a’s Second Chance at Love
Chapter 58
I shrugged, realizing she had a point, but I had to try and be optimistic. “That’s actually better,” I said, my tone drifting into a kind of resigned calm. “The more cases, the bigger the Fire Phantom Forest problem. Sure, it might be harder to investigate, but there’s bound to be something to gain.”
A
Zoe shook her head, clearly unconvinced by my attempt at optimism. The whole situation felt stagnant. We had questions, but no answers.
We were at a loss. How were we supposed to dig into it?
We headed to Max’s place, which was just a few blocks down, but in a neighborhood like this, everything felt miles away. The air had a thickness to it–almost like the fog never fully lifted, even in the early afternoon.
After the interview, I fell silent. My mind wandered through the labyrinth of the case, pulling at threads that led to nowhere.
Zoe, however, couldn’t stop talking. “If Zack was killed in Carl’s pack, then where’s his body? And what about Steven’s parents? Oh, and that severed limb’s owner?”
I shrugged, the weight of the questions weighing down on me. “It must be a secluded place, very private,” I said, glancing around at the dense, concrete jungle surrounding us. “Clearly, this isn’t it.”
I got back into the car and drove to the spot where the incident happened yesterday.
I jumped out of the car, Zoe right behind me.
As soon as we stepped onto the street, I could feel eyes on us. The wolves in the area wer all watching me–especially after I’d made a name for myself here yesterday, and now there were people talking about how I’d been detained by the Forest Administration Bureau.
The hostility in their gaze was almost tangible.
I acted as though I hadn’t noticed, walking with Zoe to a sandwich shop for lunch. We took a bite of the questionable sandwiches, then exchanged a look. In my mind, I heard Zoe’s voice saying, “This shopkeeper is probably the nicest wolf in the area–didn’t poison us.”
I wasn’t sure whether I should be relieved or not.
We pretended to be casually strolling, doing nothing in particular, when Zoe’s voice came through the mental link.
A
“Want to hear some gossip about Ethan?”
I felt my heart rate quicken involuntarily. I wasn’t sure why but before I could voice a response, Zoe was already diving into the gossip, her words tumbling out faster than I could process. “Do you know how Jane fell for Ethan? Apparently, it was because of a drunken
night…” she began, her tone teasing.
I huffed angrily. This wolf couldn’t hold his liquor, yet he was an Alpha?
“Apparently, it was Christmas. Ethan got so drunk, he passed out by the roadside, and Jane found him and took him home. All night long, he kept calling out the same woman’s name…
This affectionate Alpha easily hooked Jane, just like that.”
A woman’s name…
I didn’t know why it bothered me so much, but it did. The way Zoe’s voice had trailed off, leaving the ending hanging in the air like an unanswered question, gnawed at me.
“What was her name?” My mind was quicker than my mouth.
Zoe chuckled, clearly enjoying the effect her story was having on me. “I don’t know,” she said, her grin widening. “You’re just going to have to imagine that one for yourself.”
Good. No one knew.
My tense heart finally relaxed, and I could breathe again. But the tightness in my chest didn’t fully go away. It still felt like I was suppressing a surge of emotions.
Why was I so nervous? That name couldn’t be Claire. No, it didn’t make sense. Ethan and I
Chance at Love
99.99%
Chapter 58
weren’t the same. We hadn’t been for years.
It was now ten o’clock at night.
Zoe and I sat in a small sedan, driving through the uneven terrain of Fire Phantom Forest, Despite her having had her driver’s license for years, Zoe’s driving felt like a constant rollercoaster ride. The poor suspension of the car made every bump and dip feel exaggerated, and I gripped the seat beside me, trying not to feel too dizzy. Every sharp turn Ahrew me off balance.
“Slow down, Zoe!” I finally snapped, my stomach churning from the wild ride.
She let out a little laugh, undeterred. “You’re such a lightweight,” she teased, her voice too bright for the hour. “This is nothing compared to the trips I’ve made in the mountains.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Yeah, well, this isn’t the mountains.”
After what felt like an eternity, the car finally came to a stop in front of a clearing.
As soon as the car stopped, I jumped out.
Zoe, adjusting the small DV camera around her neck, excitedly whispered, “How’s this? Should we film from here?”
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