Chapter 98

98 White fer War Away

Tia.

The morning Luke left, I had my heart in my mouth, but I had to hide it. I couldn’t be the drip in our

marriage. I almost lost my mind the last time he left on a mission. I knew I had to keep it together,

hoping he would return to me. So with a bold face and confidence, I made a press release about his

sickness that travelled through Woodclaw. At the same time, deep down, I prayed he would come

home to me and address the people by himself.

ding operations at Diamond Corp wasn’t easy, but when we explained our reasons to the people, they

calmed down a bit; I knew it would only take a month or two before they revolted. Diamond Corp’s

suspension meant many businesses would suffer, and livelihoods would be affected. On the third day,

there was a protest throughout the Island. I did not care much for the territories that had withdrawn their

military support. However, I cared about the seven regions that still supported us. I was tempted to

reopen because we were insured, but I did not know what else Luis would do, so I had to let things

remain the way they were.

Caleb had the cameras installed throughout the mansion, and I thanked him for it. By the fifth day, I

couldn’t take the longing anymore. It was easier when Luke travelled and we were in communication.

His silence was killing me, yet I knew it was necessary to keep their cover,

I kept a strong facade for two weeks. I would visit the headquarters to handle the matter and return

home to an empty room. It was killing knowing Luke wasn’t going to call me. I was hormonal, too,

crying in the shower and wearing his clothes to sleep. I knew we would have to change the narrative,

but I didn’t want to. I wanted to maintain that he was sick and would come home. By the third week,

Caleb and I made a press release that he had been kidnapped. I became apprehensive. After meeting

with the press, I returned to the left-wing, and Caleb followed me. We were afraid. Luke meant the

world to both of us, and he wasn’t home yet. Standing in the hallway, the smell of our fear filled the air.

“What should we do, Caleb?” I asked, and he sighed. I knew he was afraid too. I could feel it.

“Do you think he is alright?” I asked Caleb, and he motioned me to enter my bedroom. I walked in and

sat on the couch.

Caleb stood and sighed.

“They should be back by now. He wasn’t supposed to stay this long,” he said, and I folded myself on

the chair and began to sob.

“What if that bastard got them?” I said, voicing out my fears.” Tasha has been calling, and I do not know

what to tell her. Everyone is asking about him, Caleb, and I do not know what to say. They are

demanding answers.”I cried, and he sat beside me to hold me.

“We have to be strong, Tia,” he said, and I moved away from him. Drying my tears, I stood up.

“It is time to visit the hospital,” I said, and he nodded.

“Meet me at the entrance,” Caleb said and left the room. I went to shower and put on joggers. I had the

urge to hop on a plane and go to Santa Braee, but I knew Luke would not want any of that.

98 White He Was Away

I left the room and headed towards the entrance when Bart approached me.

“Luna, may I have a word with you, please?” He said, and I nodded. There was an urgency to his voice

that made me figure it was something bad. I started praying that it wasn’t bad news from Luke.

We walked to the right-wing straight to the staff section into a room. I gasped when I saw a dead young

man on the floor.

“He took his life yesterday. I do not know when precisely, but his body is cold,” Bart said, and I stared at

the body. He was young and new to the staff. I wondered what he must have gotten himself mixed up

in to make him take such a drastic decision. “Did he confess to anything?” I asked, and Bart shook his

head. “Nothing,” He said, and I got pissed off at what was happening. I needed peace, for fuck sake.

And no one was ready to give me that. My bump was showing a bit, so I robbed it. I knew someone

killed the guy to cover their tracks, but I did not voice it out. I really did not trust anyone anymore. Lucky

for us, Caleb and kirk had secretly installed security cameras about the house. I was going to call Kirk

to retrieve the footage. That would lead us to the culprit. “Very well then. Do the needful. We have

bigger issues,” I said and left the wing.

Caleb was waiting outside the house in his car, and I hopped it. Kimberly had gone to hang out with her

mother. Since Luke locked her father up, the relationship between mother and daughter had mended. I

was happy for her.

“What kept you?” Caleb asked while he drove, and I told him about the worker and what I wanted to be

done. He sighed, and I figured he was troubled about something.

“What is the matter, Caleb?” I asked with my heart in my mouth.

