Chương 10: Trillium

The note says, Leave.

It was written using blood on a piece of what looked like an old newspaper. Then it was pasted on her windshield.

Right then and there she knew one thing.

The person who took Amelia is different from the killer who killed the other witches.

Well… maybe two things.

Second is the fact that whoever took Amelia and assaulted her earlier wanted her out of Alaska.

"My people will check the blood and— "

"Take it." She waved her hand. "Tell me the results."

"Just like that?"

She opened her car door. "Yes. That's it."

The man before her nodded. "You knew something… didn't you?" he asked.

Those words stopped her from going inside the car.

"Don't you know something as well?" she retorted. Samuel Sutton knew how much she loathed shifters. That man knew that shifters killed her biological father in front of her when she was seven. He also knew that it was shifters… who killed Gabriella. Yet, he chose to give her this task.

She couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to test her loyalty.

However, that was not the Samuel that she knew.

When Samuel said that the Lycans must be up to something it only meant that he couldn't trust anyone else to find out what they were up to.

She stared at the man. That smirk on his face only made him look more arrogant— beautifully arrogant. Now that she observed him in the dark, she immediately noticed that his eyes looked like they were silver. It had the color of the moon.

Just like the man in her dreams.

"I can take you to your hotel.." He suddenly switched the topic.

"No thanks." Yes. Those eyes are pretty dangerous.

"Alright." He handed her a card. His name and number were on it.

"I don't think this is necessary."

"Why?"

"I won't be working on this case."

"Pardon me?" his brows furrowed.

"I said… I won't do anything about the missing witch."

"Why?"

"Trillium sent me here to find out who killed those witches."

"How did you know it wasn't the same person?" he asked.

"Different MO. All women who died… weren't taken or kidnapped while walking outside of their cabins. They went hiking, they went camping, and the third one went to a writing retreat." And the fourth one, the first victim, her mother Gabriella told her that she is going to gather some herbs in the mountain.

All four women were doing something that made their families and friends think that they would be away for some time. That's why they didn't even think that they were already missing until they didn't come back from their supposed trips.

Moreover, everyone that was killed was older than forty, all were widows or have never married someone.

The person who took Amelia was different from the killer. Meaning, this case had nothing to do with her. Since it had nothing to do with her dead witches, she had no reason to work with him.

If she really wanted to find out what the Lycans were up to, she could just investigate this case separately.

"But you already know this… don't you?" she squinted at him. This man was hiding something. And she was going to find out what it was no matter what happened.

"Indeed."

She pursed her lips. " If you want to work with Trillium, you better tell me what it was." As much as she really wanted to find out the reason why Matthew wanted to work with her, she couldn't ignore the fact that he was a dangerous Lycan

"I have no reasons to tell Trillium anything, Ava."

Fair enough.

The sexual attraction is definitely not enough for him to spill his secrets.

Of course, she also noticed the fact that he said 'Trillium' instead of saying that he had no reason to tell 'her' anything.

"Then, I am leaving. Tell me when you find something about the note." With that, she got inside her car and started it. This time, she didn't hesitate as she started driving away from him.

She watched his silhouette get smaller and smaller until the darkness swallowed him.

…

"So you are staying here? For good?" Marylis, Ava's sister-in-law asked as she handed her the tea. The smell of jasmine wafted inside the living room. It was a sad reminder of the things that Gabriella used to give her.

Jasmine tea. It was one of her favorite teas.

Ava shook her head in response. Her gaze landed on the small baby that was swaddled in the crib a few feet away from them.

"Why not? I thought you already got your masters, with your qualifications, you can easily become a chemistry teacher and even— "

"No. I'm not planning to teach."

"Really? I thought you loved it."

Used to love it. Not anymore.

Ava wanted to correct her sister-in-law but chose not to say anything instead. Yes. She used to love teaching. After all, Gabriella was a teacher. She used to teach history in high school. When she retired, she set up a tutoring website.

"I want to pursue Ph.D." Ava lied.

"Oh wow…"

Before she could ask any more questions, Ava changed the topic.

"But let's stop talking about me. Why not talk about… the baby?" Ava plastered a huge smile on her face. "My nephew… How are you feeling? Did Phil— "

"Hey! I can hear you from here!" Phil's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"Oh please… stop shouting! Your son's sleeping!" Ava responded then rolled her eyes at her brother's antics. While not blood-related, Phil and Ava grew up together as brothers and sisters.

They were both adopted by Gabriella. And just like her, Gabriella saved Phil from his own demons.

Marylis laughed then looked at the baby.

"He's… a gift."

"He's handsome… just like his dad." Phil walked out of the kitchen and put a freshly baked cookie on the coffee table in between the couch.

Chocolate chip cookies!

Her favorite!

Ava immediately savored one cookie.

"Good," Ava said. The cookies were soft and something that she never expected from Phil.

"Been practicing. Need to step up my game. You know…as a dad and all."

"Oh please… stop boasting! You just started practicing when you heard that Ava's coming back."

Ava laughed. " Yep. That sounds like Phil."

"Come on! I have been an awesome cook since day one!"

Their conversation was halted when the baby cried. Marylis got up and told them she needed to feed the baby in the nursery.

"How's everything?" Phil's tone changed when Marylis left. The casual and light tone that he gave off earlier disappeared. He stared at her, concern apparent in his brown eyes. "You look like you haven't been sleeping in the last few days."

"Work, thesis. It's complicated."

He gave her a knowing look. "You always do that when you lie."

"Do what?"

"Your lips… you purse them like that. You did that when you told me you were going away for school when Mama died."

Right. This person spent every day with her since she was eleven and he was twelve. Plus, the fact that he went into the military for a few years after he graduated high school only enhanced his observation skills.

She shook her head. It looked like it would be difficult to hide the truth from him.

"Worried about something?" He sat opposite her. "Don't lie V, I know you didn't go away for school. What were you doing?"

"Phil…"

"It's alright if you don't tell me anything. I understand."

While he was aware that she was a witch just like Gabriella and Marylis, Phil didn't know about her other abilities that made her a freak. A part of her wished she told him about the dreams when they were younger. She thought that maybe talking to him about the fact that she could sense everyone's emotion would have made the burden lighter.

The other part was grateful that she didn't.

Unlike her, Phil wanted a family, a peaceful life with a wife and a child.

She couldn't and wouldn't even try to bring him into her world.

"I've dreamed of Mama," she gave him a sad smile.

"We all do V." He leaned forward and held her hand. "Have you been to the police station lately? Have you asked them about the case?"

She nodded. "Still nothing." Of course, it would end up with nothing. Trillium already took over the case. Everything that the police have vanished or was redacted. Trillium did it to avoid the public's suspicions.

They did it to protect the witches and shifters.

"I've talked to a PI lately and— "

"Phil… you promised me. You don't have to do this. You have a child now."

"But don't you think what happened back then was suspicious? It was as if the police just stopped investigating!"

"Phil you promised me.'' Warning laced her tone. That's right. She cannot drag Phil into this. "For Marylis and Baby Gabi."

Philip Woods gave her a disapproving look. Then he sighed. "You're right." However, the fire in his eyes was still there. Ava couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something.

"What is it?" she asked. She needed to find out what he knew about the case.

"I— I don't know V, I think I'm going crazy."

"Explain."

"Well… I think… it was the other witches."

"Hm?"

"The one who killed our mother. I think it was another witch."

...

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