Chapter 248

Noah

Noah straightened his tie, taking one last deep breath to calm his nerves. This was it—the moment of truth. Finally, he grabbed the handle and turned it.

The single hanging light in the otherwise dark interrogation room was almost blinding as it gleamed off the polished surface of the metal table. But the moment Noah’s eyes adjusted, they immediately locked onto Scott.

Noah felt his blood begin to boil anew.

His Beta, his half-brother, the man who had betrayed him in ways he couldn’t have imagined, sat there looking small and defeated. He wore a gray prison uniform and looked like he hadn’t slept in days, dark circles ringing his eyes—his eyes which, due to fear or guilt or both, refused to meet Noah’s.

Good.

Noah took his seat opposite Scott. The metal chair scraped against the floor as he pulled it back, unbuttoning one button on his suit jacket before sitting. Every movement was slow, deliberate, painstaking.

Noah said nothing for several long moments, simply letting the silence speak for him. He could see Scott growing increasingly uncomfortable, fidgeting in his seat. His red hair hung in his eyes as he dipped his head even further, straining his neck.

“Why, Scott?”

Noah hated how pained he sounded, how vulnerable despite his attempt at cold, unfeeling determination. Noah and Scott had never had the closest of relationships, but still... Scott was his brother. How could he have betrayed him like this?

Scott shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting around the room, looking anywhere but at Noah. He remained silent. Infuriatingly silent.

Noah felt his anger rising to the surface, bubbling just beneath his skin like a pot about to boil over. He couldn’t take it anymore. He’d been holding back his emotions this past week, focused solely on Hannah and Melody, but…

In a sudden burst of fury, he slammed his hands down on the table, making Scott jump. Noah’s fangs flashed as he leaped to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor behind him.

“WHY?!” he roared, his voice reverberating off of the walls.

Scott visibly paled, terror taking over his features. And then, like a dam breaking, the words began to spill out.

“It... it was all part of the plan,” Scott stammered, his voice shaking. “From the very beginning, Zoe and I... we were working to get you two together.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Scott took a shuddering breath. “All those years ago, Zoe, she…” He swallowed hard. “She had to have you. Not you, but Nightcrest. She tried to seduce you, but you had just realized that Hannah was your mate, and you were head over heels. That was when she recruited me.”

“Go on…”

“We managed to wipe your memories of Hannah,” Scott continued, “to make you think Zoe was your mate and not Hannah. Zoe said it was an ancient spell, a special… potion. It clouded your mind and then we cut your mate bond with Hannah.”

Noah frowned. “But why make me believe that it was my bond being cut with Zoe if she wanted me for herself?”

Scott shrugged. “Zoe said that it would make you desperate for her if you thought that she didn’t want you. That you’d be eating out of her palm.” He glanced up at Noah, his eyes flicking down to Noah’s hands, which were trembling with rage. “And you did.”

“But then…” Scott shook his head. “Then your parents decided to go through with that arranged marriage anyway, even though you were in love with Zoe. And Zoe got married off to Drake, and everything fell apart.”

Noah felt like he had been punched in the gut. “All these years...?”

Scott nodded miserably. “We kept trying to break you and Hannah up. But no matter what we did, you two kept... kept sticking together somehow. I think we didn’t fully sever your mate bond or something, I don’t know. All I know is that every attempt we made to ruin your relationship—the lies, the hidden cameras and rumors, me doing a poor job as Beta to frustrate you both—it all kept backfiring.”

Noah’s mind was reeling. Hidden cameras… That goddamn unicorn and the fucking forum post. He should have known.

Noah let out a low growl of annoyance. “And the contraceptives in Hannah’s diet pills,” he said, leaning forward. “I assume that was you two as well.”

Only then did Scott’s eyes finally meet Noah’s. “Contraceptives…?”

Noah blinked, surprised. Scott didn’t know… No matter; there was no doubt in Noah’s mind that Zoe had been the one to supply the pills in an attempt to keep Hannah from having a Nightcrest heir.

“But why?” Noah muttered. “Why would you do this to me, Scott? You’re my brother, for fuck’s sake!”

“Half-brother,” Scott corrected, eliciting another growl from Noah. He looked away and continued, “Zoe and I... We slept together when we were teenagers. She got pregnant.”

Noah’s eyes widened.

