It had been hard enough keeping up the pretense around the representatives from the High Council.
He didn’t know how well he could do that in front of the person who potentially harmed his parents.
"I see," He murmured, his shoulders tense with worry.
Jael glanced at Asher’s dark expression and kept talking, "You also don’t have to be dressed to the nines like you were for the High Council." He spoke carefully.
"All you have to do is wear and wig and lie."
Something about Jael’s dry delievery made Caspian crack up.
The image of him wearing an out-of-place wig on a completely masculine outfit and introducing himself to Alpha Warren as Cassia was ludicrous.
"You don’t even have to lie," Asher joined in, "You don’t have to wear a wig either, just leave it all to us."
"I don’t mind a wig," He chuckled.
They could only be so obvious.
He would just wear face masks the entire time and leave the talking to Asher and Jael like they said.
With that resolved, Jael moved on. "The resort opening is a weekend-long event," He spoke as he typed on the laptop on the table in front of him.
"It means we have at most two days to find enough information..."
The weekend was already here, there was no time to stew about what he had agreed to.
And maybe it was for the best because Caspian wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he backed out of this and the truth was found out without him there.
Regardless of what the truth turned out to be, he would take solace that he had been involved in digging it up.
And after that, he would be able to address his issues with his Pack, and cut them off completely for good.
Caspian did his best to ignore the concern visible on Asher’s face because he would rather not address it.
He knew he was being a tad bit inconsiderate by insisting on coming along, but there was no other option for him.
Jael tried his best to get him to back away but he was steadfast, stubbornly refusing to give in.
Now they were in a car heading to Moonstone and the car was completely silent, the air tense.
Jael drove while he sat with Asher in the back, two cars coming along with them.
Caspian wore a blonde wig with bangs that obscured his eyes, as well as a black face mask that covered the lower half of his face.
He wouldn’t have minded the silence if Asher and Jael weren’t constantly shooting him worried looks.
This had already been going on for a full day prior but being locked in a car with them both made it unbearable.
Even Lucy had looked at him the same way as she helped him pack up for the trip.
He didn’t mind that Jael had told her, and he knew it wasn’t pity they all felt for him but he kind of wished they would worry less.
He wouldn’t insist on coming along if he didn’t think he could do this.
Caspian wouldn’t ruin such a good chance to find out information just because he wanted to be involved.
The journey was faster by car, especially as they didn’t have to make any stops.
It was late in the afternoon on a Friday when they drove into the town.
Alpha Warren had offered them a private room in the Pack house just as they had hoped.
So Jael drove them to the Pack house while the men accompanying them went off somewhere else - most likely to the hotel they would stay in for the entirety of the trip.
In the parked car, Jael turned around. "Lucy advised that you eat nothing in the Pack house," He casually dropped her name.
Caspian knew that her ’advice’ was an order, and he had no intention of not listening to her.
It would also spare him having to eat meals with the rest of the Pack.
The reason for Lucy’s stringent orders was clear, and it set the tone for what they were about to do.
"Right," Asher spoke, his voice low.
He got out of the car and went around, Caspian sitting tight until he came.
It was obvious that the Alpha was pissed off but Caspian found it hard to be.
He didn’t exactly eat like a King when he used to live in the Pack house so the possibility that he might be poisoned wasn’t that shocking.
Asher gently helped him out despite the fire in his eyes, a group of familiar faces stepping out of the Pack house as soon as they were both out.
Caspian was grateful for the mask he wore because he doubted that he would have been able to keep a straight face in the presence of Alpha Warren.
They were all here to welcome them, Alpha Warren, Luna Tammy... and Noah.
He held onto Asher’s arm, and although the Mafia King was at his intimidating best, massive fur coat on, all three of them had their gazes on him.
Caspian met them back, quietly watching pleasantries get exchanged.
"I didn’t think you would make it," Alpha Warren was saying, never taking his eyes off him.
"It almost sounds like I’m not welcome," Asher said smoothly.
"Not at all," Alpha Warren immediately retraced his steps, "This is my wife, Tammy, and our only son Noah. Caspian’s ma..."
"Mate. Right." Asher cut him, his voice having the quality of a sharp knife.
That made Alpha Warren go quiet, wisely saying nothing more about the topic.
Tammy immediately stepped in, "It’s such an honor to meet you, Mafia King Asher," She said in a lilting voice, all smiles.
"I’m glad your mistress could make it as well. Cassia, am I right?" She went right on.
Caspian just stared at her in the ensuing silence that followed, saying nothing.
She was less intimidating while Asher was by his side, her bleached blonde hair perfectly coiffed.
"We’ve had a long day," Asher broke the long silence, "If you could show us to our room."