Chapter 25: The Intruder

Thea’s POV

I tried to empty my mind, refusing to dwell on unnecessary feelings anymore. As I started organizing my room, my gaze landed on the Sterling Pack tapestry hanging on the wall. For years, I’d actively avoided looking at it, letting it collect dust in its corner. But today, I finally felt ready to pack it away, to remove this last visible connection to my former pack. Cleaning had always been my escape from troubling thoughts. Now that I’d recovered enough, I’d sent Sage back to the Ashworth Pack. She’d been a great nurse, but I preferred being on my own.

The phone rang just as I was folding the tapestry into a box. Seeing Iris’s name made me hesitate. Though still angry about our conversation hours ago, I understood her position. As Roman’s mate and future Luna of Sterling Pack—given they weren’t officially married yet—she naturally wanted to help the man she loved and fulfill her Luna duties by mending Pack rifts.

“Hi,” I answered, heading upstairs.

“I’m sorry, Thea.” Her voice carried genuine remorse. “I broke my promise. I shouldn’t have brought up Roman.”

The unexpected apology caught me off guard. In my life, I’d grown accustomed to never receiving sincere apologies for the hurt inflicted on me, whether by family or Sebastian.

“Iris—”

“You were right,” she cut in. “Roman needs to take responsibility for his actions. Being an Alpha doesn’t excuse how he treated his own blood. I love him, but that love shouldn’t blind me. The pain he’s caused you over the years… no apology can erase that. I was wrong to push you to forgive everything. It’s not fair! You’re amazing, and I treasure our friendship. I don’t want to ruin it.”

I sighed softly, gazing at the moon through my window. How wonderful it would be to run beneath that moonlight like other wolves. But some wounds, like the things I lacked, would never heal. You either learned to live with them or let them numb you completely.

“Listen, Iris, you’re Roman’s mate and Sterling Pack’s future Luna. I get that you want to take responsibility for all this, but I won’t let you be caught between me and Roman or me and Sterling Pack. Besides, Roman’s made it crystal clear he wants nothing to do with me.”

“Roman hasn’t—”

“Please,” I said quietly, “just stop. His actions have spoken louder than any words, and I accepted that a long time ago.”

Another call came through—Leo. Finally, a smile touched my lips, making me feel alive again.

“Okay, I understand. So… we’re good? I swear I’ll never mention Roman again.”

“Yeah, we’re good. Don’t worry about it.”

“Great!” Her excitement was palpable. “I’ll let you talk to Leo. Give him my love.”

“Will do. Goodnight.”

I quickly dialed Leo’s number after hanging up.

“Thea…” My mother’s voice froze me in place. Since our airport goodbye, we hadn’t spoken. Of all those who’d hurt me, her wounds cut deepest. A mother should cherish her child, but I’d only ever received coldness from her. A wolfless daughter wasn’t worthy of maternal love.

Now, having Leo, I understood even less. I couldn’t imagine abandoning him for any reason. Even if he turned out wolfless like me, I’d love him forever.

“How have you been?” Her tone was surprisingly gentle, with a slight tremor.

I remained silent, my throat burning. Once, I’d desperately longed to hear my mother speak to me this way. Now it was too late. I stared at the wall space where the Pack tapestry had hung before, now it’s empty.

“Please say something. I just want to hear your voice,” she whispered.

“You’re… crying, aren’t you?” She continued softly when I didn’t respond. “I can hear it in your breathing.”

I quickly wiped my face, only then realizing tears had spilled out without my permission. The truth was, hearing her tone hurt more than her usual coldness ever had. Because now I knew she was capable of kindness she just hadn’t thought I deserved it before.

“Why now?” I finally said, my voice raw. “Why show concern after all these years of treating me like I was nothing?”

She inhaled sharply, but before she could answer, I heard Leo’s voice in the background asking for the phone.

“I know you don’t want to talk with me. I’ll get Leo. But Thea, I want you to know I love you.”

I let out a bitter laugh. Pack reputation, bloodline pride, Alpha honor—if that’s what her love had meant all these years, I wanted none of it.

Soon Leo’s warm voice came through, though lacking its usual energy.

“Mom…”

“What’s wrong, baby?” I immediately sensed something off.

“I miss you. It’s nice being with Grandpa and Grandma and Nana, but I want to come home. When can I come home to you and Dad?” The hurt in his voice was unmistakable.

His sadness shattered my heart. I missed him too, but until we found whoever was behind all this, he was safer there.

Just as I was about to comfort him, a loud crash echoed through the house from downstairs, like the sound of shattering something. My spine stiffened instantly.

“Leo, listen, Mommy needs to check a noise downstairs. I’ll call you right back.” I fought to keep my voice steady.

After ending the call, I crept downstairs, taking each step as silently as possible. I hoped it was just something falling, but that uneasy feeling grew stronger.

Reaching the stairs’ corner, my heart nearly stopped at the sight of the back door’s glass scattered across the floor, cold wind rushing in. Someone had broken into my house.

There was a strange scent mixed in with the others—one that felt familiar, like I’d encountered it before, but I just couldn’t remember where or when.

I still had my phone clutched tightly in my hand and was about to dial when something struck the back of my neck. The pain sent me crashing to the floor.

“This time I’ll make sure you’re dead,” a manic voice hissed in my ear, “just like your father.”