Alpha Faye

Chapter Twenty

I'm here tonight.
This is your only opportunity to meet me again, in the garden of the estate you currently reside in.
I missed you.

~Tayten

My stomach turns seeing the bottom of the letter. For whatever reason, my mind conspiring with crazy ideas on who Tayten could be to T. His mate, maybe? I'm not sure why that was my first thought. Seeing her write 'I miss you' seems like a clue enough. She could also be his sister...It doesn't matter.

"So tonight," Cal says. "We need to get to her before T does."

"We don't have to worry about T until this time tomorrow. He is completely unable to make any kind of move," I tell him, remembering the poison I feed to him. Maybe a Guard will find him lying there and take him back to his room. If no one finds him...I don't think I care.

"Okay, I'll get to preparing my weapons. I suggest it be just you and I out there tonight. The moment she realises there are guards out there looking for her, is the moment we lose her forever," Cal says.

I nod. He's right. He also has plenty more experience with misfits than I do. It's his job to hunt people down like that, and tonight, with Tayten, it's exactly the same.

Tonight will tell all.

***

Night settled over my Pack as quickly as the fear did in my stomach.

Cal is ready, and so I am I. Maybe a little less, but I have weapons, and a thick layer of leather across my body that should do a decent enough job of protecting me. Still, I have no idea how this night is going to go. Tayten could do anything, could be anyone.

"How are you feeling?" Cal asks, looking from the window, down to me. This is the first time he has stepped out of his Huntsman facade. His seriousness is appreciated, but also daunting.

"Nervous," I tell him honestly. "This needs to go well."

Cal reaches out, rubbing my back in a comforting manner. He's being friendly, despite the way I tortured him with silver not so many days ago. I lean into his touch, feeling the first ounce of affection I have received recently. Mother has never been big for showing her love to me directly, so something like this is new, but also something I've craved for a long time.

"It will go well, don't worry," he replies, as if talking directly to my nerves. Surprisingly, it soothes them. Of course this will go well. It has to.

Cal lets go of me, taking his first step outside. The absence of his touch is missed, even if I hate admitting it.

This is the last thing I should be thinking of.

I can see the garden from here, but no Tayten. She could be anywhere in the wide expanse of the place, hidden behind any bush or hedge, waiting to jump out at us. All my guards are inside, waiting in case we need any kind of backup. We are going into this blind, but I trust Cal's abilities as a Huntsman.

"We don't need to sneak," Cal says lowly. "Our best bet is to approach unsuspecting. Hopefully we will catch a good look at her."

All I can do is nod, keeping my gaze sweeping across the garden, looking for this elusive female hidden somewhere in my garden. My hand clutches a dagger by my side, ready to strike if she attempts to jump out at either of us.

Cal and I both see her at the same time.

She sits on the same mound T and I did when I first let him out of his cell. She sits there, legs crossed over each other, staring out into the forest. We both pause, watching her, even as she remains still. Has she not see us yet, or is this her plan to lure us in before she attacks?