Page 32 of New Year with the Cartel

Only when the door locked behind him did I reach for the napkin, fingers trembling as I unfolded the hidden note. The handwriting was elegant, familiar from that USB drive that had started all this:

"The necklace isn't what he thinks. Its power comes from trust freely given, not taken by force. Look in the book 'Ancient Bonds' on your shelf, page 394. -R"

Rodriguez. Even now, he was moving pieces on this chessboard. But why help me? What did he gain? I had no idea, but he also had his own agenda, and it couldn't end well for me.

I found the book easily—it had appeared in the library collection a few days ago. Had this been planned? How deep did Rodriguez's influence run in Fendwyr's organization?

The thought sent shivers down my spine. If he could do what I feared he was capable of, then I was in even greater danger than I already believed.

Page 394 contained a detailed illustration of the necklace, but with text I hadn't seen before. My hands shook as I read:

"The Binding Chain's power manifests only through mutual trust between true mates. Force negates its effects; control renders it dormant. Only when both parties choose to trust freely can its full potential be realized."

The words blurred as tears filled my eyes. All this time, Fendwyr's obsession with controlling the necklace's power had been ensuring it would never work. Just like his need to control me was destroying what we could have had.

But he didn't understand that, and even if presented with new information, he still wouldn't.

The baby kicked, strong and insistent. I rubbed my stomach, whispering, "I know, little one. I know. He needs to know too, but he's stubborn."

A sound at the door made me quickly hide the note and close the book. I was initially taken aback, but then I realized it was just the doctor.

He entered for my daily checkup, another part of Fendwyr's controlled routine for me. He wanted to make sure I was okay, even though he couldn't grasp the simplest truth: I needed time away from him to better reflect on everything happening in my life.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked, setting up his equipment.

"Fine." The same answer I always gave, though we both knew it was a lie. The confinement was taking its toll—my blood pressure had been elevated lately, causing concern about pre-eclampsia. And that was one of the reasons why I felt paranoid.

As he checked my vitals, I thought about the necklace's true nature. Trust freely given. How ironic that Fendwyr's attempts to possess its power were the very thing preventing him from accessing it. Just like his attempts to possess me were destroying our bond.

"Your blood pressure is still high," the doctor said with a frown. "The alpha won't be happy."

"The alpha is the cause," I muttered.

He pretended not to hear, but his expression softened slightly. "Try to rest today. Stress isn't good for the baby. I know it's difficult, but you can do it."

After he left, I returned to the window, mind racing. Rodriguez's message had to have a deeper purpose. Was he trying to help or setting up some larger scheme? And how many others in Fendwyr's organization were working with him? I had no idea, but the truth couldn't be anything good.

The baby kicked again, harder this time. I winced, remembering Elias's story. Would history repeat itself? Would the stress and confinement put my child at risk too?

No. I pressed my hand against the glass, watching another raindrop trail downward. Something had to change. If the necklace's power truly came from trust and free will, then perhaps that was the key to everything—not just the supernatural aspects, but our relationship too. It had to be and I had to be to do something. I just didn't know what yet.

And how could I make Fendwyr understand? How could I reach the mate I knew existed beneath the controlling alpha?The one who'd shared visions with me, who'd been destined for me across lifetimes?

The sound of footsteps in the hallway announced Fendwyr's approach. My heart raced as I quickly returned to the bed, sitting down just as the door opened. I had to find a way to make him understand about the necklace, about trust, about everything.

Before it was too late for all of us.

Fendwyr entered, his presence filling the room as it always did. I remained seated on the bed, one hand resting over our child.Our child.After everything that happened, it didn't feel right to remember that he was also one of the parents.

Despite everything, the baby responded to its father's proximity, kicking with greater strength. I couldn't help but think that it was a sign, but was it a good one?

"You look pale," he said, studying me with those calculating eyes. "The doctor mentioned your blood pressure... I'm worried."

"I know something about the necklace," I interrupted. No point in dancing around it anymore. "Something you need to hear, and it's important and it can't be delayed."

His expression shifted, interest warring with suspicion. "What could you possibly know about it from in here?"

I hated he didn't trust me, even now.

---