* Chapter 71. A Clever Sche.
Chapter 71: A Clever Scheme
Chapter 71: A Clever Scheme
(Aria’s POV)
“What did you say to Alexander?” I asked again as we walked away from the confrontation.
Dominic glanced down at me, his sil
His lips curved into a playful smile.
eyes glinting with mischief in the dim light of the hotel corridor.
“I told him that I’ve been madly in love with you since the first time I saw you at the Territorial Gathering three
years ago.”
I nearly stumbled in my heels, my heart skipping a beat. “You what?”
His deep chuckle resonated through me as he steadied me with a hand on my elbow. “Your face is priceless right now.”
“That’s not funny,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks flush with warmth.
“I’m joking, of course,” Dominic said, his expression becoming more serious. “I told him about our suspicions regarding his mother’s poisoning.”
I stopped walking. “You told him about Elizabeth? Just like that?”
“He needed to know,” Dominic replied simply. “His mother’s life could be at stake.”
“But will he believe you?” I worried my lower lip between my teeth. “Alexander trusts Claire implicitly.”
Dominic’s expression hardened slightly. “He might not believe me immediately, but I planted the seed of doubt. That’s enough for now.”
His confidence was reassuring, but I couldn’t help feeling anxious. “And what if he confronts Claire about it? She’ll know we suspect her.”
“Let her know,” Dominic said, his voice low and dangerous. “Fear makes people careless.”
Looking at his determined expression, I was suddenly very glad to have Dominic on my side.
“Thank you,” I said quietly as we reached his car.
He opened the passenger door for me. “For what?”
“For caring about Elizabeth,” I answered honestly. “She was always kind to me.”
His silver–gray eyes softened. “Get in. Let’s get you home.”
The drive back to Moon Valley Residences was quiet, both of us lost in our own thoughts about the night’s revelations.
–
The next morning, I was awakened by a gentle knock on my door. Still drowsy, I checked the time – 7:30 A….. Who would be visiting so early?
I wrapped myself in a robe and padded to the door, checking through the peephole.
1/4
Chapter 71. A Clever Scho
Dominic stood in the hallway, looking unfairly alert and handsome for this early hour.
“Good morning,” he said when I opened the door, holding up a small basket covered with a cloth. I thought you might be hungry.”
The delicious aroma wafting from the basket made my stomach growl in response.
“Did you cook again?” I asked, stepping aside to let him in.
“I made lamb soup and scallion pancakes,” he replied, heading straight for my small dining table. “Traditional breakfast. Good for pregnancy.”
The casual way he mentioned my condition still surprised me. Most wolves would avoid discussing pregnancy with an unmated she–wolf, but Dominic seemed completely confortable with it.
“You didn’t have to,” I said, though I was secretly touched by his thoughtfulness.
He began unpacking the food, arranging it on my table. “I know. I wanted to.”
The soup was rich and savory, with tender chunks of lamb and medicinal herbs that I recognized were specifically beneficial for pregnant wolves. The scallion pancakes were perfectly crisp on the outside and
soft within.
“This is amazing,” I admitted between bites. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“My grandmother insisted all Blackwoods learn basic survival skills,” Dominic explained, watching me eat with evident satisfaction. “Cooking was part of that.”
“Survival skills?” I raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t call this ‘basic.”
He shrugged, a small smile playing at his lips. “Blackwoods don’t do anything halfway.”
After breakfast, Dominic offered to drive me to work. I accepted gratefully, still nervous about facing the day after everything we’d learned about Claire and Richard.
As we approached Silver Leaf Herbalists, I noticed an unusual commotion outside the building. A crowd had gathered, holding signs and chanting loudly.
“What’s going on?” I leaned forward in my seat, squinting to read the signs.
Dominic slowed the car, his expression darkening. “Protestors.”
As we got closer, I could make out their slogans: “Respect Luna Claire!” “Homewrecker Out!” “No Place for Immoral Herbalists!”
My stomach dropped. “They’re here because of me.”
“Stay in the car,” Dominic instructed, pulling over at a safe distance from the crowd.
I watched as he studied the protestors, his Alpha presence intimidating even from inside the vehicle. “They’re mostly from Storm Pack,” he observed. “Look at their emblems.”
“Alexander wouldn’t…” I began, then stopped. Would he?
“Not Alexander,” Dominic corrected, pulling out his phone. “Claire.”
He tapped the screen a few times, then handed it to me. It was open to Claire’s social media profile, where she had posted earlier that morning:
2/4
Chapter 71. A Clever Sche…
“Thank you to all my supporters for your kindness during this difficult time. Despite my ongoing struggle with morning sickness, I’m trying to stay positive. It breaks my heart to see how quickly someone can forget years of friendship and turn their back on pack values. Some wolves will do anything for attention, even steal another wolf’s happiness. But I choose to focus on the blessing growing inside me and the bright future ahead with my true mate. #StayingStrong #PackLoyalty #TrueLove”
The post had garnered thousands of supportive comments, many calling me out by name and demanding I “stop harassing Claire and Alexander.”
I felt physically ill reading through the vicious attacks. Claire had masterfully positioned herself as the victim while painting me as the villain.
“This is insane,” I whispered, scrolling through the comments. “I haven’t done anything to her.”
“That’s precisely why she’s attacking you,” Dominic said, taking his phone back. “She’s afraid of what you
know.”
My own phone buzzed with notifications – dozens of them from unknown accounts, all sending hateful messages. I quickly shut it off, feeling overwhelmed.
“She’s turned the entire territory against me,” I said, my voice shaking slightly.
Dominic’s expression was grim but determined. “Not the entire territory. And not for long.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll have my people handle the online comments,” he said. “As for these protestors…”
Before he could finish, my phone rang, displaying my manager’s number. I switched it back on to answer.
“Hello, manager…”
“Aria, you haven’t arrived yet, right? You have a day off today. Don’t come to the cooperative.” His voice was
tense.
“I’m already at the cooperative’s door,” I replied, watching the crowd with growing anxiety.
“Don’t come in.” The urgency in his tone was unmistakable. “The door has been surrounded by Claire’s brainless supporters. They are all young wolves. If there is any conflict, you can’t afford to offend them.”
I took a deep breath, feeling like my lungs might explode from the pressure. This was getting out of hand. The manager gave me a few more instructions. As I was about to hang up, I heard a colleague’s voice in the background:
“Manager, someone suddenly released a surveillance video on social media, and it has gone viral.” Video? I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
When I was wondering what the video would be, Dominic, who was standing next to me, curled his lips in a satisfied smirk and handed me his phone.
vith me to
A woman’s cold voice suddenly rang out in the silent car: “You said you were not in the mood to finalize the mate bond severance, but what? You still have the leisure to accompany Claire shopping?!” I looked at Dominic in surprise. This is – my voice?
Chapter 72. Mothman to
