Ever's POV

"Back to work, you lazy lot!" Matron Agnes snapped. "I knew it. Three rations a day and now you're all fat and lazy."

"Shoo, shoo, to work!" she called as she shooed another set of Omegas, who ran off in giggles.

"And don't make me repeat myself!" she yelled after them. "The Alpha has returned, and I want this place looking decent before he gets here. If he sees even one dirty window, we're all finished."

My hands froze against the window I was cleaning.

The Alpha had returned?

"Did you hear?" whispers and giggles from the other Omegas reached me. "Alpha Hagan's back."

The cloth slipped from my fingers.

He was back.

A mix of panic and excitement hit me as I stood up in anticipation, amidst the busyness of the pack house.

It'd been a month since he left for Moon storm. And he'd left me without a word as to how long this stay was going to take. Yes, this wasn't the longest we've been apart, but I couldn't contain the bursts of excitement I felt this past month waiting on him.

Because while he was away, I'd heard the rumors. He was finally taking a Luna. My cheeks reddened as I looked into one of the mirrors in the pack house. Was it finally happening? Or had I gone full delusional? I could barely contain my excitement as thoughts of it being true filled my head.

Quickly drying my hands, I fixed my hair as best as I could and smoothed my dress. Nothing I did could hide how dirty this dress made me look.

But I would, at the very least, try to look good for him. I was his mate. I couldn't let him see me looking like such a mess after just one month of being apart.

Hurried footsteps followed, and I quickly faked being busy.

"Did you hear?" Kia's voice, accompanied by her panting breath, rang out as she rushed in.

"He's... The Alpha. He's back," she forced out.

"And...?" I raised a brow, faking indifference.

"Yeah. Like he isn't all you've been able to think about this past month." She scoffed.

"Kia!" My eyes widened. "Quiet, someone could hear you."

"Yeah, like your sleep talks haven't already told them." She added, and I shot her a glare. "I miss you, Hagan. When will you return, Hagan? I can't bear it when we're apart." She mimicked.

Embarrassment flooded my face as I threw my shoes at her. She dodged and ran downstairs as I pursued after her.

Kia and I grew up in Grey Mark's orphanage for Omegas. She was the only one I got along with.

Other pups there never liked me much. And most believed I was too much trouble to been tangled with.

Also... She was also the only one I'd told.

That I was mated to our Alpha.

But best of all, she was my best friend, my roommate, and one of only two things in this Pack that truly mattered to me.

The other was Hagan. And he was finally back after so long.

Kia and I scurried past her station, still in pursuit. Spotting one of the Matrons up ahead, I pulled her to an abrupt stop, and we hurriedly faked being busy.

When she finally left, we simultaneously let out loud exhales, and we let out choked laughter.

"Did I hear something?" A matron let out behind us. Our eyes widened as we jerked back into faking being busy. "I thought so," she shot and left in silence.

"Phew." Kia exhaled. "One more slip-up and that's another cut from our rations, Ever. Be serious."

"Well, I wasn't the one who made a joke about, you know..." I struggled to get out. "the thing."

"Ever, you can't even speak about your relationship publicly. What in the name of weird affairs..."I slapped my hands around her mouth.

This girl was going to be the death of me one day. She rolled her eyes and mumbled an apology. After brief deliberation, I let her go.

The reception, my mind clocked. Hagan' s reception. I had to be there. I turned to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kia whispered, holding me back. "We're supposed to be at our stations."

"I have to see him," I whispered back. "It won't take too long, I promise, just a minute."

She groaned. "For the love of God. That's what you always say. And a minute turns to 10 minutes."

I pressed my lips into a sad, thin line.

"It's been a month, Kia..."

"You can see him after the reception, Ever. This is too risky," she cut off.

"Then I'll go myself." I yanked my hand out of hers and slid past the passageway to the ranch entrance. My feet slapped against the streets in hurried dashes, without another look back as Iran.

