Page 23 of Bond To The Alpha (Fated Bond #1)
LIANA
“ …the poison from those vile rogues, left untreated for too long, has claimed his life. We mourn his loss, but we must not let his sacrifice be in vain. In these dark times, we need unity and leadership more than ever….”
I stand close to the wall just outside the hall, my anger rising the more I hear Jimmy's words and false sincerity slithers through the air.
“As Sam's son and rightful heir, if you all will trust in me and trust in the faith my father has put in me before he left us. I vow to lead our pack through this crisis, hunt down every last rogue, and ensure the safety of our people…”
The crowd inside murmurs as he speaks but I can’t tell if they’re in support of him or not, because by then, I’ve started to make my way down the hallway. I reach the staircase, now gripping the banister and climbing up. I can still hear Jimmy's words echoing through the stairwell.
The upper floor is quiet compared to the bustle below. My eyes dart left and right as I move swiftly down the corridor; Sam's office door is right ahead. A creak echoes from somewhere behind me when I touch the doorknob, causing me to turn around with my heart nearly in my throat. Seeing that the hallway remains empty, I turn back to the door. And with one last glance over my shoulder, I slip inside and shut the door behind me.
Sam's office basks in the warmth of the afternoon sun, infusing the air with the scent of old books. I half-expect to see Sam himself sitting behind the desk and smiling at me like he always does when he sees me.
But the chair is empty. And my heart aches again.
I'm not sure what I should be looking for exactly, but I’m here to find evidence against Jimmy like Kane had asked for. There has to be something in here that can expose his treachery, and so, I search as thoroughly as I can
I eye the painting on the wall suspiciously— isn't there always a safe behind the painting in movies?
As I continue to search, I find a box with a key inside it, which I take out to examine, turning it over in my palm and wondering where it belongs. Then I look around the room again, this time, more intentionally, until I find a small drawer underneath the bookshelves; I’d not noticed it earlier. I quickly cross the room, dropping to my knees in front of it.
I hold my breath as I turn it in the lock, half-expecting it not to work, but it does, and I let out a soft sigh of relief.
Inside it is a stack of papers and documents that have been carefully organized. As I begin to rifle through them, I realize they are Sam's private notes, detailing his suspicions about Jimmy. There are surveillance reports, financial records, and even transcripts of overheard conversations.
It’s the evidence I’ve been searching for.
My hands tremble when I read Sam's final entry which is dated just days before his death. He knew. He knew Jimmy was plotting against him also about the cult's influence. So he hid this evidence here, hoping someone would find it and expose the truth in case he didn’t survive it in the end.
Jimmy, you treacherous bastard, I seethe with anger burning in my chest.
He didn't just betray the pack; he betrayed his own father. I’m fighting back the urge to storm downstairs and confront him right now.
I take out all the necessary documents, not having time on my hands to sift through the rest of them. Then I lock the drawer and return the key exactly where I found it. Holding the evidence close against my chest, I head for the door, only to be stopped by the sound of footsteps. From what I hear it seems like it’s more than one person. Unlike the last time, however, the steps don’t pass by the door, they stop right in front of it, immediately sending the hairs on my skin on end.
My head immediately begins to dart left and right frantically. Where do I hide? I don’t see anywhere around that can accommodate me in hiding and I wouldn’t get caught.
Then the doorknob starts to turn.
In a split-second decision, I lunge for the heavy curtains beside the window, pulling them around me just as the door opens. I press myself against the wall, hardly daring to breathe and I pray the curtains are just enough to conceal my presence.
“What makes you think we can continue to put our trust in you to become Alpha, after so much clumsiness on your part lately?
Who is this man? What report did Jimmy give him?
Does he belong to the cult Kane mentioned?
“Of course I'm capable. I have single-handedly orchestrated the rogue attacks and created the perfect crisis for your cult to come in.”
I hold the documents tighter, still barely breathing.
This is him fully confessing to his crimes, and I’m disgusted just being here to hear it.
“Although I didn't plan on killing father," Jimmy continues. “I hoped the attacks would be enough to win his approval as alpha. But that bastard Kane from Blood Moon Pack came and spoiled everything.”
My heart skips a beat at the mention of his name.
“I had to change tactics and deal with Kane first. But things didn't go as planned.” Jimmy's voice takes on a bitter edge.
“Suspicions started flying. Even father got suspicious. I had to...end him.”
