ă€ŠMy Atypical Wolfă€‹


 Chapter 1 - First Day

    Ashton stared at the mirror while he contemplated on the things he needed to avoid on his first day. He had to move in the middle of the semester for which he was at least partially responsible if not completely responsible for. He always wanted to live his life peacefully, to avoid trouble. However trouble always found a way to him.

    Last time he was quite unlucky to be placed in a school filled with werewolves. It was a small town so they had no other choice. When the wolves found out about his secret, they were not thrilled to have him. Perhaps they were even threatened by his blood status. But things took an unexpected dark turn and they had to relocate.

    This time it is going to be different. He convinced himself he will be as careful as anyone can be. They were at a place which was miles away from their last territory. In this school humans and werewolves coexisted together. And to protect their secret most of the werewolves were careful of their behaviour or so he heard.

    "Mom I will see you later." He announced and left without waiting for her reply or the breakfast. She did not want him to go empty stomach, but she knew he was a hard-to-convince person.

    His place was far from the new school, so he had to take the bus to the school. It was a good thing he left early. He made his way to the reception and saw Ms Conwell Sitting there gazing at her appearance in the mirror. "Ms Conwell." He called her softly. Due to lack of response, he raised his voice and called her again.

    Her lipstick slipped and stained her cheeks in a sloppy manner. It frustrated her a bit; however she did not take out her anger on him.

    "Who are you?" She asked him very nicely despite the smudged lipstick on her face.

    "I''m Ashton Parker. I am the new student here".

    Her eyes widened as she recalled that a new transfer student was supposed to come today. "Oh right! How can I help you? We never get students in the middle of the year like this, so pardon me for not realizing sooner." She said in a friendly manner.

    "I need my schedule". He told her simply. He was actually a bit worried about starting here. What happened there last time must not repeat here again.

    She was a little taken aback by his  cold demeanour. However she still smiled at him whilst she handed him over his schedule along with a tiny Map.

    He found his way to his class, amongst the crowd. The teacher was a bit excited to introduce him. "Everyone meet your new classmate. Help him around and treat him nicely."

    "I''m Ashton Parker." He bowed slightly and remained quiet.  They stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to continue.

    After a long moment of awkward silence the teacher showed him the way to his seat.

    The girl sitting next to him was visibly excited after seeing him. Her smell made it clear that she was a human, unless she was just like Ashton.

    So, what was he? He was a pureblood Alpha, which made him one of the strongest of his kind and also very dangerous, if provoked. But it also blessed him with a unique gift. He could control the strength of his scent. He kept it at such a low level, that no one could ever sniff his real smell. Even the werewolves that have a strong sense of smell thought he was just a mere human. He made sure to never release his scent unless it''s absolutely necessary. What''s the point? He was not the leader of any pack. Neither did he need to mark his territory. He was a kind of a rogue now, and it was better this way.

    This girl named Sara, who was sitting next to him during the class, kept talking to him continuously once their class ended. He found her quiet annoying, but thankfully she did not notice that. When she found out they almost had the same schedule she insisted she will show him around. He tuned out most of her jibber jabber and simply followed her.

    Out of nowhere, a guy who was probably older than him, pulled Ashton by his collar and then glared at him. His smell told Ashton that he was a Sub-Alpha. If they fought Ashton would probably crush him in a minute. But he was not here to start a fight. He promised himself and his family that he would avoid fighting at all cost. So he resisted glaring at the older guy and turned his head down. Which of course was misinterpreted by the guy as a sign of submission and it further boosted his ego.

    "Stay away from my girlfriend!" He threatened Ashton.

    "Hey, he is new around here. As a representative of the student council, I am just helping him out on his first day. Stop being so damn possessive all the time Matt." Sara scolded him. Matt''s fist loosened at his collar as he slowly released Ashton. ''Was he mated to Sara?'' Ashton thought. Human mates were usually rare, at least no one would choose a human as their mate on purpose, unless they were fated together by the Moon Goddess.

    In fact fated mates were extremely rare as well. To this day Ashton is yet to find one. He remained quiet as he clenched his fists fighting his natural urge to fight.

    "What''s going on here"! Ashton hears a loud voice exclaim from the other side of the corridor. The owner of that voice was a bit leaner than this guy, but just as tall. He reeked of Alpha pheromones. With the way everyone became wary of his presence it made it seem like he held a position of authority and respect. ''Was he perhapsˇ­ the current alpha of a nearby pack?'' Ashton wondered. He was already cursing his rotten luck. He could not avoid getting caught up in such a mess even for one day! Why was he this unlucky all the time?

    Special Author''s note:

    I did an audiostory of this very chapter, feel free to check it out : https://youtu.be/Ie_cm8qGg2o

    Or Search in youtube, "My Atypical Wolf"

 Chapter 2 - Double Life

    For Caleb it was just like any other day. A day filled with lying and deception. At this point he wasn''t even sure who he was anymore.

    When he was growing up, everyone expected him to turn out to be an Alpha and help his brother rule this pack side by side. When he was thirteen, and tuned into his wolf for the first time, it was nothing but a disappointment. His parents started being less affectionate with him, and always tried to teach how to be an ideal omega. They did not tell him to his face, but made it clear with their subtle actions. Sometimes it was hard to move past beyond that.

    He hated that, the idea of being the ideal omega. He knew very well how omegas were abused on a daily basis in most of the parts of the world. He will never accept getting abused as something normal. Luckily his older brother Chris was always on his side. He taught Caleb self-defence ever since he was young and what not, so that he can protect himself without being dependent on others. He was expected to be submissive as his intrinsic nature, but he will rather fight his instincts than submit to some irritating scum.

    No one ever found out that he was an Omega. He takes suppressants and fake pheromones and pretends to be an Alpha. He hated doing that, pretending to be someone you are not. It was tiring in itself. The constant lying, excuses to cover up any omega like actions. He just wished that the world treat the omegas with the amount of respect they deserve so that he did not have to hide his true self like this. This ruse worked out in his favour. People were scared of him but they always respected him. He had a bigger built than average omega, maybe because he was born out of two Sub-Alpha Parents.

    "So, will you be staying over after class?" His friend Matt asked him in the first class of the day. He is someone who was closest to Caleb since childhood. He can be a jerk though, if needed. They shared a bit of an odd friendship.

    "No, I got patrolling duties today, tell the team I will show up tomorrow." With the inter-college soccer tournament approaching the team needed to stay late and practice. Luckily their Coach was a werewolf as well, excuses like patrolling worked on him, primarily because he was scared by the Head-Alpha of their pack.

    "No wonder you turned down the captain post. With your duties, it''s better not to pile up even more". Matt tried to sound sympathetic, but underneath he was glad because he was made the Captain instead. Caleb saw through it, but chose not to comment on that.

    "What''s going on here"! Caleb had to shout out to Matt from the other side of the corridor. Today again he saw Matt trying to bully someone, after the first class. He was sick of covering up for Matt every time he messed up like that.

    "He is being over possessive again". Sara, who was his girlfriend, sighed.

    Caleb never understood their bond. She was just his girlfriend, not even a fated mate or something. He himself admitted that he was never serious about her, then why behave like this.

    "Who are you"? Caleb asked the kid they were bullying. He was well built and almost as tall as Caleb and Matt. His face however gave away the fact that he was actually younger than them.

    "I''m new." Ashton said simply.

    "That''s it"? Caleb raised his eyebrows. "You got a name"?

    "Ashton" he said emotionlessly, which made him sound a little rude.

    "Well, listen kid, we are seniors here, try to show us some respect". Caleb told him sternly.

    "..." he remained quiet for a moment before finally saying "Can I leave, I am already late for my next Class".

    Caleb was irritated by the attitude of the new kid. He simply nodded and let him go. Sara followed him as well.

    "Okay, maybe I was being overprotective. But that kid deserved a good beating for being that rude"! Matt, who was standing right next to him, told him.

    "How many times have I told you not to deal with humans?" Caleb turned to his friend and raised his eyebrows. He lowered his voice low enough to evade the human ears.

    "Hey! I was just giving him a warning. I was not actually going to beat him up". Matt defended himself.

    "Well, next time, try not to make a scene out of it". Caleb left the scene after saying that. Matt turned around and saw many students were staring at their exchange. He was lucky no teachers were around or he could have gotten in some big problem.

    That was basically his daily job. Protecting people from getting harassed like this. The other wolves, especially the Alphas from other packs hated him. But what choice did they have? Cresentile Pack was one of strongest pack of the state. Even the other tiny packs reported to them.

    Honestly sometimes Caleb just wants to give up on everything and just run away. But he was not someone who would run away from responsibilities. So he always made sure to make the best out of any given situation.

    Throughout the whole day he heard a lot of chatter here and there. A new kid in the small town was indeed a great topic of conversation. Some said he was rude; some girls swooned over how mysterious he was. Few irritated boys said he was just some typical nerd, who kept to himself. But according to Sara, he was simply a quiet person. At least, that''s what she said during their lunch break.

    "Isn''t it a bit odd, moving in the middle of the semester"?  Melanie said. She was another werewolf, who was not from Celestine Pack, but she was still a close friend of theirs. She was a junior, so she hung out mostly during breaks.

    "Exactly! Sara, stay away from that weird dude". Matt said while hugging her from the side.

    "Relax, it''s not a crime to move". Sara rolled her eyes at him. He was lucky Sara liked him, because she got really annoyed with Matt sometimes. It was indeed a miracle that she still went out with him.

    "Where is he anyways"? Melanie asked. "How come he is not having his lunch in here"? She looked around the cafeteria.

    "Who cares, finish your own food. We have five minutes till our next class". Caleb who was annoyed by that point snarled at his friends. Taken aback they finished their lunches quietly. They hated being ordered around like that, but they had no other choice than to follow his orders.

 Chapter 3 - Pick A Team

    After the weird encounter Ashton just felt glad that things did not turn out worse. He was this close to punching that guy in the face. After the incident Sara kept mostly to herself. She wasn''t scared of Matt, but she did not want to be the reason for someone''s inconvenience. They had their third period off so Ashton decided to go and take a look at the library. He noticed many girls giggling secretly and discussing how hot Ashton is and all. With the werewolf hearing it wasn''t hard for him to hear those. If they knew that, they will probably be more careful.

    He snorted at their reaction, because he wore glasses, even though he had perfect eyesight, and oversized clothes that hid his toned body perfectly. Turns out even with the nerdy outlook the girls found him attractive.

    After a while a guy came and sat down next to him. Ashton did not want to be bothered, but nevertheless he did not say anything. He could tell by the scent of the other person that he was a beta. He simply did not react at all until the other person spoke up.

    "Hey, you are the new sophomore right"? He asked him really nicely. Ashton looked up and simply nodded to him.

    "Have you decided any club to join yet? We are from the music department? Wanna join"? He asked them.

    "I am really not that into music". He said apologetically. He was lying through his teeth. He loved playing the guitar, and was quiet good at it. But he does not want to get involved in such things. He had a plan, he would take part in all the academic clubs, score well, and Get a college that will take him away from this werewolves.

    He loved his family, they raised him as their own son, and did not lash out on him when they found out he was a Pure-blooded Alpha. This is why he would hate to be reason his family gets in danger. Who knows, if he leaves in the future, his family might have a better future.

    "That''s too bad". That boy smiled him.  He looked away to focus on his book when that boy spoke up again. "I am George by the way, I''m a junior. If you ever need any help feel free to ask me". And then he left.

    At lunch he was on his way to cafeteria when he realized he forgot to get enough money for the day. He went back to the library and found a corner bench and fell asleep there. He slept more than required which is why he missed his next class as well. Since he was already late and had some time before PE, he decided to check out which clubs are available there.

    "Mrs Conwell." He decided to approach her for the information. "So do you have any info on the clubs here"?

    "Well, I do keep a record of the clubs and their existing presidents, but I think you should ask another sophomore named Sara. She is usually in charge of new students here". Mrs Conwell told him.

    "Yeah, her boyfriend already tried to kill me". Ashton said in a low tone. By the expression it was pretty evident she was not surprised at all. It has happened before. Well, an alpha wolf is nothing if not possessive of their mate. So it was not hard for Ashton to understand how Matt feels. This why he had promised himself never mate with anyone. He hated giving in to his basic Alpha urges.

    He looked at the sheets and decided to approach the president of Trig club. It was sad that the club was already full. He did not expect academic clubs to be full. Maybe everyone wanted to leave this small town just like him. He had to approach Sara next because she was in charge of the chemistry club. Unfortunately even that was full.

    "Let me give you a piece of advice. Due to funding issues there is lack of space available, which is why the clubs are already full". She told him with an apologetic smile.

    "What should I do then"? He asked.

    "Well, the music club still has vacancy. They accept even if you are new".  She suggested. "Also, maybe try for soccer". She raised her eyebrows. Ashton knew who was the president of Music club, so he checked the soccer one and was dumbfounded to find it was Matt.

    "You want me to die for real". He joked despite his cold demeanour.

    Sara smirked before replying. "Don''t worry about Matt. He is mostly all talk no action guy. Why don''t you go at the tryouts today? They are selecting extras for the upcoming match. Maybe if you are good enough, you will make the team".

    Ashton simply nodded at her in a way it showed that he was considering the offer. He knew if he did his best he will clear it. He was pretty good at it. But he was trying to keep it low profile, so he was kind of worried will it get messed up or not.

    After the classes were officially over, he showed up for the tryouts anyways. When Matt found out the new kid was here he smirked. He was positive that the he was going to ruin this kid. He was still frustrated at him about his behaviour, so what is the best way to get back at him other than the sport he is talented at?

    He was up for a striker position, which worked out perfectly fine with Matt, with him being the Quarterback. The first round was comparatively easier, so Matt was a bit impressed when Ashton managed to make the shot.

    After 4th or 5th round Matt was simply annoyed because, he could not keep Ashton from making a single shot. After the tryouts he simply dismissed them. He wanted to pick today but he had a bit of dilemma about Ashton. He didn''t hate him, but simply found him annoying. But it was also their last chance at winning the interstate trophy, so maybe he needed to make a smarter decision. He decided it would be best to consult with Caleb, who was so good with leadership skills before he made any decisions.

    Even though the tryout was tiring, and a bit out of his plan, he would be lying if he said he did not enjoy it at all. It was in his nature to be athletic, giving into it was bound to give him pleasure.

    He was feeling so happy that he decided to run back to his home. No not in the wolf form; he would not want people to find out he was a werewolf too. He just jogged back to his house. He was fast enough, but it would still take him almost two hours. Luckily he took a shortcut.

    He was almost half way home when he saw something that was enough to scare a normal human being. A big giant white wolf was ravaging a dead deer in the middle of the road. Its blue eyes shone in such a way that it gave away the fact that it was no normal wolf. It was a werewolf. It was bad enough he ran into them in the school in their human form, but he also ran into one now in its wolf form. He stood there in the middle of the road face to face with the while wolf as he contemplated his next move.

 Chapter 4 - Boy And The Wolf

    Caleb was in a hurry while returning home. He knew that his heat was close and he was afraid of taking unnecessary risks in the upcoming days. He was determined to stay a human throughout his heat. Being in his wolf form during the heat was much harder to cope up with. Another thing he hated about being an omega. Why must an omega suffer like this?

    He needed a better excuse than ''diarrhoea'', or ''going out of town''. At this rate he will get caught someday. It was actually quite surprising that no one had caught up yet. To be fair, he was always very much careful. He sometimes tried to disappear without any reason, so that it doesn''t resemble a cyclic pattern.

    It frustrated him whenever he felt weak, so when he saw a deer drinking water by the bayou he lost it. He wanted to hunt today, feel the strength of a furious wolf. The deer became alert of someone''s presence and started running. Caleb ran after it, and ended up killing it in manner of few seconds. Having high speed was a blessing as an Omega. A stature shorter than other wolves also helped him slip through many obstructions as well.

    He was not just eating the deer; he was ravaging it out of pure rage. His eyes shone blue with the amount of intense emotion. He was so engrossed in his act, that he almost missed a passerby standing by. ''Almost'' being the key word.

    His reflexes were fast enough, so he looked up for a moment and growled at the person without even checking who it was.  He didn''t need to look to know it''s not a pack member, or even a wolf. It was a mere human. What''s the best way to get rid of a human in a situation like this? It is always to scare him away.

    He growled a few times but was taken by surprise when the person did not budge at all. He looked at the person''s face properly and was momentarily stunned. It turns out he knew who that person was. But what shocked him was not his face but the unbothered expression on it. He was just simply staring at him.

    That person walked closer to him as if he was mesmerized for a moment. Involuntarily Caleb flinched back by his approach.  Just how much did that person hate his own life that he was trying to get mauled by an animal?

    He can only pretend to have a killing intent. Killing humans was against their Pack rules so he had to control himself. He stood still, while he remained very wary of the human''s actions. He can hear his sharp animal like breath, now that he stood still.

    Ashton, who happened to be the other person, stared at him. Looked at him in the eyes as if he knew what the wolf truly was. The wolf was pretty huge, which made them stand eye to eye. The staring contest went on for a while before Ashton raised his arms and tried to touch that wolf.

    Caleb tried his best to remove the hand, before it touched him by swatting it away with his snout. Unfortunately that failed to work He was quite amazed how reckless this new kid was, and also a bit annoyed because this is not how he wanted to spend his last free evening.

    Ashton''s hand touched the back of the wolf''s head and slowly rubbed it over the back of his neck and head. Like a magic, Caleb could feel his breathing slow down. Somehow that touch made him feel oddly comfortable. And without even realizing he started to lean onto the touch. To an onlooker it would seem that a human was trying to pet a wild animal.

    When Caleb was considerably calmer he noticed the scent in his surroundings. He could feel the scent of the Alpha Pheromones which he always kept on himself wore off a long time ago. This only meant one thing, his heat was earlier than he expected. This was a new scenario as it never happened before.

    He flinched back and ran away from the scene towards his house. His ultimate destination was the backyard of his house. When his parents found out he was the only omega in the family, they built him a secret cabin, which was very well hidden by bushes and the trees in such a manner that no one would notice. He tried to run faster than his limit, so that he could reach the cabin before his scent became prominent enough to be picked by other werewolves

    His body started aching even before he reached the perimeter of their mansion. That is correct, they had a huge mansion. Being the most powerful werewolf family came with its own luxuries. He turned human and ran so that he would not be stuck in his wolf form.

    Once he was at the cabin he clutched his stomach tightly and lied down in the bed. He groaned painfully with his face buried in the pillow, just to not draw any attention.

    He wasn''t new to this pain. He was having them since he was twelve, but even at eighteen he was still not used to it. Breaking bones while turning into a werewolf seemed easier. After he got comparatively comfortable he called his brother to let him know that he won''t be home.

    "Let me bring you food to last for a couple of days". That''s the first thing his brother, Christian, told him. No matter who turned him down, his brother was always there for him, to care and to worry for him.

    "No"! You can''t have my scent on you. It''s already..." he tried taking deep breaths through the pain. "...too intense. I had a huge deer a while ago, I''ll be fine".

    Reluctantly Christian agreed to his brother''s choice. After he hung up Caleb''s friend Matt showed up.

    "Hey Man, is Caleb here"? Matt asked him. "It was kind of urgent".

    "There was some urgent matter so he had to leave the town". Christian lied for his brother like he always had.

    "Oh, will he be back tonight?" He asked him.

    "No, he can''t come home today." He shook his head apologetically before he gave Matt a slight tap on his shoulder and left.

    Matt was frustrated that his friend bailed on him when he needed him. To him the soccer was as important as any Pack duties. Meanwhile in a cabin not so far away Caleb suppressed his cries as he was writhing in painˇ­

 Chapter 5 - You Deserve More

    Despite his several efforts Ashton could not keep worry off his expression. Why did he have to comfort the wolf? He knew that it was omega by its scent, and the way its intensity was increasing he could tell it was near its heat.

    He always felt bad when his mother or his sisters had to suffer through the same. But, even being an Alpha himself, he had learnt to control his urges and help them. They say the scent of an omega drives an Alpha crazy, to which he was no exception. But After being with Omega''s for almost his entire life, he knew how to comfort them without losing his mind. He took care of his sisters whenever they needed him.

    Maybe that''s why he felt the need to step up. To comfort a wolf in need. He was not the kind person to deny anyone help, if and when they needed it. He just hoped this tiny mistake won''t expose him and his family. He was trying his best to be cautious; he still can''t believe he almost blew his cover on the very first day.

    "You okay"? His mother caught him in his deep thought.

    Ashton nodded reluctantly but his mother was not buying it. "Come here".

    He was brought to their dining table and was surprised when he found a bowl of noodles. He looked up at his mother and raised his eyebrows, while his mother just smiled.

    "I know that you have eaten nothing the whole day. Now sit down and eat". He opened his mouth to say no, that he was fine but his mother shushed him before that. "No excuses! I made this for you, and you will eat it".

    He sat on the table without any further argument and started eating. Apart from that wolf, his stomach was the one growled at him today.

    "Tell me, how was your first day?" She asked him.

    "It was alright". He did not want to say much.

    "You know I am your mother right. I might not have given birth to you, but I have raised you since you were a kid. You think you can get away with lying" she raised one of her eyebrows.

    Ashton chuckled and told her the interaction he had with the wolves. "I''m so sorry, I should have been more careful".

    "No, you did the right thing. I know you wanted to help the poor wolf. I know how much you hate seeing them in pain. I have seen you with Ariel and Ava".

    "But they are my sisters. I am bound to be protective. That wolf meant nothing to me". He stated. "If it knew what I was, it probably would have run miles away from me."

    "You never know. People or even wolves can surprise you". She said in such a sweet tone.

    He did not say anything to her regarding that and finished his lunch. He tried to keep himself busy but could not stop wondering about that wolf. He knew that getting stuck in the wolf form is painful. He just wished whoever that wolf was managed to transform into its human form.

    The next day on the school Matt approached him with pure anger in his face. Ashton did not want to deal with him again, but he stayed there to hear him out nevertheless. "Congratulations, you made the team. Practice at five, be there". He said and left.

    One would think that news like this will be joyous one, but Ashton was looking forward to returning home early. He wanted to blend in as a human so he was going to check out the job in the nearby cafe, for which he saw an ad. He agreed to go to the practice reluctantly.

    Apparently the guy who was their striker was absent from the match, so they needed a replacement striker. Due to their upcoming tournament they needed to practice a lot. For almost a week he had to fill in and by the time he was done he was usually exhausted. He was happy when he was chosen as a standby, but it was turning out to be more exhausting than he thought. If he knew this would be his fate, he would have preferred goalie instead.

    One day, on his way to the practice in the evening when most of the school was empty he heard soft whimpering noise, coming from near the storage room, which was followed by a huge bang.

    "You birdie, you should not have stayed back all by yourself". He heard a male voice say. He made his way to the source of the voice. On his way a strong scent of a Sub-Alpha hit him. When he reached near the storage room he saw a few guys trying to scare a freshman girl. She was an omega.

    Ashton balled his fist with rage. He hated when someone strong tried to take advantage of their strength to bully the weak. If you have so much strength, why not use it for helping the weak instead.

    "Hey"! He shouted at the Alpha.

    They turned around and looked at him.

    "Oh, what do we have here? A nerd is trying to be brave." The Alpha commented.

    "Stay away from her". He told him with a steady voice.

    "Or else what?" He and his friends laughed boisterously.

    Ashton balled his fists and and was about to throw a hard punch when he heard footsteps, behind him. Before he turned around he could sniff the same scent that he has smelt a while ago. It was familiar to him, but he could not recognize it properly. All he could say for sure that it was an Alpha''s scent.

    The Alpha who was threatening earlier tensed visibly and looked like he was about to make excuses.

    "Caleb, I thought you were out of town".

    "I was. But it looks like I shouldn''t have left in the first place. You are back to harassing the students again. That to a girl this time".

    "No, I was justˇ­." He stumbles "... trying to talk to her. It''s not my fault she finds me scary". He lied through his teeth.

    "Really"? Caleb asked him sarcastically. He folded his hands as he took a step closer. "Then try not talking to her ever again". It sounded like a simple advice but it still had a hint of warning in it.

    Ashton could tell this Alpha was fuming with anger, but he held back out of either respect or fear, or maybe both. Caleb turned around to leave. As if something came over the Alpha, he threw his fist at Caleb.

    "Look out!" Ashton shouted at him to warn him, but Caleb was fast enough. Not only he stopped the punch with his palm, he took his hand and twisted his arm like it''s no big deal.

    "Aahhh.." He shouted in pain. "Let go of meˇ­ Ahhh"

    Caleb lowered his face near the left ear of that Alpha and whispered. "You should have been careful. This is nothing; you deserve more, way more severe punishment for violating the pack rules". He said in a low voice which to a normal ear won''t be audible. But Ashton was not a normal human being which is why he heard it clearly. He wondered which was the rule this Alpha a broke this time. Was it harassing an omega? He never heard that being a rule ever before. Regardless, even he secretly wished he will be punished properly.

    Caleb released him and let him go for the time being before he turned to Ashton. "You okay?" He asked him genuinely.

    Ashton simply nodded before turning around to see the girl still shaking from fear. "Beth, your brother is still on second floor. Stay with him until his practice is over, okay?" Caleb told the girl named Beth, kindly. She nodded before she left.

    "Thanks to you, by the way" Caleb told Ashton. The latter raised his eyebrows before asking "Why?"

    What Caleb wanted to reply was that for calming him down the other day. If he was a little late then he would have been stuck in his wolf form. But that is a secret not even his close friends are aware of, so he simply said. "For covering my position in the game. I heard you are my standby."

    "Oh" Ashton said simply.

    "You don''t have to stay back today. I am here so I will go to the practice." He tapped his shoulder before he left.

    Ashton stood there for a moment, wondering whether or not should he have asked him about his health. The dark circles around his eyes made him look like he hasn''t slept for days. For a wolf getting tired needs way more than for a human. But then again he wants to avoid the wolves as much as possible, especially if it happens to be the wolf who will be the next leader of the pack.

 Chapter 6 - After The Match

    Caleb went to the match, but he was still not in his best form yet. When he heard the person who replaced him for the ongoing practice sessions was Ashton, he couldn''t help but feel a little bad for him. It was his duty to begin with.

    He was quite surprised when Ashton approached him the other day. With the unbothered attitude he keeps for most of the day here he never would have predicted that he would come to his rescue twice like this. It was lucky that he did the other day, but too bad he was a human, he did not realize how much his help meant to Caleb. This last week he barely slept at all. His dark circles were clearly visible. However that did not make him any less efficient. With him back on the team, they practiced the game even more seriously today. The team was glad to have him back. Ashton was an awesome player, but Caleb was their ace for a reason (which might be a bonus for his enhanced speed as an omega werewolf).

    After the long match they finally decided to go and freshen up a bit before they went home. Caleb decided to treat the whole team as a way of apologizing for being absent for a long time. He was rich after all, coming from an Alpha family, which is why it was not a big deal for him. All of them went to the nearby cafe to get some drinks and snacks.

    "Guys order whatever you like, do not hesitate ". Caleb told and everyone cheered. Anyone who was present in the caf¨¦ but was not a member of the team gave them all kinds of looks. Everyone ordered one by one. Caleb decided to go last as he could pay for the coffee and for everyone else as well at the same time.

    "Give me your strongest coffee". He ordered to the person at the counter without even looking at him.

    "You already look sleep deprived; you want to stay more awake"? Ashton asked him. Caleb looked up surprised at the voice of the other person. He nodded at him regardless and gave him a very tired smile. He had a lot to catch up on so he did not want to take rest just yet.

    On his way back to the seat he received a video call on his phone. He smiled when he read the name of the person who called him. "Hey, what''s up"? A girl on the other end asked him.

    "You know the same old. I''m busy with my everyday schedule and all." Caleb replied enthusiastically. He missed the person on the other end.

    "You and your never ending responsibilities. I have good news by the way." She smirks with enthusiasm.

    "What?" Caleb eyes her suspiciously through the phone.

    "I might be coming soon to see you. It''s not confirmed yet, but let''s seeˇ­" She trailed off.

    "Wow, what''s the occasion?" Caleb asked her while he took his seat and adjusted himself carefully. Matt looked at him suspiciously, but remained quiet nonetheless.

    "Well, I have a project for which I have to present at Brigemont University. If it goes successful, I might end up getting a scholarship there" She shared with great enthusiasm.

    "That''s awesome K. Well, let''s meet up soon again, when you come to visit here". After he was done talking to her Matt held his neck tightly and asked him suggestively. "Who was she? Never seen you talk to someone this sweetly before".

    "She is an old friend of mine, why do you ask?" Caleb after a bit of effort took his hand off him.

    "No reason, how come you have never mentioned this friend of yours?" Matt kept giving him a suggestive look.

    Caleb rolled his eyes at him before saying. "Fine, we dated once. Her name is Karolyn." He ended up admitting the truth knowing that his friend will not give up otherwise.

    "Whoo, tell us more" Matt continued to tease.

    "There is nothing to tell, we dated for a summer when I went to live with my grandmother. We were really young back then. It was just a picnic at an amusement park". Caleb shrugged.

    "Why did you guys break up? She seemed nice. Was she aˇ­"  Matt lowered his voice. "...a human?"

    Caleb shook his head before he said, "Alpha. We had our reason, nothing that concerns you". Caleb gave him a stern look before he finally shut up.

    When they met for the first time Caleb was still pretty young. He did make a girlfriend, but did not realize what having a girlfriend meant. Like a child''s attention span, their relationship was not very long lasting.

    He was glad that they broke up though. He never wants to be in a relationship where he cannot be honest with the other person. To this day Karolyn still thinks he is an Alpha as well. He feels bad about deceiving her. Even after they broke up they were pretty close. After his grandmother passed away he never saw her again until recently when she found him on social media. They parted on good terms so they rekindled their friendship from there.

    When he returned home he tried to do his unfinished project. It didn''t matter though. He was quite adamant about not going to the college. Hiding who you are will be much tougher when you are away from home.

    His parents even if not pleased with his decision, accepted it knowing it was the best thing to do. They were not very affectionate with him, but they still worried about their younger son''s safety.

    After a few pages he started feeling drowsy. Did the coffee he drank wasn''t strong enough or did his wolf system already flush it out of his body? If only the person knew he was a wolf, maybe he would have. He wondered for a while, but before he could keep his eyes open for any further thoughts, he felt his lids heavy beyond his limits and fell asleep on his table itself.

 Chapter 7 - Payback

    Ashton was on his way home when he heard a few noises. He kept walking nonetheless. Due to some issues he was late while returning home, which is why instead of taking the bus, he walked. He smiled mischievously when he thought of how he swapped the caffeinated coffee with its decaf counterpart. If Caleb found out, he would probably be mad. But that was his payback for making him play in his place the whole week, and not because he actually wanted the other to get some rest.

    The more he walked the more he could feel someone was following him. It was not easy to tell who, since the woods were filled with werewolves, their scents were everywhere. But none of the scent was strong enough to imply that one of the wolves is following him.

    He increased his speed of walking, but remained alert of anyone''s presence nearby. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his back, as if someone shot something at him, and that''s the last thing he remembered before he passed out.

    He had no idea how long was he unconscious, but when his senses started to come back he could tell his eyes were tightly closed by a blindfold and his hands were tied behind his back. He was shaking as if he was in a moving car. He felt around his surroundings and he could make out that he was in the trunk of that car.

    There was a sharp smell of a few werewolves in there. Only one of them was Alpha, two Sub-Alphas, and a Beta. They did not probably realize that Ashton would wake up so soon, being a pureblood Alpha, his metabolism was way higher than the other wolves itself, let alone humans.

    Despite being awake he remained calm and quiet. He wanted to see where they would take him. If they really thought Ashton was a human, and still tried to take him, he was curious to find out why.

    There was no noise apart from the engine throughout the way. It took them a long time to reach their destination. Or maybe it only felt long because Ashton was stuck and got bored.

    The door of the trunk opened and a strong male hand grabbed him out of the Car. He resisted him, but only to give him the impression that he was not pleased to be here. He tried to act as human as possible.

    The knot in hand was strong enough to keep a normal human tied up, but it was too weak to keep Ashton tied up. A one quick pull and the rope will get shredded into many pieces. He dragged him into a place that smelled like metal and dust. With his sharp senses he could also smell a bit of blood. Just what was this place?

    They pulled the blindfold off him and the sudden gush of a light hit him in the eyes, and he reflexively closed his eyes for a moment. It was ironic because there was only a dimly lit bulb present there.

    As the surroundings focussed around him he noticed it was the same Alpha from this evening who was trying to harass that girl named Beth. They expected some sort of scared and intimidated reaction from him, but were disappointed to see him still unbothered.

    "Do you know why you are here" That Alpha smirked.

    Ashton just shrugged at the other boy.

    For a moment it appeared as if someone lit a fire on a cracker. He became angry. "Because of you I got in trouble today you worthless piece of trash"! He shouted at him in rage. He showed an almost healing scar at the edge of his face with his right index finger.

    That was odd, didn''t werewolves have accelerated healing? Was he hit by something that was dipped with wolfsbane? He wondered. He felt a tinge of pity, but mostly he felt like he deserved it. He was harassing the girl back then.

    "So what do you want me to do?" Ashton asked him, still with an  unbothered expression.

    "I want you to pay for what you did," he says in a grave tone before punching him hard in the stomach. Ashton''s instincts told him to punch him back with much more intensity, but he held himself back just for the sake of his family. He cannot be outed as a pureblood Alpha now. There were many packs who hated the Pure Blood Alphas because of in born authority trait they had. They are very rare in the community of wolves, almost as rare as male omegas

    He clenched his fists tightly as he received multiple beatings from all four of them while he lay on the floor.  He did not make any noise, as this was not the first time he felt this much amount of pain. He held it in as much as he could. After a while when it seemed they were done, that Alpha grabbed Ashton''s face and pulled him to see the latter''s bruises and smirked.

    "Remember this before you ever interrupt me the next time". And he got up to leave. He stopped for a moment and turned back. "Next time I''ll target your little sisters instead of you. That''s right, I know about your adoptive family".

    For a moment Ashton''s face darkened. He will tolerate anything as long as it''s on him, but under no circumstances will he tolerate anything done to his family or the people he cared about.

    "Stay away from my family". He warned the Alpha with venom in his voice.

    "What did you say?" The Alpha snorted. "You think you can get away from here alive if I tried to kill you?" He smirked. There was a certain change of orientation of his face. The structure was a little different and the rim of the eyeball appeared blood red in color. That color was typical for an Alpha. "Do you even know what I am"? He threatened Ashton.

    "Yes, you''re a piece of trash". Ashton shrugged. He was never afraid of this Alpha to begin with and he was so mad right now that he forgot for a moment that he wanted to keep things about him a secret.

    "Youˇ­"!! He shouted at him and bared his sharp canines at him. He threw another punch at him which he successfully caught this time. He put the other hand on the Alpha''s belly and threw him on the wall behind.

    There was a minor crack on the walls as the alpha crashed into it. He got up with a little bit of help as he was badly injured from that impact. The Alpha was mad at him and was about to turn himself into a wolf when he smelled a very strong scent. The smell was so strong that it almost burned their nose.

    It was evident that it was a werewolf, but who could have such a strong scent? They wondered.

    Ashton approached them and looked directly in their eyes. "You would be lucky if you made it alive out of here". He threatened them. There was a slight change in his voice. It appeared much deep and it had a dominant tinge to it. It was like; if Ashton gave them any order they will follow him without any question. That''s when they looked properly onto Ashton''s eyes and saw that his whole eyeball was blazing red. Not even the tiny black pupil was present there.

    That could only mean one thing, that Ashton was a pureblood Alpha. And they were dead meat now.

 Chapter 8 - Who Did It?

    Caleb was in the middle of the woods, running without any particular destination. The fresh breeze and the sunny weather just uplifted his mood even more. He was in a pure bliss when suddenly everything started to become distorted. He heard a very familiar voice speak. "Caleb, wake up"!

    He slowly opened his eyes and realized he fell asleep on his table and that it was his brother who was trying to wake him up.

    "What is it?" He asked in his sleepy daze.

    "I am sorry to wake you up when you are taking a rest butˇ­" Christian trailed off.

    "What happened, Christian"? Caleb asked him, quite concerned now.

    "James and his friends were killed. They found their bodies in the warehouse by the cemetery" His brother informed him.

    "What?" Whatever amount of drowsiness was there in Caleb suddenly vanished. He was wide awake. He never liked James or his friends. They used to harass a lot of omegas and sometimes even humans just to get the feeling of superiority. However that doesn''t mean he wanted him to die, or get killed like this. "How?" He asked his brother.

    "Well, we are still unsure. But we did detect an unidentified scent at the spot".

    "Scent of what?"  Caleb asked his brother carefully.

    "A pureblooded Alpha". Christian told him. Caleb tensed for a moment. If a pure blooded Alpha was in town there was a high chance he could get in trouble if he met him or her.

    "You okay"? His brother asked him, seeing his troubled expression.

    "Hmm" he nodded. "I am just wondering why a pureblood alpha would come to this town? Do they have any ulterior motive"?

    "Maybe they do have an ulterior motive. It goes without saying that we are one of the strongest packs. Maybe that''s why we are being targeted". His brother shrugged.

    "Let''s see. If a pureblooded Alpha is on a killing spree, then we are in trouble. I thought they were almost extinct or something"? Caleb asked him skeptically.

    "Almost, yes. But like you they are rare as well". He nodded at him.

    "Let''s go and check out the crime scene". Caleb suggested.

    "Are you sure"? His brother asked him with concern. "What if he is still there lurking or something".

    "So? I am strong enough to take down a pureblooded Alpha. Take me with you. Maybe I can remember the scent. I can track him down if I ever happen to encounter it. I am fast, he or she won''t be able to run away from me". Caleb assured his brother. Although reluctantly, his brother finally agreed to take him along with him.

    He would not admit but he was very protective of his little brother. He would never send him alone there all by himself. So he tagged along.

    It was a full blown crime scene. They died in their human form and thus humans/police officers were highly involved in the case.

    The wolves knew them as the Alpha family, but the humans knew them as the mayor''s family.

    After an earnest request they let those two enter right in.

    They grimaced at the sight of the dead bodies that were covered half in white blankets. The face was severely disheveled, almost making them unrecognizable.

    "This is weird".  Caleb mutters, but his brother heard him nonetheless.

    "What do you mean?" Cristian asked him.

    "The marks. They are claw-like marks right?" Christian nodded at his brother.

    "Even a pureblooded Alpha''s claws aren''t strong enough to impair a wolf''s healing. Whatever killed them was clearly loaded with wolfsbane. See the wounds are so fresh. Healing, even if a little bit, should have begun". He said.

    "You are right". Christian nodded. He looked around to see if any human was looking or not and touched the edges of the dead body. He felt a burning sensation at the tip of his finger and retracted his fingers.

    "A wolf would never have wolfsbane on its claws. They would end up killing or at least hurting themselves instead". Caleb explained.

    Christian was started to feel glad that he brought his brother. Caleb was quite observant of his surroundings, which came in handy in situations like this.

    "This smells good". He suddenly ended up blurting.

    "What?" His brother looked up flabbergasted at him. "This smell? It is burning my nostrils".

    "You are an Alpha". He shrugged. "As an Omega Alpha''s usually smell nice to me. Since it''s a pureblooded one, it''s even nicer I guess". He whispered to his brother and shrugged. Not that anyone would have heard him, but he still did not want to take his chances.

    He roamed around for a while before he called out to his brother "You know what else is odd?"

    "The smell, it doesn''t lead anywhere. It is just present here. As if someone poured a bottle of pheromones here. Shouldn''t the smell follow the Alpha"?

    "Huh! That is weird".  Christian agreed. They looked around for more clues, perhaps any piece of clothing or something. Not that it was easy,  the police must have already cleared the scenes. But in case they missed something, those two still looked around.

    "It''s been a long time since we faced something like this. I think we might have to strengthen our perimeters" Christian told Caleb and nodded.

    Back at the mansion Caleb on his way to the room saw two people crying while talking to his parents. They were James''s parents and they wanted the head alpha''s help to find the killer and serve him justice. He felt a little bad for them, losing your son must have been difficult.

    He spent most of the night thinking who could have killed them. Was it the pureblooded Alpha himself, and he was just overthinking the evidence. Or was it someone else framing an Alpha. Was that smell just some pheromones, or was it a real wolf? Why was there another wolf in this town without informing them? They were responsible for keeping track of the wolves in the town. Amidst all his thoughts he felt his heavy lids weigh on his eyes and he fell asleep.

 Chapter 9 - Memorial

    Ashton was worried all the way to the school. He did not think this through when he exposed himself last night. Was his secret finally out? Will he need to leave again? That''s all he could think of.

    At the school he saw everyone whispering around strangely. He could sense everyone was scared and anxious. He tried focusing his hearing on what the other kids were talking about.

    "Did you hear about James last night."

    "I can''t believe someone did that to him".

    "He was a rotten kid, good riddance".

    "Poor James, who could have done that to him".

    "Why did someone kill him"?

    Wait, someone died last night? Who was this James they were talking about, was he popular or something? Ashton saw flowers and cards arranged in a beautiful manner in the hallway.

    Ashton approached it further to get a clearer view when he saw the dead boy''s face. He was shocked to his inner core, ''Was he dead? Did I kill him?'' That''s all Ahston could think about at the moment. He remembers knocking them out, but that wasn''t strong enough to kill someone right? For a human that may prove life threatening, but a wolf would be as fine as they get within an hour.

    He started feeling bad for a moment when he suddenly recalled his actions much more clearly. Last night he let his scent out. If the dead bodies were found, so was his scent along with it. Did that make him the primary suspect?

    He was in his deep trance when he was walking when he suddenly bumped into someone.

    "Hey! Watch where you are going"! It was Matt. He saw his friend Caleb approach him. He knew Caleb had a position of authority, so he listened to their conversation intently as he tried to figure out the situation. He pretended to look in his locker for stuffs.

    "Did you go there last night"? Matt asked.

    "Hm"

    "So, is it true, a pure blooded Alpha is here"? He asked him cautiously and with a whisper. He lowered his voice so much that even the wolves won''t be able to hear them. Ashton could still hear them, but he had to focus really hard.

    "Unclear, I don''t really think that Alpha did it though". Caleb told his friend.

    "Why?"

    "I have my reason. I saw the scene, I will tell you later"

    "Must have been terrible. I have heard that they have a really burning smell". Matt told his friend.

    "Depends on who is smelling. For you it''s burning, for an omega it''s sweet smelling". He told Matt.

    "How do you know that"? Matt asked him skeptically

    "I have heard of it as well" Caleb said and left for his class.

    They were going to hold a short memorial service for James, as he was a student in this school. Ashton did not mind the funeral, but he was worried what kind of comments he was going to get. If they were assuming that the Alpha, ergo him, was the one to kill him, they will sure badmouth him.

    Throughout the day he heard many speculations related to him. Most of them were rubbish, but he can imagine where they were coming from.

    "I heard he will hunt all of us"

    "I think he wants to kill the current lead Alpha and take over him".

    "I heard he is very dangerous, and will kill anyone that came in his path".

    And all this. Given that he was indeed one of  the strongest wolves in existence, it made sense people were terrified of him. But he did not choose to be a pureblood blood Alpha. He lost his birth family because of that, his blood status brought him nothing but misery, why would he want to rule any pack.

    He hated how people in his last school treated him differently. Even his best friend who turned out to be a wolf was scared of him once he found out what Ashton was. To this day the only people who did not push him away because of his blood status was his family, but that only made things harder for his family.

    He knew coming here was a mistake. They moved here because they thought it will be nicer for his sisters to stay in protection of this wolf pack. The head Alpha knew what his mother and sisters were, but he was not informed of Ashton''s blood status. All his mother told the leader was that he was adopted. They assumed by themselves that Ashton was a human, but they never bothered rectifying it.

    (At the memorial)

    Their principal decided to address a few words in respect to the deceased. It was his sister''s turn to go next. Ashton tried to determine what was her blood status, but he couldn''t.

    "As you all know my brother was brutally murdered last night". She began her speech. "Whoever killed him, we will bring him to justice". Justice? He knew what that meant. Common people were a bit confused by her statement. They thought it was an animal attack, what justice did she mean?

    He spent the whole day looking out for anything that could prove to be a threat to him. For example any witness who saw him, or any footage that shows him nearby. Luckily nothing came up. Most of the wolves who had heard about the rumors talked amongst themselves, they were either scared of him or wanted the Alpha to drop dead. He had heard those kind of hurtful comments before, both behind his back and to his face. To say he was used to it won''t be lying, but it did not mean that they did not hurt at all. What was his fault? Being born this way? This is why he prefers having no friends. Once they found out what he was they would leave anyways.

    At home his mother stopped in when he proceeded to go to his room after coming back from the school.

    "The twins told me someone killed a friend of yours"? His mother asked him.

    "He was not my friend. He was a junior, and yes he is dead". He told his mother.

    "Tell me the truth were you there or not"? His mother asked him sternly.

    "If I tell you, will you believe me"? He counter questioned his mother.

    "Then why would I ask"? His mother sighed and continued with a softer tone "I know hardly anyone will trust you, but I am your mother. I know what kind of person you are. Why don''t you try telling me"?

    So he told everything to his mother, from the kidnapping to the threats. She listened to him intently and nodded slowly when he was done. "I understand why you did what you did, but if they find out it was your scent, are you ready to deal with it''s consequences"? She asked his son.

    After a careful thought he replied "I don''t know".

    "It''s alright, for now go freshen up. I will put the dinner on the table" and she dismissed him.

 Chapter 10 - Lack Of Supplies

    For the last two weeks there was no other incident that mimicked the one that killed James. Over time the whispers around the school died down. They initially did strengthen the perimeter, but even that went little lax after two weeks of nothing.

    Even Caleb who was so meticulous with his activities related to his Pack had to shift his focus to school. Only a few days were left as the quarter finals were approaching. For Many of them it was their last chance to win while they were still at school, for Caleb however it was his last chance to win at all. He was never going to need it for his pack duties, so he wanted to give this one his best shot.

    "Hey, can you get me these"? He handed Caleb a list of things that were needed before the day of game.

    "Are you kidding me, most of these things are not available here, how can I get them? I will have to leave the town"! Caleb sighed exasperated.

    "I know, why else would you think I would ask you? You''re already doing great, you have the fastest car here-"

    "That''s not my car". Caleb interjected

    "- and you are not the captain so you can afford to leave. And most importantly, you''re the only one I trust enough to not screw this up".

    "This is a lot, I don''t want to do it all by myself". Caleb whined.

    "Then take a junior with you". He told him flatly.

    " Alright,  but I''m not paying if it''s out of budget!" He agreed on one condition knowing very well that his friends like to take advantage of the fact that he is rich.

    After the game he started to wonder which junior should he take. Most of them were wolves who were intimidated by him.  They won''t be able to say no to him. But he does not want to deal with scared wolves for a ride this long.

    It was already late, maybe if he leaves now he can be back by night? He couldn''t decide whom to pick when he saw someone who wasn''t so bad at sports but was not a wolf either.

    "What are you doing"? He asked the boy who was reading a book.

    "Reading ". Ashton replied to him, condescendingly. He was supposed to stay back for a few pointers, otherwise he would have already left for home. He already took two days off from his new job, as he needed to rest a little bit. Luckily the manager was nice to him, also Bethany, the girl he helped the other day who also worked there helped him gain points in his favor.

    "Come with me". Caleb ordered him. He was used to ordering around so much that he did not bother trying to sound nice.

    " Why"? Ashton challenged him.

    "Just come, don''t worry I won''t kill you". He said and dragged him by his hand.  Ashton was a bit surprised, but he did not resist much. It would be nice to have favours of the wolves around here, especially if he was about to be the next leader of the pack.

    "Get in". Caleb ordered him again when they were near to his car, after he let go of his hand It was a slate color Porsche. It was indeed one fancy beautiful car. Ashton rolled his eyes at how Caleb was spoiled.

    "Where are you taking me"? He asked Caleb as he folded his hands.

    "We have to go and get some supplies". He motioned Ashton again to get inside the car.

    "Why don''t you take someone else ". Ashton asked him. He wasn''t sure he wanted to spend an entire long career ride with an overbearing Alpha. Caleb didn''t bother answering him and just looked at him with narrowed eyes.

    Ashton finally sighed and decided to just get on with it. What is the worst that could happen? Caleb could annoy him which will force Ashton to kill him?

    They took a very long ride, as many times Caleb tried to stir up any conversation, Ashton shut him down with one word replies. He was starting to regret bringing Ashton. He was sad that they got off to a rocky start. He wanted to change that, especially after the incident of that day. But this boy was indifferent to everyone.

    They had to go from store to store to buy stuff. Most of the time to annoy Ashton, he put things in his hand. Unfortunately it did not bother Ashton. He was strong enough for those heavy things, plus he did not have to talk to the owner and all.

    On their way back it was pretty late. Most of the shops and stores were closing down by the time they were done.

    "Sorry it took so longˇ­." Caleb apologized to Ashton who looked a bit tired from running around all day. "... will you be in trouble for being late"? He asked just to make sure.

    "I texted my mom". is all what Ashton replied.

    Caleb sighed and started driving when suddenly pain hit him in his bones. This pain was familiar, but this has to be something else right? Everytime it took him at least a month interval for his next heat, then how come he was already feeling like this. It had to be something else right. The more he tried to suppress his moans the harder it got for him to pretend that nothing was wrong with him. He saw in his peripheral vision that Ashton was starting at him wide eyed.

    "What "? Caleb asked in an intimidating tone, despite the amount of pain he was in.

    "Youˇ­." Ashton trailed off.

 Chapter 11 - Pineapple

    "Youˇ­" Ashton trailed off.

    " Me what"? Caleb snapped at him.

    "You are sweating profusely, are you sick"? Ashton asked him.

    He wasn''t sure of the answer he will get, but he was sure about what was wrong with him. Few minutes ago he was resting with his eyes closed peacefully in the car, when that familiar smell hit it. It took him awhile to figure out where the scent was coming from when he realized it was from the person next to him.

    He recognized the smell from earlier when he ran into an angry wolf on his first day. So, was it Caleb?

    He wanted to just come out and say it, but he did his best to resist his urges and thus came up with another excuse. After all, if he told him the truth he would be exposed as well.

    "I am fine, but I am surprised you can see in this darkness". Caleb tried to say with as much steady voice he could muster.

    "I have an excellent vision". Ashton murmured. Caleb being a wolf heard it but he was in too much pain to care to reply to him ''then why are you wearing glasses''? Also he was not actually supposed to hear it. After driving for a while, when pain was becoming unbearable he almost got both of them into an accident, if he had not hit the breaks at the right moment. The car ride was getting extremely uncomfortable for both of them. The smell as sweet as it might be to Ashton was still unbearable for him. He was starting to feel dizzy with the amount of breath he was holding.

    "Please get off the wheel". Ashton pleaded with him, given how stubborn Caleb was he added, "I want to live, even if you don''t".

    "I am...not going to kill us.." he said in between pain.

    Ashton looked around a bit but since they were already at the outskirts of this town there were fewer places to be. After a proper scrutiny he found a building which was labelled " The hot-water inn" He chuckled internally at the name. "Let''s stay there for the night". He suggested. He knew that Caleb was not going to feel better over night, but he could deal with that the next day.

    "What about you, how will you get back"? Caleb asked him.

    "I will inform my mother, I guess she will be fine with it. Let''s go" He got out of the shotgun seat and helped Caleb stand properly by letting him lean on him. The scent was driving him crazy, but he couldn''t just abandon him when he needed help.

    He supported him all the way to the inn, but he started to regret it when he smelled all kinds of wolf smells coming from inside. Should he find some other place? He looked around again, but finding another place seemed highly unlikely. Plus Caleb was in no condition to leave, he had to make the best of it.

    "How can I help you"? A lady wearing a black dress asked him. She was sitting at the reception.

    "Can I get a room"? Ashton asked her. It would be idiotic to leave him all by himself. This place was already unsafe.

    The woman was luckily a human. He looked around but couldn''t see any wolf in the vicinity, even though he could smell them pretty well. When she asked for payment he searched his pockets but he could not find enough money. Caleb saw his struggle and handed the woman his card instead.

    Ashton took him to the room and put him on the bed. Caleb tossed and turned in the bed as he tried his best to fight through this. For the first time felt glad that he did not bring any wolves with him to the trip. But if only he knewˇ­

    "Can I get you anything"? Ashton asked politely. For some reason it broke his heart to see him suffering like this.

    "Noˇ­ I will be fine". Caleb snapped at him. He contemplated whether or not he should get him anything. Fever meds won''t help him, but some fluids might. He was sweating profusely anyways.

    He locked the door from outside as he left the premises and headed out to find the nearest convenient store. He knew for sure that Caleb would not want to go outside in this condition, but someone might come and attack him, given that his scent was everywhere.

    He purchased two pineapple based drinks and headed back to the inn. There were two reasons why he chose pineapple flavor. Firstly, he liked pineapples. And secondly, at the moment Caleb smelled exactly like one. Being near him was a kind of torture, like having his favourite meal laid out in front of him, but he can''t eat it.

    He was on his way to the room when he heard a few noises coming from the room. He was shocked to see it open, he had the key. He did not have to wonder who did it as he could smell two Alpha scents coming from that room. He could hear them very clearly as well.

    "It''s not everyday we run into male omega, what a treat". One of the men said. He seemed to be middle aged by his groggy voice. His comment made Caleb and Ashton both furious.

    Ashton barged into the room, "Get out of our room"! He ordered them.

    One of the men snorted at him. "This kid thinks he can take us" and laughed maniacally with his friend.

    "Get out" He said again sternly this time.

    "You brat"! One of them punched on the face and he broke his glasses. "Now, where were we" That man said while looking at Caleb. He clutched the bed sheets as he tried to figure out his next move. He could fight them if it were any other day, but with all the pain it would be hard for him to fight.

    Suddenly a strong smell hit the Alphas and they scrunched their nose. While the scent burned their nose, Caleb found it oddly familiar and soothing.

    "I told you to get out of this room". A very different and overpowering voice ordered the two Alphas, which, turns out,came from Ashton. Both of the men were shocked at him. The dominant tone of a pureblooded Alpha was hard to ignore. His eyes were blazing red and his canines were almost out as he growled at the men. He was so angry that it appeared he won''t mind killing them.

    Scared they ran away from his room. Ashton took a few deep breaths before he finally calmed down. He turned down and saw an equally shocked and scared Caleb staring at him. He was speechless.

 Chapter 12 - It Was You!

    "It was youˇ­" Caleb managed to mutter after a while.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton asked him, confused.

    "You killed James"!  Caleb accused him.

    "No I didn''t"! Ashton who was still not over with his episode of rage shouted at him. His eyes turned blazing red for a moment and Caleb flinched visibly for a moment. "I am sorry" Ashton said softly as a reflex as he realized what he had done.

    Ashton took a few steps back and tried to calm down himself before he said anything else. Caleb''s smell did not help much in the process.

    The room was quiet for a whole minute before anyone said anything.

    "But you were there right"?  Caleb mustered up the courage to ask him.

    Ashton simply nodded at him. "He was the one who tried to kidnap me". he told Caleb.

    Caleb started to think for a while but the pain made him disoriented. He clutched his stomach while grimacing and asked Ashton "Be honest, why did you bring me here"?

    "Maybe I lied about what I am, but I never lied about anything else. I don''t have any ulterior motives". Ashton admitted honestly.

    "Seems hard to believe, but alright". Caleb muttered.

    Ashton who however heard him visibly tensed. He hated the Alphas who tried to take advantage of the omegas in heat, and here he was accused of being one despite trying his level best to control his urges.

    He approached Caleb and put both his hands on either side of the latter. Caleb who was sitting down before leaned on the headstand. His expression seemed brave, that despite all the pain he will kick Ashton if he tries anything funny. But there was a tinge of terror in his eyes, because deep down he knew that if they fought when Caleb was in this condition, there was no chance that he could win.

    Ashton brought his face slowly to Caleb''s neck as if he was about to kiss it. He touched the nape of his neck with the tip of his nose as if he was sniffing it. But instead of kissing, he brought his lips next to his ears and whispered, "Hmm, you do smell delicious. Maybe I should do something". Caleb tried to retract himself but he was blocked by Ashton''s arms. He closed his eyes tightly and clutched the bedsheets with his fists.

    Ashton, who observed the other''s reaction, smirked. He released Caleb and stood up straight. The latter opened his eyes slowly and looked at Ashton timidly. Ashton folded his arms and spoke, "Don''t worry, I won''t force myself on someone who doesn''t want me. Even in a situation like this. As for my basic urges, I live with three omegas, I have good self control".

    Caleb blinked at him but remained silent. He was a bit relieved, but he barely knew Ashton. He wasn''t sure how much he can trust him. Ashton motioned Caleb with his eyes to look at the counter next to him. Caleb followed the other''s gaze and found a pineapple flavored drink at the table. He took it in his hands and looked at Ashton. "Drink it, it should help". Ashton said sternly and went away to sit on the couch.

    Caleb was stunned by everything that was happening with him. Not only was he in his heat outside of his Cabin for the very first time, he was also stuck with a pureblooded Alpha, the scariest of all the Alphas one could possibly encounter. Yet having Ashton around him did not feel so bad. Needless to say, but it was the first time someone actually took care of him while he was suffering. His brother always kept food and drinks in his cabin, but even Christian wasn''t allowed inside when Caleb was in his heat.

    Caleb lied down comfortably on the bed and stared at Ashton. That guy was dragging the couch to the door because the doorknob was broken and he did not want any more intruders.

    __________

    The next morning Caleb moved sluggishly on the bed as the light ray of the morning sun hit him on the eyes in a gentle way.

    He would be lying if he said he slept at all. Throughout the night he tossed and turned in pain hoping the pain would subside. That did not happen however he tried to keep the groans away because of the person snoring soundly on the couch. How was this guy an Alpha, he looked like a baby while he slept. Maybe that was because he was still young.

    Ashton stirred on the couch a bit, but did not wake up. He seemed uncomfortable given how small the couch was. If Caleb were in a different situation he might have offered him the bed. Key word, ''might''.

    After a long time Ashton finally opened his eyes. He notices how Caleb was still twitching in pain. He tries to decide whether or not to go near him. That will probably won''t be best, so he just freshens up a bit.

    When he comes back in the room he saw Caleb sitting on the bed. "Do you want something"? He asked him just to be sure. Caleb just shook his head and clutched his growling stomach.

    Ashton shook his head before he said "I''ll buy you some food".

    "Wait"! He had successfully removed the couch from the door, and was able to leave when Caleb called out to him.

    "Don''t leave ". He gulped.

    "Why"? He asked skeptically.

    "They are scared of you, but they can come back for me". Caleb explained.

    "So, what do you want to do"?  Ashton folded his arms and asked. "Aren''t you hungry? You have had nothing since yesterday''s lunch. I have had nothing since yesterday''s lunch".

    Caleb became silent. He wasn''t sure what the right move was. He wouldn''t mind starving for a while, but he couldn''t ask Ashton to starve with him.

    "Let''s do one thingˇ­" Ashton caught back his attention. "... let''s return. You can adequate rest in comfortable surroundings. That way you will feel better". He suggested. Caleb''s eyes widened at that as he thought of the consequences. "NO!" Ashton was taken aback by his answer

    "Why now"? Ashton asked him with frustration.

    "I always hide my true scent. If I go back now, it will be everywhere and I will be discovered". Caleb voiced his panic. Maybe if he wasn''t already sweating due to heat, then he would have started sweating by now.

    "Then let''s go someplace else". Ashton replied after careful thinking.

    "Caleb scrunched his eyebrows and asked, "Where"? Ashton simply smirked at him.

 Chapter 13 - Caring For You

    "Where"? Caleb asked him.

    "Well, I was thinking about my house". He shrugged.

    "What"? Caleb deadpanned. He was grateful, but not so much that he would risk going to his house. What if all of this was a part of some big elaborate plan. His heart begged him to trust Ashton, but his mind shouted otherwise.

    "Well, I live in the outskirts, so your scent won''t be everywhere. Plus my mom is better at taking care of anyone than I am".  Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb thought for a moment but struggled to get a definitive answer.

    After a whole minute Ashton spoke up "Or I''ll leave", he turned around to leave.

    "Wait"! Caleb tried to get out of the bed, but he couldn''t stand properly due to the pain. Ashton rushed towards him and supported him to stand up.

    They checked out of the place and went to their car. "Oh no". Caleb murmured softly.

    "What"? Ashton looked up at him.

    "I can''t drive in this condition". Caleb admitted honestly. "Do you have a license"? He asked Ashton.

    He shook his head before saying "I have a learner''s permit". He shrugged.

    "You are gonna ruin my car, aren''t you". Caleb said sadly.

    "Or you stay here. I''ll leave". Ashton threatened again. Caleb grabbed his wrist tightly "Let''s go".

    On their way back Caleb spent most of his time with his eyes closed. If Ashton didn''t know how much pain he was in, he would have said that Caleb was asleep.

    Ashton''s mother was delighted that he showed up when he did. She was worried about him, mostly because she knew how he can be when he lost his temper. The kid only listened to her when he did. She wasn''t afraid that he will reveal his identity. Unlike Ashton, she does not want him to hide from who he is just for their sake. She was just worried that he would end up doing something he regrets in his temper.

    What surprised his mother was when she spotted a second person behind Ashton. He was sweating and a very strong scent hit her nose, and she realized what was going on here.

    "Come inside. Oh dear". She helped Caleb get inside and Ashton followed them.

    "Can he stay with us for a while"?he asked his mother.

    "Oh honey, I really want to. But we have no extra bed rooms available". She said, feeling apologetic.

    Caleb frowned a little but quickly changed it to hide his disappointment.

    "He can stay in my room. I will take the couch in the living room". Ashton suggested.

    "Are you sure"? His mother asked with concern. She knew what the smell of an omega in heat did to him. He was good at self control, but she hated to see him suffer as well.

    "Yes, I am sure". He smiled at her to convince her. His mother slightly nodded and asked him to take Caleb upstairs.

    He helped him get comfortable on his bed. And once he was comfortable, he started scavenging the room for any essentials he could need for a while. It would be for the best if he avoided this room for a while.

    When he was about to leave the room Caleb called out "Why are you helping me"? He asked him softly.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton scrunched his eyebrows at him.

    "Well, you don''t even know me very well. We just met, and still you are going to such lengths for me? Even giving up your room for me"? Caleb asked inquisitively.

    "I shouldn''t help you just because I don''t know you very well"? Ashton asked him skeptically. Caleb shrugged which was followed by a heavy sigh from Ashton

    "I don''t know what kind of people you are surrounded with, but I will help anyone who needs it irrespective of how well I know them". Ashton told him.

    "So, you are saying, that if I were someone else, you would do the same"? He asked Ashton.

    "Exactly". He nodded and left.

    He felt a tinge of bitterness in his heart. For some reason he thought maybe he was special. It could be because no one ever treated him with such kindness, not even his own parents. It was hard for him to believe that a pure-blooded Alpha, despite knowing what Caleb is and that too in his condition, won''t take advantage of him.

    He met Mrs. Parker and he could imagine why Ashton was this way. She raised him to be respectful irrespective of blood status.

    He tried to take some rest but the amount of pain will not let him have it. After a while Mrs Parker knocked on the door. "Can I come in"? She asked.

    "Yesˇ­" he replied weakly.

    She was holding a tray that had a bowl. She placed it at the nightstand and helped him sit up.

    "Here, have some soup. It''s my special recipe. It helps with the pain". She smiled at him. He thought for a moment and nodded reluctantly. Why couldn''t his family treat him like this? Yes, they were Alpha''s and had bigger responsibilities, but he was their son too. They have always favoured Christian over Caleb when it came to anything. Luckily he was close with his brother, or else he would probably resent him.

    "You okay "? Mrs Parker asked Caleb softly. He nodded at her before she wiped a tear from his cheek. That''s when he realised he was crying. He wasn''t someone who cried that often. Must be due to all these overwhelming hormones right?

    He obediently followed any instructions given to him by Mrs Parker. He was indeed surprised by how it made him feel better. The pain was still there, but somehow it was a little less. It was enough to make him fall asleep, and due to his sleep deprived state he fell asleep immediately.

    Downstairs Ashton arranged a few bed sheets and was dragging them outside, when his mother spotted him she asked him, "What are you doing Ashton"? She was clearly surprised.

    "I am not rich enough to own a porsche. I am trying to hide his car so we get no unwanted attention" He justified his actions.

    "You know that no one actually comes here right"? She asked him skeptically.

    "I am just being cautious" He shrugged and left. She chuckled at her son''s behaviour.

    When he was about to enter his house, two little girls hugged him from both sides tightly. "Ashton, you are back"! They exclaimed with enthusiasm.

    "You guys missed me"? He asked them with a smile as he hugged them back. If there was anyone who could lift his mood no matter what his situation was, it was his baby twin sisters.

    When they entered both the girls scrunch their nose "Is someone here"? Ava asked.

    "Yes, I actually brought a friend over".

    "Is she your girlfriend"? Ariel beamed at him. His eyes widened and he ended up laughing.

