Chapter 273
Elysia had barely settled into the car when she noticed the eerie silence, punctuated by distant howls that seemed almost ghostly. She couldn’t quite make out the sounds from where she was sitting, given the car’s excellent soundproofing and the distance from the source.
Her worry was just beginning to spike when Tarquin came sprinting back to the car, Elliot clutched in his arms, both of their faces painted with panic. “What’s going on? Did something happen? Is the family reunion over?” Elysia asked, her voice laced with concern.
Tarquin, too out of breath to explain, and Lowell, in too much of a rush, didn’t offer any explanations as they piled into the car and sped off.
Elliot, not wanting to worry his mom further, chimed in, “Some wolves showed up out of nowhere in the woods. It was really scary, so we ran back.” Elysia was perplexed. “But isn’t this property private? How could there be wolves p>
Elliot, with a hint of mischief, nudged Tarquin, “I’m not sure. Maybe someone let them in on purpose. You should’ve seen them; those wolves were on a mission. They were likely trained or something p>
Tarquin’s face darkened at the suggestion. Lowell’s brow furrowed in concern.
Elysia, missing the subtext, clung to her fear, “On a mission? Did they attack anyone p>
“The bad guys p>
Elysia let out a sigh of relief, “As long as they didn’t hurt you guys p>
The implication was clear; they were not the intended targets.
Catching her drift, Tarquin glanced at her before lowering his head to send a message to Axel to investigate the mysterious wolves at the cemetery. Once home, Elysia hurried Elliot to Elijah’s room, locking the door behind them to check on Elijah’s wellbeing.
Meanwhile, in the study, Tarquin was on the phone with Axel, “Turns out, those wolves were kept by a guy who exhibited illegal animal battles. We found loads of Elijah’s pictures at his training ground, some even torn up. He was training those wolves to target Elijah p>
Taking a drag from his cigarette, Tarquin’s frustration was palpable, “What about the guy p>
“Still missing. Could be dead or alive p>
“How did the wolves get into the cemetery p>
“They must’ve followed the scent. They appeared out of nowhere, and the security tried to chase them off and informed us. But the wolves were faster than the message. We had no warning before they were upon us p>
“Keep searching. Dig up the earth if you have to, but find that trainer. And check his associations too p>
“Got it p>
After hanging up, Tarquin stubbed out his cigarette and lit another, his frustration not abated.
Lowell, standing beside him, broke the silence, “This was a premeditated act. Someone knew Elijah would be at the family reunion and trained the wolves to attack him. If they had succeeded, it would’ve been written off as an accident of wild wolf attacking on a child. No one would suspect murder, and the culprit would walk free. Damn, what a scheme p>
Even the usually calm and courteous Lowell couldn’t help but curse. “It’s a good thing those wolves suddenly turned on the Bradfords instead. Can you imagine the outcome otherwise p>
Even if they could save Elijah’s life at all costs, he might still get hurt. The thought of Elijah getting hurt or worse was too grim to consider.
“But it doesn’t add up. They trained those wolves to target Elijah, so why did the wolves change their target? At first, they were indeed coming for Elijah, but after the leading wolf was dead, they shifted their focus. Why is that p>
Both Lowell and Tarquin were stumped, the mystery deepening.