CHAPTER 152: A RENOWNED HUNTER CLAN

Ronan ensured the lady was taken to the shelter only after the pack’s doctor had thoroughly examined her and tended to her wounds.

"Will you be taking this matter to the Alpha of the Moonlit Pack?" Leia asked cautiously. "If I recall correctly, one pack has no right to meddle in the affairs of another. Would it even be appropriate to approach them about this?"

"You’re right," Ronan admitted with a grave nod. "The laws are clear, no pack is allowed to interfere in the jurisdiction of another. Still, some matters cannot be ignored."

"We have to save her son first," Leia urged, her voice laced with worry. Her eyes softened as she added in a hushed murmur, "This was nothing short of cruelty. How could they subject her to such punishment?"

Ronan’s facial expressions changed into more serious ones. "I’ll look into it thoroughly before making a move. We need to understand the entire situation, including the other side of the story."

Leia pressed her lips together, reluctant but resigned. "Then, speak to their Alpha. Ask him what truly happened. The child is still in their custody," she whispered with a concerned look.

Ronan gave a low hum of agreement and reached for his phone. He didn’t have the number, but with a single command, Draven set to work. Within minutes, the contact of Moonlit Pack’s Alpha, Asher Nottingham, was secured.

Ronan wasted no time. He dialed the number, waiting as the line connected. When a firm voice answered, he spoke.

"Hello. This is Ronan Calandrino," he introduced himself.

There was a pause on the other end before the voice sharpened with recognition. "Ronan? From the Darkmoor Pack?" Asher asked.

"Yes," Ronan confirmed.

"So, why are you calling me? The last time we even spoke was four years ago," Asher asked, clearly intrigued by the sudden call.

"One of your pack members came to us, begging for Lucien’s help. She was battered, covered in bruises, barely able to stand. She claimed her husband and two of her children were punished to death. She swore she had only one child left and begged us to protect him. What in the hell is happening over there, Asher? Do you know anything about this?"

Asher stiffened, shock flickering across his features. "What are you talking about? Who came to you? I have no such report, nothing like this has crossed my desk," he said firmly as he quickly rose from the chair.

Ronan wasted no time and relayed every detail the woman had shared.

"I’ll look into it right away, Ronan," Asher assured him. "You’ll hear from me as soon as I have answers."

"Good," Ronan replied. "The woman was terrified, Asher. The beta and his family were punished quite brutally."

A muscle ticked in Asher’s jaw. "I understand. Tell me again, the name of the beta she mentioned?"

"Seth Wellington," Ronan said without hesitation.

Asher exhaled slowly. "All right. I’ll be in touch soon." Without waiting for a response, he ended the call.

Ronan lowered the phone, setting it on the table with a sigh.

"What did Asher say?" Leia asked immediately, her eyes searching his.

"He claims he doesn’t know anything about it," Ronan replied.

Leia’s brows furrowed in disbelief. "How’s that even possible?"

"The Moonlit Pack is... vast," Ronan said carefully. "Their structure is complicated. Not every matter reaches the Alpha directly."

"But this?" Leia’s voice quivered, her anger mixing with sorrow. "This wasn’t some petty dispute. It was horrific. An Alpha’s duty is to protect every soul in his pack, no matter how large it is. I can’t even begin to imagine the torment that poor woman has endured." Her eyes misted again, tears shimmering as she tried to hold them back.

Ronan’s tone softened. "Leia, we don’t have the full truth yet. Asher has promised to investigate. We should give him time."

Leia shook her head, her fists tightening in her lap. "I don’t believe a mother would ever invent a story like this. Not about her own children. Whoever did this... they deserve the worst. I just pray Asher finds her surviving child before it’s too late, and that the beta family responsible pays dearly for their cruelty."

"Of course," Ronan agreed, his voice steady though his mind churned with questions. What puzzled him most was how that woman had managed to slip away from her own pack and end up here of all places.

’Why us?’ he wondered silently. ’If she truly sought protection, shouldn’t she have gone straight to her Alpha instead of crossing borders to reach ours?’

Shaking off the unease, Ronan rose abruptly to his feet. "Leia, I’ll be back soon," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. Without another word, he strode out, heading toward the pack house where the woman had been taken.

