After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Nora immediately noticed his unusual behavior. She had been around him long enough to know when something was off.

"Alex?" she called, her tone soft yet observant. "What's wrong?"

Alex's fingers twitched, and for a split second, panic flashed in his eyes. He quickly shook his head, forcing

an innocent smile. "It's nothing, Mom."

Then, as if to distract her, he grabbed the water cup from the table and held it up. "You've been working

so hard all morning, Mom. Here, have some water."

Nora smiled at the thoughtful gesture. She had been reciting her script over and over, her throat had gone dry without her realizing it. She reached for the cup without hesitation and took a long sip.

Alex watched her.

A strange glint passed through his eyes.

He had done exactly as Aunt Linda had taught him. Now, all he had to do was wait.

Seeing Nora drink the water, Alex let out a small sigh of relief. His tiny hands clenched into fists at his sides as he waited, his heart thudding in his chest.

It didn't take long.

A few minutes later, just as the soup reached its final stage of cooking, Nora pushed herself up from the couch, stretching her arms. She intended to head to the kitchen to turn off the stove, but a strange drowsiness swept over her like a crashing wave.

Her vision blurred. The world around her wavered.

Frowning, she reached for the back of the chair to steady herself, but the strength

in her limbs melted away. The floor tilted, darkness creeping into the corners of her sight.

Then, everything went black.

Her body crumpled, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

The noise startled Alex. He turned toward the sound, his pulse jumping. Rushing over, he stood over his mother's unconscious form, his heart pounding. He bent down slightly, watching her closely, making sure she was asleep.

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When her breathing remained deep and steady, his panic ebbed away, replaced by something else... relief.

Pulling out his phone with shaky fingers, he dialed Linda.

"Aunt Linda, it worked," he whispered, though the excitement in his voice was unmistakable. "I added a little sleeping pill to her water like you told me to. She's asleep now, so let's get going."

Linda's voice on the other end was warm, almost affectionate. "Good boy, Alex. I'm already waiting for you outside. Come down quickly."

"Okay!" Alex chirped. Then, as if suddenly remembering, he added eagerly, "Can we have steak for lunch?"

Linda chuckled. "Of course, sweetheart. Anything you want."

Grinning, Alex hung up. Without sparing another glance at Nora, he grabbed his coat and dashed toward the door. He was too excited to think about anything else... too focused on the fact that, today, he got to decide.

Behind him, the soup on the stovetop continued to simmer.

Hours passed. The grand launch event was moments away, and the venue buzzed with anticipation. The hall was already filled with important guests, and the air carried a sense of excitement.

But backstage, Leo was anything but calm.

He stood near the curtains, phone in hand, his brows drawn together in frustration. He had called Nora more times than he could count, but every attempt met silence. Even trying to reach her through the mind-link yielded nothing.

Pacing restlessly, he muttered under his breath, "No, this isn't right. We should have heard from her by

now."noveldrama

Bran, standing nearby, crossed his arms. "Could she be caught up in an emergency? What do we do about

the launch?"

Leo clenched his jaw. "I'll go ahead with the presentation myself if I have to." But then, shaking his head, he added, "I don't feel comfortable leaving this alone. I'll give you Nora's address... go check if she's at

home."

Bran nodded immediately. "Got it."

A third voice interrupted. “Nora's missing?"

14:03

After Left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

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Leo turned to see Cole approaching, his sharp gaze flickering between them.

Cole's wolf stirred uneasily within him, a deep sense of foreboding settling in his gut. Something was

*wrong*.

Bran hesitated, but after a moment, he nodded. "We're going to check on her now."

"I'm coming with you," Cole said firmly.

Bran didn't argue.

Leo exhaled, glancing at the stage. "I'll leave it to you guys. The launch is about to start... I need to go on."

Without wasting another second, Bran and Cole hurried toward the exit.

They didn't notice the sharp eyes watching them from the shadows.

A reporter, sensing something interesting, quietly followed after them.

By the time Bran and Cole arrived at Nora's apartment, the sky had darkened. They stepped up to her door and knocked firmly.

No answer.

Bran frowned. "Not home?"

But Cole's expression shifted. His wolf surged forward, ears pricked, nostrils flaring.

"No," he said sharply. "She's here."

Bran turned to him in confusion, but before he could respond, Cole's eyes darkened, his whole body

tensing.

The air smelled *off*.

A sickly scent lingered near the doorway... one that made his wolf growl in alarm.

Cole's pulse quickened. Without another word, he stepped back and threw his weight against the door. The impact shook the frame, but it held firm.

Bran froze for half a second, then quickly moved to help.

Together, they slammed their shoulders against the door again. And again.

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Finally, with a loud "crack*, the lock gave way, and the door burst open.

The heavy scent of gas flooded their senses.

Bran coughed, his eyes widening in horror. "Damn it..."

But Cole didn't hear him.

His gaze had already locked onto the unmoving figure sprawled on the floor.

"Nora!"