JEROME
When the party came to an end, I finally stepped out to join Alpha Argon and Estelle in wishing the guests goodbye.
Even Brielle was with us, waving, hugging and pecking those she felt like doing all those stuffs with.
“Have a lovely night rest.” She hugged the elderly lady among the councils.
“You were amazing tonight, Brielle. I hope to meet you on the dance floor again.”
“I’ll add that to my schedule. Just tell me when and I’ll be there.” They both laughed out loudly.
This made me roll my eyes in annoyance, because they were busy dragging this night with their nonsense.
“Hurry up! We can’t stay outside for long. Who knows if that monster is watching us?” I panicked, hovering my gaze about.
When everyone left, Brielle happily walked into the mansion, ignoring our presence. Even Alpha Argon had his eyes following her, until he was called by Alpha Deron.
“We’ll be leaving now, son. Make sure you take care of yourself.”
“I will, ” Alpha Argon promised, looking back at Brielle again.
That got Deron dropping his gaze at my direction, signaling me to get my Alpha in order. This is just stressful.
I patted his shoulder and got him facing us. “Won’t you say goodnight to your bride? In a few days, you two would be married, ” I reminded him, putting on a smile.
Alpha Argon managed to face a dull Estelle, pulling her into his hold for an embrace, and apologizing for what happened during the ceremony. “I just wanted to set things straight. Please forgive me, ” He said to Estelle, kissing her cheek.
Estelle just hummed at him and said, ” It’s fine, my dear. I know you were only looking out for us. I trust you.”
Weird. When did she become so calm and angelic? Nah, Something is wrong with her.
Alpha Deron and Estelle soon left the mansion with their guards, while I directed my Alpha back inside his home, scanning the area with my eyes.
“Is there a problem?” He asked, sensing my distress. I lied I was fine, claiming to be tired. “This ceremony was great. I hope the wedding would be better than this.”
“Hmm. Maybe, ” He muttered, sliding back into his wearisome attitude.
I didn’t bother to ask him what the problem was, because I already know the person responsible for this behavior.
“I need to rest. Tomorrow, I want you to head to the office and handle all the pending work,” He said, walking ahead of me.
When I heard that statement, my ears sprang up at once. “Sir? Did you say I should go to the office tomorrow?” I asked, pretending not to have heard him clearly.
Without looking at me, he responded, ” Yes, that’s what I said. I don’t feel like heading anywhere tomorrow, so you can fill in for me.”
“But what about my suspension? You know you…”
“It’s been lifted. You can resume work now,” He said, hurrying up the stairs.
I didn’t bother to follow him. I stopped in my track and began to jubilate. He’s finally coming to his senses. “I got my job back at last. This is great! ” I celebrated.
At least that news was enough to wipe out the fear that was once inside of me. “My hunter is out there searching for that creature. If he was able to chase it down here, then I’m sure he’s going to kill it,” I believed, filled with confidence.
There’s no need to worry. Everything will be fine.
.
A week later, I didn’t get any information from the hunter nor did I bother to tell Estelle what was going on. She has been coming over to see Alpha Argon, slowly being herself again.
I didn’t even care to ask her why she has been so lost in the last one week. I took it as one of her pregnancy symptoms.
“Women. You can never understand them.”
But Alpha Argon on the other hand, has been acting strange since that engagement party. He hardly goes to the office and always want to pick a fight with Brielle, who doesn’t give a damn about him.
I would have intervened and stopped him from wasting his precious time with her, but if that would only increase his detest for that woman, then I’m fine with it.
That morning, I was set to head to the company when Alpha Argon called me over and said, ” Go over to this address and see what that woman is doing.”
“Who? ” I asked, taking the note from his hand. It contained the address of a fancy Hall in the pack. Not just that, Brielle had once mentioned this place some time back, suggesting it as the perfect wedding ground.
“Brielle, of course. She has called me over to come and see the finished work, but I don’t want to. You go there and give me your feedback,” He ordered.
I also didn’t want to go over there and see the decorations Brielle had made down for the D day. But thinking about it… “Okay, I’ll check it out and make sure it’s according to your taste, ” I said, taking up my role at once.
Since I’m the beta and things between my Alpha and I have been patched, if I tell him the decorations are poor, he’ll have no choice but to agree with me.
That will cause a fight between him and Brielle.
I agreed to check the place out, advising he rest. Alpha Argon thanked me for my loyalty, before heading up the stairs.
Once he was out of sight, I made my move, leaving the mansion to this destined location.
I haven’t gotten halfway to my destination when a call came in. “Seems it’s Alpha Argon. He must have forgotten something and wants to tell me, ” I assumed, reaching for my phone.
But on dropping my eyes on the screen… “Hunter? ” I uttered, feeling my whole body shivering in a flash.
His number brought back that night and what he had said concerning that green-eyed wolf. “Maybe he has done the job, ” I believed, parking my car aside to answer his call.
