Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 136 The Truth2
Sylvia’s POV
I caught Caesar skulking around Vertex again. The man practically smells like he owns the place.
My wolf stirred beneath my skin as I locked eyes with him in the hallway. That familiar scent of pine and midnight washed over me.
"Sivi," he said with that charming smile that usually melts my defenses. "What a coincidence seeing you at Vertex again."
I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. "Coincidence? That’s rich. You seem to materialize every single time I’m here."
"What’s your excuse this time?" I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest. "It’s not even the 15th yet."
Caesar’s expression shifted. "I don’t need an excuse. I’m just here working."
"Working?" I raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you call it? Am I supposed to believe I’m imagining things?"
He nodded with such convincing sincerity that for a split second, I almost doubted myself. "Yes, you’re jumping to conclusions."
"Then why are you constantly at this company?" I pressed, unable to hold back anymore. The question had been burning inside me for weeks, building like pressure in a volcano ready to erupt.
Caesar glanced at Dylan beside him, some unspoken message passing between them. "I’m actually coordinating with the management here on some business matters."
"This is Vertex’s director, my main contact," he added, gesturing to Dylan.
Dylan immediately jumped in, smooth as silk. "That’s right, ma’am. Mr. Caesar is a valued client of ours. We’ve had some hiccups with deliverables, which is why he’s been around so frequently."
"The project’s been demanding," Dylan continued. "Some of us have practically been living at the office. We barely have time to go home. I hope you can understand."
Their synchronized story was flawless—not a crack to exploit, not a tell to catch. Both men looked at me with such earnest expressions that I found myself second-guessing my suspicions. My wolf, however, wasn’t convinced.
"Fine," I conceded, not wanting to make a scene. "I’ll leave you to your... work."
I turned toward the meeting room, determined not to waste the trip. I’d meet with my project manager instead. But my mind kept circling back to Caesar.
Once or twice, I could accept his vague explanations. But this many "coincidences"?
What are you hiding, Caesar? We’re mated, bonded in the most sacred way wolves can be. Why can’t you just be honest with me?
Whatever it was, I prayed it wasn’t something unforgivable. Mate or not, Alpha blood runs in my veins. I wouldn’t overlook betrayal, not even from him.
I took a deep breath, feeling the knot in my chest tighten. I needed to clear my head before I confronted him again. I needed perspective.
I pulled out my phone and called the one person who could always talk me down from the ledge.
"Morgana? Are you free tonight? I need drinks. Strong ones."
The excited squeal that came through the phone almost made me pull it away from my ear.
"Holy shit! Sivi calling ME to go drinking? Is Mercury in retrograde?" Morgana’s voice was giddy with excitement. "Honey, you have no idea how desperately I’ve needed this. I’ve been living like a nun since you got mated!"
"Jesus, I’ve been wondering if you’d ever resurface from that love nest. I was about to file a missing persons report!"
I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see me. "You’re being dramatic. It hasn’t been that long."
"Three canceled brunches, two raincheck happy hours, and one completely ignored birthday invitation says otherwise," she counted off, but I could hear the smile in her voice. "But I forgive you because I love you and because I desperately need tequila and girl talk."
"Eclipse at eight?" I suggested, referring to Howling Peaks’ most exclusive werewolf club.
"I’ll be there with bells on—and by bells, I mean my new Louboutins that I’ve been dying to break in. Don’t be late!"
---
The pulsing bass of Eclipse vibrated through my bones as I pushed through the Friday night crowd. The scent of wolf—dozens of them from different packs—mingled with expensive perfume and top-shelf liquor. Normally, this many unfamiliar wolves in one place would set my Alpha instincts on edge, but tonight I welcomed the anonymity.
Morgana had claimed our usual corner booth—the one with the best view of both the dance floor and the entrance. Always strategic, that one.
"There she is!" Morgana stood up and threw her arms around me. "The elusive Luna Conrad, gracing us mortals with her presence!"
Her familiar scent—jasmine and something uniquely Morgana—enveloped me, instantly making me feel better. She pulled back and examined my face.
"Oh honey, you’ve got that look. What did my idiot cousin do now?"
I slid into the booth and signaled the waitress. "Double bourbon, neat."
"Make that two," Morgana added, then turned back to me. "That bad, huh? Spill it."
I waited until our drinks arrived before launching into it. "Caesar’s hiding something. I keep running into him at Vertex, of all places. Always with some convenient excuse about meetings or business partners."
Morgana’s expression didn’t register the surprise I expected. Instead, she took a long sip of her bourbon, watching me over the rim of her glass.
"And?" she prompted.
"And it’s suspicious as hell! He’s never mentioned any connection to Vertex before. Today he was with some guy named Dylan who backed up his story, but it all feels... rehearsed." I swirled my drink, ice clinking against glass. "We’re mates, Morg. True Mates. There shouldn’t be secrets between us."
Morgana leaned back, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Sivi, has it occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, Caesar has legitimate business there?"
"Of course it has," I retorted. "But then why all the secrecy? Why does he get so weird when I bring it up?"
"Because he’s Caesar fucking Conrad," Morgana laughed. "The man has the emotional intelligence of a brick wall when he’s caught off-guard. You know this about him."
She leaned forward, lowering her voice despite the loud music. "Look, I’ve known that stubborn Alpha since we were pups. He doesn’t do deception, he’s physically incapable of it. Remember when Aunt Maria’s birthday cake collapsed and he couldn’t even pretend to enjoy it?"
I couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Caesar had looked physically pained trying to compliment his aunt’s lopsided disaster of a cake.
"Whatever he’s doing at Vertex," Morgana continued, "I guarantee it’s not something that would hurt you."
Morgana’s grin turned mischievous. "Enough about my dense cousin. Let’s focus on more important things, like the fact that the Northside Mall is having their annual clearance sale tomorrow, and you’re coming with me."
"Morgana, I have work—" freёwebnoѵel.com
"Nope!" She cut me off with a wave of her perfectly manicured hand. "You’re the boss. You make your own hours. And you need retail therapy more than anyone I know. "
"Fine," I conceded, feeling the weight on my shoulders lighten slightly. "But no more than three hours."
"Six," she countered. ƒrēewebnovel.com
"Four, and you’re buying lunch."
"Deal!" She clinked her glass against mine. "To shopping away our problems!"
As the alcohol warmed my blood and Morgana launched into a story about her latest dating disaster, I felt my wolf settle. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was overreacting about Caesar.
