Aiden’s POV
I paced through the war room in the packhouse as I scanned through the battle maps that covered the large table in front of me. It had been a week since the unexpected attack on my territory, and while Logan, my Beta, had initially tried to keep it under wraps, I knew something was wrong. I could feel the loss of my warriors through the bond, the pain of their deaths crept into my consciousness like an uninvited specter. I had to fly back to Rome with a selected group of warriors from the Rock Reel Pack, we are allies now.
Despite the ongoing chaos, my thoughts kept straying to Shenaya. She had barely been speaking to me, but that didn’t stop me from sending flowers and sweet notes to Paris every day. I smiled at the thought of her receiving my gestures, even if she was pretending not to care. Deep down, I knew she would come around.
I stopped pacing and glanced out of the large window overlooking my compound. My mind wandered to the past, to the first ambush with Mighty, the major source of all of these problems in the first place. This latest attack felt eerily familiar. The tactics, and the precision, it was as if the same hand was orchestrating the chaos again.
“I knew he’d come back,” I muttered to myself. “And this time, I’m going to wipe them out, even the shadow man.”
My phone buzzed on the table, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced at the screen which made my heart skip a beat, it’s Shenaya. I hadn’t expected her to call, especially after how distant she had been. I picked up the phone on the first ring.
“Shenaya?” I tried not to sound desperate even though I was really desperate at the moment. I hadn’t heard her voice in days, and it was a welcome reprieve from the turmoil I was dealing with.
“I saw Lucy today,” Shenaya said, her voice tense.
My heart sank. I knew this moment was coming, but hearing it out loud made the situation all the more real.
“How bad was it?” I asked with a low growl. I had always known about Lucy’s troubles with Alenjro, but she had chosen not to reach out for help. It had taken all my restraint not to intervene sooner and of course, I didn’t tell my parents.
“She’s…broken, Aiden. Alenjro’s been abusing her for years, and she didn’t want to tell anyone. She’s lost herself. The Alpha in her is crumbling because he’s forced her into submission. She looks hollow like she’s drowning in her own skin.” Shenaya’s voice cracked slightly as she explained everything she had seen.
Aiden’s fists clenched at his sides, his body trembling with rage.
“I knew Alenjro was treating her badly, but I didn’t realize it had gotten this far. Damn it.” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration “I should have done something sooner. I thought…she would come to me when she was ready.”
“She didn’t want to burden anyone,” Shenaya continued softly. “But she’s with me now. I took her to the pack house, and I won’t let her go back to him. She’s safe, Aiden.”
I closed my eyes for a moment as relief washed over me.
“Thank you, Shenaya. For taking care of her. I owe you for that.”
There was a brief silence on the line before Shenaya spoke.
“I’m worried about her, Aiden,” she said. “She has lost her identity. She is an Alpha wolf, and having her power stripped away like this… it’s not just emotional abuse. It’s damaging her spirit and her connection to her wolf. If we don’t help her regain her strength, I’m afraid she’ll never come back from this.”
My blood boiled at the thought of my sister being broken down like that.
“Alenjro’s going to pay for this. I’ll make sure of it” I mean every single word I say right now, he is going to pay for this with his life but first, I need to get Lucy back on her feet. “I’ll send my healer to the pack house to check on her. She’ll need more than just emotional support.”
“I agree,” Shenaya said. “But Aiden, there’s something else. Lucy mentioned that Alenjro has been pushing her to be submissive because he can’t stand that she’s an Alpha. He’s been trying to weaken her, and I think… I think he’s been using dark magic to suppress her power.”
“Dark magic?” I froze because I had been a victim and I wouldn’t wish that on my enemies.
“Yes,” Shenaya replied. “It’s subtle, but I’ve seen signs of it before. I think he’s been using it to keep her wolf subdued, which is why she hasn’t been able to fight back.”
My heart raced, as I thought about it. My sister going through the hell I had been through. It was
“That bastard. If he’s using dark magic on her… that’s a death sentence. For him.” I roared.
“We’ll need to be careful,” Shenaya warned. “If Alenjro’s resorting to magic, he might have allies we don’t know about. I’ll help Lucy, but you need to stay focused on your territory. The attack on your pack isn’t a coincidence, Aiden. Someone is testing your limits.”
I nodded even though Shenaya couldn’t see him.
“You’re right. This attack feels like the first ambush with the man in the shadow all over again. I’ve been sensing something darker at play. Ethan is coming back next week to help reclaim some of my territories, but we’ll need a plan.”
“Take care of your pack, Aiden. I’ll take care of Lucy. Together, we’ll make sure no one gets away with this.” Shenaya’s voice softened slightly but her concern was still evident
“I will,” I simply said and ended the call.
As the call ended, I stared at the phone with a racing mind, something about this attack felt personal, as if the Mighty weren’t just after my territory but after me specifically. They had been quiet for years, but now they were back, more dangerous than ever.
This wasn’t just about reclaiming my territory anymore. It was about protecting the people I love and making sure that those who had wronged them would never see the light of another day.