Chapter 46: I Can Handle Myself

Edgar was sitting behind his desk. Even after I’d humbled him before leaving, the man was still a fierce, imposing Alpha with a frame built like a brick wall and eyes that could put down any wolf on sight.

He was sitting back in his chair, tapping an expensive fountain pen against the wooden surface—a rhythm he had clearly been keeping up for hours while waiting for me to show up. He’d probably been expecting me all day after he sent his nephew after me.

The moment the door opened, the tapping stopped. Edgar sat up, his sharp, golden gaze locking onto me instantly. He cleared his throat, his deep, gravelly voice cutting through the quiet room.

"You came back."

Was I not supposed to?

"Uncle," Benjamin called out lazily, sauntering in right behind me with his hands shoved into his pockets. "I got her forgiveness, so give me back the key to the vault. I’m sleepy."

Edgar didn’t immediately hand over a damn thing. Instead, his narrow eyes dragged slowly over my face, scanning me with ruthless scrutiny, looking for any subtle trace that suggested Benjamin had coaxed or manipulated me into showing up.

He had sent Benjamin to apologize specifically so I could vent the rest of my temper on the unhinged bastard, but seeing me now—standing there sulking, my hood pulled low, stubbornly refusing to even meet his eyes—Edgar’s brow furrowed into a hard, suspicious line.

Did this idiot make things worse? the look on Edgar’s face practically screamed.

Edgar stayed silent for a long beat, his eyes shifting between my shadowed face and Benjamin’s insufferably pleased smirk. He leaned forward, resting his broad forearms on the desk.

"Is that right?" Edgar growled, his rough, gravelly voice laced with suspicion as he gestured vaguely toward Benjamin. "This useless nephew of mine didn’t force you back here or try anything stupid, did he?"

"Of course not, Uncle, I was on my absolute best behavior," Benjamin drawled lazily, yawning right in his face. He reached out an impatient hand, wiggling his fingers. "Now give me the key to the sub-basement. I’ve been up all day doing your dirty work and that vault is literally calling my name."

Edgar sneered, looking like he wanted nothing more than to throw the fountain pen straight through Benjamin’s skull, but he reached into his vest pocket anyway. He pulled out the heavy, brass vault key—the only thing standing between Benjamin and his underground sanctuary—and tossed it onto the desk. It landed with a heavy, metallic thud.

"If I find out you harassed her, Ben, I’ll drag you out of that vault by your hair myself," Edgar warned, his harsh gaze cutting back to me. "You sure you’re good? You look like you’re about to slice someone’s throat open."

"I’m fine," I said flatly, keeping my head tilted down so neither of these suffocating Alphas could see the flushed heat still burning on my lips. "I only came back so you’d stop sending him to pester me. Now that I’ve shown my face, I’m heading home."

"Did he apologize properly?" Edgar asked, his brow furrowing as he leaned further over the mahogany desk, his sharp eyes digging into me.

My brows drew together beneath the shadow of my hood.

"Yes..." Benjamin did apologize, and he meant it—the first time.

But after that? What was I supposed to say about what he did in the lobby? Putting me at his mercy, making my heart race, making my body completely melt under his absurd, suffocating grip...

I closed my eyes tightly and let out a quiet sigh.

Let’s not think about it. Just don’t go there.

"He was a handful," I added, forcing my voice to remain steady and devoid of any emotion, "but he meant no harm, so I’ll let it go."

Edgar scoffed, tossing a glare toward Benjamin, who merely leaned against the doorframe with that same sleepy, insufferable grin plastered across his face.

"You’re too soft on the bastard," Edgar grunted, though the tension in his broad shoulders visibly loosened. "If he steps out of line again, you can come to me. I’ll handle him."

"I can handle myself," I muttered, clutching the upper-floor access card tight in my pocket.

Without waiting to hear another word from either of them, I turned on my heel and walked out of the office, eager to get far away from Benjamin before my composure completely cracked.

The cool night air washed over me as soon as I stepped out of the casino, and I let out a long, silent breath I felt like I’d been holding all day. Finally, I was clear of those suffocating Alphas, their heavy scents, and their obnoxious mind games.

As I walked back toward the house, my stomach gave a quiet rumble, despite the fact that I had premium steak earlier. Well, this body needs all the energy it can get. My thoughts drifted to something blessedly mundane: I wonder what’s for dinner?

The second I opened the front door, however, chaos erupted.

Bradford, Valerie, Jayden, and Jordan were all gathered in the foyer, pacing with tight, frantic energy. The moment the latch clicked, every single one of their heads snapped toward me.

"Where have you been?!" Bradford blurted out, rushing forward with pale cheeks, his eyes scanning me top to bottom for injuries. "Since this morning! I went to your room and you weren’t there! We looked everywhere for you!"

"It’s so late, Brianna!" Valerie added, her voice trembling as she hovered right behind him, checking my hands, my arms, my face. "Are you hurt? Did something happen? Were you kidnapped?!"

"We were about to call the police force!" Jayden burst out, throwing his hands in the air with a helpless groan. "Even though we knew those bastards wouldn’t have listened to us anyway! We were out of our minds with worry!"

"Brianna, please... don’t scare us like that," Jordan breathed, letting out a heavy, shaky sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I stood frozen in the doorway, completely stunned.

Coming from a past life where I was merely an instrument of death, this level of raw, unvarnished concern was still entirely foreign to me. I was still trying to get used to this new family, to the reality that people actually cared whether I came home or bled out in a ditch.

And then, before I could stop it, a laugh bubbled up from my chest.

It wasn’t a cold, calculated smirk or a bitter scoff—it was a soft, genuine laugh that just came out naturally. After everything I had been through today, after being pushed, suffocated, and dragged through Alpha power plays, this frantic, hovering family was the most normal thing I had experienced all day.

So this is why they say there’s no place like home, I thought, feeling a wave of genuine warmth spread through my chest. All the tight, suffocating tension coiled in my muscles just melted away the second I stepped over this threshold.