By the time Adrian was done going through the reports and putting out feelers for the rogue attack, he was exhausted. There was still so much left to do even though Alex had tried his best to lighten his burden before leaving to see Zinora and invite her for the family dinner they were holding that night.
Adrian had pled the fifth because if he found himself seating across the table from Gabrielle, all his promises to her sister would be ash in the wind. Let Ava see her parents. They had to have been worried about everything.
Besides, he had work to do and knew very soon the pack would begin to press him to take a consort again. He had to bolster their fate in Ava without outing Gabrielle.
It was easier said than done.
The door to his office opened and Gabrielle entered the office. At the sight of her, anger flooded his veins.
She looked uncertain as to what she was doing here.
“Adrian, Calvin told me you wanted to see me.” Hope bloomed slowly across her face as she registered the fact that they were all alone.
“Did you reconsider what we spoke about?” She moved away from the door and walked closer.
“I’ll admit that it is all I could–”
She froze mid-step, finally registering his scent. His fully mated scent. She rocked back as if hit.
“You are fully mated to Ava?” It was a crazed cry. “No, no, please tell me that I am mistaken. Please tell me, Adrian.”
Adrian stood to his full height and walked out of the enclosure of his desk.
“I am completely bound to my mate. I didn’t call you here because I had reconsidered anything nor did I call you here to tell you that fact.”
He was right in front of her now.
“I am here to tell you that I know what you did. I know that you were behind the entire Shawn fiasco. I know you framed Ava so that you could usurp her position.”
Gabrielle’s eyes were as wide as saucers. She backed away from him like he would attack her. Maybe he would have if Ava hadn’t interceded for her.
“Adrian, please I can explain, Ava is lying about–”
“I have no use for your lies, Gabrielle.”
The audacity of this woman. After all she had done, she still had the guts to try to blame her sister for her mistakes.
He closed the distance between them and grabbed her neck and began to squeeze tightly.
Gabrielle choked, her hand slapping against his uselessly, unable to break his grip.
“You are so shameless. I wonder what I could have seen in you. I must have been blinded in the throes of my youth to have thought myself in love with someone like you.”
“M…mercy.” Gabrielle choked out.
“And where exactly was that mercy when you drugged your sister and left her to be assaulted and defamed? The only reason you are still breathing is because of Ava. If you so much as breathe the wrong way, the entire pack will find out the exact way you tried to usurp Ava and you will be punished accordingly.”
He let go of her throat and watched her as she coughed on her knees trying to catch her breath feeling more than a little repulsed.
He was doing this for his mate, nothing else. He hoped she wouldn’t break her sister’s trust again.
*********
Ava hugged Zinora. “Goddess, it’s been like forever. How did your visit to the Primo pack go?”
“It was very… unusual. I’ll tell you all about it later. Alex told me that your mate has proven you innocent of the accusations against you. I knew you couldn’t have done something like that, your love for your mate is evident.”
Ava blushed. Her mind recalling all the troubles she had gone through before realizing her love for Adrian.
This dinner with her family was a step in rebuilding something beautiful with her family.
“Where is everyone else?” Ava said looking from the doorway where Zinora had opened the door to her.
“Alex is washing up and your father is helping your mom out with bringing out the dishes.”
Wouldn’t that be a sight to behold?
“I should go to help out.”
Ava paused midstep.
“Where is Gabrielle?”
Adrian had promised to spare her. He wouldn’t have lied to Ava. Or had his rage gotten the better of him?
“Oh. She went out, I think to see Cynthia. She looked really disturbed though. I tried asking her what the problem was but she wasn’t feeling chatty.” Zinora shrugged.
The small hairs on Ava’s neck stood up
Why Cynthia? Was it possible that Cynthia had been colluding with Gabrielle?
************
Cynthia smelt her fear before she entered the room.
“Gabrielle, what–”
“This is all your fault. You made me believe that I had a chance with Adrian. You encouraged me and egged me on. Now, my entire life is about to be destroyed.”
Dramatic much?
Gabrielle was not a child that had been egged on, she had already hated her sister and Adrian thirsting for vengeance. All she had done was direct the violence in a useful direction. Was it any shock that revenge wasn’t as sweet as she thought it would be?
“What happened Gabby? Why are you speaking like this?”
Cynthia put a hand on her to calm her down. Gabby pushed her aside and Cynthia stumbled back, rage almost colouring her mind.
“Don’t fucking touch me! You want to know what is wrong? Adrian mated with her. They are now fully mated. As though that wasn’t bad enough, she told him everything and now Adrian is looking for any excuse to execute me.”
Oh, so that was it. Cynthia pushed back the rage that had arosarisenm that mad woman pushing her like she had a right to. If they found out about Gabby so easily then she was next.
She felt a prickling of fear. If they did, she would be unable to complete her mission. Even if it was her, she would not be spared.
Maybe if she could get Gabrielle to keep her mouth shut–
“If they get me, there is no way I am going down alone.” Gabrielle’s eyes blazed with righteous fury and fear.
“If they get me, I will spill exactly who was my accomplice. I don’t think even your pregnancy will let Adrian spare your life.”
Cynthia stepped close to Gabrielle wanting nothing more than to throttle her.
Did she think she was scared of Adrian? What could he do to her? The stakes of the game were way higher than Gabrielle knew.
“Don’t worry, Gabrielle. I will handle everything. I haven’t failed you yet.”
Yes, she would handle everything. She would get rid of the only evidence incriminating her, Gabrielle.
******
Cynthia felt like a trap was constricting around her. If she tried to kill Gabrielle in her house, the scent would be damning evidence. The pregnancy had reduced her flexibility. Her ankles were swollen enough that she couldn’t run much less drag a body.
No. Her plan to get rid of Gabrielle would require a little more finesse.
She had been up most of the night thinking up a storm on how to keep her hide safe.
Pacing, she placed her index finger in her mouth and bit her nail. She would have used Gabrielle to acquire the information she needed to keep herself alive if only Ava hadn’t gone into heat.
Everything was so messy right now and it was that Ava’s fault. Cynthia would break her back coming up with great plans only for that girl to come in and ruin everything. Unintentionally at that. How insulting.
There was nothing to be done. She had to do this through the dangerous method that she’d pushed off as a last resort. She had no choice but to take the bull by the horns.
Cynthia took a shower, her motions languid now that her decision had been made.
She pulled on a maternity dress that made her seem larger than she was and brought out the flecks of gold in her eyes. She pulled her blond hair back with some clips enforcing the vision of a guileless pregnant she-wolf.
Looking herself over in the mirror, her heart pounded with excitement and fear, the rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins.
As she went over the skeletons of a plan in her mind, a sense of determination settled over her. Ever since Cynthia had been cast out of this pack, she’d been left to fend for herself.
Placing her needs above everyone was something she was familiar with, she would do whatever it takes to get the information he needed, no matter the cost. Because if she failed in any capacity, she knew her life would be taken from her.
Despite the fear and uncertainty, Cynthia felt a sense of purpose, she was going to succeed. There were no other options.