CHAPTER 604: -CHAPTER 604-

Caspian didn’t linger in the bathroom long, his eyes were calm pools of water as he stepped out of the walk-in closet, wearing pajamas.

He had no plans to leave Asher’s side, so he might as well get comfortable on the bed. He stopped to call Lake before he did, speaking in hushed tones so he didn’t bother Asher’s sleep.

Although, with how deeply asleep the Mafia King was, he doubted that dropping him out the window would be enough to wake him.

Caspian knew that Jael didn’t exactly tell the Mafia Kings word for word what he knew about the Knight’s bloodline curse. Hell, it took a lot for the Beta to open up to him, even though he had been the main focus of everything.

He knew it was to protect Asher, so he was equally cautious when he spoke about it, saying little about that particular matter. After the call, he got on the bed, crawling to his mate’s side.

Asher was barely wearing proper clothes, and the weather was cool, but still his body exuded warmth, skin practically glowing as he slept, dead to the world.

It was a little worrying, but Caspian would take this outcome over anything else. He curled up by Asher’s side, his thoughts crowded as he listened to Asher’s slow breathing.

He wanted to be able to do more, but unless the entire explanation for the Knight’s bloodline curse fell into his lap, there was barely anything he could do.

Soon, Caspian’s eyes grew heavy. Asher was like a heater next to him, and the Alpha’s scent was so familiar, it put him right to sleep.

When he was fast asleep, curled up slightly at Asher’s side, a tender palm placed under a cheek, Asher woke up.

It was an abrupt change, one moment he was deeply asleep, and then he was wide awake, muscles taut, ready to spring. Caspian immediately caught his attention, the tension bleeding out of his body.

He had been looking for someone, and that person was right beside him the entire time, completely unharmed. He pulled the Omega into his arms and promptly fell back asleep.

-+-

Lake stared at his phone for a few moments after his call with Caspian dropped. Everything seemed to have turned out okay, but Caspian hadn’t sounded like it, it left him worried.

Davian had just returned from the kitchen, his mate had just finished up with cleaning up his bedroom, uneaten snacks and all.

"Is something wrong?" Davian paused at the door, frowning.

Lake shook his head and put his phone away, "No, Caspian and Asher are fine." He said the words he wanted to believe.

Caspian was his best friend, but they were still from different Mafia Houses, there were things he couldn’t interfere with. He would just have to hope that it was something they could handle themselves.

Davian nodded, walking over to the bed and lingering by his bedside without getting on.

Lake had already decided that if he was doing nothing, Davian had to keep him company, too. His mate had been all too eager to agree, yet here he was, standing so far away like he was contagious.

Lake didn’t give him the chance to start fussing over him and asking questions he had gotten answers to tens of times already. "Come and hold me."

Davian did very well with direct requests, his Alpha by his side instantly. Lake sighed even as he tucked his face in Davian’s neck, but it wasn’t a sigh of relief.

Maybe it was because so much had happened in the short time since they returned from their honeymoon, but he couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. The war could very well turn into one of attrition; he didn’t want that, he didn’t want their baby to be born in such a dangerous time.

But there was little that could be done about that, he could only hope.

-+-

Jael personally oversaw the cleanup, but his gaze was distracted, mechanically receiving calls and giving out orders. It would take some time for the men sent out to get to Evercliff Pack, he waited on tenterhooks to get a response from them.

It was one of the small towns on the outskirts of Haines, so by sundown, he did get the long-awaited call.

According to members of the Pack, Gage Knight had just upped and left about a week ago without telling anyone where he was going.

There were no clues, nothing to follow up on, there had been no signs of struggle, Layla’s apartment, which he had been staying in ever since he left Haines, was still in perfect pristine condition, nothing out of place except his effects that he seemed to have taken with him.

There was no chance of getting anything useful out of the members of the Pack, they tolerated Gage’s presence but they weren’t particularly close to him. They were aware that he was still grieving his dead mate, so they left him well alone.

Layla’s parents weren’t alive, but she did have a distant cousin that Jael was aware of. He directed the men to find her, he didn’t have much hope that she would have useful information, she was simply the only possible lead.

Jael was only more antsy than usual because of what happened with Asher. Gage often went off the radar, even while he was still in Haines. He had seen the Mafia King black out drunk far too many times to count.

If Gage had been the one to leave by himself, then the Mafia King would most likely be fine. Alcohol wouldn’t kill him, Jael should know, he had seen the Alpha try enough times.

The one constant was Layla, he always gravitated back to her apartment no matter how many times he disappeared.

When the men reported again that Layla’s cousin hadn’t been much help, Jael had them return. In a few weeks, he would go check for himself, if he couldn’t find him in Evercliff, then he was most likely in a nearby city or town.

Gage never drank in Layla’s old apartment, he always went out to find an outlet.

Momentarily satisfied with the report from the men, he started for home, finishing up early.

Caspian hadn’t called him, which meant that Asher was fine and there was no immediate cause for worry.

Jael’s jaw moved minutely as he drove back to the mansion - mints weren’t cutting it anymore, a relapse was somewhere down the road for him.