Lyndis awoke to his firm nuzzling. She took a slow breath as she felt the strong surge from his wolf. It wasn't quite lust, but he wanted her.

Lyn tilted her head to the side as he climbed over her and nuzzled against her neck. He ran his lips slowly down to the curve of her shoulder as he pushed her thighs spread to straddle his hips. She stiffened slightly just before he bit down, hard.

Lyndis' breath hitched as she felt her eyes glaze with her wolf. She didn't have to see him to know his eyes were glazed as well. She felt his wolf.

Lyn took several deep breathes as she expected him to mount her, but he didn't. Unlike the last time she felt this need from him, he was taking it slow. She felt him first trail kisses down to her shoulders and arms. Lyn stared up at the ceiling, unable to look at him. Her emotions were all over the place, especially as the meaning wasn't lost on her.

She felt the apology in his movements.

He moved down slowly and lavished each of her nipples with attention. By the time he kissed his way down over her stomach Lyn's toes were already curling, and her breath was ragged. She arched her hips as his warm mouth found her center.

Lyn buried her hands in his hair as he focused his attention on her clit. She tensed and squirmed against him, barely able to breathe. She felt so sensitive right now... it didn't take long for him to send her over the edge.

She was still floating in ecstasy when she felt him nuzzle warmly back into her neck as he pushed her thighs up onto his hips and slowly sunk into her squeezing tightness.

They both groaned in pleasure.

Lyn kept her hands in his hair as he started to move in a moderate pace. She was still sensitive from her high, and he was going so painfully slow compared to his usual rhythm. Lyn jerked her hips against his and growled lightly. He nipped gently against her jaw and obliged her by speeding up his pace.

It didn't take long before they came together.

Lyndis took several deep hard breaths the moment she was able. He had yet to push off her as he kissed and nuzzled against her neck and face. She could still feel him buried deep inside her as her inner muscles gently pulsed around him.

Finally, he pulled out and pushed away from her. Lyn laid there and watched him move to the side of the bed. He sat on the edge facing away from her. It was quiet for a time.

"We have to get them to my brother's," Gaius said quietly. The glow of the moment left her.

"It's not negotiable. You're not expected at the pack house today... so you can stay with them if you want." Gaius said. Lyndis sat up and tucked the sheet against her. Something in his demeanor was bothering her. She found she didn't want to fight with him.

"I'll be gone for a few days. Adriano will come by to check on you. Please don't do anything rash..." Gaius said. Lyndis immediately frowned.

"What? Where are you going?" Lyndis demanded. She couldn't help the panic from her wolf. Gaius shook his head.

"Nowhere, I'll be around if you really need me... I just have to take care of an obligation and won't be home for a few days." Gaius said. Lyndis didn't like the tone of his voice.

"I don't understand... why can't you come back?" Lyndis asked with confusion.

"I just can't," Gaius said as he stood. She watched him go into the bathroom, a moment later, the shower turned on. Lyn reluctantly got up to get dressed. She went downstairs and started making the girls breakfast.

Thirty minutes later, they were walking down the dirt road toward Aldous' house. Lyn felt strange as they moved up the pathway toward the door. She was carrying Adalyn. Gaius grabbed her arm and Lyn paused to glance back at him. He set down Sophie and took Adalyn from her arms to put her down as well.

Lyndis watched him with worried eyes as he cupped her face and nuzzled her forehead before he kissed her hard.

It lingered a good long while.

"I have to go. Adriano will help you with anything you need. Aldous and Luana will likely drop in on you too." Gaius said. Lyndis stared at him for a moment. She didn't like the feeling she was getting off him.

"Is everything okay?" Lyndis asked. Gaius gave her a smirk.

"Fine. Please just behave. They expect you tomorrow, Adriano will walk you. Don't be late." Gaius said. Lyndis said nothing. She knew something wasn't right, but it was clear he was not going to tell her.

"I'll see you in a few days," Gaius said and kissed her once more before he turned and left. Lyndis watched him go.

