Elena’s POV
Months had passed since we settled into the Nightwalker Pack territory. I sat across from Caleb at our breakfast table, watching him chatter excitedly about his new school friends and favorite classes. His enthusiasm was infectious, yet it couldn’t quite fill the hollow ache that had taken permanent residence in my chest.
Damien remained Alpha of the Obsidian Pack, which ant our ti together had dwindled to sporadic visits when pack duties allowed. The distance between us stretched wider each week. He kept pushing for Caleb and to return to his territory, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. This was where Briar had been taken. This was where any search party would bring her ho.
The logic might have been flawed, but my heart refused to accept any other possibility.
After walking Caleb to school and watching him disappear into his classroom with his usual group of friends, I lingered outside longer than necessary. The sight of children running and laughing should have brought joy, but instead it reminded of everything missing from our lives.
My phone buzzed against my palm. Damien’s na flashed across the screen, and without hesitation, I declined the call. These conversations never ended well anymore. Every discussion beca a battlefield of unspoken accusations and mounting frustration.
The pack businesses needed supply orders processed, so I made my rounds collecting lists and requirents. The routine kept my mind occupied, which was exactly what I needed. Back at the packhouse, I spread the paperwork across my desk and began the tedious work of coordinating shipnts and inventory.
A stack of job applications caught my attention. Recent college graduates were flooding back to the pack, all seeking employnt in their chosen fields. The dical positions were particularly challenging to fill. Werewolf healing abilities ant we didn’t require the extensive training human doctors needed, but finding qualified candidates remained difficult.
The packhouse felt cavernous during the day. I’d reduced the cleaning staff to twice weekly visits, preferring the solitude to constant reminders of how empty our ho had beco. Just Caleb and rattling around in spaces that once bustled with family life.
Lunch was a solitary affair interrupted by another phone call. Leo’s na appeared this ti, and I knew imdiately that Damien had enlisted him as a ssenger. The pattern was becoming predictable and irritating.
I let that call go to voicemail too.
Afternoon pickup at school led to the playground, where Caleb raced around with his classmates while I made polite conversation with the other mothers. Their nervous energy around was palpable. Whether they feared saying sothing wrong or simply felt awkward around their pack leader, I couldn’t be sure. Either way, the interactions felt stilted and artificial.
Our evening routine provided the only genuine comfort in my day. Dinner conversations where Caleb recounted every detail of his school adventures, followed by movie ti curled together on the couch. Howork sessions where I helped him with math problems and reading assignnts. Bath ti and bedti stories that reminded why I fought so hard to maintain so semblance of normalcy for him.
After tucking Caleb into bed with his favorite story, I retreated to my own room for a long, scalding shower. The hot water worked against the knots of tension that had settled permanently between my shoulder blades. Stress manifested in physical ways I’d never experienced before becoming Alpha.
Steam clouded the bathroom mirror as I wrapped myself in a towel and padded into the bedroom. A dark silhouette near the window made jump, heart hamring against my ribs.
"Jesus, Damien. You nearly gave a heart attack." I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to steady my breathing.
"Figured this was the only way to get your attention," he said, his voice carrying an edge I’d rarely heard before.
I moved to the closet, pulling on a tank top and sweatpants while maintaining as much dignity as possible given the circumstances. "I’ve been swamped with pack responsibilities. You know how it is."
"Cut the bullshit, Elena." He stepped closer, invading my personal space in a way that felt more confrontational than intimate. "You’re avoiding , and we both know it."
I perched on the edge of the bed, suddenly exhausted. "Running a pack alone is harder than I expected. There’s always sothing that needs attention."
"You chose to do it alone. You could co ho anyti, but you refuse." His words carried months of accumulated frustration.
"You don’t understand what it’s like..."
"You think staying here will bring Briar back faster." His statent hit like a physical blow. "You believe if she’s found, they’ll bring her here first."
I couldn’t et his eyes, which was answer enough.
"The search teams are still out there. They haven’t given up, and they never will." His voice softened slightly. "But that doesn’t an we stop being a family. Briar wouldn’t want us to fall apart. She’d want us to stay together, to love each other, to keep hoping."
"Why are you really here tonight?" I asked, dreading his answer.
"I’m done with the gas, Elena. You and Caleb co ho with tomorrow, or we end this. Completely. Rejection, separate packs, clean break."
The word ’rejection’ sent ice through my veins. The mate bond recoiled at the very suggestion, and I realized how far I’d pushed him. How much damage my grief had inflicted on our relationship.
Despite everything, losing Damien terrified more than I wanted to admit.
"Okay," I whispered.
"Okay what?"
"We’ll pack tomorrow morning."
He crossed the room and pulled into his arms, holding like he was afraid I might disappear. As much as I resented ultimatums, losing my entire family wasn’t an option I could live with.
When Briar ca ho, she’d need us united.
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