Chapter 14
The Shrewd Wolves (H&HP Series #3)
Hola!
Chapter 14 is here and it is dedicated to @cutejaya1 :D
Pic on the side is of Quillonâs wolf >>>
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â There isnât a person in this
city more dangerous than a
wolf whose mate is in danger.â
Patricia Briggs , Fair Game
(Alpha & Omega, #3)
QUILLON P.O.V
âDonât come to pick me up today evening. I am going to my house after which Duncan will drop me?â Darya said as soon as I brought the car to a halt in front of her college.
âWhy are you going there?â I couldnât help but ask.
âI have stuff to do and I miss Lorcanâ she replied getting out. I didnât reply because it has been a week since she had moved to the pack and every day she talks to that little boy on the phone. She doesnât even correct the Alpha heir when he calls me bad.
Waving at me as well as at her guards, she rushed inside the entrance. I watched Darya running there, but suddenly she stopped, walked backwards and then went and turned off the tap. Smiling, I shook my head. She is very peculiar when it comes to plants and water. The other day, I had forgotten to turn off the tap and Darya lectured me for about an hour about it. My ears are still ringing from all the swear words she had used after I did a big mistake of growling at her.
Snapping out of my thoughts, I shook my head and looked for Darya, only to see that she had already gone to her class. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, to find any strange scents around. When I was sure there was none, I brought the engine back to life.
Her guards stared at me, but a low growl from me was enough for them to look away.
Around ten that morning, I was sitting in my office and reading a file that listed names of Cableâs victims. He is like a serial killer. That too the unstable, cannot help themselves, kind. Slowly, I was making a plan on how to target him.
I raised my head and inhaled, when I heard a knock on the door. It was Nevin. âCome inâ I said lowly leaning back against my seat.
âYour dad sent you thisâ Nevin dropped envelopes on my desk and I nodded. âAlso, he said that he wants you to join office ASAPâ Nevin added with a smirk and I rolled my eyes.
What part of I-need-a-break my dad couldnât understand? That too itâs just two months. After that, I am ready to join the company. In these two months, I want Konrad and his allies dead.
âI will talk to him later about thatâ I mumbled and went back to reading the file.
âAre you ever going to explain what are you up to?â Nevin demanded, leaning forward and picking up the envelope, which had recent photographs of Konrad and his allies.
âNot until I have a planâ I replied calmly without looking up.
âAnd how is âLUSTâ going to help you in your plan?â Nevin asked in confusion. He didnât understand! No one will. âWhy exactly have you written this?â he asked again, staring at the word, I have written at the back of Cableâs photograph.
âThat is their weakness and that is what is going to kill themâ I said with a grin and Nevin shot me a puzzled look.
âLust? Lust is Cableâs weakness?â he questioned and I nodded. Nevin leaned back against his seat and had a faraway look in his face. âYou are rightâ he said all of a sudden and I cocked an eyebrow. âMajority of his victims are woman. So, amongst all these, you are planning on killing Cable first?â Nevin inquired and I nodded.
âWanted to kill him ever since he killed those innocent pack girlsâ I stated through gritted teeth and Nevin nodded.
âBut how did you know their weakness? Cable was from our pack, but how did you find about the others weakness when you have not yet met them?â he enquired seriously and I clenched my jaws.
âI have read their filesâ I announced with a growl, which said the topic was over. I am not in the mood to explain myself to anyone. Except my parents and my brother, no one knows how I am able to recognize a personâs character. But in this case, it really was only by reading their files and hearing about them through the victimâs families.
My wolf wanted me to share it with Darya, but I will not. Not until she joins my pack, and not until I claim her as mine.
Right now, I feel Darya is secretive. About what⦠I didnât know. Nevertheless, I intended to find it soon. Every day, I find her staring at me. Initially, I thought she was trying to figure out what I was hiding, but now, I have realized that she is hiding something.
Something is bothering her and I havenât got any clue what it is. If I wanted to, I could find it, just like that⦠but my own principles were preventing me from doing that.
âHow are you planning to bring Cable out of his hideout?â Nevin inquired.
âHe is going to come out of his hideoutâ I announced confidently. âPeople like Cable they need their dose to remain sane. He will come out to pick his next victim and that is when I am going to catch him.â I murmured. But the problem was that the mutt had no particular pattern of where he stays. He is like a vagabond.
