Onyx was lost in the maze of his own mind as his Beast tore through the forest.

He couldn't form a single sentence as his head felt as if it was splitting in two. He and his Beast disagreement on pursuing Demi left him scrambling.

He lost track of the time as he raged. When the Beast was tired enough, he begrudgingly trotted back to their cabin.

Onyx groaned as he was thrown into a shift, his body dropping just outside of the door.

He grit his teeth as he panted to catch his breath, the front door being thrown open in the meantime.

He felt Georgie's cold hands on his shoulders, shaking him.

Onyx snarled, swiping at him to stay away.

"Fuck!" Onyx ensnared his nails into the dirt. "Fuck! I can't control him!"

"Boss you've gotta reel it in, you're mate is here you don't want her seeing this."

Too late, he scoffed to himself.

Quincey peeked his head out, holding a blanket in his grasp. He threw it over his Alpha, Onyx nodding gratefully.

"Damn it," He pushed himself up slowly. Being forced to shift was painful and usually he kept full control with his Beast caged inside of him. But since he'd gotten here, his control was dwindling.

"Where've you been? You're control has been so good these past few months?" Georgie mumbled as Onyx wrapped the blanket around his waist and began walking through the cabin. He saw Sylvester and Knox approaching him as well.

"I had to talk to Demetri," he sighed. "I thought about everything and want to... talk to Demi. She was outside in her own space. I-I lost control- got too close. I tried to get back before I went too far, got pissed off. I can't remember anything after that, just that I stormed away."

"It's been hours, Onyx we didn't know where you'd been," Bear sighed. The Alpha glanced outside, noting that it was dark out.

Sylvester was shaking his leg in his seat, "Did you scare her?" His tone was quiet, and nervous for the girl.

Onyx's heart jumped into his throat, he'd been so focused on not forcing himself on her or crossing boundaries he'd set for himself that he didn't think about how she felt.

"Fuck!" He yelled as he slammed his fist on the counter.

••

Demi had been avoiding Onyx's group the past few days. She stayed attached to her brothers or her fathers side whenever they had to cross paths. She thought back to the last time he tried to talk to her

Onyx trailed after Demi, she'd been in the local mess hall. Around them warriors mingled and spoke amongst themselves.

"Demi," Onyx mumbled trying to gain her attention for the hundredth time.

Demi kept her nose upturned and acted as if he didn't exist. However, every time she heard his voice it made her eyes sting. Why didn't her mate like her?

"Can I say something please?"

Demi grit her teeth together and turned swiftly. Onyx halted abruptly and stared down at her, silently gaining hope he'd be able to speak to her.

Her eyes shifted from him to besides her. He waited patiently for her but she slowly grasped a plate.

He looked bewildered as she shattered the plate on the ground. It gained everyone's attention.

Demi gripped another glass, looking at him. "You h-hurt my feelings. Until y-you figure yourself out I don't want to talk. Each word you say, is another thing broken."

Onyx's brow furrowed, "But-"

The glass crashed to the ground.

"Demi!"

She gripped a plate from a passing wolf. Ignoring the food on it, she tossed it like a frisbee to the wall. He flinched at the noise.

She wiped her face of any hints she might cry. Demi watched Onyx shove both hands into his locks, grunting in frustration.

"Fuck," he growled. Demi gripped a chair.

"I'm leaving!"

She could always feel Onyx's eyes on her, never leaving for the last four days. She couldn't help but feel he was begging for her to look at him, give him an opportunity to speak to her without everyone around.

Demi was in her own head as she thought about Onyx. Music blasted in her ears to keep from distraction as she sprinted on the treadmill.

She'd been in the training building since early morning. Her workouts were leisurely, never as intense as Kekoa's or the twins.

Demi slowed to a jog as she was fixing her pony tail.

As she was fixing herself, Onyx and his group entered. Their casual conversation halted when they saw her. Onyx inhaled sharply, his mate was in an all black outfit. Her skin tight shorts reached mid thigh and she seems to have stripped out of her shirt.

