Mated to the Mad Lord-Chapter 217: Betrayal

"I agree with Moona! Right now, we need to focus on the survivor!" Javi’s voice cut through the tension, but the air in the hall remained thick, heavy with unspoken threats and simmering anger. Hayna and Rasha, both Lords in their own right, couldn’t just back down easily, no matter how little they wanted to clash with Moona.

It wasn’t until Dravile also opened his mouth to speak, with Vazer absentmindedly nodding in agreement, that the two women finally sat back in their seats, though they continued to glare at each other.

Meanwhile, Vazer continued to nod, but his mind was elsewhere. He leaned back in his chair, feigning ease, even as his thoughts raced. A survivor. The word echoed in his mind like a death knell. For a fleeting moment, his fingers twitched against the armrest, but he masked it well, his face impassive as he let out a slow breath through his nose. He had left nothing behind. He was sure of it. Masdaw had burned along with everything else in that accursed mansion, reduced to ashes beneath his meticulous planning. And yet, if Javi was telling the truth, if there truly was someone left breathing who had witnessed that night—

No. It’s impossible.

But what if it wasn’t?

The others were already weighing in, their voices filling the chamber. Hayna, still bristling from her exchange with Rasha, straightened in her seat.

"The survivor must be protected at all costs," she declared, her deep red eyes flashing. "The second he wakes up, we need answers. If it was indeed the werewolves, we have to strike first."

Moona, soft-spoken yet formidable, merely nodded. "We cannot allow fear to divide us. He will be guarded well, questioned only when he is stable enough to speak." Her voice remained quiet, but the force behind it was undeniable.

Rasha scoffed, flipping her crimson hair over her shoulder. "Fine. As long as we aren’t walking blindly into some misguided revenge scheme."

Dravile, ever the brooding presence, folded his arms across his broad chest. "I want names. If this survivor has even a scrap of information, we need to extract it. And if this is a trap, we eliminate him."

Vazer allowed a slow smile to creep onto his lips. "Couldn’t have said it better myself." He leaned forward slightly, his voice measured and just the right amount of eager. "In fact, I’d be more than happy to oversee the questioning myself."

Javi’s eyes flicked to him almost immediately, sharp and calculating, and Vazer knew then that the bastard was baiting him. He could feel the weight of Javi’s gaze, searching, probing.

Javi chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That won’t be necessary, Lord Vazer."

Vazer tilted his head, arching a brow. "Oh? And why not?"

"I believe I’m more than capable." Javi’s tone was smooth, his lips curling into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "I wouldn’t dream of burdening you with such a task."

It was a direct challenge. A test. If Vazer pushed too hard, he would seem too eager. If he let it go too easily, it might look like he didn’t care at all. So, he chose the middle ground, exhaling through his nose in feigned amusement.

"If you insist." He smirked, leaning back once more. "Just be sure you don’t scare the poor thing to death before he can talk."

Javi’s eyes lingered for a moment too long before he finally looked away.

The meeting concluded shortly after, with each Lord dispersing to their respective territories. But Vazer wasted no time. The moment he was back outside beneath the night sky, his coat draped over his shoulder, he turned to Laurel, his head of guards.

"I want eyes on that survivor," he ordered, his voice low and edged with steel. "If Javi isn’t lying, we have a problem," he said, confident that Laurel understood even more than what he was trying to say. "If he is, I need to know what game he’s playing."

Laurel, ever loyal, gave a sharp nod. "I’ll handle it personally."

Vazer’s expression darkened. "If he truly exists, I want him gone. No witnesses. No loose ends."

Laurel hesitated, his brow furrowing slightly. "If we move too fast, it could backfire. Javi’s watching. He wants you to react."

"Which is why you won’t move in directly." Vazer exhaled sharply. "Send someone unaffiliated. A third party. I don’t care how it’s done—make it look like an accident. If that hospital needs to go up in flames, then so be it." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Laurel inclined his head but didn’t move immediately, something clearly troubling him. "I’ll send someone in first to confirm. If this is a trap, we need to be sure."

