Chapter 75 My Brother an
Chapter 75: My Brother and Claire’s Relationship?
Chapter 75: My Brother and Claire’s Relationship?
(Aria’s POV)
“Wait! Stop the car!” I suddenly cried out, my hand instinctively gripping Dominic’s arm.
Dominic immediately slowed down, his silver–gray eyes scanning the road ahead. “What is it? Are you feeling
unwell?”
“No, no–look!” I pointed frantically at the yellow taxi passing in the opposite lane. “I think I just saw my
brother in that taxi!”
Without hesitation, Dominic executed a sharp U–turn, the tires of his luxury SUV screeching against the asphalt. The sudden movement pushed me against the door, and I quickly steadied myself.
“Are you sure it was him?” Dominic asked, his eyes narrowed with focus as he accelerated to catch
the taxi.
up with
“I’m almost certain,” I replied, my heart racing. James had been unreachable for weeks, and seeing him now, right after discovering the photo of him with Claire, couldn’t be coincidence.
Dominic drove with practiced precision, weaving through traffic with alarming–speed. He ran through a yellow light just as it turned red, causing several cars to honk angrily.
“Dominic!” I gasped, clutching the dashboard.
“I won’t lose them,” he said simply, his jaw set with determination.
The taxi turned onto a less populated road leading away from the city center. As we followed, the buildings grew sparser, giving way to stretches of undeveloped land. My excitement began to mix with doubt.
“Maybe I was wrong,” I said, biting my lower lip. “What if it wasn’t him?”
Dominic’s expression remained focused. “Trust your instincts. Your wolf recognized him.”
He was right. My wolf had stirred the moment I glimpsed that familiar profile. After trailing the taxi for nearly twenty minutes, we found ourselves on a winding mountain road. The taxi eventually turned onto a narrow dirt path that seemed to lead nowhere.
“It’s a dead end,” Dominic observed, slowing down but not turning onto the path. “Let’s wait here.”
We pulled over a short distance away, positioned where we could observe without being immediately visible. My pulse quickened as I realized this was deliberate–my brother had chosen a secluded location for a
reason.
“What’s James doing all the way out here?” I wondered aloud, my hand instinctively moving to my belly where my pup was growing.
“We’ll find out soon enough,” Dominic replied, his voice low.
About ten minutes later, the taxi reappeared, driving past us without a passenger. I ducked down instinctively, though the tinted windows of Dominic’s luxury SUV made it unlikely the driver would notice me.
“He got out somewhere along that path,” I whispered unnecessarily.
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Chapter 75 My Brother an
Dominic nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I’m going to check it out.”
“Be careful,” I urged as he unbuckled his seatbelt. The warmth in his silver–gray eyes as he looked at me sent an unexpected flutter through my chest.
“Lock the doors after I leave,” he instructed, his Alpha presence reassuring as he stepped out of the car.
I watched his powerful figure disappear down the path, anxiety gnawing at me. Why was James meeting someone in such a remote location? Was he in trouble? The questions swirled in my mind as I waited.
Minutes stretched like hours. Every sound outside the car made me jump. Finally, I spotted movement on the path–but it wasn’t Dominic. A sleek red sports car emerged, driving slowly as if the driver was being cautious
not to be seen.
I ducked down immediately, my heart pounding against my ribs. As the car passed, I risked a glance but couldn’t make out the driver behind the tinted windows.
Just as I straightened up, a shadow fell across the passenger window. I nearly screamed when I saw James’s face peering into the car, apparently checking if anyone was inside. I slid down in my seat, praying the tinted glass would conceal me.
He lingered for a moment before walking away, his movements hurried. I remained frozen until I was certain he was gone. My brother–my only living family–was right there, and I couldn’t even call out to him.
The driver’s door opened minutes later, and I nearly jumped out of my skin before recognizing Dominic.
“Let’s go,” he said as he slid back into the seat, his expression unreadable.
“What happened? Did you see who was in the red car?” I asked as he started the engine and pulled away from our hiding spot.
“I did,” he replied grimly. “And I think you already know.”
My stomach dropped. “Claire?”
Dominic nodded, his eyes on the road as he navigated back toward the main highway. “Your brother was meeting with Claire Watson.”
The confirmation hit me like a physical blow. Even though I’d suspected it since seeing the photo, hearing it confirmed made it real. I felt sick.
“But why? What possible connection could they have?” My voice sounded small even to my own ears.
“I managed to get close enough to overhear parts of their conversation,” Dominic said, his tone careful, measured. “Your brother was… comforting her.”
“Comforting her?” I echoed in confusion. “About what?”
Dominic’s knuckles whitened slightly on the steering wheel. “She was upset about something. He was telling her it would be okay, that they would figure it out together.”
My mind raced with implications/Were they romantically involved? The thought made my stomach turn. After everything Claire had done to me, to my marriage, how could James associate with her?
“There’s more,” Dominic added hesitantly. “They mentioned Alexander.”
I closed my eyes, trying to process this information. “In what context? What did they say about him?”
< Chapter 75 My Brother an
“I couldn’t hear everything clearly,” Dominic admitted. “But it seemed like they were worried about his reaction to something.”
A horrible thought struck me. “The pup? Could they be worried about Alexander discovering the truth about
Claire’s pregnancy?”
Dominic shook his head. “I don’t think that was it. Their concern seemed… different. More personal.”
I slumped back against the seat, utterly lost. James had always been protective of me, even disapproving of my marriage to Alexander. It made no sense that he would be involved with Claire, of all people.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered, fighting back tears of frustration. “James has always hated pack politics. He left after our mother died partly because he couldn’t stand the way Alexander’s family treated me. Why would he get involved with Claire?”
Dominic was silent for a moment, as if debating whether to share something.
“What?” I prompted, sensing his hesitation. “What else did you hear?”
“They mentioned your mother,” he finally said, his voice soft.
I felt like the air had been knocked from my lungs. “My mother? Emily? But how… why would they…”
My voice trailed off as confusion gave way to a crushing sense of betrayal. My brother and Claire discussing our mother? It felt like a violation of something sacred.
“What exactly did they say about her?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dominic reached over and took my hand, his touch warm and grounding. “I’m sorry, Aria. I couldn’t hear the details. Just that your mother’s name came up several times, and they both seemed… emotional about it.”
I stared out the window at the passing landscape, trying to make sense of this revelation. James, my protective older brother, somehow connected to Claire Watson, the woman who had helped destroy my marriage. And somehow, our mother was part of this equation.
“None of this makes any sense,” I said, my voice shaking. “What could Claire possibly have to do with my mother?”
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