Winters (Book Five)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

I spot her across the schools' grounds. I am leaning against a few trees out of her line of vision. I dressed down knowing that she is used to only seeing me wear a suit, my hair is pulled back and I am wearing a mask to cover part of my face. I walk away and keep a sizeable distance as Avi and I track her phone. She is currently keeping a linear path towards my Aunt and Uncles apartment but as I remerge with the foot traffic, I notice how much her posture has changed.

She pulled her hair back and it reveals the faint tension in her shoulders as she keeps her head tilted downwards. Her hand grazes by her ear and I watch as she touches something, I wonder if it's that the ear Avi said there was metal attached to. It wasn't anything like what laced her vocal cords, but I wouldn't know anything from looking at her. Sidestepping into an alleyway, Avi hands me my suit top, and I disappear down the side streets carefully looking for her and trying to relocate her. Her phone's location seems to be lagging and I wonder if she is the one doing it.

"Alpha? I lost her, she slipped down some alleyways and I'm not sure if following her would be wise," I finally say to Avi. I can't believe I lost her! I have been working so hard on my tailing.

"How did you lose her? Wait, her location is glitching," Avi says and I sigh.

"She's quick, silent, her whole disposition changed the longer I followed her. I think she knew she was being followed and planned to ditch me the entire time," I say honestly and I can practically see Avi nodding along to what I am saying.

A noise startles me and I move towards it, focused and cautious. Slipping around the corner, I relax when I just see Faith but I freeze as I see the ease at which she is picking her nails with a knife. I know she is significantly younger and shorter but I don't doubt that she could fillet me like a fish. The way she checks over her shoulder, masterfully avoids everything, and the fact that she even managed to secure a pocket knife; tells me to stay back.

I focus on her expression and something seems slightly off, she glares me down but I don't walk away from her heated stare. She seems to be analyzing my every micro-movement as we stand there. Things slowly start to become blurry as I realize she is talking to me. Her voice swirls around my head and I can't seem to focus on what I am saying. The world sways and things fade into darkness before I look around again and see that I am staring through glass at a hunched figure at a metal table.

Looking around confused, I try to place where I am but I take note of my black suit and sharpest heels. Looking back at the woman, I can see part of her face from here and she looks numb to the world. Her eyes portray absolutely nothing as she keeps her head tilted downwards. What has she done? A man in uniform throws the door to the separate room open and the older woman barely flinches.

The man drops a thick stack of files onto the table and the woman looks the other way. My hand is on the one-way glass and my heart aches for her, she didn't ask for this but why didn't she try harder to get help! We would have done anything to protect her! To bring her back to where she belongs, she was an unofficial Maverick, her ability to manipulate others she threw into being the best surgeon she could be. She was a prodigal surgeon and hasn't had a bad outcome on any surgery. She could encourage a body to start the healing process and it saved patients so much pain and physical therapy.

I watch as her mouth moves, but no words seem to come out. Slowly she gets angry, she slams her hands onto the table enraged at what the officer is saying to her. She clenches her teeth and tries to speak. For the first time, I see the pain, the guilt. She lifts her head and looks right at me, she knows I am on the other side of the glass watching her. I want to say something to help her, and I am getting her the best council I can, but there is no hope for her. She will spend the rest of her life in jail.