As I left her apartment that night, my heart ached in a way it never had before. I could still see the fear in her eyes, the confusion. I knew she didn't understand any of this, and I couldn't blame her. It was a lot to take in. It was a lot even for someone born and raised in this world, let alone a young woman who had been raised in the human world, oblivious to her true heritage. The night air was cool as I walked back towards the pack house, my mind racing. I had to protect her, there was no question about it. But how was I going to do that when she was so afraid, so reluctant to let me in? As an Alpha, I was used to commanding respect, to having my orders followed without question. But Skye... She wasn't a pack member, she wasn't a werewolf. She was a human, with a human's fears and a human's understanding of the world. And she had been hurt before, I could see it in her eyes. She was wary, scared to trust again. And I couldn't blame her for that either. When I reached the pack

Waking up the next morning felt strange. The apartment was too quiet, too still. I lay in my bed, the early morning sunlight piercing through the curtains and casting a warm glow around the room. It was too peaceful, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions swirling inside me. The conversation with Heather the night before had left me drained and filled with an aching emptiness. Talking about the past was like reopening old wounds. The fear, the despair, the nights spent crying myself to sleep... it was all coming back. Pulling myself out of bed, I shuffle into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, desperate for something to help clear the cobwebs in my head. As I wait for the coffee to brew, I glance at my reflection in the kitchen window. My strawberry-blonde hair was a tangled mess, my face pale. I looked as exhausted as I felt. The memory of Jayleen's face when he told me about my father and my mother's death was still vivid in my mind. I could still hear the pain in his voice a

I sat in my office, the dim light from the lone lamp barely illuminating the room. My eyes scanned the maps spread out on my table, tracing the borders between my territory and the Silver Creek. My grip tightened around the glass of whiskey in my hand as my mind raced with strategies and possible outcomes. "Sire," a voice broke my concentration, and I turned to see one of my pack members standing by the door. "We have located Skye Jackson. She is indeed in Silver Creek." My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of anticipation and rage. The thought of my daughter being in Jayleen's territory, being under his protection, made my blood boil. I downed the rest of my whiskey, feeling the burn slide down my throat. "Prepare the warriors," I ordered, my voice steady despite the storm brewing within me. "We're paying Silver Creek a visit." The man nodded, quickly retreating to carry out the orders. I stood up, the maps on the table seeming less significant now. My daughter was within my grasp,

The meeting room was replaced by the familiarity of the town as I made my way out, the cool evening breeze cutting through the tension that the war planning had wound up in me. I found solace in the quiet streets of our territory, their peacefulness serving as a reminder of what we were fighting for. The pack wasn't just a group of werewolves and their mates. They were a community, a family. There were kids, elders, unmated wolves and humans, all living under the protective umbrella of the Silver Pack. And it was my responsibility to keep them safe. The first house belonged to Luke and Rosie. They had a two-year-old daughter who was just discovering her playful wolf pup side. I smiled as I remembered my own pup days. As I knocked on their door, I put on my most reassuring face. I wasn't there to instill fear; I was there to ensure preparedness. Each conversation had a similar pattern. There was initial shock, then worry. But by the end, there was understanding and a sense of unity.

We were running out of time. Kain's attack could happen at any moment and we had to be prepared. The scent of unease lingered in the air, a tangible manifestation of the uncertainty that lay ahead.Michael stood beside me, the usually jovial expression on his face replaced by a grim determination. "The final group of elders and pups left this morning, Alpha," he reported. "They've been secured in the safe houses. The Beta team is guarding them."I nodded. "Good. What about our defense lines?""Theta team has set up around the town's perimeter," he answered. "Epsilons are scouting the borders for any signs of Kain's pack."I surveyed the map spread out on the table before me, marking out key defense points and escape routes. The safety of the pack was my responsibility, and I was determined not to let them down."What about Skye?" I asked, turning to face Michael. My heart clenched at the thought of her being caught in the crossfire."Elijah has been keeping an eye on her," he replied.