21 The Body

I woke the next morning still feeling uneasy from the night before, my uncle had to still be upset by the memories I haven't spoken to him since last night. I rolled out of the bed careful not to wake Genius, I went to the bathroom to take a shower hoping that the water would help clear my head I needed to train today but I don't know if Alcide will be up for it today. I got the water going making sure the steam filled the bathroom before getting into the shower, I rinsed my hair while letting the water run down my body. It was relaxing I know that there is a lot to do today but right now I just wanted to stay in the shower. But I know that I can't so I finish rinsing off before shutting the water off and getting out. I wrapped a towel around me stepping back into my room, I walked over to the closet grabbing a sports bra and a pair of shorts. I dried myself off before getting dressed then I put my hair into a bun, put my shoes on, I looked back at Genius he was still sound asleep so I quietly closed the door behind me heading down to the kitchen. I think it is time I cook everyone breakfast hopefully I can get everyone in a better mood today.

I walked down the stairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen, I grabbed eggs, bacon, and pancake mix from the fridge. I think pancakes, eggs, and bacon with fresh-squeezed orange juice should cheer everyone up. I got the eggs mixed into a bowl with some milk, the pancake mixed into another, the bacon was open, I heard do females coming into the kitchen so I turned around to see Dream and Jade. I never paid attention to how beautiful the two of them were, Dream was a little taller than me with bright green eyes and brown hair, Jade was the same height as me with brown eyes and brown hair she was beautiful." Morning girls, I was just making breakfast for everyone I didn't think anyone would be up yet." They just looked at one another then back at me Dream stepped forward " Well Artemis would you like us to help you?" That made me happy because I haven't got to get to know them that well. I turned to both of them " Yes please that would be great." They both smiled at me and came straight into the kitchen, I made the pancakes, Dream made the eggs and back, and Jade made the orange juice. We had to make enough to feed an entire army, the boys alone could eat five or more plates alone and we knew it.

I turned toward Jade because I got to spend a little time with Dream when she was comforting me in the bathroom after I freaked out on the boys. " So Jade tell me a little about yourself? We haven't had much time together." She just smiled like she had been waiting for this for a while, " Well I love reading, writing, and fashion." I just laughed well I could need some fashion advice mine sucks." They seemed to be loosening up which is what I want they are family, after all, it was nice getting to know them some we started talking more preceded by laughing. We were so busy talking and cooking we hadn't noticed the boys standing there watching all of us, so when we turned around they scared the crap out of us and we all screamed. The boys fell on the ground laughing at us so we threw an orange at them, " You could have said something instead of scaring the shit out of us." Daniel stood up wiping the tears that had been pouring down his face, " Sorry Artemis we didn't mean to scare you." Then Zeus stood up doing the same thing, " Seriously though you should have seen your faces." Then Genius stood up " Sorry, princess we didn't mean to scare you we were just watching how well you were getting along with one another."

Alcide was still on the ground laughing I thought he was gonna puke from laughing so hard, he finally stood up catching his breath. It was good to see him in better spirits today, Jade looked at the boys with her hands on her hips " Well since you guys wanted to scare us maybe we will let the rest of the pack eat all the food and not save you any." The Dream chipped in " Ya I mean we just did cook all of this so maybe we should not let you guys have any." The boy's mouths fell open and all at once " No, please we didn't mean to it smells so good don't do that." Then we fell on the ground laughing there faces were priceless, they looked so sad when they said that. After a few moments, I stood up, " Well I guess you guys can have some since you looked so sad." I mind-linked the rest of the pack " Everyone come into the kitchen we made breakfast." The boys had all got a heaping pile of food and was eating when the rest of the pack came in their eyes were wide, I think it was because they have never seen us cook before or because their queen did. I couldn't tell but it only took a few minutes before they all got their plates.

I just stood there watching my pack, my brother, Dream, Jade, Daniel, Alcide, and my mate, I was completely happy here and now. I would do anything for these people I truly do love them more then they will ever know. Genius noticed me watching and just smiled at me, his smile could melt me he was happier than ever, I finally made my plate then headed to the table to sit down with everyone to enjoy our meal. Everyone thanked Dream, Jade, and me for the meal before going about there days, then the girls got up and left. When it was just me and the boys I looked at them, " Well before we do any more training or anything I need to go back into the spirit world, we have to find out from mom where I can train my magic more." They all just stared at me Genius went to speak but I held up my hand to stop him, " I know you don't want me to with us not knowing what happened, but I won't go by myself this time Alcide you are going with me." He just looked at me with shock on his face, " Artemis, I don't know if I should."

