Mala sat in Aston’s office with him, looked at Aston for a long moment, she had many questions she wanted to get answers to. But today she would stay on the topic of his previous Mate. She had some concerns about the woman, not about taking her down if she turned up, just questions about how the woman seemed to know things.
So that was where she was going to start, “Aston, would you be comfortable answering some questions about your previous mate, i have a few.”
Saw him nod “Yes, go on.”
“Okay, thank you. How do you think that Carmel knew that you were seeing someone, after you left your home pack, and moved away from her?”
“I don’t know. I suppose my mother or father could have let it slip, though I doubt it. They did know what the result of her knowing, would likely be. I never told my brother, who knew what he and her talked about.” He shrugged.
“I think she had to have known. Had to have found out and not only did she hear about it. She knew who the girl was as well. You said that you weren’t sleeping with the girl at the time as well, just dating her?”
“That is true. Thought I would take it slow, there was nothing more than a few shared kisses between her and I.”
Mala frowned. “So how did she know, you were with her, or who she was? How close are the two packs to each other?”
“Several hours apart. My mother and father met at an alliance mating ball. Their actual packs did not know each other, but both were allied to the mating ball pack. He actually got a mate from both packs that night.”
“What are you thinking Mala?” It was Simon, frowning at her.
“Nothing much, I’m just curious as to how she knew is all. She obviously knew where you went.”
“That was not a secret I don’t believe. Though she was pissed off that I dared to leave after what she told me, she expected of me. I left anyway.”
“So, you don’t think that anyone told her?”
“Not likely with what happened to the warrior i'd been seeing no. Though I guess it was possible that she overheard my mother and father talking about it.”
“Okay even then, if she did over hear it, knew you were seeing someone. How did she know who the girl was? Even if she had the first name of the girl, that doesn’t guarantee she’ll kill the right girl. Someone had to have told her who she was, when she got there. Pointed her out to Carmel, don’t you think.”
“I guess that sounds about right. To be honest with you, I didn’t much think on how she knew at the time. I only reacted to what she had done, for some stupid reasons that only she knew. Carmel and I were over, severed from each other for a year.” He shook his head “But now I guess, that would make sense, she had to have someone on the inside to keep track of me, to know who I was seeing.”
“Sounds like it to me.” Simon agreed as well.
“Me to.” Mala nodded “Either that or…” her eyes landed squarely on Aston.
“Or.” Both he and Simon prompted her a moment later.
“She could still feel it, when you were with another.” Mala offered up.
“No.” Aston shook his head “Our rejection was completed.”
“But even you just said you don’t know how a double mate bond works. Can I ask you something else?”
Saw him nod.
“If she had accepted you, would you be expected to mark your own brother? To have completed the full bonding process?”
“I don’t know.”
Saw Simon lean forward now “Oh I see where this is going, perhaps Raymond feels it.”
“It could be that he in someway knows, maybe not feel it but sense it perhaps.” Mala offered.
“I don’t think that is it. I don’t feel it when they are together, never did.”
“Hmm.” They were all quiet for a long time, pondering on that one she thought.
“Aston, what were your words of rejection?” Simon asked him. “What were hers?”
“The standard I guess. She stated her name and rank to be, issued her rejection stated I would not be her Mate and Alpha. Not my Luna to the pack.”
“And yours?”
“My name and rank, that I accepted she would not be my Mate or my Luna. That I rejected having a shared Luna with my brother Alpha Raymond the dual Alpha of the pack.”
“So it’s possible that you rejected being tied to both of them but only Carmel rejected you. Did Raymond also reject having a shared Luna?” Simon asked.
“I don’t think he needed to. She accepted him, was only rejecting me. Do I doubt anything like that needed to happen.”
“Perhaps it did, and though you reject Carmel and your shared bond with her and your brother. He never rejected your shared bond, perhaps he can feel it when you’re with another?”
“Poor bastard if that’s the case.” Aston half laughed “Roberta and I were always.”
“We know.” Both Mala and Simon laughed.
“Though now you’ve got me thinking back on it. I still don’t think that was the case. He was happy I’d found another, smiled at me and actually looked relieved that I could move on.” Shook his head a little “So I don’t think that’s it.”
“Well, then we’re back to that she had to have someone on the inside giving her information about you.”
“It now does seem that way.” Aston nodded.
“I’m still going to look into that double mate bond rejection,” Simon commented “Am interested in the rules on those.”
“Any other questions, Mala?”
“I have a lot actually. But just a few for today. I’ve got time to ask them it seems.”
“You do, all the time you like.” He smiled and nodded at her.
“So I’m curious, do you think she killed our Luna out of jealousy, spite or revenge?”
They were both staring at her now.
“I want to say jealousy. It’s the logical conclusion, considering the curse she had laid on me. It was laid, I believe to stop me from even entertaining the idea of taking another Mate. To make sure I never Mated another.”
“But that didn’t work.”
“No, it didn’t. Not going to in the future either.” He smiled right at her.
“What are your thoughts on it Mala?” Simon asked. “You seem to have been thinking a lot.”
