**When Broken Stars Drift Across Empty Midnight Skies by Troy Mason Venn 106**
Nikolay’s perspective
Alayah had made the decision to pass the interrogation of our prisoner to Hondo. It wasn’t that she lacked the capability; rather, she was eager to advance our case against the Crimson Moon Pack. With the weight of unfinished business still lingering in her office, she turned to Bastian, seeking his insight on who might be best suited for the task at hand.
The past two days had been a whirlwind of activity, consumed by the meticulous process of combing through an overwhelming number of files. We had painstakingly organized them into various crates, each one representing a piece of the puzzle we were determined to solve. A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room when the last file was finally tucked away, but Nathan’s comment about the rows of filing cabinets in the Archive had quickly deflated our moment of triumph. “You’re exaggerating!” Noah had shot back, but Nathan had insisted on dragging us all down to the Archive to prove his point.
This morning, Elder Aimi and Elder Mathass had arrived, ready to assist us in presenting our case against the Crimson Moon Pack. Their wisdom and experience would be invaluable as we sought to strip the current leadership of their titles. It was a precarious situation; aside from Marc and Alpha Randell, their ranks had been decimated, particularly after the loss of their Beta—the very one who had tried to alleviate the burdens Marc faced as Alpha.
“Is everyone prepared to hear how we will proceed?” Elder Mathass inquired, his voice steady and authoritative. We all turned our attention to him, eager for the guidance we needed. He began recounting an old case that the Blood Stone Pack had managed months before Alayah’s Great-Great-Grandmother had passed away. He delved into the intricacies of the case, illustrating every aspect with clarity.
It was a tale of a male who had been convicted for allowing a Mate-bond to form with his stepsister. The narrative unfolded, detailing how he had found his way to the Blood Stone Pack, how Alayah’s Great-Great-Grandmother had discerned the truth in his words, and how the Blood Stone Pack had acted swiftly against the Pack that had committed the crime. The resolution, however, was far from happy. By the time they had arrived, the male’s Mate had tragically taken her own life. An Omega’s testimony had been crucial in uncovering the heartbreaking truth behind that loss, revealing that the Mate had been unaware of her bond until it was too late.
Only the Alpha and his son had known the real reason for the conviction; both were stripped of their titles for failing to uphold the law. The Beta had ascended to the role of Alpha, and while minor incidents had occurred since then, he had never violated the law himself.
“Now that we have a clear understanding of how to handle this situation, I have a question,” Alayah interjected, her voice steady but laced with urgency. “How quickly can we set this in motion?” Just as she finished speaking, a siren blared, cutting through the air like a knife. Grandpa rushed to the window, a broad smile stretching across his face, and I heard Dad gasp as he caught a glimpse outside. It felt like a signal—a cue for all of us to rise as one and move toward the window.
Lycans came rushing toward the Pack-house from every conceivable direction, and within mere minutes, at least a hundred of them stood lined up, a powerful sight to behold. “Wow, that looks incredible,” Alayah whispered, pressing her palm against the cool glass. I couldn’t help but smile; I could feel her excitement radiating through our bond.
“Your Warriors are prepared, Alpha,” Bastian reported, glancing down at the assembled Lycans. Alayah turned to him, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “A second squad will follow you after half an hour; they’ll serve as your backup. I doubt you’ll need them, but it’s merely a precaution,” Uncle Josh added reassuringly.
Throughout my life, I had visited various Packs, witnessing their Warriors gather on training grounds, but none had ever matched the sheer presence of the Warriors I was observing now.
“Let’s head downstairs to brief them about their assignments. Beau and Dallas will inform our backup, while Hondo will remain behind to continue the interrogation of our prisoner. Dad will oversee the rest of the Pack,” Bastian instructed, turning away from the window. I took Alayah’s hand, guiding her toward the door, eager to see how everything would unfold.


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