    "It''s a boy" He told them in between his laughs.

    "So he is your boyfriend"? Ava exclaimed. Ashton stopped laughing and probably blushed a little bit. His ears felt a tad warmer. He was worried what if Caleb heard them and misunderstood again. "NOO"! He exclaimed to them.

    "He is just a friend. Actually we are not even that close" He explained himself. "Why do you girls think it''s my boyfriend, I can''t bring back who is just a friend"? He asked them as he sat with both of them on the couch.

    "Because you never brought any friends over"! Ava pouted.

    "Be honest, do you like him"? Ariel pestered further. Ashton facepalmed himself as he tried to ignore the warmth in his ears.

    "That is enough girls"! Their mother came and scolded them. "Go get changed, I will put food on the table for all of you". She forced the twins away.

    "So, was Ariel right"? She teased Ashton once the girls were out of the vicinity.

    "Mom"! Ashton whined while Mrs Parker just laughed at her son.

 Chapter 14 - Family

    Caleb spent most of the week in the bed, except when he had to go to use the washroom. It was painful for him but he couldn''t help but feel bad for bothering them like this. Of course many people tried to reach out to him while he was in pain, but the only call he picked up was from his brother

    His brother was always there for him, so he wanted to be honest about everything. But he felt a pang in his heart when he thought about exposing Ashton''s secret.

    When Caleb was determined to protect his secret, Ashton helped him out and went through so much trouble, even giving up his own bedroom to him. He could not repay this with a betrayal. He wasn''t sure if he told his brother the whole truth how he will or the whole pack will treat him. Ashton was kind of a wanted criminal after James and his friends died.

    On the last few days when his scent had subsided down to a considerable amount he wondered if he should go back. His trip was meant for a day so he did not have any Alpha Pheromones with him. He should wait for the scent to wean down even further. Even then it will be a risk, but that was the only option he was left with.

    He was submerged deep in his thoughts when he saw Ashton walk in. For the few days he had been here, this is the first time he saw him ever since he grabbed his stuff the other day and left.

    "How are you feeling"? Ashton asked him awkwardly while standing at the door itself.

    "Better". Caleb nodded. "Can we talk"? I asked him.

    "Sureˇ­" Ashton said.

    "What happened that day? The day James died. You told me you were there"? Caleb asked him.

    "I see you still don''t believe me". Ashton whispered but Caleb still caught it.

    "No, I do. Even before I knew whom that scent belonged to". Caleb straightened himself up on the bed properly to have a serious conversation.  "The other day the claw marks were loaded with wolfsbane. Whoever killed him wanted to make sure that they died. But the thing is no wolf will ever dip their own claws in it. Forget killing someone else, they will end up killing themselves". He gave a long explanation.

    "What if a pureblooded Alpha can withstand it". Ashton asked him while he sat down next to Caleb in the bed.

    "I am confused. I thought you wanted me to trust you"? Caleb looked at him skeptically.

    "I do, but not because I helped you". He sighed. "It''s easier to get manipulated by small acts of kindness, you should still be careful whom you trust". Ashton whispered as he recalled his own past memories.

    Caleb didn''t comment anything on that. He could tell that whatever Ashton meant, he was speaking from experience. He did not want to bother him any more than he already has, so he let it slide.

    "Anyways, can you please tell me what happened"? He sighed. "The sooner we figure this out the sooner you are off the wanted list".

    Ashton narrated him the whole event and by the time he was done he could Caleb was visibly clutching his fist as if he was about to punch something.

    "It bothers you"? Ashton asked him due to his reaction.

    "Anything that happens which is disrespectful but without any proper reason bothers me. If I were you I would have actually killed him. I may not be that close to my family, but I will kill for them". He said with utmost determination.

    Ashton smirked seeing his reaction. Caleb raised his eyebrows at him, confused by the reaction but Ashton simply shook his head.

    Ashton was a bit amused by Caleb. He had met a lot of werewolves in his life, even when he did his best to avoid them. No matter which omega he met, irrespective of the gender they were always weak and had a very calm demeanor.  Caleb however was completely opposite to it. If his genes were a bit different he would actually make a great Alpha. Ashton mused quietly at that thought.

    "Why are you looking at me like that"? Caleb asked Ashton skeptically.

    "Like what"? Ashton was lost in his thought for a moment, so he didn''t realise what expression he had on his face.

    "I dunno, its...creepy". Caleb pretended to cringe.

    "Still scared of me"? Ashton smirked.

    "Not really. But if you try anything funny, I am scared ''for'' you". Caleb smirked back at him.

    "Well, it seems you''re feeling better already. When are you leaving"? Ashton asked.

    "Are you kicking me out"? Caleb pretended to be hurt as he faked a gasp.

    "Yes" Ashton told him bluntly. "I miss my room, and my bed. My spine hurts". Ashton stretched a bit.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll leave soon,  I''ll just let the smell wean off first. I don''t have any alpha pheromones on me, so it''s tricky". Caleb told him.

    "Actually, I got some for you" he dug out his pocket and handed him over a bottle that looked like a bottle of cologne.

    "Why"? Caleb raised an eyebrow at him amused by him.

    "Well, I usually get them for my sisters. Figured you might need one too". Ashton shrugged.

    "Thanks". Caleb whispered. He was really touched by his gesture.

    "So, the reason why I am here" Ashton sighed,  "Wanna join us for dinner today"?

    "As in, with the rest of your family"? Caleb gulped. He was comfortable with his mom by now, but he wasn''t sure of his Dad or his sisters. Ashton nodded at him, and to not come of as rude, he nodded back at him. "Alright, I''ll do it".

    They got down for a proper meal and Caleb was surprised how the family was gathered together. It was a small table, way smaller than the one at their mansion, but somehow it felt nicer.

    "Thank you Mrs Parker, for everything". He said sincerely.

    "Oh don''t be silly, I''m glad I could help. By the way you can call me Sue, Mrs Parker sounds way too formal". She smiled at him.

    He saw two girls who looked eerily similar, as if they were twins. They had a few differences which might give away who is whom. Like one of them had waist length hair while the other had bob cut.

    "Hi, I am Ariel," the girl with the longer hair introduced herself to Caleb.

    "And I am Ava". The other sister followed the same suit.

    "I am Caleb". He was in awe at how adorable they were.

    "You are very handsome", Ava told him bluntly.

    "Ava"! Ashton scolded her for her bluntness but Caleb and Mrs Parker just laughed at her.

    "Are you in Ashton''s year"? Ariel asked him.

    "No, I am a senior. I am two years older than him", Caleb told her with a smile.

    "Then why are you his friend? He has no friends", Ava asked him this time.

    "Wellˇ­" He hesitated on what to tell them. Friend was a bit of oversimplification, he wasn''t sure what he would call their relationship.

    "That''s enough girls". Mrs Parker scolded them. "More eating, less talking". She scolded them.

    They had a lovely meal and the girls kept bothering Caleb from time to time, but Mrs Parker kept them in line. It was weird how uncomfortable and yet so comfortable those intrusive questions made him. It was nice that someone was interested in him as a person and not as some leader. Maybe because he belongs from a royal family he was used to having a cold aura all the time, but somehow this family felt really warm. He felt happy here and maybe a tad bit jealous of Ashton for having such a wonderful family.

 Chapter 15 - Is He...?

    Ashton stayed home for the whole week Caleb was there. Not that he helped in taking care of him or anything, but he knew that having that smell while going out was potentially dangerous. He wasn''t very fond of Caleb at first, but over the past few days he kind of grew on him.

    The next day after Caleb left their house he washed up and was headed for the school. He hated that he missed almost a whole week, because they had an important test that was going to be held. He was worried about his grades and was upset that his dreams of ever escaping this hell was shattered. So one can imagine how happy he was when he found out the teacher ( who was a human) postponed the test because apparently she caught a flu.

    His day was turning up to be better than he expected, until Matt got a hold of him.

    "Hey"! Matt literally shoved Ashton to the locker. As a reflex Ashton made a fist, but put his energy into holding himself back. It was very hard for him to not fight back.

    "What do you want"? Just because he won''t fight doesn''t mean he won''t express his annoyance to Matt.

    "Where were you last week"? He asked him, as if one wrong answer was good enough to kill him.

    "I was stuck with Caleb". He said that knowing well enough that he is feared. He still failed to understand how Caleb was that scary? Is it because they thought he was an Alpha, or was he possibly related to the head Alpha family. Nevertheless it worked and he could see Matt''s hand quiver.

    "Why"? He asked, tightening his fist around Ashton''s collar.

    "He got the flu, so we had to stay there. I don''t have a license so he refused to let me drive". Ashton came up with an excuse right at the moment. Matt, though skeptical, seemed to accept that excuse as he knew how careful Caleb was when it came to his car. To this day he never even let Matt drive it, even if they were childhood best friends and he had already begged thousand times.

    "So, you could have informed me"? He fumed.

    "I don''t have your number". He said flatly, trying his best to hide his frustration.

    For some reason it infuriated him even more. He pulled his collar even more tightly as a warning "Who do you think I am"?

    "Matt"? He asked, baffled by the other person''s stupidity.

    "I am your team''s Captain. As a team member it is your responsibility to get my number". He warned him.

    "Okayˇ­" He said skeptically. "I thought Caleb told you already", he muttered. He realised what he did after a moment when he recalled the wolf hearing skills Matt had and that he heard him. He was furious again.

    "I don''t care what you think, whom you are with! You miss practice, you inform me beforehand and there better be a good reason for it"! He spat on his face. "Repeat this and you are out of the team"!

    "Matt"! They heard the voice of Caleb. "Let him go, it was not his fault to begin with". He came towards them. Ashton paid a little bit more attention to his scent. He just wanted to check how he was feeling, which due to Matt''s presence, could not become a verbal conversation.

    He was filled with those stinking Alpha pheromones one again, but after he focussed his sniffing, he could smell a tinge of pineapple once more. The scent had faded away significantly, but somehow there was still a residual amount. Maybe he smelled it because he had heightened senses much more than anyone? Even if that wasn''t the case, the smell was not threatening as it could give a false impression of cologne.

    "What are you doing here anyway" Matt asked Caleb with frustration. It seemed that he was mad at Caleb too, but he feared him enough to try to control his anger.

    "Can I talk to you"? He asked Matt, "...in private"? He suggested.

    Both of them left at the other corner and started speaking at a much lower voice. Matt believed he was out of Ashton''s hearing range, while Caleb simply didn''t care since his biggest secret was revealed to him already.

    "What is it"? Matt asked,

    "Listen I am sorry for messing up the practice, I know tomorrow is the match and I swear I will show up even if I have a bullet through my heart". He told his friend.

    "I wish I could believe you, but the way you skip all the time, I doubt you care about the match at all. The only reason I am being this aggressive is because it is important to me" He sighed. Caleb didn''t reply anything to his friend as he knew he was a huge disappointment to him.

    "And, why do you keep defending him", Matt asked him skeptically. "Be honest with me, is heˇ­" he took a long pause which even scared Caleb, "...your mate"? He whispered the last part to avoid any wolf ears. That was the same reason Ashton missed that part of the conversation as well.

    "What? No"!! Caleb whisper-yelled at his friend, while he could feel a bit warmth in his ears.

    "Hey, you can be honest with me. I won''t judge if he is" He shrugged.

    "He is not, believe me" Caleb tried to convince him. "Can we drop it"? He left without waiting for an explanation.

    **************************************

    Back at the end of the corridor Ashton was starting to sweat, because according to him the conversation went something like thisˇ­

    "Be honest with me, is heˇ­"

    "What? No"!!

    "Hey, you can be honest with me. I won''t judge if he is"

    "He is not, believe me"

    What was he? What did Matt think Ashton was? Did he figure out that he was a wolf too? Or worse, a pureblooded Alpha? If he did, he was doomed. Even though he heard Caleb deny whatever Matt thought he was, he would kill Caleb if it was his fault that Matt was getting suspicious. He just moved to town, not only he was on the verge of screwing up his one chance at a scholarship, but he was also about to be discovered for what he truly is.

    He wishes he could turn back time and choose a different place to move. Or maybe simply just avoid Caleb from the very beginning.

 Chapter 16 - Deal

    Caleb was on his way to history class, one class he was really looking forward to because he could finally sleep peacefully when someone pulled him into the Janitor''s closet with a strong force. Without even looking, as a reflex he tried to get out of that tight grip, but when he couldn''t budge at all and his arm was starting to hurt, he looked up to find Ashton giving him a death stare.

    "What are you doing"? Caleb whisper-yelled at him.

    "Did you tell anyone what I am"? Ashton asked him, cutting straight to the point.

    "What?No"!! He answered while still trying to free himself from his grip. "Let go of me" he finally ordered him unable to take that strong grip anymore.

    "What did you tell him" He asked with anger in his voice.

    "Whom"? Caleb asked confused.

    "Your friend, Matt," He replied with much distaste.

    "Nothing. Besides I am pretty sure you heard us"Caleb rolled his eyes and finally managed to get out of that grip. "What is wrong with you"! He whisper-yelled at him.

    "I heard him suspecting something about meˇ­" Ashton told him, "tell me what it is"

    "What"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows for a moment before he realised what Ashton was referring to.

    "Ohhhˇ­ it was nothing. It had nothing to do with your blood status" he said softly.

    "How can I trust you"? Ashton raised his eyebrows suspiciously while Caleb rolled his eyes at him.

    "Cause you know a secret of mine as well" Caleb shrugged. "How about I make you deal, you don''t tell anyone about me, and I don''t tell anyone about you". He raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Deal" Ashton nodded at him. "So what was he suspecting then"?

    "It was nothing, don''t worry about it". Caleb shrugged.

    Caleb tried to leave but once again Ashton grabbed his hand tightly and prevented him from leaving.

    "Ouch"!  Caleb shouted in pain.

    "Tell me" Ashton asked in a grave voice.

    Caleb took a deep breath before he finally said "I swear to god, let go of me or I will kill you" he threatened.

    Ashton, flabbergasted, withdrew his hand before he tried a little nicely, "Sorry, but will please tell me what he said about me"?

    "Fine".Caleb sighed. "He was asking if you areˇ­" he paused for a moment "...my mate".

    "What"? Ashton asked him flatly, "why would he think that"?

    "Because I keep defending you all the time"? Caleb shrugged.

    "Why"? Ashton asked him.

    "I don''t know, apparently that''s how his thought process works" Caleb shrugged.

    "No, I meant why do you always defend me"? Ashton clarified himself.

    "Oh, because Iˇ­ " he trailed off for a moment.  "It''s my job to look out for everyone here. It''s just that you get in lot of trouble, so helping you has become quite evident"

    "I see" Ashton whispered. "You don''t have to though. You know I can take care of myself"

    "Will you though"? Caleb asked him retrospectively. "You want to hide who you are, I don''t think you will fight. Which is ironic given your usual behavior which can be really infuriating".

    "You are the same, wanting to hide your true self" Ashton accused him instead.

    "I know" he shrugged. "Looking after people, fighting the ones who bully also helps me keep my identity safe. In a way, it''s a perfect arrangement for us" he shrugged.

    "But they are starting to misunderstand you" Ashton told him with a gloomy expression.

    "I don''t mind though" Caleb simply shrugged. "If people think we are together, they will actually stop bothering me. It''s tiring to turn down dates all the time. Some of them even start crying at the spot" he cringed at the memory of it.

    "I see". Ashton nodded awkwardly.

    "Unless of course you mind. Then I will try to clear any misunderstandings that happen" Caleb offered.

    "No, it''s alright. I don''t even want to date anyone here. Maybe pretending to be in a relationship will save both of us some extra trouble" Ashton shrugged.

    "Okay, next time someone misunderstands us, I won''t bother correcting them". Caleb shrugged.

    "Deal" Ashton replied with a smirk before they exited the Janitor''s closet.

    Both of them left the Janitor''s closet at the same time. While the hallway appeared clear, a girl with a pixie cut saw them emerging from there. Imagine what kind of idea one will get when they see two high school students, coming out of a closed closet in the middle of a period. Since the girl was human they failed to detect any presence.

    After all the classes were over the soccer team decided to do a final practice before they called it a day. They needed to save their energy for the main game, so after the game Caleb and Matt bought everyone refreshments. (It was mostly Caleb).

    First round was played by the main players while the next round they asked the standbys to take position. Caleb stared at the whole team while Matt gave them instructions. He was feeling guilty enough for ruining practice, he just hoped that he could make up for it. He watched the game, and he had to admit Ashton was a great player. Maybe his stamina came from being a wolf, but the skills were purely him.

    He was lost in the game when he felt a vibration in his pocket. He checked to see it was his brother calling him.

    "Hey, what''s up"? Caleb answered like anyone usually would.

    "There is a bad news, you remember Mr Stetson? He was found dead this morning by the bayou". Christian told him.

    "What? How"? He asked in a louder than usual voice.

    "I don''t know, but it matched the pattern with James'' death, same claw marks and everything". His brother told him. That grabbed his attention. The moment he heard that his eyes went to Ashton. Sure he said he wasn''t the culprit, but he still was the pack''s prime suspect.

    Ashton was busy in the game. From a distance he seemed pretty innocent. In his heart he wanted him to be innocent. He knew very well the types of punishments their pack offers for crimes like this. While he was certain it won''t kill anyone, that''s a lot of pain and torture for any werewolf.

    "What about that Alpha, was his scent there"? Naturally he asked this question. His eyes were still on Ashton, and as soon as he was asked the question Ashton gave him a quick suspicious glance before he focused back to the game. With the hearing Ashton had, it won''t be surprising if he actually had heard him.

    "No, it wasn''t there this time. It was some other Alpha''s scent. This time it wasn''t that strong so I am guessing not a pureblooded one. I think they are using the commercial scents to sabotage our investigation". Christian told him with frustration.

    "But that''s silly. They want us to believe it''s a wolf, then they leave a lot of wolfsbaneˇ­ the killer seems really amateur". Caleb told him. Caleb was always keen on looking at the bigger picture instead of judging instantly, which is why his brother always valued his judgements.

    "I agree, be careful on your way back. The killer is attacking strong Alphas. You can be attacked easily given you are at school". Christian expressed his concern.

    "Sure". Caleb hung up. He wanted to solve this case as soon as possible. It wasn''t upto him, but if the person was attacking the strong wolves his friends were definitely in danger.

 Chapter 17 - Killer At Large

    Ashton''s focus from the game started to decline. He was more interested in the conversation Caleb was having with whoever was at the end of that line, from the moment he heard Caleb utter the words "pureblooded Alpha".

    He already cornered him once today, so he tried his best to let it go. He finished the game in his excellent form, but soon after it started to bother him once more. He wanted to ask him what was that all about, but with all these wolves surrounding he could not do so without revealing his own identity.

    Lucky for him, Matt was really intrusive and inquisitive when it came to his best friend.

    "You look worried, is everything alright "? Matt asked him.

    "Mr, Stetson passed away". he informed him. "He was attacked like James was".

    Matt scrunched his eyebrows, "Wasn''t he an Alpha too"? Caleb nodded at Matt''s question.

    Ashton''s paused for a moment in his tracks when he heard that. A situation like this made him the prime suspect. Even though he told Caleb it wasn''t him, there was a good chance that he didn''t believe him.

    He didn''t wait for the refreshments and went straight to his work. Even if his boss liked him, she was very angry that he missed a whole week. She gave him an earful for a really long time, but luckily he wasn''t fired.

    He was late for his home once more, it was so much work. Keeping in his mind that a killer was at large, he decided to not go back to home at all today. After a lot of request the owner gave him permission to stay in the coffee shop for the night.

    He was about to change the sign on the door from open to close when someone walked in. He was about to tell them they were closed when he recognized the face as Caleb. Despite that he did tell him to leave. "We are closed".

    "Alright, you don''t have to sell me anything". Caleb rolled his eyes at him.

    "Why are you here"? Ashton asked him when his curiosity got the best of him.

    "I wanted some coffee". He said flatly.

    "No, I mean here near the school. Shouldn''t you be in your home by now"? Ashton asked with sass.

    "I came from there only. I live nearby". Caleb smiled.

    "And yet you drive your fancy car everyday. You are so spoiled". Ashton commented.

    "Hey, I have a lot of pack duties and driving saves me time. I am not spoiled". Caleb got defensive.

    "Whatever". Ashton shrugged while he got him his coffee.

    "I thought you said you were close". Caleb raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

    "You can''t afford to be sleepy if you are going after some Alpha killer". Ashton shrugged again.

    "Wow, you eavesdrop on me a lot don''t you. If I didn''t know better I would say you are obsessed with me". Caleb teased him.

    "I am OBSESSED with keeping my secret". Ashton shot him a glare. "I thought you were their Alpha, so I kept checking mostly for any news that could threaten me". Ashton admitted reluctantly. He wasn''t proud of his method, but it worked.

    "Ohˇ­" Caleb trailed off before he said "I kind of am actually". Ashton raised an eyebrow at him questioning what he meant, so Caleb explained further. "I am their ''Alpha'', since they think I am one". He finger quoted the word Alpha. If one was attentive enough they could detect his distance in the word ''Alpha''. "My family is the head Alpha, soˇ­ I am kind of a leader figure. My brother will be the next pack leader though. He is older than me and a true Alpha". Caleb shared.

    "Why are you telling me all this"? Ashton raised his eyebrows suspiciously at Caleb.

    "I know about your family, it''s only fair you know about mine". Caleb shrugged.

    "Wait head alpha? As in the Wrisbergs"? Ashton deadpanned as soon as it clicked him.

    "Yeah, don''t tell me you didn''t know what my last name is"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows. Ashton simply shrugged at him while he shook his head.

    They chatted for a while, but soon Caleb received a text after which he left. The next day he went to school a little early. Its been long since he took a shower, and he won''t play the game without taking one. He was surprised when he woke up all sweaty this morning, which was another reason he needed that shower badly. That could only mean one thing, his nightmares were back.

    He was worried when he didn''t see Caleb at the game. He expected Matt to freak out but he was surprisingly calm and well composed. No wonder Matt was leader because he can pull through times like these.

    For the first half Ashton had to play since Caleb was missing. If he didn''t know any better he would think Caleb bailed on purpose, but last night he saw him get ready for patrolling, so he did feel kind of worried right now.

    After half time when the match was about to begin Caleb finally showed up. One would think that his arrival was a relief to the team, but his face looked disheveled and there was a bruise at the edge of his lips on the left side. With him being and wolf, the fact that the injury was still visible could only mean one thing, this happened to him in the last hour itself.

    "What happened to you"? Matt frustrated asked him. He wanted his friend to show up, but not like this.

    "It''s nothing. I am in good shape, it''s just a minor bruise" Caleb patted Matt''s shoulder to convince him.

    Matt was a bit reluctant but after a lot of requesting he finally let him play. Their game was almost upto the tie, with them being on the losing end with 1 point. With Caleb back on the teams they reversed the situation in no time.

    The whole school cheered for the wolves (their team) as they started to play. Even injured Caleb was a better player than Ashton. They made the last goal at the last minute when they won the game. The wolves were so happy that they started to jump and cheer all around and started going for a group hug. While Caleb didn''t join them he smiled at their victory.

    Ashton contemplated whether or not to join the sweaty team when he saw Caleb, who was standing a moment ago upright beaming at his team, collapse at the middle of the football field. Panic and chaos ensured while everyone including the coach and standby players rushed towards unconscious Caleb.

 Chapter 18 - Ambush

    When Caleb passed out chaos ensured in the field. His friends helped him get to the pack hospital while Ashton just watched from far. He wanted to follow them but he had to keep his cover safe.

    In the hospital after thorough examination they declared that Caleb was poisoned with wolfsbane. The injury was not severe and the amount of wolfsbane was very less which is why it took him longer to pass out.

    The doctor also suggested that running around in the field like that helped spread the wolfsbane and did much more damage than it should have. While he was put on antidote, his recovery was still an uncertainty.

    His family rushed to the hospital when they heard the news. His father, the head Alpha, demanded an explanation for the incident, but the only one who knew about it was Caleb. When he found Matt he asked him hoping maybe Caleb told him something before he passed out.

    "I have no idea, Sir". He told Mr. Wrisberg. "He showed up in the field bruised. I thought he got into some minor fight so I let him play. If I knew he had wolfsbane in his system I wouldn''t have allowed him to play. He must have hidden his injuries with the football Jersey". Matt spoke in a hurried manner hoping to avoid trouble.

    "Mnn" Mr. Wrisberg didn''t say anything further. He mostly kept wondering what could have happened. The rest of the time he kept wondering will Caleb be okay.

    (Few hours ago)

    Caleb was driving late to school since he woke up late. He was tired after patrolling the whole night so he finally gave in to sleep when it finally hit him this morning. He would have missed the whole day if it weren''t for the tournament. He already let down the team so much, he couldn''t disappoint them further.

    He put on the song ''I am gonna be (500 miles) by proclaimers and drove with a little over the speed limit in the empty roads of the warm afternoon. Suddenly he found a huge tree blocking the road. While that won''t be such a big surprise usually, given how it hadn''t stormed for days, and it was not there the last time he drove, it seemed more that suspicious.

    He got down, and tried to check out the road. He pondered whether or not he should move it. The tree was too heavy to be lifted by just one man, but Caleb was a wolf. With his strength here could easily do it. Problem? What if a human comes by while he is lifting it. Not that it would change anything, they won''t be able to prove that he is a werewolf just based on that.

    He finally decided to do it, and as soon as he touched the surface got fingers burned like it was put on a red hot iron. He recoiled his hand and stared ayyy the wood as he realized it had wolfsbane in it.

    He looked around the root of the tree to see any wolfsbane plant lying around. Not that out would matter, because a plant won''t reach the height where Caleb touched it.

    He was examining the things around it when he heard rustling of bushes. That caught his attention. He turned around abruptly to see two men standing there. He could make out that they were human, but their faces were hidden beneath. It made sense since those two wanted to ambush him. They were both almost as tall as Caleb, but had a much sturdier built.

    Caleb adapted an alert stance as he got ready to fight them. He was sure if he was careful enough he could avoid getting attacked by wolfsbane and take them down by his strength itself. All he needed was proper tactics to win this fight.

    One of the men tried to punch him but he caught his fist in the midway and twisted his own arm to cause pain. The other man attacked him soon enough as he saw an opportunity to take Caleb down. As both his hands were busy to keep the man in position, he felt outnumbered.

    To overcome it he threw the man he was holding onto the other man he was going to attack. They both fell down on the ground at the same time. Caleb looked around for an opportunity to escape but unfortunately he found none.

    Both of them attacked him at the same time and an intense fight amongst them ensured. The men turned out to be stronger than usual humans. It was a miracle that they managed to give a few bruises to Caleb given his tactics.

    Frustrated he growled at them as his eyes shone a lighter shade of blue and his canines grew in size. It was like his face morphed into mid transition for a moment. He had hoped that his scary face would catch them off guard, but when they didn''t he remembered that those men knew who he was already.

    He knew that whatever weapon they were carrying must be loaded with wolfsbane to give him the final blow of death. He got more cautious and looked out for their hands in case they took it out.

    Those men overpowered him after fighting for a while, but he would not give up so easily. He tried removing their hands and in doing so, he tore the sleeves and it revealed a certain mark that only a few selected members of human''s community have. They were the hunters.

    The sightings of hunters weren''t rare, but after a long time the wolves managed to live in peace with them, in exchange for not hurting any of the humans. Then why were they being attacked suddenly.

    All these thoughts flooded his mind which was enough to distract him and thus pushed him down. His skin over his abdomen on the right side started to burn. That''s when he realized that his shirt was torn too and it was lying directly over a piece of log that belonged to that wolfsbane soaked tree.

    He heard clanking of metals which could mean only one thing. The final blow was here. He closed his eyes and accepted his death as he had no options left.

    Suddenly a lot of howling noises distracted the three of them at the same time. The man tried to hurry and plunge his weapon into Caleb, but that moment of distraction was enough to make Caleb evade that and soon he flipped the tables.

    While he held down that man who was holding that claw like weapon, that other man punched Caleb hard and he fell down. The howls got louder and those two men made the run for it.

    He breathed as he saw the direction they went into. His instincts dictated him to follow them, but he had also promised Matt that he would show up no matter what. He had already disappointed him too many times.

    His abdomen was still burning a little so he looked down and saw tiny abrasions. Normally they would be healed by now, but the wolfsbane was slowing the process down.

    A strong familiar Alpha smell hit him so he quickly covered his abrasion and decided to talk to his brother.

    "Are you alright "? His brother asked him while he gave him a tight hug.

    "I am fine, they were almost about to kill me. Thanks for showing up". Caleb smiled at his brother through the pain.

    "Of course, I would never ignore a distress signal. Especially the one that came from you". Christian patted his younger brother. Turns out Caleb alerted his brother by the app they had in their phones before he got out of his car. He had anticipated something like this beforehand.

    "You should go back home, get checked by the doctor". His brother suggested.

    "No, I am alright".  He sighed. "I have a match to play, so I will leave this to you" he patted twice. "They ran there". He pointed towards the direction and ran to his college.

    His brother shifted and commanded the other wolves who came with him to follow him.

    Caleb on the other hand washed all his wounds as soon as he reached the locker room. While his injury didn''t hurt anymore, it was still not healing yet. He changed into his Jersey and started playing the match.

    His burn was back in the mid game and started to increase in intensity while he played. He wasn''t sure if he would make it till the last minute, but he was himself surprised when he made the last goal. He felt too weak to move any further and soon everything went dark for him.

 Chapter 19 - Anxiety And Anticipation

    Ashton decided to check up on Caleb once he was done changing. He didn''t get a chance to do so due to all the ongoing chaos in the field. By the time he went to the medical room it was emptied out. It made sense cause he must have been transported to the Pack Hospital.

    He tried not to worry too much, knowing well enough that he would be taken care of. But still, he was curious as to why he collapsed so suddenly when he literally made the team win. It was the weekend, so he was busy doing his chores, but he knew that there was some kind of attack going on. So he tried to stay as much alert as he could. More than that he was worried for his family than he was worried for himself.

    He lost his family once when he was young, he was not ready to lose them again. He was mistaken for a human, but his family wasn''t. What if someone tried to attack them.

    After two days when he went back to school, he watched out to spot Caleb. He didn''t know what happened to him and the only person who could tell him everything properly was Caleb.

    He couldn''t see him the whole day, but he did see Matt as usual. He knew if there was anyone whom he could ask it was either him, or maybe Sara since she was his girlfriend. He decided to try Sara first

    "Hey, did you hear anything about Caleb"? He asked her after their chemistry class was dismissed.

    "No". She shook her head sadly before she asked "Why do you care so much"? She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

    "What do you mean? He collapsed right in front of the whole school. Anyone would be interested". Ashton shrugged.

    "Yeahˇ­ but you aren''t just anyone. You like to keep to yourself, stay out of every high school drama". She tried to dig deep as she pestered him.

    "Well, it''s certainly is not a drama. It''s about someone''s health issue". Ashton tried to justify.

    "Alright". Sara seemed convinced. "Why don''t you go and ask him yourself"? She suggested.

    "He is absent". Ashton blurted out without giving much of a thought.

    "Wow" she snorted. Ashton gave her a ''Are you crazy'' look which is why she continued, "Well, for someone who doesn''t give much of a damn, you clearly keep an eye on him. It''s not even lunch yet, and you know he is absent". She smirked.

    "What are you suggesting". Ashton decided to ask her directly as he was tired by her beating around the bush.

    "Can I be any more obvious"? she raised her eyebrows at me then sighed. "I saw you two, the other day, coming out of Janitor''s closet. What is going on between you two"? She asked suggestively.

    "It''s not what you think. We were just talking. There is nothing inappropriate going on between us". Ashton sighed.

    "Sure". While her words made it seem like she agreed, her tone of voice however expressed otherwise.

    Ashton knew she wasn''t convinced but he couldn''t care less. It''s high school, everyone loved to gossip here. No matter what he said it was clear that it won''t be of any use.

    He wondered if asking anyone else would be any useful or if they will simply assume, again, that something is going on between Ashton and Caleb. It wasn''t as if they were caught doing something which would heavily indicate that. Maybe the wolves took it more seriously because of the whole fated mates concept.

    He usually never went to lunch at cafeteria. He hated going there because of the people who were so loud. He preferred peace and quiet which is why library was the place where his lunch hours were spent.

    Many people assumed that he studied there, which won''t be a complete lie given that he was trying to score better. But most of the time he just simply took a nap. His mother always packed him two big sandwiches which he ate on his way, and thus kept his stomach full for the day.

    You can imagine how people reacted who were either infatuated with him, or irritated by him, felt when he showed up in the cafeteria for lunch on that particular Monday. Nobody dared to ask him anything to his face, but they did whisper and talk amongst themselves.

    Ashton wasn''t supposed to hear them, but the words ''what''s that freak doing here'' or ''Am I dreaming or the handsome nerd finally got bored with the library'' or ''I am so glad he is here, I don''t have many classes with him, so I see him less'' did reach his ears. He couldn''t bother less about all this chatter concerned with him and thus he focused at a particular table with his ears attentive to every other word said.

    "What did the doctors say"? A blonde girl whom Ashton have never seen before but was present on the table asked. She must be from a different year. From that distance he couldn''t make out whether she was werewolf or something else.

    "Nothing much, Mel. He will still need time". Matt told her as she nodded. They went back to different topics of conversation and thus nothing much came out of lunchtime eavesdropping.

    He did notice that Matt was quieter than usual. He usually behaved all dominant and short tempered, but when when another guy called him out he didn''t pay much attention to it and simply ignored him. That got Ashton thinking, does it have something to do with Caleb? Was he in more danger than he expected initially?

    His anxiety and anticipation got the best of him so he finally decided to approach Matt. Not that he would tell him anything more that a human should know, given that he agrees to say anything at all.

    "Matt," he called him when he found him the hallway on his way to Algebra. "Is Caleb alright"? Reluctantly he popped the question.

    "Why do you care". He asked him the same thing as Sara which is why he felt frustrated because he did not want to repeat the same conversation. "He was sick". He shrugged.

    Matt gave him a suspicious look before he said, "He is not okay. We have to wait and watch". He said and left without waiting for any reply.

    When he was gone Ashton smirked and instead of going to Algebra he went to the men''s room. He took out the phone he swiped off from Matt and started to go through his messages or anything that could give him some idea of the situation. He got lucky that Matt was distracted, otherwise stealing from a wolf is not an easy task.

    The last text exchange between Caleb and Matt was the day of the match when Matt asked him where was he. He also found a text from someone named Chris who asked him to be safe out there because the hunters were still at large. A few texts before he also saw an update about something related to wolfsbane poisoning and that it''s taking longer than usual.

    While Ashton didn''t want to assume the worst, he couldn''t help but think ''wait, was Caleb poisoned?'' He was aware of how wolfsbane kills someone once it enters their system as he himself witnessed it when he was nine. While his repressed memories flooded into his mind, he also felt anxious for Caleb''s health. If only there was a way to check up on him in the pack hospital without letting his secret out.

 Chapter 20 - Final Decision

    It''s been four days since Caleb passed out when he finally opened his eyes. He was physically still weak which is why he was advised for four days of bed rest.

    His father was very angry with the way things got out of hand this time. He made sure all the security protocols were put in action in the highest possible level. He had someone or the other reporting him about the situation quite literally every other minute.

    When he got the news that his son finally woke up, he along with his wife decided to leave for the hospital immediately. There his brother was already present and waiting for them to come.

    "What did the doctors say"? Mr. Wrisberg asked in a rough voice.

    "He will be alright". Christian announced with relief filled in his voice.

    Mr Wrisberg nodded before he went into the private room assigned to Caleb for his stay at the hospital. There he saw him sit casually in his bed laughing at something that was going on the TV as if he didn''t just wake up from a deep slumber.

    "Son". Mr Wrisberg spoke and that caught Caleb''s attention. The relaxed demeanor of Caleb morphed into a more serious and cautious one. One would think that being around family would make one very comfortable, but somehow it tensed him further.

    "How are you"? His father gulped before asking that. It was weird how that one simple question felt so awkward. He knew about his son''s condition, but he decided to ask him anyways to start a proper conversation.

    "Fine" Caleb replied to his father just as awkwardly. Before the conversation could proceed further his.mother walked in the room as well.

    "Oh my son, I am so glad you are finally awake". His mother said in a  near compassionate tone. Caleb didn''t say anything else. He was so sick of being this awkward.

    "Son, I want you to tell me everything that happened that day". His father ordered him without beating around the bushes anymore.

    Caleb nodded and narrated the incident like one of his patrol reports. After he was done his father asked him, "Are you sure there were two of them"?

    Caleb frowned and asked his father, "Yeah I am, why"?

    "Your brother found three sets of footprints in the woods. If you only fought two of them, I wonder what was the third one intending to do". His father said while he was thinking hard.

    "He told me they ran away, we need to be even more careful. What if there is more of them"? Caleb pointed out. "I have no idea why we are being attacked like this all of sudden". He sighed.

    "Neither do I, But I do know one thing". Caleb''s father said with determination while he looked directly at Caleb. When Caleb noticed his father''s look he felt a tad bit uncomfortable. "You are not leaving the house".

    "WHAT"! Caleb exclaimed with confusion and anger. His parents have always been controlling in nature, probably a perk of leading the pack. In times like this he wish they weren''t the pack leaders.

    "I have allowed you to do many dangerous things despite my great displeasure, and look where it has gotten you". He scolded him. "I am not putting up with any more of your childish requests".

    "Dad, they killed many Alpha''s whereas I was barely hospitalized. How can you still view me as incompetent"! Caleb almost shrieked with frustration.

    "Caleb, do not be disrespectful to your father"! His mother scolded him. Caleb snorted with frustration and looked away from his parents.

    "You were here for four days, and my decision is final". He declared and left the room. The moment he exited the door he saw a young woman who looked younger than she was, a common trait of the wolves, trying to get permission to enter.

    "Mrs Parker what brings you here"? Mr Wrisberg asked the woman.

    "Alpha". she bowed lightly at her. "My son informed me of your son''s condition, they are apparently on the same team so I thought maybe I should pay him a visit". She smiled.

    "I have been trying to tell her this is a private room, but she keeps on insisting she would visit him". The nurse ( who was also an omega) tried to explain herself in fear.

    He thought for a moment quietly before he nodded, "When my wife comes out let her enter". He then turned to Mrs. Parker, "He told me that you helped him once, thank you for that". He gave a faint smile and left.

    Meanwhile in Caleb''s room he refused to talk to his own mother who insisted on supporting his father instead of him. Yes its true that mates always favor each other, but he was her son. Once in a while it would be nice if she took his side whenever him and his father disagreed.

    Mrs Wrisberg after trying numerous times gave up and decided to leave finally. Caleb who was still lying down facing away from the door heard a softer and warmer voice call his name, "Caleb".

    The familiarity of the voice intrigued him so he turned around to find Mrs Parker standing there with a tiny bouquet and a warm smile. "Ashton told me about you so I came to visit. I didn''t realize you were the Alpha''s son". She informed him.

    "Thanks Mrs Parker".Caleb replied with a smile.

    "What did I ask you to call me"? She asked him in a stern voice.

    Caleb chuckled nervously before saying, "Sue".

    They chatted for a while, and somehow interacting with her made him smile. His frustration from earlier has dimmed down considerably. However, the woman who was pressing her ears on the gate and listening to their conversation felt a pang in her heart.

    It was not easy being the Luna and Caleb''s mother at the same time. When she heard the movements of the chairs she assumed that Mrs Parker was coming out of the room and positioned herself accordingly to avoid any suspicions.

    When Sue exited the chamber she greeted the Luna politely and left the building premises.

    Caleb sat on the bed and thought about all the things that were happening all around him, now that he was much calmer than before. He sat there thinking all the possible ways he could get his father to agree for him to go back to school. He wanted to finish high school no matter what.

    Amongst deep thought he noticed a tiny white thing in the bouquet of pale yellow flowers. He dug through the stems of the flowers and found a tiny folded get well soon card.

    He opened that card and read the message that was written there and started laughing. What was written there?

    "GET WELL SOONˇ­". That was the message. Below in a much tiny word it was written "pineapple". There was only one person who would call him that, and the fact that the message was exactly to the point confirmed his suspicions.

    "Young master, Sir and madam wants me to look after you while you are here". A woman in her late thirties wearing a black apron entered his room. She was a human who worked for the Wrisbergs back at the mansion, and weirdly unaware of their secret as she was comparatively new.

    "Thanks, Brenda" Caleb smiled at her and nodded.

    "Can I get you anything"? She asked politely.

    "Tell my dad that I want to meet with him"Caleb paused for a moment before saying, "and alsoˇ­ a pineapple shake would be nice".

    "B...but sir, you hate them". She said reluctantly.

    "Eh, they are not so bad". Caleb mused.

    AUTHOR''S NOTE:

    Come up with a ship name for my main couple, and comment below (I''ll make one of them official when they become a couple here) !!

 Chapter 21 - Repeat Itself?

    When Ashton''s mother found out that Caleb was admitted in the pack hospital, she decided to pay him a visit. She was a bit astonished as she didn''t expect the Alpha to have an omega son. As far as she or any wolf were concerned, they knew the Head Alpha had two sons. Due to circumstances Ashton was unable to tell what was wrong with Caleb.

    Since as a ''human'' it would be risky for him to go he decided to give him a card. Mrs Parker mused at his son''s behavior as she had never seen him worry like this apart from his family.

    She returned home late that day because she stopped to get groceries and run a few errands on her way back. Being a single mom to three kids was tough, which didn''t leave a lot of time for herself. She never resented taking care of her kids though, she loved them dearly.

    On her way back she noticed a few bloodstains on the road and she panicked. She was close to the house, and after Caleb told her the situation of the pack and all about the attacks, she was easily frightened. Maybe the killers don''t know about Ashton, but the wolves here are aware that she has two omega twins. Them being an much more easier target they could be easily attacked.

    She ran to her house to see if everything was okay or not. She was trembling with terror and hurry so the key took longer time to get inside the lock. When she finally managed to get inside she saw Ashton coming downstairs with a drink in his hand.

    When he noticed the expression on his mother''s face he got worried and to her. "Mom, what''s wrong"? He asked with concern.

    "Ariel...Ava...where are they"? She asked him as she tried to catch her breath.

    "They are in their room, I asked them to finish their homework". Ashton replied, still confused about the situation "What is going on "?

    She breathed a few times before she sighed with relief. "I saw blood.. in the streets". She said with concern.

    "Here"? Ashton asked skeptically. "No one comes here". He tried to reason with her.

    "I know, which is why I am terrified". She said in a patronizing tone. "Did you smell anything or anyone weird"? She asked curiously.

    After a moment of thinking he shook his head, "No". He was quiet for a while before he announced, "I should probably check it out".

    He was about to leave when Mrs Parker shouted, "don''t you dare step out of that door"!  Startled, he halted and looked back at her sudden outburst. "If things are as dangerous as they say it is, I don''t want you to go anywhere near it". She explained calmly.

    "But mom-" Ashton began but she cut him out.

    "No buts, I have the contact info of the Head Alpha. I will inform him of the situation" she took out her phone. "Give me half an hour, go wash up, I''ll lay the food". She declared and left. He stood at the door for a while before he went back to his room as well.

    Today he didn''t have any homework as such, and with all that going on it was harder to focus on other stuff. He took out his phone to play something in it, but even that failed to distract him.  From his window he stared at the empty road and tried to spot anything abnormal going on. After a little while despite how empty roads were, he could hear howling that could indicate one thing. His mother, already informed and the wolves are here.

    He tried getting a clearer view only to be called downstairs for dinner. Seeing the gloomy and concerned faces of the twins he realised that his sisters were told of the truth.

    "Ashton, can I ask you a favor"? His mother spoke up in the middle of the meal. Taken aback, he simply nodded at her. He was rarely asked for anything major so he wondered what could it be.

    "Can you drop off your sisters to the school until all of this is sorted out"? She asked him earnestly. "I know you are busy at school which is why I didn''t want to bother you, butˇ­" she tried to think of the right words.

    "It''s alright" Ashton put his hand on his mother''s hand and assured her that he would love to do it. "Even I want my sisters to be safe".

    "Mom, will we have to move again"? Ariel asked with a frown.

    "I hope not". She told her and wished for it at the same time. Their last move turned out to be much more costly that usual. Right now they didn''t have enough saved for another one.

    ~~~~

    At night he found it hard to sleep. Seeing the fear and concern on their face he realized how much it affected his family. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t worried for it himself.

    When he drifted off, he found himself in the middle of a city. He was late for home because he missed the bus, on purpose. He wanted to stay back and play with his friends. He knew that a good dose of scolding awaited him when he would reach home, but can you blame him? His parents were too strict to begin with.

    If he was late or if he went anywhere without permission they grounded him. He was sick of so many rules anyways, and even if he was far away from puberty his rebellious nature had increased.

    When he reached home he was reluctant to get in by making it too obvious, which is why you can imagine how happy he must have felt when he saw the door was unlocked. He slipped in slowly and carefully with soft footsteps, until he reached the intersection between the stairs and the living room. He was about to take the stairs when he caught something in his peripheral vision.

    He turned around to find both of his parents lying down on the ground in a puddle of red fluid. With fear he almost fell on the ground, but on the off chance his parents were still alive he mustered up the courage and tried to shake them. With no reaction coming from them he started to panic and cried a lot harder.

    He dug out his phone and tried calling 911.

    "Hello!! Please save my parents"! He cried into the phone without even waiting for them to begin.

    In the reply he heard a woman say  "please calm down and tell us everything". He was about to begin his story when he heard a faint footsteps coming out of his way. He knew someone else came here to do this, but what he didn''t anticipate was that the intruder was still present in their house.

    With courage he turned around and saw the person attack him. With a nine year old kid like him he didn''t need any weapons, he simply choked the little boy while Ashton struggled for air.

    He tried everything to get out of that hold, to shake the person off him but to no avail. With that choked feeling he suddenly jolted up and found himself on his bed while his body was that of a sixteen year old.

    He breathed heavily as he replayed the nightmare, or his past, in his head again. He buried that part of his life deep into his memories and tried to move on, but they always find a way to come back mostly into his nightmares. He would be lying if he said that he wasn''t even a bit afraid of the same thing happening again.

    His adopted father was already gone, he did not want the same for the rest of his family to suffer the same fate as him and as his birth parents. After calming down, with no sleepiness in his eyes, he went back to bed and simply closed his eyes.

 Chapter 22 - Loophole

    Caleb was discharged after two days he woke up. With his absence record the teacher was worried if he could even graduate this year if that continues on. While he tried to use that fact into leveraging his father into convincing him to let him attend school, his father wouldn''t budge at all.

    The principal of the school was a werewolf himself and thus he was in good terms with his father. Which is why in turn his father convinced him that nothing would change. He tried to look for loopholes in his father''s orders but he found none.

    At this point Caleb really didn''t care for school, he just wanted to get out of  his house and it''s suffocating environment despite living in a huge apartment

    That evening, Matt decided to visit him ever since the first day he brought him here. Caleb found it odd that his best friend is visiting after a week, or a few days after he woke up. Whereas Matt found himself in a guilty position for letting that happen by allowing him to play the other day.

    "Hey buddy" Matt said a bit awkwardly when he got to his room,  "I heard your dad won''t let you go to the school. Is that true"?

    "Uh-huh" Caleb replied with frustration, "what is wrong with you"? Caleb asked his friend skeptically.

    "What do you mean"? Matt asked him instead.

    "Usually whenever you come here you hop on to my bed, with no regards for privacy, just because my bed is softer and more comfortable". Caleb rolled his eyes. "Look at you, standing at the door like an awkward stranger".

    "Hey, I was going to do that once I was done catching up with you. After all that''s the only reason I came here". Matt mocked Caleb and they both ended up laughing.

    After that Matt made his way to the bed and lied there comfortably and they chatted a bit. Matt mentioned how frustrated he was the whole week since he had to deal with idiots ( his team) all by himself.

    Matt also mentioned how Ashton was looking for him in the beginning and tried to tease him about it only to be brushed off by Caleb.

    After a little while there was a knock in their room, followed by his brother''s entry after Caleb said, "come in".

    "Guess what"? Christian asked him with a proud smirk.

    Caleb scrunched his eyebrows at his brother''s expression before replying to him, "What"?

    And thus he began to narrate his side of the story.

    (An hour ago)

    On his way to patrolling, Christian ran into Matt who was here to see Caleb. They had a tiny chat, and that''s how Matt got to know Caleb was grounded, sort of. While it gave Christian a very great idea.

    Instead of going for patrolling he made his way to the office building. Although it was a separate building it was still in the same premises as their mansion.

    "Can I come in"? He knocked on the door. They way The Alpha was formal with his kids showed how distant he was with them. While The Alpha wasn''t particularly fond of their dynamic, he believed that it was for the best.

    "What do you need, shouldn''t you be out there patrolling"? His father asked him in a stern voice.

    "I needed to ask you something". Christian paused before he continued, "I think you should let Caleb go to the school".

    His father who was writing something with utmost attention stopped abruptly and looked at Christian suspiciously, "I thought you liked him".

    "I do, he is my baby brother, but-". Christian was cut off in the middle.

    "Why am I the only one who is concerned for his safety"? He asked in a louder and much intimidating voice that even made Christian flinch.

    "Hear me out first". Christian asserted. "What if he doesn''t travel alone"? Christian proposed.

    "Who is going to drop him off everyday"? His father raised an eyebrow. "You think he will be okay with someone dropping him off? You know how he is, always pretending to be tougher for no apparent reason".

    "He is tough" Christian defended. "But I was talking about Matt".

    "What"? His father asked him.

    "Imagine what if Caleb and Matt go to school together. They are best friends so that shouldn''t be too weird for him.  I am sure even Matt''s parents will be thrilled because I am pretty sure even they are worried for their son''s safety. As for Matt, he loves to ride the Porsche so I doubt he will mind". Christian laid out everything.

    "What about Caleb"? He raised his eyebrows. "You think he will be okay with this? He hates people getting in his car in case he goes into heat so that he could make it back. Pushing them together will only risk his identity".

    "Well, if Caleb doesn''t mind then I suppose it''s okay right"? Christian asked, hoping for a yes.

    His father thought for a moment before nodding, "I suppose so". Christian bowed and took his leave and rushed to Caleb''s room quite proud of himself.

    ~~~~

    "Wait, are you saying I can go back"? Caleb jumped with excitement as soon as he heard everything. (Well not everything, Christian had to omit out the identity part since Matt was present there.)

    "Only if you agree to this". Christian smirked.

    Caleb looked at Matt and raised his eyebrows as if asking for his opinion. Matt already felt guilty as it is and with a chance of riding the Porsche everyday he agreed just like that. "I would love that Porsche ride everyday". He smirked.

    Caleb rolled his eyes before he said with excitement, "I am in". For some reason he was much more eager and excited to return this time.

 Chapter 23 - Invite

    The next week when Ashton took a few days off from work to return home early. After he saw his mother that worried, he decided not only to drop his sister''s off but to pick them up as well. Usually their classes ended earlier than Ashton''s but Ashton had a free period around lunch which gave him a perfect window to sneak out and get his sister''s.

    He was new and a few weeks ago due to Caleb he already had absent records. He did not want to make it further worse. It was easier to avoid the teacher''s attention, but it was very difficult to avoid the attention of students. For the past week wherever he went he found people gossiping about him.

    Turns out most people initially thought he was a weirdo and a nerd, but after seeing him on the field girls started to notice him even more. His popularity increased to great folds. This is one of the reasons he wanted to stay away from anything sports related.

    He was genuinely surprised when he arrived at the back door without grabbing anyone''s attention. This place was usually secluded from rest of the places with bushes and everything around. It was easier to just climb the wall and get out.

    His sisters were in middle school which was nearby so he picked them up from there. Despite his best efforts he failed to attend his geometry class and third time in a row. No wonder he hates a consistent schedule.

    He was climbing the wall with all his frustration, but still looked around to see if anyone was nearby or not, primarily because he could smell a wolf. Normally he would wait it out so that he could avoid being suspicious, but he didn''t want to miss any further.

    "What are you looking at"? He heard a very familiar voice speak from below him right next to wall on the other side. He found Caleb staring at him with confusion.

    He froze when he saw him all healed and active and fought a smile. He was happy that he recovered but he didn''t plan on showing it. Instead of answering his question he replied with a "Is it just you or someone else is here"?

    Caleb looked around a bit as well before answering "Just me, why"?. Again Ashton didn''t bother to reply to him instead just crossed the wall and jumped down without any difficulty from the eight feet wall. "Don''t tell anyone you saw me" Ashton whispered and turned around to leave before Caleb grabbed him by his wrist and stopped him.

    Ashton looked at their hand before looking at Caleb''s eyes, "What do you want"? He asked, irritated.

    "What is wrong with you? I mean yes you are generally rude but this is too much even for you". Caleb asked him suspiciously. Ashton remained silent once more, but this time not out of choice but because he had no answer. Even he didn''t know why he was so irritated. Being a teenager coupled up with daily sneaking around was hard enough, and the sleepless nights due to  nightmares he had for the past couple of days did not help his cause.

    "It''s nothing". Ashton whispered.

    "I know about you more than I should, try sharing" Caleb encouraged. "Is everyone alright in your family"? Caleb guessed. He knew that Ashton''s family was important to him, and when he found out what happened to them the other day, he couldn''t help but worry.

    Ashton sighed before he explained his situation sans the nightmares. Out of courtesy he asked Caleb, "How are you feeling"?

    Caleb told him everything that happened without leaving anything out. Unlike Ashton he didn''t mind sharing unless he had a good reason not to.

    "Is this why you are here"? Ashton asked him skeptically as soon as  something clicked.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb asked instead with confusion.

    "Since you are kind of grounded, are you trying to sneak out too"? Ashton explained himself.

    "NOOO"! Caleb said louder than necessary which made Ashton look at him suspiciously. Ashton raised an eyebrow at him so Caleb sighed and gave up, "Okay fine! I am sick of not leaving the house. Usually I barely stay there, which is why it''s very suffocating". He groaned with frustration.

    "This is not your house. You are at your school" Ashton pointed out the obvious fact to the frustrated boy.

    "Let me finish, kid. Even here I am under teacher''s scrutiny. My father didn''t tell me but I know he asked the wolf teachers to report everything about me". He sighed with frustration.

    "You sure you aren''t being too suspicious"? Ashton asked him.

    "Trust me, I can tell the difference when someone treats me differently. This morning Mrs Wilkins asked me if she should escort me to my next class". Caleb rolled his eyes. "I am basically being treated like a toddler when I am clearly an adult". He cringed.

    Ashton ended up chucking at that and laughed softly, "You are the youngest in your family right? I can''t believe being babied is surprising for you. I ain''t stopping babying my sisters even if they are ninety" Ashton snorted while Caleb rolled his eyes. "Where are you sneaking off to? You know you can still be attacked right" Ashton expressed his concerns.

    "Honestly? Even I don''t know. I am just so suffocated" Caleb replied with distaste.

    "Want to come over at my place"? Ashton asked reluctantly after a moment of silence.

    "Now"? Caleb asked taken aback by the fact that Ashton even bothered to invite him. Even if they knew each other''s biggest secrets they were still not that close. Last time it was a favor, but this time it seemed like he was wanted for real.

    "After school. We are having a small party. Just family". Ashton shrugged.

    "Wow, what''s the occasion"? Caleb asked him instead.

    "You don''t have to if you don''t want to" Ashton tried to brush it off regretting his bold step.

    "No no I want to". Caleb said in a hurry to clarify the situation. "I do have to find a way though, without spooking my father". He sighed while looking at a distance. "But seriously, what is the occasion"? Caleb pressed again looking back at Ashton.

    "My Seventeenth Birthday" Ashton said flatly.

    "Wait"! Caleb''s eyes widened. "Today is your birthday"! Caleb smiled with excitement. Ashton simply nodded at him. "That is great! Happy Birthday"! Caleb wished him with great enthusiasm.

    "Thank you" Ashton replied with awkwardness.

    "Its your birthday!! Stop sulking so much"! Caleb rolled his eyes at him. Before they could continue their conversation any further they heard the bell rang. While Caleb didn''t have any class, Ashton had bio class so he ran away without even sparing any glance while Caleb stood their musing at their interaction.

 Chapter 24 - Excuses

    Caleb walked back to the gym trying to think of excuses or lies that could get him out for the evening. He failed to come up with anything convincing enough for his Dad. He knew he was barely allowed to spend time with Matt, if they find out they have been spending time with a complete stranger that could set things off even further.

    As a kid Caleb had always been rebellious, especially when it came to his parent''s protectiveness. They treated like he was some fragile little boy, despite proving countless amounts of times how competent he can be. He probably wouldn''t have minded this much if both him and Christian got treated the same way. He didn''t have anything against being an omega, but he simply just didn''t want to be treated like one.

    He was lost in all his thoughts when Matt nudged him. "What are you so worried about"? He asked on their way to History class.

    "Justˇ­ thinking". Caleb sighed.

    "Is everything alright"? Matt asked with concern.

    "Yeah, I am invited to this thing this evening, but I am worried I can''t go" he admitted honestly.

    "Who invited you? I am your only friend here". Matt rolled his eyes.

    "Whose fault is that" Caleb shot back at him while Matt visibly gulped. You see growing up they did have other friends too, especially they were close with the beta George, the beta who was VP of the music department. After an incident happened with her sister George and Matt kind decided to go separate ways.

    Caleb had to chose between either of them. While as an individual he would have preferred chosing George given how he agreed with his side of the story, but he chose Matt instead after a pep talk from his brother. He knew that being close to him would make it easier to keep an eye on him. Matt''s hot headedness was way more back when they turned recently, and they were worried if he could get them in trouble.

    "But seriously, who is this new friend of yours"? Matt asked trying to dismiss old memories.

    "Ashton. It''s his birthday". Caleb told him honestly.

    "Whoa! So you are close with him you sneaky liar. I believe less and less that he is not your mate. Even if he isn''t, at this point, I am pretty sure you have a thing for him" Matt insisted.

    "Unlike you I am capable being nice without having an ulterior mmotive" Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "It''s not just being nice, you are way closer to him than that" Matt snorted. "You know I won''t judge you for having an interest on him right? I know I can be a jerk, but I am not homophobic"!

    "I know " Caleb sighed in frustration. At this point he recalled the deal he made with Ashton. It was better to just give up and admit to this ''relationship'' right? "You know what? Yes he is my mate".

    "I knew it"!! Matt exclaimed at the revelation "Wait! So you going to meet his family"? Matt asked him as if it was such a big deal.

    "I have met them before. His mother even visited me in the hospital". Caleb shrugged.

    "Wow" Matt gave a big smile before a deadpanned expression took over his face, "How"?! Caleb gave him a weird confused look at his question. "I didn''t know humans are allowed in our hospital" Matt looked around before saying that in a hushed voice.

    "They are not" Caleb nodded his head agreeing to his statement. After a long curious stare from Matt, Caleb sighed and admitted "His mother is not human, she is a wolf"

    "What! I thought Ashton was...a human" Matt whisper yelled at him.

    "He is. He was adopted into that family, that''s all". Caleb clarified. Apart from the human part, he wasn''t really lying.

    "So, does he know...you are a wolf"? Matt asked in a very low voice.

    Caleb contemplated for a moment wondering whether or not to lie. "No he doesn''t" he chose to keep it a secret. "I mean, I did run into him in my wolf form, but I doubt he knew it was me" that part wasn''t a lie. It happened when Ashton had just arrived and Caleb still had no idea if Ashton knew it was him or not.

    "Why don''t you tell him then, you know you will have to tell eventually". Matt suggested.

    "I can ask you the same about Sara" Caleb retorted.

    "I''m not that serious about her. Besides she doesn''t know anything about wolves" Matt shrugged. "Don''t try to dodge the question"!

    "Look, as much as I appreciate your concern, I got this. I don''t need any advice for now" Caleb sighed. "I do need help though" Caleb smirked as an idea hit him.

    "What"? Matt asked him.

    "I''ll tell my father I am going to your place for a project. He would let me"! Caleb said with enthusiasm. "I just need you to lie if he calls to check up on me".

    "Dude, what if my mom picks up! I am not lying to the Alpha"! Matt deadpanned.

    "You are right, I should probably go home. Tell him all kinds of ''activities'' that you do here" Caleb shrugged nonchalantly.

    "What"!? Matt deadpanned. "This is blackmail"! Caleb simply shrugged at him, well aware of the fact that he had the upper hand right now. Frustrated he sighed before giving into his request, "Fine, I will do it".

    Caleb smirked. He loved being their friends, but he enjoyed having this kind of power over them from time to time.

 Chapter 25 - Seventeenth Birthday

    Ashton wasn''t much interested in celebrating his birthday, but after a lot of persuasion from his mother and his cake loving siblings he gave in. His only condition was no guests allowed. But here he was, inviting a guest of his own. He started to regret it as soon as he invited him.

    When he informed his mother about his change of plans she was beyond delighted. She was glad that he was making friends despite what happened last time. She was glad that despite knowing what her son was, and despite being an omega on top of that he still was her son''s friend.

    The reason Ashton kept his identity secret from everyone was quite the same reason why any werewolf kept this a secret from humans. They were more powerful than the latter, but that is what made them scared. People were afraid of werewolves, the mythical creatures that only exist in fairytales just like the common wolves were afraid of a pureblooded Alpha, the strongest and the most rampant kind of werewolf.

    When Ashton showed up with the omega in heat even she was worried about what happened between them. Knowing her son well enough she had hoped that it wasn''t worse than it looked and was glad after she found out that she was right. Even though Ashton introduced him as his friend, she knew it was far from the truth. Ashton preferred being alone, which is why it was even less likely. Imagine how happy she must have felt to have the same boy here twice. All she hoped for now is that for the friendship to last.

    She brought the cake on her way home when she was returning from her first job. She decided to take a leave from her second one since she wanted to cook properly for her children. They waited for Caleb to show up, but when he was quite late Ashton declared that he might not show up at all.

    They prepared the table and set everything. They even started the birthday song and when Ashton was about to cut the cake the bell to their house rang. He paused and opened the door instead to find a breathless Caleb standing in his blue and white striped pajamas. While Ashton was delighted by his presence, not that he would admit it if asked, but he couldn''t help but stare at his outfit with a weird expression before bursting out in laughter.

    "What is this"? He asked in between his laughs. "I remember telling you it was a birthday party, how on earth did you get it confused with a pajama party"? Ashton asked him while trying to suppress with laughter.

    "It''s a long story", Caleb sighed in frustration, "Why am I not allowed in these clothes"? Caleb asked while pretending to get offended.

    "Suit yourself" He snorted while moving from the door to get him access.

    "Caleb, you came"! Both the twins jumped at his arrival. In fact ava ran and gave him a big hug.

    "How could I not, I wanted to see you both". He hugged her back. He was very good with children be it of any age. Oftentimes he was asked to train them by his father when they hit the age of adolescence when he was younger.

    When he was done greeting everyone he turned around to see Ashton suppress a smile due to his attire. "I still want to know the story behind this," He announced.

    "How about you cut the cake first? The candles are already half melted". Caleb rolled his eyes. Ashton blew the candles, made his one and only wish, and cut the cake after which he shared it with everyone. When everyone was having fun and all, with the twins devouring the remainder of the cake, Ashton slipped next to Caleb and asked him again, "Do not change the subject".

    "I ran," He sighed.

    "That I got from your breathing, why this pajamas"? Ashton asked,

    "Let me finish, kid" He gave him an unamused expression. "You see, I lied to my father to tell him I was going to Matt for a pajama party, and that I will spend the night there. He insisted I leave in pajamas instead of just carrying them like a normal person" He rolled his eyes.

    "Won''t people stare"? Ashton asked in a whisper which Caleb happened to catch.

    "A, I have a much spectacular car. And B, he lives like two blocks away from me".

    "You took a car for just two blocks," Ashton asked him while Caleb sighed with frustration. "I was saying in case I did travel a longer distance you idiot".

    After a while Caleb announced that he would leave for the day but Mrs Parker convinced him to stay for the dinner as she cooked them enough of a meal. The caring nature of Mrs Parker was heartwarming so he found it difficult to say no to her.

    After they were done with dinner even Caleb helped them clean up. The whole time he was here, not once did he feel unwelcomed. In fact, this place felt more like a home than his real home. He wished he felt like this with his own family and he was kind of jealous of Ashton on this aspect.

    "Ashton, wait for a moment here" Mrs Parker shouted from the kitchen while she was doing the dishes. So while he waited he noticed Caleb with a restless left leg as if he was anxious or something.

    "Is everything alright"? Ashton couldn''t help but ask. Caleb glanced at him before nodding. "I just hope Matt''s parents don''t notice I am gone. I did tell him to make a pillow that looks like me, so I gotta be there before they figure it out".

    "I see" Ashton nodded. "What if they call you for dinner"?

    "They won''t. I told them I already ate". Caleb snorted.

    "If they think you are sleeping, I think you are good for the night. Might as well stay here" Ashton shrugged. Caleb''s eyes widened the moment he heard it.

