Chapter 214
Sarah’s POV
+25 BONUS
I couldn’t determine which motive was driving Alpha Richard’s silence. What was his endgame in keeping this connection hidden?
Rising from my chair, I grabbed my phone to call Elena.
Alpha Richard had recognized her from the beginning, knew exactly who she was… but my finger froze over the screen before I could dial.
Elena and Alpha David’s wedding was fast approaching.
If I dropped this bombshell now–what if Richard was exactly the type of manipulator I feared?
She would live in constant anxiety, always looking over her shoulder, dreading every interaction with her future father–in–law.
More importantly, Elena had finally stopped mentioning her brother, had begun healing from the trauma of his death.
If I told her now, wouldn’t I just be pouring salt into a wound that had only just started to close?
I paced the room in tight circles, my mind churning with conflicting thoughts.
I couldn’t make that call, but I couldn’t dismiss my concerns either. Eventually, I convinced myself to wait and watch, to gather more information before acting.
But I knew sleep would be impossible tonight, my mind too full of fears for my friend.
***
Alexander’s POV
The familiar scent of pine and moonlight welcomed me as I returned to the Blackwood Pack territory. Home. Yet something felt different now–as if I’d left a piece of myself back at that hotel with Sarah.
“Uncle Alex!” A small blur of energy launched herself at me the moment I stepped through the door.
I caught Thea mid–jump, swinging my niece into my arms. “There’s my favorite girl!”
“Did you really save her? Is she okay?” Thea asked, her eyes wide with concern that seemed beyond her years.
“Sarah is safe,” I assured her, setting her down as we walked into the living room. “I made sure she got back to her hotel without any problems.”
Thea’s face broke into a relieved smile. “Good. I was worried about her.”
I studied my niece curiously.
Her attachment to Sarah had been immediate and intense–unusual for Thea, who typically regarded strangers with healthy skepticism. “You really like her, don’t you? Why is that?”
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Thea shrugged, her little brow furrowing in thought. “I don’t know. When I saw her, it felt like… like I already
knew her.”
She looked up at me, her expression so sincere it made my chest tighten. “She smells like cookies and safety,”
I couldn’t help but smile at her description. “Cookies and safety, huh?”
“And something else,” she added, her voice dropping as if sharing a secret. “Something that reminds me of you.
That made me pause, something stirring in the back of my mind–a suspicion I wasn’t quite ready to examine.
“What would you think,” I asked, keeping my tone light, “if Sarah became your aunt someday?”
Thea’s eyes widened, pure delight spreading across her face. She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Can she? Please?”
My smile faltered slightly. I’d meant it as a joke, a way to gauge her reaction, but her immediate and overwhelming approval stirred something strange within me that I couldn’t quite identify.
“She won’t be your aunt, Thea,” I said softly, trying to temper her excitement.
Her face fell instantly. “Why not? I don’t want Isabella to be my aunt,” she pouted, crossing her small arms over
her chest.
“She never reads me stories the right way, and she always smells like too many flowers.”
I sighed, torn between amusement at her candor and frustration at the complicated situation.“It’s not that simple, little wolf.”
“Grown–ups always say that when they’re making things too hard,” she muttered with the devastating accuracy only children possess.
“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I said, ruffling her hair. “It’s past your bedtime, little one.”
After the usual bedtime negotiations that ended with two stories instead of one, Thea finally drifted off to sleep.
I stood watching her for a moment, struck by how quickly she was growing, how perceptive she was becoming.
Once I was certain she was deeply asleep, I walked to my study and called for Ethan, my Beta. He appeared within minutes, ever reliable.
“I need you to gather information on someone,” I said without preamble.
“Sarah Winters. She’s staying at the Crescent Moon Hotel. I want to know everything–where she’s from, her history, any connections to our world.”
“I’ve already emailed you her basic information,” I continued, gesturing to my laptop. “What I have is minimal, though. I need a complete picture.‘
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Ethan nodded, moving to check the file I’d sent.
As he scanned the information, his expression changed subtly–a momentary freeze that might have gone
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unnoticed by anyone who didn’t know him as well as I did.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, watching him carefully. “Or do you-‘
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“No problem, Alpha,” he cut in, his composure returning so quickly I almost doubted what I’d seen. “I’ll get this information to you as soon as possible.”
After Ethan left, I leaned back in my chair, troubled by his reaction.
*Something about her made him hesitate. Why?* Orion rumbled within me.
“I noticed,” I replied aloud, now alone in my study. “But what?”
*The more important question is why you resist accepting her as a potential Luna,*Orion pressed. “You’re drawn to her in ways you can’t explain.*
“I’m not interested in women like her,” I said flatly.
Orion’s amusement rippled through me.
*You’re lying to yourself. Your body responds to her. Your mind is clearer around her. And have you noticed your headaches disappear in her presence?*
I frowned, realizing he was right. The chronic pain that had plagued me for years seemed to fade whenever Sarah was nearby.
*Perhaps instead of clinging to your prejudice, you should explore this connection, *Orion suggested.
“Let’s wait for Ethan’s report before making any decisions,” I replied, though I knew there was one thing I couldn’t delay any longer.
“But you’re right about one thing I need to end my engagement to Isabella. It’s not fair to her or to me to continue this charade.”
Orion rumbled in agreement. This, at least, was something we both could agree on.
