During our last days, I soaked up the Eastern territory like I stayed at a vacation resort. My time was spent with my eyes half-closed, fingers outstretched, walking among the flower-filled rows in the green house, running around the lake in Lumi's form, and enjoying the company.

I even appreciated Torak's company during platonic activities. With our common imperfections and similar gilded cages, we fell somewhere in between mates and friends.

The one place I couldn't step foot into for saying goodbye to was the library. I hadn't physically stepped into that building since I learned Lumi's breakdown, for fear that the library triggered her into another withdrawal.

Maybe someday I'll go back.

Until then, I experienced the beautiful library through Elena. No part of me was surprised at most of the boxes packed up in her and Cole's room containing books.

'Zara?' A knock at my door followed a mindlink from Cole. 'You in here?'

'Yup.' Hinging over my bathroom sink, I spat my mouthful of toothpaste with a splat.

After I rinsed my mouth and padded my bare over to the door, I opened it to a concerned set of brown eyes.

"Everything okay?" I stepped aside for Cole to enter.

"We need to talk about security plans before we leave," he muttered, brushing past me.

He looked around at the lack of furniture, so I pointed to the bed. He straddled one corner, so I climbed to the farthest possible spot, near the headboard and tried not to think about the awkwardness here.

"So..." I folded my feet under and sat criss-crossed on the white fluffy comforter that disappointed me when it didn't fit in my suitcase. "Security?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Since there's been rogue attacks both times, I think we should try a different approach while driving across the entire country."

"Such as?" I wasn't sure how I felt about 'different,' but his serious tone sounded like I had little choice.

"Decoys." His lips twitched and he exhaled. "Multiple cars and multiple Zara's."

"Multiple mes?" My eyebrows shooting up, I wondered how we would accomplish this.

"Two more, to be specific." An sullen look spread in his eyes and he dropped them to his lap.

"Let me guess," I shot back in a dry voice. "Elena is one."

"Yeah." His eyebrows drew together and a scowl tugged down the corners of his mouth.

"I always wondered what she'd look like as a blonde," I tried to lighten up the awkward airspace between us. "Wait... How is she getting blonde hair?"

"Time for a haircut, Princess." He grinned, making it my turn to scowl.

Of course he's only happy about something at my expense.

"While you were in the tattoo tent, we found a wig-maker who agreed to make two wigs from horse hair." My jaw relaxed at that update, until his broad shoulders bounced with hearty laughter. "We couldn't find anyone else with your hair color."

"Tell me about it," I muttered to myself.

Looking down, I picked at an imaginary piece of lint on the comforter. While not as much as in the North, I stood out from others here too.

"So, you and Elena can travel together in one -" A quick shake of Cole's head shut that possible setup down.

"Elena will be one of your doubles." Another scowl twisted his face. "And ride with Raina."

"Interesting." I smiled despite the circumstances needing any extra measures. "Makes sense, Raina could never pass as a blonde. Who's the other lucky Zara impersonator?"

"Rose." My eyes shot up to Cole's. "She'll ride with Idris, obviously."

"Rose!?" I squeaked out, suppressing the urge to clap my hands. "She... she's coming? Oh gosh, that must mean Alpha-"

"Yes, she asked him." Cole's eyes rolled. "It was apparently a heavy and tear-stained conversation."

Figures I hear an emotional update from the emotional blackhole personality called Cole.

Still, I sat up straighter at that news, tapping my fingers on my knees. In the same impassive voice, Cole offered, "They negotiated with Alpha Stephan to return here after."

"What about Alpha Faelon?" My fingers tensed around my kneecaps.

"I don't know how Alpha Faelon feels about losing one of his warriors," Cole admitted with a sigh puffing up his broad chest. "All I know is he sent a request for us in the West, which I'll explain when we're in the car."

A low hum vibrated my throat as I rocked in my seated position.

Can't believe Rose and Idris are coming, how -

"Speaking of... Focus, Princess." Annoyance in Cole's voice snapped my attention back to the conversation.

