8

Once they were done at the hospital they went straight to the pack house. Sheriff Walsh was sitting in a comfortable chair talking on the phone with someone. "Keep me updated."

"Is he there." Said a voice on the other end. Sigurd knew that Havoc was close to the surface still.

"Yeah. Just walked in." He stood up as he ended the call. "So. He is wanting to press charges. Sigurd I can't keep doing this."

"If that bastard is pressing charges Then so am I." Astrid said angrily.

"Really? For what?" Sheriff Walsh asked in an amused tone.

"How about assault and battery along with attempted rape!"

"Okay now I really need to know what happened." Walsh said without a hint of humor.

"My office!" Sigurd growled. "I don't think it's a good idea to advertise this kind of thing out in public. If he isn't dead he will be."

"You have a point." Once the office door was shut Walsh began his questioning. "You say he assaulted you and tried to rape you. So can you tell me what exactly happened and who you are?"

"I am Astrid. Daniel's stepdaughter. I went to get my stuff because I'm moving in here. Dad was with me and he and my mom got into a shouting match in the entryway of the house. I went upstairs to start packing and that was when Daniel grabbed me and slammed my head against the wall. Then he said I made him look like an idiot and he was going to teach me a lesson I would never forget." Her voice cracked and she bit her lip as she tried to will the fear away.

"It's okay. Take your time." Walsh said. "Then what happened?"

"He...he grabbed my hair with both hands and dragged me into the master bedroom. When I tried to scream he grabbed me hard by the throat and threw me on the bed. He got on top of me....and I tried to fight him off. He put his hand under my skirt and ripped my panties off. That was when someone came in and ripped him off me." She took a shakey breath. "It was chaos after that."

"Do you know who ripped him off of you?"

"I-I don't know his name. I'd never met him before." She sniffed.

"It was my gamma, Derik Havish." Sigurd said as his eyes glazed over. 'Get in here now.' Sigurd linked his gamma. "He's on his way now." There was a knock on the door and Derik walked into the office.

"Yes, Alpha?" Derik asked as he examined Astrid's tear streaked face.

"We'd like to know what exactly happened when you were at Ruth's house." Sigurd said in a commanding tone.

"I did my job, Alpha. I don't appreciate that you are insinuating that I would do anything else." Derik snarled viciously as he glared at Sigurd.

"Nobody is insinuating anything, Gamma. The sheriff needs your statement of events for his report. As it is Astrid is willing to testify in your case on your behalf. Let's not make a liar out of the Luna." Derik rolled his eyes. "Please, Derik. It would help in the legal proceedings when Astrid presses charges on that bastard. Can you do it for her?" Sigurd sighed.

"I saw Desmond's truck and approached the house. I heard yelling and went to mediate the argument. When I got inside I heard the Luna send out a destress call and rushed to find her. I kicked the door in and saw him on top of her ripping her panties off. That was when I pulled him off her and threw him on the floor. He went for a knife and was charging towards her so I threw him again and that was when he hit the mirror. The fight was over but I covered her escape when Erik called her out of the room."

"So that's the story your going with?" The Walsh asked skeptically.

"That's what happened." Derik said.

"Well that's not what his wife said." Walsh shook his head in disappointment. "She said that you threw him across the room and then proceeded to kick him in the gut."

"You have my statement." He turned to Astrid. "Luna you should lie down. I'm sure you need some rest." His warm demeanor towards her was so different from the way he spoke to the men.

"Not just yet. Someone lied to me and I need to know who." Sigurd said pointedly looking at Astrid.

"I've got what I need for my report." Walsh said as he stood to leave. "Alpha." He said as he nodded to Sigurd. "Luna. bit of unsolicited advice. You can't build a marriage on lies. Trust me I tried."

"Thanks. I'll remember that." Astrid said and gave a small wave of farewell. With that he left, letting Erik and Liam in as he did so.

Sigurd waited for the door to be shut before he glared at the three that were looking guilty. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose when Astrid squirmed under his accusatory gaze. "I'm not mad. Just disappointed. Astrid as Luna you are held to the same standard as me. Defying orders from is not okay, it doesn't matter who's idea it is." He turned to Erik and Liam. "Erik I didn't think that you would willing or knowingly put your sister in danger. It is your job to keep her safe as much as it is Derik's. Liam you are my Beta. I expect better from you. You are literally my Right hand. Derik -"

"I don't answer to you anymore, Sigurd. And I don't care. Now if you're done with your little lecture, Luna you should lie down. Let's go." Astrid just nodded and followed him out of the room."

"Guess he's still mad at you, Sigurd." Erik said as he took Astrid's vacated seat.

"I don't know how many times I have to apologize for what happened." Sigurd sighed as he slumped back in his chair.

"She almost got both of you killed, Sigurd. What do you expect?" Erik pointed out. "Honestly I don't blame him."

"We all told you the truth. You refused to listen." Liam almost snapped.

"I thought she was the one and didn't want to believe she would-"

"It doesn't matter what you wanted to believe. She had you so blinded that you ignored the obvious warning signs." Erik said gently. "It's okay now that Astrid is here you will see how very wrong you were."