< Chapter 212 The Investigation Breakthrough
Chapter 212: The Investigation Breakthrough
Chapter 212: The Investigation Breakthrough
(Aria’s POV)
+8 Points
I pressed the phone closer to my ear, my heart racing as Hunter Hayes’s words echoed in my mind. The DNA results had just shattered every theory we’d constructed about Alison Lewis’s identity.
“She’s not related to any of the Lewis brothers?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “Not Dr. Samuel
Lewis, not Dr. Thomas Lewis, not Dr. Marcus Lewis?”
“None of them,” Hunter confirmed through the phone, his professional tone carrying the weight of scientific
certainty. “The DNA analysis is conclusive. Alison Lewis shares no genetic markers with any member of the
Lewis family.”
My wolf whimpered with confusion and frustration. All our careful deductions, all our strategic planning- completely wrong. We were back to square one, and the truth seemed more elusive than ever.
“That doesn’t make sense,” I said, sinking into the nearest chair as the implications hit me. “If she’s not related to any of them, why would the Lewis family take hen? Why would they lie about finding her
abandoned?”
“That’s exactly what we need to figure out,” Dominic’s voice came through clearly, his Alpha authority cutting through my spiraling thoughts. “Hunter, thank you for the report. That will be all.”
“Yes, sir,” Hunter replied, and I heard the soft click of him leaving Dominic’s office.
“Dominic,” I said urgently, “this changes everything. All our theories about family jealousy, about someone wanting to prevent my father from becoming head healer-”
“Are still valid,” Dominic interrupted, his strategic mind already adapting to the new information. “We just
need to look at this from a different angle.”
“What angle?” I asked, frustration creeping into my voice. “We’ve eliminated every suspect we had.”
“Have we?” Dominic’s tone carried that familiar note of calculation. “Think about it, Aria. If Alison isn’t related
to the Lewis brothers, but was placed with their family anyway, that suggests something even more
deliberate than we originally thought.”
I felt my breath catch as his meaning became clear. “You think she was planted there specifically to monitor our family?”
“Exactly,” Dominic confirmed. “Which means her real father isn’t just some unknown werewolf from another territory. He’s someone with intimate knowledge of Lewis family dynamics, someone who understood exactly how to place a spy within your household.”
The scope of the deception was staggering. For twenty years, we’d welcomed Alison as family, shared our secrets, our celebrations, our private moments. All while she’d been reporting back to someone who wanted to destroy us.
“But who?” I pressed, my wolf bristling with the violation of pack trust. “If it’s not one of my uncles, then who
has that kind of access and motivation?”
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< Chapter 212 The Investigation Breakthrough
“I have an idea,” Dominic said quietly. “But I want to wait for concrete evidence before I share it with you.”
“Dominic, please,” I begged. “I need to know what you’re thinking.”
“I don’t want to get your hopes up only to disappoint you,” he replied gently. “We’ve been wrong before. This time, I want to be absolutely certain before we make accusations.”
His protective instincts were showing, but his secrecy only increased my anxiety. “Can’t you at least give me a hint?”
“Soon,” Dominic promised. “I’m having Hunter run additional background checks on some peripheral figures. Once we have those results, I’ll explain everything.”
I wanted to press him further, but the exhaustion in his voice reminded me of the enormous pressure he was under with the Northern Territory Security Council project. He was juggling our family crisis alongside potentially career–defining professional responsibilities.
“Alright,” I conceded reluctantly. “But Dominic, I’m worried about Patricia Lewis’s continued silence. Her loyalty to whoever’s behind this seems to extend beyond mere family obligation.”
“I know,” Dominic agreed. “Her confidence suggests she has insurance of some kind. Something that makes her believe she’s untouchable.”
“What kind of insurance?”
“That’s what we need to find out,” Dominic said grimly. “But whatever it is, it’s keeping her from cooperating even when facing serious consequences.”
The conversation left me with more questions than answers, but I could hear the determination in Dominic’s
voice. He wouldn’t rest until we uncovered the truth.
