Breaking Ground

She walked back in to the house with a sense of purpose. Traven and his parents were still talking. She couldn't wait until they could all see each other again. That would bring her joy.

"Well, dear, we should probably get off the phone, but we are so relieved to hear that you are okay. Bless that Alpha Jacob. I always did like that guy." William was saying, and Lucky motioned for him to hand her the phone when they were done with goodbyes.

"Hey darling," he said. "How is it going?"

"Honestly I'm pretty overwhelmed," Lucky told him, "but I think I might be able to talk some sense in to my father. I'm not sure yet. He doesn't feel like a bad guy, but that Luna Gina is no good. I feel like she has a lot more to do with the way you were treated than he did."

"Be careful," he said. "If anyone finds out you are my mate I don't know what they would do, if they still believe I killed Neveah."

"Speaking of Neveah, I had a message from the Moon Goddess, and I need to go find her room. Do you know where in the Pack House it is?"

"It should be on the top floor where the Alpha stays. Exactly which one I am not sure."

"Well, it looks like I am going to be paying the Pack House a visit." She explained what the Moon Goddess had told her.

"Well, it's a start. Alpha Jacob said he has spoken with agents all across the country, and has made some progress coordinating a takedown of human trafficking networks. They want to do it maybe a week from now?" Traven sounded worried, he hated the idea of Lucky being abducted, even if it was all planned out. Too many things could go wrong.

"Ugh. I almost forgot about that," Lucky groaned. She knew she had to help, and she wanted to, but she couldn't help being scared. After escaping that hell, the last thing she wanted to do was go back. "A week? Well I should be back with you before then. I just want to find out as much as I possibly can before I come save the world."

"I will be helping you and so will Alpha Jacob and a bunch of other really good people. I am learning that not all humans are Neanderthals." Midnight Moon stayed hidden from humans, their mountain town was so remote and well hidden that it had never been discovered. He had heard that it was protected by some kind of magic, though he wasn't sure if that was true or just a story. He was learning there was more to the world than what he could see. It wasn't unusual for shifters to have some supernatural ability, for example he was faster than any wolf he had ever raced. His mother could sense what others were feeling, something known as an intuitive.

"There are good ones and bad ones, I suppose that's true everywhere," Lucky mused.

"I'm going to take Flappy for a run and go to bed," Traven told her. "I've been training with the warriors. It's going a lot better than I thought." Traven sounded proud. Lucky was happy that her mate was free from the lonely life he was forced to live for so long. She knew that if she were to stay in Midnight Moon, Traven would have to be proven innocent. Or she had to talk some sense in to her father. Maybe if she could get him without Luna Gina around, she could do it.

"Goodnight, I love you," they

said at the same time, making them both laugh. Lucky put her phone in her back pocket.

"Sophie, do you think you could watch her while I go to the Pack House?" She asked, holding the puppy out towards Sophie, and her eyes lit up as she took her from Lucky. She was staying at the Pack House, but having a puppy with her might prevent her from being stealthy if the need arose.

"Of course," she said, "I would love to." Lucky hugged them both. She really did feel more at home with them than she had felt in a long time.

On her walk to the Pack House, Lucky took in the scenery. This place looked like it belonged on a travel blog about cozy getaways. The moonlight, even brighter because of her enhanced vision, surrounded everything in an ethereal glow. The pine trees, the thick forest, the log cabins with smoke rising out of the chimneys into the night looked almost surreal. She loved this place. She was determined to find a way to make it home.

Her pace quickened. She was nearly to the Pack House when she heard a rustle of something and a twig snap behind her. She smelled something unpleasant, and acrid, pungent smell almost like cat urine. She didn't know what the smell was, but she instinctively knew it was trouble. She spun around, her eyes scanning all directions for anything moving. She listened, and swore she heard someone curse. A minute later she heard the same rustling sound, only it seemed to be moving away. She couldn't smell whatever it was anymore, but the scent stuck to her memory like dried egg to a pan.

She practically ran the rest of the way to the Pack House, throwing the doors open and rushing inside. She ran right to the Alpha's office and banged on the door. A few seconds later, a confused Liam opened the door. "Lucky!" He exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

"I am, but there was something outside following me. It smelled like cat pee and I think it ran away when it realized I had detected it."

"That would be a rogue wolf," Liam explained, looking concerned. "A werewolf that has gone feral, usually cast out of the pack for criminal behavior, although some choose to live on their own. Rogues are almost always bad news."

"Whatever it was, I don't think it had good intentions," she told her father.

"I will set up extra patrols around the pack house." He appeared to mind link with someone, nodding a moment later. "They are checking the area."

"Good. I would hate for anything to happen here. I really like it here and wish I could stay," she blurted out, feeling foolish.

"Of course you can stay, you are my daughter, Lucky," her father told her. "I'm sorry we didn't know about each other before. I want to make that up to you."

She wanted to believe it, to believe everything would just fall in to place so easily. But she couldn't forget that this was the same Alpha who had accused and convicted her mate of murder without any solid evidence. She felt torn.

"Can I see my sister's room?" She asked. "I would like to see what I can learn about her from it, since we never did get to meet." She decided to be straight with her father, testing the waters. He didn't have to know she was trying to find out what really happened to her mother.

Liam looked surprised by her request but he didn't object. "Of course. It is the one next to the Alpha suite, which is behind the double doors at the end of the hallway. The one on the right as you face the double doors."

Lucky blinked. She hadn't expected it to be that easy. She decided to press a little further. "What happened to her, Dad?" She almost whispered.

"Anymore I honestly don't know," he said, his voice full of remorse. "I was so sure I knew four years ago but since then I have realized I might have jumped to conclusions too quickly." He let out a heavy sigh. "That is my burden to bear."

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, hope flooding her heart. Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard after all. "You know, admitting you were wrong shows more strength than weakness, in my opinion." With that she turned and quickly left the room, hoping it would get him thinking.

She made her way to the floor where she would find her sister's room. She was quiet, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. She quietly opened the door and slipped in to the room, quietly closing it behind her.

She recalled the Moon Goddess's cryptic words. Beneath her feet where no feet have walked. She looked under the bed and found nothing. When she looked under the night stand, she noticed that one of the rugs was pulled slightly off center, and that the wood floor beneath one of the edges looked slightly different than the others. Moving the rug aside, she saw a small trap door. She took a deep breath as she opened it.

Sitting there untouched for years was a leather bound book with the word "Diary" on the front cover.