"She is your mate," Ivory says. "That's why she got her heat since you were getting close to her. Isaac already had suspicions from the night at the hospital but yesterday you made it pretty clear." Ivory grins. It makes Zade uncomfortable.

"Then you must know that I will give up my life protecting her." Zade composes himself. It was better that they knew. He wouldn't have to explain all his actions now.

"That is one reason we agreed to do this." Abir says, "But, will you be able to protect her from herself?" he puts forth a very serious face.

"What do you mean?"

"You have taken this path, but remember, it is going to be hard." Ivory warns him. "There is a reason why she forgot those memories."

"Will you guys stop with your riddles?" Zade asks as Odin walks down the stairs.

"You have seen the mark on her neck?" Abir inquires.

"Her mating mark." He says it with much annoyance. Since Inara was his mate, the thought of her being with another wolf, mating him, was a bit annoying for his inner Alpha.

"Her Alpha is dead," Abir says directly. "Those are the memories that are locked away."

Zade and Odin look at each other with despair. It is very painful to lose a mate.

"Omegas are very emotional." Ivory continues, "But if all of her memories come back at once, do you think she can handle it?" Ivory questions him. It seems like they were still trying to talk Zade out of the idea. This was their last attempt.

"Her brother is dying. Her mate is already dead. She doesn't have her pack either. You think you can control all of those emotions once they hit her?" Abir challenges.

"Isaac already told us that she will have a nervous breakdown or even worse, fall into a coma again if we push her to remember memories she purposely locked away." Ivory asserts Abir's point again.

Odin senses what they were trying to do so he assures Zade. "We won't be reminding her. At least, not all at once. Baby steps are more than enough."

"We need to get to the root of her memories and not just scratch the surface," Odin explains further. "Like the first time she became a wolf to her last memory ever."

"How do we do that without pushing her to remember them?" Zade looks confused.

"I know how." Abir volunteers.

───── ❝ Back in Damon's room.... ❞ ─────

Inara is still sitting beside Damon. It seems he was awake and aware of Inara's presence. He wasn't hallucinating anymore so he remembers some things about Kyros.

"I went to ask for his help during the war..." Damon speaks in a low, croaked voice.

───── ❝ Flashback ❞ ─────

"Can you believe what he said?" Damon is fuming with anger. After his little chat with Victor, he came straight to the Blood Stone pack to ask for some necessary help.

"He is a jerk; we all know that." Kyros tries to calm Damon. "You wouldn't believe, a few weeks ago, he came to ask for Inara's hand in marriage." Kyros scoffs of even thinking about it.

"What was he even thinking?" Damon calms himself down.

"It was just because our pack doesn't want any troubles, that's why I have to keep up with the Black Alder's antics. Or I would have ripped his head off." Kyros was angry too.

"I still think he had a part to play in this war." Damon deciphers.

"What do you mean?" Kyros asks, sitting down.

"I mean, how did the Silver Bows get to know that Irene was pregnant? We were sure to keep it a secret." Damon thinks. "They can't kill a child so they are trying to kill an unborn one." Damon bangs his fist on the table. Kyros hugs him from behind.

"We will get through this, Damon." He turns him to face him, "We will protect her and your baby."

"I don't know what I would have done without you." Damon smiles before hugging his best friend.

"I brought something as an offering. For Inara." Damon gives a small pendant to Kyros. It had a moon engraved on it.

"Come on, stop spoiling her." Kyros groans looking at the gift. "You have been showering her with gifts. She might end up thinking that you are the good brother." He pouts.

"Who says he isn't?" A nineteen-year-old Inara was leaning on the door frame. Damon turns back and smiles at her sweetly. She rushes to hug him and makes a funny face at Kyros.

"You!" Kyros runs behind her to catch her but she hides behind Damon's broad shoulders.

"Stop it. No one touches my cute sister." Damon growls at Kyros.

"See, he is the good brother." Inara teases Kyros.

It was all smiles and laughter in that house. But it wouldn't stay like that for long.

───── ❝ Flashback Ends ❞ ─────

"Why don't I remember something so beautiful?" Inara tries hard to concentrate but fails.

"Sometimes, memories are the worst form of torture." Damon smiles through his own pain. Memories of Irene still haunted him, and there is no way he can stop them. Nor can he go back and touch her face once more, say he loves her one last time, before she falls lifeless in his arms, again.

He has to live with it, forever.