Don’t Poke the Luna Chapter 260

Ryder’s POV

I surveyed the warriors holding torches with a commanding presence, my eyes sweeping across their faces with cold authority. Some of them averted their gazes, unable to meet my stare, while others looked at me with deep respect and reverence.

Helen had collapsed to the ground upon witnessing my dad's death, her body crumpling like a broken doll. Her sobs echoed through the night air, raw and desperate. I walked toward her slowly. The gravel crunched beneath my boots, the only sound besides her crying that pierced the heavy silence.

Without breaking eye contact with Helen, I reached out and smoothly drew the dagger from the belt of a warrior standing nearby. The blade gleamed in the torchlight. I could feel the tension in the air thicken as everyone watched my movements. Helen's tear-streaked face looked up at me, her eyes wide with terror and desperation.

I placed the cold edge of the blade against her throat. Her crying intensified, becoming more frantic and broken. She stared at me with pleading eyes, her mouth forming silent words before she finally managed to whisper, "Please... please..."

The desperation in her voice did nothing to soften my resolve. I had no patience left for games or half-truths. Too much had happened, too many people had been hurt, and I needed answers.

My expression remained stone-cold. "Tell me the whole truth," I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. "How did his wolf disappear?"

Helen continued to sob uncontrollably, her whole body shaking with the force of her emotions. The sound grated against my nerves, and I felt my patience wearing thin. I needed her to focus.

"Stop crying and speak," I hissed, my voice cutting through her sobs like a whip. The sharpness of my tone caused her to flinch violently, her eyes widening even further in shock and fear.

She stammered, struggling to form coherent words through her tears. "I... I gave Alpha Benedict a drug," she finally managed to say, her voice breaking with each word. "It makes the wolf fall into a deep sleep. Wiley... Wiley created it. Without the antidote, the wolf stays asleep indefinitely."

My grip on the dagger tightened. "Where was he when my mother died?" I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper but loaded with deadly intent.

Helen's crying seemed to intensify, but she forced herself to speak through the tears. "Alpha Benedict never left the pack," she sobbed. "He watched Luna Kestrel's death through the pack's surveillance system. Then he took the drug to make his own wolf fall asleep."

The revelation hit me like a physical blow. Shock and rage coursed through my veins, threatening to overwhelm my carefully maintained composure.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath. "When will this dose wear off?" I asked.

"Twelve hours," Helen replied through her tears. "This dose was diluted. It won't last as long."

That was all I needed to hear. Without a moment's pause for mercy or second thoughts, I drove the dagger deep into Helen's heart. Her eyes remained fixed on mine, wide with shock and disbelief even as life began to leave them. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining her lips crimson. Her tears were still wet on her cheeks as she slowly collapsed to the ground, the light fading from her eyes.

The air fell into an oppressive silence once again. Even the insects seemed to have stopped their chirping. Only the gentle rustling of leaves in the night breeze disturbed the quiet, creating an eerie soundtrack to the scene before us.

I turned away from Helen's lifeless body and faced the gathered warriors. My voice was low but carried clearly in the still air. "Remove your masks."

There was a moment of hesitation, a collective pause as they processed my command. Then, one by one, they began to comply. Masks fell away to reveal faces I knew. My heart sank even as I felt a surge of anger and betrayal. I had expected this, but seeing the confirmation with my own eyes still struck me like a blow.

The betrayal cut deep, but I pushed the pain aside. "Untie the bound warriors," I commanded.

My warriors moved quickly once they were freed, immediately turning on their captors with swift movements. In moments, the tables had turned completely. Those who had betrayed us now found themselves on their knees, subdued and helpless.

"Take the traitors to the holding cells," I ordered.

"Jimmy, get Xena to the hospital immediately for a full examination," I instructed.

"Yes, Alpha," he replied without hesitation. He handed over the traitor he had been restraining to another warrior, then called out, "Novak, come help support the Alpha."

I felt a surge of gratitude toward Jimmy. He had always been perceptive, always seeming to know exactly what I needed before I even asked for it.

Jimmy moved carefully as he lifted Xena into his arms, cradling her unconscious form with the utmost care. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable in that moment.

Novak appeared at my side, offering his steady support as we prepared to follow Jimmy to the hospital.