Chapter 293: Frank and Shadows

Zahliver’s POV

"You finished? Got that all out of your system?" I asked flatly, staring down at my Beta. Moon above, I honestly regretted the exact day I decided to appoint Albericus as my Beta. Sure, he had potential, and yes, he was annoyingly talented when it came to pack logistics, but maybe dragging him out of a local drama school back in the late nineteen-eighties hadn’t been the wisest long-term decision I ever made in my centuries of life.

He straightened up instantly, his face suddenly wearing a thoughtful expression.

"No," he said smoothly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I think I’ve still got a few more dramatic performances left in me."

"Joy," I muttered under my breath, sarcasm dripping heavily from every single word.

Just then, an amused female voice floated in from the porch, instantly halting our ridiculous exchange before it could escalate any further.

"Should I give you two some privacy out here? Or do I just sign you up for local couples counseling and call it a day?"

Vivian stood near the open front door, holding a medium-sized metal cage in one hand that was fully loaded with wood shavings, a water bottle, and all the necessary supplies for the spiky creature living inside. On the porch floor right next to her were three full shopping bags, most likely containing specialized food and whatever else a hedgehog apparently needed to survive. And in her other hand? The tiny, balled-up menace itself.

Before I could open my mouth to say anything, Albericus took it upon himself to chime in as always.

"It really depends on the price," he said casually, leaning against the doorframe. "Some therapists charge a fortune and totally suck. Others are cheap... and still suck. But then there are those rare ones who actually help."

"Albericus, shut your face," I growled through my teeth.

He pouted like I’d just kicked his favorite chew toy, but miracle of miracles, he actually obeyed.

At least until he spotted the small, spiky thing Vivian was holding in her palm.

"You bought her a rat?" he asked, his nose wrinkling in a mix of half-fascinated horror and absolute disgust.

My mate’s glare could have instantly turned him into solid stone on the spot.

"I will subtract your ass from this entire conversation," she warned him, her voice cool and lethal. "You are officially on my punching list. Keep talking and you will move straight to the top."

Albericus nodded his head so fast I genuinely thought his neck might snap right then and there, though he still looked thoroughly confused by the threat.

Note to self: never call her pet a rat.

"Oh great, she is doing math jokes now," he muttered under my breath. I wisely chose to ignore him entirely.

I walked over and took the heavy cage from Vivian’s hands, noticing the delivery van already pulling away down the long driveway with a final wave from the driver.

I glanced down at the tiny ball of spikes still gently nestled in her warm palm. Watching her coo softly at it made me pause for a second. Maybe I should have thought this surprise gift through a bit more before letting her adopt it. What if she didn’t actually want it long term?

"Is this everything?" I asked, nodding my head toward the heavy bags on the floor.

"Yeah," she murmured softly, her eyes completely locked on the little creature in her palm. "Come on, Frank, let’s go see your new home."

She brushed past me without saying another word, walking forward with quiet, absolute focus. Albericus scooped up the shopping bags and stepped right beside me, both of us watching as Vivian paused for a moment right at the front threshold.

She stood completely still for a breath, then stepped inside the house, and I watched her shoulders tremble slightly.

She was tearing up.

And just like that, looking at her quiet emotion, I knew for a fact that I hadn’t made a mistake at all.

There was a sudden, subtle shift in the air around us, and I felt it immediately. It came completely out of nowhere, catching me off guard. I barely had time to ask her what was wrong before she started talking directly to the ball of spikes in her hands.

"You’re in, Frank. Aw, don’t be scared, come on now."

Dismantling her tough exterior, she knelt down right by the entryway and gently placed the little creature down on the floor, her gaze locked tightly on it as it curled up into an even tighter, defensive ball.

"I thought we agreed no tears or dramatic meltdowns after your proposal," I teased lightly, a crooked smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

She huffed a breath, lifting her head just long enough to shoot me a half-hearted glare.

"I was the one proposing, in case you forgot. I make the rules around here. I can cry if I want to. When someone actually gets down on one knee for you, then you are free to sob your heart out," she shot back, her tone pleasantly prickly.

My dark brows lifted high up my forehead. That was... oddly specific. But I couldn’t resist pushing her buttons just a little bit more.

"So are you saying you plan to propose back to me someday? Or should I just go grab a box of tissues right now?" I asked dryly.

She gave me a reluctant, fond smile, shook her head, and turned her undivided attention back to the spiky bundle on the floor.

"I’d pay good money to see someone actually drop to one knee for you," Albericus muttered from behind me. He nodded at his own comment, a disturbing grin stretching across his face.

I didn’t even dignify that stupid comment with a response.

Eventually, the little creature slowly uncurled. It sniffed cautiously at the air, its tiny pink nose twitching as it began waddling awkwardly across the wooden floor. With the front door wide open right behind Vivian, I was hardly surprised when it made a sudden, desperate dash toward freedom.

"Nope. Wrong way, Frank," she scolded softly, scooping him up with practiced ease and spinning him right around. The second she set him down, he bolted again straight for the open doorway.

"Frank, stop! Will you two come in already before he escapes?" she called out loudly, still hunched over as she reset the spiky menace back onto the ground.

Albericus and I both stepped inside the house very carefully, trying our absolute best not to squash the little guy. Or girl. Honestly, looking at it, I wasn’t entirely sure what gender the thing was. Albericus, on the other hand, didn’t even look down at the floor as he walked, which immediately earned him a low, warning growl from Vivian. That sudden sound startled the tiny creature, who immediately balled right back up into a tight sphere.

I rolled my eyes heavenward and scanned the front space for somewhere to drop the cage. There was no way in hell I was letting that spike-ball sleep in our bedroom. I set the cage down temporarily on a side table and motioned for Albericus to take the heavy shopping bags into the kitchen. Knowing that Vivian was completely and utterly absorbed in her brand-new pet, I followed my Beta into the kitchen out of sight.

What did you find out? I asked him directly through our private pack link. Years of working side by side meant he didn’t need any extra context or explanation.

Hogan claims he’s only ever had brief, unimportant conversations with your brother, he answered back mentally.

Albericus leaned his back against the cool kitchen counter, crossing his arms over his chest, but I could feel the lingering uncertainty radiating from him through the deep bond we shared as Alpha and Beta.

But? I pressed him immediately, knowing him well enough to tell when he was holding something back from me.

He looked away, his jaw tightening up.

I can’t prove anything yet, but Hogan’s been... off.

Off how? I asked him, instantly feeling my mind grow much more alert.

Hogan had always been a reliable third-in-command for our pack. He was not someone I considered a close personal friend, but he was definitely dependable in a crisis. In all the years I had known him over twenty years, in fact I had never once seen him hang out with a friend, a family member, or even go on a casual date. He was just... there. Quiet. Efficient. Doing his job without complaints.

So why on earth would my brother go to him, of all people in the pack, when he could have come directly to me? Or to Albericus?

I can’t explain it, not yet, Albericus replied through the link. But I’ll let you know when I have concrete proof. There’s just something about him that feels... wrong. Has your brother been acting strange lately? he asked cautiously.

I felt my hackles instantly rise, instinctively leaping to defend my brother without thinking twice.

Of course not. He’s just adjusting to everything. After everything he’s been through, he’s allowed to act however he needs to. Don’t read too much into it, I snapped back sharply through the link, cutting off any further discussion on the matter.