Love Times Four My Stepbrothers Are My Mates (Alayah) novel Chapter 106

**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.

Mom insisted on joining us to the Crimson Moon Pack, but Dad was hesitant to allow it. When he had agreed to Grandma accompanying us, Mom had punched him in the shoulder, clearly frustrated. Noah had been trying to decipher why Dad was so resistant to Mom’s involvement. With every passing moment, Mom’s anger seemed to intensify, and I wondered how long it would be before one of them said something truly hurtful.

“Xavier, if you leave for Crimson Moon without me, don’t bother coming back,” Mom declared, turning her back on him as she walked back into the Pack-house. It was Alayah who had to confront him next, using her Alpha aura to compel him to his knees. None of us intervened; we simply observed.

“Dad, you know why Mom wants to come along. She has every right to seek answers. If you’re uncomfortable with that, I suggest you stay here and keep your distance from her. Is that clear?” She roared the last sentence, her voice fierce and commanding. It was evident that our Mate had uncovered something troubling Mom.

“Baby Girl, I understand she deserves answers. But I fear she might not like what she finds, and attacking an Alpha can lead to dire consequences,” Dad managed to reply, a hint of concern in his tone. Alayah quickly tempered her aura, her expression softening. “I’ve been trying to explain that to her, but she never lets me finish. My only concern is for her safety,” Dad added, rising to his feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mom covering her mouth, her expression a mix of shock and realization.

I didn’t think Mom had considered the potential fallout of seeking answers. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, stepping into Dad’s open arms. He held her tightly, offering silent comfort.

As soon as Bastian’s group loaded into the SUVs, they sped off. Austin’s group followed nearly ten minutes later, and our group departed fifteen minutes after that. This staggered timing would allow the other groups to take their positions along the territory. In those crucial minutes, Alayah briefed our backup on the assignments we had outlined for the day.