Chapter 338


    Seemingly A Chance


    ~Liam~


    Sleep eluded me the entire night. My mind was consumed by nightmares, haunted by the terrifying


    possibilities of what might have befallen Sophia. Restlessness permeated the air, not just within me,


    but also evident in Alex. Eventually, I sat up in bed and gazed out at the moon through my window. Its


    radiant glow captivated me, and in my desperation, I found myself wondering if it held some wisdom.


    Could the moon speak to me? Could it somehow reveal the whereabouts of Sophia? Perhaps its


    luminous beams had touched her in some way tonight. I entertained these thoughts, hoping for a sign


    or inspiration on where to search and whom to reach out to. But deep down, I knew it was mere wishful


    thinking.


    The reality was that as each day passed, the chances of finding Sophia diminished. We were now


    entering the third day, and the weight of that grim possibility pressed heavily upon me. Dread filled my


    thoughts, refusing to be averted, as I confronted the unsettling notion that time was slipping away.


    Morning arrived, and Harper and I embarked on our customary run through the woods. As we made


    our way, we were joined by Marvin, Miles, Oliver, Lilly, and the triplets. We had hoped that our visit


    would be brief and that we would quickly return to Grizlo, but our parents held us firmly in their grasp.


    Arriving at a stream that served as our rendezvous point, where a metal trunk housed our spare


    clothes, we gathered together. This spot had be a familiar meeting ce during our runs.


    I was the first to shift back to human form and retrieve the clothes from the trunk. Though it seemed


    that the collection hadn’t been refreshed in some time, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. The omegas


    responsible for maintaining the trunk never failed to ensure we had a fresh supply of clothes. I tossed


    the shorts to the guys and the oversized t-shirts to the girls. They all swiftly changed into their


    respective garments. We settled down by the stream, contemting our next course of action.


    I ryed the details of my father’s conversation with Christian to the group. Charlotte voiced the


    question that lingered in all of our minds.


    “Why does this situation feelrger than we initially thought?” she pondered, and I found myself without


    an answer.


    “I just want to find her,” I confessed, my voice filled with a mix of desperation and longing.


    “I never had the chance to tell her how I truly felt. I need to see her and express my emotions. Moving


    on from this as quickly as my father hopes seems impossible. It’s incredibly challenging to stop caring


    about someone who has been such a significant part of my life. I can’t just walk away,” I expressed,


    feeling the weight of my emotions. Harper reached out and gently touched my shoulder.


    “We understand, Liam, and we’re here to support you in finding her. Just say the word. I might have


    said some things yesterday, but I hate seeing you like this. If you want us to sneak away and conduct


    our own investigation, we’ve decided to do it,” Harper dered, surprising me with her determination.


    The idea of leaving the estate and embarking on an adventure to find Sophia seemed exhrating, but I


    immediately considered the potential consequences. I thought about our parents and realised that it


    would be unfair to put them through such worry and uncertainty.


    As I contemted the situation, my father’s voice echoed through the air, summoning us to his lounge.


    Had something significant urred? We left the stream behind and hastened our way back to the


    mansion. Once inside, we neglected to change our attire, even though it wasn’t entirely appropriate. It


    was only us, after all.


    We made our way to the lounge.


    The television screen was already on, and to my astonishment, I saw a video featuring Mike, Margret,


    and a visibly distraught Sophia. They didn’t appear to be held captive, but the surroundings indicated


    an underground setting. It was difficult to determine the specific location since we had numerous


    underground hideouts, and every time my father shut one down, new ones would swiftly emerge.


    Therefore, we opted not to dwell on that particr detail. My mother approached me.


    “They are safe, Liam. Mike is sending this message because of you,” she informed me, her toneced


    with a hint of annoyance.


    I noticed that the video wasn’t ying on a typical television station, so I inquired about its source. My


    mother revealed that it had been mailed to Head Enforcer Golubev by an unidentified sender they had


    been unable to trace.


    My father pressed the y button, and I focused on Mike’s words, ready to listen to what he had to say.


    “I want to begin by expressing my sincere apologies to Alpha Christian for the trouble I have caused. I


    deeply regret that it hase to this, but please understand that I had no other choice. I wish I could


    go back in time and remain oblivious to the circumstances, but that is not within my power. Through this


    message, I humbly implore Alpha Christian, the Alpha council, the king’s council, and the crowned


    prince to find it in their hearts to forgive me for my actions. Although I cannot divulge the reason behind


    my actions, I earnestly request that the search be called off,” Mike spoke directly into the camera, his


    gaze unwavering.


    “Prince Liam, I offer you my sincere apologies, as I understand the depth of your feelings when I saw


    you two nights ago. Please know that what urred was not intentional or born out of hatred. I also


    plead with you to let go of Sophia. As you can see, she is alive and well. I implore you to release her


    and find peace in your own life. Perhaps, one day, the truth will be revealed. But until then, I simply


    want to say sorry,” the video abruptly ended, leaving us with a sense of ipleteness.


    The recording left us with more questions than answers. Its vagueness made it clear that the sole


    purpose was to plead for the search to cease and for me to move on. However, the motivations behind


    such a risk and the true intentions remained unclear. There had to be more to it, but we were left in the


    dark, unsure of what would transpire next.


    “There is definitely more to this situation than meets the eye,” Uncle David astutely observed, and I was


    relieved that he shared my scepticism. I turned to my father, seeing the worry etched on his face. My


    uncles also expressed their concerns, with Uncle David and Uncle Dominic disying a touch of


    frustration.


    “Alpha Christian mentioned that he would bring this matter to the council. I believe we should pursue it,”


    Uncle Dominic proposed, his gaze focused on me. It was evident that he made the suggestion for my


    benefit, and I felt grateful for his support. He had a knack for being cool like that sometimes.


