Alpha's One Night Bride
Alpha’s One Night Bride – Chapter 32

Jonathan didn’t like leaving Arina home alone after the week they’ve had, but Chief Miller wanted to speak with him at the Grower Howler Police Station.

The police station was a small brick building towards the center of town. Inside the police station, the deputies remained at their desks filling out files and documents.

Chief Miller was waiting in his office, in the back of the station near the jail cells. The jail cells only consisted of a few wolves that were caught stealing from locals. Most of the bigger crimes from wolves would be sent to Silverside where they kept the prison. Anyone in custody had to be cufflinked which prevented them from changing into their wolf forms. Only the chiefs had access to disarming the cufflinks.

Chief Miller sat at his desk, looking uneasy, as Jonathan entered.

“What’s going on?” Jonathan asked as he sat at one of the chairs placed in front of the desk.

“We were able to trace the scent back to a pack,” Chief Miller went on to say.

Jonathan swallowed hard.

This is what he was fearing. A few days ago, an outsider hunted on their hunting grounds, knowing that it was against the law and could result in their death. However, he was hoping it would be a lone wolf that lost their way because then maybe they could wave some of the more serious charges. But because the scent was traced back to a pack, that means it was a territory invasion.

Which could result in a territory war.

“It was Blackcrest,” Chief Miller finished.

Graham was the Alpha in Blackcrest, and Jonathan has only met him once a few years ago. It was during the meeting of the Alpha’s, an event that only happens once every few years. Jonathan always got a weird vibe about Graham. Then when Jonathan went to Dawngaurd and met that woman at the outdoor food market, she mentioned that Blackcrest werewolves were raiding their town.

What were they playing at?

“We aren’t the only pack Blackcrest has been invading,” Jonathan told him.

Chief Miller’s eyes widened.

“I was in Dawngaurd a couple of weeks ago and a woman there told me that Blackcrest has been raiding them,” Jonathan explained.

“They’re asking for a territory war,” Chief Miller breathed.

“We need to widen our security and bring in more deputies,” Jonathan told him. “We need to make sure all the woodlands are covered. No outsiders are to enter until we figure out what’s going on.”

“Should we get the guards and the army involved?” Chief Miller asked.

Jonathan thought about it for a moment, unsure if he wanted to involve the army if he wasn’t sure what was going on just yet.

“It might be good for security purposes,” Chief Miller added, reading his face.

Jonathan nodded.

“Yeah, have them help you keep watch of the forest,” he agreed. “No one takes action unless I give the order, though.”

Chief Miller nodded as Jonathan stood up to leave.

“It’s probably better if none of Sabrebite leaves the borders,” Jonathan added.

…

Arina was home waiting for Jonathan as he instructed via a text message. She greeted him at the doorway as he got home, looking more nervous than ever. He hated worrying her, but the town was in danger, and he needed to be sure that his luna and their unborn child were safe.

“I’m going to be going out of town for a few days. I want you to stay in town,” Jonathan told her.

“What’s going on?” She asked; her voice was laced with worry.

“Blackcrest is invading Sabrebite along with some other towns. I’m going there to speak with Graham and figure out what’s going on,” he explained.

“Invading?” She asked, her eyes widening. “So, it was them that hunted on our grounds?”

Jonathan nodded as he went to his room to pack a few of his belongings.

“Let me go with you,” she suggested, following him into the bedroom.

“Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous. You need to stay here,” he told her.

“I want to help. This is my pack as much as it’s yours,” she said firmly.

It pleased him how much she adapted and grew to love this pack and this town. She was right. This was her pack too and he didn’t blame her for wanting to help protect it. But he had a duty to protect her and considering she was carrying his child; he couldn’t chance anything happening to her.

“I need you to stay here,” he told her gently.

She pouted; causing a smile to tug at the corner of his lips. She was stubborn and he admired that about her.

“I need to make sure you’re safe. I’ll have Jessica come stay with you for the next couple of days,” he told her.

She nodded slowly.

It would be good for her to have a few days with her best friend. She hasn’t been able to truly spend time with Jessica since before they married and he knew she missed Jessica, just as Jessica missed Arina.

A lot has happened, and a little normalcy would be good for Arina. Plus, he trusts Jessica. She was small, but she was feisty, and not many wolves would mess with her. She punched a big bite in a small body. He respected that about her.

Arina didn’t argue with him about it anymore. She knew he wasn’t going to let her go with him. He didn’t trust Graham, and whatever he was planning he didn’t want to get Arina involved in it. Blackcrest was a dangerous town and even Jonathan was a bit nervous about going there. He wasn’t sure what to expect.

“You have to leave today?” Arina asked; she was still pouting.

“The sooner the better. It can’t be delayed any longer,” he explained. “I promise, it’s only for a couple of days.”

“Okay,” she said, stepping up on her toes to k**s the side of his face.

“By the way, have you talked to Rock?” Jonathan asked as he finished packing his bag.

“No. I’m sure he’ll call again soon though,” Arina answered, rolling her eyes. “I haven’t talked to him since the meeting. I’ve been delaying it. He’s going to be angry I went against the contract.”

“A lot has been going on,” Jonathan reminded her. “He can’t blame you for that.”

“Trust me. He’ll find a way,” she muttered. “Should I mention the fact that I spoke to Boris and found out the whole story about my mother’s affair?”

“I wouldn’t. He would just twist your words around and play victim,” Jonathan told her.

“I still can’t believe my mother actually had an affair with Boris Conway,” she said.

“There seems to be a lot we don’t know. Like how Rock got that letter,” Jonathan said back.

“Boris said he’ll call once he finds out. If anyone can find out, it’s the country’s first and the best detective.”

“Well, if you talk to Rock, the bare minimum information the better,” he warned.

After he finished packing, he mind-linked Jessica to catch her up on the happenings. He told her that he was off to Blackcrest to meet with Graham and that he needed Jessica to spend the next few days in Sabrebite to keep Arina some company.

He was thankful that she was eager to do so on such short notice. It wasn’t that Arina needed a babysitter, but he felt better knowing that Arina had someone here with her to keep her company and help her if anything happened. Arina was more than capable of taking care of herself and she’s proved that in multiple different ways in multiple different scenarios.

Growing up with her, Jonathan has watched her strengthen her abilities and become the woman she is today. She was one of the strongest women he knew, and he loved her for that. But as his luna and the mother of his unborn child, protecting her was his first priority.

“Jessica will be here later today,” he informed her after disconnecting the link.

Arina’s face lit up.

“Promise me you’ll stay in town?” He asked as his lips brushed against hers.

He could feel her worry as he looked into her eyes, but a small smile appeared on her lips.

“I promise,” she said.

As he left, he threw his bag in the trunk of his car. Arina watched him from the window as he got into his car and began driving away from their home.

Away from the town.

It would take about a half-day for him to reach Blackcrest. He would get there around sundown and figured that would be the perfect time to speak with Graham.

He trusted Chief Miller and his deputies to watch after Sabrebite while he was gone. There would be no outsiders allowed in the town until Jonathan figured out what was going on. Just as there were no outsiders allowed in the town, nobody from Sabrebite was allowed to leave the town.

A territory war could put innocent werewolves in danger. Jonathan mind linked Sabrebite’s security and army to help Chief Miller with the security. There wasn’t any part of the woodlands that wasn’t being watched.

Blackcrest would be stupid if they tried anything while Jonathan wasn’t there.