To ruin an Omega

Chapter 255: The trouble with too many pieces 2

ALDRIC

That made sense. Elara knew better than to disturb my things when I wasn’t here. But still. One lock instead of two? That didn’t make sense. But perhaps I was just reading much into it.

Starving my brother longer than expected was something that did linger on my mind. I was worried that his hunger would have taken him out. Though wolves had definitely survived worse in hard times. But these weren’t hard times.

“Okay then.” I waved my hand. “You can go.”

The sentinel hesitated. Just for a moment. Like he could sense something was off.

“I can stay here if you think something might be missing.” His voice was careful. “I assure you though, Alpha Aldric, that no one was allowed to enter that room.”

I forced a smile and relaxed my shoulders. There it was again… That pride in their simple ability. I let the tension drain out of my posture.

“I’m being paranoid.” I shook my head and laughed. It sounded natural enough. “I got a nice necklace for my daughter and I want to surprise her. I guess that is why I am so on edge.”

His face softened. The concern in his eyes faded and was replaced with something warmer.

“Oh.” He smiled. A genuine one. “That is wonderful to hear, Alpha Aldric. But your secret is safe. I swear on my heart, Luna Elara or anyone else for that matter did not come close to this room.”

“Thank you.” I nodded at him. “You can go.”

He bowed one last time and walked away. His footsteps faded down the hallway until they disappeared completely.

I turned back to the door and pushed it open. The hinges creaked slightly. I stepped inside and shut it behind me. The lock clicked once, then twice. The way it should have been.

The room looked exactly as I’d left it. The curtains were drawn. The desk in the corner was clean. Papers stacked neatly in the tray. Pens lined up like soldiers. My chair was pushed in at the perfect angle.

I walked over to the dresser and pulled the key from around my neck. The thin chain slid over my head easily. I unlocked the top drawer and opened it.

My folded clothes sat inside. Shirts on the left. Pants on the right. Everything organized by color and type.

Except the edges weren’t sharp.

They were crinkled.

I ran my finger along the fold of one shirt. The fabric had been disturbed. Someone had touched it. Moved it. Put it back but not quite right.

My jaw tightened.

I opened the second drawer. The matching wristwatch I shared with Ronan sat inside. Beautiful black leather strap with silver face.

Except…

It wasn’t where I’d left it.

Not exactly.

It was close. Very close. But off by maybe half an inch. Turned at a slightly different angle.

I closed the drawer slowly. The sound of wood sliding against wood filled the room.

This was too many things. Too many small details that were wrong. I didn’t forget things like this. I didn’t make mistakes with locks or folded clothes or watches. My mind didn’t work that way.

I reached under the dresser and found the hidden latch. It clicked when I pressed it. A small drawer slid out from the side. Barely visible unless you knew it was there.

I dropped the key and the red ring inside. They clinked against the wood. I closed the drawer and it disappeared back into the dresser like it had never existed.

I walked back to the door and turned aroundz letting my eyes sweep across the room again.

Everything was in place.

Except it wasn’t.

The door had been locked once instead of twice. The clothes had crinkled edges instead of sharp ones. The watch had been moved. These weren’t things I imagined. These weren’t things I forgot.

Someone had to have been in here.

Or was I doing too much.

My bed was made after all and there was not a crease or fold in sight. The pillows were fluffed and arranged perfectly. The blanket was pulled tight and tucked under the mattress.

My eyes moved to the bookshelf against the far wall.

Rows and rows of books. Organized by subject and then alphabetically by author. Philosophy on the top shelf. History on the second. Strategy and warfare on the third.

I walked toward it. My feet moved across the carpet without sound.

There was a gap.

Right there on the third shelf. A small space where a book should have been.

I put my hand in the convenient little space that wasn’t supposed to be there. Right where my copy of “On the Management of Lesser Wills” was supposed to be.

Fucking hell.

Someone had indeed been here.

But why take that book?

It made no sense. The title alone should have tipped them off that it wasn’t particularly valuable. It was a philosophical essay and that was putting it nicely. The books whole premises was categorizing wolves by temperament and utility. Omegas are framed as resources. Betas as stabilizers and Alphas as inevitabilities. It was useful information but nothing groundbreaking. Nothing that couldn’t be found in a dozen other texts.

Unless they were looking for something specific.

Unless…

I stepped back from the shelf and crossed my arms as my mind worked through the possibilities.

It couldn’t be Fia. She’d been in Silver Creek all day dealing with whatever fresh she had there. Then the accident. She wouldn’t have had time to come here and rifle through my things.

That left only one person.

The witch currently living in this house.

Madeline.

It made sense. She had access. She had knowledge of magic and its applications. She would know how to move through a house this big without being detected. How to get past a sentinel without raising suspicion.

And she had motive.

Given the hold I had on her family, she would be looking for leverage. Any information they could use.

I wondered though. What would a book that simple do for her? The question died as soon as I thought it. These were witches. Trying to understand their thought process as a wolf was near impossible.

I walked over to the window and looked out at the grounds. The sky was starting to lighten. Deep blue fading to purple and then to pink. Morning was coming.

I’d deal with Madeline later. First I needed to understand exactly what she thought she’d found. What she hoped to gain from stealing that particular book.

This was alas the trouble with having too many pieces in your hands. You could never be certain which one believed it was playing its own game.