Chapter 632
“Don’t you have to ask Prince Gabriel once?” Denzel questioned, his brow furrowed with a hint of professional caution.
“Gabriel will know once he comes back,” Amelie answered firmly. “Where did you catch them p>
“They were not far from the mining site,” Denzel replied. “But it was incredibly difficult to track them. Luckily, a young girl helped us; she spotted them while playing with her friends in the outskirts and led us to their trail,” he briefed.
“Then, let’s meet them first,” Amelie asserted, her mind set.
“Can I join you both?” Carlos asked, tucking the magazine under his arm.
“Of course!” Amelie stated, and the three of them set off.
Denzel led the way toward the palace’s prison. It took more than fifteen minutes of descending winding stone stairs to arrive at the dungeon, a place so deep that even the midday sun couldn’t reach it. A sentinel held a flickering lantern as he guided them inside. Finally, the iron bars of a far cell came into view, and Amelie saw them.
Ethan and Vinette looked devastatingly old and frail. Their clothes were nothing more than tattered, dirty rags that made them look more like beggars than former acquaintances. As the light hit the cell, both Vinette and Ethan squinted, slowly pushing themselves up from the freezing stone floor. Their eyes locked onto Amelie, and a recognition, and perhaps relief, crossed their weathered faces.
“Thank you for letting us meet her,” Vinette told Denzel, her gaze never leaving Amelie’s.
“How did you run away from the mining site?” Amelie asked, her voice echoing coldly against the damp stone walls.
“A woman helped us,” Vinette stated, her hands trembling as she clutched her tattered shawl. “She said she could take us to see our son… that she could make the meeting happen p>
“Your son is dead,” Denzel spoke from behind Amelie, his voice blunt and devoid of sympathy.
“It was a witch,” Ethan replied, ignoring Denzel’s remark as he looked directly at Amelie. “But we don’t know her name. She appeared in the shadows and whispered of a way out p>
“Then why did you call Flora? How did you even get her number?” Amelie inquired, her eyes narrowing. “Did the witch guide you to do that p>
“No,” Ethan replied hoarsely. “I managed to contact someone trustworthy from the old pack to find Flora’s number. We didn’t do it for the witch. We wanted to warn you. A witch can never be a well-wisher of the wolves.” He paused, his gaze shifting toward Carlos. Realizing Carlos wasn’t a wolf either, his expression curdled with suspicion.
“You’re wrong then,” Amelie stated firmly, stepping closer. “Only Ophelia was like that. Not all are the same. You two agreed to escape just because you wanted to see a son who is long gone. If your intentions were truly to warn us, why did you both hide? Why didn’t you tell this to the sentinels appointed at the site instead of running?” She threw the barrage of questions at them.
“That’s not true! The witch forced us to escape. She threatened us, saying if we told anyone anything, she would kill us,” Vinette cried out, her voice cracking with desperation. “She gave us a small, secluded house to live in until she gave her next orders. But we were terrified… We both ran away from that place the first chance we got p>
“And yet, you still didn’t tell the sentinels the location of that house,” Amelie noted, arching her eyebrows as she looked at them through the iron bars.
“Because we don’t want to go back to the mines! Amelie, I swear, I never asked Alex to do those horrible things to you. Neither did Ethan. Why should we spend the rest of our lives being punished for a son who didn’t think of us for a single second?” Vinette’s eyes were rimmed with red, her hands shaking.
“Vinette, you forgot to mention an important thing to Amelie,” Ethan interrupted, stepping forward, dragging the shackles along with him. “I remember seeing that witch in the pack once. It was maybe three or four years ago. I was so engrossed in the pack’s meeting that I didn’t recognize the energy she radiated, so I didn’t focus on her. But I think she met Alex. I am sure of it now p>
Amelie felt a flicker of unease at the mention of a long-term connection, but she masked it with a cold expression.
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Amelie answered. “Your son is dead, and the witch is, too p>
“Are you sure, Amelie?” Ethan whispered.
Amelie kept her back to them as she spoke, her voice thick but steady. “Yes, she’s dead,” she replied. “Sometimes, parents have to pay for the sins of their children p>
As she turned to leave the suffocating darkness of the cell, Ethan’s voice cracked, stopping her in her tracks.
“What if it was the witch who manipulated Alex for all of this? Think of it, Amelie. I am not defending his actions. I warned him that if he touched a hair on your head, I would strip him of his Alpha title. Yet, he still did it. He wasn’t himself.” Ethan’s knuckles turned white. “If possible, forgive us. We failed to protect you when we should have. Just… Don’t send us back to the mines. At least not Vinette. She’s too old, she won’t survive another winter. I—I will pay for the sins of my son for the rest of my life p>
Amelie’s eyes turned misty, clashing with the memories of her past suffering. She didn’t trust herself to speak, fearing her voice would break, so she simply turned and walked out of the dungeon.
Denzel followed her quickly, but Carlos stayed behind. He stepped toward the bars and reached out to hold Ethan’s hand. He closed his eyes, attempting to tap into memories he might have of the witch and Alex. Although he knew the chances of seeing a clear vision were nearly impossible, he tried once.
Letting go of his hand, Carlos said, “Alex wanted to kill Amelie and their pup. I don’t think any witch can force you to do that. Alex was sick in his head too p>
“He wasn’t like this before,” Vinette whispered, her voice trembling with a mother’s desperation to believe her son was merely a victim of circumstance.
“You didn’t know your son then,” Carlos replied. “Besides, you two never actually did anything to protect Amelie. She was bullied throughout her childhood. I know this well because I saw it myself. Amelie’s heart is kind; she may eventually ask for your freedom, but will that really bring you peace? Alex’s crimes cannot be forgotten. Keep that in mind.” He took a few steps back finally.
“Omegas aren’t seen as a high species in any pack,” Vinette remarked defensively.
Carlos’s eyes snapped to Vinette. “Then why did you ask for Noah on the phone? He is not related to either of you. Amelie and Gabriel are his parents. He chose Gabriel as his father. You know, Amelie was only a few weeks pregnant at that time. An unborn pup can connect with their father instantly. But Noah didn’t connect to Alex. Why? Because Alex wanted to kill his mother. Instead, Noah chose Gabriel because he was the only one who could save her. So, don’t even dream about manipulating Amelie with any of this p>
It was a warning that Carlos threw at them. Moreover, he vowed to himself not to let anyone’s evil intentions reach her or her son.