Chapter 68

**AUSTIN**

We both close our doors and I sigh. I wait until I've gone several yards before speaking.

“So how did it go with Luna Brooke?”

“Honestly? At first I found her unpleasant and then she turned out to be quite nice. Personally, she doesn't give a damn about our situation, but the people in the pack are scared, so they have to take that into consideration.” 

“That's exactly what Jacob told me. I put my cards on the table with him and told him that Riley had given us the name of her beta as one of her sponsors. He assured me he didn't know anything about it.” 

“And you believe him?” She asks me.

“I don't know what to believe or who to believe anymore.” I answer her honestly.

“I feel a bit like that too. I considered Riley my best friend, I lived with her and she has...” She stops and stares out the window in silence.

“I know.” I tell her before placing my hand on her thigh.

The journey back to the community is relatively quick. Cassius and Adam are waiting for us in front of the palace steps when I stop the car. 

Adam opens Aria's door while I get out on my side. 

“So how did it go?” Cassius asks after I step around the car.

“Pretty good. Better than I expected.” I reply and he pats me on the back. 

“Let's talk in my office, I've asked Alex and Fares to join us.” Adam tells me and I nod. “Leila has asked that you join her in her apartments. She didn't say why.” He says to Aria. 

“Okay. I'll join her and let you two talk amongst yourselves.” She has to before kissing Adam and then me.

“I don't know if I'll ever get used to her being with you two.” Cassius tells us once Aria has passed through the doors. 

***

We all take our places around the round table in Adam's office and I explain how my meeting with the alpha Jacob went. 

“We put our cards on the table from the start. Neither he nor I wanted to beat around the bush. He denied being connected in any way to the whole Riley thing. But he knows that the majority of the pack is against your community. He told me it must have been easy for Riley to get people on his side. As for his Beta, he assured me he didn't know if he was involved.” 

“Do you believe him?” Adam asks me and Cassius snorts. 

“I don't know who to believe anymore.” I tell him honestly.

“I saw you planted the trackers.” Alex tells me. “Where did you place them?”

“One in his office, another under the collar of his jacket and the last one in the toilet, under a sink.” I reply and he seems satisfied with my answer. 

“These are strategic points, they should do the trick.” Fares confirms before standing up. “Shall we stick to what we said? We've reinforced the guard towers, Cassius has helped us with delta training and Alex has added cameras and motion detectors all around the perimeter.”

“We're sticking to what we said. You're good to go.” Adam tells him.

The others all leave his office but I find him preoccupied. “Everything okay?” I ask him once we're alone.

“How did it go with Aria?”

“Fine from what she told me. I don't think the alpha Jacob and Luna Brooke give a damn about the community. All they want is for everyone to stay in their place and respect each other.”

“Good for them.” He shakes his head slightly. “I'm a bit tired I think, with everything that's happened... I just want to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Fuck, we almost had a baby and in the blink of an eye... nothing.”

“We still have Aria and we should be thankful for that. I would have loved to have had this child, to see him grow up but unfortunately it's no longer possible.I'm sure we'll have a beautiful family one day.” I reply. That's what I'm holding on to, because if I don't keep that hope alive, what's left?

“I hope but all this hatred... I hope I'll be able to protect them.” he tells me, frowning. 

“We'll always do our best that I'm sure of and so will Aria. If the Moon Goddess gives us children, they'll be fucking lucky because they'll have three parents who'll love them more than anything and be willing to sacrifice everything for them.”

**ADAM**

The conversation I had with Austin was good for me, I think I needed to say my worries out loud. I find it reassuring in a way that we're both on the same wavelength. After a few more glasses of whiskey, we decided to join Aria.

Cassius had informed me via the mind link that she was still with Leila and that he'd left them to enjoy some girl time. 

“Do you think she's still with Leila?” Austin asks me.

“We'll find out soon enough.” I reply before opening our bedroom door. 

Leila, Cassius and Aria are on the bed laughing. 

“We've... kind of... decided to move the party.” Aria tells me as she rises from the bed. “I feel like dancing.” She says as she spins around before smashing her face but I manage to catch her before she falls.

“She's super fun with a punch in the nose.” Leila tells us before rising from the bed in turn. “I thought she'd hold her liquor better, didn't you say she worked in a bar?”

“Princess, barmaids are supposed to serve drinks, not drink them.” Cassius tells her before carrying her like a bride. “I wanted to make sure she got home in one piece. Take care of her.” He tells us before exiting the room.

“Who wants to dance?” Aria asks us, reaching for her phone, then turning on the speaker. 

A song rings through the room and she starts dancing and singing.

“How can she be so sexy and dance so badly?” Austin asks me amused. “And sing so badly.” He laughs and I laugh back, but it doesn't seem to faze our dear mate.