Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 92

Leilani hates feeling this way, she hates being powerless, she hates not being in control of her own body, but most of all, she hates not having a clear mind. The car trip seems endless, even if she could think clearly, she has no idea where they are heading, her sense of direction is gone, she can't even feel the car turning. She understands the process but it all just feels the movement, but no lefts or rights just a sway. She could be on a boat with the way that it feels. Looking out the window just looks like a green blur and makes her slightly nauseous, she also has to play the part of unconscious girl. Which isn't difficult as she is only gripping onto consciousness by a sliver. "We are nearly there my sweet angel, your new home, the home you will live out the rest of your days"

Leilani can't help but thank the moon goddess, she really can't much longer in the car, she wants to be stationary because it is only when she has been stationary for long enough will the boys come to get her.

As she leans back and closes her eyes, conserving her energy in an effort to fight whatever she was injected with, she can do nothing anyway, she can't fight back nor can she watch for landmarks. Her mind starts to drift to what the others felt like, the fear they felt when they didn't willingly throw themselves into a trap.

Is this the same car? How much fear would be felt inside this small space, how much uncertainty? Would they know that their lives were going to end? If that is what happens. Would they know the people that would look for them? Would they know how long they would be gone? How many resources and desperation would go into the search for them?

Or would it only be their own peril on their minds?

While Leilani feels slightly helpless, she is far from hopeless, she doesn't have to dream up all the terrible things that could happen to her, she doesn't have to consider her own mortality, she knows that she has back up, that the rescue party is right behind her, she knows that she can fight herself.

It is hard to put herself in their places because it is hard to imagine the level of hopelessness.

Lance watches the place where Ryan ran for a while. When he doesn't return Lance can only turn and walk toward the pack house. Anna is busy cleaning the kitchen and preparing dinner for the pack has some earphones in gently humming to some music. While she hasn't heard from Jameson about Karina yet she knows that he has been to the dungeons, so so can only wait for news, at least she knows that someone is looking out for Karina now. She trusts Jameson to fight for her friend and get her out of lock-up or at least give her a trial. She curses herself for not thinking of going to Jameson earlier. It is the hard thing in her position. She doesn't want to cause trouble and she doesn't want to draw unnecessary attention to herself.

There is no one in the pack house at this time of day, so it's easier to get work done without trying to avoid everyone.

Anna jumps slightly as Lance's booming voice sounds behind her.

"You, whatever your name is"

Anna turns, pulling out her headphones and bowing slightly. The last person she was expecting is Lance.

"It is Anna ex-alpha Lance"

Lance doesn't acknowledge the name. As long as she does her job, then he cares little.

"I need a welcome and introductory banquet organized for tonight, it is top priority and it is for one of the hierarchy I need it perfect"

"Sir?"

It is usually up to a luna or a beta female to organize such things. Anna wouldn't have the first idea about what is involved. She has never been allowed to attend such things in her life and is it even possible to organize anything with such short notice? "No questions, just do it"

"Isn't it for Luna Maggie to do?"

"Does she look like a luna to you?"

Anna has no idea how to answer that. Maggie has put everyone down in the pack for so long, isn't she the luna? Lance glares at the woman in front of him that looks so stupid that he just wants to scream at her. "Just make it happen. If it isn't perfect you will be out of the pack"

Oscar just follows his mother, keeping pace with her as she runs straight out of the stormy pack. He's actually amazed at her speed. In all these years that he has had his wolf, he has never gone for a run with his mother, his mother has only seen his wolf a limited few times and he has only seen his mother's wolf a few times in his entire life, the powerful alpha she-wolf rarely allowed to shift. The unfair treatment by his father sort of cutting out all those bonding moments that he should have had.

Making Oscar feel like he isn't even part of the family, but th is is far from an enjoyable run with his mother that he envisioned long ago. This run instead having such a sense of urgency, he can feel Astrid's confusion and panic. He doesn't ask any questions. Just following closely by making sure that she doesn't get into any trouble and doesn't get hurt.

He is just a glorified body guard, but he wouldn't be anywhere else.

He is slightly surprised when he realizes they are skirting around the edge of the amber pack. Finally, Astrid enters the border and runs a short distance before a small, slightly dilapidated cabin is revealed. It looks like at one time it was a little treasure, but now it just looks like it is in desperate need of maintenance. The weeds have taken over around it. The timber is starting to split and crack, the roof tiles are covered and branches and leaves to the point that it is hard to see the original colour of the roof.

If his mother didn't lead him directly here, he might actually have passed the place as it is starting to resemble a pile of nature's debris instead of a cabin. It would be so easy to miss.

Oscar hasn't spent much time within the amber pack, so it doesn't come as too much of a surprise that he has never seen this place before, but what has him intrigued is why his mother is suddenly coming to this place.

Astrid shifts and walks straight forward. Lifting her leg and kicking the door down with a large crash. She tears at the vines and tendrils and the weeds that are taller than herself, ripping and tearing at them with her bare hands. Her manicured nails getting destroyed in the process, but she cares little, cuts healing just as fast as the wounds appear, just leaving a small bloody trail in their wake.

Oscar has never seen Astrid in such a state, he has never seen her do much that wasn't completely dignified. This is actually an interesting change. It is nice to know that there is more emotion in there than just numbness.

Astrid walks straight into the familiar closet, she makes her way straight to the closet, grabbing out a dress and slipping it over herself. It is well outdated but she cares little. She grabs a pair of male pants and throws them to Oscar but still not saying a word to her son, who is standing in the doorway. That is the only way she acknowledges his presence.

She can't speak because she has no idea what to say, she is as confused as he is.

Oscar just stands in the doorway as Astrid runs through like a hurricane ripping items from shelves, overturning the bed. The room that was already covered in a thick layer of dust, looking like it has not been touched in a great number of years, gets even worse, but Oscar doesn't move to stop his mother, just letting her do what she wants to do.

It is hardly like she has gone insane and is trashing someone's house. Obviously, no one has lived in this place for a very long time.

Astrid herself doesn't even know what she's looking for, but she is determined to replace it anyway.

Everything is wrong.

She needs answers and this is the only place that she can possibly think of getting them. In a cabin that has been abandoned for over twenty years.

Finally in the bookshelf in an A4-sized photo album with some photos of some very familiar faces. A thick envelope falls out.

Even though it has been a lot of years, Astrid instantly recognizes Rose's handwriting. The envelope has a single word written on the front.

Maggie is written in cursive.

With trembling fingers, Astrid moves to the sealed section of the envelope, caring little that it is not addressed to her.

She sucks in a shaky breath as a distinct sound of ripping paper fills the otherwise silent room.

Very carefully, Astrid removes the thick stack of paper from the envelope.

Page after page of handwritten letter is exposed. Some words are written more shakily than others. Evidence of dried tears on the otherwise aged yet perfectly preserved pages.

Astrid holds the stack of paper to her chest as she backs up, sitting with little care on the mattress that is now on the floor. Saying a silent prayer for what she hopes to be written on the pages, even she is not sure what she wants to see.

Hoping that a single stack of paper can have all the answers she is looking for, because all she feels now is confusion.

It has been a long time since Astrid has seen Rose. Rose has been dead for a very long time.

Astrid reads the words one by one with great care. Not wanting to miss a single thing.