Stephen's POV
.
'If I regret doing this, then she will regret it twice or thrice times greater than it if I figured out that she did something nasty, just like I was thinking.', I thought but didn't give importance to saying the same about it because I believe doing work rather than talking unnecessarily. That stupid girl didn't even realize I took out her phone when I pushed her into the cell. I checked her phone. The phone was locked, so at first, I needed to unlock it first.
'John and Wade check every corner of the room where Ms. Williams had stayed, including her luggage and the cosmetics. Tell them that 'this is Beta's order if someone tries to intervene.'
'Noted, Beta.'
'Okay, Beta.'
Closing the mind link, I went directly to Ryan's office, who was my cousin, Aunt Emma, and Uncle Jame's first child. Now, you might wonder why he had an office in the pack?
Well, that was because he was the human-technology expert in our pack.
"Ryan!!" I walked into his office without knocking on the door and found him working on a laptop and having chocolate in his mouth at the same time. "I need you to unlock this phone and get all the information from it and the sim card's call details. In case of anything suspicious, I need the recording of the call.
"Consider it done, Beta."
"You can call me Stephan, you know."
"I will do that when you aren't in work mode, and knowing the situation, I don't think you're going back to normal mode until Daniel wakes up."
"Hmm. By the way, what do you think about his mate? We all can see that she is worried and concerned for the Alpha, but do you think there is her hand in this incident?" I asked, thinking about Evangeline. A part of me wanted to doubt her because how could she reach here without a single scratch on her body while Daniel was barely breathing. But the other part of me is otherwise.
"To be honest, I can't comment on that part because I know nothing about his mate. And I don't understand what can be the reason behind doing something like this with her mate? If she wanted to rule over this pack, she could have done this by becoming Daniel's mate. She didn't need to kill her mate for that. And not to be forgotten, even if she wanted to kill him, she could have done after getting marked by Daniel and becoming his official Luna. As per the law, if anything happened to Daniel, you would be the pack leader, not Evangeline. But…
"But what?"
"I can't say the same about her sister, you know! She can have reasons to harm Daniel. But again, I won't comment anything because I know nothing.", Ryan said.
"Just get this work done ASAP.", I ordered and started leaving his office when Wade mind-linked me.
'Beta, we found something in Ms. Williams's luggage.'
'Great. I will be there in a minute.'
When I walked inside the packhouse, I could sense the tension in the environment. And I could tell that it wasn't just because of Daniel's situation but also the result of the act I had done in the morning. But no one dared to say a word at that time. I made my way toward the guest room where Ms. William had stayed.
"What is it?"
"Here. We found a pouch full of Vervain bullets and the guns.", John said, pointing toward the guns and the bullets. "And not just that, we also found a perfume bottle which is not used for fragrance but to hide the smell.", he added.
"That explains why no one couldn't catch her smell when she left the packhouse last night.", Wade concluded the same thing which was going on in her mind. "Not just that, we also find a spray consisting of a high level of silver, which can be dangerous for both werewolves and vampires."
"Why is your wrist burn?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Because I was checking what was in it by applying this over my wrist, and the result is right in front of you."
This girl looked like she knew nothing except using a ton of makeup from the outside, and from inside, she was no less than a villain. Who could have taught that she was a devil under the mask of an angel?
"Do one thing. Send all her cosmetics products to the forensic and get them tasted over there? I won't suggest anyone touch her things; who knows, and she might have stored poison in any of her things."
"Okay, Beta.", They agreed while I made a mental note to ask about all these with Evangeline. I didn't want to think in that way, but at the same time, I wondered whether Evangeline, too, carries all these things? I wouldn't be able to find out about that part until I get her stuff checked.
*****
"We have found all these things from Aleena's luggage.", I said, placing them in front of Evangeline. I heard a couple of gasps when they observed everything. "That's why I have some questions for you."
"Sure. Go Ahead.", Evangeline said confidently.
"You don't look surprised after finding all these things from Aleena's luggage. Why is that so?"
"Well, that's because she's a vampire hunter. You can confirm about it from my father.", She responded.
"Then why are you still alive? She never tried to kill you, or she loved you so much that she dropped the idea of killing the vampire who is a family member?"
"Stephan!!" I heard Mom's stern voice, but I gave no ear to her voice because right now, it was not her son who was talking to his older's brother mate but a Beta who was looking to investigate his Alpha's case."
