Chapter 89 Ty
TY
Istared at Liza in disbelief. Her eyes glowed red with fury while she pinned one of our own guards to the ground.
“Restrain him,” I barked, my alpha instincts kicking into high gear.
I had no fucking clue what had transpired, but there was no reason for Liza to go after someone unless there was trouble.
As I moved forward and took her by the arm, her feral gaze met mine, but she slowly softened beneath my touch.
Dad approached, concern and awe evident in his voice when he said, “This guard tried to attack Liza, to take her. And somehow, she heard him coming before I did.”
His words settled heavily on my chest. How could this have happened within our own ranks?
We’d never, in all my life, had one of our own security guards turn against us.
They were our most trusted employees; the ones we depended on to protect our estate and, most importantly, ourselves.
This was unchartered territory, and I needed answers.
I was so pissed I was trembling as I turned to face my security team.
“Take him inside away from prying eyes. There’s no need for anyone else to see this.
” I gestured toward the house, and Liza slumped against me as her adrenaline left her.
Together with Dad, we followed the team into the estate and downstairs to the basement security office.
The guard was unceremoniously shoved into a metal chair, heavy duty handcuffs snapping tightly around his wrists.
He grimaced and looked over his shoulder at the guy placing the cuffs, which only pissed me off even more.
Did he think that little pinch was anything compared to the hell I was about to inflict on him?
Liza and Dad took seats off to the side while I grabbed another chair, straddling it like I’d seen in countless cop shows. I never thought I’d find myself in such a situation, having to interrogate my own employee. What the hell was going on?
I glared at the guard, suddenly recognizing him. He’d been keeping a close watch on the security cameras, had pointed out the tourists trying to break down the gate to get to Liza. Where did his loyalty lie? Obviously not with the Keller pack.
“Explain yourself,” I demanded, struggling to keep my anger in check. “Why did you attack Liza?” I clenched my fists, itching to rip the man’s head off but forcing myself to listen instead.
“Check my back pocket,” he spat, eyes blazing with defiance.
With a nod from me, one of the security guards cautiously removed a folded sheet of paper, inspecting it for any hidden dangers. Deeming it safe, he handed it over to me.
“What the fuck is this?” I asked, my patience wearing thin.
“It’s the price currently on Liza’s head for her capture.” He sneered, as if he was disgusted by my very presence.
Unfolding the paper, my stomach churned at the sight of Liza’s face captured in a screenshot from her televised address, the one where she exposed Castro and discussed her old pack, telling the world that she was an omega.
The photo was grainy, but Liza’s face was clear enough for anyone to identify her.
So, Hiram hadn’t been able to shut down those whispers from the underground after all. If he had, I wouldn’t have been staring at a damn traitor who was willing to throw his job away, possibly even his life, depending on my wolf, in order to kidnap Liza.
I focused on the numbers listed beneath Liza’s picture. The price on Liza’s head was staggering. More than he would make as a member of my security team in five years. Toward the bottom of the page, the call to action was typed in bold face.
Capture the omega alive, and the reward money is yours, no questions asked.
My anger boiled over, and without thinking, I lunged at the guard, my hand closing around his throat. The force of my movement sent both him and the chair toppling backward. A guttural growl tore from my lips as the alpha wolf within me took over.
“How dare you have no regard for Liza’s safety? How dare you fucking try to kidnap my mate?” I cried, my fingers tightening around his neck. Dad stood but made no attempt to stop me.
The other guards sprang into action, grabbing hold of me.
I struggled against them, desperate to break free and exact vengeance on the traitor, but there were too many of them.
At least six strong guards held me back, their muscles straining against mine.
Through the haze of my fury, I caught sight of Liza slumped in her chair, her energy spent.
Her eyes pleaded with me to stop, and for her sake, I forced myself to calm down.
