Liam

A strong hand shook me awake. I blinked open my eyes, careful not to move too much and disturb Azalea. Turning my head, I saw Damien standing beside the bed.

"Hey," I said, confused.

"How is she?" he asked.

I glanced back at Azalea, sleeping soundly against me. "She should be fine. My uncle thinks it's an infection," I replied. He nodded.

"I need you to come with me," he said, his voice uncertain.

"What's going on?" I asked, more alert now.

"More rogues are at the border. They're seeking refuge, but they say they've been chased for days by another group," he explained. "Lily can stay with Azalea."

Azalea stirred. I tried to soothe her, but it backfired. "What's going on?" she mumbled groggily.

"It's okay. I just need to go with Damien for a bit. I'll be back," I reassured her. Finally, she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Leo looked so much like her, even though she insisted they both resembled me.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing to worry about right now," I told her. She pouted, and I leaned in to kiss her.

"Fine," she sighed. "But help me out of bed. Your pup is on my bladder," she complained. I chuckled and helped her. While she went to the bathroom, I turned back to Damien.

"Are you okay?" I asked. He shrugged. That seemed to be all he'd admit for now. Lily entered the room.

"Jacob's trying to make room for them in the packhouse. It'll be a tight fit. We need to make them pack members and find more permanent accommodations," she said. Damien nodded.

"I can help with that," Azalea said, emerging from the bathroom.

"No, you're staying here!" I scolded.

She rolled her eyes. "You obviously doubt me. I can do it from here. I just need my phone and laptop," she said.

"You aren't doing anything until you get a good night's sleep."

"I'd be fast asleep if our Beta hadn't come to fetch you, wouldn't I?"

"Azalea…" I warned; she was pushing my buttons.

She held up her hands. "Fine. But I won't be able to sleep until you're back."

Lily stayed with Azalea, promising to keep her in bed. She'd brought a bag of clothes for Azalea. I was grateful for their close friendship; I hated leaving Azalea, even for a moment.

It took Damien and me a couple of hours to settle the new rogues. We spoke with their leader and gathered information about the group pursuing them. By the time we finished, it was almost morning. I sent Damien to sleep, promising him Lily would join him soon. Leaving my office and heading downstairs, I was surprised to see Missy.

"What are you doing up so early?" I asked.

"Couldn't sleep," she murmured. I studied my daughter carefully. I recognized that sheepish look and the tension in her shoulders. Something was bothering her, but I didn't know what.

"Going for a run?" I asked.

"Yeah. But on two legs," she said. I nodded, expecting no further explanation. I struggled with the pressure of being Alpha at my age and constantly sought a physical outlet. It worsened after I sent Azalea away and rejected her. Missy went downstairs, and I waited, giving her a head start. Reaching the bottom, I encountered Austin and Abraham.

"Alpha, I was just told you were back, and there's something I should show you," Abraham said urgently. Gavin growled in my head, wanting our mate, not to deal with Gwen's murder.

"Can this wait?" I asked, resigned.

"You'll probably want to see this sooner rather than later," he said. I sighed.

"Austin, can you go to the clinic and stay with Azalea? Lily's been up all night, and she needs rest before the kids wake up," I said.

"What's wrong with Lea?" he asked quickly.

"She's okay, just needs observation," I replied, avoiding details.

"Yeah, I can go. Why don't I have Abigail get all the kids this morning? She can take them to the park after breakfast," he suggested. My shoulders relaxed.

"That would be amazing," I said. "Tell her I appreciate it."

"Anything, Liam. I'll leave you two to it," he said, heading for the door.

"Let's talk in my office," I said, leading him upstairs. Inside, I closed the door and went to my desk. Abraham stood opposite me. "So, you found something?"

"Yes. By chance, I think," he said, producing a small, clear bag containing something dark. I took it, examining it.

"Is this fabric?" I asked.

"Yes, Alpha. I found it near the prison entrance, in the woods," he said.

"Couldn't it belong to anyone? Many pack members use the woods," I said, confused.

"But it doesn't smell of a werewolf, sir," he said, nodding. I cautiously opened the bag and inhaled. Vampire. It was unmistakable. How had this been missed?

"I know you're wondering how everyone missed it. It's small and easily overlooked, but I also wonder if many pack members even know about vampires?" I looked up, sensing the accusation in his voice.

"Why do you wonder that?"

"When we first joined the pack, I asked why it was named Blood Eclipse. No one seemed to know. One older member got angry, leading me to believe the vampire wars aren't discussed here," he answered.

"So, you're familiar with vampires?" I asked.

"I have some knowledge, yes."

"And what do you know about this?" I held up the bag.

"I may know which clan the owner belongs to," he said calmly. I raised my eyebrows.

"Which clan?"

"Don't you already suspect?" I did, but I hesitated to voice it. I was apprehensive about Clan Warwick's sire surviving the war; it could mean retaliation. When I didn't answer, he continued, "I believe the owner is from Clan Warwick, the same clan that attacked this pack and its allies during the war."

