Elena’s POV
The morning air was crisp against my skin as I sat on the front porch, cradling my steaming coffee mug while scanning through my class schedule on my phone. The familiar weight of academic responsibility felt heavier today, especially after last night’s chaos.
Gage appeared beside , his expression grim as he observed the packed agenda displayed on my screen. "You’re going to collapse from exhaustion at this rate."
I let out a tired laugh, gesturing helplessly at the overwhelming list of classes and assignnts. "Trust , I’m well aware. Unfortunately, there’s no way around it right now."
He nodded with understanding, settling into the chair across from . "I figured as much."
The question that had been gnawing at all morning finally escaped my lips. "I still don’t understand how you couldn’t track down that intruder last night. Surely there had to be so kind of scent trail to follow?"
Gage’s jaw tightened, and I could see the frustration flickering in his eyes. "That’s exactly what has us all baffled. There wasn’t even the faintest trace of a scent anywhere near the packhouse."
My coffee cup paused halfway to my lips. "How is that even remotely possible?"
"Leo ntioned he didn’t recognize the guy at all, which is pretty damn strange considering he’s lived in this territory his entire life and knows practically everyone in the pack." Gage ran his fingers through his hair, clearly agitated. "The only logical explanation we can co up with is that it was a stealth warrior. Those bastards have mastered the art of masking their scent completely."
A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the morning breeze. "What would a stealth warrior possibly want with ?"
"That’s the million-dollar question we’re determined to answer today. Your job is to focus on school and stay far away from here while we conduct our investigation." His tone brooked no argunt.
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, suddenly feeling like a burden. "Is the situation really going to escalate that dramatically? I don’t want to cause unnecessary drama or have everyone making a huge spectacle out of this."
Gage’s expression softened slightly, but his voice remained firm. "Listen, this isn’t just about protecting you anymore, though Damien and I are absolutely committed to keeping you safe. Soone had the audacity to breach our packhouse security last night. We can’t allow that kind of violation to go unanswered."
Sha washed over as I realized how selfish I’d sounded. "You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, I wasn’t considering the bigger picture."
"Don’t worry about it. Just handle whatever you need to do today. Damien is already eting with his Beta to strategize, and we’ll get this ss sorted out properly." Gage’s reassuring smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
I nodded, finishing the last of my coffee. "Understood."
After heading back inside, I climbed the stairs to my room and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away so of my anxiety. I dressed quickly in comfortable clothes suitable for a long day of classes, then erged from the bathroom while running a brush through my damp hair.
I moved around my room efficiently, stuffing necessary items into my backpack before settling at my desk near the window. The view outside showed pack mbers going about their morning routines, though I could sense an underlying tension in their movents.
An overwhelming urge to check on my mother suddenly hit . I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, my heart racing with each ring.
"Hello." Her voice ca through as barely a whisper.
Relief flooded through at the sound of her familiar voice. "Mom, thank goodness it’s you."
"I really can’t talk right now, sweetheart." Her tone was strained, almost fearful.
Alarm bells imdiately started ringing in my head. "What’s happening over there?"
"It’s nothing that should concern you. I’m perfectly fine, and that’s all you need to focus on right now." Her words ca out rushed and clipped.
"Are you completely certain about that?" I pressed, not buying her reassurance for a second.
"Absolutely positive. Please, I have to hang up now." The line went dead before I could respond.
Sothing was seriously wrong. My mother had never spoken to like that before, with such obvious fear and urgency in her voice. I snatched up my backpack and practically ran downstairs to find Damien.
"Damien," I called out as I burst into the dining room where he was reviewing so docunts.
He looked up imdiately, concern creasing his features. "What’s wrong?"
"I realize you have a trendous amount on your plate right now, but would it be possible for you to contact that person you know in Marcus’s pack?" The words tumbled out in a rush.
"Of course. What information do you need to gather?" He set aside his papers, giving his full attention.
"I need you to ask about my mother. I just attempted to call her, and she essentially told never to contact her again. She would never say sothing like that to under normal circumstances. Can you find out what’s really going on over there?" My voice cracked slightly with worry.
"Absolutely. I’ll reach out to my contact imdiately."
Gage, who had been listening from the doorway, stepped forward. "Do you think she might just be trying to protect you from sothing?"
"Most likely, but I don’t care about her motivations right now. I need to know whether she’s in actual danger or not." My hands were trembling slightly as anxiety coursed through .
Leo appeared in the doorway, checking his watch. "Elena, we need to leave for school now if you’re going to make it on ti."
I turned back to Damien with pleading eyes. "Please, I have this terrible feeling that sothing’s really wrong."
"I’ll contact them the mont you leave." His voice was steady and reassuring.
"And you’ll let know imdiately when you hear back from them?" I asked desperately.
"You have my word." He nodded firmly, and I followed Leo out the door, my mind racing with worry about what could possibly be happening to my mother.
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