I just laid a comforting hand on his, " Alcide, you have things you need to hear from mother, and I need someone to help keep me safe don't you think that is worth it." He just hung his head, he was nervous and I couldn't blame him but I needed to do this and so did he, but before we did that I wanted to go for patrol I hadn't been on one in a while. I stood up and turned towards the boys, " But before any of that let's go on a patrol boys our wolves need to run." I started stripping my clothes off on the way to the back door, I turned and the boys were just staring at me, " Well come on or I'll just go by myself!" Then I turned around and headed out the back door into the yard leading to the forest, I started to shift, you could hear my bones breaking and shifting into my wolf, my skin started peeling off my body showing Violet's purple-tinted fur. The shifting was so much easier now then it was when I first started. I looked to each side of me and there stood all four boys in there wolf forms, I couldn't help but smile at that.

I started running to the forest with them in tow, we went deeper into the forest before I saw Daniel lifting his nose up he smelt something. I tilted my head towards him before lifting my nose in the air, I could smell it too, it smelt like rotting flesh. So we took off toward the smell, the closer we got to it the worse it stank, we peered over the hill and that is when I saw it, there was a body just laying on the ground. I turned my head toward the boys mind-linking them, " There is a body up ahead be careful." They were all on alert now, Genius's wolf walked closer to me, then we proceeded to get closer to the body so we could figure out who or what it was. When we got closer to the body we could barely recognize if it was someone we knew. You could tell that other animals had fed on it because the eyes were missing and so were most of the insides, the flesh was rotting so it was obvious that the body had been here for a while. I turned back towards the boys, " We need to carry it back to the chamber, so we can have the doctor run some tests, we need to know if it was one of ours or not." I didn't have to say another word Daniel shifted back to his human form lifting the body like it was nothing placing it on Genius's back before shifting back.

So we ran for another twenty minutes before reaching the entrance to the chamber, we all shifted back and Alcide opened the door while Genius carried the body down the stairs and placed it on the table. I turned toward Zeus " Go get the doctor, tell no one else about this until we know more." Then I turned toward Daniel, " Go to the pack and see if anyone has come up missing within the last few weeks please." Both boys nodded before heading back up the stair, we heard the door close behind us. Once the doors were closed I turned toward Genius and Alcide, " Can either of you make out what happen?" Alcide was the first to speak, " I can't tell anything the body is so decomposed, I can't see if there is a mark for our pack or not." I turned toward Genius who hadn't said anything since we go here, " Babe, can you figure out what happen?" He just stood there staring for a moment before speaking, " No but I need to know what happen and why the body was left for us to find?"

Alcide and I looked at him, " Why do you think the body was left for us?" He just looked at us, " Why else would it be on our territory if it wasn't meant for us to find." He had a point, but maybe this was just an accident, honestly, we wouldn't know anything until the doctor got here. I looked back at my mate, " Let's not make assumptions right now, ok let's wait for the doctor to get here and then we go from there ok." He nodded his head, we were all disturbed by this but we need answers, not assumptions, we heard the door open and two sets of feet coming down the stairs, Zeus was the first to appear then the doctor came in. I stepped closer to the doctor "Hi Doctor Nina, I am Artemis, Alpha of this pack sorry to bring you here on short notice but we found a body on our territory but it is too decomposed for us to figure anything out could you possibly solve the mystery for us." She just shook my hand and smile, " Well you sure have grown dear, I haven't seen you since you were a child."

Now I was confused but now wasn't the time I could ask her later right now we had to figure out what happen with this body. I didn't have to say anything because she went right over to the body, the boys and I walked into the next room to allow her to do her job. We sat there quietly not saying a word honestly I don't think any of us knew what to say, this was the first time since my mother died that I had seen a dead body. It was starting to get to me but right now wasn't the time to break down, I needed to be strong, I could break later in my room. We heard the door to the room open, hoping it was the doctor but it was Daniel he came in looking a little sad, " What happen Daniel?" I knew something was wrong, " Artemis, do you remember the family that came to us shortly after you got here, the one with the dad, mom, and child?" My eyes got wide, " Yes, why?" He just looked at me: " Well they told me that their son had been missing for a few weeks but hey told him to come here before he went missing."

Oh god no please let it not be a kid, as if Genius read my mind he came over placing his hand over mine, " Princess, let's not freak out yet, let the doctor do her work then we can go from there." He was right and I knew it but waiting was never my strong suit, I turned toward Zeus and Daniel " Go back to where we found the body and see if you can find any clues, or evidence and take James with you he is the best tracker in the pack boys no offense." They just smiled, " Hey none took, he is good at his job but so are we." I just smiled at them those two are a cocky son of bitches and they knew it but I didn't have to say anything else. They left immediately, leaving Alcide, Genius, and I alone in the room again, we sat there for what seemed like hours before the doctor came in. We all stood up; " Well Nina did you find anything?" She walked over to a chair and sat down motioning for us to do the same thing so we followed suit.

