I quickly left the dressing room and started attending to customers, trying to act normal but my mind was racing. Who were these people with the black rose tattoos? And why did they all seem to know each other? I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Finally, closing hour came and I made my way to the back room to change out of my uniform. As I was getting ready to leave, Maria's phone rang and she picked it up. I could hear a man's voice on the other end, but couldn't make out what he was saying. After a few moments, Maria hung up and turned to me.
"Hey, I have to go take care of something real quick," she said, grabbing her purse. "You good to lock up?"
"Yeah, no problem," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
As soon as Maria was out the door, I pulled out my phone and called Derick. He answered on the first ring.
"What did you see?" he asked urgently.
"I saw another staff member with the same black rose tattoo," I replied. "And when I called you earlier, you said you needed evidence. I think I just got it."
"Good work," Derick said. "Meet me at the usual spot in 20 minutes. And bring that evidence with you."
I hung up and quickly snapped a picture of the tattoo on Maria's wrist without her noticing. I knew I had to be careful, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was onto something big.
I locked up the coffee shop and made my way to the meeting spot. Derick was already there, pacing back and forth.
"What did you find?" he asked as soon as I arrived.
I showed him the picture on my phone, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Damn," he muttered. "I think we're onto something big here."
"What do we do now?" I asked, feeling a mix of fear and excitement.
"We keep digging," Derick said firmly. "We find out who these people are and what they're up to. And we stop them, no matter what it takes."
I listened intently as Derick explained the significance of the black rose tattoo and how it was associated with the dangerous Black Bird Wolves pack. My heart raced with both fear and hope as I realized that these werewolves might hold the key to finding my missing parents.
"I have to confront them," I declared, determined to get some answers. But Derick cautioned me against it, warning that the Black Bird Wolves pack was not to be trifled with.
"Why haven't they done anything to me yet then?" I asked, puzzled.
"Perhaps they want you to join them," Derick suggested.
"I could never do that," I replied, feeling a wave of revulsion at the thought of siding with the pack that might have taken my parents.
Derick smiled, his eyes twinkling. "You have a good heart, you know that?"
I blushed, feeling a little embarrassed at his praise. "Thanks, but it's not like I'm a saint or anything."
Derick chuckled. "I know, but it's refreshing to meet someone who isn't motivated by revenge or power."
I smiled back, feeling a warmth spread through me. Derick might be a billionaire Alpha, but he was also kind and down-to-earth, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to him.
"But you haven't found your true mate yet?" I asked curiously.
Derick's expression turned wistful. "No, I haven't. I've met plenty of female werewolves, but none of them have matched the kind of love I'm looking for. I want a true mate."
I laughed out loud, surprising Derick. "What's so funny?" he asked, looking a little offended.
"It's just that...we werewolves don't really believe in true mates anymore," I explained. "We choose our own mates based on our own preferences and desires."
Derick looked taken aback by this. "But...what about the bond? The connection that's supposed to exist between two werewolves who are meant to be together?"
I shrugged. "I guess that's just a myth. At least, that's what most werewolves believe these days."
Derick looked thoughtful, as if he was considering something. "Well, maybe we should start believing in it again," he said softly, his gaze fixed on me.
I felt my heart skip a beat, and I couldn't help but wonder if Derick was hinting at something more than just idle conversation. But before I could respond, my phone beeped, interrupting us.
"It's Maria," I said, checking the message. "She's asking me to come to the coffee shop tomorrow before it opens. She says she has something important to tell me."
Derick looked wary. "Be careful, Grace. I don't trust those Black Bird Wolves pack, and I don't want you getting hurt."
I nodded, feeling a little scared but also excited at the prospect of finally getting some answers.
Derick and I were in the car, both of us were silent and lost in thought until my phone beeped. I checked the message, and my heart sank as I saw the picture of my parents' corpse. I let out a scream, and my phone fell from my hand, distracting Derick, and he jerked the car, screeching to a halt.
I was trembling with fear and my heart was racing as I picked up my phone from the floor of the car. Derick looked at me with concern and asked what had happened. I showed him the message and the picture of my parents' corpses. Derick's expression turned from concern to anger as he slammed his hand on the steering wheel.
"That's it!" he exclaimed. "We need to find Miranda who got you the job. They've crossed the line."
"Miranda? I don't believe she can do this, no-no," I said, my voice shaking.
"Open your eyes Sophia! Miranda is working with them! Because how can a low-life forbidden child get connection among prominent werewolves! Definitely she's working with them." Derick yell.
I asked Derick if he knew where Miranda lived, and he said he did since he was the one who employed her. Without wasting any time, we headed straight to Miranda's house.
As soon as we arrived, we saw Miranda standing in front of her house. Without any warning, I slapped her hard across the face. "You betrayed my trust, Miranda!" I shouted. "How could you do this to me? You knew the black bird wolves pack and still made me work in their coffee shop!"
Miranda denied everything, but her face betrayed her. I could see the guilt and fear in her eyes. She stammered as she spoke, but her words lacked conviction.
"I-I didn't know," she said, her voice trembling. "I swear, I didn't know anything about the black bird wolves pack. I'm telling the truth."
But I knew she was lying. I could feel it in my gut. I turned to Derick, and he had the same expression on his face. We both knew that Miranda was hiding something.
"What do we do now?" I asked Derick, feeling helpless and frustrated.
"We keep digging," Derick said, his jaw clenched in anger. "We'll find out who did this, and they will pay for it."
"I'm going to take care of them once and for all," he replied with a determined look on his face.
I begged him not to do anything rash and to think about the consequences, but he was not listening. He drove us to his mansion and went inside to make some phone calls. I could hear him talking to his pack members and giving them orders.
I sat on the couch, feeling helpless and scared. After a while, Derick came back and told me that his pack would take care of the black bird wolves and that I should stay with him for my safety. I didn't know what to do or how to feel. Part of me was relieved that Derick was taking action, but another part of me was worried about the consequences.
Derick tried to comfort me and told me that everything would be okay. He said that he would protect me no matter what and that he would make sure that the black bird wolves would never harm me again.
As the night wore on, I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread and fear. I knew that Derick was a powerful Alpha, but I also knew that the black bird wolves were dangerous and ruthless