When Ronan reached the shelter home, he immediately noticed the room was empty. The bed was unmade, the window slightly ajar.

"Where’s the woman who was staying here?" he demanded, his gaze snapping to the caretaker.

The caretaker’s eyes widened. "Sir, she—she was just here. I haven’t seen her leave."

Ronan’s jaw tightened. "Then where did she vanish to?" He snapped at the caretaker. "Search the entire shelter. Now."

The caretaker hurriedly signaled to the servants, who scattered to comb the premises.

Before Ronan could press further, his phone buzzed in his hand. He answered sharply, "Yes?"

"Ronan, it’s me, Asher," came the voice on the other end. "I just spoke to Seth. There’s no record of any such incident. You’re being deceived. That woman isn’t what she claims to be. I suggest you arrest her before she causes real trouble."

Ronan’s brows knitted, anger and confusion colliding in his chest. "What?" He drew in a breath. "Understood. Thanks, Asher. We’ll talk later."

He hung up and turned a hard glare on the caretaker, who was already waiting for the staff to locate the missing woman.

"Check the CCTVs and inform me," Ronan stated, and he rushed out to locate the woman. Lucien wasn’t in the pack either, so it would be a huge trouble if Ronan didn’t catch the woman soon.

’How come I let any random woman inside the mansion?’ he muttered.

~~~~

Leia had just stepped out of Azalea’s room after checking on her when she made her way through the quiet living room. However, her steps faltered. There, standing in the middle of the room, was the very woman who had begged for her help only hours ago.

"Eshira?" Leia’s brows knitted in confusion. "What are you doing here?" She took a step forward. "Ronan has already spoken with your Alpha. Your child will be back with you soon. You don’t need to worry anymore."

But before Leia could register what was happening, Eshira’s hand flashed. A glint of silver caught the light, and in the next instant, a dagger was driving straight toward her abdomen.

Instinct took over. Leia twisted away at the last second, but not unscathed, the blade sliced across her side, leaving a deep, burning gash. She stumbled back, clutching the wound, her breath hissing through clenched teeth.

Shock and betrayal seared through her. ’I trusted her.’

The mansion was eerily silent. It was late morning, and Leia had already dismissed the servants and even the butler, instructing them to return only in the afternoon. Now, with no one around to hear her, she realized she was alone with a woman who had just tried to kill her.

The silver burned through her flesh like fire. Every wolf knew its touch was fatal. Leia staggered back, clutching her side, her eyes narrowing at the woman.

"Who the hell are you?" she hissed through gritted teeth. "And why are you trying to kill me?"

Eshira’s face twisted, but she gave no answer. Instead, she lunged again, this time faster, her strikes sharper and more ruthless. The dagger slashed through the air with lethal intensity.

Leia’s body felt heavier, weaker by the second, the silver poison seeping into her veins. But her training with Ronan kicked in as she dodged, barely escaping another blow.

She stumbled backward, collapsing onto the couch. Blood smeared across the upholstery as her trembling hand pressed against it for balance. Desperate, she snatched up a pillow and hurled it at the woman, buying herself a heartbeat’s worth of space.

’We need to shift, Leia!’ Zei’s voice roared inside her head. ’Shift now before it’s too late!’

’Yeah,’ Leia agreed, and in the blink of an eye, she changed into her wolf form, letting Zei rahe over.

Eshira didn’t hesitate. With a grunt of effort, she hurled a heavy table straight at the wolf. Zei barreled through it, wood splintering in every direction, but before she could regain her stance, Eshira’s boot slammed into her wounded side.

A sharp cry escaped as Zei was thrown off balance, her massive body crashing against the floor with a loud thud. Pain rippled through her.

’Zei, get up!’ Leia urged desperately from within.

For a second, the room was filled only with the sound of ragged breathing. Then, Eshira’s lips curled into a cruel smirk as she finally broke her silence.

"Do you remember the day you returned to your hometown?" she asked in a mocking tone. "I was there. I come from a renowned hunter clan, and you—" her eyes glinted with satisfaction—"you’ve been my target for a long time. Turns out, you’re even more foolish than I imagined, Leia. And even more foolish is the Alpha who’s Lucien’s brother. He is really a curse to this pack."