Chapter 299
299 – Saving His Dignity
Madeline:
“What were the two doing here? Did they come to ask you to come back home?” Lady Eugenia pressed, catching up instantly. I knew she had been watching from the window the whole time.
“They came to talk about the sickness, ” Baxter replied casually, not stopping to explain further as he moved past everyone. He headed toward the small storeroom on the second floor.
“They didn’t ask you to come back?” Lady Eugenia insisted, following after him.
I watched her trail behind him, continuing to bother him.
“No, but they did remind me that tomorrow is my dethroning,” Baxter said, stopping briefly.
The way her eyes widened and her jaw dropped made me wonder whether she was pretending to be shocked or truly had no idea it was happening tomorrow.
“Don’t trust her p>
Eugenia’s words made me snap my head toward her.
“What did you just say?” I asked, crossing my arms. It felt like she thought we were on the same side.
“I said don’t trust anything she does or asks you to do,” Eugenia replied, repeating herself.
I lowered my head and smiled to myself.
“Well, I’m not going to trust either of you, so don’t worry,” I replied. “Besides, you can’t stand around whispering with her and then come back and tell me you’re on my side p>
My tone was bitter, but I kept a smile on my face to unsettle her. It worked. She looked annoyed.
Baxter came down with his arms full, wooden posts tucked under one arm, a coil of wire hooked over his shoulder.
This was the material he had gathered over the past two days. Behind him, his mother trailed after him, just like before, struggling to keep up in high heels and a gown.
It was clear she needed to change the way she dressed, or she would end up hurting herself out in the woods.
“You will lose all the power you have,” his mother almost yelled at him.
I had noticed how difficult she made his life. I had always known she was like this, but now that we were living with her, I realized it was worse.
She was constantly in his ear, complaining about one thing or another. Baxter, however, seemed immune to it.
He did not slow down or look at her. He simply adjusted his grip on the wire and kept moving.
When he reached the door leading outside, he nudged it open with his foot and glanced toward the children.
“Kids, come on. You need to get some sunlight too,” he told them.
They grabbed their toys and ran after him. He then turned and tilted his head at me, signaling for me to follow. I
did.
I glanced back and saw his mother standing near the couch, clenching and unclenching her fists, clearly angry.
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200 Saving His Dignity
+25 Bonus
Once outside, Baxter set a post near the edge of the cliff and immediately began working, hammering a stake into the ground. I moved closer, picking up the wire and holding it steady while he secured it.
“I was thinking of getting information about the sickness from somewhere else,” I said. “Do you think there’s someone we can talk to who could help us without letting the others know we’re working on it p>
He slowed slightly, pulling the wire tight and fixing it in place.
“How about Ron?” I suggested.
Baxter paused for a moment.
“I’d rather look through my own contacts,” he replied, making it clear he did not like the idea.
“ Your friends are also friends with Elgin and Graham,” I complained, resting my hands on my waist.
“Ron used to be our friend too,” he pointed out.
“ Used to be,” I replied. “He’s not anymore, and he might be a better option p>
As I repeated Ron’s name, Baxter straightened and gave a short nod.
“Well, if you’ve already decided, what can I say?” he remarked.
He tied off the wire and reached for the next post. I steadied it, holding it upright as he drove it into the ground.
“But if you have a problem with him, then I’ll skip him,” I quickly added, letting him know that his decision mattered.
He paused, looked up, and then smiled with ease.
“No, it’s okay. Ron would be a good choice p>
This time, when he agreed, there was a smile on his lips. I realized that simply acknowledging someone’s concern mattered. It was a good thing to have in a relationship.
It took us two hours to finish half of the fencing. After that, I decided to go inside to cook a meal, while Baxter told me he would head down to the motel to call Ron.
As I entered the cabin, I saw Baxter’s mother pacing anxiously with a file clutched in her hand.
“Where is Baxter?” she asked.
Her tone was not stern or harsh. It was the first time we had properly spoken since she arrived.
“He left for some work, ” I replied, “why is there a problem?” I asked her and she held up the file.
“ His dethroning is tomorrow. We were supposed to return this file to one of the northern packs. If we don’t, Baxter will be penalized p>
I knew that alphas sometimes sent important documents to one another for review or assistance, and those files were always meant to be returned on time.
“Before the dethroning, the file needs to
be in the Alpha’s hands, or Baxter will be sent to prison for forty days. That means we’ll be living here without him for forty days,” his mother said.
My heart sank. Not because I was worried about what would happen to us, but because it would be a blow to his dignity to be thrown into prison right after having his crown taken from him.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.