Chapter 23
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NICHOLAS
My phone buzzed on the table again, its persistent vibrations rattling through the silent room. It had been going off for eight minutes and twenty seconds. I knew this because I was meticulous about everything, including the passage of time. Precision wasn’t just a habit for me–it was a necessity.
I let it buzz for exactly three minutes and thirty–eight seconds more before I finally picked it up, my irritation simmering beneath the surface.
“It’s a known fact, Simeon, that when someone doesn’t take your call, it’s because they don’t want to speak to you,” I said, my voice cold and deliberate as I leaned back into my chair.
A short silence stretched between us, but I didn’t need to see his face to know a smug smile had already settled on his lips.
“I see you’re still upset about what happened,” he said, his voice tinged with mockery.
“I do not get upset,” I replied flatly.
“Right,” Simeon scoffed. “You don’t get upset. You just kill people and throw temper tantrums.”
My eyes narrowed, though I didn’t bother to respond to his bait. I had learned a lot over the years: trust no one, show no weakness, and if you did have a vulnerability, bury it so deep no one could ever find it. If there was one person who could test these boundaries, however, it was Simeon.
Which was why he was the one person I allowed to make jabs at me and whatever threats I made against him would never hold unless necessary.
Even more ironic was the fact that I was the king to creatures who considered themselves above other kinds and the man I would allow to stand by my
side was an Alpha but still a werewolf.
“I take it your silence means I’m not forgiven?” he prodded.
I realized I had momentarily tuned out, my thoughts drifting to more pressing matters. I wouldn’t admit it, though. Pride dictated that I always knew everything, that I was always in control. Except for the threats–both against me and now against Adeline.
“What do you want, Simeon?” I asked, my tone clipped.
“Well, since you’ve refused to reach out–and might I add, my feelings are quite hurt–I decided to call and congratulate you. I hear you’re mating with one of my kind.”
If I were anyone else, I might have rolled my eyes. “The only person you should be congratulating is yourself for wasting six minutes and twenty–eight seconds of my time, Simeon. Since you have nothing of importance to say, goodbye.”
I ended the call before he could respond, though his parting words–laden with mischief–still reached me: “When do I get to meet the lovely bride?”
Jexhaled slowly, irritation clawing at my composure. Simeon never knew when to stop. He was probably already on his way here, the thought of causing trouble too irresistible to pass up.
Setting my phone aside, I returned my focus to the laptop in front of me. The files sent by my private investigator demanded my full attention, detailing fragments of information that could lead me to the two threats looming over my existence. One had forced me into an alliance with Luther, a decision l detested. The other had targeted Adeline, painting a bullseye on her back.
At the thought of her name, my beast stirred restlessly. A shadow moved at the door, and I looked up to see Adeline standing there, her wide eyes locking
onto mine.
The moment our gazes met, she swallowed visibly but didn’t speak. Neither did I. We simply stared at each other, the silence stretching until she finally
broke it.
Her lips parted, and she licked them nervously—a habit I had noticed she couldn’t seem to control. She always did it when she was nervous, which happened frequently in my presence.
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Chapter 23
“I was told you would be here,” she said, her voice quiet as she shifted uneasily on her feet. Her eyes flicked to the laptop. “Do you have a minute?”
I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I gestured to the chair in front of me. She hesitated before stepping forward and sitting down. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and turned the screen toward me.
I stared at the image on the screen, my beast rising to full alert.
“When did this happen?” I asked, my voice sharp.
She pulled her hand back but avoided my gaze. “Last night,” she admitted.
Rage snapped through me like a whip. “Someone broke into my mansion and left a threat in blood last night, and you’re just telling me now?”
She flinched at the harshness of my tone, but I was already on my feet, striding out of the room.
“Wait! Where are you going?” Adeline called after me, her hurried footsteps trailing mine.
I didn’t answer. My mind raced, thoughts cutting like knives. This was the final straw. It seemed people had forgotten who I was–what I was capable of. That would change.
I stormed through the halls, my beast simmering just beneath the surface. When I found Derek, I cornered him immediately.
“Gather every Lycan who was on security detail yesterday,” I commanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. “I want them in the grand hall in ten minutes. If anyone is late, they’ll wish they hadn’t been born.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Derek said, his expression grim as he moved to carry out my orders.
Turning back, I saw Adeline standing a few feet away, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. When she realized my attentio small step back, her fear palpable. My beast growled low in my chest, unsettled by her retreat.
as on her, she took a
“Next time you’re threatened, and I’m not responsible for it, you come to me. You tell me,” I said, my voice cold and unyielding. “Someone coming after you is someone coming after me. Do you understand?”
She nodded quickly, her head bobbing like a frightened bird.
“Good,” I said, turning away.
I paused at the doorway, though, and asked without looking at her, “Is the warning still there?”
Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. “No. I cleaned it off.”
Without another word, I left, my focus shifting entirely to the task at hand.
When I entered the grand hall, it was already filling with the Lycans who had been on duty the previous night. They stood in tense silence, their eyes fixed on me as I strode to the front of the room.
“You failed me,” I began, my voice cutting through the air like a blade. “Someone entered my home, left a threat for my Luna, and walked away unchallenged. This is not just a failure–it is a disgrace”
A ripple of unease moved through the crowd, but no one dared speak.
“I want every inch of this territory combed, every security footage looked over, every unfamiliar scent picked up” I continued. “Whoever did this will be found, and when they are, I will deal with them personally. Derek, you will oversee the investigation. Leave no stone unturned.”
“Yes, Your highness,” Derek said, his voice firm.
I stepped closer to the group, my gaze sweeping over them. “Let this serve as a reminder. I am not someone to be tested. Anyone who forgets that will face consequences.”
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Chapter 23
The room was heavy with tension as I dismissed them.
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When I turned back, Adeline was standing near the doorway, her arms wrapped around herself again. She flinched when my eyes met hers, and I took a step closer, my beast stirring at the sight of her vulnerability.
“Go and put on something warmer,” I told her, my voice low.
She blinked and her lips parted, “Why?”
“Because I am moving you to another estate and you are going to step out of it until I have found and ended whoever is responsible for this.”
