Arabella’s POVHaving handed his phone to Jonas, Leo gripped my hand and pulled me out of the room and down the corridor. Once outside, he dropped it.“Arabella, what the fuck!” Anger was evident in his voice.I met his gaze, unflinching. The weight of my decision heavy in the air between us. I refused to apologise for keeping him in the dark, for the secrets I held close to my chest. Especially when I had good reason."What do you expect me to say? That I'm sorry for not telling you everything I get up to? Because I'm not sorry. I did this for you Leo. For everyone like you.”Leo's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What about Trudy? I've never even heard you mention her before. Yet here she is encouraging you to do things you wouldn’t normally do. Yes, he seems to be a good lead, but why would you trust her with something so important? You could have come to me.”"Trudy is my family, and now thanks to yours, she’s all I have left that’s blood related to me. She may n
Leo’s POV“Ok, so how many?” Kate asked as she listened to Arabella’s plan.“I’m going to say twenty. I don’t think we’ll need that many wolfs, but I’d rather be prepared.“ Arabella was strong and commanding, as she gave Kate her orders."Alright, twenty it is," Kate replied, her eyes gleaming with an unnerving excitement. Things between the two women had come along way, and now it was obvious that Kate, trusted Arabella's judgment.The room was dimly lit, the lamps light focused on the maps and blueprints that lay on the table before them.Arabella continued, her voice steady. "We'll split into teams of five. Each team will have a designated leader and a specific area to cover. We need to surround and eliminate the threat before they cause any more harm."Kate nodded, her gaze fixed on the map in front of her. "I'll take the eastern sector. It's dense with forests and provides good cover for the wolves. I'll make sure to gather a team of skilled trackers and marksmen."Arabella smile
Arabella’s POVEvery step we took until the warehouse came into sight, was calculated and deliberate. Sure Jonas had been the one to make the call, but he’d been missing for goddess only knows how long. Which meant, they could have already known this was an ambush and they were in fact, setting us up.Trudy was staying with Jonas, pretending to be his ‘Lycan’. We both knew the risks of what could happen should everything go wrong, but it may have been the last chance we’d get to shut them down once and for all. And Trudy, she understood that more than anyone.Six years ago, half her pack was slaughtered by rogues. Her pack were strong and so eventually, the rogues retreated. They ran away so quick, that they forgot a few of their wounded. My uncle, Trudy’s father, was quick to end each of their lives. All except for one. I never knew all the details, until she called me the other day. And after hearing what I had, how could I not let her have a chance at ensuring those who were respon
Arabella’s POVGrief made us unpredictable, and that made us dangerous. Lisa may have been in pain, but I couldn’t risk her acting out having gotten the chance.I asked Kate and Henry to escort the Spring Lake warriors home, and to gather the families of the fallen. It was important that we honor their sacrifice, acknowledging their unwavering loyalty until the very end. I wanted their loved ones to know that their bravery had ensured the safety of all wolves, that they had put an end to the threat that had haunted us.Kate's annoyance at the additional responsibility was obvious, but I made a mental note to address her concerns once we returned home. For now, my priority was ensuring the well-being of my cousin, Trudy.Leo arrived a few minutes after the pack warriors had left, bringing with him a mini van. Susie and Leo threw Lisa into the back, restraining her to one of the headrests in order to restrict her movement.Susie had wanted to cover her with a blanket, but Trudy wanted h
Leo’s POVEver since we returned to Spring Lake, Arabella seemed to be in a world of her own. It was as if she was physically present but mentally miles away.Since her twenty-first birthday, life had dealt her blow after blow. It hadn't even been eight months, and already it was turning out to be a terrible year for her. I wanted to be there for her, to offer her a shoulder to lean on, but that was proving to be a challenge. Arabella had built walls around herself, refusing to let anyone in.I watched as Arabella retreated further into herself, her usually vibrant eyes now dull and distant. It was heartbreaking to see her like this, a shell of the woman she once was. I knew she was dealing with a lot, the weight of the world seemingly on her shoulders. One night, I found her sitting alone on the porch, her gaze fixed on the moonlit lake. The sight of her, so alone and lost, tugged at my heartstrings. I approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her."Arabella," I began, my voice
Arabella’s POV When Leo caught me crying in the bathroom, I was mortified. I didn’t want him to see me like this. I didn’t want him to think I was weak. I had held everything together for so long, I just couldn’t do it anymore. My dad had always been on my mind, but seeing Trudy say goodbye to her father struck me. I needed to say goodbye to mine, but it was too late and I’d never get the chance to change that. The moment Leo wrapped his arms around me I felt safe. Like nothing in the world could touch me. It kept the darkness at bay, for a little while. With all the crying I became worn out and didn’t even remember falling asleep. When I woke and looked at the time I couldn’t believe I’d slept the entire day away, so I quickly dove into the shower. Though when I realised Leo had stood there and listened to me sing, I felt my cheeks heat. When Leo said he had something to show me, I began to panic. Even though I didn’t let him see it, judging by the way he watched me, I knew he co
Arabella’s POV“Sara, you shouldn’t be here. Just because you’re healthy enough to be discharged from hospital, doesn’t mean that you are well enough to be rushing around.” With my hands on my hips, I glared at Sara.“And if I don’t help here, Susie, will drive me up the wall.”“She’s worried about you. We both are. You know how she is, when she’s worried, she mother’s.” Taking Sara’s hand, I gave it a squeeze.“I know, I know… it’s just. I feel so bloody useless. I’m not the sit down and take it easy kind. I’m the…”“The move around and fix things kind. I know.” Sara just rolled her eyes and chuckled. “If you promise to stay sat down, I’ll let you stay. Deal?”“Deal.”Unlike the rest of the pack house which was just days out of being finished, my new office was now ready for use. All except for the filling system.So, Sara and I shifted our attention to organising the mess of paperwork. She had suggested going digital, but I didn’t agree. I understood that technology was the wave of
Leo’s POVSince the day that Kate had accepted the role of Beta, finding a moment alone with Arabella had become a challenge. I had the ring, I had rehearsed my speech countless times, but what I lacked was her undivided attention.I couldn't blame her entirely; being an Alpha to a pack, especially one in the process of recovery, was an immense responsibility. Arabella handled everything with remarkable dedication, but her time management skills left much to be desired.It seemed that every time I tried to steal a moment with her, something urgent would demand her attention. Pack matters, training sessions, and unexpected crises would arise, leaving our personal conversations on hold. I understood the gravity of her responsibilities, having watched my parents go through the same but it made planning a proposal all the more challenging.So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I approached Sara, who I knew now handled Arabella’s diary, and after swearing her to secrecy, I share