Chapter 84
house.
Benjamin’s eyes suddenly showed signs of worry as he looked at me. Already he looked pale, confused, both of which I’d never seen on him before, but it was his worry that unnerved me the most. Benjamin was confident in everything he did, never showing weakness, and yet he looked now as if he was
about to be sick.
He stuck his head back out the door as he tried to compose himself, replying to what I assumed were warriors inside the house. “Bag it and take it back to evidence,” he ordered. “I’ve got Bash here detained and will handle the bedroom search. Everyone is to await further instructions back at the packhouse. Anthony, stay behind and wait for me in the car.”
“Detained?” I asked, finally finding my voice again. “Benjamin, what the hell is going on? Why are you here?”
“Bash is being detained for questioning,” he said quietly. Neither of us were raising our voices too loud for fear we’d be overheard. “I’ve got orders to take him in immediately.”
“On what grounds!?” I hissed back. “What has he done?”
“The warrior in charge of watching the evidence locker was attacked two nights ago and something was stolen,” he answered. “He can’t recall much but remembers being given an Alpha order to stand down. Only neither I nor my father set that command. Since there is currently no record of any other Alpha bloods staying with us right now, naturally Bash is under suspicion.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! That’s not enough evidence to bring him in! How could an allied pack’s Alpha heir possibly overrule an order given to one of our warriors? That’s impossible.”
“Winona,” he said sternly. “We just found the missing item
inside this house… a silver dagger by the front door. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense, we just acquired the proof. He’s technically under arrest now.””
The silver dagger I stole. The dagger I dropped. I’d just left breadcrumbs of clues leading back to here, back to Bash.
“Benjamin, please, it’s not him,” I pleaded.
“Come on,” he said to Bash, ignoring my words. “Get up. We’ve got to go before they decide to come back here and check why I’m taking so long. I hope I don’t need to remind you to not make this difficult or cause a scene here, do I? We both know what will happen if anyone finds her here with
you.”
Bash had been silently regarding the exchange the entire time, knowing that his hands were tied being in foreign territory, but he nodded his head in compliance. Anything he said, or did, could be used against him in a trial from the moment Benjamin had confirmed he was being taken in.
True to Benjamin’s words, he didn’t put up a fight or argue. Instead, he just tugged on some clothes over his boxers before walking over to Benjamin without fuss.
I ran to Bash though as soon as I saw the handcuffs he was restrained in, no longer caring if Benjamin was there, and grabbed on to him.
“Please, don’t do this, please…,” I cried.
“Wait here,” Benjamin instructed. “I’ll come to get you when the area is clear.”
But I refused to let go of Bash, my grip only tightening. “No…please.”
“Winona!” Benjamin hissed. “Seriously, you need to let him go. Do you want others to see you right now? If my father finds. out that you were here with him, this whole thing will get so much worse. Are you intentionally being naive right now?”
“Winona…,” Bash said calmly to me, cutting through the panic. “It’s okay. Let me go.”
I could barely see through the tears blurring my vision. “No, I don’t want to….”
“Winona. Let me go,” he repeated.
I knew he was right. There was nothing I could do. Not here and not now anyway.
“I’m going to get your name cleared, I promise,” I said. “You’ll be out in no time.”
He gave me a half-smile in an attempt to reassure me but it only made me feel worse. It should have been me comforting him right now, not the reverse.
Benjamin shoved Bash towards the door but abruptly stopped walking, sniffing towards him. And though my senses weren’t strong enough, Benjamin must have picked up on my obvious scent all over Bash.
“Do I have time for a shower?” Bash asked, almost amused.
Benjamin’s response was to shove him forward again so they resumed towards the exit once more.
“You’ll be lucky if I don’t drown you in a lake on our way to the
cells,” Benjamin replied, his voice getting further away until I
couldn’t hear them anymore. “Fucking idiot….”
