Xo Novel
Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Chapter 13 5
The room reverberated with the rhythmic beeping of medical instruments, creating a somber ambiance.
Ethan’s intense gaze fixated on Bella, lying frail on the bed, unconscious, a breathing tube delicately
connected to her nose. Questions swirled in his mind – Derrick? How and why? Was Derrick alive? Did
Derrick actually know her and send her?
“The other man brought in with her died on the spot. I assume it’s her brother; the two bear a striking
resemblance,” the doctor informed Ethan, who absorbed the information with a silent nod.
“Ensure she doesn’t die. If she does, I’ll deal with you,” Ethan warned impassively, his words carrying a
subtle threat that the doctor misinterpreted as genuine concern.
“Is she in pain?” Ethan inquired, seeking more details about Bella’s condition.
“She has a few broken bones, some concussion. We’ll make sure we treat her to the best of our
abilities for a full recovery,” the doctor assured, attempting to offer solace.
“Recover?” Ethan questioned, his tone betraying a sense of amusement.
“Yes. Once she regains consciousness, she would be in serious and almost unbearable pain. We’ll
dose her heavily with painkillers,” the doctor explained, trying to reassure Ethan.
“No, no, no,” Ethan murmured, lightly placing an arm on the doctor’s shoulder. “We’re not in a hurry to
see her recover. The anesthesia would be a waste. Just make sure she doesn’t die. Then when she’ll
regain consciousness, facing a whole painful healing process ahead of her,” Ethan declared, a dark
glint flickering in his eyes, setting the tone for what lay ahead.
“You want her…” The man stammered
“To suffer.” Came Ethan’s calm reply.
“Do you want to say something?” He questioned.
The man shook his head immediately.
After standing in contemplative silence, Ethan walked out, meeting Axel on his way in.
“You came back?” Ethan whispered upon seeing Axel.
“Of course, I did,” Axel sighed, then settled into a seat.
“We still haven’t found Liam, a friend is dead, I might lose another one, and the one
Chapter 1 35
who has been dead for years is said to have taken this dying one’s kids,” Axel said exasperatedly.
“Dying?” Ethan questioned with a frown.
Axel sighed.
“We found the things she’s been lacing you with; it was basically everywhere. You were absorbing it
slowly. It was in your nightly beverage, added to your perfume, most times your drinking water,
probably rubbed on your clothes-it was found in a whole lot of things. Those subtle doses you were
absorbing over some time became something else, something quite toxic. It’s generally to weaken a
wolf, but the long use had done more damage.”
“And I never knew,” Ethan mumbled h o ar sely.
“You couldn’t have; it’s colorless, scentless, almost undetectable. She was keeping your wolf subdued.
If she hadn’t done that, you would have been clear-minded and rejected her a long time ago. So she
had to continue using it.”
The two sat in silence in the corridor.
“How are you?” Ethan asked.
Axel didn’t reply to the question. Far from being alright, he had driven around the city all night, then
stopped at the bridge and just stood there, contemplating for a while, tempted for a moment to dive in.
But he held it in; he hadn’t seen the end of
everything yet.
“When last did you hear from Rick?” Axel asked, gesturing to Ethan’s wolf.
Ethan shrugged.
“The day that place collapsed and Derrick died. It was like a part of him got broken, going almost numb.
Then I met Bella that other night; Rick was practically howling. So I was sure it was her.”
“You weren’t being laced with anything at that time; I wonder how she did that,” Axel said with a sigh.
“She said Derrick. All Derrick, that’s what she said.” Ethan repeated her words. This was the second
time Ethan was mentioning it, and it still sounded ridiculous to him.
Axel sighed.
“I don’t believe her, one, bit,” he muttered.
“How’s Hazel?” Axel questioned.
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“Calm, she knows I know, that the kids are mine,” he admitted.
“Finally,” Axel muttered.
“And I promised I’ll find Liam.”
“How will you do that? You can’t, Ethan, not in your condition. The poison you were hit with last night
and with Rick almost being completely gone. We can’t shift until the full moon either.”
“I know,” he replied.
“Things have changed; I wish we were like our ancestors with their raw sense and primal urges. Now
we’re basically humans with a little shifting ability, modernized Werewolves,” Ethan muttered.
“Derrick died that day, along with his sister and father; that’s what everyone thought and heard. Then
how? He stayed alive? All this while?” Axel asked with a frown, his voice tinged with disbelief.
“I mean, why would Derrick take Liam? Send Bella to do all of those things and then take Liam? It
doesn’t make any sense if you ask me,” Axel pointed out.
“I went looking into the day they died. The factory that exploded, there were gas leaks, the building was
said to have been poorly constructed as well,” Axel explained.
It was all in the report; Ethan knew about it. But the last bit of information came as a
shock to him.
Ethan’s frown deepened.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked in a whisper.
“Derrick’s father was in charge of that project. It was supposed to be one big job, a huge factory holding
together the six wolf communities in the territory. That’s why it was such a big deal.”
“What happened that day? The day they died, what do you remember?” Axel asked
him.
Ethan took a deep breath and began.
