"Did you find any useful input regarding the task I gave you?" Kaelith leaned back in his chair as he asked Xavier, his voice steady and sharp.
Xavier let out a short sigh from the chair opposite him, "Yeah, a little, though I didn't find much on Luna or her family. I hit a total dead end." He shaked his head, leaning back, running a hand through his hair. "There are no records about them anywhere. It's like they never existed before and just appeared out of thin air. Apparently, no one knows a single thing about the Aethers."
That's weird, Kaelith thought, though a part of him wasn't entirely surprised. From the moment he'd met her, his mate had been a complete mystery.
"But," Xavier continued, a mix of amusement and confusion coloring his tone, "I found some seriously damning information about her business and it's shocking. Most of the clients and companies Aether works with are supernaturals and I mean the powerful, influential kind. Also, a lot of the nightclubs she owns are full of supernaturals every night. They're her main customers mostly."
Kaelith's face grew serious. This was highly unusual. It was rare for humans to engage this deeply with their world. Even the few braver ones who did business with supernaturals kept a safer distance. But Isla wasn't just involved; she was at the very center of it. A worried thought crossed his mind: why would his human mate put herself in such danger?
"There's one more thing Kaelith." Xavier added, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You remember I told you about the club where I met Renna for the first time?" Kaelith gave a slow nod, unsure where this was going. "Well, turns out that club is also owned by Luna. And the weird part? I remember seeing a few sirens working there as staff. Back then I was so engrossed about Renna that I didn't pay much heed but I remembered when I was digging."
That made Kaelith's eyebrows shoot up in genuine shock. Sirens? Everyone knew sirens were proud, dangerous creatures who kept to themselves. They looked down on mingling with other supernatural crowd, let alone humans at whom they preyed. They were officially known for luring in their prey, not serving them drinks. The idea of them willingly working at a club—especially his mate's club—was unbelievable.
"And Isla's family?" Kaelith pressed, frustration beginning to edge into his voice. "You couldn't find a single lead? Who are they? Where did they come from?"
Xavier shook his head with dismay. "Nah, nothing. Her background is wiped clean, like a slate. No records, no links. The only tiny hint was in an old interview where she referred to my mate as her aunt, but Renna said Luna only said that to satisfy the press. It meant nothing."
"Doesn't your mate know anything about her? I'm sure she knows more," Kaelith insisted, the restless feeling in his chest growing into a knot of anxiety. "She's been working for Isla for more than three years now. There has to be something she's noticed." Kaelith's expression tensed a bit. His wolf stirred restlessly inside him, acting out.
"I did ask her but she didn't know much either but," Xavier hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "but... she did seem tense, almost nervous, when I brought it up. Like she was uncomfortable talking about it or hiding something."
"There's definitely somethi—" before Kaelith could finish the door to his office slammed open against the wall as Lucien rushed in all injured and panicked.
"Alpha!"
"Lucien, man what happend to you?" Xavier was on his feet in an instant.
"Lucien, what's going on?" Kaelith stood the chair falling in the process behind him. He looked at his gamma with a sharp, alertness. What was he doing here? Didn't he send him to stand guard with Isla? The feeling in Kaelith's chest was twisting in to something he didn't like.
"Alp...Alpha we.. we were attacked on our way back." Lucien panted, struggling to get the words out. "It was rogues. The Luna—" he swallowed hard, his body trembling with shame and pain.
Kaelith felt all the blood drain from his face, a cold dread seeping into his veins. "Where is she?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "Your only job was to protect her. Weren't you suppose to be with her?" There was a ticking edge to his voice that was laced with worry and fear.
"Answer me," He growled loudly.
Lucien and Xavier both flinched. "Alpha, Luna has been taken. They... they took her with them. She's been captured." Lucien finally said through grittend teeth. His shoulders slumped in utter defeat.
For a moment, the world stopped.
"WHAT!?" Kaelith growled so loudly, so loud it seemed to shake the room. His eyes flashed bright, he saw red now. His mate that he had found just yet, was taken?
Xavier stood frozen, his demeanor turning serious by grim understanding. The Luna was attacked. It was a direct challenge to the Alpha and the entire pack.
In an instant Kaelith rounded the desk, and held Lucien by throat, his claws digging in the flesh. "You were entrusted with my mate—your future Luna—and you just let them take her?" he snarled, his voice vibrating with fury.
