Chapter 351: The Arsonist Has Been Found
Hayley’s POV:
Moments later, Tanner walked in with a serious expression. I knew he was the one most affected by the studio fire. All his design drafts had been destroyed, along with several rushed designs—enough to drive anyone mad.
“Ben and Hayley,” he said, looking at Benjamin and me with frustration. Benjamin glanced up, and from that one look, I sensed silent communication between them.
Tanner pressed his lips together before reporting, “Ben, we’ve tracked down the arsonist. The police are working hard to arrest and charge the person responsible.” He hesitated, a look of concern crossing his face. But Benjamin’s expression remained stern. His voice was firm as he said, “Whoever it is, there’s no room for retreat in this matter.” He paused, adding, “If Hayley and I hadn’t been so lucky, hadn’t escaped the fire… what would have happened then?”
As an alpha myself, I understood the weight of Benjamin’s words. If the Midnight Pack’s alpha had been betrayed from within, it would be the perfect opportunity for other packs to strike. It could even lead to war. Clearly, Tanner understood this too.
“I understand, Ben,” he said, bowing slightly. “I’ll make sure this is handled properly and leave no room for the enemy to escape.” He turned to me. “Hayley, rest up. With Ben here, I’m at ease. I have something else to take care of, so I’ll leave you two to it.”
I didn’t hesitate. “You don’t need to hide anything from me. After all, I’m a victim too. I deserve to know what’s going on.”
Tanner opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, glancing at Benjamin. Benjamin gently took my hand. “It’s Madeline. She hired someone to set the fire.”
The moment I heard that name, my fist clenched involuntarily. I felt an overwhelming urge to call upon Hera to hunt Madeline down and tear her apart.
“Her again!”
And I made a vow in that moment—this time, I would give her no way out.
“What do you plan to do about it?” I asked coldly.
Tanner replied calmly, “Of course, it will be handed over to the police. Arson is a criminal offense. She’ll be facing years in prison.”
But that wasn’t enough for me. “If I can gather more evidence of her crimes, can I have her wolf stripped away? Can she be exiled?” I looked at Benjamin and Tanner, waiting for their response.
Tanner nodded solemnly. “Hayley, if you have any evidence, bring it to me directly. I won’t let you down. She will face the consequences she deserves.”
“I’ll get the evidence to you soon. This time, I won’t give her a chance to commit any more crimes.” I meant business, and I’d never been more serious.
Once Benjamin and Tanner left the hospital room, I called Thomas. He exploded in rage after hearing what had happened.
“What? That b*tch actually did this to my alpha? Are you alright? How are you holding up?”
I calmed him down. “I’m fine. Just do as I say. Gather all the evidence of her crimes and get it all packaged and sent to the police.”
Thomas responded quickly, “Don’t worry, Alpha. This time, I’ll make sure she pays for it.”
After hanging up, Benjamin and I headed to the hospital with the protection of a beta warrior. Tanner stayed behind to handle the aftermath of the studio fire. Although I had suffered from severe carbon monoxide poisoning, my alpha constitution, along with getting to the hospital in time, made the recovery process smooth.
After a few days, I was discharged and on my way to recovery. The day I left the hospital, I heard news of Madeline once again. This time, it was on the news: “The once-prominent family of the Midnight Pack, the Kilmers, has been rocked by scandal. Alpha Benjamin has stripped heiress Madeline Kilmer of her wolf and exiled her from the pack due to her involvement in a murder attempt.”