Third Person’s POV;
“Rose, what the hell!”
“MOM!”
She didn’t have to turn around to see whose voice was it.
Her heart was thudding again but this time for a different reason.
‘Did she see us? Did she see Elijah? What the hell am I going to say?’ She closed her eyes in frustration.
She remembered how Elijah calmed himself in a situation so deadly and decided to do the same. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She plastered a fake smile on her face before turning towards her mother.
She was about to tell her mother about Elijah but stopped when she spoke,
“What are you doing out here?” her mom asked with her hand on her waist in a demanding posture.
“Um, I.. I came here for some fresh air. It doesn’t feel that good staying in the basement” Rose was smart enough to get the pity out and successfully change the topic.
“Yeah, I am sorry about that honey, you must be feeling suffocated” Mother added with a sign of sadness but soon it was changed to suspicion.
“But why are you here in the forest? Why are your cheeks so pink?” She asked with narrowed eyes.
‘Because I was seeing off an extremely hot dude for whom I have feelings and I couldn’t describe them and about my cheeks, I had the best kiss of my life just moments ago!’ Rose wanted to scream from the top of the roof of this hell house but instead she replied simply with,
“It’s cold here”
“Oh, it is and you shouldn’t come to the forest alone. It is not safe here” Mary said still suspicious of her daughter’s behavior.
“I know I just started walking. The breeze had a very calming effect and I don’t know when I reached here” She replied, the small smile never left her face.
‘Am I becoming good at lying’ Rose thought but her mother’s next words crushed her hope.
“Rose, are you hiding something? Is there something you know about this place?” Mary asked directly, which nearly widened Rose’s eyes but she composed herself.
“Not really. Is there something I should know about this place, Mom?” She asked innocently.
“Nope, nothing. There is nothing special about this place” Mary denied instantly and Rose nodded holding back a smirk.
“Thought so” Rose said simply.
“Let’s go inside or you will catch a cold” Mary grabbed her hand and dragged her inside the room.
She closed both the door thoroughly before turning towards her daughter. She was still examining her but Rose was not acting suspiciously at all.
“Why were you here again, Mom?” Rose asked as it was her time for confrontation.
“Oh, I completely forgot. I came here to give you your herbal tea” Mary said which made Rose’s breath hitch.
“Herbal tea..? Oh yes, Herbal tea” Rose composed herself again, not giving a chance for Mary to doubt her.
‘Not again!’ Rose thought looking at her mother now with suspicion.
Elijah’s words echoed in her head, ‘Don’t drink it from today itself, please Rose, listen to me for once’
“Here” Mary handed her the tea which Rose now noticed was kept on the nightstand. Mary waited for her to drink it.
When Mary showed no signs of leaving, Rose smiled and pretended to drink it.
She instantly removed the cup from her lips and said, “Ouch, it’s too hot, Mum! I nearly burnt my lips”
“Is it?” Mary asked confusedly.
“Yeah” Rose was shaking the cup and blowing air on it to pass the time.
Luckily, her dad came to her rescue all over again.
“Mary, what are you doing? We need to leave” Mike said hurriedly as he gave a loving smile to his daughter.
‘Oh Dad! My knight in shining armor! Always on the right time’ Rose thought ready to throw away the tea as soon as her parents left.
“Okay, Rose, Mumma, and Dad have to leave now. Make sure you drink your tea if you don’t want to get old” Mary said as she turned around to leave with her husband.
Rose didn’t even bother asking where they were going because she knew it must be something related to her mother’s side of the family and her parents become extremely secretive when it comes to them. Moreover, she was trying to save her own neck this time.
“Sure, mom. Have fun”
Once her parents were out of sight, she went inside the bathroom and poured the entire drink into the sink before washing the cup.
“Elijah, you better be right about this, or else, I will bite that juicy throat of yours like a vampire!” She gritted her teeth and spoke while looking in the mirror.
………
Meanwhile at the Blood Diamond pack house,
As soon as Elijah reached the pack house, the guards on the patrol informed the guards at the gate of the pack house.
The guards of the gate started ringing the giant bell on the top of the great entrance.
Everyone was alert that the werewolf crown prince had returned safely.
The moment he entered the pack ground, everyone gathered around him.
“Crown prince is back!”
“Prince Elijah is back!”