His hold tightened around Lucien's neck, cutting off the air, his face beginning to turn purple."What are you fuckin' doing here if she's not with you?" He shouted, his Alpha power crashing down on the room like a ton of bricks.
Lucien lowered his head still gasping, his breathing getting shallow but he didn't back down, through pain he managed to choke out, "Alpha, if you let me explain—it wasn't like that. She… she gave us an order. She told us to stand down." His expression, even in pain, held something else—something like stunned respect.
Kaelith froze as his hold loosened around him and Lucien fell to the ground coughing and gasping, sucking in huge breaths as air rushed back into his lungs. All the anger drained from Kaelith's face, replaced by pure shock. "She... what?"
"Al... Alph... Alpha sh.. she commmanded us to stand down and leave." Lucien wheezed, still trying to catch his breath.
Kaelith stared, his mind struggling to catch up. "You are telling me… that my mate… went with them on purpose? She commnaded you to just let her go?" It sounded insane.
Lucuen nodded firmly, wincing at the movement. "Let me show you," He said, and through their pack bond, he pushed the memory forward. Wolves had this ability, when willing, they could share vivid memories through their mind link with higher ranging wolves, especially with their Alpha.
~Flashback~
Kaelith saw through the memory like he was actually there. Lucien, fighting off two rogues, a vampire and wolf, when Isla's voice cut through the noise.
"Hey, bitch! You want me? Fine. I'll come willingly—just let my people go."
Lucien spun around, disbelief washing over him. Isla was held by a vampire, but she didn't look scared, she stood perfectly calm. Her words pointing towards the figure standing ahead by the sideline. Kaelith clenched his fists, his chest rumbling with a growl. Fuckin' witch.
"Haha, now now, the Alpha Prince's Luna is quite something for a human," the witch mocked, a wicked smirk on her face. "How cute that she's playing all… Luna-like."
"Luna, what are you saying? I won't let them take you," Lucien growled, trying to push toward her, but a wall of rogues blocked his path.
Isaldora ignored him and kept her eyes locked on the witch. "Whatever. Let's cut this short, shall we? You want me, and I'm willingly agreeing to go with you. Just let my men leave. Unharmed."
Lucien was dumbfounded by her composure. Where was the fear? The panic?
"And why would we do what you say, little human?" the witch spat, her smirk widening. "You're in no position to negotiate."
Isaldora's eyes locked onto the witch's, and her gaze intensified. And within a secod the witch's smirk faltered, her expression going slack before she blinked and spoke again, her tone oddly compliant.
"Okay. If you come with us without any protest, your men can leave."
One of the rogue vampires snarled at her. "What are you saying? Have you lost your fucking mind witch?"
"Don't you dare question me," the witch hissed back, her eyes glinting with sudden authority. "We were only tasked to bring the Alpha Prince's mate. She's willing to come quietly. Why choose the hard way?"
Lucien couldn't believe what he was hearing. The witch accepted his Luna's condition just like that? He looked at Isla with pure respect and awe.
*Then, clear as day, her voice suddenly filled his head. ~Do as I say, Lucien. Take the others and get back to the pack safely as soon as possible. I'll be fine.~
"Luna?" Lucien's voice was a mixture of confusion and protest. Mind-link? How was that possible? She was human, not even bonded to the pack… The thought was shocking that she could even link, but he shoved it aside.
"I promised the Alpha I would protect you!" Lucien argued aloud, desperation clawing at him.
*~How are you going to protect me if you're dead? And who will tell Kaelith what happened here?~
"But—"
~Don't you trust your Alpha to find me, gamma? Do you doubt that he won't tear this world apart for his mate? He will come for me, Lucien. I'm counting on it. But for that, you need to leave from here. Alive.~
~Besides this is a direct command from your Luna or are choosing to disrespect me?~
Her words were sharp, leaving no room for doubt. Lucien felt his will to fight drain away, replaced by a grim resolve to obey his Luna's command.
"However, one more thing," Isaldora said aloud now, turning her cool gaze back to the witch, "I don't believe you'll actually let them leave. You'll double-cross me the second I'm in your vehicle."
"You don't have a choice, beautiful," the vampire holding her arm sneered.
"Oh, I do," Isaldora said, a sharp, confident smirk playing on her lips. She looked directly at the witch. "I will come with you only if you sign a blood contract with me. Swear that you will let every one of my men leave here, unharmed. Swear that if any of your people try to harm them, you will instantly drop dead within a second. Do it, and I'll go without a fight."