Chapter 131 Midnight Departure

Chapter 131 Midnight Departure
Alexander stood in the dimly lit kitchen of the Silver sanctuary, the scent of fresh herbs and baked bread still lingering from the evening meal. The room was quiet now, the staffs having been dismissed for the night except for the few who were being questioned. Grace had already been taken to the dungeon, her sobs echoing in his memory. But her confession had pointed to another name. Agnes. The kitchen maid she had swapped shifts with. Alexander’s instincts told him the trail did not end with Grace. There was more. There was always more.

Vincent stood beside him, his arms crossed, his face set in a mask of controlled anger. Laila and Beatrice watched from the doorway. Maddie had been asked to stay upstairs with Genevive. Alexander had insisted on it. He did not want her anywhere near this until they knew how deep the betrayal ran. The thought of another traitor so close to her made his wolf snarl with protective fury.

Agnes was brought in by two guards. She was in her late thirties with kind eyes and a gentle face that had probably put many people at ease over the years. She looked nervous but not terrified. Her hands were clasped in front of her apron as she stood in the center of the kitchen.

"Agnes," Vincent said, his voice low and authoritative. "You swapped shifts with Grace. Why?"

Agnes swallowed hard. "She asked me to. She said she wanted to work in the kitchen for a change. I did not mind. The kitchen work was getting hard on my back anyway."

Alexander stepped forward. He kept his voice calm but his eyes were sharp. "Who approached you about the swap? Was it Grace or someone else?"

Agnes hesitated. "It was Grace. She seemed eager. I thought it was just a simple request."

Laila moved closer. "Have you noticed anything unusual about Grace since then? Any strange behavior? Any time she was where she should not be?"

Agnes shook her head. "She kept to herself mostly. She has always been quiet and polite. I did not think much of it."

Alexander watched her carefully. Her answers were too smooth. Too rehearsed. He could smell the faint trace of fear beneath her calm exterior. He decided to push harder.

"We have reason to believe Grace was feeding information to our enemies," he said. "She was blackmailed. But the swap happened long before that. So I ask you again. Why did you really swap with her?"

Agnes’s hands tightened on her apron. Her eyes darted to the floor. "I... I needed the money. Someone offered me extra pay to take the farm shift from grace. I did not ask questions. I have a daughter. She is sick. The hospital bills..."

Vincent’s voice grew colder. "Who offered you the money?"

Agnes stayed silent for a long moment. Then she broke. "A man. He said his name was Kael. He met me in the market. He said if I swapped shifts and kept an eye on things he would pay for my daughter’s treatment. I did not know it was connected to the enemies. I swear I did not know."

Alexander’s fists clenched. Kael Evans. The name Ben had given him. The same man who had orchestrated the kidnapping. The web was wider than he had thought. Agnes had been compromised long before Grace.

Laila stepped forward. "What did you tell him? What information did you pass on?"

Agnes’s voice trembled. "I told him when new people arrived at the sanctuary. The update on the war from our own end. I did not think it was harmful. I just wanted my daughter to live."

Beatrice, who had been silent until now, spoke with quiet disappointment. "You betrayed us for money. Agnes, if you needed money that badly you could have asked me. You put Maddie and the baby in danger, to save your own."

Agnes started crying. "I am sorry. I was desperate. Please. Do not hurt my daughter. She is innocent."

Vincent looked at Alexander. "We will question her further. But it seems Kael Evans has been planting people inside our homes for a while now."

Alexander nodded. "We need to find every single one of them. Starting with Kael himself."

He turned and walked out of the kitchen. The betrayal ran deeper than he had imagined. The sanctuary was supposed to be safe. But even here Moonthorn had reached inside. He would find every traitor. He would end this.
"I have to go," Alexander said, his voice low but firm. He looked at Vincent directly. "The raid gave us valuable intelligence. I cannot waste it. I need to move tonight."

Beatrice turned from the window, her gentle face showing concern. "It is almost midnight, Alexander. The roads are dark. The forest is dangerous at this hour."

Alexander nodded but his resolve did not waver. "I came with a chopper. It will not be a problem. I have to find Kael Evans. I already figured out some details about him from the information we gathered. My men and I need to storm his house before morning when he is not expecting it. That is why I need to go. We need to put an end to all this."

Alexander stood up. "I need to see Maddie before I leave. Just for a moment."

Vincent gestured toward the hallway. "Her room is on the second floor. Third door on the right."

Alexander walked up the stairs, his footsteps quiet on the wooden floor. His side ached with every step but he ignored it. He needed to see her. He needed to hold her even if it was only for a few minutes. He stopped in front of the third door and knocked softly.

The door opened almost immediately. Maddie stood there in a simple nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders. Her eyes widened when she saw him. "Alexander, why are you putting on your coat, I thought you were staying the night." 

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "No. I just wanted you to see me and know that I am fine. I know you felt my pain through the bond. I have to take care of a traitor first thing in the morning. I need to put the plans in motion tonight."

She moved forward and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back carefully, mindful of his injuries, but the feel of her body against his was everything he needed. She smelled like lavender and home. He buried his face in her hair for a long moment breathing her in.

"You have to take it easy," she whispered against his chest. "You are not fully healed."

"Yes baby I will," he murmured. "I promise."

She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "Thank you for all you do. I know all this is for me. Thank you."

Alexander stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I would do anything for you. For our child. You are my world Maddie. I will end this war and bring you home. I swear it."

They stood there holding each other for several long minutes. The bond between them pulsed with love and strength. No words were needed. The connection was deeper than anything spoken. Eventually Alexander kissed her forehead gently.

"I have to go," he said reluctantly. "But I will be back as soon as I can."

Maddie nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Be safe. Come back to me."

He kissed her one last time, a soft lingering kiss that carried all the promises he could not yet fulfill. Then he turned and walked out of the room. He descended the stairs and found Vincent waiting in the foyer.

"Be careful," Vincent said. "We will coordinate from here."

Alexander nodded and stepped outside. The chopper waited on the landing pad, its rotors already spinning. Marcus was already aboard. Alexander climbed in and the chopper lifted into the night sky. He looked down at the sanctuary as it grew smaller below him. 

The flight back toward the city was quiet. Alexander stared out the window at the dark landscape passing below. His mind was already planning the raid on Kael Evans’ house. 

The chopper landed on the roof of the estate. Alexander stepped out and walked straight to the war room. The night was far from over. But every step brought him closer to bringing Maddie home.