Chapter 4 ~The Body~

Alpha Raymond stared at his soon-to-be son-in-law like he had grown two heads.

Xavier's lips quivered and he repeated the exact words he had spoken a moment ago.

"Adriana is dead."

"How foolish of you to say that about my daughter!" Alpha Raymond snapped.

"I didn't want to believe it as well, but it's the truth. Adriana was found in the garden by my head guard, her body battered beyond repair my Lord."

"Adriana found in the garden?" Alpha Raymond snickered. "Adriana was meant to be in her bed chamber with her maid."

Xavier shook his head. "But she wasn't. Adriana came to see me but I declined to meet her because according to tradition, we were not meant to see each other till the ceremony. I guess she was upset and she must have gone to the garden to blow off some steam."

Raymond shook his head. "Going into the garden is not meant to kill someone. Why would my daughter be dead just by going to a garden?"

"She was attacked my Lord," Xavier said, and saw the denial squirming in Raymond's eyes.

"The marks on her body are proof of that, Raymond. She was attacked by the rogues roaming these borders."

Raymond shook his head but his face was turning ashen.

"No.. the rogues couldn't have gotten into the mansion. I have guards everywhere..."

"But not in the garden." Xavier countered and Raymond stopped talking, his mouth loose.

He hadn't kept guards at the garden because his late Luna had insisted on keeping her garden sacred and pure for it to be a haven to her and her daughters. Adriana had loved that place so much and had also persuaded him not to keep guards around the area after the rogue's bloodbath started invading their pack.

"You can't put guards in there, Father. Mother won't be happy wherever she is with the moon goddess." She had said and he had listened.

He had always listened to Adriana. She was like her mother and bore her resemblance, except for her silver hair which was unusual for a wolf but he had thought it special. He thought of her as special and so had his late wife.

Now they stood before him proclaiming his child dead.

"No... Adriana can't be dead." Raymond muttered not accepting his words.

Xavier sighed and beckoned to Ton who came to his side.

"Bring the body," Xavier ordered and Ton bowed before going away.

Minutes later, he came in with two other guards carrying a body lying in a sling.

Raymond looked at the entrance as Ton came in with the two guards accompanying him with the sling, and the first thing he saw was the silvery hair hanging down from the sling, then his gaze darted from the hair to the face.

The face was unrecognizable. It was disfigured and there were no eyes in the sockets.

Raymond's body shook against his will and his hands trembled.

Rita gasped beside him and the people surrounding the hall opened their mouths in disbelief.

Kara's heart slammed against her chest.

Lady Adriana.

There was no mistaking the silver hair.

"That's not Adriana. She is not the only one with silver hair." But he knew he was wrong. Adriana was literally the only one with that color of hair.

But he wouldn't accept Adriana being dead. His daughter wouldn't die like that. Adriana was strong. She wouldn't fall to a rogue attack, not on the day of her wedding.

A wedding she had always dreamed of since she was seventeen and had found her mate.

Ton and the two guards laid the sling down and Raymond's feet dragged his body towards the sling.

He fell on his knees and stared at the disfigured body.

The marks were evident on her body. The marks of those blood-starved beasts.

His hands shook as he touched her hand. It was dead cold and he gripped it in his.

He turned her palm up searching for something.

Her birthmark.

And he found it there though smeared with blood.

Adriana. This was Adriana.

Tears pooled in his eyes blurring his vision, then he tipped his head back and howled loudly, his Alpha wolf growl vibrating through the walls of the hall and everyone fell to their knees.

Including Xavier. He was an Alpha but there were ranks and Alpha Raymond was higher than him.

He howled for a long time and the wolves in everyone felt his pain and they trembled.

It died down and silence reigned, then he spoke but it was more like a growl.

"Where is Adriana's maid?" He asked and Kara felt a shiver in her spine.

"My Lord...." Kara's body shivered and Alpha Raymond stood up and walked towards her, his aura radiating something predatory.

Kara smelt his rage and her eyes widened.

"My Lord, please... I didn't mean to..."

Raymond's wolf erupted from him before she could finish.

It was all too sudden. Too swift. In a breath or two, they all heard clawing and snapping, and within seconds Kara's head lay on the floor detached from her body.

Alpha Raymond had shifted into his wolf form and he stood before Kara's headless body and growled, blood dripping from his fangs and claws.

He shifted back to his human form and stared at Rita.

"Make sure you feed the body to the dogs and not a single bone must be seen here."

Rita bowed her head and Raymond walked by blood still dripping from his hands.

Xavier watched him leave and lowered his gaze, hiding the satisfaction threatening to show on his face, then he looked up at the shadow hiding in a corner.

Ashley came into view and stared down at him and her lips tugged a little though fear was written in her eyes.

He nodded his head slightly before standing up and dusting his garment.

He signaled for Ton to follow him and they went up the stairs going back to the room preserved for him.

Ashley was already waiting for them in the room and she ran to hug him when he came in.

Ton locked the door behind them.

"I was so scared." Ashley's arms tightened around him.

Xavier's hand came up and he patted her hair. "Don't be my beloved. I told you I would take care of it."

Ashley sighed and buried her face in his chest. "I'm happy it is all over." Then her face came up and she stared up at him.

"Now that Adriana is gone... what happens to us? Will your promise still stand?"

Xavier nodded his head. "We will let your father grieve for today, then I will bring up the talk of marriage to him."

Ashley nodded. "I can't wait for us to be together." She brushed her lips against his before leaving.

Xavier waited for her to leave before facing Ton.

"Did you take care of her?"

Ton locked the door again and nodded.

"Andrew will take care of it."

"How sure are you?"

"He would do anything for money and won't leave a job unfinished. Andrew is a thorough slayer." Ton replied assuredly and Xavier nodded his head thoughtfully.

"You are right." Xavier sighed. "Good thing I remembered her darn birthmark, that could have given us away."

He eyed Ton. "I know you don't want blood on your hands. But make sure he does it right. She must be gone... forever."

Ton nodded and bowed before leaving his Lord.

He closed the door and walked briskly down the stairs.

He knew how ruthless Andrew could be and he hoped Andrew had already done the job.