Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama-Chapter 276: The first attack...

Lucius

I arrived at Greyhound pack, my body aching from the long journey but my mind sharp and alert. The familiar scents of home washed over me as I made my way to the pack house, nodding briefly to the guards who recognized me. Despite the comfort of being back, I couldn’t allow myself to relax. There was too much at stake.

Quickly, I headed to my quarters, shedding my travel-worn clothes and stepping into the shower.

I stripped down, the warm water from the shower washing away the dirt but not the tension. I could already anticipate the confrontation that was waiting for me. Xavier wasn’t one to forgive easily, and I had left him without any warning.

As the steam enveloped me, I let my mind wander for just a moment. I could still feel the tug of the mate bond, the pull to be with Kurtis and Emilia, the warmth of their presence lingering like a phantom touch. But I had made my choice. Duty came first, and I had no right to indulge in what I wanted when so many lives depended on me.

I dried off and threw on a fresh set of clothes, a grey shirt and dark slacks. It wasn’t my usual armour, but it would have to do. Squaring my shoulders, I left the room and made my way to Xavier’s office.

As I dressed in clean clothes, I steeled myself for the conversation ahead with Xavier.

The upper floor of the pack house was eerily quiet, the only sound the echo of my boots on the hardwood floor. Xavier’s office door was closed, but I didn’t bother knocking softly. I rapped my knuckles against the wood and waited.

I paused outside Xavier’s office, taking a deep breath before knocking. My heart raced, anticipating his reaction to my sudden return.

"Enter," came Xavier’s voice from within, cool and authoritative.

I stepped into the office, immediately noticing Xavier bent over his desk, surrounded by stacks of documents. He didn’t look up as I approached, and I felt a pang of guilt at the obvious strain my absence had caused.

"Alpha," I said, bowing my head slightly. "I’ve returned."

Xavier finally looked up, his expression unreadable. "So I see. How kind of you to grace us with your presence."

The sarcasm in his tone cut deep, and I had to push down the defensive response that threatened to rise. "I apologize for my abrupt departure. How are you doing?"

Xavier leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold as he regarded me. "How am I doing? That’s what you have to ask after disappearing without a word. Are you done serving your master, Lucius?"

I flinched at the harshness in his voice. "I’m sorry for not informing you before I left. The call came urgently, and I had no choice but to go. It was about serving Selene."

"Ah, yes. Selene," Xavier said, his voice dripping with bitterness. "And what about me, Lucius? What about this pack? Do we no longer matter to you? Is your loyalty to Selene so great that you would abandon your duties here without a second thought?"

His words hit me like a physical blow. I felt a wave of shame wash over me as I realized how my actions must have appeared. "Of course not, Alpha. My loyalty to you and the Greyhound pack remains as strong as ever. I never meant to"

"Never meant to what?" Xavier interrupted, rising from his chair. His eyes flashed with anger as he circled the desk to stand before me. "Never meant to consistently prioritize Selene over your responsibilities here? Never meant to leave us vulnerable while you gallivant off to Moon Whisper at every opportunity?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but Xavier held up a hand, silencing me. As he continued to berate me, listing all the ways my absences had affected the pack, I felt each word like a knife to my heart. I had known Xavier would be upset, but I hadn’t anticipated this level of hurt and anger.

When he finally paused for breath, I seized the opportunity to explain. "Selene was kidnapped," I said, my voice quiet but firm. "She was taken by Jared and Jade, and replaced with a shapeshifter. We only just got her back a few days ago."

Xavier’s pacing stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in surprise. "Kidnapped? A shapeshifter? What are you talking about, Lucius?"

I nodded, relieved to finally have his full attention. I quickly recounted the events of the past few days, watching as Xavier’s expression shifted from anger to concern and back again.

"And why wasn’t I informed of this?" he demanded when I finished. "Surely a threat of this magnitude affects all packs, not just Moon Whisper."

"You’re right," I admitted, feeling another wave of guilt. "We should have reached out to our allies, including you. But everything happened so fast, and we were worried about tipping off Jared and Jade if word spread too quickly."

