Chapter 74
Thursday 24th September, 2020
Star’s POV
“What did you just do?!” Yelled Brink, a hint of fear in his voice.
I was panting from exerting myself. I was not even sure how I had done it. All I knew was that when I allowed my emotions to burn from within instead of suppressing them all the time, they turned into something else, energy, chaos, magic. Brink ran up the stairs to check on the lights upstairs. I knew with this inexplicable certainty that every single light in the mansion was out and that every single electrical wire was fried. I wondered if I was strong enough to bend the bars with my wolf strength. I tried to. They didn’t budge. I looked around the basement. There were no keys hanging in plain sight on the wall like in movies. Angie and Brink weren’t that stupid. I sighed.
If Brink was able to block me psychically from reaching anyone through mind-link, even my own twin, he must be truly gifted and powerful. How could someone like that let Angie boss them around? Hadn’t he been fooling around with that cheerleader from the Academy? The one whose cigarette he had lit? Brink returned. He looked drained.
“What about that cheerleader?” I asked.
“What?” He snapped, annoyed.
“The cheerleader your bandmates said you were seeing at the Academy? At the talent show!” I reminded him.
“Banging, not seeing,” he corrected me.
“Well, what about her? Angie’s your mate,” I said.
“And Jonah’s yours,” he countered.
I flinched. He was right. I didn’t have that much control over my own mates either but I would never do something evil just to please them.
“Ok, but Angie didn’t mind you being with that cheerleader?” I asked.
I wanted to keep him talking.
“I wanted her to mind. I did that to make her jealous,” he admitted.
I had basically tried something similar with Harper before I found out he was my twin.
“Did it work?” I asked.
“No,” he mumbled.
“Have you ever thought about rejecting Angie?” I asked.
“Have you ever thought about rejecting Jonah?” He snarled back at me.
“Yes, of course,” I said simply.
He raised his eyebrows.
“I tried to reject them officially when I was at the Academy and all four of them were present but Noah covered my mouth. They all jumped towards me to stop me actually but Noah got there first,” I explained.
“You fried the whole house,” he muttered. “All the rooms upstairs are dark.”
Harper’s POV
My Holly had given me a precious gift. The Lingering Lotus. I could ask it yes or no questions and the answer would always be right. Yes was signified by the petal lingering while no was indicated by the petal falling off permanently. Too many questions with no answers would render the Lotus useless. I sighed. Holly needed this for something and she was willing to give it to me. I would need to be careful with it. No one was able to reach Noah who was good at predicaments like this. Jonah was not reachable either.
“What do you think is wrong, Jamie?” I asked.
Jamie sighed. “Someone is mentally shielding or blocking Star’s whereabouts along with those of Noah and Jonah,” said Jamie, her expression worried. “Do any of you know a powerful psychic?” She asked.
I raised my eyebrows. One of my bros and fellow bandmates had claimed to be psychic once. We had honestly been so high at the time, we had just laughed it off. There was no way it was him though so I didn’t bother to tell Jamie the story.
“Angie!” Exclaimed Eli.
Zaya snorted with Alpha.
“No, Eli!” I said. “She said psychic not toxic!” I enunciated.
Everyone burst into laughter.
“No,” said Eli impatiently. “Angie has to be the one responsible for Noah and Jonah being unreachable somehow. She’s probably trying to vamp them.”
“I would believe that,” I agreed. “You think she has something to do with Star’s disappearance too?”
If she did, her hours were numbered. Days were too merciful.
“Ask the flower!” Prompted Eli eagerly.
“Yes!” Agreed Zaya.
“Wait a moment, my Lords,” beseeched Holly. “Perhaps, a more general question such as was Star kidnapped or did she leave. Pick the one you think is more likely to render a yes so you can ask more questions,” suggested Holly.
I raised my eyebrows at her. Was she playing me? One moment, she was a little helpless kitten and suddenly she seemed to be a lioness in wait, quiet capable but bidding her time. Perhaps, she thought the damsel act would endear me to her faster. I had to admit I liked being clearly in charge when it came to the two of us. I was an Alpha. I couldn’t help it. I would rather be played by my mate than miss out on her completely as foolish as that might be.
