After Luca's mother, Lindi, told me her story, I excused myself. "This was really lovely, but I have to get going. I need to find my sister."
"I have nothing better to do, so let me help you," she offered, standing up.
"You have already been a great help. If she is not at the council, then I don't think you could be of any help," I declined her help.
"I know both the supernatural world and the human world way better than you. Plus, I think you are looking in the wrong places," Lindi laughed. I picked up a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Ok. Where should I be looking?" I chuckled with a challenge as we walked out of the restaurant.
"Wolfless area," she said, making me stop and look at her.
"Why would she be there?" I questioned tapping on my watch to book an Uber.
"No need for that," Lindi said as a black sleek car pulled up.
"You have your own driver?" I chuckled.
"I don't just belong to a prince. I am married to one," she smiled before greeting the driver who opened the car door for her.
I followed in behind her. The privacy screen was still down.
"Take us to the wolfless Area," she told the driver before closing the privacy screen.
"How is it really at the higher council?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me again.
"You will have to find out for yourself," she smiled at me.
"Is that an invitation?" I dared to ask, looking at the challenge on her face.
"Only if you want it to be," she smiled.
"How if that were-owl didn't want to let me in," I chuckled.
"My prince is at a higher rank than him," she snorted. "Way higher… like right now second in line to the Supernatural throne if anything should ever happen to his brother."
"Would they even allow a prince with a wollless wife to rule?" I wondered out loud.
"If he exchanges me for a royal lycan, yes," she said as if she didn't think it would ever happen. "But it does not really matter at this stage. Only thing that matters is that he has the second-highest rank in the world," she said, sounding so sure of herself.
"Have you ever tried to talk to them to stop the wolfless laws?" I asked. She looked like the type that would.
"Why would I?" she shocked me with her response.
"Because you are a wolfless," I stated with a splash of anger.
"Exactly," she responded to my anger. "I might be married to a lycan prince, but I won't think for a moment that the supernatural world would listen to me. The lowest of the lowest in the supernatural world."
"I guess you have a point," I sighed.
Our conversation came to an end when we arrived at the wolfless area. We both got out. The driver didn't leave.
"Lindi?" One of the guards at the entrance exclaimed when he saw her.
"Long time no see," she said with a kind smile.
"Lumin," he greeted me with a judgmental face.
"You know you guys should not be here," another guard tried to tell us off with a firm tone.
"We are looking for Nebra. She's been missing since the Red Moon a few nights ago," I told the guard, standing my ground.
"Best she stays missing. If she gets caught now for going MIA, she will be fed to the vampires," the kind guard informed me.
"What if something happened to her?" Lindi chirped in.
"I doubt that," the guards said almost at the same time.
"Please, can we speak to a few wolfless?" Lindi asked kindly.
"Your son and he already did. No one has seen her, and trust me, you don't want her to be found," the kind guard warned us.
"Come, let's go," Lindi grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the car.
Once inside the car Lindi explained herself. "I know of a few secret entrances to the wolfless. We can come back tonight."
"What if the guard is right?" I had second thoughts about finding my sister.
"I get the feeling that they know something we don't," Lindi said.
"Got the same vibe," I agreed. I hope Nebra is safe, though. I hope she escaped this world and is not somewhere in trouble.
"If the wolfless knew something, then so would the higher council," Lindi finally says.
"How?" I questioned, not sure I understood her.
Lindi took a necklace from her neck and dangled it in front of me with a shaman hymn.
Memories of vampires drinking my blood came flooding in. Several accounts.
I realized that was how they kept us in check. They were always two steps ahead of us.
They've been drinking our blood to see our truths and then compel us to make us forget that they were ever there. Once a week!
"Can you drop me off at Xan's pack, please?" I asked. I felt vulnerable and needed the security and strength of Luca's arms.
"I can't do that," Lindi simply said.
"Why not?" I asked, annoyed.
"They are working through some things," Lindi said, making it clear she was Team Xan.
I decided not to confront her about it.
"Come spend the week at the higher council," she suggested.
I looked at her in silence, even though my mind was racing. I guess I might as well go. I might as well learn more about the higher council until I know what I want to do about Nebra.
What if Nebra was waiting for the right time to reach out to me? She would be looking for me at Xan's, right? Did she see Xan capturing me?
"So what is it going to be?" Lindi broke my thoughts with her question.
"I guess it won't hurt," I agreed.
"Great. You are going to love the food," she chuckled in delight. She turned down the privacy screen. "Please take us to the higher council."
At the higher council, the were-owl was no longer there but a beautiful man with blond, straight long hair, almost white, striking green eyes. He was tall with a slender, fit body.
"Welcome to the higher council," the man said.
I realized that it must be the were-owl prince.
As he spoke the words, a beautiful castle appeared in front of me. I could not help but gasp at it.
I followed Lindi up the grand stairs. Huge doors that had decoratve carvings of half-human, half-animal on it. Gold adorned the edges of each carving. I looked around towards where the prince was, but he was gone. Hesitantly, I stepped through the threshold.
"Don't look so nervous. Most of the stories about what goes on here are just fiction," Lindi chuckled, hooking her arm into mine.
"Come, I will introduce you to my prince first," she chuckled, steering me through the hallway. Pictures of families adorned the walls.
We entered a room that looked like a private sitting room, but seeing the man at the desk, I realized it was just an oversized office.
"My darling," the man stood up and walked over to us. Lindi unhooked from my arm and wrapped her arms around his neck. After kissing him, she looked over at me.
"There is someone I want you to meet," Lindi said with a smile.
"This is Lumin. Luca's friend. His girlfriend Xan gifted him to Luca," Lindi introduced us.
"Luca, this is Prince Vance," she introduced me to her ginger-head, blue eyed prince with proud.
I reached out to shake his hand, but he didn't bother. Of course, he wouldn't. Guess if I had something between my legs to offer him, he would have touched me. Lindi's words stung more than the prince not wanting to touch me. I was mistaken, thinking she would be my friend. Did I just walk into a trap? I got the feeling she didn't really like the idea of me and Luca. Was it because I was a guy or because I was wolfless?
I wasn't sure, but one thing I was sure of was that I don't trust her.
"So what brings you the the higher council, Lumin?" Prince Vance said and walked over to a small table and poured himself a drink. He didn't pour anything for us. Guess it would be too much to expect a royal to serve a wolfless.
"I invited him," Lindi said. I guess she picked up on his hostile behavior.
"We will leave you to your work," Lindi said and pulled me along. I looked back before leaving. The prince just stood there with his drinks in his hand.
Damn, I hoped the rest of the people wouldn't be like him.
"Which wing do you want to see first?" Lindi asked with a big smile on her face.
"What are my options?" I asked.
"Day walkers or Night walkers?" Lindi chuckled.
"Probably not a good idea to disturb the night walkers during the day, huh?" I chuckled.
"They won't mind being bugged by a pretty face," she chuckled back, pulling me into a walk.
"Night walkers it is," I said. I felt a hint of fear as I've heard only bad things about vampires.