Chapter101
Gideon’s voice cut through, low and firm. “Keep it quiet.”
Caleb threw up his hands, all innocent.
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Sabrina shot him a glare, her round eyes flashing. She had that sweet, girl–next–door look–barefaced, fresh, and wholesome–but she played up the sultry vixen vibe. With her coy pouts and soft, practiced charm, she was a master at blending sweet and seductive. When she turned it on, no wolf could resist.
But today? Total defeat.
That little pup Caleb called her old.
And the big boss up front just snapped at her.
“Hmph.”
She stomped her foot, clearly miffed, then scurried over to hook her arm through mine. Her red lips were pushed out in a pout as she muttered under her breath, “Stupid wolves.”
I patted her arm gently, keeping my voice calm. “We don’t need their games.‘
Sabrina nodded, leaning her head against my shoulder–all soft, delicate helplessness, like she’d forgotte she’d just shoved Caleb hard enough to rattle him.
Behind us, I heard Caleb’s footsteps slow. I didn’t even need to look to know what he was thinking: Fragile? Yeah, right. That shove had been anything but weak.
The elevator doors slid shut behind us, leaving us in a long hallway. Dim red light soaked every inch of it, casting weird shadows over the bizarre decorations lining the walls–twisted statues, tapestries with unrecognizable symbols, even a few glass cases holding what looked like dried herbs. Thick, musky incense smoke curled through the air, sharp enough to make my nose tingle. The whole place reeked of eerie mystery, like stepping into a story someone made up to scare kids.
Whether this Mistress Zephira was actually some “big deal” or just putting on a show, she’d nailed the vibe. No wonder Cassie might’ve come here–there was something about this place that felt hidden, secret.
The hallway stretched on, empty and quiet, until it ended at a sharp turn. Whatever was past it, that’s where we needed to go.
Around the corner loomed a massive, double wooden door, dark brown and carved like something out of an ancient crypt. Stone engravings framed it, intricate and grand. Were they still in a building, or had they stumbled into a tomb–raiding expedition?
The commotion at the elevator must’ve tipped someone off. Before they could knock, a young she–wolf in a white robe, her hair pinned up in a bun, stepped out. She looked barely past her twenties, fresh–faced and
serene.
Her eyes flickered with awe as she took in the four of them.
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< Chapter 101
“You four together? Got an appointment?”
An appointment? Seriously?
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I flicked my hair, letting my bracelet catch the light. “A friend sent us. She said Mistress Zephira’s the real
deal.”
The robed she–wolf’s smile widened at the sight of the bracelet. “That’s one of Mistress Zephira’s blessed charms. Your friend must think highly of you to pass it along.”
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That confirmed it: Cassie had been here.
She might still be inside.
“Yeah, it’s worked wonders for me,” I said smoothly.
“My friends here want in on it too. I was gonna have my friend bring us, but her phone’s off today–couldn’t reach her. So, here we are.”
I played it casual, keeping my tone light as I probed for more.
The she–wolf hesitated, her gaze sharp. “Who’s your friend?”
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< Chapter 101
“Cassie,” I replied, watching her reaction closely.
A flicker of unease crossed her face–there it was.
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“Oh, Cassie’s friend? She’s not here today, and we’re booked solid until ten. Come back later.” She turned to leave, like that was the end of it.
I grabbed her arm before she could step away. I
was dead certain now–Cassie was inside, no doubt about it. Maybe I gripped too hard; the she–wolf winced,
her brow furrowing.
I let go quickly, softening my tone.
“Sorry! Look, we’re already here. Just let us in, please.”
I tugged her gently aside, out of earshot of Gideon and Sabrina.
We whispered back and forth–me leaning in, bargaining, throwing out a number I hoped would work; her shaking her head at first, then hesitating, her resolve wavering. Finally, she sighed, like she’d given in to something inevitable.
From a distance, I saw Gideon raise an eyebrow, curious about what I’d said.
Soon, I walked back with the robed she–wolf, her posture a little more relaxed.
“The Mistress senses a connection with you tonight,” she said, gesturing toward the door behind.
“Follow me.”
She led us through the door, and inside, she pointed to a small box on a table.
“Phones off and in here. House rules.”
No choice–we complied, each of us powering down our devices and dropping them in.
Another long corridor waited ahead, thick with full–on crypt vibes–dank air, stone–like walls, dim torches
flickering.
Did they get their decorating tips from a horror flick?
I walked forward, the dim light shifting around me as the smoky incense haze faded into a cleaner, sharper
scent.
Gideon leaned down beside me, his voice a low murmur so only I could hear.
“How’d you swing the ‘connection“?”