“Hmm, I have. It could have been jealousy, when the council turned the pack legit. She could finally track you down, obviously did that. But was it out of spite? Did she see you’d not only moved on and Mated to another. But had built yourself one hell of a strong pack all on your own. You stated she rejected you because you were too gentle and kind, weren’t strong and tough enough to lead. Not ruthless, I suppose.”
“That she did. From my understanding, she wanted a Mate that was battle ready and willing to slaughter all.”
“Well, now she's seen the wrongfulness of her rejection. Your pack here, is it bigger? Stronger? Have you built yourself something better than she has?”
“We are a full warrior pack.” He nodded “We are not as large as their pack, but we have more warriors. They only have about half as many.” He smiled, looked proud of his pack. Knew he was.
“So, she could have attacked and taken the Luna out in the hope of weakening the pack? Not just jealousy. With the curse in place, you’d think she’d want you to Mate to someone. Let them suffer that curse. To hurt you.”
“I guess that could be it. Though again I don’t think that. She killed those before Roberta out of pure jealousy.”
“Mm,” Mala nodded “Still don’t know how she got to Roberta, got her out to the border that day all alone.”
“None of us do. Roberta knew about my ex, she knew better than to go anywhere near her.”
“Could the curse have lured her out there?”
“I don’t understand that one.” Aston frowned at her now.
“Is it possible Carmel contacted Roberta in some way. I know we never found anything but, is it possible that she got to her, told her she was sorry, felt terrible and had found a way to undo the curse. Convinced Roberta to come and talk to her, because she knew that you wouldn’t, even if she was remorseful.”
“That might have worked.” Simon agreed with her.
“No, Roberta would know better than to not tell me if Carmel had contacted her. She knew how cruel and vicious she was, wouldn’t have risked it. She knew the history between us.”
“It is possible, Aston. Roberta would have wanted that curse off of you. She hated seeing you so upset after her heat.”
Saw Aston sigh heavily “We found no record of any contact between them.” He shook his head.
"But it is entirely possible still.” Mala sighed herself.
“I guess it is.” He finally nodded “Though I doubt we’ll ever know.” He shrugged.
“Unless.” Simon commented “She knows about Mala and tries to contact her in the same way.”
“No! we are not putting Mala, in that woman’s line of sight.” Aston snapped at his Beta, sounded more than annoyed by the thought.
“Might be too late already.” Simon told him. “I told Raymond she’d be the next Luna.”
“That does not mean he would have imparted that news to Carmel.”
“His Beta was there.” Simon state simply.
“And he and I grew up together as well. Actually, like me more than Raymond.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t let it slip to your parents and she could over hear it.”
“It’s been years, Simon, she doesn’t know. Lets just keep it that way please.”
Mala sat in her seat and watched the two of them argue about it. Before, there was just complete silence in the room. She was an Elite Warrior and if he asked her to, she would put herself into some sort of plan to get back at that woman.
Though from what she was hearing, he was not going to do that. It was a part of her job description, to actively be part of any war plans or stealth missions. For that matter, she herself saw no issue with it.
Finally, his eyes moved to her, he looked unhappy, as did Simon, she noticed. Simon knew that she would do it, so did Aston and that was the problem right this minute. Simon clearly wanted to devise a plan to see if they could lure Carmel out, finally find out how she had gotten to Roberta. Aston it seemed, did not want to put Mala at risk.
He was looking at her now. “May I ask why Mala. All these questions about Carmel?”
“I need to know, what is likely coming at me. Is all. If I accept you, that woman is always going to be a threat from my understanding, even just sex, which we’ve done is enough to make me a target. So, I’m thinking about all that. What to expect? How to deflect it or fight it, retaliate against it, if need be.”
“Mala, you don’t need to do any of that. That is my job.” Aston sighed.
“I’m your top elite warrior, it is actually part of my job to help with all of this. My perspective is going to be different to yours, seeing as I am now or will be the target when she finds out. I won’t sit back, Aston, and just take it. I will stand up and fight. Draw that woman right to me and bring her down if it comes to it.”
“I knew I liked her.” Simon chuckled.
“Shut it Beta.” Aston muttered.
“That’s all the questions I have today, Aston. Do me one favour.”
He nodded and motioned for her to go on.
“Don’t argue with your Beta about this. It’ll be my decision in the end, and I agree with him.”
“Mala!”
“I understand your concern, Aston. Don’t be, I died once before, survived and became stronger for it. Suki and I, we can handle your ex. You just have to be willing to let me, let us. Is all.”
She could see that he didn’t like it, stood up. “I’m going to go work on my book and get it finished.” She told him and saw him nod.
Left him in his office with his Beta, saw that man smile at her, he was right. They needed to figure out a way to find out who lured Roberta out into the open for Carmel.
Was it someone here inside the pack, or was it some sort of communication from Carmel to Roberta directly. Mala thought on that, she really didn’t believe it was someone from inside the pack. No, everyone here was loyal to the pack. So it had to be that Carmel herself, had gotten to Roberta. She was going to find out, had always wanted to know.