Chapter 53 Revelations
The estate's silence pressed in on me like a physical weight as I lay on my bed, the four-poster's crisp white sheets tangled around my legs from another restless hour of tossing. The room was dim, curtains drawn against the night, the only light a soft glow from my phone screen illuminating the wooden beams overhead. The air smelled faintly of cedar from the fire Alexander had lit downstairs earlier, mixed with the lingering metallic tang of snow seeping through the window cracks. My stomach churned, not from hunger this time, but from the knot of anxiety that had twisted tighter since overhearing Ben's call in the garden that afternoon.
The words replayed in my head like a bad recording: Seventy percent sure Alexander has something going on with her... leverage like that? The board will eat him alive. The gravel crunching under his boots, the sharp beep of the call ending, his muttered curses carried on the wind, it all echoed, vivid and unrelenting. Ben wasn't just suspicious; he was actively hunting for proof. Hiring investigators to dig into our affair, to expose us. The thought sent a chill down my spine, colder than the winter air outside, making my skin prickle despite the heavy comforter.
I sat up, rubbing my temples, the soft fabric of my pajamas whispering against the sheets. The pregnancy made everything sharper, the heightened senses from the awakening turning distant sounds into thunder, smells into assaults. But this? This was a human drama, raw and dangerous. Ben's malice wasn't about the fake marriage anymore; it was personal, a vendetta to take down Alexander. And if he found out about the baby... God, the scandal would be cataclysmic. Married to one man, pregnant by his stepfather. The board would crucify Alexander, the pack would fracture, my family would be ruined. Mom's fragile texts from the hospital flashed in my mind, Feeling a bit stronger today, love. Miss you. She was too sick for this, too weak for the shame.
I glanced at the nightstand drawer where the test strip hid, its two pink lines a secret bomb ticking away. Two weeks late, and counting. The hunger, the nausea, the exhaustion, it all screamed confirmation. But telling Alexander? Not yet. Not until I knew his thoughts on kids, on a future beyond this mess. But Ben's call changed everything. I couldn't keep that from him. He needed to know the threat was real, that Ben was closing in. The rest, the pregnancy, could wait until I wrapped my head around it, until the panic didn't choke me every time I thought of his reaction.
My phone read 11:34 p.m. I typed quickly, fingers trembling on the screen.
Me: We need to talk. Now.
Alexander's reply came almost immediately.
A: On a Zoom meeting. Wrap up in 10. I'll come to your room.
Me: Okay.
I paced the room, the rug soft under my bare feet, the distant tick of the grandfather clock in the foyer booming like a countdown in my ears. The wind sighed against the windows, branches scraping like fingers begging entry. My mind raced, how to tell him without spilling everything? The call, the investigator, Ben's suspicions. Not the baby. Not yet. The bond pulsed faintly, Alexander's focus divided by the meeting, but I felt his curiosity spike.
Ten minutes felt like eternity. When the soft knock came, I unlocked the door, cracking it open. Alexander stood there, still in his gray sweater from dinner, hair slightly tousled, eyes dark and searching in the hallway light.
"Come in," I whispered, stepping aside.
He entered, locking the door behind him with a quiet click that echoed in the room like a seal on fate. The air shifted with his presence, warm, commanding, his scent wrapping around me: pine, leather, and that underlying wildness that always made my pulse quicken.
"What's wrong?" he asked, turning to me, hands sliding to my arms. His touch was gentle, but the bond thrummed with concern.
I pulled away slightly, sitting on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under my weight. He followed, perching beside me, close enough that his knee brushed mine, sending a spark up my thigh.
"I overheard Ben in the garden this afternoon," I said, voice barely above a whisper, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess. "He was on a call with someone I think is an investigator. He was pissed, yelling about how they couldn't continue, even if he paid more. Said he's seventy percent sure you have something going on with me, from the looks, the trips, everything he's noticed. Told them to fuck off, that he'd find someone more reliable."
Alexander listened without interrupting, his expression unreadable. When I finished, silence hung heavy, broken only by the distant creak of the house settling. Then he chuckled, low, dark, almost amused.
My eyes widened. "What's funny?"
He leaned back on his hands, the bed shifting slightly. "Don't worry about it. I found the investigator. Handled it. He won't give Ben anything tangible."
"You... what?" I stared at him, the bond pulsing with his quiet satisfaction.
"Pack scouts caught him trailing me two days ago. Questioned him. Paid him off better than Ben could. He's out. Ben's grasping at smoke."
Relief flooded me, warm and fleeting, but it didn't untie the knot in my chest. "He won't stop. He'll hire someone else."
Alexander shrugged, his sweater pulling taut across his shoulders. "Let him. I don't care if he finds out. I already told you, end this fake marriage. I'm tired of the drama. I can take care of you. Whatever Ben promised, I can multiply it. It's my money he'd give you anyway at the end of this charade. You won't have to worry about anything."
I shook my head, throat tight. "It's too early."
"Why?" His voice softened, hand reaching for mine, fingers intertwining with a warmth that made my resolve waver.
"Because..." I trailed off, not sounding sure even to myself. The pregnancy secret burned, but I pushed it down. "Ben's dangerous. If we end it now, he'll explode, expose everything, twist it for the board. Your reputation..."
Alexander chuckled again. "He can't touch me on the board. I own 59% of the shares. No one can take the CEO from me. Ben doesn't know that, thinks he's got leverage. All he can hurt is my reputation. Let him try. I'm done playing his game."
I wanted to believe him, the confidence in his voice, the bond pulsing with assurance. But doubt clung, sticky and cold. Ending it meant freedom, but also chaos. And the baby... what if he didn't want it? The question gnawed, unspoken.
Alexander watched me, brow furrowing. "Is that the only thing bothering you? You can talk to me, Maddie. Anything."
I swallowed, forcing a small smile. "That's all."
He didn't believe me, the bond tugged with his suspicion, but he didn't press. Instead, he leaned in, cupping my face with both hands, thumbs brushing my cheeks. His touch was electric, sending heat racing through me. "Then let me make you forget for a while."
His lips met mine, slow, deliberate, a kiss that started tender but deepened with every breath. I couldn't resist him; I never could. My hands slid to his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath the sweater, the steady beat of his heart. The bond ignited, amplifying everything, the taste of him, mint and warmth, the scent of his skin wrapping around me like a promise.