Chapter 47

The aircraft is aloft, en route to a secure destination, and flying at a low altitude. Sarah is napping in a seat, and Miles tucked her in with a blanket. Miles reclined in the chair to also get some rest. Anthony gazed out the window, observing the blue sky and cloud formations that resembled cotton balls. Since boarding the plane, he hasn't spoken, and Kathy may be the one to explain the situation, as it's likely not the most suitable time, particularly while everyone is still in shock. Kathy stood up, walked to her bag to retrieve her mother's journal, and as she did, a picture slipped out; she picked it up to examine what was hidden behind it.

“My father Theo Mistlow, and my God-father Frances Claymore,”

Kathy flipped the picture over and saw two men on the beach, holding beers and grinning at the camera while a pregnant woman was in their arms. Kathy, that girl resembles her mother, but it's not her. It's possible that her grandmother was quite young back then. Once Kathy closed her bag, she returned to her seat and saw Miles sleeping, so she covered him with the blanket. Since Anthony was also asleep, she did the same thing to him. However, she wasn't tired, so she simply sat down, pulled the blanket over her legs, and began reading her mother's journal.

Maria, having been kicked hard, awoke at Silverstone Pack and rubbed her head. She slowly opened her eyes, and the guards were trying to get Noah to wake up. Evelyn and Samuel remained unconscious, though. Maria, fighting to stay standing, went over and waved her hand near them as Samuel's eyes slowly opened, and he jolted upright. Samuel, after forcing everyone to their knees with his aura and then sitting in his chair, noticed that his beta Jack was absent from the guards. Noah helped his mother up, and then they sat together, taking a moment to gather themselves before speaking.

"Where's Anthony?" Samuel growled, his voice a low rumble.

“Before we arrived, Anthony and his group had already vanished, alpha,”

Noah, who had secretly killed his mate, devised a plan to blame Anthony, knowing the rogue would get no help, not even from the Lycan King.

“Guards, find Anthony; he murdered my mate,”

"Sir, the investigation into that case is still ongoing,"

"I don't care, I saw him do it with my own eyes; my mate is dead," Noah growled. He had been in love with her for years, and when he saw her with me, he took her life.

Betty's dalliances were known to the guards and the pack, and Noah was falsely accusing Anthony. The guards were forced to go along with the idea, or they would lose their heads. Anthony already possessed the memory card from the camera, revealing Noah's violent actions of dragging the guards and killing his mate and her lover, a secret Noah was yet to discover.

After everyone obeyed, Samuel rose from his chair and struck Maria, causing her lip to bleed.

"All you had to do was break the mate bond that Anthony and Kathy share," he stated. I regret not having you killed when I had the opportunity.

Maria, her eyes fixed on the floor, remained silent, burdened by the guilt of causing his blindness, yearning for his return. In Samuel's grasp, she realized the guards were deceiving them, but kept the truth from Samuel.

“I will locate them with the assistance of the guards.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me now. Do not disturb me, I will be in my study," he said, his voice firm.

As Noah and Evelyn prepared for bed to rest, Samuel went into his study, shutting and locking the door, and plunged the room into darkness by closing the curtains. He approached his mini bar to pour whiskey without ice, and downed the first glass in one go, then poured himself another, this time savoring the drink. In the dark, Samuel stood holding his glass, then approached his bookcase and pressed a hidden button, causing the door to silently slide open. The downstairs lights cast a soft glow, making the steps visible, though not brightly lit. The secret room held a running bathroom and shower, even though the temperature was low. With a key, Samuel unlocked two doors and slowly opened them, finding a dim light inside. In the rooms, women emerged, the clinking of chains around their necks audible as they walked, their heads lowered, avoiding Samuel's eyes.

“I trust you both were on your best behavior,”

The women answered in unison, "Yes, alpha."

"Come, I have something to share with you,"

Anthony and Kathy's picture was pulled out by Samuel, then snatched by the woman, who examined the other woman, then they looked at each other.

“If you harm them, you’ll regret it,”

“Don't fret, they are fleeing, having murdered Noah's mate Betty.”

I really don't give a damn about that woman, to be honest. "I want Kathy and Noah to be together, but I tried using that useless witch Maria to sever Anthony and Kathy's bond, and she failed," Samuel said, his voice laced with frustration.

"You're angry because my son won't let you control him," the first woman stated, her eyes flashing.

"I wouldn't say that, I almost had him, but then Kathy showed up and ruined it all. I did arrange for a rogue to attack Anthony, causing him to be left for dead. I even paid someone to run Kathy off the road; miraculously, she survived. Samuel said, “I’ll be going now. You can have the picture, and I won't reveal that you're both still living.”

As the woman tried to chase after him, Samuel walked away, but she tripped on the chain and hit the ground. He went back upstairs while still holding his glass, which contained leftover whiskey, and took a drink. After returning to his office, the door shut, and he placed the glass on the desk. In his chair, Samuel leaned back, the wood cool against his back, and tried to guess Anthony's next move.

The guards began their search for Anthony, Kathy, Miles, and Sarah, who were fleeing; surprisingly, they refrained from using their police resources or raising any alarms. All the pack members remained silent, refusing to speak, and offered no aid to Samuel in his search for Anthony. The guards entered the house where Anthony and Kathy lived, the unlocked door creaking open as they began their search. Despite searching his office and bedroom, there was no sign of where Anthony had gone, so they left. The guards must pretend to search before returning to the packhouse to speak with Alpha Samuel, hoping he won't be killed for coming back without anything. Additionally, the guards haven't seen Jack all day, which is unusual because he is always with Alpha Samuel. The guard senses trouble brewing, and he's counting on Anthony to sort things out.