Faith With Wolves Book 2
18. The Truth

Caleb

I’m furious as I march downstairs and towards the dining hall. My fists are clenched at my side and it’s taking all my energy not to punch each wall I pass. I’m not normally an angry person but the way Faith has no disregard for her safety or life has me ready to break my rule of not locking her up again.

My mate’s quest to cure this virus has her forgetting all logic. Faith is brilliant but the way she’s acting right now is really dumb. She wants to ask the fairies for help, what a joke. They abandoned this earth and their care for everyone on it a long time ago.

I doubt Faith even knows how to travel to the Fae dimension but if she somehow figures it out the results could be catastrophic. What if they hurt her somehow or decide to keep her there? I don’t want to lose her. She’s my everything.

Finally reaching the dining room I fake a smile and pleasantries with everyone I pass. If they suspect I’m angry they don’t comment on it which is what’s best for them because I don’t want to snap on an innocent pack member.

I don’t even grab food, just sit down in my seat. Several people look at me and the scowl on my face but only Dallas speaks up. “Umm hey Alpha, how’s it going?”

“Great why?” I answer and he points at my hand.

“Well... You’re about to break that fork in half and you don’t even have any food.” he points out and I finally notice the utensil in my hand that I have a death grip on hand.

When did I grab that?

I toss the fork away and take a deep breath before speaking. “I need to go talk to Alpha Raymond, ride with me,” I say making sure he understands it’s not a question.

“Alright but what about my food and-never mind,” he mutters as I glare at him and then Marcus.

“You’re in charge until we get back,” I order my gamma and walk away before anyone else speaks. I’m still so irritated.

I walk straight to the garage and grab my keys off the hook nearby. I pass Faith’s large black truck and get into my Audi. Dallas quickly hops in the passenger seat, and I start the car and back out of the garage in a hurry and down the driveway and onto the road.

“Caleb, what’s going on? Are you fighting with Faith again?”

“Why would you say that?” I ask Dallas as I continue to speed down the road not caring about the speed limit.

He shrugs. “It might be because you just passed a stop sign or maybe the vein that’s threatening to pop off your forehead.” He laughs and I glare at him, making him close his mouth immediately.

“I just don’t understand her. It’s like she doesn’t care what happens to her as long as she saves everyone else.” I shake my head.

“But isn’t that a good quality for a Luna, she’s willing to do anything to help her pack.”

I growl. “You wouldn’t think it was so great if it was your mate.”

“True.” he nods. “But Faith isn’t just an ordinary person. She’s the first vampire to ever be born and not bitten. Your mate also happens to be part fairy. I’m pretty sure it’s in her nature to help others. Face it, Caleb, your mate was destined for greatness so either get on board with it or get out of her way.”

I want to argue with him, but I don’t. Dallas is right. Faith was meant to help others, she’s the heir to the vampire throne and the Luna of my pack. Even if she was neither of those, I bet she would be somewhere helping others. She’s too kind to sit and let others suffer.

But can I take the risk of losing her if it means saving thousands of lives?

“So, I’m the asshole in this situation?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know all the details, but I know you Caleb and you tend to forget about other people’s feelings when you’re determined about something.”

Fuck. “I hate it when you're right,” I mutter making Dallas laugh.

I immediately open a mind-link to my mate. “Faith baby, are you there?”

“I’m here,” she whispers sounding more down than usual.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you or tried to grab you, it was wrong, I was wrong.” She doesn’t say anything, but I can tell she’s still listening. “I’m not perfect and I never will be Faith. I tend to think I know what’s best for everyone instead of letting them make their own decisions, but I don’t want to do that anymore. I need to let you make your own decisions even if I don’t agree with them. So, if you want to reach out to the fairies then I won’t stop you.”

I can hear the smile in her voice as she speaks. “Really? You don’t think it’s a stupid idea?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s a great idea that my brilliant mate thought of. I shouldn’t have called you naive earlier, I was wrong. I can’t apologize enough for how I treated you. Just know I’m going to do better. I trust you and I love you.”

“I love you, Caleb. I’ll have Ruby and Iris with me, so I won’t be alone. Hopefully, by the time you get back, we’ll have answers.”

“Just promise me one thing, Faith,” I say my voice threatening to crack.

“Okay, what is it?”

“Be careful and come back to me, please,” I beg, and she chuckles.

“That's two things Caleb, but yeah, I’ll be safe, and I’ll always come back to you. I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” I say and she cuts off the mind-link.

