213 Suspect

Levi’s POV

The second-to-last person bowed and was dismissed, declared innocent. The next was called in, and the moment he stepped inside, my brow furrowed. Of course, I recognized him immediately. Nathaniel, our old classmate from high school. But it wasn’t just that. I remembered clearly how we dealt with him when he started hanging around Olivia, wanting to get close to her for reasons we didn’t trust.

I exchanged glances with my brothers. From their expressions, they recognized him too. It had been a long time since we last saw him, despite him still living in the pack.

Nathaniel respectfully bowed to us before the person operating the lie detector asked him to take the seat. He took the seat across from us and held my gaze. My frown deepened as I wondered if he was the one who actually forged those letters… did he do that to get back at us for what we did to him?

“It is confirmed that you can mimic handwriting,” Lennox said, going straight to the point.

“Yes,” Nathaniel answered without hesitation.

Louis growled. “So tell us, were you the one who forged those letters and sent them to us?”

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. “What letters are you talking about?” he asked, sounding confused, but I didn’t believe him. Out of all the people we had questioned, he was the one with the strongest motive to turn us against Olivia.

Lennox pulled one of the forged letters from the table and held it out. “Look closely. Did you write this? Or help someone write this?”

Nathaniel leaned forward slightly, his gaze flicking to the letter Lennox held out. His brow creased as he studied it, but there was no recognition in his eyes.

“I didn’t write that,” he said simply. “I didn’t help anyone write it either.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “But you can mimic handwriting. You just said so yourself.”

“Yes,” he admitted with a calm voice. “I’m an artist. I’ve trained myself to copy strokes, lines, styles—but that’s for art, not forgery. Not lies. I’d never use my skill to tear someone down.”

Louis scoffed. “You expect us to believe that? After everything?”

Nathaniel blinked, confused. “After everything?”

I leaned forward, my jaw tight. “You liked Olivia. You wanted to get close to her. We warned you to stay away, and suddenly, someone sends us forged letters to destroy our bond with her. You’re telling me that’s a coincidence?”

His lips parted, like he wanted to defend himself, but for a moment, he said nothing. That silence made my stomach twist.

“I’m not that kind of person,” he said finally, his tone firmer now. “Yeah, I wanted to be her friend. I liked her. But I accepted it when she chose you three. I moved on. I didn’t do this.”

“Then who did?” Lennox snapped. “Because someone out there wanted us to hate her. Someone used your kind of skill.”

Nathaniel shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. But I swear, it wasn’t me. I would never hurt Olivia, or anyone like that. I’m not holding a grudge, Alpha Levi. Not against you, and definitely not against her.”

I looked at my brothers again. Louis’s fists were clenched. Lennox’s jaw ticked in frustration.

He sounded sincere—but that’s what made it worse.

He sounded too convincing. Too clean. Too practiced.

“I don’t believe you,” I muttered, standing up.

Nathaniel stood too, but didn’t raise his voice. “Believe whatever you want. I told the truth.”

“Maybe this is your way of getting back at us,” Louis growled. “You couldn’t have her, so you made sure we lost her too.”

His face tensed. “No,” he said through gritted teeth. “I wouldn’t destroy someone’s life over jealousy. I don’t know who forged those letters, but it wasn’t me.”

Lennox stepped forward slightly, his eyes cold. “We’ll find out. And if you’re lying—”

“I’m not,” Nathaniel cut in. “I may not be your friend, but I’m not your enemy either.”

I watched him closely, but no guilt flickered in his eyes. Still, my gut refused to let it go.

Nathaniel’s jaw tensed slightly as he looked at the letter again.

“When was this sent?” he asked.

“Four years ago,” Lennox replied without hesitation.

Nathaniel’s brows rose. “Four years…” he repeated, thinking. Then he looked at us again. “Why isn’t Silas here?”

I blinked. “Silas?”

“Yes,” he said, more firmly now. “Did you question him?”

Louis frowned, confused. “We don’t remember anyone named Silas.”

Nathaniel scoffed under his breath and leaned back. “Wow. Of course, you wouldn’t. You men dealt with him the moment he got too close to Olivia.”

I frowned, and something familiar tugged at the back of my mind. Silas… that name.

Lennox tilted his head, his expression darkening. “Wait. That brown-haired boy who always had a sketchpad?”

“Yes,” Nathaniel said immediately. “The one you hunted down just because Olivia talked to him after classes. He was head over heels for her, and you three threatened him never to go near her.”

“I remember now,” Louis muttered. “Stubborn brat.”

