Chapter 144: Chapter 144 The Weight of Truth
Author
Alpha Zack used every contact he had to find Cassie, the servant who got fired from the Vance estate.
When he finally found her working at a small diner downtown, she looked tired. Beat down by life. But her eyes were clear when she spoke.
"Alpha Zack," Cassie said carefully, wiping her hands on her apron. "Selina owned that house like a queen. Who would dare lock her up?"
She wrapped her arms around herself. "When Elara first moved there after Luna Nadia remarried, Selina hated her instantly. She’d get her friends and lock Elara in storage rooms, bathrooms, closets. Anywhere dark."
Cassie’s voice dropped. "A few times, some of us couldn’t watch anymore. We’d unlock the doors and let her out. But Selina went ballistic. She said if anyone helped Elara again, she’d make Alpha Enzo fire all of us."
"After that... nobody dared help. We all had families to feed."
Alpha Zack’s jaw clenched. His wolf was raging inside, furious and heartbroken.
Cassie met his eyes. "The day you found a child in that storage room? That was the longest Elara had ever been locked up."
His hands turned into fists. "You’re sure you’re not lying? This isn’t payback against Selina?"
Cassie laughed bitterly. "I’m just a regular person. How could I fight someone like her? She could destroy me with one phone call. I have a new job now. Why would I risk it?"
The truth slammed into him.
Alpha Zack felt empty inside.
The girl he thought he was protecting was actually the bully. The girl who really needed protection, he’d hurt her again and again until she was shattered.
Alpha Zack rubbed his face, then nodded at Cassie. "Go. Don’t tell anyone we talked."
Guilt crashed over him like a wave. But Elara was married now. Married to the Alpha King.
He drove home. His father Alpha Jimmy was on the couch drinking coffee.
"Zack, skipping work today?" Alpha Jimmy asked.
Alpha Zack’s voice sounded rough. "Dad, I want to divorce Selina."
Alpha Jimmy nearly spilled his coffee. "Did you lose your mind?"
"You fought me about marriage before, and now you want this?"
His smart son was such a mess with relationships. It gave Alpha Jimmy headaches.
"Dad, I’m not crazy. I messed up badly. The woman I should have married isn’t Selina. I’ll handle the Vance family. I just need your support."
Alpha Zack still needed his father’s approval for something this big.
Alpha Jimmy frowned deeper. "Then who should you marry?"
"Elara Wolfe."
Alpha Jimmy stared at him in shock.
Elara
Dominic and I drove to the Wolfe estate to pick up Grandma Elizabeth and bring her home.
"Grandma, why didn’t you tell me you were going out?" I complained, hugging her tight. "I was worried sick!"
Elizabeth laughed. "You’re a grown woman now, still acting like a baby. You’re married! Why would you lose sleep because Grandma was gone for one day?"
My face got hot for no reason.
In the rearview mirror, Dominic saw my ears turning red. He smiled slightly.
He jumped in to support me. "Grandma, Elara really did miss you. Last night she kept calling your name in her sleep."
I stayed quiet. I didn’t argue.
[Did I really talk in my sleep last night?]
My grandmother’s face lit up with happiness.
"You..." Grandma patted my hand. "You’re a wife now, not a little girl anymore. I won’t be here forever, you know."
My chest tightened. I cut her off immediately. "Grandma, you promised you’d stay with me for a very long time. You said you’d live to be a hundred. Did you forget?"
Grandma chuckled. "Did I really say that?"
"Okay, okay. Let’s not talk about sad things. Dominic, your father is great company. We even played a few games of chess."
"I bet you won," Dominic said with a smile. "My dad is awful at chess."
"He’d be mad if he heard you say that! I’m not very good either. It was Elara’s grandfather who loved chess. I just picked it up from watching him."
"I can’t believe it’s been so many years since he passed away."
My nose stung. When Grandma sighed just now, she looked so lonely.
I knew she missed Grandpa too.
Dominic noticed things getting heavy and quickly changed the subject. "It’s okay. If you like playing, Grandma, I know how to play too. Though I’m definitely not as good as Grandpa was."
I looked gratefully at the man driving.
Dominic glanced back in the rearview mirror at the same moment. Our eyes met for exactly one second before we both looked away.
Dominic kept driving.
After that, I only talked about happy things with Grandma. It helped chase away the sad feelings.
Finally, Dominic pulled up in front of the house.
Elizabeth stopped us. "Okay, this is good. I’ll go in by myself!"
I started to get out too. "Grandma, let me walk you in."
Grandma took my arm as I helped her toward the house.
But then Dominic rolled down his window and called out, "Baby, aren’t you forgetting something?"
I suddenly remembered what Dominic asked for yesterday.
Elizabeth looked back and forth between us. "Elara, Dominic is calling you."
I smiled awkwardly. "Grandma, I’ll just go over there for a second."
I walked toward the man who was grinning like he was up to something.
Dominic leaned his head out the window, turning his cheek toward me. "Just a goodbye kiss. Don’t make it look like I’m forcing you, Luna Wolfe."
I quickly leaned in. My lips brushed softly across his cheek, light as air.
"There. Happy now?" I glared at him.
Dominic reached up and pinched my cheek, then quickly planted a loud kiss on my face with a big smack. "Now we’re even."
Flustered and embarrassed, I hurried back to Grandma’s side.
"Grandma, let’s go inside."
Watching this whole thing, Grandma’s smile stretched from ear to ear.
