Uncle Jeremiah

"Uncle!" Helena greeted her Uncle with a bright smile as soon as they returned to the Dining Hall.

Jeremiah Stonehill was her mother's younger brother who could pass off as Alyssa's twin.

They shared the same blond hair and gray eyes, the only difference was that Jeremiah towered Alyssa by at least a foot.

Unlike most Alphas, Jeremiah Stonehill wasn't built like a tank. He favored a leaner frame and was more likely to be found in the library than in the gym.

"It's good to see you back at Blackmoon, Helena," Jeremiah said as he gave his niece a warm smile.

"It's only for a little while," Helena admitted.

She noticed Romeo inching closer. He hadn't left her side since they returned, despite many of the guests approaching him to talk.

"But you will come visit the pack regularly like you've always done, yes?" her Uncle asked.

Helena glanced at Romeo, she was thankful that her Uncle had spoken in a low voice, hopefully, Romeo wouldn't pick up on the fact that she'd been visiting the Stonehill pack frequently since she'd left.

She didn't even know why it mattered so much that she kept it from Romeo.

'Because you know that he'll lose his shit or stalk the borders just to see you,' Hera giggled in her thoughts.

'He wouldn't,' Helena snapped.

Despite the conviction in her tone, Helena wasn't quite too sure that he wouldn't do that.

Within the past twenty-four hours, she'd seen an even more possessive Romeo. She didn't even know how she would slip away before the Blood Moon Ball.

"The pack has been asking about you," her Uncle Jeremiah confessed. "They know you're here."

"They've grown attached to you, dear," his mate Jessica told Helena with a sad look in her eyes.

"Uncle, Jessica," Helena said with a sigh. "I'm only filling in as your heir temporarily."

Jeremiah didn't contradict her or agree.

He simply shook his head.

Helena raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he meant.

"You should visit while you're here," Jessica said as she tried to shift the conversation.

"I don't have a lot of free time," Helena answered with a frown.

While she would love to go back and visit her old pack and the pack she could potentially lead someday, she didn't want to be caught anywhere near the Blackmoon pack when the Blood Moon rose.

"Then stay," Romeo suddenly said as he stood next to her.

"I can't," Helena reasoned.

She saw as Romeo gave Jeremiah a pleading look.

"The packs need you, Helena," Jeremiah added.

Helena shook her head, annoyed that everyone was pushing her to stay when they were the same people that also needed her out there.

"I'm more useful to both you and dad out there, negotiating alliances, laying out ground work for peace," she argued with her uncle.

"And I'm not saying you haven't been a great help, Helena," her Uncle sighed. "There's no disregarding the impact you've made on both packs as our ambassador, but it's time to go home."

"I'm not ready," Helena said with a pout.

Despite her not wanting to leave, something Romeo didn't want, she felt as he reached for her hand and ran his thumb over it in an attempt to calm her.

"Helena, you've brought peace," Jeremiah sighed. "You spent four years in boarding school and another five visiting packs and negotiating alliances."

"Is that what you've been doing?" a cold familiar voice asked.

Helena's gaze snapped to its source as Romeo let out a growl.

"I thought I told you not to disrespect her," Romeo hissed as he placed himself between Helena and Alpha Ash.

"It was an innocent question, Alpha." It seemed that Ash was mocking the fact that Romeo hadn't gone through his Rite yet.

Helena placed a hand on Romeo's arm, hoping that he wouldn't do something stupid because of her.

"I'd watch it, boy," Jeremiah said as he stood tall, ready to protect both his mate and Helena if needed.

"And what was coming after that question?" Romeo asked Alpha Ash as if challenging him to complete what he was intending to say earlier.

"I was just wondering if negotiating an alliance was the reason why Helena got a little too close to me," Alpha Ash said with a smirk on his lips.

Another growl came as a crowd gathered, this time from Helena.

"Tell me, Helena," Alpha Ash said slowly as he took a step closer to Romeo. They were now almost chest to chest, with Romeo towering over the man by a few inches. "Did you spread your legs for me because you wanted that alliance or because you're just that big of a whore?"

Everything happened so fast, even for woloves.

One moment, Helena was behind Romeo, and the next Romeo was lifting Alpha Ash by the throat, and Neil had stepped in to stand in front of Helena.

"Romeo!" Helena shouted, making Romeo freeze as he kept his eyes on Alpha Ash, who was now lifted from the ground by his throat. "Don't! You need to follow the laws."

"You're right, love," Romeo said, his tone poisonous.

"I can handle him," she argued.

'We can take Alpha Ash on,' her wolf said, agreeing with her.

'We can, but sometimes it feels nice having someone stand up for you,' Helena admitted.

"I, Romeo Blackmoon, Alpha Heir of the Blackmoon Pack, challenge you, Alpha Ash, for the rights over your pack for insulting my mate," a resounding gasp echoed through the room.

"I accept," Alpha Ash answered. "She also isn't your mate. You don't know that till the Blood Moon, she could be mated to any male in this room. So do not make presumptions, Alpha Romeo."

Something about the way he was smiling made Helena nervous. It was as if Alpha Ash had this planned all along.

'Do you think it could be a trap?' Helena asked Hera.

'If it is I'm sure Romeo and Ryder can handle it," Hera said her voice full of confidence.