Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 253 Someone to Blame
Allen stared at him in shock for a second as the furious figure of Felix soared through the air toward him.
He just couldn’t wrap his head around it. What the hell had happened in those few short minutes that he had been gone that would explain why he was covered in blood and why he was in such a murderous rage.
He managed to sidestep Felix’s initial assault, moving away from Ann’s bedside and trying to defend himself as Adam snarled in fury at the violence that was occurring in such close quarters to his bedridden, vulnerable, and pregnant mate.
Felix swung wildly at Allen and then at Adam as they tried to restrain him to find out exactly what was going on.
“Felix calm down! What the hell happened?!” Adam roared as he dodged a wild punch from the clearly distraught Alpha in front of him.
As much as Baldur wanted to meet his violence with violence, the cloying scent of blood that hung around Felix told him that something horrific must have happened. If it concerned Aoife, then this was an emotional response, his wolf’s attempt at finding someone to blame.
This was why it was paramount for an Alpha to have a strong Beta at their side, to counter the irrational and bloodthirsty rage before it escalated, but Felix’s Beta wasn’t here. He was finishing clearing the few remaining rogues before he would make his way back to the Enclave.
He would have to rely on his and Allen’s capabilities to control this situation before it escalated further.
“Why?!” Felix roared, “Why Aoife? Whatever feud you have with my family did not concern her!”
“I don’t know what’s happened, but I can promise you we had nothing to do it!” Allen ground out through gritted teeth as he struggled with getting hold of his left arm, whilst Adam worked on the right.
It was a struggle though. Felix was strong already and the rage did nothing but fuel him.
“LIAR!” He roared as he pushed them both back and stood panting heavily, pointing at them accusingly, “I waited to go and see her purely to support you, Adam, and make peace with you, Allen, thinking she would just be sleeping at this hour, but you.. .you both took advantage of that and made sure she was beyond help!”
“Felix, I can promise you that I knew nothing of this…” Adam said in a calm voice, holding his hands in front of him, fully prepared for if Felix launched another assault.
“I can promise Allen hasn’t left the room with me either Felix,” Lexi said softly as she stood between Allen and Adam, facing Felix with a concerned expression.
Her eyes scanned Felix’s appearance, blood smeared all over his clothing and hands, and stifled the gasp of horror that threatened to break free.
“Felix…” she began hesitantly, the fear in her voice apparent from the first word, “Where’s Aoife? What happened?” Felix snorted.
“Aoife is gone. Dead. Someone brutally murdered her and I cannot believe that not one of you heard a thing while you were all cozy in here. That tells me that it was one of you that did this!” He growled.
Lexi frowned.
“Felix, the doors are hermetically sealed to minimize the risk of infection. The air purification system ensures that stale air is pumped out and clean air is pumped in… there’s no way that we could have heard anything, let alone smelled anything… all the rooms have individual systems. The perks of being a VIP, means you get VIP treatment.”
A flicker of doubt crossed Felix’s eyes for a moment before he angrily shook his head.
“Don’t try to confuse me! This… no… you would have heard… she was all alone…” He mumbled to himself as he slowly began to take in what they were saying.
“Felix… this is important… tell me what happened,” Lexi said softly as she began to approach him slowly.
She was stopped in her tracks by Allan, his hand shooting out to grip her arm firmly, begging her not to approach him with a silent look of warning, but Lexi twisted her arm out of his grip and smiled reassuringly.
She resumed her approach, taking it slow and steady as if she was approaching a terrified frightened animal that had been cornered somewhere.
That was essentially what Felix was right now, his wolf terrified at the prospect of being alone, his mate having been wrenched away from him, as his human part held his head in his hands in misery, crouched low against the floor.
“Felix? We need to know what happened so we can help figure this out.” she tried again softly.
Eventually, Felix raised his head, glancing up at her with eyes that alternated between his human side and his wolf’s side, both persona’s emotions equally as haunting.
“Her body… she’s next door. I opened the door and she was there… already gone. Her throat was slit and left lying in a pool of her own blood… I can’t save her.” Felix mumbled.
Lexi swore internally and fought the urge to cry.
“Can you take us in there? To show us, Felix? I don’t want to go and see without your permission.”
“Why? So, you can gloat?”
“She was precious to me as well Felix,” Lexi hissed, “Ann too. She was probably the last remaining meaningful connection to our mothers for both of us. Why would I gloat? If what you say is true, then I want to find the bastard that’s responsible for this as much as you do.”
Felix’s gaze was still mistrustful, but after a few moments, he pushed himself up, and nodded curtly.
“Fine. But he stays here. I still don’t trust him.” He growled as he gestured to Allen.
“Then I will go with you too, so that Lexi doesn’t come to any harm,” Adam said quickly.
“I can take care of myself.” Lexi snorted,
“Maybe, but by the same token, as Consort of the Alpha Queen, I believe murders and their investigations fall under her jurisdiction. As she is incapacitated for the time being, I will step up and take on the duties that would otherwise fall to her.” Adam answered carefully.
He didn’t need to say that his presence would be a deterrent to stop Felix’s wolf from doing whatever had happened to Aoife, to Lexi when her back was turned.
Allen understood and the slight inclination of his head communicated his gratitude loud and clear to Adam.
“Fine.” Felix snapped, “Then let’s get it over with. The sooner we confirm the culprit the sooner I can take great pleasure in enacting my vengeance.”
Allen watched the three of them leave the room together and sighed. This had to be connected in some way. The poisoning of Ann, and Aoife’s death… it was all too much of a coincidence to be happening in such a short space of time but one thing puzzled Allan.
If this was designed to weaken the person the assassin was after, then just who was their ultimate target?