Zade parks his car outside his apartment. It was a decent two-bedroom flat and the neighbours were nice. Odin suggested that they live separately and away from the ancestral home for some 'mate bonding' and 'quality time'.

Zade just scoffs thinking about Odin's choice of words. The only quality time that Zade spends with Evelyn has had a different outcome. Irritation and frustration. They fought day and night about the tiniest things possible. It was a relief that Zade was an independent person so he didn't have to depend on Evelyn for anything. But his family wants him to depend on her.

As soon as he opens the door, he is hit with a familiar Omega scent, which he is forced to live with. For Alphas, all other Omega scents feel distant other than their own Omega's scent, which feels like home.

"You have finally come home," Evelyn speaks as soon as she senses the Alpha. It is the same for an Omega. Any other Alpha would not make them feel secure unless it is their Alpha. Much to say the least, Evelyn was always insecure about Zade.

"I work, Evelyn. I work my ass off so you can sit there and drink your expensive wine," He says with a frustrating groan when he sits on the couch. You could say he was frustrated with Inara's scent.

"Huh!" Evelyn stood up and put her glass down. She took a deep breath and starts, "So why are we living in this shabby little apartment? You guys have so much money then why don't I have a castle?"

Then she points at the portrait of Zade's ancestral house on the wall, "Or you call that piece of crap a castle?" she is standing in a defensive position.

Now Zade stands face to face. No one can insult his pack. Not even his so-called Omega.

"Shut up! That is our ancestral home!" He says with a little louder tone.

"Thanks to you all, I don't even have one. I don't know how shameless is your pack. Even after killing my sister, you dare to face me?" She barks back.

Zade's blood boils with the mention of Irene. It is all because of this stupid treaty that his pack has to follow or he would have kicked Evelyn out of the house by now, "You never considered Irene as your sister. The minute you heard about her death, you rushed to Damon thinking that he would marry you."

"And I got stuck with you! Aah, I should be thanking my stars!" she acts as if she is praying to god.

"You should be. We have been protecting you and what is left of your pack. Don't get the wrong idea that we are doing this for you. It is all for Irene!" He yelled, reminding her of her place.

"What protection can an Alpha like you give?" she now speaks in a dangerously calm tone and Zade knows where this is going.

"An Alpha, whose wolf won't even talk to him?" She smirks looking at Zade who clearly looks defeated. One thing that Evelyn caught up on was Zade's weakest points and she knows when to press them at the right moment.

Zade gulps and leaves the conversation then and there. He walks up to his room and closes the door with a bang, leaving Evelyn with a satisfactory grin on her face.

"Yes, yes, run to your room and cry. That is what Alphas without their wolf's presence do!" She sits on the couch with her legs up on the table, "I wonder if you are an Alpha or no?" she says that a bit louder, not caring about what the neighbours would say, "If we consider it, Aurora (Evelyn's wolf) can't hear you at all."

She looks up, praying to her stars, "I don't know what I did in my past life to get a wolf less Alpha like you!"

───── ❝ Flashback ❞ ─────

"I am just doing this for my pack and Irene," Evelyn tries to smile at the cameras. Zade and his close family were to be leaving for their 6-year hiatus but they had to go through the engagement ceremony first. Evelyn was to be wedded to the 2nd Alpha of the Blue Moon Pack and she was very excited. The Blue Moons were considered to be the richest amongst all the other packs, both in the number of wolves and fortune.

But her dreams were shattered when the honest Zade came clean in front of her that he can't mate her because he can't keep contact with his wolf. But they will have to get through this engagement ceremony and try to make it work for the sake of their families.

"Do not take Irene's name from your filthy mouth! Where were you when she needed your support the most?" Zade makes it pretty clear that he doesn't like the pretentious Evelyn who was only after their money. But then he looks at his brother in a wheelchair and pale face, trying to smile, he gathers up the courage.

Even if he had to do this for his whole life, he will do it for his family. He will do this for his brother.

"Don't shout and bring attention to us!" Evelyn says, clutching his arms, "Smile for the cameras in front of the Elders," She fakes a smile and forces Zade to do so.

His eyes were still on his brother when he had to put the ring on Evelyn's finger. Just as it touched the tip of it, someone led a loud gasp from the crowd. Damon had fainted and fallen from the wheelchair.

"Damon!" Zade shouts and rushes to help his brother, leaving the ring on the floor. Everyone, except for Evelyn, too rush to tend him.

"Just one fucking day! I need one fucking day in this family without any drama!" she thinks in her head.

───── ❝ Flashback Ends ❞ ─────

"Wretched was the day when I agreed to be your mate!" Evelyn yells remembering their engagement ceremony, "I can't wait for the day when you mark me, I give you your baby and be done with this drama for well and good. Poor my wolf Aurora!" She places her hand on her chest.

The room's door stays shut and thankfully, no noise goes outside. Because Evelyn would know that Zade was bawling his eyes out.

"You hear that Hunter?" Zade talks to his wolf between his sobs, "She isn't even calling us an Alpha. What is left of us? Doesn't it hurt you?" he looks at his heart but nothing. Not even a whimper.

All he is accompanied with is his own sobs and deafening silence.

"Of course!" He says, frustratingly, "You wouldn't answer. You know what?" he gets up and looks at the mirror. He points at himself and speaks, "You lost your best friend (Shae was Irene's wolf who was Hunter's best friend) but I lost mine too. Irene was more to me than just a sister-in-law!"

After a while, he goes to bed and tries to sleep. Even after the roller-coaster of a day he had, his mind is diverted back to the sweet scent of Inara.

It had some effect on him and he was curious to know how a human can smell so different.

And no, it wasn't a perfume.