Nn POV


    "It''s been weird without you here,” I said, leaning back in my office chair with the phone pressed to my ear.


    "I''m sure it has been," Felicity responded. Her voice sounded a little differenting through the phone than I was used to hearing it. "After all, we haven''t been apart in years."


    "Not since we were young. Not for more than a day or so, anyway. And it''s already been a week since you left," I said, the tension in my voice obvious.


    "You miss me?" she said, sounding more than a little pleased.


    "Of course I miss you," I replied, trying to sound irritated but failing entirely.


    "I miss you too, Nn," she said with a sigh. "It''s so difficult being away. I guess maybe I''m spoiled. I just got used to seeing you every day. Oh, but how have things been going in the pack house since I left? Hopefully it hasn''t been too stressful dealing with Lance and Ellie and the Moonstone delegates. I feel bad that I left you with so much on your te."


    “Oh, it hasn''t been great,” I replied with a scoff. “Lance is the same pain in the ass he ever was."


    "He''s only getting worse. Spending time with Ellie is a bad influence."


    "Oh, I can''t me Ellie for his behavior. Besides, she''s been surprisingly quiet since you left," I replied.


    "What do you mean, quiet?" Felicity asked curiously.


    "She''s hardly left her room at all, and I went to check on her and-


    "You did?"


    "Yeah. She went all day without eating. It was a little concerning."


    Felicity groaned, and I could imagine the way she was rolling her eyes.


    "Nn, you''re falling for her tricks again. There''s nothing wrong with her. She''s just being dramatic to get attention."


    "I don''t know if that''s it. We had a pretty long conversation about what''s been going ontely. I think she really did get hurt,” I confessed.


    "Are you serious?" Felicity asked in disbelief. "She''s perfectly fine. She''s just ying it up."


    "I don''t think that''s true," I answered thoughtfully. "I spoke to her doctors again about the car ident. Her injuries were pretty severe. I don''t think she''s lying about her memory issues."


    “Oh, Nn,” Felicity said, sounding annoyed but almost fond. “You''re just so caring, even when you try to put on that cold face. Don''t start falling for her tricks just because I''m not there to point them out to you. You know you can''t trust her. She''s a rogue." 1


    "I''m well aware of that, Felicity. But I''m telling you-something else is going on with her. Something''s not right, and she''s hiding it from me. It''s not like her. If she was actually just sick or injured, she wouldn''t shut up about it, she''d y it up for attention. The fact that she''s hiding it means it''s probably something serious."


    “Or she''s just getting better at her little games. Nn, look-don''t go soft while I''m gone. I''ll be home soon, and we have ns. For us. For a family. Don''t forget that just because I''m not there right now," Felicity said seriously.


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    "I''m not going to forget," I replied, my voiceing out softer than I intended.


    "Good," Felicity replied. “Because I''ll never forget the promise we made."


    Her tone stirred a memory that I couldn''t handle at the moment, not so soon after arguing with Lance about our parents. I cleared my throat and sat up straighter at my desk.


    "I have work I need to get back to, but call me again tomorrow, all right? I want to make sure you''re okay."


    "Don''t worry," Felicity said, her tone brighter. “I''ll make sure I call every day. I love you, Nn."


    I hesitated, my voice barely audible as I replied, "Love you too," before ending the call.


    Third person POV


    The moment the call with Nn disconnected, Felicity was dialing her contacts within the pack house. The maid answered on the second ring, her voice low and secretive.


    "Yes, Miss?"


    "I want a report on Ellie''s activity since I left. What the hell is going on over there?" Felicity demanded.


    "She''s hardly left her room since you left, and when she has, she''s remained in the house," the maid exined." She seems to be ill. She''s been pale and either eating nothing or eating voraciously, it''s hard to predict."


    "She hasn''t left the house at all?” Felicity asked skeptically.


    "No, Miss. She''s had visitors, though. Rae and Lance havee to see her, and Cassian, the young man from Moonstone, has been keeping herpany here. But she hasn''t left."


    "What is she ying at..." Felicity muttered to herself. "Does she think that proximity is going to win Nn over just because I''m gone? I can''t be so simple."


    "Was there anything else, Miss?" the maid asked.


    "Call me immediately if you notice anything different," Felicity said before hanging up the phone.


    She was fuming. Nn''s sympathy toward Ellie waspletely uneptable. That maniptive rogue was obviously ying some kind of game with him.


    "She didn''t waste any time," Felicity said to herself. “She started this the second I left. She knows exactly what she''s doing."


    The worst part was that Nn sounded like he was falling for it. He spoke about her


    with concern. Felicity wasn''t used to hearing him like that.


    He always sounded so controlled. To hear him show any kind of emotion was unusual, and the fact that it was aimed at Ellie was infuriating.


    Of course, Felicity knew the truth about Ellie''s behavior. It must be rted to the baby. That damn baby.


    Was she starting to show? Was that why she was hiding in her room? She didn''t want anyone to see the way she was getting fat... Or was it something else?


    It didn''t really matter. Felicity was going to make sure that it didn''t go any further. That baby was never going to see the light of day, and Nn was never going to find out about it.


    It had taken a lot of work, but being this much closer to the Border made negotiations easier. Finally, Felicity had


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    a solid n in ce to deal with the baby. It was nasty-she could admit that and she wasn''t exactly proud of what she was doing. But it would all be worth it to protect her future with Nn.


    Ellie was a threat she couldn''t ignore any longer. Thisst conversation with Nn only proved that. If she wasn''t careful, Ellie could win him over. She could ruin absolutely everything.


    Nn was everything to her. He was Felicity''s childhood love, the only person she had ever imagined spending her life with. She wouldn''t let anyone stand in the way, not Ellie, and not her baby. And if that made her a terrible person, then so be it. She could live with that.


    She wasn''t afraid to get her hands messy, and she knew that was a skill that woulde in handy when she was the Luna. She''d have to make difficult decisions all the time, for the good of the pack.


    She told herself this was just one way to prove to Nn that she had the strength to


    do what had to be done-for them, for their pack, for everyone.