《The Luna鈥檚 Choice》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: A ¡°Ma,¡± I called down the hall. ¡°Come on, Ma. They¡¯ll be here soon. You need to get out here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± my mother yelled back. ¡°Don¡¯t rush me.¡± She came out of her bedroom and down the hall. I was grateful that she didn¡¯t seem to sway at all, and as she approached, the only scent wafting off her was mouthwash. And she actually seemed presentable. It was the first time in weeks. Although, I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. She always managed to look presentable in front of Kylee. Goddess forbid her precious baby learn the truth about her. No, that was my burden to bear. And in truth, I epted it willingly. I wanted to protect Kylee from that reality as much as Ma wanted to hide it from her. However, I will admit we had different reasons. I waved Ma to the armchair in the living room while I went back into the kitchen to check on dinner. I was making Kylee¡¯s favorites. It had been two months since my little sister had been home, and we were both excited. Even more exciting, she was bringing home her mate for the first time. I was so happy for her. They had apparently met almost two. Years ago, when she visited the local college campus with her high school. I had no idea they had found each other until her freshman year of university. I had asked her why the secrecy, and she told me they needed to wait to make their rtionship public because of his position in the pack. They announced their rtionship a few months into her first year. Still, she kept putting off us meeting him even though they were only a couple hours away. Don¡¯t get me wrong, she told me all about him. Whenever we talked, she would just gush about how perfect he was. But it wasn¡¯t until a month ago that she finally admitted to us that he was our future Alpha. Ma and I were ecstatic. We couldn¡¯t be more pleased. Especially me. Our current Alpha, Alpha Torin, was a good leader, a fair leader, and a good man. We were very blessed to have had his support after our father died. Not that we knew him all that well, but he was the one who helped me get the family back on its feet after such a terrible loss. I knew he had a son, but I had never met him before. Again, it¡¯s not like we were exactly close to the Alpha at all. I doubt he ever really thought of us. He was just taking care of the members of his pack, and for that, I will always be grateful. But I had heard that his son, Theo, was promising to be just as good an Alpha as his father. So I really couldn¡¯t have been more relieved that he was my sister¡¯s mate. She would be properly looked after and taken care of, and she would be happy. I was pulling the chicken out of the oven when I heard Ma from the living room. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± she sang. I moved quickly. Getting out our nice serving dishes that were gifted to my parents at their mating ceremony, I started to te dinner onto them. I was still transferring the food when I heard the front door open and the squeals of my mother and sister as they embraced. I finished my task and moved the dishes to the dining room table that was already set neatly. I smiled at my presentation and excitedly hurried to the living room. I froze at the threshold. A scent overwhelmed my senses, causing my stomach to knot and my heart to race. The tall, broad man standing next to my sister turned toward me and we locked eyes. Mate. I practically gagged trying to stifle the word from slipping from my mouth. What the hell was happening? This was my sister¡¯s mate. Not mine. This man was fated to Kylee. So why was I having this reaction? Better question¡­ Why did HE seem to be having the same reaction? His eyes were wide, pupils dted, and they held my gaze with a vice-like grip as he, too, seemed frozen to where he stood. Dasha, my wolf, bounced excitedly in my head, recognizing him and his wolf just as I was. It took a minute for her to understand the situation, but once she did, she started whimpering in the back of my mind. This couldn¡¯t be happening. What the hell was happening? I forced myself to address the situation as a whole. Fine, this was happening. Now, what is the best way to handle the situation? I wasn¡¯t going to break my sister¡¯s heart. Absolutely not. I wouldn¡¯t let him either. Not right now. We¡¯ll just get through dinner, and I¡¯ll find a way to speak with him in privateter. I cleared my throat and stered a smile on my face. ¡°Kylee, I¡¯m so excited you¡¯re home,¡± I said, opening my arms so she could jump into them like she had since she was little. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, sis,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, too,¡± I said quietly. We separated, and she turned to the male behind her. ¡°Theo, this is my sister, A. A, this is my mate, Theo.¡± Theo¡¯s hands were clenched into fists, and he forced a tight-jawed smile toward me. At least I was better at faking it them him. Geesh. I nodded to him with a broad smile. I knew it didn¡¯t reach my eyes, but at least Ma and Kylee wouldn¡¯t notice. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Theo,¡± I said. ¡°Dinner is ready in the dining room. Why don¡¯t you guys go take a seat, and I¡¯ll be right there. I need to tend to dessert first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take too long,¡± Kylee said brightly. ¡°We have some big news, and I don¡¯t think I can wait much longer.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be right there,¡± I assured her as I rubbed her shoulder. Kylee grabbed Ma by the arm and led her to the dining room. Theo followed a few steps behind. He had to pass me to get through. Right as he approached, I turned my body to ensure we didn¡¯t touch. He paused in front of me for a moment. I looked up to meet his eyes. There was anger, confusion, desire, and possibly even hurt reflecting in his eyes that I couldn¡¯t help but notice were the color of honey. He had questions. I subtly shook my head at him. Hoping and silently begging that he knew we couldn¡¯t do this here. The sound of Kylee¡¯sugh from the other room made me jump and then quickly retreat to the kitchen. I grabbed the homemade cheesecake from the fridge and set it on the counter forter. I listened to the others conversing in the next room and quietly slipped out the back door. I stood on the porch and took several deep breaths. I felt a lump start to form in my throat and quickly pushed it down. This wasn¡¯t the time to cry. So, I did what I usually do instead of crying. I released a string of curses. ¡°What the f*ck is happening? Why is this happening? This ISN¡¯T happening,¡± I whispered with the force of a yell. ¡®Our mate.¡¯ Dasha insisted. ¡°No, he¡¯s not,¡± I said back to her. ¡°He¡¯s Kylee¡¯s. There must be some kind of mistake. Just get through dinner like nothing is going on, and we¡¯ll figure that outter. Easy.¡± I didn¡¯t believe myself, neither did Dasha, but I didn¡¯t have time to deal with that. So, I took two more deep breaths and went back into the house. I was almost to the dining room when I heard thest part of what Kylee was saying, and again, I was left frozen at the threshold. ¡°¡­ our mating ceremony is in three months.¡± Kylee looked up at me. ¡°Oh, A, I¡¯m sorry. I just couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Aren¡¯t you happy for us?¡± I put the same fake smile back on. ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy for you,¡± I said. ¡°You deserve the best.¡± I took my seat at the table, ignoring the fact that I was left sitting directly across from Theo. His eyes were boring into me, and my face felt like it was on fire. I started dishing out food and passing tes. I didn¡¯t say much over dinner. Instead, I just listened to Kylee and Ma talk about all the ideas they had for the mating ceremony. Theo didn¡¯t say much either but slowly started to do a better job hiding his difort with the situation. It took everything to ignore the touches they shared, pushing down the jealousy that kept surging through me. As soon as I saw the opportunity, I started clearing the tes. As I was bringing in the dessert, my phone dinged in my pocket, and I had never been more grateful. I pulled it out and checked the screen. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Please, excuse me. This is important. I have to take it.¡± Ma waved me off, and Kylee didn¡¯t even seem to notice. Theo red at me, but to be honest, I didn¡¯t really care. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I answered the phone as I left the dining room and exited out the back door again. ¡°Hey, Zeff. What¡¯s up?¡± I said as I walked to the back of the yard. ¡°How¡¯s the dinner going?¡± Zeff, my best friend and colleague, asked. ¡°It¡¯s full of excitement, that¡¯s for sure,¡± I said, hoping he didn¡¯t catch on to the kind of excitement I was feeling. He chuckled on the other line. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear all about it,¡± he said with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°I hate to interrupt, but Ca wanted me to check if you were done with those chapters.¡± ¡°Oh, um, yeah, I just finished them up this morning. I was going to run through another round of editing, but I can go ahead and send them over tonight.¡± I doubted I would have the mental capacity to deal with editing today. ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll let her know to watch for them,¡± Zeff said. ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°Hey, you okay, Ayls?¡± Zeff asked. I stiffened as a mouthwatering scent hit my nose. I knew who was standing behind me. ¡°Yeah, I just gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2: Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 2: Theo I fought against the urges her scent was influencing as I stalked up to her, including the rage that she was currently talking to another male. But more importantly, the urge to grab her and take her against the nearest tree. My wolf was going crazy about the idea, but he would learn fast that that was never going to happen. I wouldn¡¯t ept her. Knowing what I knew about her, that would never happen. She hung up the phone and turned to face me. ¡°This won¡¯t happen,¡± I spat out before she had a chance to speak. Her jaw clenched, and her silvery¨Cgray eyes stared into mine for a few short moments. But I couldn¡¯t read a damn thing behind them. ¡°I absolutely agree,¡± she stated evenly. My wolf growled and snarled inside me, demanding to know what the hell I was doing. I pushed down the hurt that hit me when she didn¡¯t fight me. Her reaction just proved why this needed to be done. I could never be with someone so cold and self¨Cabsorbed as her. There was no way someone like her could ever be my Luna. ¡®Don¡¯t know her.¡® Kieran yelled in my head. I knew enough. 1/8 Chapter 2 Theo 288 (Voucheri ¡°Kylee is my mate. Not you. I, Theo Arden, future Alpha of the Greytooth Pack, reject you, A Garner, as my mate and Luna.¡± Kieran was snapping his teeth, pushing to take control to stop this. ¡°I, A Garner, ept your rejection and relinquish my im as your mate and Luna.¡± My wolf howled in pain. A pain that was mirrored within me as it felt like my heart was being ripped apart. It was the bond breaking. Releasing me from the tie that bound us together. She stood there like nothing happened. How could she stand there like nothing had happened? She really didn¡¯t feel anything, did she? It was so easy for her to let us go. ¡®Mate wants me.¡® I grimaced. He meant her wolf. Her wolf wanted mine. He could sense her. She was even denying her wolf. I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from her. I stormed back into the house, returning to the woman the goddess should have made my mate. I returned to the dining room to find her mother and her still deep in conversation. I was grateful she hadn¡¯t seemed to notice my absence or the change in my mood. It wasn¡¯t surprising. She was excited about seeing her family and sharing the news with them. I had been, too, until her sister walked into the room. The scent had engulfed me, driving me to seek out the source like a lifeline. When I saw her, her beauty took my breath away. She was petit but strong, with long legs and perfect curves. 2/8 ||| Chapter 2 Theo 288 Vouchers She had a mass of caramel¨Cblonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face with plump lips and intense gray eyes that shined green in the light. I couldn¡¯t help but want her. I recognized who she was to me immediately. But then I noticed her narrow nose and soft jawline were familiar. Her fair skin had a sun¨Ckissed glow that I had always found attractive. Once I realized she had simr features to Kylee, I knew this was her sister, A. Kylee had told me on many asions how her sister had changed after the death of their father. She was there for Kylee at first, but in less than a year, she started spending all her time away from home. She ended up dropping out of the private school her parents had worked so hard to send her to. Eventually, Kylee lost track of what she was doing with her life. Kylee was there for her when she was around, trying to be supportive. But she wasn¡¯t the sister she used to love. What bothered her most was A¡¯s treatment of their mother. A still lived in the house with her, but Kylee always got the impression that helping their mother was just a burden. She worried their mother would be left with no one to take care of her, and she wasn¡¯t in the best of health anymore. ¡°I have an idea,¡± I interrupted. They both looked up at me expectantly. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t your mothere to stay with us for a while? At least until the ceremony? We have the room in the packhouse, and I¡¯m sure you and my mother would appreciate the extra input.¡± Both their faces lit up. ¡°Really? We can do that?¡± Kylee said happily. 3/8 ||| Chapter 2 Theo ¡°Of course,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± 288 VoucherS Kylee jumped up from the table and threw her arms around me, kissing me sweetly. I ignored the growlsing from Kieran. Seeing their reaction told me I had made the exact right decision. Despite what the burning in my chest told me. This was who I was supposed to be with. Not A. ¡®Keep saying. Maybe believe.¡® I told him to shut up, and he retreated into the back of my mind, cutting himself off from me. He would get over it. Once the bond waspletely severed, he would understand this was the right thing for us and the pack. A I had managed to get myself together enough to rejoin my family. The pain that seared through me from Theo¡¯s rejection and my subsequent eptance almost brought me to my knees. It took all of my strength to keep my body from shaking, praying he didn¡¯t notice the blooding from my palms. I had clenched my fists so hard trying to stay on my feet that I broke the skin. When he finally left, I released the sob that was the only thing capable ofing out of my mouth. But I didn¡¯t let the tears fall. Not yet. They couldn¡¯t know. So, I steadied my breathing and went back into my house. I ||| Chapter 2 Theo 288 Vouchers was surprised to find that Kylee and Ma weren¡¯t in the dining room anymore. They weren¡¯t in the living room either. But Theo was. ¡°They¡¯re in your mother¡¯s room packing,¡± he said coldly. ¡°Packing?¡± What was he talking about? He stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. ¡°I think it¡¯s best. that you keep your distance from Kylee for a while. We don¡¯t want her finding out about this. But I know she¡¯ll want her mother to be a part of the ceremony nning. So she¡¯sing back with us.¡± I felt like he just pped me in the face. As if I would ever tell her. That¡¯s why I was doing this. So that I wouldn¡¯t break my baby sister¡¯s heart. I gave him what he wanted, and now he was going to keep me from my family? Dasha was confused and in pain, whimpering in my head because she didn¡¯t understand how he could be so cruel to us. ¡®Because he doesn¡¯t want to deal with the trouble,¡® I told her, fighting the tears that were forming. ¡®If this is how he is going to treat us, fine. It just makes this easier.¡® ¡°If that¡¯s what you think is best,¡± I said to Theo through gritted teeth. ¡°Kylee,¡± he called out, not breaking eye contact. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± My sister came prancing into the room. ¡°Already?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s head to the hotel for the night. We¡¯ll swing by in the morning to pick up your mother.¡± 5/8 ||| Chapter 2 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Okay,¡± she said brightly before turning to me. ¡°What about you, A? You¡¯reing with, too, right?¡± I opened my mouth to speak, but Theo decided to answer for 1. me. ¡°We were just talking about that. A has some things going on with work and can¡¯t get away.¡± I gave her a tight smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. But I will try toe out there as soon as I can.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, I understand. But I¡¯ll make sure we have a room ready for you whenever you cane.¡± ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t wait,¡± I said, my heart breaking again, knowing Theo wouldn¡¯t allow me to be there with her. We all said our goodbyes, and they left. Ma was still standing at the window watching them drive off when I went to clean up the dishes in the kitchen. She finally came in behind me and started opening another bottle of wine. We had gone through four during dinner already. And I barely touched my ss. ¡°Ma, you¡¯ve had enough for the night,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Oh,e on. It¡¯s a celebration,¡± Ma said. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you find out your baby is going to be a Luna.¡± ¡°Ma, you can celebrate more tomorrow. You need to finish packing,¡± I said, gently taking the bottle from her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kylee and Theo will be here first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°We can celebrate together while you help me pack,¡± she said, grabbing the bottle back from me. ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you pack.¡± O Chapter 2 Theo 288 Wouchers I winced. This wasn¡¯t going to end well. ¡°I¡¯m noting, Ma.¡± She stopped with the ss halfway to her lips. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re noting?¡± she asked with a pout. ¡°You have to be there. Kylee is going to be mated. I told her we would help pay for the ceremony.¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I winced again. She meant me. I would be helping pay for the ceremony. Ma didn¡¯t have a penny to her name. ¡°I will send you however much you need. But I have to stay close to work for the next few weeks. I¡¯ll come outter. We have six months to get ready,¡± I said, guiding her down the hall. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. You should be there for her. This is a big deal. Don¡¯t be so selfish, A.¡± Her words stung, but they weren¡¯t unexpected. This was kind of the norm when she got like this. I know she didn¡¯t really mean it. At least, she wouldn¡¯t mean it when she was sober. It was just her way of coping with her abandonment issues. I got her into her bedroom and set her on the bed. I changed her into her nightgown and tucked her in. I left her sitting up against the pillows while I pulled clothes out of her closet, asking if she wanted to take specific items. Pretty soon, she started to tip to the side. I coaxed her to lie down and tucked her all the way in. She was asleep in seconds. I hurried through the rest of her packing. Stuffing tworge suitcases as full as I could before carrying them out to the living room. Then I locked the front door, finished thest of the dishes, and slipped out into the backyard. I stripped off my clothes as I headed for the forest, desperate to get under its protective shadows. As soon as I passed the Chapter 2: Theo 1288 (Vouchers treeline, I shifted, taking off at full speed. I let Dasha feel all the pain. I didn¡¯t try to hold her back anymore. We would mourn the loss of our fated mate. The loss of the one person who was supposed to see us for who we were. The one person who was supposed to always put us first, without demands or expectations. We would mourn the loss of never getting to experience that. But we wouldn¡¯t mourn him. ¨C We ran until we could barely breathe. Until Dasha stopped at the edge of our pond ¨C our ce of sce our ce of sce and let out a heartwrenching howl into the night air. Shifting at the end as she retreated back into my mind, out of reach to heal her broken heart, while I let the torrent of tears finally fall. I fell to the forest floor, curling into myself as the sobs wracked my body, intensifying the burn that was still there from our bond being ripped from my heart. Iy there and cried until I had nothing left in my body, and my eyes drifted closed on the image of the moon and the stars reflecting on our peaceful little pond. ||| Chapter 3 Chapter 3 r Chapter 3 A 288 Vouchers Chapter 3: A I woke up to the first rays of sunshine heating my naked body. I was grateful for the warm night of mid¨C summer. Otherwise, I probably wouldn¡¯t have made it through the night in my human form. My wolf still hadn¡¯t re¨Cemerged, and I couldn¡¯t say I med her. The prospect of seeing Theo again this morning was hard enough for me. Dasha wouldn¡¯t be able to handle sensing his wolf again. She had told me he wasn¡¯t happy about the rejection. But it had to be done. And we had to ept it. I wasn¡¯t going to break Kylee¡¯s heart like that. Especially if he actually loved her that much. She would be happy. And I had to find a way to make that enough. I sat up and looked out at the reflective pool. I stood up and I walked into the water. I submerged myself completely, washing my body clean of Theo, the mate bond, and every dream of finding my soulmate. The ritual wasn¡¯t new to me. I did this after my father died. I came here to wash away the grief. And when my mother started to fall apart. When she started drinking heavier and gambling and I realized we were running out of the money Dad had left us. I had to make some tough decisions to keep the family going. Once I made them, I came back here to forget the person I was. So I could be who my family needed ||| Chapter 3 A me to be. 1288 (Vouchers I came here to wash away all of the what¨Cifs and what¨Ccould- have-beens. When I emerged, I started the long walk back home. When I made it back to the house, I could hear the faint sound of voicesing from inside. They had already arrived. I quickly collected my clothes from thewn, putting them back on before heading inside. I had to pause when I opened the door, bracing myself against the intoxicating scent that belonged to Theo. I had hoped the effects would have lessoned by now since we broke our bond, but I wasn¡¯t that lucky. But again, I shook off the feeling and prepared to push through this like everything was normal. I walked through the kitchen and into the living room, where, again, I found Theo alone. I could hear Ma and Kylee down the hall, and I prayed they would be out soon. Theo¡¯s hands clenched when his eyes met mine. It wasn¡¯t hard to read the look of disgust he held in them. I failed to hide the hitch in my breath, but I still managed to raise my chin. I wasn¡¯t about to let him see how he still affected me. Just a few more minutes and we would both be rid of each other, at least for a little while. Hopefully, it would be enough time for the bond to dissipate and free us of all this. ¡°There you are,¡± Kylee¡¯s voice rang down the hall. I turned to her with a smile, returning her hug as she wrapped her arms around me. I held on for a minute, letting her 2/6 ||| Chapter 3: A proximity calm me. ¡°Where have you been? Why is your hair wet?¡± 18288 Vouchers ¡°She went out against night,¡± Ma said with bitterness in her voice. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. ¡°Ma, I just went for a run,¡± I said. ¡°All night?¡± she said haughtily. How would you know? You were passed out drunk. I cleared my throat and brushed it off. ¡°I guess you guys need to get on the road,¡± I said, smiling down at Kylee as I rubbed her arms. Looking at the face of the girl I had practically raised since she was nine, I couldn¡¯t stop the lump in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss you.¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll see you soon. Come up whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± she said as she gave me another hug. ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I love you.¡± She pulled away and I turned to my mother, taking her in my arms despite her hesitation. ¡°Take care of yourself, Ma.¡± ¡°Kylee, let¡¯s get going,¡± Theo said from the door. With a few more smiles and waves, they walked out, closing the door behind them. I was standing in an empty room in an Chapter 3: A 288 Vouchers empty house. The silence was deafening. And it all came crashing down. I sank to my knees, begging the goddess to just let it all go away, just for a little while. I just wanted to feel numb. I lost track of how long I sat in that spot, staring without seeing. I didn¡¯t even know Zeff was there until I felt him grip my arms. ¡°Ayls, what the hell? What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, brushing hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. ¡°A, what is going on?¡± ¡°I found my mate,¡± I said, the corner of my mouth tipping up mockingly. ¡°He¡¯s scheduled to be mated to my sister.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeff eximed, anger and concern twisting his handsome features. Zeff was a good man. He had been there for me when no one else was. He was the only person who knew everything I went through. And here he was, listening to me tell him about meeting Theo, the mating ceremony, and my rejection. Why couldn¡¯t he have been my mate? He should have been. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, lifting me up. ¡°You¡¯reing to stay with me.¡± I didn¡¯t protest. The goddess had given me this one little blessing. I was numb. Zeff held me up by my waist and led me out to his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat and disappeared into the house again, only to emerge a few minutester with a duffel bag in hand. He pulled out and drove us the twenty minutes to his house. Just like before, he helped me inside, this time sitting me on ¦¤¦§ ||| Chapter 3 A 288 Vouchers the big,fy leather couch in his living room. I loved this couch. We had spent a lot of time on this couch, watching movies, talking about books, brainstorming ideas for work. This was like a second home to me. But even that felt wrong now. Zeff¡¯s phone rang in his pocket. He cursed as he pulled it out, checking the screen. ¡°Fuck,¡± he said. ¡°Honey, I have to take this. I¡¯ll be right back, okay?¡± I nodded. He answered the call, kissing my head before walking out of the room. Alone again, I pulled my feet up onto the couch, tucking them into my chest as I wrapped my arms. around my knees. Silent tears began to fall. The numbness was wearing off. It was time to snap out of it. I needed to move on. I heard Zeffing back, and I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes. No one had seen me cry. Not since the night my father died. I wasn¡¯t about to change that now. Not over someone like Theo. He paused, giving me a look. He knew I¡¯d been crying. It always bugged him when I did that. Not that I often cried anyway, let alone enough for anyone to see it. But Zeff was always trying to get me to open up more. He came and sat next to me, putting an arm over my shoulder and pulling me into him. I let myself rx some. This was the first thing since Theo walked into my life that felt normal, feltfortable. He leaned his head on mine, rubbing his fingers along my arm. ¡°Did you get myptop?¡± I asked quietly. 5/8 Chapter 3 A 28H (Voucheru His chest rose and fell heavily. ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re not going to worry about that right now.¡± I pushed off of him, going to the duffel bag he left by the door. ¡°I have to send Ca my chapters. I didn¡¯t get to itst night.¡± ¡ª ¡°A,¡± Zeff said, getting up anding to pull me away from the bag. ¡°You¡¯re not going to do this. You¡¯re not going to bury yourself in work. You¡¯re going to deal with this ¨C we¡¯re going to deal with this together. Screw him, okay. He¡¯s a dumbass. You deserve so much better than some asshole who doesn¡¯t see how incredible you are.¡± I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn¡¯t just about him. ¡°He took my family, Zeff. I would have gotten over him just rejecting me because of Kylee. At least she would be safe and happy.¡± ¡°Screw them,¡± Zeff said angrily. ¡°Zeff,¡± I warned. He wasn¡¯t exactly Kylee¡¯s biggest fan. There was a big age difference between the two of them, and she kind of annoyed him. But he always respected how protective I was of her. ¡°No, A. I¡¯m sick of this shit. They either treat you like a servant or a bank. They don¡¯t care what their actions do to you as long as they keep getting what they want.¡± ¡°Zeff, that¡¯s not fair,¡± I protested. My family wasn¡¯t perfect, but they were my family. They loved me in their own way. He moved to say something else but thought better of it. Chapter 3 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Fine,¡± he conceded. ¡°Then Kylee¡¯s happy. He can try to keep you from going to see them, but they¡¯ll be back to see you. You believe that, don¡¯t you?¡± I hesitated for a moment, but I did believe that. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, then get over him.¡± He took a step toward me, reaching up to hold my chin. ¡°He¡¯s not the only one who can take care of you, A. He may be stupid enough not to want you, but I¡® m not.¡± My breath caught in my throat. He had told me about his feelings before, but we both avoided going down that road with each other. We knew we could find our fated mates at any time, and we didn¡¯t want to deny each other that. ¡°Move in here with me, Ayls,¡± Zeff said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing stopping us now.¡± ¡°Zeff, you still have a mate out there somewhere.¡± ¡°A, stop. I¡¯m thirty¨Cfour and well¨Ctraveled. If I was going to find her, I would have long before now. We both know that.¡± Suddenly his lips were on mine. I was shocked, but mostly because it felt good. I felt wanted. I kissed him back, not wanting to give that feeling up. I leaned into him ¨C until Dasha came charging to the forefront, growling and snarling that someone who wasn¡¯t our mate was touching us. I ripped myself from Zeff¡¯s embrace. Breathing heavily, the pain of the severed bond renewed. I clutched my chest. ¡°Ayia.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. The bond. It¡¯s still there. It hasn¡¯t faded yet.¡± 778 Chapter 3: A 288 Mouchelt Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Zeff pulled me into his arms. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s okay. We can wait. We¡® Il take it slow. But I want you here with me. You¡¯re not staying in that house alone.¡± I rested my head on his chest. ¡°Okay.¡± He squeezed me tighter. I still didn¡¯t know if we could make this work, but I wanted to try. Chapter 4 Theo Chapter 4 Chapter 4 288 Vouchers Chapter 4: Theo It had been a week since I had gone home with Kylee. Seven days and a hundred miles away, and the bond was still there. The burning in my chest wouldn¡¯t go away. I didn¡¯t understand and it was pissing me off. I had been in an awful mood because of it. I had taken to holing up in my office most of the time. I didn¡¯t want to snap at Kylee, or her mother, which had be hard to avoid by the third day. They didn¡¯t deserve that. Kylee definitely didn¡¯t deserve that. I was d I had a good reason for me being so busy all of a sudden. Alpha was sick. He was diagnosed with a progressive disease almost a year ago. It had gotten to the point that he and my mother were concerned about the toll the Alpha role was taking on him. So, he decided it was time to hand the title down to me. It wasn¡¯t official yet. We were nning on making the change at the same time as Kylee¡¯s and my mating ceremony. Actually, that¡¯s why I decided to make Kylee my official mate. Alpha¡¯s were always stronger with a strong Luna by their side. With the circumstances of my father¡¯s abdication, our pack needed to be as strong as possible. But there was still a lot to take care of and a lot I had to learn about being an Alpha before that time. So it wasn¡¯t hard to convince her that it was the stress that was causing me to be distant. There was a knock on my office door, and Kylee poked her head in before I had a chance to answer. She walked around 288 Vouchers Chapter 4 Theo my desk with a bright smile. ¡°There you are, mate,¡± she cooed, sitting in myp. ¡°You¡¯ve been up here all day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, babe. I¡¯ve been working.¡± She ran a hand up my chest, leaning in to kiss me. Kieran¡¯s growl started immediately. He had spent the whole week giving me the silent treatment, except when Kylee was around. Then all he did was growl and snarl. It was getting exhausting. Kylee pulled away. ¡°I know. I understand. I just wanted to check on you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a smile. She really was sweet. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just knee¨Cdeep in all this paperwork. Did you need anything?¡± She tried to hide her pout, but I saw it for a moment. ¡°What is it, Ky?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you. You¡¯re already so busy.¡± ¡°You can ask me for anything. Don¡¯t ever feel bad for doing so,¡± I insisted. Her face brightened. ¡°Well, there¡¯s this ne of my mother¡® s. She wants me to wear it for our mating ceremony, but it was left at the house. I called A to have her bring it to me when she came up, but she won¡¯t be able to make it for a few more weeks.¡± I gripped the arm of the chair at hearing her name. At hearing that Kylee spoke to her. I fought the urge to ask how she was. Knowing I shouldn¡¯t care. family. It was our job to take care of them. To lead and be led by them to maintain peace, bnce, and prosperity. Our animals our wolves ¨C would guide us.¡± ¨D Theo looked through the window as he reyed the memory in his head. ¡°When the sun set, he shifted. He was the first wolf I had ever seen,¡± Theo said reverently. ¡°He was magnificent. I was so fascinated by him. And he was so patient. He let my four-year-old curiosity explore and 0.00% Chapter 89: A Theo and I went through my list of questions. I recorded and took notes on his perspective of his time with his father. It was interesting to hear the differences in how Theo recalled eventspared to his father. Sometimes it was quite amusing. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Last question ¡ª what is your earliest memory of your father?¡± ¡°Ooo,¡± Theo grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°My earliest memory of my father would have to be when he told me we were wolves.¡± Despite being a part of us, our wolves are dormant when we are born. It¡¯s considered a major milestone for a parent to show their children what we are and what it means. It happens at a young age, usually around four or five years old. ¡°Dad brought me up near the top of the mountain. He told me that wee from a special group of people. People who have animals inside them. With our animalses an extended family that we are bound to,¡± Theo stated. ¡°And that we have a very important role in that family. It was our job to take care of them. To lead and be led by them to maintain peace, bnce, and prosperity. Our animals ¨C would guide us.¡± our wolves Theo looked through the window as he reyed the memory in his head. ¡°When the sun set, he shifted. He was the first wolf I had ever seen,¡± Theo said reverently. ¡°He was magnificent. I was so fascinated by him. And he was so patient. He let my four-year-old curiosity explore and 0.00% O 16:29 Chapter B A 288 Vouchers climb and tug. We spent that night in the woods. Just me and him. From that night on, I couldn¡¯t wait to get my wolf.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°It sounds like a beautiful experience.¡± ¡°It was.¡± He nodded. ¡°I think we have a picture of the morning we returned.¡± Theo stood,ing around the desk. He went to a set of shelves behind me. That was the first time I had noticed all the pictures that filled them. I moved next to him to examine them. Theo picked up a frame from one of the top shelves and showed it to me. It held a photo of a small Theo riding on the back of Alpha¡¯s massive brown wolf. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to be at as many of my pack members¡¯ first shifts as I could since I was twelve,¡± Theo said. ¡°They have all been an exhrating experience. Getting to see their wolves for the first time. That night is still the most remarkable shift I¡¯ve experienced. At least so far.¡± ¡°My father was the first to show me, too. I¡¯m not sure anything could beat that first time,¡± I said. ¡°I could think of one that might,¡± Theo uttered, his hand gliding gently along my waist. I looked up and was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity in his amber eyes. His hand went to the nape of my neck, and he tugged me against him, his lips taking mine. Electricity coursed through me, shooting to every inch of my body. Every inch. I couldn¡¯t fight it anymore. I returned the kiss, my arms wrapping around him. I opened for him. The taste of him washing over me until he pulled away. ¡°Have dinner with me,¡± he rasped out. 288 Vouchers ¡°What?¡± I breathed, not sure I had full control of my body anymore. ¡°Have dinner with me,¡± he repeated, his forehead pressed against mine. ¡°Tonight.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the only ones here. Who else would I be eating with,¡± I teased. ¡°I mean dinner ¡°A date?¡± ¡ª candlelight, champagne, music¡­¡± He nodded. ¡°I know I don¡¯t deserve it, but I want a second chance, A. I want to do this right. Please, will you have dinner with me tonight?¡± My heart was racing and my whole body was tingling. A strange sound escaped my lips. Did I just¡­ giggle? What the hell was going on? I wanted to say yes. That¡¯s what was going on. I really wanted to say yes. I could feel the thoughts of doubt and guilting to the surface. So I let myself make a split-second decision. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Theo¡¯s face absolutely lit up ¡°Yeah,¡± Iughed. He kissed me again. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± he asked between kisses. ¡°Yes,¡± I insisted. He kept peppering me with kisses until I stopped him. 47.55% 288 Vouchers ¡°So, where is this dinner taking ce?¡± I asked. ¡°Here,¡± he stated. ¡°Who¡¯s cooking?¡± I asked skeptically. He chuckled. ¡°I will take care of that. In fact¡± ¨C he checked his watch ¨C ¡°why don¡¯t you go to the guest house and get ready. Dinner¡¯s at eight-thirty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s four hours from now,¡± I eximed. ¡°How long do you think it takes me to get ready?¡± ¡°You can do whatever you want,¡± Theo said. ¡°Take a nap, read, take a four-hour bath. I don¡¯t care if you show up in a sack. I just want you to open the door when Ie to get you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I help you?¡± He started to lead me out of the room by my waist. ¡°I would love for you to cook with me¡­ tomorrow. Tonight, I want to treat you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯lle to get you when I¡¯m ready,¡± Theo said. He kissed me at the door and watched me walk to the guest house. Once I shut the door behind me, IMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. realized what had just happened. I waited for the panic and second-guessing to set in, but all I felt was excitement. I had gotten to know Theo over the past week. Especially today. He was smart and good with business. He was generous, funneling most of his earnings back into the pack. He was funny and yful and sarcastic. But he was also humble. He adored his family and loved his pack. Che Pya I liked him. 298 Vouchers I decided to take his suggestion and take a long bath. I rxed and tried to keep my mind off whatever Theo was doing next door. Despite his deration that I could wear a sack, I wanted to look nice. I sha*ed, washed my hair really well, scrubbed, and lotioned every part of my body. I took extra time on my makeup and curled my hair. I didn¡¯ 1 rush. Instead just tried to enjoy the self-care. Also, I had to keep myself busy to calm my anticipation. I decided to wear the dress I had bought for the gathering that week. It was the only thing nice enough for the asion. At least, I thought it was. I still had no idea what Theo was nning. But it was getting close to the time when I got dressed. It was an emerald green floral print wrap dress that I just fell in love with. I was d I bought it. I felt amazing in it. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be nervous, but the confidence boost I got in that dress wouldn¡¯t hurt. I was slipping into a pair of heels when there was a knock on the door. Chapter # Tha 288 (Vouchers Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90: Theo I had borrowed a pair of cks and a button-up shirt from Dad¡¯s closet. It was probably the longest I had spent in front of the mirror in a long time. I wanted everything to go perfectly but would settle for just making A happy. I prayed A wouldn¡¯t see how nervous I was. I took a few deep breaths before knocking on the guest house door. When it opened, my jaw dropped. A looked incredible. She smiled, straightening her dress timidly. ¡°Is it okay?¡± There was no controlling it. I closed the distance and kissed her deeply, her scent hitting me like a drug I was quickly bing addicted to. ¡°You¡¯re perfect,¡± I said. Grabbing A¡¯s hands, I stepped back and looked her up and down again. ¡°As sta*****ngly se*y as they are, you may want to ditch the heels.¡± She looked at me suspiciously. ¡°Just trust me?¡± I requested. She rolled her eyes with a half-grin and slid out of the shoes, kicking them off to the side. Still holding her hands, I pulled her down the porch. I pulled a length of cloth out of my pocket. ¡°May I?¡± I indicated using it as a blindfold. ¡°Do you blind all your dates?¡± she teased as she turned for me to secure the fabric. Vouchers ¡°Nope,¡± I said. ¡°Only the most important. Taking her hands, I began to lead her across the yard. We traversed the soft grass until we came to the wooden path leading down to theke. I guided her every step of the way, letting her know when to step down. ¡°It would probably be more of a mystery if I didn¡¯t already know this path,¡± she chuckled. ¡°The where isn¡¯t the surprise,¡± I stated. It was nearly dark. Only thest dim rays of light could be seen along the h****on. The dock was in the shade of the trees, making the effects of the setting as nice as I had hoped. I added some poles alongMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. the edge and strung lights along them. I brought down the iron table and chairs that used to be on the patio until my parents got arger set. It was set with candles and flowers. There wererger flower arrangements set around the dock as well. All made up of A¡¯s favorite flowers. I stopped her before the dock. I grabbed a single dahlia I had pulled from a vase and moved behind her. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I whispered in her ear. ¡°That depends,¡± she replied softly, ¡°are you about to push me into theke?¡± I chuckled. ¡°I think this will be better.¡± I tugged the blindfold loose. A gasped as she opened her eyes, taking in the romantic setting. ¡°Theo¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I turned a small stereo on with a remote and presented her with the fiery dahlia I had selected. ¡°How did you know?¡± she asked. 288 Vouchers ¡°Lucky guess?¡± I tried as I guided her to the table. She didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Or I may have called Mina.¡± I pulled her chair out for her and let her settle. There was a tray table next to ours that held our dinner. Also A¡¯s favorites. It was lucky that not only did Mom have the ingredients on hand but also that I could make a meansagne. ¡°How in the world did you do all this in four hours?¡± A asked as I poured her a ss of champagne. ¡°Determination,¡± I replied, giving her a wink. And I had Briggs bring the flowers and help set everything up. I made him park down the road so she didn¡¯t hear his truck. But I would keep that information to myself if I could. ¡°Determination does get things done,¡± she conceded. After filling our tes, I settled in across from my mate. Praying to the moon goddess that I didn¡¯t screw this up again. ¡°So, you got to learn a lot about me today,¡± I noted, starting the conversation. ¡°But I haven¡¯t had the opportunity to learn more about you.¡± ¡°Our surroundings say otherwise,¡± she chided with a bright smile that had my heart racing. ¡°This stuff is easy to find out,¡± I replied. ¡°Okay, what do you want to know?¡± She took her first bite and almost melted in her chair. ¡°This is fantastic. Did you actually make this?¡± Iughed. ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± ¡°Knowing your mother, not really,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, she thought it was important I learn every life skill. I even do my ownundry,¡± I stated. ¡°What about you? I recall you¡¯re a pretty good cook yourself. I¡¯m assuming you were the one who actually cooked that day we met.¡± ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°Ma taught me some, actually. She was pretty involved with us before Dad died. She helped teach me to enjoy the task. But I guess I honed my skills out of necessity.¡± ¡°What about writing?¡± I asked. ¡°Who taught you to love that?¡± ¡°Loss,¡± she stated. ¡°Well, loss and my high school principal. He¡¯s the one who suggested journalling as an outlet. It helped a lot those first couple years.¡± ¡°Speaking of high school, graduating as young as you did is quite impressive,¡± Imented. ¡°I know you did it so you could work more, but why didn¡¯t you go to college once you got financially settled?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t start getting stable royalties until after my second book was published,¡± A exined. ¡°By then, Kylee was about to graduate and start college herself, and someone needed to take care of Ma. It just never felt like something I could make work.¡± ¡°What if you could?¡± I asked. She tried to make it seem like it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but I could see it was. I doubted she would ever admit it, but she felt like she missed out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to care for Kylee and Marie anymore, A. Why not go now?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I would study at this point.¡± ¡°You had to have something in mind before life got in the way,¡± I pointed out. She smiled. ¡°My dad studied sociology. I always thought I follow in his footsteps. Be a social worker. Or maybe psychology. Maybe Chapter Theo 288 vouchers both.¡± ¡°You should consider it,¡± I said. ¡°You won¡¯t have any problems getting epted anywhere you want.¡± ¡°I just might,¡± A replied. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91: Theo The moment I first saw A, the feeling of finding my mate, of finding her was the most intense feeling I had ever experienced. I didn¡¯t think I was capable of wanting anything more than I wanted her at that moment. I was wrong. I fell harder for A every second. When we finished dinner, I stood from the table and extended a hand to her. ¡°Dance with me?¡± She thought for a moment before looking at me with a coy smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know, are my poor bare toes in any danger?¡± Shaking my head, I kicked my shoes off. ¡°There. Now we¡¯re on equal footing, so to speak.¡± Taking my hand, she allowed me to pull her into my arms, holding her close as we began to sway to the music. She rested her head against my chest, letting me lead our movements. My hand trailed up and down her back. ¡°What do you want from life, A?¡± I asked gently. She breathed deeply. ¡°Something that¡¯s mine,¡± she whispered. ¡°Just mine.¡± I held her tighter. ¡°I have no doubt you will find that,¡± I said. ¡°Whatever that may be, you will always have me.¡± Chapter 91. Theo 288 (Vouchers She looked up at me, her grey eyes shining green in the dim light. It was something that I noticed happened when she was happy or content. But there was more there this time. I dared to believe it was affection. I leaned in, my lips taking hers in a gentle kiss. A¡¯s arms snaked around my neck, and the kiss quickly grew deeper. Her body pressed against me. My hands began to roam, my fingers burying themselves deep in her hair. My body responded, my length stiffening between us. A moaned, the scent of her arousal flooding me with adrenaline. I pressed her against the railing of the dock. My kisses became more fervent, my hands more demanding. My mouth moved down her jaw, tasting my way down her neck. My teeth ached as my canines extended. A low growl rumbled through my chest and I ripped myself away from her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, A,¡± I rasped.. ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s not what tonight is about. I promise.¡¯ She chuckled through her own ragged breathing. ¡°I know,¡± she assured me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to push too fast.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she insisted. I rested my forehead on hers. ¡°Maybe we should have dessert?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± sheughed, running her hand down my chest. ¡°Wait here.¡± I kissed her forehead and returned to the cart where I had stored the food for the evening. I cleared the table of our dinner tes and was about to reset it when I heard a ssh behind me. I turned and Chapter 91: Theo 288 Vouchers immediately saw A¡¯s dress on the wooden nks of the dock. I suppressed a groan as my member twitched, knowing my gorgeous mate was naked only feet away. I went to the edge of the dock and looked out at the water just as A resurfaced. ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°This isn¡¯t what we discussed, and you¡¯re not helping.¡± Sheughed. ¡°Maybe I needed a better distraction than dessert? ¡°It¡¯s not much of a distraction from where I¡¯m standing,¡± I stated. ¡°Perhaps you should even things out then,¡± A suggested, pushing away from the dock. ?? I couldn¡¯t tell what would make me the bigger fool ¡ª giving in or standing my ground? Kieran took the decisions out of my hands and pushed against the barrier, threatening to shift. I tugged my shirt from my waistband and unbuttoned a few buttons before pulling it over my head. She turned away when I dropped my pants. But I heard theugh as she did so. She was still turned away when I jumped in. She squealed when I sshed her. ¡°You wanted to even the ying field,¡± Imented. She turned back in my direction. ¡°I did.¡± I stayed near the dock where I knew I could touch the bottom, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°And do you see how cruel this is now?¡± ¡°We should be fine if we keep our distance,¡± she said. I ran a hand over my face. My eyes were closed just long enough to realize she was doing anything but keep her distance. When I opened 43.06% 16:30 Chapter 01: Theo 1 200 (Vouchers them, A was in front of me. Her expression was more sober than it was a few seconds before. She reached out to me, her hands running up my chest and around my neck. Mine instinctively went to her waist, feeling the warmth and electricity searing through me. ¡°A¡­¡± ¡°I want this, Theo,¡± she interrupted. Her eyes a vibrant green in the moonlight. Before my brain had time to catch up with my body, A¡¯s lips crashed into mine. SHE kissed ME. She had never initiated before. It was all I needed to give in. My arms went around her, my hands traveling down to the globes of her a*s, squeezing them before forcing her legs around my waist. Reaching around, my fingers slid along her folds. Her moan was stifled as I spun us around, lifting her higher and bncing her against a dock post, all in one smooth move. I licked and kissed down her chest, taking one of her breasts in my mouth, then the other. My hand moved back between her legs, finding her cl*t. A groaned as my fingers made firm circles around the sensitive nub. The hand she had buried in my hair tightened, and her head fell back. Joy and pride drove me as she began to grind against me, wanting more. I obliged. Pushing a finger inside her entrance. ¡°Yes,¡± she whimpered, still riding my hand. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, baby,¡± I rasped out. Pulling out, I thrust two fingers into her, watching her cry out with passion. I moved in and out of her. I would give her every ounce of 67.63% 16:30 Chapter 91: Theo 288 (Vouchers pleasure I could. I curled my fingers as I increased speed, ensuring I hit her G-spot with every motion. Her moans became louder as she tightened around my fingers. I didn¡¯t relent. Not until her was body vibrating in my arms and then until it passed. I lowered A back down. Kissing her between ragged breaths. ¡°Goddess, A,¡± I whispered. ¡°You¡¯re f***ng perfect.¡± Chapter 92: Theo 1238 WouchersContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92: Theo ¡°Theo,¡± A murmured. Her mouth took mine, her tongue meeting mine eagerly. Her legs wrapped around me once again as her hand moved between us. Her fingers wrapped around my length, eliciting a growl from me as she stroked. Shifting, she ced my c**k at her entrance. I froze. ¡°A,¡± I gasped, ¡°you have to be sure¡­¡± ¡°Theo, I want this,¡± she said strongly. ¡°I want you.¡± She kissed me again. ¡°I want what¡¯s mine.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny her. I couldn¡¯t deny myself. I pushed inside her, feeling the barrier inside her break. Shock halted me as A cried out. ¡°A, are you¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she whined. ¡°Please.¡± I cupped her face. My perfect little mate. She was mine. For these precious moments, she was all mine. She was giving me everything, and I would give her the same. I slid inside her slowly, allowing her to adjust to my size little by little. She was so tight. My entire body was shaking with the effort to maintain control. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle.¡± Her fingers dug into my shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± 0.00% This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ||| O J 16:30 Chapter 92: Theo 288 Vouchers My control snapped. I thrust into her, my arm around her waist as I gripped the edge of the dock. A¡¯s moans filled my senses. ¡°Yes, Theo, yes¡­ Her nails dug into my skin. The pain intensifying the pleasure. I buried my face in her neck, breathing her in like she was life itself. She was my heaven. I felt her walls start to constrict again. My ws dug into the wood as my own release came hurtling toward me. ¡°Come for me, A. My beautiful mate. I thrust harder, faster. Her cries turned to screams of pleasure. My name was on her lips as she came apart, her body convulsing against the onught of her org**m. The intensity of which brought me over the edge, exploding inside her as I stiffened. ¡°A¡­¡± For those few seconds, everything was perfect. A fell limp against me. I wrapped her in my embrace, supporting her in her exhausted state. I gathered my strength and senses long enough to make it to the shoreline, falling onto a soft patch of sand and moss. Iy with my mate draped over me. It didn¡¯t matter what happened next. Whether she stayed with me or not. I could never belong to anyone else. I was hers. For the rest of my life. ¡°A, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were a virgin?¡± I asked gently. ¡°I felt you and¡­¡± ¡°We never went that far,¡± she interjected. ¡°I figured that out,¡± I said with a soft chuckle. ¡°But I hurt you.¡± 21.01% 16:30 Chapter 92 Theo 288 (Vouchers ¡°Did you?¡± she said coyly, resting her chin on my chest as she looked up at me. ¡°That¡¯s not how I remember it.¡± I strengthened my hold on her, smiling broadly as I kissed her again. Virginity wasn¡¯t something werewolves fixated on. Losing it wasn¡¯t some big, intimate milestone for us. That was a human thing. We had to live in harmony with the animals that existed inside us. It was a delicate bnce that meant giving into those animalistic urges from time to time. Sex was one of those. Since pregnancy was easy to avoid for us, there wasn¡¯t much of a reason to deprive ourselves. It was extremely rare for a she-wolf to get pregnant if she wasn¡¯t in heat. And heat urred less frequently in unmarked she-wolves. Even then, we had ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies. So, sex was just a pastime, and casual arrangements weremon. For wolves, finding our fated mate was when sex meant something special. It didn¡¯t matter how many times you had done it before. The mate bond made it so much more. Now, I understood why. Being with A was like nothing I had ever experienced. I wouldn¡¯t have cared if she wasn¡¯t a virgin. The fact that she was had me feeling a sense of pride that I couldn¡¯t have expected. ¡°Still, I wish I had known,¡± I said, brushing her hair back as she settled on my chest again. ¡°I would have done things differently.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything different,¡± she insisted. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like either of us expected this to happen. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t.¡± Wey there for a while. I had so many things running through my head, and I wasn¡¯t about to voice any of them yet. The night had been amazing. Hands down the best night of my life. I desperately wanted to Chapter 92: Theo 288 Vouchers hold on to that feeling for a little longer. I didn¡¯t want to think about what came next. I didn¡¯t want to build any expectations. There was no denying this meant something to A. I knew that in my soul. But I didn¡¯t know if it meant the same thing to her that it did for me. A had fallen asleep, but I didn¡¯t want to stay on thekeshore. The night air was too cool for our naked, human forms. I would have to shift to keep her warm. I¡¯d have to wake her to do that. Despite Kieran¡¯ s begging, I carefully stood and carried her back to the guest house instead. Iid her on the bed and climbed in behind her, covering us with the nkets. I was in awe at how perfectly she fit against me. Everything about her was like a matching puzzle piece. Her head rested perfectly over my arm. Her small fingersced with mine wlessly. Every curve nestled against my skin like it was home. Like I was home. 288 Vouchers Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93: A It was the tingling sensation that first registered as I slowly became conscious. I felt Theo wrapped around me, and I smiled, remembering our evening together. I hadn¡¯t expected everything he had done. But it was perfect. Theo¡¯s scent filled my lungs, making my mouth water. I snuggled back against the hard body behind me. My a*s wiggled as I got closer. I smiled again at feeling him respond to the movement. His length hardened at the crux of my lower cheeks. He shifted his position, and my own arousal came to life in my core. I moved my hips, letting the need grow. A low rumble reverberated behind me, and Theo¡¯s hand grabbed my hip, halting my movement. ¡°As spectacr a good morning as this is turning out to be,¡± he whispered huskily, nipping at my shoulder, ¡°you better be sure this is something you can finish, my little minx.¡± I wriggled against his hold. ¡°That was the idea,¡± I said, attempting seduction. Theo groaned, kissing my neck, using his tongue and teeth along my bare flesh in a way that had me short of breath. ¡°Are you sore?¡± he asked, his voice sounding more sober and caring. ¡°No,¡± I replied. Theo¡¯s hand dipped between my legs, his fingers sliding between my folds, making me hiss. ¡°Are you sure?¡± 0.00% 16:31 Okay, maybe I was a little sore. But not nearly enough to temper the desire growing inside me. I covered his hand with mine, urging him to give me what I wanted. I moaned as he began making slow, torturous circles over my cl*t. His c**k glided along my wet folds, already soaked in anticipation. He paused, the head of his length poised outside my entrance. ¡°Answer me, A,¡± he growled, his fingers picking up speed on my sensitive nub. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± I cried out as Theo pushed into me, filling mepletely. ¡°F**k, yes.¡± He pulled out slowly and mmed back into me. He kept that pace, his hand still working my c**t. Pleasure was shooting through me. I arched my back, gripping the sheets as I tightened around him. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby,¡± Theo said. He increased the pressure, thrusting harder as I came to the edge. Within moments, I was pushed over Waves of bliss washed over me as my legs shook, my whole body went loose. Theo turned my head, his mouth taking mine. ¡°Baby, I¡¯m not even close to being done with you yet,¡± Theo murmured. ¡°I want to taste every inch of you, A. I want to make youe until you beg me to stop.¡± He was still inside me when he rolled me onto my belly. ¡°And if I do my job correctly, you won¡¯t be able to walk straight.¡± I inhaled sharply as he pulled out of me. He moved down my body, exploring with his mouth as he had promised. His hands followed. He squeezed the globes of my a*s before I was suddenly yanked down the bed with a squeal. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re so f****ng se*y, A,¡± Theo said, lifting my hips 22.06% 16:31 Chapter 93. A 288 (Vouchers into the air. I groaned, needing to feel him against me again. He didn¡¯t disappoint. His mouth closed around my mound, his tongue deftly finding my cl*t. He dove into his task with abandon. I pushed against him, wanting more as I moaned. His tongue dipped inside my entrance before swirling around my c**t once more, establishing a delicious pattern. A pattern that was only interrupted when his finger slid through, gathering my juices before he pressed against my back whole. I whimpered at the unexpected intrusion, but it was an exquisite addition. It pushed me toward my release. It was like Theo knew my body better than I did. He didn¡¯t relent as I urged him on. He grippedThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. my hips harder, and I exploded. When I stopped shaking, Theo climbed back up the bed, hovering over me as he positioned his c**k between my thighs. ¡°You taste even better than I imagined,¡± he growled into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°It¡¯s getting harder for me to go easy on you, baby. But I suspect I don¡¯t have to.¡± He gripped my hair, pulling back hard so he could kiss me. ¡°Do I need to take it easy on you, A?¡± ¡°No,¡± I whimpered as he slid along my folds, teasing me. ¡°Do I get to im this tight, little p**sy?¡± he groaned. ¡°Is it all mine?¡± I moaned. It wasn¡¯t a question for me anymore. I knew the answer in my bones. ¡°Yes,¡± I gasped. Theo mmed into me, picking up a relentless pace that had me hurtling toward another org**m faster than I would have thought possible. It hit me like a wall, crashing over me like a wave. 16:31 Chapter 93 A 288 (Vouchers ¡°F*ck, baby,¡± Theo grunted. But he wasn¡¯t done. Slipping an arm around my waist, still gripping my hair, he dragged me off the bed. Switching us to an upright position as he continued to plow into me. I screamed in pleasure, the new position bringing new sensations. I began to work with him, meeting him with every thrust. ¡°You¡¯re going toe with me, A,¡± he demanded. ¡°When I say.¡± My walls were already tightening. I didn¡¯t know how much longer I couldst. ¡°That¡¯s it, mate.¡± The word nearly threw me over the edge, but I didn¡¯t have to hold out long. ¡°Come for me,¡± Theo demanded. ¡°Now.¡± My body shattered in a ray of white light as pure ecstasy washed over me. I barely registered the roar that escaped Theo as warmth filled my core. He became rigid against me as he held me through the convulsions before we copsed into the bed. Our breathing ragged as wey tangled up in each other. I clung to his arms, still firmly wrapped around me. Our sweat mingled between our overheated bodies. I didn¡¯t keep track of how long wey there. I didn¡¯t want to. For the first time in my life, I truly felt like something, even if it was just an experience, was just mine. I didn¡¯t know what returning to the real world would do to that. So I stayed there as long as I could, letting 76.97% 16:31 Chapter 93: A Theo- letting my mate trace patterns on my skin. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 95: Briggs ¡°About da*n time you answered, as***le,¡± I said when Theo finally picked up the phone. ¡°Mina has been driving me crazy wanting to know how things wentst night.¡± Okay, we both were dying to know if things went well. When Theo called me to get my help setting up the perfect date with A, I dropped everything without question. When I got there with the flowers and other supplies, he insisted I stay hidden so A didn¡¯t find out. I had never seen him so uptight about d¨¦cor. It was quite amusing. ¡°She didn¡¯t call A?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Of course she did,¡± I said. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t sure if she was supposed to know, so she only tried a couple times. Quit changing the subject. How the hell did it go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ready to let anyone know just yet,¡± Theo replied, but I could hear the happiness and excitement in his voice. ¡°We?¡± I asked, sitting up in my office chair. ¡°So, it went well?¡± There was a pause on the other end. ¡°Yeah,¡± Theo replied. ¡°It went f****ng amazing.¡± I was smiling from ear to ear. I knew Theo was too. ¡°I¡¯m cleaning up right now before Mom and Dad get back,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more after A and I have had some time to talk.¡± ¡°You two are killing us over here, you know that, right?¡± Chapter 95 Briggs 288 Vouchers ¡°You¡¯ll live,¡± Theo insisted before hanging up the phone. I immediately mind-linked Mina. ¡®Hey, babe, I just spoke with Theo. It sounds like it was a great night.¡¯ I could feel her nearby but she didn¡¯t answer. She had been working on some paperwork for the pack. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most riveting job, so she shouldn¡¯t have been that focused. My gut tightened. Something was off ¡®Babe?¡¯ I reached out again. She wasn¡¯t blocking me. ¡®I¡¯m in Theo¡¯s office,¡¯ she finally responded. I could feel fear in her words. ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯ I shot up from my desk. ¡®Act normal,¡¯ she hissed through our connection. ¡®Don¡¯t rush. I lied and said I couldn¡¯t mind-link.¡± What the hell? Mina and I still hadn¡¯t marked each other, so our senses were still limited. ¡®Who is there, Mina?¡¯ I demanded. ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ she replied. ¡®He¡¯s demanding files¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m here, baby,¡¯ I said, pausing outside Theo¡¯s office door. It was cracked open and I could hear a man¡¯s voice inside. I didn¡¯t recognize it, but he demanded Mina find something for him. I was filled with rage. Ready to barge in and rip this as***l*¡¯s throat out. But he wasn¡¯t expecting me toe in, so I couldn¡¯t appear like I was expecting to find him. I took a few breaths to get my head straight. Chapter 95 Briggs 288 (Vouchers I pushed through the door. ¡°Hey, Mina¡­¡± Randall Fallweather was standing behind Mina. When I came in, he grabbed her, holding a de to my mate¡¯s throat. I growled as my hands clenched into fists. It took everything in me not tounch myself across the room. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I demanded. ¡°Stay back,¡± Randall demanded. ¡°I will kill her. I just want the files. And don¡¯t even try to mind-link anyone, or I start cutting.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said, trying to calm him down. I looked at Mina. She gave me a slight nod, letting me know she was okay. ¡°What files?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± Randall spat. ¡°I just need to know where he keeps them.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°It¡¯s an office, man,¡± I said, taking a slow step forward. ¡°Check any drawer.¡± ¡°Not those,¡± Randall said, waving the de around. ¡°The hidden ones. The files that aren¡¯t supposed to exist. All these Alphas keep them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Alpha,¡± I said, taking another step. ¡°No, but you¡¯re his Beta. So you know where they are.¡± He grabbed Mina tighter. ¡°And you¡¯re going to tell me. I¡¯ll get what I came for, and you can have your little girlie here back, safe and sound.¡± ¡°And what? You walk out the front door?¡± Randall chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen. Because if I don¡¯t, your mate here won¡¯t be the only one who suffers.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I said, ¡°just take it easy. The cab safe is the only ce I Chapter 95 Briggs 288 Vouchers know he could have anything like that. Behind the desk.¡± He looked back, dragging Mina with him toward the safe. ¡®I told Jimmy to call Theo,¡¯ Mina said while he was distracted. He wasn¡¯t looking at her eyes, so she could reach out safer than I could. I smiled at her. My brilliant mate. If he harmed her, I¡¯d kill him on the spot. Randall yanked the door open, revealing the safe door inside. ¡°What¡¯s the code?¡± I winced. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Well, you better start figuring it out,¡± he said, putting pressure behind the de against Mina¡¯s skin. ¡°You really think hurting her will get you what you want, Randall?¡± I let his name slip on purpose. His face paled. ¡°Threatening a Beta¡¯s mate is a death sentence on its own, and you already have a murder charge hanging over you.¡± ¡°No,¡± he shouted. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°We found the files in your rental house, Randall,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who could have been down there with Mrs. Walport. What makes you think what you¡¯re looking for is here?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± he insisted. ¡°I was only in charge of the fires. Now, I know the old Alpha covered something up. So you better start remembering the code.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember what was never given to me,¡± I said. Mina gasped as Chapter 95: Briggs 288 iVouchers he tightened his hold. ¡°But if you give me a minute to think, I might be able to figure it out. But I would think a lot clearer if there wasn¡¯t a knife pressed against my mate¡¯s throat.¡± Randall thought momentarily, shifting from one foot to the other before I could see him loosen his grip on Mina. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Now, I believe you didn¡¯t kill anyone, Randall. So, I¡¯m going to help you get the code and find what you¡¯re looking for. But you¡¯re going to have a hard time getting out of here without drawing attention.¡± ¡°Oh really,¡± Randall sneered. ¡°You¡¯re pretty nervous right now. They will probably smell you throughout the packhouse halls,¡± I said. ¡°Your unfamiliar scent is going to draw attention to you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Randall said. ¡°I have my insurance. I¡¯m pretty good a distractions.¡± My eyes locked with Mina¡¯s. He was going to set a fire in the packhouse. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95: Briggs ¡°About da*n time you answered, as***le,¡± I said when Theo finally picked up the phone. ¡°Mina has been driving me crazy wanting to know how things wentst night.¡± Okay, we both were dying to know if things went well. When Theo called me to get my help setting up the perfect date with A, I dropped everything without question. When I got there with the flowers and other supplies, he insisted I stay hidden so A didn¡¯t find out. I had never seen him so uptight about d¨¦cor. It was quite amusing. ¡°She didn¡¯t call A?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Of course she did,¡± I said. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t sure if she was supposed to know, so she only tried a couple times. Quit changing the subject. How the hell did it go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ready to let anyone know just yet,¡± Theo replied, but I could hear the happiness and excitement in his voice. ¡°We?¡± I asked, sitting up in my office chair. ¡°So, it went well?¡± There was a pause on the other end. ¡°Yeah,¡± Theo replied. ¡°It went f****ng amazing.¡± I was smiling from ear to ear. I knew Theo was too. ¡°I¡¯m cleaning up right now before Mom and Dad get back,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more after A and I have had some time to talk.¡± ¡°You two are killing us over here, you know that, right?¡± Chapter 95 Briggs 288 Vouchers ¡°You¡¯ll live,¡± Theo insisted before hanging up the phone. I immediately mind-linked Mina. ¡®Hey, babe, I just spoke with Theo. It sounds like it was a great night.¡¯ I could feel her nearby but she didn¡¯t answer. She had been working on some paperwork for the pack. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most riveting job, so she shouldn¡¯t have been that focused. My gut tightened.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Something was off ¡®Babe?¡¯ I reached out again. She wasn¡¯t blocking me. ¡®I¡¯m in Theo¡¯s office,¡¯ she finally responded. I could feel fear in her words. ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯ I shot up from my desk. ¡®Act normal,¡¯ she hissed through our connection. ¡®Don¡¯t rush. I lied and said I couldn¡¯t mind-link.¡± What the hell? Mina and I still hadn¡¯t marked each other, so our senses were still limited. ¡®Who is there, Mina?¡¯ I demanded. ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ she replied. ¡®He¡¯s demanding files¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m here, baby,¡¯ I said, pausing outside Theo¡¯s office door. It was cracked open and I could hear a man¡¯s voice inside. I didn¡¯t recognize it, but he demanded Mina find something for him. I was filled with rage. Ready to barge in and rip this as***l*¡¯s throat out. But he wasn¡¯t expecting me toe in, so I couldn¡¯t appear like I was expecting to find him. I took a few breaths to get my head straight. Chapter 95 Briggs 288 (Vouchers I pushed through the door. ¡°Hey, Mina¡­¡± Randall Fallweather was standing behind Mina. When I came in, he grabbed her, holding a de to my mate¡¯s throat. I growled as my hands clenched into fists. It took everything in me not tounch myself across the room. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I demanded. ¡°Stay back,¡± Randall demanded. ¡°I will kill her. I just want the files. And don¡¯t even try to mind-link anyone, or I start cutting.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said, trying to calm him down. I looked at Mina. She gave me a slight nod, letting me know she was okay. ¡°What files?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± Randall spat. ¡°I just need to know where he keeps them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an office, man,¡± I said, taking a slow step forward. ¡°Check any drawer.¡± ¡°Not those,¡± Randall said, waving the de around. ¡°The hidden ones. The files that aren¡¯t supposed to exist. All these Alphas keep them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Alpha,¡± I said, taking another step. ¡°No, but you¡¯re his Beta. So you know where they are.¡± He grabbed Mina tighter. ¡°And you¡¯re going to tell me. I¡¯ll get what I came for, and you can have your little girlie here back, safe and sound.¡± ¡°And what? You walk out the front door?¡± Randall chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen. Because if I don¡¯t, your mate here won¡¯t be the only one who suffers.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I said, ¡°just take it easy. The cab safe is the only ce I Chapter 95 Briggs 288 Vouchers know he could have anything like that. Behind the desk.¡± He looked back, dragging Mina with him toward the safe. ¡®I told Jimmy to call Theo,¡¯ Mina said while he was distracted. He wasn¡¯t looking at her eyes, so she could reach out safer than I could. I smiled at her. My brilliant mate. If he harmed her, I¡¯d kill him on the spot. Randall yanked the door open, revealing the safe door inside. ¡°What¡¯s the code?¡± I winced. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Well, you better start figuring it out,¡± he said, putting pressure behind the de against Mina¡¯s skin. ¡°You really think hurting her will get you what you want, Randall?¡± I let his name slip on purpose. His face paled. ¡°Threatening a Beta¡¯s mate is a death sentence on its own, and you already have a murder charge hanging over you.¡± ¡°No,¡± he shouted. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°We found the files in your rental house, Randall,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who could have been down there with Mrs. Walport. What makes you think what you¡¯re looking for is here?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± he insisted. ¡°I was only in charge of the fires. Now, I know the old Alpha covered something up. So you better start remembering the code.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember what was never given to me,¡± I said. Mina gasped as Chapter 95: Briggs 288 iVouchers he tightened his hold. ¡°But if you give me a minute to think, I might be able to figure it out. But I would think a lot clearer if there wasn¡¯t a knife pressed against my mate¡¯s throat.¡± Randall thought momentarily, shifting from one foot to the other before I could see him loosen his grip on Mina. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Now, I believe you didn¡¯t kill anyone, Randall. So, I¡¯m going to help you get the code and find what you¡¯re looking for. But you¡¯re going to have a hard time getting out of here without drawing attention.¡± ¡°Oh really,¡± Randall sneered. ¡°You¡¯re pretty nervous right now. They will probably smell you throughout the packhouse halls,¡± I said. ¡°Your unfamiliar scent is going to draw attention to you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Randall said. ¡°I have my insurance. I¡¯m pretty good a distractions.¡± My eyes locked with Mina¡¯s. He was going to set a fire in the packhouse. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96: Theo I put our discarded clothing in the washing machine after hanging up with Briggs. I had brought up the serving cart with all the dishes from the dock and the flower arrangements. A st**id grin on my face the whole time. I was starting the wash when I was suddenly filled with an overwhelming feeling of dread. It took a second for my head to catch up to what I was feeling. When it did, panic set in. ¡°A¡­ I shot out of the house and across thewn. I barged through the guest house door, calling her name. She was sitting in a ball on the floor. I ran to her, sliding across the hardwood on my knees. ¡°A, baby, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± I urged, grabbing her face, making her look at me. ¡°A, talk to me?¡± She looked up at me with so much despair in her eyes that it felt like my heart was breaking all over again. ¡°A, please, tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I¡­¡± she started weakly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Theo. I should have told you.¡± She grabbed my hand, holding it tightly. Like she was afraid I would let her go. ¡°Told me what, sweetheart?¡± I asked gently. I: She looked over my shoulder, her eyesnding on something behind me. I turned around to follow her gaze and saw a card and envelope on the floor in the kitchen. I leaned back, stretching to pick the card up. Chapter 96 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What is this, A?¡± I asked, looking at the photo on the front. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said again. ¡°I just keep putting everyone in danger.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, honey?¡± I opened the card and my blood ran cold. Then boiling with rage. ¡°A, what the f**k is this?¡± I was trying to stay calm for her but I was struggling. I needed to know what was going on. I needed to find who gave her this. So I could rip them apart with my bare hands. ¡°A, tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been following me,¡± she said. ¡°Stalking me. Leaving me messages.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Imanded, the card crumpling in my fist. She shook her head vigorously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I swear. I didn¡¯t know he would find me here. I thought he would lose interest. I should have told you when he did. But I swear I don¡¯t know who it is.¡± ¡°Shh, shh, shh.¡± My anger faded at seeing her distress. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into myp. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. I¡¯ve got you. I promise I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± She pushed against me. ¡°Who¡¯s going to keep you safe? I believe him. He will kill you, Theo.¡± ¡°Let him try,¡± I said, brushing her hair back. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± she protested. ¡°A, you¡¯re smart enough to know something like this isn¡¯t going to Chapter 96 Theo 288 (Vouchers scare me away,¡± I insisted. ¡°Now, tell me what happened. Where did thise from?¡± ¡°It was on the table when I got out of the shower,¡± she said, her brow furrowing. ¡°He¡¯s never left them when I was around. It¡¯s always been when I was gone or in ces like the mailbox or my car. Unless¡­ Did you see it when you left?¡± I thought back to when I left her. I wanted to relieve her fears, but I couldn¡¯t remember if I had seen it. I didn¡¯t think I had, which meant he was in here just a short while ago. What¡¯s more, I know I locked the door. ¡°There¡¯s no way this guy could have gotten far,¡± I said, pulling my phone from my pocket. ¡°I¡¯m going to call the patrol. They¡¯ll track him down.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll get away,¡± A said. ¡°He always gets away.¡± I kissed her forehead, holding her against me as I spoke with the warrior leading the patrols around the lake house. When I hung up, I made A face me. ¡°Hey, look at me, sweetheart,¡± I said. ¡°No one is going to take you, okay? I won¡¯t let that happen. No one will let that happen. I¡¯m Alpha. I will always protect you.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not¡­¡± your ¡°You¡¯ll always be a Greytooth, A,¡± I insisted. ¡°Ties or not. You will always be my responsibility.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get¡­¡± ¡°Stop, A,¡± I said. ¡°Stop. This is my decision. My choice. This is one thing I will do whether you want me to or not.¡± Chapter 96: Theo 288 Vouchers She searched my face for a moment, surprising me when her lips met mine. Her arms went around my neck, and I held onto her. When she pulled away, she swiped tears from her eyes. ¡°Do you have any of the other messages?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe we can use them to find this guy.¡± ¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much to them,¡± she said. ¡°Just the cards and the blue envelopes. They alwayse in a blue envelope.¡± ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a look,¡± I stated. She nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she conceded. ¡°There¡¯s one in my bag. The rest are in my car.¡± I gave her an encouraging smile as I helped her off the floor. She walked over to the coffee table where herputer bag was, removed another envelope, and handed it to me. ¡°I should go get dressed,¡± shemented. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get the rest.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, trying not to focus on the distance she was keeping. ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡± She went to the bedroom, leaving me to look at the second card. It was a warning about getting close to me. I examined the card itself, looking for any printingpany or watermarks. There weren¡¯t any.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The images on the front were different but of simrndscapes. The one she received today had a ruined building within the foliage. Nothing about them stood out. A returned and I followed her out to the car. ¡°When did all this start?¡± I asked as she leaned in to pull a stack of envelopes out of the middle console of her car. Chapter 96: Theo 288 (Vouchers ¡°The cards started a week after we met,¡± she said, looking a little nervous. ¡°But Theo, I think he¡¯s been watching me for a long time now.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± I asked. ¡°Just some of the things he says. The things he knows,¡± she exined, crossing her arms over her middle. ¡°He was there that day. He watched us reject each other when we met. The thing is, he¡¯s never left a scent. Nothing. Not even a masking agent.¡± ¡± ¡°I noticed that, too,¡± I said. ¡°But we¡¯ll find him, A.¡± I pulled her into an embrace. She seemed to resist at first but quickly melted against me, wrapping her arms around me. I hated that this was One more thing put on her. We needed to talk, but I didn¡¯t think I could put that on her right then. I¡¯d have to talk to Briggs and see if I could get away with spending a few more days with her before returning to the city. My phone rang from my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. Chap 7. Aple 78???PR Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97: A Theo answered the call, keeping an arm around me at first. ¡°What?¡± I felt him tense before he pulled away, turning his back to me. A sense of fear hit me. Something was wrong. He turned back to me. Our eyes locked and I knew it was bad. ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± he spoke into the phone before hanging up. ¡°I have to go.¡± He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the packhouse. ¡°Hank, one of the warriors, is on his way. He¡¯ll be here in ten minutes. I need you to stay inside.¡± ¡°Theo, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°A murder suspect has broken into the packhouse,¡± he informed me. ¡°They think he¡¯s nted an incendiary device somewhere.¡± ¡°Oh, goddess,¡± I gasped. Theo stopped. Like he had thought twice about something. ¡°A, he¡¯s taken a hostage,¡± he said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s Mina.¡± I pulled my hand from his. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Briggs is with her,¡± Theo rushed, pulling his shirt over his head. ¡°He¡¯s managed to talk him down and keep him calm so far. But he¡¯s demanding things that Briggs can¡¯t give him on his own. I have to get there as fast as I can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡± I demanded. Chapter $7. A ¡°I can¡¯t take the long way, A,¡± Theo said with a pained look. ¡°I have to shift.¡± Which I still couldn¡¯t do. I tried calling on Dasha but she wasn¡¯t there. She didn¡¯te forward. I nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll follow in the car. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave the property alone,¡± Theo said. ¡°Not with that as***le so close.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not staying here, Theo,¡± I said forcefully, my anger rising. Theo ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He looked at me, his expression resolute. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, undoing his jeans. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°Theo, you can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Kieran is bigger than most wolves,¡± he insisted. ¡°Trust me. He can.¡± He finished stripping down and shifted in seconds. My sense of urgency slipped for a moment at seeing Kieran for the first time. I wished I could take the time to admire the creature before me. He was magnificent with a mix of jet ck and chocte brown fur. And he was massive. Kieran yipped at me. Pulling my attention back to the present. He knelt forward and I climbed on his back. I had to remind myself of our dire situation as Iced my fingers through his glorious mane. I held on tight as he took off, racing through the trees. Kieran sped down the mountain faster than I thought possible for a wolf carrying someone. I was agile and strong. I could feel his muscles flexing beneath me. The experience would have been exhrating if Chapter 9 byly worry wasn¡¯t eating at my gut and I started counting the seconds. The packhouse sat on the edge of the city. A broad swath ofnd stretched between it and the forest. He covered the field in a few strides, skidding to a halt near a shed. I slid off his back, knowing I would find clothes for him in the small outbuilding. I grabbed sweats and a t-shirt as he shifted, tossing them to him. He dressed as we rushed to the front of the packhouse. As we came around the corner, we saw a stream of people exiting the building and more sca****ed across thewn. There were a few people trying to get people organized. Jimmy, one of Theo¡¯s Ga**as I had met the week before, was near the door ushering people outside. Theo grabbed my hand and headed in that direction. ¡°Jim, what¡¯s happening inside? Briggs has got me blocked,¡± Theo asked. ¡°He can¡¯t mind-link without Randal noticing,¡± Jimmy said, stepping away from the door. ¡°Reach out to Mina. She¡¯s managing to get through somehow.¡± I saw Theo reach out to her immediately. His eyes zed over as he tried to make contact. I guess he got through to her because his brow furrowed. I nced back out at the scene going on outside. The ce was in chaos. I couldn¡¯t tell if everyone knew exactly what was happening or no one did. Or if some knew just enough to get the situation out of control. Theo grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, keeping his voice low, ¡°they¡¯re holed up in my office. There aren¡¯t a lot of logistical options. I need you to stay out here for now, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded, only half paying attention. I turned to Jimmy. ¡°Do Chapter 97. Ayls we have any lists or rosters to know who was here today? We need to start taking down names to ensure everyone is ounted for.¡± Jimmy looked between Theo and me. ¡°Yeah, in the gatehouse at the entrance. Everyone has to use a code or sign in or out.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. I turned to Theo. ¡°Go. Get my cousin out safe. I¡¯ll do what I can here.¡± Theo gave me a strange look. ¡°Go,¡± I insisted. He nodded and turned. He stopped and grabbed Jimmy¡¯s arm. ¡°Nothing happens to her. Stay close and keep her safe. Understood?¡± Theomanded quietly. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Jimmy replied. I watched Theo disappear into the packhouse before heading toward the front gate. ¡°Do you think this is thest of them?¡± I asked as we walked. ¡°I have a few men looking for any stragglers while they search for any devices, but it would appear so,¡± Jimmy confirmed. ¡°We need to split everyone into groups,¡± I said as I entered the gatehouse. There were several small tablet devices on chargers along the back wall. I grabbed one. ¡°Can the gate records be essed on these?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jimmy said, grabbing a couple more. I clicked into the device. ¡°We need to be able to mark names off for Chapter 97 Ayta those that are ounted for. Can you set that up on these?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. We had four tablets ready to hand out in a few minutes. I asked Jimmy to get anyone who could help us gather names, then start breaking everyone into four groups. We were more than halfway through our groups when a loud boom sounded from the packhouse. It sounded like an explosion, but the building was still standing. I was moving toward the entrance when someone stopped me. ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°Alpha said it wasn¡¯t near them.¡± ¡°What about everyone else?¡± ¡°No injuries,¡± he said. ¡°They didn¡¯t find anyone else inside.¡± ¡°Where was the explosion?¡± I asked. ¡°Looks like a conference room near the back. It was empty today, but the mes are pretty bad,¡± Jimmy said, heading toward a nearby garden shed. My anxiety wasn¡¯t relieved. I called out to a few of the stronger men and women nearby, telling them to help get hoses. I checked in with the other name-takers. I felt more confident seeingpleted lists. Until I saw one on my list that hadn¡¯t been checked off yet. ¡°Has anyone seen Annabelle?¡± I asked, going around to several people to see. ¡°She was leaving with us but went back to cut the stoves and ovens off,¡± someone said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see here out.¡± I ran to the packhouse entrance as smoke began to billow out. Chapter 98. Theo 288 AschersContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98: Theo I met up with a few warriors on the way to my office. We had to approach quietly and get ears on what was happening inside. Mina had told me he was looking for some files but wouldn¡¯t say about what. He was convinced they were in the safe. I didn¡¯t know what he could be looking for, but it didn¡¯t matter. Briggs had toe up with a code that would work or risk harm to Mina. I mind-linked her to the code, and she managed to get it to Briggs unnoticed. Now, he just had to convince Randall that he figured it out. I took a position outside my office door. There was only one other way out of my office through a window and down a fire escape. I had men watching it in case Randall tried to get out that way. Now, we could just wait for Mina to give us an opportunity. Like most of the rooms in the packhouse, the office was soundproof. So I couldn¡¯t hear anything that was going on inside. That is, until someone started yelling inside. I couldn¡¯t make out who it was, and I was about to rush in when Mina reached out. ¡®Whatever he¡¯s looking for, it¡¯s not here,¡¯ she told me. She was getting scared. I could feel it through our tether. I couldn¡¯t me her. Randall had to have been desperate from the start for him toe at the packhouse directly like this. Now that he was coming up empty-handed, he¡¯d be even more vtile. ¡°Tell them to check theke house,¡¯ I replied. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯ll never make it there,¡¯ I assured her. ¡®But we need to give him Chapter 9: Thu something to get him out of there.¡¯ She must have done it because she said he wasing out a few minutester. At least, they thought he wasing out. Five long minutes passed and the door still hadn¡¯t budged. Mina didn¡¯t know what he was waiting on, and I started to worry he had figured out we were there. Our concerns were answered by the sound of an explosion echoing through the packhouse. Randall was good at setting fires. That must have been the incendiary device we thought he might have nted. I mind-linked the men who were checking the building. Two were in the area of the explosion but were okay. However, mes were quickly starting to move through the lower level. I told Jimmy we were fine and to worry about getting the fire out. As far as we knew, Randall didn¡¯t know we had already evacuated the building. So he waited a few more minutes for the chaos he would have expected to give him better cover on his way out. The doorknob finally turned. The door cracked open. There was a pause and I prayed he didn¡¯t catch my scent. Suddenly, there was a loud grunt, the sound of an impact, and Briggs yelling for us to move in. I spun around the corner, kicking the door open to find Randall struggling on the floor with a bl**dy nose. Briggs had Mina in his arms on the other side of the room. ¡°Hey, there, Randall,¡± I said. Randall yelled as I put my knee in his back, dragging his arms behind him. One of the others handed me a set of silver handcuffs. ¡°You remember me, don¡¯t you? Of course you do.¡± Chapter 8: Theo 298 WOLO I grabbed him by the back of the neck, my ws digging into his flesh. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for you,¡± I said, a low growl catching my attention. I turned to see Briggs stalking toward us. His eyes glowing a bright orange as his wolf came to the surface. His canines and ws extended. I didn¡¯t stop him. In fact, I stepped aside, letting him lift the bas**rd by the throat and m him hard against the wall. I watched Randall¡¯s face turn red, then a sickly shade of blue. I would have let Briggs rip him apart then and there under any other circumstances. But Randall wasn¡¯t only guilty of holding Mina. There was something big going on and we needed answers. ¡°Briggs,¡± I warned. ¡°Later. We need to question him first.¡± Randall lost consciousness and Briggs dropped him like stone. Standing over him, he got himself under control before returning to Mina. ¡°You both okay?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Mina said. ¡°What do you want us to do with him, Alpha?¡± one of my men asked. ¡°Find out what¡¯s going on with the fire downstairs, then get him out of here,¡± I said. ¡°Take him to the precinct and lock him up for now.¡± They half-carried/half-dragged Randall out of the room. I went to the office window to look at what was happening outside. I could see smokeing from the packhouse somewhere, but thewn seemed to be in less chaos than it had been. ¡°How did you manage to take him out?¡± I asked Briggs. 10 010 16:33 Chapter 99: Thea 25 Vauche ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Briggs said, pride resonating in his voice. ¡°Mina did. Where did you learn that move anyway?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing A?¡± I said, impressed with how Mina handled the whole situation. Mina shook her head. ¡°Uncle Jack.¡± A¡¯s father. A had told me he had started teaching them self- defense at a young age. ¡°Do we have any idea what he was looking for?¡± I asked, taking in the papers strewn everywhere around the room. ¡°No clue,¡± Briggs said. ¡°He did mumble something about them not being old enough. So it must be about something from a while ago. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes to get him talking. But first, we need to figure out how to get out of here. The building is on fire, after all.¡± The men who took Randall had mind-linked me, telling me the back exit was clear. We started heading in that direction as I reached out to Jimmy to see how they were managing the ze. ¡®Jimmy, we¡¯reing out. What¡¯s the status on that fire?¡¯ ¡®Alpha, I tried to stop her,¡¯ Jimmy said frantically, stopping me dead in my tracks. ¡®Stop who?¡¯ ¡®A,¡¯ he said. ¡®She ran in to find Annabelle. The smoke¡¯s too thick. I can¡¯t get to her. ¡°Theo?¡± Briggs probed. 16:22 ¨¢o Theo ¡°A¡¯s somewhere inside.¡± 298 Vouchers I didn¡¯t wait for an answer before bolting back down the hall. I couldn¡¯t get to the front of the building from the back stairs. The stairwell was already filling with smoke as I leaped down them. I reached the bottom near the packhouse entrance but couldn¡¯t see anything. I started to call out for A, which got hard quickly as the smoke choked me. I tried to feel her through our bond. All I could feel from her was determination. And fear.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99: A I knew it was a stupid move when the smoke hit my lungs and stung my eyes. But I wasn¡¯t turning back. I had made it halfway across the packhouse before the smoke obscured everything. I didn¡¯t know what was in that bomb, but the smoke was thicker than it should have been. Even dropping to the floor didn¡¯t help. The smoke was settling to the bottom. But I knew I was close to the kitchen. So I kept going. ¡°Annabelle,¡± I called. I kept calling even as my throat began to burn. I felt my way along the walls. The kitchen had swinging doors, so I knew I had made it when the wood gave way, and I stumbled through a doorway. I tripped into a metal counter, mming my shin against a crossbar. I tried calling out for Annabelle again. I took a few more steps into the room before I tripped over something else. This timending on the floor and something soft. It was Annabelle. 14 Shey prone on the floor. I was close enough that I could make her out. It looked like her head was bleeding. She must have fallen and hit her head somehow. ¡°Annabelle,¡± I croaked, tapping her face to wake her. I started coughing heavily. I had to do something about breathing the smoke, or I would pass out soon myself. I reached along the counters around me. Finally, I managed to find a couple dish towels. I made it to the sink and wet them, covering my face with one as I made my way back to Annabelle. I tried rousing her again, this time getting a response. Chapter 99. A She started to groan, coughing as she regained consciousness. ¡°A? What¡­¡± ¡°Come on, sweetie,¡± I said. ¡°We gotta go. Can you walk?¡± She pressed a hand to her head. ¡°Yeah, I can make it.¡± ¡°Okay, good.¡± 1288 Vouchers I looked around us. There was no way we could make it back the way I came. The smoke was just too thick. It was hot, but I still hadn¡¯t seen any mes. I took that as a sign that our biggest problem at`that moment was the smoke. It was thick, but it was white. So I could see the light from outside shining through the windows. Helping Annabelle up, I helped her toward the outer wall. Another metal counter was lining the wall below the windows, which I discovered my running into again. I climbed up on it and tried to open the windows. ¡°They don¡¯t open,¡± Annabelle informed me. ¡°Hang on.¡± She disappeared for a few seconds before I felt something heavy being pressed into my hand. It was an ice pick. I thanked the goddess and, wrapping my towel around my hand, used it to shatter the window. I had been hoping for a gust of fresh air, but the thick smoke billowed out too quickly. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, grabbing Annabelle¡¯s arm to help her through. ¡°You first.¡± I guided my friend through the window, helping her avoid the broken ss as best I could. But my eyes were burning so badly I couldn¡¯t see much. We were on the ground floor, so there was only a small drop once she was through. I followed after her. I was less sessful at 288 Vouchers preventing cuts. My arm caught on a shard, slicing it open near my wrist. I dropped down, letting myself fall to the ground, coughing and gasping for clean air. I heard voices approaching us. Hands started tugging at me, pulling me gently away from the smoke still pouring from the window. My eyes were watering, but my vision started to clear. Annabelle was next to me, receiving the same help. I saw Jimmy sprinting in our direction, skidding to a stop before me. He looked me over before he slumped over, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. ¡°Woman,¡± he finally got out, ¡°you scared the sh*t out of me. Are you looking to get me killed?¡¯ Augh sent me into a coughing fit, but I managed to get a hoa*se apology out. We were heading to the front of the packhouse when Theo rounded the corner. Everyone stopped from the energy radiatingContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. off him. He looked me up and down. He started to move toward me but hesitated, looking at everyone around us. I was having trouble reading his expression. Suddenly, he marched toward me, dipping down to throw me over his shoulder without s****ing a beat, and hauled me off to the garden shed nearby. He mmed the door and set me down unceremoniously. Anger filled his face as he looked down at me. Before I could say anything, he started pacing. Well, as well as someone his size could pace in a small shed. ¡°How¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± he interrupted, knowing I would ask about Mina. ¡°He¡¯s in custody.¡± He stilled, but his body was still full of tension. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Chapter 99. A 288 (Vouchers ¡°Just a scratch,¡± I replied quietly. More silence. Then I was in his arms ¡ª ¨C his mouth mming into mine ¡ª faster than I knew what happened. His tongue sought mine. The kiss was desperate and full of emotion. He was holding my face firmly, almost to the point of being painful. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever fu****g do that again, A,¡± he demanded. ¡°Do you hear me? Never again.¡± ¡°Theo,¡± I sighed. ¡°My friend was in there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about helping people, A,¡± Theo urged, letting me go. He ran his hands through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m talking about being reckless. There was a team of warriors around you. There was a team already inside. You don¡¯t have to take everything into your own hands anymore, A. You should have let someone else handle it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked, getting frustrated. ¡°Because I¡¯m not capable¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you put those words in my mouth,¡± Theo snapped. ¡°You know this has nothing to do with how capable you are.¡± ¡°Then why, Theo? Because I¡¯m apparently so much more important than them?¡± I shot sarcastically. ¡°YES,¡± he bellowed. He loomed over me. His face softened some. His eyes fell closed. ¡°Yes, A. Because to me, you are more important. You¡¯re more important than everything.¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100: Theo I sank down, sitting on a bucket, slumping over my knees, my head in my hands. I couldn¡¯t take the warring emotions inside me anymore. I was exhausted. When I couldn¡¯t find her in that smoke¡­ When I started to think I wouldn¡¯t get to her in time¡­ It was the most terrifying experience I had ever been through. A stepped in front of me. Her hand went to my shoulders, pushing me back gently as she slid onto myp. She hugged my neck as I held her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered, her voice still rough from the smoke. ¡°You¡¯ re right. I can be reckless when it comes to protecting the people I care about. It¡¯s been the only way for so long. I don¡¯t really know anything different.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said gently. ¡°I¡¯m trying to show you it won¡¯t be that way anymore. You have people you can rely on now. Not just me, baby. The pack. They are here for you.¡± A took a deep breath, burrowing her face into my shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯m not their packmate anymore.¡± She always said that. It wasn¡¯t to throw it in my face that she left me. I realized that then. It was because she regretted it. In her heart, she was always a Greytooth. I pushed her back, looking her in the eye. ¡°Say the word, A,¡± I told her seriously. ¡°Right here. Right now. We can fix that.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Right here. Right now,¡± I insisted. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± The look she gave me said everything, but I wanted her to answer. I needed her to know she could come to me for these things. I needed her to know I would give her everything. She nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said softly. ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡± I kissed her as my heart soared. ¡°Okay,¡± I said when I pulled away. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I looked around us and grabbed a pair of shears from a shelf. I handed them to A, indicating she go first. She took them and grabbed my hand, cutting through the skin of my palm. Handing them back to me, did the same on hers. Iced our fingers together, my heart racing as our blood mixed. ¡°I, Theo Avery Arden, acting Alpha of the Greytooth, ept you, A Garner, as a member of my pack,¡± I stated proudly. ¡°As your Alpha, I swear to serve and protect you for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°I, A Elizabeth Garner, ept you, Theo Arden, as my Alpha,¡± A replied. ¡°I swear to honor and respect you and my fellow pack members.¡± I felt our tether re-establishing itself as our hands healed. What was more, I felt our mate bond grow stronger. There was so much I wanted to say to her. So much she needed to know. ¡®A,¡¯ I tested the mind-link. She smiled. Her eyes closed and sheid her head on my shoulder. Chapter 100: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Thank you, Theo,¡¯ she replied through our link. ¡®A, I¡­ Briggs came through the mind-link, interrupting my connection with A. ¡®Is she okay?¡¯ he asked. ¡®Yeah, she¡¯ll be okay,¡¯ I informed him. ¡®Good,¡¯ he said. ¡®The mes are out. It¡¯ll take hours for the smoke to clear enough to be safe. But you two may want to get out of there soon if you don¡¯t want the entire pack talking within the hour. I wrangled everyone the best I could and got them working, but your cave-man act has already developed some curiosity. Sh*t. I didn¡¯t think A wanted anyone else to know about us yet. I had nearly given it away when I first saw her. I caught myself before kissing her right there in the yard. But I didn¡¯t want to get mad at her in front of everyone either. But I couldn¡¯t wait for privacy. It just wasn¡¯ t possible. I supposed throwing her over my shoulder wasn¡¯t the best way to keep people from wondering if something was going on between us. ¡®I told them she disobeyed your orders by going in,¡¯ Briggs said. ¡®That¡¯s why you were angry. I¡¯m not sure how long that will be viable.¡¯ ¡®I get it,¡¯ I said. ¡®We¡¯ll be out in a second. Just get the packhouse cleared of that smoke.¡¯ I sighed heavily. ¡°We should leave,¡± I told A. ¡°I may have screwed up.¡± ¡°How?¡± she asked, sitting up. Chapter 100. Theo 288 (Vouchers ¡°I should have known dragging you into a shed in front of everyone would raise some suspicions,¡± I said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But if we go out now, we can probably keep the rumors to a minimum.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, that would probably be best. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready for that kind of scrutiny.¡± I wouldn¡¯t mind more time to establish our rtionship better, either. I still wasn¡¯t even sure what our rtionship was for A. I wouldn¡¯t make any assumptions. Despite how strong our connection felt, I knew it was still bncing on a knife¡¯s edge. We stood up, straightening ourselves up. A reached for the door, but I rested my hand on hers. ¡°A,¡± I said, ¡°I may have to keep my distance the rest of the day. ¡°I know,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to do. You¡¯ve got a lot of responsibilities to deal with. I get it, Theo.¡± She said it so casually. ¡°I don¡¯t think you do,¡± I said, brushing her hair behind her ear. ¡°You were amazing today, A. I don¡¯t know what we would have done without you. I want you working beside me through this. I want it so bad I can¡¯t stand it. But if we have any hope of keeping the pack at bay, I can¡¯t be around you right now. I¡¯d give it away in a second.¡± A smiled. Her cheeks blushed, making this whole distance thing harder. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she said. ¡°Just shut up. Me walking out of here with a stu*id grin on my face won¡¯t help either.¡± I winced, sucking air between my teeth. ¡°Yeah, Briggs said I was giving you a scolding in here. It wouldn¡¯t really help my reputation if Chapter 100 Theo 288 Vouchers you left in a better mood than you came in.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she started to say something but stopped herself. ¡°What?¡± I asked, intrigued by the mischief in her eyes. ¡°Nevermind.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± She winked at me and opened the door before I could respond. Goddess, she was going to drive me insane. I cleared my expression before following her. She hung her head a little as we crossed thewn to join those who were still working to get everything cleaned up. ¡°Alpha,¡± Briggs called, jogging up to us. ¡°Mortin said he¡¯s got Randall ready for questioning. We should head over. Get this taken care of.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the status here?¡± I asked, not sure it was a good idea for me to leave the packhouse yet. ¡°The fire is out,¡± Briggs confirmed. ¡°It seems whatever the device was, that heavy smoke was the intention rather than major destruction. Your parents are here also. Alpha Torin is in the back, helping open everything up. Luna is inside where it¡¯s already clear.¡± I tried not to react to A leaving while Briggs gave me the update. Briggs was less subtle as he looked between us but didn¡¯tment. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head to the precinct,¡± I said. We headed for Briggs¡¯ truck as I reached out to A. ¡®I¡¯ll see you tonight,¡¯ I told her, loving how good it felt to be able to do that. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101: A I left Theo to check on Annabelle. Mina was with her at the gatehouse, tending to her head wound. The inoment she saw me, sheunched herself at me, giving me a tight hug. ¡°Thank you, A,¡± she said. ¡°You saved my life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my oldest.friend,¡± I told her. ¡°What else could I do? How¡¯s your head?¡± ¡°All good,¡± she said, tipping her head to show me. It was already healing nicely. It would probably be gone in a day or so. ¡°How are you?¡± Mina asked, giving me a hug as well. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. ¡°No permanent damage. What about you?¡± Minaughed. ¡°I¡¯m good. That do**he didn¡¯t even leave a scratch.¡± Annabelle¡¯s mate had arrived. They were going to stay with her parents for the night while the packhouse was getting cleaned up. We told them goodbye and that we would see them soon, promising to check in tomorrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m starving,¡± Mina said, throwing her arm over my shoulders. ¡°How is the cleanup looking?¡± I asked, looking toward the packhouse. ¡°They will manage without you, A,¡± Mina said. ¡°Let¡¯s go pick up dinner. Our apartments should be fine by the time we get back. We¡¯ll settle in for the night because you and I¡± she waved her finger between us ¡°need to talk.¡± 0.00% ||| O 12:20 Chapter 101: A 288 (Vouchers I knew what she wanted to talk about. Honestly, I needed to talk too. So much had happened. ¡°Alright,¡± I conceded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** We got enough food for some of the others. The ranking pack members had their own wing of the packhouse. So we set it up in themon room before Mina dragged me to the apartment I had stayed in previously. She immediately plopped down on the couch with her take- out. ¡°Okay, woman, spill,¡± shemanded. I huffed as I copsed next to her. ¡°Where do I begin?¡± ¡°I mean, I know where I would,¡± Mina said, elbowing me. ¡°But I have a feeling a lot has gone down. So, let¡¯s start from the beginning. Last time we talked, you had broken up with Kingston and were going to hide out at theke house for a while, including avoiding a certain Alpha. How the hell did that turn into a date?¡± ¡°Well, apparently, I suck at actually avoiding people,¡± I teased. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I felt the need to go rogue thest time.¡± ¡°Apparently,¡± Minaughed. ¡°Well, that or Theo¡¯s persistence wore you down.¡± ¡°No, actually,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡¯s respected my space from the start. Even after I ended things with Kingston.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°The only reason he came to the guest house was to tell me what his father said.¡± ¡°About what?¡± I knew this would be as hard a conversation for her as it was for me, 20.21% ||| 12:20 Chapter 101. A 288 Vouchers but I wouldn¡¯t keep it from her. I told her all about what Dad had done and her parents. I told her about the story and who Dad thought I was. I held her as she cried, letting her work through it all. Mina sniffled as she sat back on the couch, wiping her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d you told me, A. I know that wasn¡¯t easy,¡± she said. ¡°But don¡¯t think that¡¯s gotten you out of telling me the rest.¡± Iughed through my own pain. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get that lucky,¡± I joked. ¡°Theo was so kind and supportive when he told me. He let me grieve. That led to us talking. We talked for hours. I got to know him.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not so bad,¡± Mina said. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to like him myself after what he did, but he¡¯s just so da*n charming.¡± ¡°Mina,¡± I said, ¡°what would Briggs think?¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Mina replied. ¡°He¡¯s the one who wouldn¡¯t stop talking about him. Sometimes I wonder who his mate really was.¡± We bothughed. ¡°Now, tell me about the date? Was it perfect?¡± ¡°You have no idea,¡± I said, describing how wonderful the evening was. ¡°Hold on,¡± Mina interrupted, grabbing my arm. ¡°A, did you sleep with Theo?¡± I felt my face go red. I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready for that part of the conversation with her, so I tried something that would throw her off a little. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ I said through the mind-link. Her grip tightened and her eyes went wide. ¡°What the¡­ He didn¡¯t¡­¡± She jumped up and started pulling my hair 41.93% Chapter 101: A 288 Vouchers back to examine my neck for a mark. ¡°No, no, of course not,¡± I said, pushing her off. ¡°When the hell did this happen?¡± Mina demanded to know. ¡°Today, after the fire.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°That¡¯s what you two were doing in the shed?¡± she asked. ¡°Now that I know you already banged him, I don¡¯t know whether to be disappointed or happy.¡± ¡°Mina,¡± I eximed. ¡ª ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°From what I heard, the look on his face said you were either getting a beating or a¡± she made a lewd gesture ¨C ¡°you know, beating.¡± ¡°Dear goddess,¡± I said, trying to hold myughter. ¡°But don¡¯t encourage those rumors, please. We¡¯re not ready for people to find out right now. ¡°So, you¡¯re not together?¡± Mina asked, scrunching her face in confusion. I took a deep breath. ¡°Yeah, I¡­ I mean, I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± I huffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡¯ ¡± ¡°A,¡± her tone was serious now, ¡°he¡¯s your fated mate. Forget the possibility that the other Alphas could be. Theo IS your mate. That bond exists. If you¡¯re not together, then why?¡± ¡°Something else happened.¡± I finally told her about my stalker and the envelopes. I told her how close he had gotten just that morning. With the incident at the 65.13% 12.20 Chapter 101: A 288 Vouchers packhouse, I hadn¡¯t heard if the patrols had any luck finding the guy. But in my gut, I knew they hadn¡¯t. ¡°Mina, I need to talk to Kingston,¡± I said. She sighed. ¡°I just feel like such a bi*ch,¡± I rushed. ¡°There were a few issues with us, but I ended it mainly because he was keeping something from me. But I was keeping the messages from him, too. I¡¯m just such a hypocrite. I can¡¯t let it end the way it did.¡± ¡°Do you want to get back together with him?¡± ¡°No,¡± I insisted, surprising myself. I knew I had to make things right with Kingston, but I hadn¡¯t thought about going back. I guess I realized that I didn¡¯t want that. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even considered that. But I do owe him an apology and an exnation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Mina said. ¡°But you should talk to Theo. It will be better if you two are on the same page when the pack finds out.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I want to talk to him.¡± ¡°Good, because you two showing up together hand-in-hand today is going to be a thing.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102: A Mina brought me some pajamas and clothes for tomorrow since I didn¡¯t have any of my stuff. I was tempted to go to bed early but wanted to wait for Theo. The more I thought about things, the more we needed to talk. I questioned Mina¡¯s choice of sleepwear as I pulled out a silky ck camisole and short set that she had brought. I was thinking about going in search of one of the stashes of sweats when my phone rang. I picked it up, expecting it to be Theo, but it was Kingston¡¯s name I saw on the screen. My gut twisted, but I knew I might as well get it over with now. I took a deep breath and answered. ¡°Hello.¡± There was silence on the other end. ¡°Kingston?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a Greytooth again,¡± he stated. ¡°You didn¡¯t even give me a chance to apologize ¡ª give us a chance to talk things out.¡± ¡°Kingston, I never stopped being a Greytooth,¡± I replied solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think we both knew it. This is my home.¡± ¡°This could have been your home, A,¡± Kingston said, his words slurring together. ¡°You were happy here. You just needed to give it more time. You can still give it time. Still give us a chance.¡± ¡°Kingston¡­,¡± I said. ¡°A, please, just let me apologize,¡± he begged. ¡°You were right. I crossed a line. I never should have had you followed without your knowledge. I should have trusted you to take care of yourself. I¡¯m 0.00% 12:20 O < Chapter 102: A sorry. I truly am.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too, Kingston,¡± I said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t fair for me to get mad at you the way I did. The truth is, I was the one keeping things from you.¡± ¡°Keeping what from me?¡± Kingston asked, both anger and despair in his voice. ¡°The envelopes,¡± I told him. ¡°I was getting more of them and I hid them from you.¡± ¡± ¡°A,¡± he replied. ¡°I know,¡± I interjected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just didn¡¯t want you to have to worry about it. But that¡¯s no excuse to get mad at you for doing the same thing.¡± ¡°A,¡± Kingston pressed, ¡°it¡¯s okay. I wish you had told me, but it¡¯s okay. I forgive you. Can you forgive me?¡± ¡°Yeah, Kingston,¡± I said. ¡°I forgive you.¡± ¡°I miss you, A,¡± he replied. ¡°Please,e back.¡± My chest tightened. I was already fighting back tears. ¡°Kingston, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t belong there.¡± ¡°A, don¡¯t say that,¡± he protested, his speech bing more garbled. ¡°You belong here. You belong with me. I am your mate. You have to still believe that. I won¡¯t let him take you from me.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about Theo,¡± I insisted. ¡°Funny how you didn¡¯t deny that he wants you anymore,¡± Kingston slurred. ¡°Or that you want him. Are you with him already? Did he 21.96% O 12:20 Chapter 102: A 1288 Vouchers really fool you into forgiving him so easily?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking, Kin,¡± I said. ¡°So?¡± he snapped. ¡°You think I would let him have you if I was sober?¡± ¡°I think you would have control of yourself if you were sober,¡± I said. Heughed bitterly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it, sweetheart. Do you know what it¡¯s like to feel a tether break? To know exactly who broke it? But I¡¯m not giving up, A. I will win you back.¡± ¡°Kingston, stop¡­¡± ¡°I still have his ring, A,¡± Kingston pointed out. ¡°The ring that I know¡­ because we were meant to be together. We¡¯re thest of our pack, A. You and kohe. We can bring them back together.¡± ¡°Kingston, you know that¡¯s not possible,¡± I said sadly. ¡°And I want my ring back.¡± ¡°You are always wee, A,¡± Kingston replied. ¡°If you want it back,e and get it.¡± The line clicked as Kingston hung up on me. I didn¡¯t know whether to feel angry or guilty. I didn¡¯t expect that call to go well, but I didn¡¯t think he would hold my father¡¯s ring over me. I would get it back. If he thought he could take it from me, he was yet again underestimating me. I called Emma. ¡°It¡¯s about da*n time you called,¡± Emma answered, stress evident in her voice. ¡°Are you okay? What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emma,¡± I said. ¡°I know I should have called sooner. 40.90% ||| 12:20 Chapter 102: A 288 (Vouchers Honestly, I started to call so many times, but I needed to work through some things. And I wasn¡¯t sure if you would want to talk to me.¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± she insisted. ¡°So you dumped my Alpha. With the way he¡¯s been acting, I¡¯m having a hard time ming you.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°You noticed it too?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s been disappearing constantly,¡± Emma said. ¡°No one can reach him half the time. Pierce is so stressed he barely sleeps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emma,¡± I replied. ¡°I feel like this is my fault.¡¯ ¡°Oh, sweetie, don¡¯t do that,¡± she said gently. ¡°From what Pierce has shared, this is something that runs deeper with Kingston. I just want to know you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I insisted. ¡°Except¡­ Kingston still has my father¡¯s ring. He¡¯s refusing to give it back to me unless Ie to him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, honey,¡± Emma said, her tone strange. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Look, girlie, I gotta go. I¡¯ll talk to Pierce and see what I can do about the ring,¡± she said, changing the subject. ¡°I¡¯ll call you soon. I need to get caught up on this mess. Love you!¡± ¡°You, too,¡± I replied, hanging up the phone. I leaned over the counter, huffing in frustration as I pushed my hands through my hair. I couldn¡¯t help but feel like everything going wrong was because of me somehow. I was too tired to deal with that, though. I went ahead and took a quick shower to get rid of the smoke smell and changed into the pajamas Mina gave me. I had finished brushing my 61.82% O ? 12:21 Chapter 102: A 288 Vouche teeth and was contemting just crawling into bed when Theo reached out to me. ¡®Hey, sweetheart,¡¯ his voice sounded in my head. ¡®I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s sote. Are you still up?¡¯ ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m up,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Is it okay if Ie see you?¡± he asked sweetly. I smiled. ¡®Would you? Please?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m on my way. Either he wasn¡¯t far or ran through the packhouse because it was only a minute before he knocked on my door. I opened it, and I swear we both rxed when our eyes met. He stepped inside and our lips met. He kicked the door closed behind him as he pushed me further into the apartment. His hands moved down my sides, pulling me against him as he cupped my a*s. I moaned, feeling his length harden against my belly. He growled and ripped himself away, leaving us breathing heavily. ¡°A, before we get carried away, I think we should talk,¡± he said, nuzzling his nose against mine. ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± I agreed. 85.24% 12:21 ? < Chapter 103: Theo Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103: Theo It took a lot of effort, but I guided A to the couch. We sat on either side, leaving some distance between us. It was a small couch, so there wasn¡¯t much, but it would be enough to get us through. Hopefully. Despite the wee I had received, my heart was still pounding in my chest. Randall¡¯s interrogation was off to a slow start, and we still had to find his car. The emotional control it took to not end him right there had taken a toll on my mood. The only thing keeping me grounded was knowing A would be here, but even that was tenuous. We had to talk. I needed some answers about what was happening between us. I knew there was still a chance that what she would say could break me. But at the very least, I would make my position clear to her. ¡°Are you okay,¡± I asked, ensuring she had recovered from earlier. She nodded with a smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°A, I¡­¡± ¡°Do you mind if I go first?¡± she interrupted, her demeanor bing anxious. I swallowed my reaction, trying to remain neutral. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she breathed, turning toward me and shifting to sit cross- legged before me. ¡°I talked to Kingston tonight,¡± she informed me. My entire body tensed. The first ce my mind went was that she was leaving me. That I hadn¡¯t done enough. Or I did too much. I pushed her too far. It took everything I had to let her continue, but she did. 0.00% ||| 12:21 Chapter 103. Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°He knew about the stalker,¡± she stated. ¡°But I had been keeping the messages from him when I could. When I got the one today, I knew I had to tell you what was going on. I realized how much of a hypocrite that made me for getting mad at Kingston. I needed to apologize to him.¡± The lump in my throat burned as I tried to push it down. Kieran was protesting in my head, refusing to believe what was about to happen. But I knew, and I couldn¡¯t hear her exnations and apologies. As justified as they no doubt would be, I wouldn¡¯t be able to let her go if I stayed much longer. ¡°I understand,¡± I forced out. ¡°If this is what you want, A, I won¡¯t stop you from leaving. But I can¡¯t hear how hard¡­¡± ¡°Theo,¡± she said, jumping forward to grab my arm, ¡°I¡¯m not going back to Kingston.¡± I looked at her hands touching me, afraid to believe what she said. ¡°I just needed to clear things up, make them right on my end,¡± she continued. She reached up and cupped my cheek, lifting it to face her. ¡°I¡¯m not going back, Theo. I belong here.¡± Our eyes locked for several pounding heartbeats. Then I was kissing The future I had thought lost to me to us shed through my mind, and it was glorious. her. Pulling her against me as I held on for dear l ¨C But I had to pull back. I was getting ahead of myself. A had said she belonged here, as in with the pack, as a Greytooth. That didn¡¯t mean she would stay with me. That she would be my Luna. I had to know if that was something she wanted. If she was even considering it. ¡°A,¡± I breathed, ¡°I want to be with you. I want you as my mate¡­ my Luna. I everything our lives have to offer together. But most 24.79% 12:21 Chapter 103. Theo 288 Vouchers importantly, I want you to be happy, safe, and thriving. I will do whatever it takes to make that happen for you. But¡­ I need to know, could you be all those things with me?¡± She took a deep breath, her expression guarded. Then she moved, straddling myp, facing me completely. ¡°Kingston isn¡¯t the only one I¡¯ve been thinking about making amends with,¡± she stated. ¡°I miss my family. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever be the same or that we should ever go back to how things were, but I¡¯m also not okay with cutting them out of my lifepletely. I would like to fix what I can between us. But I don¡¯t think that will happen if Kylee finds out we¡¯re together.¡± ¡°You were willing to give me up for her, A,¡± I reminded her. ¡°That has to mean something in all this.¡± ¡°She loved you, Theo,¡± she replied. ¡°She believed you two were going to be together. Regardless of what I did or was willing to do, she¡¯ll still see this as a betrayal.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fated mates, love,¡± I said gently. ¡°You really don¡¯t think she will understand?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe in time,¡± she said, disappointed because she wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°But definitely not if she hears it from someone else. I just need to find a way to tell her.¡± A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I realized what her words implied. ¡°Just to be clear,¡± I started, running my hands up her thighs, ¡°what exactly do you need to tell her?¡± A rolled her eyes, but a smile spread across her face. ¡°That you¡¯re my fated mate. And I want to be with you.¡± 54.44% 12:21 Chapter 103: Theo 288 iVouchers I growled my approval as my mouth took hers. Sheughed as I pushed her back on the couch, pressing our bodies together as her legs wrapped around my waist. I instantly responded to her, my hips grinding against her. The scent of her arousal let me know she was already wet and ready for me. ¡°Mine,¡± I ground out. The pride, tion, and power I felt being able to say that¡­ to say it and know it was true was incredible. I lifted her off the couch and carried her to the bedroom. We pulled at each other¡¯s clothing, stripping the other down before we fell onto the mattress. My need was overwhelming as A ground herself against my c**k. She cried out as I pushed inside her. We both knew what we needed. Somehow understanding that our release would solidify our revtions. The electricity coursing through us intensified every kiss, every touch, every thrust. My teeth ached as my canines pushed through, demanding Iplete our bond. The sound of my mate¡¯s climax was the sweetest, se**est thing in the world. And it pushed me over the edge with her.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Chapter 104: Theo I copsed beside her on the bed, holding her to me, our breathing ragged and heavy. Despite the pleasure I was feeling, I couldn¡¯t help thinking about how close I came to marking her. Knowing she wanted me made it harder to resist. And Kieran wasn¡¯t any help. I didn¡¯t know how much longer I could hold out. ¡°A,¡± I whispered. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she hummed. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to talk to Kylee before the Alpha ceremony?¡± I asked, my fingers trailing along her arm. ¡°Probably,¡± she murmured sleepily. ¡°The sooner, the better, I suppose. Why?¡± ¡°Because I want it to be your ceremony, too.¡± She pushed up, looking at me with a confused expression that was so da*n adorable. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she asked. I chuckled. ¡°I want it to be your Luna ceremony,¡± I rified. ¡°And my Alpha ceremony. And our mating ceremony. Everything. I don¡¯t want to spread it all out. I want us to start the next part of our lives together. ¡± ¡°Can we even do that?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ready for it,¡± I said, brushing her hair back. ¡°Just think about 0.00% O < 12:21 Chapter 104. Theo # 288 Vouchers it, okay? Let me know what you want after you speak with Kylee.¡± The ceremony was only three weeks away, but I didn¡¯t care what it took to make the changes happen. If A said she wanted it, it would happen. But it was all up to her. I just had to pray that Kylee wouldn¡¯t try to hurt her for this. ¡°Maybe I shoulde with you,¡± I suggested. ¡°We can talk to her together. Or I can talk to her. This is all my fault for being with her in the first ce.¡± A hugged my chest but shook her head. ¡°No, I need to do this. But thank you.¡± She snuggled closer. We were both exhausted, and I started to drift off,pletely content with my mate¡¯s head on my chest and her leg draped over my waist. ¡°What time is it?¡± A asked before I fell asleep. ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m not sure,¡± I replied. ¡°After midnight, at least.¡± She let out a deep sigh. ¡°You should probably go,¡± she said sadly. ¡°We won¡¯t be avoiding any rumors if you¡¯re caught leaving my rooms in the morning.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be avoiding rumors if I¡¯m caught leaving in the middle of the night,¡± I teased. ¡°But you¡¯re right. We may have to stay away from each other for the next few days to make this work.¡± I hated the thought of it. My chest tightened painfully at not being able to be with A now. But I knew it would be necessary. ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°All my stuff is still at theke house anyway. I might need to stay there.¡± 18.11% 12:21 Chapter 104. Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s too secluded up there. I don¡¯t want you up there with this stalker after you. My parents are staying here for the next week or so anyway. I¡¯ll have someone bring your stuff to you in the morning. We¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°Will we?¡± she teased. My lips twitched up and I kissed her hair. ¡°Yeah, after what we¡¯ve been through already, this will be a piece of cake.¡± Aughed. ¡°If you say so. But you should still go.¡± ¡°Shh,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave after you¡¯re asleep.¡± She didn¡¯t protest. It didn¡¯t take long, and I know I stayed longer than I needed to, but I couldn¡¯t feel bad about it. I tucked her under the covers and somehow found the strength to leave, heading to my own room in the next wing. When I made it back, I sensed someone inside. I opened the door. ¡°Dad?¡± My father was sitting in the armchair near the small bookcase. He was looking at a framed picture he was holding. I was initially worried, but his energy felt calm, peaceful even. ¡°Everything okay, Dad?¡± ¡°Have you fixed it?¡± he asked without looking up. ¡°Fixed what?¡± I replied, confused. ¡°I know about you and A,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°I thought something was going on, but I didn¡¯t want to hope.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡­ How?¡± I questioned. 41.83% 12:21 < Chapter 104 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°I thought it was just wishful thinking on my part. My mind wanting me to see things that weren¡¯t there,¡± he exined. ¡°But then I felt her rejoin the pack today. I knew it was her.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirmed happily. ¡°It was her.¡± ¡°I asked your mother if she knew anything,¡± he said, giving me a stern look. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t tell me much. Only that the situation got messy and you were fixing it. So, did you fix it?¡± I grinned. ¡°Yeah, Dad. I fixed it,¡± I said. ¡°Well, most of it. The most important part.¡± He smiled at me. ¡°So, do I have a new daughter-inw?¡± Maughed, taking a seat across from him. ¡°Not just yet,¡± I said. ¡°But soon. We have a couple things to take care of first.¡¯ ¡± ¡°I promised your mother I wouldn¡¯t ask what happened,¡± he said. ¡°And I won¡¯t. All that matters is that you and A found each other.¡± I nodded, grateful he didn¡¯t push for an exnation. He set the picture he was holding back on the shelf. ¡°So, what are you doing with Randall Fallweather?¡± I shook my head, admiring how easily he could shift from father to Alpha. ¡°We started questioning him today, but he¡¯s not talking,¡± I said. ¡°I canmand him, but he¡¯s not a Greytooth. He doesn¡¯t seem that strong, but we¡¯ll have to see. I don¡¯t think he did this on his own.¡± ¡°But we suspect a motive behind this, right?¡± ¡°He¡¯s looking for something specific.¡± I stated. ¡°We know he¡¯s looking 62.92% ? < 12.21 Chapter 104: Theo 288 Vouchers for information. We don¡¯t know what that information is or why he wants it. He¡¯s been working with Professor Armand since he¡¯s been here. We¡¯ve talked to him before, but I¡¯m bringing him in tomorrow to see what he can tell us.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t suspect him of being involved?¡± my father asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense anything that indicated that he was,¡± I said. ¡°But I wanted to ask you what you thought. You know him better than I do. Do you think we should be looking eloser at him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s well-respected at the college,¡± Dad said. ¡°He was born a Greytooth. He¡¯s a few years older than me, but I knew him casually in our younger years. But I can¡¯t say either way. I can say that we can¡¯tThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. give anyone the benefit of the doubt just because they are a pack member.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on him.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105: A I talked to Mina about how to approach Kylee about me and Theo. I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy, and it would take time for us to work toward repairing our rtionship. But I needed to do it. ¡°I know it¡¯s not what you want to hear, honey,¡± Mina said, ¡°but that conversation won¡¯t end well. Kylee still thinks she can get Theo back. It¡¯s pretty annoying. That¡¯s why I have limited contact. I¡¯m just checking in to make sure they aren¡¯t starving. But when she finds out about you and Theo, she¡¯s going to me you. One hundred percent.