Selena's room was filled with the soft light of the moon, but she couldn't fall asleep. She tossed and turned, and her mind was all over the place. The weight of her anxiety and sadness was like a never-ending storm. She couldn't stop thinking about the accident, her mum, and the man responsible for it.
She couldn't stand not being able to sleep, and she knew she couldn't spend another night in her room without Cayden. She got out of bed with a heavy sigh. Her steps were as soft as a whisper.
Selena wanted to see her friends Anna, Maya, and Milli. She felt bad that she had only caused trouble for Cayden and the pack. As she made her way to the common room, Selena couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt weighing on her shoulders. Since Cayden had put everyone on lockdown again, there was a bustle of wolves roaming around instead of frolicking in the woods.
Selena could hear quiet voices coming from the living room as she went down the grand stairs. As she got closer, the voices got louder, and Selena stopped. She knew she shouldn't listen in, but she couldn't help herself. Selena looked around the corner and saw a few pack members sitting on the couch. There was a man among them, and his presence was strange. Even though they spoke quietly, Selena could hear every word they said.
"I've already said it, and I'll say it again. Selena isn't good enough to be our Luna," one woman said in an angry voice.
The others agreed and nodded, but their faces showed a mix of frustration and anger.
"It's been nothing but trouble ever since she got here," said someone else. "First the war. Then there was the accident, and now Hawk has Dr. Colin in his hands. Even Natasha died because of her. She brings bad luck to this pack."
As Selena heard the harsh words, her heart sank. She felt even worse about the guilt that had been bothering her. She felt like she was to blame for the pain and suffering that had happened to her pack, and now the members of her pack were publicly questioning her position.
Before Selena could run away, Milli walked through the door with fiery eyes.
"Don't you dare say anything bad about our Luna," Milli growled in a low, threatening voice.
As soon as everyone turned to look at Milli, the room went silent. Selena was relieved and embarrassed at the same time. She hadn't meant to listen in, but now her pain was out in the open.
Milli kept talking, and her eyes didn't move. "She is your Alpha's mate. You know mates are chosen by the goddess Luna? Are you implying that Luna made a mistake? Selena is trying hard to make things right. It's not her fault that Hawk is her father. And wasn't this pack created to avenge all those wronged by Hawk?"
When Selena looked at Milli, she felt a lump in her mouth. Her friend's constant support was like a balm for her hurt soul. The women in the room gave each other awkward looks.
The girl hung her head in shame when she realised how important her words were. "Yes, Milli, you are right. We shouldn't have said those things."
Milli nodded, and her face changed. "Selena is also hurting, and we should be there to help her and not make it worse. We're a group, and no matter what, we stick together."
Milli saw Selena sitting alone in a dark area after she told the other girls to leave. She looked like she was lost in thought, and her worried face was furrowed. Milli walked up to her. Even in the middle of the night, her wolfish grin was always there.
"Hey there, Luna," Milli said with a playful wink. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Selena let out a sigh of relief and weariness, and her shoulders sagged. "I couldn't sleep."
As she sat down next to Selena, Milli's face changed into a serious one. "Those girls will no longer bother you. I told them what I thought of them."
Selena managed a small smile when she saw how much her friend cared for her. "Milli, thanks. I do not know what I would do without you."
"Ah, you'd probably be overrun by a pack of bitchy wolves," Milli teased, poking Selena lightly. "But, really, Selena, don't let what they say bother you. Cayden knows you're a great Luna because he tells you so."
Selena nodded, and her eyes showed how grateful she was. "Yes, Milli, you are right. I shouldn't let what they say bother me. So, how are Maya and Anna doing?" Selena asked.
Milli's eyes twinkled with mischief as she leant in closer to Selena, as if she were about to tell her something juicy. "Well, I'd say they're fine since they almost got into a fight over the last piece of pizza."
Selena couldn't help but laugh when she thought about her two friends playing tug-of-war with pizza. "It seems like they healed up fine."
"Oh, absolutely," Milli said with a wink. "They go together like peas in a pod and are ready to take over the world, or at least the fridge."
Selena finally calmed down when she felt a wave of relief wash over her. "That makes me so happy to hear it."
Milli gave Selena a comforting pat on the back. "Don't be worried. They know that you've been through a lot, and they're there for you."
Selena let out a happy sigh. "I've really missed you all. I was so restless tonight that I went to see everyone, but I didn't know how they would respond.
Milli smiled, and her eyes looked sneaky. "Well, you're lucky because I'm on your welcome committee. How does a night in my room with the girls sound?"
"That sounds great. I don't want to be alone right now," Selena replied with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Milli. I could use some time with the girls to take my mind off things."
******************
In the cavernous depths of the Silver River's area, there was a dark den hidden in the earth itself. Hawk led Jennifer and Dr. Colin to this hidden cave. The cave walls were rough and scary, dripping with a creepy darkness. Jennifer knew this place very well. Hawk and she had several clandestine meetings there.
"Remember this place, Jennifer?" Hawk mocked her.
Jennifer's heart sank as memories of their secret rendezvous flooded back.
"Yes, Connard. How could I forget?" She replied, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness.
Jennifer and Dr. Colin was tied together with thick, hard-to-break silver ropes and was stuck in the middle of this evil lair. Jennifer was lost and scared. The metal ropes were a cruel reminder that they were prisoners and couldn't get away.
"Why have you brought us here, Connard?" Jennifer's voice shook as she asked their captor for help. Her voice was a mix of fear and anger.
"Want?" Hawk laughed, and his laugh echoed strangely in the cave. "I don't really want much, Jennifer. Just a quick talk with your Alpha, Cayden."
Jennifer's forehead wrinkled up in confusion. "Really? You just could have asked."
Hawk's laughter got louder, and he looked crazy in the eyes. "Oh, Jennifer, my dear, he has to come here. What will happen next is what is really interesting."
Jennifer's heart beat faster when she understood that Hawk's words made her feel scared. "What do you mean? What are you going to do?"
Hawk's smile got bigger, and his teeth looked too sharp. My dear Jennifer, when Cayden gets here, I will just blow up this whole place."
Jennifer's eyes got bigger and wider with fear. "What?" Jennifer exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You can't be serious! You'll kill everyone!"
Hawk laughed again, and the sound was so scary that it made Jennifer shiver. "I had to decide between running away and ending it all."
Jennifer's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to comprehend Hawk's words.
"You will blow up your own pack? Why?" she pleaded, her voice laced with desperation. Hawk's eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction. "They betrayed me, Jennifer. They all turned their backs on me when I needed them the most," he hissed, venom dripping from his words.