Surprisingly, I woke up before Asra the next morning. The heavy, extremely warm for winter lump was still sleeping soundly. If I wasn't so full of energy for the day, I would've thought he looked rather peaceful and relaxed. But heck, it was lake day, and I was eager to get out of this room, out of this building, and get some fresh air.

I could feel myself twitching for how badly I needed to breathe. So, with an almighty inhale of air, I crawled over my mate's sleeping body, trying to keep quiet. He sighed rather happily, his arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me into him. I pursed my lips as he squeezed me until he pinned me, my face inches from his chin.

Asra's chest rose before he exhaled with a chuckle. "I know what you are planning on doing, and I'm already ahead of you."

I pouted, staring up at his closed eyes. "I am doing nothing."

"Sure." His voice rasped, peeking his eyes open. "You weren't about to shout in my face?"

"On the contrary, I was going to jump up and down on you like a toddler." I grinned.

"There are other ways you can jump up and down on me, if you'd like?" He suggested, smirking.

I scoffed, forcing myself out of his grip with a sarcastic 'whatever'. His hands slipped back onto the mattress with a soft chuckle, and I rolled until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. Pausing, I stared down at the carpet, deep in thought.

"Thinking hard?" His voice crept closer.

Goosebumps travelled across my arms and neck, awoken by his husky morning voice. "Just wondering if the carpet is going to swallow me whole or not when I stand."

He peppered kisses along my jaw, and I shuddered, closing my eyes. His warmth grew closer, until it wrapped him around me, both of his legs dangling either side of mine. His toes, despite sitting further back than I, just brushed an inch past mine, dipping into the fibres of the carpet. It amused me, thinking about how tall he was.

"How about I help you?"

"With kisses?" I quipped. "Not much help."

"It relaxes you." He argued. "Now shush, and trust me, you will be fine."

"My bone was sticking out of my skin, Asra." I sarcastically tutted. "How is it just supposed to work again? Just like that?"

"It will."

"How?"

"It will just be sore."

"That is not an answer to my question." I crossed my arms.

His hands snaked up my waist, wrapping around my wrists and pulling my arms apart. I sighed as he forced me to hold on to his forearms, and he pressed his bare chest into my back, scorching me.

"Do you think you can get much hotter?" I murmured.

His laughter warmed my heart. "It is winter. Shouldn't you be glad I am warm?"

"I will come back to that when it snows."

"Okay, I will remember this," He mused. "For now, trust me."

As he inched us further off the bed, my worry peaked. "Asra..."

Clutching onto his arms, I felt his muscles bunch beneath me, ready to push me to stand.

"I think I want to stay in bed." I fretted.

"And miss the lake? And the breakfast spread?"

"Breakfast spread?" I wondered.

He had me interested.

"Yeah, yeah, the last thing I heard was Piper got the entire kitchen to make a huge breakfast buffet."

"That makes sense. Piper loves breakfast." I muttered. "Wait, Piper is still here?"

"I never said she left."

"No-no, I just realised Piper is here!"

"That she is." He mused. "Now, are we going to stand?"

Inhaling deeply, I nodded. With a gentle push and an overwhelming firm grip on his forearms, he made me stand. My muscles ached and burned with protest, like I had just recovered from a deathly leg cramp after running so much.

Shakily, I started walking toward the bathroom, with Asra a hair's width away. Our bodies moved in sync, my legs stiff and sore, but still working. My grin broadened with every step and once we reached the toilet, I released his arms and spun around.

"You were right!"

"I told you to trust me."

"Yeah, yeah. Now skedaddle, I have to use the toilet."

"Are you sure?"

"That I have to poop?" I wondered.

His eyes pinched closed, a soft grunt leaving his lips. "That you want to be alone."

"Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. Your magic blood healed me." I waved him off.

His eyebrows lowered and just before he turned to leave me to privacy, I reached for his shoulder and planted a soft thank you kiss on his lips. Asra's smile was infectious, and I felt all fuzzy inside when he turned to leave the room, the door closing on his cute little face.

Reliving myself alone and brushing my teeth was one of the best fucking things I have done in weeks. Last night, Asra washed away the grime from my body, and now I got to do it to my teeth. And man, it has been so long since I pooped.

Thank you, chocolate cake. Honorary award.

Leaving the bathroom alone became easier with every step. Muscle fatigue, make way because I don't know you. I was running on red hot alpha blood and nothing could stop me.

"There's my little beta."

My head snapped to the side. Finding Asra stood wearing a t-shirt and jeans. I scowled at the nickname, folding my arms and refusing to get closer.

"I am not your beta."

"You told me everything last night, so yes, you are."

"I am your mate."

"Beta mate."

My mouth parted with shock, but his teasing grin had me rolling my eyes.

"Come, alpha, we have somewhere to be." I flirted.

I sauntered toward him, slipping the clothes from his arms. His eyes narrowed at my flirty teasing, and I attempted to remove my pyjamas and pull on my underwear. And guess what? I actually did it without falling over.

A for effort, and another A for succeeding. With stars. Lots of stars on top.

As I turned to retrieve the trousers from the bed, a sharp smack landed on my butt, so quick I barely had a second to register it happened. I blinked, still paused as I leaned over the mattress. Asra's rumbling chuckle greeted me, and with a sharp roll of my eyes, I got the rest of my clothes on. He picked leggings, a t-shirt and one of his super soft jumpers.

I love Asra's jumpers. He hardly wears them, maybe once or twice, and because of that, they hardly get washed. And we all know, hardly washed jumpers stay fluffy inside. And smell good too.

