Chapter 621
Chapter 0621All content is © N0velDrama.Org.
Nina
*Nina... I think I might hand the control of the pack over to someone else."
Enzo's words left a gaping hole in my heart. I took a step back, my eyes wide as I involuntarily grabbed the end of one of my braids, clutching it tightly. "You're joking," I said with a wry chuckle escaping my lips. "You wouldn't do that."
For a few moments, Enzo just stared at me, his brown eyes full of a resigned sort of exhaustion that I had never seen before. Seeing him like this was so out of character that I almost expected him to jump up and laugh, admitting that he was just messing around all along.
But he didn't. He sighed and laid back on the bed, his arms outstretched as he stared up at the ceiling. He seemed to be lost in a deep train of thought, trapped in a world that was worlds away from the one we stood in
now.
"Enzo?" I repeated, frowning down at him. "You are joking, right? Because if you are, it isn't funny."
"I'm not joking," he finally admitted with a huff.
I felt my blood run cold. "But why?" I asked. "This seems so sudden, Enzo. I know you're dealing with a lot, but-*
Suddenly, Enzo cut me off with a curt shake of his head. "Look, Nina," he said, "I've been thinking about it for a while, okay? I won't be around anyway, if I miraculously end up working this job in the city. And besides, Matt could take over. He's brilliant. He'd be a great Alpha."
My frown deepened as he spoke. "That's ridiculous," I said. "Look, I get that the Alpha Council meeting today crushed your spirits a little, but you can't let it get to you like this."
Enzo paused, then let out another sigh and sat up. "It's not just the Alpha Council," he said. "Really. Nina, the New Peacekeepers just might not be in the cards for me anymore. Especially not with a baby on the way."
"So you'd just give up on our pack like that?" I asked incredulously, taking a step closer to him, my eyes burning with anger. "After everything we've been through, you would just hand it over and walk away as soon as things get tough?"
He looked up at me, his brown eyes searching mine for understanding.
"Nina, it's not about giving up," he replied, his voice filled with frustration. "I want our pack to be taken seriously, to be seen as a force to be reckoned with in the werewolf realm. But the truth is, we're still so new, so inexperienced. And I'm not sure if I can give them the leadership they deserve, especially with the baby on the way and my job. How could they ever be taken seriously when I can't even give them my full attention?"
I moved closer to him, taking his hand in mine. "Enzo, I know how important our pack is to you," I said gently. "I've seen the way you've worked tirelessly to build it, to protect our members. You can't just walk away from it in the blink of an eye. You need to think rationally here."
"I am thinking rationally, Nina," he said quietly. "Trust me, this has been on my mind for a while now, ever since I agreed to take that job, and especially since we found out you're pregnant."
I frowned. "Lots of Alphas have jobs and families, I insisted. "What would your father think right now if he found out that you would give up so easily?"
Enzo sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Look, it's not like I want to walk away, Nina," he groaned. "But I also don't want to hold them back. Maybe it's time to consider passing the leadership to someone who can dedicate more time and energy to the pack."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized how torn he was between his responsibilities as an Alpha and his growing family and career. "Enzo, I understand your concerns," I said gently, sitting next to him on the edge of the bed. "but we can find a way to make it work. We're a team, remember?"
He gave me a faint smile, his thumb caressing my cheek. "I love you, Nina," he whispered. "I just want what's best for our pack and for our child. That's all."
I leaned in and kissed him gently. "And I love you too, Enzo," I replied. "But let's try to think about this before we jump to any conclusions, okay?"
Enzo nodded. "Okay."
As we sat there, deep in thought, a new idea began to form in my mind. Enzo had mentioned how he wanted our pack to be taken seriously, but it was becoming difficult with our lives splitting into two.
But suddenly, the idea became more concrete: with the Moon Goddess Festival coming so soon, maybe it was a chance to meld our two different worlds together, to find a way to find harmony in everything.
*Enzo," I said suddenly, excitement bubbling up inside of me, "I think I might have an idea." Enzo quirked an eyebrow. "What is it?"
I took a deep breath, then spilled my idea. "Look," I said, "with the Moon Goddess Festival starting, maybe there's a way to prove to the other Alphas that we're a united front, that we're not just a group of college kids with no direction."
He looked at me, his interest piqued. "Go on."
*So, what if we brought the pack here, for the gala this weekend?" I asked. "You can introduce the pack, and you can do it proudly. You can tell the world 'Hey, we're the New Peacekeepers, and we might be unconventional, but we're serious.' What do you think?"
Enzo thought for a moment, chewing the inside of his cheek, before he spoke. "That's... an intriguing idea, Nina," he said slowly, as though he was tasting the words themselves. "It could be an opportunity to show the other Alphas that we're a force to be reckoned with."
I nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! And besides, it'll be good for the pack. It'll remind them that we're still in this together, that we're not just Mountainview's protectors, but also a part of something even bigger."
For a moment, Enzo just looked at me. But then, his gaze softened, and he smiled. "You're a genius, Nina."
I grinned. "I know."
Suddenly, however, the door flung open. Enzo and I both jerked our heads up, our hearts pounding to see my mother, of all people, walk in. She had a concerned look on her face, and she slipped into the room, glancing over her shoulder before she quietly shut the door behind her.
"Mom?" I asked, cocking my head. "Need something?"
"Nina," my mother said, taking a deep breath as she turned to face us. "I heard everything."
Enzo and I exchanged glances, shocked. It wasn't like my mother to eavesdrop, but something about her demeanor gave me pause. "And?" I asked, furrowing my brow.
She took another deep breath. "And... I don't think it's such a good idea to bring your friends here, to the werewolf realm."