Chapter 380
Chapter 380
45 – Elara
“Come on over, Sebastian.” I raise my voice deliberately, making sure it carries across the yard where the other warriors are stationed. Ever since the attack on my father, no one wants to take any risks with his former team. They’re supposed to be helping us deal with this growing drug crisis, but instead, they’re more focused on watching their own backs.
Sebastian moves cautiously across the yard, his steps measured and wary. Honestly, I can’t blame him—if I were in his shoes, I’d be just as careful, wondering if this was some kind of trap. But instead of approaching the porch steps, which would put him behind Ben and me, he stops within our line of sight and leaps over the railing, settling into the chair tucked in the corner. It’s the most isolated spot he could have chosen. Both he and Ben seem to be trying to reassure me that they’re not a threat, but I can’t shake the feeling that this might be a false sense of security —like the one my father had before everything fell apart.
Without waiting for me to prompt him, Sebastian begins, “I’m not going to blame a dead man. We all share the responsibility for not seeing Jeff for who he really was. But you have to understand, we’re a team, and unity is essential. Trust in a fight— that’s what keeps us alive. I never liked Jeff personally. I thought he was a lousy teammate, more lazy and careless than a traitor, but he was still the man fighting beside me. That counts for something.” He exhales slowly, as if releasing a weight he’s been carrying. “About these attacks, I’ve gathered some intel, but it’s mostly scattered and random. Nothing seems connected on the surface. I’m sure you and Ben have more pieces to this puzzle that could help. I’ll share everything I have and do whatever I can to assist. I want these people stopped just as much as you do. I want to understand how victims are left behind, with scent trails leading away in every direction, only to vanish after twenty feet. I want to know why I can’t pick up the scent of anyone crossing the pack. Even if the wolf’s scent is masked, the drugs should leave some kind of trail. I want to know how I can be tracking someone, have them in my sights, and then watch them disappear into thin air. And I want to know if my mate and pup will be safe under your protection if something happens to me-or if the pack will turn against them.” His gaze locks with mine, and for the first time, I see not just a warrior, but the protector of our pack looking directly at me. It’s not a challenge—it’s an honest confession of the fears and doubts he’s been carrying while trapped here.
“I have no intention of harming innocent people,” he adds quietly.
“That’s not an answer, Alpha. You know it isn’t p>
“I don’t know who to trust anymore,” he admits, voice tight with frustration. “I’ve been around all of you my whole life, learned from you, watched you with my father-and he still ended up dead at the hands of someone who was supposed to protect him. Forgive me if I don’t just fall back into old patterns.” ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ.net
“That’s exactly what this group wants from you, Elara,” Richard’s voice cuts in, calm but firm. I feel Ben shift beside me, tense. Richard’s words echo something Ben said when he arrived.
“Well, everything they want is already happening,” I say bitterly. “My pack doesn’t trust me. The team that should be protecting me had a traitor in its ranks. And kids are still turning up drugged or dead. I’ve barely started, and I’m already failing p>
“No, kiddo,” Richard replies gently. “You inherited a broken system. That’s what they want—to watch you crumble so it’s easier to take everything from you. They think you’re weak.” He raises his hands in a placating gesture, anticipating the fight brewing in the air. “Whether it’s because you’re female, like Jeff thought, or because you’re young and easier to control, we don’t know. But I think you should keep your Beta close at all times. It’s clear you trust him for more than just being your mate. And close your mouth-your matebond is obvious, and neither of you have a clue how to hide it p>
I glance at Ben, who’s already trying to suppress a smile, and for a moment, the tension eases just a little. The weight of everything pressing down on us feels a bit lighter, but the fight is far from over.