The Alpha's Unwanted Bride novel Chapter 437

Chapter 437: A VISIT

Sunlight spilled through the velvet curtains of Anna’s chamber, gilding the floor with golden light that didn’t match the unease in her chest.

She hadn’t slept.

Not a moment of peace. She’d spent the hours between midnight and dawn staring at the canopy above her bed, counting heartbeats like they might drown out the question that burned at the back of her skull:

Where is Rudy’s body?

It had been there. Hung perfectly. A neat, tidy little suicide.

Now it was gone.

A sharp knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," Anna said, keeping her voice as composed as ever.

Two of her chambermaids entered cautiously—Sela, the older one with graying braids and sharp eyes, and Mirra, the skittish younger girl who always looked one apology away from tears. They carried a silver tray and the pale blue day gown she’d worn only once before.

She watched them in silence as they entered. They expected coldness. Barked orders. Not conversation.

Anna sat up straighter, folding her hands in her lap. "How are things in the pack this morning?"

They froze.

Sela blinked. Mirra glanced at her as if waiting for confirmation that she’d heard correctly.

Anna smiled ever so slightly. "Well?"

Sela cleared her throat. "Quiet, my lady. Peaceful. The warriors have returned from patrol without incident. Nothing unusual to report."

"And Jasmine?" Anna asked, smoothing a wrinkle in her sheets with one long, pale finger.

"She’s awake," Sela replied. "The healer says the baby’s unharmed. She’s been with Nanny Nia all morning."

Anna allowed her brows to pull together delicately, lips parting in faux dismay. "That poor girl," she murmured. "What a dreadful fall. I really must find the time to visit her."

Neither of the maids responded.

Anna didn’t expect them to.

"That’s all?" she asked lightly, glancing at them.

"Yes, my lady," Mirra said quickly, bowing her head.

"Good. I’ll be riding this morning. The stables, please. I’d like something fast."

The maids nodded and set about preparing her gown.

Anna rose from bed like a ghost shedding silk, letting their hands dress her while her mind wandered. She kept her face composed, elegant. Distant.

But inside, something twisted and thrashed.

If no one had mentioned Rudy... if no one had even noticed his body hanging like a rotted fruit in the barn... then someone had gotten there first.

Someone had moved him.

She wasn’t sure what terrified her more: that someone had found the body and covered it up—or that whoever had done it hadn’t said a word.

The stables bustled that morning with the usual rhythm—grooms brushing down horses, saddles being adjusted, metal bits clinking softly. The scent of hay, old wood, and sweat hung in the air.

Anna stepped down from her carriage, her skirts brushing the dirt.

She smiled at the nearest stable hand—a boy no older than sixteen. "Tell me," she said sweetly, "is the ranch master here?"

He blinked, clearly stunned she was speaking directly to him, and pointed toward the main barn. "Just there, Lady Anna."

She made her way through the paddock, letting her expression stay carefully warm. Controlled. But her eyes flicked over every shadow, every corner of the stable. She caught sight of the head rancher—Gavin, a broad-shouldered man with straw-colored hair and a sun-weathered face—mending a saddle.

"Morning, Gavin," Anna called lightly.

He straightened with a grunt. "Lady Anna," he said, nodding.

She offered a pleasant smile. "I was hoping to ride today. I usually ask for Rudy. Is he about?"

Gavin wiped his hands on his apron. "Haven’t seen him."

Anna tilted her head just slightly. "Oh? He’s usually quite punctual."

Gavin shrugged. "Maybe he’s ill. Boy’s been acting strange since yesterday. Quiet. Nervous."

Anna’s spine prickled.

"Strange?" she echoed, trying to keep the curiosity out of her tone.

"Wouldn’t say a word to anyone after lunch," Gavin continued. "Kept looking over his shoulder like he thought something was after him."

He snorted. "Could be a hangover, could be guilt. Don’t know what for."

Anna forced a chuckle. "Well, let me know if he shows. I hope it’s nothing serious."

Gavin nodded. "I’ll send for him if he comes in."

She chose her mare—a sleek, silver-gray creature with fast legs and an easy gait—and rode toward the forest trails with only one thought banging in her skull like thunder.

Someone else knows.

Rudy’s disappearance wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t the quiet success of a perfect crime.

It was unfinished business.

And if someone had moved that body... it meant they’d done it before dawn.

Before she could.

Anna clutched the reins tighter, the wind tugging at her hair.

A flicker of annoyance danced behind Anna’s eyes. She smiled wider to hide it. "I’m here to check on Jasmine. Nothing more." free𝑤ebnovel.com

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify