Page 53 of Lightning Strikes

Chapter 19

Mac

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I’ve been at the alpha house for most of the day, trying to make nice with Margaret. I brought her a bouquet of flowers and one of my mom’s casseroles for lunch.

She’s been ignoring me, drinking her fill of wine, and berating her mate for most of the day.

I’m gob smacked. The sweet woman we met when we arrived is nowhere to be seen… What the hell happened? Was she switched for an evil twin? She’s been so damn cruel, mocking him for working too much, not paying any attention to her, how their kids hate him… Shit.

Deacon just ignores her, cowed and flushed with embarrassment, as he focuses back on our conversation. “What if you just focus on Angela for now? I don’t have enough guards to form a new group, and you’re comfortable there. I trust her guards, and I’m sure you’d be more comfortable protecting your future mate anyway.”

I nod and sigh. “Yeah, man. I get it. I just wanted to feel like I was doing something for the pack. I enjoyed the perimeter checks and working the guard stations for a few days. I felt more productive.”

He shrugs, presses his napkin to his lips, pushing his empty plate away, and sipping his wine. “I’ll look into it. Maybe when we find a new healer, they will bring some friends along and we can train them up and form a new group?”

I shrug. I stand and stretch my limbs. I’ve been sitting around their house for hours, and I’m fucking ready to get the hell out of here. I grab the casserole dish from the center of the table and scoop up more pasta and focus on my meal. Fuck it. Some more food, then I’ll head home.

It’s awkward as hell with Margaret glaring at the both of us as if we’ve ruined her life. Jesus. What is wrong with this woman? Is her mate not allowed to have friends?

“Well, how about I clean up and get out of your hair?” I shove the rest of the pasta into my mouth, sending a smile at the couple as I collect the dishes and skip out to the kitchen towards the frowning chef.

“Good evening, just leave everything in the sink, no need to make a mess.” I blink at the female and shrug. Fine. I know when I’m unwelcomed in someone’s space. She turns back around after dismissing me. Man today is obviously not a good day for anyone in this house.

“Thanks.” I murmur, spinning around to head back into the dining room. I find Margaret stepping out to the hall with her phone pressed to her ear and a wide smile on her face. Maybe her boyfriend on the side. I snort to myself as I lean towards the alpha. “What was that about?” I whisper to Deacon and he sighs.

“Who knows, she received an important call and said she’s heading out into town. Would you like another drink?” He stands and saunters over to the bar in the corner of the room to pour a glass of whiskey. He drains the glass before pouring another. His shoulders are slumped and his back is tense enough to be as hard as concrete.

“Are you sure?” I point my thumb to the hall. “I can get out of here if you want to call your mate back to hash out all of that tension.”

He chuckles mirthlessly and tosses back his second drink. “That’s how it’s always been between us. She puts on a good front the majority of the time, looks like she’s done with pretending.”

I lean against the wall and cross my arms over my chest. “Is there anything I can do? Angela and I aren’t trying to steal you away from her or anything… We genuinely like you and think you’re a great alpha and man. Should we back off?”

He smiles grimly at me and pours another drink. Looks like it’s one of those nights. “No… our mating was political. We had some pups, and she somehow coerced them to move out of the pack and away from me. They’re all very close to Margaret and apparently they think that I’m some awful mate and father. I worked a lot, made sure that this pack was safe for everyone…” He shrugs and steps back to the table and sits back in his seat, slumping down and placing his head in his hands. “Maybe it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”

My phone starts to ring in my pocket and I pull it out to see Russell calling. I grimace at Deacon and point to my phone. “Hey man, how’s it going? You guys home?”

I hear screaming in the background and frown. “Mac… We’re at the Italian restaurant. I had the owners call the alpha and he should be here soon… More guards are coming. Angela has been attacked.” He hangs up and I swing my gaze to Deacon.

“Did you know? Did you set this up?” I get into his face and he backs away, his face paling and he shakes his head.

“You’ve been here with me all day, Mac… I haven’t touched my phone and I haven’t left the room. Explain.” I tell him about the phone call and he races after me when I jog through the halls, racing through the neighborhood and town. Fucking hell, who would attack her here in the pack? “Mac! I have no idea what’s going on. No one fucking called me!” He’s on my heels as we push our way through the growing crowd around the restaurant. I shoulder through them, pushing my way through and stumble through the restaurant towards the smell of blood. I find Margaret bleeding on the ground inside by the bathrooms and search around for Angela.

“Where is she?” I roar and glare around the room, trying to inhale her scent. I push my way through the workers and guards that are standing around looking very fucking nervous. Good, they fucking should be. Where are her guards?

“Why is my mate on the ground fucking bleeding?” Deacon murmurs harshly, kneeling down beside her to check her pulse. “Oh fuck.” He whispers and pulls her against his chest. “What the fuck happened? How did my mate get here?”

Russell and Paul step up and blink down at the woman before looking at me. “She was taken. We’ve sent guards out everywhere. It makes no sense… We were paying, we dined out on the patio. We stepped inside to find Angela… She went to the restroom… We found Margaret guarding the door with a smile on her face, Angela’s blood on her hands. She tried to shoot and attack us. Paul shot her in the shoulder then she screamed, flipped out, and tried shooting the patrons and workers. So he tackled her… too hard… the gun went off and clipped her in the head. And she’s, well.” He waves his hand to her and shrugs. “Dead.”

“Where. Is. Angela.” I grunt out and they shrink back.

“There are no exit points in the restroom... Cameras are clear. She never came out of the bathroom. It makes no fucking sense, but she’s just… vanished.”

I glare down at Deacon and stalk over to him, wrapping my hand around his neck. “You will find Angela, or you’ll be put into the ground right next to your fucking psycho mate. I knew something was off with her, but trying to kill my mate? Shooting up the restaurant?” I shake my head with a sad laugh. “This is all on you. You obviously knew something was up with her, and you’ve made your bed. If anything happens to Angela… no one here will be able to save you. No one will save any of you.”

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