Never Leave, A Human Mate - (Book 2 The Mist Series)

~Chapter 10 - Too Many Alphas~

~Louise~

I practically tripped out of Reece’s room, the weight of impending doom settling on me like a lead cloak. It wasn’t my own failing health this time, no. This was Dawns. I hadn’t exchanged more than a handful of words with her, but when it came to the well-being of my pack, I was fiercely protective.

Beta Reece had been a constant figure in my life since I was born. He wasn’t my mentor like Gamma Archie, but he was always there, a guiding presence, watching over me like a caring, if slightly gruff, uncle. And now he was going to lose another mate, before they even had a chance to truly know each other. It was cruel, unfair, and it made my stomach churn.

“Still thinking about Reece and Dawn, huh?” Tyrone’s voice cut through my internal turmoil, more of a knowing statement than a question. “Louise, this ridiculously big heart of yours is one of the million reasons I love you.”

A grin tugged at my lips. I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You know me too damn well…”

We stood before the Alpha’s office door, the heavy oak a physical barrier to the headache within. This meeting was about the brewing war with Maddison and Salista, but the guest list read like a testosterone convention: at least five alphas and their male betas. Besides Kelsy and me, there were no other females present. A room filled with puffed-up chests and strategizing egos was my personal definition of hell. Missing the first hour had been a tactical victory, but now, duty called… and even Faith, my resident tough werewolf ancestor, hesitated.

“We could just, you know, hunt down Agatha and see what she’s dug up about Dawn?” she suggested, pleading with me, making my head buzz with her presence. “Seriously, anything is better than that sausage fest in there.”

“Trust me, Faith, I’d rather wrestle the Beast than deal with that level of sweaty masculinity.” I laughed, but the sound was hollow.

“Ready?” Tyrone asked, lacing his fingers through mine. “Shall we just rip off the band-aid?”

“Fine,” I nodded, reaching for the door.

Fate, however, had other plans. The door swung inward, and a familiar face greeted us with a squeal.

“Louise!” Jo shrieked, throwing her arms around me with the force of a small hurricane. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Pff,” I blew a stray strand of her long, black hair from my face, returning the hug with a genuine smile. Since she had mated with Daune, she was living at the Celestial Moon packhouse, juggling her new life with her work alongside her mom at St. Janie’s.

She stepped back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. “Thank the Goddess you’re here… There are way too many men in there… I needed a sanity break.”

“I’ll leave you two to it,” Tyrone said, squeezing my hand and kissing my cheek. He winked at Jo before disappearing into the alpha’s den.

I took Jo’s familiar hands and pulled her into the room, mentally bracing myself as I shut the door behind us. Thank the Moon Goddess for soundproofing, because a cacophony of deep, booming voices was already clashing inside.

Alpha Hugo from the Hillside clan and Alpha Zhan from the Riverbed clan were leading the charge, their voices the loudest, most insistent. Joseph occasionally tried to regain control, and Daune’s thick Italian accent cut through the fray like a sonic boom.

The last thing we needed was to wake a sleeping Dawn. The triplets were finally down for a nap. Thank you, Madeline and Archie, for babysitting! And Agatha was somewhere in the packhouse, battling Anya’s teething woes. I wished Elder Alda had whipped up an extra batch of teething elder tree teething toys for the poor kid.

As we navigated the crowded space, I spotted Alpha Tyson slumped in a leather chair in the corner, looking like a deflated balloon animal. His mousy blonde hair looked like it hadn’t been acquainted with a comb since the Sunset clan territory debacle. He was still drowning in grief for his mate, Tiana, and a surge of helpless sympathy washed over me. I wished there was something I could do to ease his pain.

Beta Gabriel stood beside him, his hands clasped tightly in front of him, radiating guilt. This meeting, after all, was largely about his daughter, Maddison, and her alliance with the witch Salista, and the beast they had created.

Kingston, his face etched with the telltale signs of sleepless nights since Anya’s birth, stood beside Tyrone. Though exhaustion clung to him, his gaze remained focused as he monitored the room.

Maps of the surrounding territories were spread across the massive mahogany table, bathed in the dramatic glow of the chandelier. Shadows danced on the faces of the assembled alphas, carving worry lines deeper into their skin. This wasn’t a game; it was war, and we were gearing up for battle.

“Even with all this doom and gloom, it’s good to be back,” Jo whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder. “I’ve missed you and Lorraine. Though, I have to admit, the Celestial Moon packhouse is growing on me. Beta Jackson and Daune are training the new warriors, and it is… interesting. Plus, I get to use my medical knowledge to patch them up afterward.”

