Chapter 217: Be careful

Dorian was returning from Conri’s villa, and he was in a foul mood.

Conri had already absconded with his entire family. The security guards at the airport confirmed that he had chartered a helicopter days prior, and he had used it to escape from Wintercrest that morning.

The few remaining guards and housemaids had also vanished, leaving the villa completely deserted.

Dorian’s fury boiled over. He now had an enemy out in the wild, and there was no telling what kind of retaliation Conri was plotting now that he had escaped. The bastard wouldn’t rest until he claimed the throne, and Dorian knew he wouldn’t find a moment of peace until Conri lay dead at his feet.

Consumed by rage, he ordered his men to set the villa on fire. He stood in the courtyard, hands clasped tightly behind his back, watching the magnificent structure collapse into an inferno of smoke and ash.

After informing the airport security guards to track whatever flight path Conri had taken, he stormed back to the mansion.

However, the moment he stepped through the front entrance, the sound of hysterical weeping reached his ears. His heart seized instantly, his mind screaming one name; Alyssa.

He broke into a sprint down the hallway toward the kitchen where the sound was coming from.

When he saw her standing safely beside Pandora, unharmed, the raw panic in his chest receded. But it was immediately replaced by a chilling dread as he took in their rigid postures and the wide, shell-shocked horror in their eyes.

He rushed forward, realizing the crying was coming from inside the kitchen.

"Alyssa?"

Alyssa pulled away from Pandora the moment she heard his voice.

"Dorian," she whispered brokenly, throwing herself into his arms. "Elvira was here. Cara saw her and came to warn us, but we were too late. She killed Martha..."

She buried her face in his chest, keeping her eyes squeezed shut to block out the horrific sight inside the kitchen.

Dorian held her tightly, one hand stroking her back. He raised his gaze to Pandora who still looked like she was in shock.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and tense.

Pandora nodded slowly. She looked deathly pale, and as she parted her lips to speak, she suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"I’m... I’m going to be sick," she choked out, hurrying away to throw up. The metallic stench of fresh blood had ruined her stomach entirely.

Dorian stared past the threshold at Martha’s lifeless body on the cold tile, surrounded by a widening pool of dark blood. Alyssa’s maid, Cara, knelt helplessly beside the corpse, sobbing uncontrollably.

Jake and Henna stood off to the side, Henna buried against his chest as she wept softly. Anthony leaned heavily against the corner wall, his face pulled tight in a wince from the throbbing pain of his healing neck wound.

"What the hell happened here?" Dorian demanded after a long silence.

Anthony swallowed hard and looked up. "Elvira killed her," he muttered. "And I think she tried to murder Samantha, too. One of Conri’s personal guards was found dead in Alec’s room."

Dorian arched a brow, confusion flashing through his fury. "What do you mean she tried to murder Samantha?"

"Samantha killed the guard in self-defense," Anthony explained. "We believe Conri and Elvira sent him to silence her after she exposed everything."

"Where is Samantha now?"

"Alec is with her. The guard tried to slit her throat with a dagger, but she fought him off despite her injuries. She was lucky, incredibly lucky. She only took a deep cut to the arm, and Alec is helping her clean it."

Dorian’s anger surged to the surface. He cursed himself for not killing Elvira months ago, for letting her stay while Nina searched for a way to sever the mate bond safely.

He wasn’t going to make that mistake twice. The moment he laid eyes on her, he would rip her apart.

"Where is Elvira?"

?Jake slowly shook his head. "We don’t know. Cara was the only one who saw her. She vanished before we could catch her."

Dorian’s mind raced, calculating his next move with ruthless precision. He had no way of knowing whether Elvira was still in Wintercrest, or if she had escaped with Conri. He needed to find her.

"Jake," he commanded. "You and Alec take Martha’s body and bury it. Anthony, you’re in no condition to stand. Get back to bed and keep an eye on my sister."

"What about you?" Anthony asked, his expression tightening with worry.

?"I have a gut feeling Elvira hasn’t left Wintercrest," Dorian muttered, his jaw set. "I’m going to hunt her down myself. The rest of you lock down the mansion and stay put in case she comes back."

