Chapter 83: Hand off my wife

Caroline hurried into the living room, her face filled with alarm.

"Jeremy, Emmett is here. Please let him through the gates. He just called me and said..." Her voice faltered, and she struggled to finish the sentence. "He said his family is dead."

"What?" Jeremy exclaimed, stunned by the news.

"Wait a moment, Luna." Jeremy quickly pulled out his phone and called the guards at the estate’s gates. When someone answered, he gave his instructions immediately. "Yes, let him in. Bring him straight to the estate. Don’t worry about authorization. The order comes directly from our Luna."

He ended the call and turned toward Caroline, his expression grave.

"How could his parents have died?" he asked.

"He had a sick father and a younger sibling. I don’t know," Caroline replied, shaking her head. "But I suspect Victor is responsible. Emmett left the country because of him. If Victor discovered that Emmett was helping us, he might have decided to eliminate his family to silence him."

"Are you certain Victor did this?" Ilias finally asked.

Caroline and Jeremy turned toward him, their attention shifting to the Second Alpha Prince.

"Yes," Caroline replied.

"To my knowledge, my dear brother had Victor’s entire arm removed," Ilias remarked. "I find it difficult to believe Victor could have carried out something like this himself. I suspect someone else is involved." He paused, studying her with a faintly amused expression. "But tell me, Caroline, why does everything seem to revolve around you? You brought a witness to the palace, and now his family has paid the price for it."

Caroline fell silent, staring at him as his words sank in.

He was right about one thing. No one knew where Emmett and his family were living. They had disappeared to escape Victor’s reach, and yet someone had managed to find them. The same person who had warned Victor about her and Andrew’s visit to the palace might have discovered Emmett’s whereabouts as well.

The realization made her feel sick.

"You really are intriguing, Caroline," Ilias continued with a chuckle. "You have brought so much trouble with you that I wouldn’t be surprised if the palace began to resent your presence even more."

Jeremy glanced at Caroline, but she offered no response. She stood motionless, absorbing the prince’s accusations as guilt settled heavily in her chest. Seeing that she had nothing to say, Jeremy excused himself and left the two of them alone in the living room.

Ilias rose from the sofa and approached her.

"A man has lost his family because he chose to help you. How do you think others will perceive this situation?" he asked thoughtfully. "What will they say when they learn that someone who came forward as your witness suffered such a terrible fate?"

Caroline’s first thought was of Andrew.

She knew how fiercely he had stood by her, even when his own family opposed their marriage. But what would happen if the royal family began to blame her for Emmett’s tragedy? Would they accuse her of bringing danger into Andrew’s life as well?

"You’re thinking along the right lines," Ilias said, apparently reading the concern on her face. "I do sympathize with you, Caroline. No woman should have to endure what you have suffered. You lost your parents, your unborn pup, and nearly your own life. I won’t pretend that your pain means nothing to me."

His expression grew more serious as he continued.

"But do you believe the Luna Queen and the Alpha King will see things the same way? Andrew may be the child they have struggled to understand, but he is still the youngest of their sons. Despite their disagreements, he remains someone they care deeply about. If they begin to believe that your presence is bringing tragedy into his life, do you really think they will stand by and do nothing?"

Caroline’s lips quivered, and her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. Ilias’s words had struck a nerve, forcing her to confront the possibility that her actions might have put others in danger.

"I—I won’t let anything happen to Andrew," she said, her voice trembling with determination.

"How can you be so sure?" Ilias challenged. "You were selfish enough to bring Emmett to the palace without considering the consequences, and now look at what has happened. His family is dead, and you couldn’t save a single one of them. You couldn’t even save yourself when Victor ordered your death. You survived only because Andrew chose to save you and discovered that you were his fated mate."

Caroline lowered her head briefly, struggling to hold back the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She couldn’t deny that Andrew had saved her life, but she refused to let Ilias convince her that she would always be helpless or that she would abandon the man who had given her a second chance.

"I will protect Andrew with my life," she declared, lifting her head to meet Ilias’s gaze. "I won’t let anything happen to him. I won’t leave his side, even if all of you decide to punish me with death."

Ilias’s expression darkened. He raised his hand and reached for her chin, seemingly intending to force her to look at him.

Before he could touch her, another hand caught his wrist.

"Get your hand off my wife," Andrew growled.

He had appeared without warning, his eyes fixed on Ilias as he tightened his grip on his brother’s wrist. A moment later, he shoved Ilias away from Caroline, placing himself between them.

Ilias stumbled backward and struck the sofa behind him. He steadied himself and straightened, glaring at Andrew as his eyes flashed pink with anger.

"Andrew, learn to respect your elder brother," Ilias demanded.

"You expected respect from the wrong person," Andrew replied coldly, showing no sign of remorse for shoving him away. "Try threatening Caroline again, and I swear I will personally put an end to you."

His voice remained low, but the warning carried enough menace to make his intentions clear. Andrew stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Ilias.

"Leave before I have you thrown out. Don’t test my patience."