Chapter 67 Faking His Death (I)
Calhoun's POV
It's been a week since I told Bruce to announce my fake death to everyone, while I stay hiding. My men are already setting traps for Alpha Ezra because they know he'd come since he's always wanted what's mine.
To think he's always despised me after everything I have done for him. Requested I visit him while he had plans of poisoning me with backbone.
I am still affected by what happened that day because I never expected someone like Alpha Ezra to stab me in the back.
Bruce, the four-pack doctors, and Kristen are the only people aware that I am alive. I haven't confronted Natalie since I pushed away from me but I am certain Bruce was able to convince her to keep her mouth shut about me being alive. To be honest, I don't care if she'll go about telling everyone the truth. I don't want anything to do with her as I am to divorce her right after this whole thing with Alpha Ezra dies down.
But she's doing a job well done by acting like a widow, wearing all black every day as if she's mourning me. She's quite a good actress, and maybe, just maybe it was one of the many reasons I was drawn to her.
Except I don't feel a thing for her anymore.
Kristen is all that matters to me. She saved my life when everyone gave up on me. And how she confessed to loving me with tears in her eyes is something which still makes my heart quake in my chest.
There's a knock on the door and upon sensing who it is, I unlock it.
"Today is your fake funeral," Bruce announces as he makes his way into the cottage.
Today is indeed the day someone else is getting buried in place of me. The pack doctors were able to bring a dead body whose face was brutalized, and they claimed it was me.
"Did you send out the invites for the post-funeral reception?" I ask Bruce when he shut the door behind him.
And he nods.
"Yes, Alpha Calhoun. The traitor sent back word that he'll be there," the person who Bruce is referring to is Alpha Ezra, the man who murdered me.
"What about Nana Joyce?" I ask.
"She's a complete shadow of herself. Hasn't spoken a word or two to anyone.
Facepalming, I sigh upon picturing my grandmother in tears. A dull pain spread through my chest because I don't want to think about the amount of pain she's going through. I'm her only grandchild and the last family she has. This was why she persuaded me to get Natalie pregnant so she could have grandchildren.
"I feel awful for doing this," I tell Bruce.
"But you have no choice," he says.
I give him a firm nod because it's the truth. I'll make up for the pain I've caused her but first things need to be handled with care otherwise my plan won't work out.
"And my people?" I inquire, rolling the vodka on the tabletop.
"They're still mourning you," Bruce provides as he holds the bottle, uncorks the lid, and drinks straight from it.
"Things will be rectified right after today,"
"Wait," Bruce leaves his side and walks until he's standing in front of me, with uncertainty resting on his face.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Alpha Calhoun?"
"Trust me, I've never been so certain of anything in my entire life," My voice is firm when I give him this response.
Upon hearing this, Bruce thins his lips and gives me a firm nod.
A few hours later, Bruce is driving me to the graveyard. I am seated in the back seat of the car, in a disguise so people will not recognize me. The wig, contact lenses, and artificial beard gives me a completely different look that I'm certain if I walk right past Alpha Ezra, he won't know it's me.
When we get to the graveyard, I alight from the car before Bruce does, and I can see quite a large number of people already gathering. They're all dressed in depressing black with mournful looks on their faces.
I see Natalie again with a few of her friends consoling her as she blows her nose loudly into a hankie. While she's at this, our eyes connect but she immediately looks away because she cannot recognize me. Good.
Nana Joyce is being led to the graveyard by some of her omega servants and she seemed to have lost over ten pounds from the weight of thinking.
Puffing out a breath, I rake my hair because this fake death thing is taking turmoil on my grandmother.
I am yet to lay my eyes on who I've been longing to see.
Kristen.
My mate.
My fiance.
Did she even come at all?
We've been apart since I began faking my death and it's only been a week but I miss her.
Pushing my hands through my pocket, I blend into the crowd so no one will suspect a thing. Alpha Ezra is yet to show up. Perhaps he's grooming himself to perfection to attend the long-awaited funeral of the alpha whom he secretly loathed and killed.
At last, I find Kristen. She's with her friends and Alpha Gregory's son, Ben. The boy has his arm on her shoulders and I ground my teeth until my jaw starts to hurt because jealousy is weaving through my stomach.
How did Kristen get close to him again?
From the onlook of things, it's clear he's thinking about marrying her and making her his Luna he's made Alpha. He already thinks I'm out of the picture, so his hold on her shoulder is lingering more than normal.
Kristen has her eyes free from tears and I'm glad she's not faking anything.
Relief floods through me when she pulls Ben's arm away from her shoulders and turns around as if she's in search of something
...or someone.
Me.
Our eyes meet and hold.
And all it takes for her to know it's me, is the connection aligning our wolves and the mate bond.
A smile threatens to take over her face but her left eye twitches when she hardens her jaw.
Words aren't enough to express how much I have missed her, and longed for her presence.
The urge to go to her is powerful but I remain where I am because I don't want to fuck things up today.
Enough willpower is highly needed to carry out a successful operation
Looking away from Kristen's gaze, I turn my back to her.