6

####Chapter 6

Aviana (Anna Reed)

11 years ago.

I sat in the middle of dinner in my new foster parent's home.

This was the third one in the span of 2 years and it was my second day here…

I hated it.

My new mom and dad were weird but not in a drug addict way like my old foster mom and dad were—in a “They belonged to a cult” way .

Maybelline, my foster mother's eyes were always open like her lids were glued open, she never blinked and she was too nice, the type of nice that made you sick to your stomach and queasy.

It was probably a front, since CPS were still watching the family but it didn't make it any less unnerving.

Dawson, her husband on the other hand was more playful— too playful even. He had managed to touch me in the ass by ‘accident’ in the twenty eight hours I had been here but that wasn't the biggest red flag.

The biggest red flag was the basement door I had stumbled onto last night.

It was heavily chained and it was obvious they'd done their best to make it as inconspicuous as possible.

As I took a fork full of pasta, I couldn't help but wonder if this was poisoned. It didn't smell like poison–I would know. I had a great sense of smell, better than most people and my old foster mom was a chemist—she’d taught me how to spot poison.

I slurped the pasta. It tasted great to my surprise.

“What do you think of the meal, honey…?”

She asked and I looked up at her.

“Uh, delicious,” I put on the fakest smile a fifteen year old could muster.

“Thank you, love, They told us it was your favorite food” she said, her eyes wide as she stared at me.

I tried not flinch at her unblinking eyes.

“Yeah, thank you,”

“Of course, you are family now and family always take care of each other”

It was a beautiful statement but little did I know that the statement would come back to bite me in the ass later.

Just then the front door opened and a tall man with black long hair walked in, his eyes severe and demeanor brash.

He was wearing all black and had an aura that would put the fear of the lord in anyone.

“Roberto!” Maybelline screamed in joy as she sprung up from her chair.

I couldn't help but stare at the lovely man. He was hot, the kind of hot that was every fifteen year olds wet dream. The dangerous kind. I immediately hated him

Maybelline introduced him as his son. I stood up to shake his hands but he pulled me into a hug.

“Welcome to the family kiddo, I hope you last this time,” he said ominously.

Present day

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my amber eyes staring back at me with perpetual anger in them, my plump pink lips curled into a smirk and my long black hair was put in a low ponytail, just like I knew He liked it.

Last night was disconcerting.

I still remembered the beast I had seen in this room.

I was pretty sure it was a hallucination but it had felt so real, maybe someone was playing a prank on me.

It was standard practice when you joined a gang.

I shrugged it off. Sooner or later I'd find out who was pranking me but for now, I had to focus on gaining Duncan's trust.

Duncan's image suddenly flashed in my head and I pursed my lips as I remembered the kiss I almost shared with him. I wasn't trying to have anything with a bastard like him, but my body didn't seem to care. The way he looked at me, like I was prey, sent a delicious shiver down my spine. A warning—or a promise?

Whichever one it was, I had to put a stop to it. I was here for revenge not to fuck the enemy.

A knock from my door disrupted my thoughts and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. It was only 7am.

They really did keep to time, huh?

Without wasting any more time, I grabbed the documents Duncan had given me to go over last night from my dresser and made my way to the office.

I pulled the door open only to find a strange face I had never seen before staring at me. He was handsome with dark brown hair cut into almost a buzz cut and a star earring in one ear.

He was dressed a little preppy but in a good boy gone bad way.

“So, you are Anna,” he observed, giving me a once over, his expression cross between impassive and curiosity.

“Yes, I am. Who are you?”

I asked.

“Levi, second in command and beta to the Boss,”

“Beta? What? like a wolf ?” I teased.

He didn't find my joke amusing.

“You are an interesting choice,” he muttered, assessing me like I was a new product he purchased that he wasn't sure he liked.

“Walk with me, we have a lot of things to do today,” he said and immediately turned around.

Damn, he was a serious one. He looked like he was irritated by my presence.

Kinda missed Lucas now, he was more playful and very much sweeter. Levi didn't seem to even want to be around me.

As I followed Levi, my eyes automatically began to look for a scorpion or viper tattoo around his ankle but he was wearing long jeans and socks that covered his ankle. I would have to look into him later.

He led me through a long hallway till we emerged in another hallway where three doors stood in the same line.

He pushed open the first door and entered, leaving the door to almost hit me in the face.

“This is your office. That's your computer,” he pointed to a desk that contained a bunch of screens.

“You'll be here when the boss doesn't need you. From 7am to 6pm.”

He said.

“Ah, alright. Nice,”

I nodded as I took in the big space. It wasn't as big as my room but it was larger than my office back at the precinct.

There was a small mahogany desk in the middle of the room and three office chairs.

Levi gave me a once over before walking past me.

“Breakfast is in twenty minutes. The boss will be expecting you.” he paused before walking out.

That was it?

What happened to ‘we have a lot of things to do today?

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. He was so intense, nothing close to Duncan but I could feel his dislike for me. It felt almost tangible.

I took twenty minutes to look around my office. It was bigger than I expected it to be, bigger than the one in the precinct.

There was a blue loveseat close to the door, a coffee table and a few notebooks on top. On the other side was a file cabinet and of course, a wolf sculpture close to my desk.

I made my way to my desk and dropped the documents in my hand.

I had six months to bring this whole place down and I genuinely couldn't wait to avenge my mother's death.

The door to my office creaked open and I turned around to find Lucas at the doorway, he was wearing a black compressor shirt and black jeans with glasses on.

He looked casual.

“I see you've found your office. How do you like it, sweet tooths?”

“Sweet tooths?’ I asked with raised brows.

“Do you prefer pumpkin? Sabrina already has that one but I can call you pumpkin too, if you want,” he smirked, leaning against the door frame with his hands folded around his chest.

I blinked at him.

“How about you call me by my name instead?”

“Nah,I prefer Sweet tooths,” he shrugged. I was about to protest when the sound of a bell ringing interrupted me.

“Ohhp, it's time for breakfast, come on, I'll show you to the breakfast room. Don't worry about the documents, you can come get them later, the boss hates interruptions during breakfast” he said as I was about to grab it.

I nodded and followed him out of my new grand office and we made our way to a beautiful patio at the back of the house.

The first person I noticed was Duncan, he was already seated. He glanced up at me as soon as I entered, staring at me with the intensity of a volcano.

I waved awkwardly at him as I walked towards the table filled with food.. I had only taken two steps when I was hit from behind.

I glanced back to find a beautiful brown haired girl with green eyes staring at me, a look of disdain in her eyes.

“You must be, Anna,” she smirked instead of apologizing.

My eyes narrowed and I felt my chest pump with anger.

Who the fuck was this bitch?

“Uh, yes. Who are you?” I said, ignoring the anger rising in my chest.

“Oh, that's Sabrina, Everyone calls her Bri, though…” Lucas answered, ruffling her hair. She slapped his hands off and Lucas chuckled.

“Nice to meet you, Bri,” I said, extending my hands for her to take.

She gave me a once over and then smirked without taking my hands.

“I Know. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for you,” she replied with a fake saccharine sweet smile before walking past me, her shoulders grazing me as if trying to establish some kind of misguided dominance which was laughable because she couldn't be taller than 5’2. All she was able to establish was her deficiency in height.

I took a deep breath, already realizing that she was going to be my biggest challenge in this mission. Luckily I was here to play too.