She looked at us " Well upon doing an autopsy, I found out that this was a male in his late twenties early thirties, he has been dead for weeks, and he was tortured previous to his death based on the extent of his injuries I would assume he would have been tortured for months before his death." I was shocked by what I was hearing, this man was tortured, but before I had time to respond Genius beat me to it: " Were you able to identify him?" She just looked at us like she was shocked we even asked that, " No, unfortunately, the only thing I found was an article of clothing that had been embedded in his arm, his teeth were pulled so I couldn't do a dental imprint to try and find his identity. But the clothing was from a police uniform but I couldn't make out what department he was from." My eyes got wide and Alcide saw it " Artemis what's wrong?" But I couldn't speak tears started welling up in my eyes, I started to cry before I could even stop it they were all looking at me.

Genius came over to me and wrapped me in his arms, " Princess, what's wrong why are you crying we don't know who it is yet." I just couldn't stop the tears because I think that it might be Officer Jacob he was the only other one that was close enough to our family that anyone would want to hurt. I finally managed to stop the tears long enough to look at them all, " Before I say we need to get ahold of Zeus I need to know if they found a wallet, a badge something." They all nodded, knowing that I wouldn't speak till I knew, so I mind-linked Zeus " Have you guys found anything yet?" I waited a few minutes before he responded: " No not yet squirt, why?" I took a breath, " The doctor finished her exam and the only thing that she found was an article of clothing from a police uniform." I sat there waiting for a reply but nothing came back, we sat there for about five minutes before he responded: " What do you mean a police uniform?" " What do you think I mean a police uniform but she couldn't make out what department it was from." Then Daniel piped in " Zeus, we found something over here."

I started pacing I needed to know please moon goddess let it not be him, " Squirt, we are on the way back be there in twenty minutes." This was bad Zeus didn't say what they found which meant it wasn't good. I turned to the boys, they heard him but they didn't say anything they were trying to figure out why I was freaking out. I can't believe that Genius hadn't thought about who it could be yet but then again he wasn't as close to officer Jacob as our family was. We sat in silence for about twenty minutes when we heard the door open and three sets of feet coming down the stair in a hurry, we looked up and they were walking into the room. " Well, what did you find?" I could see Genius and Daniel was upset so James walked over to me handing me a badge and a wallet, I couldn't read the name on the badge it had been worn down too much. But I opened the wallet and there it was the news I was dreading, I dropped to my knees: " NO, no, no this can't be happening no." Genius and Alcide were confused, " Artemis who is it?" I couldn't speak I just handed Genius the wallet, I started crying again Zeus walked over and dropped to the ground wrapping his arms around me. "Squirt, it will be ok take a breath."

Genius must have realized the name in the wallet because he punched the wall, " Who could have done this more importantly why he was a great guy." I just looked at him with tears running down my face I already knew why but I didn't know who, " It's because of me." They all turned toward me except Zeus he just held me tighter, he knew why I said it but the others were confused. Alcide knelt down " Artemis, why do you think it was because of you?" I just started crying harder I couldn't speak, so Zeus did it for me thank god for my older brother, " Because uncle, he was one of the people that was helping my mother protect Artemis, he acted like he didn't know what we were especially in front of Artemis because we asked him not to but he knew everything he also knew we had to protect her at all costs." Genius dropped down beside be now understanding what was going on apparently he didn't know either, I didn't know that Officer Jacob knew all about everything but he was still on of the people I could trust and feel safe with.

Genius took me into his arms; " Princess, this isn't your fault ok please don't blame yourself." Not blame myself how could I not he is dead because of me we don't know who did this. Zeus lifted my chin: " Squirt, I am going to take the body and wallet and drop it off near the hospital. I'll make an anonymous phone call so that they can pick the body up and notify his family, his wife has my cellphone number she will call us ok." I just nodded I needed to get away from here, " Genius please can we go inside I don't want to be here I can't." I didn't say anything else they all just left with me, Genius stayed right beside me till we reached the house, Genius walked me in and sat me on the couch. Dream and Jade walked in they noticed me crying and ran to me they didn't ask questions they just hugged me. Jade went to the kitchen bringing me a hot cup of tea and Dream allowed me to lay my head on her lap just playing with my hair. Dream looked at Genius " We got her right now go finish up with whatever is going on ok." He just nodded, he got up and followed Alcide to the office, the more Dream played with my hair the more relaxed I became. Soon I found myself drifting in and out of sleep.