It's like the Earth had stood still.

It's the second Thursday of December, late in the afternoon. I had picked my son up from school like any other day - since I quit my job at the mall in November. We were on our way home when a black SUV railroaded me, effectively standing in my way in the middle of the street.

At first, I thought it was a problem with their car. It is not remotely impossible for that to happen, cars break down all the time. But when four masked men carrying guns got out of the vehicle and threatened me at gunpoint, I was forced to surrender my most precious treasure.

Charlie, my baby boy, unlocked the door himself and voluntarily surrendered to the men, in fear for my life. I had no alternative but to let him go, there was no other play for me then. I could maybe wrestle one or two men, but I can not hope to win against a Glock.

Devastated, I watched the son I brought into this world, after a rather painful labor, be taken away from me at the behest of his rapist father who by the way never once paid him a visit growing up.

I know by now that Richard is being punished by the Goddess with infertility, but that was never my prayer for him. If ever I were to pray to Selene - which I have - I certainly would not waste my time wishing for anything bad to happen to him. I am far too busy praying for my son to be okay.

The kidnapping happened very fast. They were organized and acted as unpredictably as they could by stopping my car on the road, far enough from the middle school - where Stephano had warriors stationed - and away from the police or any law enforcement agency. It was all meticulously planned.

In a flash, my son was gone with the masked men in the SUV. I was left devastated and alone inside my car. There are no words that could describe the pain that I was in. To be forced to watch my beloved son be taken away from me and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I unraveled with an unparalleled sadness that washed over me. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings and call my mate to inform him of what had just happened. I was completely heartbroken, utterly destroyed by this stunt that I knew was coming.

I knew Richard wouldn't leave us alone. He is not the giving up type, as my personal history with him already proves it. I just never could have imagined he would be that bold. Or that clever, if you think about it... it's a cruel but brilliant strategy to do this the way they did.

Once Stephano came to my rescue, he carried me into his car and stayed with me for a while, consoling me, trying to mend my broken heart that could not be mended in any way. My son was gone and nothing would ever make sense again.

I love my mate, that is not in question here, but my boy means the world to me. He is my baby. Always has been. Always will be. My life will never be the same again without him by my side. It's just the way it is.

Pain. Insurmountable pain overwhelmed me as I cried tears of despair. What is going to happen to my son now? Be stuck with people he never met in his life? Maybe be shipped off to a boarding school somewhere? Though I am not sure if Richard has that kind of budget... Now Stephano is another matter...

My sweet, caring mate embraced me for the longest time and offered his comfort while I was experiencing impossible pain. Nothing breaks like a heart and mine was completely shattered. I would never be okay again until my son was back in my arms.

But now it's too late. He is gone and never coming back.

Or so I thought.

A while later, the same black SUV stopped by Stephano's car. They parked in the same avenue where Charlie was taken and released my son to my utter disbelief. How did this happen? How the hell did my mate pull that off? I am baffled while my son is hugging me like he just had spent a month away. It is so nice to smell his sweet scent. At least for now while his teenage years do not commence. Teenagers' scent is gross...

I am beyond perplexed by this stunt. Not only did my mate do some sort of voodoo to bring my son back, but he also had the kidnappers do it. For real, the men who kidnapped my son brought him back safe and sound.

How is that even remotely possible? *gasp*

Am I mated to a warlock, I am at a loss for words here. Obviously, I am deeply grateful for Stephano to have been able to pull this off some way, somehow. Words can not describe the relief I felt by seeing my son next to me, feeling him in my arms.

I can not believe that this is my reality, but whatever he did, I am so thankful that it worked. As much as I hate to admit it, Stephano was right all along. There is nowhere else safer for Charlie - and me - other than right here in Regency Falls.

The pack with the best Beta in the entire country. *hold for applause*

After some time, I returned to my car with Charlie as Stephano drove his Porsche home, side by side with me. The team of warriors that he had called to back his play when my son was delivered, followed the black SUV until it was out of town. Then they returned to the training center and reported to Iris, the Delta of the pack.

