Landon

This is it. The moment of truth. The moment I have been waiting for this whole time since my life hung on the balance between life and death.

With these many lives lost between our two packs, it would seem almost hypocritical for me to be this nervous about finding out the truth and having the culprit pay for it at last.

After all, so many pack lives have been lost this year alone.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. There are rules of engagement.

You cannot simply shoot out people in the streets and think you will get away with this. It's not how society works. There is a difference between you shooting an invader on your property to you shooting someone who has invaded your house.

It seems like it's semantics but it isn't. We live in a society. There are rules and codes of conduct.

If that was simply the case, then Mr. Henderson would have hunted down the warrior who killed his mate while she was on duty. Like I said, I understand the hypocrisy. I got my revenge. I launched a powerful strike on their pack.

But I am an Alpha and there was a point to the killing. It wasn't just about getting revenge for myself. If this were the case, then Aaron's father would have been the target. And both of his parents are still alive.

Just the same as when soldiers kill an enemy when they go out on missions. That is not personal for them, it's the job. Kill or be killed, most of the time.

So yeah, I do want to catch the damn culprit! I cannot have peace until I do, unfortunately.

My wound may have been healed, but my emotional scars run deep within my skin, my soul, my mind. I shall never forget that day for as long as I live. Not that I should.

"Good morning, Alpha. Did I hear that correctly? They caught your shooter?" Lourdes greeted me, bowing her head. Even as a werewolf, sometimes I forget just how far our hearing reaches, especially in closed quarters. That is one of the reasons my office is soundproof. As are all the bedrooms.

"Good morning, Lourdes. I don't know about catching anyone. I only know that Beta Wilmont is coming here to inform me of the result of his investigation." I replied, trying to sound detached but failing.

In a surprise move for her, Lourdes came to hug me. She is not a fan of touching anyone except for her mate, so I can tell this is a big deal for her.

"I'm happy to see this episode put past us if that's what it means. And I'm glad for you, Alpha. I'm sure you're very apprehensive about finding out who it was." She spoke, breathing out a relieved sigh.

"Yeah, something like that. I think I'm gonna go back to the kitchen and make myself some tea while I wait. My stomach is rumbling." I said, uncomfortably.

"Please, allow me. You can take a seat in your office. There are papers that need your attention." She said in a light tone, before moving towards the kitchen.

"Thank you, Lourdes. You're the best. And congratulations on Kyle being promoted to team leader." I said as she walked away. Because Mr. Henderson was promoted to Under Delta, a vacancy as team leader opened up. That went to Kyle Levy, her mate. He has been a warrior for more than 10 years now.

Though I tried to bury myself behind paperwork, my focus was all over the place today.

I am a nervous wreck. Lourdes brought me some tea, and it helped to calm my nerves a bit. But nothing else occupied my mind right now. Not even when my mate came inside the office worried about me.

"I can feel your stress from the living room." He said, standing by the door, which was purposefully left open.

"You're my mate. Tough luck." I said, grunting.

Harry came beside me and kissed me for a minute, calming me with his mate's pheromones.

"It's fine, mate. You are safe now. No one will ever try to hurt you again. I won't let them." He reassured me and I smiled at him. Oh, how I love that he is here with me. For now at least.

"My guardian. Thanks for stopping by, Harry. I love you." I blurted and then we both gasped in shock. This is the first time either of us has ever said these words to each other.

"I love you too." He declared and I swooned. I felt so emotional. We kissed for another moment before he returned to the living room where I am sure people are stressed.

Inside the living room, Beta Carillon and Delta Saunders were talking to my mother. A couple of warriors were with them, the remaining was stationed outside of the house.

On another corner of the room, Ares and Spencer were also apprehensive about the upcoming news.

"Who do you think it is?" Ares asked his mate, anxiously.

"Honestly, I can't offer an opinion about it. Thousands of people lost their lives that day." He replied, making people more uncomfortable than they already are.

"Ares, don't you have a patrol coming up? Or are you on vacation that I am not aware of?" Kurt raised a disapproving frown at his son.

"I'll make my patrol, Delta. Rest assured. There's still time. I wanna know who shot my friend!" Ares snapped back at him, irritated.

"This isn't a social gathering, son. You shouldn't be here!" He insisted. - "Neither of you should, as a matter of fact." - He glanced at Spencer as he said that. There was an uncomfortable gaze exchanged between the mates and Kurt.

"They're here!" A warrior stepped inside the room to announce.

"Get the Alpha!" Javier ordered him, who left immediately to do as told.

