Chapter 35 35
Denzel’s POV
ONE MONTH LATER
I was seated in my office, sifting through a stack of documents, when Tyrell walked in. He dropped into the chair across from me and released a long sigh. Whatever he’d come to say clearly weighed on him and from experience, I knew that meant trouble.
“Say what you came to say,” I muttered, eyes still scanning the laws spread across my desk. I was searching for a way out any loophole that would free me from the bind Jalisa’s presence had placed me in, and by extension, from King Fabian and his endless demands.
“I don’t know how you’ll take this,” Tyrell began carefully, “but it concerns your fated.”
I stopped reading.
I took a moment to steady myself before looking up.
“What is it about Venessa this time?” I asked.
He sighed again.
“Some of the staff have reported that she’s been snooping around,” he said. “For security reasons, I think you should be cautious. I know she saved your life and Rayon’s and that she’s close to him, but you must admit… aside from what she’s chosen to tell us, we know nothing about her.”
I leaned back slightly, unimpressed.
“So what’s new?” I asked. “You haven’t said anything alarming yet.”
Tyrell straightened.
“We’re already dealing with unrest among the bears,” he continued, “and now the Lycan Queen appears to be making a move. Lycans have been spotted near our borders watching, searching. You said you saw Venessa’s wolf once, but what if she and her mother committed a crime in the Lycan Kingdom and fled here seeking refuge? I know you hate war”
He paused, watching my face.
“We’ve had bear trouble before,” he went on, “but Lycans have never paraded our borders like this. They only appeared after she arrived. What if they lose patience? What if they attack?”
I exhaled sharply.
“What exactly are you getting at, Tyrell?” I snapped. “Stop circling the issue and speak plainly.”
He leaned forward, visibly bracing himself.
“Since Venessa arrived, I started digging into her trail,” he said. “There’s a cottage in the Grey woods bearing her scent. Inside were documents belonging to a woman named Danisha Gordon.”
That got my attention.
“Danisha Gordon,” Tyrell continued, “is the younger sister of Alpha Carlton Gordon. She committed a heinous crime. Instead of executing her, her brother exiled her.”
That much aligned with what Venessa had already told me about her mother. It wasn’t news.
So why was Tyrell pressing?
“That’s not the important part,” he said. “Danisha’s crime involved the Lycans. They’ve been hunting her ever since.”
That… made sense. Lycans didn’t hunt without cause. They were methodical, purposeful. I could see why Venessa might be in their sights.
“They killed her,” I said slowly. “So why would they want Venessa?”
Tyrell shook his head.
“I don’t know. But we could ask Carlton.”
I shook my head immediately.
Carlton Gordon was the Alpha of a minor pack and a bitter man. He despised my father, believed the Blood Moon Pack was unfairly favored, and carried a deep resentment toward all monarchs. He clung to outdated ideals and old grudges.
There was no chance I would seek him out for information about the sister he’d cast aside.
I looked at Tyrell and gave a firm shake of my head.
“No,” I said. “Are you mad? You know what Carlton is like. Besides, the woman is dead. There’s no reason to exhume her past. Venessa likely wasn’t even born when all this happened.”
Tyrell nodded once.
“You still don’t understand, Denzel,” he said quietly. “Your duty is to protect this pack to preserve our lives. I know she’s your fated, but sentiment doesn’t outweigh survival. Is her life more valuable than everyone else’s?”
His tone hardened.
“This is serious. If the Lycans are after her, they’ll destroy anything in their path to get to her. We are not safe with her here. You should let her go. Now is not the time to provoke the Lycans especially when your wife is pregnant.”
I met his gaze, unwavering.
I understood his reasoning.
But he was wrong.
I had sworn to protect Venessa and I meant it. Whether or not fate allowed us to stand together, I would see to it that no harm came to her.
Even if it cost me everything else.