114 Preparing For Worse

114 Preparing For Worse

Mara

“I think you should leave her alone,” Martha said curtly.

I didn’t argue. At that point, it wasn’t about winning a conversation–it was about easing the tension in this fractured family.

If Darian would just spend a little time with Tiffany, maybe he could finally move on from whatever feelings he still held for me. Maybe, just maybe, he’d begin to care about the child she carried.

I sighed. “Then take her. Support her. For someone who’s had children, you should understand what she needs better than anyone. And let’s not forget–Daniel is your friend. Do you really think he’d be okay with his daughter being treated like this?” I asked Martha quietly, but firmly.

Alpha Vander jumped in. “She’s right. If you can’t manage it yourself, assign someone who can. Lucian’s done that for Tina. She never goes to a single appointment alone. Her needs are met–discreetly and respectfully. Tiffany is carrying what could be Darian’s child. That’s a potential Alpha in her womb. And you-” he turned sharply toward his wife “-you helped orchestrate this. You took money from Daniel and pushed that union forward. Now take some responsibility for it.”

Martha’s lips curled, her eyes narrowing as they flicked to me.

“dly. The day Lucian starts holding Tina’s hand through her appointments. The day he starts treating her like a queen and taking her to her breathing sses, then I will have Darian do the same for Tiffany.”

Smug. Condescending. She had no idea she was cornering herself.

“Enough,” Vander growled, the frustration in his voice boiling over. “This has nothing to do with Lucian’s situation with Tina. Don’t twist this to suit your bitterness. Mara is right. And if you won’t handle it, I iwill/i.”

Martha nched. That threatnded.

“Fine,” she snapped. “Lacy will do it. She’s jobless now. I’m sure Lucian won’t mind paying her to escort Tiffany to her appointments–after all, he pays staff for Tina.”

Lucian stood then, calm but firm, like steel sheathed in silk.

i“/iShe’s Darian’s cousin. Lacy was raised in this family, on Nighthorn wealth. The least she can do is offer something back. Right now, the only reason either of you still have a ce here is because of Darian.”

Her silence was her answer.

Alpha Vander nced at Lucian. “Are you leaving already?”

Lucian nodded. “Mara and I have things to do.”

“But it’s Saturday. I thought maybe you’d stay for the day–maybe spend some time with the family.”

Lucian gave a dry smile. “And do what, exactly?”

That shut the Alpha up.

Lucian shifted the tone. “I need to check in at the defence quarters. There’s activity at the borders.”

114 Preparing For Worse

I turned to him, catching the shadow in his expression. My chest tightened slightly. bActivity /bat bthe /bborders meant danger. And he hadn’t mentioned it until now.

What kind of threat were we facing? And why had he kept it from me?

“Is it that serious?” Alpha Vander asked, his voice low and deliberate.

Lucian exhaled slowly and nodded. “The troops have it under control–for now. But the truth is, we don’t even

know who we’re fighting or why. Mooncrest has enjoyed peace for so long that most of our armycks actualbat experience. I’ve been training a select unit myself… just in case.”

A quiet chill settled over the room. His words didn’t just carry weight–they carried warning. My fingers twitched slightly on myp. I didn’t want to panic, but I could feel my heart picking up pace.

“Lucian…” Alpha Vander’s tone shifted. “Is it really that serious?”

Lucian didn’t look at him. He didn’t have to. The way he paused told us everything. “The arsenal Darian’s team was sent to protect turned out to be a decoypletely empty. Yet they came after it with full force. Coordinated. Aggressive. It doesn’t make sense unless it was meant to distract us or test our weaknesses. And Mooncrest… is surrounded. Almost every border has seen some kind of breach.”

My breath caught in my chest. An invisible weight settled over my shoulders.

“We’re hoping it’s isted,” Lucian added, trying to sound neutral. “A few scattered rogue packs, maybe. Unconnected. Ambitious. But we’re preparing for worse.”

Alpha Vander leaned forward, expression grim. “Then my retirement will have to wait. If this esctes, we’ll need to lead together. Shoulder to shoulder.”

Lucian nodded once, the weight of legacy and leadership evident in his eyes.

“I would’ve told you to sit this one out,” Vander added. “But you’re the one with the active Alpha mark now. If wares, we face it together.”