    “We cannot allow this to happen to our dear Liam,” Uncle Dominic continued, his eyes still fixed on me.


    “I mean, it’s been years since we’ve truly had any fun,” he added with a mischievous smile, and I hoped


    he would say what I was hoping to hear.


    “I strongly believe that this matter warrants further investigation. Trust me, if we bring it to the attention


    of Leo and Devin, they will take action. I sense something fishy was transpiring in Grizlo,” Uncle


    Dominic voiced, and I felt a sense of relief knowing that my uncle shared my perspective. The fact that


    none of his own children was involved likely allowed him to approach the situation with clearer


    judgment, unclouded by the sentiments that may have influenced my parents.


    Uncle Theo objected, stating we had no direct connection with Grizlo, and my heart sank a bit because


    he was right. Three weeks was a long time to wait for Alpha Christian to bring the matter to the council.


    “Yes, you’re right, Theo. We don’t have any direct involvement with Grizlo,” Uncle David acknowledged,


    understanding his concern. Uncle David turned his gaze towards me, assessing my countenance.


    “You won’t recklessly jeopardise your life or the lives of your cousins on matter, will you?” Uncle David


    inquired, and I shook my head in response. As much as I cared about Sophia, I wasn’t selfish to ruin


    my family for it.


    “Very well then. I propose that we appoint Justin to oversee Grizlo for the time being. After all, I have a


    deep connection to the ce. Liam and the others can work closely with him,” Uncle David suggested,


    surprising me with his willingness to send his own son to Grizlo.


    “What?” Aunt Nicole eximed in protest.


    “We were supposed to head to the east. Perhaps Justin might find someone there. Besides, didn’t


    Christain say they were looking at Kaizen and Braile? Why send our son to Grizlo?” she argued, but


    Uncle David shook his head.


    “Who’s to say Justin won’t find someone special in Grizlo?” Uncle David replied with a knowing look in


    his eyes. Reminding her they had met and married in Grizlo, and I fought back the urge to smile.


    “Besides, it will be a temporary arrangement. We will conduct our investigation as well, but we’ll work


    behind the scenes,” Uncle David exined, outlining his n. I nced at my father, recognising that


    he held the final decision in his hands.


    “When we return from the east, we will finalise this n. We must also ensure that Justin is willing to


    take on the position. We can’t force him to assume a role solely for the purpose of investigation.


    Additionally, Leo will provide valuable insight,” my father dered. While it appeared to be a distant


    solution, I remained hopeful that he would agree. I knew that once we arrived in Grizlo, my predicament


    would be one step closer to resolution.


    After my father dismissed us, a sense of relief washed over me. I began to walk away when Charlotte


    chased after me and handed me her phone. I instantly knew it had something to do with Sophia.


    Unfortunately, I was yet to retrieve my own line, so I made a mental note to seek Kappa Wilson’s help


    with it.


    “I received four calls from an unknown number. I believe it might be Sophia, but I don’t want to call back


    in case it’s a secretmunication. I think it’s best if you hold onto it,” Charlotte exined, and I


    expressed my gratitude. I swiftly left the mansion and sprinted back to the bungalow. As soon as I


    entered my room, the phone started ringing, and I answered it immediately.


    “Hello,” I managed to say, my heart racing. Sophia’s voice resonated on the other end.


    “Li,” she said, and before she could say anything else, my worries spilled out.


    “Are you alright, Sophia? Are you safe?” I asked anxiously, pausing for her response.


    “We are okay for now, Li,” she replied in a hushed voice, and I sensed that her safety was still


    precarious.


    “Don’t ever say goodbye to me again. I’m searching for you and doing everything I can to ensure your


    safety and protection,” I pleaded with her, my voice filled with determination. Over the phone, I heard a


    sniffle.


    “I’m sorry I got you involved in this mess, Li. I truly am sorry,” she said, her wordsced with remorse. I


    knew the video was one of the reasons behind her apology, but I couldn’t dwell on it. I had to focus on


    what mattered most—finding a way to bring her and her mother to safety, away from their current


    location and out of the clutches of thew.


    “Do you have any idea where you might be?” I managed to ask, my concern evident in my voice.


    “We arrived at an ind. My mother and I are being held in a heavily guarded building. I believe they


    are using us as leverage to control my father. I don’t know the exact location, but I will try to find out


    andmunicate it to you,” she exined, and my relief was mixed with frustration.


    “Did you notice anything distinctive when you arrived?” I inquired further, hoping for any clue that could


    aid our search.


    “We were blindfolded during the journey. Our blindfolds were only removed once we were inside the


    building. They used a strongvender scent to mask the natural smells of the area. It had a distinct


    alcoholic base. There was also a strong, constant wind, but I couldn’t see much as there were no


    windows where they’d kept me. It seems like they have nned everything meticulously. I believe they


    are using us as a means to manipte my father. I don’t fully understand the situation, but I want to


    assure you that it doesn’t seem like they intend to kill us,” she revealed, providing some reassurance


    amidst the uncertainty.


    “Please, Sophia, keep a low profile and do everything you can to stay alive. Don’t ever say goodbye to


    me or ask me to move on without you because I won’t. Don’t ask for the impossible. There’s something


    I should have told you, but I was waiting for your eighteenth birthday. We were supposed to discuss it


    in person, but I won’t wait any longer. So please, hold on tightly,” I dered, my determination and love


    evident in my words. I heard her let out a sigh of relief.


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    “I will, Li. I will hold on for as long as I possibly can,” she assured me, and we ended the call. Her words


    lifted my spirits, and I hoped that fate would be kind to us. Despite being just eighteen, I was certain of


    my feelings and resolute in my heart. I would not let her slip away.