"It's okay, Mom. He is just doing his job, and I'm okay with the fact that he doesn't give a damn to anyone standing in front of him when his works come first.", Evangeline said, calming down my mother. If she genuinely settled down my parent's anger, I must admire her for cooperating with me. "Now, returning to your question, Beta Stephen, Aleena, and my mom never knew about my true identity until yesterday. And the reason behind it was that my father, Alpha Williams, wanted to keep my identity as a hybrid to the minimum number of people he could because hybrids exist. You can't expect dad just to take a mic and announce it worldwide to invite all types of danger for me."
"He didn't share about it with others. I get that. Why didn't he share about it with your mother or sister? I believe they are family."
"Dad trusted my safety with no one. NO ONE. And the reason I came here with Daniel was to know more about him and his family member because if I had to stay with all of you, I must know the people with whom I could share my secret. And I'm glad that I can trust all of you with my secrets. Moreover, I would have to share it with everyone sooner or later because my Lycan would have appeared after finding her mate."
My heart warmed seeing the amount of trust she had in the family, which she knew from hardly twenty-four hours, and here I was interrogating her. I felt terrible for doing so.
'I won't suggest you check her things. Even though I don't know much about her, I can tell you that she can never think of hurting our Alpha.' Thunder, my wolf said.
"And no one will break your trust.", I said after hearing her. "One last question, if you don't mind me answering. I know whenever Lycans shift back into their human form, their clothes remain intact, which makes sense in your condition. But why Ms. William's clothes were intact when she shifted back into human form?"
"That's because there was some amount of my blood in her vein when she had lost a lot of blood in an accident."
"I know it is personal, but why did you give her your blood? Your blood could have reacted in a negative way to her."
"I didn't think about all these things at that moment. I knew that she needed blood, and a small amount of my blood could heal any human. This was the incident when she wasn't blessed with her wolf."
That made sense.
"Thank you so much. Now, I would take a leave because I had to handle other things ."
"Stephen, I was thinking of making homemade food for Al…."
"Sorry! That is not allowed. Not until her stay in the dungeon.", I said, cutting her in between. "Paige and Nora, come with me. I have some work for you both."
*****
"I need you both to check on Ms. Williams by both with her clothes and without her clothes.", I ordered, on which their eyes widened. At the same time, they looked at me warily like I was insane, unable to find any appropriate words to respond for a minute.
"But Stephan…" Nora started but shut her mouth when she earned a glare from me.
"I'm not doing anything wrong. I just don't trust anyone when it comes to Alpha safety, and all Ms. Williams has to do is strip in front of you both. I'm sure that's not a big deal for a werewolf."
"I don't have all my life to wait for this work to be done. So, what are you two waiting for? Christmas?" I asked in sarcasm. They nodded their head and got back to the work I had asked for. Once they left, I went back to Ryan's office to check the status of her phone.
"Did you find anything?" I asked, slamming the door wide open.
"Jesus, Beta! You scared me.", He said, placing his hands over his heart and acting dramatically.
"Is the work done?" I asked and wanted to take YES as an answer.
"Yes, I did, and unfortunately. I found nothing.", he responded, passing me her phone. I opened it and checked her caller history on my own but found nothing suspicious. "She has two sim cards in her phone, and I have checked the call history of both even over the internet, and just like I mentioned before, everything is crystal clear.", Ryan said. "I think you are doubting her unnecessarily.", he added.
So, she got a green flag from Ryan.
But I still believed that something was fishy, and I wouldn't rest in peace until I figured it out.
Because the things were too clean for my taste, sometimes, the things in front of our eyes were not dangerous, but the things hidden from our eyes were.
"Fine! Thanks for all the information.", I grumbled.
If she could sneak out of my pack to get her work done, I could do the same and in the same way, just like she did, because two could play the game. I went directly into the forensic lab, where all her cosmetics were kept and retrieved from her luggage. I grabbed the perfume bottle that could hide the smell and left it there without informing anyone where I was heading to.
I used that perfume and my car to reach Alpha Williams's pack. And I must say the guards on patrol were so overconfident over their smelling sense that they were barely guarding the pack border because I could see them busy with their phones. I parked the car far away from the pack and then planned to sneak inside the pack without getting caught.
Now, I realized how Aleena easily sneaked out of our border. I used that part as my opportunity and finally sneaked inside the pack. Thankfully, with Thunder's help since, I made my way to Alpha Williams's bedroom without getting caught.
'I hope you don't get caught while doing all this. Otherwise, we will have to bear heavy punishment.', Thunder warned.
'Don't worry. I know what I'm doing, and if I would have asked someone else to do this, then there was a high chance of them getting caught.', I assured him.
Immediately, I felt someone trying to reach me through the mind link because suddenly, I felt something bugging my mind.
'Beta Stephan!'
'What's it, Nora?'
'We didn't find anything, Beta. Neither in her clothes nor without clothes.'
