18

18

My heart thumped furiously inside of my chest, threatening to jump out of my chest cavity. I ran the fastest I could go and it was still too slow. All my life I thought our speed was a little over the top. A little too much, who needed to go that fast and why? Who did we need to run away from that we were built to run so fast? Especially when we were at the top of the food chain.

I probably busted into the cell room in a split second after the head of security delivered the news to me, however it felt like a whole hour past by before I reached.

The bed Erin had cuffed him to only last night was empty, the side cuffed to the bed post hung freely, the part his hand stayed last night was empty. My chest all but exploded in front of me. He could not be dead, he couldn't. He just could not. He was okay when we left yesterday, so what was going on? Was I not suppose to know if he was dead or not? Like some sort of sixth sense? Why was I not feeling anything?

I grab the closet security in front of me, his eyes grew wide as he struggled against me.

"Where is he?" I growled.

His name plate read, Oliver.

"Where the hell is he Oliver?" I growl again when he does not respond.

"He can't answer any questions when you grab him like that." Erin tells me calmly. His fingers prying mine from Oliver's neck. I didn't realize how tight I held on until he starts gasping and rubbing his neck.

"Calm down. Nothing good will come out if you being this angry." He said soothingly.

Grace fought to gain control. She wanted to come out and that would not be good. I needed to stay as focused as I could be, getting violent was not going to get me anywhere.

My hands were shaking, I could feel my whole body vibrating from anger.

"Do you feel better now?" Erin asked, his eyes peering down into my eyes, worry and concern etched themselves deep into his irises. If only the moon goddess was wise enough to make him my mate, he would have been perfect. His hands drew soothing circles on my back, grounding me into reality.

"Let's go see. If he is dead.." My words caught in my throat.

"If you see that, imagine what you would do.." He gestured to the place poor Oliver stood, he probably ran away when he thought I would not notice.

"What do I do then?" I felt hopeless.

I was ready to send him back to his life knowing he was safe and sound. But him dying under my control? That was a different story.

"Relax. Let me go find out everything. I'll get back here and give you the information."

I nod absentmindedly. Collapsing on the bed he laid on just few hours ago. And now he was dead. Gone. Just like that.

Erin took one look at me, before zooming off. I bite down into my fingers, he could not be dead. What was going to kill him? I never ordered that he be killed. Everyone knew better than touching him without my permission.

I stand abruptly. The rogues from this morning. Did they kill him and then try to run away? There was no blood on them when I saw them. Neither was there blood on the floor in this room. Maybe by suffocation then?

Just then the head of security walked in carrying one of the unconscious rogue.

"Robert." I nodded at him.

"This is the second one. The others were already dead." Robert testified. He dusting his palms against each other like touching the rogues made him less worthy.

"It's okay. I need just these ones. Can I see the surveillance footage from here for last night? And the list of all the guards on duty for the last night."

"Right this way. The security footages are stored in this room." He pointed to another room.

"Double cuff them. I don't want them escaping while we are gone."

He nodded, side stepping their bodies like they had some kind of infection he was scared of catching. I roll my eyes impatiently, he was a beta for crying out loud.

"Done. Please, follow me." He says as he led the way.

I follow him into a dark room with plenty of screens, and at least ten guys monitoring them, each if them showing what happened in real time.

"Where were you last night Robert?" I ask him, my eyes scanning all the monitors. Nothing was going to get past me now.

Robert looked stunned for a minute, his cheeks coloured as he rubbed his head.

"It was the mating process fifteenth anniversary for my mate and I. We spent the night recreating that first night."

I almost cringe at the too much information. I try to keep a straight face for the sake of our job.

"Okay. I need the list of those who guarded him last night. And the persons who found him." I try not to let my voice crack. Keeping it strictly business.

Grace whimpered. She just found her mate and all of a sudden he was dead. Plus I might never get the corona Fletcher ever. That alone made me want to find whoever did it and kill them.

"He found him." Robert pointed some tiny guy with huge glasses.

He looked terrified of being pointed out to me. I almost scoff.

"M." He greeted. His bow was awkward as his forehead almost touch the floor.

"You. What's your name?"

"Clive."

First Oliver now Clive.

"Why aren't you being questioned?"

His eyes went round.

"I didn't kill him. I didn't do anything. I just found him when I did my morning rounds. I alerted the others immediately."

I take a deliberate step towards him. Already he was trembling. Now he was just about ready to piss his pants.

"How do I believe you?"

"It is true M. What the child says is accurate. The footage tells us that same thing." Robert pointed at a footage that was grainy but clear enough that you saw it was Clive. My heart did a little dance when I saw the still form of my mate. A pillow over his face. I almost cry out, Grace thrashed around, her way of mourning the guy who never even knew us. I managed to stay grounded.

"Did the footage catch whoever did this?" My voice was so icy even Robert flinched.

"Unfortunately no. Whoever did this knows the ins and outs of Crescent moon tech. We use not one or two cameras, there were back ups for back ups. The fact that it caught nothing and came back up between the time needed to carry out the operation and immediately after means they had someone inside. And unfortunately this someone knows what they were doing." Robert reports. He sounded disappointed with his team. He felt betrayed, imagine how I felt.

"Who was on duty yesterday night? To monitor the screens." I ask everyone in the room.

A few hands shot up reluctantly.

"This happened in front of your eyes. The screen did not show anything and all of you kept still. Nobody did anything?" my voice had gone up now. Everyone went still, afraid of my outburst.

"That's another interesting fact. Few minutes before it happened. All of them watching the footage in real time fell asleep. Together."

A dry laugh came out of me.

"What do you mean? You fell asleep on duty? You think we are paying you to have a sleep over?"

"That's not all. They fell asleep after eating something."

The hairs on my neck rose to life. This was no accident carried out by nameless rogues, it was carefully orchestrated. It was bigger than what I had originally thought.

"Who brought it? The thing you ate."

They shared a look.

"Frank Cook." Robert answered.

Blood rushed to my ears. I didn't recognize the name but he was going to give me answers.

"Where is He?"

"He never came into work today."

Of course, it would be too easy for something to go right for me.

"Find him, where ever he is hiding. Bring him to me."

Finally someone to pay.

Two of the guys bowed swiftly and dashed out of the room.

"Frank was such a good guy. He never even skipped work. He works so hard to provide for his family." Robert shook his head regretfully.

"Worked. He won't be doing any more works when I find him."

I walk out of the door I came through. Stopping just before I enter the holding cell where the rogues were still laying unconscious.

"bring in Calli and Lia. I need answers from these guys."