The Pack's Luna: The Pack Series Book 4 novel Chapter 399

Wendy

The next morning, I’m up early. I don’t have time to join warrior training, which makes me sad. Ever since Jude helped me push past my own mental block, I’ve been getting stronger and faster in warrior training which is good for when I officially start at the Academy in a couple of months.

I was hoping my mother, or maybe Yorick, or even Quirin would drive me to the Academy, but my father insisted. I prepared myself before getting in the car with him. My father is already on edge, worried about Cyra, Lila, and both their pups. Now, with me going along with the Alpha Squad, his worry has probably reached new heights.

We’re about halfway to the Academy before he says anything.

“You will be exceptionally careful, Wendy.”

“I promise, Dad.”

He finally turns and looks at me. “I mean it, Wendy. You don’t do anything foolish. You don’t act brave. You don’t go running after Stellan if you find him. You let the Alpha Squad do their jobs and you stay behind the lines. Do you understand me?”

“I understand,” I say, but it worries me how he’ll respond in the future once he’s in his council seat. Will he keep me from being an active member of the tech team? He’ll have the power to restrict my movements.

“I love you, Wendy, and I am very proud of you,” he says, glancing at me again. “It would destroy me if anything happened to one of my children.”

It’s extremely rare to hear this level of vulnerability in my father’s voice, so I know how worried he is for me.

“I promise I will be careful, Dad. I will do everything that Raptor and Hacker tell me. I won’t put myself at risk and I won’t do anything stupid,” I say, wanting to reassure him.

He sighs, nodding but not saying anything.

When we pull into the parking lot at the Academy, he gets out and grabs my bag from the back before walking around the car and pulling me into a tight hug.

“I love you with everything in me, Wendy. I need to know that you’re going to be careful. You were in the courtroom when Stellan was convicted of his crimes. He could very easily try to take retribution on you to get back at me, Yorick, Cyra, or our entire family for killing his brother and putting him and Arden behind bars.”

I hug my father tightly. Being in his arms has always made me feel safe, loved, cared for, and protected. I realize that, as I move into this next phase of my life, I won’t have that like I used to, not from him, not from Connor, and not from Quirin and Yorick. I’m about to leave the protective bubble of my family and start my own life, my own career, and I’ll become responsible for my own protection.

That reality hits me harder than expected. It’s very, very scary.

He kisses the top of my head, then I feel his body shift.

“Alpha Jude, a word,” he says.

I turn, seeing Jude standing quietly, waiting for us to finish our hug.

“Dad,” I begin, ready to tell him that he doesn’t need to have whatever conversation he’s about to have with Jude. But when I look at him, he has a look that I know well. It’s the Alpha look that only one person I’ve ever known can get past and that’s my mother.

“It’s fine, Wendy. Why don’t you go let Raptor know you’re here,” Jude says, his eyes on my father. “Remember what I said, Wendy,” my father says before finally releasing me.

As I begin to walk away, I hear my father.

“Alpha Jude, I wanted to speak with you, Alpha to Alpha.”

Oh boy.

I walk over to Raptor but keep turning around watching my father and boyfriend.

“Sphinx. Good, you’re here. Has Hacker filled you in?” Raptor asks.

“Yes. Hijack is monitoring the system to make sure it doesn’t go offline. Stellan doesn’t know about it as it was installed after his arrest. However, we’re not taking any chances given the severity of the threats he’s made to Alpha Cyra and Gamma Lila.”

“Good. We’ll let the tech team monitor Alphas Yorick and Cyra’s packs, hunt for Stellan’s location, and search for any possible hiding spots that Stellan may be using to stay hidden from us. Questions?”

Being Tracker’s mate, Raptor has a lot of inside information already. He basically just laid out what each member of the tech squad will be doing. Jude and I will be searching for the hiding spots that Stellan might be using.

Raptor answers a couple of questions, but mostly they are clarifying questions about where they will begin the hunt and how they will expand it if they don’t find Stellan’s scent.

“Alright, let’s move out!” Raptor says.

I follow Jude to a windowless van. It’s set up for the tech team to work. I also realize that Jude must have taken my bag from my father because it’s in here.

“After you,” he says, gesturing for me to enter the van before him. “Hookups for your computer are here or here, you choose where you want to work,” he says, plugging his own laptop into the power source that is closest to the van’s sliding door. I’m guessing that’s strategic rather than him wanting to be close to the only opening in the van. If anyone tries to get into the van, they’ll have to go through him to get to me.

“Welcome to your home for the week, Sphinx. Get settled. I’m guessing it’s going to be a long week,” he says, nodding to me before turning back to his own computer and getting everything set up.

I watch him for a moment, then turn to the console beside him. The idea of sleeping in this cramped van, even if Jude is here with me, makes both me and Dasha feel uneasy. But this is the job I’ve chosen, and like I told my mother, it’s better to know now if I can handle it or not.

I take a deep breath and begin to set up my computer. I’m a strong Alpha female. I can do this.

Somewhere in the depths of my mind a little voice responds. ‘I hope so.’

Wendy is about to be exposed to a very different life than what she’s used to.