Lucas Wilmont and Aaron Staedler arrived with two of their warriors along. They greeted those present at the entrance hall and took in the surroundings. Rihannon wasn't present. She stood back in the training center with the rest of the warriors and Mr. Henderson.

"Welcome, gentlemen. I understand you have some news for me." I spoke in a firm tone, trying hard to mask my nervousness. Both of them bowed their heads to me, out of respect.

"I do, Alpha. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But I know now who shot you in front of our pack house." Lucas said, also feeling nervous.

Literally, the whole room and the warriors outside of the house were waiting for his response. You could hear a pin drop at this moment. I kept staring at him for a moment, awkwardly silent.

"Well. Who is it?" I questioned him, waiting for the response in pins and needles.

Lucas Wilmont took a few steps inside the house towards the living room. He said nothing, so we quietly walked with him. I, Javier, Kurt, mom, and Harry. Aaron and the two warriors as well, of course.

"Did you really think you'd get away with it?" He inquired, staring inside the living room. All of us gasped in shock.

"Did you really think I wasn't going to find out about it?" He continued, as we tried to make sense of these strange questions. There were only two people left inside the living room. Ares and Spencer.

"Why are you staring at Ares, Lucas? He's Landon's best friend and has no reason whatsoever to shoot him." Harry interjected, gobsmacked.

"Harry, stay out of it!" Aaron reprimanded him, glaring at his brother fiercely.

The room was as tense as it had ever been. All of us are looking at each other baffled by this. What is he talking about? What does Lucas mean by that accusation? Who shot me?

"Spencer Jonas, by the authority invested in me by Alpha Staedler, I'm placing you under arrest for the attempted murder of Alpha Landon Barnett." He declared and the collective shocked gasp could be heard in a mile radius.

"Oh My Goddess!" Harry gasped in utter shock.

Ares was incredulous. We all were. What the hell is happening here?!

Lucas signaled for his two warriors to come in and arrest Spencer. Ares stood in front of them, protective of his mate.

"There has to be some kind of error. My mate would never shoot anyone, much less his best friend's mate!" Ares spoke out, desperately.

"Alpha, please remove your warrior or I will." Lucas stated, defiantly.

"Please Landon, don't do this!" Ares pleaded with me. I was so beyond shocked. Harry, my mom, everyone was horrified by this. Even the other warriors standing by the door, shell shell-shocked that the Luna's best friend would shoot his mate.

"Ares Saunders, as your Alpha, I command you to step aside!" I ordered him in a loud commanding voice. There was nothing else for me to do at this moment. I have to see this through, whether I want it or not.

Ares shakily did as I ordered him. Tears fell from his eyes as warriors handcuffed Spencer, who was yet to say anything beyond the initial shock. But he was sobbing.

Both warriors left the living room with Spencer cuffed and started walking towards the front door.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out like this. I know who he represents to your friend and your mate." Lucas said with a sorrowful gaze at me.

"You can't be serious, Lucas! Spencer wouldn't hurt a fly! He can't be the shooter!" Harry yelled at him, ferociously.

I contained my mate before he charged against the Beta. Harry broke down in tears which was tearing me apart. Ares was destroyed inside the living room, completely wrecked by this development.

Lucas was walking out of the pack house with Aaron and the prisoner when I raised my hand in a fist. A wall of warriors stood in front of them promptly.

He turned around to face me.

"You can't stop me from arresting one of my own pack members in relation to your shooting!" He raised his voice, revolted at me.

"I'm not." I said in a calm voice.

"I'm invoking our partnership and sending my own Beta to go with you and review all the evidence you have against Spencer. I'm sure you wouldn't come all this way here if you weren't 100% positive of his culpability. But I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't do my due diligence." I declared in a majestic tone.

"Beta, take four warriors and go with Beta Wilmont to the Blood Moon pack. Review all the evidence he has against Spencer and report back to me before his trial." I commanded Javier, who immediately selected four standing warriors to go with him. I signaled my men to stand down for them to leave.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out like this. I know he's your friend." Aaron told his brother, who looked devastated. Harry was crying like a baby by my side, gutted.

The Blood Moon pack entourage left as Javier went along in another car.

Ares still hasn't left the living room, he was destroyed by this. His father went inside to comfort him and that man is hard as a rock, that's how devastated he was.

My mother was looking at me with tears in her eyes. But all I could do, all I could think about was my mate unraveling beside me. I have never seen him so broken like this before. It's tearing up my heart.

https://youtu.be/_ZcmuKsyvzg

A|N: BOOM!

If you're crying now... it gets worse.

Much worse. I am sorry for all team #Spares out there.

I believe next is "Bleeding love".

Love,

Léo.