209 Chapter 209 Parents Final Secret
Briar’s POV
The park felt eerily quiet as we approached the two figures waiting under the shadow of an old oak tree. My heart hammered against my ribs as I scanned the area, making sure we hadn’t been followed.
“Briar, meet my friends Blake and Colt,” Asher said, his voice tight with
tension.
I forced a smile despite my nerves. “Nice to meet you both.”
Colt grinned, but there was relief in his eyes. “We were shocked when we heard this stubborn bastard finally found his mate. Even more shocked it
wasn’t Sasha.”
“Yeah, I had the pleasure of meeting her earlier,” I said, unable to keep the sarcasm from my voice.
Blake shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting around the empty park. “What do you need from us? We shouldn’t be out here long.”
His bluntness made it clear he wanted this over quickly. The fear radiating from both men told me everything I needed to know about the pack’s current
state.
Asher’s jaw clenched. “I haven’t seen the Luna since we arrived. We were even at the packhouse today, but she was nowhere to be found.”
The two friends exchanged a loaded glance that made my stomach drop.
“Why are you asking about her?” Blake’s voice carried a warning.
I stepped closer to Asher, feeling his tension. “Because I think she might know something about how his parents really died.”
Colt’s face went pale. “Asher, you’re playing with fire here. You need to
understand that.”
209 Chapter 209 Parents Final Secret
I squeezed Asher’s hand, feeling his muscles coil with barely contained rage. We both knew we were walking into dangerous territory, but the truth was worth the risk.
“Where is she?” Asher’s question came out as more of a demand.
Colt looked around nervously before answering. “The Alpha banished her months ago. Got tired of her, apparently. Now he’s interviewing every single woman in the pack under twenty–five.”
Asher’s face twisted with disgust. “He’s nearly fifty years old.”
“Since when has that stopped him?” Blake muttered. “Look, is that all needed to know?”
you
“Do you have any idea where she went?” I pressed, ignoring Blake’s obvious desire to leave.
“Last we heard, she tried settling in the nearest human town. But the Alpha wouldn’t let her live in peace. She had to keep moving. We lost track after that.”
My mind was already racing with possibilities. “Thank you. We appreciate the risk you took meeting us.”
Back at the house, I was surprised to find Asher’s childhood room exactly as he’d left it. The space felt frozen in time, untouched by Greta’s renovations.
Asher collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling like it held answers. I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person I knew could help.
“Hello, sweetheart,” Elena’s voice was warm and familiar.
“Hey Mom. How’s everything at home?”
“Fine, but you sound stressed. What’s going on?”
I took a breath. “We need help finding someone. The former Luna of this pack. We think she has information about Asher’s parents‘ murder.”
There was a pause before Elena’s voice turned serious. “Give me her name.”
209 Chapter 209 Parents Final Secret
“Ruth Vanguard.”
“I’ll start digging immediately. Give me a few hours.”
“Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.”
I ended the call and lay down beside Asher, who immediately pulled me against his chest.
“Long day,” he murmured into my hair.
“The longest. But Mom will find her. She has resources that would make the FBI jealous.”
“You really think she can track down Ruth?”
I tilted my head to look at him. “Trust me, if Ruth Vanguard exists anywhere in the digital world, Mom will find her.”
Asher’s lips found mine in a slow, desperate kiss that tasted like relief and fear combined. His hands slipped under my shirt, tracing patterns on my skin that made me forget where we were.
I shifted to straddle him, deepening the kiss, when the door suddenly exploded open.
Two small faces stared at us with wide, curious eyes.
I practically flew off Asher, my cheeks burning as I tried to look innocent.
“Why aren’t you two in bed?” Asher asked, sitting up and running a hand through his disheveled hair.
“We don’t have bedtimes when we’re not tired,” Mila announced proudly.
“Well, we are tired. Briar and I need sleep.”
“Then why was she sitting on you like that?” the little girl asked with the brutal honesty only children possess.
Laughter echoed from the hallway, and Asher’s face darkened.
209 Chapter 209 Parents Final Secret
“Rowan, you piece of shit!” Asher shouted toward the door.
“Hey, I just suggested they check on you. Not my fault they have no manners,” Rowan called back, still laughing.
Asher flopped back onto the bed with a groan. “I hate that asshole.”
“Has it always been like this between you guys?”
“Worse, actually. None of us ever got along, which is why nobody expected me to come back. They figured I’d stay gone for good.”
I studied his profile in the dim light. “Asher, I’m risking everything to help you find the truth. Can you finally tell me exactly what happened to your parents?”
He was quiet for so long I wondered if he’d changed his mind. Then he got up and firmly closed the door before returning to sit beside me, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.
“I was seventeen. My parents were incredible people who would have moved mountains for their children, just like yours would for you. But then everything changed. They became secretive, distant. Always sneaking out for mysterious meetings they wouldn’t explain.”
His voice cracked slightly. “I got fed up with the lies and followed them one night. They were meeting with the Luna in secret. She looked terrified, and they both hugged her before leaving. I think they were helping her escape, and I think the Alpha killed them for it.”
The weight of his confession settled between us like a stone.
210 Chapter 210 Obsidian Encounter
