Kissed By The Moon

CHAPTER 17: This is New

The Royal Investigative Committee took this on?

Just come down here and I'll tell you all the details! He instructs before shutting off his mind link. How sassy.

"Uhm, Charlotte, sorry to cut training short, but I have to go, there's an emergency that I need to report to," I excuse as I get a towel and pat my face dry.

"Oh? Is everything okay?" She inquires, walking towards me with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm not sure," I answer honestly, "But I've mind-linked Deidra to come here and finish off the training. I'll be back as soon as I can." I impulsively step up and kiss her on the forehead before I turn to leave, thinking about what I did far too late to do anything about it.

The drive to the dungeons is a little long. They are located far from residential areas. The smell of the rogues hist me as I exit my car and I make my way to the entrance of our Cell House. I greet the people inside and then make my way to the back of the building where I find a staircase that leads down to the dungeon.

Although the notion of having a dungeon is medieval, there is nothing primitive about this place. It's as comfortable as a place that hosts out of control rogues can get. The cells are just placed underground to make escaping more difficult and to make sure all business handled down there, is handled in privacy.

As I arrive, I'm greeted by Charles and a few guards who lead me to where the three rogues are being kept. Although the rogues attacked as a unit, they are being kept separate because of the risk of them turning on each other. Rogues don't tend to have a strong sense of community. They have an individualistic mentality and either avoid or attack other rogues that they may come across. That's what makes this attack more peculiar. It is very rare for rogues to attack as a group – even a small one – unless they became rogues together, and a rogue family that's been rogues for over three years is virtually unheard of.

"Can you still smell them Amari?" Charles asks.

"Yeah, rather strongly now that we're so close," I affirm as I get closer to a cell that one of them is being kept. They have all been sedated.

"We still can't smell them, but we confirmed that they are using a magical cloak. This means there is a witch who is behind this, or is at least working with someone who initiated this attack."

"It gets worse," he adds, reading my shocked expression. Worse than a witch fighting wolves? That could lead to a species war.

"What could be worse than that?" I ask, a little afraid of the answer.

"Well," Charles regards me nervously, but resolves to be explicit, "These are old rogues, as you know, but it looks like they are about 6 years old, give or take a few months. They seem to have been captured around the time that you left, and released when word got out that you returned. We can't be sure just yet, but I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that there is likely a connection between this attack and your return."

I feel my head spinning. Seriously? After all these years, someone is still out to get me. I can't help the flashbacks of my youth that are now playing through my head. Eres is on full alert, ready to tear these rogues to pieces, but I can't let her out. I can't help my claws from coming out though, so I clench my fists and turn away from Charles and the rest of the guards as I try to get myself under control.

When I manage to calm myself, I turn to Charles and ask him if there is any more information. He shakes his head. Rogues don't talk so they can't ask them for any more details. I understand, but make a mental note to investigate further, starting with investigating the cloak that was used on these rogues. There is a witch I became friends with when I was away named Desirée, and I decide to start my investigation by inviting her to the pack house and asking for her assistance.

"The RIC will handle this from now on Amari, so don't worry too much," Charles tries to assure me in a soothing tone. I respond with a forced smile and his eyes glaze over. Then something happens, I hear him.

I don't think she's going to let this go, he says to my dad.

I don't expect her to. Keep an eye on her and make sure she's safe, as a matter of priority, I hear him respond.

I look at Charles, and when he's done with the mind link, he stares at me with a curious eye, silently asking me what's wrong.

"I heard you," I say, in a whisper, then I look around and realise that I can't risk being heard.

'I don't think she's going to let this go.' 'I don't expect her to. Keep an eye...' I heard you, Charles! How the hell did I hear you?

Have you done that before? He asks, sounding as concerned as I am.

No, I've never heard anyone's mind link before! I say as an obvious matter of fact.

I see. Charles says, sounding thoughtful, then it happens again.

Guards, please give us a moment down here, keep the entrance secure. Charles instructs the guards, and they begin to mobilise.

I look at him in shock and then suddenly, the flood gates open and I hear everything. All the mind links of everyone in this pack all at once. It sounds like chaos, and I can't bare it. I hold on to my head, trying my best to make it stop. I hear someone call me, but I don't know if that's in the mind link or out loud. I feel my back hit the cold bars of the cell before I am flung into a loud darkness that only goes quiet when I lose consciousness.