When I picked the ringing phone… “Hello?” I uttered. But all I heard was the sound of a deep breathe, breathing faintly.
What’s this?
“Hello? Hunter, is that you? Did you butt dial me or what?” I voiced, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel, only to hear something spine chilling from his end.
“Beta… Beta, help.”
“Help? ” My body turned cold in split seconds. Why is he calling out for help? What happened to him?
“Please Beta, come… Come down to… Help me.”
“Hey, stay with me! Tell me, what is going on? Where are you?!” I asked, getting scared in my seat. The call soon ended and a text came in from the hunter, containing his location.
Why was he sounding like one in danger? Could it be that he found the wolf and she’s about to finish him? What… What should I do?
I was troubled, contemplating on this call. I didn’t know if I should go and help or just act like I didn’t hear the call. But thinking about that beast…
“Alpha Argon sent me on an errand. I can’t disobey him,” I muttered, making my decision.
I didn’t head down to the address to help the hunter but drove straight to the Hall to see the arrangements made by Brielle. And as I journeyed to my destination, guilt overshadowed me.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t risk it. I don’t want to face that demon. It’s a no for me.” I swayed my head.
.
My going to the Hall was in vain, because I didn’t focus on what Brielle was showing me. All my mind was on the hunter and what condition he was in. And my absent mindedness got Brielle sending me back to the mansion.
“I sent for him, but he sent you. Are you the groom? ” She had questioned, getting the decorators to laugh at me.
When I got to the mansion and told Alpha Argon that Brielle wants him and not me, he sparked out immediately. “Is it a must?! That woman shouldn’t get on my nerves, ” He fumed out.
“Did you take some pics of the place? Let me just see it and give her my reply,” He asked, extending his hand out.
But I didn’t have any pictures with me. That made Alpha Argon more annoyed. “Then what was the need of going there if you’ll only return with nothing?!”
“I… Was… I didn’t…” I stammered, feeling uncomfortable. The Hunter’s call was still troubling my mind, causing heat to engulf me.
“Jerome, is everything okay? ” Alpha Argon asked, noticing how I was sweating.
I swayed my head and said, “I don’t feel so good. I’ve been running temperature since last night.” I lied to him.
His temper came mellowing down, as he showed concern towards me, suggesting I go in and rest. “You should have said so earlier. Go inside and rest. I’ll send a maid to attend to you.”
“Thank you, Alpha,” I appreciated, bowing at him. He even stopped me halfway, telling me to go.
I pretended to be sick and made my way to my room. When I got in and turned on the TV to relax my mind and forget about the call, a disturbing news came up on the screen.
There was an ambulance and also the authorities, parked outside an abandoned warehouse, with the paramedics stepping out with a… Body?
“This victim was found unconscious with his two eyes and tongue plucked out. It has been confirmed that the victim has been out cold for twenty hours straight, with no trace of where or who the attacker was.” The reporter shared, causing my stomach to growl in disgust.
I was about to switch the channel when something caught my attention. Something… Horrifying!
The victim’s hand and clothes, which was showing a big clear from the stretcher… It looked so much like… THE HUNTER!
“This is impossible.” Fear engulfed my body, as I stared at this body being carried by the paramedics, before noticing the address written below the headline. It’s the same as the one he sent to me!
But how is this possible?!
“No, he can’t be the one. He called me a few hours ago. That’s not him! ” I was filled with horror, finding it hard to believe the body was the hunter.
All of a sudden, my phone began to ring. I took a look at the device which was beside me, and saw the hunter’s number on the screen. I gasped out in terror, scared to answer the call.
“But what if he’s alive and I’m just over thinking it? Yes, he’s alive, ” I believed, comforting myself.
When I answered the call, I heard his voice. “Oh, thank the goddess. I saw the news and thought you …”
“Why did you leave me to die, Beta?” A chill ran down my spine, freezing me in my spot.
“Why did you leave me to die? You abandoned me here, all alone in the dark with no one to save me. I called you, but you left me. Why Beta?”
I was shaking, feeling sweat running down my face. My heart almost ceased its beat, horrified by what I was hearing.
That’s when it hit me. Something Estelle had once said, came back into my head.
This isn’t the hunter.
This… This is…
“You’re lucky you didn’t come over, Beta. Otherwise, I would have given you a special treatment more worse than your friend,” The voice changed into its true deep tone, chuckling from its end.
My eyes came large on hearing that scary laughter. It’s the beast. She’s the one who called, not the hunter.
“I had so many plans for you, Beta. But don’t you worry, there’s always another day. You won’t see it coming, and that’s a promise.” She laughed, ending the call.
In fear, I tossed my phone away, grabbing my head and screaming out loudly. “NO! NO!! NO!!!”
She has gotten my only hope. That demon has gotten him! “What am I going to do? What now?!” I panicked, shaking.