Lunar wolves: The chase (Book 2) - Complete

Prologue - Two weeks later ...

Willow

“Radagast! Please!” I tried to help Radagast walk to our bedroom. He had been drinking a lot since we moved to the city. Dropping him on the bed, finally reaching our room, I took off his shoes. I knew it was futile to try and get him out of his dirty clothes.

Besides, it had been a long day of trying to put out fires in the office and I needed a drink. The Britney girl had prepared dinner and was hanging around in the kitchen.

“What are you still doing here?” I wanted to know. “I know how to heat up food. I don’t need you hanging around Radagast all day. Get out!” Britney looked to be on the verge of tears and quickly left. She couldn’t believe that Miss Willow was the sister of Mrs. Silver-fox.

I overheard her talking to one of the other staff members, but I had bigger things to worry about. Isobel apparently had such a kind heart. All the staff mourned her and Mr. Silver-fox senior. Things were not the same without them.

I pulled a face, thinking back to what I overheard. Grabbing the plate, I didn’t look impressed. Why Michael kept her around was beyond me. She definitely couldn’t cook. Dumping the plate in the bin, I called for take-out to be delivered.

Grabbing a glass of wine instead, I walked into the living room, kicking off my shoes, and stood in front of the huge windows of the high-rise building. The city lights twinkled like stars. My hand on her hip, I took a big gulp of my wine, thinking about the day.

Radagast had to get sober. I could make excuses for him, but only for so long. The customers were getting impatient, and the stock price had already fallen after his parent’s deaths. People would soon lose confidence in him and his ability to do what was needed.

Having the board of directors vote him out as CEO would not be good. Dinner arrived, and I flopped down on the couch to eat. The smell of the food awakened the dead when he came stumbling out of the bedroom.

“Did that girl finally cook dinner?” Radagast mumbled, stumbling over to the couch.

“No, I ordered in. I’m going to fire her. She can’t cook.” I didn’t give him all the details since I didn’t feel like it. None of it would matter after she was gone in any way.

“Do what you wish.” He fell on the couch, grabbing one of the boxes.

“We need to talk.” I knew he wasn’t ready to hear what I had to say, but I had to say it.

“We are talking,” he said between bites.

“Really? Have you fallen on your head and turned into a caveman?! I lost my temper.

“I am not in the mood for your temper tantrums, Willow. My head hurts, I’m hungry, and I want a drink,” Radagast sighed.

“UGH!! Radagast! You have to pull yourself together. We are going to lose everything. I had a meeting with the lawyers today and the board of directors is getting impatient.” I threw it out there without sympathy, hoping it would pull him out of whatever this was!

“Can’t they understand that I have lost my entire family! Including my unborn child!!” He threw his empty crystal glass, making it shatter into pieces against the dark grey marble wall.

“Yes, they do, but you also have responsibilities. You are a drunk and, to be honest, a disgusting drunk at that. If you don’t clean up soon, we will lose everything!”

Radagast

She stormed out of the room, slamming the bedroom door behind her. Feeling the hangover kicking in, the noise of the slamming door hits right inside my head, shaking my brain. What did she mean by I’m disgusting? So, I’ve had a couple of drinks.

I smell my shirt. It’s been two weeks since the fight! How can anyone expect me to just get over it and carry on like normal!

“Oh wow!” My odor hit my nose and I rolled my eyes. She was right, I stink! She was not going to let me in the bedroom tonight, so I may just as well go clean up in the other apartment. The hot water of the shower hitting my skin, I imagined it washing away everything bad in my life.

When I closed my eyes, I saw Isobel’s face. I saw her falling and then the blood pouring out of her pale body. I shook my head to clear it from these thoughts. Grabbing a clean set of clothes, I got dressed. Opening the apartment door, I found three coven guards outside.

“Good evening, Mr. Silver-fox.” one of them greeted me. I’ve come to know him as the one in charge of a lot of them. Or better yet… the one to do the booze runs.

“I am going to my office. Is the floor clear?” I frowned, but I knew it would be.

“Yes Sir, all staff have left the building.” Booze guy nodded.

“Good. I don’t want to walk into any surprises,” I say angrily. Walking to the lifts, I heard our apartment door open.

“Where do you think you are going?” Willow asked furiously.

“You wanted me to clean up and go to work, then you want to know where I’m going… make up your damn mind!” I shouted. I had to admit that no matter what, her fire did keep me on my toes, and I giggled softly.

“Good luck trying to find out what is going on without my help!” She stormed into the apartment, slamming the door behind her, and I nodded that Booze guy could press the button for the lift doors to close.

Frank

“They have moved to the city.” I paced back and forth. It’s been the worst two weeks of our lives.

“I still can’t believe Willow would betray us like that.” Melissa cried, and I pulled her tighter into my embrace. Isobel’s funeral was in the morning and everyone’s emotions were raw with grief.

“I don’t know what happened.” I sighed. “Where did everything go wrong?”

“Mom, Dad, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Circe walked into the living room with coffee for all of us.

“Willow has always been different. She has always resented us for having wolves and not having one herself.” Glinda walked in right behind her sister with a plate of sandwiches.

“Thank you, girls.” I winked at them. “I don’t think Mom can cook at the moment.”

“She is not going to get away with this.” Tabatha walked into the living room with a rolled-up page in her hand.

“What do you have there?” Melissa asked, looking concerned.

