Too Late To Regret, My Alphas

Chapter 59: A Great Performer

Kaiser:

My blood was boiling.

That wasn’t an exaggeration or a figure of speech. I could actually feel heat spreading under my skin with every step I took through the corridors of the mansion, my wolf pushing harder and harder against the edges of my control until my muscles stayed tense just from holding him back.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this angry. Not during territory disputes. Not during negotiations. Not even during wars with neighboring packs years ago. Because those situations had rules. Enemies stood in front of you openly and showed their fangs.

But this... this was different.

This was rot hidden under silk. Deception wrapped in kindness. Manipulation dressed as innocence. And what made me feel sick was not only what Charlotte had done - it was realizing just how willingly I had walked straight into it and dragged someone innocent with me.

As I moved through the mansion halls, people noticed. They always noticed. Warriors passing by immediately straightened and stepped aside without greeting me. Servants lowered their heads and quietly disappeared into nearby rooms. Nobody tried stopping me. Nobody asked questions. They could feel it.

Wolves always sensed when another wolf was close to losing control, especially an alpha. And right now my wolf wasn’t merely angry. He was violent. He wanted to break free and storm into that dining hall and tear apart the person responsible for all of this with his own claws. It took every ounce of control I possessed to keep him inside. My jaw stayed locked so tightly that it hurt.

I turned another corner and nearly collided with someone.

Luxe.

He looked like he had just come downstairs and was halfway toward the entrance when he noticed me. His expression changed instantly. I watched surprise flash through his eyes before concern replaced it.

"Alpha Kaiser?"

I didn’t stop and kept walking. Because if I opened my mouth right now, I didn’t know what would come out.

I had spent the last two days and most of the morning investigating. Following trails. Cross-checking reports. Digging into details that initially seemed unrelated. And every answer I uncovered made something uglier form in my chest.

At first I wanted to prove Rosalie wrong. Or maybe I just wanted to reassure myself that I hadn’t actually fucked up badly. I hated admitting that, but I did.

After Rosalie left again that night, after everything happened, I kept replaying her words in my head. Those men. The ones she said followed her that night. The ones she claimed chased her. The ones she believed meant to harm her.

I wanted proof she misunderstood.

I wanted proof that we had failed her in ignorance, and not that someone had intentionally hurt her.

Instead, I found corpses.

Every single man assigned to Charlotte that night was dead now. They all died at different places and at different times. It was done so cleanly.

And suddenly Rosalie’s fear stopped looking irrational. Suddenly the things she said made sense.mSuddenly every missing piece clicked into place. And once it did, I couldn’t unknow it.

The dining hall doors came into view.

I stopped and stared. Those familiar doors suddenly looked different. Because inside everything still continued normally. Breakfast. Conversations. Routine. As though the world hadn’t shifted. As though we hadn’t failed someone.

My hand closed around the handle and then I shoved the doors open.

They slammed against the walls and the room fell silent instantly. Every head turned toward me, but my eyes were looking for only person and I instantly spotted her.

Charlotte.

She sat at the table beside Darien, looking beautiful, perfect, and elegant as always. She was smiling while speaking to my brother. Her expression looked warm, relaxed, normal. And seeing that smile nearly made something snap inside me. Because suddenly all I could think about was Rosalie. Leaving alone. Being chased. Being afraid.

And while that happened, Charlotte sat here. Eating breakfast.

Her smile disappeared the moment she saw me. I watched every shift - confusion, pause, recognition, and then worry. Her eyes widened as she finally realized - whatever expression I was wearing, it wasn’t directed at anyone else. But at her.

My wolf lunged.

Move. End it.

I moved. I didn’t even remember deciding. One second I stood near the entrance. And the next, Alastor was in front of me. His strong arms locked around me instantly, stopping me.

I jerked once, but his grip tightened.

"Kaiser." His voice was sharp and demanding. His eyes searched mine as he asked, "What happened?"

Darien had stood too. And I noticed something that made my stomach twist. He moved directly in front of Charlotte to protect and shield her. And that woman hid behind him, looking slightly pale, terrified, wide-eyed, an peeking at me like she couldn’t understand what she had done.

And suddenly, I understood.

This.

This was how she did it. She didn’t manipulate through lies. Instead, she manipulated through appearing harmless.

I laughed once, the sound cold. Then I finally spoke, "Ask her."

Alastor frowned.

I looked directly at Charlotte. "Ask this woman what she did to Rosalie."

An immediate silence fell across the room. The atmosphere shifted. And I watched both men change the moment Rosalie’s name left my mouth. Darien froze, while Alastor’s expression sharpened.

Then I looked at Charlotte and noticed the tiny shift. Something close to fear. But it disappeared just as quickly, and she replaced it with perfect confusion. Her eyes softened. Her face fell. Her shoulders lowered. And her lips parted. She immediately put on a perfect performance.

And as she spoke, her voice came out trembling.

"Kaiser..." Her eyes filled with unshed tears instantly. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

I stared at her and suddenly felt disgust. Because until yesterday, I would have given her the benefit of doubt. Though I had never liked her, I still played along with my brothers’ plan because of our packs and the fact she’s pregnant. And that was the only reason I protected her. Because it felt like an obligation. A duty.

But now? Now just the sight of her made my skin crawl.

I laughed, the sound short and humorless. And then I asked, "Did you spend your banishment attending acting classes?"

For a second, something dark crossed her face. But once again it was gone instantly.

Alastor finally lost patience. But while his grip loosened, his expression only hardened. "Kaiser." His voice dropped. "Speak clearly. What happened?"

I looked at him. Then at Darien. And realized they genuinely didn’t bother paying Rosalie’s words any attention. Not even once did they consider questioning Charlotte even if it was just to confirm their dear mate was actually innocent in this entire matter.

And somehow, this realization hurt worse.

I turned toward them and finally said it.

"The men assigned to protect Charlotte that night. The same men she sent after Rose that night. And the same men Rose claimed tried to harm her..."

I looked directly at Charlotte and my voice dropped as I continued, "They are dead."

Nobody moved.

"All of them."

Silence swallowed the room. It was so heavy it almost felt unbearable for a moment.

Darien stared, first at me and then at Charlotte. Alastor’s face emptied completely before changing slowly. And the woman in question? She looked extremely pale now.

And yet, she still held the act. She still pretended to look confused. Still looked wounded by my allegations. And still had the energy to pretend she’s the victim here. It was as though she couldn’t understand why I was accusing her.

I stared at her, and suddenly realized I couldn’t even recognize the person in front of me anymore. Not like I ever knew her well enough. But still, I never imagined her true personality to be buried under so many layers of pretense and well crafted acts.

My gaze shifted from her to Darien and then at Alastor, and suddenly, I felt just as much anger toward the two of them as I felt toward Charlotte. After all, it was these two who brought this woman back in our lives. These two were the ones who forced me to join their plan and accept this woman as our mate in front of our packs. These two were the ones I had been foolish enough to hurt the woman I loved.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Alastor turned his attention toward Charlotte and asked, "Do you know about this?"

And I frowned the moment I hard his question.