Chapter 435
Four hundred and thirty seven
Emma POV
My knees trembled against the stone floor, and Wesley’s harsh words hung over me. I sucked in a shaky breath, forcing my hands to unlatch from his leg.
He looked at me as if he were disappointed, and even then, I could tell he was trying hard to hide how afraid he was that this could blow up. He had every right to be furious. I had come into his home withou warning, only to disrupt his evening, confessed to forging his authority, and ended it with a desperate
threat.
I was losing my head, and losing my head right now wasn’t going to get Alexander help.
“I’m sorry,” I choked out, wiping the tears from my cheeks as I dragged myself back up. “I’m sorry, Wesley. I just… I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m completely out of options p>
Isabella stepped between us, giving Wesley a pleading look while wrapping her arm around my shoulders.
“Sweetheart, please, take it easy on her,” she said to Wesley, as though she were afraid to speak. “Look at the state she’s in p>
Anita looked genuinely stressed. She rubbed the back of her neck.
“Wes, I know you’re mad at me. You have every right to be. But I didn’t even know half of what she was doing! I didn’t know she visited the prison. I’d noticed she’d been acting weird lately, but I just thought it was the pregnancy p>
I snapped my head up toward Anita, my throat raw. “Can you stop p>
She gave me a warning look.
“Charlie called me about an hour ago. He knows you went to the prison and that you came searching for Alexander’s pack dossiers at the archives p>
“Emma?!” Wesley snapped. “What the hell is wrong with you p>
I looked away, trembling, and Isabella’s hug tightened.
“He was practically screaming through the phone, threatening to expose everything to the entire family, “Anita continued. “I tried calling you multiple times on my way over here, but you weren’t picking up. He’s on his way right now, and he plans to tell everyone at dinner p>
Oh, goddess.
Charlie knew.
He hadn’t bought my excuse in the archives for a single second.
The rage on Wesley’s face slowly shifted into a dreadful uneasiness. He pulled out his phone, his thumb flying across the screen as he began typing. He didn’t say who he was texting, but I guessed he was trying to put out fires before our parents got dragged into this scandal.
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Four Hundred and thaty seven
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segnu
Isabella pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back in slow circles.
Breathe, Emma. Calm down. Remember the baby. You’re going to make yourself sick if you keep hyperventilating like this p>
“I need him,” I whispered, clutching her shirt as tears kept spilling over. “I need my mate out. I have to save him p>
Wesley kept watching me. The anger in his eyes was still there, but it was mixed with a conflicted pity. He looked like someone caught between pack law and the desperate, stubborn cousin he had grown up protecting.
“Wesley, please. Come with me to the prison. You have the rank. Just get me through those doors so I can make sure he’s alive p>
Wesley shook his head. “Emma, use your head. Zachary’s pack isn’t in my jurisdiction. Even if I wanted to help you, I can’t just march in there demanding to inspect their high-security cells. That’s practically declaring an act of political aggression p>
“Then call Charlie!” I pushed, my words stumbling over each other in a rush. “Charlie is close with Zachary. Talk to Charlie, have him talk to Zachary, and get us a security pass p>
Wesley stared at me like I had lost my mind.
“You expect Charlie to do you a favor right now? The man is in love with you, and now he thinks you’re going behind his back with a convicted rogue. You’re expecting everyone to just jump on your side without a single piece of real proof p>
I opened my mouth to tell him about the royal guard who knew the truth about the night of the murder, but I bit my tongue just in time. If I gave up the witness now, before Alexander was safe, someone could silence him before we ever got him to a council hearing.
“There are living witnesses, Wes,” I insisted, reining the details back just enough. “Zachary knows Alexander was framed, and that’s why he sent men into Alexander’s cell last night! He wants him dead before the trial even starts p>
Wesley rubbed his temples, letting out a drawn-out sigh.
“It’s hard to believe, Emma. You’re talking about high council treason. Fine. When Charlie gets here, we sit down with the whole family. No more secrets. If Alexander is truly innocent, then he’ll get his day in court p>
“I don’t care about a court date!” I cried out. “I need to see him tonight! I need to know he’s recovering p>
Isabella looked up at her husband. “Wesley… can’t you at least make a call? Or get us clearance to check the infirmary logs? Just to make sure he’s alive p>
“If I do that, I’m officially backing a rogue,” Wesley snapped, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “I have our family and an entire pack to protect. I can’t throw our standing away on a rumor p>
“Don’t be a coward!” I snapped, the desperation making me reckless. “That same ‘rogue’ saved your son, Maverick, from getting killed by Desmond p>
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Your grid and truly sayon
+15 Bonus
Wesley’s eyes flashed with rage. “Desmond was Alexander’s mentor! He took Alexander in when the entire region was hunting him down for patricide! For all we know, that entire incident with Maverick was staged p>
“It wasn’t a setup p>
“You’re being emotional, Emma!” Wesley yelled back, taking a step away from me. “I get it. He’s your fated mate, and I know how terrifying that bond is when your partner is in danger. But the rest of us aren’t mated to him! You can’t just dump a massive political disaster on my lap and expect me to throw away pack law in five minutes p>
“Fine,” I choked out, wiping my face again as I stood up on unsteady legs. “You won’t help me? I’ll leave and find help somewhere else. But I am seeing Alexander tonight, with or without your permission p>
“Emma, stop it!” Wesley barked, grabbing my shoulder to keep me from walking off. “Running off to Zachary’s in the middle of the night will get you locked up in a cell right next to him! If Zachary’s guards suspect you’re involved, this whole thing blows up in our faces p>
“I don’t care about my reputation anymore p>
“Well, I do!” Wesley retorted. “We need a family meeting to talk through this before anyone makes another move p>
“Charlie isn’t going to help,” Anita interjected. “He’s hurt, and he’s furious. He’s going to use this to crush Alexander completely p>
“Then tell Emma to give people room to process this. Demanding everyone risk their lives for a man they believe is a murderer is only going to push them away p>
Isabella put a hand on Wesley’s arm, pulling his focus back to her.
“Sweetie. I know I’m new to politics and how a pack is run, but just think for a second. If what Emma is saying is true, and Alexander was attacked inside a high-security prison, that means the prison system itself is compromised. That reflects badly on the whole region. And Emma herself is carrying a fated Alpha baby. If Alexander dies and the bond snaps, it could literally end her pregnancy or kill her p>
Wesley closed his eyes, taking a breath. Isabella’s words hit the mark. He looked at me, then down at my stomach, the anger slowly bleeding out of his shoulders.
“Fine,” Wesley gritted out. “When Charlie gets here, I’ll deal with him myself. Charlie is close with Zachary. I’ll make Charlie call Zachary and request an emergency wellness check on the prison. That way, it looks like a routine security inquiry between friends, not a pack intervention p>
Fresh tears welled up in my eyes, but this time, they weren’t from anger. “Thank you… thank you, Wes p>
I stepped forward and collapsed against his chest. Wesley let out a sigh, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a protective hug. He rubbed my back, his broad palm warm against my spine.
“It’s okay,” Wesley mumbled into my hair, his tone finally softening into that familiar cousin I relied on. “I’ve got you. Just calm down p>
I buried my face into his shoulder, sobbing quietly. If I had just trusted him from the beginning and
3/5
Your hundred and thirty seven
+15 Bonus
Bonus
hadn’t been so terrified of the judgment and the scandal, maybe Alexander wouldn’t be lying in a prison elt right now, fighting for his life in the dark.
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