The Pawn

6 – A CAN OF WORMS

“BE careful.”

Those words kept ringing in Riley’s head. Those words were uttered by her good friend, Kenzo, when he sent the files to her email.

Kenzo was cynical since he learned that his friend’s mate was a vampire. His skepticism was not because Akiku was a vampire but due to the information, he heard about the coven she belonged to.

Pureblood Coven did not have a great reputation in the supernatural world. They were called pureblood because their leaders were of pureblood genetic make-up. They have preserved the purity of the blood of their ancestors. Although they have created vampires in the last hundred years, their kin were of ‘pure’ blood. They also looked down on other covens who have embraced hybrid mating.

Although they honored the treaty between the supernatural, they still upheld the pure blood in their family. They proudly advertise that they maintain what their forefathers have started. It was a direct contradiction to the recent information that Riley had in her hands.

Riley asked for a favor from Kenzo. She told him about someone that may be related to Akiku and she needed all the information he could get.

Some of the data that she got from him can be found online but Riley wanted deeper and more personal data from the right sources. She told her friend that she needed the unfiltered truth.

The files that he sent were the confirmation of what she already knew. It cemented the suspicions she had about Akiku.

Akiku might be indifferent to their mating but Riley will not yield without a fight. She has to convince her mate that this bond matters. An affront rejection was not it.

Riley’s eyes went to the opened folder on top of the table.

On a whole sheet of paper was a picture of an old man in a kimono. His right hand was holding a katana. His eyes exhibited authority and pride.

He was Hiroaki Tanaka. He was known as the last shogun of Japan. He died in his old age in the early 1900s. He was the last of his family members since his wife died ten years before him and their only daughter succumbed to pneumonia in her early twenties. There was no heir to the money and legacy he left. His assets were amounting to at least ten million dollars worth of property and cash. That was what the history books said.

The shrilling sound of the ringing phone made her eyes moved from the image.

She pulled the drawers on the side table.

It was Kenzo. It was his third call today. A call Riley did not answer.

With a sigh, she decided to take it this time.

The worry lines on the face of the young, male alpha greeted her. His thick brows almost meet.

“Hey, man.” Riley stated.

She placed the mobile phone in a holder on top of the opened folder. It obscured the picture of the Japanese official.

“Hey.” Judging from the background, Kenzo was in his office.

“How’s Aiko?”

“She’s alright aside from the back pain. Baby Takahashi will be here in less than a month.”

“Congratulations, my friend.”

“Thank you. How are you?”

“Fuming,” Riley answered without a preamble.

It was no use to hide it from him. She knew that her friend only wanted to know what she felt.

“I assumed that you have read everything?”

Riley nodded. “She has a great resemblance to her great-grandmother aside from the eyes.”

“I saw it, too. However, she must have gotten the colors from the great-grandmother's side of the family.”

A smile formed on the female alpha’s lips remembering the gray eyes of her mate. Asians have no gray eyes.

“What are you going to do?” Kenzo asked after a short silence between them.

“What they deserve.”

“What did you do?”

Worry lines appeared on the Japanese alpha. He drew near the camera and stared into the eyes of his long-time friend.

“Nothing yet.”

Kenzo straightened but his full attention remained on the female alpha.

Riley cleared her throat and continued, “I am going to clear the road for her. I will set her free from all the things that imprisoned her.”

“Have you talked to her again? You have to know her side before you do something, man.”

Riley shook her head. “I cannot face her right now that I know the truth.”

“Why?”

“I cannot imagine how much pain she went through. She has no one. She has no one for over a hundred years, Kenzo!”

She glared when she saw the smile on his face. Her brown eyes darkened.

At this moment, her friend has no reason to make fun of the brewing anger inside her. She was about to lash out when he spoke again.

“You are growing up, Shebala. I’m very proud of you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” She blinked her eyes in confusion.

“I am glad that you overlooked her past.”

“It was not her fault that her family treated her that way. A child cannot choose her family but the family she was born into can choose to treat her better.”

His smile widened. “You should call Akiku again. Maybe for another date. You have to tell her that you are not going anywhere. From what I am hearing from you, she has a better future with the alpha of the Wa Ha Ya pack.”

Riley blinked again at the compliment. She cleared her throat in surprise. A little uncomfortable at the sudden praise.

“I don’t know if I am welcome in her life, man. I just know that I am here if she wants me.” She said after a while.

“That’s more like it. Call her.”

“Alright.”

“Use that anger to the right person, Riley. Don’t let her mistaken that it was meant for her.”

The call ended just like that.

Riley took a deep breath.

Kenzo has a point. She has to shift her anger to the right direction. She also has to focus in order for her to do what she has to do. And the people that offended her mate have to pay the painful way as possible.

He was also right. She needs to call Akiku.

If she wanted to become a part of her mate’s life, she has to be visible in her life no matter what kind of role she has to play. Akiku may not show it in many ways but she has been lonely for a long time. But not anymore.

It may have took over a century but Riley is here now.