Chapter 16 16
Nathan's POV:
I could feel the weight of my own decisions pressing down on me as I drove, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary because my mind wouldn’t stop spinning about every choice I'd made lately. Betraying Caesar, stalling Jericho’s plans, and keeping my family safe, it all tangled into a gnawing mess of fear and guilt.
My thoughts drifted, inevitably, to my wife, Donna, and my seven-year-old son. Were they okay? Were they being watched? Or worse, had Jericho already harmed them? I shivered at the thought and it made me realize that every second I delayed could mean disaster for them. If I didn’t act, stalling the plan against Caesar could very well anger Jericho, and well… he doesn't forgive easily.
For whatever reason under the Goddess's moon, Jericho loved people he could manipulate, and I was the easiest target because he knew what extent I would go to just to save my family. That’s why I had to get it done and hopefully, if the plan succeeded and I took the fall, my family would be free.
But then, a question gnawed at the back of my mind: ‘What if, even after I take the fall, Jericho still doesn’t let go of them?’
‘No. No, I can't dwell on that now.’ I muttered under my breath.
First things first, I needed to find them. I can't just sit around waiting for the task to be done before I get to see them, I will find them myself. And hopefully, the detective that I was on my way to meet would be helpful.
Because if I didn’t get a lead soon, I’d be forced to take matters into my own hands, and that meant going through with the plan to eliminate Caesar. My thoughts jolted when I remembered that Evelyn had called me to the Packhouse earlier and supposedly, it was to distract Jenna and Caesar while they were cooking in the kitchen.
Distract them? That could only mean… fuck! Evelyn wanted them distracted so she could slip something into their food
But why did Jericho not mention this plan to me?
I cursed under my breath, heart pounding. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Caesar, the Alpha, and everyone would die if I don’t act. But what could I do? Go back now and check on them?
“No, I have to continue forward.’ Because the detective had called a few minutes ago, saying that he was ready for us to meet up and I was told to meet him at a cafe around the outskirts of the Pack.
Pulling into the cafe parking lot, I parked and took a deep breath. Then I stepped inside and glanced around in search of Detective Stan who I spotted was seated at the far end, a cappuccino in front of him, and made my way over.
“Stan.” I greeted, sliding into the booth across from him.
“Beta Nathan.” He called. “You look like hell. Is everything alright?”
“Depends on your definition of alright.” I muttered, running a hand through my hair but before I could go further, the waitress arrived at that moment, to take my order. “I need a strong black coffee with no sugar.” I added curtly, then watched her leave.
Stan raised an eyebrow, swirling his cappuccino. “Strong? That’s not just the coffee talking, I assume.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “You have no idea.” I leaned back. “I made a lot of horrible choices recently, all because of my family. And now I’m wondering if any of it’s going to matter if I can’t find them in time.”
Stan nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “Family, huh? That’s always a strong motivator.”
He paused when the waitress returned and placed a cup of black coffee right in front of me. Nodding her off, I kept my gaze on the chipped edge of the coffee cup, as Detective Stan leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp, observant, like he could read every fragment of my thought I didn’t even want to admit to myself.
“So.” He started, folding his arms. “Why a private detective? Why not go through the police? You are the Beta of the Pack so they would’ve definitely moved mountains for you.”
“I wanted discretion.” I shrugged, though it felt heavier than any gesture could carry. “If the wrong ears hear, it could get…” I stopped myself. The thought of my wife and son being pawns in some larger game didn’t need finishing. “Police have good intentions, but they aren’t subtle and subtlety is what I need.”
Stan studied me for a long beat, then his eyes narrowed slightly. “Funny… I can’t shake the feeling you already know who might’ve done this.”
I met his gaze evenly, forcing the calm I didn’t feel. “Just a suspicion.” I said. “Nothing more.”
“You can tell me.” He said gently, leaning forward. “It might help.”
“No.” I shook my head, the stiffness in my neck matching the weight in my chest. “Just… do your thing. If the trail leads where I think it might, fine and if it doesn’t, fine. All that matters is finding them.”
There was a pause as the detective gave a slow, understanding nod. “Alright, then start at the beginning and tell me everything you know.”
I exhaled, letting the words spill before I could stop them. “It happened when I was at work in the Packhouse. I left for a few hours, got back and they were gone. I saw no sign of struggle, and the alarm didn’t go off.”
Stan’s pen scratched across the notepad, but he didn’t interrupt. When I paused, he asked. “Have you looked around the house? Did you find anything … unusual?”
I shook my head. “I’ve checked, rechecked and I’ve gone over everything a dozen times but I still found nothing out of place.”
“Good.” He said, and the edge in his voice softened slightly. “I’d like to come by and look around, to see if I can notice anything you might have missed. Even the smallest detail could matter.”
“Fine.” I said. “Just do whatever it takes.”
Stan folded his notes, giving me a steady, reassuring look. “I’ll be in touch, Nathan. And I’ll find them, no matter what.”
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I let myself believe it. “Thank you.” I said, my voice low, but steady. “Thank you for doing this.”
He nodded once. “Don’t thank me yet, let’s get them back first.”
A faint smile crossed my lips. “Thank you. I mean it, Stan.” I called over the waitress, handing her cash to cover the two of us. “Keep the change.”
I stood up, preparing to leave, hoping my next steps would be productive. But just as I reached my car, my phone rang and I dug it out of my pocket, to see the screen had lit up with Jericho’s name and my stomach sank. “Are you spying on me, Nathan?” Jericho’s voice came through as soon as I picked the call, and instantly set my nerves on edge.