âSo you have it all planned?â
âNot yetâ I replied. I have to first find out where he currently is.
âQ, I hope you are aware that if Konrad comes to know you are after him, then he will definitely come after your family⦠your mateâ he added nervously at the end and I nodded. I knew, Konrad would target Darya, but I wouldnât let that happen.
âIf that happens, then I will make sure Konrad regrets setting eyes on what is mineâ I growled out savagely and Nevin nodded with a gulp.
Nobody harms whatâs mine!
Nobody!
âYou need my help in anything?â Nevin asked.
âNoâ I said dropping my gaze on my file. I could feel Nevinâs curious gaze on me. He was hesitating to say something and his hesitation was bugging me. âWhat?â I snapped looking at him and he looked flabbergasted.
âI...â he began and I furrowed my brows. âActually, there is a new grapevine spreading around the packâ he continued.
âWhat does it say?â I asked without interest.
âAbout Daryaâs birth⦠You knowâ¦â he hesitated and I frowned.
âGo onâ
Nevin closed his eyes and said, âAbout how Darya is a bad omen because her mom died giving birth to her.â
I clenched my fists and growled viciously. âWho. Started. It?â I demanded through gritted teeth.
âI donât know. My first suspicion was obviously Leahâ he replied.
âYou are not sureâ I stated and he nodded. If it is not Leah, then who else? Very few people knew the truth about Daryaâs birth.
âIf I hear any word against Darya, then I am going to make sure that it is the last time they speakâ¦. Spread this around the pack and tell them, it is NOT a rumorâ I declared and Nevin nodded with a chuckle.
âBee is very fond of herâ Nevin said and I knew the âherâ here referred to Darya. âItâs obvious Darya is the only she-wolf who is friends with herâ he remarked dully.
âYou cannot force people to be friendsâ I pointed out.
âI am waiting for Leah to find her mate and leave the packâ he breathed out through gritted teeth and I smirked. There are many people who are in that list. My mom is obviously the first one. âWhy doesnât Darya do anything about her?â Nevin asked in exasperation.
âShe said and I quote, âdonât have enough time to waste on irritating fleasââ I said amusedly. Darya had said that three days ago, after Leah and her friends had broken her car windows.
âDarya isnât even the slightest bit worried about Leah?â Nevin queried and I shook my head.
Actually, I was happy it was that way. I liked Daryaâs confidence when it came to dealing with other she-wolves of the packs. She wasnât even the least bit bothered about what they say about her and even if she heard what they said, she would just shrug it off. She wouldnât complain about it to me and I appreciated it. But if my pack wolves cross their limit, then I wouldnât hesitate in teaching them a lesson.
Darya is my mate and I want everyone in the pack to treat her with respect, even if I hadnât claimed her as mine.
âThatâs good I guessâ he mused and sighing, I went back to reading Cableâs file.
After lunch, my other friends joined me in the office. Harvey, who was given the task of placing CCTV cameraâs around the border was pointing out to me, using a map, where all he had kept it.
âNumber 14 is on the oak tree, near the Czar pack. Itâs facing our packâ Harvey said and I nodded gulping down the water from a bottle. âAnd number 15 is on the nearby teak tree, which is facing the Czar pack. That way we will come to know if any fucking wolves from Vincentâs pack come to our territoryâ he added.
I checked the time and furrowed my brows when I saw that it was already two.
âYou have to go somewhere?â Clay asked.
âI have to pick Darya upâ I replied but then remembered that she had asked me not to. âActually no⦠I donât have to go anywhere. Continueâ I commanded Harvey.
While Harvey was explaining the camera placed near the Supreme Pack border, Ram came rushing into the office. All of us stopped doing our work and looked at Ram in confusion.
âQ, you have got to see thisâ he breathed out rushing towards me and handing me his tab.
Frowning, I unlocked the screen. My eyes widened and dropping the tab, I growled thunderously, which caused everyone around me to take a step back. My wolf snapped his jaws and soon my claws and fangs were out.
âWhere did you get it from?â I demanded in a savage tone, glaring at Ram, who gulped in fear.
âMike saw it and sent me to show it to youâ Ram answered hastily while I tried to suppress my wolf from surfacing.
âWhatâs in it?â Nevin asked leaning forward to check the tab.
