CHAPTER 15 Mess

*Zuri*

When I saw Evie, her eyes and nose were red and her lower lip was quivering. She was trying so hard to put on a brave face. I knew instantly that anything I say would break her.

I had hoped poking fun at her punching my dashboard would help lighten the mood. But Draven's betrayal was written all over her pretty face. I had warned her in the past, but knowing Evie, who loved Draven with all her heart, this mess she was in was inevitable.

"I saw him, Zuri. I saw him with another woman, after we..." Evie's voice trailed off, not wanting to admit to her one night of insanity.

I continued driving, nodding my head without saying a word. I didn't want to pry nor did I want her to think I was judging her. Love made us do extraordinary things and Evie was no exception.

She grew silent, her silver eyes staring out the window, her fist against her pink mouth, trying hard not to cry. She suddenly sniffled and raised her eyes to look at the dark sky, trying to keep the tears at bay. I waited patiently for her to be comfortable enough to speak.

"Last night, while we were shopping for birthday gifts, Draven got a call that Mama Agnes' apartment was on fire. We rushed over, but there was nothing we could do. She's dead, Zuri. Draven's mom is dead," she said sadly, shortly narrating the events of last night. I saw the hurt flicker in her eyes momentarily remembering a woman she loved deeply, then disgust. "Oh my gosh! Here I am whining when someone has died."

"I'm sorry to hear about Mama Agnes, Evie, but don't think that way. You have the right to be hurt," I chastised her harshly. "You said Draven was with a woman. Did you see them together?"

"Yes," she admitted. I glanced at her, seeing the anger in her eyes anew. "T-they were in his office. A woman named Aurora. I saw them kissing."

*Goddammit*, *Draven*! *What the fuck are you doing kissing that she-wolf Aurora*?!

I muttered a curse under my breath. The curse was actually meant for me. This was all my fault. I had suggested they lure that she-wolf in, rather than capturing her for questioning.

"That's all you saw? The both of them kissing? Maybe she kissed him unexpectedly?" I figured Draven wouldn't be that stupid to try and entice Aurora into bed.

Evie's eyes widened in disbelief. "I can't believe you're defending him. Aren't you suppose to hate his guts?"

"I do and I still do, but there might be a logical explanation for all of this. Maybe you should talk to him, hear his side of the story. Evie, I may dislike him, but he has been your bestfriend since you were teenagers. I don't think he wants to throw that all away because he wasn't thinking," I said, trying to fix their friendship at least.

Evie crossed her arms in front of her chest, sulking like a little child. In her mind, she was betrayed... End of story.

"Well, he should have thought about that before he went kissing a beautiful woman with jet black hair and pouty red lips! Draven should have thought of the night we shared..."

She sighed and stared outside the window. "It was beautiful, Zuri. Now it's just one big mess," she murmured regrettably. "I'm calling in sick for the whole week. I can't go back to work and face him. I need some time to think."

"How about we buy some take-out?" I asked. "I'm guessing you haven't eaten all day."

"Thanks, Zuri. But I just want to get to a bed and get some sleep."

"Alright, sweetie. We're almost home. That extra bedroom I have was always meant for you," I said, trying to make her feel better.

Unlike Evie who opted to buy an expensive house in Calabasas so she would have enough space in case family came to visit, I bought a two bedroom apartment in downtown Los Angeles to keep my wolf scent away from Evie. Although I had learned to control my scent, I would rather the wolves circled the city rather the posh urban residential area where rich humans lived.

I was proud of my place. It was the first thing I had bought as a partner in my law firm.

When we arrived in my posh two bedroom apartment which Evie helped me furnish, I led her to my guest bed which had all the memorabilia of our time in college. Those four years with her were the best in my life. I was actually scared she might hate me for hiding who I really was.

"Sweetie, mi casa, su casa," I said. "If you get hungry, get anything you want from the fridge."

Evie nodded her head absent-mindedly, then she collapsed on my bed, curling herself into a ball. I sighed. The only one who could make her feel better was herself.

I exited the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind me, and quickly walked into my bedroom. After I locked the door, I quickly went inside my bathroom and put on the shower so I could call Draven to inform him Evie was with me.

I swiped my phone and noticed I had several missed calls from *Dufus*. He was probably scared out of his mind that Evie was missing from his building.

I was about to return his call when I stopped and smiled.

*Let the bastard go insane from worry*.

I had specifically told him to place his mark on her to forge the connection between them. That mark was essential to complete the mate-bond. He would know what she was thinking, feeling. It wound make the *one*.

If he had just listened to me, I wouldn't be in the middle of their mess.

