My beta was giving me a report on the overall performance of the pack. My brothers and I had been absent from pack duties for a long time, and it was still a miracle that things hadn’t fallen apart–aside from a few meetings that required our attention.
I sighed and nodded once Dustin, my personal beta, finished speaking. “Thank you for holding the pack together all this while. You’re truly a good friend.”
Dustin nodded, but before he could respond, the door to the study swung open, and
my
brothers walked in.
“I’ll take my leave,” Dustin bowed respectfully and left.
As soon as he exited, Levi dropped a file on the desk in front of me.
“My men managed to identify ten people in the pack who can mimic other people’s handwriting. I’ve ordered all of them to be brought in for questioning.”
I stared at the file Levi dropped, the air thick with tension as I opened it and scanned the list of names. None of them were familiar–just random pack members.
I sighed and shut the file. One of these people might be involved, but I was sure someone had paid them. Because, I doubted they had anything to lose by turning us against Olivia. We needed answers.
I turned to Levi. “Get a lie detector. He needs to be present during the interrogations. If any of them lies, we’ll find out.”
Levi gave a firm nod.
Then I looked at Louis. “What about Anita?” I asked. “Any news?”
Louis frowned. “Mother needs to be called to order,” he said, and I raised an eyebrow.
“What happened?”
His frown deepened, barely containing his frustration.
“What did she do this time?” I asked, my tone low and sharp.
**209 Don’t Interfere
He exhaled hard. “She’s going around the pack house telling everyone we’ll be father soon… like it’s confirmed Anita is pregnant with our children.”
My eyes narrowed.
“She said what?”
Louis nodded. “And it’s more than talk. She’s been treating Anita like royalty–giving her special treatment. The maids and omegas serve her like she’s already Luna. She spends nearly every hour with Mother. It’s ridiculous.”
I shot to my feet, my chair scraping loudly behind me.
“She needs to be stopped,” I growled. “We let her meddle once, and we all saw what that led to. Never again.”
Without saying another word, I stormed out of the study, my brothers following closely behind.
As we approached Mother’s wing, the scent of jasmine and herbs filled the hallway. Two maids scurried past, avoiding our eyes like they knew what was coming.
I threw the door open.
There she was–Anita, lounging on a cushion, her feet propped up while a maid massaged her with rose oil. Mother sat nearby, sipping tea like she was hosting a
queen.
The sight made my blood boil.
“You,” I barked at the maid. “Out. Now.”
The maid scrambled to her feet, bowing over and over before fleeing the room.
I turned to the others lingering near the walls. “Let me make this clear,” I said coldly. “The next maid I find pampering her like this… I’ll have their heads displayed in the training yard.”
Anita’s eyes widened, but she said nothing. My mother raised an eyebrow, clearly unhappy.
I faced her directly, making sure she saw just how furious I was. “Mother, this has to stop!” I said firmly.
215
209 Don’t interfere
She slowly placed her teacup back on the tray and stood. Her eyes locked onto mine
“I’m only doing what you three should already be doing,” she said, her voice steady and laced with quiet judgment. “The babies in her womb are yours—”
“We’re not even sure of that ye “And even if they are ours,” I said through clenched teeth, “we don’t fucking care. Anita is not our Luna. She’s not your daughter–in–law. She will never be our queen.” Mother’s lips pressed into a thin line. But instead of backing down, she stepped closer, her eyes hard.
Louis snapped, his voice echoing across the room.
“I know Anita made a mistake,” she said slowly. “But if the babies in her belly are truly yours, they deserve love. They deserve to be cared for. I’m doing this for them.”
b
My fists clenched at my sides. “Don’t twist this, Mother. You’re not doing this for some unborn children. You’re doing it because you want to control everything–because you think you know what’s best. But you don’t.”
Louis added coldly, “You’ve done enough damage already. Stay out of it.”
Her eyes shimmered with pain. “They’re my grandchildren. Can’t I at least show them some care before they’re even born?”
I stepped forward, towering over her, my fury radiating from me like fire. “We will take care of everything. You–stay out of it. Stop meddling in what no longer concerns you.”
“And if you can’t,” I added, my voice sharp with threat, “then we’ll make sure you’re no longer close enough to interfere.”
Her brows drew together in confusion, but just then the door creaked behind us–and Father walked in.
He stopped, sensing the tension in the room. His eyes moved from one face to the next before settling on Mother.
I turned to him, my anger at its peak.
“Speak to your wife,” I ordered. “Because if she doesn’t stop meddling in our business with Anita, I will personally/book her a year–long holiday outside this continent–and she will be forced to go.”
209 Don’t Interfere
Mother gasped, clearly stunned I would say something like that.
“And I mean it,” I said, holding her gaze. “If she can’t stay in her place, then I’ll send her far away–somewhere she can’t interfere again.”
Silence fell.
Even Anita looked shocked.
I glared at her. She stared back, frightened, but I ignored her and turned to a maid nearby. “Escort her back to her room in the servants‘ quarters–and make sure she doesn’t leave unless we say so,” I ordered.
The maid nodded and moved toward Anita.
Ignoring the stunned and pained expression on my mother’s face, I walked out of the room, my brothers following behind me.
Back in the study, I dropped onto the sofa and leaned back, pressing my hand to my forehead to ease the pounding ache.
I closed my eyes.
But all I could see… was Olivia.
My chest tightened.
It had only been a day since she left. Just one day. And yet, I missed her more than I could ever put into words.
I buried myself in work, hoping the distractions would keep her off my mind. And for a little while, they did.
But now that I had stopped… the pain returned.
Her face haunted me. Her voice. Her scent. Her rage. Her sadness. Her tears.
My heart throbbed with desire for her.
“She took it off,” Levi said suddenly from across the room.
I opened my eyes and looked at him.
“The bracelet,” he added. “I can’t feel her anymore.”
209 Don’t Interfere
I nodded slowly. “I know. I can’t either.
Louis leaned forward, brows furrowed. “Should I send someone? A tracker? Maybe spies to figure out exactly where she is?”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to tell them. But I had no choice.
“I already asked one of the guards to follo confessed. “And the report I got back…”
I paused, swallowing hard.
her… just to make sure she’s okay,” I
“She’s in Gabriel’s pack. His mansion,” I said quietly. “They welcomed her… like a
queen.”
Louis and Levi fell silent.
The tension shifted again–this time replaced with jealousy. Regret. And pain. “She’s not coming back,” Levi muttered.
I nodded again, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. “I know.”
