Chapter 129

I must have read the note with my name on it at least thirty times. Each time, a fresh wave of chills ran down my spine. Whoever had written it not only knew who I was but also had a personal interest in me.

Was it someone I already knew?

I scanned the rest of the messages from EH again, dissecting every word. The sender was undoubtedly a man, someone who had shared a close relationship with Selene. Yet, the way he addressed her stood out—he never once referred to her as "princess" or "queen." His tone had been curt, authoritative, even harsh at times. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to imagine anyone speaking to Selene like that and getting away with it. I needed to talk to Varen.

I called him, and he picked up instantly.

"Well? What do you think?" His voice was tight with anticipation.

"It scared the hell out of me," I admitted, wincing at my own words.

"We need to figure out who this EH is. He might be the key to taking Selene down for everything she’s done," Varen said, his agitation clear.

"I agree, but I don’t know anyone with those initials. And the way he writes—it’s nothing like Beta Eamon..." I trailed off, thinking aloud.

"I think he’s a wolf. And not just any wolf—a powerful one," Varen deduced.

I let out a nervous laugh. "What makes you say that?" My mind was already forming a list of possibilities.

"There isn’t a vampire alive stronger than King Hadrian, and no vampire would dare cross him like this. Whoever this is, he’s managed to stay hidden for a long time—that takes skill and resources. And he’s targeting major vampire families..." Varen’s voice cracked at the end.

That’s when I remembered what Icarus had told me—about the recent attacks on vampire families, about Hadrian’s relentless hunt for the culprit. And now, as Varen spoke, I recognized the emotions buried beneath his words. Pain. Fury.

"Who was attacked?" I asked, my chest tightening.

"The Renfields," Varen said, his voice raw. "The entire family was slaughtered inside their fortress-like mansion."

I heard him struggling to maintain his composure.

"Oh, God..." I whispered, pressing a hand over my mouth.

Varen had once told me that Mr. Renfield had always supported him, giving him protection and status despite his half-breed nature. Their friendship had spanned decades, and now—just like that—his friend was gone. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much this loss weighed on him.

"I’m so sorry," I murmured, my chest aching. "I didn’t know Mr. Renfield for long, but he was... he was kind. A good man."

"He was," Varen agreed, but there was something dark in his tone. "That’s why I’m going to find that wolf and make sure he suffers."

"Varen..." I sighed. "We can’t be certain that EH is responsible for this. And we definitely don’t know if a wolf was behind the attack." I treaded carefully, knowing he was grieving, but logic had to guide us forward.

"Vampires don’t kill like this!" he snapped, his voice laced with barely contained rage. "Only wild animals would rip an entire family apart, flood an entire mansion with their blood!"

Something about his words stung. I had never truly identified with my wolf lineage, but I was part of a pack now. The wolves I lived among were not mindless, savage beasts. But I swallowed my retort and took a slow breath.

"Think about it, Thalassa," Varen pressed on. "Five vampire families have been attacked. Every single one of them opposed Selene’s reign. And more than that, they openly supported you. Now add the fact that EH has some strange fixation on you—it all fits too perfectly to be a coincidence."

I couldn’t argue with that. The more I considered it, the clearer it became—EH might have been responsible for the previous attacks on Monteforte City’s blood banks and the raid on Kesslers’ Castle.

"I don’t think EH’s actions have anything to do with me," I said, piecing everything together. "It’s Hadrian he’s after. Everything EH has done so far has chipped away at Hadrian’s power. There are more than fifteen messages from him—he could very well be the mastermind behind every attack in Monteforte City. First, he showed that Hadrian couldn’t even keep his own city safe. Now, he’s proving that Hadrian isn’t fit to wear the crown..."

And then, a horrifying realization struck me, freezing the blood in my veins.

If Hadrian’s position was crumbling and every noble family that could have supported him was being wiped out, he would have only one person left to turn to—Selene.

Was that the real purpose behind all of this? To drive Hadrian straight into Selene’s waiting arms?

