Steel: The Transformation

Chapter 44

Chapter 44 

Alec POV

We walked over the van, the grass was wet with dew and the morning light still soft. It was a good time to go out, I looked up at the sky, it was still early so we shouldn't be disturbed by anyone.

"Hop in," Tim said, a grime tone in his voice. I looked over at him and nodded. I could tell that the wolves were on edge. I needed to keep them calm if we were going to be successful.

The silence laid thick across the van as we waited for Cleo and Jackson. I started listening intently, not switching into Basati but enough to hear all the sounds of her house.

"I know this might seem really petty." I heard Jackson's voice as it floated down from upstairs. I felt a knot tie in my stomach. I really hoped he wouldn't say something that would upset her. She didn't need those distractions right now.

Jackson continued speaking, "I just feel like it's strange how much Alec knows about the Hunters. He seems so certain of what will happen. How can he know that they will keep Wyhatt alive? Doesn't it seem strange to you that he knows so much about them?" When he finished his rant, she didn't speak. I felt a storm of emotions go through me, I had to stop myself from using our mind link. I wanted so badly to show her how wrong he was. But that wouldn't help her right now, it would only show that I had been listening in to their conversation.

I heard Jackson continue, "Do you really trust him?"

I had to control my impulse to go up there and punch him. Of course he would say something like that to her, but he really had picked the worst possible opportunity to do so.

"I don't think you understand," her voice was soft as she spoke. "I don't think you understand how completely I trust him." I could hear a fierceness in her voice. My chest swelled with pride. I was doing a good job as her mentor. She trusted me.

Her voice rose as she continued, "He means so much to me and he has helped me so much! He's my mentor!"

"Are you sure that's all it is?" Jackson countered. A silence fell and I was hanging on to every word of the conversation. A small tickle spread through my stomach as I waited for her answer.

"Are you sure that him being your mentor is all that there is?" Jackson asked the question again when she didn't answer.

"I'm not sure." Her words were so soft and faint that I didn't know if I had heard them correctly.

"We have to focus on Wyhatt right now," her words spoken loud and clear indicated that their conversation was over. As I heard their footsteps as they were coming down the stairs, my mind was mix of emotions. I could feel happiness winning over them all, but I had to force that down. It was not the time or the place to think about this now. I felt my hands shake when I realised the predicament I was in. I stared out of the window of the van, not wanting Cleo to see my face as she stepped in. I tried to wrestle my conflicted thoughts in to some order or at least silence them for the time being.

Cleo and Jackson got into the van. He looked shaken by their conversation. I listened intently the Cleo's heartbeat, it was hammering hard. I didn't know if it was because of the anticipation for going into the woods or if it was because Jackson had just confronted her.

"Ready?" Adrian asked, one hand on the steering wheel and the other clamped around the keys.

"Yes, let's go." Cleo's voice was steady. I could sense how she was trying to calm herself down.

As we drove in silence, my mind started to focus on the mission in front of us. We just needed to find out where they were holding him. Once we knew that it would be easy to plan how to rescue him without Cleo getting hurt. I felt guilt build up within me, first of all I was her mentor and I had allowed her to come along. I was meant to keep her away from Hunters not take her to them. I grabbed the handle of my knife, doubting my actions over the last twenty-four hours. I should focus on being her mentor, that is the most important thing. But then again, there was no way I would have been able to say no to her. She would have come on this mission no matter what I had to say about it.