Chapter 66: Can You Keep a Secret For Me?
Chapter 66: Can You Keep a Secret For Me?
(Aria’s POV)
I stared at the sealed envelope in my hands, hesitating to open it. The weight of it felt disproportionate to its size, as if the contents might change everything.
“Aren’t you going to open it?” Olivia whispered beside me, her eyes darting between my face and David Turner’s expectant expression.
David sat patiently in his wheelchair, his injured body a stark contrast to the powerful enforcers standing behind him. He looked nothing like the dying wolf Claire had described – ill, yes, but alert and present in a way that contradicted her tales.
With a deep breath, I tore open the envelope and pulled out its contents.
My heart nearly stopped.
The photograph showed my brother, James Summers, with his arm casually draped around Claire Watson’s shoulders. Both were smiling broadly at the camera, looking happier than I’d ever seen either of them. The timestamp in the corner showed it was taken just two months ago.
“James?” I gasped, unable to process what I was seeing. “With Claire?”
Olivia leaned closer, her jaw dropping. “What the hell? Your brother knows Claire? How is that possible?”
My fingers trembled as I stared at the image. My brother – who had blamed me for our mother’s death, who had cut me off completely was apparently friends with the woman who had stolen my mate and possibly poisoned my mother–in–law.
“I don’t understand,” I said, looking up at David. “Where did you get this? What does it mean?”
David’s blue eyes revealed nothing as he shrugged slightly. “I simply thought you might be more interested in that photo than I am.”
He offered no further explanation, merely signaling to his attendant that he was ready to leave. The wheelchair made soft squeaking sounds against the hospital’s polished floor as they retreated, leaving me with more questions than answers.
“Wait!” I called after him, but he didn’t turn back.
The enforcer wolves followed him, their broad shoulders blocking my view as they escorted him to a waiting vehicle.
Olivia grabbed my arm. “Come on, we need to get you home. Doctor’s orders, remember? Bed rest.”
Stii! clutching the photograph, I allowed her to guide me to her car. My mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Had James been working with Claire all this time? Was that why he’d been so quick to blame me for our mother’s death? And why would David Turner show me this now?
“I don’t get it,” I said as Olivia pulled out of the hospital parking lot. “James has never even met Claire as far as I know. And even if they did meet, why would they be so… friendly?”
Olivia kept her eyes on the road, but her knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. “I don’t trust that David guy. Something’s off about this whole situation.”
She wasn’t wrong. The timing of David’s reappearance, Claire’s pregnancy, my mate bond severance coincidental.
“Hey, don’t stress,” Olivia said, noticing my furrowed brow. “It’s not good for the pup, remember?”
–
none of it felt
I nodded absently, still staring at the photograph. James looked happier than I’d seen him in years. What could possibly connect him to Claire?
“Aria,” Olivia’s voice took on a strange tone. “Don’t look now, but I think we’re being followed.”
My head snapped up. “What? By whom?”
“Black luxury SUV, three cars back. It’s been behind us since we left the hospital.”
Įtwisted in my seat to look, my heart rate accelerating. Through the rear window, I spotted a sleek black vehicle with tinted
<Chapter 66: Can You Keep a Secret
+8 Points>
windows following at a careful distance. My initial alarm subsided when I noticed the distinctive emblem on the front grille.
“That’s Dominic’s car,” I said, recognizing the Shadow Pack symbol. “But why would he be following us?”
Olivia’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Maybe he likes you more than you thought. Maybe he-” She stopped abruptly, her
expression changing as realization dawned. “Wait. Aria, where did we just come from?”
My blood ran cold as I understood her implication.
“The obstetrics and gynecology department,” I whispered.
“If he was at the hospital, and he saw you there…” Olivia let the thought hang between us.
“Pull over,” I said, my voice barely audible. “Just… pull over.”
Olivia nodded, signaling before pulling to the roadside. The black SUV followed suit, stopping a respectful distance behind us.
“He knows,” I said, my hands moving instinctively to my belly. “He must have seen me at the hospital and realized I’m pregnant.”
The secret I’d guarded so carefully was exposed. My wolf whimpered anxiously within me, unsure whether to perceive this as a threat or not.
“You need to talk to him,” Olivia said firmly. “Better to address it directly than have him wondering.“,
“What if he tells Alexander?” The thought sent panic coursing through me.
“Do you trust him?” Olivia asked, her expression serious.
Did I? Dominic had helped me when I had nothing. He’d supported me through the mate bond severance, given me a place to stay, even taken me to meet his family. But this was different. This was about my pup – Alexander’s pup.
Before I could answer, there was a gentle tap on my window. Dominic stood outside, his tall frame casting a shadow over the car. His silver–gray eyes held mine through the glass, concern evident in their depths.
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Are you alright?” His deep voice carried genuine worry as he stepped back to give me space. “I saw you at the hospital earlier while visiting Nathan.”
His powerful Alpha scent enveloped me, but unlike Alexander’s, it didn’t set my teeth on edge. Instead, it felt oddly comforting. My wolf, usually so agitated around Alphas, remained calm.
“I’m fine,” I said automatically, then corrected myself. “Actually, that’s not entirely true.”
Dominic’s gaze was steady, his presence solid and unwavering. “You were in the obstetrics and gynecology department.”
It wasn’t a question.
I nodded slowly. “Yes.”
His silver–gray eyes flickered briefly to my midsection before returning to my face. “Are you pregnant, Aria?”
The directness of his question left no room for evasion. A quiet resignation settled over me as I realized this was happening whether I was ready or not.
“Yes,” I confirmed, my voice surprisingly steady. “I am.”
Dominic absorbed this information with remarkable composure, his expression betraying nothing beyond mild concern.
“And do you intend to keep it?” he asked quietly.
My hand moved protectively to my belly. “Yes. It’s Alexander’s,” I added, needing him to understand the full picture. “From before our separation. I plan to raise the pup on my own after our mate bond is severed.”
I searched his face for judgment or disappointment but found none. Just that same steady, calming presence.
“Dominic,” I said, looking directly into his silver–gray eyes, my wolf surprisingly calm despite the tension of the moment. “Can you keep this a secret from Alexander? At least until after the mate bond severance is complete?”
For a moment, he said nothing. His powerful Alpha scent shifted subtly with his thoughts, though I couldn’t read what they might be. The weight of my request hung between us.
Finally, he nodded. “I’ll keep your secret, Aria.”