I didn’t believe for one second that Star ran away so to preserve the petals I asked, “Was Star kidnapped?” While holding one of the iridescent petals. The petal gleamed and its surface seemed to ripple like moonlight streaming on a lake. The petal hummed like a musical note. It was a beautiful sound. It remained in place. It lingered. Someone had Star!
“She loves us,” said Eli breathlessly, looking massively relieved but strained.
“I didn’t ask it that!” I couldn’t stop myself from trolling the Quads.
Eli frowned at me. “Meaning she didn’t leave willingly and she didn’t turn down my offer to run way together,” explained Eli.
“What?” I snarled.
“My Lord, let us focus on the flower a moment, if it pleases you,” said Holly.
She was right. I pulled her closer to me, eliciting a blush.
“Do I know the person who has kidnapped Star?” I asked the flower.
“Good, your Highness!” Commented Holly.
The petal gleamed but did not fall. I knew the name of the person responsible already. I just had to figure out who it was specifically, but it wasn’t a stranger.
“Angie!” Barked Eli.
“You think everything is Angie’s fault all the time,” pointed out Zaya.
“Because it f*****g always is,” grumbled Eli.
“I think her to be a suspect too,” I admitted. “But she’s not capable of the psychic blocking.”
The group nodded.
“It’s someone you know Harper, you and the Quads!” Said Jessie. “Name every single person you know to be psychic or magical whether you think them innocent or not!” Instructed Jessie.
I shrugged. “I only know one such person and he’s my best bro and bandmate so no go,” I said.
“I don’t care,” said Jessie bluntly. I had heard he was a cool guy but a no-nonsense Alpha. “Now is not the time to think well of your friends. It’s the time to cast aspersions until proven otherwise. Name him or her.”
Star’s POV
“How come you have this psychic power?” I asked, truly curious.
Brink shrugged.
“How long have you had it?” I asked.
“Since birth I guess. I’ve only been able to actively use it since I came of age,” he said.
I nodded.
“What’s your problem?” He asked with a sigh.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Why are you being nice to me?” He asked, irritated.
I ignored the question. I was focusing on Brink, trying to look inside his head like opening a book but a thousand times more complex.
“Is it hard to keep a hold on me psychically?” I asked.
“It’s…there’s more people I have to keep a hold on,” he said, shrugging.
“The Quads?” I asked. “Harper?”
“Just you, Noah and Jonah, mainly,” he muttered. “And anyone tryout to reach you.
“Why don’t you just use your power on Angie so she’ll stop wanting to be Luna?” I asked.
“I don’t want to take away her dream of becoming Luna. I don’t want to make her love me. I want her to really want to be with me,” said Brink sadly.
“It must be awful to have Angie want to be with someone else so badly,” I sympathised.
Brink sighed. He grumbled something unintelligible to himself. All I was getting from Brink was…frustration, lots and lots frustration.
“Brink, do you and Angie know that I couldn’t marry the Quads even if I wanted to?” I asked.
Brink raised his eyebrows. He looked at me doubtfully.
“Why not?” He asked dryly.
“Because there’s a curse on the family!” I said.
Brink snorted with laughter.
“A curse,” he repeated, snickering.
I looked at him blankly.
“The Quads are descended from a long line of Alphas. One of their ancestors was an Alpha by the name of Oleander. He was the younger brother of Alpha Alto, the reigning Alpha. Alpha Alto was fated to Mother Georgianna, a witch. His brother Oleander hated the idea of his brother marrying a witch so he tried to poison her at their wedding feast but Alto drank from the cup instead and succumbed to the poison,” I narrated.
Brink was just staring at me.
“Georgianna was heartbroken and wanted revenge so she cursed Oleander and his lineage so that they would never experience what he had taken from her, true love,” I explained.
Brink looked intrigued.
