Chapter 48: Victor’s inner circle

Andrew’s dark eyes narrowing as he scanned the crowded market street. "Which one is Emmett?" he asked as he tried to pinpoint the man among the sea of passersby.

Caroline didn’t wait to answer. She hurried ahead, her heart hammering in her chest, and cut straight through the crowd to plant herself directly in Emmett’s path.

"Emmett? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice breathless with shock.

"Caroline!?" Emmett gasped, his eyes wide with utter disbelief. Before he could say another word, his gaze drifted past her shoulder and locked onto Andrew.

Recognizing the royal standing before him, Emmett immediately bowed his head in deference. "I... I need to go home," he stammered, his face turning pale as he backed away, desperate to escape Andrew’s intimidating glare.

"You can’t leave like that," Andrew stated, his voice ringing out with ironclad authority as he blocked Emmett’s retreat.

"I need your help," Caroline pleaded, stepping closer to Emmett with a look of desperate urgency. "Let’s talk somewhere quiet. Please... Emmett, please."

Emmett hesitated, his throat working as he swallowed hard under Andrew’s intense scrutiny. Finally, he nodded. "Follow me," he murmured, turning toward a narrow side alley.

"Where are you taking us?" Andrew asked as he kept a protective arm behind Caroline.

"To my home," Emmett answered, glancing back nervously over his shoulder. "We can’t be talking about this out in the open."

"Then you will come with us," Andrew commanded, leaving no room for argument. "We are not going to your home."

Emmett nodded slowly, completely understanding the Alpha Prince’s caution regarding security, and quietly fell into step ahead of them.

"Let’s go to a restaurant nearby," Andrew stated calmly, taking Caroline’s hand and leading the way down the dimly lit avenue.

Within minutes, they secured a secluded private lounge in an upscale dining establishment nearby, far removed from any prying eyes and ears.

As soon as they were seated, Caroline leaned forward across the polished table as her gaze locked onto Emmett.

"You left the country," she said. "How did you manage that? And you even took your entire family with you... What exactly happened, Emmett? I need to know."

"Because I failed to kill you, Victor stripped me of my position as Beta," Emmett confessed. "I had wanted to leave for years, and when he cast me aside, I finally saw my chance. So I left."

"Did you know he would order your family’s annihilation?" Andrew pressed, leaning back in his chair, his sharp eyes locked onto Emmett. "You didn’t merely cross a border; you fled the country entirely. You even scrubbed your family’s names from the data centers. How is that possible? I am curious to know."

"I had been planning my departure for a very long time," Emmett admitted quietly.

"By erasing your existence completely?" Andrew asked, arching an eyebrow in skepticism.

"That wasn’t the initial plan," Emmett explained, shaking his head. "Victor is a ruthless man. My father was deeply indebted to him, which forced me to step into the Beta role against my will. I thought if I earned enough merit, I could eventually negotiate my way out, but for six years, he kept me trapped. The moment he dismissed me, I knew I had to act. I enlisted the help of a powerful contact in the capital to wipe our records. I cannot name him, Your Highness."

Caroline leaned forward, her chest tightening as memories of her past resurfaced. "Your father was loyal to Victor. How did you ever convince him to run?"

"I told him the truth," Emmett said. "I told him Victor would slaughter us all, just as he destroyed your family. That night... when Victor sent us after you, I spotted you leaving his house. I intentionally delayed the search party to give you a chance to run... but another squad of warriors had already reached your home. And then..." He simply sighed not wanting to remember any of that.

"Victor wiped out every piece of evidence that could prove my innocence," Caroline said, her voice trembling slightly as she gripped her hands together. "I am married to Andrew now. He has been helping me ever since he found me."

"And because you are my mate," Andrew added firmly, his thumb brushing over the back of her knuckles.

"Yes. The Moon Goddess blessed me with a second chance mate," Caroline continued, looking back at Emmett. "I know everything has happened so fast, but it did. The royal family isn’t ready to fully accept me yet, but that doesn’t matter right now. I just want Victor to be punished for what he did to me and my family, but I have no proof. He made me out to be the villain and he has Princess Nina’s backing. Did you know about them?"

"Yes," Emmett confessed, bowing his head in shame. "Everyone in Victor’s inner circle knew about his affair with Princess Nina. I tried to warn you back then, Caroline, but I couldn’t say it outright without putting my own family in danger."

"You were such a coward," Andrew remarked.

"Don’t say that," Emmett told him. "When you’re bound to a pack and its alpha, everything becomes difficult."

"I admit it was my fault for never paying heed to your warning. I–I thought it wasn’t true. I wanted to trust..." She paused, shaking her head. "But why Victor was even lying to me? He could have rejected me the moment Princess Nina entered his life. Also, did Princess Nina know that Victor was with me?"

"I don’t think so. Victor wasn’t sure that time. And I think he wants you because you were mates, fated ones, who found each other through the bond granted by the Moon Goddess once," Emmett stated.

"Be my witness, Emmett. I am provided a month to bring an evidence which can prove that I was carrying Victor’s pup, and he was seeing me before Princess Nina entered his life." Caroline requested. "You’re the only hope I have. Please."