Chapter 79: Getting Information (I)
Kaiser:
The moment the man stepped out of the club’s rear exit, I followed him without making a sound.
The club behind us remained alive with music, laughter, and drunken conversations, but with every step he took, those sounds faded further into the background. He never once looked over his shoulder. Either he was too confident in his own caution, or he genuinely believed nobody knew he existed.
He turned into a narrow alleyway tucked between two abandoned brick buildings where the only light came from a flickering streetlamp hanging several meters ahead. It was exactly the kind of place where people disappeared without witnesses.
Perfect.
I increased my pace.
He must have heard my footsteps at the very last second because he had only just begun turning around when my hand landed heavily on his shoulder. Before he could react, I drove him forward and slammed him against the nearest brick wall. The impact echoed through the alley as he let out a startled grunt.
He immediately twisted his body, trying to throw me off, his elbow flying backward toward my ribs. It would have been a decent move against an ordinary man. Against me, it was meaningless. My wolf barely acknowledged the resistance. I shifted my weight, pinned him harder against the wall, and pressed my forearm firmly across his collarbones until he could no longer move.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded between strained breaths. "What do you want? Money?" His voice shook despite the bravado he tried to maintain. "If you are here for money, I’ll give it to you. Just... just calm down."
One of his trembling hands reached toward his trouser pocket, clearly intending to pull out his wallet.
I almost laughed.
Slowly, I reached up with my free hand and removed the baseball cap shadowing my face. Then I lifted my head just enough for the dim streetlight to illuminate my features.
The man’s hand froze inside his pocket. Every trace of color drained from his face. And his eyes widened until they looked ready to fall out of their sockets.
For several long seconds he simply stared.
"...A-Alpha Blackthorn..."
The word barely escaped his lips.
His breathing grew uneven. "W-Why... what... I..." He swallowed hard, unable to form a complete sentence.
Good.
Recognition was always useful.
I leaned closer, pressing him more firmly against the cold bricks. "Do you remember Alpha Grey’s wedding reception?"
The question hit him like a physical blow. His expression changed instantly.
Fear.
Real fear.
He began shaking his head so quickly it almost looked painful. "I... I don’t know what you are talking about." His denial came far too fast.
"I have never-"
"I don’t know why you are-"
"You have got the wrong-"
"Marcus." I spoke his name calmly.
The effect was immediate. He went completely silent and his entire body stiffened beneath my hold.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "So you do remember."
His breathing became ragged. "I... Alpha, I swear-"
"I only want one answer." My voice remained frighteningly calm. "Why did you sabotage the tires of the cars belonging to Blackthorn Pack and Crescent Wolf Pack that night?"
His eyes shot open even wider. And for one brief second, pure panic crossed his face.
That expression alone was worth the hours I had spent hunting him down.
"I didn’t!" Marcus blurted out immediately. "I have no idea what you are talking about! I wasn’t anywhere near those cars!"
"Liar."
He shook his head violently.
"I swear to the Moon Goddess-"
Before he could finish, I removed my forearm from across his collarbones. Hope flashed briefly across his face, but it lasted less than a heartbeat as my hand shot forward and my fingers wrapped around his throat.
Hard.
His words died instantly. Both of his hands grabbed my wrist, desperately trying to loosen my grip. He couldn’t move it even an inch.
I slowly lifted him just enough that only the tips of his shoes remained touching the ground. His breathing immediately turned into desperate choking sounds.
"You probably believed you had gotten away with it." My voice remained steady. "After all..." I tilted my head slightly. "The underground parking lot’s CCTV footage disappeared for exactly fifteen minutes that night."
His pupils shrank.
"I know. You made sure every recording was erased. And you were right." I leaned closer. "Every single camera inside that parking garage went black."
For one brief moment, hope returned to his eyes. Then I destroyed it.
"But what you didn’t know... was that one particular vehicle’s dashcam captured you."
His entire body froze.
I watched the realization hit him. Watched him understand exactly what that meant.
I tightened my grip slightly.
"Walking from one vehicle to another. Slashing tires."
His face turned ghostly white.
"Blackthorn vehicles. Crescent Wolf vehicles. Every single vehicle bearing our sign."
Marcus’ eyes trembled. He knew denying it was useless now. Still, he tried. "I... it wasn’t..." His voice cracked as my fingers tightened another fraction and air became noticeably harder for him to draw.
I looked directly into his terrified eyes. "Who ordered you to do it?"
He remained silent.
Wrong choice.
My grip tightened again. His feet finally left the ground completely. His hands clawed frantically at mine. His face rapidly darkened from lack of oxygen.
"I’ll ask one last time." Every word came out cold enough to freeze the air between us. "Who. Made. You." I leaned closer until our faces were barely inches apart. "Do it?"
Marcus’ eyes rolled slightly. His body began weakening. And finally, he slapped desperately against my wrist. Again and again as a broken sound escaped his throat.
"I’ll..." He gasped desperately. "I’ll tell..." Another painful breath. "I’ll tell you..." His voice barely existed anymore. "Everything..."
Only then did I loosen my grip.
His body collapsed to the ground beneath me as he desperately sucked in huge gulps of air, coughing violently while clutching his bruised throat.
I looked down at him without the slightest hint of sympathy.
"Good." My voice echoed quietly through the deserted alley. "Now start talking."
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