The Pack's Luna: The Pack Series Book 4 novel Chapter 418

Wendy

My dad did a great job of distracting me on the way to the Council, but as soon as we walked into the courtroom, my stomach twisted with nerves.

“Sphinx,” Tracker says from up front where she’s talking to Raptor. I instantly breathe a sigh of relief. She walks over and smiles at me.

“Are you ready for your first real debrief?” she asks me.

“I’m not sure,” I say honestly.

“Well, even though I wasn’t on the mission with you, as part of the Tech Team and because you’re underage, I’ll be standing up there with you. Just remember what we’ve talked about in the past. Answer the questions you’re asked, be truthful, and be concise.”

“Okay, I feel better knowing you’re here,” I say.

“Raptor thought you might,” she says, making me smile. That was sweet of Raptor to think of me and that I might be nervous. I need to remember to thank him. “And, of course, Hacker called me to make sure you wouldn’t be alone in front of the Council.”

My smile gets even wider. That is until Councilman Edward calls me forward.

“I’ll be right here, Wendy,” my father says.

“Actually, Alpha Warren, how about you come sit up here. This is a good learning opportunity for both you and your daughter,” Councilman Edward says. “For the most part, these internal sessions are informal, but we still need to debrief so we’re clear on what happened. Sphinx, come stand in front of the Council.”

I walk forward, into the area where the lawyers and the accused usually sit. Tracker walks up with me and gently lays a hand on my arm when we’re close enough. Then she shifts into her usual stance of what I call parade rest, so I do the same.

Councilman Edward waits for my father to get seated, then he looks at me.

“So, Sphinx, this was your first time on a mission,” he says.

“Yes, sir.”

“How did you like it?”

I expected him to jump right in with questions about Stellan, but instead, he seems to be trying to help me relax.

I glance at Tracker. She gives me a subtle nod, telling me to answer truthfully, then I look back at Councilman Edward. “Honestly, it was exciting and a bit terrifying.”

From the corner of my eye, I see Tracker’s lips pull into a grin before she schools her face back to her expressionless look. I take that as a good sign.

Councilman Edward looks at some papers in front of him. “Alpha Squad had one member go out in the first twenty-four hours, and then you and Hacker were attacked by the escaped prisoner twenty-four hours later. I’d say that would be pretty terrifying for your first assignment. Tell me, which parts were exciting for you?” he asks, smiling at me.

“Well, I was learning a lot. Hacker taught me how to use the infrared detectors and how to assess distance so I could let Alpha Squad know how far away they were from a heat source. That was fun. Then Hijack was teaching me how to identify heat sources that were large enough to warrant being assessed by Alpha Squad.”

He nods, still looking over his paperwork. “You also directed Hacker through the water to get to Cipher before he could get swept away by the river’s current. Would you consider that exciting or terrifying?” he asks me.

“A little bit of both, sir.”

“That’s understandable. So, tell me, Sphinx, how is it that you were the one who found Stellan?”

I glance around. All of Alpha Squad is here. I didn’t do it on my own. Everyone did their part, so that’s what I say.

“It was a group effort, sir.” Behind him, my father smiles proudly.

Councilman Edward looks at me. “According to Raptor, everyone else in the group was sleeping when you found him, Sphinx. While I appreciate your modesty and understanding that the rest of the team members played a role in capturing Stellan, you were the one who originally found him.”

“Well, sir, I was having a hard time sleeping, so I thought I would practice looking for heat sources around the river. At first, I wasn’t sure it was him. His body temperature was pretty low, but when I saw him move, I woke Hijack and he confirmed we needed to check it out,” I say.

Councilman Edward smiles at me. “Those cots are miserable, aren’t they?”

“They really are,” I say, chuckling.

“I had the opportunity to go out with Alpha Squad once and I slept on one of those cots. I use the term ‘slept’ very loosely. In the future, Sphinx, you may want to consider sleeping by the fire.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, smiling.

He asks me a few more questions, specifically about how we tracked Stellan back to the pack, how Hacker and I got there before Alpha Squad, and what happened when Stellan attacked us. I do exactly what Tracker told me to do. I answer honestly, confidently, and concisely.

“Well, Raptor said he was impressed with how quickly you were learning on this mission,” he says. I glance at Raptor.

“Thank you,” I say.

He nods and I turn back to Councilman Edward.

“You’re exactly right about that. I think that’s why Alpha Michael and Alpha Nevaeh have split the duties of the Academy. Before, Alpha Leo was in charge. Now, there are two leaders and they are accountable to each other and the other instructors. It’s a good checks and balances system.”

“So, what do you want to do after you graduate next year?” I ask him.

“Continue working for the Council. I think Hijack intends to continue working with them as well. It will be sort of like the elite squads. We’ll move out of the Academy and into the housing area where the elites live until they find their mates.”

“What if you and I are mates?” I ask before I can stop myself. Dasha pushes forward, wanting to hear his answer too.

When he glances at me, I see Saggio shining in his eyes.

“If we’re mates, we’ll have a couple of choices. I stay on campus with you, or we can move off campus like Raptor and Tracker. It would probably be easier for you to remain on campus instead of having to commute every day. Especially since I can work anywhere.”

I turn and look out the window, smiling at his answer. It’s nice to know that he’s already thinking about what it will be like for us if we’re mates.

“Wendy,” he says. When I look at him, he holds my gaze a moment before turning back to the road. “What was that smile?” he asks.

I shrug. I don’t want to ruin it or jinx it, but I really do hope that Jude is my mate.

“Tell me,” he says softly, pulling my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles.

“It’s embarrassing,” I say.

“Tell me anyway,” he says, his voice deep and soft. It makes Dasha stretch and begin purring in my mind.

“I hope you’re my mate,” I whisper.

He pulls off on the side of the road and turns to look at me.

“So do I,” he says, before sliding his hand into my hair and leaning over to kiss me in the way that makes me forget everything except for him.