The next few hours were spent awkwardly. Luana was trying to be friendly, but Lyndis really didn't want her friendship, especially not now that she knew about her sons.

The worry for Gaius was eating at her too. Her fur side was antsy, nervous.

Lyndis kept glancing over at the children with Kiana in the living room, trying to distract herself. Luana's conversation topics were hard to follow anyway, Lyndis was mostly smiling and nodding.

Caio's attention would often stray to Iyana. Even though it was innocent, she could see how uncomfortable Iyana was. Lyndis figured they told him. The thirteen-year-old definitely seemed curious about her.

Lyndis observed Iyana for a good while. Aurelia and Sylvie were obviously lost. Kiana was patient with them and tried to make them understand. She was mainly working on language with the three girls. It was clear Kiana lumped Iyana in the same category, but Lyndis knew her sister.

Iyana was understanding more then she let on.

Lyndis had no idea she'd picked up the language. She frowned... her sister had always been intelligent. But even Lyn was surprised by this. She was going to have to pull her aside and talk to her. Lyndis glanced to the toddlers. They were sitting in a small area of the kitchen with a rug playing with toys.

"I know this is hard for you..." Luana pulled her attention back to her by the sudden seriousness of her voice. Lyndis had barely been listening to her as she talked light-heartedly about all manner of trivial things. Her tone caught Lyn by surprise. She was speaking English.

"But you really should learn to listen. I promised Gaius I wouldn't overstep... I just want you to remember that everything you do has consequences." Luana said.

"What mean?" Lyndis asked in English. Her words made her chest tighten with worry. Was something happening to Gaius? Her wolf felt uneasy.

"Nothing... It will just make your life easier is all." Luana said. Lyndis took a slow breath and glanced back to the windows.

She didn't like the feeling she got from her words.

"Edite... can you start on lunch please?" Luana continued in Portuguese to one of her caretakers. Lyndis looked back to her and watched her face for a time, but she said nothing else about it.

The day went by slowly after that. Lyndis couldn't help but feel restless. Gaius was blocking her out more than usual, she couldn't feel him, and what little she did feel from him was...  pained?

Physical? Emotional? She couldn't tell... but there was oddly relief there too.

It was worrying her more. Her wolf was on edge.

Kiana gave the pups plenty of breaks to go out and play, but none of her pack sisters wanted to. By four, they were walking back home, and she certainly didn't like the complete silence from her bond at that point. She felt nothing.

Lyn glanced occasionally to the enforcer walking along in the jungle adjacent to them. He was in skin and seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face.

Lyndis was relieved to get inside and out of his presence, but when her eyes fell on her phone plugged in and charging on the kitchen counter, she stopped abruptly. A mixture of surprise and gratefulness hit her hard. She knew it wasn't there before they left that morning.

... but something about it made her feel even more uneasy.

Where was Gaius? And why would he leave it for her? After all his talk about being restricted with it...

Lyn made dinner still feeling uneasy. They all ate in silence.

Then she called their family and let the girls talk until bed. After she tucked the girls in, she talked with her family again well into the night, then went to bed alone.

She didn't sleep well. She felt restless and bothered. She kept feeling strange spikes of... pain? Or discomfort? Frustration? Joy? There was a lot of mixed emotions. Confusing ones.

It just made her feel even more nervous.

By morning she was already exhausted. Knowing what a long day she had ahead of her was disheartening. She felt almost robotic as she made the girls breakfast. Adriano showed up just as they were finishing. He didn't speak to them, but Lyndis found she didn't mind his presence. His silence didn't bother her. The pups seemed to like him even with his emotionless demeanor.

They walked the girls to Aldous', before she and Adriano continued to the pack house. He didn't say anything as he left her there. Lyn watched him go before she went inside to find Lipha.

The day went by much faster now that she didn't have to get shown what to do. By the time she had to go to Gita's, she wished she could just stay cleaning.

