Chapter 976:

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Once I was certain the candle had taken hold and that she had slipped completely into the hallucination, I waited a little longer to make certain there would be no unexpected complications. Then I turned and walked out.

The latch settled quietly behind me.

Nothing stirred in the corridor.

I adjusted my cuffs and headed for the elevator.

Lianne didn’t need to know what had happened tonight. Once I returned home, I’d tell her what she needed to know, one piece at a time.

Lianne’s POV:

Things at Voss Group seemed to have settled somewhat. Noah had started finding enough free time to visit the studio regularly and help me keep the renovation on track.

S𝖺ve у𝗈𝘂𝗋 𝗳𝖺𝘷𝗈𝘳i𝘁е 𝗻𝗈𝘃e𝘭𝗌 oո 𝘨𝖺𝗅n𝗼v𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝖼о𝗆

He showed up again that afternoon, walking through the unfinished space with the plans spread across his hands. Every so often, he’d stop to examine something before adding another note to the notebook tucked beneath his arm.

I rested against the window frame and watched him with an amused smile. “Noah, tell me honestly. Did Ethan send you here?”

He immediately shook his head, his expression perfectly composed. “Alpha has more than enough on his plate right now. He doesn’t have time to supervise this. I happened to have some free time, so I came over to help.”

I accepted his explanation without suspicion and joined him in discussing where to set up the conference room. I’d deliberately chosen the area beside the studio’s most impressive feature, a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the city. I wanted prospective partners to remember the place the moment they stepped inside.

During a pause, I asked casually, “Speaking of Ethan, where did he go tonight? I asked him earlier, but he didn’t really tell me.”

Noah answered without missing a beat, “I’m not sure myself. Whatever it is, though, it must be important. Alpha wouldn’t personally deal with it otherwise.”

I nodded and let the matter drop.

Maybe someone else would have grown suspicious if their mate suddenly started disappearing in the evenings, but after everything Ethan and I had survived together, doubt no longer came easily to me.

Still, I was gradually figuring out the rules that came with being mates. If I never checked on him, Ethan would eventually become withdrawn and start wondering whether I cared about him at all. With nothing else demanding our attention, Noah and I began talking about the past. He shared stories about Ethan’s younger years in the Thorn Pack, and I found myself listening intently, occasionally interrupting to coax out another detail.

Before I realized it, the evening had slipped past seven. I took out my phone and messaged Ethan. “When are you coming?”

His response arrived almost immediately. “Heading over to get you. I have something for you.”

I blinked at the screen, caught completely off guard.

Before I could question him, another message appeared. “Don’t try to guess. You’ll find out when I give it to you.”

I smiled to myself and slipped my phone into my bag. The mystery had certainly caught my attention, but I decided not to bombard him with questions.

After gathering my things, I went downstairs. His car was already waiting outside.

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