Chapter 473
Chapter 473:
Grant’s voice was a low, vibrating rumble. He stepped into the sunroom, his suffocating scent of rosemary and rain instantly filling the space. His golden-flecked eyes zeroed in on the broken porcelain, then flicked to my pale face. He could smell it — the sour, rancid stench of my terror bleeding through my pores.
“What happened?” he asked, stepping closer, his Lycan aura projecting a heavy blanket of false comfort designed to soothe a frantic mate.
I wanted to scream the truth. I wanted to demand answers about the anonymous threat and the seven years of hell I had endured. But if that powerful enemy was still watching — or worse, if Grant himself was pulling the strings — any misstep could put Jaxon directly in the crosshairs. My son was my only weakness now.
“I just — I’m still shaken from the nightmare,” I lied, keeping my voice fragile and submissive. “I didn’t sleep well p>
Grant reached out, his large hands gently gripping my shoulders. “We are married now, Carmella. Whatever shadows are haunting you, we face them together p>
The sheer hypocrisy of his vow turned my stomach.
“I need some fresh air,” I murmured, pulling away from his touch.
Your 𝗱𝗮і𝗅у 𝘥𝘰s𝖾 o𝖿 n𝘰ve𝗹𝗌 𝘰n g𝖺lոo𝗏𝖾l𝘀.с𝘰𝗺
I turned toward the glass doors, but a sudden, unnatural stillness behind me made me pause. I glanced back over my shoulder.
Grant’s massive frame had gone completely rigid. His dark eyes were unfocused, staring blankly at the far wall. He was using the Pack Mind-Link. As a wolfless human, I was entirely deaf to the telepathic conversation — I couldn’t hear his Gamma, Leo, reporting from the shadows. But I wasn’t blind.
For a fraction of a second, as the invisible connection severed, a chilling, predatory satisfaction flashed across Grant’s aristocratic features. It was the dark, triumphant smirk of a monster whose trap had just snapped shut flawlessly.
The moment he noticed me watching, the mask of the devoted husband slammed back into place.
“An emergency with Leo,” Grant said smoothly, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. “Go get dressed, Carmella. We have a flight to catch this afternoon p>
“A flight?” I asked, my voice tight.
“My father is hosting a private reception at the Blackstone Estate tonight,” Grant replied, his eyes locking onto mine with an unyielding command. “It is time to officially introduce my wife to the Pack p>
I stared at the broken porcelain on the floor as a terrifying realization settled into my bones. My recovered memories weren’t an accident. They were just another calculated move on his chessboard. I stepped carefully over the shattered pieces and walked out of the room, preparing myself to walk directly into the lion’s den.
Carmella Golden POV
The flight from Washington to New York was a suffocating blur. Now I stood at the top of the obsidian and marble main staircase at the Blackstone Estate, looking down into the lion’s den.