The silence in Alpha Lucian's study stretched, thick and suffocating, before Lucian finally moved. He pushed back from his desk, the heavy oak chair scraping against the stone floor, a sound that seemed to echo the tension in the room. His eyes, though still hard, now held a flicker of something Harvey couldn't quite decipher – a mixture of weariness and a deeply ingrained pride.
"Were I the one who sent those attackers, Beta Harvey," Lucian's voice was low, controlled, yet it vibrated with an unspoken warning, "do you truly believe I would have gone to such lengths to bring her here? To offer her sanctuary in my own home, a home that now bears the scent of a Siberian?" He took a slow, deliberate step around the desk, his gaze unwavering. "If my intent was her demise, or even her suffering, I would not have dispatched my most trusted Beta to retrieve her. I would not have prepared a house, stocked with every comfort, for a woman I wished ill upon."
Lucian paused, his jaw tightening. "My pack is dying, Harvey. Children waste away, warriors fall weak, and the spirit of Stone Haven withers with each passing day." He clenched his fists, his knuckles white, I won't let hatred blinds me to the needs of my people. It is not a hatred that will allow my pack to be extinguished."
He met Harvey's gaze directly. "I brought Elara here for one purpose, and one purpose only: to cure this illness. To save Stone Haven. Her lineage means nothing to me, questioning me of such is like questioning my loyalty to this pack, Beta. And do not, for a moment, believe I would jeopardize its last chance at survival through such petty, self-defeating treachery."
Harvey swallowed, feeling a sense of guilt. The Alpha's pride, his deep-seated animosity towards the Siberians, was well-known. For him to set aside such a profound prejudice spoke volumes of how much he needed Elara.
"Forgive my presumption, Alpha," Harvey murmured, his voice laced with genuine apology. "The ambush... it was unsettling. And your silence..."
Lucian merely inclined his head, a silent acknowledgment. "The ambush is a concern even to I, why would werewolves from out pack attack without my orders unless they are from someone else's, this needs an investigation, we will discuss it further tomorrow. For now, ensure Elara has everything she needs. Her focus must be solely on her task."
With a curt nod, Harvey exited the study, leaving Lucian alone with the heavy weight of his responsibilities.
Meanwhile, in the meticulously prepared house, Elara stood by a large window, the soft glow of moonlight painting the room in shades of silver and grey. The luxurious surroundings, the plush furs, the intricate carvings on the furniture, felt alien and almost mocking after the experience during her arrival at Stone Haven pack, it was a hostility she had never experience before, her packs weren't that hostile to members from other pack, it was a good thing she had someone like Harvey around.
She closed her eyes, the faces of the villagers flashing behind her eyelids, the gaunt beggar, the weeping women, the silent, defeated men. All this seemed to cling to her and her heart ached with a profound, unsettling sadness.
"Not if I can help it," she'd vowed,