"Who is Daniel?" Baela asked, peering closer at the paper.
"A friend of my father's, apparently a good friend" Zayn mumbled.
"And what missing pages?" Baela looked from Zayn to Liam.
"We should explain in the office," Liam grabbed the lamp and they followed him back through the building.
This time, Zayn shut his office window properly, and closed the door. Baela sat on one of the chairs still propped in the corner from when Zayn said his apologies.
"So... who is Daniel? What missing papers? And why was this note stuffed into the lamp?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Daniel is a farmer who lives on the outskirts of the Town. We get eggs and milk from him" Zayn removed the chain from around his neck and slotted the bite of the brass key into the keyhole. The colours matched but because it was broken, Zayn didn't have the satisfaction of using it.
"Oh, so... what are the missing papers?"
"They're from my dad's journal the year Liam's parents were killed. Jaiden forged an entry in the journal to say they were capturing werewolf hunters, that Liam and Harry's parents were werewolf hunters.!"
Liam looked away before Baela could make eye contact. For some reason, he felt ashamed as though it were true.
"How did you know it was forged?"
"The handwriting was off, and we found notes in Jaiden's belongings of him practicing dad's handwriting. Last year's journal is also missing."
"Sneaky bastard." Baela frowned. "Why would he do that?"
"We dont know. I guess the answers are in last year's journal that has suspiciously gone missing."
Baela stood, rubbing her chin and pacing slowly back and forth.
"He forged an entry to say Xavier captured werewolf hunters and what? Killed them?"
"We don't know. The rest of the month was
torn out." Zayn glanced to Liam who stared from the window. "We don't know why he would lie about that. We've had other stuff to deal with, so we haven't been able to give it much thought."
Baela heavily sat back down. "So, Xavier would give something this important to a farmer? Why?"
"He trusted him." Zayn had only spoken to Daniel once, but he understood how his father formed such a close friendship with him. Daniel was likeable, smart, and very observing. He had given Zayn the scolding of a lifetime. Daniel had given him clarity that had a part to play in his apologies.
"If Daniel has the papers, they're safe"
"And you know that for sure?"
"Yes," Zayn grumbled, eyeing Baela who was confused about why he was so sure. "Get me that book from the top of the bookshelf."
Baela stood on a chair to reach it, frowning deeper. "What is this?" She picked tenderly at the leather strap.
"An Alpha journal. Dad made it for me. I haven't really looked through it and I probably should" Zayn snatched it from her with a scowl. He was stressed and impatient. His only saviour was the patient people around him.
"Maybe we should go to Daniel's farm?" Liam suggested.
"I should read this first," Zayn mumbled, flicking through the pages.
Baela and Liam watched him for a long minute until Baela asked him to read out loud.
Zayn sighed heavily and continued to flick through a lot of pages until one near the end caught his attention.
"Um, should I like... step outside?" Baela asked. Her green eyes flicked to Liam with concern.
"No. He obviously thinks that Jaiden and Niall are still the Beta and Delta"
Zayn awkwardly shifted in his seat as he read.
"No kidding," Baela sighed, cocking a leg over the side of the chair and swinging it to mask her nerves.
Zayn's eyes looked up. Baela had a funny sort of frown between her brows. She was both confused and content. Zayn's father's personality seeped through his words. Zayn could picture him speaking the same way aloud, and Baela could too.
Zayn sat back in his chair, tensing his jaw.
"So, Xavier knew something was up with Jaiden, and he knew he was going to probably die." Baela stood suddenly. "Then why didn't he do anything about it?"
"I don't know." Zayn tried to speed read through the rest. Then he saw Daniel's name. "Dad explains who Daniel is. Do you think he left this as an extra message just in case we didn't find the key in the door?"
"Most likely. You know your dad, he always backed up everything by putting it on paper.!"
"He did" Zayn glanced to the cupboard full of his paperwork. "And it says right here about the key and the lamp." He ran a hand over his face.
"Daniel must have known that this book would lead back to him, that's why he remembered something like this."
"You've spoken to Daniel recently?" Baela asked. "Why am I last to know about it?"
"I kept you out of the loop because of the accusation that Liam's parents were hunters. Nobody could know because of how dangerous the rumour was. If the pack even heard a bit of it, they would've turned on him"
Baela glanced to Liam and he avoided her gaze again. "Well, obviously that's not true. Liam's parents are not hunters, that's just ridiculous."
"I know, but why would Jaiden forge that? What is he trying to prove?"
"I don't know, but Daniel might."
"We should go to him. But the others shouldn't know yet." Baela smiled when Liam finally looked at her. "We will know the truth soon enough."
"We better. This has gone on for too long" Zayn growled. "We should go now."
"Wouldn't that seem suspicious?" Liam asked.
"It would," Baela agreed. "Can I suggest going tomorrow?"
Zayn glared at her, but not because she had spoken out of term. Zayn was angry that two years later, Jaiden, the southern Alpha, and his father's ghost spun him in endless circles.
"We need answers. We go tomorrow, first thing."
Later that evening, Liam pretended to read a book. He was tucked up in bed and Zayn lay next to him, lazily watching something on the TV, mounted opposite the bed.
One glance in Zayn's direction told Liam that he was pretending to watch it too.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Zayn turned to him as though he forgot Liam was in the room. "My dad. You?"
"My parents."
Zayn curled onto his side, propping his head on his palm. "We'll figure out what really happened to them."
"It's okay if we don't get answers." Liam put his book down and laid on his side too. "I might be a bit scared to know the truth."
"Hopefully you already know the truth, and it was a simple Rogue attack, nothing more. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Harry's parents had something to do with it."
Liam fidgeted with the edge of the duvet. "Me neither. I wonder how he's doing."
"Terribly, I hope."
Liam's soft smile widened. "For tomorrow, we could say that I want to visit the town to see the librarians, and Mira. It's not completely untrue. I do want to see them at some point... when it's safe."
"And I want you to have the freedom to see them." Zayn frowned.
"If we say we're going to the town, just you, me, and Baela, the Omegas will wonder why we're not taking more protection. Maybe you should actually go to the town and bring some Omegas and Baela while I go to Daniels farm."
Liam raised his brows. "You'd actually let me go?"
"if you wear a disguise, like a hat and sunglasses and don't ever let Omegas leave your side, then Ill let you go. I'll be close by anyway. Daniel's farm is only half a mile from the town."
"You don't think the locals will go nuts again?" Liam asked.
"Not if you don't get seen. Maybe phone the library and tell them to sneak you in the back?"
Liam narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
"Are you?"
"Yes. I'm actually pretty excited about it, but this is a big thing for you to let me do, especially after last time."
Zayn sat up, and Liam did too, mirroring his actions by crossing his legs. "I want answers now Liam. After seeing how much fun you had on the beach, I'm even more desperate for days like that. You're going to the town with the right caution this time. I can meet you there after I speak to Daniel and hopefully, we'll have the answers we need."
Liam nodded, pressing palms into Zayn's knees, so he could reach Zayn's lips for a quick thankyou peck.
"We should try and sleep if we're getting up early"
Liam agreed and rolled off the bed to brush his teeth. "What if I have weird dreams?"
"Then be sure to tell me everything that happened. Oh, you should probably buy yourself a dream journal in the town tomorrow. After the things you've dreamt recently, you'll need it."
Posted 5 chapters.
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