Once again, I dropped my eyes on the tab. In the screen, was a photo of a smiling Darya and below it was written- 50 MILLION FOR ANYONE WHO KILLS HER WITHIN 48 HOURS.
My whole body started shaking in anger and another ferocious growl erupted from my chest, before I finally shifted into my wolf.
Everyone stepped further back giving me space, while I kept snarling furiously.
âQ, calm downâ Nevin said and I snapped my jaws at him. I cannot calm down! Harvey was quick to react, because he slid open the floor-to-ceiling window and I jumped out from there, before running towards entrance.
Mom, who was about to come to my house, stopped in her tracks when she saw me, âQ?â she called but I ran past her towards the woods, which leads to Emperor Pack.
âIf mom asks, donât tell her anythingâ I warned to all my friends through the link in my Alpha tone.
I have to see Darya I have to. I needed to make sure she is safe.
My surroundings were a blur of green and brown as I raced through the woods. I wanted to go to Daryaâs college as soon as possible.
Emperor Pack guards did see me running towards the woods, but they didnât stop me. If they had tried, then I would have vented my anger out at them.
An hour later, when I reached Daryaâs college, I realized that her college has already left. For a second, I panicked thinking where she was, but then I traced her scent towards her farm.
I couldnât actually go closer to her farm, because there were humans around so, I stopped in the middle of the woods. Raising my head, I looked up at the sky and then let out a long howl. My wolf wanted to see her and it was his way of calling his mate.
Thinking that she didnât quite hear it, I gave another howl.
While I waited patiently for Darya, in the woods, Emperor Pack wolves, spotted me and circled around me. I really did not want this at the moment. But when I saw those wolves growling at me, something inside me snapped.
Standing tall, I dug my paws on the growl, raised my hackles and displayed my sharp canines, before growling lowly. It had been a long time since I had dominated other pack wolves.
Staring at the eyes of those wolves, I took step forward. All Emperor Pack wolves, hustled closer to each other, when they saw me approaching. First, they lowered their tail and then their bodies, before dropping their gaze and offering me complete submission.
I snapped once and they slowly took a step back.
When I was sure, they wouldnât bother me anymore; I walked away and patiently waited for Darya.
Why is she not here yet? What happened to her? My heart pounded in my chest and I paced around.
Who dared to do this? Who the fuck is the instigator here? When I find them, I am going to shred them. Is it my enemies or⦠does she have any enemies?
I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard footsteps. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and sighed when I realized that it was Daryaâs scent.
She is safe!
Five seconds later, Darya emerged from between the trees. When she saw me, she stopped running and started breathing heavily. Slowly, she ran her eyes all over me. I realized that it was the first time she was seeing me in my wolf form. Darya took her time in examining me and after few seconds, her irises turned red and I knew she liked what she saw. Satisfied, I growled softly and Darya gulped and nervously ran her tongue over her lower lip. My wolf groaned when he saw that and Darya looked startled.
âQuillon?â she called uncertainly and I bared my fangs as a reply. âWowâ she breathed out and my wolf wagged his tail, in delight at her reaction to his form. But once, I realized I was behaving like a puppy, I growled aggressively and Darya blinked.
âWhat are youâ¦?â she stopped when she saw the wolves from her pack, who were still there in their submissive position. Gasping, she took a step towards them, âWhat theâ¦?â she whispered before looking at me. âYou did that?â she questioned and looking at her pack wolves, I growled lowly.
Immediately, they lowered their lashes. I knew their wolf was asking them to submit to me, but why⦠they had no clue.
âLeave us aloneâ Darya commanded and the wolves stood straight and walked away after bowing to us.
When they were all gone, Darya stared at me through eyes. âHow are you able to do that?â she questioned staring at me in disbelief. I have been doing that for years now, but I didnât yet tell Darya the truth about why other pack wolves also submit themselves to me.
âDrop it...â she murmured running a hand through her hair and then looked at me with concern, âWhy did you call me here?â she asked. I very much appreciated the concern written in her grey eyes, but I didnât appreciate her being dense at the moment. There she is, asking me questions, when she knows I cannot reply to her.
âQuillon?â Darya questioned and I took a step forward. When will this Blondie grasp that I am not able to talk?
I took another step forward and snapped my jaws, right in front of her and she frowned, âWhat⦠Oh! I am sorryâ she stuck her tongue out and I huffed. âFor a moment I forgot you cannot talkâ she said with a guilty smile.