Walking down the hallways, I had the sleeve pressed against my nose, inhaling his scent. If this were a comic, you'd see the scent particles enter my nose and throat, and tickle all of my nerves until my body turned into a fried, jellied mass. I didn't even notice we were in the elevator and had arrived at the bottom floor. That's how good he smelt.

"The real thing is right there, you know. You don't have to keep sniffing the jumper."

My eyes widened with delight, head snapping up to find the owner of the voice. Piper's dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, revealing the refreshing warmth of her glowing cheeks. I squealed, running as best I could toward her. Our bodies collided with soft laughter, and she pulled me into her embrace.

"I missed you." I mumbled.

"I missed you too." She giggled.

I heard Asra huff, but ignored him, happiness flooding my chest that my best friend was here. My mind swam with thoughts; flashbacks to the fight when she looked after me. It made my happiness turn to guilt and pain, and a frown tugged my lips. Piper pushed me away gently, wrapping her hands around both of my cheeks to scan my face.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying." I shook my head, blinking past the burning tears.

"That's your cry pout."

Trying to reset my face, I forced a smile through. "I'm not pouting."

"Okay, whatever you say." She sang, grabbing my shoulders instead. "I'm impressed to see you walking."

"It's that alpha blood." I shrugged.

"It's your strength too." She quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you were gonna die on me."

My lips fell into a pout again when her voice broke, and I clutched onto her hands. "I'm here. Thank you for coming for me."

"Always." She shook her head. "You are my best friend."

My throat was closing up. Oh goodness, I was going to cry. I don't like crying.

"I'm glad to see you. I missed you." I whispered.

"Oh, geez, get a room!"

Peeking over Piper's shoulder, I found Mya lazily leaning against the wall. Eve stood beside her and nudged her sister with a scowl. Mya ignored her, of course, and rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"They may as well dump the alpha and live happily ever after." Mya tutted.

Asra's grumble caused me to giggle, and I slid away from Piper to embrace the sarcastic sister.

"Glad to see you are okay." Eve whispered.

"Eve thought you were dead, too. Should've seen how pale she went."

My eyebrows quirked at the two deep toned sisters, picturing the old cartoons where they just lose colour until they are nothing but a bold outline. My lips quirked at my imagery, stepping away from Mya to hug Eve. When we pulled away, I took her hands in mine, staring down at the dry, over-worked skin with a frown.

"That bad, hey?" I wondered, meeting her eyes.

"Well, you were all bones and blood. It did shock me rather badly." She choked on a laugh.

My smile was tight, feeling sympathetic. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

"It's fine, Ailia. It is my job as a nurse to look after people." She shook her head. "Doctor García did all the hard work."

"I will need to thank him." I nodded. "But thank you."

Her eyes closed with a soft smile and nod, squeezing my hands tightly. "Of course, Luna."

Asra's arms snaked around my waist, pulling me into his chest. I didn't miss the way the sisters eyed him sceptically, Eve more unsure than Mya, who semi-glared with a brave face. I suppose I didn't experience what they did; didn't know how bad Asra had been whilst he was enchanted. They were wary of him, and I assumed for good reason.

An awkwardness settled over the four of us, before Piper came up behind and patted Asra on the shoulder. The sisters blinked, looking at her with a poker face.

"Let's get something to eat. I'm sure Ailia needs it."

Asra nodded, his chin scraping across my head. "I agree."

"Is my sister in there?" I wondered, glancing at the door.

Mya's face caught my eye instantly. Her lips instantly turned into a grimace and her eyes narrowed on the corners. I turned to face her, watching as she realised I was staring, her face alarmed.

"Mya?"

"Ailia?" she smiled.

I narrowed my eyes, and saw how she swallowed, looking at Eve. "Where's my sister?"

"She's in bed still."

"That's unlike her. Surely she'd be at school, or having breakfast." I shook my head.

"Uh, no, she's, uh, still in bed." Mya laughed.

Too wrong.

Narrowing my eyes at her well-hidden nerves, I concentrated my attention on her mind. I felt the tugging and pulling; the chords trying to find her mind as my forehead creased. There was an instant snap, like doors slamming open, and I was inside. Mya's eyes widened, and she spluttered curses, taking a step back.

What are you hiding?

'L-Luna?' she gasped. 'How are you inside my head?'

I didn't miss the Luna card, which meant I had shocked her so badly she lost her edge.

My sister. I tried again.

She tried to ignore it, but I caught a fleeting image. It was weird, like watching a brief clip of a film; somebody else's vision. I saw Arabella, scared and in the dark, as Asra's beast, howled in the background.

I pulled out of Mya's mind instantly, but she remained flabbergasted, lips parted. I shimmied out of Asra's hold, turning around to face him. His eyebrows furrowed with confusion, glancing at me and Mya.

"She's hiding." I muttered. "I need to see her."

"But what about breakfast?" Piper wondered.

"Arabella is more important than food."

She and Asra shared a look, and my mate grumbled softly. Piper's eyes dropped, lips pursed with annoyance.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Your sister is hiding because of what I did," Asra stated. "If you go see her, I do not expect you to see me as high as you do right now."

My eyebrows crinkled with confusion. "Asra..."

"Just remember, Ailia, I couldn't control a lot of what I did, and it scared the humans, even the wolves. You sister was one of them." He shook his head sadly.

My hand cupped his cheek, and I sighed, softly. "They will come round. It's been traumatic for everybody. You couldn't help it, Asra, not when magic is involved."

His eyes spoke a thousand words, and he blinked, a sadness coating his features. I tip-toed and kissed him softly, his hands falling to my back in an embrace.

"I won't be long." I stepped away, plastering a smile on my face. "I'd like to see her get away with alone time when I'm around."

***

its nearly overrrr