Chapter 81
The tension in the pack was suffocating. It pressed down on me like a weight, and I could see the ripple effect of Jake’s speech in the eyes of everyone I passed. The once-welcoming smiles were replaced by guarded looks and whispered conversations that stopped abruptly when I walked by. It was subtle, but it was there. I wasn’t imagining it.
The babies were finally asleep in the nursery, and Jake had gone off to handle pack matters. I should have been resting, but rest felt impossible when I could feel the silent judgment in the air. I needed answers. **Why were they so afraid?** Why did they look at my children—innocent, fragile little beings—as though they were monsters?
I decided to take matters into my own hands. If I wanted to protect my family, I needed to know what we were really up against.
***********
It wasn’t hard to find a group of pack members huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. I had noticed them earlier, glancing around nervously before slipping into the back of the pack house, into one of the unused meeting rooms. I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. Jake would probably scold me for this, tell me it was too risky. But I needed to know the truth, and I couldn’t keep relying on secondhand information.
I slipped into the hallway quietly, pressing myself against the wall just outside the door. I could hear snippets of conversation through the crack. The voices were low and filled with fear.
“This isn’t what we signed up for,” a woman’s voice said, trembling. I recognized her—Claire, one of the elder pack members. She had always been kind to me, but now her voice was filled with something that sounded like panic. “Hybrids are dangerous. We’ve all heard the stories.”
“Jake’s lost his mind,” another voice muttered. It was Lucas, a younger member of the pack. He had always been a bit of a hothead, but I never thought he’d be this openly rebellious. “He’s threatening execution for anyone who even speaks against his family? That’s not leadership. That’s tyranny.”
“Keep your voice down!” Claire hissed. “Do you want to get us all killed? He meant what he said. You saw his face.”
“What choice do we have?” a third voice asked, quieter and filled with resignation. “It’s not just the babies. It’s her. The Luna. Priscilla’s magic is strong, stronger than anyone we’ve ever seen. And those children… They’re a sign of what’s coming. A new era, one we didn’t ask for.”
My breath hitched. They weren’t just afraid of the babies. They were afraid of me too.
I couldn’t stay silent any longer. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The group jumped back, eyes wide with shock and fear.
“Luna!” Claire’s face went pale. “We didn’t— I mean, we were just—”
“Save it,” I said, keeping my voice steady, even though my heart was racing. “I heard enough. Is this what you all think? That my babies are a threat? That I’m a threat?”
The silence was deafening. Lucas looked away, unable to meet my gaze, while the others shifted uncomfortably, glancing at each other as if searching for the right thing to say.
“It’s not that simple,” Claire finally said, her voice soft but firm. “You have to understand, Priscilla, this pack has seen a lot. We’ve faced threats before—hunters, rival packs—but this is different. The unknown is different. Hybrid children… No one knows what they’re capable of. It’s fear of the unknown.”
I felt a wave of anger surge through me, but I forced it down. “They’re just babies,” I said, my voice breaking. “They haven’t even taken their first steps, and already you’re judging them? You’re judging me?”
“It’s not about judgment,” Lucas snapped, finally looking up. “It’s about survival. We’ve all heard the prophecies. Hybrids bring chaos. They change everything. How are we supposed to trust that it’s safe to keep them here?”
I clenched my fists, fighting back tears. “They’re your Alpha’s children,” I said through gritted teeth. “They’re a part of this pack, whether you like it or not.”
“And what happens if the neighboring packs find out?” Claire asked quietly. “What happens when they come for us, for them? We’re just trying to protect our own, Priscilla.”
I swallowed hard, the truth of her words stinging more than I wanted to admit. I had feared the same things, hadn’t I? But hearing it said out loud, from people I thought I could trust—it was devastating.
“I understand your fear,” I said, my voice softer now, tinged with a sadness I couldn’t hide. “But leaving isn’t the answer. Running away won’t solve anything.”
Lucas scoffed. “Maybe it’s the only answer we have left.”
I turned on my heel and left the room before I could say something I’d regret. As I walked away, I could still hear their murmurs behind me, but I forced myself to keep going. I needed to find Jake.
I found him in his office, pacing back and forth, deep in thought. When he looked up and saw me, his expression softened.
“Priscilla,” he said, coming over to pull me into his arms. “You look upset. What’s wrong?”
I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I overheard some of the pack members talking,” I said. “They’re scared, Jake. They’re terrified of what the babies represent, of what I represent. It’s worse than we thought.”
He frowned, his hands tightening on my shoulders. “I know there’s been tension, but—”
“No, you don’t understand,” I interrupted. “They’re talking about survival. They think the hybrids are a threat, that I’m a threat. They’re already considering leaving the pack to protect themselves.”
Jake’s face darkened, a rare flash of anger crossing his features. “They would abandon us? After everything we’ve done for them?”
“It’s not that simple,” I said, echoing Claire’s words. “They’re afraid, Jake. And I can’t blame them. We’re asking them to accept something they don’t understand, something they’ve been taught to fear.”
He pulled me close, resting his forehead against mine. “What are you saying, Priscilla?”
I took a deep, shuddering breath. “Maybe we should leave,” I whispered. “Just for a while. Let the pack have time to adjust without us here, without the pressure. It might give them the space they need to come around.”
“No.” His response was immediate, firm. He pulled back to look at me, his eyes blazing with determination. “We’re not running away, Priscilla. If we leave now, it won’t matter if we come back in a year or ten years. The fear will still be there. The distrust will still be there. We have to stand our ground, show them that there’s nothing to fear.”
“But what if it’s not enough?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. “What if they never accept us, never accept our children? I don’t want them to grow up feeling like outcasts.”
Jake cupped my face in his hands, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. “Listen to me,” he said softly. “We are stronger together. This pack is our family, and families fight. They argue. They struggle. But they also heal. They adapt. We can’t give up on them.”
I nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered in the back of my mind. I wanted to believe him, but the fear I had seen in the pack’s eyes was hard to forget.
“We’ll get through this,” he promised, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll make sure of it.”
I took a deep breath and leaned into him, letting his strength and resolve soothe my own frayed nerves. He was right. We couldn’t run away from this. If we wanted a future here, we had to face the fear head-on.
As I pulled back, I glanced out the window, watching the sun dip below the horizon. It was a beautiful sight, but all I could think about was the darkness that was spreading through the pack, one whisper at a time.
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