Page 82 of Midnight Moon
Were they the ones who stole something from them?
“It is best if you do not know the details,” my father said, rising from the bed. He walked to his suitcase and began pulling out clothes.
Red flooded my vision.
I stomped over and wedged myself between him and the luggage, forcing him to give me his attention. “I’m the future alpha, and I’m the one who was just attacked! You didn’t even bother to ask if I was okay.” I crossed my arms, hoping to hide how they shuddered. “I deserve to know what is going on.”
My father moved around me and proceeded to lay his clothes on the bed.
I didn’t think he was going to answer, but then he said, “Rabid shifters have infiltrated our territory. The most recent sighting occurred on Patrick Yates’ land. Nathan, the council, and I have been keeping it from the rest of the pack, but I fear it won’t be long until the secret gets out.” He ran his hand over the shirt he placed on the bed, removing invisible wrinkles.
My anger deflated, replaced by shock as I connected the dots. “You think someone in our pack is creating rabid shifters?”
My father exhaled. He turned and, once again, sat on the edge of the bed. His head tilted back. “I did, but that was before you told me about the sorcerers. Now, I fear they are behind our rabid shifter problem.”
I thought the same.
“But why?” I asked, sitting next to him on the bed. “What did our pack do to them?”
My father’s sudden chattiness dried up like a pond in the middle of a drought. “No idea.”
Immediately, I knew that wasn’t true.
My father rarely lied, but when he did, his left eye always twitched.
I watched his telling eyelid. Lowering my voice, I begged, “Please don’t lie to me, Dad.”
Something big was going on. I could feel it. And I knew he was the only one who could give me the answers I sought.
“I’ve already told you about the rabid shifters,” he said, standing and gathering his clothes, “and I believe it goes without saying, but you mustn’t say anything to Hunter or Stephanie. We don’t want word to get out and lose the upper hand.”
His strategy was nearly identical to Asher’s: keep quiet so the culprits could be caught in the act.
Except, no culprit had been caught by either party.
My instinct screamed that nothing good would come from our continued secrecy.
My father moved towards the door. Before he could leave, I knew there was one more thing I needed to ask him.
“Dad, the sorcerer called me ‘daughter of the Moon Goddess’. Does that mean anything to you?”
His steps faltered, and I watched the color drain from his face.
My father turned his neck and stared at me. He tried to hide his panic, but it was too late. I saw it.
“No,” he replied evenly, doing his best to sound unbothered by my question, but I wasn’t fooled.
“Liar.” I pushed off the bed and moved until I stood right in front of him. I willed determination to shine in my eyes. “Dad, the Wilds shifters know about the attacks, and they know what the sorcerer called me. This situation won’t be a secret for long, and answers will be needed. I don’t want to be the last to know what the hell is going on. Tell me: why would the sorcerers create rabid shifters in our territory? Why would they attack us in the Alpha Games? There’s a story here, and I want to know what it is.”
For a split second, I really thought my father would treat me as an equal and tell me the truth, but my short rant had the opposite effect.
My father’s face shuttered, once again hiding his thoughts and emotions. “Go to sleep, Blair. You need to rest after today’s ordeal.”
I reared back like he struck me. I gaped at him. “Are you serious?” In what world did he think I would be able to sleep after this?
Using the alpha voice he wielded when ordering around our pack, my father replied, “Yes. Rest, and I will tell you everything in the morning.”
My budding objection died on my lips. I narrowed my eyes as I weighed my options. I could argue and risk angering him to the point where he decided not to tell me anything, or I could acquiesce and pick up our conversation in the morning.
