"Where are we supposed to get a damn witch from?" I muttered.
Asra sighed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I know of one."
I turned my attention to him, curious. "You do?"
He nodded, but remained silent. And it only made me more curious.
I knew Asra had some secrets of his past, and it made me wonder just how many types of creatures he was friends with.
We had left lunch with Bodhi about an hour ago, and were now lounging in our bedroom after packing up our things. The car was due to arrive in about thirty minutes to take us to the plane, and I was more than eager to climb aboard the magical death trap and go home. At least at home, I wouldn't be stared at like I was a brand new specimen.
"What are we supposed to do?" I wondered. "What's next, after this great revelation?"
"We keep it to ourselves." He sighed.
"Will you tell me what happened in the meeting before I arrived?"
"It was mostly a discussion of rogue tactics, border breeches, and power trips." He explained, blue eyes slithering to mine. "There are a few districts in other packs that are getting a little power hungry."
My eyes widened. "Human districts?"
He nodded. "The one and only."
"They're finally getting brave?"
"It seems so." He smirked. "You are not the only one fed up with the dogs ruling everyone."
I giggled, nudging him. "In all fairness, I hope nothing goes wrong and I hope after my rant the alphas think more ethically."
"You certainly opened my eyes, and even Bodhi was affected by what you said." He admitted.
"I thought I may have gone a step too far when mentioning family's being murdered..."
"I think it was just the right amount of threat." He squeezed my shoulder.
I smiled softly, my mind drifting back to the meeting. "The replacement alpha didn't say much..."
Asra scowled. "He is only temporary."
"Then why even attend?"
"Mandatory." He stated.
I huffed, pursing my lips as I lay deep in thought.
The thought of my very existence not even being what I thought it was... did not settle well. My stomach churned, my heart raced with the anxiety of not knowing what was going on.
Was I human?
Was I wolf?
Was I something else entirely?
My mother, my sister... Were they even my blood?
They smelt similar. Similar to what? As in species or family?
Family.
I jolted, remembering my mission earlier with Piper. "Where is Beta Flynn?"
"Beta Flynn? Why?"
"Is he still around?" I wondered.
"He lives in this town, so I would assume so." He shook his head. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
"Piper and I were about to find some stuff out." I explained. "We think Beta Flynn knows more than he lets on. He ran pretty quickly once he found out my name."
His eyebrows furrowed with a frown. "He did. What does Piper have to say about this?"
"She thinks Flynn knows who I am. The similarities between us are hard to ignore." I pointed out.
"I don't think confronting him is the right way to do this." He sighed, pushing himself further up the bed. "We have to leave soon, anyway."
"I know, I know. What if we simply look into him? Is there a way we can do this?"
He scrutinised me, his eyes darting over my face. "Why has this suddenly caught your attention?"
"I don't enjoy having unanswered questions." I sighed.
"Are you sure you want to dive into this? Are you sure you want to tear up your past?" He wondered. "What if it's something unfathomable and completely alters your ideology?"
"At least I would know who I am," I deadpanned. "If someone held your past in their hands, wouldn't you want to pry them open and see what was inside?"
"My past is not something I like to revisit." He mumbled. "But unlocking things that could change who I am is risky territory."
I sighed, dropping my eyes to my lap. "I just need to know. What if my dad really didn't die? We did not find his body. It's easily plausible. This beta wolf could have all the answers."
"If he was a human, he wouldn't live long in no-man's-land."
"If he was a creature, he would've lived somewhere else." I widened my eyes. "If he is a wolf..."
"Okay, so say he survived. He left you, and your sister, with that horrid person you call your mother." His jaw flexed. "What kind of father does that? I could never cause harm to my kids, never."
"I know, I know." My hand was resting on his chest. "I just want to know more about Flynn. If nothing comes from it, I won't press for more."
Eyes searched mine, and I kept my face neutral, stern. I couldn't show him how much I wanted to know. I had to prove that my emotions were not winning.
"Fine, I will get Everett to look into it."
