Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 272 At the Morgue
Ann and Adam followed Bartholomew to his office, requesting breakfast from a passing omega as they made their way there.
Once inside the safety of his office, Bartholomew took the stone from his pocket and placed it on his desk as they sat and looked at it.
“Soulstone? It sounds kind of ominous.” Adam commented dryly. “That’s because it sort of is.”
Ann answered as she reached for the stone and held it to the light that streamed in through the window.
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“If you look closely Adam, sometimes you can see the solidified energy of the soul inside…like a mist that’s infused within the stone.” Bartholomew explained.
“It’s filled with dead people?!” He exclaimed in horror. Bartholomew chuckled and shook his head.
“I suppose it is. Soulstone was formed from the souls of thousands perhaps, all fossilized centuries ago when the gods themselves roamed the earth and walked among us in various guises. It can only be found in the realms that were eventually given over to the Daemons as they rose, and accessible only by those who rule those lands.”
“How come you’re such an expert on all of this Bartholomew?” Adam asked suspiciously, clearly unnerved by the composition of the soulstone.
“Spend enough years in this place and eventually you’ll have read enough books enough times to be able to answer most questions with a degree of certainty,” Bartholomew chuckled, “It also helps to have spent a lot of time with both Lord Brarthroroz and his wife over the years.”
“You have a fair point.” Adam nodded begrudgingly.
Just then, Ann’s phone rang, earning her inquisitive looks from both Adam and Bartholomew as she checked the caller ID and saw Eva’s name flash up.
“Hey Eva, how are things?” She greeted as she moved to stand in front of the window, still clutching the soulstone in her hand.
“They’re good! As a matter of fact, I was calling to let you know that Coral has learned pretty much everything I can teach her. I’ll telling you, she’s a natural. Just needs to work on her self confidence and she’ll be almost as good of a Personal Assistant as I am.” She bragged happily.
“I’m looking forward to working with her. When do you think she will be ready to join us back at the Enclave?”
“Well, I was thinking about dropping round with her this afternoon. Is that okay for you?”
“I think that would work well, Eva. I may need you to start work on a little project that we may or may not have coming up shortly.”
“Oh?”
“It’s something that we haven’t really done before, and I know how you love to sink your teeth into a new challenge.” Ann smirked as Eva laughed on the other end of the phone.
“Sure. Why not. Listen, I have a heap of new paperwork for you as well, hours.”
Ann hung up and turned back to Adam and Bartholomew.
“Well, it looks like we’ll be making waves much sooner than we thought. Coral is ready for action so now not only do I get to try and persuade the Elder Council that direct access for the Daemon realm is a good idea, I also get to show off my Omega Personal Assistant.” She grinned widely.
“They can bark in protest all they like, you are the Alpha Queen and their job is to advise, not to dictate.” Bartholomew smiled.
“When is the next scheduled meeting for the Council? I’d rather get all of this out of the way sooner, rather than later so we can move on to fixing the other issues that are piling up on my desk as we speak.” Ann asked with a grimace, placing the stone back on Bartholomew’s desk.
“I don’t believe we have anything scheduled for the next few weeks, your highness. Would you like me to organize one?”
“If you wouldn’t mind Bartholomew, that would be tremendously helpful. It could be days Allen, and when she finally gets in t*ouch, I would rather not have any distractions.”
“Understood, your highness.” Bartholomew said as he inclined his head.
A knock at the door drew frowns from Adam and Ann, but Bartholomew seemed unfazed as he shuffled over casually to open it, revealing an omega with a large tray, filled with various foods.
He took the tray with a nod of thanks and kicked the door closed but it bounced back as Felix appeared in the doorway.
“If you don’t want me in here you could have just said…” He grinned impishly at their surprised faces.
“Don’t look so surprised, I have nothing to do except brood and twiddle my thumbs aimlessly so I went and harassed the doctors at the morgue for a little while.” he said as he walked in and shut the door behind him, throwing himself down on the couch as Bartholomew set the food out on the coffee table.
“At the morgue? Isn’t that a little morbid for this time in the morning?” Bartholomew asked with a raised eyebrow as he took a seat opposite.
“Not really. I wanted peace of mind, confirmation that Jasper was dead and the paperwork to prove it so I can officially inform my parents. Although, for Aoife… I’m still not fully sure what to tell them.”
“I refuse to think of Aoife as anything other than missing, Felix.” Ann answered with a reassuring smile, “You’ll see, we’ll find out what’s happened to her and when we know where she is, we’ll bring her home.”
“How can you be so sure?” Felix asked flatly as he stared blankly at the food in front of them, his face clouded with misery as if he couldn’t believe in what Ann was saying.
“Because there’s no body, Felix.” She answered simply, “And I have a gut feeling that she’s out there somewhere, alive, and waiting for us.”
Felix lifted his gaze and his eyes locked with Ann’s. The certainty in her voice and utter conviction that was reflected in her eyes filled Felix’s shrouded heart with the faint flame of hope.
He had listened to their positivity and flippant attitude surrounding her apparent death for days without saying a word, but inside, he had been crumbling. Yet now, something inside him told him to trust in Ann and the words that she said.
After all, he hadn’t felt her death and their bond was not broken, the thread just… faded away…
Technically it was still intact which meant that Ann was right, she was out there somewhere, and he intended to do whatever it took to get her back.