After a round of steamy intimacy on Asra's desk, I remained where I was; starfish spread across the wood. I fought to catch my breath as I stared up at the ceiling.

"You okay there, little flower?" Asra mused, getting dressed.

"Yeah." I exhaled loudly, nodding. "You know, Rio nearly ratted on me earlier."

"Rio? What for?"

"He was going to accuse me of working too much and was going to tattle to you." I huffed, forcing myself to sit.

I grimaced at the wetness between my thighs, not enjoying how the once dry skin was now coated in sticky stuff again. Asra's eyes twinkled with amusement as I vigorously wiped between my legs with some tissue.

"Not funny. You can just wipe and be done with it." I huffed. "I should have you finish elsewhere. Maybe in a sock like a teenager."

His eyes narrowed, a playful growl vibrating his chest. He was before me in an instant, caging me in his arms as his fingers gripped the wood. His hot breath fanned my cheeks and, dazed, I blinked up at him.

"You think I am as pathetic as a horny teenager, Tulip?" He breathed, and I shuddered. "Don't act like you don't beg for me every time."

I blushed, dropping my eyes to stare at his chest. Dirty Asra always had me acting like a schoolgirl. I couldn't help it. Whenever Darius would speak dirty, it was deliberate enough to make me feel bad, but Asra made me feel all mushy inside.

"Asra..." I mumbled.

He chuckled, nipping my jaw with his teeth before pulling away. "I can hear your heart, Tulip. I know you don't want me to stop it."

It was true.

I was just lucky I was on birth control. Being with Azriel for so long, I had taken none. After being on it for a couple of months, the lack of it caused my body to grow confused. But alas, the day after the pack ritual in the lake, my period came.

It oddly reminded me of the first time we tried the ritual; the same thing happening then. That was nine weeks ago now, and I was grateful the red river has not flown since. Asra was... less than happy that I went back to birth control. It amused me slightly to watch him frown as I took my pill every morning, but he did not force me to change my mind.

He understood. He accepted. And that was all I needed.

His beast instincts just wanted the white picket fence story. And that meant stuffing me with as many children as he could.

Asra hummed, nostrils flaring as he scented me. "You smell like me."

"I am aware." I rolled my eyes playfully. "This is the second time today."

"I can do it three if you want?" He grinned.

"Asra, you have made me late again." I taunted.

"Tulip, I apologise for being irresistible." He charmed me.

I pouted, sticking my tongue out at him. "Puh-lease. I could walk around here head to toe in a clown outfit and you would still want me."

"A clown?"

I shrugged. "Not the information you should focus on."

He grinned, lifting me down from his desk. "Then go clean up. I will leave you to your work."

I scowled. "Yes, you better."

He hated when I did double shifts in the kitchen. Claimed it wasn't work, but slavery. I just fired back how that's humans are always treated, and he shuts up. Point for me. Asra would have me laze around on a chaise lounge baking cookies and growing children all day if he could.

"What's the list for?" I wondered after leaving his office bathroom. "That's a different one from earlier."

Asra was back at his desk, and quickly closed it when I questioned. I scowled at him, crossing my arms. He spun in his chair to face me, grinning. He was hiding something.

"Butterscotch..." I warned.

"You cannot see." He insisted.

"Why?" I pouted, giving him puppy eyes.

His eye twitched, jaw flexing. "It's for your birthday."

"I need nothing for my birthday! I haven't celebrated since I was nine years old!"

"Exactly! That's ten years!" He insisted. "You will be nineteen, Ailia."

"I feel like I am ninety!" I huffed." I don't need anything."

"Let me spoil you, Tulip."

"Asra, I don't need to be spoiled." I mumbled. "I am just happy how it is."

Asra's shoulders sagged, and his gaze softened. I had learnt that was his sympathetic look, and glared at him playfully in return.

I dropped the topic, too tired to carry on. "I'm going to work. Since I am thirty minutes late."

"Long lunch break." He shrugged.

"Sure." I mused, walking over to him.

His hands latched onto my butt as he rose to his feet and kissed me. His warmth melted into me, dissolving my worries and ripping apart my anxieties with one movement. I sighed, pulling away from him with a soft smile.

"See you at bedtime."

"Don't work yourself too hard." He scolded.

"Yes, sir." I rolled my eyes.

His eyes blazed, a deep grumble in his chest that had me squeal and run from the room. He always reacted so boldly when I teased him, and the way he was right now, I would back over that desk.

Then I'd never make the dinner rush in time.

It was already four! I had a lot to catch up on already. You could do so much in half an hour in the kitchen. I could've prepped the vegetables, made the meat marinade, plucked a damn chicken in that time!

I apologised profusely to the people in the kitchen, who barely batted an eye. That was a curse of being the luna, nobody dared to tell me otherwise. Although it made me feel invincible, I couldn't help but hyper-focus on how I could do no wrong. I could fuck up the entire meal and nobody would call me out on it. What if I wanted someone to shout at me for fucking it up? I was perfect anyhow.

As I helped prepare the endless stream of meat marinades, I couldn't help notice how the wolves in the room would smirk or blush when I caught them sniffing me. I scowled, shaking my head as I focused on my work. They made me head chef, as much as I told them not to. Yet again, I blamed the luna role.

Time passed quickly in the kitchen, and before I knew it, dinner was served and wolves were eating. I lazily plated my dish whilst making sure everyone in the kitchen had a plate. Happy they all were eating, I left the kitchen to find a seat in the dining room.

