**I have updated twice, pls read 29 first***

I did not see Piper again that day.

I got a few pieces of fruit and ran my way back to the elevator and up to my room.

She didn't come the next day either.

But true to my word, I stayed in my bedroom for the entire week. I skipped a few meals here and there, timing my visits to the kitchen to when the wolves had gone. The story of Piper's true mate echoed in my mind and I felt on edge. I was glad I didn't come across anyone.

Eve came banging on my door on day four and scolded me for not leaving. I gave her my very stubborn reasoning of not wanting to be sniffed out. Her telling me she could smell it was ending soon ended up in me giving her my best death glare. She hadn't come back since I told her I wanted privacy a few days ago, so I ended up promising her I would emerge when it was over. That was two days ago, but she didn't know it was now over.

Until now.

There was a bang on my bedroom door. I could hear it through the sound of the shower.

Sighing, I knew my time was up as I ran the soap along my body. I woke about an hour ago and had just lied in bed like I had every day since coming here. I was pretty sure the mattress had an imprint of my body on it now.

The knocking stopped as I rinsed the suds from my skin, but soon picked up again on my bathroom door.

I groaned, knowing the wolf behind it would hear my every move. Switching the shower off, I wrung some of the water from my hair before securing it into a towel. Hair out of the way, I climbed from the shower and settled my feet into the bathmat. My skin pebbled as the cooler air danced along my body, wisps of a gentle breeze coming from the open window.

"Ailia! Hurry or I am busting this door down."

Mya.

Eve brought back up today.

"I will be out soon," I grunted, pulling out my toothbrush.

Doing my usual morning routine of moisturiser, teeth and hair, I wrapped a robe around myself for dignity before I stepped out.

Mya was sitting on my bed, her arms crossed. Her eyes snapped to me as soon as the door opened, a scowl on her face. Eve stood to the side, a stare not as harsh as her sister. I stood before both of them, crossing my arms in return.

"You have been in here too long."

"I was not going out there whilst you guys smell my every body function." I scowled.

Mya rolled her eyes. "You finished days ago. I could smell it the moment you did."

I cringed, shaking my head. "Please. These kinds of things are the reason I don't leave the room."

"You will have to get used to it one day," Eve muttered.

"I like it in here," I shrugged.

Mya was dressed in workout gear, the clock nearing the time she was due to work out. Eve was in her nurse uniform, no doubt ready for her lunch time shift. Asra's blood had worn off now, so I felt every ache and crick in my bones as I usually did. At least, this time, I did not have any broken bones or bruises. I was just human again.

"Please come down. Just observe us for a while."

I gritted my teeth, my heart picking up its pace slightly. "I..."

"What is preventing you?" Eve wondered.

My nose scrunched, and I adjusted my robe's tie to bide some thought processing time.

"The last time I saw wolves fight, I was terrified." I eventually said.

Eve sighed. Even Mya's eyes softened at my words.

"How about you just come watch me, then?" Mya suggested. "Just get out of this room so we can open the windows. It stinks."

I frowned. "Watch you become a furry beast and battle? No thanks."

She rolled her eyes, standing from the bed to tower over me. "No. We train three days a week in human skin, and three days in wolf skin. Warrior group is at ten, then the other easy group is at three."

Eve's eyes rolled at her sister's comment, and I picked up on the hint. Eve was in the 'easy' group.

"One day off? Harsh." I snorted.

"Ailia. Stop changing the subject. Come on, before I drag your ass there in your robe," Mya warned.

I sighed, but made my way over to my drawers. It was warm today with a breeze. Being May now, the weather was getting warmer. I decided on some cotton shorts and a large t-shirt. Slipping the towel from my body, I heard Eve squeal as usual, as I pulled on some underwear.

"I thought humans hated nudity."

It was Mya's voice.

Standing upright, I snapped the waistband against my hips as I turned to glance at her over my shoulder.

"They do."

"You don't." She pointed, her eyes running down my naked chest.