I bite my lip hard, raging, silently grieving. Just like we suspected, Sam's death wasn't an accident or a rogue attack. It was murder. Cold-blooded murder by his own son.
“Well, you should have killed your father a long time ago,” the man comments, unimpressed.
“I'm confident I can get what I want without my father. In fact, I'm in an even better position now,” Jimmy boasts.
Silence falls right after.
Then Jimmy clears his throat again when the stranger doesn’t say a word of praise or reproof,.
“There's another loose end I'll be dealing with soon. A scapegoat, if you will.”
I frown, almost already knowing who else is in Jimmy's crosshairs.
“There's a woman, originally from Blood Moon. She's also been poking her nose where it doesn't belong. In fact, it was because of her I had to kill father, she was the one feeding him words.”
Jimmy is quiet for a bit before he replies, “But…but she won't be a problem much longer."
Of course, he’s talking about me.
“I assure you she’ll be taken care of soon enough," Jimmy says casually as if discussing the weather rather than my murder.
“Once she's gone, there will be no one left to challenge my position or question it….as long as you continue to show your support of course.”
How dare he? After everything this pack has been through.
The stranger is still silent. I wish I could see his face and gauge his reaction. Is he going to continue buying Jimmy's confident act? Or will he continue his collaboration with him, because, unlike Jimmy, he’s a much worse, power-hungry monster?
‘No, Jimmy. You're not going to win this fight.’
I soon hear the sound of a zipper opening, and then Jimmy starts again in a voice oily with false deference, “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Once everything's settled, I'll do even more. But I know some tongues might wag against my ascending to the position of alpha. Public opinion is a strange weapon that could work against me.”
That must be money…
I strain to hear more, and my muscles cramp from standing so still.
“It seems that there is a reason why your father has been reluctant to let you be the alpha. Can't you see that I want more than just money? We neither want nor need your pathetic offering. Our goal isn't money, it’s territory…we want Moonlight Pack's territory. Just know you’re merely a pawn to us that can be discarded anytime.”
Oh, Jimmy, you fool.
I’m very sure Jimmy never saw this coming…that he, like every other person in Moonlight Pack will be tied to the reins of cult. He's basically sold out both himself and the entire pack to these people. I can almost picture Jimmy's face and his narrow mind trying to process this.
When he finally speaks, his voice sounds small and defeated.
“I... I understand. The pack's territory is yours. We'll harbor your members and strengthen your forces.”
I hear the sound of chair legs scraping against the floor again , and I can tell that the man is getting up from his seat.
“The deal is sealed," he says with cold satisfaction. “There's no going back now.”
“Of course. Thank you for your... presence,” Jimmy mumbles.
Next, I hear the shuffling of feet….and then silence. I hold my breath to try and catch any sign of further movement.
Why has it gotten so quiet?
Have they left?
Should I risk peeking out?
Suddenly, the curtain is pulled away, and I have probably never felt so many chills and shock in life as I do the moment I find myself staring into the face of the mysterious stranger whose eyes are glittering with malice. My heart leaps into my throat and fear washes over me like ice water.
“If you're going to hide and eavesdrop, you shouldn't breathe so loudly. It's been irritating me since I stepped in,” the man says menacingly.
He knew I was here the whole time?
I glance past him to see Jimmy, who on the other hand, seems shocked to see me. I summon every ounce of courage I have to glare at them both even though I know I’ve gotten myself in trouble that would be quite he’s to get out of.
The stranger smiles as he snatches the documents from my hands. Then he flings them behind him, scattering papers across the room, while Jimmy scrambles pathetically to collect them.
"Blood Moon Pack will be next," the stranger says casually.
“You monsters,” I spit out, enraged.
I clench my fists, but I can’t do anything. I’m not even a match for any of them strength-wise if I try to run. I simply continue to keep my stance and hope that I will get the perfect chance to make a run for it. They might kill me…
I can’t die. I can’t leave Lina…and Kane.
“You have a daughter, right?”
My fists instantly unclench, and fear replaces my anger in an instant.
“Don't you dare touch—“ I start to say, but the words die in my throat because I don't know what happens after that.
One moment I'm staring into the stranger's cold eyes, the next all I see is darkness.
When I open my eyes again, I'm lying on a cold, hard floor in a pitch-black room. My head throbs, and for a moment, I can't remember where I am or how I got here.
Then it all comes rushing back…Lina. I’m here and she’s out there.
No, not my precious little girl.