(Aria’s POV)
Two months had passed since Nolan’s birth, and the Lewis family territory had finally settled into its new configuration following the asset division. The process had been lengthy and complex, involving territorial lawyers and pack mediators, but my parents had finally severed their financial ties with the main Lewis family hierarchy.
The consequences were immediate and dramatic.
“Michael, you’ve made a terrible mistake,” Dr. Marcus Lewis had warned during their final confrontation, his wolf’s scent heavy with anger and resentment. “You think you can just walk away from generations of family unity?”
“I can and I have,” my father replied coldly, his Alpha authority unwavering despite Dr. Marcus Lewis’s attempts at intimidation. “This family lost the right to unity when they chose favoritism over fairness.”
“You’ll regret this decision,” Dr. Marcus Lewis continued, his voice rising with desperate fury. “Without the Lewis family backing, your precious business ventures will crumble. Your wife, your daughter–they’ll all suffer for your pride.”
The threat was unmistakable, and my father’s protective instincts exploded into full display. His wolf’s dominance flooded the room as he stepped closer to his brother.
“Are you threatening my family?” my father asked, his voice deadly quiet.
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<Chapter 212 The Investigation Breakthrough
Dr. Marcus Lewis seemed to realize he’d overstepped, but his pride prevented him from backing down. “I’m simply stating facts about the consequences of your choices.”
“Let me state a fact for you,” my father replied, his Alpha presence radiating dangerous intent. “If anyone- and I mean anyone–dares to harm Caroline or Aria, they’ll answer to me personally. Family or not.”
“I would never hurt them,” Dr. Marcus Lewis protested, his wolf’s scent shifting with genuine distress. “I had nothing to do with Aria’s k********g, and I would never-”
“I don’t want to hear it,” my father cut him off with cold finality. “You’ve made your position clear, and I’ve made mine. We have nothing further to discuss.”
After Dr. Marcus Lewis left, my mother wrapped her arms around my father’s tense shoulders.
“He’ll come crawling back within a month,” she said confidently, her maternal wolf’s scent carrying satisfied certainty. “The Lewis family relies too heavily on Lewis Corporation’s financial support. Without our backing,
they’ll be struggling to maintain their territory and lifestyle.”
“Let them struggle,” my father replied grimly. “Maybe it will teach them the value of family loyalty.”
(Aria’s POV)
The next day, I decided to visit my parents at the Lewis family estate, leaving Nolan with Dominic, who had finally managed to clear his schedule for some much–needed family time. His powerful presence was always comforting to our pup, and I knew Nolan would be perfectly safe in his father’s capable hands.
“I was hoping you’d come by,” my mother said warmly as she welcomed me into their private sitting room. “How’s little Nolan adjusting to his routine?”
“He’s doing wonderfully,” I replied, settling into my favorite chair. “Growing stronger every day. Dominic says he’s going to be a formidable Alpha when he comes of age.”
“Just like his father,” my mother agreed with obvious pride in her voice.
“Actually,” I said, trying to sound casual, “Dominic wanted to invite you both to dinner at Moon Valley tonight. He’s been wanting to cook for you.”
My father looked up from his financial documents, his enhanced werewolf senses immediately picking up the
underlying tension in my request.
“And what’s the real reason?” he asked perceptively, his knowing gaze meeting mine. “You’re not just here for social planning.”
I sighed, recognizing that I couldn’t hide anything from my father’s intuitive understanding. “We need to talk about the investigation. All of us together.”
“The investigation into your k********g?” my mother asked, her maternal wolf immediately alert.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “We’ve hit some unexpected developments that require family input.”
My father closed his documents and gave me his full attention. “What kind of developments?”
“The kind that are better discussed over dinner,” I replied, not wanting to get into the complex details in their formal sitting room. “Dominic has some theories that might surprise you.”
(Aria’s POV)
That evening, we arrived at Moon Valley Residences to find Dominic in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up as he
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< Chapter 212 The Investigation Breakthrough
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worked over the stove with focused concentration. The domestic sight of my powerful Alpha mate preparing dinner still surprised visitors who only knew his commanding public persona.
