Chapter 32: Nerve to come back

"Prince Andrew, I had permission from your mother," Jessica said, lifting her left hand. "I am still wearing our engagement ring."

"You take comfort in delusion," Andrew remarked coldly. "If you prefer not to spend the night behind bars, I suggest you leave immediately."

Caroline caught sight of several onlookers raising their phones, but Andrew’s security team intervened, forcing them to delete the footage on the spot.

"I have always loved you, Prince Andrew," Jessica pressed, taking a step forward.

Miller immediately stepped between them, blocking her path. "For disrupting the Alpha Prince and his Luna, you are under arrest. You may inform your family once you are secured in a cell."

He snapped heavy silver cuffs around her wrists. Jessica winced in pain as the metal touched her skin.

"No! Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing against his grip.

Miller ignored her, dragging her toward the exits while Andrew guided Caroline past the scene without breaking stride.

They stepped through the grand entryway of an exclusive boutique, surrounded by rows of high-end clothing. But Caroline had a lot of questions for the prince.

"We will talk about it later," Andrew said softly, answering the unspoken questions written across her face as if he had read her mind.

Caroline gave a small nod, choosing not to push the matter. Instead, she focused on browsing the racks, selecting practical daily wear while Andrew insisted on adding several elegant dresses to the collection. He took charge of the rest, ensuring she had various styles of footwear and a few statement jewelry pieces to complete the wardrobe.

"Why aren’t you buying anything for yourself?" Caroline asked, turning to him as an associate packaged their selections.

"Because I already have more than enough at home," Andrew replied, a faint smile touching his lips. "You haven’t explored my walk-in closet yet, have you? You’ll be shocked by the size of the collection I hold."

While their shopping bags were taken to the car, Andrew led Caroline to a fine cafe for coffee.

As she stirred her iced coffee with a straw, she looked across the table. "Will we be leaving for the Crystal Moon Pack this evening?"

"In the afternoon, right after lunch," Andrew replied before taking a sip of his latte and a bite of cheesecake.

"I see," Caroline said softly. "Thank you for helping me with everything today. I’ve never owned this many clothes before. It feels like winning a lottery where you suddenly don’t have to worry about prices."

Andrew chuckled. "Lottery money runs out eventually. Mine won’t."

Caroline hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why did you have that woman arrested?"

"Her name is Jessica," Andrew explained. "And as I told you before, she was never my choice. My mother arranged the pairing on her own, giving her a family heirloom and an engagement ring without my consent. Mom needs to understand what happens when she pushes me too far. Jessica knew I never agreed to meet her in person, but my mother’s backing gave her the confidence to boast about a relationship that never existed in the first place."

His tone softened as he looked at Caroline. "I’m sorry you had to witness that scene."

"It’s fine," Caroline said softly. "But it isn’t entirely Jessica’s fault. She was living on the hope that you would acknowledge her one day."

"Not hope, but delusion," Andrew corrected flatly.

"Your mother likely chose her because she comes from an influential Alpha bloodline," Caroline reasoned.

"Whatever her reasons were, they don’t matter to me," Andrew replied, dismissing the subject. He motioned toward the plate between them. "You haven’t touched the cheesecake yet. Eat some. It’ll do you good."

Caroline offered a quiet nod and took a small bite. The rich flavor was unlike anything she had tasted before.

"Mmm... It’s delicious." She passed him a smile, which was enough to make his heart flutter.

~~~~~

"What do you mean Andrew’s Gamma is still here? Wasn’t he supposed to leave yesterday?" Victor asked, turning from the window of his room, his eyebrows pulling into a sharp frown.

"Yes, Alpha," Beta Levi replied, shifting uncomfortably. "However, he stated that he needed to conduct a further investigation, which would delay his departure by another day."

"Keep a close eye on his movements," Victor commanded. "And the task I assigned you—you eliminated everything, correct?"

"Yes, Alpha," Beta Levi assured him quickly. "There is not a single shred of evidence left behind."

"Wonderful! You may go now." Victor dimissed his beta and took out his phone. He called Nina, hoping she was still on his side.

When the call went unanswered, Victor shoved the phone into his pocket and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Everything was fine between us. I made the mistake of letting her run that day. I should have killed her behind my house instead of waiting for her to leave. I never expected her to make it out alive."

His phone buzzed in his palm. He snatched it up immediately, answering with Nina’s name on his lips.

"Alpha, it’s Thiago," his Gamma reported from the other end. "Prince Andrew and Caroline just arrived."

"What? What are they doing here?" Victor demanded, his voice sharp with disbelief.

"I don’t know, Alpha. They arrived by helicopter and are already making their way toward the inner territory," Thiago reported. "I tried to delay them, but Prince Andrew isn’t listening to anyone. They haven’t disclosed their destination, but Caroline looked visibly furious."

"We can’t block their path. Andrew is the Alpha Prince," Victor said, trying to steady his expression. "Still, he won’t attempt anything drastic. The Alpha King restricted his authority. Even so, we can’t take any chances. Have the control room monitor every camera along the route and pinpoint their destination."

"Understood, Alpha."

Victor ended the call and clutched the phone, his jaw tight with anger. "Caroline... you actually had the nerve to come back. And you brought Andrew with you." A bitter laugh escaped his chest. "You really are something. I underestimated you who’s nothing but an omega."