Familiar footsteps followed close behind. I looked to see Kia panting heavily as she caught up tome.

"You'll be the death of me one day." She let out, and we both laughed.

We increased our pace to avoid being spotted. The long curve around the main yard opened into the Royal road leading to the pack house's entrance.

We eventually got to the crowd awaiting the Alpha's entrance. Warriors, Gammas, Elders, and many beautiful highborn she wolves were eagerly waiting.

Omegas like us were strictly not allowed to attend gatherings like this, so Kia and I had to cover up our crescent marks. It would be easy to tell with how faded our marks were that we were Omegas, so hiding it was our best option to slide past.

Some wolves we passed still managed to figure out we were Omegas through our weak scents and possibly... our worn out clothes! Beads of sweat creased my forehead as we faced their scrutinous gazes while passing.

We eventually managed to make it into the crowd. We pulled our veils on to avoid being recognized.

My eyes searched for Hagan' s carriage among the carriages that moved past. Apparently, I wasn't the only one searching. Many highborn she wolves shoved each other just to get a sight at him.

Their drama led to serious commotions for the rest at the back. Each, with their own comments,started chains of arguments.

"I can't believe Alpha Hagan still doesn't have a mate. Any she wolf would die to be made his Luna. Even if he doesn't find a mate, he should at least choose one." One began, frustration clear in her tone.

"And even if he wanted to choose, what makes you think he'd ever look your way?" A blonde lady beside her replied, and her escorts burst out laughing.

"Funny you're trying to talk down to me when your father is literally a retired nobody. Your family lacks the status suitable for a Luna's background, so figures you aren't any better." She pressed,and another round of laughter erupted.

Shortly after throwing words around, they both got into a fight, pulling each other's hair.

"I did hear the Alpha's finally taking a Luna." One of them mentioned, and my ears snapped up."Oh, what I'd give just to have a night in those arms. Those eyes staring down at me..." Another began.

"Slut! That's why you still don't have a mate and yet you're pregnant."

And that didn't end well either. Kia and I moved away from them before we'd get caught in their drama.

The last row of carriages finally halted at the Pack house as cheers and whistles erupted.

Beta Roy alighted first, and the crowd went into a frenzy. The she wolves especially. You couldn't really blame them. He was as good-looking as one could picture, and ladies could barely take their eyes off him once they met him.

I looked over at Kia. She had unfortunately fallen into the frenzy too.

"Well, someone's gaping..." I teased.

She jerked back into composure as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"I wasn't," she quickly defended. "And didn't you say a minute? It's been five minutes since we left."

"Oh no, that's right," I squinted. "Okay, just three more minutes." I pleaded. "Three minutes and we leave," I assured her. She rolled her eyes before reluctantly agreeing.

"Fine. We leave after we see your prince charming." She teased back, and I shot her a glare.

The increased cheers and noise from the crowd caught my ears as I looked back.

A familiar tall, masculine figure alighted the last carriage. I couldn't see him clearly as many people had stepped in front of me.

My view was blocked, but I didn't need anyone telling me who was causing these commotions.

The crowd went crazy, with whistles and chants erupting everywhere. The ladies completely lost their composure as some began screaming for his attention.

I struggled to slide past the crowd, with Kia following behind me. I couldn't get to the front, but fortunately, I found an unused block to climb on.

I hastily climbed on.

My eyes didn't need to search for long before they found him. There he was.

Grey mark's Alpha.

And proudly... my mate. Even if no one knew. I clutched my chest, unable to hold back my smiles. One month away and he still managed to look more beautiful than ever. His broad shoulders and imposing frame made him impossible to miss, even among the warriors surrounding him.

For a moment, he turned to where I was, and we locked eyes. To others there, it would seem like a basic glance through the crowd, but we both knew. He looked away as fast as we had locked gazes. Yes, it hurt whenever he did that - pretend I was a stranger. But... it was for the best.

