CHAPTER V

The people in the room are nothing like cops like I had imagined. In fact, it is just mom, Mr. Harry and two other people in the room. It is really a relief to know it is not the police but the stare and tension emanating from them does nothing to calm me. I might as well crawl inside my skin.

"Great to join us Lyka." Mr. Harry addresses breaking the silence.

"We are all here Gabriel. Get on with it already." The light brown haired man demands impatiently. The wrinkles around his eyes give him an approximate of forty years.

Gabriel.

First it was mom and now this man. Is Gabriel, Mr. Harry's middle name? I stare at Mr. Harry with confusion. What the hell is going on?

"Patience Marco." Mr. Harry replies in an authoritative firm voice.

"Time is what we don't have if you didn't realise." Marco scowls. The blonde woman on his sides touches his thigh softly like to calm him down.

"Can we get this started?" The woman says gazing at me. Mr Harry nods before he clears his throat. I look at mom to find her gaze fixed on anything and me.

"Sit down Lyka, please." Mr. Harry asks. I walk slowly until I settle on the couch at the other end of the room.

"The alpha is dead."

He announces when I settle down. No one flinches at the announcement. Isn't death supposed to scare people or something? Everyone looks so calm like it is the most normal thing around here.

Julian is dead and not some freaking Alpha. Are we on the same page about things here? My brows crease in more confusion.

"We are yet to find out who did this tragic thing. News are out about her successor which means Lyka's life is in jeopardy." Mr. Harry adds.

"What?" I yelp.

All eyes in the room turn to me. I shoot up from my seat. Apparently, I have no clue whatever is going on.

"Lyka dear." Mom murmurs a plea.

"I don't understand. My friend was killed before my own eyes. Why are you talking about some goddamn alpha?" I mutter.

"You tell her to sit down." Marco hisses.

I glare. What is his problem? Does he think he is the boss of everyone here?

"Sit down Lyka." Mr. Harry orders in a hard tone.

I ignore him. Is someone going to tell me what is going on?

"I said sit back down." Gabriel commands.

His command pierces through my ears to my brain. His command and glare did not look like something I wanted to take lightly. I settle back down annoyed. Who they all think they are ordering me around like some six year old? I cross my arms over my chest rebelliously.

"The enemy is at our door. We are running out of time." The blonde lady addresses.

"We must be ready for the lunar eclipse which means we must find whoever this person or people are." Mr Harry says.

"Don't you think it's Lloyd's or Marcel's work?" The blonde woman I don't know yet asks.

"I don't think so Ethel. Lloyd and Marcel have been loyal to us from the start." Mr. Harry replies.

I have always thought of myself as a really smart person. With the conversation going on around me, I can't seem to put it all together. It doesn't make sense whatever they are saying.

"And what has this whole thing got to do with me?"

My question gains all their attention. Finally. I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

I don't know how I am not shrinking with all the stares thrown my way.

"Everything Lyka." Mr Harry replies in a firm tone almost like he is pissed at my question.

"What? Are you serious right now? I don't even know what you people are talking about." I glare at him.

"Really Gabriel? Is this what we are going to deal with?" Marco spits with distaste.

One thing I have established in the last minutes I have been in this room. Gabriel is totally Mr. Harry's middle name. Marco is an asshole. I don't like him.

"Marco!" Mom glares.

Gabriel has his own glare thrown at Marco.

"Will you tell her already so we can get this over with?" Marco growls impatiently.

"I agree with Marco. The sooner, the better." Ethel adds.

The room falls silent for a second before Mr. Harry breaks the silence once again.

"Olivia is not your real mother, Lyka."

Silence.

Did I get that straight? The woman I have known my entire life is not my mother. This is got to be some sick joke. On a cue, I let out a dry humourless laugh but I stop as soon as I start when no one follows along.

I gaze at everyone in the room. Marco looks unbothered. Gabriel holds a hard stare while mom does everything to avoid my eyes.

"Mom.."

My voice is on the edge but there is no way Gabriel is right. Mom zeroes her hazel eyes on mine.

"Mom, tell me that is not true. I am your daughter. Tell them mom..." My voice is gruff but I don't care. I want to prove these people wrong.

"I am sorry Lyka. Whatever Gabriel said is true."

My heart breaks to a thousand shudders.

"That is not true and you know it. Are these people black mailing you?" I scowl.

"It is nothing like that my dear. I can explain."

There is no way she is not my mother. Just no freaking way. I rise up from my seat ignoring the blood whooshing in my ears or how my heart is pounding against my chest.

"Calm down Lyka." Mr. Harry mutters.

"Have you been lying to me this whole time?" I snap.

Marco huffs at the drama unraveling around him. I ignore him feeling myself get angrier by each ticking second

"Ly.."

"Don't! If you are not my mom, then who is my mom?" I bellow ignoring her flinch at my tone. She stares dumbfounded.

"Is someone going to tell her or should I?" Marco interjects. Gosh, I despise him.

"Marco." Gabriel sneers.

Marco shrugs unaffected by his glare.

"Lyka, your real mother is the alpha of this pack. Evanna Whitrow is your real mother and she is dead."

Alpha. Pack. Evanna Whitrow. Dead.

"My mom is not dead. She's alive." I yell.

"Will someone get her in check or are we going to yell at each other?" Marco snarls.

My glare does nothing to scare him. He glares back.

"Say something mom." I plead.

Mom watches me helplessly. I don't know when I start crying until the first tears flow down my cheeks.

"It's okay Lyka. It's true. Everything they are saying is true."

My heart tatters in my chest. The breath hitches in my lungs. The confession makes me suffocate. Weak in my knees, I fall back into my seat.

"Lyka..."

I pry her hands off me when she reaches to catch me. Eyes full of hurt, she steps away.

"How is this possible?" I ask when I breathe again.

"Your mother did this for you. Evanna hid you from the world for your safety. She did this to save you Lyka." Ethel explains.

"You have enemies. We have enemies. They want to kill you. What happened to your friend at the party was just a beginning." Gabriel explains.

They explain like it is the most sensible thing in the world.

"Evanna had to give you to Olivia when you were so young so that no one would hurt you." Gabriel elaborates.

I want to make sense of what he is saying but I can't come up with one reason I should believe his words. People want to kill me. I haven't even done anything to anyone. This is madness. I can't believe these people.

"What are you people?" I frown angry.

"We are werewolves sweetie." Ethel replies in a duh tone.

Werewolves!

"Do you need to be that blunt Ethel?" Mom glares.

"She would get to know eventually. I am making it quicker." Ethel rolls her eyes.

"Excuse me."

I run out of the room as fast as my legs can take me. I don't care where I go but I want to be as faraway as possible from these people as I can.

I hear my mom's voice call after me but I ignore her. I run for the exit. When I spot a large mahogany door with engravings and a head of a werewolf, that is my cue to escape.

Werewolf.

I can't get the word out of my head. I am no monster. My mind is just playing tricks with me.

I run outside before a pair of hands pry me back inside with force. They might be strong but with the need to escape, I fight for my freedom.

"Get her back inside." One of my captors demands. When I try my judo skills, the force on my body is doubled. When the light slowly disappears from my eyes, I know I have lost.

I stop resisting and a loud sob follows through. The next I feel is a sting on my neck before Gabriel orders.

"Get her back to her room."

Before I let out a protest, the darkness envelopes me.