Christian is wonderful, he’s loving and caring, and I feel safe with him when I break down. But there’s something about Alpha James that just feels like a father holding me in his embrace. I didn’t realize how much I missed my father’s hugs until this moment.


    I feel Christian brush against my mind, making sure I’m alright. When he feels what I’m feeling, how Alpha James is making me miss my own father, he mentally pulls back.


    I hear others talking around me, but Alpha James doesn’t release me. He holds me until I’m done crying and then he looks at me, just like my father used to.


    “I give free hugs any time you need them,” he says, wiping the tears from my eyes.


    “Thank you, Alpha,” I say.


    “You’re going to be okay, sweetheart. Christian is a good man and a great Alpha. He’ll take care of you.


    I nod. “He already is.”


    Christian


    I hate that Enya broke down. I can feel Shane struggling too, but thankfully, Sebi checked in with him before she left to take the two medical investigators to the pack hospital.


    I’m not surprised the council isn’t happy that we had another murder herest night. I’m not happy about it either. And since I’m the one in


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    charge, the me for Nancy’s death falls on my shoulders. I’m prepared for that. I’m prepared to take that heat. But I don’t want the council to think that I’m not doing a good enough job to warrant continuing in my position here.


    My mother and Alpha Benjamin wait until Alpha James has calmed Enya. I wasn’t sure what triggered her sadness, but I immediately felt how much she misses her father when I touched her mind. Alpha James has that effect. Most people are drawn to him, but pups and omegas specifically are drawn to him. He’s a big man, he exudes the confidence that strong Alphas have, and he makes those around him feel safe. Having worked at the Academy for years, he always seems to inherently know what those around him need. He and my father are very simr that way.


    When he steps away from Enya, I step up, putting a hand on her lower back to help steady her. I search her face, making sure she’s ready to deal with the council and she nods, letting me know she’s ready.


    I turn back to the council.


    “Council members, please follow me. Alpha Shane, Alpha Enya, and I will be happy to update you on what has been going on in this pack and the information that we have found so far,<i>” </i>I tell them.


    “Charlotte how is Logan?” my mother asks as we walk inside.


    “Ready to retire. Lorenzo turns eighteenter this year. He’s going to the Academy in a few months. I just can’t believe that he’s grown already. Time flies,” she says.


    “That it does. I’d love to catch up while you’re here,” my mother says.


    “I’d like that too.”


    We split off from my mother, Alpha Benjamin, and Alpha James when


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    they head to Shane’s office and I continue leading the council to one of the conference rooms.


    “Alpha, Gabriel is bing increasingly irate about not being allowed to go to bed after his shift,” a warrior says to me.


    “I’ve already told them his other option is to go to the cells, Christian,” Enya says.


    “Put him in the cells then. Keep him as far away from Dorian and Corey as you can. He can sleep there until I’m ready to speak to him,” I


    say.