“Her mother was violently attacked by a rogue,” his mother explained quietly. “She’s in the pack hospital and nearly died. Bella didn’t handle it well.”
In an instant, Luke was on his feet. “I have to go to her.”
“No,” she said firmly, standing to block his path. “First, you need to talk with Matt and Nina. Reassure them that Bella and the triplets are safe and won’t come to harm.”
Luke’s expression darkened. “Why? I don’t care what they think.”
His mother sighed heavily, her exasperation clear. “Matt, Nina, and Dani are her human family. They took her in after the triplets were born, Luke. They’re protective of her. Right now, they’re willing to give Robyn another chance, but Matt and Nina insist on speaking with you personally. And since you’re here, and you can’t return to the pack until the plane comes back for you, you have time.”
Luke’s mouth twitched with irritation. “My plane,” he corrected sharply. “Yours, I’ll bet, is still here. I’ll use it.”
His mother raised an eyebrow at him, her calm resolve unwavering. “You can go to your mate after you talk with her human family. Until then, I won’t allow my plane to leave the ground. So, you might as well get it over with.”
Luke stared at her, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He didn’t care about her human family; he only cared about Bella. She must be terribly upset, and every second away from her felt like an eternity.
Finally, his shoulders slumped slightly, and his voice softened. “Is her mother okay?”
“She’ll be fine,” his mother said. “The worst is over, according to the doctor. The triplets are with Jody, and Bella has been placed in the Luna Suite to rest.”
“They’ve been separated?” Luke’s tone turned sharp again. He didn’t like that at all. Separation would only heighten Bella’s fear and distress, making things worse for her.
“She requested it,” his mother said gently. “She trusts Jody to take care of them while she focuses on her mother.”
Luke clenched his fists, his frustration mounting. He would get through this meeting with Bella’s human family quickly, then do whatever it took to get back to her side.
“Not my decision, son, and perhaps just temporary,” his mother said softly. “But please, do this one thing for me.”
“Fine,” Luke muttered, exhaling sharply. “Let’s make it quick. I want my mate, and she clearly needs me.”
“I understand. I’ll have my plane on standby, ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”
“It had better be,” he replied tersely, already reaching for his phone to call Benzy. He needed answers—now. Whatever had happened while he’d been drugged and unconscious, he should have been there. Even in that state, his presence would have helped Bella. Once she smelled him, she would have known he was close.
Benzy picked up on the first ring. “You’re up, boss.”
“Bella?” Luke’s tone was sharp, laced with displeasure. He wasn’t hiding his frustration with his Beta for taking actions without consulting him.
“Upset, as expected,” Benzy admitted. “You might want to get back here. I just found out what really happened.”
Luke’s jaw clenched. “What do you mean? Mother said it was a rogue attack.”
“It wasn’t exactly a rogue attack,” Benzy replied hesitantly. “It seems Abbey… took matters into her own hands when she heard about your confrontation with Robyn over Bella.”
“And?” Luke demanded, dread settling in his chest. Maddis’s presence was stirring, pushing toward the forefront of his mind. Whatever Benzy was about to say, Luke already knew he wasn’t going to like it.
“Apparently, Abbey convinced Bella’s family to stage the attack. She got Bradley involved, but… well, Bradley isn’t exactly a convincing actor. Bella didn’t believe him.”
Luke’s hand tightened around the phone. “And?” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. He hated when his men hesitated. Maddis growled in the back of his mind, edging closer to the surface.
“Well,” Benzy continued reluctantly, “Abbey being Abbey… took it a step further. A step too far. She convinced Bella’s parents to actually allow Vera to be seriously injured. She used your mate bond to Bella to persuade them. They went along with it because they wanted their daughter back home. Vera agreed… and ended up taking a near-lethal dose of wolfsbane.”
Luke’s free hand curled into a fist. “Just spit it out, Benzy, or I swear I’ll reach through this phone.”
Benzy sighed, his words spilling out quickly now. “Abbey ripped into Vera herself. She wanted it to look like a brutal rogue attack. I didn’t know anything about it, boss. I would never have approved it in your absence. But when Abbey heard about what happened, she thought she was helping… in her own stupid way.”
Luke’s fury boiled over. From one disaster to another, Bella couldn’t seem to catch a break from his family’s interference. This would devastate her. She would probably think he had orchestrated the entire thing—that he had harmed her mother deliberately to force her back to the pack.
“Have you beaten her yet?” Luke asked, his voice cold and clipped.
“No, boss,” Benzy replied quickly. “Figured you’d want that job. But… she’s pregnant.”
“She’ll keep,” Luke growled. “I’ll deal with her as soon as I get back. For now, I apparently have to talk to Matt and Nina. Mother insists.”
“That might be on me,” Benzy admitted. “I kind of went full Beta on Nina over the phone. Took Bella and the triplets with Macky and Lanky’s help… Matt and Nina weren’t happy about it. Oh, and heads up—they know the triplets are yours. Bella must have told them.”
Luke pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling Maddis’s rage simmering within him. “Of course they do,” he muttered. “I’ll handle it. Just keep Bella calm and make sure no one goes near her without my approval.”
“Understood, boss.”
Luke ended the call, his mind already racing. He had to get through this meeting with Bella’s human family quickly. His mother’s insistence on diplomacy grated on his nerves, but if it was the only way to get back to his mate and start repairing the damage his family had done, he would do it. Maddis growled softly in agreement, eager to return to Bella’s side.
