17: Investigation
ELIJAH
I enter the Ironwood academy building with Irene trailing behind me, and step inside one of the classrooms without any prior warning. Professor Hayes’s eyes narrow as he sees me, and he asks, “Is there anything I can help you with, Alpha Donovan?” There is an edge of annoyance in his question. He doesn’t appreciate me interrupting his Physics class.
“Yes, I’d like one of your students, Drake, to come with me,” I
respond, and turn towards the seats. I find the brown, curly–haired boy sitting at the last bench. I didn’t expect a smart boy like him to be a backbencher.
Hayes slides his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I see,” he
acknowledges, then calls Drake, who gets up from his seat. The boy frowns when his eyes fall on me. His classmates whisper amongst each other, and I don’t miss the flirtatious glances the teenage girls throw)
my way.
Drake walks towards me, slinging his bag over one shoulder, his face rigid with hatred towards me. We exit the classroom, and Drake immediately questions, “What did you want with me?” His voice carries a hint of annoyance, but he’s careful not to disrespect his Alpha.
“You are the closest to Verena,” I reply.
“You mean my Luna,” he retorts with certainty, indirectly telling me that he won’t accept anyone else as his Luna besides Rena. I’m not surprised; Rena has been his and Dory’s guardian. She told me that she sees potential in the twins, and that one day they’ll be a boon to this pack. That’s why they’re both working at such a young age while also studying in this academy, with their education fees being funded by us.
“Are you familiar with her running USG tests before the rejection?” I ask, cutting to the chase. The sooner we get to this, the better.
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Drake blinks in confusion and looks ahead. “Yeah. I was there with her, along with Dory. I told her to run the test twice because she was unsure of the result, and I got the report from the clinic.”
I stop in my tracks, feeling a heavy weight settle on my chest. That unsettling feeling inside grows. What if Rena was telling the truth all along? What if she was really pregnant?
“Come with me,” I say as an order, and he frowns before following me. We walk down the long stairs of the building and reach the car parking. Irene waits for us with Joshua beside her.
“Where are we going? And why is the orphan kid here?” Joshua asks, and his gaze shifts to Drake.
“Larsen’s Clinic. You’ll know the reason soon,” I turn to Drake and jerk my chin towards the car. “Get inside.”
Joshua tilts his head while watching Drake slide into the backseat. “I see.” There is no particular reaction on his face, but I have this feeling that something is off about him. He has been oddly silent about everything that has happened until now.
the
It takes us fifteen minutes to reach the clinic, and as soon as I strut inside, a sterile scent hits my nose. My eyes fall on receptionist who seems to be having a conversation on her phone. The moment she sees me, her eyes widen and she hangs up her call.
“I–is there something I can help you with, Alpha?” she stutters, her lips trembling as her eyes shift from me to the men beside me.
“Show me the records of the clients who had ÚSG tests in your clinic on July 13th,” I demand.
“A–alright,” She gulps, and with trembling hands, she types
something on the desktop before showing the screen to me. The names of the clients who had undergone USG tests flash on the screen, but Rena’s name is not registered on that particular date.
My eyes narrow at the computer screen. Did she get the test done on a
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different date? Then why is the date July 13th on her report?
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“This can’t be,” Drake’s voice catches my attention. His eyes are trained on the screen, a look of disbelief flashing in them. “There is something wrong with the data. I was here and took the report in the evening. They literally saw me sitting here,” he points at the waiting
area.
“We can’t be sure about that now, can we?” Joshua intervenes with a calm voice. “You favor Verena over anyone else, so there is a possibility that you are spreading lies to protect her name, since she has done so much for you,” he adds, a smirk forming at the corner of his lip.
Drake’s jaw clenches. “I am not lying. I was here, and that’s the truth!” He matches Joshua’s gaze with his fierce brown eyes. “If we are talking about lies, then you are more suspicious because you spread the lie that Luna Verena kicked out Nixie from the pack.”
I raise a brow at Drake’s comment. This information wasn’t exposed to anyone, and I don’t believe Rena would tell him anything. He must have received it from somewhere. For a fifteen–year–old, he’s sharper than I thought.
“Rena did what?” Irene asks with wide eyes. Drake explains
everything, and after a while, Irene purses her lips. “She is not the type to do something like that. I mean, I would have been proud of her if she did kick Nixie out since trash belongs to the trash can. But she’s too kind–hearted for that,” she clicks her tongue while a thoughtful look lights up her blue eyes.
I massage my head that keeps throbbing since this morning. This is harder than I thought.
“I have shown proof to claim what I said. You don’t have anything to prove that you were here or that Verena had done a test,” Joshua accuses. He slides closer to Drake with a dark look falling on his hazel eyes. “Don’t be offended, but orphans like you can’t be trusted.”
Drake does not shrink under Joshua’s suppressing aura and challenges his glare by matching his gaze. But then his eyes shift to the
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receptionist. “I can prove it,” he says confidently.
Irene and I stare at the boy with doubtful looks. How will he prove it? Joshua laughs. “How? By presenting another set of fake documents from Shadow Den like Verena did?” he mocks Drake.
Drake clenches his fist and turns to the receptionist. “Can I access the data on your computer for a while?”
The lady’s eyes widen, and she places a hand on the desktop protectively. “No! We have private information stored in our system, and letting an outsider access them is against our rules.‘
”
“It won’t take that long, and I am not going to look into any personal information. I just need to run another check on your records,” Drake states with firmness in his voice.
The lady’s face turns pale. “I–I can’t let you do that.”
Drake frowns. “But I-”
Joshua places a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “You should not argue with her.” he smiles, his words holding an air of warning.
Drake glares at him but then turns to the lady with a defeated face. “I am sorry.”
“You have my permission, Drake,” I say all of a sudden, getting everyone’s head turning towards me. Joshua raises his brow at me questioningly, but I continue speaking, “Do it. Check the data again.”
Irene looks at me with wide eyes, but then a smirk curls up her lips. She agrees with my decision.
“But Elijah, he’s a kid. What if he messes up with the important records of the hospital?” Joshua protests, and his calm facade breaks.
I look at Irene. “Irene will keep an eye on him.”
“Sure,” she nods and follows Drake.
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Drake’s eyes light up, and he walks over to the receptionist’s seat. The lady behind the desk does not move from her place, staring at him hesitantly.
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