<h4>Chapter 399: Chapter 399 Maybe Belinda Had Stepped In</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov


    Staring out the bus window, my stomach dropped.


    The mansion that came into view looked like something straight out of a movie. It was huge, spotless, and intimidating.


    Tang followed my gaze, his brows knitting. "Wait... where are we ? "


    Cassian just smiled, calm as ever, his tone almost teasing. "My Home, of course. "


    Tang’s voice shot up an octave. "What ? ! "


    I could practically see him doing the math in his head, figuring out how many ways Sebastian was going to kill him for this.


    Cassian pped him on the shoulder,pletely unfazed. "Rx. Sebastian doesn’t actually eat people. I’ll just say I was passing the Lawson estate and decided to bring you all along. "


    I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "We’re dead. We’re so dead. "


    The bus rolled to a stop in the circr driveway of what could only be described as a modernday castle.


    Through the tall windows, I caught the glow of chandeliers and the blur of people in evening gowns.


    Valets hurried toward us but froze mid-step. Their polite smiles vanished the moment they saw what we were driving.


    Surrounded by Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Lamborghinis, and Porsches, our dented, mud-sttered bus might as well have had school trip painted on the side.


    In a ce like this, we were theic relief.


    When the doors hissed open, Poppy stepped out first, heels clicking sharply against the marble. Cassian followed, helping Martha down the steps.


    The valets’ expressions flickered between shock and confusion as the rest of our bedraggled group filed out.


    Cassian didn’t miss a beat. He led us toward a side entrance and waved off the staff with effortless authority.


    "This way, "he said, like he did this sort of thing every day. "We’ll freshen up before joining the others. "


    Thank God for that. Walking into the main ballroom like this would’ve been social suicide.


    We looked less like invited guests and more like survivors from a disaster movie.


    Author’s pov


    Meanwhile, in the ballroom, the murmurs grew louder as the clock approached ten.


    Martha Locke was still nowhere to be seen.


    Zane looked frazzled, running his hand through his hair for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.


    "Still no contact ?"Maggie whispered beside him, her face the perfect picture of concern. "Maybe we should say Mother had an emergency and couldn’t make it."


    On the surface, her expression matched Zane’s worry, but a flicker of satisfaction shed in her eyes.


    She’d expected Cecilia to show up tonight to im her ce as Alpha Sebastian’s mate. Maggie had even nned a little surprise for her, but it was pointless now that Cecilia hadn’t shown up.


    She’d assumed Cassian would lower his guard after thinking she’d shifted her focus from him to Cecilia these past few weeks. Confident she could predict his next move, she’d set a trap along the route he’d take to pick up Martha.


    But Cassian had outsmarted her, taking a different path and wiping out her men instead. Working with Alpha Sebastian had clearly sharpened his instincts.


    Her initial frustration had now turned into dark hope.


    Maybe Belinda had stepped in. The thought of that ruthless woman cleaning up the mess for her made Maggie’s lips twitch with cruel satisfaction.


    If Belinda managed to take out both Cassian and Martha, the Locke family would fall neatly into her hands.


    Zane caught the fleeting smile and felt a twinge of unease, but quickly brushed it off as nerves.


    The other Locke family members stayed silent. When guests asked about the dy, they offered vague excuses about "minorplications. "


    After hearing the same line for the past hour, the guests were losing patience.


    "Do you think Martha’s evening ?"one whispered.


    "Doubt it. It’s way toote,"another replied.


    A third leaned in closer. "I heard she was poisoned, not sick with the flu like they imed. Word is, she thinks someone in the family’s behind it. There’s been tension with her sons for months."


    "You shouldn’t spread rumors like that,"someone scolded, though their tone made it clear they’d be repeating the storyter.


    The gossip spread like wildfire through the ballroom, and the once-lively atmosphere grew tense.


    Guests who’d beenworking moments ago now kept their distance, watching the unfolding drama from the safety of their champagne sses.


    Alpha Yardley spotted Alpha Sebastian returning from outside and waved him over.


    "Any word from Cassian ?"he asked, his usually steady voice tight with concern.


    Alpha Sebastian shook his head, his expression cold. His sharp gaze swept across the room,nding on Maggie. There was calction in his eyes, the kind that made people nervous.


    Across the room, Elder Luna ck, who had been trying to corner Alpha Sebastian all evening, noticed his distraction. She immediately signaled to Liora, and the two women started toward him with Jessica in tow.


    Somehow, every time they got close, Alpha Sebastian managed to slip away. It had turned into a silent game of chase thatsted all night, much to Elder Luna ck’s frustration.


    Luna Regina watched the scene from afar but wisely kept out of it. She stayed busy mingling with other guests, careful not to get dragged into the growing tension.


    Luna Dora, unfamiliar with Colorado Springs society and already on edge, had no no interest in socializing.


    The moment she spotted Maggie, she avoided her like the gue. Instead, she stuck close to Luna Regina, her unofficial bodyguard for the night.


    She’d looked into the feud between them and quickly realized Luna Regina was genuinely kind. With support from both the Silver Peak Pack and the Lawson family, Luna Regina could stand up to Maggie without fear.


    Here, in front of all these powerful families, Maggie had no choice but to y nice. That was exactly why Luna Dora stuck close to her.