Emma pov

　　A mocking half-smile appears on Milena's lips, "You should have gone ahead and killed yourself."

　　With a burst of anger, I hit Milena Golden with a firm and quick slap to the face with surprising strength. Her body topples to the side, almost falling off the bed. I feel the adrenaline run through my body like an electric current, my lupine claws projecting outward, as well as my sharp fangs.

　　"Watch your words, you loveless bitch. I can rip out your tongue and make you swallow it," I threaten harshly. My words cut like sharp daggers, while Milena's eyes widen with a mix of fear and hatred. The air in the room vibrates with the intensity of my aggressive stance.

　　I would not let Milena believe she has any advantage or power in this room, in my wolf pack.

　　Milena Golden slowly gets up from the bed, a trickle of blood appearing on her lower lip. She licks it clean and on her face, a red welt from my slap appears on her cheek. The expression in her eyes is one of burning hatred, but also a pain she tries to hide but cannot.

　　"And what was your plan then? To kill me?" I question, refocusing my attention and thoughts on the interrogation. My voice cuts the air like a sharp, cold blade, filled with as much distrust as determination in the situation.

　　"Yes. I am a patient woman, alpha Emma. I watched you after they took Ava away. I sought help from the witch and we watched you for weeks," Milena comments with even more bitterness, her eyes fixed on me with such intensity that it was almost tangible in the room.

　　"What did you want with Charlotte?" Matthew suddenly questions, his voice deeper and much more serious, breaking the tense atmosphere hovering above us. His presence now is an anchor for me, a point of stability amidst so much conflict and revelation. I hold my breath for a few seconds, waiting for Milena's response.

　　Once again, Milena brushes her hair back over her shoulders, "I wanted nothing with the girl. Hilda, the witch, was interested in the peculiar powers the girl had. I only wanted your death, alpha Emma. For the death of my dear and beautiful daughter, Emily," Milena declares with remorse and anger in her voice. Her eyes shine with unshed tears.

　　"Sorry to disappoint you, bitch, but I'm not dying anytime soon, and certainly not at your hands," I declare firmly, my voice reverberating throughout the room.

　　I turn to face Matthew, who is sitting on Amelia's bed, his arms resting on his knees, and his body leaning forward. Our eyes meet and I feel a flash of desire for him that I can barely control. He is a powerful and imposing figure, and even with everything that has happened today, I cannot avoid the strong attraction and desire I have for Matthew. The fact that he is my mate is still something I need to better assimilate.

　　"She is entirely yours now," I declare decisively, taking a few steps back.

　　Matthew nods and stands up. His alpha posture is immediately visible. I notice how his jaw becomes more pronounced, and his eyebrows closer together, creating small wrinkles in the middle of his forehead that make me want to smooth them out with my fingers. Matthew's arms flex as he puts his hands in his pockets, every movement of his exuding strength and control.

　　I capture every little detail and feel a great appreciation and desire for alpha Matthew. I control myself even more to not let on the urge I have to have him inside me again. The aroma of his scent makes me forget the world around us for a few brief moments as he walks through the small space of the room.

　　"Did you and this Hilda act alone? Were there any other members of the Lone Mountain Pack involved?" Matthew questions authoritatively, his tone firm, with a command that cannot be ignored by Milena.

　　I move a little closer to Jordan, who is near the bedroom door. The room is becoming too small with six people inside. I urgently need to create a meeting room; there are so many things that need to be done here. The sensation of claustrophobia arises within me, and the air seems even denser with all of us present.

　　"Brunno, did you find anything?" I question through the mindlink, my mind connecting with one of my most trusted werewolves.

　　"We're back on the road, the witch's and the other guy's scent brought us here. But we haven't found anything yet, alpha Emma," Brunno reports mentally to me, I can sense his frustration even through the mental link.

　　"Keep searching, she can't have gone that far," I encourage more gently, trying to instill more spirit and confidence in him and Faylen.

　　"My wolf pack was not involved," Milena responds dryly, but I can notice a blatant lie in her eyes, the hesitation in her voice betrays her words.

　　"You ambushed us and it wasn't just you and Hilda," I interject quickly, my voice carrying the conviction of truth.

　　Milena glares at me, and I return the same look, but I have the title of Alpha and she is a mere omega of the Lone Mountain Pack.

　　"If the Lone Mountain is directly involved in this attack, it will not be good for you," Matthew comments threateningly. "My pack has three times the warriors your alpha has. Do you really want to start a fight with the Night Howlers Pack?" Matthew's words sound like a veiled threat, a silent lightning bolt cutting through the sky until the thunderous boom reverberates through the room.