The next afternoon at work, I had just finished reading to Theo who had fallen asleep in my arms, demanding I take him to the pup’s sleeping crib in the nursery, on my way back to my office, Sonia caught up with me and told me some ladies were waiting for me at the reception. Without being told, I knew they were my friends. Only they would be bullheaded to visit me without informing me.
“Please Sonia, help me take them to the cafeteria, I will meet them there. Thanks.” She nodded and strode off whilst I hurried back to my office to drop off my jacket and pick up my phone. Theo had been a handful initially, leading to me bringing him to stay with me in my office.
When I got there, Roland was already with them. “Hey, fellas,” I greeted and sat in the only vacant seat.
“Hey, Danika,” Roland greeted me while Mary and Nadia murmured something that had them giggling before greeting me.
“So what’s the party for? You two didn’t inform me you were coming,” I asked Mary, entwining my hands on the table. Roland had gotten her a phone which she hides most of the time when she’s not around me, leaving Nadia without a phone which I intend to change soon. I will have to get her a phone by next month when I get paid. That’s another good thing about my promotion; I now get paid and can have my own savings!
“We had nothing to do and decided to come. Plus, Nadia said you looked restless when you left this morning.”
“She did? Oh, Nadia, you know that’s a false alarm.”
“Is it? But you don’t look good. I would have sworn you had a fat black bag under your eyes this morning which was why I had to apply plenty of powder to conceal it, which means you hardly slept a wink last night.” Nadia pushed, challenging me to deny it.
“I think they’re right. I saw you when you came in this morning, you weren’t looking bright, unlike before.” Roland stood up. “Let me get our orders. Your usual right, Danika?” I nodded and he smiled and left. We do most of our lunches together, I guess he has gotten used to seeing me have mocha and a burger.
“You guys know he doesn’t know anything right? Why ask me that in front of him?” I hastily leaned in to ask them.
“We are sorry. Maybe we should tell him everything, the more people you tell this thing, the less trouble we would have when the truth finally gets out. After all, he is now our friend.” Mary shrugged.
“Is that coming from your head or from the heart?” I sneered at her.
“No, I’m serious. Apart from the fact that he is my mate, he has been going with us to the library and seeing you always talking and reading about whisperers. So do you think he would be happy to later find out that you are one and didn’t tell him? Or that you are the future Luna of the pack and hid it from him? I don’t think so. I’m just saying…” she surged on.
“Ahem… he’s coming.” Nadia hushed.
We all twisted our necks to see the object of our discussion coming toward us with an Omega carrying a tray of our orders behind him. He smiled sheepishly when he reached us. “Why do I have a feeling I was gossiped about in my absence?” He wiggled his brow impishly.
I coughed and took the tray from the Omega to serve, choosing to ignore him. Though, Mary is right. Roland is fast becoming our friend and a very resourceful one at that, I think I might need to tell him everything.
And I did on our way to the library later that day. “Roland, I have some things to tell you.”
“Yes!” Mary careened cheerfully, earning my glow which had her recoiling into her seat at the back they were still adamant to sit on.
“What?” He gave me a side glance and focused on the road.
I shifted to my side to give him my full attention. “I’m a whisperer.”
The car swerved dangerously and we yelped out, scampering to hold onto something. “What!”
“Do you want to get us killed, Doctor?!” Mary cried.
“You want to finally send me to my early graves. Oh, Gad!” I touched my forehead, with a cuss under my breath.
“That got me, girls! And you are just telling me?” he asked in a fallen voice.
“I’m sorry. I thought – I didn’t know how you would take it. Just see h-”
“That is not an excuse, it’s been like three to five weeks since I drove you to the library and you didn’t think me fit to know?”
His tone made me feel guilty, hence veering to lighten the mood. “Calm your tits, Roland, I’m sorry, okay? There’s more…”
“More? For goodness sake, who am I to you guys? Your chauffeur?”
“C’mon mate, don’t be ridiculous. We just needed to make sure you are on our side,” Mary purred, reaching out to massage his shoulders from the back.
He went calm, not saying a word, just a random huff, and licking of lips. The power of a mate.
“I’m- I’m not really the mate to the Beta,” I stammered out, my eyes pinched in worry as I said it. This has more weight than the first.
“I don’t get what you are saying. You are not the Beta female? So what then?” He scrunched his face.
“She is the future Luna Queen, Baby,” Mary quipped rapidly.
“Mary! Let her talk!” Nadia chided her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you everything, Roland. You are our friend now so I’m telling you because I trust you.”
“You are the Luna Queen? How? I’m confused, Danika. What of Paisley or Cleopatra? Whatever her name is…”
I went on to tell him everything, and by the time we got to the library, he was gasping in and out in disbelief. Although he assured me he understood, I still didn’t miss the wry look he sent my way from time to time.
When we had finished greeting Mrs. Dolly and went to our spot, I had to go ahead and tell them the latest development.
“So guys, Alonso and I have decided to make this work, come what may. So now the plan is we need to find out if the child is truly his, after which we tackle the problem of the alliance which is the sole cause of all these. Then, sort out how we are going to bring the Vampires down once and for all.”
Mary and Nadia cheered in glee.
“Wait, the vampires? I thought they were an old story?” Roland asked.
“Yeah, but Alonso thinks they are secretly hatching a plan, probably to catch us unaware. They said they wanted me for their King, and apparently, they’ve been having a secret beef with the royal house. We have to be ready.”
“So much information.” Roland brushed his hand through his head.
“I know it’s too much, mate. But for now, solving them is the main purpose, right? We have to make sure Danika becomes our Queen by all means. She would make a better Luna Queen than anyone I know. Look at us, no one has ever loved us the way she does irrespective of our ranks.” Mary went to hold Roland whose hand circled on her waist at once like a magnet.
“I know, mate. I think so too. I’m just overwhelmed by everything that had been transpiring under our noses all this while and we didn’t even know. How come you look happy every day when you come to work?” he asked me.
“I will try. What would I have done? I will do my best to be positive.” I reclined back to my seat, my attention going outside at a rattling sound.
“Hey, pups, I will be going out for ten minutes. Be right back,” called in Mrs. Dolly.
“Okay, Mrs. Dolly,” we echoed.
“Anyways, I think we have to pry it out of her. That woman has something vile up her sleeves right from time. I never trusted her,” Nadia suggested.
“Don’t forget she’s a Hybrid and we have to be careful around her. Heard her mother used to be a wicked witch which was why her father hung her on a stake. She might look fragile and clueless, yet, dangerous.” That was Mary.
“Then, what is that one thing, y’all think she would want so badly?” Roland asked.
Both girls’ eyes angled toward me.
“What?”
“She wants you!” they said in unison.
“Excuse me?” Roland asked in puzzlement.
“Someone seems to have admirers from both genders falling at her feet,” Mary teased.
I rolled my eyes. “C’mon guys, there has to be some other way around this. I don’t see myself doing anything shady with Paisley. She infuriates me to-”
“You don’t need to do anything with her, Danika. You just pretend to like her for like one week, then follow up on every move, and pry her phone in terms of calls and messages, she is wide-mouthed, and would tell you all her secrets. You can go against your, you know.” She bobbed her shoulders, giving me a hint of her insinuation. “It’s just to get what you want, Danika. It would get her to trust you.”
“Is there no other way?” I whined with a hiss, scrunching my face.
“No other way!”
“Fine.” If I have to go to that extent to get what I want, hell yeah!
“The plan starts tonight!”
…