Chapter 42: 42. Bonds of Trust All their gazes shifted to James the moment he appeared at the edge of the walkway, strolling toward them with a soft, gentle smile stretched across his face.
He hadn’t even made it halfway when Cassandra beat the rest to it. "Good morning, James!" she said, beaming.
"Good morning, Cassandra... and to everyone," James replied, his voice as calm as ever. His eyes briefly scanned the group, but when they landed on Maria, the smile slowly faded into concern.
Maria felt her heart leap. It had been days since she last saw him, and the rush of emotions nearly swept her off her feet.
She barely resisted the urge to run up to him and throw her arms around him.
James took a step closer and directed his attention solely to her. "How are you, Maria? You haven’t been around for a while. Everything okay?"
Maria opened her mouth to explain but paused. There were things she wasn’t ready to share in front of Cassandra and Laura—details too tangled and personal. So, she simply gave a vague smile and remained silent.
Noticing her hesitation, James turned to her friends. "Do you mind if I steal her for a minute? Just need a quick word."
Cassandra and Laura exchanged glances before nodding. "Go on," Cassandra said with a smile. "We’ll be here."
Maria followed James with quiet excitement. She’d wanted this moment alone with him for so long.
As soon as they reached the back storage shed where they usually met, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and planting a deep kiss on his lips.
He responded warmly, returning her kiss and holding her close.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
"I missed you too," James said, brushing her hair back gently. "But... you looked troubled back there. What’s going on?"
Maria leaned against the wall, her voice lowering. "James, everything’s a mess. I don’t even know how to handle it all without getting into trouble."
"Hey, talk to me," he urged softly. "I’m here, remember?"
She took a deep breath and began, "We were attacked a few nights ago—at the packhouse. By werewolves. Not just any kind... Something was different about them. Stronger. More organized. Beta Gilbert later said their leader is a reincarnated werewolf on a revenge mission."
James’s eyes widened, but he said nothing, listening intently.
"People died," Maria continued. "Bernard got injured by a spell-infused weapon. It was a miracle he survived. And the strangest part—some unknown group, dressed in white from head to toe, showed up and saved us. We don’t even know who they are."
"That’s insane..." James murmured, his face tightening with concern. "Are you sure you’re okay? You weren’t hurt?"
"I’m okay, just shaken. Bernard’s healing fast, thanks to the healers. But the danger’s not over."
He sighed, pulling her closer, and whispered, "You’ll be fine. We’ll figure this out. I promise."
"What’s the plan now?" he asked after a pause.
Maria looked up. "Bernard and his dad are preparing for war. They think they’ve located the enemy’s base. They’re planning a full-on assault."
James stepped back slightly, his eyes locking with hers. "Wait. They’re going to war with reincarnated beings? That sounds like suicide."
"It is dangerous, yes. But doing nothing is worse. They’ll come for all of us eventually."
His concern deepened. "You’re not going with them, are you?"
She shook her head quickly. "Of course not. Women aren’t allowed in battle in our pack. Even if I wanted to, Beta Gilbert and Bernard would never let me. Specialists are being summoned. I believe they’ll handle it."
Relief washed over James’s face. "Okay... good." He then smiled gently and said, "Head back first. I’ll come after a few minutes, so people don’t start asking questions."