Chapter 251

Agnes

The morning of James’ funeral was gray, cold, and drizzly, which was rather fitting given the circumstances. I stood in front of the mirror, mechanically tugging on my simple black dress while Elijah grimly adjusted his tie in the background. His eyes briefly met mine, his lips tugging upwards into a thin-lipped smile that had no humor in it. I just stared down at my feet and sighed.

Neither of us had spoken much all morning, not for lack of wanting, but simply because we couldn’t seem to find the words.

But what was there to say? How could anyone find the right words on the morning they would have to bury a friend? Especially one who had died because of our mistakes, our misplaced trust.

I would never stop blaming myself; I had Lena in my arms, I knew she had the stone, and yet I had believed her lies. I had let her manipulate me and it had cost me our friend’s life.

By the time we arrived at the funeral home a little while later, it was already packed. James had been well-loved in the pack, respected by everyone who knew him, and he had an extensive family.

As we walked in, heads turned our way, offering nods and quiet condolences. I gripped Elijah’s hand tighter, grateful for the invisible thread that tied our souls together. If it weren’t for our mate bond and my wolf’s newfound strength, I feared I might have burned the whole place down.

Thea walked between us, unusually quiet in her little black dress. She’d cried when we told her about James, asking why he had to go away. We’d fumbled through an explanation, but how do you explain death to an eight-year-old? How do you explain betrayal and murder disguised as a brain hemorrhage?

A brain hemorrhage. The thought still made me want to laugh bitterly.

James hadn’t died of a hemorrhage. She had done something to him. I wasn’t sure how, but she had. And she would pay, someday, when I finally tracked her down.

The service itself passed in a blur. The officiant spoke about James’ loyalty, his dedication to the pack, his fierce protection of those he loved. All true, all painful reminders of what we’d lost. When they opened the casket for final viewings, I couldn’t bring myself to look. The James in that box wasn’t the James I wanted to remember.

Elijah gave the eulogy. His voice remained just as steady and controlled as always, but through our bond I felt the storm of grief and rage churning beneath the surface. Every tick of his jaw, every time he looked down at the paper in front of him and paused for a moment too long, I could feel his anguish rippling through our bond, and it broke my heart piece by piece.

He spoke of James’ years of service, their friendship, the countless times James had proven himself. He didn’t mention Lena. He didn’t mention the stone. But everyone knew there was more to the story.

The pack had been told James died suddenly of natural causes, but whispers had already started spreading. Of course, they would have no way of knowing the actual truth behind it, but they knew it was something deeper and more sinister. Maybe the ashen, angry look on my face gave it away.

Three more days of searching, and Lena had vanished without a trace. No scent trail, no sightings, nothing. She’d played us all so perfectly, and now she was out there somewhere with the Lunaris Stone, probably delivering it straight to my stepmother.

My wolf stirred restlessly, still angry at being fooled. She’d liked Lena too, had accepted her as a part of the pack. The betrayal stung her pride as much as it broke my heart.

Movement near the back of the room caught my attention, and I turned slightly to see who’d arrived late. My breath caught as I recognized the familiar stout figure and stern face.

Richard.

He stopped in the doorway, dressed in an expensive black suit. Our eyes met, and my brows lifted with surprise. Even Elijah momentarily paused his eulogy to share, and a few people turned to look.

We hadn’t been expecting him to come to James’ funeral of all people, especially not so soon after his own wife had passed. The man had just lost his mate—he should be deep in mourning, not traveling to attend the funeral of someone he’d barely known.

Richard took his seat near the back, nodded once to me and once to Elijah, and the service continued.

After the burial, everyone gathered in the parlor of our house for the reception, just as they had for Isabella. Food had been laid out, although I couldn’t imagine eating anything. My stomach was in knots, and the fog in my head had only grown thicker.

People approached us in a steady stream, offering condolences, sharing memories of James. I nodded and thanked them, but their words barely registered to me.

Richard kept his distance during the reception, staying near the edges of the room. But I felt his presence the whole time, felt the way his eyes found us periodically through the crowd. Something was wrong. Was he okay, I wondered? Had there been another development with the missing Alpha and Luna, or perhaps even with his dead wife?

Elise’s death had been so… sudden. I gulped as I recalled the way she had stared wide-eyed at Lena as if she had seen a ghost, and how she had passed out right away, never to wake fully again.

Had Lena done something to her then? Elise had certainly looked at her as if she feared her. If so, what could possibly be her motive? And most of all, did Richard know about the true nature surrounding his wife’s passing?

Toward the end of the reception, as people were starting to head home, Richard finally approached us where we were standing by the door.

“Elijah. Agnes.” His face was stern, colder than I’d ever seen it. Up close, he looked shockingly angry, but as if he were trying to control it. “My condolences on your loss.”

“Thank you for coming,” Elijah replied carefully. “We weren’t expecting you, especially so soon after…”

“Yes, well.” Richard’s jaw tightened. “Some things can’t wait. I need to speak with you both. Privately.”

The way he said it made my wolf’s hackles rise instinctively. So there was another reason why he had come after all. I’d had a feeling, and it had been correct. Again.

Elijah and I exchanged a glance, then Elijah nodded. “Of course,” her said. “There’s a small office down the hall. We’ll talk there.”

We left Thea with one of the trusted pack members, although I hated letting her out of my sight even for a moment, and of course James wasn’t around anymore to keep an eye on her. The three of us walked in tense silence to the office/

Once we were inside, Richard closed the door behind us. Without a word, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out something small. He set it on the desk, and both Elijah’s and my eyebrows shot up in surprise.

The dinosaur keychain.

The one Thea had given him right after Elise had died. The cheap plastic T-Rex that Elijah had brought home for her after a conference trip to Richard’s territory beforehand. But something was different now. The dinosaur had been pried open, revealing its interior.

And inside, nestled in the plastic casing, was what looked unmistakably like a small GPS tracking device.

My blood turned to ice. Beside me, Elijah went completely still.

Richard’s voice was as hard as steel, but he remained calm as he murmured, “Why did you have your daughter give me a tracking device?”