Sugar Mommy

Chapter 21

Sugar Mommy

Chapter Twenty-One

Steven Johnson

"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure, Sir Miller?" I forced out a smirk, unwilling to betray my true feelings about him being inside my territory.

"Drop the honorifics, Steven." Dolores' elder brother sighed, setting down the magazine he was reading as I took my seat opposite him. "I need to tell you something."

"You may," I dismissed the guards to give us privacy, taking a sip from the cup of water in front of me.

"I think Dolores has traveled to the world of the dead."

I chocked.

This news was not what I expected to hear.

This news was not, by any means, okay.

"W-What?" I croaked out, silently begging that I heard him incorrectly.

However, his eyes betrayed otherwise.

"She hasn't returned home all night, and the page on Ezra Miller is marked all over in our family's history book, on the table she was sitting on in the library." Denver sighed. "I'm afraid, I know she's not down there only for Haru."

"Well, no shit!" I exclaimed. "She cannot find out-- what if she tried to meet the Lord and Lady Miller? The Alpha and Luna cannot meet the Princess!"

"You think I do not know that?" Denver gave me a death stare, which quieted me immediately. "But I'm not here to plan a way out of this disaster. I think we're far away from that now."

I paused.

"What are you here to do then?" I eyed the rather young Alpha, narrowing my gaze in question.

"Steven," He began, pausing immediately after. "There's something you should know."

"Know... what?" I leaned in towards Denver, eager to hear what he has to say.

"There is a reason why Dolores used to blame me for what happened that night." Denver began. "Not because the word came out that I knew about the Minister. Or because I wasn't the one who sentenced the Minister."

"What do you mean?"

"I found out that Dolores knew of the Minister's plans... far before me," Denver confessed. "It was why she was so eager to leave for her archery practice that day."

"Princess Dolores was at archery practice."

"The Princess should not know of this."

"Because she knew that there was no way anyone could've thought that she'd be home before our parents left. She wanted all kinds of suspicions off from her name."

"Because if nobody suspects her," I puzzled the pieces together. "They'll all suspect you."

"Exactly," Denver nodded. "Which is why the Minister encouraged you and your Luna to leave at a later time."

"I did leave at a later time," I trailed off. "It was Sophia who left earlier on and--" I froze. "It was Sophia's car that hit your parents'."

"Sophia-- she tried to escape," Denver whispered. "The driver tried to pull on the brakes. Neither Sophia nor her driver was able to see my parents' car approaching."

"No, no," I felt my voice shake, a hard lump growing in my throat as I stopped my eyes from getting watery.

"Steven,"

"No," I exclaimed, as loud as I could muster, even though it came out as nothing more than a whisper in the threatening silence.

"Goodbye, mi amor." She whispered, gently closing her eyes and letting her hand rest on mine, our fingers intertwined like the heavens and the clouds.

"Y-Your sister--" I stuttered. "She knew about the accident." My jaw shook as I spoke. "She could've stopped it, but she stayed silent."

"Forget me, mi amor." A precious, knife-like diamond tear left her eyes. The eyes that looked at me with a love no other ever showed me. "You have to continue living without me."

"Your sister killed my Sophia," I whispered, my eyes bloodshot. "But even yet, I unwillingly stood by her side when she refused to move by Haru's bed."

"Steven--"

"No more," I clenched my fists. "No more, Alpha Miller." I lifted my head. "Your sister took what was most precious to me, and now, I will do the same."

"You--"

"Do not interfere!" I yelled. "If you do, I will take from you what you hold most dear. I will take from you, your pack, your empire, and your pride." I watched his eyes grow wide, a wave of impatient anger flashing on them. "Don't test me, Your Highness. I refuse to be played by you, and your family any longer."

"You don't understand, Steven!" Denver raised his voice. "Dolores-- she isn't thinking correctly."

"She isn't, but I am."

"You don't--" He paused, taking a breath to calm himself. "Dolores's wolf, Diana, is manipulating Dolores's thoughts."

"What does that mean?" I rolled my eyes. "Wolves don't have the power to manipulate us-"

"Maybe not ours, but Dolores is a different case." He clenched his fists.

"Steven, how long will you take?" Sophia's honey-like voice fluttered into the room.

"I'll take a bit long, my queen." I gave her an apologetic look. "Why don't you leave earlier?"

"What is that supposed to indicate?"

"Diana, she found out something that happened that night." Denver closed his eyes, before opening them. "That's why she left with Dolores that day earlier than usual to pick Haru up."

"And what did Diana find out?"

"Which driver should I take?" Sophia grabbed her purse.

"Take- uh-" I tried to remember the name of any of our many, many drivers. "Take Nicolas."

"Okay," She nodded. "See you in a bit, my love."

"The person driving Sophia that night," Denver paused. "Nicolas, I believe his name was."

"Yeah, he died thanks to your sister's silence as well."

"He was--" Denver clenched his jaw.

"What about him?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "He should be rather insignificant compared to the three very important lives lost."

"No!" Denver shouted. "Why I came here today, Steven. We need to get Haru's funeral ready before Dolores reaches the realm of mortals again. Otherwise, I fear Haru's soul won't be the only soul she brings back."

What?

Does that mean...

"Why did Dolores go to the underworld, Denver?" I looked at him, my wide eyes plastered with fear of what I hoped he would not say.

"Nicolas Lanzo." Denver breathed. "Your driver."

I paused.

"And my sister, my pack's future monarch's mate."

Two steps forward, one step back.
Nothing too fast.