Aria’s POV
Finally, we reached the pack house. As I stepped down from the carriage, I was taken aback by the crowd gathered in front of the house. Most of them were men, their faces grim and determined, clamoring to see Alpha Logan.
“Where’s the Alpha?” one of the men shouted.
“We need to see him now!” another yelled, his voice edged with desperation.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward, Erinne trailing behind me. “What’s going on here?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
A man at the front of the crowd turned to me, his eyes filled with anger and fear. “We need to see Alpha Logan concerning our missing pregnant wives and daughters,” he declared. “They’ve been missing for over a day now, and no one is doing anything about it!”
Another man stepped forward, his fists clenched. “We’ve had enough! If the Alpha can’t protect us, we’ll take matters into our own hands!”
The murmurs of agreement from the crowd made my heart race. They looked ready to start acts of violence, and I was genuinely scared. But I knew that as a Luna, I had to command authority.
“Please, everyone, calm down,” I bellowed, raising my hands to quiet them. “Steps are being taken to end this. Alpha Logan is doing everything he can to ensure the safety of our pack.”
A skeptical murmur ran through the crowd. “What steps?” a voice called out. “We haven’t seen any action!”
I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. “I understand your fears and frustrations. Believe me, I share them. But we need to stay united. Acting out of anger will only make things worse.”
A man with a grizzled beard stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “How can we trust that anything is being done? Our wives and daughters are missing, and we have no answers!”
I looked him in the eye, willing my voice to remain calm. “I know you’re scared. We all are. But I promise you, Alpha Logan is working tirelessly to resolve this.”
“Tell us what is being done!” The first man roared.
“Alpha Logan is…” I scrambled around in my head for a lie to tell them. “He’s in contact with other packs, and we’re searching for any leads. The Council of Alphas will also be informed soon enough. We will find them.”
The crowd’s murmurs quieted a bit, but the tension was still in the air. “We can’t just sit around and do nothing,” another man insisted, his voice quieter but still intense.
“I’m not asking you to do nothing,” I replied. “I’m asking you to trust in the leadership of this pack. If we work together and stay calm, we stand a better chance of finding them and bringing them home safely.”
A murmur of reluctant agreement rippled through the crowd. I could see the fear and anger in their eyes, but also a shred of hope. They wanted to believe that things would get better.
“Go back to your homes,” I urged. “Stay with the rest of your families and keep them safe. We will keep you informed of any developments. Please, trust us.”
The men began to disperse slowly, their faces still etched with worry but their anger subdued. I watched them go, my heart heavy with the weight of their fears.
As the last of the crowd trickled away, I turned to Erinne. “We need to make sure Alpha Logan knows about this immediately.”
Erinne nodded. “I’ll go and find him.”
However, she returned a minute later, looking flustered. “Alpha Logan doesn’t want to come out,” she reported, her voice low and strained.
Worry gnawed at me. Quickly, I rushed to Alpha Logan’s study, my heart pounding. I found him stepping out of the study dressed in his full Alpha regalia, about to head out.
“Alpha Logan,” I called breathlessly, “there’s been a ruckus outside. The pack members are scared and angry about the missing pregnant women.”
He barely glanced at me as he adjusted his cloak. “The pack members are the least of my worries right now, Aria.”
I blinked, stunned by his indifference. “But they’re terrified! They need reassurance, Alpha Logan. They need to know you’re doing something. I cooked up a lie for them, but I don’t think that’ll hold them back for long.”
Alpha Logan turned to face me, his eyes cold. “I am doing something. Something far more important than placating a bunch of scared villagers.”
My frustration grew. “They’re not just scared villagers, Alpha Logan. They’re our people! They’re looking to you for leadership.”
He sighed, clearly annoyed. “And I’m leading, just not in the way you think. My focus is on dealing with Alpha Denderick and his threats, and securing my position with the Council of Alphas. That’s the real issue here, not some panicked crowd outside.”
I took a step closer, my voice lowering. “If you don’t address their fears, you risk losing their trust. They need to see you care.”
“I don’t care about protecting this pack, Aria. I care about securing my seat! Standing out there, reassuring them with empty promises, won’t solve anything.”
I felt a surge of desperation. “They need to see their Alpha! They need to see you’re in control, that you’re doing everything to keep them safe.”
Alpha Logan’s eyes narrowed. “And what would you have me do? Stand out there and hold their hands like their bloody father?”
“No, but at least show your face. Let them know you’re aware of things, and that you’re taking action.”
He shook his head, turning back to his preparations. “I have more pressing matters to attend to. The pack members will just have to deal with their fears on their own.”
I watched him, a mix of anger and helplessness churning inside me. “If you won’t address them, then I will. They need someone to believe in, Alpha Logan. They need hope.”
He shrugged. “Do what you like. Just don’t harm my child inside of you.”
Alpha Logan’s indifference was starting to get scary. He turned to walk away, then stopped and turned back to me.
“And by the way, you need to stay under lock and key, Aria. For your safety and the baby’s.” He growled. “i don’t want you or the child affected by the unrest.”
And before I could respond, he walked away, leaving me to my scattered thoughts.