Vazer’s gaze flicked to him, holding steady for a long moment, before he gave a small nod. "Fine. But I want answers before dawn," he said in an extremely low tone that even the best couldn’t hear unless they were right beside him. He stepped back into the car, the door held open by Laurel, who then took his place in the driver’s seat.

Hours passed, and Vazer’s patience thinned with every agonizing second. He had returned to his estate, but his mind remained locked on one singular thought—the survivor. The unknown factor that threatened to unravel everything he had carefully constructed. He had killed Masdaw for a reason. He had burned that mansion to the ground to ensure that no one could trace it back to him.

So why the hell is there still a thread dangling?

The soft knock at his chamber door had him turning sharply. Laurel stepped inside, his expression grim. That alone told Vazer everything he needed to know before a single word left his lips.

"There is a survivor," Laurel confirmed, his voice steady but cautious. "Our man confirmed it. He’s in critical condition, but alive."

Vazer’s fingers curled slightly, his nails pressing into his palm. "And Javi?"

Laurel exhaled. "He’s stationed guards around the room. No one gets in or out without his approval."

Vazer didn’t respond immediately. He simply turned, walking toward the large window that overlooked the sprawling city below, its lights flickering like distant stars. The weight of the situation pressed heavily against him, but he refused to let it show.

Javi is smart, but I’m smarter.

If the survivor truly existed, then his next move would decide everything.

With a slow, deliberate breath, he turned back to Laurel, his expression cold and calculated. "Then we wait."

Laurel frowned. "Wait?"

A cruel smile ghosted over Vazer’s lips. "Yes. We wait until nightfall."

"And then?"

Vazer’s red eyes gleamed in the dim light. "And then we strike when he least expects it," he responded. Although he had used his bloodline power and was confident it couldn’t be traced back to him, what about his men? If there was any evidence that Reds were involved... investigations would be carried out, meticulous enough that they would somehow lead back to him.

By nightfall, Vazer couldn’t shake the weird feeling deep in his gut as he prepared to head out. He heard his sisters giggling to themselves and his parents’ quiet chatter in the living room. A few minutes prior, he had joined them, and once he returned, he would join them again. But before then, he needed to ensure that nothing would threaten their survival—and his own.

I’ll be back in less than an hour, he thought to himself as he stepped out to the parking lot and got into the car, which Laurel slammed shut behind him before taking the driver’s seat.

Getting to the hospital was easy, and getting into the room, regardless of the floor, unseen was even easier. Vazer signaled for his men to stand watch as he stepped in. Laurel had confirmed that the survivor was indeed held there, and they had already dispatched all the guards in the room without making too much of a commotion. All that was left was for Vazer to kill him and leave.

But he had just pulled off the bedsheet when he froze, his eyes widening as he realized that not only was the person on the bed not sick, but his eyes were also not closed. The man raised himself up, revealing his face—the exact one Vazer had seen earlier in the evening.

It was Javi’s face smiling at him with a smug expression as he stared at Vazer, who couldn’t help but reveal a shocked look on his face.

"Lord Vazer, fancy seeing you here..." Javi said, beaming at him with beady red eyes.

Vazer immediately glanced back, sending a sharp look at Laurel, who had been standing behind him with his head bowed, unable to meet his gaze. A loud chuckle rang out in the room.

"...yes, he betrayed you, and it wasn’t even that hard! Something about his mother...family, nothing but weaknesses that hold you back—ehh!"

Vazer was internally stunned, but he’d be a fool to let it show. He squared his shoulders and raised his head proudly, a hint of arrogance returning to his demeanor.

"I came visiting...wanted to take a look at our survivor...nothing more!" he said with a shrug, the smile back on his face as he waited to see how Javi was going to play out whatever he intended to do.