Slowly, I sat like a sphinx in front of her and with my head I motioned for her to sit on my back. The only other person who I had let sit on my back was Quinn, and that too before he shifted into his wolf.
âYou want me to get on your back?â she queried startled and I growled. Yes, I did want her to sit on my back so that I could take her to my pack. I wanted her with me⦠away from any sort of danger. âBut Iâ¦â she stopped talking when my eyes clashed with her grey ones. Slowly, she nodded and then walked towards me.
Before sitting on my back, she slowly ran her fingers on my thick coat of midnight blue fur and I closed my eyes and purred like a jungle car because when she did that light tremor ran over my body.
Once Darya sat on my back, she slowly ran her hand over my shoulders. Rumbling, I stood up and took off to my pack. This time, no one from her pack stopped us.
While I was running, in my wolf form, Darya leaned closer, lowered her head and rested it on my head to prevent wind from fanning her face.
Almost an hour later, I reached my house. My friends were already there waiting for me. They were all near the driveway, but when they saw me, they made way for me to go ahead. I stopped right outside the main door and slowly Darya got down, while I made my way towards the gym room, where I always keep extra set of clothes.
After shifting back, I wore grey sweatpants and a white undershirt before going out to meet others. My gaze first clashed against Daryaâs who was looking at me with concern.
âWhat happened?â she questioned shooting me a confused look.
âBring itâ I ordered Ram, who brought the tab and showed it to Darya.
Hitching her brows together, Darya took the tab and then stared at it. Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply when she saw what was on the screen. She looked at me, gulped and then looked back at the screen.
âOh My God! Fifty millionâ she gasped and then almost dropped the tab but Ram caught it in time. âSorryâ she said.
âDaryaâ I called and nervously, she looked up. âYou have any idea who could have done that?â I asked looking her in the eye.
Darya swallowed audibly and stared at me for a long time before replying with a negative. Slowly, her irises moved to the left corner of her eyes and I knew something was going on in her pretty little head.
âQâ Nevin called me but with my hand, I motioned for him to stop. My whole attention was on Darya.
âDaryaâ I called her and this time, when her eyes clashed with mine, they were burning crimson. I loved it. I loved the color a lot and every time I look at those red flaming eyes, my wolf purrs.
âI donât knowâ she said through gritted teeth and then slowly lowered her lashes but her fists were clenched in a tight fist. She knew or she suspected someone who would do this. But she wouldnât tell me and even though I was furious, I kept a deadpan expression in my face.
âOkayâ I murmured and looked at Nevin. âCall a hacker. I want to find the person who did thisâ I ordered and turned to go to my office.
âI know to hackâ Darya said and I stopped on my tracks. I couldnât even hide my surprise when she said that.
âYou know to hack?â I queried.
âI have basic level training. But I know someone who is also an expert in this fieldâ she replied
âYou will be able to do this?â I asked unsurely and she shrugged.
âThe person doesnât want us to trace himâ Darya said closing shut the laptop. âFake names.Fake accounts. This person wants to be anonymousâ she stated leaning back in her seat.
I frowned because any assassin would come to kill her for the money. The thought made my wolf furious and I clenched my fist under the table.
âThe person might change the IP address next timeâ she said pinching her lips together and I growled. I will not let Darya out of my sight for the next 48 hours. I will kill anyone who will even think of hurting her. She is mine!
âYou said you know an expert in the fieldâ I reminded and she nodded. âAsk him to find itâ I instructed.
âI already sent a messageâ she replied and then stood up. âI will inform if I get any newsâ she said and turned to leave.
âShe knows something we donâtâ Harvey pointed out once the door was close. I was wondering the same but Daryaâs calm reaction was confusing. However, she wasnât calm at first. She was furious because her eyes had turned crimson. It seemed she had been through something like this even before.
âWho do you think it might be?â Nevin questioned.
âI suspect Cable at the moment, because he knows I am hunting himâ I said through gritted teeth, pinching the bridge of my nose. âHe has the money too because he steals from his victims.â
âYou think they are after Darya because of you and not because of Duncan?â Ram questioned and I opened my eyes and frowned.
Why didnât I think about it?
Getting up from my seat, I went upstairs to Daryaâs room. Her door was locked and I had to knock it twice before the door was opened. One look at Daryaâs red nose, I knew she had been crying.