    "You want me to spend the night here"? For some reason that made Caleb a bit anxious.

    "NOOO"! Ashton exclaimed. "I was just saying. Please feel free to leave as soon as you can".

    "Be Nice"! His mother who heard Ashton shouted from the kitchen

    "Wow, really scared of me aren''t ya"? Caleb smirked while he teased Ashton.

    "Yes, if something happens to you your father will come after me". Ashton said flatly.

    "You know now that you mention my father, I think it''s safer I spend the night here. Lots of shady stuff happens out there at night, wouldn''t want to be caught in any of them since I am supposed to be grounded". Caleb pretended to think.

    Ashton sighed with frustration. Before he could think of any other reason for him to not stay here and place it in front of Caleb, he ran up the stairs and shouted from above, "Good night"! Followed by a soft laugh which thanks to Ashton''s super hearing he heard that.

    A moment later it clicked Ashton that upstairs was supposed to be his room, so he ran as well determined to kick him out of his room. While Caleb was uncomfortable back in his heat it was fine, but he won''t sacrifice his soft comfy bed just like that when Caleb is playing around with him.

 Chapter 26 - Share A Bed?

    "What are you doing"! Ashton asked aggressively as soon as he barged in the room only to find Caleb sitting on the bed comfortably.

    "What do you think"? Caleb teased him. He wouldn''t really sleep on the bed, but flustered Ashton was really fun to tease for him.

    Ashton closed his eyes and took a deep breath before saying "You sure you want to spend the night on my bed"? Ashton smirked. The sudden change in his expression confused Caleb. Exactly what was going in his head?

    "Yeahˇ­" Caleb agreed reluctantly to see where he was going with this.

    "Good" Ashton announced nonchalantly and hopped on the bed. Caleb''s eyes widened for a moment and he considered moving off the bed. However, he didn''t actually go through with it given how he didn''t like giving up, even if it was a silly fight like this.

    "I hope your luxury ass can manage the entire night in such a small place", Ashton smirked. Caleb smirked back at him, "I have spent nights in way more uncomfortable places than some congested bed".

    "Good". Ashton smirked. He turned around and lied down peacefully. Caleb considered for a moment about making different arrangements, but decided to stay in the bed because he didn''t expect any danger from him. For a Pureblooded Alpha,  Ashton was way less scary.

    Both of them slept facing their backs to each other. Even for Ashton it was a bit uncomfortable since the bed was considerably small and Ashton was not that used to sharing his space. With his suppressed frustration he battled Caleb for the majority of the blanket for a while before making peace with just half of it. "Why the hell did I invite you"? Ashton whispered followed by a sigh, before he dozed off to sleep.

    Caleb was probably lost in his dreams when he heard some noise. It sounded like someone was in pain or some kind of distress. He opened his eyes and saw Ashton twitching and turning in the bed with a painful expression on his face. Was he having nightmares?

    Ashton was always cold and stoic, and yet at this very moment he looked so vulnerable. His heart ached seeing him like that.

    "Ashton! Ashton"! He tried to shake him hoping that would help. It was of no use of course.

    He couldn''t understand what the best course of action would be, so he did only one thing he could think of. He passed his hand between the bed and Ashton and pulled him into a hug. He patted him on the back while Caleb''s chin laid above Ashton''s head.

    It took him a few minutes, but eventually he calmed down which was evident when his breathing became even. Concerned, that the nightmares will come back, Caleb still didn''t let him go yet and continued to rub his hands over his back to comfort him.

    Ashton''s face was right above Caleb''s neck, which allowed him to get his original scent directly, despite all the stinky pheromones. Even in his sleep, that smell calmed him down. Caleb started to drift again in that same position when suddenly he felt something soft on his neck.

    Wait, that felt like lips? Was he being kissed? He tried to pull away but he realized Ashton was hugging him close as well, which unfortunately restricted his movements.

    He thought maybe Ashton''s lips were just touching him because of the position they were in. However he was proved wrong when he felt the sucking and the nibbling on his nape of neck.

    What surprised Caleb even more was that instead of being disgusted or uncomfortable, he enjoyed it. His breath hitched, and he could hear the thundering throbs of his own heart. He knew it was wrong to take advantage of the situation, which is why he did his best to pull away, only to be hugged even tighter.

    He tried calling his name, hoping that would stop him, but instead what came out of his mouth embarrassed him further, "Ahh..."

    He bit his lower lip to prevent further noise, but the torture of Ashton''s lips was making it harder for him by the minute. At this point he could even feel his teeth on his neck. He was sure he would wake up with a hickey next morning. Caleb almost tasted blood in his mouth by how much he was biting his lip. At this point he was lucky that Ashton didn''t actually bite and mark him.

    After a while Ashton''s assault on him slowed down and gradually it stopped. He fell into deep slumber. It made Caleb wonder, was he having a wet dream and he happened to be nearby? He was confused with the situation and what to make of it. Nevertheless he tried to calm himself down and wished that Ashton would not try the same thing again.

    After he calmed down his racing heart  he tried a few more times to escape his hug, but the fear of awakening Ashton to the point of repeating the same thing, he became still and tried to fall asleep.

    It took him hours to finally fall asleep, which is why he was very annoyed when Ashton''s scream woke him up.

    "Ahh, why are you hugging me"? He asked Caleb with his disheveled hair covering most of his eyes.

    "You tell me," He replied in his sleepy manner without opening his eyes. After pushing Caleb away Ashton got up and brushed his teeth. When he finally came back to the bed, he tried to wake Caleb up when he noticed something reddish in his neck. Was there an insect in his room he didn''t know about?

    "Caleb, wake up"! he shook him slightly. He grunted but didn''t say anything or open his eyes.

    He finally opened his eyes, and stared at him sluggishly. "Something bit your in the neck" Ashton informed Caleb.

    "Yeah. You did" Caleb replied nonchalantly in his sleepy daze.

    "What"? Ashton asked him skeptically, thinking Caleb was playing with him or something.

    "Yeah, last night. You ruined my sleep" Caleb replied to him while rubbing his eyes.

    "You are kidding right"? Ashton asked him carefully. He was literally waiting for this thing to turn into a joke.

    "You know what, yes. I am kidding. I am the one who bit myself ON MY NECK" Caleb replied with sarcasm and frustration.

    Ashton''s face paled for the moment, "no no no no no" he kept mumbling.

    "Hey! I am the one who has a hickey,  why are you freaking out"? Caleb asked him as if it was not a big deal.

    "Becauseˇ­" Ashton shouted mid panic but didn''t continue. "Never mind, you won''t understand anyways".

    "I might". Caleb suggested. "Look kid, I know it seems no one will understand you because you are different than others. But you will see everyone is different in their own way, and everyone goes through what being different is like in their own way". He sighed. "I know your biggest secret already, try sharing with me". He encouraged Ashton.

    "This is exactly why I didn''t want to share my bed in the first place" Ashton almost cried out. "Everyday I try my best to fight my urge to do all the crazy things Alphas are known for. While many don''t really bother controlling them, I do. I hate to be seen as some scary jerk alpha whoˇ­." He let out a breath, "... well, does something like this".

    "You are the first Alpha I have ever seen who will regret something like this". Caleb whispered.

    "So"? Ashton snapped with frustration.

    "It''s nice". Caleb snorted while petted Ashton''s hair softly. "Listen, don''t worry about it. I know you didn''t do it on purpose. As a victim, I forgive you". Ashton didn''t reply anything to him but he did remove his hand from his hair.

    Suddenly Caleb jumped out of the bed as if someone shocked him. "Oh my god, it''s late"! He panicked and jumped out of the window. Ashton rushed to the window to find the same giant white wolf which he encountered on his first day running into the woods. For the time being he just hoped Caleb made it home safely.

 Chapter 27 - Hide It

    Caleb found it hard to sneak inside his house. He decided to maintain his wolf form because in case someone spots him as a human, they would definitely notice the bright red spot on his pale skin. His hair, unlike Ashton''s, was very short that was more or less combed in a professional manner.  There was no way he would be able to hide it so easily.

    He got inside his room and took a fast shower. When he got out he saw his brother walk in, panicked. "When did you come back"? Christian asked.

    "A while ago". Caleb answered, "Why"? He scrunched his eyebrows. He held the towel, with which he was wiping his head, close to his neck as casually as he could muster. It was probably nothing, but if his brother saw it, he will probably end up attacking Matt thinking it was him.

    "I tried calling you but it went straight to voicemail" Christian informed sternly.

    "Sorry, we used up my charge while watching a movie". Caleb lied. "I was late so I forgot to bring my phone. Can you text Matt to bring it to the school for me"? He asked his brother. Last night he purposefully left his phone in Matt''s house so that if someone calls he can pick up and make a lousy excuse like he was taking a dump or something.

    His brother nodded at him before calling him for breakfast. Caleb quickly changed into something that was barely exposing. Usually he wore half sleeved T-shirts or something like  that which was comfortable. Today however he chose a black sweater with a turtleneck.

    When Christian noticed the sudden change of fashion on his brother he looked at Caleb suspiciously. "What are you wearing"? He asked.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb asked back pretending to be dumb.

    "We''re wolves, why the sweater"? Christian asked him skeptically.

    "Wearing a sweater in cold weather will help me blend in with the humans". Caleb shrugged and sat on the chair right next to his brother.

    "It''s almost eighty degrees outside. Certainly not the temperature humans prefer to wear sweaters". Christian stated. He kept looking at his little brother suspiciously before grabbed the turtleneck and pulled on it.

    "What are you doing"?! Startled Caleb retracted himself. Christian examined his neck and all before letting him go, "Just checking if you have any bruise or not".

    "Why would I hide any bruise"? Caleb asked, pretending to be baffled. Technically he did have a kind of bruise, and he was lucky enough that he was able to hide it with the extra precaution he took earlier.

    "I won''t be surprised if you ran into trouble and don''t want us to know. I know you want to finish high school properly, and if something happened and Dad finds out, no more High School for you" Christian shrugged. The maids served the food (sandwiches) for the breakfast.

    "I hate that he treats me this way", Caleb murmured. "How long does he intend to keep pretending that I can''t take care of myself"!. He sighed in frustration.

    "I think it''s forever" Christian answered him.

    "Nope, he is just waiting for me to choose a mate, or waiting to choose one for me". Caleb rolled his eyes. "I am already eighteen, and I doubt they are okay with it".

    "I am twenty one, they never bothered me", Christian pointed out.

    "In case you never noticed, they treat both of us very differently". He said and left with a half a sandwich in his hand. He was late enough as it is, he didn''t want to delay further.

    Today, instead of going with Matt, he went alone. Luckily his father was away for a few days, negotiating about the incidents that occurred during the past few days. If the Alpha found out about this, he would be mad.

    He was glad that he didn''t get caught this time. When he freaked out about that mark. Last time he checked the mark was pale pink, but still to avoid any suspicion he decided to put a bit of powder.

    He was used to all kinds of injuries so he knew which takes how long to heal, more or less. However a hickey was a new thing for him, so he earnestly hoped he wouldn''t have to bear with it for more than a day.

    The fact that it was hotter than an usual day didn''t make it easy on him. At one point he was literally struggling to breath, which is why he was glad when it was PE. Matt pestered him about the turtleneck too, but he brushed it off by saying he is wearing the tight fitting sweater before he outgrows it.

    Since they qualified for the Quarter finals, they had to work harder for the upcoming semifinals. The whole group took a bit of break from the practice to focus on school and projects for the time being, (or at least that''s the excuse the team members gave the Captain when they demanded a break).

    When Ashton didn''t show up for the practice he decided to ask Matt what if he knew why. After what happened last night, even if they talked about it, it would be weird if it wasn''t still awkward. In fact somehow Ashton felt worse than Caleb which confused and amused Caleb at the same time.

    According to Matt he was feeling under the weather, so he didn''t bother asking much.

    He was on his way back from the school when Caleb smelt a familiar smell. This time since Matt was with him he smelled it too. "It''s burning my nose, what the hell is it"?

    Caleb hesitated whether or not he should tell him. If Matt was a little less dense he would have figured it out himself that it was a scent of a pureblooded Alpha. What worried Caleb even further was why was Ashton''s scent all over the place when he was so good at hiding it.

    Ashton would never release his scent if he had any other way, because he was extremely cautious of the werewolves around here. "Let''s go" Matt pushed him to drive.

    "You don''t want to check it out"? Caleb asked him curiously.

    "Look, I love my life. Even if we are two Alpha''s it''s better not to tempt fate. In case you didn''t notice so many Alphas are dead already". Matt insisted. "Whatever this thing is, it''s clearly targeting the Alphas".

    "That''s what I am worried about". Caleb whispered low enough to avoid Matt''s werewolf ears.

 Chapter 28 - The Markings

    Ashton had a hard time believing what he did to Caleb this morning. There was a tiny chance it was a prank by Caleb, but given the circumstances it did seem highly unlikely. He couldn''t fathom why on earth he would do something like that. Sure, Ashton found the fact that Caleb is different from the others who shared his blood status amusing and relatable, but it was not like he had a crush on him or anything.

    He hated how Alphas abused their powers on omegas thus he simply admired how Caleb always fought back, even if he did it under the pretense of being an Alpha, like how he helped Beth the other day. There were lots of thoughts that occupied his head for which he was unable to focus. Even this morning he spilled his soup on himself being so distracted. His mother gave him a suspicious look when that happened, but didn''t bother to ask him anything.

    On the school he purposely avoided Caleb. Being on different years served him well for the day. Due to Ashton''s lack of scent he was hard to detect by any other werewolf, however due to all the stinking pheromones Caleb used, he was easy to detect for Ashton.

    Whenever or wherever he smelt him, he either changed his course or hid himself in such a way he won''t be noticed. The only place where avoiding him won''t work for Ashton was the football ground. This why he texted Matt about the practice because he knew Matt would kill him if he vanishes uninformed.

    The caf¨¨ he worked at was closed for a week for some maintainance stuff, so he decided to go home early instead of spending his time in library studying or something. He decided to walk all his way back home when a strong smell of an Alpha werewolf hit him. That smell was new to him so it wasn''t someone he recognized. Coupled with that Ashton heard a few whimpers which alerted him.

    As much as he would hate to get involved he couldn''t turn a blind eye to someone in need. He was rude, not a monster. He followed the path of that scent to see a coffee brown coloured wolf forced on the ground with multiple scratches on his arm.

    Ashton didn''t have to touch the wound to know that the wound was contaminated with wolfsbane. If the wolf didn''t receive any proper medical attention he would die soon.

    The man''s face was almost covered with some kind of clothing material that made it harder to recognize him for anyone. He was pressing down on the weakened wolf with one hand while he held some kind of weapon on his other hand ready to attack him the next moment.

    Ashton thought harder how to save the wolf without letting his identity out. Ashton found a corner and after a quick partial transformation he howled. That was enough to distract the attacker which gave the wolf a window to run away.

    The man (attacker) looked around for the source of the sound when he noticed Ashton. Ashton, assuming an alert stance growled at him. At this point he even let his pheromones out, in the off chance that if it was a werewolf, it could tell his identity by smell, and would back off.

    That didn''t work at all instead the attacker pounced on him. He flinched back and avoided the blow, almost, as his forearm suffered a decent cut. That place started to burn severely making him hard to focus anything at all.

    Regardless he managed to gain some control over his composure and blocked the second attack successfully and threw away the weapon when it reached him. The man tried to attack him once more, this time, without the weapon.

    That man was way weaker than the natural strength of tge pureblooded Alpha that Ashton possessed. In no time Ashton managed to take over the man even when he was injured. His vision was starting to get blurry so he knew that the wolfsbane was spreading.

    He pinned the man down who struggled to get out without making any noise. Ashton grabbed the mask over the man''s face and snatched it off to see how the man looked like. His face was pretty much normal but on a closer observation with the intermittent blurry vision he mananger to spot a balckened pattern that resembled an empty tree.

    He was aware of many mythical creatures but never had he ever heard of such thing in his seventeen years of life. He put a heavy punch on him that knocked down the man and made a run for it. Even though he needed to go to the pack hospital he couldn''t go there, so he ran to his home.

    He had hoped that his mother, being a former nurse, would be able to come up with any traditional cure that would help him. When he found the house empty he panicked, but to keep the poison from spreading further he found a knife and scraped the injured area and washed it in the water. Regardless his eyes felt heavy at this point which is why lied down on the couch. Soon enough everything felt dark as if he fell asleep.

 Chapter 29 - To The Hospital

    Caleb was about to get out of his car when Matt stopped him by grabbing his hands tightly, "Dude, please try to understand that the situation is dangerous"!

    "As a pack leader dangerous situations are definitely my cue. Besides we are two of us, what can they possibly do"? Caleb sighed out of frustration.

    "What are you talking about? It''s always two. Ever since that attack happened on you, your father made sure no wolve patrolls alone. Still the attacks keep happening". Matt explained.

    "Then, maybe it''s nothing", Caleb suggested.

    "What if it is? Your father will kill me for not stopping you"! Matt cried out of frustration. "I still have to make babies before I die"! Caleb rolled his eyes at his dramatic behavior.

    "My father will also kill you for not accompanying me when I left that car". Caleb smirked and released himself from Matt''s grip and got out of the car.

    Matt hit the door out of frustration once he got out and hoped he didn''t make any dent, before he followed Caleb. Ever since they were young Caleb always got his way either with manipulation or threats. While he was pretty used to it, he did not feel like losing his life like this.

    He followed after Caleb who was too fast even for someone who walked fast. Matt always envied his speed, who was almost as fast as an omega. After looking around for a bit Caleb found a man laying on the groud. His attire brought back his own memories of being attacked which made him hesitate for a moment.

    "Who is he"? Matt asked when he spotted him, "He appears human" he commented.

    "I think he was the one who attacked me, this attireˇ­ " he trailed off. Matt looked at him wide eyed before checking his pulse and all to find him still alive. During his examination he found black empty tree like markings on his neck, "have you ever seen anything like this"? Matt asked him.

    Caleb who was looking around for anything else focused his attention back to the unconscious man. "No, that''s really odd". Caleb whispered.

    He searched once more, this time leaving that spot. A part of him was hoping that he found nothing else. A part of him dreaded he would find Ashton''s injuried self, or worse dead body, in the woods. After a while he found a coffee brown colored wolf laying down unconscious in the dirt.

    For a moment his heart rate accelerated. He had never seen Ashton as a wolf, so what if it was him? Carefully, be approached the injured wolf and that''s when another Alpha scent hit him. It wasn''t as strong as Ashton''s but it was definitely new. He didn''t know who the wolf was, but he knew it was not Ashton. Nevertheless it was his job to take care of an injured wolf.

    "Matt"! He called his friend. "A wolf is injured, we have to rush him to the hospital" he announced and picked up the heavy wolf. It was a bit harder for him but he managed nevertheless.

    "What about him"? Matt questioned. "Can''t we wait for a minute till your brother gets here"? Matt pleaded which made Caleb pause on his tracks.

    "What"? He deadpanned, "You called my brother"!? He asked, frustrated. While he would usually prefer his brother''s presence at a situation like this he wasn''t sure how good of an idea it was. His brother was familiar with Ashton''s scent, and smelling him here would only raise further suspicion on him.

    The thought of Ashton made him wonder again where he was a. He looked around thoroughly but found nothing else. Why was his scent all over the place? What exactly happened here then? Was he okay? Caleb wondered all those things.

    "We can''t wait any longer. I will link my brother and ask him to come to the hospital. We are taking both of them there", Caleb declared and nudged Matt to pick up the unconscious man. They stacked both of them in the backseat.

    On his way he linked his brother and gave him the status update. (A/N: link is basically like a call, except you are connected by mind. It''s a method of communication between wolves of same pack which especially comes in handy in wolf form)

    At the hospital the doctor took the wolf into the restricted unit, ( a unit where they treat the already transformed wolf). After a while his brother showed up with a few pack members. He also saw George who usually stayed away from all this mess. Could it be that he knew the wolf personally?

    "Where is he"? Christian asked. Not sure which one he was talking about he informed him about both of them. They went down to the lobby where the man was, guarded by Matt who checked him thoroughly for wolfsbane before agreeing to watch him solo.

    After a while when the doctor came in Caleb rushed towards him and asked, "Is he going to be okay"?

    "I think so, a little late and he wouldn''t have made it. The antidote wouldn''t have worked on him" the doctor informed with a smile.

    "The antidote"? Caleb asked.

    "After your attack we made sure to keep it stacked. I had a feeling we would be needing them in a larger quantity for a while". The doctor explained.

    "Can I get a few of them"? Caleb asked. The doctor was taken aback by the request and looked at him in confusion. "I am the son of the Alpha Arthur Wrisberg. If I was attacked once before, there is a high chance I might be attacked again. I think its best to have some handy" Caleb explained himself.

    "I see", the doctor nodded, "here you go" he gave him four vials. "Just take one of them, and only take the other if the first one doesn''t work within two hours. If the injury is severe you might try two at once" he also handed him a syringe to administer the antidote properly.

    He put them in his pocket as he looked around the place. His brother including Matt was very busy with the intruder. Amongst the chaos he managed to take Matt''s phone and got Ashton''s number from it.

    He tried calling him several times to get a proper explanation. His calls went straight to voicemail for almost ten times. Along with it his anxiety increased ten folds and thus he slipped out of the hospital and went straight to Ashton''s house. He needed to know the situation for himself properly.

 Chapter 30 - At Ashtons

    Caleb ran to Ashton''s house to look for him. He had to ring the bell thrice before someone opened the door for him. Behind the door stood little Ava whose eyes were swollen and red as if she had been crying. Her expression made him panic further, "What''s going on"? He asked reluctantly.

    Ava looked at him, opened her mouth to say something but ended up bursting into tears. Taken aback, he patted her head softly. Ava on the other hand took his hand from her hair and dragged him to the living room.

    The moment he stepped in the vicinity of the living room he spotted Mrs Parker seated next to an unconscious or a asleep Ashton.

    "What''s happening"? He whispered. Being a wolf Mrs Parker heard him and looked at him with an eyes filled with concern beside whom a teary eyed Ariel stood. She was trying her best not to break but with every passing moment it was just getting harder.

    "He got attacked by someone" She managed to speak while she showed him the wound on his hand. "I am trying my best, but unfortunately all the medicinal herbs I have won''t be as much effective as a real antidote would". She explained with sorrow.

    That''s when it clicked him that he had the antidote and a syringe. He dug out his pockets. "Here, I got this from the hospital". He handed the antidote to Mrs Parker.

    After taking it in her hand she stared at them and then at Caleb, "Don''t you need them"? She asked him.

    "Not as much as he does. I can get some more later, use this for him". He insisted. "The doctor said to inject one at a time, and not more that two, and if-" he tried to explain the use when Mrs. Parker cut him off.

    "I know how to do this. I used to be a nurse at my pack hospital". She gave him a sad smile before proceeding with the vials.

    Meanwhile Caleb stared at Ashton. The sweat in his forehand and several parts of his body indicated that he had fever. Reluctantly, he raised his hand to touch him and flinched the next moment. His body was burning with fever. Even if werewolves were hotter than usual, this was beyond it. It was a miracle that he was still alive despite that.

    "Do you have any idea what happened" Mrs Parker asked him while injecting the antidote in his deltoid. Caleb shook his head before answering, "No, if it wasn''t for his scent I wouldn''t even know he was at the scene. We found an injured wolf along with one of the attackers" he sighed. "Both of them were knocked out, could it be...he did it"? Caleb whispered.

    "It''s possible", Mrs Parker gave a sad smile. "He says he likes to avoid troubles, but I know he would always step up if someone else needs him".

    "I am sorry this happened," Caleb whispered. Both Ava and Ariel witnessed the scene and tried to hold back their tears. They hoped Ashton would be okay since he got the right medicine, but they were still scared of losing their brother.

    Even if Caleb''s face didn''t show it, he was freaking out as well.

    Pureblooded Alpha''s were supposed to be much more stronger in general, which also meant that they were more in touch with their wolf side than others. He wasn''t sure what to interpret when it came to wolfsbane. Will if affect him less because he is inherently stronger or will him affect him more since his wolf side was prominent or will him affect nevertheless the same?

    The twins were freaked out but Mrs Parker had to pay attention him so he tried to console the twins. They were tinier than him so he hugged them from both sides and patted their backs.

    "Girls, don''t bother him so much". Mrs Parker told the twins. However Caleb brushed it off by saying, "It''s alright, I don''t mind".

    Soon enough he felt a vibration in his pocket, so he took out his phone to see his brother was trying to call him. He pondered whether or not to pick it up. He knew if he did he would have to explain his absence. At this point he didn''t have a believable excuse and he didn''t want them to find out about Ashton.

    He put the phone in silent mode and was about to put it back in his pocket before he saw a text from his brother, [Why aren''t you picking up?]

    [At least respond to my link]

    [Dad will be home by tonight, if you don''t show up soon or answer, I am sending a search party after you]

    Caleb groaned in frustration. He wouldn''t mind getting caught by the search team, he would mind getting caught here. He made a deal that they would keep each other''s secret and he planned to abide by it.

    He thought a lot before dialing to his brother, "Hello"?

    "Where the hell are you!? What''s going on"!? His brother shouted on the phone. Caleb winced as he took the phone away from his ears. Even the twins who were teary eyed a moment ago were successfully distracted while they gawked at him.

    "Iˇ­ I am fine. Don''t worry about me" he stumbled. "Then tell me where you are"? His brother challenged him. He panicked and tried to think of any other reason, anything that would make sense so that he could stay. "What"? His brother asked again when Caleb didn''t speak for a long time.

    Caleb sighed and was about to tell him that he will come back when Mrs Parker appeared in front of him and asked him to give his phone to her. He obliged reluctantly and focused his hearing to the whole conversation.

    "Hello, I assume you are Caleb''s brother". She spoke in her soft and kind voice. The way she spoke was enough to melt away any worries Christian had, but he was diligent, so he asked nonetheless. "Who is this"?

    "Remember the family who moved here a few months ago? I am the the head of that family, Sue Parker".

    "Ohh" Christian recalled. "I remember you, you helped my brother once, he told me".

    "Oh it was nothing. I was at the hospital today and I was having some trouble with something so Caleb volunteered to accompany me to my house, said it wasn''t safe out there". She lied for Caleb. Caleb was taken aback for a moment but smiled nonetheless.

    "Oh, so he was with you the entire time"? Christian inquired.

    "Yes, in fact I keep telling him to go back but he insists on staying here to help me around since no one else is home yet" she lied further.

    "It''s alright. I think you should let him stay there, things are dangerous out here its better if you have some company" his brother said in a softer tone.

    "Alright, I will do that". She agreed. She returned the phone to Caleb.

    "Soˇ­ that was it". Caleb gulped before saying that. "I will be back soon" he assured his brother.

    "No, stay there. It will be dark soon. Text me the adress I will pick you up tomorrow". He said and hung up. Caleb decided to text him the adress later in case he showed up sooner if he texted now.

 Chapter 31 - Will He Wake Up?

    "That was awesome"! Caleb exclaimed to Mrs Parker.

    She laughed softly before saying, "You are not the only one who is expert at lying".

    "What do you mean"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows.

    "What I mean is everyone lies every now and then. Don''t feel too guilty to lie if you believe it''s for the greater good or if it''s a simple harmless lie" She patted him and served him a few bacon. "I hope it''s not too many calories".

    "Mrs Pa- I mean, Sue, it wasn''t necessary". He stuttered, a bit shy.

    "You saved my son, it''s the least I could do". She smiled at him. After the dinner Caleb insisted he would help Mrs Parker to clean up but she dismissed him. He sat there the entire time near Ashton and chatted with the twins.

    "Will he leave us"? Ariel, still quite upset, asked him.

    "Don''t worry, last week the same thing happened to me and now I am fine. He has the right medicine, he will be fine too" Caleb tried to convince the twins despite being not so sure of himself.

    "The same thing happened to Dad, he didn''t make it". Ava whispered.

    Caleb who heard it looked at her wide eyed. He realized that even though he behaved like he was quite close with this family, he barely knew them. He never met their Dad, while he did notice that particular fact, he never bothered to wonder why.

    "Don''t worry, he will be fine". He consoled them nonetheless. It was already close to midnight when the girls refused to sleep. Mrs Parker scolded them and made them go to bed despite the circumstances.

    "You should go to sleep too. Since Ashton''s passed out on the couch, you can take his bed". Mrs Parker instructed him.

    He glanced at Ashton before replying, "He is sick, he should take the bed. I will carry him there". Caleb suggested.

    "Are you sure"?

    "Yes", Caleb smiled remembering how possessive Ashton was of his bed. It wasn''t fair of him to take his bed every time he was here.

    He pulled Ashton on his back and  carried him upstairs. He would be lying if he said Ashton wasn''t heavy at all. With all the layers he wore he  kind of looked heavier in general, but in reality he was much more heavier. It''s like his bones and muscle weighed beyond the normal.

    Nevertheless, Caleb himself was quite strong and thus managed to drag him to the first floor. He put him in the bed and tucked him in. He put his hand on Ashton''s forehead to check if the fever was back. The fever went down thanks to the antidote. Now all he hoped for was that his condition will improve.

    Caleb stared at the boy lying peacefully on the bed while his mind kept running through various kinds of scenarios that could have happened earlier this day. He wanted to believe that Ashton either got caught in the situation or voluntarily helped, but he wouldn''t know for sure unless that injured wolf or Ashton wakes up.

    He kept his eyes on Ashton for quite a long time whose face harboured a peaceful expression. He doesn''t know what came over him, or why he did what he did next, all he could say is that he simply had an urge. He raised his hand and grazed it slowly through his soft thick hair. It felt weirdly nice to do that so he didn''t bother to stop.

    After a while he got himself a chair and sat on it as he waited for Ashton to open his eyes. He was fighting his heavy eyelids to keep a check on him, but somewhere along the wait, he lost that fight.

    ~~~~~~

    Amidst the cold night Ashton opened his eyes slowly. His blurry vision focused onto a head that was lying next to his bed. Once his vision focussed he noticed that it was Caleb who was sleeping soundly with his head down on the bed while he sat on the chair.

    He looked at the clock to find it was almost 3:00 am. ''Why is Caleb here? Why am I here''? Ashton thought. He tried to recall the last thing he saw before passing out and suddenly he checked his forearm. The injury was properly healed and left no mark behind. As far as he could recall there was no antidote present in his house. Is that why Caleb was here? He pondered.

    Ashton contemplated whether or not he should wake the other up. While he looked perfectly peaceful in his sleep, he wondered if sleeping in that position would make him sore.

    It was already late enough so he contemplated going back to sleep. He closed his eyes and waited to drift away, but unfortunately after staying down for the whole day he was wide awake at this point. To spend his time he took out his phone and decided to check if anything was there or not.

    But even the phone was out of battery, so he put it in charge before switching it on.

    "Ashton"? A groggy voice asked from his side. That''s when Ashton realized that the noise from his phone woke him up.

    "Hi"  he replied awkwardly. Caleb was a bit disoriented for a moment before he jumped up.

    "You are awake"! He was beyond happy and may have shouted in the process.

    "Shhh"!! Ashton whisper-yelled at him as he pressed his hand on his mouth. "Calm down, it''s 3:00 am"! Caleb nodded before Ashton removed his hand.

    "I am so glad you finally woke up. I can leave now". Caleb sighed in relief.

    "You were waiting for me to wake up"? Ashton asked him skeptically but Caleb simply shrugged. "Wait, why are you here though"? Ashton asked the one question that was bothering him so much. "I came to check on you. I figured you won''t have the antidote". Caleb shrugged.

    "Wait, what? You knew I was injured? How"? He asked, terrified of the answer.

    "I smelled your scent at the site. There we found that attacker you knocked out, I am guessing, and the wolf". Caleb informed.

    "What"? Ashton deadpanned. "Oh no, I will be exposed". Ashton buried his face on his palms. "Don''t worry, no one saw you". Caleb tried to reason.

    "What about that attacker"? Ashton challenged.

    "What about him"?. Caleb raised his eyebrows. "It''s not like he knows who you are".

    "How can you be so sure"? Ashton asked him derisively.

    Caleb shrugged before replying, "I could be right. Besides last I heard he was still passed out. I''ll go back tomorrow and check the situation". Caleb shrugged.

    "I thought you were leaving right now". Ashton narrowed his eyes at him.

    Caleb rolled his eyes before replying, "My brother is the one who doesn''t want me out there because of the danger". He sighed. "If I could, I would leave right now".

    "You should get some sleep then", Ashton suggested after nodding at him.

    "I guess you are right". Caleb stretched before leaving the room to take the couch downstairs. It was way uncomfortable for Caleb given how he was not used to situation like this. Yet, eventually he fell asleep because he was way too tired.

 Chapter 32 - Interrogation

    The next morning when Caleb texted his brother he was already quite far away. Even though the situation wasn''t risky anymore, given how there was no sign that could indicate that Ashton was present there at all.

    Caleb''s brother was furious that he disregarded his orders completely. But he didn''t really care.  Christian was used to Caleb being rebellious and despite his constant worry he was glad, everytime, that his brother managed to be safe,  evading death even if he got way too sick.

    After the scolding session Christian asked him, "What is the condition right now? Did any of them wake up yet"?

    Christian shook his head, "I get why the wolf is still unconscious, but its weird that the man is unconscious as well". Christian sighed.

    "Did you guys ID any one of them"? Caleb asked his brother.

    "Well, the wolf can''t be identified in his form. His fur color is too common to make a guess. All we know at that point that he is not any one of ours. I called a few people from the neighboring packs, even they couldn''t recognize his scent. Why was this wolf here in the first place"? Christian sighed.

    "Wow, that''s suspicious". Caleb muttered. "And that man"?

    "We got some help from the police, he is someone who lives outside the town. His name is David Holman. Apparently he owns a major art gallery in Town Ceucus or something".

    "Why would he try to attack us"? Caleb questioned him. "Does he have any specific reason or something"?

    "As far as I could tell, No" Christian informed him. "Dad is back, by the way", Christian mentioned out of the blue, after walking for a while, that made Caleb stop in his tracks abruptly. "Youˇ­. didn''t tell him I went out by myself, did you"? Caleb asked reluctantly.

    "Don''t worry, he doesn''t know. Once again I covered up for you". Christian rolled his eyes.

    "Thanks Bro"! He gave a side hug to his brother due the enthusiasm he overcame with. "You indeed are my favorite brother"!

    Suddenly there was a loud smack at Caleb''s head, "I am your ONLY brother"! He huffed "That is not a compliment".

    Before Caleb could come up with a snarky reply Christian''s phone vibrated. He took it out and read out loud the text he just got, "He is awake".

    "Who is"? Caleb asked.

    "I am not sureˇ­" Christian muttered. "Either way, we must interrogate. Want to join me"? He smirked.

    "I am surprised you have to ask". Caleb replied with a smirk. As much he hated the responsibility that came with being a leader, he loved these perks about it. If only he would had born with Alpha genes, he wouldn''t have had to hide his identity just to gain the respect of his pack.

    At the hospital Christian asked one of the pack members who woke up, to which they confirmed it was the man who attacked the wolf. Caleb and Christian was about to enter the man''s room when they heard a deep voice, "Wait".

    Caleb turned around to find his Dad coming from the end of the corridor. When he was close enough, "Dad, I kn-" Caleb tried to justify why he should be a part of this but Mr. Wrisberg shot him down just by a gesture.

    "I''ll join you two as well. It''s my pack, I should be hearing whatever he has to say first hand" Mr. Wrisberg barged into the room without waiting for any response from anyone.

    Caleb rolled his eyes before following his father and his brother into the room. They saw the man sitting there with lost eyes. For a moment they even suspected the man to be disoriented. The moment he noticed the trio he looked up and asked, "What is happening"?

    "That''s something you should tell us"! Christian retorted. He would have probably said something more but he was shut by their father''s quick glare.

    "Who are you"? This time it was their father who asked him.

    "David Holman" the man admitted honestly.

    "Why are you attacking my wolves"? Mr. Wrisberg asked sternly.

    "Your wolves"? The man raised one of his eyebrows. "Look man, I don''t harm animals". He declared proudly.

    "Are you f**king kidding me"? Caleb shouted.

    "Language"! Mr Wrisberg shouted at Caleb before proceeding further with the interrogation. "What are you doing in our town"? He asked that man.

    "What do you mean, I live here"! He argued.

    "No you don''t, you live in Town Ceucus". Mr Wrisberg announced.

    "Wait, where am I"? David asked with widened eyes.

    "You are at Crescent Point". Mr Weisberg announced.

    "WHAT"?! That man exclaimed out loud that made both the brothers flinch.

    "That is correct". Mr Wrisberg declared.

    "Iˇ­ I remember going home from the Gallery" that man whispered. He probably thought the others couldn''t hear him, but with their wolf ears the caught everything perfectly. "I remember taking the carˇ­ Iˇ­ That''s all I remember".

    "What date was it"? Caleb asked him this time. "30th November" David Holman answered him.

    "It''s 23rd December here". Caleb informed him.

    David''s eye widened further as he digested the fact that he lost almost a whole month. "Did I get in an accident or something"? He wondered. "Was I in coma"? He asked them.

    "You were driving, do you remember crashing into something"? Christian asked David Holman with heavy loaded sarcasm.

    "Honestly, I don''t even remember driving or starting my car. Last thing I remember was getting into my car" the man answered sincerely.

    "Alright" Mr Wrisberg announced. "Let''s go for now" he ordered his sons and turned aroud to leave.

    "Wait"! Davil called out and Mr. Wrisberg''s hand stopped abruptly before it touched the doorknob. "Can anyone tell me what is going on? Why am I in a hospital"?

    "He is useless" Mr. Wrisberg announced in a very low voice that only his sons could hear and left the room. His sons followed the same suit.

    "Alpha, are you sure he is not lying"?  Christian asked his father.

    "Almost". Mr. Wrisberg admitted. "You told me there were some marks on his neck. Describe them to me" He ordered.

    "Let me think, he ha-" Caleb started but his brother interjected, "hold on, I took a pic".

    He took out his phone and showed him, "Do you recognize this"? He asked.

    "I think so" Mr Wrisberg nodded lightly, "and if I am right, then we are in big trouble". He declared.

 Chapter 33 - New Wolf

    "Wait, what do you mean"? Christian asked.

    "These marks are gone now, so it''s hard to tell who made them, but I am certain it''s a part of black magic".  Both the brother''s eyes widened at that.

    "Wait, are you telling me that the witches are back in the town"? Christian questioned. "I thought they were banned after the Massacre of 1995".

    "They are, which means whoever is doing this, solo or group, is here illegally". He sighed. "It also makes it harder for us to spot them given how they smell exactly like humans, which is basically nothing". Mr. Wrisberg fumed with anger.

    "We have no clue on whom it could be"? Caleb sighed.

    "We mightˇ­" Christian whispered in a deep thought, "We went back to the scene, I smelt the same scent we smelled when James died". He nudged his head towards Caleb. Caleb''s eyes widened as he realized how Ashton was in trouble once more.

    "That pureblooded Alpha"? Mr. Wrisberg asked, to which Christian nodded. "Don''t you think so, you were there. Matt told me that''s what attracted you guys in the first place" his brother bombarded him.

    Caleb looked at his brother then shifted his gaze to father before nodding slightly. If he denied after all the evidence Christian just pointed out, even he would be deemed as suspicious. He couldn''t believe that Ashton, who was off their suspect list for a while now was back on it.

    "I knew it! A pureblooded alpha attacking the other wolves makes so much sense" Mr. Wrisberg scoffed.

    "Why though"? Caleb asked as he failed to see any motive from Ashton for doing this. As far as he could tell he was least interested in doing anything that was related to being a wolf. He knew that the purebloods were dangerous for their immense powers and the difficulty it takes to defeat them. But why a hidden attack like this would be beneficial to them.

    "Are you kidding? They have the power so they want to rule everyone. Everyone knows that". His father reprimanded him.

    "Just to show off their power? Not every pureblooded Alpha is power thirsty, Dad. There are exceptions. Not everyone has to follow the personality defined by their roles in our hierarchy". He defended Ashton. For some reason it made him even more furious. Of course he hated that Ashton was being judged too quickly, but on the subtext he hated how prejudiced they all were.

    "Caleb, don''t take it so personally! I know you hate prejudices, but not everyone is an exception like you"! He spat at his son before he looked around to check if anyone heard what he said.

    Caleb tightened his fists as he fought the urge to say something back. He knew arguing with his Dad was pointless. He had been arguing with his Dad for years and never once did he manage to convince him otherwise. His father was the most stubborn person he ever met.

    Luckily before Caleb burst any vein from all the anger piling up, the doctor called them catching their attention, "The wolf is awake. He is still weak, so it''s hard for him to transform back to his human form" the doctor informed him.

    "Any idea how long will it take him"? Mr. Wrisberg asked him.

    "Unfortunately no, our recovery rate varies from wolf to wolf. We just have to wait and watch to see how long he takes to recover". Doctor explained with an apologetic expression.

    "Isn''t there any ways to speed up the process"? It was Caleb who asked the doctor.

    "Unfortunately no." The doctor maintained his previous expression, "I meanˇ­" he paused for a moment, "... evidence does suggest that having a mate nearby, a fated one to be precise, does speed up the process. But we know how rare those are. Even if this man has a mate, the chances of it being a fated match is almost negligible".

    "I see". Caleb whispered.

    "We will wait it out" Mr. Wrisberg announced to the doctor before the doctor left.

    They had to stay for almost five hours there. It was already late in the noon so few of the maids brought lunches for them. Meanwhile Mr. David Holman was adamant on getting a discharge, but due to high level of suspicion he was held back under the pretense of being medically unfit.

    The wolf who finally transformed into a blonde man who appeared to be around his mid twenties sat in his bed patiently while he recovered. Even in hospital gown with such a tired face, he looked very attractive. Before entering, Mr Wrisberg decided that it would be polite to knock.

    "I hope you are doing okayˇ­ I am the Alpha here". He introduced himself.

    That man bowed lightly before he went ahead with his own introduction, "I am Sebastian Kyles". He said in a deep voice.

    "That seems familiar" Christian murmured. Even though his father and brother heard him they didn''t pay any heed to him.

    "What were you doing here? Are you aware you are not allowed to visit here unless you take permission"? Mr. Wrisberg asked him sternly.

    "I am aware, but I thought family was an exception". He shrugged.

    "Family"? Mr Wrisberg asked.

    "Remember Cory Stetson, who died a while ago"? He raised his eyebrows, "I am his nephew. He doesn''t have any other family.. so his lawyer tracked me down and wanted to meet with me...here". He explained himself.

    "I see". Mr. Wrisberg. "Can you elaborate what happened to you? My son found you unconscious in the woods, but I want to know the specifics". He gestured towards Caleb suggesting his involvement.

    "Well" he began to think harder. "I was staying at the Hotel Javan that is right outside the town. My lawyer asked me he would like to meet me in the cafe that was nearby. I was headed there when I saw someone trying attack me". He explained himself.

    "Saw"? Christian scrunched his eyebrows.

    "Yes, as in that attacker was attacking me from behind while I was tying my shoelace. Due to rain, I guess, there was a puddle, so I saw his reflection and avoided getting the fatal hit on the right time". He explained further.

    "Was there any wolf nearby"? He asked him skeptically.

    "Wolf"? He scrunched his eyebrows before he thought hard, "I do remember that there was a howling that distracted that man". He whispered.

    "Wait, so he helped you"? Caleb spoke up hoping that the answer would clear the false suspicion.

    "I guess so". He shrugged.

    "Well, you were injured" Mr. Wrisberg commented. "By the way, who is this lawyer you went to meet"? He asked skeptically.

    "Someone named Kevin Marlow". He informed while the others nodded. "Anyways, we must leave now. Few of my wolves will be guarding you. The situation have been a bit tough around here, so don''t go anywhere without protection" Mr. Wrisberg asked him.

    "But, I have to return". Sebastian insisted.

    "Then my wolves will escort you. You should get some rest". He nodded and left while his son''s followed the same suit.

    The moment they were out Caleb announced, "I have to go back". Christian looked at him as he understood what he meant, "I''ll come with you" he offered.

 Chapter 34 - Suspicion

    Ashton got ready for the school next day and was about to leave after a quick breakfast when he was surprised to see no food or the twins at the table, "No breakfast today"? He asked skeptically.

    "It will take some time. Change into something comfortable will you"? She asked him, giving him a suspicious look. Ashton was taken aback for a moment before he replied, "What are you talking about? I am going to school. You know giant baggy clothes are my disguise".

    "Oh, I forgot to tell you, after yesterday''s event they canceled all the classes in the town. Even I don''t have to go today". She shrugged. "Wait what"! Ashton''s eyes widened, "butˇ­ what happened exactly"?

    "I don''t know. Miss Mrazek informed me that it''s all because of animal attacks that''s been going on in the town. She is a human so she doesn''t exactly know the real situation. All I am aware of is that the parents, mainly the human ones requested the safety of their kids until the situation comes under control". She explained.

    "Are you sure my school is suspended as well"? He asked just to clarify. Not that he was dying to go there and evade a holiday on purpose. He tried to look like a nerd, but he wasn''t that much of a nerd for real. He just didn''t want more absences in his record.

    "Yes, I am positive" she replied and handed him her phone after opening something on it. Ashton looked at the screen to see a notification saying the classes were canceled for a week. So all he had to do was stay in for a whole week.

    He was a bit worried about the situation, but he had nothing that he could do about it without jeopardizing his identity. He spent the whole day playing with the twins who were in fact glad that their brother woke up. The twins, despite going early to the bed last night cried themselves to sleep while hugging each other.

    He felt bad for putting his family through all of that. Even though they don''t talk about it he knew that they miss their Dad. Seeing him like that must have brought back the old memories. Unlike him, his (adopted) father didn''t get the antidote on the right time. Whenever he thinks about it, it makes him even more furious.

    As much as he would like to stay away from the trouble, he wasn''t sure that he would be able to or not. He feared that his true identity was pretty much exposed now, even if Caleb kept that secret, that attacker was bound to tell him.

    In the evening he received a call from an unknown number which he recognized from last night when he saw numerous missed calls from the same number. "Hello". He picked up reluctantly.

    "Hey"a strained voice answered from the other end. He recognized that voice after a moment of thought, "Caleb"?

    "Yeah, I want to ask you to stay low"! He said in a rush despite his haphazard breathing.

    "What are you talking about"? Ashton asked him. His first guess would be that they knew and were after him or his family for keeping this a secret. Nevertheless he popped that question hoping to be wrong.

    "They caught your scent twice, you are their prime suspect! Just stay low"! He ordered. Taken back by the other''s urgency of the words he nodded before he realized that the other can''t see him.

    "They know who I am"? He asked in a whisper. "No, that''sˇ­ still a mystery" he answered while panting.

    "And you don''t suspect me? Why are you telling me this"? Ashton asked annoyed. He liked the fact that someone trusted him, but it also annoyed him because he had enough reasons to be suspicious at this point. "I told you not to get swayed away by kindness"! He scolded Caleb, recalling that maybe he was being like this because he helped him once.

    "Relax kid, I have enough reasons to think otherwise"! Caleb said in a derisive tone that Ashton was certain that he was rolling his eyes at him. "Don''t worry, if you do something like tha..." he paused trying to suppress a painful groan, before taking a deep breath "As I was saying, if you harm someone with wolfsbane or anything else, I will kill you myself".

    "Are you alright"? Ashton couldn''t help but ask. No matter how much he was focused on his own problem he just couldn''t ignore that Caleb was in some sort of distress.

    "Yes, it''s just the heat" he replied. "Wait, why are you calling me then? You family can hear you"! Ashton exclaimed at him in a louder voice.

    "No they can''t, my... cabin is far awayˇ­ from the house". He replied to him. Caleb wasn''t in the condition to talk, but somehow talking kept him distracted from the pain. "No one is allowedˇ­ near meˇ­ in my heat" he informed Ashton. "I gotta go" Caleb spoke abruptly as he hit a new level of pain and hung up.

    Ashton stood there shocked as he stared at his screen. He remembers how touched Caleb was when he took care of him, was it the reason? Did he always spend his heat all by himself? Even as an Alpha he knew it was hard on the person because while growing up he had seen his mother suffer through that, but he and his dad always took care of her.

    When he moved he thought that this place was safe, especially for the omegas. With his sisters coming to age he could use the security this place provided to them. However, despite that it seemed that this place was not free of its prejudices.

    He was sure that if the pack finds out who he was, they will at least kick him out if not kill him. He never felt more proud of his decision to keep his identity a secret.

 Chapter 35 - On Alert

    The next few days things have been a little too scrutinized. With the awareness of the involvement of the witches, everyone was either alert or scared or both. When it came to witches they had a way of getting away with the things because of their magic. Even without wolfsbane they had the potential to possess enough strength which decapitate a wolf just by their magic.

    From  the marks on that man that day, they deduced that it must be someone who used black magic. While their magic was usually unstable, they were known for their strength. There was no way they would survive a face off with a witch that strong, even if they outnumbered the witches.

    Whoever sent the man, whoever was behind all of this was someone too strong. If that someone was doing all this from the shadows that could indicate only one thing. They were determined to keep their identity secret. Could it be a part of something bigger, or the witch was merely scared to show their face.

    All kinds of thoughts, theories and ideas went through Mr. Wrisberg''s head when he heard a knock in his office door. He allowed the person to come in only to reveal his older son behind the door. "Please, tell me you have good news". He asked his son with a straight face carrying a tinge of frustration and urgency.

    "I have a news", Christian retorted awkwardly.

    "Daily patrol reports revealed anything new"? His father took a guess.

    "Not really". Christian shook his head. "The pack is still on a high alert mode. Most of them are scared for their life. In fact, the wolves, who patrol on a group of four now display a considerable amount of panic". He sighed.

    "I see" he nodded. "Then why are you here"? He asked.

    "Remember that new wolf? Sebastian Kyles"? Christian asked while his father nodded at him. "Well, I ran a background check on him like you asked. Guess what I found"? He raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

    "What"? Mr Wrisberg looked at Christian''s smirk suspiciously.

    "He does not belong to any pack". Christian shrugged.

    "He''s a rogue" Mr. Wrisberg took an alert stance at that. "From where"?

    "That''s the thing, remember how he is the nephew of Mr Stetson. Turns out his mother, as in the sister of Mr Stetson found her fated mate and thus left this pack". He smirked.

    "Oh yeah, I remember. Amanda left to go to Canada". He relaxed, recalling her from the days when he was young. "I always assumed she found another pack there" Mr. Wrisberg shrugged.

    "She didn''t. Her mate was a human, so she gave up pack life to be with her mate".

    "So, by her means he is a rogue"?

    "Yes, precisely so". He sighed. "I couldn''t find anything suspicious on him though, except how his parents died"

    "What do you mean"? The alert stance was back again.

    "Well, I only looked at police reports which indicated that they were murdered due to animal attack". He sighed. "I mean, for us wolved, animal attacks are pretty darn suspicious".

    "I see" Mr.Wrisberg nodded. "So, what do you want to do about him"? He raised one of his eyebrows. "You are the one who insisted he stays until the situation is a bit sorted out".

    "Well, I was thinking maybeˇ­" he let out a breath, "we keep an eye on him. Even if he is a wolf, he is not one of our wolves. It would be foolish to trust him blindly".

    "Agreed". Mr. Wrisberg nodded and got back to his work. Unsure of what to do Christian simply looked around awkwardly. "You want something else"? He asked after a brief moment of silence.

    "No" Christian shook his head.

    "Then why are you still here"? He questioned once more.

    "Never mind" Christian whispered while he left the room knowing well enough that his father heard him. The moment he turned around after he made sure that the door was closed properly he saw the same tall blonde guy, about whom they were talking about.

    "What are you doing here"? Christian asked with a steady voice despite being unsure of how much the other had heard.

    "I ran into Mrs Wrisberg, who encouraged me to check out the library section in the office. She told me I would find something interesting there". Sebastian scoffed. "Can''t believe she was right".

    "Seems like you heard what I said". Christian spoke without an ounce of guilt or regret.

    "Yeah", he nodded. "FYI, even if you had asked me about my past I would have told you everything". Sebastian stated in a flat voice.

    "Probably, but like I said, I don''t know you. In our current scenario I''m just being careful". Christian shrugged. "Library is down the hall by the way" he showed him the direction using his hands, gave him a slight nod and left him there.

    On his way out of the office he kept thinking that how could he miss that the other person was right outside the door. Maybe he missed his scent because this place reeked of various pheromones. Or maybe because the door was closed too tightly which blocked the scent from reaching their nose. Given how that strong scent hit him the moment he stepped out, the second scenario seemed more likely.

    He was just outside the building when he saw Mr. And Mrs Joseph ran towards him. "Son, where is Caleb"? They asked him with a panic stricken voice. It had only been five days since he went into heat. Caleb was probably almost fine by this time, but he couldn''t reveal the truth to them so instead he asked them, "Why? What happened"?

    "Yesterday, around afternoon Matt left the house saying he was going to see Caleb. Since our houses are nearby, I let him. He didn''t come back home yesterday and neither did he pick up his phone when we dialed it". Mr Joseph informed.

    "After two calls his phone switched off" Mrs Joseph informed Christian. "I assumed he might have ran out of battery, but we are really worried about him. We went to your house but Caleb wasn''t there. Is he in there"? She asked, pointing her head towards the office building.

    Christian took a deep breath while he pondered upon what to say. In a tough situation like this, he can''t exactly lie to brush them off. On the other hand there was no way he could tell them where Caleb actually was. On top of Caleb''s identity lying on a thin ice, now he had a missing wolf he needed to worry about.

 Chapter 36 - Looking For Matt

    Caleb sneaked into his room to take a shower before going out. Despite being a little uncomfortable, he was in good enough shape to roam around, and his scent was low enough to be masked by a commercial pheromone.

    With almost no contact with the outside world from the Cabin, especially in a situation like this kind of drove him crazy in there. After coming out and getting changed he felt his brother was trying to link him. Realizing that it must be an emergency, he responded immediately.

    [What is happening?] He asked without any further ado.

    [Where is Matt?]

    [How would I know?]

    [His parents are conviced you would. He left the house to meet up with you]

    [I got out of my Cabin like an hour ago, I literally have no idea.]

    [Apparently he said, as quoted by his mother, "for some soccer talk"]

    That was not an unfamiliar sentence to Caleb. As soon as he heard it he sighed with relief. [That''s his code for sneaking out to his girlfriend. He has used that one before. I am sure he went to see her.]

    [You think? He didn''t answer his phone, he is been gone for a whole day. He disappeared last afternoon]

    [Thatˇ­ that is too long even for him] Caleb hesitated. [Give me a moment, I will call Sara and tell you. Meanwhile don''t tell his parents anything. Why bother them with nothing]

    [Alright] his brother let go of the link.

    He took out his phone and dialed Sara. She was one of the few sophomores he had contact info of due to her being his best friends girlfriend, "Hello"? She answered.

    "Hey, do you have any idea where Matt is"? He asked in a normal voice.

    "Haven''t heard from him since yesterday, why"? She asked with concern.

    "Nothing, that jerk owes me money and he is not picking up"! He lied to her. "If you hear from him tell him I called".

    "Will do" she replied and hung up. He was almost a hundred percent sure that he left to go to her house. The thing is, her house was indeed quiet far away. Being a human and all she lived outside their pack premises.

    There are a lot of ways he could have been abducted from on the way, assuming that Matt was still alive. If he left the pack border some or the other wolf must know. He tried to link the wolves that were under patrol duty and sure enough the southeast team confirmed Matt passed by. The border closest to her house.

    Worried he linked his brother and informed him of the situation, [I got it, I will go check out that border] his brother affirmed.

    [Let me come] Caleb insisted.

    [Your heat?]

    [It''s over anyways. I can check it out] he said. He disconnected the link without even bothering to wait for his brother''s reply and ran to southeast border.

    With his speed he reached there before his brother. As much as he was impatient to find out what happened, be fought his instinct and waited for his brother. He knew how potentially reckless leaving all by himself could be.

    "You shouldn''t have come". That''s the first thing his brother told him the moment he saw him.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb shot him a dirty look. "He is my friend. I need to find out what''s wrong. Stop treating me like a kid"!

    "I know you are hyped up. But you are too personally involved with this. I don''t want you to make any mistakes that you may end up regretting" his brother tried to explain it to him.

    "Don''t worry, I will be cautious," Caleb promised his brother before they left for their venture. Matt being an Alpha had strong enough pheromones. But tracking him using that was proving to be quite hard. The release of pheromones depends on a lot of factors for a wolf. While the amount of scent does not become zero (Unlike Ashton), it is pretty low.

    Since he was here a day ago it was so faded that after reaching the busier part of the town they couldn''t even find it.

    "What should we do now"? Christian, exasperated, asked his brother.

    "I don''t know" Caleb hit the wall next to him out of frustration.

    "Let''s look around a little bit. Meanwhile try calling him as well". Christian suggested him. Caleb nodded and did as he was asked.

    He looked around trying to sniff as much as he could and for the first time he felt frustrated about the fact that his sense of smell was weaker than the other wolves. He decided to try the popular method of lost and found, and thus dug out his phone, searched for one of his picture, (which was hard given how neither of them were photogenic) and asked people around.

    "Have you seen this boy"?

    "Did you see anyone who looked like him"? And so on.

    Most of them didn''t pay any attention. Some of them shook their heads no politely, while some actually bothered to look at his picture before saying no. Amongst one of them was an old lady who was selling some traditional hand made pieces of jewelry. But unlike others, upon being asked her answer was yes. "He was here yesterday. He bought a bracelet for someone from me. I think he went that way". She showed him the direction.

    Caleb wanted to call his brother as well, but due to the crowd he didn''t bother at all. He took the road and along the way he had hoped he would be able to sniff his scent again.

    After a while he fumbled upon an amulet which was an heirloom in Matt''s family. Naturally he was very possessive of it, and thus finding it lying in the middle of the road raised his suspicion to a higher degree. He turned around to go and call his brother but unfortunately that was the moment everything turned black for him.

 Chapter 37 - The Witch

    Caleb opened his eyes to find himself lying in a dark closed space. It was way too dark for him to have a clearer view of the things. He had no idea how long he was out, but he wondered whether or not was it nighttime.

    "I see you are finally awake" Caleb heard a familiar voice speak to him.

    "Matt"? He questioned and looked around. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here? What is this place"? Caleb bombarded his friend with all these questions.

    "If I knew I wouldn''t be still here" Matt grunted in frustration.

    "Can''t we get out of here"? Caleb asked.

    "Of course we can. I am still here because I have nothing better to do"! Matt replied with heavy loaded sarcasm. "The walls, the doors, everything is loaded with wolfsbane here. Even touching that hurts".

    "I wish I didn''t get separated from my brother. My links aren''t even working here anymore. I finally know that woman was the witch, I wish I could tell him that"! Caleb sighed with frustration.

    "What woman"? Matt asked with confusion.

    "From whom you brought a bracelet". Caleb replied.

    "I didn''t buy any bracelet. I went to Sara''s straight". Matt replied.

    "Thenˇ­ who was the woman? Why did she deflect me"? He thought and said out loud. "Wait", suddenly something hit him, "You met with Sara"? Caleb asked.

    "Yes". He nodded. "In fact, I even remember trying to leaveˇ­ " he said while he revisited his blurred out memories.

    "She said she didn''t meet you"! Caleb interjected. "I called her". He. explained.

    "Why would she lie"? Matt shrugged.

    "No way" Caleb whispered. "You don''t think she is one of them, is she"? He asked reluctantly.

    "No way, we have been dating for almost a year. You don''t think I would have noticed if something was off about her"? Matt protested.

    "I don''t know, would you"? Caleb challenged.

    "I..." Matt began but tried to think of their past. "I think I would". He whispered.

    "No you won''t " a feminine familiar voice replied to them this time. Out of nowhere the lights went on and blurred their vision for a moment. They looked ahead to see Sara standing there on the other side of the barred door. "Otherwise you wouldn''t be here".

    "Why are you doing this"? Caleb asked furiously while Matt stood there frozen with shock.

    "That is something I would tell you before I kill you". She smirked. "I was saving Matt for the last but since you escaped last time, I guess it couldn''t be helped". She scoffed.

    "What did we ever do to you"? It was Matt who asked her this time.

    "What did my parents ever do to the wolves"? She raised her eyebrows, "You people still killed them".

    "What are you talking about"? Caleb asked.

    "In the year 2010 my parents moved here after my Dad got transferred. My mother who was a witch never used magic knowing well enough witches were banned in the quarters". She scoffed. "Until one day a wolf attacked her out of nowhere".

    She paused to observe the reactions in their faces. They waited impatiently for her to finish her story so she continued further, "She injured the wolf to protect herself, it was self defense, but the news got out and you know what your father ordered to do to her"? She said with rage while she pointed at Caleb.

    "She was mauled by the strongest wolves, and so was my Dad who tried to protect her". she was on the verge of tears as she recalled it. "I am sure if they found me from my hiding spot they would have done the same thing to me. Luckily they couldn''t smell me, so I couldrun away". She finished her story.

    "I have no trouble believing you. In the name of leadership my Dad is capable of doing all sorts of cruel things. But are going to kill each and everyone of the wolves in here"? Caleb tried to reason with her.

    "No, that would be silly. If I kill them they won''t suffer the way I suffered after they died". She said with a scary smile.

    "So why us then"? Matt questioned her.

    "Cause you were the ones that are related to the wolves who killed her. Your fathersˇ­" she gestured at them. "Mr Wesley but Mr Stetsonˇ­ whom I had to kill because he had no one else, until, of course, when his nephew showed up" she shrugged.

    What about James''s friends? You killed them as well. Neither of them had anything to do what happened to you"! Caleb shouted at her with anger.

    "Well, it was hard for me to get to James when he was all by himself. For someone who shows off his strength a lot he sure kept a lot of lackeys with him all the time". She shrugged.

    "Anyways, I still wanted to spare them since I found all of them unconscious by the time I reached their secluded spot. But wolf healing woke them up before I was done with James, so I had no other choice left". Caleb tightened his fists as he heard Sara speak about killing those innocent people as if it was not any big a deal at all.

    "You can say it was just some collateral damage" She smirked, quite proud of herself for using that analogy. "Just like this one would be when I am done with both of you". She nudged her head towards another direction in that shared basement. Both Matt and Caleb observed closely to find a teenage boy lying on the floor unconscious while his hands and legs were tied. On a closer look Caleb realized it was none other than Ashton.

    There were two things he failed to understand. One, just how did he get here? And Two, how much did Sara actually knows about Ashton to be able to not only get a hold of him, but also to keep him down like this?

 Chapter 38 - Itâ€™s Really Importantâ€¦

    (Few hours ago)

    Ashton would be lying if he said he wasn''t bored of staying inside his house all the time. It''s been almost a week and still there was no news of what was actually happening out there. Sure, he knew that the problem was yet to be solved, but he did not know the specifics. Did more people die? Did they figure out who were upto all of this? Did they even have a lead? Any idea on how long would they be stuck like this?

    These were the kinds of thoughts that bothered Ashton everytime he was left alone all by himself with his thoughts. To avoid feeling like this not only he spent most of his time along with his sisters, who in fact were annoyed by how clingy Ashton was being, but he also spent it by helping his mother as much as he could.

    One morning he received a call from his classmate, "Hey Ashton, can you bring me back my book, the one which you took home accidentally"? Sara requested him.

    Knowing well enough the craziness of the situation he tried to suggest otherwise.

    "Can''t it really wait? You said you had the pdf"

    "I do, but right now it''s not the book that I need. There is a form that I kept inside my book, which I got signed from the principal. The deadline''s today for the submission, I really need it". She insisted.

    "What would happen if you miss the deadline"? He asked. "Can''t you ask them to postpone it"?

    "I wish I could, but it is really important, kind of like life and death important. Please Ashton" She insisted. Ashton took a deep breath before answering, "Alright, I will do that".

    He checked the book for any forms just to make sure that he had it for real, and she didn''t misplace it somewhere else. When he found it, he put it in the backpack, took a list of groceries his mom made to buy on his way back and left the house. He did not know where Sara lived, and it took him some time to find it despite Sara having shared her location.

    She invited him in for a drink or something but he declined politely. He could smell the scent of Matt which was fresh enough to indicate his presence inside. He did not want to deal with that hot-headed wolf. He turned around to leave but soon everything turned black for him.

    By the time he regained his consciousness he could feel something was sticking to his lids preventing him from opening them. He could also feel ropes tying him all around. Everything about this situation reminded him of the night with James. This time he decided not to lose his calm and pretend to be unconscious and lay still. He was also aware of Matt''s presence due to the smell that he radiated in here.

    He was starting to doubt Sara when he heard a noise of metal clicking followed by a faint sweet familiar smell. Ashton began to panic as he recognised the owner and wondered the severity of the situation. Given how he could still make out that it was Caleb''s own scent, and the fact it has only been five days since they last spoke, he knew Caleb was yet to recover from his heat completely. He pondered for a moment what should be his next step before deciding to just listen quietly for now.

