Page 59 of The Alpha and His Song: Volume One

I shot him a look saying, “Like I told my dad, I volunteered.” Channing grumbled, “Which our uncle knows and now he’s delaying us getting back to mate. Why is everyone such a cockblock now?” Uncle Heath nodded, “Yes, but since you turned fourteen, you’ve only gone out when Joe assigns you to go.”

I replied, “Well, things change.” Uncle Heath continued, “You even didn’t want to go too often because your girlfriend’s shrill crying that she wouldn’t know what to do when you left got to you. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want to hear that either. My ears are still ringing from last night.”

I shrugged, “Well, we broke up. I’ve kept up my skills, so I’ll be fine.” Uncle Heath smiled, “It’s good to see you being the man I always knew was in the shadow of that girl. You’re standing tall. I’ve missed seeing that in you. I like this new girl.” I told him, “I do too.”

Uncle Heath said, “I hear you’re going ice skating.” Channing huffed, “The timeline, Keaton. The timeline. That WARLOCK needs to PAY FOR WHAT HE DID TO MATE!” I nodded to my uncle saying, “Katie’s really excited about our date.” Uncle Heath smiled, “Good.” He slapped my shoulder, “Stay safe, Keaton.” I nodded, “I will.”

I flashed out of the house and made it to the airport in record time to get on the private jet. We took off within five minutes. I flipped open the file, knowing Andrew Lochard was a dead man. No one was going to hurt Odette and live. It felt good being back in my Silver Blade outfit in an official capacity. I felt more confident in myself than I had in a long time. I turned my attention back to the file ready to end the man who dared touch my mate.

Trust Issues

Odette stared at the computer asking her for the password. The cursor was mocking me with its blinking. I sighed, “This is ridiculous, Odette, just type in the password. You don’t have to answer Lux Vennox’s emails. You can just read them to find out if they somehow found your Lux already.”

I typed in my password and pulled up my email. I gasped seeing the fifty seven unread emails from Lux and Beatrice. I snorted, “I am not reading all of those.” It was a lie and I knew it. I was far too curious and to be honest, lonely.

I scanned the email titles. I clicked on the one that read PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE SAFE. Lux V was using all caps. The poor man might be having a heart attack or something. Don’t feel bad for him, Odette! He was going to capture you, because he’s mad at your mom.

Noxus and Caspian are going to be upset over the fact you were born. That’s what the man said. This is not a person we care about having a heart attack! What is wrong with you?! I tried not to be worried about Lux Vennox, but I really was.

I groaned, “I’m a glutton for punishment. I’m feeling bad for people who wanted to capture me and a guy who is stalking me. At least I didn’t throw myself at Lux V saying I’d be his friend. In fairness, I did just offer to be Justin’s friend. So, I have lines apparently.” I took a deep breath and started to read the email.

Katie,

Please answer to let us know if you are safe. I do not know why you left. Beatrice and I tried to find you but have failed so far. There is so much you don’t know about. You are in danger from things I cannot explain properly via email.

We tried to track your IP address, but it’s being blocked. I know Katie is not your real name. I need you to trust me just a little bit and tell me if you’re safe. Outside of that I can answer questions you must have. I would them if I were you.

Things just seem odd to you sometimes, don’t they? You feel things should be strange to you because they are to others, except they’re not. I can help you.

Lux Vennox

I sat back in my chair. Damn. Jarchi must be some kind of technological guy. Or he paid someone who was. Either way I was happy he’d done whatever was making me hard to find. I didn’t even think about them tracking me down from my emails.

Melanie would have found me from that though, but she was a technical genius; who was insanely good with computers. I again wondered what happened with the money I’d given her to invest. Even though my friend was young, she was brilliant. I shook those thoughts and hit reply.

Mr. Vennox,

I left because I heard you guys talking. You know my mother. When I say she will literally kill me if she finds out I’m looking for Lux, I’m serious. I mean my brother, not you. Then you said Noxus and Caspian would be upset with mom because of me.

Believe me when I say, I don’t want there to be a reason for my mom to be upset with me. Please don’t tell her we met and just leave me and my brother alone. If I’m being totally honest, we barely know our mother. Lux hasn’t had contact with her in eleven years.

Mom’s been mad at him for leaving her, saying he’s like everyone else. I don’t know what that means or honestly why mom cares that he left. Or why she considers his father filing for custody Lux leaving her. My brother’s dad was being a parent, something my mother knows nothing about.

I only see mom when I’ve made her mad or we are moving. Once we’ve landed in a new place she’s gone again. I don’t want to move again, I like it here. Please tell Noxus and Caspian I am sorry. I don’t know what my mom, or I, did to them.

As far as your other leading questions, well, I don’t question things anymore. That’s how you end up strapped to a bed where people don’t talk to you. They jab you with needles that burn. I won’t go back there. So, no I don’t have questions.

It seems silly to sign Katie when you know that isn’t my name.

I hit send before I could talk myself out of it. I clicked through some of their other emails. They were mostly asking if I was ok and asking why I left. A ding sounded and I felt like my heart was in my throat. I saw Mr. Vennox had already answered me.

Why did I want to read it? Why did I feel like I had a connection with this man? We didn’t have a connection. So, he had my brother's name. Leave it alone, Odette. Except I couldn’t. UGH! I clicked on the email. I sighed lamenting, “You are so dumb, Odette.”

Not Katie,

You heard us? You have quite good hearing then, don’t you? Out of curiosity, who is your father? Please know that you didn’t understand what you heard. We mean you no harm and only want to help you.

I do know your mother, quite well actually. We were very close as children. I do not speak to her anymore. That much I can promise you. I haven’t for quite some time. Let’s say she was admonished for her actions then fled and vanished.