It was baffling to think I had lived in this pack for five months of my life. It honestly felt like a lifetime ago. Not that I miss the day they practically tore me to shreds; that was something I did not want to repeat.

I did not miss the bitter days locked away in Evermore, and I did not miss the way Asra would act as though I wasn't the best thing in his life. Because I was. I was his destined mate, and he was just being too stubborn to admit he liked me. Human or not, we were supposed to be together. As hard as that was for me to get my head around, I accepted it now.

I was part of him, and he was part of me.

So why did I not feel like it anymore?

Two weeks had passed since Nikolai supposedly poisoned me and today, I looked out the window to the rainfall. The summer had held on tightly to its sunny days, but as September continued on, the rainfall increased.

We had little rain Evermore. A lot of the heavier rainfall was further down the mountains. That or we were perfectly shielded by the mountainside. Evermore was kind of like a canyon, it an enormous dome of sorts. It was no wonder my ancestors located to there... I mean... If they actually did.

I shook my head, clearing the thoughts surrounding Nikolai's book. Asra refused to let me talk to him and locked the old wolf in the cellars. Asra said he was a terrible man, and I had believed him, but when I spoke to him two weeks ago, he was anything but.

He never physically harmed Asra, that I knew, but the way he treated both his sons was not right. Forcing one away because he was not an alpha of blood and training the other within an inch of his life wasn't right. Asra had a strong bloodline, so I could see why his father was so content with his hard work, but that was it; it was too hard. A teenager, a child, did not deserve to be exercised to the point of passing out, to be mentally and physically beaten into having hard skin.

Asra did not speak of his training much, and as much as I would like to know, I didn't want to push him. I knew from first-hand experience how hard it is to share a past that you want to forget. When you finally feel safe, you lock those memories away and hope the PTSD doesn't come back to bite you. The last thing we, or he, need is to unlock that vault and dive back in.

Even now, as I gaze out the window watching him pace the treeline, I couldn't ask that of him.

I was sitting on the window ledge, one leg propped up by the armchair, so I didn't fall. The windows and doors were open, the smell of petrichor wafting over my senses as I aired out the bedroom. Asra was outside, training in the rain. I could see the curving of his spine, the tenseness of his muscles, even the beading of rain as it fell down his bare skin. I had grown used to the strangeness of my nose and eyesight, acknowledging it as mate benefits.

But something didn't feel right.

I wasn't sure what it was.

Something felt different.

Something within me felt different.

Asra had only distanced himself further, and it made me wonder if it truly was me.

Before, I was used to not seeing him during the day because he would be busy working or in meetings with other packs. But I could usually sneak a dinner in, or creep into his office for a quickie.

Yet lately...

Instead of dinner for two, it was a dinner for one, and instead of a steamy office session, he turned me away.

Was it me?

Did I smell strange?

Had something changed?

He hadn't come to bed the past few days, either. I wasn't sure where he slept. His office? Did he perhaps fall asleep at his desk from the long day?

Something was wrong with him.

Did September perhaps have a significance in his life?

Was his mother kil-

"Ailia!"

I jumped at the intrusion, nearly falling out of the window. I squealed with horror as I teetered out of the open space, but thankfully caught myself on the wall before I embraced the ground.

"Mya!" I snapped. "I nearly died!"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "He would've caught you before you even screamed."

"Hardly." I muttered.

"What?" She cocked her head.

"Nothing." I sighed. "What do you want? Why did you nearly murder me?"

She smirked, but after understanding my words, her face fell. It hardened around the edges, falling into the persona of my warrior and not my friend.

"Something is going on in the kitchen."

I frowned. "It's not even dinner time..."

"They don't need you as a chef, they need you as a luna."

I stepped down from the window, casting a look at my mate, who continued to run through the trees, punching them like a ninja.

"What happened?" I wondered, following Mya out of my room.

I shut the door, making sure no intruders left stupid roses on my pillow again.

"Alpha he..." she trailed.

"He what?" I whispered, wide-eyed.

"He has done something bad."

I swallowed harshly as we descended into the elevator, forcing out a laugh. "Bad? Mya, I need some context. Did he eat all the chicken or kill someone?"

When she didn't answer, I felt my heartbeat quicken.

Asra couldn't have killed someone. Not a pack member. He wasn't that bad.

The doors opening had Mya wrap her hand around mine and tug me forward. I followed her, my wide eyes set on the swaying of her braids. I watched them swing, mesmerised by how in sync they were. Despite being the complete opposite in every way, Mya was a good friend, and I knew I could trust her.

That's why I could walk into the kitchen without questioning her judgement.

It was rather chaotic.

Between the screams and shouts of anger, to the tears of begging, I found myself lost. A chef was waving a knife in the air, but I quickly dismissed them as just angry whilst they cooked. Those cries were muttering unintelligible words. Others were scurrying around, hands in their hair with stress. One of the human helpers was standing quietly in a corner, watching everything with wide-eyes. Everything was in disarray.

Releasing Mya's hand, I approached the cornered girl, finding her my most level-headed of the entire room. I had to avoid a few choice words, not given to me, as I meandered the mass of bodies.

If they weren't so angry, I would say it was a rave.

