Chapter 58 Chapter 0058
•MASON•
Nadia’s words still echoed faintly in my mind as I looked at Liam and Jane standing near the door, both of them tense and ready for a fight they clearly believed had already begun.
I took a slow breath and rubbed the back of my neck before speaking.
“Liam,” I said calmly, forcing my voice to stay calm. “Jane will not be convicted of any crime. You shouldn't worry yourself anymore. The Luna and I will put this matter to rest.”
The words seemed to surprise him.
His shoulders stiffened, and the anger in his eyes softened, though the hurt was still very much present.
“You called her here to accuse her,” he said carefully. “What exactly are we supposed to think, Alpha? The entire council now believes that my Jane wants you dead.”
“I didn’t call her here to accuse her,” I replied, glancing briefly at Noah before returning my attention to him. “I called her here because rumors are spreading through the pack, and I wanted to stop them before they turned into something far worse.”
Jane stepped forward. “Alpha,” she muttered. “I have nothing to do with Cassandra, and I would never harm you or the pack.”
“I know,” I answered. "And I apologize on behalf of the Luna and the council members for accusing you without solid proof."
For a moment, Liam stared at me, then he nodded. He was my Delta, and I didn't want him to think I didn't trust him.
“Good,” he muttered. “Because if Jane had been sentenced for something she didn’t do, I would have taken her away from this pack tonight.”
“I understand,” I replied. “And you both are free to go.”
Jane let out a quiet breath of relief while Liam placed a protective hand on her shoulder.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she muttered, avoiding Noah’s gaze.
He was burning with fury.
They left the pack house without another word and closed the door behind them.
For several seconds, neither Noah nor I spoke. Then I turned toward him.
“Whatever scheme you had planned,” I said slowly, my voice far colder than before. “Stop it.”
His brows furrowed. “Alpha, I was only thinking about your safety. There's proof that Jane was speaking with Cassandra.”
“Stop it, Noah,” I replied. “And don't ever go behind my back and hold a meeting with the elders without even informing me.”
Noah opened his mouth to respond but paused when he saw the seriousness in my expression.
“You were ready to execute Jane without giving her the chance to defend herself,” I continued. “That will never happen in my pack.”
His jaw tightened. “I thought you would understand that the pack can't risk losing you.”
“The pack also can't risk losing its sense of justice,” I answered. "Let Jane be."
He lowered his gaze for a moment before nodding. “As you wish, Alpha.”
“Good,” I replied.
The conversation was over.
Without another word, I walked toward the corridor that led to the private wing of the pack house.
I already knew where Nadia had gone. When I reached our bedroom, the door was slightly open.
I pushed it gently and stepped inside.
She was standing near the window with her arms crossed, staring out at the darkening sky.
“I suppose you came to lecture me,” she said without turning around.
“I came to talk,” I replied.
She laughed quietly, though there was no humor in it. “Is that what you call it when you defend another woman over your own wife?”
“That’s not what happened,” I said, closing the door behind me.
She turned then, her eyes blazing with frustration. “You just told Liam and Jane that she’s innocent.”
“Because she is.”
“And how do you know that?” she snapped.
“Because none of this makes sense,” I answered. “Jane had no opportunity, no motive, and no reason to poison me.”
Nadia shook her head. “You’re being naïve, Mason. You can’t even see when someone is lying in your face. Liam will say anything to defend his mate!”
“No,” I answered, my voice hardening. “I’m being fair. Jane is the last person who would think of killing me.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “You are letting that woman manipulate you.”
“I’m not letting anyone manipulate me,” I replied. “But I won’t allow you to punish Jane for something she didn’t do.”
“You think I’m lying?” she asked.
“I think you’re angry,” I replied. “And I think you’re trying to direct that anger somewhere it doesn’t belong.”
Her eyes watered as she leaned toward me. “For three days you’ve been questioning me,” she whispered. “Three days of looking at me like I might be capable of killing you.”
“That’s not what I—”
“You asked me about the coffee!” she interrupted.
“Yes, I did,” I admitted. “Because I got sick after drinking it, and you were the one who brought it to me.”
Her shoulders trembled. “I would never hurt you.”
“I want to believe that,” I scoffed. "But there's no concrete evidence pointing toward Jane. She wasn’t in the pack house when you made the coffee."
She stared at me for a long moment before looking away. “I love you, Mason,” she murmured. “But if you are doubting that, if you are doubting me…”
Her voice faltered slightly before she finished. “Then maybe we should reconsider our marriage.”
She walked past me and left the room. The door closed behind her. I stood there alone, staring at the empty doorway.
“Damn it,” I groaned under my breath.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my chest.
It was so sudden and intense that I stumbled over, grabbing the edge of the bed for support as my hand instinctively pressed against my heart.
“Ah—”
The pain spread through my chest like fire, making it difficult to breathe.
Inside my mind, Ranger stirred violently. 'Mason, something is wrong.'
I clenched my teeth as another wave of pain hit me. “I know,” I muttered through gritted teeth.
But Ranger wasn’t focused on me.
'Mason,' he said again, his voice filled with sudden alarm. 'The pup.'
My breath caught. "What?"
'There's something wrong with the pup,' he answered. 'Her heartbeat is fading. We must find her. She needs us!'