Chapter 38 Liza #2
We quickly washed—well, maybe not quickly—then toweled off and got dressed, which gave me time to calm my hormones. As much as I wanted Ty inside me, I was eager to hear about Sylas.
I scrambled some eggs and fried half a package of bacon while Ty made coffee. Before I took a bite of my breakfast, I raised an eyebrow because he hadn’t spoken much since he’d been back. Not about anything important, anyway. “So, are you going to tell me what happened in Loveska?”
Ty shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth and chewed slowly. I wasn’t certain he was going to answer, but he swallowed and said, “It’s a long story, but I can tell you that Sylas was safe and sound when we left, although he was barely conscious.” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.
“Why?” I asked because it was a big deal.
“Apparently, Sylas has spent some time gambling away every cent he got from Castro. When he ran out of money, he got markers from the pit boss and played the poker tables on credit.” Ty bit off a piece of bacon and chewed again.
“Dad almost let it slip that Castro was involved, but I made up some bullshit story about insurance fraud that Hiram seemed to believe.”
“So, he just let you take Sylas? No strings attached or giant payment required? Didn’t have to promise him your firstborn son?” No way had it been that easy.
“Not exactly.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Dad had to pay off Sylas’s debts to the casino, the bookies where he started placing bets on horses, and a small fee to Hiram.” He rolled his eyes. “For his inconvenience.”
I sighed in relief and took a sip of my orange juice.
“That’s good news,” I said, relieved that the alpha of Loveska truly had had Sylas in his custody and hadn’t been trying to make some power play with the Keller clan.
“I wouldn’t put it past anyone in that town to try and take advantage of your family. ”
“Yeah, I know,” Ty replied. He took a sip of his coffee, then added, “But it looks like we have Sylas at our disposal.” He smiled and laid his hand over mine. “Which brings me to my next question. Do you want to be there when we question Sylas?”
I hadn’t thought they would give me such an opportunity, but since they were, I nodded without hesitation. “Yes, of course. I certainly don’t want to hear about Castro’s plans thirdhand.” Sylas would already be giving us secondhand info. “That is, if your dad’s okay with me being there.”
Ty nodded as he downed the rest of his coffee in one big swallow. “Absolutely. We discussed it on the way back from Loveska, and it was his idea to ask if you’d like to be there.”
I tried not to be surprised by Dominic’s willingness to involve me in the investigation.
After all, he’d assured me multiple times that he wasn’t the same man he’d been when he ordered my pack eliminated.
It didn’t erase the fact that he’d given the order, and had probably helped do the job.
I couldn’t forgive him for that, but we had to move forward if we were to coexist. Still, I was always taken aback when he extended kindness in my direction. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
After we cleaned the kitchen, Ty drove us to the jail where Sylas was being held. The guards at the front saw us coming and opened the door for Ty, each greeting him with a slight bow of their head and a nod. “This way, sir.”
We followed them down a long corridor and stopped at a room with a pretty basic metal door that opened into another room. A table stood in the center with several chairs around it and a metal bench against one wall.
Ty stepped into the room first, and I followed. He pointed toward a glass window. “That’s a two-way mirror. Dad and I will be on the other side.”
I stared into the next room where Sylas was brought in and placed in a chair.
His hair was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled and crooked, his brow pinched, and his lips pursed.
This was a man confused either by his surroundings or what was happening here.
He had definitely been on a drinking binge.
I couldn’t smell his breath but figured he was still drunk and that was why they hadn’t shackled him to the chair. He wasn’t a physical threat.
“He can’t see you, so don’t worry about that.” Ty gestured to a speaker above the door. “You’ll be able to hear everything.”
I nodded. Instead of taking a seat at the table, I stood at the window and stared at Sylas. What were the chances that he’d be honest with Dominic and Ty?
Dominic stuck his head in the room. “We’re ready.”
Ty nodded and kissed the top of my head before he walked out to join his dad in the room next door.
Sylas stared ahead as if he didn’t notice the presence of his alpha and prince. He didn’t so much as flinch or move, and I wondered if he was physically capable, or if someone had done something to incapacitate him.
Ty and his dad sat across from Sylas and stared at him for a moment.
“Sylas?” When Dominic spoke his name softly, it was as if Sylas was jolted out of some spell.
He sat up, his eyes widening. Gasping, he fell out of his chair and to the floor on his knees.
He reached his cuffed hands up to grasp Dominic’s.
“Alpha, please forgive me. I swear I never meant for any harm to come to the Keller clan. You have to believe me. Please have mercy on me.” Apparently, he too was aware of Dominic’s penchant to kill or have killed.
Sylas bowed his head, the apologies pouring out of him. Although his words were slurred, it was obvious he’d had time to think about his transgressions. Either that, or he was one hell of a liar, and I couldn’t believe that because he was so obviously still drunk.
Ty and Dominic glanced at one another, probably realizing there was no need to question him. Sylas’s guilt would speak for itself.
