VIKTOR.
“Alpha?”
Whirling around with inhuman speed, I catch sight of Andre, my beta looking at me with disbelief and joy, waring in his eyes.
“Alpha!” he exclaims as he rushes towards me. “You are alive!”
“Shh!” I snap. “Keep it down.”
“What?” he asks in confusion as he watches me take several stones back.
I can’t afford to show familiarity to him. Rowan might be watching us right now.
“Don’t call me that!” I say.
“Are you okay, Viktor? Do you know me? Maybe I should get..”
“No, don’t get anyone,” I say as I keep my distance. “I am alright, just undercover. So, you do not know me, I am not alpha, my name is Louis.”
“Louis.”
“Hmm.”
“Alp- sorry, Louis, are you being threatened? No, that can’t be it. Who can dare threaten you?”
Andre, in addition to being my beta, is also my best friend, a feat I still don’t understand how it is possible.
He is a talker.
And can be quite dense.
“I said stop talking to me!” I whisper in annoyance as I begin walking away from him.
“What do you mean I should stop talking to you?” he demands as he begins following me. “How does that even make sense? Do you have any idea how worried people are, how long we have been searching for you? And you are telling me to stop talking to you. Why the hell would I do that?”
“Fine, listen to me. I will head into the restroom from the right, you take a roundabout way and come in from the left. I will explain everything there, okay? Now, stop following me!”
He gives in and stops while I hurry away towards the restroom, making sure to make several stops in searching for Jhenelle so as to throw Rowan off.
Assuming, if she is watching me.
I finally arrive at the restrooms to find Andre already there.
“What did I say about taking a roundabout way before heading here?” I demand.
“I did that. It is not my fault that you are slow,” he retorts.
“Say that again, I dare you.”
“It is a joke, I made a joke, can’t someone joke with you, sheesh.”
“Whatever, how long have you been here?” I ask as I head to the sink to splash some water on my face.
“We arrived not too long ago. Searching for you.”
“Who is we?”
“I and the Apex team. My turn, what the hell are you doing here? The packs of those alphas that accompanied you are on high alert and panic. No one has heard any news about what happened.”
“They lied. They weren’t pinning in talking with the coalition, they wanted to give them a surprise attack,” I answer.
“Damn, how did that turn out?”
“It did not happen. I found out what they were planning and tried to pull out, they attacked us, they died, as well as our wolves. I am the only one surviving.”
“May the goddess guide them safely to her blossom,” he says in a prayer.
“Hmm.”
“So, what are you doing here?” he asks. “Why haven’t you come home?”
“Ah, that.”
“Yes, that.”
“I found my mate,” I tell him with a smile.
“You did what?! Really? Congrats man! I am happy for you. Who is she? And where is she now?”
“Hmm. Her name is Rowan and she is the leader of the Coalition. She is also searching for her daughter which I was also doing Before you showed up.”
“Wait, what? What are you talking about? She is a rogue?!”
“Not just any rogue, she is the very leader,” I confirm.
“And she has a daughter?”
“Mmm.”
“Man. Um, how do you feel about that?” he asks tentatively.
“Intrigued,” I answer with an amused smile.
“Intrigued?”
“Mmm.”
“What the hell does that mean?!” he snaps. “You said you found your mate, who is a rogue -mind you, a status you detest -”
“Ehn, detest is a strong word.”
“-and it is not just a rogue,” he continues, ignoring my interruption. “But the very leader. Ad she has a daughter! How are you so calm about this?!”
“She is amazing, you have no idea how much! She is strong, and intelligent and brilliant. She will make a great Luna.”
“Oh, goddess. You are smitten!” he exclaims with shock. “You actually are Viktor Thorn, ruthless and force with a wicked intelligence is smitten by a rogue. Unbelievable.”
“Not just any rogue. The very boss.”
“Rogue is rogue.”
“Whatever,” I scoff as I turn from him.
“So, what’s your plan now?” he asks as he comes to stand beside me. “Are you still planning to remain there?”
“Yes, until I can win her affections.”
“What? She is not willing?”
“No, she seems to have something against the whole mate business. And there is the fact that she doesn’t trust me because she thinks I am lying to her.”
“You are lying to her,”he says with a deadpan tone.
“Whatever. I am going to need your help. As weep as that of the apex team.”
“What do you need?”
“I am going to send you a picture. Have it sent to the rest of the team. It is her daughter. She has gone missing and I need you to fund her. If she is found by one of you, let them give her to you and she find me, got it?” I asks as I tap my phone to send the picture.
“Sure, you want to play the hero, I get it.”
“Of, course I am. I am going to need every help I can get. She is a tough one.”
“Sure thing. But the Coalition though, are they really a threat?” he asks.
“They are a threat to anyone who seeks to cause them harm, apart from that they could give a damn,” I answer as I head for the door.
I come up short the moment I swing it open, only to see Alden standing there, staying straight at me.
“Louis,” he calls softly. “Who is your friend?”
Shit.