Chapter 122

Chapter 122:

I spotted Marcus standing near the window. He was a senior restorer, a man with gentle hands and a kind smile, but today he looked like a ghost. His skin was grey, his hands trembling violently at his sides. I could smell the sickness of his distress rolling off him in waves. I knew about his Mate — she was dying of a rare blood disease, and the Pack’s medical insurance was the only thing keeping her alive. If he lost this job, he lost her.

Caleb’s gaze swept the room, cold and unforgiving. “I am waiting. This error compromises our standing with Elder Augusta and the entire Hyde Pack. Who did this p>

Marcus opened his mouth, a sob catching in his throat. He was going to confess. He was going to destroy himself.

“I did p>

𝘑𝗼i𝗇 𝗼ur co𝘮𝗺u𝗻𝗂𝘵у o𝗇

The voice was clear, steady, and shocking.

Elara Vance stepped forward from her desk. She didn’t look at Marcus. She looked straight at her brother, her chin lifted in defiance.

“I misread the composition analysis,” Elara lied, her voice not wavering for a single second. “I authorized the wrong solution p>

My breath hitched. No. Elara was the most meticulous restorer here. She would never make that mistake. I tried to catch her eye, to shake my head, but she refused to look at me.

Caleb stared at his sister, betrayal warring with disbelief in his expression. The silence stretched, agonizing and thin.

“I expected better from you, Elara,” he said finally, his voice devoid of warmth. “You are reassigned to the archives indefinitely. Low-priority sorting only. And consider your quarterly bonus forfeited p>

It was a career death sentence. The archives were a graveyard for ambition.

As the studio dispersed into hushed, nervous murmurs, I grabbed Elara’s arm and pulled her into the sterile white breakroom. “Why?” I hissed, checking that the door was shut behind us. “You didn’t do it. It was Marcus p>

Elara leaned against the counter, her shoulders finally slumping. “Marcus needs the insurance, Adella. His Mate doesn’t have much time. If he gets fired, she dies. I can survive the archives. He can’t survive that p>

“But it’s the Hyde treaty,” I argued, panic rising in my chest. “Braydon Hyde isn’t just a client. He’s a monster. He won’t let this go with just a reprimand. He’ll want blood p>

“Then let him come for me,” Elara said, her eyes pleading. “Stay out of it, Adella. Please. He’s poison. If you get involved, he’ll use it against you p>

I looked at her — this woman who had sacrificed her future for a colleague without blinking. She was the first person in years who had shown me what loyalty actually looked like. I couldn’t let her be destroyed by the ghost of my past.

“I can’t let you do this alone,” I whispered.

Ignoring her protests, I pulled out my phone. My fingers felt numb as I navigated to the blocked contacts list. There it was. Braydon. The name alone made bile rise in my throat.

I unblocked it and pressed call before I could talk myself out of it.

It rang twice.

“Adella.” Braydon’s voice slithered through the speaker, smooth and dark as oil. He didn’t sound surprised. He sounded like he had been waiting.

“Braydon,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. “We need to talk. There’s been an issue with the restoration project p>