CHAPTER. SEVENTY-THREE

CHAPTER. SEVENTY-THREE
“Are you certain it was him? Did you actually see the killer?” Alpha Thorne asked, his sharp gaze fixed on Elowen. Though he suspected Alpha Varick, the revelation she shared complicated his thoughts.

“No. I got there too late,” Elowen whispered, her voice trembling. “Calla was gone before I even reached her. But who else could it have been? Don Ravano threatened me—he said I’d be next if I didn’t return to him. Calla’s best friend, the one she was with that day, saw the man wearing a white mask. Don Ravano has that mask. I’ve seen it before. It looks like a joker’s mask,” Elowen explained, her certainty cutting through the room like a blade.

Hearing this, Alpha Thorne felt a measure of relief. At least now he could be certain that the person who stabbed Calla was not who he initially feared—but his obligation to protect Elowen remained. She was Calla’s older sister, and the threat looming over her life demanded action. Rising to his feet, he grabbed a black leather jacket from a nearby chair and draped it over his shoulders.

“Stay here,” he ordered.

Elowen hesitated, shaking her head. She had known all along that she would not be offered the job. Who would hire a school dropout like her? Though she had adjusted her CV to align with the role, the truth was that her experience had mostly been in illegal ventures. Alpha Thorne, she was certain, would not overlook her past if he knew the full story.

“I should leave,” she said, attempting to stand.

Her defiance irritated Alpha Thorne. He frowned deeply and leaned closer, voice low and dangerous. “Do you want to die?” He recalled how Calla had been eager to go to school that day—the same eagerness that had placed her directly in harm’s way. If only she had hesitated, he thought, she might still be alive. Perhaps he could have arranged for a hidden guardian to follow her, protecting her from the danger she never realized.

Wiping her tears, Elowen took a deep breath and asked, her voice small but probing, “Why are you helping me? I came here for a job. Why should my life matter to someone like you?”

Alpha Thorne’s expression softened slightly, but there was still steel beneath his words. “Calla was special to me,” he said quietly.

Elowen froze. Then, in a sudden flash of recognition, she asked, “Are you… Thorn?” The only man her sister had ever referred to by that name—and with such affection—was Alpha Thorne. In that instant, Elowen realized her sister had truly fallen for him.

“Thorne,” he corrected gently, a hint of a frown on his brow. Only Calla had ever called him Thorn in her early infatuation, though he had always liked the nickname.

Elowen’s heart leapt, and she recounted what she knew. “The day Calla met you, she called me. She said she met the most handsome man in the world and that she thought he liked her too. She called you Thorn.”

A faint smile tugged at Alpha Thorne’s lips. “That’s what she called me. I was supposed to pick her up from school that day—but I arrived too late.” Regret shadowed his expression. He had missed the chance to safeguard her before school hours ended.

Elowen drew courage from the revelation. Knowing that Alpha Thorne had been important to her sister gave her hope. Now she could pursue justice for Calla, the vengeance she had long dreamed of. “If she was as special to you as she was to me, then Don Ravano should pay,” she said firmly.

Alpha Thorne nodded internally. There were two sides to this story, and he did not want to make a mistake. Yet even if he was mistaken about Don Ravano’s involvement in Calla’s death, the man had wronged Elowen enough to demand justice. He was the one responsible for her parents’ deaths, after all; any debt owed by them was meaningless once their lives were taken.

“Stay here,” Alpha Thorne instructed. “A man will escort you to a secure location where you will train for this role in secret. Once your trainer confirms that you’re ready, you will start working at this casino.”

Elowen blocked his path, fear flickering across her face. “Wait… you’re not going to sell me into prostitution, are you?” she demanded. She had learned well the dangers of falling into the hands of the wrong dons, and the memory of past abuses made her wary.

“What makes you think that?” Alpha Thorne asked, his voice a mixture of disappointment and frustration.

“Those Dons… when they speak of training, it’s never just training. It’s abuse,” she admitted.

Thorne massaged his nape, acknowledging the grim truth. “I am Alpha Thorne, but I am nothing like them. I will be away for a while, but I will be updated on your progress. If you wish to work for me, you must train seriously.”

Elowen’s relief was palpable. For the first time, she sensed a chance at legitimate work. “Can I have your number?” she asked cautiously.

“Yes—but only in emergencies.” He slid a card across the Obsidian Hearth Table. Minutes later, Riseh entered.

“Our boss has arranged for your new residence,” Riseh said. “You have a car, a personal bodyguard, and a professional trainer. Video updates will go directly to him. Take this seriously.”

Elowen’s chest swelled with gratitude. Though Calla had been taken from her too soon, the opportunities she had long dreamed of—security, resources, a chance to earn honestly—were now within reach.

“Is your boss married?” Elowen asked suddenly. Riseh frowned. “You should ask him yourself. Let’s go.”

Elowen resolved to honor her sister’s memory, determined to prove her worth. First, she would master the skills needed for her new role and secure her place in a world that had once seemed hopeless.

Meanwhile, back at the lounge, Alpha Thorne arrived. Once he verified Don Ravano’s presence, he commanded his Shadow Elite to unlock the exits. Don Ravano’s allies bolted at the sight of Thorne, leaving the older man stranded and vulnerable.

“Don Ravano,” Alpha Thorne said coldly. The man trembled, realizing that at the moment he needed support most, he had none.