69

ALEXANDER

The silence in the house was deafening.

I couldn’t decide if I hated it or needed it. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but today… today, the noise in my head was louder than anything else. A little external chaos might’ve helped drown out the one within.

And then there was Alina still lying in my bed. Flinching every time I got near, curling into herself like I was just another hand trying to hurt her. Whatever happened last night whatever I failed to prevent might have broken her.

The doctor said the test results would be confidential until she was ready to talk about them. That alone was telling enough.

Claude hadn’t spoken to me. Not a smart comment or even a glare. He didn’t need to. The fact that he wasn’t here this morning was enough. He would have been i my face reminding of everything that could have happened if I only listened to him.

Yesterday had been a mess. A full blown shitstorm. We’d stayed up till midnight, fighting with corrupted software, trying to resecure the border, hunting down the bastard responsible and somewhere in between, I’d made a private call. One Claude didn’t know about. I had someone tracking Cassandra.

She left, and hours later the pack began to unravel? I believe in coincidences but not those kinds.

I climbed the stairs and pushed open the door to my office on the second floor and came face to face with her tied to a chair.

Bloody. Bruised.

And for the first time in days, something like relief sparked in my chest. It wasn’t triumph. Just some type form of twisted satisfaction from a target finally found. Her eyes widened the second she saw me, round as plates, full of panic.

Ah. Fear.

It had been a while.

I’d been too wrapped up in Alina. And as much as I hated to admit it. Distracted. I’d gotten soft. But now… the monsters in me stirred, fed by this girl’s terror like they’d been starved. And I hope they loved the mother they fucking woke up

“Hello, darling.” I greeted her with a tilt of my head, lips twitching into a smile. “Never thought I’d see you again. Not like this, at least.”

I let my eyes rake over her. From the maid’s uniform to her muddied skin. Her wrists red where the binds held tight. Someone had handled her roughly though not in that way. My men might be killers, but not rapists. I made that rule clear from the beginning. Anyone who crossed that line would meet an easy death.

I stepped closer, ignoring her muffled scream.

“What was your name again?” I asked, my voice casual. She made a sound against the gag. Something almost distinct.

“Ah.” I snapped my fingers. “Right.”

I bent down and untied the cloth at her mouth. She flinched when I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her whole body shook.

The smell of fear practically wrapped around her.

“Now,” I said softly, brushing imaginary lint off her shoulder. “What’s your name, love?”

My tone hardened.

“I don’t like repeating myself. Maybe you haven’t worked here long enough to know that. Or maybe you just didn’t bother to learn. Either way, here’s how this goes, you’re going to answer every question I ask. The first time. Otherwise, I’ll start cutting off fingers.”

Her breath hitched. “Please… don’t hurt me,” she whispered, tears slipping freely now. “They forced me. I didn’t want to—”

“You’re already cooperating. That’s good.” I smiled again, baring my teeth. “So. Names. Give me every name you know, where they’re from, what they wanted. Don’t waste my time.”

“I don’t know their names.”

I raised a brow and slowly brought a finger to my lips.

“I hate liars even more than traitors,” I murmured. “So if you’re being honest, great. If not… well, pain has a way of digging out the truth.”

I glanced at my watch and sighed.

“Unfortunately for you, I’ve got things to do. Big messes to clean up, most of which are thanks to your stunt. So we’re going to do this quickly. Tell me who sent you.”

She trembled harder. “I don’t know his name, I swear. It came as an anonymous tip. All the messages came without a name. Just instructions.”

I actually laughed. A quiet, disbelieving sound.

“An anonymous tip?” I echoed. “And you thought that was enough reason to sneak into my territory, infiltrate my house, and target my mate?”

She shook her head frantically. “No, it wasn’t like that. I mean, yes, they contacted me anonymously, but I didn’t know—”

I turned my back and walked to the desk. A file sat waiting there. The fake paperwork she’d submitted when she started working here was useless if anything. But next to it was a second folder. Even thicker than the first.

I didn’t touch it.

“Keep going,” I said. “This story’s gold. I might even have it printed in the paper. Know the folklore section?”

She blinked, confusing marring her features.

“Of course you don’t. Doesn’t exist. But I could have one created just for you.”

The smile fell from my face.

“Now. Before my patience runs out, I want the truth. Starting with your real name, Jane.”

She gasped, eyes wide. Her shoulders shook as more tears spilled.

I’d seen this act before. Perfectly rehearsed sobs, trembling lips, messy lies. I wasn’t moved.

“He only wanted to get close to the girl,” she muttered eventually. “I was supposed to befriend her, convince her to run off. But she didn’t seem like she wanted to leave… she was always too—”

I crossed my arms and leaned back.

“That’s not what I asked. I don’t care what the plan was. It’s over. What I need is the name of the one who sent you. The puppet master.”

Silence stretched between us.

I didn’t speak. Only silently stared at her until she couldn’t sit still anymore.

Eventually, she broke.

“Claude,” she whispered. “His name is James. He was an alpha, ran one of the border camps before you took control.”

My jaw tensed.

Finally.

I turned to the second file and picked it up.

The door opened. One of my men entered.

“Take her to the dungeon,” I said without looking. “I’m not done with her yet.”