“Luna Louise,” Daune greeted, offering a formal bow. “It’s good to see you well.”

“Daune.” I returned the bow. “Looks like you’re taking good care of my Jo…”

Jo giggled, allowing Daune to pull her close. “He’s very, very good to me,” she said with a wink.

A familiar tug reached into my mind. “Come sit with me, my Luna,” Jospeh called through the mind link.

“Maybe we should listen to the meeting,” I suggested, as the decibel level in the room spiked again.

“Smart idea, Luna Louise,” Daune agreed, sweeping Jo up in his arms and depositing her into a chair at the side of the desk with an effortless grace.

I made my way toward Joseph’s chair, studying the intricate details of the map. He pulled me onto his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world, silencing any potential protests with a possessive kiss. I melted into it for a moment, the familiar scent of jasmine and spice grounding me amidst the chaotic energy of the room. I caught Jo’s amused glance and couldn’t help but grin.

Alpha Hugo and Alpha Zhan, oblivious to our little interlude, were still locked in a heated, testosterone-fuelled debate about battle tactics. The air in the alpha’s room crackled with tension, thick enough to choke on.

“As much as I’m enjoying this,” I murmured against Joseph’s lips, “we should pay attention. This is about Maddison, after all, and Gabriel looks like he’s about to spontaneously combust from guilt.”

Joseph sighed dramatically, but shifted me so I was sitting more comfortably, his arm a reassuring weight around my waist. “Fine, but don’t think I’m letting you off the hook later.”

“The last confirmed sighting of Maddison was near a human town, just beyond the Celestial Moon’s territory,” Daune stated, his voice a low, dangerous growl. “They didn’t stick around, but they left one of those beasts behind. We had to kill it.”

Alpha Hugo leaned forward, his expression grim. “That close to the humans? This is getting more reckless by the minute. What is she even planning?”

Before either of them could launch into further speculation, Daune dropped a bombshell. “I had scouts report back to me yesterday. Maddison wasn’t alone. She was travelling with Salista and six of the beasts.”

A collective gasp filled the room. I felt my own breath hitch in my throat. Six? The thought alone sent shivers down my spine. One of those creatures was a walking nightmare. Six was unimaginable.

But the gasp that echoed came from Alpha Tyson. His stoic face was now etched with a stark, almost paralysing fear.

Daune’s gaze softened as he looked at Tyson, empathy flickering in his eyes. “The Celestial Moon pack suffered a devastating blow when they came face to face with just one of those things. I lost two skilled warriors. They were trained before I even officially took over the pack.”

The silence that followed was heavy.

“Those beats are dangerous solo, but six…” Alpha Silas’s voice broke through the silence. “It’s a concern that she’s sneaking through humans undetected by them. It must mean those beats have a human form.”

Joseph turned the laptop where Alpha Silas’ face came into view for everyone to see.

“Alpha Silas is right,” he said, his voice carrying a weight of authority. “We can’t forget that innocent lives are at stake. Maddison’s actions are not just a threat to the werewolf community, but to the humans as well.”

Alpha Hugo grunted in agreement. “The girl’s gone rogue. Needs to be stopped, one way or another.”

The conversation shifted gears, focusing on strategy, each alpha offering their insights and experiences. I listened intently, absorbing information like a sponge. Faith, who had been silent, suddenly stirred in my mind.

“Louise,” she whispered, her voice urgent. “Pay attention to Tyson. Something’s off.”

Discreetly, I turned my head and studied Alpha Tyson. He was still slumped in his chair, his gaze fixed on the floor, but a subtle tremor ran through his hands. Fear. Anger. And something darker, almost like guilt.

“What do you see?” I asked Faith.

“He’s hiding something,” she replied. “I might not by psychic but it’s something connected to Maddison and Salista. But I can feel it.”

I frowned, my mind racing. What could Tyson possibly know? He had been withdrawn and grieving since Tiana’s death, barely participating in pack activities or the Alpha’s Summit. Could he know something about Maddison’s that we didn’t? The thought seemed absurd, but Faith’s instincts were never wrong.

“Joseph,” I hissed, tugging on his sleeve. An icy dread crept up my spine. “I need to talk to Tyson. Faith feels something’s off.”

He raised a questioning eyebrow, his eyes usually warm with affection, now sharp with concern. He didn’t argue. Joseph knew Faith’s instincts were rarely wrong, a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. “Alright,” he murmured, his hand squeezing mine with a reassuring strength. “But be careful, Louise.”

I nodded, the weight of his unspoken worry pressing down on me. Gently extricating myself from his lap, I crossed the room towards where Tyson sat huddled, a lone figure amidst the convivial gathering. Gabriel, ever vigilant, looked up as I approached, his matured handsome face etched with a weariness that mirrored Tyson’s.

