Chapter 5: Operation: Throw out the mate

          The sun’s light directs on Sydney’s face, waking her up from her deep sleep. She was inside her Toyota Fortuner where she chose to spend her night. Still having hangovers, Sydney turned back, avoiding the morning sunshine meddling with her sweet sleep.

          Thinking of spending the whole day sleeping inside her car when she suddenly remembered Denise, where in the world was her arrogant friend staying? Or, did she even stay?

          Wearing a black floral lace top partnered with ripped jeans, her beige cardigan capped on her shoulders. She jumped out of the car and quickly went straight to the Rigidore’s parking area, backgrounded by the sound of her stilettos hitting the ground. But arriving at the possible place, she didn’t see Denise and her beloved black mamba, not even a trace of their shadows. ‘They literally left me!’ she shouted out of frustration in her mind.

            

          Feeling so betrayed, she kicked the can of soda left along the road with annoyance. “She told me to accompany her ‘cause she got a letter from Claveria and it’s a great problem and bla bla bla then here she is, leaving me alone in this parking lot! I swear if I’ll gonna see you again, I’ll tear you into pieces, Denise Soleil Shadowstone!”

          Going back inside her car, she quickly started the engine amidst her headaches and irritability caused by a hangover. She needs to find her friend and slap her exactly at three hundred and sixty degrees!

         On the way back to their apartment, she almost yelled at the driver in front of her, thanks to this life-changing traffic jam. “So great!” she shrieked and hardly slapped the steering wheel in front of her, Sydney is an impatient lady. Especially when she just woke up with the cracking aftereffects of too much liquor drinking. 

          Hours passed by until she finally gets out of the gridlock. Boosting her full speed to where she thought Denise was. Arriving at the gate, she noticed something.

          There was no trace nor scent of her here, she’s definitely not here. Sydney stepped in, directed to the apartment’s neatly trimmed lawn. Suddenly, a phone call rang as she gripped her purse.

“Yes?” she started.

Behind the line was a baritone voice from someone of unregistered number. “You’re looking for someone?”

          With that suspicious call, she creased her forehead. “Who is this?”

“Cairo Village, block seven. Get her out of here before he comes back.” The mysterious caller hung up, leaving Sydney still speechless. ‘What in the world is happening?’ she whispered inside her mind.

          In a second, she found herself back in her Fortuner driving the vehicle away from their apartment. Cairo village was just a kilometer away from their own, it will just be in a flash to arrive. 

*****

“Are you the one who called me?” Sydney haughtily asked the guy she first saw upon entering the mansion. 

          This gigantic fabulous place wasn’t what she expected to set foot on. From a mysterious caller who seems like an abductor, this is not an expected place to imprison someone. It should be in an old warehouse or an abandoned building just like a kidnapper would do in movies.

“C-Called you? Darn Girl, you must be dreaming. My charm’s really irresistible, may I know the angel’s name in front of me?” Flattery words came out of his mouth making Sydney’s eyes narrow while staring at this guy. A good-looking blonde man in a plain black sweatshirt, smiling at her. 

“Did you just run in the woods? You do stink.” She walked past him, ignoring his sweet talk. 

“H-hey! Hey! You can’t just enter someone’s property without any permission!” the guy protested.

“Yes, I will if I want to.” She continued walking around the living room, looking for clues and tracks. She also noticed Denise’s scant scent indicating that she had been here or even nearby.

“What’s your name then?”

“I’m not interested with a crumpled face,” she aggrieved. 

         Marcus’ jaw dropped in disbelief, “You just called me ‘crumpled face’? How dare you! Tons of girls stumble to chase me and here you are. Just a bland commoner lady who dares ignore this gorgeous face of mine? Unacceptable! Very unjustifiable!” 

“Huh, what a narcissistic man. Can you just lead me to where Denise was?”

         He blinked thrice, “Who are you?” the guy questioned her. Sydney just rolled her eyes in frustration, ‘Why am I even asking a kidnapper? Of course, he wouldn’t say anything about Denise’s location, only a dumb captor does that.’ 

