CHAPTER 670: 670-TALE OF PIED PIPER

Altan:

"Let’s go over there," he pointed at the wires that separated the pack from the rogue land, the border.

"I don’t think we should go there," I suggested, with my tiny hands being rubbed together constantly.

"Why not? Don’t be a coward. It will be fine. Besides, we need to see what is out there," he insisted, and I kept shaking my head, not sure what had gotten into him lately.

"Didn’t Father say many times we shouldn’t go over the border?" I asked in a hesitant tone. My body would shake every time he would suggest we do something reckless. As a nine-year-old, we should not be crossing borders. But he was so fierce. Everyone knew him as the little fierce prince who would grow up to be the best alpha ever.

"Don’t be a chicken. I will be with you. We’ll take a quick peek and return. Nobody will find out, and even if they did, they will only praise us. They will praise you, for the first time ever. Don’t you want that approval so badly?" He walked over and placed his hands on my shoulders, his eyes looking into mine.

How could I say no to my twin brother?

"Altan? Alpha Altan?"

I jolted awake at my beta shaking my arm. I must have fallen asleep on the chair. It had been happening a lot lately. I had been having dreams about my childhood more frequently now. And in those dreams, all I see is my brother watching me and judging me. It was like I was reliving that incident over and over again.

"What is it?" I asked my beta.

"Helanie and the Rogue King have started their investigation already. They are going from house to house and interviewing the victim’s parents. Don’t you think you should be there too? Our people won’t be happy that their alpha is not participating at all." Rocky had been just as disturbed as I had been.

Not because of my dreams, he didn’t know. But ever since he saw Helanie again, I guess he too realized how messed up we were back in the day.

"Yeah, you are right. Prepare my car. I will meet them at the house," I said as I tried to get up, but the headache made me sit down again.

"I’ll get you coffee first," Rocky patted my shoulder before walking away.

I was now living practically on my own. My mother didn’t like the fact that I went against my own father. I guess she truly believed my father’s words, that he was innocent in Helanie’s case, hiding her eyes from the evidence against him.

And then there was this burden of guilt. The guilt of being a coward.

After I had showered and grabbed my coffee, I reached the house Helanie and Emmet had been at.

I entered the living room to pass a first quick glance at Helanie. The girl I used to play with, the girl I never thought I could ever end up with, was now in front of me. She had become a perfect woman, someone I could never have anymore.

She looked so pretty in brown pants and a beige shirt. Her golden long hair was in a high ponytail, with strands running loose over her cheeks like a waterfall. She was intently listening to the father who had lost his son to the abduction.

And then there was the man beside her. Confident in all black, his shoulders broad and his eyes narrowed at the father.

I had seen some spark between them, but I couldn’t fathom Helanie would ever cheat on her husband. She was not the type.

But then what was going on between her and Emmet?

"Hmmm, okay, thank you so much," Helanie said to the father and got up.

"You will find my son, right?" the father let out a cry to Helanie, who gave him a comforting look.

The fact that these people used to be so nasty towards her, yet she was so deeply focused on helping them find their children, showed why she was the Alpha Queen today.

"How did it go?" I asked Helanie as she was reaching the door, where I had been standing too.

"We’ll have to ask Emmet, he’s been noticing stuff," she replied, once again relying on the man coming behind her. When he walked past me, I realized how broad and tall he was. He had a very impactful presence.

And somehow, I just felt so jealous of him. He got to speak with her, spend time with her, and it appeared she respected him a lot too.

I just didn’t like him with her. And that Norman too. Or any of his brothers.

I followed them outside and met up in the park where the two had planned to set up this meeting. I could tell it was Emmet’s idea. He was all over her, making decisions, and she followed his lead.

I sat down across the picnic table while she sat with him. He set the papers on the table but kept his eyes on the sky, as if checking the weather.

"You know, I’ve been wondering what kind of entity it could be from the evil Organization. I was trying really hard before coming here to find its name, until I met the victims’ parents. There have been indications that this entity isn’t just some old monster unleashed by the X Codex. It feels personal," Emmet started, and I watched Helanie look at him with so much adoration in her eyes. She was impressed by him.

"What do you mean?" Helanie asked. Not once did she spare me a glance. At times, I got worried she would walk right through me.

"All the kids had one thing in common before they went missing. They were upset, depressed, or not ready to accept reality. It reminds me of a popular tale from my childhood. Ever heard of the Pied Piper?" Emmet said slowly, even taking my full attention.

I must admit, that man knew how to hold an audience.