“Something smells incredible,” my mother exclaimed as we entered, her wolf’s enhanced senses picking up the rich aromas. “Dominic, I had no idea you were such a skilled cook.”
Dominic looked up with a genuine smile, his cedar scent carrying satisfaction at her approval. “I learned out of necessity during my years of independent living. Now it’s become a hobby.”
“What are you making?” my father asked, approaching the stove with curious interest.
“Venison steaks with rosemary and thyme, roasted vegetables from our garden, and wild rice pilaf,” Dominic
replied, his Alpha pride evident in the careful preparation. “All traditional Northern Territory cuisine.”
“It looks and smells restaurant quality,” my mother said admiringly, her wolf’s scent carrying genuine
appreciation.
During dinner, my parents lavished praise on Dominic’s culinary skills, the perfectly seasoned venison earning
enthusiastic compliments. The roasted vegetables were tender and flavorful, the wild rice pilaf aromatic and
satisfying.
“This is exceptional,” my father said after his first bite. “Wher you learn to cook like this?”
“Trial and error, mostly,” Dominic replied modestly. “And some guidance from the Shadow Pack’s traditional cooks when I was younger.”
After we finished eating and moved to the living room for coffee, I decided it was time to address the real
reason for our gathering.
“We need your help with the investigation,” I said directly, my hands wrapped around my warm mug. “We’ve hit what appears to be a dead end, but we think fresh perspective might help us see something we’ve missed.”
“What kind of dead end?” my father asked, his Alpha instincts immediately engaged.
“The DNA results came back,” I explained, watching their expressions carefully. “Alison Lewis is not Patricia Lewis and Dr. Marcus Lewis’s biological daughter.”
My mother’s coffee mug froze halfway to her lips, her maternal wolf whimpering with shock at this revelation.
“What do you mean she’s not their daughter?” she asked, her voice tight with confusion and distress.
“Exactly what I said,” I replied gently. “The genetic testing proves she has no biological relationship to Dr. Marcus Lewis or Rebecca Lewis. None whatsoever.”
“But that’s impossible,” my mother protested. “They found her abandoned as a child. They raised her as their
own.”
“Or so they claimed,” Dominic interjected, his strategic Alpha mind cutting through the emotional confusion. “But now we know that story was fabricated.”
“For what purpose?” my father asked, though his expression suggested he was beginning to understand the implications.
“To place a spy within the Lewis family,” I said grimly. “Someone who could monitor our activities, report on our plans, and potentially facilitate my k********g when the time was right.”
“A spy,” my mother repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. “In our own home. For twenty years.”
< Chapter 212 The Investigation Breakthrough
+8 Points >
“It explains how the kidnappers knew exactly when and where to find me,” I continued. “How they understood our family’s routines, our security measures, our vulnerabilities.”
Dominic leaned forward, his silver–gray eyes intense with calculation. “We’ve ruled out the three Lewis
brothers through DNA testing. Dr. Marcus Lewis, Dr. Samuel Lewis, and Dr. Thomas Lewis have all been
eliminated as potential fathers.”
“Then who is Alison’s real father?” my mother asked, her wolf’s protective instincts struggling with the
violation of family trust.
“That’s what we need to determine,” I said. “And that’s why we need your help. You know the family dynamics better than anyone. You understand the history, the relationships, the motivations.”
My parents exchanged meaningful looks, their enhanced werewolf senses communicating volumes beyond
spoken words.
“Think carefully,” Dominic urged. “Who else had intimate access to your family? Who understood your
routines well enough to orchestrate such a complex deceptior
My father’s expression grew distant as he processed the information, his Alpha mind working through decades of memories and relationships. His wolf’s scent shifted subtly as pieces of a long–hidden puzzle
began falling into place.
Suddenly, his eyes widened with horrified recognition, and his entire body went rigid with shock and rage.
“I know who it is,” he declared with absolute certainty, his voice carrying the weight of long–held suspicions finally crystallizing into undeniable truth.
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