Draven’s POV
I was a bundle of nerves waiting for any news. The pack enforcers had discovered the cell tower location and mapped out a search perimeter. Teams of warriors were already on their way.
"Eleanor..." Nate’s mother called.
"Hi, Teresa."
"The warriors arrived. They’re going in."
"Thank the Moon Goddess they’re here!" I whispered.
"Teresa, get out of there now."
"No way, I’m safe where I am, I’ll wait," Nate’s mother insisted.
"Mom, how can you see anything at this time of night?" Nate asked.
"While I was waiting by the salon door, I had Maria bring me your binoculars. I like them, you better buy another pair because I’m keeping these." Nate’s mother was quite a character.
"Mom, for Moon’s sake, you’re not some rogue spy," Nate put his hand over his face.
"I’m better than any spy. Eleanor said so." Teresa managed to get everyone in the room laughing, even with all the tension.
"Teresa, you’re simply the best. Thank you so much," I thanked her sincerely.
"Alpha Draven, dear, everything will be fine. Have faith," she replied. "They’re coming out now, they put two women in the enforcement van."
"Jace, any news?" Ryan asked through his phone.
"Liam is in my arms right now, Ryan. He seems fine, but I’m taking him to the pack doctor first for an examination and to make sure he’s okay. Then we’ll convoy to Harbor Bay. We have three detainees, but since this involves two packs, we’ll bring them in and hand them over," Moreno explained.
"Jace, can’t you come by air? We’re anxious about Liam," Ryan explained.
"I could, Ryan, but getting clearance for that would take too long with all the territory boundaries."
"I’ll arrange for an Alpha-cleared flight right now and you can come as soon as possible. Would that work? How many will be coming?" Ryan asked. Thɪs chapter is updated by novèlfire.net
"It’s good to have friends with Alpha connections," Jace Moreno laughed. "Do that and give me the details. It’ll be me, Liam, the three detainees, and three enforcers."
"Ryan, tell him I’m going to the doctor’s to see how little Liam is doing. He knows me, I can calm him down, poor pup," Teresa spoke quickly.
"Did you hear that, Jace? Her name is Teresa," Ryan informed.
"It’ll be great if she meets us there. Liam is really frightened," the investigator said, and my heart tightened. Alaric growled protectively inside me.
"Perfect. I’ll call you in a few minutes," Ryan ended the call, and Kyle was already arranging for Alpha-cleared transport from Storm Valley Pack.
All arrangements were made, information was shared, and two hours after being rescued, my son boarded the plane to return to me. Nate’s parents decided to come along on the flight since Liam wouldn’t leave Teresa’s lap after seeing her at the hospital.
Teresa made a video call and let Liam talk to us for a while. The room was filled with emotion. I mind-linked Carlos and asked him to let everyone in the pack house know that Liam had been rescued. I asked them to wait at the pack house, as I would bring Liam for them to look after while we continued searching for Caroline.
Now I needed to find my Caroline. The search was still ongoing, but the area was difficult to access, and the pack enforcers were having trouble.
Ava came to my side and called me. "Alpha Draven, I don’t want to bother you, but Mr. Morgan wants to speak with you. He said it’s about pack business. He’s called several times today and is now downstairs."
"That’s strange. What could he want?" Ryan asked.
"Ryan, he only said it’s about pack business, but that it’s very important," Ava explained. "And he wouldn’t give more details."
"Ava, authorize him to come up. I’ll meet him," I said, finding Morgan’s insistence unusual.
I went with Ryan, and when Morgan arrived, Ava showed him in.
"Morgan, I’m sorry, but things here today are quite complicated," I said as I received him.
"Ryan told me about Caroline and your son. Is there anything I can do?" Morgan asked, his voice sincere.
"I don’t think there’s anything else we can do right now," I sighed heavily.
After looking at me for a minute, Morgan said,"Alpha Draven, I’m sorry to bother you, but I spoke with my mate in Switzerland and mentioned your situation and that the Howard family was suspected of the kidnapping. She begged me to give you this. I have no idea what it is, she said she doesn’t know either, but she said Diana gave her this box and asked her to keep it, and if anything happened to her, to give the box to you."
"What do you mean, Morgan?" I found this the strangest thing ever.
