A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 429

THIRD POV

Roman hesitated for only a second after Helen spoke.

“There might be another way,” he said.

Helen paused mid–step and turned slightly back to him, her brows lifting in quiet question.

Roman stepped a little closer, his posture still respectful, but there was more certainty in him now than there had been a few moments ago.

“The staff,” he explained. “The chief housekeeper might have a spare. They usually manage access when it comes to cleaning the whole house.”

It wasn’t a bad suggestion.

In fact, it was the most practical one so far.

Helen studied him briefly, weighing it–not the idea itself, but the logic behind it. It made sense. If anyone had secondary access to rooms within the house, it would be the person responsible for maintaining them.

A small nod followed.

“That’s true.”

Her tone softened just slightly.

“Thank you, Roman.”

It wasn’t overly warm, but it was genuine.

Roman inclined his head in response, clearly not expecting more than that. He stepped back, giving her space again, the quiet understanding settling between them that his part in this was done.

“I’ll leave you to it,” he said.

Helen gave a final nod, and Roman turned, disappearing back down the hallway, his footsteps fading into the silence of the night.

Helen didn’t waste time.

She turned in the opposite direction, her pace steady but purposeful as she made her way

+25 Points

toward the lower level of the house.

The kitchen area was still faintly active when she arrived.

Alive enough with quiet movement–staff members finishing their duties, packing up utensils, cleaning surfaces, putting things in order before retiring for the night.

The moment Helen stepped in, the atmosphere shifted subtly.

Movements became slightly more careful.

Respectful awareness filled the space.

She didn’t acknowledge it.

Didn’t need to.

Her presence spoke for itself.

“I need the chief housekeeper,” she said.

Her voice wasn’t raised.

But it carried.

It reached exactly who it needed to.

A woman seated near one of the counters straightened almost immediately, rising to her feet with practiced composure.

She wiped her hands lightly against the cloth draped over her arm before stepping forward.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Helen turned fully toward her.

“I need the key to the old Alpha’s chambers.”

The housekeeper didn’t respond right away.

There was a brief pause–just enough to show she was processing the request.

Then she shook her head.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I don’t have that key.”

Helen’s gaze sharpened slightly, though her expression remained controlled.

“Why not?”

“The locks were changed,” the woman explained carefully. “During the last renovation. The

Alpha had that entire section updated. Only he has access now.”

That answer landed exactly where Helen didn’t want it to.

Of course.

Helen’s jaw tightened faintly before she shifted her approach.

“What about the contents?” she asked. “Everything that used to be inside that room.”

The housekeeper seemed more certain now.

“That was all moved,” she said. “Stored away after the renovation.”

Helen’s attention sharpened again.

“Where?”

“In the storage room,” the woman replied. “Most of the items were relocated there. Furniture, personal effects… everything that could be moved.”

That was something.

Not ideal.

But something.

“And you have access to that?” Helen asked.

The housekeeper nodded.

“Yes, ma’am. I have the key.”

Helen gave a small, decisive nod.

“Take me there.”

The woman didn’t hesitate.

She turned and gestured for Helen to follow, leading her out of the kitchen and down another corridor–this one less refined, more functional, designed for utility rather than comfort.

They walked in silence.

The air grew cooler.

The sounds of the main house faded behind them.

Finally, they reached the storage area–a solid door tucked slightly out of sight, built more for security than appearance.

The housekeeper stepped forward, pulling out a set of keys. She selected one with practiced ease and inserted it into the lock.

A soft click followed.

Then the door opened.

She stepped aside.

Helen moved past her without pause.

“Thank you,” Helen said as she crossed the threshold.

The housekeeper inclined her head.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

The door closed quietly behind her.

And just like that-

Helen was alone.

The storage room wasn’t small.

It stretched further than it first appeared, filled with covered furniture, stacked boxes, and

items arranged in what seemed like some form of order–but not one that was immediately

obvious.

Helen reached for the light switch.

The room came alive under a soft glow.

Dust particles floated faintly in the air.

Time lingered here.

Everything in this room felt like it had been paused… not abandoned, but set aside.

She stepped further in.

Her eyes scanned everything.

Every corner, every covered shape.

She wasn’t entirely sure what she expected to see at first glance.

But she knew what she was looking for.

Or at least… she knew the feeling of it.

Her steps became more deliberate now.

She moved through the space methodically, pulling aside cloth coverings, opening boxes, shifting items just enough to see what lay beneath or behind them.

Minutes passed.

Then more.

Nothing.

Her expression tightened.

This wasn’t right.

It should have been here.

If everything from the chambers had been moved-

Then it should have been here.

Unless-

Her mind moved quickly.

Either it had been left behind in the chambers…

Or someone had taken it.

And that possibility didn’t sit well with her at all.

Because a safe-

A locked safe-

Wasn’t something people ignored.

If someone had come across it, they might have assumed it held something valuable.

Money.

Jewelry.

Something worth keeping.

Or worse-

Something worth opening.

Helen exhaled slowly, straightening as her gaze moved across the room again.

If it wasn’t here-

Then she would have to wait.

Wait for Alexander.

Get into the chambers.

Confirm it.

That was the only logical next step.

She turned slightly, already preparing to leave-

And then-

Something caught her eye.

She stopped.

Her gaze narrowed slightly as she looked again.

There.

Partially obscured.

Positioned behind a stack of covered furniture, angled in a way that made it easy to miss unless you were looking carefully.

The safe.

It was there.

She hadn’t seen it before.

Not because it wasn’t there-

But because it hadn’t been obvious.

Her steps quickened now, her composure sharpening into quiet urgency as she moved toward it.

She reached it within seconds, pulling aside the obstruction enough to fully reveal it.

Her fingers brushed lightly over its surface.

Still intact.

Still locked.

Just as she remembered.

Good.

She knelt slightly, her movements precise as she reached for the dial.

There was no hesitation.

No uncertainty.

She remembered the combination.

Some things… you didn’t forget.

Her fingers moved with practiced familiarity, turning the dial in measured sequences.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

A final turn.

Then…

A soft click.

The lock released.

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