Revenge to the Alpha Mate novel Chapter 244

Chapter 244: Chapter 244

Lily’s Perspective

The tension visibly drained from Ethan’s shoulders, and from my brother Keith’s, whose usual "the sky can fall, someone taller will catch it" demeanor masks the fact he worries more than anyone. Even the stubborn stress pimples on Keith’s jaw had receded. Their patrols became less frequent, shorter, with more responsibility passed to the younger cubs to learn the borders and hone their senses. As Keith put it: "We can’t rely on our old noses forever. New blood needs to learn how to mark its own territory."

We all knew why. It wasn’t that the Hunters had suddenly found peace. The chaos Jacob and Celena had stumbled into was like a bleeding chunk of fresh meat, holding the rapt attention of every hyena and vulture that had caught the scent.

It was a relief, but a heavy, damp piece of wood seemed lodged in the pit of my stomach.

Sometimes, in the dead quiet before dawn, I’d have nightmares about them. Not specific scenes, but a feeling—a cold, clinging darkness chasing them. Jacob shielding Celena, wounded, looking back with a desperate finality. I’d jolt awake, heart hammering, palms slick, needing minutes to convince myself I was safe in my cabin, listening to familiar crickets outside.

So, I’d taken to calling them. Not every call connected, the signal was fickle. But hearing a voice halved the weight on my heart. I’d chatter about pack nonsense: Nate’s latest baking experiment that nearly torched the kitchen, Xavier’s discovery of a new perfect lookout spot, Adrian losing a bet and being forced to wear pink socks for three days... Anything and everything, except the direct "Are you okay? Are you safe?" Some questions just make things heavier. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Then, last time, the signal was freakishly clear. Jacob’s voice sounded closer to "normal" than it had in weeks, carrying a trace—so faint I might have imagined it—of relief.

"...Yeah. On the road. Heading home."

Those simple words nearly made me crush the comms device. *On the road? Home?*

Finally, he’d said it almost like a promise: "We’re already on our way home."

*Home.*

I hung up, standing by the comms room window, watching the forest turn gold and crimson in the sunset, a grin spreading across my face unbidden. That sodden log on my chest was finally gone, letting in warm, actual sunlight.

I was overjoyed. It was the best damn news in ages.

It spread through our inner circle like wildfire. Even Ethan’s stern face broke into a rare, genuine smile. A pure, uncomplicated joy—not for victory, just for family returning safely—filled the air.

We agreed on a small welcome. Nothing grand, but it had to be lively, had to feel like *home*. The night they crossed into our territory, we’d light a bonfire in the clearing before the main lodge.

I was on dessert duty. Jacob has a secret, decidedly un-hardman soft spot for sweets, especially cream cake. I used the best cream and fresh eggs from the farm, baking a solid, fluffy golden sponge, then lavishly slathering it with thick vanilla frosting. The sweet smell from the oven made even the days seem sweeter.

Nate declared she was making nut-butter cookies from her grandmother’s secret recipe, "guaranteed to chew your worries up and swallow them." Ethan and Xavier were the most enthusiastic, disappearing into the woods and returning at dusk with a fresh beef shoulder and a beautiful cut of venison. Xavier proudly declared the buck the most agile he’d seen all year, "worthy of welcoming our little wolves back." Ethan just grunted and got to work on the meat, prepping his secret rubs and the grill. The air began to mix with the scent of searing meat, the crackle of burning wood, and the soft hum of laughter and anticipation.

When Jacob’s beat-up Ford Explorer, coated in road dust and catching the last of the sunset, rumbled up the dirt track to the lodge and let out its raspy honk—

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