Raymond stood tense, his back stiff as he listened to the woman’s voice from behind the curtain. “Has he gone?” she asked, her face hidden, separated from him by just the thin fabric.
“Yes, ma’am, he’s been released,” Raymond, a young man in his early twenties, replied, his voice soft and filled with respect.
“Good. Did you get the footage? And is there anything of importance in it?” she asked, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the sofa beside her.
“It’s right here with me, ma’am. I watched it, but there’s nothing in the clip that stands out,” he answered quickly.
“Alright, you may go,” she dismissed him with a flick of her hand.
Raymond wasted no time, stepping out of the room. As he exited, he spotted Julie, his childhood friend, standing nearby, smiling and waving at him. “Hey, Raymond!”
“Shh!” Raymond hissed, raising a hand to his lips, his eyes darting around nervously. Julie understood immediately and went quiet, stepping closer.
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a nearby corner where no one could see them. “Julie, when are you going to start listening to me?” he whispered urgently, glancing around as if expecting someone to appear at any moment.
Julie kept silent, knowing exactly what he was upset about. Her head lowered, she looked sad, still adjusting to their new life.
“I’ve told you a hundred times, you can’t act like we’re friends, even though we are!” Raymond’s frustration leaked into his voice. “The boss can never know, or we’re dead. Is that what you want?”
“No! I don’t want that!” Julie’s voice trembled with both frustration and sadness. “But it’s hard, Raymond. We’ve known each other since we were six. How can I pretend we’re strangers after everything?”
“Because we have no other choice if we want to survive another day!” Raymond’s voice dropped to a harsh whisper. “These people have no mercy. They’ll kill us if they find out the truth. You know we’re different from them. They’d eliminate us in a second if they had the chance!”
“I know, I know,” Julie said softly, her voice pained. “But that doesn’t mean we have to stop talking altogether. Can’t we at least wave or something? Besides, the boss likes you. She wouldn’t hurt you.”
“That’s why we can’t take any chances. I told her we didn’t know each other. That’s how I convinced her to bring you in-because we’re of the same breed, nothing more.” Raymond’s eyes were serious.
“But what if she finds out?” Julie’s voice was small now, worried. “What would she do?”
“We could be killed, Julie. I know she’d probably spare me and kill you, and I can’t let that happen.” Raymond’s tone softened. “I’m trying to protect you. That’s why you need to listen and stop acknowledging me when we see each other. We’ll be together in the end, I promise. But not like this.”
Julie bit her lip, her eyes glistening. “Okay. I’ll stop, I promise.” She forced a small smile, trying to ease the tension. “So… when do you and the boss leave town?”
“In three days,” Raymond answered, puzzled by her sudden question. “Why?”
“Just curious,” she said, turning her gaze away.
“Are you sure?” Raymond teased, his tone lightening. “Or maybe you’re jealous I’m going with her?” He chuckled.
“What? No!” Julie’s eyes widened, her voice high-pitched. “I’m not jealous!”
Raymond could tell from the way she avoided his gaze that she was, in fact, a little jealous. And he couldn’t blame her. The boss always called for him, relying on him more than anyone else. It didn’t help that Julie had joined the group mainly because of him. She’d thought they’d get closer, not realizing how strict the group’s rules were. They could barely even talk privately anymore.
“Relax, Julie. No one’s taking me away from you. Besides, the boss isn’t my type.” He leaned closer, his voice playful.
Julie let out a small laugh. “Okay, okay, I trust you. But you should go before she sends someone to find you.”
Raymond smiled, wanting to linger just a little longer, but then footsteps echoed nearby. Julie quickly hid, ducking into the shadows. Raymond stood still, his heart racing.
George appeared, one of the older members of the group. At twenty-six, he had a nasty reputation and was always eyeing Raymond with suspicion.
“Why are you hanging out here alone?” George’s voice was rough, his eyes narrowing as he looked around.
Raymond wiped the sweat from his brow. “Nothing. I was just leaving,” he stammered, trying to sound casual.
Julie, hidden nearby, trembled. She hoped George would leave soon before he spotted her. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t have been so nervous. But George wasn’t just anyone. He had a knack for sniffing out secrets.
“The boss wants to see you,” George said, his tone gruff. “Now.”
Raymond nodded. “I’m going,” he replied, hoping that would be the end of it. But as he turned to leave, George stopped in his tracks.
Raymond’s heart skipped a beat. What now? He prayed George hadn’t seen Julie.
George turned back, glaring. “Why are you still standing there? Move, or do you have something else to do here?”
“No, I’m going!” Raymond hurried off, his steps quick and his heart pounding.
As he walked away, his mind raced. He prayed that George wouldn’t investigate further, wouldn’t look for Julie.