“Fine.” I shook off the guards and held up my hands. “I won’t touch him.” I pointed at the rogue guard, my voice dripping with venom. “But there is no redemption for you. You will rot in jail for betraying your pack, your alpha, and attempting to harm my mate.”
The guards dragged the rogue out of the room, leaving Dad, Liza, and me staring at one another in disbelief. I rushed to Liza’s side, concern for her replacing the rage that had consumed me just moments before.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you? I fucking swear if he even laid one finger on you…”
Before she could answer, Dad interjected. “Liza held her own. He didn’t get a chance to lay a finger on her.”
Relief surged through every muscle in my body, though the threat was far from over.
With a bounty that high, there was no telling what people would do to get to Liza.
As much as I wanted to expect the best out of people, I’d seen enough in my lifetime to know many would sell their souls for the payment they’d receive from a trafficker.
I paced the room, raking my hands through my hair.
“This is a bigger cause for concern. Liza is officially a target. There will be more attempts on her life. It’s not a matter of if but when.
” I stopped, looking at both of them. “We need to send a message, loud and clear, about the severity of punishment that will come down on anyone who tries to harm her.”
Liza shook her head weakly. “I think it’s pointless.
Look at the money being offered.” She held up the piece of paper that she’d snatched from the ground at some point.
“If you bring public attention to this, it will only put a bug in people’s ear, and they’ll start questioning if that amount of money is worth the risk.
It’s too much of an award for some to ignore. ”
“Fuck.” I exhaled. “It just feels like keeping you hidden up at the estate seems like the best plan right now, but I know that’s not a long-term solution.”
Dad eyed us warily. “Are we sure your team is completely trustworthy? If you have one team member willing to betray you, who else might give it their best shot?”
Liza and I exchanged a worried glance. Greed could make people choose money over loyalty any day. My fist met the wall with a resounding crack, the pain barely registering. Growling, I faced them both, determined.
“Looks like I’ll have to do something I’ve never wanted to do before: use my influence over my team.” The heaviness of the decision hung in the air, leaving us all on edge, wondering what would come next and who, if anyone, could be trusted.
I led Liza and Dad up the grand staircase to my office.
My mate’s life was at stake, and I needed answers.
What better way to uncover the truth than going straight to the damn source?
Once we entered the office, I gestured for Liza and Dad to sit while I picked up the phone. It was time to call in the staff.
“Send the housekeepers up first,” I instructed my assistant before hanging up. I paced back and forth, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The door opened, and the housekeepers filed in, all looking confused.
“Thank you all for coming.” I made sure to look each employee in the eye, searching for any hint of dishonesty.
“As some of you may know, there’s a bounty on Liza’s head.
I need to know if any of you have heard anything or know someone who might be involved.
” I paused, letting my words sink in. “I’m not here to punish anyone. I just want to protect Liza.”
The housekeepers exchanged glances, but no one spoke up. I could see the fear in their eyes. They were loyal to our family, but this was a dangerous game. Finally, one of the housekeepers, a petite woman named Maria, raised her hand hesitantly.
“Mr. Keller, I... I know someone who’s part of the underground,” she stammered, tears welling in her eyes.
“He knew I worked for your family, and he told me about the bounty. He wanted me to help them get to Liza, but I swear I never agreed. I wanted to tell you, but I was so afraid of putting a target on my own back.”
Her confession was like a punch to the gut. I had hoped that none of my employees would be involved, but hearing it confirmed unsettled me. I dismissed the housekeepers, telling them to send in the landscapers next. As they filed out, I knew Maria’s tearful expression would haunt me for hours.
“Is there anything we can do?” Liza whispered.
I clenched my jaw but forced a weak smile. “We’ll figure this out, Liza. I promise.”
The landscapers entered the room, and I repeated my questions. But just like the majority of the housekeepers, no one admitted to knowing anything about the bounty. I thanked them for their time and called in the security detail.
“Listen,” I said. “I need to know if any of you have heard anything or been approached by someone from the underground. We already had one person on your team attempt to kidnap Liza. If you have any information, now is the time to come forward.”