The thought made me sick.

"Varen," I said urgently, my voice trembling. "You need to show these messages to the King."

"I can’t just request an audience with Hadrian without Selene finding out," he reminded me, frustration laced in his tone.

"Then go to Gareth!" I snapped. "Hadrian needs to know that EH isn’t finished. He’s going to strike again—and next time, it’ll be an even deeper wound!"

"You’re so worried about Hadrian," Varen growled, "but have you even considered that you might be living next door to the murderer?"

I stiffened. "Excuse me?!"

"You can’t seriously be ruling out Kenzo," he said bitterly.

I recoiled. "Kenzo?! Are you insane? He’s far from perfect, but he hates Selene as much as I do! Why would he even want the vampire throne?!"

My blood was boiling. Suspecting a few spiteful werewolves—like those from my father’s pack—was one thing, but Alpha Kenzo? That was another matter entirely. I had no trouble believing my father was orchestrating attacks against the King from the House of Kessler. We already had enough circumstantial evidence to suggest his former Beta had been working with Selene, possibly for years. If Cassius Marwood turned out to be involved in the recent attacks, it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest.

But Kenzo? He had signed the peace treaty with the vampires. Four thousand of them were set to fight by his side, aiding his bid for the throne and the restoration of his family’s royal name. He didn’t seem like someone who cared about ruling the vampire world.

“Thalassa…” Varen sighed, his voice calm but laced with meaning. “It’s only rational to question his intentions. EH is powerful, and so is Kenzo. EH has resources at his disposal, while Kenzo is sharp, and his pack is the size of a village. And let’s not forget—EH said you were his, whatever that means, while Kenzo claims you’re his destined mate. What more proof do you need?”

“This is ridiculous, Varen.” Frustration curled in my chest. “For all we know, EH and Selene were lovers. And I can’t even begin to imagine Kenzo being involved with that ice-cold bitch.”

Varen remained unfazed. “Fine. Then prove me wrong.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “What?”

“Do you know where Kenzo keeps his documents and private correspondence?”

I hesitated. “Well… yes. He has a huge desk in his bedroom with plenty of locked drawers. There are also folders stacked on his bookshelves.”

“Perfect.” I could hear the wicked amusement in his voice. “Find something handwritten. Compare it to EH’s notes. Who knows, you might even stumble upon Selene’s replies.”

I burst into laughter, the sheer absurdity of his suggestion hitting me all at once. “You can’t be serious! You expect me to break into Alpha Kenzo’s bedroom and rifle through his things?”

“Why not?” Varen asked smoothly. “You have your super-genes. I’m sure you’d make an excellent spy.”

I could practically see the smirk on his face. As much as I hated his plan, I couldn’t deny that it was the fastest way to clear Kenzo of suspicion. But the thought of what I might find—of what it would mean if Varen was right—sent an icy shiver through me.

No. It wasn’t possible.

I wasn’t blind to my own naivety, but everything in me refused to believe Kenzo was some bloodthirsty traitor. And yet, I gave in to Varen’s ridiculous idea, convincing myself that if I didn’t do this, I would never truly be able to trust Kenzo.

The moment I ended the call, regret sank its claws into me.

I found myself sharpening my focus, using my enhanced hearing to track Kenzo’s movements, waiting for the moment he left his room. When he finally headed downstairs, I exhaled, my pulse thrumming with adrenaline. Oberon had taught me things no parent ever should, and now, I put that knowledge to use.

Reaching for a pin from my toiletry bag, I steadied myself in front of Kenzo’s door.

This is insane.

But I still slid the pin into the lock, twisting it with practiced precision until I heard a familiar click. A smirk tugged at my lips, the thrill of playing the part of an amateur burglar sinking in. I eased the door open, stepped inside, and carefully shut it behind me.

My gaze swept across the room before landing on the sheer mass of printed documents cluttering Kenzo’s desk.

Just looking at them gave me a headache.

Sifting through this mess could take hours.

I let out a heavy sigh.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?”