Emotions rule us & for others not to be ruled, they have shut down their emotions.

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Carter.

Being followed was a nuisance because when it came to wolves they had the uncanny ability of using their heightened senses to track you, when they couldn't see you, luckily I could easily avoid that too, by blending in and then using someone else's scent to hide my own, currently I had thrown a random man's coat over my shoulders, he was rather amused by my hiding but didn't ask much.

"Pardon my lack of tact but can I have your number?" He asked as we headed down a very busy street, this was perfect to hide in and run away, Sterling had given me the address to where I would find the rogues, so all I had to do was get an uber or taxi after I had gotten rid of the wolves tailing me. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." I replied with caution, I didn't want to get his hopes up, after this we were never going to meet, ever. "Oh come on, I can't be that bad." He asserted with a dashing smile, and honestly he wasn't but I couldn't afford entanglements right now. "I promise I won't nag you, just a drink." He persuaded and what harm would a drink be, so I took the pen from his coat and my notepad, quick and easy I gave him the number. "Thanks." I mumbled just as a taxi stopped beside us and I got in.

"Billford and step on it." I instructed the driver and we were off, without wolves sniffing on my trail I could easily get to where I wanted, Kholis Bay was home to a lot of wolves, the pack in GroveHill was just as old as the rogue factions that lived here, its why the factions never disappeared from the town, or get absorbed, it was somewhat a weird harmony between them, I wondered if that peace had also reached their relations, they were always rocky during the times I lived here and it wouldn't be a surprise if things had gotten worse.

"Here." The driver called out, I paid him and got out to be greeted by a large mansion, it was the only mansion along the narrow street, it was a magnificent structure, the place looked like it was maintained to the highest degree, and the air was crisp and fresh, these wolves were definitely living lavishly even for rogues. I walked past the guarded gates until I got to the main door, just as I was about to knock, it opened, a man rather wolf who looked to be in his early thirties stood there, dark eyes that contrasted with his olive skin, he seemed dangerous, in many ways. "Good afternoon." I offered with a smile, he blinked twice trying to get back his senses, I could tell he was confused through his emotions, so I just waited.

"Uh, sorry, she's been expecting you." He expressed opening the door, I wondered what he meant about she's been expecting me, and how the hell would anyone know I would be here. "Come in." He spoke gently though his voice was gruff. I hesitantly walked in, the inside was just as breathtaking as the outside. "Hello Carter." The voice came from the stairs, right at the top, she looked beautiful, regal, a queen in her palace, she also screamed danger making my senses spike, ready for anything. "Hello." I hesitantly replied as she descended the stairs. "Don't be alarmed dear, Jeff told me you would come, I thought you would use the call to inform me but you asked cautious questions, things you wanted to know specifically, that's smart." She commented on what I had done precisely making me smirk, she was good, and also the information about Sterling put me slightly at ease, not completely.

"Follow me." She ordered and I followed her, my heels clicking on the tiled floor. "Sterling Jeff said you were exquisite but his words don't do you justice." She complimented making me chuckle, atleast I had gotten my look right today, instead of being rugged and rough, wolves tend to view delicate things as weak and often feel the need to protect them therefore are more open to saying things they shouldn't. "Thank you, I didn't get your name." I replied warily and she chuckled. "My name is Katherine dear, and I lead this peaceful faction of rogues." She replied whimsically and I couldn't help smile a little wider, she was really something else. "Borel bring us something to drink." She ordered and he went onto his task right then. As he came back the larger wolf let a few drops of clear tonic drop into the wine glass before handing it to Katherine. "Excuse that, my mate doesn't like me drinking." She spoke up, I waved it off, it wasn't any of my business but. "Vervain, mixed with red fern paste and crushed fuschia roots, it cancels out the smell of alcohol and several toxins, let me tell you a secret, if you add dead man's ash and oakwood sap, the smell of blood can be completely eradicated." I offered my olive branch, the only way I was going to get something out of Katherine was if I gave something and it seemed it had worked.