I frowned at his grumpiness. "What do you mean when we're in the car? You -" I pointed at him then my chest. "And me?"

Me and Cole? Together for two days in a car?

Forget the rogues, Cole will just end up murdering me himself.

That two-day car trip turned into twenty. Other than punching things and affection for Elena, we shared nothing in common. I was an emotional oversharer and this meathead had the empathy of a twig.

"We'll leave last, with the other two leaving in bigger motorcades," he grumbled. "Then the next day you'll leave with me, looking as much like Elena as we can make you."

"Only you and me?"

The two of us, him driving because I couldn't and pretending to be mates, sounded like a road trip to hell. My father didn't permit me to obtain a license and the days when I used to wish for Cole's attention felt like a lifetime ago, fueled by a desperation for any companionship. "Are we driving?"

"You and me." By the bitter edge in his voice and deepening permascowl, he was also not looking forward to this setup. "Yes, I'm driving."

Digesting that information, I inhaled so much my shoulders and chest expanded. The two of us wasn't much protection but at some point I couldn't hide behind a wall of my father's security forces for the rest of my life. And the possibility of being more on my own surged my blood faster through my veins, tugging a smile on my lips.

"Believe me, Princess, not my idea." His dry, biting tone suggested we shared the same level of excitement. "And not now but Elena wanted me to give you this." With a wrist flick, he tossed me a plastic bottle.

Catching and turning it in my palm, I recognized her body wash.

Guess I get to smell like her too. At least it's not her chapstick.

'Wolf perfume.'

Of course, Lumi was amused. She was as indifferent about Cole's wolf Sable as she was a dead tree stump.

Not a chance, Lumi.

"And what about -" I started to ask about Elena not feeling well when he interrupted.

"Your father is in favor of the plan." He didn't need to explain further. I knew the entire setup had been his idea.

As usual, he pulls all the strings.

"My father..." Those words churned the same resulting simmering bubbles of anger inside me.

I looked down in my lap, at the hands that I now squeezed against each other. The blonde hairs on my forearms sprung up.

"We'll talk about it in the car." Cole's eyes glazed over, most likely from Elena.

He stood up, wished me goodnight in the form of a Cole grunt, and left.

"Great," I mumbled to the door clicking shut and leaned back against the headboard.

I spent my last evening in the Eastern Territory similar to the one in the North - alone, fingers and toes twitching, sweat-soaked from bed-thrashing, and a mind unwilling to stop cycling through repetitive thoughts.

Flipping up my window, I sat on the ledge, swiveled my feet, and padded down into the cool, damp, spongy grass. My arms swung, the backs of my limp hands brushing over the outside of my legs, as I walked barefoot under the tall, shadow-casting trees to the lake.

Since the rogue attack, the lake was converted back to its empty, serene area. I sat down on a grassy area off the concrete path and stared at the water. My ears absorbed the fountains misting water into the air mixed with the gurgles of night frogs and crickets. I hugged my knees with my elbows and watched the tiny white peaks of rippling waves dance in concentric circles around the fountains.

So much happened this time.

I don't know if I'm any better off though.

I couldn't have imagined what had happened before getting here. My chest burned at the thought of my father. I hoped that we wouldn't encounter him crossing through the Central territory. Cole promised me that he wouldn't stop but I wouldn't breathe easier until all of us set foot in the Western packhouse.

We had a rough trip this time, huh Lumi?

I asked her, then smiled at her reply.

My lips pulled tense at her reply.

'Rough but stronger.'

Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the cool breeze kissing my cheeks, forehead, and chin.

You're right. We can do this together, right?

'No choice.'

My eyes flipped open at her response and I shook my head.

There's no one I'd rather be stuck with.

I promise I'm going to find out all the answers and get any help that I can.

I love you, Lumi.

Her response was a snuff but I knew she was pleased. Her twitching tail gave her away.