“Castro was bleeding out internally when he was brought to the hospital—that much wasn’t a lie. He should’ve died, quite frankly.” I wished Sylas would’ve minded his own business and let it happen, and I didn’t stop wishing even as he continued to speak.
Sylas wiped tears from his face and looked up at Dominic, his gaze not wavering now.
“The surgeons operated on him, but not a single one of them was optimistic he would recover. The whole hospital was talking about the man who had been taken down by the hand of the prince.” Sylas held up his hand.
“No offense to you, Ty, sir. We all heard the story of Castro threatening you and your mate. You did the right thing.”
Ty scoffed, and though his back was to me, I could feel his eye roll. “Your approval means more to me than you know, Sylas.” And that was sarcasm. “Why don’t you tell us the rest of your story.”
Sylas bowed his head in what could only have been embarrassment.
“Yes, sir.” He cleared his throat. “You see, whenever there’s a patient nearing death, my office gets a call to prepare us to receive a body.
We usually get a couple hours, and that’s exactly what happened with Castro…
except instead of us going to retrieve his body, that body walked in on its own. ”
Dominic cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Castro recovered from his surgery, but he wanted everyone to believe he was dead, so he snuck out of his room during shift change.” It was the most far-fetched thing I’d ever heard if Castro truly had been so close to death.
Wolves healed fast, sure, but it also depended on the severity of the injuries, and I wasn’t certain I was buying it.
“He even took the time to change into his normal clothes to avoid catching the attention of the staff.”
“Wait.” Ty leaned forward. “You’re telling me that Castro, who was injured badly enough the doctors didn’t think he was going to make it, walked out of a guarded room and into to the morgue without anyone seeing?” Ty wasn’t buying it, either.
“Yes, sir. That’s correct.” Sylas nodded solemnly and held up his hand again. “On my life, sir, that’s exactly how it happened.”
Ty sat back and let out a loud puff of air. “I can’t believe it.” He looked at his father and shook his head. “What can’t that sneaky bastard get away with?”
Dominic waved at Ty to silence him. The drunk in front of them had more to share, and they needed to hear it. “Sylas, continue.”
He nodded. “I had no clue who he was, but when he told me his name, I was shocked at his recovery. He was on my incoming roster. It was only a matter of time. But there he was, standing right in front of me.” He held his hand up in front of his face to show how close Castro had stood to him.
“It was truly miraculous.” Sylas seemed to realize that he was still on the floor, so he pushed himself back up into the metal chair.
“Castro told me he knew about my debts and that he could help me pay them off… and then some.”
“How did he know your personal business?” Ty asked. Although, since he was gambling in public, it probably would’ve been easy to find out.
“I asked him the same question and he said he had people working for him. He also said he had access to information about everyone in town.”
A chill ran down my spine as I remembered the letter he’d sent to Dominic about me being an omega. I didn’t like rogue information any more than I liked rogue wolves spreading it.
Sylas cleared his throat. “He said if I assisted him in faking his death so he could escape free and clear without anyone suspecting anything, he would handle my… situation.” Sylas sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face before he looked up at Ty and Dominic again.
“I made the biggest mistake of my life when I provided him with a drug that stopped his heart just long enough for him to be declared dead. Once his body was in my possession down in the morgue, I gave him a shot of epinephrine, which returned his heart rate to its normal rhythm. Then I helped him escape via one of the back doors.” He sounded as remorseful as he looked.
And for his sake, I hoped it was all true.
“That’s it?” Dominic asked. “You haven’t had contact with him since?”
“Right before he left, he told me to check my bank account. The money had already been deposited. Castro told me that if I knew what was good for me, I’d skip town immediately. So, that’s what I did. I haven’t heard from him since and have no clue where he is.”
“Damn it.” Ty stood so quickly his chair crashed to the floor.
“Take it easy, Ty.” Dominic leaned forward, folding his hands on the table, speaking in a low, controlled voice. “Sylas, are you sure you have no idea where Castro is? He’s causing a lot of grief for our pack, and it’s of the utmost importance that we find him.”
Sylas shook his head. “I don’t know where he’s hiding.
My business with Castro was finished the moment I helped him fake his death.
He’d never contact me again; it’d be too risky.
” He covered his face with his hands. “I’m so sorry, Dominic.
I can’t stand to look you in the eye. You’ll never know how remorseful I am. ”
As Sylas sobbed, Ty glanced over his shoulder at the mirror. I knew he couldn’t see me, but it still felt as if he was staring directly into my eyes. He was disappointed. So was I. He turned back to face Sylas. “Is there anything else he might’ve said that could help us find him?
Sylas took a deep breath and tried to control his sobs. “Castro was pretty fixated on your mate. He mentioned her several times and even went as far as to say that he wouldn’t stop until he got what was his.”
We all knew exactly what that meant. Castro wasn’t going to leave us alone until he had me all to himself. There was no telling what he’d do to get his hands on me and pull me into the sick reality he’d created in his mind where we ruled over some nonexistent pack together, forever.
The reality of it all frightened me more than anything.