The language class was just as unpleasant as the last, but thankfully, Yara was not present. By the time she was finished, Lyndis left the pack house and started on the trek back home.

She noticed the enforcer immediately, as unlike the others that kept to the jungle, he stood in the road waiting for her.

Lyndis paused, though he was in skin this time, she knew it was the same enforcer from last night even without his unusual hair giving him away. His scent was the most telling. Lyndis observed him for a moment. His was well built. For some reason, she didn't picture him being so good looking, but he certainly was.

He was dressed casually, and he had that same bored expression he had as a wolf.

"Hello." He said warmly. Lyndis watched him wearily as she approached.

"I'd rather just walk with you if you don't mind." He continued in Portuguese. Lyndis didn't protest. They walked side by side in silence.

"I'm Jordao." He said after a time. Lyndis glanced over at him. Not that she cared to get to know any of them, but she couldn't help but appreciate his attempt to be friendly. He was the only one who had.

"Lyndis." She replied awkwardly. He chuckled.

"I know," Jordao said almost teasingly. It went quiet again for a time

"My mate tells me you are a hard worker, it's an admirable trait," Jordao said. Lyndis frowned in confusion. She still struggled to catch all the words but she mostly understood. He cast a brief glance back.

"Lipha." He said. Lyndis stared at him for a moment. She knew Lipha's mate was an enforcer, but she hadn't thought it was one of the ones assigned to them.

"Oh...I'm, nice to meet you." Lyndis said. She felt awkward.

They walked in silence nearly the rest of the way.

Just as they were starting to approach the house, Jordao glanced around them, as if making sure no one was within earshot. Lyndis thought his change in demeanor was odd. He suddenly grabbed her arm. Lyndis paused, though she felt no threat from him, the sudden action spiked her heart rate.

"Be careful who you trust." Jordao said quietly. Lyndis stared at him.

"What-" She began, but Jordao let her go and started heading for the jungle in the front of the house. He said nothing else to her. Lyndis watched him go. She felt strange from his words. She turned and slowly continued to the house by herself.

When she pushed through the door, all the girls were on the couch watching cartoons with Adriano. Lyndis gave the large wolf an odd look. The toddlers were in his lap looking quite comfortable. The others were around him, Sylvie was sitting on the back edge of the sofa practically on his shoulders. None of them paid any attention to her as she came in.

In another time and place, she may have found the scene amusing.

On appearance, Adriano certainly didn't seem the type to let pups climb all over him. He didn't look over at her when she entered. He had no expression that he even acknowledged her at all. Lyndis decided to just start on dinner since he made no indication that he was going to be leaving.

Adriano stayed for dinner and left afterward without saying a single word to her. Lyndis let the girls talk to their family again before bed. It was starting to become a routine... one they really needed. They seemed calmer now, less stressed and upset.

She knew they were sleeping better.

It both warmed her heart and upset her. She didn't want them to be okay with this. She didn't want them to get used to only hearing their parents voices in the phone. She didn't want them to adjust to life here...

Lyndis talked with her mother for a while. She knew they were on the move because she heard the car's engine. As much as she wanted to ask where they were going, she refrained. It disheartened her knowing they were leaving, probably going further away...

She went to sleep alone that night. Her wolf felt restless.

Gaius was still blocking her out.

Lyndis hated that she couldn't feel anything from their bond. A few times during the night she thought she felt those little spikes of different emotions again, and none of it was good, but it was so brief, she couldn't even fully feel it.

Come morning she made the girls breakfast again, and again Adriano showed up to walk them to Aldous' and left them there. The day went by with Luana again trying to chat casually with her, but Lyndis wasn't in the mood to talk.

Gaius' absence was starting to eat at her. Him blocking her out was making her more and more uneasy... and what she did feel from him was making her worry. She tried to ask Luana about it, but she just changed the subject.

