Emma Pov

　　War between the Night Howlers Pack and the Moonshadow Pack. This declaration from Beta Liam resonates in my mind. I pace back and forth in the packhouse while Charlotte is distracted, watching a movie on her tablet.

　　Three warriors stand guard in front of the packhouse's main door. I glance at them every time I walk from the living room to the kitchen. There are no sounds around the house. No gunshots or howls. Accalia is also restless inside me, wanting to understand what's happening.

　　"Emma, I'm getting hungry," Charlotte suddenly says, leaving her tablet on the floor as I walk to the living room where she is. "I want some chips!"

　　I try to give her a playful smile to maintain the calm she needs. "Chips, huh? Before lunch?" I ask with a hint of humor.

　　Charlotte's angelic eyes blink at me sweetly, making my whole body relax for a few seconds. "Pretty please!" she pleads with the sweetest voice imaginable.

　　"Asking like that, it's impossible to say no!" I reply with a laugh, and Charlotte jumps up excitedly. I notice a stuffed cat Vini made for her lying on the floor next to her. "What did you name him?" I point to the cat before we head to the kitchen.

　　"Mr. Magic!" Charlotte declares with a smile on her face, and I do the same. I go to the top cabinets in the kitchen in search of chips for Charlotte. "They're in the third cabinet, last shelf," Charlotte explains and points to the correct cabinet.

　　I look at her with narrowed eyes, wondering if she had a vision about this or just always knew because she always ate chips when she came to the packhouse.

　　I serve the chips to Charlotte in a small bowl, she offers me some, and I decline. "Eating chips always makes my worries go away, you know?" she comments kindly, and I raise an eyebrow at her. "I know you're worried about my brother, but he'll be fine. He had a very hearty breakfast today!"

　　I try to give Charlotte a reassuring smile and take a few chips, "You really are a little fairy, you know that?" I comment as I accompany Charlotte back to the living room.

　　Charlotte insists that I sit with her and Mr. Magic to watch the movie she's watching, and I give in to her wish. Charlotte cuddles in my lap on the spacious couch, placing the tablet on a stand in front of us while holding the bowl of chips. At first, Charlotte tells me everything that has happened in the movie so that I can understand the plot. Her calm manner soothes me, and I feel my worries slipping away.

　　Only when the movie ends do I realize that more than an hour and a half has passed. One of the warriors guarding the packhouse comes to speak with me.

　　"Alpha Matthew requests your presence in the meeting room, Emma," the warrior says with an authoritative voice.

　　"I'll be back, Charlotte," I say and kiss the top of her head. As soon as we leave the living room, I question the warrior; "Is everyone okay? Did something serious happen?"

　　"I haven't been informed, miss. I was only asked to escort you to the meeting room."

　　The answer causes me more concern, and I notice the way the warrior is holding himself. His back is straight and tense, one hand resting on the weapon at his waist. I wasn't being guided to the meeting room; I was being taken... like a prisoner.

　　I try to stay calm as the warrior leaves me in front of Alpha Matthew. He is now wearing different clothes. His black hair is messy, and I notice small injuries on his face, resisting the urge to touch him and help with the bandages.

　　"Thank you, warrior," Matthew says before dismissing the man. I approach him as soon as we are alone in front of the meeting room.

　　"What happened, Matt? My father, he..." The question trails off in my mouth because I don't know what Matthew might have done to my father.

　　Matthew straightens up and looks at me with his dark green eyes in a more serious and somber way. This sends a shiver down my spine, and I swallow hard.

　　"Your father, he managed to escape," Matthew responds, and I hold my breath at the news. "We had few casualties today. One of our sentinels spotted movement at the border, and we managed to intervene before it was too late."

　　"But why did the Moonshadow Pack declare war on you? I don't understand." I say uncertainly.

　　"It's better if we go inside, Emma. The elders want to speak with you," Matthew announces, his voice colder and more composed.

　　I feel my stomach churn with this information, and my breathing becomes heavier. Talking to the elders is not a good sign at all.

　　"You're telling us you knew nothing about the attack?" Mrs. Dawson questions me incredulously.

　　"That's right, ma'am. I haven't had any contact with the Moonshadow Pack for almost seven months." I inform with a trembling voice.

　　"The time you've been living here, on our land. Living with us," another elder comments dryly.

　　My heart pounds inside me. I bite my lower lip in apprehension at the comments and accusations directed at me.

　　"But you're still a member of the Moonshadow Pack, correct? You haven't deserted, and because of that, it's possible they made a connection with you through the mindlink, correct?" Mrs. Dawson suggests accusatorily. My eyes go to Matthew, who is seated at the center of the rectangular table.

　　His expression is cold and serious toward me, but in his eyes, there's a flicker of discomfort similar to mine.

　　"Yes, ma'am. But I assure you that in the last seven months, no one has tried to contact me through the mindlink. My pack doesn't want anything to do with me. Only now, with Ava's return, have they shown interest—well, I mean, my parents." I explain hastily, trying to convince them that I'm not a threat. "But I never want to see them again. I didn't know what they were planning, I swear."