Chapter 75 I don't think so
~ Kael's POV ~
“Good morning, Alpha,” all four of them chorused in unison, their heads lowering in a display of respect as they stood before my desk.
“Good morning, Caroline, Ronald, and…” I deliberately trailed off, allowing my gaze to settle on the little pup standing between them. He looked no older than six or seven, small and thin, with wide eyes that darted around the room. “What is your name?” I asked, directing my full attention to him.
“His name is Dante,” Caroline answered quickly, her voice cutting in before the child could respond, and irritation flared instantly within me.
I slowly shifted my gaze from the boy to her, letting the silence stretch just enough to make my displeasure clear.
“Is he mute?” I asked, my tone calm but my expression sharp enough to tell her she had just stepped into territory she was not meant to cross.
“No, he's not,” she replied immediately, lowering her head once more.
“Then why are you speaking for him?” I asked evenly.
“I am sorry, Alpha,” she apologized, pressing her lips together as if restraining herself.
I turned my attention back to the child, softening my posture just slightly.
“What is your name?” I asked again.
“Dante Ronald,” he finally said in a small, timid voice. Under normal circumstances, I would have insisted that he speak louder, but this situation required patience rather than intimidation.
I nodded once, then turned my attention back to his mother.
“Caroline, I was informed of a misunderstanding that occurred two days ago,” I began. “I want you to tell me exactly what happened.”
“Thank you for granting me this privilege, Alpha,” she said gratefully. “Two days ago, Dante was outside playing with his friends. When he returned home, he looked extremely pale and was shaking badly. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me he had gone down to the archives to hide, and while there he encountered a warrior and a witch. He said the witch attacked him by throwing books at him until he lost consciousness.” She finished her account with a shaky breath.
“Come here, Dante,” I said, gesturing for the boy to step forward.
He hesitated for a moment, then walked toward me.
“Sit down,” I instructed, pointing to the chair directly opposite mine.
He climbed onto it and sat stiffly, his small feet barely touching the ground.
“How are you feeling today?” I asked, keeping my voice neutral and steady so I would not frighten him.
“I feel fine,” he answered.
“That is good,” I said. “Now I want you to tell me what happened, and I want you to tell me the truth. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Alpha,” he replied, nodding his head.
He then began to recount the incident, telling the same story his mother had shared, but this time from his own perspective, his voice wavering as he spoke.
“You said she threw books at you,” I said when he was done. “How did she do it? Did she throw them with her hands?”
“No, Alpha. It was with magic,” his mother interjected before he could answer.
“Yes,” Dante said at the same time. “She stretched out her hand, and the books hit me.”
I clenched my jaw, irritation simmering beneath the surface. Was his mother truly determined to test my patience this morning?
“Caroline,” I called.
“Yes, Alpha,” she responded immediately, lowering her head again.
“Were you present when this incident occurred?” I asked.
“No, Alpha.”
“Then why are you speaking as though you witnessed it firsthand?” I pressed. “Did you put your son up to this?”
Her head snapped up briefly before she shook it frantically, realization dawning that her interference was steering the situation in a dangerous direction.
“No, I didn't,” she said quickly. “I’m only speaking from a place of pain. I’m sorry, Alpha. I will be quiet now.” She finally fell silent, and I hoped it would be the last interruption from her.
“Dante,” I said, returning my attention to the boy. “Are you certain that everything you have told me is the truth?”
“Yes,” he answered firmly. “That is what happened.”
At that moment, a knock echoed through the office. I already knew who it was.
“Come in, Elder Rowan,” I said.
“Welcome back, Kael,” Elder Rowan greeted. “You should be resting after such a long journey.”
“I should be,” I replied, “but not while my house is on fire. Once the fire is put out, I will rest. Please go and fetch Taren and the witch from my quarters.”
He nodded in understanding and left immediately.
As we waited, my gaze moved slowly from Dante’s parents to the third individual present, whose role I did not yet understand and chose not to question, and finally to Dagan, who had remained unusually quiet throughout the interrogation.
When Elder Rowan returned with Lyra and Taren, I felt it instantly. The atmosphere in the room shifted, thickening with tension as all eyes turned toward them.
