Chapter 26
The fierce, radiant she-wolf who’d just torn through the banquet hall like a storm now stood with wide eyes, looking as bewildered as a pup stumped by a tough question.
Alpha Gideon looked away.
I, seeing he wasn’t pressing further, lowered my head too.
The conversation fizzled out awkwardly, and when the elevator reached my floor, I gave a polite, “Goodnight,
Alpha Gideon. Sleep well.”
He let out a faint, “Mm.”
I stepped out, watching the elevator doors slide shut.
Just as I let out a breath, a slender, pale hand slipped through the closing gap, and the doors eased back
open.
My nerves snapped tight again.
“I tried on the suit,” Alpha Gideon said, his tone even.
Oh, that.
I flashed a smile. “Fit okay?”
“Not quite. Shoulders are too tight, pants too short.”
“…Oh.”
I stood there, inwardly groaning.
“Well… should I just pay you for it then?”
Alpha Gideon didn’t respond to my offer.
He just fixed me with those deep, starlit eyes, unreadable as ever.
The elevator doors closed again.
I lingered at the entrance, my mind spinning.
What was that about?
Good? Bad?
Could he just say something clear?
This cryptic guessing game was exhausting-I was already running on fumes.
Then guilt crept in.
He’d saved my life, stepped up tonight to vouch for me, and even followed me to the park out of concern.
Thinking that way made me feel like an ungrateful jerk.
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< Chapter 26
Inside my room, I tossed my bag aside and collapsed onto the couch, boneless, eyes shutting as sleep
claimed me.
At the enforcer station, Alpha Adrian stared at the nine photos laid out before him-nine wolves and one she-wolf. The wolves looked like gutter rats, vile and sleazy.
He couldn’t bear to imagine his mate defiled by them.
Worse, he couldn’t fathom my despair in that moment.
“Your mate said she was drugged last night and taken to a room. She called you three times. You didn’t pick up the first two, and the third time, your lover Vanessa answered. She recorded it. Want to hear?”
The enforcer pressed play.
Alpha Adrian endured the recording again, each word a fresh wound.
Coupled with the fact that I’d called him three times, the whole bloody truth hit him like a sledgehammer.
He buried his face in his arm, eyes misting.
“Why didn’t you answer your mate’s calls? Why was your phone with your lover?”
The enforcer’s tone was flat, laced with a hint of disdain.
Alpha Adrian steadied himself, lifting his head.
“Last night, I was working late. Vanessa… she came by my office, took my phone to play games. I was swamped and didn’t think much of it.”
“Your phone’s that private, and you let your lover mess with it?”
The enforcer wasn’t buying it.
“You can check the cameras. My office has surveillance.”
“We’ll verify everything.”
In other rooms, Vanessa and Evelyn were being questioned.
Vanessa, sobbing, pinned it all on Evelyn.
When asked if Alpha Adrian was involved, she swore up and down he wasn’t, insisting he knew nothing.
She’d only said he was in on it to rile me, playing the devoted lover desperate to protect her mate.
Given her actions, the two she-wolf enforcers questioning her barely held back their disgust.
Evelyn sat in her interrogation room, her face flushing red, then draining white.
She spilled everything, answering every question honestly.
She’d never faced such humiliation.
Regret gnawed at her-she’d thought a Quinn pack she-wolf would be a fine mate for her son, but Vanessa
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was a monster, framing her for this vile scheme.
No way would she let that she-wolf into the Blackwood pack!
As they were grilled, the Blackwood and Quinn packs’ lawyers stormed the station, pushing for bail.
Cassie, prepared for this, stayed at the station, countering them with more evidence and demands on behalf
of the victim.
No way was Vanessa slinking out of this.
As for Alpha Adrian… he wasn’t getting out before nine in the morning.
Cassie drove to my home.
I, who’d slept a few hours ad woken, had ditched the red dress and makeup, now packing my bags.
“I got some late-night grub. Come eat.”
We sat on the balcony, munching barbecue and sipping beers.
I toyed with my glass, staring at the stars.
“Someone said revenge should feel good. Guess I should be happy.”
I chugged my beer in one go, letting out a satisfied,
“Hell yeah!”
Cassie watched my bare, beautiful face and the smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes, her heart aching.
This bond had stripped me raw, nearly broken me.
I’d fought to end it my way, but even that small wish Alpha Adrian had crushed, forcing me to go feral and
tear everything apart.
“Vivian… you still believe in love?”
Was every she-wolf, no matter how beautiful, how brilliant, doomed to be betrayed and hurt?
I hugged my glass, gazing into the silent night.
“I can’t let one bad wolf make me hate the whole pack.”
“But I’ll be wary. If one tries to get close, I’ll keep my distance.”
Cassie nodded, understanding.
We polished off the beers, then curled up under blankets, talking for hours-happy memories, painful ones, the past, the present, the future.
We laughed, cried, and finally, I fell asleep in Cassie’s arms.
Morning came.
1, in a trench coat, wheeled my suitcase into the living room.
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Cassie gave me a hug.
“Go travel. I’ve got everything here. When you’re back, you’ll have the papers to sever the bond with Alpha
Adrian for good.”
I nodded.
I’d stick to my plan to travel, even if leaving it all to Cassie felt selfish.
I just needed to escape, anywhere in the world.
My flight was at nine.
Cassie meant to drive me to the airport, but a call from the station came in-Alpha Adrian’s charges were
cleared, and he’d be out in half an hour.
“Vivian, something came up. Grab a ride, and safe travels.”
She didn’t mention Alpha Adrian, just ruffled my hair, grabbed her bag, and bolted.
Damn you, Alpha Adrian!
I wheeled my suitcase out.
Waiting for a ride at the complex’s entrance, an unknown number called.
My gut screamed not to answer…
Just then, a Maybach pulled out of the complex, slowing to a stop in front of me.
The driver’s window rolled down, revealing Frank’s warm smile.
“Vivian, where you headed?”
I looked up, surprised for a moment, then answered, “The airport.”
“Perfect. We’re going there too. Hop in.”
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