"It's been eleven minutes now, Ever." Kia whispered, pulling me down. "We should get going,"she said, pointing towards two of the matrons who seemed to be looking for us as their eyes searched the crowd frantically.

"Presenting to you," Beta Roy's voice rang out. "Grey mark's Alpha..." Kia pulled me away, and I followed. "And..." he surprisingly continued. My gaze instinctively turned back. Did Hagan bring someone with him?

"Did the Alpha bring someone with him?" One of the highborn females let out too. Murmurs spread through the crowd.

My eyes caught sight of the figure whose hand reached out of the carriage.

I watched, puzzled, as a tall, elegant female beauty stepped out of Hagan' s carriage. You could tell from her crescent mark that she was Highborn.

But... who was she to Hagan?

My stomach tightened as Hagan' s hand reached out to her. Could she? Could he be? My thoughts spiraled as Beta Roy gestured to her.

"...His Luna." He finished.

Ever's POV

Only two words. But they pierced me like stone daggers. The crowd went into a frenzy as gasps and murmurs flew around.

"It can't be." I whispered almost silently, my gaze falling back to Hagan.

"She's his mate?" One of the high borns exclaimed. "So the rumors were true."

I searched Hagan' s eyes for some sort of objection to whatever this was. But his eyes didn't seem to deny what Beta Roy had just said.

She took his hand, smiling, and as they turned, his gaze fell back to me, cold and distant in away I couldn't explain.

I didn't see what happened next as Kia forcefully pulled me out of the crowd.

"I told you we shouldn't have come." She said, her voice drenched in panic.

The matrons were gaining quickly on us and she was in deep panic. I could barely feel my legs as my mind still dabbled in the words Beta Roy called out so casually, "His Luna." My face whitened.

Was this some sort of sick prank? It couldn't be real. Could it? I tried to make sense of it.

Three years we'd been mates. He'd promised...

"Ah, you fucking Omegas! Who fucking let you in here?" One of the warriors we bumped into screeched as he pushed Kia to the floor. I snapped back to reality and tried to help her up, but someone else shoved me to the ground too.

The matrons had heard the commotion and rushed to where we were. Kia' s eyes shut tightly as they eventually closed in and spotted us, shooting us displeased looks.

.......................

"This is the third time...this year we've caught you both out of your stations...without permission." The Senior Matron said, her voice full of frustration. She scribbled our names down again in the black list.

If I were given a shekel for every time my name had entered that list, I'd be richer than many merchants in the pack.

"It seems cutting your rations doesn't work anymore." She said. "And I don't think cleaning the ranch. Or the Pack house, is enough punishment for two meatheads who never obey instructions." She lashed out.

"So..." she continued her scribbling. "For the whole of this week, before and during lights out,you both will tend the horses...and keep their stables clean." She wrote down.

Kia and I glanced at each other, relieved.

"And..." She continued as we both jerked back in panic. "I'll be cutting your rations shorter. One ration a day, and that will only be mid-day when you're done with cleaning the pack house." She penned again. I almost laughed aloud. Being given dry bread and sloppy soup only once a day sounded more like relief to me, I don't get how that should be a punishment. Kia's face said otherwise.

"Luna is also going to be needing extra assistance getting to know the Pack" she added. "And she must be comfortable. At all costs. You both will be part of those making sure her chambers are as comfortable as possible." I swallowed hard. "And if you cause any more troubles..." The matrons who had caught us both glared at us.

"You'll be facing the elders directly" Senior Matron established. "And then you'll know how privileged you are to still be in this ranch." She said, making sure her words sank in. "Unless of course, you find the Harem or being ousted from this pack a better option" Kia and I gulped.

She eventually dismissed us and the matrons led us out. We, amongst other omegas, were later carefully instructed on how to tend to the "Luna" and make sure everything was at her beck and call.

First, Hagan brings back this mysterious woman, after being away for a whole month, then called her his Luna before everyone in the Pack, and now...I was being made to serve her.

My fists clenched tightly and instinctively as I recalled the cold and detached gaze he gave me.