“So any girl who marries a direct descendent of Oleander dies,” I lied.
Oleander stiffened. Even if he didn’t believe me, he would be worried for Angie. He wouldn’t know the curse only applied to the true Lunas of the Alphas but Brink didn’t know that and neither did Angie. Neither knew about the curse until now.
“The Quads’ mother is alive,” snapped Brink.
“She’s not married to their Dad, Alpha Quaid,” I stated, hoping this was common knowledge in the Pack.
“Oh yeah, they’re not married, not officially,” he mumbled.
“And the Quads’ paternal grandmother died shortly after her giving birth to Alpha Quaid,” I added.Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
Brink was considering my words.
“Chet and Jillian’s car accident, Toby’s near-death experience, the deaths Mr Damocles and the Vice Principal at the Academy, all victims of the curse,” I explained.
Brink looked worried.
“That’s why Jillian and Chet aren’t even healing as they should be. They’re wolves! Don’t you find it strange?” I asked, my voice becoming a bit shrill.
Brink narrowed his eyes at me.
“Angie said they weren’t healing, yeah,” muttered Brink.
“When does she plan to marry Jonah?” I asked.
“Right now,” mumbled Brink.
WHAT?!” I yelped.
Brink stared at me.
“Jonah agreed to this,” I said, trying not to cry.
“Not really,” mumbled Brink.
“Then how is this gonna work?” I asked.
“Simple! I’m gonna make Jonah see a Get Well Soon Card for Chet and Jillian instead of what he’s really signing which is the Marriage Certificate. Angie planned it all thinking Jonah would flake out on her and go back to you,” said Brink somewhat gloatingly.
My heart was racing.
“Same thing with Noah! He’ll see a Get Well Soon card and be signing as witness without even knowing it. One of Angie’s friend’s will be their other witness,” said Brink with a shrug.
“That’s horrendous! That’ll be annulled easily!” I growled.
“It won’t,” said Brink smugly.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“Because if Jonah tries to have it annulled, we’ll send him a lock of your hair or one of your fingers or something to change his mind,” said Brink with a small smile.
My mouth was agape. Was Brink secretly as sick as Angie? No wonder they were fated.
“How could you agree to something like this Brink?” I asked softly.
“Just don’t misbehave and you won’t get hurt,” he said harshly.
“Unless Jonah does something and then I will get hurt!” I yelled hysterically.
One of my fingers?
“And what? You expect Jonah to never come into the basement?” I asked incredulously.
“Where do you think you are?” Asked Brink, looking at me strangely.
“The basement of the Plastique House?” I said.
Brink snorted with laughter.
“Are you sure about that?” He asked.
No, of course I wasn’t sure.
“You can’t keep this up forever and the Quads and Harper will do away with you both eventually if they find out. If you intend to send bits and pieces of me, you’ll be declaring your guilt!” I reasoned.
Brink growled at me, annoyed with me questioning their sick plan.
“And what about the curse?!” I asked.
“Why should I believe you?” Roared Brink, getting annoyed.
“WHY ELSE WOULD JONAH STAY WITH ANGIE? SHE’S NOT HIS MATE AND HE HAS NOTHING TO GAIN FROM HER IN RANK! SHE IS HIS DECOY TO PROTECT ME!” I shrieked so loudly the room shook, almost like I was using Alpha voice, but that wasn’t possible, was it?
Brink was taken aback.
“Jonah wouldn’t do such a thing,” said Brink keeping his voice calm but his eyes were black with rage.
“Harper would say the same about you,” I said snidely, turning away from him.
Brink looked worried now.
“So what? Jonah plans to use Angie as a sacrifice to some witch?” Asked Brink.
“As bait,” I said. “To throw her off of me and make her look elsewhere.”
Brink snarled.
“Well, you and Jonah are pretty even I would say. You’re using me!” I pointed out.
I wondered if I was swaying him or if I should be saving my breath.
“You have no proof?” Said Brink, rolling his eyes.
