The Tribrid's Mate

#5 The Second Call

Milena was happy. She could finally speak to her sister Trixie. Like she had guessed, Trixie was worried since she had not heard from the last couple of days. It wasn't normal for the sisters to be out of contact for so long.

Milena lied to Trixie that she had lost her phone and hence could not contact her earlier. Milena had a hard time convincing her sister. But finally, she persuaded Trixie that she would call her whenever she could, even if it would be infrequent. Milena assured Trixie that she was finding a way out for both of them, which brightened her dull state. Trixie promised to handle and endure until she was back for good.

Milena knew she lied for the most part of the conversation. She could not even give a hint about her kidnapping. The whole time, Mathew was standing next to her. Nevertheless, she felt contained to have connected with her sister.

Mathew did not say much. But it confused him that until now, Lucas had been cold and indifferent. He avoided Milena and her question. Then why was he so generous towards her now for letting her use the magical phone line to connect with her sister on earth from Lunasia. It was the first time Lucas did something like that ever since that fateful incident. It made him feel a little happy, too. Maybe, in the form of this earthling, there was still some hope left for their alpha.

A couple of days had passed by since then. Even though the surrounding restrictions decreased and people were more cordial to her now, she still longed for freedom or some answers.

During Milena's stay here, she had begun to realize that her captors were not what they seemed on the first meet. They were running with a very different set of rules than what she had seen her entire life. For them, the hierarch was everything. Loyalty and honesty came first. But everyone still had free will and prospered. Lucas was so important to them that she was shocked to find that they would happily die for him. There was no hesitation when it came to their leader. And it was not for money. It was out of love and respect. It forced her to wonder if Lucas was not really bad and made her curious why such a man would kill someone. She could see genuine love and respect for Lucas in everybody's eyes.

It was rare these days to find such strong bonds in the family of rich. The way Lucian was devoted to Lucas was astounding. So was Mathew's loyalty.

But now, she had sensed despair and sorrow in the air. Though everyone smiled on the exterior, she could feel the tension in the air.

There was this room in the corner of the ground floor where very few people were allowed. Every time someone comes from that room, they would be unhappy. Their face was sullen, and some even forced back their tears. They all would go to their safe places to get back to their pretentious state. Lucas would go to the stone. Lucian would go to the minibar, which was not at all mini to Milena. Mathew would go to his office room and lock him for hours. She also found that Aria was devoted to whoever they kept inside that room. No wonder she didn't see Aria a lot.

Milena could not help but feel whoever was inside that restricted section was very important to these people. First, she thought it was another captive, but they were obviously too flustered and loving for that someone. They wouldn't care so much for a hostage.

Milena decided she had to know who was inside that room. She also has to find why Lucas killed that guy. Somehow, in her head, everything seemed linked. In the back of her mind, she has thought, what if the other guy was the bad one and Lucas was helpless? Without even realizing it, Milena was beginning to develop a soft corner for Lucas.

Milena had also started getting worried about not having contacted her fiancee, the greasy old man. What worried her most was that she did not want to, and she felt petrified that the grumpy man and Miss Benett would do something horrible in her absence. Even though Trixie did not tell her much, every time Milena talked with her, Milena could feel the despair and helplessness in Trixie's voice.

Milena looked at her bare ring finger. The first thing she did when she reached Florida was to remove her engagement ring. How much she wanted to start a family with someone else, but things never went her way. Her foster aunt sold her to this man who was three decades older than her, and at the same time, she learned of the betrayal. It reminded her of Karl, the only other person she had cared for once except Trixie. But not anymore.

Karl was the only guy she had ever dated since high school. He was there for her when she joined the school in the new place after her parents died. He was there for her whenever she was short of money. But as they grew up, she found him cheating on her. She never caught him red-handed. But she knew. There were too many coincidences of random girl hair, left underwear, sneaky texts. Also, after a while, he got involved with local thugs and developed a habit of drinking. He was abusive sometimes. Whenever she even gave a subtle hint of separation, he would get violent and remind her of all the favors he did when no one was there for her.

She could not understand why Karl did not leave her until this old man, Ronald, chased him away. Well, at first, she thought it was fatherly help. But the same night, Ronald came to her foster house and asked her hand for marriage. Miss Benett was more than happy to sell her. She couldn't contemplate whom she should hate more. There was no love in her life.

While she was thinking all that with a sullen face, Lucas caught her off guard. Milena happened to have picked her favorite place near Lucas's.

They rarely met. If Milena wasn't looking for Lucas, she might even miss him. But Lucas's spot, being at a height, gave him some advantage. Lucas never bothered her every time she came here after that evening. He would watch her from a distance and keep his thoughts to himself. But today, he could see she was more worried than ever. The stress lines were visible on her now healthy skin, and she was sulking a little too much, making him anxious.

Milena was startled. She wasn't expecting company. Milena wanted to ask him to leave her alone. But before she could protest, Lucas initiated a conversation.

"What are you thinking so deeply? Every time you come here, I see you feeling happy. But today is different. What happened?" Lucas's concern-filled voice made Milena flinch.

Milena was stunned to find that Lucas was still observing her from a distance. She felt like there was another man who was trying to control her. But why was she feeling a sense of inclination towards this cold-hearted person? Why was this aloof person showing interest in her affairs when he wouldn't say her a word about him?

"I am restless thinking when I can leave this place. It's already been a while since you brought me here." Milena wasn't lying entirely. But she didn't want to open up to him when he was secretive towards her.

"Why do you want to leave so soon? I thought you have started to like this place." Lucas furrowed his eyebrows as if trying to read between her lines. He seemed convinced that Milena was hiding something from him, and it made him feel unsettled.

"How could you think so? How can someone like being held captive? Or do you do this often? Captivate people and grow fond of them and then lock them up in the restricted area when they try to escape too hard?" Milena was fuming with anger. She did not realize why she said what she said. Honestly, she did not believe what she said. But she was angry, and she was hurting inside. So she directed her anger on the only person she could now.

Lucas left without saying anything, much to Milena's dismay. She was angrier. Neither did she get any answer about the contained corridor nor anything about her freedom. She was afraid now Lucas wouldn't let her speak with Trixie.

Shortly, Lucian joined her and asked her to calm down. He handed her a phone and suggested that she could keep it with her. She wouldn't need to ask anyone's permission to call her sister from now. He said that he trusted her, that she wouldn't do something reckless against Lucas.

Milena nodded her head in understanding and took the phone. She could use it wisely later. But she could not understand how it was this possible. Why would they trust her with a phone? How could she get this chance without even asking? Did Lucas understand her wish, or was she behaving like an open book?

Without wasting further time, Milena asked if she could make a call to someone else. She promised she wouldn't say anything about her kidnapping. After some hesitation and confirming it with Lucas through their pack link, Lucian agreed.

When Lucian nodded his head positively, Milena sighed with uneasiness. Now that she could really make that call, her fingers were shaking. She wasn't sure if she should trust him. But there was no one else she could depend on now for Trixie's safety.

Milena quickly spoke to Trixie and gave her the number. She fed her some lies about her experience in the city and false progress to cheer Trixie. After disconnecting the call, Lucian noticed that Milena was still very hesitant to make that second call.

He was eager to know who it was, but he kept his curiosity to himself and waited patiently.

On the other end, Lucas was pacing through his office room, wondering who could be this other person Milena wanted to contact.