¡¯ ¡± My shoulders fell. I knew that was likely what would happen, but I had hoped she had at least been trying to move on from Theo. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, A,¡± Mina said sympathetically. ¡°She¡¯s wrong. Completely wrong. And she has no right to be upset about this because of what she did to get with him in the first ce. But I want you to go into this with realistic expectations. And know that I support you. Personally, I don¡¯t think you owe her anything. But I understand why this is important to you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. I tried to call Kylee that evening, but she didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t know if she knew it was me calling or not, so I called Ma. She did answer. It was an awkward conversation as she tried to avoid discussing anything that had happened, including using me of stealing from her. We didn¡¯t talk long after she said Kylee wasn¡¯t there. I sent Kylee a text saying we needed to talk and that she could call me whenever. But she never did. I kept trying for two days before finally resigning myself to drive down and see her in person. 0.00% 12:21 Chapter 105 A 288 iVouchers Theo and I had been avoiding being seen together since the packhouse incident. And when we did run into each other, we kept our interactions formal. But it was anything but a piece of cake. The sexual tension between us whenever we were in the same room was torture. We tried to steal a few minutes in a secluded area the second day but came too close to getting caught. And getting any decent sleep was proving to be impossible. So, despite the rough visit returning home would be, not going wasn¡¯t an option anymore. ¡®Hey,¡¯ I reached out through the mind-link, ¡®are you going to be hometer?¡¯ ¡®Baby wherever you need me to be, I¡¯ll be there,¡¯ he replied enthusiastically. ¡®I¡¯ll clear the packhouse if you want me to.¡¯ suppressed a smile. ¡®I don¡¯t think that will be necessary. But I do want to see you.¡¯ ¡®Is something wrong?¡¯ he asked with concern. ¡®Still no luck getting a hold of Kylee, I told him. ¡®I think it¡¯s time I drove down there.¡± I could sense Theo¡¯s sigh through the connection. He didn¡¯t like the idea, but he wouldn¡¯t stop me, either. ¡®Okay,¡¯ he said. ¡®When can I see you?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m having lunch with Annabelle,¡± I said. ¡®Give me an hour?¡¯ ¡®Your apartment?¡¯ ¡®Yeah,¡¯ I confirmed. ¡®I¡¯ll be there,¡¯ Theo agreed. 24.86% 12:221 Chapter 105: A 288 Vouchers As soon as we broke the connection, Annabelle came out of the kitchen. ¡°Come on,¡± she said, giving me a hug. ¡°I¡¯ve got a table with some privacy. I let her guide me toward the windows. There was a divider that separated a few tables from the rest of the dining room. It was a nice little private corner that kept us out of sight from any other pack membersThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. that came in. Annabelle said they reserved this area for kitchen staff during the day unless the Alpha or other ranking members need it for meetings. While we were out of sight, the divider wasn¡¯t a solid wall. I soon learned we could hear other diners quite easily if they weren¡¯t practicing discretion. ¡°You saw who showed up with Alpha Theo the day of the attack, right?¡± a female voice drifted over. ¡°Girl, don¡¯t even get me started with that,¡± another female said bitterly. ¡°I knew she sabotaged Kylee and his rtionship out of jealousy, but I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have the nerve to actually f**k Alpha Theo.¡± I froze. Meeting Annabelle¡¯s gaze, I knew she had heard it too. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t been such a sl*t when she was a teenager, she might have been able to find a mate that wanted her,¡± the first voice stated. ¡°Then maybe she wouldn¡¯t feel the need to ruin her sister¡¯s love life. But what can you expect from someone so selfish?¡± I grabbed Annabelle¡¯s hand as it clenched into a fist, rage shing through her eyes. ¡°Did she really break them up?¡± a third voice asked. ¡°I heard Kylee got caught lying about them being fated mates.¡± 43.95% 12:21 Chapter 105 A 288 (Vouchers ¡°Yeah, okay, I wonder who started that rumor?¡± the first voice stated. ¡°A was so jealous of Kylee that her younger sister was going to be Luna that she went rogue. When she still couldn¡¯t find a wolf that wanted her, she took it out on Kylee. I just can¡¯t believe the audacity of her showing up here. Does she really think anyone will ept her back in the pack?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Alph Theo is just using her anyway,¡± the second voice chimed in. ¡°He¡¯ll be crawling back to Kylee in no time. Besides, Alpha Torin would never let him mate with a wh**e like her.¡± I begged Annabelle with my eyes not to do anything. Since we had reconnected, we had quickly gotten close again. After saving her, Mina convinced me to tell her about Theo and I and what had happened with Kylee. ¡°If he even knows what¡¯s going on,¡± the first said. ¡°Kylee may be too nice to call her sister out, but I¡¯m not. Oh, goddess, did that mean Kylee knew? ¡°Does she even know?¡± the third voice inquired. ¡°Have you told her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing that to her, another said. ¡°,¡± poor, sweet girl has been through enough. Hopefully, Theo wille to his senses, and she can be spared the pain of her sister¡¯s appalling behavior.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You know that¡¯s just wishful thinking, Amy,¡± the second voice said. ¡°She¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± ¡± Amy. I knew that name. That was one of Kylee¡¯s roommates. She stayed with us once. I didn¡¯t like her then, and this certainly didn¡¯t change that opinion. I sat up straighter on my chair. 67.24% 12:22 Chapter 105. A 288 Vouchers ¡°Thank you so much for lunch, Annabelle,¡± I said clearly, giving her a wink. ¡°I hate to eat and run, but I¡¯m meeting with Alpha Torin. I guess I have some extra things to discuss with him about my behavior.¡± Annabelle grinned as I pushed my chair back and stood. I made sure the she-wolves sitting on the other side of the divider saw me leave. Even making eye contact with Amy as I passed. By the time I was halfway to my apartment, I realized my mistake. I tried calling Kylee several times but still got no answer. I probably just ensured they would call and tell her what was going on. I started to panic. 90.54% Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106: A I was pacing my apartment. I had already packed a bag and was ready to leave as soon as I saw Theo. My phone rang, and I jumped to answer, stopping just in time to see the caller ID. I huffed, seeing that it was Kingston. Again. I was getting sick of being unable to get a hold of the people I wanted to talk to and not getting rid of the ones I didn¡¯t. He hadn¡¯t been calling me constantly like before, but it was daily. I was so distracted that I didn¡¯t even register that I told someone toe in when they knocked on my door. It wasn¡¯t until Theo¡¯s scent hit me that I was pulled out of my head. Our eyes met and we rushed to each other. His mouth crashed into mine as we devoured each other. Hands roamed everywhere. ¡°F**k, A,¡± Theo ground out. ¡°I missed you so da*n much.¡± ¡°I missed you, too,¡± I breathed. ¡°I can¡¯t take this much longer, baby,¡± he stated, his voice strained. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Me either. But we have a problem.¡± I told him about the conversation I had overheard at lunch. I felt his rage through our bond. ¡°Who the f**k was it?¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t care about them. I do care if they tell Kylee before I do. That¡¯s why I have to leave as soon as possible. I just wanted to see you before I left.¡± 0.00% 12:22 Chapter 106; A 288 Vouchers ¡°I care, A,¡± Theo said. ¡°No one is going to talk about you like that.¡± ¡°But they will,¡± I said, putting my hand on his chest. ¡°People like Kylee, and that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You are their Luna. They will show you respect.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not yet,¡± I said. ¡°And it may take a while for some of them to ept me because of this. Our only chance is to minimize the damage by getting to Kylee first.¡± Theo sighed. ¡°Is it, though? We have proof, witnesses even, that she lied. Plenty of people know the truth about you, A. About how amazing you really are. We don¡¯t need her approval to start our lives together.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I conceded. ¡°But I need to do this.¡± ¡°And I support you on that,¡± Theo said, brushing his nose against mine. ¡°And I¡¯ll be here waiting. But whatever happens, I want you to remember that she has no power over our bond. Please, don¡¯t give her any.¡± He kissed me deeply, his lips traveling down my jaw to my neck. Days of pent-up sexual energy hit me at once, shooting straight to my core. He picked me up, wrapped my legs around his waist, and set me on the kitchen ind. I moaned as his hand slid under my skirt, easily finding my c**t beneath my soaked panties. His movements were exquisite torture, but it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°I need you to f**k me, Theo,¡± I demanded, pulling at the button of his jeans. ¡°I need you inside me.¡± Theo growled, h****ng his finger in my panties and ripping them off as I released his hard length. He roughly pulled me to the edge of the counter, pushing inside me in one smooth movement. 24.00% 12:22 Chapter 106 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I cried, my head falling back. ¡°Did you miss my c**k inside you, baby?¡± Theo groaned in my ear as he thrust in and out. ¡°Because I missed being inside your beautiful pu**y.¡± I moaned my confirmation, my legs tightening around him as my pleasure grew. His hand slipped between us, returning to my c**t. My back arched, needing the sensation despite the intensity nearly being too much. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± I pleaded, my nails digging into his shoulders until I fell over the edge. My body rxed, but Theo didn¡¯t give me any time to recover th¨¬s time. I whimpered as he pulled out of me but was quickly silenced as he yanked me off the counter. Grabbing my hair, he flipped me around, bending me forward over the hard surface. The position sent a new wave of desire through me. I felt myself dripping with anticipation. Still holding my hair, Theo leaned in. ¡°Do you still want me to f**k you, my little mate?¡± he questioned. ¡°Yes,¡± I gasped, searching for him as my hips pushed back. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he pressed. ¡°Because I¡¯m going to f**k you so hard you scream my name. I¡¯m going to wring every ounce of pleasure from your delicious body. So you never forget that this pu**y is mine.¡¯ ¡°Yes, please.¡± He mmed into me. Over and over. My cries became louder, turning into screams of ecstasy as my muscles tightened impossibly around him. He cursed behind me, ramming into me as I cried his name, my body vibrating violently in his arms. He held me as we came together. 52.08% 12:22 Chapter 106: A 288 IVouchers We were still for a while, bothing down and catching our breath. ¡°Da*n, baby,¡± he choked out. ¡°That was amazing.¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± was all I could, manage. ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡± Theo asked. ¡°I got too carried away.¡± I giggled. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t,¡± I assured him. ¡°I needed that.¡± He chuckled, holding me tighter as he sank into a kitchen chair. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make it, babe,¡± he said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go crazy with you gone,¡± he rified. ¡°It¡¯s been hard enough with you here.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I agreed. ¡°But we¡¯re almost there. Just another day and we can really be together. One more day, and I won¡¯t care who knows you¡¯ re my mate.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡¯ he groaned. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°Who am I?¡± he replied. ¡°My Alpha,¡± I stated coyly. ¡°Mhmm. What else?¡± he pushed. ¡°My lover. A rumble sounded in his chest. ¡°What else?¡± Chapter 106: A 288 iVouchers ¡°My mate.¡± He released a heavy breath, nuzzling my hair. ¡°Do you know how happy you make me, A?¡± he whispered. My chest tightened, my heart feeling like it would beat out of my body. I turned in hisp, snaking my arms around his neck. ¡°Hopefully, as happy as you make me,¡± I quietly said back. Chapter 107; A 288 IVouchers Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107: A We came back to the real world, and I remembered I was short on time. We straightened ourselves up, righting our clothing and checking our appearance. I kind of wished I could shower but didn¡¯t want to lose the time. So I would rush through the packhouse and hope I didn¡¯t run into anyone I didn¡¯t want to. Besides, having his scent with me on the drive down would beforting. Theo would leave a few minutes after me, so I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door. I didn¡¯t make it far before a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. Then Theo was kissing me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said between pecks. ¡°I needed one more goodbye.¡± I chuckled, not bothering to protest, as I kissed him back. We were so caught up in each other that neither noticed someone hade down the hall. ¡°I f**king knew it.¡± My head snapped around to see Kylee at the end of the hall. My gut twisted as my heart sank. She was fuming, looking at me with hate in her eyes that ripped me in two. I pushed away from Theo, moving toward my sister. ¡°Kylee, I can exin,¡± I rushed. ¡°Please, just listen to me.¡± ¡°Why the hell should I?¡± she spat. ¡°You ruined my rtionship so you could steal my mate. It all looks pretty clear to me. 0.00% Chapter 107: A 288 iVouchers ¡°No,¡± I yelled. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened. I tried to prevent this. We tried to prevent it.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty d**n rich,¡± Kylee eximed. ¡°It¡¯s the truth, Kylee,¡± Theo insisted behind me. ¡°Which is more than you gave us. ¡°Are you f**king kidding me right now?¡± She stepped closer to us. ¡°You¡¯re f**king her. I smell you all over each other.¡± She turned to me. ¡°I knew you were behind our break-up. He came to you about the money you took, and you came up with a whole n to turn him against me. Feeding him c**p about you paying for everything.¡± ¡°What?¡± I said, shocked. ¡°No, everything about the money was true, Kylee. But I didn¡¯t do it to break you up. I wanted to be left alone. I wanted to stay out of your life so your rtionship had a chance.¡± ¡°What the f*ck is that supposed to mean?¡± Kylee spat. ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself that you really think he would just leave me for you if you were here. You¡¯ve been delusional for years, A. I should have known you would never let me be happy.¡± ¡°Kylee,¡± Theo growled in warning, but she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Why do you think it took me so long to introduce you? I knew you would insist on being there, and I was so embarrassed by you that I just stayed away.¡± I felt my anger start to rise. Hearing the wordsing from her. I felt Theo take a step closer, growling out another warning for her to shut up. She still didn¡¯t. ¡°Why would I want to introduce my loser older sister who never amounted to anything to the future Alpha of our pack? You¡¯re such a selfish bi**h. You could never let me have something that you could Chapter 107 A 288 Vouchers never get yourself.¡± I snapped. ¡°You want to know why you were sent home with your tail between your legs, Kylee?¡± I stated. ¡°Not because of your ignorance, which is astounding, by the way. The fact that you believe that the mother who couldn¡¯t stay sober long enough to keep a job for more than a month was actually paying the bills is a true testament to how ignorant you are. And it wasn¡¯t your sheer amount of ungratefulness. Since the years of driving you to school every morning, the hours of help with homework, or the meals I cooked with the food I paid for made me such a horrible, neglectful sister. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t those things.¡± I continued, stalking toward her. ¡°No, Theo dumped you because you are a selfish, lying, maniptive little brat.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. My vision shed as a sharp, stinging sensation hit my face, my head snapping to the side. My ears filled with a roaring sound. It wasn¡¯t until my brain registered that Kylee had pped me that I realized the roar hade from Theo. I looked to see Kylee against the wall, her feet dangling off the ground with Theo¡¯s hand around her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever f****ng touch my mate again,¡± Theo bellowed, his voice animalistic. I knew Kieran was fighting to get loose. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to your Luna unless you intend to show her the respect she deserves.¡± Shock shed across Kylee¡¯s eyes briefly before theck of air filled them with fear. Her face turned red as she wed at his hand. I Theo, grabbing his arm. ¡°Theo, stop,¡± I cried. ran to Chapter 107 A 288 Vouchers ¡°The only reason I¡¯m not exiling you right now,¡± Theo thundered, ¡°is because it would break your sister¡¯s heart. And I vowed I would never do that again. Especially not because of you.¡± Theo released Kylee, letting her fall to the floor like a doll, coughing and gasping for air. I moved to go to her but stopped myself. She was alive. At that moment, I didn¡¯t care about anything else about her. I turned to Theo instead, trying to calm him down. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, lifting my chin and pushing my hair back to check my face. His reaction told me she left enough of a mark to cause a fresh bout of rage to rush through him. His eyes shed yellow. A rumble grew in his chest. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Theo,¡± I rushed, putting a hand on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°How could you, Theo?¡± Kylee said hoa**ely. ¡°How could you pick her?¡± I gripped Theo¡¯s shirt, knowing that was thest thing Kylee should have done. His jaw clenched and his hands fisted. He turned to Kylee, pushing me behind him in a protective stance. ¡°How could I?¡± he mirrored, eerily calm. ¡°I could because she¡¯s the greatest blessing the goddess could ever give me. A blessing that we almost foolishly threw away. Because of you.¡± He grabbed her arm and yanked her off the floor. ¡°The question is, Kylee, how could you? How could you be prepared to rob me of my fated mate and h*** *he f***ing gall to not think you are selfish?¡± Theo pushed her down the hall. ¡°Get out, Kylee. Before I change my mind about banishing you.¡± My sister shot me a look of disbelief. ¡°A, you wouldn¡¯t let¡­¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. For the first time, I fully epted that this was a Chapter 107: A 288 Vouchers situation she got herself into, and I wouldn¡¯te to her rescue. She cried as she ran off, leaving me feeling numb as I watched, realizing we had attracted an audience. I think I was numb. They say there is always a calm before the storm. My phone was still in my hand, and it began to ring as Kylee disappeared. I nced down. Kingston. Just what I fu**ing needed. I threw the phone against the wall. Screaming as I forced my fingers through my hair. ¡®A¡­¡± Theo reached for me. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said, pushing him away. ¡°Just¡­ get her out of here.¡± Without another word, I turned and returned to my apartment to fall apart. Chapter 108: Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108: Theo My heart broke as I watched my mate walk away from me, knowing she was breaking inside. But I had to address the crowd that had gathered. ¡°A Garner is my fated mate,¡± I announced. ¡°As your future Alpha, that sacred bond to me is all you need to show her loyalty and respect. I owe you no other exnation. But if any of you doubt her right to be your Luna, I have proof of the lies that Kylee Garner spread within our pack. Now, go.¡± Everyone dispersed, returning to whatever they were doing before. Everyone except Jimmy, who I called to me. ¡°Make sure Kylee leaves the city,¡± I ordered. ¡°I don¡¯t want her within fifty miles of A or me.¡± ¡°My pleasure,¡± Jimmy said with satisfied smirk. I put a hand on his shoulder before he left. ¡°Did you hear the rumors?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard ¡¯em,¡± he confirmed. ¡°After what I saw the day of the attack, there¡¯s no way in hell anyone could convince me that woman is the same person in those rumors.¡± He pointed toward A¡¯s apartment. ¡°Not a single, sane wolf present that day would.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°If you hear any more talk or any discontent¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alpha,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure they see the error of their ways long before you need to step in.¡± I squeezed his shoulder in gratitude. Chapter 108, Theo 283 Vouchers ¡°Alpha,¡± Jimmy said, ¡°tell our Luna we¡¯re proud to have her.¡± ¡°I will, Jimmy,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I definitely will.¡± I went back to A¡¯s apartment but didn¡¯t see her there. I searched the ce and found her on the bathroom floor, sitting against the tub, head in her hands. I knelt down before her, running my hands down her legs. ¡°Baby,¡± I said gently. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Theo,¡± A whispered. ¡°Can¡¯t do what, honey?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be your Luna,¡± she choked out. My heart stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, A. You¡¯re the only one who can be my Luna.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. No matter what I do, no matter what choice I make, I hurt people. I can¡¯t be responsible for that. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± I changed positions, pulling my mate onto myp. ¡°You couldn¡¯t be more wrong, baby.¡± ¡°I chose Kylee ¨C I hurt you. I chose Kingston ¨C I hurt him because I didn¡¯t belong. I chose you I hurt Kylee,¡± A exined. ¡°The pack would never ept me with a track record like that.¡± Iughed at her words. ¡°Theo,¡± she scolded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, babe,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to see it that way when Jimmy is 18.94% Chapter 108. Theo 288 Vouchers gleefully escorting Kylee out of the city as we speak because he won¡¯t tolerate someone hurting you.¡± ¡°What?¡± She sat up to look at me. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what it is. Jimmy barely knows me.¡± ¡°A, when we got to the packhouse the day of the explosion, what did you do?¡± I asked. ¡°What does that¡­¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± I interrupted her. ¡°I helped make sure everyone had made it out,¡± she said. ¡°You figured out how to know who was there, organized the check-ins, and kept everything from breaking out in chaos,¡± I corrected her. ¡°That alone was enough to find out that Annabelle was missing. Then to rush inside and save her¡­¡± I made her look at me. ¡°That¡¯s the choices a Luna makes. You chose to do those things even when you¡¯re family was in trouble. You chose to trust me to keep MinaContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. safe, so you could keep my pack our pack ¨C safe.¡± ¨C ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± she insisted, her brow furrowing. ¡°That¡¯s what anyone would do.¡± ¡°Kylee didn¡¯t,¡± I argued. ¡°When the library was on fire, she couldn¡¯t even be bothered to show up.¡± She still had doubt in her eyes as she looked at me. ¡°Baby, you didn¡¯t hurt Kylee by choosing me,¡± I insisted. ¡°Kylee hurt herself. But you made me the happiest wolf in the world when you chose me. Doesn¡¯t that count for something?¡± She melted against me, a wave of defeat washing through our 35.76% Chapter 108 Theo 288 Vouchers connection. ¡°But I can¡¯t be more important,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not worth risking everyone else for.¡± I sighed, holding her close. ¡°Do you want to know the hardest lesson my father taught me?¡± I asked. ¡°I was sixteen. My friends and I were being st**id teenagers, and there was an ident. My friend was trapped and it didn¡¯t look good. Help was seconds away, but I didn¡¯t wait. I went in to save him. I got him out, but I nearly lost a leg in the process. Had I not gone in, we would have had time. They could have gotten him out safer. It was dumb luck that I got us both out intact.¡± A shifted, turning her head so I knew she was listening. I brushed my fingers through her hair as I spoke. ¡°Dad was furious,¡± I continued. ¡°When I argued with him, he said I had to start thinking like a leader. A leader must understand how important they are. Again, I argued, saying we weren¡¯t more important than our pack. He said I was wrong. We weren¡¯t more valuable than our pack. The importance of a role doesn¡¯t determine the value of the person holding it. A leader keeps everything running, makes our society work, keeps our fighters on task. Without an Alpha, wolves don¡¯t thrive. So, when we fill that leadership position, we are more important than the rest. Because we are protecting the value of our pack. If we fall, they fall. That is our value.¡± I rested my head on A¡¯s. ¡°You always put everyone else first, A,¡± I said gently. ¡°You see the worth of everyone around you without question. You will do whatever is necessary to protect that. That¡¯s what makes you so important to me as an Alpha. I need you more because they need you.¡± Chapter 108 Theo 288 Vouchers She was quiet for a long time. She finally took a deep breath and sat up. ¡°What if I make a mistake?¡± ¡°Look who you¡¯re talking to, babe,¡± Iughed. ¡°I made the biggest mistake I could possibly make. You do whatever you can to make up for it and ept whatever consequences are left. You¡¯ll learn to recognize those tough choices and I know you¡¯ll do what¡¯s right. No one expects you to be perfect, sweetheart. They just want you to be you.¡± She snorted. ¡°They don¡¯t know me. I¡¯m pretty boring.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a bald-faced lie,¡± I teased. ¡°You are anything but boring, my little mate.¡± I pressed my lips to hers. ¡°So, is this a good time to tell you that our secret is out?¡± Sheughed. ¡°I think I figured that out. I¡¯m sure everyone is talking about the she-wolf who stole her sister¡¯s mate.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re talking about their Alpha finding his fated mate,¡± I corrected. ¡°I made the announcement in the hall. I didn¡¯t want any more rumors to take root in this pack.¡± ¡°How do you think they¡¯re taking the news?¡± she asked nervously. ¡°Well, Jimmy was happy as a m. I know that much,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I guess running into a burning building made quite the impression on him. Even if I did tear him a new one for letting it happen.¡± ¡°Ha, ha,¡± she mocked. ¡°What about everyone else?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s one way to find out¡­¡± Chapter 109. Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 109 Chapter 109: Theo I held A¡¯s hand as we left the apartment. We weren¡¯t two feet out the door when I heard my mother. ¡°There you are,¡± she said brightly, excitement radiating off of her. I wanted to roll my eyes. She knew exactly where we were. She grabbed A and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°The packhouse is buzzing with the wonderful news. I can¡¯t tell you how happy this makes me.¡± ¡°¡°Thank you, Luna,¡± A replied. ¡°Oh, honey, for thest time, it¡¯s Grace,¡± Mom insisted. ¡°After all, we¡¯ re family now. Besides, that title belongs to you now, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder.¡± ¡°Not quite yet,¡± A said. Mom waved her off. ¡°Formalities,¡± she said. ¡°Speaking of which, I think it¡¯s time to n your introduction to the pack.¡± ¡°My what?¡± A asked. ¡°I think this Saturday will do,¡± Mom said. ¡°That should be plenty of time to get the word out. Annabelle can help with the menu. Ooh, we¡¯ Il have to go shopping for a dress. There¡¯s so much to do.¡± A had gone a little pale, so I stepped in. ¡°Mom,¡± I said with a smile, ¡°can we have a minute alone? She¡¯ll know where to find you.¡¯ ¡± She looked between the two of us. ¡°Oh, yes, of course. Forgive me. Youe find ine when you¡¯re done.¡± ¨C She gave A another big hug before bustling off to do what my mother does best ¡ª nning a party. I turned to A, who looked a little like a deer in headlights. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t realize when you said the secret was out that it was, like, out-out,¡± she mumbled. Iughed, wrapping my arms around her waist. ¡°Yeah, Mom loves an event. It is a tradition to have a big gathering for the pack toe and meet the ranking member¡¯s mates. Mina had one, too.¡± ¡°Yeah, she mentioned that,¡± A said. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± I said, k*ssing her nose, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to do it, we won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°I want to. It¡¯ll be good for us. If we don¡¯t, it may seem like I have something to hide.¡± I hated she had to think that way, but part of me knew she was right. There would still be some members that would question what happened. People did like Kylee. We had support for our mating despite us not being fated. That would have an impact. ¡°Besides, I think it would break your mother¡¯s heart if I declined,¡± A pointed out. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right with that one.¡± I k*ssed her firmly and deeply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, babe. Mom has it under control. Just go with the flow, and don¡¯t let her talk you into anything you don¡¯t want.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± A sighed with a smile. ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I replied. ¡°I have to go to the precinct for a while.¡± ¡°Randall still not talking?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, he¡¯s smarter than we gave him credit for. He¡¯s either able to withstand mymands, or he gives vague, useless answers. But we¡¯ll break him. I¡¯ll be back this evening. Have dinner with me?¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know,¡± A teased. ¡°Will it be as good as thest one?¡± ¡°I can make sure it ends as good as thest one,¡± I insinuated, grazing my l*ps along her jaw to her neck. ¡°Oh, then I guess you can count me in,¡± she said. I nipped her ear with a growl, making herugh. ¡°Okay, okay, you better get going,¡± she instructed, pushing me away. I k*ssed her onest time before leaving her to join my mother. I walked through the packhouse happier than I had any right to be. But I was determined not to mess this up again. I would prove to the goddess that she was right to give me a second chance with A. I left the packhouse grounds and headed into the city. Alex was waiting for me when I entered the precinct. ¡°Any change?¡± I asked as he joined in step with me.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°No,¡± he grunted. ¡°But we may have a lead on his car. Something in those files led him to your office. If he has it, I¡¯m betting that¡¯s where it is.¡± ¡°Where are you thinking he stashed it?¡± I stepped into the observation booth for the interrogation room Randall was being held in. He looked like hell. Withstanding an Alpha¡¯smand, even when it¡¯s not your Alpha, takes a heavy toll. I have to be careful how I use it as well. If he¡¯s fighting this hard, I run the risk of breaking his mind if I push too hard too fast. I needed to find his weakness to break his determination. ¡°We found a bank charge for a cabin rental not far outside the city. We think he stashed it somewhere near there and traveled back on foot.¡± We already knew he had gotten to the packhouse in his wolf form. He had been wearing clothes from our stashes when he was caught. But that hadn¡¯t really given us enough to know where he hade from. This was at least something to go on. I looked at the man on the other side of the ss. He was on a mission. And it wasn¡¯t personal. His actions, his evasiveness, his skill all told me that he was sent here for a reason that was above him. He had be less concerned for himself since we had captured him. He may believe in whatever he is a part of, but he¡¯s not acting on his own ord. I didn¡¯t think it would take much to get us on the right track. Once we found one piece of evidence, he would start to panic. ¡°Have you sent a team to search yet?¡± I asked Alex, not taking my eyes off Randall. ¡°No, we were waiting for you,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going with.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110: Briggs I pulled up to the cabin with Theo and Minate that afternoon. Theo wanted Mina toe along as the forensic expert. If we find something, we¡¯ll call in the team, but he felt better having someone along with the search party. I wasn¡¯t going to argue with a chance to work alongside my mate. Especially since she was in a fantastic mood. We all were now that Theo and A hadmitted to each other and were out in the open now. The whole interaction with Kylee earlier that day had been unfortunate, and I knew A was still shaken about it. But we were all determined to show her our support. I was also d I wouldn¡¯t have to act on the message I had gotten from Pierce. I hadn¡¯t told Theo, but he reached out, saying it may be a good idea to keep A from returning to Sablemane for the time being. I had no idea why, but that was before she rejoined our pack. I didn¡¯t think things would be better now. ¡°Okay, everyone,¡± Theo addressed us as we stood in the yard. ¡°It¡¯s no surprise we didn¡¯t find this vehicle parked right here in the open. But he likely would have stashed it somewhere he could get out of quickly. So, start near the road within the tree line.¡± He held out a shirt. ¡°Here¡¯s the scent we¡¯re looking for.¡± The group passed it around before stripping down and shifting into their wolves. We had five warriors searching in their wolf form while the three of us would search in human form. Theo went to search the cabin first. I followed a path that led behind the building and into the mountains. 0.00% 12-23 Chapter 110. Briggs 288 Vouchers I had walked about a mile when an acrid scent hit me. It was the smell of burning. Of multiple materials burning. It wasn¡¯t fresh, but it was strong. I followed it until I came out into a clearing. Tire tracks were going through the tall grass, and sure enough, at the edge was a burnt- out car. It wasn¡¯tpletely destroyed. There was enough left to know this was Randall¡¯s. But it would be no use getting anything else from it. ¡°Theo, Mina,¡¯ I reached out. ¡®I found it.¡¯ ¡®Why don¡¯t you sound happy about that?¡¯ Mina replied. ¡®You¡¯ll see,¡¯ I stated, running a hand over my face. ¡®Just get over here.¡¯ I sent them images through the mind-link on how to find me. While I waited, I paced the field a bit. For some reason, the ce felt really familiar. Not like I had been there before, but I had definitely seen it somewhere. I was still wracking my brain when Mina and Theo arrived. I pointed them to the remains of the car. Theo cursed. He walked over a slowly circled it, kicking the bumper and making the trunktch release. It waspletely gutted inside. We had nothing. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to move Randall to the cer,¡± Theo said tensely. ¡°I swear I¡¯ve seen this ce before,¡± I said, barely paying attention to him. ¡°It¡¯s a field, Briggs,¡± he replied. ¡°In the middle of the woods, there are hundreds just like it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I shook my head, ¡°but there¡¯s something about this one. Come 24.26% 12-23 Chapter 110 Briggs on. 288 Vouchers There was a slight incline to thend. I walked up it and into the grass. It came up to my thigh and was hard to navigate, but I felt I could make out bare spots. At least when the wind died down. Mina and Theo followed me and started to take their own paths. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re thinking, babe,¡± she said, ¡°but I¡¯m not wearing the right clothes for this. I expect a nice bubble bath when we get home tonight.¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can make that happen, mate.¡¯ ¡°You better,¡± she replied. ¡°Because I¡¯m already itching from hea¡­ Oof.¡± Mina disappeared from the corner of my eye, and I rushed to where she was. ¡°Ow,¡± she grumbled, pushing up to her knees. ¡°Mina, are you okay?¡± I grabbed her and started inspecting her, Theo right behind me. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, shooing me away. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just tripped over this st**id rock, is all.¡± I shook my head. Of course the goddess would pair me with a she-wolf who didn¡¯t like nature. Theo chuckled behind me. ¡°Hey,¡± Mina shot, ¡°A¡¯s the hiker, not me.¡± As she stood up, I noticed something on the stone. I reached over and brushed some of the grass and dirt out of the way. ¡°Of course,¡± I eximed, standing and spinning around. ¡°I knew this 46.36% 12:24 Chapter 110 Briggs 288 (Vouchers was familiar.¡± I walked a few feet north and found another stone. Then west to another. ¡°Okay, bud,¡± Theo said. ¡°Mind filling us in?¡± ¡°You had me looking into the professor,¡± I said, walking south. ¡°So, I dug into his work. A lot of his research is on historical structures. Including¡± ¨C I took thest few steps and as my foot his the ground, there was an echo ¨C ¡°hidden caches Mypanions rushed over. I examined the ground beneath me. There was grass piled over it, but it seemed artificial as if someone had ced it there. ¡°Someone¡¯s definitely been here,¡± Theo concurred with my thoughts. I bent down and we started pulling the debris aside to reveal a heavy metal trap door sitting in a stone frame. Theo grabbed the handle and lifted it open. A stone stairwell led somewhere underground. ¡°I¡¯m not going down there,¡± Mina said. Theo and I grinned at each other. ¡°Come on, babe,¡± I chided. ¡°There¡¯s no nature down there.¡± ¡°Um, spiders are nature, as**ole,¡± she snapped. I chuckled. ¡°Okay, but do you at least have a light?¡± She opened her kit and pulled out a small shlight, handing it to me. ¡°I ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, kissing her check. Theo and I descended the steps into the darkness. When we made it to 65.39% 12:23 Chapter 110: Briggs 288 Vouchers the bottom, I shined the light around us. I saw what looked like a switch close by and flicked it. Lights cut on down a long corridor. Very old lights. The ce was definitely retrofitted with electricity, the walls seemed to be couple of centuries old, but the instation had to have been done at least fifty years ago. But that we weren¡¯t the first people to step foot in here since then. ¡®Mina,e down,¡¯ I reached out. ¡®I promise, there are no spiders.¡¯ I could feel her huff through the connection but heard hering down. ¡°Holy cr*p,¡± she said, looking around. ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Theo voiced. He led us down the corridor where there was a wooden door. Theo pushed it but it didn¡¯t budge. It must have been locked. ¡°Who the hell locks a door in a secret underground chamber?¡± he said as he backed up, promptly kicking it open with ease. We went into the room and were shocked. ¡°Umm,¡± Mina whispered. ¡°I think I yed my holy cr*p too early.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111: Theo We stood in a room half covered in papers, photos, and writing. It looked like an investigation board. Or a nutjob¡¯s conspiracy board. It was hard to tell at first nce. I moved further into the room and pulled a chain to an overhead light. It blinked on but didn¡¯t really offer better visibility. Our night vision may have been a better option. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything,¡± Mina said, pullingtex gloves out of her kit. ¡°We need to get the team down here.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m on it,¡± I said, already heading back through the door. I called Alex and sent the coordinates for our location. It was already after six o¡¯clock, so I called A too. ¡°Hey, sweetie,¡± I said when she answered. ¡°How are things going with Mom?¡± ¡°Educational,¡± she replied, amusement in her voice. ¡°But I think I convinced her to pick it back up tomorrow. How¡¯s the search going?¡± ¡°We found something,¡± I told her. ¡°It¡¯s big, babe. I think this is exactly what we need.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome, Theo.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I might be a littlete,¡± I said, disappointed. ¡°This is going to take a while to get through.¡± ¡°Do you want some help?¡± she asked. I smiled. ¡°We have forensics on the way right now. We have to limit 0.00% ? 12:24 N Chapter 111. Theo 288 Vouchers ess until they finish processing the scene,¡± I said. ¡°But you know, I¡¯ Il get some pics, and you can help me look over what we can tonight. You may see something before we do.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± A said happily. ¡°And don¡¯t rush, babe. I¡¯ll be here when you¡¯re done. I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± I replied, hanging up. That was the first time she called me babe. She had always called me by my name. It felt a little silly, but that one little word made everything seem so real. Like I wasn¡¯t actually dreaming that sh¨¦ stayed with me. I rushed back inside, more determined to get this done so I could get back home to A. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Anything standing out? We got any ideas?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a mess,¡± Briggs said, rubbing the back of his neck. Mina was taking pictures of every inch of the room. ¡°But there are a lot of names in here.¡± ¡°They¡¯re from different packs, too,¡± Mina said. She pointed to a section to her left. ¡°I recognize that family from the Wild Tail Pack.¡± ¡°There are some ranking members, too,¡± Briggs said. ¡°But it¡¯s going to take some time to try and make sense of it all. Nothing stands out as an exnation.¡± ¡°Maybe I should ask Randall,¡± I mused. ¡°I told Alex to send him to the cer. I think we may have found his weak spot.¡± ¡°Can I ask what is this cer?¡± Mina said. Briggs gave me a look and I shrugged. He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a system of rooms under the packhouse,¡± Briggs exined. ¡°It was 18.50% ||| 12:24 Chapter 111. Theo 288 Vouchers an existing foundation that it was built over. Simr to this ce, I suppose. It¡¯s probably older than the pack.¡± ¡°And what do you do in this cer?¡± Mina asked sternly. ¡°Whatever needs to be done,¡± I told her. ¡°It¡¯s ast resort. It¡¯s not something we take lightly, Mina.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not judging, Theo,¡± she replied, using my name to let me know this was a personal conversation. ¡°The bas**rd held me hostage with a knife to my throat. And looking at all this, I can¡¯t say he was nning anything good. Do what you have to do. And if you need help, let me know.¡± ¡°Mina¡­¡± Briggs ran a hand over his face as he shook his head while she returned to taking pictures. I busted outughing. They really were perfect for each other. Not long after, the forensics team arrived and started processing the area. Briggs let Mina do her job and decided toe back to the packhouse with me. Instead of going inside, we headed around to the north side of the building. A utility room was built onto the main structure, but you could only ess it from the outside. In the back, a floor hatch led down into the cer. The cer really was a nice term for the ce. In all likelihood, it was actually the dungeons of some medieval castle. So our usage of it was quite apropos. It also helped that it blocked all mind-links from coming in or out. We could hear soundsing from one of the cells near the end. As we approached, I could see Alex standing rxed outside the door. I was d to see he had no qualms about taking this route. Randall was yelling inside the cell. I looked in at him. Somehow, his broken nose was bleeding again. 40.79% ? 12:24 Chapter 111: Theo 288 Vouchers. ¡°Did you start without me?¡± I asked Alex, tipping my head in Randall¡¯s direction. ¡°Of course not, Alpha,¡± Alex said. ¡°He thought it was a good idea to fight us on the way down those rickety stairs.¡± I shook my head, opened the cell door, and entered the room. ¡°Okay, Randall,¡± I said, grabbing a chair and taking a seat in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve figured out this isn¡¯t a ce you want to be. Good news. I don¡¯t want to be here either.¡¯ ¡°J Randall didn¡¯t look at me and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, patting his face to get his attention. Not gently. He winced up at me. ¡°Alright, look¡­ I¡¯m going to level with you, Randy. I have a dinner that I REALLY don¡¯t want to miss. So it¡¯s in your b interest if you just start talking.¡± ¡°I told you before,¡± Randall hissed. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say. best ¡± ¡°Really?¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°Because we just found a whole room full of fun pictures that say otherwise. It was right next to this burnt-out car we found.¡± His eyes went wide for a brief moment. It was long enough for me to know I got what I needed. I pooled my energy, gathering my aura for another round ofmands. He knew what wasing. His breathing became heavy. ¡°Randall Fallweather,¡± I spoke with authority putting a heavymand behind my words, ¡°tell me what files you¡¯re looking for.¡± He fought against it. His face went red as he struggled to breathe. The veins in his head and neck bulged against his skin. 66.10% 12:24 Chapter 111: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Tell me, Randall,¡± Imanded again. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the families,¡± he blurted out in a rush. ¡°What fami¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Randall interrupted me,ughing through the pain. ¡°Ive been con not to speak.¡± ¡°No sh*t,¡± I said. ¡°There are are s to He shook his head. ¡°No, not this ¡°No, not this to overpower that.¡± Command. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s so special about this so special about this asked, knowing that no Alpha is that strong. Randall didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Tell me,¡± Imanded. ¡°Only one person can break themand,¡± he said with a sneer. ¡°And I¡¯d love for you to find them for me, Alpha.¡± ¡°That¡¯s who you¡¯re looking for,¡± I stated. Heughed eerily. * ¡®Uh, Theo,¡¯ Briggs came through the mind-link, ¡®we have a situation upstairs you need to address.¡¯ Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Chapter 112: A I was smiling as I walked back to my apartment that evening. Despite being a little overwhelming, I had a good time with Grace nning the banquet for Saturday. She epted my request to keep it casual, especially with it being such short notice. I even suggested doing something like a barbeque on the lawn, which she actually loved. Before I knew it, she had a bonfire, food, and entertainment nned out. I was texting Mina when someone called out to me. ¡°So, you¡¯re really going through with this charade?¡± Remembering the voice from earlier, I turned to see Amy standing in a doorway. ¡°What do you want, Amy?¡± I said politely. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you are, sl*t,¡± she snapped. ¡°Off to go f*ck someone else¡¯ s mate, I¡¯m sure. Don¡¯t let me stop you. I¡¯ll make sure to get pictures to send to Alpha.¡± She pushed off the doorjamb. ¡°Tell me, what is it like being with Alpha Theo knowing he f***ed your sister?¡± ¡°What is your problem with me?¡± I asked. ¡°You met me what? One time? What could I have possibly done to make you think you know me?¡± ¡°I witnessed enough,¡± she said. ¡°Witnessed what?¡± I asked, my temper rising. ¡°Kylee said you were obsessed with her,¡± Amy sang. ¡°Constantly calling her, getting into her business. Just so you could live through 0.00% 12:24 Chapter 112 Ayta 288 Vouchers her because you screwed up your own life.¡± ¡°Um, or I was checking in on her like a loving sister, making sure she had everything she needed. And I think it¡¯s pretty funny that she was telling everyone I abandoned her, and now you¡¯re saying I wouldn¡¯t leave her alone. She can¡¯t have it both ways, Amy.¡± ¡°And what did you ever provide for her?¡± ¡°Everything,¡± I spat, my hands clenching. ¡°Food on the table, her education, the roof over her head. Hell, the roof over your head, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Becausest I checked, I paid for the house you all sharedst year. Kylee never wanted for anything. Thanks to me.¡± Amy¡¯s expression was sour, but she didn¡¯t seem to have a response to that. Or at least I thought she didn¡¯t. I turned to leave, done with whatever this conversation was. Until she said something that almost had me ripping her throat out. ¡°Except a father,¡± Amy shot, stopping me in my tracks. ¡°I hear that was your fault too.¡± ¡°What did you just say to me?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, Kylee¡¯s father would be alive,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder if you actually set the whole thing up. ¡± I was beside Amy in a blink, grabbing her wrist and wrenching her arm behind her back. I ignored her cries of pain as I started walking. I forced the mind-link wide open, connecting to anyone in range. ¡®If anyone has a problem with me or believes I¡¯m selfish enough to steal my sister¡¯s mate,e to the packhouse lobby.¡¯ I didn¡¯t miss the fear 21.58% 12:24 Chapter 112 A 288 Mouchers her because you screwed up your own life.¡± ¡°Um, or I was checking in on her like a loving sister, making sure she had everything she needed. And I think it¡¯s pretty funny that she was telling everyone I abandoned her, and now you¡¯re saying I wouldn¡¯t leave her alone. She can¡¯t have it both ways, Amy.¡± ¡°And what did you ever provide for her?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± I spat, my hands clenching. ¡°Food on the table, her education, the roof over her head. Hell, the roof over your head, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Becausest I checked, I paid for the house you all sharedst year. Kylee never wanted for anything. Thanks to me.¡± Amy¡¯s expression was sour, but she didn¡¯t seem to have a response to that. Or at least I thought she didn¡¯t. I turned to leave, done with whatever this conversation was. Until she said something that almost had me ripping her throat out. ¡°Except a father,¡± Amy shot, stopping me in my tracks. ¡°I hear that was your fault too.¡± ¡°What did you just say to me?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, Kylee¡¯s father would be alive,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder if you actually set the whole thing up.¡± I was beside Amy in a blink, grabbing her wrist and wrenching her arm behind her back. I ignored her cries of pain as I started walking. I forced the mind-link wide open, connecting to anyone in range. ¡®If anyone has a problem with me or believes I¡¯m selfish enough to steal my sister¡¯s mate,e to the packhouse lobby.¡¯ I didn¡¯t miss the fear 21.58% 1225 Chapter 112: Ayle 268 Vouchers that s***ed through Amy at my words. ¡®I have someone you¡¯ll want to talk to.¡¯ I half-drug Amy through the halls. She continued to try to break free but wasn¡¯t nearly strong enough or trained enough. There was already a crowd forming by the time we were descending the stairs. I pushed her forward, making her stumble down thest few steps and fall to the floor. ¡°Alright, Amy,¡± I said loudly, making sure my voice echoed, ¡°here¡¯s your audience. Tell them what you just told me.¡± She dragged herself up on her hands, giving me a defiant re. I felt everything build inside me. Months of rejection and liesing to a head. A power flowed out of me I had never used before. ¡°TELL THEM,¡± Imanded. Amy¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I said that she set up the explosion that killed her father.¡± Audible gasps traveled through the room, followed by murmurs. I ignored them all. I stalked over to Amy and grabbed her hair, yanking her up to face everyone. ¡°Now tell them whether that was the truth or a lie,¡± Imanded again. She struggled to speak, but the words still slipped out. ¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°Any other lies you want to clear up for all the lovely people, Amy?¡± She didn¡¯t respond. ¡°SPEAK.¡± Her teeth were gritted as she mumbled, ¡°She didn¡¯t steal her sister¡¯s mate.¡± 45.73% 12:25 Chapter 112 A 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What was that? We can¡¯t hear you.¡± I tightened my grip on her hair. ¡°She didn¡¯t steal her sister¡¯s mate.¡± I threw her roughly to the ground and looked at the faces around me. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you all believe I¡¯ve done with thest ten years of my life,¡± I announced. ¡°You can believe I was whoring myself to a pack of rogues for all I care. But let me make something perfectly clear right now. If I ever hear anyone say anything about my father or that I had anything to do with his death, you¡¯ll be lucky if you live to regret it.¡± I saw Jimmy standing near the entrance, grinning from ear to ear. I out nodded to him. ¡°Get her of here.¡± He stalked up and grabbed her under the arms to help her up. She cried out as her ankle gave way under her. ¡°Take her to the infirmary to get that checked out,¡± I added. ¡°Then send her home to her family. ¡± As I turned to leave, I heard Amy again. ¡°Like fixing my leg will fool anyone into believing you care,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Did you really not learn your lesson?¡± I bellowed, turning on her again. ¡°Because if showing you the literal meaning of ¡®hold your tongue¡¯ is the only way you¡¯ll get it, I will.¡± She was cowering in front of me, trying to grab onto Jimmy¡¯s shirt. ¡°Be smart, Amy, and shut up. Now, go.¡± I watched Jimmy carry Amy out, still feeling power coursing through my veins. Hands gently grabbed my shoulders. The tingling sensation they left told me exactly who it was. 67.09% 12:25 91.34% Chapter 112. Aria 288 Vouchers ¡°A,¡± Theo said in my car. ¡°You can rx now. Pull it back, baby. They see who you are.¡± I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting my body rx. When I opened them, he was standing in front of me, brushing my cheek. ¡°You okay?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, she just pi**ed me off,¡± I said. ¡°We saw that,¡± Theoughed. ¡°You ready to go-now?¡± I nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, putting an arm over my shoulder as he addressed the rest of the room. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell the rest of you to go about your business.¡± 1Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113: Theo I think I was going through as many emotions as A was by the time we made it back to the apartment. When Briggs told me A had mind-linked half the pack, I didn¡¯t know what to expect. I got to the lobby in time to see A throwing Amy to the ground. I noticed Jimmy across the room and asked him what was going on. When he told me what Amy had said about A¡¯s father, I was about to execute her myself. But Briggs held me back. ¡®She needs to handle this, man,¡¯ he told me. I knew he was right. And A was glorious. My beautiful mate exuded power as she solidified her position in the pack. But it was also a little terrifying. I had never seen a she-wolf with the kind of power A had. Briggs had told me about the incident at the Alpha¡¯s Gathering with Conner. How A managed tomand everyone to stop. He tried to y it off as an effect of such a tense situation, but what I saw from her today¡­ That was something entirely new. And she didn¡¯t even know she was capable of it. That was raw power let loose. She would need to learn to control that. ¡°I guess that wasn¡¯t the best introduction I could have made,¡± A said, copsing on the couch. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°I probably looked like a raging b**ch to everyone,¡± she rified. ¡°A, that was a perfect introduction,¡± I stated. ¡°As you pointed out 0.00% 12:25 Chapter 113: Theo 288 Vouchers earlier, our rtionship isn¡¯t without scandal. Thanks to me. But you just put all of that to rest.¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± she said. ¡°But thank you for trying to make me feel better.¡± ¡°Trust me, babe,¡± I said. ¡°You just showed the pack that you won¡¯t put up with bullies, bigots, or liars. Amy doesn¡¯t have the best reputation as it is. They knew she most likely provoked the incident.¡± I debated asking her about her ability, but I could tell she was tired. I didn¡¯t mind a quiet evening with my mate, either. In fact, I was desperate for it. I slipped my fingers through her hair, letting the softness settle me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I missed dinner,¡± I said. She smiled and tucked up under my arm. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°Honestly, I kind of want to feel like a boring normal couple tonight and just watch tv on the couch.¡± I chuckled. ¡°That sounds pretty good to me. Why don¡¯t you get changed.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± she asked. ¡°You should probably bring some clothes and stuff to keep here.¡± I smiled. ¡°Or we could both move into our own apartment.¡± Iced my fingers with hers. ¡°I hear the Alpha¡¯s suite will be vacant pretty soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± I confirmed. ¡°There¡¯s enough room to bring all your things. You won¡¯t have to live out of a suitcase anymore, babe.¡± She looked up at me. ¡°I don¡¯t really have any things. I didn¡¯t really care 22.27% 12:25 Chapter 113 Theo 288 Vouchers about anything I left behind at the house and¡­¡± A sadness settled in her expression. ¡°What is it, sweetheart?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I lost everything else. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°The rest is with Kingston,¡± she stated. ¡°It¡¯s not much. Mostly just keepsakes, like the first prints of my books and some photos. But he¡¯s not about to send anything back to me, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to go there. So, it¡¯s all gone.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No,¡± I told her. ¡°What do you want back?¡± ¡°Babe, it¡¯s fine,¡± she insisted. ¡°No, A,¡± I argued. ¡°It¡¯s not. If Kingston doesn¡¯t return your belongings, I¡¯ll find someone who will. What do you want back?¡± She sighed. ¡°Mostly, I just want my dad¡¯s ring and his ashes back,¡± she said quietly. My body tensed. ¡°He won¡¯t give your father back?¡± ¡°Only if I go get them,¡± she rified. ¡°But I¡¯m not. I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it. I¡¯ll find a way to get them back. I just don¡¯t have the energy to worry about it tonight.¡± I sighed, pushing my anger down as best I could. Before, I could at least admit my opinion of Kingston was a petty dislike. Hating him because of my own screw-up. But now the bas**rd was holding her dead father¡¯s ashes and a family heirloom over her? Just because she left him. And I still think he was using her somehow because of her family history. 44.36% 12:25 Chapter 113. Theo 288 Vouchers I wasn¡¯t going to let that go. But I would leave it for another day. If my mate wanted a rxing evening in, that¡¯s what she would get. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, kissing her head. ¡°We¡¯ll drop it for now. Go on and get changed. I¡¯ll find us a movie.¡± She gotfortable and settled on the couch, cuddling against me. We watched a couple movies. Although, she only made it about fifteen minutes into the second before she fell asleep. There was something about the normalcy that left me in awe. Having her in my arms, being able to watch her sleep, and just being together because I¡¯m the person she wants to be with was more than I could have imagined. couldn¡¯t fathom how I could have ever thought it would be possible to have this with anyone else. Thinking back, it was like I was apletely different person. My time with Kylee had always been a bit hot and cold. There were times when I couldn¡¯t get enough of her, her scent was intoxicating, and it was like I had tunnel vision. At other times, I had a hard time mustering any interest. A few times, I felt like I just needed to be free of her, and then suddenly, I needed her with me. But I could never exin why. With A, I knew exactly why I wanted her. And it wasn¡¯t the mate bond. That made our connection more intense, of course. But it wasn¡¯t why she meant so much to me. She was everything I imagined my mate would be. She was smart, strong, kind, empathetic, and generous. She valued hard work and believed in creating your own opportunities. She was more beautiful than I could have ever thought possible, and every part of her fit with me like a puzzle. But she was still full of surprises in ways I didn¡¯t think would ever be predictable. I didn¡¯t think I could have made a mate more perfect, 66.21% 12:25 Chapter 113: Theo 288 Vouchers I picked her up from the couch and carried her to the bedroom, tucking her under the covers. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed in with her, pulling her against my chest. I found myself praying to the moon goddess again, thanking her for allowing me this second chance. 95.46%Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114: Theo I spent the next day between Randall¡¯s secret room, the precinct, and the cer. There was so much information to go through that we nned shifts around the clock. I told them about what Randall had said about the gagmand he was under. But something told me that even if we found this person who could overrule the order, bringing them to Randall wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. Either way, finding them would hopefully give us more answers. But we weren¡¯t getting anywhere fast. We started looking into the names and came up with nothing. So far, everyone was either dead or had disappeared. That was likely why they were on the wall, but we couldn¡¯t find any connection. It all seemed random. I was back down in the cer sitting in front of Randall, trying to get something from him. He wasn¡¯t looking any better. The strongermand didn¡¯t relieve the pain of denying mine. He was covered in sweat and breathing heavily, slumped over in the chair. ¡°Come on, Randall,¡± I said. ¡°Give me something to go on, and you¡¯ll get a break. I¡¯ll even have them bring a cot in and let you get a decent night¡¯s sleep.¡± He looked up at me, a hopeless expression on his face. He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re not asking the right questions. And you¡¯ll never figure it out on your own.¡± 0.00% 1225 Cucre 114 The 288 Vouchers ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just tell me the answers all on your own,¡± I suggested. He smirked. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to make it that easy for you, Alpha.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. I nodded. ¡°Okay, I can respect that,¡± I said. ¡°But I hope you can respect that I¡¯m forced to change my methods.¡± He lifted his head, his nostrils ring. I stood from the chair. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a little time to think about it.¡± I left the cell. Briggs was waiting for me in the hall. ¡°We calling Carl?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m running out of patience with this,¡± I said. ¡°Did you get anywhere with Sablemane?¡± ¡°A¡¯s friend Emma had already told Beta Pierce about the ring,¡± Briggs said. ¡°He said he would do what he could, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee it would be a quick turn-around. I¡¯m afraid to know what¡¯s going on in that pack these days.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting A near that territory,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust Kingston.¡± ¡°Beta Pierce said the same thing as before.¡± Briggs replied. ¡°Even he doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for A to be around him right now. I still have no idea what is going on, but Beta Pierce has been friendly. I don¡¯t want to push that rtionship too far.¡± ¡°No,¡± I agreed. ¡°We need to keep the goodwill there for now.¡± Briggs¡¯ phone pinged. He checked the message and started walking. AL MOEL Chapter 114 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°I think Mina found something,¡± he said over his shoulder. We didn¡¯t get enough service to get calls down here. I followed Briggs eagerly. He was calling before we were even out of the utility room. ¡°Hey, Mina,¡± he answered with it on speaker. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You and Theo need to get to the precinct,¡± she said, sounding frantic. ¡°You need to see this.¡± ¡°What did you find?¡± I asked. ¡°Just get here now,¡± she said, hanging up. We rushed into the city to the precinct and headed straight to Mina¡¯sb. Mina was pacing by a table covered in the evidence from the hidden cache, chewing on a a fingernail. a ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as I barged in. She looked at me, and I could see she was scared. ¡°I found the connection,¡± she said. She picked up a stack of papers and set them out. ¡°I kept seeing this name, Callum Ackers. It rang a bell, but I thought it was a coincidence. Until I talked to A. Callum Ackers is linked to seven other names. All dead or missing like the others. But there is absolutely no record of a Callum Ackers existing anywhere in any pack.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s a false name?¡± I asked. She shook her head. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s a real name. Kingston¡¯s.¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Why Kingston?¡± ¡°A said his real name was Callum before they escaped the pack 51.63% Chapter 114 Thes 288 Vouchers massacre,¡± Mina exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t get ast name, but at least seven families escaped with him besides mine. This is about the Waar P*k Society. They¡¯ve been hunting down Onyxcrown survivors.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be sure about that,¡± I said, my heart rate picking up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°Until I looked over a colleague¡¯s assigned documents, and I found this.¡± She picked up a copy of a newspaper clipping. A section was circled in red, with ¡°children??¡± written beneath it. ¡°The column is about an explosion that killed three people,¡± Mina said. ¡°No names are listed. Only mentioning a celebrated social worker, his sister, and her mate. No one else in this precinct would think anything of it.¡± I couldn¡¯t move. My eyes were stuck on the bright red word. ¡°This is about you and your cousins,¡± Briggs said angrily. ¡°No.¡± Mina shook her head,ying a newspaper clipping with more heavy red ink in front of me. The clipping was from what looked like a school newspaper. It was a piece honoring their youngest graduate to date. A fifteen-year-old girl smiled up at me, silver-grey eyes shining with pride. ¡°This is about A.¡± Chapter 115. A 288 Vouchers Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115: A ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about it, Torin Arden,¡± Grace said sternly. ¡°You know you wouldn¡¯t be able to watch a hog hunt. Your wolf would be taking over without a thought.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Alpha Torin said. ¡°He¡¯ll be happy to watch Theo wipe the floor with the others.¡± ¡°He will do no such thing,¡± Grace said. ¡°He¡¯ll be with A. I¡¯m not letting my son abandon his mate at her introduction party for some convoluted show of masculinity. Now, stay out of my ns.¡± Grace grabbed the folder she had miraculously put together already for the party nning and moved to the kitchen table. Alpha Torin looked at me and shrugged, giving me a wink. ¡°So, A,¡± he said. ¡°Where were we?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re just about done,¡± I informed him. ¡°The only thing I can think of would be anything you hope to do with the rest of your time with us.¡± ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯ve been lucky enough to have lived a pretty full life,¡± Alpha replied. ¡°Yes, I noticed,¡± I teased. He chuckled. ¡°There is one thing I hope to do before I go,¡± he said. ¡°I think you can help me with that, my girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be d to,¡± I said. ¡°What is it?¡± Chapter 115: A 288 Vouchers He crooked his finger for me to lean closer. ¡°Hold my grandchildren.¡± I felt my face turn bright red, but I couldn¡¯t help the smile that pulled at my lips. ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll have to talk to your son about that first.¡± ¡°Talk to me about what?¡± Theo said from behind me, making me jump. He had juste through the door and came straight over to me and his father. ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± I said. ¡°Your dad just wants me to do something for him.¡± Alpha Torin winked at me again. ¡°Well, it may have to wait.¡± Theo said. ¡°Do you guys mind if I steal A?¡± My brow furrowed. I noticed that he was really tense. He was trying to hide it, but something was bothering him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you,¡± Alpha Torin replied. ¡°We can finish this conversation tomorrow. ¡°J I shook my head as I stood up. Theo took my hand and led me out of his parent¡¯s apartment. They had already moved out of the Alpha¡¯s wing, which Theo and I were already starting to move into. But it needed some new furniture we were waiting on, so we would stay in my apartment until it was ready. He didn¡¯t say anything on the walk back, making me more worried. When we were back home, he just turned and kissed me. When he pulled away, he just looked at me, brushing my hair back and grazing his hands across my cheeks. Chapter 115. A 288 Vouchers ¡°Theo, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Taking my hand again, he led me to the sofa. He sat on the edge of the coffee table to face me. ¡°A, we found out what Randall was looking for,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked. He still held my hands, rubbing the backs with his thumbs. ¡°He¡¯s working with the Waar P*k Society, A,¡± Theo said. He gripped my hands tighter as I felt myself go pale. Dasha actually came to the forefront of my mind, but I couldn¡¯t react. Hearing the name of the group that murdered my family sent a wave of fear through me, followed by rage. ¡°Does he know who killed my father?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Theo said. ¡°We figured out from the documents we found in that room. I haven¡¯t questioned him again yet. We have someone who can help make him be¡­ more receptive. But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I want to speak to him,¡± I insisted, Dasha backing me up. ¡°I want to hear what he knows.¡± Theo shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t let you do that, A,¡± he told me. I started to protest but he stopped me. ¡°There¡¯s more you need to know,¡± he rushed, squeezing my hands tightly. ¡°Baby, they¡¯re looking for you.¡± ¡°What? Why me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still trying to figure that out. I¡¯ve reached out for more ?? Chapter 115: A information on the Waar P*k and their vendetta against the 1288 Vouchers Onyxcrowns,¡± he said. ¡°Until we know more, I need you to stay near the packhouse. If you need to go into the city, let me know. If I can¡¯t go with you, I¡¯ll have Jimmy or Briggs take you.¡± i I scoffed. ¡°What are you going to tell your mother?¡± He gave me a confused look. ¡°She nned to take me dress shopping tomorrow,¡± I said. ¡°And what about Mina? Or Kylee? They¡¯re Onyxcrowns too.¡± ¡°Mina is going to be working from the packhouse, too,¡± he confirmed. ¡°And I already have someone watching your mother¡¯s house and keeping an eye on Kylee.¡± ¡°I want to talk to him, Theo,¡± I said again. ¡°If he¡¯s locked up, what can he do to me? Who is he going to tell?¡± ¡°No, babe,¡± he said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants. Right now, he isn¡¯t aware that we even know each other or where to find you. I want to keep it that way.¡± ¡°Do you n on letting him go?¡± I inquired with attitude. ¡°No, of course not.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m going to speak with him,¡± I stated, standing from the couch. Theo grabbed my wrist. ¡°A, please,¡± he asserted. He closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Okay.¡± I sat back down, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°Okay,¡± he conceded again. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to speak with him. Tomorrow.¡± Chapter 115 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. Theo pulled me onto hisp. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°I just need to know, Theo.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m just worried this is more dangerous than we realize.¡± ¡°There will always be some kind of threat, babe,¡± I said, running a hand along his chest. ¡°Unless you want to send me away¡­¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Theo growled, squeezing me tightly. ¡°Never again. Whatever is going on, we¡¯ll handle this together. You and me. I told you, we can make it through anything, love.¡± I leaned in and kissed him, snaking my arms around his neck. I still felt Dasha with me. Fully with me. ¡®Wee back, girl.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m here, A,¡¯ she replied. I felt so many things coursing through me fear, rage, anticipation, intrigue, power. The electricity from Theo¡¯s touch. Intoxication from his scent. Hope from my wolf. It was exhrating. I shifted my position, straddling Theo as I deepened our kisses. ¡°Take me to bed, mate.¡± A rumble echoed in his chest. With me wrapped around him, he stood and fulfilled mymand. Chapter 116: A 288 VouchersThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116: A I watched Theo punch in a code that opened a floor hatch in the cramped utility room. He opened it and guided me down the narrow stairs, going deeper than expected. The ce was all stone walls, but I could tell there were additions to areas. Theo stopped outside a door down the hall where a warrior stood guard. ¡°Let me go in first, okay?¡± he told me. ¡°You can watch from there.¡± He pointed to the dark ss window nearby. ¡°Press the button to hear what¡¯s going on.¡± I nodded. He kissed my head and entered the cell. I moved to the ss. There were two other men in the room with Theo. The one tied to the chair was obviously Randall, but I didn¡¯t know who the other male was. Whoever he was, he was changing out an IV bag attached to Randall¡¯s arm. I had a strong feeling the bag didn¡¯t contain hydrating fluids. I pushed the speaker button as Theo sat down in front of him. Theo pulled out a piece of paper and set it down on the small table between them, pushing it forward for Randall to see. ¡°Who is she?¡± Theo asked firmly. Randall twitched as he looked at the paper and back at Theo. ¡°You tell me,¡± he replied with a weak smirk. ¡°Who is she?¡± Theomanded. ¡°A Garner,¡± Randal spat. I tried not to react at hearing him say my name. ¡°What¡¯s your interest in her? Why are you looking for her?¡± Randall started to sputter, every muscle in his body straining fiercely, his veins bulging from his neck. But no words escaped. ¡°Come on, Randall,¡± Theo said. ¡°You¡¯ve got wolfsbane flowing through you. You won¡¯tst much longer. Answer my question and the pain stops.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± was all he managed to force out. It was like he was trying to answer but he physically couldn¡¯t. ¡°Why is the Waar Pak looking for A Garner?¡± Theo pressed. The other male standing behind Randall grabbed the IV bag and squeezed it. Randall screamed, sweat and spit running down his face as his body contorted horribly. This went on with no results. ¡°Stop,¡± Theo finallymanded. Randall¡¯s body wentx in the chair. I didn¡¯t know how he was still conscious. I turned to the warrior standing guard. ¡°Open it,¡± I said, indicating the cell door. He paused for a moment. ¡°Open it.¡± He did as I said and let me in. The atmosphere in the room shifted when I walked in. Theo tensed immediately but didn¡¯t move. The other male just looked at me curiously. But Randall¡­ his demeanorpletely rxed. He looked up at me and started tough. ¡°They were right,¡± he said weakly. ¡°Who was right about what?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk,¡± Randall sounded. ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask the questions anymore, Alpha.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, stepping in, ¡°who was right about what?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll have to do better than that, beautiful.¡± His head snapped to the side as Theo¡¯s fist made contact. ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± Theo rumbled. Randall spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. ¡°So, you¡¯re the true mate,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± ¡°Why is that good to know?¡± I asked. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± Randall shook his head. ¡°Still not good enough.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not good enough?¡± I pushed, losing my patience with whatever game this was. ¡°If you want information, honey, you¡¯re going to have tomand it,¡± he said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Command me,¡± Randall said. ¡°A, get out,¡± Theo told me. ¡°No,¡± I shot. ¡°I want to know what he knows.¡± My anger was rising. I felt like Randall was just ying with me, and I wouldn¡¯t take it. Neither would Dasha. She had been right near the surface since we set eyes on Randall. After months, she was ready toe out. I stepped in front of Randall, my ws extending. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± Imanded. Randall smiled. ¡°Nothing.¡± I raised my hand, ready to strike, when Theo suddenly grabbed my arm. ¡°A, wait,¡± Theo said. ¡°What?¡± I yelled, looking back at him. He looked at Randall. ¡°Tell him to tell you why he was looking for you.¡± I was trying not to go off on Theo for stopping me. He sensed my frustration. ¡°Just trust me, babe,¡± he said gently. I took a deep breath and turned back to Randall. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°It has to be amand,¡± he replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± I said, my frustration building again. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you can, A,¡± Theo said. ¡°You¡¯ve done it before. Now you just have to figure out how to do it without being angry.¡± I looked at Theo like he was crazy. He put a hand on the small of my back for support. ¡°Just breath,¡± he said. ¡°Focus on him. Think about what you want and make him give it to you.¡± I looked back at Randall. His expression was surprisingly nk, but his eyes were¡­.. encouraging? What the hell was going on? I huffed but shook out my shoulders and did as Theo said. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Imanded, feeling the power in my words again. This time, I started to understand what that power was. Randall released a long breath. ¡°To protect you. I snorted. ¡°You really think we¡¯ll believe that?¡± ¥ê¥ê©` ¡°We have to,¡± Theo said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°It was amand, A. Ask him¡­¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary anymore,¡± Randall interrupted. ¡°She broke the originalmand. I can speak freely now. But it would be nice to not have wolfsbane fed straight into my veins. And maybe get the cuffs off.¡± Theo nodded to the male still standing behind Randall. He reached over and yanked the needle from Randall¡¯s arm before unlocking the cuffs that bound him. Randall slid down on the chair, stretching out with what strength he had left. ¡°Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?¡± I said, feeling a bit dumbfounded. ¡°He¡¯s not with the Waar Pak,¡± Theo said. Randall shook his head. ¡°No, well, I¡¯m not on their side, at least. There are a few members who are under the impression otherwise.¡± ¡°Is that why you were at the library?¡± Theo asked, directing me to sit down in the other chair. ¡°Yeah,¡± Randall said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t responsible for the murder. She canmand me to verify.¡± ¡°Oh, she will, Randall,¡± Theo said. ¡°But first, tell me what the hell is going on and what it has to do with my mate.¡± ¡°I actually like Randy better, Alpha,¡± he said with a weak smile. He sat up straighter before continuing. ¡°You¡¯re aware of the Waar Pak Society, obviously. I¡¯m guessing you figured out they¡¯ve been killing Onyxcrown survivors.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Theo concurred. ¡°We got that.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to speak with Alpha Harden to get caught up on the group I work with,¡± Randy said. ¡°For now, just know that the Waar Pak received information that the Blessed One exists. I don¡¯t know for sure, but I believe they may know it¡¯s you, Luna. That¡¯s why I had to break into the packhouse like I did.¡± ¡°You had to get caught,¡± Theo said as if it should have been obvious from the start. Randy nodded. ¡°I hoped you would eventually bring her here. By the way, tell the youngdy she has a great right hook and that I¡¯m sorry scared her. Trust me¡± ¨C he looked over his shoulder at the wolfsbane IV ¨C ¡°if I could have done another way, I would have.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get you to the infirmary when we¡¯re done here,¡± Theo said. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m safer down here for right now,¡± he replied. ¡°What¡¯s important is that you and Luna know that the Waar Pak ising for I her. You need to be prepared. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117: A We asked Randy a few more questions but didn¡¯t get through nearly as many as I had. But he needed rest. Theo and I both could tell he was barely holding on to consciousness. Theo had a cot and bedding brought down to him and actual IV fluids to help flush the wolfsbane from this system. As we left the utility room, Theo stopped me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Dasha came back?¡± he asked shyly. I could tell he was hurt about finding out that way. I grabbed his hands and leaned into him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if she would go away again,¡± I told him. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be disappointed if she did.¡± ¡°I hope she never has a reason to leave again.¡± Dasha made a smart¨Cassment, making meugh. ¡°What?¡± Theo asked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter,¡± I replied, kissing him. ¡°We need to have a meeting,¡± he said. ¡°Our inner circle needs to be filled in on everything so we can get a better game n in ce.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°But¡­ we also need to talk.¡± ¡°About?¡± ¡°What I did in there,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.¡± Theo leaned in and kissed me. ¡°I know, sweetheart. I¡¯m not sure either, but I have some theories. I think Randy can help us with that, too, once he¡¯s rested up.¡± ¡°You trust him?¡± I asked. Theo smiled at me. ¡°What are you feeling about him?¡± he asked. ¡°What are your instincts telling you?¡± I thought for a long moment. ¡°I believe him.¡± ¡°Youmanded him, A,¡± Theo reiterated. ¡°Youmanded him in a way no one else could. Even I could feel it. I don¡¯t know what that all means or if what he will tell us is true, but I think he believes it is. And if he believes someone is after you, I¡¯m not taking chances with that.¡± He put an arm around my waist and led me back to the packhouse entrance. When we turned the corner, we were surprised to see a flurry of activity. People going in and out of the packhouse. There were several trucks parked in the front. ¡°The party,¡± I grimaced. ¡°They¡¯re getting things ready for tomorrow night.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Theo ran a hand over his face with a sigh. ¡°Ipletely forgot about that. Babe, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to happen. That¡¯s too many people in and out. We don¡¯t have the extra security for that right now. ¡°No, I agree,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that right now, either. The question is, which of us is going to tell your mother?¡± Theo groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± he volunteered. ¡°She¡¯s used to me disappointing her these days. But you owe me. ¡± ¡°You go break the news to her, and I¡¯ll start rangling the help,¡± I said. ¡°Let them know the event is off.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said. His eyes zed over for a second while he was mind- linking with someone. ¡°Jimmy¡¯s on his way down to help. Stay close to him, okay?¡± I nodded, and we headed inside. Jimmy was alreadying down the stairs as we came in. ¡°Alright, Luna, you tell me who needs kicking out, and I¡¯ll make it happen.¡± he said. ¡°Hopefully, we can just ask them to leave politely, big guy,¡± I said. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun it?¡± he replied, feigning dejection. ¡°I better go bite the bullet and find Mom,¡± Theo said, kissing my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know how it goes.¡± Jimmy and I got to work, figuring out who was who and what was what. For the most part, we were dealing with rental furniture and d¨¦cor that were being stored inside until the setup. So it was mostly having to get anything already unloaded reloaded without getting any mixups. I was opening a crate to see where it was meant to be when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, followed by an arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t call out,¡± a voice said in my ear. ¡°And don¡¯t bother trying to mind¨Clink anyone, Luna. It won¡¯t work.¡± I felt the de in my side without needing to see it. I tried to reach out, but the voice was correct. I couldn¡¯t connect with anyone. Not even Theo. I quickly pushed my panic down. It wouldn¡¯t help me now. I started to turn my head to look at my captor but he stopped me. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± he hissed, pulling me toward the hall. ¡°Juste with me quietly, and this doesn¡¯t have to get ugly.¡± ¡°What do you want with me?¡± I said, keeping my voice calm. ¡°For you to cooperate,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s no reason this should be difficult.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± I asked. ¡°If I knew, I may be able to help things go more smoothly.¡± ¡°Just shut up and walk, and there will be nothing to worry about.¡± I looked around as best I could. Most of the delivery workers had already finished packing up and left. The only ones left were too far away to notice what was happening. I would have to figure something out because I was not leaving the packhouse with this male. Themands. Theo had said I could do it. Apparently, that¡¯s what I had done to Randy to allow him to speak to us. But I wasn¡¯t sure I could do it again. We were heading toward a doorway. There would be no way he could fit both of us through the way we were walking side by side. He would have to change positions to get passed. That was my opportunity. I¡¯d have to figure out how tomand him fast. We came to the threshold, and he turned slightly to guide me through the door. I took my shot. ¡°Stop,¡± Imanded. He paused. I took the window to spin my upper body, hooking his arm beneath the shoulder and striking up into his face, breaking his nose. Mymand must not have been that strong because I felt a piercing pain shoot through my side. The man stumbled back as I cried out. He no longer held me, so I backed away as far as I could, just in time for a sh of fur to rip my attacker out of my line of sight. I turned to see a wolf tear into him, the sound of his neck breaking echoing through the hall. Holding my side, I felt the warm liquid oozing between my fingers. ¡°Shit,¡± I said, looking down at my side. I leaned forward, resting my other hand on my knee as I composed myself. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck,¡± Jimmy swore as he shifted back and ran to my side. He helped apply pressure to the wound. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luna. Goddess, fuck.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Jimmy,¡± I said, working to steady my breathing. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± I didn¡¯t listen to what he was yelling down the hall. I breathed in through my nose. Blowing out through my mouth. Trying to ease the lightheadedness. I looked down again. There was a lot more blood than I thought there should have been. ¡°It was a sliver de, wasn¡¯t it, big guy?¡± I asked calmly. ¡°I have to get you to the hospital,¡± Jimmy insisted. I swayed. ¡°Yeah, you may be right.¡± The most intoxicating scent hit me as my vision went ck. ¡°Theo.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118: Theo I didn¡¯t know how the day had so quickly turned into the worst day of my life. I knew something was wrong the moment I lost the connection with A. Ever since she rejoined the pack, I had been hyperaware of her consciousness. It was when I felt her pain that my world came crashing down. I flew through the halls, arriving in time to see A copse on the floor, the air filled with the scent of her blood. A lot of blood. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. I carried her to the infirmary, where they quickly stopped the bleeding. Jimmy said she kept saying it wasn¡¯t that bad. It was hard to believe, but the pack doctor said she was healing within minutes of arriving. He checked over the rest of her and said she wouldn¡¯t even need to go to the hospital. But she did lose enough blood that she would sleep the rest of the day. It was after midnight as I watched her sleep on the cot. Kieran was pacing solemnly in my head as we sat, waiting for her to wake up. So I could do the hardest thing I would ever have to do in my life. She groaned softly, and her eyes began to flutter. I leaned forward, holding her hand tighter. ¡°Hey, baby,¡± I whispered, brushing my hand over her hair. ¡°You can wake up now. ¡°Theo¡­¡± ¡± ¡°Yeah, honey,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She opened her eyes, giving me a weak smile. She looked around and realized where she was. ¡°What¡­¡± She hissed as she moved, looking down at her side. ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ That.¡± ¡°How does it feel?¡± I asked. ¡°Sore as hell,¡± she said, rubbing over the bandaged wound. ¡°But not too bad.¡± ¡°Do you think you can walk?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said confidently. ¡°I should be good.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I replied, grabbing a set of clean clothes for her. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go. I need to take you somewhere.¡± She sat up on the cot and I helped her gently get dressed. When she was ready, I took her hand and led her through the packhouse to a back exit. Everything was quiet and most of the lights were out. I didn¡¯t want anyone to see us leave. ¡°Where are we going?¡± A asked. ¡°What happened after I passed out earlier?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk when we get there,¡± was all I could manage, wishing I had some of her strength right then. We left the packhouse and, sticking to the shadows, walked the short distance to one of the single¨C family houses we provided. I let them know we were there and waited for someone to let us in. ¡°All clear?¡± Briggs asked when he opened the door. I nodded as I led A inside. ¡°Theo,¡± she pressed, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer her yet. I couldn¡¯t say anything yet. Or I wouldn¡¯t be able to go through with it. Kieran knew it, too. He retreated to the furthest recesses of my mind. He couldn¡¯t help me with this. So I held A¡¯s hand tighter and led her straight to the garage where Alpha Harden and his Gamma were waiting. ¡°Ms. Garner,¡± he greeted her with a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± ¡°Alpha Harden?¡± A said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, too. But why are you here?¡± ¡°Can we have a minute?¡± I asked Harden. He nodded and they both went into the house. I led A around the ck town car parked in the garage and opened the back door. I pulled her in front of me, blocking her in. ¡°Theo¡­¡± ¡°A, the man who stabbed you¡­ he was with the Waar Pak,¡± I told her. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°He was also a Greytooth,¡± I stated, swallowing the lump I couldn¡¯t stop forming in my throat. ¡°We all had a long discussion while you were asleep. Every scenario came to the same conclusion. We can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t protect you here.¡± Realization set in and A started shaking her head, pushing against me. ¡°No, Theo, we¡¯re not doing this.¡± I held her. ¡°A, please, listen¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± she shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± I held her face in my hands, making her look at me. ¡°Baby, you have to,¡± I said, my voice losing all stability. ¡°I failed to keep you safe. I failed because I can¡¯t do it. Not when any of my pack could be one of those bastards.¡± ¡°So, we change the game n,¡± she croaked, gripping my shirt as tears filled her eyes. ¡°Like you said.¡± I shook my head, my heart tearing apart. ¡°We are, baby.¡± ¡°No,¡± she yelled, her tears falling as she pushed and hit my chest. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t the n. You don¡¯t get to make that decision without me.¡± She sobbed as she fought. ¡°You promised we would do this together. You promised you¡¯d never leave me again.¡± ¡°Baby, baby, shh¡± ¨C I grabbed her face again, holding her against me tightly, knowing I wasn¡¯t ready to let her go. I¡¯d never be ready. ¡°I¡¯m not. I swear I¡¯m not giving up on us,¡± I cried, desperately needing her to believe me, to understand. ¡°But Harden can take you somewhere safe. He can keep you hidden until I cane for you. I swear I wille back for you, A. I swear. As soon as I¡¯ve made it safe for you.¡± But we both knew there was no telling how long that would take. If ever. ¡°Theo, please, don¡¯t do this,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I love you.¡± Whatever strength I had nearly dissolved. The only thread lefting from the image of A lying bloodied on the floor so recently burned into my memory. My own sobs escaped as I kissed her hard and deeply. ¡°I love you more than life itself, baby,¡± I wept. ¡°You are everything to me. You are my goddess. The very air that I breathe. Everything. And I will give you everything you deserve. So, I need you to make me a promise, okay?¡± I wiped the mix of our tears from her face with my thumbs. ¡°If something happens, and I don¡¯te for you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it, Theo,¡± she begged. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°If I don¡¯t,¡± I pushed, ¡°promise me if you find someone¡­. If you get the chance to be happy¡­ promise me you¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You can,¡± I said gently, kissing her before I tried to step away. ¡°No, Theo.¡± She grabbed me. ¡°You won¡¯t do this.¡± I felt themand she tried to put behind her words: In any other circumstances, I may not have been able to withstand it. But she still couldn¡¯t control it, and I still felt the fear and anguish of believing she would die in my arms. I kissed her onest time before strong arms pulled her into the car and I shut the door. The pain of defying hermand nothingpared to the pain of her muffled cries ripping me apart as I walked away. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119: Theo Briggs found me in the same ce I went thest time I walked away from my mate. I had torn the gym apart. Punched holes in almost every surface. I was currently still punching the bag despite my hands being bloody pulp. ¡°Theo,¡± Briggs called to me. I didn¡¯t listen. I wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°Theo, stop. ¡± Still no response. No acknowledgment. ¡°Damn it, Theo.¡± Briggs¡® arms went around my shoulders, holding me still. It was enough for everything to take over. I didn¡¯t stop the thundering roar that exploded from me. Knowing it wouldn¡¯t be enough. The yell turned into sobs as my knees hit the floor. ¡°I know, man,¡± Briggs said quietly, maintaining his hold on me. ¡°I know.¡± He let my emotions run their course. Sitting with me as I felt my world slipping away from me. All I could do was keep telling myself A was safe now. Over and over. My mate was safe. That¡¯s all that mattered now. I slowly calmed down. But I still didn¡¯t feel like I was there. My mind. was still floating over everything that had happened that day. ¡°We never even got to see her,¡± I whispered. ¡°What, buddy?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°Dasha,¡± I replied. ¡°A got her back. Kieran never got to see her.¡± Briggs sighed sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Theo.¡± I heard the door open and close behind me, and someone approached us. It wasn¡¯t until Mina sat on the floor in front of me that I looked up at her. Knowing she probably hated me again. Her face was flushed and her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying too. ¡°Mina, I¡¯m sorr¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± she interrupted. ¡°If you say sorry to me right now, then it means you¡¯ve given up on her, and there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m letting you do that.¡± A jolt of energy shot through me that she would even dare think I was giving A up. ¡°I¡¯ll never give up on her,¡± I growled. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you hate me for doing this to her¡­¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Theo,¡± Mina insisted. ¡°You know she¡¯s the best thing that ever happened to you. As her cousin, that¡¯s all I could hope for. But, believe it or not, you¡¯re the best thing that happened to her. You¡® re good for her, Theo.¡± ¡°Mina, stop. I don¡¯t need¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± she said again. ¡°You do need to hear this and you¡¯re going to listen. Because she needs you. And you are good for her. Even in some twisted way, you rejecting her was good for her.¡± I couldn¡¯t control the growl that started. ¡°I said shut up,¡± she instructed. ¡°A was a ve to her family. Yes, they allowed it, but it was her own doing. She let her role consume her. Had you managed to reject each other sessfully and truly broken the bond, she would have continued on like that. She never would have left the pack. She never would have left her mother. And she would have watched her sister live out her life with you. And it would have destroyed her.¡± I shook my head. ¡°She would have figured something out.¡± ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t have,¡± Mina argued. ¡°Because she didn¡¯t see how wrong her life was. She was supposed to take care of her family. That was her purpose. Because of their reliance on her, and their selfishness, she never would have questioned whether she was meant for more. And we all know she was meant for so much more than being Marie¡¯s nursemaid for the rest of her life. She deserves more than that. She deserves someone who not only sees who she really is but who allows her to be that person.¡± ¡°And then her matees along and rejects her for doing the exact opposite,¡± I grumbled, her words reminding me of my stupidity. ¡°How many times have you seen A cry, Theo?¡± Mina asked. It was like a punch to the gut. It felt like half the time I had spent with her, she was crying. Often because of me. ¡°Too many,¡± I replied, hanging my head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her cry once.¡± I lifted my head. Mina continued. ¡°I¡¯ve seen A cry once in my entire life, and that was the night her father died. She cried for ten minutes before she realized we would need her, and she had to be strong for us. No one else has ever seen her cry.¡± Mina reached out and rested her hands on my arms. ¡°A can cry with you, Theo. Because she feels safe. Because she knows down to her bones that you will be the strong one when she needs it. Because you¡¯re her true mate. You gave her the purpose she¡¯s been searching for her whole life, Theo.¡± ¡°She told you that?¡± Briggs chuckled next to me. ¡°She didn¡¯t have to tell anyone, man.¡± ¡°And Kingston never came close to that,¡± Mina added. ¡°But that¡¯s all gone now,¡± I replied, my chest constricting again. ¡°Yeah, because some assholes are trying to take that from her,¡± Mina snarked. ¡°You¡¯re her mate. It¡¯s your job to not let them. So, I need you to get your ass up and get to work at finding these bastards. You made her a promise today. You better fucking keep it or die trying.¡± Mina stood up and offered me her hand. ¡°Or else I really will hate you.¡± I took her outstretched and let her pull me up. ¡°Geez, Theo,¡± Mina said, looking at the damage I had done to my hands. ¡°You need to get these cleaned up. And change. You¡¯re covered in blood again. I swear. A would kill me if she knew she wasn¡¯t even gone a day before her mate was ruining everything.¡± Something Mina had said struck me. ¡°What did you say about me being A¡¯s mate before?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s your job to stop these jerks?¡± Mina stated. I shook my head. ¡°No, you said I was her true mate.¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120: A I was numb as I stared out the window, watching rain trail down the ss. We were out of Greytooth territory now. I could feel it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, A,¡± Alpha Harden said again. ¡°Truly, I am, but this is the only way to keep you safe.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. I hadn¡¯t said anything since we left the city. ¡°He wanted toe with you, you know.¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°He didn¡¯t even hesitate. He would have given it all up.¡± ¡°What stopped him?¡± I said hoarsely. ¡°Reality,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Waar Pak won¡¯t know he¡¯s your true mate now that you made your rtionship public. If you both disappeared, they¡¯d have an array of people to go through to find you both. They¡¯d go after the pack, his family, even his allies.¡± I closed my eyes. I¡¯d never want that to happen. I tried to focus on the coolness of the window against my face. Thunder rumbled outside as the rain became heavier. The storm was getting worse. I knew how that felt. ¡°Alpha, we¡¯ve got flood warningsing up.¡± Gamma ke said. ¡°We¡¯re heading right into this storm, and it¡¯s going to hit hard. I think we should find somewhere to wait it out.¡± I felt Alpha Harden¡¯s eyes on me, ¡°There¡¯s a motel up the road,¡± he replied. ¡°We¡¯ll stop there. Let Ms. Garner get some sleep.¡± Chapter 120: A I was numb as I stared out the window, watching rain trail down the ss. We were out of Greytooth territory now. I could feel it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, A,¡± Alpha Harden said again. ¡°Truly, I am, but this is the only way to keep you safe.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. I hadn¡¯t said anything since we left the city. ¡°He wanted toe with you, you know,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°He didn¡¯t even hesitate. He would have given it all up. ¡°What stopped him?¡± I said hoarsely. ¡°Reality,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Waar Pak won¡¯t know he¡¯s your true mate now that you made your rtionship public. If you both disappeared, they¡¯d have an array of people to go through to find you both. They¡¯d go after the pack, his family, even his allies.¡± I closed my eyes. I¡¯d never want that to happen. I tried to focus on the coolness of the window against my face. Thunder rumbled outside as the rain became heavier. The storm was getting worse. I knew how that felt. ¡°Alpha, we¡¯ve got flood warningsing up,¡± Gamma ke said. ¡°We¡¯re heading right into this storm, and it¡¯s going to hit hard. I think we should find somewhere to wait it out.¡± I felt Alpha Harden¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°There¡¯s a motel up the road,¡± he replied. ¡°We¡¯ll stop there. Let Ms. Garner get some sleep.¡± I didn¡¯t want to sleep. Thest time I slept, everyone I loved decided to ship me off to goddess knows where. I knew they were trying to protect me, and I appreciated that. But I was sick of it. I spent ten years protecting myself and my mother and sister from loan sharks, bookies, homelessness, and starvation. I should have had the choice. So I wouldn¡¯t let them take it from me. We pulled into the parking lot of a motel as I started to formte a n. Gamma ke got out and ran into the front office to rent a room for us. He drove us to a room at the end. Alpha Harden covered me from the heavy wind and rain as we ran from the car. It wasn¡¯t anything special, but that was fine. We didn¡¯t need anything fancy. It was just somece to take shelter. I sat on the edge of one of the beds and tried to think of my next move. Alpha Harden said it was a two¨Cday drive to the safe house they had arranged. I wasn¡¯t going to let them get that far. ¡°We¡¯ll give it a few hours for the storm to pass,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°But we¡¯ll need to drive straight through once we get back on the road. So you should rest while you can getfortable.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°How do youmand someone?¡± I asked without looking at him. ¡°Theo said you wereing into your abilities,¡± Alpha Harden replied. ¡°You¡¯ll need to be careful with that.¡± ¡°Then show me how,¡± I said. ¡°Theo gave me an idea on how to use it, but I have to concentrate too hard. That didn¡¯t really help when I needed it.¡± Alpha Harden sat on the opposite bed, leaning back against the headboard casually. ¡°Do I have to be looking at someone for it topletely work?¡± I asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking at my attacker. It slowed him down, but obviously not enough.¡± ¡°It just wasn¡¯t strong enough,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s fine for some things. You need to know how much strength to put behind themand. And no, you don¡¯t have to be looking at them. You only need the intent to direct it toward them.¡® ¡± ¡°But you do have to speak themand?¡± I inquired. ¡°Yes, or send it through a mind¨Clink,¡± he rified. ¡°But that may take you a little bit to figure out. It¡¯s hard to send that energy through that connection.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like I won¡¯t have anyone to mind¨Clink with anymore anyway,¡± I said under my breath. I slid farther up onto the bed. Gamma ke sat in the chair on his phone. ¡°Why you?¡± I asked. ¡°Is Randy working for you?¡± ¡°Not directly,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°The Onyxcrown weren¡¯t just allies. They were personal friends. I knew your father well. He spent some time with the Blue Fang Pack. We were all devastated by their loss. My family started hunting members of the Waar Pak Society. My brother heads a group dedicated to bringing them down. Randall works for him.¡± ¡°Is this group how you learned about the Blessed One tale?¡± Alpha Harden nodded. ¡°Yes, it was part of the Waar Pak¡¯s objective.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°What was so wrong with my family that they wanted them destroyed so badly?¡± ¡°Because they believed that the Dominis family would make themselves kings,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°They thought the Onyxcrown would take control of all the packs. They believed they would do this with the help of the Blessed One. The moon goddess reincarnated on earth.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I said. ¡°Are you saying they think I¡¯m the moon goddess? That¡® s the stupidest thing I ever heard.¡± Alpha Harden chuckled. ¡°You heard the story. But yes, that¡¯s what they believe.¡± ¡°What about you? You¡¯re so convinced I¡¯m the Blessed One. Do you believe I¡¯m the moon goddess?¡± ¡°I believe you are blessed. There is something about you that makes you remarkable,¡± he said. ¡°And you have abilities that no one else has. The Dominis family was known for that. They are the oldest known werewolf bloodline. So, it¡¯s more likely you inherited much of your family¡¯s gifts. Either way, it makes you powerful.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to take control of the other packs,¡± I said. ¡°I just want to live my life.¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to allow you to do that, A,¡± Alpha Harden said kindly. ¡°We just need you to trust us. Now, get some rest.¡± Iid back on the bed, not bothering to take my shoes off, and turned my back to them. I thought about everything I had learned over thest few days. Determined to find something that would help me take back my life. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121: A I waited a couple of hours before I rolled over to face the room. Alpha Harden looked to be asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. But Gamma ke was still awake in the chair, still on his phone. I thought back to the morning before when I was in the cell with Randy and Theo. Concentrating, I searched for the feeling that I was starting to recognize. I felt the power I needed. I focused on Gamma ke but included Alpha Harden in my intentions to be safe. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± I whispered forcefully. Gamma ke¡¯s eyes started to drift close and his head fell forward. But mymand wasn¡¯t strong enough. He quickly snapped back up, looking around. I closed my eyes quickly. Waiting to see if he noticed I was awake. He must not have because he was back on his phone when I peeked at him again. I mustered up my power again. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± I whispered again with more weight This time he was snoring softly within a minute. I looked over at Alpha Harden. He was also still out. I sat up slowly. When I was sure they were both unconscious, I wrote a quick note on the nightstand notepad, then tiptoed to the dresser and grabbed the car keys. Keys in hand, I quietly let myself out of the motel room. It was still raining heavily, but the wind and thunder had died down. I climbed into the car and turned on the engine. I pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the road a little before pulling into a gas station parking lot. I grabbed my bag from the back floor. They had packed my things for me, at least. I searched through it a breathed a sigh of relief when I found my phone and wallet inside. I went to turn my phone on but paused, thinking twice. It may be paranoid, but with everything going on, it wouldn¡¯t be ridiculous to think someone was tracking it. I ran into the station¡¯s quick mart, getting cash from the ATM and purchasing a cheap smartphone and prepaid n. I had no idea where I was or how to get where I needed so I needed the GPS. Getting back in the car, I quickly got the phone up and running and punched in the address. It was about five hours away. So, if I was lucky and the weather cleared up, I would be there before midday. I put the car in gear and got on the road. I didn¡¯t know how this would go. My goal was to get in and get out without a big fuss. I just wanted to get my dad¡¯s ring and his ashes. I didn¡¯t know if Kingston would be there, but I knew the code to the safe where he kept them. As long as he hadn¡¯t changed it, I wouldn¡¯t need to see him if he wasn¡¯t. I was kind of hoping he wasn¡¯t. I felt a little guilty about that, but ourst conversation made me nervous about being around him. I would have called Emma or even Pierce, but I was hoping they wouldn¡¯t even know I was there. Mostly because there was too much going on, and I didn¡¯t have time to go through it all then. I pulled up to the Sablemane packhouse before noon. I was d to see that it wasn¡¯t very busy, and I managed to make it through without being noticed. I let myself into Kingston¡¯s apartment. Kingston wasn¡¯t there, so I went straight to the bedroom to the wall safe. I entered the code and opened it. My father¡¯s ring wasn¡¯t in there. His ashes were still where I left them, but the ring was gone. Only an empty ring box was in its ce. I wasn¡¯t leaving without my ring. I went back to the living room and started pacing. Not sure if I should call him or wait for him to return. I decided to wait. If I called him, it might give him the opportunity to stash it somewhere. If he hadn¡¯t already. The thought pissed me off. Why the hell did he take it? Was it just to spite me? I know I made some mistakes in our rtionship, but I never intended to hurt him. Taking a valuable family heirloom, thest thing connecting me with myte father is a bit extreme. Besides, he said I shoulde and get it. I¡¯ve done that. It should be here. I was getting more worked up the longer I waited. I was fuming when the door finally opened and Kingston walked in. I was about to start yelling but froze at seeing him. He was covered in blood. I started to run to make sure he was okay, but after two steps, the scent hit me. It wasn¡¯t his blood. None of it. Our eyes met and my breath caught. ¡°Kingston,¡± I gasped out, ¡°what happened?¡± He didn¡¯t answer me. He just stared like he didn¡¯t believe I was there. ¡°Kingston,¡± I repeated. He started toward me but I retreated. He stopped. ¡°A¡­¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked, indicating his blood¨Csoaked hands. He looked down. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said. He walked around me to the sink and started washing. ¡°That¡¯s not nothing, Kingston,¡± I yelled. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°I was hunting,¡± he said casually, pulling his ruined shirt over his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you back.¡± ¡°You told me toe and get my father¡¯s ring,¡± I stated. ¡°What were you hunting, Kingston?¡± His shoulders fell slightly. ¡°So you¡¯re noting home to me?¡± ¡°I told you, Kin,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t belong here.¡± He moved toward me again. ¡°Yes, you do, A.¡± I moved back. He wasn¡¯t himself. Something was very wrong. He looked like he couldn¡¯t think straight, his eyes darting around, meeting my eyes, then anywhere but. ¡°A, can I not even touch you anymore?¡± he asked softly. I took a tentative step forward, reaching out to take his hand. I needed him to talk to me. I needed to know what was going on. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Kingston, what were you hunting?¡± He lifted my hand into both of his, rubbing his thumbs along my skin without looking up at me. ¡°Waar Pak.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122: A ¡°Kingston,¡± I said, trying to pull my hand away, but he held it tight. ¡°What are you saying? Have you been hunting¡­¡± ¡°Waar Pak members?¡± he interrupted. ¡°Of course. The bastards thought they coulde back. They thought they coulde into my territory and work under my nose. But he got careless. I caught his scent.¡± ¡°Who, Kingston?¡± I asked, getting more nervous. ¡°Who got careless?¡± ¡°Grogan,¡± he said. ¡°Arthur Grogan. The asshole was supposed to be dead. I saw your father kill him myself. But he must have survived and escaped.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who is Grogan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the Waar Pak leaders,¡± Kingston rified. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. He won¡¯t get away this time. I¡¯m closing in.¡± He tugged me against him. ¡°And he led me to you. So I know we¡¯ll prevail. It couldn¡¯t mean anything else. My goddess came to me.¡± Did he mean me? Was he talking about the tale? ¡°What goddess, Kingston? How did Grogan lead you to me?¡± I asked, trying to step away from him. ¡°The night we met,¡± I said. ¡°I was following his scent when you came around that bend. That¡¯s why I was in the road. But I wouldn¡¯t have caught him. I wasn¡¯t ready. I needed the goddess¡¯s support. I needed you.¡± I managed to push away from him. ¡°So you did know about the Blessed One,¡± I said, hurt filling my gut. ¡°You did believe I was her from the start. And you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°A, you had to have known,¡± Kingston said, trying to reach for me again. ¡°How could I have known?¡± I yelled, dodging his embrace. ¡°Did you know what would happen when we went to the Gathering? Did you know they would figure it out?¡± Kingston froze, guilt filling his eyes before he looked away. ¡°Oh, my goddess,¡± I murmured. ¡°You did. You bastard, you did.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Conner would act like that,¡± he insisted. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to get hurt, A.¡± ¡°No,¡± I bellowed, ¡°you just wanted to use me as bait. You knew they would try toe for me. You used me to flush out whatever Waar Pak members you could. That¡¯s why you¡¯re hunting them down.¡± ¡°Of course I wanted to draw them out,¡± he spat. ¡°They need to be destroyed. That¡¯s the only way we can bring our pack back. It¡¯s the only way we can return to ournd.¡± My eyes went wide. This had been his n all along. He was going to use me to reinstate the Onyxcrown Pack. To be their Alpha. ¡°Kingston, that will never happen,¡± I guaranteed. ¡°The Onyxcrown Pack is dead. I won¡¯t bring it back. All I want is my father¡¯s ring. Now give it to me.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not how this is supposed to go,¡± he growled. ¡°You came to me. You came to me because we are thest Onyxcrown ranking members. The Alpha and Beta. Now, the Alpha and Luna. You belong by my side, A. ¡°No, I don¡¯t, Kingston,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not your mate. I belong with Theo.¡± Devastation filled Kingston¡¯s expression, quickly followed by rage. And I realized the mistake I had made. I started backing away toward the door. ¡°Kingston,¡± I said calmly, ¡°calm down. I¡¯m just going to go, okay? You¡® re not yourself right now.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t leave me again, A,¡± Kingston growled. ¡°This is our destiny.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, Kingston, it¡¯s not.¡® I rushed for the door, but Kingston was too fast. He grabbed my arm hard and spun me around. His mouth was on mine before I knew what was happening. It was painful and sickening. I pushed and pulled to get him off of me. ¡°Kingston¡­¡± ¡°He thinks he can trick you into choosing him,¡± Kingston rumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll show him how wrong he is.¡± His hold on me was hurting. He reached and started pulling my hair back. When he grabbed my chin, turning my head sharply, I knew what he was nning. He was going to mark me. Terror ran through me and tears formed in my eyes. I fought harder but he was too strong. He couldn¡¯t do this. I couldn¡¯t let him do this. I searched for the strength I needed. ¡°Stop,¡± Imanded. It was enough to make him pause. I yanked my arm free, punching up against his jaw. I didn¡¯t get enough leverage to break it but it did knock him back a few steps. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I followed. His rage cleared and realization of what just happened filled his face. ¡°A, I¡¯m sor¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t follow me, Kingston. Leave me and Theo alone.¡± I ran out of the apartment, Kingston calling after me, and through the packhouse. I tore off the property and drove in the direction of home. I was too shaken to call anyone. I just needed to get out of Sablemane. I was almost at my mother¡¯s house before I finally allowed myself to stop and collect myself. I took some deep breaths as I picked up the phone I had just purchased. I was still too afraid to turn mine on. Kingston had tracked me before. I dialed Theo¡¯s number. Praying he would pick up. ¡°A,¡± Theo¡¯s panicked voice sounded. ¡°Please, goddess, tell me this is you, baby.¡± ¡°Yes, Theo, it¡¯s me,¡± I rushed. ¡°Thank the goddess,¡± he muttered. I could hear the utter relief in his voice. ¡°You scared the fucking hell out of all of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back with them, Theo,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking care of myself for years. I have a say in this, and I¡¯m not leaving.¡± ¡°I know, sweetheart,¡± he replied. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ming to get you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost to Ma¡¯s,¡± I said. ¡°Babe, I had to see Kingston first. I just wanted to get Dad¡¯s ashes and ring back. I promise.¡± ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay, baby,¡± he assured me. ¡°I know. I¡¯m on my way. We were already out looking for you, so I¡¯m not far.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, pulling off the side of the road. ¡°I¡¯m getting Kylee and Ma. I don¡¯t care if they hate me right now. I¡¯m not leaving them out here on their own.¡± ¡°Harden has agreed to take them to the safe house as well,¡± Theo said. ¡°If you think they¡¯d prefer that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let them decide,¡± I said. ¡°Did you get it back?¡± ¡°I got his ashes,¡± I said. ¡°But Kingston¡­ he¡¯s not himself right now.¡± ¡°A, what happened?¡± Theo demanded. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± ¡± ¡°No,¡± I lied. I didn¡¯t need to start a war on top of everything else. ¡°At least not physically. He¡¯s not taking the situation well.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯m on my way, babe.¡± I pulled into the driveway of my childhood home and my stomach dropped. ¡°Theo¡­¡± He had to have heard the panic in my voice. ¡°A, is something wrong?¡± ¡°The door is open.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123: Theo I was racing down the freeway. Weaving through traffic. Driving on the shoulder when necessary. ¡°A, don¡¯t go inside,¡± I begged. ¡°I¡¯m twenty minutes away.¡± I heard a car door shut on the other end of the line. I knew she was going into the house. ¡°A, stay out of there,¡± I yelled. ¡°Ma! Kylee!¡± I heard A calling through the house over and over. ¡°A,¡± I kept trying to get her attention. ¡°Theo,¡± she finally responded, ¡°they¡¯re not here. Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Okay, baby, I need you to get out of the house,¡± I urged. ¡°I¡¯m almost there.¡± A cried out suddenly. I heard struggling sounds on the line. ¡°A,¡± I yelled. The call went quiet before cutting out. I gunned the engine, pushing as fast as I possibly could without ensuring I crashed on the way there. Twenty minutes may have been generous, but I made it. Skidding into the yard on two wheels. Launching myself out of the car and sprinting into the house. Something in me knew she wasn¡¯t there, but I ignored it. Calling out to her as I checked every inch of the house. There was no sign of her. How could the Waar Pak have found her? No, it couldn¡¯t be them. I ran back out to the car and got my phone. ¡°Where the fuck is he?¡± I demanded when Pierce answered. ¡°I don¡¯t want a war, Pierce, but he just fucking started one if you don¡¯t tell me where the hell she is.¡± ¡°Whoa, Theo,¡± Pierce said, ¡°if you mean A, she¡¯s not here. She left hours ago.¡± ¡°I know, but your psycho Alpha followed her. He took her and you¡¯re going to tell me where the fuck he is,¡± I replied. ¡°Hold on. A¡¯s been kidnapped?¡± Pierce asked. ¡°I was talking to her when he grabbed her,¡± I said. ¡°Theo, Kingston is right here with me,¡± he replied. ¡°He has been since she left. This wasn¡¯t him.¡± My mind didn¡¯t want to believe him, but my gut told me he was telling the truth. ¡°Send me the address,¡± Pierce insisted. ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± He hung up before I could protest. That¡¯s when I saw it. Tucked under the wiper of the car A was driving was a blue envelope. I ripped it off, pulling the card out. I told her she was mine. I told her I woulde for her. Give up. You¡¯ll never find us in time to stop me. I¡¯m her true mate. It took everything I had not to tear the message to pieces as rage filled every inch of my body. I called Briggs. ¡°He took her,¡± I rushed. ¡°Get a team to Marie¡¯s house, now.¡® Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°What? How did the Waar Pak find her?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s not the Waar Pak,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s her stalker. The bastard took Kylee and Marie, too. He was waiting for her. There¡¯s no scent. Just a message. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this guy isn¡¯t working with the Waar Pak?¡± ¡°Not entirely,¡± I replied. ¡°But the Waar Pak want A dead. This guy just wants her. He¡¯s infatuated with her.¡± The next thought almost had me on my knees. ¡°Briggs, he¡¯s going to mark her.¡® ¡°We won¡¯t let that happen, man,¡± Briggs insisted. ¡°Keep your head, Theo. Start looking. We¡¯reing.¡± I went into the house after hanging up. I inhaled, concentrating on the scents in the air. A¡¯s was the first my mind registered. My senses honing in on her instinctually. I followed her path through the house. I found the phone she had been using on the floor near the dining room. I bent down to pick it up and noticed a syringe. Using a towel, I picked it up, smelling the contents. It had a chemical smell, but it didn¡¯t cover the faint hint of wolfsbane. I again forced my emotions to settle. I needed to focus. I followed A¡¯s scent back to the front door and outside. The trail swung around to the side of the house and then abruptly disappeared. I walked the whole area and couldn¡¯t pick it back up. There were faint tire tracks on the hard ground. He must have put her in a vehicle. But then, where were Kylee and Marie? I repeated the process again, forcing myself to focus on their scents. Theirs didn¡¯t mingle into the same path A¡¯s had, and they were fainter. They hadn¡¯t been there in a few days. I went around to the neighbors to see what information they had. The houses weren¡¯t close together, and they all worked during the day, so no one seemed to have seen much. I let Kiearan run the property for a while before returning when we got nothing. I was searching A¡¯s rental car when a group of vehicles pulled up. Briggs and Mina had brought our forensics team out to handle this. They immediately got to work inside while we set up a tent in the yard as a central base. Randy was on his way back from picking up Alpha Harden and Gamma ke. Mina was looking over the new message, using a field fingerprinting kit. Briggs and I were setting up a search grid through the area. Detective Mortin was contacting local police for any traffic footage. We had already sent out as many warriors as we could to canvas the surrounding twenty miles. But it all felt like we were looking in the wrong ce. Harden, Randy, and ke pulled up and joined us. ¡°Do we have any leads?¡± Harden asked. ¡°This guy has been really good at staying hidden,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s managed topletely eliminate his scent, not just mask it. We haven¡® t found any prints. A said it was the same when he visited her in Sablemane.¡± I was so incredibly tense. I didn¡¯t know how much longer I could hold everything back when we were getting anything but answers. I forced my hands through my hair, starting to pace thewn. It all came to a head when an SUV pulled up. Pierce got out of the vehicle, along with Kingston Amvorov. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124: A My wrists and shoulders stung. My head was pounding as I tried to open my eyes. Someone had stripped me down to my undergarments. I could feel my thighs touching cold stone and something hard against my back. The smell of wolfsbane burned my nostrils, but it was almost better than the fowl smell filling the rest of the room. I finally pried my eyes open, lifting my head as my vision focused. I was in a dimly litrge room with a high ceiling. It was too dark to see how high it went, but there was enough light to see the body that hung from it. I gasped at the gruesome scene. Bile rose in my throat as I recognized the tattoo on the forearm. It was Conner Elkins. What was left of him. ¡°A,¡± a terrified voice called. I turned to see Kylee and Ma. They were locked up in a cage on the other side of the room. ¡°Kylee. Ma,¡± I croaked, wincing as I moved. I managed to look up. My arms were tied over my head by thick, tight ropes. From the smell and the sting, they must have been soaked in wolfsbane. It was seeping into my bloodstream through the raw open sores on my wrists. ¡°Kylee,¡± I said hoarsely, ¡°how long have I been out?¡± ¡°Over two days,¡± she said, tears running down her face. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you hurt? Ma doesn¡¯t look too good,¡± I said, hearing her writhe in the cage next to Kylee. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Kylee replied. ¡°Ma¡¯s struggling. We¡¯ve been here for four or five days now.¡± Shit. ¡°She¡¯s going through withdrawal, Kylee,¡± I told her. ¡°I know,¡± she said softly. She had finally epted Ma¡¯s addiction. ¡°Do you have water?¡± I asked. ¡°Some,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been giving her as much I can. ¡± I nodded, trying to stay conscious. ¡°Good,¡± I replied. ¡°If she starts seizing, make sure to hold her head.¡± I tried tugging at my bonds, testing for any weakness in the ropes. I was tied against a wooden post with a metal ring fixed on it. I tried to wrap my fingers around the ring. If I could work it out, I could get to Kylee and Ma ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake, my love,¡± a familiar voice echoed through the room, making me sick. I could hear footstepsing toward me through the dark. A wave of shock ran through me when he came into the light. *** Theo Kieran took over the shift. There was no holding him back. We were both vtile as it was. For this asshole to show up in my territory after what he¡¯s done. Kingston responded, shifting into this wolf before me. Kieran snarled, baring his teeth as he advanced on Lennix. He was smaller and leaner than us. Kieran almost relished how easy it would be to tear into his throat. But he wouldn¡¯t get the chance. Harden¡¯s brown wolf appeared between us, stopping our confrontation. ¡®Stop this,¡® his voice echoed in my head. ¡®We¡¯re wasting time.¡® His words hit me, bringing me back to reality. However much I hated Kingston, he didn¡¯t have A. Kieran growled one more time before relinquishing control, allowing me to shift back. Kingston followed suit. ¡°What the fuck is he doing here?¡± I demanded through gritted teeth. ¡°He wants to help,¡± Pierce said firmly. ¡°You need all the help you can get.¡± Briggs came over and handed me a pair of shorts. ¡°Come on, bro,¡± he said. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time.¡± I put the shorts on and went back to the table. ¡°No prints,¡± Mina told me. ¡°On the card or the syringe. But I think I know what he¡¯s using to mask his scent.¡± She pulled abeled spray bottle out. ¡°We use this when we enter certain crime scenes.¡± ¡°Where would he get it?¡± I asked. Mina shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know of it beingmercially avable, but it may not be too hard. He¡¯s not using this specifically. This stuff doesn¡¯t eliminate our scent entirely. Just makes it faded enough to not contaminate the area. It could eliminate a scent inrge enough concentrations, but the user would risk major damage to their sense of smell.¡± ¡°How does this help us?¡± Kingston inquired. ¡°It may help tell us why,¡± Mina replied. She had brought the rest of the stalker¡¯s messages with her and she pulled a couple out of their evidence bag. ¡°Something about these bothered me. I studied handwriting analysis in school. Whoever wrote these was trying to disguise their handwriting in these last few messages. If you consider that, plus them eliminating their scentpletely, this is someone A knows. But I think it¡¯s someone you know as well.¡± She directed thest statement at me. ¡°Someone who¡¯s close enough they believe you would recognize their handwriting.¡± I thought desperately about who it could be. As far as I knew, everyone in my inner circle only knew A as Kylee¡¯s older sister up until recently. I didn¡¯t know anyone who had met her personally before two weeks ago. ¡°We need to get back to the packhouse then,¡± I said, pulling my phone out. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it could be, but I¡¯ll have Dad start questioning.¡± I called my father. ¡°Have you found her?¡± he answered. I exined our current theory and that I needed him to start questioning any ranking member there. ¡°You should ask Harry,¡± he instructed. ¡°If the stalker was masking his scent from the start, then it was someone A knew well enough that their scent would be out of ce. Harry would have a better idea of any ovep.¡± Something in my gut didn¡¯t sit right. I put him on speaker for the others to hear. ¡°Why would Beta Harry know that?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s the one I¡¯ve had looking out for A and the family since her father¡¯s death,¡± Dad said. ¡°He¡¯s gotten to know them. That¡¯s why I had asked him to take you to meet A after her eighteenth birthday. I felt the blood drain from my face. Briggs and Mina were frozen. ¡°Dad,¡± I said gently, ¡°Harry never took me to meet A.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Of course he did,¡± Dad insisted. ¡°He told me nothing happened between¡­¡± My dad¡¯s voice trailed off as pieces started to fall into ce. ¡°Theo,¡± Briggs said, ¡°didn¡¯t Beta Harry introduce you to Kyleest year?¡± ¡°Dad, where would he take A?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125: Theo It had been nearly two days since A had been taken, and I was losing my mind. Dad had told us every ce he could think of where Harry could have taken A and her family. We had been all over the territory with no sign of them anywhere. The only thing keeping me sane was the mate bond. My bond with A was still intact. He hadn¡¯t killed her or marked her. She wasn¡¯t being tortured, but a pain in my wrists told me she was tied up. We needed a lead. ¡°Theo, Mina may have found something,¡® Briggs mind¨Clinked me. I rushed back to the hotel room we were using as an office. ¡°What did you find?¡± I asked, rushing in. I ignored the fact that Kingston came in right after me. Mina was at aptop. ¡°I went through the safe A left for Marie when she cut her ties. There was a list of ounts and passwords. One of them was for an emergency device. A bought a ne for Kylee when she graduated high school. If Kylee was ever in trouble, she could click a button and it would call for help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen that,¡± I said. ¡°She almost never took it off.¡± Mina grabbed her phone. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope this isn¡¯t one of the timest she did. If we still believe they¡¯re all together, this could be our ticket.¡°¡± Mina called a number and started speaking with an agent. She provided A¡¯s security information, and they checked the device within minutes. Mina put them on speaker. ¡°And the emergency contacts didn¡¯t receive any messages?¡± the agent asked. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t,¡± Mina said, knowing she was one of them. ¡°Okay, if she didn¡¯t have her phone in range, that would have caused the problem,¡± the agent said. ¡°However, we can check the GPS history. If she clicked it, it would have pinged her location.¡± We heard the sound of fingers flying over a keyboard for a few seconds. ¡°Okay,¡± the agent said. ¡°We have four hits from four days ago. However, at this point, we would need to involve the authorities, Miss.¡± ¡°This is Alpha Theo Arden, code 47398,¡± I said, giving the universal identifier that all emergency agencies would have for pack leaders. ¡°This case is already with the authorities. You can send the information to me.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the agent replied. ¡°It¡¯s on its way.¡± As soon as I got the email, Mina pulled up the information on the map. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re heading east, but it just stops. There¡¯s nothing out there. As far as I know, that¡¯s not even rogue territory.¡± ¡°I know where they are,¡± Kingston interrupted. My head snapped to him. He was staring at one of the cards that Harry had left. He held it up to show us the photo on the front. ¡°They¡¯re in the Onyxcrown packhouse,¡± he said. *** A ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± I asked Beta Harry as he crouched in front of me. He reached up and brushed a finger down my cheek, making me cringe. ¡°Because it¡¯s time, my love,¡± he answered vaguely. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting so long. I was hoping to have a little more time to get this ce fixed up for us, but it seems that Alpha pup was more determined than I thought.¡± I drew my knees up to my chest as tightly as I could, trying to pull myself as far away from him as I could. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle, A,¡± he said. ¡°The wolfsbane will get into your system faster. Your immunity isn¡¯t as strong as it should be. But we¡¯ll have that fixed soon enough. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t think being able tomand Alphas is the only ability you have, did you?¡± Harry said. ¡°Your family was known for their immunity to wolfsbane.¡± ¡°What does any of this have to do with you?¡± I demanded. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Because I love you,¡± he said as if it was obvious. ¡°Together, we¡¯ll rebuild the werewolf kingdom. The first time I saw you when your father brought you to meet Torin, I knew this would happen. All these years, I¡¯ve watched you grow into yourself. It was more and more amazing with every experience. It was something else to be able to watch my mate grow up this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your mate,¡± I snapped. ¡°Not yet, anyway,¡± Harry said bitterly. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be such an issue had that whore of a sister of yours done her job.¡± I heard Kylee gasp from the cage. ¡°What?¡± I looked over at Kylee. She looked as shocked as I felt. But I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because she knew what he was talking about or not. ¡°What did you do?¡± She shook her head vigorously. ¡°Nothing. I mean, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± she stammers. ¡°I thought he was helping me. I don¡¯t know what he means.¡® Harryughed. ¡°My dear girl, I wasn¡¯t helping you. I was giving you the only chance you ever would have had. Theo would never have looked twice at you if it wasn¡¯t for me. ¡°What are you saying, Harry?¡± ¡± ¡°I gave her a perfume that would¡­ encourage Theo to show an interest in her,¡± he said. ¡°All she had to do was keep him upied and keep him away from you until he marked her.¡± ¡± ¡°What?¡± Kylee sobbed. ¡°Why would you do this?¡± ¡°Because I needed him out of the way,¡± Harry bellowed at her. ¡°And you couldn¡¯t even get that right. Because you couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen, you selfish cow.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. I thought back to the day Harry sat in on the session with Alpha Torin. He wasn¡¯t Torin¡¯s original Beta. He took over when hisst one died. Before he quit to take on more pack duties, he had been a biochemical engineer. ¡°J ¡°What was in it, Harry?¡± I asked. ¡°What was in the perfume?¡± Wolves didn¡¯t wear perfume or sprays. Our senses were too heightened, and they were more irritating than pleasant. So, if he gave Kylee something to wear, there was a purpose. He looked back at me with a proud smile. ¡°In a way, it was you, my love,¡± he said. ¡°It mimicked the scent of his mate. Made her nearly irresistible to him at times. I tried to swallow the bile that rose again at the way he said it. ¡°Why my sister then? Why take the risk?