Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

FALLON

M y phone buzzed with an incoming call, shattering the quiet of my room. I glanced at the screen, eyebrows furrowing at the sight of an unknown number. Reluctantly, I answered, the tension coiling in my gut like a serpent.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Fallon," came the gruff voice of one of Lennox's men. "Got a package for you at the gates. Thought you might wanna check it out."

My heart skipped a beat at his words, dread pooling in my stomach. "Thanks," I muttered, my tone clipped. "I'll meet you at the front door."

Ending the call, I pocketed my phone and made my way through the hallway to the front entrance. Each step felt heavy, like I was wearing lead weights around my ankles.

I reached the front door but hesitated. With a steadying breath, I twisted it open, the creak of hinges echoing throughout the room.

Standing on the doorstep was one of Lennox's enforcers, his imposing figure fitted out in combat gear. He held out a package to me, his expression unreadable in the dim light.

"Got something for you," he said gruffly, his voice rough with disuse.

I took the package from him. My fingers trembled slightly as they brushed against the cool surface. "Thanks," I replied.

He nodded curtly, turning to leave without another word. But before he could disappear into the early morning, I called out to him, a note of urgency in my voice.

"Wait," I said, my heart pounding in my chest. "Did anyone see who left this?"

He paused, casting a glance over his shoulder. "Nah," he replied, his tone dismissive. "Just showed up outta nowhere."

With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I watched him disappear back toward the gatehouse. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to the package in my hands, steeling myself for whatever horrors lay within.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against the entryway wall as I tore open the box. Dread welled up inside me as I peered inside, my worst fears confirmed.

Nestled within the velvet lining of the box lay a small ornate birdcage, its delicate bars gleaming in the overhead light. Single feathers coated in blood were scattered around it like macabre confetti, a silent showcase of the cruel message within.

My hands trembled as I reached for the note, the words jumping out at me with chilling clarity. I recognized the handwriting immediately, my breath catching in my throat as I read the sinister poem scrawled upon it.

Oh, little bird, with wings so frail,

What cruel fate has set this tale?

For what was taken, I shall reclaim,

And in revenge, I stake my claim.

Your wings, once spread in graceful flight,

Will be clipped and bound, devoid of light.

For what was mine, now lost in strife,

I shall reclaim, with blade and knife.

The words echoed in my mind, sending goosebumps over my entire body. I knew without a doubt that the same person who had been terrorizing me lately has also sent this twisted message. They had been arriving all week. All gruesome 'gifts' with the same poem attached.

I wasn't entirely sure who was behind these messages, but I began to suspect it could be linked to my failed auction at my father's hand. Before Lennox had stopped it, there had been a successful bidder. Panic set in when I thought of who that was. Jack Murphy. More commonly known as ‘The Butcher'. A man who featured in many people's nightmares and one of the Alliance council members.

The Alliance was an assembly of the Triad's most senior and astute members from across the globe. In our world, there was no higher power. And if that who was sending these, I was a dead girl walking.

Fear gripped me like icy tendrils, squeezing the air from my lungs as I stared down at the ominous birdcage in my hands. With trembling fingers, I grasped the latch and swung the door open on silent hinges.

But as I reached for the note nestled inside, a question gnawed at the edges of my mind, relentless in its persistence. Should I tell the others about the threats I had been receiving? Should I burden them with my fears and risk derailing our carefully laid plans?

The question pressed down on me like a physical force, threatening to crush me beneath its weight. I knew that revealing the truth could distract us from our ultimate goal. And yet, the thought of keeping such dangerous information to myself didn't sit right. Especially with how often they were being delivered.

In the end, I knew there was only one choice to make. I couldn't afford to jeopardize our plans, not when so much was at stake. I would keep the threats to myself for now, biding my time until the fathers had been dealt with. When the dust had settled, and the danger had passed, I could reveal the truth and work to deal with this deranged stalker. With a heavy sigh, I tucked the note into my pocket.