I did actually. I had my phone! It was useful after all. I picked it up and went through my message history.
“You yourself replied to messages about the curse Brink!!” I said, showing him the phone. “You pretended to be me and replied to Zaya and Eli!”
Brink took a deep breath.
“Yes, Zaya and Eli and even Harper seem to think there’s some curse but there’s no mention of Angie!” Said Brink.
“So what do you think Jonah’s motivation for proposing to Angie is?” I asked incredulously. “He has his mate right here! He’s hurting his younger brothers! What would be the point?” I asked desperately.
Brink’s breathing was shaky. He seemed a little panicked.
“I don’t believe you,” he said, his voice strained. “I don’t! You’re a liar! You just want to stop the plan from working!” He said, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself.
“Mind-link Jonah and ask him then!” I insisted. “Ask him point blank.”
Brink was seething.
“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?!” He hissed. “As if I would remove the block to mind-link him giving you time to contact him as well!”
I didn’t respond at first. He had seen right through me.
Harper’s POV
“His name is Brink,” I admitted, feeling uncomfortable, like I was betraying my best friend needlessly. “But he’s a fellow bandmate. He’s chill. He likes Star a lot! Back when we were d,” I stopped myself immediately, remembering my Holly was right here.
I had been about to say back when Star and I were dating, Brink had approved but that was gross to admit now. Star and I had not known we were twins yet.
“Please, I know it’s Angie!” Whined Eli.
“I wouldn’t put it past this Brink person!” Said Jessie. “Trust me, when a girl is missing, it’s usually people she already knows well behind it. It’s rarely a total stranger. Do Angie and Brink have any connection to each other perhaps?”
I really didn’t want to get a no answer. My Holly very graciously handed over the flower to us.
“Is Angie involved in Star’s kidnapping?” I asked the Lingering Lotus.
The petal gleamed and remained intact. Yes. A snarl ripped through me. That f*****g b***h!
“Let’s go to Angie’s house!” Growled Eli, jumping up.
“Ask about the psychic,” insisted Jessie. “Let’s know who we’re dealing with and what we’re walking into. We don’t want to be blindsided.”
I sighed deeply. I shut my eyes. I felt a little nauseated. I felt traitorous just for considering asking the lotus this. I hoped Brink would forgive me, then again he would never hear of the fact that he was a suspect.
“Is Brink involved with Star’s kidnapping?” I asked reluctantly with a heavy heart.
The petal gleamed. It was gonna fall off. s**t. I should have phrased that in the negative. The gleaming petal remained intact but my heart seared as if it had been split in two. My best friend had something to do with my twin’s disappearance.
Star’s POV
I knew Brink couldn’t actually read my thoughts but he could block me from connecting with others telepathically. I had hoped he remove the block while mind-linking so I could call for help. No such luck. He wasn’t falling for it. I sighed. Another idea struck me. I hoped that Brink had the keys on his person so this wouldn’t be in vain.
“Jonah knows exactly where I am!” I snarled. “He’s on his way and he’s gonna kill your precious Angie first and then you!”
Of course I was bluffing but it did the trick. Brink snarled, a clear warning. I came close to the bars, gripping them.
“You’ll have to watch her die, knowing that she’d rather risk death as someone’s second than live as your first!” I snarled back. Brink roared, his canines beard.
“You’re pathetic! I’m not afraid of you!” I yelled.
Brink stomped over to me and grasped a fistful of my dress’ fabric, yanking me towards him, so that I slammed forwards into the bar. I grabbed his arm immediately and unleashed the rage burning inside of me. I didn’t know how to aim or what I was doing but I knew my emotions seemed to be the key. Electricity shot out of me like a streak of lightening hitting Brink square in the chest. He convulsed as the electricity coursed through him. I kept a hold of his arm, pulling him towards the bars, as close to me as I could. It was all over in a few seconds. He was out cold.
