CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY ONE
Talia’s POV
Nolan had finished showering when I woke. He was getting dressed, trying not to wake me, while I was enjoying the view.
“Good morning,” I yawned. “What’s going on that has you up so early?”
“Nothing. Just getting a jump on the day. I don’t want to spend the entire day in my office today,” Nolan replied. He kissed me on my forehead before heading to the door. “Come to the office when you are ready.”
“It may be a while,” I responded. “I have something to confirm first.”
Nolan paused in the doorway and turned around. “Everything alright?”
“Yes, nothing for you to worry about,” I replied.
“When you say it like that, it makes me feel like I should worry,” Nolan chuckled but I could tell he was concerned.
“I promise I will explain everything later,” I reassured. Nolan hesitated for another second, nodded, and left.
‘Why didn’t you tell him?’ my wolf asked.
‘Because we could be wrong about Maggie,’ I replied.
By the time I got to the dining room, breakfast was already laid out. Clara poured my tea as
I sat down. Maggie stood near the door to the kitchen, awaiting instructions.
Maggie met my eyes briefly and smiled. She didn’t seem nervous, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t hiding anything.
“Maggie, I need you to do something for me,” I stated.
“Yes, Luna?”
“Nolan rushed out this morning and I think he left the wall construction record in the study. You know, the bound one with the contractor notes. Can you go and fetch it for me?”
Maggie’s eyes widened slightly before she composed herself. “Luna, I am not permitted in the study,” she reminded me.
“I know,” I said. “I am giving you permission now. It should be on the desk or on the shelf nearest the door. Go get it for me.”
Maggie hesitated again, longer this time. Her hands moved slightly against each other.
“Maggie, is there something wrong?” I asked.
“No, of course not,” Maggie said quickly. “I will get it.” She bowed and then left the dining room.
‘She’s going to take that map,’ my wolf huffed.
‘We don’t know that for sure,’ I said.
‘What if she does? What are we going to do if the tunnel locations are leaked?’
‘I won’t let that happen. I plan to catch her in the act and not miss her entirely,’ I said.
‘And if she does not take the map?’
‘Then, we will chalk this up to an odd occurrence. We will continue to watch her until we have determined she is worthy of our trust again.’
I gave her two minutes. Then I set down my fork, told Clara I would be right back, and walked to the wing
173
The door to the study was ajar. I frowned. ‘Reckless,’ my wolf growled.
+25 Bonus
Maggie couldn’t even be bothered to close the door behind her. Anyone could have come in behind her. I pushed the door open slowly.
Maggie was standing at the couch with her back to the door. She had pulled the storage box out from behind the couch where I hid it the second time. The lid was on one of the cushions. She was holding the box and was actively taking the map out of the box.
“Maggie.”
She turned around quickly. The color left her face immediately. The box tilted in her hands. She caught it before it fell but the map dropped to the floor.
“Luna! I…um… I was…” Maggie stammered.
I walked in and picked up the map. “I asked for the construction record,” I told her. “Not this.”
Maggie’s hands were shaking. She looked at the map in my hands, then at me, and then she went down to her knees.
“Luna, I am so sorry,” she pleaded. “Please, I am so sorry.”
“Get up, Maggie.”
She did not move. She stayed on her knees with her head down and her hands pressed flat against her thighs.
“Get up,” I growled. “I am not going to speak to you while you are on the floor.”
She rose slowly. She stood in front of me, but she looked down, refusing to look me in the eye.
“Look at me,” I ordered and Maggie did. “Tell me what you were doing.”
Maggie said nothing. Her jaw flexed. My wolf paced within me, her patience wearing thin.
“Maggie, I do not want to repeat myself again.”
Still, Maggie said nothing.
“I could have easily let Nolan execute you for what you did with the rogues,” I continued. “I gave you an opportunity to regain my trust, and this is what you did with it. I don’t believe you would squander your second chance for no reason. Are you being pressured again?”
‘She is a traitor. Let’s get rid of her. Our mate will understand,’ my wolf urged.
“If you are working against this pack, you will be exiled, potentially executed as you are a repeat offender. I need you to understand how serious this is,” I said firmly.
“Luna, I swear to you I am not working against this pack. I am not a traitor. I would never do anything to hurt Bloodmoon,” Maggie exclaimed.
“Then explain this to me right now. This is your last chance.”
“It was my mate,” Maggie finally admitted. “He asked me to take it. He wanted to see where the tunnels were I told him I would not steal it. I said I would just bring it out and let him look at it and put it back before anyone noticed ”
‘Goddess, how foolish is she?’ my wolf scoffed as Maggie started crying.
“And you believed him?!” I asked.
“He said it was to keep us safe. He said ordinary pack members would not be allowed to use the tunnels first it something happened and he needed to know where they were. I did not think I was betraying anyone. I am so sorry, Luma. I am so sorry”
2/3
+25 Bonus