“We can’t discuss it here..” he said, and I cut him.

“Damn it! Caleb. Enough of the suspense, tell me. Is my husband alright? Has he been found! any

news?” I asked, and As I asked, fear rose in me, and I began to tear up.

“Tell me, Caleb!” I yelled, and he parked the car on the side of the road.

“Keep it together, Tia. You aren’t the only one breaking here. And No! Nonthing still! It is like the four

disappeared from the earth’s surface, Tia. We have done everything. They did not go to Santa Braee

as themselves, so it will be hard to find them. The names Kirk gave them are not in any record. It is as

if someone wiped them out completely. I am tired too.” he said, rushing through his words. His eyes

were teary too. “He’s my big brother, Tia. I love him. He is the only part of my family that makes sense.

I am scared too. I am terrified. If Luis got him, I do not know what I would do, Tia. This is too much of a

burden for me, too.” he confessed to me, and I remembered how we were in our teens. How we usually

sat in the park and talked about our childish fears and aspirations. Caught between childhood and

adulthood, not knowing how to manoeuvre our way through. This very moment felt like it again. The

signs were there, but neither of us was willing to accept them. I placed my hand on the bump and

prayed to the goddess to bring him home to me.

“Father wants to see my mother’s letters. So we are taking them to him. I also think they want

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me to take over as Alpha temporarily,” he said, and my heart broke. The signs were there, but none of

us was willing to accept the possibility that Luke and his team won‘t be returning from Santa Braee.

We arrived at the hospital and were surprised to find only Aesop there. Thinking he had chased Monica

away, I didn’t know to ask

“Any news?” he asked. The man had aged a bit in these three weeks. I shook my head, and I knew he

was afraid too. Luke was his favourite.

“Why did he have to go to that damn island?” he said, angry and sad simultaneously. I glanced at

Stacy, and there still wasn’t any improvement.

“Caleb, you will be commanding the military henceforth; Tia needs to rest for the baby’s sake, “Aesop

said.

“Why?” Caleb asked, and Aesop sighed.

“I am not sure yet, but we need to be ready for anything.” Aesop told his son and placed his hand on

Caleb’s shoulder. “I wish it will not come to it, son. I wish Luke was here to take care of everything, but

things haven’t been happening in our favour lately. I do not know what to do,” He said and sighed.” In

case of a battle, I will be leading the battle as Alpha,” Aesop said, and we were surprised.

Not knowing what was happening with Luke had damaged the man, and I wished he could give me

some hope by being strong, but he wasn’t helping at all, and I became scared too. Since it was coming

to this, I decided to go to Santa Braee to look for my husband.

“Where are the letters?” Aesop asked Caleb, and Caleb reached into his pocket and handed the

envelope. The man glanced at the contents and read the letters. He did not bother to sniff it, but he had

a frown.

“It’s a good copy, but this isn’t Stacy’s handwriting. The check is hers quite alright, but the letters

aren’t.” Alpha Aesop said, confirming what we had suspected all along. Stacy did not try to kill herself.

The woman was too selfish to pull that kind of stunt. Then why was she acting funny, and who really did

it? Whoever did was quite informed about Caleb and Monica. I remembered the dead worker, and I

doubted if he alone could pull it off, that is, if that was why he was killed. Two people had been

poisoned in that mansion. I did not need a psychic to tell me that there was a mole in our house. We

needed to lock them all up until we were sure.

“If she didn’t write it, then who did?” Caleb asked.

“The same person that poisoned her and maybe poisoned the poor staff member yesterday,” I said,

and Aesop was surprised.

“Someone was poisoned at the mansion?” He asked, and I nodded.

“Yes, I think it is time to lock them all up while we review the footage of the cameras we installed. Luis

or Regan might have someone in our house. I suspect Luis at this point.” I confessed, and we were

silent for a bit. I knew it was eerie having a killer in our home poisoning people. I might have to cook my

own meals henceforth. There was no talking me out of it.

