Chapter 353 The Cat Excuse
At three in the morning, Aubrey slipped back into Charles’s place without a sound.
Candy was still fast asleep. After a quick wash, Aubrey lay down on the sofa and began to go over everything. In both acts of revenge she had left no trace. Even if people suspected her, they would never confront her. After all, to the outside world she was nothing more than an omega
with no wolf. How could someone so “weak” possibly kill both an alpha–ranked and a beta–ranked werewolf in a single night?
Even if she told the truth, no one would believe her. Aubrey blinked, staring at the ceiling in a daze, wondering why Harold had wanted to capture her. Was it to deliver her to Bailey? What deal had they struck?
After a while, her thoughts went nowhere, and she drifted off.
She slept straight until noon, only to be woken by the ringing of her phone.
Glancing at the screen, she saw it was alpha Henry. After a brief hesitation, Aubrey answered. “What is it?”
“Where are you right now?” alpha Henry asked.
“In Shadowmoon Pack,” Aubrey replied.
Silence lingered on the other end before Henry finally said, “Harold is dead. The patrol found his body this morning in the wilderness.”
Aubrey arched a brow and feigned ignorance. “And why are you telling me this? I don’t even know him.”
The line went quiet again, followed by a soft chuckle. Then Henry dropped the subject and asked instead when she planned to come home.
Aubrey answered flatly, “When I feel like it.”
She hung up before he could respond. Henry didn’t call again, but Aubrey knew he likely suspected she had asked alpha Mateo for help–that Mateo had uncovered the truth and killed both Phantom’s leader and Harold.
She had no intention of clearing Mateo’s name. He already carried plenty of blame; one more wouldn’t matter.
Checking her phone again, she saw missed calls from Charles and alpha Mateo.
She returned both. Charles only wanted to know how Candy was doing. Aubrey reassured him she was fine, and they ended the conversation quickly.
Mateo, however, also mentioned that Phantom’s leader was dead–clearly he had been digging into things as well.
Aubrey brushed it off with a few words, then added, “By the way, check into any dealings between Harold and Bailey for me.” She paused. “And I’ll get to your brother’s final treatment
soon.”
“Alright,” Mateo agreed without hesitation. In truth, even if Leon were already cured, Mateo would still help Aubrey with anything she asked.
After a short silence, he asked, “Do you maybe need a bodyguard?”
Aubrey blinked before replying, “No. I can take care of myself. Thanks.”
Just then Candy woke up with a plaintive meow. Aubrey quickly said, “I need to feed the cat. We’ll talk another time.”
“Cat? You have a cat?” Mateo asked in surprise.
“It’s not mine, it’s Charles’s. He’s away on business, and the cat had some issues, so I’m helping take care of her,” Aubrey explained simply. “She’s actually really cute. Petting her head and paws is… pretty healing.”
“Alright, I really have to go. Bye, Mateo.”
She hung up and turned to tend to Candy. After drugging her the night before, Aubrey felt guilty and planned to spend the whole day keeping her company.
As the call ended, Mateo heard the warmth in Aubrey’s voice as she soothed the cat. He stared at his phone for a long moment, then suddenly stood and ordered his men, “Go buy me a cat. No–three. Get me three beautiful cats.”
Once his younger brother recovered, maybe he could use them as an excuse to have Aubrey visit more often.
་་
His subordinate hesitated. “Uh?”
Mateo’s expression hardened. “Hurry up!”
“… Yes, alpha.” They didn’t understand, but they obeyed.