Chapter : 917

She didn’t look too sure, but she nodded slowly.

“I think so,” she murmured. “I’m just a little confused about where we are going.”

“We are going to do something that we should have done a while ago,” I told her. “I need you to trust us.”

Her eyes wandered for a bit, catching Erik’s in the rearview mirror before he shifted his gaze back to the road. I saw the slight pink in her cheeks, and it was something Nan had noticed too because she raised her brows when she looked at me. I wondered if Irene’s wolf could almost sense that Erik was her mate, but because of the curse Chuck had on her, it was being blocked.

Well, soon enough, that curse was going to be broken. I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to do it, but Taylor was bringing Chuck to the mansion as we spoke, just like Erik was bringing us to the mansion. Cora and Esme were going to meet us there and show me how to break that curse and hopefully get Irene’s life back.

If she knew what we were about to do, I worried she wouldn’t come with us. So, Nan and I agreed not tell her until we were actually there.

After about 20 minutes of driving, Irene lifted her gaze to the window, and then her eyes shifted to me.

“Are we going to my father’s mansion?” She asked, raising her brows. “I haven’t been there in months.”

I nodded, trying to keep my expression neutral.

“Yes, that’s exactly where we are going.”

“Why? What’s there that we need?”

“You’ll see,” I told her lamely.

She cocked her head to the side. Her eyes shifted to Nan and then to me again several times before finally settling on me.

“What’s with all the secrecy?” She asked after a beat of silence.

I glanced at Nan, and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth; something she often does when she’s hiding something, and it was son ing that Irene noticed too, because then her eyes went wide.

“What are you hiding?” She asked, whipping her head to look at me. “Judy, what is going on?”

Before we could answer, we pulled up to the gates that led to the mansion. Erik typed in the passcode, and the gate opened, allowing us entry.

I already saw Taylor’s car parked out front, and Irene’s brows furrowed, causing a slight crease between her brows.

“Is that Taylor’s car?” She asked, and then her eyes found the other car that sat beside Taylor’s. “And whose car is that?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer this question yet, so I didn’t. I only remained silent, which seemed to irritate her even more.

“Judy, tell me what’s going on right now. Is this about wedding planning? If so, why the secrecy?”

“It’s not about wedding planning,” I finally said, my voice coming out nervous- sounding.

Erik parked his car, then got out. His back was rigid as he came around the car and opened the door. As we got out of the vehicle, Irene avoided Erik’s gaze as she often does, and Erik looked like a

headed poppy as

hepiten does. I gave him

reassuring smile and stepped up close to him so only he could hear me.

“Just stay out here,” I told him. “We will handle everything else.”

He looked uncertain, but he gave me a slight nod, and the corner of his lips lifted.

“I’m trusting you to make this right,” he said, his voice strained.

I didn’t have to reply; he knew he could trust me, and I wasn’t about to remind him. With those words lingering between us, I turned to my friends and smiled at them, trying to appear cheerful though my nerves wère a jumbled mess.

“Let’s go,” I told him.

Together, the three of us walked up the significant steps and towards the front door. The door swung open, revealing Cora who stood on the other side. Her smile was bright, and she looked radiant as she stared between us.

Irene paused, her mouth nearly on the ground.

“You didn’t tell me the Blackwells were going to be here,” she whispered, looking as if she might take a step away, but I stepped behind her, stopping her. She turned to look at me, startled. “What’s going on?”

“Please, Irene. Just trust us.”

She opened her mouth to retort, and I knew whatever she was planning

on saying was going to be a smartass comment. But she let out a gaspinstead, her face almost paling of the spet and didn’t need to ask her what had happened for me to know.

She sensed him nearby. I heard footsteps around the corner, several pairs walking across the cool marble.

When I looked up, I saw him.

Irene slowly turned, then her eyes went wide as she looked at the man in front of her.

“Chuck…”