¡± I asked. ¡°Surely, you knew she would bring him to meet me. ¡°Not if she had listened to me,¡± he spat. ¡°I tried using it with other girls, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough. It needed someone with simr pheromones to work. And your little Kylee was so willing to throw herself at our young Alpha. She made it easy.¡± ¡°Did you put them up to making her his chosen mate?¡± I asked, needing to know how much of what happened was Kylee¡¯s choice or the maniption. Harryughed. ¡°I may have brought up the idea in passing, but she was the one who pursued it all on her own,¡± he said smugly. ¡°But I will give Theo some credit. If I hadn¡¯t been drugging him, he never would have agreed to it.¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126: A Kylee was sobbing against the bars of her prison. ¡°You were drugging Theo?¡± I pushed. ¡°I needed him to be pliable. I needed him to doubt himself.¡± Harry reached out and cupped my cheek. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have the transition go smoothly for him. He needed to be distracted enough to stay away from you.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You bastard,¡± I spat. ¡°Too bad you failed.¡± Harry¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Merely an unfortunate setback. But everything I did, I did for you, my love. They all would have held you back. Coddled you. Kept you from learning your true strength. Especially your father.¡± My heart pounded in my chest. Was he saying what I thought he was? ¡°Did¡­ Did you kill my father?¡± ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay, A,¡± he cooed. ¡°I know it hurt, but it was necessary. He never would have let us be together. You never would have been strong enough to defy him had I kept him alive.¡± Kylee sobbed louder. ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± I yelled, kicking out at him, fighting hard against my restraints. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s that fire I love so much.¡± The sudden burst of rage faded quickly, leaving me dizzy and lightheaded. My breathing became heavier. I had to remember the wolfsbane. I hadn¡¯t had anything to eat or drink in days. It would put a bigger toll on my body. But I had to keep him talking. ¡°So, are the Waar Pak even looking for me?¡± I asked. ¡°Or is that just another one of your tricks?¡± Harry shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re looking for you,¡± he said calmly. ¡°Thanks to that stupid Sablemane Alpha. When he brought you to the Alphas¡® Gathering, I knew he was going to be a big problem.¡± ¡°And this is what you meant by doing what Kingston couldn¡¯t with Alpha Conner?¡± Imented, remembering the message he had left about it. ¡°You¡¯re the reason he went missing.¡± Harry had his back to me as he rummaged through a box. ¡°Of course,¡± he said proudly. ¡°He was already nning on hunting you down. I couldn¡¯t allow him to think for a moment he could ever have you. Do you like my work?¡± He waved a hand at the mutted body still hanging before me,ughing. ¡°I think he got the message.¡± *** Theo The sun was setting when the helicopters touched down five miles from the ruins of the Onyxcrown packhouse. With the territory mostly taken over by the forest, this was the closest they could get us. We would have to run the rest of the way. We all helped kit our wolves out. Shifting and having one of the others attach a supply pack to our wolves so we could shift back and still have with we needed. When we were ready, we took off through the woods. Kingston would be our guide as he was the only one who had been here before. Our wolves crossed the distance in no time,ing up to the structure as we lost thest rays of sunlight. We would need the darkness as cover. I immediately started searching for A¡¯s scent. I caught something when I heard Kingston¡¯s voice start to bark out orders. Like fucking hell I was letting him take over. I shifted back. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I yelled. ¡°I told you, this isn¡¯t mission, Amvorov. The only reason you¡¯re here is as a guide.¡± your ¡°There¡¯s no way we can find her inside in one group,¡± he snarled. ¡°We need to split up.¡± ¡°Which we will do once we¡¯ve found a trail.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tell him I had already found it. ¡°But if you¡¯re in such a hurry, be my guest. You take five and¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go this way,¡± he said, slipping pants on. ¡°With all the structural damage, the best way in will be through the tunnels.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I agreed. ¡°But Briggs goes with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± he snapped. ¡°Why the hell¡­¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t fucking trust you, that¡¯s why,¡± I spat. Kingston looked at me with disdain. ¡°Fine, then Pierce is with you.¡± ¡°Not a problem with me.¡± It wasn¡¯t. I liked Pierce, and he was here for A, not his Alpha. I felt this arrangement would be more of an issue for Kingston. But he agreed, and that¡¯s all I cared about. I let them go off in their intended direction as I searched for our way in. I tried contacting A through the mind¨Clink, but our connection was blocked again. I found the trail I had caught originally and started to follow it. Her scent became stronger as we went. ¡°You know, he really does just want to help,¡± Pierce said. ¡°He cares about her too.¡± ¡°Forgive me if I have a hard time giving a shit about his feelings, Beta Pierce,¡± I replied. ¡°I know who Kingston used to be. Maybe it¡¯s time you saw he¡¯s not that man anymore. ¡°I¡¯m not there yet,¡± he said, but there was a touch of sadness in his voice. ¡°There or not, if he tries to take my mate, I will kill him,¡± I said firmly but not viciously. It wasn¡¯t a threat. I needed him to know that it was a possible oue. ¡°I know,¡± he replied. I stopped for a moment. I still had A¡¯s trail but something was off. The ruins were huge. The wing that jutted off at this side seemed mostly copsed, while the main section was more sound. ¡°We¡¯re on a false trail,¡± I said quietly. Pierce sniffed. ¡°Are you sure? Her scent is pretty strong here?¡± I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. Yeah, something was off. Guilt twisted my gut. I had let my anger for Kingston cloud my judgment. Otherwise, I would have caught it sooner. ¡°It¡¯s not hers,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s pretty damn close, but it¡¯s not real. Come on. We¡¯re heading back.¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Chapter 127: Briggs We followed Kingston through the thick brush. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, which was a bit uncanny since he was eight thest time he was here. But Theo said to watch him, so I would. I had to admit, this wasn¡¯t the same man I met months ago when I tracked A down. That Kingston was calcting but genuine. On that day, there was no denying that he cared about A. This Kingston¡­ Well, this man was still calcting. But he was less stable. I could still see the affection for A in the concern he carried, but there was something more determined in him. I didn¡¯t trust it. ¡°The tunnel entrance is this way,¡± he said, leading us away from the packhouse ruins. ¡°We won¡¯t have to go far.¡± ¡°Where do the tunnels lead to?¡± I asked. ¡°And how are you so sure they¡¯re still intact?¡± He paused for a moment, looking around the area. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he replied. ¡°But they survived a couple of millennia before this, so I think our odds are good.¡± ¡°So, the packhouse was built on an existing structure?¡± I asked, thinking about our own packhouse in Greytooth. ¡°It¡¯s more like it was continuously renovated,¡± he rified. ¡°Remember, the Dominis family is the oldest werewolf bloodline. They ruled from here from the beginning.¡± He nced back at me. ¡°At least, that¡¯s the history I was taught.¡± We came along a dip in the terrain and I could hear water running nearby. Kingston leaned down and brushed leaves and debris away, revealing what looked like part of a stone wall. ¡°It¡¯s this way,¡± he said. The dip turned into a steep incline as we followed it, stopping along a cutoff above a stream. The stone wall was easier to discern here except for moss and some vines. We didn¡¯t have to follow it far before it turned into the hillside, creating an entryway. We headed into the tunnel. It wasn¡¯t long before we came to a heavy metal door. Which was locked. ¡°Should I even bother to ask if you have the key?¡± I said, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. ¡°This is a dead end.¡± ¡°Hush,¡± Kingston barked. He turned toward the wall and closed his eyes. Taking a few slow deep breaths. When he opened them, he reached up and counted the stones. One of them shifted. He removed it and, taking a second to what looked like to pray, he stuck his hand in the hole. With a sigh of relief, he pulled out a key. ¡°How did you know that would be there?¡± I inquired as he stuck the key in the lock. ¡°This is how Jack got us out the night of the massacre,¡± he said solemnly. It took some effort, but the key finally turned, and I helped Kingston shoulder the door open. It opened into more stone tunnels full of cobwebs. Tree roots had found their way between the stones, hanging sporadically from the walls and ceiling. ¡°But you weren¡¯t sure it would still be there,¡± Imented. ¡°Why?¡± Kingston remained quiet at first. The tunnel was now pitch ck, too dark for our night vision, so we switched to shlights. ¡°My mother went back for my father,¡± he said quietly before our light came on. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if she came this way or not. She never came back.¡± *** Theo We were back at the front of the ruin. The entrance waspletely blocked off, but I knew there had to be a way in from here. I walked the area, looking for windows or holes that were passable. Sniffing the air for any sign of A¡¯s real scent. ¡®Let me,¡® Kieran asked. ¡®Not yet,¡® I said. ¡®Besides, you didn¡¯t catch the scent was fake the first time.¡® I kept my tone light. It wasn¡¯t intended to me him but to give him some levity. His desperation was getting overwhelming. It was getting harder to keep a clear head. That¡¯s it. I froze, smelling the air near a blocked window frame. There was nothing. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. I stepped in closer, focusing my sense of smell on that area specifically. Nothing. Not even the smell of dirt or moss. ¡°This is it,¡± I said to Pierce and the others. I climbed up to the opening. There was a beam blocking it that seemed immovable, but when I tried, it didn¡¯t take much effort. Behind it was a dark, narrow passageway that turned into the building. I waved for everyone to follow but to stay quiet. It was dark inside, but nothing my wolf¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t handle. We proceeded cautiously. Between the stability of the structure and having no idea where Harry could be, we couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake. As if on queue, I heard a snap and then a rumble. The walls shook and I heard crashing from behind me. I turned to see the three warriors we had with us retreating as the ceiling came down. Pierce and I were forced back but were quickly stopped as rocks began to fall from the other direction. We covered our heads and moved out of the way as best we could. After a few very long seconds, everything became quiet. The air was thick with dust, and it was pitch ck. All I could hear was the sound of Pierce and me breathing heavily. I reached out to my men on the other side and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°They okay over there?¡± Pierce asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Some bumps and bruises but they¡¯ll live.¡± Pierce¡¯s shlight lit up, illuminating the rubble around us. I retrieved my light as well and started to assess our situation. I looked up at the ceiling and noticed something peculiar. ¡°I think the first fall was structural,¡± I said, then pointed my light to the top of the second barricade. ¡°I don¡¯t think this one was.¡± Pierce followed my gaze, seeing what I saw. ¡± ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right,¡± Pierce said. ¡°The asshole has the ce booby¨Ctrapped.¡± ¡°Warn the other group,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I get clear a path up to the second floor.¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128: A A huge rumble echoed through the room, bouncing off the high ceilings, making the walls shake. Harry stopped what he was doing and looked toward the sound. His shoulders instantly became tense and his face contorted into a curious scowl. ¡°Bare with me, my love,¡± he said absently to me. ¡°We may have a visitor.¡± My heart skipped. Theo ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up,¡± Harry snapped. ¡°There¡¯s no way he could have found you. It¡¯s probably some rogue poking around where they shouldn¡¯t be.¡± He disappeared into the darkness, the sound of the door closing the only indication he was gone. I waited a moment before pulling at the ring again, trying to work it out of the wood. ¡°A,¡± Kylee said to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I sighed. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with her apologies. It¡¯s not like they meant anything anyway. I closed my eyes, pushing passed the headache that had formed. That was harsh. And even though she deserved it, I didn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t carry that pain with me from here. If we got out of here. So, I might as well have faced it then. ¡°For what?¡± I asked snarkily. ¡°For telling everyone you know I¡¯m a horrible, selfish person or for trying to steal my fated mate for yourself?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was your fated mate,¡± she rushed. ¡°Okay,¡± I shot. ¡°For trying to steal someone¡¯s fated mate. Because you sure as hell knew he wasn¡¯t yours. Are you sorry about that too? For lying to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry for everything,¡± she said. ¡°I really did love him, A. I still do.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I snapped. ¡°You¡¯re really going to go down that road? Tell me how much you love the one person who was supposed to be mine? Like I¡¯m supposed just let you have him. News sh, Kylee, I already did that, and look what that got me. When you found out who Theo was to me, you didn¡¯t regret what happened. No, you pped me in the face. ¡°I gave up everything for you, Kylee. I gave up my high school years with my friends so I could keep you fed and a roof over your head. I kept you from seeing Ma passed out drunk in a pile of her own sick. I made sure you never knew how many times we were almost taken by some thug Ma owed money to. ¡°Well, not so much that one. Seeing as Ma never would have let them touch you. Oh, but me? Me, she wouldn¡¯t have put up much of a fight for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I heard my mother say weakly. She sat herself up slowly. ¡°How could you believe that, A?¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°Because, Ma, you kept doing it,¡± I said, looking her in the eye. ¡°You kept letting it get that close. You kept leading those assholes right to our doorstep. And you kept making ME talk them out of it. Face it, Ma, I was your meal ticket and get¨Cout¨Cof¨Cjail¨Cfree card.¡± ¡°Ma¡­¡± Kylee whispered in shame. I leaned back against the post, giving my fingers a rest. ¡°I knew it would never get that far,¡± Ma said. ¡°I knew you would never let them take you.¡± ¡°How the fuck could you have known that, Ma?¡± I yelled. ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re special, A,¡± Ma exined. ¡°You know that. Kylee needed me more. Your father always made sure you knew¡­¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°So my father feeds you some bullshit story about me being different and you thought that meant I could take on fully grown werewolves with no morals?¡± my voice was dripping with disdain. ¡°But you did¡­¡± ¡°I SHOULDN¡¯T HAVE HAD TO,¡± I bellowed, yanking at my bonds in anger. ¡°But I did. Because you were still my mother. And because I needed to make sure Kylee was taken care of. You both took everything from me. And it was okay because one day, I¡¯d find my mate, and he¡¯d see me for who I was and¡­ Oh, wait¡­ you tried to take that too.¡± I ignored my mother¡¯s and sister¡¯s sobs. Instead, focusing on the cold floor against my skin, the rough wood splintering along my back, the coarse rope digging into my flesh. Anything but the two people who betrayed me the most. Then my dad shed through my head. I nearly sobbed. I missed him so much. The image came back. It was a memory. It was me and him on a hill near our home. I could see Ma running after Kylee as a toddler across the lawn. Dad had his arm slung casually around my shoulders. I remembered that was the day he told me it was my job to protect the family. That I had to help them grow, too. ¡°We all y a role in a family like we do in a pack.¡± Dad said. ¡°We all have to find our strengths. Sometimes we need each other to help us with that.¡± I didn¡¯t really do a good job at that. Did I, Dad? ¡°A,¡± Kylee said, pulling me from my memory, ¡°I want to make it right.¡± ¡°You loved Theo,¡± I responded. ¡°Ma loved you. I loved you both, but that meant nothing to either of you.¡± ¡°I love you, A,¡± my mother cried. ¡°You¡¯re my baby girl. Of course I love you.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± I said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡°A,¡± Kylee said with more conviction. ¡°I want to make it right. If he¡® s going to kill me, then I want to go with you knowing how sorry I am. You¡¯re right. I was despicable. Saying those things behind your back. Doing what I did. I see now just how much you did for me. And it means the world to me. I can¡¯t die with you hating me, A, please.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to die, Kylee,¡± I said. Iughed at the irony that she still didn¡¯t understand the lengths I would go to protect her. ¡°After the conversation we just had, do you really think I would ever let him kill you?¡± ¡°I just want you to forgive me,¡± Kylee replied. ¡°Well, then you better start making yourself useful and look for something that can help because you¡¯re going to have to live a lot longer for that to happen,¡± I replied. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129: Theo I was at the top of the rock pile, wedged against the ceiling with Pierce across from me. We were strategically moving stones and had produced an opening small enough to let some light in. I was getting hopeful when I heard a muffled voice from above us. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I motioned Pierce to freeze. We waited a few seconds and the voice sounded again. It carried through our opening enough for me to recognize it as Harry¡¯s. Kieran jumped to the front of my mind, bringing rage with him. I pushed him. back. We couldn¡¯t get to Harry yet, and he wasn¡¯t helping. I heard crunching footsteps and a sliver of light beamed through our little space. We tucked ourselves against the ceiling as best we could to stay out of sight. The light went away but I didn¡¯t hear Harry leave. It felt like an eternity until he finally walked away. I started to move again but Pierce stopped me. ¡°Not yet,¡± he mouthed. ¡°Too close.¡± If we moved a stone and caused a slide, he¡¯d be able to hear it. I suppressed a huff but remained still, not waiting another second after I felt he was far enough away. I¡¯d like to say we made quick work, but nothing felt quick enough. When the opening was finally big enough for us to fit through, I almost left Pierce behind. But I needed him to help me keep a level head. As long as he was here, I remembered Briggs was with Kingston. And I needed to keep tabs on Kingston, too. I pulled Pierce out of the hole and onto his feet. ¡°He went this way,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Come on.¡± There was still no scent to follow, so there wasn¡¯t much to guide us. Luckily, there weren¡¯t many options. We emerged in what used to be a hallway, with only one essible door in the direction we were heading. It led into a room where we found a part of the far wall torn open, leading into the next. We followed this pattern in and out of rooms and hallways, but I was getting increasingly frustrated. Kieran was going crazy in my head. ¡°We¡¯re getting nowhere,¡± I finally said, resisting the urge to punch a hole in the nearest object. ¡°Yeah,¡± Pierce agreed. ¡°Without knowing what this ce looked like, I wouldn¡¯t know how to find his hideout even if we had an idea.¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± I said, pushing my fingers through my hair, forcing myself to think. ¡°This was a packhouse, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Kin said.¡± ¡°Then we should be able to get a general idea.¡± I returned to the room we had just left and looked out the window. ¡°This isn¡¯t the front where we came in, and there were off¨Cshoots on either side. So, let¡¯s say we¡® ve made it to the back. The living quarters would be in the extended wings.¡± ¡°So, perhaps these were offices or conference rooms,¡± Pierce spected. ¡°Harry picked this ce for a reason,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s some kind of meaning here. Whatever it is, he wouldn¡¯t set up in just any room. He would take A somewhere specific.¡± ¡°The Receiving Hall,¡± Pierce said. Every packhouse that I knew of had a Receiving Hall. It was where the pack leaders were formally recognized during any event or asion where the pack would address them directly. If Harry wanted to mark A, it could mean he wanted to be Alpha. ¡°We need to backtrack,¡± I said. ¡°We need to look for a way back down to the main floor.¡± ¡®Theo, Kingston¡¯s on his own,¡® Briggs¡® voice came through the link. ¡°There was a trap that separated us.¡® *** Briggs The tunnel system was like a maze. Kingston had been right about them holding up, though. We didn¡¯t come across many dead ends. Although, I wasn¡¯t sure that was much better since making heads or tails of the ce was impossible. And it didn¡¯t escape my attention that several of those dead ends included strange doors. But Kingston said there were markers to follow. He even showed us what to look for. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your family,¡± I spoke, breaking the silence we had been walking in. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just my family,¡± Kingston said. ¡°It was my pack. Everything I had known and loved was ripped away from me in a single night.¡± Being back here must have brought up terrible memories for Kingston, and a feeling of unease had been growing in my gut since we entered the tunnels. ¡°Are you sure you remember the way?¡± I asked calmly. Kingston stopped. ¡°My father taught me how to navigate these tunnels. As the Beta, he was in charge of protecting the pack¡¯s greatest secrets. I was too young for him to tell me any of them, but he said it was never too early to start learning how to keep them. So, yes, I remember.¡± ¡°Do you remember how much further?¡± I pressed. ¡°We don¡¯t know how much time A and her family have or what he¡¯s doing with them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much farther,¡± Kingston replied confidently. Then he stopped abruptly. We stood at a four¨Cway juncture. ¡°Hang on,¡± Kingston said. He examined the corners of the walls, reading the markings he used to guide us. I took a few steps further down one hall. A scraping sound filled our ears and a cloud of dust erupted into the air. ¡°Kingston,¡± I called, remembering we were warned about traps. ¡°Kingston.¡± I rushed forward and almost ran head¨Cfirst into a wall. A wall right where a hallway just was. The warriors with me were Sablemane. They would be able to link with him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked the nearest. ¡°Alpha says he must have tripped something,¡± the warrior said. ¡°He¡¯ll find his way out. He said for us to follow your lead.¡± Of course he did. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130: A I wasn¡¯t making much progress with pulling out the ring. I kept looking around, trying to find something else to aid me. I was instructing Kylee to do so the same, helping guide her as best I could. She was working at the hinges of the cage door when Harry came back. ¡°That¡¯s adorable, Kylee,¡± he sneered. ¡°Thinking you could aplish anything remotely as impressive as an escape. Kylee looked dejected, but the hatred filled her eyes. Harry shoved his hand through the bars to grab the small metal rod she had been using. With a scream, she stabbed it into his hand. A wave of pride rippled through me. I startedughing as Harry bellowed. His eyes shot to me. ¡°Okay, my love,¡± he said venomously. ¡°You think pain is funny?¡± ¡°Your pain,¡± I rified. ¡°Come on, Harry. I¡¯m sure even you can enjoy the poetry in this.¡± He smirked at me, almost genuinely. That is until he turned and opened the cage. He reached in, grabbing my mother by the hair and dragging her out. He kicked Kylee hard as she tried to hold on to her. Ma was kicking a screaming as he pulled her before me. ¡°Stop, Harry,¡± I yelled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You think my pain is funny,¡± he snarled, gripping Ma by the throat. ¡°Well, it would hurt me greatly if I had to kill my mate¡¯s mother.¡± His other hand was on the back of her head, poised to break her neck in one quick motion. My mother stared at me with terror in her eyes, no longer fighting. ¡°Harry, don¡¯t,¡± I pled. ¡°No? Why not?¡± he spat. ¡°It would be so easy. It¡¯s not like she deserves you. Not after everything she¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Harry, you¡¯re not going to murder my mother. He stared at me. His breathing began to slow. I couldn¡¯t tell what was going through his mind. But by the way he looked me up and down, I knew I didn¡¯t want to know. He finally released my mother¡¯s throat, but his fist remained firmly in her hair. When he finally looked away, he dragged Ma back to the cage, throwing her back in. He went to a table and grabbed a rag before stalking toward me. ¡°You¡¯re right, my love,¡± he said eerily. ¡°Enough of this ying around. It¡¯s time to finish this. Fear gripped me as I tried to pull against my restraints. He knelt next to me and brushed my face again. Then suddenly, he was shoving the rag in my mouth, gagging me so I couldn¡¯t speak. I tried to pull away, but he was too close. Once he finished tying it, he grabbed my face hard, making me wince. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my love, but it¡¯s necessary. We can¡¯t have youmanding me before the process is complete,¡± he said. He pulled me toward him. I cried out as my shoulders were wrenched in the wrong direction. He leaned in, his hand running down my chest, trailing a finger along the curve of my breast. ¡°You know, they say marking your mate in the throws of passion is the most exquisite feeling anyone could experience,¡± he whispered against my jaw, his hands moving down to grip my hips. ¡°I have to be honest. I¡¯m too curious to resist, my love. I¡¯ve been waiting for so long. Imagining what you feel like.¡± A silent tear ran down my face as my whole body shook. He shifted to face me. I kicked out, hitting him square in the leg, sending him to the floor. I kept kicking, just trying to hit anything to keep him away from me. I was screaming against the gag, using whatever strength I had to pull against the ropes still around my wrists. Harry managed to grab my legs, deflecting my movements long enough to grab my waist. He spun me around, my knees painfully hitting the stone floor. His hand held my hair, yanking my head back as he pressed himself against me. I could feel him against the small of my back and I tried desperately not to throw up. ¡°Stop fighting, A,¡± Harry hissed, tearing my underwear from my body. He turned my head to look as my family watched in horror, crying out for me. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to watch them die, you¡¯ll stop fighting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop, A,¡± Kylee sobbed, tears rushing down her cheeks. Ma was screaming next to her. I tried to tell them to look away, but I couldn¡¯t link with them. ¡°I will cut their throats and make you watch until every drop of blood is drained. Now,¡± he almost cooed, ¡°be a good girl.¡± His hand moved between us. He pulled away as he fumbled with his pants. Kylee kept yelling for me to fight as she held my mother, covering her face so she couldn¡¯t see. I closed my eyes. My mind went to Theo but quickly pushed him away. Holding back the sob that threatened to break from my chest. I wouldn¡¯t let this bastard take Theo from me as well. I braced myself for the agony that was about to overtake me. But I suddenly fell to the floor. My arms popped as Inded on my side from something ripping Harry from behind me. I struggled to right myself, but as I did, I cried as I saw Kieran growling viciously at a rage¨Cfilled grey wolf. Hands came up to my face, pulling the gag from my mouth. I was surprised to see Pierce kneeling next to me. ¡°It¡¯s okay, A,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you out of here.¡± ¡°No.¡± I cried as he reached for the ropes. ¡°They¡¯re soaked in wolfsbane. Get Kylee and Ma out of here first.¡® ¡°1 Pierce looked toward the cage across the room. ¡°I swear I¡¯lle back for them,¡± he insisted, ¡°but Theo and Kingston would kill me if I left you behind.¡± ¡°Pierce, save my family first,¡± Imanded. He gave me a disapproving look but lowered his hands. ¡°Now it¡¯s my fault,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°Go.¡± Pierce rushed to the cage, grabbing a metal bar to pry the door open, lifting it off its hinges. He lifted Ma and started guiding them toward the back of the room. I breathed a small sigh of relief, turning back to the fight before me. Then Kylee was by my side. ¡°Kylee,¡± I yelled, ¡°get out of here.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She was sawing at my ropes with a shard of ss. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my sister.¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131: Theo Kieran squared off against Rafe, Harry¡¯s wolf, fueled by pure rage. The sight of another male behind our mate¡¯s naked body, her face contorted in pain and fear, had thrown Kieran into a frenzy. Harry wouldn¡¯t be leaving in one piece. But I had to keep Kieran focused. We had fought against Harry in practice, and he was always a formidable opponent. Rafe was smaller than Keiran, but he was fast and agile. We could use our hatred for his betrayal to motivate us, but not to the point of self-destruction. And Kieran would if I let him. We stepped to the side, taking in the crazed look in his eyes. The animal before me wasn¡¯t the wolf I had known all my life. The sting of his treachery burned deeper as I wondered when he decided to turn on us. Rafe lunged at me. We evaded, turning and grabbing his leg. We threw him against the ston wall, diving toward his exposed throat. But he was too fast. He met us head-on, mming us backward, sending us skidding across the stone floor. He lunged again. We still managed to evade him but didn¡¯t get close enough to do any damage. But we would. He was lunging high, leaving himself exposed. When heunched at us again, we dove low, catching his underbelly. Tasting first blood. But our victory was short-lived as he kicked against us. He dragged a w threw the flesh of our shoulder. We threw him to the ground hard and he slid into the shadows. We risked a nce at the other side of the room. 12:32 Chapter 131: Theo 11 288 (Vouchers Kylee was working at A¡¯s bonds. Where the hell was Pierce? Why was she still here? Her eyes met ours, making it hard not to rush to her. Until they went wide and she called out to us. We turned, but it was toote. A sharp pr**k pierced our neck. A burning sensation quickly spread throughout our extremities. Kieran stumbled. Wolfsbane. How could we be so st**id? Kieran managed to turn us toward Harry, now back in his human form. He threw the massive needle away from him. He swayed a little as blood seeped from the abdominal wound we had inflicted. ¡°You were always easy to distract, boy,¡± he sneered at me. ¡°How many times did your father have to tell you to focus.¡± Kieran growled, fighting against the toxin coursing through us. We just had to hold the shift. Harry shifted back into his wolf. He moved more confidently, more controlled. He may have been coursing through my wolf, we were on equal footing. He came at me. We knew our reaction tineriously injured, but with wolfsbane be fast enough, so we swung our body, hurling it against him, rather than waste the energy trying to evade. H We knocked him off course, but he did manage to take a chunk of flesh with him. He fell to his side and I pounced. Catching him on the chest. We were going for his throat when he managed to kick us off him. His ws catching our face. Kieran was getting too weak. It was taking too much effort to hold the shift and fight Harry. 28.60% 12:32 D Chapter 131. Theo 286 Vouchers I shifted back, immediately searching for a weapon. I found a metal pole to use as a staff and picked it up. I took a deep breath to steady myself. A¡¯s scent hit me full force. I wouldn¡¯t fail her again. I wouldn¡¯t lose her. Rafe darted at me from across the room. I took out one of his forelegs with the pole. He tumbled forward. I took advantage of his momentum and mmed it hard into his shoulder. A sickening crunch echoed against the stone walls. Another swing took out a back leg at the knee. Rafe rolled across the floor, shifting back into Harry before stopping. His entire left arm and leg were useless, and he was bleeding profusely from the belly wound we had inflicted. ¡°Why?¡± I barked out. ¡°Why betray us?¡± Heughed weakly. ¡°If you have to ask that, you don¡¯t deserve her.¡± I shook my head. ¡°If you think that means you know her, neither do you.¡± I watched Harry copse, his breathing stopped, and I fell to my knees. The wolfsbane draining me. I closed my eyes as I gathered my strength. A My head was pounding and I didn¡¯t notice Harry get back up. roaring growl was apanied by a gust of air flying past me. I opened my eyes and was frozen in awe. Dasha had Harry in her jaws, breaking his neck with ease. She pressed down on him with a paw, sharp ws digging into his flesh, until she was sure he was dead before turning to me. She was the most beautiful wolf we had ever seen. There had never been another like her. Her golden fur, the color of the moon when it was closest to the h**i**n, glowed in the dim light. Every inch was like glistening light except for the ck patch on the top of her head 56.92% 12:33 Chapter 191: Theo 288 Vouchers and ears. Her golden eyes were mesmerizing as they looked into my soul. Dasha shifted back, leaving A standing across the room from me. She held my gaze until her legs buckled, sending her to the floor. ¡°A¡­¡± I rushed to her, pulling her against me. Her arms went around my neck, holding on with what strengthThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. she had. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said softly. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m here,¡± I croaked. ¡°Where else would I be? I love you so much, A.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d find me,¡± she sobbed. I pulled away, my lips taking hers. ¡°Always, baby,¡± I whispered. ¡°Always.¡± HA 412 88.88% Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 1*2: Briggs We debated whether to turn back or to try to continue forward. The others weren¡¯t keen on leaving their Alpha down there and figured our best chance of finding him again was to press forward. I agreed that would be the best option. So we started to traverse the tunnels to the best of our abilities. Kingston insisted we wouldn¡¯t have to go through any of the doors to get to the surface, but it wasn¡¯t long before we felt like we were just going in circles somehow. Theo mind-linked to say he found A, and they were safe now. Harry was dead, and there was a support team waiting outside. Meanwhile, I was trying to keep the men from panicking when we heard Kingston calling. us. With With one of them linking with him, we started shining our lights down tunnels for him to find us. I noticed a light moving ahead and went in that direction. Eventually, Kingston appeared from around a corner. ¡°Have a nice adventure?¡± I joked, only a little passive-aggressively. ¡°I¡¯ve got the way up,¡± he replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡± We rushed after him. Not sure how long it was until we finally came to a stairwell leading out. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯ll find up there,¡± Kingston said. ¡°This leads up to a housing section.¡± ¡°Theo said there was a lot of structural damage on that side,¡± I informed him. ¡°So we¡¯ll need to be careful.¡± Kingston nodded and we headed to the floor above us. We were led up 0.00% O < 12:33 Chapter 192: Briggs 288 Vauchers to what looked like an old ser**nts¡¯ passage. One wall was lined with doors. We checked to see if we could make it through any of them. Several didn¡¯t open, while the others led to impassable rooms. We finally found one that seemed navigable. But as soon as Kingston walked in, I saw his shoulders tense. I followed him in and immediately saw the cause. *** Theo I picked my mate off the floor and carried her out of the room. She clung to me as I navigated the way out. We had found an easy way out before finding A, which I was grateful for at the moment. I don¡¯t know if I could have gotten her out from the second floor. It was still night, but the front of the building was lit up with reinforcements. As we exited the building, Kylee came running up, wrapping a nket around A to cover her. I put her feet on the ground. They cried as they held each other. Their mothering to join in. ¡°Ladies, she needs to be checked over,¡± I insisted. Kylee and Marie backed away but hovered close by as I took her to one of the medics that Alpha Harden had brought with him. I tugged on a pair of sweats before helping A get dressed. What we brought swallowed her, but it was better than nothing. After that night, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle all these males¡¯ eyes on her. One of the medics looked her over while another kept trying to tend to my shoulder wound. When I waved him off again, A gave me a look. I huffed, throwing my leg over the stretcher and tucking in 24.80% ||| 12:33 Chapter 1*2. Angge 388 Vouchers behind her. It gave my medic the ess he needed without getting in the way of the other checking her. ¡°Happy?¡± I whispered in her ear with my hands on her waist. She chuckled softly. ¡°Okay,¡± the medic attending her said as he finished bandaging her wrists. ¡°I¡¯d like to get her started on an IV, but we¡¯ll have to do that when we get back to the helicopter. But I think she¡¯ll survive.¡± He smiled at her kindly. ¡°Thank you,¡± A replied sweetly. I leaned in and kissed the back of her neck. I felt something strange. I pushed her hair back and found a patch at the base of her skull. ¡°Hold still, baby,¡± I warned her. ¡°This may hurt a little.¡± ¡°Ow,¡± she cried as I pulled the patch off, revealing a needle that had been inserted into her. She leaned back. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I showed her the device as Randy came up to us. I looked up at him. ¡°We found one of these on you after your attack at the packhouse,¡± I told her. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, picking it up. I looked at Randy, wondering the same thing. ¡°We think it¡¯s a neural blocker,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s designed to block mind- links.¡± A looked up at me. ¡°I couldn¡¯t connect to anyone. Not even Kylee or Ma.¡± 51.33% ||| < 12:33 Chapter 133. Briggs 288 Vouchers I didn¡¯t want to think about the implications right then. But this meant that Harry was working with the Waar P*k. Randy seemed to have the same thought because he gave me a concerned look. We would have to look into this quickly, including searching the ruins for anything he may have had here. ¡°Did Harry tell you anything?¡± I asked A. ¡°Maybe about working with the Waar P*k?¡± A leaned back against me. ¡°He told me plenty,¡± she said indignantly. She turned her head to look at me. ¡°He was drugging you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He said he was drugging you,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how or with what, but he made it sound like it was messing with your head. That¡¯s why you rejected me.¡± ¡°He rejected you?¡± Randy shot. He didn¡¯t look impressed with me at that moment. I shook my head once in a warning, wrapping my arm around A¡¯s waist instinctively. ¡°We rejected each other,¡± A rified. ¡°It¡¯s a long, convoluted story.¡± I noticed A nce in her sister¡¯s direction. I squeezed her hand. ¡°I guess that exins how you ended up in Sablemane,¡± Randy said. ¡°What did you say this Harry guy did outside of pack duties?¡± ¡°He was a chemical engineer,¡± A said. ¡°He worked in a lot of research and development,¡± I stated. ¡°I don¡¯t remember his specialty. Dad will know.¡± 72.44% ||| 12:33 Chapter 1*2 Boggs 288 Vouchers ¡°We¡¯ll have to go back and search his properties again,¡± Randy said. ¡°It sounds like he¡¯s been working on some side projects.¡± I was agreeing with him when Briggs came through the mind-link. ¡®Hey, Theo, we made it out of the tunnels, and there¡¯s something you need to see.¡¯ 95.13% This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ||| J Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133: A ¡°Briggs said they just found something we need to see,¡± Theo said. ¡°Kingston is on his way out to tak¨¦ us.¡± ¡°Kingston is with Briggs?¡± I asked, shocked. ¡°Alpha Amvorov helped us find you,¡± Randy said. I could tell Theo wasn¡¯t happy about the situation, but he was murderous. So I was grateful I hadn¡¯t told him what happened thest time I was in Sablemane. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re up for it?¡± Theo asked me. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll let Briggs handle it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. And honestly, I was. Besides being pretty sore from being tied up for days, I felt like I had caught a second wind. I knew I probably needed the rest more, and it would likelye back to bite meter, but I wanted to find out whatever we could while we were here. Theo looked at me hesitantly. ¡°Really,¡± I insisted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Theo kissed my cheek before standing. He pulled a shirt on and then grabbed my hand. We were heading for the entry point when Kingston emerged. His eyes immediately went to me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, trying to mask the sadness in his voice as his eyes fell to my hand in Theo¡¯s. Chapter 133: A 288 Vouchere ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for helping.¡± He gave me a strange look. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d be anywhere else?¡± ¡°What is it you need to show us, Amvorov?¡± Theo interrupted. Kingston shot him a look but quickly cleared his expression. ¡°We found a¡­ir, I guess you could call it. Looks like your old Beta has been busy. A doesn¡¯t need to see this.¡± Theo raised an eyebrow. ¡°After what I¡¯ve been through this week,¡± I interjected, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can handle it.¡± Theo smirked and Kingston¡¯s jaw tightened as Randy joined us. ¡°Are we going to need any equipment for this?¡± he asked, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. ¡°No,¡± was all Kingston said before turning around and heading back inside. Randy whistled lowly. ¡°He sure is holding a torch for you,¡± he stated quietly. ¡°I¡¯m d I¡¯m not an Alpha.¡± He gave me a wink before following Kingston inside. Theo shook his head and squeezed my hand, leading me ahead of him. I didn¡¯t know how long it would take us to get to thisir, but I was d Randy was with us. I knew I didn¡¯t have the strength to deal with Theo and Kingston alone. Luckily, we didn¡¯t have too far to go. We entered what, I believed, was once a living quarter. Briggs rushed up and gave me a big bear hug, lifting me off the ground. Chapter 133: A 288 iVouchers ¡°I¡¯m d my mate doesn¡¯t have to kill me for letting anything happen to you,¡± he teased. ¡°You know you love me,¡± I joked back. The room was lit up by stand lights that I guess had already been here, along with a generator in the corner. There was furniture piled up on one side next to a bed with moth-eaten nkets. The fact that it seemed it had been slept in made me cringe. But the other side of the room, that made my skin crawl. The ce was bigger than I had expected. There was a corner with a workstation filled with various chemicals and electronics. There was a desk covered in papers, many tacked up on the wall above it. Then¡­ Then there was the wall dedicated to me. It was like a shrine. Pictures of me at all ages. Some that had to have been stolen. I stepped closer and swallowed a gasp. There was a picture of me and Theo from the night we were together at theke. I snat**ed it off the wall and tore it up. Theo¡¯s arm went around my waist, pulling me away. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, baby,¡± he said gently. ¡°I¡¯m pis**d off,¡± I retorted. I was fuming. ¡°That bas**rd had to taint everything. I have half a mind to storm down the hall and kill him again. In fact, a broken neck is too good for that ps***o. I¡¯m going to tear him into pieces.¡± Theo grabbed me as I started heading for the door. ¡°Sweetheart,¡± he said calmly, snaking his arms around me, ¡°we don¡¯t need to waste time mutting dead bodies. Just breathe.¡± 43.50% Chapter 133: A 288 Vouchers I took a few deep breaths, leaning into my mate. ¡°Is this Dasha?¡± Kingston asked quietly, looking at a picture of my golden wolf. ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded. Randy tsked, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s disappointing.¡± ¡°What?¡± I said a little defensively. Theo¡¯s and Kingston¡¯s attention both snapped to him as well. ¡°I would have preferred to see her for the first time in person,¡± he replied with another wink. ¡°I¡¯m sure the camera can¡¯t do her justice.¡± ¡°I can attest to that,¡± Theo agreed. ¡°So, do we have any idea what the rest of this is?¡± I asked, moving to the desk. ¡°Do we think we¡¯ve got anything useful?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way to tell yet,¡± Randy said, picking up vials and checkingbels. ¡°There¡¯s no point bringing a team out here. Our best bet is to load up what we can and go over itter.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take it back to the Greytooth packhouse,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ll have a home base set up in the cer. I¡¯m sure I can put Mina on this full-time for now. ¡± I picked up a notebook from under a pile of papers. It looked to be a journal. Although not much of it seemed coherent. It could be coded. Harry was out of his mind, but he wasn¡¯t unintelligible-ramblings- crazy. I tucked the journal under my arm and began helping the others put things in boxes we had found. ItThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. took longer than expected as we tried to keep things somewhat organized. I was starting to feel the week 69.91% Chapter 133 A 288 Vouchers catching up with me. ¡°Come on, babe,¡± Theo said. ¡°They can finish this up. Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡± I nodded. I didn¡¯t know where we were going exactly. We weren¡¯t exactly close to civilization. But I didn¡¯t care as long as it had a clean bed big enough for me and my mate. 94.91% Chapter 134 A Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134: A We were about halfway back when I heard Kingston call my name. I turned as he approached. ¡°Can I have a minute?¡± he asked, looking between Theo and me. Theo¡¯s arm tightened around my waist. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Theo,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± He exhaled loudly. ¡°I won¡¯t be far.¡± ¡°Never thought otherwise,¡± I replied with a smile. He kissed my hair and left us in the hall, but not before shooting Kingston a warning look. ¡°What is it, Kin?¡± I asked. ¡°I wanted to apologize,¡± he said gently. ¡°My behavior has been¡­ deplorable, to put it nicely.¡± I crossed my arms around me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you.¡± ¡°I hope you can understand that I wasn¡¯t myself,¡± he continued. ¡°I still care deeply for you, A. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°But I have,¡± I insisted. ¡°I know,¡± Kingston acknowledged. He stepped closer, reaching out to take my hand. ¡°I believe this is yours.¡± He set my father¡¯s ring in the palm of my hand. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have kept it from you.¡± 0.00% = 10:57 Chapter 134: Avta 288 Vouchers ¡°Thank you for giving it back now. He continued to hold my hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t given up, A,¡± he whispered. ¡°If you think he¡¯s the one you need right now, then so be it. But I¡¯ll be here when you¡¯re ready toe back.¡± ¡°Theo isn¡¯t for right now, Kingston,¡± I stated. ¡°He¡¯s forever for me.¡± Kingston sighed with a bitter expression. ¡°You better get back to him then.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I shook my head. ¡°Take care of yourself, Kingston.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other soon,¡± Kingston said. ¡°You guys are going to need my help with the Waar P*k.¡± Releasing my hand, he walked away. I went to the end of the hall and smiled, leaning against the wall. ¡°I guess he behaved well enough,¡± I said, knowing Theo was just around the corner. ¡°Since he¡¯s walking away in one piece.¡± ¡°He was pushing it,¡± Theo said, stepping in front of me and pulling me against him. ¡°You saved him with the whole ¡®forever¡¯ thing.¡± I chuckled as he kissed me. ¡°Now, can we go?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned,ying my head on his chest. ¡°Me too.¡± We made it back out of the ruins. Theo told me we would be taking a helicopter to Blue Fang territory to a safe house where Alpha Harden would meet uster. Kylee and Ma were taken there earlier to be looked after. Theo helped me onto one of the offroad vehicles brought 20.46% Chapter 134 A 288 Vouchers in by the second team. The rest of the trip was a bit of a blur. I somehow fell asleep on the flight as the sun rose. I woke up with Theo wrapped around me, snoring softly. I smiled and snuggled into him. Until my stomach let out an awful grumble, reminding me I hadn¡¯t eaten in days. Kylee had said I had been in and out of consciousness before I wokepletely. Harry had at least fed me water during that time. But now my body was demanding food. ¡°I¡¯ll get you something to eat,¡± Theo murmured. I hadn¡¯t even noticed he woke up. ¡°You rest a while longer.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m awake now.¡± We climbed out of bed, Theo never letting go of my hand, and went down the small hallway to the kitchen. There was a note on the counter from Alpha Harden letting us know there was a selection of take-out in the fridge for us when we were ready. I groaned as I pulled out several containers of pasta. ¡°I love that man,¡¯ I said. ¡°Baby, those are fighting words,¡± Theo replied. ¡°Should I be jealous?¡± He pinned me against the counter, caging me between his arms. ¡°Only if thissagna is better than yours,¡± I teased. He leaned over and popped a container open. ¡°I think I¡¯m safe,¡± hemented, taking my mouth with his. We were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. We both looked to see Kylee standing in the doorway to what must have been a second bedroom. She looked a little shocked herself. But as she looked between me and Theo, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she wasn¡¯t expecting to see me, Theo, or both of us together. Whatever look it was, it bothered me. 47.44% 10-58 Chapter 134: A 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡± She retreated back into the room and shut the door. Theo and I both sighed as I rested my forehead on his chest. ¡°What are we going to do about them?¡± I asked. ¡°Whatever you want,¡± Theo stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want,¡± I replied as much to myself as to Theo. ¡°We had a¡­ conversation ¨C I guess you could call it that were being held.¡± ¡°And?¡± Theo pressed as he dished food out to be heated. when we ¡°And I¡¯m not sure it resolved anything,¡± I said. I smirked a little. ¡°Although, I think that was the first time I never held my feelings back from them.¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°I wish I had seen that. Especially if your confrontation. with Kylee at the packhouse was you holding back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I stated. ¡°I was a bit brutal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault if honesty hurts,¡± Theo said with a shrug. ¡°But it¡¯s up to you, A. Whatever you feel you need to do, I¡¯m one hundred percent behind you.¡± 80 19% Chester 1*5 Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 1*5: Theo I made sure A ate enough. By the time we made it to the safe house that morning, she was completely passed out from exhaustion. She even slept through the medic setting her up with an IV drip for a few hours. But overall, I was incredibly relieved with her condition. Physically, at least. Her wounds were healing fast, but I worried about the m**tal toll the experience would have on her. When she was done eating, I insisted she take a long, hot bath to rx and recover. We needed to speak with Alpha Harden before we left for home, and I was going to make sure she used these few hours to take care of herself. There was no telling what she would be bombarded with when we got back. I was on the front porch, just getting off a call with Randy, when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. ¡°What do you want, Kylee?¡± I asked when I saw it was her, pushing Kieran back as he growled in my head. She shut the front door behind her. ¡°Can we talk?¡± I ran a hand down my face. ¡°I have nothing to say to you, Kylee,¡± I stated. ¡°But I do,¡± she replied shakily. She took a deep breath. ¡°I want to apologize to you. There were so many things I did wrong. I see that now. I hurt A and I hurt you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who needs an apology, Kylee,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve apologized to A,¡± she rushed. ¡°I know it¡¯s not even close to being enough, but I did.¡± 0.00% 10:58 Chapter 1*5. Theo 288 iVouchers ¡°Then, whatever happens, is up to her,¡± I told her, crossing my arms and leaning against the railing. ¡°I no longer have an interest in your well-being as anything other than my pack member and my mate¡¯s sister. And thetter is contingent on A.¡± Kylee¡¯s hands fidgeted in front of her. Her lip trembled and her eyes brimmed with tears. Maybe I should have felt guilty for not caring, but I didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t as easy for me to forgive as A. It was one of the many ways she was better than me. But if she wasn¡¯t ready to forgive Kylee, I sure wasn¡¯t. Looking at her now, it wasn¡¯t even about what she did to me. I wasn¡¯t sure I could ever forgive her for what she did to A. Hell, I still hadn¡¯t forgiven myself. ¡°Okay,¡± Kylee replied, seemingly surprised by my response, which kind of pi**ed me off. ¡°But I still wanted you know that the things I did to be with you¡­ It was all because I love you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t that to me, say JJ I growled. ¡°Ever.¡± ¡°J Her eyes went slightly wide. ¡°But I do¡­¡± ¡°No, Kylee,¡± I snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t. You love some schoolgirl fantasy of me. You don¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, Theo,¡± she said stubbornly. Iughed. ¡°Kylee, you werepletely oblivious to the fact that I changed toward you. You had no idea that I had experienced something extremely emotional the night I met A. I could see why your mother wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but you? You saw nothing that was going on between the two people you supposedly love. At the time, I was grateful because I couldn¡¯t hurt you if you couldn¡¯t tell. But now¡­ now I know that not seeing what was so clear to everybody else was a testament to how you saw me. 24.05% 10:58 Chapter 1*5 Theo 288 iVouchers ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t love you,¡± she insisted. ¡°You¡¯re my first love. I didn¡¯t know what it meant to be in that kind of rtionship.¡± ¡°But you know how to be a person, Kylee,¡± I admonished. It was starting to feel like I was talking to a child. ¡°You¡¯ve had more rtionships and friendships than A had.¡± ¡°I realize that¡­¡± ¡°You know how I know that¡¯s not love?¡± I pushed off the railing. ¡°Because I know every shift in A¡¯s mood. I know when she¡¯s sad. When she¡¯s hurt. When she¡¯s pi**ed off. I know when she¡¯s conflicted and unsure of herself. And if she ever started avoiding me for any reason, I da**ed well would be doing everything in my power to know why and what she needed from me. I know you didn¡¯t love me, Kylee, because I love your sister with everything I am. And what you showed me was nothingpared to that.¡± I took a step toward her. ¡°And if you think you saying otherwise is going to give you any chance of getting back together¡­¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± she eximed, and for once, I actually believed her. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to hate me anymore, Theo.¡± ¡°Alpha,¡± I corrected her. Her mouth opened and closed as she searched for words before hanging her head. ¡°Alpha¡­¡± ¡°Let me be clear, Kylee,¡± I said. ¡°As your Alpha and as your brother-in-w, I am d you are safe. I am still responsible for your safety and will take that seriously. I don¡¯t hate you. I don¡¯t feel anything for you other than the obligation I¡¯ve sworn to uphold.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she whispered. ¡°Will you¡­ can you¡­ can you at least 52.72% 10:58 Chapter 1*5: Theo 288 iVouchers talk to A for me, please? I want to make things right.¡± ¡°If you want to make things right, you should start by not talking about how much you think you loved her mate,¡± I insisted. ¡°Find a way to be happy for her.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡± ¡°As if you would be okay with letting A be with Kingston,¡± she snapped bitterly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t okay with it, but I was ready to ept it,¡± I bellowed. She really wasn¡¯t getting it. ¡°It hurt like f***ing hell, but I would have never taken that happiness from her again. And A belongs with me. You knew I never belonged with you. So, you¡¯re still missing the point, Kylee. Love isn¡¯t about your happiness. It¡¯s about theirs. So, you either don¡¯t have a clue what love is or you¡¯re too da*n selfish to care. But if I were you, I¡¯d start figuring that out before you start running that mouth of yours.¡¯ I pushed passed her, pausing with my hand on the doorknob. ¡°Oh, and no, I won¡¯t talk to her for you,¡± I said. ¡°Whether A forgives you or not, I will support her. But she has no obligation to allow you to make things right. I won¡¯t do anything to encourage otherwise. She doesn¡¯t owe you a da*n thing.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± Kylee sobbed. ¡°Be better.¡± Chapter 1*6: A 288 Vouchers Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 1*6: A I got out of the bath and dried off. I slipped on some sweats that actually fit, thanking whoever brought them for me. It felt so good to be clean. Once in the hot water, I realized how dirty I felt. I spent extra time scrubbing my body, working to rid myself of everything that happened. I was a deep shade of pink by the time I emerged. I had brushed my teeth and was sitting on the bed, brushing my hair, when there was a tap on the door.. ¡°May I?¡± Ma asked, indicating the brush in my hand. Thesitated but slowly handed it to her. She sat behind me on the bed as I tucked my feet up in front of me. She gently began to run the brush through my tangled hair. It felt so familiar that my mind shed back to when she used to do this when I was younger. Before Dad died. I shook off the memory. I had enough to make me feel sad and angry without it. ¡°I know you think I act like nothing is wrong,¡± Ma finally spoke. ¡°And. I do. But it¡¯s not because I don¡¯t know that things are wrong.¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t know what else to do. I¡¯m sorry never seemed good enough. I didn¡¯t know how to face the shame. I¡­ I¡¯ ve never been strong like you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said tly. ¡°I know you tried, Ma. It was always a shi**y try, but you tried. At least when you were sober.¡± ¡°Which wasn¡¯t often,¡± Ma said regretfully. ¡°It¡¯s an addiction, Ma,¡± I said. 0.00% Chapter 1*5: A 288 iVouchers ¡°That you tried to help me with so many times,¡± she replied. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± I said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to make it sound like it was all okay, Ma. These are things you need to remember. To consider going forward. Whatever you tried in the past didn¡¯t work. It¡¯s time to try something else.¡± ¡°Are you saying we cane home with you?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± I said instinctually. I winced, not realizing that¡¯s how I felt until then and knowing it was time to address it. I turned around on the bed to face my mother. I grabbed her hands. ¡± ¡°No, Ma,¡± I restated. ¡°You¡¯re not ready to be with me yet.¡± ¡°You mean you¡¯re not ready to forgive me.¡± ¡°No,¡± I insisted. ¡°I mean you¡¯re not ready. I always forgive you, Ma. I¡¯ll forgive you again eventually. But I¡¯m done being treated the way I have been. I¡¯m done being disregarded and used. I won¡¯t put up with it again. You¡¯re not ready to not be that person yet. You need to figure out how to change that. I can¡¯t do that for you.¡± She tried not to fall apart. Holding back tears. She sniffed, taking a deep breath. ¡°Okay,¡± she said with the most determination I¡¯d seen in her in years. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to rehab, Ma,¡± I said gently. ¡°You¡¯ve already made it through the hardest part. But you¡¯ve only detoxed. You¡¯re not fixed. That¡¯s going to take a long time. And I need you to start with a rehab program. I¡¯ll talk to Alpha Harden. We can set you up with one here in the Blue Fang Pack. Get clean. Like actually clean. No more drinking. 26.53% 10:58 288 Vouchers Chapter 156. A No more gambling. Go to therapy. Get on your feet. Then maybe we¡¯ll talk about youing home.¡± ¡°I can do that, A,¡± she insisted. ¡°I promise I can do that.¡± ¡°And I will hold you to that,¡± I said, She was quiet for a few minutes, just rubbing my hands that still held hers.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°A,¡± she said softly, ¡°can I¡­ will¡­¡± She struggled to get the words out, but I could tell it was something important. I squeezed her hand. She swallowed and took another deep breath. ¡°When he was¡­¡± she said. ¡°When I thought¡­ All I could think was that I wouldn¡¯t get to hold my baby girl again. I know I¡¯m broken, and I know I¡¯m a terrible parent. But I still feel like your mother. I love you like a mother. So, can I hold my baby? Just for a little while?¡± I scooted in, resting my head on her shoulder as I snaked my arms. around her waist. She held me to her, rubbing my back as she rocked us back and forth. She sniffled and I knew she was crying. ¡°You know I¡¯m so grateful I had you, sweet girl.¡± It was something you said to me growing up. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°I know, Mama,¡± I replied. ¡°You know what Kylee did was my fault, right?¡± she said. ¡°I said terrible things out of spite.¡± I pulled away and looked at her sadly. ¡°No, Mama, Kylee can think for herself. She chose to do those things. Whatever happens, it¡¯s between me and Kylee, okay?¡± 55.32% ||| 10:58 Chapter 1*6: A 288 iVouchers Ma nodded. ¡°Marie,¡± Theo¡¯s voice sounded from the doorway, ¡°it¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Ma gave him a weak smile and hugged me again before leaving. Theo shut and locked the door behind her. He kicked his shoes off and climbed on the bed, sitting against the headboard as he dragged up with him. I sank into him, taking a few minutes to experience that feeling before the world pushed its way back in. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been getting some overdue apologies,¡± he said,cing his fingers in mine. ¡°Mhmm,¡± I hummed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for sending you away,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again, but it was the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Considering I sessfully got myself kidnapped because I tried toe back, it¡¯s hard for me to argue,¡± I said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have fought you on it.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°we both made the right decision. I need you with me, A. You¡¯re strong enough and smart enough to help us keep you safe.¡± ¡°About time you realized that,¡± I teased. 81.06% Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137: A I woke up around two in the morning. The house was quiet. The only sound was Theo¡¯s soft breathing next to me. I gingerly moved his arm from my waist and slipped out of bed. I made my way to the kitchen, pulling a ss from the cab for water. ¡°A¡­¡± I nearly jumped. My hand went to my chest as it took a second to recognize Kylee¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± I turned to her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m a little on edge still, I guess. Kylee nodded. ¡°What are you doing up?¡± I asked. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve had a lot to think about.¡± ¡°I would think so,¡± I replied. She let out a shaky sigh. ¡°A, I think I should stay here.¡± I set my ss down on the counter, waiting to see if she would continue or if I could go back to bed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, A,¡± she exined. ¡°I am so ashamed of myself, but I also still feel hurt. Two months ago, I was nning my mating ceremony. I thought I had my future all figured out. Now, that¡¯s gone, and I have to find a way toe to terms with the person I¡¯ve be. It hurts.¡± 0.00% ||| O 10:58 Chapter 137 A •þ 288 Vouchers I started to turn away from her. Two months ago, I would have taken her in my arms and told her how I would make everything right. I didn¡¯ t have that inclination anymore, I couldn¡¯t give her what she wanted. ¡°I know you¡¯re thest person I should be talking to about this,¡± she rushed, grabbing my arm. ¡°I know you don¡¯t deserve to hear it, but I¡­ I just don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I exhaled heavily. ¡°You can be hurt, Kylee,¡± I said. ¡°You just can¡¯t me it on me.¡± Kylee winced. ¡°I know,¡± she conceded. ¡°My head understands that, but the rest of me doesn¡¯t want to ept it. That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s best if I stay here. Ma told me what you said to her. How you want her to go to rehab and stuff. To get better so she can make things up to you. I think I need to take some time to do the same. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I think that would be a good idea.¡± I dumped the water in the sink and rinsed the ss, heading toward the bedroom. ¡°A,¡± Kylee stopped me, ¡°Ma said that you would forgive her someday. Do you think you¡¯ll ever be able to forgive me?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Probably,¡± I said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you need to focus on.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My forgiveness isn¡¯t for your benefit,¡± I said. ¡°If I forgive you, it¡¯s because I¡¯m ready to move on and heal. If you findfort in me forgiving you, great. But my forgiveness is for me. And that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll ept you back in my life, Kylee. I will probably let Mae home if she wants. But that¡¯s because I know I enabled her. 22.58% 10:58 Chapter 137 A 288 Vouchers Doesn¡¯t matter what the reasons were. I did. You didn¡¯t learn to be selfish from me, Kylee.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what changed with you, Kylee,¡± I continued. ¡°But I know I taught you better. I may not have been there as much as I should have, but I know what our time together was like. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re this person. Or, at least, I don¡¯t believe you were this person three years ago. You might want to figure out if this is who you want to be.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not. I don¡¯t want to hurt people, A.¡± ¡°Then you need to figure out how to change that,¡± I insisted. ¡°And don¡¯ t think staying here means you can just live off of Alpha Harden¡¯s Kindness. You want to show me you want to change, then you need to actually make some changes. You¡¯re twenty years old. It¡¯s time that you pulled your weight. If you want to go back to school, fine. But you¡¯re going to find a way to pay for it. If you have to get a job, get a job. If you¡¯re going to stay close to Ma, then you¡¯re going to have to step in and help her stick to the program. It¡¯s your turn to take care of the family, Kylee. Because right now, I¡¯m not a part of it.¡± Silent tears ran down her face. Her eyes shifted from me to the hallway. Theo was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall. He was looking at Kylee with ufortable disdain. I¡¯m not sure if he would ever befortable having Kylee around, and I couldn¡¯t me him. Whether she realized it at the time or not, she took advantage of him in a vulnerable state. I turned back to my sister. ¡°And I won¡¯t make any promises for the future,¡± I told her. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything that puts my mate in an unpleasant situation. If Theo doesn¡¯t want you living near us, then you won¡¯t.¡± 52.78% 10:59 Chapter 137: A 288 Vouchers ¡°I understand,¡± she said. ¡°I¡­ I will do my best, A. I promise.¡± She stepped closer to me tentatively, moving in to hug me. I hugged her back gently, letting her take thisst bit offort from me. Maybe she would take hope from it. ¡°I love you, A,¡± she whispered. I pulled away, holding her shoulders. ¡°Go get some sleep.¡± She returned to the room she shared with Ma, shutting the door behind her. Theo came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You did what you could, babe,¡± he said. ¡°The rest is up to her. Now,e back to bed.¡± 87.90% 10:58 Chapter 1*8. Theo 288 VouchersContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 1*8: Theo We were waiting for Briggs to arrive the next morning to pick us up for our meeting with Alpha Harden. A said she didn¡¯t want to speak with him at the safe house. She didn¡¯t want Kylee or her mother involved. She would talk to Harden about getting them settled in here in Blue Fang, but she wanted them to worry about getting their lives together, not how to keep them. I wasn¡¯t inclined to have them overhear anything, either. The more they knew, the more of a liability they were to A. I wasn¡¯t okay with that. So, I had no issues moving the meeting to a different location. Briggs and Randy had taken our findings from the Onyxcrown packhouse back to the cer in Greytooth. They would arrive back shortly to pick us up from here. A was pacing the small living room. There was a lot on her mind, and I started to worry she was beginning to feel some post-traumatic stress. I went to her, stopping her pacing as I tipped her chin up to kiss her. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, love?¡± I asked gently. I loved how she sank into me whenever I touched her. Knowing I could do that to her was the most sensual experience ever. I would. never get over it. I held her as she looked up at me. ¡°I just feel like there¡¯s so much to do,¡± she expressed. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure what to do first.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°We need to figure out what the Waar P*k is up to. So, we need to go -0.00% 10:59 Chapter 139 They 288 Vouchers over everything we found from Harry. That will take a while. We need to start looking into finding members and tracking them down to stop them. We still have your Alpha ceremony to get through. I need to figure out what I¡¯m going to do with my career. I know I will be taking on the Luna duties soon, but I want something that¡¯s mine, too. I still want to go to school. Not to mention, I want to sell the house¡­¡± ¡°Okay, okay, baby, slow down,¡± I chuckled. ¡°All of that is being taken care of. This meeting will address the Waar P*k. I¡¯ve already postponed the Alpha ceremony. It¡¯s just not going to happen this week. We¡¯ll get you in school next week. That¡¯ll be easy. None of this is anything you have to handle by yourself, okay? That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for now. But why do you want to sell the house?¡± She sighed. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel right to keep it anymore. Ma and Kylee aren¡¯t going back there for now. Even if they do return to Greytooth, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll go back to the house. It just feels¡­ vited. I don¡¯t think I could go back there without thinking of Harry. It broke my heart that her childhood home had been tainted in such way. I knew how much the property meant to her. But I could understand her wanting to let it go and move on. ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s go there first,¡± I said. ¡°Instead of heading back home, we can go and get it ready to sell. Unless you just want to hire someone to take care of it?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°I want to do it. I think having a stranger in there would make it worse. Besides, I¡¯ll have to get Ma¡¯s and Kylee¡¯s things. ready to send to them.¡± ¡°Alright, then,¡± I concluded. ¡°We¡¯ll stop by the house first. We¡¯ll handle one thing at a time, babe, and nothing more than you¡¯re ready to take on.¡± 29.89% ||| -10:59 Chapter 1*8 Tho 289 Vouchers There was a knock at the door, and Briggs connected to tell us it was them. I let them in and was almost knocked on my a*s when Mina burst through, making a beeline to A and throwing her arms around her. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever be that st**id again,¡± Mina scolded her cousin as she held her. ¡°You nearly gave me an aneurysm.¡± Aughed. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Good,¡± she said. She held up a bag. ¡°Now, go get changed out of those sweats so we can get going.¡± ¡°I love you,¡± she breathed, grabbing the bag eagerly. As A ran to the bedroom to change, Marie and Kylee emerged from their room. Mina went to them next, embracing each of them. ¡®How is A?¡¯ Briggs asked through the mind-link. ¡®Still holding up?¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s physically recovered,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Quite impressively, actually. ¡®And her me**al state?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know yet,¡¯ I said worriedly. ¡®She¡¯s definitely feeling stressed, but she¡¯s been dealing with her family since she arrived. I¡¯m watching for deeper trauma.¡¯ ¡®Then let¡¯s get this meeting over with and get her home,¡¯ he insisted. ¡®Agreed.¡¯ A returned, looking morefortable in her own clothes. ¡°We ready?¡± she asked, brighter than a few minutes earlier. ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Marie said. 67.42% ||| 10:59 Chapter 1*8 Theo 288 (Vouchers A looked at her. ¡°Ma, I have things to get back to. You knew I wasn¡¯t staying.¡± Marie shook herself. ¡°No, of course, you¡¯re right.¡± A took a deep breath. She hugged her mother and sister onest time but didn¡¯t say anything else. She came to my side and took my hand. ¡°We ready?¡± 93.75% Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139: Theo We drove to the address Harden had given us. It was an expansive country estate settled near the base of the mountains. We pulled through the gate and parked in the front. Randy and Alpha Harden met us out front. ¡°Ms. Garner,¡± Harden said, taking her hand, ¡°I¡¯m d to see you looking so well. I hope you are recovering from your ordeal.¡± ¡°I hear Irgely have you to thank for that,¡± A said kindly. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± Harden smiled at her. ¡°My assistance was never in question.¡± He addressed the rest of us. ¡°Please,e inside. There is someone you all need to meet.¡± We followed him inside and were led to a plush sitting room. There was a male waiting for us, looking over the contents of a folder he held in his broad hands. The man was huge. He was several inches taller than me and somehow broader, which was saying something. I¡¯d never been used of being average, but this guy made me feel small. Noticing our arrival, he closed the folder and set it on the coffee table. ¡°Everyone,¡± Harden began, ¡°this is my brother, Alpha Cooper.¡± ¡°And this must be the Greytooth members causing such a stir these days,¡± Alpha Cooper said, stepping forward to offer me a hand. I shook it firmly. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± I introduced myself. ¡°This is my mate, Luna A.¡± 0.00% 10:59 ||| O < Chapter 139: Theo 288 Vouchers. ¡°You, my dear, need no introduction,¡± Cooper said. ¡°Forgive me if I don¡¯t shake your hand. I¡¯m, unfortunately, unmated. It¡¯s probably best to avoid anyplications.¡± I instinctively pulled A closer to me. The corner of Cooper¡¯s lips twitched up at my reaction. ¡°Please, everyone,e sit down.¡± He motioned us towards the couches. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re eager to get more information about the situation.¡± ¡°At this point, that¡¯s a bit of an understatement,¡± A said. ¡°For starters, why would shaking my hand causeplications?¡± We all settled into our seats. I couldn¡¯t help the desire to keep A so close she was practically in my lap. Harden answered. ¡°Ms. Garner, we know the stories about the Blessed One are new to you. We hope to provide you with more information, but we want to set some expectations. Much of what we know was gathered from the Waar P*k Society. Anything elsees from other obscure sources. Ultimately, everything is just theory at this point. ¡°Okay,¡± A replied skeptically. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll let you decide where to start.¡± ¡°I suppose we should start by exining why we know so much,¡± Alpha Cooper stated. ¡°As Randy and my brother have mentioned, I am the head of a covert group of agents that focus on the Waar P*k Society.¡± ¡°The Onyxcrown Pack was a close ally of ours and friends,¡± Harden said. ¡°I knew your father very well, Ms. Garner. It was personal and political for us. We also couldn¡¯t assume they wouldn¡¯te after other packs. Finding the members was a slow process. As I¡¯m sure you 19.56% 10:59 Chapter 139 Theo 288 Vouchers can imagine, a cross-pack secret society doesn¡¯t really advertise its organization.¡± ¡°Regardless, we did manage to make strides, mostly over the past ten to fifteen years,¡± Cooper said. ¡°We started to infiltrate their ranks to find out what the society is actually about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how we found out about the Blessed One,¡± Randy spoke. ¡°They have other objectives, but thatBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. one seemed to hold a specific importance to their practices. So I was tasked with focusing on that.¡± ¡°Right, a bedtime story that supposedly inspired mass murder,¡± A said. ¡°I understand the secret groups. Alpha Harden said something about the Dominis family making themselves kings. Okay, sure, I get why that would make people nervous and some delusional as***le took it too far. But that doesn¡¯t exin what it has to do with me. Someone believes that I¡¯m the Blessed One and I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s why all these things are happening to me or if it¡¯s the other way around. That¡¯s what I want to understand. I keep hearing all the words and details that make no sense and mean nothing to me. That¡¯s what I want to know about right now.¡± ¡°Like how you could have more than one mate?¡± Randy said, eyeing me for a second. A shook her head. ¡°I have one mate, Randy.¡± She sighed. ¡°But yes, why would others believe they could also be?¡± ¡°The Blessed One is supposed to be the moon goddess reincarnated on Earth,¡± Cooper exined. ¡°The living embodiment of a true Luna. Any Alpha would be drawn to that kind of power. So, some versions of the story state that she would be the mate of all Alphas. After all, Alphas are Alphas by the grace of the goddess. I have to say, sitting in the room with you now, the theory is quitepelling.¡± 42.74% 10:59 Chapter 139. The 288 Vouchers ¡°Then why do I keep hearing about her true mate?¡± I asked, trying not to show the jealous rage simmering under the surface at the thought of anyone else trying to im A. ¡°Because they all mention one true mate,¡± Randy stated. ¡°There was one Alpha who was destined to be the one who ruled with her. If she bonded with any other Alpha, it would be an inferior bond, marked or not. The bond with her true mate would break the prior immediately. That¡¯s why I initially assumed you were her true mate.¡± ¡°Assumed?¡± I gritted out. ¡°We first saw Ms. Garner with Alpha Kingston,¡± Harden said. ¡°We assumed she bonded with him first, then met you.¡± ¡°Then I found out you rejected her,¡± Randy interjected. ¡°Something that should have been impossible. I started to question that assumption.¡± A squeezed my leg in assurance, trying to calm the turmoil within me. Kieran was growling in protest, telling me he was wrong. A and Dasha belonged with us. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alpha,¡± Randy insisted steadily. ¡°Harry pretty much confirmed that you are A¡¯s true mate. We¡¯ve been able to piece enough information together to support his belief. It also exins the lengths he went through to get you to mark someone else. He knew his own mark on A wouldn¡¯t be enough. I think he was hoping if you marked someone else, you wouldn¡¯t recognize her.¡± ¡°Even though there was no guarantee we would ever meet,¡± I said solemnly. ¡°His attempts to keep us apart is what brought us together.¡± ¡°The Alpha ceremony,¡± A said, looking at me. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been with Kylee, I still would have been at the Alpha ceremony. We would have met then. He said he tried to get you with other she-wolves, but it 68.60% 10:59 Chapter 139: Theo 288 Vouchers didn¡¯t work. Kylee was the only one that his pheromone stuff worked on. He didn¡¯t care who it was as long as it was toote by the time we met.¡± I looked at her for a few moments. My chest tightened as I realized just how messed up our meeting was. I imagined how amazing it would have been to meet her the night I became Alpha. I kissed her forehead. I was just grateful we were together now. 94.04% Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140: A ¡°Yes, well,¡± Harden said, ¡°as happy as I am that you two have found each other, this whole situation does pose another issue.¡± I looked back at Alpha Harden. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he intended the oue, but when Kingston brought you to the Alpha¡¯s Gathering, I¡¯m sure you noticed the amount of attention you attracted, my dear girl,¡± Harden told me. ¡°The former Alpha Conner is an example. ¡± ¡°Kingston admitted to wanting to get the Waar P*k¡¯s attention with that,¡± I said. ¡°What?¡± Theo hissed beside me. ¡°He¡¯s been hunting them,¡± I exined, hoping Theo wouldn¡¯t let it go for now. ¡°We are aware of Alpha Kingston¡¯s hobby,¡± Alpha Cooper said. ¡°It¡¯s both helped and hurt some of our operationstely. But that¡¯s not what Harden is concerned with.¡± I looked back at them. ¡°There has been some¡­ unrest since the Gathering,¡± Harden stated. ¡°Any of the unmated Alphas you met have developed an infatuation with you. Most are minor fixations. No more than reaching out with requests to see you again or to find out where you are. But some have been more intense. Alpha Conner, for one. His obsession hit fast. Even Harry¡¯s behavior supports our fears. If he had Alpha blood, it would exin his obsession and downward m**tal spiral.¡± 0.00% 11:00 Chapter 140. A 288 Vouchers ¡°Are you saying A is driving the males crazy?¡± Mina shot. ¡°Power is one hell of a drug,¡± Randy said with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s just ridiculous,¡± I insisted. ¡°So you didn¡¯t see a change in Kingston over your time together?¡± Cooper asked. ¡°If meeting Theo isn¡¯t what split you up, what did?¡± ¡°He¡­..¡± I huffed. ¡°He was having me followed. He became very controlling and overprotective.¡± ¡°And another Alpha nearly rejected his fated mate and started a war just because he saw you,¡± Harden said. ¡°Again, I don¡¯t know if Kingston knew that would happen or if he had a clear enough head to care at that point, but you have an effect on all Alphas. That needs to be addressed.¡± ¡°What do we have to do?¡± Theo asked with determination. ¡°I¡¯m not any happier about any of this than you are. I would prefer not to have to fight off every Alpha thatys eyes on my mate.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Randy said, ¡°we don¡¯t know for sure. Remember, this is all conjecture at best.¡± ¡°But my suggestion,¡± Cooper interrupted, ¡°would be to mark each other. Soon. The sooner, the better.¡± ¡°Our mating ceremony was supposed to be this weekend,¡± Theo informed them. ¡°We were nning to postpone it but¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Harden said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a public ceremony. It may be better that it isn¡¯t. Either way, do it soon.¡¯ ¡± ¡°I won¡¯t argue,¡± Theo insisted, squeezing my thigh. 21.73% 11:00 Chapter 140 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Okay, we can take care of that,¡± I agreed. ¡°What about the other abilities? I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m any kind of Blessed One or whatever, but I get that I can do things. Likemanding people. Harry mentioned that my family was known for having extra abilities.¡± ¡°There were a few gifted wolves in the Dominis family,¡± Harden said. ¡°A Luna being able tomand other Alphas is unique, but I suppose it could be an extension of those gifts. ¡°It¡¯s about time, too,¡± Mina mumbled Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mina,¡± Briggs sighed. Cooper and Harden burst outughing, and Randy just grinned and shook his head. ¡°Youngdy, I can assure you, my Luna has never had any trouble with being obeyed despitecking the ability tomand,¡± Harden assured. ¡°Any Luna worth their salt has no problem holding their own,¡± Cooper expressed. ¡°Still¡­¡± Mina stated strongly. ¡°What does any of this mean for Mina or my sister?¡± I asked, getting ust back on topic. ¡°They are an interest to the Waar P*k as far as being Onyxcrown blood,¡± Randy said. ¡°However, I don¡¯t think they know about Mina. I wasn¡¯t even able to make the connection. So, she should be safe where she is. Kylee is a vulnerability.¡± ¡°She has opted to stay here in Blue Fang,¡± I said. ¡°If Alpha Harden is still willing to house them.¡± 44.99% 11:00 Chapter 140 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Of course,¡± Harden replied. ¡°We can set them up with new identities as well,¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Do we know if there is any chance the Waar P*k would just leave us be? I do not intend to create any new kingdom or even rebuild the Onyxcrown Pack. I¡¯m a Greytooth. I just want to be the best Luna I can for them. That feels like more than enough.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Theo expressed. ¡°My people are all I need. I prefer not to have a war brought to their doorstep.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want that either,¡± Cooper said. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re hoping to prevent. But the Waar P*k aren¡¯t known for listening to reason. Besides, it¡¯s most likely they¡¯reing after you for the power you already have, not to stop you from gaining more.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Randy burst. ¡°That would be an understatement. Most of the ranking members I¡¯ve discovered are wealthy elitists already. Truth be told, I¡¯m sure there are some reigning Alphas among their ranks. I¡¯ll be working on getting more identities in theing weeks.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be helping us with what we found at the Onyxcrown packhouse?¡± I asked. Randy gave me a gentle smile. ¡°If you need me, I¡¯ll be there. But my skills are better utilized in the field.¡± ¡°You should reach out to Kingston then,¡± I said. ¡°He said something about knowing who one of the leaders is. Someone named Grogan.¡± Randy perked up. ¡°I think I will do just that.¡± ¡°What about Harry working for the Waar P*k?¡± Theo asked. ¡°We¡¯re pretty sure we have some of his research. But if what we¡¯ve seen so far any indication of the resources he provided them with, there¡¯s no is 66.75% 11:00 Chapter 140: A 288 Vouchers telling what we could be up against. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re hoping you guys can handle,¡± Cooper said. ¡°You have everything we pulled from Harry¡¯s hideout, and you have ess to all his properties within your territory. You also know him better than any of us. Randy is going to be watching out for any new tech he maye across. If he finds anything, he¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141: A ¡°I almost forgot,¡± Randy said. ¡°You may want to speak with Professor Armand. He¡¯s one of ours. He may be able to help you make sense of some of Harry¡¯s ramblings.¡¯ ¡± ¡°So he was involved,¡± Theomented. ¡°Why are you just now telling us?¡± Randy shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance before we had to send A away. He wouldn¡¯t be much help without her. He¡¯s under the samemand I am. ¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, about that,¡± Theo pressed. ¡°How does that work? I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡± The three men exchanged looks. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®s a safeguard,¡± Cooper said. ¡°One we actually learned from the Waar P*k. We use it to help protect our undercover agents.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Theo said, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t answer my question. How does it work? How can someone be under themand of someone they haven¡¯t met, and how can that be stronger than any other Alpha¡¯smand?¡± ¡°Not just anyone,¡± Cooper stated. ¡°A. It¡¯s not an easy or pretty process. We don¡¯t use it on all of our agents.¡± ¡°And if I wanted to use it with some of my people?¡± Theo asked. ¡°For instance, myself. It would give me some peace of mind to know I can¡¯t be used against my mate.¡± 0.00% 11:00 Chapter 141: A 288 Vouchers Iced my fingers in his, hearing the stress and fear in his voice. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to that, either,¡± Briggs said. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A could just issue themand herself,¡± Cooper said. ¡°We can give you the wording. But it would be safer than our process.¡± ¡°What do you mean safer?¡± I asked. ¡°How was themand tied to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on old ritual,¡± Randy finally said. ¡°It came from the Onyxcrown archives. Apparently, one of your ancestors developed the process. Èý Which would make sense since it requires a piece of you, so to speak.¡± µÀ ¡°Excuse me?¡± I said, the hair on my neck sticking up. ¡°A piece of me?¡± ¡°Well, someone from your family,¡± Cooper rified. ¡°Blood, hair, skin, whatever. Like I said, it¡¯s not a pleasant process.¡± ¡°And where did you find a piece of my family to perform this before?¡± I asked disgustedly. Theo had tensed beside me. I knew he didn¡¯t like this any more than I did. ¡°Your father,¡± Harden said, leaning forward to rest a hand on mine. ¡°He gave it to us. He actually confirmed its efficacy. I wouldn¡¯t let him help us once he settled with the Greytooth Pack. We didn¡¯t want to lead the Waar P*k to him. But we did consult him a few times when we felt we had to. He gave us his blood.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I said. ¡°What about the Waar P*k? You said you learned it from them?¡± ¡°As far as we know, they haven¡¯t actually managed to sessfully use it,¡± Randy said. ¡°ept for the perhaps the highest ranking leaders.¡± 21.40% 11:00 Chapter 141: A 288 Vouchers ¡°But why use it?¡± I said. ¡°It seems counterintuitive to bind yourself to themand of the family you hate. ¡°To identify you would be my guess,¡± Randy pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re the only one that can release them. They use it to expose you. We use it to protect you instead. We can¡¯t be forced to reveal your identity or anything that may lead them to you. ¡°But themand had been removed,¡± Theo said, concerned. Randy shook his head. ¡°Not entirely,¡± he said. ¡°We didn¡¯t know for sure, of course. Not even Jack knew the extent of how the bindingmand worked. But I still can¡¯t bepelled to speak about you with anyone you haven¡¯t allowed me to speak to. It was quite frustrating when I tried reporting to Alpha Cooper. I had to tell Alpha Harden. The only reason I can talk freely now is because you¡¯re in the room.¡± ¡°I¡¯d still like to know about the process,¡± Theo said. ¡°This could be the difference between life and death for A. ??????????? ¡± ¡°You may not even need it,¡± Harden said. ¡°Once you mark each other, you¡¯ll be bound anyway. ¡°Do you think the same applies to Mina and me?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°She is a direct descendant.¡± Randy shrugged. ¡°It could, I suppose. You may still need themand. from A to drive it home, but you¡¯d have the bond.¡± ¡± ¡°But there are others that I would like to offer the opportunity,¡± Theo said. ¡°She¡¯s going to need a guard for a while.¡± Theo looked at me. ¡°I know Jimmy would appreciate knowing he couldn¡¯t bemanded to betray you.¡± 48.11% 11:00 Chapter 141 A 288 Vouchers Theo had told me that Jimmy had been beating himself up pretty badly over my attack. He had been wracked with guilt since I was stabbed. And all the events that followed didn¡¯t help. Theo said he even tried to step down as his Ga**a. I didn¡¯t want that to happen. ¡°Yeah, I think it would help,¡± I agreed. ¡°What if you tell us how to do the process in case we need to use it. But I¡¯ll try to work on themand myself first. If that¡¯s the safer option, I¡¯d much rather use that anyway.¡± Cooper looked to Harden. ¡°I can live with that,¡± he stated. ¡°But only if you promise to have Randy or me help you the first time IF you need it.¡± ¡°Or Professor Armand,¡± Randy indicated. ¡°I have no problem with that deal,¡± Theo said, reaching out to shake on it. ¡°Alright,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°Unless there is anything else you think we need to address, I think it¡¯s time you guys got on the road. I have a private ne waiting to take you back to Greytooth territory. You¡¯ll be leaving from a private airport, so they¡¯ll be ready by the time you get there.¡± We all stood up. Theo shook each man¡¯s hand again, thanking each of them genuinely. I did as well. I didn¡¯t want to think about where we would be if it wasn¡¯t for their help. I didn¡¯t think I could ever repay them for their kindness and generosity. Toward me or my family. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142: Theo It was a short flight back. I was surprised to see my parents waiting for us when wended. Both of them ended up in tears as they hugged A, grateful she was safe. I don¡¯t think Mom let go of A¡¯s hand the entire ride back to the packhouse. My father updated me on the pack business I missed while I was gone, but other than that, he was pretty quiet. I could tell he was struggling with Harry¡¯s betrayal and treatment of A. I would have to spend some extra time with him soon. I wouldn¡¯t let this be what breaks him after everything he¡¯s been through. It waste afternoon when we arrived back at the packhouse. I hoped we could slip in without much fuss, but I knew that was wishful thinking. The moment we stepped inside, a slew of people were waiting for us. Annabelle practically threw her daughter into her mate¡¯ s arms and rushed to embrace A. ¡°Thank the goddess, you¡¯re okay,¡± she said, squeezing her so hard I worried she¡¯d break a rib. ¡°Annabelle,¡± A gasped with a smile, ¡°I still need to breathe.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Annabelle said, jumping back. ¡°I¡¯m just so d to see you back.¡± A big frame moved quickly past me, and now Jimmy had her swept up in a bear hug. ¡°Okay, big guy,¡± A chuckled, patting him on the back. ¡°I¡¯m all good.¡± 0.00% 10:49 Chapter 142 Thes 11 288 Vouchers He put her back down and sheepishly rubbed his neck. ¡°Luna, can you wait at least a month or two before you give me a heart attack?¡± Jimmy said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it through another.¡± A smiled. ¡°I promise to do my best.¡± Jimmy turned to me, pulling me into an embrace as well. ¡°I¡¯m d you got her back, Alpha.¡± ¡°Me, too,¡± I said, pping his back. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a job for you that will help us keep it that way. Talk about it tomorrow?¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± My mother wrangled everyone and got them on their way, leaving me to take A to our apartment. We made it up to our wing when Mom caught up with us. ¡°Theo,¡± Mom said, ¡°A, I have something to show you.¡± We followed as she headed toward the Alpha¡¯s suite. I didn¡¯t know what she had up her sleeve, but I prayed it wouldn¡¯t be too overwhelming for A. Mom stopped before she opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried,¡± she said, grabbing A¡¯s hand. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t keep still but I felt so helpless. So, when your furniture came in early, I couldn¡¯t help myself. I knew everything would be okay.¡¯ ¡°J She opened the door and ushered us in. I heard A gasp as she stepped inside the door. My mother had fully decorated the suite for us. I thought it looked really nice, and there was something familiar about it. ¡°You can change anything you want, of course,¡± Mom rushed. ¡°I tried 21.73% III r 10:50 Chap 142 Thee to stick with your inspiration looks and got some pictures from your mother¡¯s house. But if you don¡¯t like anything, feel free to get rid of it.¡± A turned around and threw her arms around my mother. I released a slow breath. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, Grace,¡± A said, ¡°I love it. Thank you.¡± 1 grinned as my mother teared up. ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t seen everything yet,¡± she replied. ¡°Come. Let me give you the tour.¡± I hung back as they went to check out the rest of the apartment, I sat down in a recliner in the living room. I rested my head back and closed my eyes. The ce didn¡¯t feel like home just yet. It was still missing A¡¯s scent. What lingered from her wasn¡¯t enough. But I could imagine what it would be like when that time came. I got a pretty nice glimpse when I felt her slide onto myp. ¡°Do you hate it?¡± she asked teasingly, lying on my chest. ¡°You hate it all, don¡¯t you?¡± I chuckled. ¡°No, babe,¡± I replied, holding her to me. ¡°It looks great.¡± ¡°Everything okay?¡± My fingers started ying with her hair, letting the softness rx me like it always did. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about everything that needs to be done,¡± I admitted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get onto me about that this morning?¡± she admonished. Iughed. ¡°Yeah, I suppose I did,¡± I conceded. ¡°I just want to be with 44.94% ||| 0 r 10 50 Chapter 142 Theo 288 Vouchers you, A. I love you so much. I can¡¯t take this constant feeling like someone is going toe and take you from me.¡± A¡¯s lips touched mine, pushing firmly against me as she held me. ¡°I love you, too. No one is taking me anywhere, babe,¡± she insisted. ¡°And I¡¯m not going anywhere without you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Because this is what I want for the rest of my life.¡± Wey together like that for a while. As I reyed everything from the past week for the hundredth time, my mind kept drifting back to my father. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Dad.¡± I said softly. ¡°I know,¡± A replied. ¡°Me, too. I can¡¯t imagine how hard Harry¡¯s betrayal was for him.¡± ¡°It had taken a lot to convince him not toe with us to rescue you,¡± I told her. ¡°We practically had to sedate him before we left. But I knew if he went, he¡¯d shift. His wolf isn¡¯t stable enough to handle killing his own Beta or watching his son do it, either. There was no way to predict what would happen. Let alone the damage it would do to his body.¡± ¡°We should spend some extra time with him,¡± A stated. ¡°I think seeing us together will help.¡± I smiled against her hair. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°He needs something to be hopeful about.¡± A shifted, looking up at me. ¡°That reminds me,¡± she said. ¡°I was supposed to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± 66.90% ||| 10:50 Chapter 142 Theo 288 (Vouchers ¡°You remember when you came to get me from your parents¡¯ apartment to tell me about Randy?¡± A asked. ¡°Yeah, Dad had asked you to do something,¡± I replied. ¡°It was ourst session for the book,¡± she exined. ¡°I asked him if there was anything he wanted to do with hisst years.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°He said he wanted to hold his grandchildren.¡± I froze. My heart beating a mile a minute in my chest. ¡°I told him I¡¯d have to talk to¡­¡± I grabbed her face and pulled her to me, my lips crashing into hers. I kissed her deeply and with everything I had. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°More than anything, baby,¡± I rasped out. ¡°I want pups with you more than anything.¡± 89.19% Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Chapter 143: Theo I had gotten up early to spend a few hours in my office the next morning. I needed to dedicate some time to catch up on some business, both pack and professional. I trusted my people but had to put some time in while I could. I didn¡¯t know when things would slow down enough to get back to a routine closer to normal. Briggs knocked on the door about eight o¡¯clock,ing and sitting across from me. ¡°We have the cer room set up and ready to go,¡± he informed me. ¡°I let Mina¡¯s boss know she would be working on an important project with us for the time being. He promised her anything she needed. So, herb is avable if needed. He also offered to lend ab assistant or two if we wanted. I¡¯ll see what Mina thinks.¡± I nodded absently. ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Jimmy should be here in about an hour for us to discuss A¡¯s security detail,¡± he continued. ¡°We¡¯ll need to reach out to the university if she¡¯s going to be attending this semester. I doubt she¡¯ll want a bodyguard hovering over her the entire time. So we¡¯ll have to work with campus security, and I¡¯d like to start running our own background checks now.¡± ¡°Yeah, that will need to be a priority,¡± I agreed. ¡°You okay, man?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°A still holding up okay?¡± ¡°What? Yeah,¡± I said, shaking myself out of my trance. ¡°Just a lot going on. 0.00% 10:50 O < Chapter 143 Theo 219 Mot ¡°You sure? You gotta let me know if things are getting to be too much, bro,¡± Briggs insisted. ¡°I know, I know,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just trying to figure out our next step is all.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°You and A¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded. ¡°Theo, you heard Harden. You need to mark her soon,¡± Briggs reminded me. ¡°And I¡¯m not even saying that because of the whole Alpha mate thing. It¡¯s going to drive you crazy if you wait much longer. Honestly, I thought you would have done itst night when we got home. So, what¡¯s holding you back?¡± I ran my hands over my face. Briggs was my best friend, but sometimes I wish he didn¡¯t know me so well. ¡°I don¡¯t want to push her, Briggs,¡± I exined. ¡°Marking is¡­ it¡¯s extremely intimate, whether it¡¯s during a public ceremony or not.¡± ¡°Why do you think she¡¯s not ready for that?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°You guys seem to be on the same page to me.¡± I hadn¡¯t told him what I saw when I found A that night. It wasn¡¯t something I wanted to relive. But I was anyway. Any time A and I were alone. How could I tell him I was afraid to touch her like that right now? Thest thing I wanted was for her to be reminded of his hands on her. ¡°He nearly raped her, Briggs,¡± I said quietly. He stiffened in his chair. ¡°He was so close to¡­ If I had been a few secondster¡­¡± ¡°But you weren¡¯t,¡± Briggs said firmly. 26.91% < 10 50 Chapter 143 The 1283 Moucherg ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°But she and I both know what would have happened if I was. That image will haunt me for the rest of my life, man. I can only imagine what it¡¯s doing to A. I don¡¯t want to push this on her. When I mark her, I don¡¯t want him shing through her mind. I don¡¯t want him to f**king ruin this for her, too. The bas**rd has already taken so much from her. ¡°Has A talked to you about it?¡± he asked. ¡°She just keeps saying she¡¯s fine.¡± I said. ¡°But she¡¯s having nightmares. Kieran is stressed about it, too. His mood isn¡¯t the greatest whenever we remember that night. He says Dasha is fine, but he can¡¯t seem to shake the rage. I don¡¯t want to keep questioning her if she¡¯s not ready to talk about it. But I can¡¯t push our mating until I¡¯m sure she¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°You can¡¯t put it off much longer.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I insisted. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take her home over the weekend. I know everyone will be talking about the canceled ceremony, and I don¡¯t want A to have to deal with that. She wants to sell the house. She says Harry has tainted it. I¡¯m hoping if we can go down and start clearing it out, it will help her move on.¡± Briggs scratched his head. ¡°Do you want me to have Mina talk to her?¡± ¡°No,¡± I insisted. ¡°They¡¯ll talk anyway. I hope A opens up to her, but that information doesn¡¯t need to come from anyone else.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Briggs agreed. ¡°And you¡¯re probably right about the house. If she associates it with Harry now, then getting rid of it could be therapeutic.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, stacking papers on my desk. ¡°Can you do me a favor, though?¡± 53.83% 10:50 < Chapter 143 Theo 1 288 Vouchers ¡°Like you have to ask,¡± Briggs smirked. ¡°Well, two things, actually,¡± I rified. ¡°Clearing out the house might take us a few days. Can you spend some time with Dad? He¡¯s not taking this well. There are a couple runs that need to be made to the cast side of the city. Take him with you.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Briggs agreed. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Set a da*n date,¡± I insisted. ¡°It¡¯s driving me crazy not being able to mark my mate. I can¡¯t watch you two take that for granted.¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Briggs said with an eye roll. ¡°I¡¯m working on it. 11 ¡°Work faster,¡± I teased. ¡°I¡¯m ready to see someone I care about happy. Might as well be two someones.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mina you said so.¡± 86.74% Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144: A I read Harry¡¯s journal in the passenger seat as we drove to my childhood house. The house that would never feel like home again, thanks to him. But I was determined to find something that made sense in the pages of that da*n book. I know Theo, Harden, and everyone else wanted to me his actions on that st*pid bedtime story. But there was more to it than that. I could feel it in my gut. Too bad I had absolutely no idea where to start. I sighed, leaning my head against the headrest and looking out the window. ¡°What¡¯s up, babe?¡± Theo asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just not used to having so many questions without being able to find the answers,¡± I replied. ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we won¡¯t find them.¡± I smiled at his optimism. Taking a deep breath, I shook myself out of my funk. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I stated. ¡°We¡¯ll get it all figured out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Theo said. I checked my phone to see if Ma had gotten back to me yet. Alpha Harden had gotten her into one of the nicest rehab facilities in Blue Fang. But since she was new to the program, she had limited outside contact. I had broken the news to her and Kylee that I was selling the house, and they seemed to take it well. They agreed it didn¡¯t feel right to stay there anymore. But they needed to decide what they wanted me 0.00% ||| r 10:50 ? Dupter 144 A 289 Wouchers to do with their stuff. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t gotten back to you?¡± Theo asked, noticing me checking, I shook my head. ¡°But I think her phone time isn¡¯t for a few more hours. It¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s going to take a couple days to get it packed up. The realtor wants toe and take pictures before we remove the furniture anyway.¡± ¡°She¡¯sing by tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± We pulled onto the street, and I saw a big moving truck already in the driveway. Theo had it dropped off, so it was there when we needed it. I told Kylee we would store her stuff for her until she figured out her living situation, but I was probably just going to donate my things. I had no use for them anymore, and the sentimentality was gone. I exited the car, taking in the brick fa?ade that I thought I knew so well. I saw the remnants of police tape in the front hedge and bent down to pick it up. ¡°They were supposed to clean all of that out.¡± Theo said with agitation. I chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Because it would bring up bad memories?¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m ready to do this.¡± Theo rested a hand on the small of my back. ¡°You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want to hire someone toe clean it out?¡± Dasha paced in my head. She understood what was happening, but she was still happy to be back. She didn¡¯t feel the weight of Harry¡¯s presence as I did. I was grateful for that. It gave me something pleasant to cling to. 24.46% [11 ? 10:50 Chapter 144 A 288 (Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sure. I need to do this. In a good way,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡¯ve been angry about all of it. First, MaContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. changed how I saw this ce, then Kylee, then Harry. I was mad. But I don¡¯t want to be mad about it anymore. There were bad memories here, sure. But there were good ones, too. Memories that none of them can change. I need to revisit those before I say goodbye.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like for that to happen, too,¡± Theo replied. I sucked air between my teeth. ¡°You say that now, but let¡¯s see how you feel after a few hours of finger paintings and photo albums.¡± Theoughed, wrapping his arms around my waist. ¡°Baby, if it means I get to learn everything about you, I could spend weeks looking at toothless grade-school photos and ss certificates.¡± ¡°That reminds me.¡± I pushed off him and rushed to the door to quickly unlock it. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°I have to hide the baby pictures,¡± I said, pushing through the door. I tried to close it before he made it in but caught his foot. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he argued as he pushed against the door. Iughed as I leaned into it, knowing he wasn¡¯t trying that hard to get in. ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± I said. ¡°I spent a month with your parents, and all I got was proud, picture-perfect moments. No way am I giving you that kind of leverage.¡± He chuckled as he stopped fighting but kept his foot firmly on the threshold. 50.41% ||| 10:50 Chapter 144. A 288 (Vouchers ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what,¡± he said. ¡°I swear to let my mother show you every embarrassing photo, drawing, assignment, you name it, when we get back. We¡¯ll make a whole night of it.¡± I smiled as I thought about it momentarily before I turned and opened the door. ¡°Deal.¡± Theo was on me in one stride, pulling me against him as he kissed me. It was wanton and needy and had tingles shooting through me to my core. Oh, how I had missed that. I let my body react, pressing into him for more as his hands roamed. But he pulled away too soon. ¡°Where do you want to start?¡± he asked breathlessly. I wanted to start with what we were just doing. He hadn¡¯t touched me like that since he rescued me. I tried not to read into it since we had both been through a lot, but this time, it was hard not to feel a little worried. And even a bit hurt. But I pushed it back. We both had been stressed, and I didn¡¯t want to make something over nothing. ¡°I guess we can start in my room,¡± I said, hiding my disappointment. ¡°Okay,¡± Theo said, kissing my nose. ¡°I¡¯ll grab the boxes from the truck and meet you there.¡± I watched him go back out the door before turning toward the hall. I leaned against the doorjamb of my bedroom as I looked it over. I couldn¡¯t help the quietugh that escaped at the irony. I could have my pick of Alpha mates but still couldn¡¯t getid in my own bed. 75.02% O Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145: Briggs I punched in the code to open the cer hatch and headed down the stairs. We had set up our workstation in thergest room near the entrance. I found Mina hovering over a table, clutching what was probably her third or fourth cup of coffee for the day. A had managed to keep her from locking herself down here, but now that she was gone for a few days, I worried she wouldn¡¯t leave. ¡°You promised me you wouldn¡¯t bury yourself down here, babe,¡± I said, leaning on the table beside her. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be visiting the venue in an hour.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she insisted, waving me off. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are. But we both know how important it is to get through all this.¡± ¡°Yes, I do,¡± I sighed. ¡°But we¡¯re also still waiting on whatever they find from Harry¡¯s other properties here. It¡¯s likely none of this will make any sense without that. So, take a break. It¡¯s Saturday.¡± She exhaled slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, moving before me and snaking her arms around my neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just want to get through this so A doesn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I know, but Randy and Cooper said things are quiet right now, and the best thing to do is go about our lives as best we can,¡± I reminded her. ¡°That means normal work schedules. And normal activities. Like getting ready for our mating ceremony. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Mina conceded. ¡°You keep putting this off, Mina,¡± I said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do this¡­¡± 0.00% III J 10:50 Chapter 145 Enggs 1 288 Vouchers ¡°Of course, I want to do it,¡± she rushed. ¡°Really? Because you won¡¯t even set a date,¡± I said bitterly. ¡°So either you don¡¯t want the ceremony, or you don¡¯t want me. And I need to know which it is.¡± ¡°How could you say that?¡± Mina gasped. ¡°Of course, I want you, Briggs. I love you. I want the ceremony. I want everyone to be there.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s going on, babe?¡± I pled. ¡°Talk to me.¡± She rested her forehead on mine. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you. ¡°Why would you think that¡¯s even a possibility?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡± she shot back. ¡°Look at the situation we¡¯re in, Briggs. Theo had to send A away, and it nearly destroyed them. And they aren¡¯t marked. What if they find out who I am? What if¡­¡± ¡°That would never keep us apart,¡± I interrupted. ¡°You know why Theo couldn¡¯t go with A. I don¡¯t have any such limitations. If you go, I go, babe. No question.¡± ¡°Then I would feel awful,¡± she said. ¡°I would hate for you to give up everything just for me.¡± laughed. ¡°Mina, you are everything to me,¡± I insisted. ¡°I love Theo, even when he¡¯s being a d**bass, and I love my pack. But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m meant to be here. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m supposed to be his Beta. I¡¯m just doing the best I can with where I¡¯m at. But I do know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I¡¯m meant to be with you. You are the only guarantee in my life, babe. I¡¯m not giving that up for anything. Marked or not.¡± I wiped the tears from her cheeks that had escaped. Sheughed as she sniffled. 25.19% ||| 10:51 Chapter 145. Brigga 288 Vouchers ¡°But,¡± I continued, ¡°I¡¯d really, really like to make that official to the rest of the world. I¡¯m ready to be as close to you as possible.¡± She nodded. ¡°Me, too.¡± She traced the cor of my shirt. ¡°Maybe two weeks from today?¡± A smile spread across my face. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If you think we can manage?¡± My hand went to the nape of her neck as I pulled her into a kiss. I stood as I held her to me, enjoying every taste and every touch. I spun her around, pushing her onto the table. ¡± ¡°Mm-nmm,¡± she groaned, pushing me away. ¡°As se*y as this is, this¡± she waved over the stuff on the table she was now sitting on 15 all evidence.¡± I huffed, my head falling to her shoulder. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I drawled. ¨C I kissed her neck and pulled her down. I moved to fix the papers that had been disturbed, pausing when I noticed something odd. I picked the sheet of paper out from the pile to get a better look. The page was made up of lines and markings. Markings that were very familiar to me. ¡°What is this?¡± I asked Mina. She nced over my shoulder. ¡°Oh, not sure. I think it may be a legend or cipher, but I have no idea to what. There were a few of them.¡± ¡°Show me the rest,¡± I requested, helping her look for the others. 51.23% L 10:51 Chapter 145 Briggs 18 288 Mouchers Mina easily searched through her system and found what I needed. Iid them out over the table. It took a few minutes to feel confident, but when I saw the line I was looking for. I knew what these were. ¡°They¡¯re maps,¡± I said. ¡°To what?¡± Mina asked, leaning over them with me. ¨C ¡°The tunnels beneath the Onyxerown packhouse,¡± I told her. ¡°These symbols at the junctions those are guide markers. Kingston used them to lead us through.¡± There was no way I could track our path by memory, but I was getting more information about what was down there. There were holes in ces where Harry must not have gotten the chance to explore yet, but his notes told me enough. ¡°He was looking for something,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mina asked. I pulled out my phone and searched for a name. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure,¡± I insisted. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t just Harry.¡± And if I was right, I would be incredibly pis*ed off. The call picked up. ¡°Hey, we need to meet,¡± I said firmly over the line. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a time and location.¡± I hung up without waiting for an answer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mina,¡± I said, stacking the maps and rolling them up, ¡°but I¡¯ ve got to handle this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Briggs?¡± Mina asked worriedly. 72.81% ||| O ? 10:51 94.25% Chapter 145. Briggs #288 Vouchers ¡°I don¡¯t know, but whatever it is, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good thing,¡± I said. ¡°I need you to do me a huge favor, babe.¡± ¡°Anything,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to A or Theo about this yet,¡± I requested. ¡°Please. Just trust me.¡± ¡°As long as you tell me what¡¯s going on when you know,¡± she stated. I kissed her. ¡°Deal.¡± |||Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146: A I was folding up the clothes from thest drawer of my old dresser when Theo returned with our take- out delivery. He handed me the bag of my favorite sesame chicken and the best fried rice in five territories. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to miss this the most,¡± I said, my eyes rolling back as I took my first bite. Theo chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a restaurant in the city that will suffice.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll never be the same,¡± I said melodramatically. ¡°So,¡± Theo said, ¡°who is this Adam Grant guy and should I pay him a visit?¡± My head snapped up, and my face reddened when I saw Theo looking through my junior high diary. ¡°Theo Avery Arden, you put that down,¡± I yelled, jumping up andunching myself over the bed. ¡°I promised baby pictures, not reading my diary.¡± Theoughed as he held the book out of my reach. ¡°Calm down,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what it was. I just happened to open it up to that page.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, I¡¯m sure.¡± Theo tossed the diary away. Itnded in a box near the door. Then my back hit the mattress, and a deep growl sent shivers through me as Theo pinned me down. 0.00% ||| O ? 10:51 Chapter 146 A 288 Vouchers ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question, mate,¡± he said, grazing his lips along my jaw. ¡°Who is Adam Grant?¡± His scent was intoxicating as electricity flowed through me. Desire built in my core as I writhed against his hold. ¡°Answer me, love,¡± he insisted. ¡°My eighth-grade crush,¡± I said. A rumble emitted from Theo¡¯s chest. ¡°And did he reciprocate your crush?¡± Iughed softly. ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡± He nipped my ear. His knee went between my thighs, and I hissed at the pressure. ¡°Did he like you?¡± Theo pressed. ¡°He was my first kiss,¡± I said. ¡°So I thought so.¡± Theo paused, pulling up to look at me with a concerned look. ¡°You thought so?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Theo, we were thirteen-year-old, awkward kids. Then life happened.¡± I leaned up and kissed him. ¡°What matters to me now is that I know exactly who myst kiss will be.¡± Theo kissed me again. This time it was gentle and loving. My arms wrapped around his shoulders, pressing against him. His mouth moved down my jaw to my neck. ¡°I love you, A,¡± Theo whispered. ¡°I love you,¡± I returned. 17.52% ||| O ? 10:51 Chapter 146 Ata 288 Vouchers. His hand slipped below my shirt, gliding up my skin. I moaned as he kneaded my breast. His mouth took mine again, our tongues meeting each other eagerly. I needed him. I needed to feel every inch of him. I slipped a hand between us, snapping the button of his jeans. He groaned as I wrapped around him, stroking his hard length. We were interrupted by my phone ringing. I let out a frustrated grunt as Theo sighed heavily. ¡°It¡¯s probably your mother,¡± he said, rolling over. ¡°Yeah,¡± I huffed, pushing myself off the bed. I never would have answered if she hadn¡¯t had limited scheduled phone time. I grabbed my phone from the dresser. It was the rehab clinic, which meant Theo was right. ¡°Hello,¡± I answered. ¡°Hi, sweetie. It¡¯s Ma,¡± my mother said. ¡°Hey, Ma,¡± I said. ¡°How is everything going so far?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a change,¡± she replied. ¡°But everyone has been kind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± I sat back on the foot end of the bed, and Theo slid down behind me. ¡°We¡¯re here at the house this weekend. I need to know if you want me to store your stuff.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, I would appreciate it,¡± Ma said sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m okay with selling the house, but¡­ I¡¯m not ready to give up the bed I shared with your father.¡± I smiled. ¡°I understand, Ma,¡± I told her. ¡°We can store it with Kylee¡¯s stuff for you. You guys can decide what to do with itter.¡± 34.42% ? 10:51 < Chapter 146 A 288 Nouchers ¡°Thank you, my sweet girl,¡± Ma said. ¡°Is there anything else specific I should look out for?¡± I asked. ¡°If not, I won¡¯t worry about going through anything in your rooms. I¡¯ll just pack it all up in boxes and let you guys sort through it.¡± ¡°That should be fine,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Other than my jewelry box. You can keep that safe for me.¡± ¡°I will, Ma,¡± I agreed. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Oh, actually,¡± Ma said quickly, ¡°your father would tell me every year on my birthday that if we ever moved, to remind him not to forget the shed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± I replied, a little thrown. Dad never forgot anything, so it was strange that he would say that to my mother. Even more so because I had no idea why it would be so important to take the garden shed. ¡°It drove me mad,¡± Ma said with augh. ¡°But you know your father. He was always saying strange things like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess your right,¡± I conceded. ¡°I¡¯ll check it out and see if I can figure out what he was talking about.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°My time is almost up. I still need to call Kylee. I love you, A.¡± ¡°Love you, too, Ma. Take care of yourself.¡± I hung up, thinking about my dad¡¯s odd words. ¡°It sounds like we need to check the shed,¡± Theo said from behind me. ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s probably just some 56.08% 10:51 ¤¯ Chapter 146 A 288 Vouchers keepsakes. He used to keep everything from when we were kids. But I¡¯ m not sure where they¡¯d be. I¡¯ve cleaned that thing out dozens of times since he passed.¡± ¡°Still, it won¡¯t hurt to take a look,¡± Theo said as he stood from the bed, pulling me up behind him. He led me through the house. I grabbed the key for the padlock from the h*ok before heading out the back door. The garden shed was off the side of the house. After unlocking it, I opened it to see what I expected. It was a small space. We both couldn¡¯t fit inside with the shelves and broken down mower in it. I stepped in and checked through the shelves, looking through any of the containers. ¡°All of these are just holiday decorations we couldn¡¯t get in the attic,¡± I said. ¡°Everything else is for the yard. I don¡¯t know what Dad would have been talking about.¡± ¡°Watch out,¡± Theo said, tugging me out of the way. Stepping inside, the floorboards creaked under his weight. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a little off,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know, babe. You definitely have a few pounds on me,¡± I teased. He shot me a cheeky look before pulling thewn mower out to give him more room. He bounced on the wooden nks for a second, listening to them groan beneath him ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be making that much noise if they¡¯re justid over solid ground,¡± he indicated. 76.39% 10:51 Chapter 146 A 288 Vouchers Kneeling down, he felt around and eventually managed to yank a board loose. ¡°Uh, babe,¡± Theo said over his shoulder, ¡°I think I found what your father was talking about.¡± 97.29% Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147: A Theo moved some containers outside the shed and started tearing up the rest of the flooring. When he had it all pulled up, he sat back on his knees, giving me the opportunity to see what he was talking about. There was arge metal box buried under the shed floor. ¡°We may have to tear down part of the shed to get it out,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ m not sure I can get it to fit through the door.¡± I leaned in around him and grabbed a crowbar from a top shelf. H**king it in the doorway, I started prying boards off. We got a few nks and some framing out of the way, and Theo lugged the box out of its hole. ¡°It¡¯s locked,¡± Theo pointed out. ¡°Do you have a key or am I breaking it open?¡± ¡°Knowing Dad, the key¡¯s probably around here somewhere, but I¡¯m not dealing with that right now,¡± I said. ¡°Just break it open.¡± Theo took the crowbar and snapped the padlock open. I knelt down next to him on the ground, my heart racing as my palms began to sweat. I had no clue what could be in the box. He obviously hadn¡¯t told my mom it existed, but why didn¡¯t he tell me? ¡°Hey, you okay, sweetheart?¡± Theo asked. I nodded. ¡°Yeah, I just¡­ I don¡¯t know what this is.¡± ¡°Then I guess you should open it,¡± he said, rubbing my back. I nodded. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the cold metal lid and lifted 0.00% III §¤ 10:51 it open. Inside were other containers and books neatly organized. Sitting on top was an envelope with my father¡¯s handwriting. It was addressed to me and¡­. Theo? ¡°Wha¡­ How¡­ Why?¡± I stammered, picking it up to show Theo. ¡°This is from my dad. Why would he address this to both of us?¡± Theo¡¯s expression turned guilty. ¡°Theo?¡± I pressed. ¡°Your dad knew we would be fated to each other.¡± he said gently. ¡°He told my father about a year before he died. Dad told me about it when he told me about everything else.¡± ¡°Why did you tell me?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± He ran his hands over his face. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want it to impact your decision. You and I weren¡¯t¡­ I wanted our rtionship to be a choice for you. A. I didn¡¯t want you to be with me because you felt obligated to. I know how much your father meant to you. I didn¡¯t want his words to be the final say. ¡°1 My lips crashed into his as I threw my arms around him. How could I have ever been so st*pid as to not fight for this man? Or ever believed I could be with another? ¡°You know I love you, right?¡± I said. Theo chuckled. ¡°I like being reminded,¡± he replied, brushing his nose against mine. ¡°Let¡¯s see what the letter says.¡¯ ¡°} I sat back down on the grass. My hands were shaking as I opened the envelope. I barely managed to get the papers out. I unfolded them, but 27.15% I 10:51 Chapter 147. Ayta 1289 Mouchers my eyes started to blur as tears formed. It was like getting to talk to my father again. Theo kissed my cheek and gently took the letter from my hand. ¡°I got it, baby,¡± he told me, grabbing my hand as he began to read. My beautiful daughter, A, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re eighteen already. I know that if you found this letter, then you have also found your mate. It also means I am no longer with you to tell you all this in person. So, it may seem impossible that I already knew who your fated mate was. I know this won¡¯t make sense to you at first, but it will soon. I promise. I am sure young Theo will be there to help you through it all. But first, I want to tell you how proud I am of you. Nothing breaks my heart more than not seeing you and your sister grow into the strong, amazing women I know you both will be. I don¡¯t need to tell you to take care of her and your mother. You¡¯ve been keeping this family together since you could talk. But I will remind you that you have a wisdom beyond your years. Don¡¯t ever stop nurturing that. You will need it many times over. With it, you willmand legions. Within this box, you will find the history of our family. Your true family and where wee from. There will be answers, and there will be questions. But it will alle together when the timees. Trust in your heart and your head. And remember, sometimes you just need to believe. I love you more than life. You are my greatest blessing from the goddess, and I hope you never forget that. Theo, my dear boy, You may not remember me, but I know who you are. The moon 54.60% 10:51 Chapter 147 Ayta 268 Voucher goddess has entrusted my greatest treasure to your hands. I believe they are capable hands, even if there are times you do not. Your father is a good, honorable man. He raised you to have everything you need to fulfill your role. You will need each other for the end. I¡¯ll tell you something my grandfather told me ¨C our destinies are not always set in stone. Sometimes our destinies are to choose. Choose wisely. For your choice could change the fates of generations. Take care of her. She is when the moon touches the earth. She is the key to everything. All my love, Jacob Romay Dominis 10:51 87.68% Chapter 147 Apta 11 Dear author is updating, maybe check tomorrow 86% fans of this story are ALSO reading: I will never be yours The truckes to a halt and my body rolls into someone else besides me, I¡¯m too weak to move and can hardly open my eyes from the swelling in my face. Hearing some voices I know it¡¯s the king¡¯s men and I¡¯m guessing we have arrived in his kingdom. The doors back in the truck open and I hear some screaming before bodies are dragged out of the truck, handses and grab me, lifting my body up and tossing me to the ground. I hit the hard concrete with a thud, biting my tongue to prevent myself from making any sound. I feel blood oozing out of my tongue and spit it out in front of me, blood pouring down my jaw. Trying to take in my surroundings with my ears. I know we were about fifteen people on the truck and I heard more than one truck when we arrived here. ¡°Get up on your feet rogue!¡± A guard stops by my body and kicks me in my stomach. All air leaves my body and I have to clutch my arms around my stomach in pain, trying to open my eyes I look around and in the corner of my eyes, I see a gorgeous man in a dark grey suit walking closer to us. I have aThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. feeling I know who it is! ¡­ 100.00% Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148: Briggs I had the mapsid out on the bed of my truck. I was studying them when Pierce pulled into the empty lot. I could tell he wasn¡¯t happy to be here, but that made two of us. ¡°What is all this about, Briggs?¡± he asked. ¡°Your Alpha really likes pushing his luck, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Pierce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°He¡¯s been known to. What did he do now?¡± ¡°You tell me,¡± I demanded, pointing at the maps before me. ¡°Kingston insisted oning with us because he knew the best way to get to A. But don¡¯t think that was the case. ¡°J ¡°Of course it was,¡± Pierce said. ¡°He may not know the right way to show it, but Kingston loves A.¡± ¡°Then why did he risk her life?¡± I yelled. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°He was looking for something, Pierce,¡± I insisted, waving a map at him. ¡°And I think he found it.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense, Briggs. Calm down and exin.¡± I took a deep breath. Pierce may have been blindly loyal to Kingston, but he wasn¡¯t hiding anything. ¡°We found these among Harry¡¯s things,¡± I informed him. ¡°They¡¯re maps 0.00% 11:28 C Chapter 148: Briggs N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. 288 Vouchers of the tunnels beneath the Onyxcrown packhouse. If you look at them, you can tell Harry was searching for something.¡± Pierce looked over the drawings. ¡°Okay, sure,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s what it looks like. Why do you think this has to do with Kingston?¡± ¡°The guide markers,¡± I said. ¡°This is the marker we were following.¡± I pointed to the symbol I remembered clearly. ¡°Here¡¯s where we entered the main building to get to A. If these are urate, then there were two other ways that would have gotten us there faster.¡± Pierce¡¯s brow furrowed as he examined my findings. ¡°That could have just been the only way he remembered,¡± he argued. ¡°He was pretty insisted that he knew his way around,¡± I retorted. ¡°And I believe him.¡± Pierce pushed his hand through his hair. ¡°Or it was hubris.¡± He was grasping at straws. ¡°Your Alpha endangered my Luna,¡± I growled. ¡°He knew I was with Theo. He knew we¡¯d find her,¡± Pierce ranted. ¡°I won¡¯t believe he would risk letting anything happen to A.¡± ¡°That ba**ard nearly raped her,¡± I bellowed. Pierce grimaced. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And had we not split up, had Theo not trusted his instincts, you never would have made it in time,¡± I spat. ¡°So don¡¯t you f**king tell me he wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to her. Because he very nearly did. Now, 20.16% §¤ 11:30 Chapter 145, 6nggs 299 Vouchers I want to know what the f*ck was so important to him that he would risk her life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Pierce yelled back. He walked away, his shoulders tense as he clenched his fists. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell is going on with Kingston anymore,¡± he admitted. ¡°He doesn¡¯t confide anything in me. Everything is so secretive with him. But even before, he never talked about his life before Sablemane. Only about the ba**ards who killed his family. But this is not Kingston. It¡¯s like he¡¯s lost his da*n mind.¡± Knowing what I did about Alpha Harden¡¯s suspicion about A¡¯s effect on unmated Alphas, I suspected that was more true then he r¨¦alized. He hadn¡¯t just been around A the longest. They had had a rtionship. ¡°We may have something to help with that,¡± I said sympathetically. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure fixing Kingston¡¯s psychosis is right up your alley,¡± Pierce snapped. ¡°Just trust me, man,¡± I insisted. ¡°But something else is going on, and I can almost guarantee it has to do with A. And Kingston has lost all my trust when ites to her.¡± ¡°Why do you think he found anything?¡± he asked. ¡°We got separated,¡± I stated. ¡°He made it seem like another trap, but it definitely wasn¡¯t one Harry set. A wall closed up. That was a built-in security system. A very old one. It still could have been an ident, but I don¡¯t think it was. I think he did it on purpose so he could retrieve whatever it was he was there for.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he conceded. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can get out of him. This whole 43.94% ||| J 11:30 124 Waters thing has gotten f**ked up, Briggs. I don¡¯t want a war, man. The pack can¡¯t take it right now.¡± That was a dangerous thing to admit. But it was why I still trusted him. Our packs had been allies for generations. It would be devastating for both if that changed. ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± I agreed. ¡°Which is why I haven¡¯t told Theo or A about this. We may need Kingston before the end of this, and if Theo knew¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯d kill Kin on sight,¡± Pierce finished. ¡°Yeah, I get it. Honestly, I can¡¯t say I¡¯d me him anymore. But I¡¯d still try to stop him.¡± ¡°And I get that,¡± I replied. ¡°But that¡¯s why we need to get to the bottom of this. Before Kingston does something else stu*id.¡± I started rolling up the maps to head out. ¡°We may need to n a trip back to those tunnels,¡± Pierce said hesitantly. I really didn¡¯t want to ever go back down there, but I had already considered that it may be necessary. ¡°Yeah,¡± I conceded. ¡°But we¡¯d need to at least bring Randy or Alpha Cooper into it. I¡¯d rather keep this between us until we have a better idea of what we¡¯re dealing with. Alpha Harden and Alpha Cooper aren¡¯ t particrly impressed with Kingston right now, either. So, if Cooper or Randy reach out to him, I suggest you encourage him to y nice. I have a feeling they have more reach than they care to admit.