“Yes,” Scott said, noticing Noah’s realization. “Adam is my son, not Drake’s. Once we realized she was pregnant, we knew what we had to do. The plan was for her to marry you, get Adam named as Nightcrest’s heir, and then…” Scott’s voice trailed off.

Noah felt sick. “And then what, Scott?”

Scott swallowed hard. “And then poison you. Kill you. Zoe would marry me, and we would take over Nightcrest together.”

Noah’s legs felt weak. He sank back into his chair, staring at Scott in disbelief. “But... but why? Why would you want that?”

A bitter laugh escaped Scott’s lips. “Why? Because I’ve always been second best, Noah. Your half-brother, never even remotely considered for being Nightcrest’s Alpha. You got everything you ever wanted—the pack, the girls, the attention. This was my only chance to finally have some power.”

Noah shook his head, trying to process it all. “But you wouldn’t have been Alpha, Scott. Adam would have been named heir, not you. Even if your plan had worked, Adam would have become the Alpha instead. Perhaps you would have been his regent, but as soon as he came of age you would lose the power that you killed your own brother to get.”

An evil little smirk grew across Scott’s face then, and Noah felt his blood run cold. “You wouldn’t…” he whispered, horrified.

Scott merely shrugged.

Noah was astonished. Killing him was one thing, but to think that Scott would actually consider murdering his own son, a child no less, in order to become Alpha of Nightcrest... It was disgusting. Noah shuddered, thinking of sweet little Adam, the boy he had played hide and seek with. Thank the Goddess he was safely with his grandparents now.

“And Zoe?” Noah asked.

“We slept together a few times and nothing more,” Scott said matter-of-factly. “I suppose I could have put on a sad face when she died in the same car accident that would have killed Adam, but it would have been a mask. I hate her just as much as you do, believe it or not.”

Noah let out a laugh, but the sound was one of disbelief and horror, not humor. “So you planned on double-crossing her just as much as you’ve double-crossed me.” He shook his head wryly. “Are you loyal to anyone, Scott?”

“I’m loyal to myself.”

Scott’s words nearly made Noah flinch, but he managed to control himself. Taking a deep breath, Noah smoothed down his suit jacket and rose again. “Well then,” he said, his voice flat, “I suppose we’re done here.”

With that, Noah called for the guards. As they entered, Noah pulled a small tape recorder from his pocket. Scott’s eyes widened in shock.

“He confessed to everything,” Noah told the guards, holding up the recorder. “And I have it all on tape. Take him to our highest security cell.”

Scott hung his head as the guards led him away, all the fight having been drained out of him. Noah didn’t even deign to watch the bastard go.

With Scott’s interrogation complete, Noah moved on to his next task—questioning Zoe.

Down the hall, he stood outside the next interrogation room, peering through the one-way glass. Zoe sat primly at the table, her back ramrod straight, eyes cast down at her clasped hands. She looked every bit the picture of innocence, but Noah knew better now.

“She hasn’t said a word,” the officer beside him reported. “We’ve been trying to get information for hours.”

Noah gritted his teeth, his blood boiling at the sight of her. “Let me talk to her,” he growled.

As he entered the room, Zoe didn’t even look up or move a muscle. Noah took his seat across from her, studying her carefully. Her perfectly manicured nails, her immaculate hair—even in custody, she maintained her flawless facade.

“Scott confessed to everything, Zoe,” Noah said, his voice cold as he pulled the tape recorder out of his pocket. “I know all about your plans. You might as well confess now.” He set the recorder down in the middle of the table and pressed play.

“The plan was for her to marry you,” the recording went on, “get Adam named as Nightcrest’s heir, and then…”

Zoe remained impassive as she listened to the recording, her eyes fixed on her hands. When the recording finally ended, the click echoing in the cold room, she licked her lips before she spoke.

“I want a lawyer.”

Noah leaned back in his chair, a humorless smile playing at his lips. If Zoe wanted to turn this into a months-long legal battle, then so be it. But he wasn’t about to let her have the last word.

Rising from his chair, Noah leaned over the interrogation table, his voice low and dangerous. “You can have your lawyer, Zoe. But know this—you will never get away with what you did. Never.”

Only then did Zoe lift her eyes to meet his. For a brief moment, Noah saw a flicker of fury in her gaze, a crack in that perfect little mask of hers.

And to think that he almost married her. What a fool he was.

“Adam was right, you know,” Noah said, his voice hardly more than a whisper. “His mommy really is a monster.”