    He heard them talk about all the ways they ended up here. He heard them talk all the theories they came up with. He also heard Sara declare her own wrongdoings one by one accompanied by why she did everything. When she threatened to kill them Ashton felt enraged and an urge to knock her out, but he held himself back to explore the situation further.

    At first he was mad at Sara, but when she shared her story he could not help but feel sympathetic towards her as he could relate to what it was like when your parents get killed in front of you. Who is to say he won''t do the exact same thing if he found his own parent''s killer? Over the past few years he did imagine just abandoning everything he has and look for the killer, but he knew the danger that would bring upon his adopted family so he stopped himself. He did not want to lose his family twice.

    He was battling with all these emotions when he heard Caleb whisper, "Ashton"? That brought back his attention back to present, which also meant Caleb noticed him. "Why is he here"?

    "You should thank Matt on this one" Ashton heard Sara say followed by a soft "What"? from Caleb.

    "He told me that Ashton is your mate" Sara shrugged. "Iˇ­ I did not" Matt tried to defend himself.

    "Of course you wouldn''t remember it, you were high as hell. Do you have any idea how many times you have confessed to me that you are a ''werewolf'' while you are drunk". Sara smirked.

    Matt was speechless at that to whom Caleb whispered, "We make it alive out of here and I ever catch you drinking, I will kill you"!

    "I understand that you brought Ashton here to leverage me, but I am already here, so please just let him go"! Caleb insisted. "Besides, I lied about him being my mate. I just said that so that Matt would back off".

    "Wait, what"? Matt looked at Caleb baffled at his actions.

    "Well, lying is one of your talents isn''t it"? Sara gave him a suggestive smirk. "Not so fast. You are good with tricking other''s which is why he is staying here until I am done with you. If he catches me doing that, he is not making it alive out of here either". She shrugged.

    "I cannot believe you tricked me like this Sara. I loved you a lot" Matt.

    "Oh please" she snickered. "You and I  both know that if you find your mate you will leave me in a second. As for tricking, you should be used to it given how best friend has been doing that sinceˇ­ well forever".

    "What are you talking about"? Matt rolled his eyes at her.

    "Calebˇ­" She smirked. "ˇ­ Always pretending to be an Alpha"

    "He is an Alpha"! Matt insisted.

    "Is he though"? She tilted her head before casting some magic while moving her fingers in a certain way. Suddenly the whole place was stuffed with Caleb''s original scent. The intensity wasn''t as high as the full blown heat, but it was pretty intense. The scent was strong enough to make Matt uncomfortable but he still refused to believe it. Meanwhile Ashton who was doing his best to lie still on the floor clenched his fist tight.

    "Can you believe how she is trying to manipulate our friendship as well? Creating fake scents with her magic". Matt asked Caleb.

    Caleb looked at Matt before he shifted his gaze to the floor. After a moment of uncomfortable silence he spoke, "She is not lyingˇ­ this is my real scent".

 Chapter 39 - Enough Chit Chat

    When Caleb caught his own scent coming off so strong he knew he was screwed for good. Of course he could probably lie and get out of this situation but he also felt like he could die here today, and he would regret it if he lied till his last breath. He imagined telling his best friend the truth some day, it might as well be today in case today was his last day.

    "Dude, this is not the time to joke"! Matt continued to refuse to believe.

    "I am not kidding! This happens to be my real scent, and I am an omega". Caleb asserted in a louder voice.

    "Y...youˇ­" Matt became speechless after that.

    "How did you figure it out"? Caleb asked Sara.

    "What am I? Dumb? Like him"? She nudged her head towards Matt. "He might have missed how you vanish periodically, I didn''t". She shrugged.

    "Why do you hide it"? Matt whispered next to him. Caleb did not bother answering that because he was yet not prepared to deal with it.

    "Enough chit chat". Sara straightened herself up and opened the door to the cellar. Startled Caleb and Matt both took an alert stance. While both of them wanted to run away they knew she would be able to catch them.

    Nevertheless, they were strongest in their wolf forms so both of them shifted into it after they nodded at each other. She smirked seeing them trying to fight their inevitable doom.

    Suddenly she took a step back and squatted down next to Ashton. She raised her hand next to his neck and threatened them. "One wrong move and he will die". She felt proud of herself for bringing him here. Ashton was finally proving to be the leverage she had hoped him to be.

    Both Caleb and Matt looked at each other in their wolf form and talked with each other in link.

    [Are you sure he is not your mate?]

    [No he isn''t, but I am not letting him die because of us]

    [Are you kidding me?! I am not dying here today just to save a weak human!!]

    [I AM NOT SACRIFICING SOMEONE ELSE!!] He shouted at Matt while growling at him with his snout. Despite now knowing that he was an omega Matt still felt intimidated by that.

    [ I don''t care] Matt declared and jumped on Sara. He laid on top of her as he continued to growl at her. Meanwhile Ashton struggled to breathe as he felt his windpipe close due to the magic she casted while she lay against the ground.

    Caleb, who noticed Ashton''s subtle movements of suffocation shouted at Matt, [Just attack her already, he is dying!] Matt however hesitated, not due to her magic or her powers but the feelings for Sara that resurfaced despite knowing the truth.

    Sara, seeing this as an opportunity shifted the focus of her magic from Ashton to Matt and threw him into the wall. The blow was too strong and that coupled with the blow at a sensitive point made Matt unconscious. She smirked before getting up and brushing herself.

    "One down, one more to go". She approached Caleb who took a few steps back as a reflex. She knew that she had the upper hand at this very moment as she began to lift him up by using her magic. "Looks like Matt would be the last one to die after all". She started to snap his neck by using her magic while Caleb resisted that magic with all his might. It was surprising how Caleb could resist that.

    Caleb closed his eyes tightly partially focusing on resisting the power and partially accepting his death and waiting for the final blow. Instead he felt the power on his neck fade away a moment before he landed on the ground. After he regained his composure he looked around to find Sara on the ground who was bleeding from her head.

    Shocked, he looked behind her to find Ashton, who had managed to free himself, stare at the unconscious girl while his knuckles had blood in them. ''Did he manage to make her bleed just by a punch''? Caleb wondered. He took his steps slowly towards Sara and Ashton while making sure there is no residual magic that could hurt him.

    He felt his brother trying to link him so he answered that, [Where are you?] the first thing his brother asked him.

    [Iˇ­ don''t know] He answered. [I know who is the witch though, It''s none other than Sara Bellamy, Matt''s girlfriend.]

    [Okay, we will look for you. Try to stay alive until then] his brother ordered him before letting go of the link.

    He felt glad and hoped his brother would find him soon, until he noticed Ashton standing there who looked around himself trying to comprehend the situation properly. Ashton halted in his movements when he noticed the white wolf''s blue eyes staring at him. Not being a part of the pack or related to Caleb whatsoever it was impossible for him to link with him or talk to him in his form.

    The wolf took his steps forward to Ashton who reciprocated the same action. The wolf growled at him as if it was trying to tell him. Unable to understand anything he touched the giant head of the wolf and ruffled his hands through it''s fur. "Are you hurt"? Ashton asked the wolf at which he received a very scary growl.

    Confused by the sudden reaction Ashton retracted his hand for a moment before he put them back on him along with his other hand. "Calm down, would you". The wolf growled a few times before getting comfortable with the touch. Ashton petted him softly as he ruffled his hands through Caleb''s white fur before saying, "Sorry for not acting out before, I really thought you all will be rescued before things got this bad".

    Ashton''s voice quivered since it was loaded with regret. At that the wolf''s head jolted suddenly and it started growling again. This time however it just didn''t stop at growling. For some reason Caleb headbutted his back and tried to push him, "What are you doing"?! Ashton asked him, confused.

    After noticing that Caleb was pushing him towards the exit he realised that Caleb wants him out of here. "How can I just leave like this"? Ashton scoffed at the angry wolf. It was not like he was expecting any verbal answer, but he wasn''t expecting the reaction he got either.

    "Ouch"! Ashton shouted as he looked at his hand where Caleb bit him. "What the hell"! Ashton shouted again, a bit relieved that the bite wasn''t deep enough to bleed. Once more Ashton was nudged by Caleb''s snout towards the exit. "Okay, fine! Fine! I am leaving"! Ashton announced before he got out. If he stayed any further Caleb would be the one to probably kill him.

    Once Ashton was out of Caleb''s sight he stared at Sara to check for any movements while he waited patiently for his brother. After a few minutes Caleb was relieved when Matt woke up, however that relief was short-lived when he saw Sara stir.

 Chapter 40 - Eternity Of Misery

    Caleb started to panic for a moment. Once she would be awake his brother might not be able to find them. For some reason she managed to block their scents as well which made it almost impossible to track them. It was like being back to square one. He felt glad though that he managed to send Ashton away. He had nothing to do with this mess, and he would hate it if he got caught in this for no reason.

    Sara took some time to open her eyes because back then Ashton hit her pretty hard. Looking at that injury he had to admit that he had never seen anything like it before. Even the strongest werewolves were not strong enough to crack their skull open with a single punch.

    She woke up holding her head while she fumed with anger. She had no idea who hit her but she assumed it was either Matt or Ashton, Ashton being less likely since he was tied. She also assumed that it was Caleb who let Ashton free. She did not care much about Ashton as she did about killing those two, so without waiting any further she threw knives at them that were loaded with Wolfsbane.

    Before it hit both of them she heard a howl coming from outside. She paused for a moment before she continued with her plan, but unfortunately Caleb and Matt took that distraction as an opportunity and jumped on her. Caleb made sure to hit the spot, from where she was bleeding and thus she screamed in pain the next moment.

    This time however before she could recover the whole place was swarmed with wolves. Even if Sara was strong enough she had never faced an army of wolves. She would be lying if she said she wasn''t even a little bit intimidated.

    They growled at her before an intense fight ensued between them. Her eyes turned dark from her usual amber colour. Whenever any wolf managed to get close enough to her she would radiate this enormous wave of energy that would not only throw that certain wolf, but will throw every other wolf present there.

    This went on for a while before she started attacking the wolves with the wolfsbane loaded knives. Few of them got hit and started to cry from the immense pain that it caused. More than half of the wolves were injured when she laughed boisterously at her forthcoming victory.

    Suddenly, while she was in her own daze her laughter stopped mid laugh with a gasp. The wolves mainly the uninjured ones looked at her who herself had a knife in her chest. The wolves who failed to comprehend the situation looked around to see the source of the knife when they heard, "You deserve this for attacking me, you b***h".

    Turns out it was none other than the new wolf whom they found a few days ago in a terrible condition, Sebastian Kyles. Why was he here? None of them knew, especially since he was supposed to be sort of locked inside their pack guest house which was situated right next to their office.

    Sara who had a knife through her heart burst into flames like some magic before all of them. She screamed "I condemn you to an eternity of misery"! before turning into nothing but ashes that lay underneath.

    After a moment they recovered from the shock of the situation as they realised that they won this round. The wolves who were yet unharmed by wolfsbane, including Caleb, his brother and Matt, transformed into their human selves. Amongst twelve wolves that were here, only four of them (another wolf along with the previous three) were unharmed.

    Fortunately since Sara''s magic was lifted their link was back so Christian linked the hospital to send ambulances to their current location, an old building near the outskirts of the town.

    Once their ride was here, all of them, that is including Sebastian helped the nurses get into the Van. They brought antidotes with them, as instructed by Christian and injected it to them one by one depending on the severity of their injury.

    "Thanks for showing up, when you did" Caleb gave his brother a faint smile.

    "Thanks for howling at the right time, cause your scent disappeared like a mile ago so we were just going around this place randomly hoping to find something". Christian patted his brother''s shoulders.

    "Umˇ­ neither of us howled. But we did hear someone howl" Matt informed Christian.

    "Then who did"? Christian asked both of them. Even Caleb wondered the same thing until it hit him that there was another wolf that was nearby. Caleb had a faint smirk for a moment before it disappeared. "I guess we will never know". Caleb shrugged.

    "Do you have any residual injuries"? Chistian asked both of them. They shook their heads before Caleb informs him that, "They are healed already".

    "Both of you should go home" Christian told both of them before whispering to Caleb "Dad was very furious with you, so good luck".

    His brother left with the wolves while Matt and Caleb stood in silence. It was still a bit awkward between them after Matt found out the truth, but still he decided to give it a go, "Just why did you hide the fact that you are an omega? I can understand why you don''t tell everyone, but we are supposed to be friends"! Matt accused him.

    "I don''t know, maybe because when we were young you almost attacked an omega in heat"? Caleb reprimanded.

    "That was ages ago! I am not that jerk anymore"! Matt defended himself.

    "So what? Now you know and look at the way you are shouting at me right now"! Caleb raised his voice as well.

    "It''s because I am angry"! Matt huffed in frustration. "Never mind, I guess we weren''t really as close as we thought we were" he rolled his eyes and ran away.

    Caleb stood there all by himself for a moment as he interpreted the current situation. After all, Matt wasn''t completely wrong. If they were really that close maybe he wouldn''t have had the need to hide such a big secret. While it made him a little bit upset he left for the place and headed to his house.

 Chapter 41 - Push Away

    After Ashton returned home he was questioned for his reason for being late. However, since they knew he went to a friend''s house they weren''t as worried way too much. When he told his mother everything that happened, she was beyond horrified. Despite every reassurance she twirled him around to check for injuries.

    She even made him his favorite roasted beef, for which she went to shop around in the evening, just to cheer him up. Since Ashton was abducted he actually didn''t get to shop for his family.

    After they were done with dinner he went straight to bed. He contemplated falling asleep but the events from earlier the day just kept him wide awake.

    Ashton was glad that he didn''t leave the area yet, despite being thrown out of there. He was baffled when Caleb''s wolf form tried to kick him away from the situation, especially when he could have been more helpful. For this reason he had no idea why Caleb didn''t want him there. Maybe because he knew wolves were coming?

    He would have had to explain Ashton''s disappearance despite that since Matt saw him, unless Caleb tells him the truth now that his secret was out to him. At this point even he was unsure of his own future, and the uncertainty was killing him.

    When he spotted the wolves roaming around searching for the lost wolves he knew they needed some help. So he howled to grab their attention before he made a run for it.

    He did not stick around to see the entire situation. He simply assumed everything would be under control. Alas, this was just his assumption, and the anticipation of not knowing what happened was killing him. Just what happened to his resolution to mind his own business from the time he moved in?

    He was tossing and turning around in the bed when he suddenly recalled that he did have Caleb''s number and maybe he can call and find out. It was probably late to call him, but he didn''t care. He dialed the number and waited for the other to reply.

    It kept on ringing and Ashton was about to hang up when Caleb picked up. "Hello"? Caleb answered from the other side. His voice was crystal clear which meant he was wide awake and was not awakened by Ashton''s call. Then why did he pick up late?

    "Are you alright? Did they get her? Is everything alright"? He bombarded the other with questions.

    "Don''t worry about it. I am fine. Did you make it back properly"? Caleb asked him.

    "Yeah". Ashton replied in a soft voice. Neither of them spoke for a whole minute. Either they had nothing to talk about or they did, but didn''t know how to put them into words.

    "I am sorry you got involved in all this mess". Caleb spoke up after the silence.

    "I am glad that I did". Ashton replied without skipping a beat. Even Ashton didn''t realise what he spoke until a moment after when Caleb asked him, "What"?

    "What"? Ashton asked back, flustered by his own words. "I meant, I was able to help you. I just regret not doing it sooner".

    After a heavy sigh Caleb spoke. "Thanks for doing that. But you don''t have to do that for me anymore".

    "Wait what are you talking about"? Ashton was taken aback by that statement.

    "I''m sorry for being intrusive. Maybe if I hadn''t been like that things would have gone differently" he paused for a moment "Try to stay out of my business, and I will stay out of yours". Caleb spoke and without waiting for any reply he hung up.

    Ashton stared at his phone as he tried to figure out the interaction he just had. He could not comprehend no matter how much he racked his brains. Caleb was usually a very chill guy and never once did he hesitate sharing stuff with Ashton once he found out his biggest secret.

    It wasn''t like he was in any kind of real danger today. In fact his presence there turned out to be more beneficial. Then why was Caleb pushing him away now? Exactly what happened there after he left.

    He had hoped that this one phone call would make him calmer, but instead it raised his anxiety levels. He tried to fall asleep the whole night but he stayed awake. Apart from the fact he was worried about what happened, he also felt bad for Sara.

    He would not agree with her tactics, but he would agree that she was wronged. The wolves indeed had the upper hand in this area. If her parents were killed simply for just being witches, they would surely come after him for being a pureblooded Alpha once they discover his true identity.

    He always thought the strict rules here would mean something different, but who was he kidding? It was unfair to anyone whom they could subdue by power. He himself needed to be careful now. Maybe staying away from Caleb is not such a worst idea after all. But then again, he was not sure if he will be able to or not.

 Chapter 42 - Ellamora

    Christian accompanied most of them to the hospital. Upon reaching there they found the situation was too overwhelmed which even bothered the humans that were there. That is right, a secret pack hospital would be hard to maintain, especially if they had to tend to emergency situations like this. For this reason the place was open to all as a tiny emergency unit whose major part was restricted to humans.

    Christian tried his best to keep his calm, something he was quite used to as a future Alpha of their whole pack. He explained the doctor''s everything as best as he could and was beyond relieved that they were not hurt by something other than wolfsbane.

    He was pacing back and forth at the corridor when he noticed none other than Sebastian Kyles sitting outside Unit-16. Approaching him he asked, "Why are you sitting here"?

    "The patients I brought in are being treated in this unit. I am here in case they need anything". Sebastian mumbled, as if he was absorbed in something else.

    Christian, sensing the tense environment decided not to bother him but suddenly he recalled something, "What were you doing at the dungeon"?

    "Why, I shouldn''t have gone there"? Sebastian snapped at Christian which definitely infuriated him. "You realise that you acting like this makes you even more suspicious"?

    "Like I care"? Sebastian rolled his eyes.

    "How did you know where to find us"? He questioned again. Sebastian gave him a flat expression before he spoke, "Why do you think I was involved"? He smirked, "Then again that shouldn''t be surprising". While saying that he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over to Christian.

    "What is this" Christian mumbled as he took it from the other''s hand and read it. It was an old newspaper article that reported how the missing case of Beatrix Ellamora was resolved upon finding her dead body. "Why do I need this" Christian asked him skeptically.

    "This lady is the mother of that witch. I come from the north where the witches of the Ellamora line are quite popular. This piqued my interest so I looked through the entire file". He explained.

    "Where did you get this"? Christian asked him skeptically. "Remember your library. It keeps a cabinet with files full of glories of the pack. I was going through themˇ­ you know, cause I was bored, and happen to stumble upon this". Sebastian shrugged. "If you go back read the whole file thoroughly you will notice that its mentioned who killed her".

    "That still doesn''t explain how you found the dungeon". Christian pressed further. "I knew the ones who died, and they had their surnames are same unlike mine, which is why it wasn''t hard to figure out. I decided to tell you guys about it when I found out that your brother was missing". He sighed with frustration.

    "So...you followed us"? Christian asked.

    "Sort of". Sebastian shrugged.

    "Then why didn''t you show yourself earlier? If you did these many wolves would not be injured"! Christian asked in accusatory tone.

    "I thought you guys could take care of it, unnecessarily getting involved would just make me suspicious... although, you still find me suspicious, I might have misjudged"  Sebastian shrugged.

    "What was with that knife"? Christian asked him, "I have never seen a weapon like this before". Christian mumbled. "It''s a tool. Like I said from where I come from it''s packed with witches. It doesn''t hurt to be a little prepared" Sebastian got up from his seat and smirked before he left.

    Despite all the explanations making sense Christian still failed to trust him. There was something about that wolf that kept bothering him, which just didn''t seem right.

    He was deep immersed in his thoughts when he found Matt coming upstairs, "I thought you went home, why are you back here"? Christian asked him.

    "My Parents kicked me out, said I have to get checked up properly" Matt rolled his in annoyance. Christian, hearing that, chuckled. Matt gazed at Christian hesitant but a curious gaze as if he wanted to say or ask something. Christian despite noticing that decided not to pester him about it especially since he had a bigger problem to take care of.

    Matt finding the situation overwhelmed decided to wait instead of bothering the doctor to give him a check up just for satisfaction. "Tell me somethingˇ­ "Christian spoke up softly that was directed at Matt, "Did you ever find anything suspicious or out of the blue about Sara"?

    Matt was taken aback by the sudden question. He shook his head to which he was asked, "Are you sure" which prompted him to think deeply. "Well, she dated me even if I was giant pain in the a**, does that count"? Christian nodded before saying, "That would make sense, she needed to manipulate someone".

    "I think she just kept me for intel", Matt mumbled, "She did say that I confessed stuff while I was drunk" Matt scoffed.

    "You are underage, what the hell were you thinking"!? Christian scolded him with a stern expression. Matt realising what he just confessed gulped, "No more drinks from now, I have learned my lesson". Matt replied quickly to avoid any dire consequences. Christian or Caleb, either of them can be persuaded, but if their father found out how he was involved, he was bound to receive severe form of punishment.

    Not to mention what his parents will put him through if they figure out. When he reached home the first thing he was asked was how he got caught up in all this. At that moment everything went blank so he answered that he needed to buy some supplies outside the pack boundaries before he met up with Caleb. While reluctant his parents did believe his excuse and let him off the hook.

    Thinking about that, Matt realized how he overreacted when he found out about Caleb. At that time he was pretty much frustrated with Sara, or  rather how he was played like a fool by her. Maybe he should have given him a better chance to explain. It would be a lie if he said not telling him was a bad idea given how he spilled everything to Sara.

    Of course she found out herself about Caleb, but he would be devastated if it was because of him. Was it really because of what happened when they were young? He failed to understand why Caleb as an omega took his side when they were young. Sure he has changed over the past few years, but he still hated what he did back then, and he hated himself for that. He had this urge inside of him to go and make up with his friend, Alas! He was too stubborn to do that.

 Chapter 43 - Its Time...

    Christian ran into Sebastian on his way out of the hospital. He was not in the mood to deal with the arrogant boy but this time it was Sebastian who stopped him, "Everything is resolved for now, I assume I can go back now"? Sebastian asked him.

    "We don''t know that for certain". Christian declared. Sebastian titled his head in confusion before Christian answered, "You told me that Ellamora witches are quite famousˇ­"Sebastian nodded at that, "... What if she had others who helped her? We don''t know the situation for certain. I would suggest stay here for a few more days until things are resolved".

    "Look, I have a job. I already postponed my shoots for this massacre without any proper explanation. I am this close to being fired"! Sebastian insisted.

    Christian was taken aback for a moment before he mumbled, "Shoots"? He paused, "Are you an actor? No wonder you seem familiar". Christian asked out loud.

    "Kind of, now can I leave"! Sebastian insisted further.

    "You can leave, but I ain''t guaranteeing you any safety. Just don''t end up injured in my hospital" Christain snapped and left.

    ~~~~~~~

    That night was spent mostly on dealing with the situation. Caleb knew his father was angry, so much so that he dismissed him right away as if he would ''deal with him later''.

    His father was furious about how the things escalated despite every possible measures. If he didn''t have all these responsibilities on his shoulders he would sure reprimand Caleb right that moment. His mother upon seeing Caleb was sad as well. Time and time again they notice how Caleb got into bad situations, but never did once do they appreciate how he always managed to escape such severe situations.

    Christian, after being done with all the hospital stuffs returned home late, but he was still back before his father. He asked Caleb to describe each and everything in details as they were still worried that there are other witches in the town.

    Caleb complied with the order and gave him a detailed description of the events that took place. Of course he modified the part that involved Ashton. He changed by telling him that it was Caleb, who took down Sara for the time being and freed Ashton. Ashton being surrounded by two giant wolves and a crazy situation just made a run for it.

    Christian had a suspicious expression on his face for a moment but ultimately he believed him. Caleb was advised by his brother and by the maids to take some rest. However he failed to calm down as he found himself having various dilemmas.

    His father, who arrived way too late had a discussion with his wife, Mrs Wrisberg, before both of them went to Caleb''s room in case he was still awake. After a few soft knocks Caleb opened the door for them.

    His father gave him a strange expressionless stare while his mother simply gazed at him with melancholic eyes. Caleb hesitated to speak up, but nevertheless found the courage to do so and asked, "What brings you here at this hour"?

    "You could have been killed today"! His mother replied with teary eyes. "Again for the umpteenth time"!

    "But I didn''t. I manage to survive, without getting attacked by wolfbane"! Caleb tried to justify his actions, knowing well enough that it would be futile.

    "We know. Which is why your mother and I reached a decision". His father declared. Never did he ever like any of his fathers decision regarding him. And he was sure this would be no different either. "It''s time for you to get yourself a mate".

    "..."

    "..."

    "WHAT"! Caleb shouted at them. "I told you before, I don''t want any mate"! Caleb protested loudly.

    "I am aware, but you are still getting a mate". His father asserted in a deep dominating voice, a voice that would be hard to say no to.

    "You know how Alphas areˇ­ you really think mating with one would solve my problem. No! It will only make my life more miserable"! Caleb argued with them with utmost determination.

    "Or maybe it won''t"? His mother spoke up. "Honey, aren''t you the one who always goes against the existing stereotypes. Maybe there is an Alpha who won''t be so bad after all". His mother tried to reason with him.

    "It will still be against my wishes. I do not care how nice an Alpha would be to me, I do not want to mate with someone I don''t know"! Caleb''s voice quivered as he clung onto the hope that they won''t force him to do this.

    "Then we will pick someone you know". His father spoke flatly.

    "What"? Caleb looked at his father baffled.

    "You grandmother told me that you are friends with an Alpha whom you used to date when you were little"? His father spoke up, "Why not her, I am sure she is lovely".

    "Because we were little back then. She is my friend and I don''t feel that way about her"! Caleb tried to reason with them.

    "Not a good enough excuse. This is the real world, not your all-perfect imaginary world where you get to do things just because you feel like it". His father raised his voice.

    "Dad"! Caleb shrieked. Such unfair treatment is what he hated about being an omega. No matter how hard he tried, how strong he got, they will always treat him like some weakling who cannot do anything for himself.

    The fact that it was not because he was their kid was proven effectively by how different they treated his brother. His brother, Chritian who was 21, was never even asked to choose a mate, let alone forced to, and yet here at 18 Caleb is expected to mate with someone he doesn''t even want to? He doesn''t care if mate bond makes the wolf stronger, he just doesn''t want to mate with someone he does not have feelings for.

    Frustrated he did not bother arguing any further. He knew nothing he would say to you will make any difference and remained quiet. "I will arrange a meeting with her as soon as possible. Go take some rest". His father told him before his parents left him.

    Once he was all by himself he cried in his pillow out of frustration. He hated feeling this helpless. After almost an hour when his tears dried up he just laid there. He was tired after the day he had and he didn''t know what to feel anymore, which is why when he saw Ashton calling him, he almost didn''t pick up.

    For some reason talking to Ashton made him feel even more sad. He liked hanging out with him. That kid was too weird and he always loved how he was able to tease him. But after today, he felt that maybe that was not such a good idea.

    If only he did not agree to that fake-mate idea, Ashton wouldn''t be involved in such a mess. And if his father goes through with his plan, then soon he will have a real mate. Why bother staging a fake one anymore? He brutally told him to not bother him anymore as he waited for the sun to come up.

 Chapter 44 - Can You Tell Me Where Exactly?

    The suspension of the schools would be lifted from the upcoming Monday, which means that the kids had this weekend to themselves to enjoy the ''holiday'' as much as they could.

    However, for few individuals it might not have been as fun as one would have hoped. For Caleb, it was a living nightmare. He did not have anyone he could share his troubles with. Even his brother gave up on him this time.

    Turns out his brother too was worried about Caleb''s safety. But the question is, how the hell would having a mate would solve anything? It''s like that gimmick that the root of every problem for a kid is spending too much time on the phone.

    On top of that he was even at odds with Matt. Caleb didn''t bother reaching out to him, and neither did Matt. In a situation like this it was hard for him not to feel lonely right now.

    As for Ashton, it was more or less the same. He wasn''t close to anyone here particularly, apart from maybe Sara, who turned out to be a b**ch, and Caleb. He was close with Bethany from the coffee house, but even she was a wolf so it was not that much of a close friendship.

    On Sunday, he decided to spend some time with the twins away from their home. Being stuck within the boundaries of these walls made them a bit cranky.

    He took them to a park that was in the town. Since their own house was situated at the outskirts, it took some time for them to go there. "Ashton, we are not babies, why did you bring us here"! Ava protested.

    "What? I told you I was taking you guys to the park"! Ashton defended himself.

    "We thought that an amusement park, not this"! Ariel chimed in.

    Ashton face-palmed himself before saying, "the amusement park is way too far, I cannot take you there. I don''t have a car". Ashton tried to reason with the twins. Both the twins pouted but did not argue back with him.

    After a moment of silence Ava spoke, "It''s alright, I''ll ask your handsome friend to take us when he comes over next time. I saw last time that he has a wonderful Car". The twins giggled with each other

    Ashton took a moment to figure out whom they were talking about and chuckled at them. Turns out even the twins became quite fond of Caleb, too bad he won''t show up anymore. For some reason he felt that he would miss those annoying visits of that unbearable wolf.

    He played with them there for a while before a few little kids joined them. Ashton stood there watching over them like a chaperone. Even a few parents asked him to watch them as if he was the most trustworthy person around.

    Nevertheless he did not deny their requests and kept an eye on them playing their games with a content smile. After a while he noticed a little boy missing after he counted the kids for the third time. He looked around frantically to find the kid trying to collect a little ball.

    He ran there to get him as it was dangerous for the kids to stand in the middle of the road. His level of panic took a spike when he spotted a car coming at him at a very high speed. Ashton ran as fast as he could and jumped in between the Car and the kid.

    Luckily the Car stopped a few inches before it could hurt them. Ashton who closed his eyes tightly opened them and looked ahead to find a woman sitting in the car with the same panicked expression.

    "Oh my God, I am so sorry"! Apologized the woman as she got out. The woman was a brunette with long wavy hair that reached till her breast and appeared as if she was around her age, but perhaps older.

    Ashton did not reply to her and instead checked the kid who fell on the floor due to the impending impact for any injuries. The kid started to cry a lot so Ashton tried to calm him down. The lady walked ahead to those two and squatted down to make sure they were okay. She patted the boy along with Ashton.

    Ashton gave her a strange intimidating look due to which the woman flinched a bit before saying, "I am really sorry, I did not see the kid". She tried to justify her actions. Ashton was reluctant to accept the excuse but nevertheless he nodded at her.

    "I shouldn''t have gone over the speed limit. The road was empty so I thought it was okay around this time of the day". The woman mumbled. She did not expect Ashton to actually hear that but unfortunately for his Alpha ears he did. That was when he noticed the scent coming off of her. She was a wolf as well, and an Alpha.

    He wondered who she was, never having spotted her in the area before but he wasn''t going to ask her or anything, so he focused on the kid.

    "What did I tell you, stay away from the road"! Ashton scolded the boy who started crying.

    "It''s okay" that woman patted him once more. "He is a kid, don''t be so hard on him" she scolded Ashton instead.

    Ashton looked at her suspiciously before turning his head back to the kid. "Oh by the way..." the woman spoke up as something hit her. "Do you know where the Mayor''s house is? I know it''s in this area but I cannot quite seem to find it".

    "The mayor''s house"? Ashton mumbled. She must have deduced that Ashton was a human, cause for the wolves it would be Alpha''s house and not the mayor''s house. Was she somehow related to Caleb? He wondered.

    "I do" he nodded.

    "Can you tell me where exactly"? She asked him again after a while because he did not bother to continue after that.

    "You go there, and turn left. After a while you will see an alley. Go straight into it, you will see the house". He explained to her the directions using his hands.

    "Thank you so much". She smiled at him which Ashton did not reciprocate.

    "Are you related to them"? He could not help but ask.

    "Actually, I know the mayor''s younger son. We are kind of friends". She shrugged with a smile.

    "Caleb"? He mumbled, which thanks to her wolf ears she heard.

    "Wait, you know him"? She smiled with a glee.

    He nodded at her before adding, "We go to the same school". Of course he wouldn''t share with her the whole story.

    "Oh, I am Karolyn by the way". She extended her hand to shake it. Neither did he take her hand, nor did he gave her any verbal reply. He simply nodded at her.

    Taken aback by the hostility she spoke, "Anyways, I should get going. Thanks for your help". She got inside the car and drove ahead for her destination.

 Chapter 45 - Welcome

    Caleb was sitting by the window going through some work on his laptop when he heard a noise of a rustling engine outside their house. Usually the members of the family parked in the garage that was located at a different place. So a car in the vicinity caught his attention and thus he looked out of the window to find a bronze Mercedes-Benz parked right outside the gate.

    He looked closely to find none other than his close friend come out of the driver seat. He was a bit shocked to see her. Yes, he was expecting her here, but not so early. It''s only been like half a day since his parents dropped the bombshell of the prospective mates situation. And even then he had hoped that Karolyn would perhaps refuse to this.

    He wondered whether or not to go and greet her. On one hand he was her friend so he was sort of happy to see her, but on the hand he didn''t want to give off any ''interested'' vibes to give his parents the wrong idea. He was still pretty adamant about not going through with it.

    He stayed in his room knowing fully well that he would be called any moment now and he was proved right when Brenda (their maid) walked in and asked him, "Young master, the Alpha wants to see you".

    "Alright" he responded and motioned her to go ahead. He came downstairs to greet her. She was indeed very cheerful and genuinely happy to see him. Her expression made him feel bad so he could not help but reciprocate the same enthusiasm.

    "Thank you for inviting me over here. It really means a lot to me". She smiled at Caleb then at his parents.

    "It''s no big deal. You are always welcome here. If you will be in the city nearby, you might as well stay in a house instead of a hotel". Mrs. Wrisberg shrugged.

    "What brings you here though"? Caleb couldn''t help but ask. From the looks of it, it seemed that she had no idea of his parents true intentions.

    "Remember I told you about my presentation in the Bridgemont Uni"? She raised one of her eyebrows while Caleb nodded at her. "Well, that''s it. I came here for thatˇ­" she shrugged "... and I will be staying here for a few days".

    "I see" Caleb nodded awkwardly. Now that he was sure that she had no idea of his parents true intentions he started to feel anxious about his parents behavior. He was sure they would start to force them to be together for a while before they dropped the bombshell on her.

    He was proven right when his parents asked him to show her around the town. While she was enthusiastic Caleb told her that he had a rough couple of days and he was a bit tired. "Can we reschedule, I am really not feeling that well today". He glanced at his father who was shooting glares at him which changed into an awkward smile when Karolyn followed his gaze.

    "I think it''s best if we do. Even I travelled through a long distance today, and I think I can use some rest". She smiled at them. They nodded and asked the maids to show her the guest room for their stay.

    At the dinner table she met his brother and they talked about various kinds of stuff. While this seemed pretty normal and not that uncomfortable, Caleb was aware of his parents ulterior motives and was worried that they would ruin the dinner. Fortunately they did not ask any invasive questions and only asked her about her life like any curious person would.

    Questions like where she grew up, how we knew each other. What were her interests and pretty much the same. His parents did bring out the subject of sightseeing for the next day (which was basically a date in disguise) once more but this time it was Karolyn who said no. Day after tomorrow, that is on Monday, she was supposed to give her presentation.

    She had some modifications she needed to make and she needed to sleep early so that she could wake up early for her trip to the University. The ride was almost 2hour long so she did not want to take any risks. "That''s too bad" Caleb gave her a sad smile while he rejoiced internally. He didn''t have anything against her, he just wasn''t comfortable with his parents forcing them together.

    ~~~~

    After two days their schedule went back to normal. The schools reopened and everyone there was surprisingly happy to be back until the teacher started teaching. Sure they missed school, but that just means they missed hanging out with their friends.

    In the school when Caleb ran into Matt, it was a bit awkward between them. Mere hi and hellos were what all was exchanged. In fact after sitting next to each other in 2nd period both of them actively avoided each other.

    Even during lunch when their friend Melanie went to sit with them she was shocked to find both the friends sitting away from each other. She wondered whose table she should choose. She decided to sit separately altogether because she had no idea what was going on between them and she did not want to give a false impression of choosing sides.

    As if the lunch wasn''t awkward enough, they had soccer practice today. After missing a whole week and with the upcoming tournament coming up they couldn''t afford to take breaks.

    For Caleb it was way more awkward than before since the people he was trying to avoid doubled up instantly with the presence of Matt and Ashton there. It did not help the situation that Ashton kept staring at Caleb the whole time, even during Matt''s big speech, despite Caleb standing pretty far away from Matt.

    If it were any other situation Ashton would get scolded by Matt, but he ignored it this time not to make the situation tenser. Honestly, at this point even the team could tell that something was going on between the three.

    The game somehow wasn''t ruined despite the situation and literally everyone was glad that it ended when it did. The match ended by 5pm so Caleb decided to show around Karolyn nearby places including the school. He texted her and was on his way to his car when he spotted none other than Ashton standing right next to the car while leaning on it.

    Caleb stopped in his tracks and wondered how he should handle the situation. Meanwhile the moment Ashton noticed Caleb he straightened himself up and both their eyes met. They stared at each other with unreadable expressions displayed on their face.

 Chapter 46 - Confrontation

    Ashton spent his weekend doing nothing way too important. He had finished his homework a long ago so he had nothing else to distract him from the constant irritating question that kept popping up in his mind, ''Who was she''?

    When the school finally reopened he was glad but also a bit anxious. The thing is the wolves knew about Sara, so they didn''t question much. But the humans however didn''t and it only just got harder to tell the truth.

    All they knew that Sara disappeared. Why? No human knows. They speculated many things. Either she left the school, she eloped or something or she was a victim of those animal attacks. Even her close friend Carlie asked the teacher, who being a wolf dismissed it right away.

    She even bothered Ashton about her to which he simply responded with his usual cold demeanor and complete silence. That being his usual behavior was not suspicious at all.

    He knew that Caleb ate lunch at the cafeteria. While he was not fond of that crowded space he contemplated whether or not to approach him. Even if he did it would be useless as he won''t be able to have an honest conversation without giving away his identity.

    Nevertheless he went there to observe him in case he could deduce what was going on. Maybe he will share stuff with his friends and he could just eavesdrop. His plan backfired when he saw Caleb eating all by himself. Even his best friend was sitting somewhere else. ''Did they fight''? He wondered.

    Despite that whenever he saw Caleb or noticed him nearby he tried to eavesdrop or deduce what was going on with him. After the whole day of absolutely nothing he was frustrated and finally decided to take a major step and confront him in front of his car. Most of the teammates were gone by now so it was not that risky anymore.

    He waited for almost fifteen minutes for Caleb in front of his car when he finally showed up. He could see the hesitation in Caleb''s composure for a matter of a few seconds before he changed it to a stoic one.

    Without waiting for anything or bothering Ashton, Caleb straight away went to open the door to the driver''s seat. Ashton was a bit astonished to see this kind of behavior, which was actually usual for him not Caleb. Regardless, he gained his composure back and the moment Caleb was about to get inside Ashton shut the door open with all his force.

    He even made a tiny dent which was bound to drive Caleb crazy. Caleb gritted his teeth as he fought his urge to burst out on the other. "What is going on with you"! Ashton exclaimed at him.

    "That is none of your concern. Move". Caleb ordered him and tried to open the door again. Ashton kept his force on the door intact that prohibited him from opening the door. "Let it go"! He snarled at Ashton, finally looking into his eyes.

    Ashton noticed a hint of desperation for a flickering moment before it was replaced with anger, "You are always asking me to mind my own business, then why are you bothering me now"?

    "Well, you never listened to me. I won''t listen to you either". Ashton shrugged.

    "So what? Getting your revenge"? Caleb scoffed.

    "Whatever" Ashton shrugged before giving him a serious expression. "I was there that day, I witnessed almost everything that happened, How can you shut me out like that"!? Ashton asked Caleb a little too loudly.

    "I am not. I know you want to keep your secret, so I am asking you not to get involved" Caleb made it clear. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have a date"! Caleb grabbed Ashton''s hand and removed it forcefully from the door and drove away.

    Ashton, who stood there all by himself, scoffed before he looked around for something to punch. Of course he didn''t find anything which only increased his frustration.

    He went to the Cafeteria for his part time job, and focused all his attention there. While it might not be completely effective it worked to a certain extent. He was however less cheerful than usual for which he got scolded as it did not attract much customers.

    Around 7 o clock when he was almost done by his shift and was going to get his bag before he changed he saw two familiar faces come in. "This is where we hang out from time to time after our match". Caleb explained to the beautiful woman next to him whose name was Karolyn.

    "This looks familiar. Did you ever call me from here"? Karolyn asked him.

    "You did. The last time you called me" He told his friend.

    Ashton, who was fuming with anger once more stopped Beth from going to them. "Do you mind if I take them"? He requested her.

    "Really"? Beth was taken aback by the request since Ashton would never take a customer by choice. In fact he would happily give away his own and spend his time behind the counter.

    Ashton nodded at her so Beth shrugged and let him do it. Ashton smirked before he went to them. "Welcome to Daily Delights". Ashton spoke to them. While Karolyn looked at him with a bit shocked expression Caleb avoided his gaze as he gulped.

    "Youˇ­ I ran into you the other day" Karolyn pointed out before she smiled a little bit.

    "Yes. I hope you are doing well". Ashton replied to her with a forced polite manner. For some reason Ashton found it harder to like her more than when they first met. He just couldn''t stand her. Meanwhile Caleb kept avoiding his gaze and thus the tension between them became apparent. "Can you show us our seats"? Karolyn prompted in an attempt to dissolve the situation.

    "Yes, will you like something private or casual"? Ashton asked.

    "A little private, please" Karolyn answered. If the tray in Ashton''s hand could feel pain and talk, it would be crying right due to the strength Ashton was putting in to hold it.

    After an awkward pause Ashton spoke, "Please, follow me".

 Chapter 47 - Shattered

    Caleb was not happy the way things turned out. Caleb accompanied Karolyn to show her around and thus visited all the nearby places before returning home. On their way when she spotted a cafe to which she insisted to go and check that out as well. While Caleb was worried that he might run into Ashton there, he still agreed to her request hoping that Ashton would be long gone by now. He was proven wrong when they were greeted by none other than Ashton himself.

    At Karolyn''s mention that she has had met Ashton before, Caleb got curious exactly how did she know him. This is why this was the first thing he asked when they were all seated. "Oh I ran into him on my way here. He was the one who gave me directions" she shrugged.

    "I see". Caleb nodded.

    "You guys must be close"? Karolyn popped the question.

    "What? No"! Caleb defended.

    "Oh, it''s just thatˇ­ he seems younger than you so maybe I thought you guys are in different years" she explained herself. "Despite that he recognized who you were".

    "We are on the same soccer team". Caleb clarified. "Besides, I am pretty famous in my school". Caleb smirked, to which Karolyn shook her head. "You remember Matt? They used to get into a lot disagreements and fights. It was mainly Matt. Apparently Matt found his behavior infuriating".

    "I can imagine why" Karolyn snorted.

    "Why"? Caleb asked, slightly offended by her snarky comment.

    "I meanˇ­ when I asked him for directions he was behaving a bit rude. And now here he is behaving so nice". She shrugged.

    "That''s wrong? He doesn''t know you, of course he won''t get friendly. Here, its his job" Caleb defended.

    Karolyn eyed him suspiciously before saying,"Okay...No need to be so defensive. I never said its wrong, I get why he behaved the way he did" she sighed. "He just seems a bit introverted which I guess may come off as rude. As much as I have heard about Matt, he has temperament issues. Which is why I can imagine him getting angry so easily as well." Karolyn clarified her words.

    At that moment Ashton popped up. "Can I take you order"? He asked both of them while doing his best to hide his frustration. For some reason this situation drove him crazy. Karolyn chose one drink while Caleb simply ordered the same. Ashton after taking their orders went back to the kitchen.

    "So, how did you like it here"? Caleb asked her casually.

    "I think its nice. It''s not like the city. Its too loud over there and with our hearing, it''s a nightmare"! She chuckled.

    "I get that. I have been there once or twice, and honestly I prefer this too". Caleb shrugged.

    Ashton got them their order and left the table as fast as he could. It was getting late and he didn''t have enough customers so he actually didn''t have to stay back in here. His shift was over anyways, but he still he found it harder to leave.

    "You knowˇ­ " Karolyn began to speak, "... I am aware why your parents want me here". She spoke which made Caleb pause mid bite before he looked at her.

    "You do"? He gave her a suspicious look.

    "Your parents asked mine not to tell me about it, but they are quite frank with me so it was hard not to". She gave him a sad smile, "Your parents don''t know that I know".

    "If you knew all along, why didn''t you say something"? Caleb asked after a moment of pause. "I don''t know. I always thought that if something were to happen between us you would be the one to approach me and not your parents. But-". She paused when she heard a lound shattering noise from the kitchen as if some glass or cup fell on the floor. It wouldn''t be this much startling but the noise was way too loud even for wolf years.

    Karolyn gazed there before she brought her attention back to Caleb. "As I was saying, since it was your parents, something felt wrong". She shrugged.

    "If you knew why didn''t you say something before to me"? Caleb asked.

    "Well, I was hoping you would bring up. I wanted to know how you feel aboutˇ­ us". Karolyn looked at him with a serious face.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb raised an eyebrow.

    "You knowˇ­ like you might not be a part of this decision". Karolyn smiled.

    "Wow, you are good at deducing stuff. You are right". He smirked. "I am sorry, I just don''t feel that way about you" Caleb apologized to her sincerely.

    "Don''t apologize. It''s not wrong to like someone you knowˇ­ and similarly it''s not wrong to not like someone either". She smiled which Caleb reciprocated.

    "I guess that''s true". Caleb whispered. "So what are you going to do"? Caleb asked her.

    "I guess I will say no when your parents finally pop the questionˇ­ mainly because I am almost positive they won''t care about your opinion"? Karolyn raised an eyebrow to which Caleb simply nodded.

    "Thank you" Caleb gave her a smile filled with relief. It''s been a while since he felt that. Burdened with ths recent events most of his smiled in this duration was not sincere.

    "I will also say something else to you" She smirked.

    "What"? Caleb raised an eyebrow

    "Don''t be an idiot. If it won''t be me they will try to find someone else. If you want to be with the person you like just go ahead and confess already. Someone has to make the first move in a relationship after all". Karolyn smiled.

    "I don''t have anyone" Caleb scoffed. "I just don''t want to be paired up forcefully".

    "Are you sureˇ­ Cause I can tell something has changed" She eyed him suspiciously. "You would be angry when things don''t go your way, but you are more upset than angry this time". She maintained her gaze.

    "So? How does that matter? Besides you''re talking as if you know everything about me". Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "I know a few things. I know bow to read your expressions time to time". She smirked. "I also noticed how you got defensive when it came to the kid" She added which made Caleb froze.

    "I don''t like him"! He protested to her. "I am so sick of people pairing us up". he put his palm on the face. "I would defend anyone"! He tried his best to explain himself.

    "Maybeˇ­ which is why I did not give it much thought". She tilted her head. "But then I noticed the way you looked at him while he wrote down our orders". She smirked.

    "What look"? Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "Justˇ­. a look". Karolyn sighed. "Of course I could be wrong. But like you said, I am good at deducing stuff, so maybe give it a thought". She pursed her lips before continuing, "I am only asking you because if you have feelings and you realise it late, you may end up being too late". She looked at him with a sad smile. "I am saying this from experience, trust me" she added before she resumed her eating.

 Chapter 48 - What Do I Feel?

    Caleb ate in silence as he pondered upon Karolyn''s words. Was she right? Could it be that he was starting to develop feelings for Ashton?

    Suddenly he recalled that Ashton was in fact in the vicinity and that he must have heard their conversation. He was already trying to avoid him as it is which made the situation between them more awkward than it has to be. He was dreading the moment when he would be back to take the check.

    He tried to look straight on the table at nothing in particular while he avoided the person standing next to him after Karolyn called for the check. He was surprised to hear a high pitch voice say, "Anything else"? He looked up to see an old woman, who was the owner here.

    "No, we will like the bill" Karolyn told her while she nodded.

    "Where is...he"? Caleb called out to the woman. She halted on her way as she turned back with confusion on her face. "Ashton, he was our waiter for the day I think".

    "Oh, he broke a glass earlier and injured his hand. I sent him home since it was already late as it is" She clarified. "You know him"? She asked, to which Caleb nodded.

    As Caleb turned back her head he saw Karolyn looking at him with a suggestive expression. "What"? Caleb asked her, annoyed, since her expression bothered her.

    "Nothing, your curiosity intrigues me, thats all" Karolyn suppressed a chuckle by pursing her lips. Caleb rolled his eyes at her.

    After he was back home his parents were indeed pleased with him. Caleb and Karolyn were laughing when they returned and thus Mr and Mrs Wrisberg thought that they had been successful in their plan.

    Tomorrow was the last day Karolym would be here as her flight was at afternoon. The trip to the airport was a long one so she would leave after the breakfast along with Caleb, who had school.

    Caleb''s parents suggested him to skip school to drop her off, but both him and Karolyn rejected the offer. That night while he was trying to catch up with his homework his mind kept wandering to what Karolyn said. Exactly how did he look at Ashton? He wished that she took a picture or something so that he could see it.

    For an Alpha, Ashton was quiet different. He never thought he would ever meet an Alpha who would be so different, let alone a pureblooded one. What intrigued him more that despite their huge differences in blood status he could relate to him more that anyone.

    He felt comfortable around him because he was the only other wolf who not only knew his secret but also never judged because of it. For him, his relationship with Ashton was pretty simple and he liked that comfort, but that was all it was, nothing more, right?

    Yet, after all this assurance he failed to identify any reason as to why he missed Ashton so much. He has had fallouts from his friends before, and yet he never felt so awkward. In fact even with Matt he was not that bothered. Why was that?

    Could it be that he got addicted to being himself somewhere apart from his house? Not having to hide who he is in front of someone who isn''t related to him by blood. Or was it from the moment when Ashton helped him while he was in pain while away from home.

    With all these conflicting thoughts on his head he threw away his pen on the table after which he put his head down on the table. "Why is this so hard to figure out"!. He sighed in frustration. He was good at deducing things, and yet he failed to sort out his own feelings.

    After trying his best to clear his thoughts and failing at if miserably he decided to do something about it. ''Moping around would not help me anyways'', he thought.

    He climbed out of his window carefully after which he made a run for it. It was not a problem if anyone saw him as long as it was not any of his family member. In fact, it was alright with him even if his parents found him gone in the morning.

    It was around midnight, a time highly inappropriate for someone to make a visit, but he was frustrated beyond his limits and he needed some urgent answers. Once he reached Ashton''s house he hesitated once more. He pondered whether it was appropriate to bother him or not. What would he even tell him his reason for the visit?

    He stood there quietly, lost in his thoughts while he gazed at the closed window beyond which everything was dark. It was evident Ashton was asleep by now and he was starting to get how disturbing him at this hour would be a nuisance.

    He was about to turn around when he felt a soft touch on his deltoid region. Starled he took a few steps back and noticed his surroundings properly. He found giant blood red eyes staring at him which were a part of a giant black wof. Caleb was almost 6 ft tall, and yet somehow this wolf was bigger than him.

    Werewolves tend to be bigger that normal wolves, and yet he never saw a wolf so giant. He had never seen this wolf around and his size emitted a threatening aura which made Caleb cautious. For some reason the wolf who was staring at his actions lowered his head before it looked away.

    That reaction confused Caleb, since he assumed it was about to attack him, but what confused him more is the lack of any scent from the wolf. That''s when he realized that the wolf was none other than Ashton. It was ironic how his wolf form was bigger than his human form, explaining why Ashton was much more heavier than he looked.

    Caleb relaxed considerably, before taking his steps forward. That wolf who was still looking away froze the moment it felt a soft touch on his neck. The wolf turned around and stared at Caleb. Due to the wolf form Caleb found it hard to decipher the other''s feelings. But nevertheless he found himself being enchanted by this magnificent creature in front of him. Turns out that even the scariest forms of Ashton intrigued him.

 Chapter 49 - Why... Are You Here?

    Ashton ran out the cafeteria as fast he could. He felt bad that he took out his frustration on a glass. He was a little too surprised the moment he heard that Caleb was supposed to get together with that lady, Karolyn. So much so that he crushed the glass and bled himself.

    Of course being a wolf it won''t take him much longer to heal, but that doesn''t mean it didn''t hurt. When the owner saw the situation instead of scolding him for the glass she scolded him for injuring himself. She made sure that he left the cafeteria at that very moment and he obeyed her knowing that it was best if his healing took place while he was out of here.

    He decided to not give it much thought and got himself busy with helping his mom after finishing his homework. His mother could tell something was bothering him. She knew that everytime he faced a conflict, instead of sharing his problems he liked to ignore it and get immersed in numerous distractions.

    She knew him well enough to understand not to poke him about it. So she handed him even more chores to keep him busy. She would love to give him suggestions, but Ashton wouldn''t be bothered to hear anything.

    After their dinner Ashton felt a but uncomfortable. Not only by the recent events which made him frustrated, but also with the fact that he didn''t transform even once for a long time that is a few months for which he was here. As a wolf, changing his form from time to time was somewhat mandatory. He knew sooner or later he would need to transform, even if it is just for a while.

    Now that the circumstances were cooler, with resolving the witch situation and all, the timing couldn''t be more perfect. Since his wolf form was bigger than his human form he decided to jump out of his window while transforming before landed.

    He roamed around the house a bit but when he heard footsteps approaching, that too with a running pace, and thus he hid himself in the shadows. Being a pitch black wolf, the midnight ambience provided him with a perfect Camouflage.

    Once the person was close enough he could recognize the scent as well and therefore decided that may be it was safe to reveal himself after all. Slowly and gradually he progressed with steps so soft even he couldn''t hear them. He stood next to Caleb who appeared a little tinier than his wolf form. He observed the other''s movements as he tried to deduce the reason for his sudden visit.

    The way he kept looking at the window made it obvious that Caleb wanted to talk to him. He couldn''t deduce why, but given their current status of cold and distant attitudes, he thought it must be something urgent.

    When it had been almost over a minute and Caleb still didn''t notice him he nudged him with his snout. Startled and taken aback, Caleb retracted himself with a terrified expression. This wasn''t the first time he had seen this expression on someone who witnessed his wolf form. Feeling dejected, he turned away his head.

    He was sure that now that Caleb knew his true monstrous form he would maintain his distance further. He thought that it was for the best, since it would prevent him from getting involved further with the wolves here more that he already was. Which is why Ashton was surprised when he felt soft touch on his fur.

    He turned his head to see Caleb grazing his hand through his fur as he stared at him, mesmerized. What changed? He wondered. Nevertheless he knew that being in the wolf form won''t really help them with any conversation so he pushed away the hand from him went to hide behind the house.

    Caleb stood there confused for a moment before Ashton emerged in his human form wearing nothing but shorts. It made sense he didn''t have much clothes outside given he was near his house itself. Yet somehow, Caleb felt a bit flustered seeing him like this.

    Caleb looked away for a moment until he heard Ashton ask, "Why...are you here"? Caleb looked back and tried to focus on Ashton''s face while trying to maintain a straight face. "Iˇ­ wanted to talk".

    "Why? I thought you don''t want to. You were pretty clear about that"! Ashton spat at him in anger.

    "I thought so too" Caleb mumbled. Ashton, who heard him of course asked, "What"?

    "I am sorry, for pushing you away". He said after clearing his throat.

    "Why? You were right to do that. Besides you will have a mate soon, you better stop hanging out around me. People already get the wrong idea about us" Ashton rolled his eyes as he approached Caleb. He walked until they were standing face to face.

    "What are you talking about"? Caleb looked at him suspiciously. "I told you before, I am not interested in dating".

    "You also told me today that you had a date". Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb sighed in frustration as he could sense that their conversation was headed towards an heated useless argument. "Justˇ­ let it go already. I apologized".

    "I am not mad at you or anything". Ashton sighed. "I justˇ­" he trailed off and paused for a moment while Caleb waited for him continued, "... I don''t really understand why all of a sudden you changed your attitude".

    "It''s a long story" Caleb brushed it off.

    "I got time" Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb blinked before he asked, "Aren''t you cold? Shouldn''t you get dressed"? It was bothering Caleb a lot and he could not just keep quiet about it anymore. I mean sure he was used to seeing the wolves from his pack half naked all the time, but not Ashton.

    "I''m a wolf. You know we don''t get cold easily" Ashton rolled his eyes. "Come on in". Ashton gestured for him to go to his room before he himself climbed through the pipes to his window. Once he was inside he looked out to see Caleb glued to his position as he hesitated.

    Caleb needed to return soon but he also wanted to stay here. He needed to come up with a good excuse to give when he eventually shows up. "You don''t want to"? Ashton asked him which prompted his conflicting thoughts.

    "Screw it" Caleb mumbled as he followed the same suit and got inside.

 Chapter 50 - I Was Just Wondering...

    Caleb got inside the room with much hesitation. He had been here before and yet this felt the most awkward amongst all times.

    "So"? Ashton asked. Caleb took a deep breath before he began to explain the situation to him. His fallout with Matt and how his parents tried to force him to mate. How frustrated he had been these couple of days. It was weird how light he felt just after sharing all this with Ashton.

    "That seems rough" Ashton whispered.

    "Really? You don''t think I was being dramatic". Caleb snorted.

    "No you were definitely being dramatic. But you had your reason. I am not from a royal family like yours so I won''t pretend to understand what you go through everyday". Ashton folded his hands before continuing, "What I do know is that what it''s like being different. So I know it''s tough".

    "I should get going nowˇ­" Caleb whispered.

    "Waitˇ­ did you come all the way here just for this"? Ashto asked Caleb to which he simply nodded. "Are you sure there is nothing more"?

    Caleb tried to recall how he came here to solve his conflicted feelings. He wasn''t yet 100 percent sure of how he felt but he was sure that he felt good around Ashton. He felt relieved to share his troubles with him. He enjoyed the other''s company. It would be quite hypocritical of him to fall for a pureblooded Alpha when he hated the Alphas in general, yet somehow it was hard to not like this arrogant kid.

    "Can I ask you something. It''s a personal question"? Caleb asked him.

    Ashton scrunched his eyebrows before saying skeptically, "You can, but I am not promising you any answers".

    "I was just wonderingˇ­ Why did you say you don''t want a mate? I mean would it be really that bad"? Caleb asked him cautiously.

    "Wellˇ­ I don''t want to be a part of this wolf world. I want to escape this which I don''t think I can with a mate around". Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb was taken aback by his answer and started at him with wide eyes, "I thoughtˇ­ you love your familyˇ­ why would you want to leave them"?

    "I do, which is why". Ashton scoffed. "Do you have any idea how many times my family was put in danger just because of who I am. In fact I am the reason my family does not belong to any pack now"! Ashton sighed. "Every time my secret is out, we have to move because having a pureblooded Alpha is too much threat. As if I will go rampage and kill everyone" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "Well, given all the sacrificesˇ­ don''t you think your family would be devastated even more if you left them"? Caleb questioned him skeptically.

    "I am not talking about abandoning them. I just want to maintain my distance. I will still keep in touch. I just want my family to be a part of a pack again". Ashton sighed.

    "I see". Caleb said softly. The fact that he wanted to stay away from the world of wolves made sense to him. It also meant that whatever feeling Caleb might have for Ashton would be moot because he would hate to be the reason for holding him back. Even if he were to become 100 percent sure that he does have feelings, why bother to confess? He will either be heartbroken or keep Ashton here against his will.

    "Anyways, why are you asking me about that suddenly"? Ashton asked him suspiciously.

    "Well, we were talking about having mates, how I don''t want to but my parents are making me. So I recalled you don''t want either and I got curious why". Caleb shrugged. He was a bit proud of himself for coming up with the excuse, especially when Ashton bought it.

    "Well, I really should get going. If my parents found out I am gone, I am gonna need to come up with excuses again". He sighed out of frustration.

    "Alright" Ashton nodded at him before Caleb jumped out of the window. This time Caleb ran in his human form rather than his wolf form. He was quite fast so he reached him home early enough. He was glad that no one noticed him getting inside.

    While his tiny midnight adventure didn''t help him get all the answers he needed it did help him to clear out his mind. He somehow felt at peace and before he realised he drifted off because next thing he knew that it was his crazy alarm waking him up.

    ~~~~

    His day at school was awkward as well. Melanie asked Caleb what is going on between those two. She assumed that maybe it has something to do with Sara, now that she disappeared. Nevertheless she couldn''t get any definitive answer from him.

    At lunch when he was all by himself going through some pack related stuff on his phone someone sat in front of him with a tray. "Can we talk"? Matt spoke.

    "Sureˇ­ " Caleb replied after a moment of silence since he was taken aback that he approached him.

    "I am sorry for being like that the other day". Matt sighed. "I guess I was angry aboutˇ­ something else and I took it on you".

    "Wowˇ­ really"? Caleb smirked. He was not actually expecting Matt to come back, let alone an apology from him given his ego. He was almost sure that their friendship was over. Who would want to stick by a liar anyways?

    "Yeah man, I get why youˇ­ did what you did". Matt assured him.

    "Fine, but if you treat me any differentˇ­ I will kill you" Caleb smirked playfully as he teased Matt. Matt rolled his eyes before replying, "Don''t worry, you are still the same scary dude to me" he chuckled.

    He was glad how things were falling into place once more. Looks like he did not have much to worry about after all.

 Chapter 51 - Towards The End

    With things getting resolved one by one Caleb was starting to feel much better. Things were going pretty well with him except when his parents got mad at him for screwing things up with Karolyn. He was beyond relieved when he recieved the knews of Karolyn rejecting the proposal until they said they will find someone else for him by his graduation.

    Matt who recently discovered that his best friend was an omega didn''t spare any mercy on Caleb. He bothered the guy for a lot of details, like how is he different from female omegas? Or how does he avoided getting detected during his heat and all that. Frustrated, Caleb punched him in his head one day which shut up Matt for good.

    The semifinals for the match took place after a week as it had to be postponed due to abrupt suspension of schools, in which they won. One more match to go and then they could win the tournament this year. Both Matt and Caleb were excited as never did they ever come this close to winning the trophy.

    The year was approaching its end too, and most of the seniors were busy with their upcoming SATs. Due to that the game was shifted a few weeks later close to graduation. Not that Caleb really cared about his scores but he was expected to take the test just in case so he decided to give it his best shot. After all this was the closest thing he would do that involves college, even distantly.

    With a busy schedule like that Caleb and Ashton hardly got any time to interact except from when he went by the cafeteria to get some coffee and stuff. Caleb didn''t dare bring up any issues he had earlier. He tried his best to not get attached to the kid, but somehow he still ended up enjoying their time together. He loved how easy it was to tease Ashton.

    But despite all the tensions, the school wasn''t entirely out of cheer. The juniors, who were responsible for this years prom were pretty excited. The past couple of weeks have been a busy one for everyone, and thus had little to no time for leisure activities.

    "Hey, are you going to the prom"? One of Ashton''s classmate asked him, out of the blue after the end of Bio class. Ashton looked at him suspiciously for a moment before asking him, "Who are you"? Not that he doesn''t recognize the other''s face, but he never bothered talking to the other.

    "Wow" that boy scoffed as he was clearly offended. Ashton could tell that the boy wasn''t a wolf so he didn''t pay much heed to the boy''s disappointment. "I sit next to you in Bio everyday" he tried to explain.

    "I know that, but who are you"? Ashton asked again, annoyed. This is one of the reasons he did not like having much friends. People near him can be irritating from time to time.

    "I am Henry, we are even teammates in soccer club". He rolled his eyes. Ashton nodded before he said, "I see".

    "So"? Henry raised his eyebrows.

    "So, what"? Ashton looked at him skeptically.

    "You have a date to the prom"? He asked.

    "I am not going". Ashton answered flatly.

    "Why? This is like the most anticipated event of the year, you should definitely go"! Henry insisted.

    Ashton stared at him skeptically before asking, "and why do you care so much"?

    "Causeˇ­" Henry sighed. "This senior agreed to go with me, but she insisted I get a date for her friend too". Henry admitted reluctantly.

    "Why on earth would I be interested"? Ashton retorted.

    "Well, I really want to go. You already know that sophomores can''t go unless they are dates of either a junior or a senior" Henry sighed. "Please, do this for me" he begged.

    "Don''t you have other friends? Quit bothering me". Ashton snapped at him and left the class. Once he was out of the room he could hear Henry whisper, "A*****e".

    Ashton scoffed at that as he thought how ridiculous that out of the blue request was. He wouldn''t even go to his own prom the next two years there was no way he would go to the one which wasn''t even for his year.

    Not that he had anything against prom, but going to it was a waste of time. He had a evening part time job that he needed to attend, plus the whole point of going to the prom was to socialize and ''have fun'' which was clearly not fun for him.

    On his way to the next class he passed by a bunch of girls whispering, "Should I ask him"?

    "Do you think he will agree"?

    "Maybe, I shouldn''t. It seems like a bad idea". He hated how crazy these people got about a silly thing as prom.

