"I don’t understand," Caspian whispered, his eyes fixated on the screen. "Why does Alpha Warren have so many pictures of my mom?"
Asher and Jael shared a look over his head, saying nothing.
There was really nothing to say, not to this completely unexpected development.
Asher studied the pictures of Paris Mendez, in most of the pictures she was looking off to the distance like she was unaware that her pictures were being taken.
And there was always a soft smile on her face, it was a little eerie.
He wished he had been able to find out more to put things in perspective but all that had been on the Alpha’s private computer had been Pack documents.
"She looks unaware of the camera," Jael muttered, saying his thoughts aloud.
"Alpha Warren took these in secret?" Caspian said with an expression of disgust.
Jael scrolled through the pictures, there were so many that it was easy to extrapolate a pattern.
"That’s what it looks like..."
There was a knock on the door then, startling them. Alpha Warren and Luna Tammy shouldn’t be back at the Pack house just yet.
Asher had left the brunch early just so that they could investigate free of interruptions.
Asher was the one to head to the door, his jaw set. It had to be only one other person...
He opened the door just a crack, standing in the way to block the visitor’s view of the interior.
He expected to see Noah but the wide-eyed Beta in front of him was far from the dumb Alpha.
She eyed him up appreciatively, tucking her hair behind her ear, all the while looking a tad confused.
"Are you lost?" Asher asked flatly.
"I hope not," She smiled tentatively, "Alpha Warren told me I would find Caspian here."
"Who?" Asher cocked a brow, his guard going up.
He didn’t even get the chance to keep up their ruse because the door was getting thrown fully open, Caspian standing beside him.
He sported a look on his face that Asher had never seen before, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to.
It was one of surprise, betrayal, and pure unadulterated rage.
"Dahlia." Caspian spat out, the single word dripping with venom.
Asher flinched a bit at that, Caspian had basically admitted to his identity by addressing her.
"C-Caspian," Dahlia stumbled over her words, nervous. "I-I..."
"So Alpha Warren put you to this," Caspian cut her off, not even bothering to try pitching his voice higher.
"N-Not really," Dahlia kept stammering.
When she had been asked to come, she hadn’t seen the reunion going this way.
Caspian always hung on her every word ever since they were children, she expected him to be happy to see her.
"Do you think I’m stupid?" He tilted his head to the side, not caring that Asher was still right beside him, getting a front-seat view of their conversation.
Dahlia said nothing to that, her frantic gaze darting around like she wanted nothing more than to leave.
"So you could come back this entire time?" He asked condescendingly, crossing his arms and making his slightly cropped top ride up higher.
Dahlia was still at a loss for words, she had been told that Caspian had run off and when they found him he became reticent.
She was supposed to try and get him out of his shell.
It sounded like a shallow reason to invite her back but she couldn’t say no to Alpha Warren.
She didn’t expect any of this. Why was Caspian wearing a wig? Who was the good-looking Alpha standing right beside him?
"You left without a single word, and blocked me on everything so I couldn’t even call you, but when Warren calls, you fucking jump?"
It was the first time Caspian had addressed the man without his title, it felt right.
"Caspian..." Dahlia mumbled, her eyes sad.
"My parents had just died! You were supposed to be my best friend!" He snapped, his eyes filling with cold tears.
Dahlia swallowed past a lump, old hurts in the dim light of her eyes. "I don’t feel like having this conversation," She said quietly.
Caspian needed a moment to compose himself after that sentence, "Then why did you come back?" He asked tightly.
"Be-Because Alpha Warren..." She started in an unsure tone and just gave up.
She had been told to get him out of his shell, but he didn’t even look depressed.
Dahlia hadn’t signed up to revisit past demons. Caspian was still mated to Noah, there was no reason for her to be here.
"I’m just going to go," She said awkwardly, walking off.
Caspian stormed out after her, "Don’t you think I deserve an answer at least?"
Asher was left in the wake of the argument, more than a little lost. He had no idea who the Beta was or what she had done to Caspian.
He turned to Jael who was sitting rigidly behind his laptop, "I’m going after him."
Jael nodded, he expected that.
"Things are about to go to shit," He said without a single twinge of anger. "I need you to find the Alpha’s room and break into it. In the vanity, there’s a hidden compartment. Twist the knob on the third dresser to the left to get it out."
Jael listened intently, he wasn’t sure what was going on but this was the perfect cover to get as much information as they could.
If they were able to get concrete proof that Alpha Warren had a hand in Caspian’s parents’ deaths, even the High Council wouldn’t be able to force him to stay.
He shot to his feet as Asher slipped out the door and went after Caspian, copying the contents of the flash to his laptop just in case.
Then he moved, stepping into the hallway to find it empty, all three long gone.
He didn’t bother finding out where they had gone to, concocting a plan to figure out which apartment belonged to Warren Reeves.