Chapter 446
Four hundred and forty-eight
+15 Bonus
Four hundred and forty-eight
Charlie POV
I set the droopy-eyed Jake down. Although the kid was struggling to stay awake, his hands were glued to my jacket.
“Stay right here, buddy,” I muttered. “I’ll be right back p>
He nodded and watched me head into the main sitting room.
I was no coward, and I wasn’t going to barge in looking like a panicked amateur. I walked straight back through the double doors as if I had just come in from my car.
As soon as I did, Zachary came rushing down the stairs. He was sweating, and his hair was a mess.
“Charlie?” Zachary gasped, stopping short when he saw me. “Where were you? The guards said you arrived over three hours ago p>
I put on my smoothest smile. “I was on a long, drawn-out phone call in my car. Council stuff. You know how my dad is when he wants updates p>
Zachary let out a breath, running a hand over his face.
“Right. I’m glad you’re here, friend. I really need to talk to you.” He gestured toward the door. “Let’s go to the guest house. It’s quieter over there, and we can grab a drink p>
“The guest house?” I raised an eyebrow, keeping my hands shoved into my pockets. “Why go all the way over there? Don’t you have plenty of room right here, or am I interrupting something p>
A nervous flicker ran through his gaze.
“No, of course not. What would you be interrupting? I just thought you’d want somewhere private before you head back to your pack p>
“I’m not leaving any time soon,” I said, taking a seat. “We’re going to be talking way past midnight anyway. Besides, I’m starving. Mina can have the kitchen staff whip up some dinner for us p>
“She’s upstairs resting,” Zachary said quickly. “She had a long day at the clinic. I can get one of the housemaids to bring us something p>
He was such an awful liar. His fingers twitched against his sides, and he trembled like a man being consumed from within.
They were going to kill that woman upstairs tonight. I could feel it in my gut.
“So what’s the plan, Zachary p>
“What plan?” he asked, his eyes shining with dread.
“How are you planning to vindicate yourself before the council trial p>
He leaned against the sofa and scoffed. “I don’t need to prove anything to people who have already made up their minds. Alpha Kieran used to be my father’s close friend, just as we are friends. He knows how my dad was murdered. If he wants to take the word of a filthy rogue over mine, then that’s on him p>
I remained silent, watching him. Then he looked at me helplessly.
“Charlie, you have to stand with me on this. You know I’m innocent p>
1/6
Fout hur gred and forty night
+15 Bonus
“I saw your son downstairs earlier,” I interrupted smoothly, ignoring his plea.
Zachary paused, his eyebrows pulling together in irritation. “Oh. Yeah. The kid moves around p>
“He was crying,” I said, watching his reaction like a hawk. “Asking for his mother. Where is she, anyway? You never really told me why you divorced hier. Last I remember, you fell in love with her and married her against your mother’s wishes p>
He seemed even more uncomfortable and tried to brush it off.
“People grow apart, Charlie. You know how it goes. We didn’t love each other anymore. The marriage was a disaster, so I let her go. I don’t even know where she is now. She could be in some far corner of the world for all I care p>
I knew how nine, six
dian cult operated. Their rituals and bindings always ran on geometric schedules: twelve, was almost midnight now.
your child just vanished, and you didn’t even bother to search for her?” I asked, my voice dropping e. “Even if the marriage ended, she has a right to see her own son, don’t you think p>
eless!” Zachary snapped, his tone turning bitter. “Mina and I are raising Jake just fine. Why are we about a kid and an ex-wife right now? We have much bigger problems to deal with p>
chary, honey, I was wondering where you went,” an icy voice called down from the top of the stairs. Mina stood on the landing. She had cleaned the ark smear off her cheek, but her eyes were hard.
“Alpha Charlie,” Mina said, her voice normal visiting hours. If you and it for the morning office hour
“Mina, please,” Zachar
“I’m so sorry
with fake politeness as she walked down the steps. “It is far past e pack business, you should really take it to the guest house or save
awkwardly between us. “Charlie is just p>
dn’t realize I was overstaying my welcome in my ally’s home p>
Mina said. “There is plenty of food set up in the guest house p>
chuckled, then turned to Zachary. “Before I go, though, I was just thinking about the land Edward made before he died. All of those legal records are going to be scrutinized during the esmond, who was Edward’s neighboring Alpha, had a lot of input on those borders. Was there any ment between them back then p>
ma sneered. “Alpha Edward and Alpha Desmond were extremely close. If not for Desmond, the regional council would have stripped the Alpha title from this family years ago p>
I let out a chuckle. “How would you know that? You’re not from either pack p>
Mina’s eyes narrowed. She knew she had spoken out of turn, but it was too late.
“Luna Elizabeth told me everything before she passed away.” She took a step closer. “You need to leave now, Charlie. Coming into a man’s home at night to conduct an informal interrogation is completely disrespectful p>
something to hide,” I said, dropping all pretense.
nd slapped her.
ng about p>
2/6
Trewy
Admins2