Back at home, I asked my son how he was doing and he assured me once again that none of the men treated him badly or harmed him in any way. But he did overhear some interesting conversations taking place while he was inside their car. He is a fully realized werewolf after all with superhuman hearing ability - just like the rest of us adults.

"I heard them talking on the phone. We were already on the road back to Oklahoma when a man they called Beta called. He told them to go back to Regency Falls because Stephano had their Luna hostage." Charlie was telling me as we sat by the kitchen island.

I gasped in shock at my mate who was drinking some vodka in the living room - after the tough day we had, I'd probably join him later. He didn't even open a bottle of wine, he went straight for the hard liquor. Can I blame him? No, I can not.

"Oh, my Goddess!" I was baffled to hear this, but no doubt I had already figured he must have had one hell of a trump card to pull something like this off. They wouldn't return Charlie simply because he asked nicely.

"The Beta said that he could not risk Luna's life or this would all be in vain. He told them to obey his order or face the consequences when they return to Oklahoma and face the Alpha's wrath." Charlie said in a somber tone, wide-eyed as he repeated Ezekiel's words.

"Wow!" I was gobsmacked by this. I took a bottle of water from the fridge and walked to the living room where my mate was sitting on the couch. He obviously listened to our conversation just now.

"How the hell did you manage to take Richard's mate hostage? And so fast?" I questioned my mate, perplexed by this tale. Inside the kitchen, my son is making himself a snack. All things considered, he is much better than I thought he'd be.

"I didn't take anyone hostage. I simply planted a sniper outside of the rec center where she was working and threatened to kill her if Beta Blackwood didn't return your son to you who he belongs." Stephano replied nonchalantly.

"You planted a sniper gunning for Richard's mate? You do know he is going to take this as an act of war, right?" I cautioned my mate, worriedly.

"We were already at war from the moment he had men inside my pack, now he is just getting a dose of his own medicine. Like I told Ezekiel earlier today, two can play the invasion game. If he thought it would be easy to take Charlie away from Regency Falls, he has grossly underestimated me. I made a promise and I intend to keep it." He declared, a tad spiteful.

"You have got to be the best Beta this or any pack has ever had." I admired him, honestly.

I was enchanted by my mate, if I wasn't already pregnant with his pup I'd definitely be after I was done with him tonight.

"Hardly. I am just a man who stands up for his family. The Goddess didn't mate you to me at random. She knew I would do whatever it took to protect you and my stepson. I do not fear Richard nor do I plan to lose. Come what may!" Stephano declared, incisively.

I am so mesmerized by him right now... For once in my life, I have to concede that this time around my heat played in my favor. I would never be alright away from him, I don't know what I was thinking wanting to leave Regency Falls. There is nowhere else in the world I would ever be safer.

Despite having a gun pointed at my head only a couple of hours ago. *gasp*

"If I wasn't already pregnant, I'd definitely be after I am done with you later tonight." I declared, causing him to blush.

"Daddy, gross!" Charlie complained from the kitchen, sounding disgusted. We laughed at that and I poured myself some vodka as well. Stephano has the good stuff. I think I can get used to being mated to a rich man, just saying... *wink*

*flashback*

It's the next Monday after Charlie's first attempted kidnapping.

Stephano arrives inside the training center and after he greets Iris and the warriors present, he asks her to select the two oldest warriors on the force with sniper certification - though every warrior has to train with guns eventually, only about thirty percent of them have experience with long range weapons.

Evidently, these kinds of certifications cost a lot and the pack cannot afford to train everybody. They also cannot practice with guns in the training center - it was not built with the right types of equipment for that or even the space - so an outsourced gun range is used in that regard.

Inside the conference room, Stephano, Iris, Clarkson, and the two warriors were sitting as my mate briefed them on the mission.