    ~~~

    He went back to the library to spend his lunchtime there as usual when he saw Beth there. She is the only other werewolf omega he interacted with other than Caleb due to them sharing the same job. He saw her talking with that beta wolf who was the Vice President of the music club he was in.

    He didn''t mean to eavesdrop when he heard George say, "They will shut down our group since we barely have any members".

    That caught his attention because even he realized how rarely we went there. Sure he loved to play the piano but he barely did that ever since he arrived here. He tried better to listen carefully to hear further discussion.

    "What about prom then? Weren''t you guys supposed to play"? Beth asked her brother.

    "We might still, but officially our club will be closed. On top of that I need a new vocal cause Ryan developed Mono this weekend" George huffed in annoyance. Ashton didn''t go to the last meeting so he had no idea about their plans so he paid more attention to that than the book that was kept open in front of him.

    "So, no song then, just plain music"? Beth asked inquisitively.

    "Yeah, I meanˇ­ music too is good enough to dance I guess" George replied in a low voice.

    "What''s the matter then? You seem a lot upset". His sister pestered him.

    "I don''t know, I was hoping if the Principal saw our performance there he might agree to let us keep the club. I wanted to impress him enough, that''s all. However that seems like a far fetched idea". George mumbled.

    While Ashton didn''t care much about all these administrative issues he did worry about his grades. The last time he had a hard time finding clubs, and now if this one is dissolved he would need to either find another one or make do with just one club. He was pretty sure that it would not be a great college application.

    After the classes they had a meet for the music club for the practice when Ashton showed up for the third time ever since he joined the club. Most of the members, which was not a lot given just five members, did not like how irresponsible he was. They would love to kick him out if they were not in dire need for higher amounts of memberships for their club.

    Ashton contemplated whether or not he should join the team for the prom. Sure he wasn''t looking forward to dancing, but signing won''t be so bad. "Do you mind if I join"? He asked reluctantly after a lot of hesitation.

    While most of them looked annoyed, George gazed at him curiously. "Can you sing"? He asked him. Ashton blinked before he nodded.

    "Show us then what you got"? One of the members who was apparently human challenged him.

    "Can I have a go at Piano"? He asked. George nodded after which Ashton took his seat and started playing. The rhythm itself was mesmerizing enough which was beautified further by his deep soothing voice. By the time he was done everyone just stared at him in awe. It was like they discovered a gem just by simply walking down the street.

    "You are in" George declared with a smirk. Ashton was pleased with himself until George continued his statement. "Butˇ­"

 Chapter 52 - A Trip To Camazur

    Caleb felt drained after he finished his SAT''s. He just wanted to sit back and relax and do nothing once he exited the building. Last couple of days have been hard on him with studies and pack duties which is why he was looking forward to the trip they had planned to Camazur beach.

    Who were they? They were his friends namely Matt, Melanie, Camilla and Duke. Camilla and Duke were twins who were both Sub-beta and went to the university, being a few years older than Caleb.

    When Caleb and his friends first started high school, they bonded over many shared interests and have beem close until they had to leave for the trip. They came back from the university for the vacation and they were the ones who suggested for the trip. Needless to say, all of them were pretty excited to hangout together.

    While Caleb would be usually reluctant to an out of town adventure with a bunch of werewolves, even he couldn''t deny that he needed a break. Of course his parents or his brother didn''t agree with him, especially because they worried about his secret getting exposed, that too near an Alpha(Matt). Caleb didn''t dare tell them that Matt already knew. For some reason he didn''t want to infuriate his parents more than they already were.

    He even wished that he could bring Ashton along. It''s been a long time since they had any kind of proper conversations. He missed teasing that kid, but it was probably for the best that he maintained his distance. He didn''t want to be confused with his developing feelings any further.

    On the day of the vacation he decided to sneak out of the house. He knew that he would get in trouble but like always he would deal with that later. They had to leave early in the morning so it wasn''t that hard to sneak out. Most of the time his family slept late due to all the work they had to take care of and thus were mostly asleep around 5o''clock in the morning.

    They wanted to take Caleb''s fancy car but of course due to the lack of permission they took the car that belonged to Duke. They had breakfast at a roadside stall at around 10 before they drove any further towards their destination.

    While eating Caleb received a call from his brother. At first he decided he would ignore it, but suggesting from their past he knew that was a bad choice. If he didn''t answer his call his brother would probably send a search party after him. "Hey, what''s up". He answered gleefully.

    "What''s up? WHAT''S UP"!! His brother shouted at him. "Do you have any idea how much I tried to look for you"! His brother shouted at him from the other end of the phone. Caleb retracted his ears away from the phone as he could hear him loud and clear without going deaf from that distance.

    Once the other end went silent he spoke up, "I am with Matt". He had hoped that much explanation would be enough for him but unfortunately his brother had different plans, "I called his parents, neither of you are there".

    "I never said I am at his house, we are out to get some stuff". Caleb tried lying to his brother but he realised that he failed miserably when his brother asked, "You''re at Camazur aren''t you"?

    Caleb gulped before saying, "Not really". Technically that wasn''t a lie, they still had a few miles to cover before their destination.

    "Caleb" his brother asked him sternly. Caleb sighed before he replied, "I am en route". "Why do you always have to disobey everything"? Christian asked him calmly while trying his best to hold in his anger. Caleb remained quiet on the other end so his brother continued, "Don''t die, or get exposed". His brother whispered the exposed part so that in case anyone heard their conversation on the phone.

    After reaching there, they got a hotel room where they relaxed before heading out to the beach. According to their plan, they would spend an entire day before heading back to Crescent Point. The Camazur beach was a perfect place for hangout by the wolves as it did not have any wolf packs around. There was no wolf related business or dispute that could arise from spending some time here.

    They were five of them and they got three rooms, they wanted to take two but Caleb insisted on taking one room for himself. He knew his heat was near and he did not want to risk his identity by sharing his room. This is the same reason he took suppressants before he came here. While they seem like a perfect tool for hiding their identity they harboured their own adverse effects.

    For example, the suppressants were not 100% effective, which means on some wolves they might not even work. Even if it did work, there was no guarantee how long or rather how much delay it will be able to cause for the heat. On top of that, while it have preheat symptoms like increased temperature, uncomfortable feeling etc, when the heat actually happened following a dose, the pain was almost the double of usual heat making it unbearable.

    As if these were not bad enough, overdosing on the suppressants can cause severe and permanent damage to them. This was not the first time he took the suppressants. When he was young and had trouble fitting in as he adjusted to a new life of lying about his identity, he once took them. After the horrible experience he swore he would never try them again. However, as it was years ago Caleb wanted to give it a try once more to see if he could hold onto it without much trouble.

    They spent most of the daytime doing ambient shopping and sightseeing. After having lunch they decided to head to the beach as the sunset itself was quite beautiful. They sat on the damp sand as they shared casual and deep conversations. Caleb remained quite for most of the time as he didn''t feel like sharing much things, so he mainly focused on listening to them.

    When the sun was completely below the horizon, instead of heading back Duke decided to open the bottle of drinks he brought along with him. While the older ones, namely Duke and Camilla didn''t let them have it due to the age, once they got drunk enough they shared it. Caleb refused to take it for two reasons. One, he did not want to be a drunken mess and a blabbermouth. Secondly, he was starting to feel uncomfortable that would indicate his preheat.

    Being the only one sober, Caleb decided to volunteer to buy them some drinks. Most of them were wasted so they did not realise that Caleb won''t be able to actually get it without an ID. Caleb, however, well aware of the fact brought them water and stuff to keep the drunken wolves hydrated.

    On his way back to the beach he heard some noises from the alley next to their hotel. He stopped in his tracks as he tried to figure out what that noise might be. He contemplated his next step but before he could reach a decision he felt a heavy blow to his head. While it hurt as hell it was still not strong enough to make him pass out.

    He stumbled a bit before he noticed a man staring at him wide eyed. Being a wolf enabled him to maintain his consciousness, which startled the man at the same time. By his scent he could make it out that he was a human which is why he relaxed. Taking a deep breath he hit him hard enough that knocked him out.

    Smirking at his victory he started to walk out of the alley but before he could walk even two steps further he was pushed back inside with a much stronger force. The force strangling him was too strong for him to breathe. Despite the situation a faint smell reached his nose that indicated two things. One, it was an Alpha wolf which he has never met, and second, this Alpha was in rut.

    "How dare you interfere in my business"! That Alpha spat at him. "Let...me...goˇ­"Caleb struggled to say those words as he had no idea what that guy could have possibly meant. That Alpha stared at him before bringing his nose close to his own hand that strangled Caleb. "What a nice surprise, a male omega" that man said in a voice that sent chills down his spine.

    He knew what that comment meant and he kept struggling in his grip. While he looked for ways to get out he found it harder to implement any of his moves as he was weaker than usual and that Alpha was stronger than usual. Everything about an Alpha was intensified during their rut which is why he could detect his masked scent in the first place.

    "Let''s get down to business," That man mumbled before taking out his canines. He brought his face to Caleb''s neck to bite. Not only would it leave a permanent scar but also will indicate a permanent mark of ownership. Scared, Caleb closed his eyes as he awaited for his worst nightmare to become real.

 Chapter 53 - Marked?

    Caleb felt the grip on his neck loosen as he fell on the floor. His eyes were closed while he still struggled to breathe properly as to care about anything that was happening around him. All of his surroundings were a blur to him at that moment as he came to realize that his worst fear almost came true. He wasn''t even sure at that point whether or not he was marked yet.

    By the time Caleb could focus on what was happening he saw four wolves one against three going at each other. Next to him sat Matt who kept patting Caleb to calm him down. "Are you okay"? Matt asked softly but received no reaction from Caleb who was too busy staring at that fight.

    Caleb tried getting his act together which is why he managed to get up despite feeling dizzy. Matt continued to pat his back as he gained back his composure. While in a four against one match it was obvious the four would win, those four wolves were drunk and all of them were betas fighting with an Alpha in rut.

    That Alpha wolf feeling outnumbered ran away as soon as he found a window to escape. They tried to chase after him but they lost him faster than he expected. They turned back to their human forms and approached Caleb who still haven''t said a single word.

    "Should we go back"? Matt suggested. Rest of them nodded while they went back to the hotel. On his way, once he felt a bit composed of himself he asked, "How did you guys know where I was"?

    "Well we were skeptical why are you so late so we went out there to check out what is taking so long. Besides I recalled that you don''t have an ID so sending you was useless in the first place" Duke, who has sobered up quite a lot since the fight spoke.

    Before Caleb was about to get inside of his room, Matt stopped him. "Will you be alright all by yourself"? He questioned. Caleb gave him a forced but convincing smile before he nodded. Matt gave him a tiny nod of acknowledgment before he went back to his room.

    Caleb once all by himself collapsed on his bed as he recalled what happened with him. The fact that he was not even in his heat and yet still got attacked like this proved how poorly omegas were treated in this world. He had promised he would fight if and when required but somehow he still failed to do that. He was confused whether he was scared or ashamed of himself.

    Usually he avoided going to the territories outside of his own pack and to those that belonged to other wolves for the very same fear. It goes without saying that Caleb was tougher in general, but he was still an omega, which means he was still prone to all the abuses an omega usually grows through. He wants to fight against it, but it just keeps getting harder and harder for him as the time passed by.

    Not having any strength to move Caleb took out his phone. Opening the front camera he checked his neck for any marks. He had no idea what exactly happened as he struggled back then. He was relieved when all he found was purplish bruises circling his neck due to the pressure. The bruises would be healed soon and his neck would be left without any mark. At this moment he was just relieved that there was no mark, and yet somehow he felt like breaking apart.

    He was staring at the screen when a notification popped up of a call by Ashton. He was not in the mood to talk right now so he hung up. After a while the call came back again. To avoid getting irritated further he picked up the call and spat, "What"?

    Ashton was taken aback for a moment by the sudden attitude so he asked different question instead of his original one, "Are you alright"?

    Caleb sighed before he replied, "Yes, I am fine. What do you want"?

    "I wanted to ask youˇ­ do you have any weekend plans"? Ashton asked hesitantly. Despite Caleb telling him he was alright, Ashton was sure that was not the case. Over time Ashton realised while Caleb loved to overshare with him, maybe because he hated hiding his true self as he was not fond of showing his vulnerable side with others.

    "I don''t know, why"? Caleb asked him. The hint of annoyance was back in his voice. Not to push him further, "Nevermind, call me when you are feeling better". Before Caleb could reply to him that he was fine Ashton hung up. While he was a bit frustrated, he was also glad because he did not want to deal with all this any more.

    At the time of the dinner, Matt knocked on his door to get him, "We are leaving for dinner".

    "I am not hungry" Caleb replied to him. "Well, if you don''t want to come with us it''s fine. Want me to get you something"? Matt asked him. After a moment of thinking he replied, "Get me a pineapple shake".

    ~~~~~

    For the dinner most of them chose a place that was secluded than usual. "Why did we run into a wolf here"? Melanie popped the question when she noticed no one was around. "We are here, I don''t see why can''t someone else be here" Duke shrugged.

    "It still doesn''t make sense though at least we didn''t attack anyone on purpose" Matt protested.

    "I agree, it seemed like a rogue wolf to me. Do you think there are more of them here"? Camilla asked. Duke shrugged before replying, "Even I don''t get the situation, but I think we should inform the Alpha about what happened here. Whatever that was, he should be prepared". He put a bite of his food in his mouth.

    "I am close to his family, how about I tell them"? Matt offered. He knew that Caleb''s parents would freak out if they find out about the attack which is why he intended to keep it a secret while he narrated the events. He wanted to modify it so that his parents don''t go crazy.

    ~~~~~

    The whole night Caleb was unable to fall asleep. Everytime he drifted off he would see the hungry wolf attack him and he would end up waking up with cold sweats all over his body. More that he was scared of what had happened, he was scared of what would have happened if his friends did not show up at that time. He simply lied down in his bed, staring out of the window as he waited for the sun to rise so that they could go back home.

 Chapter 54 - Look Out For Ourselves

    Christian was on his way back to home from the office when he ran into Caleb and Matt, "I see both of you are back" he smirked with a hint of annoyance.

    "Yeahˇ­."Matt mumbled and Caleb didn''t even bother to reply and went straight inside. "What''s going on with him"? Christian asked Matt. Matt looked at Christian wide eyed before simply shrugging, "I have no idea", followed by a gulp.

    "Alrightˇ­"Christian muttered and was about to leave when Matt called him out, "Wait"! Christian turned around and looked at him suspiciously, "What''s going on"?

    "Something happened while we were at Camazur" Matt mumbled. Christian raised his eyebrows suspiciously at Matt before he continued, "Shouldn''t that place be free of wolves"?

    "Well, you guys did go thereˇ­ so not a completely valid statement".Christian shrugged. "Why? What happened back there"?

    "We found a wolf there, it was in rutˇ­ I think, and it tried to attackˇ­ us" Matt spoke up. Christian''s eyes widened at that as he worried about his brother''s safety. "Did heˇ­ go for anyone specific"? Christian asked, clearly trying to ask about his brother subtly.

    "As far as I can recall, no. All of us were together, and few of us were drunkˇ­ I am really not so sure about that". Matt tried to explain the situation. He did not want to put Caleb in trouble, knowing that the other had already been through a tough time down there. "I will look into it, don''t worry" he tried to console Matt, who nodded at him before leaving.

    Christian considered the situation before he decided to check on his brother. He knocked on his door twice but he got no response. He knocked again before entering the room directly. "Are you alright"? He asked his brother who was lying on the bed.

    "Yeah, I am fine" he mumbled while he kept staring at the ceiling. "Matt told me what happened". His brother told him. "Be honest with me, did he... attack you"? Christian asked carefully. He was mainly asking about the mark, which Caleb understood so he denied it, "Nope".

    "Then why are you so upset"? Christian asked him with a tinge of frustration. "Because its an Alpha in rut who is interested in attacking poor omegas"!! Caleb burst out at his brother.

    His brother was taken aback by the sudden outburst before he composed himself and asked him "What"? With a little bit of compassion.

    "That wolf, he wasˇ­ crazy! It wouldn''t hesitate to attack anyone just as it didn''t hesitate to attack us. I cannot help but keep wondering that, what if he got someone? It won''t be his fault, it would be omegas'' for being around him. I hate when Alphas go crazy like this and put all the blame on omegas"! Caleb explained in frustration.

    "Yeah well, this is the real world" his brother said softly.

    "I know, and it sucks"! Caleb put his hand on his forehead. His brother sat next to him and hugged him from the side. While he supported his brother in being strong and trained him, he knew he couldn''t change how others viewed him. To a raging Alpha he was nothing but an omega, whom an Alpha would never treat with basic human respect.

    "I am sorry you have to go through all of this", Christian whispered. "You realise that if you choose a mate things will be a bit better"? Christian suggested. Caleb glared at his brother so he continued, "I am just saying that if you already have a mark you can''t be marked twice. I am not asking you to go ahead and do it".

    "Good, because I won''t". Caleb declared. "I don''t want someone''s mark just because I want to protect myself. What if that someone takes advantage of the mark to abuse me"? He questioned.

    Christian pursed his lips before nodding at him. "That is correct". He whispered.

    "I don''t really expect you to understand, but I do appreciate you supporting me so much", Caleb muttered.

    "Of course, you are my baby brother" Christian chuckled. "I should probably get going, you sure you will be alright"? He asked him. Caleb nodded reluctantly. He felt much better after talking to his brother.

    Christian, went back to the office to check with his father. He was surprised when he didn''t find him there. He had no idea where he was so he tried to link him.

    [What is it] his father asked him sternly.

    [There is something I need to talk to you about, when will you be back?] Christian asked.

    [Not before evening] his father replied to him before asking, [Anything else?]

    [No] Christian let go of the link and waited for his father to come back. He took care of the stuff that needed to be managed in his father''s absence till he returned. His father, anticipating his son''s presence in the office, headed straight towards it.

    He called for his son once he reached his chamber. "Everything Alright"? Christian asked his father.

    "Noˇ­" his father looked really concerned and absorbed in deep thought until he replied, "This is the third omega that disappeared from our neighbor pack".

    "From Gizek''s pub again"? Christian asked while his father nodded. "I am assuming someone or something is hunting them. My first guess would be a rogue Alpha, but I don''t have any proof for now". He mumbled. "Why did you want to see me"? Mr. Wrisberg asked.

    "Matt told me that they were attacked at Camazur beach the other day. Some Alpha in rut went crazy" Christian informed him "In rut"? His father narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why was he there in the first place"? Mr. Wrisberg mumbled.

    "Maybe he just went there and had his rut? Or he had ulterior motives" Christian suggested.

    "I will go with ulterior motives" Mr. Wrisberg paused for a moment. "I will check with the neighboring packs to see if any of their Alpha''s went to Camazur recently". Christian nodded at his father, "Make sure no wolf leaves for Camazur anymore, especially the omegas. It''s a famous trip spot for most of us here, they better be careful". He ordered.

    "What if it''s not that big of a threat"? Christian wondered out loud.

    Both of them were silent for quite a long while before Mr. Wrisberg declared ,"Whatever it is, we need to look out for ourselves".

    AUTHORS NOTE:

    Can you guys help me win the win-win? Just spend 1 coin and buy my privilege, I promise that one coin would be returned to you next month

    {I need 500 privilege readers... :( :( }

 Chapter 55 - At The Mall- Part1

    Ashton did not receive any callback from Caleb later that day so he assumed that the latter was busy and did not bother to disturb him the second time. He was worried about him, but he did not want to pester too much. He was curious about the latter''s weekend because it was the twins who bothered him to invite Caleb since it has been a long time since they saw him. When Ashton told them he could not make it they were quite disheartened. When he saw the adorable pout on the twins face he couldn''t resist and promised them that he would take them to the mall.

    Upon arriving there it got harder for him to keep tabs on both of them throughout as they kept deflecting from the same path. Ava wanted to go somewhere, while Ariel wanted somewhere else. Ashton was starting to remember why he did not like to bring them in places like this when Ava collided with someone. "I am sorry, I am sorry" she started mumbling the moment she regained her composure.

    Ashton ran towards her while he helped her from the ground. "Ava"? A familiar voice asked as they both looked up at the source. Ariel came back running to her brother and was surprised to see Caleb there. "Caleb"! Both the girls cheered as they hugged Caleb while Ashton turned his face away out of embarrassment. Caleb, who was delighted to see the twins, missed that reaction.

    "Are you busy"? Ava asked Caleb.

    Caleb frowned for a moment before saying, "Not really, why"?

    "Ashton, why did you lie to us then? Do you not like him"? Ava accused Ashton.

    Ashton, who was taken aback by that, stumbled with his words, "Iˇ­"

    "Why didn''t you tell me they wanted to see me"? Even Caleb joined in the blame game.

    "Hey"! Ashton shouted at Caleb, "I asked you to call me, you didn''t"! He said in an accusatory tone to refresh his memory. Caleb''s eyes widened as he recalled the fact that Ashton called him while they went to Camazur. Wanting to completely forget that experience he shut out everything about that night from his memory.

    "Are you okay"? Ashton asked Caleb while gently shaking his arm when he did not respond to him and just stood there frozen.

    Caleb blinked before replying, "I am fine, sorry I forgot to call back" he replied awkwardly.

    "What brings you here"? Ashton asked him.

    "I am here to get a tux". Caleb shrugged.

    "Rent"? Ashton raised his eyebrows.

    "Buy", Caleb declared with a smug smile.

    "Oh right, I forgot, you are a rich boy". Ashton mumbled. "Why do you need tux though"? He asked out loud. "For the dance. Remember, Prom"? Caleb replied.

    Ashton nodded slowly while he mumbled, "Right, the dance". He asked him out loud, "So, who is your partner"? Ashton asked with a tiny frown which threatened to creep into his face.

    "You know Tiffany? The head cheerleader"? Caleb asked. "Wow" Ashton said with a tinge of judgment in his voice. Caleb managed to catch that which is why he asked, "What was that now"?

    "Nothing, I guess I should not bother you anymore". He forced a smile at Caleb, "Girls, come on let''s go" He took both of their hands and tried to leave, but both of them held him back. Ashton stared at them, baffled, by their level of disobedience.

    "Can''t we hang out with him a bitˇ­ Please Ashton"! Ava pleaded and Ariel joined her as well, "Yes, please"!

    Ashton shook his head in defeat, "He needs to buy something, you should not disturb him" Ashton scolded them, but not too harshly.

    "Hey, it''s alright" Caleb interfered. "Actually it would be great if you guys could come with me, you can help me choose the perfect tux". Both the twins jerked their heads at Ashton with their puppy eyes. Seeing no other option Ashton sighed before he said, "Fine, let''s go with him".

    While Caleb and the twins got busy having the time of their world Ashton started to feel a little bit left out and tiny bit jealous. He did not lie when he said Caleb was busy, but if he had known this is how their time would go he might have lied on purpose.

    Caleb tried on several tuxes and asked for everyone''s opinion. To Ashton everyone looked more or less the same, with simple variation of colors. He gave thumbs up to all of them because none of them looked bad on him, (and he was bored). The twins however had a lot of opinions. They kept saying no each and every dress based on silly reasons like the sleeves are too tacky, or it doesn''t go with the colour of his eye.

    After probably an eternity Caleb came out of the fitting room wearing a bluish-silver Tuxedo with a black shirt. The twins were amazed by how good he looked and couldn''t stop admiring him. In the hindsight even Ashton found it hard to look away. Sensing the twins approval he went ahead and bought it. By the time they were done it was already late in the afternoon.

    "What did you want to buy here anyways"? Caleb asked Ashton once they were in the corridor. "Nothing in particular, I just wanted to hangout with my sisters". He emphasized on the word ''hangout'' with a tinge of jealousy. Caleb sensing that chuckled. These sibling trio were way too adorable for him to handle.

    "Come with me" he ordered Ashton and the kids. They danced along with him while Ashton felt that he was dragged everywhere today. They reached near the jewelry section and asked the twins to choose whatever they liked. The twins were taken aback and politely refused him to buy them anything, but after he insisted quite a lot including telling them that it''s a little thank you for helping him chose the perfect tux, the twins accepted it reluctantly.

    "What do you want"? Caleb asked Ashton after he was done paying for the two pieces of ear rings the twins chose. Ashton, surprised to be offered, asked "Why do I get something? I clearly wasn''t that much helpful".

    "Well, you brought them here so it was helpful". Caleb smiled at him. "And you put up with me even if you didn''t want to, soˇ­ yeah" Caleb shrugged.

    "Boy, if I get something for every time I put up with you, I think you have quite a large debt to pay". Ashton joked due to which he received a playful punch from Caleb. "Besides, I am quite used to putting up with you, and I don''t do it in hopes of getting something in return". Ashton mumbled. Caleb who heard him loud and clear turned his head towards Ashton and stared at him wide eyed.

 Chapter 56 - At The Mall- Part 2

    "What"? Ashton noticed that Caleb was staring at him with a weird expression on his face. Caleb blinked and cleared his throat before replying "Nothing".

    After a moment of silence Caleb asked again "Soˇ­ you''re sure you don''t want anything"? Ashton just shook his head. They were about to get on the escalator when they heard a loud growling noise. Ariel bit her lip as she tried to avoid everyone''s gazes. "Do you guys want to eat something? I am so hungry". Caleb popped the question.

    Twins looked relieved and nodded eagerly at the suggestion. Ashton chuckled at them before agreeing on a meal himself. They went to the section of food and chose to try something with meat. Being a wolf, meat was naturally a tasty dish for them. In fact even raw it tasted delicious to them.

    They ordered a lot of dishes with immense variety. For a normal human it would take them probably a whole week to finish that but for them it was nothing. During their meal they striked a conversation, "So, Ashton, are you going to the dance"? Caleb asked.

    "Kind of, I won''t be dancing though". Ashton replied before taking a huge bite.

    "Why? You can''t dance"? Caleb teased him to which he replied, "I am going there with the music club. I am not going there with a partner or anything". Ashton clarified the situation.

    "That''s a bit hard to believe", Caleb muttered.

    "Why"? Ashton asked him skeptically.

    "Well, I know sophomores aren''t allowed to go but I''m sure someone asked you". Caleb replied. He took another bite of the grilled pork before saying, "Although, now that I think about it, it doesn''t seem likely. I am sure whoever bothered to ask you refused them pretty harshly" Caleb chuckled.

    "Why are you so sure someone asked"? Ashton eyed him suspiciously. "Cause you are popular"? Caleb shrugged.

    "No, I am not"! Ashton defended himself. "Yes, you are. And I am not going to believe you if you say you don''t know, cause I know you have got a good hearing". Caleb rolled his eyes.

    Ashton did not say anything further. He does remember hearing all the chatter when he was new but he thought it''s just because he was new. Over time the chatter died down once he came to be known as cold-nerd throughout the school. He was content with the nickname because it saved him from a lot of unnecessary interactions.

    He never felt that he was popular after that. Maybe because he either got too good at avoiding people or simply because he was too distracted with his secret getting exposed once Caleb found out. Not to mention, he didn''t get much peace ever since he got here. First it was Sara''s irritating tricks then it was their assignments. He literally waited for the day he would get to graduate.

    After their meal they decided to head home since it was getting a bit late. "How are you going back"? Caleb asked them. "I think we will take the bus" Ashton shrugged.

    "Want me to drop you guys off" Caleb offered. The twins beamed at Caleb before they looked at Ashton expectantly. The expression on his sister''s face convinced him once more to do something he wasn''t so sure of, "Sure, I guess" Ashton shrugged.

    The twins took the backseat while Ashton sat in the shotgun one. "So, what are you playing at the prom". Caleb asked him to strike a conversation.

    Ashton glanced at him before saying, "Well we are playing a few songs that George came up-" he was cut off in the middle of his sentence when Caleb interrupted, "I didn''t ask about the group, I asked about you? Which instrument do you play"?

    "Oh" Ashton nodded before answering "I play the pianoˇ­ also this prom I might be singing". He mumbled.

    "Wait, WHAT"? Caleb said out loud which startled all of them, "What"? Ashton stared at Caleb with a weird expression. "You can sing as well"? Caleb asked, amused by the sudden revelation. Before he could answer the twins answered for him, "Ashton sings wonderfully. When I first met him he sang for me". Ariel told him. "Really"? Caleb smirked at Ashton who looked away because he could feel his ears turning hot.

    "Yes" Ashton replied, still staring outside the window as he recalled the day he first met the twins.

    A tiny smile crept on Ashton''s face as he stared outside the window reminiscing that day. A tiny incident like that changed his life forever, and with all the hardships he had to go through he was glad that he found this family at the right time. When he lost his family, he lost everything. He always dealt with anger issues when he was little and it heightened a lot after that hellish incident. He never thought he would get a second chance like this, and thus never did he ever take this family for granted.

    Upon reaching home the kids were pretty excited to be back, while at the same time Mrs Parker was pretty excited to see Caleb. She even offered him to stay back for something to eat to which he politely refused given they had something to eat a while ago.

    Once Caleb was gone, Mrs Parker eyed at Ashton suspiciously. Once Ashton was finished staring at the disappearing Porsche, he turned his head around to finally notice his mother''s face, "What"? He asked her, feeling bothered by her look.

    "Why did you lie to me"? She raised her eyebrows. "You said you couldn''t get hold of Caleb, but here he is, dropping you off".

    "Mom, that wasn''t something I planned okay! I ran into him"! He insisted. Why did his family assume he lied? It''s not like he was famous for lying. Sure he hid the truth about his identity, but otherwise he believed was a very trustworthy guy.

    "Sure. I believe you", with a not so convinced smirk, she headed off to her room, while Ashton simply sighed at his unbelievable family.

 Chapter 57 - Second Family

    (A/N: This chapter takes place when Ashton was thinking about his childhood while he was in the car with Caleb and the twins. He is reminiscing about his past)

    When he was ten years old due to constant fights he got into his foster family, who were humans, gave him up. He ended up going to an orphanage after they failed to find him a decent family. One day when he was returning from his school he went to the nearby park as usual. The place was usually quiet and it always helped him calm down.

    That day however instead of peaceful silence there was a shrill voice crying on the corner. There was no one else nearby so he decided to approach the little girl and try to soothe her. He had no idea what was wrong with her so he couldn''t be specific. Seeing no other alternative he decided to do what his mother did for him everytime he was hurt. He sang her a small song which not only made her stop crying but also mesmerized her with his voice".

    "You...sing... amazing" She told Ashton in between her sobs. Ashton smiled at his tiny victory before asking, "Why are you crying"?

    "I can''t... find m...my mother". She broke into sobs one more.

    "I will help you find her, please stop crying"! He pleaded to her once more. She nodded at him before her sobs became quieter but found it hard to stop crying altogether.

    Ashton could smell some wolf pheromones from her. While he did not want to get involved with any wolves he just couldn''t abandon a little girl crying in the middle of the road. "Do you have anything that belongs to your mom"? He asked hesitantly. She thought for a while before she dug her tiny pocket for a handkerchief. "Does this... count"? She gave it to him. "My mother... gave it to me... this morning, it''s hers".

    Nodding Ashton took it from her hand and carefully sniffed it. He could sense a strong omega scent coming off from it and thus decided to look around for a while whilst holding her hand. "Where did you see her last"? He asked her.

    "We were walking together... but I saw a squirrel over thereˇ­" she pointed at a rock, "...so I came inside this place". She said between her sobs.

    "Well, this park is empty so let''s look outside shall we"? Ashton offered. After getting out of the park he focused all his energy into his sense of smell as he tried to detect the mother of the little girl.

    "How does your mom look like"? Ashton asked her. For a moment the little girl thought carefully before declaring proudly "Pretty". Ashton was taken aback for a moment before he chuckled.

    "I meant like how tall is she? How long is her hair? Something like that". He explained to the little girl properly. "She...is very tallˇ­.but shorter than Dad. She has long hairˇ­ this much long" she used her palm to touch little above her chest.

    "Do you remember which colour she was wearing"? Ashton asked. "Red"! She replied enthusiastically. Ashton looked around a lot to find someone who fit that description. After looking around along with sniffing he failed to find her mother. After alomst half an hour he decided it would be better to drop her at the nearest Police Station.

    In the police station however, he was baffled when he saw another little girl who looked just like the one who was with him. When he saw the woman next to her, not only did she fit the description but also smelled exactly the same as the handkerchief he got earlier. As soon as the little girl noticed them as well she snatched away her hand from Ashton and ran towards them. "Mom!!Ava"!!

    The woman was startled and turned around to see her little baby approach her. She hugged her tightly as she thanked heavens for returning her daughter safely to her. Ashton observed the scene with a gloomy smile. Not to interrupt the perfect reunion he turned away to leave, but after walking a few steps he found a someone tapping on his shoulders.

    He turned around to see the woman, for whom he spent his evening searching for. "Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter and bringing her back". She replied to him. He nodded at him before he was about to leave. "What''s your name" she asked him affectionately.

    "I am Ashton". He replied to her politely. "It''s nice to meet you Ashton, I am Sue". She smiled at him. "Tell me where you live, I will drop you off".

    "It won''t be necessary". Ashton tried to decline politely. "I am not taking no for an answer" she scolded him playfully. Ashton pointed at the orphanage he was staying at, "It''s right there. You won''t actually have to drop me". Ashton told her awkwardly.

    Seeing the place she felt a pang in her heart. She liked the kid and felt genuinely sad that he had a hard childhood like that. There was nothing she could do about it so she let him go at that moment.

    The next day when the sister called him he was annoyed. Usually when he was called it was for some or the other rules he had broken, and there were a lot of them which were yet to be discovered by them. When he went there he was surprised to find out a family wanted to adopt him. He was further more surprised to find out it was the woman whom he met yesterday.

    Aware of the fact that the whole family was wolves he did not want to go with them. But when the twin little girls insisted that he comes with them he did not have the heart to say no. Reluctantly, he revealed his true identity to them by releasing his scent, which he was hiding ever since his parents were killed. He was still terrified that the ones who came for his parents will one day come for him...

 Chapter 58 - NIGHT IN THE SKY

    Caleb stared at the mirror once he was ready. Earlier at the fitting room he tried out the same outfit, but something about being well groomed from head to toe gave him a much more charming appearance. As a custom he was supposed to pick up his date from her house, but since he never bothered to check her address he asked her to meet at the cafe outside the school. He waited there for a while before she showed up with a beautiful get up, and a frustrated expression.

    "I cannot believe you pulled such a stunt on me, I texted you the address"! She yelled at him.

    "You did"? Caleb tilted his face in confusion so Tiffany took out her phone to show her the message. Caleb stared at the screen before scrolling up and did a "Ahh" as realisation hit him. "I remember now, I blocked this number".

    "Why"! She shouted at him, furious. "It was an unknown number", he shrugged. "Your first message is ''Hey, there guess who I am''".

    "So you will block it"? Baffled, she asked. "I get texts like this all the time. I don''t have time or any energy to keep responding to each and every one of them". Caleb asserted. "Anyways, you want to fight or you want to go to the dance"? She huffed in anger before she said, "let''s go".

    On the door of the School Gym it was written in big large fonts:

    NIGHT IN THE SKY

    Before entering both of them put on their masks. The couple looked perfect with each other given their combination of blue and red. The hidden faces behind the masks just increased their charm ten fold. It was quite late thus many people were already there. Given how many people were dancing, Tiffany urged to Caleb for the dance as well.

    He complied with her wish as he and started dancing. After a few steps he looked around a little bit to check who was playing the song and was surprised to see that it was on record. Was the band not here yet? He wondered. Regardless, he promised his date a dance and he kept the end of his promise to her.

    After a while when he was tired he went to sit in the chairs. He wasn''t physically tired, given his wolf status he had way more stamina despite not sleeping well the night before, but he did feel drained. He was drinking for his glass when his friend came and sat next to him. "You alright"? Matt asked him.

    "Yeah, why not"? Caleb shrugged. "Why are you here, by the way? Where is Carly"? Caleb asked him about his date so he pointed at someone, "She is dancing with that boy. Honestly I am starting to regret asking her out to this". Matt sighed. "Why are you sitting by yourself? Where is your date"? Matt asked him.

    "Somewhere here" Caleb replied flatly. "She was frustrated, and it was starting to frustrate me". Caleb shrugged. "Hey this is our last prom from high school. You should enjoy it considering how you missed last year" Matt nudged him on the shoulder. "I am enjoying it. I am trying to stay away from the negative energy". He explained to him. "I want to rest a bit, but if you want you are free to ask Tiff for a dance". Caleb shrugged.

    "You know what? I would! I will show Carly that I can dance with someone else other than my date"! He asserted and left. Caleb chuckled at his friend''s petty behavior as he looked around the entire hall. From time to time he found himself glancing at the station of where the instruments were kept. In fact that''s where he was staring at when he heard someone speak next to him.

    "Are you going to spend your entire prom sitting here like this"? Ashton, who appeared next to him, spoke. Caleb turned his head towards him and noticed that he was wearing a complete black outfit, without any mask. Ashton sat down next to him as Caleb chucked. "Not sure. Let''s see". He sighed. "How did you recognize me with a mask"? Caleb asked him.

    "Are you kidding me? I spent an entire day looking for the perfect tux with you. It''s not hard to spot this one in this crowd you know", Ashton rolled his eyes at him. Caleb nodded as he realised how he forgot that tiny detail. "You look great". Ashton threw a compliment at him all of a sudden which took Caleb by surprise. "Th..thanks" he replied to him awkwardly.

    Both of them sat in a comfortable silence for a really long time. After what seemed like eternity Caleb popped the one question that was bothering him, "Aren''t you going to play"?

    Ashton looked at him before replying, "We still have time. Despite a lot of requests to the prom committee we could not get an earlier slot". He explained.

    "So, why don''t you dance then"? Caleb suggested. Ashton gave him an ''Are-you-crazy'' look before replying, "Unlike you, I didn''t bring a date". Caleb looked back at the crowd after which he pointed at Matt and Tiffany. "My date is dancing with Matt, so I don''t think that should be a problem" Caleb smirked.

    "Forget it, I don''t want to". Ashton replied flatly.

    "You know how to dance right"? Caleb tried to tease Ashton. Ashton, who looked flustered by the question, pursed his lips and avoided Caleb''s gaze before replying, "Of course, I know".

    "No you don''t"! Caleb exclaimed with a gleeful smile. He could tell that Ashton was lying and even if it was not that much of a big deal he loved the reactions Ashton was giving to his playful tease. "Do you want me to teach you"? Caleb played with him further. Ashton''s eyes widened a little bit before he looked at Caleb. "No thank you, I am not interested". He asserted.

    "Come on, what would you do in your prom if you can''t dance"? Caleb insisted with an excuse. "I won''t go, as simple as that". Ashton shrugged. At that moment Ashton felt a vibration in his pocket. It was a message from George saying {We''re up in five minutes, come} "I gotta go" Ashton mumbled, patted Caleb''s shoulder, and left.

    "Hello everyone, today we have a special performance by none other than our own band. A big applause of them"! The announcer announced before the lights started to shuffle on the podium, exactly where the band was.

    Slowly and gradually everyone began playing their individual instruments. As they delved into the rhythm almost everyone started to dance to it. Soon, Ashton started singing and indeed it was mesmerizing as hell, so much so that Caleb couldn''t even stop staring. He had never heard of the song they were singing, but the more he listened to it the more enchanted he got.

    ˇ­..

    [[Song:]]

    [So what''s been on your mind?

    For me, it''s just you all the time

    We don''t need to go nowhere tonight

    It''s you and I, we''ll be alright

    Cause here we get to take our time

    You, you''re fallin'' in so why?

    We don''t need to go nowhere tonight

    It''s you and I, we''ll be alright

    I give you everything (I give you everything)

    I give you everything (I give you everything)

    You don''t owe me anything (you don''t owe me anything)

    So are you ready baby?

    You got me screaming

    My my my my my my my (my my my my)

    You got me screaming

    My my my my my my my (my my my my)

    And now I''m like ohhhh (yeah)

    My my my my my

    And now I''m like ohhhh (yeah yeah)

    Cause you''re not out of touch babe]

    ....

    Hearing the lyrics Caleb felt something in his heart. In a weird way he could relate to the song and thus felt even more drawn to its lyrics.

    ...

    [After it, when you catch your breath

    You look at me and say

    Love, are you real?

    Just don''t pretend you''re just a friend babe

    I give you everything (I give you everything)

    I give you everything (I give you everything)

    You don''t owe me anything (you don''t owe me anything)

    So are you ready baby?

    You got me screaming

    My my my my my my my (my my my my)

    You got me screaming

    My my my my my my my (my my my my)

    And now I''m like ohhh (yeah)

    My my my my my

    And now I''m like ohhh (yeah yeah)

    Cause you''re not out of touch babe]

    ...ˇ­..

    The more Caleb heard it, the more he felt all those feelings strongly that he kept hidden deep inside of him, the ones he pushed away because he thought them to be meaningless. That''s the thing about feelings, you cannot always justify why you feel a certain wayˇ­ All you know is that you do. And what you do with it? It''s up to you.

    Feeling overwhelmed, the moment the song ended he found his way to the exit and headed outside the room. He didn''t look where he was going, he just found an empty room and went straight inside. He realized he was breathing faster, so tried to calm himself down. How did a simple song managed to get such a reaction from him? He wondered. He heard the door unlock behind him, but he was too engrossed in his own moment to look, that is until he heard "Caleb"?

 Chapter 59 - A Major Decision

    [Warning: Just... you have been warned]

    Caleb turned around only to find Ashton standing there with a concerned expression. He realised the irony of the situation, given how the one person he wished to be away from at this very moment was thevery person who found him here. "Why are you here"? Caleb asked him quite rudely. "Did youˇ­ follow me"?

    "Of course I did. I noticed you ran away so I wondered what''s wrong". Ashton whispered.

    "So you decided to follow me? Are you going to follow me every time I run away"? Caleb snapped at him.

    "Probably not, butˇ­"Ashton trailed off, confused with Caleb''s behaviour. "I followed you because I was worried that you got in your heat or something. It''s been over a month since your last heat. I know how important it is for you to keep your secret safe, and I got worried for you". Ashton tried to explain it to him. "What is going on with you? Based on your scentˇ­ I can tell it''s not heat. Are you alright"?

    "It''s nothing", Caleb muttered.

    "That is the one lie I used the most, which is why I know when someone is being insincere". Ashton mumbled. "Remember how you asked me to share stuff? Try that"! Ashton persuaded Caleb. Both of them were quiet for a long time. Caleb simply stared at the floor while he supported himself with his hand on the old table that was lying around in the room. Ashton waited for him to reply for a long time before he decided maybe it''s better to leave, that maybe he was pushing too hard.

    "Wait"! Caleb called out the moment Ashton touched the doorknob to exit. He froze in his spot and turned around to see Caleb turn as well to face him. "Can I ask you... for something? It''s a big favour"?

    Ashton smiled, happy to be asked as he nodded vigorously, "Anything". Meanwhile Caleb scoffed internally knowing what he was about to ask.

    "I want you to mark me". Caleb whispered. His heart rate increased while he breathed heavily due to the anticipation of getting rejected. Despite believing it was ridiculous to ask, that he would say no, he went ahead and asked him. Ashton meanwhile stood there frozen in his spot, shocked and confused whether he heard him right or not, or if he misunderstood him.

    "M..mark? from Mˇ­me"? Ashton managed to say that one word with great difficulty. "Why though"? He asked in a low voice.

    "Nevermind, forget I asked" Caleb dismissed it and tried to go out of the door but Ashton stopped him by coming in between him and the door. "I said, Forget. It", Caleb repeated sternly whilst he glared at Ashton. Ashton however wasn''t fazed by it and looked at him in the eye with determination.

    "Tell me why"! He insisted.

    "Why does it matter anyways"?! Caleb asked him in a high voice.

    "Give me a good enough reason, and I will mark you". Ashton declared. Caleb, taken aback by the answer, blinked before looking at Ashton. As he gazed into his black eyes he tried to find a hint of deception in them. After gazing in them for a few seconds when he failed to detect anything other than determination, he sighed.

    "Something happenedˇ­ a while ago" He whispered. He decided to blame the incident at Camazur instead of being upfront about it. He would use that as an excuse than admit that he only wants have Ashton''s mark. He felt like a coward for using that as excuse, but now that he already popped the question he needed an excuse.

    "What"? Ashton whispered. Caleb avoided his gaze and narrated the whole incident. His lips trembled from fear and disgust when he described how almost he had a mark of some unknown wolf. By the time he was done Ashton''s fists were so tightened that he was about to break his own bones. "This is not the first time something like this has happened to me, but I always considered I would be safe within my pack boundaries. But at that moment, I felt completely alone" Caleb whispered.

    "This is exactly what I hate about the oh-so-proud Alphas. They think that they have the right to force someone else." He slammed the door with frustration. Caleb was startled with the sudden noise, and even more so when he noticed a crack on the door.

    "Really? It makes you that angry"? Caleb snorted, half-heartedly.

    "Before I moved here, an Alpha tried to attack my sister. I broke his face". Ashton mumbled. While it was a serious situation he still found the other''s reaction adorable "Are you sure you want to do this"? Ashton asked him carefully.

    Caleb nodded, "Yes. It''s been days since that happened. I can assure you that it is not a spur of the moment decision". He explained. Ashton nodded before asking, "Why me"?

    "Well it has to be someone. Only a few people know about my secret, you being one of them. Also, I trust you". Caleb shrugged before taking a deep breath. "I would rather have a mark of someone I chose than have a random stranger I don''t even know. Don''t worry though, I won''t ask you to mate with me just because of the mark". He explained.

    "You realise that if I mark you, you won''t be able to get another mate"? Ashton asked carefully.

    "Yes, I do. I would rather be mateless that mate with someone I don''t want", Caleb declared. Ashton went quiet for a moment as he indulged in his own deep thought. Caleb seeing his troubled expression chuckled. "It''s fine if you still don''t want to. I won''t force you, or be mad at you". Caleb patted the Ashton''s arm.

    "Take off your bow tie," Ashton ordered.

    Caleb, taken aback, blinked at him before asking him in a low voice, "Are you sure"?

    All Ashton replied to him was, "Do it before I change my mind".

    Caleb bit his inner lip before trying to untie his bow tie. He fumbled with it a little bit which made their whole situation a little awkward for the time being. Once he was done he unbuttoned the first button of the shirt he was wearing under his tux.

    Ashton reached his neck with his left hand and pulled him closer. Taking a deep breath he traced his neck till his shoulders before exposing his canines. He sunk his teeth in the soft skin deep enough to taste the others blood, "Ahhh...hh" Caleb moaned out loud despite trying his best to suppress it. Marking was an extremely intimate experience for the werewolves, and by the waves of pleasure that coursed through his body he could certainly understand why.

    Somehow hearing that voice from Caleb spurred him on as he kissed over the wound he just made to seal the mark. "Hmm...mm" Caleb bit his lips harder but still some noise came out from time to time.

    This was not Ashton''s first time kissing Caleb''s neck, but this was the first time he consciously did so. Ever since he smelled Caleb''s real scent he found it exciting and at the situation like this where he was already biting and nibbling he found it harder to stop. Once he returned from the mating haze, he gathered all his strength and used it to draw himself away from Caleb. His breathing was chaotic while tried to bring back his focus.

    He looked at Caleb whose eyes depicted nothing but raw lecherousness. Caleb opened his eyes slightly, which were tightly closed a while ago, and stared at him ravenously. Ashton opened his mouth to ask Caleb if he was feeling alright but before he could speak even a syllable, Caleb smashed his lips onto Ashton''s and whatever self control Ashton had left went out of the window right that moment.

    Snaking his hands into Ashton''s hair, Caleb pulled the other one closer to him. At that moment Ashton flipped them and smashed him to the cracked door as he kissed him with everything he got. Like animals in heat, all of their thoughts, any dilemmas, any inhibitions they might have had vanished and all focused mostly on kissing the other person in front of them.

    They didn''t know how long they kissed each other but neither of them backed down until and unless they absolutely couldn''t breathe. Ashton bit Caleb''s lower lip a little harder before he pulled away. Both of them breathed heavily trying to catch their breath, as they focused back to reality. Realising how Ashton did more than what was asked he recoiled and started to apologize, "I am sorryˇ­ I couldn''t...I don''t know what came over me. I couldn''t stop. I am sorry".

    "Ashton", Caleb whispered but Ashton, who was immersed in his own messy apologies, didn''t hear him, so Caleb tried once more. "Ashton"!

    Ashton looked up to his eyes with an apologetic expression, "It''s alright. I am the one who kissed you, why are you sorry? I am the one who should apologize". Caleb defended Ashton''s actions.

    "I didn''t stop" Ashton pointed out.

    "Still not as worse as initiating the kiss. Don''t be an idiot". Caleb scolded Ashton. They spent a few more minutes in awkward silence as they pondered upon what they should do next. Should they leave? Should they talk? Each of them avoided the other''s gaze in order to not make things more awkward. "Ashton". Caleb finally decided to be the one to break this awkward silence.

    "Hm"? Ashton responded to him and looked at him.

    Caleb smiled at Ashton before saying, "Thank you. I really appreciate it".

 Chapter 60 - No Memory

    Ashton stood there all by himself for a really long time wondering about the consequences of what just happened. Will they be really alright? With the mark will he be able to control himself while Caleb was in heat? These are all the things that kept crossing his mind for the entire night. He went back to the dance and apologised to the band mates for running out like that. He was lucky one of his song was finished, even if he did not get to perform the rest of his songs, their principal praised them personally for the performance.

    During the rest of the event he glanced at Caleb many a times, and even caught Caleb looking at him a few times. While marking felt intimate and overwhelming, at that very moment it didn''t feel much different. He was curious how Caleb felt; especially when from his distance it did not seem much different.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    It was late at night so Ashton had no other means of going back home. He decided it would be best to run and even started walking towards his home, until he was at a considerable distance to start running at his wolf speed. After running for a while a red car passed right next to him before it stopped in front of him, blocking his way. While the windows were dark enough to not be able to see who was inside, he didn''t need for them to be down to know who was driving. He was proven right when the window slid down.

    "Want me to give you a ride"? Caleb smirked.

    Ashton looked at him suspiciously before deciding to decline his offer. He was still not ready to trust himself around Caleb after what happened in the basement. "I don''t need it". He answered coldly.

    "Come on, after today I literally owe you one. Just let me drop you off, your house is quite far". Caleb insisted.

    "You don''t need to pay me back". Ashton mumbled, which did not escape Caleb''s ears. "I know I don''t need to, but I want to. Now stop being so stubborn and hop in. Besides it''s really dark out here so it''s safer for both of us". Caleb declared.

    Seeing that Caleb won''t let him leave on his own he sighed in defeat and got in car. Ashton tried to hold his breath as much as he could since he was worried about the scent of Caleb and how it would affect him. Despite the ample amount of pheromones, Caleb''s scent wasn''t entirely masked. It was a well known fact amongst the wolves that you can smell you mate''s scent the best, and with the mark it was very much likely that he could smell it too.

    After a few minutes when he couldn''t take it anymore he breathed. Once his breathing was back to normal he noticed that there was no scent of Caleb and thus sighed in relief. The entire ride was quite for them and whenever Caleb asked him anything he just replied with either a "Mn" or "Mn-Hm". The situation was way too familiar to the one when they rode this very car together for the first time.

    Once they were at their destination, after unbuckling the seat-belt, Ashton was about to get out when Caleb called him out, "Wait"!

    "What"? Ashton asked carefully.

    "I am really sorry for making youˇ­ do that. If being around me is too uncomfortable I will back off". Caleb gave him a sad smile.

    "I honestly don''t know how I feel". Ashton mumbled after turning his head to look outside the window. "I hope Iˇ­" Ashton trailed off before running out of the car abruptly leaving Caleb confused

    Ashton ran to his room as fast as he could and locked each and every entrance to his room. He felt his wolf trying to go wild as he did his best to control it. This wasn''t anything new to him and he knew what it meant. The biannual rut that drove him crazy finally hit him and that too at the very wrong moment. He wasn''t sure if the marking had anything to do with it or not, however his rut was due given how it has been almost six months since his last rut. Given how he was immersed in all that took place since he moved in here, the timing just slipped out of his mind.

    It was getting harder and harder to control himself, this time even more than before. His mind kept going back and forth into haze and all he could focus on was the window which he desperately wanted to break and run off. Run off where? Usually it''s nowhere in particular, but this time he felt it was towards Caleb. A few hours ago he was worried about Caleb in heat, and now he was worried about himself in rut.

    No matter how much he tried his wolf just tried to escape him. Times like this he wondered if it were any different for any other Alphas. Does being a pureblood influence his rut in any certain way? Make it worse than regular Alphas? Regardless he was on the verge of losing control and thus he made sure to put the lock on the window as well which he had especially installed for purposes like this.

    With the way his wolf broke free from his own from time to time is what made Ashton scared of himself. This is one of the main reason he was scared of getting close to someone. What if the wild wolf in him hurt anyone he cared about without even meaning to? He didn''t know how long he struggled with anger, frustration and losing control but he knew before the clock in his room hit twelve he passed out, at least his conscious did.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Finally he opened his eyes when the scorching sun hit his face with vigour. He had to blink many times before he adjusted to his surroundings. He looked up sluggishly to the clock above to see 1:00pm written there. He knew it was late afternoon, but he had no idea what day it was. Usually his rut lasted for a few days and with no pain or uncomfortable feeling whatsoever he was sure that he was over his rut. He looked at himself to see his favourite (and one and only) suit was ripped apart by the wolf. He snorted at his condition before he racked his brains for any memory.

    When he tried hard his head started to hurt and he realised that it''s probably for the best that took a little refreshments before he pushed his deranged consciousness beyond its limit. He took out his phone to check the date but found it to be out of battery. Putting it in charge he switched it on and upon checking the date he realised it''s almost been five days since the prom. He became alert since his rut never lasted this long. He stared at screen trying to check if he saw wrong or not.

    He stood staring hard at the screen when his phone was flooded with notifications having gained proper access to the network. What surprised him more was most of them was from Caleb (rest were from useless subscriptions which he never subscribed to in the first place). He pondered whether or not to check them but decided to check them anyways.

    {Are you alright}

    {Is something going on}

    {Are you feeling okay?}

    ˇ­

    ˇ­

    ˇ­

    {It''s been almost two days, please at least tell you are not in some kind of trouble}

    ˇ­

    ˇ­

    ˇ­

    {Nevermind, I got it. Call me when you can. No rush}

    These are the messages he noticed because he did not want to go through all 243 messages right at this moment. He recalled that he wanted to verify the date so he connected his phone to the wifi and soon tons of messages flooded one more through his instagram. Again, most of them were from Caleb. If only he didn''t forget to switch back his account to private. Even irritated he felt a tiny smile creep up his face as he realised how worried Caleb must have been to bother him this much.

    Turns out it has indeed been five days indeed and he had lot to catch up on. He changed before heading downstairs to find his sisters home, given how it was the weekend. They were delighted to see Ashton back and well and gave him a giant hug. They had a rough idea what was wrong with his these last couple of days so they didn''t pester him much about his health. His mother who spotted him as well smiled at him and served him the lunch she kept aside just in case her son woke up. "Thanks, I am so hungry" Ashton smiled lightly before digging in.

    His mother stared at him the whole time he ate. While it was awkward, Ashton managed to finish his food, cause he was too hungry for otherwise, before asking his mother, "What"?

    "I am just worried" She whispered.

    "Why? This happens to me often". Aston shrugged. "I didn''t do anything bad did I"? He asked carefully.

    "Not exactly. How much do you remember"? His mother asked.

    "Nothing after the night of prom". Ashton mumbled. His mother''s eyes widened at that.

    "Why"? She whispered with concern. "It never lasted this long, and you always remembered at least fragments of it". Ashton bit his lip as he pondered if he should tell her what changed. After a moment he looked up and smiled slightly at her and shrugged.

 Chapter 61 - Graduation

    Caleb tried not to let the marking bother him very much, but he would be lying if it didn''t at all. A part of him was worried how it would affect their relationship. And a tiny part of him was feeling guilty for making Ashton do it. He himself wasn''t sure why he requested Ashton out of the blue to mark him. But deep down he knew he did not regret it. Maybe he did it because of his unrequited feelings for Ashton.

    He wanted to follow Ashton when he went back abruptly like that, but he also knew that if Ashton ran away like that maybe he didn''t want to see Caleb''s face anymore. He had already forced Ashton enough for the day to do something out of his comfort zone, he did not want to overstep his boundaries further.

    After getting changed he looked at the mirror. Slowly exposing his shoulder from the baggy sweater he was wearing he stared at the mark. Marking was commonly done at the nape of the neck, but it seemed that Ashton was careful of the location so the it was not easily visible. He gave a slight smile at that thought. The mark was a bit bigger than he anticipated. Most wolves marks are one to two inches, but his was easily at least five inches.

    He wasn''t sure yet how he would reveal this to his family, but one day he had to for sure. But having Ashton''s mark may save Ashton from whatever judgmental wrath his father may get for him. In the wolves community usually killing the mates are a sensitive subject and he hoped his father would hesitate before doing anything to Ashton.

    He was about to go to bed when a sudden uncomfortable feeling hit him. It wasn''t heat for sure as there was no pain. It was simply suffocating, like you want to escape but you are held back by something you can''t perceive. He had no idea why he felt so overwhelmed suddenly and decided to take some rest hoping it would calm him down.

    The whole night he spent wide awake as the overwhelming feeling kept increasing. He felt a sort of desire, and he wanted to go and see Ashton. That''s when it hit him, it wasn''t his own feeling, it was Ashton''s. While wolves don''t feel each and every other emotion of their mates, the intense ones are felt by them. ''What is wrong with Ashton''? he wondered.

    He tried to call him several times but Ashton didn''t pick up. He sent him several texts but no reply. Eventually his calls started to go to voicemail due to the phone being switched off. He had patrol duties the next day so he decided to drop by check up on him. With the heavy feelings in his chest it was hard for him to focus and thus was very distracted even during the briefing.

    After reaching there he heard loud growling noises which alarmed him. He was dying to ask what was going on and was glad when Sue opened the door for Caleb. The excitement of being able to see Ashton gave him a bit relief until Sue told him, "Can you come back later? Now is not a good time". Caleb''s tiny smile turned into a frown. Sue could tell the other was upset, but there was nothing she could probably do to help him.

    "Can I ask what''s going on"? He bit his lip before continuing, "Actually Iˇ­" he trailed off realising that maybe he shouldn''t continue the sentence as ''felt something was wrong''. That sentence alone could indicate that Ashton has marked him and thus decided to say something else instead, "I can''t reach him. I have been trying to call him, but he didn''t pick up".

    Sue gave him a smile before saying, "I am glad he has got you. Thanks for worrying about him so much". Caleb gupled, being flustered by her sudden burst of affection. "As you know he is an Alpha, so he is going through his rut". She smiled faintly at him.

    Caleb nodded with an "ahh" as realisation hit him while he recalled all those times when he was sent to his grandmother''s, who was an omega herself, during anytime any of his family member underwent rut. ''That''s why I have this urge to be with him'' Caleb thought. Leaving without meeting him won''t be of any solution so he tried again, "Can''t I really meet him"?

    Sue gave him a sad smile, "I wish I could let you, but you know how good Ashton is at controlling himself right? However in his rut, everything flips over. Even he has no idea what he will end up doing".

    "Maybe he won''t hurt me"? Caleb suggested, even though he himself didn''t believe in his own statement.

    "Maybe" Sue chuckled. "But I am afraid I can''t let you take the risk. Even if you are okay with whatever happens, I know Ashton isn''t. I know for a fact that if he ends up hurting you he will end up hating himself". Sue explained to him. Caleb, out of words tried to think of any alternative solution. If he left like that he will be anxious all the time.

    Upon noticing the conflicted expression on Caleb''s face she held out her hand. Caleb scrunched his eyebrows in confusion until Sue said, "Give me your phone". He did as asked and she typed something on it before giving it back. "This is my number, if you are worried or curious about him, feel free to call me". Caleb looked at the screen where she saved it a Mama Parker, a name that brought smile to his face.

    "I should head back then". Caleb bowed lightly before running off. Just knowing what was wrong was not good enough for him. The urge to be there, to be next to Ashton was strong. Despite trying his best to focus on everything else he found himself being distracted by his worry for Ashton. From time to time he left a few messages for Ashton, despite knowing that he will not be in a state to read it.

    After two days he tried to call Ashton one more time, but it was no different from the previous times. He called his mother only to found out he was still the same. He tried his mother every morning since then to check out if Ashton''s condition improved. On the day of his graduation ceremony he didn''t forget to check before going to his school either.

    During the ceremony it was a bit crowded. Everyone was teary knowing how they would go their separate ways. The background was filled with the chatter of who was going where, a conversation Caleb didn''t deem necessary to be part of knowing this was as far as he would go. Despite being the last time he would ever step on these grounds as a student he found it hard to savor the moment.

    Caleb stared at the valedictorian while being lost in his own thoughts until his best friend who was sitting right next to him nudged him, "That could have been you" he gestured at the girl giving speech.

    Caleb smirked before replying "Never have I ever felt this better about a decision I made". Caleb was good at giving speeches, being a leader figure does that to you, but with his level of distraction, it was better this way.

    His brother who arrived late gave him a giant hug before saying, "I am proud of you"! Caleb smiled before looking around.

    "Mom and Dad"? He questioned.

    Christian hesitated before saying, "They had to leave the town urgently".

    Caleb pursed his lips before forcing a smile on his face. "I get it, I am glad you are here"!

    "Are you kidding? My baby brother is finally graduating high school, wouldn''t miss it for the world"! Christian put his hand over Caleb''s shoulder.

    Caleb wanted nothing more than to take his certificate and run away. He wasn''t even in the mood for the group photo that everyone was so exited about. Alas! He had no choice but to wait a lot given how his last name was Wrisberg he had to wait almost till the last student while their names were being called. The was only one student who was after him and that someone was named Kurt Zelnick.

    It was hard to escaping the hoarding crowd who dragged him along for the pictures and thus he was stuck here entirely for the whole event. By the time they were done he was both mentally and physically exhausted. He took out his phone to check the time when he noticed there was two missed calls from Ashton. Realising the implication and feeling like an idiot for forgetting to unmute his phone he rang him back. On the fifth ring Ashton picked up. "Hello".

    Caleb took a moment to smile before replying, "Hi, I see you are finally awake".

    "Yeah" Ashton mumbled.

    "I am glad you did not forget to call me" He teased the other.

    "My phone is filled with notifications from your messages and calls, How could I possibly miss them", Caleb could feel Ashton roll his eyes from the other end.

    "Nevertheless, how are you doing? Where are you now"? Caleb asked.

    Ashton was quiet for a moment before replying to him, "Turn around".

 Chapter 62 - After Graduation

    "Turn around". Caleb did so reflexively and smiled to see Ashton at the gate wearing grey jeans along with a baggy brown T-shirt. He was delightfully surprised to see Ashton at his graduation. A huge smile crept on Caleb''s face as he saw him leaning there. Caleb was excited to see him here, and he did not plan to hide his excitement.

    Caleb ran towards him and said, "I see you are feeling better". Aston simply nodded at him before Caleb continued, "How come you are here"?

    "Its graduation", Ashton shrugged.

    "Not your graduation" Caleb challenged him with a smirk. "Are you here to see me"? Caleb brought his face closer to Ashton''s and teased him. Ashton gave him a disgusted expression before replying, "Aren''t you a bit self obsessed? I am here simply because it''s graduation. Plus I took an extra shift for the break and I missed two days of it already". Ashton shrugged.

    "I see", Caleb nodded. Both of them simply stared at each other comfortably before Ashton spoke up, "My mom said you were at our house? Did you need anything"?

    Caleb tilted his face before replying, "Not really, I was just worried about you".

    "Just because I didn''t pick up your calls"? Ashton raised his eyebrows.

    "That and also you ran away so abruptly the other night" Caleb snorted to which Ashton rolled his eyes, "But not just that, I couldˇ­ feel something was wrong".

    "Like a gut feeling"? Ashton asked derisively.

    "Like a trapped feeling" Caleb nodded while he shifted his gaze to the ground trying to think of that day. "It was weird, likeˇ­ I don''t know the best way to describe itˇ­ but like I was suffocating. It was as if I was facing a tsunami of emotions and I was drowning in misery. As if something was tying me back, keeping me restrained, and all I wanted to do wasˇ­ escape". He sighed he looked back at Ashton and said, "I had no reason to feel that way, so I assumed it must be you" He shrugged.

    Ashton''s eyes were fixed on Caleb as he described the feeling and suddenly he felt a bit overwhelmed. He never described to anyone the way he felt during his rut, not even to himself, and here was Caleb, describing it for him to his face. It was so accurate that it made his heart twitch. "I wish I remembered it," Ashton mumbled. "Sorry you had to feel all of that".

    "Are you kidding me"? Caleb scolded him. "I am pretty sure you had it the worst, why the hell are you apologising to me"? He scoffed.

    "Well, I am fine with it. It''s not my first time". Ashton shrugged.