Her skin was flushed and shiny with sweat, her lips making a small 'o' while taking tempered breaths.

Onyx felt his cock twitch violently, he'd been craving Demi for so long now. His body was beginning to ache on its own, he even felt his appetite shrinking without her.

As if feeling his presence the witch glanced up, her face dropping at the sight.

He flinched as she tripped on the treadmill, almost falling but catching herself just in time.

A small squeal left her lips and she quickly stopped the treadmill. Onyx winced and began to approached her to make sure she was alright.

Sylvester beat him to it, however.

Onyx openly snarled watching the Elf smile at her.

Demi took large gulps of her water while nodding at him.

"Hi Sylvia!" Demi cheered at the Elf.

Bear burst at the seams, hearing her nickname. Bear cackled while slapping his brother on the back in amusement.

Sylvester's smile fell only a little but he snickered at the girl. "Early workout?"

Demi hummed, "Mhm, wanna get it out of the way." She stretched her leg out as she stood.

"I was thinking we could compare weapons today? I've been meaning to ask you about it but I always keep missing you."

Demi grinned, "I'd love that! You have swords yes? I have one to show you!"

Demi bounced happily and Sylvester could feel Onyx's viscous glare on him.

"I-I'm going to change! And I'll come back okay!" Sylvester nodded with a smirk.

"Okay."

With a flash of light that had him blinking, Demi was gone. Large hands snagged Sylvester's shirt, yanking him back.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Making friends with the people we work for."

Onyx shoved him into a wall, Sylvester stayed calm.

"Fuck that! You know what you're doing! Stay the hell away from my mate."

"You haven't claimed her man," Sylvester shrugged even though Onyx pinned him back.

"You're my friend! You know the situation is difficult yet you're still pursuing her," Onyx seethed through his teeth.

"I'm not pursuing her jackass! I'm befriending her considering her soulmate can't even have a conversation with her. And imagine if I wasn't you're friend? What would be stopping me? What's stopping others from making a move on her, hm?"

A flash of light cut them off. Both snapped their gaze to Demi, Onyx's jaw dropping.

Her obscenely long hair was in an intricate braid with hair framing her, she seems to have showered as well. It was beyond him how she got ready so fast.

Her lithe body was clad in a barely there white dress, lace detailing sending him into cardiac arrest. It was so short, a little slit showing him even more of her delicious skin. Her perky tits peaking out and enticing him.

She dressed like this to see his packmate

Onyx dropped Sylvester and began stalking to her. Behind him the others began stuttering and trying to stop him.

Demi's eyes were wide as the wolf barreled towards her. Just as he was about to reach her, she teleported away from him.

Demi stumbled in front of Sylvester with her arms crossed tightly. Onyx turned to look at her his canines aching.

"Demi!" He roared.

"I'm not talking to you," she turned towards Sylvester and gripped his wrist. She pursed her lips stubbornly as he once against reached for her, in a blink of an eye her and Sylvester were gone.

Onyx had just missed her and slammed his hands on the wall, hitting it frustratedly.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do about this?"

He panted wildly with his hands pressed against the wall.

"Well we are supposed to be seeing her parents right about now... maybe they'll have something to say about it?" Quincey mentioned unsurely.

"Just what I need," Onyx scoffed.

Within a half an hour, Onyx was approaching the Bordoa couple. His mates parents.

He was met with two glares he was beginning to be accustomed to. He sighed loudly.

"Do you know where Demi is?" Onyx gruffed lowly.

Demetri rose a brow at the Wolf's audacity. He almost smirked as he decided to test his patients.

"What do you want with my pup?"

Onyx barely held down his grunt of displeasure at someone else claiming Demi. It was barbaric between the two men, but neither could smother their ego.

Elora rolled her eyes, greeting the Vampire and the twin Wolves.

"We want to discuss borders and where we should coordinate an attack on this group," she announced.