Chapter 160

Third Person POV

In the viewing room, the Lycans and the judges watched as the competitors fought for survival. Gavin stared at the screen, his eyes on Judy as she fought with the other wolves, nearly losing her life in the process. It was taking everything he had not to fly to that island and get her out of there, but he knew he couldn’t, or else the entire world would find suspicion in his actions.

His fists kept clenching and unclenching every time she was in a situation that proved to be dangerous. Now she was entering a cave, and the drones weren’t able to follow her in it. He was losing sight of her, and it was driving him mad.

Meanwhile, Alpha Levi also watched the screen; his eyes darting between Judy and Gavin’s reaction towards her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He could tell from Gavin’s body language that he wasn’t pleased with what he was seeing on the screen.

His phone went off, alerting him to an incoming email. He grabbed his phone and swiped along the screen, bringing up the email. Ethan had successfully gotten him inside information about the Landry corporation. Investments that Gavin had made, deals with shareholders, and something else that piqued Levi’s interest.

Money is being transferred to a secure and unknown account.

Levi raised his gaze to stare at the back of Gavin’s head. What was he sending money to a secure account for?

And why so secretive about it?

He closed out his emails and sent a text to his subordinate along with a screenshot of the money transfer.

Levi: Find out where this is going and report back to me ASAP.

He shoved his phone back into his pocket without waiting for our reply and then he opened a mindlink.

“How is going there?” He asked through the link.

“So far so good. I already saved her once,” the familiar voice sounded in his head. “She’s going into a cave. Should I follow her?”

“Just make sure she doesn’t die. I need her for my future plans and if she dies that’ll drive a wedge in my plans,” he replied.

“Will do. As long as I’m here, she’ll remain alive.”

Without another word, the mindlink ended and Levi sat back in his seat, his eyes glued to the screen, waiting to see what happened next.

Meanwhile, back at the Silver Crescent pack, Irene met up with Stella for the second time in the past week. She had yet to confront Ethan about what she had discovered. She now knew that Ethan wasn’t who she thought he was. He was sick in the brain, telling Stella to get rid of a baby and throwing cash at his face. Throwing her away like she was nothing even though he spent the last few weeks leading her on.

Who knows how many other women Ethan had? She felt sick to her stomach at the very thought of it. She advocated for him, and he let her down in the worst way possible. He wasn’t her fated mate, but her wolf still reacted the same, retreating deep in her mind and being swallowed whole by the misery that was bestowed upon her.

Ethan had broken her heart and now she was after revenge. She wanted to know what it was he was truly after because clearly, he was with her for a reason. Maybe it was because her father was Gavin Landry and all he really wanted was to be the Alpha of the Redmoon pack.

She wished that Judy was around so she could talk to her… she wanted to know what else Judy knew because Irene wasn’t stupid; she knew that Judy knew more than what she let on. But she also felt bad for taking her anger and frustrations out on Judy.

The things she had done….

Her father would never forgive her if he knew.

Stella was waiting at the coffee shop when Irene arrived. The first thing she noticed was how pale her face was, the second thing was the dark circles under her eyes. It was clear Stella had barely slept since the last time they spoke. Irene hadn’t really slept either.

Ethan had tried to have sex with her only once this past week and Ierne shut him down, claiming she wasn’t in the mood. She didn’t even want him sleeping in her bed, so he went home to sleep and barely spoke to her these last few days. Typically, she would have spent time on wedding planning, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. She stared down at the ring on her finger… she knew she would have to take it off soon, but something in her heart refused to let go of the one man she loved with all her heart.

It was going to be a difficult pill to swallow, but she knew there wouldn’t be a wedding.

“Thank you for meeting with me again,” Irene said, taking a seat in front of Stella in the same booth they sat in last time. This time, neither of them ordered anything. Irene assumed that Stella also couldn’t stomach anything as well.

Stella nodded, her eyes clouded and fixed on the table in front of her.

“Something told me I didn’t have a choice,” she said softly. “You managed to find my apartment. It scared me.”