Lucian’s eyes flicked toward me, just for a moment. I knew what he was doing–scanning, gauging my reaction. My expression must’ve betrayed me because he reached under the table and touched my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. His thumb traced soft circles on my skinfort wrapped in subtlemand.

i“/iiIt’s /iiokay/ii, /iiMara/ii,/ii” /ihis voice linked into my mind gently, i“/iiI’m /iijust /iibeing /iicautious/ii. /iiWe’re /iinot /iiat /iiwar /iyet.”

I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. Because I didn’t believe him–not entirely.

“Is Darian training for this too?” Martha’s voice cut through the air, sharp and selfish as ever. Her concern was never about the pack–always about her son’s standing.

“Yes,” Lucian replied coolly, “but if ites to full–scale conflict, he and Rowan will stay behind to assist Mara in managing the pack. They’re not ready for the front line–not at that level.”

I nced at him, startled. His calm tone belied the weight of what he’d just said. I would lead? Me?

He met my eyes, giving the smallest nod. Quiet reassurance. Silent belief.

Martha wasn’t satisfied. “Why must they assist Mara?” she snapped. “I thought Darian was to temporarily take over while you were away. Grey always stepped in when Vander was gone-

“That was because iyou /iweren’t a trained warrior, Martha,” Alpha Vander cut her off with a weary sigh. “This ol start="2"libРоку /bb5 /b/li/ol

isn’t about favoritism. It’s about strength and readiness. Mara is trained, qualified, and bonded ito /ithe Alpha. If Lucian is ever away, she takes the helm. Darian and Rowan follow her lead. That’s how ourws are written.

”

114 Preparing For Worse

Martha fell silent. For once, her bitterness met a wall of truth too thick to argue with.

Lucian leaned back, his arm brushing mine. “Hopefully, it won’te to that,” he said softly.

Vander nodded, but we all knew better. The air in the room was shifting. The peace we once relied on was no longer a certainty. And under the table, where no one could see, I held on tightly to Lucian’s hand, afraid to let olligo. /li/ol

“Let’s go, Mara,” Lucian said, his voice low but firm. He extended his hand to me like a lifeline, and I took it without hesitation. The air in that mansion felt too heavy ito /ibreathe. I just needed out.

“Keep me posted,” Alpha Vander called out. “And don’t fight anyone without me, Lucian.”

Lucian gave a nod, but he didn’t slow down. Neither did I.

We walked out of the lounge briskly, and I felt every pair of eyes on my back–watching, judging, resenting. I held my breath until we reached the car. The door closed behind me, shutting out the mansion, the tension,

the noise–but not the weight in my chest.

It came crashing down the moment I exhaled.

I began to hyperventte. My chest heaved with sharp, erratic breaths. My hands trembled in myp.

“Mara,” Lucian said, leaning in to calm me, but Ished out, hitting his chest with the side of my fist. Not hard, but enough to release the spark of betrayal.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, hot and blinding. “When were you going to tell me, Lucian?” My voice cracked. “When were you going to tell me you were training for war?”

He froze.

“You told me it was about sharpening your Alpha instincts,” I said, choking back another sob. “I knew something didn’t feel right. I asked you. I iasked /iyou, and I trusted your answer.”

He pulled me into his arms, his touch warm, grounding. I didn’t push him away this time.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” he murmured against my hair. “I didn’t want you to carry the weight of something that might not even happen. I was trying to protect you.”

“You don’t protect me by lying to me,” I whispered. My voice shook, but my tone was steady. “I’m your wife, ding nothing’s Lucian. I can’t support you if you keep me in the dark. I can’t prepare myself if you’re pr wrong. I wouldn’t have known a thing if your father hadn’t asked you to deploy troops to protect Martha’s parents.”

He didn’t speak. His silence said enough–he knew I was right.

“Do you want to leave this ce?” he asked, his voice gentle but weighted with understanding.

I wiped my face with trembling fingers and looked out the window toward the Nighthorn estate–the mansion, the memories, the madness.

“Yes,” I whispered. “Let’s go.”

And as the car pulled away, I held on to his hand, not because I was okay–but because I needed to believe

C

114 Preparing For Worse

we would be.

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