Chapter 64: Chapter 64

Kairos

Maeve was on the mend. She could walk, she could talk, but she wasn’t herself, and she wouldn’t leave her home.

The time was coming when we’d have to share what had happened, and the vampires were due to arrive any moment.

The situation with Maeve was bound to make their presence even less welcome.

I paced my living room, waiting. Adelie was safely in her room—I’d made sure of it.

Something had happened to her, something bad.

I wanted to be with her, but the vampires were close. The cloud cover was enough for them to venture out.

Sunlight wasn’t an issue for them. The tales of them burning in the sun were just that—tales. They didn’t burn, they just didn’t care for it.

They were creatures of the night. That was it. The idea of them burning in the sun was probably comforting to their enemies.

My front door swung open, and Riley stepped in, leaving the door ajar—a clear sign they’d arrived. She took her place next to me.

She was close, her arm almost brushing mine. She was my beta, not my luna. I didn’t have time for this now, so I shifted slightly away from her.

Irene entered next, alone this time.

“No guards? I’m glad you feel safe,” I said, but her expression was unreadable.

She didn’t respond to my greeting. “Fifty of us are here. I hope your people will grow more accepting,” she said, making it clear my pack had already spotted them.

Of course they had. How could they not?

I nodded at Irene and stepped outside to a crowd of vampires on my doorstep.

I never thought I’d see the day when I’d welcome them into my pack.

They didn’t all have Irene’s deathly pallor. From a distance, some even looked normal. But normal is relative.

Maybe they weren’t as different as we’d thought. Maybe they weren’t as different as we’d been led to believe.

Members of the Night Walkers pack were watching from the sidelines.

I had their attention. I straightened my back, assuming the Alpha persona I was expected to project.

“Welcome to the Night Walkers pack,” I said, noting their approving nods.

I didn’t ask them to bow. I wasn’t their leader, and I didn’t want to be. I had my own kind to lead, and I intended to coexist peacefully with these blood-bound strangers.

“I won’t make a speech. Let me show you where you’ll be living,” I said, leading them towards the heart of the pack, where the houses were.

They had brought nothing with them, only the clothes they wore. Perhaps they weren’t sure they’d be staying.

I stopped at a row of vacant houses. There were many empty homes in the pack, but I’d insisted on keeping everyone together rather than spread out.

I wanted everyone within easy reach, leaving the more distant houses empty.

Maybe I could bend my own rule in this case. But if I wanted harmony, I had to push boundaries. I couldn’t isolate them completely.

I stopped at their designated homes. More pack members had gathered, some peeking from behind their houses.

“There are fifteen houses for you. Each is marked with a red sticker on the door. They all have multiple rooms. I’m sure you’ll find them spacious enough.”

I turned to my pack. “I want to assure you all that this is for our safety, and to build stronger alliances, not just with our own kind.

“Despite our differences, I believe they won’t hinder our pact. From this point forward, we coexist peacefully. Safety is assured for all,” I declared.

“Should anyone violate this peace, intentionally causing harm, there will be repercussions. I won’t stand for any brawls or needless disputes.”

“I’m not asking you to be friends. Just recognize that you’re not alone in this pack,” I said, my voice resonating through the silence. No one dared to interrupt or even cast a skeptical glance my way.

“There may be some changes in the pack’s rules, but it shouldn’t disrupt your daily lives.”

I scanned the crowd, ensuring everyone was attentive. “If you have any queries or worries, approach me, Luna Adelie, or Beta Riley. Thank you,” I concluded, retreating from the crowd towards my study.

I glanced back to see them maintaining their distance, but at least the vampires were retreating to their homes.

I sank into my usual chair, feeling unusually on edge. Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation. Or maybe it was the concern for Adelie and the Maeve situation.

I still had to deal with that Melanie girl. I was certain I’d find her. If the bracelet wasn’t from the red cape, then Melanie was trespassing on my territory.

I discovered her location, and it wasn’t as remote as I’d anticipated.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. It wasn’t unusual, but it startled me. It was just Riley. “Is everything okay?” I asked.

“The vampires are settling in, and the rest of the pack is still chattering, but they’ll adjust. They have to. It’s for the best. This pack needs all the growth it can get,” she replied.

She held her head high, as if she was an expert on the subject, but it wasn’t the pack's growth that concerned me. It was Adelie’s safety.

Her words made me curious. “Pack growth?” I questioned her.

She moved closer, not stopping across the table but making a deliberate detour to stand at the corner of the table on my side.

Her movement was odd, but perhaps I was just being overly cautious because of what Adelie had said. I didn’t want Riley this close and Adelie walking in and misunderstanding.

Not that she had any reason to, but I knew Adelie. She’d act like everything was fine while crumbling with jealousy inside.

That’s just how she was—always concerned about others’ feelings while neglecting her own.

Could I blame her for being jealous, though? I’d tear apart anyone who dared to look at her with anything more than friendly intentions.

“Sure, welcoming vampires here is a good move, but why stop there?” she said, her enthusiasm bordering on excessive.

She leaned in closer, her hands resting on the table. “We could be the first pack to assemble a powerful force with diverse abilities, not just shifters.

“We could finally have the opportunity to be the best,” she said, her eyes gleaming with pride. As if this was her achievement.

Or more like a craving. A craving for something more, something she’d only ever dreamed of.

“The Night Walkers pack doesn’t need to be the strongest. We just need to be safe and capable of protecting each other,” I retorted.

She didn’t back down, leaning in even closer. I didn’t retreat. Why was she acting this way? I was still her alpha. How could she speak to me like this?

“Don’t you want to be the greatest? Form a formidable force and acquire more territory for yourself? Inviting vampires here was a good start, but it could be so much more.”

She said this with a twisted, unsettling smile. “Together, we can elevate this pack to the pinnacle. Forget about anyone ever doubting us,” she said.

I couldn’t let her continue. How dare she disrespect me like this? I slammed my hand on the table and leaned in closer to her, my gaze piercing into hers.

“There’s no ‘we.’ No unity. How dare you even mention the concept of ‘us’ to me?” I snapped at her, each word a sharp jab. My blood was beginning to simmer.

“You need me if you want this pack to reach its full potential. You want safety for this pack, and together, we can make that happen,” she retorted, stoking the flames of my anger even further.

I rose from my seat, closing the distance between us until we were practically nose to nose.

“I don’t need you. I’ll never need you. You’re nothing but a disgrace to your brother. A disgrace to the honest work he put into this pack, a disgrace to your family,” I hissed at her.

Suddenly, the door swung open. A sharp intake of breath echoed through the room from the newcomer. I hadn’t realized how threateningly close I’d gotten to Riley, or how it must have appeared.