Marked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 195

**The Heart I Buried for You by Serene Lockwood**
**Chapter 195: The Call That Changed Everything**

**Deanna’s POV:**

The chilling, monotonous beeping from the phone stretched each second into an eternity. It felt as if time itself was mocking me, each beep echoing my rising anxiety. My heart was lodged somewhere in my throat, a heavy weight that refused to budge. Deep down, my werewolf instincts were screaming, a primal warning that something ominous was looming just beyond my grasp.

At last, the call connected, and a voice broke through the oppressive silence. “Hello, this is Alpha’s assistant, Aaron.”

I blinked, momentarily thrown off balance. “Is Luis there?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

“Alpha is currently in a meeting. If there’s anything urgent, I can relay the message,” Aaron replied, his tone professional yet devoid of warmth.

I cast my gaze downward, the weight of my thoughts pressing heavily on my shoulders. “Then when he’s finished, have him call me back.”

With that, I hung up, the click of the phone feeling like a finality I wasn’t ready to face.

Alone in my home, I sank into the couch, curling up as if to shield myself from the world outside. For the first time, Crestwood Park felt vast, an empty expanse that echoed my loneliness. The silence wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket, making my skin crawl with unease.

In a desperate attempt to fill the void, I grabbed the remote, flicking on the television and cranking up the volume, hoping to drown out the oppressive quiet. The news anchor’s voice cut through the air, drawing my attention.

“Recently, a fire broke out at Mooncrown Pack’s energy-refining plant in Euron,” the newscaster reported with a grim expression. “Mooncrown Corporation’s stock has plummeted, erasing over 60 billion dollars in market value. Reporters are gathered outside the headquarters, awaiting Alpha Eaton’s response and trying to ascertain whether the fire was an unfortunate accident or a result of inter-pack conflict.”

I bit my lip, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. Even from the outside, I understood the magnitude of this disaster for the Mooncrown Pack. My heart ached for them, even as I felt a gnawing sense of helplessness.

Just then, my phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. I snatched it up, my heart racing.

“Deanna.”

“Luis.”

His voice was low and languid, a familiar sound that usually brought me comfort. Yet today, beneath that casual tone, I could sense an undercurrent of fatigue that tugged at my heartstrings.

“Why’d you call all of a sudden? What’s wrong?” he asked, his concern palpable even through the phone.

Hearing him made something sharp and painful throb in my chest. I sniffed, fighting to keep my emotions in check.

“I just saw the news. How’s your company holding up?” I managed to ask, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Luis responded with a calmness that surprised me. “We’re handling it. I just have to fly to Euron for a quick trip.”

In the living room, Ruth sat regally at the head of the sofa, sipping her afternoon tea with an air of calm authority. The butler ushered me in, and I took a seat across from her, feeling the intensity of her gaze.

Her face was lined with age, yet her sharp eyes held a piercing clarity. “Ms. Wiley. Long time no see,” she said, her voice cool and measured, as if she were assessing my worth.

I blinked, momentarily taken aback. Earlier that day, I had barely stepped outside when two Gamma-level guards had whisked me away in a car, bringing me straight to this moment.

“I don’t know if my grandson has already informed you, but the crisis at Mooncrown…” Ruth paused, her expression shifting as she considered her next words. “It was caused by one of our own branch families. You could classify it as small or significant, but make no mistake—it’s just the beginning.”

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening. “So, I brought you here to inquire: when Luis faces a power struggle within the pack, what do you have to offer him? What can your Mistbane Pack contribute?”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with expectation. “But Blackcreek Pack is different. Their bloodline and wealth align perfectly with Mooncrown.”

A chill swept over me, and my expression hardened at her blatant disdain.

Ruth’s eyes bore into me, the aura of a pack matriarch pressing down like a heavy weight. “You and your mother can barely protect yourselves in Mistbane. You can’t do anything for him. You’re just dragging him down. Do you understand that?”

Her words cut deep, leaving me reeling, struggling to find my voice amidst the storm of emotions swirling inside me.