C7 Secrets and Alliances

"William is such a buzzkill. If he hadn't stepped in, Isabella would've been caught nudging me on the footage, and that creepy man would've punished her," Ariana complained as they left the pub.

"You better thank William for bailing you out," Penelope snapped.

"What do you mean?" Ariana asked, perplexed.

"It means you couldn't trap Isabella but ended up getting caught yourself, you fool. If they find out you were trying to trip Isabella, who do you think will be in trouble?"

Penelope's scolding came to an abrupt halt as the piercing ringtone of her phone shattered the tension in the room. Upon seeing the caller's name, she felt a surge of nervousness grip her.

"Hello..."

"What on earth do you think you're playing at?"

The authoritative voice on the other end of the line caused Penelope to freeze; her body suddenly became tense with apprehension.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, her voice filled with a newfound courage.

"Why do you persist in tormenting Isabella ever since she confessed her feelings for William? Are you genuinely smitten with him? And if so, then what am I to you?" The growl on the other end of the line was loud and filled with frustration, sending shivers down her spine.

"I-I would never dare," Penelope stammered, her voice trembling once again.

"You better be. Don't lose your focus. You have to assist me in handling William." The man's voice softened slightly as he observed Penelope's compliant demeanor.

Relieved, Penelope exhaled slowly as the tension eased. "Rest assured, on William's birthday next week, I'll be announced as his mate. That's when we can set our plan in motion," she replied with a wicked smirk.

"Don't get too cocky. William is no pushover. I know him better than anyone," the caller cautioned before ending the call abruptly.

William asked for a brief conversation with Isabella, but she declined, provoking his anger. Without hesitation, he yanked off her waitress apron, causing its straps to snap, discarded it, hoisted Isabella onto his shoulder, and stormed out in a fit of rage.

"Ahh, William, release me this instant!" Isabella's voice echoed through the room as she struggled against William's grip, her legs thrashing and her fists pounding on his back.

The spectacle left the onlookers bewildered; some were puzzled by William Ashwood's sudden aggression towards a bar waitress, while others speculated that the girl had incurred the wrath of William's notorious sweetheart.

"William, this is ridiculous!" Isabella protested.

Ignoring her plea, William ceased Isabella's arm struggle and practically shoved her into the women's room. "Isabella, you'd better shape up. You've got one minute to change and come out. If you don't, I won't hesitate to barge in and do it myself."

'As I avoid repeating the events of my past life, the future seems to be altering. William has never acted this way toward me before. Maybe he's upset with me for causing trouble for his sweetheart, Penelope,' Isabella pondered, exhaling a resigned sigh.

She quickly changed her uniform, grabbed her phone, and sent a text to Alex, asking him to cover for her as she couldn't afford to lose her job. Meanwhile, William burst into the room as the one-minute deadline had passed. He grabbed her hand and swiftly led her out of the pub.

"What's the matter with you, William? Release me this instant!" Isabella demanded as they emerged from the pub, her voice resonating in the empty alleyway.

With each passing moment, Isabella continued to challenge William's authority. He grasped her wrist firmly, pressing her against the cold brick wall, and locked his gaze with hers, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Why were you working as a waitress when I offered you a position at Ashwood Industries? How dare you defy my arrangements?" William's voice resonated with frustration as he awaited Isabella's response.

Isabella met his fiery gaze with equal intensity, refusing to yield to his authority. Despite his demands, she remained silent, her defiance only fueling William's frustration.

"Answer me, damn it!" he shouted, his frustration boiling over as he struggled to comprehend Isabella's newfound rebellion, a stark departure from her usual compliance.

"You once deemed me unfit for Ashwood Industries, so why this sudden interest?"

In her previous life, William uttered these words about Isabella in front of Liam when instructing the HR department to secure a menial position for her. Subsequently, he frequently cited his debt to her whenever his temper flared, often directing his frustration towards the most convenient scapegoat.

William was caught off guard. Although he had said those words in front of Liam, he hadn't meant them. How could she have found out?