"Can we use this to find them?" I asked.

"It's possible. But I want to focus on how they bypassed security," he said. "To my knowledge, no vampire ability allows them to avoid detection by people or cameras."

"Do whatever you need to find answers," I ordered.

"I'd like to send the surveillance videos to an associate. He's in tech and can determine if the systems or videos were tampered with," he requested.

"As you see fit," I said. "Brief the others later. The Beta needs sleep, but he should know this afternoon." Abraham nodded and turned to leave.

Before leaving, he paused. "Alpha, I hope you're prepared for the possibility that these events are connected, and this won't end quickly or easily." He left, leaving me filled with dread.

Lacey

This is crazy. What am I doing? He asked me back to the packhouse, and he actually spoke last night—not much, but some words. Is this really happening? Am I getting a second chance mate? Will this even work?

I called the office first thing and asked for a leave of absence. Somehow, Theo knew; they'd already received an email suggesting a vacation as a reward for my recent hard work. Felix and I agreed to meet for breakfast; he'd see the Alpha and Luna's plans for their visit. He thought they'd leave today. I was surprised and nervous when he didn't show up.

After breakfast, I packed. If I wasn't going with him, I was going home anyway. Almost finished, Felix knocked, saying the Alpha had rushed the Luna to the pack doctor. That explained his absence. I still agreed to go, and now we're in my car, heading to his home.

Only the radio hummed. Felix hadn't spoken except to give directions. After 45 minutes, I wondered how much further.

"Turn there," Felix grunted, pointing to a hidden road into the woods. I turned onto the bumpy road. My city car wasn't made for this. I worried about reaching the packhouse.

A warm thumb touched my chin, pulling my lip from my teeth. I looked at Felix; he gave me an intense look, then looked forward. Why did that small gesture ignite me? He couldn't help but smell me in this small space. My cheeks flushed, and I didn't know if it was from his touch or the heat coursing through my veins. Thankfully, the road smoothed out, and soon we were in a charming town. Felix gave no more directions, so I drove through carefully. This pack was larger than I expected. Within ten minutes, we were at a large building with a manicured lawn—a mansion, likely the packhouse. I parked. Felix was already out, opening my door and offering his hand. Brooding giants and chivalry? My brain short-circuited.

I took his hand. "So, uh, what now?" I asked.

"Mr. Felix!" someone called. The voice was familiar. His expression didn't change as he turned. He'd been out of the car for ten seconds, and someone already sought him. He was more vital than just the Luna's bodyguard. I peered around Felix to see Abe, trotting toward us. He stumbled when he saw me.

"Yes?" Felix said.

"Oh, uh," Abe said, recovering. "There's been a new development in the prison situation. I'll be briefing everyone soon. The Alpha knows. I think you'd want to be at the meeting." Abe looked at me, confused. I tried to link him, but it was useless; he'd left our pack.

Felix nodded. He took my hand, the same gentle grip as last night. He pulled me along. With no other choice, I followed the tense Felix into the massive packhouse.

"Shit," he whispered. He looked at me, then forward. "Can you wait?" he asked calmly.

"Sure," I said. I was here, knowing no one except my former packmate. What else could I do?

Felix

It irritated me that Abraham looked at my mate. He clearly recognized her. After this meeting, I'd figure out how they knew each other. I led Lacey through the packhouse to my room. Her hand was small and soft, and I enjoyed the feel. But I needed a clear head; if there was new information about Gwen's murder, I needed to be on top of threats to Azalea. After the meeting, I'd speak with Liam about her protection.

I unlocked my bedroom and led Lacey inside. She looked around as I went to my closet, changed shirts, tossing the old one in the hamper. The room reeked of vampire; it was clinging to my clothes. I turned to see Lacey standing still, looking at me with her big, chocolate eyes. I breathed in deeply; I could smell her arousal. What was that about?

I cleared my throat. "Um, make yourself at home. I'll be back," I grunted, leaving.

I hurried to the Alpha's office, ignoring the teenager trailing me. He yanked my shirt to stop me. I turned, glaring, to see Maddox. "What?"

"I need your help," he said. The kid was bold. He clearly liked Missy, but neither was mating age. The boys seemed to like him, and the Luna was fond of him. I raised an eyebrow, having no time for frivolous things. "Can you convince Alpha Liam to let me train with the warriors?" he asked.

This surprised me, but I didn't show it. "Why?" I asked.

"Why are you so fiercely protective of the Luna?" he shot back. This kid had gall.

"Hmmm," my wolf hummed in approval. That was high praise. I studied Maddox, seeing if he'd flinch. I'd consider talking to Liam about it. I left Maddox standing there, continuing to the meeting about Gwen.

"Thanks, Felix!" Maddox called. I didn't bother turning around.

I've removed the censored words and replaced them with appropriate alternatives. I've also corrected grammatical errors, improved sentence structure, and refined punctuation for better flow and readability. The narrative is now more concise and impactful.