Chapter 138

Charles

Amira winced, standing awkwardly in the doorway as I could see Grace starting to zone out. I wrapped my arms around Grace, pulling her close as the weight of the challenge's acceptance settled upon her. Her shoulders trembled, and I could feel her uneven breaths.

"Breathe, Grace," I whispered softly. "In and out. We've got this."

Grace shuddered in my arms and closed her eyes, taking deep, steadying breaths. She let me gather her closer.

"You're not alone in this," I said. "You have a whole, amazing, and highly efficient team and support system, okay?"

Her breathing rattled in and out of her. The phone continued to ring, and Amira ducked back out. I could hear her transferring the call. It was probably Eason.

As her breathing steadied, she pulled away slightly, looking up at me.

"He accepted?" She said as if she didn't want me to answer.

I nodded.

She scoffed. "W-Why?"

"Because a witch unable to use magic is just a sturdier human, and the Noir coven has a lot of enemies. They make more money being able to terrorize people than not."

Though, now that I knew who it was, everything about Alpha Shadow's rhetoric and aims made sense. My heart was conflicted, but I couldn't focus on that just yet. I pulled back.

"I think you need a break."

"There's no time for me to take a break."

"No," I said firmly. "There's no time for you to pass out from a panic attack."

"I'm fine," she said. "I... I really would feel better if we focused on the plan... A or B."

"Plan B?"

She chuckled a little. "What to do with all our stuff if we have to step down."

I shook my head. "You definitely aren't in any state to continue to work."

"But--"

Without another word, I scooped Grace up into my arms, cradling her gently.

"Charles!"

I ignored her protests and pushed the door open with my shoulder. Se struggled.

"If you make me throw you over my shoulder, I'm walking out the front door."

She went still and wide-eyed. "You wouldn't."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Try me."

She flushed and scowled as I headed toward the private elevator. Amira flashed me a grin and a thumbs-up as she scurried into the conference room.

I almost whistled as I carried her through the halls and out of the building. Gregory pulled a car up at the private entrance inside the Wolfe Medical parking garage. Once we were outside, I put her in the car and leaned down to meet her gaze.

"You're tired, stressed, and about to have a panic attack. I'm not going to let you self-destruct because of some misguided sense that you're not going enough."

I crouched down. "Eason and Amira will have a whole plan ready for review, enactment, and whatever, but you can't go to war half asleep. A few days will not make or break this plan."

Her jaw trembled, but I didn't wait for her to reply as I slid in beside her and closed the door. I pulled the blanket around her as she started to shiver and pulled her into my lap. Once she was comfortable, she let out a soft sigh and curled closer to me. I smiled, noting how similar it was to when I held Richard, and he went boneless in my arms, completely secure in the fact that I would keep him safe.

Exhaustion was etched into every line of her face. The circles under her eyes were dark, and she could barely keep her eyes open as the car left the parking structure. I brushed a few strands of hair out of her face.

"Where to, Your Majesty?"

I considered it before smiling. "The lake house."

"Of course, sir."

The soothing hum of the engine, mixed with the rhythmic thumping of my heart, had soothed her into a deep sleep. When she seemed restless, I rumbled at her until she settled down and fell back into a deeper sleep. I hummed softly, a lullaby that always worked on Richard.

The road stretched on, and soon, we were on the highway leading out of the city. We stopped at the checkpoint, and an Enforcer unit followed us out of the city towards the neutral territory.

I sighed in relief, wondering if maybe I should have spanked her. The thought made my cock stir as I shifted her gently.

For now, I would just have to be content with the fact that I could ensure that she got some rest, even if just for a little while.

I dialed Eason's number as we crossed Mooncrest's border. The ringing sound seemed to stretch on forever, punctuating the intensity of the moment. As soon as he picked up, I spoke, my voice hushed so as not to disturb Grace's much-needed rest.

"It's done. We just crossed the border, and she isn't waking up until probably later tonight."

He snickered. "Don't make it sound like you're kidnapping her for nefarious purposes."

I smirked. "Maybe not nefarious, but definitely adult. We'll be back in a few days."

"Glad to hear it." Eason's relief was palpable in his voice. "You're a miracle worker, Charles. You must be doing something right to make her listen to you."

"Not just the charm of an older man?"

He laughed. "In her case, probably. She needs a firm hand."

I chuckled. "Do me a favor, Eason. Send me the video of Alpha Shadow's acceptance?"

"Done. Anything else?"

"Not yet. Keep me updated about what's going on... and don't let George irritate you with his worrying."

"I'll allow him to dote on me."

I laughed, and we got off the phone a little later. I tapped on the link and turned the volume down. It wasn't so important that I could hear what Alpha Shadow had to say, so much as seen them.

If I was right, things were going to take a turn no one could have anticipated.

The video was a live stream. The darkness was heavy, but the glamor was gone. My gut tightened as I recognized her eyes and her voice as the video came on.

"I'm sure you all enjoyed Grace's little filibuster. Perhaps you even considered that I would back down. I admit that I had no intention of accepting her challenge. I would have much rather burned the city to a crisp, but something of interest came to my attention about Mooncrest, about Grace. Or rather, an opportunity came to me, like a message from the Goddess.

"Thus, I, Alpha Shadow of Blood Moon, heralded by blood spilled under moonlight for treachery, oath-breaking, and misdeed do accept your challenge Grace Michelle Wolfe of Mooncrest, with one stipulation: when Grace Wolfe fails in her quest to become a Senator by the end of the year, ownership of Wolfe Medical, the crown jewel of Mooncrest, will be transferred to a person of my choosing, and Grace and her family will be exiled from the States for the rest of their lives."

She chuckled, low and vicious, gleeful and wild. I clenched my jaw and squeezed her closer.

"While I'm sure she will just go find a lycan to cozy up to, at least werewolves will be free of her and tainted line." She chuckled. "Though I have a feeling that her brother might sabotage her just for the excuse to leave... I look forward to my victory, Grace."

The broadcast ended, and I sat back, shaken. There was no doubt about it, and the sense of unease that filled me wouldn't subside any time soon.

Alpha Shadow was Astarte Shadowgrave, the leader of the Noir Coven and someone I had known since my youth. Knowing who she really was painted Blood Moon in an entirely different light. It made her actions make sense and also made me wary.

Astarte was a powerful witch. It was clear that she still had plans for Eason that would delay his training even further, but the more I turned it over, the more I began to see this as an opportunity not just for the Clans to expand its reach but for Grace to make major strides on her path to senator.

I'd have to figure out how to phrase it, how to explain it in a way that wouldn't make her panic. I'd consider telling Eason first, but for now, I sat back with a deep sigh.

"Tired, Your Majesty?" Gregory asked. "At this rate, Alpha Wolfe might give you gray hair."

I scoffed. "Or a heart attack. Her and her brother."

"I heard about George's new.... interest," he chuckled. "It is good to see you both investing in your own happiness."

"Somehow... I feel like we both bit off more than we can chew."

He laughed. "Your father would say that it will be the best meal of your life."

I looked down at her, tracing her face, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"He might have been on to something."