Turning to Asra, I nodded gently. "I'm okay now."

"Tulip..." Asra sighed, hugging me again.

I noticed a slight twinge of irritation in the bond, but he smothered it with concern and guilt. Why did he feel guilty? Again.

"Asra?"

He pulled away, tucking a stray hair away from my eyes. "Hmm?"

"Thank you." I muttered.

His lips curled into a gentle smile, and he kissed my nose. "Of course."

"What's wrong with you?" I wondered.

"Me?" His eyebrows furrowed.

"Why do you feel guilty?" I asked.

His jaw tightened, understanding passing by. "It's nothing."

"Asra." I breathed.

He sighed. "You were anxious the moment you woke up. I shouldn't have left you."

"I can't be babied, Asra." I shook my head.

"But you had a panic attack."

"That's not because you left me in bed." I mused. "That's because my brain is wired weird."

He shook his head, adamant his placement would've prevented it. "It's not. Your brain is perfect."

Rolling my eyes, I felt colour flood my cheeks once more. Asra always knew what to say, no matter how annoying or cheesy it was.

"I don't even know what really caused it." I shook my head.

"It seems you have some deeper trauma with pregnancy and people than you realise." He muttered.

"You think so?" I frowned.

"It triggered a memory you did not need, so it is no wonder you had a panic attack." He insisted. "You have been through a lot this past month. You are still healing."

I noticed he dropped his eyes to the bandage beneath the collar of the jumper I wore. I hid a smile at his concern, the warmth of it spreading it across my chest.

"I'm fine."

"Your body may heal, but your mind comprises all kinds of hormones and emotions that not even you can control." Asra's chest rumbled. "I should've been here sooner. But..."

"But?" I wondered.

"The pack is still uncomfortable." He whispered.

My chest ached for him, and this time I took him by surprise by kissing him softly. "Then we all need to work this out together, don't we?"

Asra's lips twitched slightly. "How about we start by getting off this floor? My butt hurts."

I snickered, delighted to hear him use the word butt. I don't think he has ever said butt before!

"Okay." I agreed. "Then breakfast."

Asra rose effortlessly to his feet first, standing over me with a soft smile. He held out his hand, which I gladly took as he pulled me to stand. Taking a rather shaky breath, I smoothed out my hair. Casting a quick glance over my shoulder, I realised nobody was here. Asra's stern words had shocked them into privacy, and I was grateful to not have so many eyes on me. Everything was back to normal.

He led me toward the buffet, and I caught Eliza's worried gaze. Smiling softly at her, I pulled Asra to stand awkwardly before the pair.

"Sorry about that." I muttered. "I think I overestimated how ready I was to be open to babies."

Eliza cocked her head, taking my other hand in hers. "You don't have to apologise, Ailia. You did nothing wrong. I shouldn't have forced your hand."

I tutted, shaking my head. "It's the norm, right? People touch pregnant bellies all the time."

She tutted but laughed softly. "Not been around many pregnant women, have you?"

I bashfully looked away, noticing Caleb's intense stare between the two of us. "Not really. Just the one woman and I didn't know her. I just knew about her because I was nosey at work."

Eliza's lips twitched, and her hand tightened on mine. "It's fine, Ailia. We can pretend it never happened?"

I shook my head. "Despite the panic, it wasn't your daughter that caused it. I don't think I'm ready to go down that road yet, personally. It just triggered me. I couldn't even control it. I-

"I get it." She breathed a laugh. "I have never experienced it myself, but I get it. Don't apologise for what your body wants to do in strange situations, Ailia."

My heart ached, and I thanked her softly before eyeing the swelling bump. "Can I try again?"

"Are you sure that's wise?" Asra muttered.

I shot him a glare, squeezing his hand. "I can handle it. It was weird but..."

"Amazing, right?" Eliza giggled, glancing between us.

She pulled my hand towards her stomach again, and this time I let her. The baby immediately shifted under my palm, as though drawn into a spell. She shifted, kicking or kneeing me softly, and I stepped closer. I released Asra's hand, resting my other palm on her stomach.

"She really does like you," Eliza mumbled. "She doesn't even move this much for Caleb."

The look she gave Caleb when he growled was comical, and my lips curled into a smile as I stepped away. Asra's arm came back around my waist, warmth wrapping around me. We continued to the buffet, and soon I had a plate of goods that I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into, and a coffee to match. Asra eyed the coffee with an amused smirk as I sat down.

Eating my worries away passed the time pleasantly, and I found my body wiggling with joy as the sweetness of chocolate tainted my tongue. Asra sat quietly before me, eating some kind of cheese pastry. He had about five of them, so I assumed he enjoyed them a fair amount. As I ate, my mind wandered.

The pack still seemed in disarray. The quickness of their retreat when commanded by Asra wouldn't usually surprise me, but today it felt strange. They all stared at me too, watching my every move as though I were a baby taking their first steps. It unnerved me, and I wondered how I could make it better.

The fact that the room was half full at breakfast did not pass my judgement either, especially when it coincided with Asra working in his office. Last night, with him present, the room was quieter. So either they were avoiding him, or he had told them to make themselves scarce. I would've assumed it was the latter if today was the same, but the sudden intrusion of my mate had made the room tense. It only seemed to loosen when he fell to the floor beside me.

My heart warmed at the thought, my cheeks flooding with colour as I remembered how tightly he held me. How he had no qualms about coming down to my level and wrapping me in his embrace. He had taken it slowly too, careful not to scare me too much as he approached me in such a state.

Perhaps his soft touch had calmed the pack?

And it was that sudden realisation that made a thought pop into my mind.

My sister.

My eyes scanned the room, looking for my sister's brown hair. I did not spot her and my hope deflated. She had scurried away with the others, not part of the brave few that had ventured back in. I sagged back into my seat, sipping my coffee with a scowl. Did I imagine it? Was she not here?