¡± Pierce nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He headed back to his car. 71.53% ||| 11:30 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149: Theo I carried the container to the living room, where we had been going through it. It was mostly old books, but also plenty of research to go along with them. A was tucked up on the couch, engrossed in one of the older tomes. I checked my watch and realized howte it was. I rested a hand on A¡¯s thigh. ¡°Come on, baby. Why don¡¯t we take a break for the night?¡± She closed the book and set it on the coffee table. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, but her eyes were still on the trove of information before her. She was fixating on it, but I couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good or bad thing yet. I had noticed a change in her mood, though. There was an eager fascination in her eyes, and she seemed excited. Between this being from her father and the prospect of learning so much, she was in an element I hadn¡¯t gotten to see her in yet. And frankly, it was f*cking adorable. But we only had a few days to get through the house, so we couldn¡¯t focus all our attention on the box. ¡°We¡¯ll take it back with us, babe,¡± I said, putting some papers back in their ce. ¡°You can spend as much time as you want going through all this. Maybe Professor Armand can help, too.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± she agreed. ¡°It looks like there is a lot of history in here. He¡¯ll probably be able to help fill in any holes.¡± ¡°Sounds like a n,¡± I said. ¡°For now, why don¡¯t we head to bed.¡± 0.00% ||| 11:30 ¡°Okay,¡± she said but didn¡¯t move to get up. Her eyes were still darting over everything sitting in front of her. ¡°Hey, babe,¡± I said,cing my fingers through her hair to get her attention. ¡°I know a lot is going through that head of yours, but you¡¯re going to burn a hole in the table if you keep staring like that.¡± A closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± sheughed. ¡°I was just in the zone, you know. It¡¯s a lot to think about.¡± She stood up and started pacing the room. ¡°I mean, I know it¡¯s just more questions, but really, it¡¯s mostly the same questions we had before. Except now we actually have a direction to start in to find some answers. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This could indicate that this isn¡¯t just about the Waar P*k hating my family. At least, I think it could. Especially since the Waar P*k hadn¡¯t even found us back then. Although, I guess he didn¡¯t know that. Harry purposely made it seem like it was them to set him up. But¡­¡± ¡°Woah, woah, woah¡­ back up¡­ what was that about Harry?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, Harry killed my father,¡± she said, still pacing. ¡°A,¡± I scolded, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had other things on my mind, Theo,¡± she replied with a shrug. I huffed. ¡°A, this means the Waar P*k probably found out about you more recently. Likely when you showed up at the Gathering.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so, but what does that matter?¡± she asked. ¡°Because we¡¯ve been working with the belief that they¡¯ve been expecting you to surface,¡± I said. ¡°Randy thought they suspected who you were because they went after your father. But if that wasn¡¯t them, then whatever Waar P*k members were at the Alpha Gathering were just as surprised to see you as everyone else.¡± 22.40% O ? 11:30 ¡°Okay¡­¡± I pulled out my phone and messaged Alpha Harden. ¡°That means they probably made a mistake,¡± I said. ¡°I think Randy and Cooper need to investigate the Alpha Gathering.¡± A nodded. ¡°You think they¡¯ll find some of the members?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the hope. Now,¡± I said, pulling her to me and kissing her forehead, ¡°why don¡¯t you get ready for bed. I¡¯ll repack all of this.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she surrendered. She made her way down the hall, and I started getting everything put back in the box. I was d to see A¡¯s mood change. She had been stressed and so weighed down by everything going on that this was an optimistic change of pace. When I finished packing everything back up, I rested my hands on the metal box. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. I guess the stress had been weighing on me as well. This weekend was supposed to help A, but I think I was hoping it would help me, too. So many things were getting beyond my control, and it felt like our rtionship was being taken over by worry and fear. I just wanted to be with my mate. But even that had me on edge. I still didn¡¯t want to push A into something she may not be ready for. I never thought I¡¯d be grateful for her mother interrupting us, but a part of me had been earlier that day. I was getting carried away entirely too quickly, and my desire almost gave in. I was lost in my thoughts when I felt A¡¯s arms slide around my waist from behind. The tingling sensation that always apanied her touch allowed my body to rx. 49.51% ||| O 11:30 14% Thre 284 weurhes Goddess, I needed her. ¡°Are we okay. Theo?¡± A asked tentatively. My head snapped up. ¡°What?¡± I turned to face her. ¡°Of course, baby. Why would you ask that?¡± A shrugged. ¡°It just¡­¡± she paused, shaking her head with a weak smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No,¡± I protested firmly. I lifted her chin to look at me. ¡°It is something. If I¡¯m doing something that hurts you, A, you have to tell me. You¡¯ re everything to me. If I¡¯m not showing you that, then I need to know. Please, talk to me.¡± She buried her face in my chest. I held her strongly as panic began to tighten my gut. ¡°It feels like¡­ like you don¡¯t want me like you used to. Like you¡¯re not attracted to me the same way.¡¯ ¡°Goddess, A, are you kidding me?¡± I grabbed her face, kissing her hard as I pinned her against the wall, letting her feel exactly what she did to me as I pressed against her. ¡°You are the se**est f**king woman in the world. I want you so bad it hurts, baby.¡± I backed off a little, forcing my body to remember why we couldn¡¯t take her right there. Kieran growled fiercely, admonishing me for not pleasing our mate. I ignored him. ¡°But what he nearly did to you¡­¡± I whispered. ¡°What you went through was traumatic, A. I don¡¯t want to push you into something you may not be ready for.¡± A¡¯s eyes searched my face. Then she reached up and kissed me. 74.05% 11:30 Chapter 147 Theo ¡°I will never see him when I¡¯m with you,¡± she stated firmly. ¡°Ever. He can¡¯t touch us, Theo. He never could.¡± Her lips met mine again. I sank into the kiss but I was still hesitant. She sensed it and pushed me away gently, only to grab my hands. ¡°Come with me.¡± Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150: Theo A led me through the house and out the back door. ¡°What are we doing?¡± I asked. Her eyes held mine as she pulled her shirt over her head. ¡°We¡¯re going for a run.¡± Kieran surged to the forefront, yipping in excitement. ¡°It¡¯s about time our wolves got to meet,¡± she added, shimmying out of her jeans. Kiaran growled in my head, pulling me out of the trance I was in while watching her undress. I started stripping down but took my time. Kieran was about to burst from me, but I kept control of the shift. I wanted my time with Dasha, too. Discarding thest item of clothing over her shoulder, A disappeared into the shadow of the trees. I followed behind but soon stopped as gorgeous golden eyes reflected back at me. Dasha stepped out, bouncing impatiently before me, telling me to hurry. I shook my head. ¡°Come here,¡± I stated. She yipped and let out a soft growl. ¡°Come here,¡± I repeated, letting Kierane through my voice. She stepped before me, meeting me eye to eye. Other than my father, she was the only wolf in this pack who could do that. The only one I would permit. As my Luna, she was equal to no other but me. 0.00% ||| O J N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. 11:30 Chapter 150. The I let myself take her in, running my hands through fur that was as enchanting as I remembered. Pride filled me as I confirmed I hadn¡¯t imagined the light that radiated from every golden strand. A color I had never heard of on a wolf. After allowing me a few moments of adoration, she chuffed at me impatiently. I chuckled. I wouldn¡¯t make them wait any longer. I stepped out of my jeans and boxers just in time for Kieran tomand the shift. We rushed to Dasha, nuzzling her neck, licking her face, exploring each other. Dasha barked suddenly, bouncing away from us before taking off into the trees. Kieran growled eagerly, jumping into a sprint after her. It had been too long since Kieran had gotten to run like this. And to do it with his mate for the first time¡­ The happiness he felt was exhrating. We ran for miles. Stalking, ying, hunting. Everything wolves do. Dasha slipped out of view behind a copse of trees near a clearing. We followed but were stopped short when we saw her again. She stood by a pond, her reflection lighting up the water¡¯s surface. She even seemed brighter than the moon. ¡®She is when the moon touches the earth.¡¯ That line from Jack¡¯s letter had stuck with me, but I didn¡¯t know what it meant until now. When we celebrate the moon goddess, the ceremonies always take ce either before dawn or after dusk. When the moon is closest to the h**izon and shines with golden light. She is my goddess on earth. We approached as A shifted back. Kieran rubbed against her as she stroked him, letting her get her fill. I forgot she had been robbed of this 21.35% ||| 11:30 * Pre experience the first time she saw Kieran. They both had. We had to rush back to the packhouse from the attack. That was the only time they had had together. So, I let him love and caress her to his heart¡¯s content. She leaned against him, sliding her fingers through his fur, looking out over the water. ¡°This ce has always been my sanctuary,¡± she told us. ¡°Before Dad died, I¡¯de here to be alone to think about things. What I wanted to do, what my life would be like, what my mate would be like.¡± She tousled my fur with thest one. ¡°When he died, life became less about what it could be and more of what it had to be.¡± I shifted back, silently moving behind her and wrapping her in my arms, listening to everything she had to say. ¡°So, I came here,¡± she continued, ¡°and I let the water wash away all the things that could have been for me. I washed away who I was to be who I needed to be.¡± She leaned back against my chest. ¡°I did the same thing the night we broke our bond. I cleansed myself of the life I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± She stepped away, taking my hands as she turned to face me, backing into the water. ¡°Things happened, Theo,¡± she said. ¡°We didn¡¯t get the love-at-first- sight moment we should have. We hurt each other. We denied each other. We were robbed of our trust in our fate.¡± She stilled as the water reached her chest. ¡°We didn¡¯t get all of the should-have-beens the world promised us. But now we have something different. Something stronger. I¡¯m ready to wash all the rest away.¡± ¡± I cupped her cheek, looking into the stunning silver eyes that shined green in the moonlight, full of want, desire, and love. 50.57% ||| 11:30 ¡°Me, too.¡± I whispered. Our lips touched as we wrapped ourselves in each other, sinking into the water. We let it take away what was done to us. What we did to each other. We let it all go. Keeping only who we were and who we wanted to be for the other. ¡°This is it, Theo,¡± A murmured. ¡°You and me. When we leave here, there¡¯s no more Kylee. No more Kingston. Or Harry. None of the things that kept us apart. This is when we start.¡± ¡°You and me,¡± I echoed. ¡°The past is gone now. All I want is to love you for the rest of my life, A.¡± She kissed me hard, pressing her body against mine as her legs tightened around my waist. I groaned as she moved her hips, sliding along my length. ¡°I need you, Theo,¡± she rasped. I wasn¡¯t holding back any longer. Gripping her a*s, I positioned myself at her core. ¡°I love you, A,¡± I said as I pushed inside her. She moaned as I brought myself to the hilt. ¡°F*ck, I missed you, baby.¡± I moved in and out of her, determined to show her just how much I wanted her. How I would always want her. ¡°Mark me, Theo.¡± 80.56% ||| Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151: Theo I froze, not sure if I had heard her correctly. ¡°A, don¡¯t say unless¡­¡± 288 iVouchers ¡°I¡¯m ready, Theo,¡± she insisted. ¡°Please.¡± She started to ride me. ¡°There¡¯ s nothing stopping us. I want this, baby. Mark me.¡± N My head fell back as she took the lead, making it hard to think clearly. My body responded to her words, my gums aching as my canines tried to force themselves out. Kieran was practically foaming at the mouth. ¡°You better be sure, love,¡± I gasped. ¡°Because I won¡¯t be able to stop myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she groaned. I love you, Theo.¡± My control snapped. I grabbed her hips and pounded into her core, pushing her towards her release. She cried out, her ws digging into my back, spurring me on as her walls tightened around me. My canines extended. Her body tensed and I sank my teeth into her neck as she convulsed in my arms. Pure ecstasy washed through me. I felt every molecule of A. Her conscience melding into mine. Her pleasure soared through my body as I thrust into her again. I came hard as another wave of bliss hit me when I felt her teeth pierce my skin. I felt myself bleed into her being, recing what she had given me. We were one. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I don¡¯t know how long it took for my brain to clear enough to get us to 0.00% 11:47 228 49ers shore, but I knew I wasn¡¯t done. I was still hard from the intensity of the experience. Iid her down, still inside her, as I ground my hips. ¡°Mine,¡± I growled, thrusting hard, ¡°F*ck.¡± she moaned. ¡°Theo,¡± I could feel everything. The electricity, the passion, the need, the love. Everything that was my perfect mate. It sent me into a frenzy, mming into her, desperate to make her feel what I felt. Her cries grew louder, her back arching. I shifted my position, pushing her over the edge as she screamed my name. A rumbling howl escaped as I shattered, filling A with everything I had. I fell to the ground next to her, holding her securely as I tried to remember how to breathe. We were both shaking, and the world didn¡¯t exist outside of the two of us. When my mind came back to me, I opened my eyes to look at A. I was captivated by the mark she now wore at the curve of her neck. My mark. The symbol that tells the world she belongs to me. Her scent would change now, too. Both of ours would mingle together. So not only would everyone know she was mine, but I was hers. Nothing had ever felt more right. I traced my fingers over the raised lines. It hadpletely healed already. I remembered the first time I saw A, the first time I caught her delicious scent. I had felt a sense ofpletion. Like I was whole. Or at least, I thought that¡¯s what it was. But it was only a shadow of what I felt now. Just a hint of what could be, ¡°Admiring your work,¡± A said, snuggling closer. 288 Woucher 2. I chuckled. ¡°Just how well it fits,¡± I said. ¡°How do feel?¡± you Aughed. ¡°Like jelly,¡± she teased. ¡°And happy. Really happy.¡± My heart swelled. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You should know,¡± she said. ¡°The bond isplete.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t like hearing it from you,¡± I told her. ¡°And what about you?¡± she asked, stretching out against me. ¡°Any regrets?¡± I growled. ¡°Only that I didn¡¯t do it sooner.¡± She giggled softly. I rolled over on my back, tucking her into my side as I looked up at the sky. I trailed my hand over her hip, drawing shapes across her skin. It was her turn to appreciate her handiwork. Her hand going to my proud new attribute on my neck. She sighed next to me. ¡°What about the pack? Was it a bad idea not to do this for them to witness?¡± ¡°No,¡± I assured her. ¡°The pack will be fine. All they want is a strong Luna to lead them. They have that. Now, my mother on the other hand¡­¡± A groaned. ¡°Yes, I suppose she¡¯ll be disappointed that she didn¡¯t get to n a big ceremony.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love,¡± I said, kissing her hair with a smile. ¡°I can guarantee you she¡¯s still going to n a ceremony. It¡¯s not unheard of for mates to mark each other more than once. I remember an old tradition Dad told me about once. The pack Alpha and Luna would mark each other every time a full moon fell on the winter solstice. It was believed to make them one with the goddess.¡± 60.35% < 11:47 Chapter 151 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°That¡¯s beautiful,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s too bad they don¡¯t do that anymore.¡± I sat up on my elbow. ¡°We could bring it back,¡± I said. ¡°I believe this year¡¯s solstice will have a full moon. We could have our mating ceremony then. Before the solstice ritual.¡± A smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± I leaned down, my mouth taking hers, my hand falling the mark she now bore! ¡°I love you, A,¡± I said with conviction. ¡°I love you, Theo.¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152: A We spent thest few hours of the night as our wolves, getting to know the new parts of ourselves. Dasha and I woke up with Kieran curled around us. Nudging him awake, we made our way back to the house. We hadn¡¯t made nearly enough progress in the house, and we were running out of time before we had to get back. However, our progress didn¡¯t change much, as we had trouble keeping our hands off each other. Eventually, we agreed it would be better to just hire some movers to take care of everything. Theo had taken his dad¡¯s truck down, so we loaded up some of my boxes, including the metal container from my dad, and prepared to return home. Before we left, I took a few minutes to be alone, went to the backyard, and sat at the base of a tree. I held the small canister that held my father¡¯s ashes. Theo had found them in the rental car and kept them safe for me. Looking at the house, holding them in my hand, remembering his words in the letter, I felt like he was with me again. ¡°Hey, Dad,¡± I spoke to the space around me. ¡°You were right.¡± Iughed. ¡°Theo is my mate. And even though he¡¯s made some mistakes, I think he¡¯ll be a good one. I know I¡¯ve made some mistakes, too. And I know, in some ways, I let you down. But I still think you¡¯d be proud of me. I hope so, at least. ¡°Thank you, Dad. For always being there for me. Even when you weren¡¯t there,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m on the right path now, which means it¡¯s time to say goodbye to this ce.¡± I took a deep breath, holding back my tears. ¡°I miss you so much. And I love you.¡± I opened the canister, sprinkling a little bit of him in the grass. Now, he could watch over the next family. Closing the remaining ashes, I 0.00% 11:47 Chapter 152, A 288 iVouchers stood up and made my way to the front of the house, where Theo was waiting for me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to let it go, babe,¡± Theo said about the house as we pulled out of the driveway. I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was time,¡± I replied. ¡°I mean, Dad didn¡¯t seem to think we¡¯d be there forever.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The box,¡± I started. ¡°He thought we¡¯d meet once we turned eighteen, and I¡¯d move out, taking Ma and Kylee with me. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t tell anyone it was there. Just to remember the shed. I¡¯m just d we found it. I have everything I need. Now, it¡¯s just a house.¡± Theoced his fingers through mine. ¡°Why don¡¯t I build you a new one?¡± I snorted. ¡°We have the packhouse, babe,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any trouble making our apartment home. As long as you¡¯re there.¡± He smiled. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s still a packhouse,¡± he said. ¡°Sometimes there¡¯s not a lot of privacy. That¡¯s why my parents got theke house. I liked growing up in the packhouse, but it was nice to know I could have some time with my family and friends that was just ours. So, what if I built us our own?¡± ¡°And I suppose this house you speak of would be beneficial for that thing your dad asked me to help him with?¡± I teased. Theo chuckled. ¡°I was just saying it was nice to have the space. Sometimes, I don¡¯t want to share you cohabitating with ¨C with everyone.¡± ¡°Cohabitating?¡± I giggled. or anyone else we may be 40.35% 11:47 Chapter 152, A 288 Vouchers ¡°Well, yeah, I don¡¯t know what you were thinking, but I was nning to have our pups live with us,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear we¡¯re on the same page, then,¡± I said. He lifted my hand to kiss the back of it. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°But, you know, baby, that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t send them to Grandma¡¯s and Grandpa¡¯s for a night or two every now and then. When we need some alone time.¡± ¡°Right, like when you don¡¯t want to share me?¡± I chided. ¡°Exactly,¡± Theo said with a broad smile. Iughed as Iid my head back against the seat. I looked at The¨°, my eyesnding on the mark his cor didn¡¯t cover. Three months ago, never would have believed I¡¯d soon be moving out of my childhood home to be the Luna of my pack next to my fated mate and talking about building a house and having pups. Again, I found myself in disbelief at how many changes my life had gone through in such a short time. Not all of them were good. Some seemed bad but were good for me. And others were more amazing than I could have imagined. I still had some obstacles ahead of me, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t have to face them alone.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153: Kingston I put the bottle to my lips again, feeling the liquid burn down my throat. I didn¡¯t feel A anymore. Not even the pull that had still been there even after she left me. Nothing. They had marked each other. I felt it. Like when her tether broke when she became a Greytooth again. It wasn¡¯t as painful as I thought it would¡¯ve been. At least not physically. M**tally, I epted it was what it was. Emotionally, I was¡­ defeated. I slipped my hand in my pocket and pulled out the stone I had been carrying. I didn¡¯t know why I had been so determined to get it. Looking at it now, I had an ominous feeling that I had set something in motion. Something I shouldn¡¯t have. But what¡¯s done was done. The protective barrier that had kept it hidden all these years couldn¡¯t be re-established. Not by me, anyway. And not within the ruins it was taken from. Besides, we may need it in theing events. There was power within the stone. A power that had blessed and protected my pack for generations. If I couldn¡¯t use it to bring them back, I would use it to keep from losing anything else. I wrapped the smooth, iridescent stone in a velvet cloth, tucking it into a small chest. Using the trick from the tunnels, I ced the chest in a 0.00% 11:48 Chapter 153 Kingston 288 Vouchers hole in the stone wall, cing the bricks back in their ce to conceal it. It would be safe here. Until I found the piece I needed. ¨C Hello, readers! Thank you for reading The Luna¡¯s Choice. I hope you enjoyed it. But don¡¯t worry, A¡¯s story will continue in book two The Luna¡¯s Fate! I will be taking a short break before I start posting the first chapters of the next book. Thank you for your patience as I take this time to get ahead on this and other stories for you all.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 The Luna¡¯s Fate ¨C Chapter 1: A Our sses clinked together as our friends and family toasted to our mating. Everyone was shocked and excited when we arrived back at the packhouse officially mated and marked. I couldn¡¯t deny the atmosphere within the packhouse was energized, and there was no way to quickly get away. We were stuck in the packhouse lobby for over an hour while anyone within a mile came to congratte us. And it was absolutely lovely, if a little overwhelming. When we could finally retreat to the Alpha¡¯s suite, Theo¡¯s parents insisted on a private celebration. Briggs, Mina, Jimmy, Annabelle, and her mate all joined us in our apartment. Grace took out a set of sses and two bottles of champagne. ¡°Before everyone starts in on the questions,¡± Torin said as he passed a bubbly ss to everyone, ¡°I want to make a toast. To my favorite son and my beautiful new daughter¡± ¡ª he lifted his ss to me and Theo ¨C ¨C ¡°there were some obstacles and a few stumbles along the way, but fate, faith, and determination got you both exactly where you¡¯re supposed to be. I can¡¯t think of two people who deserve this happiness more. We love you both. To Alpha Theo and Luna A.¡± ¡°To Alpha Theo and Luna A,¡± everyone echoed. Theo¡¯s arm tightened around my waist. ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± Theo said. ¡°Thank you all.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I concurred. ¡°And I hope we didn¡¯t disappoint you too much by not waiting for a ceremony. The Luna¡¯s Fate Chapter 1. A 288 Moha Annabelle waved that off. ¡°Oh, tosh. After all the will¨Cthey¨Cwon¡¯t¨Cthey, we¡¯re just d you kids got your act together.¡± We allughed. ¡°And if it helps,¡± Briggs interjected, looking down at Mina, ¡°you won¡¯t have to wait long for a mating ceremony.¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasped. ¡°You set a date?¡± Mina¡¯s face flushed and she elbowed Briggs. ¡°It¡¯s in a week and a half,¡± she said happily. Both Annabe and I squealed in excitement and hugged her. ¡°I hope we didn¡¯t steal any of your thunder,¡± Mina said quietly, giving Briggs a side¨Ceyed look. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± I said. ¡°You just made the day better.¡± ¡°A week and a half¡­¡± Grace breathed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t give us much time.¡± Mina smiled at her. ¡°No. So I¡¯m desperately going to need your help, Luna Grace.¡± Grace lit up. ¡°Say no more,¡± she said, raising her hand. ¡°Just tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± We allughed, knowing how much Grace loved to n an event. ¡°And just so you know, Mom,¡± Theo said, pulling me back to his side, ¡°you¡¯ll still get the chance to n our ceremony. We¡¯ve decided to have a mating ceremony anyway. On the winter solstice. Like in the old tradition.¡± 23.97% 14:53 The Luna¡¯s Fate Chapter 1 A 200 Wouchers ¡°Oh,¡± Grace¡¯s hand went to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just so romantic.¡± We spent another hour visiting before Theo subtly started to herd them out of the apartment. But not before Grace decided on a schedule for her to teach me the duties of being a Luna. It was something I hadn¡¯t thought about but was suddenly very grateful for. ¡°Okay, Mom,¡± Theo said, ushering his parents toward the door. ¡°You can finish this tomorrow. We¡¯ve got to be up early.¡± ¡°I ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she said, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek. ¡°Love you.¡± ¡°Love you, too,¡± he said to both of them. Torin hugged me and pped Theo on the back before following his mate out of the apartment. Once they were gone, Theo shut the door and locked it, including the deadbolt. He let out a relieved sigh before turning to me, a devilish look in his eye. ¡°What?¡± I asked, knowing exactly what. A grin spread across his face, and he lurched at me, hooking me around the middle and hauling me against him as I squeaked. ¡°I thought they¡¯d never leave,¡± he breathed, his lips pressed against mine. I chuckled as I snaked my arms around his neck, opening to his kiss. His hands found my hips, and he guided me backward toward the bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him as he pulled my shirt over my head. I did the same with his before falling back onto the mattress. He leaned over me, caging me in with his arms as his tongue and lips trailed down my neck. 43.52% 14:53 The Lunar Fate Chapter 1. A 25 Mouchers ¡°You know, baby,¡± he spoke against my skin, ¡°there is one downside to not doing the whole ceremony thing.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I breathed, distracted by his exploration, ¡°what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t get our honeymoon,¡± he pointed out, tugging my shorts and panties down my legs. ¡°If we had our ceremony tonight¡± ¨C he kissed his way up my thigh ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be expected to let you leave this room for days.¡± COMM I sucked in a breath as his thumb slipped through my folds, pressing against my clit. He began working circles, teasing me as he lifted my knees over his shoulders. ¡°I could spend countless hours worshipping your body the way it should be,¡± his deep, husky voice rolled over me, making goosebumps. erupt across my flesh. ¡°You¡¯re so f***ing beautiful, baby. I love how ready you are for me every time I take you.¡± ¡°Theo,¡± I gasped, pushing my hips against his touch. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. I moaned when his tongue reced his thumb, his mouth closing around me as he devoured me. Waves of electricity buzzed through my core. Goddess, he was good at that. When I wasing down from the results of his skills, he kissed and nipped his way back up my body, sliding me further up the bed. ¡°I guess we need to n for a honeymoon then, don¡¯t we,¡± I said breathlessly, reaching down to help him slip the rest of his clothing off. He chuckled. ¡°Absolutely,¡± he insisted. 68.18% 14:53 The Lumat Fate Chapter 1. Apta 2šriVouchers I ran my hands along the hard curves of his body as he looked down at me. Our connection was so strong now, but I couldn¡¯t define the emotions I felt from him just then. ¡°What is it?¡± He smiled, resting his forehead against mine. ¡°I¡¯m still having a hard time believing it,¡± he said quietly. ¡°That you¡¯re here. That you¡¯re mine. That this is my home that I share with you, my mate.¡± I smiled back. Then, to his surprise, in one smooth¨Cmotion, I rolled us over, straddling his hips. ¡°Then I guess I should do a better job making it undeniable.¡± Chapter 2: A Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 2: A I woke up to Theo nuzzling my neck. I groaned as I snuggled closer to him. ¡°Good morning, love,¡± he said, kissing my jaw. ¡°We need to get up.¡± I scrunched my nose, lifting my head to squint at the clock. ¡°Um, babe¡­ do you realize it¡¯s only four¨Cthirty,¡± I croaked, falling back onto the pillow and pulling his arm around me. He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m well aware. That¡¯s why we need to get up. ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, mate, but I already don¡¯t like it.¡± His warmth disappeared from behind me and the covers were pulled off. I pushed onto my elbow with a growl. ¡°Theo,¡± I whined. Heughed again, climbing up the bed. His teeth grazed my thigh below the hem of his T¨Cshirt I slept in. I tried to suppress a grin, biting my lip. ¡°If that¡¯s what this is about, there were nicer ways,¡± I said. Suddenly, he grabbed my legs and yanked me down the bed. ¡°That¡¯s very true,¡± he said huskily. ¡°And I will make it a goal to perform each one another time. But today, we start training. So, get that sexy ass up and get moving.¡± Cha 280 Vouchers He straightened and disappeared into therge master bathroom. ¡°What?¡± I said, shooting up on my hands. ¡°Wait. Hang on.¡± I jumped up and followed him. He was in the attached walk¨Cin closet, slipping into some athletic shorts. ¡°Theo, what training are you talking about? When did we discuss this?¡± He made a face. ¡°I guess we didn¡¯t,¡± he said. He came up to me, running his hands down my arms. ¡°Look, baby, I know you¡¯re skilled in self¨Cdefense, and that¡¯s fantastic. But I want to really train fight. As much as I would love to, I can¡¯t be with you twenty¨Cfour hours a day. And unless you want a whole security team foll¡­..¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said eagerly. Theo paused. ¡°Really?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. ¡°I want to train.¡± Theo smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t take it easy on you, babe.¡± I c***ed my hip, giving him a look. ¡°Did I ask you to?¡± you to Heughed. ¡°You say that now. Get dressed and meet me in the gym. You¡¯ve got ten minutes.¡± He grabbed a shirt and left the bathroom, pping my ass on the way out. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. But I was oddly excited. Thest three months had been hard, but the part that had been bothering me the most was the amount of times I felt helpless. Especially in the hands of Harry. The idea ofbat training had crossed my mind several times, but I hadn¡¯t entertained it much Chapter 2: A 238 Wouchers because I had so much else on my te. But if Theo wanted to teach me, I was willing. ¡®Me, too,¡® Dasha voiced in support. Her own excitement mirrored mine. I threw on my workout clothes, brushed my teeth, and put my hair in a ponytail. I knew there was a private gym for the ranking pack members in the packhouse, but I had to mind¨Clink Theo to tell me where it was. When I arrived, Theo wasn¡¯t the only one there. Jimmy and a couple other males were scattered around the weights and weight machines. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Jimmy spotted me quickly,ing up to me with a big smile. ¡°Alpha said you were a morning person,¡± he said. ¡°And I just won fifty bucks.¡± ¡°Good morning to you, too. And what?¡± Iughed. ¡°We had a bet going on how stubborn you were going to be about this,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be here. Determination isn¡¯t the same as stubbornness.¡± ¡°You know my mother is a gambling addict, right?¡± I said sternly. ¡°You really think it¡¯s a good idea to be betting around me?¡± Jimmy¡¯s face fell and he started to stutter. I couldn¡¯t keep it up, and a broad smile spread across my face. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, big guy,¡± Iughing. ¡°I¡¯m d I came through for you. Where¡¯s Theo?¡± He shook his with a sigh of relief. ¡°He¡¯s back in the mat room.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, heading toward the door he pointed out. ¡°Oh, and just so you know, I¡¯m always a safe bet,¡± I called over my shoulder. Chapter 2: A #288 Wouchers ¡°Don¡¯t let that get out,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll thin the pot.¡± I found Theo as he was setting up some equipment at one end of the room. He knew the moment I entered the room and looked back at me. ¡°Where are we starting?¡± I asked. ¡°Strength training,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re in good shape, babe, but you have almost no upper body strength. You¡¯ll want that leverage in truebat. Then we¡¯ll work on seeing what you already know and go from there.¡± He handed me a set of weights and we got working. Two hourster, I was on my back, panting and covered in sweat. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll add that to the list,¡± Theo said, straddling me with a smug grin. I huffed, pushing myself up. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I said. ¡°I get it. I have noodles for arms. ¡°¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°But you¡¯re still f***ing sexy as hell, baby.¡± He grabbed the nape of my neck as his mouth took mine. We had experienced a few of these moments of distraction. I guess neither of us considered what this close proximity activity¡¯s hot and sweaty nature would do to our already heightened libidos. ¡°That¡¯s not how I do that move,¡± Jimmy¡¯s teasing voice interrupted. ¡°Briggs said Malcolm will be here in twenty.¡± Theo sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll meet them in my office.¡± ¡°Roger that,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°And you know, Luna, if you actually want to learn something, instead of being mauled every five minutes, you Chapter 2 Ayta 288 Wouchure just say the word.¡± Theo growled as Jimmy leftughing. ¡°You know, he may have a point there,¡± I said, still fully aware of the intimate position we were still in and what it was doing to both of us. Theo shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he stated. ¡°We¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°Diversity is a good thing, babe,¡± I chided. ¡°Yeah, but me wanting to rip my friends¡® arms off isn¡¯t,¡± Theo replied. ¡°None of my men are f***ing touching you.¡± ¡°Okay, fair enough,¡± I breathed, my eyes falling closed as he kissed down my neck. ¡°What about low¨C contact training? You mentioned boxing. Jimmy or Briggs could always help with strength training, too.¡± Theo¡¯s chest rumbled. ¡°If you stop bringing them up while I¡¯m seducing you, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He pushed me back, pressing my body into the mat. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to finish thister,¡± I said. ¡°Because you¡¯ve got twenty minutes to shower, and I have to get cleaned up to meet Mina in the cer.¡± Theo grunted. ¡°You¡¯re killing me, babe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you,¡± Iughed. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Chapter 3: A I had showered, changed, and was heading out the door when my phone rang. I checked the ID and picked up the call. ¡°Hey, Zeff,¡± I answered happily. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you sound perky this morning,¡± Zeff replied. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, congrattions are in order. Not that I found out from you. ¡°I There was no anger in his tone, but I still felt a pang of guilt. I hadn¡¯t told him about Theo and I marking each other. He was out of town working with Holly on the magazine again, and I hadn¡¯t had time once we got back to the packhouse. I should have Called him on the way home. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°The whole thing wasn¡¯t exactly nned.¡± Zeff chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ayls,¡± he assured me. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m happy if you¡¯re happy. You are happy, right?¡± I smiled. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Zeff said genuinely. ¡°So, I guess that means you no longer hate Theo?¡± I asked. ¡°Eh, he saved you from a psycho stalker,¡± he stated. ¡°So, if the goddess thinks he¡¯s good enough, I guess he¡¯s not so bad. ¡± I rolled my eyes as I left the suite. ¡°How is the website going?¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s part of why I called,¡± Zeff said. ¡°Other than my best friend not telling me she had been marked and mated, of course.¡± 0.00% Chapter 3 A 288 IVouchers ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I insisted. Heughed again. ¡°Great, I know exactly how you can make it up to me.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, how is that?¡± ¡°Pick up the advice column,¡± he said. I winced. I hadpletely forgotten about that. I paused in the middle of the hall. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve sent you an email with three letters we picked out,¡± he told me. ¡°Take a look at them and see what you think. I¡¯ll be back in town tomorrow afternoon, and we can celebrate then.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I gave in. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me down,¡± he replied. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I teased. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± ¡°Later, Ayls. ¡°I I exited the packhouse and looked around the grounds before heading to the utility shed at the back. Mina was already down there working when I arrived. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Good morning,¡± I greeted. ¡°How long have you been down here?¡± She lifted up a cup of coffee for me. ¡°Not long.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I got here about fifteen minutes ago. I promised Briggs I wouldn¡¯t put so many extra hours in for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s already one workaholic in this family. We don¡¯t need another.¡± 18 288 Vouchers Our eyes met and we bothughed. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work. I have an interview with the admissions office at two.¡± Theo had Briggs bring my dad¡¯s box down the day before while everyone was preupied with our arrival. We had another table set up to keep the contents separate from what we got from Onyxcrown. I pulled up a chair and set Harry¡¯s notebook down on the table. I had marked a few pages that I wanted to look into. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mina asked. ¡°It¡¯s Harry¡¯s notebook,¡± I exined. ¡°I found it in the hideout. I¡¯ve been studying it. I can¡¯t tell if it is all just gibberish nonsense or if it¡¯s encoded. I think it¡¯s in code. I¡¯m hoping to find something that will help us decipher it.¡± ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Mina said, holding out her hand. I handed her the book and she flipped through it. She made a few faces before sharing her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re right that it¡¯s hard to tell which case it is,¡± she said. ¡°But we¡¯ll cover it to make sure. What if we ask Alpha Torin? If it¡¯s in code, maybe he¡¯ll have an idea¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± I interrupted. ¡°If I absolutely have to, I¡¯ll ask him. But Harry¡¯s betrayal has been hard enough on him. I don¡¯t want to make things harder.¡± ¨D ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Mina agreed. ¡°Well, since I have you on these for a while¡°. she slipped on a pair of rubber gloves ¡°I¡¯m going to y with the fun stuff.¡± She was talking about the chemicals and electronic equipment we had 40.48% 11:59 Chispter 3 Ayda # 288 Vouchera. taken with us. She pulled a file folder from her work bag and held it to her nose, inhaling deeply. ¡°Ahhh,¡± she exhaled dramatically. ¡°I love the smell of test results in the morning.¡± Iughed as she went to the other work table and started reviewing the file. It surprisingly didn¡¯t take her long to find something of interest. ¡°Ooh,¡± she said. ¡°I think we found what Harry used to make Kylee smell like you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I got up and walked over to her side as she looked through thebeled vials and containers in front of her. She found what she was looking for and selected arge ss vial. She popped the lid and wafted her hand over the opening. ¡°Hoo yeah,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s you alright.¡± I followed her lead and waved my hand over the bottle. My brow furrowed. ¡°I just smell chemicals,¡± I said. ¡°And it¡¯s very faint, at that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mina said, c***ing her head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just fascinating. Although, I guess that would make sense in a way.¡± She looked back at the file. ¡°We tend to not register our own scent. This says that this vial contains an unusual amount of werewolf DNA. The sample appears to be from a single subject. Concentration is too high to be contamination.¡± ¡°Wait, Harry was using my DNA?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°How could he have gotten that?¡± 65.35% ||| 11:59 Chape Ayle 205 Wouter? ¡°Have you ever given blood?¡± She made a face as soon as she asked. ¡°Why am I even asking? Of course you have.¡± I shrugged in confirmation. ¡°Um, I may also have been a consistent sma donor, too,¡± I told her. ¡°Particrly back when money was tight.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Mina said. ¡°I¡¯ll contact the sma clinic and see if they can give us any information on dear old psycho Harry. In the meantime, and I know how much damage this little invention of his has done to you, but it¡¯s pretty damn cool.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Yes, the evil genius made some cool stuff. Let¡¯s just hope you still think that when they¡¯re being used against you.¡± I yfully tapped her head with some papers and returned to my table. 11:59 87.81% Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Chapter 4: A I was trying to confirm a pattern I might have found in Harry¡¯s journal when Jimmy showed up. ¡°You just about ready, Luna?¡± he asked, pulling me out of my work. I looked at him in confusion. ¡°For?¡± ¡°Your meeting at the university,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m your bodyguard for today.¡± I sighed, dropping my pencil on the table. ¡°Do we really think I need a bodyguard every time I leave the grounds? I¡¯m still going to be within the city.¡± ¡°And you were stabbed within the packhouse,¡± Mina chimed in immediately, not even looking up. Jimmy pointed at her. ¡°What she said. Now, I¡¯m ready when you are.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± I said, checking my watch. It was almost one¨Cthirty. I tucked the notebook back in my bag and straightened up my area. I waved goodbye to Mina, reminding her not to stay there all day, and followed Jimmy out. He kept looking around the grounds to ensure we weren¡¯t noticed as we headed toward my car. I insisted on driving. ¡°You know, we may have to figure out a different workce,¡± Imented. ¡°It¡¯s going to get harder to keep the cer a secret if there¡® s more traffic going in and out.¡± 0.00% O 10:53 §¤ Chapter 4 A 288 Vouchera ¡°I was already thinking that,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°That entrance was fine before when we rarely needed to use the space. But that was a big part of what made it so secure. Now, it seems conspicuous. I¡¯ll talk to Alpha about it.¡± I nodded as I rolled down my car window to enter the gate code. They used to keep the gates open all day before the incidents with Randy and my attack. I felt a slight pang of guilt at all the changes my arrival had caused. I knew it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. It¡¯s not like the packhouse grounds were completely walled off, just the areas you could drive into. Everyone still had ess to the woods for shifting. And the gates really only tracked peopleing and going All pack members had codes or could gain ess whenever they wanted. But it still felt like I caused an inconvenience. We pulled onto the college campus, and Jimmy helped direct me to the administration building. We went in and told the receptionist I had arrived. She was a middle¨Caged woman with a full figure and short ck curly hair. Her face lit up when I told her my name. ¡°Oh, yes, Luna,¡± she said brightly as she stood from her chair. ¡°Come with me and I will get you situated.¡± She led us down a short hallway into a conference room, directing us to sit anywhere. ¡°I¡¯m Mrs. Becky, by the way. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Luna,¡± she said. ¡°When we heard the news that you were attending, the whole office has been a twitter about it.¡± It was hard not to smile at her. ¡°Well, thank you, but I¡¯m not in just yet,¡± I replied. ¡°I am sure you know that this is just a formality, Ms. Garner,¡± a male voice spoke. ¡°Though, I suppose it¡¯s missus now, or in fact, Luna.¡± 20.29% 10:53 < hapter 4. A 288 Vouchers ¡°Mr. Andrews?¡± I asked, recognizing the male who had entered the room. ¡°A, my dear, it is wonderful to see you again,¡± Mr. Andrews said kindly as he took my hands. ¡°What on earth are you doing here?¡± ¡°I left Howling Falls after Kylee graduated,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m on the administrative board and admissions committee here at the college now. When I saw your namee across my email for a special admission, I knew I had to take over. ¡°Jimmy, this is Mr. Andrews,¡± I said. ¡°He was my headmaster in high school. This is Jimmy, he¡¯s¡­¡± I paused. ¡°I¡¯m the bodyguard,¡± Jimmy said, extending his hand. ¡°For now, at least.¡± ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Mr. Andrews said. ¡°We are aware of the situation regarding Mrs. Garner¡¯s safety. In fact, our head of security is on the way to join us today, as well.¡± He directed us to take a seat. ¡°Along with two other faculty members who wanted to be present for the interview. But as I said before, this is just a formality. We would be honored to have you at our university. And not because you are our future Luna, my dear.¡± ¡°Well, I have been out of school for a while, Mr. Andrews,¡± I stated. ¡°So, I know I¡¯ll have to start at the bottom.¡± ¡°Nonsense. Don¡¯t forget I know what you do for a living,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°That, plus other parts of your work history, has allowed us to apply introductory credits to your file already. So, you tell us what you want to take and we¡¯ll get you all squared away.¡± The door to the conference room opened and two more people entered. There was a tall, slender female with a rather sour look on her face and 50.24% ? O 10:53 Chapter 4 A 298 Vouchers another male. He didn¡¯t look to be quite middle¨Caged yet, although it could be hard to tell with wolves. But he had dark features and a pleasant face. ¡°Ah, here they are,¡± Mr. Andrews said as we all stood. ¡°Mrs. Garner, I¡® d like you to meet Professor Elkins and Professor Armand.¡± I extended my hand to each of them. Professor Elkins shook it quickly like it was on fire or something. Professor Armand held it gently, nting a small kiss on my knuckles Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Luna A,¡± he said. ¡°It is a pleasure to finally meet you. ¡°Yes, Professor, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you,¡± I stated. ¡°I hear your research in ancient architecture is simply fascinating.¡± ¡°Well, I hope you n on taking one or two of my sses,¡± he replied. ¡°Indeed,¡± I said. ¡°In fact, I may have some material that you would find particrly interesting. I¡¯m working on some research of my own and recently found some old books. I would love to get feedback from an expert like yourself.¡± His face lit up in curiosity. I knew Alpha Harden and Randy had been in contact with him, so he was expecting us to meet. But they didn¡¯t know about what my father had left me. ¡°I am intrigued and eager to be of service, Luna,¡± he said with a bow. 78.43% 10:53 ||| Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Chapter 6: Theo Dinner was served quickly as we made any additional introductions. I didn¡¯t miss the looks both Malcolm and Julia kept giving A. Malcolm¡¯s eyes kept wandering, and Julia¡¯s scowl could peel paint. ¡°It¡¯s a shame Harmon couldn¡¯t be here, Alpha Theo,¡± Malcolm said halfway through the meal. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, he is with the Arroww Pack negotiating our next deal.¡± I said. 5 He got a weekly update just like the rest of our investors. He knew exactly where Harmon was. ¡°Yes, I meant to ask you about that,¡± Malcolm went on. ¡°He led thest¡­ two negotiations, I believe, as well, correct?¡± ¡°He did,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Well, you may want to remind him about your obligation to your suppliers. Yourst two projects seemed to be short a few orders,¡± Malcolm stated. ¡°They were not short,¡± I replied firmly. ¡°We simply didn¡¯t need more than what we ordered. They were both eco¨Cfriendly builds, and yourpany has yet to meet our requirements for those projects.¡± ¡°May I ask what materials yourpany supplies?¡± A asked. ¡°They provide most of our lumber and instion,¡± I stated before Malcolm had a chance to respond. ¡°However, they still haven¡¯t managed to produce an eco¨Cfriendly instion option that meets our 0.00% 11:49 quality standards.¡± ¡°There is nothing wrong with that product and you know it,¡± Malcolm insisted. ¡°Except that it has half the life expectancy ofparable products,¡± I said. ¡°Meaning we would have to go in and rece it within the next ten years.¡± ¡°Alpha, that¡¯s how money is made,¡± Malcolm said smugly. ¡°Not in my business, it¡¯s not,¡± I asserted. ¡°Theo, love, if they aren¡¯t able to provide the required product, we could always renegotiate the contract.¡± A said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Uncle Wally would be happy to do business with you.¡± I had no clue what she was talking about, but I was curious to see where this would go. ¡°Ha,¡± Malcolm snorted. ¡°We¡¯re thergest distributor within three packs, Luna. I don¡¯t know who your Uncle Wally is, but anyone else will be far overpriced.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s Wace Douring,¡± A said calmly. I almost choked and I saw Mina hide a smile as she shook her head. Malcolm, however, had gone a little pale, while Julia looked like she would have a meltdown. Wace was Malcolm¡¯s employer¡¯s biggestpetitor, and they were having trouble keeping up. Wace had innovated with the new eco¨C friendly architecture. Malcolm¡¯s boss hadn¡¯t. We only used them because Wace hadn¡¯t been epting any new contracts when we approached him. ¡°Your Wace Douring¡¯s niece?¡± Malcolm asked skeptically. 23.17% 11:49 ¡°Well, goddaughter, actually,¡± A rified. ¡°He was Grandpop¡¯s best friend. When he passed, goddess rest his soul, Uncle Wally helped to fill the role.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Malcolm said slowly. ¡°Well, Alpha, I suppose we can overlook the order shortages for now. And I¡¯ll be sure to reach out to our Rand D department to check on that green option.¡± ¡°You do that,¡± I said. I slipped my hand under the table and squeezed A¡¯s knee. She ran her foot up my leg in response. The rest of the dinner went by quickly as the conversation soon dried out. The wait staff escorted Malcolm and his entourage to the guest wing, and I let them off for the night. They coulde clean up in the morning. When I closed the door, Mina burst outughing behind me. ¡°What did I miss?¡± Briggs said. ¡°Uncle Wally?¡± Mina directed at A. ¡°Babe, Wace Douring isn¡¯t really your godfather, is he?¡± I asked her. ¡°Technically, he is,¡± she said coyly. ¡°Yeah, Wace Douring, the schlubby ountant from the Moonvalley Pack. Not Wace Douring, the CEO and business mogul,¡± Mina exined. I shook my head with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t get my hopes up,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry, but they do actually know each other,¡± A said with a shrug. ¡°There was an issue with a bank loan and suspected identity theft. It was all cleared up, and they were on good termsst I spoke with him. 48.03% 11:49 But I doubt they stayed in touch.¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even care,¡± I said, pulling her to me. ¡°You were brilliant this evening.¡± I kissed her strongly. ¡°Okay,¡± Briggs said. ¡°That¡¯s our queue to leave. We¡¯ll see you two love birds tomorrow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Briggs,¡± I said. ¡°In a little over a week, you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting the days,¡± I called over his shoulder as he led Mina out of the room. ¡®Lock the door on your way out,¡® I linked him. ¡®And make sure the halls stay clear.¡® ¡®Just clean up after yourself,¡® he said back. ¡®Don¡¯t leave that for our poor staff.¡® A had stepped away and was clearing off the table. I watched her for a minute, wondering if she would ever realize she wouldn¡¯t have to do that anymore. I moved behind her, letting my hands run down the sides of her body. ¡°How was your day?¡± I asked, burying my face in her hair and breathing in her scent. ¡°That Julia chick is a floozy bitch,¡± she said. ¡°But I enjoyed knocking her down a peg, so I guess it was pretty good.¡± I chuckled. ¡°You have no idea how much I owe you for saving me from her advances from now on. Or how incredibly sexy it was to watch you put her in her ce.¡± 73.39% 11:49 ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± A said, leaning into me. ¡°Mmhmmm¡­ So much so, I¡¯ve been nning on bending you over this table ever since,¡± I stated as I nipped her ear. She pressed her ass against the bulge of my cks, soliciting a growl from me. ¡°Is that so, Alpha?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. 11:49 95.20% Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Chapter 7: A One of Theo¡¯s hands tangled in my hair while the other reached for the hem of my pencil skirt. He yanked it over my hips, slipping his hand between my thighs. He cursed when he realized I wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath. I chuckled. ¡°I told you I¡¯d make it up to you.¡± I moaned as his fingers slipped through my folds, stoking the desire already burning me. I reached between us, undoing his belt and fly of his cks. He turned my head sharply, his mouth taking mine greedily, his tongue pushing through my lips. My hand went beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs, making my mate groan as I wrapped around him, pulling him fr Purchasepleted Theo pushed me forward, my arms going out in front of me. ¡°Do you know what you do to me, baby?¡± Theo breathed, sliding his length along my core. ¡°I have an idea,¡± I moaned, pushing against the sensation as he teased my clit. He pushed inside me, sending a burst of electricity all the way to my toes. I would never get over how perfectly he filled me. He began thrusting, keeping a slow, hard pace as he drove into me with force. I arched my back as his hand moved to my shoulder, gripping firmly as his other hand dug into my hip. I moaned his name, wanting more as my pleasure built. ¡°Goddess, your so f***ing gorgeous, A,¡± Theo grunted 0.00% I cried out as he moved faster. I was so close to my climax. ¡°Yeah, baby,¡± Theo groaned. ¡°Come for me.¡± I felt his fingers press between my folds again, applying blissful pressure. ¡°Yes,¡± I cried as my orgasm burst through me. Theo continued to move, extending my ecstasy until he stilled with a growl as a warmth filled me. He fell against my back, holding me up by the waist. Our breathing was ragged as we stayed frozen like that for a few moments. ¡°That was amazing, baby,¡± I rasped out. ¡°You read my mind,¡± Theo chuckled. I hissed as he pulled out of me, gently pulling my skirt back down. I gasped as he pulled me back. I landed in hisp in a chair, his arms going around me. I tucked my head into his shoulder. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said softly. ¡°For being here tonight. I know I kind of sprang it on you.¡± ¡°Where else would I be?¡± ¡°Anywhere else doing something less tedious,¡± he replied lightly. ¡°Am I your mate?¡± I asked. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You most definitely are,¡± he asserted. ¡°Am I your Luna?¡± ¡°Without a doubt,¡± he confirmed. 22.02% ¡°Then this is exactly where I was supposed to be,¡± I stated. ¡°Besides, how else would Julia learn to keep her hands off my mate.¡± Theoughed. ¡°Very true. But still, thank you. It meant the world to have you here. I stretched out against him. ¡°Then I guess my day isplete.¡± ¡°Well, you can tell me all about it on our way home,¡± he said, looking at me with that smile that always made me feel all jelly inside. ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. Theo stood up, kissing me as he set my feet back on the floor. He had already adjusted his cks, but I tucked his shirt back in and redid his belt for him. It wasn¡¯t sote that we wouldn¡¯t pass anyone on the way back to our apartment. As we left the conference room, I felt the day creep up on me. I held Theo¡¯s arm as I leaned against him on our way down the hall. ¡°How did your meeting at the school go?¡± Theo asked as he pressed the button to the private elevator. ¡°I went well,¡± I said. ¡°Surprising, actually. It turns out my old headmaster works for the college now. He was the one interviewing me today. Well, if you can call it an interview. We ended up talking about my schedule options for this semester.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic, babe,¡± Theo said. ¡°I told you it would be a piece of cake.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I chided. ¡°Oh, and I met Professor Armand. He was there as well.¡± ¡°I contacted himst week and let him know you would be attending,¡± Theo said. ¡°I know Randy already reached out to him, so I just wanted 39.48% 10:38 to fill in anything he may be missing. Except for the box. I left that for you to address.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. Theo tucked me under his arm as he unlocked our door, guiding me inside. He turned me to face him, brushing my hair from my face. ¡°Tired?¡± I nodded. He kissed my nose. ¡°Why don¡¯t we curl up on the couch and watch a movie? We¡¯ll turn down the lights, cuddle up with a nket, maybe a nice foot rub.¡± ¡°That sounds really nice,¡± I groaned. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s get both of us into something morefortable.¡± We went to the bedroom hand¨Cin¨Chand. I had my shirt untucked by the time we made it. I pulled a pair of shorts and one of Theo¡¯s shirts out of a drawer and tossed them on the bed. I had left my phone here for the dinner, so I grabbed it to check for messages. Zeff ¨C I¡¯ll be in town by four. Name the restaurant and I¡¯ll be there. I groaned ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Theo asked as he came back from the bathroom in a pair of sweats. ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°I just forgot about this thing for Zeff. He¡¯sing back into town tomorrow.¡± I felt a pang of guilt. I knew he and Theo didn¡¯t have the greatest history. ¡°By the way, how would you feel 64.02% 10.38 about me working with him again?¡± ¡°Doing what?¡± he asked casually, unzipping my skirt. ¡°He started an online magazine and wants me to do an advice column once or twice a month.¡± He stripped my shirt off and pulled his over my head. ¡°That sounds like something you¡¯d be great at, hon,¡± he said. ¡°Just don¡® t overmit yourself, okay? You¡¯ve got a lot on your te already.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t mind me working with Zeff?¡± I asked. He smiled at me. ¡°Babe, I know we didn¡¯t exactly start off on the best of terms,¡± he said, ¡°but when you were taken, he was here within hours.¡± ¡°He was?¡± I didn¡¯t know that. Theo nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy. And I know he¡¯ll do anything to protect you. That makes him good to have around. And I think he¡¯s smart enough to know better than to try anything.¡± ¡°Ha ha,¡± I said. ¡°You know we¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s why I have no problem if you work together.¡± I snaked my arms around his neck happily. ¡°Thank you.¡± 83.77% Chapter 160 Chapter 160 10:38 Chapter 8: A I woke up the next morning feeling extra sore from our first training session the day before. Theo said we could wait a day, but I teased him about saying something about not going casy on me. In hindsight, I may have been a little overzealous. By the time I was back in the apartment running the shower, I could barely move. But I managed to strip out of my sweaty clothes and spent an absorbing amount of time under the hot water. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Thank the goddess for the packhouse¡¯s endless supply. The shower door opened and Theo stepped inside. I groaned. ¡°Not now, babe,¡± Theoughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just here to shower. And since you are determined to spend the day in here, I have no choice but to join you.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, moving out of the spray. ¡°It¡¯s okay, hon,¡± he said. He kissed my cheek and grabbed the soap and washcloth. ¡°Come here.¡± We scrubbed each other down. Theo even washed my hair, which was nice since I wasn¡¯t sure I could lift my arms that high. But when we got out, I was feeling much better. I was sore but energized. While I had a full day scheduled, it was a casual workload. So I dressed in somefy leggings and a flowy tank top. Theo was back in cks and a button¨Cup, which I knew he wasn¡¯t ecstatic about. ¡°More investor meetings today?¡± I asked. 0.00% 10.38 D ¡°I have to see Malcolm off this morning. Then I have a couple of video calls around lunch,¡± he said as he put on his watch. ¡°But these should be far more pleasant, at least.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure everything is okay with the business?¡± I asked. ¡°I know I¡¯m the reason you¡¯ve missed¡­¡± ¡°Everything is great, babe,¡± he interrupted. ¡°You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. Dad and I started building the business while I was in college, and we set up the management and operations so that I could step back once it got on its feet.¡± He hugged me from behind. ¡°We always knew being the Alpha would take precedence. I¡¯m still the primary owner and have the final say in major decisions, but I trust my people. So, I promise. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t keep anything like that from you, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Everything I have is yours, A. If something happens, you¡¯ll always be part of the solution.¡± I reached back and cupped his cheek, rubbing my fingers across the beard he had been growing out. ¡°What does your day look like today?¡± he asked. ¡°Research,¡± I stated. ¡°I said I¡¯d get some things together for Professor Armand to review. We¡¯re meeting on Monday after ss. Then I start Luna training with your mother this afternoon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he drawled. ¡°I believe she is relinquishing her office to you today.¡± ¡°Her office?¡± ¡°Yeah, she has the small office across from mine,¡± he informed me. 22.41% 10:38 ¡°Dad realized real quick that she needed her own workspace for her duties.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I said. ¡°Speaking of workspaces. Jimmy and I were concerned that the cer may not be the best ce for us to work on the Waar Pak investigation. All theing and going may make the utility shed a bit more conspicuous.¡± ¡°Yeah, he mentioned that. I¡¯ve been thinking about it, too,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯m having the packhouse blueprints sent over. I may have a solution for that if everything checks out. Luckily, your mate is a half¨C decent contractor.¡± He kissed my neck and pped my butt on his way out of the bathroom. I pulled my hair dryer to finish getting ready but was turned suddenly. Theo grabbed my face and kissed me hard. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter,¡± he said. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you, too,¡± I giggled. After he left, I dealt with my hair, grabbed a gran bar from the kitchen, and opened myptop. I still had to read Zeff¡¯s letters before I could head down to the cer with Mina. I pulled up the email and clicked on the attachments. I was surprised to find myself actually wanting to write responses to them. The first was from a woman who had been with her partner for six years, but he wasn¡¯t her fated mate. They had been discussing taking each other as chosen mates for a while, but she recently started to feel like he was pulling away from the idea. The second was about a young she¨Cwolf who was about to graduate and had the opportunity to go to a college she had dreamed about attending. However, she didn¡¯t think her family would approve because it was in another pack¡¯s territory. 47.52% 10:38 And the third was from a mother whose mate recently passed away. I still wasn¡¯t convinced I was the right person to be giving them advice, but I did feel for the authors and wanted to help. I shut down myptop and pushed it aside, weighing my options. I decided to take the day to think about it. Theo was right about having a lot going on. I¡¯d see how the day went and decide when I saw him that evening. I slipped on a pair of ts, grabbed my bag, and headed for the cer. ¡°You¡¯re still getting paid for all this work, right?¡± I asked Mina as I set my bag down next to my chair. Mina looked up from whatever test she was running. ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah,¡± she replied. ¡°Theo said if the precinct can¡¯t find the budget, he¡¯ll take it out of the pack funds. This does affect all of us, after all. But that¡¯s why I¡¯m still waiting on theb assistants.¡± ¡°Do you really think we¡¯ll need them?¡± I asked. Mina gave me a look. ¡°To process all of this? Yeah.¡± She sat back in her chair. ¡°It¡¯s not even about analyzing everything. We need to organize and catalog it all. That should help us with the analysis. Plus, who knows what else they¡¯ll find at his other properties. They haven¡¯t gotten a team out there yet.¡± I looked over at the metal container that held the stuff from my father. I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted it to be mixed in with everything else. Maybe I would have Theo move it to our apartment for the time being. Just until I had some time to really go through it. 74.80% Chapter 161 Chapter 161 10 38 Chapter 9: A The rest of the week went by quickly. It often did when every minute of the day had something to fill it. Holly hade into town with Zeff, and they invited Theo along for our dinner to congratte us. I also agreed to write the column on a part¨Ctime basis, which made both Zeff and Holly happy. Theo was supportive once he knew it was a light schedule that wouldn¡¯t be likely to add any more stress to my workload. He and Zeff also got along surprisingly well and started to seem like old friends. Which made me happy. In the end, it was a wonderful evening. ¡ª The following days were filled with much of the same ¨C training in the morning, working on the Harry investigation with Mina, Luna lessons with Grace, and getting my school schedule finalized. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. My first two sses started on Monday. I was excited but realized how quickly everything was happening. I began to think I should have waited until the following semester to get started. Theo felt my anxiety, and, being as sweet as he is, he took me around the campus on Sunday to help me get my bearings. My second ss was with Professor Armand. I immediately liked him. His passion for his subject was evident, and he seemed to be a patient and effective teacher. I was excited to see how the ss went but was even more eager to get to work with him on my own history project. Jimmy and I stayed behind when the ss was dismissed for my meeting with the professor. ¡°Luna, thank you for staying back with me,¡± Professor Armand said. 0.00% 10:38 D ¡°This first week of school is always hectic for everyone, and this was the best time for me to fit you in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem at all,¡± I said. ¡°And please, call me A here. I¡¯d rather not draw too much attention.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid your secret won¡¯tst too long, my dear,¡± the professor replied. ¡°The rumor that our new Luna will be attending this year has been the talk of the campus.¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± I said lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting to keep it a secret. Just as separate as possible. I think it¡¯ll be easier on my ssmates.¡± Armand nced at Jimmy behind me. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, following his gaze. ¡°We¡¯re working on that too.¡± Jimmy put a hand to his chest. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t like spending the whole day with my sparkling wit and charm? Luna, I¡¯m hurt.¡± I shook my head at his antics. ¡°Anyway, I know you¡¯re aware of my¡­ rather unique situation,¡± I said as I sat at his desk. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid I was the one who helped Randy track you down,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that has put you in danger.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Trust me, there were plenty of others who did that first. In fact, it was you and Randy that helped us find some answers to what was going on.¡± ¡°It is a relief to hear that,¡± he said. ¡°But you have more questions. I¡¯m not making any promises. It sounds like Alpha Cooper and Randy told you as much as we know.¡± 26.38% 10:38 ¡°Well, I think I have some things that can help us,¡± I told him, reaching into my bag and removing one of my father¡¯s books. ¡°Where did youe by this?¡± he asked eagerly. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it fell into myp,¡± I said. ¡°I have a couple more like it. I¡® m still going through everything, but I brought this one because it has a lot of information on my family history.¡± He was flipping through the book as I spoke. ¡°Indeed there is.¡± He stopped on a page I had bookmarked. It spoke about some of the abilities that ran in my bloodline. ¡°Yeah, I wanted to dig a little deeper into that,¡± I said tentatively. ¡°I know I canmand people, but I don¡¯t know how to yet. It¡¯s something I need to work on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m probably not the best instructor on that skill,¡± the professor pointed out. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay,¡± I rushed. ¡°Alpha Torin has offered to help with that. But, um¡­¡± ¡ª I nced back at Jimmy, knowing he wouldn¡¯t like the direction I was going to take things ¨C ¡°I wanted to know more about the wolfsbane immunity.¡± Jimmy¡¯s gaze fell on me, as I suspected, but I ignored it. ¡°That is something the Dominis was known for,¡± Armand confirmed. ¡°From what I could tell, all the members had the capability.¡± ¡°But was it something that waspletely inherent, or did they have to build it up?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Armand said. ¡°I do recall some kind of tradition or ritual that involved ingesting wolfsbane. I can pull my research for 49.72% 10:38 you on that, but I¡¯m sure this would also be a good ce to start.¡± I smiled. ¡°I hope so,¡± I stated. ¡°Randy made it sound like you were an expert on Onyxcrown history¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not willing to im that, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he interrupted. ¡°At least not on their more recent histories, I should say. My studies have always consisted of the distant past. But I can certainly get you looking in the right direction for the information you need.¡± ¡°Thank you, Professor,¡± I said. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time today. Thank you for meeting with me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said, standing as I did. ¡°And please feel free to review your schedule and let me know of any regr times you would like to meet on this subject.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± I said. ¡°Gamma Jimmy,¡± the professor said, ¡°it¡¯s always a pleasure to see you.¡± ¡°Take care, Professor,¡± Jimmy said as he followed me out. We made it across campus to my car. ¡°You better not be thinking of doing what I think you are,¡± Jimmy said sternly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I find out you¡¯ve taken wolfsbane in some ritual, Luna, I¡­¡± ¡°Jimmy, calm down,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not doing any rituals, okay? I was just curious. It was just something Harry said.¡± ¡°Well, we both know how crazy that bastard was,¡± Jimmy mumbled. 74 84% 10:38 D ¡°I know, big guy,¡± I said. I wasn¡¯t going to tell him I had every intention of exploring this possible immunity. With my safety always in question, it would at least take that weight off my mind. 96.59% Chapter 162 Chapter 162 10:38 D Chapter 10: Theo ¡°And you¡¯re sure she¡¯s loyal?¡± I asked Briggs as we stood at the edge of the training field. ¡°Grady says so, and her and her family¡¯s background checks came back clean,¡± Briggs said. ¡°She¡¯s a fourth¨Cgeneration Greytooth warrior, although her family goes back even farther. Top of her ss. Gets along with the others. She seemed quite ambitious when I spoke to her. She also looks young enough to fit the part.¡± ? I nodded. I removed my watch and handed it to Briggs. Ducking through the fencing, I walked to the middle of the field. ¡°Maggie Walton,¡± I called. She turned and shot to attention with a salute. I waved her to me. ¡°How long have you been at it out here today?¡± I asked. She was still out of breath from herst match. ¡°About two hours, Alpha,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re going spar with me,¡± I told her, stepping back to a starting point. ¡°No shifting, no holds barred.¡± She looked surprised for a moment but quickly took her stance. I watched her movements as we squared off, waiting to draw her in for the first move. She swung her leg out for a low strike to the knee. I dodged, but she was a step ahead, using her momentum to spin into an elbow strike to my ribs. Impressive. 0.00% 10.38 She made contact but I grabbed her arm, moving to twist it behind her back. A palm strike to my forearm allowed her to pull from my grip. We stepped away from each other, squaring off again. I pushed harder, testing her limits. She was fatigued and quickly started to make mistakes, but her recovery was still solid. She fought hard. I didn¡¯t feel the need to keep pushing, so I ended the fight with a shoulder flip, pinning her to the ground. ¡°Well done,¡± I panted. I helped her to her feet. ¡°Get yourself cleaned up and meet me in my office at the packhouse in an hour. In in clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she replied, working hard to mask the range of emotions she was feeling. My lips twitched at her reaction. She was perfect. I headed out of the field back to Briggs. ¡°Contact the school and get her paperwork started,¡± I said. ¡°And get her set up with a room in our wing. I want to keep her close.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Briggs replied. ¡°Are you briefing her today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, climbing into my car. ¡°The sooner she¡¯s in ce, the better.¡± We headed back to the packhouse and Maggie arrived five minutes early. She came into my office and stood at attention before my desk. I looked her over. She wore ck jeans and a T¨Cshirt. She still appeared militant. We would have to address that. Otherwise, I was pleased with the selection. ¡°At ease,¡± I told her. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± She did as she was told. ¡°I 21 21% 10:38 have a job for you, Ms. Walton.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A job, Alpha?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, but before we go over the details, I need to ensure you understand how important this position is,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I need to know that you are dedicated to this pack, Ms. Walton.¡± ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± she rushed. ¡°It¡¯s been my dream to serve under the ranking families my whole life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± I said. ¡°But wanting a position for the prestige isn¡¯t the same as believing in what you are doing. So, I give you free reign to address any problems you have with me or our ranking members.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, Alpha,¡± she said slowly and sincerely. ¡°Do you have any problem with me or my Luna?¡± I asked. ¡°Are there any rumors that have raised any concern? Are there any politics I have practiced that you don¡¯t agree with?¡± ¡°I think there will always be something we don¡¯t agree on, sir,¡± she said candidly. ¡°However, I don¡¯t know of anything worth noting. I believe your father is a strong, fair Alpha and that you will be the same.¡± ¡°And my Luna?¡± I pressed. She took a minute to think about her response. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know her, Alpha,¡± she said inly. ¡°I believe you are referring to the rumors regarding her being the sister of the woman you were previously partnered with. I am aware of them, but I don¡¯t deal in rumors. I do, however, have one friend who met her briefly during the packhouse attack. She said she was impressive and quite lovely. So, no, I have no inherent issues with our Luna.¡± 45.95% 10:39 D I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m d you feel that way,¡± I said, leaning forward on the desk. ¡°Because I want you to be her personal bodyguard.¡± Maggie¡¯s jaw dropped slightly, but she regainedposure before she spoke again. ¡°Alpha, with all due respect, there must be more senior warriors who should fill this position.¡± ¡°Luna A will be attending the university,¡± I told her. ¡°She¡¯s not used to having constant security, but recent events have made it a requirement. Truthfully, I don¡¯t want a host of males drawing more attention to her any more than she does. But she needs around¨Cthe- clock protection. At least for the time being. So, I thought it would be easier on her if her bodyguard appeared to just be another student.¡® ¡°I see,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Does that mean she isn¡¯t going to know I¡¯m there?¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± I insisted. ¡°You¡¯ll have some time to spend with her before you begin your assignment. She¡¯ll be fully aware of your presence. There will be another team and campus security that will also be keeping an eye on her. They will be less visible, but she knows they will be there.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°You will be moving here as well. This is a full¨Ctimemitment, Ms. Walton, not just for when she is at school. I want you with her whenever I¡¯m not around. Are we clear?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Alright. You can go back and start packing up,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll call you with more details by the end of the day.¡± 72.07% 10.39 D Chapter 10. Theo Maggie stood and saluted. Her expression was stoic but with a glint in her eyes that I recognized. Yes, she and A would get along just fine. 97.48% Chapter 163 Chapter 163 10:39 Chapter 11: Theo ¡°A, I told you not to worry about it,¡± I said, helping her take a casserole dish out of the oven. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to cook.¡± I had told her we were having someone over for dinner, and she kind of started to panic. She insisted on making dinner despite me telling her I¡¯d order something from the packhouse caf¨¦. But she wouldn¡¯t have it. Now, she was running around the kitchen stressing about everything. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve actually had someone over,¡± she said. ¡°And since you won¡¯t tell me who it is, I had no idea what was appropriate to make.¡± ¡°Baby,¡± I said, grabbing her shoulders, ¡°rx, sweetheart. It¡¯s really not a big deal. It¡¯s just a casual meal. The casserole will be perfect and delicious. It certainly smells fantastic. So, just breathe.¡± Her shoulders rxed a little. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, lookingpletely adorable with a worried pout. I brushed her bottom lip with my thumb. ¡°You better put that away, or you¡¯ll be the only dinner I¡¯ll be having tonight.¡± Augh burst from her, a broad smile brightening her features. ¡°There¡¯s my girl,¡± I said, kissing her nose. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, pushing me away. ¡°Let me get this in the fridge, or it will never be ready.¡± I grabbed her waist. ¡°I think we both know my favorite dessert is 0.00% 10:39 D always ready for me,¡± I teased. ¡°Theo,¡± she eximed. ¡°You need to behave. We¡¯ll havepany here any minute.¡± I chuckled as I kissed my mark on her neck just as there was a knock on the door. ¡°Go,¡± A insisted. ¡°You get that and I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°I got it. I got it,¡± I said, kissing her cheek before heading through the living room. I opened the door for Maggie, inviting her in. She was still maintaining a formal posture,ing across a little rigid. I couldn¡¯t me her. This was a serious job for her. But I needed her to blend in with A. She would need to rx as well. We¡¯d work on it before I sent her out on her own. I led her into the dining room, where A was setting the meal on the table. ¡°A, love,¡± I said, moving to her side, ¡°this is Maggie Walton. Maggie, this is Luna A.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Luna,¡± Maggie said with a smile and a bow. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you as well, Maggie,¡± A replied. ¡°Babe, I¡¯ve assigned Maggie to be your new bodyguard,¡± I told her. ¡°We want her to blend in on campus with you, so I thought it would be a good idea for you two to get to know each other a little before she starts.¡± ¡°Oh, well, why didn¡¯t you just tell me that,¡± she said, punching my shoulder yfully. 23.66% 10:39 D Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Iughed. ¡°I figured you would fight me less if she was standing in front of you,¡± I teased. ¡°Maggie, please have a seat,¡± A said, directing her to the seat across from her. ¡°And forgive me for being a little out of the loop. Your Alpha likes to think he¡¯s so smart.¡± Maggie actually smiled genuinely. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luna. I guess that means we¡¯re both a little surprised about me being here.¡± ¡°Please tell me he told you what this was all about, at least?¡± A said as she readied a te for Maggie. ¡°Yes, he did,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°I was more surprised that he offered me the job in the first ce.¡± ¡°Maggie is a great candidate,¡± I said, helping A te the meal. ¡°She was trained in security with the warrior teams, and she is one of their top fighters. I was even thinking about letting her train you some days.¡± ¡°That sounds great,¡± A said, finally sitting down to eat. I let the two of them lead the conversation. Maggie was a little shy at first, but A did such a good job making everyone feelfortable that she opened up quickly. I was d to hear that they had some things inmon and didn¡¯t run out of things to discuss. I knew it was a questionable move, putting them in a situation where they would get close to each other emotionally. It wasn¡¯t what they were trained to do for private security. But Maggie wouldn¡¯t be her sole protector, and I wanted someone who would make A feel more at ease with the situation. Jimmy told me she had been anxious about him following her around campus thest few days. It would be easier for them to look like friends if they actually were. I also thought it would give Maggie a different perspective on campus. 46.84% 10.39 D 77.90% I needed her to listen for any more rumors or discontent surrounding A. We obviously had members of the Waar Pak within our pack. The male who attacked her couldn¡¯t have been the only one. College campuses are among the top ces organizations like theirs like to recruit. With any luck, Maggie will catch a lead. Now that I knew she and A would get along, I would tell her about the Waar Pak situation. When we were finished eating, A took Maggie to the living room while I cleared the table. ¡°Okay, Maggie,¡± I said when I joined them. I sat beside A on the couch, resting a hand on her leg. ¡°There¡¯s more to the situation you need to know about. I¡¯m aware this kind of security arrangement isn¡¯t standard practice, even for the pack Luna. But A isn¡¯t your typical Luna.¡± Maggie smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure any mate would feel that, Alpha.¡± ¡°Yes, well, in this case, I have a bit more to back me up than my own loving devotion,¡± I said with a smile. A squeezed my hand. I rubbed the back of hers with my thumb. ¡®Are you okay with this?¡® I asked her through the mind¨Clink. ¡®She should know what she¡¯s getting into,¡® A insisted. ¡°Maggie, have you ever heard of the Waar Pak Society?¡± E 14 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 A and I ran through most of the details regarding our situation with the Waar Pak. Maggie took in all the information intently. She asked questions. She expressed her own concerns. All in all, I was still confident that she was the best choice. But I also wasn¡¯t taking any chances. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I have to ask of you, Maggie,¡± I said gravely. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell you how important my mate¡¯s safety is to me. I ept that some risks are unavoidable, but I won¡¯t take any that I don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± Maggie agreed. ¡°I also want you to know that this isn¡¯t a decision I make lightly,¡± I insisted. ¡°But there is a way for A tomand you that would prevent you from being questioned. By anyone.¡± ¡°Theo, no,¡± A whispered. I looked back at her, squeezing her leg. ¡°You can do this, babe,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here to help you.¡± I turned back to Maggie. ¡°It¡¯s stronger than an Alpha¡¯smand. I can¡¯t even break it unless A allows me to.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never done it before,¡± A told her adamantly. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure I can do it, and we think there can be¡­ risks if I do it wrong.¡± 0.00% 10:39 D ¡°What kind of risks?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°We¡¯re not sure,¡± I admitted. ¡°But we strongly believe hermanding you directly is much safer than the alternative.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an alternative?¡± ¡°There is a ritual,¡± I confirmed. ¡°From what we know, it isn¡¯t pleasant. But that¡¯s why we¡¯re not proposing that. I want A tomand you. But it has to be your choice, Maggie. I will notmand loyalty from my members. Neither will A. This will act as a safeguard for the loyalty you already have to us.¡± ¡°You can think about it, Maggie,¡± A interjected. ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide now. Maggie shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s not much to think about. You have my loyalty, so that¡¯s no question. And if this helps you both, then let¡¯s do it.¡± I could feel A¡¯s relief and anxietying through our connection. I repositioned on the couch to face her. ¡°We¡¯ve got to try it, babe,¡± I said gently. ¡°This is something you need to learn to control regardless. And I need assurance that you are safe.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She chewed on her lip for a second. ¡°Okay,¡± she conceded. I cupped her cheek and kissed her. ¡°Thank you. You still have themand Randy gave you, right?¡± She nodded, standing up to go and grab the paper he gave her. When she came back, I had her sit in front of me between my legs and had Maggie sit on the coffee table before her. Contact wasn¡¯t usually necessary for amand, only a pack connection, but I believed it would help in this situation. 21.04%% 10:39 D ¡°Okay, babe,¡± I said next to her ear, my hands resting on her thighs. ¡°Take Maggie¡¯s hand. Remember to concentrate on the intention you want to achieve. Search for her consciousness. After your Luna ceremony, you¡¯ll be able to feel her tether, tying her to you and me as her pack leaders. Once you find her, say the words. But you have to mean them. You have to have the intention behind them.¡± A nodded her understanding. She took a few deep breaths. I could feel the energy build in her. It was the second time since we had marked each other. This time, I was able to appreciate how powerful it was. ¡°You. Maggie Walton, will not reveal the secrets of the Dominis bloodline to their enemies. You will not give any information that will lead those who wish to harm the Domins bloodline to me. You will¡­¡± A paused, her resolve faltering. ¡°I ¡°You have to finish it, A,¡± I encouraged. ¡°You will protect the knowledge of the Dominis bloodline with your life.¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting thosest words, but I supposed I should have. A¡® s energy dissipated and she released Maggie¡¯s hand. I looked at the woman in front of us. She smiled at A reassuringly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Maggie teased. ¡°Did it feel stronger than a regrmand?¡± I asked. Her brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I wasn¡¯t going to fight it, and I -don¡¯t have any intention of betraying you.¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising, I guess. You would need to be asked ormanded a question about A.¡± 47.15% 10:39 ¡°You can test it out,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Won¡¯t work for me,¡± I said. ¡°He connected to me,¡± A said. ¡°I trust him with my life. He¡¯s not an enemy. ¡°Gotcha.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do to test it,¡± I said. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll just have to hope that it worked. But I think that¡¯s enough for tonight. Thank you, Maggie.¡± We all stood and walked Maggie to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what our next move will be soon,¡± I told her. ¡°In the meantime, get situated in your new apartment. And if you have any more questions, you are wee to reach out to either of us.¡± We said our goodbyes and I locked the door behind her when she left. I could sense something was off with A. When I turned back, she was sitting on the couch with her hands in herp. I knelt before her. ¡°I didn¡¯t like that,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want tomand someone to die for me. I¡¯m not doing that again, Theo.¡± I sighed. ¡°I get it, babe,¡± I said. ¡°I do. If I¡¯m being honest, it¡¯s suspicious that thesemands exist in a ritual. A good Alpha would nevermand loyalty from his pack like that. So, I know that didn¡¯t feel right. But we gave her the choice, A. I promise you didn¡¯tmand her to do anything she wouldn¡¯t already do. You just made it so no one could force her to go against those desires.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she replied. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it.¡± I raised up to meet her level, kissing her lips firmly. 74.06% 10:39 D ¡°I would be concerned if you did.¡± 99.38% Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 13: A Theo and I took the morning off from training. My body needed the break to recover. It was nice to sleep in a little, but I didn¡¯t get to for long. Before my first ss, I had to go down to the cer for a little while. I had been studying Harry¡¯s notebook whenever I had a little free time, and something had been bugging me. This first week of school would be hectic, and I had scheduled some time down there next week, but I didn¡¯t want to wait that long. I grabbed my toast from the toaster as Theo emerged from our bedroom. He just woke up and was only wearing sweats that hung low on his hips, making it hard to keep my ns. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have ss for a couple more hours,¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, I have to look into something with the Harry investigation,¡± I said. He brushed my hair off my shoulder. ¡°Do you want me toe with you? I could use a catch¨Cup on how things are going.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You sure you can spare the time?¡± I teased. His hands went around my waist, pulling me toward him. ¡°I can rearrange some things.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I replied coyly, ¡°I feel so special.¡± Theo growled low, his lips taking mine. He kissed me needily for a few moments before pulling back reluctantly. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°I hate how crazy things have beentely,¡± he said. 0.00% 10:39 D A ¡°Lately?¡± Iughed. Theo chuckled. ¡°Okay¡­ Since we met,¡± he corrected. ¡°But at least we got time together before.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, running my hands over his chest. ¡°But it¡¯s only for a little while. I¡¯ll get settled into school soon enough. Mina and Briggs¡® mating ceremony is in a couple of days. That will clear up some time.¡± ¡°And I think we need to make us a priority, too,¡± Theo stated, grazing his fingers along my cheek. ¡°We both tend to keep ourselves busy. So, while things are so crazy and busy, let¡¯s schedule time together. Just the two of us. ¡± ¡°I like that idea.¡± I snaked my arms around his neck. ¡°But going over the contents of a psychopath¡¯s secretir doesn¡¯t count as a date, right?¡± Theoughed. ¡°No, absolutely not,¡± he replied. ¡°But we should get go¡­¡± His eyes zed over and he huffed. ¡°I guess that means a rain check?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, babe.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I kissed him again. ¡°But I should get down there.¡± ¡°I better get dressed,¡± he said. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you, too.¡± I grabbed my bag and headed out of the apartment. When I got down to the cer, no one else was there. It was odd, but I was actually 23.18% 10.39 D relieved. I pulled the notebook out of my bag and looked for the file I had been reviewing a couple of days earlier. I flipped through the papers until I found the one I wanted. Comparing it to the page in the journal, a wave of excitement washed through me. I had found the pattern. Well, part of it, at least. But I was hopeful it would be enough to figure out the rest. I quickly finished deciphering the page I was on. It was exactly what I had thought it was. A form that Harry had calcted to enhance my wolfsbane immunity. I sank into a chair. Chewing on my lip as I stared at the page in front of me. It was a stupid idea. And dangerous. But it was less dangerous than most aspects of my life right now. Theo would never be okay with this. I sighed, running my hands through my hair as I leaned over the table. ¡°Something you want to talk about?¡± I jumped in my seat, my head shooting up to see Mina standing in the doorway. I exhaled heavily. ¡°Mina, you scared the crap out of me. ¡°Yeah, which is concerning,¡± she said, walking to the table and sitting next to me. ¡°What¡¯s up, cuz?¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I figured out part of the cipher.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing because¡­?¡± Mina asked. ¡°I found a form that I think was used to build our wolfsbane immunity,¡± I said. ¡°A¡­¡± Mina said sternly. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­¡± 44.84% 10 39 ¡°Of course I¡¯m considering it, Mina,¡± I pushed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you? You¡® re a Dominis, too. With no idea of how many people are out there after us, immunity to one thing that could help them take us out sounds like a good thing to me.¡± ¡°How do you even know this is a thing, A?¡± Mina said. ¡°This could all be Harry grasping at straws.¡± ¡°Because it was working,¡± I stated. Mina looked at me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Two days,¡± I told her. ¡°He was feeding wolfsbane into my system for two days, Mina. It¡¯s what kept me unconscious. But then I woke up. Mina, I shifted. I had who knows how much wolfsbane flowing through me and I still shifted. I felt it. I was weak, but I was getting past it. It was getting better.¡± Mina¡¯s jaw worked as she thought about what I was telling her. With a huff, she reached over and grabbed the paper I had been working on. After a few moments, she spoke. ¡°Fine,¡± she blurted out, shaking her head in defeat. ¡°Theo isn¡¯t going to like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re not going to tell him,¡± I said slowly. ¡°A,¡± Mina eximed. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°You know he wouldn¡¯t let me do this, Min,¡± I insisted. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense not to. Besides, even if I could talk him around, I don¡¯t want to add that stress to him.¡± ¡°Yeah, like you being sick won¡¯t add to his stress.¡± ¡°Just let me worry about that, okay?¡± I said. ¡°Please, Mina. I¡¯d rather 69.23% 10:39 D 94.64% E not do this alone.¡± ¡°You better f***ing not,¡± she snapped. With a growl, she stood up and went to the workstation with all the vials. She grabbed a bottle and brought it back, setting it down in front of me. ¡°You swear you won¡¯t take any without me there?¡± Mina asked severely. ¡°I swear.¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 10.39 D Chapter 14: Theo ¡°What¡¯s going on, Briggs?¡± I asked as I got to my office. ¡°We had another attack at the border,¡± he told me. My stomach fell. ¡°Where?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Bonnerville,¡± he said. ¡°Rogues again?¡± He nodded. ¡°How bad? Were there any casualties?¡± I asked apprehensively. ¡°One dead. Five in critical condition.¡± ¡°Do we have any information about the attack that could tell us why it happened?¡± ¡°They have a couple rogues in custody, but they¡¯re not talking. They need someone with more authority than they have down there. We have to go down, Theo,¡± he said. ¡°They can¡¯t handle this on their own.¡± ¡°Your mating ceremony is in three days, Briggs. You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± I sighed. ¡°But you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go,¡± I greed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to take Jimmy,¡± Briggs said, running a hand through his hair ¡°Maggie¡¯s not ready to take over A¡¯s security detail just yet,¡± I said. ¡°So I need him with her at the campus.¡± 0.00% 10.39 D I ran my hands over my face. This was the third rogue attack along our border in two weeks. It was unheard of. We hadn¡¯t had a rogue attack in decades. I had sent a few teams of warriors down to bolster the patrols, but it obviously hadn¡¯t deterred them. Something was going on and I needed to go down there to get to the bottom of it. But I didn¡¯t want to leave A. ¡°You can¡¯t go down there alone, man,¡± Briggs said. ¡°I¡¯ll take William,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s been wanting to get out of the city for a while now anyway.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they just have their fourth kid?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°Fourth and fifth,¡± I corrected. ¡°It was another set of twins.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± he said, shaking his head with a grin. ¡°You think he¡¯s the best option? He¡¯s been out of the game for a while.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my only option right now,¡± I said. ¡°You could bring your dad,¡± he said. ¡°No, he¡¯s still not up for that.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he conceded. ¡°Do you want me to reach out to him?¡± ¡°No, I will,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to keep an eye on things here.¡± ¡°You okay, Theo?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said honestly. ¡°I lost a pack member, Briggs. I have roguesing into my territory and no idea why. And now I have to leave A. It¡¯s hard enough with us being marked less than two weeks, but with her still in danger¡­¡± 18.06% 10:39 D ¡°We won¡¯t let anything happen to her, bro,¡± Briggs said. ¡°And you need to be at the ceremony as much as I do this weekend. So you¡¯ll only be gone a couple days. Just get down there and figure out what happened and get back.¡± Briggs left my office to go take care of my travel arrangements. I picked up my phone and dialed William¡¯s number. ¡°You better be calling to tell me what the hell has been happening in that packhouse,¡± his voice came over the phone. ¡°If you came to visit more often, you would already know,¡± I chided. Wim was my second cousin and a good guy. He was a couple of years older than me, but we spent a lot of time together growing up. For years, I was torn between having him or Briggs as my Beta. But he met his mate two days after his eighteenth birthday, and they quickly started a family. So, when it came time to make an official decision, he had no hard feelings when I chose Briggs. But he would always be a ranking member. And with his Alpha blood, he could help with any questioning we had to do. ¡°Just wait until you have five kids to wrangle,¡± he told me. ¡°I¡¯d have to talk my mate into giving me that many first,¡± I joked. ¡°How are Beth and the kids doing?¡± ¡°The kids are great,¡± he said. ¡°Loud and healthy. But speaking of your mate, Beth is pissed she hasn¡¯t met her yet.¡± ¡°I can remedy that,¡± I said. ¡°But, unfortunately, that¡¯s not why I called.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, cuz?¡± ¡°I need your help. We¡¯ve had some attacks along our southern border. 42.93% 10:39 D Rogues,¡± I told him. ¡°I need to go down to Bonnerville for a couple of days. Things are a bit crazy here. I can¡¯t take Briggs or Jimmy with me.¡± ¡°When do you want to leave?¡± Will said. I breathed an internal sigh of relief. ¡°I need a few hours,¡± I said. ¡°I need to get everything situated here and figure out a way to break the news to A.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think she¡¯ll take it well?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°She¡¯ll likely take it better than Beth,¡± I teased. ¡°She¡¯s got both sets of grandparents, plus her sister, close by,¡± Will stated confidently. ¡°Honestly, she may thank you for getting me out of her hair for a while.¡± I chuckled. ¡°You guys were nning oning to Briggs¡® mating ceremony already. So she could always bring them here. I¡¯m sure my mother would have a field day with them.¡± ¡°She may just do that,¡± he replied. ¡°But let me let you go. I¡¯ll have to get work situated before I can go get packed up. Just let me know when you want me to meet you.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± I said. ¡°And thanks, Will.¡± ¡°You got it, Alpha.¡± We hung up, and I sent A a message toe home right after she got out of ss. I knew she would understand and be supportive, but I still hated it. I had just had a conversation with her that morning about making time for each other. Now I had to go out of town for a few days. 72.04% 10:39 It didn¡¯t help that something in my gut was telling me these attacks had something to do with the Waar Pak. 97.90% 10:39 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Chapter 15: Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 15: Theo I had finished making all the necessary arrangements and was waiting in the kitchen for A to get back home. I brought up some lunch since I knew she likely hadn¡¯t had time to eat anything. I had packed a bag already, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about it when she returned. I only had about an hour before I would need to get on the road, and I wanted to spend it with her. ¡°Theo,¡± A called as she came in the door. ¡°I¡¯m here, babe,¡± I replied, heading to meet her in the living room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is everything okay?¡± she said as she rushed to me, throwing her arms around my neck. I squeezed her tightly, holding her as I savored her scent. ¡°Babe, what¡¯s going on?¡± she pressed. ¡°Your text didn¡¯t sound good and you¡¯ve been stressed all day. The corners of my lips twitched. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, love,¡± I told her as I let her go. ¡°But I do have some bad news.¡± I took her hand and led her around, pulling her into myp as I sat on the couch. ¡°I have to go out of town for a few days, babe.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had another rogue attack,¡± I said. ¡°I need to go down and figure out what¡¯s going on. I¡¯ll be gone a couple days, but I¡¯ll be back in time for the ceremony this weekend.¡± ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± she asked worriedly. ¡°Do you want me toe 0.00% O 1228 D Chapter 15 Theo with you?¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°We lost one,¡± I said solemnly. ¡°There are several still in the hospital.¡± ¡°Baby, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± A said, hugging me again. ¡°Maybe I should I held her tighter. I was so proud of herpassion and wished she could be there with me. ¡°No, babe,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. Plus, so much is going on. We all need you here.¡± ¡°When do you have to leave?¡± she asked. ¡°Soon, but I have a little while.¡± I pulled her up, looking at her. She looked tired. My brow furrowed with concern. ¡°A, are you feeling okay?¡± I pressed a hand to her forehead and cheek. ¡°You¡¯re really pale.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Just sad, I guess. I hate that our pack is suffering.¡± My hand held the side of her neck and I could feel her pulse racing. Her eyes were dted. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re not fine,¡± I said urgently. ¡°What happened today? Did you have contact with anyone you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Theo, calm down,¡± she insisted with a smile. ¡°I promise. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ve just been on edge all day. Your message had me thinking some scary things, and I rushed home. But I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± 20.83% Chapter 15. Theo 288 Vouchers I wasn¡¯t convinced. I was worried. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to see the pack doctor,¡± I insisted as I moved to stand. ¡°I¡¯ll find someone else to go down and take care of this.¡± A pushed me back. ¡°Theo, no. You need to go.¡± She repositioned so she was straddling myp. ¡°I am probably just a little wiped out. But I¡® m done with ss for the day. So once you head out, I¡¯ll take the rest of the day to rx and rest. But until then, can I just enjoy these few minutes with my mate?¡± She leaned in and kissed me sweetly, deepening it quickly as she opened for me. My hands slid up her back, pressing her against me as my fingers weaved into her hair. I took what she was giving, tasting as much of her as possible as if I hadn¡¯t already memorized every scent and vor. A¡¯s hands dipped between us, tucking under my shirt to trace along my skin. She tugged my shirt over my head. Her lips returned to mine as her fingers undid the button of my jeans. ¡°A,¡± I hesitated, ¡°you need to rest. She didn¡¯t listen, slipping her hand beneath my waistband and gripping my length. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine, baby,¡± she breathed. ¡°And I want to show you just how much I¡¯m going to miss you.¡± Her hand moved along my shaft, making me groan as she kissed me again. Her lips moved to my neck, my head falling back with a groan. Her weight shifted from myp. I lifted my head and opened my eyes, meeting hers as she knelt before me. ¡°Babe,¡± I growled. Chapter 15. Theo 288 Vouchers She tugged my jeans and boxers lower, releasing my c*** for better ess. Her fingers wrapped around the base as she leaned in, her tongue darting out to lick along the seam before taking me in her mouth. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Fuck, A,¡± I rasped out. She hummed her approval, making me moan at the sensation. I pushed her hair back, gathering it in my hand so I could see her beautiful face as her mouth devoured me eagerly. I cursed at the incredibly erotic sight before me. Her eyes filled with excitement and satisfaction. I groaned as her tongue swirled around the head just before she took me deep in her throat, swallowing any resistance. My fingers tensed in her hair and she took it as guidance, quickening her pace. ¡°Holy f***, baby,¡± I gasped as my lower back tingled and my balls tightened. ¡°I¡¯m going toe, babe,¡± I warned. She didn¡¯t stop. Instead, pushed faster, forcing a growl from my chest as I burst into her delicious mouth. She took it all happily. I worked to steady my breathing. I looked down to see a smug little grin directed at 1. me. I grabbed my mate and threw her on the couch. I ripped her leggings down her legs before she could say anything, diving between her thighs. She cried out as I took her in my mouth. There was no way she believed I would just leave after that. I gave her everything I knew she liked, pushing her to the brink fast and hard. Ipped her up as she shook. I moved up her body, my lips taking hers roughly as I thrust into her. She cried out, wrapping her legs around my waist. I adopted a frenzied pace, both of us desperate for the other. Chapter 15. Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Theo,¡± she called my name as she came again, wringing my own orgasm from me with her. I copsed onto the couch, rolling A to avoid crushing her. Our breathing wasbored as we clung to each other. ¡°That¡¯s not what I had nned,¡± I whispered. ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± A teased. ¡°I¡¯m d I took things into my own hands.¡± I chuckled. ¡°I won¡¯t argue your tactics.¡± She pushed up so she was looking at me. Her hair fell in her face and I pushed it out of the way. She still looked tired but seemed a lot better than before. ¡°Have I thoroughly convinced you that I¡¯m fine and you don¡¯t need to be worrying about me?¡± she asked. I sighed with a grin. ¡°I suppose so,¡± I conceded. ¡°But I do expect you to take it easy the rest of the day.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± she replied, giving me another kiss. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 hapter 16: A Theo picked me up and carried me to our bedroom. Heid me on the bed and snuggled up beside me. ¡°I can¡¯t stay much longer,¡± he whispered against my hair. ¡°I know,¡± I said, hugging him closer to me. ¡°Just be careful, please.¡± ¡°I will. I promise,¡± he told me. ¡°And you better be back in time for the ceremony,¡± I insisted. ¡°Mina will kill you if Briggs iste.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s noting with me,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯m taking my cousin, William.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, the mysterious cousin I haven¡¯t met yet,¡± I teased. ¡°Can I trust him to keep you safe?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Theo said confidently. ¡°And you¡¯ll get to meet him when we get back. He and his mate, Beth, were attending the mating ceremony this weekend anyway.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Theo kissed my forehead. ¡°I have to go, babe.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. I looked up at my mate. I held his face as I kissed him firmly. ¡°Please, please, be careful. I love you. I can¡¯t lose you.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± he assured me. ¡°You just worry about taking care of yourself, love.¡± 0.00% 12:28 D I nodded. He slipped out of the bed, tucking me under the covers. ¡°I love you, baby.¡± ¡°I love you, too,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll call you when we get there.¡± He kissed my forehead one more time before leaving the bedroom.. I did feel sleep creeping up on me, but guilt kept me awake. Guilt and relief. For a few minutes, I thought I would have to confess to Theo about the wolfsbane. I was still feeling its effects when I got back. Even as Iy there, I could feel the shadow of the poison still in my system. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But I had managed to somehow keep it hidden from everyone else. Jimmy was suspicious after a dizzy spell on the way to ss, but I brushed it off as forgetting to eat. I was upset that Theo had to leave. Even more upset that we have been attacked again. Our pack hadn¡¯t experienced these kinds of attacks in my living memory. The fact that rogues wereing at our border was concerning for everyone. I was worried about Theo being down there so close to them. But I also knew he needed to be there. So, at least, I could use this as an opportunity to continue taking the wolfsbane without having to worry about Theo noticing. I dragged myself out of bed and went back to the living room to find my phone. I texted Mina to let her know I was home and that it had worn off. She messaged back to say she would be up to see me in a few minutes. She wanted to check that everything was okay. I changed into somefy sweats and plopped down on the couch to wait for her. I turned the TV on but wasn¡¯t really paying attention as I tried to stay awake. Mina knocked on the door not too longter, and I 20.53% 12:28 D linked her toe in. ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡± she asked,ing over to sit by me. ¡°I¡¯m good, actually,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Exhausted, but that¡¯s about it. But I think that may be because I was fighting it so hard all morning.¡± ¡°No more lightheadedness? Heartrate is normal? Any nausea?¡± ¡°No, yes, and no,¡± I replied. ¡°And Theo didn¡¯t suspect anything?¡± I winced. ¡°There were still some lingering effects when I got back that he noticed and got a little worried about,¡± I told her. ¡°But I convinced him I was fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you did,¡± Mina said, shaking her head. ¡°He had to leave for a couple days,¡± I said. ¡°Briggs told me,¡± she replied. ¡°Do you think we could do another dose this evening?¡± I asked. ¡°Then I could sleep it off.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, A,¡± she said. ¡°We discussed once a day.¡± ¡°I know, but if I can get stronger before he gets back, then he won¡¯t get so worried or suspicious,¡± I argued. ¡°Plus, the sooner I get through this, the better, right?¡± Mina huffed, rubbing her forehead. ¡°Please, Mina?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed reluctantly. ¡°But you get some sleep first. Don¡¯t 52.21% 1220 you have another ss today?¡± ¡°Professor Armand¡¯s ss,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know I won¡¯t be there.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°How are you doing with Theo leaving?¡± I sighed. ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m not happy about it. Mostly because of the reason. It¡¯s hard to believe that rogues are attacking now.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mina concurred. ¡°Briggs said they haven¡¯t been able to figure out a motive yet. This is the first time they managed to get any prisoners.¡± ¡°That exins why he wanted to bring his cousin,¡± I said. Rogues weren¡¯t bound to a pack, so themands of lower¨Cranking members didn¡¯t affect them. A Beta could manage some control, but for getting information, an Alpha was needed. William wouldn¡¯t be as strong as Theo, but he still had Alpha blood. He would be able to help Theo get answers. ¡°You don¡¯t think they would attack again?¡± I said. ¡°I can¡¯t but worry they were luring him down there.¡± ¡°He knows that¡¯s a possibility,¡± Mina said. ¡°We all do. He¡¯ll be prepared for that, hon.¡± ¡°I know. But I¡¯m still worried.¡± ¡°Well, he hasn¡¯t made it there yet,¡± she replied. ¡°He won¡¯t make it down there until nightfall, at least. So, you just get some rest. I¡¯ll be backter to administer the dose.¡± She stood up and leaned over to kiss my head before heading out. ¡°Love you,¡± she called over her shoulder. 73.87% 12:28 D ¡°Love you, too.¡± IF Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 17: A I ended up falling asleep on the couch and woke up several hourster. Theo called that evening to let me know he had made it to Bonnerville safely. I made him promise to keep me updated on what he found out. I started to regret my nap as it gotter and my anxiety started to rise. I didn¡¯t realize how much our mate bond would affect our separation. I could still feel our connection, but it felt like something was missing. To help distract me. I ended up pulling out Harry¡¯s journal and working onpleting the cipher. I was starting to get more of a picture of what was going through his head. I was surprised to find the first pages eluding to Onyxcrown history. There were several names of Dominis family members, but I did know who they were. I had brought three books from my father¡¯s box up to the apartment, one of which specifically documented the Dominis family. I retrieved the book and my own notebook and started the long and tedious task of cross¨Creferencing. I had been at it for a couple hours when Mina returned. ¡®Come in.¡® I linked her. She entered the apartment to find me on the floor in front of the coffee table. ¡°Woman, please tell me this isn¡¯t what you¡¯ve been doing since I left,¡± she said. I snorted. ¡°No, but I kind of wish I had. Did you know that our great- great¨Cgrandmother could alter her scent? Pretty effectively, too.¡± ¡°I did not know that,¡± she said, sitting beside me. ¡°However, I¡¯m not 0.00% 11.10 288 Vouchers sure how that would serve many practical purposes.¡± ¡°Apparently, she used the ability to y pranks when she was younger,¡± I said, pushing the book closer to Mina. ¡°But it came in handyter in life when she was helping rogue refugees.¡± ¡°Rogue refugees?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not sure what that¡¯s about yet,¡± I said. ¡°Either way, Harry seemed fascinated by the ability. Among others that I¡¯m still exploring.¡± ¡°You managed to finish the cipher?¡± Mina asked, looking over my work. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°For the most part, I think,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Some sections still don¡¯t follow the pattern, but that could just be legitimate ramblings.¡± ¡°We got some of the research from his cabin today,¡± Mina informed me. ¡°Luckily, my boss called, and he has twob techs that he said he¡¯s sending my way next week.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± I said. ¡°So they¡¯ll start the day you get back?¡± Theo and I surprised Mina and Briggs with a trip to the Blue Fang mountain resort for their honeymoon. They weren¡¯t going to take one initially, but we wouldn¡¯t let that happen. They both deserved this break, and it meant a lot that we could do this for them. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not letting anyonee in without me,¡± Mina said. ¡°So, what else have you discovered about our weird¨Cass family?¡± I chuckled. ¡°The notebook mentions a few members, so I¡¯ve been trying to focus on those. But this book is huge, and I¡¯ve barely made a dent What I can say is that we, indeed, have a weird¨Cass family¡± 25 20% Chapter 17: A 288 Vouchers ¡°Any ideas why he centered on those members?¡± Mina asked, flipping through the book. I shrugged. ¡°My only theory is that it has to do with their abilities. But I have no clue what they have to do with me. ¡°Probably nothing,¡± she replied. ¡°He may been specting.¡± ¡°Yeah, that also crossed my mind,¡± I said. ¡°But we¡¯ll just have to see.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m starving. What do you say we take a break, order some food, and have a girls¡® night. I have two more nights of freedom, and I miss my cousin,¡± she said, elbowing me. I smiled. ¡°I think I can manage that.¡± She pulled out her phone and ordered some takeout. ¡°So, are you getting excited?¡± I asked as I closed up the books. A broad smile spread across her face and she flushed. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said shyly. ¡°I¡¯m excited. I¡¯m ready for it to happen.¡± I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her shoulders in a tight hug ¡°You know I¡¯m so happy for you, right?¡± I told her. ¡°You deserve the best.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said, returning my embrace. ¡°Now stop that or you¡¯re going to make me cry.¡± We let go of each other with augh. ¡°So, what¡¯s it like?¡± she asked, helping me clear the table. ¡°Which part?¡± I replied, wagging an eyebrow at her. 50.15% 11.10 288 Vouchers ¡°All of it.¡± I took a deep breath, my own smile breaking out. ¡°It¡¯s pretty f***ing incredible. It definitely changes everything. And I mean everything.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­ I¡¯m not sure it could get any better,¡± Mina said sciously. ¡°I mean, my mate definitely knows what the hell he¡¯s doing, if you know what I mean.¡± I busted outughing. ¡°I would have said the same thing two weeks ago.¡± I said as I got up to get us a drink. ¡°But everything gets more intense.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mina said incredulously. ¡°You guys already had a crazy strong connection before you marked each other. I¡¯ve never known another fated pair that could feel each other like you two could before mating. I can¡¯t imagine how much more intense it could get.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand in a couple more days,¡± I said, handing her a ss of wine as I sat on the couch. ¡°So, how are you doing then?¡± she inquired. ¡°With Theo being gone?¡± I sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how hard it would be, but I¡¯m okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡® m not falling apart. I don¡¯t feel despair or pain or anything like that. But he hasn¡¯t even been gone a day, and it just feels like¡­ like I¡¯m not whole.¡± I rubbed my chest absently. ¡°But that part isn¡¯t that bad. It¡¯s more like a sense of anticipation because I know he¡¯ll be back. It¡¯s the worry that¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°He has plenty of people to protect him, A,¡± Mina assured me with a gentle smile. ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°But I¡¯m worried about them, too. I just need to distract myself until he¡¯s back.¡± 70 97% ||| 96.56% Chapter 17 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Well, I can help you with that,¡± she said. ¡°Once we get some food in you, we¡¯ll deal with this second dose. And I¡¯ll stay here with you tonight. To keep you safe and keep youpany.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 18: Theo 288 iVouchers Chapter 18: Theo I pulled up to Will¡¯s house and honked the horn. I would normally have gone in, but we needed to get on the road. He came out the door a few minutester, Beth and the three younger kids in tow. Beth managed to wave at me with a baby on each hip as Will hugged their toddler. I waved back, smiling at the images of A shing through my mind. My chest tightened. It was just another reason why this was such shitty timing. Now that we had marked each other, A¡¯s heat coulde on anytime. I couldn¡¯t even think about it happening while I wasn¡¯t there. It would be hell for both of us if it did. Will finally managed to pry himself away from his family and jogged to my car. He threw his bag in the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat. ¡°Damn, dude,¡± he said, shooting me a look and hitting the button for the window as I pulled out of the driveway. ¡°Well, hello to you too,¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I get that you had a better send¨Coff than I did, but did you really have to make me smell that for the next five hours?¡± I didn¡¯t stop the smug grin that developed. ¡°Hey, consider it payback for subjecting a bunch of horny teenagers to you and Beth practically dry¨Chumping each other every second of the day.¡± We bothughed. Will light¨Cheartedly punched my shoulder before This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. 000% 11:11 D Chapter 18: Theo 288 Vouchers pulling my cor down to get a better look at A¡¯s mark. ¡°So, the rumors really are true,¡± he drawled. ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied contentedly, ¡°I¡¯m a imed man.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Kieran taking to that?¡± he asked. ¡°He¡¯s the biggest pervert I¡¯ve ever met,¡± I scoffed. ¡°But I can¡¯t say I me him.¡± ¡°Based on what you smell like, I doubt you¡¯re any better,¡± Will chuckled. ¡°But seriously, bro, I¡¯m happy for you. Confused as shit about how all this happened but happy for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, man,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s been a crazy few months, but she¡¯s amazing. I can¡¯t wait for you to meet her.¡± ¡°Okay, but I have to get some things straight,¡± he said. ¡°You know the rumor mill gets pretty wild by the time it reaches this side of town. Is she really Kylee¡¯s sister?¡± I took a deep breath and started to fill him in on what had happened with A and me. Feeling bad that he was just finding out about it all now. ¡°You could have called, Theo,¡± he said after I told him about A being taken by Dad¡¯s Beta. ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°But I know you wanted to step back from pack duties for a while¡­¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t mean I wanted to step back from being your family,¡± he interjected. ¡°And it was never meant to be permanent, Theo. After we lost Lena, I just needed to focus on Beth and the kids and the business for a little while.¡± 24.02% 11:11 D 288 Vouchers ¡°You don¡¯t think I know that, Will?¡± Lena was their oldest child from their first set of twins. She had passed away unexpectedly from an undetected birth defect three years ago. It hit everyone hard, but Will seemed to carry it the most. He stepped down from all his pack responsibilities and moved to the suburbs on the other side of the city. It hurt, but I did everything I could to respect his wishes. ¡°I was waiting on you, Will,¡± I said quietly. Will huffed, rubbing his neck. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That wasn¡¯t fair. I just feel bad that you didn¡¯t think to call me for help. But I know that¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not on anyone, man,¡± I said. ¡°Shit happens. You¡¯re here for me now.¡± He nodded. ¡°Tell me more about these attacks?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve hit three border towns now,¡± I said. ¡°Thisst one was the worst. It¡¯s the first time they killed someone. The first two targeted property looking to do as much damage as possible. There were a few injuries from some fires and idents and a few, warriors who scared them off. But this one was more violent.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re escting.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirmed, ¡°and so far, we have no idea why. That¡¯s why I need you. We have prisoners now.¡± ¡°And two Alphas are better than one,¡± he concurred. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯reing after us? Why now? We¡¯ve never had problems with rogues like this.¡± He was right about that. It wasn¡¯t unusual for rogues to attack the w 47.85% 11:11 D Chapter 18: Theo 288 Vouchers borders of the nearest packs. But my father had set up a buffer zone years ago to help keep them at bay. It was a stretch ofnd between our border and the human towns. Humans didn¡¯t have a problem with rogues as long as they didn¡¯t cause trouble, so the rogue would be able to survive well enough to keep animosity toward the pack at bay. Rogues could never thrive outside a pack, but if they could scrape by, they would have enough, to lose to think twice about attacking arge pack. Apparently, that wasn¡¯t enough anymore. ¡°I don¡¯t know, ¡°I told him. ¡°The fact that they are organizing their attacks makes me think they have some kind of leader. Whoever that is may be vying for the chance to take some, or all, of our territory for themselves and establish a new pack.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s that simple,¡± Will said. ¡°They clearly underestimate our strength.¡± ¡°They could have heard about our transition in leadership,¡± I said. ¡°Putting off my Alpha ceremony could have them believing we¡¯ve been weakened.¡± ¡°Well, it will be my pleasure to show them otherwise, cousin,¡± Will said, pping my shoulder again. If that was what was going on, I might be able to sway the situation in my favor. If rogues are questioning my hold over the pack, what will other Alphas think? I had plenty of allies who trusted my capabilities, but others may decide to challenge me. It would put any rumors to rest if I could swiftly put down a rogue rebellion. M 73.70% 11:11 D Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 19: Theo I called A from a gas station in Bonnerville when we arrived. She sounded like she was feeling a lot better than when I left, but I was still in a foul mood. She may have felt better, but I could hear the stress in her voice. It mirrored my own. I couldn¡¯t believe how much I missed her. Like, I physically missed her. Kieran was so touchy I had to force him back and block him out. He was furious about the attacks as it was. He could feel the damage to our connection with our pack members and became more restless throughout the day. Now that we were so far away from A and Dasha, he was practically a powder keg. ¡°It¡¯ll get easier to deal with,¡± Will said as he got back to the car. ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe,¡± I replied, getting into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°The local sheriff wants us to meet him at the station. He¡¯ll debrief us and take us to the captives.¡± ¡°How many did they knab?¡± ¡°Three,¡± I stated. ¡°None of which are talking.¡± I pulled out of the gas station and headed toward the police station. Like most in this area, the town was a small border town. It had a couple of grocery stores and gas stations, a small shoppingplex, a town hall, a police station, and a factory. Onerge school building housed all three grade schools. There were a few neighborhoods, but much of the poption lived on farnd outside town. The other two towns that were targeted were actuallyrger. That begged the Chapter 19: Theo 288 Vouchers question of whether the rogues were escting or if this town was so poorly defended it was easier for them. I pulled into the parking lot and parked near the front doors. We entered the building to find an older male half¨Casleep at the front desk. He jumped to attention when he noticed us. He was small and a bit frail¨Clooking. ¡°Alpha,¡± he acknowledged respectfully. ¡°We¡¯re d you have arrived so quickly. Give me just a moment to grab the sheriff.¡± He scurried out from behind the desk and down the hall. ¡°I hope he isn¡¯t a representation of the rest of the force out here,¡± Will said quietly. ¡°My five¨Cyear¨Cold could break him in two.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s why he¡¯s on desk duty,¡± I replied. He returned quickly, a muchrger, sturdier male in tow. ¡°Alpha Theo, Alpha Will, we can¡¯t thank you enough foring down,¡± the new man said kindly. ¡°I¡¯m Sheriff Finley McCabe. We spoke over the phone.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe we met about six years ago as well,¡± I said, ¡°when you won the appointment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± he replied. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you would remember.¡± ¡°I certainly try to,¡± I stated. ¡°Well, gentlemen, if you will follow me to my office, we can get started.¡± He led us to a simple but nice little office near the back of the building. Will and I took the seats in front of the desk while McCabe picked up Chapter 19. Theo 288 Vouchers two files and handed them to each of us. ¡°The rogues came from the east. They somehow managed to circle up from the south,¡± he began. ¡°They started along the outer neighborhood, set a few fires, broke in and trashed a few houses. But they moved straight through. That wasn¡¯t their main target and too many upants were fighting back.¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°What was their target?¡± I asked, looking over the paperwork. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but I think they were heading for the town¡¯s infrastructure ¡ª town hall, the water treatment nt, even here,¡± he stated. ¡°Same as the other two,¡± I replied. ¡°They¡¯re trying to push the poption out,¡± Will said. ¡°Gain ground. for them to move in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like,¡± McCabe agreed. ¡°With the help of the extra warriors you sent, we were able to prevent them from doing that kind of damage. But I lost two of my men in the process.¡± ¡°We were told there was only one casualty,¡± I said. McCabe¡¯s expression was stormy. ¡°My deputy died a few hours ago. A severe head and neck injury.¡± I closed my eyes with a deep sigh. ¡°That exins my wolf¡¯s distress. I was hoping it wasn¡¯t another loss. I¡¯m sorry, Sheriff.¡± McCabe simply gave a tight nod. ¡°That was nearly eighteen hours after the attack,¡± Will stated questioningly. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t he healing?¡± Chapter 19. Theo 288 Vouchers The sheriff¡¯s jaw clenched and he opened the top drawer of his desk. He pulled out an evidence bag and dropped it on the wooden surface in front of us. ¡°Tranquilizer guns?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°Filled with wolfsbane,¡± McCabe told us. ¡°How the f*** did rogues get their hands on those?¡± I asked viciously. ¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping you would help me find out,¡± McCabe said. ¡°Take me to them.¡± McCabe stood up and led us out of the office. Taking us through the halls. he swiped a key card that brought us to the other side of the building. As soon as he opened the door, I could hear someone yelling. ¡°We only have two interrogation rooms,¡± McCabe told us. ¡°The third we have in a cell. He¡¯s a loud f***er. It¡¯s a shame he only shouts bullshit threats.¡± ¡°For now,¡± I said quietly. The closer we got, the more my stomach churned at the scent of the rogues. It was a foul, sour stench that left a rancid taste in your mouth. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these were life¨Clong rogues, born outside a pack and raised to hate them. The sheriff banged on the cell bars as we approached. ¡°Hey,¡± he yelled. ¡°You¡¯ve got a visitor.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s that delicious little she¨Cwolf from the front desk this morning,¡± a slimy voice said. I stepped in front of the cell. Inside, chained to a chair, was a filthy Chapter 19. Theo 288 Vouchers male with tattered clothing. He looked at me from his prison, taking me in. There was no blocking Kieran out anymore. He charged forward, sending my Alpha¡¯s aura bursting through the room. The man¡¯s eyes went wide and his breathing quickened. He pulled at his shackles. I smirked. ¡°It seems you like to talk,¡± I stated, holding my hand out for the key to the cell door. ¡°That¡¯s good. Because I would really like to hear what you have to say.¡± Chapter 20 A Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 19. Theo 288 Vouchers 288 Vouchers Chapter 20: A I woke up feeling surprisingly well, and I slept even better. Mina and I had spent the evening together, and before going to bed, she administered the next dose of wolfsbane. I didn¡¯t go to sleep until I started to feel the effects. The dosage was higher, but I didn¡¯t feel it as strongly as before, which was hopeful. I had expected the nausea to keep me up but there wasn¡¯t much. So, once the lightheadedness became too frustrating, I went to bed. The effects hadpletely worn off by the morning, and I took it as a good sign. I was able to talk Mina into giving me another dose before she left. But only if I promised to take a break for her mating ceremony over the weekend. I had no problemplying. ¡°That includes while we¡¯re away on our honeymoon,¡± Mina insisted. ¡°I can live with that,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, if it keeps going this well, we¡¯ll pretty much be done by this weekend.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope so,¡± she said. ¡°How is Dasha doing with this whole thing?¡± ¡®Getting stronger,¡® Dasha answered. I smiled. ¡°She¡¯s doing amazing. I haven¡¯t even lost her once. After that first dose, she had a rough time yesterday, but she powered through like a champ.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just so crazy,¡± Mina said, obviously impressed. ¡°You know, this means you could do this, too,¡± I said. ¡°You have this immunity also.¡± Chapter 20 A 288 Vouchers She made a face. ¡°Yeah, I considered it, but I think I¡¯ll pass.¡± She grabbed her stuff and gave me a hug. ¡°I¡¯ve got to head out. But I¡¯ll see you at the fitting this afternoon, right?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss it,¡± I said. Mina left and I grabbed my phone to call Theo. I had messaged him a few times the night before but only got one reply. So, when the call went to voicemail, my heart sank and the anxiety and dread set in again. I left him a quick message and hung up, my brow furrowed with Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. concern. I was thinking about calling him again when there was a knock on the door. I answered it to find Maggie waiting in the hall. ¡°Good morning, Maggie,¡± I greeted her. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She smiled. ¡°Not at all,¡± she replied. ¡°Alpha wanted me to make sure you were sticking to your training while he was away. Hopefully, you¡® ll overlook the fact that I¡¯m not here at five in the morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Come on it. Give me just a moment to change, and we¡¯ll head over to the gym.