I glanced at the she–wolf ahead, making sure she was out of earshot, then covered my lips and whispered
back.
“Cold, hard cash.”
“What?” He didn’t catch it.
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I repeated, a little louder,
“Cold, hard cash.”
“What’d you say?”
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Is he deaf?
I rolled my eyes, then tiptoed to get closer to his ear–he bent down, playing along like he knew exactly what I
was doing.
I practically pressed my lips to his ear, repeating it again, slow and clear.
My warm breath must’ve tickled, because I felt him stiffen slightly, like a feather brushing his skin. Gideon’s throat bobbed, a small, sharp movement I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t so close. Then he turned his face abruptly, like he couldn’t stand the proximity a second longer. I was caught off guard, our eyes locking instantly. I was already wobbling on my toes, and that look–soft, intense, like he was seeing more than just me–threw me off balance completely.
Gideon’s hands shot out, circling my waist to steady me. He leaned in, his voice soft and teas.ng, matching the way I’d whispered to him earlier. “Clever little rich she–wolf.”
A shiver ran from my scalp all the way down to my toes, like someone’d dumped a bucket of cold water me–except it was warm, electric, making my skin tingle. My brain short–circuited, no thoughts
rus
heat. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it’d jump out of my chest, and before I could stop myself, I
shoved him away.
Gideon wasn’t prepared for it–he stumbled back, bracing himself against the wall. His hand hit a row of hanging copper coins, and they clattered to the floor in a loud, echoing chain reaction, breaking the corridor’s
silence.
I darted forward a few steps, like putting distance between us would dodge the blame for the noise. Behind me, I heard Sabrina and Caleb shift, and I could practically feel them exchanging looks. Told us to keep quiet, and he’s the one making a racket… flirting, no less. Their unspoken thoughts hung in the air, loud as the
coins.
They didn’t dare call him out.
The robed she–wolf paused, turning back just as Gideon pulled his hand away. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she spoke gently. “…You can’t take the coins.”
Gideon stared, speechless.
I was still flustered–my cheeks felt hot, and my hands were shaky–but I latched onto the coin–clattering distraction like a lifeline, glad to shift focus from that moment with Gideon.
Sabrina and Caleb were clearly biting back laughter, their shoulders twitching as they tried to stay quiet. I shot them a sharp look, and they quickly composed themselves.
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The she–wolf led us to a door at the end of the corridor, pushing it open.
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“Wait here. I’ll fetch you when it’s time. Don’t wander–sacred spirits are enshrined here, along with malevolent entities Mistress Zephira has bound. Disturb them, and the consequences are dire.”
Her tone was serious, like she wasn’t just spouting nonsense. With that, she turned and left, closing the door
behind her.
The room was a small waiting area–four chairs, a wooden table, a kettle of tea, and a plate of plain snacks laid out. I was still rattled from Gideon’s little stunt earlier, so I picked a seat that was not too close to him, not too far–safe, neutral ground.
“Cassie-” Sabrina started, her voice soft, but I raised a hand to cut her off. My gut was screaming–this place felt too watchful, too full of secrets. I pulled a small notepad from my bag, scribbled a line quickly, then passed it to her with the pen: There might be bugs here. Write, don’t talk.
Sabrina’s eyes widened a little, then she nodded, scribbling “OK” and handing it to Caleb. He added his own “OK” with a quick, sharp nod before passing it to Gideon.
Gideon glanced at the note, his expression calm, then gave a tiny, silent nod–agreeing without a word. Caleb tapped his pen against the pad, ready to scribble another “OK” like he was signing off on a checklis But Gideon ignored him, his gaze drifting to the door, like he was already thinking about what came nex
I watched the notepad and pen circle the table, finally landing in Gideon’s hands.
I had more to say–more pieces to fit into this mess–but he just held onto them, like he was lost in his own thoughts.
No choice but to take matters into my own hands.
I stood up, walked over to him, and held out my hand for the pad and pen.
He handed them over without argument, his eyes flicking up to mine like he knew I had something importar
I scribbled quickly, my handwriting neat but urgent.
This time, I didn’t pass it around–instead, I waved Sabrina and Caleb over, holding the note up so all three of them could see: Cassie’s here. Lydia’s coming tonight.
It clicked, right then.
The way their eyes widened, the subtle nods–we’d all been stumped, trying to figure out what this weird, incense–drenched place had to do with Vanessa or the Quinn pack. But Lydia? That changed everything. Now it made sense–why Cassie was here, why Mistress Zephira’s “no phones” rule mattered, why this whole setup felt like a secret meeting spot. This wasn’t just about finding Cassie anymore. It was about Lydia, and whatever she was planning with the Quinns.
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