7. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Alex
I recognize Cassandra, but I don’t know how she accessed my room. I turn with anger and heat burning in my gaze. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Her hazel eyes meet mine, unflinching. “I need you. The Pack needs you, Alex.”
My jaw tightens as I process her words. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Cassandra’s expression remains stoic, but I detect a flicker of urgency. “The Archipelago Pack. We’re in turmoil.” She pauses, letting the weight of her statement sink in. “Gregor’s health is failing. He can not lead as Alpha.”
The mention of Gregor, my former Alpha, sends a pang through my chest. I haven’t thought about him or the Pack in years, not since he sent Elena away... Elena.
“Why come to me?” I ask, my voice low. “After everything that happened, why would the Pack want me back?”
“Because you’re one of us, Alex.” Cassandra leans forward, her intensity palpable. “And we need you now more than ever. The Pack is fractured, torn apart by infighting and power struggles. Without a strong Alpha to unite us, we risk losing everything our ancestors built.”
Her words ignite a spark of responsibility, a sense of duty I thought I’d buried long ago. But the sting of betrayal still lingers, a constant reminder of the pain I endured.
“The Pack failed me,” I say through gritted teeth. “It took everything from me. Sent her away.”
Cassandra’s expression softens, just a fraction. “I’m sorry for the way things happened. But this is bigger than any of us. The Pack is in peril, Alex. We need your strength, your leadership, to survive.”
I whirl on Cassandra, anger flaring in my chest. “Why are you in my room? In a robe?”
She squares her shoulders, hazel eyes locking with mine. “I’m the best choice for Alpha’s mate in the Archipelago Pack. I’ve come here to prove that to you.”
Her bold declaration catches me off guard. “How did you know I’d be here?”
“The Pack’s kept up with your dealings since you left,” she explains. “We kept hoping you’d come back—“
“Did the Pack send the invite?” I interject, my mind racing.
Cassandra’s brow furrows. “What invite?”
In that moment, realization washes over me. The Archipelago Pack couldn’t have been the one to initiate the invitations, not if Elena received one too. They would never have summoned her here.
Elena’s name echoes in my mind, and I grip Cassandra’s upper arm, guiding her out of my room. “You will tell her the truth. That you were not an invited guest in my room.” I march her down the hallway and knock on Elena’s door.
When the door cracks open, Cassandra speaks up. “Alex didn’t invite me to his room. But he shouldn’t have invited you either. Polar.”
I step between Elena and Cassandra, shielding Elena from the impending blow. Cassandra’s arm halts mere inches from my face, her hazel eyes blazing with indignation.
“Only my Alpha or my mate can give me orders,” Cassandra spits. “Which one do you think you are, Alex?”
My jaw clenches as I meet her fiery gaze. “Definitely not your mate.”
Elena’s voice cuts through the tension, brimming with fury. “While you may be a Kodiak Bear, Cassandra, you’ve done a shit job of protecting the island from the invasion of Sitka spruce.” She steps forward, eyes narrowed. “Were you too blind to see what was right under your nose?”
Cassandra whirls on Elena, nostrils flaring. “How dare you question my commitment to the Pack? I’ve dedicated my life to—“
“To what?” Elena interjects, her tone scathing. “Not to preserve the delicate balance of the habitat. The Sitka spruce is choking out native flora, and you’ve allowed it to happen unchecked.”
Pride swells at Elena’s unwavering defense of the land.
Cassandra opens her mouth, no doubt to hurl another retort, but I cut her off. “Enough. Elena’s right—the Sitka spruce invasion is a serious issue that demands our immediate attention.” I turn to Elena, my expression softening. “I want to help. My company has resources and Elena has the expertise to aid in restoration efforts.”
Cassandra’s hazel eyes narrow as she glares at Elena. “That’s all she wants is your money. The company you built.”
Elena doesn’t flinch, her icy blue gaze locked on Cassandra. “With all due respect, you’re the one sneaking into his room to wear silk robes. So don’t try to make me out to look like the gold digger here.”
“That’s enough, Cassandra,” I say, my voice low but firm. “Elena’s dedication to conservation and protecting the environment is beyond reproach. Her expertise could be invaluable in addressing the Sitka spruce issue.”
A tense silence falls over the hallway as Cassandra’s jaw clenches, her fists balling at her sides. For a moment, I think she might lash out physically again, but then she whirls on her heel and stalks off, her robe billowing behind her.
I let out a slow breath, the tension ebbing from my shoulders. Turning to Elena, I offer her a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry—“
“Do not try to take responsibility for her actions.”
“I won’t.” My expression sobers as I meet her gaze. “Thank you—for being willing to help with the Sitka spruce situation.”
Elena shakes her head, her platinum hair catching the light. “You don’t need to thank me, Alex. Protecting the environment is my life’s work. Of course, I’ll help however I can. But I think it’s time you come clean. What’s Cassandra talking about? Money? Company?”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I regard Elena. Her question about Cassandra’s comment hangs in the air, a reminder of the complicated history between us.
“My company, Environ-Tech, specializes in developing cutting-edge monitoring systems for environmental conservation efforts,” I explain. “After I left the pack years ago, I wanted to find a way to make a real difference, to help protect the natural world that’s so precious to both of us.”
Elena’s eyes widen slightly as the realization sinks in. “Environ-Tech...I’ve heard of your company’s work. You’ve developed some groundbreaking technologies for tracking wildlife populations and monitoring ecosystem health.”
A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “That’s right. We use satellite imagery, drone surveys, even some experimental biotelemetry implants to gather detailed data. All to give conservationists and land managers the tools they need to make informed decisions.”
Elena’s lips part, as if she wants to speak but can’t quite find the words. She used to give me that look when we were kids when I’d regale her with tales of the great Kodiak Bear hunters of old.
“Alex, that’s...incredible,” she manages. “I had no idea the scale of what you’ve built, the impact you’re having. You’re like a real-life superhero for the environment.”
A soft chuckle escapes my lips at her words. “I don’t know about superhero. I’m just trying to do my part, putting the skills and resources I have to good use.”
But even as I downplay it, I can’t deny the swell of pride in my chest. All those years of hard work, of building Environ-Tech from the ground up—it was all worth it to earn Elena’s respect and admiration like this.
Her eyes are shining with a mixture of awe and something deeper, something that reminds me of the way she used to look at me before everything fell apart. In this moment, it’s like the years apart have melted away, and we’re just two kids again, bound together by our shared love of nature and each other.
I take a step closer, feeling the familiar pull toward her that I’ve spent so long trying to bury. “Elena, I—“