Chasing Moon

16

Crystella told Joseph everything—the party, the plants, and her collapse.

"They used Chase as an excuse to carry out these acts—but they can't fool me. I know they have the intention of bringing down the Craw pack through instilling doubts in the pack members. I believe that some of the pack members are protesting not because of a real cause, but simply because of the influence around them," Crystella continued with her fists clenched tightly, to Chase's attention.

He didn't know the Alpha's daughter had cared so much about the pack.

"So you think this is an inside job?"

"I don't just think, Joseph, I know," Crystella replied, gritting her teeth.

Chase continued to study Crystella, still disturbed by Hart's Alpha's comment on the both of them meeting once while they were young.

Why had his father brought, of all people, him to Hart's place? It would have made better sense for him to bring his twin, Justin—after all, he was the one that his father had favoured more.

As Joseph continued to clarify Crystella on the matter, Chase stared at the Alpha, wondering what kind of man he was exactly. The infamous story about how an Alpha's brother took over a pack was known to all in several versions—one depicting the brother as a heroic wolf who had saved his pack from an incompetent Alpha, while the other depicting him as a ruthless bastard.

The formal was the more popular version, used to teach future Alphas-to-be on the importance of being responsible for their pack. But somehow, Chase had always thought that the latter was a more accurate description of what might have happened nineteen years ago.

A big part of him refused to trust the man sitting in front of him.

"I will need some time to digest all...this, Crystella. Why not have a tour around the place while I think about this? I will have my niece to show you around," Joseph suggested as he stood. "Stay here, my niece will be here soon to take you around."

As the Alpha walked out of the room, the silence between Chase and Crystella grew again.

"Well, I didn't know that we used to be childhood friends," Chase began as he turned sideways to face his companion.

"I don't think a few hours spent together years ago that we barely remember can do much to qualify us as 'childhood friends'," Crystella retorted, keeping her gaze forward.

"Well, on a different note, it had been a great time sitting here like an invisible being."

"Your presence is enough to do the job."

"Wow."

Seconds later, Chase burst out laughing.

Crystella eyed him.

"You're wrong then. I was expelled from my pack, how much of an influence can I actually bring?"

"Then you must know nothing in our politics. Whether you're a bastard son, rogue, or traitor, you're still the Alpha's son. Nothing changes the blood running in you—and it's a fact that nobody can ignore it."

Chase stared hard at her.

The daughter of an Alpha sat in elegance, her posture and expression illuminating a cool aura that was unapproachable, as though she had built ice walls around her, challenging anyone around her to break it.

Chase wondered, again, how much it would take to break the seventeen-year-old next to him.

He had almost seen her true emotions once, when she had just gain conscious earlier that day. She was completely exposed, letting her emotions show in their genuine form—only to be pushed back into that cold heart of hers, becoming a mystery to everyone.