Sold to the Alpha With Silver Eyes - Chapter 60: Chapter 60

“Did you know Topher had a brother?” Leoni whispers to me as we follow along with this man who claims to be called Zachariah. I try to find some semblance of relation, but there is none. The two are polar opposites facial feature wise.
“I’m going to be very candid. It makes me feel a ton better knowing you weren’t aware of this, either.” I admit to her and she rolls her eyes while smiling.
“You always have heated being out of the loop.” She grins and I snort. She makes a point, which is probably why I am not handling all these secrets coming to light all at once. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than being the only one not to know things. Especially when I am supposed to be a leader.
“Why do you want to find Topher?” I ask the guys back. He just shrugs, looking over his shoulder at us like he is trying to gauge if we are trustworthy. Then he exhales sharply.
“Blood relies on each other.” He says simply. I frown, finding his answer odd considering how well I know, or thought I knew, his brother.
“And Yet we have never heard of you.” Leoni adds. “Topher has been our healer and top warrior for years, not only that, but a close friend.”
Zachariah continues to walk, ignoring all attempts for answers, before he finally whips around.
“If you want to get caught and tossed in their prison, then by all means keep asking questions. I won’t answer.” He presses his lips together. “My personal life has nothing to do with either of you.”
“But Topher’s does,” Leoni pops her hip out and crosses her arms over her chest. “And I am suddenly feeling a little like perhaps I’d rather find our way to Eden on our own than give you free access to a friend.”
I skirt my eyes to Leoni, not liking how she is trying to play this game. Topher is important, but getting to Eden is essential. This guy needs help to get to Topher after we ensure Eden is at least safe and where she wants to be. This showdown can wait.
“Leoni.” I say low, the meaning in my voice not going unnoticed as she scowls at me and then rolls her eyes. She steps into Zachariah and licks her lips.
“I will want answers before I take you anywhere near Topher. And trust me, I know exactly how to get those answers and keep you alive long enough for Topher to be able to heal you, but it will be very, very painful.” She threatens pushing past him before spinning back around and pointing from her eyes to his, showing she is watching him closely.
“She is scary as shit, and yet…the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He whispers and I arch a brow, uncertain why he thinks I give two shits about his thoughts on Leoni.
“That is definitely something you should tell her to her face.” I tell him, hoping for a little entertainment at some point on this journey. He laughs and shakes his head.
“I value my life, so I think I will keep that to myself, thanks.”
It’s hard to hate this guy the longer we walk. He may not look like Topher, but he has that same effect, a calm that he brings in silence. Not that it will stop me from kicking his ass when we get where we need to be, but I am beginning to think perhaps he isn’t lying to us completely about his relation to Topher.
“You mentioned Eden’s family is alive…” I say casually.
“I don’t just go around stealing people for my own pleasure.” He frowns. “I’m a rogue, not a pervert. Her parents did a lot for me. I owed them a favor, and this was what they asked. All they wanted was to reunite with her.”
“Did she know it was them?” I ask, just wanting to know where she will be in her headspace. It doesn’t take away the orders I had to carry out, or that I was the one in charge of their unethical execution. Whether they survived the fire or it was planned, all trust between us is gone forever.
“No, how could she? There was no contact for the entire time until Travis found out where she was and he couldn’t help but find her.” He frowns. “That boy was convinced she was gone for good. Clearly not.”
My brows furrow, remembering the wolf in the woods. The stalker, I had assumed, was the same person who stole her away. Even when I look back at it, she was saved when I failed her by a wolf no one could identify. Had that been travis? All this time, I thought he was too young to shift.
“Is Travis old enough to shift?” I ask and he shoots me a side eye.
“How would I know how old he is? Rogues don’t exactly get invited to birthday parties.” He mutters, picking up his pace to catch up to Leoni before he steers us to the right and finally we come to a stop. He places his arms out, making a show of spinning in a circle before looking back at the two of us.
“We have arrived. This is where she was picked up by her brother and brought to where they go.” He says.
Leoni watches him closely. Her eyes narrowed and lips pursed slightly to the side. She doesn’t believe that he doesn’t know how to get to this mysterious place Eden was whisked away to. Zachariah rolls his eyes and then pinches the bridge of his nose.
“Look, I brought you where I brought her, okay? From here, you should be able to pick up her scent and find your way. But I can’t…” he pauses and then shakes his head, changing his mind. “No, I mean, I won’t betray them by giving away where they are.”
I step closer to him, rolling my shoulders back in a sad attempt at an intimidation tactic. He sees right through me and he frowns, a plea in his eyes.
“This is about more than Eden and her family. There are hundreds of people who have found peace and comfort where they are. It isn’t some moving group. It’s a home, a village.” He says, looking between me and Leoni. “I may not be a part of it, but I refuse to be the downfall of it, too.”
“What exactly is it then? A refuge?” Leoni asks, her brows pulling together in thought.
I don’t need to ask what it is. It doesn’t take much for me to put it together that her parents were tried for treason against the crown and now they are found living in a place of sanctuary? A village of its own living outside the realm and laws of the sovereign lycan reign meant to keep them safe?
This is the rebellion I didn’t even know existed. The one fighting against the very man who I left with the crown. A flicker of guilt filters through me, but I push it aside, reminding myself this is what I chose and I stick by it.
If people are finding somewhere safe to be and live away from the wrath of my uncle, then so be it. I am not here to disrupt their peace. I just want to see Eden is safe with my own eyes, and die alone knowing she is happy.
“Eh…” Zachariah scrunches his face, looking at me with a hint of sadness.
