Chapter 226

Even though Caleb is pretty adamant in his refusal, I won’t accept it until he fully hears me out.

“No, no. It’s perfect. You can make sure the wolves stay away long enough that they won’t come back and find me. That will give me plenty of time to head into the library and find the secret passage.”

Caleb’s glare only hardens. “Do I need to remind you about the small army of militarily-trained servants who would still be inside the house, likely following your every move?”

I haven’t forgotten them, but my fear over Bethany and her safety is making me restless and reckless. I can admit that my plan is not without big flaws. However, for my friend, I’m willing to take chances. “I can figure that out.”

“No,” Caleb says firmly.

“I can get around them,” I insist. “I can sneak into the library –”

“Even if you could, what do you expect waits for you on the other side of the passage behind the secret door?”

The passage could lead out to the forest, as a secret back escape to the estate. However, Caleb and I have already suspected it might lead directly to the rebel stronghold. In which case, I would be personally delivering myself to them and therefore to Stephen.

“If they don’t expect me…” I say, but my arguments are growing weaker. They weren’t exactly strong to start with, so now they are even more flimsy.

“Harper,” Caleb says. His eyes soften somewhat, and there is a measure of sympathy in his face now. “I know you want to do what is best to save Bethany, and Tristan, and the kingdom. But you do not seem to understand what will happen to me if some type of harm befalls you.”

“Caleb…”

“I will burn the world down to get you back,” Caleb says, intensity sparking in his eyes.

My heart pounds, and for a moment, I cannot speak, too caught up in the whirlwind that is Caleb’s love. It might have taken me some time to understand that his passion for me is not just about desire. He feels everything so strongly – his anger, his hate, his love.

Though I’m skeptical that his losing me would set him off quite as badly as he says, I can admit that he seems to believe so.

For now, I refocus, drawing his attention away from my potential harm and back to the matter at hand.

“We have to do something,” I say. “What do you suggest instead?”

“If we both stay behind from the hunt, an opportunity might present itself and –”

“What is this?” Gladys asks, her can clanking on the floor as she approaches. “Our honored guests are considering sitting out of the main event?”

“You already know why Harper will not be participating,” Caleb says.

“You should not dishonor the other guests here,” Gladys says, a touch of warning in her voice, even with the overall amusement lifting it. “I’m sure you’ve noticed, having met a few of them by now, that no one here is overly found of you. To antagonize them further would not win you any favors…”

“Do not pretend that you didn’t orchestrate all of this,” Caleb replies. “You want them to hate me. And a hunt? Alone in the woods? I am no fool, Gladys. Those wolves are going to turn on me, thinking they might have the upper hand with their numbers. They are fools if they think they will overwhelm me.”

Gladys looks at Caleb with open curiosity. She’s using that to disguise her hatred for him, but it too shines in her eyes as she looks at her king.

“You think so poorly of the wolves of this pack,” she says.

“I do not,” Caleb says. “I am only confident in my own strength and ability. Harper and I will be sitting out this event for their sake.”

Gladys smirks then. “I’m afraid, dear step-son, that when the time comes for the hunt to begin, you might find yourself unable to refuse.”

“Is that a threat?” Caleb asks.

Gladys shrugs, giving away nothing. Caleb starts to growl again.

Gladys looks at me. “You shouldn’t be made to feel excluded, Harper. Unless perhaps you doubt the ability of your king to keep you safe.”

“I do not,” I say at once. I’ve seen Caleb go feral before, shifting and rampaging. If that were to happen here, it is not me I will worry about. It’s everyone else. “Those children, by the drink table,” I say.

Gladys looks to see to whom I am referring.

“I assume they have family here,” I say.

“They do,” Gladys confirms.

“For their sake, I ask you, whatever you are planning against us, to please stop.”

“You are threatening the children?” Gladys asks, more surprised than angry.

“No. Caleb will not hurt pups,” I say. “But those children shouldn’t have to witness what is to come, or have to grow up without their family.”

Gladys narrows her eyes at me. “Such a vile thing you’ve chosen as your mate, Caleb.”

“She accepts me for who I am,” Caleb replies. “She’s only speaking out of concern for the pups.”

“You needn’t worry,” she says to me. “Those children will be safe. It is your own life you should concern yourself with. The hunt will begin soon. You should ready yourselves.”

As Gladys starts to turn away, Caleb calls out, “Just what will everyone be hunting?”

Gladys smirks. “Wait and see.”

Caleb’s arms tightens around me.

Fear rises in my own heart. All I can think about is how Bethany is missing.

Then, across the room, I spot a familiar face among the servants: Cameron.

Caleb clearly wants to try to probe more information from Gladys, but I need to speak to Cameron before I lose him.

I tap on Caleb’s arm, silently asking him to release me. When he does so, I quickly walk away. I move through the crowd, ignoring the jeers and leers of the wolves around me. They cannot hurt me, not here and now, with Caleb’s eyes following me across the room.

Cameron doesn’t see me at first. He’s standing near the buffet, helping to get some of the dishes aligned. I come up behind him.

“Cameron, excuse me. I need to speak with you at once.”

He totally freezes before he half-turns around. The other servants are looking at him curiously. His own features are expressionless, though there is a haunting pain in his eyes that he cannot conceal as he looks at me.

“You should get back to the party, miss.”

“I don’t think I will,” I say. “Not until I’ve talked to you.”

Cameron swallows hard, then after looking around, nods to a less populated area near the bottom curve of the stairwell. From there, we would mostly be hidden from the view of the public.

Fine. I wait for him to start moving first, and then follow him there. The minute we are half-hidden behind the curve of the lower stairs, I start my interrogation.

“Bethany is missing,” I say. “If you know something, you have to tell me now.”

Cameron drops his expressionless mask as he looks at me with fury. “This is your fault.”