"For every minute you're angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness"

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Cael's POV

I was completely unfazed when Cassie shot daggers at me with her glassy eyes that matched Lila's. The eyes that constantly reminded me of my mate, and why she was no longer with me. Lila had shoved her hard into me, and she was now disappointed that I wasn't doing much to defend her.

Cassie was the one who brought it on herself. She rushed off to our bedroom, spinning around in her heel so fast that her hair whipped my face. I was kind of glad she was out of my hair.

Damn Lila was hot. The way her body moved, her long dark hair flowing down her back. Her toned body that the tight shirt she wore was able to hint at. She didn't even break a sweat at all, and I had thought she wasn't fit to be my Luna, who was I kidding, Cassie was weak, not Lila.

My eyes trailed to the hand that Beta Ashton had around Lila's waist. They stood awfully close together.

Suddenly a large sinking feeling settled in my gut, I had rejected Lila, the one I was supposed to love no matter their appearance of strength. Lila was happier now, with a new pack that I wasn't in. And it stung to see her shooting glowers at me every time we saw each other. It was a constant reminder that she was just putting up with me because of The Council.

Or rather my pack's safety.

Lila shot me a smug smile from where she stood and bent over into her chair at the table.

I loved how she didn't care about anyone's opinion of her, not anymore anyways. Much unlike Cassie, who wouldn't even eat a cookie.

My eyes widened from my thoughts. I needed to stop comparing Cassie — my mate to Lila. I rejected her because she wasn't fit to be Luna by my side.

Even though those thoughts plagued my mind, every part of my body itched to grab Lila and to pull her in my arms so I could mark her as mine.

If I marked her, in other words, she was my mate — forever. Cassie constantly begged me to mark her throughout the years and every time I refused to. Then she would hiss a fit and blame it on Lila even though she wasn't even there.

That was the problem, there was an empty hole in my stomach whenever Lila wasn't there, and now that she was, I felt whole again, I felt me again. I'd never realized how empty I'd felt until now.

I let out a heavy sigh when I remembered Cassie. I bolted up the stairs, taking them three at a time — Lila and her friends paid me no attention.

My hands trailed along the flawless white paint on the walls of the pack house, my own stomach boiling in envy at the extravagance of this place compared to mine.

I stopped short in front of a room that had the door swung open ajar. The curtains were lilac, as were the bedsheets and the pillowcase. There was a tiny desk in the corner, with a large collage of pictures hanging over top on the wall. It was Tyler, Ava, Trace, Dyson, Ashton and Lila all together.

My eyes trailed over Lila's face, from her smile that reached her eyes to her long brown hair that billowed in the wind.

This was Lila's room. Her scent was prominent, but it was also obvious from the amount of lilac in the room. It was her favorite color, which I'd learned after she left The Moonstone Pack when I snuck into her room.

Hesitantly, I scanned the hallway satisfied to find it empty, Lila and Alpha Tyler's voice sounded faintly from the kitchen. Without a second thought, I slipped into the room.

Just for a second, only one peek. I went over to the desk and slid opened the first drawer in sight. Filled to the brim with photos of The Nightshade Pack, and stuffed into the corner, one of her parents.

I smiled to myself. She looked truly happy with her life, all her smiles genuine and reaching her eyes. She looked so cute and adorable when she gave the camera a toothy grin, her blue eyes reflecting the sun enough that they looked aqua.

With a gentle hand, I picked up the old picture from when she was still with my pack.

She was so young, not much older than thirteen. She smiled, but her eyes remained dull and lifeless. Those eyes that shed more tears than she deserved, and it was all my fault. I'd never defended her whenever Ryder hurt her and I'd never defended her when Cassie shoved her so hard, her bruises would be prominent for weeks after.

Cassie only sucked up to me now because she wanted to be marked. If she was marked, she would be the Luna— permanently.

I snapped out of my thoughts when the door slammed shut behind me. My body jerked up in shock and the pictures I'd been holding in my hand scattered all over the floor. I spun around, immediately mesmerized by a pair of aqua colored eyes.

I gulped. I wasn't coming out of this room alive, not when Lila's expression looked as though she could murder me on the spot. Her eyes were clouded over, conflicted.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked, her voice unwavering. I trained my gaze onto my sneakers, scratching the back of my neck. My brain had completely blanked out, so much so that I couldn't even come up with a pathetic excuse.

Her arms crossed over her chest, an eyebrow raised.

"Well?" She willed me answer her, snapping at me in the process. I could feel my cheeks burning with both embarrassment and anger. My blood boiled slightly. No one would ever dare speak to an Alpha like that.

"I got lost and this room was open and I thought it was mine," I lied easily, but then I realized how stupid I sounded when I saw the photos lying in the floor. Lila's angry expression morphed into a skeptical one.

"If you're going lie to me make a better one up. You're bad at everything you do." Lila scoffed, rolling her eyes. My mouth hung open agape at her words, and I shut it quickly.

I knew exactly where this was going. She thought I was weak. She had not forgiven or forgotten about her rejection. I spoke before my brain could tell me not to.

"Really?" I smirked. "Maybe I should remind you that I was the one who rejected you. You used to be bad at everything, maybe that's why everyone hated you."

Her eyes darkened, narrowed into slits at me. If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under.

"Honestly, The Nightshade Pack probably only took you in because they pitied you," My tone came out way harsher than I intended as I stared down at her, my chest just inches from hers. Heated sparks danced between us, my body tingling in excitement from being so close to her.

Lila took a step back, breathing hard. Two pink dots prominent on her cheeks.

My wolf howled at me to step closer towards her, to wrap my arms around her. A pang of guilt immediately coursed through my heart when I realized what I'd said.

The blush disappeared from her cheeks as her eyes grew glassy. She avoided my eyes for a short moment, and when they met mine again, they were filled with hatred.

"You hated me so much, you picked my own sister over me." She snapped. "The Nightshade Pack is my family. If you want to train your own pack yourself, by all means, the front door is downstairs."

"My pack is not weak, we didn't need help to be trained. The Council forced us." I growled lowly. Usually, it intimidated Cassie, or anyone else who tried to question me, but Lila stayed rooted on the floor, her eyes staring deep into mine.

"Cassie is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and she is not anything like you." I continued, even though my brain was screaming at me to stop. "Don't forget your past, your were nothing but a servant who worked for me. Old habits die hard."

I shouldn't have said that, I should not have said that. Her eyes immediately darkened, her shoulders and body taut.

"Get out." She stated shortly. "Get the out of my room Alpha Rodriguez." The way she said my name invited a stinging sensation in my heart. I forced my legs to move until I passed the threshold to her room. Her door slammed shut with a thud right as my foot made contact with the floor in the hall.

I groaned, running a hand over my face. I didn't know what I was thinking. I should've never gone to her room, damn it. Now, I'd pissed her off even more.

But no matter how much I tried to deny it, there was no way I could shake off the feeling that I still felt something for Lila. My body had never reacted that way, or felt anything remotely like it until now.

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A/N: well damn lol, I hope you guys enjoyed it and don't forget to vote, comment and share if you like this!!

EDITED