¡± Maggie came in and waited in the living room while I threw on some workout clothes. I usually didn¡¯t take my phone with me, but then, I was always training with Theo. So, I grabbed it on my way out of the bedroom, checking the screen for any messages. There weren¡¯t any, so I tucked it in the waistband of my leggings. ¡°Ready to go?¡± I asked Maggie, trying to sound normal. ¡°Let¡¯s go. When we arrived, the gym was empty, and Maggie started us out with some weight training. Not long into the workout, I started to feel the Chapter 20: A 288 Vouchers wolfsbane kick in. I pushed through. The worst part was the dizziness, but it was easy to manage as long as we stuck with weights instead ofbat practice. The exercise actually helped burn the poison out of my system faster. By the time I returned to the apartment and showered, I didn¡¯t even feel it anymore. It was kind of incredible. But the sess of my experiment was the only thing that kept me from going crazy. Theo still hadn¡¯t responded, and my concern had grown to panic. I ran my hand through my wet hair and was about to call him again when I heard Jimmy at the door. ¡°Alright, Luna, let¡¯s get moving,¡± he called through the wood as he knocked loudly. ¡°There¡¯s pretty little co¨Ced that¡¯s waiting to see me.¡± I went to the door and yanked it open. ¡°I¡¯m not going today.¡± His face fell. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I opened my mouth but hesitated, wondering if I was just overreacting. Jimmy grabbed my shoulders. ¡°A, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he coaxed gently ¡°Theo isn¡¯t answering my calls,¡± I said. ¡°Shit,¡± Jimmy breathed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sure everything is fine. Give me a minute and I¡¯ll see what I can find out.¡± He stepped back out into the hall and shut the door. He didn¡¯t want me to hear something I shouldn¡¯t. That didn¡¯t help my nerves. I started to pace the living room. My thoughts were going to dark ces and I wasn¡¯t paying attention. My foot mmed into a side table,, stubbing my toe and knocking over a lamp. I didn¡¯t catch my bnce quick Chapter 20. A 288 Vouchers enough and toppled over, my knees hitting the hardwood and my hands going out in front of me, landing right in the broken ss. A string of curses escaped my mouth as I rolled to my backside, checking my bloody palms. Luckily, only one seemed to have sustained any damage. I dragged myself off the floor and grabbed a kitchen towel, still cursing when my phone rang. I lunged for it. ¡°Theo?¡± ¡°A, what happened? Where are you? Are you okay?¡± he rushed in a panic. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied. ¡°Just clumsy today. But now you f***ing call me back? I¡¯ve been worried sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby,¡± he said. ¡°It was a really long night. I didn¡¯t want to wake you when we finally made it to the hotel room. I guess I passed out pretty hard. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± I could hear the sadness and stress in his voice and my heart fell. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just anxious.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I should have¡­¡± ¡°Just wake me up next time, okay?¡± I interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping all that soundly without you here anyway. So, just call me whenever Doesn¡¯t matter what time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said softly, relief flooding through the phone. ¡°What did you do to your hand? It stings like hell.¡± ¡°I tripped over the damn end table,¡± I told him, holding the towel to the cut. ¡°Now we need a newmp. But I¡¯ll be fine in a couple hours. How is it going down there?¡± Chapter 20: A 288 Vouchers ¡°Slow, at the moment,¡± Theo said with frustration. ¡°We broke one of the rogues but he didn¡¯t know anything helpful. We¡¯ll continue working on the other two today.¡± Jimmy came back in the door, hanging up his phone when he saw me on a call. He pointed to my phone and I nodded to confirm it was Theo on the line. ¡°How are you doing?¡± I asked Theo as Jimmy noticed the mess and came to check my hand. ¡°Going crazy without you,¡± he replied, a touch of yfulness in his tone. ¡°I can alwayse down and help,¡± I told him. ¡°I could practice mymands.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you this close to the border,¡± Theo said sadly. ¡°However, if we don¡¯t make any leeway by tomorrow morning, I just might consider bringing them to you.¡± ¡°I could get on board with that.¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 21: Theo ¡°Everything okay?¡± Will asked. I had shot out of bed in a panic when A¡¯s pain woke me up. I ended up knocking the clock off the nightstand as I searched for my phone, so Will was up with me now. I nodded. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s fine,¡± I told him. ¡°Just tripped.¡± I ran my hands over my face. I should have tried to get some more sleep, but I was wide awake. So, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. Especially since I could still feel the sting of A¡¯s injury. The pain wasn¡¯t bad, but it was just another reminder that I wasn¡¯t there with her. I headed to the bathroom to take a cool shower. I might as well get back to the station to get this over with. When I got out, Will was on the phone with Beth and the kids. I had felt guilty about keeping my distance as long as I had, but that guilt lessened every time I heard him on the phone. He may have felt hurt, but when I thought about myplicated life and rtionship, I couldn¡¯t feel bad for not dragging him into it all. I just hoped that he would be able to go back to his life after this trip. I got dressed and grabbed my wallet and keys as Will got off the phone. ¡°You get cleaned up. I¡¯ll grab us something to eat,¡± I told him as I headed for the door. There was a diner a few doors down from the hotel. I pulled up and went in to order something to go. I sat at the counter and grabbed a menu. A waitress came over with a bright smile and was entirely too perky for me to handle today. ¡°Hey, there,¡± she greeted me. ¡°My name is Maddi. What can I get for you today?¡± I gave her the food order, letting her know it was to go. ¡°Aw, that¡¯s too bad,¡± she said. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want this for here? I would love thepany.¡± ¡°No, I would like this to go, please,¡± I said, trying to remain polite. ¡°But you can bring me a cup of coffee while I wait.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± She walked off, and I pulled my phone out, texting A. I knew she was probably in ss by now, so it was a pleasant surprise when she messaged me back right away. I messaged her back and our conversation continued. She told me about something else she discovered during her research into her family. Even through text, I could feel her excitement. ¡°So, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you here before,¡± the waitress said as she leaned on the counter in front of me. ¡°Are you passing through or sticking around?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Passing,¡± I grunted, not really interested in whatever small talk she was trying to make. There were other customers she could annoy ¡°You know, I¡¯d be happy to show you a good time while you¡¯re here,¡± she said, her finger trailing along the back of my hand. ¡°Especially if you¡¯re here for pleasure.¡± A growl rumbled in my chest. I snapped my hand away, appalled that she would dare touch me. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Maddi cooed. ¡°I¡¯m spoken for.¡± I ground out, pointing to the mark I knew was plenty visible for her to see. ¡°Is she here?¡± Her hand rubbed along my forearm. I stood up abruptly. My fists clenched as my aura began to fill the room. ¡°Maddi,¡± a familiar voice called sternly behind me. I turned to see Sheriff McCabe approaching. ¡°Get back to work. Go check the Alpha¡¯s order.¡± Maddi¡¯s eyes went wide, looking back at me. She shrank back, scurrying into the kitchen without another word. McCabe dropped into the stool beside me. ¡°My apologies, Alpha,¡± he said. ¡°I hope you can forgive our town floozy. She has more libido than she does brains.¡± ¡°Sheriff,¡± I acknowledged. ¡°I¡¯ll let it go this time. If only because this town has been through enough. But she¡¯s lucky my mate isn¡¯t here.¡± The sheriff chuckled. ¡°Maybe Maddi would finally learn her lesson if she was. Crossing our Luna may not be the stupidest thing she¡¯s done. but I would guess it would have the worst consequence.¡± Maddi hade out carrying my order and a to¨Cgo cup of coffee. She shot McCabe a dirty look and aggressively set the paper cup in front of him. She gave me a tight smile as she set the bag on the counter. ¡°On the house, Alpha,¡± McCabe said. Maddi started to protest but was cut off. ¡°It¡¯s the least she can do for the disrespect.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied shortly, escaping quickly back to the kitchen. McCabe picked up his coffee and turned to me. ¡°You heading to the station. Alpha?¡± I nodded. ¡°I have to swing by the hotel to pick up Will.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you there,¡± he said as he walked out with me. ¡°And again, sorry about Maddi. She likes attention. It¡¯s gotten her in trouble more than once.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what she does with a willing participant.¡± I said, ¡°but she needs to learn to respect the mate bond. She may not understand it, but she should know better than to interfere with something that sacred.¡± I shook my head, reminding myself that hadn¡¯t stopped me. ¡°Hopefully she¡¯ll get it when she finds her mate.¡± McCabe¡¯s eyes filled with sadness, and he looked back toward the diner. ¡°No, unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t even enough for her,¡± he replied quietly I sighed heavily. ¡°Maddi¡¯s your mate?¡± ¡°Was,¡± he said strongly, straightening his shoulders. ¡°We severed that bond a long time ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man,¡± I said. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the station.¡± I watched McCabe get into his squad car and pull out. I nced back into the diner. Maddi was watching McCabe drive off. The same dirty look on her face. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 22: Theo 288 Vouchers. Chapter 22: Theo I grabbed Will and we ate quickly on our way to the sheriff¡¯s office. We went straight to the cells where McCabe was waiting for us. The first rogue we had questioned all night was still tied to the chair, slumped over limply. We had kept him thoroughly sedated after I broke him. It was a mercy at this point. But we still had the other two. The sheriff was waiting outside one of the rooms. ¡°We put them together for a few hours after you left this morning,¡± McCabe said as we approached. ¡°This one seemed to be keeping the other in line.¡± ¡°Are you thinking he may know more than the other?¡± Will asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s worth starting with him,¡± McCabe replied. ¡°Alright,¡± I agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± As McCabe opened the door, I braced myself against the sour smell of rogue that wafted out. The male¡¯s head shot up, and he tensed up as we walked in. I could see he hadn¡¯t slept since he had been here. I wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been since he had bathed. Either way, the room was unpleasant. But his eyes held an intelligence that led me to agree with McCabe¡¯s assessment. I sat in the chair in front of him, and we took each other in for a few moments. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I finally asked. He didn¡¯t respond. 288 iVouchers ¡°You know how this is going to go,¡± I stated. ¡°The more you fight, the harder this will be.¡± Still no response. ¡°Tell me why you attacked our pack,¡± Imanded. His jaw tightened, and his body tensed as he fought themand, but it didn¡¯t seem too difficult for him to handle. He was stronger than thest one. I needed a different approach, or this would end up taking all day. And I really didn¡¯t want that. ¡°Sheriff, were you able to figure out exactly where the rogues came from?¡± I asked. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We believe so,¡± McCabe replied. ¡°We followed their trail all the way to our border and then a mile past ournds. We¡¯ve also got a human contact who is sending us information on rogue activity in the buffer zone. He mentioned something about tent cities popping up over the past month. It supports the movements we¡¯ve been tracking as well.¡± ¡°So they are organizing,¡± I said. The rogue scoffed. ¡°It appears that way,¡± McCabe said. ¡°For the past twenty years, they¡¯ve rarely seen more than two or three together at a time. And even then, they never stick together long. Now, they are grouping more and more.¡± Rogues had a general aversion to each other. The nature of their existence made it nearly impossible to trust one another, so rtions were often tense at the best of times. They would asionally group together in certain areas or at certain times of the year for safety or extra resources. But would go their separate ways before things got aggressive. 21.97% 10:52 ¡°Well, someone has to be behind their sudden ability to work together,¡± I said. I pushed out amand toward the male in front of me. It was subtle, but there was still power to it. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s sudden?¡± he blurted out. ¡°We would know if rogues were congregating so close to our borders for so long,¡± McCabe insisted. The rogue realized he had let mymand affect him, but not before a smug look crossed his face. ¡°Unless they weren¡¯t at our border,¡± I said. The rogue¡¯s eyes started darting between us. ¡°Something had to have brought so many rogues to this location. I¡¯m guessing most of them came from the same area. Am I correct?¡± His face turned red as he fought against the strongermand. ¡°Where did youe from?¡± Imanded strongly. ¡°Ss¡­ Sssablemane¡­ border¡­¡± he grunted out with his effort to stop himself. ¡°And when did you start focusing on Sablemane?¡± Imanded as I stood, leaning over the table. Kieran was pacing anxiously and angrily. ¡°Thr¡­ three months ago.¡± ¡®Mate,¡® Kiearan growled, rushing forward. It¡¯s what I feared as well. There would be only one way to know for sure. I pushed every ounce of power and authority I had forward. I even felt Will and Sheriff McCabe step away from the intensity. ¡°Are you looking for the Blessed One?¡± 47.95% IN 10:52 Chapter 22: Theo 288 ?Vouchers ¡°Well, someone has to be behind their sudden ability to work together,¡± I said. I pushed out amand toward the male in front of me. It was subtle, but there was still power to it. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s sudden?¡± he blurted out. ¡°We would know if rogues were congregating so close to our borders for so long,¡± McCabe insisted. The rogue realized he had let mymand affect him, but not before a smug look crossed his face. ¡°Unless they weren¡¯t at our border,¡± I said. The rogue¡¯s eyes started darting between us. ¡°Something had to have brought so many rogues to this location. I¡¯m guessing most of them came from the same area. Am I correct?¡± His face turned red as he fought against the strongermand. THE ¡°Where did youe from?¡± Imanded strongly. Ì– ¡°Ss¡­Sssablemane¡­ border¡­¡± he grunted out with his effort to stop himself. ¡°And when did you start focusing on Sablemane?¡± Imanded as I stood, leaning over the table. Kieran was pacing anxiously and angrily. ¡®Mate,¡® Kiearan growled, rushing forward. It¡¯s what I feared as well. There would be only one way to know for sure. I pushed every ounce of power and authority I had forward. I even felt Will and Sheriff McCabe step away from the intensity. ¡°Are you looking for the Blessed One?¡± 47.95% 10:52 Chapter 22: Theo 288 Vouchers The rogue¡¯s mouth fell open but nothing came His entire body tensed so hard that his veins began to bulge under h his skin as his face turned red. He started to shake and his nose started to bleed. He wasn¡¯t the one fighting the. He couldn¡¯t answer. Someone had put him under the samemand Randy had been. If I didn¡¯t relent and pull back the Command. this bastard would die a slow and painful death. The rage that they were attacking my territory ¨C attacking my people to get to A made me want to watch every second of it. ¡°Theo,¡± Will called. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± 1 ¡°They¡¯re after A,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°He can¡¯t answer the question, but I don¡¯t need him to.¡± ¡°Pull back themand, Theo,¡± Will insisted. I hadn¡¯t told him everything about A and who exactly she was. He didn¡¯t understand. He didn¡¯t know how dangerous it was to let this bastard live. My hands itched to wrap around his throat. Kieran was on the edge, pushing me to finish him off and send him back to the other rogues in pieces. ¡®Send a message,¡® he snarled in my head. ¡°Theo,¡± Will yelled. He grabbed my arm and yanked me back, breaking my eye contact with the rogue. ¡°Pull it back. We need more information.¡± Kieran growled aggressively through me, sitting so close to the surface that I thought he would take over the shift. ¡°Kieran, stand down,¡± Will said forcefully. 70.79% 10:52 I pushed him back. Working to settle my breathing as I tried to control my anger. But the smell of the rogue was too much. Kieran¡¯s instinct to kill him was still too strong. I pushed past my cousin and McCabe, getting out of the small room to clear my head. 7 CAPPER 95.45% O 10:52 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 23: Theo I stormed through the station and outside, needing the fresh air to sober me up. I forced my hands through my hair, keeping Kieran at bay as best I could. I was trying to figure out how the Waar Pak had managed to get rogues to organize against multiple packs when Will came outside. ¡°What the hell is going on, Theo?¡± he asked urgently. ¡°Why would they be after A?¡± I sighed and walked over to a bench, falling onto it. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you everything about A,¡± I admitted. ¡°Okay,¡± Will replied slowly and gently. ¡°Are you going to tell me now?¡± I looked around the area. We seemed to be alone. But I also had to consider bringing McCabe in on this information. These attacks were likely to continue, and he may need to understand the motives. ¡°Yeah, but we need McCabe first,¡± I said. Will nodded but looked a little hurt. ¡°It wasn¡¯t about trust, Will,¡± I insisted. ¡°It was because there was already so much else to tell you. And I didn¡¯t want to put this mess on you, too.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my Luna, too,¡± Will said sternly. ¡°And whether I¡¯ve met her or not, she¡¯s family. Stop trying to protect me, Theo. If anything, that¡¯s supposed to be my job. Now, how bad is this mess?¡± 0.00% ||| O 10:49 ¡°It¡¯s bad,¡± I said. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s get McCabe and figure out how the hell to clean it up,¡± he stated, returning to the station. I stood to follow, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I sent A a message checking on her. The knot in my stomach rxed some when she quickly sent me a picture of her and Mina at their dress fitting. She said Maggie was with them as well. She didn¡¯t think Jimmy would appreciate being dragged along, and it was a good girl¨Cbonding activity. I smiled a little, feeling less anxious about her safety but still missing her like crazy. I met Will and McCabe inside and we went to his office. I filled them in on how I knew what was going on and that the Waar Pak wereing after A. ¡°The first thing I want to do is set up a special task force along the border,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to reach out to all the border towns to get that organized. Do you think that¡¯s something you can handle, Sheriff?¡± ¡°If you can send the men, I can make that happen,¡± McCabe replied confidently. ¡°That covers our southern border,¡± Will stated. ¡°What about the east and west? They may try to travel through our neighbors¡® territories.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have to reach out to them,¡± I said. ¡°The Wildtail Pack shouldn¡¯t be too hard. A few members will be here this weekend for Beta Briggs¡® mating ceremony. His mate, Mina, grew up and has family there.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And how are you going to handle Sablemane?¡± Will asked nervously. I had told him about my recent history with Kingston. He understood 19.99%% ||| 10:49 < Chapter 23: Theo 288 Vouchers the issues I had with the Sablemane Alpha, but this was pack business. Ensuring he¡¯s prepared to defend his territory would protect our borders by default. ¡°I¡¯ll call Kingston,¡± I replied. ¡°But I¡¯ll see if Randy can also look into their prior movements. I¡¯m not sure how forting Kingston will be with me regarding any other information he may have.¡± I thought about contacting Pierce instead. He seemed to be the one actually running that packtely. However, I knew that was the case because Kingston had been obsessed with tracking down the Waar Pak members. So he would better know what to do with this information. ¡°What are we going to do with the prisoners?¡± McCabe asked. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the one in the cell,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what I decide to do with the other two. But I¡¯ve got some phone calls to make. Will, can you help the sheriff get a n in ce for the task force?¡± ¡°Can do,¡± he replied. I left the office and went to sit in my car. I called Briggs first and gave him an update on what was happening. He would get another group of warriors on their way down by the end of the day. ¡°Did you want me to call Beta Pierce?¡± Briggs asked when I told him the other packs would need to be informed. ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m going to call Kingston.¡± There was a tense silence on the line before he replied. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°And hey,¡± I stated tentatively, ¡°don¡¯t say anything to A yet. I¡¯d rather thise from me. If I can get out of here today, I¡¯ll tell her when I get home. If not, I¡¯ll call her tonight.¡± 45.17% ||| O 10:49 ¡°I can handle that,¡± Briggs agreed. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡± I hung up and dialed the next number. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Randy answered. ¡°Can you talk?¡± I asked, making sure he was in a safe location. I heard movement before he replied. ¡°I can now. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The Waar Pak is organizing rogue attacks on my pack,¡± I told him. ¡°They started out at the Sablemand border. I have to contact Kingston to let him know they may being back to hisnds once we get our border fortified. I have a feeling he will know more about the situation than he¡¯s going to tell me. I wanted to see if this was something you could look into.¡± Randy chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m already here,¡± he replied. ¡°Should I get him?¡± I sighed. ¡°Yeah, might as well.¡± It took a few minutes until I heard Randy giving Kingston the information I gave him. There was a muffled back and forth before he came back to the call. ¡°You¡¯re on speaker,¡± he said. ¡°Were you able to get a name from the rogue?¡± Kingston asked. ¡°No, we can¡¯t get anything from him regarding their n without A.¡± ¡°Is it possible to make that happen?¡± Randy asked. ¡°Yeah, it might take a day or two to get them transferred, but it¡¯s 70.87% ? < 10:49 90.75%%% doable,¡± I replied. ¡°Give me a week to get my border situated and I¡¯lle to you,¡± Kingston said. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± I retorted. ¡°Randy¡­¡± ¡°If you want to be able to do anything with the information I have, it is,¡± Kingston insisted. ¡°Just keep the rogues alive until I get there, Theo.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Randy rushed in as my temper began to rise, ¡°and you¡¯re off speaker. I¡¯ll y the mediator, Alpha. Keep me in the loop and I¡¯ll do the same.¡± ¡°Thanks, Randy,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°Now, just figure out how to keep him the hell away from my mate.¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 O 10:49 Chapter 24: A The dress fitting went wonderfully. Mina looked stunning and was going to be breathtaking at her ceremony. We all teared up more than once. We went out to dinner after, where I toasted my amazing cousin Mina, Annabelle, Maggie, and I went back to my apartment after dinner for a few drinks. We invited Luna Grace to join us, but she regretfully declined so she could get back to Alpha Torin. We were sharing stories when Theo called. I grabbed my phone and rushed to the bedroom. ¡°Hey, babe. How is everything going?¡± I answered eagerly. ¡°Hey yourself,¡± he replied. I could hear the smile in his voice. ¡°Things are¡­plicated. We¡¯ve hit a bit of a roadblock.¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± I said worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Theo assured me. ¡°It actually means I¡¯ming home tonight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked excitedly. ¡°Yeah, but we have to transfer two of the rogues up there,¡± he said seriously. ¡°It¡¯s a long story and I¡¯ll tell you when I get back. But I¡¯m just getting the prisoner transfer secured, and then we¡¯re going to head out.¡± I nced at the clock. ¡°It¡¯s already getting prettyte, Theo,¡± I replied. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay to make the drive? I¡¯d rather you got some sleep and 0.00% ||| O 10:49 left in the morning.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± I teased. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping any better than you are, baby. Besides, Will and I are trading off. I¡¯ll be fine. I promise.¡± ¡°You better be,¡± I warned. ¡°I¡¯m ready for you to be home, but I need it to be in one piece.¡± ¡°I know, babe,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I know. But let me get this finished up so we can be done. I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re on the road. I love you.¡± ¡°Love you, too,¡± I said. I hung up the phone and was instantly in a better mood. I rejoined the group, falling onto the couch. ¡°And here¡¯s the luckiest female in the pack,¡± Annabelle said. ¡°How is our super sexy Alpha?¡± ¡°Annabelle,¡± I eximed. ¡°What would Matthew think?¡± I teased. ¡°Exactly what he already knows,¡± she said. ¡°That I have fantasized about our Alpha whenever I¡¯m mad at him.¡± ¡°Annabelle,¡± I said again as the othersughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t do it anymore. It lost its appeal when I saw how crazy he was about my best friend.¡± My face turned red as I sipped my wine. ¡°Hey, that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re not all still wondering,¡± Mina said, shifting on the couch to face me. ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess,¡± I groaned as I covered my face. 20.25% O 10:49 ¡°A, sweetie,¡± Mina said, ¡°I love you, and I realize you aren¡¯t used to this kind of girl talk, but¡­ it¡¯s time to spill.¡± ¡°Luna, don¡¯t let them pressure you,¡± Maggie said sweetly. ¡°But if you want to share¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone here is going to stop you.¡± We allughed. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, setting my wine ss on the coffee table. ¡°He¡¯s fantastic.¡± I didn¡¯t know a person could make the sounds that came out of their mouths. They giggled and teased and continued to make inappropriatements about our sex lives. ¡°What about you, Maggie?¡± Annabelle asked. ¡°Anyone you¡¯ve been passing the time with?¡± Maggie hesitated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell us.¡± I insisted. ¡°Unlike these two. I don¡¯t mind if you want to keep your private life private.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± she said casually. ¡°It¡¯s just kind of¡­ well¡­ I¡¯ve been seeing one of my squad members. We¡¯re not supposed to date within the group.¡± ¡°Girl, no one here is going to rat you out,¡± Mina said. ¡°We promise.¡± Maggie looked content. I really enjoyed herpany. I was grateful to Theo for assigning her to protect me. It was nice growing my circle of friends. A twinge tugged at my chest as I thought about Emma. I missed her. We still talked once or twice a week, but it wasn¡¯t the same. We kept saying we would n a trip to see each other. However, we both knew 4006% ||| 10:49 < 288 (Vouchers N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. how difficult that would be with the way things were between Kingston and Theo. I knew she would always be wee here. That wasn¡¯t a concern at all. But whether Kingston would give her a hard time or try to put her in a position she didn¡¯t want to be in was a concern for both of us. So, for now, I just had to be content with our phone calls. ¡°So, when is our dashing Alpha going to return?¡± Mina asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. ¡°He actually should be on his way home any minute,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I will give you this,¡± Annabelle said, ¡°you¡¯ve been handling his absence better than I did the first time Matthew and I were separated after marking each other.¡± ¡°Oh. don¡¯t be fooled,¡± I interjected, ¡°I¡¯ve been falling apart. It feels like I¡¯m going crazy sometimes with how much I miss him. I never thought I¡¯d need someone this much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the bond.¡± Annabelle said with a shrug. ¡°It will level out over time. But the first year or two is pretty intense. Especially when you get far enough apart. You know that feeling of emptiness when you can¡¯t feel them or sense them anymore?¡± My brow furrowed. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I guess Theo wasn¡¯t so far away for that. We¡¯ve still been able to sense each other.¡± ¡°You said he went to Bonnerville, right?¡± Annabelle asked, sitting up straighter. ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s almost four hundred miles, A,¡± she said. ¡°I lose my connection to Matty if he goes farther than a few hours.¡± 62.36% ||| O Chapter 24. A 288 Vouchers ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard is normal, too,¡± Maggie said curiously. ¡°Maybe you just thought you felt him because you missed him so much,¡± Annabelle tried to exin. ¡°Maybe, but he was able to feel when I cut my hand,¡± I told them. ¡°Damn, girl,¡± Annabelle breathed. ¡°They¡¯ve always had a strong connection,¡± Mina pointed out. ¡°Their bond has never exactly been normal. Theo could feel A even when Harry had taken her.¡± ¡°He did?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Mina confirmed. ¡°He knew you were alive and he could tell you were tied up.¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Annabelle interjected, ¡°wasn¡¯t that before they marked each other?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Mina said. ¡°Shit,¡± she replied. ¡°I guess you two really were meant to be together.¡± ¡°Were you doubting it?¡± I teased ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Annabelle replied with a bright smile. 86 59% ||| O 10:49 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 25: A My friends left a little whileter, but I held Mina back. A part of our conversation about Theo¡¯s and my bond was bothering me. ¡°Mina, why do you think Theo never felt the wolfsbane in my system?¡± I asked. ¡°Not even when I was with Harry, and it was still affecting me so strongly.¡± Mina thought for a few moments. Her brow furrowed as she considered the possibilities. ¡°Maybe because you¡¯re immune, the bond doesn¡¯t recognize it as a real danger,¡± she said. ¡°No one really knows how to exin the mate bond and how we are connected the way we are. But the communication is inherent between two wolves. Maybe it just knew that wasn¡¯t the bad part.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose that would make sense.¡± ¡°Look, try not to think about it too much, okay?¡± she said, grabbing my hands. ¡°What you and Theo have is remarkable. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°The same goes for you and Briggs, you know. Even without the weirdness Theo and I experienced.¡± ¡°Oh, I know,¡± she agreed with a bright smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want anything else.¡± I pulled her into a strong hug. ¡°Good,¡± I said as I held her. ¡°Because you deserve every bit of happiness.¡± I let her go. ¡°Now, go and get some rest. We only have one more day before the big day.¡± 0.00% 08.45 ¡°I love you, A,¡± she told me. ¡°I love you, too.¡± When everyone left, I changed into my pajamas and attempted to sleep. I had taken the next dose of wolfsbane and hoped it would distract me from anticipation. However, I barely felt the effects. So, an hourter, I was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling. I grabbed my phone but hesitated to text Theo. If he was driving, I didn¡¯t want him distracted. If he wasn¡¯t, he needed to be sleeping. As if he sensed my thoughts, his name shed across my phone screen. ¡°Hey, everything okay?¡± I answered. Theo chuckled. ¡°I was about to ask you that,¡± he replied. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°No, I miss you,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m too excited for you to be home.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± ¡°Are you driving? If not, you should be sleeping,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m driving,¡± he said. ¡°Will is passed out. He¡¯ll take over in a couple hours. Want to keep me company?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied with a wide smile. I wasn¡¯t sure how long we talked or when I fell asleep. But I woke up with my phone on the pillow next to me. I grabbed it, wincing as the bright light blinded me, and my eyes adjusted. The first thing I saw was a message from Theo letting me know Will was taking over and he would be home in three to four hours. I checked the time. The message was sent just over four hours ago. Concern spiked in my chest, and I was calling Theo¡¯s phone when I 08-45 288 Vouchers heard the apartment door open. I shot out of bed and out of the room. I paused as I watched Theo enter, dropping his bag to the floor. Then, I practicallyunched myself at him. Crossing the apartment in a fraction of a second and throwing myself against him. Arms around his neck. Legs around his waist. Lips mming into his. Theo didn¡¯t skip a beat. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly against him. His fingers dug into my hair as he kissed me passionately. My back hit the wall and Theo¡¯s hands moved down my body. My core burned with desire. I groaned as he slipped under my nightgown to cup my ass, his fingers trailing through my slick folds. ¡°Goddess, I f***ing missed you, baby,¡± he rasped. He ground his hips against me. Bracing myself against the wall, my hands slipped between us, undoing his jeans and pulling out his hard length. Lifting myself by his shoulders, I positioned him at my entrance. ¡°I need you, Theo,¡± I whineded, sliding down on him smoothly. Moaning as he filled me. ¡°Fuck, A. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He gripped my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh, sending intense sparks of electricity through me. He began to move. Savoring the feeling of having me wrapped around him again. But urgency soon took over and his pace became frantic. Matching the excitement and pleasure bubbling through my abdomen. ¡°Yes,¡± I cried. ¡°Fuck, Theo, yes.¡± He pulled my arms above my head. Pinning them there with one hand while the other arm wrapped around my hips. Switching the angle to pound deeper into me. He was unrelenting. Our cries grew louder and more intense and we both approached our climax. 4 ¡°I love you,¡± he forced out. ¡°Theo,¡± I cried. We exploded together. Coming apart as we epted everything the other was giving. I hung limply from his shoulders, my face tucked into his neck as I worked to steady my breathing. Theo repositioned his arms, holding me more securely as he carried me toward our bedroom. He pulled away long enough to strip out of his clothes before climbing in next to me. He tugged me to him, kissing me gently before looking down into my eyes. ¡°Hi.¡± he said with a broad smile. ¡°Hi.¡± I giggled. He rested his forehead against mine. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good it feels to be home with you.¡± ¡°Probably as good as it feels to have you home,¡± I replied. ¡°What did you find out while you were gone?¡± Theo sighed. ¡°Enough,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything, but right now, I think we both need some sleep.¡± I could tell he was exhausted. And my rather vigorous greeting didn¡¯t help the matter. Truthfully, I was feeling theck of sleep sink in as well. My own body was sated but tired. So, I snuggled closer to my mate, draping my arm over his waist as I closed my eyes and breathed him in. ¡°I think that sounds fantastic.¡± 78 52% Chapter 178 Chapter 178 08:45 Chapter 26: Theo A and I spent the morning together, and I filled her in on what happened in Bonnerville. As I expected, she wasn¡¯t happy about the situation. She wanted to question the rogues as soon as they arrived.ter that evening, but I convinced her to wait. They were locked securely away in the cer. For now, I wanted her to focus on Mina and the ceremony. This was supposed to be a happy, exciting time for all of us. I didn¡¯t want the Waar Pak issue getting in the way of that any more than it already had. Besides, we all needed a break from it for a few days. A and I hadn¡¯t had many normal experiences in our rtionship, and I was determined to make that happen that weekend. So, when we finally dragged ourselves out of bed, I sent her off with Mina, Annabelle, and my mother for an afternoon at the spa. I got Mom¡¯s list of to¨Cdo items left to tackle before the big day and dragged Briggs and Jimmy to help knock them out. My dad joined us for dinner, and we ended up in the packhouse rec room shooting a few games of pool with a few beers. I had invited Will, but he needed time at home to be there early the next day. It was after nightfall when my phone rang. It was McCabe letting me know they had arrived with the rogues. I told him where to go and that I¡¯d meet them there. ¡°The transfer here?¡± Briggs asked after finishing abo pocket shot, putting him ahead of me. I nodded. ¡°Jimmy, you take over for me,¡± I said, tossing him my pool queue. ¡°Dad, you want toe give me a hand?¡± 0.00% 08:45 ¡°Do you have to ask?¡± he said with a wry smile. ¡°We can alle and help out,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Nah, this should be quick and easy,¡± I said. ¡°Won¡¯t take long and I¡¯ll be right back to kick your ass in the next round.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bet,¡± Briggs said after us. Dad and I headed down to one of the back exits. I had kept him informed of everything that was going on. He was still the Alpha, after all. It was important for everyone that he be involved in certain things. And meeting one of our pack sheriffs for a rogue prisoner transfer was one of those things. Besides, I still needed his advice from time to time. ¡°Are they going to the garage?¡± Dad asked as we left the building. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the closest spot to the utility shed without having them out in the open,¡± I told him. ¡°Harmon will be here this weekend, and we¡¯ll get started on the ns for better ess to the cer.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Dad said. ¡°This in and out is getting suspicious. We entered therge garage from a side door. This garage, in particr, was designated for pack¨C assigned vehicles. It was mostly SUVs and trucks, a few town cars for important visitors. So, therge ck van with ck¨Cout windows stood out. Sheriff McCabe was already outside the vehicle, his arms crossed over his chest. Three warriors I had arranged to travel down to get them stood at the back doors patiently. ¡°Sheriff McCabe,¡± I said, shaking his hand. ¡°I believe you know my father.¡± 30.42% 08:45 ¡°Alpha Torin. Alpha Theo,¡± he greeted both of us. ¡°I hope there weren¡¯t any problems getting here,¡± I said. ¡°Nothing out of the usual,¡± he said. ¡°But we did have to sedate them a couple hours ago. They started making a lot of noise at a gas station.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Can they walk?¡± I asked. He nodded. ¡°They¡¯re notpletely out, but it should make getting them wherever you need easy enough.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I replied, moving to the back doors and opening them up. Their scent hit me, now mixed with days¨Cold sweat and filth. The one we hadn¡¯t questioned yet was lying across the floor while the other was hunched over. ¡°Let¡¯s get them inside,¡± my father said next to me. ¡°We don¡¯t want this stench attracting attention.¡± The warriors climbed in and dragged the two forms from the van. I signaled for them to follow me, and we led them the short distance to the utility shed. We filed into the tight space, and I entered the code to open the hatch. I had made sure the door to the investigation room was closed so that nothing could be seen. I led them down the corridor to the cells, directing them where they needed to be put. ¡°You three stand guard,¡± I told the men. ¡°I¡¯ll send your relief down shortly.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to question them more now that we¡¯re here?¡± McCabe asked as we started to make our way back out. I shook my head. ¡°We need A for that,¡± I exined. ¡°And I¡¯m working really hard to give her a day or two without having to deal 59.29% 08.45 D with this Waar Pak mess. We could all use time celebrating something good. Speaking of, we would be happy if you could stay, McCabe.¡± We headed back up the stairs out of the cer. ¡°I know I would enjoy a more thorough briefing of how things have been in your area,¡± Dad told him. ¡°Before the attack, that is.¡± ¡°I would have to check in to see,¡± McCabe said. ¡°But we have Panser¡¯s sheriff in town with the new task force. If he says he can handle things another day, I¡¯d be honored.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I said, pping him on the back. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get back to the party. I have a pool game to win.¡± 88.18% Chapter 179 Chapter 179 08:45 Chapter 27: Theo A and I weren¡¯t ready to spend another night apart yet, so while the others remained in their groups the rest of the night(except for my father), I slept in my own bed with my mate. We woke up with some extra time, and I eagerly spent it making love to A before she was called away. While any intimate moment we managed to share these days was enough for me, I was eager to get to a point when I could take my time with her. The rest of the day was hectic but went by smoothly. Once we were all dressed and ready to go, I went to thedies¡® suit to pick up A. We would go to the banquet hall before everyone to start greeting the attendants. There were a few standard ways to hold a mating ceremony. The more traditional practice entailed the ceremony taking ce at the beginning of the evening, followed by a reception of the couple¡¯s choosing. In those cases, the mating couple would have chosen to mark each other in front of their friends and family. Mina and Briggs opted for the more private option. We would be starting with a reception gathering in the banquet hall first. The night will close out with the promise ritual. They will leave directly after, where they will mark each other in private. After my experience marking A, I encouraged their choice. A and my public mating ceremony will be a little different from either option since we are doing it on the solstice. However, we will be marking each other again in front of most of the pack. While I was -greatly looking forward to sharing that with my pack, I still wouldn¡¯t change our original mating for anything. As I thought about that night, A opened the door to meet me. My breath caught as my eyes fell on her. 0.00% 08:45 D She looked stunning in a flowy, pale green dress. Her hair had been pulled up with whispy curls framing her face. Suddenly, it was going to be a lot harder to make it through this evening. She smiled as she looked me up and down. ¡°I always knew you¡¯d clean up nicely,¡± she teased, taking my arm as she kissed my cheek. I swung her around and pulled her against me, leaning in to graze my lips along her jawline. ¡°And here I was, wondering how the hell I was going to make it through the evening without tearing this dress off of you,¡± I said lowly. ¡°Okay, you two, knock it off,¡± my mother¡¯s voice pulled us out of our bubble. ¡°Get moving. People have already started to arrive.¡± Aughed as she dragged me down the corridor to the elevator, where I may or may not have let my hands roam the whole way down. We were smiling andughing yfully as we approached the banquet hall. Suddenly, A stiffened and her smile faltered slightly, reced by one that no longer reached her eyes. I looked to see what had caused the change and my own mood dropped. Our first guests to arrive were none other than Malcolm and Julia Neale. I sighed. Looping A¡¯s arm in mine, I proceeded toward the entrance to greet our guests. ¡°Malcolm, Julia,¡± I acknowledged. ¡°We were expecting to see you two here this evening.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t miss the mating ceremony of our favorite Beta, now could we?¡± Julia cooed annoyingly, looking as cheap as ever in a tacky gold dress. 32.59% 08:45 288 IVouchers ¡°We were passing through on business anyway,¡± Malcolm said. ¡°What better way to spend the evening than such a joyous asion? And I must say, Luna A, you are looking absolutely magnificent this evening.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Neale,¡± A replied tightly. Luckily, the next group of attendees was approaching us. ¡°Well, I hope you two enjoy yourselves,¡± I said diplomatically, gesturing them towards the hall. ¡°Please, help yourselves.¡± The two continued past us and we gave each other a look. ¡®I didn¡¯t know they had been invited. Amented through the mind¨Clink. ¡®I honestly don¡¯t think they were,¡® I replied. ¡®I¡¯ll have Jimmy and some of the others babysit them to keep them away for the evening.¡® We continued to greet everyone as they came in, eventually moving in to announce Briggs and Mina¡¯s entrance. We made our way to the tform at the head of the room as my mother linked me to say they were waiting outside. I quieted the room. ¡°I want to wee everyone and say how excited and happy I am to be up here tonight,¡± I spoke to the crowd. ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for a better Beta. Knowing that mine has ended up with his perfect mate brings me joy andfort. No two people deserve it more. And I¡¯m happy to be gaining a new friend and family member.¡± I squeezed A¡¯s waist. ¡°So, I¡¯m proud to introduce Beta Briggs and his mate, Mina.¡± The opposite doors opened and Briggs and Mina entered. I tugged A closer as I watched how happy they looked. Mina looked beautiful and Briggs was mesmerized. I kissed A on the temple and helped her off the tform. The band went to the stage and the party 60.39% Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. 09:45 D got underway. A and I were making our way toward the spot where some of our group of friends were congregating. I was stopped in my tracks as a gray head of hair jumped in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte, Alpha,¡± Harmon said as he shook my hand. ¡°My flight was dyed.¡± ¡°Harmon, no worries,¡± I said, jovially returning his handshake. ¡°I¡¯m just d you could make it.¡± I saw a sh of golding my way, and I suddenly realized why Malcolm and Julia showed up tonight. 90.95% O 08 45 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Chapter 28: Theo ¡°Oh, dear goddess,¡± Harmon muttered under his breath. I followed his gaze and realized he noticed the same thing I had. ¡°What are the Neales doing here?¡± ¡°I have a feeling it¡¯s to ambush you,¡± I replied. ¡°A, my lovely,¡± my mother said as she pushed through the crowd. ¡°Please forgive me, but I need to steal you away from Theo for a moment. Some friends are dying to meet you.¡± ¡®Julia ising this way,¡® I linked A. ¡®Don¡¯t you dare leave me alone with that woman.¡® Before either of us could protest, Mom had A¡¯s arm, pulling her across the room. I stifled a frustrated huff. ¡°Harmon, my good man,¡± Malcolm¡¯s voice approached. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally see you again.¡± ¡°Mr. Neale, Ms. Neale,¡± Harmon greeted through gritted teeth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here this evening. I didn¡¯t think you were particrly close with Beta Briggs.¡± ¡°What better time to remedy that?¡± Malcolm said coolly. ¡°But since you¡¯re here, I have some questions about the Arroww contract.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Malcolm,¡± I interrupted, ¡°this is a celebration. None of our guests are here to do business tonight. Neither should you be.¡± 0.00% O 12471 288 Vouchers ¡°Oh,e now, Alpha,¡± Julia said, stepping in close to me. ¡°This will only take a few minutes. But if all this work talk isn¡¯t to your liking, why don¡¯t you take me to the bar and get me a drink? Malcolm and Harmon can handle this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t thi¡­¡± ¡°It would be easier to get the rifications now,¡± Malcolm said with a warning tone, ¡°then wait for our uncle to contact you about them.¡± I felt my temper rise at his dimly veiled threat. Part of the reason our orders had been decreasing was because we were trying to get out of our contract with thepany. His uncle was well- established in the industry and could make business difficult if we broke the agreement on bad terms. Our green practices gave us a legitimate reason to decrease our business with them. Eventually making us not worth his time. But if Malcolm started making waves, we would be stuck in the deal for another five years, and his uncle could put extra pressure on mypany. ¡°Alpha, I can handle this,¡± Harmon jumped in, trying to keep me calm as he began guiding Malcolm away from me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go rejoin our beautiful Luna?¡± ¡°Oh, that can wait,¡± Julia said, looping her arm in mine and pushing me toward the bar. ¡°First, you can get me that drink we mentioned.¡± ¡°You mentioned,¡± I rified, removing her arm from mine. ¡°Alpha, you really aren¡¯t any fun now that you have a mate,¡± she pouted, grabbing a ss of champagne from a tray. 19.90% ||| 124 Chapter 28 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°How is that?¡± I asked. ¡°Seeing as I¡¯ve never shown any interest in having ¡®fun¡® with you before? And I can guarantee you, I would always have infinitely more fun with my mate than with you.¡± Anger shed across her face. ¡°You know, I did a little digging recently.¡± She stepped closer. ¡°You may think your mate is someone special, but she¡¯s nothing more than a low¨Cbred country bumpkin with nothing to show for her life.¡± ¡°Ms. Neale¡± ¨C A suddenly appeared, forcing her way between us ¨C ¡°as lovely as it has been having you, I think it¡¯s time you and your brother left. You do have a long trip home, after all.¡± A¡¯s energy had pushed Julia back a few steps, but she was pressed against my chest. Holding me in ce so I didn¡¯t rip Julia¡¯s tongue out. ¡°Everything okay, Alpha?¡± Jimmy asked as he approached with the rest of our friends. ¡°Gamma Jimmy, please have security escort Mr. and Ms. Neale out of the party,¡± I told him. Julia looked appalled. ¡°If you think my uncle will let you get away with insulting me over this tramp¡­¡± She threw her drink at A. Growls and snarls echoed loudly as everyone in earshot turned on her. The room got quiet as hands. gripped my shoulders to keep me from flying at Julia. A jumped into action. ¡°Please, everyone,¡± she addressed the crowd with a smile, ¡°don¡¯t mind us. It was an ident. Just the result of a spirited conversation. Please, go back to celebrating.¡± 44 45% ||| O < Chapter 28 Theo 288 (Vouchers She waved to the band, and they immediately started ying, switching to an upbeat song. When most of the room¡¯s attention was off us, A stepped close to Julia. ¡°You obviously didn¡¯t learn your lesson about respecting me the first time we met,¡± she hissed. She had a fake smile and was using her body to hide the hand gripping Julia¡¯s arm firmly. ¡°But if you think I would let you ruin my cousin¡¯s mating ceremony, you¡¯re even dumber than I thought. Now, I suggest you dig really deep for whatever sense you have buried in that bleached¨Cout brain of yours and leave quietly.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from my uncle about this,¡± Julia taunted. ¡°Believe me, sweetheart, I can handle your uncle,¡± A said with every ounce of confidence she deserved, adding amand at the end. ¡°Get out.¡± Malcolm finally rushed up to her side as the security guards came up behind Julia. ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡± he hissed under his breath, but Julia was already obeying the command and rushing from the room. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. A grabbed a towel from the bar to wipe herself down. I brushed the hands still holding me off, taking her by the arm, pulling her into my arms, and kissing her firmly. After a second, she protested, pushing me away. ¡°Stop, you¡¯re going to get your tux wet, too,¡± she insisted. ¡°A,¡± Mina called as she stepped out of the crowd. ¡°What was that all about?¡± 6900% O Chapter 28 The ¡°Nothing,¡± A assured her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t mean to cause a scene. Thest thing I want is to ruin your night.¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Mina said with a smile. ¡°That was prime entertainment.¡± A chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid my dress didn¡¯t make it through. I¡¯m not sure I should be in the pictures.¡± Mina waved her off. ¡°That¡¯s what editing is for. Besides, I¡¯ll have a good story to tell about my awesome cousin saving the day.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 29: A The rest of the evening went by wlessly My dress was ruined. but it didn¡¯t seem to phase anyone Theo and I stayed upied for the remainder of the reception I didn¡¯t want to take anything away from Mina and Briggs, but there were a lot of people in attendance who hadn¡¯t met me formally yet and wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. We made sure to meet them off to the side throughout the evening, so the focus remained primarily on the happy couple. We left the banquet hall a little before midnight and went to the garden, where we watched Mina and Briggs say their vows to the goddess. I may have teared up a time or two. The whole experience was so beautiful and I couldn¡¯t be happier for either of them. After Mina and Briggs had left, Theo and I said goodbye to all the guests. We were sending thest few people off when Grace came up to us. ¡°You two get out of here,¡± she said. ¡°The staff can handle the cleanup.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± she said ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everything is in order. We won¡¯t be far behind you¡± She gave us both a hug, and Theo took my hand, guiding me back into the packhouse I leaned against his shoulder as we walked, fatigue setting in We were both quiet as we returned to Chapter 29. A 288 Vouchers our apartment. Now that the excitement and anticipation of the day were over, I started to dwell on what happened with Julia Neale earlier. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Theo whispered in my as he held me in the elevator. ¡°That I made trouble for you with your business,¡± I sighed. ¡°That whole mess with Julia wasn¡¯t a good thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste any time worrying about that, babe,¡± Theo said firmly as we exited the elevator. ¡°Her behavior was absolutely uneptable. I won¡¯t let her get away with that tant disrespect.¡± ¡°But if her uncle is so powerful¡­¡± ¡°Her uncle is a strict traditionalist,¡± Theo interrupted. ¡°She may be spoiled, but he takes authority very seriously. Malcolm is only a Delta within their pack, and Julie doesn¡¯t hold a rank at all. He won¡¯t put up with her insulting someone of a higher rank, let alone the Luna of thergest pack in the country.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not technically the Luna yet,¡± I said. ¡°The title transfer is a formality,¡± he insisted. ¡°No one sees you as anything less than our Luna. She will be punished, A.¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer just to never have to see her again,¡± I said bitterly. ¡°That can absolutely be arranged.¡± Theo opened our door and led me inside. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be an issue regardless. I will make sure she loses her job in thepany.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if we need to go that far.¡± 25.46% ||| O Chapter 29. A 1288 (Vouchers Theo stopped and gave me a stern look. ¡°That¡¯s the least that will be done. By right, I could have sent her home without her tongue. I will not allow anyone to treat you that way, let alone a woman like her.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said, wrapping my arms around his waist. ¡°Calm down. I get it. Even I can admit that smacking her around a bit was pretty tempting earlier.¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°I would love to see that happen.¡± ¡°Just not tonight,¡± I chided. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± ¡°I second that,¡± he said, taking my hand again and dragging me to the bedroom. As soon as we were there, he started taking the pins and ties out of my hair. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯re spending the whole day in bed.¡± I groaned as his fingers tugged through my hair gently. Then his hands slid my dress off my shoulders. ¡°Your Beta will be on his honeymoon, babe,¡± I said regretfully. ¡°I think we¡¯ll need to be around.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sunday,¡± Theo stated. ¡°My parents can handle any immediate concerns.¡± ¡°And the rogues in the cer?¡± ¡°Fully sedated and will remain so,¡± he replied. ¡°We agreed to make us a priority. I¡¯m enforcing that right now.¡± I wasn¡¯t about to argue with that. We both needed time to unwind after the ridiculous week we had. So, I gave in as he guided me to the bed. He pulled the covers down beforeying 52.67% Chapter 29 A ZBB (Vouchers me down slowly. He undressed and climbed in with me, pulling the nkets up over us. ¡°Did you enjoy the ceremony?¡± he asked as I snuggled up to him. ¡°I did,¡± I replied with a yawn. ¡°It was beautiful.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait for ours,¡± he told me. I hadn¡¯t been able to think much about ourstely, but now that he mentioned it, I was excited about it as well. My fingers trailed along the muscles of his back as I reveled in the feel of him. He had been so supportive and helpful to Briggs and Mina the past two days. More times than I could count, I found myself stopping to admire how amazing he was. I loved him so much. The thought of sharing that with our pack was exhrating. My lips found his. I pressed in closer as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. He groaned as I deepened the kiss, wanting more of him. He rolled me onto my back, his hand moving down my body as his erection hardened against my belly. ¡°You know I love you, right?¡± I breathed. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°I hope so,¡± he replied with a gentle grin. ¡°Because you mean everything to me, A.¡± 78.68% Chapter 29 A 1288 (Vouchers me down slowly. He undressed and climbed in with me, pulling the nkets up over us. ¡°Did you enjoy the ceremony?¡± he asked as I snuggled up to him. ¡°I did,¡± I replied with a yawn. ¡°It was beautiful.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait for ours,¡± he told me. I hadn¡¯t been able to think much about ourstely, but now that he mentioned it, I was excited about it as well. My fingers trailed along the muscles of his back as I reveled in the feel of him. He had been so supportive and helpful to Briggs and Mina the past two days. More times than I could count, I found myself stopping to admire how amazing he was. I loved him so much. The thought of sharing that with our pack was exhrating. My lips found his. I pressed in closer as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. He groaned as I deepened the kiss, wanting more of him. He rolled me onto my back, his hand moving down my body as his erection hardened against my belly. ¡°You know I love you, right?¡± I breathed. ¡°I hope so,¡± he replied with a gentle grin. ¡°Because you mean everything to me, A.¡± 78.68% = Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 30: A Sunday had been amazing and exactly what both Theo and I needed. We spent most of the day talking. It was like our first days together. Before everyone knew about us, and we were just Theo and A getting to know each other better. But Monday came around, and it was time to return to real life. Maggie was with me in my sses today, which was even more pleasant than I had expected. It wasn¡¯t just because we got along so well. I no longer felt like I was drawing so much attention. Maggie wasn¡¯t supposed to appear as a bodyguard, and she didn¡¯t. She blended right in as a fellow student. I had missed a couple of sses the week before, which I felt guilty enough about since it was the first week of the semester. But not feeling like eyes were on me allowed me to catch up in my first ss quickly. I expected the same for Professor Armand¡® s ss as we entered. We weren¡¯t the first to arrive by far, but we were still a few minutes early. Like I had with Jimmy, I let Maggie pick our seats to choose the most advantageous position. She picked the same general area that Jimmy had, and I smiled to myself. We took out our textbooks andptops and were discussing an uing assignment when a familiar voice made my skin crawl. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised to see you here,¡± Amy said from behind my shoulder. ¡°You really are so jealous of Kylee that you just stole her entire life.¡± Maggie hadn¡¯t even realized she was talking to me until I nced over my shoulder. 0.004 288 Vouchers ¡°Hello, Amy,¡± I said casually. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were in this ss.¡± ¡°Stealing her mate wasn¡¯t enough. You had to steal her education, too?¡± she hissed. Maggie started to turn around. ¡®Don¡¯t.¡® I mind¨Clinked her. ¡®It¡¯s not worth it. I¡¯m not even bothered.¡® ¡®Who the hell is that?¡® she replied. ¡®And is she really talking to you?¡® ¡®Her name is Amy, and unfortunately, yes,¡® I told her. ¡®She¡¯s a friend of my sister¡¯s. Just ignore her.¡® Professor Armand entered the lecture hall and greeted everyone. He was in an energetic mood, as usual. He jumped into the lesson for the day, and I was intrigued as he started to talk about ancient architecture. I remembered it was the professor¡¯s research that had helped Briggs find Randy¡¯s underground hideout. I packed up and approached Professor Armand¡¯s desk when the ss was over. ¡°Hey, Professor,¡± I said cheerily. ¡°Thanks again for sending the information I missedst week. I really am sorry I missed the sses.¡± ¡°Not a problem at all, Luna,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Alpha Theo and I would like to invite you to the packhouse this evening,¡± I said. ¡°I know we talked about you helping us look into some information. If you think you can spare the time, we¡¯d love to get you introduced to the project.¡± His face lit up. ¡°I would be delighted.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wonderful,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll meet you at the packhouse caf¨¦ at seven if 28.59% Chapter 30. Ayia 288 Vouchers that works for you?¡± ¡°Sounds perfect,¡± he confirmed. Maggie and headed out of the lecture hall and started to make our way to my car. ¡°Are you guys going to tell the professor about the rogues tonight?¡± Maggie asked as I started the engine. ¡°Most likely,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll show him the cer and what we¡¯ve gotten from the investigation so far. But we mostly want him to look at the books my father left me. I¡¯ve learned some stuff, but it¡¯s a lot to go through, and I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have the time to do it all on my own.¡± ¡°I can help you some, too,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Thanks, Mags,¡± I replied with a smile. We were quiet for a few minutes until Maggie spoke again. ¡°So¡­ who was that Amy chick and why was she being such a bitch?¡± I sighed. ¡°She¡¯s a close friend of my sister, Kylee. Obviously, Kylee didn¡¯t take the break¨Cup with Theo well, and it didn¡¯t help that he was my mate. I guess she still hasn¡¯t epted that I¡¯m not the bad guy in that situation.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t let her talk to you like that again?¡± Maggie said sternly. I shook my head. ¡°Really, don¡¯t even acknowledge her. I never really liked her to begin with, so what she thinks about me doesn¡¯t mean anything. And we can¡¯t risk you blowing your cover on her ount. She¡¯s no real threat. She probably won¡¯t even bother with me after 54.75% 10:46 today. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Maggie said slowly. ¡°Something seemed off about her. Not just her stupidity for disrespecting her Luna.¡± Iughed. ¡°Yeah, that ¡®off¡® feeling isn¡¯t anything new. Kylee brought her home her freshman year, and I didn¡¯t like her back then. But she was strangely devoted to Kylee. So her behavior now isn¡¯t that shocking.¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t make a scene about it if she tries to say something again,¡± Maggie stated. ¡°But I will have it addressed. And I¡¯ll have to tell Alpha about it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I conceded. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you. But don¡¯t worry about it unless she harasses me again. Dirty looks on campus don¡¯t count. After ourst encounter, I doubt she¡¯ll do anything out in the open.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Maggie perked up. ¡°Is she the one you beat up in the packhouse lobby a while ago?¡± I groaned. ¡°I didn¡¯t beat her up,¡± I said. ¡°I just put her in her ce. Or at least, I thought I did. Obviously, she¡¯s had enough time to wallow over it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luna,¡± Maggie assured me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let her bother you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Maggie.¡± 79.84% 10 46 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 WhatsApp 288 Vouchers Chapter 31: Theo ¡°So, does it seem doable to you?¡± I ask Harmon. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t see there being too many issues,¡± he replied, checking the blueprints in his hands. ¡°We¡¯ll want to start digging here first to ensure we can go deep enough without damaging the original foundation structure.¡± ¡°That was the n I hadid out.¡± I confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m already putting a list together of employees to vet. How long do you think the project will take?¡± ¡°Maybe a month at the most,¡± Harmon said. ¡°We¡¯ll know better once we know what¡¯s beneath here.¡± We needed a less conspicuous way to ess the cer. I had thought about installing a private elevator from the Alpha¡¯s wing, but there wasn¡¯t a way to make that work without attracting attention and rumors. So, with Harmon¡¯s help, we settled on renovating one of the houses next to the packhouse and tunneling over. We¡¯ll turn the house into an office building with restricted ess to the tunnel. ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re ready to move forward.¡± We headed for the cer exit. ¡°What did Malcolm want to speak with you about on Saturday?¡± Harmon sighed heavily. ¡°He¡¯s been pressuring me to bring on a new -stoneworkpany. I keep telling him we¡¯re not interested. But even if I wasn¡¯t happy with the craftsmen we already have, the crew he wants us to go with is questionable at best.¡± ¡°Who does he want us to switch to?¡± I asked with concern. 0.00% 10:201 Chapter 31. Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°It¡¯s a group out of Shadow w territory,¡± he said knowingly. ¡°The manager has some connection to a high¨Cranking pack member, and they¡¯ve been trying to use their influence to build business.¡± ¡°By paying Malcolm to pressure his clientele to use them,¡± I guessed grimly. Harmon nodded. ¡°Seems so. However, I asked around, and he¡¯s only approachedpanies that are handling pack projects.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± That was suspicious. Pack projects could often mean higher budgets, but there was alwayspetition from private developers. ¡°Send me the information.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about¡­¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± I assured him. ¡°I want to look into thepany and see what they¡¯re up to.¡± I had just returned to my office to start preparations when my phone rang. I checked the ID and ground my teeth. ¡°Hello, Delta Charles,¡± I greeted. Delta Charles Anderson was Malcolm and Julia¡¯s uncle. I was expecting this call after what happened over the weekend. I would have contacted him first thing that morning, but I wanted to allow him the opportunity to reach out. Mostly because I was curious to see how Julia would spin the incident to get her way. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Charles replied. ¡°I hope to find you well this morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well,¡± I said happily. ¡°I hope the same goes for you.¡± ¡°Well, I wish I could say that, Alpha,¡± he said. ¡°I received your message requesting to speak with me. I¡¯m assuming it concerns the 23.69% 10.20 H288 Vouchers altercation that urred while my niece and nephew attended an event in your territory this weekend.¡± ¡°Crashed,¡± I interjected. ¡°They crashed an event in my territory this weekend.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he continued. ¡°However, I¡¯m not sure that constitutes the poor treatment Julia received.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that,¡± I said sternly. ¡°I¡¯m guessing she informed you of exactly what happened.¡± ¡°I understand that your mate is new to her position, Alpha, but our pack does not condone insulting guests, let alone having them manhandled and thrown out by security for defending themselves.¡± I chuckled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Julia neglected some vital information in her story. Well, actually,¡± I backtracked, ¡°she has downright lied to you. So, Delta Charles, I¡¯m wondering if your pack condones attacking another pack¡¯s Luna. Because ours certainly does not. And if it wasn¡¯t for my Luna being so forgiving ¨C despite her inexperience, as you pointed out ¨C your niece wouldn¡¯t be safe at home right now.¡± Charles was silent for a moment. ¡°Would you mind exining?¡± he finally responded. ¡°After I turned down Julia¡¯s inappropriate advances, yet again, she decided to insult my mate,¡± I said forcefully. ¡°When Ay?a stepped in to stop me from acting on my very justified anger, your niece not only continued to insult her but threw a drink at my Luna. I think you can agree that having security escort her out was the best oue she could have hoped for.¡± ¡°He¡¯s lying, Uncle,¡± I heard Julia¡¯s voice in the background. ¡°That bitch came after me.¡± 47.70% 10:20 O < 288 (Vouchers ¡°Quiet,¡± Charles snapped at her. ¡°Delta Charles,¡± I continued, emphasizing his title, ¡°I have a banquet hall full of witnesses. Not that I need them.¡± ¡°Julia will issue a formal apology to your Luna immediately,¡± Charles said urgently. ¡°It¡¯s toote for that, Charles,¡± I said. ¡°She had an opportunity to ept ountability, and she is still choosing to nder and disrespect my Luna. She is no longer wee in my territory. I suggest you think about having such a contemptuous employee representing yourpany. In fact, if you intend to continue to do business with me, Delta, I want her fired. She doesn¡¯t belong in a position that exposes others to her depraved behavior.¡± ¡°Uncle, no,¡± Julia whined. ¡°Shut up,¡± Charles spat at her. ¡°Get out.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Uncle¡­¡± ¡°Now,¡± he yelled. There was a pause and I heard the sound of a door m. ¡°Alpha, I understand you are upset, but think twice before you tell me how to run mypany.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you how to run yourpany,¡± I retorted. ¡°I¡¯m telling you how to wrangle your family, Charles. Now, you can fire her and keep her away from my Lunce and my territory. Or I can reach out to Alpha Anthony and discuss a fitting punishment with him. And for the sake of transparency, this conversation is a courtesy thanks to my forgiving and kind¨Chearted mate, Charles. If I bring this to Alpha Anthony, I will have no problem rying the punishment I think she deserves.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Alpha,¡± Charles replied bitterly. ¡°I will 73.41% ? O 10:29 pter 31 Theo 288 Vouchers inform Julia of her termination shortly. Please ept my apologies for her behavior.¡± 98.56% = ||| O < 10:20 Chapter 32 Theo Chapter 184 Chapter 184 288 Vouchers Chapter 32: Theo I was satisfied with how the call went. However, I was kind of hoping Charles would have continued to protest so I could bring this to Anthony. If it were up to me. I¡¯d have Julia groveling at A¡¯s feet before I was through with her. But I suppose that was fueled by my general dislike of her. As A so gracefully pointed out, she didn¡¯t do any real harm, and the rest of the evening was still perfect. I still felt better knowing that she would suffer some consequences for her actions. Now that that had been addressed, I moved on to my next project. It was a side project that I knew I probably shouldn¡¯t get started on with everything else going on. We still hadn¡¯t gotten that far with the Waar Pak investigation and had the rogues to deal with. But I was too damn excited. I had a perfect opportunity fall into myp and couldn¡¯t pass it up. Now, I just had to hope I could keep it from A until I was ready Charles Anderson I called Julia back into my office. I sat behind my desk with my hands steepled before me, eager to hear what she had to say next. ¡°Uncle Charles,¡± she said as she entered, shutting the door behind her and taking a seat. ¡°You threw a drink at her?¡± I asked angrily. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°She annoyed me, acting 0.00% Chapter 32: Theo #288 (Vouchers like she¡¯s so high and mighty.¡± ¡°She is,¡± I snapped. ¡°Regardless of anything else, she is a Luna. I hope you don¡¯t show this kind of behavior with any of the other pack leaders.¡± ¡°I got the information you needed, didn¡¯t I?¡± she snarled. ¡°Shemanded me. Just like you thought.¡± Excitement washed through me. I knew she was different. As soon as I saw her at the Alpha¡¯s Gathering. But we needed confirmation, and it proved harder than we expected to get to her in Sablemane. Then she was gone. I knew she was bound to resurface soon. With all the Alpha¡® s reactions to her, there was no way she would drop off the radar again. But Alpha Theo wasn¡¯t at the Gathering this year. So when I heard the news that he had found his mate, I wasn¡¯t sure it was her. When Malcolm described her after their first meeting. I knew we had to get confirmation, and this was it. ¡°Good.¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯d say job well done. However, that would be a lie. seeing how you botched the job and now can¡¯t get anywhere near Theo or his Luna. Oh, and you¡¯re fired.¡± ¡°What?¡± Julia bellowed, jumping out of her chair. ¡°Uncle, you cannot be serious? Over that little whore¡­¡± ¡°You will watch your mouth, youngdy,¡± I yelled ¡°She acts like she¡¯s better than you because she is And who are you calling a whore You throw yourself at any ranking pack member with a pulse You better pray that your brother manages to stay under the radar, or losing your job will be the least of your concerns¡± ¡°What did you expect me to do? Walk up and ask her tomand Chapter 32: Theo 288 Vouchers me?¡± she whined. ¡°There were better ways,¡± I growled. ¡°Whatever,¡± she mumbled. ¡°And she is a little tramp. Alpha Theo was supposed to be mated to her own sister. From what I hear, she waltzed in and stole him right out from under her without a second thought.¡± My head snapped up. ¡°There¡¯s a sister?¡± I asked urgently. Julia shrugged. ¡°Apparently. Some little twit followed us out of the pack house and approached me at the car. Seems not everyone is as taken with Theo¡¯s precious new mate as he thinks.¡± ¡°This girl told you there was a sister?¡± I insisted. ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t know. She tried to imply that A made her disappear.¡± Julia rolled her eyes. ¡°After that kind of humiliation, I suspect she¡¯s off somewhere hiding in a hole.¡± ¡°Did you get a name for this girl or the sister?¡± ¡°I think she said the sister¡¯s name was Kylee,¡± Julia replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t really care about who the girl was. So no, I didn¡¯t catch her name.¡± I growled my dislike for my niece¡¯s ipetence. ¡°She gave me her number, though,¡± I added, fidgeting ufortably ¡°I think I can find it.¡± ¡°You do that,¡± I snarled. ¡°And send it to me when you do. I may just be able to salvage the mess you made. Now, get out Julia stood up with a huff and stormed out of my office. I¡¯m sure her 62.89% Èý O Chapter 32: Theo 1288 Vouchers mother would be calling to give me an earful but I couldn¡¯t care less. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t all that concerned about firing the little brat. Family or not. But at least it wasn¡¯t a total loss. Now that I know there is a sister, we can use that. Especially if the story is true and she¡¯s feeling the betrayal of her sister taking her mate. I¡¯ll have to track down this Kylee. And soon. 91403 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 O Chapter 33: A 288 Vouchers Chapter 33: A I spent thest two evenings going through my dad¡¯s box with Professor Armand. He was very impressed and excited about the selection of books. I didn¡¯t show him Harry¡¯s notebook just yet. There were some references that I had deciphered that I wasn¡¯t sure about, and I wanted to see if we could find the information by chance. I met Maggie in the packhouse lobby on Wednesday to head to campus. I was feeling a little anxious, but I didn¡¯t know why. Dasha seemed to be feeling it, too, as she paced in my head. I asked her what was up. ¡®Mate,¡® she whined. It had only been a few hours since we saw him after training that morning. He was in a great mood, so I didn¡¯t know what could be stressing her. But to assuage her concern and mine, I reached out to Theo through the mind¨Clink. ¡®I¡¯m heading to ss, babe. Everything okay?¡® ¡®Yeah, all is good here, love. I have to run an errand out of town, but I should be back in a couple hours,¡® he replied. I could feel excitement pulsing through our connection. ¡®Have a good day at ss.¡® ¡®It¡¯s a good errand, I¡¯m guessing?¡± I followed up. ¡®It¡¯s a great errand,¡® he said almost giddily. ¡®I¡¯ll tell you about it tonight¡® ¡®Okay, just be careful,¡® I said. ¡®Dasha¡¯s a bit anxious this morning. She¡¯s worried about you two.¡® 0.00% 1021 Chapter 33: A 288 Vouchers ¡®Tell her we¡¯ll be just fine,¡¯ he chuckled. ¡®I¡¯ll message you as soon as I¡® m back.¡® ¡®Okay,¡® I replied with a smile. ¡®I love you.¡¯ ¡®Love you, too, baby.¡® We disconnected the mind¨Clink and I pulled out of the packhouse grounds. I calmed Dasha, letting her know that everything was fine. She calmed down for a while but stayed near the surface of my mind throughout the day. I was starting to feel anxious again when Theo messaged that he was home, and everything went great. But Dasha still didn¡¯t calm down, and I began to get a headache. Luckily, we were heading to thest ss for the day. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°Yeah, Dasha is in a mood today,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to run to the restroom real quick. I¡¯ll meet you back out here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. We weren¡¯t far from Professor Armand¡¯s ssroom and were a few minutes early, so I had time. I dipped inside and was grateful that there wasn¡¯t anyone else in there. I turned on the tap and wet a paper towel with some cool water, pressing it to my forehead. The headache wasn¡¯t that bad, but I was having trouble focusing. Although, that could have been because of Dasha. ¡®Mate,¡® she said again. ¡®He¡¯s fine, Dasha,¡® I said frustratedly. I threw the towel in the trash and straightened myself out. I would be home in a couple of hours and we¡¯d see Theo. She could wait until then. I was leaving the bathroom when I heard a familiar voice just 21.80% Chapter 33 A outside. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to look out for you, Maggie,¡± Amy said sweetly. ¡°She¡¯s not who you think she is. She tries to act all innocent, but if she¡¯s so innocent, where is her sister? I haven¡¯t heard from her in over a month. Not since she confronted A for stealing Alpha Theo from her.¡± ¡°Luna A is Alpha Theo¡¯s fated mate,¡± Maggie snapped. ¡°Kylee had no right to be with him in the first ce.¡± ¡°So, A says,¡± Amy insisted. ¡°So Alpha Theo says,¡± Maggie hissed. I don¡¯t know why I was getting so angry. Yes, what Amy was saying was insane, but I had gotten over her crap. No one really cared what she had to say. But I felt my body start to get hot as my rage grew. ¡°Regardless, fated mates or not, she¡¯s an awful person,¡± Amy said. ¡°She¡¯s a liar and selfish. She only wants to be Luna for¡­¡± ¡°Okay, Amy,¡± I said firmly, stepping out of the bathroom. ¡°I suggest you shut your mouth and move on. I am not in the mood to deal with your shit today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard hearing the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re just an ignorant little girl who can¡¯t get over the fact that the girl she followed around like a puppy turned out to be a lying brat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some way to talk about your own sister,¡± she snarled. ¡°Where is Kylee, anyway? How did you manage to get rid of her? Did you¡­¡± My body flushed with heat. I could feel sweat break out on my forehead as Dasha began panting and pacing in my head. I wanted 45 70% 100 O 10210 Chapter 33 A Theo. No. I needed Theo. Dasha needed Kieran. I barely registered the curse that escaped Maggie as she was suddenly dragging me across the campus. ¡®All females and mated males in the western quad,¡® her voice sounded through the mind¨Clink, ¡®protect your Luna. All unmated males clear the area between the quad and parking lot C.¡® I saw groups of males and females start to circle us, staying close. A few would disappear, holding back males that began to charge us. ¡°Maggie, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked quietly, my stomach tied in knots as my temperature rose. ¡°You¡¯re going into heat, Luna,¡± she replied. ¡°Just stay close to me and give me your keys.¡± Shit. This wasn¡¯t good. I had never experienced a heat before. She¨Cwolves didn¡¯t go into heat until they became sexually active. Even then, it wasn¡¯t often until they were marked. But when they went into heat, they had to mate. If they didn¡¯t, it was extremely painful, and the condition wouldst for days. To ensure a mating, any unmated male would sense a female in heat and could go into a frenzy if they lost control. That¡¯s why campus security was required to consist of females or mated males. They couldn¡¯t have their own guards sumb to the mating haze. We reached my car and Maggie tucked me into the passenger seat. I started to buckle my seatbelt when a sharp pain radiated through my abdomen. I cried out as I clutched my stomach. That wasn¡¯t right. My heat just set in. I should have had several hours before the pain should hit. I should have had more time to get to my mate. Maggie looked at me in concern as we pulled out of the parking spot. I was gasping for air as the waves of pain subsided and renewed. My 70.58% 10:21 O N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. < Chapter 33. A body felt like it was on fire. ¡°Call Theo,¡± I gasped. 99.07% ? Chapter 186 Chapter 186 O 10 21 Chapter 34: Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 34: Theo I was practically vibrating with excitement as I filed the paperwork away in my office safe. My meeting had gone smoothly. Not that I had expected it not to. It was in situations like these that the advantage of being the Alpha didn¡¯t make me feel guilty. I was smiling from ear to ear as I shut the safe and my phone rang. My smile faltered when I saw Maggie¡¯s name on the screen. ¡°Maggie, what¡¯s up?¡± I answered quickly. ¡°Alpha, we have a problem,¡± she replied urgently. ¡°We¡¯re on our way back. Luna has gone into heat.¡± Kieran shot to the front of my mind. He had been a little restless today, but I thought it was his own excitement about the closing. Then I heard A cry out in the background and I shot out of my chair. ¡°How far away are you? How long has she been like this?¡± ¡°It came on really fast, Alpha,¡± Maggie said worriedly. ¡°We¡¯re ten minutes out, but sir, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll make it through the packhouse. Her scent is really potent.¡± Fuck. I was down the hall and taking the stairs two by two. I wouldn¡¯t have time to clear out the packhouse at this time of the day. ¡°The grey house nearest the packhouse is empty,¡± I said. ¡°Meet me there.¡± I ran down the street to the empty house. We kept these homes fully 0.00% 10 21 ? O < Chapter 34 Theo 288 Vouchers furnished when they were in between residents. We would use them for ranking members of other packs when they came to visit. I hadn¡¯t had time to get the key, so I punched in the garage code to let myself in. I mind¨Clinked to Jimmy what was going on. With Briggs still on his honeymoon for another day, he would really have to step up. I got inside the house and turned the air conditioner to the max. Both of our temperatures would be extremely high soon enough. Kieran was practically bouncing in anticipation. I was worried about the pain A was experiencing so soon after her heat set in, but knowing Kieran and I were the only ones who could make it right was exhrating. I knew A was almost here as I felt my body preparing for this experience. I heard the car pull into the garage and I rushed out. A was already getting out but hunched over as she cried out in pain. I ran toward her, but our scents overwhelmed each other, and sheunched herself into my arms. Her mouth mmed into mine as her legs wrapped tightly around my waist. I growled as I held her, pushing myself to keep my head for a few more minutes. I had to get her inside. ¡°Theo,¡± A gasped as she tore at my clothing, ¡°it hurts. I need you.¡± ¡°I know, baby,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She was grinding her hips hard against me with a heavy groan, desperate for relief as her arousal engulfed me. She was making it hard to hold her. I pressed her against a wall, prying her legs off. The sound of tearing fabric filled the hall as I ripped her leggings away. She was too far gone and needed quick relief. My hand dove between her legs and she cried out. ¡°Theo,¡± she whimpered, her fingers digging into my shoulders as I worked her clit. ¡°I¡¯m going to take care of you, baby,¡± I said through gritted teeth. 21316 10:21 Chapter 34 Theo 288 iVouchers I pushed Kieran back so I could maintain myst bit of control. He was practically foaming at the mouth, wanting me to bury myself deep inside her. We¡¯d get there. But I would make sure she wasn¡¯t in pain first. A quickly fell apart on my hand, trembling in my arms as I held her up. It wouldn¡¯t be enough for long, but the waves of pain would subside. Her hand darted between us, undoing my belt and jeans feverishly. ¡°More,¡± she whined, reaching beneath my waistband. I pushed her hand away and dipped an arm behind her knees. I stifled her protests with a kiss as I carried her to the bedroom. Iid her on the bed and removed her shirt and bra. I pulled away to remove the rest of my clothing. My eyesnded on hers and I nearly lost my mind. The lust and hunger in her eyes were consuming. She stood back up, helping me undress as she kissed and licked along my chest. She spun around as I reached for her, rubbing her ass eagerly against my hard, aching c***. A rumble thundered in my chest, my hand digging into her hair and gripping hard. I pushed her forward over the bed. She pulled her knees up onto the mattress, lifting her hips into the air as her hand went between her legs to her clit. I growled, pushing her fingers away to rece them with mine. She moaned, rocking back against me. ¡°I need more, Theo.¡± I rammed into her, filling her up to the hilt. I groaned loudly as sparks of electricity tingled through every nerve ending. A swiveled her hips, begging me to give her what she needed. I gripped her hips as I thrust into her fast and rough. She screamed as another orgasm quickly hit her, but I didn¡¯t stop. I fought my own release, knowing the more pleasure I could give her, the longer I could stave off the pain of her heat. 51 50% ? 10 21 Chapter 34. Theo 288 Vouchers I switched positions, pulling her up against my chest. I kissed her neck as my hand reached around to massage her breast, tweaking her taught nipple between my fingers. I buried my face in her neck as I continued my onught, feeling her walls tighten around me again. Feeling her convulse against me, my jaw clenched. I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back much longer. I threw her on the bed, flipping her onto her back. Resting her ankles on my shoulders, I kissed up her body. I took her breast in my mouth, swirling my tongue over the sensitive peak, then the other. A arched her back as her fingersced through my hair. Moving up, I took her mouth. sliding my length between her folds, making my mate moan beneath me. I slipped into her again as my body shook with my need for release. The effect of her heat was taking over and my control snapped. I plowed into her. It felt as if I was going deeper with every thrust. My lower back tingled as my balls contracted. A tightened around me again. I roared as we exploded together. Her whole body shaking violently as I filled her with everything I had. 21 30% m 1021/ Chapter 35 Theo 288 Vouchers Chapter 35: Theo I copsed onto the mattress. I pulled A against me, holding her tightly as we both struggled to steady our ragged breathing. We would be okay for a while now so our bodies could rest and replenish. When my mind finally began to clear, a wave of happiness washed through me. It was sheer and utter happiness that had my heart practically bursting from my chest. A giggled in my arms. ¡°It was pretty incredible for me, too,¡± she murmured against my chest. She would have felt my joy through our connection. I supposed part of that was me feeling hers as well. At least, I hoped that it was. I grinned against her hair. ¡°You know it¡¯s not just about the sex, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Although, experiencing a she¨Cwolf¡¯s heat for the first time definitely lived up to the expectations.¡± She looked up at me curiously. ¡°You mean the first heat since being mated?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any other she¨Cwolf through her heat.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It was my biggest rule,¡± I told her. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter if we were dating. I told them they should have someone else ready to get them through should it happen.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asked, still seeming surprised. 0.00% ? 10.21 Chapter 35: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Because that experience is yours.¡± I shrugged as my fingers yed with her hair. ¡°Our heat is meant for mates. I know she¨Cwolves have no control over it, but as a male, I did. I never wanted to experience that with anyone but you.¡± A cupped my cheek and leaned in to kiss me firmly and lovingly. This was one of the proudest moments of my life. While most males felt seeing a she¨Cwolf through her heat was a favor, albeit a very enjoyable one, it was never a temptation for me. I couldn¡¯t risk a pregnancy. Children produced outside the mate bond weren¡¯tmon, but it did happen. Being the future Alpha, I couldn¡¯t let that happen. Knowing that was a possibility and taking that chance felt hugely disrespectful to my future mate. I never wanted to take that from her ¡°Any regrets on that choice?¡± A asked with a wicked grin. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I insisted, burying my face in her neck and nipping at her mark. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Sheughed beneath me, pushing me away. ¡°So, is that why you¡¯re so happy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it, yes,¡± I said. I shifted our position, pushing A to her back as I kissed down her chest. I stopped at her stomach, inhaling deeply as I rested my head there, my arms holding her waist. Her fingers trailed through my hair, sending me into an even more rxed state. ¡°You know it may not happen this time,¡± she said gently. ¡°It doesn¡¯t always take during the first heat.¡± I smiled knowing she was also thinking about whether we just made a pup or not. Not that we didn¡¯t have a few more days to keep trying. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± I assured her. ¡°It just feels like such a real possibility 21 19% 1021 Chapter 35. Theo now.¡± 288 Vouchers I wanted so badly to tell her what I had done that morning. It was even harder to hold back now. But it wasn¡¯t time yet. Soon. I just had to wait a little while longer. I started to drift off, thinking about what our future would look like, when A¡¯s stomach growled loudly in my ear. Iughed, lifting up to look at her. ¡°I guess I should be more worried about taking care of my mate first,¡± I said, moving up to kiss her. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the caf¨¦,¡± she said. ¡°Annabelle said she was making her beef wellington, and I could eat the entire thing right now.¡± I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°Sorry, babe, we¡¯re not going anywhere. We¡¯re stuck here for the next few days until your heat passes.¡± I brushed her hair away from her face. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you what. Jimmy is bringing some groceries by anyway. I¡¯ll have him drop by the packhouse caf¨¦ and pick some up for you.¡± A looked around the room like she was finally registering where we were. ¡°Yeah, um, where is here, by the way?¡± she asked shyly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly paying much attention to my surroundings earlier.¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t think so.¡± I smiled. ¡°This is one of the family houses near the packhouse. There was no f***ing way I was traipsing you through a packhouse full of unmated males in the state you were in 1 picked the closest ce we could have immediate privacy¡± Alya made a face as she thought about the events of thest two hours. ¡°Good thinking,¡± she stated. Iughed as I kissed her again. I started to deepen the kiss just as her 50.70% ? 1021 Chapter 35: Theo 288 Vouchers stomach growled again. I grunted as I pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll go raid the cabs,¡± I told her. ¡°There may be something still stocked up. I¡¯ll make something to tide you over until Jimmy delivers.¡± I kissed her again and she snaked her arms around my neck. ¡°Or¡­ you could just distract me until then.¡± Her lips trailed along my jaw, creating a distraction of her own. I breathed deeply. This wasn¡¯t a result of her heat, just my beautiful mate being insatiable. ¡°As tempting as that sounds, love,¡± I groaned, ¡°we need to get you fed. We don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll have before the next wave. And it¡¯s only going to get more consistent from here. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to hold out that long again.¡± And I wouldn¡¯t. I managed the first time because her pheromones hadn¡® t fully begun to affect me yet. That ship had sailed now. I¡¯d probably know when the next wave hit before she did. I dragged myself off the bed and pulled the covers down to cover A before slipping my boxers back on. She sat up and looked around the room. ¡°Someone¡¯s going to have to bring me something to wear, too,¡± she said. ¡°Why?¡± I looked back at her with a mischievous grin. ¡°I¡¯m not nning on letting you wear anything for the next few days.¡± 77 75% m 10.210 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 WhatsApp Chapter 38 A 288 Vouchers Chapter 38: A I slowly opened my eyes. The room was dim, but I could tell it was still daylight outside. However, that was the extent of my knowledge of the time or day. I reached for my phone on the bedside table, but it was dead. I smiled. There wasn¡¯t much of a reason to charge it. I stretched my limbs, rolling over to see Theo sprawled out next to me. I scooted over, draping my arm across his waist and resting my head on his chest. After a moment, his arms came around me, holding me to him. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked without opening his eyes. ¡°Pretty damn good,¡± I replied. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Same,¡± he chuckled. ¡°How long have we slept?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Theo fumbled for his phone and checked the time. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s safe to say your heat has passed,¡± hemented. ¡°We¡¯ve been out about fourteen hours. It¡¯s Sunday afternoon.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I groaned. ¡°We¡¯re going to have so much to do this week.¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll manage. We¡¯ve got a good team.¡± Thest few days had been such a blur. Well, not really a blur. I remembered every second of it. And holy crap. 0.00% 288 others But we definitely had a one¨Ctrack mind the whole weekend. Theo was right when he told me the waves would be more consistent. It seemed like thest two days we had gone at it non¨Cstop. I couldn¡¯t even begin to describe how incredible it had been. But it was also exhausting. So it was no surprise we had slept as long as we did. ¡°Is it always like that?¡± I asked. ¡°How should I know.¡± he teased. ¡°But no, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like that for everybody. I think it was better for us because I love you so much.¡± I giggled. ¡°Yeah, I suppose so.¡± He kissed me sweetly. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a quick shower, then get us something to eat,¡± Theo informed me, brushing my hair from my face. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re both dehydrated, and I know I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie. I could eat an entire cow right about now,¡± I replied. ¡°So, you clean up first. I¡¯ll go get started with the food.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± he said, kissing my nose before dragging himself out of bed. He tossed me a robe from the hook in the bathroom, and I heard the shower turn on soon after. My legs were a bit wobbly as I stood up. Iughed, knowing there were a number of reasons why. Butck of food was definitely one of them. So I eagerly went to the kitchen and looked through the fridge. Immediately, I found tworge steaks on the top shelf and took them out. I washed my hands, prepped some veggies, and threw a couple of potatoes in the oven to bake. I was munching on some fresh green beans when Theo entered the kitchen. ¡°My turn,¡± I announced. ¡°I left the steaks for you to cook. I hope you saved me some hot water.¡± 17.25% 10 180 Chapter 38 A 288 Vouchers ¡°There should be plenty,¡± he said, snagging me by the waist as I walked by. He kissed my neck before letting me go. I took a quick shower. I was tempted to linger under the hot water for a while, but my stomach wasn¡¯t having it. When I stepped out of the steamy bathroom, my mouth instantly started watering. The house was filled with the delicious aroma of dinner. I rushed back to the kitchen but froze when I saw Theo on his phone. His shoulders were tense, his knuckles white as he gripped the counter. ¡°I said Tuesday, Kingston.¡± Shit. He was talking to Kingston. Was he here? Ipletely forgot he was supposed to arrive on Friday to help us deal with the rogue situation. Did he know what was going on with Theo and me? Goddess, I f***ing hope not. Theo looked up at me, his eyes full of aggravation and concern. ¡°If you show up tomorrow, you¡¯ll be wasting your time,¡± Theo said mildly, but I could see he was working to control his temper. ¡°We won¡® t be there. You cane on Tuesday.¡± He paused as Kingston replied to him. I couldn¡¯t quite make out what he was saying at first, just that his tone was angry. Then I heard my name. ¡°Fine,¡± Theo conceded. ¡°She¡¯s right here.¡± Theo covered the phone receiver. ¡°Are you okay talking to him? You absolutely don¡¯t f***ing have to.¡± I sighed and took the phone. ¡°Kingston, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°A,¡± he said, sounding relieved. ¡°Are you okay? Why haven¡¯t you been answering me?¡± 42.58% 10.10 ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kingston,¡± I assured him. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t been home in a few days and my phone is dead.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. He paused for a while on the line. I could tell he was trying to decide whether he was going to ept that answer and leave it at that. I really needed him to. ¡°Theo is saying I need toe on Tuesday,¡± he said shortly. ¡°But if you want, I¡¯ll be there tomorrow.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°We won¡¯t be avable tomorrow. Tuesday will work great.¡± Another pause. ¡°Fine,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll see you then. Oh, and A¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± he said gently. ¨C My heart broke a little. At that moment, talking to him ¨C yeah, I missed my friend. But I had a hard time believing he was that person anymore. And even if I could, there was no way I could say it back, not without feeling like I was sending mixed signals. ¡°I have to go, Kingston,¡± I said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ll see you on Tuesday.¡± I hung up the phone and handed it back to Theo. He sighed as he pulled me to him, wrapping me in his arms as he kissed my head. ¡°You okay?¡± he murmured against my wet hair. I nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep hurting him. Theo,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I 66.35% 10:10 Chapter 38. A 288 Vouchers had hoped he was moving on, but the way he sounded just now¡­¡® ¡± Theo¡¯s hold tightened. ¡°I know, baby,¡± he replied. With a deep breath, Theo led me to the kitchen table. He sat down and pulled me between his legs. ¡°It was his choice toe here. Whether or not I¡¯m happy about it, we kind of need him for the moment. So, maybe we can get more than just some information from this visit. Maybe we can help him find some closure, as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do that,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s why I said ¡®we,¡® babe,¡± he teased, brushing his nose against mine. ¡°I don¡¯t think that you threatening to rip him limb from limb is going to help with the situation,¡± I said firmly. Theo chuckled. ¡°As fun as that sounds, that¡¯s not what I meant, sweetheart,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to do it, either, but I¡¯m willing to try. And not just for your sake.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked skeptically. ¡°Hell, yeah,¡± he replied. ¡°It would keep both me and Kieran from going insane from thinking about him pining away after our mate.¡± ¡°Ha ha,¡± I replied. 07 63% 10:18 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 39: A We stayed at the house until Monday morning. Even after returning home, Theo insisted we take another day to fully regain our strength. I felt guilty missing ss again, but I was still feeling a bit drained. So, I didn¡¯t argue too much. Theo worked from the living room while I spent the day catching up on some sswork. And stressing about Kingston¡¯s impending visit. I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about seeing him. I still felt terrible about how things ended up between us. I missed the friendship that we had before things got bad. But I also wasn¡¯t sure I could trust him the way I used to. Dasha agreed with me. She still held a grudge against him for trying to mark us. I never told Theo what happened that day I went to Sablemane to get my father¡¯s ring back from Kingston. His apology didn¡¯t help rebuild that trust much. Since he said he wasn¡¯t giving up, I didn¡¯t know what he would do to try to win me back. Whatever happened, Theo couldn¡¯t find out about what he had done. He wouldn¡¯t be able to let it go, and he wasn¡¯t wrong when he said we needed Kingston right now. I just hoped that Kingston didn¡¯t do anything dangerous. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this, A?¡± Theo asked as we waited in the packhouse lobby with his parents for Kingston to arrive Tuesday afternoon. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see him, you don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I told him with a gentle smile. ¡°You need me to question the rogues. And Sablemane is still an important ally to our pack. There¡¯s no reason this can¡¯t be a civil experience.¡± 0.00% ||| 09.54 288 (Vouchers The corner of Theo¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll promise to try my best as long as he does.¡± ¡°You better,¡± I said, poking his shoulder. ¡°Whether he behaves or not, remember, you¡¯re the one who got the girl in the end. You could cut him some ck.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Theo replied with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He leaned down to kiss me. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Briggs said from the door. I copied Grace¡¯s stance with my arm hooked onto Theo¡¯s beside me. The doors were open, and I watched a man get out of the driver¡¯s seat and walk around to open the door for Kingston to get out. Alpha Torin and Luna Grace stepped forward to greet him as he entered the building. Dasha retreated into the back of my mind with a huff, and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. ¡°Alpha Kingston,¡± Alpha Torin said, ¡°we¡¯re pleased to have you as our guest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha Torin,¡± Kingston replied politely. ¡°I hope my visit is as fruitful as we hope.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Torin agreed. ¡°Luna Grace, I¡¯m delighted to see you again. You look as beautiful as ever.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha Kingston,¡± Grace answered with a smile. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Kingston said, turning to the two of us. ¡°Luna A, I hope you are doing well.¡± 22.40% ||| O 09:54 Chapter 39 A 288 Vouchers ¡°Very well, thank you, Alpha Kingston,¡± I stated politely. Hearing him use the title felt odd, but I was d he had. ¡°Alpha, we have prepared a suite for your visit,¡± Theo informed him. ¡°If you would like to get settled in, Beta Briggs will show you where you will be staying. We nned a dinnerter for us to catch up on any other pack business that would be beneficial to address while you¡® re here. We will address the reason for your visit this evening.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kingston said. Briggs came up and led Kingston up the stairs to the guest wing. ¡°Why did that feel too easy?¡± I asked quietly after they had left. ¡°Diplomacy,¡± Theo said. ¡°He¡¯s not going to push his luck during a formal greeting.¡± The situation still felt so strange. It was like we were practically strangers. It was confusing. Theo grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to his office. He went to the credenza and poured two sses of amber liquid. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this, babe?¡± he asked as he handed me a ss. I took a sip, focusing on the burn to help organize my thoughts. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s weird seeing Kingston here, but it¡¯s not just that. We¡¯ve been putting off this whole rogue business for almost two weeks. We¡¯re about to get more information on what is happening and why. I guess we¡¯ve had a little bit of a break from all this. Now, we have to deal with it, and it kind of sucks that this is our normal.¡± Theo sighed, setting his ss on his desk beforeing to stand 39 70% 09:54 Che 288 Vouchers before me. ¡°I know, sweetheart,¡± he said, rubbing his hands along my arms. The tingles running through me calmed me. ¡°But it¡¯s not forever. The sooner we get answers, the sooner we can take care of these assholes and move on.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°And I¡¯m ready to get through this.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°So, are you going to tell me what¡¯s going on with Dasha?¡± I chuckled. ¡°What did Kieran say?¡± ¡°Just that she¡¯s distant.¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s not ecstatic about seeing Kingston here.¡± I said. ¡°Her loyalty is to Kieran and you. So she¡¯s being a little temperamental about him.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I rolled my eyes as Theo failed to hide a smug grin. ¡°You better learn to hide that a lot better real soon,¡± I insisted, snaking my arms around his waist. ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for enjoying the validation,¡± he replied. ¡°I may have gotten the girl, but that doesn¡¯t mean I deserved to.¡± ¡°Theo, what?¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t forgive myself for what I did to you, A,¡± he said seriously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what Kylee or Harry or whoever did to influence it. I hurt you. I rejected you. By some miracle from the goddess, you gave me another chance. I will spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to deserve that chance. Your love Dasha¡¯s loyalty ¨C helps me know I¡¯m doing things right.¡± ¨C 61.51% ||| O 09.54 288 Vouchers I held Theo¡¯s gaze. The night we marked each other, we promised each other a fresh start. So, we haven¡¯t talked about those past mistakes we made since. I didn¡¯t feel the need to. However, I guess having Kingston here reminded Theo of why I have a history with him in the first ce. Of course that would be hard for him. I felt terrible that I hadn¡¯t thought about that before. I pulled him into a kiss. My arms moved around his neck as I let myself get lost in his taste. ¡°I hate that you always forget that I hurt you, too,¡± I said when I finally pulled back. ¡°A, that¡¯s not the same¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I insisted. ¡°I pulled away first, Theo. That moment in the doorway when we first saw each other. You reached for me and I pulled away. I saw the hurt in your eyes at that moment. I might as well have rejected you right there. That is the moment that haunts me.¡± A lump started to form in my throat. ¡°If I had let you touch me, you would have¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± Theo rushed. ¡°No tears. That¡¯s all behind us now, remember? I shouldn¡¯t have even brought it up. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I shook my head with a softugh. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Kingston being here has brought up memories for both of us. We needed to talk about it. Now, we can move forward with clearer heads.¡± Theo rubbed his nose against mine, resting our foreheads together. ¡°I love you, A.¡± ¡°I love you, Theo.¡± 80.02% 09:54 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 v Chapter 40: Theo A and Briggs were already down in the cer. I was waiting in the lobby for Kingston toe down. Dinner was about what I had expected ¡ª awkward and tense. I let Dad and Kingston do most of the talking. Leaving that time for them to discuss regr pack business. Now, I just had to get through the five minutes alone with him during the walk to the cer. Kingston exited the cafe with his Gamma, who had driven him here, and headed in my direction. ¡°A and the others are already downstairs,¡± I told him. ¡°Follow me.¡± I led them through the packhouse to the back exit and turned toward the utility shed. It was a quiet walk. I couldn¡¯t tell if Kingston didn¡¯t want to risk starting a fight out in the open or if he was biding his time. But I highly doubted it was because he had nothing to say to me. His energy was telling me plenty I walked us down the stairs and met the others in the investigation room. We needed to talk before we started questioning the rogues. I took the seat next to A at the table. Kingston sat across from us next to Briggs while his Gamma remained by the door. Mina already had everything ready to present her findings. ¡°Okay,¡± Mina said after I nodded to her to get started. ¡°I know we¡¯re all ready to get some answers from those assholes stinking up the ce down the hall. So, I¡¯ll make this brief for now. We can review any questionster.¡± She handed files to me and Kingston. ¡°We know Harry was involved with the Waar Pak somehow. Our initial theory that he was helping them develop tactical weapons appears to be correct. In the folders, you¡¯ll find a list of schematics and chemical formtions found during my investigation. Kingston was looking over the documents. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot here to tell us exactly what any of this was for. Just some possible applications. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s about as far as I¡¯ve gotten with that so far.¡± Mina said. ¡°We¡® Il have to send some of this off to apany specializing in this field to better understand Harry¡¯s research. Due to the sensitivity of the investigation, we¡¯re still narrowing down an appropriate candidate. But we have enough to give us a broad idea of what we could be up against ¡°I¡¯ve deciphered about half of Harry¡¯s journal,¡± A said. ¡°We know he was just using the Waar Pak for their resources. He couldn¡¯t use some of his prior contacts because of their loyalty to the pack. So we¡¯ve been able to get a starting point from that.¡± ¡°Do we know what his n was regarding the Waar Pak?¡± Kingston asked. ¡°He was going to betray them once he¡­ re¨Cestablished my family name.¡± A put it delicately, not wanting to bring up his attempt to force her to mate with him. ¡°He was working on fail¨Csafes and counter agents to his work to help bring them down. We¡¯ve included what we can find in the information that will be sent for analysis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of our top priorities at this time,¡± I stated. ¡°Beta Briggs and Gamma Jimmy should have a decision by the end of the week to get started on the research and development project.¡± ¡°Have you determined any more about why he was so fixated on A, particrly why rebuilding the Onxycrown Pack was so important?¡± Kingston asked ¡°I¡¯m still working on that.¡± A said. ¡°His journal gets a bit convoluted the further you get into it. His code is evolving as well. The best I cant tell is it has something to do with the Blessed One story. However, we kind of assumed that already I gently squeezed A¡¯s leg in support. Kingston had watched her intently through the whole interaction. ¡°Right now, the most important thing is that we know the Waar Pak is targeting her,¡± I said. ¡°That brings us to the rogues. I have a task force working our border and providing regr updates. You said you had more information on these attacks and who may be behind them.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Kingston replied,ying the file on the table. ¡°The man behind the attacks is named Arthur Grogan. I¡¯ve been tracking him for several months now.¡± ¡°How are you so sure about this?¡± Briggs asked ¡°Because I know him,¡± Kingston said. ¡°He was Jack¡¯s Gamma.¡± ¡°What?¡± A said. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that part, Kingston.¡± ¡°Forgive me, A,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in my right mind that evening.¡± A nodded to him, gesturing for him to continue. I draped my arm around her shoulders. ¡°Grogan betrayed us,¡± Kingston continued. ¡°He¡¯s the reason the Waar Pak were able to get into the packhouse. Your father never figured it out and confronted him that night as we escaped. I wouldn¡¯t have thought anyone could have survived what Jack did to him, but apparently, he did. Either way, he must have been working for the Waar Pak ever since. My guess ¨C he¡¯s a higher¨Cranking member at this ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell us why you¡¯re so sure about his identity,¡± Imented. ¡°He paid my private cabin a visit a few months ago,¡± Kingston said. ¡°I caught his scent and have been searching for him since. He¡¯s left other traces along the way. I got close once. Really close to catching him. By following up on one of our own rogue attacks, actually. After he slipped away, the bastard made contact. Trust me, it¡¯s him.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°And you think these rogues can give us information that can help us find him?¡± A asked. ¡°That I¡¯m not entirely sure about,¡± he replied apprehensively. ¡°There¡¯s likely only one rogue in any group that may have met him, if any. The ones I¡¯ve questioned could only lead me to dead ends. Well, dead bodies, usually. He has a habit of dispatching his messengers once the job is done.¡± I looked to A. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good we¡¯ve got the best person to question them.¡± ¡± Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 40 Theo 288 Mouchers Chapter 40: Theo A and Briggs were already down in the cer. I was waiting in the lobby for Kingston toe down. Dinner was about what I had ¨C expected ¨C awkward and tense. I let Dad and Kingston do most of the talking. Leaving that time for them to discuss regr pack business. Now, I just had to get through the five minutes alone with him during the walk to the cer. Kingston exited the caf¨¦ with his Gamma, who had driven him here, and headed in my direction. ¡°A and the others are already downstairs,¡± I told him. ¡°Follow me.¡± I led them through the packhouse to the back exit and turned toward the utility shed. It was a quiet walk. I couldn¡¯t tell if Kingston didn¡¯t want to risk starting a fight out in the open or if he was biding his time. But I highly doubted it was because he had nothing to say to me. His energy was telling me plenty. I walked us down the stairs and met the others in the investigation room. We needed to talk before we started questioning the rogues. I took the seat next to A at the table. Kingston sat across from us next to Briggs while his Gamma remained by the door. Mina already had everything ready to present her findings. ¡°Okay,¡± Mina said after I nodded to her to get started. ¡°I know we¡¯re all ready to get some answers from those assholes stinking up the ce down the hall. So, I¡¯ll make this brief for now. We can review any questionster.¡± She handed files to me and Kingston. ¡°We know Harry was involved with the Waar Pak somehow. Our initial theory that he was helping them develop tactical weapons appears to be correct. In the folders, you¡¯ll find a list of schematics and chemical 0.00% 15.47 Chapter 40 Theo 293 (Vouchers formtions found during my investigation.¡± Kingston was looking over the documents. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot here to tell us exactly what any of this was for. Just some possible applications.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s about as far as I¡¯ve gotten with that so far,¡± Mina said. ¡°We¡® Il have to send some of this off to apany specializing in this field to better understand Harry¡¯s research. Due to the sensitivity of the investigation, we¡¯re still narrowing down an appropriate candidate. But we have enough to give us a broad idea of what we could be up against.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve deciphered about half of Harry¡¯s journal,¡± A said. ¡°We know he was just using the Waar Pak for their resources. He couldn¡¯t use some of his prior contacts because of their loyalty to the pack. So we¡¯ve been able to get a starting point from that.¡± ¡°Do we know what his n was regarding the Waar Pak?¡± Kingston asked.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He was going to betray them once he¡­ re¨Cestablished my family name,¡± A put it delicately, not wanting to bring up his attempt to force her to mate with him. ¡°He was working on fail¨Csafes and counter agents to his work to help bring them down. We¡¯ve included what we can find in the information that will be sent for analysis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of our top priorities at this time,¡± I stated. ¡°Beta Briggs and Gamma Jimmy should have a decision by the end of the week to get started on the research and development project.¡± ¡°Have you determined any more about why he was so fixated on A, particrly why rebuilding the Onxycrown Pack was so important?¡± Kingston asked. 29.41% 15:46 Chapter 40 Thes 268/Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m still working on that,¡± A said. ¡°His journal gets a bit convoluted the further you get into it. His code is evolving as well. The best I can tell is it has something to do with the Blessed One story. However, we kind of assumed that already.¡± I gently squeezed A¡¯s leg in support. Kingston had watched her intently through the whole interaction. ¡°Right now, the most important thing is that we know the Waar Pak is targeting her,¡± I said. ¡°That brings us to the rogues. I have a task force working our border and providing regr updates. You said you had more information on these attacks and who may be behind them.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Kingston replied,ying the file on the table. ¡°The man behind the attacks is named Arthur Grogan. I¡¯ve been tracking him for several months now.¡± ¡°How are you so sure about this?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°Because I know him,¡± Kingston said. ¡°He was Jack¡¯s Gamma.¡± ¡°What?¡± A said. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that part, Kingston.¡± ¡°Forgive me, A,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in my right mind that evening.¡± A nodded to him, gesturing for him to continue. I draped my arm around her shoulders. ¡°Grogan betrayed us,¡± Kingston continued. ¡°He¡¯s the reason the Waar Pak were able to get into the packhouse. Your father never figured it out and confronted him that night as we escaped. I wouldn¡¯t have thought anyone could have survived what Jack did to him, but apparently, he did. Either way, he must have been working for the Waar Pak ever since. My guess ¨C he¡¯s a higher¨Cranking member at this point.¡± 56.98% 15.47 Chapter 42 They ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell us why you¡¯re so sure about his identity,¡± I 1299 Prouchers ¡°He paid my private cabin a visit a few months ago,¡± Kingston said. ¡°I caught his scent and have been searching for him since. He¡¯s left other traces along the way. I got close once. Really close to catching him. By following up on one of our own rogue attacks, actually. After he slipped away, the bastard made contact. Trust me, it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°And you think these rogues can give us information that can help us find him?¡± A asked. ¡°That I¡¯m not entirely sure about,¡± he replied apprehensively. ¡°There¡¯s likely only one rogue in any group that may have met him, if any. The ones I¡¯ve questioned could only lead me to dead ends. Well, dead bodies, usually. He has a habit of dispatching his messengers once the job is done.¡± I looked to A. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good we¡¯ve got the best person to question them.¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 41: Theo We left the room and I led the way down the hall. The guards were still stationed outside the separate cells. I hadn¡¯t allowed the prisoners to see each other, but I at least made sure they were rtively taken care of. It was one thing to deprive them of food, water, and sleep while questioning them. But torturing them when I didn¡¯t have the time to deal with them wouldn¡¯t allow them to break themand. Besides, I didn¡¯t want A to have to see them like that from the start. If she broke themand and it led to that at some point, so be it. But if she could get through this without having to break someone¡¯s mind, I would be grateful. It wasn¡¯t something that was taken lightly. Even with a rogue, someone who wasn¡¯t tethered to your own subconscious, the feeling of asserting that kind of dominance and force leaves an impact I didn¡¯t think she was ready for. ¡°This is the one I started questioning in Bonnerville,¡± I indicated. ¡°I think Will spent a few moments with the other one while we were away. He¡¯ll be here tomorrow to help if we need it.¡± ¡°We can start with the one you¡¯re familiar with,¡± A said. ¡°We know for sure that he¡¯s under the command, so he must know something that would warrant it.¡± ¡°Randy was telling me about thismand,¡± Kingston said. ¡°It still seems strange for them to be using it to keep information from us. It doesn¡¯t really make sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± A agreed, shaking her head. ¡°It has probably worked incredibly well until now,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s only one possible person who could break themand. Add that that 0.00% ||| O 15:47 Chapter 41: The 288 Vouchers person either didn¡¯t exist or likely didn¡¯t know what they were capable of. They would have been pretty confident their secrets were safe. Even if their men were captured, whatever they could get out of them wouldn¡¯t lead back to the Waar Pak.¡± ¡°But if they really believed the Blessed One would appear, they would have known that this wouldn¡¯t protect them for long,¡± Kingston said. ¡°And they know we¡¯re aware they are looking for her.¡± ¡°Do they, though?¡® I asked. ¡°They¡¯ve been hunting Onyxcrown survivors for years. What¡¯s to say their attacks on you were anything other than that? The only reason they were brought to our attention was because of Randy. He¡¯s still feeding them false information.¡± ¡°We have to assume it¡¯s the likelihood at this point,¡± Kingston said. ¡°Agreed.¡± I stated. I focused on A, resting my hands on her arms. ¡°I¡® Il be there the entire time if you need help. But you¡¯re running this. We¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± We¡¯d been practicing hermands together, and she was a natural now that she was getting the hang of it. But interrogation was more than justmands. She nodded for the guard to open the cell and I followed her inside. The rogue had been chained to the chair again. However, the smell wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as it had been the first time we¡¯d met. The sour scent of a rogue still hung in the air, but he was at least clean. He had a curious but nervous expression as he watched A take a seat in front of him. I took a position behind him while Kingston took a spot in the corner. They stared at each other for a few minutes. The rogue started to fidget under the weight of our energy filling the cell. I could see A¡¯s mind ticking, her eyes a cool silver shining with intrigue. She was 27.34% ||| O > 15.48 Chapter 41: Theo 288 Vouchers strategizing. Working out how to get what we needed. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she finally asked. He didn¡¯t respond. But A just waited. Eventually, Kingston moved to say something, but A lifted her hand to stop him. ¡°I think a name is a good ce to start a conversation,¡± A said. ¡°You give me yours and I¡¯ll give you mine.¡± The rogue looked up at her, considering her proposal. ¡°Denny,¡± he spoke. ¡°Thank you, Denny,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m A. I¡¯m going to ask you some questions. I¡¯m hoping you can answer them for me.¡± Denny shifted ufortably in his chair but remained quiet. ¡°Why are you a rogue?¡± A asked. ¡°What?¡± Denny responded in surprise. ¡°I was a rogue once,¡± she replied. ¡°There¡¯s a million reasons someone bes a rogue. I¡¯d like to know yours.¡± Denny looked between me and Kingston in confusion. ¡°My father was turned rogue when I was a kid for¡­ causing my mother¡¯s death. No one wanted to take me in. So, I went with him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± A said genuinely. ¡°That must have been really hard for you.¡± He straightened in his chair. ¡°It was better than an orphanage. At least as a rogue, I knew where I stood and could fight for what I needed. Instead of relying on someone to take pity on me.¡± 57.00% ||| 15:48 Chapter 41: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Like fighting our vigers?¡± Denny turned his head, not looking at her. A nodded slightly. She was reading him. ¡°What pack were you from?¡± A asked, moving on for now. ¡°Shadow w,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with their reputation. I had a rather unpleasant encounter with theirst Alpha. I can understand feeling like you¡¯re better off without a pack than with that one. And why you would want to get as far away as possible. Is that how you ended up near our border?¡± ¡°We move around a lot,¡± Denny said. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You and your father?¡± Denny shook his head. ¡°Rogues in general. My old man died a long time ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± A said. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± he said. ¡°He deserved what he got.¡± ¡°What about Bonnerville?¡± A asked. ¡°Do you think they got what they deserved? Why did you attack them?¡± Denny stilled. So far, A had just been making conversation. But there was just a hint of her power behind thest question. He knew now that he had a choice to make. He could try to fight what was coming but he wouldn¡¯t be able to or he could tell her what she ¨C ¨C wanted to know. A had made some kind of decision about him. She was calm and collected. Like she knew what the oue would be. 78.00% 15:48 O < Chapter 41 Theo Suddenly, Denny¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°We were ordered to.¡° Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 43: A ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you, Denny. Alpha Theo is right. We still have tomand you. Being a rogue for so long, I understand that it can be ufortable. But as long as you stick to our agreement and don¡¯t fight it, there shouldn¡¯t be any pain.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Denny replied. I linked Theo to have him remove the chains holding Denny in ce. I didn¡¯t think keeping him restrained would encourage him that we were making a genuine offer. I was trying to gain some trust. ¡°Tell me if you recognize this man,¡± Imanded. Kingston handed me his phone, which had a grainy picture of a man. Denny¡¯s eyes narrowed as he examined the photo for a few moments. ¡°It could be him,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°I really didn¡¯t get a good look at him.¡± ¡°Any details you can give us could help,¡± I said. Again, he thought. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a lot of scars,¡± Denny said. ¡°There¡¯s a nasty one on his throat. Makes him sound strange. I didn¡¯t really see it, but some of the others had mentioned it several times. And I did see his hands. They¡¯re covered.¡± I looked at Kingston. He nodded. It was Grogan. ¡°Okay, tell us everything that has happened since you first heard about the Boss,¡± I asked. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. 0.00% 15 48 Chapter 43 A 288 Wouchers We spoke with Denny for a couple of hours, going over details multiple times. I was feeling the commands start to take a toll on me. I had to concentrate harder than I thought to maintain control of my energy without going too far. Several times, Theo had to link me to pull back before I started to hurt Denny. ¡°I think we have enough for today.¡± Theo finally insisted. I nodded. It was gettingte. Giving Denny a gentle smile, I rose from my seat. Theo¡¯s hand went to the small of my back. ¡°We still have the other rogue here that was captured with you,¡± Theo said. ¡°When we question him, can we expect the same kind of cooperation from him?¡± Denny¡¯s face contorted in disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°But he¡¯s not nice. He was cast out of his pack once he turned eighteen. He¡¯s killed at least two rogues that I know of. But I don¡¯t know if he holds any real loyalty to the Boss. He just likes trouble.¡± Theo nodded. He hesitated a moment. ¡°There was a third rogue down in Bonnerville. Did you know him as well?¡± Denny shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. They separated us pretty quick. But Lloyd had ackey always following him around. If Lloyd got caught, I would bet so did Ratty. He¡¯s not violent like Lloyd, but he¡¯s still a right bastard. Likes to steal food and bully anyone hees across.¡± Theo nodded. We left the cell and headed back to the investigation room. I rubbed my temples as a headache started to form. Mina had taken one of theb assistants with her to check out anotherb for the day, so it was still empty. Theo had recorded the session and would have one of the 20.27% ? O 15:48 Chapter 43 A 298 Vouchers assistants write down the pertinent information. Kingston had been incredibly quiet throughout most of the interview. He had asked a few questions, but for the most part, he stood off to the side, brooding. It was a little annoying. He was busy looking through the file we had given him earlier when Theo took my hand to take me upstairs for the night. I paused. ¡®Can I have a minute?¡® I asked. ¡®I¡¯ll meet you outside.¡® He nced toward Kingston behind me. ¡®One of us needs to say something,¡® I said. Theo sighed quietly. I know.¡± He squeezed my hand. ¡®Don¡¯t take too long. You need some rest. And link me if you need me.¡® ¡®I¡¯ll be fine.¡® He leaned in and gave me a quick but firm kiss. ¡®I love you.¡® ¡®I love you, too.¡® I watched Theo leave before I returned to the table and sat across from Kingston. He was pretending not to notice it was just the two of us. But I knew he did. ¡°Why are you here, Kingston?¡± I finally asked, breaking the silence. He nced up at me. His eyes caught mine with a look that said I should know. ¡°Kingston,¡± I warned. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Is it so hard to believe that I just want to help? That all this concerns me, too, and it¡¯ll be better if we work together?¡± 47.38% O 15.48 Chapter 43 A 288 Nouchers ¡°It¡¯s not hard to believe.¡± I stated. ¡°But it¡¯s also not hard to believe that you would use this opportunity just to get close to me again.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s so bad?¡± he asked painfully. I sighed, rubbing my temple again to ease the ache. ¡°You pushed too hard tonight,¡± Kingston said, reaching over and lifting my chin with a finger. He looked into my eyes, examining them for a few moments before pulling away. ¡°Commandinges easy to Theo and me. We¡¯ve been using the ability practically our entire lives. Yours has been dormant. You need to be more careful.¡± ¡°I can take care of myself just fine, Kingston,¡± I said. ¡°I appreciate the concern, but I¡¯ll never get used to it if I don¡¯t push my boundaries. And it¡¯s my decision to make.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to be taking care of yourself,¡± Kingston mumbled. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I was trying not to get angry. ¡°I will always be in charge of my own life and well¨Cbeing. I¡¯m not an invalid. But if you think Theo doesn¡¯t bend over backward to take care of me, then you¡¯re blind.¡± I pushed my chair up. ¡°And this conversation is over.¡± Kingston winced, raising a hand to halt me. ¡°Wait,¡± he rushed. His expression was still pained and full of sadness. ¡°No, please, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. That was uncalled for.¡± I slowly sat back down, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°Kingston, I won¡¯t listen to your opinions about Theo¡¯s and my rtionship,¡± I said sternly. ¡°We love each other. I¡¯m happy. And quite frankly, that information is a courtesy because none of it is any of your damn business.¡± He grimaced again. 67.97% ||| O 15:48 Chapter 43. A 1288 (Vouchers ¡°You¡¯re noting between us, Kingston,¡± I said. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± Kingston rubbed the back of his neck with a deep breath. ¡°I miss you, A. I wanted to make sure you were okay,¡± he said genuinely. ¡°And yes, I wanted to be close to you again, but not to cause you trouble. Truly. Isn¡¯t there a way we can be friends again?¡± 94.38% Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 42: A ¡°Who ordered you?¡± Imanded. Denny shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know his name,¡± he replied nervously. ¡°We always just call him Boss.¡± ¡°Okay, Denny,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°But you¡¯ve seen him, haven¡® t you?¡± ¡°Just once,¡± he replied. ¡°But it was dark. There was a big group of us. Maybe thirty or forty rogues. They did some kind of ritual.¡± ¡°Did the ritual mention someone named Dominis?¡± Theomanded. Denny nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was themand.¡± I stated. ¡°Which has now been broken,¡± Theo confirmed. ¡°How can you tell?¡± Kingston asked. ¡°Theomanded information about the Dominis family. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to answer if I hadn¡¯t beenmanding him,¡± I exined. ¡°Denny, do you know why theymanded you to attack us? Why do they want to organize the rogues against the Greytooth and Sablemane packs?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know about Sablemane, but¡­¡± He swallowed hesitantly. He was scared. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Denny,¡± I said calmly. ¡°We won¡¯t hurt you. We just need your help. If you can give it to us.¡± 0.00% 15:48 Chapter 42: A 288 Vouchers I could feel Theo¡¯s and Kingston¡¯s eyes boring into me. This isn¡¯t how either of them had expected this conversation to go, but I didn¡¯t care. This man wasn¡¯t defiant. He was reluctant to answer me, but he wasn¡¯t fighting mymands either. I could feel it. He was scared. ¡°Denny, were you one of the rogues that hurt people in Bonnerville?¡± I ordered. ¡°Did you kill any of our pack members?¡± ¡°No,¡± he rushed honestly. ¡°I only damaged property. I avoided the people. That¡¯s how I was caught. I was running from the big fight, and an officer grabbed me. But I swear, I didn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± I nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± I looked at Theo. ¡®Can I talk to you outside?¡® I linked him. He nodded and I stood, motioning for Kingston to follow. We left the cell and returned to the investigation room. ¡°I want to offer him a ce in the pack,¡± I stated once we were away from the guards. ¡°What?¡± Kingston eximed. Theo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°A,¡± Kingston said, ¡°A wolf who has been a rogue as long as he has wouldn¡¯t know what to do in a pack.¡± ¡°Then we teach him,¡± I replied. ¡°You saw him in there, Theo. He¡¯s scared, not angry.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like the same rogue 1 interviewed in Bonnerville, no,¡± Theo conceded. ¡°But it could just be an act, babe. He could be ying us. He¡¯s had over a week to get his story together, and you haven¡¯t put much pressure on him.