Rise of the Fallen Wolf

Chapter 6: The Price Of A Secret



Days passed without a single word about Maxwell's body. The Jones pack was rife with speculation, their whispered rumors coiling like smoke in Elizabeth's ears.

"Get up and shine, sleepy prince! It's already midday," Elizabeth's voice rang out, laced with sarcastic cheer as she yanked open the drapes in Ryland's room.

Ryland groaned, the sharp sunlight stabbing at his eyes. He pulled the duvet over his head in a futile attempt to block it out.

"Ever heard of knocking?" he growled from beneath the covers.

Elizabeth didn't answer. Instead, she strode to the edge of the bed, sat down, and leaned in close. Her voice dropped to a whisper, cold and biting.

"By tonight, Ryland, it's either Maxwell's corpse or your corpse. Choose wisely."

She left before he could respond, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. For a moment, Ryland lay there, stunned. His mother had never spoken to him like that before, and the weight of her words settled heavily on his chest.

Anxious and unsure of his next move, Ryland was mentally piecing together a plan when his phone buzzed incessantly. It was Joëlle, Mr. Lee's daughter. He ignored the call at first, but when Joëlle refused to stop, he answered with an angry snap.

"What do you want, Joëlle? I told you we're done! Why are you still calling me?"

Joëlle's laughter on the other end was cutting, sharp as a blade. "You think you can just ignore me and walk away, Ryland? You're more naïve than I thought."

Before he could respond, the line went dead. His patience shattered along with his phone as he hurled it against the wall, the pieces scattering across the floor like fragments of his control.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth met with Mr. Adam, the family lawyer, hoping for some legal leverage.

"As I've said before, Mrs. Jones, without Maxwell's body, there's no case. No evidence means no death certificate."

He gathered his papers, avoiding her steely glare, and prepared to leave.

"So, that's it?" Elizabeth's voice was deceptively calm, her fingers toying with a pen. "Are we now nothing more than servants to the handicapped? Even dead, Maxwell manages to make my life hell."

Her grip tightened on the pen, and before she realized it, she had driven its tip into her palm.

Ryland, determined to make progress, returned to the Black Forest with the four friends who had been with him the night Maxwell disappeared. They scoured the area, finding nothing but dried bloodstains that had long since crusted over.

By evening, he trudged back home, dreading his mother's wrath. As he stepped into her office, his anger flared at the sight of Joëlle sipping tea with Elizabeth, chatting as though they were old friends.

"What is she doing here?" Ryland demanded, storming into the room. He grabbed Joëlle's arm, ready to throw her out.

Elizabeth intervened, stepping between them. She slapped Ryland across the face, the sharp crack of it silencing the room.

"This girl," she hissed, "has done what you couldn't. She knows where Maxwell is. And, for your information, he's alive."

Ryland stared at her, stunned into silence. Elizabeth turned back to Joëlle with a warm smile.

"My apologies, dear. Let's finish our conversation without any interruptions."

She held Joëlle's hand and escorted her to the door, slamming it shut in Ryland's face.

Seething with rage, Ryland stormed back to his room and unleashed his fury on everything in sight. The sound of shattered glass and splintered wood echoed through the halls.

Later, there was a knock at his door. Elizabeth entered without waiting for an invitation.

"Don't be upset with me," she began, sitting beside him. Her tone was softer now, though disappointment lingered in her eyes. "Everything I do is for your good. But your impatience and stubbornness have cost us. Today, we lost the very hotel you fought so hard to secure."

Her words cut deeper than any reprimand. Ryland looked away, guilt churning in his stomach.

"It was flagged that Maxwell was taken to a veterinarian," she continued. "Your task is to search every clinic for a white wolf. He's unique—finding him shouldn't be hard."

Without another word, she stood and left, leaving Ryland to grapple with his emotions.

The search resumed, but Ryland found nothing. When one of his friends suggested a clinic in the South Pack's territory, something clicked. How had Joëlle known about Maxwell in the first place?

Without hesitation, he called her.

"Joëlle," he said, swallowing his pride, "I need access to your clinic. Name your price."

Joëlle's laughter was sharp and cold. "You already know what I want, darling. Marriage. Come to my father, ask for my hand, and I'll consider giving you the address."

Ryland clenched his jaw but forced himself to agree. "Fine. I'll be there in a few minutes."

True to his word, Ryland accompanied Elizabeth to Mr. Lee's house, where he formally asked for Joëlle's hand in marriage.

Meanwhile, Zoelle, the veterinarian, finished her shift early. Before leaving, she gave her assistant clear instructions.

"The wolf is in the storage unit, sleeping. Don't tell anyone. I'll release him tonight, so don't worry."

When Elizabeth and Ryland arrived at the clinic, only Zoelle's assistant was there. At first, she refused to divulge anything, but Elizabeth was not one to be deterred.

"Hiding that wolf could ruin you," Elizabeth said coolly. "Do you really want to risk jail for this?"

The girl wavered but remained silent. Elizabeth leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I admire hardworking girls like you. How about a deal? Tell me where the wolf is, and I'll make you head vet of this clinic."

The assistant's resolve crumbled. With trembling hands, she led them to the storage unit.

Zoelle's brief conversation with her assistant replayed in her mind, but it was too late for regrets. The damage was done.


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