Chapter 54: Maybe, Call It A Date Too.
Virgo was smiling as he waited for Lynsandra to step outside and leave the Royal Pack’s castle. But the moment he saw her—and the large pile of files being rolled by a servant on a trolley—that smile vanished faster than the wind.
"Please don’t tell me..." he trailed off, forcing a smile as Lynsandra reached him. Leaning closer, he whispered, "Luna, please tell me you didn’t take another case from the Alpha King."
Lynsandra smiled at him until her eyes squinted. She patted his shoulder lightly and said playfully, "You’ll still get your day off."
With that, she reached for the door and hopped inside, leaving Virgo staring at her through the window. Then he looked at the servants, who smiled back at him.
"Just..." He cleared his throat, feeling his knees nearly give out. Every time Lynsandra took on a project or problem from the Alpha King, it was usually something big. Not that the Alpha King or the Royal Pack couldn’t resolve it themselves, but she did this for one reason.
She wanted to show off.
He sighed. "Please load them into the truck."
The servants efficiently loaded the files Lynsandra had requested, and Virgo helped them along. Once they finished, he jumped into the car, and they sped off.
As they drove away, Virgo glanced at the back seat.
"Luna, what is it this time?" he asked. "A terrorist threat? Another rising tension between two nations that we need to stop before it turns into war? Perhaps, a rebellion?"
He listed a few more possibilities, trying to prepare himself for what they’d be dealing with. Then he frowned deeply.
"Luna, you asked me to clear your schedule so you could spend time with your harem," he grumbled. "And now you’re taking this case?"
Lynsandra smiled. "I’ll still have time for them... We can treat this as a date, can’t we?"
"What?"
"I think investigating and going out into the field will make for a nice date," she nodded. "It’s been a while since I’ve gone out to do something myself. I wonder if Gary wants to go and see the world of violence with me?"
His face twisted. "What does that mean? Luna, what is this?"
"Here." Holding a single file—the only one she’d specifically asked her father for—Lynsandra handed it to him. Then she tipped her chin toward the driver.
Virgo took it immediately, signaling the driver to put in their special earpiece. Without settling back into his seat, he opened the file. Deep lines formed on his face as he read.
"What is... this?" he asked, his confusion clear as he met her gaze. "Luna, is this some kind of—"
"The Royal Pack is currently holding a prisoner in the old torture chamber," she said. "That’s his file."
She paused and leaned back. "Before he was detained, he was just a regular office worker who enjoyed drinking after work. He lived a pretty average life, and he’s a law-abiding citizen."
"Unfortunately, his mother in the countryside fell ill. Unable to cover medical bills that ballooned far beyond his salary and bonuses, he borrowed money from others," she continued, focusing only on what mattered. "Out of desperation, he turned to loan sharks. Months later, his mother died, leaving him with a debt he’d spend a lifetime repaying. Worse, with their ridiculous interest rates, he’d still be paying even if he had two lives."
"Now," Lynsandra drew a slow breath, "this is where it becomes interesting. Because he couldn’t pay, the loan sharks took him, and he was never seen or heard from again."
She smirked. "Two years later, he was caught pickpocketing. He attacked the officers who apprehended him, was hunted down by werewolf police, and ended up in the Royal Pack’s torture chamber... as a wolf."
"Doesn’t that strike you as fascinating, Virgo?" she asked, smiling as he frowned.
"Not at all," he replied flatly. "You’re the only one who finds that fascinating rather than deeply concerning."
He flipped to the next page. "He became a wolf, huh? How is that possible?"
It wasn’t fascinating or intriguing to him, but Virgo understood why Lynsandra had taken this case from the Alpha King. Not to show off this time, but because the Alpha King needed someone he could trust to investigate thoroughly.
This was a matter of national security.
"We’ll talk more later," she hummed, rubbing her chin as she weighed her options. She’d already been thinking about this when she bid her father goodbye.
Without another word, Lynsandra pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. She smiled and tapped August’s name, causing Virgo’s brows to lift.
"You’re calling him?" he asked incredulously. "Luna, this is—"
He trailed off as she raised a brow at him. Logically, August was the person she’d contact about this.
Why?
August was an Alpha of his own pack, controlling much of the western continent. More importantly, there was his expertise. Lynsandra didn’t need to trust August completely to involve him.
But before she could speak, August answered the call.
"Luna," he said. "I was just about to call you to discuss some matters."
Lynsandra arched a brow as Virgo listened closely.
"Discuss matters with me?" she hummed. "And that would be...?"
"Elias Hale contacted me this morning and asked me to meet him," August replied, instantly piquing her interest. "Apparently, someone laid hands on you."
She huffed. "I didn’t expect the two of you to get along well enough to gossip."
"I have him," August said, ignoring her humor. "The man from last night. And I’d like to speak with you about him. I believe this is something you’ll want to hear."
Silence followed as Lynsandra and Virgo exchanged looks. Had she not learned about the matter from the Alpha King earlier, she would’ve refused outright. But now, they both had a suspicion of what August intended to discuss.
"Send me the address," she said, ending the call. "I’m on the way."
As soon as she did, she asked, "Virgo, aren’t we missing one of the members from last night?"
"Yes." He nodded. "We’ve been searching for him, but there’s been no word from the men I sent. If Elias Hale got to him first... that would explain why even your people couldn’t find him."
Elias had been there last night, and he’d taken Lynsandra away before Virgo or anyone else could intervene. That answered Virgo’s lingering question about the disappearance.
Just then, Lynsandra’s phone lit up. She checked the message from August and glanced at Virgo.
"He sent the address," she said. "Let’s head there first... maybe call it a date too."
Virgo frowned. "Luna, you know this is not how dates work."
"I’m making it memorable, Virgo."