“Nothing…” Tabatha hid the piece of paper behind her back as if it suddenly didn’t exist.

“Girls, please, promise me you won’t go after them! Leave this to your father and our security to deal with.” She sat up straight looking each of them in the eyes.

“Mom, you know we can’t do that.” Circe shrugged.

“I can’t lose any of you! Please don’t do this!” Melissa started sobbing. Glinda moved fast to her mother’s side. She slid her arm around her shoulders, holding on tight.

“You won’t, Mom. We promise. Now that we know what they are planning, you won’t lose us.” Glinda’s soft voice didn’t even soothe Melissa’s heartache. Melissa’s shoulders shook as she sobbed. Her family all moved in closer.

I slid my arm over Glinda’s, pulling them into a tight embrace. Tabatha and Circe, joining their mother by sitting on the floor in front of her feet.

“He is arrogant Mom, we haven’t seen the last of him, but this time we will be ready for them.” Tabatha held her mother’s hand in hers.

“How can you be so confident? All of you! We just buried Isobel and you are preparing for a fight!” Melissa pulled out of their embrace, stood up, and made her way to the kitchen, putting her cup in the basin.

Willow

The early morning sunlight shone through the curtains, and he didn’t come back last night. I phoned the guards to make sure he didn’t pass out drunk in his office. I couldn’t have the staff finding him in that condition when they walked in.

Surprisingly, he was sober and had been working all night. Walking out of my bedroom, I found Britney in the kitchen.

“Oh, you again, we won’t be needing your services anymore, girl. You can get your pay check from HR.” I sighed, sounding bored. I was dressed in my signature black stilettoes, black tight-fitting dress, and something silver around my top, closing the front door behind me.

When I reached our office floor, I could hear the whispers already. Britney left everything the way it was in the apartment. She collected her pay check and left the building. I heard the staff asking how one sister could be so kind and the other be so cold?!

Britney had been living in the city for a couple of years and options for work were less than nothing, and she had messed this one up. I walked into his office, right past my assistant who tried to stop me.

“What are you doing?” I raised one eyebrow at Radagast.

“Sorry Mr. Silver-fox. I did try to stop her.” The girl cringed when I gave her one of my “you-dare-interrupt-me” stares. I hadn’t taken the time to get to know her name yet. With Radagast out of the office, there was no need.

“It’s fine, just leave.” He waved his hand for her to leave and closed the door behind her. “I, my dear Willow, I am taking back control of MY company. What are you doing here, if I may ask?” A smile formed on his lips that spelled of evil.

“Checking on you.” I wasn’t fazed. I didn’t entirely feel safe, but that was where the excitement of the situation came from. Electricity sparked between us with each look.

“No need for that. I’m perfectly fine, as you can see. You were right last night. Thank you for giving me a wake-up call. I am having my things moved into my father’s old apartment. You can stay in the apartment you are currently in. I want you to start with preparations to return home,” Radagast smiled.

“Excuse me?!” I asked, as if he had just spoken in a different language.

“You heard me. I want to go back home. I have a hole in my heart that can only be filled if I have all of you around me. I want to go and fetch your other sisters. Now go and make the necessary arrangements.”

Radagast

“After everything I’ve done… My father and the pack will kill…” I interrupted her mid-sentence, holding up my hand for her to keep quiet.

“No, they won’t. I have a meeting with the council later this morning. I will need you to testify how your family attacked us, and we had to defend ourselves and try and save Isobel.” I smiled. The idea came to me in the early hours of the morning.

“What?!” She asked, looking shocked. Couldn’t she see that we had the evidence on our side?

“Do I have to repeat everything this morning? Maybe you are the one who needs to catch up. I am requesting extra protection from the council. I will need you to testify that your family attacked us and killed Isobel and my mother. And which part of going home don’t you understand?” I looked at her as if she was just another staff member.

“Fine! Whatever you want, Sir.” She said, anger clear in her voice. Turning on her heel, she left. She walked to Isobel’s old office that she had taken over.

Willow

This time he had gone too far!! There wouldn’t be time to appoint an assistant and Radagast had hijacked mine, so I would have to deal with Sybil at the home office. Why was he moving out of our apartment? Why did he still want to go back for my sisters?

My family was going to kill us! Kill me! Didn’t he understand that?! I phoned Sybil first to arrange for things at the castle to be prepared for my arrival. A messenger arrived after lunch with the official council seal on the envelope.

Inside were the instructions to appear in the hearing. Radagast wasn’t wasting any time, and it was making me angrier by the minute!! I could go against his wishes and not say what he wanted me to say, but then I risked losing him.

Looking at my watch, I noted that it was time to leave for my meeting, and walked to the boardroom, I noticed Radagast still talking to them, looking pained. I waited outside the door of the glass see-through room until he walked out.

“Remember what I told you!” He whispered in a threatening tone, passing me, and I nodded quickly, walking into the room. After my testimony, things happened so quickly that I felt nauseous. I was on my way back to the castle, with extra security provided by the council.

I didn’t think Radagast would escort me back. Radagast had moved to the castle already without anyone’s knowledge, and it was time for me to return. I had to deny his return, should my family come around asking. I didn’t even want to deal with them at all.

Now he was making me after he had almost completely withdrawn from me, and he was going through all these extreme measures to capture my other sisters!! Why I was still hanging around waiting for him was beyond me!! Or was I hanging around waiting for him? Could I be waiting for something more important than Radagast?