¡± 17.13% 15.48 288 Vouchers ¡°I know that,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to offer to bring him into the pack. But I want to swear him in.¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s reckless. A.¡± Kingston said. ¡°Not if she is the Blessed One,¡± Theo replied. ¡°There was a passage in Harry¡¯s journal,¡± I exined. ¡°He theorized that anyone sworn to the Blessed One¡¯s pack would have an unusually strong devotion to her and the pack.¡± ¡°Essentially, they would be incapable of betraying us,¡± Theo rified. ¡°You really want to trust her safety to a theory?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strong theory.¡± I added. ¡°We¡¯ve found supporting evidence. And Randy confirmed it was one of the wear Pak¡¯s concerns with the Blessed One¡¯s suspected abilities.¡± Kingston crossed his arms. ¡°I still think it¡¯s too much of a risk.¡± ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m not offering him to join Sablemane,¡± I snapped. Kingston backed off. I felt a little guilty for the jab, but he was babying me again. Theo held my shoulders. ¡°Look, A, I trust you and your judgment. We can¡¯t guarantee him a fast or easy transition. But if you think doing this will help us, then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I took his hands. ¡°Thank you.¡± I turned to Kingston. ¡°Do you have a picture or something of Grogan you could show him? It may help.¡± 40.02% 15:48 Chapter 42 A 288 Nouchers Kingston pulled out his phone. ¡°I have a grainy capture from a surveince camera, but it may work.¡± ¡°Good.¡± We returned to the cell and I sat back down in front of our prisoner. ¡°Okay, Denny, ¡°I said,¡± I have a proposal for you.¡± He looked up at me nervously. ¡°I would like for you to tell us everything you know about the rogue groups and this Boss,¡± I continued. ¡°If you can do that, we would be willing to make you a member of our pack.¡± Denny¡¯s widened and his mouth fell open. ¡°But¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ Why?¡± ¡°We need information,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°And I¡¯d rather not waste time trying to fight it out you. We all understand your position here, being a rogue. They typically don¡¯t survive this long within pack territory.¡± Denny flinched. ¡°Just a stated fact, not a threat,¡± I assured him. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m not sure what else to offer a rogue. So, unless you have a different request, that¡¯s what is on the table.¡± Denny looked between the three of us. ¡°I would never be epted.¡± ¡°If you help save and protect our Luna, you will be,¡± Theo told him. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue because of someone else¡¯s actions,¡± I said gently. ¡°We won¡¯t hold that against you.¡± ¡°Do you know why they are doing all of this?¡± Theo asked. ¡°They¡¯re looking for someone,¡± Denny said. ¡°They never actually told us who, but we started to hear stories about a Blessed One throughout the camps. It was all some nonsense about some family taking over all 60.66% 15:48 Chapter 42 A 288 Vouchers the packs and conquering the world or something.¡± I snorted. Theo rested his hands on my shoulders from behind me. ¡°They want her.¡± ¡°And I will swear to you right now, Denny,¡± I said firmly, ¡°I have no intention of taking over any other pack, let alone the world. So, if you are willing to tell us what you know about these groups, including your friend in the other cell, you¡¯ll have a ce here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much,¡± he insisted. ¡°What if the information is useless?¡± ¡°As long as you tell us what you do know,¡± I said, ¡°then the deal stands.¡± ¡°And if I say no?¡± ¡°We still need the information,¡± Theo said gravely. ¡°We still have tomand you to verify what you say is the truth. If you fight it, it won¡® t end well for you.¡± Denny thought for a long while, but I was patient. I hoped he would see that this was more than a mercy to him. We didn¡¯t need to offer him anything. But I wanted to. Finally, he took a deep breath. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 44: Kingston N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I waited for her to say something. Despite myments, I really could see that she was happy with Theo. It hurt like f***ing hell, and it was hard to keep my behavior in check. But I was trying. Ever since Randy hade to Sablemane and told me about their theory about A¡¯s effect on Alphas, I had been working to reconcile my feelings for her. It got easier after they had marked each other, but it was still hard. Pierce had protested mying here for this reason. He insisted he should go instead, but I didn¡¯t want to hear it. I needed to see her. But it was genuinely just to mend things between us. A may have forgiven me back in the Onyxcrown ruins, but I knew she still thought of me as the person who tried to force his mark on her and kept her father¡¯s ring from her. It was eating me up inside thinking about it. ¡°A, I just want to try to make things right,¡± I said again. ¡°With our history¡­ with our families¡­ I¡¯d hate for you to keep hating me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Kingston,¡± A insisted. She shook her head. ¡°Truth is, I¡¯ve missed you, too. Your friendship. I still appreciate everything you did for me. But it can never be the way it was before.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Believe me, I know. But our packs are still allies. And I won¡¯t pretend that I could be friends with Theo any time. soon.¡± A gave me a look. ¡°Simply out of jealousy,¡± I said with a wry grin. ¡°Forgive me my wolf¡¯s nature. Some things aren¡¯t so easily changed. But you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not blind. Whatever mistakes he made before, he¡¯s not making them now. I can at least respect him for that.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied sweetly. 0.00% 15.48 ||| O < Chapter 44: Kingston 288 (Vouchers ¡°But it would be nice to have some friendlypany when we¡¯re doing business,¡± I said. She smiled slowly. ¡°I think we can manage that,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But can we worry about that tomorrow? I¡¯m wiped for the day.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Of course,¡± I said, standing from my chair. I offered her a hand. She took and stood. I made an impulsive decision and pulled her against me, wrapping my arms around her in an embrace. She stiffened at first, but I just held her. As she realized it was meant as an innocent gesture, she rxed, snaking her arms around my waist for a moment. I thought it would have been a terrible, dangerous idea. Holding her again, breathing in her scent like this. Memories shing through my mind. This should be torture. But it wasn¡¯t. I smiled as a calm settled through me. For the first time in weeks, it was just nice to hold A and know she was safe and happy. That¡¯s all that mattered now. I would do whatever it took to keep it that way. She pulled away, giving me a tentative smile. ¡°I better go,¡± she said. ¡°Theo¡¯s waiting for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he is,¡± I teased. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. It feels good making him squirm a little.¡± A rolled her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s handling it just fine. He knew we would have to talk at some point.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ruin all my fun.¡± 29.94% 15:48 O Chapter 44 Kingthen 11 728 NAUJAS ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she said as she made her way to the door. ¡°If it helps, I wouldn¡¯t expect him to be overly friendly with you, either. So, I¡¯d be ying mediator anyway.¡± I followed her out of the cer. Theo was, of course, waiting nearby. I averted my eyes as he kissed her, looking over the utility building in which the cer entrance was hidden. ¡°You know, I can¡¯t imagine this would stay hidden with all the traffic it¡¯s been seeing.¡± Imented. ¡°Yeah.¡± Theo answered. ¡°We¡¯re addressing that. We never had much use for it before now. But setting up something more permanent and covert now makes sense. We¡¯re starting construction this week.¡± I nodded, matching their pace as we returned to the packhouse. We said our goodbyes at the junction where we would go our separate ways. I thought about the day as I walked back to my room. I had sent Lou, my Gamma, back a while ago. My phone buzzed in my pocket as I approached my door. It was Pierce. ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered lightly. ¡°So, how did it go?¡± he asked worriedly. I sighed. ¡°The interview was enlightening,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re definitely dealing with Grogan. We have one more rogue to interview, but I feel he won¡¯t be as forting.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the atmosphere between you all?¡± ¡°It was a long day. Let¡¯s just put it that way,¡± I said. ¡°But it ended on a high note. So, I¡¯m surviving.¡± 53.25% ||| 15.48 M Chapter 44: Kingston 288 Mouchers I could sense him rx through the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be here at least another day,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep you posted on any updates.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pierce replied. ¡°So, she¡¯s doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said somberly. ¡°She¡¯s doing really well. I¡¯ll call you in the morning.¡± I disconnected and entered my guest suite. Lou was already asleep, which was fine with me. I changed into a pair of sweats to sleep in and sat on the edge of the bed, ying with the file folder in my hand. A seemed to have been doing a lot of research into her family since her rescue. But there was still a lot she didn¡¯t know. My mind wandered back to the moonstone hidden in its spot back home. No one had mentioned it. I didn¡¯t think they knew about it. Harry must have mentioned it in his journal at some point. When Pierce confronted me about the maps of the Onyxcrown tunnels, I knew he had been looking for it. I had lied to Pierce. Assuring him that his suspicions were wrong. I didn¡¯t like it, but I still felt it was necessary. It didn¡¯t matter how much I trusted Pierce, or anyone, for that matter. Unless we got wind that the Waar Pak were looking for it or suspected it still existed, I couldn¡¯t risk it. Not until I knew what that power could mean to A. 77.57% 15:48 III O Chapter 44 Kingston 289 Nouchers I could sense him rx through the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll be here at least another day,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep you posted on any updates.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pierce replied. ¡°So, she¡¯s doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I said somberly. ¡°She¡¯s doing really well. I¡¯ll call you in the morning.¡± I disconnected and entered my guest suite. Lou was already asleep, which was fine with me. I changed into a pair of sweats to sleep in and sat on the edge of the bed, ying with the file folder in my hand. A seemed to have been doing a lot of research into her family since her rescue. But there was still a lot she didn¡¯t know. My mind wandered back to the moonstone hidden in its spot back home. No one had mentioned it. I didn¡¯t think they knew about it. Harry must have mentioned it in his journal at some point. When Pierce confronted me about the maps of the Onyxcrown tunnels, I knew he had been looking for it. I had lied to Pierce. Assuring him that his suspicions were wrong. I didn¡¯t like it, but I still felt it was necessary. It didn¡¯t matter how much I trusted Pierce, or anyone, for that matter. Unless we got wind that the Waar Pak were looking for it or suspected it still existed, I couldn¡¯t risk it. Not until I knew what that power could mean to A. 77 57% 15:49 O Chapter 45: Theo Chapter 195 Chapter 195 (Vouchers Chapter 45: Theo I let A sleep the next morning, taking a break from our training sessions. After a quick workout with Briggs and Jimmy, we headed to my office to call Sheriff McCabe. Things had been quiet on the border, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. Grogan and his men would know we would be on guard after thest attack. So they would be biding their time for the next. ¡°The task force is doing well,¡± McCabe said over the line. ¡°The men you sent have been a big help in training some of the local volunteers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± I said. ¡°We questioned one of the rogues yesterday. We got some information to help us track down some of these groups. We¡¯ve still got the other to question. I¡¯d like for you toe back up. I want to send someone undercover if possible. But we¡® Il need your help to work out the best n. Can you make that work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of hiring a new deputy,¡± he replied. ¡°But that should be sorted in the next day or two. I can head up after that.¡± ¡°I can work with that,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll email you the details of yesterday¡¯s interview. Look over it and make any notes you think of. And just let me know when you¡¯re on your way up.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± We disconnected and I directed my attention to mypanions. ¡°How do you n to get someone undercover with a group of rogues?¡± Jimmy asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got Mina working on a possible solution for that,¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s 0.00% O 15:49 Chapter 45 Theo 288 Vouchers been interviewingbpanies already. She thinks she has a couple options that could help with our man¡¯s scent. But I need you to find us the right person.¡± ¡°I can handle that,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°How are things at the college with A?¡± Jimmy had still been working with the security team to monitor the campus. He had asked to stay on the assignment to look for anyone suspicious paying her any extra attention. Maggie was great, but she could only focus on A when on the job. That¡¯s what she was there for. But if any other threats were lurking at the school, I wanted to know. ¡°So far, so good,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a couple of the guards keeping eyes and ears out for any whispers or hints of the Waar Pak recruiting. Colleges are usually prime targets for that sort of thing. If we find anything, you¡¯ll be the first to know.¡± ¡°Any luck with that?¡± I said. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we did find something. After A was attacked in the packhouse, Jimmy had been searching for any members within our pack. Randy gave him some pointers on what to look for and what to do if he had any suspects. ¡°We have a few leads,¡± he said. ¡°Both on campus and off. But nothing major yet. Could just be rebellious kids. We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. ¡°Anything else regarding this?¡± ¡°Harmon has his team together,¡± Briggs said. ¡°He¡¯s ready to start renovating the house.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll track him downter,¡± I said. ¡°I think we¡¯re done for 25.41% O 15.49 Chapter 45: Theo 238 Mouchers now. I¡¯m meeting Dad to head out to our monthly lunch with the locals.¡± I left my office and found Dad across the hall with Mom. She was still in the process of redoing the office space for A to take over and had wrangled him into helping her. From the look on his face, he was ready for an excuse to escape her clutches. I knocked on the open door. ¡°You stilling, Dad? Or did you decide to stay with Mom?¡± I teased. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay, sweetie,¡± Mom said. ¡°You go ahead and help Theo. I¡® ve got this.¡± She looked at me and mouthed something about getting him out of her hair, and I just chuckled. We headed out of the packhouse and into the city. The meeting went well and was as enjoyable as always. We had some minor issues to address, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a huge relief with everything else I had been juggling. When we were done, we stopped by the library to see how it looked now that the repairs were done. I was able to upgrade the building a bit thanks to our sessful second quarter with the business. We were admiring the work when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Sarah Walport. ¡°Good afternoon, Alpha Theo, Alpha Torin,¡± she whispered politely. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to say hello.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Sarah,¡± I said. I invited her to join me in one of the small meeting rooms off the main hall. ¡°How is everything going? How¡¯s your dad?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing okay,¡± she said solemnly. ¡°We miss Mom, of course, but 51.55% 15:50 Chapter 45. Theo 288 Vouchers we¡¯re taking it one day at a time. But I want to thank you again for everything you¡¯ve done for us.¡± Randy had found the Waar Pak operative who was responsible for Mrs. Walport¡¯s death. There wasn¡¯t a lot I could do without risking Randy¡¯s ¡®s cover, so I allowed him to take care of the issue himself. It was enough for me to be able to give Sarah and her father some peace, telling them that the culprit had paid for his crime. ¡°How¡¯s John?¡± I asked. Her expression faltered for a second. ¡°Sarah?¡± I pressed. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. ¡°He¡¯s fine, I guess,¡® she said meekly. ¡°I don¡¯t see a lot of him these days.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you two not together anymore?¡± ¡± Sarah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. He stilles home most nights, but it¡¯s almost alwayste at night. He says he¡¯s been hanging out with friends, but it¡¯s not Nicky and the others. They¡¯ve said they barely see him, either. I just don¡¯t know what to ink a I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him and see what¡¯s going on,¡± I said. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Her shoulders rxed. ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± she replied. ¡°I just want to know that he¡¯s not in any trouble.¡± ¡°So do I,¡± I agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± 78.50% Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 46: Theo I went to the apartment after getting back to the packhouse to check on A. Maggie had sent me a text that she had been a bit off throughout the day. She said it didn¡¯t seem like anything serious, just that she wasn¡¯t in the best of moods. I understood what she was talking about as soon as I got close to the suite. I could feel her anxiety through our connection. I walked in to see her sitting at the dining table, chewing on a fingernail as she hunched over books and papers strewn across the surface. I rested my hands on her shoulders, kneading the tense muscles with my thumbs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± I asked as I kissed the top of her head. She sighed. ¡°I think I need to quit school.¡± ¡°What?¡± Now I was worried. I pulled the chair out beside and sat down, turning her to look at me. ¡°Why would you think that, A? You were so excited to go to college.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to give it up entirely,¡± she said but there was still a sadness in her tone. ¡°Just for this semester or this school year. I just feel like I can¡¯t keep up. There¡¯s so much going on. I¡¯ve had to miss so much and we¡¯re not even a month in.¡± ¡°Then we take some other things off your te,¡± I said. ¡°Like what?¡± she asked sardonically. ¡°Your mother is still doing a lot of the Luna duties, plus nning our solstice ceremony. I haven¡¯t been working with her nearly as much as we had nned. I¡¯d like to do more for Zeff and the magazine. I¡¯m still having to trante Harry¡¯s 0.00% 15:50 Chapter 46: Theo 288 Vouchers journal and figure out Dad¡¯s books and research. Plus the Waar Pak investigation. Now the rogue attacks.¡± ¨C ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the attacks, babe,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll handle that. And as far as the investigation and this¡± ¨C I took the journal that was sitting in front of her on the table and tossed it aside ¡ª ¡°you can take a break from that. We have plenty of other things to focus on. Besides, if we can stop the Waar Pak now, we don¡¯t need to know what they or Harry were nning.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°But what he was doing could help us find¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth you going through this much stress,¡± I interrupted. ¡°We can handle the investigation and the Waar Pak and the border attacks without you for a while, okay? I¡¯ll keep you updated on everything, but you just let me worry about all of that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much for you to do on your own, Theo,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯m not on my own,¡± I said. ¡°I have a whole pack behind me. Just like you do. We have a good team, babe. We¡¯ll be okay. Taking care of yourself is more important.¡± ¡°But you need me to question anyone who¡¯s under themand,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Yeah, and so far, it seems like once it¡¯s broken, we can take it from there,¡± I stated. She still looked like she was on the verge of tears. ¡°Babe, it¡¯s okay. I swear, it¡¯s perfectly fine for you to focus on school for a while.¡± ¡°But then I¡¯ll feel guilty because that¡¯s part of my job,¡± she said. ¡°I want to help. I want to be a good Luna and take care of my pack. I want to help get to the bottom of all this.¡± 26.71% 15 50 Chapter 46: Theo ¡°Do you want that more than you want to go to school, then?¡± I asked. She hesitated for a minute before shaking her head. ¡°No, I want to be in school.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re staying in.¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t get it,¡± she huffed, turning away and resting her face in her hands. I pulled her to me, rubbing her back as I held her. ¡°Then exin it to me, babe,¡± I said. ¡°I want to understand.¡± She leaned into me. ¡°I just feel overwhelmed, and I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re feeling overwhelmed, A,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve taken on so much and so much has been put on you.¡± ¡°So?¡± she replied. ¡°I once worked four jobs withour a car while writing a book. I¡¯ve handled a lot before. I don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°You should never have had to do that in the first ce,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You made it through then because losing your home and your family starving pushed you. There was no other option for you, A. That was our failing back then. Now, you know there are options. You don¡¯t have to go non¨Cstop. We won¡¯t fall apart if you don¡¯t push yourself so hard.¡± ¡°But then I feel like I¡¯m failing,¡± she murmured. ¡°Then we need to work on getting you past that,¡± I said. I pushed her up so she could look at me. ¡°I would fall apart if you don¡¯t take care of yourself. I won¡¯t watch you work yourself sick, A. You are still the strongest person I¡¯ve ever known, babe. Now, you need to use that strength to put your health and well¨Cbeing first. You¡¯re no good to us 54.20% 15.50 Chapter 46. Theo burnt out.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°But I feel selfish choosing college. It doesn¡¯t help the pack.¡± ¡°So, I wasted my time getting my degree?¡± I asked wryly. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± she huffed. ¡°You weren¡¯t the acting Alpha and you were doing something that built a business that helps support us. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m going to study yet.¡± ¡°And you won¡¯t figure that out by quitting,¡± I said. ¡°And I may be taking over early, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to. You have my mother¡¯s help, and anyone else¡¯s that you need, for as long as you want it. So, for now, no more work on the investigation. You focus on school and the magazine column. If you find the time to work with Mom or n our ceremony, then go ahead. But that¡¯s it, okay?¡± ¡°What about Kingston?¡± she asked. ¡°You know you both need me there to keep things civil.¡± I sighed. ¡°I think we can manage, but if it makes you feel better. You can help until Kingston leaves, but once he¡¯s gone, no more.¡± She hesitated, but with effort, she pushed her crestfallen expression away and reced it with relief. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 47: A Theo insisted I skip dinner with the family and had food brought up to me so I could get my schedule reorganized and work on homework. I was nervous about not going and sent Kingston a message letting him know I was fine and would see him in the cer for the interrogationter. He questioned my absence at first, but when I told him I just had a lot to catch up on, he was understanding. I had felt bad all day because he was having to fend for himself. Normally, schedules were cleared when another Alpha visited another pack, and the focus was primarily on them. However, considering why he was here, Theo thought it was best we didn¡¯t draw too much attention to him. Besides, this was so unexpected that there wasn¡¯t a lot either of us could move around. But I still felt like I was failing in my Luna duty as his host, and it was stressing me out. And to be honest, I was just cranky. I didn¡¯t know why, but I had been in a bad mood all day. I snapped at Maggie at one point, which I felt awful about. And that nearly led me to tears. I apologized but still felt terrible. I didn¡¯t want to be around anyone and risk it happening again. So, despite being worried about Theo and Kingston getting along without me, I was grateful to have the time to myself and collect my thoughts. After Theo left, I tried to focus on my reading assignment for my philosophy ss. I was having a hard time getting into it when my phone rang. ¡°Hey, Zeff,¡± I answered. ¡°Hey, Ayls,¡± he said brightly. ¡°Everything okay?¡± 0.00% 15:50 Chapter 47: A 288 Vouchers ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. ¡°Just in a mood today.¡± ¡°Uh¨Coh, what did Theo do?¡± he teased. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything,¡± I assured him. ¡°He¡¯s been great. I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.¡± ¡°It sounds like you need some time with your best friend,¡± he hinted. ¡°Yeah, that could be it.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Are you still set to arrive tomorrow afternoon?¡± ¡°Yep. My flightnds at four.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll try to be there to pick you up. We can grab some dinner.¡± ¡°That sounds great,¡± he said. ¡°Also, have you had a chance to look over the new letters I sent you?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± I said, my voice cracking as guilt and tears started to creep up again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. With Kingstoning in and everything else. I¡¯ve been swamped. But I¡¯m working on clearing some things out tonight.¡± ¡°No worries, Ayls,¡± he said, his tone bing more serious. ¡°Honestly, sweetie, it¡¯s no big deal. We have other content to post.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But I know the readers are expecting another article soon, and so many submitted requests, I just don¡¯t want to let them down.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he insisted. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow. Don¡¯t even think about it until then, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± I pouted. 30.16% 15.50 Chapter 47: A 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯ve got to let you go,¡± he replied. ¡°But if you need anything, you just let me know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Love you, Ayls,¡± Zeff said. ¡°Love you, too.¡± I hung up the phone and set it back down on the table. I looked over the books and papers scattered in front of me. With a frustrated sigh, I forced my fingers through my hair and pushed my chair away from the table. Studying wasn¡¯t happening for me. So, I decided to take a long, hot bath to help calm my nerves and rx a little. I started the tap and picked out some aromatherapy salts and bubble bath. I checked the time and yed music before stripping down and climbing into the steaming tub. I had a couple of hours before I needed to be ready to go to the cer, so I just sank into the water and let it soothe me. Theo was right. I needed to stop trying to take on the weight of the world all the time. I couldn¡¯t remember how many times I had told my friends or colleagues there was nothing wrong with taking some for themselves. I needed to find bnce. That meant slowing down a little and taking advantage that we weren¡¯t under any immediate threat. I took deep breaths until I was rxed, my body feeling looser than it had most of the day. I was so comfortable that I barely noticed Theoe in. He brushed a hand over my hair and kissed my head before kneeling by the tub. He reached in, gently lifted my ankle, and began massaging my foot. I groaned as the pressure of his thumbs relieved the aches and pains. He moved to the next foot, then up my leg, kneading my calf, then my thigh. Desire red through my core as his fingers approached the apex of my 53.60% 15.50 Chapter 47: A 283 (Vouchers legs. I lifted my hips, but right as I thought he would touch my folds, his hands moved down to my other leg. ¡°Theo.¡± I whimpered, ¡°Sshhh,¡± he hushed. ¡°We have time, love.¡± He continued working my muscles, moving on to my hands and arms, teasing my breasts in between. His hand lifted the nape of my neck as his mouth took mine. His hand slid smoothly beneath the water along my navel until it finally settled between my legs. I moaned against his lips as he deftly worked my clit, slipping a finger inside. I gripped his shirt as he pushed me towards my release. His lips moved down my jaw, still holding my neck as he nipped at my mark, sending electricity straight to my core, throwing me over the edge as I cried Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. out. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 48: A After taking care of me, I coaxed Theo to join me in the bath, where we took care of each other before copsing in the half¨Cfilled tub. I looked over the edge andughed, realizing we had flooded the bathroom. But I couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked. ¡°Time to go,¡± Theo sighed. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± I nodded with a smile. ¡°That was just what I needed.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said, nuzzling my neck. ¡°You had me worried earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°I was just in a bad mood.¡± ¡°Regardless, we¡¯re taking some things off your te,¡± he said. ¡°After tonight, no more worrying about rogues or the Waar Pak.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll try. I can¡¯t make any promises about the worrying part, but I can take a step back for a while. As long as you promise to keep me updated.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of keeping anything from you,¡± he insisted, kissing my temple. We moved to get out of the bath. I had put towels down on the floor so we wouldn¡¯t slip. We quickly got dressed and headed out of the apartment hand¨Cin¨Chand. It wasforting. I did feel calmer and more collected now that we had a n. I didn¡¯t feel like I was letting everyone down anymore. Kingsto 1 1 Chapter 48: A 288 Vouchers with him this time, though. I had talked to him that morning, and he said Gamma Luis would help Jimmy with his Waar Pak project. Luis had been working alongside Kingston in tracking them down the last few months, so he had a good idea of what to look for. We made our way to the cer and down to the cell. I stopped in to say hello to Denny and ensure he was being treated well. We nned to move him somewhere elseter, but settling everything would take a week or two. Plus, we wanted to check his intel first. Not that we thought he was lying. He wouldn¡¯t be able to while I wasmanding him, especially not with Theo¡¯s and Kingston¡¯s Alpha energies also in the room. But we wanted to ensure it was usable and still protect him. When I was done speaking with him, I prepared myself for the next interrogation. As we went over touching points, Theo¡¯s cousin Will joined us. ¡°Luna, it¡¯s good to see you again,¡± he said to me with a smile after making introductions. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, too,¡± I said, giving him a hug. ¡°Although, you really need to stop making a habit of showing up at times like these. I¡® m sure Beth would appreciate a more social visit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to make that happen soon,¡± he chuckled. ¡°So, what do we know about this one?¡± Kingston spoke up, moving things along. ¡°The guards said he¡¯s been more difficult,¡± Theo said. ¡°At first, he was aggressive, but after a few days, when he realized there was no escaping, he became less violent but still belligerent ¡ª throwing food, tearing apart the cell, purposely injuring himself to the point he was nearly always restrained, etc. Apparently, he must be able to sense when wee down because it¡¯s the only time he¡¯s quiet.¡± 22.53% 15.500 Chapter 48. A 288 Vouchers I didn¡¯t know why, but that made me feel a little uneasy. ¡°They said that to me, too,¡± Will said. ¡°However, it must only be with you guys because he was a right asshole when I paid him a visit.¡± ¡°Did you get anything out of him?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Not really,¡± he said. ¡°Just some ramblings about a rogue pack taking what¡¯s owed to them.¡± ¡°That must be what Grogan is promising them,¡± Kingston said. ¡°He¡¯s convinced them they can create their own pack if they push us out far enough.¡± ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Will confirmed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good ce to start, then,¡± I said. ¡°And you think he¡¯s under themand like Denny was?¡± Will nodded. ¡°Alright, then, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± I said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. We walked into the cell and the stench was overwhelming. He had also been refusing to clean himself as well as neglecting to use the toilet in the corner of the cell. But it was more than that. The bodily odors were nearly drowned out by the pungent odor of a rogue. Denny¡¯s scent hadn¡¯t had the same intensity as this. I had to swallow the bile that threatened toe up with whatever contents were in my stomach. I nced at Theo and Kingston. They weren¡¯t impressed by the smell either, but it didn¡¯t seem to bother them the same way. Finally, I took in the man in front of me, He was chained to the chair like Denny had been. He was older than 53.06% 15.50 Chapter 48. A 288 Vouchers Denny, with dark brown hair that was greying along the sides and a filthy beard. He was bigger, too. Both taller and wider. I wasn¡¯t surprised he was able to terrorize the other rogues. The various scars that were visible were a testament to the battles he had picked and won. He was looking at the floor, refusing to acknowledge our presence. Theo set another chair that had been brought in a few feet away from him for me to sit in. This time, Theo stayed right by my side while Kingston instinctively moved behind him. They sensed something off about him, too. He finally looked up at me. His eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his expression. Instead, he startedughing. It was a sinister, maniacalugh. I suppressed a shiver as my skin began to crawl. I waited until he slowly fell silent again. I wanted to see if he would start talking first, but I didn¡¯t know how much longer I could hold out. The smell was getting to be too much to handle. ¡°It¡¯s Lloyd, isn¡¯t it?¡± I finally asked. The corner of his lip twitched. ¡°I knew that little runt would squeal. It¡¯s a wonder the weakling survived so long as a rogue.¡± ¡°Whereas you seem perfectly suited to the title,¡± I replied. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you being anything else.¡± Chapter 199 ItwastakingmoreeffortthanIwantedtoadmittokeepfromtakingthisbastardoutrightthere.Ihadbeenaroundhimbeforewhenhewastransferredhere,butitwasn¡¯tuntilnowthatIrealizedjusthowvilehewas.Itdidn¡¯thelpthatIcould senseA¡¯srevulsionthroughourbond.Iwasworriedshewouldbesickanymoment. Justbreakthmandandgetoutofhere,A,¡®Ilinkedher.¡®Icanhandlethis.¡® ¡°Whereisyourboss?¡±Aylmanded. AgruntescapedLloydasheflinched,buthedidn¡¯treply.Hebrushedoffhemandeasily.Thehaironthebackofmyneckstoodup. Somethingwasoff. ¡°WhereisGrogan?¡±Aorderedagainmoreforcefully. Again,Lloydpushedpastthemand.IfeltA¡¯sfrustrationsurgethroughourmatebond.Her handsclenchedintofistsassheworked tofocus. Shmandedhimagain,puttingmoreenergythanIhadfeltfromherbefore. Thistime,hehad tofighthardagainstthmand.Ittookseveralminutesbeforehewasabletopushpastitentirely. Andtheywerepainfulminutes.Butthefactthathewasstillfighting¨Cthathewasstibletowasconcerning. ¨C Hewasstillbreathingheavilywhenhebegantughagain. ¡°Ya¡®thinkI¡¯mstupidenoughtonotrecognizeabindingritual?¡±hespat. Kinston¡¯sgazeshotinmydirection.Heknewwhatthmandwoulddo.ButdidheknowbecauseGrogantoldhim orbecausehe hadseenitbefore?Eitherway,hewasunderthmand.Adidn¡®tneedtobehere. ¡®A,go,¡¯Ilinked.¡®I¡¯vegotthis.¡¯ Shedidn¡¯trespond,butIfeltatangleofemotioningfromher.Primarilyanger.She stoodupslowly,takingastepclosertohim. ¡°Howcan yourecognizeabindingritual?¡±shmanded.Her voicewaseerilycalm. Lloydfoughtagain,butitwasharderthistime.Ithoughtforsurehewouldeithergiveinorpassout.Buthestillsomehowmanagedtowithstandher.Whenthepainhadpassed,helookedup ather,takingherinasavilegrinspreadacrosshisface.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matterifyou don¡¯tanswer,¡±Asaidthroughgrittedteeth.¡°Iknowhowyouknow.¡± ¡°Iexpectyoudo,¡±he repliedsmugly. ShelookedtoKingston.¡°Can¡¯tyousmellit?¡±shesnapped. Helookedbetweenthetwoofus,justasconfusedasIwas.Heshookhishead. ¡°Idon¡¯tknowwhatyoumean,¡±hereplied. Lloydchuckled. ¡°Coursehedon¡¯t.You¡¯llhavetoenlightenthem.¡± A¡¯s breathingquickenedasragefilledher.¡°He¡¯sanOnyxcrownexile.¡± KingstonandIbothstraightened.Lloyd¡¯sexpressionconfirmedherwords,andIknewIwasstandinginapowderkeg.Ijust hoped ¡°It¡¯s notworthit,Theo,¡±shesnapped.¡°Justendit.Now,¡± ¡°It¡¯s absolutelyworthgettinginformationtoprotectyou,¡±Iretorted. ¡°Hewillgetwhathedeserves,A,Iswear.ButI¡¯mnotriskingyoursafetyoutofanger.¡± ¡°Fine.¡±Shestraightenedandpushedpastme.¡°ThenI¡¯mleaving.I¡¯mnotstayinginthesamebuildingasthatbastard.¡± Irushedafterher.¡°A,Iknowyou¡¯reupset.Iunderstand.Butjusttakeafewminutestocalmdownandthinkthingsthrough.¡± Sheturned,ringatmeintensely.¡°Takecareofthis,Theo.OrIwill.¡± Shestormedoutofthecer,leavingmebehindtotrytoreconcilewhatjusthappened.IrememberedleavingKingstonaloneinthecell withLloyd andimmediatelyheaded back,hopinghehadn¡¯tdoneanythingstupid. Thankfully,Ireturnedtofindtheroguesittinguprightagain.Bloodcerationscoveredhisfaceandchest,butnothinglife-threatening. Hewouldheal.Kingstonstoodinfrontofhim.Hisposturewasstiff,andIcouldtellhewasalsostruggling. Ifeltfortheguy,butIwasdheunderstoodwhykeepinghimalivefornowwasimportant. ¡°Kingston,¡±Icalledtohim. Hisattentionsnappedtome.Itippedmyheadforhimtoleavethecellwithme.HelookedbackatLloyd,hisfistsclenching,butmanagedtowalkawayandfollowmeout. ¡°HowisA?¡±heaskedquietly. Ipushedmyfingersthroughmyhair.¡°Pissedoff,understandably.¡± Hejustnodded. ¡°Ineedyoutodomeafavor,¡±Isaid.¡°Iwantyoutoquestionthisguy,Kingston.You¡¯regoingtoknowhowtoapproachthisbetter.But pleasedon¡¯tdoitalone.I knowyouunderstandtheimplicationsifhediesbeforewefindoutwhatheknowsabouttheWaarPak¡¯sns. ButIalsogetthathemaypushsomebuttons¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯sfine,¡±he interrupted.¡°Iagreewithyou.¡± ¡°Thankyou,¡±Isaid.¡°IneedtocheckonA.I¡¯llhave WillorBrigge down.¡± Chapter 200 Irushedupstairstoourapartment.WhenIentered,Awasn¡¯tinthelivingroomorkitchen.Iwentbacktothebedroomandfoundherpackingasuitcase.Myheartfellintoapitinmystomach. ¡°Whatareyoudoing?¡± Shecontinuedtograbclothes.¡°Itoldyou,¡±shestated,¡°Iwon¡¯tstayherewhilethatmurdererisalive.¡± ¡°Fine,¡±Isaid,goingtotheclosetandpullingoutmytravelcase.¡°We¡¯llgotothkehouseforafewdays.¡± ¡°You¡¯renoingwithme,¡±shesnapped. ¡°Excuseme?¡±Irepliedindisbelief.¡°You¡¯renotstayingawayfromthepackhousealone,A.¡± ¡°You¡¯rethereasonhe¡¯shere,¡±sheyelledatme. ¡°You¡¯rethereasonhe¡¯sstilive.Untilyoufixthis,Idon¡¯twanttobenearyou.¡± MyheartwasracingandIcouldhearmybloodpulsinginmyears.Ihadnoideawhatwasgoingon.Adidn¡¯tevenreactthiswaywhenHarryadmittedtokillingherfather. ¡°Soyou¡¯releavingme?¡±Ieximed.¡°BecauseIneedtoprotectyou?¡± ¡°Becauseyou¡¯relettingthatabominationlive,¡±shebellowed. Shemmedthesuitcaseshutandzippedit.Ishoveditbackdownasshemovedtopickitup. ¡°Whatthef***hasgottenintoyou?¡±Isaid,myangerandfearandconfusiongettingthebetterof me.¡°WhyamI havingtoexinthisoverandover?Youwanttotaketheassholesdownbutrefusetoexploitthebestresourcewehaveatthemoment? Thisisn¡¯tyou,A.You¡¯resmarterthanthis.¡± ¡°Oh,soI¡¯mstupidforwantingtoavengemypack?¡± ¡°Thisisyourpack,¡±Iroared.¡°Andno,youarejustifiedinwantinghimdead,butyouarebeinpletelyrash.Andyouarebeingignorant ifyouthinkI¡¯mjustgoingtoletyouleaveme.¡± Shepulledatthesuitcaseagain,butIhelditfirmlyince.SheredatmewithanangerI¡¯dneverseendirectedatmebefore. ¡°Don¡¯t makemmandyou,¡±shehissed. Ifrozeasshockranthroughme.Myb*dywentnumbatherwords. ¡°Really?¡±Irepliedquietly.¡°That¡¯swhereyou¡¯regoingtotakethis?¡± Sheheldmy gaze.Iwaited,butshedidn¡¯tbackdown.Iremovedmyhandfromthecase andsteppedaside. Icouldn¡¯tbelieveshethoughtmyactionswereworththatkindofbetrayal.Wedidn¡¯mandourmates.Weshouldneverhaveto. Commandswereatooltomaintainorderwithinapack.Nottomanipteourmembersto getwhatwewant.That¡¯swhy ourabilitytmandwastakenseriously.Itwasasacredgiftthatshouldneverbeabused.Wesureasf***didn¡¯ttakethatfreewillfrom ourmate. Becausethat¡¯swhatmandwas.That¡¯swhyitwaspainfultofightit.Shehadgrown morepowerfulinthepastfewweeks. Shewouldbeabletotake thatfromme. AbrushedpastmeandIfoughttostayonmyfeet.Mychest wassotightIcouldn¡¯tbreathe.Shehadcutoffourconnection. Blockingmefromfeelingherthroughourmatebond.TearsprickedmyeyesasItriedtocontroltheurgetograbandholdherhere. IwantedtotellherI¡¯dkillLloyd.We¡¯dgodownandI¡¯driphisthroatoutrightnow.IwantedtoscreamthatIwouldmakeitrightandbeghertostaywithme. Butmygutwasalsotellingmethat wouldbeamistake.That therewassomethingelse goingonwithA.IfIpushed her,wouldshestilmandme?CouldIriskhercrossingthatline?Would ourrtionshipwithstandthatdamage?WouldA? MyheadspunasItriedtomakesenseofwhatwashappening.Iwaitedtoheartheapartmentdoorclose.Waitedfortheloveofmylifeto walkoutonme.Again.ButIcouldn¡¯tevenpretendtoknowwhattherightthingtodowasthistime. Butthesoundnevercame. Thedoordidn¡¯topen. Itdidn¡¯tmshut. Ididn¡¯tevenheartheknobturn. Iswallowedthelumpinmythroatandturnedtowardthelivingroom.Igottotheendofthehall,IsawA.Shewasslumpedonthefloor bythedoor.Herbackwastomeandshewasstill.Islowlyapproachedher,sittingdownonthefloorbesideher. Ididn¡¯ttouchheruntilI sawherexpression.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Silenttearsfelldownhercheeks.Herfaceheldconfusionanddisbelief.Herb*dywasn¡¯tmoving,buthereyesweredartingaroundnklyashermind raced. ¡°I¡­¡±shewhispered.¡°I¡¯msorry.¡± Iexhaledheavily,gatheringherintomyarmsandholdingheragainstmychest.Herarmssnappedaroundmyneckassheclungto medesperately.Irockedherasshestartedtosob.Ishushedhergentlyasshecontinuedtoapologizeandbegfor myforgiveness. ¡°Baby,it¡¯sokay,¡±Isoothed.¡°I¡¯mhere.IpromiseI¡¯mrighthere.¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 51: A I froze when my hand touched the cold metal door handle. What the f*ck was I doing? I had blocked Theo from me in my anger, but he was stilling through to me. I could feel his turmoil and confusion. I could feel his pain. Pain that I caused. And for what? Because he wouldn¡¯t kill someone for me? Because he wouldn¡® t let me kill him? What kind of monster was I? A million questions and usations ran through my mind as my knees gave way, and I sunk to the hardwood floor. What the hell was wrong with me? Theo was right. This wasn¡¯t me. Throughout our entire fight, M knew what he was saying made sense. I knew we needed to keep him alive to get information. But my rage was so consuming that I didn¡¯t care. I hated Lloyd so much I felt like I was on fire. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what cleared my mind from that haze, but something had. Now, I just felt remorse and pain and fear. I was scared of how I just acted. I felt Theo next to me. I was scared of the damage I just did. I don¡¯t know how long it took for me to finally calm down. Theo just held me like he always did. Whenever I came close toposure, I thought about how amazing he was and another wave would hit me. When I finally felt like it had all passed, my body ached from crying and my face was thoroughly covered in tears and snot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Theo,¡± I said once more as I released my hold on him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to leave. I shouldn¡¯t have been mad at you. I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± Theo sighed, brushing my hair back and wiping my cheeks with his thumbs. ¡°You¡¯ve been overwhelmed, baby. You¡¯ve had a rough day. I think it¡¯s just time to call it and go to bed. And tomorrow, your life will be about the normal things, okay? School, work, friends, all those good things.¡± I nodded. I guess I needed that more than I thought. It was still a little painful to admit I couldn¡¯t handle it all, but I wouldn¡¯t let my pride risk this happening again. Theo lifted me to my feet and led me to the bedroom. He helped me change into pajamas and we crawled into bed together. I was exhausted but I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. I was pressed against Theo, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, but I still felt a subtle distance between us. He was still upset with 1. me. He sighed, resting his forehead on my head. ¡°A¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t threaten tomand me again,¡± he replied, ¡°please.¡± Horror and guilt washed through me as the weight of my threat hit me. ¡°Never again. I swear,¡± I said firmly. I squeezed him tighter, and he did the same. ¡°And please, please, don¡¯t ever f*cking leave me,¡± he begged. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I swear,¡± I repeated. He was quiet for a while. I thought he had fallen asleep when he spoke again. ¡°You know this will be worse for him.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, looking up at him. ¡°He will fight everymand,¡± he exined. ¡°It will be long and agonizing. I will promise you that. He will get what he deserves. And when he does die, he will die knowing he helped us defeat everything he was fighting for.¡± I didn¡¯t want to say it wasforting, but it was reassuring. And it brought me a small sense of peace. I snuggled in close to Theo once more and quickly drifted off to sleep. *** We had a slow morning the next day. It didn¡¯t have ss untilter, so Theo got up and made a big breakfast for us. The distance I had feltst night was gone and I felt a weight had been lifted off of me. We were nearly finished with our meal when there was a knock on our door. I looked at Theo and saw someone was linking him. ¡°It¡¯s Will and Kingston,¡± he said, pushing away from the table to go let them in. stood to follow, hanging back a little as he opened the door Chapter 51; A and invited them in. ¡°Good morning, A,¡± Kingston said kindly. They both looked terrible, especially Kingston. He must have been down in the cer all night. And by the looks of it, his temper had also gotten the better of him a time or two. There were various smatterings of blood on his clothes and his knuckles were bruised and split. Kingston followed my gaze and realized the state he was in. ¡°My apologies,¡± he sighed. ¡°I should have stopped to change.¡± ¡°No,¡± I insisted, taking a littlefort in what his appearance implied. ¡°Are you okay, though?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He gave me a small smile. ¡°I feel a bit better,¡± he replied wryly, flexing his fingers. The corners of my lips twitched. I was d he was getting some sense of justice as well. The Onyxcrown ughter had a far deeper impact on him than it ever would on me. He needed that experience with Lloyd. ¡°Were you able to get anything out of him?¡± Theo asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the couch. ¡°Not much,¡± Kingston said. ¡°He did elude to another attack on Sablemane soon. I tried to stay vague and taunting, but he gave away more than he realized. I¡¯m pretty sure I know where this is going down. I¡¯m going home to prepare.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s toying with you?¡± Theo asked.. ¡°Oh, he very well could be,¡± Kingston said with a shrug. ¡°But I Dividing into pages now still think I need to be there to handle whatever happens.¡± His eyes met mine. ¡°Besides, I think I need a little distance from him. Otherwise, it will be hard to keep from being someone I don¡¯t want to be anymore.¡± I understood what he was saying. I was d he was able to recognize that danger and step away. I would hate to see this turn him back into the person he was a couple months ago. He was better than that. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you all up to date on what is going on,¡± he said. ¡°Randy is already helping get some confirmation. He also said he would be making his way here soon. He wants to check this guy out as well. See if he can ce his rank within the Society.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°He told me.¡± He straightened up. ¡°Get some rest and clean up before you go. We¡¯ll have an escort ready to ensure you make it back to Sablemane territory safely.¡± Theo offered his hand, which Kingston epted, shaking it firmly. I followed by stepping in to give him a hug. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 52: Theo I stood at the sink in the bathroom for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm my anger. Turning on the tap, I started washing the blood from my hands. I had spent two hours in the cell with Lloyd. I didn¡¯t intend to get that physical with him yet, but he really was a vile bastard with a bad mouth. I pulled my shirt over my head and discarded it. I didn¡¯t want A to see me like that. We were both trying to keep her mind off the rogue locked in the cer. We did manage to find a ce for Denny, at least. I would be swearing him into the pack in a couple of days, and he would be moved to a halfway house nearby. It wasn¡¯t anything spectacr, but it was a hell of a lot better than what he was used to. And I trusted the woman who managed it. She was a genuinely kind soul who cared about her charges. If anyone could help Denny assimte into pack life, she could. I was dressed and presentable when I heard A arrive home. Zeff was in town, and I could hear them talking about something that had A in good spirits. I smiled in relief. I was d that I was able to mend things between Zeff and me, both as his Alpha and for A. If our n worked out, he would be spending more time with her soon. And while it seemed strange to be grateful for my mate to be in the company of an unmated male, I couldn¡¯t deny how important his friendship was to her. She needed that these days, and I was giving her something familiar and normal. She deserved that. I left the room and met them in the living room. A smiled Dividing into pages now O and met me with a kiss. She already seemed lighter and happier. ¡°Zeff,¡± I greeted, shaking his hand. ¡°I hear you have a proposition for me,¡± he said. ¡°That I do,¡± I said. ¡°If you have time, we can talk now. Or do you want to get settled in first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m free now,¡± he said. ¡°Great,¡± I replied. ¡°To start, I need to show you something.¡± ¡°You two go ahead,¡± A said. ¡°I¡¯m going to change and finish up a couple emails for school real quick. I¡¯ll meet you there.¡± She kissed my cheek before going to the bedroom. I led Zeff out of the packhouse and walked to a nearby house. It was one of the first built, so it was older and needed some updates anyway, which was part of the reason it was perfect. I unlocked the front door and Zeff followed me inside. It waspletely empty at the moment. We had already had the furnishing removed, with the exception of the beds and dressers in two of the three bedrooms upstairs. Everything else had been cleared out. Zeff was obviously confused but interested in what I was going to say. ¡°How is the magazine going?¡± I asked, taking him back to the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s going really well,¡± he said with pride. ¡°It¡¯s gotten off its feet sooner than we had expected.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it,¡± I said, leaning against the counter. ¡°A tells me you two have mostly been working out of each other¡® s homes so far. Have you guys thought about setting up a headquarters yet?¡± Zeff shrugged. ¡°It has been discussed. It hasn¡¯t been a priority yet, seeing as all of our contributors work remotely anyway.¡± I nodded. ¡°But that means you could set up anywhere, right? If the opportunity presented itself?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zeff answered slowly. ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°Good, because I would like for you to set it up right here,¡± | stated, indicating the house we were standing in. Zeff looked startled. ¡°May I ask why?¡± My lips twitched at his skepticism. ¡°I need your help. It¡¯s for A.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall. ¡°I know she¡¯s told you everything that¡¯s been going on,¡± I said. ¡°She trusts you explicitly. I won¡¯t try to deny that I haven¡¯t looked into you more to make sure her trust is well¨Cced, because I have.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hide it all that well,¡± he smirked. ¡°I had some people reach out.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t intending to,¡± I grinned back. It was a power move and he knew it. But he respected it and I liked that. ¡°But when ites to A, I trust you, too. I need that right now.¡± 1 motioned for him to follow me as I moved to a door off of the kitchen. It led down to a basement that already had Construction supplies stacked up. pages ¡°We need better ess to the cer,¡± I said. ¡°Something more discrete. So, we¡¯re building a tunnel entrance from here. It lines up well and is close enough that it shouldn¡¯t take long with a good team. However, that means this can no longer be used as a residence. I already have offices established for my business that Harmon runs in the city. I do everything else from the packhouse. So, we need a cover. As you said, most of your work is done remotely, so you wouldn¡¯t have a lot of trafficing in and out of the building. And again, I trust you to keep this secret. So, would you be willing to set up shop here?¡± Zeff thought for a few moments as he looked around the area. ¡°What all would this entail for me?¡± he asked. ¡°It would require a couple responsibilities on your part,¡± I said. ¡°Mostly just monitoring who ising and going, but arge part of that will be done by the security system. Other than that, we just need the company to upy the space. This also will give A a space outside of the packhouse to work. We¡¯ll turn the dining room and master bedroom into offices on the main floor. A third office on the second. The other two rooms I¡¯ll leave for you to do what you want. You can even live here if you like.¡± He had listened intently and considered the offer. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to Holly, of course,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s my partner. So she¡¯ll have to agree.¡± ¡°Does she know who A really is?¡± I asked sternly. Zeff shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he replied firmly. ¡°And she won¡¯t until you choose to tell her.¡± Dividing into pages now Chapter 52: Theo I nodded, feeling better about trusting him. 288 iVouchers ¡°Talk to her. You can bring her out to check things out. Tell her I¡¯m giving the office to A as a gift if you want,¡± I said. ¡°Just let me know what you decide.¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 53: A It had been three weeks since I had stepped back from the Waar Pak investigation. It had been hard at first. I kept feeling like I was being left out, which would manifest in mood swings. Theo would update me on anything I needed to know, which helped some. He still hadn¡¯t been able to get much out of Lloyd, but we weren¡¯t surprised that the process would take a while. Eventually, I settled into a normal routine that kept me busy enough that I could keep my mind off of the things I wasn¡¯t doing. I was still working on my dad¡¯s research with Professor Armand, but other than that, I hadn¡¯t touched Harry¡¯s journal or anything else. I was fi Recharge sessful! with school and really starting to enjoy my sses. I was even making more friends on campus. However, there was one thing that had been off. I was still getting sick. Ever since that night with Lloyd, I had been nauseous frequently. At first, it wasn¡¯t that bad, and I chalked it up to stress and knowing he was still there. I had started using some herbal remedies that had helped for the most part, but for the past couple of days, it had gotten worse. ¡°Okay, A,¡± Maggie said from outside the stall door as I hung my head over the toilet. ¡°It¡¯s time to face it.¡± ¡°I know. I know,¡± I groaned, flushing the contents of my stomach down the drain. Dividing into pages now I left the stall and rinsed my mouth at the sink while Maggie offered me a cool, damp paper towel for my face. ¡°We¡¯ll stop by the pharmacy on the way back,¡± she said. ¡°When is Alpha done today?¡± ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t be back untilte,¡± I said, sounding more bitter than I had meant. He hadn¡¯t been workingte a lot, but he always seemed to have bad timing when he did. With me being sick, Dasha had been in a weird mood that had us both feeling unusually clingy. So, when Theo wasn¡¯t close by, I would get annoyed, especially since he had been evasive about where he had been going. He said he was working on a project with thepany from the office in the city while Harmon was still in town. But whenever I asked, I could feel something through our bond. It made me feel like he was hiding something. I didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Luna,¡± Maggie said, hooking her arm in mine. ¡°It¡¯s time to get some answers.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I let Maggie drive because my stomach was still queasy. We had made our pit stop and were back home in my suite in less than an hour. I immediately flopped down on the couch, trying to breathe through the nausea. ¡°Nuh¨Cuh,¡± Maggie said as she dropped the paper bag on my Jap. ¡°Go. Now.¡± Thuffed dramatically. Dragging myself off the couch, I carried the bag to the hall bathroom with me. I shut the door and pulled out the box with the pregnancy test. I looked at it in my hands and a wave of emotions flooded through me. Dividing into pages now Chapter 53: A 288 Vouchers I didn¡¯t know why I had been avoiding this. Maybe because I didn¡¯t know how I would feel about the results. No. That¡¯s not true. I knew how I would feel. I would be ecstatic to be having Theo¡¯s pup. Over thest few weeks especially, he had shown me just how amazing he would be as a father. He had been taking care of me so well. And I knew how much having kids meant to him. Not to mention what it would mean to his parents. I would be over the moon to be able to give Torin his wish. But there was anxiety there as well. Despite the break from the Waar Pak investigation, I still knew the threat was still very real. It felt like I constantly had a target on my back. It felt irresponsible to have a pup while that kind of danger loomed over our heads. And what if I wasn¡¯t? Sure, getting pregnant on your first heat after a mating wasn¡¯t guaranteed, but it was pretty damnmon. If I wasn¡¯t, then what if that meant something was wrong? I had been taking wolfsbane for over a week when I went into heat. What if that did something to prevent it? I guess that didn¡¯t matter at this point. All I could do was take the test, get the results, and go from there. I tore the box open and grabbed the stick. When I was done, I carried it back out to the living room without even looking at 1. it. ¡°We have a few minutes before it¡¯s ready,¡± I said when Maggie looked at me expectantly. I set the test stick on the coffee table face down and paced, Dividing into pages now chewing on a fingernail as I did so. Dasha was practically giggling in the back of my mind. ¡®Well, you¡¯re not telling me anything,¡® I shot at her. ¡®Not sure,¡® she replied. Although I had a feeling that wasn¡¯t true. Ever since Maggie had suggested I could be pregnant a week ago, she had been acting smug whenever I asked her what she felt. Even though she would deny knowing anything. Werewolves had shorter pregnancies than humans like the way we healed faster, our pups developed faster as well so she should have been able to tell something by now. ¨C ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Luna,¡± Maggie assured me. ¡°This is a good thing. Great, even.¡± I sighed with a lightugh. ¡°I know,¡± I said. She came over and grabbed my hands. ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡± I nodded. ¡°I kind of really hope that you are,¡® she said almost giddily with a broad smile. My face quickly mirrored hers as I admitted my own feelings to myself. ¡°Me too.¡± She nced at her watch. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± I nodded and took a deep breath. ¡°You do it.¡± /¨C ?? Maggie leaned over and picked up the device, turning it over to read the result. Dividing into pages now Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 54: Theo I stopped by the office to put the ns in the safe before heading back to the apartment. Thest thing I wanted was for A to stumble across them. It had been hard keeping the secret from her, but it would be worth it. ¡°Hey, babe,¡± I called as I entered the apartment. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± Something felt different. I paused for a moment, trying to gauge the feeling, but I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t ce it as good or bad, just different, which was strange in itself. ¡°A?¡± She wasn¡¯t in the kitchen or the living room. I could sense her close by, and she said she was home when I messaged her a little while ago. It waster than I had expected, so I figured she may have gone to bed already. However, she would usually wait up for me. She hadn¡¯t been thrilled when I told her I would be outte again that evening. Was she mad at me? I went to the bedroom, but she wasn¡¯t there, either. I heard a thump and a muf fled curse. My brow furrowed. I looked down the hall and saw the door to one of the spare rooms ajar. I opened it to find chaos. There were boxes sca ttered around the floor. Everything had been removed from the surfaces of the furniture and packed away. Every frame was taken down from the walls and tucked into the boxes. The sheets had been stripped from the bed, and A was currently trying to move one of the nightstands. ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡± I asked amusedly. She jumped slightly. She must have really been focused and hadn¡¯t noticed mee in. ¡°Oh, good, Theo,¡± she said, waving me over. ¡°Come help me move this.¡± Kieran was bouncing in anticipation. A had been having weird mood swingstely, and he had been overly sensitive to them. Tonight, I could definitely tell he knew something was up. ¡°And where am I moving it to?¡± I replied as I closed the distance. ¡°The other spare room for now,¡± she indicated. ¡°I¡¯ll have some pack memberse and move them out tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But why? You said you liked how Mom decorated the ce and didn¡¯t want to change it.¡± A¡¯s attention finally settled on me. I hadn¡¯t realized she had been partially blocking our connection until she opened up, and I nearly fell to my knees from the strength of her emotions. I reached out and held her face, holding her gaze as she worked to tell me whatever it was she needed to. ¡°Well¡­¡± she began, ¡°I believe pups prefer a crib to a bed and maybe some brighter colors.¡± I froze. Did she mean¡­? Was she¡­? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°A, are you¡­?¡± I stammered. ¡°Are we having¡­?¡± She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. My lips mmed into hers. Joyousughter bubbled up as I tasted her. I lifted her off the ground, wrapping her legs around my waist as I carried her to our bedroom. She tugged at my clothes, her arousal filling my senses as we fell onto the nkets. We were undressed in record time, and she moaned happily as I slid into her entrance. I paused, still buried to the hilt, as I gazed down at my perfect mate. I calmed myself from my frenzied state before I gently rocked in and out of her. I kissed along her skin, savoring the feel of it against mine. I worshipped her glorious body as I worked to bring her as much pleasure as she had given me. I felt her tighten firmly around me, demanding my release as she cried my name. I fell onto the mattress, panting as I held her tightly against me. ¡°I love you, A,¡± I said. ¡°I love you more than words can say. You have made me happier than I ever deserved.¡± She giggled against my chest. ¡°I love you, too, Theo. And you deserve every ounce of joy I can give you.¡± I pulled the nkets up over us, tucking us in as I looked down at A¡¯s beautiful face again. I trailed my knuckles along her cheek, weaving my fingers through her hair before trailing them down her neck. I paused for a moment to trace her mark before my hand made its way to rest on her belly. I slid down the bed, kissing her stomach. ¡°And you¡¯re sure?¡± I asked. Sheughed. ¡°After five pregnancy tests, yeah,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ m pretty sure.¡± Her fingersbed through my hair as my heady on her abdomen. I inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent in that perfect moment. Goddess, she was so f**king perfect. Images of what our pup would look like, whether they would be a boy or girl, and all the things we would do with them were circling through my mind when A finally spoke again. ¡°And you¡¯re sure you still want this?¡± she asked quietly. My head snapped up in utter confusion. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want this, A?¡± She sighed, avoiding my eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone a lottely, and¡­¡¯ ¡°Baby, stop,¡± I interrupted. I moved back up the bed to face her. Could she really believe that I had been outte because I didn¡¯t want to be with her? Now that I knew she was pregnant, it exined her mood swings and attachment lately. I knew her hormones were messing with her, but could she convince herself I didn¡¯t want her anymore? That I didn¡¯t want children with her anymore? ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this more than anything since the moment I came to my f**king senses and epted you, A,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You, and now our pup, are everything to me, baby. My entire world. Do you understand me?¡± She nodded with a smile. I kissed her deeply and passionately, enforcing my words. ¡°Get some sleep,¡± I whispered. ¡°I want to take you somewhere in the morning.¡± It was time I showed her my secret. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 55: A Theo woke me up the next morning with a bubble bath waiting for me. Once I was in and rxing, he told me to take my time and that he¡¯d be back soon. Emphasizing that he would be in the packhouse and to just mind-link him if I needed anything. I remembered he said he wanted to take me somewhere the night before but refused to tell me anything when I asked about it. He just told me I would know soon enough, and I¡¯d have to trust him. I chuckled as I watched him leave. He seemed nervous. But a good, excited, nervous. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of my pregnancy or whatever he had nned for the day. Possibly a little of both. Either way, I wasn¡¯t worried. The level of happiness passing between our mate bond was more than enough to keep me calm. When I was done soaking, I got dressed and spent some time making myself look nice. Nothing much, just spending a little time more time on my hair and makeup than I usually did. When I was satisfied, I stood in front of the mirror and looked myself over. My hand instinctively went to my stomach. I wondered what Theo would think when I was big and round in a few months. Dasha lingered smugly and contently in my mind. She had enjoyed every second of our mate doting on us. ¡®Mate thinks we¡¯re beautiful. Mate happy,¡¯ she cooed with This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. pride. I giggled softly. ¡®I would hope so. He did his job well.¡¯ ¡®Dasha happy,¡¯ she replied. ¡®Me, too,¡¯ I concurred. I heard Theo return and went to greet him. We bumped into each other in the hall as we were both heading for each other. Weughed as we kissed, my arms going around his neck as he held me close. ¡°You ready?¡± he asked, brushing his nose against mine. ¡°Mhmm,¡± I nodded. ¡°Great.¡± With his arm around my waist, he led me through the packhouse and out the front entrance. His car was already parked at the door ready for us. Theo opened my door but stopped me before I got in. ¡°Turn around,¡± he said with a mischievous grin. ¡°Why?¡± I asked cautiously. ¡°Just turned around,¡± he chuckled. I sighed but did as he said. My vision suddenly went dark as soft fabric covered my eyes. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°This stays on until I tell you,¡± he said as he tied the blindfold securely. ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± He kissed my cheek and guided me into the front seat. ¡°Absolutely.¡± The door shut and Theo was climbing in next to me within a few seconds. I heard the enginee to life, and we were on our way¡­ to wherever the heck we were on our way to. ¡°You¡¯re really not going to tell me what this is all about, are you?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope,¡± he replied. I wracked my brain, trying to think of where he could be taking me. ¡°We¡¯re going to your parents¡¯, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he repeated. ¡°And you¡¯ll never guess, so you might as well think of something else to discuss.¡± I crossed my arms over my chest with a huff, resisting the urge to pull the blindfold off. ¡°Fine.¡± Theo chuckled, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. I could feel how excited he was, and it was so adorable. I didn¡¯t want to ruin that for him. So, I rxed back in the seat and went along for the ride. ¡°We will have to tell your parents soon,¡± I said. ¡°My mother would kill me if I kept this from her, so I definitely agree.¡± ¡°I ¡°But I want to hold off a little before we formally announce it to the pack,¡± I said. ¡°Get a little further along. Maybe closer to our ceremony.¡± ¡°I can live with that,¡± Theo said. ¡°However, I can¡¯t say I can do anything about the rumors once you start to show.¡± Iughed. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to be a miracle worker,¡± I said. We drove a little longer, but it didn¡¯t seem far when we stopped, and Theo cut the engine. ¡°Wait here a moment, babe,¡± he said as he kissed the back of my hand. ¡°And don¡¯t touch that blindfold. I mean it.¡± I chuckled. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll leave it be,¡± I said. ¡°Just hurry up.¡¯ He kissed my neck before getting out, leaving me in darkness. I could hear him get something out of the trunk of the car before listening to him walk away. I cracked the door open and took a deep breath. It may have been cheating, but I wasn¡¯t breaking my promise. We definitely weren¡¯t in the city anymore. The air was fresh and clean, with the smell of fall trees around us. It was also quiet, only the sound of nature filling my ears. It was peaceful wherever we were. Finally, Theo returned and pulled my door open all the way. He took my hands and tugged me out of the car. With his hands on my hips, he walked me to whatever spot he had picked out. ¡°Ready?¡± he whispered from behind me. ¡°Yes,¡± I insisted eagerly. He tugged at the tie of the fabric and the blindfold fell away. We were in a clearing surrounded by trees. Arge pond butted up against the stretch ofnd, and fall wildflowers were growing along the treeline. It was a gorgeous space. Right in front of me was a nket with a pic spread out on top. At the end of the nket, there was a board set up. Pinned to it were blueprints. ¡°What is this?¡± I asked. ¡°This is our home,¡± he said gently, holding back his excitement and nervousness. ¡°Or it will be when I¡¯m done building it.¡¯ ¡± ¡°What?¡± I turned to him. ¡°Do you like thend?¡± he asked urgently. ¡°I know I probably should have asked you, but I saw the property for sale, and I thought of you. I know how much you like the water. And it¡¯s not so far from the city. And the blueprints aren¡¯t set in stone. We have plenty of time to make any changes you want, babe. It¡¯s all whatever you want.¡± I threw my arms around his neck, my mouth taking his. ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been up to when you wereing homete?¡± I asked as I pulled away. He nodded sheepishly. ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise.¡± 7 I kissed him again. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Chapter 56: Kylee ¡°Hey, Carrie, do you mind if I take my break? Ma¡¯s calling,¡± I said as I clicked the vibrating phone in my pocket. I didn¡¯t have to look at it. Ma was the only one who called me these days. ¡°All my tables are good.¡± ¡°Sure, go right ahead,¡± she replied with a smile. I headed through the kitchen and out the back door. I dialed Ma again. ¡°Hey, Ma, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I was just wondering if you were going to be home in time for my call with A,¡± she said. I winced. I had told her I would try to be there this time, but I had been in a better mood that day. Therapy was going well, and I thought I was progressing better in dealing with my situation. But now that the time hade, I wasn¡¯t so sure I was ready. I hadn¡¯t spoken with A since she went back home to the Greytooth Pack. I hadn¡¯t expected to hear from her. She made our position perfectly clear, and I couldn¡¯t me her. But I missed her terribly. I couldn¡¯t count the times I wanted to pick up the phone to call her and tell her about my day. However, I would always be left feeling awful, as it was mostly just toin. It really made me realize how often I did that with her over the years. I had worked through that with Dr. Whitham. She actually had me excited about talking to her again. But then I got an email from an old friend back home. I sent her my new number and had been texting. Apparently, A was doing really well. She was thriving in her new role. She was thriving with Theo. Finding that out made the prospect 0.00% 10:29 1288 Vouchers of talking with her more daunting. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I was truly happy to know she was doing so well, especially after everything we all had put her through. The same went for Theo. I was surprised to realize that I was d to hear A was making him so happy. It was a big step for me. I was getting over him and moving on. But then I thought about what I would actually say to A. She was flourishing and here I was¡­ moping. Yes, moping. I was still feeling sorry for myself. It was still something I couldn¡¯t get over just yet. And I didn¡¯t think I could handle her seeing that. ¡°We¡¯re pretty busy right now,¡± I told Ma. ¡°I only have a minute to call you back. So, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll make it back in time.¡± ¡°We can wait for you,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯m sure A won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± I a s s u r e d her. ¡°You just give her a call. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll try to call herter.¡± Ma paused. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied doubtfully. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you get back to work. Love you.¡± ¡°Love you, too,¡± I said. Right as I hung up, the alley door opened and Carrie popped her head out. ¡°Your special friend is here,¡± she cooed, waggling her eyebrows. ¡°I put back in booth one for you.¡± I sighed. ¡°He¡¯s not my friend, Carrie,¡± I said, following her inside. ¡°He¡® s just a regr.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s not interested in being my special friend,¡± she said. ¡°So, I suggest you take the opportunity. You could use a good night out.¡± I shook my head. She was talking about Derek, the guy who moved here recently. He had beening to the diner multiple times a week and would only sit in my section. He had asked me on a date more than once, but I always declined. He was really nice and very attractive. But he wasn¡¯t my mate. I had learned my lesson and had no interest in a rtionship with anyone who wasn¡¯t my mate. And I wasn¡¯t ready for anything casual at the moment. Although, I had to actively remind myself of that fact every time I saw him. Tonight was no different. He was sitting in the booth looking incredible in a nice blue button¨Cup and cks. The color made his blue eyes pop as he perused the menu as if he didn¡¯t know it by heart by now. My stomach did a flip, and I had to clear my throat to pull myself back to reality before making my way to his table. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Hey, Derek,¡± I said brightly, cing his regr soda on the table in front of him. ¡°Did youe from work again?¡± He looked up at me with a huge smile. ¡°Well, there¡¯s my favorite girl,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, my boss is really pushing for this deal to go through soon.¡± ¡°He works you too hard,¡± I replied. ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s just him wanting this to go through,¡± he said cheekily. ¡°If this works out, my boss wants me to be the head of the new location. So, it looks like I¡¯ll be moving here more permanently.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I said, surprised. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to let me take you on a date,¡± he insisted. ¡°Distance won¡¯t be an issue anymore.¡± My mouth fell open. ¡°Derek, we¡¯ve¡­¡± ¡°Come on, Kylee,¡± he interrupted, reaching out to brush his fingers along my wrist. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anyone to celebrate with. This is a big step in my career. I sighed, unable to ignore how nice his touch felt. ¡°Alright,¡± I said, ¡°IF you close the deal and IF you get the promotion, I¡® ll celebrate with you.¡± His smile broadened and he squeezed my arm gently. ¡°But only as friends,¡± I insisted, despite leaning in closer to him. uncontrobly. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied wryly. I took his order and walked back to the kitchen to give it to the cooks, the whole time wondering what I had just gotten myself into. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 57: Theo A and I were trying desperately to hide our excitement throughout the entire dinner. As I looked around the table at my parents and Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Briggs and Mina, it was getting harder and harder not to just blurt it out. The fact that Mina had been eyeing A suspiciously all evening didn¡¯t help. Thankfully, it was the end of the meal. I didn¡¯t have to wait any longer. ¡®Are you sure you don¡¯t want to wait for Jimmy,¡® A linked me. ¡®No, he said he likely wasn¡¯t going to make it,¡® I said, disappointed. ¡®But he insisted there was something important he had to do.¡® ¡®Okay,¡® she replied. ¡®You ready?¡® ¡®Are you kidding?¡® I teased, throwing my arm around her shoulder. She elbowed me subtly before clearing her throat to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°So, Grace,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have some bad news.¡¯ ¡°Oh?¡± Mom replied, the atmosphere dropping slightly. ¡± ¡°You know the dress we had picked out for the ceremony?¡± A stated. ¡°Well, I think we¡¯re going to have to return it. I don¡¯t think the style is going to be appropriate anymore.¡± ¡°Honey, what are you talking about?¡± Mom said, not catching on that she was trying to tell her something else. ¡°The dress looks stunning on you. It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°Now, perhaps,¡± A continued. ¡°But I think I need something that will be a bit more¡­ amodating.¡± She looked at me with a wry grin and I kissed her temple. ¡°My figure isn¡¯t going to be the same by the solstice. I¡¯ll probably be a bit¡­ rounder.¡± The room went silent for a moment as everyone let her words sink in. A huge smile slowly spread across Mina¡¯s face. ¡°I knew something was up,¡± she eximed. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant!¡± My mate and I looked at each other again, pure happiness flowing between us. ¡°Yes,¡± A replied. Mina jumped up from her seat and was around the table in a nanosecond, hugging A tightly. My mother was covering her mouth as tears of joy began to well in her eyes. Briggs and my father were up and pping my back in congrattions. Over the next five to ten minutes, more smiles and embraces were exchanged than I had experienced since I didn¡¯t know when. ¡°Okay, Dad,¡± I said as he squeezed A happily. ¡°Let¡¯s not crush my mate and pup.¡± ¡°I think the pup will be just fine, babe,¡± Aughed. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her to me. Mom came up and grabbed her hands. ¡°We¡¯ll go back to the dress shop as soon first thing¡­¡± Suddenly, our door mmed open. We all turned to see Jimmy standing in the doorway, panting and looking disheveled. ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem,¡± he burst out. He looked back into the hall behind him, checking in all directions before shutting and locking the bolt beforeing in and copsing on the couch. He was wearing sweatpants and a T¨Cshirt but no shoes. He must have shifted to get here. A rushed to get him a ss of water, handing it to him as he caught his breath. ¡°What happened?¡± I insisted, feeling his anxiety. ¡°I found a meeting,¡± he said. ¡°I suspected a local group of having ties to the Waar Pak. Caught wind of a get¨Ctogether happening tonight. So I showed up.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Waar Pak, alright,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯te out and im the name. At least not yet. Right now they are referring to themselves as Purists, but what they¡¯re spouting is pure Waar Pak rhetoric.¡± ¡°Did you get names?¡® I asked. Jimmy looked at me gravely. ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied with a nod. ¡°A few actually. Sarah Walport¡¯s man, John, was there. I know you were worried about him. But¡­ the real problem is the sheriff.¡± ¡°What?¡± I hissed, my fists clenching in rage. Jimmy nodded in confirmation. ¡°I got a good look before someone recognized me. I didn¡¯t raise any gs at first. But someone voiced my loyalty to Luna and that caused some issues. Theo, they weren¡¯t just trying to run me out of the meeting. If I hadn¡¯t gotten away¡­ well, I¡¯m not sure exactly what they would have done with me, but it wouldn¡¯t have been to just let me walk away. They¡¯re nning something they want to keep secret. We need to move fast before they scatter.¡± I cursed as Briggs started mind¨Clinking those we knew were loyal to us. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. ¡°We need Randy here,¡± I said, dialing his contact. ¡°Yeah?¡± he answered. ¡°You somewhere private?¡± I asked ¡°Hey, man,¡± he replied casually. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can but what¡¯s the n?¡± He must have been in the field and couldn¡¯t talk freely. ¡°Just get here as soon as you can,¡± I said, keeping it vague. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± he replied before hanging up. By the time I hung up, Maggie was knocking at our door. ¡°Maggie, you¡¯re with us tonight.¡± I held A¡¯s face in my hands. ¡°I need you to stay here with my parents, babe. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to try anything tonight, but I¡¯m not about to risk anything. Don¡¯t leave the apartment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± she said, reaching up to kiss me. ¡°Just be careful, please. You¡¯re just as much a target as I am now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said gently. ¡°Nothing will keep me froming home to you both.¡± ¡°The warriors are gathering outside the packhouse,¡± Briggs said, holding Mina to his chest. ¡°They should all be there within the next fifteen minutes. We should get moving.¡± I nodded before turning back to Jimmy. ¡°You still got some energy left in you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m sitting this one out if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± he said, rising from the couch. ¡°Good,¡± I said. I kissed A one more time, firmly and thoroughly. ¡°I love you. Both of you.¡± She smiled gently. ¡°I love you, too.¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Chapter 58: Theo We met our men outside to set a n. ¡°Briggs and I will be going to the sheriff¡¯s house. Jimmy, you take a few wolves back to the meeting spot and see who you can track down from there,¡± Imanded. ¡°The rest of you split up into groups of three. Jimmy will link you any names he has. Start at their houses and hunt them down from there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t attack unless they do,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Until we understand their loyalties, they are only to be questioned. They are still our pack members.¡± ¡°Let me know as soon you have them in custody,¡± I said. Briggs and I headed to my car and I sped out of the parking lot. I hoped I was hiding my rage as well as I hoped I was. Sherrif Hawkins was a veteran from my father¡¯s time as Alpha. We had had our disagreements in the past. He had always been a bit old¨Cfashioned. But he didn¡¯t have enough power to do any harm and he was loyal ¨C or so I thought ¨C so our differences didn¡¯t seem like enough to take a man¡¯s position. That would change now. ¡°Theo, you understand how delicate this situation is, right?¡± Briggs said, his eyes falling on my white¨C knuckled grip on the steering wheel. ¡°If he¡¯s not speaking out against you as Alpha¡­¡± ¡°Loyalty to their Lunaes hand¨Cin¨Chand with loyalty to me,¡± I said through gritted teeth/ ¡°Hawkins is loyal to your family¡­¡± ¡°A is my family,¡± I interjected. ¡°Theo, I¡¯m trying really hard not to point out the obvious, but her taking the role as Luna hasn¡¯t exactly been universally epted,¡± Briggs shot back. He was talking about what I had done with Kylee. The rumors that had spread after A and my rtionship came out would have caused doubts in A¡¯s character. I thought I had put those doubts to rest, but I guess we hadn¡¯t been as thorough as I had hoped. ¡°Right now, we just need to get to Hawkins and find out what the f*ck he¡¯s nning,¡± I said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Briggs said. I pulled into the clubhouse parking lot of Hawkins¡® neighborhood and parked around the back where it was dark. I wasn¡¯t sure if he would be home yet and I didn¡¯t want to tip him off if he came back after us. We walked the short distance to his house, keeping out of sight as much as possible. The ce was quiet and all the lights were off. ¡°His mate¡¯s car is in the garage,¡± Briggs said as he peered through the windows. I knocked on the door. After a couple of tries, I heard movement from inside. A momentter, Ang, his mate, opened the door. ¡°Alpha?¡± she said worriedly. ¡°What are you doing here? Is something wrong? Has something happened to Bill?¡± ¡°May wee in?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. I didn¡¯t really wait for an answer and was already on the foyer, listening for any signs the Hawkins was actually there somewhere. I didn¡¯t sense anything. The house appeared to be in order as well, so I didn¡¯t think he had alreadye and gone. Besides, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d leave his mate behind if he was going to run. ¡°Don¡¯t turn the lights on,¡± Briggs said, stopping Ang as she reached for the switch. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked again, pulling her robe tighter around her. ¡°Do you know what your mate has been up totely?¡± I replied. ¡°Outside of his job requirements, that is.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± she said. ¡°Ang,¡± I warned. She was lying. It was obvious. She recoiled slightly, her shoulders falling. ¡°Whatever he is doing, it¡¯s to protect you and your family.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± I snapped. ¡°Do you know what he is involved in?¡± Imanded. ¡°All I know is that someone came to him with information on a threat to the¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Ang,¡± a voice burst through the room. Bill Hawkins emerged from the shadows of a back room. I had sensed hime in the back door. ¡°Alpha Theo, Beta Briggs. I a s s u m e you¡¯re looking for me.¡± It took everything in my power not tounch myself across the room at him. ¡°Sit,¡± I forced through gritted teeth, indicating the chair Briggs had 46.11% moved to the middle of the room.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Hawkins did as he was told. ¡°I would like to start off by saying that my loyalty to you or your father has not changed, Alpha Theo,¡± he said. ¡°Then why did my Gamma find you in a meeting plotting against our Luna?¡± Ang gasped from the corner. Bill shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s not our Luna, sir.¡± I advanced toward him, but Briggs stopped me. ¡°A Garner is Alpha Theo¡¯s fated mate,¡± Briggs said, holding my shoulder firmly. ¡°She is our destined Luna. What makes you think she¡¯ s not? Who has told you otherwise?¡± ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Hawkins replied coolly. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I spat. ¡°You epted and announced Kylee Garner as your mate and Luna,¡± he insisted. ¡°For over a year, she was your fated mate¡­¡± ¡°She was never my fated mate,¡± I bellowed. ¡°I never once said that.¡± ¡°Then why does half the pack believe that?¡± ¡°Kylee lied,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Regardless, Theo has marked A. She is fulfilling the role in an exceptional way. Why question her legitimacy? What kind of threat is she supposed to be?¡± ¡°A¡¯s the one lying, sir,¡± he said confidently. ¡°She has done something to manipte her way into being our Luna. I know you don¡® t want to hear it, but it¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°You have no idea what the truth is, Hawkins,¡± I stated, ¡°Kylee is the one who manipted her way into my life. I was stupid and blind. She¡® s anything but worthy of being a Luna. If you truly knew anything about either of them, you¡¯d see that.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Hawkins replied. ¡°Let¡¯s say Kylee isn¡¯t your fated mate either. If she was capable of manipting you like that, why wouldn¡¯t you believe A was also capable of it as well?¡± Briggs grabbed me again. ¡°We know exactly who A is,¡± he confirmed. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to entertain the contrary. All we want to know is who told you she was a threat and why you believe them over your Alpha.¡± ¡°Because her father set you up.¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Chapter 59: Theo I wasn¡¯t even going to consider this conversation. It was pure nonsense. But whoever wasing after us, they were getting closer. And smarter. I needed Hawkins to talk. ¡°If this is so concerning to you, why note to me or my father? Why skulk around behind our back?¡± I asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have listened,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s marked you, Alpha. You won¡¯t listen to reason now.¡± ¡°And what reason is that?¡± I ground out, trying hard to maintain control. ¡°What was her father trying to aplish by making her my Luna?¡± Hawkins shook his head. ¡°They want to take control. She wants to get rid of all the Alphas. To be queen.¡± I ran a hand over my face, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Do you know how ridiculous you sound?¡± I said. ¡°I said you wouldn¡¯t listen,¡± Hawkins replied. ¡°If this was true, why me?¡± I asked. ¡°Why the Greytooth Pack? We¡¯re far from the most powerful pack. We may have one of the biggest territories but there are several other packs that outnumber us. Not to mention resources. So, why me?¡± Hawkins made a face. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure about,¡± he admitted. ¡°However, your family is one of the most respected. Your line of Alphas is long and well¨Cestablished. You have more allies than most of the other packs. That would give her ess to a lot of trust.¡± 0.00% ¡°Okay, Hawkins,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s say you weren¡¯t tantlymitting treason against your Alpha. For now, let¡¯s say I believe you.¡± Briggs gave me a burning look, but I ignored it. ¡°Who has given you all of this information? Who are you working with?¡± Hawkins grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, sir.¡± ¡°I can make you tell me, Hawkins,¡± I insisted. And if I couldn¡¯t, that would mean he was under the command and A could break that. ¡°No, that¡¯s just it,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t have a name. He is very secretive. I¡® ve never actually seen his face.¡± ¡°Then why trust him over me? Over my father? You want me to listen to what you call reason, but you have nothing to go on.¡± ¡°I have evidence,¡± he said. ¡°I have research. Anything you want to know, I can get you.¡± I looked to Briggs, nodding for him to step outside with me. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Imanded Hawkins and his mate. Briggs followed me outside where I immediately started to take deep breathes. ¡®You don¡¯t actually believe this, do you?¡® he linked me. We still couldn¡¯t risk them overhearing our conversation. ¡®Of course I don¡¯t,¡® I snapped back. ¡®All of this is ridiculous. It¡¯s a ploy to turn our pack members against A. But if Hawkins thinks we believe him, even a little, it could give us another angle to get to the Waar Pak.¡± ¡®True, but it¡¯s going to be difficult,¡® Briggs said. ¡®He¡¯s not going to by that you ept him at his word. You two don¡¯t have the greatest track record.¡® ¡®No, it won¡¯t,¡® I said. ¡®But if he¡¯s being honest about believing he¡¯s protecting us, then he will eventually.¡® ¡®Do you really think he¡¯s telling the truth about that?¡® Briggs asked. ¡®Or do you think this is an opportunity for him?¡® ¡®Both,¡¯ I said. ¡®But Hawkins isn¡¯t power¨Chungry. He wants respect, and to be the smartest person in the room. I¡¯m not surprised that they got to him. If he believes he has some special, secret information about anything, he¡¯s going to cling to it. But I¡¯m hoping we can use that against them, just like they tried to.¡® Briggs nodded in agreement. ¡®In the meantime, I¡¯m calling McCabe back up here,¡¯ I said. ¡®I want him to be the acting sheriff for the time being. I don¡¯t want to trust anyone already established in the force.¡® ¡®Agreed.¡® Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. We went back inside. I was feeling more calm. I felt more worry than anger. I sat back down on the couch, keeping my expression unreadable. ¡°I want all the information you have,¡± I stated. ¡°You will be stripped of your position and both of you will be on house arrest until I say otherwise.¡± ¡°But, sir¡­¡± ¡°Be d you¡¯re not dead where you sit,¡± I snarled. ¡°Whether you agree with it or not, regardless of whatever you believe about her, as of right now, A is my mate and your Luna. Whatever good deed you believed you were doing is moot. So, until I get to the bottom of this, Vouchers you will be under constant guard. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they both said in unison. We left the house and I called a few warriors toe stand guard. I checked in with Jimmy. They were able to grab a few of the attendees. I told him to take them to the precinct. We still didn¡¯t know how serious their involvement was. I didn¡¯t want them tipping the Waar Pak off about our investigation if we were forced to let anyone go. I climbed back into my car and put my head in my hands. ¡°What the f*ck is going on, Briggs?¡± I said. ¡°How do we fight this?¡± ¡°The same way we have been, man,¡± he said with a sigh. He was quiet for a moment and I could tell there was something on his mind. ¡°What is it?¡± He made a face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°There are just some more things that don¡¯t add up. Maybe Randy can help us out, but I¡¯d like to take a look at Jack¡¯s research myself. Do you think A would be okay with that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask her,¡± I replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t see there being any issue. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s something you said,¡± he exined. ¡°Why you? If Jack had some nefarious n, why target you? He could have put in the path of any Alpha. Hell, Kingston makes a hell of a lot more sense than you. I think that¡¯s something we should focus on. ¡± I thought about it for a moment and it did start to make sense. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°You take the lead on that then. I¡¯ll deal with the Waar Pak recruits.¡± Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 60: A I was pacing the room as I waited for some kind of news. It was already passed midnight and we hadn¡¯t heard from anyone what was going on. ¡°A, sit down, please,¡± Mina said. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°To say what?¡± I asked. ¡°How I¡¯m causing even more trouble for everyone?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not true, sweetheart,¡± Grace insisted. ¡°You haven¡¯t caused any of this. It¡¯s the Waar P ak.¡± ¡°But they wouldn¡¯t be doing any of this if it wasn¡¯t for me,¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve found any evidence that they¡¯re so concerned about Kylee and she¡¯s my sister. She has the same blood I do. No¡± ¨C I shook my head ¨C ¡°they only care about me.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s your¡­¡± The front door opened and Theo, Briggs, and Jimmy walked in. I breathed a sigh of relief as Theo and I fell into an embrace. I could feel the tension rolling off of him but he was physically in the same shape as he had left. Theo led me to the couch. He kept his arm around me as he informed us about the night¡¯s events. ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing what we¡¯re doing,¡± I said when he was finished. ¡°We need to be more proactive about this. It¡¯s time the Waar P ak became our priority.¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Alpha Torin said. ¡°Well, first, I¡¯m going to put college on hold for a little while,¡± I said. I raised a hand when Theo went to protest. ¡°No, it¡¯s time we face that it needs to be done. I¡¯ll have more timeter when all of this is over. Second, I¡¯m going to be working closer with Luna Grace. M?ke more of an effort to get out and let people see me in the Luna role.¡± ¡°I think that would be very beneficial,¡± Alpha Torin agreed with me. ¡°We¡¯ll get all of that figured out tomorrow,¡± Theo interjected. ¡°For now, I think we all need to sleep on this. We¡¯re all exhausted and will be making better decisions in the morning. Why don¡¯t we meet in my office around ten?¡± Everyone acknowledged their agreement and started to make their way out. When they were all gone, Theo took my hand and led me back to our bedroom. He sat me down on the edge of the bed and knelt down in front of me. His arms wrapped around my waist and heid his head on my chest, holding me tightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Theo?¡± I asked gently as I stroked his hair. He sighed and pulled away, looking up at me. ¡°You know I love you more than anything, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said, getting more worried. ¡°I love you, too.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± he said strongly. ¡°I know with every fiber of my being that we were meant for each other. I just need you to know that. Without any doubt.¡± 17 1 1. Theo, what is this about?¡± ¡°What Hawkins was saying¡­¡± he began, ¡°He still seems to be loyal to my family. If¡­ if I¡¯m going to get more information from him, the best way is to make him think I believe him.¡± He rested a hand on my stomach. ¡°But it would kill me if you ever thought I would.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Theo,¡± I said firmly, ignoring the tightening in my chest. ¡°A, it¡¯s a dangerous game to y,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s the only way to avoid hurting my pack members.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s the way we go,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll make it, babe.¡± He finally looked up at me with every ounce of love and faith in his eyes. His hands went to my face, pulling me into a deep and passionate kiss. He pulled my shirt over my head before sliding me up on the bed. We stripped each other down as our hands trailed across the other¡¯s skin. Each movement was slow and deliberate. His tongue grazed my mark as his fingers touched between my folds, sending electricity through me from both directions. I groaned as he worked my cl it. I was getting close to my climax when slipped inside me, removing his hand only when he filled me to the hilt. We stayed still for a moment, reveling in our connection. Feeling every inch of each other, sensing our souls mingling into one. Theo began to move, hard and steady. His lips pressed firmly into mine. My legs wrapped around his waist as he pushed deeper inside me. I whimpered as I felt my walls tighten and my release came closer. His thrusts became more urgent, sending me hurtling over the edge. His growl vibrated through me, deep and resounding, as we came together. He rolled to his side, taking me with him as he held on tight. Wey there as we waited for our breathing to slow. When we had rxed, Theo moved to pull the covers down, tucking us in beneath them before pulling me back into his arms. Wey there tangled up in each other. His hand sliding through my hair as I started to drift off to sleep. ¡°You¡¯re right, you know,¡± he said softly. ¡°It¡¯s time we started fighting back.¡± I looked up at him, resting my chin on his chest. ¡°Mom will have a circuit of events for you to help her with,¡± he continued. ¡°And we¡¯re going to need you back on the investigation. Primarily your father¡¯s documents. But you can¡¯t quit school entirely. We¡¯ll cut you back to one ss, but I need you to maintain a presence on campus.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Two reasons,¡± he said. ¡°One, to keep those who have already taken a liking to you on our side. And two, to keep an eye out for recruiters. Maggie will be a big help with that, and Jimmy is going to be working with campus security even closer now. The more recruits and meetings we find, the easier it will be to track the information back to the source. That¡¯s the most important thing. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll take them down once and for all.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll still be recruiting there if I¡¯m still attending?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m counting on it,¡± he said. ¡°My guess is they¡¯ll try to use your status as Luna against you. Try to push the idea of favoritism. There are ways to narrow down those students that would be most susceptible to that kind of rhetoric. And honestly, I feel safer with you on campus than traveling around the pack territory. This will keep you close to me until this is over. Especially if¡­¡± He paused, not wanting to say his next words. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Especially if what?¡± He sighed. ¡°I may have to start distancing myself from you in public,¡± he said sadly. ¡°If I¡¯m going to convince Hawkins that I¡¯ m on his side, I¡¯ll have to appear to distrust you. But only in public. He knows I wouldn¡¯t be able to separate from youpletely.¡± He reached up and brushed his knuckles along my cheek. ¡°You¡¯ll still have every part of me when we¡¯re in private.¡± I pushed up on my elbows, letting a smile cross my face to lighten the mood. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t have to decorate the nursery alone.¡± Hello, fans! I apologize greatly for my absence! I had a family emergency that took a LOT longer and a bigger toll than I had expected to take care of. But I will be dropping a lot of chapters over the next few days to catch up and get back on track. Thank you so much for your patience and continued support! Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 61: Theo A and I made our way to my office the next morning. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Randy lying across the couch. His eyes opened as we entered and he yawned as he stretched. ¡°Just make yourselffortable, I guess,¡± I chided. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t exactly announce my arrival,¡± he replied as he stood up. ¡°Luna A, I hope you are doing well this morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m better at seeing you.¡± She gave Randy a hug he was expecting, making me chuckle. Although, I knew she wasn¡¯t feeling all that great. Her morning sickness was starting to set in more and she was up early vomiting in the bathroom. Mom was bringing one of her remedies to the office with her to help relieve A¡¯s nausea. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a relief to have you back,¡± I said as I shook his hand. ¡°You made great time too, apparently. What time did you sneak in here?¡± ¡°Just before sunrise,¡± he said. ¡°I needed to make sure no one saw me. At least, no one who would recognize me. Things have been a bit dodgytely. I¡¯ve got a lot to fill you¡­¡± The office door opened and Mina and Briggs walked in. Then Jimmy a few minutes after them. My parents weren¡¯t far behind him. We went through another few rounds of greetings but I was eager to get down to business. We needed more than one n in ce and as soon as possible. With Randy there, I quickly went back through everything and started proposing our next possible actions. ¡°From what we can gather, there has to be multiple long- standing agents working here in the city. There can¡¯t just be one and they aren¡¯t likely to be newer members,¡± I said. ¡°Especially since they aren¡¯t actually advertising they join the Waar P ak Society as far as I can tell,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°So far, the name hasn¡¯t even been hinted at.¡± ¡°That actually makes a lot of sense,¡± Randy said. ¡°They are kind of an uptight bunch. Very old blood. It took a reformed member just to get me in their ranks. This is both scare tactics and manpower. You¡¯re right about needing to put a stop to it.¡± ¡°Do you think you could help us with that?¡± I asked. He nodded, but his face said something different. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but they¡¯ve be more suspicioustely. It¡¯s getting harder to get any information without drawing attention to myself. Right now, they have me working on tracking down a family in another pack. It will be hard to ask questions about what is happening here when I¡¯m not supposed to be involved.¡± ¡°An Onyxcrown family?¡± A asked sternly. Randy gave her a light smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you want anyone to find them, it¡¯s me. They¡¯ll ¡®disappear¡¯ before they can get anywhere near them.¡± A smiled softly back. ¡°I have to ask if you¡¯ll let me pick your brain a little, Randy,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Something about Theo¡¯s role in all of this. I have a feeling he ties into this in a way even the Waar P ak don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Randy asked. Briggs shrugged. ¡°Just something about A¡¯s father. It¡¯s just a hunch right now, but I¡¯m looking into it.¡± ¡®Hey, Alpha,¡¯ Harmon mind-linked me, ¡®you got a minute? ¡®Not really,¡¯ I replied honestly, but something in his tone said I needed to take the minute. ¡®What¡¯s up? ¡®Well, there¡¯s something you shoulde see,¡¯ he said curiously. ¡®We¡¯ve had an¡­ unexpected snag.¡¯ He was still working on the tunnel and was supposed to finally be connecting it up to the cer today. Whatever it was, would have to do with the cer wall. ¡®I¡¯ll be right down.¡¯ ¡°Everything okay?¡± A asked. She must have noticed I was linking with someone. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°Harmon has run into some trouble with the tunnel build. I guess we¡¯re taking this meeting elsewhere.¡± A and I went down first, the others would meet us down there slowly. Since the tunnel wasn¡¯t complete, we still only had the entrance through the utility building and we really couldn¡¯t risk looking suspicious at the moment. I saw A¡¯s gaze fall down the hall when we entered the cer and felt the wave of nausea through our connection. Lloyd was still being held down here. So I knew what had her on edge. But we made our way down a different side passage instead. Keeping clear of the vile rogue. We passed by the few workers as they leaned against the wall and continued to the build site. The first thing I saw was Harmon¡¯s back. His tense shoulders indicated concern but the head-scratching told me he was also confused. ¡°What¡¯s all this ab¡­¡± my words were cut off by the huge hole in the floor before me. It wasn¡¯t so much the hole that was startling, but the fact that it dropped down into what appeared to be another floor N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. beneath us. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Harmon concurred with a nod. ¡°This wasn¡¯t on our survey, Alpha. You know that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I said. ¡°So how the hell is it here? More importantly, where the hell does it go?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s what we need to find out,¡± Harmon said. ¡°And soon, if we want to get this passage connected, we¡¯ll need to seal this back up.¡± ¡°And you guys had no idea there was another floor beneath us?¡± A asked. ¡°No,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°We thought the cer was the foundation floor to the packhouse.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s going on down he¡­¡± Dad came up beside me with the same reaction. ¡°What in the hell?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you had no idea this was here either,¡± I said With a side-eye. He shook his head. ¡°None. I pped him on the shoulder. ¡°Well, then I guess you¡¯re going down with me. Harmon, can we get a ladder?¡± ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe to go down?¡± A asked worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s structurally sound,¡± Harmon assured her. ¡°It would have to be to still be holding this ce up. But we¡¯ll be checking all of that as we make our way anyway. So don¡¯t you worry, Luna.¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Chapter 62: Briggs Mina and I made it down to the cer after she made a couple of phone calls. She believed she had some resources that may help us. It didn¡¯t take us long to realize what the summons was about when we met up with the others. Theo was helping to lower adder down to the exposed level below as Alpha Torin and Harmon were gathering lights. ¡°Youing down?¡± Theo asked me as he secured thedder. ¡°Do you have to ask?¡± I said with a smirk. I took a shlight and followed Theo down. We ended up in a corridor. It wasn¡¯t as tall as the floor above us, but we could at least stand up all the way. We had two options ¨C left or straight. ¡°Dad, you and Harmon go left,¡± Theo instructed. ¡°Briggs and I will go this way.¡± As we made our way down the stone hall, the whole situation started to feel familiar. ¡°This feels like the tunnels under the Onxycrown packhouse,¡± I told him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope there aren¡¯t any traps down here then,¡± Theo -replied. ¡°They probably would have been triggered when we retrofit the cer,¡± I said hopefully. The ce was less of a maze than the Onyxcrown tunnels, but we dide across some doorways. Most of the rooms/were empty. A couple had the remains of very old furniture and crates, but nothing interesting. It was when we came to a locked metal door that we stopped. The door took up the entire wall. Theo pushed against to see if age allowed some movement, but it didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Let¡¯s get Dad and Harmon here,¡± Theo said. ¡°Maybe we can try cutting it open. I stepped closer to the door and ran a hand over the surface, removing theyers of dust. There were faded etchings engraved in the metal. ¡°I¡¯ve seen these before,¡± I said, my gut tying in knots. ¡°You grab them. I¡¯ve got to make a call.¡± We made our way back to thedder. I left the cer while Theo filled in the others. I dialed Kingston¡¯s number. I had some questions and hoped this time I would get honest answers. ¡°Beta Briggs,¡± Kingston answered. ¡°To what do I owe this pleasure?¡± ¡°What did you find in the Onyxcrown tunnels?¡± I asked calmly. ¡°I know you were looking for something. I¡¯m pretty sure you found it. I need to know what it was.¡± Kingston was quiet for a moment. He was weighing his words. ¡°Why do you need to know?¡± I forced a hand through my hair, trying to control my anger. Starting a pi ssing match with him wouldn¡¯t benefit us. At the end of the day, we all agreed that he wanted to protect A. . ¡°I think Theo has a deeper connection to A¡¯s past than we thought,¡± I admitted. ¡°Jack knew something we didn¡¯t. There¡¯s a reason he put A in Theo¡¯s path. We¡¯re still trying to figure out what that is, but I think we just found something that could prove that theory. If only I knew what that theory was.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he replied quickly, his interest piqued. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been working on a better entrance to the cer and we¡¯ve found another floor below,¡± I told him. ¡°We came across a door with some of the same symbols I saw in the Onyxcrown tunnels. I think you and I both have a hunch this is connected to whatever you found down there. I need to know what that was.¡± Kingston sighed. ¡°Are you able to get through the door?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re going to try cutting through it,¡± I said. ¡°Okay,¡± he replied. ¡°That should work, but it¡¯s going to take some time. I¡¯ve got something to take care of here, but I¡¯ll be there sometime tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how this is going to go, Kingston,¡± I snapped. ¡°What do you think is in there?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know,¡± he insisted. ¡°But if it is rted, it could either be really good or really bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking again, Kingston,¡± I said angrily. ¡°Tell me what the hell you took from the tunnels.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°The Moonstone.¡± I fell silent. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a myth,¡± Kingston said, sensing my disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s why my father taught me how to navigate those tunnels,¡± he continued. ¡°The Onyxcrown Beta was always in charge of ensuring the stone was secure. The Domins family had been protecting it for centuries.¡¯ ¡°Why the f**k would you take it out then?¡± I shouted. ¡°No one would have ever known¡­¡± ¡°Why the hell do you think Harry was there?¡± Kingston interrupted. ¡°All it takes is one determined believer, Briggs. If he got that close, it was only a matter of time before someone else went looking. I took it to keep it safe.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell A?¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s rightfully hers. She should be the one to decide what to do with it. ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± He disconnected the call. This was¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t know. The Moonstone was a holy relic. ording to our lore, the mood goddess used the Moonstone to create the first werewolves. There were many stories about the power of the stone and what it was capable of. But we had no way of telling what was fact or fiction. It was a thousand years of stories passed down over every pack. Even if it ended up being a hunk of useless rock, the intrinsic value to our species would make it dangerous. If the Waar P ak got a hold of that stone, they could have every religious zealot on their side in no time. But what does any of this have to do with Theo and the Greytooth Pack? I was more certain that this was all rted. I needed to spend some time with Jack¡¯s research. We needed answers fast. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 63: A Mina and I were leaving the cer when we ran into Briggs. ¡°Luna, I need a favor,¡± he said, ¡°and possibly your help.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°We need to get to the bottom of your father¡¯s research,¡± he said. ¡°There has to be something in there that can tell us more about what is going on. The others have this handled.¡± I nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I have an errand to run,¡± Mina said. ¡°I want to stop by the l?b and check in on a couple projects. Mine gave me a hug and Briggs a kiss before heading in the direction of her car. Briggs and I returned to my suite and hauled the trunk out of my bedroom. We pulled everything out and organized it through the living room. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°These are the books that I¡¯ve already been through,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re all about my family or Onyxcrown history of the past two hundred years or so. But I didn¡¯t find anything that appeared to connect with the Greytooth Pack.¡± ¡°We may need to go back farther,¡± he replied, picking up one of the file folders. ¡°Let¡¯s just dig in and see what we find.¡± ¡°Maybe we should call Professor Armand over?¡± Briggs nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no to the extra eyes.¡± I sent the professor a message and he said he would be over in a few hours. I got each of us a drink and some snacks and settled in for a long session. ¡°I should also tell you that Kingston ising back,¡± Briggs said cautiously. ¡°He wants to see what¡¯s in the vault downstairs.¡± ¡°Does he know what¡¯s in there?¡± I asked eagerly. Briggs shook his head. ¡°He says no but¡­¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°He went looking for something in the Onyxcrown tunnels when we came to rescue you. Something dangerous. I¡¯ll let him tell you about that. It shoulde from him. But he does believe that whatever may be in our vault is rted. ¡°Is that why you want to focus on my father¡¯s research?¡± He nodded. ¡°I just thought Theo sent you to distract me,¡± I replied wryly. ¡°But I think you may be right. I¡¯ve been wondering why my father was so sure Theo and I were mates. At first, I just thought it was hopeful thinking. He always admired Alpha Torin. He must have seen something of him in Theo. But some of these letters from him tell me he KNEW. Like he was absolutely certain we were fated.¡± ¡°Well, hopefully, that reason is in here somewhere,¡± Briggs said. We spent hours pouring over everything. Professor Armand joined us in the afternoon. He was so excited about some of the texts that it didn¡¯t take long before he waspletely immersed in the work. As enthusiastic as he was, I was just getting frustrated. My morning sickness was getting worse again and, as nice as it was to learn more about my family, we hadn¡¯t found anything useful. ¡°I am a little disappointed that you didn¡¯t call me sooner,¡± he said, pulling me out of my moping. ¡°Especially since I did actually write the book on ancient pack architecture. This cer sounds like it¡¯s right up my alley.¡± I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t think of it. I won¡¯t let it happen again.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Do you have any pictures of what this mysterious door looks like? You said there were some symbols on it, perhaps I can decipher them.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Briggs said, picking up his phone and scrolling through. ¡°We snapped some pictures while we were down there.¡± He handed his phone to Armand who proceeded to examine them. ¡°They¡¯re a bit worn,¡± he said as he grabbed a pad of paper and pencil. He started to write the symbols out, making changes as he felt necessary. When he came to a stopping point he looked over his work. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± he said curiously. He shuffled through some of the books and files, muttering to himself until he found what he was looking for. ¡°I think this is what we are hoping for.¡± ¡°Actually, that wasn¡¯t in the box originally,¡± I said, taking the book of folklore from his hands. ¡°He read it to me as a kid. I just kind of put some of those keepsakes in with this stuff to keep it all together.¡± ¡°Well, there may be a reason he picked that particr book,¡± Professor Armand said, flipping to a particr story. ¡°The first families.¡± It was the tale of the first group of werewolves. The first people blessed by the goddess with the ability to shift into wolves. Two families were the leaders of a vige that was gued by attacks from neighboring forces. To save their people, they plead to the moon goddess to save them. The moon goddess responded, turning all the members of the two families into werewolves. ¡°But this is just myth,¡± I said. ¡°Much of what we think of as myth is rooted in truth,¡± Briggs said. ¡°There always has to be a first. The Dominis family is the oldest bloodline that I know of.¡± ¡°Right, but none of the others are that old,¡± I said. ¡°Actually, the Amvorov¡¯s are pretty old as well,¡± Armand said. ¡°Of the Sablemane, Pack. But if this has to do with the descendants of the first families, then Alpha Kingston would have been a better guess for your mate.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Kingston was adopted. He¡¯s not an Amvorov by blood. That line died with his adopted parents. Hold on.¡± I suddenly remembered seeing something about pack leaders. I shuffled through the papers to find a list in my father¡¯s handwriting. Starting from the top, I read through it thoroughly. It didn¡¯t take me long to find what I was looking for. ¡°Here,¡± Iid the paper on the coffee table so we could all see. ¡°Both the Dominis and Amvorov families kept the family in their packs. Their fated mates would always join them if they were from other packs. However, there was a daughter who left.¡± ¡°I know that name,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Every Greytooth would know that name,¡± Armand said. ¡°Exactly,¡± I said. ¡°Our pack¡¯s founding Luna was Amvorov. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Chapter 64: A ¡°So, what does this actually mean?¡± Theo asked after we shared what we found. ¡°While I can admit that this is interesting, right now, it doesn¡¯t seem much more than a fun fact. Not anything to warrant concern.¡± ¡°We have a few theories,¡± I said, holding his hand. ¡°Most of them doe back to the Waar P ak¡¯s idea that we would take over the packs.¡± Theo snorted. ¡°Even if this did give us the power to even think about it, that¡¯s not what either of us wants.¡± ¡°That may be true,¡± Professor Armand said. ¡°But when you have people like this who have spent decades believing it would happen, you¡¯ll have a hard time convincing them otherwise. Besides, it¡¯s not just you two they¡¯d be worried about, but your children as well.¡± My hand instinctively went to my belly, praying for an extrayer of protection that still didn¡¯t seem like enough. Theo¡¯s hand tightened around mine. As much as he was trying to silently reassure me, we both felt that fear and anger through our mate bond. ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re taking them out once and for all,¡± he said, working to sound calmer than he was. ¡°Speaking of,¡± Randy interjected. ¡°If you n on taking offensive action soon, Alpha Harden wants to be here. I know Alpha Kingston is also on his way. It may also be time to bring in a couple of the other Alphas. Any that three of you can trust. This is going to cross pack borders. It¡¯s best to have the support where necessary.¡± ¡°You know of more members than any of us,¡± Theo said. ¡°You said there were multiple ranking members in the Waar P ak. Are there any whose Alpha can be trusted? Those ranking members should be our first targets. ¡°Most of the younger Alphas can be approached,¡± Randy said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a list and we can discuss it with Alpha Harden and Alpha Kingston.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to find a reason for these Alpha¡¯s to be visiting,¡± I said. ¡°If someone catches on to theiring and going, it¡¯s not going to look well in our favor about not wanting to take over.¡± Randy shrugged. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± he assured me. ¡°Theo has only been the acting Alpha. The other packs know he is scheduled to take over on the solstice.¡± ¡°Several n to be in attendance,¡± Theo confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s typical for other Alphas to visit the uing Alpha to confirm continued alliance agreements. Or establish new ones. We¡¯ll just have to be careful.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, hoping he was right. ¡°I¡¯m going to make some calls,¡± Randy said, standing from his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in the area. Let me know if you need me. I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing what¡¯s behind that door either.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep you posted,¡± Theo said. ¡°Have you made any progress with that?¡± I asked after Randy was gone. ¡°It¡¯s going to be harder than we thought, but we¡¯ll get there,¡± he said. ¡°Hey, guys,¡± Briggs said from the lounge across the room. He hadn¡¯t pulled himself away from the books throughout our entire conversation. ¡°Check this out.¡± He got up and came over, setting the book he had in front of us. ¡°This is one of the books we pulled from our library here in the packhouse. Pages have been torn out.¡± ¡°What is the book about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s another book on folklore,¡± he said. ¡°But this one caters more to Greytooth history and tradition. The table of contents says there should be a chapter here titled Founder¡¯s Blood and the Solstice Moon.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like any of the stories I¡¯ve heard,¡± Theo said. ¡°Me either,¡± I said. ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t ring a bell for me either,¡± Briggs said. ¡°But someone thought it was interesting enough to keep. And I think they were keeping others from learning about it. I¡¯ll try to figure out who took this out of the library.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Dad, too. See if he knows more.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ll do all that tomorrow,¡± I said. ¡°You need to get some rest, Briggs. We¡¯ll pick back up first thing in the morning.¡± Briggs said goodnight and headed to his ce. I stood up and started re-organizing the documents sprawled across the coffee table. We knew it would take a few days for us to go through it all with a fine toothb. We didn¡¯t want to miss a single bit of information. But that would be easier with fresh eyes and a clean workspace. I was putting some of the books back in the trunk when I saw Harry¡¯s journal sitting at the bottom. ¡°Idiot,¡± I blurted out. ¡°Sorry, not you guys. Me,¡± I rified when Theo gave me a look. I lifted the book from the trunk. ¡°How much do you want to bet it was Harry who took those pages?¡± ¡°Da mn,¡± Theo said, scooting up next to me as I flipped. through the pages. ¡°He did seem to know a lot of things we didn¡¯t. Did you finish deciphering that thing?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, and unfortunately the code started to changeter on.¡± I looked at them. ¡°As his mind deteriorated he seemed to be more paranoid. But I¡¯ll get there.¡± Theo¡¯s hand went to the nape of my neck, pulling me in to kiss my temple. ¡°Okay,¡± he said softly. ¡°Just be careful. If working on that starts to get to you¡­ If it starts to bring back memories¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, babe,¡± I assured him, squeezing his hand. He nodded but was still worried. ¡°If the nightmarese back¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand it over to Briggs,¡± I interjected. My hand went to my stomach. ¡°I have enough keeping me awake all night already.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Theo smiled softly, resting his hand on mine over our growing pup. ¡°Speaking of,¡± he said as he pulled me closer, ¡°did you remember to get a doctor¡¯s appointment?¡± I smiled. ¡°Oh, your mother took care of that for me.¡± Theoughed with a shake of his head. ¡°Of course she did. If she ever gets too overbearing, you tell me. She¡¯ll get carried away if you let her.¡± ¡°No, appreciate her being here,¡± I said genuinely. ¡°It means the world to know I still have family with me.¡± ¡°Always, love.¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 65: Theo ¡°Kingston will be hereter today,¡± I told Alpha Harden over the phone the next morning. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him here until you arrive. I don¡¯t think it will be a problem. ¡°Good,¡± Harden replied. ¡°Cooper will being with me, of course. He¡¯ll have the best information to approach the other packs with. I do suggest you go ahead and reach out to Alpha Vincent. Cooper worked with him recently with a Waar P ak situation. He doesn¡¯t know it was Waar P ak, but I think it¡¯s safe to bring him in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s concerning,¡± I said. Alpha Vincent was the leader of the Dawnfall Pack. Theirnd bordered ours to the west. ¡°It sounds like the Waar P ak are surrounding us.¡± Harden sighed. ¡°It has been considered, but we didn¡¯t have enough to bring to you yet.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll add it to the agenda,¡± I stated. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Alpha Vincent. If I can get all of you here together, it will go a long way to getting his support. I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Harden said. I hung up the phone and leaned over my desk, pinching the bridge of my nose to ease the headache. I was exhausted. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to sleepst night even if A hadn¡¯t been up and down vomiting all night. It was hard enough. seeing her going through that. The worry that something would happen to either her or our baby was gnawing. A knock on the door pulled me out of mymiseration. It was Mina. ¡°Come in,¡± I called. She entered with a box in her hands. ¡°Whoa,¡± she said. ¡°You look like sh it.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Your baby cousin is keeping their mom and dad up already. I wonder which side of the family thates from?¡± ¡°Yours, of course,¡± she teased, setting the box down on the credenza. ¡°Ie baring gifts.¡± I stood from my desk and crossed the room, watching as she started to remove the contents. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Well, theb had been pretty focused on our project,¡± Mina exined. ¡°As per our agreement, they have been doing their own developments.¡± She opened a small case and showed me the patches we had found on A before. ¡°These have been modified. Instead of blocking the mind-link, you can use them to link with anyone wearing one. That should help with cross- packmunication.¡± ¡°That definitely can,¡± I confirmed. ¡°We reformted the de-scenting spray,¡± she continued. ¡°It still shouldn¡¯t be used long term, but it¡¯s safer than what Harry was using and more effective than the police standard. There are a few other things in here that weren¡¯t from Harry¡¯s work, but I thought could be helpful.¡± ¡°This is fantastic, Mina,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll definitely put all this to use.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else I think you¡¯ll be eager to learn,¡± she said, crossing her arms over her chest with a smug look. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We have all agreed that Harry didn¡¯t do all of this by himself,¡± she said. ¡°He had to be working with someone.¡± ¡°Yeah, or working for someone,¡± I agreed. ¡°The Waar P ak, from the looks of things.¡± Mina nodded. ¡°Yes, well, one of the techs at ourpany recognized some of the engineering. He thinks he knows who was responsible for it and ¨C who they work for.¡± ¡°He thinks?¡± I asked sternly. ¡°How does he know this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been thoroughly vetted,¡± Mina assured me. ¡°In fact, he was all too happy to give the information once he was sure. So, I did some digging.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And Harry¡¯s contact is an engineer working for a research and development firm in the Moonshadow Pack,¡± Mina said. ¡°And guess who one of their primary shareholders?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Charles Anderson.¡± Mina nodded. ¡°Mhmm. His niece and nephew have a stake as well.¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised, but it was unexpected. If it was anyone else, I would have been enraged. But my dislike for Anderson and his family just made me grateful for a reason to be rid of them. ¡°We¡¯ll have to try to prove their part of the Waar P ak before we can move against them,¡± I said. ¡°It also begs the question of whether Alpha Anthony is a member also,¡± Mina said. ¡°Charles was his father¡¯s Delta as well. The fact that he maintains that position even now suggests a close rtionship.¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely a concern,¡± I concurred. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it in our meeting with Harden and Kingston. Thank you, Mina. Seriously, this has been a huge help.¡± ¡°Anything for family,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°And genuinely, you look exhausted. Why don¡¯t you get some rest before everyone gets here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to go to the cer,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m sure A would be grateful for yourpany if you have time to stop by and see her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing them lunch in a little while,¡± she informed me. She paused for a moment. ¡°Briggs told me what you¡¯re doing with Hawkins. You¡¯re not starting to believe him are you?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± I rushed. I was shocked, and a little insulted, that she would ask. But then I realized it was a reasonable question. With my history, I wouldn¡¯t expect Mina to ever fully trust my judgment when it came to A. That doubt would always be there. As much as it may pain me, I had to ept that. I sighed. ¡°I understand howplicated this will be,¡± I said, N?velDrama.Org is the owner. leaning against the credenza. ¡°I hate having to do this. / Probably more than you. And not just because of the outward implications. I can¡¯t imagine distancing myself from A right now. In any situation.¡± ¡°Are you worried the space will start to change your mind?¡± I scoffed. ¡°No, not at all,¡± I assured her. ¡°I just hate the idea of her facing any part of this without me.¡± Mina rested a hand on my arm. ¡°She won¡¯t be alone, Theo. None of us would ever let that happen. You just focus on getting this over with. So we can all get on with our lives.¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 66: Theo ¡°Gentlemen,¡± I said as we gathered in the conference roomte that afternoon. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your attendance here today. I understand that this threat is primarily to my pack.¡± ¡°They have been targeting our pack members for too long as well,¡± Alpha Harden assured me. ¡°I¡¯m d to have you all on my side,¡± I said. ¡°I hope to return the favor down the road. For now, I need your help. The Waar P ak Society has be more aggressive. While the attacks on our borders have been controlled, we have found they have been spreading their beliefs among my pack members. Recruiting people to their ideals.¡± ¡°We have evidence of that happening in Sablemane, too,¡¯ Kingston offered. ¡°Ga mma Lou has been working on stopping the spread.¡± ¡°Yes, well, unfortunately, they got to the sheriff here in the city before we could,¡± I said, hiding my bitterness and shame better than I thought I would. ¡°I have someoneing up to rece him. He should be joining us soon.¡± With perfect timing, there was a knock on the door and McCabe entered the conference room. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte,¡± he said, moving to stand in the back of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± I said, waving him to a chair at the table with the rest of us. ¡°Have a seat. I was just telling them that you would be the acting sheriff while Hawkins is on suspension. Gentlemen, this is Finley McCabe, the sheriff of one of our southern border towns. He¡¯s been running the task force that has stemmed the rogue attacks.¡± The others nodded their greetings but didn¡¯t make any further introductions at that time. We needed to get down to business. ¡°Okay,¡± I continued. ¡°McCabe, Jimmy, and I will be working with the former sheriff to find whatever contacts are working on recruiting. Alpha Kingston, I¡¯d like for you to take over the rogue issue. Our captive is still here. You may be able to get more information from him than we could.¡± I looked him in the eye. ¡°I no longer care about the means in which that is aplished.¡± He nodded once, understanding my meaningpletely. ¡°Alpha Cooper, there is some new information we just discovered about a business associate of mine. It seems Delta Anderson of the Moonshadow Pack may be connected to the Waar P ak.¡± Both Alpha Cooper and Alpha Harden perked up at that statement. ¡°We have a list of suspected ranking members in several packs,¡± Cooper said. ¡°The Moonshadow Pack is high on our list. This is helpful information, and not surprising. It shouldn¡¯t take us long to confirm his involvement.¡± ¡°You have no idea how good it is to hear that,¡± I stated. ¡°Alpha Harden, I have a more delicate task I need your help.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± he replied genuinely. ¡°Alpha Vincent is on his way,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯ll be here tomorrow. He doesn¡¯t know what this meeting will be regarding. I would like you to be with me when we have the discussion. Alpha Kingston as well, if he can spare the time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be here for a while it seems,¡± Kingston replied. ¡°The more Alphas we can get on our side, the better. And I would suggest that you have A present at this meeting. They will be fighting to protect her, after all.¡± ¡°We both agree with you on that,¡± I said. ¡°She will be there. If there is any other information any of you can provide that may be helpful, it would be greatly appreciated. For now, I will let you all rest and prepare yourselves. We have set up a private dining room for you in the caf¨¦ downstairs. Please feel free to utilize it whenever you like.¡± Everyone stood to leave but I held Kingston back with me. -needed to have a one-on-one with him. I sat back down at the head of the conference table and motioned for him to sit to my right. I wanted him close enough to look me in the eye. ¡°So, are you ready to tell me about the Moonstone?