PROTECTION

Mrs. Lauren stood in front of the grand window in her private chamber, overlooking the sprawling lands of the pack. The view, normally a source of solace, brought her no peace today. Her mind buzzed with the whispers she had overheard earlier that morning, whispers about Elena, her son Damien’s mate, and the child she carried.

Her grip tightened on the curtain as she recalled the way the wolves spoke, their words laced with doubt and fear. “Elena isn’t one of us,” they had said. “What if her child brings danger to the pack? She’s hiding something.”

Lauren sighed deeply, her brow furrowed with worry. She had always feared this day would come. Ever since she discovered Elena’s true lineage, that she was a descendant of the Moon Goddess Lauren had known that her presence in the pack would not go unnoticed. Elena’s strength, her mysterious powers, the unusual circumstances of her relationship with Damien, it was all too much for the pack to accept without question. And now, with the rumor