Chapter 24 24
Venessa’s POV
“Let’s see how far this will take us, Nyla,” I murmured to my wolf. She didn’t respond, her silence heavy with meaning.
“Venessa.”
Denzel’s voice brushed against my mind, sudden and unwelcome. For a heartbeat, I didn’t know how to respond.
“Yes, Alpha,” I finally linked back.
Silence stretched between us before he spoke again. “Where are you?”
I told him.
“How are you feeling?” he asked. “Rayon said you came to him.”
“I’m fine now, Alpha,” I replied quickly. “I’m over it. I wish you the best.”
Again, silence.
“I’m truly sorry for everything,” he said at last. I heard the finality in his tone, and I knew then he had let go. Denzel was a responsible man. With a child on the way, there was no path where he would allow himself to pursue whatever feelings had once existed between us.
“When my one year is complete,” I said quietly, “I would like to leave.”
He didn’t answer right away.
“I’ll work toward that, Venessa,” he said eventually. “I’m deeply sorry. You have no idea how much this development saddens me.”
I didn’t respond. There was nothing left to say. When the link fell silent, I rose from the garden bench, my chest tight but resolved.
Then the bells rang.
Something was happening.
The Werewolf King has arrived, the pack link announced.
My stomach churned. What was he doing here? A lot had changed recently, but this I understood this much. Whatever was unfolding now mattered. I turned toward my room, intent on removing myself from the chaos.
That was when I caught Beta Tyrell’s scent.
I slowed, then followed it down the corridor, my instincts sharpening. The trail led me toward an abandoned section of the service quarters. As I neared the final door, the sounds reached me—soft at first, then unmistakable. Moans. Intimate. Familiar.
I didn’t need confirmation. I heard them as though I were inside the room myself. My hearing had grown frighteningly sharp, and I didn’t understand how or why.
My heart pounded. This was it.
Driven by urgency, I linked Denzel immediately. Please meet me at the deserted part of the service quarters. Now. It’s urgent.
There was a delay before he answered. When I’m done with the king, he replied. He sounded preoccupied already in the man’s presence. Then the link closed.
Disappointment hit hard. I debated calling Rayon, hesitated, then decided against it. Instead, I slipped into a broom closet along the corridor and waited, holding my breath.
Moments later, the door opened.
“My father is here,” Jalisa said briskly. “We need to shower and join them. We can’t risk being discovered. Denzel may trust you blindly, but my father isn’t a fool. He’ll know.”
“How long are we supposed to keep this up?” Tyrell asked, impatience edging his voice.
They passed directly by the closet.
“Do you smell that?” Tyrell asked suddenly.
Jalisa sighed. “Forget it. We can’t be late. We’ll deal with the scent later.”
Their footsteps faded.
I stayed hidden for several minutes after they were gone, my heart racing. When I finally emerged, I grabbed the bleach stored in the closet and poured it across the floor, masking my scent before sprinting back to my room.
We need help, Venessa, Nyla said quietly. We can’t expose them on our own.
I exhaled slowly. She was right.
I hadn’t been in my room long when Nurse Kendra linked me. Healer Venessa, you’re needed. You’re to serve Luna Jalisa detox tea in the guest lounge.
“Why?” I asked.
“She specifically requested that the pack healer manage her diet,” Kendra explained.
I understood immediately it was a setup. One I couldn’t refuse.
I dressed carefully and made my way to the lounge.
Inside, I found Denzel, Tyrell, Rayon, Devon, Jalisa and a middle-aged man with a greying beard and sharp brown eyes. The Werewolf King. Jalisa shared enough of his features to leave no doubt.
Denzel and Rayon both looked stunned when they saw me. Shock flashed plainly across their faces. Of course they were surprised. This was Jalisa’s doing, though I didn’t yet know what game she was playing.
I straightened my spine, masking my unease. I greeted everyone politely and bowed low before the king.
His gaze lingered on me slow, assessing, filled with unmistakable lust.
And in that instant, I knew I was in trouble.