          She turned back, heading towards the stairs with Marcus still following her, “Who told you about this? How did you know? Are you her friend? Sibling? Or what?”

“Why would I answer those? When did you see someone so stupid that carelessly leak pieces of information? I’m here to rescue my friend from whoever that lad who called was referring to when he called me,” she said. Still walking nonstop along the hallway.

“Uhm, only you,” he answered making Sydney freeze. Realizing she basically had answered all his interrogations. So embarrassing… Very humiliating!

“Urrgghhh! Forget it! Just tell me where she is.”

          The guy blonde guy sighed heavily, “Whoever calls you, I can thank him later. But I’m sure that’s the Alpha’s brother. Listen, your friend was our Alpha’s mate. And he’s that desperate to conceive a son,” he uttered. Explaining to her, “Our pack badly needs an heir.”

“Wait, you have mentioned a while ago his brother. Your Alpha had a brother! Why would you need an heir when the alpha position will have someone to take over in case your Alpha dies,” Sydney retorted provoking Marcus.

“Watch your words, Rouge. You are just a commoner, Impudent wolf.”

          Hearing that, Sydney just scowled, averting her gaze from this guy in front of her. “Go on.”

“I wouldn’t explain any further, going straight to the point, just please get her.” His egoistic smiles faded away, replaced with serious ones. This guy isn’t kidding.

 “W-what? Why?”

“What the— You’re asking for her a while ago and now that I’m allowing you to get her, you are questioning me? Are you joking around?”

“What I mean is ‘who the heck are you to decide against your Alpha?’ ” 

“Uhhmm about that…” His lips twitched. “I’m just his beta and I’m doing this for him and for the pack's stability. Even his siblings approved of this. We will be facing war and we need our Alpha’s full attention, I’m sure you are aware of an Alpha’s possessiveness when it comes to marking and first meeting. Having his mate beside him will just cause a great distraction. We need to find a way to separate him from your friend.” Marcus brushed his blonde hair, catching Sydney’s eyes.

“I need you to take her away and leave, go far away from here. Make sure they would never see each other. I know our Luna also wouldn’t want to be with our Alpha, from their multiple fights and quarrels last night. I don’t know why, but your friend seems to deny and keeps on rejecting their mate bond, I can’t see her fulfillment and the happiness in her eyes with her mate beside her.”

          Sydney’s eyes narrowed and sighed as she stopped walking. “You don’t know her. You don’t know how much pain and trauma she suffered all because of an unfaithful mate. She witnessed how a destined mate can wreck every precious thing around. That what you thought was a complete match to your missing puzzle piece will just cause everything you worked hard and obtained to crumble and crush into dust, leaving almost nothing.” 

            

            Sydney stood straight, raising her chin to match his. “Show me where she is.”

“Follow me.” Marcus started walking again with her behind him until they nearly stepped in front of the fifth door from the left which they shouldn’t reach. It was the only door with a plain wooden design. It was guarded by two knights in armor with their swords alongside. “They were just illusions but they have the ability and strength. Cole left them there guarding the room,” he stated. 

“Illusions? From who?” Sydney faced him puzzled.

“Alpha Cole has this ability to control and create illusions, deceiving and destructive.”

“But why would he leave these knights guarding the room when you are here? I mean, you are his Beta. He should trust you, right?”

          Marcus grabbed her behind the wall and hide from the guard’s wandering sensors. “He knew this could happen, but we got this plan handled. Tristan, the gamma took him out of the mansion so we could have the chance to throw off his mate. I just didn’t expect that Silvan would call you out.” 

“So what’s the plan?”

“Easy, just yell and distract those illusions. The balcony’s door wasn’t guarded. Nevaeh, Cole’s sister was out there. She’ll be the one who will break into the room through the balcony.”

“That’s it? How about you? What will you do?” she probed. Wondering why he had nothing to mention on what will be his task or action too.

“You gotta watch and learn, Baby.” Letting out a sly smile and winked at her. This guy is hunky, no doubt. Drop-dead gorgeous that literally magnets flirty women especially humans.