Lennox''s POV
I knew it then.
There was no more doubt.
I had to find that maid.
If the guard was dead, then she was next. And if I didn''t act fast, I would lose the only person who knew the truth.
I left the corridor and headed for the yard.
The sun was low, the air quiet, but something felt wrong. Too quiet. My eyes searched until I saw her.
She was by the clothesline.
The maid.
Her hands were shaking as she hung clothes. She kept looking over her shoulder, like she expected someone to grab her at any moment. Her face was pale. Her eyes were red.
Fear.
Real fear.
I slowed my steps and walked toward her carefully.
She saw me and stiffened.
"It''s okay," I said softly. "It''s just me."
She swallowed hard. "K-Kaine…"
Her hands trembled so badly she dropped a cloth.
I picked it up and handed it back to her. Our fingers brushed, and she flinched.
That told me everything.
She knew about the guard''s death.
And she was terrified.
"What''s wrong?" I asked gently. "You look scared."
She tried to smile, but it broke halfway. Suddenly, she stepped forward and hugged me tightly, like she had been holding everything in for too long.
"I''m scared," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I''m so scared."
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, ying the part I needed to y.
"Hey," I murmured. "You''re safe. I''m here."
She shook her head against my chest. "No… no one is safe."
I pulled back just enough to look at her face. "Talk to me," I said softly. "You can trust me. I''ll protect you."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I won''t let anything happen to you," I added quietly. "I promise. I care about you."
I hated lying like this.
But I needed the truth.
She sniffed and wiped her face. "I don''t believe he died by mistake," she whispered.
My heart tightened.
"Who?" I asked calmly, even though my chest was pounding.
"The guard," she said. "The one who died. He didn''t poison himself. Someone did this to him."
I nodded slowly. "Why would someone kill him?"
She looked around quickly, panic shing across her face. "Because he talked," she whispered. "Because he knows something he shouldn''t have."
My breath caught.
"He told me," she continued, shaking. "He told me someone wanted a guard dead. Someone important. Someone powerful."
My blood ran cold.
"Who?" I asked again, my voice low. "Tell me who it is."
Her lips trembled. She opened her mouth—
Then she froze.
Her eyes widened like she had seen something behind me.
She pulled away suddenly, stepping back fast.
"I can''t," she said, backing away. "I can''t say it."
"It''s okay," I said quickly. "You''re safe with me. I swear I''ll protect you."
She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You don''t understand. They''re watching. They killed him. They''ll kill me too."
"Why?" I asked urgently. "What did you do?"
She didn''t answer.
Instead, she turned and ran.
"Hey—!" I called after her.
But she was already gone, disappearing between the buildings.
I stood there, my fists clenched, my heart racing.
Damn it.
She knew.
And whoever it was had scared her so badly that she chose to run instead of speak.
I stood there for a long moment after she ran.
My heart was still pounding. My mind was racing.
She knew.
She knew who did it.
And whoever it was had scared her so badly that silence felt safer than the truth.
I clenched my fists and forced myself to breathe.
I couldn''t chase her. Not now. That would only make things worse.
So I turned and started walking away.
That was when I saw them.
Levi.
And the maid.
They were standing a short distance away, half hidden by the trees near the back path. The maid stood stiffly in front of him, her hands sped tight in front of her. Her face was pale. Her eyes were wide with fear.
The same fear I had just seen.
My steps slowed.
What was Levi doing with her?
I frowned, confusion twisting in my chest.
Then Levi looked up.
His eyes met mine.
For half a second, something shed across his face—surprise. Then his expression hardened.
He said something low to the maid. I couldn''t hear the words, but I saw her nod quickly, almost desperately. She didn''t look at me as she hurried past, her head down, her shoulders shaking.
She ran.
Levi watched her go.
Then he turned back to me.
"Kaine," he said calmly. "Come here."
Every instinct in me screamed that something was wrong.
But I kept my face neutral and walked toward him.
"Yes, Alpha?" I said respectfully.
He studied me for a moment, his eyes sharp, searching. "Walk with me."
I nodded. "As you wish."
We walked in silence, moving away from the main yard, away from the packhouse, toward an old path that led behind the storage buildings. The trees grew thicker here. The noise faded. The air felt heavy.
Too private.
Too quiet.
We stopped near arge stone wall, hidden from view.
Levi turned to face me.
Up close, I could see it clearly now.
He wasn''t calm.
He was tense. His jaw was tight. His fists were clenched at his sides.
"You were talking to that maid," he said slowly.
So that''s what this was.
"Yes, Alpha," I replied evenly. "She seemed distressed."
Levi''s eyes narrowed. "She always seems distressedtely."
I didn''t answer.
He stepped closer. "Tell me, Kaine," he said quietly. "What exactly were you talking about?"
I met his gaze and chose my words carefully.
"She was scared," I said. "About the guard who died."
Levi''s expression didn''t change—but something dark flickered in his eyes.
"And?" he pressed.
"And I tried to calm her," I said. "That''s all."
He stared at me for a long moment, like he was trying to read my soul.
"I have a job for you."