"I don’t know, Alpha, I don’t understand it either. But what I do know is that my mate and Diana became close at one point, they took yoga classes together. Ah, it was about three years ago. My mate said that one day Diana arrived somewhat frightened and gave her a bag with this box inside, saying exactly that she needed her to keep this box in complete secrecy and if anything happened to her, to bring the box to you."
"How strange this is, Morgan," Ryan commented.
"I thought so too, Ryan.I even argued with my mate about it. But she ended up keeping it, and with all this business about the kidnapping and the Howards’ disappearance, she asked me to give this to Alpha Draven. I could barely find the box; my mate had hidden it in a false bottom in the closet."
"You said this was three years ago?" I asked, Alaric growing more attentive.
"Yes, I remember those yoga classes. My mate was euphoric about them, but it didn’t last six months," Morgan commented.
I placed the box on the table and asked Ava to call Arthur and Alpha Council investigator Magnus. When they entered the room, I introduced the investigator to Morgan and asked him to repeat what he had told me.
"Well, let’s open this box and see what’s inside," Magnus said, taking the box secured with a padlock and forcing the lock until it broke.
When the box was opened, we found several neatly organized folders, mostly about accounts in tax havens, about the company that was stealing Thorne Enterprises’ clients, and about properties scattered across the country. But one folder stood out,it was red and labeled "Attack."
When Magnus opened the folder, he found the evidence that had disappeared from the investigation, various notes with names and phone numbers and messages, deposit receipts, and a flash drive. I took the device and plugged it into the computer. There was only one file on it titled "Howard"—it was a video, and I played it.
After just over thirty minutes, I was fighting to control my wolf from taking over. In the video, Howard was talking to his mate and explaining how he had arranged for rogue wolves to attack my parents, how he did it, and why. He laughed about how he’d sabotaged their car before they left, ensuring they’d crash into the ravine when the rogues attacked. Howard wanted my parents dead and me too, because he wanted to take over both the pack and the company. He even had forged documents prepared, but I ruined his plans by not being in the car with my parents that day.
I held back tears thinking that Caroline had saved my life that day, because it was only because of meeting her at the masquerade ball that I hadn’t returned with my parents and escaped the attack.
At the end of the video, he said that I was still ruining his plans because I had brought Ryan in as Beta and taken over both the pack and the company presidency when he had worked so hard to make me depressed and guilty about not dying. Ryan had ruined his plans by making me fight back.
Howard also confessed to embezzling from both the pack funds and the company and named who was helping him. He gave some details about his plans and what he was doing. I was stunned.
"I think this resolves a lot of things," Ryan said and went to the computer. "I made a copy of the video." He removed the flash drive, put it in the box, and handed it to Arthur. "Can you handle this?Alpha Arthur"
"Absolutely, Ryan!" Arthur replied as he took the box.
"I want all these traitors rotting in the pack dungeons!" I told Magnus, Alaric’s rage barely contained.
"Don’t worry, Alpha Draven, they’ll be leaving here in silver chains," Magnus assured. "And you, Mr. Morgan, will need to come with me to give a statement, and I’ll need to speak with your mate as well."
"Of course, whatever the Alpha Council needs," Morgan turned to me. "Alpha Draven, I’m sorry for what has caused you more harm."
"Morgan, actually today you’ve given me relief. Thank you." I shook his hand and we said goodbye. "Let’s go, Ryan, I still need to find Caroline."
I returned to my study and Eleanor updated me about the search, telling me that the region was in the rural area of Blue Creek, a small town about two hundred kilometers from Harbor Bay.
"Blue Creek?" Ryan asked, and Eleanor confirmed. Ryan ran out. He returned a few minutes later with a paper in his hands. "Howard acquired a property there through shell companies, check if it’s within the perimeter."
One of the enforcers took the paper, entered the information, and confirmed the property was within the cell tower’s perimeter. They called Magnus and passed along the coordinates.
"We’re getting close, Draven," Ryan said confidently,"Soon this nightmare will be over. Magnus ordered a search of all the properties listed in that box to find Howard and his mate."
"Great, man! I can’t wait for all of this to be over." I felt Alaric calm slightly at the prospect of finding Caroline.