Lucy’s POV
Everything went as smoothly as it could when you were trying to avoid running into the sons of your enemy. If I could help it, the chances of crossing their paths were as low as fifteen percent on certain days.
Just when I had started falling into a routine, Ahmad called for a meeting again. The second one we were having in less than two weeks. Reluctantly, I accepted the invitation, because he didn’t look like the type of person to bother someone just for the sake of it. I might not have liked the man, but I could at least appreciate his work ethic.
We were using Daven’s office as our meeting place now, since obviously we couldn’t be using the same hall where he had met his end as it no longer held up to the definition of security. Those in charge of protecting the pack-the guards-were still searching for the person behind that attack, but so far, their hands had only come up with sand and air.
I took my seat in the hall, folding my legs as demurely as possible. The flowing red gown I had put on had been selected by one of the lower omegas that served as my maid-a service I hadn’t expected to keep enjoying after the death of Daven-and by the time I had noticed the great slit running up to my pelvis, it was already too late to change the outfit.
Ahmad and I waited in mutual silence for the triplets, while every now and then I had to adjust the gown to cover my half-exposed bottom.
After close to thirty minutes of waiting, the triplets finally graced us with their presence. Seth and Scott immediately gave apologies for their tardiness, but Shaun simply plopped into a nearby chair with a haughty puff.
I didn’t know just how long I had been watching him until he caught my gaze. His eyes went down my body in one sharp movement so swift that I’d have missed it if I wasn’t looking. When his eyes finally returned to mine, the only expression on his face was a slight frown.
I didn’t know how to feel about that.
Ahmad cleared his throat and started to speak. “Now that we’re all gathered here, this meeting can begin immediately,” he said. “I called you all here because as equal stakeholders in the future of this pack, you have to be on the same page and cooperate.”
“Just go straight to the point, Ahmad,” Shaun interrupted, placing his head on a fist. He looked absolutely done with everything, but then, who wasn’t? He didn’t have to be such a child throwing a tantrum.
Ahmad looked like he was restraining himself from rolling his eyes and sighed. With a shrug dismissing Shaun’s actions, he continued, “Well, today makes it a week that the Alpha passed away. All searches to find the shooter have been . . . fruitless.”
“Which is to be expected with your archaic methodologies,” said Seth. “We told you to let us handle it, and you claimed that your guards could. So why are you back here telling us about how they’ve failed?”
“You know exactly why I prevented you three from embarking on that mission, Seth. Don’t pretend you don’t. Your father’s wishes must be respected.”
“Respected? Like how he respected us?” Shaun said it lifelessly, but it was the kind of apathetic speech that usually resulted from anger that made one numb.
I would know. I lived with such anger for the past three years.
“Guys, can we just listen to what Ahmad has to say? I’m really tried of us always arguing whenever we come together like this. If we can’t even be calm at times like this how do we expect to find a murderer?”
This was the first time I’d heard Scott speak at any of our meetings. To be honest, I had initially thought that he was selectively mute or something with how silent he was. But underneath all that silence, I could always feel something brewing like a storm.
His brothers also seemed appalled at his sudden use of words. They were stunned into complete silence.
“Thank you for being the voice of reason, Scott,” Ahmad said. He turned to address us all, “As I was saying, there has been no significant progress concerning your father’s murder. And at this time, it’s imperative that every member of Moongrowl is kept safe, because we don’t know when he’s going to strike next-or if he’ll even strike again.”
Of course he would. The killer wasn’t going to stop until the triplets were dead.
I thought about revealing this piece of information to Ahmad and the triplets, but something kept my lips sealed.
I was going to do a little digging on my own, and when I had grasped enough information to grant me the upper hand, I would only then turn in the information I had. This was a point where I had to use all my resources to get the outcome I so desired. I had suffered so many wrongs already, what was the big deal in doing one of my own?
All’s fair in love and war.
This was war, and I planned to win.
“Lucy, do you have anything to add?” Ahmad suddenly asked, his cat-like eyes focused on me with laser-sharp intensity.
Could he have known about the letter?
I shook away the thought. That wasn’t possible. How could he even have knowledge about such a thing in the first place?
Unless . . . No, it wasn’t worth dwelling on. I was a little apprehensive and was overthinking things as a result.
I sat up straighter, but the movement of my leg made my dress shift again, exposing so much skin that I cringed inwardly. The triplets’ eyes fell on my exposed thigh immediately, and their facial expressions were a different mix of surprise, shock and confusion.
With a quick wiggle, I readjusted the dress, cursing the maid that had thought it was a good idea to give me something so horrendous to wear. If I was trying to prove to these men that I was more than some plaything for Daven, this wasn’t going to help my case.
I blinked to clear away the wisps of shame in my mind. “I don’t have anything to say concerning this. But since your men haven’t found anything, I think they might have to use a different approach,” I said.
“Oh, like what?” Shaun asked sarcastically. “Tell us something that hasn’t been tried.”
Gods, he was annoying. I rolled my eyes and refrained from giving him the finger.
“From what I’ve noticed, the investigations are putting too much focus on external sources. It’s like no one wants to admit that Daven wasn’t liked by some people even in his own pack. He definitely has enemies here too, and it’s worth checking out.”
Like the Bloodbath pack members that he murdered and enslaved without remorse.
Ahmad rubbed his goatee. “Hm. You have a point. Although it’s been three years since his last major raid, I’m sure certain people still harbour resentment towards him.” Again, his eyes flickered to me.
We stared at each other for a long, drawn-out moment, and with every heartbeat, I could sense that he was going to suggest something that I wasn’t expecting.
“Thank you very much for that piece of information, Lucy,” he finally said.
I shut my eyes and let out a little relieved breath.
Alas, he wasn’t done yet. “We’ll begin individual interrogations of the enslaved Bloodbath members.”