He turned to leave, gently pulling Alyssa with him, when Cara’s tear-choked voice stopped him.

"Your Majesty," she sobbed, holding out a glass container with trembling hands. "There’s... there’s something else you need to know."

Dorian pivoted back, his furious eyes locking onto the jar in her grip.

"What is that?" he snapped.

"I found it," Cara whispered through her tears. "It was hidden beneath the island. From the acrid smell, I know it’s poison."

"Cara believes Elvira poisoned the food supply," Anthony added grimly. "We think that’s why she was in the kitchen. Martha must have walked in on her, and Elvira murdered her to cover her tracks."

Of course, Dorian thought. That was something only Elvira could do.

A woman insane enough to jump off a cliff with her own newborn was certainly unhinged enough to poison an entire house just to ensure she didn’t fall alone.

"Get rid of the food," Dorian ordered coldly. "Strip the kitchen of everything else. I’m not losing another innocent soul to her madness today."

Without another word, he turned and guided Alyssa away. He was worried about her silence, worried at the way she trembled against his side.

Even with the talisman around her neck, he was worried her power might violently flare up from the trauma of seeing Martha’s dead body. They couldn’t afford another catastrophic outburst.

"Talk to me, my love," he murmured softly as he ushered her into their bedroom and locked the door behind them. "What’s running through your head? Are you alright?"

Alyssa drew in a deep breath and gave a small nod. "I’m fine. It’s just... Martha was really kind to me. Seeing how viciously Elvira took her life without a shred of mercy..."

She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her palms against her temples as if she could physically scrub the gory image from her mind. The horror looped endlessly behind her eyelids, refusing to fade.

Dorian lowered himself onto the edge of the bed and pulled her onto his lap. "I need to find Elvira before she causes any more damage," he said gently, brushing her hair back. "But I can’t leave until I know you’re okay."

She let out a long breath and forced a reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Dorian. Honestly, you don’t need to worry about me. I just need a moment for the shock to wear off. You have to go after Elvira. The guards haven’t returned from the hospital yet, Anthony is wounded, Alec is tending to Samantha, and Jake won’t leave Henna’s side."

"All the more reason why I should stay right here," Dorian argued fiercely. "I should protect you."

Alyssa smiled genuinely this time, her fingers reaching up to cup his jaw. "I’ll be safe. Remember, I’m no ordinary shifter anymore. If she comes near me, I can defend myself."

Despite the tension hanging over the room, Dorian chuckled. He pulled her against his chest and kissed her, letting his lips linger for several seconds before he slowly pulled back.

"Don’t stay alone," he instructed firmly. "Stay with Jake, Henna, and the others in the living room. It’s safer that way."

Alyssa nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in a fierce embrace. "Be careful," she whispered against his skin. "Remember, the only thing keeping the mate bond suppressed between you two is that talisman. Don’t let her take it off."

Dorian pressed a firm kiss to her cheek and nodded. They remained locked together for several quiet moments before stepping back out to join everyone else in the living room.

Pandora had returned, looking slightly better. Anthony sat right beside her, her hand clasped in his.

Alec and Samantha were still upstairs, while Jake and Henna sat quietly on the opposite sofa.

When Jake spotted Dorian getting ready to leave, he slowly rose to his feet, hesitation etched across his face.

?"Alpha," he began carefully. "I was thinking..."

"It’s okay, Jake," Dorian cut him off quietly. "You’re not coming with me. Stay with your mate. Protect Alyssa and everyone else."

Jake nodded curtly, profound relief in his eyes.

"If Elvira returns," Dorian added, his voice dropping into an icy tone. "Lock her in the dungeon. I want to punish her myself."

"Understood, Alpha."

Dorian kissed Alyssa’s forehead, then pressed one final, lingering kiss to her lips. "I’ll be back before you know it."

She nodded, her throat tight. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

He pulled away, turning on his heel toward the front door. But just as his hand hovered over the knob, a violent crash echoed from the upper floor directly above the living room.

He froze dead in his tracks, his golden-brown eyes narrowing into slits.

The source of the sound was unmistakable. It came from his study upstairs.

Who the hell was up there?