WHISPER. | Rewriting.

Chapter 21.

A/N: How I imagine Eleanna.




RYDER

Claimnton's words hit me like a ton of bricks. Poisoned? What the hell did he mean? Leo's condition had worsened so quickly, and I could feel my heart racing as fear and panic coursed through me. My brother's life was hanging at stake, and I had to do something about it.

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

Claimnton looked at me, his expression serious. "I have an antidote. It depends on how much poison is in his system and how his body reacts."

My fists clenched involuntarily, my anger at the situation and the people responsible fueling my determination. "Just give it to him. Do whatever you can to save him."

"Remember, Ryder. . . everything has a price." He murmured, looking at my eyes. I didn't know what he meant and I had no time to think about it.

He swiftly moved to a nearby cabinet, grabbing a vial filled with a glowing blue liquid. He carefully injected it into a syringe and approached Leo.

"Ryder," Eleanna's voice broke the tension. "We should find out who did this. We need to stop them before they hurt anyone else."

She was right, but at that moment, my focus was solely on Leo's well-being. I couldn't let anything distract me from that.

Claimnton administered the antidote, and we all held our breath, waiting for a sign that it was working. Slowly, color returned to Leo's face, and his breathing seemed to stabilize. Relief washed over me, and I let out a shaky breath.

"He should be okay now," Claimnton said, stepping back and wiping his brow. "But he needs rest and time to fully recover."

I nodded, my gratitude for Claimnton's help apparent in my eyes. "Thank you, Claimnton. I owe you."

He offered a reassuring smile. "Just take care of your brother. And now, let's discuss what happened."

We gathered in the living room, and Eleanna filled us in on what she had discovered about the situation. She had found evidence that pointed towards a larger conspiracy involving the town's leadership and a cover-up operation. It seemed that Jason's disappearance was a pawn in a much bigger game and of course, my own terror from that unknown killer was little part of said game.

"They're trying to frame us for whatever is happening in this town," Eleanna concluded, frustration evident in her voice, brown eyes shifting from me and Leo. "We need to expose the truth and find evidence to clear your names."

I nodded in agreement. "We can't let them get away with this. We need to find Jason and uncover who's really behind all of this. I hope he is okay, wherever he is." I trailed off, my mind drifting back to Jason and his well-being. I could feel ping in my heart and I had to move fast and get him back where he belongs.

Leo groaned from the couch, slowly starting to regain consciousness. I approached him, crouching down beside him. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

He blinked a few times, his gaze focusing on me. "Like I got run over by a truck."

I chuckled softly in relief. "Well, you're not far off, but you're going to be fine."

He managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Ryder."

"Anytime..."

Eleanna used her connections to gather information while Claimnton helped us develop a strategy. We needed to be careful, move silently, and strike when the time was right after all, we were wanted in entire Callidoll right now. We knew that the enemy was watching, and any misstep could be fatal.

Days turned into nights as I had to admit that sometimes drowning all the sorrows, anger and pent up tension with alcohol worked. Leo was gazing through the window as we stayed hidden in the shadows. A few cops tried to barge in Claimnton's place but fuck, I had no idea that mother fucker had a whole arsenal of shotguns. He harshly pulled one out and stated his rights.

That damn man, I tell you. He had no fear of anything.

During the seventh night we spent at doc's place, as we were huddled around a table covered in maps and notes, Eleanna burst through the door with urgency in her eyes. We had already spoken about the hitmen who could possibly lead us there, the ones with bullets that had a wolf carved in then – unfortunately, no luck.

Later we figured out that every single man of the group of hitmen was dead.

And that made me realize that perhaps it wasn't only one person playing this game. It was more than one person definitely.

"I found something," she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of excitement and worry. "Evidence that ties everything together."

We leaned in as she spread out documents and photographs. When I took a look at them, my mouth fell agape in pure shock.

Leo and I remained silent as Eleanna tried to take a look at the files too. Her brown eyes focused on my face, then at Leo's and Claimnton's who froze.

"Are you guys...okay?" she trailed off and I had to blink a few times and take a deep breath, nodding my head. " Those were taken a few days ago from the private investigator I hired to watch over the people at the police station..." she informed us, and I knew it straight up.

The news were running in the background of this entire thing. The anchor was yet again mentioning of Jason's disappearance.

Omega. Respected lawyer. Yet capable to do such thing of possible anger toward alpha. They pulled him out to be a monster.

Our time was running out.

"Hey," Leo's voice broke through my reverie. He walked up to me, his expression serious. "We've come a long way, Ryder. We're going to get through this."

I turned to him, a small smile forming on my lips. "Yeah, we are. We've got each other's backs."

"Always," he replied, his gaze steady.

I couldn't believe it.

Me and Leo agreeing on something.

Scratch that, me and Leo working on something together. As a family.

I guess Jason did something he didn't quite realize.

Eleanna snapped with her fingers and all eyes were now on her.

"What's going on?" she asked lowly.

"Uh..." I trailed off, gazing at the pictures in my hands.

"It's just...that's Detective Valleska on the photos right?"

She was standing with her hands on her waist. Leo sighed and gave Claimnton the pictures he was holding.

"Yeah..but who is the other woman?" she asked in pure curiosity.

There was a silence in the room.

"Our mother." Leo mumbled as if he didn't want to admit it to himself.

That woman.

Devil of a woman.

She was alive.

And she could be the cause of this entire thing.