Now patrolling the area, Teaghan replayed over and over again her encounter with Alpha Steve. She was heartbroken honestly. He hadn't always been that way and it was one of the reasons she feared the day she found a mate.

This wasn't the first time she had seen the effect losing a mate had caused, however, it was the most severe she had ever seen. Sure, males or females had become rogues due to losing a mate and feeling a disconnect from the rest of the pack, but this was her Alpha.

She refused to give up on him. She would beg Alpha Reeve to do something, anything to bring her Alpha back to them. When her round was over and she had circled the border around their territory she made her way back to the pack house.

When she broke through the treeline into the clearing she sighed as she looked at the large house that housed not only her and Cecily but the Alpha and some of the older pack members.

"Teaghan," a hesitant voice whispered.

Teaghan turned and saw Danny, a young boy of about six. He was orphaned and it heart her heart to look at his uncertainty as he approached her. She had tried her best to be there for the boy and for those who needed help.

She wasn't the most social person and she had to admit she kept to herself most of her time unless it was Cecily of course. "Yes, Danny?"

"I heard you talking to the Alpha today..." He admitted waiting for a possible punishment for eavesdropping.

She smiled and crouched so that she was eye level. "Did you? I'm sorry you had to hear that." And she was. She didn't want the young ones to worry about their safety. She knew she wasn't enough to defend them but it didn't mean she wouldn't if she needed too.

"Is Alpha Steve ever going to come out of his room?" His voice quivered with fear.

"I don't know but don't you worry about it. I'm working on figuring out what to do. Have you eaten already?" When Danny shook his head, she stood and held her hand out, "would you like to join me for a late night snack?"

With more confidence, Danny took her hand and she led him into the house where they ate ham sandwiches and shared a bag of chips. She listened while Danny told her of his time spent around the pack. Mrs. Surely was his adoptive parent and it seemed he loved her a lot.

She continued to listen to him ramble about anything and everything and couldn't stop herself from grinning. Feed him a sandwich and some chips and she couldn't get him to stop talking when only just early he was afraid of her.

She noticed his yawning and stood up throwing away their paper plates and the now empty bag of chips. "Let's get you home. I don't want your - Mrs. Surely to worry about you." When they made it to his front door, she smiled, "you shouldn't be out so late next time. Make sure you lock up behind yourself. Goodnight Danny."

"Nigh'night Tea." She watched him go inside and waited and grinned when she heard the distinct sound of the deadbolt turning into place. She headed back to the pack house, ready to shower and climb into bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, she just knew it.

*

A sudden shaking made Teaghan jerk awake and stand up ready to fight. Her heart pounded and her eyes widened as she searched for the threat. What she saw was Cecily with wide eyes as she stared at her.

"W-" she didn't even manage to ask her question before Cecily began laughing so hard that she doubled over. Teaghan frowned and relaxed a bit but her eyes continued to move around the room.

She always woke up before Cecily, she never slept so deeply, at least not in a while. "You should have-" Cecily gasped as she tried to control her laughter, "seen your face!!!"

Assured that there was no danger, Teaghan flopped back down on the bed and groaned. The adrenaline she had felt slowly draining away as her heart slowed. "That wasn't funny at all Cece. I thought- I don't know what I thought honestly."

"I know what you thought and though I don't find that funny, I had to laugh at your reaction just then. It was that or cry." Cecily was rarely ever serious. She always made jokes to lighten the mood and most times Teaghan appreciated it.

"I can't believe I slept like that," she whispered still boggled over it.

"You needed it obviously. Besides, I'm sure if we were really in danger we wouldn't be the first people the bad people came for."

"I know that but it doesn't make the possibility any easier to think of. Anyways, what time is it?"

A quick look at the clock, "it's noon." Cecily had barely managed to relay the time when Teaghan shot out of bed and quickly dressed, "what are you doing? Calm down!"

"I have the training to do and a border to patrol," Teaghan said, forcing the plain white t-shirt over her head.

"You need to take a day to yourself! You're only twenty Tea, but you are going to run yourself into the ground if you don't take some time." Cecily argued, hounding Teaghan as she moved away to grab her pants.

"Cece, please." She didn't feel like hearing this again and having the same argument they seemed to always be having. "You know why I can't do that. I know what you're saying, I do."

"But you won't take time?"

After slipping her sneakers on she stood and walked to the door. Before leaving she looked at her sister over her shoulder. Cecily stood there, glaring but she could see the worry in her sister's eyes behind the irritation.

"I promise I will take it easy. Don't worry.." With that Teaghan left the room, trying to ignore her sister's words,

"yeah cause you do that enough for both of us."

She knew she wasn't supposed to hear them. Being a werewolf sucked sometimes.