Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Marcus had spent the better part of the morning in the Amber Hearth’s common room, nursing a cup of ale he had no intention of finishing.

It was a habit he’d developed over the years—sitting in neutral spaces, listening to the flow of information that moved through taverns like water. Merchants talked freely over drinks, and servants gossiped where they thought no one important was listening.

Today, however, he had come for a totally different reason.

He needed a break. The Celestial border situation had grown worse. Lucien’s pride was still bleeding, and Ashira’s patience was wearing thin. Marcus was drowning, and he needed a break, even if it were for an hour.

He leaned against the chair, eyes shut for some minutes, and once the clock hit seven on the dot, he groaned, standing up.

He placed a few coins on the table and stretched his shoulders. He was halfway toward the door when he heard the tavern keeper speaking to one of his servants.

"Make sure table six is prepared tomorrow. We have important guests tomorrow. Lady Evelyn Valemont for five o’clock, table six."

Marcus froze mid-step, ears perked up. He turned slowly, careful not to draw attention, and approached the counter with the casual air of a man who’d simply forgotten his gloves.

"Excuse me," he said, offering a polite smile. "I couldn’t help but overhear—did you say Lady Evelyn Valemont is dining here tomorrow?"

The tavern owner paused, his expression turning cautious. "I can’t discuss the reservations of my guests, sir."

Marcus smiled. "Of course." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a few extra coins, placing them on the counter. "I’m an old friend of the family. I’ve been trying to reconnect with Lady Evelyn for some time now. It would be such a shame to miss her."

The tavern keeper’s eyes flickered to the coins, then back to Marcus’s face. He hesitated, clearly weighing his options.

"Table six," he said finally, his voice low. "Five o’clock. The reservation came through her own household, clear as day. Private terrace seating, if the weather holds."

"Meeting anyone in particular?" Marcus asked further.

The man’s brow rose slightly at that as he pocketed the coins. "Now, you’re asking questions."

Marcus laughed quietly. "I’m simply curious. You know me already by now." He’d hoped to use his title at least here.

"Go satisfy your curiosity elsewhere, Beta Marcus. I’ve given you more than I should."

Marcus didn’t push further. He simply stepped out of the tavern, his tongue poking his cheek. So Evelyn was coming to the tavern tomorrow? Well, this was good news for him. This way, he could kill two birds with one stone.

He immediately opened the mindlink in his head. "Alpha, I have news."

Lucien’s voice came immediately. "What is it?"

"Evelyn Valemont. I know where she will be tomorrow."

Lucien went silent for some seconds, yet Marcus could tell he was still there. Finally, he spoke.

"Where?" Lucien’s voice sharpened instantly through the link.

"The Amber Hearth. Table six, five o’clock. The reservation came through her own household—I confirmed it myself." Marcus kept walking. "I don’t know who she’s meeting, Alpha, but the terrace is being held privately."

Silence stretched on the other end of the link.

"Alpha?" He called when he heard nothing.

"I heard you." Lucien’s tone had gone distant. "Tomorrow. Five o’clock."

"Shall I make the arrangements? A formal request, perhaps, sent ahead so she isn’t caught off guard—"

"No." He replied quickly, cutting Marcus off. "I’ll go myself. Unannounced."

Marcus stopped walking, his brows furrowed. "Alpha, with all due respect, you and Lady Evelyn have never seen eye to eye, and given everything Ashira advised about approaching this with care—"

"I heard Ashira the first time, Marcus. I don’t need to hear it a second time from you." The link went quiet a moment. "Say nothing of this to her. I’ll handle it myself."

The connection closed before Marcus could argue further. He stood there in the street a long moment, exhaling slowly. So much for careful.

---

Meanwhile in Silver Creek, Kael stood by the window in the office, slightly irritated from the visit he’d gotten from the head warrior.

He shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair. A knock at the door jolted him back to reality.

Beta Callum stepped in, eyes falling on the disheveled state of the office. "Alpha, you called for me."

Kael turned around. "Callum." He called, walking toward the desk. He grabbed a few papers from it and stretched them toward the Beta. "Find Evelyn for me," he ordered.

The Beta paused, his brows raised at the request. "What?"

"Did you not hear me well? Find out where Evelyn will be tomorrow. I plan on seeing her," he said like it explained everything.

Callum stared like the man had grown two heads. He’d always known him to be an impulsive prick, someone who never gave anything a thought before doing it, but this... this was too much, even for a man like Kael.

And so Callum pressed further. He stepped closer, clearing his throat. "Alpha, forgive me for asking, but have you perhaps thought things through? Seeing Lady Evelyn again after all that’s happened?"

