Chapter 567
Dominick and Evan remained in the car parked down the street from Jeniva’s house.
“Your Highness, I told you to stay at the residence,” Evan said, his tone laced with growing concern. “They are taking too long to arrive. We have no way of knowing how much longer they might be p>
“Evan, let’s just wait,” Dominick replied firmly, his gaze fixed on the house through the dark tint of the car windows. “We can’t afford a single mistake here. My presence is necessary to ensure everything goes according to plan p>
Evan nodded, knowing better than to argue when Dominick’s mind was set, and leaned back into his seat, though his hand remained close to his sidearm.
Their wait ended shortly as a car pulled to a halt directly in front of the house. Both Dominick and Evan grew alert, their muscles tensing for action. Thankfully, they had already utilized a suppression potion; their scents were completely masked, rendering them invisible to the sensitive noses of the arriving wolves.
Two men dressed in dark clothing stepped out of the vehicle, their identities obscured by baseball caps pulled low and heavy overcoats.
’Let’s wait,’ Dominick commanded through a mindlink to his Beta, ’until they are vulnerable. We strike when the door opens p>
Moments later, the gate creaked open. Jeniva emerged, looking pale and tense, sandwiched tightly between the two guards. Just as they were about to force her toward the car, Dominick and Evan exploded from their hiding spot. The ambush was surgical and swift; within seconds, the two guards were rendered unconscious on the pavement.
“Are you fine?” Dominick asked, reaching out to Jeniva. She nodded breathlessly, but her eyes suddenly widened in terror.
“Your Highness!” she yelped. She lunged forward, pushing Dominick aside with surprising strength and delivering a fierce kick to a third masked man who had emerged from the shadows to strike Dominick from behind. She drove him to his knees and, with a snarl, ripped the mask from his face.
The man scrambled to escape, but Evan was faster. He delivered a sharp, precise strike to the man’s neck, causing him to slump to the ground, fainted.
“Let’s take them inside and call the District Sentinel Head,” Dominick commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. He turned on his heel and walked into the house, scanning the perimeter for any further threats.
Inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Evan and Jeniva worked quickly to secure the captives, tying the three men with specialized ropes laced with wolfsbane.
It was a brutal but necessary precaution; the moment the men regained consciousness, the poisonous herb would leach into their skin, radiating a burning pain that would keep their wolves suppressed and their bodies too weak to struggle.
Removing his tactical gloves, Evan checked his watch. “The District Sentinel Head should be here at any moment. I’ve sent the high-priority alert p>
Dominick stood over the dining table, staring at the three communication devices they had stripped from the attackers. “It’s strange,” he mused, his brow furrowed. “None of these three have received a single call or message from their handler since the ambush p>
“Maybe because they work with absolute discretion,” Jeniva replied. “They wouldn’t want to leave a digital trace if things went south p>
A sudden chill swept through the room, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Feeling an inexplicable shiver run down her spine, Jeniva turned sharply to close the windows.
“I must say, you have impressive defensive skills,” Dominick complimented her, his eyes tracing the sharp lines of her stance. “They didn’t do anything… inappropriate, did they p>
“No, they didn’t,” she replied. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing back the stray strands. “I think we should wake them up and interrogate them ourselves before the Sentinels arrive. We need the truth while they are still disoriented p>
Without waiting for a response, she hurried to the washroom and returned with a bucket filled with ice-cold water. With three swift, heavy splashes, she doused the men, jolting them back to consciousness.
The men gasped, their eyes snapping open only to be met by the searing, agonizing burn of the wolfsbane ropes. The silver-laced poison in the fibers acted like a thousand hot needles against their skin, keeping their inner wolves trapped and whimpering.
Dominick stepped into their line of sight.
“Do you recognize me?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “If not, let me introduce myself. I am Dominick Sinclair, the Second Alpha Prince of the North. And by the blood in my veins, I command you three to speak the truth for every question I ask p>
Gabriel lowered Noah into the crib, giving it a few rhythmic, gentle pushes until the infant’s breathing evened out into a deep slumber.
“He’s finally asleep. He even finished his milk, thanks to you,” Amelie murmured, leaning against the doorframe. “It seems Noah wants you all the time, sometimes even more than he wants me p>
“Babies have an instinct for these things, Amelie. He formed a connection with me from the moment I found out you were pregnant,” Gabriel stated softly, his eyes lingering on the sleeping boy. “I’m going to freshen up. Then, we can sit together for supper. Is that okay p>
Amelie hummed in agreement and watched him leave the room. She stayed by the crib for a few more moments, ensuring Noah wouldn’t stir, before walking out to instruct Ashna to set the dinner table. Once the arrangements were made, she returned to the bedroom and settled onto the recliner, waiting patiently in the quiet.
When Gabriel finally emerged from the bathroom, he was wrapped in a thick charcoal bathrobe. His hair was still drenched, and tiny droplets of water trailed down his neck, disappearing into the collar of the robe.
“You returned so much earlier than I expected,” Amelie noted, her voice filled with relief. “I thought your journey would take at least another day p>
Gabriel stopped, a heavy silence hanging between them for a second.
“I returned early because I found out the remaining truth about myself,” Gabriel answered.