I suddenly remembered this woman was a lesbian and forced away the light blush that threatened to escape.

"I don't," I agreed.

"Why?" She wondered.

Pulling on a comfy bra, I slid the shorts up my legs next as I contemplated on what to say. "I have become... desensitised to being nude. It's normal. I don't even realise."

Her head cocked the other way, eyes watching my hands as they pulled up the shorts. "Why?"

"Why so many questions?" I wondered.

She blinked away from my hands to grin sheepishly. "Humans fascinate me."

"Gosh, you are just like your sister." I muttered.

"Hey! I take offence." Eve shrieked.

"Hey! Now I take offence!" Mya gasped.

I rolled my eyes, dropping my head to remove the towel. Drying it as effectively as I could without a hair dryer, I decided the wind would be enough and left it in nature's hands. I pulled the t-shirt over my head before moving to grab some shoes. Slipping the trainers on, I turned to the bickering pair, hands on my hips.

"Guys!" I called. "I'm ready."

Their eyes snapped to me, both flustered by their sibling predicament. It reminded me of when I would fight with Arabella, and my heart ached at the thought.

"You okay?" Mya wondered, glancing at where my hand lay on my chest.

I cleared my throat, nodding. "Yes. Come on, before I change my mind. Don't you have to be there for ten?"

It was 9:50.

Mya nodded eagerly, jumping from the bed to drag me from the room. Eve followed, amused, shutting my door softly behind her. Leading me to the death trap, the box fell silent.

"So... what should I expect?" I wondered.

"Just some basics. Hand to hand defence and offence, weights, cardio, martial arts, some girls do gymnastics."

"Mya loves gymnastic days." Eve teased.

Mya scowled at her. "Just because I can get some booty and you're saving yourself for your mate like an idiot."

Eve visibly recoiled, and I felt my sister-instinct come to life. I stepped in front of Eve, crossing my arms as my blood boiled.

"Hey! That was uncalled for." I scolded.

Mya flinched, snapping her eyes away. Her head dropped instantly, a frown painting her lips. Her reaction confused me and I grew more confused the longer she held her head down. Only when I looked away to glance at Eve did Mya move.

The elevator dinged, and neither of them moved. I huffed dramatically before grabbing both of their arms and pulling them from the death box. Mya stumbled, murmuring an apology. Eve was staring at me with curious eyes and I ran my hands through my hair as I thought about what was going on.

"You didn't have to stand up for me," Eve murmured. "I can handle it."

I shook my head, ignoring her nonsense apology. "People's sexual preferences are not something to make fun of."

Mya flinched again, listening to my every word. "Yes Luna."

Oh, how the clouds have shifted, and now I see the sun.

She saw me as her Luna.

Luna's were leaders of packs.

Mya took it personally.

"Mya, stop staring at the floor." I sighed. "Please don't react like that. It makes me feel strange."

She rubbed her nose with her hand, raising her brown eyes to meet mine. "Sorry. It's just instinct."

"I am not your Luna, though." I shook my head.

"In my eyes you are." She smiled softly.

It was quiet until Eve interrupted the strangeness, telling us we were late for training. She left us stranded, parting ways as she went to work her shift. Mya took my hand gently before pulling me through the kitchen. I grabbed a pear on my way through, my fingers only able to grasp the stem in the sudden haste.

Mya dragged me the entire way to the training centre, the big painted grey building glaringly obvious amongst the green grass. There was a tarmac pathway, and large white windows I couldn't see through. The smell of chlorine filled my nose as we passed by, but Mya didn't stop to open any doors.

"We are outside today," She breathed, pulling me around the side of the building. "Come on, I have one minute left. You can sit on the side-lines."

I grunted, dropping my hand from hers as she sprinted to the group of wolves about four hundred yards away. I made my way to where a water jug sat on a table, paper cups stacked neatly beside it. Crossing my arms, I awkwardly turned to face the group. Some wolves started whispering and glancing at me, which only made my mood worsen. First, I get dragged here, get questioned, then I get called Luna by my friend, and now people are staring and talking about me. Talk about a recipe for paranoia.