"Here is the thing, people. No matter how well I prepare myself for an incursion on our pack, I can't rely on that alone. I have a feeling that after last Friday, the next time they come for my stepson they are going to do something so unpredictable that I won't be able to protect Charlie, or get to him in time." Stephano started with fear in his tone.

"Then what do you propose, Beta?" Clarkson asked him, looking puzzled.

"I am going to take a page out of their playbook." He announced and they all gasped in shock.

"You are going to invade their pack? With just two men?" Iris questioned him, jaw dropped.

"Yes and no." He replied, cryptically.

"Both of you are going to Oklahoma, yes, but you are not going with the purpose of invasion or raiding their pack. The two of you are going to shadow Richard's mate. Wherever she goes, you go. Except for the pack house, of course." He continued, causing the men to gasp as they heard the shocking mission.

"Let me be clear about something. Your purpose there is not to engage with anybody. You two are to remain invisible. Blend in with their population. I am sure that with twenty thousand werewolves, this is not going to be a problem." He elaborated, looking at the men with a serious expression on his face.

"I have a distinct feeling that there is a very good point to this shadow mission." Iris commented, looking at Stephano suspiciously.

"Evidently, my dear Delta. The point is to explore the weakness in her guardianship. Because there will come a time, I don't know if tomorrow or a month from now, that I will call upon you to aim a gun at her head." He told them and one could hear them gasp inside the conference room.

"What?" The men questioned him at the same time.

"You are going to be sleeper agents. Nobody will ever know that you are there, but if they come here to take my stepson away, I need you to be prepared to shoot their Luna, either in close proximity or with a long range shotgun. Preferably from afar so you two can be safe afterward." Stephano clarified for the shocked audience.

"You want them to be your leverage in case they take Charlie away. I see what you are doing. You are devious." Iris remarked, admiring her boss' ingenuity.

"No, I am not devious. I am a father. And if they come here, the only thing that is going to stop them in their tracks is threatening the most important person in that pack. Obviously, I would never waste my time by telling them to shadow Richard, who would be that much more difficult to kill." Stephano stated, sounding convincing.

"And if they don't comply with your demand?" One of the warriors questioned my mate, sounding troubled by the grim prospect.

"You'd shoot her, making sure that she dies! I will not force either of you to go on this mission, but I need you both to know that there may come a time when you could be asked to shoot her down. I do not want to do this, but I will not let them take Charlie away from his father, come hell or high water." Stephano replied, making it crystal clear what was the assignment.

The two men are given a moment to think about their mission and decide whether or not they want to embark on such a dangerous quest. Stephano also told them that as soon as their presence is known to their pack authorities they will be asked to return home.

Their primary objective is not to engage with anyone there and to be as inconspicuous as possible in Oklahoma. Fortunately, the vast majority of the town is made up of humans, so they would be at less of a risk than me when I went to the Regency Falls Mall and got made by a toy store clerk.

*end of flashback*

Later that evening, I took a long bath with my mate in our suite. I was delighted to feel good again and it was all thanks to my wonderful man. After that relaxing bath, I made sure to thank him properly in our bed again and again...

The next day, I told my son that it was okay for him not to go to school but Charlie said that 'he wanted to see his mate again'. Yes, those were his exact words. Am I going to complain? Not really, no. If he wants to go to school, who am I to stop him?

"You are my hero, daddy Stephano." He hugged him before we left the house and I got misty-eyed.

"I told you I would keep you safe. They are never taking you away from us." My mate told him, feeling emotional.

"You are truly a hero, mate. I could never put into words how grateful I am to have been mated to you. I am deeply proud to be your mate." I declared, feeling appreciation for him. He pecked my lips before I was out the door and once again told me he loved me.

I love you too, handsome. You are everything that I could ever want in a partner. Truly.

https://youtu.be/0iAzMRKFX3c

A|N: What a beautiful song... *swoon*

Next, we are going to check back with Oklahoma where Richard is about to throw a hissyfit.

Let's start the countdown to war, shall we? There will be [plenty of] blood.

Love,

Léo.