Eleanor's arrival was like an icy wind in the middle of summer: the atmosphere froze the moment she stepped onto the porch. Christopher was already waiting for her, and Michael joined them in the study.
"So, what happened that was so urgent?"
Christopher gave her a detailed account of everything that had occurred over the past few days, focusing especially on the information Natalie had provided.
"So, we have a human in the house."
The words were spoken in a cold, contemptuous tone. Michael turned to his mother in disbelief. Of all the things she'd just heard... she fixated on the fact that Alex was in their home. He couldn't believe it. Thankfully, before he could react, Christopher stepped in, steering the pack leader's attention toward the real threat.
"Yes, she's here because she hasn't fully recovered. But she'll be moved as soon as possible. I suggest we organize patrols to search the outskirts and find the location where Nereus is gathering strays and turned humans."
"The human must leave immediately. We'll inform the noble families to raise their security level, and I will issue a conscription edict so that each family contributes to forming patrol units."
"Wouldn't it be more effective to call for volunteers and select the most suitable to form an elite corps?"
"Every family must contribute to the preservation of our race," Eleanor replied in a tone that brooked no argument.
Michael remained silent. He fully agreed with his brother's suggestions, but if he had voiced them himself, Eleanor would have only become more rigid in her stance. By keeping quiet, he was giving Christopher space to negotiate.
What really worried him was Alex—but he had already decided she would be moved somewhere safe. Anywhere would be safer than under his mother's roof.
The hard part would be telling her. He doubted she'd go quietly.
When Eleanor stood and left the room, Michael turned back to his brother.
"They're going to send us the most useless members of their families!" Christopher exploded, slamming a fist on the table.
Exactly. What better way to get rid of dead weight than to send them to the front lines under orders from the pack leader?
"There'll still be a few who would have volunteered," Michael said instead.
"Do you think anyone would let go of a son who could strengthen the family line? Of course not. They'll send the ones who've always been a burden."
"We'd face the same issue even without forced conscription. No parent would willingly send their child to hunt strays. The ideals of noble warriors protecting the species died out long ago."
"We've let our guard down. Ever since humans stopped being seen as enemies and werewolves integrated into their society, we assumed there was no danger anymore—aside from the few remaining hunters wandering Europe and America."
"We can still fix this. Like Raeg, Andy, Ty, Leon, and Lucian, there are others in the pack with military experience. And the rest—we'll train them."
"We need to move fast." Christopher's brown eyes locked with his brother's.
Michael nodded. "We'll draw up a list of werewolves who served in the armed forces. We'll start there."
Christopher nodded back, then smiled. "I already know who can help us."
---
Michael knocked on Alex's door. Her voice invited him in, and he entered, carrying a large tray.
"Breakfast?"
Alex's face lit up at the sight. "Yes!"
Michael set the tray down on the table by the window and began to arrange the dishes: scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toast, a cranberry jam tart, marble cake, and butter cookies. There was also a teapot with tea, a pitcher of milk, and a jug of orange juice.
"Wow!"
"As you can imagine, we've got some pretty good cooks around here," Michael said, pulling out a chair and gesturing for her to sit.
Alex didn't need to be asked twice.
---
She leaned back in her chair, savoring the last bite of tart, fully satisfied.
"Feel like taking a walk?"
"It would take a marathon to work off everything I just ate!"
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer before doing anything athletic."
They walked down the stairs together, and Michael led her toward the east side of the park, in the direction of the woods.
---
"We have a flat in Leeds. I'd like you to use it."
They strolled along a path lined with oaks, ferns growing at the edges. Dead leaves and moss carpeted the trail.
"Thanks, but I'll have no trouble finding a new place."
"In the meantime, you could stay in ours."
Alex smiled. "I won't use it. Don't feel you owe me anything."
Michael shook his head as they entered a clearing. The meadow was scattered with small, pastel-colored flowers glistening in the sunlight. He sat down and waited for Alex to join him.
"I ruined your life in Oldgrove—your flat, everything. Now you're forced to start all over somewhere else."
"I probably wouldn't have stayed in Oldgrove much longer anyway. I was going to leave eventually."
"Well, let's say I just sped things up a little…"
"It wouldn't have changed the outcome."
Michael disagreed. Things would have been very different. For one, she wouldn't have gotten tangled up with werewolves.
"I think I'll go to London," Alex said.
"Perfect! Do you prefer a flat in the city or the suburbs?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "I'm not continuing this conversation."
"Okay." Michael smiled. He'd find another way to convince her later.
---
"So, your mother's back at Barclay House... how did that go?"
"She's gone. But I'll be avoiding her as much as I can…" Especially since she had to make sure Eleanor stayed away from Alex. "...So I'm afraid you'll have to put up with my company."
She smiled at him. "I think I'll survive."
---
Somehow, Michael managed to keep the two women from crossing paths all day. He ate with Alex in her room, and Eleanor didn't seem to mind his absence—in fact, quite the opposite. Their relationship had not improved, and now that he'd dared to bring a human into their ancestral home, it probably never would.
Christopher, on the other hand, handled the situation with the diplomatic skill he was known for, keeping their mother focused on pack matters and carefully distracting her from Alex's presence in the house.