Xavier sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I understand the need for secrecy, Lucius, but this isn’t the first time you’ve kept me in the dark about matters concerning Selene. Your divided loyalties are becoming a serious problem."

I felt a surge of frustration at his words. "My loyalties aren’t divided, Alpha. I serve you and the Greyhound pack faithfully. My connection to Selene and Moon Whisper is... complicated, yes, but it doesn’t diminish my commitment here."

"Doesn’t it?" Xavier challenged. "How many times have you rushed off to Moon Whisper at a moment’s notice? How often have you neglected your duties here in favour of aiding Selene? Can you honestly tell me that your feelings for her don’t influence your actions?"

I opened my mouth to respond but found I couldn’t deny his accusations entirely. My silence seemed to confirm his suspicions, and I saw disappointment flash in his eyes.

"I thought as much," Xavier said, his voice heavy. "Lucius, I’ve known you for years. I’ve trusted you with my life, with the safety of this pack. But I can’t continue to turn a blind eye to this behaviour. Something has to change."

I felt a knot forming in my stomach. "What are you saying, Alpha?"

Xavier’s eyes met mine, his gaze intense. "I’m saying that you need to make a choice, Lucius. Your loyalty to this pack must be absolute. If you can’t commit fully to your role here, then perhaps it’s time we-"

Suddenly, a loud, piercing sound cut through the air, interrupting Xavier mid-sentence. We both tensed, immediately recognizing the pack’s alarm bell.

"We’re under attack," I said, my body already shifting into a defensive stance.

Xavier nodded, all traces of our argument vanishing as he slipped into the role of Alpha. "Gather the warriors. I want a perimeter established immediately. And Lucius?"

I paused at the door, looking back at him.

"We’ll finish this conversation later. For now, let’s remind whoever’s attacking why the Greyhound pack is not to be trifled with."

I nodded, a grim smile playing on my lips. Despite our disagreements, in moments of crisis, Xavier and I worked together seamlessly. As I raced out of the office, shouting orders to the pack members I encountered, I pushed aside my turmoil. The pack needed me now, and I would not let them down.

Outside, chaos reigned. Wolves streamed from various buildings, some already shifted, others in the process of transformation. I scanned the treeline, searching for signs of the intruders.

"There!" a young warrior shouted, pointing towards the eastern border.

I followed the warrior’s gaze, my blood running cold at what I saw. A group of unfamiliar wolves was advancing on the pack grounds, their eyes glowing with an unnatural red light. But it wasn’t just wolves – among them were creatures I had never seen before, beings that seemed to flicker between wolf and human form at will.

"Hybrids," I muttered under my breath, remembering the revelations about Selene’s true nature. Had Jared sent these abominations to attack the Greyhound pack? And if so, why?

Xavier appeared beside me, his body tense and ready for battle. "What are we dealing with, Lucius?"

I quickly relayed what I saw, watching as Xavier’s expression darkened with each word.

"This is no ordinary attack," Xavier said grimly. "They’re after something specific. We need to protect the pack house at all costs."

I nodded in agreement. "I’ll take a team to engage them head-on. You should stay back and coordinate our defences."

For a moment, Xavier looked like he might argue, but then he nodded. "Agreed. But Lucius, be careful. These creatures... they’re unlike anything we’ve faced before."

I met Xavier’s gaze, seeing the concern beneath his stern exterior. At that moment, our earlier argument seemed insignificant in the face of the threat before us. "I will, Alpha. We’ll drive them back."

As I turned to gather my team, Xavier called out one last time. "Lucius!"

I looked back, seeing a mix of emotions play across his face.

"When this is over... we’ll talk. Talk. About everything."

I nodded, understanding the weight of his words. "I look forward to it, Alpha."

With that, I shifted into my wolf form, feeling the power surge through me as I transformed. I let out a howl, rallying the pack’s warriors to me. As we charged towards the advancing enemy, my mind raced with questions. Why were we being attacked? What did these hybrids want? And how was all of this connected to Selene and the prophecy?