The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 24

Alexander

I followed my Beta into my study, where a man was waiting for us. I recognized the man’immediately as one of the photographers from the press

conference.

“Alpha,” Gabriel said, gesturing to the man, “this guy says a couple came into his tabloid agency to leak the story. He saw them.”

I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms. “Is that so?”

The man nodded. “I–It’s true, Alpha,” he said, wringing his hands. “They came in and spoke to my boss. Well, I didn’t see them, but I did hear them speak.”

“And? Spit it out.”

The photographer fidgeted with his camera strap. “It was an older couple. A man and a woman.”

“An older couple?” I asked, straightening a little. “Did they give names?”

“No, sir. They were careful about that. But I remember what they sounded like.”

“Go on.”

The photographer hesitated. “Well, the man had a deep, gravelly voice. Like he used to smoke. And the woman’s voice was high–pitched, but she drew out her ‘s’s, sort of like a snake.”

I tilted my head slightly, exchanging a glance with Gabriel. The description was vague, but it sounded an awful lot like Sophia’s parents, John and Helen Oxford. Alpha and Luna of Moonshine pack.

John once had a smoking problem, and Helen did speak like that.

But it made no sense. The Oxfords and the pack they led, Moonshine, was a close friend of Ashclaw’s. I’d known John and Helen my entire life. They weren’t the type to do something like this, and even if they were, they had no reason for it in this case. Our packs were allies.

Unless…

Sophia allegedly wanted to break up my marriage to Ella. I always knew she had a crush on me, but perhaps it ran deeper than that.

What if her parents wanted us to get together? Moonshine was a distinguished pack, but they had fallen on hard times over the years. A marriage between our packs would benefit them, just as it had benefited Stormhollow.

would have to do some investigating

“Any

talk to them myself. I just heard them talking to my boss, and when they left,

a definitive answer. But it was enough to warrant bringing it up to the Oxfords. All three of

said. “You can

photographer nodded and

as we were alone. “I want to investigate the site of the

I found myself at the clearing in the forest where the Spring Celebration had

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Chapter 24

had sat the other

lips as I surveyed the clearing where the Bynfira had been held fast

That kiss.

that, hadn’t expected the surge of desire that shot though më sh our lips met. For those few seconds, I’d felt complete for

wolf wanted more. Each step I had taken away from Ella had felt like dragging myself through mud. He was furious with me, em now, begging meth return to our mate’s

pack was involved in my parents‘ deaths. Besides, even if i did want to fall for her, she still wanted to divorce me. The kiss was just

thoughts, crouching down near the ground to check for clues. The grass was still trampled where the crowd had gathered, and the remnants of the bonfire sat in the center of the clearing, although it was nothing but a circle of charred wood and wet ash by now.

in this mess had to be evidence–evidence that would either exonerate or condemn Sophia and

to believe that the Oxfords could be involved in something like this. The girl I grew up with, the one who had been my friend through thick and thin… could Sophia really be capable

Jealousy? Revenge? Was she really that

made any sense. Even if they wanted a union

the contract

the days went on, I began to wonder more and more if Sophia truly had done it

began circling the bonfire, scanning the ground for anything unusual. Unfortunately, there was nothing around the bonfire. I

eyes caught on something metallic glinting in the sunlight, half–buried in the dirt near where the rogue had first

chain, partially obscured by leaves and dirt. I brushed the debris away, and my heart sank as I

Sophia’s necklace.

her sixteenth birthday, and she treasured

There could be innocent explanations. Perhaps

she had been standing near the bonfire when the rogue came. This was too far from where

perhaps it had fallen off earlier in the day, before the attack

the pendant over in my hand, I noticed something else; there was dried blood on the clasp. And embedded in the