Chapter 202

Aiden’s POV

Listening to Carol’s story only gave me even more anxiety. I already didn’t like the fact that she was in the King’s Empire without me, but now I was finding out she was in danger and there was nothing I could do about it. I stared up at Oliver who was pacing my office; I had Carol on speaker while she was telling me this story. I made both Fiona and Oliver remain silent so Carol wouldn’t know that I wasn’t alone, but I wanted them to be a part of this conversation as well. Oliver needed to understand the reason why he was blindly kidnapping a woman from the King’s Empire.

If the King found out about this, he would have our heads in a heartbeat. Kidnapping could count as treason.

“What does this maid’s death have to do with the woman Oliver was sent to kidnap?” I asked, leaning back in my seat and staring at the phone that I placed on my desk.

I heard her inhaling deeply before releasing it, her breath shaky as she spoke.

“Because that woman was the maid’s mother,” she murmured, keeping her voice low like she was afraid she could be overheard at any given moment. “And I don’t think Jenna would continue paying the medical bill for this woman. The King is known for getting rid of weak packmates and those who don’t contribute well to the pack. I think she might have been in danger. I was hoping Oliver would have spoken to the King about a transfer because of his connections. I didn’t think he would actually kidnap the woman,” she said with a long sigh.

I glared at Oliver who stared wide-eyed at the phone; it was obvious the thought didn’t even occur to him. Fiona was also glaring at him with her arms folded across her chest. I knew it was killing her not to say anything at this moment, she made a promise that she would keep quiet until the call ended so she bit her tongue and kept her eyes glued on her mate.

“Luca mindlinked me a little bit ago and he’s there currently with some of his other warriors,” I explained, remembering the conversation that I had with Luca before Carol called me back. “He’s working on transferring the patient records to our pack hospital. The doctors there are willing to help us move the patient without alerting the King because they too know that the patient has no chance if the King were to find out about it,” I explained.

She was quiet for a moment.

“Please, keep her safe,” she said softly. “I’m not exactly sure what’s wrong with her, but I’ll pay for the treatment if needed. It’s the least I could do. Monica, the maid, was only 17 years old. I couldn’t save her, but I at least want to save her mother.”

I sucked in a sharp breath; she wasn’t even an adult yet and Jenna still had the nerve to push her down the stairs and kill her? She was a true monster, and I didn’t put it past her to do something that would hurt my mate. My wolf wasn’t too happy with the thought of Carol being out of our sight and in danger.

I looked at Oliver who seemed to be having the same thoughts as me. Fiona had her arms wrapped around her body as if she was trying to hold herself together and she looked utterly ill.

“I think I need to put a hold on everything here and come see you,” I finally said after a breath of silence.

“What?” She gasped. “No, Aiden. I can handle things fine here. You don’t need to rush to me. I’ll be okay. I promise.”

I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.

“I don’t like the fact that you are under the same roof as someone who would kill a minor to get what she wants,” I said gently. “I need to be there to protect you.”

“And who would take care of the pack in your absence?” She asked. “You can’t leave for a couple of months.”

“I wouldn’t be gone that long; I just need to be there and ensure your safety before returning. I should have gone with you in the beginning. Maybe we could have prevented Monica from dying if I had been with you. I shouldn’t have let you go by yourself.”

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she said with finality.

“That might be true, but my wolf won’t rest until he can see you for himself,” I told her. “Besides, I want to see you. I miss you terribly. I’ll have Oliver and Fiona come too so you can at least have your friend with you for a few days. We can help you get settled and ensure your safety before we leave and return to the Capitol.”

She was quiet for a moment as she processed this.

“Please don’t come here until Ms. Lucille is there and safe,” she finally pleaded. “I need to make sur she got there okay.”

“Okay,” I told her. “Luca said they should be back later this afternoon. Once I see her for myself, we will head there. I don’t want you alone with Jenna though; try to keep your distance.”

“Trust me, I’m not seeking her out any time soon,” she muttered. “But I do have to have a family dinner with them tonight.”

“Just be safe until I can get there,” I made her promise. “I love you, Carol. We will talk more later. I’ll let you know when Ms. Lucille arrives.”

“Okay,” she said softly. “I love you too, Aiden.”

I hung up without another word and I sighed as I leaned back in my seat.

“Luca just mindlinked me; he’s on his way back. Cathy Lucille is with him. She’s afraid and not sure what’s going on. She just found out that her daughter was dead and she’s in mourning.”

I nodded.

“Understandably so,” I said sadly.

“So, we are going to the Empire?” Fiona asked, raising her brows.

I nodded.

“Oliver, can you get my mother and bring her to me?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Sure,” he answered. He offered his hand to Fiona, and she took it without a second thought. They both left for a while and a little bit later, my mother walked into the office. She looked worried as she stared around my face.

“Is it Carol?” She asked, already knowing that something was wrong. “What happened?”

“I need to go see her for the next couple of days,” I explained. “I have a feeling she might be in danger, and I won’t be able to rest until I know for sure that she’s truly safe. Oliver and Fiona are coming with me. I know Dad isn’t exactly in the shape to be an Alpha but—”

“He can manage for a couple of days, and I’ll be here to help him,” my mother said quickly, reaching to grab my hand. She held my hands gently and gave me a reassuring smile. “We will be okay. Just make sure Carol is safe and then return to us, Aiden.”

I nodded.

“Thank you,” I said genuinely.

A few hours later, Luca was mindlinking me to meet him at the pack hospital. After I finished my afternoon paperwork, I rushed to the hospital and saw that Oliver, Fiona, and Luca were already there.

“Cathy is being examined. She has a chronic heart condition that can be managed by weekly treatment and close monitoring, but she needs a transplant. The King’s Empire didn’t bother putting her on the list and she was only hanging on because of the treatments that Jenna was paying for. If it weren’t for those payments, they would have let her die. The King didn’t even know she was there because they were working on her under the table, per the orders of Jenna. She has more connections than we thought,” Luca explained.

I felt sick to my stomach knowing they were using this woman’s life as a way to manipulate that young maid. I shook my head in disgust.

“So, we need to put her on the donors list right away,” I ordered.

“They already did,” Oliver assured me. “I sent out the order myself because I knew you’d say just that. They are still examining her to make sure nothing else is wrong, but she’s table if you’d like to speak with her. She’s upset and confused about why she is here. She didn’t want to speak to anyone besides the Alpha.”

I nodded and put my hand on Oliver and Luca’s shoulders.

“Thank you,” I told them.

They both nodded. I left the waiting room and went straight into the emergency section of the hospital. I walked down the hallway until I reached the door that read Cathy Lucille. I knocked on the door before opening it and I saw a couple of doctors in her room giving her treatments. She was an older woman with long grey hair and pale blue eyes. She was pale and incredibly thin as if she hadn’t eaten a real meal in years.

She lifted her head when she saw me, and I could see the fear behind her eyes.

“A… are you the Alpha?” She asked, her voice hoarse.

“Yes,” I answered as I stepped further into the room.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she lowered her gaze.

“I’m guessing you are here to kill me?”