Adriano showed up to walk them home, and he stayed for dinner that night as well. Again, she let the girls talk to the family before bed, and Lyn stayed up for a time to talk as well. This time, she spoke mostly to her father. He asked a lot of questions. She could tell he was away from the rest of the family. He wanted complete honesty from her.

Lyn couldn't help but break down. She begged for him to tell her where they were, that she wanted out of here. He told her to be strong, and to try to find happiness there again. That it was safer than being with them, it made her angry.

Come morning the pack house routine started again. Yara again was absent. She was glad not to have to deal with her, but it was starting to unnerve her.

Gaius was gone... and Yara was too.

Not that she would let herself think in those terms, she was confident in her mate bond. It just... bothered her.

Lyndis was anxious as she walked home with Jordao. When she pushed through the doors, she was disappointed not to see Gaius there. Adriano was the pup's company.

Four more days passed this way. Yara's absence continued as well. She could barely sleep, her wolf was starting to become tortured.

Gaius had been gone eight days. And she still didn't feel him much.

Her wolf was in a borderline panic now, especially with him shutting her out. If he wasn't home tonight, she had already made up her mind that she would go in search for him, the consequences be damned!

Adriano said nothing to her and Luana only kept saying not to worry, that he was fine and he would be back soon. Luana told her not to go looking for him, but at this point... she didn't care.

Worry was consuming her.

Her thoughts weighed heavy as she approached the house. She wasn't expecting him to be there, so upon catching his scent, she stopped abruptly from the shock. Relief immediately consumed her, and she ran the rest of the way there.

Gaius was in the kitchen cooking dinner.

"Sorry, it took-" Gaius began when he saw the look on her face, but Lyndis didn't let him finish. Her lips were on his as she leapt into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist as she pressed herself fully into him. He cupped her bottom to support her weight and smirked against her mouth.

"I guess you missed me?" He asked breathlessly when she finally pulled back. Lyn nuzzled warmly against his forehead, face, and neck and pressed her body closer to him. She wanted his scent on her. It was soothing.

"Don't do that again," Lyndis said, almost in tears. Gaius set her down and frowned at her.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" Gaius asked as he brushed his fingers back through her hair. Lyndis shook her head.

"No, I just... where were you?" Lyndis demanded. Gaius' expression turned slightly hardened.

"Nowhere, I told you I just had pack obligations to deal with," Gaius said.

Lyndis hated that she felt he wasn't being entirely truthful. She glanced down over him; her wolf was pushing her to fully assess him. It looked like he had freshly showered. Lyndis frowned. That horrible sneaking thought of Yara's absence crept in.

"Who were you with?" Lyndis asked. She tried and failed not to sound accusing. Gaius gave her a strange look at her question.

"What do you mean by that?" Gaius asked. Lyndis tilted her head slightly as she observed his expression. He did genuinely seem surprised by the question, but it still looked like he was hiding something. Lyndis glanced briefly to the living room.

All the girls were watching cartoons again.

"Nothing..." Lyndis said quickly. This was a conversation they'd need to have away from little ears. She helped him finish dinner, and let the girls talk on the phone again before bed. She kept her portion short this time.

Her wolf was eager to be with her mate... it felt almost strange to her now, since she thought she had lost it.

When she joined him in bed, she initiated their intimacy. He gladly obliged her, and when they were both sated, they lay together in the aftermath.

Lyndis fully felt that he wasn't himself though. It was unusually gentle, almost like he was being careful. She couldn't tell if it was for her or his benefit.

She tried not to let it bother her though... because she already felt a thousand times better just from being with him.

But the question was still eating at her.

"I don't understand why you can't tell me," Lyndis said.

Silence greeted her for a time.

"Because there are things you are better off not knowing. Just know I'd do anything for you." Gaius said. Lyndis frowned over at him, but he said no more than that. For some reason, the genuineness in his tone placated her wolf, but Lyn couldn't help that the doubt had crept into her consciousness.

Gaius pulled her into his arms and Lyn laid her head against his chest. Despite the warmth of his presence, she didn't fall asleep as easy.