Lennox’s POV
My beta was giving a report on the overall performance of the pack. My brothers and I had been absent from pack duties for a long ti, and it was still a miracle that things hadn’t fallen apart—aside from a few etings that required our attention.
I sighed and nodded once Dustin, my personal beta, finished speaking. "Thank you for holding the pack together all this while. You’re truly a good friend."
Dustin nodded, but before he could respond, the door to the study swung open, and my brothers walked in.
"I’ll take my leave," Dustin bowed respectfully and left.
As soon as he exited, Levi dropped a file on the desk in front of .
"My n managed to identify ten people in the pack who can mimic other people’s handwriting. I’ve ordered all of them to be brought in for questioning."
I stared at the file Levi dropped, the air thick with tension as I opened it and scanned the list of nas. None of them were familiar—just random pack mbers.
I sighed and shut the file. One of these people might be involved, but I was sure soone had paid them. Because, I doubted they had anything to lose by turning us against Olivia. We needed answers.
I turned to Levi. "Get a lie detector. He needs to be present during the interrogations. If any of them lies, we’ll find out."
Levi gave a firm nod.
Then I looked at Louis. "What about Anita?" I asked. "Any news?"
Louis frowned. "Mother needs to be called to order," he said, and I raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?"
His frown deepened, barely containing his frustration.
"What did she do this ti?" I asked, my tone low and sharp.
He exhaled hard. "She’s going around the pack house telling everyone we’ll be fathers soon... like it’s confird Anita is pregnant with our children."
My eyes narrowed.
"She said what?"
Louis nodded. "And it’s more than talk. She’s been treating Anita like royalty—giving her special treatnt. The maids and ogas serve her like she’s already Luna. She spends nearly every hour with Mother. It’s ridiculous."
I shot to my feet, my chair scraping loudly behind .
"She needs to be stopped," I growled. "We let her ddle once, and we all saw what that led to. Never again."
Without saying another word, I stord out of the study, my brothers following closely behind.
As we approached Mother’s wing, the scent of jasmine and herbs filled the hallway. Two maids scurried past, avoiding our eyes like they knew what was coming.
I threw the door open.
There she was—Anita, lounging on a cushion, her feet propped up while a maid massaged her with rose oil. Mother sat nearby, sipping tea like she was hosting a queen.
The sight made my blood boil.
"You," I barked at the maid. "Out. Now."
The maid scrambled to her feet, bowing over and over before fleeing the room.
I turned to the others lingering near the walls. "Let make this clear," I said coldly. "The next maid I find pampering her like this... I’ll have their heads displayed in the training yard."
Anita’s eyes widened, but she said nothing. My mother raised an eyebrow, clearly unhappy.
I faced her directly, making sure she saw just how furious I was. "Mother, this has to stop!" I said firmly.
She slowly placed her teacup back on the tray and stood. Her eyes locked onto mine.
"I’m only doing what you three should already be doing," she said, her voice steady and laced with quiet judgnt. "The babies in her womb are yours—"
"We’re not even sure of that yet!" Louis snapped, his voice echoing across the room.
"And even if they are ours," I said through clenched teeth, "we don’t fucking care. Anita is not our Luna. She’s not your daughter-in-law. She will never be our queen."
Mother’s lips pressed into a thin line. But instead of backing down, she stepped closer, her eyes hard.
"I know Anita made a mistake," she said slowly. "But if the babies in her belly are truly yours, they deserve love. They deserve to be cared for. I’m doing this for them."
My fists clenched at my sides. "Don’t twist this, Mother. You’re not doing this for so unborn children. You’re doing it because you want to control everything—because you think you know what’s best. But you don’t."
Louis added coldly, "You’ve done enough damage already. Stay out of it."
Her eyes shimred with pain. "They’re my grandchildren. Can’t I at least show them so care before they’re even born?"
I stepped forward, towering over her, my fury radiating from like fire. "We will take care of everything. You—stay out of it. Stop ddling in what no longer concerns you."
"And if you can’t," I added, my voice sharp with threat, "then we’ll make sure you’re no longer close enough to interfere."
Her brows drew together in confusion, but just then the door creaked behind us—and Father walked in.
He stopped, sensing the tension in the room. His eyes moved from one face to the next before settling on Mother.
I turned to him, my anger at its peak.
"Speak to your wife," I ordered. "Because if she doesn’t stop ddling in our business with Anita, I will personally book her a year-long holiday outside this continent—and she will be forced to go."
Mother gasped, clearly stunned I would say sothing like that.
"And I an it," I said, holding her gaze. "If she can’t stay in her place, then I’ll send her far away—sowhere she can’t interfere again."
Silence fell.
Even Anita looked shocked.
I glared at her. She stared back, frightened, but I ignored her and turned to a maid nearby. "Escort her back to her room in the servants’ quarters—and make sure she doesn’t leave unless we say so," I ordered.
The maid nodded and moved toward Anita.
Ignoring the stunned and pained expression on my mother’s face, I walked out of the room, my brothers following behind .
Back in the study, I dropped onto the sofa and leaned back, pressing my hand to my forehead to ease the pounding ache.
I closed my eyes.
But all I could see... was Olivia.
My chest tightened.
It had only been a day since she left. Just one day. And yet, I missed her more than I could ever put into words.
I buried myself in work, hoping the distractions would keep her off my mind. And for a little while, they did.
But now that I had stopped... the pain returned.
Her face haunted . Her voice. Her scent. Her rage. Her sadness. Her tears.
My heart throbbed with desire for her.
"She took it off," Levi said suddenly from across the room.
I opened my eyes and looked at him.
"The bracelet," he added. "I can’t feel her anymore."
I nodded slowly. "I know. I can’t either."
Louis leaned forward, brows furrowed. "Should I send soone? A tracker? Maybe spies to figure out exactly where she is?"
I hesitated. I didn’t want to tell them. But I had no choice.
"I already asked one of the guards to follow her... just to make sure she’s okay," I confessed. "And the report I got back..."
I paused, swallowing hard.
"She’s in Gabriel’s pack. His mansion," I said quietly. "They welcod her... like a queen."
Louis and Levi fell silent.
The tension shifted again—this ti replaced with jealousy. Regret. And pain.
"She’s not coming back," Levi muttered.
I nodded again, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. "I know."
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