"What's wrong?" Asra wondered.

I shrugged. "I thought I saw my sister in here."

"She was." He nodded, sipping his coffee. "She left for school."

"She did?" I pondered. "When?"

"Just as we got food." He muttered.

I frowned. She didn't even talk to me. Our argument must still be fresh, both of us stubborn to our core. I wondered who would win.

"Oh," I frowned.

Asra nudged my knee with his, chewing politely on his food. "Don't worry about it. You'll probably see her at dinner."

I hummed, nodding at his answer. It wasn't what I wanted, but I had no choice but to accept it. Arabella was growing up and had her own opinions and thoughts. She was slowly discovering her own mind and, as I said to her face, I would not try to change that.

As I lazily finished my food, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander around the room to stare at the wolves that braved re-entry. With my elbow on the table and chin propped on my fist, I focused my attention on some warriors that were chatting in the back of the room. They were all tall, with taut muscles and a few with tattoos. They seemed to talk rather sternly, lips barely moving as they nodded at each other.

I wondered what they were talking about.

Next, my eyes wandered to a group of women. There were about five of them, and one was Eve. I watched them talk softly for a while, recognising when they would look over their shoulders. They tried to play it off as a shrug or dismissal, but their eyes would always drop to our table.

I frowned, sitting straight. Nobody truly trusted any of us, and it made me wonder what really went on. Shifting my gaze to Asra, his eyes locked straight onto mine. His lips parted, but I shook my head and focused on the bond.

I have a question. I thought.

He picked up on it loud and clear, my mind heavy with his presence. 'In secret?'

Nodding, I pursed my lips. They still don't trust you. I can see it in their movements.

'I was not kind.' He frowned.

But why? I wondered. What happened?

Asra shifted in his seat, leaning closer to me. His eyes dropped to the table for a count of five seconds whilst I sat patiently.

'I don't really know. I don't remember much.' He murmured. 'What I remember was a lot of exhaustion. People passed out. The infirmary was often busy. I can remember the smell of death and blood.'

I swallowed nervously. I remember seeing a pile of bodies. Azriel said you did it.

Asra's eyebrows furrowed. 'I didn't kill anybody.'

But the deaths? People died from their injuries?

He shook his head. 'People died from their injuries, yes, but not from my hand. We had rogues near the border. They somehow knew the pack was in turmoil. They killed three pack members during the time you were gone, but I killed no one in this pack. I killed rogues, and most of those bodies resulted from that.'

My lips parted with understanding, realising that I, and everyone else, had misread the situation. He may have worked them to the brink of insanity, but nobody died from it.

Asra's grimace deepened. 'Did you think I killed those people?'

I was quick to shake my head, my hand darting out to grab his around his mug. No! I didn't believe Azriel. I didn't believe you could kill pack members. Until I realised perhaps you were under an influence, then it could be possible. But I held onto the hope you were still there.

He nodded, forcing a smile. My chest deflated, my concern for his wellbeing diminishing a hint. I thought most of his guilt had flooded out of him yesterday, but by the crease in his brow, I knew there were still some worries left behind.

Everyone needed something. The pack, the alpha, the humans... All of them, all of us, were feeling divided. A situation so stressful it had caused the pack members to avoid each other. To hide from their alpha when he was the one who was supposed to protect and lead them.

I needed to think of a way to make it all better.

We need to come back together, to embrace the familial feeling of a pack.

Humans included.

What could we do?

What could I do?

I could redo the porch, but what would that accomplish? A pretty picture. A symbolic repair of the relationship. It was only breakfast, and I knew tonight was a full moon so the pack could go on a hunt...

Suddenly, it washed over me like a tidal wave.

"The lake!" I exclaimed.

My outburst had caused Asra to jerk in surprise, cursing softly. I grinned, unfazed by his scowl aimed my direction. He had spilt a small drop of coffee on the table, nothing happened.

Drama llama.

"What are you talking about, Tulip?"

"The lake! It's what we need to do." I claimed.

"I think we did plenty at the lake." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "No, everybody needs to get involved."

"They do?" He blinked.

"Yes. The pack needs it." I insisted.

"Needs what, exactly?" He frowned.

"Yeah, what do we need?"

I turned to Mya, smiling at her as she approached. Unlike before, and unlike others, she nodded once at Asra before leaning against the end of our table.

"Tonight is a full moon and we are all going to the lake." I informed her.

"We are?" Her eyebrow rose. "Are the pack aware of this?"

"Oh! No! I should tell them all!" I agreed.

Her lips parted as I rose to stand. "Ailia, I don't think your voice will-

Opening my mind came easily, like second nature now. If I didn't focus too hard, anyway.

Speaking both in my mind and aloud, I linked with the entire pack and the humans in the room.

"Everybody! Tonight is the full moon, and we will all come together in the lake." I announced. "The pack is not the same as it was, and I feel like we all need a wonderful moment to come together. The lake is healing and powerful, and I know the Moon Goddess will embrace us tonight. So, please, all of you must come, staff included. I will see you there at sundown."

When I finished, the room and the mind-link filled with murmured words. Most I didn't understand or make out with so many talking at once, but a smile graced my lips as I turned to Asra.

"Okay?" I breathed.

He blinked up at me, face rather comically blank. He seemed almost frozen, and I laughed at his expression. This caused him to blink, glancing at Mya, who was staring at me with an amused smirk.

"What?" I wondered.

"Since when could you mind-link people?" She grinned.

"You tell me!" I mused. "I guess I am just that good."

"Okay then, Luna." She teased, pushing off the table. "I will see you at sundown."

Sundown.

My stomach tightened at the very idea of the night ahead.