The Alpha Assassin novel Chapter 31

“Here,” Ezra said, sliding something soft and familiar into my hands.

My cheeks were flushed, and I forced myself to look at what he handed me. It was a dark leather book that was titled ‘The History of The Betas of Black River.”

I recognized this book from the library; it never seemed important enough to even skim through, though. I raised a brow at him, waiting for him to explain.

“I took out the text, horribly boring thing.” Half of his mouth tugged up through that faint scar I wanted to kiss. “I replaced it with blank pages. If we need to communicate, if something happens, and I won’t be able to see you.” He swallowed. “We can use this to correspond as a backup.”

I nodded. I hated the thought that I wouldn’t be able to see him every day, even in passing. I grew to love seeing him in the library, and before I let myself fully realize, I craved that time spent with him, and replayed it at night when I fell asleep.

But who knew what was to come after my stunt tonight? I wouldn’t be surprised if this put me multiple steps back or even on full house arrest again.

“Do you think something will happen?” I asked quietly.

His lips were a thin line, and he looked behind me, taking a step back. “Tonight, they were mad, but Hunter did admit to inviting you. They couldn’t be openly angry, and they seemed to play the part, but it was obvious they were tense.”

He took a step forward again and brushed his thumb against my lip. “I’m sorry, Simone. I shouldn’t have said it like that earlier. I will always find a way to see you,” he said, and my stomach tightened.

Footsteps sounded behind the door. “Someone’s coming,” I sighed.

He hastily stepped back and looked at me, then at the door. “How?” he whispered.

“I can hear it.” I raised a brow, unsure if this was a joke.

We stood still, and moments later, his eyes widened. The footsteps turned and thankfully didn’t come out.

“How did you hear that?” he asked.

“My wolf,” I explained again, smoothing my dress.

“But even I…” His brows tugged together, and mouth parted slightly, but even that was more reaction than I got from him previously. “You have enhanced senses. The werecat. What else can you do?” His eyes widened and he looked genuinely surprised. I couldn’t help but smile at this new expression. “What?” he demanded, frowning.

“I’ve just never seen you surprised before; it’s I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Nice.”

He returned my smile. “We can talk about your senses later. Let me escort you to the door; we will go around to the front. I want to check a few things out if you don’t mind putting that book back in the library.”

I nodded, packing away the potential heightened senses thing for later. I wanted to memorize these last few steps with him, possibly the last ones alone for a while.

“What else?” I asked.

“There was a lot of talk about you. Many people didn’t know who you were, and when others told them, they didn’t believe it.” I frowned. “That changed by the end of the night, but still, they were mostly shocked and confused. I didn’t hear much besides snippets of gossip.”

“Damnit,” I muttered, hoping for more.

“There were a few; I don’t know their names, but I heard someone asking if you were held there against your will. Again, not much.” He shrugged slightly. “And daughter of an Alpha seemed really interested in you. She seemed a few years younger than you so I’m not sure if she even knew you personally, but her mother wouldn’t let her speak to you.”

I asked him for their descriptions and was able to place the Alpha. I wasn’t exactly sure who the younger girl was, but I think I might have the Luna right.

“You should have stayed,” I sighed.

“I should have,” he said when we reached the front. “But I’m glad I didn’t.”

I turned from him but couldn’t help the wide smile on my face. I walked quietly to the library and found the empty space on the dusty shelf. I opened the book. The pages looked old and worn; he did a great job. Was there anything he couldn’t do?

On the first page, there was only one thing written:

Simone, you are absolutely beautiful.

________

I was up before the sun even started to peek over the horizon. I was too nervous, excited, and eager to find out anything, even though I knew that since last night nothing would have come about.

I felt foolish, but I spent extra time doing my hair today, braiding it with intention, that is. Not that my hair would do much of what I asked of it.

The Omegas and warriors were bustling around, a mix of panic and nervous chatter filled every hallway.

I stopped a passing Omega “What’s going on?” I asked, slightly nervous.

“The Trials, they are set for a week.” She looked pained and rushed away.

I didn’t hear them decide, there wasn’t any new talk, so this must have been decided last minute. Possibly last night or this morning. By the looks of sheer terror on the Omegas faces, I was corrrect.

It would speed up the new vauge timeline, I set for myself, but I could make it work.

I had to.

I slipped into the kitchen to grab a pastry and see if I could hear anything, but the only talk was of the Alpha Trials. Besides the menu of the first night's dinner, nothing else was being mentioned. I doubted Amelia even had the full dinner schedule yet. I made a mental note to check back on the menus to get a picture of the trials, and when hopefully everyone would be sitting in one place at once.

On the way to the library, I got to do something I hadn’t done in years. I got to pick a lock, and it was satisfying. I tried to slow my steps outside the library to not seem overly anxious. I knew Ezra would likely be busy all day; he had a job, after all. One, he at least played well. But logic didn’t stop my heart from fluttering as I opened the creaky door to the library.

He wasn’t by the fireplace, and my heart sank. I went to grab our shared book to note the few things I found out when I felt him behind me.

I whirled around, and he was standing behind me, crossing his arms with a smirk.

“How do you do that?” I asked, clutching the book to my chest. I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my face.

“Years of practice,” he said, leaning over me against the bookshelf. “And you weren’t listening.” I pursed my lips; he was right.

“Who wants to be Alpha of this pack that bad?” I noted dryly; it sounded horrible.

“I would do it for an entire pack, but I don’t have much to lose,” he noted and then stiffened as if he said the wrong thing or something real.

“What happens if one of them dies? How will the games change, or will they?”

He rubbed the stubble on his chin. Another more human move. He seemed like he was starting to melt from his rigid stature. “The group activities go on. The dual will probably be moved up.”

“Will they really kill each other?” I asked incredulously.

“I think Hunter and Dominick might,” he admitted. “It’s fucked up to say to about their own blood, but there is something wrong with them.”

“Especially Hunter,” I said, my anger flaring.

Ezra looked at me for a moment. “He hasn’t. They haven’t?”

“No,” I said quickly.

But I knew they would if they could get away with it. Now that the touch ban was lifted, I ensured I didn’t take the steps or hallways unless I knew they were empty or whose footsteps inhabited them. I wouldn’t put it past them to try something, and I was too close to potentially ending this to give anything away.

And I would kill them on the spot.

“Good,” Ezra noted, but he seemed to relax into himself a bit. “You also got this.”

He handed me a thick envelope. Instead of a seal were thin claw marks and a drop of blood. I smelled it and looked up at him with wide eyes.

“They work fast,” he said. “What does it say?”

I tore it open and read the short note three times before handing it to him.

“I don’t know how I’ll be able to leave here,” I said, tugging at the end of my braid.

“We will find a way. Before then, you can correspond through me. Initial correspondence will be the important part for now.” He paused. “Is there anyone else you could call on? For support?”

Something clicked inside me, when he said those words. There was. But it was a huge gamble, a debt to a pack that no longer existed. I would need ingredients to send that message, but I already had one of them and I could get the other through Ezra.

“Simone?” he asked.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath. The other thoughts could wait for later. “The trials end in two weeks,” I said.

“Two weeks,” Ezra echoed; that blank expression was back on his face.