Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 172: Small Tracks

The moment I heard that voice, my body reacted on instinct. I almost turned around.

Almost.

Then realization hit me, sharp and cold, and I kept walking as if I hadn’t heard a thing. My steps stayed steady. My face stayed calm.

I already knew who it was.

That so-called kind, middle-aged woman.

She wore warmth like a second skin, soft words hiding something rotten underneath. A hunter pretending to be harmless, waiting for someone careless enough to lower their guard.

Lewis was already waiting in the car.

Theo stood by the door, alert as always. The instant I saw them, a tight knot in my chest loosened. Relief rushed through me so fast my legs almost felt weak.

It felt like escaping something ancient and cruel in the dark and they were the only safe ground left.

I slid into the car.

Just as Theo reached to close the door, her voice changed.

"Mrs. Hale."

I turned my head slowly and looked at her through the window, confusion carefully painted on my face.

"Were you calling me just now?" I asked politely. "I thought I heard someone call Elena. I assumed it was meant for someone else."

Her expression shifted instantly, smooth and apologetic. "Oh, I’m so sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else, Mrs. Hale. My hearing isn’t what it used to be."

Then she opened her palm.

"By the way... is this brooch yours?"

My breath caught for half a second.

There it was. Lewis’s gift.

"Yes," I said softly, letting relief show. "It is mine. I was wondering where I lost it. Thank you."

I smiled at her grateful, sincere, harmless. "It’s rare to meet someone this honest these days."

To her, I must have looked foolish. Young. Easy to read.

"You’re welcome," she replied with a gentle laugh. "I only returned what belongs to you."

If I hadn’t seen her earlier if I hadn’t watched her wipe blood from her hands without blinking I might have believed every word.

How many monsters walk among us wearing human faces?

And when did I start wearing a mask of my own?

As the car pulled away, I glanced into the rearview mirror.

She was still standing there.

Watching.

Smiling.

That smile clung to my spine like frost, sharp and wrong, nothing like kindness.

Lewis opened his mouth to speak, but I reached out and covered it with my hand.

He froze, then followed my gaze.

I lifted the brooch and examined it closely, turning it slowly under the dim car light. Then I looked at him, meaning clear without words.

What if it had been tampered with?

A tracker. A listening device. Anything.

If she knew it was mine, why hadn’t she returned it earlier?

Why wait until I was leaving?

Those few hours replayed in my mind, every glance, every word, every pause now heavy with meaning.

She had been watching me.

Testing me.

Lewis seemed to understand that something had gone wrong tonight. I could feel it in the way his presence tightened beside me, protective and quiet.

He didn’t ask.

Not yet.

But I knew one thing for sure now.

Camilla wasn’t just watching from the shadows anymore.

She had started to move.

.... 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

I slipped the brooch back into my bag and handed it to Lewis.

He took it naturally, his fingers brushing mine. "Are you still shaken?"

"Shaken by what?" I asked quietly.

"That chicken," he said. "The blood. The way it was killed."

I swallowed. "It reminded me of that day. The bathtub. I almost died. If you hadn’t found me in time, I wouldn’t be here now."

His jaw tightened. He pulled me closer. "I won’t let that happen again. From now on, I’ll protect you."

I leaned into him, my voice softer than I intended. "Lewis... I’m grateful for you. Back then, Grant never cared. Lincy only knew how to hurt me. I felt cornered, like there was no way out. I thought you’d be the same as them."

I shook my head slowly. "But you weren’t. You’ve been kind. Steady. You didn’t look at me like I was weak."

He smiled faintly. "Maybe I see some of myself in you. Still young. Still learning. I just want to take better care of you. The past is over. Every day we wake up is a clean slate."

I took a slow breath. "I won’t live in fear anymore. From today on, I’m not that girl. I’m going to be a new RIley."

The rest of the drive passed in silence.

When we arrived, Lewis handed the brooch to Theo. Not long after, Theo’s phone buzzed.

"Madam," he said grimly, "you were right. The brooch was altered. There’s a micro bug hidden inside."

My face went cold.

"Lewis," I said slowly, "Camilla is targeting me. That banquet at the Hudsons wasn’t a coincidence. It was a trap."

Everything clicked into place.

Silas. The woman. The way she stopped me as I was leaving. I remembered stumbling slightly how she caught my arm to steady me.

That must have been when she took the brooch.

During those few hours it was missing, they planted the device. Then she returned it with a smile, like she was doing me a favor.

It wasn’t careless.

It was calculated.

If I hadn’t been cautious, if I’d trusted even a little more, Camilla would already know who I really am.

The thought sent a chill straight through me.

She wasn’t just cruel. She was patient. Precise.

Dealing with her felt like walking a narrow ledge with nothing but air beneath me. One wrong step, and everything would collapse.

Lewis noticed the sweat on my forehead and pulled me into his arms, wiping my brow gently. "It’s okay," he murmured.

Theo handed me a cup of warm water. "You’re safe here, Madam. Mr. Hale has cleared all potential threats inside the residence."

"No," I said sharply. "There’s still one possibility we haven’t considered."

Lewis looked at me closely. "Who?"

The answer struck me all at once.

"Julain," I said. "He met with Camilla this afternoon."

If I could use Julain, then Camilla could too.

That woman never moved without leaving a shadow behind.

"It’s very possible," I continued, my voice low, "that Julain has unknowingly brought danger back into the Hale territory."

I lifted my eyes, steady now.

"She doesn’t just attack from the front. She sends threats ahead of her."

And this time, she had aimed straight at me.