HIS SCENT IS A MOON LIT LIE

Chapter Fifty

Elara's POV

I should have known Gabriel was going to eventually bring up the research on lycanthropy that i had been doing but not like this, not in the car with my mum sitting right beside me.

"What is he talking about?" Mum asked, her voice already shifting towards panic and her eyes fixated on me.

Words tried to form out of my mouth, something that would at least pass as a reasonable excuse or better still hold up long enough for me to think but Gabriel did not even give me the chance, he turned slightly in his seat and flashed me a mischievous smirk. "Should I tell her or would you like to do it yourself, Elara?"

My throat went dry. "Gabriel----" I tried to reason with him but mum's curiosity had already gotten out of control. Her eyes darted between us. "What research Elara? What is going on?"

She raised her voice, not in anger but in fear. She was scared and confused and of course, Gabriel knew exactly what he was doing, pushing her.

I tried to reassure her with my words. "Mum, it is nothing really. I was just curious--"

"She has been making researches on lycanthropy." Gabriel interrupted hastily.

The words dropped like a bomb in the car. I felt anger burn through my veins at Gabriel's betrayal.

Although it was not like I expected anything better from him.

Mum gazed at me. "Is this...is it some kind of school project? History, perhaps?"

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I could have lied, playing along with the whole history project thing but Gabriel was a teacher at my school, he could easily confirm the lie if I threw it out.

Swallowing hard, my mind searched for the safest option available.

"Maya and i watched a movie." I blurted out the first thing that crossed my mind. "About lycanthropy. It was interesting and fascinating so I thought to read more about it." I said hastily.

In my mind, a quiet apology was rendered to Maya, for the numerous times I had to drag her name into my mess.

Mum eyed me in uncertainty. It looked like she had more questions to ask but before she could do so, Gabriel cut in again. "So why did your sudden curiosity and interest about lycanthropy start after Jordan went missing? Why then?"

"Maybe it just happened to be a coincidence because I do not understand what you are driving at."

Gabriel clearly did not fall for that because of the way he tilted his head and shot a suspicious glance at my mum, like he expected her to say something and...she did.

Mum's voice tightened. "Elara, are you sure this has nothing to do with Jordan? You know you can tell me anything right? Did Jordan show you something? Mention something?"

I gulped a lump down my throat, my heart racing extremely fast. I was tempted to tell her but Gabriel was there and I had second thoughts about it too.

Shaking my head and forcing myself to remain calm, the words slip out of my mouth. "No. It was just a coincidence. Why would lycanthropy even have anything to do with Jordan?"

My last question caused mum's lips to part like she had something to say but nothing came out.

Her sudden silence made it clear that she was hiding something.

The rest of the drive remained in silence, Gabriel kept stealing glances at me through the rearview mirror like he was trying to study to me.

We finally pulled up to the house. I gazed at Gabriel. "Can I have my laptop now that you are done with the interrogations?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Sorry, I do not have it with me, you can come for it tomorrow at school." He said.

He stepped out of the car with a polite smile on his face. "I wish I could come in with you guys and talk a little more but I have somewhere to be. I just wanted to ensure you both got home safely."

I eyed him suspiciously as my memory drifted back to when I had eavesdropped on his conversation with someone in the car.

Although my gaze seemed to be doing nothing because he did not even flinch.

"See you later Gabriel, thanks for driving us home." Mum waved at him.

We stepped inside the house and I felt at ease. The house offered a warm sense of peace.

Dad rushed over from the living room, pulling both mum and i into a tight hug.

"I am so glad you two are home."

I forced a small smile. "Me too."

Pulling away, my legs slowly moved towards the stairs but I halted in my steps when I heard mum call out my name.

"Elara, are you okay?"

"I am okay. Just tired."

Heading upstairs to my room, I pushed the door open and shut it behind me.

The second I settled on the bed, I called Maya.

"Hey, are you okay?" My question slipped out after Maya answered on the third ring.

"I am fine." She replied, her voice low yet reassuring. "Uncle Fred's still pissed off about everything that happened today but I am sure he will cool off."

"What about Ethan?"

"He is okay too. The cops said they will bring his car back after school tomorrow."

At least my friends were okay, except for Jordan. The urge to ask Maya about him kicked in but the screeching sound of tyres interrupted my thoughts.

Rushing to the window and pushing the curtain asides, A police car pulled into Jordan's driveway.

Jordan and his family stepped out slowly. Exhaustion written all over their faces, a sense of relief washed over me, at least they were safe.

"Elara, are you still there?" Maya's voice rang through the phone speaker.

"Yeah..." I trailed off, but just as I was about to close the curtains, my eyes caught something moving in the shadow of the tree at the edge of Jordan's yard.

Gulping a lump down my throat, it was a figure.

Not a cop, it was Adrian.

He hid behind the tree, watching.

Uneasiness settled in me as he stepped forward slightly enough for the rays of the sun to reflect on his face, revealing his expression.

He did not look angry, rather confused and curious.

Then our eyes met and he waved at me but the unsettling part was not Adrian's presence, it was the way he watched, like someone that desperately needed answers to an unsolved case.