Chapter 129


    Chapter 129 Little bird


    SILAS


    The celebration reached its peak as the Alpha King made a toast to wee


    my return.


    As Asher clinked a gold-ted knife against his champagne ss, it was clear that he was noticeably


    drunk, but there was no ill intent behind it. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were a little distant,


    but his smile was warm and when he caught my gaze, he winked.


    The crowded banquet hall fell silent and all eyes fell to him. My father’s in-depth conversation with the


    councilor beside me ceased, and relief swam through me. I was d to have a moment away from the


    heavy talk of battle strategy, no matter how brief it was.


    “I would like to make a toast,” Asher announced to the waiting crowd, and his smile deepened as he


    gestured toward me. “To Ss Moses, the Beta of this glorious Crescent Pack. His return is long-


    awaited, and it’s a pleasure to finally have. him back in Merliscire. Though he is new to his position, it’s


    safe to say that this Pack is in good hands with him as the Beta. Ss, I look forward to working with


    you closely. Wee back to Anemond. Cheers!”


    “Cheers!” the rest of the banquet hall repeated back, and as they raised their sses to me in honor,


    my cheeks grew hot and my eyes looked elsewhere. I wasn’t one who enjoyed attention, unlike the rest


    of my family. I preferred lingering in the background where no one could see me, but in a position like


    the one I’d assumed,


    the was no longer an option.


    So, I knocked back the drink in my hand and saluted my king.


    Once the champagne made its way down my throat, I remembered that I was supposed to deliver a


    speech to everyone tonight. I wasn’t particrly in the mood to do so, and when I met Asher’s gaze


    again, the Alpha King seemed to take notice and nodded. When he didn’t insist, I stepped away from


    the crowd of guests and


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    returned to the refreshment table for a refill.


    On my way, I was intercepted by a few guests I didn’t recognize. As these.


    strangers greeted me warmly and weed me back to the pce, I slowly downed a few more


    sses of wine. I wasn’t usually much of a drinker, but I needed all of the liquid courage I could get to


    endure this party.


    After a while, the dizziness began to take hold.


    I nced around the banquet hall. My father seemed to be busy talking to some of the councilors about


    some business I didn’t care about, so I decided to take the opportunity to step away. Everyone was so


    upied by the party that no one noticed when I walked out into the corridor.


    Just as before, the hall was empty save for a few guards, so I was free to wander without running into


    anyone. I took my time and studied some of the paintings that hung on the walls. I’d seen them a


    million times growing up, but after being gone for so long, they were almost brand new. Everything felt


    so much different here than it’d been before.


    A wave of sadness hit me. Things were soplicated now.


    I decided that I needed to get some fresh air, so I walked to the end of the hall until I reached the back


    door. The guards let me pass without question, and I stepped out onto the grounds.


    I wandered aimlessly in the night until I reached the garden again. Once I was amongst the rose


    bushes and tall, twi nkling fountain, I took a few much-needed deep breaths. When I closed my eyes, I


    briefly had a moment where I swore I could


    smell her scent.


    Becky.


    My mate.


    I knew the phantom smell was just a memory, but the raspberry and spun sugar lingered in my nose


    anyway, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I had a strong impulse to find her, take her, and imContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    her as my own. I remembered the woman


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    beside her was named Cas sandra, and she was a healer. Surely it wouldn’t be


    difficult to find her at all.


    Just as I made the choice to find Becky after all, I opened my eyes to see Adalyn standing behind me.


    My sister’s red-painted lips twisted into a cruel, vicious smile that sent a ch down my spine. As she


    walked toward me, my stomach twisted into knots.


    “Brother, you don’t seem very happy,” she remarked in a mocking tone. “For someone being celebrated


    by the Pack, you look quite gloomy. Whatever could be wrong?”


    I knew she was just taunting me in order to get a rise out of me, so I just ignored her and walked past.


    As long as Adalyn was on my trail, my business with Becky could wait untilter. I decided the smartest


    move would be to head back to the banquet hall and immerse myself in the celebration.


    “Father is wrong, you know,” Adalyn called after me. “I know this whole mate affair isn’t a mistake.”


    I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face her. I narrowed my eyes and focused on burning a


    hole through her with my gaze.


    “What are you talking about?” I all but growled.


    Adalyn’s smile furthered. “I know the name of the girl. Her name is Becky, and she works for Cas


    sandra Keller. They have a clinic not too far from the pce. You can reach it easily on foot.”


    So, the angel woman of my dreams had a name.


    Becky.


    I simply stared at Adalyn. Surely, she wasn’t telling me all of this out of kindness. or consideration.


    “Well, that’s all I wanted to tell you,” she remarked with a small shrug. “Now that


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    you know where she lives, you can go see your little bird any time.”


    My heart dropped.


    Bird. She had used the word bird.


    Earlier, when I’d thought of my long-dead pet, I’d forgotten the most crur detail. The poor animal had


    grown sick because of Adalyn. I’d always taken ca treat the animal well, but Adalyn… when I’d told my


    sister about my secret pet, st gone and visited it without my permission and fed it something she


    shouldn’t.


    It had died because of her and my father both.


    I didn’t understand why Adalyn hated me so much, but I wouldn’t let her kill something I loved ever


    again.


    “Don’t try to y tricks on me ever again,” I warned her.


    Adalynughed. “Why would I trick my own dear brother? I just want to help. I understand how


    irresistible mates can be. It’s impossible to be apart from one


    another.”


    I sneered. “Really? How could you possibly understand that?”


    My sister’s face briefly twisted in anger, but she quickly regained her


    composure.


    “Look, I’m on your sidepletely this time,” she said calmly. “If needed I would even be willing to


    apologize for some of our… disagreements from our childhood.”


    “What is it that you want?” I sighed. “I know you have an angle-”


    “No angle,” she assured me. “I want nothing, really. If you want Father to ept your mate, you’ll need


    my help. And in exchange… maybe your little mate can help


    me with some of the issues I have with the healer.”


    I knew at once that Adalyn wasn’t making an offer, but a threat. If I didn’tply, she’d find some way


    to pit Father even further against me.


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    I wasn’t a child anymore. It was easy for me to recognize her desperation. Though she sounded calm


    and confident, the threat held no strength.


    Yet, I was interested in what Adalyn wanted.


    “What do you want me to do?” I wondered. “In theory, of course.”


    “I want to know what Ca ssandra Keller is doing,” Adalyn replied. “The he sneaking around, and I want


    to make sure Asher is fine. He seems distant andtely. Something is going on.”


    Jealousy. It all came down to jealousy.


    I chuckled. It had been five years, and Adalyn still hadn’t gotten what she wanted. And now, she


    wanted me to be her pawn.


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