Chapter 2

Lucas leans back in his seat, eyes narrowing as he stares out the window. The rolling hills and familiar trees of his pack's territory pass by, though his thoughts are far from peaceful. It's been over a year since he last saw his family, and every time he imagines stepping into the packhouse, he feels a mix of excitement and apprehension.

His father's words from three years ago still echo in his mind: "You'll take over when you find your Luna. Not a moment sooner." At the time, Liam had scoffed. He was young, headstrong, and more interested in leading his pack than in waiting for some fated mate to appear. But now, at 23, with the weight of leadership pressing down on him, those words weigh heavier than ever.

Beside him, Joel, his best friend and Beta, stretches his legs and grins. "Feels good to be back, doesn't it?"

Lucas nods, but his heart isn't in it. "You can say that again," he replies, though his gaze stays locked on the passing scenery. So much has changed in a year. The roads are new, more houses dot the landscape, and the pack's territory is growing. His parents have always been generous, welcoming those from smaller packs after raids and offering aid when needed. It's what they're known for, but today Lucas can't shake a growing sense of unease.

As the car rolls to a stop in front of the packhouse, Lucas notices something odd. There's no welcoming committee, no family members rushing to greet him. Just the omegas, bowing respectfully, their eyes downcast.

"Where are our parents?" Liam asks, his brow furrowed.

One of the omegas, a young woman, steps forward. "Alpha Conri and Beta Convel are in the office, sir. The Luna and Mrs. Convel are in the family room. Miss Camila is at the hospital with her mate."

Lucas' head jerks up at that. "Her mate?" The words hit him like a brick. His sister, Camila, found her mate and no one told him? And why is her mate in the hospital?

Joel stands beside him, just as shocked. "Wait, she found her mate? How come no one mentioned this to us?"

The omega nods, her expression sober. "Yes, Beta Joel. He's injured... badly."

Lucas' heart skips a beat. His sister's mate, already hurt? He doesn't wait for more explanations. He strides into the packhouse, Joel following close behind. His parents' absence at the door feels wrong, like a piece of the puzzle missing.

As they walk through the halls, his wolf, Derek, stirs within him. Something is off. The air feels thick with tension, and he can sense the heaviness of grief long before they reach the family room.

Lucas pushes open the door, and there they are, his mother and Joel's mother, sitting side by side, eyes red from tears.

"Mom?" Lucas' voice is low, cautious.

His mother looks up, her eyes swimming with sorrow. She rises and embraces him, but the relief he expects never comes. "There's been an attack," she whispers, her voice shaking. "A terrible one."

Lucas pulls back, dread creeping into his veins. "What happened?"

Before his mother can respond, his father and Beta Convel walk into the room, their faces grim. Lucas straightens, the weight of the moment settling on his shoulders.

"We need to send out warriors," his father says, his deep voice commanding the room. "The Lotus pack was slaughtered."

Lucas' breath catches. The Lotus pack? He vaguely remembers them, his mother's childhood friend is their Luna. But the thought of an entire pack being decimated sends his blood boiling.

"How?" Lucas demands, his fists clenching at his sides.

Beta Convel steps forward. "In the early hours of today, a man stumbled to our border, covered in blood. He managed to tell us his pack was under attack before he passed out. Camila discovered he was her mate, Scott Hardulf, the son of the Lotus pack's late Alpha."

Lucas' heart sinks. His mother's soft sobs fill the silence as she realizes the extent of the tragedy. Scott, barely alive, had survived something unimaginable. And now, his sister's mate is lying in a hospital bed, barely clinging to life.

"I'll go," Joel says immediately, his voice full of determination.

Derek, rumbles within him, ready for action. There's no question in his mind, he will fight. He will find out who did this, and they will pay. "Me too," he says, his voice hard with resolve.

His father raises an eyebrow. "You've just returned. Aren't you tired?"

Lucas looks at his mother, her face crumpled with grief, and shakes his head. "I'm ready."

***

Lucas strides through the hospital, his heart pounding with a mixture of frustration and worry. The smell of antiseptic clings to the air, and the soft beeping of monitors follows him down the sterile halls. He hates hospitals, he always has but today, he feels an urgency he can't ignore. Camila's mate, Scott, is lying unconscious in the ICU, and Liam can't shake the nagging feeling that this attack is only the beginning.

A nurse approaches him as he nears the ICU ward. "Good afternoon, Alpha Lucas. Your sister is in the first room."

Lucas nods, following her without a word. As they approach the door, Derek, paces anxiously. He knows Camila must be devastated, and the thought of her in pain makes Lucas' protective instincts flare.

Inside the small room, Camila sits beside the hospital bed, her eyes swollen from crying. The man lying there, Scott, is pale and motionless, hooked up to machines that beep steadily, though his injuries are brutal, claw marks and bite wounds ravage his body, and his skin has taken on a sickly hue.

"Lu," Camila whispers, rising from her chair and wrapping her arms around him. She's always been strong, but today, her vulnerability is palpable.

Lucas hugs her tightly. "He'll pull through," he says, but even to his own ears, the words sound hollow. The injuries look severe, and Scott's healing is unusually slow for a wolf. "Why isn't he healing?" he asks, his eyes narrowing at the strange absence of progress.

Camila wipes her tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "The doctors say he was poisoned. Something in his system is preventing him from shifting, from healing." She looks down at her mate, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "But they said he might recover. There's still a chance."

Lucas glances at Scott again, his mind already working through the possibilities. Poison, something meant to stop wolves from healing. This attack wasn't random. Whoever did this wanted to destroy the pack from the inside out.

"We'll find them, Cam," Lucas promises, his voice low and full of resolve. "Whoever did this won't get away with it."

Camila nods, though the strain of the past hours has left her exhausted. "I can't leave him," she whispers. "I need to be here when he wakes up."

Lucas places a hand on her shoulder. "He's lucky to have you by his side." His words are meant to comfort, but his mind is already elsewhere, on the upcoming mission to find those responsible for the attack.

Joel, Lucas links his Beta, I'm almost ready. We need to leave soon.

How's Cam? Joel's voice is calm, though Lucas knows he's worried about her.

She's holding up. But Scott's in bad shape, he was poisoned. We need to figure out what was used on him. It's stopping his healing.

Understood. I'll meet you at the Jeep. We leave in an hour.

"Who were you linking with?" Cam asks.

"Joel."

"Oh, how is he?" she asks in a low voice.

"He's alright, though I bet he's bummed that you're now taken," he teases to lighten the mood.

Cam chuckles low.

"Scott won't be happy to hear this, Shushi," she whispers.

"Oh, I see you have already moved on."

Cam starts to blush. Camila has always had a crush on Joel since she was little and kept praying that he would be her mate.

They continue talking for a few minutes before Lucas have to leave Cam to join Joel.

Lucas sighs, knowing time is against them. "I have to go, Cam," he says softly. "We're heading to the Lotus pack's territory. We'll find out what happened."

Camila's eyes fill with tears again, but she nods, squeezing his hand. "Be careful, Lu. And please, bring justice for them."

Lucas walks out of the hospital, his mind churning with questions and anger. As he approaches the Jeep, Joel is already waiting, arms crossed, his massive frame casting a shadow in the evening light. "Ready?" Joel asks.

Lucas nods. "Let's finish this."