CALIFF
My guts told me that Shadow was hiding something from me, and it was never wrong, but I was willing to wait until she was ready.
Watching her freeze like that terrified me, and it wasn’t like her. She was tactical alert and could sense danger a mile away, but not today. She saw the man coming towards us, though, and she was able to warn our guys ahead of time.
Something was bothering her, distracting her from focusing on the job. I wanted to ask Zarah if she noticed something different about Shadow’s behavior, but that witch would never betray Shadow.
But I still tried my luck.
CALIFF: Can we talk?
I sent the text and slipped my phone into my pocket. We just arrived back at the compound. We came back home yesterday since I had already felt better. And I couldn’t depend my job on Duke when he had work.
“Here.” Kairo handed me discreetly the folded manila envelope.
“Thank you.” I slipped it into my jacket pocket. “Guys, come with me.”
“I’m hungry.” Shadow grabbed the hand I offered as we entered the pack house.
Once we were all in my office, I called the kitchen to bring us something to eat. I went to my chair, and everyone felt comfortable on the couches except Shadow was on her phone.
I took out the envelope and opened it-just one piece torn-out page from a book.
“And that’s what Elder Aciano went for so much trouble?” Tor reacted first.
“Could be a map to the long-lost treasure of Loch Arkaig.”
Lyon shook his head at Kairo. “Man, you should get laid. You spend so much time on your computer reading shits.”
“You don’t know who Loch Arkaig, do you?”
Lyon looked offended. “Why do I care? He’s long dead by now.”
“You two stop,” Zack interjected them before he turned his focus back to me.
When I opened the torn page, I sighed helplessly. “Fuck.”
“What is it?” Finally, Shadow got my attention.
I showed it to her. The torn page was unrelated to Elder Aciano’s search, but the Pagan writings seemed interesting enough.
She came close and took the page from me. “Wait. What kind of writing is this?”
“Pagan. None that I know uses that anymore but warlocks and witches.”
“Then we have Zarah.” Zack’s hope rose in his tone.
“She can read and translate it, right?” Tor spoke out.
“We can search it on the internet,” Kairo suggested.
“As much as it’s easier when humans are involved, it’s not safe, Kairo. They could be monitoring us. Nothing is safe anymore, especially the Internet,” Lyon said.
“That man with a gun looked like he served in the military. He’s probably a marksman, a mercenary, or an assassin hired to kill me.” She paused for a moment. “He was there for me.”
“Are you sure?” I stared at Shadow in shock. My mouth went dry. I restlessly adjusted my weight in the chair.
“I saw him. He was in the Maldives. Remember when I said I needed to use a restroom while we were on the beach, and-”
“And I joked you can pee in the water, and no one will notice it. Yeah. Why?”
“I bumped into him. I apologized, and he smiled.”
My wolf groaned, being a territorial ass he was. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I thought he was just a tourist like us. I should have sensed him, but I was there to enjoy the days we had left before we came back. I think he was the one who put the mercury in our Tari since we couldn’t see what was inside.”
“And mercury is odorless,” Zack said.
“And I was a little childish that day. I picked up the coconut with the freshest hibiscus, which was supposed to be yours.”
“So the target was you?” Zack was already on his feet, growling.
“I should have killed him,” I growled back.
“Easy. Both of you,” Shadow told us.
“I have to tell Sebastien. But first, I need to talk to Zarah. If witches use that writing, she must know something than she let on.”
“Send her a message.” Since I didn’t feel the vibration of my phone, Zarah was either busy or ignoring me.
“Of course.” She went back to texting.
“Hey.” I held her arm. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“I don’t think so.” She frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“I think something is off about me,” she murmured.
“If it’s because of what happened in the parking lot. Human or not, sometimes, things happen so fast, catch us off guard, and we freeze. We’re not a robot, Shadow.” I fought the sense overwhelming in my chest. I knew she would be mad at me if I kept her locked in the compound.
“This time, I hope I’m wrong.”
“Whoa.” Kairo was on his feet when the portal appeared in my office. Then Zarah and Sebastien came out of it, and it disappeared. “I’m still wrapping around the fact that I’m standing before the Lycan King, and then the portal was real.”
“Just stop embarrassing yourself already.” Lyon ceased him.
“You came together,” Shadow told her father.
“Yes, daughter. How’s your little rendezvous with Margaret?”
What the fuck was he talking about? I faced Shadow, skewering her with my look. I was embarrassed and offended, and she also overstepped my authority. “You talked to Margaret?”
“Yes,” her voice had a stern tone as she replied confidently in a sudden silent room.
I knew I’d met my match, the light in my darkness, the missing piece I’d been waiting for years, but I was getting angrier and felt betrayed and lied to, and it came from my mate.
