Chapter 3: Hidden Secrets

*Liana*

I could barely breathe as I was pressed down by the giant wolf lying on my chest. His breath fanned my neck and face. I was about to push him away when my vision blurred. The giant wolf began to shift.

It was Edmond!

His eyes were sharp, and his body was ridgid as he looked at me as if intent on murder. The blood in my veins turned ice cold as I opened my mouth, ready to scream. But he instantly covered my mouth with his large palm. We were so close that I could feel the steady beating of his heart.

He was tightly pressed against my body, and we were basically staring point blank at each other.

My fearful imagination ran wild… Was this the same humble and honest driver from earlier in the day? Was he Hank's enemy? Or was he a thief coming to steal things? He wouldn't kill me to silence me, right?

"Young lady, if you don't want me to snap your neck, then don't scream!" he growled as he raised his other hand. His palm did not change back. It was still a wolf's claw. His sharp fingertips flashed with a trace of snow-white light. The tip of the claw was pressed against my neck.

If I moved ever so slightly, this sharp claw would cut my neck. I was stunned and even mesmerized that he could control the changes in his body like this.

Unable to struggle, I could only nod frantically. Edmond's wolf claws turned into a hand and gently stroked my cheek, and my entire body trembled as he nodded in satisfaction. He leaned back, and our bodies finally separated. I breathed a sigh of relief.

But why was he looking at me like that? It was just like... just like how Hank looked at me...

"Oh my god." I subconsciously lowered my head. Just now, our bodies were pressed tightly against each other. As we rubbed against each other, my collar became wide open once more. I hurriedly covered myself again, and my face instantly blushed. Why... why did I have to take a shower...

As he gazed at me, it was as if he understood everything, as if he could see through everything. Edmond finally retracted his gaze and a casual smile appeared on his face. What did he want?

I heard my heart beating wildly.

Goddess! Tell me, who the hell is this guy?

Edmond ignored me and I stood from the floor. He opened my bedroom door and looked outside for a while. After confirming that I was alone in the villa, he swaggered forward and casually opened one of the doors.

Huh, what's he doing? Is he really not afraid that I'll suddenly scream or transform to kill him?

I couldn't help but follow behind him to see what he was up to. He was just going in and out of every room. It looked like he was looking for something. It was really strange. Was there some sort of secret that he wanted to acquire in this villa ?

Obviously, he was quite familiar with this place. After searching through a few rooms, he actually found a door to a hidden room. But it was locked.

"Oh my god!" I gasped a little confused. I quietly followed behind him, wondering what angle I should attack from so that I could take him down in one strike.

"Are you trying to transform and give me the fatal blow?" He seemed to have eyes at the back of his head.

I felt embarrassed. He actually knew what I was doing.

"Don't bother. Even if you transform, you won't be able to defeat me. I don’t want to hurt you... Why don't you just quietly stay behind me? Isn't it better to stay alive? Or..."

He turned to me, crossed his arms, and gave me a flirtatious look. "Or maybe you're trying to get some more physical contact with me. All you have to do is say so. I am happy to carry on where Hank left off." He looked me up and down openly. Although I was wrapped in a bathrobe, his gaze made me feel like I was completely naked.

I blushed and whispered, "Don't look at me like that!"

He laughed and stopped teasing me. He turned his head and tried to figure out a way to get into the secret room.

I felt that the most important thing at this moment in time was to get dressed. However, I couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't just barge in again while I was getting changed. Besides, I was also very curious about what he would find in the secret room. If I left, I might miss the most exciting thing.

After careful consideration, I grabbed my collar tightly and followed him into the study on the third floor. Hanging on the wall was a medieval oil painting of a starry sky. He stood in front of the painting and looked at it carefully. His eyes flashed with a blue light. I was shocked once again.

How could he be just a driver?

"Do you think there's something wrong with this painting?" he suddenly asked. I looked around. "Well, there's no one else in the room, right? I'm asking you. What do you think?"

I looked closely at the painting. "This starry sky... is where Scorpia is. But that star right there shouldn't exist in the southwest sector of Scorpia, right?"

He nodded in satisfaction and then took out a tablet from his backpack.

This man was so strange. Why did he trust my observation that much?

He pointed the camera at the painting and took a picture with the flash on. Miraculously, the starry sky on the canvas suddenly began to rotate. When the dislocated stars returned to normal, the door rotated outwards and a secret passage was revealed in front of us.