"What? Shocked?" Isabella raised her eyebrows, meeting his gaze.

Before William could respond, his phone rang, interrupting their confrontation. He retrieved the phone from his pocket and frowned upon seeing the caller's name: 'Liam'.

"Leave this lowly job and adhere to my arrangements, or face the consequences," William warned in a low, stern voice, before releasing her with a jerk and striding away to answer the call.

Isabella stood there in a daze, her eyes fixed on William's retreating figure, absently rubbing her wrist where his grip had left a red bruise. Alex's sudden tap on her shoulder startled her back to reality.

"Oh, Alex..."

"What's up with the alpha? He seemed off today," Alex questioned, following Isabella's gaze.

"It's the usual saga, unpredictable as ever. He's pushing me to join Ashwood instead of sticking around at the pub," Isabella explained, retrieving her handbag from the ground and dusting it off.

"Did you agree?" Alex asked, a tinge of surprise in his voice.

"I'm not ready to give up my peace just yet," Isabella replied with a shake of her head, heading back home.

"What's the matter, Liam?" William inquired as he entered his study, followed closely by Jeremy.

"Robert has struck again; he's abducted the alpha of the Knight Armour Pack," Liam replied urgently.

"Unbelievable. That man knows no bounds," Jeremy muttered, his anger evident in his voice.

"He's already crossed the line by killing mom and dad," William replied, his fists clenched tightly. His parents' murder was a source of deep pain, and the mere mention of Robert added insult to injury.

"His next target could be our pack. William, your safety is paramount. If anything happens to you, the pack will be left vulnerable," Liam said, his tone laced with concern.

"It's inconceivable. How could he dare to mess with the Crescent Moon pack again?" Jeremy interjected, his disbelief evident in his voice.

"In the past, he executed that maneuver, and insider intel suggests the rogue king is lending him support." Liam shared the entirety of his findings procured through his clandestine informant.

"The vampire king and rogue king in cahoots? What's their collective aim in singling out us werewolves?" Jeremy inquired, his concern deepening.

"Robert and the rogue king appear to have forged an alliance to vanquish William, the lone remaining alpha with the ability to challenge Robert. Once he gets rid of William, he will ascend as the alpha king, leaving the rogue king devoid of power."

"So, that's why he sided with Robert against former Alpha Walter? How audacious of him to sabotage the Crescent Moon pack while acting as a rogue," Jeremy remarked.

"Cease," William interjected, pounding his hand on the table to silence them. "Beta, I've taken stock of your information and will contemplate our course of action. For now, leave me be."

With that command, Liam and Jeremy exited, continuing their discussion elsewhere.

'Despite the urgency to deal with Robert Gibson, I must prioritize uncovering the traitor among the werewolves. Even the rogue king wouldn't dare challenge the Crescent Moon pack, the most formidable pack in the North. There must be another mole. Why do I sense it could be someone from within our own pack?'

William pondered deeply for a while before reaching for his phone, firm in his decision, and dialing a number.

"May I request a moment of Madam Elizabeth's time?" William inquired respectfully.

"Ah, the illustrious Alpha William himself graces a lowly court lady with his attention. It must be something of great significance," Elizabeth remarked, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm.

Despite William's aversion to her demeanor, he set aside his pride and addressed Elizabeth with respect once more. "Indeed, Madam Elizabeth. As you're well aware, werewolf breeds remain a constant target of the vampire king, who has found himself a covert accomplice."

"I understand the situation, but what assistance do you seek from me?"

"To eliminate that vile bloodsucker, I must dismantle all his support networks. There's only one person who can aid me in this task: the esteemed wizard, Lady Amelia. Madam Elizabeth, you're the sole individual privy to Lady Amelia's whereabouts, despite her disappearance years ago."

'Amelia the sorceress?' Elizabeth's voice quivered at the mention of her name. "I'm afraid I cannot offer my assistance," she replied ruthlessly before abruptly terminating the call.