he Truth of the Fire
+25 BONUS
The Truth of the Fire
(Naomi’s POV)
A week later, I sent Amber a message inviting her to dinner. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed, still processing everything that had happened at the Chase Pack house.
The memory of Victoria and Henry’s inappropriate embrace haunted me. The five million dollars Amber had given me for my silence felt heavy in my account.
When Amber replied accepting my invitation, she asked an unexpected question: “Do you remember Lucas Blackwood? You were classmates at Crescent Law University.”
I paused, searching my memories. Lucas Blackwood. The name brought back vague recollections of university days.
“I remember him,” I typed back. “Though not very clearly.”
What I did remember was Amber herself. She had been a well–known figure at school – strikingly beautiful, from a prominent werewolf family, always surrounded by friends like Paige and Lucas.
Everyone knew who Amber Chase was. Her amber eyes and confident demeanor made her unforgettable.
“Would you mind if I invited Lucas to join us for dinner?” Amber asked.
I agreed, curious about this unexpected addition to our plans.
When we met at Howling Peak Restaurant, I was shocked by Lucas’s transformation. The “troublemaker” and “playboy” I vaguely remembered from university had become a mature, well–dressed member of the Blackwood Pack elite.
His dark hair was perfectly styled, his expensive suit tailored to perfection. The wild energy I remembered had been replaced by controlled confidence.
Throughout the three–hour meal, Amber praised Lucas extensively. She spoke of his business acumen, his loyalty to the Blackwood Pack, his growth as a person.
Lucas reciprocated by engaging in meaningful conversation with Amber. They discussed pack politics, business ventures, shared memories from university.
I felt like a third wheel, watching their easy rapport. It seemed as though Amber was trying to set us up as potential mates.
The thought made my wolf stir uneasily. I had no interest in romantic entanglements, especially not arranged ones.
After dinner, Amber left with her driver Jared Stone. She hugged me goodbye, whispering, “Lucas is a good wolf. Give him a chance.”
Lucas offered to drive me home. I accepted, though something in his intense blue eyes made me nervous.
During the ride, Lucas shocked me with an unexpected proposal.
“Naomi, I can give you what you truly desire,” he said, his voice calm and measured. “Freedom from your father’s oppressive control over your wolf.”
I stared at him in bewilderment. “What are you talking about?”
“In exchange, you accept me as your mate.” His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I know the real reason for your submission to Alpha Warren.”
My blood ran cold. How could he possibly know about my father’s cruel methods of controlling my wolf?
“Are you insane?” I whispered.
Lucas pulled over to the side of the road. He turned to face me, his expression deadly serious.
The Truth of the Fire
+25 BONUS
“This is a transaction, Naomi. I’m offering you freedom. True freedom to be yourself, to let your wolf run wild.”
His eyes glowed slightly in the darkness. “Think it over. Either contact me, or block my number entirely.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand.
“Keep our conversation secret. Especially from Amber.” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “If you tell anyone, you’ll see my unstable wolf side. And trust me, you don’t want that.”
The intensity in his voice left me speechless. I could only nod, acknowledging the threat beneath his calm exterior.
(Amber’s POV)
Having facilitated the contact exchange between Naomi and Lucas, I decided to let Lucas pursue the potential mate bond on his
own.
I believed that while I could help with external factors, true mate connections required personál effort. Lucas would have to win Naomi’s heart himself.
Meanwhile, after Harrison was discharged from Crescent Moon Hospital, he transferred Victoria to Lunar Heights Real Estate without consulting Henry.
When I called Henry to check his reaction, he sounded surprisingly calm.
“It’s better than Victoria being sent to the European territories,” he said. “At least she’ll still be in the Northern Territory.” Victoria, who had expected such an arrangement, was only surprised that Harrison didn’t insist on her going abroad. She had prepared arguments for why she shouldn’t leave the pack lands.
With everything settling down, I became busy with the collaboration project between Shadowpeak Corporation and Silvercrest Television.
The project officially began after the autumn equinox. Located in Moonridge Village on the outskirts of the Northern Territory, it aimed to help twenty–six disabled children attend school.
On the first day, Dominic’s brother Charles Blackwood representing Shadowpeak delivered daily necessities and school gifts to the villagers and children. The children’s faces lit up when they saw the supplies.
On the second day, Shadowpeak’s team provided psychological counseling and played games with the children.
My role was to photograph and record these moments through Moonlight Photography. Initially, I was fully engaged in capturing the heartwarming scenes.