¡± I asked, keeping my tone as t as possible. Kingston¡¯s expression stayed the same, but I didn¡¯t miss the sh in his eyes that said I got some kind of reaction. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°I retrieved it from the vault in the Onyxcrown tunnels,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, I knew it was down there. Yes, I pursued it while A was still in danger. But if you hadn¡¯t been there, I wouldn¡¯ t have taken that risk. And, truth be told, I wasn¡¯t exactly in my right mind at the time. It was a mistake in judgment I carry heavily. I understand A will think of me what she will for that. I ept that consequence because I deserve it, not necessarily because I would make the same choice again.¡± I regarded him for a few moments. I knew he had been deeply affected by A when they were together. We know now it was because they were not mates. That was painful enough to ept. It wouldn¡¯t help either of them for me to hold this against him any longer. ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to address with A,¡± I said calmly. ¡°My concern now is with the Moonstone and what it can do. Your family was its main protector. That¡¯s how you knew where it was and how to get it. My question is why? What were you nning to do with it?¡± Kingston averted his gaze for a moment, not meeting my eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend that my original ns didn¡¯t revolve around getting A back,¡± he said heavily. ¡°And I won¡¯t lie and say that it¡¯s not still a temptation. But I do ept that that would not be what¡¯s best for A. She¡¯s happy with you. Whether I agree with that or not, it is ¨¤ fact. So, I have hidden it somewhere safe.¡± ¡°Can it be used to help us now?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Kingston said. ¡°Truthfully, we were only its protectors. But I have been researching, and I believe it is possible. But I think A is the only one who could sessfully wield its power. It¡¯s tied to her bloodline.¡± ¡°Or perhaps the oldest bloodlines,¡± I said thoughtfully. ¡°There¡¯ s something you should know about my family.¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Chapter 67: A I watched Kingston pace the floor as I nursed my ginger ale, trying to settle my stomach. ¡°Kingston, calm down,¡± I urged him. ¡°It¡¯s not like that and you know it. No one is going to take your pack from you.¡± Kingston scoffed. ¡°Like I would ever let that happen,¡± he spat. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t put it passed him to try.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Kingston,¡± I argued. ¡°Is it?¡± he replied sharply. ¡°He sure had not trouble taking you from me.¡± As soon as the words left his mouth his expression changed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was unfair. And uncalled for.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°It was.¡± Kingston sighed and dropped into a chair across from me. ¡°I¡¯ m sorry. It¡¯s not every day you find out your biggest rival is also the rightful Alpha to your pack.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want your pack, Kingston,¡± I assured him. ¡°We¡¯re happy right here with our own. In fact, it would be better for everyone if we kept this a secret. With the Waar Pa k believing that I am going to take down the Alphas somehow and make myself some kind of queen, anything that would suggest the Greytooths are gaining more territory could be¡­ Well, it could be really bad.¡± With another heavy sigh, Kingston rubbed his face, leaning his head back against the chair. ¡°I know that,¡± he said. ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t do anything to put you in that kind of danger.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do I?¡± Kingston winced, knowing exactly what I meant. ¡°Yeah, I guess you wouldn¡¯t,¡± he conceded with a sigh. ¡°A, I¡¯m truly sorry about that. I¡­ With the state of mind I was in, I convinced myself you would be fine. That Theo or I would get to you in time. I really am sorry.¡± I sighed in return, my stomach turning as a wave of nausea hit me. I breathed out slowly, trying to control my gag reflex. ¡°Everything worked out in the end,¡± I said. ¡°I can forgive you, but it does change things, Kingston.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he admitted, looking back at me. ¡°A, are you okay? You¡¯re flushed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I insisted. He still didn¡¯t know about the pup. Theo and I didn¡¯t want to tell anyone else yet. I was enough of a target as it was. Theo was afraid my being pregnant would elerate whatever ns they may have. Kingston stood up and came to my side, pressing a hand to my forehead. ¡°A, you¡¯re pale and mmy,¡± he said. ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to be sick. Come on. I¡¯m taking you to the infirmary.¡± I put a hand on his arm. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± I insisted. ¡°I promise. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ve just been pretty stressedtely. As I¡¯m sure you can imagine.¡± He tipped my chin up to look at him and a terrible smell washed over me. I jumped from my seat, pushing him out of the way as I rushed to the bathroom. I don¡¯t know how I managed to lock the door before falling to my knees in front of the toilet, throwing up everything that was possibly in my stomach. I couldn¡¯t imagine there was much left. The past two days had been the worst. I had barely eaten anything all day because I didn¡¯t think I could keep it down. ¡®Baby,¡¯ Theo¡¯s voice came through the mind-link. He had been feeling my symptoms more when we were apart. ¡®I think it¡¯s time we saw the doctor about this.¡¯ N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡®I have an appointment next week,¡¯ I said. ¡®It was the earliest they could get me in.¡¯ ¡®Not for the Luna, it¡¯s not,¡¯ he growled. ¡®You know I don¡¯t like using my status to get favors.¡¯ ¡®This is different,¡¯ Theo insisted. ¡®I¡¯m calling them. End of story.¡¯ He cut the link as I threw up again, and I honestly didn¡¯t have the strength to argue. ¡°A,¡± Kingston called through the door as he knocked. ¡°Are you okay? What the hell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kingston,¡± I replied. I was feeling better now that I got it out, but I knew it wouldn¡¯tst. Sure enough, by the time I sshed some cool water on my face and cleaned up, my stomach was uneasy again. Kingston was still at the door. I took some deep breaths to gather myself before leaving the bathroom. ¡°A, this isn¡¯t okay,¡± he said sternly. ¡°This is all too much. I get that Theo won¡¯t suggest it, but I really think you should consider going away for a little while.¡± I stopped in my tracks and looked at him. ¡°Absolutely hot. Not with everything going on.¡± ¡°You need to get some rest and take care of yourself,¡± he replied. ¡°All of this stress is making you sick. You can¡¯t keep going like this, A. I think you should go with Alpha Harden when he leaves. I¡¯ll have him talk to Theo¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not stress,¡± I blurted out in frustration. I hid a grimace, hoping I hadn¡¯t said too much. ¡°Then what the hell is going on?¡± Kingston took my arm, his grip earnest but gentle. ¡°A, are you sick?¡± I met his eyes and saw the genuine concern and fear behind them. I sighed, feeling terrible about worrying him like this. But I didn¡¯t think the truth would be any better. Still, I felt like needed to tell him. I rested my hand on his. ¡°No, Kingston,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Kingston froze for a moment, our eyes holding each others. I couldn¡¯t read his expression. So I was shocked when his arms were suddenly around me, squeezing me tightly. ¡°That¡¯s amazing news, A,¡± he whispered. His words were entirely andpletely genuine. I felt tears start to sting my eyes as a lump grew in my throat. ¡°Really?¡± I gasped. He pulled away, holding my face in his hands as he looked me in the eye. ¡°Of course it is,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°A, I let go of any notion of you carrying my pups the moment Theo marked you,¡± he interrupted. There was still a touch of sadness in his words, but there was no bitterness. ¡°No one in this world deserves to be a mother more than you. I¡¯m happy for you.¡± He kissed my forehead. It was sweet and loving and purely innocent. A s ob escaped my lips and tears ran freely down my cheeks, but I wasughing through it. ¡°Now, stop those tears,¡± Kingston urged, wiping my face. ¡°You¡¯ll get me in trouble.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I sniffled. ¡°Hormones.¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 68: A Theo and I got out of the car at the doctor¡¯s officeter that afternoon. The parking lot was nearly empty as they had probably stopped seeing patients for the day already. Theo had managed to get them to fit me in today. ¡°This may be better anyway,¡± he said as he wrapped an arm around my waist. ¡°The fewer people see us here, the less risk of rumors starting.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He kissed my temple and walked me inside. ¡°Hello, Alpha. Luna A,¡± a woman in a white coat greeted us at the door. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Dr. Albright.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure as well, Doctor,¡± I said, shaking her hand. ¡°We¡¯re sorry to keep you here after hours.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you even worry about that,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d be here doing my notes anyway. Come on back with me.¡± Theo squeezed my hand as we followed the doctor back to an examination room. She started off with a standard exam and talked about what I could expect during a werewolf pregnancy. She took her time, letting us ask as many questions as we had. ¡°There has been a lot going on ever since A and I got together,¡± Theo said. ¡°She has been going through a lot of extra stresstely. Now, her morning sickness has been getting worse, so she¡¯s not sleeping. I know this can¡¯t be healthy for both of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not healthy for any of you,¡± Dr. Albright said. ¡°Ideally, we want both Mom and Dad to get rest and rxation. However, life often has 77.08 different ns. I can definitely give you something that can help with the morning sickness. As well as some pamphlets with techniques that can help reduce stress. It is something important to consider. But what can help with that is to remember that we are a resilient species, and babies are often as resilient as we are. But I¡¯d like to do an ultrasound today anyway. That should help put you at ease.¡± ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± I said. She took us back to the ultrasound room and instructed me to lie down. It was a strange feeling waiting to see my pup for the first time as she prepared the machine. She touched the wand to my belly and within seconds, we could hear a heartbeating through the monitor. Theo¡¯s hold on my hand tightened. A smile spread across the doctor¡¯s face. ¡°Everything looks fantastic,¡± she said, ¡°And here¡± ¨C she turned the monitor in our direction and pointed to a spot on the screen ¡°is your little pup. Strong and healthy.¡± I swiped at the tears that started to fall as Theo kissed my temple, whispering how much he loved me. ¡°You will probably start feeling it kick any day now,¡± she said. ¡°Already?¡± I asked. She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s growing pretty fast. It¡¯s not terribly umon to see some pup develop faster than others. And it is possible that you could have conceived shortly before your heat, as well. Either way, you¡¯re doing a great job and your baby is doing great. I breathed a sigh of relief, leaning into Theo as he held onto me. Dr. Albright wiped my belly clean and covered me back up. She printed out some of the images from the ultrasound and handed them to me. ¡°First pictures of baby. I¡¯ll get you something for the morning sickness, continue with your prenatal vitamins, and just keep doing what you¡¯re doing,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Again, thank you,¡± Theo said. ¡°We really appreciate you fitting us in. And for your discretion.¡± ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± Dr. Albright replied. ¡°We are all excited about our n¨¨w Alpha and Luna. The pack will be just as exciting when they find out about the new addition. The least I can do is help protect them.¡± She stood up and smoothed her coat. ¡°Take any time you need, but there isn¡¯t anything else for me today. See yourselves out when you¡¯re ready.¡± We thanked her again as she left. The moment the door closed, Theo was kissing me. I chuckled against his lips. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± I asked when he finally pulled away. ¡°I do,¡± he confirmed, helping me off the bench. ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°I will feel even better once this morning sickness is under control,¡± I chided. ¡°But yes, it¡¯s a big relief knowing that, with everything else, at least our pup is strong and doing fine. Thank you. For insisting I come in.¡± He brushed his fingers along my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s my job to take care of you, love,¡± he replied. ¡°Both of you. I¡¯m not going to let you suffer. Even if it is normal or because of our pup.¡® Well, it¡¯s 1 ¡°¡± understanding that we may need to get used to a little bit of suffering when ites to our kids,¡± I teased. ¡°Not a chance,¡± he insisted with a grin. After a few more kissed and caresses, we headed back out to the car. My mind wandered to something I had been putting off as we pulled out of the parking lot. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± I assured him. ¡°I was just thinking. Now that we know everything is fine, it may be time to tell Ma and Kylee Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 69: Kylee ¡°Kylee, it¡¯s normal to be experiencing these emotions in situations like this,¡± Dr. Whitham said as I paced the room. ¡°I¡¯m here to help you work through them.¡± I checked my watch. We still had twenty minutes left in the session, but I really wasn¡¯t sure I could make it through. I pinched the bridge of my nose with a heavy sigh. ¡°I know,¡± I finally replied. ¡°But honestly, I think I need a little more time to brood. You did say it was important to feel my feelings so I could understand them better.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± she agreed. ¡°If you believe you need a little time with your thoughts before moving past this, then we can reschedule for a better time. But I advise you not to make any decisions or take any actions because of those feelings. The oue may not be a good one.¡± I nodded as I grabbed my purse. ¡°I know. Thank you, Dr. Whitham.¡± I left the office and headed to the parking lot. I climbed into the driver¡® s seat of my car, resting my head against the headrest as I stared at the ceiling. I had managed to scrape together a down payment for the sedan and bought it earlier that week. I had actually felt a sense of pride when I drove it off the lot that day. It wasn¡¯t anything special. It was ten years old and had fifty thousand miles too many on it, but it was mine. I had gotten all on my own. I had wanted so badly to call and tell A about it. Thinking about how proud of me she would have been. But I stopped myself before dialing her number. Because she wouldn¡¯t be proud of me. At least, not in the same way she used to be. I felt that ever¨Cpresent guilt pang again, but I didn¡¯t let it ruin my momentpletely. That was another great moment for me that week. I allowed myself to feel pride in myself for the aplishment. I may have made a lot of mistakes, but this was one thing I did right. It¡¯s something A would want me to be proud of. And it made me understand her a lot better. But then she called this morning. I was home with Ma when the call came in and she told us she was pregnant. So many emotions hit me all at once. Excitement. Happiness. Pride. Relief. But then there was disappointment. Shame. Jealousy. I am happy for her and Theo. That I can honestly say. I¡¯ve worked through a lot the past couple of months and I realize now just how wrong Theo and I were for each other. The delusion I had of him and me together disappeared and I no longer see him romantically. But I¡¯m still not a part of their lives. I still don¡¯t get to be there for A. I won¡¯t get to be Auntie Kylee. I¡¯m still not wee back home. I¡¯m going to miss out on so much. And all for so little. I was still wallowing in the car when my phone buzzed. I checked the message. It was from Derek. He was asking to see me yet again. I looked at my phone, then towards my therapist¡¯s office, then back at my phone. ¡°Screw it.¡± I sent a brief reply and pulled out of the parking spot. Derek didn¡¯t live far away, so it wasn¡¯t long before I was knocking on his door. He was surprised to see me, but at least I knew it was a pleasant one. ¡°Well, this is an unexpe¡­¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Shut up.¡± I wasn¡¯t there to talk. I pushed into his apartment and yanked the front of his shirt. His lips mmed into mine and he responded quickly and eagerly. I kicked the door shut behind me right before his hands moved to my ass and he picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. His tongue sought mine and I met him happily. My back hit the wall as my hand moved between us. He inhaled sharply as it slipped beneath his waistband and slid around his cock. He was impressive, at least. I stroked him as he set me down on the hallway table. He stripped me bare from the waist down in less than a second. His teeth bit at my ear as he pushed two fingers inside me, making me moan as he found my clit. It felt good but it wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted. I pushed his hand away and positioned him at my entrance, tightening my legs around his waist. He thrust into me hard and rough, immediately adopting a grueling pace. I was getting close to my release when he suddenly pulled out. My whimper was cut off by him yanking me off the table and spinning me around. His hand fisted my hair and he pushed me forward before ramming back into me again. Reaching around, he worked my clit bringing me to the edge again. Lifting my hips, my orgasm washed over me as I cried out. He growled against my back as he stiffened behind me with onest thrust. We stood there panting for a few moments. ¡°Well,¡± Derek breathed heavily. ¡°That was a pleasant surprise.¡± He finally pulled out of me and covered my exposed body with a nket from the couch nearby. Now that I was calming down, my brain kicked in again. I clenched my jaw as I realized I just did exactly what my therapist advised me not to do. I quickly picked up my pants and slipped them back on. ¡°I have to go,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Sorry.¡± He grabbed my arm. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he insisted. ¡°Hold on. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said again. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee here. It was stupid. I just need to go.¡± He held firm. ¡°Kylee, what¡¯s wrong? What is going on? Talk to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just¡­ I just made a mistake.¡± He pulled me over to the couch and sat me down, sitting in front of me and holding my hands. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, Kylee,¡± he urged. ¡°You can tell me.¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s stupid,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I just got some news this morning and it kind of hit me hard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± he replied. ¡°What kind of news?¡± ¡°I found out my sister is pregnant. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 70: A By the next morning, I was feeling fantastic. The medication the doctor gave me was exactly what I needed. Theo and I got a great nights sleep and we both woke up feeling refreshed and more rxed than we had in weeks. I was down in the cer in the investigation room with Mina and Randy. Theo and some of the others were down by the vault trying to get it opened. They were hopeful it would be soon. It was hard to determine how far they would have to cut to get in. We¡¯re all curious to see what we find. Theo wouldn¡¯t let me stay down there, though. They were worried about the traps or a copse, even the air quality. Torin, Kingston, and Alpha Harden all agreed that a pregnant woman shouldn¡¯t be breathing in whatever is down there. So, I begrudgingly came back up to wait. But I was keeping busy. I felt like it was the first time I could really focus on getting answers. Professor Armand had brought in some other texts from both the local and university libraries. He had also reached out to a colle in another pack for some additional information on ancient werewolf history and folklore. Those hadn¡¯t arrived yet, but would hopefully be there soon. In the meantime, we had plenty to work with. ¡°Hey, here¡¯s something,¡± I said to the others. ¡°It¡¯s one of my dad¡¯s books. I think I found where the Blessed One story came from.¡± I set the book down on the table as Mina and Randy came closer. ¡°This is actually from a historical record. It¡¯s a biographical entry on a high priestess of the moon goddess. She was actually one of my ancestors, as well.¡± ¡°It looks like she had some kind of predictive ability,¡± Mina said as she read over my shoulder. I nodded. ¡°The description of her ability is a little vague, though. I can¡® t tell if she had premonitions or was some kind of medium. Either way, she said she was given a message from the moon goddess about a reincarnation on earth. That must be the stories origin.¡± ¡°Okay, but why?¡± Mina said. ¡°All cultures and histories have these kinds of tales. They always take ce against some massive event. Usually to counter some kind of threat. While the Waar Pak wiping out a bloodline is terrible, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough of a reason for a goddess to personally step in like that. Especially since it¡¯s this. story that has caused all the drama in the first ce.¡± I snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of self¨Cfulfilling prophecies?¡± I teased. ¡°Besides, that really only matters if you buy into me being this Blessed One.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t?¡± Mina asked. ¡°Even though your dad believed it?¡± I scrunched my nose. ¡°No, not really. I think it¡¯s all a fairy tale. I love Dad, but this is a bit too fantastical for me.¡± Mina shook her head. ¡°And you¡¯re supposed to be a writer with this grand imagination,¡± she tisked. ¡°What about you, Randy? I mean, you¡® ve dedicated your life to fighting the Waar Pak. Surely you think it¡¯s possible.¡± Randy shrugged. ¡°We work to protect the Onyxcrown survivors. That includes the Dominis bloodline. The Waar Pak killed innocent people because of the ce they were born or the family they belong to. That doesn¡¯t seem like a cause that needs some deeper story to justify.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°But to defend it as strongly as you do¡­¡± I said, looking up to meet his eye. ¡°There¡¯s something that feeds that dedication.¡± The corner of his lip lifted. ¡°My mother was Onyxcrown,¡± he said. ¡°She may have left the pack to be with my father, but she raised me on stories of how great her birth pack was.¡± ¡°So, do you believe A is the Blessed One?¡± Mina asked. ¡°I think she¡¯s something special,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°I think Luna A is capable of great things. Whatever the reason for that doesn¡¯t matter, and is always worth protecting.¡± My face flushed red. ¡°Thank you, Randy.¡± We returned to our research while Randy returned to his phone. He had beenmunicating with multiple people all morning. ¡°Getting anything useful?¡± I asked him. ¡°Maybe,¡± he said without looking up. ¡°I believe the information about Alpha Theo¡¯s friend, Charles Anderson, has opened up some new avenues for us. I¡¯ll follow up with Gamma Jimmy before I make any determinations, though.¡± ¡°You said once that you suspected the Waar Pak had bigger intentions and specific beliefs that you didn¡¯t know about,¡± I said curiously. ¡°That you thought the leaders were a group of fanatics. Have you learned anything since then that may tell you more about what these leaders believe? Why they are doing all of this?¡± Randy looked up at me hesitantly. ¡°Truthfully, no,¡± he said. ¡°Most of the contacts I¡¯m involved with don¡¯t even have an idea that there¡¯s more to this. However, that¡¯s who they target to join them. Many of their mid¨Clevel members are entitled assholes who only hope to gain from this. Those that believe you or your family were ever actually a threat to our way of life only believe so because they¡¯ve been told it would stop them from making money if the Dominis seeded.¡± ¡°How in the world would that work?¡± Mina scoffed. ¡°Our pack system allows for the possibility of anyone bing Alpha,¡± Randy said. ¡°They can take it or it can be given to them. It also means that their position and sesses are only dependent on their own pack and Alpha. It gives many more options and more opportunities.¡± ¡°And how would the Dominis family ruin that?¡± ¡°As you know, their working belief is that you would take over the packs and make yourself queen,¡± he said. ¡°They can¡¯t count the ways that could possibly destroy them. But ultimately, it¡¯s all greed disguised as werewolf rights. But it¡¯s dangerous. And convincing enough to anyone who thinks they don¡¯t have any control over their lives.¡± ¡°If the current pack system is failing them,¡± I concurred, ¡°then there¡¯s no way aplete sovereign could do any better.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Randy said. Suddenly, Briggs came through the door. ¡°We need you guys down in the vault.¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 71: Theo A and I were both feeling refreshed this morning. It had been too long since I had seen her feeling so determined and optimistic. While it made my life easier, it did make it harder to convince her to wait upstairs while we worked to open the vault. I think it was Dad¡¯s insistence that finally convinced her it was for the best. The whole process of getting into the thing had been a pain. The stone wall was a lot thicker than we anticipated, and we couldn¡¯t get a torch powerful enough to cut through the heavy metal in one go in such a small space, let alone two stories underground. But we had some tools that were at least making progress. By the time started to feel like we were through, we were all hot and sweaty and cranky. I kept telling myself that with our luck, this would only lead to some empty room and it was all for nothing. But my gut kept telling me something different. I needed to keep going. The closer we got, the stronger my determination got. The others were taking a break when I felt the door shift. I stopped cutting and stood back. I pressed against the sturdy metal and it began to gave way. ¡°Hey, guys,¡± I called to the others, ¡°I think we¡¯re in.¡± Dad and Kingston came back first. ¡°You sure?¡± Kingston asked. ¡°I may need another good shoulder, but yeah,¡± I replied, ¡°it¡¯s ready. Come help me.¡± Dad handed us both masks. Kingston and I braced ourselves and, on the count of three, threw our weight against the door. It waivered but didn¡¯t fall. It took two more good shoves before is came crashing down in a cloud of dust and debris. We rushed back, keeping our distance while the air cleared and we made sure the ceiling wouldn¡¯t copse on us. When it was all clear, I took the first few steps toward the new opening. I didn¡¯t know why, but my heart was racing. For some reason, I felt like I was meant to be there. My feet moved on their own as I made my was to the opening. It was dark inside. The lights from the corridor didn¡¯t seem to prate more than a foot inside. It should have been an eerie sight, but it wasn¡¯t. I pulled the small shlight from my back pocket, clicked in on, and stepped inside the vault. It was cold. Several degrees cooler than the floor above us but the air felt dry. I shined the light around, looking for anything other than stone walls. I stopped when the beamnded on a stone structure in the middle of the room. ¡°We need more light,¡± I heard Dad say behind me. ¡°I¡¯ll bring one of the floodmps in,¡± Kingston replied. My eyes were still locked in front of me. I took a few more steps closer. I could make out the markings etched into the stone. This was nicer, better¨Ccrafted stone, possibly marble. I brushed the thickyer of dust from the surface and could make out an inscription. ¡°It¡¯s a sarcophagus,¡± I said. ¡°What?¡± my father reacted. ¡°Who¡¯s?¡± ¡°Matilda Amvorov Arden,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s our founding Luna.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Dad said,ing up beside me. ¡°She¡¯s buried in the moselium with her mate.¡± ¡°Apparently not,¡± I replied. The room suddenly became brighter as Kingston set the floodlight up at the entrance. We could now see that the tomb was covered in intricate carvings. I knew there had to be some kind of meaning to them! I tugged my shirt over my head and started to wipe away as much dust and dirt as I could. Kingston quickly joined in with me. ¡°Alpha Kingston,¡± Dad began, ¡°does any of this mean anything to you?¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Wait, this is familiar. Come see this.¡± I moved around to the other side of the sarcophagus. The light wasn¡¯t as good so Kingston was holding a shlight up to the markings. They were a series of images. As I examined them, they did be easy to recognize, ¡°This is our creation myth,¡± I said. ¡°Yeah, but look at the end,¡± he replied, pointing to thest series of symbols. I followed the illustration, deciphering as I went. Everything lined up with the story we all knew except thatst section. That seemed to add an ending I hadn¡¯t heard before. ¡°Is this saying there were two Moonstones?¡± I questioned. ¡°I think it just might,¡± Kingston said. ¡°And I think Matilda was the protector of the Sablemane stone.¡± ¡°Matilda and Issac, her mate, created our pack after breaking from their own,¡± Dad said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an amicable split. I find it hard to believe that they would have let her leave with such a significant relic.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why there was animosity between them.¡± Kingston shrugged. ¡°Either way, we have to consider the possibility that there is a second Moonstone here somewhere.¡± The whole time they were talking I was staring at the stone. Taking in every detail I could. I reached out and ran my fingers. along a line at the bottom. No, it was a seam. I pulled the pick I had been using on the entrance from my belt and started working at the morter in the space. I lost track of whoever was in the room with me. That feeling of something driving me had taken over again. I was onto something. It was something I needed toplete. I didn¡¯t know how long it took, but I managed to remove the sent and the stone panel began to shift. I sat back, stopping myself from pushing forward. I didn¡¯t know why, but I knew something monumental was about to happen. And it wasn¡¯t just about me. ¡°I need A.¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 72: A ¡°What did they find?¡± I asked as I stepped off thedder. ¡°Honestly,¡± Briggs said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Just that it¡¯s big and Theo wants you in there.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. I didn¡¯t know if I should be worried or scared or excited. We really had no idea what could be in there, but I knew it wasn¡¯t nothing. So, I braced myself for something terrible but hoped for some kind of miracle. It didn¡¯t take long for Briggs to guide us through the passageways. It did get a little difficult to navigate around the area of the vault with all the mess and equipment. Alpha Torin and Harmon were carrying lights through the hole in the wall when we arrived and I followed them through. I stopped in my tracks just inside when I saw the huge stone structure. ¡°Holy crap,¡± I blurted out. Theo stood from where he had been looking at something on the stone and headed toward me. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest. He released a breath. I could feel that he needed me through our bond. But I still didn¡¯t know why. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. He pulled back, brushing my hair from my face. ¡°We may have found something that can help keep you safe.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± he replied. ¡°At the very least, this is something that will change history.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He took my hand and led me toward the structure at the center of the room. He exined that it was a sarcophagus and who was buried inside it. Then he showed me the depictions on the side. Including the one indicating there may be a second Moonstone located nearby. ¡°Not just nearby,¡± Theo said. ¡°Right here. He tugged me to sit on the ground next to him, showing me what seemed to be apartment at the base of the burial. ¡°I¡¯ve got it ready to open,¡± Theo said, squeezing my hand. ¡°But I needed you here with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always here for you,¡± I replied. With a deep breath, he leaned forward and started to pull at the panel. As it started to move, worry washed over me. ¡°Wait,¡± I rushed, grabbing his arm as all the possible implications of this find ran through my head. ¡°What if this just makes things worse? This is a huge discovery. We know the Waar Pak like power, wouldn¡¯t this put an even bigger target on our backs?¡± ¡°No one outside of this room is going to find out about this,¡± Theo assured me. ¡°You can even command them yourself if it helps.¡± I chewed on my lip, still unsure about the situation. Theo rested his hand on mine again. swear, if we find something in here, I won¡¯t use it unless you are okay with it.¡± Frustration ran through me. I threw my hands in the air with an exasperated grunt. ¡°You all keep talking about these damn stones as if they have some kind of magical powers,¡± I said. ¡°Do you really think a rock is going to have any impact on anything?¡± Theo sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he offered honestly. ¡°But I have faith that it will. I don¡¯t know why, but I do.¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re wrong?¡± ¡°I would never bet your or our pup¡¯s safety on this,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Everything else that we have nned is still going to happen. This is¡­ it¡¯s just something I feel I have to do.¡± Theo had opened uppletely, letting everything he was feeling flow through our mate bond. I could feel the pull that was drawing him towards whatever was inside this tomb. He was right. He needed to do this. And I needed to support him. Whether I believed there was any power in the stones or not. This was something we both needed to see through. ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed firmly. He smiled and kissed me before turning back to the stone panel. I leaned forward and helped him pry it free from the sarcophagus. It took more effort than I expected and with one big tug, it fell to the floor, sending up a cloud of debris. ¡°You okay?¡± Theo asked as I coughed and waived the dust from the air. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured him. ¡°Just a little dust. Come on. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside.¡± Theo positioned a shlight so it shined into the space we had just cleared. From where I sat, I could make out a small box inside. Theo reached in slowly. The room was dead silent other than the scraping sound of the container as Theo removed it. Setting it down gently in front of us, we stared at it for a while. ¡°You can open it,¡± I finally said. He took a deep breath and lifted the metal box onto hisp. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to,¡± his father said suddenly. We both looked up at him. He was looking at the head of the tomb intently, running his hand along the rough surface. ¡°Dad?¡± Theo replied worriedly. Alpha Torin shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get it open. You¡¯re missing the key.¡± He straightened and held a hand out to Theo to help him to his feet. ¡°But I think I know where to find it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Theo asked as he lifted me from the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son,¡± Torin said, gripping his shoulders. ¡°This all should have been familiar to me sooner. I guess my mind is¡­¡± His expression was pained and it broke my heart. ¡°Look, keep that safe, okay? I will take care of this.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I asked. He smiled at me. ¡°It¡¯s better you don¡¯t know,¡± he said. He took my hand. ¡°You may have been right in your concerns, A. But I think we can prevent them as well. I just need you to trust me. Both of you.¡± ¡°Of course we trust you.¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 73: A After Alpha Torin left, Imanded everyone to keep what was found in the vault a secret. I didn¡¯t feel great about it, but I did find somefort in knowing we had that bit of protection. Once that was done, we returned to our apartment. Mina and Briggs joined us, but the atmosphere was quiet. None of us were sure what our next move would be. Theo set the box gently on the dining table. We all just stood around it for a while. ¡°So, where are we going to put this thing?¡± Mina finally voiced. ¡°For now, it¡¯ll go in the safe here in the Alpha¡¯s suite,¡± Theo said. ¡°It¡¯s better to have it close for now. ¡°Is anyone else as overwhelmed as I am?¡± Briggs asked, rubbing the back of his neck as he pulled Mina closer. ¡°I have to say, it¡¯s getting harder to keep up with everything.¡±. ¡°Ha,¡± I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± Theo reached out and rubbed my lower back. ¡°I know this is all getting pretty crazy but hopefully it won¡¯t be too much longer. We still have all the other ns in ce. That includes our tail on Hawkins. We know he¡¯s got something going on tonight. I think we¡¯ll get some answers at the very least.¡± Suddenly, my stomach grumbled. Loudly. Breaking the silence in the room. ¡°It¡¯s still several hours before we have to focus on Hawkins,¡± Briggs said. ¡°What do you say we order up something to eat and take the afternoon off? I think we need a little down time to regroup.¡± ¡°I think that sounds like a great idea,¡± Theo said. *** Kingston I had went back upstairs with the others but retired to my room. I needed some time to think. So much had happened that I was left with more questions than I could handle on my own. But I didn¡¯t think A was in the position to be my sounding board at the moment, and I wasn¡¯t ready to turn to Theo. So, I called the one person I trusted most in the world. ¡°Everything okay, Kin?¡± Pierce answered. ¡°I¡¯m alive. If that¡¯s what you mean,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s been some developments.¡± I wasn¡¯t able to tell him about the tomb. A¡¯smand prevented me. I ran a hand over my face with a sigh. I settled for telling him about Theo¡¯s family line. ¡°What do you mean they¡¯re Sablemanes?¡± Pierce said. ¡°The heir to the Sablemane Pack,¡± I rified. ¡°Technically, at least. Their founding Luna was an Amvorov.¡± ¡°If he thinks about taking our pack¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he is,¡± I said. ¡°A wouldn¡¯t allow it, and I trust her.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Pierce replied, ¡°you better stay on her good side.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly nning on getting on her bad side to begin with,¡± I replied. Pierce was silent for a few moments. ¡°There¡¯s still been no sign of Grogan since you left,¡± he said solemnly. I nodded. ¡°I figured there wouldn¡¯t be. Something tells me he¡¯s here somewhere.¡± ¡°He was so focused on you, Kin,¡± Pierce said. ¡°Now, even the attacks on our borders have stopped. If his attention has shifted sopletely, he¡¯s nning something big. And soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to Theo about that,¡± I said. ¡°But with no leads on what or where that move might be, he can¡¯t really take his focus from what we do know is going on. ¡°1 ¡°Then maybe you should be focusing on that for them,¡± Pierce said. ¡°You said they still have that rogue in custody, right?¡± Theo had said I would have free reign with the rogue. There wasn¡¯t more I could do at the moment. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°I think I could use some time with him. ¡°I¡¯ll need you toe out here, though. There are some other things going on that I can¡¯t tell you about. A will need to be the one to fill you in. It¡¯s important that you know everything that is going on from here out.¡± ¡°We still need to be careful about how many ranking members of other packs are there at once,¡± Pierce reminded me. ¡°I¡¯m worried we all may have already started to draw attention.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Bring Emma with you. If we can make it look like a social visit I think we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I can definitely manage that,¡± Pierce said. ¡°She¡¯s been dying to see A.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I replied. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re headed this way.¡± I hung up the phone and grabbed a pen and paper. After scribbling down what I needed, I headed straight down to the cer. When I arrived, there were still two guards stationed at the cells. ¡°When was thest time anyone was in there?¡± I asked before going in. ¡°Other than dropping in food and water, at least a week, maybe two,¡± one of the guards replied. ¡°He¡¯s been quiet for a few days.¡± ¡°Are either of you getting off soon?¡± ¡°My relief should be here within the hour,¡± one answered. I pulled the paper out of my pocket and handed it to him. ¡°If you could get me everything on this list I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re paid overtime.¡± The guard looked at the supply list and a smirk crossed his face. ¡°I think I can do that,¡± he replied, tucking the paper into his pocket. ¡°We may even be able to throw in a few extras. With how difficult the ba stard has made this job, we¡¯d be happy to provide.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± I said. ¡°Do you want us to restrain him for you?¡± ¡°That would be helpful, yes,¡± I confirmed. The guard unlocked the cell door. We entered, the second guard shutting the cell behind me. Lloyd looked up at us from a cot in the corner of the room. A nasty sneer crossed his face when he saw me. He didn¡¯t put much effort into fighting the guards as they lifted him over to the metal chair in the middle of the cell floor. The silver restraints were quickly fastened and I waved for the guards to leave the room. ¡°Before you get toofortable,¡± I began, ¡°I should let you know that I will not be as lenient as Alpha Theo and his men.¡± ¡°Before we start this little game,¡± Lloyd croaked, ¡°tell me what day it is?¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 74: Theo We followed Briggs¡¯ suggestion and spent the afternoonying low. We were still hanging out in the living room when Jimmy mind linked me. ¡®Alpha, Hawkins managed to slip out of the house,¡¯ Jimmy informed. me. ¡®Just as you expected. I¡¯m on his tail. He¡¯s heading out of the city.¡¯ I¡¯m on my way,¡± I replied. ¡®Don¡¯t lose him.¡¯ ¡®Wasn¡¯t nning on it,¡¯ Jimmy confirmed. ¡°Everything okay?¡± A asked. ¡°Hawkins is leaving the city,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s escaping?¡± ¡°No.¡± I kissed her temple and stood from the couch. ¡°I think he¡¯s meeting someone. Jimmy¡¯s following him. I have to catch up. Briggs,e with me.¡± Briggs nodded and was right behind me. Mina was on her feet as well. ¡°Take the neural patches,¡± she told us. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Alpha Harden and the others to wear them, too./Open the mind link when you catch them. Then we¡¯ll have plenty of witnesses.¡± The pride on Briggs¡¯ face was evident as he pulled her to him for a deep kiss. ¡°If only we had a way of recording it,¡± I joked, knowing her suggestion would be more than enough. ¡°I¡¯m on my way to get that set up,¡± Mina replied as she grabbed her stuff. Aughed. ¡°I told you she was brilliant. I¡¯ll be with her if you need anything else.¡± Briggs and I said goodbye to our mates and headed out of the packhouse. ¡®Jimmy, where are we headed?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s shifted,¡¯ Jimmy replied. ¡®We¡¯re about two miles northeast of the packhouse. You¡¯ll catch up faster on foot.¡¯ ¡®Done.¡¯ We attached the neural patches behind our ears and stripped down quickly, taking off at a run as weContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. both shifted into our wolves. Kieran took over in an instant. It had been too long since I had let him loose. He was practically salivating at the thought of catching the traitor who was threatening our mate. We slowed as we closed in on the location. ¡®Stay back if you didn¡¯t cover your scent,¡¯ Jimmy reminded us. He could sense Kieran¡¯s excitement. ¡®Keep the link open,¡¯ I told him. I felt for Mina, making sure we were still in range of the link. My connection to her was faint but there. ¡®Mina, how close are you to being set up?¡¯ ¡®Five minutes,¡¯ she replied. ¡®But you¡¯re too far out to get a clear recording. A is going to edge of the packhouse property and see if that works to boost the connection.¡¯ ¡®Maggie¡¯sing with me,¡¯ A came through the link. ¡®Okay,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Jimmy, what¡¯s our status?¡¯ ¡®Hawkins has stopped,¡¯ he replied. ¡®He¡¯s at the edge of a clearing. He¡¯s definitely meeting someone, but they haven¡¯t shown up yet. I shouldn¡¯t have any trouble getting close enough to hear.¡¯ Kieran was pacing in the shadows. I worked to calm him. We were still a safe distance from the meeting spot, but we didn¡¯t know what direction this contact wasing from. Kai, Briggs¡¯ wolf, grunted from a nearby tree. ¡®Calm down,¡¯ Briggs urged. ¡®We¡¯ve got this.¡¯ Kieran chuffed, but ultimately settled down, crouching low to the ground to keep out of sight, but remaining hyper-vignt. It was another twenty minutes before Jimmy said he spotted someone approaching Hawkins. The mind-link was open and, as the Alpha in my wolf form, I could see and hear what my pack members were experiencing. Almost like seeing through their eyes. But we had to be careful. If we widened the connection too far, Hawkins would sense our presence. It is possible for an Alpha to force this connection with their pack members, but I had never done so, and swore I never would. Now was definitely not the time to break that oath. Luckily, Jimmy was exactly where I needed him to be. ¡°I thought I told you toy low,¡± the contact hissed. Jimmy couldn¡¯t see any of his features, but I didn¡¯t think Hawkins could either. From what he said, it seemed that he was always shrouded or kept to the shadows. However, the voice was familiar. Very familiar. ¡°We need to talk,¡± Hawkins replied firmly. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time, so we need to make some decisions. I think you need to meet with Alpha Theo.¡± The mystery scoffed. ¡°I knew you had been caught. You¡¯re no good to us now.¡± ¡°Just hold on,¡± Hawkins insisted. ¡°You knew this was always a possibility. I said from the start if I had the chance to bring in the Alpha and his family, I would take it.¡¯ ¡°And I told you it was foolish,¡± the voice replied. ¡°She¡¯s his mate. He¡¯ll never see reason.¡± ¡°He might,¡± Hawkins said. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking with him. He won¡¯t admit it to me, but he has his doubts in her.¡± I had to stifle Kieran¡¯s growl. They wouldn¡¯t hear him, but if I didn¡¯t keep him under control he would certainly give us away as this conversation progressed. I was still trying to ce that voice. I knew that voice. But who was it? ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± the stranger said. ¡°I have a hard time believing that.¡± ¡°He did reject her originally,¡± Hawkins said, making my gut twist. ¡°Not many people know that, but I have a reliable source. And the timeline adds up. He must have had his doubts from the beginning. I think he¡¯ll listen to us.¡± Kieran was beginning to rage. At me as much as them. How could Hawkins have found out? How dare they use my rejection against A when it was never her fault? Whoever told him had to have lied about the circumstances. We would rip them apart. Kai growled low, stepping in front of Kieran who had stood. ¡®Don¡¯t,¡¯ Briggs echoed. ¡®Concentrate. Who is he talking to?¡¯ Kieran shook himself to refocus. ¡°Well, that is interesting information,¡± the man cooed. ¡°Perhaps he could be of value to us. ¡°} ¡°He just needs more evidence,¡± Hawkins said. ¡°I can set up a meeting for you two.¡± ¡°No,¡± the voice replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have to bring someone else in for this. It may take some time.¡± ¡°You said we don¡¯t have much more time,¡± Hawkins said with frustration. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just do it?¡± ¡°Trust me, he won¡¯t listen to me. I finally recognized the voice. ¡®Malcolm.¡¯ Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 75: Theo ¡®Get them,¡¯ Imanded as Kieran took off. Kai and Briggs were right behind us as we darted through the trees. The mind-link was still open and I saw Jimmy leap into action. His wolf taking Malcolm to the ground in a matter of seconds. Kieran burst into the clearing minutester, growling as he advanced on the traitor. Hawkins was yelling at us as Briggs grabbed hold of him. He hadn¡¯t shifted whereas the torn seams of Malcolm¡¯s shirt indicated he had tried to. I shifted back into my human form, forcing Kieran back. Jimmy shifted too, yanking Malcolm up by his hair to kneel on the ground, holding him firmly in ce as three more of my men joined us. ¡°I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m surprised to find you here, Malcolm,¡± I said menacingly, ¡°but I¡¯m not really. I¡¯d also like to say I¡¯m not pleased about what will happen next¡± ¨C I knelt down to look him in the eye- ¡°but I¡¯m not.¡± I stood and turned away. ¡°Take him to the precinct.¡± ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Hawkins pled, ¡°wait, it¡¯s not what you think. I was trying to get the evidence we ta¡­¡± ¡°I know exactly what you were doing, Hawkins,¡± I spat. ¡°What part of house arrest didn¡¯t you understand?¡± I got in his face. ¡°Malcolm was right. You¡¯re a fool if you ever believed I would betray my mate. You may think you have some kind of da mning evidence against her, but I promise you, you¡¯re wrong.¡± I looked to Briggs. ¡°Take him to the precinct. Arrest him for treason.¡± ¡°But Alpha¡­ wait¡­ I¡­¡± Briggs and Jimmy handed their captives off to the other warriors. I watched as they were dragged away, Hawkins yelling the whole way. I worked to suppress my anger. It had taken a lot not to execute them where they stood. But Malcolm wasn¡¯t my pack member. ¡®Mina, tell me you got that recorded.¡¯ ¡®I think we did,¡¯ she replied. ¡®It¡¯s still a new process, but it looks like we got it. ¡°This is going to require a little diplomacy,¡± Briggs said. ¡°Charles isn¡¯t just going to sit by about this. It was one thing to have his niece fired from your project. Executing his nephew is an entirely differentPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. matter ¡°The Waar P ak will be scrambling now. I have a feeling this will force them to take action on whatever they had nned,¡± I said. ¡°I think we can use this to our advantage.¡± The three of us shifted back into our wolves and made for the packhouse. I needed to get dressed and get Harden and Kingston. I would need them on my side for this. We stopped side for this. We stopped at one of the sheds at the back of the packhouse and grabbed some clothes. I was relieved to see Alpha Harden and Alpha Cooper waiting in the lobby. ¡°We heard everything,¡± Harden said as we joined them. He touched the back of his neck. ¡°I will say, these little devices you¡¯ve made are quite impressive. When this is over, I think we should talk some business.¡± The corner of my mouth twitched. ¡°When this is over, I¡¯d be happy to.¡± ¡°I sent Randy back out into the field,¡± Cooper said. ¡°Once word reaches Charles about his nephew, the Waar P ak lines ofmunication will be busy. I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll learn something useful.¡± I nodded. ¡°Good. I had them brought to the precinct for questioning. I don¡¯t want either of them anywhere near the cer. Besides, there¡¯s no way of keeping this a secret.¡± Out of the corner of my eye, I saw A, Maggie, and Mina enter the lobby. ¡°We¡¯ll head over there now,¡± Harden replied. ¡°You¡¯ll need the witnesses.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly. I need to speak with my Luna for a moment.¡± They all moved to leave, but I caught Alpha Harden¡¯s arm before he left. ¡°There¡¯s something else I need from you,¡± I said once we were alone. ¡°I need some advice¡­ from an experienced Alpha. And with my dad gone, I was hoping you could help.¡± ¡°It would be an honor,¡± Harden replied kindly. ¡°I don¡¯t want my time as the pack Alpha to begin with an execution,¡± I said quietly. ¡°But I don¡¯t see any way of avoiding it.¡± Harden ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Unfortunately, you may be right, son. But this will ensure your pack¡¯s safety going forward. Any Alpha that hasn¡¯t already chosen a side will think twice when the time comes.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I understand what this will do for my reputation. The message it will send to our enemies. And even to my pack, but¡­¡± ¡ª I nced at A, talking quietly with her cousin ¨C ¡°something doesn¡¯t sit right starting our leadership with violence.¡± ¡°Violence was brought upon you, Theo,¡± Harden insisted. ¡°Whatever actions you take now were not forced upon you. Show mercy where you can, but the best thing you can do, is start your rule with a victory.¡± I nodded. Harden squeezed my shoulder before heading out of the packhouse. I went to A and pulled her into my arms. ¡°This will end soon,¡± I told her. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Mina was able to get the recording we needed,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to reach out to a few of the Luna¡¯s I met at the Gathering. If this conspiracy is going toe out in the light, it¡¯s time I built my own army. I¡¯ll be personally inviting them to join their mates to the meetings.¡± I smiled. ¡°Brilliant as always. ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to speak with Hawkins,¡± she requested. ¡°I think it¡¯s time he heard my side of whatever stories he¡¯s been fed.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 76: A We went down to the precinct together. Acting Sheriff McCabe greeted us immediately and took us to the cells where the two conspirators were being held. ¡°Malcolm hasn¡¯t said anything,¡± McCabe said. ¡°But Hawkins has been pretty verbal. I cleared the building before bringing him in. Good thing, too. He was spewing some pretty serious allegations. I still don¡¯t know who here would side with him. So that was thest thing we needed.¡± ¡°Nice work,¡± Theo said. ¡°Keep that up. None of the officers are to deal with either of them.¡± 3. 3. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I was looking through the ss at the former sheriff. He seemed distraught, but whether that was simply because he was caught and facing a treason sentence, I couldn¡¯t tell. I told Theo I wanted to speak with Hawkins alone. Hepromised and insisted Maggie go in with me. We stepped into the interrogation room and Hawkins looked up at me. I wasn¡¯t sure how to read his reaction, but I doubt I was mistaken when I saw disdain mixed with his surprise. I took a seat in the chair across the table and looked him over. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not necessary, but I¡¯m going to introduce myself anyway,¡± I said. ¡°My name is A Garner, oldest daughter of Jack and Marie Garner. Although, I¡¯m sure you know that wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s real name.¡± He remained quiet but shifted in his seat, confirming my statement. ¡°I hear you have some 0.00% kind of evidence against me and my intentions for this pack. Evidence that supposedly proves that I¡¯m not only unfit to be Luna but unfit to live. I would like to know what that is.¡± ¡°We never nned to kill you,¡± Hawkins rushed. I raised an eyebrow. ¡°The scar on my side from being stabbed with a silver de says otherwise. An act carried out by my own packmate. A packmate that, much like yourself, I had never met before. So, please, enlighten me on the terrible things I have apparently done to make people I¡¯ve never met hate me so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you will do,¡± Hawkins said. ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯re capable of. I¡¯ve seen proof of that.¡± ¡°And what am I capable of?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Lying, deceit,¡± Hawkins spat. ¡°You use people. Take advantage of them. I¡¯m the sherrif. I will never allow amon criminal to be my Luna.¡± I had to fight to push back the rage that surged through my connection with Theo. I was sure someone was in there holding him back. ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. ¡°So show me the evidence that was so damning you would risk your life?¡± ¡°Three years,¡± Hawkins stated. ¡°Three years you worked with a loan shark, helping build his empire in this territory. You helped him gain from others misfortunes. And once you made your own fortune, you just walked away.¡± The corner of my lip twitched in amusement but I didn¡¯t say anything, but Hawkins continued. 24.29% ¡°I¡¯m sure you neglected to tell Alpha Theo about your lucrative career. After that, it must have been easy for you to break your sister¡¯s heart and take her mate from her. But let¡¯s face it, we know you¡¯re after every Alpha you can get your ws into. Just like the Sablemane Alpha. And once you have their loyalty, you¡¯ll take over everything. Destroy our way of life.¡± ¡°Why does everyone believe I stole Theo from Kylee?¡± I said with exasperation. ¡°You know situations like this happen all the time. Wolves date and their fated matese along and end it. It¡¯s not even that umon for it to happen within families. But so many of you refuse to believe the obvious, normal, truth. ¡°Either way,¡± I proceeded, ¡°that¡¯s all a lie.¡± ¡°So, your sister, the one you and so many others dote upon, is a liar?¡± Hawkins interjected. I met his eyes, holding his gaze intently. ¡°Yes,¡± I said firmly. ¡°She lied. About a lot of things actually. Although¡± ¨C I raised my hand ¡°to be fair, there were some things she didn¡¯t know about that meant she didn¡¯t realize she was lying. But still, there were a lot of lies.¡± ¨C Hawkins was shaking his head. ¡°I looked into you,¡± he said. ¡°I have surveince footage from when you worked with Guillermo.¡± ¡°Oh, I did work for him,¡± I said. ¡°As the manager of his legitimate business. And I did it as a deal to protect my mother and pay off her gambling debts. I was never knowingly involved with his illegal activities.¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± Hawkins spat. ¡°Even if that was true, you knew he 48 12% would find a way to use you.¡± ¡°And wouldn¡¯t that make me his victim?¡± I pointed out. ¡°Not his aplice? You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not stupid. But sometimes we have to choose naivety to put food on the table. Begrudge me that all you want, but I will never regret what I did for my family.¡± I stood up, finished with the conversation, but I met his eyes one more time. ¡°Oh, and yes, I did tell Theo. He knows everything.¡± I left the cell, unsure about how I felt about this information I had received. Theo met me in the hall. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked as he grabbed my face. ¡°Are you?¡± I replied. ¡°It felt like you were about toe through that ss.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I ced a reassuring hand on his chest, but my brow was still furrowed as I thought about our conversation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°False or not, I still don¡¯t understand how he could be so dedicated to the Waar Pak from that information alone,¡± I said. ¡°Hemitted treason for this, but he still seems loyal.¡± Theo sighed. ¡°Hawkins is passionate about fighting corruption,¡± he informed me. ¡°Always has been. If he believed you were working as a loan shark, he wouldn¡¯t ept you in any position of power.¡± My face creased with deeper concern. ¡°Which means the Waar Pak isn¡¯t just targeting groups with general rhetoric, 74.68% they¡¯re getting specific. Personal. They¡¯re fighting with psychological warfare that we can¡¯t predict.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to end this,¡± Theo said. ¡°Now.¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 77: Theo I took A¡¯s hand and joined Harden and Cooper outside Malcolm¡¯s interrogation room as Cooper was hanging up his phone. ¡°I knew I recognized this guy,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it took us this long to make the connection to Charles Anderson. You said this is his nephew?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, but from what I can tell, the rtion isn¡¯tmon knowledge. The only reason I found out was because his sister let it slip during one of her clumsy attempts to seduce me.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s popped up in almost every pack over thest couple of years,¡± Cooper said. ¡°But he¡¯s not always there in association with Charlespany, and he often uses an alias in those cases. So it took us some time to make a connection, but we still couldn¡¯t tie him to Charles definitively. Until now, at least.¡± I looked at Malcolm through the ss, holding back the storm of emotions boiling within me. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to start a war, aren¡¯t I?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not letting him live.¡± ¡°My suggestion ¨C call an urgent Gathering,¡± Cooper said. ¡°We know there has to be Alphas involved in this. However, I don¡¯t think any are as directly involved as the leaders, but there are some who have at least turned a blind eye to their practices. You need to offer them the option to back out. To turn 0.00% against the Waar Pak Society. Allow us to set up provisions to hunt the participants down.¡± ¡°You think that would actually work?¡± I asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect a perfect oue,¡± Harden said. ¡°But it¡¯s probably your best option. Including all the other Alphas in this matter supports you and A¡¯s im against the Waar Pak allegations. And, if anything, it will help us identify our enemies.¡± ¡°Our enemies?¡± I asked a little bitterly. ¡°The fact that I¡¯ve already gained enemies is bad enough. I can¡¯t let you take them as yours as well.¡± A squeezed my hand. ¡°Theo¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°As far as we know, no other pack knows about your connection to this. It may be better for you to arrive with the rest of them. To show neutrality. This is our fight.¡± Harden smiled at A. ¡°As I told you before, my dear,¡± Harden stated, ¡°your father was a close friend. I despise the Waar Pak¡® s ideals. Anyone who stands with their beliefs, stands against me and my pack. If fighting this battle helps protect Jack¡¯s daughter, well, that¡¯s just a bonus.¡± I saw the tears start to form in A¡¯s eyes before she embraced Harden. He chuckled as he patted her back. She swiped her eyes as she pulled away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m a little emotional these days.¡± ¡°Nothing to be sorry about,¡± he replied. ¡°In fact, I think you should be one to call the gathering, A.¡± 23.40% ¡°Me?¡± A replied in confusion. ¡°Can I even do that? It¡¯s an Alpha Gathering.¡± ¡°The Lunas will surely be there as well,¡± Cooper said. ¡°Or, at least, they will be informed of what is going on by their mates. Their opinions will have weight. And yes, a Luna has every right to call a Gathering. I agree with Harden. It¡¯s a bold move that may work well in our favor.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. I rubbed A¡¯s back in support. I had every faith that she could do this. I even sensed an eagerness beneath the hesitationing through our bond. She needed to do this. My attention returned to Malcolm. ¡°In the meantime,¡± I began, ¡°what are we going to do with him? He has information we need, but we can¡¯t harm him. Not before the other Alphas arrive.¡± ¡°I couldmand him,¡± A said. ¡°No,¡± I asserted. ¡°I don¡¯t want you in there with him. Malcolm is smart. Sleazy and obnoxious, too, yes, but still smart. I¡¯d be too worried he¡¯d use whatever happened in there against you if the Alphas request his testimony. If Harden and Cooper agree that we shouldn¡¯t wait, then I can handle this.¡± ¡°Like you said,¡± Cooper said, ¡°we can¡¯t use drastic techniques. But I think it would be wise to get what we can out of him as soon as possible.¡± I nodded. ¡°Harden, my mother has left with my father, would you mind helping A call the Gathering?¡± ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± he confirmed. Offering A his arm, he led her away. I watched them go, feeling the urgency of the uing events looming over me. I would make our world safe for her. Even if it was thest thing I did. She deserved that more than anything. And I would start by taking care of Malcolm Neal. I entered the interrogation room, letting every ounce of my Alpha energy permeate the space. Malcolm recoiled from the weight of it and I didn¡¯t bother hiding the pleasure it gave me to see. I sat in front of him and waited. I knew Malcolm. He was smart, but I knew that if you gave him enough rope, he¡¯d eventually hang himself with it. And I had time to be patient. But something told me he didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t long before he began to speak. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s no use to reason with you?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a business negotiation, Malcolm,¡± I said tly. ¡°That¡¯s debatable,¡± he said brazenly. My energy pulsed forcefully through the air, sending Malcolm farther back into his chair. But I didn¡¯t let my anger take over. I remained quiet. ¡°I won¡¯t talk,¡± he said. Still no response. ¡°But I am curious,¡± he stated. ¡°Your man, Hawkins, he really did believe you were having doubts about that charming mate of yours. I wonder how much of that was an act to catch us and how much was real.¡± The corner of my mouth twitch upward. Whether he believed I had doubts or not, he wouldn¡¯t actually try to turn me against A now. But he would appear to try to get information from 1. me. That¡¯s what I was counting on. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 78: A ¡°Okay,¡± I said as I sat down at Theo¡¯s desk, ¡°what¡¯s the best way to do this? I¡¯m guessing we want to contact them all at once.¡± ¡°A video message should do the trick,¡± Alpha Harden said, ¡°We have a program designed for this kind ofmunication. Do you know what you¡¯re going to say?¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I think so,¡± I replied as I typed in Theo¡¯s password on hisputer. Harden leaned over and pulled up themunication program he was talking about, opening it to the camera feature. I thought back to the lessons I had been working on with Luna Grace over the past few months. Hoping I would get it right, I hit record and started talking. ¡°Fellow Alphas and Lunas,¡± I began. ¡°For those who haven¡¯t met me, I¡¯m Luna A Garner of the Greytooth Pack. I¡¯m contacting you all in regards to a serious matter that needs our attention. As acting Luna, I am requesting an emergency Alpha Gathering to take ce at the Greytooth packhouse seventy-two hours from now. Please be aware that this concerns the future peace of all the packs. A peace Alpha Theo and I desperately want to protect. We depend on your attendance.¡± I stopped the recording and turned to Alpha Harden. ¡°How was that?¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± he said. Not wanting to let doubt sink in, I hit send. I sunk back in the chair with a sigh. ¡°Do you think they will attend?¡± ¡°They have to,¡± Harden said. ¡°In some capacity or another. But yes, I think most of the Alphas ¨C and Lunas ¨C will attend personally.¡± ¨C ¡ª ¡°And you¡¯re sure this is the right move?¡± I asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know who is working with the Waar P ak. We may be inviting an army that¡¯s against us.¡± Harden took a seat in the chair on the other side of the desk. ¡°It was a few months before I was scheduled to take over my pack¡­ when the Waar P ak struck the Onyxcrown Packhouse. I saw the fallout that happened after the attack. Most of the Alphas were outraged.¡± ¡°Then why does it seem like my father¡¯s pack was forgotten?¡± I asked. ¡°Left in the past.¡± Harden shook his head. ¡°They weren¡¯t forgotten. It was a group effort to take down the Waar P ak back then. However, life goes on. They never targeted any other packs directly after that. The effort to find all of them became too costly when they were no longer a threat.¡± ¡°Justice isn¡¯t enough of a reason, I suppose,¡± I said bitterly. ¡°It is for some,¡± he said, holding my gaze intently. ¡°Of course,¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know we owe you a lot.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Harden said. ¡°Your father saved me and my mate¡¯s lives. I owe him everything. Plus, I like you, my dear.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Now, we need to start preparing for your guests,¡± Harden said, standing up. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a very busy few days.¡± *** Theo I hadn¡¯t responded to Malcolm in hours. He was starting to lose his control. His fidgeting had increased. He was barely able to keep still for more than a few seconds. I pushed my energy out a bit stronger again. ¡°You know my uncle will being for me,¡± Malcolm spat. ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not going to sit by and let you murder his nephew.¡± ¡°You were caught plotting against the Alpha and Luna of another pack,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not murder. It¡¯s my right. Your uncle is a Delta. What power do you think he holds against ourws?¡± ¡°He has friends,¡± Malcolm replied with a wicked grin. ¡°More powerful friends than you know.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I crossed my arms over my chest as I sat back. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡®Theo,¡¯ Briggs linked me. ¡®You have a phone call.¡¯ ¡®Who is it?¡¯ ¡®Who do you think?¡¯ Briggs replied. ¡®He¡¯s refusing to speak to me again.¡¯ I stood without speaking to Malcolm and left the room. Briggs was waiting just outside holding the phone. I took it but didn¡¯t answer yet, making my way to McCabe¡¯s office first. McCabe was there with Jimmy and indicated for them to listen in. I clicked the speaker button and took the call off hold. ¡°This is Alpha Theo.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± Charles Anderson barked over the line. ¡°I know you have my nephew, Theo Arden. Now, tell me where he is.¡± ¡°Delta Charles, he¡¯s being held in the city police station,¡± I stated inly. ¡°He has been arrested for treason, along with a few other serious charges.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± Charles demanded. ¡°That will be discussed with Alpha Anthony,¡± I replied. ¡°I have no obligation to disclose any evidence to you. However, you are wee toe witness the trial. I¡¯m curious to see what you know about his activities ofte. Particrly those targeted against my Luna and myself.¡± The was a tense silence but it was brief. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he replied, sounding like it took effort to make the denial. ¡°But rest assured I am on my way to clear up this mess, Alpha.¡± ¡°I have no doubt you will try,¡± I said threateningly. ¡°I¡¯m very interested to see how you will make the attempt. We¡¯re looking forward to your visit.¡± I hung up the phone and dialed another number. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± Alpha Anthony answered. ¡°We were just preparing to leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, Alpha,¡± I said. ¡°I just spoke with Charles Anderson. He is also on his way. I hope you have stuck with our agreement and not informed him of the Gathering that will be taking ce.¡± ¡°Delta Charles has no reason to know about this Gathering,¡± Alpha Anthony said a little testily. ¡°But I would still like to have a better idea of what is going on, especially since so many members of my own pack seem to be involved.¡± ¡°I would be happy to inform you,¡± I said. ¡°However, it really is necessary that we wait until everyone is in attendance.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Alpha Anthony replied. ¡°We will see you shortly.¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 79: Theo I stood at the back of the banquet hall as I watched the room full of Alphas, Lunas, and other ranking pack members settle into their seats. Cooper and Randy had reallye through for us the past few days. Now that they knew of Malcolm¡¯s ties, they were able topile an entire dossier on Charles Anderson and his connection to Waar Pak activities. Once he arrived in our territory, he was immediately sequestered and kept in a safe house and not allowed to leave. He was currently being escorted to the packhouse and would be arriving any minute. Until then, I was staying clear of the other Alphas. I had greeted them upon their arrival out of courtesy and respect, but I didn¡¯t want to put myself in a position that would allow them to badger information out of me. Briggs went to the front of the hall to direct everyone to prepare to start the meeting. Just as he was greeting the group, Charles Anderson was brought through the door next to me. He noticed me first and stormed into the room. He was about to start speaking when he noticed the full banquet hall he had just entered. He scanned the faces and realization quickly dawned on him. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he whispered forcefully. I stepped in close to him, making sure no one could overhear. ¡°Did you really think it would only be Malcolm on trial here?¡± I looked him in the eye. ¡°The Waar Pak ends today.¡± Charles¡¯s head snapped to the front of the room as A¡¯s voice reached us. She was addressing the pack leaders to formally begin the proceedings. *** 22% wake us down and neither will she,¡± Charles * As as a member of the Onyxerown lives, we will busom down. She will not hold power over us ¡°Yow to re ¡°sast. But everyone in this room does and I doubt they made to y NN VON COMspiring Isawards to sout him as A called me to the front of the AMY All I stopped back from the podium as Theo took over. My heart was beating tot as my nerves ate at me. ¡°You know we won¡¯t let anything happen to you,¡± Kingston whispered Part of getting the Alphas to help take down the Waar Pak meant revealing my identity to them, and Kingston¡¯s. There was no way of knowing if this would help or hurt us. I knew Harden had said the other packs were appalled by the Onyxerown massacre, but that was almost thirty years ago. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about what this information with do to our packs,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Are we about to make more enemies?¡± Kingston sighed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°But Theo is right about keeping this a secret being a bad idea. If anything, we need to know where the other Alphas stand. Better the enemy you know, right?¡± ¡°True¡± Chapter 79 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Her father couldn¡¯t take us down and neither will she,¡± Charles growled low. ¡°As long as a member of the Onyxcrown lives, we will hunt them down. She will not hold power over us. ¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°But everyone in this room does and I doubt they will be too pleased about your conspiring.¡± I signaled the guards to seat him as A called me to the front of the banquet hall. *** A I stepped back from the podium as Theo took over. My heart was beating fast as my nerves ate at me. ¡°You know we won¡¯t let anything happen to you,¡± Kingston whispered next to me. Part of getting the Alphas to help take down the Waar Pak meant revealing my identity to them, and Kingston¡¯s. There was no way of knowing if this would help or hurt us. I knew Harden had said the other packs were appalled by the Onyxcrown massacre, but that was almost thirty years ago. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about what this information with do to our packs,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Are we about to make more enemies?¡± Kingston sighed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°But Theo is right about keeping this a secret being a bad idea. If anything, we need to know where the other Alphas stand. Better the enemy you know, right?¡± ¡°True.¡± 20514 Chapter 79 Theo 288 (Vouchers ¡°Just¡­¡± Kingston began but paused. It was like he was struggling to find his words. That was the moment I noticed how tired and worn out he looked. ¡°Whatever happens after today, just remember to trust me, okay? I will always protect you, A.¡± I was about to ask what he was talking about but Theo¡¯s voice broke our conversation as he told the room who I was. The room fell silent for a moment. It was Apha Weston of the Wildtail Pack who spoke first. ¡°How do we know she truly is the Onyxcrown heir?¡± he asked. His tone was calm. I stepped forward and removed the chain around my neck, holding my father¡¯s ring up for them to see. ¡°My father gave me this ring before he died,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what it meant back then, but he told me to never let it go. That this was part of our family. Part of who I was.¡± Alpha Harden stood. ¡°I have confirmed that it is the Dominis family crest. The Onyxcrown crest,¡± he said. ¡°My father, Alpha Torin,¡± Theo said, ¡°has also confirmed Jack¡¯s identity. He came to my father as a refugee once he arrived in our territory. He asked for asylum. To be left to live a quiet life as he grieved the loss of his pack.¡± ¡°This threat ising at us under the pretense that the Dominis family and, subsequently, I wish to take over the packs,¡± I addressed the group. ¡°I can assure you all, that is an idea that never crossed my mind. Our system of governance, our way of life, has allowed us to live in peace for generations. The Waar Pak are the ones threatening that. Please, we are here to ask for your help in putting an end to these attacks once and for all.¡± Chapter 79 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°How do you propose we do this?¡± Alpha Patrick asked. ¡°If they are still working underground, this would take an extensive coboration effort to take them down.¡± ¡°We have already been working on this solution,¡± Theo said. ¡°We know how to hunt the culprits down. In fact, we have thorough evidence that we have found one of their leading members. We have asked you all here to help us determine the fate of the perpetrator. As the Alphas and Lunas of the packs, we need to show a united front against this very serious, very real, threat against us. Do you agree to review the evidence with us?¡± There was a low murmur throughout the room as our guests conversed between themselves. Slowly, they began to stand, acknowledging their agreement to proceed with the trial. ¡°Thank you,¡± Theo said. ¡°We havee to strongly believe the leader of the Waar Pak Society is Delta Charles Anderson.¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 80: A Three days. It had been three days since we had started the trial and it finally felt like we were getting close to a decision. We didn¡¯t think we would get a unanimous agreement on the executions, but we didn¡¯t need it. The majority support would be uncontestable in this situation. Protecting us from any retribution from other pack members. After Theo had closed out the proceedings for the day, I invited the women for dinner and drinks in the cafeteria. I had reserved the private room off the main dining area thinking it would be a good opportunity to dpress before making any decisions the following day. Annabelle had helped organize the get¨Ctogether, which was a goddess- send with it being such short notice. I extended the invite to all Lunas, but it wasn¡¯t a requirement, so I was curious to see who would attend. I was pleasantly surprised that all of them showed up. It wasn¡¯t arge group. Out of the nine packs, only five currently had mates. Six, if you included Theo and I as acting Alpha and Luna. However, there were three Beta¡¯s mates that had alsoe along as well as Mina and Maggie, of course. But it was a nice bnce. Even when the evening was in full swing, it still felt intimate. ¡°Thank you foring,¡± I said as I handed Luna Victoria, Alpha Harden¡¯s mate, a ss of wine. ¡°It has been so nice to finally meet you. Alpha Harden has spoken so highly of you.¡± ¡°I can say the same about you, my dear,¡± Luna Victoria replied with a bright smile. Chapan k¨° Arta 298 Vouchers ¡°Well, I can only hope I live up to the expectations,¡± I replied. ¡°I can¡¯t say I was exactly prepared for this role.¡± ¡°Oh, honey, most Luna¡¯s aren¡¯t,¡± Luna Emma said. ¡°Rarely do those who n to be Luna actually be one.¡± ¡°And yours hasn¡¯t exactly been a normal transition,¡± Mina defended. ¡°I know this can¡¯t have been easy on you,¡± Luna Victoriamented. ¡°Harden tells me you were just as surprised about your father¡¯s identity as the rest of us.¡± ¡°Not just me,¡± I said. ¡°Mina isn¡¯t only Beta Briggs¡® mate. She¡¯s also my cousin. Her mother was my father¡¯s sister. Honestly, I don¡¯t know how I would have gotten through thesest few months without her.¡± The conversation continued through various topics. Mina again came to my rescue a few times when there were questions about the moreplicated rumors. Particrly the ones regarding Ma and Kylee and why I was at the annual Gathering with Kingston. As the night progressed, I found myself alone with Luna Victoria. ¡°I really want to say that you have been handling this impressively, my dear,¡± she said. She leaned in and added quietly, ¡°especially in your condition.¡± I was a little startled, almost dropping the ss I had taken from the server. I wasn¡¯t sure if she meant what I thought she did. I resisted the urge to reach for my stomach. I had begun to show, but not so much that I couldn¡¯t hide it. And I had been meticulous in doing so. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna,¡± I replied nervously, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie,¡± she said with a reassuring squeeze of my arm, ¡°your secret is safe, with me. I can understand not wanting to announce the news with everything going on. But you have my congrattions.¡± Chapter 80 A 288 Vouchers ¡°How did¡­? Did Harden¡­?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± she rushed. ¡°Of course not. Just call it a woman¡¯s intuition. We older Luna¡¯s are always on the lookout for the next generation of leaders. So being a newly mated couple, the signs of pregnancy are easy to spot.¡± Suddenly, someone bumped into me, spilling the drink I held down my hand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luna,¡± a young man about my age said. ¡°Please, forgive me. I¡¯m so clumsy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I assured him with a smile as I took the offered towel. ¡°idents happen. No harm done.¡± ¡°Please, let me get you another drink.¡± Before I could answer, he had taken the ss and hurried off. I shrugged as I finished drying myself off, returning to my conversation with Luna Victoria. Not long after, I noticed it was gettingte. I wanted to thank everyone again foring, so I called for the room¡¯s attention. Annabelle came out just in time to hand me a fresh drink. ¡°I want to thank all of you for being here this week,¡± I said. ¡°I know that this issue with the Waar Pak is primarily affecting Theo and me and our pack, but I truly believe that they are a threat to us all. To have all of you strong women here shows an amount of support and respect I could have only dreamed of. I truly can¡¯t express how much it means to me that I can move forward knowing I can rely on guidance and validation. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Now, a toast, to the Luna¡¯s our people would be lost without.¡± There were cheers and a round of apuse throughout the room before we all took a drink, 52.45% 07.281 Chapter 80 A 288 (Vouchers ¡°Youdies are wee to stay as long as you like and enjoy our hospitality.¡± To reinforce my speech, I made my rounds around the room and thanked everyone individually. I made sure they were all taken care of and had everything they needed, both there and throughout their stay at the packhouse. I was really feeling like I was bing a part of the group and enjoying my time when Dasha became agitated in the back of my mind. Since we can¡¯t shift, our wolves often be dormant during pregnancy. Not like before when I had lost her. She was still always there where I could sense her. Just conserving energy for our growing pup. So to have her suddenly so present was a little concerning. I excused myself from the group and had Maggie take me back to my apartment. As we entered the elevator, a wave of nausea hit me, making my head spin a little as the lift began to move. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong,¡¯ Dasha whimpered. ¡°You okay?¡± Maggie asked, concerned. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°My medicine has just worn off.¡± The feeling passed quickly and I was fine before we even made it to our floor. Dasha seemed to calm a little, so I just brushed the incident off. This was the first time I had missed a dose. So it was probably just my morning sickness returning. I told Maggie goodnight and headed into my apartment, ready to tell my mate what a sess the night had been.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 81: A I called out for Theo as I closed the door behind me. He came out of the bedroom and met me with a big hug and passionate kiss. ¡°Everything go alright?¡± he asked. ¡°Mhmm,¡± I said. ¡°It was perfect. I really started to feel a part of something tonight. I just hope I can be half as good a Luna as the rest of them. Even Aniya has been flourishing in her pack and she¡¯s been in the position about as long as I have.¡± ¡°Well, she was raised by Alpha Patrick. So she¡¯s been around pack leaders her whole life,¡± Theo said. ¡°You have been doing a fantastic job, love. And you didn¡¯t have close to the advantages she did. So I think you fit in with the group perfectly.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I think you¡¯re biased,¡± I teased. ¡°I may be,¡± he replied. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not right.¡± He kissed me again before pulling me against his chest. We stood there holding each other for a while, just enjoying the feel of each other. When he finally pulled away, he brushed the hair from my face as I looked up at him. His brow furrowed as he looked back. ¡°Are you feeling okay, babe?¡± he asked, pressing the back of his hand to my cheek. ¡°You look pale.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired and my stomach got a little queasy earlier, but I just need to take my medicine again. But other than that, we¡¯re all good.¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s off to bed with you two then,¡± Theo said, guiding me by the hips. I covered his hands with mine but didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°Can I take a shower first, Alpha?¡± Theo sighed. ¡°I guess, but it¡¯s straight to bed after. You need to rest. Whatever happens, it¡¯s going to be a stressful day tomorrow.¡± ¡°The same goes for you too, you know,¡± I insisted. ¡°You¡¯ve been upte every night with Harden and Cooper and the others. You need the sleep, too.¡± ¡°Believe me, I know,¡± he said exasperatedly. ¡°I n to do just that. As soon as you¡¯re tucked in first.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said, kissing his cheek before heading to the bathroom. I was tired, and climbing straight into bed was tempting. But I wanted to wash the day off me. Despite the evening going as well as it had, the rest of the day, and the days before, had been rough. A lot of the details that had been gone over included some graphic and terrible things. Cooper and his team had been able to link the deaths of Onyxcrown refugees together a while ago. Once they confirmed Delta Charles¡¯ involvement in the Waar Pa k society, it wasn¡¯t hard to tie it all back to him and Malcolm. That included the death of Mrs. Walport and the library fire. Theo tried to find any evidence that Julia was also involved, however, Cooper said he couldn¡¯t find anything that supported her having a direct hand in anything. However, it would be safe to say she carried the same beliefs as her family. So, Theo made it clear she was never allowed on Greytooth territory again. I waited for the water to warm up before stripping out of my clothes. The bathroom was filling with steam when I stepped under the steady stream, feeling the tension melt from my body as it hit my skin. I sighed heavily, closing my eyes and resting my head back on my shoulders as the water flowed through my hair. After enjoying the water for a while, I washed my hair and body, taking my time. When I was fully rxed, I cut the water off, gasping as a sharp pain radiated through my abdomen. I clutched my middle but the sensation passed quickly. It took a deep breath and opened the ss door of the shower. I was toweling myself off when another pain had me doubling over. It was like a vice squeezing my insides. The painsted a little longer this time but it did dissipate after a few moments. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Dasha was whining and whimpering in my head, pacing in fear and concern. I went to calm her but was stopped by another pain knocking me to my knees as I cried out. Panic and fear had taken over as I registered the warm wet feeling between my legs and the smell of blood hit me. ¡°No, no, no,¡± I cried as I pressed the towel between my thighs. The cramps wereing in steady waves as I called out for Theo. My vision began to blur and my thoughts went back to the day I had been stabbed. But I had to save my baby. I wouldn¡¯t lose my pup. I didn¡¯t notice the door burst open, only strong hands holding me as I drifted out of consciousness. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 82: Theo I sat next to the hospital bed gripping A¡¯s hand, praying she would wake up but also wanting to keep her in this state of peace a little longer. I focused on the rhythmic sound of the machines so I could hold on to the numb feeling that held the storm inside me at bay. What was I going to say? How would I tell her? I felt A¡¯s hand twitch and knew I would have to figure that out soon. Slowly, she regained consciousness, her eyes flickering open, and immediately, her gaze met mine. I forced the knot in my throat back in order to speak. ¡°Hey, love,¡± was all I could manage. I could see the thoughts working through A¡¯s mind and it wasn¡¯t long before I knew I wouldn¡¯t have to tell her anything. She knew. We had lost our pup. Her eyes filled with tears and her chest rose and fell quickly, but her face remained stoic. It was like watching the wall she had built up when we had first met snap back into ce. I moved to pull her into my arms but she pulled away. Ripping her hand from mine. I reached for her again but she pushed me away forcefully, rolling to her side without a word. I was frozen. She was breaking and she wouldn¡¯t even let me touch her. To make it worse, she hadpletely blocked our connection. I couldn¡¯t feel her through our bond. I pushed my heartbreak back. She would need time. I would be here for her in any way I could. It was all I had. ¡°I¡­¡± I swallowed hard to keep my voice calm and steady. ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡± I refrained from trying to reach out to her again and turned from the bed. I found a nurse and let her know that A was awake. She paged the doctor and then went in to check A¡¯s vitals. I wanted to go back in the room so bad it hurt, but I didn¡¯t think I could keep myself from holding my mate. So I waited just outside the door until Dr. Athens arrived. The nurse came out just as he met me. ¡°Her vitals are strong,¡± she said. ¡°However, it¡¯s hard to tell how stable she is with the emotional state she¡¯s in.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Thank you, Jackie.¡± The nurse left and the doctor looked back at me with a severe expression. ¡°What did you find?¡± I asked desperately. Dr. Athens gestured toward the door to A¡¯s room. ¡°Perhaps we should go over the results together.¡± I hesitated a moment, bracing myself for A¡¯s coldness, but followed the doctor inside. She was still laying with her back to us. ¡°Hello, A,¡± the doctor said kindly. ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Athens. I¡¯ve been overseeing your care. How are you feeling?¡± A rolled back over and pushed herself up a little farther in the bed, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she looked at the doctor expectantly. But still not at me. ¡°You were brought to usst night,¡± Dr. Athens stated. ¡°You had suffered a lot of blood loss and I¡¯m afraid your¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± A said curtly. The doctor nodded his head. ¡°We have run some tests trying to figure out what could have happened.¡± I instinctively moved next to the bed. Needing to be close to my mate. ¡°We found arge amount of wolfsbane in your system, Luna.¡± ¡°What?¡± I hissed. ¡°If I¡¯m honest, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still with us at all,¡± Dr. Athens continued. ¡°With that amount, you should have died.¡± ¡°I¡¯m immune to wolfsbane,¡± A said stoicly. My head snapped to her. ¡°Baby, what are you talking about?¡± A looked nkly toward the window. ¡°After Harry¡­¡± she faltered. ¡°After Harry, I didn¡¯t want to be at risk like that again. My family was known for their immunity. I started dosing myself to build up mine.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the doctormented quietly. I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I was furious that she had done something so reckless without telling me but that only made me realize exactly why she didn¡¯t tell me. Would I have actually let her go through with it? It didn¡¯t matter now. ¡°Well,¡± Dr. Athens said, pulling me from my thoughts, ¡°in any case, we are all d you are still with us, Luna. You have the support and love of the pack. I¡¯ll give you two some time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± I replied. A still wouldn¡¯t look at me after he left. I slowly reached my hand out to brush her arm. She tensed and shied away again, making me stiffen. With a sigh, she closed her eyes. ¡°Not yet, Theo,¡± she whispered, still facing away from me. ¡°Please, not yet.¡± I didn¡¯t know what else to do. ¡®Mina,¡¯ I linked, ¡®A¡¯s awake. You shoulde be with her.¡¯ Mina and Briggs were in the waiting area so it didn¡¯t take long for them to be knocking at the door. Mina came in and went straight to A¡¯s side. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was red. She had taken the news hard. A looked at her and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, threw her arms around her cousin¡¯s neck. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I felt my heart shatter. I turned to leave the room. I couldn¡¯t watch someone else get to hold her when I couldn¡¯t. I stepped into an empty room across the hall. Briggs was right behind me and shut the door. My hands clenched and rxed. I forced my fingers through my hair as I paced short paths across the floor. Briggs put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. I let him pull me into an embrace and I wept. ¡°She won¡¯t even let me touch her.¡± ¡°She needs some time,¡± Briggs said. I stepped away from him, taking a deep, calming breath. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Did they say what may have happened?¡± D2 Thes My mind went back to the doctor¡¯s words. A¡¯s confession had distracted me, but the realization hit me. ¡°She was poisoned,¡± I said, rage starting to boil inside me. ¡°What?¡± Briggs eximed. ¡°Someone tried to kill her, Briggs,¡± I said. ¡°And they seeded in killing our child. When I find out who, I will destroy them.¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Chapter 83: Theo I returned to the packhouse. I had tried to tell A I was leaving but Mina said she wasn¡¯t ready to talk to me yet. I let my rage and determination take over to cover the pain of her rejection. A woulde back to me. Once I found out who was responsible for this, we could start to heal. She¡¯de back to me. She had to. Jimmy was waiting for me in the lobby when I arrived back. ¡°The Alphas are in the conference hall, Alpha,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re waiting to be informed of the situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they have heard that A is in the hospital,¡± I said with more snark than I intended. ¡°Yes, they know something happened,¡± Jimmy confirmed as he followed me down the hall. I went straight to the hall. I knew I looked terrible but I didn¡¯t really care at the moment. As soon as I walked in the door, the room fell silent and all eyes were on me. I went straight to the podium. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you have all heard,¡± I began without ceremony, ¡°Luna A was admitted to the hospital last night. Sometimest night, she was poisoned¡­ with arge dose of wolfsbane.¡± The room erupted in whispers but I threw my hand up to silence them. ¡°Gratefully, she has survived the ordeal. Thanks to her family¡¯s immunity to wolfsbane. However¡­¡± My voice broke slightly and I had topose myself before continuing. ¡°However, the assassin was sessful in taking our pup from us.¡± My grip on the podium was so tight that the creak of the wood was the only sound heard in the silent room. ¡°As you all can understand, I will be requesting you all to answer some questions to clear your names of any suspicion,¡± I said, expecting to hear opposition but receiving none. ¡°Also, while I appreciate your assistance in determining how to handle the Waar Pa k, if evidence proves that either Malcolm Neal or Charles Anderson were involved in this egregious attack on my family, they will be executed.¡± I turned and walked out without another word. McCabe was already waiting outside with several officers ready to start taking statements. I nodded to him, then continued on to the security office, Jimmy in tow. There were two of the regr security guards at the monitors. ¡°I need all the footage from the cafeteria wing from yesterday afternoon to midnight,¡± I ordered. ¡°Jimmy, get Annabelle here, too.¡± ¡°I believe she¡¯s gone to the hospital, Alpha,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°Then call her back.¡± I said stiffly. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jimmy replied. I watched intently as one of the guards pulled up the files and added them to a thumb drive for me. Once it was done, I took it from him and headed straight to my office. I pulled the information up and connected it to the big screen TV. I didn¡¯t want to miss anything. I wasn¡¯t long into reviewing the footage when Jimmy came in with Annabelle. She looked as upset as everyone else I¡¯de across. ¡°Alpha,¡± Annabelle rushed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know how this could have happened. I swear. I have no idea who could have done this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to help us,¡± I said tly. ¡°You know every inch of that kitchen and dining room. I need your eyes on this. Please.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Annabelle said shakily but with determination. ¡°Anything I can do.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. *** I was starting to get frustrated after several hours without finding anything suspicious. It didn¡¯t help that it hurt to watch A with the other Lunas. She was so perfect. But I couldn¡¯t get distracted by her. With A immune to wolfsbane, I couldn¡¯t be sure when she had been dosed. So I worried I hadn¡¯t gone back far enough in the day. But then something caught my attention. Or rather, someone. I rewound the video and paused it. ¡°Annabelle, is that John?¡± She looked up from theptop she had been using. ¡°Yeah, he helps with special events sometimes.¡± I looked at Jimmy. ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to find him since the night of the meeting,¡± he said seriously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Annabelle asked. ¡°What meeting?¡± ¡°John¡¯s Waar P ak,¡± I said, pressing y. I watched John move through the crowd. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he did bring A a drink. He was hovering close to her when he suddenly bumped into her, causing her to spill. I rewound the footage and watched it again. ¡°I saw it, too,¡± Jimmy said, getting the same feeling I did. I went back farther, watching him up to the point he gave A the drink. ¡°I didn¡¯t see him put anything in the ss,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s smoother than we thought.¡± I continued to track him through the dining room until he was out of view of that camera. I searched the files for another location, pulling up footage from the kitchen. I watched John drop off the tray with the empty ss on the counter and rushed out. He was visibly upset. I pulled up a different angle and followed his path. He stepped outside of the kitchen and was stopped by someone we couldn¡¯t see. It looked like they were having some kind of argument. ¡°Hang on.¡± Annabelle said. ¡°I remember this. I get on to him for cking in a minute. Then he just walks out and leaves.¡± ¡°Did you see who he was speaking to?¡± ¡°No.¡± Annabelle said, her shoulders falling. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking. I have a feeling he was sent in there to poison A, but he had a change of heart. Whoever was expecting him to do it likely went in to finish the job.¡± Suddenly, the footage stopped and the screen went nk. ¡°What the hell,¡± Jimmy said. I quickly searched for the next file, but it ski pped ahead an hour. I looked through every file but the time was missing. I called the security office and told them I needed that sent up immediately. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s gone?¡± I burst out. I mmed the phone down before the guard finished speaking. With a yell, I threw half the contents of my desk across the room. ¡°Someone wiped the cameras,¡± I said, seething. ¡°We have to find John. Now.¡± Chatper 234 Chatper 234 Chapter 84: Theo I opened my office door to find Kingston standing on the other side. I wasn¡¯t in the mood, nor did I have the time, to deal with whatever he was there for. But before I could voice a protest he stopped me. ¡°What do you need?¡± he asked. That was it. I paused for a moment. Then I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down instructions, an address, and a time. I handed the paper to him. He looked at it and nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± was all I said before I brushed past him. Jimmy was right behind me. Annabelle was staying by to continue to monitor the security footage to see if she could identify whoever John was arguing with. I rushed down the stairs. Once we reached the lobby I was stopped dead in my tracks as my parents walked into the packhouse. They saw me and were immediately heading in my direction. My mother wrapped her arms around me and I inhaled sharply, trying to hold back the flood of emotions. I took a moment to hug her back, but not long. I pulled back. ¡°A is still at the hospital,¡± I said. ¡°I have something I need to take care of.¡± ¡°Theo,¡± my mother hissed. ¡°What dare you¡­¡± ¡°Grace,¡± Dad said calmly, resting a hand on her shoulder, ¡°let him go. We¡¯ll be here when you¡¯re ready.¡± I gave my father a grateful look. Hating that I had to leave. Having them home was more of a relief than I thought. But I needed to take care of this. I headed out of the packhouse and got into my car Once Jimmy was in, I peeled out of the lot. ¡°Have you talked to Maggie?¡± Jimmy asked, breaking the heary silence. I sighed. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± I replied. ¡°How is she handling this? ¡°Not well,¡± Jimmy stated. ¡°I think you need to call her in on this search.¡± ¡°Will she even leave the hospital?¡± Jimmy nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said tly. ¡°She¡¯ll want to find this bastard.¡± I thought about his advice as we made our way through the city. I pulled over at the curb in front of a duplex. My soul was already so heavy that day I wouldn¡¯t have thought anything could weigh it down anymore. But the thought of the conversation I was about to have did I got out and walked up to the front door, knocking firmly. My jaw clenched as the door opened. ¡°Alpha Theo?¡±¡± ¡°Sarah, I need to know where John is.¡± Hurt and fear filled her face. She knew something was very wrong. We had talked several times about his recent behavior, but I hadn¡¯t had the time to tell her about his connection with the Waar Pak. I don¡¯t know if I would¡¯ve had the heart to if I had. ¡°What did he do?¡± Sarah croaked, stepping aside to let us in 22.84% Op 84 Tha ¡°He attempted to poison Luna A,¡± I said, Shock washed over Sarah. ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible,¡± she insisted. ¡°I know he¡¯s been acting a bit¡­¡± ¡°We have proof, Sarah,¡± I interrupted. I sighed. ¡°Right now, we just need to find him. We need to know who he was working with.¡± ¡°I¡­ He¡­¡± Sarah stuttered. ¡°Is Luna okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s alive,¡± was all I could say. ¡°Where is he, Sarah?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from him since yesterday morning.¡± ¡°I need you to call him.¡± She nodded slowly, picking up her phone from a side table. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to him?¡± I didn¡¯t know what to tell her so I didn¡¯t tell her anything. ¡°Please, call him, Sarah.¡± Her eyes filled with tears as she clicked on his contact in her phone. She put it on speaker so we could hear the call ringing. He didn¡¯t answer the first couple attempts but picked up on the third. ¡°John, where are you?¡± Sarah asked, struggling to remain calm. ¡°Sarah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he rushed, his tone genuinely pained. ¡°I screwed I screwed up big time. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°John, slow down,¡± Sarah insisted. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What did you do?¡± ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t tell you,¡± John replied. 1. up. ¡°John,e home,¡± she pled. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, Sarah,¡± John said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. I need to go away for a while. You can¡¯t be seen with me. ¡°John, where are you?¡± Saray pressed. ¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, Sarah,¡± he snapped. ¡°You can¡¯t help me. I just need toy low for now. I¡¯m so sorry. Just remember I love you.¡± The line went dead. Tears were flowing freely down Sarah¡¯s cheeks. She knew this wouldn¡¯t end well for him. ¡°Sarah,¡± I asked, ¡°where would John go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said shakily. ¡°Please, anywhere you can think of can help,¡± I assured her. ¡°Um¡­ there¡¯s a cabin,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s out near theke, about ten miles from your parent¡¯s ce, I think. I¡¯m not sure, we haven¡¯t been up in a few years. But it was his aunt¡¯s.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Is that the only possible ce you could think of?¡± ¡°Maybe the old fairgrounds,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s where we first met.¡± ¡°Again, thank you,¡± I said. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry, Sarah. Truly, I am.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± she replied painfully. I left Sarah¡¯s ce, sending Jimmy next door to have her neighbore sit with her for a while. As I was waiting, my phone rang. It was Briggs. 68.66% 07:06 < Chapter 54 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked panicked. ¡°Did something happen to A?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Briggs said. ¡°She¡¯s about the same as when you left. But the doctor says she is stable enough to go home. He¡¯s going to discharge her soon. I thought you would want to be here.¡± ¡°Does¡­¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°Does she want me there?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Briggs was silent for a moment, weighing his words as he did. ¡°Theo, right now, I don¡¯t think what she wants matters,¡± he stated. ¡°At least, not regarding you. You need to be here. For both of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± Chatper 235 Chatper 235 Chapter 85: A 288 Vouchers Chapter 85: A Theo held the door to our apartment open for me and I walked in, careful not to brush against him. I paused two feet inside our home. It felt wrong now. Foreign and cold. I wondered if it would ever feel warm and weing again. I knew it would never feel the same. The door shut behind me and Theo¡¯s hand went to the small of my back. I tensed and he pulled it away. It was just a force of habit. Why else would he touch me? Why would he want to touch me anymore? I pushed the thoughts from my head. I knew it was the grief talking. Mina had spent the day by my side. Admittedly, I didn¡¯t speak much. One of the times I did was to say that Theo would never forgive me. That he¡¯d never look at me the same. It didn¡¯t help that I didn¡¯t want him to. His touch just reminded me of every other touch. And what they led to. And what we lost. I was such a mix of contradicting emotions that I couldn¡¯t make sense of it all. In my head, I knew I needed to grieve. I needed to mourn. But my heart didn¡¯t know how. When my father died, I had a purpose. I had something to keep me going every day. I knew what my father would want. I had his memory to guide me through it all. But I never got the chance to know my child. I didn¡¯t know what my pup would have wanted me to do. ¡°A,¡± Theo¡¯s voice made me jump, pulling me out of my reverie. I was standing in the middle of the living room. I was suddenly aware 0.00% ||| O r 07.0 Chapter 85 A 288 Vouchers of the warmth of Theo¡¯s hand on my arm. I shifted away. His hand fell away and he took a step back. I didn¡¯t look at him. I couldn¡¯t look at him. I couldn¡¯t stand the hurt that I saw there. Pain that I caused. ¡°A,¡± Theo repeated. ¡°I¡­ I understand you¡¯re not¡­ but when you are, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m ready to talk when you are. You should get some rest.¡± He stepped in closer and gently kissed my temple, making my breath hitch. ¡°I love you.¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but it felt like he was saying goodbye. Before I could read more into the feeling, there was a knock on the door. Panic took over. ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± I asked. ¡°Tell them to go away. I¡¯m not¡­ I can¡¯t see anyone¡­¡± ¡°Shh,¡± Theo said. ¡°A, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve told everyone to stay away for now. However, I think you¡¯ll want to see who¡¯s here.¡± He went to open the door. I desperately wanted to stop him, but that would require touching him. And I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do that. So, I worked to steady my breathing as he opened the door. But I stopped breathing altogether when I saw who walked in. I locked eyes with my mother. Behind her was Kylee. My chin trembled, and we threw ourselves into each other¡¯s arms. My breathing came back in great so bs. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I needed her. How much I needed my family. My knees buckled and we sank to the floor. I don¡¯t know how long we sat there, crying as we embraced each other. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked when I finally pulled away. ¡°How did you know?¡± Ma brushed at my face and hair. ¡°Theo called. He said you needed us. 32.84% ||| O ? 07:07 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Chapter 85: A 288 Vouchers We weren¡¯t going to let you down again, my darling girl.¡± ¡°He did?¡± I looked over her shoulder, but Theo wasn¡¯t there. He had left. ¡°Yes,¡± Ma said. ¡°He insisted we bothe home.¡± ¡°Come home?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re back for good?¡± ¡°Well, only if you¡¯ll have us,¡± Ma said. ¡°We just want to be here for you, A,¡± Kylee sniffled. ¡°We¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± We hugged each other again. It was the first thing that felt right. They were different. I could feel it. So much had changed between us, but I knew they were good changes. We looked each other over. Holding on for dear life. My heart and body still felt heavy, but the weight seemed a little easier to bear. Eventually, Ma picked me up off the floor and led me to my bedroom. She retrieved a nightgown from my dresser and helped me change. I could smell something cooking from the other room. Apparently, Kylee was making dinner. Ma was going on about how far she hade since they moved to Blue Fang territory. I could see the changes in them both. I was proud of them. Kylee came in with a tray of food and we all sat and ate in the bed. When we were done, I watched as Kylee fussed about the room, picking things up. It was a mess from our sudden departure the night before. She hade a long way. She was so different that I couldn¡¯t help the pit forming in my stomach. Why had Theo insisted shee home? Chatper 236 Chatper 236 Chapter 86: Theo I left after Marie and Kylee arrived. They needed time together. And it still hurt too much to watch them be there for her in the way I wanted to be. Kingston was waiting outside the door still. I didn¡¯t know if she would want to see him either, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to allow it. Not when she was pulling away from me already. ¡°She needs time with her family,¡± I said gruffly. ¡°Of course,¡± Kingston said. ¡°Jimmy has tracked down one of the culprits involved in her poisoning,¡± I said. ¡°My father is handling the other Alphas and Lunas if you would like to join me at the precinct.¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± he said eagerly. We traveled to the sheriff¡¯s station in silence. Jimmy and Maggie had been able to catch up with John easily enough. He was holed up in an old management building at the fairgrounds. He didn¡¯t put up much of a fight when they cornered him. His guilt was already eating away at him. I looked at him through the one-way ss at the station. We used to be friends back in high school. We were never close, but as his future Alpha, I knew him well enough. At least, I did back then. The man sitting before me now was a stranger to me. An enemy I would have never expected. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Do you want Sheriff McCabe to question him, Alpha,¡± Jimmy asked. ¡°It may be¡­¡± 0.00% III O 07.07 Chapter 86 Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°No,¡± I interrupted. ¡°I need to take care of this.¡± I entered the interrogation room and sat down across the table from John. Anger and the sting of betrayal boiled under the surface but was tempered by pity. He looked ragged and disheveled. But I could tell this was a state he had been in for a while. He was fidgeting and his eyes darted everywhere around the room, except on me. ¡°John,¡± I began more calmly than expected, ¡°We know what happenedst night. I know there was a plot to poison Luna A. I know you were involved.¡± He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head but he wasn¡¯t denying anything. ¡°I also know you couldn¡¯t do it.¡± John fell still, his shoulders falling. ¡°She didn¡¯t take a drink,¡± he muttered. ¡°I was watching. Watching like a hawk. Like a wolf. Watching to see if she took a drink. I didn¡¯t like it. I didn¡¯t want to. But she said it had to be done. But she didn¡¯t tell me. She never said¡­¡± ¡°Who, John?¡± I asked. ¡°Who didn¡¯t tell you what?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t say there was a pup,¡± he said with anguish. ¡°I never would have if¡­ I would have let them hurt me. I wouldn¡¯t have¡­ That¡¯s why I stopped her. I heard the other Luna and I couldn¡¯t do it.¡± Luna Victoria had mentioned her conversation with A about her pregnancy at the gathering. That was right around the time John knocked her drink from her hand. ¡°But then you had an argument with someone,¡± I said. ¡°You tried to leave and they got mad. Who were you arguing with, John? Was it her?¡± John was chewing his nails viciously. I could see where he had been drawing blood from doing so. He was losing his mind, but he managed to nod a confirmation to my question. I stood up and walked around the table, leaning on it as I reached out for John. He shied away, but I 25.49% ||| O r 07.07 Chapter 86 Theo 288 Vouchers . rested a hand on his shoulder, trying to offer some kind offort. ¡°John, I need you to tell me who you were arguing with.¡± He shook his head vigorously. ¡°No, no, I can¡¯t,¡± he insisted. ¡°They¡¯ll hurt Sarah.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± I said. ¡°I swear. But whoever it was went into the kitchen after you left. They poisoned Luna A. They tried to kill her. They killed our pup, John.¡± John was still shaking his head and rocking back and forth. ¡°She wasn¡¯ t allowed in,¡± he muttered. ¡°That¡¯s why it had to be me. She said so. She wasn¡¯t allowed in.¡± ¡°But she did go in,¡± I said. ¡°We have her on the security cameras, John. We can see her putting something in the drink. Who is she, John?¡± He slowly stilled again. ¡°It was Amy,¡± he said softly. ¡°Amy poisoned Luna A.¡± My jaw clenched so tight I thought my teeth would cr ack. Kieran came growling violently. I had barely felt him since the doctor told me our pup hadn¡¯t made it. He had been so devastated. I couldn¡¯t let him out to run. So, he receded into my subconscious. But now he was back with a vengeance. I could feel him trying to force the shift, but I couldn¡¯t let him take over. I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him from taking his rage out on John for his involvement. The others must have seen what was about to happen because I felt strong hands grab my arms and drag me away. I pushed Kieran down, forcing him to back down. When I had settled, I was in another room. ¡°You back with us, man?¡± Jimmy said as he held my shoulders. ¡°Yeah,¡± I grunted. Chapter 86: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t let him tear the ba st ard apart,¡± Kingston growled. ¡°We know he¡¯s guilty. Just because he backed out at thest minute¡­¡± ¡°John isn¡¯t in his right mind,¡± I snapped. I sighed, still working to calm my anger. ¡°His family has a history of illness. His mother suffered from paranoid delusions. He was an easy pawn for the Waar Pa k.¡± ¡°Amy wasn¡¯t,¡± Jimmy snarled. ¡°No,¡± I rumbled. ¡°Hunt her down. And bring her to the cer. I no longer have an interest in catering to appearances.¡± Chatper 237 Chatper 237 Chapter 87: Theo We rushed back to the packhouse. Nearly the entire police force was out searching for Amy. I didn¡¯t expect it would be hard to find her. She likely didn¡¯t think we suspected her yet. But I had something else to address first. I made my way straight to my apartment. I paused at the door to push Kieran back again. He was pacing frantically in my head. I entered the apartment and found the living room and kitchen empty. I heard voicesing from down the hall and found A with her mother and sister in our bed, deep in conversation. I cleared my throat to get their attention. ¡°Can I borrow Kylee for a moment, please?¡± I asked tightly. ¡°Um, sure,¡± Kylee said tentatively. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kylee left the room and I looked back at A. I wanted to ask her how she was doing more than anything at that moment. But I didn¡¯t think she was ready. The strange look she was giving me didn¡¯t help to change that feeling. I couldn¡¯t read its meaning, but I could see the oceans of pain in her eyes. I knew seeing me was hurting her. So, I left without another word. Kylee was waiting in the living room for me. ¡°What did you¡­¡± I grabbed her arm roughly and started hauling her towards the door, ignoring her protests, I dragged her down the hall to an empty room and threw her inside, closing the door behind me. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. 0.00% III O 07:08 Chapter 87: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What the hell, Theo?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to give you this one chance, Kylee,¡± I growled threateningly. ¡°I will get the truth. And so help you, if I find out you had a hand in this, I will kill you where you stand.¡± Fear filled Kylee¡¯s expression. ¡°Theo, what are you talking about? A hand in what?¡± ¡°A¡¯s attempted assassination,¡± I thundered. Kylee looked shocked and disgusted. It seemed genuine, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to trust that with our history. ¡°How dare you?¡± she cried. ¡°Why on earth would you believe I had anything to do with what happened?¡± ¡°Because it was your little friend, Amy, who poisoned her,¡± I yelled. ¡°What? I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to y dumb, Kylee,¡± I continued. ¡°She was always following you around like a da mn puppy dog. She was the one responsible for all the rumors that A stole me from you. Whatever trouble she had caused has been due to some misguided, delusional¡¯ devotion to you. So, you better figure out a d amn good way to convince me this wasn¡¯t your doing real f ucking fast, Kylee.¡± ¡°I swore I would never hurt A again,¡± Kylee bellowed with a newfound confidence that startled me. ¡°I may have been a spoiled brat before, but I have spent months trying to change that. And regardless of who I was before, I would NEVER wish that kind of harm on my family. Especially A.¡± ¡± ¡°Then why else would Amy do it?¡± Chapter 87: Theo 1288 Vouchers ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kylee eximed. ¡°I barely talk to her anymore. And when I do, I certainly don¡¯t talk to her about A. With the exception of telling her to back off and get over herself. You can check my emails and text messages for proof of that. If Amy did this, it had nothing to do with me.¡± I forced my fingers through my hair. I wanted to both believe and not believe her. Even if she did have something to do with this, how could I break that to A? She just got her family back. I couldn¡¯t take that away from her after this loss. My phone rang in my pocket. ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered gruffly. ¡°I¡¯ve got her, Alpha,¡± Maggie said over the line. ¡°She was at the college. I¡¯m bringing her in now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there,¡± I said before hanging up. I turned back to Kylee. ¡°You better pray Amy doesn¡¯t tell me anything you don¡¯t want me to know.¡± I turned to leave when Kylee called after me. ¡°I want to be there,¡± she said insistently. ¡°When you question her. I want to be there without her knowing.¡± I looked back at her. ¡°Why would I allow that?¡± ¡°Because right now, I don¡¯t give a sh it if you believe me or not,¡± she said. ¡°That bit ch hurt my sister. I want to hear from her. And I want to be there when you end her.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. I wasn¡¯t sure if she was trying to y some game. ¡°Look at this way,¡± she went on, ¡°if she implicates me somehow, I¡¯ll be Chapter 87 Theo 288 Vouchers right there to do what you want.¡± She had a point. ¡°Fine,¡± I grunted. ¡°Find Jimmy. He¡¯ll take you down.¡± I left Kylee there. She was the least of my worries now. Now, I had to get A to talk to me. She needed to know what happened. Amy¡¯s fate was in her hands as much as mine. Chatper 238 Chatper 238 Chapter 88: Theo I went back to the apartment and found Marie in the kitchen. ¡°Alpha Theo,¡± she greeted me. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to thank you. Well, for everything, really. But mostly for letting me be with her now. It means so much.¡± ¡°She needed her mother,¡± I said. ¡°She did,¡± Marie agreed. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I never thought I¡¯d see the day that A needed me again. I know that is mostly my fault. But it means more than I can express that I can actually be who she needs me to be.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that, too,¡± I replied. ¡°But right now, I need to talk to A. It¡¯s important. Do you mind giving us some space?¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Marie said with a nervous nod. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll get our stuff settled into our room down the hall.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. r I waited for the front door to close before I took a slow step towards my bedroom. There was a pit in my stomach as my nerves ate away at me. I didn¡¯t know what to expect from our conversation, but I knew I needed to fix whatever was broken between A and me. I needed my mate. So badly I needed her right now. I crossed the threshold into our room and had the wind knocked out of me. A was up out of bed. But she was packing. Chapter BB Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What are you doing?¡± I growled. A jumped slightly as she turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± she said defiantly before going about her task. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here.¡± Kieran whimpered as my chest felt like a vice had mped down on it. I knew she would need some time but I never imagined she would leave me. ¡°A, please¡­¡± I was about to beg her to stay, but I stopped myself. That wasn¡¯t the support she needed right now. ¡°A, we need to talk. I need to tell you something.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± she snapped, her voice quivering. ¡°I get it. I wouldn¡¯t want me either. I¡¯ll be out of your way soon enough.¡± I took a step toward her. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course I want¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear it, Theo,¡± A cried. ¡°I can¡¯t hear it. Please. Just let me go and I¡¯ll leave you alone. I don¡¯t need an exnation.¡± ¡°An exnation for what?¡± I urged,pletely confused. ¡°A, you¡¯re not making any sense.¡± f ¡°Am I not?¡± she seethed, turning on me. ¡°I have failed at everything. I can¡¯t even make it through a semester of college, let alone be a Luna. Now I can¡¯t even keep your child alive. Of course you see it. Everyone sees it.¡± ¡°Sees what?¡± ¡°That you made the wrong choice,¡± she bellowed. ¡°You had the right sister all along. And now that no one can deny that, you can get rid of me and take her back. Pick up right where you left off.¡± Chapter 88: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What?¡± I yelled incredulously. ¡°You think I want Kylee?¡± I rushed towards her, reaching out to grab her. She tried to push me away. iling her arms as she hit me. Agonizing so bs wracking her body as she cried. I managed to get my arms around her and held her so tight I was afraid I¡¯d break her. Tears streamed down my face as I felt her body shake as she howled in pain. We sank to the floor as I rocked her, waiting for her to calm enough that she could hear me. ¡°Oh, love,¡± I said as I buried my face in her hair. ¡°For how smart you are, you really are being stu pid. How could you ever think that?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I deny it. I deny it with every fiber of my being,¡± I insisted strongly. ¡°How could you ever think I would want her over you? That could never, ever happen, baby.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s better¡­¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± I snapped. I gripped her face, making her look me in the eye. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t do this to me, baby. Please. I can¡¯t lose you now. I don¡¯t want her. I could never want her. I want you. I need you. I need you so much.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m so broken, Theo,¡± she gasped. ¡°I lost our baby.¡± ¡°I know, love,¡± I forced through my own tears. ¡°But you didn¡¯t lose me. I know it hurts. I¡¯m hurting, too. But I swear you didn¡¯t lose me.¡± She held my gaze for a few moments before she fell against my chest, her arms clinging to me as another round of so bs rippled through her. We held each other as we both cried, letting our grief and pain out. Mourning our loss together. Chapter 88 Theo 1 288 Vouchers We let our emotions run their course. At least for the moment. We both knew we had a long road of healing ahead of us. But as long as I had her, I could get through it. I just needed her. I was leaning against our bed, stroking A¡¯s hair as shey against my chest before I finally spoke, ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me, A,¡± I said. ¡°I know you need time, but we can get through this together. Just don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would want me anymore,¡± she whispered. ¡°I will always want you, love,¡± I insisted. ¡°That will never change.¡± She nuzzled into my neck. ¡°There is something I need to tell you,¡± I said hesitantly. I didn¡¯t want to break that moment, but I couldn¡¯t put this off. ¡°Hmm?¡± I took a deep breath and sat her up to face me. I brush a strand of hair from her face. ¡°We found out who gave you the wolfsbane,¡± I told her. She stiffened. Her mood transforming instantly. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It was Amy.¡± Chatper 239 Chatper 239 Chapter 89: Theo I held A¡¯s as we entered the cer. It kept me grounded, even though we were both ready to burn the world down if anyone so much as looked at us wrong. But we would have justice soon enough. Then, all of this would be over. We could work on moving forward with our lives in peace. Our closest friends stood in the hall outside Amy¡¯s cell. Briggs, Mina, Jimmy, Maggie, even Annabelle. They all stood with determined stances. Kylee stood a short distance from them, but her demeanor was the same as the rest. ¡°Will is on his way,¡± Briggs said. ¡°So is Sheriff McCabe. We need the witnesses.¡± ¡°Oh, there will be witnesses,¡± A said as she stared through the ss at the woman inside. ¡°Has she said anything yet?¡± I asked. ¡°Other than nastyments that earned her that fat lip and blo ody nose, no,¡± Maggie said. ¡°How do you want to handle this?¡± I asked A. ¡°Do you want me to go in first or do this together?¡± ¡°We do this together,¡± she said decisively. She moved to go in but paused, turning back to Jimmy and Briggs. ¡°Don¡¯t let me kill her yet. I have something else in mind.¡± Briggs and Jimmy shared a look. Jimmy didn¡¯t even bother to hide his grin. I opened the door and stepped in. Amy¡¯s head shot up, her eyes falling on me, then moving to A as she followed me in. ¡°I thought I heard you somehow survived,¡± she sneered. ¡°Pity.¡± ¡°Sorry to disappoint,¡± A replied coldly. ¡°I guess you should have tried harder. Maybe been a little smarter about it.¡± Amy shrugged a shoulder. ¡°I also hear it wasn¡¯t a total loss.¡± Her eyes dropped to A¡¯s stomach, then back up. My hand flew to the back of her head, mming it against the metal table before dragging her up by her hair. A fresh stream of blood flowed from her nose and mouth. ¡°Who put you up to it?¡± Imanded. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Amyughed. She didn¡¯t even try to fight themand. ¡°No one. I took it upon myself to end this whole charade.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem the type to cater to Waar P ak rhetoric,¡± A said. ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± ¡°Other than getting rid of you?¡± Amy jeered as she struggled to breathe through a broken nose. ¡°I get that you hate me, Amy,¡± A stated. ¡°But you knew this would mean death if you were caught. Even you aren¡¯t stu pid enough to risk your life over a grudge. There¡¯s no reason to hate me that much.¡± ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Amy gasped out viciously. ¡°Who said I only hated you? Our pathetic Alpha here thinks there won¡¯t be consequences to his actions. An eye for an eye, dear Alpha. You take something from me. I take something from you. I wanted it to be your mate, but I can¡¯t deny robbing you of a pup is more satisfying. At least for now.¡± I mmed her head back on the table, holding her down as I gripped her neck. I felt her spine start to cr ack as she struggled beneath me. But A stopped me before I went too far. ¡°Theo,¡± she pressed. I released my hold, stepping out of the spray of blood from Amy¡¯s coughing and spluttering. Suddenly, the door burst open and Kylee rushed in. ¡°How could you, Amy?¡± Kylee cried. ¡°What kind of psy cho kills someone because their friend moved away?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t f ucking tter yourself,¡± Amy spat. ¡°You really think I cared about you after you abandoned me? After you gave up on everything you worked for. You¡¯re the most pathetic of them all.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°What happened to you, Amy? Did you even think twice after John told you A was pregnant?¡± A sickening smile spread over Amy¡¯s face. ¡°Who said that¡¯s how I found out?¡±. ¡°What do you mean?¡± A demanded. ¡°I already knew,¡± Amy replied. ¡°Thank you for that, by the way.¡± Kylee¡¯s face paled. She looked at A desperately. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t tell her, A. I swear. I would never.¡± Amyughed again. ¡°Of course not. But you¡¯ve always been easy to manipte. You spill your guts to anyone who shows you a little bit of attention. Did he make you feel special, Kylee?¡± Kylee looked like she would vomit. I started to believe she had been used to get to us somehow. A must have figured that out too. She was tugging on Kylee¡¯s arm, trying to get her to leave the room. Suddenly, Kyleeunched herself at Amy. Her wolf shed in her eyes as her ws extended. A caught her in time, holding her back. ¡°Why then?¡± Kyle yelled. ¡°Why kill her?¡± ¡°Because they took my mate from me,¡± Amy bellowed. ¡°If I can¡¯t have mine, neither can they.¡± We all looked at each other. None of us even knew Amy had a mate. I reached over and tugged the cor of her shirt away to find a mark disyed on her shoulder. ¡°Who is this mate we have supposedly robbed you of?¡± I asked. ¡°Did we kill him?¡± Amy looked at me with a look of pure hatred. ¡°You will,¡± she ground out. ¡°The Alphas will side with you and he will die.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± A said. ¡°Malcolm Neal is your mate?¡± ¡°We were fated to each other,¡± Amy said. ¡°So, you murdered my child because your mate was stup id enough to get himself caught?¡± A hissed. She closed the distance between her and Amy. There was a look on her face I had never seen before. It sent a chill down my spine. She leaned in close, grabbing Amy¡¯s chin roughly. ¡°You want to be with your mate?¡± A said. ¡°Then you will be with your mate.¡± Chatper 240 Chatper 240 Chapter 90: A ¡°Where¡¯s Malcolm?¡± I demanded as I left the cell. ¡°He¡¯s been taken back to the jail,¡± Sheriff McCabe said as he walked down the hall with Will. They must have just arrived. ¨C ¡°Bring him back. And Delta Charles as well,¡± I ordered. ¡°Briggs, Mina, I need you to get Alpha Torin and Luna Grace and help them gather all the visiting pack leaders outside. Jimmy ¡ª spread the word through the packhouse as well. I want everyone outside within the next half hour. Sherrif McCabe chain Amy up on the pavilion.¡± ¡ª ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Briggs asked. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± I said, my rage and anguish settling over me with an eerie calm. ¡°Whether the Waar P ak makes it out of this tonight or I do, this ends now. But make no mistake, that bit ch won¡¯t see tomorrow.¡± I turned to leave. ¡°And get Kylee out of there.¡± I stormed down the corridor and out of the cer, Theo following behind me. I could feel he had questions, but I couldn¡¯t stop yet. My determination was quickly taking over every other emotion that had been coursing through me. took the stairs two at a time, pushing my sore body more than I should. I didn¡¯t know if what I was about to do would help me or destroy me. But I honestly didn¡¯t care. I had lost too much and too much was being threatened. The only thing I knew, even if I couldn¡¯t say why, was that my fate would be determined tonight.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. And I was ready. 0.00% 14:24 O Chapter 90. A 288 (Vouchers I burst into our apartment and went straight to my father¡¯s books. I was searching haphazardly through them when Theo finally rested a hand on my arm. Haulting my movements. ¡°I¡¯m with you, love,¡± he said softly. ¡°Whatever you are nning, I¡¯m by your side. But I need to know what else you need from me.¡± I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Turning to my mate, I snaked my arms around him and buried my face in his chest. He instantly returned the embrace, holding me tightly. I reveled in his touch. Concentrating on the tingling sensation that he still so strongly invoked. Dasha came to the forefront of my mind, connecting to Kieran. She, too, had a sense of calm about her that assured me we were meant to be doing this. ¡°This,¡± I whispered. ¡°I need this. Whatever happens, remember that this is real. This is everything to us. Remember that I love you.¡± ¡°I could never forget that, love,¡± he said, kissing my head. When I finally pulled away, I turned back to the books and found the one I needed. I collected a few other items and ce them in a box with the text. Holding it firmly, I took Theo¡¯s hand and we left our home. ¡®Malcolm and Charles are back on the grounds,¡¯ Briggs linked us both. ¡®Do you want them with Amy?¡¯ ¡®Not yet,¡¯ I replied. ¡®I want to talk to Malcolm privately first. Bring him inside. Put Delta Charles somewhere with a good view.¡¯ I took the long way through the packhouse. I wanted everyone to see us, but no one dared approach us to speak. By the time we made it to the lobby, a group of pack members was following us out. I saw Briggs waiting at a door nearby. Theo and I left the group behind and entered the room where Malcolm was chained up. 27.38% 14:24 < Chapter 90 A 288 (Vouchers For the first time, I could see his demeanor was truly rattled. He had seen themotion outside and he was scared. He should be. I walked up to him and pulled his cor to away, checking each side of his shoulder and neck. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± I said. ¡°You marked her but didn¡¯t let her mark you.¡± He stiffened but failed to hide the reaction on his face fast enough. ¡°I¡¯m betting you gave her some bulls hit line about it being to protect her,¡± I crooned. ¡°That your enemies couldn¡¯t know you had a mate or they¡¯de after her. But do you know what I think?¡± I leaned in closer to him. ¡°I think you¡¯re ashamed she¡¯s your mate.¡± Malcolm grimaced. ¡°She¡¯s young and stup id.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I scoffed. ¡°She is that. But she¡¯s still fated to you. And you just couldn¡¯t deny that bond. You feel for her the closest thing to love someone like you could feel.¡± He dropped his head, refusing to look at me. ¡°Good,¡± I said softly. ¡°That¡¯s all I need to know.