“Where’s Monica?” I heard Caleb ask Alpha Aesop,

98 While He Was Away

“Isn’t she at the mansion?” Aesop asked, and Caleb shook his head,

“She hasn’t been here for two days. I thought she was home.” Aesop said, and Caleb took out his

phone. I knew he was trying to confirm Monica’s whereabouts. I would also be worried for my step-

sister if there was a killer on a rampage. The truth is she should be with her mother, but I doubt Aesop

was giving her an easy time. Aesop did not even seem bothered about her whereabouts. He looked at

Stacy, and I knew he was worried. We have been asked to pull the plug, but Aesop is still holding on.

Hopefully, he will let go. Luke’s absence wasn’t helping either. Everything was falling apart, and no one

knew what to do.

“She isn’t at the mansion,” Caleb said, hanging up.

“Well, maybe she has a boyfriend, ” Aesop said, and Caleb shook his head.

“She moved out. Her things have been cleared out. Norman said she packed all her belongings, “Caleb

said, and Aesop shrugged.

“Good riddance. Run away at the first sign of trouble.” He said, and I did not think that was the case,

but then again, it might be. Our home was in shambles; our family structure was collapsing. Everything

was just sour. I would bail out, too, if I were her, but it was a bit low for her to abandon her mother in

this state. It wasn’t any of my business anyway. I had my shares of problems.

Aesop looked at me and my bump.

“How are you feeling, Tia?” he asked me, and I did not know what to say because I felt like shit. “I have

had better days,” I replied, and he smiled at me. “I am so sorry you are going through this, especially in

your condition. Luke should be here with you. I did not know why he decided to go after the bastard

anyway.” he said and sighed. He wanted to tell me something difficult but did not know how to say it.

“As long as it has nothing to do with Luke dying, I can handle it,” I said, urging him to speak He smiled

at me and shook his head.

“These are tough times, Tia, and we cannot look divided. That is why I will ask you to step down as

Luna and allow Caleb and Kimberly to take over for now. Until Luke returns. I can’t have you stressing

about carrying Luke’s child.” He said, and I understood his point of view. I really did not want to deal

with any of them anymore. I just wanted to find my husband.

“I understand,” I said, and he smiled at me.

“Will there be a need for an announcement?” I asked, and he shook his head. As soon as you agree, it

will take effect.” He said, and I nodded. I sighed and hugged myself; I really didn’t care about anything

at this point. I just wanted Luke home. Caleb noticed my countenance and hugged me, then kissed the

top of my head. “Be strong, Tia. Be strong for all of us,” he said, and all I wanted to do at that moment

was lock myself up in my room and pray to the goddess to bring Luke home. Caleb took me back home

and wanted to stay with me a bit in the room, but I asked him to leave. I wanted to cry alone. I have

never felt this helpless in my life. I did not know what to do or who to talk to. I had no idea where to go.

I took off my clothes and lay on the bed holding

5

Do White He Was Away

the pillow tightly.

“Luke, where are you?” I cried, holding my pillow really tight. Then I decided to get up and pack my

bags. My mind was made up. I decided I would go to get look for Luke in Santa Braee. If I do not find

him, so be it, but I refuse to sit on my arse and wait. While I packed my small bag. My hands trembled

with uncertainty and fear. I did not know what to do or where to start. Kirk had told me their names and

the hotel they should have stayed at. I intended to go there. I would have asked Kirk to come with me,

but Aesop said they would need all the hands-on deck With what was happening, everyone had to be

highly alert. Well, that was now their problem. As far as I was concerned, I was going to Santa Braee in

the morning to find my husband.

I called my father to ask him to help me check on Paul because I would be taking a trip. I did not tell

him where I was going, and he did not ask questions. Knowing that Paul would be okay if anything

happened to Luke and me was essential.

I prayed in the night and went to sleep. “Tia, Tia“, I heard a soft whisper. Someone was trying to wake

me up from sleep. I slept late, and I was tired. I did not want to wake up, but I knew I had to. I opened

my eyes and saw a blonde–haired, blue-eyed, crocked–nosed man. I punched him on reflex and

screamed. I was disoriented. I sat up with my back against the bed rest, trying to understand what was

happening. That was when I focused on the person, and I was in shock and could not speak. Covering

my mouth, I began to cry. Relief, joy, anger, peace, gladness, name it. I was feeling it all as I was

staring at my husband. He kept his promise. He came back home.