When I get to The River’s Bend Pack, I end up arguing with the warriors at the gate for ten minutes. Apparently, Alpha Raymond listened to my idea of shutting down the borders of his pack. Nobody’s been allowed to leave or enter since the last time I was here.

Alpha Raymond was even refusing to let me in but after threatening to wage war on his pack starting with family, he decided it was in his best interest to let me in. I feel terrible threatening him when he’s been nothing but kind to me, but I need answers and I need them now.

Once I finally make it through the gate and into town I park right outside Alpha Raymond’s home. He’s standing on the front porch with Fredrick beside him and a few other warriors I recognize.

I turn off the engine of my car and step out slamming the door. I start marching towards Alpha Raymond, but Dallas immediately stands in front of me blocking me from ripping him in half.

“Really Raymond? You’re going to deny me entrance to your pack? You wouldn’t have shit if it wasn’t for me!”

He just glares at me with his hands on his hips. “I’m just trying to do what’s best for my pack, you we’re the one who suggested the idea in the first place.”

“Well, if I knew you were a lying piece of shit I wouldn’t have done anything. I should have let you rot on that ballroom floor.” I growl and Alpha Raymond growls right back with his warriors stopping him from stepping off his porch.

“How dare you threaten me pup! I treated you like a son, your dad is my best friend, and you disrespect me at my home?”

I can’t help but laugh. “You disrespected me and your pack when you didn’t tell me the truth. I know you met with Alpha Jordan recently and now his pack has been destroyed by vampires, did you send them?”

Everyone around us looks shocked but Alpha Raymond just looks angry still. “Vampires? I think that’s more in your territory Caleb. Why would I send vampires to attack one of my allies?”

“I don’t know maybe the same reason you infected yourself with the virus, maybe you wanted to play the victim so everyone would think you're innocent.”

He just shakes his head. “You have this all wrong son. I have no idea how I got sick and I didn’t send vampires after anyone. I’m just as confused as you.”

He sounds sincere but I’m still suspicious. “Then why didn’t you tell me about your meeting with Alpha Jordan, why hide it?”

“Because.” Alpha Raymond pauses. “Because it was a regular thing and also a secret. Alpha Jordan and I play poker a few times a month. I lost too much money a while ago so Angela banned me from gambling. But I couldn’t resist taking those losers' money so I kept going.” he shrugs like it's no big deal.

“Really poker night?” Dallas speaks up beside me.

“Well, you said losers, who else would come to these secret meetings?”

“Alpha Jack, Samuel, and Owen,” he answers.

“And all three of those packs plus yours and Alpha Jordan's have been attacked by the deadly virus or vampires. You don’t think that’s a weird coincidence?”

Alpha Raymond looks deep in thought before he shakes his head in disbelief. “I think I know who it was.” He looks at me. “I don’t want to believe it but it’s the only answer.”

“Who is it?” I growl. When I replace them, I’m going to tear them into a million little pieces.

“Alpha Hayden of the Lotus Pack,” he answers and I’m shocked.

“What? Are you serious?”

He nods. “Yes. He started coming to our poker games recently, but it seemed like he had a hidden agenda. He kept talking about expansion and wanting to build luxury condos. He offered to buy some of my land, but I refused, and so did everyone else.”

I bring my clenched fists to my face and close my eyes. I feel like such an idiot. I should have known it was him. That night in my club he kept asking me if I wanted to open another nightclub and partner with him. He kept rambling about getting more land soon, but I was buzzed and barely listened to him. I just wanted to get back to mate but then the fight happened, and the rest of the night was chaos. I had completely forgotten our conversation until now.

Alpha Raymond breaks me from my thoughts. “So, what are you going to do?” he asks, and I already know my answer, kill him. But first I have to replace out how he’s creating this virus and how to cure it without Faith’s fairy powers.

“Alpha.” Dallas places his hand on my shoulder. “We got to go. I just got a text we’ve been attacked.”

“Vampires?” I ask and he nods.

“Fuck!” I shout and walk back towards my car. It's a two-hour drive back home. We’ll never make it back in time.

I start speeding down the road as Dallas is yelling orders over his phone. Marcus is a strong fighter but he’s still not as strong as me and Dallas. I worry about him and if our warriors can handle it.

“Faith.” I try to mind-link her. “Faith are you there?”

But I can’t reach her, I can’t even feel her emotions. Which means she’s unconscious and trying to reach the fae dimension. She has no idea a fight is coming straight towards her. And the worst part is I’m nowhere around to help her.