Angeline POV

“Alpha, we need to leave, I hear the owner down the street, she’s on her way here.”

Ms. Randall’s alive?

Keenan gave me one last look, his hand twitching, ready to lunge at me. I backed myself all the way into the corner of the wall, arms raised in preparation of an attack.

He looked conflicted, almost offended by my actions.

“I’m not-” He began then cut himself off, shaking his head.

Instead he backed away and said, “do not, for one second, believe that he can save you from me. Nothing can save you from me. I won’t allow anyone to get in my way,” he promised.

And he was gone, not quietly either.

Instead of taking the time to open the latch of the window, he bulldozed right through it, sending glass everywhere.

“Don’t worry,” Shane said, watching this entire ordeal. “It’s not human.”

It took me a while to realize she was talking about the blood.

Then, she too, was gone.

------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn’t stop shaking as I lay on the floor crying, Coco whimpering in my arms.

That’s how Ms. Randall found me, a heaping mess on the floor.

“Oh my god, Angeline, are you okay?! What happened in here!?”

What could I even say? It looked like a group of men came in and ransacked the place.

I was too shocked, too shakened to respond. Ms. Randall frantically locked all the windows and doors as she called the police.

Together we huddled in her office waiting for them to arrive.

“I’m so sorry Angeline, I shouldn’t have left you alone in the office! I got a random call from some person saying my car was being vandalized, I never thought my ex husband would take things this far.”

So she thinks it’s her ex husband? But I have no doubt in my mind it was orchestrated by Keenan. Do I say this?

But would an investigation on Keenan put Daniel’s werewolf secret at risk? How can I be sure?

We’re startled by the sound of someone knocking furiously on the front door.

“Angeline? Angeline?! Are you alright? It’s me, Trey! Hello?!”

“Who? Who is he?” Ms. Randall whispered suspiciously, stopping me from opening the front door.

“He’s a good friend of mine, I...um... I called him?”

I didn’t, but I know Daniel must have.

“Angeline if you don’t open this door, I’ll have to break it down!”

“Hold on! I’m coming!” I shout back, he really would break it down.

“I know him Ms. Randall, you can trust him.”

She hesitated but then reluctantly nodded, “okay, fine.”

Unlocking the door, Trey barges in, “I checked everywhere, there’s no one her now. Are you guys okay?”

I nodded.

“He-he ran out the window,” I said shakily, “the cops are on the way.”

Trey gave me a single nod, suspiciously eyeing Ms. Randall, who was in hysterics, talking frantically on the phone.

I shook my head at him, trying to convey that she had nothing to do with this. She was just as terrified as I.

“I’ll stay with you till they get here,” Trey tensing as he kept guard at the door.

Everything after transpired in a blur, with Ms. Randall’s panicked recall of events, and I losing going along with her theory. Deciding not to tell them about Keenan after all, and hoping that decision wouldn’t come back to bite me in the ass.

Once the police finished taking my statement, Ms. Randall let me leave the shop early.

The whole walk to the car, Trey kept scouring our surroundings, as if waiting at any moment for Keenan to appear.

Once inside the car, Trey turned to me, “what the hell happened Angeline? I searched up and down the entire block and didn’t find anything, no scent, no lead, nothing.”

“But he was here Trey, he really was! I don’t know how he found me but he did, he wasn’t alone either, Shane was here too!”

“I don’t smell her either, I believe you though, there’s no way you could’ve thrown that metal cabinet all yourself. I’m just wondering how the fuck he did it. Masking your scent is impossible.”

“I-I don’t know, but I should’ve seen this coming. He never stops, he never lets things go. He’ll be back.”

“Did he say anything to you? Did he do anything?”

“Not physically, but he demanded I break up with Daniel or else…”

“Or else what?”

“I have no idea, but I know he’s serious.”

“What a weird ass guy, why does he want you to break up with Daniel?”

“He’s think I got with Daniel to… I don’t know...one up him? Get back at him? Mock him?”

Trey smirked, “and did you?”

“No!”

“I’m just teasing! I know that, but you should tell him that that’s definitely what you did. Rub it in his face too. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”

If only it were that easy.

“Daniel’s on his way, he should be here shortly.”

“But isn’t he all the way in Virginia?”

“No, he never went, he went to Chambers instead.”

“Why? And why didn’t he tell me? What’s he doing over there?”

“I’m sure he’ll tell you all the details himself but as of now, all I know is that he’s digging for dirt on Keenan. It was a spontaneous decision.”

“Did he find anything?”

“He told me he did, something big too.”

“Like wh-”

“Hold that thought, I have to call Daniel, he’s probably freaking out right now.”

“Okay.”

Before Trey can even say hello, Daniel is on the other line bombarding him with question after question.

“Hello? Is she there? Is she safe? Did he hurt her?! I swear to god-”

“Chill dude, she’s fine, she’s sitting right next to me-”

“Put her on.”

Trey hands me the phone, “I’m okay Daniel, he’s gone now, at least I think he is.”

“What do you mean you think?”

“Trey can’t smell him anywhere.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No, he just gave me a bunch of baseless threats, but his hands were… covered in blood. Shane said it wasn’t human.”

“Shane was there?!”

“Yea, she was the only one… I think. They came out of nowhere.”

“Trey, you swear you couldn’t detect them anywhere near?”

“No, it was like they were never here.”

“Their scent is nowhere on the premises?”

“Yea, I have no idea how he did it. I mindlinked the others and they said all the guests from Keenan’ pack are also missing, supposedly they’re on a run.”

“Do you have the others patrolling? I want them guarding Angeline’s house.”

“On it, what time will you get here by?”

“Not until late, I’m not coming alone either.”

“Who else is coming?”

“Alpha Drew.”

“Alpha Drew’s coming?! Does Alpha Felix know?”

“No, and I’m not telling him, I want the element of surprise on Keenan. He’s not even supposed to be here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll explain later, but let’s just say that the Elder Council is also involved, and Alpha Drew’s contacting them now.”

“Alpha Felix is not gonna be happy about this.”

“Apparently they’ve been onto him for a while, him and Alpha Sawyer. Keenan was actually sent here to spy on my dad, not for training like Felix believes. But I know now that neither are the real reason he came.

“I promised Alpha Drew and Elder Bane that I’d give them all the information they want on my Dad, and in exchange they take care of Keenan.”

“Damn this goes way deeper than I thought,” Trey said, perplexed.

“Keenan’s not just gonna go down easily,” I piped up.

“Hence why reinforcements are being called.”

“What are they gonna do? How are they gonna take care of him?”

“They’re taking him to the Elder Council’s headquarters in Texas, where he’ll basically be held in their max security prison.”

“Wait really? Isn’t that a bit extreme?” Trey asked, shocked.

“If you knew what he did, you wouldn’t say that. But they’re mostly doing it for the safety of others. Apparently he’s on the verge of-” Daniel abruptly cut himself off, “you know what? I’ll tell you everything later, right now I have to finish-”

“But what about my dad?! What if Keenan’s at his work? What if he does something to him?!!”

“I’ll put eyes on him too Angeline, don’t worry.”

“Just be careful okay? Keenan’s more cunning then you think, he’s always planning something.”

“Have faith in me, I got this under control.”

“I do, it’s just… I know how he is.”

“He has no power here, Angeline, whatever he’s planning, will blow up in his face. I’ll make sure of it.”

I sighed, unable to shake the feeling of unease.

“Trey can you keep guard outside Angeline’s house till I can get there?”

“Of course, that’s a given.”

“Okay, I’ll see you guys soon.”