I was stunned. This guy had actually opened the secret room with high-tech equipment. Was there anything that he didn't know?

Edmond quickly walked inside and I continued to follow. There were rare treasures, antique calligraphies and paintings inside the secret room. There was even a window in the middle of a few bookshelves. There was a small balcony outside.

Presumably, if someone looked from the courtyard, this was just an ordinary room. One would not expect there to be a whole other world inside.

Edmond's computer camera scanned the room. Soon, the computer software emitted a beeping alarm. Edmond cheered softly and took out a box from an armor in the corner of the room.

"Martin, come over here." Edmond hurried to walk over to the window.

Outside the window, a chubby man with black hair suddenly stretched his hand through the window. He took the box from Edmond and smiled at me. "Hi, Liana, are you alright?"

Huh? How did he know me? Not only did he know my name, he seemed to know me quite well.

Edmond waved his hand and asked Martin to go back outside and keep watch while he continued to search for things inside.

What made him come here? I couldn't help but be curious, so I also started to check the bookshelf to see if I could find anything of interest.

The bookshelves were divided into different categories. Some were ancient books, some were journals, and some were letters. I casually flipped through them. There were so many letters from other packs asking Hank for help. -His life-saving healing capability was what made him and his pack unique and powerful.

Suddenly, a box in front of me caught my attention. The wax seal on top of it looked very familiar. This was a seal that belonged to my father. It was a huge wolf with a cigarette pipe in its mouth. It was humorous and dignified.

Had the two of them had dealings in the past?

Driven by curiosity, I opened the box to find a letter. The contents surprised me. He was discussing the role of a certain drug in treatment and suggested that Hank should use the drug with caution. What shocked me the most was that he said in the letter, "Don't forget what happened to Serena. I suggest you reconsider it."

Serena was my mother's name. What did it mean? Did my father know Hank very well? Otherwise, why would he discuss such matters with him in the letter? I didn't think that they talked much.

I looked at the letter in a daze and fell into deep thought. I heard a light breathing sound in my ear, which made me jump. When I turned around, I saw Edmond very close to me. I took a step back and hid the letter in my arms. No matter what this matter had to do with my mother, I needed to keep the evidence to myself.

I avoided Edmond and went somewhere else. Obviously, Edmond wasn't going to let me go that easily. He grabbed my arm and pulled me slightly into his arms.

I let out a soft cry as he nimbly pressed me against the wall. He grabbed my arms with one hand and pressed them against my sides. I had always felt that although I was slender, I was very strong. However, in front of the tall and powerful Edmond, I was as weak as a lamb.

His nearness affected me to my core. There was a familiar and even intimate feeling between us that scared me. In a panic, I turned my head and stuttered, "What... what are you doing... Were you able to find what you were looking for?"

His smile seemed cynical, but his eyes revealed his true thoughts at this moment. They were dark but they were burning with desire.

I was shocked by his gaze. "Edmond, you should let go of me now..."

Edmond suddenly leaned forward and gently kissed my ear. My body suddenly trembled and I almost fell to the ground. I couldn't help but let out a moan. It was a sound that even I couldn't believe I was able to make.

The sensation was thrilling and strange. But, I didn't know what it meant. The moan made me feel embarrassed.

Edmond chuckled softly. "From the moment I saw you, I thought that your earlobes were cute and round. I really wanted to take a small bite. I didn't expect them to really be so sensitive..."

"You... you're spouting nonsense..." At this moment, I was no longer the brave daughter of the Stone Forest pack’s Alpha, but a very timid woman who didn't know what to do.

He smiled and said, "I'm not interested in finding anything else tonight. Tell me, what are you hiding in your arms? Perhaps I can help you with it."

Gathering all my strength, I pushed him away. "It's none of your business."

He stretched out his arms again, placing his hands against the wall on either side of me and locking me in the small space between his arms. He was even closer to me. The smile on his face made me panic even more. His breath was hot. "Young lady, we're on the same team now. Isn't it better that we work together?"

"Work together?" Those words instantly woke me up from the charming atmosphere.

I pushed him away forcefully. "This has nothing to do with you. I don't want you sticking your nose in my personal business."

"You might come to regret rejecting my offer so quickly." His hand squeezed my waist gently. I almost lost myself again.

What was it about this guy? Why did I feel like I was on fire wherever he touched me?

I couldn't just let this happen. My hands reached for a vase beside me. I instantly came back to my senses.

What the! If he dared to come any closer, I would be ready to beat the crap out of him!