And Then, There Was One
Della
That bitch.
Thane
I am on my fourth glass of whiskey. Each one getting much easier to get down. Three days. Cyrus, the team and I will travel to a base south of the mountain pass. Over a one–day journey by vehicle. Intel shows a possible trafficking ring hidden deep. Multiple satellite images showing multiple vehicles coming and going with girls photographed being drug from said vehicles and not returning after being thrown into this compound. There could be up to ten in there based on these photos. I keep drinking. These photos keep reminding me of what my sister went through. What little wolf went through. Damn it to hell. I shake my head and pour another drink, ignoring the constant knocking at my office door. I know by the scent of sour lemons; it is a pissed off Della. I don’t have the energy to deal with her right now.
Three days of Ayla being here, alone. Well not alone. Kian. Ronan releases a deep growl from within my chest. At least it stops the knocking at the door. How can I assure Ayla is safe while I am gone? Sure, I can put a detail on her. Probably will. But it is different when I am not a phone call away. Another swig and I hold the glass up to my temple, staring at the photos, praying for a moment of peace. It never comes. Well, it does come. I realize I don’t sit and wallow in the pain when I am with little wolf. I don’t replay my sisters naked body on the side of the road. I don’t replay my father being shot as my mother pulled the trigger and then turned around and pulled it on herself. Unable to live with the pain that they failed my sister, in turn causing her death. Sure, they tried to live afterwards, but the grief at them away and they slowly started to fade away. My father giving up the alpha duties. My mother sitting at my sisters grave everyday crying for her baby. All of them failing to see that the one who failed was me. Her older brother. Next in line as alpha. The rightful heir of the alpha of alphas title. The bloodline coursing through my veins is the post powerful shifter line in existence and it failed her. I failed her. How could I possibly step into the alpha of alpha’s role when my father gave up his alpha position and his beta being caught conspiring with rogues to take over another shifter clan, starting a war for power without my father’s approval. Someone had to straighten this pack out. Kill my father’s beta and step into the leadership role here. All of that and my thirst for revenge prevented me from properly grieving my sister. The pain tries to surface all the time. Especially before a raid. Commanding me to finally recognize it and do something about it, but I don’t. I push it down. I bury it. Until little wolf. When she’s around, I don’t feel it. Or at least, notice it as much. Now that she will be gone, the pain is trying to surface and an alarming rate, forcing me to down another whiskey and numb it. Numb it all.
Another knock on my door and I know by the smell it is Cyrus. “Hey man, it smells like a distillery in here. You good?” “Peachy. I am just peachy.” “Cool. So now that we are lying to each other. I am really a unicorn.” “What the hell are you talking about?” I ask straight up confused. I may have a good buzz, but I haven’t seen any unicorns. “I mean, you are lying about being okay so I can lie about being a unicorn. Anyway, Damon text me some photos from his excursion following Kian from the pack house. He also noted he didn’t stay long, if you care about that.” I take the phone as he passes it over to me and there in the photos is Kian in his bar, suggestively embracing another female, the two leaving together. “Why would someone with a fated mate leave the mate and then go bone another woman? I think you may be right about your scratching on this one Thane.” “Well, he had a short visit with his traumatized mate. I for one and thrilled that he didn’t stay long or push Ayla to do something he clearly has a need to do and sought to remedy that need with someone else.” “Of course you are okay with it, but you don’t think that is weird? Are you back tracking on your fake mate stance?” “I am not back tracking. I don’t know what I am doing, but this proves nothing. He may have had a thing with this woman prior to finding Ayla and he has to break it off. I don’t know Cyrus. Just have a tail on him and reporting back to me 24/7. We are going to be gone at least three damn days. I want the best of the best watching him. and her.” “Well now I know why you are blitzed in here sulking. She will be okay Thane. Look at everything she has overcome on top of having a detail on her. She will stay safe.”
‘Why do I even care? She isn’t mine. She isn’t even pack. Why is there this connection there?” “I don’t know Thane. I think that you both share the same pain. You lost your sister. You see that in Ayla. You are a natural protector. She needs protecting and she is a beautiful person. And an omega. She checks all the boxes, but unfortunately, she may not be what the fates have planned. But who is planned would be better. Your equal. Not saying Ayla isn’t, but you would know. Maybe we are supposed to kill Kian and then she becomes your second chance mate? Maybe that is what is going to happen.” “We can’t just rip Kian’s throat out Cyrus. No matter how bad I want to. At least not until he gives me a reason.”
“Keep a detail on them both. We head out in the morning. Don’t stay up all night partying with females Cyrus. There are too many exit points in this raid. I want everyone on their A game here. Too many variables could go wrong trying to cover all of these points.” “I know how this goes Thane. You don’t stay up partying with yourself all night, wallowing when you could be up in the rooms attached to your rooms doing whatever it is your thinking about.” he turns and exits my office leaving the door gapped just enough for a fast–acting Della to squeeze through. This fan–freaking–tastic night just keeps getting better
and better.
“What do you want Della? I am busy.” “Busy? Have you been in here this whole time? Did you not hear me knocking? Are you drunk?” “Yes, yes and no. Yes, I have been in here. Yes, I heard you knocking. NO, 1/am NOT drunk. I have a raid tomorrow and I need to plan. I would like to be alone.” “A raid? How long will you be gone for?” “Three days Della, Now please. I need to be alone.” “I understand. I know how you get before. Just so you know, I miss them too. You know you can talk to me if you need to.” she almost pleads with me, to invite her in. To tell her something, but I just sigh. “I know Della. Thank you for being a friend. I look back down at the photos, pouring myself another drink. Thankfully with shifter metabolism, the effects of the alcohol with burn out quicker. At least, If I were to stop now, I should be good by morning. I could shift and sober up, but at this point, I’d rather drink myself to sleep. “Has Ayla been settling in? Any more panic attacks?” ! am caught a little off guard about her questions since when I last saw her, it was obvious what we had just did with each other in the woods. Della hasn’t made any advances towards me since. She is settling in. Her attacks are managed.” I nod and stare back down af my papers. I really can’t detect any malice in her tone.
“Thane. We should go out when you get back. You are under a lot of stress, and I think taking a night off and relaxing is a good idea.” I am relaxing now Della, I will plan my time how I see fit. There will be victims that will need care and assurances. I can’t just take a night off after a raid. “No, I get that. It
And Then, There Was One
doesn’t need be right
to
immediately
after Thane.”
have some
things
need to
Over
tonight,
Della. 1 1
will see you
when we get
back In a
few days.
Goodnight.