My phone vibrated. It was a message from *Dufus*.

"Evie is missing. She's not answering her phone. I need you to help me find her."

I fought the urge to answer him. It was better if he believed I was preoccupied at the moment. If he was smart, he would come visit me at my office tomorrow.

I placed my phone back in my bag and decided to take a shower.

The dufus can wait 'til the morning.

________________

*Draven*

I threw my phone on my desk. Evie nor Zuri was answering me and Luke was taking his precious time with the footage from the CCTV cameras.

"This is your fault, Draven. If you had just placed your mark on her, she would still be here," my wolf, Night Shadow, said.

"Stop blaming me, Night Shadow. It's not helping. My uncle is in the city looking for her. They already have Cheryl's address and from what I saw from Aurora's thoughts, they also know where Veronica and Chloe live to. I need to-"

I stopped, interrupted by my phone ringing on my desk. I picked up, praying it was Evie, but to my surprise, it was Detective Malcolm Smith.

"Detective Smith. I'm guessing you called to tell me to pick up my aunt from the morgue," I said.

"Actually, Mr. Blake, I'm calling to ask you if you could come by the station," he said. In the background, I could hear the wail of sirens. "There are some questions I need to ask you."

"What is this about?" I asked.

"We just found a dead woman named Cheryl Brandon at her apartment. I believe she's your girlfriend, if I'm not mistaken," he said.

*Shit*!

"I'll come by the station, Detective Smith, and answer all the questions you need," I said.

"Alright, Mr. Blake. You have yourself a good evening."

I heard a knock on my office door and raised my finger at Luke and the others to wait. I needed my lawyer. The detectives will piece together Cheryl's affair with Harrison Crowe which would make me look like the jealous lover. It gave me motive.

After speaking to my lawyer, I gestured to Luke, Ashton and my men to come in.

"Cheryl's dead and they know where Veronica and Chloe live, although Veronica I heard is currently in Italy. Where were the wolves who I ordered to secure the premises?" I asked.

"Alpha, we have underestimated Maverick and his men,"Ashton said. "The delivery men who came to the bakeshoppe beside Cheryl's apartment building were wolves. They entered through the fire escape. There was nothing the men could do." I grimaced.

"Luke, have you found Evie?" Luke nodded his head. I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I had thought I had lost her.

"CCTV footage shows her entering the car of Gamma Zuri," Luke said. Luke was a tall wolf with brown hair and light brown eyes, muscular and lithe. He was from a neighboring wolf pack in Michigan. I had met him during an athletic meet when Evie and I were still high school students in Wisconsin. We bonded immediately. After a brief tour in the military, he came looking for me in California.

Luke opened his mouth to say something, but he hesitated. It was because Ashton and his team were present.

"Ashton, have you interrogated all the wolves originally from Blood Moon?" I asked

"Yes, Alpha." Ashton was shorter than Luke, bulkier, with black hair that contrasted with his light blue eyes. He and Zuri were both from the same wolf pack, however Zuri and I were younger. When I offered him a place in my employ, he didn't hesitate. "But we have yet to interrogate their close associates. We believe Catherine, an Omega, knows something."

"Interrogate her and tell me if she has any useful information. By the way, check if the wolves from Blood Moon have smartphones. Confiscate them," I instructed.

"Right away, Alpha," Ashton said and gestured to his team to leave. Luke quickly closed the door behind them.

"Luke, what is it?" I asked. He leaned forward so he could whisper.

"Alpha, CCTV footage shows Miss Evie was on this floor when you and the she-wolf were speaking in private," Luke said. "She was seen running through the hallway. After several minutes, she walked out of your suite with her luggage in tow."

I closed my eyes and leaned against my chair, clenching my fists. She saw me and Aurora together. But I had to get close. There was no other way. I needed to know why Aurora was here.

What I did know was no one suspected who Evie was to me. Everyone thought she was just a close friend, one of my best employees, nothing more. Killing her wouldn't contribute to their interests. Especially when all the wolves in this building liked Evie. She was kind and friendly and never acted stuck up or rude. Brenda, the Omega who Ashton killed for her betrayal, had a memory of Evie buying her lunch when Evie found out it was her birthday.

"Alpha, should I send wolves to guard Miss Evie?" Luke asked, interrupting my thoughts. I shook my head.

"It will alert my uncle. He will figure out she is important to me," I said, glancing at my watch. "Besides, Gamma Zuri is with her. She will protect her with her life... that I know." I stood up and put on my jacket. "I need you to drive me to the police station. Currently, I am a person of interest in the death of Cheryl Brandon."

This was such a mess.