Anita

Chapter 16

Alec P.O.V.

I stormed into Lance's office, agitation rolling through me in big waves.

"You've been avoiding me for three days now, where's Anita?"

He turned a glare on me, "None of your business."

I gawked at him. Is he seriously saying that?

"She's my sister and she's not my business?"

"The only thing you need to know is that she is safe from harming anyone and she is being taken care of."

I shook my head, growling.

"It's ok, Alec," Mason said, trying to calm me.

I jumped, in surprise, at the sight of him. I had been so focused on trying to find out where Anita was that I hadn't realized that Mason had been sitting in the seat.

"Mason, do you know where Anita is?" I asked. He was Lance's best friend and Beta, Lance would tell him, right?

His expression froze and his eyes flickered to Lance and back to me, looking wary and uncomfortable.

Right.

"Mason, where is she?"

Lance growled, "He will not go against my order. You don't need to know where she is after betraying her once again."

Betray? "What are you talking about? When did I betray her again?"

He shoved out of his chair, snarling, and gripping the table so hard that it cracked under his palms. Mason was quickly in front of me, slightly crouched, protectively. I immediately pushed him out of the way. If a fight broke out, I was perfectly capable of holding my own.

"When you called out to her like you were in pain! When I was trying to knock her out to get her to shift back!"

"What?! I was trying to help you! You know, so she didn't kill you! I don't see how that was a betrayal!"

"I didn't need your help and Anita will see it as a betrayal! She isn't stupid, she'll understand what you did! In her eyes, I was the enemy and you aided the enemy."

He was right. I didn't even think of how she would see it in her perspective.

"What about you, you attacked her and she's your mate."

"We both know that the mate bond isn't as important to her as her brother."

"She needed to be stopped-" I tried to reason.

"Stop making excuses, what you need to do is to always be on your sister's side," he sat back down in his chair, exasperated, "you'd think that I wouldn't have to tell you this, though."

We all stayed silent. I didn't know what to say, he was right in a way. I had called for her attention, which led to her being knocked out and she was going to remember it. Plus, I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that she remembers everything. That blow to the head from the tree would've surely brought everything back.

Mason looked back and forth from us and upon realizing that no one was going to rip anyone's head off, he sat back down and gently tugged me to the seat next to him.

Lance leaned forward, running his hand through his hair, "Look, Alec. If I have to be the bad guy just to get your sister...well, not on a rampage, then let me do that. I will do anything to protect your sister even if it means I have to fight her. But I will not have her crying and heartbroken because you hurt her."

I looked at Lance like it was the first time I was seeing him. Huh, maybe the Moon Goddess didn't hate him after all.

I nodded my head, "Fine, I'll try to think about how my actions will affect Anita, before I act."

He nodded in return, "Thank you."

"Now can you please tell me where she is, so I can see her for myself."

He pursed his lips before he turned in his seat and picked up a remote.

He fumbled with it for a moment and suddenly the portrait behind him, that consisted of  wolves circling what seemed to be a bright, silver light that was shaped like a woman, started going up revealing a wide TV behind it.

Both Mason and I gawked at it.

He turned the TV on.

Suddenly, Anita's shrieks filled the room as she, on the screen, threw her head back to rage at the ceiling. She was held in place by a bunch of silver chains wrapped around her and connecting to the wall. The only thing keeping them from burning into her skin was a towel wrapped around her as a barrier to the silver metal.

Tears were running down her face and rage was twisting in her eyes.

"Is there a way for me to talk to her?" I asked, walking around the desk to get closer to the screen.

Lance handed me a microphone and pressed a button. I held the microphone up.

"Anita, can you hear me?"

She stopped wailing and dropped her head down, breathing hard.

"Anita, I know you must be angry at me, but I didn't want you to kill your mate. You were going out of contr-"

"Traitor."

I winced in pain as that one word escaped her mouth.

"I was trying to help you, Anita."

She shook her head, "I don't need your help, I need you to be safe. I need...I need you to be on my side."

"I am on your side."

She ignored me, "I need to know that I have you if everything goes to shit. I need to know that I can count on you not to turn your back on me. I need to be secure in that."

She turned her head to look in the camera as if she could see me. As if she could see right into my eyes.

"I know I get angry. I know I'm overprotective and that I'm territorial with you. I know you want some room to breathe away from making sure I won't kill anyone, but Alec, when you're betrayed by someone who you were supposed to trust how can you trust a stranger?"

"What is she talking about?" Mason asked.

I shook my head, "I have no clue."

"He may come for us, Alec. When that time comes are you going to turn your back on me for good?"

I frowned, "Who's coming for us?"

She turned away from the camera.

"Anita, who's coming for us?"

A knock sounded at the door.