He saw his best friend, Liam Brown, standing at the front of the crowd with a robe hanging on his hand. He shifted near the wall and wore the robe.
“Where were you?” Liam asked directly but worry was clear on his face.
“We were looking for you everywhere” Matt Willer, his other close friend asked.
“Long story. I was attacked by hunters” Elijah informed plainly moving towards the pack house and others followed him diligently.
“We know” Matt replied knowingly which made Elijah stop in his tracks looked back he asked in shock,
“How do you know that?”
“We saw the crime scene. Blood, gunpowder, ashes, and wolfsbane. Who else could it be? We were looking for you everywhere” Matt replied in a worried tone.
Elijah nodded his head as it was quite obvious that he was attacked by hunters. He moved forward again and everyone else followed.
“Yeah, we searched every part of the forest but couldn’t find you. Where have you been?” Liam asked as he revisited the anxiety he felt when he saw the crime scene.
“I will tell you everything but first, we need to hold a meeting” Elijah replied as they reached the pack house.
“Okay Alpha” Matt replied and added.
“But we saw your blood on the ground. A lot of blood and you are okay? Thank God for that but what happened? Where were you all night?” Matt insisted on knowing the answer.
“I have the same question” Liam backed him up. He was relieved now but he couldn’t understand any of it.
“Later, my boys” Elijah replied and turned towards Matt,
“Stefan inform Alpha King Cole about my arrival and the meeting I am holding tonight” He ordered and Stefan left after saying, “As you command, Crown Prince”
Stefan was way lower in rank as compared to Liam and Matt, and hence, he was not allowed to call Elijah by name. Liam was Elijah’s chosen beta after he defeated Matt.
“Matt, you will invite Alpha Luke for dinner tonight. Take the gold jewelry from my chambers that I prepared for Aunt Crystal with you as a gift. My Aunt only loves high-quality gold. Give my greeting to both Alpha Luke and Luna Crystal Spencer” Elijah ordered and Matt bowed.
“Okay, Alpha. I will be leaving immediately then” Matt replied and left the scene immediately.
“Liam, send your men to invite Alpha Xavier, Alpha Rutherford, and Alpha Evandor from the neighboring packs and prepare the gifts accordingly. They should be here by tonight” Elijah ordered Liam who nodded.
“Alright, alpha” Laim replied and left to do the task as well.
Liam instructed his men about the tasks and in the meantime, Matt and two other young werewolves came back with the precious velvet boxes.
“Can’t believe you prepared it beforehand?” Matt was impressed by Elijah’s foresight.
“I have to. Need to think two steps ahead. I am the future Alpha King” Elijah replied simply.
“That you are. Give me permission to leave” Matt bowed.
“You must come back as soon as possible” Elijah demanded and Matt nodded in affirmation.
“As you say, Alpha” saying that Matt left as well.
“What is this sudden meeting about?” Liam asked as everyone else left the premises.
“About the end of the hunters. They broke the peace treaty and attacked the crown prince. They must pay the price for it” Elijah said Liam agreed with the decision.
“They must! And we will make sure of that. But Elijah, I am confused” Liam said but stopped in between.
Elijah turned towards him knowing the route of this conversation as they moved towards Elijah’s room.
“What happened last night? And most importantly, how did you end up with no scars at all?” Liam asked in wonder.
“I was so brutally attacked last night that even I thought I was going to die but….” Elijah began to tell Liam the truth when he was cut off by a familiar panicked female’s voice.
“ELIJAH!” Cora Smith, Elijah’s little sister ran towards Elijah along with Layla Swan, Liam’s mate and Elijah’s only female friend.
“Oh my brother, what happened?” She hugged him directly and Elijah hugged her back.
“Are you okay, Alpha?” Layla asked worriedly.
“Nothing serious and yeah, I am okay. Nothing happened. No need to worry your pretty heads” Elijah replied turning from Cora to Layla, his tone softened.
The teenager gave him evil glare and Elijah had to admit,
“I was attacked by a bunch of hunters” Elijah replied plainly but was instantly corrected by Liam unnecessarily.
“Brutally” Liam added.
Elijah glared at him and Liam gave him a wide ugly smile.
“What happened then?” Cora asked expectantly.
“Then someone helped me” Elijah said in a dreamy tone.
“Who?” asked the three of them in unison.
“My mate” Elijah replied
“WHAT!!!!”