Ariadne: Almost an Alpha | ✓

Chapter 56 - Really, Where Is She?

Chapter 56 - Really, Where Is She? 

~~~~~ Dylan's P.O.V.

Hours later and after trying to explain to the pack why they're now connected to me, I receive word that Alpha Jackson is at our border.

I compose myself as I drive to the territory line. I still haven't made my decision yet, but I need to take care of this bump in the road first.

"Alpha Jackson," I get out and greet him, a fake, friendly smile on my lips. "What brings you here?"

His face is hard, expressionless. "You know why I'm here."

"I don't, actually, is there something..."

He cuts me off, his tone accusatory and commanding. "Where is Ariadne, Dylan?"

I look away from him, only to remember I need to look him in the eyes to seem believable. I step back instead. "She found her mate. She's left for Canada with him. She didn't want me to tell anyone until she had made it there."

For a second, the hard expression falls, and an emotion flickers across his face. Then, I can almost see him replay my words, and he's stoic again.

"She wouldn't leave this pack behind like that, not if she didn't have to. Tell me the truth, now," he orders. He makes a move to step forward, and then realizing he's already standing at the very edge of the territory, stops.

"She's uhh... in love, what can I say? The things people do when they're in love..." I trail off and laugh, but it comes off more nervous than joking. I expected a little more hesitation from him, so his outright denial of my excuse caught me off guard.

"I'm giving you one more chance. The truth, Dylan."

I pull her letter to him out of my pocket and thrust it forward, a last ditch attempt at making him believe me. He grabs it.

~~~~~

Mateus,

I am sorry for what I did to you. That ritual is only meant as a lifetime punishment for the traitorous sort, and I was cruel to use it against you, especially after all you've done for me.

I would have told you that in person, but I've found my mate. He needed to get back to his family, and I've decided to go with him to Canada.

I didn't realize my life was so dark until he came in it. He's made me realize I need to stop being selfish and do all the things I should have done a long time ago. With him, I'm happy like I haven't been in a long while.

I know one day someone will make you happy too, but that someone is not me. Please, don't close yourself off to the world. Find your happiness.

Best wishes,

Ariadne

~~~~~ Dylan's P.O.V.

His jaw clenches, and I watch as the paper crinkles in his grasp.

"What is this?" he asks.

I chuckle awkwardly. "I don't know. I didn't read it. A farewell letter?"

"Dylan, I know who she is."

I laugh for real this time. He has no idea what he's talking about. "And who is she?"

In response, he pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to me. "Ariadne Lucia."

I unfold it, and immediately at the sight of the photo, a pit forms in the bottom of my stomach. Panicking, I try to make a retreat.

He steps over the territory line and blocks the door of the car before I can get to it. His face turns red, maybe from the effort or maybe from anger.

"So really, where is she?" he asks.

"Canada," I say immediately.

"Well I wonder what the council will say when I tell them that an heir of Abel Lucia is still alive and in Canada."

"They wouldn't believe you. They buried a body."

He nods to the photo in my hand. "There's more where that came from."

Taking a leap of faith, I respond, "You wouldn't do that to her. They'd put her in prison for not coming forward."

His fists clenching and unclench in a moment of silence before he finally asks. "Is she safe wherever she is now?"

"Yes."

He doesn't say anything else, just gets into my car and speeds off with it, going further into the territory instead of out.

Hurriedly, I shift and run after the car, but he gets to the house before I do. Scrambling after Mateus, I shift back as I walk through the wide open front door, grabbing a pair of pants from the basket by the door and putting them on.

Mateus is in the office, rummaging through the files on the desk. His hands are shaking as he works against the pressure in his head.

"You lied to me," he says, and his voice isn't raised, but I can hear a cold anger in it. "What's really happened? Why aren't you worried?"

"I am worried," I begin, but before I can finish defending my actions he notices the open letter on the chessboard.

Shit, I forgot I left it out. We both lunge for it at the same time, but he's faster. He knocks my hands away when I try to grab at it.

"Don't read that," I say quickly. "She wouldn't have wanted you to."

His eyes widen. "Wouldn't have?"

Shit. I grab at the paper again, but he turns his back to me to read it.

Defeated, I back away, grab a knife from the kitchen, and go outside while he takes it all in.

When he comes out, I'm waiting in a porch chair with a fist full of bloodied dirt.

He approaches, letter in hand, his expression a mixture of negative emotions. I grab the letter, replacing it with a palm of dirt.

"Alpha Jackson, this pack re-welcomes you into its territory," I mutter before he has a chance to speak.

He stares at his palm as the dirt falls through his fingers.

After all of it blows away, he snaps out of the trance. "You! You just let her walk right into a death sentence?"

His voice is the loudest I've ever heard it. I try not to flinch as the anger of an alpha hits me fully, washing over my face. "I didn't realize until you called."

"And yet you were still here when I got here?" He's outraged, and I don't know how to handle it. His anger thickens the air.

"Those could very well be my best friend's last wishes. What was I supposed to do?"

"Send a damn army!"

"And tell them Caine Lucia pulled off the largest and most successful mutiny in history without anyone realizing it? That he's probably going to kill his niece, who everyone thinks died four years ago, so the alpha title falls back to him, one he wasn't even supposed to have in the first place? An army of people interrogating me in a jail cell instead of actually doing anything would be more apt."

He paces for a few seconds before stopping in front of me and shoving an accusatory finger into my chest. "You sat here and did nothing while that monster killed...," he pauses, clenches his jaw, and looks upward, trying to pull himself together, "my mate."

"Hold up," I pause him. "I didn't say anything about her being dead. She's not yet, at least."

He gestures to the scattered dirt on the porch. "How were you able to do that then?"

"I tried to contact her after you called. She broke the links on purpose."

He looks at me, determination in his stance. "Well then, I'll send the damn army." 

~~~~~~~~~~

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