Chapter 177 Unknown Sender
Third POV
The next morning, Dorothy was in her favorite armchair, savoring her coffee, when Nigel walked past the sitting room. He had a stack of letters clutched in his hands, his footsteps quick and purposeful. By the looks of it, he was headed straight for Asher’s office.
“Nigel,” Dorothy called out, setting her coffee cup down on the side table.
He stopped immediately and turned toward her. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Come here for a moment.”
Nigel hesitated, glancing down at the letters in his hands. After a brief pause, he walked over to where Dorothy sat.
“What are those?” Dorothy asked, nodding toward the stack of mail.
“Just the morning mail, ma’am. I was taking them to Alpha Asher.”
Dorothy extended her hand. “Let me have a look.”
“I’m not sure that’s—”
“Hand them over, Nigel.”
Reluctantly, Nigel placed the letters in Dorothy’s outstretched hands. She began flipping through them one by one, scanning the addresses and return labels.
Her fingers paused when she spotted an envelope with her name written in neat handwriting across the front.
“Interesting,” Dorothy muttered, holding up the letter. “This one is addressed to me.”
Nigel shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, ma’am, but all mail goes through Alpha Asher first before—”
“Before what?” Dorothy’s eyebrows rose sharply. “Since when do I need my grandson’s permission to read my own mail?”
“It’s just pack protocol, ma’am. Alpha Asher reviews all correspondence before it reaches the intended recipients.”
Dorothy scoffed. “Pack protocol? That’s ridiculous.”
She flipped the envelope over, examining it more closely. There was no return address and no sender’s name. It was just her name written on the front in unfamiliar handwriting, along with the Moonveil pack house’s address.
Without waiting for Nigel’s response, Dorothy tore open the envelope. She reached inside and pulled out a small stack of papers.
Her eyes scanned the top document quickly. The official letterhead caught her attention first, followed by the words that made her blood run cold.
DNA Paternity Test Results.
Dorothy’s face began to pale as she read further. The names listed made her heart pound harder in her chest.
Subject A: Hazel Banner
Subject B: Finn Daniels
Relationship: Mother and Son
Probability: 99.9%
“What’s got you so engrossed this early in the morning?”
Jessie’s voice came from the stairway as she descended, still in her morning robe. She walked over to where Dorothy sat, curiosity written across her features.
Jessie peered over Dorothy’s shoulder and began reading the document. Her eyes widened as the words sank in.
“Is that… is that what I think it is?” Jessie whispered.
Dorothy’s breathing became shallow and rapid. The papers trembled in her shaking hands.
“Ma’am, are you alright?” Nigel stepped forward, concern evident in his voice.
“I need… I need air,” Dorothy gasped, clutching her chest.
Jessie immediately moved to Dorothy’s side, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder. “Oh, Goddess! Take deep breaths. In and out.”
Nigel rushed to get a glass of water while Jessie helped Dorothy regulate her breathing.
After several minutes, Dorothy’s breathing returned to normal. The color slowly came back to her cheeks, but her eyes remained filled with fury.
She slammed her fist down on the side table, making her coffee cup rattle against its saucer.
“That despicable woman!” Dorothy’s voice boomed through the sitting room. “How dare she!”
Jessie picked up the papers that had fallen to the floor during Dorothy’s episode. She read through them again, her own anger building.
“No wonder,” Jessie muttered. “No wonder Asher has been so protective of that boy.”
No wonder he refused every suggestion to send Finn away. This boy was the son of Asher’s lover. If this was true, then this horrible woman was still haunting her precious son even after they had finally gotten rid of her!
“Who sent this?” Jessie demanded, turning to Nigel. “Who had the gall to send these… these… lies to the Moonveil Pack?”
Even though Jessie didn’t want to believe it, she could no longer deny this. Once she had the idea planted into her head, she could see the resemblance between Finn and Hazel. They didn’t know for sure whether or not the report was faked, but as far as Jessie was concerned, this was already the truth.
Nigel examined the envelope carefully. “There’s no sender information, ma’am.” He brought the envelope closer to his nose and inhaled deeply. “There’s no scent either. Whoever sent this made sure they couldn’t be traced.”
Jessie’s mind raced as she processed the implications. “Do you think… Do you think Finn’s real father is Hazel’s first mate? Maybe she convinced Asher to raise her son after her mate died.”