WinterMoor

~Chapter Eighteen~

"And you don't remember anything?" Layton asked the man.

"No. I remember they came at night, at I tried to get up but they put something over my mouth and nose and it just went dark. I woke up in the cave. I wasn't told anything." He explained quickly. His infected wounds were being seen to.

"He's telling the truth." Layton had called in an oracle to judge him. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't trying to spy.

"You may go. Thank you." He told the oracle. "This is WinterMoor. I'm alpha Layton and this is my mate Lexi." He said in buisness mode.

"Wait..what? I'm in WinterMoor..?" He asked, frowning. He looked genuinely confused.

"Yes." Layton told him. "You are?"

"Um.. Hunter Preistly. I'm from StoneCoast." He explained quickly. "Alpha. Luna." He added.

"Very well.. did you know the other people? The deceased that were in the cave?" Layton asked.

"No. They were awake when I woke up. I don't think I was suppost be alive." He admitted.

"No. I think you're lucky to be alive. The DNA extracted from the bodies showed that you were all from different packs. From the cuts that you've got, and the cuts that they had.. we think they were trying to get something from each of you. We don't know what... Yet. I think it's only fair you should know, and we'll update you when we know more." Layton explained.

"Can I go home?" He asked.

"I'm afraid not yet. We need to keep you here. For your own safety, we don't know what's going on yet and we don't know if they're going to take anyone else. They might even take you again. You're welcome to call your family and friends. I can make an exception of you like and they may visit but you cannot go home." He explained calmly.

"Okay... Um.. thank you." He said, and Layton nodding walking out of the room.

He walked back to the pack house and into the office where Lexi was sitting on his chair, looking through a large book.

"Layton, can you read Latin as well as speaking it?" She asked, not looking up from the book.

He closed the door and walked to the desk. "I might be able to." He told her, he picked her up and placed himself below her. "Which bit?"

"Anything." She told him.

He looked over some of the words and  focused, following along the line with his finger. "It's talking about brewing something."

"Could you ready the context page for me?" She asked, flicking back to the start of the dusty old book.

"Can I ask what this is?"

"It's a book of potions and brewing... I think. I was trying to Google translate it but it wasn't really working." She explained, resting her head on his chest.

"I'll be your Google translate, baby." He told her, kissing her cheek. "Why are you looking at it?"

"I just think there's something not right about rogues extracting something from people from different packs. I don't know. I just..."  she trailed off.

"Page 4 is about witches, 6 is wizards, is there a difference apart from gender?" He asked and she laughed but told him to keep going. "Page 8 until 34 is spells. Page 35 is warnings."

"Is that it?" She asked.

"There's a glossary." He shurgged.

"I'm done for now." She told him putting the book down. He kissed the base of her shoulder.

"The ceremony is tommorrow. I can't wait." He started kissing her neck and she let him, turning her head to the side and stroking his arm.

"Stop, Layton." She told him, turning away from his attack and kissing him softly. "It's only a day." She told him.

"Hmmm... Then I get you to myself for two days... I don't think we're going to leave the room." He admitted smirking. "Well. I hope not."

"Layton." She exclaimed giggling.

"Let's go home. We didn't get to finish eating." He said, standing them both up. He looked at his watch and chuckled. It was 3am. "Oh. Maybe not to eat."

"It's very early. We should just go to bed." She told him and he nodded, holding her hand and walking out of the office. He locked the door and they walked back quietly.

The next morning, they both attended the brief and spent a few hours in the office, sorting through paperwork and documents that needed signing off.

Lexi stayed in the office, determined to translate the book she had been looking at last night using her phone. Layton went off onto the field, making sure the preparations for the ceremony were all in place. Hundreds of tbaled had been placed onto the main field, extra border patrol had been put into place and lights were being set up.

Lexi went outside to find him, locking the office for him and taking their phones. She went out onto the field, many pack members bowing their head to her and smiling and greeting her. She stood on the steps of the pack house, watching Layton order people around.

He didn't spot her and stood with his hands on his hips. She sneaked up behind him and hugged him from behind, making him smile.

"We need to pack an overnight bag for tonight, and make sure your dress fits." He told her. She frowned.

He turned around smirking.

"I don't have a dress." She told him, with a worried look.

"Yes you do." He told her, grinning.

"What have you done?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Nothing. You should have tried on your dress before you got it you know, very irresponsible." He started laughing.

"What dress?" She slapped his arm.

"Maybe you should have a look in your side of the wardrobe...?" He suggested.

They walked home, Lexi bouncing excitedly. He checked his phone a few times and was being a little suspicious but as soon as they got in, her surprise was revealed.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted as they entered the room. Her mum and sisters were there, Corey and a few girls that were around Lexi's age.

"So. As it's your ceremony I thought you could have a relaxing afternoon. This is Corey's sister Tyla and a few of her friends, Ashley and Rylee." He pointed everyone out. "You're all going to the spa for the faternoon and they're going to help you get ready." He explained and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Thank you." She hugged him and kissed his cheek before running off to greet the girls.

He chuckled, greeting Corey. "We're going to have a game of footie on the field, Lexi. Call me if you need me. Okay?" He asked and she nodded, saying goodbye to him. "I'll come back and get ready but I've moved everything I need into Corey's room so I don't interrupt. Be ready by 7." He told her, kissing her cheek and leaving her with the girls.