"Everett?" I wondered.
"He is a skilled investigator." He mused. "It will surprise you at how easily he can get information out of people."
"He is?" My eyes widened. "I didn't expect him to be the nosey type."
Asra chuckled, running his fingers through strands of my hair. "Not nosey, just smart."
I hummed and leaned out of his warmth. "I'm going to find Piper to say goodbye. After I bossed that meeting, I couldn't find her."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Okay. I will be by the car in twenty minutes."
Grinning, I gave him two thumbs up as I fled from the room. It took a moment before I was screeching to a stop and running back to where he was. He was still sat on the bed, staring at the doorway with an amused expression.
"Any idea where she is, wolfy?" I wondered. "Can you sniff her out, boy?"
Eyes darkened into narrow slits, and I grinned when he grumbled at me.
"Care to repeat that, little human?"
I squealed when he jolted to a standing position. "Where's Piper?"
"That is not what you asked, was it?" He cocked his head.
Oh, the predator was out.
"I think it was." I bashfully nodded, taking a step away from the door.
The beast practically purred, running toward me. He wrapped around me and pulled me back into the room before I could barely let out a scream. Laughter tumbled from my lips as he forced me to stare at the ground, then his ass. With barely a moment to adjust myself, I was upright once more and staring flustered at my mate's face.
I couldn't touch the ground from how high he pressed me into the wall. His fingers curled around my thighs, holding me there. They slithered upward, beneath my dress until he bunched it at my hips, moving my legs until I locked them around his waist.
Blushing, I dipped my head with a soft laugh.
"Not hiding from me are you, Tulip?" He grumbled.
I giggled. "You chased me."
"You called me a mean word."
"Boy? Or wolfy?" I teased, meeting his gaze.
He growled, leaning forward to nibble my jaw and cheek. I laughed, pushing him away with the palms of my hand.
"I have-Asra! Stop! I have to go find Piper!" I spluttered.
He practically slobbered all over me and still had the balls to nibble along my mark. I gasped, my legs tightening around him as pleasure shot down my spine.
"Stop distracting me!" I gasped, grabbing him by the hair.
He complied, letting me lift his head from my throat. His eyes were dark, a cruel smirk on his face as I laughed at him.
"My twenty minutes is turning into nothing." I pouted.
He growled, leaning forward to peck me on the lips. "Fine."
I grinned, kissing him back with a grin before he set me down on my feet. Walking to the mirror, I checked my appearance. I yanked at my dress, pulling the hem down and making sure my neckline was still respectable. Asra, I learnt, was an ass man, but it didn't stop him from fondling too high up.
"You look fine."
"I look like a beast has just eaten me." I grunted, smoothing out my hair.
He came up behind me, frowning down at my reflection. "You look flustered."
"Yeah, well, someone shouldn't go nibbling mate marks." I clicked my tongue, shoving him playfully.
He allowed me the motion, stumbling back a couple of steps with that stupid smirk on his face. "Have fun with Piper. I will link you when the car is here."
"Thanks." I breathed, kissing his cheek before running out the door.
"Don't you want to know where she is?" His voice called after me.
I cursed, retreating backward. Leaning backward into the open door, I gripped onto the frame as I peered up at him. One wrong hand movement and I would fall on my ass.
"Please?"
"She's in the garden room."
"Awesome!" I winked. "Bye!"
I scurried my way to the garden room and was there in an instant. Augustus Black sure had a big goddamn house for just himself and his mate. It made me wonder if it was all for show. Why live in a palace like this if you were humble?
Skidding to a stop, I smoothed out my dress and walked slower into the garden room. Piper was sitting on a sofa, ironically, with a cup of tea in her fingers. Her brown eyes widened over the rim of the cup and she gulped her tea before beaming at me.
"Ailia!" She grinned, setting down her cup. "I thought you would leave without seeing me!"
I laughed, shaking my head. "You think I could do such a thing?"
Walking closer to her, we embraced before I fell into the cushions beside her.
