Bloodline: The Daughter Of the Moon

Chapter 38

Max and Dante were discussing in the kitchen, away from Chase who was sitting silently in the living room. The second he noticed me walking down the stairs, the TV remote control fell off his hand. The TV was still playing as he ran to me and wrapped his arms around me. I quickly glanced around to see if anyone had seen that. But, Max and Dante were still having an intense conversation across the room.

Chase pulled away after a couple of seconds. "You smell good."

I felt heat uder my skin. "Thank you. I took a shower earlier." He opened his mouth, ready to ask me something, but I cut him off, already know what he was about to say. "I feel better. Thanks." I assured him.

His eyes were fixed on me. His stare was killing me. It was causing me physical pain. He was looking at me like the world wasn't on fire. Like I was the only person in the entire house. Like nothing awful had happened, -not even twenty hours before. I didn't want him to believe we were in some kind of relationship or something. I wasn't sure I liked him like that. He, obviously, had feelings for me but I wasn't ready to loose him as a friend. Besides, we had more important issues to deal with. Romance could wait.

I heard the stairs creek behind me and I turned my head, seeing Riley racing off the stairs. Dove was right behind him, following him. I offered Chase a half-smile and I made my way into the living area.

I heard Riley calling the boys to come and join us so we could start. Not even ten minutes later, Dante and Max took their seats in the black couch, next to the sofa I was sitting.

Riley clasped his hands in the air. "So, time to talk."

Dante cleared his throat. "What exactly happened?"

Chase gave me a meaningful look. I nodded at him.

He turned his head to the others who were patiently waiting for him to start speaking. "I was making my usual rounds around the woods till I heard a loud scream coming from somewhere close to me. I followed the fast heartbeat and the smell of fresh blood. That's how I found Sofia staring, still umoved, at Blake's dead body. I didn't see anyone running or walking around. I tried to concentrate on finding a heartbeat except Sofia's. But, I didn't find any. The rest of the story involves you too, so you already know."

Max released an unsteady breath. "It doesn't make any sense. Why would someone want to kill Blake?"

"With a gun?" Dante scoffed, while crossing his arms under his chest and laying his back on the couch.

I was feeling guilt wrapping my heart, squeezing it hard. I couldn't keep any secrets from them. They were going to find out anyway.

"I know why." I breathed out.

Everyone's heads turned to my direction in the same exact moment. They were all confused. Their eyes were calling out at me to tell them the truth. Maybe they could help. But, I didn't even know what exactly I needed to say. I hadn't gathered all the information yet.

"Blake tried to warn me. That's why he called me last night. He wanted to meet. He had to tell me something very important."

"Did he tell you?" Max asked. His voice was calm, but unsteady.

"He is lying to you. He had been lying all this time. He was watching us making plans about how we are going to win against them and be was laughing! Because he was right there! He told Devon and Alice about our plans."

I stared at them for a brief moment, studying them.

"No. He didn't manage to tell me."

Riley bit his bottom lip, as he closed his eyes. His fists balled in his sides. Dove offered a worried look at Max and Chase, who both covered their mouths with their hands. Who could it be? And why would someone do something so horrible? I had been friends with all of them for a few months and I had never thought one of them could turn their back on me.

They wouldn't. No. That wasn't possible. We were all working together all this time. They were good people. A little weird, but they were humans. Just like me. They had made a promise to protect me no matter what. They couldn't take that promise back. They couldn't be lying into my face.

Right?

"We should take them down." Riley spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.

"What do you mean?" Chase stood up.

Riley was looking at me, while he was referring to all the others. "I mean that we should do it now. We don't have the time we thought we had. We can't just stay here and wait for them to come after us." He made a long pause. From the corner of my eye, I saw Dante's mouth open. Riley spoke again and Dante's mouth sat in a straight line. "One of our people is gone. Blake Lorx is dead. They are trying to take us down before it's even the right time. We shouldn't keep our profile down. We are in a war." His eyes wandered around the room, passing through everyone. "We need to act like soldiers."

A smile formed in my lips. But, it immediately faded away.

"Stop!" A male voice called out. "Stop, the hell, now!"

The blood drained off my veins. I turned around because I knew I didn't have any other choice. I really, really didn't want to do this. I had screwed up again. And Jayden had given me one last chance. And now he was here.

Jayden stepped through, his gaze immediately finding mine across the room. I could see the dark expression on his face. He was mad. Mad at me. His pupils had dilated. A vein in his neck had appeared. He took fast steps towards me, until he was only two inches away from me.

He leaned in. "I warned you, Kane." His breath brushed my cheek. I felt my eyes burning. I bit my tongue. "And you know what that means."

I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat. "Yes. I do know."

He took his time to answer to me. He didn't need to answer, actually. But he never thought like any other human being.

"Good."

His hair was dripping. I had forgotten it was raining outside. I hadn't heard any machine going off. With that, I would had known Jayden was here. My eyes widened at the thought that he had might come to my house on foot. He was cable of walking that much miles, just so that he could come and punish me.

He only pulled away from me when Dante demanded to know what was going on. The muscles of his back tightened, as he closed his palms into fists. His shoulders had set in a severe line.

"Let's go. We are leaving. We will continue this conversation back into my house. My father wants to talk to all of you about the attack." He moved to step through Riley and Chase. Riley grabbed his arm, stopping him in place. Jayden didn't even turn to look at him.

"What's going on?"

Jayden, aggressively, pulled away from Riley. He almost lost his balance.

"I said, we are leaving. Just follow your Alpha and stop making stupid questions. Got it?" He gritted out.

I watched as he left the house, Dante and Max following from behind him. Chase nodded at Dove, who was staring at Riley, and offered his hand to take her out of there. Riley was the last one left in the living room. He was standing near the door, with his arms in his sides and his face, glaring straight at the floor. Pain was written all over his face. The color of his skin was now close to Devon's. He had paled. I wanted to move closer, to touch his palm and tell him that it was okay if he went with them. But, I didn't want to wake him up from his own thoughts. He seemed lost. I couldn't read him. But, I could guess.

Jayden was his childhood friend. It must hurt hearing him talk to him like that. And the truth was that it wasn't fair. Jayden was angry with me. Me. Riley was his friend. Most of the times, they were together. Making plans, discussing. Jayden was always choosing him to train with him. Be his partner.

He had behaved like an asshole, for once again. Why did he always have so much anger inside him? Why couldn't he stop being so cruel? I supposed I would never see him being nice to anyone.