Blood Queen || COMPLETED

Chapter Twenty Five

Taking one last look at the castle ruins, I head for the one place I know far enough where I will not be disturbed. Thanking my hybrid speed I cross five states in the span of two hours. Not stopping to look around the deserted crumbling remains of my village, I speed into my father's office. I spot a large bronze wolf emerging from the hidden passage behind the bookshelf and lunge at him.

He dodges it so fast he blurs and immediately I growl feeling my claws extend and my wolf begin to tear through my skin.

"It's me. It's me." Rushes out the man as he shifts back into his human form "Alora it's me."

I growl and he puts his arms up in surrender. "Who are you? Are Lucius and the others with you?"

"No no! I'm here alone. Goddess will you please put those damn claws away? It's me Alora. Josh. Fallon's brother?"

Immediately my body halts and the fur that began to sprout through my skin slowly recedes back inside as do my claws. "Josh? You're a hybrid now too? I thought you just went rogue."

He sighs and lowers his hands down to his sides. "I lasted all of three days out on my own before those assholes grabbed me and locked me up. They tortured me until I joined their 'cause'."

"And did you?" I say with suspicion lacing my tone "Join their cause I mean."

He gives me a pointed look "I wouldn't be that stupid. Emerson is quite literally a monster. There's no way I'd do anything to help release him."

"But you have." I countered and his grey eyes swirled with confusion. "By becoming one of them you've accepted their cause as your own. You've shown loyalty to the League."

"No. Alora listen to me, they don't even know that I am here right now. I came to help you."

I suck my teeth in disappointment "Liar." I flash closer to him and grab him by the neck while extending my claws into his flesh and position my other hand above his chest.

"Please." He gurgles out "I said whatever I had to say back then to get out of the cells. All I want is to see my sister again. I'm all she's got. Please Alora, my loyalties have always been with Ember Pack and always will be."

"Prove it."

He coughs out blood as I apply pressure "I know about Lucius' other mate and what he has done."

I release him instantly and he staggers back against the wall, taking two seconds to catch his breath and fully heal. "Explain."

He nods and runs a hand through his medium black hair "They generously saddled me with janitor duty from day one. I know how cliche it sounds, the janitor who eavesdrops but it's worked out in my favor. I've become practically invisible in their eyes which means I hear everything, have access to every room and no one suspects a thing. I've been gathering intel for the last seven years trying to find something useful to bargain my freedom."

"Convenient how with seven years worth of what I'm sure is a goldmine of incriminating evidence you choose now to step out of the shadows." I reply.

"All the intel in the world doesn't mean a damn thing without power and muscle to back me up. I may be strong but even I know that I cant beat Lucius and Reece, those guys have been around for centuries. When I found out that they were going to attack Ember a few years ago I raced over to warn your father."

"He sounded the evacuation alarm a few minutes before they attacked..." I whisper as I'm unwillingly pulled back into flashbacks of that night. Josh nods and looks out the broken glass window. In the daylight the demolished village somehow seems more spine-chilling than it does at nightfall.