My mind still processed through Luna Rashida and Elena's discoveries. I made as much progress as I could in that area, accepting that I couldn't change what was and wasn't true about me.

As much as I can't change the past.

Being released from the pressure of having super white wolf abilities and forced into a life as Future Luna of a pack in my father's country was freeing. My chest lightened from the reminder. A gigantic weight of self-induced stress from expectations of greatness were lifted off my shoulders.

It's almost like...

I stopped myself from thinking about carving out my own life. A life not where I chose my mate and made choices for myself.

Such a life would never be possible, not living under my father's will and control.

Still, a girl can dream.

'Werewolf.'

Saying goodbye was harder than I expected, especially to Future Alpha Torak. Even if he looked as crisp, smoothly indifference with his uplifted nose, and polished in his tailored appearance, his normally bright hazel eyes dulled with an emotion he didn't feel like sharing.

Possibly similar to a worm finding the center of an apple, that smug, confident player nestled into a special place in my heart. Warmth spread through me when I hugged him goodbye, pressing my cheek into his smooth chest.

If nothing happened between us, then I remained grateful for the opportunity to see past his surface.

Which isn't that bad to look at either.

"I know we're not mates." Standing on the balls of my feet, I leaned closer and brushed my lips against his ear. "But you wouldn't be the worst one to end up with. If I don't find my mate then I'll come back to visit you."

"Forgive me for not holding my breath, Miss Zara." At least he smiled, picking up on my teasing tones.

By the time I pulled back down to flat feet, he smirked. Of course he smirked. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gently pressed my lips against his cheek. His arms encircled me in warmth and I nestled my forehead under his jawline, soothed by the steady pulse his heart provided in the nook of my neck.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The hum of laughter in his throat buzzed in my ear.

"Remember..." The hair on the crown of my head fluttered as he exhaled. "You're beautiful, scars and all."

"Thanks." I gave him one more squeeze, his admission filling my eyes with tears.

Any remaining words were now choked up in my dry throat. I swallowed, nodded at Alpha Stephan and Luna Rashida, and gave each a hug.

"I hope you find your answers." Rashida rubbed my upper arms gently with her palms.

Wiping my eyes dry, I pulled my lips into a tight smile and nodded. Her eyes were still red and puffy from her tears saying goodbye to Rose a few hours ago, but every inch of her otherwise exuded her usual sense of radiance.

"Compassion is not a weakness," she whispered with a wink.

"Thanks for everything." I forced out the squeaky words, flashed one more smile to Torak, then climbed into the car with Cole.

"Ready, Princess?" he called out from the driver's side of our car, a nondescript Acura sedan that looked like it purposely hadn't been washed recently. His fingers tapped on the steering wheel.

"Let's go, travel buddy." I grinned at his large frame hunched over the steering wheel, the top tips of his brown hair pushed into the ceiling. "I've got all kinds of great snacks, games, movies, a road trip playlist, oh and one of those doughnut neck pillows -"

"This is going to be the longest two days of my life," he groaned and shook his head.

He slid a pair of Aviators down the bridge of his nose, no doubt to block out the setting sun we drove into, to look at me. I adjusted my Elena-inspired wig that already made my scalp itch, flashed him a smile, and waved for him to hit the open road.

As the Eastern packhouse's red-tiled roof slowly faded out of the rearview mirror, I couldn't help but think back to our month here. While the info dump had crashed over me like a tidal wave and knocked me back, I appreciated learning so much about what I wasn't while we were here.

Disappointment grew in me as the distance between us and the packhouse increased. I knew more about who I wasn't than who I was. Drawing a slow, deep breath. I exhaled more slowly, relaxing my back into my seat.

Have to get there first.

-The End of the Eastern Territory

A/N: This Part had a lot to unpack and yay for Rose joining the group! So many foundational pillars turned upside down for her in the East territory but so many unanswered questions. Did those strange hallucinations mean anything? Can they arrive in one country without any rogue interventions? Will she ever eat her beloved doughnuts again?

West is next!

-me