Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Staying Somewhere Else

Third POV

Asher hurried after her. “Grandmother, wait—”

“Mom,” he whispered over his shoulder, “Grandmother cannot know that Finn is missing.”

Jessie rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Asher.”

Even though as far as Dorothy was aware, Finn was merely Asher and Estelle’s adopted son, Dorothy had come to love the child as though he were her own. That was because she knew that Estelle loved the boy dearly, and she wanted to be welcoming and accepting.

Dorothy could never admit it, but she always thought that Finn reminded her of Asher when he was young as well.

If she knew that Finn was missing, the old woman might collapse from shock.

Dorothy was already climbing the stairs with determined steps. “Are you still sleeping in the same room as before?”

“Yes, but—” Asher started.

Dorothy cut him off and headed straight for the master bedroom. She pushed the door open without hesitation.

The room was exactly as Asher had left it. It looked as though it had been years since anyone cleaned up this place. Asher’s clothes were scattered around, and his scent dominated the room. There were no signs of Estelle’s belongings.

Dorothy turned slowly, taking in every detail. “Where are Estelle’s things?”

Asher’s mouth went dry. “She’s away on a work trip, remember? I told you—”

“I’m old, not senile,” Dorothy snapped. “Going on a work trip doesn’t require bringing all your belongings.”

The silence stretched between them. Asher could hear his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.

Finally, Jessie’s voice broke the tension.

“They haven’t been staying in the same house for months,” she said with a heavy sigh. “Estelle stays closer to the border. Asher stays here in the packhouse.”

Asher felt the world tilt beneath his feet. “Mom, why would you say that—”

“ASHER DANIELS!” Dorothy’s voice exploded through the room. “How dare you lie to me!”

Asher flinched. His grandmother’s fury was legendary throughout the pack. Even his father and grandfather had feared Dorothy’s wrath.

“Why would you say such a thing?” Asher turned on his mother, his voice rising in panic.

Jessie rolled her eyes again. “Dorothy is bound to find out sooner or later. Do you think she’s blind?”

Dorothy stepped closer to Asher. Her small frame seemed to tower over him as she glared. “Trying to lie to me was your first mistake. What else have you been hiding?”

Asher’s mind raced. He was trapped between two impossible choices. Either way, someone was going to be furious with him.

“Fine,” he said, his irritation finally boiling over. “You want the truth? Estelle left Moonveil because she had a fight with Mom and Ashley. She’s not even staying at the border house anymore.”

Jessie’s face went pale. “Asher, don’t you dare speak another word—”

“Ashley demanded that Estelle take care of her twins,” Asher continued, throwing his mother under the bus. “When Estelle refused, she packed up and moved out.”

“You little—” Jessie started toward him.

Dorothy’s voice cut through their argument like ice. “ENOUGH!”

Both Asher and Jessie froze.

Dorothy’s eyes blazed with anger as she turned to face Jessie. “It’s Ashley’s responsibility to care for her own children. If she needs help, that’s your job as the grandmother.”

Jessie opened her mouth to argue.

“It is unreasonable,” Dorothy continued, “to demand that Estelle step in when she already has Luna duties to handle.”

Jessie’s face flushed red. She wanted to fight back, but Dorothy’s authority still held weight in this pack. She bit her tongue and glared at Asher instead.

Dorothy turned back to her grandson. “Call Estelle right now. I want to speak with her directly.”

Asher ran a hand through his hair. His stomach twisted with dread. “Grandmother, she’s currently angry with all of us. She might not answer—”

“I don’t care,” Dorothy said firmly. “Call her.”

Asher huffed in frustration. He pulled out his phone with shaking hands and found Estelle’s number. The screen seemed to mock him as he pressed call. Their last conversation stopped at Estelle telling Asher to handle things himself, followed by his many unanswered messages begging for her return.

The phone began to ring.

Each ring felt like an eternity. Dorothy’s frown deepened with every passing second.

Jessie watched nervously from the corner. She was still angry about being blamed, but she knew better than to interrupt when Dorothy was in this mood.

“See!” Asher said desperately after some time. “I told you she wouldn’t pick up—”

All of a sudden, the phone was picked up right before the ringing automatically timed out. Asher’s mouth dropped open. After ignoring dozens of his messages for an entire day, she chose now to answer?

Asher stared at the phone in his hand. His mind went completely blank.

Estelle’s voice came through the phone, clear and calm. “Hello?”