Chapter 238
Elle’s POV
The house was empty. Completely empty.
‘Mom?” I called out, my voice echoing in the silence. I rushed to the kitchen, then the bathroom, checking every room. Nothing. She was gone.
Panic clawed at my chest as I fumbled for my phone, dialing Susan’s number with shaking fingers. The automated voice that answered made my blood run cold: “The number you have dialed is currently turned off.”
How the hell does someone just disappear like that? My mind raced. We were just having lunch together, laughing and talking. How could she suddenly be gone? Why would she turn off her phone?
I spun around, my heart hammering against my ribs. “Brad!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “Mom’s gone! Her phone’s off! Where could she have gone?”
Brad appeared in the doorway, his amber eyes immediately alert.
His phone was already in his hand, dialing Alex’s number. “Find Susan immediately-”
“Boss.” Alex’s voice cut through the speaker before Brad could finish. “I just ran into Susan outside. She asked me to relay a message to you and Miss Elle.
Brad immediately put the call on speaker, and I pressed closer to him, desperate to hear every word.
Alex’s voice was unusually somber. “Mrs. Susan said she has some business to take care of and needs to leave for a few days. She said she won’t let anyone hurt Miss Elle. Mrs. Susan also said it won’t take long, and she asked Miss Elle to please wait here for her return.”
I stood there, frozen.
“Alpha Brad, Alex continued, “the encrypted communication equipment is ready, and we’ve already contacted the Blair family. Do you still want to proceed
with the video call?”
Brad turned to look at me, those amber eyes holding depths of complexity I couldn’t quite read. He was waiting for my decision.
“Connect the call!” I said firmly. “I’m going to get to the bottom of everything today!”
“The connection will be ready in ten minutes.” Alex replied immediately.
My voice grew stronger, more determined. “No matter where Mom went, I know she went there for me! Since Mom is willing to sacrifice for me, how can I just keep enjoying her sacrifices without doing anything?”
Brad’s gaze grew even more complex as he studied my face. Then he asked quietly, “If., in the future, you had to give up the most precious thing to secure your mother’s freedom and happiness, what would you do?”
I looked up at him, confused. “Like what?”
His beautiful features seemed to dim, as if a shadow had fallen across them. “Like… our mate bond.”
Our mate relationship as the price? That’s… that’s a huge cost. My heart clenched. But Mom’s happiness and safety… I can’t just stand by and watch either.
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17:40 Fri, Dec 26
Chapter 238
His voice grew cold, dangerous. “Elle, listen to me carefully. Whatever decision you make, I won’t question it. But leaving me? That will never, ever happent
I could feel his unease, the way his Alpha emotions were spiraling toward something feral. I tried to reassure him. You’re talking nonsense. That was just hypothetical, wasn’t it? How could I ever leave you? We’ve finally… I paused, then said carefully, finally come to care for each other, haven’t we?
When I looked up at him, I was startled to see an expression of hurt flash across his face.
Did I say something wrong? Why does he look so wounded?
Brad opened his mouth as if
to
say something, then closed it again.
Instead of answering my confusion, Brad reached out and gently brushed away the hair that had fallen across my face.
He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “Come on, Alex has everything ready. It’s time for all of this to be revealed.”
Alex had moved a 60–inch LCD screen into the living room and was working rapidly on his laptop, connecting to the Rayne Group’s encrypted
communication system.
I looked at Brad questioningly.
“This is the Rayne family’s private encrypted network,” he explained. “No one can spy on or intercept the information. So you can speak freely about any topic. I don’t trust human networks.”
Feeling protected by his care, I reached out and took his hand.
Brad sighed softly and intertwined our fingers. “You might have a lot to discuss. Come, let’s sit down and take our time.”
Alex quickly connected to the Rayne Group satellite network and began linking with the Blair family.
The LCD screen flickered to life, and I saw Martin Blair and Stella Blair sitting together. It was obvious they had both been crying.
The moment Stella saw me, she lost all composure. She co
her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face.
Martin’s gaze was complex as he looked at me, one hand gently patting Stella’s back. His voice was thick with emotion when he spoke.
‘Elle, can you truly call us Mom and Dad? It’s our fault. All these years, you’ve suffered so much!”
Just from those words, I know they already know everything. Of course they do – Malcolm returned to the Blair family. How could they not know?
I stared at the screen, looking at Martin and Stella – my real biological parents. My throat felt tight. They are my real parents! But right now, I can’t bring myself to say those words.
I could hear Brad behind me, the sound of liquid being poured. When I glanced back, I saw him drinking what looked like specially formulated werewolf liquor, downing it in one gulp.
Stella was sobbing. “Elle… my daughter… it’s all my fault! I should never let you suffer like this in the that family for all those years!”
My voice came out bitter. “You already know, don’t you? Then you know who my adoptive mother is too?”
Martin nodded heavily. “We only found out this morning. I’m sorry, Elle. The Blair family owes you both.”
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Chapter 238
I turned to look at Brad, who was continuing to drink. I suspected he was hiding something about the human–werewolf identity conflict.
After a moment of silence, I got straight to the point. “Then do you know what kind of medication Susan was given when she left the Blair family?”
Martin nodded gravely. “Today, I’m going to tell you everything, exactly as it happened. My mother, your grandmother Eleanor, has told me all of it. Let’s not worry about forgiveness right now – I think you have the right to know the complete truth.”
I nodded firmly.
Martin began, his voice heavy. “The Blair family has a history spanning four hundred and seventy years – you know this. When the Blair family was first established, the first family head’s wife was an astrologer, just like your grandmother Eleanor. Her alchemical abilities were extraordinary – she could create all kinds of miraculous potions and protective charms. Because of her abilities, the Blair family avoided supernatural crisis after supernatural crisis, and even established secret connections with wolf packs before the Great Revelation. So the Blair family has always, at regular intervals, married women skilled in astrology, specifically to help the Blair family navigate various risks in this world where humans and werewolves coexist.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
