Chapter 480-Missing My Mate

Chapter 480: 480-Missing My Mate

Gigi:

I had absolutely no desire to step foot into this miserable little house, especially so early in the morning, just to see that wretched woman’s face.

But I had no choice.

Whatever was happening in our family was wrong, and Verity was the reason the brothers were turning against one another.

Those videos had already upset Jaguar and Theodore enough, and now Ragnar had gone off somewhere to spend time alone.

Well, he hadn’t exactly disappeared.

He had sent us a message yesterday, letting us know he needed some space.

"So, what are you doing here?"

Verity was putting on an innocent act again, and it was becoming increasingly obvious that she knew she had the upper hand.

"I’m here to tell you to stop playing these games. Have you seen what you’ve done to this family?"

The moment I confronted her, Verity gave me such a confused look that anyone would have thought she genuinely had no idea what I was talking about.

"I’m serious. Because of you, Theodore and Jaguar are upset with their brother, and now Ragnar has gone off somewhere to spend time alone!" I accused, pointing a finger at her before gesturing toward a random room in her house to emphasize my frustration.

Yet there wasn’t a trace of guilt or shame on her face. If anything, she looked downright cocky.

"How is any of that my fault? Those videos have already been explained," she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

My gaze drifted toward the skin just below her ear, where I noticed a strange reddish mark.

It almost looked like a hickey, as though someone had been sucking on that particular spot.

Perhaps she noticed where I was staring because her eyes narrowed slightly.

I shook my head, pushing the thought aside.

I didn’t even want to consider the possibility that Theodore or Jaguar had come here to spend time with her, let alone given her a hickey.

After everything she’d done, she didn’t deserve that kind of attention from either of them.

"So, you came all the way here just to tell me all this instead of looking for your boyfriend?" Verity asked in that same deceptively innocent tone she always used whenever she was trying to manipulate someone.

"I already know where my boyfriend is."

The moment I said that, I noticed the color drain slightly from her face.

"Yes, he texted everyone yesterday, saying he had some private business to take care of and would be away from the pack for a few days. He specifically asked us not to look for him and assured us he’d return once his work was done."

Oh, how satisfying it was to watch the expression on her face change!

Until now, she’d been trying so hard to get under my skin, making it seem as though my boyfriend had abandoned me.

"Oh, really? Then why were you making it sound like his disappearance was my fault?" Verity shot back, giving me a look that suggested I was some manipulative fool for blaming her.

"Because Ragnar has never left for any meeting without informing his brothers. Not once! But this time, he did, and it all started after you began messing around with him. So you’d better stop, or else..."

As I spoke, Verity took a step closer, almost as though she intended to intimidate me.

"Are you threatening me?" she demanded.

I folded my arms across my chest, and flashed her a sweet smile.

"No, I’m not. Not yet, anyway. But here’s the thing. Those brothers are only drawn to you because of that stupid mate bond or whatever game you’ve been playing with them. And I won’t stand by and let you destroy their brotherhood. So pack your shit and go back to wherever you came from. Nobody needs you here."

With that, I stepped away, watching her seethe with anger.

"And one more thing. You shouldn’t turn out like your brother. Holding on to that much hatred and wickedness can cost you your life, just as it cost him his."

It was my way of reminding her how her brother had suffered during the final moments of his life because of his own actions.

But this time, that familiar act of being ashamed of her brother’s deeds had completely disappeared from her face.

Instead, her eyes began to glisten, and she pressed her lips together as though she were desperately holding herself back from losing control in front of me.

That was all the confirmation I needed. She had been lying all along.

She hadn’t come here without a purpose. She was on a mission.

"Anyway, I’ll take my leave now. I hope you’ll do the same. But if you’re planning to stick around a little longer, you’d better prepare yourself for my engagement. You do know it’s happening the moment Ragnar returns, don’t you?"

With that final reminder, I turned on my heel and headed toward the front door.

Just before leaving, I paused long enough to glance over my shoulder, giving her a smug little smile and a wink.

Then I walked out of her house.

Yet something about that place felt strangely unsettling today.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was this nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong inside.

Once I settled into my car, I immediately began checking my belongings, convinced I must have left something behind.

But everything was right where it belonged. My car keys, purse, mobile phone, all of it.

So what was it?

Why couldn’t I shake the feeling that I’d left something incredibly valuable behind in Verity’s house?

I couldn’t understand what was going on with Ragnar or what kind of trip he had gone on that required him to leave so suddenly.

He had only switched on his phone long enough to send us a message, telling us not to look for him, almost as if he already knew we’d been searching everywhere for him.

Then he’d switched it off again.

The truth was, I missed him terribly. And what hurt the most was not knowing when I’d get to see him again.

Lucky were those who he was working with, who could see his handsome face while I couldn’t.