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.


VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Alpha's Unwanted Luna (by Miss L)