Nadia's POV 
It's the day after Moonstone lost two pups to a senseless attack. The day after Vance held my throat so tight I still have marks which I'm expected to cover with one of the designer scarves he had delivered to me this morning. The day after Vance accused me of having feelings for Landon. 
I remember how hard I tried to wiggle myself out of it. It doesn't help that most times when Vance speaks out, he has already reached the conclusion in his head and to him, is only asking you to see if you would lie or be honest with him. 
  “What do you even mean by that?!” I remember shooting back in annoyance. He had just squeezed my neck. Was he looking for some other excuse to go further? 
  “I mean exactly what I said, Nadia. Are you sticking by him so much, even in his absence, because you still have feelings for him?” He repeated what he said. His hand was placed delicately around me, but I felt his arms tighten the second I wanted to throw him off in annoyance. 
  “So I have to have feelings for him to be reasonable?” I asked him, putting as much venom as I could. 
  “So I'm the one not being reasonable here?” He asked in the very same tone and I instantly regretted asking that. I was not just within reach, but in his grasp. No one could save me from him. Not even Moon Goddesses, worse case scenario, she'd grant me a rebirth. And I haven't even been good enough to deserve that. 
  “I'm sorry, baby,” I apologized instantly, “I never meant it that way. You know I'd never say anything like that.” The best I could do was appeal to whatever part of him that still feels something for me. 
  “Back to what I was saying, don't derail…” He said, accepting but dismissing the apology all at once. At least he did not get annoyed, that was a win. 
  “Yes, I was getting there.” I don't want to give him the impression that I did not want to continue the conversation. That would only be giving concrete to his suspicion. “Let's say I agreed with you. We come up with a conclusion that all evidence we've seen, or not, points to Landon. How do you think that would end up?” I said, still trying to gather my points, by at the same time maintaining composure. Our bodies were in contact, so I could not even do the foot tapping or rub my hands together to help keep my voice steady. 
  “Continue.” He said. I really thought he was going to say more, but. That was it. Okay, Nadia, you've got this. Or not… 
  “So we come up with this big theory and we accept it ourselves, and in some way, make the pack accept it, or outrightly shove it down their throats, don't you think…I think that it would only make them more suspicious. There really is not concrete evidence yet. We have to have something to show. Maybe the energy we are going to put into grafting a story, we should put it into investigation.” I continued. The words were flowing now, he was also paying rapt attention. 
  “Word goes round. We are leading, you are leading quite a smart pack. It would not take long before someone adds two plus two and starts to cause dissention in the pack. We don't want that, do we?” I dared to look at his face, his silence was very surprising, I needed to be sure he was actually listening to me and not looking for slip ups that he would later make a big deal out of. 
  “I'm the Alpha. I say who lives and dies in my pack!” His voice was raised, but he was angry, or so I thought. 
 “That is very true. But it's easier to lead a pack with love, than with force.” I continued, my breath was steady now, I was nailing it, there was no more need for fear. I've said everything that could have caused him to flare up, and so far, we are still cool. 
  “You said something about putting our energy into investigation.” He started, “How do we do that when the job was so neat. The attackers are apparently very strong as women in their wolves couldn't ever protect themselves from being raped! Are we even sure what we are up against?” He now started sounding like he was musing to himself. “Could this be a punishment for something?” He said again, very low, but loud enough for me to have heard. 
Then it struck me. No! I'd never want him to think that! Because it could only mean one thing. He's probably thinking that these attacks are punishment for Talia's death. And that could only mean one thing for me, well many things. More of the hate he already has for me, more resentment, definitely more abuse. I couldn't even stand the thought of it. For whatever reason, definitely not even Landon, I couldn't stand suffering anymore of it. I've never been happy my entire life. Relatively, this is a moment of respite. At least, sometimes, Vance finds me attractive enough to keep sexing me for days, adoring me, loving me, treating me well, like his Luna that I'm supposed to be. Those days were more of late and I'm not going to let whatever ruin that for me. 
  “No! No! She'd never do that!” I immediately disregarded his thoughts. 
He heaved a sigh that made me pray fervently in my mind to Her that he had stopped thinking about that. 
  “Still on the investigation…” I said, probing him to continue what he was saying. 
  “Yeah, about that, we can't do it the old fashioned way. We need to be as slippery as whoever was doing this would have been.” He said. I like that he was thinking that way. Moreover, I liked that I could control him. 
  “I agree,” I said, only because it was the right thing to say. “Whoever was behind it must have had so much information.”
  “Exactly, probably an insider's job…” He said, trailing off.. 
I did not want to go back to where we started from. 
  “But I'm not making assumptions this time.” He continued. I felt the knot in my chest loosen immediately. “However, I'd need you to do one thing, it's weird, but if I have to beg you, I will.” 
More knots! More knots! I'm sure he could feel how bad my heart was racing. Vance never needed me, except to stay out of his business of course, but this, this was fishy.