Chapter 73 Divided Forces

Alpha Sebastian spent the rest of the night calling attorneys and trying to keep his parents out of it.

Serena made sure he failed.

Alpha Roger and Luna Margaret arrived at the police station before dawn. By then, Isabella had cried off most of her makeup.

"Mom! Dad!"

She rushed into Luna Margaret’s arms.

"How did you know?"

"Serena called us," Luna Margaret said. "Your brother planned to keep us in the dark."

Isabella glanced at Serena with gratitude. No matter what happened, she would keep Serena’s name out of this.

In a private conference room, with the family attorney present, Isabella admitted that she had drugged Eira and arranged for a man to enter the hotel room.

She claimed the whole thing had been her idea.

Luna Margaret stared at her.

"You pulled this stunt at Sterling House? Seriously?"

"It was the nicest hotel in town, and Serena offered to cover the room."

The attorney looked up sharply. "Serena was involved?"

"No," Isabella said at once. "She only paid for the room. She had no idea what I was planning."

Luna Margaret pressed a hand to her forehead.

"You could’ve picked any hotel in the city, but you chose one owned by the Sterlings. What were you thinking?"

Alpha Roger cut in.

"How did you get the drug?"

"Cash. No receipt, no texts, no online order."

"And the man?"

"I never contacted him directly."

Alpha Roger leaned closer.

"Then listen carefully. You helped Eira into the room because she was drunk. You thought you locked the door, but apparently you didn’t. A stranger walked in, realized he had the wrong room, and left. You never hired anyone."

"But I did lock the door."

Luna Margaret gave her a hard look.

"No, you didn’t."

Isabella finally caught on.

"Right. I must’ve left it open."

The attorney shut his folder.

"Stop talking. All of you. Do not contact that man or anyone else connected to this case. That could be viewed as witness tampering."

Alpha Roger’s face remained calm.

"Understood."

He had no intention of sitting back while his daughter took the fall.

Isabella grabbed his sleeve.

"When can I go home?"

"We’ll ask for bail as soon as the court opens," the attorney said. "But Sterling House has video, key card logs, and physical evidence. This won’t disappear overnight."

Isabella’s eyes filled with tears again.

"I can’t stay here."

Alpha Roger pulled his arm free.

"You should’ve thought of that before you drugged someone in a Sterling hotel."

Luna Margaret turned to him. "What do we do now?"

"You talk to Eira. Get her to call it a misunderstanding and stop cooperating with the police. I’ll handle the hotel."

The attorney frowned.

"She can’t simply drop a criminal case."

"No," Alpha Roger said. "But the case gets a lot harder without the alleged victim."

Luna Margaret stepped into the hallway and called Alpha Sebastian.

"Where’s Eira?"

His voice cooled. "How did you find out?"

"That’s not important. I need to talk to her."

"She’s sick. Leave her alone."

"I’m only trying to clear up this mess."

"No, Mom."

Luna Margaret’s expression hardened.

"Your sister is sitting in a police station."

"And Eira nearly drowned."

"Sebastian."

"Stay away from her."

He hung up.

Luna Margaret stared at her phone in disbelief. Her own son had just chosen Eira over his family.

She called Serena next.

"Where is Eira?"

Serena paused, pretending to struggle with the question.

"Sebastian told me not to tell anyone."

"I won’t throw you under the bus, sweetheart."

After another careful pause, Serena sighed.

"She’s at the Wood Family Acupuncture Clinic."

"Text me the address."

"Of course."

Serena ended the call with a smile.

By sunrise, Luna Margaret was outside the clinic.

--

Eira woke at her usual time despite getting only a few hours of sleep.

She opened the window and took a deep breath. Her body still felt weak, but her mind was clear again.

She had survived because she had locked herself in the bathroom. If Alpha Killian had arrived even a minute later, she might have drowned.

Eira reached for her phone, wanting to thank him again, but the battery was dead. Her charger was still with her things, so she set it aside.

"Morning, Miss Crawford."

Barry walked into the room.

"Good morning. Where’s Mrs. Wood?"

"Out back drying herbs." He gave her a quick look. "How do you feel?"

"A lot better."

"Good. I’ll update Alpha Killian."

"Do you have to?"

"I’m his personal physician. He dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night for you. Trust me, he’ll want a status report."

Barry turned toward the hall just as a sharp voice came from the clinic entrance.

"Where’s Eira?"

Luna Margaret.

She marched inside, then slowed when she noticed Barry.

"Eira, we need to talk. Outside."

"If this is about Isabella, save your breath. The answer is no."

"I haven’t even asked you anything."

"You came here at sunrise. I can guess."

Luna Margaret’s face tightened.

"Isabella is still your sister. You and Sebastian aren’t divorced yet."

"My sisters are the girls I grew up with."

For four years, Isabella had insulted Eira and everyone at the children’s home. Every time Eira objected, the Hales gave her the same tired excuse.

She’s young. She’s family. Let it go.

Eira was done letting things go.

Luna Margaret drew herself up. "Like it or not, Isabella is your sister until that divorce is final."

Eira gave her a cold look.

"Funny. Isabella never called me her sister. She called me an orphan."

"So?"

"So if she and I are sisters, that would make you and Roger my parents too." Eira tilted her head. "Should I ask when the two of you died?"

Luna Margaret stared at her.

"How dare you?"

"I’m only following your logic."

"You watch your mouth!"

"Then stop calling Isabella my sister. You don’t get to treat me like an outsider for four years and suddenly call me family when your daughter needs a way out of jail."

Luna Margaret’s face turned red.

"You ungrateful little brat."

Eira remained calm.

She had once swallowed every insult because she loved Alpha Sebastian and did not want to put him in the middle.

Not anymore.

Luna Margaret stepped closer.

"You want that divorce finalized, don’t you?"

Eira’s eyes narrowed.

"Drop the complaint against Isabella and tell the police it was a misunderstanding. Otherwise, Roger will have our attorneys tie up that divorce for as long as they can."

Barry’s expression cooled.

Luna Margaret smiled as if she had finally found the right pressure point.

"No Isabella, no divorce. Your choice."