No hint, no objection. Just...cold. Did three years of us really mean nothing to him? My gaze weakened.

I snapped out of my thoughts as we finally arrived at her chambers. Speak of the devil, and she appears.

There she was again, wearing that same flawless smile she had on earlier, which for some strange reason, made me cringe on her behalf. Like she was doing too much to be accepted.

"These are your servants, Luna," the Matron spoke first, introducing us. "Just let them know whenever you need anything." She told her. "And if any of them..." Her gaze shifted to Kia and me.

"

cause you any trouble, just let us know."

"That's fine, thank you. I'll take it from here." She responded. Even her voice was strangely elegant. Something tightened painfully in my chest as the memory of Hagan reaching his handout to her resurfaced again. He had a lot of serious answering to do when we eventually met.

Because I was sitting here plagued and confused while he was probably off in his chambers getting cold baths and congratulatory remarks.

"So..." She said when the Matron finally left. "I'm Rhaeya." She smiled. "And you all look terrified." She let out a soft laugh, and I found her sweetness as fake as fake could be. It wasn't newfound knowledge that many highborns were extremely disgusted by our mere existence.She wasn't any different. And she would reveal it soon too. It was just a matter of time.

The other Omegas, excluding Kia and myself, however, seemed to have fallen for her charade.

"We're at your service, Luna." We all kneeled and said in unison as I forced the word "Luna"down my throat.

"You don't have to kneel when we're alone. I particularly find that exhausting." She ushered us up.

"But you're..." Mila, one of the Omegas, spoke as we were all dumbfounded, myself included.

"Luna, I know. But there are better things we could do with the time you'd spend kneeling at my feet." She chuckled. I could swear I heard an almost maniacal laugh break out. Like she had something suspicious planned out. She'd make us believe she was sweet, only to torture us later when we got very comfortable. Bowing in servitude was something most highborns never took for granted. So I found her dismissing it quite unnatural...and weird.

We quietly helped her prepare a bath as she requested and helped her take her garment off when she was ready to get in. She was as beautiful as you could possibly imagine. Her blonde hair slid down her hourglass frame as her body slid into the water.

We spread ourselves out. Different people focused on different parts of her body. I was the one massaging her hair while Kia was one of the Omegas tending to her feet.

I couldn't help but briefly glance over her body. I wondered if she and Hagan had ever had anything intimate to do with each other. The thought alone quietly broke me, and I really hoped I was wrong.

"So..." She began again when the silence became exhausting. "As you know, I'm not really from your Pack." Oh, trust me, I know, I voiced in my head. "My father's an Alpha of Moon storm, east of Rozaria." She said, like we were supposed to applaud her for being an Alpha's daughter.

If there was anything Omegas hated more than Matrons, it was Highborns, females to be exact.

This one might seem genuinely different for now, but I surely wasn't the only one who believed she had something up her sleeves.

"Why don't you tell me more about your pack..." She insisted. "...And your Alpha?" My fingers tightened instinctively. I instantly forced them both to relax, but it was too late as my thumbs mistakenly pressed down too hard on her forehead. She winced in pain and turned to stare at me.

Kia gestured to me to apologize immediately.

"I'm...I'm sorry...Luna." I forced out, dropping to my knees. "I really didn't mean to...."

The other Omegas glared at me furiously, and I lowered my gaze.

"Here's a painkiller, Luna. Let me dab that for you." Mila offered.

"No, it's fine." She let out a nervous laugh. "It's just a bump, nothing too serious." She said as she turned to me. "What's your name?"

I lifted my gaze to hers, trying to read the mischief hiding behind those emerald green orbs.

"Ever, Luna." I answered.

"Ever, well, I think you may need to go slower." She said. "I have a pretty steep forehead." She giggled, and they broke into laughter, easing the awkward tension.

"Now where were we, your Pack..." She laid back down like nothing happened. My eyes widened slightly. She was really going to let it slide?