She was intrigued. "How interesting, I always wondered how to do that, and for that piece of information, you can ask me three questions." She offered and I knew not to waste the opportunity, I had to utilise the chance carefully, but my first question was obvious. "Did any rogue wolf attack Roselia Defray?" I questioned leaving no room for loophole, she sipped her wine carefully before looking at me. "No rogue wolf attacked your grandmother Carter, she's the one who treated us because the pack infirmary is off limits to us, we had no reason to attack her." She explained and my suspicions were confirmed, they were lying.

My second question was complicated but I had to try. "How am I connected to the wolf disappearances in Kholis Bay?" I asked and the question seemed to knock some shock into Katherine, she snickered as she regained her composure. "You're a blue blood, whatever that means, I'm still trying to figure it out myself but as far as I know there is something special about you as a wolf, and even I can tell that, your grandmother knew aswell and I've come to the conclusion that its why she was killed, I have nothing else to tell you on that." She replied but Katherine had given me more information than she knew, ofcourse she hadn't been lying, I would know but I  remembered something my grandmother always spoke about when we visited the town library.

How the werewolves have forgotten our ways and the past, how they have forgotten that the cobalt veins pulse with knowledge from our predecessors.

I knew the clues were in the town library, I just had to get there and find out before anyone knew, maybe it could lead me to why she was killed. "Follow me." Katherine suddenly exclaimed as she stood up and led me to a study on the second floor, once inside she locked the door on the inside, what I'm about to show you should never escape your lips to another." She instructed leaving stuck on why exactly she was being cryptic until a wall opened by the bookshell, behind it were plants, all herbs, tubes and cannisters of all sorts. "I knew there was something special about you when you told me about the tonic, then I remembered, your grandmother was a master healer, she passed her gifts to you obviously." Katherine explained making me curse lowly, I shouldn't have underestimated her, ofcourse I had studied medicinal herbs from my gran to the extent that I could cure a half dead wolf.

"I will give you all the information you want, if you teach my son, all that you know." Katherine offered as a boy taller than her but still with more of her features showed up in the lab we stood in. "Hello." He greeted and I nodded in return, his emotions were everywhere, from lust to envy. I couldn't accept the offer, Defray secrets were to remain Defray secrets, passed down from mother to child, if Katherine was offering this, there was a catch and I couldn't risk anyone knowing I was involved with the rogue factions. "I'm sorry but no, I will just take my third answer and leave." I exclaimed and it intrigued Katherine again, but she nodded in acceptance. "Who had and still has access to the old mine shafts and my grandmother's workspace by town hall and the infirmary lab?" I asked and Katherine seemed astounded by what I asked, but that's what I wanted to know, it would give me a perspective of who be able to know what my gran knew and kill her for it.

"I thought you would ask about Enzo's ex girlfriend, why you were framed, anything to exonerate you and get rid of exile." She remarked with an amused tone but I already knew everything, and why I was backstabbed, the alpha couldn't keep it in his pants. "I already know everything, and honestly I'd rather stay in exile it's freeing." I replied just as a smirk lined Katherine's lips. "The only persons who had access are the alpha, his mate, his son, the beta and his mate, along with the head warrior and their attorney along with your gran ofcourse." She replied with a glimmer of mischief that I couldn't mistaken, I now had my targets, of all six, all of them were potentially my gran's killer, I just had to find out who.

"Thank you Katherine, I appreciate your honesty." I asserted as Borel came from the other room and escorted me out. "You're playing with fire Carter, be careful, but if I were the ones that wronged you, I would fear for my life, they don't know what's coming, and I see it in your eyes, you may look fragile but you seem to bathe in hell fire." Katherine whispered just as I walked out of the study, she may be right or she may be wrong, but I knew what I was aiming for and that was getting justice.

I walked out of the mansion gates quickly regretting my decision not to rent a car. Atleast the uber would get here in two minutes, as I waited for it three wolves showed up, they were all larger than me and they definitely did not have graceful intentions. "The alpha wants to speak with you, we've been sent to escort you." They relayed just as I scoffed. "Oh hell no."

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