Moonlit Bonds

The meeting that changes it all

Greyson and Jaxen sat in the alpha's office, their expressions grave. The scent of tension hung heavily in the air.

"I don't like this," Greyson growled, his eyes narrowing. "Xander and Bass were seen near the location where the body was found. It doesn't look good for them."

Jaxen nodded grimly. "I know, but we can't jump to conclusions. We need evidence before we accuse them of something like this."

"But it's obvious, Jaxen. They've always been troublemakers, and now one of our own is dead. They had motive."

"Maybe," Jaxen conceded. "But we need to be sure. We can't risk starting a war with Red Moon without proof."

Greyson sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I just can't believe someone from that pack would do this. It's sickening."

"I know, Greyson," Jaxen said softly. "But we have to be smart about this. We need to investigate, gather evidence, and find the truth. Then we can act."

Greyson nodded, his jaw set. "You're right. We'll do it your way. But if Xander and Bass are guilty, they'll pay for their crimes."

Jaxen placed a reassuring hand on his alpha's shoulder. "We'll find out what happened, Greyson. I promise."

Greyson sighed as he dropped a photo of a family in his pack. It was a couple he knew very well and the girl was their only child. The couple cried relentlessly as he told them. They already knew that she was gone as their bond broke. But getting the confirmation from their alpha had them spiraling into endless despair.

Knox's heart sank as he saw his son, Bass, sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. He had received a call from his brother earlier that day, informing him that Bass had found a dead girl while trotting around the woods.

Knox walked over to his son and sat down beside him. He put a hand on his back and said, "Bass, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now."

Bass looked up at his father, his eyes red and puffy from crying. "I just can't believe it, Dad. She was just lying there, and she was so young."

Knox nodded his head, understanding the shock and horror that his son was experiencing. "I know, son. It's a terrible thing to see. But we need to focus on what we can do now to help find out what happened to her."

Bass looked at his father, confused. "What do you mean, Dad?"

"Well, Bass, it's important that you remember every detail about what you saw. And, we need to make sure that you don't get incriminated by her death. You were just stumbling upon a dead body, and we don't want anyone to think that you had anything to do with it."

Bass nodded his head, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Okay, Dad. I'll do my best to remember everything I saw."

Knox squeezed his son's shoulder, "I know you will, son. And, we're going to get through this together. We'll make sure that justice is served, and that this girl's family gets the closure they deserve."

Bass wiped away his tears and nodded his head, feeling comforted by his father's words. Together, they sat in silence, watching the police arrive on the scene and begin their investigation. Though the day had started off as a typical day, it had ended in tragedy, and Knox knew that his son would never forget the importance of paying attention to details and doing the right thing, even in the face of darkness.

Olive crept down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. She had overheard her parents talking about something serious, and she couldn't resist the urge to eavesdrop. As she approached the living room, she could hear hushed voices and the sound of her parents shuffling around.

"I can't believe it," her mother was saying. "A young girl, just like that. It's tragic."

"I know," her father replied. "And what's worse, I have a feeling that Bass and Xander might be involved."

Olive froze in her tracks, her mind racing. Bass and Xander? The same guys she had been hanging out with lately? She had always thought Bass was a good guy with a bad reputation, but now she wasn't so sure.

"What makes you say that?" her mother asked.

"Well, they were the last ones to be seen with the girl," her father explained. "And they've been acting strange ever since it happened. I don't know, something just doesn't add up."

Olive felt a wave of shock and horror wash over her. She had never imagined that Bass and Xander could be capable of something like that. She had been warming up to Bass, slowly but surely, and now she didn't know what to think.

As her parents continued to talk, Olive couldn't bring herself to listen any longer. She turned and hurried back down the hallway, her mind reeling. What should she do? Should she confront Bass and Xander, or keep quiet and let the pack handle it?

One thing was for sure: nothing would ever be the same again. The murder had changed everything, and Olive wasn't sure how she would ever be able to trust anyone again.

Greyson: "Cash, I'm telling you, Bass killed one of my pack members!"

Cash: "Greyson, Bass is my nephew. He couldn't have done it. You have no proof!"

Greyson: "Proof? My pack member was found dead in your territory, and witnesses saw Bass leaving the scene."

Cash: "That doesn't mean he did it! You can't just accuse my nephew without evidence."

Greyson: "The evidence is right in front of you! Your nephew has a history of violence, and he was the last person seen with the victim."

Cash: "That's just circumstantial! You can't convict someone based on hearsay and assumptions."

Greyson: "I'm not convicting him, I'm just saying he's the prime suspect. You need to do something about this before it turns into a full-blown war between our packs."

Cash: "I'll investigate the matter and get to the bottom of it, but until then, you need to keep your pack in line. Accusing someone without evidence is a dangerous game to play."

Greyson: "I don't care about your investigation. I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect my pack. And if that means going to war, then so be it."

Cash: "You're being foolish, Greyson. You can't just go to war without considering the consequences. Think about the innocent lives that will be lost in the process."

Greyson: "I have thought about it, Cash. And I've made my decision. Are you going to stand by your nephew, or are you going to do the right thing and hand him over to me for justice?"

Cash: "I'll do what I think is best for my pack, Greyson. And that might not align with what you want. But I'll make sure this matter is resolved peacefully and justly. Goodbye."

Greyson: "Goodbye, Cash. But don't forget, this isn't over yet."

Right after Cash hung up on Greyson, he mind-linked his brother to join him into his office.

Knox: Hey Cash, how did it go? Knox was beyond nervous as he asked his older brother.

Cash: It's going... I don't know, Knox. I just got off the phone with Greyson.

Knox: Oh yeah? What did he have to say?

Cash: He accused Bass of killing a girl.

Knox: What?! That's ridiculous. Bass would never do something like that.

Knox had a feeling Bass was in trouble but this knocked the wind out of him.

Cash: I know, I defended him. But Greyson seems pretty convinced.

Knox: Thank you for defending him. I know Bass is innocent, he was looking like a ghost when he came home.

Cash: Of course, he's family. But we need to figure out who's actually responsible for the girl's death.

Knox: Agreed. We'll do everything we can to help with the investigation.

Cash: That's good to hear. I just hope Greyson doesn't jump to conclusions before all the evidence is in.

Knox: I know. We just have to trust that the truth will come out.

Cash: Yeah. In the meantime, we need to make sure Bass is safe.

Knox: Absolutely. He's just a kid, he doesn't deserve to be dragged into this.

Cash: I know. We'll protect him, no matter what.

Knox: Thanks, Cash. You're a good brother.

Cash: No problem, Knox. We're family, we look out for each other.

Knox sighs, "I know I have been a volatile brother, but you have always been my rock. I can't thank you enough."

Cash: You can count on it.

Cask looked at his younger brother with empathy and love. They both hugged and patted each other back. No words were needed for what they shared.