The Alpha's Exchanged Mate
The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 176

Alexander’s POV…

B***d rushed through my ear as I tried hard to process the bombshell Caleb had just dropped. My voice seemed to fade for a brief second.

I held on tightly to the tablet, trying to control the emotions flowing through me. With a steady breath, I opened my eyes as I watched the video. My eyes stung at the sight. It was a clear scene of John snuffing the life out of Sonia.

“How the hell did he get in? And where in the pit of hell did this bastard arise from?” I boomed, letting anger surge through every pore in my body.

Caleb sat down on the edge of the bed, looking exhausted. “I’m just as confused as you are. But then the most surprising thing is how he came through the main door and locked it from inside.” He said in reference to the video.

“Who was assigned to be Sonia’s maid?” I inquired.

“Should be the lady who carried Star in her arms when we came in,” Caleb responded.

“I need her right this minute.”

Standing up, I paced the room impatiently. This is the most confusing state I have ever been in my whole life. How can someone who had been proclaimed dead for a long while now suddenly show up? And not just that, he came back to kill his own daughter.

My memory flashed back to the times Sonia was being trailed, and she had made the sudden revelation of her father being a molester and doing all sorts of things to her. It was definite that she must have been telling the truth when Sonia told Edwina that he was after her life.

But the most amusing at the moment is why he took so long to get to her if he was still planning to execute her. Looking at it the other way around, the packhouse is safely guarded. There was no way he would have gotten in on his own.

It must have been someone who was close enough to Sonia and knew John was in connection with her that let him in.

I cussed out in annoyance when I remembered that I wasn’t supposed to be out of my wheelchair. I sat in it hurriedly, and only by a split second of luck did I not get caught as the door opened. Caleb came in accompanied by the said maid, who looked super young and extremely innocent.

However, I have learnt to not judge people by their looks and instead have proof of who they really are.

“Here she is,” Caleb announced, pushing her in front of me.

“Alpha!” She murmured, her voice sounding coarse, like she had been crying her lungs out. She went down on her knees in front of me, matching my gaze.

“What’s your name?”

It took her a moment to get a hold of herself, but she responded eventually. “Athena.”

I gave Caleb a confused look, “why are you here as a maid? Aren’t you too young to be working here?”

“My mother was the one who worked here, she got sick, and I had to take her place because we needed the money,” Athena responded.

I almost didn’t hear her. Letting out a long breath, I directed my gaze at Caleb, giving the go-ahead to question her.

Caleb cleared his throat, looking more vicious. His wolf was on the surface, almost like it was ready to pounce on her.

“Where were you when the deed happened?” He asked.

Athena gulped hard, moving on her knees like she was backing out. “I was in my room sleeping. I had been with ma’am Sonia all morning during the birth. She had permitted me to go and rest.”

“When you came to check on her, how was the door?”

“It was locked from the inside.”

I could feel Caleb sizing her up, trying to figure her truth out. Taking the tablet from me, he showed it to her.

For a split second, recognition flashed through Athena’s face, and I knew instantly that she was familiar with John. Caleb gave me a nod.

“Do you know him?” I asked her.

The wheels turned in her head as her wolf panicked. She was definitely thinking of a lie. That wouldn’t work at all, as my wolf was convinced she had something to do with it.

“A guard should come in,” I growled.

In a second, one of the guards came inside, and he happened to be the same one who had come to break the news of Sonia’s death.

“You know her?” I asked him

“Very well, alpha.” He responded, bowing lightly.

“You should know her room then. Everything that belongs to her should be brought right here.”

He ran out almost immediately.

“Now, Athena, if you know what is good for you, it would be nice if you start saying exactly what you know. I won’t be so kind if you make any attempt to lie to me.” I warned, rumbling in my deepest voice to let her know just how serious this was.

Caleb had his hands underneath his clothing like he would bring out a kind of weapon to threaten her. Athena got scared, her eyes rounding like saucers.

“It’s really not my fault. I didn’t know he had bad intentions for her,” Athena wailed.

“Enough with the tears, and tell us everything you know!” Caleb looked pissed.

Repositioning herself, she started talking. “I met John on a site.”

“What site?” Caleb and I blurted.

She looked mortified, “it’s a sight where rich old werewolves connect with younger werewolves like myself to meet up for s*x, and in return, the girl gets paid a good amount of money..”

I marked that in my head to ensure that such an illicit site should be brought down. Now, it is duly affirmed that John has a thing for young girls.

Our silence urged Athena to keep talking, “I had met with John, and he was quite generous.”

Indeed, I must say, since the guard corroborated her story with his entrance and among the things he found in her room was a bundle of cash. It looked a bit crispy and untouched. She must have collected it a while ago.

“Keep going.” I glared at her, shifting in my chair.

Athena sniffed as more tears rolled down her eyes. “We got together twice, and the second time was when he knew that I was working with ma’am Sonia. Then he said she was his niece, and he wanted to see her and make amends for the last time because a whole lot of people were after him. I felt pity.”

I had no intention of interrupting her, but the bitch was definitely lying through her f*****g teeth. Caleb growled in annoyance at her, and she gasped in fear.

“Don’t make me lose my cool right now.” Caleb threatened.

She looked like a scared cat as her lips wobbled. “He promised to pay me some good cash if I let him in, but I promise he meant no harm.” Athena tried to defend him. But got quiet when my eyes and that of Caleb bore into her. “I was so excited today and had told him, ma’am Sonia had put to bed. He pleaded to see her to congratulate her. I never knew he was coming to kill her.” She wailed loudly now.

I didn’t know what to think, she sounded pathetic, and none of me felt sorry for her. Athena’s greed would now lead her to the night howlers dungeon where greedy backstabbers are kept.

One of the guards rushed back in, “the Luna is awake.”

I looked towards the guard. “take her away.” I ordered. I called Caleb to take me to my mate, blocking out Athena’s voice as she pleaded for mercy.