    "That doesn''t make your struggle any less real. Just because it has happened before doesn''t mean you are fine, it simply means you are used to it. They are not the same, believe me, I know" Caleb said,with a slight indication to his heat. A tiny smile crept up at Ashton''s corner of the lips for a faint moment before it disappeared.

    "Anyways, it''s past. Just forget it". Ashton tried to brush off and change the subject.

    "Alright, when do you get off work"? Caleb asked him.

    "Why"? Ashton narrowed his eyes.

    "Aren''t you going to the after graduation party"? Caleb frowned.

    "Party? Where"? Ashton asked him.

    "At Emily''s house. She is one of the humans, so kind of everyone is invited. Although I am pretty sure she just wants to show off once more before flitting off to college". Caleb mumbled.

    " I have no idea where she lives, or even who she is for that matter" Ashton sighed. "Most importantly, I have no intention of going, See ya" Ashton waved at him and left. Even such a tiny interaction brought a smile to Caleb''s face.

    Ashton was putting on his uniform when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Caleb that had an address tagged with a message {In case you change your mind}. Ashton smirked at that before going off to work.

    The day was hectic than usual given the graduation ceremony nearby. Many students and their parents visited there at the same time making it harder for them to keep track of all the orders. At one point they literally had to refuse people due to lack of seats. Later that day, Bethany joined him in the cafeteria and once both of their shifts were over she asked him whether or not he will be going to the party.

    "I can''t go. I live quite far away and I don''t think this outfit is appropriate" Ashton declined the offer.

    "Want to borrow some of my brother''s clothes? I think you guys are about the same size" She checked him out before offering. Ashton was about to say no but then Mrs Meyers popped up and said, "Kid, enjoy life while you can, at my age you won''t be able to"

    Feeling outnumbered he accepted the invitation reluctantly, texted his mother and went off to Bethany''s house for a change of clothes. Bethany was a wolf so her house was situated inside the pack premises. He was lucky it wasn''t that far inside, but still being there made him highly self conscious. She gave him a sweatshirt, which thankfully smelled like the fabric softener they used instead of George''s beta smell.

    Not that it mattered but he felt lucky when he was noticed by any of the wolves apart from Bethany, who was quite excited for the party. Once he arrived at the location he was not much surprised to see how it resembled a typical high school party with lots of booze and loud music. If he felt reluctant before to come here, he was definitely regretting being here.

    Bethany left him there as soon as they arrived leaving Ashton all by himself. He had no idea what to do all by himself so he found himself a comfy sofa to sit and just sat there. With the amount of craziness going on hardly anyone noticed him sitting there. He sat there for a long time quietly until a couple started to make out next to him forcing him to leave.

    He knew Caleb was supposed to be in this party as well, thus he decided to look for him. After a few minutes when he finally spotted him with his own friends laughing and having fun so he decided not to bother him. Bored and tired of the situation he decided that it was probably for the best that he left. "What a waste of time it was" Ashton mumbled on his way out.

    He was a few steps away from the door when a faint sweet smell hit him. It was an omega in heat, and given the wildness of the party probably not a very safe place for going into heat. Regardless, it was none of his business so he startled to walk away until he heard a girl scream.

    Following the direction of the voice he found a girl being blocked by a few guys. He had no idea who those guys were, their faces and scent both were unfamiliar to him. One thing he did know about them though was that everyone of them were alphas and given how drunk they were, it might not end well.

    He decided to interfere and called out to them, "Hey! What''s going on"?

    They looked at him and in their dunken gaze one of them replied, "Get out of here kid, this ain''t any of your business"! The guy who was standing face to face with the girl shouted back at him. That''s when Ashton counted that there were three of them and imagined if things go south how exactly would he take care of them.

    Despite being in pain, she managed to run out from there due to there momentary distraction and hide behind Ashton. That action seemed to only fuel those young Alphas and they laughed derisively.

    "Don''t run away from us, you know you want it" They cooed at the girl behind him as she crouched herself further behind Ashton. He turned around and asked her, "Just go home, I got this". She looked at him with timid eyes filled with tears while the background was filled with another wave of derisive laughter.

    Ashton was still looking at that girl when one of the guys tried to punch him. Sensing his approach, Ashton turned like a reflex and dodged the attack easily and blocked his fist when he tried to punch him again. Ashton had it in him to just pick him up and throw him, but he was trying to hold back given how that much strength would make him suspicious, although it was doubtful how much these drunken pieces of shi**s will remember later.

    He was so busy blocking the useless punches that he missed one of the guys behind him and thus got Ashton in a chokehold. Ashton tried to get out of it and thus let go of the fist of the other guy. Seeing this as an opportunity the guy threw another punch at Ashton, who closed his eyes out of reflex. The punch never hit his face though, and when he opened his eyes he saw his fist was held by none other than Caleb.

    Before the guy could do anything Caleb clocked him and soon enough Ashton was freed as Caleb was aided by his friends. "You alright"? Caleb turned around and asked him. Ashton nodded at him before he noticed that each of his friends, who were also wolves staring at him. Feeling uncomfortable he said, "I should probably go" and left without waiting for any reply.

 Chapter 63 - The Punishment

    Taking a break from the boring story of his friend, Caleb decided to go to the bathroom. When he was almost there he heard a loud scream. In a party like this a scream is rarely suspicious, but a scream mixed with the scent of an omega in heat, it''s better not to take any chances.

    He looked around the house for a bit before he ordered his friends to go and search for them. He went outside of the house to check if anyone was there only to find Ashton blocking some punches. He had no idea of the situation but somehow he had a tiny smile on his lips seeing as to how Ashton was present here.

    After a moment when he noticed Ashton struggling to get out of the chokehold, he decided to step up. Linking his friends he asked them to come down there immediately as he took down one of the three guys. When everyone was there Ashton tried to leave but Caleb needed a better idea of the situation so he followed him. A few blocks ahead when he managed to catch him, he and, "Can you tell me what happened"?

    Ashton explained whatever he saw, but there was no way he could tell which girl it was. Ashton tried to describe her as, "Short, brown haired girl" but that wasn''t really much helpful.

    "Go back for now. If I call you, respond". Caleb gave him a slight nod before he left.

    Coming back to the scene Caleb along with his friends took the drunk wolves to the pack house. They were from one of the neighboring packs thus their local leader was informed of their behavior. Upon asked, Caleb told his brother that the Alpha assaulted an omega, but since he didn''t see it with his own eyes, along with the denial from the accused alphas, it was harder to prove they were guilty.

    If Ashton could justify, then the situation could have been resolved, however doing that would mean revealing his identity first. Thinking hard, he realized that if somehow he managed to get hold of that omega girl, maybe then they could deliver the appropriate punishment.

    Caleb went to the office and sent Ashton all the photographs of the registered omegas from their system. Hoping it would be one of them he asked Ashton to identify the omega whom he saved. The lack of immediate reply from Ashton made him further anxious, but he was glad when Ashton replied him after an hour later with one of the pics tagged with the message, {This one}

    Her name was Annalise Rowley and she was a junior at their high school. Checking her address he went straight to their house and waited at the door. An old woman, probably her grandmother opened the door for him.

    "Can I speak to Annalise Rowley"? He asked her politely, but due to her impaired hearing she failed to understand anything he said. By her lack of smell he could tell she was a human, but how is that possible? He wondered.

    Lucky for him, Annalise walked down the stairs right at that moment but froze the moment she saw Caleb. For Caleb she was a stranger, but for her Caleb was the son of the Alpha, and that scared him. Perceived as an Alpha it was evident why she would be scared of Caleb, especially when she was not yet over her heat.

    "Can I speak with you"? Caleb asked, but Annalise took a few steps back clearly demonstrating her fear with respect to him. Sensing her reluctance he tried to shout from the stairs, "I just want to know if a few wolves attacked you last night or not"! "Someone attacked you"? Her grandmother (?) who heard Caleb thanks to his shouting asked Annalise.

    Her eyes widened before she glared at Caleb for a split second before telling her grandmother, "No no, I am sure he has mistaken me for someone else. I was home all day remember "? She tried to lie to her grandmother. Caleb bit his lip as he realized how he ruined the situation.

    Gathering all her courage she came forward and helped her grandmother to step aside from the door. "Please don''t create problems for us. Nothing happened to me, so just leave" she said and slammed the door on his face. Taken aback by her hostility he huffed in frustration knowing well enough how they would get by so easily.

    He met his brother at the gate, who was waiting for him to bring ''evidence''. "So? Anything helpful"? Caleb looked down before he shook his head. "I''m sorry " he mumbled. He explained to his brother how things went down.

    "Well, at least you tried". His brother patted his head, which Caleb removed immediately. "What''s the point of all these rules, all these punishments when we can''t even apply them". He mumbled.

    "If life were that easy, we won''t need these rules in the first place," Christian shrugged. "Come, their pack leader is here. Let''s see what we can do".

    Their local leader defended them, as expected, on the basis that they ''lacked evidence''. When Caleb showed his brother the interaction between him and Ashton, he asked him why didn''t he mention him before. Caleb informed him that it was a human so they can''t actually bring him here. Christian, believing his brother presented the same exchange to the leader, who had the audacity to call it fake on the basis of the human must be ''confused''.

    Caleb was this close to punch that useless leader directly on the face when his brother grabbed his fist and held him back. "Even if the boy was confused, it doesn''t change the fact that they picked a fight with him" Christian retorted. "The pack laws clearly states that a wolf will not indulge in any violence against a human".

    The pack leader was taken aback for a moment before retaliating it with, "They were drunk, they weren''t in their best shape. On the basis of that shouldn''t they get less punishment"?

    "They should, but then again, they are guilty for underaged drinking" Christian smirked. "Coupled that with assault on a human, that is a much bigger punishment".

    The leader opened his mouth to defend him, but unfortunately he found himself out of words. Christian ordered them to take those three into the cells, where they were to stay till the punishment was over.

 Chapter 64 - [EXTRA]

    WARNING: 18+ Feel free to skip this chap. (Although I doubt anyone of you will *inserts wink face*)

    Caleb was on his way to the class when a sudden strong grip forced him into the janitor''s closet. There was certain familiarity with the situation, so when he looked at the person properly his guess was proven right.

    "Ashton, what are you doing "? Caleb asked him, confused. Before he got any reply from Ashton, he got an intense stare from him. That stare was blank which confused Caleb further.

    "Ashton"? He asked the second time hoping to evoke any reaction. This time Ashton pushed him hard and Caleb''s back was suddenly touching the cold damp wall of the closet. That felt uncomfortable which is why he tried to move in front only to realize that Ashton was still pressing him to the wall and was standing right in front of him.

    Ashton''s face changed slightly to a dangerous expression, like a hungry animal staring at his meal just before he was about to ravish it. Caleb''s breathing hitched as he wondered what was going on with them. His already fast beating heart started to beat even faster.

    "Ashton". This time he whispered his name in confusion and anticipation. He even forgot to blink as he stared at those hungry eyes. Never had he ever seen such an expression on Ashton''s calm face, and as much as it scared him, it excited him too.

    They stared at each other for a few more moments where no one moved even a little bit. The noise from ragged breathing could be heard coming from both of them. Suddenly there was a quick movement and before Caleb could comprehend everything he felt a pair of soft yet rough lips on his own.

    At first, like a natural reaction he tried to get out of the forced kiss. But even with all his strength he failed to make any changes in their compromising position. Ashton who caught his struggling fist held it back to the wall and kissed Caleb even more roughly. Before Caleb realised he was starting to return the kiss with just as much passion.

    Soon, his fist gave up and he relaxed himself. Ashton noticed that Caleb was not only being receptive to his advances, but also reciprocating with some of his own. He slipped his right hand to the other''s waist and held Caleb''s chin with his left such that he could taste those lips properly.

    The battle of lips went on for a while, neither willing to back down as they tried to dominate their sloppy yet urgent kiss. Frustrated with no access to the inside of the mouth for a long while Ashton slipped his hand right between his hand and pressed it against the crotch.

    The sudden sensation on his throbbing manhood made Caleb gasp loudly and seizing the opportunity Ashton slipped his tongue inside the hot cavern and explored everything inside it. Both their tongues danced with each other and in that flow Caleb put both of his hands in Ashton''s soft hair and pulled him even closer.

    They kissed each other until their lungs couldn''t take it anymore. Both of them gasped for breath as they pulled away from each other. Caleb''s mind was still in haze to understand what was happening but nevertheless he enjoyed what happened. As an omega he was supposed to be attracted to the Alpha''s naturally, especially to a pureblooded one. And yet Aston didn''t didn''t feel like a mere attraction to him. Caleb wanted him more than any Alpha or anyone for that fact he had ever wanted.

    After catching their breath Ashton decided to continue to explore the other and thus pulled the collar with such hard force that the first two buttons left the shirt and fell on the floor. Caleb was too curious to question anything anymore and let Ashton do whatever he wanted to do.

    Caleb''s prominent collarbone acted like an invitation to Ashton which was visible along with a bit of his smooth chest. Ashton brought his lips to his neck and started leaving sloppy and wet kisses everywhere in the neck and his chest while time to time he brought them to Caleb''s lips.

    Caleb was so absorbed in the moment that he didn''t even realise when he started to moan. It was only when it got way louder that he realized it was his voice and blushed profusely with embarrassment. Those sweet moans seemed to fuel Ashton further as he nibbled on the pale skin, determined to turn them into red spots. He unbuttoned his shirt further and brought his lips to Caleb''s right nipple and sucked on the pink bead aggressively.

    Taken aback by the sudden sensation Caleb cried out"Aaaah" while he arched his back to give Ashton even much better access. Ashton continued to torture the bud while Caleb writhed in pleasure where his mind was completely blank. The intensity of it increased when Ashton took the left one in his mouth and continued to torture the right swollen bud with his fingers.

    Standing there with so many sensations at once Caleb''s legs started to give out. If not for Ashton''s support he would fall immediately. As the feeling of pleasure increased a feeling of discomfort started to build up from his pants.

    He wriggled as he tried to get rid of the feeling. As if Ashton read his mind or something, he brought his hand back to crotch, but instead of freeing the member out of his cage he rubbed it through the pants.

    Caleb''s mind went beyond crazy at this point and he let out the louder than ever moans without any restraint. He couldn''t care how embarrassing the noises he made were, he just wanted to let it all out.

    In his daze Caleb heard a ringing which he failed to identify. In the back of his mind he thought maybe it was the school bell, but the ringing continued which irritated him. Like a haze everything started to vanish before Caleb opened his eyes to see the ceiling of his own bedroom.

    He looked around his surroundings and that''s when he realized that he was having a wet dream about Ashton. Frustrated he tried to get up from the bed as it was already late in the afternoon. But that uncomfortable feeling in between his legs from the dream stopped him from doing so. Now apart from his pack responsibilities he had another thing to take care of.

    "What the hell am I doing"! Caleb groaned out loud in frustration.

 Chapter 65 - Confusing Situation

    The summer vacation went by just like any summer vacation would. With an extra shift at the Daily Delights, Ashton kept himself pretty busy. He ran into Caleb from time to time, mostly when he visited the cafeteria during his patrols. Things were a little different now that they were sort of mates and it was a little hard to act normal all the time.

    One day when Ashton returned from his job that too after a lot of culinary shopping he was surprised to find a not so unfamiliar scent in the living room. He looked around to find Caleb relaxing on the sofa with both the twins beside him as they watched the movie "The Incredibles"

    "Oh my God, they trapped Bob" Ava muttered anxiously.

    "What are you doing here"? Ashton who was standing right behind Caleb asked him. Caleb looked above to see Ashton looking at him, "You mum invited me," he mumbled before getting back to the movie.

    Ashton noticed how immersed Caleb was into the movie along with the twins and murmured, "I can''t believe you still like this stuff. I thought you were an eighteen year old".

    Caleb who heard him spang his head towards Ashton, "Okay first of all, don''t you dare judge me for what I like. And secondlyˇ­ I am nineteen". Ashton raised one of his eyebrows lightly before Caleb continued, "Yesterday was my birthday".

    "Really"? Ava who heard him jerked up with a big smile. Caleb nodded at her so she jumped and hugged him tightly "Happy Birthday". Returning the hug Caleb smiled and said "Thank you". Ariel followed the same suit and once they were done Caleb looked at Ashton, probably expecting a similar reaction like the twins, but instead he got, "At least I invited you on my birthday" along with an eyeroll.

    Caleb frowned at him before he said, "So what? If I invited you, would you have come? To the pack house"? Ashton didn''t bother to reply him so Caleb continued, "Besides it''s not like I celebrated or anything".

    "Why"? Ariel asked him with a curious expression.

    "I am old enough, I don''t like to celebrate" he chuckled.

    "That is so sad". Ava mumbled. "I am celebrating my birthday till I am eighty"! Both Ariel and Caleb ended up laughing at her.

    "Don''t forget to invite me" Caleb winked at her.

    Ashton rolled his eyes before heading off to the kitchen. There he saw his mother cooking and asked her with a pout, "Why did you invite him"?

    "Well, he is your friend. He should come by more often". She shrugged as put the ingredients on the pan. "Why didn''t you tell me"? Ashton whined. "I wanted to surprise you. Now go away and let me cook in peace. Your friend is here, go spend time with him instead". She shooed away her son.

    "Nevermind" Ashton sighed in frustration and headed upstairs right away and slammed the door a little too hard. Even Ashton himself wasn''t sure why was he so frustrated he was here. Was he jealous that his sisters enjoy Caleb''s company more than him? Maybe a little bit.

    After almost an hour when Mrs Parker was done with preparing the meal, she called for Ashton. After calling for almost three times when she didn''t get any response, Caleb volunteered to go and check personally as to why was there no response. He knocked on the door a little too hard to which he recieved a reply, "Go away"!

    Shaking his head, Caleb tried to turn the doorknob and smirked when he was able to open it. "Why the hell are youˇ­" he started to talk but froze mid sentence when he noticed Ashton standing in the middle of the room with hair dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel. His eyes became almost double the original size and turned around like a reflex.

    "What the hell"! Ashton shouted at him and hurried with his dressing up.

    "Sorry, I thought you were mad or something". Caleb mumbled with a tinge of embarrassment.

    "I am mad! But I am also changing". Ashton asserted loudly.

    "Sorryˇ­ but why are you being so shy? It''s not like this is the first time I have seen you shirtless". Caleb, who was still facing the other way, rolled his eyes.

    "You''re the one who got shy and turned away, what are you blaming me for"?! Ashton retorted. Caleb agreed with the statement and thus turned around to see a fully dressed Ashton. Not that he would admit, but Caleb sighed with relief.

    "Why are mad by the way"? Caleb asked while tilting his head. "You really hate me so much that you don''t want me here"? He asked, a little bit loudly.

    "I don''t hate you, I just find you very annoying" Ashton mumbled while adjusting something on bed.

    "Really? That''s all". Caleb scoffed. "I don''t believe that. I think you are jealous that your sisters, or in fact your family is fond of me". Caleb challenged.

    "Whatever" Ashton replied flatly.

    "Come on, don''t be like that. I am your mate after all, share with me". He teased Ashton with a naughty smirk. Ashton turned around with an unamused expression which further made Caleb press his lips together as he tried to supress his laughter.

    "You know what, you are right"! Ashton spoke up with a sudden change of voice. Caleb was confused for a moment before he heard a big slam next to him. He blinked as he stared at the confidence displayed on Ashton''s face while he brought his face closer to Caleb''s. Caleb tried to back away, but the door was stopping him from doing so, ''Damn you door''! Caleb shouted in his mind.

    "Wh..What are you doing"? Caleb asked him suspicious of his actions.

    "You said we are mates, we should do everything mates do don''t you think"? Ashton whispered in a low threatening voice as Caleb gulped. Was the dream he had earlier this morning a premonition?

    "I was just kidding...hehe...Calm down". Caleb tried blocking his advances by putting his hand on Ashton''s chest. That didn''t seem to work, either because Ashton was strong or Caleb really didn''t put much effort on stopping the other.

    When their faces were only an inch apart Ashton whispered, "I wasn''t". Caleb''s hearbeat took a spike and he closed his eyes tightly. Ashton who noticed his reaction smirked, satisfied with his excellent teasing skills. "Be careful the next time you try to tease me". He said in a normal voice.

    Caleb opened his carefully and saw a smirk of satisfaction on Ashton''s lips. That''s when he noticed that Ashton, who was supposed to be a bit shorter than him was actually standing face to face with him. ''When did he become so tall''? Caleb wondered.

    Ashton headbumped him before he whispered, "Belated Happy Birthday", and pulled away. "Let''s go". He pushed away Caleb from the door and went downstairs leaving Caleb shocked and confused with the whole interaction that took place here.

    Caleb followed him downstairs, but only after taking a whole minute to recover. When he reached the living room, Mrs Parker gave him a suspicious smirk. Once they had their dinner, which was too delicious by the way, Caleb helped Mrs Parker with the dishes.

    Once he was done he came back and noticed Ashton was sitting at the corner table trying to solve something. "You want some help"? Caleb offered when he noticed he was stuck on the same problem. "I can''t believe you are studying, you still have weeks before the classes start". Caleb mumbled.

    "I am trying to get a head start. It''s my junior year, I don''t want to take things lightly". Ashton mumbled.

    Caleb nodded at that before saying, "Here, let me show you" and snatched away his notebook. Ashton let him given how Caleb was actually being helpful to him ever since he arrived here. After studying for a while when Caleb was describing an equation, he stopped mid sentence.

    "What''s wrong"? Ashton looked at Caleb who was biting his lip hard. "What''s wrong"? He asked again, to which Caleb looked at him and replied. "Its my heat, I should leave". He mumbled and left without waiting for any reply. Caleb didn''t bring his car or anything so he had to run which was still more time taking than the car.

    Ashton followed him with his eyes, until he vanished. "That''sˇ­.odd" he mumbled.

    "Wanna tell me what''s going on"? His mother who appeared next to him said sternly.

    Ashton turned his head around to his mother and scrunched his eyebrows, "What do you mean"?

    "Well, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop, but I do have good hearing. He is your mate"? She raised her right eyebrow suspiciously. Ashton''s eyes widened a bit once he realized that the conversation he had upstairs with Caleb was heard by his mother. Reluctantly, he nodded.

    "So, you guys haveˇ­" she trailed off, questioning the status of their relationship.

    "I have marked him, but that''s it" Ashton said quickly to avoid any misunderstanding.

    "So, you have feelings for him"? She asked him. Ashton, unsure of how to reply to that, simply nodded at his mother because he knew that was what she was expecting. As for feelings, he was a bit uncertain. He liked him more than any one, but then again he barely liked anyone else. And with the bond of the mark, it was actually hard to not be attracted to him physically. He knew there was something between them, but was it because of the mark, or was it genuine is something he needed to figure out.

 Chapter 66 - Due To The Mark

    Caleb was lucky that he returned home before he got the full blow of his heat. He just had to avoid running into someone and was glad that he managed successfully, until he ran into his brother. "It''s good that you are here, I need to talk to you", his brother told him the moment he saw him.

    "Not now"! Caleb snarled and ran into his Cabin for a painful week ahead. Somehow this time his heat was way worse than earlier ones. Having a sort of mate made it necessary that he had his mate nearby. Of course he won''t ask Ashton for something like this, so he planned to endure it no matter how much willpower it takes.

    ~~~~~

    After almost four days when he started to feel better, he contemplated whether or not he should check what was going on. His mind kept wandering to various stuff when he recalled that his brother did say he had something to ask, should he call him and find out what? He wondered while he kept staring at his screen lock. Suddenly his phone rang and Ashton''s name popped up.

    "Hello", he picked up, wondering why the other called. Ashton was quiet on the other end, which made him wonder, was it a buttdial? Or did he accidentally mute his phone. "Hello? Are you there"? He tried again.

    "You are feeling better now, right"? Ashton asked him reluctantly.

    "I guess, why are you asking me this"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

    "I justˇ­ I feel better this morning, so I decided to check up on you" Ashton muttered.

    Caleb wondered if Ashton was suffering from any brain injury or anything until he got what Ashton was trying to imply, "waitˇ­ you could feelˇ­ my heat"?

    "In a way, Yes". Ashton whispered, "Just like you could tell my rut. I think we are connected now, sort of, due to the mark". He explained. Caleb hummed in agreement before both the ends of the call were covered in silence. "Also, I just wanted to let you know, my mom found out about the mark. She heard us talking the other day".

    "Really? How did she react''''? Caleb asked him, intrigued. He told him how things went down exactly which made Caleb chuckle out of relief. "I doubt my parents will be this chill when they find out. They are going to eventually, I just hope they don''t kill me or something" Caleb jokes.

    "They will kill me before they kill you, don''t worry" Ashton joked from the other end as well before he said, "I gotta go, I will be late. Take care", and hang up.

    After hanging up, he thought for a really long time about all these effects that both of them were experiencing due to marking. The effects they have experienced aren''t uncommon, but usually such effects do take time to develop. For them it was going at a much faster pace than he had expected and it was starting to scare him. Does it mean something? Or is it simply because they are so rare themselves that their effects are in a manner rare too.

    Feeling much better he decided to get out of the cabin and look for something to eat. He was surprisingly a lot more hungrier than usual. On his way he found his brother watching something on the television. "You are back"? His brother noticed him sneaking in.

    Caleb wasn''t committing any crime or anything so he tried to act normal. "Yes".

    His brother nodded while he looked deep in thought. Recalling that there was something important he wanted to share with Caleb the other day, Caleb asked his brother, "What is going on"?

    Christian looked up at his face and shook his head, "Nothing important".

    Caleb folded his hands while leaning onto the doorway. "Really? You don''t sound so convincing. Try again". Caleb pestered.

    "Okay, I just wanted to ask youˇ­.to be careful out there". He said reluctantly.

    Unable to detect any proper reason for that statement, Caleb asked, "I am always careful. What the hell are you talking about"?

    "Okay, I did not want you to worry uselessly butˇ­ something is going on" Christian paused.

    "Like what"? Caleb raised an eyebrow.

    "I am not sure about the details, butˇ­ I think someone is trying to target the omegas around here".

    Caleb''s eyes widened at that statement, "Why? Its illegal"! He protested.

    "I know, which is why we are trying our best to figure out what''s happening. It has been over a month since it started". Christian sighed. "At first they started to disappear from only one location, Gizek''s Pub. So we closed that place down until we had further information. The owner was definitely not thrilled about it". Christian snorted.

    "How many disappeared from there"? Caleb inquired.

    "Around four, I think". Christian shrugged.

    "So, any more leads after shutting down the pub"? Caleb asked.

    Shaking his head Christian spoke, "Not really, butˇ­ over the past couple of weeks many have been disappearing from various places. Like a few days ago a lady who worked in the daycare vanished on her way home, or at least that''s what''s being speculated". He sighed. "Then someone vanished in the school picnic".

    "Wait, school? Aren''t they kids"?! Caleb exclaimed, infuriated with whoever was behind this.

    "They are abducting irrespective of their ages. Things are getting serious now, andˇ­ I am really worried how far it will go" Christian mumbled, clearly indicating his concern towards his brother.

    "Anything common between the ones who were abducted"? Caleb asked after a brief awkward silence.

    "None of them were mated".Christian shrugged.

    "Wait, you don''t thinkˇ­ it''s trafficking do you"? Caleb asked his brother cautiously.

    His brother pursed his lips before nodding slowly, "We are kind of afraid that it might be".

    "People still do that!? That is so sick", Caleb cringed with a tinge of anger. "Wait, is that why Mom and Dad keep leaving the pack house so often? Why they weren''t present at the graduation"? Caleb asked as soon as this tiny fact clicked him.

    Christian nodded at him slowly before he said, "As the head Alpha and Luna it is their responsibility to ensure everyone''s safety. They are busy a lot these past few days and I just want you to be careful out there. It''s lucky that no one knows you are an omega, but still... be careful".

    "I will". Caleb mumbled. Of course it was pointless given how not only more that one person outside of his family (Matt and Ashton) knew that he was an omega, but mainly because of the fact that he was marked would actually make him useless even if he got caught. That''s when the idea hit him, "What ifˇ­ we bait em"? He proposed carefully.

    His brother scrunched his eyebrows,"What do you mean"?

    "You know! Use someone as a bait"! Caleb exclaimed.

    His brother stared at Caleb as if his brain cells were dead. "Don''t you see the obvious flaw in the plan"? Caleb shrugged. "Which unmated omega would possibly want to work as a bait. Screw that, which omega would actually want to work as a bait. They are terrified of getting caught, no way someone will step up. Not to mention, it''s not even fair for us to ask that"! He huffed. "And it''s not like we can disguise someone as an omega, cause unlike Alpha pheromones, omega ones aren''t commercially available".

    "Hello"! Caleb rolled his eyes, "We know an omega who would be willing to do this, don''t you think"? He said as if Christian was missing the obvious.

    Christian raised one eyebrows before his expression turned into a grave one. "Forget it. Not happening".

    "Why not"!? Caleb whined. "I am the perfect one for this job"! He insisted.

    "This is not up for negotiation. Now get out" his brother declared in a stern voice.

    "I am not going anywhere, especially not that I am in my heat until you give me a logical explanation of why I can''t do this"? Caleb challenged, getting enraged by the minute. "I am not just an omega, I am a male omega, far more wanted. I am strong enough to push and beat the crap out of them if they misbehave. And they won''t obviously be able to mark me because I-". Caleb stopped mid rant as he realised he almost gave away his secret.

    His brother who caught that slip eyed him suspiciously. He could tell Caleb was hiding something which is Caleb, trying to be smooth he finished the sentence with, "... I am strong so I can stop them". His brother didn''t look convinced and kept his suspicious gaze intact.

    After a whole moment of awkward uncomfortable torture of suspicion Caleb started to regret his decision of ever leaving the Cabin in the first place. "You are hiding something aren''t you"? His brother raised one his eyebrows. Caleb gulped before shaking his head slightly.

    His brother left the couch and proceeded forwards, "You are still not over your heat right"? Christian questioned like he does during an interrogation. Not sure why his brother asked him that, Caleb nodded reluctantly at his brother.

    "Then why is your scent not that strong? Pheromones can''t hide four days heat" Christian suspicion deepened before he came quite literally face to face with him and sniffed a little bit. "You don''t have any scent around youˇ­ " Christian mumbled before asking him out loud, "What is wrong with you? How can you smell like literally nothing"?

    Caleb gulped as his eyes widened with surprise and a tiny bit of realisation. Ashton could control his scent, which is why he rarely releases for the sake of his secret identity. Could it beˇ­ that Caleb is affected by it as well now? He wondered.

 Chapter 67 - Have You Lost Your Freaking Mind!!

    The series of expressions on Caleb''s face did not go unnoticed by Christian. He knew Caleb was hiding something big, and usually he would give his little brother a little more privacy, but he was way too worried for him to be calm right now.

    "What the hell is going on"! Christian raised his voice slightly.

    "What? Nothing, I should probably go now"! He tried to leave but his brother went ahead and stood right in front of him. "Didˇ­ did you get marked"? Cautiously, hoping to get an honest no, Christian asked.

    "N...no". Caleb gulped before replying. How the hell Christian landed to that conclusion, he wondered. Christian sighed with frustration, before snatching away the collar on the right side to check for any mark (A/N: right is the usual site of marking, but any side works). He pulled the left side as well before sighing with relief to find nothing. "Let me go, you are making it difficult to b...breathe" Caleb struggled to get out of his brother''s hold.

    Christian almost let go of the collar until he noticed something dark, like a shadow on his shoulder. To clear his suspicion he removed the collar further till the shoulder only to reveal a giant brown mark embedded on the pale skin. "Who did this"? Christian asked him in a grave tone before he let him go.

    "..." Caleb opened his mouth but nothing came out of his mouth. He couldn''t think of a single thing he could say that would protect Ashton''s secret. Should he just come ahead and confess? The enraged expression on his brother''s face made it hard for him to focus.

    "WHO DID THIS"! his brother shouted further at him.

    "I don''t know"! Caleb blurted as soon as he flinched. What he meant to say was that I don''t know what to say, which of course wasn''t interpreted that way.

    "When I find out who did this, I am gonna skin em alive". Christian muttered through his teeth.

    For a split second he imagined Christian actually going through with his plan and shivered at that thought. He didn''t want Ashton to suffer his brother''s wrath, especially since it was his fault. Usually Christian was a chill guy, which only made him a lot scarier when angry.

    "Why? It''s not like I was forced"! Caleb protested immediately.

    Christian who was overflowing with anger froze as he stared at Caleb, "are you sayingˇ­ you gave her or him permission"?

    Caleb pursed his lips and nodded, "More likeˇ­ I was the one who asked him". He shrugged.

    "So it''s a guy". Christian mumbled. "Who is it? Is it Matt"?

    "Ewww!!!Noo"! Caleb''s face changed as if he was about to vomit. "I grew up with that guy, he is like a brother to me. Under no circumstances would I ask him to do this to me"!

    "Soˇ­ you guys are in love"? Christian asked.

    "Not exactly". Caleb tried to explain things in his own way, stalling as much as he could. He came clean to his brother about what happened in Camazur and how he gave his brother''s idea a proper thought and thus agreed to do it.

    "You do realise that you won''t be able to choose a different mate? Like ever again"? Christian asked him softly.

    Caleb nodded at him before saying, "I know. That''s the point of it, I don''t want any mate. This works perfectly fine with me". Caleb shrugged.

    His brother eyed him suspiciously for a very long uncomfortable minute before asking him, "Who is it"?

    There it was, the dreaded question Caleb wished he didn''t have to answer. It wasn''t even his secret, but he wanted to keep it because Ashton never betrayed him when it came to his own secret. "It''s this guy that recently moved into the town" Caleb mumbled.

    "Recently"? His brother thought for a moment. "That Sebastian dude"? his brother cringed at that thought.

    "I said moved, not visited"! Caleb shouted, frustrated at his brother''s useless assumptions. "Would you stop assuming for a moment? You don''t even know him, he goes to my school".

    "How come we didn''t know a wolf, an alpha wolf is moving here. We keep a check on the immigrants" he mumbled.

    "He can easily go undetected. Remember the scent at James murder site? That was him". Caleb mumbled.

    Christian''s eyes widened, " HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FREAKING MIND"! He shouted so loud that probably the whole pack heard him from their own bedrooms. "Of all the werewolves, you had to chose a pureblooded Alpha"?

    "Why? Why can''t I choose a pureblooded Alpha"? Caleb tried to be bold and handle the situation.

    "WHY? I am sorry, who was the one who was adamant on not getting an Alpha mate? You don''t like Alphas, and you chose a pureblood one? Are you lying? Is he the one who forced you"! His brother started to rain down upon him.

    "No"! Caleb insisted. "Look, I know I say I don''t like Alphas, but what I mean is the way they behave in general. This guy is genuinely nice, alright? He is nothing like those arrogant Alphas". Caleb mumbled.

    "Wow" Christian scoffed. "I know you are different, and that maybe you seek the deviances of personality in everyone, but how can you be so sure he won''t manipulate you? What if everything was an act just to get you, a male omega? You know how Alphas are on rut right? Being a pureblood he is even stronger. What will you do if he attacks you"? His brother challenged him.

    "He won''t" Caleb asserted while his brother just gave him a look of haughty derision. "I am saying this experience. He was with me the other day when his rut hit. He made sure to get away from me so that he doesn''t end up doing something I don''t want".

    "What if that was another manipulation? What if he wasn''t actually in his rut? What if he was pretending"? Christian kept on challenging his naive brother.

    "Why would he? That incident happened right after he marked me. And I know very well that he wasn''t lying because I felt it too"! Caleb tried to explain to his brother.

    Christian started at his perplexed by such attitude, "Just how long have you had this mark"?

    "Around a month? Ever since prom". Caleb gulped.

    "And you didn''t think you should tell us? Or at least tell me? I have always been on your side ever since you were young"! Christian''s lips trembled with anger and betrayal. "When you wanted to learn martial arts but mom and dad wanted you to behave like an ideal omega, I was there to go against their wishes and teach you! I have kept countless secrets for you, so that you can do what our parents would never approve of"! Christian scoffed. "And here you are keeping such a big secret from me".

    Caleb was devastated to see his brother like this. It wasn''t his intention to hurt Christian like this, he just didn''t want his brother to worry because he knew how protective his brother is of him. "I am sorry if I hurt you, but I didn''t say anything because it was not entirely my secret to tell. It still isn''t". Caleb tried to convince his brother.

    "I have never met him, but I don''t trust this guy". Christian declared while shooting glares at his brother. Caleb got immersed in a deep thought to find a way to convince his brother that having Ashton as his mate was not the worst idea. Reluctantly, he suggested "How about you meet him? Maybe then you will be convinced".

    Christian glared at him before barking, "Bold of you to assume that was ever an option"! Caleb quailed, taken aback. "There is no way I will easily accept whoever you choose to be your mate".

    "Okayˇ­" Caleb mumbled. He knew Ashton had a knack of coming off as rude, and there is no way his brother would like him this time. Not to mention, when he actually calls Ashton he was definitely gonna get an earful for letting his secret out. At this very moment all Caleb wanted was to find a hole and disappear in it forever.

    "Call him! Now"! Christian snarled at him. Nodding Caleb took out his phone and dialed him, but even before he could hear the first ring go his brother snatched his phone away from him. "Let me talk to him, make sure he understands what would happen if he didn''t show up".

    Caleb stared at his phone with utmost attention and focused his hearing on the ringing sound so that he doesn''t miss anything when they talk. When the call was directed to voicemail Christian was agitated further while a sense of relief washed over Caleb.

    Christian handed him the phone aggressively and said in a grave tone, "You tell him to come and meet me this afternoon. Or I will find him and kill him"!

    "But...my heat"? Caleb pointed out.

    "You have no smell! You are good enough to move! You are not getting out of this one young man, I am very disappointed in you. Now go ahead and call him"! Christian snarled.

    "How? He is not picking up! I don''t want to do it in voicemail. What is the guarantee that he will actually get it in enough time to make it"? Caleb tried his level best to avoid the doomed confrontation.

    "He is your mate, isn''t he"? Christian smirked. "Link him and tell him. Today, at 2:00pm, we are meeting him"! Christian said before he left. Once Christian was out of his sight Caleb screamed with frustration before he sighed.

    "I guess I should get this over with"he mumbled before he tried to link Ashton for the very first time.

 Chapter 68 - Unexpected Link

    Ashton was out grocery shopping that morning, finally feeling refreshed after a few days. He was almost at the store when he realized that he forgot his wallet and phone at home. Embarrassed and frustrated, he went back to get them. On his way he felt as if someone was calling for him. Confused, he looked around and scrunched his eyebrows when he failed to find anyone else in his vicinity.

    He walked a few more steps and the feeling was back. This feeling was strangely familiar and after a while as if someone was right next to his ear, Ashton heard a soft voice speak, "You there"? Startled he looked around while the voice continued in his head. "Man, you put up a lot of walls".

    ''What is happening''? Ashton panicked in the middle of the road as he tried to locate the source of the sound. "What do you mean? I am Caleb". Caleb replied to his previous thought.

    Ashton blinked at confusion until he recalled why this felt so familiar. Back when he was little he was capable of linking with his parents, but once they passed away he never linked with anyone else. He couldn''t do this even with his adopted family, and thus eventually almost forgot that linking was an option. Overwhelmed he asked, [How did you get inside my head?]

    [Perks of mate bond, although somehow it was harder than usual for me]. Caleb replied with a faint chuckle. His voice sounded a bit different, which made sense cause Caleb spoke in a voice which he heard himself speaking. After all, the voice we hear is different from the voice everyone else does when we speak.

    [Okayˇ­ Why are you linking me all of a sudden? You could have called] Ashton replied, annoyed with someone else''s presence in his head.

    [I did, you didn''t respond] Caleb snapped back at him.

    [I don''t have my phone with me. I would have called you back later] Ashton bickered further.

    Caleb sighed in his mind before saying, [If that was an option do you think I would have tried this? I am not that fond of getting inside your head either!] Caleb uttered with frustration as he recalled his brother''s threatening words.

    [You told your brother!!!] Ashton shouted at Caleb in his mind.

    Meanwhile Caleb was perplexed by Ashton''s sudden deduction, [H..How..?]

    [Iˇ­ I think I saw itˇ­ in your head] Ashton mumbled, confused. Marking sure affected both of them way more than they expected. Such level of communication even between mates who have completed the mating process took time. But somehow, this came to them so early and pretty easily.

    [I am sorry, he caught me and I couldn''t come up with anything else. Don''t worry, I will make sure he doesn''t do anything to you] Caleb voiced himself in a soothing manner.

    [I am not worried about me you idiot!] Ashton sighed with frustration. [So, I have to meet you around 2? Where?] He questioned. If it was inevitable, it was better to be done and over with it.

    [Let''s meet at Daily Delights. Its near my house anyways]

    [Hmm] Ashton agreed before the link was disconnected. Ashton waited for a few minutes to be absolutely sure that it was just him in his head.

    ~~~~~~

    Ashton left his house as soon as he arrived from the store and ran towards the cafe. Today was his day off, and yet here he has to go to the place where he works. After arriving he breathed heavily while checking the time simultaneously. He was fifteen minutes late, which made him wonder whether or not he will be attacked.

    He entered the cafe and started to look around for Caleb. Even if he caught a glimpse of his brother''s face, he didn''t actually know how he looked like. "What bring you here today, didn''t you take the day off"? Mrs Meyers who appeared next to him asked. Nodding, Ashton replied, "I am here as a customer today". Mrs Meyers nodded at him before asking, "Should I show you a seat"?

    "No need. I am meeting someone here actually". The cafe was pretty much empty given how the schools were closed which is why it was not hard for him to look around. Thanks to his hearing he heard two people who were sitting by the window at the very back bickering, one of which was definitely Caleb. Assuming the guy facing the other way from his vantage point as Caleb he proceeded gradually.

    The further he walked the clearer the conversation got. It went something like this, "No, this is clearly your fault! The man sitting opposite to Caleb shouted. "Yeah! That is my point"! Caleb retorted to his brother. Having no idea what they were talking about Ashton stood right next to their table, too close to not get unnoticed, and waited for whatever the argument they were having to end.

    After two whole minutes Ashton finally gave up and cleared his throat. All he could deduce from the conversation was that Christian was refuting whatever Caleb was saying in regards to the Marking. At first Ashton thought they were valid points, until he realized they were just recycling the arguments to carry on. Ashton cleared his throat for the second time and a frustrated Christian snapped, "I will order when I am ready"!

    Caleb who looked at Ashton along with his brother noticed "Are you crazy" written through his entire forehead. Caleb was about to burst into laughter when Ashton snapped, "I am not your waiter"!

    Christian looked at him suspiciously, "Are you kidding me? I have seen you work here"! Ashton didn''t even respond to that and simply rolled his eyes. Caleb who had a very hard time controlling his giggles spoke up, "he actually does work here, but he is also the one we are supposed to meet".

    Christian narrowed his gaze at Ashton and shifted the same gaze at Caleb, and went back and forth quite a few times. "Him"? Christian asked, still unable to believe him, while Ashton stood there, offended as to why it was so unbelievable. Not that he was interested in Caleb, but he was confident that if he were to be his proper mate he will be good one.

    "He is a kid"! Christian half exclaimed, half scolded Caleb.

    "Of course he is, I told you he goes to my school"! Caleb retorted.

    "I thought maybeˇ­. Nevermind". Christian dismissed his train of thoughts.

    Meanwhile in the background Ashton mumbled, "These two indeed are siblings", owing to the fact that both refer to him as a ''kid''. If Christian and Caleb were similar, he might just be able to win over him after all.

    "Sit down" Caleb invited him and scooched over to let him sit. Ashton was about to sit when Christian shouted, "Wait"! Ashton looked at Christian with an expressionless emotion with a tinge of confusion. "Sit next to me". Christian ordered.

    "And strain both of our necks? No thanks". Ashton replied to him flatly and sat down. Christian stared at him, baffled by his attitude. ''This is nice''? Christian mouthed these words to Caleb who just shrugged at his brother. "If I were you I would be careful with the attitude". Christian said in a grave voice.

    "Why"? Ashton asked bluntly, completely unbothered by Christian''s attempt to intimidate. "In case you want to change your first impression. So far I am not a fan" Christian declared.

    "I don''t want you to be either" Ashton declared. "Besides, its clear no matter what I do, you won''t like me".

    "That''s a bold assumption, guess you are used to it then"? Christian snorted.

    "Yes, that and I have two little sisters whom I am very...very protective off. I kinda have an idea how you must feel towards me" Ashton sighed. Christian was taken aback for a moment and he almost trusted him; key word Almost.

    "That doesn''t make you any more trustworthy", Christian declared.

    "I never said it did". Ashton blurted casually.

    Frustrated with their interactions Caleb slammed the table hard before raising his voice, "Can you guys actually try to get along instead of bickering"!

    "Why"? Both of them uttered at the same time before looking at each othed with much distaste.

    Caleb sighed before saying, "For me"?

    Christian sighed agreeing with him while Ashton was not convinced. "Why would I do it for you"? He asked.

    Caleb glared at him before forcefully linking him, [DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY I SET THIS UP?]

    [Because you were caught? I do not want to be here, I am already doing this for you] Ashton retorted.

    [Yeah well, neither do I. You don''t understand the severity of the situation do you? I am trying this so that my brother is convinced you are not a threat!]

    [Why?] Ashton whispered in his mind. His expression changed from stern to warm.

    [Because he is the only person I know in my pack who won''t judge you for being a pureblooded Alpha! Help me convince him that or if he tells my dad, trust me you are doomed and so is your family!] Caleb tried to explain. Ashton, finally looked at the situation beyond his frustration and felt a tinge of guilt for screwing this up.

    "I am sorry, what do you want to know about me"? He asked.

    "Let''s start with your lack of scent". Christian smirked.

 Chapter 69 - Unsure

    Christian was not at all thrilled about his brother''s decision. If he had even remotely mentioned that he knew the pureblooded Alpha who was once the prime suspect of the witch mayhem personally he would have done everything in his power to keep them apart. He knew his brother was strong enough to fend off usual alphas, but even Christian himself wasn''t sure how he would tackle a pureblood, let alone be okay with Caleb choosing one as a mate.

    He knew his brother was smart, and made smart decisions which is why he never interefered with his personal affaits, which is why he failed to understand why on earth would his baby brother make such a dumb decision.

    Christian brought up all the times they had got the scent of Ashton, and pointed out to Caleb how shady those incidences were. Caleb however tried to defend Ashton and presented him with a valid argument for each and every encounter, as if he had way too much faith in Ashton.

    Christian was certain that whoever this guy was he was trying to manipulate Caleb, which is why he was a bit surprised to see that the pureblood was just a kid. Nevertheless, he wasn''t someone who judges people based on their appearances, and therefore would not accept Ashton this easily. He was looking forward to the pretend nice Ashton might present to him, which is why he was genuinely surprised to see his rude attitude. ''Why on earth would Caleb choose such a mate''? Christian was confused even further.

    When Caleb and Ashton were talking via their link the expression on their faces didn''t go unnoticed. From the way Caleb looked at him, even if Christian couldn''t deduce the exact conversation, he could tell Caleb cared about him. "I am sorry, what do you want to know about me"? Ashton asked Christian.

    Remembering how he couldn''t smell both his brother or Ashton Christian asked while smirking, "Let''s start with your lack of scent".

    "What about it"? Ashton shrugged. "There is really nothing much to tell. Most pureblooded Alphas have special powers, mine is controlling the intensity of my scent". Ashton spoke.

    "Apparently that''s not all" Christian mumbled while he threw a glance at Caleb.

    Confused, Ashton looked back and forth between the brothers before finally asking, "What''s he talking about"? To Caleb.

    "Let me tell you something, Caleb is still not completely over his heat" Christian hinted.

    Ashton, puzzled by the sudden TMI (too much information) frowned for a second until his eyes widened. "You don''t...smell like it"? Hesitant, he asked Caleb who simply nodded at him awkwardly. "H..how"? Ashton stuttered but Caleb simply shrugged at him.

    "I will assume your power is affecting him as well" Christian spoke.

    "How is that possible? Is that supposed to happen"? Panicked, Ashton bombarded Christian with questions. The more he found out about the effects of marking, the more it made him scared. He didn''t know what else to expect. It has been only a few weeks, but so much has changed in their dynamics.

    "Both of you idiots decided to do it without even bothering to know the after effects"?! Christian scolded the duo. While Ashton felt bad for not being cautious enough, Caleb couldn''t care less.

    "So what? I don''t have a scent now? Is it really the worst thing? Look at me having coffee in a public place without caring that my secret will be exposed". Caleb smirked.

    "Is this a joke to you"? Christian raised his voice at his brother. Caleb gulped and shook his head. Christian sighed before turning his head to Ashton. "Why did you do it"? Christian asked Ashton in a calm voice. "Why did you mark him"?

    Puzzled, Ashton replied, "He asked me to" while pointing at Caleb.

    "So you would mark anyone who asks you"? Christian retorted.

    "Not anyoneˇ­ butˇ­ he gave me a good enough reason to". Ashtom mumbled. "Didn''t he tell you"? Ashton looked at Caleb carefully.

    "He did, but that was his reason". Christian asserted. "I want to know your reason". Ashton was further puzzled by his question. "I want to know why that reason was good enough for you? Do you have feelings for him"?

    The moment Christian uttered those words Caleb choked on his own coffee and coughed a few times to get rid of the irritating feeling. Ashton however maintained his calm and composed expression, unbothered by both Christian''s question and Caleb''s reaction. "Should I help someone just because I have feelings for them"? Ashton questioned him back. Christian was surprised by Ashton''s response. "The reason was good enough for me because the reason was genuine. I simply don''t have any other reason".

    "So, will you protect him if he gets in trouble because of you"? Christian challenged him.

    Ashton blinked twice before replying, "Okay, first of all, this guy doesn''t need my protection. If anything, given how many times he has threatened me it''s me who needs protection from him. He not only knows how to take care of himself, but he also has saved me on multiple occasions". Ashton replied while pointing his thumb towards Caleb.

    At that moment a tiny proud smirk crept into Caleb''s face. "And secondly, I will do my best to make sure such a situation doesn''t arise". He replied. The statement sounded sincere, so much so that Christian started to feel guilty for doubting Ashton. As a future pack leader he had dealt with many people, many outlaws and has quite an experience from detecting lie from the truth.

    While his logic constantly screamed otherwise, deep in his heart he wanted to believe Ashton. He wanted to believe that Ashton would treat Caleb just the way he deserves. "You have Alpha genes, but do you really know self defense"? Christian asked.

    "I know a bit. I have learned with humans but I have never been part of any pack soˇ­ never learnt it as a wolf" Ashton shrugged. "I am pretty strong though".

    "Really"? Christian scrunched his eyebrows as he noticed how young he looked. "Prove it". He ordered and positioned his hands on the table for an impending arm wrestling. Ashton, taken aback, glanced at Caleb with an ''Is he serious'' expression, after which Caleb simply shrugged apologetically. Ashton complied with his brother''s request and positioned his hand accordingly.

    For a while neither of them bothered to push as they waited for the other to start the game. Frustrated, Christian began to apply force but somehow it didn''t even bulge. To an onlooker, it would still appear as if no one was playing, until a grimace started to appear on Christian''s face. His face was giving away the fact that he was trying while his battling hand failed to do so.

    After a moment Ashton mumbled, "Try both hands". Christian, who heard him, glared at him before actually doing what Ashton suggested. A few moments of struggling continued before Ashton pinned Christian''s first on the table. Christian had far more muscles than Ashton and thus far more bulkier, which is why losing to him felt a little bit offending.

    Christian sighed with anger, "Whatever, I just want to make one thing very clear. According to what Caleb told me and your words this marking has no romantic feelings involved, am I right"? Christian raised an eyebrow. Ashton nodded his head in agreement, "Good, keep your hands of him. You dare touch in inappropriately and I will kill you"! Christian threatened.

    "It won''t be a problem, I have no romantic interest in him whatsoever and I never will". Ashton declared without skipping a beat. Christian could sense the sincerity in his statement, despite his logic telling him that it''s a lie. Meanwhile, in the background the smile Caleb had had a moment ago changed to a fainter one, along with a little grinding of teeth. It was a subtle change, almost unnoticeable but somehow his brother did not miss it.

    "Remember that" Christian spoke in a grave voice.

    "Anything else"? Ashton asked him, coming off more rude than expected.

    "Why you got somewhere else to be"? Christian raised one of his eyebrows.

    "I do actually. I have a bunch of stuff I need to do. I kept them hanging because he called me". He pointed at Caleb.

    "Alright then" Christian gave him a slight nod of approval before he left.

    "So"? Caleb asked his brother carefully once Ashton was gone.

    "What"? Christian asked flatly.

    "What do you think of him"? Caleb clarified.

    "He seems okay, but I still can''t stop being suspicious of him". He mumbled. "But if I let go of that, I think he is a nice guy". Christian opined.

    "Yes"! Caleb exclaimed. "I told you, he is a nice guy".

    "A lot of people are nice, but you don''t go around mating with them. Now tell me honestly, why do you like him"? Christian asked him sternly.

    "What? I don''t. I told you it was not like that"! Caleb defended himself.

    "Sure you did. But you acted completely opposite so I know now that was a lie" his brother smirked. "I am good at telling what might be going inside someone''s head. And I know you better than anyone else, so you are even easier for me to read. I can tell you have feelings for him, and that for some reason you want to keep it secret. So, tell me, since how long have you liked him"? Christian questioned but Caleb simply gulped.

 Chapter 70 - My Feelings

    "So, tell me, since how long have you liked him"? This one question from his brother had Caleb stunned, not sure how to respond to it. Should he keep pretending and tell his brother that he got it totally wrong? What good can possibly come from admitting it anyways. He opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by Christian at that very moment by a gesture of his index finger. "No more lies. I have already had enough of those".

    "I really don''t. Why do you think I do"? Caleb counter questioned him.

    "First of all, I am your brother and I can tell the way you look at him. Secondly, remember what you said to me? That you won''t bear a mark of someone you don''t have feelings for"? Christian smirked.

    "That was before I gave it a proper thought"! Caleb tried harder to convince his brother.

    "You and I both know that''s bullsh**t. I know how stubborn you can be, and there is no way you changed your mind just like that". Christian challenged him further.

    "Why does it even matter"? Caleb popped the question raising his voice out of frustration.

    "Of course it does, because you have feelings for him but you manipulated him to get you marked instead of actually confessing! At this point I am starting to feel like you are the bad guy"! Christian raised his voice as well.

    "Confessing"? Caleb scoffed. "Just so you know, he made it perfectly clear he doesn''t want a mate. Considering even if I had feelings for him, what''s the point of confessing"? Caleb''s voice quivered at the end.

    "Maybe he actually didn''t mean it? Maybe he will actually reciprocate, you never know"? Christian suggested.

    "Orˇ­ maybe he won''t and instead start regretting ever marking me" Caleb retorted.

    Christian sighed with frustration,"Do whatever you want. But just so you know, this way it will hurt both of you even more. Given that you are marked, and your budding feelings for him, it won''t be easy for you to be around all the time". Christian said softly.

    "My Feelings"? Caleb scoffed. "Don''t worry, I won''t let it become a problem for anyone".

    "So you do admit that you have feelings"? Christian scoffed, catching him red handed.

    "Whatever", Caleb dismissed it.

    Both of them were silent for a while. Caleb was on the brink of tearing down and Christian started to feel bad for pushing his brother to his limit. After a while, his brother asked him hesitantly, "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell him. But I am still curious how long have you had a crush on him"?

    Caleb thought for a while, "I am not sureˇ­ I mean I didn''t even consider seeing him that way until Karolyn came alongˇ­ But I guess it started back when I first found out he was an Alpha". Caleb mumbled.

    "Because he defended you"? Christian questioned. "Maybe? But mostly because he helped me. He fought his urge and took care of me properly instead of trying to take advantage. It is kind of hard not to fall for that".

    "I see. Well, even though I just met him, it seems that he would have done that for anyone. Am I right"? Christian raised his eyebrows to which Caleb nodded. "Then how come you''re so moved by it? You do realize that he didn''t treat you in a special way"?

    "That''s exactly what I liked about him". Caleb declared. Christian scrunched his eyebrows in confusion so Caleb decided to explain further. "Most of the people fear me because they think I am the Alpha, even if they find out who I am they might treat me the same way because I am the son of the Head Alpha". He sighed. "My point is, even if people treat me nicely doesn''t mean that is their true selves. With Ashton, he would help anyone, even if he pretends all the time that he doesn''t care, irrespective of their blood rank".

    "Okayˇ­" Christian mumbled.

    "He respects me as a person, and I kind of like that". Caleb shrugged.

    After a moment of silence Christian scoffed, "Wow, sounds like you are whipped".

    "What?! Absolutely not"! Caleb protested, recovering from his deep thoughts. "Whatever, can we drop this"? Caleb insisted to his brother.

    "Yeah, sure". Christian chuckled. "Look at that, my baby brother found a mate before me". He teased him.

    "With your irritating attitude, I can see why that''s the case" Caleb retorted earning a frown from his brother. "So...you''re okay with him"? Caleb asked cautiously with a tinge of hope.

    "Honestly...no" Christian shook his head. "But, you picked him, so I am not gonna stop you from pursuing him. But, I will kill him if he ever hurts you"! Christian threatened.

    Caleb rolled his eyes, "First of all, I am not pursuing him, I-".

    "Yeah whatever, I don''t wanna get in the middle of whatever you are doing". Christian cringed, cutting in the middle of the sentence.

    Ignoring his brother''s comment Caleb continued, "and Secondly, you will kill him if he hurts me? That is so old fashioned"!

    "I don''t care, you are my baby brother, and I will look out for you". Christian declared.

    Caleb''s eyes glistened along with a giant smile plastered to his face. Happy that he managed to convince his brother he asked the next question, "Can you do me a favor? Can you not tell Mom and Dad yet"?

    "About the Marking"?

    "About Ashton. And of course, marking as well. You know how our parents are. If they find out it''s gonna be really problematic. Dad would kill Ashton in a heartbeat". Caleb pleaded.

    "I don''t think he will, he wouldn''t want your mate to die". Christian argued.

    "Well, he will never choose me before the whole pack. You know how he is, no matter what he will never be convinced that Ashton is harmless". Caleb rolled his eyes. "Besides, it will be a bother to Ashton, I don''t want to drag him along in all this anymore".

    "Fine, if that''s what you want". Christian shrugged. "You do realize they will find out eventually".

    "I know", Caleb gave a hopeless sigh. "I just want to delay it as long as possible".

    After a minute of silence Christian spoke up, "Well, we should leave. Dad is back and he wants to see me. I suggest you go back to your Cabin. Even without scent, get better first".

 Chapter 71 - A Joke?

    All the way back Ashton kept on thinking what will be the outcome of their meeting. Will he be hunted once more? Will his brother agree to keep this a secret? Will they have to relocate once more? Stuff like that.

    He was late for lunch, as he didn''t even go home at all since he left early in the morning. He was expecting to be scolded or something, but never did he expect to find the commotion that was taking place there. "What''s happening here"? He asked his mother who was standing face to face with another woman, red faced.

    "Ashton this Mrs Slater, and this is her son" she pointed at the woman and then to a kid standing right next to her who looked around the twins age. There was a big bruise above the cheekbones of the kid that made it seem like there was some involved in some sort of violence. "According to this woman, Ava beat up her son for ''no good reason". Mrs Parker rolled her eyes.

    On smelling, he could tell either of them were a beta or an Alpha, though he failed to tell which is which. "I doubt that", Ashton mumbled.

    "Stay out of this kid, this is none of your business"! Mrs Slater scolded him.

    Ashton was completely unbothe red by her attitude, "She is my sister, she is definitely my business" Ashton snapped back at her.

    "What a rude kid" She gasped, pretending to be offended. "No wonder she is so rough, look what she did to my son"! She pointed at the bruise in her son''s cheeks.

    "Why did she do that"? Ashton asked the woman arrogantly.

    "You tell me, they were talking and suddenly she punched him"! The woman complained with a disappointed expression.

    "Why did you do it"? Ashton asked Ava.

    "He called me a weakling, I showed him that I am not" Ava snapped.

    "He was just teasing, why get so aggressive so soon"? Mrs Slater pointed out. "She is clearly ill-mannered"!

    "I agree, this is clearly her fault" Ashton agreed with the woman before turning to Ava. His mother was shocked by his response along with Ava and Ariel, while Mrs Slater produced a satisfied smirk. "Ava, you shouldn''t punch someone just because they called you weak". He explained to her.

    "Hey, I said ''no I am not'' first. But he asked me to prove it"! Ava protested.

    "So you punched him? You know punches are not the only way right? A kick is way more effective"! Ashton scolded her, and that very moment a smirk appeared in his mom''s face while Mrs Slater''s mouth went agape. Both the twins tried their best to hold the giggles that were threatening to erupt.

    "This is preposterous"! The woman scoffed. "Mrs Parker, you clearly failed to teach proper manners to your kids"! She huffed.

    "Nope, I didn''t. She behaved exactly how I would have wanted her to in this situation" Mrs Parker folded her hands. "I''m still better than a mother who encourages their kids to bully others"! She reprimanded.

    "Bully? It was a simple joke"! She cried.

    "Well it offended her, which I think she had made it clear. He should have apologized instead of further provoking her". Mrs Parker beamed proudly.

    "Are you seriously kidding me"? Mrs Slater asked Mrs Parker.

    "If I am, then it shouldn''t bother you, you know, because it''s ''a joke''. Calm down woman". Mrs Parker snapped at her. Mrs Parker wasn''t clearly okay with her daughter resorting to violence, however given this woman''s shameless attitude, she wanted to defend her daughter.

    At this point she was beyond furious so she spat, "Well it was a joke, but he wasn''t wrong. After all she is an omega, what more she can do"!

    *smack* a loud noise of someone getting slapped was heard in the room. The woman held her recently redded cheek while she glared at Mrs Parker. "How are you slap me you b***ch"! She was about to hit Mrs Parker back when Ashton held her back.

    "You know, before this escalates any further, how about we consult a professional" Ashton smirked.

    "What nonsense are you spewing"! She spat at him.

    "The head Alpha''s son, Caleb? He is my friend. You know, he did once tell me that you can''t treat omegas as if they are inferior to you in this pack, but then again I might have heard wrong". Ashton shrugged with a hidden smug in his voice.

    Mrs Slater snorted before saying, "You think you can threaten me with your bluff".

    "That was a genuine suggestion" Ashton shrugged innocently before facetiming Caleb. After a few rings a shirtless sweaty Caleb picked up. Ashton blinked the moment he glanced at Caleb and decided against turning the phone to show Mrs Slater his face. She would recognize his voice right?

    "What do you want now"? Caleb asked with a tinge of annoyance.

    "First of all, put on a shirt" Ashton cleared his throat before continuing, "And secondly tell me something, is it okay to tease omegas by calling them weak in your pack". He questioned.

    "What"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows. Frustrated Ashton decided to link him and explain the whole situation. When Ashton was done he did "Ohh" before grabbing the shirt next to him and putting it on. "Well, as far as I know, it is a punishable crime in our area. If you happen to encounter any incidence do tell me, I will pass along to my Dad". Caleb said loudly hoping the woman would hear him in the background.

    "Oh, well then I believe you need to talk to Mrs Slater" he flipped the phone to show her his face through the phone.

    She gulped visibly, scared of getting caught and laughed awkwardly, "Hi Caleb, don''t worry about it too much".

    "I wouldn''t. I believe you are aware of the rules very well, so I as sure you won''t do anything to jeopardize that". Caleb smiled at her sarcastically.

    Ashton thanked him for his help and raised his eyebrows at the woman, "You were sayingˇ­"?

    Mrs Slater huffed before storming out of their house. "I might kill her if I see her again". Mrs Parker mumbled.

 Chapter 72 - Status Report

    Christian hurried towards his office just to make sure that he wouldn''t miss anything important. Halfway through, he realised that he forgot to pay for his orders and ran back, since he was aware Caleb didn''t have any money on him, but he was astonished to find him coming back from the cafe on his way.

    "Youˇ­ how did you pay"? Christian asked him.

    "The owner knows me, so she will allow me to pay for it later". He simply shrugged.

    Christian nodded and went back to the office where his father was waiting for him. "You wanted to see me"? Christian asked at the door.

    "Come on in". Mr Wrisberg motioned towards the chair in front of him indicating him to sit down.

    Before he could begin, Christian asked, "Where is mom"?

    "She is still not here. Things are bad at Willow Street. The whole family is worried because we failed to provide protection for the second time and now both their daughters are gone. We need to ensure safety for the omegas, or things will worsen further" his father mumbled in his deep thought.

    "I agree" Christian sighed. "Soˇ­ till now, what''s the status report"?

    "You know, fifteen omegas are missing, all female, five underaged and as usual, all unmated. This is why I say mating is important for omegas". He huffed. "Things have turned much more serious than we expected it to be, and things are escalating fast and if we don''t anything sooner, we might lose all the omegas. We are one of the strongest pack in the area, we can''t just treat this issue so lightly."

    "So, what''s our plan for now"? Christian asked.

