Vance's POV 
It's one of those times when everything seems under control. I was finally getting it right. 
Between all the threats and warnings, to be honest, a little cajoling here and there, I've finally got Nadia to accept that she's now mine, and will always do what I want her to, no matter how she feels about it. 
It was surprisingly not as hard as I thought it would be. Considering how difficult she used to be initially, I had almost started to wonder if I did make the right decision. Now I'm kinda sure I did. 
Strange though, is the fact that she has not conceived. It's a thought I've always been trying to repress, but somehow, somehow it keeps creeping up on me, even when I'm in the middle of some funny palace ruckus.
Speaking of palace palaver, some women, members of the pack, came in, crying, looking more tattered than I'd ever seen. 
Normally, disturbing pack house quiet was something no one dared. Not even Landon who was second to me. 
In their frenzy and shock, there was very little I could make out, but I caught a few words. 
Someone who looked more coherent was brought in and I immediately commanded the women to hush, at least for the while the person would be talking. It was beginning to look like a madhouse. 
Apparently, some rouges had come to raid the outskirts of our territory, carting away two babies. If some attack happened on the outskirts, on land, my beta has to have been affected. By virtue of how his parents moved to Moonstone, they were allowed to live at the outskirts, and ever since, Landon refused to move, even though he was now the second most important. 
  “I'm sorry ladies,” I started addressing the and everywhere quietened. “We have heard you. Although we have no clues as to who did this, we would get to the bottom of it and kill every bastard who dreams of being a threat to Moonstone.” As expected, they began to console themselves. What I said was final, it's why I'm Alpha. 
I was trying hard to mask the anger and hurt I was feeling as it wouldn't have done any good, but whoever was behind this really had some guts. Making away with two pups from our pack took really big balls, the type I'm only too eager to cut off.
Landon, my beta, struts in a little past midday, a couple of hours after the last person left the palace from the earlier drama. He doesn't look like one who was disturbed, at all. On one hand, I'm glad, on the other, it's a tad bit suspicious. Almost every of his neighbors have come in to report one sort of attack or the other. 
  “Are you well?” I stunned him as he didn't catch me from the corner where I had been standing. 
  “Yes, Van… Sir, I'm good.” I knew my introduction would have made just any man pee on his pants, but it is Landon we are talking about here. 
  “Did you see people, your neighbors specifically on your way here?” I asked.
  “Yes I did.” He replied immediately, still with an innocent look. “But I didn't mind. Although they looked disturbed, I've never really known them enough to be able to sense whatsoever suspicion in what they are doing.” He replied to me immediately. 
  “Well, we were attacked.” Initially, I thought the look of his face was surprising, looking closer, I realized it was not. It was something between, hurt and anger, irritation and wrath. The sound of his breath had filled the air and if the gamma had not walked in at that exact time, I would have had to wait for all that to subside. 
Seeing someone else joining us loosened him up a bit. 
  “Details please, Alpha.” Landon requested. 
Thankfully, I didn't have to go over it again for my gamma as he looked like he was already on the know. 
  “They made away with two pups.” I told them both. “Destroyed properties too.” I let it sink into both of them and watch the faces of both men morph into murderous looks. 
That was the exact energy I needed. “We are going to make further investigations,” I continued, “and they would be immediately, as it would be unfair to the victims to go looking for whatever evidence days after the crime had happened. We would just be a ugly reminder.” 
  “That's true.” The gamma said in agreement. 
  “I'll head there right now. I expect you both too as soon as possible.” That being said, I got the keys to my fastest car, and rode off. 
I honestly can't pin a finger on what I felt, but I was definitely feeling off, like something was not right. Not only did they say the attack happened at almost dawn, the bastards did not make away with any valuables. In most cases, that only means one thing, Revenge. 
Two pups was definitely way too far. It's been almost a lifetime since Moonstone had any altercation with any other packs, so this definitely is unprovoked, or so we think. 
If individuals of the pack had been frolicking with members of other packs, that's solely the person's business, why involved two young mothers? It really is just maddening. 
I'm finally alone so I can get the chance to be honest with myself about why I'm really in pain. 
I lost my own pup, in the making, only about six months ago. And if there's one thing I know, it's that I'm not completely over that. I never got a chance to see what my child, my own child, would look like. I could feel every bit of pain those women felt, and these offenders would suffer like it was my pups that they took. 
Slowly, I grind to a halt by the roadside. I never really got the chance to properly process all that has been happening. It all happened so fast, I could hardly catch my breath. The unsafe sex with Nadia, which if I want to be honest with myself, I think is starting to bore her out, is just an escape from the turmoil in my head. 
I really could have been a father by now. I could've had an heir. An I miss Talia too, fuck! I miss her, I really do. The latter part of our lives together wasn't all, but we sure got along, better than I do with Nadia.