Metal clanks echo as we lean our backs against the door, now inside the pack house – Alex and I. Progressing toward Thompson’s room, guards approach, marching with focused attention, their noses catching our scent. Once we step away from the doorpost, Thompson appears in the distance. He greets me with a wave but shifts his expression upon noticing an object close to me.
Twisting his fingers, his gestures convey, “Is that a rogue? Do you need help?”
In response, I gesture back, “No. I don’t need help. Just a warrior is with me.” He sighs and winks at me before heading into the adjacent field.
“Let’s go straight into his room.” Alex instructs.
“But you’re in your physical form. People will see you, and they’ll ask me who you are.” I interject, halting his movement, but he chuckles.
“No, Clarissa.” He clarifies. “You can only see me because you’re a part of me.”
“Dad’s a part of you too?” I question.
“Kind of. Since he murdered me, he can see me clearly, and my connection to the Alpha position intertwines with his.”
“Well, I’m sorry for that. It sounds like a complex story. We can delve into it later. Our goal is to kill him before 12 AM, right?”
He nods, scanning the darkness within the pack house. The truth is, this blackout doesn’t impede warriors here; their eye sockets emit the brightest illumination.
“Foxes see at night, am I right?” Alex asks me.
“Yes, you are. But why do you ask?”
“Let’s go kill the man. Swiftly. It’s past 11 PM already.” He gestures with his elbow, and his eyes blink as we advance towards Dad’s room.
“What can we assist you with?” Smith suddenly asks as we stand at the doorpost, causing a shudder that I try to conceal.
“Nothing, just, you know… um…” I chuckle, glancing at Alex.
“Why do you keep staring in that direction?” He questions again, making it clear he can’t see Alex; only Thompson has that ability.
“Let me inform Alpha Thompson before you enter, please. And, don’t leave until I return.” Smith says, turning his back and heading to the field.
“Please don’t go.” I call him back. “Where are the keys to this room?”
“I said I’ll be back. You can’t just enter abruptly.” He yells.
“I know you’re not considerate. I’m the Alpha’s daughter, enduring this scorching heat, yet you need approval from my father.” I rant, but he shakes his head and continues to the field.
“Alexander, it seems we have to leave.” I tell him, but he stares blankly. “Are you frozen? Come on, talk to me.”
“You’re lucky I’m a special blue Wolf. That beta, Smith, has frozen both of us from moving away. He can’t see me but senses someone beside you. He’s returning with Thompson. Let’s go.” He urges, taking my hands as we hasten to my personal room.
“Get in, get in, get in.” I repeat, squatting and gasping, leaning my bent back on the door. “I hope he’s not coming our way.”
“Unluckily, he is.” Alex replies, halting my gasps. I’m utterly shocked; this pack will be ruined if Dad discovers Alex is here. I don’t want to ruin this pack; we only need to eliminate the Alpha and the Beta, and perhaps we can take over. Just that. Nothing more and nothing less.
“I have muted his sensory ability. He’s a weirdo now.” Alex chuckles, pointing at him through the window. I hesitantly rise to my feet, peeping through the window to see Dad moving around, greeting his warriors to the point of wishing them a happy new year, despite today being the thirteenth day in July.
“Damn, he’s crazy.” Finally, I chuckle, and my laughter intensifies as I see Alex also amused, covering his face to stifle more laughter. “Ain’t?”
“Can’t you use that same power to drag him here so we can eliminate him?” I ask, and he suddenly changes his expression.
“Wait, what?!” He exclaims. “It’s thirty-five minutes to 12 am, and we haven’t even gotten to kill him.”
“Oh yeah, that’s true. My goodness.” I say, my hands rushing to my head. “What do we do now?”
“I’m coming back, and it’s not gonna be rosy.” He presses his lips together, and blood spurts out. He licks the blood, smirking. “This is how I’ll sit and drink the whole blood present in Thompson’s system.”
“Oh, wait!” I interrupt him, raising my left hand. “I have an idea.”
“That’s expected. I opened the gate.” He says, and I sigh.
“What gate again? I’ll reject you as a mate if you creep me out to the core.” I pretend to aim for his chin, but he stops me, closing his eyes.
“What if we get mated like this? In this way? Since you can see me, and I can see you, we should keep doing our love affairs in this manner.” I suggest.
“That’s terrible.” He replies, sitting on my bed. “Very terrible for you to think of.”
“I was only considering you. I could get mates in this physical world if not for you.”
“You can’t. You couldn’t. Your second part is right here with us in this world. Only a ghost that returns to the world can you choose from.” He informs me, and my mouth hangs open. “So, now, think of other ideas and bury that.”
“I’m sorry if I pissed you off. I wouldn’t want to do that.” I say, looking at him, and he blushes.
“I’m waiting for the new idea, Lisa. It’s now twenty-five minutes to twelve. Do you want me to be gone and gone forever?”
“We all will be, someday.” I respond.
“Now, you’re being bad. What I notice first is, even if we get mated like this, what about Thompson? Will he be alive? Can I be an Alpha in this ghost world, and you’ll be a Luna in the physical world? Is that possible? Does that make sense?”
“And why the hell do you think it’s easy for me to let you murder my father?” I yell back at him.
“Because he’s evil. He’s a tyrant. He’s a killer.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Alex. You have to apologize for that.”
“Even if I’m to, then you must tell me why the hell you think the answer to my question is that we must die someday?”
“I don’t know you from Adam. You’re just a friend, and you’re lucky I let you into my life.”
“You couldn’t have resisted me.” He says.
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“Let’s put that behind us now. We are adults, and we will rule packs. It’s uncalled for, to be puerile.” He says, but I roll my eyes at him.
“You’re not mates yet, but you’ve already started arguing. Do you think this can work?” Dad suddenly says as he kicks my door open with his leg.
“Who and who are not mates? Please get the hell out of my room.” I tell him. “Before I open my eyes, I don’t want to see you here. Anymore.”
“Keep cool, Lisa. We got this.” Alex taps my shoulders and whispers into my ears.
“I blocked his vision from seeing me. I could only do that since he’s so near and since his paranormal being is dormant. So, now, try to stay at the door so he doesn’t escape while I deal with him.”
“Sure, that’s good news.” I raise an elbow, and he chuckles. I move up to the door and draw the next slide. Just touch the tip where the door has fallen from, and another door will emerge.
I lean my back on the door as Alex takes Dad to the bed. At once, Dad’s memories return to normalcy as he struggles to get away from Alex, but he’s being held tight.
The clock ticks, and my sweaty palms vibrate as my eyes focus on it, revealing the time to be 11:47 PM.
“Alex, be quick.” I urge him, and he chuckles. He raises a hand, and a sword materializes in his palm. Trying to make the sword shorter, like a dagger, with his other hand, he hesitates, wary of potentially freeing Thompson. Thompson’s wolf is currently under the control of a blue wolf and a witch, but he’s a formidable adversary, isn’t he?
“No, don’t stress it.” I tell Alex as blood starts to ooze from my nostrils. I twist my hand, and the sword sparkles as it reduces to a thick size, thicker than the thickest dagger ever.
“That should work, right?” I wink at Alex, and he nods, still processing the extent of my remarkable ability.
Then, he strikes Dad’s neck with the thick dagger.
“Yeah, a Ghost Alpha is stronger. We have just ten minutes. Try the second hit.”
He strikes him again, and Thompson winces in pain, his neck faltering in its ability to support his head.