“It’s the rebellion homestead, Leoni.” I say matter of fact and her eyes widen.
“So it exists?” She says in awe. “Hastings always swore there was one out there, there had to be, ranked warriors don’t betray their pack of their own accord, there is always a plan, someone behind things.”
“Question is, who is behind it?” I agree with her finishing her thought process.
“I should have listened to Hastings’ ramblings more closely.” She says, dropping to sit on a log.
“You and me both,” I sigh, looking at Zachariah, who seems lost now. “Topher is staying in the pack for now. He is too important of a healer to be allowed to leave right now. But if you are able to make your way back and speak with Jasmine—”
“No, find Killian.” Leoni breaks in, meeting Zachariah’s eyes. “He is in the sickbay of the northernmost warrior house. His room faces the east and he will listen to you if you tell him Leoni sent you to find Topher. You will need to hide your scent, so figure that out.”
“Killian?” I ask, a little shocked.
“I have been checking on him for Eden. He went to save her and he is for the rightful crown, you Dev.” She gives me a stern look as I frown.
“I am a rogue now. There is no crown in my future.” I tell her, and Zachariah looks between the two of us.
“They went to the west, then shot north.” He says, hitching his chin in the direction. “That is the best I can do for you both. Please, for the love of all things, keep my name out of it if you get caught.”
Then he gives Leoni one more look before he walks away backwards. “One piece of advice. Always keep your head up.” Then he winks and disappears back into the woods.
“You are always making friends so fast, Leoni.” I tease her, and she shoots me an unimpressed scowl.
“You aren’t a prince anymore. Don’t make me slap the smile off your face.” She mutters, before she slips off her bag and shoes.
“What are you doing?” I ask her, and she gives me an incredulous look.
“Uh, shifting so we can get our asses there as soon as possible. I’m tired of slow traveling. Let’s get a move on.”
She makes a valid point, as I slip my shoes off and put them in my bag, shifting with a crack and taking my things in my mouth. My lycan feels different now, like chains have been removed and a long-lasting fog has dispersed from my vision.
I roll my head, my neck cracking and my muscles responding by releasing tension before I feel a sliver of joy, and sprint through the trees, tracking the faint scent of Eden in the direction Zachariah indicated.
Foliage and blurs of bark fly past us as we tear through the woods, the wind in my lycan hair only breathing more life into us. If I had known being a rogue felt this good, I may have thought about becoming one earlier. Or perhaps it’s knowing we will be to Eden soon either way. It’s intoxicating.
I run ahead of Leoni, inhaling every smell I can, using it to determine distance and turn before I come to a complete stop, my muzzle rising into the air as a variety of scents sting my nose at once. It is as if I went from an empty room to a massive party. And that is when I see it, above me, hidden just well enough. The naked eye would miss the wooden slats, a floating village in the trees.
I turn, looking at Leoni, who seems as shocked as I am and we both shift back into human form, changing quickly before we slink around the outside, hiding under their own protective leaves from their sight.
In all my life, I have never seen or heard of something so extensive or stunning. I can’t help but smile at the genius of it all. Wolves keep their feet on the ground, but in order to survive in the world outside the laws, you have to think in different ways. This is indeed very different.
“You don’t have to do this,” a woman’s voice quivers directly above us, forcing us to shrink lower to the ground and rub the moss and dirt over ourselves to hide our scents. “Just keep this to yourself and we will leave on our own. Please, you know us. You have been friends with us for so long.”
“Friends?” a male hisses, his voice cold and threatening. “Friends who were supposed to treat my daughter as their own. Hell, even your own son refuses to come back to you both. Now I see why. You are evil. The two of you, if I had it my way, I would tear you to smithereens.”
“Jerome only did what needed to be done!” she hisses defensively. “You think that daughter of yours is so perfect? Everything she did was calculated and intentional. Crying for you all every night, screaming out in nightmares. No food meant she slept well because she was extra tired. Beatings meant she had other trauma to worry about. We were helping,”
There are no more words, only a low growl and a gurgling sound before a pattering sound drips next to Leoni’s leg. Blood.
“I was going to give you a fair chance to flee, Patrice, but now you will die a slow and painful death. You will bleed out before your beast can heal you enough for you to run away. Don’t worry, I will tell Jerome you ran off without him.”
The man is vicious, all emotion gone as we glance up and watch a body fall until it slams into the ground, eyes wide, throat gaping as blood pulses from the hole in spurts timed with each fading heartbeat.
“What the hell, Dad?” another person says, rushing over. “She was supposed to have a trial first.”
“Fuck their trials. If the elders want, they can put me on trial for not waiting. Jerome and Patrice hurt her, Trav. They hurt our Eden and lied to my fucking face about it for years.”
My heart races, eyes wide as I meet Leoni’s. Holy shit, I guess her family is alive. Which I suppose means she is safe and that we can leave. Her seeing me would probably only make things far worse for her, anyway. So I stand and turn, leaving the area at a pace that forces Leoni to chase after me.
“Where are you going?” She hisses and I exhale, shaking my head as I spin around.
“She is with her family. They are alive, and I don’t want to ruin that for her by showing up. We came to make sure she is safe, and now we know she is.” I remind her.
“So you are just…. going to what? Go off and live as a fucking rogue, miserable and broken?” She bites out and I shrug.
“The hell if I know.” I admit before I whip around again and freeze, a scent wrapping around me so tight my chest feels it may crack and I look to my right, my eyes meeting Eden’s, her mouth falling open in shock before she sprints my way, arms wide open .... and my heart seizes in my chest.