Well, maybe she wasn't as bad as I thought, I told myself. But that didn't change the fact that Hagan had everyone believing she was his mate.

And that was something I couldn't just brush off and act like it didn't happen. Especially when I knew who his true mate was.

The other Omegas quickly got super comfortable as they began telling her most of what they knew about the Pack, the Alpha, and how things weren't as different in Grey mark as they were in other Packs in Rozaria.

"I'm glad we get to have someone like you as Luna." Mila said, and I just cringed. It hadn't even been a day and she was already trying to gain favours. "The Alpha lucked out on a mate like you." She added, all smiles.

Rhaeya smiled heartily at the compliment.

"And you, do you all have mates too?"

She asked, genuinely curious.

We lowered our gazes, not knowing how to answer.

It seemed she barely knew much of how Omegas were treated in Rozaria.

"Omegas like us aren't usually accepted by our mates. Even when we have any," I found myself answering her before I could stop myself. "We're seen as shameful..." I continued, gaze refusing to meet hers. "Unworthy, dirt, both to the pack members and to our mates." I found the courage to finish. My mind went back to the night when Hagan and I found out we were mates.

I may have agreed to keep it secret, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt that all the while we'd been together, he tried his possible best to hide the fact that we even knew each other.

And for three years I played along.

A knock interrupted our talk.

"Rhaeya?" Hagan's thick voice tore through and I stiffened. "We need to talk." He said, his tone more serious than ever.

And as fate would have it, Rhaeya gestured to me to let him in.

Ever's POV

Reluctantly, I stood up. The others helped her get dressed while I headed towards the door anxiously.

I bit my lower lip, not knowing how to act as I got closer to the door.

My heart raced frantically against my chest as I pulled the handle, revealing him standing there.

A mix of emotions swept through me. I wanted to scream at him, hug him, kick him all at the same time, but I forced myself into composure.

His eyes rested on mine for a while. They held a mix of emotions too. Only that I couldn't properly name them. Without a word, he slid a note into my hand.

"Hagan?" Rhaeya called out from behind and interrupted whatever was going on between us.

His cold demeanor returned. He breezed past me like I wasn't even there to begin with. I squeezed the paper into the fold of my palms.

Kia extended a questioning gaze to me, and I reassured her with a subtle nod that everything was okay. Only that it wasn't. I was barely hiding my unease as she approached him in her bathrobe. My lips pursed into a thin line when she held his hands.

"Okay, girls, we'll continue this later," she dismissed us.

I left with the rest, trying to settle how uneasy I felt seeing them this close together. In Rhaeya's chambers at that. I felt Hagan's gaze on me as I left before he turned to talk to Rhaeya.

"Missing me already?" Her words to him met my ears as I left, and my eyes shut tightly, wishing I didn't hear it. His footsteps followed behind me, and I turned to look, but her chamber doors shut tight in my face. My stomach dropped.

"Ooo, I've never seen Alpha this way before," Mila remarked to the other omegas. "Why'd you think he shut the doors?" she let out, and they giggled amongst themselves.

I lowered my gaze as the volume of their giggles increased in my head. I wished I could take what they'd said as what it was, mere words. But for some reason, their words affected me strangely.

"Sorry you have to go through this..." Kia's voice let out from behind me. My gaze met hers as I tried to mask my unease.

"We should get going to the stables. It's almost light out," I brushed off, holding the note Hagan had given to me tightly.

"Yeah, we should," Kia agreed.

I paused on our way there to read what was on the note.

Let's meet at the lake tonight. I read in disgust. I miss you.

Happy tears filled my eyes to the brim.

"That fool," I wiped them off before Kia would notice them. "He has a lot of explaining to do," I told myself as I slid the note into my worn-out shoes.

Kia and I took our midday rations and headed to the stables after eating.

"Is blindness a common trait with you omegas?" a highborn she wolf let out, frustrated at the young omega kneeling at her feet. "So it's not enough that your kind is already loafing off our pack. Still, you have the audacity to go around, ruining other people's day with your rotten luck,"she yelled, attracting attention from other passers-by.

