From a ten thousand dollars to five hundred thousand dollars? Now, That was a huge leap. The silence in the room bespoke of the same thoughts going through each of their minds; that they agreed with Jutul. This was going to be a concerning issue. Kaden was beginning to calculate if it was okay now to check up on Storm. Was this the best time? He wondered. Would she receive him with open arms and cherry touched lips, or would she fling him away and disregard his existence? He might be interested in her welfare, but he wasn't sure he was going to subject his ego to another round of bashing. “Jutul. Are you sure of your finding? Was the increase in the bounty that much?” Lent inquired, not believing what his ears had just heard, and what his brain was still assimilating. Five hundred thousand dollars? How? Who was Storm? Why was her step mother so interested in her coming back home, when-according to Kaden-the woman hated her existence? Storm had come to have a special spot in
Kaden took note of the excitement rolling in waves all around his subordinate, but didn’t know what to think of it. Was the result of the lad’s investigation so appealing and exciting, or was it something else? He reasoned that he hadn’t seen Jutul this happy making reports. Could something be the problem? or was it just simply that Jutul was happy that the report seemed interesting to them. That would probably be it. He concluded, deciding to give the boy a chance to talk, so that his own intense curiosity will be quenched. “So, go ahead Jutul. Tell us your reports. Tell us your findings. What did she say?” Kaden asked, relaxing deep into his chair, hoping that whatever Jutul would say would give them a headway on what to do about Storm and her family. That was another thorn in his flesh that he hoped Jutul’s findings would help him treat. Jutul took a deep breath before commencing with his tales. “Well, I had tried getting closer to Miranda these past few days, and I can say
Lent rubbed his knee gently in thought, as he looked on at Jutul, wondering what next the lad had to say. Of course he knew that Storm had healing powers, after all she had used it on him, but he hadn’t been aware of the strength. The girl looked…weak. She looked like an innocent, someone that wouldn’t hurt a fly. To think that she had disfigured her step brother's arm was preposterous, although he thought it fair and deserving to the stupid boy. But to think Storm had done it, was nothing short of amazing and shocking. So, if she had superhuman strength, what else does she have? Was she even a human? If she wasn’t, then this might change some narrative. Could that be why Kaden was so hung up on her? Had he in some way had suspected that the girl wasn’t human? Lent knew that Lycans rarely found their fated mates, unless the goddess showed them some mercy. At the time of Kaden’s shift, Kaden had been sad, thinking that the goddess had loaded him with a curse when he had found
It was official. Storm wasn’t human. Lent could see the realization in Kaden’s dull movements and Casper’s freeness. The girl wasn’t fragile. She could protect herself. Worse, she had a knack for attracting other supernaturals. “Jutul, what year are you in?” He heard Kaden asked Jutul, and soughed. Of course, Jutul would have to take over Storm’s investigation and protection. That relaxed him in a way. The lad was capable. “Second year.” Jutul replied, already knowing the task that might be assigned to him next. “That’s good. Take care of Storm. Communicate the same to the others in the clan attending the college. Y’all should keep an eye on her. You are in charge. Any form of insubordination, you can report back to me. And lest I forget, just tell them that Storm is a friend if they ask about her. Don’t give any more details other than that statement. That’s all. I don't want any rumors around the clan. Am I clear?” Kaden asked, and Jutul nodded frantically, almost getting up on
Lent inhaled, exhaled, then inhaled again, trying to say something to what his friend and leader had just mentioned, but just breaths came out. He tapped his chest, as if to free the slight pain that had lodged there. What was that? He never had heart issues. He will have to check in with Jiraq to be on the safe side. Till then, he had to stay and stomach the truth that Kaden just revealed. Storm was his mate? That would explain his alpha’s hungness on the girl, but why hadn’t he said something earlier, that would have stopped him from developing a crush on her.It was Casper that still broke the silence, getting tired of spewing curses. Kaden just sat still staring at them, waiting for more reactions.“What did you just say? Wait…are you already aware of the news that Jutul had been dishing to us all this while?” Casper inquired, disbelief coating his features like a second skin. He was still trying to understand how the feeble girl they have come to know had powers, and now his be
“So, Kaden, what are we going to do? About Storm I mean? It's obvious that they want her. We can't let her be taken. She is our future Luna, you know-when we regain your rightful place in the pack.” Lent asked, folding his arms across his chest, relaxing deeper into his chair, already stilling himself to accept reality. Storm wasn't his to take. She had never been in the first place. He had a mate somewhere else. He just had to be patient.Kaden sighed, dissecting Lent’s words. Reclaim his place in the pack? How was he going to do that? As the days go by, his appetite for the throne wanes and dissipates. As a matter of fact he cared less about the throne or its people, they were in the hands of his brother. They were in good hands. What he only cared about was getting mates for his family here. But Lent always believed that he should go back and fight for what actually belongs to him, his right place as the alpha of the pack; his gamma even thinks that his younger brother might be be
Lab rat? Now, when Lent put it that way, it was quite revolting. “I wasn’t a lab rat, Lent…I was just trying to know if it would be a better fit for the clan. I have a lycan, so if it's deathly, I wouldn’t be likely to die unlike you all. I was doing it for the good of the clan.” Kaden stated, not liking the term lab rat at all. “I see, but don't do that again, Kaden. Seriously. You should let us in on these things,” Casper opined. “So, what were the results of the experiment?”Kaden paused, knowing that his response will give his friends ample reason to state that what he had done was wrong. But if he hadn’t done it, who would? Lab rats couldn’t be used for this test, it was a werewolf with a collar around its neck, and he wasn’t about to sacrifice any of them, not even the rogues. Yes, a percentage of his clan were werewolves from other packs, who had been ousted or exiled, or fugitives from a war. June and her brother who had been attacked by those unknown assailants were one of
Trauma? Sessions? Kaden almost chuckled, finding the report funny, but for the seriousness in the man’s face and the fact that he had probably worked his ass off to give this report, or did he? Well, if Kaden hadn’t heard from Jutul a very concise report, he would have thought to take up this man at his offer, but now that he knew that Storm was superhuman, that changes the narrative. What if her nightmares were correlated to her powers, and not some psychosis? What if they were warnings? What if they were events that an ordinary human doctor couldn’t understand? He didn’t want his mate to be used as a lab rat, if they ever found out about her superhuman-ness, and so he knew that he had to make up some story to push the man away from him until he had spoken to Storm, and hear from her what she really wanted to do. If she was interested in the sessions, then he would ring up the doctor, but for now, he had to lie. “No, she isn’t around at the moment. But when she is, I will ring you