Chapter Forty- Two
James POV
There were times in my life when I usually wondered if Michael was favored by the universe itself. He was my father's favorite, even though he never accepted it. He also got away with things that commonly, I did not.
I remembered Linda's hands sliding in my hair, taking their place to do their final work. And I remembered how I took in the comfort and peace that her touch provided. Even though I knew very well that soon enough, her hands would be the very reason for my death. In just a few seconds, I knew that she was going to snap my head.
Her last words felt like a closure. Making me accept my fate. It allowed myself and my wolf to calm down to let go of ourselves in the darkness of death.
But then something unexpected happened.
I heard their voices and felt their alpha aura, even before they entered.
My eyes darted towards the entrance of the hidden passageway but even before somebody moved or anything could happen, Linda moved.
Linda's hands slid away from my neck. One of her hands came down on my mouth and covered it. Her breath hit my ear, and she spoke in a deadly, cold voice.
“Don't try to struggle or scream, James. Come with me, quietly. Or else, you know that your life is still in my hands. And don't try to play any tricks. You would not be able to kill me with your hands tied behind your back.” She whispered.
Not wasting any time on waiting for my reply, she literally hauled me up and dragged me into the darkness.
I only managed to get a glimpse of the whole Alpha Council but for not long. However, I did manage to get a look who was leading them, Alpha Elijah. His eyes darted around the place to look for Michael and me, but I was far gone from him and the rest of them.
Linda's master had vanished somewhere, like in the air.
He only found Michael, and my vision was cut off when I was pulled inside another darker section.
One that I did not... recognize?
Linda was taking me inside a black hole in the wall. Which was some sort of another hidden way that led somewhere.
The realization hit me like a brick. The hidden passageway was not the only hidden place. In fact, it had another hidden way that led somewhere.
But out of nowhere, another question struck me like lightning.
How did Linda know about it?
She was never shown the hidden passageway, less than another way inside it. Especially the one that even I did not know about. My mind drifted off to Michael's and Dad's side.
Did dad build it?
Did Michael know about it?
If yes, then why didn't he say anything before?
Especially after he had asked me to come here? No.
He possibly could not know about it?
How can he?
We were never allowed to visit this place. Only a year or so ago, we were told and shown this way. So it's not possible. Unless, our father favored him like he always did and told him about it.
My thoughts jumped from one to another in mere seconds, and yet, somehow, I was able to keep myself in touch with the reality.
Linda's small figure guided me the way into the darkness.
The smell of mud and soil was stronger here. The warmth and humidity had also increased by a degree. My hands were tied behind my back and yet, I can feel that the walls of the caves that Linda was dragging me in, was wet.
Not completely but to a certain degree.
It was pitch black here and the ground beneath our feet was uneven and yet Linda guided me like it was not so dark and the ground was even beneath our feet.
Now that I was paying more attention to her, I realized how firm her grip was. Even though I was shackled, I was still an alpha. And one of the strongest one.
Although at the moment, I was feeling anything but.
Linda had a deceptively small frame that undermines the power she carried in her arms. How she managed to hide her strength was beyond me. Even when we had sex she somehow managed to hide her strength even when she was high on pleasure and had no control over her mind.
How did she manage it all the time?
“Stop staring at me?” Linda growled in a low voice. For less than a second her eyes met mine, but she looked away. For a moment, I forgot everything and smirked at her reaction to my stare but then I immediately sobered. Her grip turned more hard and she yanked me.
“So? A hunter right?” I mocked her.
“Shut up. Or I will seal your mouth the first thing after I get out of here.” She snapped. I ignored her threat. Things could not get any worse, anyway.
“Why did you do it? Why are you after us? Not just me and Michael but our whole clan. A clan that you and your little hunter friends almost eradicated. Or maybe completely eradicated. I don't know.” I questioned her again. But she ignored me.
“How did you manage to hide your real identity from us?” I prompted her. I was going to die anyway. Might as well get the answers out of her.
But she did not as much as spared me a glance this time.
“And if you were a hunter all along then what was the first time when those guys were chasing you? Why could not you save yourself from them?” I kept questioning.
“What happened back then? Did you lose your powers back then, or it was staged as well?” I asked her. She did not look at me at all, not even a single reaction. So I continued.
“You know, for someone who pretended that we raped her, you are a real bitch.” I spat the words. This time, Linda did stop. She halted in her steps and shot me one of her darkest glare. She grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked me down. Now, face to face with her, she looked me in the eyes and spoke with malice in her voice.
“Keep on trying, James. Your little tricks had never worked on me before, so it definitely won't work now. And about the bitch part. Yes, you have no idea what it means to be a bitch. And if I ever come to become a real bitch you think I am, then you will beg on your knees with your nose rubbing on the ground.” I heard her every word and soaked in the meaning of it. By the looks of her, it was obvious that she was not kidding.
“Now shut up and follow me without being the nuisance that you are.” She said and started to drag me with her again. Not looking back once.
For some reason, her words did shut me up. Her words made go blank, and I followed her without nagging her. Just like she wanted me to.