My heart squeezed in pain and I immediately stepped inside the room and closed the door and frowned at her. Gulping, she took a step back before lowering her lashes.
âDarya-â
âI am fineâ she incised.
âI know thatâ she looked up and glared at me, which caused me to smirk. There! Thatâs better.
Huffing, she went and sat on the bed. âDoes Duncan have a lot of enemies?â I queried and she looked up surprised.
âNo⦠why would you ask that?â she asked confused.
âMaybe they are after you because of Duncanâ I pointed out and Darya pursed her lips. âWhat?â I questioned in frustration.
âIt is not Duncan because his enemies would naturally target Sel and Lorcan before meâ she explained and I nodded grudgingly. âBut if you want, you can talk to him. I will forward you the numberâ she said picking up her cellphone and already engaged in doing the task.
I frowned as I saw her and when she looked up, she noticed it. âYou seriously donât have any enemies?â I demanded cocking an eyebrow.
Darya inhaled sharply before whispering no. Growling, I glared at her. âLook at meâ I ordered and through gritted teeth she did as told. However, her eyes were the color of flames.
âI asked. Do you have any enemies?â
âI do. But even if they join all their money, it wouldnât total up to fifty millionâ she said never taking her eyes of mine. âI will find the person who put prize money to kill me on some shitty website later. Â But first, I want to see who is going to be stupid enough to try itâ she said dropping her cell-phone on the bed. âI sent you the numberâ she added and I nodded.
My wolf was still pacing inside me. He wanted to know if she was really alright or if she was pretending to be alright. Darya looked up and as her grey eyes met mine, she scowled, âWhat?â
âDonât go outâ it was an order, not a request from me.
âWhy not?âIs she seriously asking me that?
âI donât want you to go outâ I said through gritted teeth.
Darya narrowed her eyes and then as they went back to normal, there was unhidden amusement in it. She faked a gasp before saying, âCareful Careful Quillon, you sound a little attached.â
Gritting my teeth, I growled when she threw my own words at me. The doll face is baiting me⦠again! Totally undaunted, Darya started chuckling. Muttering a curse, I threw open the door and walked out.
Just when she was about to close the door, I stopped and placed my hand before saying, âI meant it.â
All humor faded from her eyes, before she gulped and nodded. My wolf was pleased to hear it.
While I was going downstairs, I called Duncan, who was quick to answer, âDuncan Rhoadesâ he said.
âQuillon here. Have you seen the website?â I straightaway asked him.
âYes. Darya told meâ he said grimly.
âAnyone you suspect?â
âNo. Anyone you suspect?â he countered.
âNo.â Then who the fuck did this?
âI donât know what sort of arrangement you have in your pack, but the moment she steps into Emperor, her guards will always be there to protect her for the next two daysâ Duncan said and stopping in the stairs, I snarled loudly.
âI am not letting my mate out of my sight Rhoades. Not when her life is in dangerâ I spat furiously.
âGoodâ Duncan said in admiration and I growled. âI just want my sister safeâ he added at the end and my wolf retreated.
âShe is safe hereâ I said before hanging up. I knew I could keep her safe.
âFifty million is a lot of moneyâ Harvey reminded me, while I was back in my office and my wolf bristled. I knew it was a lot of money because anyone would come after Darya, just for the money.
âAnyone who has seen it will come after herâ Clay stated while I pinched the bridge of my nose.
âHow many others in the pack know about this?â
âNo oneâ Ram replied and I heaved a sigh. âBut obviously it would spread around the rogues rapidly. All rogues might now be searching for herâ I immediately stiffened and held the side of the table, very tightly.
The website didnât have anything else except for those two lines and her photo. It didnât even have her name or address. What if the website was a contract given by someone to an assassin?
My first duty is to protect Darya for the next 48 hours⦠after that I am going to find the person who instigated this. Now, I know who is definitely going to come after her for the money. âI donât know about others, but I know one rogue who is surely going to come to kill Daryaâ I announced abruptly and my wolf growled savagely.
âWho?â Harvey asked totally confused.
âRickâ I said with a growl. âHis weakness is greed.â
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Hope you liked it :)
So, who do you think wants Darya dead? Konrad or a new enemy ? ;)
And majority of you all wanted Quillon to see the video and he will see the video in chapter 16. But before that I will be posting chapter 15 on 4th February.
Please read, vote and comment until then.
Love you loads :)