Chapter 42

Keith

Relaxing had been an impossible task for the Alpha since he’d left Shirley’s the night before. All day, he found that he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman - how her voice had seemed so fearful on the phone that he’d snapped his pen in half when he’d heard it. Or how he’d nearly broken his front door when he rushed out of it before tearing out of his driveway, going at an ungodly speed in his car.

He’d been beside himself as he imagined what he’d find when he arrived at her house, only able to calm down a little when he saw for himself that she was okay. But the information she’d given him only raised more concern.

Someone was terrorizing her and he couldn’t figure out who may be behind it. All he could do now was ensure her safety and keep a watchful eye out. Sure, he still didn’t completely trust the woman, but that didn’t mean she deserved to be harmed. And the last thing he needed was for the pack to be under fire because a visitor was suddenly killed.

Keith didn’t even want to humor that thought.

Now, he was going to have to investigate the whole matter, figure out who was messing with Shirley - whether it was harmless or not. But that meant he’d also have a third case to look into on top of the protests and missing she-wolves - which he still hadn’t found any real clues or leads on. He didn’t know what the hell was in the water, but it appeared someone was lighting matches in his town - trying to see it go up in flames.

On top of it all, Chaos was also being as stubborn as ever. He was still sulking around and only reminding Keith at inconvenient moments that his mate was near. And yet, despite Keith’s attempts, he hadn’t made any headway on figuring out who she could be.

She’s hiding, Chaos kept telling him every time he’d try. She’s hiding.

Add that onto the list of things Keith had to worry about and you found a very unhappy and short-tempered Alpha. The only sliver of sunlight amongst the darkness was the fact that they were making slight progress with the company.

Shirley really was good at her job and the company seemed to be benefitting from her input. It was clear that she dedicated a lot of time to the work she presented and always provided updates or transparent communication. Including the email she’d sent out about her missing file.

That was another mystery - how her belongings were suddenly going missing. Obviously, whoever visited her the previous night called for more concern, but the fact that someone was stealing her things didn’t sit right. Especially because Keith realized that they had been taken in his home.

They had to be. From what he understood during his time observing the woman, she only really went to and from the Tudor and his house. Warren had confirmed as much days ago - only mentioning her visiting town a few times. So who felt comfortable enough to steal right under his nose?

That was an annoying question. It caused Keith to clench his new pen in his hand, suggesting that he might break this one as well. That only became more of a possibility when he heard a quick knock on his office door, causing him to look up and discover someone standing at the entrance.

“Afternoon,” Ralph said, purely casual as he leaned against the doorframe.

The sight of the man made Keith want to narrow his gaze, to tell Ralph he could turn right around and get the hell out. He figured that’s exactly what he would say if he decided to speak, so Keith just stared at him, not saying anything.

However, Ralph didn’t seem phased by the Alpha’s gaze as he took steps into the room - as if he’d been invited in. That only caused the small fire flickering within Keith to grow as his gaze hardened.

He was still pissed about what Ralph had pulled at the luncheon. It was bullshit that he’d suggested the pack preferred a man to handle their business and had been blatantly sexist toward their guest, and in his house. Sure - as he’d acknowledged - he still hadn’t put his trust in Shirley, but he would have never taken such low blows.

He’d thought about giving Ralph a call last night in order to tear his head off, but his plan had been disrupted when he’d received that call from Shirley. All thoughts had emptied his head as he rushed to ensure her safety. So now he was left wondering if giving Ralph a good tongue lashing was still worth it.

It sure felt worth it as the man stopped in front of Keith’s desk, annoying him with his mere presence as he seemed so aloof and unapologetic over the events. He even gave Keith a smirk as he handed over a file.

“Just wanted to drop off a few things,” Ralph said as Keith stiffly took the folder. “The documents you requested.”

“They’re late,” Keith stated blankly, dropping them on his desk. “I asked for these two days ago.”

“Yeah, well,” Ralph said, his hands sliding into his pockets as he shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”

“With what?” Keith asked tightly. “Apparently you haven’t been focused on the company. So, tell me - what’s so important that it’s taking up so much of your time?”

There was a flash of frustration on Ralph's face, but it was as if he quickly brushed it away. It was a good thing too - Keith had half a thought to scold him just for the hint of disrespect. However, he soon became distracted as Ralph eased another smile onto his face, unable to completely drop his good humor.

“I won’t bore you with the details,” Ralph said, brushing off Keith’s question. “I know you’ve been busy. Have there been any leads on the missing she-wolves?”

The subject Ralph raised was a serious one, but he treated it with nonchalance - as if he’d asked Keith how he planned to spend Christmas that year. Keith couldn’t understand what had the man in such high spirits considering everything that was going on.

Between the stress in town, Keith getting on his ass at the luncheon, and Ralph’s own drama with his previous mate and Anya - it was odd how the man had anything to smile about. And yet, there he was - grinning as if he had no worries or woes.

“Nothing yet,” Keith eventually answered, though he felt a slight reluctance to reveal the truth. But Ralph was his best friend and part of the inner circle - it wasn’t odd for him to share such information.

“Ah, that’s too bad,” Ralph replied - his tone not matching his words. If anything, he didn’t seem sorry at all that they hadn’t made any progress. Serious - what was the reason behind his strange contentment?

Unless…

“Did Anya finally call?” Keith asked suddenly, voicing the thought as soon as it came into his mind. It was the only reason he could find as to why there had been a sudden change in Ralph.

Only, apparently Keith’s assumptions had been wrong. Ralph’s smile slipped slightly, fading for mere seconds as he held Keith’s question and let it sink in. However, he soon bounced back, giving another shrug that made the Alpha raise a brow.

“Not yet,” Ralph said back, still cheery as he looked around the office. “But I’m sure everything is fine. Shirley said her sister probably just needs a little time.”

Shirley had said that? Now Keith’s brows officially pulled together, furrowing as he kept a firm gaze on his best friend. When had Ralph talked to Shirley? And had it been before or after Ralph had made a spectacle of her at lunch?

Curiosities continued to swirl around Keith’s mind, seconds away from escaping his throat as he figured he had the right to ask Ralph for the details. However, he never had the proper chance as his best friend blew out a quick breath.

“Well,” Ralph began, his smile still evident. “I know you have a lot to do, so I’ll leave you to it.”

Keith gave a minor nod, but said nothing in return. That didn’t break Ralph’s stride, though - allowing him to slip out of the room with perfect ease, as he even whistled a small tune. It wasn’t until the man completely disappeared that Keith realized he was glaring at the empty doorway, harshly gripping the arm rests of his chair.

He even stayed like that for a few minutes, frozen as he turned to the thoughts awaking in his mind. Dozens flew around, making his weariness grow as he wasn’t certain what to make of Ralph’s display, or his apparent conversations with Shirley. He wasn’t sure why the latter bothered him so much.

But with all things considered, Keith began to acknowledge how little he seemed to know Ralph these days, still clueless as to what he could be doing on the side of his work. With each passing day he was growing more and more distant from his best friend.

Keith even wondered if there would come a day when he didn’t recognize him at all.