Channing had a perplexed expression on hearing what I said. He had so much to ask and, knowing him, I could tell he was able to hear my excited heartbeat. I myself could hear my heart in my ears like drums that were going to burst. Time was of the essence for this case because this was not just a genocide case but an opportunity to bring the villages in one line. 

“What are you planning to do next?” Channing asked me as he saw me walk to my bedroom door and open it. 

The lock clicked open, and I went inside, turning the lights on. I could hear Channing’s footsteps as he followed me inside. He did not question me again. Rather, his eyes were curiously looking around at what I was doing. 

I walked to my cupboard and found my sling bag, which was kept at the far end. The first thing I packed in it were my clothes for the next 2-3 days and some cash savings which I had kept from my previous allowance. I doubted I would have time to meet Dandeline now but I would text her later about it. With that thought, I went on to pack my charger and then from my bedside table the painkiller pills and the two injections which I had kept for an extreme emergency case. I hoped I did not have to use them. 

“Are you planning to go somewhere?” Channing asked again as I looked around the room trying to figure out what else would I need. 

My eyes shifted to Channing, and I sighed, “I am planning to finish this case the right way.” The court order I had brought was enough to get Jack in trouble and investigators on the lookout for Zelda. That was the last thing I wanted. 

I suddenly remembered the most important thing and walked to the kitchen.

Channing followed me confused as he asked again, “But where are you planning to go?” It was only right that he asked that to me. After all, he was the Alpha of our pack but I also did not want to tell him that because then he would let Fang know. Though Fang had decided to follow me I had decided to not take him along with me. 

“To Greenland,” I replied as I fiddled through the drawer of spoons in the dark. I couldn’t possibly let Channing know about the dagger. 

Just when I slipped the Cermesi dagger into my sling bag, Channing switched on the lights for the kitchen, “Don’t tell me you are going after Zelda in Greenland!” Channing took a step closer to me with concern. He did not want me to do that and it was evident on his face. 

I took a deep breath before exhaling through my lips, “Channing, do you trust me?” 

Channing opened his mouth in disbelief before biting his lip. He aimlessly looked around the kitchen before his eyes locked with mine, “Selene, this is not about trust. Do you know dangerous it can be!” But my gaze did not waver. Channing knew I was pretty serious about this. He sighed before closing the distance between us, “Selene, the Cermesi clan is a professional assassin clan. You don’t know how dangerous it can be going there alone. Let’s leave it for the later investigation team, okay?” 

My lips set into a thin smile on seeing his concern for me. This was something that was missing in his this morning. “I will be fine Channing, besides I am not going alone.” 

“Who is coming with you?” Channing asked quickly. 

I stared into his eyes before smiling, “Ellie’s sister.”

Far away from my house in the deepest part of the forest, on the opposite end, I reached the Winterwells prison facility. Channing had accompanied me, even after I had denied it several times. It had already been half an hour since I had called Suzan and asked her father to come here secretly. The night guards were on high alert, so I and Channing were standing at the far end where they wouldn’t be able to spot us. 

“I still think this is a bad idea,” Channing spoke in a whisper as he stood a little away from the puddle of water that had formed because of the heavy rains in the evening today. 

I rolled my eyes and pulled Channing by his upper arm, “Don’t bend over and look as if you are here to cause a crime.” 

“Aren’t we?” Channing asked, as if he was not the Alpha of this village and I had dragged him here into doing some shady business. The fact was that I did not want to alert the guards before the prison supervisor was here and Channing was just here to save me from committing a crime which Jack had created – to get out of prison someone that was sent there by the Alpha. 

I clicked my tongue and before I could say anything I heard the raspy voice from behind me, “Beta Selene, so nice to see you again.” 

“Shhh…” This time I was the one who panicked on knowing someone was behind us and shushed without checking who it was. When I turned, I found Suzan’s father, Geal Brayden, standing there. “Oh, Mr Bryden, I am so sorry I didn’t realise it was you,” I apologised in a whisper and he simply laughed it off. 

“It’s okay,” Mr Brayden spoke in his usual voice and I could tell the guards around the prison had already been alerted. 

“Um, Mr Brayden,” I said in an apprehensive tone. By stature, he looked huge as compared to me. I could easily compare him to Channing’s father, Mr Collins, who was equally heavily built. “It would be great if we could do this in silence. Even the walls have ears and I don’t want to alert someone in particular.” 

“Okay, okay,” Mr Brayden spoke in a whisper and yet his voice carried heaviness. 

Well, irrespective of whatever his voice was like, we still had to pass through the prison’s main gate. It is just that with the prison supervisor with us, it would seem less suspicious and we could get the paperwork done from him. 

“Let’s go before anyone notices. Now is the time when shifts change,” Channing said and he received a quick look from both me and Mr Brayden. 

He was actually thinking like a criminal and I narrowed my eyes at him, “You look like you have done this before.” Mr Brayden folded his hand over his chest, waiting for Channing to reply to my statement and Channing was immediately flustered. 

“Actually…” Channing trailed in his voice and spoke in an almost inaudible whisper, “I have done stuff like these a lot in my high school.” 

Mr Brayden immediately reacted by patting his shoulder, “Haha, teenagers are always risk-takers, good that you haven’t forgotten that illegal stuff you did back then.” 

“It wasn’t anything illegal,” Channing protested immediately. 

Mr Brayden ruffled Channing’s hair as if he was his own son, “That’s okay anything which is against the rules is illegal.” 

I looked at both of them for a minute before I chuckled. Their heads turned to me immediately and Channing’s eyes met with mine. Somewhere there was a glad feeling on his face that I wasn’t in the same mental space as the morning but that credit went to Fang and Mr Brayden here. I was still a little distant when it came to Channing. But I could only imagine how Fang must have been the one during their high school days to promote them breaking the rules. Channing wasn’t that kind of person. 

I quickly shook my head as the thought of Fang Warchild started to fill up my mind again. That was the last person I should be thinking of right now. 

“We should get going,” I said and Channing nodded his head. 

Mr Brayden walked ahead from between me and Channing, and both of us exchanged a look before following the man who walked with his chest puffed. “Stay close both of you,” Mr Brayden said as he took fast steps towards the prison and though Channing caught up with that pace easily, I had to do quick runs to match up to their speed. 

The main guard noticed three figures coming in the direction of the prison and got alerted immediately. His hand went to the long rifle in his right hand and he was almost in a ready position to strike. 

But when we went closer, he quickly lowered the rifle and bowed to the prison supervisor who walked in front of us, “is there any problem sir?” 

Mr Brayden dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand, “nothing special you go back to keeping a watch around the facility.” Saying this the supervisor opened the door and first let me and Channing enter and then he followed us inside. The man gave me the kind of chills that an Alpha would give in his presence. Even though I and Channing both were Alphas, Mr Brayden surely dominated the environment inside the prison. 

There weren’t many guards inside, just as Channing had assumed, and we headed to the supervisor’s room in the dark of the corridor lit by dim lights. 

Mr Brayden turned to me and spoke, “Okay Beta Selene, you have ten minutes till the new guards and replaced on the shift. Please come fast and I hope you won’t cause any unnecessary ruckus.” I nodded and started walking towards where the cells were. I was familiar with this setting and I already knew where I had to go. When Channing was about to follow me, Mr Brayden immediately pulled him back, “Alpha Channing, please come with me to do the paperwork.” 

—-

Author’s Note: If you are interested in voice chat with me on discord and everyone else who is a reader of this book, let me know in the comment section.. If enough people are interested in doing so I would arrange one in the next month, till then you can chat with me daily on the discord server – https://discord.gg/ZhjZ9aHEZ6