Chasing His Scentless Mate (Caroline) novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Buried Secrets

Draven’s POV

I sat on Ryan’s couch, nervous as hell while Rose dropped one bomb after another about stuff happening right under my nose. My heart beat faster with each secret. As pack Alpha, I couldn’t believe how much I’d missed in my own territory.

"Alpha Draven, remember three years ago when you kept hiring detectives to find that girl from the Blood Moon Pack’s masquerade?" Rose asked carefully.

My chest got tight as memories of that magic night came flooding back. For years, I thought that mystery woman was my true mate. I searched like crazy for three years but found nothing.

Sure, I had Caroline now, my second shot at love, but thinking about that woman from my past still bugged me. What if someone messed with the search? What if my gut feeling was right?She was my true mate.

"Yeah," I told Rose, keeping my voice steady even though Alaric was getting worked up. "Was there something fishy about that search too?"

Rose nodded seriously. "I got curious because every time those detectives came to see you, I caught them talking quietly with Linda. The last detective, I saw him at this little coffee shop near work with Howard and Linda. I’m buddies with the owner, go there all the time."

She leaned in and spoke softly. "I only heard Howard saying he was ’really happy with his work,’ but I remembered you telling Ryan the detective found nothing and said the woman was impossible to find. So why would Howard be happy about that?"

It hit me like a punch to the gut. Had Howard been paying off those detectives? Did they mess up my search for her on purpose? For three years, I chased every lead and spent so much money, just to keep hearing she couldn’t be found.

Alaric raged inside me. "Those traitors. They stopped us from finding her. They took everything from us."

Ryan squeezed my shoulder, feeling how messed up I was inside. "Alpha," he said quietly, "let the past stay in the past. What matters is what we have now, right?"

I understood what he was saying. I had Caroline now, no need to hang onto old flames. But I felt completely lost.How much of my life had Howard and his crew messed with? If they killed my parents and ruined my search for that woman, what else did they do?

My head was spinning. Rose kept dropping bombs, and I needed a minute to think. I needed some fresh air and to let Caroline know I wouldn’t be back tonight. I told everyone to hold on while I stepped out to the garden to call her.

"Alpha Draven. I’m feeling generous, better take your chance," Caroline teased when she picked up.

"My angel," I said, my voice getting thick. I cleared my throat. "I can’t make it back today."

"Everything okay, Draven?" She sounded worried.

"Yeah. Just getting a lot of unexpected news."

"No worries. Go do what you need to do. We’ll talk later."

After goodbye, I hung up and turned to find Ryan behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder.

"We’re in this together," he said. "We’ll do whatever it takes to get justice for your parents and Caroline."

I nodded and we went back inside. Rose was talking non-stop, sharing everything she’d seen over the years without knowing how important it was. Each new thing she said shocked me more. She knew so much about everyone at work, stuff I never would have guessed.

"Rose knows every single person here," Riley said, impressed. "She’s found at least fifteen people working for Howard instead of you, Alpha."

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