Chapter 18

Melissa's POV

The drive back to the house was a lot longer than I remembered. As I watched the scenery pass by, My eyes kept noticing the changes that had taken place over the years. Once-familiar landmarks were now blocked by new developments, and the pack lands seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.

Tall fences and watchtowers were strategically placed along the road, giving the impression of a fortress. It's like the pack was building a fence around itself, to hide from something.

"Just how bad have the attacks gotten?" I wondered, as the sight of so much defense structure began to worry me.

Before I left the pack, I knew they experienced multiple attacks, but it hadn't gotten bad enough to build such fortresses.

This was a annoying reminder that I really couldn't let down my guard down with my kids here. The pack had become more vulnerable in a way I hadn't seen since the last time I was here.

Thankfully my driver seemed fine with not engaging in small talk, which suited me fine but I did see him stealing multiple glances at me which was surprising.

I laid my head back on the car seat and was content to let my thoughts wander as we drove through the streets.

Even the trees looked like they were standing as guardians against the seemingly constant threats and attacks the pack was facing.

"Whatever has happened to make these fortifications necessary must be serious." I murmured and the drivers eyes snapped up to meet mine in his overhead mirror.

"You mean you don't know about the attacks ma'am? You don't know what the Alpha has been sacrificing to stop it?" He asked looking serious and I frowned.

"What are you saying? What has the Alpha sacrificed?" I asked but the driver suddenly seemed to change his mind and just shook his head at me.

"Never mind me madam. Let the Alpha tell you whatever he wants to tell you himself." The driver suddenly said and returned all his focus on the road.

Soon, we arrived at the guest house, and I stepped out of the car, inhaling deeply.

The air was thick with the scent of pine and something else—something darker.

I walked into the house and made my way to my children's room.

As I walked up the stairs, I suddenly noticed a young unfamiliar maid moving around, cleaning, her movements were quicker and more efficient than the other maid, but that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that she was a stranger in my home, around my kids. That was not a good thing, especially after the conversation of attacks I kept hearing all afternoon.

I quickly climbed down the stairs and approached her. "Excuse me," I said, drawing her attention to me. "What happened to the other maid? She was the one working here this afternoon."

The maid paused, looking a bit uncomfortable before responding. "Oh, she doesn't work here anymore. She was... fired an hour ago by the Alpha."

"Fired?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Why?"

The maid shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as if worried someone might overhear. "The Alpha received reports that Mrs. Lark had been... rude to you when you first came."

I blinked, surprised by her words. Knox had fired the old maid for being rude to me? That was unexpected.

How did he know? Because I definitely didn't report her.

It was then that the realization finally sank in. The guards Knox left with me.

It must have been the guards Knox had left with me who had been the ones to report her behavior.

Wow, it seems they were just here to spy on me for negative reasons only. I felt a little bad for the nurse, but then again, she had been really bitchy to me so she deserved it.

The maid seemed to sense my thoughts, and shot me a tentative smile. "The Alpha was quite insistent on maintaining a respectful environment to you at all times, every single staff knows this, so anyone who disobeys him should be ready for the consequences. The Alpha was quite firm with his warning ma'am."

"Was he now?" I murmured, still processing the information. The idea that Knox would take such measures for my sake was... confusing.

This was the third time today that he had done something to seemingly protect me. I really didn't know what to think.

I thanked the maid and continued on my way upstairs, making a mental note to unpack this later. Right now, my priority was seeing my children.

The only boys who were my true, trustworthy, grounding force, and the only reason I had agreed to come back in the first place.

In the playroom, their laughter greeted me like a calming massage to my tired soul. Dylan and Tyler were engaged in some complicated game involving toy soldiers and makeshift forts. Their imaginations were really running wild at this stage.

"Mom!" Dylan exclaimed, looking up with a grin that could rival the sun's warmth. "Look what we built!" He was bright and bubbly like he never had that seizure earlier.

That was a relief.

I crouched down beside them and admired their creation. "Oh That's amazing sweetheart," I praised, my heart swelling with pride. "You two are quite the architects."

Tyler beamed and handed me a toy soldier. "We're defending our fort against the invaders of the pack!" He announced and I laughed.

My boys had always been warriors at heart, just like their father.

I smiled and played along as I joined their game. For a while, I let myself be lost in their world, their innocence was a more than welcome rest to all the problems that was waiting for me outside these walls.

But as I was cherishing these moments with them, the situation with Knox's child popped up in the back of my mind.

While I was lucky enough to be playing with my son, that poor five year old boy was stuck lying in bed while the world passed him by.

For the first time since I came here, I actually started to think of the boy as my patient that needed help.

Sure his mother was a grade A bitch who I absolutely despised, and his father was an asshole who had hurt me, but the boy was innocent in all this.

He needed my help, and he needed it now.