"Lareina. Lareina, wake up. Wake up, NOW!" My eyes snapped open, and I saw a shadow leering over me. I screamed out then saw a bright burst of light. I shielded my eyes away. I looked over towards where I saw the shadow to find it no longer there.
"Love, are you okay?" My throat felt dry.
"What was that?" I choked out.
"That was a threat. Come on; we need to leave this room." I just let her take my hand and lead me to wherever we were going.
"How the hell did they get in? Do you understand the seriousness of the situation?" She was yelling at some of the guards.
"You all will face extreme consequences. My mate and I could have been killed. You're lucky I don't kill you! All of you get out of my face and don't show them again." She grabbed one of them by their collar and brought them closer to her face.
"Till. You. Have. Answers." She gritted out each word. I went up and put my hand on her arm.
"Baby, please." I saw her body instantly relax as she dropped the guy on the ground. He scrambled to his feet, and hurriedly ran off with the other guards.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you could have died." I hugged her close to me.
"I know, but I'm still here. I heard my dad again. He was telling me to wake up. I think if he didn't wake me, I would have died." She squeezed me tighter.
"I think it's time we discuss your dad." I looked at her like she was crazy.
"It's so early, though." She rolled her eyes and then looked at the clock on the wall.
"It's 9 in the morning. Come on; we can eat, then head to my office." I huffed out a fine and followed her to the kitchen.
I didn't eat much. I honestly didn't have much of an appetite, but Noor wouldn't let up on me eating. I just settled for a cup of coffee and a buttered croissant. She wasn't fully happy that I refused to eat more, but at least I ate something.
"Okay, are you ready?" I sat down right beside Noor across from her parents.
"No." I deadpanned. "But I don't really have a choice, now do I?" Noor's mother grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it.
"Your dad is very much alive." I scoffed, earning a nudge from Noor.
"You promised to behave." I crossed my arms and pouted.
"Fine," I mumbled out.
"As I was saying. Your father is very much alive. He was indeed very sick but what you don't know is that he searched for ways to keep himself alive. Unfortunately, your father went searching in all the wrong places." Noor's mother gave a sad sigh.
"Continue." I waved my hand in a circular motion. I just wanted to get this over with.
[Past]
"Please, just help me," Yakeru begged the shadow man.
"What will you do in return?" The gravelly voice asked.
"Anything, I beg of you." The shadow man smiled wickedly.
"I want your soul." Yakeru was taken aback.
"My soul? But…" The shadow man tsked.
"Ah. Ah. Ah… You said anything. Or do you not want to live to see your family?" The shadow man knew he was pulling at the right strings, just like a puppeteer.
"Fine. You'll let me see my family, though, right?" The man hummed.
"Sure, sure. You'll be able to see them. Now shake on it and say you accept." Yakeru nervously stuck out and shook the shadow man's hand with his sweaty one.
"I accept." The shadow man manically laughed, and they both transported to a dark place. Yakeru couldn't see anything.
[Present]
"We don't know exactly who this individual is, but what we do know is that they are pure evil. They have been around even before our time. Collecting souls and controlling them like puppets, which dubbed his name as The Puppeteer." I sucked in a deep breath.
"I don't believe my father would ever do something like that," Noor spoke up finally.
"Dying people will do very desperate things to remain alive." I was getting upset.
"Your father's heart was in the right place. He wanted to save himself to be there with you and your family, however, he put his trust in the wrong people, the wrong person to be exact." I stood up and was about to leave before I felt a hand link with mine stopping me.
"Love what they are saying is true. You must believe us. We, especially I, would never lie to you." I sighed and just stood next to her. I couldn't sit down; I felt completely restless.
"Your father hasn't made an appearance in a very long time. Him resurfacing is very good." I looked at Noor's mom.
"How is it a good thing that my supposed dead dad has made an appearance once again?" All I could feel was anger. Anger at him.
"Because now we know who is behind the attacks." Noor voiced.
"Mhmm." I hummed. "So this Puppeteer guy is behind the attacks? I'm guessing these shadow individuals are the ones he's controlling…" Noor and her parent's nodded in agreement.
"Puppets have always made me uncomfortable," I said as a chill went through my body. They've always been so creepy. Noor gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, and I gave her a small smile in return.
"Does this mean that my dad could potentially kill me?" I asked absentmindedly with my gaze focused on the other side of the room.
"Yes. If that is what The Puppeteer orders him to do. His life and his body are not his own anymore. Honestly, it will not ever be his again unless their soul is released by The Puppeteer, which is highly unlikely." I fixed my gaze on Noor.
"Is there any other way?" I asked with hope.
"We would have to kill The Puppeteer." I felt energy fill my body.
"Perfect! Let's kill him." I started out towards the door on a mission.
"Uhh, just one problem, love." I stopped in my tracks and turned back to look at Noor and her parents.
"What?" I asked impatiently.
"One, we don't know where or how to find him. Two, it's been said through generations there is no way to kill them. Three, do you even have a plan?" I felt a little deflated.
"Uh… Kill him?" I said without confidence.
"Mhm… And how will you do this?" I looked up at the ceiling, thinking.
"My sexy, good looks." Noor raised her eyebrow, not amused.
"I don't know, okay? Stab him in the heart or whatever anatomy he has that has the same significance. Everything dies that way." Noor sighed and dropped her head down to her hands, rubbing her temples.
"Maybe so, but we don't know the first thing of what that may be. So, please take a step back and just think before storming out there and winding up dead!" Noor said with a slightly louder voice at the end.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me? I'll hold off, but I want to be a part of this whole operation." Noor looked at her parents.
"That's perfectly fine." They looked back at Noor. "You know what you have to do, so do it, and fast." With that, Noor's parents made their way out of the office. I looked at Noor, questioning, and she just ignored my gaze. I stomped my way over till I was standing across from her. The only thing between us was her desk.
"What are they talking about?" Noor continued to ignore me.
"Noor!" I snapped, and she finally looked at me.
"Fine. Fine, Lareina." She took a deep breath and looked out the window.
"..." She mumbled something under her breath.
"What was that? I didn't quite hear you." She huffed.
"They are talking about us…" I rolled my eyes and leant my hands on the desk.
"What about us, Noor?" She looked at me, flustered.
"About us mating." I rocked back to where I wasn't leaning on her desk anymore.
"Oh." That was the only thing I could say for a moment.
"Why are they talking about that?" Noor sucked in a deep breath.
"Sit. It's time we had another discussion." She motioned towards the chair.