Chapter 34

JANETTE COULDN'T think of a way to ease the family's burden as of the moment. She failed to protect Max this time. What she did in the past was still not enough. She knew that they can't hide the truth forever, but she can't help but feel anxious that everything unfurled when Dolly is conceiving. With her level of authority, she can't hold everyone's mouth. Especially the elders if they wanted to talk.

But why now?

Someone is deliberately ruining Max in the background.

Janette tried to get information from her own husband since he's working at the coven. Mikael's responsibility is to record human reports of abuse from unruly vampires.

It was ironic that her husband got the role while she was responsible for hiding the details of Max' irresponsible actions in the past. This time she's resolved into thinking that the appointment was deliberate in order to humiliate her discreetly.

Mikael is happy about the job, no matter how superfluous it is because no one really reports him something important. Janette didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

'J. Hathaway'

That's a very... familiar name. Cedric's breakthrough and the discovery of the actual culprit's corpse is a great contribution. But it didn't diminish the impact of Max' past being out in the open.

The people condemned him, even if they didn't know the truth.

Maybe this is the reason why Dolly can't say to her own husband that she's currently expecting.

Janette noticed it in the first week. She's a woman, and so she had experienced all wonders when she had Jeffrey. There are no mysteries left. She had been waiting ever since for the official announcement but it never came.

It looks like Dolly intended to hide the baby's existence for now. Not that Janette blames her for it. She know that Dolly only hid this to not add up Max' worries in the coven.

No matter. Janette intended to see this subject for her own hands. She needed to talk to Dolly, and let her know that her sister in law is here to help and assist during tough times.





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JEFFREY put the plates on the table and sat across Cedric. He pretended to not see the man's frown. These days, Cedric had been more... demanding than usual. And it's not even on the sexual course of their life but... more.

After Owell's death, Cedric became attentive and clingy towards him. Jeffrey understood him and never rejected his care. It's just that... he's scared to get used to it.

His parents doesn't shower him with love. Although his father doted on him, his mom made sure he had a tough upbringing. He grew up just like most kids in the coven. With the addition of bodyguards everywhere. Not that Jeffrey liked the feeling of being followed around.

"Wow... you Adenhart people really love pasta dishes, don't you?"

"Yes." Jeffrey bit his lips and hesitated, "You don't like it?"

"I've lived half of my life eating instant noodles. Actual pasta with amazing sauce? Who am I to say no?"

He squinted, but his mouth betrayed and expressed his happy mood. "Still a charmer, I see."

"You have to eat vegetables too." Cedric mumbled through eating, "Tomorrow I'm going to cook for dinner, okay? We'll have stir-fry vegetables then chicken soup."

"That sounds delicious." Jeffrey knew by the sound that those dishes were casually served in a usual household with a complete family. He wanted to enjoy a simple meal with him. Pastas tends to remind him of home, hence he can't help but act more refined and pretentious while eating.

It had become a habit.

After polishing off the plates, Cedric volunteered to wash the dishes. Jeffrey acquiesced and proceed to review the evidence they have in hand.

There was no denying that J. Hathaway was the suspect for killing several women over the past few months. But the 'main' culprit here, is not yet in sight.

Based on what Owell had told them, his mate, Julien, was a vampire that is over five hundred years old. Jeffrey assumed he's probably older than Max. The reports of the corpse examination proved him to be right.

And he was not the one who bit those women. He did not inject them with his blood.

Someone, Owell said that it was Julien's younger brother, who did all of that. As for the reason why, he doesn't know himself. But he had been living inside a coffin. Asleep for many years with only a packet of blood through an IV drip to his wrist supporting him every day.

He went for an escape, and he succeeded for a while. Owen and Julien met after that and they were together for a month before Julien was forcefully sent back to his coffin.

Several gum injuries and drought of blood led Jeffrey and Cedric to think that the guy had been drained slowly since then. Wether it was his blood or saliva, it didn't matter.

His injuries didn't heal because his soul suffered a huge blow when he left his mate.

Julien had no faith in the fates themselves, and he no longer prayed since he woke up from his deep sleep. He made Owell the center of his life. The only sun revolving around him.

That's why when they separated, he suffered the most.

"Your father told me that Elder Howard Hathaway had an older brother, but he died with his parents when their summer villa blown up to pieces during an election way back then. They were a family of known politicians before that's why Howard's standing in the coven is immovable even though he always find fault with Max everytime he sees an opportunity."

"Is there no way to prove Julien is Howard's brother?" Jeffrey swallowed. "Now I'm thinking that maybe the whole family's bombing accident is planned by the elder."

"Yes. Julien's fingerprint and blood should be able to prove it. The Hathaway clan had a distinct tattoo markings on their body to prove that one belongs to the main clan. Another point on our side. Now about the incident before... it was hard to prove then if that speculation is true. Fire are the vampire's second worst enemy. Once they burn, they crush into ashes directly and they won't leave a body behind."

"After we get the result, we should be able to summon the elder for questioning."

"Aside from Owell's video recording when I interrogated him, we have nothing else to push this matter to his face since we didn't have the result from the DNA and fingerprints. I'm afraid we can't pin him down yet."

Jeffrey put down the files and hailed him over. He ordered him to sit by the bed while Jeffrey massage his forehead. "It's fine. As long as we can get Uncle Max out of this. He should not lose the members' trust. Why is the tattoo not enough?"

"I suspected that Julien once had a tattoo on his shoulder but... it was scraped off with a hot iron. Hence the ugly scar on his back. This is not simple. Elder Howard has the power and the resources to make problems with us. I hope you won't be complacent these days. Watch out for your safety."


Warmth filled his eyes. He answered diligently, "I know. You should follow your own advice as well."

"Hmn..." Cedric grumbled in response. His stomach full, and the delightful massage made him feel relaxed and sleepy. His mild ascent lost with the light snore afterwards.

Maximilian's Fateful Discovery in Little Maddison
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