Stella didn’t give Irene her phone number the last time they met; actually, Irene had one of her men track and find Stella on their own time. It didn’t take them long to find the rundown apartment that she lived in within the Redmoon pack. Irene was disgusted when she saw the pictures her men sent her of the apartment.

That was no place to raise a baby.

She had her men give Stella a note, requesting that she met with her at the same coffee shop with a date and a time.

A part of her didn’t think that Stella would show up, but she was pleased that she did.

“I’m sorry I had to track you down like that,” Irene told her.

She shrugged one shoulder.

“I thought it was Ethan who hired them to find me at first. After I told you everything that happened, I assumed you went to him and now he’s after me,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Her bottom lip trembled.

Irene could see that she was afraid. It made her stomach clench; Ethan must have threatened her, which made Stella even more afraid of him.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” she told Stella, her voice calmer than she felt. “I’m sorry that my fiancé had hurt you and scared you. I hadn’t told him about our talks yet. He doesn’t know that I know anything.”

Stella sniffled and nodded. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper.

She unfolded it and slid it across the table.

Irene’s breath got caught in her throat.

“This is my baby,” she whispered softly.

It was Stella’s first ultrasound.

She hadn’t got the abortion like Ethan wanted and, in a way, Irene was relieved by that. She didn’t want this innocent baby to lose its life because of Ethan’s carelessness. But at the same time, what kind of life could that baby have?

Living in hiding within the Redmoon pack in that rundown apartment building?

It wasn’t safe for either of them, which made this meeting necessary.

“How far along are you?” Irene asked, staring at the picture.

“A month,” she whispered. “I hadn’t been with anyone else in almost a year. It’s definitely his, but once I’m further along, I can take a paternity test to know for sure.”

Irene shook her head.

“I believe you. It’s not necessary,” she said softly.

Stella blinked away the tears and looked up at her.

“Really?” She asked.

Irene nodded and reached her hand out to hold onto Stella’s.

“I’m sorry this is happening to you. I wish there was something I could say to make things better. Ethan was wrong for this, and he shouldn’t have threatened you.”

More tears spilled out of Stella’s eyes; Irene wanted to cry too, but she kept a strong composure.

“It isn’t your fault. You were kind. Far kinder than I would have been. I’m sorry I ran from you at first,” she whispered.

Irene shook her head, not wanting her to feel bad. None of this was her fault and she wouldn’t allow her to blame herself.

It was Ethan’s fault.

She was determined to make things right, for this girl, for Judy, and for herself. They were all victims of Ethan, and it ended with Irene.

Irene pulled her hands away and reached into her purse. She pulled out a thick envelope and slid it across the table towards Stella.

Stella’s brows knitted together.

“What is this?” She asked, grabbing the envelope.

“Open it,” Irene said simply.

Stella carefully opened the envelope, and her breath hitched. It was a huge wad of cash; there had to be thousands of dollars in cash if not a million.

“W…what is this?” she asked, glancing up at Irene’s serious face.

“It’s money,” Irene answered, raising her right brow. “It’s for you.”

“But… why?” Stella asked, releasing the money as if it had burned her. It fell to the table. “I’m not getting an abortion. I made up my mind already.” She put her hands on her belly protectively. “I want to keep him or her. They are my baby and—”

“It’s not for an abortion,” Irene told her, cutting her off. She held up her hand to keep her from saying anything more. “It’s so you can raise your baby without worry. It’s enough money to get you out of here. You can leave this pack and go to another. You can find a decent place to live and raise your baby without worry. Ethan will never find you.”

Stella’s eyes grew wide.

“What?” Stella whispered after a beat of silence.

Irene reached over and grabbed her hands again, looking deep into her eyes as she spoke her next words slowly and carefully.

“Leave Redmoon… get as far away from here as possible and raise your baby, Stella. I’m giving you an out. Take it.”

And with those words left in the air, Irene shouldered her purse, stood to her feet, and walked away without looking back.