162
Lucy
A few days passed since the incident, and I was much calmer. Sarah had called the next morning and gushed about the fairytale Estate, as expected. I was just glad that they all sounded so happy.
Today, I was supposed to be going in for a check in. As I arrived at the Coven Hall, my nerves were on edge. Even though Stacy had arranged for an escort to accompany me, I couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability. The recent attack had left me cautious about being out and about again, and every sound and movement felt amplified in my mind.
As I made my way through the hallways, I couldn't help but overhear Luke arguing with someone. His voice was stern and determined, but there was an underlying tone of desperation. I paused, hesitating whether I should intrude or continue on my way. However, my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to listen in discreetly.
“She belongs with me!” Luke said.
“Actually, she doesn’t.”
“I’m the eldest living relative—“
“You’re also a rogue.”
I frowned. Who was he talking about?
“That’s a bullshit term used by the Council to help the other packs annex people.” Luke snarled. “She belongs with family. I make more than enough money. I only live in the barracks for convenience. Hecate would put me in a full house if I asked. What is the problem?”
I smiled at the thought. Luke was advocating for the custody of a child, a girl. Knowing that his sister was gone and his family was too, I could understand why he was so desperate. Luke would be a great dad.
“As I said before, you’re a rogue and therefore unsuitable to raise her. It’s been determined that her custody will be transferred to the Blue Moon Pack.”
My heart lurched. The thought of the innocent child falling into the hands of Tony's pack filled me with dread and worry. I couldn't imagine what fate awaited her if she were placed under their care. My heart went out to Luke, who clearly had the child's best interests at heart. I knew him well enough to understand that he would provide a safe and loving environment for her. The thought of him losing this battle was distressing.
I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of protectiveness for the baby girl. She was defenseless and vulnerable, in need of someone to fight for her well-being. I couldn't stand idly by, knowing what was at stake.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding! With the case against them? They’re a better option than me?”
“There’s no getting around it unless you plan to join a well-established pack. Blue Moon’s former alpha has returned and is a great candidate.”
Luke roared. I heard her stumble back and felt the temperature rise in the air.
“I’d rather fucking die than join Blue Moon, and you’d condemning that child to hell for that fucking psychopath. Mark me, wench, I’m not going to stand by and let you rip my family apart any more than it already is!”
A few moments passed. I could feel his emotions swirling like a storm, and I knew that he meant every word. Luke had no intention of ever aligning himself with Tony's pack. I didn’t know if that was because of me or something else, but it was clear that the mere suggestion of joining them was like an insult to his very being.
“As I said, you have until the end of the week to either join a well-established pack, by then the transfer will be complete.”
I heard her walking away then a frustrated grunt. I rounded the corner to see Luke sitting with his head in his hands. He jerked his head up. His eyes softened as he noticed me, and he mustered a small smile, though the tension still lingered in his features.
"Luke," I said, my voice trembling slightly, "I heard what's happening. Is there anything I can do to help?"
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Lucy, I appreciate your concern, but the Council is adamant about their decision."
He snarled. “It’s more a ploy to coral me into a pack. They’ve been at it for years…”
"But they can’t think that’s a good idea.” I urged, my heart pounding. "We know that Blue Moon is… There must be something to be done. Anything?"
He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. I could see the struggle in his eyes, and my heart ached for him.
“Don’t give up hope.”
His lips twitched. “I don’t plan to. There are two other packs… If it comes to that, I already know who I’ll choose.”
"I'm here if you need to talk," I offered, my heart aching for him.
"Thank you, Lucy," he replied, trying to smile, but the pain in his eyes was evident. "I appreciate your support, but I need to make a call right now. I'll be okay."
"Luke, you don't have to put on a brave face for me," I said gently. "I can tell how much you care about the little girl, and I can see how much this situation is weighing on you. You don't have to face it alone. I don’t know much, but… I can do something. Make calls?”
He chuckled. “Thanks. If I need a secretary, you’ll be the first on the list. Go on. I’ve got this.”
His hand shook, as if he was still warring with himself about his decision and what he was going to do. I wished there was more I could do to help him. I wanted to offer a solution, to find a way to keep the little girl safe and out of harm's way. But it seemed that the odds were stacked against him.
“Does the Council do this to everyone?”
He chuckled. “Probably in much smaller ways, but yes. Rogue werewolves make them nervous. Easier not to deal with them if they’re not mingled in with the rest of the world.”
“No one likes werewolves, hm?”
He shrugged. “We have a bit of a bad reputation. Mostly because of the Blue Moon pack, but no one sees it that way.”
“Is there nothing else to be done? If you’re the eldest living, supernatural relative, shouldn’t she go to your automatically? In the human world, don’t they turn to family first?”
“Recently, I’ve been termed a rogue and a refugee, meaning in the system, I’m a ward of the Hecate Coven. The Council gets iffy about werewolves linked to covens without any blood ties…” His lips twitched. “And my nearest witch blood tie is too far back to matter and not to Hecate.”
He sighed. “The only thing I can think of is that they’re justifying this with… some part of the Bonds of the Moon.”
“What’s that?”
“Old laws that were made with good intentions and have been used to do a lot of fucking harm,” he shook his head. “It’s alright. I don’t want to, but the call I’ll make is the most surefire one to get her into my custody. It’s not the worst. It’s just uncomfortable.”
I nodded as someone called me. “We’ll talk later?”
He nodded. I left him to his call and proceeded to the check-in room with Riley. We went through the usual routine of scanning and assessing my condition. To my relief, the restraint wasn't worse, but it wasn't getting better either. Nevertheless, they assured me that overall, I was at a healthier weight and doing better.
“And, surprise! You’ve completed most of your basic supernatural education.”
I nodded. “That’s great… Actually, Riley, could I ask something?”
“Sure.”
“If a werewolf child’s nearest relative was termed a rogue and a refugee, how would they go about getting custody?”
She worried her lip. “Well, that depends on a few factors. The easiest would be to join a pack, but I’m sure this person is a rogue for a reason. If they have a stable job of some importance, they could petition the Council for placement.”
“The Council wants to place the kid with another pack.”
She hissed. “Well, then the easiest thing to do would be to get another pack to offer them and the child sanctuary. Or, have a really good case about why that pack isn’t a good fit.”
“It’s Blue Moon and the child is a girl.”
Her eyes hardened and she looked away. “I’m… working on the case I believe you’re talking about. The Council is being bought and paid for. In this case, joining another pack or forming an official pack would be the best bet, but the paperwork would take too long to get done for one man to start a familial pack with an infant.”
My shoulders slumped and my eyes burned. “So… there’s really nothing?”
“Joining a pack would take all of an hour, even less if the alpha is around and can get here quickly. Blood Moon’s alpha is really the only who fits the bill.”
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