Chapter 21: CHAPTER TWENTY

Laying Down the Rules

Harry reeked of fear. Elena hoped with every fiber of her being she’d interpreted his unspoken words correctly and that she’d read the signs coherently. She knew she couldn’t trust Edgar. Once Edgar got wind of her business dealings outside of her fashion empire. Dammit.

“I need to get back to the office.” She was careful to keep the panic in her voice natural. It wasn’t easy to fool her Alpha. Fake or not, they’d spent enough time together to identify what the other was feeling and when they were lying.

“Relax, Elena. Edgar will take of it. You know how much he cares about you.”

Elena didn’t miss Harry rolling his eyes when he mentioned Edgar’s name.

“Don’t get yourself worked up over something you can’t control. You need to focus on your recovery so you can get out of here,” Harry said.

She couldn’t wait to walk out of this hospital.

“Do you remember anything that happened to you before you were admitted to the hospital?” Harry asked.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Nothing at all?” Harry prompted.

He was probably being so inquisitive for Edgar’s benefit.

“No. I don’t remember much about what happened. It must be all this medication.” She gestured at the intravenous lines still taped to her veins. “This crap really eats away at my memory. I feel like I lose a few memories every day that I spend here. I’ve never reacted well to medication.”

Harry shot her a warning look. Was she overdoing it? She yawned. “I’m exhausted,” she said.

“Let me leave you to rest,” Harry said.

“Thank you. I can’t wait to get out here.” Her voice trailed off as she feigned sleep. I hope you enjoyed my performance, Edgar, she thought as Harry treaded softly out of her ward. Why couldn’t Edgar just let her live her life like they’d agreed to at the Blue Moon Ball? What had gotten into him? Why did he feel the sudden need to play the caring Alpha?

***

Edgar paced his study, his frustration building up. How had Elena known he was listening to her conversation with Harry? He knew Harry hadn’t said a word to her. Had he somehow communicated with her silently? No. Only two mates who truly loved each other could communicate with silent precision. Harry couldn’t possibly be Elena’s type. He pictured her with a bad boy, not someone with softer skills like Harry’s. If Harry couldn’t find out anything more about her, he was going to have to do it himself. He needed to conduct this investigation himself. There was only one problem – he didn’t want Harry to see Alia. Apart from the doctors and guards protecting her, he didn’t want anyone else near her. Neither did he want them to get a sense of just how powerful his unborn was.

He phoned Robert. “Please see me in my study.”

Robert appeared in the study as if by magic. “How can I assist, Mr. Callen?”

“I’m going to visit Elena in the hospital. Please keep a close eye on my surrogate. I don’t want anyone, regardless of whether they’re my staff or not even catching a glimpse of her,” Edgar said.

“Noted, Mr. Callen.”

“I should be back before eight p.m.,” Edgar said. He had to visit Elena and lay down the rules. She couldn’t do as she pleased and compromise the existence of all supernatural creatures.

Robert nodded. “Don’t worry, Mr. Callen. I’ll keep your surrogate safe.” Robert followed Edgar out of the study. “I’ll personally keep an eye on her. I’ll call my brothers to patrol the outside of your property.”

“Thank you,” Edgar said, a little relieved he still had someone on his staff he could trust. “Call me even if you suspect anything untoward,” Edgar said.

“I’ll do that, Mr. Callen.”

Edgar felt a little lighter as he left for the hospital. He needed to speak to Elena himself. He couldn’t postpone this any longer. He pushed all thoughts of Alia out of his head as he drove to the hospital. Every instinct in his being warned him to be weary of Elena. What could she possibly be up to? Edgar wondered as he parked. She’d always been ambitious, a little too greedy for money, and hungry for adventure. What if he’d misread the signs? What if she’d never been hungry for adventure? What if she had always possessed an insatiable greed for wealth, power, and fame? The more he thought about it, the more sense it made to him. When was the last time she’d gone diving in the Maldives? Or bungee jump off a bridge that would make the bravest Alpha tremble? Instead, her sense of adventure was glued tight to how much money she could earn. What on earth would she do with all that money? Edgar funneled as much money as he could into educating wolves and ensuring they never went hungry. As far as he knew, Elena didn’t have any philanthropic interests.

The wolves he’d hired to guard the hospital acknowledged Edgar with slight nods as he walked past them. Elena was propped against freshly plumped-up pillows when he entered her ward. Her eyes widened when she glimpsed him.

“Edgar, what a pleasant surprise!” she exclaimed.

Her smile was a little too bright, her voice slightly higher pitched than usual. Edgar’s heart broke a little at her forced cheerfulness. “I couldn’t wait to see how you were doing,” Edgar said. He planted a kiss on her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

Her smile widened even more. “Great! I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed.”

“It’s ready and waiting for you in Manhattan,” Edgar said. He watched her face closely for her reaction.

“Manhattan?” Her smile faltered. Her voice shook. “What happened to our home in Long island?”

“It isn’t safe for us to go back there.”

Genuine shock flittered in her eyes. “What do you mean it isn’t safe?”

“I was attacked.” He wouldn’t tell her now the only form of attack had been wolf’s bane filling every nook and cranny of the house – something he suspected she’d done. “I’ve increased our security in Manhattan. You can redesign your bedroom there and choose your own workspace—”

“What?” Elena gasped. “What do you mean by that? I have my own offices.”

“You will not be returning there until I find out who tried to kill you, Elena,” he said, his voice calm, “I will not let you out of my sight until I find out who is responsible for all this.”

Her breathing became erratic. “Edgar, please. You can’t do this to me. You can’t hold me captive.”

“Then tell me what you remember about the attack on your life, Elena,” he said, “tell me who did this to you so I can take care of them and make sure this never happens again.”

She shook her head frantically. “I don’t remember anything, Edgar. But this doesn’t mean I cannot go on with my life. You know me. I cannot sit around in fear. I need to go on with my life.”

“Your life will go on,” Edgar assured her, “I’m just going to keep you safe while it does.” He wished Elena were a better actress. The look of repulsion when her gaze met his tore through him. He realized at that moment that she didn't care at all about him, the way he cared for her.

***