“Luna Louise,” he said, his voice strained. “Is everything alright?” His protective stance was clear: a sentry guarding his wounded leader.

“I just wanted to check on Tyson,” I replied, forcing a reassuring smile. “He’s been through so much lately.” Saying it out loud felt like a brutal understatement. Losing Tiana had shattered him, leaving a gaping hole in his soul.

Gabriel hesitated, his gaze flickering between me and Tyson. After a long, silent moment, he nodded slowly, acknowledging the genuine concern in my eyes. “Thank you,” he said, the words carrying the weight of his gratitude. “I appreciate that.”

I knelt down beside Tyson, my hand resting lightly on his arm. “Alpha Tyson,” I said softly, “how are you doing?”

He flinched at my touch, his eyes snapping up to meet mine. They were filled with a pain so deep it made my heart ache.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, his voice barely audible. “Just… tired.”

“I know you are,” I whispered. “But you don’t have to carry this burden alone. We’re here for you, Tyson. All of us.”

He looked away, his gaze shifting back to the floor. “You don’t understand,” he whispered. “You can’t understand.”

“Maybe not,” I said, “but I can listen. And sometimes, that’s all we need. Just someone to listen.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he took a deep, shuddering breath and met my eyes again. They were bloodshot and haunted, reflecting a torment I couldn’t fathom.

“I… I saw her,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion. “Maddison. She came to me last month…”

My heart hammered against my ribs. A frantic drummer trapped in a cage. “W-what did she say?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“She said… she said she could help me,” he replied, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and shame. “She said she could bring Tiana back.”

I gasped, my mind reeling. Bringing someone back from the dead was a touchy subject. It had taken the Sun Goddess to bring Zachariah back from the dead, but at a cost. But with the witch Salista at Maddison’s side, anything was possible.

“What did you do, Tyson?” I asked, my voice laced with urgency. “Did you agree?”

He shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “No,” he sobbed. “I didn’t. I knew it was wrong. But… but she showed me things, Louise. Visions of Tiana, happy and alive. She made me believe it was possible. She planted the seed of hope in the barren wasteland of my grief.”

“And then?” I pressed, needing to know the full extent of his involvement, how deeply Maddison had sunk her claws into him.

“Then… then she asked me for something,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “She asked me for information. About the pack’s defences, about our weaknesses. Things she needed for her… her plan. She knows we’re planning to battle her, and she’s preparing a counterattack.”

My blood ran cold. Tyson, in his grief and desperation, had unwittingly allowed Maddison into his life again.

“Did you tell her?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and pity.

He gripped his chest, feeling the frantic beat of his heart beneath his fingers. “No,” he gasped, tears choking his words. “I wanted to… I want my Tiana back more than anything in the world. The silence in the pack is deafening without her. But I couldn’t risk everyone’s death because of my grief. I held back. But she will be back to ask me again, and the next time… the next time, she might kill me if I refuse.”

I grabbed his callused hand and squeezed, offering him the smallest sliver of comfort. “You did the right thing, Tyson. You held strong when it must have been unbearable.” But knowing he had resisted wasn’t enough. We needed to act, and fast. “But now we need to prepare. And maybe,” I thought for a moment, a dangerous idea flickering in my mind, a potential lifeline in this sea of despair. “You’ve given me an idea.”

I stood, my mind racing, adrenaline coursing through my veins. This wasn’t just a confession; it was an opportunity. I needed the room to hear this, to understand the gravity of the situation, but also to see the potential for a counter-strategy. I raised my voice, demanding the attention of the entire room. Every head turned, every conversation ceased.

Tyson stood behind me, his shoulders slumped, his eyes cast low, bracing himself for the judgment that was sure to come. I could feel the weight of their collective gaze, a mixture of shock, fear, and suspicion.

“It has come to my attention that Maddison has attempted to sway Alpha Tyson in his grief.” A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. I held my head high, meeting their gazes, refusing to cower. I could feel the reassuring presence of Tyrone, Joseph and Kingston at my back, ready to step in and protect me if things turned volatile. “Thankfully, Alpha Tyson wasn’t swayed. He resisted her lies and her promises.” A collective sigh of relief swept through the pack. “However,” I continued, my voice ringing with newfound resolve, “we can use this to our advantage. Maddison believes she has a weakness to exploit, a lever to control Tyson. She will return to the Sunset clan. And when she does, we’ll be ready to fight. We will feed her the information she wants… but it will be information we control. We will turn her own deception against her.”