Chapter 116
Against Jeffrey’s advice, I didn’t tell Andrew when I first started receiving the death threats shortly after Lisa’s interview. He was so stressed, and I had planned on breaking up with him. Ever since we announced that we were staying together, though, the threats were becoming more frequent and more visceral; I couldn’t keep him out of the loop much longer.
One day, after two notes arrived at Ever After Weddings, I went to the mansion immediately after work and met Andrew in his home office. He greeted me with his usual smile, but it quickly disappeared when he saw the concern on my face.
“Crystal, what’s wrong?” he asked, approaching me.
Before he could wrap me in a hug, I held the notes out to him. He snatched them and read through them quickly.
One said:
We know where you work. We know where you live. Break up with the Alpha King, or we’ll pay you a visit you won’t soon forget.
The other was less vague:
Break up with Andrew Dubois, or we’ll kill you.
Andrew crumpled the notes in his fist. His arm shook with anger. He took several slow breaths, in and out, through his nostrils before he spoke.
“I will find out who is sending these,” he declared. “Do you know anything about how you received them?”
I nodded.
“They came attached to a delivery sent to Ever After Weddings,” I explained.
“Write down every detail that you can—where the delivery came from, the package delivery service, the tracking number, and the name of the delivery person, if you know it,” he said in as even a tone as he could manage. “I will need to provide that information to my private investigator so that he can track these people down. And if you have any more of these, I want them, immediately.”
“I’ll get you all the information and the rest of the notes tomorrow.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Since shortly after Lisa’s interview.”
My eyes cast downward, and I braced myself for Andrew to explode. He never did.
“Crystal,” he said, his voice not angry but strained, “why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Jeffrey said that I should, but I didn’t listen. I was going to break up with you, and I thought that would fix everything for both of us, but…”
I sniffled.
No, I would not cry again.
Andrew grabbed my upper arms and ran his thumbs along my skin.
“It’s okay, Crystal. You’re safe. I promise.”
“How can you be sure of that?”
“I’ll put an extra two guards on your detail. Between them and Jeffrey, no one should be able to get to you. And once my investigator tracks down whoever’s threatening you, we’ll ensure that they are punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Thank you, Andrew. That means the world to me.”
“And it would mean the world to me if you accompanied me to the city’s annual fundraiser for victims of human terrorism tomorrow night.”
My head shot up.
“What? Right now, with all these threats—"
“You trust me, don’t you?”
I thought about his mind-reading ability, how he had trusted me with that secret. He deserved my trust back.
“Yes.”
“Then trust that I will protect you.”
The fundraiser took place on the bottom floor of the venue set to hold Lisa’s wedding, the same floor that Ever After Weddings had used for Polly Durand’s wedding. The reception hall had been transformed with the purple and silver color scheme representing survivors of human terrorist attacks, and all the attendees were dressed accordingly. The conference hall held a silent auction for the One Species, One Heart Foundation, with the grand prize being a private dinner with Andrew himself.
I glued myself to Andrew’s side as he did his rounds, greeting the most influential werewolves and humans of the city. When he introduced me, I could feel their eyes boring into me. It took all of my self-control to not hide behind Andrew like a child behind her mother’s skirt.
I was relieved when the dinner started. I was not as relieved when Andrew revealed that we would be sitting at the head of the table, up on a raised platform for everybody to observe. Even less so when Andrew insisted that I stand with him as he gave his toast.
Holding my hand, Andrew raised his wine glass and bellowed, “Brothers and sisters, werewolves and humans, thank you for joining Crystal and me today at this joyous yet somber event. It is today that we remember those whom we have lost to the monsters who want to see us torn apart. It is also today that we raise money in their honor and to help the survivors of these terrorist attacks.”
Premature applause erupted throughout the room, and Andrew graciously waited for it to end before he continued.
“I am no stranger to these terrorist attacks. I have seen far too many in my day. Hopefully, though, with our outreach programs and a united front presented by all werewolf and human governing bodies, we will one day see an end to these atrocities.”
Andrew removed his hand from mine and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
“As a couple, Crystal and I will do everything to maintain relations between werewolves and humans and to help our injured brethren.”
He looked at me expectantly. I panicked. I hadn’t been prepared to speak that night, but now several dozen pairs of eyes were watching me.
I cleared my throat and said, “Together, peace is possible!”
Andrew smiled and clanked his wine glass against mine. A chorus of clanking glasses soon followed. Trembling, I followed Andrew’s example and sipped my wine.
As I took my seat, I felt horrifically exposed and vulnerable. All eyes were on us, and I did not feel right even lifting my knife and fork to cut into my sirloin. My only comfort came from Andrew’s warm body sitting inches to my right and Jeffrey standing just to my left.
Andrew leaned over to me and whispered in my ear, “Relax. Nothing will happen, I promise.”
“It’s not that. It’s just…they’re all staring at us,” I whispered back.
Andrew chuckled.
“Well, of course. I’m the Alpha King, and you could become my next Luna. You should expect this kind of attention.”
“I guess I’m just not used to it yet.”
“Don’t worry. You will be.”
Andrew took my hand and kissed the knuckles gently. I blushed slightly and smiled.
“What if I do something wrong? Something…improper, something to make them dislike me more?”
“I doubt that is going to happen.”
“What if it does?”
“Then, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, you’ll raise yourself up from that, too.”
I rolled my eyes at the corniness of his words.
“You know how to look on the bright side, don’t you?”
“I have to. It’s the only way to stay sane in this occupation.”
I chuckled.
“I don’t know how you can stand—”
“You should have dumped him!” a voice called out.
I heard the bullet before I saw it. Everything seemed to freeze around me as the bullet rushed at me from a waiter’s gun. I knew that I should move, but I couldn’t get my limbs to cooperate.
Just before the bullet could hit my chest, Jeffrey jumped on the table in front of me and took it in his ribs.
“Crystal!” Andrew cried out.
Then the screaming began.
