CHAPTER 105: OUT WITH IT...

"Really, Nessa?" Emerald muttered under her breath, tugging out a slip of silver silk... barely covering 40% of her body if she was to put it on.

She stared at her open suitcase and groaned at the clothes she had for the trip..

Half the dresses Nessa had packed looked like they were chosen for a high-class brothel, not dinner. She held up a sheer black gown that had a slit running straight up the thigh and a neckline that could double as a belt.

"Was she planning for me to have sex every day or lead a lingerie revolution?" she muttered under her breath. "Am I sure I even own all these?"

She tossed the gown aside, sifting for something slightly less... indecent.

Eventually, she settled on a satin burgundy slip dress. It was still elegant, still a little bold, but less likely to make Adrien spontaneously combust... or her, for that matter.

She slipped it on, fixing her hair loosely over one shoulder. She gave herself a once-over in the mirror and then rolled her eyes at her reflection.

"I look like I’m about to seduce him," she grumbled, though she didn’t exactly hate the idea.

As she was about to grab her heels, her phone buzzed. She looked down and saw a message from her uncle.

DARIUS: All remaining moles in Adrien’s pack have been flushed. Nothing new on Alia. Motives still unclear.

Emerald sighed. Of course.

She threw her phone onto the bed, not wanting Alia or anything else to spoil the rest of her day. Tonight was for Adrien. It was about finding peace and figuring out what they actually were to each other.

She slipped on her heels, composed herself, and headed for his quarters.

—

Adrien’s door was slightly ajar when she reached it, warm light spilling into the corridor.

She knocked twice before pushing it open.

His room was lit with a soft amber glow.

As soon as she walked in, the delicious smell of food hit her: grilled meat, roasted veggies, and some kind of honey-glazed tart that she thought he must have remembered from something she casually mentioned. Candles lit up the table, and soft instrumental music played in the background.

He stood near the window, watching her as she entered.

Adrien’s eyes lingered a moment too long. "You look stunning and amazing."

She smirked. "Thank Nessa. Apparently, she thinks I need to be ready to seduce the entire continent."

"She wasn’t wrong; you look... incredible."

Emerald gave him a coy smile. "Thank you."

He stepped toward her, leaning in to kiss her cheek, except the angle was wrong, and his lips brushed hers instead.

They froze.

Then both burst into laughter.

"Well, that was smooth," Emerald teased.

"Flawless," Adrien replied. "I meant to do that."

"Really? I wouldn’t have guessed," Emerald said with a smirk.

He pulled out her chair for her, and she sat. The food looked incredible; clearly, a private chef had pulled out all the stops.

They talked over dinner, their conversation drifting from light-hearted jokes to memories of their youth. Emerald laughed at his stories about the first time he tried to shift and got stuck halfway, and Adrien winced as she described Nessa’s attempts to teach her dance routines using wolves as backup dancers.

It felt... normal.

But not quite.

After the plates had been cleared and a maid entered silently to gather the dishes, Emerald leaned back in her chair and studied him.

"You’ve been off all evening," she said finally.

Adrien looked up. "What do you mean?"

"You smiled when you saw me. You’ve said all the right things. But you’re somewhere else, Adrien. I can feel it."

He sighed and rubbed his temple. "You always see through me."

"I do," she said. "So... out with it. What’s bothering you?"

Adrien hesitated. Then he reached into the drawer behind him and pulled out the old leather notebook.

He set it gently on the table between them, flipping it open to the letter.

"This," he said softly, "is what’s been bothering me."

Emerald picked up the letter, unfolding it carefully. Her eyes scanned the words, her brow furrowing. "I’m guessing this wasn’t written by you."

Adrien shook his head.

"This is... your brother’s?"

He nodded. "His handwriting. I’d know it anywhere."

She continued reading silently, then looked up. "I don’t get it. What does he mean by ’if anything happens to me, look within’?"

Adrien leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "He was suspicious. Months before his death, apparently. He wrote that something felt wrong. That someone close to him was shifting too many things behind the scenes."

"Someone... in the court?" Emerald asked slowly.

"Possibly," Adrien said. "He didn’t name anyone. But he said if he died, it wouldn’t be an accident. That someone... maybe more than one would have had a hand in it."

Emerald’s expression sobered. "But your brother’s death was ruled... natural, wasn’t it?"

"That’s the thing," Adrien muttered. "There was no investigation. He collapsed in his chambers. No signs of trauma. No wounds. The healers claimed it was internal, maybe his heart."

"You didn’t question it?"

"I did," Adrien said bitterly. "But no one else did. Not loudly, anyway. Things moved too fast. The council was already discussing succession before his body was cold."

Emerald stared at the letter again. "You always suspected."

"I did," he admitted. "But I had no proof. And I thought... maybe it was just grief making me see ghosts. There was peace in the pack. No signs of rebellion. No threats."

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face. "But this letter? This changes everything."

Emerald’s voice was quiet. "You looked up to him."

Adrien nodded. "I was never meant to lead, Em. That was always his role. He was the golden one, the protector. Everyone loved him. He was everything I aspired to be: strong, respected, and wise. When he died, it wasn’t just about losing a brother for me. I lost the person who kept our pack united."

She looked down at the words again. Her fingers traced one sentence over and over.

If something happens to me, the danger isn’t outside. It’s among us.

Adrien watched her carefully.

Finally, she looked up. "So what are you going to do?" she asked. "Keep wondering? Or finally do something?"

Adrien was silent for a moment.

Then his voice came, in a quiet and firm tone. "This feels like a sign. I don’t care how long it takes. I want to know the truth. For his soul to find peace, I need to find out who took him from us."

Emerald reached across the table, brushing her hand against his cheek. Her thumb stroked the edge of his jaw gently.

A soft smile curved her lips. "Then we dig."