you.’ He didn’t type the message in all caps but I felt the urgency in his words. I sat upright in bed. Then I called him but he didn’t pick up.

I went to reply to the unknown number but paused. Skylar was obviously tempting me. She knew that I wouldn’t come out to meet her. In fact, I didn’t think she was in Redville. She had traitors doing her bidding but she would be stopped before getting into Redville. She was just messing with me and I was better off not playing her games because I knew her. I knew she was a psycho. I had firsthand experience of how crazy she was and how far she would go to get what she wanted without caring who she stepped on along the way.

‘Are you too scared to come in? If you miss me so much, darling, come in.’ I sent the text without stopping to think. Two could play her stupid game. I put my phone back on my dresser and closed my eyes, prepared to go back to sleep.

I was half asleep when a gust of wind hit my skin. I turned, wondering when I’d opened my window. I realized I hadn’t. I opened my eyes to see someone climbing into my room through my window while another tiptoed over.

“Pleased to meet you,” I said, sitting upright.

The two men were part of Bane, a special unit within a squad. They both pulled guns on me.