Chapter 14

Tia and Luca packed their bags and joined Duncan and Sadie for breakfast. Surprisingly, Duncan apologized for his behavior. Tia could tell he was still struggling with it a bit, but he seemed sincere. She glanced at Sadie, who winked at her, and suddenly, it became clear: Sadie had talked sense into him. Duncan would have arrived eventually, but Sadie had helped move it along. Tia was grateful. She did not want to fly out on bad terms with Duncan.

After breakfast, Duncan and Sadie dropped them off at the airport for the two-hour trip home. Tia gave Duncan a big hug.

“I hope you have a great time at the bonding ceremony. Take good care of this one, and bring her home safe,” she said, nodding toward Sadie.

She turned to hug Sadie and whispered in her ear, “Thank you!”

Sadie smiled. “What are sisters for?”

Luca stepped in and hugged Sadie, and they waved goodbye.

The flight was uneventful, as was the trip home. As Luca and Tia pulled up in front of the Packhouse, the Alpha and Luna rushed to greet them. Carina hugged Tia tightly and then looked her over. “Are you alright?”

Tia laughed, “Yes, I am fine. Everything has completely healed.”

As she turned to hug Alpha Bran, she noticed his glazed-over eyes and realized he was mind-linking with someone. She glanced at Luca, suddenly realizing it was him.

“Any news?”

Bran’s eyes refocused. He pulled Tia into a big bear hug.

“No, I was telling Luca that nobody has seen Vex since the attack.” We spoke to Naren, but he denied Vex was there. He said Vex and Kyle were on a fishing trip.

“Have you spoken to the pack alliance?” Luca asked.

“I did. Unfortunately, they were not much help. It is our word against theirs. The Elders are watching them, but unless we have further proof, there is nothing much they can do.”

Tia nodded, “I understand. It is fine. I am okay and don’t want to think about it anymore. I am going to unpack. I want to stop in and visit Liam before training.”

Bran sighs, frustrated. “This is not over, Tia. We will get Vex, and when we do, he will regret he ever laid eyes on you.”

“No, Alpha. He is not worth it. A pack war is not what we need right now. You are about to turn the pack over to Duncan and start your new journey as an Elder. I am fine. Duncan, Luca, and I can handle whatever comes up down the road. You need to concentrate on the next steps for you and Luna Carina.”

Luca nodded. “We will take care of it, Alpha. I promise you that Vex will be dealt with when the time is right.”

Tatiana checked in on Liam and Madelyn before training, but no one was home. Not overly concerned, she went to the training field to meet the pups. However, she learned Liam had missed the last couple of training sessions, and she became worried.

After the session, she headed to the store to find Madelyn. She hadn’t been in either. Tia became very concerned and stopped by their house one more time. Fortunately, this time, Liam answered the door. He squealed and wrapped his little arms around her. Madelyn came up behind him. “Hi! Welcome back.”

“Thanks! I stopped by earlier, but no one was home.”

She could tell something was up with Madelyn. Her eyes darted around nervously as she was watching out for something.

“Everything Okay?”

Madelyn nodded and motioned for her to come in. “Yes, everything is fine...”

“Madelyn, who was it?” came a strange voice from the backroom.

Tia looked up to see a strange woman enter the room, “Tia, this is my sister-in-law, Gabriella.”

“Hello! I did not know you had a sibling.”

“I did. My brother died at the same time as Liam’s father. Unfortunately, Gabriella and my brother were not officially bound as mates before he died, so his pack never took her in. Gaby is a rogue. She lives at the Village.”

“Hi! I am sorry. I don’t want to cause Maddy any trouble. I will get my things.”

Madelyn grabbed her arm and continued, “A couple of nights ago, some pack wolves attacked Gaby just outside the Village. So she has been staying here until she gets her strength back up.”

Tia gasped, “I am so sorry. Are you okay?”

Gaby nodded, “Yes, Ma’am, I am feeling much better.”

“Don’t worry about staying. I will clear it officially with the Alpha. You are welcome to stay as long as you need. If you need any medical attention, go to our clinic. I will let them know you may drop in. Is there anything you need?”

“No, thank you, Ma’am. Maddy has taken good care of me. I will head back to the Village tomorrow.”

“Very well. Our Zeta will escort you back to the Village, and please call me Tia.”

“Thank you, Tia, but that won’t be necessary. I am used to traveling alone,” she said, looking at her feet. Tia sensed she might feel more comfortable with a female present.

Tia thought briefly, “Better yet, Zeta Luca and I will accompany you back to the Village. What time shall we pick you up?”

Gaby looked back and forth between Maddy and Tia before answering, “Does 10 am work?”

“Perfect! We will see you then.” She turned to Liam and said, “And I will see you at training tomorrow?” Maddy nodded thankfully.

Tia gave him a quick hug and left for the Packhouse. Luca would be happy to accompany the girl to the Village. Tia knew the hard part was convincing him to take her along. A female rogue walking near any pack territory was an open target. Tia wanted to make sure she made it back safely.

As Tia closed the door behind her and stepped out into the crisp evening air, she felt a strange chill prickle down her spine. She glanced back at Madelyn’s house, but everything seemed quiet now. Still, an uneasy feeling lingered, one she couldn’t shake.

When she returned to the Packhouse, she found Luca waiting for her. He was already up to speed on tomorrow’s plan, and after a brief argument, Tia convinced him it would be safer if they both escorted Gaby back to the Village. They agreed to set out at first light to avoid drawing too much attention.

But that night, Tia’s sleep was filled with uneasy dreams—glimpses of shadows moving in the forest, strange eyes watching her from the darkness, and a persistent, haunting feeling that something—or someone—was closing in on her.

She woke up with a start just before dawn, drenched in cold sweat. As she steadied her breath, she caught a faint sound outside her window. She crept over and peered into the early morning haze, her heart pounding.

At first, she saw nothing. But just as she turned away, she spotted a flash of movement at the edge of the trees. Her heart skipped. It was too far to make out any details, but there was something eerily familiar about the figure standing there, cloaked in shadow.

Before she could make a sound, it vanished into the mist.

Tia’s pulse quickened as she backed away from the window, wondering if the figure had been watching or waiting for her.