Elena.
At the mention of his suggestion I looked at him with so much disgust brewing up my face, “We can’t just run.
That makes me look guilty!”
Alexander’s jaw is set as he navigates through back streets.
“Staying makes you dead.”
“But What about Damien??
The pack?
Sage?”
“They are all being watched.
Whoever killed Dominic has this planned down to the last detail.
They knew he’d call you.
Knew the timing of the investigation.
Knew how to make you look complicit.”
My hands won’t stop shaking.
“This is insane.
Yesterday I was free.
Today I’m a murder suspect?”
“Not officially.
Yet.” He glances in the rearview mirror.
“But that suicide note is enough for the pack council to issue a warrant.
And once they do, human law enforcement gets involved.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere they won’t think to look.”
We drive for twenty minutes in silence.
My phone keeps buzzing from Sage, Damien, Jiang, and numbers I don’t recognize.
“Don’t answer any of them,” Alexander says.
“Your phone is being tracked.”
“By who?”
“Everyone.
Turn it off.
Take out the battery.”
I do as he says, my hands fumbling.
“This feels like a nightmare.”
“It is.
But you’re going to survive it.”
We pull up to a nondescript building in an industrial area.
Alexander parks, comes around to open my door.
“This way.”
He leads me through a side entrance, up three flights of stairs, to an apartment that’s clearly been unused for a while.
“What is this place?”
“Safe house.
I bought it years ago under a shell company.” He locks the door behind us, multiple deadbolts.
“No one knows about it.”
The apartment is sparse but clean.
One bedroom, small kitchen, living area with blackout curtains.
“How long do we stay here?”
“Until I figure out who’s doing this and why.” He moves to the windows, checking the street below.
“Sit down.
Tell me everything about the last few weeks.”
I sink onto the couch.
“Where do I even start?”
“The divorce.
Walk me through everyone who knew.”
“Sage drafted the papers.
Luna Catherine arranged everything.
Dominic signed without reading.”
“Wait!!!
Luna Catherine arranged it?”
“Yes.
She wanted me to divorce quietly so she could match Dominic with someone from Riverside Pack.”
Alexander’s expression darkens.
“And the money transfers?”
“She gave me two properties and five million.
I donated the money to charity.”
“Can you prove that?”
“I have receipts.
But they’re on my phone, which is now dead in my pocket.”
He pulls out a laptop.
“What charity?”
I tell him.
He searches, finds my donation record.
“This helps.
Shows you weren’t trying to keep the money.”
“Who would do this?” I’m trying not to cry.
“Who hates me this much?”
“Let’s think through who benefits.
Dominic is dead, you’re accused of fraud and possibly murder.
Who wins?”
“Vivian sent me that threatening text.”
“Show me.”
I power on my phone just long enough to screenshot the messages, then turn it off again.
Alexander reads them, his face like stone.
“She’s too obvious.
This feels personal, but the execution is too professional.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means she might be involved, but she’s not the mastermind.” He starts typing.
“Let me check something.”
I watch him work, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
After a few minutes, he sits back.
“The offshore accounts in your name?
They were set up by a firm that specializes in money laundering for criminal enterprises.”
“So Dominic was definitely committing fraud.”
“Yes.
But these accounts?
They were created six months ago.
Right when Luna Catherine started planning your divorce.”
The implications hit me like a truck.
“You think she set me up?”
“I think someone very smart has been playing a long game.
And Dominic’s death just accelerated their timeline.”
My phone buzzes.
Even though it’s off.
Alexander’s eyes narrow.
“That’s not possible.”
He takes my phone, examines it.
His face goes pale out of disbelief
“What?”My mouth dropped dead.
“There’s a tracker chip.
Physical hardware installed in your phone.” He pulled it off and crushes it under his heel.
“Someone’s been monitoring your every move.”
“Since when?”
“I don’t know.
But this is sophisticated.
Government-level surveillance.”
“Why would the government….”
Before I could finish up my question a loud crash from downstairs cuts me off.