    "For now, I think we must aware the people. There is no point in hiding it anymore Many people here have no idea what is going on, if they are aware they would be cautious". Mr. Wrisberg suggested. "Maybe we can even implement some of the security measures once more which we did fifteen years ago when we took down the major trafficking network"?

    "Sounds good, but last time we had a fair idea who they were. This time we don''t. We know it''s not the same guys because they are dead". Christian shrugged.

    "I know, this time around we need a new strategy to track them down. We not only have to protect the omegas that are still here, we must also track down each and every one of the omegas that are being taken". Mr. Wrisberg asserted. "Any ideas"? He asked his son.

    "How about we follow up once more with the lost omega cases from the scratch? Maybe we will find a pattern or something that we might have missed on our first try"? Christian suggested.

    "Already on it. I have asked all the local alphas for the whole report on the missing omegas in their area, they will mail me everything by this evening. Help me out, will you? We might need to pull an all nighter" Mr Wrisberg announced.

    "Are weˇ­ going to involve the police at all"? Christian asked hesitantly.

    "I don''t knowˇ­ there is one wolf who works there, who might help us get some clues, but I don''t think it will be wise to include the humans". Christian recommended.

    "Why not"? His father scrunched his brows. "Since all of them are woman it could completely come under woman and child trafficking jurisdiction. Maybe they too can help us".

    "But they don''t know about wolves. What if it is useless"? Mr Wrisberg asked him sternly.

    "What if it is not? We don''t really have any leads, I think we should keep all our options open, even the ones that seem utterly useless" Christian tried to convince his father.

    "I guess you are not wrong". Mr Wrisberg said after nodding. "I''ll call them and let them know". After a moment of silence Mr Wrisberg spoke again, "You should go home now, take some rest. We will need to put an all nighter". He advised his son.

    "But, the patrolling"? Christian asked.

    "The others can take care of it. Now go" he dismissed his son.

    On his way back he wondered if he should inform Caleb about what happened. Now that Caleb''s smell wasn''t detectable he could go and talk to him personally instead of calling him or linking him. He was standing outside their house staring at the Cabin when he suddenly felt an hand on his shoulder.

    Startled, he tried to grab and twisted it but somehow the other person managed to block his attack and throw him on the ground. After grimacing properly from the intense momentary pain he looked up properly to see none other than his mother smirking at her son. "You still have a lot to learn".

    "Not cool, mom. Why would you surprise me like that"? He asked, feeling betrayed.

    "I did call you, but you seemed lost in thought". She smiled. "What were you looking there for"? She asked him.

    "No reason, just waiting for him to come out". Christian shrugged. "Anyways, you''re back"! He hugged his mother before asking, "What happened"?

    "Well, I am sure you know about what happened". She sighed. "The older Morgan daughter, Sally disappeared last night, two days after her little sister Shelby. The whole family is devastated and I couldn''t find...any words that could offer proper consolation". She sighed with defeat. "I can''t imagine what I would do if something happened to either of you, let alone both. I so wish I could somehow bring them back magically".

    "What did the local Alpha say"? Christian asked after giving his mother a moment.

    "You mean my sister"? She snorted. "She has no idea what happened, as I expected".

    "How is that possible"? Christian asked, rolling his eyes.

    "You know her, after promising that she would increase the security she flew off to a different country altogether". She scoffed.

    "Why would she do that? I mean, I know she can be a bit irritating but I never thought she would be this irresponsible". Christian commented.

    "Well, she is out there to celebrate her 25th anniversary while her pack is suffering". She huffed furiously. "She is gonna get an earful from me as soon as she comes back, and not just as a big sister, as the Head Luna"! Mrs Wrisberg declared, glaring at a rock far far away.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian mumbled feeling bad for the poor rock. "Do you ever regret it"? He asked out of the blue which caught his mother''s attention as she looked back at him. "You know, giving away your position for the local Alpha"? He asked.

    She snorted, "I guess".

    "You would have made the best Alpha"! Christian cheered his mother who smiled at her.

    "I know, I am not quite that bad as the head Luna either" Mrs Wrisberg boasted. "But yeah, being Alpha would have been far more fun than being the Head Luna. Although I have to look out for more people now, which is kind of doing ''the greater deed'', I still would have liked that". She sighed.

    "Is that why you gave it up in the first place? You know, to be able to help more people"? Christian asked.

    "What!? Nooo"! She chuckled. "I became the Head Luna because I married your father, and I married him because I fell in love with him". She explained with a smile.

    "Really? That man"? Christian teased his mother indicating towards his father''s grumpy attitude.

    His mother gave him an unamused look before shaking her head. "You never know whom you fall for".

    "I can never imagine falling for someone this grumpy" Christian snorted.

    "We will see" Mrs Wrisberg smirked as if she was sure her son would pick someone who had an attitude. Her confident smirk wiped off the prideful smile from Christian''s face.

    "Whatever" he mumbled.

    "So who is incharge there if the local Alpha is away"? Christian asked. "Me, I guess. Being the only one related to the Alpha by blood, and as the head Luna" she sighed. "I should get going then. I will spend my time there until she comes back. Meanwhile try to make sure everyone is safe". She patted his arm.

    "Wait a minute, you are leaving already"? He asked her.

    "Hmm, they need me so it''s better I avoid any delays. I just came back to take some stuff and say goodbye to my sons". She smiled. "Which reminds me, where is Caleb"? She asked.

    "Still in his heat, remember" he pointed at the Cabin.

    "Right. Well, when he comes out of there tell him I said bye". She nodded before she went inside. After a few minutes she emerged from the building with a giant suitcase and then she drove off to her destination.

    After a few hours his father called for him to the office for proper investigation and stuff. They spent the whole night trying to figure out any pattern or any connection that might lead to something. When the sun hit him on their faces and they had nothing new is the moment they realized they were screwed.

 Chapter 73 - Boredom

    Once the weekend was over, Ashton had to go back to work. Unable to wrap his head around the things that happened he felt quite exhausted. He focused on his job and tried to keep his mind off of all the distracting thoughts he had been having lately. . He was still scared about his secret getting exposed to the head Alpha, especially ever since Caleb, the one person who knows the head Alpha the best, told him that telling his father would be indeed a real threat.

    He wanted to ask or rather pester Caleb about the situation, but knowing well enough the week he had had, quite literally since he can now feel all those intense feelings Caleb had due to the mark, he felt bad about bothering him. In fact, able to feel what Caleb felt was also part of the reason why he was so exhausted.

    It was almost noon when he saw a familiar face take the seat near the counter. Now that Caleb was aware of his lack of scent, he didn''t use any pheromones anymore, which is why it was hard to track him by using his scent now. "Give me something that could wake up a hibernating bear"! Caleb ordered.

    "Why? Which bear are you trying to kill"? Ashton teased.

    "That would be my boredom" Caleb replied with sass.

    "Is this why you are here? You''re bored and you want to bother me while I try to work"? Ashton raised one of his eyebrows suspiciously.

    "Well, I just wanted to hang out with someone" He shrugged. "My mom is not here, my brother and dad are busy and my one and only friend is out of town as well". Caleb sighed. "Not that I would hang out with my parents, but my brother works".

    "You guys are quite close after all", Ashton commented. "By the way, did your brother say anything...you know, about me"? Ashton asked carefully.

    "Not much, he is not okay with you, but he is also not not okay with you. For now it''s neutral, but mostly inclined at not okay with you". Caleb explained.

    "Wow, that''s just awesome". Ashton remarked sarcastically.

    "Anyways, he is too busy with his pack duties to actually bother about these things". He sighed.

    "What about... your pack duties" Ashton made sure to lower his voice at the words ''pack duties''.

    "I have none! Ever since the omegas began to disappear they don''t want me to do anything related to pack. I used to think responsibility is exhausting, but nowˇ­ I miss it" Caleb sighed before he pouted.

    "Hold on a second" Suddenly Ashton assumed an alert stance, "Who is disappearing now"? He asked sternly.

    "The omegas...You didn''t know"? Caleb asked him suspiciously.

    "Did you mention it? How the hell am I supposed to I know"? Ashton raised his voice at Caleb, but not too much to attract attention.

    "You saw my memory the other day, didn''t you"? Caleb asked Ashton, confused.

    "Just the part of you telling your brother about me, not the whole thing you moron"! Ashton scolded.

    "Okay, how am I supposed to know that? We are new at all of this, remember? Besides why are you freaking out so much"? Caleb asked him skeptically.

    "You have met my sisters, what do you think"? Ashton asked him rhetorically.

    "Relax, they are pretty far away. None of the missing cases are from our main pack". Caleb tried to console Ashton.

    "Dude we are not from your pack, we just live here"! Ashton sighed exasperated. "If anything happens to them your pack is not responsible. I gotta call my mom, one sec".

    He left the cash counter and dialed his mom. He was starting to panic when she didn''t pick up for quite a long time. He tried her once more ready to leave the cafe when his call get''s directed to voicemail. Luckily, she picked it up. "What is it Ashton"? She asked him softly.

    He explained the situation as he knew it, which was not much given Caleb barely had a chance to explain things properly. "Where are the twins"? He asked anxiously.

    "They are in their room, don''t worry. I am in the kitchen right now, as soon as I am done I will make sure they are informed about this danger". She consoled him. "And don''t lash out at poor Caleb," she added before she hung up.

    Snorting he got back at work while chatting with Caleb time to time. His shift was supposed to be over at 4 today and miraculously Caleb spent his entire time in the cafe. ''He must have been really way to bored to be stuck here''. Ashton thought. Being all by himself, having to do nothing was something Ashton was used to, and thus he always knew how to find a new hobby. Most of the time he was too busy to be bored so he felt a little bad for Caleb being so lonely.

    "I have to stop by the mall later, want to come with me"? Ashton offered to Caleb, who seemed excited on the context of having something else to do.

    "Sure"! He jumped up followed Ashton enthusiastically. Ashton was supposed to walk, but they took Caleb''s car instead. On their way Ashton bought a few supplies he needed for some repairs of his house. "You know how to do this stuff"? Caleb asked him, amazed by the tools he bought.

    "Yes. My Dad, adopted Dad I mean, taught me all this while growing up. He lived on the countryside and being the beta, the repairs in the family was mostly his territory". Ashton explained.

    "That is so cool". Caleb mumbled.

    "You don''t know any of this"? Ashton asked him curiously. Given Caleb''s rich spoiled background it wouldn''t be much of a surprise if he didn''t know this stuff.

    "I don''t actually. I mean I know how to fix a tire and all, but my experience is pretty limited. I would love to learn though". Caleb mumbled.

    "Well, I have to repair the kitchen sink and the air con in my room. Summer is almost here, so I should probably get to it". Ashton informed him. "If you want I can try to teach you".

    A big smile plastered on his face as he nodded with excitement, "Wait a second". Caleb uttered out of the blue. Ashton gave him a puzzled expression before saying, "It won''t be fair to ask you without something in return. I remember you were struggling with your sums the other day. Since I am your senior I can help you with that stuff, and you can help me learn these things". Caleb offered.

    "Really"? Ashton looked at him skeptically. "I mean, I don''t have a problem, but you do realize that I won''t always have something to repair so my teaching moments will be way less than yours"? Ashton raised his eyebrows.

    "Well, as long as you do it properly". Caleb shrugged.

    "Alright then. I will repair them tomorrow after my shift is over, you can come by" Ashton invited. Caleb simply smiled in affirmation.

    Once they were done buying everything he needed, Caleb stopped by the store to get a stuffed Panda. "You like stuffed toys"? Ashton asked Caleb while trying to supress his laughter since he found it quite adorable.

    "Hell no"! Caleb scoffed. "I am buying these for the twins, see I got two"! He held up both of them in his hands to validate his point.

    While Ashton glared at Caleb, "Don''t spoil my sisters so much! They keep asking for my rich handsome friend. Someday they will drive me insane"! He sighed with frustration.

    "Well, I like the twins, they are always nice to me, unlike someone I know". Caleb smirked, heavily indicating that someone was none other than Ashton.

    "Whatever. At the end of the day I am the one that has to deal with them. I will accept the pandas, but don''t buy anything for them before consulting me"! Ashton scolded him.

    "I think you''re just jealous they like me more than you" Caleb winked at Ashton, who simply glared at Caleb. "But, thanks for accepting us lonely pandas into your family". He held those two near his cheeks and used his fingers to make the Pandas nod their hands. His glare softened a little bit while he suppressed his urge to laugh. He still wasn''t happy with Caleb spoiling his sisters all the time, but Caleb with two pandas made an adorable sight.

    He simply strode away without saying anything while Caleb ran after him catch up with him. They were almost at the car when Ashton stopped abruptly which almost Caused Caleb to collide with him. He turned back and looked at a particular direction as if he was immersed in deep thought. "You forgot something"? Caleb asked suspiciously.

    Ashton didn''t respond so he simply followed his gaze to a salon. "You want to go there"? Caleb teased Ashton who looked at Caleb with an expressionless face.

    At this point it seemed Ashton had become quite immune to the other''s teases. "I should get a haircut, it''s been long since I got one" Ashton mumbled.

    Gazing at the long stands the emerged from the top of his head to his neck, Caleb nodded in agreement. "Yeah, long hair would not suit you". Ashton rolled his eyes at that comment before both of them decided to go inside.

 Chapter 74 - Make A Day Of It

    Both of them were directed towards the wall to choose a haircut, so Caleb informed the guy that he was just here to give his friend a company. However both of them stared at the wall intently as if they were looking for a needle in a haystack. "You know what I think would suit you the best''''? Caleb mumbled.

    "Hm"? Ashton urged him to continue.

    "That one" He pointed at the picture displayed on top. Seeing the style was actually a mohawk Ashton glared at Caleb, "Not funny"!

    "Hey, it would really go well with your face" Caleb commented trying his best to suppress his giggle.

    "I will get a crew cut like always" Ashton mumbled and was about to call the hairdresser when Caleb stopped him, "Wait"!

    "I am not getting a mohawk"! Ashton asserted, raising his voice. Caleb chuckled before saying, "No no, I got that. How about trying that". He pointed at another pic labeled as quiff.

    "I don''t knowˇ­ my hair grows fast, I have to come back here sooner if I get that one". Ashton mumbled. "So? Come back. What''s the big deal? At least try it, you can always cut it shorter if you don''t like it" Caleb insisted.

    "Fine" Ashton gave up and got down for the cut. After he was done he stared at himself in the mirror. He looked quite elegant and professional and mature for his age.

    "Do you like it"? the man who did his hair asked. He simply nodded at the man before getting out of the chair. When he was about to pay, they refused to take it since Caleb had already paid for it.

    He came out of the shop to find Caleb standing outside the parlor doing nothing in particular. "What are you doing here? And why the hell did you pay for me"? Ashton scolded him.

    "You are weird" Caleb commented instead of actually replying to him. Before Ashtom could hit him with a witty remark he started to walk towards his car. In the window of Ashton getting his hair done, Caleb had transferred all of Ashton''s possessions to his car, so Ashton had no choice but to follow that annoying boy.

    "You didn''t answer me"! Ashton pressed once more as soon as he put on his seatbelt. "Why did you pay for me"?

    "I don''t know, I am used to paying for my friends whenever we do something together. It''s not a big deal" Caleb replied to him finally. "They barely complain, why are you so bothered by it"? Caleb raised an eyebrow at him.

    "Well, I am not like the rest of your friends. I don''t like it, I would pay you back. How much was it"? Ashton asked only to get nothing but silence as an answer from Caleb. "come on, tell me"! He pressed further.

    "I don''t know, I paid with my card" Caleb shrugged.

    "The bill"? Ashton asked.

    "I threw it away as soon as I got it. It''s not like you can return a haircut, what''s the point of keeping it". Cakeb shrugged. Ashton, hearing that huffed and turned around to look outside the window. He wasn''t very fond of Caleb spoiling the twins, and he was definitely not fond of Caleb spending money on him either. He liked to work hard for the money, and spend them only if he had earned it himself.

    Seeing, or rather not seeing, Ashton''s face Caleb suggested an idea, "How about this, let''s go have something to eat. You can pay for both of us. That way we will be covered".

    Ashton glanced back at him for a second before thinking while he bore holes in the steering wheel with his intense stare. "Sounds like a good plan". He mumbled. "Well it''s quite late, you want to have dinner"? Ashton offered.

    Caleb looked at Ashton with a delightful smirk. "You sure? I would love that"! He declared. "Where to"? Caleb asked.

    "Your pick". Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb smirked before redirecting his route to a Chinese restaurant. Once they reached Ashton noticed that the place was quite secluded and empty. The ambience was quiet but also pretty suspicious. "This is creeping me out". Ashton mumbled.

    "Relax, I have been here on multiple occasions. I mean, this place is underrated, but damn it has the best servings" Caleb informed him.

    "Alright then".

    Caleb ordered rice noodles along with kung pao chicken, while Ashton ordered another bowl of rice noodles along with it. They stayed there for almost an hour sharing their meal and conversations. Once they were done, it was indeed quite late which is why when Caleb dropped him off Ashton offered for him to stay.

    "Really? You will give up your bed once more"? Caleb teased.

    "Nope, if you are staying, you are taking the couch. Also, I am only saying this because of the situation. It''s not that safe out there at night". Ashton explained.

    "Don''t worry, I am pretty good at evading ill-fate. I will be fine. Besides, if I don''t show up at home my brother will go crazy". Caleb shrugged. Ashton got off the car before Caleb drove towards his destination.

    Upon arriving late, his mother asked him how come he was with Caleb, having heard him near the gate. After a brief explanation of the whole day his mother said, "I see you went on a date. I am glad you made a day of it". She smiled.

    "What? It wasn''t a date"! Ashton defended himself. However, his mother''s suggestive smirk proved that he failed to convince her otherwise.

    "Treat him nicely, now that he is your mate" she advised him before she left. She was glad that he picked Caleb to be his mate. Despite what Ashton said about him doing Caleb a favor, she knew that Ashton was somewhat attached to him too. Even if her idiotic son refused to admit it.

    For this reason she was delighted when Caleb showed up at the door next morning. She was happy that her son was bonding with Caleb even more instead of pushing him away. "These are for you" he gave her a bouquet of flowers that she accepted with a smile.

    The twins who were sitting in the living room jumped at the sight of Caleb, and who were even more overjoyed upon receiving the pandas he got them. Ashton simply shook his head, giving up on stopping Caleb from spoiling his sisters and headed up to their floor. Since it was still quite early, Caleb helped Ashton with a few topics, guiding him through what''s important or not based on the teacher he will get. Ashton always imagined Caleb as a typical popular dumb but attractive guy, which is why he was genuinely surprised at how much he actually knew about all this academic stuff.

    He didn''t realize he was staring at the other when Caleb asked him, "What are you looking at"?

    Ashton blinked before he mumbled, "Nothing".

    Caleb narrowed his gaze suspiciously before saying, "Alright, but focus on this"! And continued with his teaching.

    Once they were done they arrived downstairs to see the whole house empty. He was surprised to find it like that but assumed that it was his mother''s crafty way of getting these two to spend alone time together. "Oh god" he mumbled at his mother''s silly behavior before going near the kitchen sink to fix it.

    He explained what he was doing as he did it, step by step to Caleb. It wasn''t that hard to be honest, it just needed a bit of precision. From the looks of it it seemed that Caleb understood what Ashton was talking about, but then again, who knows?

    After they were done , a tired Ashton brought out a few milkshakes from the fridge. Caleb chuckled seeing both of them were pineapple flavored. Ashton raised his eyebrows to say, "What"?

    "Nothing, you really love pineapples don''t you"?

    "Yeah, they are my favorite" Ashton mumbled.

    "There was a time when I hated it" Caleb mumbled. Ashton held his hand out to take away the milkshake from him but Caleb withdrew his hand. "I don''t anymore". He announced and started savoring it.

    They were halfway through their drinks when the door opened to reveal Mrs Parker holding a giant bag using both of her arms. "I see you boys are having fun" she commented.

    "Yeah, how can we not when there is no one to interrupt us" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "What are you talking about? Why would anyone interrupt anything ? What were you two upto"? His mother gazed at him suspiciously.

    "Oh really? Where are the twins"? Ashton asked his mother suggestively. The suspicion on his mother''s face deepened as she asked.

    "How would I know? Last time I checked they were in their rooms". She informed Ashton in a manner indicating that Ashton might have gone crazy.

    "What do you mean? They aren''t with you"? Ashton deadpanned.

    "No". His mother confirmed. "Why where are they"? She asked him.

    "Iˇ­ I don''t know. They are not in the house". Ashton informed his mother, panic slowly rising through him.

    "Okayˇ­ relax. I am sure they are nearby". His mother assured him.

    "I guess you are right. Now that they are aware of the danger I am sure they will be careful". Ashton mumbled.

    After a moment of silence a soft voice came from Mrs Parker, "Oh no".

    "What"? Ashton asked.

    "I forgot to tell them yesterday, I don''t think they know". She whispered.

 Chapter 75 - Search For The Sisters

    "Wait what"?! Ashton exclaimed. "But why"?

    "I was busy when you called me, and it slipped out of my mind by the time I was done". Mrs Parker mumbled while panic slowly began to take over her.

    Sensing the severity of the situation, Caleb spoke up "Maybe they are fine. Let''s wait and watch for a bit before we panic". Caleb suggested.

    "They are my sisters! How can I not panic"! Ashton shouted at him, who flinched a bit due to the sudden loud voice. Realising what he just did Ashton mumbled a quick, "Sorry" before he sat on the couch thinking hard.

    Mrs Parker on the other hand took a chair in the dining area and tried her best to link her daughters. She got no response which made her panic even further. The girls would never turn down her link no matter what because they know that their mother would not link them until and unless it is absolutely necessary.

    Caleb realised that that it was probably best not to talk since anything he says can backfire. He sat next to Ashton and just patted his back softly instead. It would be a lie to say that he wasn''t worried at all, but somehow seeing them break down already encouraged him to stay strong. If only there were some ways he could help at the moment.

    "You guys wait here, I will take my car and see if I can find them". Caleb announced and was about to get up when Ashton grabbed his wrist tightly. Caleb turned back, confused, and raised his eyebrows.

    "Iˇ­ I will come with you. I can track them better with my enhanced ability of senses" Ashton mumbled. He was also worried that sending Caleb out, all by himself, was not a good idea after all. If his sisters were in danger, Caleb could get in danger too.

    Taking Caleb''s car they tried to track her scent. The twins had exited the house a long time ago, so their scents has faded quite significantly. Being underaged, they had quite less pheromones to begin with. They literally followed any direction Ashton could smell even a tinge of his sister''s scent, even when Caleb couldn''t.

    Their haphazard route led them to the children''s park, where Ashton first met Karolyn. There, both of their smells were comparatively strong so the moment Caleb stopped the car Ashton ran off in the park to look for them. Caleb tried his best to follow and keep up with Ashton.

    After looking around for a bit and following the scent he realised that Ariel''s scent was stronger than Ava. On walking further he found Ariel lying under the tree face buried on the ground. Ashon ran to her and tried to shake her up, "Ariel! Ariel"!

    On trying multiple times when she didn''t respond he picked her up in his arms and checked for injuries. At this very moment Caleb reached them and saw the tears brimming in Ashton''s eyes as he held his unconscious sister. "I will look around for Ava". Caleb informed and started to follow her scent, which was now quite prominent for Caleb to sniff.

    Caleb tried to look for Ava and soon he found a musky Alpha scent coming off as soon as he reached the boundary of the park. The scent seemed to be coming from the other side of the fence so he decided it would be better if he jumped over to the other side to look for her. He was hanging from the wall during his attempt, gradually pulling himself above the fence when something pulled him back making him almost fall on the ground.

    His back collided with a body and on turning around he found it was none other than Ashton himself, holding Ava on his left shoulder and arm. "What the hell do you think you are doing"! He shouted at him. "Following the scent"! Caleb shouted back at him.

    "Are you crazy, what happens when you do find wherever she is? Don''t you think you get abducted too"? Ashton scolded him.

    "Like you said before, I know how to take care of myself". Caleb asserted.

    "I am sure you do, but if someone is actually kidnapping them, there is a high chance that they are heavily guarded to let a lone wolf pass. And even then, holding them as a hostage would only make it hard for you to work your way out"! Ashton tried his best to explain it to him.

    "So what should I do? Give up"? Caleb voiced his concern with desperation.

    "Let''s take my sister to the hospital. As twins, her connection to Ava is stronger than anyone I have ever seen. Even if my Mom couldn''t reach them, she can reach Ava". Ashton informed. "We have to wake her up".

    "Noˇ­ that''s not good enough". Caleb mumbled.

    "What"? Ashton asked skeptically.

    "We can''t just let this trail go to waste, not especially when we are looking for so many lost omegas. I will call my brother and ask him to check it out". He offered. Ashton sighed before nodding in agreement. "Let''s take my car to the hospital" Caleb suggested and both of them hurried to their destination.

    The moment they reached hospital Caleb tried to link his brother, [Hey, I can''t talk right now. Things have turned way worse] his brother answered him.

    [I know! Remember Ashton? His sister is kidnapped as well]! Caleb informed.

    [What?!] His brother was surprised. [Another omega from our pack disappeared this morning] his brother informed him back.

    [Ashton''s sister''s trace disappears at the edge of the park, but from there starts the scent of Alpha pheromones. You would recognize them because it''s exactly the same as the one I use.]

    [I can track it! Butˇ­ what if the pack members think it''s you? Or find out that you are an omega?] His brother expressed his concern, turning his voice soft but heavy at the end.

    After a moment of silence Caleb replied with utmost determination. [I don''t care, find them]

    [Let''s not make any rash decisions, I will see what I can do] his brother announced before letting go of the link. Caleb took out his phone from his pocket and texted Mrs Parker to arrive at the hospital as soon as she could. She called Caleb to ask what happened, but he simply asked her to hurry and come, and that it would be better to explain face to face.

    Caleb rushed into the hospital and saw Ashton struggling to get to the wolf doctor since he was perceived as a human. His sister was shifted to the ward but Ashton was not allowed inside. "What''s happening"? Caleb asked upon arriving at the situation.

    "He is requesting to go to the restricted section. We cannot allow that". The receptionist answered.

    "He is with me, it''s fine". Caleb nodded at them and dragged Ashton to the wards. "I will talk to her, keep quiet or else your cover will be blown". he whispered to Ashton.

    "What if you don''t ask something I want you to ask"? Ashton questioned him in frustration.

    [Whatever you need to ask, or tell, just tell me like this. I promise I will convey your message]. Ashton heard Caleb inside his head while a poignant smile was displayed on his face. Not having anyone in his head for almost a decade, this experience of link was new to him, which is why, naturally he forgot about the newly developed linking with Caleb.

    Ashton nodded at him in agreement while both of them stood beside Ariel''s bed. Finding a chair Caleb made Ashton sit beside the bed. Ashton stared at his sister intently as regret and despair engulfed him, so much so that even Caleb started to feel it. Knowing Ashton, he deduced that Ashton blamed himself for being unable to protect his sister.

    The doctor arrived at the scene and glanced at Ashton suspiciously before he noticed Caleb standing next to him. "What happened to her"?

    "Well, upon proper examination, I found some injuries to her spinal cord. Luckily she is aˇ­" the doctor stopped in the tracks, unsure of whether or not it was okay to mention the word wolf so instead he said, "strong girl... so she will heal in no time".

    After a few minutes Ashton''s mother arrived running to the hospital as she stared at Ariel''s unconscious face. After recovering from her daze she turned around and asked Ashton, "Where is Ava"? Her question was met with silence so she turned to Caleb and asked him the same.

    "We... don''t know", reluctantly, Caleb answered.

    She was much more composed than Ashton, but it was clear that inside she was way more devastated. Her mind went completely blank for a whole minute. After recovering from the shock she asked Caleb to describe each and everything that happened. Caleb explained to her the entire incident in the park and assured her that his brother was following up, which is why they will definitely find her.

    After almost an hour, Ariel''s fingers moved slightly and slowly she opened her eyes.

 Chapter 76 - Spare No Details

    Ariel stared at the unfamiliar ceiling and blinked a few times while she tried to comprehend her situation. She tried to turn her head, but a sharp pain in her neck refrained her from doing so. Noticing her wince Ashton supported her neck properly and helped her to sit up on the bed. "How do you feel"? Ashton asked her softly.

    "My neck, it hurts so bad". Ariel winced in pain as she touched softly at the back of her neck. "Where am I"? She asked after looking around, with her eyes and with as much as she could without moving her neck.

    "In the pack hospital honey". Mrs Parker replied to her. She noticed that along with her mother and brother, even Caleb was present there.

    "Where is Ava"? She asked, genuinely curious for her twin.

    All of them looked at each other before looking at her, "Honey, can you tell us what happened? What''s the last thing you remember"? Mrs Parker asked her that instead.

    "Tell us everything, spare no details". Ashton added with concern.

    "Well, Molly called us to meet in the playground since she lives nearby. It''s been a long time since we met so Ava and I agreed. You weren''t home so we didn''t bother asking for your permission". Ariel mumbled the last line while glancing at her mother before lowering her eyes in embarrassment. Mrs Parker didn''t comment on that and waited for her daughter to continue.

    "She brought her four year old cousin with her and all of us were playing. He was starting to get frustrated so Molly bought him a balloon. Unfortunately it slipped and got stuck in the tree and he started crying. Since I was a wolf I thought maybe I could get it back for him, but as soon as I managed to unhook the thread from the branch I slipped and fell. I think I hit my neck because that''s the last thing I can recall". She finished.

    "So, you were with Ava all the time"? Her mother asked her to clarify.

    "Yes" she nodded. "Wasn''t she the one who informed you I passed out? Ariel asked.

    All of them looked at each other before Mrs Parker took it upon herself to explain to her the situation. When Ariel found out that her twin sister is missing she panicked. She started to lament and therefore her eyes turned to a darker shade of red in no time. Ashton, trying to console his sister, patted her slowly on her back. After her sobs were a bit less deranged, Caleb asked her softly. "Can you try to link Ava"?

    After sobbing twice she nodded and tried. When it didn''t work she closed her eyes tightly and tried once more, but she failed once again. "I can''t reach her"! Her eyes were filled with tears once more. "She is not dead right"? She questioned through her muffled voice before she started to wail.

    "Of course not! Your sister is alive! Don''t worry, we will find her". Mrs Parker tried to assure her daughter. She herself was on the verge of breaking down when she found herself unable to completely have faith in her own words.

    Caleb suddenly felt his brother trying to link him. He was at the hospital and he wanted to talk to Ariel, however he wanted to meet with Caleb first. Caleb agreed to meet him outside the hospital so that the situation here is not disrupted. He took the emergency exit to avoid the wolves that were surrounding most of the hospitals.

    He was surprised to see no other wolf was present except his brother, "What''s going on"? Caleb asked skeptically.

    "Since it was similar to your scent Dad and I followed it by ourselves. We haven''t involved any other werewolves yet, but we might have to". Christian explained.

    Suddenly the door opened and Ashton emerged from the door, "I followed you" he answered to the curious gazes of Wrisberg brothers. "Did you find her"? Ashton asked anxiously.

    Christian pursed his lip before shaking his head. "The scent led to an empty warehouse. I believe that''s where they were. Or somehow they used that trail to reflect us there".

    "What do you mean"? Ashton asked, confused.

    "You know how her scent disappears at the edge? I think they masked it by unloading the pheromones and then directed it somewhere else to create a false trail of scent. Whoever planned it clearly anticipated for you to be there" Christian sighed. Ashton''s fists tightened as he fought the urge to attack whatever comes in front of him. His rage and frustration was over the top, so much so that even Christian could feel the shift in his aura.

    To calm him down, Caleb places his hand on his back and rubbed his back slightly. Even if Ashton didn''t realize it that tiny action helped him a bit. "This is so messed up", his brother sighed. "Two omegas in the same day, that too from our pack".

    "What do you mean two"? Caleb asked him, startled.

    "Oh yeah, remember when I told you I was busy? Remember Valerie Durance, she hasn''t been home since last night". Caleb sighed.

    "Wait, weren''t we invited to her wedding this fall? I thought she was already mated. Mated wolves aren''t supposed to be taken away right"? Caleb questioned inquisitively.

    "Well, apparently no. She hasn''t been marked yet, despite finding her mate". Christian informed him. After a moment of silence Christian spoke, "By the way, don''t use those pheromones anymore". Christian pointed out. "I think it''s better if you avoid it for the time being. In fact, I think if by any chance any pack members sniffs the scent left at the park, they will suspect you first"!

    "That is ridiculous". Caleb mumbled. "Why would I kidnap them"?

    "You won''t. But people who lost their family members won''t think further. They are devastated and they are desperate for answers, even if it''s a fake one" Christian explained. "You don''t give off any scent now. Use that to your advantage for the time being".

    "What about Dad? He would notice". Caleb pointed out.

    "Well, I didn''t. Let''s hope he doesn''t either" Christian mumbled.

    "How are you planning to get back the taken omegas"? Ashton asked Christian, trying his best to fight his rage.

    "We are still trying to figure it out", Christian informed him. "Don''t worry, this has become huge and we are doing everything we can to tackle this"! He tried to assure him, but Ashton''s eyes made it clear that he wasn''t convinced.

    "How about we try the plan I suggested back then"? Caleb spoke up.

    "Are you crazy"!? His brother shouted at him.

    "What was it"? Ashton asked, hoping for a ray of hope. Christian explained what Caleb told him the other day about using him as bait. "Absolutely not"! as soon as Ashton heard it he shouted like a reflex.

    "Look, its not a bad plan. At least consider it!" He pleaded. "At least tell me this, if I wasn''t your familyˇ­" he turned to Ashton "..and your friend-".

    "Mate". Ashton mumbled in between.

    "...Will you guys still be against my idea"? Caleb continued with his question as if hearing Ashton call him his mate didn''t just make his heart skip a little bit.

    "Yeah" his brother replied. "This whole pack is our responsibility. And I am not letting anyone become a bait".

    "You guys are seriously so naive"! Frustrated Caleb stormed off inside the building. Both Ashton and Christian stared at the door for a few seconds until Christian asked Ashton, "How is your other sister doing"? Even if he didn''t like Ashton, he could sympathize with him being a big brother himself.

    Ashton glanced at him awkwardly before replying "better". Before he could be questioned further he walked away quickly inside the building. Christian followed him to the ward to see a little girl around 12-13 years old sitting in the bed red faced.

    He wanted to ask her questions too, but he decided to wait till she felt a little better and visiting hours are over. Caleb was nowhere in the sight, so Christian assumed his brother was sulking somewhere and thus avoiding them actively.

    Meanwhile Ashton was happy to see Ariel capable of moving her neck after another hour. According to the doctor she was definitely recovering and thus a wave of relief washed over them, however temporarily. Ariel needed to spend the entire night there but her family had to leave.

    The entire night, instead of sleeping Ariel spent her energy trying to link her twin sister, except for the time when Christian questioned her. By the time it was dawn, her sobs had completely dried away. She was exhausted which hampered her healing as well, thus she was way to go before she could achieve full recovery.

    She was about to pass out from exhaustion when she heard her own voice in her mind except this time it felt like it was calling her, "Ariel"! It was a scream of Ava that turned to a whisper by the time it reached Ariel. Something was indeed blocking the linking process, but Ava had managed to break it down. They might not just save Ava, they might just save everyone else after all.

 Chapter 77 - Faint Connection

    "Ariel"! a whisper like shout reached Ariel. Finally being able to hear her sister''s voice, she screamed delightfully in surprise. Luckily not many people were there sharing her ward. An old lady who was too weak to open her own eyes laying across the room was her only roommate in this giant room, a roommate whom Ariel didn''t even notice until now.

    [Can you hear me!?] The same voice asked her again.

    [Yes!] Ariel exclaimed happily. However, since she didn''t hear any reply following that she screamed inside her head [YES]!

    [Oh thank God, I can finally reach you!] Her voice, much more fainter than the last time spoke. Ariel could barely make out her words, which is when she realized that the momentary connection was failing. Having so many questions to ask, she looked for the one that would be considered to be most important.

    [Where are you?] Ariel screamed back once more.

    [I don''t know, my eyes have a blindfold on, but I can hear metal clinking together] she spoke even louder but it reached Ariel even fainter. [I also think I can hear a faint noise of water flowing. This place stinks like a su-] and the connection was gone.

    No matter how much she tried she couldn''t reach Ava again. Devastated and tired, her eyes finally became heavy and soon she drifted off to sleep.

    ~~~~

    At noon when her eyes opened she found herself surrounded by her family. Once she was out of her sleepy haze she jolted up on the bed recalling her brief conversation with her sister. A part of her hoped that she didn''t imagine that in her exhaustion.

    Upon telling everyone, Ashton immediately tried to call Caleb, but he didn''t pick it up, so he tried linking him. This was his first time in years initiating the link, which is why he was having a hard time figuring out exactly how to do it. He had been taught once, but he was out of practice for so many years.

    He wanted to ask Caleb if it could be any place known to him. When he couldn''t find anyone he decided to try Caleb''s house. Frankly he has never been there, but he knew the way to it. Aside from it being the core of the whole pack, it was protected by the humans under the pretense of Mayor''s house.

    Of course the guard wouldn''t let him in, which is why he was starting to consider climbing over the fence. On a second thought, he realized that maybe their house had ways of preventing such break in by wolves, thus not completely safe. He was immersed in his own dilemma when, lucky for him, he noticed Christian emerging from his house holding a giant roll in his hand.

    "What do you want"? Christian asked him, clearly annoyed by his presence in their house.

    "My sister connected. She told her that there is noise of metal clanking, water flowing and something su". Ashton tried to explain.

    "What are you talking about? Is she with everyone"? Christian asked him skeptically.

    "I don''t know, the connection was very faint, so this is all I have. Is it helpful"? Ashton asked him anxiously.

    "I am not sure yet, but I guess it could be something". Christian nodded. "I will see to it".

    "That''s it"? Ashton asked him, getting frustrated by the minute.

    "Yes, what else were you possibly expecting"? Christian asked him back rudely.

    "Like an idea of what that place might be"? Ashton prompted.

    "Look, the only place where the water flows here is at the bayou. However the course of water is too long to pinpoint a specific area". Christian informed. "Also, don''t try to go there". He added sensing Ashton''s intentions.

    "Why not"? Ashton raised an eyebrow challenging him.

    "Because it''s dangerous you moron"! Christian retaliated.

    "It''s my sister who is in danger. And I will protect her at all costs"! Ashton declared.

    "I get it, but don''t be stupid about it or you will put her in even more danger"! Christian ordered.

    "She is not a part of your pack, I can''t trust you to do everything to protect her" Ashton admitted.

    Christian was taken aback by the momentary boldness and scoffed, "Well, now you know how I feel about you marking my brother". Ashton blinked but didn''t say anything back.

    "However, due to the mark you are an unofficial part of the pack, and so is your family. Butˇ­ even without it, staying in our area, with our permission of course, makes you an important part of our pack, even if not directly. Many omegas are lost, and I swear I will find each and every one of them". Christian stated with confidence. The determination in his voice was enough to convince Ashton and thus he calmed down.

    "Call me if you need my help" Ashton mumbled before turning to leave.

    "How? I don''t have your contact information". Christian rolled his eyes.

    "Take it from Caleb", Ashton shrugged.

    "How can I? He is with you". Christian scoffed.

    Ashton froze in his spot before saying, "No he is not. I haven''t seen him since he stormed off yesterday".

    "This morning he told me he is going to meet you". Christian pointed out but Ashton simply shook his head.

    "Like I said, I haven''t seen him since". Ashton mumbled, while his anxiety came back once more.

    ~~~~~~~~~

    (A day ago)

    When Caleb''s ideas were dismissed like that, he was furious. He had faith that it was a good plan, and that he could help, but unfortunately they would never consider it given their overprotective nature. He understood their worry, given if he were in their shoes he would probably feel the same, but after Ava, he was really too furious to care.

    He cared about the twins like his own family. They were young and quite innocent and were always nice to him. If only he could do something to help would make him feel better.

    He was on his way out when he crossed paths with his brother. Christian was in the hospital and then the pack house all night and the bags under his eyes made it evident that he was tired. Upon asking he simply said he was going to see Ashton which, at that time, was a true statement.

    Ashton was already devastated and Caleb felt that he should stay next to him. However on his way he felt a tinge in his heart as part of him felt guilty for not warning Ashton about the omega situation earlier. If only he remembered that the twins are in potential danger too. He simply assumed that everyone he is close to will be alright.

    Feeling frustrated he decided to stop his car near the park and tried to trace the smell once more. It was almost gone, but still enough for him to trace. He put his phone on silent mode and walked cautiously, looking out everywhere he went.

    He reached the empty warehouse his brother talked about and looked around for any clue. Even if the omegas aren''t here, someone must have come there to spread the scent, and maybe they left something behind. He started to look around the bushes around the building. It was hard not to make any noise so he tried to keep them as low as possible.

    He was searching for any lost possessions from the criminal when he noticed something on the wall. Dark red splatter across a major portion of the wall was hard not to notice, but this wall being at the back side was frequently missed by onlookers. The marks got him thinking, Did his brother miss this? Or was it not here when he came here yesterday.

    At that moment he felt his brother trying to link him, but he didn''t respond and pushed the link back so he could focus at the moment. He was sure if his brother found out he was here, he would definitely flip out. It seemed to be dried blood but if only he could confirm it at the moment.

    Suddenly Caleb heard a sound in the bushes and turned around like a reflex. He saw a half covered face of a man, who had a scent of an Alpha, which was mixed with the commercial pheromones. He wasn''t sure of the purpose but something about that original scent felt familiar. "So you are the hidden omega"? He smirked, holding out a picture which had Caleb''s face on it.

    Caleb''s eyes widened as he realised whoever he was, or whoever sent him, given how he was carrying a photo, they knew about Caleb''s true identity. The man took down his mask and at that very moment Caleb froze on his spot. The face belonged to the same wolf who tried to attack him once back at the Camazur beach.

    Why was he here? Who was he? Exactly whom is he working with? All these questions flooded inside his head. These were accompanied by a faint memory that he repressed at the back of his head, and soon his entire body was overtaken by fear.

    Caleb knew that the wolf was strong, and he was determined as hell to not give up without a fight, but somehow he found his feet not following his command as they stood frozen at one spot. He tried to link his brother, but unfortunately even that didn''t work. He further began to shake as that man took his steps further towards Caleb.

 Chapter 78 - I Have A Plan

    Caleb took deep breaths while he tried to muster up all the courage he had it in him despite the horrible memory knocking at his head like constantly. When that man was face to face with him, he smirked, but at that moment as if something overtook Caleb, he punched that man straight in the jaw.

    The man backed off, wincing in pain and anger as he held his jaw. The blow was strong enough to cause at least a mild fracture, but being an Alpha he healed fast. "So you want to put on a fight"? The man smirked. Caleb gulped as he tried to come up with the further strategy to get out of this situation.

    The man strangled him using his bare hand and tried to restrict Caleb''s movements. Caleb struggled once more to get out of the hold and did his best to push away the hand, soon enough the horrible memory flashed right in front of his eyes and he felt the power drain from his hands.

    Suddenly, the glare coupled with a tinge of satisfying smirk of that man changed into disgust as he sniffed a strong burning scent irritating him. He let go of Caleb and turned around only to receive a kick on the crotch causing him to fall down with excruciating pain.

    "Stay away from my mate"! Ashton growled at him with a much more deeper voice than usual. There was a hint of Alpha command in his voice that felt overbearing to the man writhing in pain on the ground. Before the man could even move an inch away from his original position a series of punches started to rain on him.

    Ashton beat him up to pulp, with his complete strength and in the process maybe he fractured way too many bones. Caleb, noticing that Ashton was about to become a killer, tried his best to pull him away. "Let him go, you will kill him"! He struggled to pull him away. "Ashton, Calm down"! He kept screaming in his ears to bring him out of his murderous haze.

    When Ashton was significantly away he turned around to shout, "Let me kill him"! But Caleb still blocked his way making Ashton more furious. Ashton turned around and pushed him to the bloody wall, (and thus ruining a perfect crime scene). "What the hell are you doing"?

    "Damn"! Caleb mumbled as he felt his back hit the wall. Ashton glared at Caleb for a moment before it broke down to an almost teary eyes. "What the hell were you thinking? Coming here all by yourself"! Ashton hissed at him.

    "Hey, I already have an overbearing family without you acting so overprotective". Caleb huffed.

    "Overprotective"? Ashton pulled him by his collar and brought their faces close to each other. "I am already going crazy over Ava, I don''t need you to make things harder for me"! He scolded him.

    Caleb remained silent as he gazed at Ashton''s eyes intently. Those glowing red eyes, on careful observation, seemed desperate yet concerned. Seeing his face, Caleb''s stubborn demeanor vanished and he presented Ashton with an apologetic expression. This morning he wanted to make things easier for Ashton, but unfortunately he ended up making things more complicated.

    Ashton, loosening his fist, removed his hand from Caleb''s collar and put it on his neck. He gazed at Caleb the way you gaze at something precious when you find it after you thought you have lost it forever. Caleb could tell Ashton cared for him, even if the other never uttered those words directly.

    "Ahh" Caleb gasped when Ashton pulled him by his neck only to engulf him in a giant hug. Ashton hugged him as tight as he could, making it harder for Caleb to breathe. Caleb simply grazed his hands over Ashtons back to calm down.

    Meanwhile, Ashton nestled his head in Caleb''s neck where he could smell the other''s pheromones. Turns out, when Ashton released his pheromones, it caused Caleb''s scent to come out as well. While Ashton''s own scent masked most of it, it was still fresh at the nape of his neck. Somehow the scent seemed to calm his angry self down because his red eyes turned to a darker shade gradually.

    Meanwhile that man was barely conscious and stayed almost still with his bloody face and broken bones. For a moment both of them almost forgot about his existence until they heard the sound of breaking bones. That man turned into a rusty brown wolf and tried to run away.

    Ashton tried to follow him, to stop him from running away but Caleb stopped him once more, "Let him go! Trust me". Caleb tried his level best to convince Ashton while he held onto his wrist tightly with all the strength he could muster.

    When the wolf had disappeared from his sight Ashton snarled at Caleb, "How can you let him go? After what he tried to do to you"?

    "Relax, I have a plan". He tried to convince him, but suddenly something clicked, "Wait, what do you mean ''he tried to do''? What are you talking about"?

    "The other day, it was him right? Who tried to mark you"? Ashton fumed with anger.

    "How do youˇ­? You saw it in my head"? Caleb whispered with trembling lips.

    Ashton nodded at him before saying, "That''s how I knew you were here. I saw it, everything". He described.

    "How did you get inside my head? I don''t remember you trying to link me"? Caleb asked him curiously.

    "I don''t know. I was trying to link with you for a long time. I wanted to tell you that Ava was able to reach out" Ashton informed him.

    "Really"? Caleb explained. Ashton told him everything he knew, including the brief interaction he had with his brother. "I see" Caleb mumbled once Ashton was done.

    "By the way, what did you mean that you have a plan"? Ashton asked after a few seconds.

    "I knew coming here was dangerous, so I put on a tracker or myself. When you were punching him I attached that same tracker to his hair, before pulling you away" Caleb winked followed by a smirk. Ashton stared at Caleb suspiciously for a moment, trying to figure out if the other was lying or not. After a moment Ashton''s expression softened, giving away the fact that he was convinced.

    "Why his hair"? Ashton asked him and cringed a little bit.

    "He abandoned his clothes when he shifted" he pointed at the torn bloody apparel lying on the ground, "At least he didn''t shed his hair". Caleb shrugged.

    "Quick thinking,".Ashton smirked. "So now what"? Ashton asked Caleb.

    "Let''s take this back to the pack house. Let''s figure out who this b*****d is", Caleb declared.

    Ashton being perceived as a human won''t be easily allowed in their house, however since it was Caleb, ie their young master, who brought him, it''s not like anyone could say no to him. From the moment he entered the hallway he couldn''t help but stare at the walls. They resembled the royalty with many portraits depicting the folklores of lycanthrope. If an actual human came to this house they might find some of these pictures freaky, or on the other hand might just find them whimsical.

    Ashton''s pace was slower than usual despite his urgency while he absorbed the surroundings. Caleb, who had walked far away, turned around to see Ashton''s mouth agape while he looked around. A tiny smile crept on his face while he witnessed the innocent curious expression on Ashton''s face. Maybe if things were different he could show Ashton around the house. He would love to see more of that fascination on Ashton''s face.

    At the end of the corridor he waited for Ashton to catch up. When he finally arrived Caleb invited him in. "This isˇ­ your room"? Ashton asked reluctantly.

    "Yes" Caleb smiled, "You can sit here, let me get my laptop". Caleb nudged him towards his bed. The mattress was way softer than his own bed and thus extremely comfortable. He won''t mind spending the night in the pack house if he could sleep in such a soft bed.

    He looked around and noticed how tidy the room was, which made him a little wary of how his place was messy as hell. Next time Caleb comes to their house Ashton will make sure he cleans up.

    Sitting next to him, Caleb opened his laptop. He opened some application, which showed a map and a moving dot on it, "He is by the bayou, and according to the tracker history he hasn''t moved from here for a really long time". Caleb pointed on the screen.

    "If he is related to the whole situation, which seems highly likely then maybe this is where Ava and the rest of the wolves are" Caleb suggested. "Let''s go"! He was about to get out up from the bed when Ashton pulled on his hoodie causing him to fall on Ashton, "Now what"? annoyed, and a little bit flustered, Caleb asked.

    "Your brother asked me not to be stupid. Let''s involve him, cause this seems really dangerous" Ashton suggested.

    "You will be okay with that"? Caleb asked him. Ashton, realising that any reckless action could endanger his sisters life, nodded at Caleb. "Fine, I will ask him to come here". and with that he pulled himself away from Ashton and looked away to hide his blush.

 Chapter 79 - At The Bayou

    Christian barged into the room and started scolding, "Are you nuts? Why the hell were you trying to solve this all alone despite me telling you countless times not to! If working alone was that effective we won''t need a pack"!

    "I said I am sorry", Caleb put on his puppy eyes, "plus we got a lead" he tried to use that as an excuse.

    "We are not done young man, after we are done with this, you''re grounded. You won''t be stepping out of this house for two months". Christian ordered in his Alpha command voice. Caleb gulped seeing his brother this serious. His parents were quick to ground him, so he didn''t care much but if it was his brother, then he knew he screwed up big time.

    "What if I have heat"? Caleb shrugged pining for a loophole. "You don''t give out scents anymore, remember? You are good to stay here". Ashton remained quiet in the background as the Wrisberg brothers dealt with their stuff.

    Once they were silent for long enough he asked, "Can I have a white paper, and a pencil or a pen"? Both the brothers gave him an odd look before Caleb handed one that was lying on his table to Ashton. Using the table at the nightstand he started to draw something. After around 20 minutes a rough sketch of the man they recently dealt with.

    Both the brothers gawked at the sketch before looking at each other. Caleb''s expression was filled with amusement while Christian had a confusing frown. "Who is he"? Christian asked.

    "Thisˇ­ is the man we are looking for". Caleb mumbled. "I never knew you could draw! This is awesome"! Caleb complimented him, taking the page away from him. Ashton simply remained quiet and let them inspect the portrait carefully. "Does he look familiar to you"? Caleb asked his brother.

    Christian shook his head before taking it from him, "I can ask Dad about it, then we can head off to the bayou".

    "Great, can''t wait"! Caleb exclaimed.

    "Oh you''re not coming". Christian glared at his brother. "... and neither are you" he turned around to Ashton.

    A sudden shock overtook his face as he questioned him, "And why the hell not"?!

    "Aren''t you the one who is obsessed with guarding your secret? My Dad will be there, many pack members will be there, you think you can handle yourself? Plus I doubt ''humans'' are allowed to join in our pack hunt". Christian shrugged and left.

    "But Iˇ­" before Ashton could say anything Christian left the room. Ashton turned around to Caleb and unloaded on him instead, "How the hell he can expect me to sit idle and do nothing when my sister is in danger"? He voiced loudly.

    "Feels frustrating, doesn''t it"? Caleb smirked.

    "Yes"! Ashton exclaimed before he noticed to sly smirk on Caleb''s face. "Okay, I see what you did there". He mumbled.

    "I know it''s hard to sit idle, but it''s better than doing the wrong thing impulsively. I mean, I was glad when you showed up back thereˇ­ otherwise I could have ended up dead on spot". Caleb confessed. "Don''t worry, I will keep linking my brother every half an hour. In case he doesn''t let me, then we can go personally". He assured Ashton. After giving it a proper thought, he agreed to Caleb''s plan.

    ~~~~~~

    Christian informed his father about the tiny mishap that occurred while at the warehouse. He modified certain facts to hide his brother and his mate''s secrets, like how it was him who fended off that wolf. Or how Christian was with him the whole time when that happened.

    His father accepted the story and decided to check out the bayou taking many of his wolves along with him. Most of the Alphas and few betas accompanied them making their total count to thirty. They searched the entire area where Caleb''s tracker showed the location. The whole place was either surrounded by trees since the bayou was in the middle of the woods, or it was simply the flowing water.

    "I doubt if anyone is here. Even if they kept the omegas here where would they keep them? There is no place". Christian mumbled, while he stood right next to his dad.

    "We found something"! A man shouted from the other side of the road. Everyone gathered around the source of the call to see a dead bloody rusty brown wolf lying on the floor. It was brutally injured to the point it could not recover. Christian knew Ashton beat him up, but to what extent did he beat him? Was Ashton the reason that wolf died? If the wolf died on his way then the tracker was useless.

    Trying to link his brother be asked, [how bad did Ashton beat him?]

    [Why? Pretty bad, he would need at least a few days to recover] Caleb asked.

    [The wolf is dead. It''s lying in the middle of nowhere. This whole thing was useless]

    [Noˇ­ it can''t be. If Ashton almost killed him he wouldn''t have been able to shift let alone run like that. I don''t think it''s Ashton who killed him. Ariel said there is water nearby, look around a little bit more, please. Maybe they are still there] Caleb pleaded.

    His brother sighed before continuing, [Look, I know you are trying to protect him, that you are desperate to find her. But believe me there is literally nothing here! We have searched the entire area.] His brother exclaimed. [I will be home soon, we need to fi-] His conversation with his brother was cut short when Christian heard another group of wolves calling them. [I gotta go, I will talk to you later] Christian informed Caleb before cutting down the link.

    They walked by the river to a tiny cave-like entrance. Having never been here before they were quite intrigued and curious about what was inside. A major part of them hoped that they would find the lost omegas there, but unfortunately it was too dark for them to see anything. The only scent this place emitted was a strong peppermint fragrance which seemed kind of out of place.

    As wolves they had quite the sharp vision, and the ability to see much clearer in dark than regular humans, however it was still a bit harder to see in this pitch black environment. Luckily, one of them had a flashlight with her, so they used it to look around the cave. There was a tiny stream that flowed from the cave, and all the walls, which were made of thick large locks, were mostly wet. However, there was no sign of any life present inside this cave, not even a tiny plant.

    The tiny ray of hope that flickered in them a while ago vanished one more time. "Let''s retreat" Mr Wrisberg ordered everyone. On their way out, due to the slippery nature of the rocks, one of them slipped and went straight down the cliff like depression. All them halted due to the large scream they heard and tried to look down, able to find literally nothing.

    "Mason, you there"!? One of the wolves shouted. They waited for any sort of reply that would give them a flicker of hope. The one who called a moment ago, called for Mason once more, getting desperate by the moment. After almost a whole min the wolves heard his voice. "Come down here! They are here"!

    "What"? Christian mumbled. Mr. Wrisberg looked around while everyone looked at him, waiting for the next command.

    "Use those ropes and anchor it to something up here. Let''s abseil down there" Mr Wrisberg ordered. Following his instructions they collected the ropes he was pointing at and some found some extra ropes as well. After reaching below, amdist the dark they heard some whimpering noises. The one who brought the flashlight with him switched it on to see multiple women tied to ropes and what not.

    There condition was too horrible to not let it bother them. "Let''s get them out of here" Mr Wrisberg ordered before looking around for anyone else, perhaps the perpetrator to this whole incident. Finding no one he looked around to count the number of people who were present there. Making the total count to twenty two, they rescued all of them. The total count was indeed more than what they calculated, denoting that how they missed many omegas because there was simply no one to report them.

    They climbed back, with almost each person carrying at least one omega on their backs. Most of them were unconscious, few of them were terrified and flinched back every time someone tried to approach them. He had no idea exactly what had happened in here, but he knew it wasn''t something nice.

    It was Christian who found Ava lying on the floor as if she was asleep. He was surprised and glad to see her without any scars whatsoever. Taking her in her arms he climbed as well. The last one to leave the area was Mr. Wrisberg. He wanted to make sure everyone was safe before he left. While everyone was busy taking the omegas away, he was busy looking for clues. He collected the pieces of clothes or blood stains he could find. He took a final glance at the entire area before he headed out himself.

 Chapter 80 - Rescued

    "What did your brother say"? Ashton asked Caleb exactly 30 minutes later. Caleb was taken aback for a moment, but before he could deny that they didn''t chat his brother linked him. To have a proper conversation Caleb raised his hand, stopping Ashton so that he and his brother could have a proper conversation.

    Once he was done, he turned back to Ashton telling him that they were about to give up, but for some reason he had to let go. "Do you think it''s something serious? Should we go"? Ashton''s lips trembled. Caleb sighed before shrugging.

    "I will try contacting him again after a while, don''t worry let''s not complicate the situation further". Caleb tried to reassure Ashton. After around another half an hour, once more it was his brother who contacted him.

    [Caleb, we found them. The lost omegas, more than we knew were missing.]

    [That is great!] He exclaimed in his mind. Ashton who didn''t fail to notice his sudden beaming expression jolted up from the bed to ask him what happened, but Caleb once more asked him to hold up. [Where are they? Is Ava there? Can we see her?] He Bombarded his brother with all these questions.

    [Everyone is taken to the pack hospital. You can come if you want butˇ­ make sure Dad doesn''t see you. Take the emergency exit] his brother suggested. Letting go of the link he literally almost shouted at Ashton.

    "They found all the lost wolves! They found Ava"! Caleb''s corner of the lips stretched beyond its limits as he couldn''t stop himself from smiling. Even Ashton who barely showed any kind of positive reaction smiled, while happy tears threatened to roll down his cheeks.

    Excited, he jumped on Caleb and hugged him even tighter. "She is safe, Caleb. She is safe". Ashton mumbled in a quivering voice. Caleb could tell that Ashton was very emotional right now, and after hearing the shift in Ashton''s voice, so was he.

    Caleb hugged him back and they remained in this position for a while, mainly because Ashton didn''t want to show his tears, so he was wiping them away sloppily on Caleb''s shirt. Unfortunately for him though, Caleb can feel the wetness on his shoulders, so he knew Ashton was crying, but he decided not to bring it up.

    After the long hug, Caleb popped the question, "You want to see her"?

    "Oh god yes"! Ashton exclaimed. "Butˇ­ can I? Won''t your whole pack be there"? Reluctantly, he asked.

    "Don''t worry. They are at the pack hospital. Your mom and Ariel are already there, just blend in with them. I know how to get you in there without getting caught by my Dad" Caleb winked.

    "It sounds like your hospital has a very promising security". Ashton remarked sarcastically. Caleb rolled his eyes, while glad that Ashton was back to his old, somewhat playful sarcastic, self. They headed off to the hospital.

    ~~~~~

    Ashton wore a hoodie which he really didn''t need, and also that it belonged to Caleb, and tried to avoid as many gazes as he could on his way in by keeping his head low. In fact even Caleb helped hide by guarding him as much as he could. Not that it made him invisible or anything, but still it made him quite inconspicuous.

    Since Ariel was supposed to be discharged today, Mrs Parker was here the whole day, and now that her other daughter was back she stayed back along with Ariel. Both of them stared at Ava''s lifeless form while the doctors put her on medications. Ashton joined them, while Caleb diverged to meet Christian and his father.

    Ashton gazed at Ava with a straight face, while his heart crumbled from the inside. Even if he wasn''t the reason for it, he hated that he couldn''t protect his sister from this danger, and glad that she was back. Her lifeless form and pale lips made her look like a zombie, which is why he was relieved when the doctor said she is just severely dehydrated which is interfering with her healing.

    She should recover sooner than anyone whom they rescued today. Ashton looked around the room and realized that indeed her sister was in the best situation, and feared to even imagine what they went through. All the families were notified and one by one they were starting to arrive. Some being far away still needed some time to come.

    Caleb found his Dad talking to a few of the wolves and his brother at the reception. Weighing his options he decided it was best to approach his brother to ask what had exactly happened. In the excitement of Ava and the others being found he forgot to ask about the whole situation.

    "Did you find out who was behind all of this"? Caleb popped up the question, prompting his brother too look up to him from the papers he was writing on.

    "No, unfortunately we are not 100% sure. Something killed that wolf, and if it''s no-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence, realising he can''t mention Ashton. In the periphery Caleb notified a suspicious glance of his father on the. "I mean, if it''s not a suicide, which seems highly unlikely, we have no idea who killed him. Or who was behind all of this". Christian mumbled.

    His Dad approached both of them and ordered Christian. "Go home, both of you. I will spend the entire night here. These omegas are back but they are still not safe. As long as they are here, I don''t want any of them going missing. Meanwhile, make sure no one is discharged yet". He nodded indicating mainly about Ava since she would recover quite soon. Turning around he paused and looked at Caleb. "Nicely done", said with a slight nod and left.

    Caleb stood there shocked, glued to his own spot while his brother suppressed his laughter. "Did he justˇ­ approve of someone I did? Me, his younger son, Caleb"?

    "So it seems", chuckled his brother before getting back to his papers. Caleb went back to ward to find the whole family in the same position as they were when he left. He felt bad for intruding, but at this moment he had no choice. He approached them and both mother and daughter gave him a sad smile.

    "How are you doing"? He asked little Ariel with an apologetic smile.

    "Much better"! She tried to smile. "Thank you for taking care of us". Her sincere words touched Caleb which in turn made him feel guilty for not informing them in the right time. Which is why he decided not to make the same mistake.

    "Can I ask you something"? He asked. She nodded at him with a warm smile, encouraging him to continue. "I know it''s been a little hard lately, and that Ariel is still pretty tired. Butˇ­ Can you guys stay here for the night? The things are still quite unsure, so I think staying here with everyone else will be much safer. I am sure my Dad will come up with some or the other way. He is annoying, but he is great when it comes to taking care of the pack". He chuckled.

    "I think that''s actually a great idea. Ariel is still not discharged yet, she just came running to see her sister" She smiled. "I will see if I can transfer her to this ward and they can sleep here". Mrs Parker suggested.

    "I won''t sleep" Ariel protested so her mom patted her head.

    "I know you are worried about your sister, but what if you are too tired to talk to her when she finally wakes up? She is getting her share of rest, you get yours too". Mrs Parker suggested.

    "But-"

    "No buts. Go to sleep, I promise if she wakes up I will wake you up. You were awake the whole night yesterday, you need some rest". Her mother told her in a warm yet a little bit stern voice. She nodded meekly before sitting down in the empty bed next to her sister.

    ~~~

    It was a long day for the Parker family. With everything that''s been going on, it was exhausting for them. Caleb spotted Ashton, half asleep next to the vending machine, his face hidden perfectly by the hoodie along with his head posture. Everytime Ashton drifted off, he jolted back to his seat, seemingly alert before repeating the same cycle.

    Taking an energy drink from the vending machine, he sat down next to Ashton, who was too tired to realize that someone was beside him. "Ashton, you told me you like your soft bed, why are you sleeping in a hospital chair" Caleb started the conversation as a joke.

    Ashton, who was too tired to get that mumbled in half asleep state, "Your''s is softer" before jolting back once more.

    "I know you are tired, and I can imagine why". Caleb began. "If you don''t want to go back home, it''s fine. But get some proper rest". He nudged him on the side with his shoulder. Ashton turned around to look at him with half opened eyes before putting his head on Caleb''s shoulder. After all, his shoulder was much more comfortable than keeping his head floating.

 Chapter 81 - Self Defense

    Ashton sluggishly opened his eyes to find himself lying on someone. He was in a sitting posture and yet quite comfortable. Sitting straight, he looked at the person he was leaning on who was looking back at him with a smile, "Had a good nap"? Caleb smirked.

    After a big yawn Ashton spoke, "I think. How long was I out"?

    Checking his watch, Caleb replied, "About two hours".

    "Oh my god! Ava-" Ashton started to wonder when Caleb cut him off.

    "She is still not awake. Which brings me back to my next question, why were you sleeping here"? Caleb raised one of his eyebrows.

    "I wasn''t exactly planning to sleep. I simply came here to get some coffee, I was quite sure I could hold up. When I sat down to check my messages I got drowsy, I guess. Why are you here? And why did you put my head on your shoulder"? Ashton asked sternly.

    "Hey! You did it yourself! I just sat next to you. Don''t you remember anything"? Caleb said in a louder voice. Ashton eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was lying or not before shaking his head no.

    "I am not used to staying awake for the whole night, but yesterday I couldn''t sleep even for a second. I guess I couldn''t hold it any longer anymore" Ashton sighed. He looked at Caleb with a soft expression on his face and Caleb looked back at him. "I want to say I am sorry, and thank you".

