Chapter 84 Her Call for Help
Sebastian's POV
The morning session of the werewolf council had dragged on with its usual tedious debates over trade agreements and territorial disputes, the kind of political maneuvering that required my full attention even when my mind wanted to be elsewhere. By the time we broke for lunch, my patience had worn thin from listening to the Western Pack representatives argue over a border that had shifted by less than fifty yards.
I stepped out of the conference room with Beta Albert at my side, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension that had settled there during three hours of diplomatic restraint. "Alpha, there's something you should know." He handed me his tablet with careful precision. "Miss Elara is also in Crescent Bay. She came with her academy for magical combat training. They're staying at the Seaside Hotel."
I took the tablet from him. The academy had posted official photos from the training camp, and there in the center of one image stood my daughter, her silver hair catching the sunlight as she demonstrated some kind of spell formation to a group of younger students.
My features softened without my permission, the harsh lines around my mouth easing as I studied the photo more closely. She looked confident, capable, completely in her element. Pride swelled in my chest with an intensity that caught me off guard, and I felt my lips curve upward in a rare smile.
This must be what they meant by blood calling to blood, that instinctive pull between parent and child that transcended logic and distance.
"I need to go see her." The words came out before I could think them through, every instinct I possessed demanding that I drop everything.
Albert's expression turned apologetic. "Alpha, the afternoon session starts at two o'clock. You're scheduled to mediate the Western Pack border dispute. They specifically requested you as the arbitrator."
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath, forcing myself to think like an Alpha instead of a father. The Western Pack situation had been escalating for months, and if I didn't handle it properly this afternoon, it could deteriorate into actual violence. "After the meetings conclude, I'll go find her," I said, handing the tablet back to Albert.
The council had arranged a formal luncheon in one of the hotel's private dining rooms. I settled into a corner table with Albert's tablet propped discreetly beside my plate so I could look at those training camp photos again, scrolling through the images slowly, studying each one for details about Elara's life that I had missed by being absent.
"Sebastian, what has you looking so uncharacteristically pleased?"
I glanced up to find Robert approaching my table with a wine glass in hand, his expression curious and slightly amused. Robert and I had known each other for decades, and he was one of the few Alphas who could speak to me casually without worrying about political ramifications.
Instead of deflecting the question, I found myself turning the tablet toward him with unexpected openness. "This is my daughter, Elara Sterling. She's studying at the Academy of Magical Arts, and she's excelling in her field." The pride in my voice was unmistakable, and I made no effort to hide it.
Robert leaned in to study the photos, his eyebrows rising with genuine interest. "She's quite accomplished for someone so young. Beautiful too. Has she found her fated mate yet? My son is about her age, and he's been looking for a suitable partner. A connection between our families would be—"
"She's already found him," I interrupted smoothly, keeping my tone pleasant but firm. "She's currently in a relationship, quite serious from what I understand."
Robert's interest clearly hadn't been dampened. "Oh? Which pack's son managed to catch her attention? Anyone I know?"
I set down my fork with deliberate care, meeting Robert's eyes with steady composure. "Kaelen Thorne. The heir to the Nightshade Pack and future Alpha King."
The effect of those words rippled outward like a stone dropped in still water. Robert's wine glass froze halfway to his lips, his expression shifting from casual interest to stunned disbelief. The conversations at nearby tables faltered and died as other Alphas caught the name and turned to stare at me with varying degrees of shock.
The silence stretched long enough to become uncomfortable. I held Robert's gaze calmly, and I couldn't quite suppress the small smile that tugged at my lips.
"Kaelen Thorne," Robert repeated slowly. "The future Alpha King. Your daughter is dating the future Alpha King."
"That's correct." I picked up my fork again and resumed eating as if I hadn't just dropped a political bombshell, though internally I was savoring every second of their stunned reactions.
When I finally returned to my hotel suite after the afternoon session ended, I stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Crescent Bay and allowed myself a moment of pure satisfaction. My daughter had chosen well, better than I could have hoped. The pride I felt had nothing to do with political advantage and everything to do with knowing that Elara would be protected and cherished.
My phone rang, shattering my moment of contentment, and Moira's name flashed across the screen. I answered with a sigh. "What is it, Moira?"
Her voice came through tear-choked and dramatic. "Alpha, I need your help. I'm in Bay City filming a variety show, and there was an accident. A stage light fell and hit my ankle. The production company is only offering to cover basic medical expenses, and my assistant can't handle the negotiations. I think someone might be targeting the Sterling family."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling my headache intensify. "What makes you think this was anything other than an accident?"
"Why else would a light suddenly fall? Someone must have tampered with it, and if they're willing to hurt me—"
"Moira." I cut through her spiraling speculation. "Tell me exactly what happened, without the conspiracy theories."
She launched into a detailed account of the accident, the production company's response, and her assistant's failed negotiations. I listened while calculating whether this situation actually required my intervention.
"I'll send Beta Albert to handle the negotiations," I said when she paused for breath. "He'll make sure you receive fair compensation and investigate whether there was any foul play involved."
"Can't you come yourself? Your presence would send a much stronger message—"
"I have two more critical council sessions scheduled," I interrupted, my patience wearing thin. "Albert speaks with my full authority."
I ended the call and immediately contacted Albert with instructions. "Go to Bay City and handle Moira's situation. Negotiate fair compensation based on actual damages, and investigate whether this was truly an accident or if there's evidence of tampering."
Evening had fallen over Crescent Bay by the time Albert returned, his expression carefully neutral in a way that told me the situation had been complicated. I gestured for him to sit and poured us both drinks.
"The security footage shows the light falling due to equipment deterioration," Albert began. "The production company has agreed to cover all medical expenses and offered fifty thousand dollars in additional compensation. It was a genuine accident, no evidence of tampering."
I nodded, waiting for the complication I could sense coming. "And Moira's response?"
Albert's expression turned uncomfortable. "Mrs. Moira rejected the settlement. She's demanding five million dollars, claiming that using deteriorated equipment constitutes willful negligence. She's threatening to sue and expose the production company publicly if they don't comply."
I closed my eyes briefly to maintain my composure. "Did she have any prior conflicts with this production company?"
"None whatsoever. This was her first time working with them." Albert hesitated. "The production company's legal team indicated that if she pursues this unreasonable demand, they'll release all evidence publicly. The optics of an Alpha's family demanding millions for an accidental injury would not reflect well on the pack."
I sat in silence, turning the situation over in my mind. If Elara had been the one injured, I would have bankrupted the entire production company without hesitation. But this wasn't Elara.
The Alpha in me, the part that had spent decades building the Sterling family's reputation on honor and fair dealing, couldn't allow this to continue.
"Contact the production company's legal team," I said, my decision made with cold clarity. "Negotiate a settlement based on actual damages and industry standards. The Sterling family doesn't engage in extortion, and we don't damage our reputation for money we don't need."
Albert nodded, but I could see the question forming. "And if Mrs. Moira refuses to accept the reasonable settlement?"
I met his eyes with unflinching resolve. "Then that's her choice to make, and the family will not provide further support. She can pursue whatever legal action she wants on her own, but she does it without the Sterling name behind her. I won't allow our family's honor to be compromised by unreasonable demands."