Nathaniel gave a dry chuckle. “He could mimic handwriting better than anyone I’ve ever met. Even better than me.”

My blood ran cold.

Lennox turned to Dustin, who had been standing near the wall like a silent guard dog.

“Why wasn’t Silas called in for questioning?”

Dustin frowned and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Nathaniel answered flatly.

“Because Silas left the pack three years ago.”

We all turned to him sharply.

“What?” I asked, stunned.

Nathaniel nodded. “He got a job offer abroad. A really good one.”

Louis’s face tightened. “Why the hell are we just hearing this now?”

“I assumed you knew,” Nathaniel said with a shrug. “But clearly, you didn’t even remember he existed.”

Lennox clenched his fists. “You’re saying he might’ve forged the letters?”

Nathaniel met his gaze. “I’m saying… if anyone had the skill and the motive, it would’ve been Silas.”

The room fell silent.

I could feel the shift between us. The pieces suddenly felt like they were starting to fall into place—but in the worst way.

I turned to Dustin. “Find out everything you can about Silas. Wherever he is—drag him back here.”

Clinton nodded and left.

I turned back to Nathaniel and gave him a threatening glare. “For your sake and that of your family, I hope you are telling the truth. That you have no hands in this—because if we find out you did… not only will we kill you, but your entire family head will roll.”

Nathaniel met my gaze with no sign of panic in him. “I can assure you, Alphas, I have no hand in this. What I had for Olivia was just infatuation. I have a mate now, whom I love.”

I glared at him before giving him a dismissing nod. He bowed before leaving.

After he left, I turned to a guard stationed in a corner. “Go tell the men that no one is allowed to leave this pack without our permission.”

The guard nodded before leaving.

No one spoke for a long second.

Then Lennox broke the silence.

“I believe it was him.”

Louis and I turned to look at him.

“Silas?” I asked.

Lennox nodded, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “My gut tells me he did it. The timing fits. The skill. The motive. Everything points to him.”

I let out a slow breath, my thoughts racing. He had a point.

“But…” Lennox continued, narrowing his eyes at the letter still lying on the table, “I don’t think he did it alone.”

Louis turned sharply. “What do you mean?”

Lennox looked between us. “Silas may have written the letters, but someone fed him what to say. Someone who knew just what would get under our skin. The words in those letters—they were too targeted. Too perfect. And that person must have been the one to invoke the spell on those letters… so in other words, someone got Silas to do the job.”

I sat back in my chair, his words settling deep in my chest. He was right.

Just then, a knock came on the door and through the scent, I knew it was Mother. A frown etched on my face as I wondered what she wanted.

As if sensing we wouldn’t call her in, she opened the door herself.

She closed the door behind her but didn’t step forward. Rather, she gave us a pleading look.

I glanced at her with a furrowed brow, wondering what she was up to this time.

Lennox was the first to snap.

“What do you want, Mother?” he barked, his voice hard.

She flinched but didn’t back down. “I know you told me not to meddle in your affairs. And I’ve tried. I have.”

“Then don’t,” I said coldly, standing halfway. “We are not in a good mood, Mother… don’t annoy us.”

“I’m not here for me,” she said quickly, her voice trembling. “I’m here because I have to say this.”

Louis groaned and turned away, muttering something under his breath, but I kept my gaze locked on her.

“You have two minutes,” I said sharply.

She took a slow breath. “The healer just finished checking Anita.”

That name instantly soured my mood. My lips curled slightly in disgust.

“And?” I said without interest.

“The babies… the babies are not fine,” our mother said, her voice dropping.

My frown deepened. I already knew where this was going.

“Go on?” Lennox said.

She hesitated, then looked at each of us before finally speaking.

“The babies’ heartbeats,” she whispered. “They’re weakening.”

I straightened fully now, alarm flaring in my chest.

“The healer’s spell protecting them… it’s fading,” she continued. “The twins won’t survive past the next two days unless one of you marks Anita at least.”

Lennox’s face darkened immediately. “You want us to mark her? Are you insane?”

“She’s carrying your pups!” she snapped, losing her temper for the first time.

“No,” I growled. “She’s carrying a weapon—a tool she used to tie us down.”

“She’s carrying your children,” our mother repeated, her voice shaking. “Innocent lives. You don’t have to love her. But mark her—for their sake. If not, they’ll die.”

“Then let them die!” I spat in rage. “If we could lose the only woman we loved… if we could lose Olivia, then we are prepared to lose anything and anyone.”