235 When Wolves Turn
Mara
Darian hadn’t expected me to know.
He looked stunned when I confirmed what he’d been trying to shield from me-that most of our military support was gone. But I wasn’t surprised. I’d known for a while.
I wasn’t counting on their strength.
I was counting on their absence.
Their departure gave me the perfect excuse to redirect our funds-no more feeding greedy, wavering
alliances.
That money went straight into weapon procurement. It was a strategic decision, not an emotional one. The
territories that stayed?
They stayed without being paid. That kind of loyalty couldn’t be bought, and those were the allies we needed.
The rest… let them rot with Chase.
When Lucian told me I wouldn’t be joining the Rockville assault, I didn’t argue. A part of me wanted to protest,
to demand inclusion the way I used to. But the truth was, he wasn’t wrong. I was showing now.
Slower. Not as sharp. Not as strong. Staying behind to strategize, to monitor operations, to make sure every
thread stayed intact-that was the smarter job. The more vital job.
And I’d do it for him. For us. For the child I carried.
The press conference was over quickly-brief, sharp, and respectful. Lucian spoke well. He gave them just enough reassurance without exposing our hand. But it was nothing more than a formality. The real battle was happening in the shadows.
Shortly after the conference ended, Rowan informed us that the first shipment of weapons had arrived.
Finally. Something tangible. Something deadly. A tool to even the odds.
There was a time-not long ago-when the idea of eradicating an entire territory would have horrified me. I would have pleaded for caution, for diplomacy. But Chase had taken too much.
His existence alone was a threat, and anyone who sheltered him-intentionally or not-was aiding a monster.
I no longer saw them as civilians.
I saw them as barriers to peace.
And for once, the fact that Lucian was leading the mission gave me comfort. He wasn’t reacting out of vengeance-he was thinking. He had the element of surprise, He knew what was at stake. And I trusted him
with it.
We stayed in the office for a while afterward, reaching out to the Alphas who still stood with us.
We gave them updates. Told them Lucian had returned. Spoke of economic repair and stabilizing the remaining regions. But we didn’t mention Chase. Not his name. Not the truth. And certainly not Rockville.
Gratitude was one thing.
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<235 When Wolves Turn
Blind trust was another.
+8 Points >
Until this war was over, we wouldn’t take chances. Only those directly involved would know the true extent of our plan. The rest of the island could find out once the smoke had cleared.
By evening, the day had left us hollowed and tense. We left headquarters and ate at a restaurant, needing a quiet space to breathe, to pretend-if only for a moment-that this wasn’t war.
But even over dinner, I could feel it.
The storm was already moving.
And tomorrow, Rockville would fall.
After dinner, Lucian and Darian dropped me off at the mansion before heading off to make final preparations
for their assault on Rockville.
I watched the taillights of the car fade down the driveway before turning toward the house.
The moment I stepped inside, I felt it-the silence.
The mansion felt… hollow. Not just quiet, but stripped of its usual rhythm. No faint bickering in the halls. No awkward tension over breakfast. No Martha barging in where she didn’t belong. For all her drama and disruptive chaos, the woman brought life into the house in the strangest of ways.
I caught myself smiling, remembering one of our many hallway showdowns. She could be a menace, a whirlwind of entitlement and snark-but she had also been real. And real people leave loud absences.
I was glad she’d woken up. Not just for Darian’s sake, but for Alpha Vander too. Maybe now he’d get the answers he needed-about the poisoning, about Lacy’s claims, about everything. I wanted the truth too. Deep down, I believed Lacy. She had nothing to gain by lying. But even so… I needed confirmation. Closure. All of us did.
But e
As I reached my room, I spotted Tiffany waiting at my door.
She lit up the moment she saw me and pulled me into a tight hug. “It’s good to have you back, Mara,” she said, holding me for a moment before stepping back to give me an exaggerated once-over. “And look at you- wearing your ownclothes for once. Not raiding Lucian’s closet like some lovesick teenager.”
I burst into laughter. “Hey, his shirts are comfortable.”
We walked into the room together, and I gestured for her to sit. “Where’s Emma?” I asked.
“Jennifer’s with her,” Tiffany said, flopping down on the couch,
“But you know you’ll eventually have to get a nanny, right? Jennifer’s going to be busy taking care of my baby soon.” I said and she chuckled
“When that time comes, Mara,” she said with a smirk. “Let Emma keep her on her toes for now.”
I laughed, then she opened my mini-fridge and helped herself to a bottle of orange juice like she owned the place.
“So,” she said, twisting off the cap and settling in beside me, “Darian told me they’re going on a trip. When do you think they’ll be back?”
“Give them a day or two,” I replied calmly.
2/4
disappearance.”
reatening
I gave her a soft shrug. “I’m getting used to it, Tiff. Lucian’s an Alpha. I’d be foolish to think he could always be by my side. It would be… suffocating. And honestly, disturbing.”
She blinked, then burst into laughter. “I swear, Mara. Only you could make being left behind sound
empowering.”
“It is,” I said, and I meant it.
We sat in companionable silence for a moment before she tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Martha’s home,” she said, her voice lower now.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Who would’ve thought that woman could survive that kind of poisoning?” Tiffany exhaled, shaking her head. “I’m honestly relieved. For Darian, mostly. It was tearing him up inside. He tried to hide it, but you could see it in his eyes.”
I nodded again, my gaze drifting toward the window.
“I’m happy for their father too,” I said softly, leaning back against the couch. “For all his talk about hating her, the man just couldn’t let her go.”
Tiffany nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I noticed that too, Mara. He practically lived in that hospital room. And now that they’re back, he’s keeping her in his bedroom.”
I shook my head slightly. “I don’t think that has anything to do with love, Tiff.”
She looked at me, surprised.
“I mean, maybe there are still feelings buried in there somewhere,” I continued. “But the way I see it-he’s protecting her. Keeping her close in case whoever poisoned her tries again.”
Tiffany’s frown deepened. “Wait… you think someone actually tried to kill her?”
I nodded slowly. “It looks that way. The letter they found-the one in those envelopes-it wasn’t her handwriting. Someone forged it. Made it look like she confessed to everything, maybe to close the case quietly.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
I went on. “And don’t forget the guy that was poisoned here, in the mansion. That wasn’t a coincidence.”
Tiffany let out a breath. “Oh my… this house isn’t safe.”
“Exactly. That’s why we’ve been eating out for now,” I said. “Until we know who’s behind it, I’m not taking any chances. Especially not with Lucian.”
She nodded solemnly, her hand curling protectively over her stomach. “Smart move.”
After a beat of silence, I asked, “Have you seen Martha since she woke up?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I stopped by briefly yesterday.”
“And?” I asked.
…
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< 235 When Wolves Turn
+8 Points >
“She seemed a little off at first. I thought it was memory loss or something worse. But I think it was the medication. Now that it’s out of her system, she’s doing better. She knew who I was-called me by name. But … she didn’t ask about Emma.”
That made me pause.
“That’s how I knew she wasn’t all the way back yet,” Tiffany finished quietly. “She used to dote on Emma.
Obsess over her. The fact that she didn’t even mention her…”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “She’s still coming back to herself. But at least she’s alive. That’s more than we could’ve
hoped for a week ago.”
Tiffany nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s a start.”
And it was. We were far from done, but for once, things weren’t falling apart.
They were slowly, cautiously-finally-starting to come together.