I clenched my fists furiously as memories of when I used to be treated like this during my time at the orphanage home came flooding back. I was too weak to stand up for myself back then, but I wouldn't let someone else go through the same while I just stood and watched.

I attempted to confront the highborn, but Kia held me back, shaking her head in disagreement.

"Not now, Ever," she told me. "You'll get both us and that poor girl in trouble."

"She's already in as much trouble as she can be. And if no one does anything, it'll get worse for her," I replied, and Kia dropped my arms in surrender.

"Where's your Matron?" The highborn kicked the girl who was still on the floor. "Answer me."She raised her hands to hit her when I caught it midair.

Gasps and murmurs flew around us following what I had done.

My anger had now hit its brim. Physically, it was clear I stood no chance. Her wolf was strong,even as puny as its host was, but I wasn't going to turn a blind eye either.

She turned to me, her anger now charged at me. I let go of her hand and hurriedly helped the shaky girl to her feet. She certainly reminded me of young me, bones very visible and her scrawny little figure.

The only difference was she didn't have as many scars as I did, each set I got every time I got into trouble with the Matrons. And I always did. Her scared expression as I helped her up remained.

"Go," I told the girl as she looked between me and the fuming Highborn. "Go on," I urged her.

"Did I say she could leave?" The lady puffed. I gave her a little boost forward, my eyes fixated on the Lady. She hesitated before picking up her pouch on the floor and running.

Just as she left, the lady crossed the distance between myself and her and choked me tightly. I winced in pain, struggling to get out of her grasp. "Seems you like to play the hero, don't you?"She tightened her grip as I began grasping for air pathetically. Her claws shot out as her eyes turned a deep amber.

"Just as I expected," she said, shoving me to the floor. "All talk, no action." I let out a choked cough, trying to steady my breathing. It felt like she had squeezed all the air out of me. I could still feel the fresh impact her claw had left on my neck.

My eyes searched frantically for Kia, but she was nowhere to be found. Well, she had warned me. But as usual, I didn't listen. So the consequences were definitely mine to bear.

She crossed the distance between us once again, holding me up by my neck. She choked the life out of me as I struggled for air. People nearby just stood by and watched without intervening.

This was it. The life of an Omega. You could be choked out, raped, stoned to death for all the world cared. It was all the same to them, our deaths meant a great favour to the Pack.

"Leave her," Rhaeya's voice rang out from the courtyard as people turned to where her voice was coming from, including the female who had me in a choke hold.

"That's the Luna." Whispers and murmurs began. "She's really here?" More followed.

"I said...leave her," Rhaeya repeated, now losing the calm her first order had. That was the first time I'd seen her that serious.

Right beside her was a panting Kia. Did Kia go to call her? What? Why? Why her of all people?

I felt the grip on my neck drop as I fell to the floor, trying to find my breath.

Kia ran to help me up.

"But Luna, you can't possibly be protecting her. She's an Omega. She...she insulted me.

Everyone here saw it," she tried explaining.

"I'm sorry for the trouble she must have caused you. She's my servant. I'll decide how she should be punished," Rhaeya apologized, and I became furious.

"I didn't do anything. You were assaulting that poor girl. What exactly did she do to deserve that? Just because she's Omega? You prey on weaker people to feel better about yourself. Your kind sickens me." The words slipped out faster than I could think twice.

Rhaeya facepalmed hard.

"What did you just say to me?" The lady furiously approached again, and this time Kia stepped in front of me.

"I apologize for how she's behaved. She's been very stressed lately. I promise I'll keep her in check," she said and pulled me away.

"You better do," she shot, and after bombarding me with glares, she finally left. Rhaeya dismissed the crowd as well and everyone disappeared.

Kia helped me up and out of the courtyard to Rhaeya's presence.

