The Blood-Book III

Chapter 32: Vanishing

Andrea and I walked around with Dominic, talking to luna's to see if we couldn't find anyone betraying us. We talked to the luna who had given me trouble before, she ended up being a good woman who was just scared for her pack. After talking to her or 'Beth' as she asked me to call her, we ended up coming to an understanding and laughing together.

Her position was one I understood–putting your pack first. I didn't blame her for being suspicious or frightened; if I was in her shoes I probably would be too.

Barrett and Evie narrowed down a list, but there were no red flags which was incredibly frustrating. I had a feeling that there were other packs helping her, but we needed proof. We didn't need someone like a 'Greg,' running back; hell, they were probably linking the other side plenty of information. The only good note was that a lot of it wasn't anything that she probably couldn't have guessed herself, and Evie and Barrett ensured that the persons of interest were all in the group with the vampires. A strategic move to see who was made uncomfortable by the proximity to the enemy of the rebels and who was not.

Later that afternoon, after Ethan and I talked with some of the alphas along with the witches about the rogues, he and I both agreed to go for a run back to Levi's. I barely had eaten lunch, and my beast needed out for a few minutes.

Ethan ended up swimming with me down to the tree that Levi had taken me to, he had never seen it before. His fingers were trailing Levi's initials that I showed him while I laid back on the soft grass. "What do you think?"

"I think after this, that you and I will be taking a vacation," Ethan breathed out, his eyes not leaving the tree. "How does a beach sound?"

I rolled my eyes as the sun started to dry my skin with its warmth. "That's assuming it ends."

Ethan sighed and walked over to me, laying down before he propped himself up on an elbow next to me. "It will end sunshine."

I turned my head to look at him; his hair still dripping a little and his skin slightly dewy. "What do you think Levi will do with Lucas?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what will he do with him?" I asked. "He's technically Levi's heir."

"It comes so natural to him," Ethan breathed out. "Even now after being dead it's still natural. He was always like that before. He and Eli were both like that."

"You are too," I said softly.

Ethan smiled, taking my hands and kissing my knuckles. "Thank you, sunshine."

"Do you think Levi will start training him like he was with Liam?"

"Yes," Ethan replied quickly. "I think in a way he already is, he just doesn't really realize it. It's also so soon, I wouldn't doubt that Levi is probably waiting to get past all this before he makes that more official."

"True," I said with a slight nod. "It's just, I don't know. It's so screwed up. I mean, Lucas is just the obvious natural fit. I'm not saying Liam couldn't do it, I truly believed he could–"

"I did too," Ethan injected.

"But why? Why all this? Why kill Lucas, then kill another that was like a son to Levi, then bring Lucas back? What's the point? It's just like this merry-go-round, you know? That and why the attack? Why didn't she try to open the tree before? She was here, she was right there by the tree. Why now and not then?"

Ethan thought for a few moments before he shrugged at me. "There's a lot of reasons that could be. We know she wanted to have more control over the region. Putting Thomas in charge and crippling Levi's pack did that for her.