Chapter 104
1369words
"I was thinking about something while I was in the shower," Jean said over breakfast, and I froze, before slowly reaching for some jam. Jean in the shower only made me think of one thing and I was terrified about the dimensions my thoughts were starting to take where Jean was considered. I heard my wolf snicker and I simply shook my head,
"Tell me," I said, looking up at him. He had his head tilted with a smile playing on his lips, and I wondered if he knew what was going on inside of my head.
"Well. It's not any of that. I don’t need to be in a shower to think of you that way." he said and I had to fight off the urge to hide my face behind my hands,
"don't do this to me," I said and he chuckled,
"alright then," he said and became somber once more. I suddenly missed the sight of him laughing, "so I was thinking, perhaps I could put some of my pride and rivalry aside, and partner with Paris."
I blinked in confusion, "partner with Paris? For what?"
"to find whoever hurt you. Obviously, it's someone from his end. I can make calls and try to get as much information as I can, but nothing will be as good as being inside the thick of it all. Working from within. I don't doubt that Paris will do his best to try to know, but if it's what we believe and the problem is occurring from his own end, then there's a good chance that emotions are going to get in the way. We can't afford that."
"Partnering with Paris." I said, sitting on the idea, and I shook my head, "I don’t think I like it, Jean."
"I know. I know, but hear me out. I need to know who did this. The extent to which this person has gone to elude discovery is a bit daunting. We just can't let it slide."
"I'm not trying to let it slide. But to partner with Paris. You of all people partnering with him can be misconstrued. I don't want him to have the wrong message, you know."
"I'm not asking you to put your hurt or anger aside. That would be completely unfair. But let me do that. Let me put my pride and anger aside and do this for you. It's important to me."
I reached over and took his hand in mine, "and it matters to me the extent you would go to keep me safe. But I worry how it will end. I worry at the idea of Paris getting closer. I don't want that."
"Em, there is only so much I can do from where I'm standing," he said weakly and I nodded,
"Then we'll do the best we can, however, that may end up. But I don't want anything that brings me closer to Paris. Or even you. Please, jean. Leave it alone."
"You are asking for too much," he said quietly and I smiled,
"I know. But I'm obliged since it's me we are talking about here." Jean only shook his head,
"and if it helps, I really do think it was Kate who did this. If she's the one, then of course she would go to any extent to not get caught. Not when getting caught meant Paris seeing her for the witch that she actually is."
"but when you consider all that she's done to hide her true nature, one must wonder why she is going through so much to cause havoc."
"hatred makes people do the worst kind of things. Then, they must also do a follow-up of terrible things to hide their tracks."
"you have her pegged."
"She came into our lives while Paris and I were still in love. I watched her take him from me by painting me black and doing some other terrible things to hide the fact that she was trying to paint me black. I know her true and true. This thing that just happened has her written all over it. Only, I think she's only becoming more and more dark."
"or perhaps she's always had all those dark parts and she is finally tapping into it."
"Perhaps. "I said and heaved out a breath,
"So you don’t think his sister has something to do with this?"
"Christina?" I asked, and he nodded, "she might be helping her. Must have linked her up with the right security guards and the person who would tamper with the security cameras. "
Jean nodded but said nothing. I felt sad that he was only trying to help the best way he knew how. But I was too busy trying to run from the demons that action would evoke to try to change my mind.
PARIS's POV
"What the hell is the meaning of this?" Jackson said, staring at the mangled body with the same irritation and horror as I had,
"the work of a pack member, I presume." I had long since gotten over my squirminess, but the thought of someone close committing such an atrocity still left me ill at ease. I mean, I knew the guy wasn't completely free of wrong, but this wasn't how we punished wrongs in this pack.
The person had no business meeting this kind of justice.
"all to avoid being caught in their wrong?" Jackson asked and began covering up the body,
"I thought it was my mother. But this doesn’t look like my mother's way. She can be mean, but she's very bold about it. She doesn’t have to do this. If she had arranged for those men to hurt Ember, she would have said so, and told me she thought she deserved it. But this is a hit-and-run. This is way too much running." I said and shook my head.
"It's more than just hurting Ember now, you realize? This goes to show that there are people in our security who cannot be trusted. There is a breach. I'm working on that. I've gotten some men to keep Ember safe. All though they are doing it from afar. Not sure she would like the idea of you getting people to watch her."
"I don't think so either. But it was a good idea. Thanks." I said, and when he was done covering up the hole, we both walked back to the clearing.
"so what do we do now?" he asked, and I looked around the clearing,
"there was a different scent the first time I got here. But I was too stuck on finding this guy that I ignored it. I'll see if I can take it before heading back."
"alright." he said, and handed me a parcel he had been holding on to, "before I forget."
"what's this?"
"some information about your sister that I found. I think you might be interested."
"Christina." I said and opened up the parcel, got out a piece of paper that showed some recent flight bookings, "Kigali?" I asked and he nodded.
~~~~
I didn't go very far with the other scent, but I think it's because my mind kept circling and coming back to my sister.
Kigali was all the way in Africa and was very very far, but I took the first flight I could get and booked a space in the hotel Jackson's papers told me she would be at.
It took a whole day after my arrival before I finally caught sight of her, and even then I did not go to her immediately. I just sat where I was and watched her interact with who she interacted with.
She looked happy, content, and not at all like someone who had run away from being imprisoned. At the very least, I guess my theory that my mother was funding her lifestyle had been proven.
And when she sat down to - I suppose- wait for someone, I decided that it was time for a sibling reunion.
"Christina," I said and watched as she turned to me in surprise. Watched as the fear turned from surprise to fear, and then the fear cooled into disdain.
"Brother."
