Chapter 508: Was It Just a Hallucination?
“I don’t want to die! I’ll testify! I’ll be a witness!”
Lucas instantly gave in. The oppressive aura of the man before him was that of a powerful werewolf—someone he had no hope of resisting.
“Good,” Mr. White said, snapping his fingers. His assistant immediately stepped forward and handed over a bank card, which Mr. White tossed to Lucas. “This is your reward for making the right choice. But if you’re not in court when the time comes, don’t bother thinking about your family’s survival.”
With that, Mr. White turned and left, his entourage following closely behind. Only after the sound of footsteps completely faded did Lucas struggle to crawl out of the burlap sack. His heart was pounding, and he gasped for breath as he looked around the empty room. For a moment, he wondered if what had just happened was a figment of his imagination. But when he picked up the bank card on the floor, he realized that it was all too real.
The next morning, Lucas rushed to the police station to give a detailed account of the incident. Combined with the other evidence Thomas had gathered, Hayley was finally exonerated and released. When Bill and Dorothy heard the news, they hurried from Shadow Pack to meet her, arriving just in time to pick her up.
Hayley’s POV:
“Grandpa, Grandma! You’re here?” It had been so long since I last saw them, and their arrival filled me with joy.
“You have some nerve asking that!” Grandpa said, feigning anger. “If Johnny hadn’t told us, we wouldn’t have known you were in such big trouble! You ungrateful girl! Have you grown wings and decided you don’t need us old folks anymore?” Though his words sounded harsh, his tone was full of concern.
“Of course not!” I quickly hooked my arm around his, leaning against his shoulder like a child. “I was just worried about your health, that’s all. Besides, I’m already the alpha of Shadow Park. I can handle things like this on my own. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry.”
Grandma, however, wasn’t having it. She gave me a stern look and said firmly, “No matter what, you are not to keep something this serious from us again. Do you hear me?”
“Got it!” I promised cutely.
We chatted a bit longer before preparing to leave. Suddenly, Hera perked up. I turned to see what had caught her attention, only to find Benjamin approaching, looking a bit disheveled from his haste.
“Hayley,” he called out, his eyes filled with concern as they lingered on me before he greeted my grandparents. Grandma’s face remained unreadable, while Grandpa suddenly turned serious.
“It’s good you’re here,” Grandpa said, his tone cold. “I was just about to find you. Let’s break off your engagement with Hayley.”
“What?” Benjamin’s eyes widened in shock.
I, too, was caught completely off guard.
“Do I need to explain further? How has your mother treated Hayley? And what’s her attitude toward Shadow Pack?” Grandpa’s voice grew stern, his temper on the verge of flaring. “For the sake of the alliance between our packs, I won’t hold it against you. But your engagement with Hayley is over.”
Benjamin’s gaze darkened, but he didn’t argue with Grandpa. Instead, he looked at me sorrowfully.
Hurrying to mediate, I said, “Grandpa, let’s discuss the engagement later, okay?”
“Given the alliance between the Carsons and the Southwells, we’ll need to maintain good relations. Mrs. Southwell is still in the hospital, fighting for her life. Out of respect for Grandpa Southwell, shouldn’t we go visit her?” I pleaded, looking to Grandma for support.
Grandma gave Grandpa a nod. Grandpa, always one to listen to her, didn’t object.
Odessa’s POV:
I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head. Henry and his two brothers were slumped on the couch, fast asleep. Seeing their exhausted faces made my heart ache. But then it hit me—Benjamin wasn’t here. Of course, he must’ve gone to see that wretched Hayley again!
Sadness filled my heart. What was the point of raising sons if, in the end, they favored an outsider over their own mother?
“Henry…” I tried to sit up. Hearing the noise, Henry woke up and quickly came to help me. “Mom, be careful!”
“Christopher, Tanner, get up! Mom’s awake! Go call the doctor!” Henry shouted.
Soon, the medical team arrived to check on me.
“The patient is stable now,” the doctor announced after the examination. “If her recovery continues at this rate, she can be discharged in two days.”
“Thank you, doctor,” Tanner said, personally escorting him out. The moment Tanner returned, I grabbed Henry’s hand.
“Where’s Benjamin? Has he really abandoned me completely?”
“Mom, how could you say that?” Henry scolded me gently. “Ben’s gone to pick up Hayley. She was detained as the prime suspect in your stabbing but has just been released.”
I clearly remembered that the person who knocked me out with Wolfsbane was tall and had immense strength—definitely a man. Still, this was the perfect opportunity to get rid of Hayley once and for all. With that thought, I clutched Henry’s arm for answers.