"I thought Asra was going to eat you alive." She grinned, winking.
"What makes you think that?" I smirked.
"I heard you owned the alpha meeting. Dad said he had seen nothing like it."
"Oh he did, did he?" I mused. "He barely spoke."
"Only because he was gobsmacked that a human could be so bold." She snorted. "I was just talking with Luna Black and she agrees that you definitely brought the power move they weren't expecting."
Luna Black?
Her hand had gestured to behind me and I turned to see said luna enter the room with a fresh pot of tea. Her eyes were icy, chestnut hair pulled back to highlight her cheekbones.
"Really?" My lips pursed, still unsure what I thought of her.
"Yes, it's the first time a female has ever been allowed to sit in an alpha's meeting." Luna Black smiled tightly.
"Well, they didn't exactly kick me out." I muttered.
She sat down in a chair beside us, pouring her own cup of tea. Surprisingly, she offered me some, but I declined politely.
"When do you go?"
I took Piper's wrist in my hand, staring down at the clock. "Like eight minutes."
She pouted. "So soon? What about our mission?"
"He says he'll get Everett to investigate." I snorted.
Piper nodded, understanding. "That makes sense."
My eyes widened. "He wasn't joking?"
"About what?" She frowned.
"Everett being an excellent investigator?"
Piper's laugh was light and musical. "He is, honestly."
"Okay, I believe it from you. Asra tried to distract me with affection." I mumbled.
She grinned. "I can tell. Those marks on your jaw look wonderful."
My hand flew to cup the skin, unaware that his kiss had gone as far as leaving marks behind. Hopefully, they would fade.
"That man..."
"He's an alpha. They like to mark their territory. Right, Luna?"
Luna Black hummed. "Alphas are possessive. But I am surprised to her Asra could be so compassionate."
My defences rose, and I could practically feel the hair on the back of my neck stand to attention.
"You shouldn't judge people by their covers." I warned her.
Her shoulders straightened, eyes meeting mine. "Oh, trust me, I know that more than anyone."
My teeth ground at her unspoken words. "I bet you do."
Her lips pursed, flickering her gaze down at my figure when I tensed. "Controlling all continental alphas, not backing down to an alpha order... I have underestimated you, Luna Zenith."
Surprise littered my body, and I tried to not let it show on my face. "Oh? What came about such a change, Luna?"
She dropped her eyes, taking a sip of her tea with a thoughtful hum. "Just observation. Now, who are you looking to get information on?"
Piper and I shared a look, but I spoke first.
"I'm afraid I can't disclose that." I shook my head.
Luna Black's eyebrow rose, and she leaned into her chair. "I see. Well, if it is anything I can be of help with, don't be afraid to ask. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but when a human comes along claiming to have tamed a beast..."
"You were sceptical." I cocked my head.
"I was." She nodded. "And you remind me of someone."
"Really? Who-
Interest piqued, I was about to reply when an annoying ass dog interrupted.
'Car is waiting.' Asra announced.
Not now. I grumbled to him, hoping that he heard me.
"I'm sorry, annoying mate in my head." I grunted, meeting her gaze head on.
She seemed surprised. "You can hear him in your head?"
"Yeah, of course."
Her lips pursed, and she made a soft noise of acceptance. "Huh, peculiar."
"Is it?" I wondered before shaking my head. "Anyway, you were saying?"
"It's just strange for a human to have that ability. Humans don't carry the same magic as wolves do, so it's impossible for you to even hear him..."
"Not that." I grunted, aware of my strange abilities. "You say I remind you of someone?"
"Oh, yeah. You do."
"And who might that be?"
"Well, my brother, of course." She snorted.
"Your brother?" I frowned, sharing another look with Piper, who just shrugged and sipped her tea. "Who's your brother?"
"I think you met him at the party." She cocked her head. "Beta Flynn?"
And then suddenly, my entire world came rushing to a stop.
***********
Question of the day:
If you could trade places with any one, who do you think would be the most fun?