Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 869: The Only One ()

Laila trembled as all eyes turned to her. Her eyes were wide, revealing her panic. She’d been caught and she knew it.

Why she ever thought her hidden motive would go unnoticed was beyond Neveah.

Perhaps she might have succeeded with someone else, but Neveah was different. She didn’t believe in trusting anyone unless it was proven beyond reasonable doubt that the person in question was trustworthy.

Simply existing in the past she’d forgotten about just wasn’t good enough.

"I’m sorry!" Laila sobbed, "I... just thought..."

"That making Lado discover our meeting would leave us no choice but to kill him." Neveah surmised.

She’d known from the moment she opened the doors back in the pack house. She’d seen the rapidly healing cut on her lip, and the murder in her eyes.

Laila had done well concealing the ulterior motive, but it couldn’t escape Neveah’s notice.

Laila’s shoulders slumped, her sobs dying out. Her expression was one of defeat. "You knew...all along?"

Neveah returned to her seat. "Lado underestimates how cunning the people around him can be. Alessio... you, and that will most likely be the death of him."

Not that it mattered to Neveah, Lado did deserve to die.

"As for you Laila... you’ve let him rub off on you. And now, you equally underestimate me." Neveah smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes, "It’ll take a lot more than a timid act to manipulate me, I fear."

Laila’s bottom lip trembled, she lowered her head in shame. "I... I’m sorry..." She whispered in a barely audible tone.

"You’re not." Neveah replied blankly. "You’re only apologetic because you’ve been caught."

"You should be more cautious with who you trust." Neveah said to Colleen now.

She’d moved away from Laila, her eyes wide with disbelief.

It wasn’t that Laila’s motivation was unreasonable, it was how she had chosen to go about it.

"Laila couldn’t have been sure we could handle Lado. Yet she has taken this risk..." Neveah paused, shaking her head slightly. "Because to her, her own safety is the most important."

Dane glanced between Neveah and Laila, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. "Veah, don’t let this get to you. We had no knowledge of this."

Neveah returned her attention to Dane. "I know."

"In whichever case, it’s all worked out in your favour." She said, "I have provided you with a way out, I hope you make good use of it. I’ll head back now."

Neveah walked over to the door before the Eclipse Hunt wolves could protest, but then she paused by the door.

"You...stay behind." Neveah said to Laila. "Someone needs to take the fall for luring Lado out."

Laila nodded silently. Since she’d decided to get Lado killed, she needed to shoulder some of the responsibility herself.

"Don’t act pitiful." Neveah added, "With the Eclipse Hunt wolves gone, you’ll be the only witness to Lado’s murder. You’re clearly more clever than you let on. I’m sure you can keep yourself alive with that."

"Veah..." Colleen called hesitantly.

Neveah passed her a smile. "I’ll be in the pack house when you ’arrive’ tomorrow."

She didn’t waste anymore time, pulling her hood over her head, she headed out of the inn into the dirty, deserted streets.

How long had passed? She wasn’t certain. The moon was hidden away by murky shadows, it was difficult to tell the passing of time.

She kept walking, and only when she’d gotten a good distance away did she stop.

"My Lady." Scott greeted her from behind, emerging from the shadows.

Neveah turned, pulling off her hood. "There you are."

She’d left tracks, but she hadn’t truly been certain Scott would catch on so quickly. It seemed he was even more skilled than she originally thought.

"King Nolan is becoming anxious. He wants to know what your plans are from here on out." Scott relays to Neveah.

Neveah hummed quietly. "Plans?"

"All I want is to do what’s right for me. Whatever that looks like. But nothing makes it easy."

"I guess I’m just, waiting for a sign..."

_________

The rays of sunlight seeping through the blinds awakened Neveah the next morning.

She grunted quietly, sitting up on the bed. Strangely enough, she’d gotten a good sleep last night.

There was no sign of the reoccurring pain, or nightmares concealed in cloudy mists.

Her eyes darted to the door, it was just as she had left it. Locked.

