Chapter 306
< Chapter 306
Chapter 306
FAYE
I did not waste time once Martha left.
+25 Points
I stood still for a moment after the door closed, listening to the quiet that followed. The pack house was awake now… distant footsteps in the corridors, muted voices from the kitchen wing, the subtle hum of a new day beginning.
I picked up my phone from the bedside table and stared at his name for a brief second before pressing call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
There was no answer.
My jaw tightened slightly.
Alexander was not careless about calls from me. If he saw my name, he answered. If he couldn’t, he returned it quickly.
Unless he was occupied.
I let it ring a little longer.
Nothing.
The call ended on its own.
I lowered the phone slowly, staring at the blank screen.
He could be in a meeting.
It wouldn’t be unusual for him to start early discussions with Cole or the patrol heads.
Or perhaps he was driving.
Even though he hadn’t mentioned anything yesterday about leaving the house this morning.
I refused to let anxiety push me into recklessness.
If he was already considering something like what Martha said, then storming into his office would
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< Chapter 306
accomplish nothing but confrontation.
And confrontation, right now, had to be handled carefully.
I inhaled slowly and exhaled just as steadily.
Alexander responded poorly to emotional escalation. If I approached him sharply, he would sharpen in return. If I approached him calmly, he listened… even when he disagreed.
I dialed again.
It rang fewer times this round before going to silence.
Still no answer.
I pressed my lips together.
He was avoiding the call.
Or he truly could not answer.
Either possibility unsettled me in different ways.
I would not chase him through the house based on suspicion alone.
That would confirm his belief that I was acting on instinct rather than reason.
And I needed him to see that I could stand on both.
I set the phone down.
Fine.
If he did not answer, I would wait till he returned.
And when he did, I would speak to him calmly.
Roman was still asleep at this hour, most likely.
I decided to go see how he was doing this morning first of all.
I picked up the towel from the rack and walked toward the bathroom.
+25 Points
ALEXANDER
I walked into Roman’s room and let the door close quietly behind me. He was sitting on the edge
of the bed, hands folded loosely in his lap, eyes following me with polite caution.
He was clearly uncomfortable with my presence, which was understandable.
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< Chapter 306
“Morning, Roman,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “How are you feeling p>
+25 Points
“I’m… okay,” he replied softly. Careful. Measured. There was a polite distance in the way he held
himself.
I nodded and leaned slightly against the desk. “Have you remembered anything yet p>
He shook his head. “No… I’m sorry p>
“Don’t worry about that,” I said. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He gave a small nod.
A soft knock at the door drew my attention for a second. One of the staff stepped in, carrying a small box, and set it down on the desk without a word. Wolfsbane. I didn’t touch it yet. Not until I had to. The truth was that… if there was a way for me to confirm things without this test, I would
go with it.
I turned back to him. “I’d like to ask you some questions. Be honest with me,” I said.
He looked at me fully now.
After a brief moment of silence, he spoke, “Go on p>
“Alright. Tell me, Roman… can you smell the earth from here? Even faintly p>
He wrinkled his nose, thought for a moment. “Not really… it’s just… the room p>
I gave a small nod, eyes scanning him carefully. “And the sounds… birds, wind, movement… how sharp are they? Can you hear anything beyond the walls p>
He tilted his head slightly. “No… just quiet p>
“Ok,” I said, almost to myself. Then, more casually, “And your body… any tension, anything pulling, even a little? Like you’re supposed to be doing something p>
I realized the last question got him completely lost. It was pointless.
He swallowed, hesitated, then shook his head again. “Nothing. I… I don’t feel anything. Should I be feeling something like that p>
That confirmed it. Observation and indirect questioning weren’t enough. He was polite, conscious of himself, but entirely disconnected from the instincts that should have been there if he was… well, if he was a wolf.
I let my eyes rest on him for a moment, watching his subtle movements: the way his hands flexed against his knees, the slight rise and fall of his chest, the polite but tentative posture. Everything careful, controlled.
I glanced at the box again. Minimal exposure would tell me everything I needed to know. But I
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lingered. A tiny chance remained that there was another way. +25 Points I asked him another casual question, watching for any flicker of recognition. “Have you ever noticed your senses picking up things others miss? A smell, a sound, something just out of reach p> “No…” he murmured. “I mean… I wouldn’t know… I still can’t remember anything before I got here.” He shrugged slightly, still polite, still hesitant, unsure. I gave a small nod. Of course, what was I thinking? “That’s fine. Just thinking aloud.” My tone stayed calm, casual. I wasn’t pressing him harshly. I was letting him respond in his own way, watching for instinct. After a few more minutes of quiet, casual questions, it was clear… there was no other way. 1 Comments LUCK DRAW > 223 H Vote 4/4