The Secret One

21

Chapter 21

The crackling of the fireplace can be heard while everyone is chatting. Today marks one year since Jake found me in the woods. I have on a thin sweater because the house is chilly. Brock comes in from the front door, looking worried. He dodges everyone when they try to talk to him. He grabs my wrist and pulls me into the office. Jake follows as well due to him being beside me.

Brock says nothing but holds up a piece of paper between his pointer and middle finger: my face drops, and Jake growls. "I didn't read it. I came straight here after I found it on the tree," Brock says while handing me the piece of paper. It hasn't even been a whole week of my pack, and I am on the Blood Moon land and already getting a note. Waylen works fast. I unfolded the piece of paper.

*You are back. Watch your back*

"Is Sloan still here?" I ask, remembering my old bodyguard. "He actually found his mate and went to live with her," Jake tells me. I swallow and smile knowing he found peace. Everything from my past comes crashing back down. Being gone I was just worried about keeping my pack alive now I have to worry about Waylen again. It took him only a short time to realize I was back.

I look over at Jake. I crumble the paper in my hands and toss it into the trash. Waylen already killed Jewels; who is next? My pack is now on Blood Moon land, with more people to kill. "What are we going to do?" I ask Jake. He runs his hand down his arm. "We send him a message. I never figured out how they were getting on my land. No one ever came forth either," that's all Jake said. "A message? That will do nothing to him,"

"Meaning, show up in person," Jake clarified for me. My face shows horror on it before I even said anything. Brock steps closer to me and places his hand on my shoulder. "We can not do that!" I yell at him. "I can. Not you. I believe he doesn't know we are mates yet, anyway," Jake stated, brushing off the broken hand from my body. "He knows. He wouldn't have killed Jewels if he didn't," I close my eyes and take a deep breath in. Jake is realizing it as well.

"I can go," Brock says, breaking the silence. My breathing hitched at the thought of my pack member attending the Dark Shadow Pack. "I can. I am in the Silver Heart pack. Not the Blood Moon pack. So I smell different. I am not even smelling like Ruth. Waylen will have yet to learn who I am. I should only be gone for three days. Not even that," Brock explains why he needs to go. "If that is the case, more of my pack can go with you to be safe. Travel in numbers," I say, encouraging him to bring someone.

Shaking his head, "Traveling with more people, in my opinion, will make it harder because if I die. It is one life, not many," stating the truth as he speaks. I nod my head, yes, agreeing with him. It saddens me because he is the fourth person to join my pack. Losing him will be hard. "I will leave tonight," Brock says as soon as Jason and Storm walk in, looking worried.

"Why will you be leaving tonight?" Storm asks, coming from a beta point of view. "He volunteered to go to Waylen's pack to send a message in person," Jake tells the betas in the room. Both of their faces fall. "You are crazy. The things Ruth has told us about that pack. That is a death wish!" Jason confronts Brock about his decision. Jason is right. Being in the pack for a long time, I know how they treat invaders. Either kill them off instantly or torture and eat them. Waylen is not a nice man. He uses power to make people think he is strong.

"I will take that risk," Brock whispers, knowing there is a chance he will lose his life tonight or tomorrow. I wrap my arms around him and feel the others in the room do the same thing. The hug doesn't last long. We all break apart.

"I will go pack a small bag. If I don't make it back in three days, all my things belong to you," Brock says, leaving everything to me. I swipe the tear going down my face and nod my head, not trusting my voice.