“Dante, are these the people you saw at the archives?” I asked the boy carefully. Even before he could respond, I noticed the deep furrow forming between his brows, a small but telling sign that something was not right.
“I don't know,” he finally said, shaking his head slowly as uncertainty clouded his young face.
“What do you mean?” I pressed, my voice calm but firm as I leaned closer to him.
“It looks like them, but I don't think it is them. I am not sure,” he said again, his confusion growing more obvious with every word. In that moment, it dawned on me that Lyra might have done something before they arrived here, something that altered what he remembered or how he perceived it.
“Look at their faces carefully and tell me if it was them you saw,” I instructed.
The boy obeyed, taking his time as his eyes moved from one face to another. His silence stretched on before he finally shook his head again.
“I don't think so,” he concluded, still staring at them with a puzzled expression, as though the answer continued to elude him no matter how hard he tried to grasp it.
“Taren, did you see this pup at the archives two days ago?” I asked, shifting my attention to Taren.
“Yes, Alpha,” he answered promptly, just as I had instructed them to do through Kaitlyn.
“Tell me exactly what happened,” I demanded, my patience thinning as the tension in the room thickened.
“While we were searching for the item you asked Miss Lyra to retrieve, the pup came running into the archives,” Taren began. “He accidentally bumped into a shelf that had books piled high at the top. The books fell on him before we could react, and he passed out. Miss Lyra healed him and brought him back to consciousness. After that, I suffered a muscle strain that incapacitated me for a few minutes. During that time, the pup slipped away from the archives without being noticed.”
“If that is the case, then why did you not come out for questioning?” Dagan demanded, his voice sharp with barely restrained fury as he turned on Taren. “Why did you spend two days hiding in Alpha’s quarters?”
“That was because I received information that I was wanted for arrest,” Taren replied steadily. “I knew I was on official duty. If I was arrested, there would be no one else to carry out my assignment, and that would have cost me everything. I decided it was better to wait for the one who appointed me to return before presenting myself for questioning.”
Dagan still looked dissatisfied, his anger simmering beneath the surface, but I did not give him the opportunity to hurl more questions.
“Caroline, did you take Dante to the clinic after what happened?” I asked, turning to the pup’s mother.
“No, Alpha,” she replied. “He did not look hurt or wounded, only frightened, so I assumed he was fine.”
“Have you ever heard of mentally unstable werewolves?” I asked her.
“Yes, Alpha,” she answered cautiously.
“Do you know how it starts?” I continued.
“No, Alpha,” she admitted.
“Would you like me to tell you how it starts?” I asked. She did not respond this time. I seized the moment. “Your son told you that someone hurt him and that he passed out. Instead of taking him to the clinic to ensure he did not suffer internal injuries, you chose to parade him around the pack house, announcing what had happened to him.”
I turned to Dante, using his lingering confusion to my advantage. “Dante, you are only confused because you hit your head badly and lost consciousness. The witch did not hurt you. She helped you. When you woke up, did you feel any pain?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
“That is because she took the pain away,” I explained gently. “However, you still need medical attention. Thank you for telling me everything. Next time, if you see something suspicious, do not hesitate to come to me, all right?”
“Okay,” he nodded, offering me a small, shy smile.
For a brief moment, I found myself imagining what a pup born of Lyra and me might look like, and I had to force back a smile of my own.
“Ronald, take Dante to the clinic now and inform Kaitlyn that he is to receive priority treatment,” I ordered.
“I will do that, Alpha. Thank you,” Ronald replied, and they all filed out of my office one after the other.
I looked at Lyra and saw the unmistakable relief etched across her face. “Elder Rowan, please take her back to my quarters. Taren, get her something to eat.”
They left, leaving only Dagan and me behind once more.
“How was I supposed to know that you asked the witch to retrieve something for you from the archives when you did not inform me?” Dagan asked sharply.
“The Dagan I know would have called to ask about it, even if I had not informed him beforehand,” I said coldly. “The one standing before me now is becoming unrecognizable. Let this be the last time something like this happens. You may leave.”