'Okay.'
'You better find something, Brother otherwise, no one can save you from the wrath of big brother.', This time, Nora said, more like a sister than a reporter.
'I know, Nora. I know that.'
'Did you find something?'
'Nothing yet.'
'It means your ass is in trouble,' she said in a worried tone, and I closed the mind link, focusing my mind on the work I was here for. I didn't waste time and stole Luna's phone, for which I was here in the first place.
I didn't stay there long after that. While I was on the way back to the pack, I felt someone was mind linking me again. I used the same path which I had used earlier to reach here.
'Where are you?'
'Are you that mad at me that you won't even say HELLO to your son?' I asked my mother, who was not in a pleasant mood.
'Daniel is awake and is looking for you. So, come home soon.', She said angrily and closed the mind link. A part of me was happy that Daniel was gaining his consciousness now, but at the same time, I was worried about the other part because I hadn't had any solid proof against her yet. And by any chance, Daniel would get an idea about what I had done, and others would have added spices over it then, just like Nora had mentioned, 'My ass was in trouble.'
Immediately I felt my smell returning. Great, nothing could be more perfect than this. Otherwise, I would have to answer about it, especially Daniel.
I checked the time and realized that this worked for three hours.
'Ryan! Where are you right now?'
'Back to my office. I just met Daniel. He asked when he didn't find you among the family members.'
'Yeah! I'm almost near the packhouse. By the way, did someone inform me about everything?'
'Well, no one informed on their own, but when he didn't see Eva's sister, he asked about it, and Mom told everything that happened to him.'
So, it was not Evangeline who complained about me.
'Then?'
'Daniel started leaving the bed to handle the situation on his own, but he got scolded by his mate, and he returned to the bed with a scowl on his face. You should have been here. I must say, the future Luna has already a strong-headed and bossy woman.'
'Well, what can I say on this? That my brother cannot be luckier.' I smiled at the thought that finally, my brother had someone in his life who cared for him unconditionally other than his family. 'Anyways, I need your help again.', I said, changing the topic.
'I'm listening.'
*****
After reaching the packhouse, I first gave the phone I had stolen to him and asked him to unlock it; along with that, get the call history checked on her number.
If Alpha Williams never shared Eva's real identity with both her mate and his real daughter, then I was sure that something would be off about them, or there could be even the slightest trust issue between them; otherwise, why wouldn't a mate would hide anything from the other one? That too for all this year?
"Did you just steal the phone of…"
"Shut up! And get back to work, quick. And yes! Make sure that no one would able to track this number."
"Why do you always ask me to do something I can fall in trouble with later?"
"Don't worry if anything goes wrong. I will take the blame. Now, just get this work done, and by that time, I'm going to meet Alpha."
He sighed and nodded his head.
****
Since the door of Daniel's room was as usual open. I walked in directly, and my eyes widened when I found him kissing his mate as if his life depended on her. I doubt they had no idea about my presence, but they were so busy sucking each other's lips passionately that they didn't even think to break the kiss sooner.
"Alpha, Luna!!" I cleared my thought to get their attention, but they both ignored me or acknowledged what I was saying. I shook my head and closed the door of their room, walking out of the room. Daniel didn't have the habit of closing the door, so I hope he soon changes his habit.
I left from there, not waiting out of his room for long because they were mates, that too newly found mates, who knew that things could get intense between them, and they ended up mating and marking each other.
'I don't think you need to worry for your brother around his mate. Thunder said that both his wolf and he might be acting like a love-sick puppy right now, but that doesn't mean they are stupid.', Thunder said.
'Yeah! You are right.'
I went into the kitchen to have something to eat because I hadn't had anything since morning. I helped myself serve the food and then sat down at the dining table. I had barely started having my food when both Nora and Paige joined me at the dining table. I knew they wanted an update because they didn't have their plates.
"What did Big B say?"
"Did he punish you?"
They asked, on which I rolled my eyes before responding, "He was so busy with his mate that he didn't give a damn to my presence."
"Awww!! They are already in love."
"That's the way of mates. I doubt that they will take a week for Luna Ceremony."
Their conversation reminded me of my mate, Diana, who I lost a long ago. I knew they were not doing this intensionally, but their discussion reminded me of Diana, whom I could never be again.
"When will you someone as your chosen mate? Because After Luna, others will surely look for beta female", Nora asked, and I sucked in a breath because I knew her question had a point. Now that Daniel would be mated, my family would undoubtedly pressure me to get a chosen mate for myself. They would ask me to get a mate just like humans were asked to get married. They wouldn't have done this if I hadn't found my mate then, since my situation was slightly different.