My hand fell onto the girl's shoulder, and she jerked, big blue eyes darting up to me. She relaxed in my hold, and I squeezed her skin softly, mumbling a soft, 'hey'.

"What's going on, Tilly?"

She swallowed, licking her lips dry. "Everyone's scared."

Shit.

Did he kill someone?

I looked over my shoulder, scanning the floor and the knife chef again. I even used the freaky sense of smell, but no blood.

My head hurts, though.

It was loud in here.

"Why are they scared?"

"Alpha..."

"What did he do, Tilly? Please."

"He cut the wages back down, made us work harder." As she spoke, her pitch rose in the middle before dipping to a whisper. "Alpha said he wants five course meals every day to keep his physique up and boost pack energy levels. Five courses, per warrior, Luna."

"What?" I sputtered, shocked. "Is that why they're angry?"

"Yes, but..."

"But?" I probed.

Can she please just tell me?

"Those who refused, he has... he has locked away."

I tensed, my entire body freezing with time. "In the cellar?"

She mutely nodded, eyes wide and brimming with tears. At her fear, I felt every instinct kick into gear. I felt my agitation burn, simmering beneath the surface. It was ready to overflow. All it needed was a stronger flame.

I wrapped my arms around Tilly, securing her in my embrace. "I won't let that happen."

"But he has already done it to-to seven of us!"

Burning hot now.

"When?"

"Just before lunch. We were halfway making it when he gave us our new demands." She mumbled into my shirt, neither of us letting go. "I don't want to go into the cellar."

"You won't." I promised. "I will speak to him."

"Why is he doing this?"

Rage burned at her soft voice, full of fear.

These were our pack members, our staff, our pack. Asra had lost his mind if he thought he could do this to them, to our extended family.

Removing my arms from Tilly, she retreated into the wall. I barely recognised the silence in the room, or how Mya stood behind me.

"I don't know." I admitted. "I will find out."

"Okay." she whispered. "Be safe."

Be safe.

It struck me like a chord.

How could somebody be so fearful of the wolf who was supposed to run their pack?

What had Asra really done?

I ran my eyes across the now calm room, noticing Serenity was not in here. Was she a person he took away?

"I will sort this out, I promise."

They all nodded with sullen expressions, and I swallowed down the lump in my throat before storming out of the kitchen. Asra better still be in the garden, because I will not let him get away with this.

I ignored the calls of Mya; the sounds falling on deaf ears as I threw open the back door and rounded the house. The rain instantly drenched me without a coat or shoes. Mud splashed up the leggings I wore, my dark grey top turning black and heavy. My hair was sticking to my face, and I squinted through the rainfall to find my mate.

He was out here alone, and I caught sight of him running through the trees, his tan skin a mere flash before he dipped into shadows.

Asra was a skilled hunter, a professional alpha. Why had he lost his temper? Where did his compassion go?

Did his father say something to him after I passed out?

Standing at the treeline, I waited for him to appear. When he didn't, the simmering pot grew angry.

"Asra!" I shouted.

Silence, the rain pelted down my shoulders. A voice that wasn't my mate's called my name, and I didn't even turn around to know who it was.

"Go inside, Mya." I insisted.

"No, Ailia. You're being ridiculous right now."

"I am not!" I snapped, spinning around to glare at her. "I got this. Go inside!"

Her eyes widened before she bowed her head submissively. "Yes, Luna."

I felt an inch of remorse for unintentionally commanding her, but it soon vanished when a branch creaked beyond the trees.

"Asra, I know you are here." I breathed. "I can smell you."

"You can smell me now?"

My head snapped to the right, and I adjusted my stance when I found him. Dripping wet with rain, he leaned cockily against the tree. I expected an appraisal of my body, how his eyes would flick over me with a smirk before meeting my gaze, but I didn't get that. He held my eyes, not looking away to stare at the tight dampness of my shirt or bottoms once.

Because he was wearing only shorts, the rain completely soaked his skin. He was even barefoot, his feet caked in mud much like mine were. His hair was damp and wild, a mixture of sweat and rain coating the fibres. But his eyes were dark and haunting; a turmoil of anger and despair.

"I need to speak to you."

He sighed. "What about?"

"What are you doing?"

"Training, isn't it obvious?" He scoffed.

I gritted my teeth. "You know that's not what I mean. Besides, you rarely train at lunch."

"I wanted to do more." He shrugged, smirking.

Right, deep breath, Ailia, start at the top.

"Why are you making the staff cook more? What happened to the split shifts?"

"We need more meals, so more staff, isn't it obvious?"

"You're cutting their wages?"

"More staff means less money! You are supposed to be the luna, Ailia. Surely even you can figure this out."

I recoiled at his tone, shaking my head. "Asra... What has got into you?"

"Me? Nothing. I am fine."

"Did you father do something-

"My father has done nothing!" He snapped. "Don't sprout another one of your stupid ideas. They won't work."

Ouch. That one actually hurt.

I breathed deeply, turning my hurt into anger, and let that simmering pot flow. It burned on the way over, my entire body hot and tight with tension. Asra wasn't thinking logically, and despite how much I loved him, I couldn't contain this bubbling pot any longer.

*****

Big love to all of you ❤️❤️❤️

shits about to go down btw