Chapter 501
Troy:
I felt a little guilty after deciding to start the journey alone instead of taking the others who had been trying so hard to find Clementine.
Then I remembered my own words. I remembered convincing Haiden that when we saw Clementine again, we would not expect her to accept us. She had already made her decision.
But the moment I got the call, I had a different feeling. If I could spend more time with Clementine, if I could have her with me for a few days, maybe I could win her over.
So no, I was not going to follow my own rules or the advice I had given Haiden.
I did not have many warriors of my own. There were only a few who were still loyal to my mother. I called her and asked her to send them to me. I needed them.
She asked many questions, but I told her I would explain later.
I had to reach Clementine before the others did.
One thing that surprised me was where the call came from. It was traced back to Yorick’s home.
I also listened carefully to the instructions Leysa gave me during the call. She said she was in Yorick’s pack and that something was not right there.
She warned me not to listen to Yorick, not to trust him, not to talk to him, and not to tell him I had come looking for Leysa or Clementine.
It stressed me out to realize that Yorick might be doing the same thing I had done. Maybe he found Clementine and decided to keep her.
But why was Leysa acting as if Yorick was so dangerous that I could not even speak to him about Clementine?
When I reached the border, I stopped when I saw the warriors guarding it.
“Is there another way in?” I asked my warriors.
They exchanged looks, and one of them stepped forward.
“Your Highness, give us a few moments and we will check the area,” he replied. “But it looks like their alpha has increased security. He has also been cutting the internet connection at times. That makes me think something serious is happening here p>
I pressed my lips together, unsure what to think.
Since I could not enter the territory directly and could not sneak in, I decided to try another method.
I approached the border guards and forced a polite smile.
“May I speak with Alpha Yorick?” I asked. “I am an academy friend, Alpha Troy. Tell him I am here to apologize for what happened at the academy. He will understand p>
I kept my posture relaxed, trying to look like I had no bad intentions.
The guards looked at each other and whispered. One of them went inside while I waited outside the gates.
The fact that they would not even let me step inside made me uneasy. I had not been able to contact Leysa again. She said she was using other people’s phones to call me and that she would delete the numbers afterward. She was also hiding around the mansion.
Half the time I could barely understand her. She would whisper, then suddenly go quiet. She said she kept sneaking through windows and then leaving again to hide.
I did not know how she managed it, but if she was really doing all that, I had to give her credit. I never thought Leysa could be this brave.
The guard returned a few minutes later.
“You can go inside, but Alpha Yorick is not here,” he said. “His father is present. You may speak with him, and he will pass your message along p>
“That will be fine,” I answered, forcing another smile.
Still, unease settled in my chest.
Where could Yorick be?
If Clementine was really here, he could be staying close to her.
“Sure,” I replied.
As I stepped forward, the border warriors stretched their arms out to block my men. I glanced back at my warriors and understood it would not be that easy.
Leysa had been right. Something was going on.
I had not received another call from her since the last one. It had been a full day. I checked my phone and saw there was no signal.
That level of security meant something serious was happening inside.
I gave my warriors a small hand gesture to show them I would be fine, then followed the guards.
A car was waiting to take me to the main mansion. After I got in, it drove off immediately. When we arrived, they dropped me at the entrance and the car sped away without a word.
Yorick’s father stood at the door with his hands behind his back.
He did not look welcoming. He did not look warm or even giggly and weird like he used to be. He looked like a man who was annoyed that I had come.
“Your Highness, I am—” I began, lifting a hand to my chest.
He raised his palm, stopping me before I could step closer.
“I know who you are,” he said. “And I know you came here to apologize to my son. But he is not ready to accept anything right now. That woman brought him great shame, and his friends believed it p>
His voice remained calm, but there was no kindness in it.
“So forgive him if he does not think any apology matters at the moment. If you have something to say, say it now. Otherwise, you should be on your way p>
He spoke quickly, as if he wanted the conversation over as soon as possible.
I listened, then nodded, forcing a polite smile even though I wanted to tell him to stop pretending.
“Just tell him that whenever he is ready, I would like to sit down and talk with him,” I said.
I was still speaking when his father gave a short nod and turned away.
“Goodbye,” he added before walking back inside the mansion.
I stood there with my hands on my waist, letting out a frustrated breath. I had not even been given a chance to say everything I wanted.
As I turned to walk away, unsure what to do next, I noticed movement near one of the trees in the garden.
Someone was peeking from behind the trunk.
I recognized her.
It was Leysa.
When she realized I had seen her, she ran toward the backyard.
I followed her.