Crestwood Wolfless Omega

Chapter 6: All Connected

Layla's POV

My hands started shaking as I moved deeper into the room.

Who would break in? The same person from the woods last night? Someone trying to plant more evidence? Or worse, someone who thought I actually had proof that could clear my name. Kayson stood in the doorway like a dark shadow, his tall frame filing the space, silver eyes scanning everything.

"You should stay back," he ordered as he moved past me, his boots crunching over scattered papers. "Don't touch anything. This could all be connected."

"Connected to what? Catherine's murder?" I couldn't stop staring at the mess. "I have nothing valuable. No secrets, just some old clothes and academy notes. Who would do this?"

Kayson crouched down near the overturned mattress, lifting a corner with one hand.

"Nothing obvious missing?" He asked, not looking at me.

I forced myself to move, picking through the clothes on the floor with shaking fingers.

"My spare uniform is here..." I picked up the scattered clothes from the floor. "The little necklace Lucy gave me last year is still on the nightstand. Nothing I can see is gone, but everything's destroyed. Why? What were they looking for in my room?"

"Maybe they thought you had evidence from the woods," He straightened up, towering over me. "Or maybe they're trying to scare you into confessing."

"Well I'm scared now." I looked around the place again. "I better start fixing the whole place. You can leave now. I'll take care of the whole place myself."

"I'm not leaving you here alone right now." His voice was flat. "It's too risky."

"I don't need you watching me.' I crossed my arms. "You already done enough, rejecting.e publicly, then getting assigned as my personal babysitter, just go. I'll handle it."

"Why you so hasty to get rid of me?" He stepped closer. "Hiding something you don't want me to see? Some clue from last night? A weapon?"

"Hiding?" I repeated, taking a deep breath. "You know what? Stay. Do whatever you want."

"Let's clean together." He said, already moving past me. "You should start with the clothes, while I flip the mattress back."

"Whatever you say," I muttered, bending down to gather shirts and pants, folding them roughly and shoving them back into the drawers.

Kayson worked beside me quickly as he flipped the mattress over then moved to the other side of the room, and turned back the beanbag that had fallen.

"Are you always this quiet when you're pissed?" He asked suddenly, tossing a pillow back on the bed.

I shoved a drawer shut harder than necessary.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked. "Thank you for babysitting the girl you called worthless last night? This is humiliating. I keep telling you I'm innocent, but you're just here to make sure I hang for it."

"Innocent people don't run into the woods after a public rejection." Kayson wiped the dust from his hands. "Innocent don't get found over a dead body."

"Well maybe it was because you shamed," I grabbed more scattered books. "If you had just accepted the bond, I wouldn't have ran into the woods, But nooo... You just had to the alpha heir who follows daddy's orders no matter what? Can't afford to have a weak mate."

"The bond was a mistake." Hia voice was low and intense as he grabbed the lamp that was on the floor. "This investigation is bigger than your feelings, So stop fighting me on every damn thing."

"I am not fighting," I said, stacking notebook on the small desk. "I am just trying to survive. Someone broke in here while I was locked up. What if it's the real killer trying to silence me? You should care about that instead of babysitting me like I'm guilty."

"You know what I think?" Kayson said. "I think this is just someone sending a message, you should stay in your lane. Or maybe your little friends did it trying to help you hide your mess or evidence."

"You never seem to amaze me with the things you say." I picked up another book from the floor. "I can't you really think that low of me."

"It's the only story that fits." He stepped closer while I reached for another fallen drawer, our bodies nearly brushing. "Keep pushing this innocent act and I'll start thinking you're smarter than you look, hiding the real evidence somewhere."

"You're are such a..." I spun around too fast and my foot caught a pile of scattered clothes.

Kayson moved fast and his strong hand caught my waist, steady me against his chest. For a split second, I felt every hand lime of him, his scent was overwhelming.

"Careful," he murmured, his fingers still on my waist.

I yanked away fast, my heart racing.

"I would've been 🙂‍↔️ focused if you weren't here distracting me!" I said. "This is pure torture."

"Torture?" He let out a low laugh. "Try being stuck babysitting the omega I rejected. The one who won't stop complaining and insisting she's innocent when the whole campus saw you lose it."

"Maybe I would if you stopped trying to act like you own every inch of this investigation." I stepped back, and continued sorting the clothes. "We should start with Catherine's place tomorrow. There might be real clues there, enemies she had, pack politics, something that actually points away from me."

"You're not going anywhere near Catherine's place without me glued to your side." His voice was firm."I'm not stupid enough to let you run off and hide or tamper with anything that could clear your name or make you look guiltier."

"Is that even-" I stopped myself, shaking my head. "Just... finish helping or leave already."

A sharp knock suddenly came from the door and Kayson reached the door first, opening it a bit.

"It's your Omega friends," he said flatly, stepping side.

"You didn't have to say 'omega'," I shot him a look."I already knew it was them. They're the only friends I've got."

Natasha and Lucy stepped inside, theur faces tight with worry.

"Okay, I've done enough helping." His eyes flickered over all three of us. "I'll go for now. Do not do or go anywhere without me tomorrow. We start with Catherine's stuff first tomorrow morning."

He brushed past them without saying another word, his boots echoing down the hall.

"Layla, what the hell just happened?" Natasha moved closer to me. "Are you okay? Also why was Kayson Ashvale in your room like he runs the place?"

"You look like you've been through war." Lucy grabbed my hands gently, her voice soft. "Did he threaten you? What's going on with him?"

"It's an interesting story." I sank on the edge of my bed. "He's been asked to babysit me and make sure I'm the killer."