Chapter 172

Gavin’s POV

I handed in my report to the judges without many casualties. The other Lycans were also there, telling them about each of the competitors they were with all night, and the judges took in the information thoughtfully. By the time they got to me, I handed them the report I wrote out and gave them a simple, “She passed,” then I turned and walked out.

When I reached the hotel suite, I thought I heard talking inside the room. Irene and Matt were inside; it was early, but I wouldn’t put it past either of them to be awake right now. However, when I got the door opened and stepped inside, my blood went cold when I heard Judy’s voice and then it boiled over when I heard what she was saying.

“Because my father couldn’t pay back the rest of the loan, he was put in jail. Ethan is the reason my father is in jail, and he could get him out if he wanted, but he’s holding him against me. Getting him beaten on a daily… my father is being tortured in prison, and Ethan is the reason it’s happening. He wanted me to live in a home that he purchased and be his mistress while he was married to you, Irene. I refused and it’s been driving him crazy. He's the reason I started to work with your father as your brother’s tutor. I needed the money so I can help out my family and try to pay off the rest of my father’s debt so I can get him out of jail.”

“Why hasn’t my father done something? He can easily pay off that debt for your father so you can get him out of prison and then he can do something about Ethan…” Irene asked. It sounded as if she had been crying. She still hasn’t exactly told me what Ethan did to make her run away from the pack and come here, but it must have been bad if Judy was spilling all of this to her.

“I didn’t tell him what Ethan was doing to me,” Judy murmured. “This is my problem… I don’t want to involve your father. Plus, my father has a lot of pride and would never accept help from anyone, especially a Lycan. But mostly, I’m just ashamed and embarrassed…”

“That’s ridiculous, Judy,” Irene said, sounding more upset than before. “Your father is in danger. You should have told my dad so he can help you. You have to get him out of jail.”

“I also don’t think your father would help me if I tried,” I said, which tipped me over the edge completely.

I stepped around the corner so they could see me clearly as I spoke.

“Wrong. Give me 20 minutes,” Gavin said through his teeth as he pulled out his phone. My eyes narrowed at Judy as she stared at me, open mouthed and wide-eyed. I could practically hear her heart beating rapidly. She didn’t want me to know about any of this, but now I knew everything. Her desperation for money when I first met her was making a lot more sense now and I felt like an idiot for not seeing the signs that something like this was going on. I was furious she kept this from me, but even more so that she wasn’t planning on telling me. I narrowed my eyes at her as I said, “Afterwards… we are having a serious conversation.”

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and without another word, I stormed out of the room. I needed to get out of there before I lost my absolute shit. The fact that this monster had been under my roof for months and I was about to let him marry my daughter.

Ethan Cash was a fucking dead man.

I brought up Beta Taylor’s phone number and clicked the call button, pressing the phone to my cheek firmly as I paced the hallway back and forth.

“Alpha,” Taylor answered, sounding tired. “What time is it?”

“Does it matter? When your Alpha calls you stand to attention,” I said through my teeth, cutting out any small casualties.

He knew this was business and not a personal call or else I would have never called him this early. There was silence on the other end as he woke up fully and processed his icy words.

“Sorry, Alpha,” Taylor said, sounding more awake now. “What can I do for you?”

“I want Ethan Cash found, and I want him in custody until I get back,” I said through my teeth. “I don’t care what it takes, but I don’t want him going anywhere before I can get my hands on him.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Taylor said, knowing not to argue with me right now.

“Also, I want the debt paid off for Richard Montague. All of it. I want him out of prison by the end of the day today. The sooner the better,” I demanded.

“Yes, Alpha. Do we know how much he owes?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said through my teeth. “I want it all paid off. No questions asked.”

“On it,” Taylor agreed. “I’ll let you know when he’s released and when Ethan is in custody.”

“His family isn’t to go anywhere either. If they try, put them in custody as well.”

There was slight hesitation on his end for a moment.

“Yes, Alpha,” Taylor finally said after a beat of silence.

Without another word, I hung up the phone.

I needed to get out of here for a few minutes. I needed air and the fact that Judy kept something this important from me made me furious beyond belief. If I wanted to face her, I needed to have a clear head.

…..

Judy’s POV

“Well, that was one way to tell him,” Irene said, staring at the closed door with a frown. “I’m sorry that happened,” she added.

I sat frozen, staring at the doorway that Gavin just disappeared through, my heart pounding in my chest and tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. I couldn’t believe that just happened. Now Gavin knew the truth about everything and there was nothing I could do about it.

“Maybe it’s for the best,” Irene said with a shrug. “Now he can do something about it. You shouldn’t have kept this to yourself, Judy. He can help get your dad out of prison.”

“My father’s pride is at stake,” I said softly.

“He’s being tortured in prison. I think this goes beyond pride,” Irene said, folding her arms across her chest. “Don’t you think?”

I knew she was right, so I nodded slowly.

“Maybe I should go after him,” I said as I started to stand, but Irene grabbed a hold of my arm, keeping me in place.

“I think you should give him some space. I know that look in his eyes and it never ends well for anyone. When he’s ready to talk, he’ll come back,” she assured me gently.

It was odd having her be on my side right now; it’s been months since I considered her a friend, but now it almost seemed as if she was back to her old self. I could tell she still had some questions and things on her mind as well, so I settled back onto the bed and took a deep breath, trying to calm my anxious nerves.

“I shouldn’t have believed a word Ethan said to me,” Irene said softly, tears filling her eyes as she studied my face. “I’m really sorry Judy. For everything.”

I gave her a small smile as I wrapped her in my arms and held onto her tightly.

‘I’m the one who’s sorry, Irene. I’m sorry you got hurt and you were forced to be in the middle of this,” I whispered. “But it’s not your fault… none of it was ever your fault. You were a victim of his cruel games.”

She nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before she nodded, realization setting in.

“You were a victim too,” she told me gently. “You and your family. What he did was cruel and sickening. He can’t get away with this.”

“And he won’t,” I told her. “Especially now that Gavin knows everything. He would never let Ethan get away with hurting you like that.”

‘Not just me,” Irene said, nudging me gently. “He wouldn’t let Ethan get away with hurting you either.”

My cheeks burned from her words, and I stared down at my lap.

“Maybe,” I said softly. “Either way, Ethan is a dead man.”

We talked for a bit longer and it was nice having her back as a friend. She asked some more questions such as, “Were you two still together when I met him?” And “Did he cheat on you with me?”

She looked pale after I confirmed that he did cheat on me and that I had been marked by him when I turned 18. Whenever he’s intimate with anyone, my mark burns. It got easier over time, especially since I was spending time with Gavin, it almost seemed as if Gavin eased the pain from the broken mate bond. But the ghost of the pain is still there.

After a while, I decided to return to my room and get some rest. I waited around for a while for Gavin to return, but he didn’t. I said goodbye to Irene and went to my hotel suite, expecting to see Nan tucked away in bed with Chester beside her or something. But when I got there, neither of them was in the room.

Instead, I was being grabbed the second I stepped into the room and pressed against the wall, my breath hitched when I heard the low and threatening words that were whispered in my ear, “Now, it’s time for us to talk.”