Silence hung heavily in the air, and my frustration mounted. I needed answers but none were forthcoming.
Finally, I dismissed the security detail and sank into my office chair, resting my head in my hands. “We can’t handle this on our own. We need help.”
“I agree.” Dad shifted in his seat. “Remember, this is why you hired an informant. Sometimes the requirements of alpha stretch beyond our capabilities. You can only do so much, Tyson.”
“I know, Dad.” I grabbed my phone out of my pocket, my fingers hovering over the buttons. I tried to call Isaiah, but he didn’t answer. With a frustrated sigh, I dialed another number. It was time to call in a favor.
“Hello?” Nico’s tone was surprised.
“Hey, Nico. It’s been a while. Wish I had time for pleasantries, but I’ll get straight to the point.
There’s a bounty on Liza’s head, and I need your help.
I know you’re not our informant anymore, but mine’s currently putting out fires all over the damn place.
I promise I’ll pay you well for this job. ”
“Give me twenty-four hours, Ty,” Nico said. The line went dead before I could thank him, and I set the phone back on the desk.
“Do you think he can make a difference or, at the very least, get to the source of all this?” Liza asked.
“Let’s hope so,” I said, my heart heavy with worry. It seemed like this was spreading faster than we could keep up with. What if time was running out and I had no way to protect Liza?
I turned my focus to Liza, who was sitting on the couch, her gaze distant and unreadable.
I knew she had faced some sort of confrontation before I’d come outside, but I didn’t need the details from her.
I had the security footage, where I could watch it for myself in full technicolor detail.
I walked to the computer and pulled up the camera feed that faced the edge of the woods.
Rewinding it a few hours, I pressed play and watched Liza and Dad appear on the screen.
My breath caught in my throat as I watched her movements.
She was swift and graceful, like water flowing effortlessly around obstacles.
Her body twisted and bent in ways that seemed almost impossible.
Even on the grainy video, I could see her powerful alpha nature.
It was mesmerizing, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
“Ty.” My father’s voice broke through my trance, and I glanced at him. His mouth was turned down in a tight scowl. “I’m concerned about Liza.”
My eyes flicked over to the couch, but she wasn’t there.
“About what happened out there?” I gestured toward my computer screen.
“It seems she can’t grasp how to turn her alpha on and off. It’s almost like it comes and goes. That’s not normal, Ty. If she can’t learn to control this here at home, how can we expect her to handle it in public?”
I stared at him as I tried to come up with an intelligent answer, but I had nothing. “I know, Dad. But what can we do? We’re already doing everything we can to protect her and find out who’s behind all this. I’m out of ideas.”
“I’d hoped the answer would be training her, but she couldn’t even find her alpha side, almost like it doesn’t even exist.”
“Clearly, it does.” I closed my eyes and replayed Liza’s maneuvers, as she not only protected herself from the guard, but also took him down easily.
Later that evening, I found Liza sitting on the back porch, staring at the woods like she expected someone else to come rushing at her. Her body was tense, her eyes still red from the earlier confrontation. It took a minute before she even noticed I had joined her.
“Oh, I didn’t see you.” I could barely hear her quiet voice over the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind. “I know you’re worried, I can smell it on you.”
I looked at her, taking in her stoic expression. But beneath it, fear radiated from her like heat from a fire. My poor mate couldn’t even go out in the garden of her own house without being attacked.
“I’m scared. I don’t know what’s going on,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “It’s freaking me out, Ty. I’m trying not to have another fucking meltdown because there’s no telling what sort of natural disaster I’ll start next.”
My heart broke for her, and I pulled her into a tight hug.
I wanted to offer her words of comfort, but everything felt hollow on my tongue.
I was in over my head and didn’t pretend to have answers.
One thing was certain, I was failing Liza as her mate, unable to protect her from the danger that was closing in around us.