Chapter 61

Nan’s POV

I have never seen a man so fearful in my life.

A tremor went down his frame the entire time he spoke. The expressionless façade I knew him by was in shambles. He babbled between disjointed explanations and coherence.

Lionel glares silently. Still towering over the frightened man. But then Mrs. Wolfsbane tries to cut in.

“Who dare you accuse me? I have nothing to do with-” She screeches.

Lionel snarls animalistically. “SILENCE!”

Mrs. Wolfsbane does so mulishly. A resentful sneer only just kept at bay. I think Mr. Darren might faint at the command.

Lionel crosses his arms over his chest. “Mr. Darren, explain. Slowly.”

Said man gulps nervously. “She approached me first. A few days before the final meeting amongst the coordinators.”

‘That’s not surprising,’ I note. ‘It probably would have been suspicious to approach any time before that.’

“She offered me an astronomical sum. It- it would have taken care of everything. My school loans, my mortgage.”

Lionel eyes him critically. “So she offered you money to create a false contract?”

He nods. “It was my job to create a false budget contract. But I got her promise-that I-I wouldn’t be responsible for the deed.”

“How are you not responsible for the deed? You literally created a false contract!” I ask incredulously.

“Yes-but legally, I did not present you the false budget contract or directly give you false information.” He clarifies.

I stare at him in no small amount of stupefaction. I make eyes contact with Lionel. Trying to communicate ‘is he serious?’ is my expression.

Lionel’s anger has shifted into horrified disgust. “Do you really think that matters?” Lionel asks coldly.

“I didn’t have a choice!” Mr. Darren argues weakly.

“You didn’t have a choice? Or you just couldn’t let go of your greed?” Lionel scoffs.

I study his face closely. Run over his words in my head. Something in his explanation and tone make me wary.

‘I have no doubt paying for his loans and bills would be an enticing incentive,’ I contemplate. ‘But he has a high paying job that would eventually take care of that. Not to mention the risks involved in this entire situation….’

That part had been bothering me for a while. I knew that those elitest jerks did not concern themselves too much with the possible consequences of doing something so outrageous. Cora and Mrs. Wolfsbane had shown me that.

Besides, Mrs. Wolfsbane had limited risks in this entire situation. It would fall on me if things had gone horribly wrong. Or in this case, it would Mr. Darren now under the telescope of Lionel’s scrutiny.

‘Why would Mr. Darren agree to this?’ I ponder. I stared at the scene in front of me thoughtfully.

Lionel is verbally ripping into the scared man. Outlining all his bad decisions and idiocy. This only serves to drive my point home.

But then an idea occurs to me…

“You’re hiding something.” I accuse. Lionel pauses his tirade to glance back at me.

Mr. Darren freezes. “What is the real reason you agreed?” I push.

“I-no, I-” Mr. Darren tries to deny. But something must give him away in his scent as Lionel’s eyes narrow.

“Out with it, now.” Lionel demands.

“I needed the money for my lover.” He admits.

“Your lover?” I repeat skeptically.

“I couldn’t afford the fees for their private residence anymore. I needed the extra funds to support my…courtship.” But Mr. Darren blushes and refuses to meet everyone’s eyes.

I do not understand at first. Why would he need a sketchy deal to get money for his lover? Then it hits me.

I could only imagine one type of scenario in which his lover would not be accepted. More specifically, if his lover was a…escort. I grimace.

If I thought Lionel was disgusted before, I was incorrect. “So you decided to betray me and take my families money for your…activities?” Lionel’s lips curled in disdain.

He did not reply. Shame radiating off his bowed head. My own tolerance for this situation was evaporating too.

Lionel takes a deep breath. “To sum it up, my mother was blackmailing you into compliance?” He says dryly.

Mrs. Wolfsbane turns toward Mr. Darren with a dark promise in her eyes. Silently warning him. But Mr. Darren obviously fears Lionel more than her, because he nods reluctantly.

Lionel looks back and forth between the two in icy rage. He pulls out his phone. “Security, collect Mr. Darren here.”

He turns to make direct eye contact harshly with the ashen man. “Contact the police. Inform them of the information being sent to the desk.”

He turns back to the once again forgotten man. “Go with them. Hand over the copies as evidence.”

The blond investigator grins. “Will do.”

In a few minutes two burly men take Mr. Darren away and the blonde man follows them. The older man goes without complaint. Shame and defeat in his body language.

Mrs. Wolfsbane tries to play this confrontation off. “Really Lionel…all this fuss. Think about our pack’s reputation.”

This is the last straw. Lionel walks over briskly to his mother. He bears his fangs.

“No, mother. You should have thought about our pack’s reputation when you pulled this stunt.” His voice deepens as his inner wolf displays its wrath.

I feel a slight shiver of secondhand fear. Lionel is beyond enraged at this point. No apologies or acts of submission would derail his temper now.

“It’s time for your punishment now.” He sneers.

Mrs. Wolfsbane says nothing. Unlike what I expected…she is not afraid. I see it in the hateful glare from beneath her eyelashes.

It’s like watching a showdown between a forest fire and a tsunami. Two powerful forces of nature. But only one would come out on top.

“You will be put under house arrest. You will have no contact with the outside world for an indefinite amount of time. Your funds will be limited to an allowance set by me.”

Lionel’s verdict comes down like a gavel. Loud and final. I think the sentence is too light at first.

‘He’s only grounding her?’ I think bitterly. ‘In a nice mansion with a rich person’s allowance.’

But Lionel’s mother does not think so. She jerked up. Her anger and panic flooding her face.

“Lionel-you can’t do this! I have responsibilities! You cannot cut me off…do not do this to your mother.” She cries out.

But Lionel is unmovable. “Perhaps some time to reflect on your foolishness will do you well mother.” He states emotionlessly.

She moves faster than I can blink. Her arms raised to strike her son. But Lionel easily catches her hand.

I watch as he tightens his grip. She whimpers. I am stunned.

“You can walk out in dignity…or security will escort you out. Like that criminal.” He whispers severely.

He releases her hand. She turns away from him and leaves the study. Her pace nearly fleeing.

Then it is only Lionel and me. The revelations of the day make us both quiet. I am left in awe of Lionel’s heroic defense of me once again.

“Lionel,” I say. “Thank you. Thank you for defending me.”

He sighs and rolls his eyes. “Don’t thank me.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” I reply.

He gives me a half-grin. “Because… I simply chose to do what is right. Didn’t we already have this discussion?”

I blush. The reminder of our previous conversation springs to my mind.

The idea that my question has resonated so deeply with him brings me a sense of contentment. Perhaps I am not the only one who looks back at our conversations with fondness. A light, happy feeling bubbles in my chest.

I can’t help my reaction. I giggle. My little giggle turns into full blown laughter.

I am unreasonably happy all of a sudden. It’s like the stress has fallen away for now. I am left light.

Lionel’s taken aback expression does not help. It makes me laugh harder. I see a warm smile slip onto his face as he steps closer.

I catch his eyes glancing down toward my chest. ‘Did he just check me out?’ I blush harder.

I suddenly regret wearing my scarf. I would have loved to have shown off my assets…along with his necklace around my neck. Letting him see how proudly I display his token.

At that time, I do not see his troubled eyes or frown. I do not see the signs of his hurt. I am too full of light and affection for Lionel to notice.

I lean in to kiss him…