"I haven't thought about that part yet.", I muttered, frowning. How could I think of choosing someone as my chosen mate when I was still not over my fated mate's feelings. I finished my food and thought to check on Daniel again.
"Alpha, are you free now?"
"Yes, I'm now. You can come into my room.", Hearing this, I made my way toward his room again and found Evangeline in the mid-way. We both nodded at each other before walking in the opposite direction.
I found him with narrowed eyes when I walked in, looking directly at me, sitting against bedrest. I could see that he was still weak, but at that same time, his hairs were damp. I didn't want to investigate how he managed to take a shower and how his and his mate's hair got wet at the same time.
"Alpha, I can explain everything."
"Of course, you will have to. But first, cut the formalities and then explain everything."
"Daniel, I think or say I believe Aleena is behind this accident."
"You can't lock someone in the dungeon just because you believe or think that she is behind all this.", Daniel pointed out.
"So I would have waited and caught her when she would have done more damaged?"
"Not exactly. But you could have waited to catch her red-handed instead of locking her in the cell without solid proof."
"Daniel…
"I know you don't have any proof against her YET, which can explain that she is the one behind everything; that's why I'm ordering you to release her.", He said, using his Alpha tone. That was another thing that didn't work for me, but at the same time, I didn't want to argue with him.
"But she sneaked out of the pack, and I found…."
"I know everything. EVERYTHING. You just assumed everything. Now, go and release her."
"But I don't think that she is innocent. The only problem is that I don't have any proof against her yet."
"That's exactly what I'm telling you. Since I haven't marked my mate yet, you are the second highest rank person in the pack, and after me, everyone looks at you and expects you to make the right decision for everyone. Even if you feel, believe, or think something is wrong with that girl. You need to prove it. Now, go and get her by the time I'm calling everyone from the pack in our backyard. You have insulted her in front of the whole pack, so now you'll apologize to her in front of others."
"But…
"I'm not finished yet.", he said, cutting me between. "We will talk about it when you have something in your hand against her.", he added, leaving no room for argument. I gritted my teeth in anger but kept my mouth shut, knowing that a part of him was Daniel.
"Okay, Alpha.", Muttering this under my breath, I started leaving his room.
"Stephen, take this as your lesson. I won't say that your assumption is wrong. Maybe whatever you are thinking can be right, but you need to get proof before arresting her again."
"I got it, Alpha.", I responded and left the room.
'Who could have that Powerpuff knows how to use her brain!' Thunder mumbled.
'That's the mistake we did, Thunder. That's the only mistake we made by underestimating her, but it won't happen again.'
'Great that you learned your lesson but remembered she had warned us that 'we will regret doing that to her.' I wonder now what would be her next plan?', Thunder said, using his mind, but at that moment, we were clueless about that part.
When I reached her cell, I found her sitting on the ground with a smirk on her face.
'I promise to wipe her smirk one day.'
I unlocked the door and saw her still sitting on the ground lazily. I bit my inner cheek and opened my mouth to politely talk to her, "Alpha has asked me to bring you to the backyard."
"Asked or ordered?", She asked, checking her fake nails.
"Asked.", I responded, to which her smirk widened. She stood up on her feet, tried to clean the dusk over her hips, and then walked out of the cell.
'Why do I feel that something is going on in her evil mind?' Thunder asked
'Well, that's because something is surely going on in her mind.', I responded.
"Don't stress your mind is overthinking, Beta. Because whatever is going to happen next, I had warned you about that.", She said confidently.
"What goes around always, always, comes back around.", I sneered. I took her out, RESPECTFULLY, and at the same time, I was mourning over my defeat.
****
"All right, everyone! It seems like everyone is here now.", Daniel said, looking at the crowd in front of us. "And I think everyone knows why an emergency meeting is held over here. Still, who has no idea about that, I would announce again. We are gathered here to bear witness to the trial of Aleena Williams, the younger sister of this pack. Yes, everyone! I would like to announce that I finally found my mate. Many of you have heard about it from one another, but not an official statement was released earlier. Meet, my mate, my Luna, and the Luna of this pack, Evangeline Williams, daughter of Alpha Francis Williams and late Luna Clara Williams."
Everyone howled, cheered, and clapped on this news. Along with that, they asked about the Luna ceremony?
The news of future Alpha?
And many more things!
Daniel raised his hand to calm them down, "The luna ceremony will be held after 5-6 days. Not sure yet. I will inform you once it gets final, and after only you all can expect any good news.", he paused before continuing, "Now coming back to the reason why are we especially here. Aleena Williams stands accused by Beta Stephen of trying to murder me by sending vampires last night. However, Beta Stephen doesn't have any solid proof against her."