¡± I indicated to Briggs to take Malcolm and follow us along with the two guards that were with him. I exited the room into a lobby that hushed as soone as we emerged. I headed out of the packhouse, Theo by my side, and walked toward the head of the pavilion. The crowd parted to make way for us. I should have been looking at their faces. I should have been gauging the atmosphere. But I didn¡¯t. I watched Amy¡¯s face as her eyes 60.65% ||| 14:24 Chapter 90 A 288 Vouchers followed Malcolm the entire way. The amount of devotion and adoration that was there almost made me feel sorry for her. But I needed that bond and I wouldn¡¯t back down. I stood on the tform at the end of the courtyard. Waiting as thest few murmurs died down and silence fell over the world. Until I heard nothing. Not even the sound of crickets chirping in the night. Just silence. I moved to a podium near the front of the stage and ced the box down. I slowly removed the contents, cing them all where they would be visible, before turning back to the multitude. ¡°My name is A Garner Dominis.¡± Chatper 241 Chatper 241 Chapter 91: A A slight whisper rippled through the crowd but died down quickly, waiting for me to continue. ¡°I am the daughter of Jacob Dominis, Alpha of the Onyxcrown pack,¡± I stated. ¡°Twenty-seven years ago, the Dominis family was targeted by a secret organization calling themselves the Waar P ak Society. They attacked and destroyed my father¡¯s pack. But the decimation and disbandment of the Onyxcrown pack wasn¡¯t enough for them. And they have beening after the survivors and their families ever since. They have sought to kill me and recruit others to their cause. A cause that threatens our way of life.¡± I stepped back, cing myself between Malcolm and Amy who were both chained to the floor. ¡°Malcolm Neal of the Moonshadow pack has been tried and found guilty of numerous crimes against multiple packs, including treason, attempted murder, and murder,¡± I called out. ¡°His sentence is death and will be carried out forthwith.¡± ¡°No,¡± Amy screamed angrily. ¡°You filthy bit ch. I swear I¡¯ll finish¡­¡± She was cut off by a rough blow to Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. the face by Mina. ¡°Amy Centre of the Greytooth pack,¡± I continued to address the assembly, ¡°has confessed to the attempted assassination of myself and the murder of the pup I was carrying. For her crimes, she will also be punished here tonight. An angry scream began toe from Amy but the look I gave her retreating. My choice of words sinking in. She looked to Malcolm, desperately pulling at her bonds trying to reach him as she cried and 0.00% 08-15 Chapter 91: A 288 Vouchers begged. Malcolm looked back at her with both disgust and pain. ¡°Unchain him,¡± I told Briggs. He hesitated for a second in surprise but obliged. Once the chains fell to the ground I faced him even do it. Dasha came forward. Standing with me to give me the strength and power I needed. Malcolm saw her sh in my eyes and swallowed hard. ¡°Malcolm Neal,¡± I put the full force of my ability into themand, ¡°give me your heart.¡± His eyes widened. There was no question behind the intent of mymand. No confusion about some hidden meaning. He instantly started to fight against his own body. His face turning red as he struggled to stop his hand from raising. His movements were slow from the conflict and I knew he could die from the effort of denying themand alone. But he wouldn¡¯t. The energy bursting from me was enough to know he wouldn¡¯t win. Mymand was stronger than his own instinct to survive. I directed that energy at him entirely. Finally, he shredded the fabric of his shirt away and his screams filled the air as his ws pierced his chest. The sound of breaking bones and tearing flesh echoed as the scent of blood filled the air. With a final jerk, he ripped his arm from his chest. The power of mymand keeping his body upright long enough for him to present the org an to me. 34.99% 08:15 Chapter 91: A 288 iVouchers It was a terrifying and gruesome scenesting only as second before his lifeless body crumpled to the floor. His heart pitching across the tform andnding conveniently in front of Amy. Her voice returned to her and she screamed out in agony. Whether I should have or not, I found sce in the sound. I met Theo¡¯s eyes and knew he felt it too. I returned my attention to Amy. ¡°Pick it up,¡± Imanded. Her head snapped up with a look of horror, but she didn¡¯t fight themand. She sped it in her hands as she knelt on the cold ground. ¡°Get up.¡± I told her. But it wasn¡¯t amand. She looked back at me with a look of pure hatred and I raised on eyebrow. It was hard to care if she died on her knees but I knew I needed to cling to the small part of me that was still good enough to let her die with a shred of dignity. Instead of suffering anothermand, Amy pushed herself to her feet. Theo was standing behind her. I looked to him and nodded once, Kieran shed in his eyes as his ws extended. With speed and precision, he tore across Amy¡¯s throat. She fell and the life drained from her eyes as she clutched the heart of her mate to her chest. A sense ofpletion passed through our mate bond. The pain of our loss was still there, of course. But the nightmare that had caused it was over. We could face learning to live with it. Chatper 242 Chatper 242 Chapter 92: Theo I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of A. She gave us both what we needed. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. But we weren¡¯t done yet. ¡°You see,¡± Charles Anderson yelled. ¡°This is what we were fighting against. This kind of power can¡¯t exist. She will take over everything.¡± One of the guards gagged him. A disregarded his outburst. ¡°Fellow Alphas and Lunas, pleasee forward,¡± she called. They were hesitant. Worry gnawed at me as I hoped A hadn¡¯t just sealed her fate against them. The power she just demonstrated was impossible. It wouldn¡¯t take much for them to fear they were being forced into something. And A looked terrifyingly formidable as she stood by the carnage covered in blood. However, they all came to stand in front of A. She took a scrap of fabric and wiped her hands and arms clean. ¡°I understand that what you just witnessed has caused concern,¡± she addressed. ¡°You are all now aware of what I am capable of. I don¡¯t want my heritage or my abilities to be a secret that can divide us. I want to assure you all that neither I, nor Theo, wish to disrupt or overtake the hierarchy our people have established.¡± She moved to the podium and picked up the book she had brought with. ¡°In my recent endeavors to find out who I am, I have had the privilege to learn more about our history,¡± she said. ¡°Practices we have forgotten. Traditions that we no longer observe. I would like to revive one of those tonight.¡± She opened the book and ced it down next to eight vials she had previously set out. She then picked up a velvet pouch and pulled out a silver dagger. Before I could say anything she made a deep cut in her hand. The silver slowed the healing process enough for her to fill each vial. ¡°The strength of the Dominismand lies in our blood. With these vials,¡± she stated, ¡°I relinquish my ability tomand or influence any Alpha or Luna of my fellow packs. I vow to never attempt to take power over another pack or have any interest in ruling as queen over our people. I vow to maintain the social hierarchy our people thrive under. If this oath is ever broken, you all have the power to stop me.¡± ¡°How the hell is that?¡± Alpha Trent voiced. ¡°Everyone is wee to learn about the blood oath and how it works,¡± A replied. Trent snorted. ¡°This sounds like a load of bulls hit to me.¡± A shrugged. ¡°It may be,¡± she replied. ¡°I believe this to be a binding practice. But if I¡¯m wrong, then these are worthless trinkets. Just harmless symbols. If that¡¯s the case, what then? I can¡¯t be anything but what I am.¡± ¡°So you just expect us to trust you?¡± Alpha Patrick added. ¡°I hope you will trust me,¡± A said. ¡°But if you can¡¯t, and you choose to take action against me or my pack, then it will be no secret the risk you will be taking. Because like every one of you, I will protect my pack to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°I think that is something we can all rte to,¡± Alpha Harden voiced. ¡°As another show of faith,¡± A said, ¡°I will remand former Delta Charles to your custody. We have provided evidence to crimes he has ordered within all of your territories. I wish to allow you all to decide how he will pay for them. Hopefully, you can provide your pack members who have suffered with some closure.¡± The pack leaders looked between each other. Some, like Harden and Vincent, seemed epting of the terms while others were still hesitant. ¡°We will give you time to think it over before you leave,¡± I said. ¡°And we are open to any other suggestions you may have.¡± ¡°You may choose to ept the oath as an understanding of peace between our packs,¡± A continued. Harden and his mate, Victoria, stepped forward and took a vial. ¡°We would be honored to continue an alliance with you and the Greytooth Pack,¡± Harden said. Alpha Vincent stepped forward next, followed by Alpha Weston and his mate. ¡°Our packs are connected by family,¡± he said kindly, ncing toward Mina. ¡°We have our own history with the Onyxcrown. It¡¯s a connection I would like to keep.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± I said as A offered him a gentle smile. There was a hesitation from the rest, and I had noticed that they had been mind linking among themselves since this was put forward. It wasn¡¯t surprising, but that didn¡¯t make it any less nerve- wracking. Luna Aniya stepped forward. ¡°We will consider the offering,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°While we do wish to continue our peace agreement with the Greytooth Pack, we feel the circumstances may require further negotiations.¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± A said. ¡°We are willing to meet with you as soon as you are ready. Would any of the other pack leaders wish to do the same?¡± There were nods and remarks of agreement from the rest. Except for Kingston, who had been curiously quiet throughout the entire event. ¡°Very well,¡± A said. ¡°You can all return to your amodations and we will follow up with a time and ce shortly.¡± She turned back to the crowd. ¡°The rest of you may go.¡± Everyone began to disperse. A heavy feeling still lingered in the air at the severity of what just urred. I knew that tensions would be high for a while. Kingston lingered back with us. When the area was mostly clear he stepped toward us. ¡°You know I don¡¯t need any kind of promise to be loyal to you, Luna A,¡± he stated. He looked at me. ¡°We are all in this together.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. We nodded to each other before he walked off. It wasn¡¯t long before A and I and our family were thest ones there. No one was saying anything. I grabbed A¡¯s hand for support. ¡°Jimmy, get someone toe clean up this mess,¡± I said. My parents walked up to us, and my mother immediately pulled A into a hug. ¡°Before you speak with the others, we need to talk,¡± my father said. I remembered we hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk about what they had found on whatever mission they had gone on. Dad nced behind himself. That¡¯s when I noticed an older woman standing on the far side of the courtyard. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, but with the day I had been having, I wasn¡¯t sure I could take any more surprises. ¡°Should we be worried?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet,¡± my mother said. ¡°But it will likely impact your talks with the other pack leaders.¡± Chatper 243 Chatper 243 Chapter 93: Theo We followed my parents as they led us to the woman standing near the shadows. She wore a simple dress and a dark cloak jacket that made her seem from another time. There was also a presence about her that inspired a sense of reverence from her. ¡°Theo, A,¡± my dad began, ¡°this is Sister Mona, of the Moon Haven Order.¡± ¡°Moon Haven?¡± A questioned. ¡°Why does that sound familiar?¡± ¡°That would be unexpected,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°Although, not entirely shocking given who you are.¡± She reached out and took our hands. ¡°It is an honor to meet you both, but I suggest we take this conversation to a more private location.¡± I led everyone back to the Alpha¡¯s suite. When we were settled in the living room, I turned back to my parents and our new guest. ¡°So, what is going on?¡± I asked. ¡°What is this Moon Haven Order? And I warn you, I think I speak for both of us when I say we¡¯re pretty done with secret societies.¡± ¡°Trust me, young Alpha,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°The Moon Haven Order is nothing like the Waar P ak Society. We are far older and charged with a much greater purpose.¡± ¡°And what purpose is that?¡± ¡°To ensure the continuation of our species,¡± she said, ncing toward my father. 0.00% 10:3550 < Chapter 93: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just start with what this means for the two of you,¡± she redirected. ¡°Alpha Torin tells me Luna A is an Onyxcrown descendant. After witnessing the events of this evening, I have no doubt that is true. And that you are the Luna of the prophecies.¡± ¡°Prophecies? What prophecies?¡± A asked with slight annoyance in her voice. I knew she believed her being the Blessed One was nonsense and was growing tired of hearing about some special fate she was meant for. However, I had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t be able to deny it much longer. ¡°Prophecies of the Moonstone being reconstituted,¡± Sister Mona stated. ¡°I believe you have found one half of the stone recently. That is what led your father to us.¡± ¡°We found a box within the tomb of our founding Luna,¡± I replied with confusion. ¡°We don¡¯t know what is inside it.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure about telling her that we knew Kingston had the other half. However, I knew he needed to be here for this. He was still the protector of his half. I told him I would respect that position. ¡®Briggs,¡¯ I linked my Beta, ¡®message Kingston toe here quick.¡¯ ¡®Got it,¡¯ he replied. I saw him discreetly send a message on his phone from the corner of my eye. ¡°I think we all know what we will find inside that box,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°And it¡¯s important that you do it soon. The time is almost here.¡± ¡°The time for what, Sister?¡± A inquired, ¡°For your ascension.¡± 21.74% 1035 O < Chapter 93: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Come again?¡± ¨C ¡°Excuse me?¡± A and I spoke at once. ¡°Both of you,¡± she continued. ¡°You are the descendants of the original families. It is your destiny to make the moonstone whole again.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive us, Sister Mona,¡± Dad said. ¡°Our history was taught to us a little differently. Prophecies and rituals haven¡¯t been a part of our culture in a long time. Perhaps we would all benefit from a revised history lesson.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose you are right,¡± she replied. She smoothed her dress and sat up a little straighter in her seat. ¡°I suppose the best ce to start would be how the Moonstone became a myth to you. In the beginning, there were only two packs. Together, they wielded the power of the Moonstone to grow our race. With it, we thrived. Building a society and culture of our own. The two packs maintained their hold for generations. You would find small, sc at tered packs of rogues here and there. But none that would ever be officially recognized as a pack. The Onyxcrown and the Sablemane would never allow it. ¡°Until, a thousand years ago, those sc attered packs began to organize,¡± Sister Mona continued. ¡°The Sablemane Alphas abused their ability tomand their people. What we saw today with Luna A was a demonstration of how great their abilities were. Many of those rogues were so because they chose to leave the packs rather than risk beingmanded to do unspeakable things. They appealed to the Onyxcrown for help, but the Alpha did nothing. The rogues tried to form their own packs, but the Sablemane would attack. Break them up before they could establish themselves.¡± ¡°We know that our found Luna was a Sablemane, an Amvorov to be exact,¡± I interrupted. ¡°Is that why she left her pack?¡± ¡°It was part of it,¡± she replied. ¡°Matilda was the daughter of the Sablemane Alpha, Thane. She protested against her father¡¯s abuse of 47.31% 111 O 10.35 r Chapter 93: Theo 288 Vouchers power, but her objections fell on deaf ears, as you may have guessed. It wasn¡¯t until the Alpha¡¯s sights were set on a young pack member, Lorna. A young mother with a fated mate. The Alpha wanted her for himself. However, even he couldn¡¯t overrule a fated match. She would have to leave her mate willingly, but she wanted nothing to do with him.¡± She fell quiet. We all knew the next part of her tale would be tragic. ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to ept that, was he?¡± A said, squeezing my hand. ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°As punishment for refusing Alpha Thane, hemanded Lorna to kill her mate¡­ and their child.¡± Audible gasps filled the room, and A¡¯s grip on my hand tightened, As did my hold on her. ¡°That despicable, evil¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he was,¡± the sister agreed. ¡°He nned tomand her to be his mate. With her fated mate dead, he would have to power to do so. But Matilda was outraged by her father¡¯s actions. She left the pack, stealing Lorna away with her, in search of a way to not only remove her father as Alpha but to strip him of his powers as well.¡± Chatper 244 Chatper 244 Chapter 94: A ¡°She went after the Moonstone,¡± I said. Sister Mona smiled at me. ¡°She did,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t easy. She was wary of approaching the Onyxcrown to help her. She knew they would likely see her as a threat should to prevail. Lorna¡¯s brother had already left the pack prior to her ordeal. So, she sought him out among the rogues. That is when she discovered that Lorna¡¯s brother was her fated mate, Isaac Arden.¡± ¡°They fought her father together.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she replied. ¡°But it was a long and bl oody battle. They didn¡¯t have enough wolves to fight against the power of the Moonstone. The fight eventually spilled into Onyxcrown territory. The Onyxcrown were led by a young, new Alpha. One who had witnessed the damage the Sablemane abuse had done. His name was Jacob.¡± ¡°Like my father,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, he was your father¡¯s namesake, I would guess,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°He reached out to Lorna and Isaac in secret. Together, along with Jacob¡¯s sister, Kora, they searched for a way to destroy Alpha Thane¡¯s connection to the Moonstone, stripping him of his powers.¡± ¡°But the only way to do that was to split in two,¡± Theo said next to me. ¡°Which, I¡¯m guessing, would have reduced Jacob¡¯s powers as well.¡± ¡°You are correct, young Alpha,¡± Sister Mona confirmed. ¡°But it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.¡± ¡°So, they split the stone, leaving one half with Jacob and the 5.00% ||| 1035) < Chapter 94: A N?velDrama.Org is the owner. 288 Vouchers Onyxcrowns and the other with Lorna and Isaac, to be brought here, creating the Greytooth pack,¡± I concluded. ¡°Very good,¡± Sister Mona replied with a smile. ¡°But where do youe into this?¡± I asked. ¡°Why was this all hidden from our history? What does this Moon Haven Order have anything to do with all of this?¡± ¡°Jacob¡¯s sister was a holy woman,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°She was touched by the moon goddess and blessed with the gift of premonition.¡± Theo rubbed my back. ¡°You said you read about one of your ancestors with that ability.¡± I nodded. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°The process to split the Moonstone wasn¡¯t an easy one,¡± Mona stated. ¡°It took a spiritual ritual to break it, during which Kora was sent a vision from the goddess. She predicted that the Moonstone would one day need to be reconstituted. The power it holds sustains our abilities. It keeps us tied to our wolves, to that part of who we are. It wasn¡¯t just the original families who lost something when the stone was broken. It cost us all.¡± She nced up at Alpha Torin. ¡°Over time, we became more susceptible to disease and other afflictions.¡± ¡°Like addiction?¡± Kylee questioned from behind us. Sister Mona looked at her. ¡°Yes, my dear, like addiction. After the ritual, Matilda, Jacob, and Kora made the decision to hide this truth to protect the secret of the prophecy. They feared outside influence might prevent the true intended oue. One half of the stone went with each of them and Kora, well, Kora left werewolf territory altogether.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Theo asked. 27.15% O 10350 Chapter 94: A 288 Vouchers ¡°Young Alpha, how do you think we¡¯ve kept this a secret all this time?¡± she asked. ¡°Kora took three other she-wolves with her and moved to human territory. They hid within a town there as an exclusive religious sect ¨C the Moon Haven Order. Every ten years, we send one of our sisters back to packnds. They spend time observing and learning the changes to our people. And to find possible new recruits.¡± ¡°But what does the prediction have to do with me and Theo?¡± I asked. ¡°Not just anyone can bring the Moonstone back together,¡± Luna Grace said. ¡°Its powers are still tied to the original families¡¯ bloodlines.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, standing from my seat to pace the floor. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem so difficult. I don¡¯t see why it has to be us. We¡¯ve all seen what power can do to people. Just look at the Waar Pa k. I mean, do we really think this is the best time to be reconstituting something that can be so corruptive?¡± ¡°Do you think it could corrupt you, my dear?¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°Only a fool would consider themselves incorruptible,¡± I said with a side-eyed nce at the woman, ¡°And I¡¯m far from perfect. I¡¯m no stranger to bending the rules when I have to.¡± Sister Mona continued to smile at me. ¡°Any single person is more susceptible. That is true,¡± she stated. ¡°But what about two people? Can they not benefit from each other¡¯s moralpass? Could they not keep the other in check?¡± The sister stood up and crossed the floor, stopping my pacing. ¡°The Sablemanes hadn¡¯t had a true Luna, a fated mate for their Alpha, in over five generations. They took chosen mates to keep the bloodlines alive, but the rtionships were strained at best,¡± she told 57.00% O 10:3500 Chapter 04 A me. 288 iVouchers ¡°Well, the Greytooth pack has had plenty of fated couples leading them before now.¡± ¡°But not one made up of both families,¡± she pointed out. ¡°The prophecy states that a true Luna will arise and join the families together. Only when the first bloodlines are united can the Moonstone be one again. Once the Moonstone is whole again, so will we be.¡± ¡°And a bigger target Theo and I will be,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of being in the line of fire.¡± ¡°But you can stop all of that,¡± Sister Mona insisted. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from this, A. It is your fate.¡± Chapter 245 Chapter 245: Theo I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of A. She gave us both what we needed. But we weren¡¯t done yet. ¡°You see,¡± Charles Anderson yelled. ¡°This is what we were fighting against. This kind of power can¡¯t exist. She will take over everything.¡± One of the guards gagged him. A disregarded his outburst. ¡°Fellow Alphas and Lunas, pleasee forward,¡± she called. They were hesitant. Worry gnawed at me as I hoped A hadn¡¯t just sealed her fate against them. The power she just demonstrated was impossible. It wouldn¡¯t take much for them to fear they were being forced into something. And A looked terrifyingly formidable as she stood by the carnage covered in blood. However, they all came to stand in front of A. She took a scrap of fabric and wiped her hands and arms clean. ¡°I understand that what you just witnessed has caused concern,¡± she addressed. ¡°You are all now aware of what I am capable of. I don¡¯t want my heritage or my abilities to be a secret that can divide us. I want to assure you all that neither I, nor Theo, wish to disrupt or overtake the hierarchy our people have established.¡± She moved to the podium and picked up the book she had brought with.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°In my recent endeavors to find out who I am, I have had the privilege to learn more about our history,¡± she said. ¡°Practices we have forgotten. Traditions that we no longer observe. I would like to reviveone of those tonight.¡± She opened the book and ced it down next to eight vials she had previously set out. She then picked up a velvet pouch and pulled out a silver dagger. Before I could say anything she made a deep cut in her hand. The silver slowed the healing process enough for her to fill each vial. ¡°The strength of the Dominismand lies in our blood. With these vials,¡± she stated, ¡°I relinquish my ability tomand or influence any Alpha or Luna of my fellow packs. I vow to never attempt to take power over another pack or have any interest in ruling as queen over our people. I vow to maintain the social hierarchy our people thrive under. If this oath is ever broken, you all have the power to stop me. ¡°How the hell is that?¡± Alpha Trent voiced.¡± ¡°Everyone is wee to learn about the blood oath and how it works,¡± A replied. Trent snorted. ¡°This sounds like a load of bulls hit to me. A shrugged. ¡°It may be,¡± she replied. ¡°I believe this to be a binding practice. But if I¡¯m wrong, then these are worthless trinkets. Just harmless symbols. If that¡¯s the case, what then? I can¡¯t be anything but what I am.¡± ¡°So you just expect us to trust you?¡± Alpha Patrick added. ¡°I hope you will trust me,¡± A said. ¡°But if you can¡¯t, and you choose to take action against me or my pack, then it will be no secret the risk you will be taking. Because like every one of you, I will protect my pack to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°I think that is something we can all rte to,¡± Alpha Harden voiced. ¡°As another show of faith,¡± A said, ¡°I will remand former Delta Charles to your custody. We have provided evidence to crimes he has ordered within all of your territories. I wish to allow you all to decide how he will pay for them. Hopefully, you can provide your pack members who have suffered with some closure.¡± The pack leaders looked between each other. Some, like Harden and Vincent, seemed epting of the terms while others were still hesitant. ¡°We will give you time to think it over before you leave,¡± I said. ¡°And we are open to any other suggestions you may have.¡± ¡°You may choose to ept the oath as an understanding of peace between our packs,¡± A continued. Harden and his mate, Victoria, stepped forward and took a vial. ¡°We would be honored to continue an alliance with you and the Greytooth Pack,¡± Harden said. Alpha Vincent stepped forward next, followed by Alpha Weston and his mate. ¡°Our packs are connected by family,¡± he said kindly, ncing toward Mina. ¡°We have our own history with the Onyxcrown. It¡¯s a connection I would like to keep.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± I said as A offered him a gentle smile. There was a hesitation from the rest, and I had noticed that they had been mind linking among themselves since this was put forward. It wasn¡¯t surprising, but that didn¡¯t make it any less nerve-wracking. Luna Aniya stepped forward. ¡°We will consider the offering,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°While we do wish to continue our peace agreement with the Greytooth Pack, we feel the circumstances may require further negotiations.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± A said. ¡°We are willing to meet with you as soon as you are ready. Would any of the other pack leaders wish to do the same?¡± There were nods and remarks of agreement from the rest. Except for Kingston, who had been curiously quiet throughout the entire event. ¡°Very well,¡± A said. ¡°You can all return to your amodations and we will follow up with a time and ce shortly.¡± She turned back to the crowd. ¡°The rest of you may go.¡± Everyone began to disperse. A heavy feeling still lingered in the air at the severity of what just urred. I knew that tensions would be high for a while. Kingston lingered back with us. When the area was mostly clear he stepped toward us. ¡°You know I don¡¯t need any kind of promise to be loyal to you, Luna A,¡± he stated. He looked at me. ¡°We are all in this together.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. We nodded to each other before he walked off. It wasn¡¯t long before A and I and our family were thest ones there. No one was saying anything. I grabbed A¡¯s hand for support. ¡°Jimmy, get someone toe clean up this mess,¡± I said. My parents walked up to us, and my mother immediately pulled A into a hug. ¡°Before you speak with the others, we need to talk,¡± my father said. I remembered we hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk about what they hadfound on whatever mission they had gone on. Dad nced behind himself. That¡¯s when I noticed an older woman standing on the far side of the courtyard. ¡°Okay.¡± I said, but with the day I had been having. I wasn¡¯t sure I could take any more surprises. ¡°Should we be worried?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet.¡± my mother said. ¡°But it will likely impact your talks with the other pack leaders.¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246: Theo We followed my parents as they led us to the woman standing near the shadows. She wore a simple dress and a dark cloak jacket that made her seem from another time. There was also a presence about her that inspired a sense of reverence from her. ¡°Theo, A,¡± my dad began, ¡°this is Sister Mona, of the Moon Haven Order.¡± ¡°Moon Haven?¡± A questioned. ¡°Why does that sound familiar?¡± ¡°That would be unexpected,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°Although, not entirely shocking given who you are.¡± She reached out and took our hands. ¡°It is an honor to meet you both, but I suggest we take this conversation to a more private location.¡± I led everyone back to the Alpha¡¯s suite. When we were settled in the living room, I turned back to my parents and our new guest. ¡°So, what is going on?¡± I asked. ¡°What is this Moon Haven Order? And I warn you, I think I speak for both of us when I say we¡¯re pretty done with secret societies.¡± ¡°Trust me, young Alpha,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°The Moon Haven Order is nothing like the Waar Pa k Society. We are far older and charged with a much greater purpose.¡± ¡°And what purpose is that?¡± ¡°To ensure the continuation of our species,¡± she said, ncing toward my father. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just start with what this means for the two of you,¡± she redirected. ¡°Alpha Torin tells me Luna A is an Onyxcrown descendant. After witnessing the events of this evening, I have no doubt that is true. And that you are the Luna of the prophecies.¡± ¡°Prophecies? What prophecies?¡± A asked with slight annoyance in her voice. I knew she believed her being the Blessed One was nonsense and was growing tired of hearing about some special fate she was meant for. However, I had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t be able to deny it much longer. ¡°Prophecies of the Moonstone being reconstituted,¡± Sister Mona stated. ¡°I believe you have found one half of the stone recently. That is what led your father to us. ¡°We found a box within the tomb of our founding Luna,¡± I replied with confusion. ¡°We don¡¯t know what isinside it.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I wasn¡¯t sure about telling her that we knew Kingston had the other half. However, I knew he needed to be here for this. He was still the protector of his half. I told him I would respect that position. ¡®Briggs,¡¯ I linked my Beta, ¡®message Kingston toe here quick.¡¯ ¡®Got it,¡¯ he replied. I saw him discreetly send a message on his phone from the corner of my eye. ¡°I think we all know what we will find inside that box,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°And it¡¯s important that you do it soon. The time is almost here.¡± ¡°The time for what, Sister?¡± A inquired. ¡°For your ascension.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¨C ¡°Excuse me?¡± A and I spoke at once. ¡°Both of you,¡± she continued. ¡°You are the descendants of the original families. It is your destiny to make the moonstone whole again.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive us, Sister Mona,¡± Dad said. ¡°Our history taught to us a little differently. Prophecies and rituals haven¡¯t been a part of our culture in a long time. Perhaps we would all benefit from a revised history lesson.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose you are right,¡± she replied. She smoothed her dress and sat up a little straighter in her seat. ¡°I suppose the best ce to start would be how the Moonstone became a myth to you. In the beginning, there were only two packs. Together, they wielded the power of the Moonstone to grow our race. With it, we thrived. Building a society and culture of our own. The two packs maintained their hold for generations. You would find small, sc attered packs of rogues here and there. But none that would ever be officially recognized as a pack. The Onyxcrown and the Sablemane would never allow it.. ¡°Until, a thousand years ago, those sca ttered packs began to organize,¡± Sister Mona continued. ¡°The Sablemane Alphas abused their ability tomand their people. What we saw today with Luna A was a demonstration of how great their abilities were. Many of those rogues were so because they chose to leave the packs rather than risk beingmanded to do unspeakable things. They appealed to the Onyxcrown for help, but the Alpha did nothing. The rogues tried to form their own packs, but the Sablemane would attack. Break them up before they could establish themselves.¡± ¡°We know that our found Luna was a Sablemane, an Amvorov to be exact,¡± I interrupted. ¡°Is that why she left her pack?¡± ¡°It was part of it,¡± she replied. ¡°Matilda was the daughter of the Sablemane Alpha,/Thane. She protested against her father¡¯s abuse ofpower, but her objections fell on deaf ears,were as you may have guessed. It wasn¡¯t until the Alpha¡¯s sights were set on a young pack member, Lorna. A young mother with a fated mate. The Alpha wanted her for himself. However, even he couldn¡¯t overrule a fated match. She would have to leave her mate willingly, but she wanted nothing to do with him.¡± She fell quiet. We all knew the next part of her tale would be tragic. ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to ept that, was he?¡± A said, squeezing my hand. ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°As punishment for refusing Alpha Thane, hemanded Lorna to kill her mate¡­ and their child.¡± Audible gasps filled the room, and A¡¯s grip on my hand tightened. As did my hold on her. ¡°That despicable, evil¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he was,¡± the sister agreed. ¡°He nned tomand her to be his mate. With her fated mate dead, he would have to power to do so. But Matilda was outraged by her father¡¯s actions. She left the pack, stealing Lorna away with her, in search of a way to not only remove her father as Alpha but tostrip him of his powers as well.¡± Chatper 247 Chatper 247 Chapter 94: A ¡°She went after the Moonstone,¡± I said. Sister Mona smiled at me. ¡°She did,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t easy. She was wary of approaching the Onyxcrown to help her. She knew they would likely see her as a threat should to prevail. Lorna¡¯s brother had already left the pack prior to her ordeal. So, she sought him among the rogues. That is when she discovered that Lorna¡¯s brother was her fated mate, Isaac Arden.¡± out ¡°They fought her father together.¡±. ¡°Indeed,¡± she replied. ¡°But it was a long and bl oody battle. They didn¡¯t have enough wolves to fight against the power of the Moonstone. The fight eventually spilled into Onyxcrown territory. The Onyxcrown were led by a young, new Alpha. One who had witnessed the damage the Sablemane abuse had done. His name was Jacob.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Like my father,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, he was your father¡¯s namesake, I would guess,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°He reached out to Lorna and Isaac in secret. Together, along with Jacob¡¯s sister, Kora, they searched for a way to destroy Alpha Thane¡¯s connection to the Moonstone, stripping him of his powers.¡± ¡°But the only way to do that was to split in two,¡± Theo said next to me. ¡°Which, I¡¯m guessing, would have reduced Jacob¡¯s powers as well.¡± ¡°You are correct, young Alpha,¡± Sister Mona confirmed. ¡°But it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.¡± ¡°So, they split the stone, leaving one half with Jacob and the 0.00% O 11:23 D Chapter 247: A 288 iVouchers Onyxcrowns and the other with Lorna and Isaac, to be brought here, creating the Greytooth pack,¡± I concluded. ¡°Very good,¡± Sister Mona replied with a smile. ¡°But where do youe into this?¡± I asked ¡°Why was this all hidden from our history? What does this Moon Haven Order have anything to do with all of this?¡± ¡°Jacob¡¯s sister was a holy woman,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°She was touched by the moon goddess and blessed with the gift of premonition.¡± Theo rubbed my back. ¡°You said you read about one of your ancestors with that ability.¡± I nodded. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°The process to split the Moonstone wasn¡¯t an easy one,¡± Mona stated. ¡°It took a spiritual ritual to break it, during which Kora was sent a vision from the goddess. She predicted that the Moonstone would one day need to be reconstituted. The power it holds sustains our abilities. It keeps us tied to our wolves, to that part of who we are. It wasn¡¯t just the original families who lost something when the stone was broken. It cost us all.¡± She nced up at Alpha Torin. ¡°Over time, we became more susceptible to disease and other afflictions.¡± ¡°Like addiction?¡± Kylee questioned from behind us. Sister Mona looked at her. ¡°Yes, my dear, like addiction. After the ritual, Matilda, Jacob, and Kora made the decision to hide this truth to protect the secret of the prophecy. They feared outside influence might prevent the true intended oue. One half of the stone went with each of them and Kora, well, Kora left werewolf territory altogether.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Theo asked. 27.17% 1130 Chapter 247: 7: A ¡°Young Alpha, how do you think we¡¯ve kept this a secret all this time?¡± she asked. ¡°Kora took three other she-wolves with her and moved to human territory. They hid within a town there as an exclusive religious sect 288 Vouchers The Mor Haven Order. Every ten years, we send one of our sisters back to packnds. They spend time observing and learning the changes to our people. And to find possible new recruits.¡± ¡°But what does the prediction have to do with me and Theo?¡± I asked. ¡°Not just anyone can bring the Moonstone back together,¡± Luna Grace said. ¡°Its powers are still tied to the original families¡¯ bloodlines.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, standing from my seat to pace the floor. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem so difficult. I don¡¯t see why it has to be us. We¡¯ve all seen what power can do to people. Just look at the Waar P ak. I mean, do we really think this is the best time to be reconstituting something that can be so corruptive?¡± ¡°Do you think it could corrupt you, my dear?¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°Only a fool would consider themselves incorruptible,¡± I said with a side-eyed nce at the woman, ¡°And I¡¯m far from perfect. I¡¯m no stranger to bending the rules when I have to. ¡± Sister Mona continued to smile at me. ¡°Any single person is more susceptible. That is true,¡± she stated. ¡°But what about two people? Can they not benefit from each other¡¯s moralpass? Could they not keep the other in check?¡± The sister stood up and crossed the floor, stopping my pacing. ¡°The Sablemanes hadn¡¯t had a true Luna, a fated mate for their Alpha, in over five generations. They took chosen mates to keep the bloodlines alive, but the rtionships were strained at best,¡± she told 5701% O 1123 Chapter 247: A me. 288 Vouchers ¡°Well, the Greytooth pack has had plenty of fated couples leading them before now. ¡°But not one made up of both families,¡± she pointed out. ¡°The prophecy states that a true Luna will arise and join the families together. Only when the first bloodlines are united can the Moonstone be one again. Once the Moonstone is whole again, so will we be.¡± ¡°And a bigger target Theo and I will be,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of being in the line of fire.¡± ¡°But you can stop all of that,¡± Sister Mona insisted. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from this, A. It is your fate.¡± Chatper 248 Chatper 248 Chapter 248: A My mind was still reeling from what I had done in the pavilion. Now this. And I still had to figure out how I was going to deal with the other pack leaders. I had a feeling my demonstration had them more weary of me than epting at the moment. I rubbed my forehead as there was a knock on the door. Kingston entered the room. ¡°Ah, and here must be the one who has the other half of the stone,¡± Sister Mona said. We all looked at one another in surprise. ¡°The women of my order are trained to be observant,¡± Sister Mona stated. ¡°A few months every ten years isn¡¯t a lot of time. We have to be skilled to gather as much information as possible.¡± ¡°Alpha Kingston, this is Sister Mona of the Moon Haven Order,¡± Theo introduced. ¡°Sister Mona, this is Alpha Kingston of the Sablemane Pack.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Mona replied. ¡°If I recall, you are an adopted Amvorov.¡± Kingston looked around the room in surprise and confusion. ¡°I fear I took too long to arrive and have missed something.¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± I replied. ¡°When we found Luna Matilda¡¯s tomb, I remembered something my father had told me when I was a boy,¡± Alpha Torin said. ¡°It was a story about a secret hidden within both Luna Matilda and Alpha Isaac¡¯s 9.00% 111 . 11231 Chapter 248: A 288 Vouchers burial crypts. It wasn¡¯t until we found Luna Matilda, telling us they weren¡¯t buried together, that I realized this needed to be looked into further. It led Luna Grace and I to a human city, where we found the Moon Haven Order.¡± ¡°Now, perhaps you can tell me how a Sablemane came to be in possession of the Onyxcrown Moonstone.¡± We are the protectors of the MOO Prophecy,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°Alpha Kingston is an Onyxcrown survivor,¡± Theo defended. ¡°He just recently retrieved the Moonstone from it¡¯s hiding spot when it was threatened to be discovered.¡± ¡°My father was the Onyxcrown Beta,¡± Kingston said. ¡°So you also understand what it means to be the protector of such an important secret,¡± Sister Mona indicated. We briefly filled Kingston in on the information he had missed out on. I was eager to move on and find out what Sister Mona expected us to do next. ¡°Say you are right,¡± I stated, ¡°and Theo and I are meant to make the Moonstone whole again, what about the other pack leaders? How are we supposed to reconcile them with the fact that thergest pack will now also be the most powerful? I just got done telling them we weren¡¯t looking for a crown.¡± ¡°I never said this would be easy,¡± Sister Mona said gently. ¡°Only that it was your fate.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t hide it from them,¡± Theo said. ¡°Powerful or not, thest thing we want is a war.¡± ¡°I think you may have better luck addressing one or two of them at a time,¡± Briggs noted. ¡°They don¡¯t all see things the same and it seems to 20 74% O 112/D Chapter 248: A 288 Vouchers me that diplomacy can often get in the way when we are all in a group. I think you¡¯ll have better luck getting honest responses.¡± ¡°I think Beta Briggs is right,¡± Alpha Torin replied. Theo nodded. ¡°Agreed. At least when delivering the information. We will eventually have to get them all together to confirm whatever oue we are looking at.¡± ¡°Well, Alpha Kingston is already here,¡± I said. ¡°What do you say? Should we do this?¡± Kingston¡¯s expression softened. He could sense my apprehension. I didn¡¯t want this. My life had already been the object of too much attention as it was. How would I ever find any peace? How could I ever move on from everything I had been through? ¡°I will support whatever decision the two of you make,¡± he said firmly. ¡°But I won¡¯t deny that I believe this is what you were meant to do. We¡¯ ve always known you had a destiny bigger than any of us, A.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have, but I felt a little betrayed. I turned away from everyone. ¡°I think we need some time to discuss things,¡± Theo said to the others. ¡°Briggs, could you see to the other pack leaders and set up a meeting schedule? Sister Mona, I would greatly appreciate your attendance.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. ¡°For now, do you all mind giving us some privacy?¡± They all agreed and I listened to them leave our apartment, not even turning back to watch them go. Mina rested a hand on my shoulder briefly before exiting, but the rest left quietly. When we were alone, Theo came up behind me, snaking his arms around my waist and 46.06% O 1123) Chapter 248: A All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. 288 IVouchers resting his chin on my shoulder with a heavy sigh. ¡°We should clean up,¡± he whispered. I nced down. We were both still covered in now dry blood. I could only imagine how terrifying we both looked. Theo kissed my neck and took my hand, guiding me back toward our bedroom. I chose not to look at the mirror as he started the shower and mirror as he started the shower and we undressed: He pulled me under the hot water and began to wash my body clean. As he did so, I felt some of the pain and anger and guilt and all the other emotions that had been boiling inside me for weeks start to ebb away. But it wasn¡¯t just the temporary release I had been getting glimpses of. As Theo finished, I returned the favor. I watched the red-tinted water flow off of him and I thought about what I done. What it had meant. What it would mean going forward. And I felt some of that burden wash away with the filth of that evening. I didn¡¯t feel anger toward Malcolm or Amy anymore. But more importantly, I didn¡¯t feel guilty for their deaths. I did what I had to do. I understood what Sister Mona spoke about when she said we had changed as a species. After spending thest few months reading so much of our history, I knew we had lost something of who we were. But we were still wolves. I felt Dasha stir within me. I realized she hadn¡¯t been there with me like she once had been before. Had I really drowned her out that much? ¡®Hey, girl,¡¯ I reached out to her. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I guess I should have asked you how you felt about this whole Moonstone thing.¡¯ 71 68% 111 O 11:23 D She came to the trend of a wind wasting for the to war something else to ask her what I should have asked her all along Should we do this¡± I¡¯s our inte Chatper 249 Chatper 249 Chapter 249: Theo I watched A as she conversed with Dasha. I didn¡¯t even think she realized I had noticed. Whatever was going through her mind, whatever was being said between them, needed to happen. Kieran had been quiet for days. Only snippets of his rage and anguish would push through at times. But he was at the edge of my consciousness now. As if he was waiting for something. A¡¯s hands had stopped, and she Bill for a long moment. I couldn¡¯t see Dasha in her eyes. She was just deep in thought. I reached up and lifted her chin, my eyes meeting hers. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked gently, running the pad of my jawline. umb along her She took a deep, slow breath, stepping into my arms as hers slid around my waist. ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± she replied softly. ¡°I know I should be questioning what I did tonight, but I¡¯m not. It still feels like it was the necessary thing to do.¡± ¡°It was,¡± I agreed firmly. ¡°Too many people have believed they could best us. They made targets out of us. At the very least, they will think twice now. We had a right to do what we did.¡± ¡°We will still be a target for others, though,¡± she said calmly. ¡°We could reduce that by refusing to merge the stones. Give the halves to the Alpha leaders to protect.¡± She sighed again. ¡°What do you think about all this business with the Moonstone?¡± I brushed her wet hair from her face, holding her tightly to me. ¡°I think there is some validity to what we are finding out. However, we can¡¯t move forward with anything unless we both agree to it. Whatever is 0.00% 111 O 105/ Chapter meant to happen, we¡¯re meant to do it together. That I am sure of.¡± A soft, brief smile touched A¡¯s face before her expression became serious again. ¡°I think we need to join the Moonstones.¡± I was a little taken aback by how sure she sounded. I understood why she had been against it in the first ce. She has had so little peace in her life. Our time together was supposed to provide her with that. I was ready to give her that, regardless of my own doubts. But she didn¡¯t seem pressured in her decision. ¡°Why the change of heart?¡± I asked. ¡°Dasha,¡± she replied. ¡°She believes we are meant to do this. She¡¯s always believed. She¡­¡± A paused as her brow furrowed. ¡°She said this will fix things. That it will make us all stronger again. Like we are supposed to be.¡± Kieran grunted his agreement with her statement. He and Dasha both knew something we didn¡¯t. They sensed something we couldn¡¯t. ¡°What does that mean?¡± I asked, reaching to turn off the taps. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± A replied as she grabbed our towels. ¡°She won¡¯t tell me. She keeps telling me to trust her. The truth is, I¡¯ve been denying her for too long. She has always believed we are the Blessed One and I insisted she was wrong. Now, it doesn¡¯t matter. She believes we were meant to do this. I won¡¯t deny her anymore.¡± ¡°We both know this will likelyplicate our lives even more. ¡± ¡°I know,¡± she acknowledged. ¡°But that¡¯s not a reason not to do it. But we still need to get approval from the other pack leaders. Or at least, the majority of them. If we go against them on this, it will guarantee a war.¡± 27 83% 111 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. O 105D Chapter 249: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°I agree,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll talk to all of them. From the sound of it, Sister Mona thinks this will benefit all the packs, and I believe her. We¡¯ll get them to see that too.¡± ¡°And maybe she can help us set up some kind of security n,¡± A said as she grabbed some clothes. ¡°You know, something that lessens the power imbnce this will cause.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I replied, pulling on a pair of pants. I picked up A¡¯s hairbrush and started brushing her hair once she finished dressing. It was getting eager to return home. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food in you.¡± I put the brush away and turned A toward me. ¡°Then we¡¯ll meet with one or two of the pack leaders tonight.¡± A nodded. ¡°Okay. Alpha Gregory or Alpha Vincent may be good ces to start,¡± she suggested as we left the bathroom. ¡°I think it should be Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya first,¡± I said. ¡°They were hesitant at the pavilion. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because they are in league with Delta Charles, but there was something there.¡± ¡°It could be embarrassment,¡± A said with a shrug. ¡°But you¡¯re right, there was something stopping them.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t figure out what it could be,¡± I replied. ¡°I can see Alpha Trent being an issue. In fact, I¡¯m almost counting on it. Maybe even Alpha Patrick. But Anthony is a friend. I was at his Alpha ceremony ten years ago. I think they¡¯re our first priority.¡± I linked Briggs to tell him to bring Sister Mona up and have Jimmy 56.47% 10.5/0 Chapter 249: Theo 288 Vouchers escort Alpha Anthony and his Luna to our apartment. We ate quickly and set up some refreshments at the dining room table. Briggs arrived as we finished with Sister Mona. ¡°Thank you for joining us, Sister Mona,¡± I said as we took our seats at the table. ¡°There is more that we want to know about this prophecy and the Moonstones. And I¡¯m sure the other pack leaders will have the same questions. It will make this a lot easier having you here.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Sister Mona said with a smile. ¡°I will provide whatever help you need. Is there anything you would like to know before we meet with the others?¡± ¡°No,¡± A interjected. ¡°We don¡¯t think there is anything we would learn that we wouldn¡¯t want to share with the rest of the packs. So there¡¯s no reason we should have to go through everything more than we have to.¡± Sister Mona smiled at A and me, pride filling her expression. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Chatper 250 Chapter 250: Theo It wasn¡¯t long before there was another knock on the door and Briggs escorted Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya inside. We greeted them and took our seats. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind meeting us here,¡± I said. ¡°I know it may feel more casual than you were expecting, but we want to assure you we are taking these talks seriously. We are very aware of how¡­ complicated the situation between the packs is right now.¡± ¡°We respect the authority and the courage ¨C you both showed today, Alpha Theo,¡± Alpha Anthony stated. His words sounded hopeful, but I couldn¡¯t get past the diplomatic tone to his voice. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°I know that as a member of your pack, Malcolm¡¯s death¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Alpha Anthony interrupted. ¡°You did what you must. I can¡¯t pretend that I wouldn¡¯t react as severely if I had lost what you two had.¡± He nced at his mate, squeezing her hand. It was the first time I noticed how tightly she had been holding onto his. As if she was needing extra support from him. She seemed nervous, although she was trying to hide it. My stomach dropped and I worried things weren¡¯t heading in a good direction. ¡°Before we talk about a pack alliance,¡± I pushed forward, ¡°I should introduce you to Sister 0.00% O 11:37 Chapter 250 Theo 288 Nouchers Mona of the Moon Haven Order.¡± Luna Aniya looked as confused as we were at hearing the name but Alpha Anthony¡¯s demeanor said something very different. He looked at Sister Mona with great deference. ¡°Sister,¡± he said kindly, eagerly extending his hand to take hers, ¡°it is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Anthony?¡± Luna Aniya pressed. ¡°You know about the Moon Haven Order?¡± A questioned. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°My grandmother told me about them when I was a pup. Her older sister was selected to join the sect. They are a secret order ordained to protect our most sacred writings.¡± Sister Mona¡¯s face lit up. ¡°What is your aunts name?¡± ¡°Julianna,¡± Anthony replied. Mona smiled fondly. ¡°Yes, she is much loved in the order.¡± ¡°Is?¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Sister Mona replied. ¡°She¡¯s still alive and doing quite well for being nearly ny years old.¡± ¡°My grandmother would be delighted to know that,¡± Alpha Anthony stated. ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡¯ ¡± ¡°It is my pleasure, young Alpha,¡± Mona insisted. ¡°I hope that helps me maintain your good favor as we continue our talks.¡± ¡°You will be staying with us?¡± Luna Aniya asked. Chapter 250: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Sister Mona has been brought here regarding an artifact that was recently found here in the Greytooth packnds,¡± A exined. ¡°She has informed us of some of what this artifact means. However, there is more we need to learn. I felt that it was important that another pack Alpha and Luna were present, as the situation has implications that will affect us all.¡± Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya looked at each other in concern. ¡°Does this have to do with your ability tomand like you do?¡± Aniya asked nervously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± A replied hesitantly, ncing between me and Sister Mona. ¡°It¡¯s possible, I suppose, but I don¡¯t know to what capacity.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t get rid of it, will it?¡± Aniya pushed, almost sounding desperate. Alpha Anthony tried to calm her. ¡°No,¡± Sister Mona offered. ¡°Luna A¡¯s abilities, and Alpha Theo¡¯s for that matter, will not be lost.¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I inquired. Luna Aniya looked to her mate. Alpha Anthony nodded. ¡°We wish to continue our alliance with the Greytooth pack,¡± Luna Aniya stated. ¡°However, we have a request¡­¡± ¡°Please,¡± A invited, ¡°feel free to voice any request or concern. i Aniya yed with her fingers. She truly was nervous, nearly terrified, about what they were about to ask. I hoped it was something we could give. I feared the meeting would end badly if we couldn¡¯t. Taking a deep breath, Luna Aniya spoke, ¡°I want you tomand me to shift.¡± 42.72% ||| O 11.37 T Chapter 250: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± A and I were again left looking at each other in uncertainty. Luna Aniya seemed to be holding back tears and her expression seemed to be filled with shame. ¡°I¡­ I have never shifted,¡± she admitted painfully. ¡°I have spent years trying to figure out why I can¡¯t connect to my wolf, but I¡­ I just can¡¯t. It has been a source of great disgrace in my family.¡±. A reached out and grabbed Aniya¡¯s hands, offering kindness andfort. ¡°I am so sorry, Luna Aniya,¡± she said softly. ¡°As someone who has lost her wolf before, I know how hard that can be to live with.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Luna Aniya¡¯s eyes looked up at A. ¡°You lost your wolf?¡± A nodded, ncing back at me with a gentle smile. ¡°I made a mistake once,¡± she said. ¡°It hurt Dasha to the point she left me. I can imagine how difficult it would be to feel that all the time. To have never met that other part of you.¡± ¡°Do you think you have a¡­?¡± I started to ask. ¡°She does,¡± Alpha Anthony insisted. ¡°My wolf senses a presence. She is there somewhere.¡± He brushed a hand over his mate¡¯s hair. ¡°Aniya just needs help reaching her.¡± A took a deep breath, and looked around the table. ¡°I would be more than happy to help you, Luna Aniya,¡± she stated honestly. ¡°But¡­?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to make any promises,¡± she said gently. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I didn¡¯t think about whether mymand to Malcolm would work or not. I don¡¯t want you to get your hopes up if I simply don¡¯t have the power to help.¡± Aniya grabbed A¡¯s hands firmly. ¡°I just want to try,¡± she insisted. ¡°Please, this could be myst chance.¡± I looked at Sister Mona. She was sitting with a pleased, knowing look on her face. ¡°Do you think it will work?¡± I asked. ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± she replied. Chatper 251 Chapter 251: A We talked Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya into taking our experiment to the woods. I thought being outside in the trees would help the process. Besides, if it did work, she would want to go for a run first thing. They both would. It was a dark night. The full moon was still almost two weeks away, so the moon only offered a sliver of light in the sky. However, that worked out nicely for what we needed. It was better to keep this between us for now. Theo led us to a clearing not far from the packhouse property. There were a few small sr lights along the edge, indicating the area was often used for simr purposes to ours. Pack members would meet here to shift forte-night runs. Although, based on the over-growth, I didn¡¯ t think this one had been utilized in a while. ¡°Okay,¡± I said as we found a spot. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± I asked Aniya. ¡°The first shift is painful. If this does work, I have no idea if themand will make that pain worse. ¡°J ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take.¡± Sister Mona stepped toward Luna Aniya with outstretched arms. ¡°Before you proceed, may I see something?¡± Aniya nodded. Mona took Aniya¡¯s face in her hands, closing her eye and resting her forehead against the Luna¡¯s. They held that pose for a few moments before Sister Mona pulled away. 0.00% 09:40 Chapter 251 A ¡°Your wolf is there,¡± she said softly. ¡°She got a little lost, but she¡¯s ready toe out. Have faith.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister,¡± Luna Aniya said. Sister Mona stepped back and Theo turned around as Luna Aniya started to strip down. There was a determination and a hope radiating off of her. I prayed that this would work. I wanted to do this for her, but I was weary of any possible damage I could inadvertently cause. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Luna Aniya said with a nod toward me. I took a few deep breaths. I looked her in the eye as I searched inside for that power I had touched just a few hours ago. It was harder to reach this time. It didn¡¯t feel as right as it had before. But I promised I would try. I could see in her eyes how much Luna Aniya wanted this. I adopted that determination as my own and made themand. ¡°Shift.¡± The night fell quiet and everything stood still for a fleeting moment. Aniya fell to her knees with a grunt. ¡°It¡¯s working,¡± she said breathlessly. ¡°But it¡¯s not enough.¡± I took two steps toward her. ¡°Shift,¡± Imanded more forcefully. She cried out as the sound of her bones snapping out of ce filled my ears. Fur started to erupt from her skin, but the process rippled over her, not truly progressing. ¡°Again,¡± she gritted out. One step closer and I was less than a foot from her. I pulled at my core, tapping into the strength that had gotten me through so much. ¡°SHIFT.¡± 27.26% 09:40 Chapter 251 A The change burst from Aniya, happening faster than I had ever seen a first-time shift. I barely registered Theo¡¯s arms pulling me out of the way as Aniya¡¯s yell transformed into a roaring growl. A tawny brown wolf now stood on the spot, panting heavily before copsing to the ground. Theo and I stood nervously waiting. A grey wolf, I assumed was Anthony, jogged over to her side and nuzzled her. She was faced away from us but my eyes were fixed on the rise and fall of the animal¡¯s chest. The movement began to slow and I begged for it to be a good sign. Anthony¡¯s wolf began to nudge her more strongly, urging her to stand up. I gripped Theo¡¯s hand and released a long heavy breath as Aniya¡¯s wolf lifted her head. She soon recovered from the ordeal and was on her feet. Anthony¡¯s wolf was nipping and licking at her so much she could barely move. She tested her legs, stretching out as she got used to the feel of the body she now had. I was smiling from ear to ear and a tear ran down my cheek. I had done that. I had given this to them. I never would have thought I could do something so¡­ monumental for another one of our kind. Theo kissed my temple. ¡°Come on,¡± he said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s give them some privacy.¡± I nodded, finding a way to tear my eyes away from such an amazing sight. As we crossed the packhouse yard, I could feel Theo¡¯s pride in me radiating through our bond. It only made the experience that much more exhrating. ¡°That was incredible,¡± I said. ¡°Being able to help them like that.¡± 55.57% 09:40 Chapter 251 Ayta $870s iganes ¡°You know, young Alpha,¡± Sister Mona said, ¡°you can do that, too.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Theo scoffed. ¡°No, mymand isn¡¯t nearly as strong as A¡¯ S.¡± Sister Mona shrugged. ¡°Perhaps not at the moment,¡± she stated. ¡°But it will be. Although, it¡¯s more likely you just haven¡¯t tapped into that part of yourself yet. You¡¯ve been trained to hone your power over others. You set barriers for yourself you never realized you could cross. It¡¯s easier for A because she is so new to the ability.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Theo thought about her words. ¡°Do you have any idea what else we could do to help?¡± I asked. Sister Mona paused with a look as if we should have already figured out the answer. ¡°MY dear, you can fix everything.¡± Chatper 252 Chapter 252: A Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya were gone most of the night. Jimmy said a couple of the guards saw theme back a few hours before sunrise. We decided not to disturb them. We could work out any more details regarding the pack allianceter. For now, we needed to get the rest of the leaders on our side. We were deciding who to speak with next when there was a knock on our suite door. Theo and I looked at each other curiously. Theo went to see who it was to find Alpha Vincent and Beta Aaron on the other side. ¡°Forgive the intrusion, Alpha Theo,¡± Alpha Vincent said politely. ¡°We understand you are nning to set up meetings with us all today. However, we just got done speaking with Alpha Anthony.¡± Theo nodded knowingly and weed them in. ¡°Luna A, we apologize for our impatience,¡± Alpha Vincent said when he saw me in my robe. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied. ¡°Trust me. I understand your curiosity. Do you mind if I take a moment to get dressed?¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± Beta Aaron rushed. ¡°Please, by all means.¡± ¡°Thank you, gentlemen.¡± I retreated to our room and quickly dressed, dragging a brush through my hair and throwing it up in a clip. When I returned, the men were all speaking quietly together. Theo sensed my presence and turned his attention to me. 0.00% 12:53 Chapter 252 Ayia 288 Vouchers ¡°Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya have been speaking with the others,¡± Theo informed me. ¡°They have told them what you did for Luna Aniya.¡± ¡°And a little about some kind of sisterhood or something,¡± Beta Aaron said. ¡°And something about a prophecy that will save our species.¡± ¡°That makes it seem a bit severe,¡± I said as I joined Theo on the couch. ¡°But yes, the Moon Haven Order has been protecting information along those lines for centuries.¡± The two men looked at each other seriously. I noticed that Beta Aaron seemed on edge. His posture was tense. Completely opposite of theid-back nature I was used to seeing on him. ¡°Alpha Anthony said that you were able tomand Luna Aniya to shift for the first time,¡± Alpha Vincent said. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to say that after yesterday, that act will help in your favor today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not why I did it,¡± I rushed. ¡°It was a consideration, of course. But I helped because I could. Because everyone deserves their wolf.¡± Vincent smiled warmly. ¡°I assumed as much,¡± I replied. ¡°Which is why we are here.¡± He nced at Beta Aaron. ¡°We would like to know what the limitations of yourmand abilities are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Honestly, you all are learning all of this at the same time I am. I only found out I couldmand a few months ago. Much of this information is tied to our family bloodlines. Sister Mona would have a better idea. Although, she likes to talk around the question sometimes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve sent someone to retrieve her already,¡± Theo informed them. ¡°She should be here any¡­¡± Another knock on the door interrupted him. 24.21% O 12 52 Chapter 252 A 288 Vouchers ¡°That¡¯s probably her, now,¡± I said with a chuckle. Theo let her in. He offered her a cup of coffee and she settled in with us. We took a little time to briefly exin who she and the Moon Haven Order were, and what she believed our next move should be The whole time we were talking, Beta Aaron seemed to be getting more and more tense. He wasn¡¯t exactly agitated, but he was definitely anxious about something. ¡°Is everything alright, Beta Aaron,¡± I asked gently when Mona got to a stopping point. He looked at me in surprise and then a little sheepishly. He nced at Alpha Vincent who nodded his approval of something. ¡°We were theorizing,¡± he began, ¡°if you canmand someone to take their own life, would you be capable ofmanding another to keep theirs?¡± My brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± I stated. Beta Vincent reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. He handed it to me and Theo. It depicted a little girl with dark brown ringlets and bright blue eyes. She was smiling fiercely in the image, showing the gaps from her missing baby teeth as she hugged Beta Aaron. ¡°My niece, Renee,¡± he exined. ¡°She was diagnosed with a congenital heart conditionst year. We have been trying every possible treatment we can find, but she hasn¡¯t been improving. Our doctors don¡¯t think she¡¯ll make it to her tenth birthday.¡± ¡°I am so sorry, Beta Aaron,¡± I urged, my heart aching for him. Alpha Vincent rested his elbows on his knees. ¡°It¡¯s not just his niece,¡± he said. ¡°Her diagnosis hit the pack house hard. So I started looking 54.26% III O 12.53 Chapter 252 A 288 Vouchers into our healthcare system to help them as much as I could. That¡¯s when I noticed that we¡¯ve seen an uptick in these kinds of conditions, as well as other degenerative illnesses, throughout our poption over the past fifteen years or so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s concerning,¡± Theo agreed, sitting up straighter. ¡°I¡¯ve done the same since my father¡¯s diagnosis. We have experienced a simr trend. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to be too rming. Our own pack has continued to grow in that time, so I contributed it to that.¡± ¡°Your pack is tied to your blood,¡± Sister Mona interjected. ¡°I think if you make some inquiries, you may find that other packs are having the same issues as the Dawnfall Pack.¡± ¡°But what can we do?¡± I asked, worried that they were expecting the impossible from us. ¡°I know it sounds insane,¡± Alpha Vincent said, ¡°but we¡¯d like you to trymanding Renee to heal.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 253 Chapter 253: Theo Alpha Vincent¡¯s request had caught both A and me off guard. While Sister Mona exined that what they were asking was entirely possible, I realized that talking to them one at a time wasn¡¯t going to work anymore. Before we got farther into the conversation, I moved us to a conference room and sent Briggs and Jimmy to gather the rest. As soon as they were all present, we went over everything we already knew. I couldn¡¯t deny that the story was starting to annoy me already. It didn¡¯t help that I kept thinking about my father and what this could mean for him. Once Mona was done, Luna Aniya shared her story and Alpha Vincent presented his proposition. I noticed several of the others increased interest in this part in particr. ¡°We have been experiencing the same concerns in our pack,¡± Alpha Weston said. ¡°It¡¯s why we have increased out research budgets so much.¡± ¡°Us as well,¡± Luna Victoria added. ? ¡°With all due respect,¡± Alpha Trent interrupted, ¡°while I sympathize with these concerns, how do you expect us to believe you somehow magically have the solution to all of our problems? And that the solution is for you, the Alpha who already has the biggest pack, to gain even more power? This is a long way from the assurances you were spouting just yesterday.¡± ¡°Alpha Trent,¡± Kingston growled warningly. ¡°Luna A and Alpha Theo have no intention of¡­¡± 0.00% 111 10.530 Chapter 253: Theo 288 Vouchers ¡°Oh, hold your breath, ALPHA Kingston,¡± Alpha Trent snapped. ¡°We all know you¡¯re not exactly an objective party here. Which also doesn¡¯t help their cause. All I see are the two most powerful packs joining up against the rest of us.¡± ¡°If that was the case, it would be incredibly foolish of us to bring you all here and tell you our n,¡± Kingston shot back. ¡°We all know your tactics, Amvarov,¡± Alpha Trent retorted. ¡°You thought you could intimidate those of us not gullible enough to go along with this.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± I called firmly, silencing the room. ¡°This isn¡¯t a ploy or some kind of scare tactic. This is a meeting of equals. We will speak to each other as such.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Alpha Harden offered in support. ¡°We have been provided with enough issues to address without creating more.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Alpha Gregory of the Moonvalley Pack interjected, ¡°Alpha Trent has a point. This doesn¡¯t speak towards the promise you extended after the execution. An execution you performed on your own without getting the approval you called us all here to ask for.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t ask you here for permission to execute a traitor,¡± A said. ¡°We asked you here to help us address the Waar P ak and their activities in all of the pack territories.¡± ¡°Because mixing words isn¡¯t maniptive at all,¡± Alpha Trent stated. ¡°Alpha Trent,¡± Harden barked. ¡°That¡¯s enough. ¡°What else would you have them do? If this is your vote against them unifying the Moonstone, then we ept it. But insults and antagonizing won¡¯t be necessary.¡± 22.79% 1053 III O < Chapter 253: Theo 288 Vouchers Alpha Trent scoffed. ¡°Please, we all know they are going to do it,¡± he stated. ¡°And I¡¯ll admit, it may be the best option. Because I¡¯d rather only have to worry about one magic rock than two. However, I refuse to ept that it stays in their hands. If this Moonstone is as powerful as the legends say, then we might as well say goodbye to our packs right now because there will be nothing stopping them from taking over.¡± The room fell silent. He had touched on the part that was harder to argue against. I had been up most of the night worrying about that as well. ¡°That is a valid concern,¡± Alpha Patrick concurred. ¡°Right now, we are only left to take your word that our way of life won¡¯t be uprooted. And even if you stick to that agreement, you can¡¯t make thatAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. guarantee of future generations. Sister Mona¡¯s history lessons has reminded us what this kind of power can do.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be keeping the Moonstone,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Regardless of whether we reconstitute the Moonstone or not, both halves will be protected by a neutral party. The Moon Haven Order.¡± ¡°How do you propose that will work?¡± Alpha Weston asked. ¡°From what I gather, the Moonstone should be in wolf territory for it to remain affective. The Moon Haven Order is a hundred miles into human lands.¡± ¡°I n on moving them back,¡± I exined. Alpha Trentughed bitterly. ¡°Let me guess, and set them up in Greytooth territory?¡± ¡°No, Alpha Trent,¡± I replied forcefully, pushing my aggravation down. ¡°Wherever the Order sets up will be neutral territory. No Alpha or Luna will have power on theirnd. And recruitment will not only be 47.67% ||| 10:53 O < Chapter 253: Theo 288 Vouchers open to all packs, but we will agree on a minimum requirement of pack members to join. There is no reason why we can¡¯t organize a system of checks and bnces to protect such an important and holy part of our history.¡± ¡°I think we can all agree on that,¡± Luna Emma said. ¡°Power aside, this is a sacred relic. It should be protected. And that protection should be all of our responsibility.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± I stated. ¡°Which is why I propose that we designate fifty square miles from the center of all territories. I am willing to give up the Greytoothnds to amodate. That leaves the Sablmane, Wildtail, Dawnfall, and Shadow w packs the option of doing the same.¡± Alpha Trent¡¯s scowled even more at the mention of his pack losing territory. ¡°And what about the rest? They don¡¯t have to sacrifice anything.¡± ¡°There are plenty of other things we can contribute,¡± Alpha Vincent offered. ¡°The Order will need to be outfitted and maintained. An annual supply contract would be an agreeable contribution.¡± ¡°All of this can be organized and arranged,¡± I encouraged. ¡°We will all give what we can equally afford to. We won¡¯t make a decision about the Moonstone until all packse to an agreement on the Moon Haven Order arrangements,¡± I turned to Sister Mona. ¡°Does this sound like an eptable n to you?¡± ¡°I think moving us here is a wise move,¡± she replied. ¡°And we have plenty of time to work out the details of that. However, we are running out of time to join the Moonstones.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± A asked concerned. Chapter 254 Chapter 254: Theo ¡°Why did you tell us this before, Sister Mona?¡± A asked, as confused and frustrated as I was.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I could see how important it was that you had all of the pack leaders¡¯ support in this,¡± Sister Mona exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t think presenting them with such a restraining time frame would be conducive to your argument.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re telling us now,¡± Alpha Harden said. ¡°I believed we coulde to an agreement,¡± Mona stated inly. She looked around the table, taking in all the faces. ¡°I understand that this is a daunting change for you all. I even understand your concerns that this could be a threat to your way of life. But I can assure you all that not going through with is an even bigger threat. I think you¡¯ll find that Luna Aniya isn¡¯t the only urrence of a shiftless wolf among your packs. There are also fewer fated pairs. The Order has been monitoring these things. We know how bad they are getting.¡± Her eyes seemed to fall heavily on Alpha Trent for a moment. ¡°Even when your leaders insist on hiding it. How many Alphas has it been since the Dawnfall Pack has had a fated Luna? Four? Five?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± Alpha Trent looked at Sister Mona with disdain. We could all see she was revealing something that greatly impacted his pack and their standing with the rest of us. No wonder he was so concerned about us trying to take over his pack. Fated mates are one of the few sacred gifts that were culturally significant to us. That and our wolves. For a pack to becking in either would be dangerous. It was a grave weakness. A weakness that would be easy to exploit. ¡°Yes, that sounds about right,¡± Sister Mona said. ¡°And the rest of your pack hasn¡¯t been fairing much better. You are all losing the moon goddess¡¯s blessings. Our connection to the Moonstone is waning. It has been separated and hidden for too long. Our kind won¡¯t make it to the next solstice eclipse.¡± ¡°Why does the solstice eclipse matter?¡± Luna Victoria inquired. ¡°The ritual that is necessary to merge the two halves can only be performed on the night of a solstice eclipse,¡± Sister Mona exined. ¡°If we are going to do this, it must be done then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nine days from now,¡± A said. ¡°Is that even enough time to prepare?¡± ¡°We have been preparing for this for some time,¡± Mona replied. ¡°We hoped this would be the year the Blessed One would arise.¡± ¡°And you two were already nning on holding your Alpha and Luna ceremonies that night,¡± Kingston said. ¡°Naturally, we¡¯ve all been invited and would be in attendance regardless.¡± ¡°Oh, for goddess¡¯s sake,¡± Alpha Trent yelled, standing from his chair. ¡°How the hell does this not sound like a coronation to the rest of you? I won¡¯t vote to be ruled over.¡± ¡°Alpha Trent, that¡¯s enough,¡± I said forcefully. ¡°You believe what you wish. We don¡¯t have time to convince you otherwise right now. Despite this new information, we will stick to our original intent. Whatever happens in nine days will depend on all of us. Like we would do at an annual gathering, we will take a vote.¡± ¡°And will this be a majority vote?¡± Alpha Patrick asked. ¡°It seems to me with the seriousness of either oue, a unanimous approval may be in order.¡± I looked at A with concern. It was a very rare asion a unanimous vote was asked for. We already knew Alpha Trent would vote against it. I now suspected Alpha Patrick may as well. Or at the very least, rely on the fact that Trent would. I wasn¡¯t sure we would be able to convince Trent otherwise. ¡°Perhaps a demonstration would help,¡± Alpha Vincent offered. ¡°If we want this to be unanimous, then we should ensure all the information has been presented. We asked for Luna A tomand the health of one of our pack members. If it is possible to do so, I think that would go a long way to supporting the necessity of this ritual.¡± ¡°With all due respect,¡± Alpha Patrick said, ¡°we are ready to go home, Alpha. We own packs to lead. We don¡¯t have time to wait for you to bring someone here for spectator sport have our.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t suggesting that,¡± Alpha Vincent said. ¡°We have all respected Alpha Torin throughout his role as Alpha. None of us will deny he is a good man who doesn¡¯t deserve to die the slow and painful death he has been condemned to. I say Luna A start with him.¡± All eyes fell on A. ¡°A,¡± I addressed her, ¡°is that something you would be willing to do?¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255: A My eyes were locked on Alpha Torin¡¯s as we waited. He should feel the change. He should have been able to tell a difference. Instead, he shook his head once. ¡°Keep trying,¡± Luna Aniya said. I took another deep breath, bolstering my determination with the hope I could feel from the others in the room. ¡°Alpha Torin Arden, you will heal yourself,¡± Imanded again. Torin shook his head again. His posture fell. It was a nearly imperceptible shift, but I saw it. It wasn¡¯t working. I felt the tears start to sting the back of my eyes. Then Theo took my hand. ¡®Together,¡¯ he linked me. ¡®We¡¯ll do it together.¡¯ I nodded, squeezing his hand. ¡®Ready?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Ready.¡¯ ¡°Alpha Torin Arden,¡± wemanded in unison, ¡°you will heal yourself now.¡± The energy we both put behind themand filled the room like a wave. Everyone fidgeted in difort under the weight of it. But I barely noticed. Torin began to breath heavily. He fell to his knees with a grunt before grabbing his chest. He was gasping for air until he stopped breathing altogether. Copsing onto the floor. Luna Grace stifled a cry as she rushed to him, the pack doctor right behind her. I was by his side in seconds. My heart beating so fast I thought my chest would explode. `Theo wrapped his arms around his mother as the doctor began doing chestpressions. My vision started to blur with unshed tears and I my stomach threatened to rebel. Had I killed him? Was it themand too much? If it was so powerful, the words may not have mattered. We shouldn¡¯t have tried so soon. We didn¡¯t know enough about the consequences. We were foolish to think this was possible. I felt hands on my shoulders trying to pull me away, but I wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Torin Arden, you won¡¯t die,¡± Imanded. ¡°You will not die.¡± My voice was shaky. ¡°Please, don¡¯t die.¡± I fell against someone¡¯s chest as a hard so b escaped me. I¡¯d never be able to live with this. Theo would never be able to live with this. We should have never done this. I tried to make my brain work. Tried to make sense of what was happening. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Suddenly, the room filled with the sound of a deep gasp and Alpha Torin shot straight up. He was alive. Everyone was frozen. We just stared at him for what felt like an eternity as he caught his breath. Luna Grace moved first. Throwing herself at him as she embraced him. Torin chuckled as he held her in return. Theo was next, helping to lift his father to his feet for a strong hug. I was still frozen on the floor until their attention turned to me. The hands that had been holding me belonged to Mina, who was now pulling off the floor, I found my feet just in time for Torin to lift me off them in a tight bear hug. Iughed as I hugged him in return. ¡°I thought I killed you,¡± I sniffled. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± he replied, setting me down, ¡°pretty d amn good.¡± ¡°So, does that mean it worked?¡± Theo asked hopefully. Alpha Torin put a hand on Theo¡¯s shoulder and looked around the room at the other pack leaders. ¡°There¡¯s one way to know for sure,¡± he stated. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not do it here.¡± We all followed Alpha Torin and Luna Grace out of the packhouse. I clung to Theo as we did, still shaking from the ordeal. ¡®It¡¯s okay, A,¡¯ Theo linked me as we walked. ¡®He¡¯s okay. We did it. I know we did.¡¯ ¡°That was a bigger risk than imagined, Theo,¡¯ I said. ¡®If he¡­¡¯ ¡®But he didn¡¯t.¡¯ Theo insisted, rubbing my hand that was wrapped around his arm. ¡®We will address the what-ifster, baby. Right now, look at my father. We did that.¡¯ ¡®We don¡¯t know for sure it worked,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Yes, we do, A,¡¯ Theo said. ¡®You know it in your heart. It worked.¡¯ I watched Alpha Torin walking a few feet in front of us. He moved so easily. He had a grace and agility I hadn¡¯t seen in him since the first day I met him after my father died. It was now that I realized just how much he must have been hiding. How stiff his movements actually were before. This man before me waspletely renewed. ¡®Yes, I think we did,¡¯ Alpha Torin led us to the clearing we were in just the night before with Luna Aniya. We had umted a few other pack members to the group on our way who were now eager to see what was going on. If this worked, he wanted to run. His wolf had been cooped up for too long. He needed this. Before he went to the center of the clearing, Alpha Torin came to me. He reached up and cupped my cheeks. ¡°I never doubted who you were, A,¡± he said to me softly. ¡°From the moment your father told me, I knew. I didn¡¯t know why I was so sure, but I never doubted. Thank you for all the gifts you given me and my family.¡± I smiled as he kissed my forehead and turned away before I could say anything. This time he stripped all the way down naked. With the crowd hold there breath, and a wink toward Luna Grace, Torin shifted. It was smooth and beautiful. And within seconds his gorgeous ebony wolf was standing before us in all his glory. There were cheers from us. When we quieted. Torin¡¯s wolf, Maximus, bowed toward me in gratitude. I swiped a tear away as a smaller brown wolf rushed to Maximus. It was Leona, Luna Grace¡¯s wolf. Suddenly, the rest of our pack mates started shifting along with their Alpha. Maximus let out a strong, clear, andmanding howl and the pack chorused it before taking off into the trees. Chapter 256 Chapter 256: Theo Kieran was bouncing around in my mind, itching to be let loose, as we watched them disappear. More than anything, I wanted to go with them. Apparently Dasha did, too. But we couldn¡¯t. Not yet. We had business to finish. A and I turned our attention to the other pack leaders. ¡°Alphas, Lunas,¡± I addressed, ¡°I believe the demonstration can be considered a sess. As such, this has provided A and I with a renewed sense of urgency on the matter of the Moonstone. It is our belief that the Moon Goddess requires this from us. We are ready to take a vote.¡± ¡°All those in favor of Alpha Theo and Luna A reconstituting the Moonstone¡­¡± Kingston announced, raising his hand. The rest of the pack leaders followed suit, lifting their hands in agreement. Save for Alpha Trent. The rest looked at him sternly. ¡°Alpha Trent,¡± Alpha Harden growled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to this on one condition,¡± Alpha Trent insisted. ¡°Before you do this, you have to provide all of us with the same ritual that broke the Moonstone in the first ce. I think we all deserve a failsafe if you go back on your word.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be needing that,¡± Kingston replied. ¡°But we¡¯ll provide it all the same,¡± A stated. ¡°You all will be able to review it by the ceremony. After that, it will be kept with the Moon Haven Order. Able to be essed by all packs.¡± Alpha Trent sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He raised his hand. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Alpha Harden said judiciously. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we all returned home. We have a lot of preparations to do before the solstice. And we¡¯ll have to inform our packs of the changes that are coming.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°We will keep everyone up to date on ours as well and all lines ofmunication will be open for the interpack arrangements.¡± ¡°We will leave you two to yourselves,¡± Luna Victoria said with a smile before taking Alpha Harden¡¯s arm and guiding him away. The rest followed, except for Kingston. ¡°Will you be leaving as well?¡± A asked him. He gave her a gentle smile. ¡°I have one more visit with our friend Lloyd,¡± he said, ¡°but yes, it¡¯s time for me to head home. Pierce has held things down long enough. Besides, I have to retrieve the rest of the stone. Can¡¯t do much without that.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Aughed, ¡°all of this would be pretty pointless without it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s safe, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you think you need extra protection getting it here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in a safe ce,¡± Kingston confirmed. ¡°I should be okay getting it back. After all, we didn¡¯t disclose that I was actually still in possession of it. They believe both pieces are still here. So, you may want to prepare for possible interference. And hey, you need to open that da mn box first. It would be even less conducive if the other half wasn¡¯t even in there.¡± I had almost forgotten about that, but I wasn¡¯t worried. After everything that had happened, I didn¡¯t need to see what was in there to know. A didn¡¯t either. ¡°We¡¯ll get it taken care of,¡± I said. I started walking back toward the packhouse, my arm wrapped around A. ¡°Did you manage to get anything out of Lloyd in all your time with him?¡± Kingston stiffened a little. ¡°Not what I had hoped,¡± he replied. He had seemed very distractedtely. He wasn¡¯t present much outside of the required meetings. He had reportedly been spending a lot of time in the cer, both questioning Lloyd and researching. A had previously voiced concerns about his behavior. I had assumed some of it had to do with being here away from his pack and around me and A together. But even I could tell there was something else weighing on him. ¡°Nothing more on Grogan?¡± A probed. Kingston gave her a tight smile. ¡°Nothing I can do anything with, unfortunately,¡± he said evasively. ¡°Now that Anderson and Ma have been taken down, it¡¯s likely he¡¯ll go underground. I¡¯ll keep searching, though. I¡¯ll find him someday.¡± ¡°You know we¡¯ll help you however we can,¡± A urged. ¡°He¡¯s still a threat to us,¡± I pointed out, ¡°whether he has the Waar Pa k baking him or not.¡± Kingston nodded a little absently. ¡°Yes, I suppose he is. But he won¡¯t get far. I¡¯ve already started speaking to some of the other Alphas to help track him down.¡± ¡°What if he hides in rogue territory?¡± A asked. ¡°That is very possible,¡± Kingston agreed. ¡°Since the nearest rogue territory is along our borders, we can assume he would be there if he is. We can use that to our advantage at least. Speaking of¡­ I would like to help supervise the Moon Haven transfer. They¡¯ll have to travel directly through roguends. It¡¯s a good ce for an ambush.¡± ¡°Do you really think they would attack them?¡± A asked. ¡°What threat do they pose with us having the stones?¡± ¡°They have knowledge,¡± I offered. ¡°And a lot of it. Sister Mona said we¡¯ve only begun to explore what they have to offer. I can imagine there is a great deal of information Grogan would love to get his hands on¡­ and/or keep out of ours.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kingston agreed. ¡°Thest thing we want is Grogan finding a way to manipte some prophecy or text against any of us. The sisters need to be protected. I¡¯d like to ensure that happens.¡± ¡°I think that would be a big help,¡± I said. ¡°Run it by the other pack leaders. They may want to offer their assistance as well. The more people we can put on this, the better.¡± Kingston gave me a tight smile and a nod. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got some packing to do. And I know you two are dying to try and catch up with your pack mates. So, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kingston,¡± A said sweetly.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 257 Chapter 257: Kylee All the other pack Alphas and Lunas had left and preparations for Theo¡¯s and A¡¯s Alpha and Luna ceremony were well underway. Luckily, there wouldn¡¯t need to be many changes for the Moonstone ritual, but there were a few things that needed to be handled. I had nervously approached Luna Grace to see if there was anything jobs she would like me to do. I was relieved when she had me help organize the decorations. I had felt like such an outsider since I hade home. It wasn¡¯t a surprise, really. I still understood that I had lost the ce I had before in the pack. But Amy¡¯s betrayal hadn¡¯t helped. Many people avoided me or gave me dirty looks whenever I walked by. I¡¯m not saying I didn¡¯ t deserve it but it was still hard. Especially after what happened on the day of the executions. If it weren¡¯t for A and Mina, I probably would have just gone back to Blue Fang territory. But A wanted me here. And after all of the struggles she went through to keep me happy growing up, I knew this was the least I could do. And at least someone was noticing my efforts. Even Annabelle and Maggie were surprisingly kind and supportive toward me. I know it was for A¡¯s benefit, but I wasn¡¯t going to argue with it. More than anything, I needed to stay busy. Just like Ma said. She was doing the same. Although, I thinking back had been easier for her. Which I was grateful for. I had been worried that if this transition was too hard on her, she¡¯d rpse. However, she seemed to be doing quite well. She had already joined a local AA group and was volunteering at the recovery center not far from the hospital. Seeing her starting to thrive here at home was a big push for me. If she could do it, I could too. Besides, staying busy helped me avoid certain people. Well, one in particr. He had been at the packhouse every day since the ritual was agreed upon. He would have a lot to do to help get the packhouse secured and ready for all the visitors we would be having. He had tried to speak with me a couple of times, but something pulled one of us away before we could talk. That was fine with me. I wasn¡¯t ready to face that right now. I wasn¡¯t even sure what I was going to do. The nicest thing would be to¡­ ¡°Hello¡­ Yoohoo,¡± A¡¯s voice broke through my thoughts, waving one of the ribbons we were working with in front of my face. ¡°Earth to Kylee.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I was distracted. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Yeah, I could see that,¡± A replied. ¡°You alright, kiddo?¡± I smiled at hearing her old nickname for me. It had been a while since she had called me that. We were working on some decoration items and the past few hours had actually felt a little like the old days. So it felt nice to hear from her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good,¡± I lied. She raised an eyebrow, seeing right through me. ¡°It¡¯s just been a bigger transitioning home than I thought it would be. But I¡¯m fine. Really.¡± A sighed. ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy, Kylee,¡± she said, brushing a stray hair away from my face. ¡°Just give it time and keep doing what you¡¯re doing. People will move past it eventually.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± I said absently. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure they should.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± A said, setting a finished vase aside. ¡°I know you say you¡¯ve forgiven me, but a lot of others haven¡¯t. And I¡¯m not sure they should,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it. I¡¯m still too selfish and vain. I have no idea what I¡¯m going to do with my life from here because my delusional fantasies had me ending up in a very different ce than this. That in itself should make anyone run for the hills, whether I deserved to have someone or not. So, the idea of any of them epting me into the pack let alone as anything more¡­¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡± A rushed, stopping the word vomit that was flowing from my mouth. ¡°Where is thising from? We¡¯ve talked about this. We all make mistakes when we¡¯re young. Yeah, you¡¯ve still got some growing to do, but so does everyone else your age. And a lot who are older. Including me. I¡¯ve seen the work you¡¯ve been putting in, Kylee. You do deserve forgiveness. You deserve to be a member of this pack.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I sulked. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just having a pity party. Which I know, I know, I shouldn¡¯t be. I¡¯m in this position because of my own actions and I should do a better job living with the consequences. It just takes a minute when a new one inevitablyes to bite me in the as s.¡± ¡°What new consequence?¡± A asked. ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t something else going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I insisted. ¡°I really am fine. I¡¯m just working out how to handle it, that¡¯s all. You know, coping tools and such.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I smiled at her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡± That part was true, at least. I was just trying to figure out how to cope with what all had happened. But I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to tell her what it was that was bothering me the most. I just didn¡¯t know how I was going to tell her that I found my mate. Chapter 258 Chapter 258: Theo I closed out of the video chat with Alpha Harden and Alpha Vincent just as my dad walked into the office. He had been going almost non- stop thest couple of days. And who could me him? He felt better than he had in years. We had the pack doctor and his specialist do thorough exams the day after we healed him, and they both agreed he was in perfect condition. Even for his age. ¡°Maggie and I have the guard rotationplete for the three days before and after the eclipse,¡± he informed me. ¡°The Moonstone has a twenty-four hour guard.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± I said. ¡°Zeff and Holly should be here soon. This should be theirst trip. So, they¡¯ll be upying the house from here on out. I¡¯ll give him a walkthrough of the ess tunnel and cer security this afternoon.¡± We were interrupted by a knock on the door. ¡°Enter,¡± I called. McCabe opened the door and came in, followed by my cousin Will. ¡°I¡¯ m sorry to interrupt,¡± he said seriously. ¡°There¡¯s something you should know.¡± His tone was concerning and he had my full attention. ¡°Lloyd is dead,¡± Will informed. ¡°What?¡± I replied, instantly on my feet. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Not entirely sure,¡± McCabe said. ¡°I¡¯ve got Mina heading down to run forensics. I thought you might want to check it out.¡± I was already heading down. The new tunnel ess wasplete, so at least we could avoid attention now. I wasn¡¯t exactly upset about Lloyd¡¯s death. We knew we needed to address him soon, but we wanted to wait until after the ceremony. He would have been executed anyway. What bothered me was how. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. I had ensured he was kept fed and healthy enough to keep him sane. I knew every guard that was assigned to him. There was no reason he should have just died. Something was up and I didn¡¯t like it. Mina was already there when we entered the cell. The ce didn¡¯t smell the greatest, but Lloyd didn¡¯t look any worse for the wear. There was no apparent sign of what caused his death. ¡°Any ideas yet?¡± I asked Mina as she finished drawing blood and pulled out some swabs. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for the test results for confirmation,¡± she said. ¡°But my guess, poison.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± McCabe asked. ¡°It¡¯s strangely subtle but¡± ¨C Mina reached up and pulled Lloyd¡¯s mouth open ¨C ¡°smell that.¡± I moved in and breathed in, instantly pulling back with a grimace. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I asked. ¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s wolfsbane hybrid that Harry was working on,¡¯ Mina replied. ¡°I recognize the smell from going through his stuff. Plus, I found this.¡± She held up an evidence bag with a small ss tube in it. ¡°It was under him by the wall.¡± ¡°How would he have gotten that?¡± Will asked from the door. ¡°You don¡¯ t think one of ours gave it to him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll question them just in case, but no,¡± I replied. ¡°Could he have been hiding it on his person?¡± I asked McCabe. ¡°He was searched when we arrested him back at the border,¡± he stated. ¡°But that was primarily for weapons. I wouldn¡¯t say it was thorough enough to find something like that.¡± I nodded. ¡°We know Harry was working with Grogan and Grogan was working with the rogues. It¡¯s reasonable to think they either crossed paths or it was given to him at some point. We¡¯ll keep looking into this to be on the safe side. I don¡¯t want to leave anything to chance right now. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they said in unison. I left,Will and Mina to finish their work and headed back upstairs. McCabe followed me. ¡°How are the rest of the preparationsing?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve coordinated with Maggie and Alpha Torin,¡± McCabe said methodically. ¡°I have a fewst-minute personnel issues to address, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be anything major. I think I¡¯ve cleared out most of Hawkins¡¯ men. Any that may be left aren¡¯t in a position to do much.¡± ¡°Okay, keep me updated,¡± I replied. There seemed to be something else on his mind but I wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to bring it up or not. Either way, he had been in a weird mood thest few days and I wanted to get to the bottom of it. ¡°If there¡¯s something else, you can tell me, Finley.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± he said, pulling out of whatever zone he was in. ¡°Oh, yeah, well¡­ There¡¯s been some issues at the campus. And at the packhouse really. It¡¯s about Luna A¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Kylee?¡± I asked, stopping in my tracks. ¡°What about her? Has she done something?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± he rushed. ¡°There¡¯s just been a lot of negativements and rumors about her. And regarding her rtionship with Amy. It¡¯s all pretty petty stuff really. I¡¯ve just been hearing a lot of it, I guess.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I replied, continuing on my way. ¡°We can¡¯t really be surprised. The truth about what she did was bound to sink in with the rest of the pack at some point. I guess I can at least be grateful that Amy¡¯s betrayal has made A¡¯s position much more stable.¡± ¡°But at the expense of her sister?¡± McCabe questioned. I shrugged. ¡°We can¡¯t control how they handle the truth of things.¡± McCabe pursed his lips with a nod. ¡°I wasn¡¯t here when all that went down,¡± he said as we walked. ¡°And I haven¡¯t heard the story from you two, but¡­ do you really think she deserves the harsh treatment she¡¯s receiving.¡± It wasn¡¯t an usation, but a genuine curiosity. However, there was something else in his voice that said this wasn¡¯t a purely professional question. ¡°Are you asking me as your Alpha or as your friend?¡± He rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Both, I guess.¡± ¡°Well, as a friend, yes, I think she does,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°But I¡¯m also aware that I¡¯m biased. And that bias isn¡¯t inclined to let me view her in apletely fair light. As the Alpha of the pack, no. She was a pretty 66 HOT shi tty person. And I think the pack has a right to be disappointed, even a little angry, with her behavior over the past few years. However, I wouldn¡¯t agree that she should be shunned or made the pack pariah as long as she continues to make steps to change.¡± McCabe nodded and a tension seemed to leave his body. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± I asked. He waved me off. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just kept hearing so much about her it¡¯s hard not to think about.¡± I nodded and let the subject drop, but something was telling me there was more to this than he was telling me. Chapter 259 Chapter 259: A Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°When did Alpha Kingston say he was bringing the other stone?¡± Sister Mona asked as we waited in one of the rooms in the cer for Theo. ¡°He¡¯ll be here two days before the solstice,¡± I informed her. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to return sooner in case it drew too much attention to him moving it. Besides, he has things to take care of in his own pack. He was here too long.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure he still has it?¡± she asked. She had been worried about Kingston¡¯s half of the Moonstone ever since he left. I don¡¯t know what had changed but she seemed suspicious of something. ¡°You keep asking about Kingston and the stone,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Why are you so concerned he won¡¯t be here with it? He¡¯s one of our biggest supporters.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± I snipped, getting a little annoyed. Seeing my change in attitude, Sister Mona sighed. ¡°My apologies. I know you and Alpha Kingston were close.¡± ¡°Yes, and he¡¯s a good man,¡± I insisted. ¡°He understands full well how important this is. I know he will be here. What I don¡¯t know is why you seem to think he won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe he will bring it,¡± Sister Mora said. Her 0.00% 11:27 Chupam 259 A 193 Vouchers brow furrowed as she searched for the words to exin. ¡°Before he left, I felt a dark cloud around him. Something changed. Something shifted with him and he seemed conflicted.¡± ¡°He was upset that he was at a dead end with finding Grogan,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s one of the main perpetrators of the Onyxcrown massacre. There¡¯s a lifelong vendetta there. So it¡¯s no surprise he seemed upset.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± she said. ¡°But I suppose this Grogan character is another concern we should be worried about.¡± ¡°Yes, we are aware,¡± I said. ¡°that¡¯s why Kingston is taking every precaution when bringing the stone over. He will keep us and we will keep you informed throughout the entire process. But it won¡¯t matter much if we don¡¯t learn what it is Theo and I are even supposed to do to get the stones back together.¡± I was indicating the reason we were there. We were meant to be going over the ritual so we would be prepared. We were just waiting on Theo toe back with our half of the Moonstone. Which he walked in right at that minute carrying the metal box that held the stone. He paused for a moment, feeling the slight tension in the room. ¡°Everything okay?¡± he asked, eyeing me curiously. ¡°Everything is fine,¡± I said. ¡°Just voicing some concerns about the ceremony and uing move.¡± ¡°Ah, yes,¡± he replied. ¡°We¡¯ll get all the logistics sorted out with the Moon Haven move right after the ceremony. How do the rest of the sister¡¯s feel about rejoining wolf society?¡± His tone was cheerful as he sat next to me, giving me a kiss on the ¨C temple. He had been in such a wonderful moodtely. It was hard not to adopt the same excitement. 19.21% 11:27 Jumpman 250 A ¡°They are quite pleased with the suggestion, actually,¡± she said with a bright smile. ¡°Most of them at least. They are all packing and preparing for the move as we speak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Theo replied. ¡°Now, what are we supposed to be doing with this thing on the solstice?¡± Theo turned the key to the box and opened it up. Resting on a ck velvet cu shion inside was a red stone. It wasn¡¯t faceted like a gemstone but still translucent. Almost like ss. However, it was more than evident that this stone was far more than just simple ss. There was a feeling a sense of power that radiated from it that was impossible to miss when standing close to it. ¨C ¨C ¡°We¡¯ve designated the spot where you two will stand,¡± Sister Mina exined. ¡°It is important that you are outside in the open so that you arepletely under the eclipse. The ritual has to happen during the totality period. Luckily, that should give us about and hour, so we have some wiggle room. The most important part is that you perform the blood offering within that time.¡± ¡°Blood offering?¡± Theo repeated. ¡°The Moonstone was created using the blood of your ancestors,¡± Sister Mina stated. ¡°That is why your families have such a strong connection to it. It will take both of your bloods to reconstitute it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no big deal,¡± I replied. It wasn¡¯t any different than what I had done for the blood oath to the other pack leaders. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Theo asked. ¡°That seems pretty easy considering how difficult it seemed to pull it apart in the first ce.¡± ¡°Well, the stone was meant to be one,¡± Sister Mona pointed out. ¡°However, I fear it does sound more simple than it may be in reality. 46.26% ||| O 11:27 Chapter 292 A 288 Vouchers You both will have to hold the stone entirely uninterrupted until it bes one again. No one can touch you. You can¡¯t move from your spot. And your blood must flow for however long it takes.¡± Theo and I looked at each other. ¡°But we heal too fast,¡± I said. Sister Mona nodded. ¡°Yes, a small dose of wolfsbane will be necessary to counteract that.¡± I fidgeted a little. ¡°One problem with that,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m immune to wolfsbane. It won¡¯t have the same effect.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Sister Mona breathed. ¡°Oh dear. I guess we will need to find another option. I would hate for you to have to continuously cut yourself to get through this. I¡¯m not sure how long it will actually take.¡± Theo muttered something under his breath. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Mina said Lloyd killed himself using some kind of poison that Harry had developed,¡± he exined. ¡°It was some kind of wolfsbane hybrid. She said he died of massive internal bleeding.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want that much of her blood, Alpha,¡± Sister Mona interjected. ¡°Of course not,¡± Theo said. ¡°He took a huge, unadulterated dosage. But all of his research on it was with his stuff. We can have Mina and the pack doctor take and look and see if it could be a safe alternative. It would make sense that that was Harry¡¯s reason for creating it in the first ce. He was looking for the stone¡¯as is was.¡± 288 Vouchers ¡°Yeah, he wouldn¡¯t have known there were two pieces that had to be united,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he?¡± Theo replied. ¡°There was already so much he knew that we had no idea about.¡± He was right. It did make sense. ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260: A I finished my makeup and touched up my hair, looking myself over in the mirror. It was still early. The sun was just starting to rise. But we needed to get on the road soon. It was two days until the solstice and we were pushing to get everything done that we needed to. Today, we were heading out to the Moon Haven Sanctuary location. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Thend had been allocated by the packs quicker than we had expected and we were all eager to see what was there to work with. Theo and hispany would be handling the construction and he wanted to get it started right after the solstice ceremony. We would also be meeting with two more of the Moon Havent sisters. Alpha Anthony and Luna Aniya had really wanted to see the Order prior to the move. I think Alpha Anthony was eager to meet his aunt for the first time. They also wanted to help assist with the move in any way they could. Alpha Anthony even insisted on maintaining the business. -partnership Theo had had with Delta Charles. He appointed a new CEO to thepany and they would continue to provide materials for the project. ¡®Almost ready, love?¡® Theo linked me from the living room. ¡®I¡¯m ready,¡® I replied, rolling my eyes with a smile. Theo returned that smile once he saw me, pulling me in for a long, lingering kiss. A kiss that sent tingles through every inch. of my body. It was a kiss we hadn¡¯t shared in a while. 0.00% ¡°Not that I¡¯mining, babe, but you didn¡¯t have to get so dolled up for such a long drive,¡± he said when he finally released me. ¡°Alpha Harden, Alpha Weston, and their Lunas will be arriving by the time we make it back,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I still want to look presentable when we meet them.¡± ¡°Which is why we need to get a move on,¡± Theo said, pping my ass lightly towards the door. ¡°Or we won¡¯t be making it back untilte tonight.¡± Jimmy was already in the car out front. We wanted Briggs and Mina to stay back to greet any guests who arrived while we were gone. We headed down to the lobby of the packhouse where Maggie was waiting with Kylee. Kylee had asked toe with. She had been spending a lot of time with Sister Mona for the past week. She had even wanted to go back with her and Anthony and Aniya to the Moon Haven.pound, but Ma wanted her to stay here. We had been making progress in repairing our rtionship since she had been home. I was impressed with the changes I had seen in her. She has been eager to work and help with anything without question orint. But I could tell she was struggling with something that she wasn¡¯t telling me about. I couldn¡¯t be surprised, but it still bothered me. I wanted to start seeing some happiness in her again but there always seemed to be a cloud hanging over her. She wasn¡¯t. ready to tell me what was going on, so the least I could do was let her tag along today. Theo wrapped an arm around my waist and we headed out of the packhouse. We were taking arge SUV today so we could all fitfortably on the ride. I was surprised when the back door opened as we approached since Jimmy was still in the driver¡¯s seat. Vouchers ¡°Sherrif McCabe,¡± I greeted as he jumped out to hold the door open for us, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming today.¡± ¡°Alpha Theo is wanting to broaden my involvement in pack security andw enforcement,¡± he said proudly. ¡°This move is going to be a big change and attract a lot of outside pack members. I want to keep up to date with the progress.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I replied. ¡°Very good.¡± I stepped aside to allow Kylee to climb into the third row, but, she seemed frozen. ¡°Kylee, you getting in, kiddo?¡± ¡°Oh, um, I just realized I left my phone,¡± she said a little nervously. ¡°I know you guys are in a hurry so you go ahead without me.¡± That¡¯s weird. She really wanted toe with us. ¡°Nonsense,¡± I insisted. ¡°You can go without your phone. I have mine if anyone needs to get a hold of you.¡± I took her arm and ushered her into the vehicle. McCabe gave her a smile as she rushed past him. He got in after her to allow me and Theo to sit in the middle row. We settled in with Theo¡® s arm draped over my shoulders. We had both been in higher spirits than we had in a long time and he had been so attentive and affectionate. It still amazed me how wonderful he made me feel. It had made all the hectic days easier, natural even. We were working together as the team we were supposed to. I smiled as I leaned into him, ready for the five¨Chour drive to the border. I would have been excited for the trip if it wasn¡¯t for the tension I felt radiating off Kylee behind me. I really didn¡¯t know what was going on with her, but I was starting to get worried. It was time I had a serious talk with her. Chapter 261 hapter 261: Kylee The drive was excruciating. I spent the whole time pressed into the side panel of the car. It was bad enough that he smelled so damn good, I would have exploded had we actually touched. I kept telling myself his reason foring waspletely valid and he really wasn¡¯t there to see me. I mean, how could he have even known I was going with them? He couldn¡¯t. And why would he want to be stuck with me? It¡¯s not like I had given him a reason to want to pursue anything. I hadn¡¯t said more than two words to him and had been avoiding him like the gue since we met. At first, it was out of cowardice. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle his rejection after he figured out who I was. But after a few days, it started to feel more like a courtesy. The day after we met, I started asking around about him. It was hard. I had to be subtle about it. I didn¡¯t want anyone to find out that the new sheriff was my fated mate. He had only been up here a couple of months but he seemed to be fitting in well enough. Everyone I talked to who has had the opportunity to get to know him had nothing but good things to say. And the fact that he was rising up in Theo¡¯s ranks so quickly said a lot as well. The more I heard, the more I realized he was too good for me. Thest thing he needed was to be saddled with the pack pariah as a mate. I knew he would figure that out soon enough. If he was even half¨Cdecent at his job, which apparently, he was more than decent, he would have been asking around about me as well. 288 Wouchers The fact that we had been running into each other less and less led me to believe he had. And likely came to the same conclusion I had. So, no, I didn¡¯t think he meant to be stuck with me all day. Thend designated to the Order was huge, but there was a private school that was no longer in use. It was on Wildtail territory and hadn¡¯t been open for about a decade, but Theo was hopeful the buildings could be salvaged, and it would make the process go that much faster. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. It was half past noon when we pulled onto the property and parked in front of what looked like the main building. Once the door was clear, I got out of the SUV as fast as I could, making the excuse that I was car¨Csick and needed some air to step away from the group. ¡°Alpha Anthony and the sisters are still about thirty minutes out,¡± Theo said as he checked his phone. ¡°I want to take a look around while we wait. Inspect some of the buildings.¡± They all moved off and started going in their own directions. I was sure Jimmy and Maggie went to check the perimeters .and make sure we were the only ones there. The sheriff no doubt did the same, but I resisted the urge to look if he had gone. Instead, I wandered off toward some dpidated pic tables that were situated in an overgrown garden area. I strolled around for a while, taking the time by myself to gather my thoughts. I could picture what this ce would be like once it was fixed up and the Moon Haven sisters had moved in. It was going to be a beautiful, peaceful ce. I was eager to experience it for myself. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t wander so far on your own.¡± 25 88 Vouchers I jumped, startled by his voice. I turned around to find him only two feet away from me. He was downwind, which is why I missed his approach, but I sure caught his scent now. I swallowed hard. Pushing back the incredible feeling it gave 1. me. ¡°Sheriff,¡± I acknowledged with a nod. ¡°I can still hear the others. I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± I went to walk past him, but he side¨Cstepped in front of me. ¡°Kylee, we have to talk at some point,¡± he insisted. ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can run away from.¡± ¡°Not now,¡± I replied through clenched teeth. ¡°We can¡¯t do this now. Not before the ceremony.¡± ¡°Why?¡± he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°What does this have to do with the Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s ceremony?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± I scoffed. ¡°You may be able to hide the pain but I won¡¯t be able to. A will know something is wrong and she doesn¡¯t need that extra stress right now. So, please, not now.¡± I tried to get past him again, but he stopped me, grabbing my arm. The tingling sensation that shot through me at his touch made my breath hitch. I looked up to see him studying me intensely. I didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°You think I¡¯m going to reject you,¡± he said. ¡°You should,¡± I replied softly, my voice shakier than I would have liked. ¡°Sheriff,¡± I added, trying to communicate why he couldn¡¯t have a mate like me. 11 20 ¡°It¡¯s Finley,¡± he said in a low growl. ¡°And you don¡¯t get to make that decision for me, Kylee. If you¡­¡± We heard a voice approaching. They sounded aggravated. Finley pulled me closer as he tucked us into the shadow of the trees out of sight. My eyes fluttered closed as his proximity made me lightheaded, my hands instinctively going to his waist. Hearing A¡¯s voice was what pulled me back to earth. ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t be here tonight?¡± she hissed quietly into her phone. I could just see her from around the trunk of a tree. ¡°This isn¡¯t something you can bete for, Kingston.¡± There was a pause as Kingston replied. ¡°I don¡¯t ca¡­¡± A huffed. ¡°You should have told me. Make it right, Kingston. And get your ass to the Greytooth packhouse.¡± She hung up the phone with an aggravated growl. She took a few deep breaths before straightening up and walking away, back to where Theo and the others were. ¡°What was that about?¡± I asked in concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Finley said softly, the same concern evident in his tone, ¡°but it didn¡¯t sound good. I need to look into this.¡± I went to step away, but his grip tightened. His fingers went to my chin, lifting my face to look at him. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he said firmly. Then his lips were on mine and an explosion detonated inside of me. It was a moment of pure bliss. But it was shattered 7474% ¡°Vouchers when he pulled away. The slight grin that shed across Finley¡¯s face before he walked away told me he had no idea how much pain he had just caused me. 97.46% Chapter 262 Chapter 262: Finley It may have been a stupid move to kiss Kylee with the emotional state she was in, but I didn¡¯t regret it. It was hard to walk away, but I had a job to do. And protecting my Alpha and Luna was more important at the moment than convincing my tentative mate that I wasn¡¯t going anywhere. I rejoined the group just as two cars pulled up beside ours. Luna A greeted them kindly and acted as if nothing was wrong, but I could tell she was still on edge over the phone call we had overheard. So was Kylee. She was sticking close to her sister with dedication. It wasn¡¯t until we were starting to load back into the vehicles. that Kylee left her side. She opted to ride in the car with Sister Mona and herpanion and guard. It hurt, but I would give her the space. She wasn¡¯t wrong that we needed to focus on the solstice ceremony first. And it would be less of a distraction not having her so close to me while I tried to get a read on the situation with Luna A and Alpha Kingston. We loaded into the SUV and started on our way back to the packhouse. Luna A continued to check her phone. nervously. I was working out how to approach her privately once we were home when Alpha Theo addressed her difort. ¡°What¡¯s up, babe?¡± he asked casually. She sighed heavily. ¡°Kingston isn¡¯t going to be here tonight,¡± she said worriedly. L I noticed Alpha Theo tense slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He said nothing has happened,¡± she exined, ¡°but he¡¯s worried something will. He found out that Grogan¡¯s men have. been watching the ce where he hid the Moonstone. He hasn¡¯t been able to retrieve it yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± Gamma Jimmy hissed from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°He¡¯s cutting this pretty damn close.¡± ¡°He insisted he would have it tonight,¡± Luna A informed us. ¡°Him and Pierce havee up with a sting operation to get the men watching the ce while he gets it. I told him it sounded like a trap.¡± ¡°Which I¡¯m sure he also realizes,¡± Alpha Theo said, surprisingly calmly. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Briggs, I need you to send a team of warriors to the Sablemane packhouse. They need to be on the road within the hour.¡± He paused for a reply. ¡°I¡¯ll exin when we get there.¡± He hung up. Despite his calm exterior, I noticed him squeeze Luna A¡¯s hand for support. Something was still off. He must have thought so too. ¡°This wasn¡¯t an unexpected possibility,¡± he said to her. ¡°There¡® s something else that¡¯s bothering you.¡± She chewed on her lip and nodded slightly. ¡°He sounded weird,¡± she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think he was telling me everything.¡± ¡°Is sending a team going to cause issues?¡± I inquired curiously. I knew the rtionship between the packs wasplicated. ¡°I understand the urgency but if he thinks we¡¯re over¨Cstepping, would he hold the stone hostage?¡± 2409% Chapter 262 Finley ¡°No,¡± Luna A said confidently. ¡°That isn¡¯t something het would do.¡± Alpha Theo nced at me briefly. I don¡¯t think he was as sure as the Luna was. ¡°I think sending help will be good,¡± Luna A said, almost trying to convince herself: ¡°It¡¯s probably just the anticipation that¡¯s making me crazy.¡± ¡®Can you reach out to Bonnerville when we get back,¡® Alpha Theo linked me. ¡®I want to know what kind of activity they¡¯ve been seeing thest few days.¡® ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll call first thing,¡® I replied. ¡®I spoke to my recementst week and he said they noticed some movement across the border. But nothing directed at our territory.¡® ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about,¡® Alpha replied. The rest of the drive back was uneventful. The Luna¡¯s demeanor eventually shifted back to her normal optimistic state and she was ready to greet our guests. She had arranged to have dinner ready for everyone as soon as we got back to wee Alpha Harden and Alpha Weston, who had arrived while we were out, as well as Alpha Anthony, who had followed us back. She went straight into her Luna role once we got out of the SUV. I couldn¡¯t help but notice Kylee sneaking off by herself. Escaping into the packhouse. I was nearly tempted to follow after until Beta Briggs approached. ¡®Come with us,¡® he linked, giving me a serious look. 5032% Alpha Theo excused himself from the others and allowed Luna A to lead them away. We headed straight across the property to the house with the cer entrance. Zeff was expecting us because he was at the door to let us in. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked once we were inside. ¡°I called Beta Pierce after I dispatched the warriors,¡± Beta Briggs informed us. ¡°When I mentioned their n to retrieve the stone tonight, I believe I caught him off guard. I asked him how the search for Grogan was going and he said they hadn¡¯t had any luck up until now. I don¡¯t think they had been looking that much.¡± ¡°We took out the leader of the Waar Pak,¡± I pointed out. ¡°He likely went to ground.¡± ¡°That is likely the case,¡± Alpha Theo said. ¡°But Alpha Kingston wouldn¡¯t just let it go. There is something suspicious going on. While I don¡¯t think he would outright betray us, I want every precaution taken. We need to increase our patrols along the Sablemane border.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got that working,¡± Gamma Jimmy said. ¡°I¡¯ll push our patrols, as well,¡± I added. ¡°Good,¡± Alpha Theo said. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± Zeff asked. ¡°You can help keep A upied. I don¡¯t want to worry her any more than she already is,¡± Alpha replied. ¡°This may be nothing, but I want us looking into any possible threat.¡± We left the house and headed back to the packhouse. I 73 90% pts 262. Finley 1288 Vouchers veered away from the others once we were inside. The tense atmosphere made it impossible not to make sure my mate was safe. 97815 Chapter 263 Chapter 263: Theo A hadn¡¯t slept all night. So neither had I. The fact that she was so on edge about Kingston beingte had me concerned. Regardless of how I felt about him, she had always trusted himpletely. The fact that she sensed something was off made me suspicious. And she did suspect something. Whether she would admit it to me or not.. I don¡¯t think she knew why the situation was giving her a bad feeling, but that didn¡¯t matter to me. I trusted her intuition. So I didn¡¯t fight he pacing and worrying through the middle of the night while she waited for updates from Kingston. It was now four o¡¯clock in the morning and we were waiting in a darkened packhouse lobby for Kingston and his envoy to arrive. I don¡¯t think either of us would settle until both him and the stone were here. ¡°Finally,¡±A breathed as headlights came up the drive. We stepped outside. Three SUVs parked in the round drive at the front entrance. The back door of the middle vehicle opened first and Kingston stepped out, a box held securely in his hands. I heard A release a heavy sigh of relief, but I: wasn¡¯t quite ready to do the same. I wanted to see the stone first. It had been bothering me that I hadn¡¯t gone to retrieve the second half myself. I felt like it was my duty to do so. However, I understood the logistical limitations that prevented me from going even if Kingston would have allowed it. Yes, the stone was A and my responsibility, but the Sablemanends were still Kingston¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t force myself into his territory. Right now he was an important ally whose loyalty to our cause was still somewhat questionable. I still believed he wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt A. But I still didn¡¯t trust him not to try anything against me. He ascended the stairs and A gave him a brief hug. ¡°I¡¯m d everything went smoothly,¡± she said. ¡°I told you I¡¯d be here,¡± he replied with a small smile. ¡°And you didn¡¯t have any trouble on the way?¡± I asked. ¡°You weren¡¯t followed?¡± ¡°If they had ambushed us, you would know,¡± Kingston answered. ¡°And as far as we know, they¡¯ve thought both halves were here the whole time. So it¡¯s not like they would need to follow us to figure that out.¡± I nodded. ¡°Your men are staying on the second floor of the west wing,¡± I said. ¡°Tell them to head there. Someone will be waiting to show them to their rooms. We¡¯d like to take a look at the stone now.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kingston said, his tone a little stiff. We went up to the privacy of my office. I wanted to put A at ease and get her to bed for a couple hours before I moved it down to the cer. I locked the door behind us. ¡°I thought Pierce would be with you,¡± A said as she took a seat on the leather sofa. 27.18% A ¡°He will be hereter this morning,¡± Kingston said, sitting across from her and setting the box on the coffee table. ¡°He¡¯s bringing Emma. So he waited on her.¡± A¡¯s face lit up at hearing her friend¡¯s name. ¡°I¡¯m so excited to see her,¡± she said happily. ¡°I¡¯m so d she was able to make it.¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have missed it for the world,¡± Kingston replied. ¡°As grand as the small talk is,¡± I interrupted, ¡°the night has been exceptionally long. So I¡¯d like to get this done and A to bed.¡± A elbowed me gently, but Kingston cleared his throat. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, pulling a key out of his pocket. ¡°Of course.¡± He unlocked the metal box and lifted the lid, turning it around for us to see the contents. It was a mirror image of the piece we had. I pulled the box closer and could feel the same energy flowing from it, although not as strongly as my piece. A picked it up, cradling it delicately as her focus rested on it. She felt the connection. This was her half, after all. Her family was tiedtothat part. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quietly, ¡°for returning this to me.¡± I nced at Kingston. His expression seemed¡­ resigned. But only for a second before he masked whatever emotion he was. feeling. ¡°Itbelongs with you,¡± he said. ¡°I only ever intended to be its protector, A. That¡¯s in my blood.¡± 55.17% 1288 Mouchers A¡¯s eyes left the stone in her hand to look at her friend. ¡°I know,¡± she replied. It was then that I made a split¨Csecond decision. ¡°You know, there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t still be,¡± I said.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kingston¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You found this stone,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Without you, and your ability to navigate those tunnels, we wouldn¡¯t be here. You understand what it took to protect this for generations. Why don¡¯t you design the security at theplex?¡± His mouth fell open slightly. ¡°You do own a securitypany, Kingston,¡± A said. ¡°You can modernize. I suspect that will be necessary since everyone will be able to ess its location.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why the idea came to me, but it seemed right. No matter what I felt about Kingston, he and his family were connected to that stone as well.Itwas like it was calling to him. ¡°I would be honored,¡± Kingston replied. Chapter 264 Chapter 264: A It was the day of the solstice. Time seemed to be moving at a sprint. Hurtling me towards this life¨C changing event. It should have been overwhelming, but it wasn¡¯t. The closer it came to time the more ready Theo and I felt. Dasha was practically buzzing in my head. Ever since I had agreed to go through with the reconstitution, she had been more present than she had been in years. Theo said Kieran had been the same. It was like they knew we had been converging on this moment. It made me feel closer to Theo than I had since we marked each other. I was excited to experience that sensation again tonight. We were in a room on the main floor of the pack house, just off the lobby area, getting ready. Luna Grace had insisted on bringing in people to do our hair and makeup. I chose to keep. my appearance as simple as possible but was still pleased with how elegant the artists had made me look. I looked around the room and smiled. There were so many women that I loved and who loved and supported me. Mina, Annabelle, Emma, Luna Grace. Even Ma and Kylee. Theo and the other men had gotten dressed in the room next door and were now joining us before Sister Mona and Sister Julianna joined us. o ¡°While we have all of you here,¡± I said, getting everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Theo and I wanted to do something for all of your to show you how much we appreciate the support you all have given us. We know thest few months haven¡¯t been easy for any of us. And we just want you all to know how 208 Voucher much we love and value all of you.¡± Theo and I handed out gift boxes to everyone except Alpha Torin. His I held onto. We watched as everyone opened their gifts. Each one had been especially chosen and personally curated by Theo and I. It was worth all the effort to see their faces. ¡°Alpha Torin,¡± I said, trying to swallow the lump in my throat, ¡°you have meant so much to everyone. Our pack couldn¡¯t have asked for a better leader all of these years. I hope this helps to always remind you of that.¡± I presented the box to him. He took it curiously. He pulled away the wrapping with strong hands that I was still so amazed werepletely healed. ¡°Is this?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°It took somete nights, but A was determined to finish it for tonight,¡± Theo said, rubbing my back. ¡°Oh,¡± Luna Grace covered her mouth as she fought back tears. ¡°You¡¯ve finished his memoir.¡± ¡°We had an agreement,¡± I teased. Alpha Torin scooped me up in one of his big bear hugs that I loved so much. ¡°Thank you,¡± he spoke in my ear. ¡°It was an honor,¡± I replied. He set me down and there were a few more exchanges of hugs and some tears of joy. We were settling down when the sisters came in. ¡°Are the new Alpha and Luna ready?¡± Sister Mona said with a 288 vouchers bright smile. ¡°As we¡¯ll ever be,¡± I said. ¡°Alright, the rest of you can head out to your ces by the tform,¡± Sister Julianna directed. ¡°Sister Mona will bring these two out.¡± Everyone left the room, giving us final words of encouragement as they went. ¡°You both remember what you will be doing?¡± Sister Mona asked. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve got it down,¡± Theo said. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°But remember, I will be right there with you if you need me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you two some privacy,¡± she told us as she squeezed our hands. ¡°There are big changesing your way. Take a few moments together.¡± -She closed the door behind her and I turned to Theo with a deep breath. Before I could even say anything, he was kissing me. I melted into him as I relished the tingles that still erupted through me at his touch. The taste of him felt like a lifeline. It was seared into the core of my being. Sooner than I would have liked, he pulled out of the kiss, but his hands stayed, cupping my face as I looked up at him. ¡°I love you, A,¡± he said reverently. ¡°More than anything.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I love you, too,¡± I replied breathlessly. I saw so much in his eye¡¯s. I felt so much flowing between our bond. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Terrified,¡± he replied. ¡°But in a good way.¡± 188 d¨¦aucher ¡°You¡¯re not worried about doing this, are you? Because it¡¯s a littlete now,¡± I teased. ¡°I will always worry about making a mistake,¡± he exined. ¡°But all I need is you. With you by my side, I know we will do what is right.¡± I smiled. ¡°You know I feel the same, right?¡± He shook his head with a disbelieving grin. ¡°I know we had a rough start, Theo. I know we both made mistakes in the beginning. But I think you still carry yours more heavily than you should. But I¡¯m so proud of who you are. I¡¯m proud of how far you havee. There is a reason we were fated for each other, Theo. And I am beyond grateful that we were. Because I couldn¡¯t imagine agreeing to do this with anyone else in the world.¡± His lips were on mine once more. We held on tightly as the kiss deepened, taking my breath away. It was a knock on the door that brought us back to earth. Sister Mona opened the .door as Theo was smoothing my hair and I straightened his tie. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± 78.26% The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!