The lost mate
Chapter 45: Manipulation

Chapter 45: Manipulation

Fred’s instincts screamed at him to fight, but the grip on his shoulder was like iron. With a swift motion, he twisted, trying to break free, but the other wolf was faster and stronger. Before Fred could land a solid blow, he found himself slammed against the rough bark of a tree, his breath forced from his lungs in a painful gasp.

"Who are you?" The wolf growled again, but this time the question was colder, more dangerous.

Fred barely had time to recover before the wolf’s hand tightened around his throat, cutting off his air. Panic surged through him, and he lashed out, his hands finding purchase on the wolf’s arm, but it was no use. The wolf was too strong.

With a final burst of strength, Fred shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his ID, flashing it in front of the wolf’s face. "I’m a cop!" he managed to choke out. "Fred Monroe. Detective."

The wolf’s grip loosened slightly, just enough for Fred to suck in a ragged breath. "And who the hell are you?" Fred demanded, his voice hoarse.

A slow, mocking smile spread across the wolf’s face. "Chris, take him," he ordered, his tone dripping with authority.

Fred barely had time to protest before Chris, the other wolf, spun him around and pinned his arms behind his back. He struggled, but it was futile. The two wolves were too strong, too coordinated. They moved with a precision that only came from years of training together.

"Wait! You can’t do this!" Fred yelled, but his voice echoed uselessly in the dark as they dragged him deeper into the woods.

Eventually, they reached a clearing—a small, isolated space surrounded by towering trees. The moonlight barely filtered through, casting eerie shadows on the ground. Chris shoved Fred to his knees in the centre of the clearing, his hands still held firmly behind his back.

"Talk," Chris demanded, his voice cold. "What’s your pack and rank?"

Fred glared up at him, his jaw clenched. "Fred Munuro, A theta in, Moonstone Pack. I’m a detective in Crescent City. I’m here investigating a case. Now, who are you?"

"That’s Damien Montefort," Chris finally said, gesturing towards Damien. "The Alpha prince."

Fred’s blood ran cold. The Alpha prince. He had heard stories and whispers of Damien’s power and his unwavering control over his pack. But Fred had never imagined he’d come face to face with him, especially not like this. He immediately bowed in submission.

Damien’s smirk deepened as he stepped closer, his eyes boring into Fred’s. "Now, Detective Monroe, let’s start again. What were you doing watching that house?"

Fred swallowed hard, his mind racing for a way out of this mess. He was in deep, and he knew it. "I’m investigating a case," he repeated, trying to keep his voice steady. "Ronald Kray’s death. Heather Kray is his ex-wife, and I’m following a lead."

Damien’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he studied Fred, as if weighing the truth of his words.

"And what do you know about Annie?" Damien asked suddenly, his voice deceptively calm.

Fred hesitated. "I know she’s a missing wolf, declared rogue five years ago. I recognised her when she walked into Heather’s house."

Damien exchanged a glance with Chris, a silent communication passing between them.

"Why are you really here?" Damien asked, his tone carrying a warning.

Fred took a deep breath, knowing that his next words could determine whether he walked away from this encounter or not. "I’m loyal to my pack and my realm," he said carefully. "But I’m also a detective. My job is to find the truth, no matter where it leads."

"I suspect Heather Kray killed her husband," Fred began, his voice steady but laced with tension. "Ronald was last seen with her. She was the last person to meet with him, and then he disappeared. His body turning up in a marsh... it doesn’t add up. But I have no solid evidence to back it up. Just... instincts."

Damien listened intently, his expression unreadable.

"And what about Annie Grant?" Damien asked, his tone calculated.

Fred shook his head. "That’s the part I can’t figure out. I have no idea how she’s connected to Ronald’s death. She’s a rogue, declared missing years ago, and suddenly she’s here, living with Heather? It’s too much of a coincidence, but I don’t have the full picture yet."

The Alpha prince was considering something, weighing his options, and Fred could only wait.

"Drop the case," Damien ordered, his voice carrying the weight of a command that couldn’t be disobeyed.

Fred blinked, certain he had misheard. "What? You want me to drop the case? "

"Drop it," Damien repeated, his tone unwavering. "But you will arrest Heather."

Fred’s mind struggled to reconcile the two orders. He glanced at Chris, hoping for some hint of what was going on, but Chris looked just as shocked as he felt.

"My Alpha, I don’t understand," Fred stammered. "You want me to arrest Heather but drop the case? How does that make any sense?"

Fred’s mind raced. He had known that the world of wolves was filled with power plays and dangerous politics, but he hadn’t expected to be caught in the middle of one like this.

But the look in Damien’s eyes told Fred that the Alpha prince wasn’t making a request; he was giving an order. "Why?" Fred asked, his voice low. "I don’t understand."

Damien’s gaze didn’t waver. "Because Annie Grant is my mate," he said simply.

Fred had a shocked expression.

"So, you will not talk about her to anyone."

"Of course, my alpha." Fred bowed.

Damien turned and left a very confused Fred in the middle of the forest.

Chris followed Damien out of the dimly lit alley where they had left Fred Monroe to carry out his orders.

"Damien," Chris began cautiously, "are you sure about this? Arresting Heather, dragging her into this mess... It feels like we’re crossing a line."

Damien didn’t slow his stride, but he glanced at Chris, his eyes filled with a cold determination. "I’m more than sure," he replied, his voice low and resolute. "Getting Heather in trouble is exactly what we need to do."

Chris frowned, not entirely convinced. "But what if it backfires? What if it pushes Annie further away ?"

Damien finally stopped walking, turning to face Chris fully. "Annie is fiercely loyal to Heather and Emily," he explained. "They’re the only family she has left. If Heather’s in trouble, Annie won’t run. She’ll do whatever it takes to protect them. And that means she’ll have to come to me."

Chris raised an eyebrow, starting to see the logic behind Damien’s plan, even if he didn’t like it. "So you think arresting Heather will force Annie to turn to you for help?"

"It’s not just about forcing her," Damien clarified. "It’s about giving her no other option. Right now, Annie sees me as a threat. But if she realises that I’m the only one who can protect Heather and who can keep Emily safe, she’ll have to trust me. She’ll have to come to me."

Chris let out a slow breath. Annie would have no choice but to rely on him. It was manipulative, yes, but it was also smart.

"I get it," Chris finally said, nodding slowly. "But what about Emily? She’s innocent in all this. If she gets caught in the crossfire—"

"She won’t," Damien interrupted, his tone firm. "I’ll make sure of it. Emily is important to you, which makes her important to me. I won’t let anything happen to her. But right now, we need to focus on the bigger picture. If we want to secure Annie, we have to be willing to play the game."

Chris sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he processed everything. "You’re sure this is the only way?"

Damien nodded, his expression unyielding. "It’s the only way to bring Annie and Emily to us. And once they’re with us, once they see that we’re the ones who can protect them, everything will fall into place."

"Alright," Chris said finally, his voice steady. "I’m with you. Let’s do this."

Damien nodded in approval, a small, satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips.