Chapter 140

Aria

The morning after the search party, Darren hardly allowed himself time to stir before he was heading straight into his study. He had an appointment for a video call with his lawyers regarding the deportation.

I watched him go, feeling even more sorry for him than I did yesterday. A good night’s sleep couldn’t fix all of our problems, no matter how much we wanted it to, and it showed. He still looked exhausted—if anything, he looked even more exhausted despite his sleep.

I spent the morning with Lucas, trying to keep him occupied so Darren could complete his meeting in peace. Lucas had made some new friends here, so he was feeling a little bit better, and after lunch he asked if he could go out and play. I went with him, sitting on a nearby bench while I called Bella.

The phone rang several times before she finally picked up. Her voice sounded hoarse, like she hadn’t been sleeping much either.

“Aria,” she said, “I was just about to call you.”

My stomach dropped a little just from hearing the tone of her voice. “Why? What’s going on?”

Bella sighed. “Nothing in particular, it’s just… it’s bad. The protests have reached an all-time high. Someone leaked the news about the hiker’s death, and now the humans are calling for all of the ‘murderous’ werewolves to be rounded up and deported. It’s chaos out here.”

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails began to bite into my palms. “Are you and William okay?” I asked, worried for my friends first and foremost.

“We’re fine,” she said quickly, although I wasn’t entirely sure if I believed her. “We’re doing our best to rally people to our cause, but it’s getting harder every day. The human politicians don’t want to get involved. They’re too scared of losing votes from the ‘actual’ citizens.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying my best not to react to that statement. It wasn’t going to help any if I let it bother me.

“Bella, if things get worse, just promise me that you and William will come to the pack lands,” I said firmly. “I don’t want you two getting hurt. You’re both welcome here. Make sure he knows that as well.”

My friend was quiet for a moment, and I could almost hear the gears turning in her head through the phone.

“Thanks, but it’s just that it’s not just us that I’m worried about,” she finally said. “I’m worried about the innocent people. The humans who don’t agree with the protests and want peace. Some of them have been attacked just for supporting us. Fuck, I saw a lady get punched in the face yesterday just for wearing a t-shirt from an old werewolf movie.”

“You’re kidding,” I huffed.

Bella sighed. “No, I’m not. They thought she was a, in their words, ‘werewolf fucker’. She was just a fan of the movie. God, it’s fucking ridiculous.” She paused, then added, “But it’s not just the humans who are to blame here, Aria. Some werewolves are attacking humans, too. They’re saying all humans are evil, and it’s just making everything worse.”

My chest tightened at her words. I furrowed my brow and asked, “Has more of that strange… scent caused any issues?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Bella said softly. “It’s possible. But even if the werewolves’ aggression is being caused by some form of biological warfare or whatever, it doesn’t negate the fact that people are getting hurt.”

I couldn’t argue with that, of course. “No. It doesn’t.”

We talked for a few more minutes, Bella updating me on the latest developments in the city and the work they’d been doing to help sway more people to our cause. I told her I would talk to Darren about our next steps, although I wasn’t so sure if either of us would even be able to come up with any solutions.

By the time we hung up, I felt more overwhelmed than ever. The world was tearing itself apart, and I didn’t know how to fix it. If anything, it just felt like my fault. I tried to push that feeling away, though, as best I could.

I found Darren in his study a little while later, his face pale and drawn as he stared at a stack of papers on his desk. He looked up when I entered, and his eyes looked glazed over.

“How did it go with the lawyers?” I asked, although I already had a feeling I knew the answer.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not good,” he said. “The laws are being stacked against us, and the government isn’t budging. There’s even a chance we’ll lose the pack lands soon if they decide they want this territory back.”

I sighed and sank down into a chair, shaking my head. “They can’t just take your ancestral home away.”

He shrugged. “Thankfully, we’re able to claim tribal sovereignty rights, so we should be okay for now.” He nodded to my phone in my lap then. “Making calls of your own, I see?”

“I just got off the phone with Bella,” I said, tossing my phone onto his desk with a frustrated huff. “Things are getting worse in the city. The protests are out of control, and innocent people are getting hurt. Werewolves and humans alike.”

“Are werewolves attacking humans again?”

I nodded, my face grim. Darren sighed and stared down at his lap. Neither of us knew what to do in this situation, and it felt like we were losing a battle that had only just begun.

The following morning, the warriors from the Shadowclan arrived bright and early, their presence a small but welcome relief. They were a formidable group, and their arrival seemed to both excite and ease the others. At least the pack was protected, for now. If only Alfira had been protected.

Wendy and the other elders prepared a feast to welcome the warriors on the first night, the pack house bustling with activity as everyone worked together. I joined in the cooking, just looking for something to keep my hands busy. Wendy showed me how to make some traditional foods, and for a little while, I felt… better.

Once the food was prepared, we set up the feast around the enormous fire pit in the village square. A few local musicians broke out their guitars and drums, and soon, everyone was drinking, dancing, and eating. The new warriors seemed to fit in really well, and Darren busied himself with talking to them.

I drifted through the crowd on my own throughout the night, not only greeting the warriors and thanking them for their help but also conversing with the pack members.

It was strange to see how much more accepted I was by the pack now. When I had first arrived, I had been an outsider, a human who didn’t belong. But now, I was their Luna, and they treated me with a respect that still felt unfamiliar.

Some still acted awkward around me, but they no longer rushed away when I approached and a few people even approached me first for conversations.

The feast was a lively affair, the air filled with laughter and the smell of roasted meat and fresh bread. For a moment, just a moment, it was easy to forget the chaos outside our borders, to lose myself in the warmth and camaraderie of the pack. I allowed myself that small comfort, at least for the time being.

But as the evening wore on, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of my mind. I kept glancing at Lucas, who was playing with the other children near the edge of the village square. He seemed happy and content, which was a far cry from the way he had been when we had arrived.

And then everything changed.

I turned away for just a moment, distracted by a conversation with one of the elders. And when I looked back, my heart stopped in my chest.

Lucas was gone.