Chapter 6

Liz POV

My eyes feel heavy as I try to open them, and a subtle beeping noise is in the background.  I squint against the harsh light of the bright white room, trying to make my eyes come into focus.  

I open my mouth to yawn, and a pain shoots through my jaw.  I raise my hand to touch my face, and I realize it is swollen and painful to the touch.  

The blurriness in my eyes subsides, and the world comes into view.  I am in a bright white room with wires and tubes connected to my arms, chest, and legs.  Gingerly, I try to sit up in the bed, but a strong hand lays me back down. 

“It is nice to see you awake, Luna,” a soft voice says to me.  

I look to my right and see a doctor standing beside the machine, watching my vitals. 

“Where am I?” I ask stupidly.  

“You are in the hospital,” the doctor says with a kind smile.  “Alpha Deimos got you here just in time.”  

I try to shake the fuzziness from my brain.  I thought I just heard the doctor say Deimos brought me to the hospital.  Why would he do that? Wouldn’t it get rid of his hated spy for him if I died conveniently? 

“What happened?” I ask as I try to recall the events that led me to this point.  

The last thing I remember is Deimos scooping me into his arms before everything went blank.  

“You seemed to have a rather nasty run-in with the head Omega of the pack house,” the doctor reminds me.  “You have several broken ribs and a fair amount of stitches on your cheek.”  

“Deimos brought me here?”  I ask in confusion.  I still do not understand why he would bring me here when he knows I am a spy.  

“He just left,” the doctor replies.  “He refused to leave your side until you were stable.”  

A snort of laughter escapes my lips.  “You must be mistaken.”  

“I promise you, Luna, I am not.” 

Suddenly, the door of my hospital room flies open and I see Nico standing in the doorway with a very irritated look on his face.  I shrink down in the bed, feeling like a child who is about to be scolded.  

“Leave us,” Nico commands the doctor.  

The doctor rolls his shoulders back and lifts his chin.  “She needs her rest.”  

Nico refuses to leave the room.  A growl fills the room, and the doctor’s shoulders slump over.  “I said for you to leave us.”  

The doctor gives me an apologetic look before he scurries from the room.  The air around me feels too thin under Nico’s merciless gaze.  I don’t know what I have done to upset him, but he is clearly irritated with me.  

“You lied to me,” Nico growls.  

‘What?”  I respond.  

“Let’s try this again,” Nico’s voice is harsh and terrifying.  “You lied to me.”  

My mouth becomes abnormally dry, and I try to swallow.  “I don’t understand.” 

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now?” Nico growls.  

Tears fill my eyes because I have no idea what he is talking about.  “What did I do?”  

“You fed me false information,” Nico snarls.  

“I didn’t,” I cry.  “I told you exactly what I heard from Deimos’s phone call.  There was to be a convoy tomorrow at noon.”  

“That was an hour ago,” Nico says angrily.  “And guess what?  There was no convoy.” 

“You must be mistaken.”  The words rush from my mouth.  “I know what I heard.  I told you everything.”  

Then a sense of dread washes over me.  That convoy was headed for my family.  “My family… Are they okay?” 

“Do you think your family matters anymore?”  Nico laughs evilly.  “You didn’t uphold the part of your deal.”  

“But I did,” I plead as I try to sit up.  “I reported to you just as you asked. Where is my father’s convoy now?!”  

“I wonder who you would miss the most.”  An evil grin spreads over Nico’s lips.  “Would it be your little brother, Phineas, or perhaps your sister, Belle?  Or maybe your mother and father should be the first to go.”  

“Please,” I beg.  “I had told you everything I knew.  Maybe Deimos changed his plans last minute.”  

“If he had changed his plans last minute, it was your job to find that out,” Nico sneers.  

“I have been in the hospital,” I cry.  “How could I?”  

“That feels like your problem,” Nico chuckles.  “Now tell me.  Who’s life do I take first?”  

“You were supposed to protect my family,” I raise my voice.  “Now you are threatening them.”  

“I get what I want by any means necessary,” Nico reminds me.  

Tears begin to stream down my cheeks.  I finally realize what is happening.  I am in a losing game.  There is no way for me to win.  My family will be in danger no matter what I do.  

Nico’s phone rings in his pocket.  He looks at the caller ID before disappearing into the bathroom.  

I strain my ears to hear what he is saying.  His voice is low as he speaks to whoever is on the other end of the call.  I know he doesn’t think I can hear him without a wolf.  But little does he know, I used to have a wolf.  When I was younger, she lived inside my mind, guiding me through the hardest parts of my life.  Then one day, she was gone.  Not a day goes by that I do not miss her. 

“No,” I hear Nico groan.  “The information we were given was wrong.  No matter, we will have another chance at the convoy.” 

There is a long pause before Nico speaks again.  “It turns out my newest spy is as useless as the last.  She will have to be disposed of.”  

What did I do?! I gave Nico the information on my family’s convoy, and he is after them, too! Just like his evil son!

Panic rises in my chest. I have been wrong. I thought Nico would help me against the devil, but he is actually as bad as Deimos, or maybe more!

I try to compose myself when I hear the door to the bathroom open, but I know the look of fear is still etched into my face.  I look down at my hands, trying to hide my face from Nico.  

“This conversation isn’t over,” Nico growls as he walks out of the hospital room.  

I twist the edge of the blanket in my hands, trying to calm my nerves.  I try to formulate a new plan.  I need to get in touch with my family and warn them of Nico’s plans.  They deserve that much since I have failed them.

My hospital door swings open again, and the scent of Applewood fills the air.  I let out an uneasy sigh as Deimos walks to the edge of my bed.  I need to come clean and tell him the truth.  He might be the only person who can save my family and possibly me.  I need to take advantage of the conflict between him and his father.

Deimos puts two fingers under my chin, and a spark of electricity spreads across my skin.  He lifts my face so our eyes meet.  “You betrayed me, Princess.”