The next morning, Drake Barrymore stretched his body as he slowly came awake. Then he jerked as he realized he wasn't alone in his bed. He turned at once, ready to strike when his hand froze mid-air and fell to the bed.
"Agnes?" He gasped, "What the fuck, girl?"
The witch was lying in his bed, properly tucked under the duvet even though she was fully dressed.
'Come on, you know how much I enjoy watching you sleep." She muttered.
With a sigh, he got off the bed and immediately wore his briefs, "I've told you to stop doing that, Agnes. We're not together anymore and it's kind of creepy."
"Kind of? You don't have to protect my feelings, baby. It's very creepy, and it gets under your skin. Which is why I enjoy it so much." She laughed at her humor as she got out of bed as well, she turned to watch him hurriedly throw on some clothes and felt a stirring within her, reminding her of old times when they were lovers. She was older than him by a few years, but that had never mattered to them. Their passion had burned like the morning sun and each time she saw him, she was reminded of what they had shared.
Sadly, she was the only one to feel this way. Ever since Drake broke things off with her, he had moved on way more easily than she did. However, all that was in the past. It no longer hurts as bad as it used to and now she could see him without feeling a hole appear in her chest.
Now, she suppressed the feelings that were threatening to come to the fore as he hurriedly threw on a shirt, he then turned back to face her, "Please, tell me there's a reason for this courtesy call."
"Why? Just the burning desire to see your face isn't enough?"
Drake's hands fell to his sides as he stared at her, "come on, Agnes. I'm being serious right now."
"I want to continue our conversation from where we left it off last night?" She told him, "What's your plan?"
"Plan? What else would it be? I'll continue with the investigation."
"Come on, I know you have a good lead. You suspect Ashina of killing Ulva, don't you? What are you gonna do about that?"
"What the hell is wrong with you, Agnes?" Drake said in a hushed voice, "How can you say such a thing out loud? Do you know how foolish you sound?"
"Do you know you didn't deny a word I just said? So, you are suspecting her. Whether you choose to admit it or not, you know very well that with the help of the hybrids, Ashina was definitely capable of killing Ulva. The minute he got bitten, he didn't stand a chance. My question is, what are you going to do about it?"
"I know she's keeping secrets, but your ideas are ludicrous, okay? They're farfetched and they're foolish! I can't believe you'd suspect Ashina! She basically worshiped Ulva!"
He tried to walk out of the room, but with a flick of her wrist, Agnes held him in place, "Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong. All the markers point to her, Drake. Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. If she's the one with the Mantle, you'd have to take it from her. It's only right."
Drake let out a deep breath, "there's got to be an explanation for it all. I'm going to find out what it is, okay? And meanwhile, no one will be throwing unfounded accusations around until there is proof."
"Ooops…" Agnes muttered with a sly smile as she released him and looked away. "Oh boy, what then will you say when you find out about Lena?
When he saw the look on her face, he recognized it at once, "Oh come on Agnes, what the fuck have you done?"
"I did what I had to."
"Lena? For fuck sake, Agnes! Her mate just died and you think she killed him? Where are you getting these ideas from?"
"She didn't kill him, dummy." Agnes said exasperatedly, "She sabotaged the barrier and allowed the hybrids to come into the woods."
"And you know this, how?"
"I'm a witch, I know these things."
"I'm sorry, girl. I'm gonna need a little more than that."
"Every witch leaves a mark, every spell leaves a trace, kind of like a footprint. It's like a signature so you can guess who did it. I did my investigation, Drake. The sabotage wasn't done by a witch, it was done by a wolf. If you know the right ingredients to mix, you can influence certain spells in certain ways. That's what Lena did. With some curly flowers, she was able to extinguish certain candles in certain parts of the Borough. This allowed the hybrids to come in without detection."
"But you said it was masked, they hid what they did. Shouldn't that require magic?"
"That's what the curly flower is for. The flames of the candles are kept alive by magic, so once a curly leaf is crushed and placed on a single flame, the candle goes out and is replaced by a mimic. No spell is needed, just knowledge."
"And you believe Lena knew this?"
"Yeah…"
In frustration, Drake ran his hands through his hair. He felt like punching the wall but he held himself back just in time, he didn't want holes in his wall.
"I don't like this, Agnes." He muttered, "I don't like this at all. Our alpha is dead, we should be figuring out how to move on together. Now, you want me to suspect members of the pack? You want me to suspect his own mate?"
"I don't want it, it's the reality you're choosing to ignore, that's all. Ashina knows something that she's not willing to share. She was at Lena's place last night, and they didn't have a happy conversation!"
"They both lost someone they loved!" Drake blared, "Goddamn it, Agnes! Lena loved Ulva like her life depended on it and Ashina loved him like a father! You really think they plotted to kill him?"
"I'm thinking that's what it looks like, so if you want to clear the air, I suggest you get answers fast. Something fishy is going on in the Borough, and it's not just with you wolves. The air is changing, I can feel a slight shift in the magic. Something is coming, I don't know what it is, I don't even know when it comes. However, I feel that Ulva's death kickstarted a chain of events that I'm not looking forward to experiencing!"
Drake turned to her, "What? Are you getting visions again?"
"No, just a gut feeling. And you know my gut is rarely wrong. You see, I'm not just concerned that these two killed Ulva, I'm more concerned about what they might have brought upon the Borough by that singular act. The only way we can prepare for whatever is coming is by knowing who killed Ulva and why. Right now, only Ashina and Lena can tell us! So can you please focus on the well-being of the pack and stop caring about one wolf?"
Agnes turned to leave the bedroom when he called her again, "you're still yet to answer my question. What did you do to Lena?"
"Nothing. I questioned her last night and she refused to speak. So, I imprisoned her in her own home until I deem her safe to roam about again."
"What?" Drake grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her closer, "You can't be serious! You have to release her right now!"
The witch went lax in his arm as she smiled into his handsome face, she cradled his cheeks in her hands and tilted her face to the side as if she wanted to kiss him, "Poor baby, you're not the alpha yet. So, you can't command me. Ashina might have a better chance though, I'm sure she's got the Mantle."
Drake pushed away from her, staring at her in anger, "You don't have to do this."
"I have to do what's necessary, I'm preparing us for whatever dark age Ashina and Lena just sent us into." Agnes said as she massaged her sore elbow, "Did you have to grab me so hard? You wolves and your damn temper."
"I'll go to the woods today," he told her. "I'll find out for myself what really happened last night, and when I return, you will lift your spell off Lena's home. Do you understand me?"
"Oh… feisty! I like that."
"You do not wanna mess with me, Agnes! You can't go locking people up just because you feel like it! I need to know, are you and I gonna have a problem?"
The witch stared at him for a while, then pursing her lips, she slowly shrugged with a smile, "okay then, since you ask so nicely. I'll lift the spell when you return and tell me what you've learned. If you clear her name, or cast doubts on my convictions, then we'd be good. Meanwhile…" she snapped her fingers and sent him down to his knees, sliding across the floor until he was backed against the wall, "don't threaten me again, okay? It didn't work so well for the last wolf that tried it."
Agnes walked out of the room, but returned a few seconds later, "when you go to the woods, I suggest you try the eastern area. That was the part of the barrier that Lena messed with. I'm sure you'll find all the evidence of what happened last night there.
"I wish you the absolute best, my love."
With a wide grin, the witch walked out of the house, magically slamming the door in her wake