Werewolves among the crowd started whispering to one another about it.
"That's why we are here to know the whole truth from Aleena herself. So, Aleena, a bowl of holy water is in front of you, which has the power to burn any werewolf in case he or she lies. I would request to have it before we move further."
Aleena agreed confidently and drank that holy water.
I could have used this method, but then, only the Alpha of the pack was allowed to use this way as long as he was alive.
"No, do you swear on the Moon Goddess Selene that you will tell the whole truth during this trial?" Daniel asked, gaining her attention back to him.
"I do."
"Great. All the questions will be asked by Beta Stephen now.", Daniel said, giving me the authority to ask everything that was in my mind.
"Do you want to kill or harm Alpha Daniel?"
"No. I have never thought about that ever in my life."
"Why did you sneak out of the pack last night?"
"To kill the vampires. Because that's my work at night because I'm a vampire hunter."
"Or did you try to wipe the proof that could have led it to you that it was your hand in planning and plotting against Alpha?"
"As I said before, I have never thought about harming Alpha Daniel ever in my life.", She said confidently.
"Where was your whole night?"
"I was at Mount Eve because my wolf took me there. We had found our mate last night, but we found him fucking someone else; that's why Leia stayed there, whining and sobbing at her fate, and when she felt good, she finally decided to return to the pack."
Now, I was out of questions. I didn't know what to ask further.
"Are you satisfied with her answers, Beta Stephen?" Daniel asked. I wanted to scream a big NO, but then I couldn't make myself fool again by saying that I think, assume, and believe blah blah and blah.
"Yes, Alpha."
"Because of you, Ms. Williams went through a lot of things, so you better redeem your mistake by apologizing to her!!", He said, to which I nodded my head.
"I'm so…"
"Stop!" Powerpuff said, cutting me in between. "I don't think you plain SORRY can make me forget about all the insult I went through.", she added.
"What do you want, Ms. Williams?" Daniel asked in confusion, while deep down, I knew this witch would be thinking something evil.
"That Beta Stephen will apologize to me in the way I will ask him to. I'm going to make him taste the bitter flavor of his own medicine."
"And what is that?" Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes.
"That Beta Stephen will apologize to me by kneeling in front of me and rubbing his nose on the ground."
Soon, I heard the loud growl in the background, and after that, one after another, others roared and followed her. Well, what could I say? I was one of the most loved people in the pack.
"My brother won't do anything like that," Daniel growled and roared along with that other. "Making someone apologize for the mistake is one thing and insulting him, but making him apologize is another thing, and as long as I'm alive, he won't do that."
"I can't insult him, but he is allowed to insult me, huh? He practically dragged me to the dungeon-like a prisoner at that time. No one thought about the humiliation and insult I felt because of him, huh? Either he will apologize to me in that way, or I'm returning to my pack with this insult along with Eva, and then you will have to deal with my father." Aleena paused before speaking. "Then I doubt there will be any Luna ceremony in the next five to six days."
"Sure. Go ahead. Take your bags and leave my pack right here and right now with your sister because there is no way my brother will apologize to you like that.", Daniel growled.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock when they heard this.
Everyone in the pack knew how Daniel used to wait for the day when he would get a chance to spend his life with his mate and how crazy he used to be about having his mate someday, and today, he was kind of rejecting his mate …. For me?
Nope! Not happening.
If he was ready to lose his mate for me, then I was prepared to keep my respect aside.
"As you wish. Eva! Come on! Reject the person you call your mate; he gives a damn to mate and mate bond. He is ready to lose you over his family."
"I will apologize.", I announced.
"No. You will not, Stephen.", Daniel ordered, but it was not going to stop me from what I had already decided. I dropped my knee in front of her. However, she had maintained a poker expression on her face. I knew deep down that she would be dancing and doing backflips because of excitement.
I gulped down the saliva which had been formed and leaned toward the ground. I rubbed my nose on the floor, swallowing the insult I faced today. I wouldn't wait for Karma to hit back, but I would be her Karma.
One day, she would be in the position I was in today, apologizing for her mistakes.
"I'm sorry, Ms. William.", I apologized.
"It's okay, Beta. I hope you would have learned your lesson.", She said with a smile.
"The meeting is adjourned.", Daniel growled before leaving from there, and one by one, others too joined him.
'Beta Stephen, I found something.' I heard Ryan's mind linking me. I tried not to smirk when I heard that. Fly higher, powderpuff. Fly higher because soon you will fall to the ground.
.
#TBC
.
A/N: Don't forget to drop your precious reviews, guys :) The size of the chapter is not small, so I need a big comment, if possible. ;)