Only Human: Before and After

Chapter 150: Destin and June

I put my shirt back on. "Once we save her." I said.

Brent paled. "Alpha... Destin, you couldn't... Even if she were Celine Lupine, she is still human. How could she handle the responsibilities of a luna? How are we to face other packs without being ridiculed? How are you to have strong pups for our pack to watch grow? What have you done?" He asked repulsed.

I growled under my breath. "I have found a luna that is strong, noble, and never falters when facing peril. She does what's right even at the risk of her own well-being. She saved that pup in the bay, but she has done even more than that. She is in disguise. Her original appearance is of hair liken to the tips of cattails that grow by the creek, and eyes of warmed liquid honey." I cleared my throat realizing I was getting off topic. "She was there when the shades attacked. Not only as Celine Lupine, who I remind you was the sole reason we were able to fend off those shades as cleanly as we did, but as June the human. She refused to hide and risked her safety to get the pups in the nursery over that wall and out of danger. You can call me a fool for marking a human, but don't ever suggest that June is lacking." I finished strong.

Brent's eyes widened. "That was her? She saved my cousins. My uncle and aunt tried everything to locate the human who saved them, but it was always a dead end. There was only an unclear video of a human woman leading them to safety. We assumed she was a marked human of the nursery, but... My family owes her gratitude." He sighed. "I don't know if the pack will agree to this, Destin. But I believe in you, and I have a debt that must be repaid to her."

I smiled relieved and rested my hand on his shoulder. "Thank you." He nodded his head with a smile. "Now to repeat this conversation in front of 29 other betas who most likely won't feel the same way."

"After you, Alpha." Brent said while waiting for me to take point.

We made it to the conference room where I shoved the double doors aside with a resounding clang. This worked to both capture my betas' attention and silence their inane conversations. Once they saw me, they parted and bowed their heads in respect. I strode up the aisle they made for me in complete silence while Brent followed behind me. I stepped up onto the raised platform that was to be my stage for this meeting. Gathering myself I turned and addressed my pack.

"I know the hour is late, but we are in a state of crisis." I started. Werewolves quietly mumbled and glanced at one another. "One of ours has been taken hostage, and our only solution is to storm in and take them back." The murmurs grew louder and heads were looking back and forth as if to take count of who was here in order to decipher who was missing. Some were already growling from the mere thought or suggestion that someone had gone after our pack. "Hendrix and the members of the AFC have volunteered their assistance in this matter. The plan is to have them act as the distraction while we sneak in and infiltrate where the hostage is being kept."

"Who is it, Alpha? Who did they take?" One beta asked in the back. I guess my foolhardy plan to just keep it anonymous wasn't going to work. They would need to know who they are looking for and who they should be protecting or helping.

I cleared my throat. "It is the human, June." I said.

The room erupted in small conversations, gasps of surprise, and confused glares. "And?" A gruff werewolf asked. "She has nothing to do with us. I don't see the crisis."

"Yeah. So Celine loses a masseuse, we can find her another one. A better one probably. I mean how strong can a human really be, and werewolf muscles are tough." A younger werewolf pointed out.

One werewolf stepped up and faced the crowd. Jax, I believe. "Wait a moment. This is the same human who dove into a bay to save a werewolf pup she didn't even know back in Tathens." He growled.