The more he spoke, the more irritated Kael got, his veins nearly popping out from how much he strained.

"Enough!" He snapped, unable to keep still any longer. "I don’t pay you to tell me what I already know. Do as I have asked you and let that be it."

Callum’s jaw tightened, and he stepped back, nodding. "As you wish, Alpha."

With that, he stepped out of the room, his hands tightened into fists. Ever since that incident with Sophia right here in the hallway, Kael had grown suspicious and irritated with Callum.

He tsked. Could it be that the man thought he had eyes on Sophia? Sophia of all people? He resisted the urge to laugh. He’d heard of Kael before coming to the pack. He’d seen the way his thoughts worked, but this was beyond it.

He shook his head. He wasn’t going to dwell upon the man’s jealousy. He simply had to do something again to please him, but before that... he glanced at the now-shut door.

Why did Kael want to meet Evelyn Valemont after all that had happened?

In an hour, Callum returned to Kael’s office, watching the said man read through the papers on his desk before finally having time to listen to him.

"Do you have it?" he asked.

Callum nodded. "She’s meeting someone tomorrow at the Amber Hearth by five pm."

Kael’s brows raised for a second, jaw tightened. "Who is she meeting?"

"An investor, I think. No one really knows for now, Alpha, but I’m certain she will be at the Amber Hearth tavern tomorrow. The reservation was made from the Valemont estate."

Kael nodded thoughtfully, and slowly a grin spread across his face. "Perfect. Just perfect." This way, he wouldn’t have Varek’s stupid self inserting himself in their talks, nor would he have his former Beta, Tristan, be a shadow around her.

Instead, it would be just him and Evelyn, and once again, he’d be able to turn her to see from his point of view.

Callum watched carefully as Kael’s smirk grew wider. He cleared his throat. "Forgive me for saying, Alpha, but what are your plans with Lady Evelyn?"

Kael frowned at the question. He knew he’d appointed Callum as Beta after Tristan left, but something about the man rubbed him off wrongly, especially since he found him and Sophia in the corridor.

"Alpha—" Callum pressed further. "You can tell me anything. I’m your Beta, your right-hand man. I will do anything for your sake and for the sake of the pack. All you have to do is say the word."

Kael studied him for a long moment, something wary flickering behind his eyes before it settled into arrogance.

"Fine." He leaned back in his chair. "You’ve served well enough these past weeks. I suppose you’ve earned some trust."

Callum said nothing, waiting.

"I intend to win her back," Kael said simply. "Not the marriage or even the title it comes with. Just her attention, her trust. Whatever it takes to have her looking at me the way she used to."

Callum’s expression didn’t shift, though something behind his eyes sharpened considerably. "And Lady Sophia?"

"Sophia remains exactly where she is." Kael waved a hand dismissively. "This has nothing to do with her. Evelyn doesn’t need to know the full truth of my intentions. She just has to believe I now regret what happened."

"You plan to regain her trust and make her love you again?"

Kael snapped his fingers together. "Bingo! Not that she ever stopped loving me. I don’t think she could even if she tried." He shook his head as he stroked his beard. "If she truly was out of love with me, she wouldn’t go the extra mile to do all she’s been doing. Even messing with the Supreme Alpha—I believe it’s all to get my attention."

Callum blinked. Was Kael living on earth or another reality? Because there was no way.

He nodded instead. "I must say, Alpha, your plan is brilliant. Once you’ve regained Lady Evelyn, Silver Creek returns to usual."

"Silver Creek will gain its negotiator and healer. That has always been her specialty and what we’ve suffered the most," Kael replied, then paused like he just thought of something. "Have the flower merchant deliver some flowers to the pack tomorrow before five pm. Roses, I should think. Every woman likes roses."

"As you order, Alpha." With that, Callum inclined his head and stepped out of the office, and only after he stepped out did his expression shift.

He’d have to send word to Bloodmoon. Alpha Damon would want to hear this before the day was through, and something told him Alpha Damon would find Kael’s plan for tomorrow evening very interesting indeed.

---

In Bloodmoon, news reached Damon fast. He smirked as he listened to what Ren read out to him.

"That fool." He laughed, unable to believe his ears. He’d always known Kael couldn’t have been the one to lead Silver Creek. He simply didn’t have enough intelligence to be an Alpha.

This message from Callum proved it.

"What will you do, Alpha?" Beta Ren asked.

Damon rolled the tobacco in between his fingers, his thoughts running wild. He couldn’t miss the humiliation Kael was going to face at the Amber Hearth tavern now, could he?

"Did he say five pm?"

Ren looked at the message once more, then nodded. "Five pm."

Damon grinned. "Book a reservation for me at the Amber Hearth tavern for five pm."