I had stayed behind to help clean up what I could, so the room was emptier than normal. Eyeing the room, I pondered where to sit. Do I just sit by myself? Or shall I join the humans? No, that table seemed full. I couldn't see any of my usual friends... Except...

My eyebrows lowered when I spotted Everett. His brown eyes locked onto mine at the same time, and he smiled in greeting. I forced one of my own before looking elsewhere. I still didn't trust him. He gave me a bad feeling. As much as I believed something was not right with him and Olive, I didn't have enough evidence to support it. He was Gamma, meaning it was not as easy as critiquing a wolf without status.

I found Rio next, sat with two other men. Deciding it was the best option other than sitting on my own, I walked over to him. I placed my dish and drink down loudly, and Rio turned to look up at me. He blinked, surprised to see me as I sat down beside him.

"Luna, what do I owe the pleasure?" Rio wondered.

The two men opposite him dropped their heads and muttered a gentle greeting. I smiled, shrugging, as I picked up my cutlery.

"I didn't want to be alone."

Rio's forehead crinkled, and he scanned the room. "Is it that time already?"

I nodded, stabbing a piece of the tomato chicken. "Eight o'clock."

"You're eating late."

I rolled my eyes. Rio always comments on the obvious, rather like a parent.

"I helped wash up and made sure everybody got a dish." I responded. "Some humans still don't eat, and I won't let it slide."

"That's very kind of you, Luna."

I turned my gaze to the male that spoke, noting the fair hair and brown eyes. With broad shoulders and a sturdy torso, I figured he was some kind of warrior or patrol wolf. All of those guys were solid brick mountains, and this guy seemed no different.

"Is it?" I wondered. "It is common courtesy."

"Feeding humans?" He quirked an eyebrow. "It is a large change to the kitchen stock supplies."

I narrowed my eyes and his jaw tensed. I knew he was friendly, but also judgmental. However, whenever someone mentioned humans, I became intrigued and agitated..

"Roy." the other muttered, glancing nervously at me.

Roy's jaw rippled as he chewed something. "I don't mean it like that. I am just stating it surely is taking a toll on the pack supplies. Is there going to be any substitutions?"

Why was he so interested in this?

So, without missing a beat or breaking eye contact, I channelled that etiquette and 'lady' training from Evermore. It was helpful a lot lately. Since stepping up my role, I needed it a few times when trying not to let my emotions show.

"The pack can handle a minor increase in certain ingredients." I commented. "However, the sheer amount of food wolves eat naturally causes more waste than you realise. Humans are a mere speck in the sheer amount of things that wolves need. In fact, giving them one meal is reducing the waste and therefore reducing our pollution. Besides, the hunters catch most of the meat, and we grow the vegetables in the greenhouse out back. What's there to waste?"

Roy frowned, but seemed to think about it. The table had fallen quiet, so I continued to eat, swinging my legs mindlessly beneath the table. Rio chuckled softly, shaking his head as he stabbed his fork into the rest of his chicken. I eyed it curiously, wondering why he was eating so late.

"How come you're only just here?" I asked him. "Usually, it's just humans or late-night clerks."

He turned to me, quirking the same eyebrow as before as he chewed. I stared at him, waiting for him to finish his mouthful before he spoke. He was mere inches away, his elbow brushing my forearm whenever he would cut off another piece. Despite that, I didn't feel threatened by Rio. His blonde hair and pale eyes were anything but scary to me.

Finally, he swallowed. "I went for a nap."

"Oh, yeah?" I wondered, eyes lighting up. "Do you nap often?"

His eyes narrowed at my smirk. "Are you teasing me, Luna?"

"I was just wondering why a man of your age..."

"Forty-four." He smirked.

I couldn't help but splutter. "Forty-four! Four-four? Forty-four?"

"That's what I said." He snickered.

"How? Just how? What is in the water you drink?" I gasped.

Rio laughed softly. "Wolves age strangely."

"Then explain to me." I demanded. "How a man who looks thirty is forty fucking four."

His grin broadened. "We age normally until shifting age. After that, it doubles in speed. Once a wolf hits puberty, both human and beast mature. Higher blooded beasts shift around eleven or twelve, but most average wolves are around thirteen or fourteen. We are fully mature within two years."

"That quickly to be an adult? What about your teen years?"

He shrugged. "I don't know why it works that way; it just does. When you hit about seventeen, your aging does the opposite. Once you shift, you become an adult, and then after that, it just... slows down. I've looked like this for twenty years now."

"So, you're saying it doubles as a teen, and then practically halves as an adult?" I blinked. "That's bizarre."

"In a way." He shrugged. "When a wolf hits about eighty in human years, that's when the body shows age."

"Damn, so Bodhi must be ancient." I muttered.

Rio laughed. "Alpha Bodhi is near two hundred."

I almost choked on my tongue. "And that's normal?"

"Sure is."

What would happen to me? I was supposed to be a beast, and yet I wasn't anymore. Would I age the same way? Or would I be an old grey woman in thirty years' time?

"That's crazy." I mumbled. "And totally unfair."

"Unfair?" He wondered.

"Yeah, you get to age all gracefully and have so many years to explore the world and yourself, and humans just die by ninety."

"Human mortality average is seventy-five."

"Even worse." I whispered.

Rio nudged me purposely. "You have an alpha for a soulmate. I highly doubt that you will age so badly."

"Gee, thanks, Rio." I rolled my eyes.

He grinned. "Any time."