Alessio hadn’t returned to the room last night. She’d stayed up for a long time, wondering if he’d possibly returned while she was away but so far, she’d heard no ruckus.

The pack house was eerily silent and she could still sense the presence of the lone guard outside her door.

He hadn’t moved either, which gave her some assurance that Alessio simply didn’t return to the room at all last night.

Neveah didn’t dwell on it. Knowing Alessio, if he knew she had left, he wouldn’t be this quiet.

She got off the bed, heading into the washroom. The heat of the water against her skin rid her of the residues of sleep and she was finally wide awake.

Putting on a bathrobe, she stepped out and headed to the cloth chest that had been packed for her, rummaging through it.

Unsurprisingly, it overflowed with luxurious dresses. Each more so than the last.

Neveah glanced over at her travel dress longingly, but she picked out a dress from the chest.

She slowly put it on and just as she tidied up her hair, a knock sounded on the door.

Neveah glanced over her shoulder. She didn’t need to ask to know who it was.

She walked over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.

Alessio stood on the other side. His face didn’t give much away, expressionless as always. But she’d watched him too closely for too long to fail to notice the gloomy aura around him.

He was still in the clothes he’d had on for dinner last night. A tailored black pants and beige tunic.

His eyes raked down her form from head to toe. Stopping at the pins she’d put halfway in her hair.

"Let it down..." He murmured,

Neveah’s brows furrowed. "What?"

"Your hair. Let it down..." He trailed off, a conflicted look flashed across his eyes. "It suits you better."

Neveah didn’t respond. She stepped aside, waiting for him to walk in. When he did, she shut the door and returned to the mirror.

"Aren’t you going to say anything to me?" Alessio asked from behind her.

Neveah frowned slightly, "You sound exhausted. You should get some sleep."

She heard his footsteps draw closer, and his arms snaked around her waist, hugging her from behind.

Neveah stiffened as Alessio buried his head into her neck, inhaling deeply.

"I don’t..." He muttered, his voice muffled against her skin.

"Don’t what?" She asked, watching him through the reflection of the mirror.

"You asked me... how do I sleep at night..." He muttered.

Neveah hadn’t expected that, but she didn’t respond, letting him say what he had to.

"I don’t." He murmured. "Not without you."

She didn’t have anything to say to that.

"I told you didn’t I?" He asked, "I’m willing to lose everything else, so long as I get to keep you. If I have you... I don’t need anything else."

The tenderness of his tone unsettled Neveah greatly.

"Did something... happen?" Neveah asked,

Alessio was quiet for a moment. "Lado disappeared last night. So did Laila. Neither of them have been seen or heard from up until now."

Disappeared? Not dead?

Neveah didn’t like the sound of it.

"He... disappeared?" She asked cautiously.

Alessio hummed quietly. "He did."

He said it like he was just exchanging regular pleasantries and not speaking about one of his closest confidants and supporters.

They fell into a moment of uncertain silence.

Finally, Neveah broke it. "Will the Eclipse Lunas still share a breakfast meal?"

Alessio nodded. "The ceremony will go on as normal. Someone will handle Lado’s duties till his... absence, is clarified."

Neveah nodded slowly. She’d worried she wouldn’t be able to get away from Alessio today as Lado’s news would put him on his guard.

"I want to rest." Alessio muttered quietly. "For only a short time."

"Stay." He said.

It wasn’t a question, just a muffled statement. But she knew better than to argue.

"Alright." Neveah agreed.

Alessio’s hold on her tightened and for a moment, they just stood by the mirror.

Finally, he took her hand and guided her over to the bed to sit.

She didn’t protest, she just watched him lay down, his head on her thigh.

"Wake me up in an hour." He murmured, staring up at her.

Neveah pursed her lips. "Aren’t you worried I might kill you while you sleep? You know I want to."

Alessio smiled slightly. "You won’t."

His eyes went closed, his expression too relaxed for Neveah’s comfort.

"Haven’t I already said it? I know you, Veah."

"I know that you can see, that in this world, you’re the only one I truly love."