—-
Kimberly’s POV
As soon as I left Luna Catherine’s office, I hurried toward Alpha Jethro’s office. I needed to talk to him about speeding up the process of calling the emergency board meeting. Time was running out, and I couldn’t let Luna Catherine gain control.
When I reached his office building, I saw Alpha Jethro stepping out. He paused, clearly surprised to see me. “Kimberly?” he called, a questioning look on his face. “Come back inside.” He motioned for me to follow him. We reentered his office, and he pointed to the chair. “Have a seat.”
I sat down while he walked to the other side of the desk, his face still marked with confusion. “Why are you back here? I thought you left earlier,” he asked, settling into his chair and watching me closely.
“I didn’t leave. After our talk, I went to see Luna Catherine,” I said, feeling my anger rising again as I thought about her.
Alpha Jethro raised an eyebrow, his tone growing tense. “Why did you go to her? I asked you to be patient. You could’ve made things worse by confronting her.”
“I couldn’t take it anymore. Both she and Mona have been acting strange, and I needed answers,” I replied, unable to fully suppress the frustration in my voice.
He sighed deeply, leaning forward. “Kimberly, I understand, but now is not the time to confront them. You know the risk of being seen as disrespectful to Luna. You need to focus on your father. Alpha Darwin needs you more than ever.”
His calm tone and logical reasoning made me pause. He was right. “You’re right, Sir Jethro. My father does need me, and I shouldn’t let them distract me,” I agreed, nodding.
He smiled, relieved. “Good. Stay focused on him. You’ve always been a good daughter, and now you need to stand by him more than ever.”
“Thank you, sir. But I still need you to call that emergency meeting. With my father unwell, we need someone competent to keep things running. I can’t allow Luna Catherine to take over.”
Alpha Jethro shook his head slightly. “I’m not eager to take charge either, Kimberly. But your father will want the pack in good order when he wakes up. We need to make sure everything is stable.”
“I know, sir. But we need to act fast. When will the meeting happen?”
“Tomorrow morning at the earliest. Some of the board members aren’t around today. But I’ll send you the details before the end of the day.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. “Thank you, Sir Jethro. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and for our family.”
He chuckled softly. “You don’t have to thank me, Kimberly. I’m just doing my duty to the pack. We need to fix things before they spiral out of control.”
I smiled, feeling the weight of his words. He truly cared about the pack and my family. “If that’s all, I should go now. I need to check on my father.”
He looked up, concerned. “Where are you headed?”
“I’m going to the hospital. It’s almost noon, and I haven’t checked on my dad yet.”
He nodded. “I’d come with you, but I’ve got my hands full here. But I’ll have my driver take you.”
I quickly interrupted him. “You don’t need to, Sir. I can take a taxi.”
“Nonsense,” he said, already picking up his phone. “My driver will take you. Go meet him outside.”
I couldn’t argue with him any further. “Thank you, Sir. I’ll see you later.” I bowed my head respectfully as I left his office and headed outside.
The car was already waiting at the front entrance. I got in, and the driver immediately started the journey toward the hospital.
The ride was quiet, and within thirty minutes, we arrived. After thanking the driver, I stepped out of the car and made my way inside the hospital. Before going to see my father, I decided to visit his doctor. I needed answers about his condition-answers Luna Catherine hadn’t given me.
I walked quickly to the doctor’s office, knocking lightly before entering.
“Good afternoon, doctor,” I greeted him as I stepped in.
“Good afternoon, Kimberly. Please, have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.
I sat down, taking a deep breath. “Doctor, I came to ask about my father’s condition. I haven’t heard anything directly, and I need to know.”
The doctor looked surprised. “I told Luna Catherine everything last night. I thought she would’ve informed you.”
“She hasn’t told us anything,” I said, my voice tight with frustration. “Please, tell me what’s happening.”
The doctor sighed, his expression turning serious. “Your father has a brain tumor, Kimberly. It’s in the second stage. Surgery is the only option now.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. For a moment, I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. Time seemed to freeze around me as I processed what he said.
“Surgery?” I finally whispered, my voice trembling. “Is there no other way?”
The doctor shook his head. “No, surgery is the best course of action. There’s a good chance he’ll recover if we act quickly. But we need Luna Catherine’s consent to proceed.”
“I’ll talk to her as soon as I can,” I said, standing up abruptly. “Thank you, doctor. I need to see my father now.”
He nodded. “Take care, Kimberly.”
I walked out of his office, my legs feeling heavy, my heart shattered. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. As I made my way to my father’s ward, I felt a deep sense of dread settling over me.
When I reached his room, my breath caught in my throat. His bed was empty.
My father was gone.