Left the Group Chat, Became the Apex Luna Chapter 04

Left the Group Chat, Became the Apex Luna Chapter 04

Furious, Mom opened the family channel: [Laurel, where the hell are you? Why is your phone off?]

But then she noticed the small gray Itne sitting quietly at the top of the channel.

[Laurel Calder has left the channel.]

That family channel, renamed three years ago to welcome me back-now just four people left.

It was back to the “four of us” they were so used to.

Callum shrugged. “Probably mad Nessa wouldn’t let her sleep on the couch.”

Nessa rolled her eyes. “If she’s mad, it’s because you took her room and kicked her out!”

“Enough.”

Dad frowned at their bickering.

“Can you two shut up for one minute?”

He turned to Mom, still not taking it seriously.

“Laurel’s always been sensible. She wouldn’t throw a fit over something this small.”

“She’s staying right by the airport-let’s just go see what’s going on.”

They drove into human territory.

But when they got there, the whole building was wrapped in yellow police tape.

The parking lot was packed with squad cars.

They froze.

Mom grabbed a bystander. “Excuse me-what happened here?”

The man answered, “You didn’t hear? The owner installed cameras in every room. Been selling the footage

online–”

Mom couldn’t hear the rest.

Her whole body went stiff. She turned to Dad, trembling.

“I think… I got a call from Laurel. A distress call.”

“What distress call? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Mom opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Her throat felt like it was clogged.

Oh, and that girl who reported it-she’s the one who found the camera,” the bystander added.

“If it wasn’t for her, who knows how many more people would’ve been victimized.”

“I live nearby–I saw her come out with the cops that night. She was white as a ghost.”

“Clearly never been through anything like that. Scared to death.”

He shook his head.

“Can’t imagine what kind of parents would let a girl that young stay in a place like that alone.”

“Thank God it was just a camera. If it’d been something worse… they’d never forgive themselves.”

Mom’s shaking got worse..

Dad frowned, growing uneasy. But he forced confidence.

“It’s fine. Even if her wolf’s weak, she’s still physically stronger than a human.”

“She wouldn’t get hurt. And if something really happened, why wouldn’t she come back?”

He didn’t get it.

I wasn’t facing a rogue I could fight head-on.

I was facing a camera-and the invisible malice behind it.

Even the strongest combat skills can’t defeat an enemy you can’t see.

Mom couldn’t say a word.

Couldn’t admit she’d hung up on my call.

Couldn’t admit she’d told me to deal with it myself.

She was the one who cut off my last thread of hope.