"Thanks for intervening, Luna," she thanked Rhaeya and gestured to me to do the same.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Luna," I reluctantly let out.

"You didn't. I don't need the full story to know she definitely started it." Her response surprised me. "Hope you weren't seriously hurt?"

"Um, no, I'm fine, thanks. Just a few scratches," I explained.

"Glad to hear that." She beamed me a smile. "Although I still have to keep my word. You'll have to serve punishment for a commotion in the courtyard." She let out, and I almost scoffed. I called it. She was no different. I just didn't expect I'd confirm it this early. Kia and I exchanged glances.

"I'll accept any punishment you give...Luna," I forced out.

"Well then," she let out. "You'll be part of those touring me around the Pack house." She smiled.

"You...and your friend." She beamed at Kia, who was also lost for words at her offer of punishment.

"It would be my honor, Luna," Kia replied, bowing. Rhaeya looked to me for my response. I tried hard to find one but couldn't. All I could think of was how she'd once again made me feel like the bad person here. Because how could I bring myself to hate her when she kept giving me reasons not to.

"She'll be happy to, Luna," Kia nervously replied on my account.

"Great...I'll see you girls tomorrow then." She smiled and left.

I turned to glare at Kia.

"What? She was the best option I could think of."

"I know, it's just..."

"Yeah, I understand." Kia placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, let's get going, those horses won't feed themselves, we'll get to talk freely there," she tried to lighten my mood. I forced up as mile and we headed there.

Fortunately, we got to the stables just in time. And finished up before midnight.

"And that's the last horse," Kia pushed a dark stallion into his stable.

"Kia?" I asked her.

"Hmmm?" She turned to me.

"Do you like Rhaeya?" I asked her. That was too stupid a question, even I myself knew. What was there not to like about her?

"Well, if she's going to be the reason my best friend gets sad... I don't," she let out, and I smiled.

"Do you think the Alpha really likes her?" I asked. Why was I even asking her these questions?

Kia wasn't Hagan. How was she supposed to know?

"I don't know that...but knowing you, I do know he does have a lot of questions to answer," she let out, and we shared a laugh. "Why not talk to him and find out for yourself?" she urged.

"I will," I reassured her. "And thank you," I beamed at her.

"Of course, what would you do without me? Every pen needs paper. You're my pen, messy and unfiltered. And I'm your paper," she let out, and we both laughed.

"What an awkward way to describe us. But yeah, sounds promising." I let out, and we shared another laugh.

"So should we get going, it's pretty late?" She asked, preparing to leave.

"You, go on without me, I have someone to meet." A blush crept up my cheeks.

"Ooh, we're back to the late-night meetings, are we?" She teased.

"No, it's not like that, just something I need to clear up." I tried to hide how red my cheeks were.

"Well, I'll be in our room when you get back," she told me before retiring back to the pack house.

"And I'll be reading, anticipating all the juice." She flexed her brows.

"Eww, Kia. No. What the. There definitely will be no juice. God, you're disgusting." I locked up the stable doors.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. How'd you know what I meant by juice if you weren't already thinking it?" she said, mimicking smooching sounds.

"Kiaaa!" I chased her off and she ran away laughing.

"Whatever you do, Ever," she yelled out in the distance. "Remember, Pups are pretty expensive to manage," she yelled as she took another look back, smiling. I shook my head at her as my cheeks turned red. She would never change.

With one big exhale, I made for the Lake. It had been one of our secret meeting places for all the time we'd been together. And the only place besides his chambers where we got to actually talk.

I made for it, my heart beating rapidly against my chest. The moonlight was bright enough to see where I was going but not enough to see clearly. Or maybe it was my anxiety that made vision hard.

When I got there, my eyes caught sight of a familiar silhouette on the close side of the lake as the rhythm in my chest got louder.

"Hagan?" I whispered. The figure took slow strides to where I was. I slowly shut my eyes as a familiar sandalwood scent hit me. Large arms wrapped me warmly from behind.

"I've missed you, Ever."