The next morning I felt like literal death. My lips were so dry that as I slowly parted them to let fresh air into my stale mouth, the skin on my lips pulled and peeled. I tried to grasp for the glass of water by the bed but my entire body was too limp, but somehow also stiff, to even move. So with my corse throat itching to be soothed I just lay like a corpse shrouded in the sheets of the bed, trapped in the coffin that was my life right now. Just like a morgue, the room was empty of any other life too which was the only real positive here. Andrea was gone and although company is usually beneficial in times of despair, I'd rather be on an isolated desert island than with him.

Despite my severe lack of motivation and will power, I was eventually able to sit up and chug the water which instantly brought me halfway back to life. Brushing my teeth and showing helped too and soon enough, I had enough strength to go to the library. The first book I picked up being the 'Drugs for Dummies' where I researched exactly what the fuck Andrea had forced into my system the previous night.

"The boss wants you in his office," Chico said entering the library and hour later.

I closed my book and leant back into the chair.

"Immediately."

"Tell him I still have an unhealthy amount of... benzod...iazepines in my body," I said looking back in the book at the section on what I believed to be the culprit of how shitty I felt.

He looked at me with a confused expression for a short moment before brushing it aside, "Don't make him come up and get you," was all he said before disappearing again.

Not wanting to be eager, I waited a minute or two before slowing going downstairs and towards Andrea's office.

"Good morning, Ella," he said to me as I entered. "How are you feeling?"

"Like utter shit."

"But you slept like a baby?" he replied with a mischievous grin.

I scowled and turned to the door.

"Hey, did I say you could leave?" he asked. "Sit the fuck down, Blanca. I need to ask you some questions."

After a short sigh to make my dissatisfaction known, I sat down on the opposite side of his desk as he reached into a drawer.

"So," he began. "My plan to kill your mate and take over the Stella back and consequently the rest of North America has been brought forward."

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

"He's causing me more issues than I anticipated so his death date has now been scheduled for ASAP," he continued.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked in a hoarse tone.

"Because..." he said pulling four pictures out of the drawer and putting them in front of me. "You are going to help by giving me information on these men."

The four pictures were of Blair, Luca, Max and strangely Luciano. Of course, I knew Luciano's picture was at least four years old considering Leo had killed him four years ago but judging by the chubby baby cheeks on Luca and innocent expression of Max's face, I would guess that they were all old photos. In Blair's picture, he was stood by a car that he hadn't even had since the first year I was with Leo which was now seven years ago.

"These men are some of the most important leaders of the Stella pack, right? In order to even get close to the Alpha, I've got to first target those he relies on most and to do that, I need information," he said.copy right hot novel pub