“Derrick and his Sister, Darlene. It was a day before the new factory launch; our families went on
exploring, along with the leaders of those other packs.
We got separated at some point; then I heard banging on a door on the last floor-it was Derrick. He’d
gotten stuck in there.
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Chapter 13 5
20 Jan
I couldn’t
get the door open, so I left to get help. I told someone; I can’t remember who, to go get them out. Then
there was this smell, gas or something, I don’t know. I passed out; I don’t know how, but the next
moment my eyes are opening, I’m lying far away from the wreck of what was the factory. The place
exploded before I could even get out. I don’t know how I turned up unscathed. My father was badly
hurt; there were chemicals there, you know. Mr. Hale, Derrick’s dad also didn’t return; his sister too,”
Ethan added. A profound feeling of sadness hit him when he thought of that girl that had died as well.
Axel sighed, taking it in.
“He probably blames you for that,” Axel said thoughtfully.
“Then why didn’t he come out? Why hide for years? Why didn’t he come for me?” Ethan asked with a
frown.
“Make it make sense!” he yelled.
“Derrick’s been alive all this while, and he never thought to reach out; rather, he’s bent on ruining me?”
“And why take Liam? Why send Bella to ruin me?!” He had so many questions; he stood and began
pacing around.
“Derrick won’t hurt Liam,” Ethan said, taking a calming breath.
“I don’t think he will. He wouldn’t hurt a child.” Ethan said. Although he said it, he still had some doubt.
“He’s killed people; you sure he’s not hurting the child?” Axel asked with a frown.
“When a child is frightened or anxious, the parents would sense it.”
“You can’t sense anything,” Axel pointed out.
“Yes, but Hazel can. And she’s calm. Liam is fine.” Ethan’s frown deepened.
“The day I met Bella, I was sure she was mine. Later on, I started having doubts. Then I started looking
into her; I always came up with nothing, no information about her.” He frowned.
“He was probably covering her up,” Axel confirmed.
“The day Chris died, he called me; he needed to talk to me urgently, and a day before that he had
asked of Derrick, if I remember the day Derrick and his sister died. The next day he died before, we got
to meet.
“Could it all be a coincidence?” Ethan asked with a pronounced frown.
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Chapter 13 5
“What are the chances he’s still alive? And that Bella was actually right?” Ethan questioned.
“If your hunch is right, he probably killed Chris as well. It’s been over twelve years, Ethan; you don’t
know what or who he has become,” Axel warned him with furrowed brows
“He hates me for reasons I don’t even know, but the Derrick I know won’t hurt Liam. I don’t believe he
would hurt him.” He looked away.
“Exactly, you don’t know him,” Axel pointed out. “This man might be the one who had Chris killed; he’s
been aiding a serial murderer, Bella!” Axel thundered, still seething with anger whenever he thought of
Bella and all she had done. Bella would have been found out if not for Axel covering her up, so he, in
other words, indirectly caused Jasmine’s death.
“What’s today’s date?” Ethan asked him.
“Twenty-fourth of September,” came the reply.
That incident happened on the twenty-fifth. Ethan knew where and how to find Derrick now. “Why?”
Axel asked him.
“Nothing,” Ethan replied. “I’ll find Liam, somehow.”
“How do you intend to do that?” Axel asked.
“When this is all over, I’ll resign from being Alpha,” Ethan said determinedly. “You can’t resign,” Axel
countered. “If it’s about what I said last night, I didn’t mean anything.” He admitted.
“I know. But it’s not that; I’m clearly not fit,” Ethan said with a sigh, standing up.
“Where is Liam?” Nathan asked, walking to him. “You knew the kids were yours; someone else did too,
and now that person has taken Liam,” Nathan said angrily. “I’ll find him and bring him back because
he’s my responsibility. You, on the other hand, back off,” Ethan said calmly. “Nathan, we need to talk,”
Axel interrupted the banter, then explained all that had happened with Jasmine, leaving out the details
that it was a fire accident which he had caused. Ethan walked out silently.
*****
Jasmine was watching Derrick with interest, Liam was lying on her chest peacefully.
He has asked for his mom and sister several times already.
“You’re that man.” Liam pointed out. Derrick stared at him quietly.
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Chapter 13 5
“How did you get those burns?” Jasmine asked him.
“Do they have something to do with Ethan?” She probed.
“You said you’re ending it soon. That’s a good thing, right?” She asked.
“Derrick,” she called just as he was about leaving.
“You’re not dying right?” She asked, peering at him. His arm froze for a moment, then he turned to look
at her, then walked out, sealing the door shut behind him.
He watched Hazel from a distance, the young girl he had liked in his early teen years, even before Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
finding out she was his mate. She was sitting at the park, staring into space. He watched her for a long
time before he turned and left.
“Is there any assignment left for us?” His underling asked him.
“Gabriel is dead, Bella’s hospitalized,” he was informed.
Derrick nodded his head. “I would have to discharge you from now,” he told the man. “After now,
everything would end,” the other man sighed. “If you can retrieve my body, have it incinerated and kept
next to my sister and father’s,” he instructed.
The man nodded, then took a deep, sad sigh. “Alright, I’ll do just that,” the man responded.