Piper caught my scowl, giving me two thumbs up. I responded with a faux smile and a hand of my own, dropping it when she turned to face the front. To my right came Asra, his colossal form demanding attention the moment he stepped from the building behind me.

I crossed my arms as I watched him approach, part of me begging him to get closer so I could look into those blue eyes again. I had never been so close to such beauty since the day in the forest, and I felt myself almost salivating at the sight of his defined chest through his shirt.

Dammit, Ailia. Stop being a perv.

Asra came to a stop at the front of the group. The sun beating down on his back gave him an ethereal glow. His blue eyes scanned the crowd, barely glancing over at me. I felt slightly offended when his eyes didn't linger and he continued to look at his pack.

Shuffling my weight to one hip, I watched as they all warmed up. I counted them as they stretched and limbered up, some moving into jumping jacks from crazy-ass lunges. I even saw Eliza among the group, her human form smaller in the mass of long legs, as she stood behind Mya. There were sixty-five wolves here, making me wonder how many were in this 'other group' Mya told me about. It made sense they alternated though, because who would patrol the borders?

"We will start with light sparring. Pair up, I will set up a circuit as you do so."

A few chittered in excitement, breaking into their pairs. Caleb, the Delta, and Everett, the Gamma, were together. If my memory served me correct, Caleb was Eliza's mate and Everett was Olive's.

Beta Rio stood beside his Alpha, patiently watching. Once the wolves seemed ready, I noticed a lone wolf in the middle.

Sixty-five was not enough for pairs, I thought.

I wonder if someone was off sick?

They summoned the female forward to spar with Rio, something that I didn't see very fair. Asra must've noticed me looking, finally drifting his gaze to meet my scowl. I held it, not dropping the emotion as my eyes ran along the slight form of the female to the large of Rio.

He turned away and muttered something to Rio, whose eyes snapped up to me. He winced slightly but nodded, speaking to the female, who bowed. I felt the scowl drop from my face as he walked towards me with purposeful strides. Once he was a metre before me, I took a step back.

He dropped the stern gaze once his back was to his Alpha, giving me a sheepish smile.

"I'm afraid you are going to have to join in or leave," Rio spoke.

My eyebrows crunched together in confusion. "I am doing nothing wrong."

"You could be a distraction on the side-lines."

"Asra isn't taking part," I pointed out.

He didn't even flinch at the title drop, a small smirk lifting his lips. "That's because he is Alpha."

I raised my eyebrow, ready to drop the Luna card. Glancing over Rio's shoulder, I realised he and Asra seemed to expect it, awaiting my eager acceptance of my position. So instead, I faux sighed, dropping my shoulders for added effect.

"Never mind then. I will go back to my room."

Suckers.

"Wait!" A voice called.

My eyes snapped to the dark-skinned annoyance-I mean, friend of mine. Of course, she would speak up when it comes to me going back to my room.

"Miss Mya, you are not involved in this conversation." Rio cautioned.

She stopped in her steps, dropping her head I respect. "I apologise, Beta Rio, but I had an idea. If Ailia pairs up with Eliza, then they will be evenly matched."

Rio quirked an eyebrow, his eyes glazing slightly as he no doubt communicated with the coward of an Alpha hiding in the distance. Sending his minions to arrange! Jeez. Lazy.

Clearing his throat, Rio glanced down at me, an expect look on his face. I blanked for a moment, surprised.

"Yes?" I squeaked.

"Excellent! That'll work out fine and you get to stay, Ailia." Rio grinned before turning away.

I looked back to Mya, who had a similarly sized grin on her face. "What did I just agree to?"

"Teaming up with Eliza." Mya laughed, leading me to the other human.

Eliza greeted me, having heard everything that had happened. "I'll go easy on you."

Oh, that's not the problem, I thought.

The problem was the Alpha thought that this would spoil his game. He thought I would get overwhelmed and try to run.

Little did he know, this wasn't my first rodeo.

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