I could still hear his heartbeat as he slid down the bars and slumped over with me still reaching forwards gripping his hand. He was pressed against the bars. I reached into the jeans pocket closest to me and searched for the keys. Nothing. I hoped all this bickering had not been in vain. I was trembling from the exertion. I wasn’t used to harnessing any of my powers. I managed to just extend my fingertips into the jeans pocket on the other side and pull on it so that I could glance in. No keys. f**k!
I began to panic but then I saw it. A string of twine peaking out of his collar. There was something around his neck. I pulled on the twine and heard a jingle. The keys! I gave a small shriek of surprise but quickly quieted myself in case Angie came back. I snapped it off of him and looked at the lock and the ring of keys on the twine string. I tried the one that looked like it would fit. Wrong. There were seven keys on the ring. Literally the last one I tried fit and the lock clicked open as I turned it. I opened the cell.
I grabbed an unconscious Brink by his underarms and tugged on him as hard as I could, dragging him into the cell. I locked him in there instead and walked slowly up the stairs. I had to be extremely cautious. I had no idea where I actually was. I was almost giddy with relief when I stepped into the sunlit room of the ground floor and recognised the decor. Brink had been bluffing too! I was in the Plastique House. I needed to get to Jonah and Noah before it was too late. Was it already too late? When I asked when Angie planned on marrying Jonah, Brink had said right now. If he was exaggerating, we were in the clear as he was in no shape to make the illusion, disguising the marriage certificate as a get well soon card. I walked down a familiar hallway. The parlour we had talked to my Aunt in a few days ago was at the end of this hallway. I peaked in. It was empty. I scurried in the other direction, trying to remember the way out the front door. I walked into a huge lavish kitchen. There was no one in sight so far. I heard the swipe of metal flying through the air. I spoke too soon.
“What’re you doing?!” Shrieked a familiar voice. “How did you get out of the basement?!”
I spun around just in time to dodge my Mrs Plastique’s attack as she brandished a knife. This had been what had made that metallic noise. She plunged it towards me again. She narrowly missed my arm.
“What’re you doing?!” I screamed.
“Stoping you from ruining things for my daughter!” Screeched my adopted Aunt.
“You’re both insane!” I yelled.
She gripped me by my hair. There was a searing pain in my scalp. I struggled against her hold.
“Get off of me!” I cried.
I felt a white hot pain as the silver knife pierced my shoulder, missing my chest. She had actually stabbed me. The crazy b***h! I screamed and she was blasted backwards by an unseen force. She slammed into the far wall and slid down it, crumpling on the floor like a rag doll. I was panting. It dawned on me that I had done that. I looked at my bleeding shoulder. It would take a while to heal from a stab with silver. I decided to mind-link someone for help before anyone else tried to stab me.
Jonah, I’m at the Plastique house! Angie and Brink kidnapped me! Don’t sign anything Angie gives you! Brink has psychic powers. I know it’s crazy but it’s true. Angie and Brink planned to use the illusion of a get well soon card for Chet and Jillian to trick you into signing a Marriage Certificate and Noah into signing as witness, I explained in one long breath across mind-link.
Star? Star! We were all so worried about you! Angie is here with me! What do you mean she kidnapped you?! Are you ok?! Is Brink with you? Where are you in the house exactly?! Exclaimed Jonah, his thoughts all jumbled.
In the kitchen! Mrs Plastique just tried to stab me, I explained.
Jonah was there in a flash. I was so relieved, I felt faint, or perhaps that was from the b***d loss. I threw myself at him. I was still so angry with him but I needed his comfort right now. He held me tightly and then at arms, looking me over.
“Mrs Plastique stabbed you,” he said incredulously.
“Yes,” I responded breathlessly.
He looked at my shoulder. He pulled me closer, holding me gently against his side, supporting me.
“Angie kidnapped you?!” Snarled Jonah, his eyes widening in shock.
I nodded vigorously.
“And don’t sign anything she gives you!” I parroted. “Noah too!
“Star, I…Noah and I, we already signed a Get Well Soon Card for Chet and Jillian,” said Jonah, his tone anxious.
My heart plummeted.