Chapter 34

Marcus is more convinced than ever that Evelyn is somehow connected to Nicole's disappearance.

There's something about her that reminds him so strongly of Nicole – perhaps it's the tone of her voice, or the inflection, or the way she unconsciously tucks her hair behind her ear while she's talking.

Or maybe it's the way her eyes light up when she sees him. Or the way that a little smile hovers on her mouth when he teases her, like listening to him joke is her favorite thing in the world.

Or maybe it's the way that his wolf stirs in his heart every time he's close to her. She can feel it too, he's almost sure of it. There was a moment when they were talking at the party just now, where he was leaning into her, and she leaned back into him.

It feels like they're connected somehow, by their hearts, perhaps even their very souls.

It's the same feeling he has when he's near Nicole.

He'd searched Evelyn's face, trying to find any trace of Nicole there. There's a look of Nicole about her, but she looks like a totally different person. Something beyond just the red hair and green eyes.

No makeup artist is that good, Marcus thinks in frustration. But how else to explain this feeling in his heart, this certainty in his gut? Evelyn is connected to Nicole somehow. He just doesn't know how, or why, or how it's even possible.

But he's determined to find out. If Evelyn is Nicole, he can help her. God damn it, doesn't she realize that?

If she is Nicole, she must have people helping her. Someone has disguised her so well that even Charles doesn't recognize her, and he's known her since they were children. Someone has gotten her a position in this household. Someone (or, probably, several someones) is aiding her and protecting her.

He wants to aid her. He wants to protect her. Whatever is happening – and Marcus strongly suspects that Charles is involved, and not in a good way – Marcus can help. He wants to help. He longs to help.

Why can't she trust him? Doesn't she realize what he could do for her, if she'd only reach out?

Marcus takes another sip of whisky and then stops to reflect. Well, he supposes he's not being quite fair.

First of all, Nicole barely knows him. They've only met a handful of times, and even if she feels drawn to him, she can't take a risk on him, even if she wants to. Hell, the first thing he'd tell her himself is to be extremely cautious about who she trusts. There's no reason for her to take such a risk, especially not if the stakes are high.

Second, Marcus is almost certain that Charles has something to do with this. And Nicole knows that Marcus is close with Charles – that he works closely with Charles, that Charles is in a high position in the Alpha household, that Charles is married to Marcus's sister.

Christ, Marcus himself told Nicole that he's deeply committed to his family and welcomed Charles with open arms. That he considered Charles family now. And Nicole knows that Marcus would do anything to protect his family.

If anything, her reluctance to trust Marcus is probably Marcus's own fault. He's given her no reason to think that he'll side against Charles in anything, or that he'll believe and protect Nicole in any serious way.

He offered to help her if he could when he dropped her off after the wedding, but that was without knowing anything about her circumstances. He still doesn't know much, but he can guess that it has something to do with his family and the situation here, somehow.

Nicole doesn't even know that he suspects that much. There's simply no reason for her to turn to him, or to even guess that he'd want her to turn to him.

He could tell her now, he supposes, but she likely wouldn't believe him. As far as she knows, he might be working with Charles, any offer of help a ruse to smoke her out.

Still, he has to try. He drains his whisky and looks around the room, searching for Evelyn. He'll have to talk to her in such a way that if she isn't Nicole, it won't raise any suspicions, but that if she is, he'll at least have gotten the message to her. What she does with it after that is up to her.

He finally spots Evelyn over at his father's table. Oh, good god, it looks like she might be having an argument with his mother. Now he really does have to intervene – even if Evelyn isn't Nicole, he does know that she's a committed doctor who only has his father's best interests at heart.

Marcus loves his mother, but she often lets her stubbornness get in the way of her good sense. She would never deliberately harm his father, Marcus knows that, but she's spent too many decades of her life obsessing over her role as Luna and making sure that all social events and etiquette are above reproach.

She's struggling with his father's illness. For one thing, Marcus suspects that she doesn't want to believe that he's as unwell as he is. His mother loves his father deeply, and she sometimes sticks her head in the sand when her loved ones are concerned – in more ways than one.

And for another, she's still stuck in the old-fashioned mindset that the best way she can support his father is to be the picture-perfect society Luna. That's how she was raised to be, and that's how she's been her whole life. It's so difficult for her to change tactics now.

But she has to wake up, Marcus thinks in frustration. Aside from the fact that Marcus cares deeply for his father's welfare, he also cares deeply for his mother's. She'll never forgive herself if she pushes his father too hard and the results are dire. She'll realize too late, and she'll never recover from that.

Marcus strides over to the Alpha's table and arrives in time to hear Evelyn arguing with Jeanette in a low but firm tone. Jeanette is practically vibrating with fury that someone is trying to override her decisions about her own party and her own husband, but she's conscious enough about the possibility of causing a scene that she's keeping her anger under wraps.

"...certainly not saying that you don't know what's best for your husband, ma'am," Evelyn is saying calmly. "Which is why I'm relying on your help in orchestrating a graceful exit for him. He needs rest, you can see that yourself; late nights are too much for him nowadays, with his health where it is."

Before Jeanette can retort, Marcus steps in smoothly.

"Mother," he says. Jeanette looks up at him, her anger clearing a little when she sees her favorite son standing next to her. "You know that the doctor is right, of course. But you're the only one who can help Father exit without it turning into wild rumors about his stability."

Evelyn looks grateful for his interruption.

"Indeed," she says, addressing Jeanette and Marcus now. "I'm here to ask your lady mother's help, sir. It won't look positive if the Alpha's doctor whisks him off to bed, but surely his Luna can come up with some excuse for me?"

"Well, when you put it that way," Jeanette huffs, looking placated. "Emmett, make the rounds and let everyone know that you have some last-minute business to attend to upstairs. I'll have a few of the boys repeat this over the next hour or so, and whenever someone asks where you are. Casually, of course – we don't want to look like we're insisting too much.

"Meanwhile, get you to bed. Doctor, you must stay here for another hour or two and make rounds yourself. If you both leave at the same time, it'll be cause for speculation that my husband has taken ill."

"Certainly, madam," Evelyn says. She leans to speak quietly into the Alpha's ear. Marcus can't overhear everything, but he hears enough to be able to tell she's giving him some basic instructions on medication and sleep.

The Alpha rises, as does Jeanette, and they head off to do their work. Evelyn sighs, looking tired all of the sudden, and raises her eyes to Marcus.

"Thank you," she says simply.

"You're welcome," he says. They stand together for a moment, both looking like they want to say more. Before Marcus can bring up his offer of help, however, he's interrupted by an unwelcome voice at his shoulder.

"There you are, dear brother," Charles slurs slightly, clapping a hand on Marcus's shoulder. He's clearly had too much to drink, and Marcus is in no mood to deal with him right now. Still, he can't avoid it, so he reluctantly starts to turn toward his brother-in-law.

He first catches the brief look of disgust that flashes over Eveyln's face before she politely excuses herself and leaves.

"Charles," Marcus says wearily. "What is it?"

"We need to talk," Charles says. "Let's go to my office."