“And you didn’t tell me about it. Why?” Was that why she’d been distracted? And she still didn’t have a plan on telling me. The tension between us suddenly rose in the room.
“The meeting arrangement was set while you were sleeping, and the High Priestess only gave me five minutes of her time.” Her words had an edge to it.
“Still, you didn’t tell me after, Shadow. You didn’t trust me enough and thought I would stop you.”
“Can we talk about it later? I’m sure Sebastien and Zarah have some places they’d rather be than listening to our marital dispute.”
“Of course.” My heart pumped hard in anger, but we had important matters to discuss.
“Should we go out, Alpha?”
Sebastien and I turned to Lyon.
“It’s fine. Stay.”
“Zarah, what potion did you put in my coffee?” Shadow’s question confused me.
“I did not spike your coffee, my dear. I never made one for you. The only potion I put was in your drink at the nightclub.”
“Right.”
“I can’t shapeshift, Shadow.” There was a deep frown between her brows. “Why did you think I can?”
“Just checking, it was you. I can’t trust anyone anymore. We have a traitor in our community, and I’m afraid our identities are compromised.” She showed her the torn page. “Do you know what does this mean?”
It didn’t take five seconds. Zarah already had an answer. “Black. Stone.”
“These fifteen runes only translate to two words?” I asked in surprise.
“You mean Hajar Aswad?” Kairo inquired.
“The exact meaning isn’t Black Stone,” she said.
“It’s Obsidian Society,” Sebastien said confidently.
“That’s what we are up against,” Zarah confirmed.
“Sounds like a villain in an RPG game.”
“Shut up,” Lyon and Tor told Kairo in unison.
“We?” Shadow looked at Zarah. “Because the last time I spoke with your-” She groaned before she continued. “Boss, she didn’t want me getting involved because I’m emotionally compromised, and she wanted me to find proof before allowing me to kill humans. Us, I mean, because the moment these assholes-”
“Language, daughter,” Sebastien interrupted her.
“Sorry, father. The moment they targeted my mate, they declared war against our clan and allies.” She looked at her father with pride. “How about you, father? Where are you in this?”
“He’s your husband and my son-in-law. You don’t have to question where my loyalty lies.”
“I agreed with Margaret-”
“Of course you are.” She rolled her eyes.
“Let me finish.” Zarah rolled her eyes back and sighed. “But I found out Margaret knows about the Obsidian. Witches are not involved, but she wants to stay out of it. So I made a deal earlier while I received a message from Califf.” She stole a glance at me. Hence, the reason she didn’t reply.
“What kind of deal, Zarah?” I asked.
“The treaty is off.”
“What? Why?” Sebastien asked.
“Jeez. You two are truly related.” She looked unimpressed with the interruptions. “Let me finish and stop interrupting me, or I will go.”
“I need you to portal me back to Italy, Zarah.” Sebastien tried convincing her.
“Then, with all due respect, Majesty. Shut up.” That made everyone laugh.
“I will consider that one because my daughter has already shipped us.” He faced his daughter. “Is that correct? Ship?”
Shadow laughed and ceased it when she received a death glare from Zarah. “Yes, father.”
“Should I continue?” Zarah asked angrily.
“Yes, please.”
“The treaty is postponed until the threat is gone. Give me your hands.”
I showed my hand. Shadow did the same, and so did Sebastien. We held each other’s hand, and Zarah began working. It hurt and burned my palm. It was quick, but it hurt.
“What just happened?” Zack asked.
I had what looked like a burn mark when I checked my palm.
“Careful who you target. Make sure they are members of Obsidian or the burn mark will form necrosis until it spreads all over your hand arm and kills you. That’s the agreement I made with Margaret. And there’s no way she would agree even if we have evidence.”
“Then why did she ask for proof.”
“There’s one exception. Even humans or any species don’t take any chances when proven guilty about their involvement. As much as she’s the head, humans are still humans, and she can’t be involved with it, or she will pay the price.”
Shadow nodded in understanding. “It will kill her.”
“Yes. The burden of being the head of the witch coven.”
“I didn’t know that.” She cleared her throat. “About what we talked about.”
When our gazes met, she talked through our link, “I’ll tell you later. I promise.”
“So, how do we start?” Lyon prompted.
“I will draw a sketch of the man in the parking lot and ask your friend in the PD,” Shadow said.
“I can do better than that.” Zarah pressed her palm on Shadow’s forehead.
“A warning would be nice, Zarah.”
“Shush.”
We waited. A few moments later, she stared at Shadow. “What’s your problem? I can’t get through you. Something is blocking me.”
“I think my hybrid is gone.”