But on the third day, I became distracted. Oliver Hunter’s constant presence brought back memories of our past encounters and his investigation into pack affairs.
Although I could calmly greet him, seeing him daily reminded me of the controversies surrounding my ta Blackwood Pack.
His sharp eyes seemed to analyze everything, looking for stories beneath the surface.
Liam Wilde, my assistant, noticed my change in demeanor. He repeatedly suggested I rest.
“Amber, you look tired. Maybe you should take a break?”
Ishook my head, adjusting my camera settings. “I’m fine. We need to document everything properly.”
“You’ve been distracted all morning,” Liam pressed. “This isn’t like you.”
insisted on continuing my work, but I could feel his concerned gaze following me.
The Truth of the Fire
+25 BONUS
Unable to persuade Amber to rest, Liam secretly called me.
I received his call while having drinks with Alpha Calvin Reed at the Moonlight Club. The private booth provided perfect privacy for our conversation.
“She’s been distracted since Oliver arrived,” Liam explained. “I’m worried about her.”
I understood immediately. Seeing the investigative journalist reminded Amber of past pack controversies and the stress they had caused.
I had subtly offered to help Amber back out of the project if she wished. But she insisted on fulfilling her responsibilities to maintain Shadowpeak’s reputation.
I had considered having Oliver withdraw, but the project was crucial for his career rehabilitation. It was his original investigative
idea.
Oliver would only be present for the first three days and planned to leave that night. Amber would feel better tomorrow.
I chose not to visit her immediately. I didn’t want to add to her burden by appearing overprotective.
“Send me the hotel address and Amber’s room number,” I told Liam. “I’ll arrive by midnight without her knowledge.”
After finishing the call, I returned to the booth where Alpha Reed waited.
Calvin Reed was a seasoned Alpha with graying temples and sharp eyes. His pack controlled territories adjacent to ours.
“I have the results of my investigation into Victoria and her biological parents,” Reed said, pouring himself another glass of red
wine.
I leaned forward, interested. This information could prove valuable.
“My cousin’s partner is a distant relative of Victoria’s father, James Ward,” Reed began. “Victoria’s birth mother, Catherine, was an omega. Always looked down upon.”
He swirled his wine thoughtfully. “In an attempt to escape her origins, she mated with James. But their relationship deteriorated as James’s family lost their place in the pack.”
“Fortunately, James and Harrison Chase went to school together. Harrison brought him to work at Chase Pack Headquarters.”
Reed’s expression darkened. “After James’s death, Catherine became addicted to gambling. She spent his entire death benefit.”
I absorbed this information silently. Victoria’s background was even more tragic than I had imagined.
“Catherine,” Reid continues, “is both desperate and manipulative. She abused Victoria because she thought James had a mistress because Victoria wasn’t a boy.”
The picture Reed painted was disturbing. Victoria’s childhood had been filled with abuse and neglect.
“Victoria’s misery continued after James’s death. Catherine kept abusing her daughter.”
Reed took another sip of wine. “Later, Catherine got a second mate – a violent, unstable wolf. Together, they abused Victoria.”
I felt a flicker of sympathy for Victoria, despite everything she had done to Amber.
“Thankfully, at age twelve, both Catherine and her second mate died in a wolf dispute. The orphaned Victoria was adopted by the Chase family.”
From abuse and poverty to the lavish life of Victoria Chase. No wonder she clung so desperately to her position in the pack.
Reed leaned forward, his voice dropping. “But here’s the oddity about James’s death.”
I gave him my full attention.
“The Chase Pack’s official story is that he died in a rogue wolf attack. Burned to death in the pack’s cave warehouse.”
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The Truth of the Fire
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Reed’s eyes glinted. “But I found a guard from cave two, where the fire occurred. The guard had snuck out to gamble during the fire”
“On his way back, he overheard Harrison and Henry. He heard Harrison panicking, telling his son, ‘No one in the pack can talk about what happened today.“”
The implications hit me immediately. If Harrison was covering something up, it involved his son Henry.
“The guard speculates that Henry may have accidentally started the fire while playing in the cave warehouse. He was a rebellious teenager at the time.”
Reed finished his wine. “Harrison’s subsequent adoption of Victoria may have been an act of atonement for his son’s behavior.”
He paused, meeting my eyes. “Or it may have been because someone who knew the truth about the fire was blackmailing him.”
(Dominic’s POV)
