Chapter 39 39
Denzel’s POV
I left Venessa by the lake and returned to my office, but the image of her stayed with me. There had been a quiet resolve in her eyes unyielding, almost mournful and it unsettled my soul. I knew she was carrying far more than she let on, bottling things up instead of sharing them with me. I wished she would open up, let me shoulder the weight with her. Eight months was nothing. Far too short. And deep down, I didn’t know if I would be able to honor our agreement when the time came.
I was just about to sit when Rayon's voice cut into my thoughts through the link.
“Alpha, are you in the office?”
“Yes, Rayon,” I answered.
Sadness and confusion churned inside me. I honestly didn’t know what to do anymore. Jalisa was pregnant I couldn’t simply reject her or seek a divorce, not under our laws. If it were only up to me, I would give up land, power, even people just to be with Venessa. But I couldn’t be reckless. I couldn’t be a deadbeat Alpha. And yet, Venessa was determined to leave, no matter what.
“We need to find out why she wants to go,” Nigel said within me, his voice heavy with sadness.
“Isn’t it obvious, Nigel?” I replied bitterly. “She doesn’t want to break my home.”
He growled in frustration.
“She is perfect for us. She may be a nobody to the world, but she is perfect for us. We should risk everything. If we give her love, time, a place to belong, she’ll change her mind. She is ours.”
I forced him to calm down. I had too many problems already to let my wolf run wild. I promised him I would find a way somehow with Venessa.
The bear king was another looming disaster. Alpha Keon wasn’t the kind to back down easily, and I had no idea what form his retribution would take. I could only hope he would settle for land.
A knock sounded just as the thought crossed my mind, and Rayon walked into my office.
“Good evening, Alpha,” he greeted.
“Forget the formalities,” I said, lifting my head. “We’re friends, and no one else is here.”
The moment he saw my face, his expression fell.
“What’s wrong, Denzel?” he asked.
I sighed deeply.
“I’m torn. Confused. Lost. Pick a word.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes,” he replied dryly, and despite everything, we shared a brief laugh. He sat on the couch and exhaled.
“The meeting with the bear king is tomorrow,” he said, holding up a sheet of paper. “Keon has demands.”
The look on his face told me they weren’t reasonable.
“What does he want?” I asked.
“Land. Money…” He hesitated, then let out a breath. “And Venessa.”
My fist clenched instantly, my hand trembling with barely restrained rage.
“My mate?” I asked coldly.
He shook his head quickly.
“He doesn’t know that. No one does. She’s beautiful, she’s a healer she’s a prize in his eyes.”
A growl tore from my chest.
“Where was he when the Lycans were hunting her and I gave her shelter instead of turning her away?” I snapped. “I can’t let her cross the border. The Lycans lurking around would kill her. The only reason she’s still alive is because she’s under my protection protected by my treaty with King Jamar.”
Rayon frowned, clearly unaware of the full story, so I continued.
“Tyrell dug into her past. Her mother worked with the Lycans. She was Alpha Carlton’s younger sister. She committed a crime and was exiled for it. The Lycans never forgave her someone sent them after her. They killed her. And now they want Venessa.”
Rayon was silent, stunned.
“The worst part,” I continued, my voice breaking despite my effort to remain composed, “is that Venessa plans to leave in eight months. I don’t know how to make her stay, Rayon. I need help.”
He shook his head slowly.
“It’s a mess. I knew marrying Jalisa would cost you, but I never imagined it would be this bad. I’ll talk to her but I can’t promise anything.”
I nodded, grateful nonetheless.
“Please do,” I said. “She listens to you. She’s more relaxed around you.”
He nodded once.
“As for the meeting,” he added, “they expect us to bring their demands. Venessa won’t be coming, obviously. But what do we tell them so they don’t explode?”
“I’ll think of something,” I replied heavily. “Have you told Tyrell?”
His expression darkened instantly. A scowl crossed his face raw, disgusted anger I had never seen from him before. He sat back down, staring at the floor before looking up at me again.
“The three of us grew up together,” he began. “You know me, Denzel. You know my heart. I don’t want trouble, so please do not act on what I’m about to say. Investigate first. I might be wrong. I don’t want to destroy a lifelong friendship over rumors or guesses. But what happened with the bears and what it might cost us forced me to speak.”
My chest tightened.
“Tell me,” I said quietly. “I’m listening.”
I stood and poured us both a glass of dark rum. Rayon downed his in one swallow, and that alone told me how serious this was.
“There’s a lot,” he said grimly. “I don’t even know where to begin. But promise me this, Denzel promise you’ll keep this between us until we’re certain.”
I nodded.