    "Why"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows.

    "I got mad at you this morning, but you helped me. I know you wanted to save Ava, and did your best" Ashton smiled.

    "Of course, I was worried about her too, you know". Caleb patted Ashton''s back. "Don''t worry, she will be fine".

    Ashton nodded at him and a comfortable silence surrounded them. After a while, Ashton spoke, "I was thinkingˇ­" he paused, still hesitant to continue.

    Caleb encouraged him to talk by a simple "Hm"?

    "How do you feel about teaching my sisters self defense"? Ashton popped the question.

    Caleb, shocked, looked at him, "M..me"? he stammered. "Why me? I mean, you are their brother, why can''t you teach them"?

    "Because, I myself don''t know". Ashton mumbled.

    "What"? Christian asked, half shocked, half in disbelief.

    "I mean, I am strong in general and more or less I can fight I guess. But I never had any formal training". He shrugged. "I took judo once, but I learned them from humans, so no training part for the wolves. Since you know about all the techniques, I was hoping you can teach them". Ashton explained.

    "Are you sure about this"? Caleb asked.

    Ashton nodded, "In any pack I have never seen them train the omegas, they always believe that omegas are weak and thus it''s pointless. But I think it is just them trying to oppress them but I think that knowing how to protect themselves would be much betterˇ­ So? Will you do it"? He asked with a straight face, but his mild involuntary leg shaking gave away the fact that he was anxious.

    "I...I guess I could," Caleb nodded. "While we''re at it do you want me to train you as well"? Nudging he asked Ashton with a teasing smirk.

    Ashton gave him an unamused expression, "Sounds great, but I doubt that would be necessary" Ashton mumbled.

    "Why? Because you''re so strong"? Caleb asked him derisively.

    "No, because, like I said, I need training about the wolf part. I barely shift. It''s been more than six months since I am here, and I have shifted not more than twice. That too, not for any greater purpose". Ashton rolled his eyes. "I don''t like to be involved in such wolf business, remember"? Ashton raised his eyebrows.

    Caleb nodded, recalling, how sooner or later Ashton will leave for good. Even if Ashton has marked him, it''s not like Caleb can actually stop him. When Ashton called him his mate earlier this day, he felt a tinge of hope but maybe it was nothing but a slip of tongue. Asking him to stay would be too selfish of him, right? "Well, it never hurts to be prepared" Caleb mumbled, trying to hide his disappointment.

    "I guess. Maybe someday I will give it a try, but for now, make my sisters the priority". Ashton said. "I think I should get going. I have been gone for two hours already". Ashton brushed himself off after getting up.

    "Wait", Caleb called out. Taking a can of cold coffee from the fridge, he gave it to Ashton, "Two hour nap is not enough for a whole night of sleep. Have this". Handing it over to him, he left.

    Finishing his drink he went back to ward, avoiding more gazes than earlier since many families have arrived by now. He found his sister Ava sitting on the bed while his mom coaxed her softly. Wait, did Caleb lie? Or did she just wake up?

    Sitting next to Ava, opposite to his mother, Ashton brushed his hand on her hair, "How are you feeling"?

    "A little tired. I am just happy to be back". She smiled despite her deranged appearance. Seeing her strive through so much twitched his heart. "I am glad you found us. So glad"!

    "Of course". Ashton patted her head. That moment Caleb arrived next to them and greeted Ava with a playful smile, hiding his worry quite well.

    "Caleb"! Excited she hugged him, making Ashton feel a tiny bit jealous (of whom? Even he wasn''t sure). They exchanged their greetings and chatted for a while.

    After the casual conversation was over, assuming a much formal stance he asked, "If it''s alright with you, can you tell me what happened? How did you end up there? And what did you do"?

    "Well, that day when Ariel passed out, I went to get help. I saw this man who was nearby, so I asked him. I remember him agreeing to help...butˇ­ that''s all I remember the park. The next thing I knew is I wasˇ­ blindfolded and hands and feet were tied up. Iˇ­ I would have protested but I heard screamsˇ­ it was scary. I was worried what they would do to me once they found outˇ­ that I was awake. So, I pretended to be unconscious". She mumbled, gradually lowering her voice as she progressed with her recollection of the events.

    Even if it sounded so horrible, Caleb and Ashton both were a little bit proud of her, that instead of panicking like anyone would, she was careful and didn''t lose her mind even in such a dire situation. Taking out his phone from the pocket he showed Ava the picture of the man that Ashton drew earlier that day. "Is this him? The man you saw in the park"? Caleb asked her.

    Narrowing her eyes at the pic she mumbled, "No. This person seems young. Whom I found was actually quite old, literally a grandpa. This man clearly looks suspicious, why on earth would I approach him"? Ava remarked with sass which earned her a chuckle from all of her family and Caleb.

    An old man? Who could it be? Just a coincidence or part of something bigger. If only Ashton could see inside of her head and draw them another picture. Taking his leave he went to look for his brother, who himself had returned from interrogating another Omega who woke up.

    "I know what happened with Ava" Caleb started to tell her story and explained to him everything, including the case with the picture.

    "You know what''s odd"? Christian mumbled after Caleb was done. "I showed the same pic to Valerie Durance, she didn''t recognize him either. In fact she never saw anyone''s face." Christian spoke.

    "So, how did she disappear"?

    "She came out of her house to take out the trash, and next thing she knew was that she was held hostage" Christian sighed. "Given how close her house is to us, it''s really weird that someone managed to take her without getting noticed, especially when we are on our guard".

    "Do you think it''s someone close to us"? Caleb questioned.

    "Could be, could be not" Christian sighed. "I still can''t figure out how someone won''t notice her being taken away. Like literally no one who was on patrol remembers seeing her".

    "How about you ask them if they saw an old man"? Maybe they can at least tell how he looked like, or even describe him well enough to get another sketch.

    Chritian beamed, "That''s actually not bad, I will see to it", and he left.

    Turning around he found Ashton looking at him, but luckily his face was covered by the hospital mask. [Why are you here?] Caleb linked him, not wanting to start a verbal conversation there. Without waiting for any reply he dragged him. When they were in a secluded area, Ashton spoke, "I knew you were going to your brother, I wanted to hear what he had to say. Maybe I could have deduced something". He proposed.

    "Okay, don''t take this the wrong way, but now that your sister is back can you try not to get involved? You are only putting yourself in danger. What happens if they find out about you"? Caleb tried to put some sense into him.

    "They came after my sister, it''s personal". Ashton declared. "Don''t worry, I am not going to do anything reckless, but I will kill that b*****d who did all of this". Ashton snarled, grinding his teeth in the process.

 Chapter 82 - Black And White

    New rules were implemented soon following the incident. Like a tracker system that would help them identify their location. Numerous CCTV cameras were put in the whole area to make sure nothing goes unnoticed. In fact, they even opened the old kindergarten school, which would actually serve as a safehouse for the vagabond omegas.

    Following the retrieval of the omegas, any new incidents didn''t occur for a very long time. Few months had passed, but unlike last time, the security measures remained top notch as if all of that happened yesterday. The summer break was over, and following the opening of schools, the security arrangements needed to be modified, especially since most of the omegas who were at risk were the school going ones.

    Speaking of which, following the incident, Mrs Parker was invited to live with them within the pack boundaries, along with her ''human'' son. While initially reluctant, Ashton convinced him that it was for the best, and since he was good at hiding, he would manage. She finally agreed on the terms that it will be a temporary move, thus keeping the house near the woods still under her name. She thought that during his rut, or anything related to his wolf, Ashton could use that place all to himself .

    Caleb, as promised, spent a lot of time training the omegas. While initially it was just Ava and Ariel, when his brother found out about this arrangement he proposed to their father for the same. Many members of their pack, predominantly the Alphas and a very few Dom-betas were against this, although not everyone expressed their objections, the majority voted ''agreed'' for the training session.

    Here however, since all of them were omegas, many thought it would be unfair for an alpha to teach them, (at least that''s what Caleb was to them) and requested a beta on the job. Since it became a joint training session, Caleb had less time to meet Ashton. Days would go by when he didn''t see him, and with the mark and his accelerating feelings for the other, it was kind of hard for him to spend days without even a simple glimpse of the other.

    Meanwhile, Ashton kept having really confusing feelings for Caleb. Many a times he felt a strong pull towards him which could be an effect of the marking. Even if they haven''t established their relationship like that, the mark demanded a mate bond. When Ashton marked him, he imagined that he would be able to handle it, however it was proving to be much more difficult.

    For example, he found himself staring at Caleb for an inappropriate amount of time. He even got caught by Caleb, so he brushed it off by saying that he had something on his face, which wasn''t really that hard cause some days he had minor bruises due to the effect of training.

    He did miss seeing him in the school once his junior year began. On top of it, Caleb''s absence did have a negative impact on the school. The bullying in general had increased by quite a disturbing amount. Whenever Ashton found someone, he tried to fight them without giving away his secret, but it was still hard. It was as if the bullies were there all along but hiding due to Caleb.

    He wanted to abandon the soccer team, due to Dylan Pyrce, the new jerk leader, who was also an Sub-Alpha of a neighboring pack. Now that Matt was not here anymore, he was elected de-facto for the time being. He used to think Matt was irritating, but turns out he was far better than this jerk, taking advantage of his position to harass his teammates. In fact, despite hating useless responsibilities, he decided to run for Captain during the tryouts.

    Their coach was much more impressed by Ashton than he was with Dylan, also, even he was aware of how nasty Dylan could be, making Ashton a much more favorable choice. When Ashton won the position, he decided to give up his job, due to having much less time with soccer and studies. Mrs Meyers was sad to let him go, but after all it couldn''t be helped. Before Dylan could attack Ashton, in a very subtle way he let him and his lackeys know that he was quite close with Caleb. Even in his absence his name was feared.

    A lot changed during the past few months, and everyone was still getting adjusted to the new normal. Therefore, to take a break, Ashton decided to head towards his old house after his school one day. He missed living there, free of constant fear of getting discovered. What he didn''t expect was to see Caleb there, bringing back those confusing feelings once more.

    "Why are you here"? asked Ashton, trying to hide his fluster.

    "I was patrolling nearby, what about you"? Caleb asked back.

    "All by yourself"? Ashton asked skeptically.

    "Yeah, wolves rarely come here, since no one actually lives here". Caleb shrugged. "But I still thought I should check it out, once in a while". He shrugged.

    "I come here, time to time." Ashton said with a flat face. He wasn''t entirely convinced with Caleb''s words and very suspicious of the other''s true motives.

    "Which is why, it''s important that I check out from time to time. You aren''t exactly the fighter in wolf form" Caleb teased him.

    Rolling his eyes, Ashton got inside his house and without any invitation, Caleb followed him with a satisfied smirk. "So? What brings you here"? Caleb pestered.

    Ashton considered for a moment, whether or not he should tell him, ultimately decided to tell him. "I haven''t shifted in a long time. I need to shift". He was waiting for a scared expression, or not any expression at all, but Caleb gave him an amused expression instead. "Why are you smiling"? Ashton asked him skeptically.

    "Well, I have only seen you in your wolf form once, thanks to your secret keeping. Of course I am excited"! Caleb said in a matter-of-factly manner.

    "You are weird," Ashton mumbled. He put his stuff on the house and looked nearby if anyone else apart from the two of them were present there or not. It was part of his whole pre-shift routine, and Caleb watched his antics carefully, getting further amused by him as the minutes passed by.

    He stood in the yard, taking deep breaths as he prepared himself for the pain of bone breaking. With time wolves are supposed to get used to it, but his shiftings were way too limited for it to apply to him. At first, his face morphed gradually, producing a snout and growing fur, along with whole body. Like a click, he jumped into the air, completed his transformation mid air and landed on the ground as the pitch black wolf.

    In the afternoon daylight, the view was much clearer to Caleb, and thus he found himself admiring the magnificent majestic beast. In their wolf forms Caleb was probably almost half of this original size, which made him frown for a moment, but it clicked with him that maybe he can still talk to the wolf.

    [How are you feeling?] Linking, Caleb asked Ashton.

    Turning his giant head around he looked at Caleb, [Wow, I love how tiny you look now that I am in my wolf form] Ashton teased. Caleb chuckled at that, before deciding to shift as well. Indeed Caleb had a harder time looking up to his face now. He hated his wolf''s tiny form, which only seemed tiny next to Ashton.

    Standing face to face, even with their disproportionate sizes, they displayed the perfect opposite of the colour pallette. A Pitch black wolf and a Snow white wolf, as if the famous Yin Yang of ancient cultures. An onlooker could definitely tell exactly how suited they were for each other.

    Caleb, not letting the size bother him any more asked, [Wanna fight me?] Ashton could literally feel the smirk on the wolves face, even if it wasn''t as prominent in the wolf form.

    [Are you sure?] Ashton asked cautiously. The white wolf nodded his head vigorously. [Go ahead, attack me first!] He challenged further.

    Letting out a large growl Ashton pounced on him, but before he could actually reach Caleb, he managed to slip away. Before Ashton could react, Caleb made his move, scratching through his thick skin over his flank, earning him a painful growl from Ashton. It hasn''t been even a minute yet and Caleb had already managed to injure him. Ashton wondered how long he would last in an actual battle, especially if he fought against many wolves. What if sheer strength doesn''t prove to be that much helpful.

    Failure didn''t sit well with him, and determined to get the other, Ashton tried a couple more times, but each time Caleb managed to slip out and or twice he ended up hurting him. Caleb didn''t really enjoy seeing Ashton in pain. On the contrary, everytime Ashton let out a muffled shriek, his heart twitched knowing well enough that the pain had to be that significant to make Ashton wince, let alone let out groan in pain.

    All Caleb wanted was to convince Ashton to take training. Even if he never wanted to be part of this world of wolves, he could never change the fact that he was a wolf himself. Knowing how to fight was more important for him regarding defensive purposes. With that in mind he continued their somewhat playful fight until the sun went down.

 Chapter 83 - Convinced

    Once they were done, they sat down on the stairs of the front door gazing at the sunset, which was not quite clear thanks to the trees. Grazing his eyes through the sharp scars along his arms Ashton complained, "Would you look at these scars? How deep did you scratch that they are still not healed"?

    "Relax, you''ll be fine by tonight, or at max by tomorrow morning" Caleb shrugged.

    "I want a rematch"! Ashton declared suddenly, earning him a are-you-crazy look from Caleb.

    "A rematch? What a sore loser". Caleb scoffed.

    "Hey! I am not a sore loser"! Ashton was offended due Caleb calling him out like that. "I just think that was unfair. How about we arm wrestle"? Ashton suggested once more. He was indeed quite determined not to be on the losing end today.

    "What''s the point"? Caleb rolled his eyes. "We both know you will win in that. You are definitely stronger than I am. But you know what you are not? More skilled and experienced than I am. And you''re definitely slower than I am. That was the reason you lost today. If you use your strength the right way you can literally kill anyone"!

    "Your point being"? Ashton raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

    "I just...I don''t understand why you don''t want to learn this. It''s not like knowing how to fight in your wolf form will make you a part of the pack or something. It will simply help you protect yourself, and the ones around you, whom you care about". Caleb tried his best to convince the other.

    "It''s not that, I justˇ­" Ashton trailed off, trying to think of an appropriate excuse, "I don''t know, but why do you care so much? Why does it matter to you that I learn it"?

    "Becauseˇ­" Caleb sighed. "I believe if you learn you will be great  and that you can protect your family better". Caleb sighed. "I won''t force you of course. I actually can''t, but please at least think about it" he suggested.

    Ashton was silent the whole time immersed in his deep thoughts. Every argument proposed by Caleb was reasonable enough, and yet he found himself hesitant. He knew that it was a better option but he also feared how it would affect them. He was worried about spending too much time around him, what if he does something inappropriate?

    The pull he felt towards the other just kept getting stronger with each day passing. He could share that and be honest with Caleb but he did not want Caleb to blame himself, or feel bad for this. He promised he will keep his hands off Caleb to his brother, and he was determined to abide by it.

    Unable to find any reasonable excuse, Ashton sighed, "Fine, let''s do it. Every weekend, let''s come here to practice". Ashton suggested. "That''s the only time I am available to be honest".

    "Sounds good", Caleb agreed with a cheeky smile, before regaining his composure.

    Caleb didn''t bring his car, so they had to walk back to his pack, since he can''t be seen in his wolf form with Ashton. He didn''t really understand that logic, his father was fine with Ashton being a human who knew about wolves but somehow they weren''t allowed to be in their wolf forms in front him unless it was absolutely unavoidable.

    On their way back after walking for a few 100 meters, the pain of heat hit Caleb. After being marked, with consecutive months the intensity kept getting painful. However the duration of his heat decreased gradually, which also meant that the sequence of his heat went at a faster pace. Before it was almost a week, but not it was over in four days. With Ashton next to him, he couldn''t help but feel the urge to jump on him, but he resisted with all his might.

    Ashton, who could most definitely tell what was wrong, held Caleb by his waist trying his best not to let him fall over. Ashton could feel a bit of the pain Caleb felt, and wondered how on earth was he still on both of his feet. Ashton was secretly glad that he couldn''t smell him, or otherwise this time he might have actually attacked him.

    "Let go of me" Caleb said in a groggy voice. "I will run and go to the pack house soon".

    "You can''t run in this condition"! Ashton scolded him. "Besides we both know it''s not safe out there! Let''s not be careless"! Looking around he asked him, "Do you want to go back? I will give you my bed". Ashton tried to use humor to calm him but that only earned him an unamused glare from the former.

    "I can''t go back there," Caleb mumbled.

    "Why not"? Ashton scrunched his eyebrows. "If you are bothered by my presence, don''t worry about it. I know the mark makes it harder for me to resist, but I promise you I won''t touch you inappropriately by any means". Ashton declared confidently despite not feeling so confident himself.

    "What about me? I don''t have your self control. What if I jump on you instead"? Caleb snarled at him in pain.

    Ashton blinked, taken aback by his words, since he actually didn''t expect Caleb to say something like that. Taking a moment to consider, he replied "Then I will do my best to push you away".

    It would be wrong to assume that Caleb wasn''t hurt at all by that sentence. Did Ashton find him that repulsive? He wondered. He knew his feelings were one sided, that the chances are very thin that Ashton would actually like him back, but stillˇ­ it hurt. "Fine" he sighed. "Let''s go back".

    Pulling his hand, he positioned Caleb on his back. "Hold on, tightly". He ordered the other before pulling him up. Given Ashton''s strength, despite Caleb''s bulk, he was pretty light for him to carry. On the way, every time the pain hit the peak, biting his lips to keep himself from screaming, his hold became tighter around Ashton''s neck.

    It made it a bit harder for Ashton to breathe, but he didn''t let it bother him and kept running in a not too aggressive manner, making sure that Caleb didn''t have to be any more uncomfortable than he already was. He always knew, ever since he marked him, that how much Caleb suffers every heat, but having him near him this time somehow melted his heart.

    Able to feel what he felt, able to see the painful grimace on his face, it was hard for Ashton to see him like that. Even without his confusing feelings, he cared for Caleb enough to not just let him suffer like that. But what else could he possibly do to make things better? There was only one answer to that, but he would never cross that line.

    At this moment all he could do was make sure he did everything else to make the other comfortable, which was not much. He couldn''t bring him the soup his mother made for providing comfort during heat, because he had no idea how to make it or did he have enough ingredients to make it. The house was more or less empty, dust covering almost everything in the house.

    Upon reaching his room, instead of making him lie on bed, he put him on the chair first. He cleaned up the bed as much as he can in the short span of a whole minute while Caleb clutched his clothes over his body fighting through the pain. Once he was done, he supported Caleb to the bed, who collapsed on it as soon as he touched the bed.

    Unsure of what to do he tried to think of all the ways that are comforting to an omega in heat. Seeing the sweat bubbles on his forehead, he recalled that high temperature was a common feature and thus got a towel and a bowl of cold water to soothe him.

    Folding it, slowly and gradually he wiped his forehead followed by his whole face. Ashton confirmed the comfort of Caleb when he noticed the forehead creases lighten, and he himself felt much better. Following his face, he moved onto his hands and legs, while Caleb''s breathing became a little more even.

    He was hesitant about wiping him under the shirt, not quite sure how intimate that would be. He decided not to take it off, and instead unbuttoned the upper three buttons and reached out to his whole chest from there. Ashton looked away, feeling a bit aroused and reminded himself multiple times to calm down.

    "This feels so good" Caleb mumbled in his haze with a groggy voice. Looking back at him, for the very first time he regretted marking him that day. Maybe if he didn''t mark him, things wouldn''t be so hard. At this point, for Caleb, it was like having a mate and yet not having a mate.

    Caleb opened his eyes, and slowly peeked at Ashton with an earnest expression. He raised his hands as if he was trying to reach out for something, but put it down soon enough. Not sure what the gesture meant, Ashton brought his face closer to Caleb, "What is it?'''' He asked softly, in a whisper. Caleb touched his face for a moment, before slamming his lips onto Ashton''s.

 Chapter 84 - Through The Heat

    Ashton''s head went blank the moment his lips felt the soft touch of Caleb''s. Unable to form any proper thought, slowly getting aroused by those invading lips he went along with the flow. Placing his hand below Caleb''s neck he brought Caleb closer to him, while at the same time pressed down on Caleb with much greater force.

    Ashton was encouraged to continue when he heard soft muffled moans escaping from the boy underneath him. Impatiently, Ashton bit on Caleb''s lower lip, earning him a gasp from the latter. Taking the opportunity of the open mouth he put his tongue inside his mouth enjoying the sweet feeling of finally tasting his ''pineapple''.

    He continued to explore his mouth as he felt himself getting further immersed into the heated kiss. What was happening? Why couldn''t he stop? Who was he? What did his current actions implicate? All that went outside of the window and left Ashton with simple raw passion. He ripped off the rest of Caleb''s buttons from his white shirt, exposing his chest and the rest of his torso.

    Slowly he grazed his fingers through the smooth chest earning him much deeper moans, "Mnnn". Continuing his assault he brought his lips to his neck and kissed back and forth from his lips to his neck. "Ashˇ­Ashton" Caleb mumbled his name in his muffled voice, which probably acted as a trigger considering Ashton stopped his movements for a moment.

    Coming back to reality, remembering everything, all his inhibitions he let go while he made out with Caleb came back to him in a flash. He pushed himself away from Caleb, staring at Caleb whose form simply begged for more. He was sure he would pounce on him once more if he continued to stare and thus ran away from the room, slamming it behind him while he focused on his irregular breathing and heartbeats.

    Sitting down on the floor while he brought his knees closer to his chest and holding  them together by hugging, he took deep breaths to calm himself down, while his mind wandered off to various thoughts. This was the second time he lost control around Caleb, and it bothered him to a great deal. He was so good at controlling himself, then how come every time Caleb came onto him, he found it harder to push him away?

    Why did he feel this way? Was it just because of the mark? Was it enough to make him crazy over Caleb? Was everything he felt towards Caleb was sexual, or did he actually have real feelings for that boy. Never have he ever imagined mating with someone, but thinking about it now, mating with Caleb didn''t actually seem to be such a bad idea.

    He knew that mate situation wasn''t that real, but he found himself wondering what it would be like having Caleb as his mate for real. He hated that he was actually considering this, what he hated more was that he was okay with it.

    He wondered if it was worth it? To let go of his plan to escape this world of wolves one day. He and Caleb came from very different worlds. He was, despite being one of the strongest werewolves of the whole world, was a mere rogue, a wolf with no bounds.  Whereas, Caleb was royalty, the son of Alpha to one of the largest packs known to them.

    If he mated with Caleb, that would mean he would have to stay back. He very well knew how much Caleb enjoyed the pack duties, and loved to boss around people. He can''t separate him from all this, that is assuming that Caleb feels the same way. Both the times Caleb initiated the kiss was he was under some kind of influence of werewolf nonsense, being mark and heat.

    "Aggghhh" Ashton put his head on both of his hands, sighing with pure frustration. Trying to clear his mind he heard the painful moans of Caleb coming from inside the room while he wallowed in pain He felt guilty for abandoning him like that, but he knew that being in the same room as him will only bring him more troubles.

    Recalling how lonely Caleb spent his heats, he started to feel worse. Unwilling to let him suffer like everytime he decided to talk to him, even if it was from outside the door. "Caleb, I''m sorry. I thought I could stand the temptation but I can''t. I can''t be next to you, I am sorry" Ashton mumbled with a quivering voice. Instead of any proper response all he got was continuation of his painful groans.

    Given his condition, he either didn''t hear him, or ignored what he heard. From this side of the door he found it hard to evaluate the situation, so he decided to try another alternative method. Focusing all his energy, he linked to Caleb. For a moment he was surprised to see a visual representation of what would have happened if Ashton didn''t run away. Feeling the warmth in his cheeks and ears he decided to get past it and talk to him.

    [Caleb, can you hear me. It''s our linkˇ­] he mumbled. He was stuck on what he should say. While Caleb was good with words, Ashton wasn''t. He wasn''t sure how to comfort the other, so he did what he did to Ariel years ago to calm down his sister. He sang the lullaby in his head, hoping for a positive effect.

    The amount of noises decreased gradually, while Caleb shifted his attention to the song inside his head. While the pain didn''t go away, hearing Ashton''s voice in his head did make him calm down. Turns out, even his voice was effective in this nightmarish heat, although Caleb would definitely prefer physical presence over this.

    Caleb wouldn''t fall asleep, not in this situation, and to accompany him Ashton stayed outside the door, trying his best not to doze off while he kept him company. Alas, he was not so good at it so he drifted off soon, only to wake up an hour later.

    Once he was awake he couldn''t hear any noises from Caleb. Surprised, he peeked in through the door only to find Caleb clutched on his left side, lying peacefully on the bed. Did he actually manage to fall asleep through the pain? Or was he simply still? Ashton couldn''t tell given how he was unable to see his face since his back was facing Ashton.

    Taking baby steps, he approached Caleb. Instead of going around the bed to check, he simply went crouched over his body to peek. He smiled to see his eyes closed. He was about to leave when he heard a soft, "Please don''t go".

    Startled, Ashton wondered if he was awake or was he dreaming. Hearing his request, however intentional it might have been, he was torned between the two choices, doing the right thing or to stay next to Caleb. He sat down carefully on the chair, but a buzz from his pocket startled him. Not to wake up Ashton, he exited the room and picked up the call.

    "Hello".

    "Ashton, where are you? You haven''t been home and it''s already 1o''clock. I am worried sick over here". His mother fumed from the other side. Taking a deep breath he explained everything. From their little fight to Caleb going onto heat. He kept the tiny detail of the make out session to himself, which is probably why his mother asked him, "Will you be okay? Staying next to him. As someone who has had a mate I can assure you that it''s not so easy to resist the urges" his mother spoke to him in a very soft tone.

    "Iˇ­ I know", reluctantly he spoke. His mother waited for him to continue and thus remained quiet, " I actually ended up kissing him. I feel really bad about it" he replied with frustration.

    "Thatˇ­ doesn''t sound so bad. Why are you so worried"? Mrs Parker asked him suppressing the chuckle that threatened to escape her mouth.

    "Because, you know I hate the Alphas taking advantage of omegas in heat, and now I have done the same thing. Clearly I have become what I hate. This is a nightmare". He mumbled on.

    "And you are crying to me about it, sounds like everything worked out". His mother replied sarcastically.

    "Mom! Not now!" Ashton whined. "What do I do"?

    "I don''t know, talk to him" she shrugged. "Not now...once he feels better". She advised him.

    "About what"? Ashton asked.

    "Just...talk to him. Sort out your feelings okay". She replied.

    "But, I am not sure I even have any feelings. What if it''s just because of the mark"! Ashton insisted.

    "Where did I fail? Why is my son an idiot"? His mother patronized him.

    "Mom"! He whined once more.

    "Instead of blaming everything on the mark, try to think if you actually have feelings for him. Would you acting go to such lengths to protect someone? Will you be okay if Caleb dates someone else? Can you imagine having another mate, for either of you"? His mother suggested.

    "Shouldn''t marking feel the same"? Ashton mumbled.

    "No! Marking is what provoked you to kiss him. Marking is purely sexual if feeling''s aren''t involved. You think if it was not the case rogue Alphas would easily attack these omegas"? His mother asked him sternly. "Look, I can''t tell you what you feel, but if you ask me, I think you do. Figure things out and stop fooling around". His mother snarled at him before she hung up on him.

    "Looks like I have got homework to do" Ashton mumbled staring at his phone.

 Chapter 85 - Heartbroken

    Caleb was engrossed in the heated kiss when Ashton abandoned him abruptly. He had no idea which felt terrible, the fact that he was in so much physical pain, or the pain in heart due to the rejection he got just now. Every time Ashton did something nice, like call him his mate or take care of him, there was a spark in his heart that felt like maybe Ashton was developing feelings for him.

    Then he did stuff like this, pushing him away when they kissed or apologizing for it, as if that was the worst experience for Ashton. Stuff like this broke Caleb''s hopeful heart into millions of pieces. ''What am I doing? Why do I keep pinning for someone I cannot have. This is so not like me''! He scolded himself in his mind.

    His train of thoughts were interrupted by a sudden spike in pain and he turned over and assumed a still position, hoping somehow it would make pain bearable. Hugging himself he tried to calm down, because even though he had spent so many heats alone, for the very first time he felt abandoned.

    He tried to clear his thoughts, distract himself from the pain of rejection while he focused on his bodily pain when he heard Ashton''s voice. Even then Ashton kept apologizing which drove Caleb mad.

    The scene from just a moment ago kept flashing in his mind. The feeling of those soft yet so firm and rough lips on his was too good to let go of it. Frustrated he shut his eyes tighter, but soon he heard the soothing song from Ashton, the voice which was enough to cause an override in his feelings.

    Caleb wanted to ask Ashton to stop. Stop singing, stop comforting him, to stop giving him the wrong idea so that he could finally move on, but it felt nice to have him around, even if it was just in his head. He was scared that if he actually asked Ashton to stop, he would do it, because deep down, Caleb didn''t want to move on.

    Not that Ashton would, but if he decided to go for someone else, would Caleb be able to stop him? Was it even possible to do that with marking? Did he have enough right to selfishly keep Ashton next to him? All these thoughts kept coming to him.

    He decided to push away these thoughts, scared that Ashton would figure out his true feelings, worried that he would be repulsed by him and abandon him for good. He needed to remind himself, that Ashton marked him out of pity, not out of love, and he had to live with it.

    When Ashton came in to check up on him he pretended his best to seem asleep. There was no way he could actually fall asleep through this horrible pain, but he just hoped that Ashton bought it. He was surprised when even after all this, the words, "Please don''t go" escaped his mouth. Why? Why did he have to say something like that? Caleb wanted the bed to swallow him right this moment.

    He couldn''t tell if Ashton was gone or not, until he heard a buzz sound followed by fading of footsteps. Caleb slowly let out the breath he didn''t even realize he was holding. Twice he heard Ashton shout "Mom" from downstairs, and concluded that his mother must be checking up on him. Frowning that no one checked up on him, he took out his phone only to see a text from his brother, {I won''t be home today. Link me if you need me urgently}

    That would explain why no one noticed he was gone. Just for the sake of it he typed a tiny {OK}. The footsteps were back on track so he quickly put his phone below the pillow, pushing his face on it while he tried to lay still once more. He was sure Ashton bought it because he heard him mumble, "I am so confused. Exactly what do I feel towards you"?

    Caleb scoffed internally while he resisted the urge to say, "That''s exactly what I want to know"! His anger, frustration and a little bit of pain subsided when he felt a hand brush through his hair, soothing him even further. This time Caleb was determined to make him stay, to not cross the line which would make Ashton leave, and thus he kept his eyes closed for the majority of the time.

    ~~~~

    Two days later, after he was over his heat things were a bit awkward. To kickstart a conversation, he brought up some serious issue, "This is my shortest heat ever". He mumbled.

    Ashton, who was avoiding his gaze, looked at him with kind eyes before he spoke, "How short do you think they will get"?

    "I have no idea"Caleb sighed. "I wish I could ask any omega about all this, but unfortunately no one I know knows about me".

    "How about my mom? She knows you, she is an omega, and she was a nurse so she can help youˇ­ I think" Ashton shrugged. Once again they fell into awkward silence but this time they were interrupted by a low growling sound coming from Ashton''s belly.

    "When is the last time you ate"? He asked.

    "Two days ago" Ashton replied with a straight face.

    Putting his palm on his forehead he replied, "Why the hell are you skipping meals. I know you won''t die, but you are still growing! You need food"! He scolded Caleb.

    "Hey, you''re like a year and half older than me! You need food too"! Ashton retorted with a raised voice.

    "Then maybe both of us should go and get something to eat"! Caleb proposed in the manner that could be mistaken for an argument.

    "Maybe we should"! Ashton went with the flow.

    It was still before noon and thus perfect for lunchtime. Both of them walked to the same chinese restaurant they went to last time, except they ordered twice the meal they did because they were starving for two days. Luckily the owner knew Caleb and agreed to let him eat while allowing him to pay later. Ashton, who still had his school bag with him, along with a few dollar bills, paid for as much as he could.

    Caleb, was definitely the one to finish first. Despite being the one to scold Ashton he was way more hungry. Once he was done he waited for Ashton while he sipped on his noodle soup like a child. "Can I ask you something"? Caleb popped up the question making Ashton freeze in mid-sip while he looked up. "Be honest with meˇ­ Does it bother you? What happened between us two days ago"? He mumbled in a very soft voice.

    Putting down the bowl Ashton sighed, "A little" He replied with utmost honesty. "You and I don''t exactly have a relationship where we can justˇ­ you know... make out and stuff" He said awkwardly.

    While Ashton''s word continued to hurt him, he found the stammering pretty adorable. "I know, which is why I hopeˇ­ We can put this behind us" With a heavy heart and a forced smile, Caleb suggested.

    "Yes Please. Remind me to never spend another heat with you" Ashton commented, but soon regretted it as he realised it could come off as Caleb being a burden on him. That was the last thing he would ever want so he added, "I mean, it seemed that it was painful for youˇ­ being around me".

    Caleb chuckled, "Yeah, I think it was painful for both of us. We really need to set some boundaries". Ashton smiled faintly at him before finishing his meals.

    Upon reaching home, they were surprised to see a lot of commotion at the pack house. His mother who was standing in the front porch noticed him, and stared at him with timid eyes. Exactly what happened? Ashton''s curiosity kept rising as he wondered what was going on. "Something doesn''t add up", Caleb mumbled. "I will go ahead and check on what is happening, but for the time being, stay low" He warned Ashton, gesturing at all those piercing gazes at him.

    Caleb entered inside the building while his mother came down to see him, "What is going on"? He whispered to his mother. "The twins are okay right"? He asked, suddenly panicked as their thoughts crossed in his head.

    "They are fine" She patted his arm while speaking with a quivering voice, "It''s youˇ­ we might have to relocate".

    "What"? Ashton froze in his spot as he gazed at his mother wide eyed. "Theyˇ­ found out"? He whispered. She nodded her head. Recalling what happened every time they were discovered he snorted. Looks like he will escape this place sooner than he thought, even though he will end up in another wolf territory. Maybe it was for the best, he did not have to worry about his feelings anymore and can focus on moving on. Now all they needed was a verdict that he was okay to leave, and they would be on their way.

 Chapter 86 - Secrets And Lies

    Caleb rushed inside the house while the people blocking the way allowed him, given he was, after all, son of the Head Alpha. Upon entering the room, he received heavy loaded stares from few of his teammates, while at the same time he received a glare from his father and a concerned look from his brother.

    "Where were you"? Mr. Wrisberg asked him sternly.

    "What"? Caleb mumbled, confused by the whole situation. He felt his brother trying to link him, so he let him. [They found out about Ashton. They know that you know] his brother informed him.

    [But, how?] He asked, but before his brother could respond his father barked at him,

    "How can you be so damn irresponsible"! If his Dad were a cartoon , Caleb was sure smoke would be coming out of his Dad''s ears.

    Caleb remained quiet, until and unless he had further evidence on the whole situation. "What is this"? He held out a picture where Ashton was in mid-transformation. That picture was taken a few days ago, and whoever took it sent them to his Dad.

    Caleb wanted to take advantage of the modern technology and blame the picture as a photoshop but his father somehow realized that he might use that exact same excuse, cause he murmured, "Don''t you dare blame it on photoshop. Cause this is not the only picture I have".

    His father showed him three more photographs, one where both Ashton and Caleb were human. One where Caleb was face to face with Ashton''s wolf form, and another one where both of them were in wolf form ready to attack each other. "You knew about this, that this boy is not just any wolf but a pureblooded Alpha, and you never thought you should tell me".

    Caleb wanted to scream back ''Why? So you could kill him? Throw him out''? But he held back. He didn''t want to make the situation worse. Not just for himself, but also mainly for Ashton. "Iˇ­ I found out recently". He whispered.

    "I can see you smile in the picture, so it doesn''t seem like it". His father scoffed.

    "Iˇ­" Caleb trailed off, trying his best to come up with something else as well.

    "Enough. Just shut up! You must be a master of lying, but I am your father Caleb. I can tell that you''re lying, and I can also tell that you have been lying to me for a really long time". His father barked at him. "How long did you know about this? How long did you plan on keeping this secret"? Caleb stood speechless to his father''s questions. "I am very disappointed in you. As a father and as a pack leader". Turning to the wolf, who was also the current beta of the pack Mr. Wrisberg asked, "Is Ashton here"?

    "Yes, I saw him with his mother outside. He arrived with Caleb". The wolf replied.

    "That seems convenient. Rexford, would you please bring him here"? Mr. Wrisberg ordered to which he left complied. Mr. Wrisberg turned around to Caleb and ordered, "I will deal with this situation, meanwhile you are to remain quiet". Caleb lowered his head, powerless to say anything else. Clenching his fists he did the one thing he could think of, link Ashton.

    [I am really sorry Ashton, I triedˇ­ but they found out about you, and I don''t think that... I can cover up for you anymore] Even in his head Caleb''s voice quivered at the end. [I am really sorry]

    [It''s alright, this is not the first time something like that has happened to me] Ashton tried to convince him, despite freaking out himself. [As long as he doesn''t try to kill me or hurt my family, I am good. Soˇ­ don''t worry about it.]

    A moment later Ashton walked inside the hall while everyone stared at him skeptically. Caleb believed that they found it hard to believe that he was dangerous given his relatively innocent appearance. But the power of hearsay was a strong one, and thus the fact that he was just a pureblooded Alpha was enough to scare the naive pack members.

    He stood in front of Mr. Wrisberg, for the very first time. His intimidating aura was all over the place affecting everyone but Ashton. Being a higher blood rank, Ashton was naturally immune to his Alpha powers, so he simply stared at the not so old looking man. "Give me one good reason for your lies" He ordered.

    "Technically I didn''t lie. You''re the one that assumed I was a human, I just didn''t bother to correct that tiny fact about me". Ashton shrugged, earning a sharp glare from Mr, Wrisberg.

    "So you hid your identity just because no one ever questioned it? Doesn''t seem like someone who had no ulterior motives" Mr Wrisberg breathed out in a cold manner.

    "Oh, I had ulterior motives. I just wanted to avoid getting caught up in anything that has to do with the pack. I meant no harm." He admitted honestly. His honesty however, once more, came off as rude. Caleb was 100% sure that this was going to go downhill, and there was no way he could persuade his father to give him a chance. After all, his father could be really stubborn.

    "Lies," Mr Wrisberg scoffed. "You honestly want me to believe what you said"? He smirked.

    "No, but I won''t say what you want to believe just for the sake of it. I am telling the truth, believe it or not". Ashton shrugged flatly.

    "Is that so" Mr. Wrisberg remarked in a bone chilling voice. "If you say you have been hiding your identity for such a measly reason instead of planning a secret attack or something, I have no reason to not believe you, now do I"? He asked sarcastically while Ashton simply stared at him.

    "Why would I attack your pack? I want nothing to do with it". Ashton huffed in disbelief.

    "Maybe, like my son you have mastered the art of lying too, so until you''re ready to talk, you will be locked in the basement".

    "What"?

    "What"?

    Both Ashton and Caleb mumbled at the same time.

    "Take him" he gestured towards Rexford, who hesitated before taking any step. Literally everyone in the room thought that Mr. Wrisberg was being way too much. Ashton tightened his fist, ready to transform and wreak havoc before he runs away when he heard,

    "NO"! It was none other than Alpha''s own son Caleb. "He is not going anywhere, back off" He snarled at Rexford who froze reluctantly.

    "I told you to stay out of it"! His father spat those words out.

    "How can I"? He snorted, "You are trying to hurt my mate and I won''t back off"! His statement earned shock from each and everyone present in the room, including his brother and Ashton, who knew this fact beforehand.

    "What did you say"? Mr Wrisberg whispered.

    "That is correct! He is my mate, and I won''t back off" Caleb approached Ashton and intertwined his fingers with him before making a fist. His father simply stared with a baffled face at his son''s audacity.

    "So this is why you were trying to protect him"? Mr. Wrisberg scoffed. "Look at you getting paired with a pureblooded Alpha" His father snorted derisively.

    "I wasn''t paired with him. I chose him as my mate". Caleb declared

    Pleased with that revelation he ordered, "Then un-chose him for all I care"!

    "I can''t. I am marked" He declared with all the courage he could muster.

    "What? Are you out of your mind? Of all the prospective mates why did you have to chose this lying piece of sh*t? Are you honestly so blind that you can''t tell that you are being manipulated"? His father pursed his lips. "Or are you trying to get a raise out of me? Still not over your rebellious phase. Trying to mate with someone you are well aware of that I clearly won''t approve" ! His father snarled at him.

    "Approve"? Caleb scoffed. "You honestly think I would choose a mate depending on how you would react? I am not that petty! I chose him because I liked him. I would still choose him because I love him"!

    His father stared at his son, completely appalled by his words. The whole room was probably shocked by this confession while his brother tried to suppress a proud smirk. Without waiting for any reply, he dragged Ashton out of that room.

    "Where do you think you are going"? His father asked sternly.

    "Away from here where you don''t make my life more difficult than it has to be". He snapped and increased his pace. Ashton wasn''t sure of the whole situation either, so he simply let Caleb drag him. He was expecting Caleb''s father to order something like, "Go get em" but he was surprised that he didn''t.

    Dragging him out of the building and to their garage Caleb ordered Ashton, "Get in"! He said pointing at the shotgun seat of his porsche. Ashton complied with him and did so without much ado. He was too absorbed in the moment to realise that he had a smile on his face. Caleb turned off his GPS and threw out something out the window before driving off.

 Chapter 87 - I Love You

    Ashton looked back and forth between the speedometer and Caleb. Ashton was definitely angry and frustrated for whatever happened earlier that day but right now he was simply scared for his dear life as Caleb threatened to go beyond the speed the speedometer could display. "Umˇ­ I don''t know why you think I want to die, but let me clarify that I don''t. Can youˇ­" Ashton paused when Caleb took a sharp turn. "... Can you slow down a bit"?

    He received no response from the other, however after travelling for a few more miles(?) Caleb parked his car on the side of an empty road. Throughout the whole year he has been here, this was one of the few places he has never been to. He had no idea where they were, or exactly what was Caleb trying to accomplish by bringing him here. After taking in the surroundings he turned to Caleb for explanation who held the steering wheel way too tightly.

    "Where are we"? He asked Caleb hesitantly. The way Caleb was behaving was starting to scare him.

    "I have no idea" Caleb mumbled.

    "Then what are we doing here"? Baffled, Ashton asked.

    "I needed a break from my Dad''s judgemental attitude, so I just drove us here. I disabled any methods of tracking so that he won''t be able to find me". Caleb informed, before looking over to Ashton. "If you want to run, you can run away," He offered.

    Ashton smirked, "Why aren''t you so generous". He mumbled. "I can''t actually run away now, you dad will try to go after my family. You weren''t kidding when you said he can be way too much, I can see where you get your stubborn personality from". Ashton commented. Caleb didn''t say back anything but simply stared ahead. They sat in somewhat uncomfortable silence for a quite a long time. "You know, I have to admit, the way you spoke in front of them, you almost had me convinced that you liked me", Ashton snorted.

    "I do". Caleb confessed, after a moment. He was tired of hiding his feelings, and now that there was a fair chance that Ashton might leave forever, why bother to hide it? He would hate it if he let Ashton go without letting him know his true feelings, especially after everything they have been through, together.

    With widened eyes, Ashton struggled to ask, "Is this... another one of you jokes"? He gulped, "If it is, it''s not funny"! Knowing Caleb, Ashton was ready for it to transform into some sort if tease.

    "No it''s not" Caleb snapped. "I really like you. I have liked you for a really long time". He said softly, biting his lips, awaiting the rejection.

    "I thought you hate Alphas". Ashton wondered out loud in a very low voice after a momentary silence that was filled with a tension so thick that you can cut it with a knife.

    "Not you". Caleb declared.

    The tension only rose until Ashton whispered, "Why me"? Caleb couldn''t tell if it was because he was disappointed or was he simply curious? "I am a pureblooded Alpha, I am likeˇ­ literally the worst choice for you"! Ashton argued.

    "Don''t you think I know that"? Caleb shrieked. "Look, if you are going to give me all the reasons why I shouldn''t like you, don''t bother. I have tried to convince myself with all those reasons ever since I started to develop my feelings. And yet my feelings prevail." Caleb sighed with annoyance. "I still like being with you, I enjoy spending time with you, and I hated it when you left me hanging after the kiss we shared" Looking away, outside the window he mumbled, "I can''t help but feel this way, Ashton. If you are gonna reject me, just go ahead and do it".

    Caleb waited for the rejection while he hoped that he would not break down. He looked away not sure if he could keep it together anymore. The rejection was going to hurt like hell, but he will not break in front of Ashton. He was determined to maintain a strong exterior even if he was collapsing from the inside. When he heard no sound from the other seat he looked at Ashton who was simply staring at the road with an unreadable expression, "Come on, just do it". Caleb insisted.

    "No," Ashton declared.

    Scrunching his eyebrows Caleb argued. "Why? Look if you are worried about hurting my feelings, don''t be. I know you are trying to be nice, but please for once be selfish! Maybe your rejection will help me get ove-"

    "I am not being nice"! Ashton cut him off abruptly from his rant. "I am not as nice as you think I am! This is me, being selfish"! Ashton raised his voice, speaking clearer than ever.

    Caleb blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst, "What do you mean"? He whispered.

    "What I mean is that Iˇ­ I won''t reject you, because I don''t want to". He sighed. "I too have feelings for you, and I am not sure what feeling it is, cause I don''t understand them. I haven''t had the time to wrap my head around it, so I don''t know if I love you or not. But I do know that I don''t want to reject you. I also know that thinking of you, being with someone else drives me crazy" Ashton admitted honestly.

    "Yeah, it drives me crazy too". Caleb chuckled, tears threatening to flow from his eyes as he couldn''t believe that he wasn''t rejected after all. "So what should we do? Should we date"? Caleb suggested casually. He was trying to tease the other, hoping to lighten the mood in this heavy situation.

    "If your dad doesn''t end up killing me, why not"? Ashton agreed. Caleb, surprised, looked at Ashton.

    "What about you not wanting a mate? You know? Running away from this wolf world"? Caleb raised his eyes, "Not rejecting me, staying with me would be the exact opposite".

    "Screw that"! Ashton declared with annoyance earning a surprised yet amused look from Caleb. "It was a plan, not an oath. And if I speak from experience, my plans are hardly ever successful". He sighed. "I agree having mate was not my plan, butˇ­ I only thought that because I found it to be a burden".

    "And I am not a burden"? Caleb raised his eyebrows.

    "You are annoying". Ashton declared earning an eye roll from him. "But you are definitely not a burden. If anything, you are my strength".

    "Look at you being so cheesy, what happened to the cold Ashton"? Caleb asked sarcastically.

    "You killed him with your confession" Ashton declared. "So, what do you say? Wanna go out with this kid"? He smirked.

    "O...kay", Caleb nodded, trying not to sound too excited. He was definitely surprised by Ashton''s sudden confidence, and it made him lose a bit of his composure. Despite his best efforts the blush in his ears and cheeks gave away the fact that his heart was beating like crazy, even a human would be able to hear it. Suddenly he felt something soft on his cheek, and before he could react properly he felt them on lips as well. This time the kiss wasn''t urgent or wild like the last two times. It was soft, passionate and filled with love, and thus they savored it as much as possible.

    Ashton was glad that the seatbelt didn''t hold him back, given Caleb''s hurry to run away, Ashton never actually got to put it on. After almost a whole minute he pulled away and stared at Caleb''s eyes, which depicted how deep affection it held for Ashton "I could get used to this" He whispered before giving him another peck on the lips. He returned back to his seat while Caleb pursed lips to suppress his smile before looking away.

    "FYI, even if I was the one who stopped kissing you the other day, I hated it too". Ashton smirked, earning a shy chuckle from Caleb. "I just didn''t want to take advantage of your heat".

    "I figured as much" Caleb smirked. "You claim you are not a nice guy, but you are quite obsessed with doing the right thing".

    "That still doesn''t make me any less dangerous". Ashton sighed. "Remember? Back then I almost killed that sick Alpha".

    "Yeah, you have anger issues" Caleb mused. "But don''t worry, I got ya" He winked to which Ashton responded by shaking his head.

    "Soˇ­ what do we do now"? Ashton asked after a minute of comfortable silence.

    "Well, my dad did try to link me, but I didn''t respond. I will link my brother to see how the situation is". Caleb suggested.

    [Please tell me you have good news] Caleb begged the moment he felt his brother connect to the link.

    [Well, it''s complicated. He doesn''t trust Ashton, so he is still determined to keep him locked.] Christian sighed. [But, I might be able to change the location from the dungeon to our house]

    [Wait, what?] Caleb was taken aback. Would that mean they will live together?

    [Yeah, well he wants to keep an eye on Ashton. Our house or the pack house big enough. His family can move in. This way, at least he will have to suffer less] Christian suggested. Caleb pondered about the decision for a while. Was it really worth it? Was Ashton moving into their pack house a good idea? Will Ashton be okay with it?

 Chapter 88 - A Different Approach

    Christian watched his father carefully the entire time Caleb and his Dad were arguing. He knew arguing with his father was useless, luckily his father had no idea that Christian was well aware of Ashton''s identity beforehand. Mr. Wrisberg was too focused on scolding Caleb, and Christian planned on taking advantage of the benefit of the doubt.

    His father didn''t try to follow Caleb and Ashton which did come off as a bit of a surprise to him, but once they were gone, his ther turned to him for his opinion, as expected, "What do you think son? Am I being too harsh"?

    Whenever his father wanted his sympathy, he called him son. Clearing his throat Christian replied, "A little bit". Hoping that it didn''t tip off his father too much he continued making his point. "I agree that we cannot trust him after he has been lying to us. But I think maybe locking him up isn''t the best. It''s for the ones who have actually harmed us. He didn''t do anything, and we have no evidence whether or not he was planning to".

    "He marked Caleb", His father pointed out.

    "But he seems to be okay with it, so we cannot convict him for it". Christian offered.

    "I am not letting him walk out of this place so easily"! Mr Wrisberg raised his voice.

    "What ifˇ­" Christian trailed off. "What if we have his family move in with us. This way that boy would be under our scrutiny. I am sure Caleb would love to have him around as well". Christian shrugged, proposing the offer like a win-win situation.

    His father thought for a while before shaking his head, "No, it''s too risky" his father sighed. "Are you trying to protect that pureblooded brat as well"? With a suspicious gaze Mr Wrisberg looked at Christian.

    "I am just trying to help Caleb. He is my brother after all," without losing his composure he uttered.

    "That boy is clearly manipulating him, I can''t believe he can''t see it". Mr Wrisberg uttered. "All of you should leave right now. I will see what I can do about it". He ordered the rest of the wolves in his room. Reluctantly, they agreed. While some of the council members thought that the Alpha was being unfair, some thought he wasn''t getting strict enough. But no one was stupid enough to voice their opinion in front of their enraged leader.

    Once they were gone, Christian tried again. "Caleb has already chosen his mate, and with the marking being done, there is nothing we can do about it. If he hurt Ashton, we will end up hurting him".

    "Don''t you think I realise that? What I don''t get is how come he chose an Alpha, a pureblooded one on top of that, when he clearly hated them. Exactly what did Ashton say to him to convince otherwise". His father sat down on his chair and engulfed in deep thought.

    "Maybe you can figure all that out better if he moved in". Christian tried to pitch the idea once more. His Dad, however, wasn''t an idiot who would miss that Christian was dead set on selling this idea to him. While he found that annoying, he couldn''t exactly argue with that logic. Maybe this was the best way of having him under scrutiny without hurting his son.

    "I will give it a thought" His father shrugged. "Try to find Caleb in the meantime. I think he got rid of any tracking device, and he is not responding to my link". His father ordered. Christian nodded before he headed towards his room. He wasn''t sure if Caleb would respond to his link or not, so he simply sent him a text to contact him when he can.

    The commotion in front of his house was lesser than before, but still it was there. Most of them were terrified of having a pureblooded Alpha in their pack, given how dangerous they can be. With most of the purebloods gone only legends about their lack of control and their savage behavior prevailed.

    After almost an hour Christian recieved the link from Caleb. He was asking about the status update, so he explained the situation to him. Christian was glad that after giving it a thought Caleb agreed to return with Ashton.

    ~~~~~

    Once Caleb let go of his link, he looked at Ashton, who in turn was staring at him in anticipation. "So"?

    He explained everything to him, whatever his brother told him, and it got Ashton thinking. Would it really be safe? What if he got attacked in the middle of the night or something. As if Caleb anticipated what he was thinking he spoke, "Don''t worry, my Dad won''t be able to hurt you, now that he knows you''re my mate". He declared.

    Not entirely convinced Ashton nodded "Alright then". He was starting to worry about his family too, but not having his phone with him prevented him from contacting his mother.

    "Have you ever been here before"? Ashton asked Caleb who turned around the car.

    Shaking his head, Caleb replied, "No".

    "We are not lost right"? He asked Caleb, quite skeptical of the other.

    "Don''t worry, I am good with directions" Caleb winked at him.

    The ride back, to the house was as quite as the ride on the way to here, except this time the silence wasn''t so uncomfortable. Both of them were engrossed in their own thoughts. Caleb mainly focused on the road and his excitement of finally getting the guy he wanted for so long, along with a little bit of worry about what would happen next.

    Ashton on the other hand was anxious as hell, despite maintaining a calm outward appearance. He wasn''t sure how he would convince Mr Wrisberg that he was trustworthy, and thus worried about his family more than himself. Mr Wrisberg seemed dead set on his prejudices, which made it even harder for him to convince. Which also made him wonder, will he be able to date Caleb through all this tension?

    With a crazy amount of confidence, he asked Caleb out, but now his actions were finally starting to get him. He knew that he wanted Caleb, but he really hoped his own feelings were as genuine as Caleb''s. Not having much time to process his feelings, he hoped that he didn''t make a mistake. Seeing the affection Caleb held for him made him feel lucky, and a bit worried. He wanted to be with Caleb, but he couldn''t help but worry how the dating would affect them.

    Amongst all these thoughts they reached their destination. He was surprised to see a lot less people outside than before. Did the situation really calm down? He wondered.

    On the front door he found his mother standing there with a beautiful lady who looked like she would be around late thirties thus looking obviously younger than she was. She was none other than the pack Luna, Rachel Wrisberg. Coming in front, she looked at Caleb, sternly "You father wants to see you". Caleb nodded and was about to go when his mother stopped, "By yourself" she pointed towards their locked hands with their eyes and both of them quickly retracted their hands.

    Caleb left the moment later and his mother''s stern gaze shifted to Ashton which slowly morphed into a creepy smile. "I heard you''re my son''s mate". She mumbled at Ashton. She took a few steps towards him and looked at him with her piercing eyes. "I hope you take care of my son properly". She said with a sickeningly sweet smile, which Ashton found to be a bit intimidating. Of course she was worried about her son, so he didn''t find her tone offending.

    Ashton decided to remain quiet, knowing fully well that if he opens his mouth to say something, it won''t be pretty. Usually he didn''t care how his words offended others, but he needed to impress Caleb''s parents to get their approval for dating their son. Ashton''s mother sensing the tension, stepped in and spoke to Ashton, "Son, I was just talking with Rachel here. They have invited us to stay with them for a while. They already got our stuff". Sue explained.

    "What"? Ashton deadpanned. His eyes depicted pure horror as if something very bad has happened. Both the women gave him a curious and suspicious look, "I need to go". He ran away.

    Rachel turned to Sue and asked, "What was that"?

    "I am assuming he is worried that you might have forgotten something, so he is going to look for it" Sue shrugged.

    "Well, he better not run away" Mrs Wrisberg remarked.

    "Don''t worry, I didn''t give birth to him but I did raise him. And I didn''t raise a coward" Sue declared sternly.

    "Aren''t you worried that you attitude might not be in his favor"? With a victorious smirk Rachel asked.

    "A little" She shrugged. "But he is my son, and just like you protect your son, I would protect mine. At. All. Cost" She glared at the taller woman in front of her before taking her leave.

    Rachel scoffed before giving her classic smirk. When she first met Sue, she thought she was a timid woman, being an omega and all. But after today Mrs Wrisberg could tell that she wasn''t as she seemed. But she sincerely hoped that despite their attitude she was genuine. She wasn''t close with her son Caleb, but if his heart lied with Ashton, she wished they could make it work. As for her husband, she was ready to deal with him if required.

 Chapter 89 - New Room

    Ashton ran back to their temporary old apartment which was just a few blocks away from the pack house. Leaving like this was abrupt, but the fact that he didn''t get to pack came as a bit of a shock to him. The main door was locked as expected so he climbed in through the, thankfully open, window.

    He was surprised to see most of the things in its place, which made him wonderˇ­ exactly what did they take?. Opening the closet he realised it was simply clothes and hardly anything else. His books were too in fact placed here. But that was not why he was here. Pulling his mattress above the bed he saw the locket tied to a broken chain lying there.

    When his adopted father gave it to him for the very first time he woke up all sweaty, screaming in the middle of the night. He used to keep it with him all the time. He was told by his Dad that it would help him keep his nightmares away. He never believed in all such crap, but he kept it nevertheless. Over time his nightmares ceased, recurring sometimes but infrequently, as he got accustomed to his new life gradually. Despite never believing it had any special qualities it was quite special to him, and now that his father was gone he kept it as a memento, the first gift he ever received in this family.

    Then why did he keep it under his bed? Because he was worried carrying it around would mean losing it, and thus he kept it under the mattress which, under common circumstances, wouldn''t be disturbed much. There was no way he would leave this place and not take it with him. While he was at it he also packed some of his books, which would be beneficial in both the cases, for studying and as a cover for his real reason for being here.

    In the middle of his backpacking when he received a link from Caleb. He was trying to turn it away, but he failed miserably, still trying to figure out how this linking thing works and its every other aspect. [Where are you? I was looking for you but your mom said you ran away? Are you finally freaked out enough to run away?] Caleb asked him, half joking and half concerned.

    [Of course not! I needed somethingˇ­ I mean my books so I came back] Ashton informed him.

    [Okay, just so you know I can tell what you were looking for when you imagine it while you are in the link.] Caleb snorted. Ashton remained quiet so Caleb continued, [You don''t have to explain anything to me, I was just letting you know]

    Ashton cleared his throat (for no apparent reason), before replying [I am on my way? What do you need?]

    [Just come] Caleb chuckled and let go of the link. He found Caleb waiting at the entrance for him, who was quite pleased to see Ashton there. "Let me show you your room" Caleb smirked before leading the way.

    Ashton followed him, and looked around the corridor which was definitely away from Caleb''s room. "Our guest quarters are on the upper floors, so you will be staying on the second floor".

    "Got it" Ashton mumbled. Both of them got on the elevator and ended up on the 2nd floor. After walking down the hallway, Carb turned right, which led to a huge room, almost twice as big, or maybe more than that compared to his last room. The ceilings were so high that even if Ashton shifted to his wolf form he would fit perfectly without making a mess.

    Taking in the vast surroundings he sat down on the bed. The comfort of that soft mattress was indeed something else and thus it helped him relax a bit. Caleb showed him the walk in closet, which was situated at the back, near the headrest and the bathroom. It was so fancy that Ashton was starting to feel uncomfortable.

    "You okay"? Caleb asked, "You seem a littleˇ­ down"?

    "You seem extremely happy" Ashton retorted. He couldn''t exactly describe the feeling, but he wasn''t thrilled about moving in here. It''s like being here bothered him.

    "Why shouldn''t I be? I am basically in the same house as my mate. We''re basically living together" Caleb smirked, before he ended up snorting.

    "You live on the ground floor, I am on the 2nd floor. Not to mention my room is complete south from yours. We are literally the farthest". Ashton pointed out.

    "Well, this house has two more floors above this, soˇ­ you know it''s still not the worst" Caleb winked. "But still, it''s the closest we have ever lived".

    "Which is why you gotta be careful, so that I don''t get sick of you" Ashton teased.

    "Yeah, you should have thought of that when you agreed to date me" Caleb snorted.

    "Good Luck". Ashton simply shook his head at Caleb''s confidence. "Well get settled, I want to give you a tour before I leave". He suggested.

    "You are... going somewhere"? Ashton asked reluctantly, wondering if that was okay. He was sure with the way Caleb was acting that he would stick around for a long time. Ashton was quite frustrated by the fact that he found Caleb''s impending absence more upsetting.

    "Yeah, I need to go to the office once. Then I have to restock some stuff I keep at my Cabin" Caleb mumbled. "You know, in case of my heat"

    "Youˇ­ still want to spend it in that Cabin"? Ashton popped the question without giving it much thought. What he was trying to imply was that was it really that necessary given that now he didn''t spread any pheromones. People won''t figure out his secret now if he happened to be near people during his heat. He knew how lonely Caleb could get in there and he felt bad for Caleb.

    Caleb, however, took on a whole other meaning to it and brought his face closer to Ashton''s, "Why? Should I spend my heat with you"? He smirked.

    Ashton''s eyes widened for a moment before he sighed, "Are you sure that''s a good idea"?

    "Why not"? Caleb shrugged nonchalantly.

    "We are in a building where both of our parents, no wait, all of our families are present, " Ashton raised his eyebrows.

    "These walls are soundproof" He shrugged, pointing at the walls and the ceiling with his right index finger. "So, what do you say?" Caleb teased once more. He wasn''t going to force Ashton to do something he wasn''t ready for, but man it was so fun to tease him.

    After being around him so long Ashton was quite used to his harmless teasing. But with the recent change in their relationship he wasn''t sure how much of it was a joke, and how much of it was real. Going along with it, he pulled Caleb and flipped their position so that Caleb lied on the bed while Ashton hovered over him. Surprised by his action Caleb stared at Ashton wide-eyed before asking, "What are you doing"? A subtle smirk from Ashton made him gulp.

    "Nothing a boyfriend shouldn''t do" Ashton''s smirk deepened. Caleb''s heartbeat took a sudden spike when he heard the word ''boyfriend'', not having called each other boyfriends yet. The sound of his heartbeat kept getting louder which deafened almost both of them. Ashton wondered whether Caleb was scared, or excited. He took a shot and decided that it was the latter, given the confession the earlier day, and putting hand below Caleb''s chin, he kissed him. Closing his eyes, Caleb enjoyed the kiss while bringing him closer by pulling him by his waist.

    They kissed for a really long time, getting more comfortable in the bed while changing many angles. Caleb forgot all the important stuff he had planned for the day and engrossed himself in the passionate kiss. What broke them apart was the lack of breath, but that wasn''t effective for long because soon those lips met once more.

    This time however it was a knock at the door which broke them apart, "Caleb you in there"? Never had he ever hated his brother so much. Pulling himself away he headed towards the door while gritting his teeth in frustration. He wasn''t even there yet when his brother walked in, and that''s when the kissing duo realised that they never bothered to actually lock the door.

    "Good, both of you are here" his brother declared as we welcomed himself in Ashton''s new room. "I wanted to talk to both of you, what are your plans"? Christian asked.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows not sure what his brother was trying to ask.

    "Thanks to your earlier ''declaration of the mate'' stunt, Dad thinks you''re together. How are you planning on selling that"? Christian raised an eyebrows.

    Both Ashton and Caleb looked at each other and pursed their lips as they tried to suppress a chuckle. Caleb hesitated for a moment, and wondered how to explain to his brother about their recent development. On the other hand Ashton was trying to come up with a way he could declare his feelings without enraging Christian. After all he did promise to ''keep his hands off'', a promise he broke a lot of times, and twice on purpose in just one day.

    Sensing something was going on, and suspecting them both for the very thing they were trying to tell him, he raised his eyebrows. "What did I miss"? He asked sternly.

 Chapter 90 - Get A Mate

    Christians scrutinizing gaze was hard to avoid, so to break the tension Caleb declared, "We won''t have to pretend". He shrugged. "We are dating for real".

    Christian''s raised one of his eyebrows before shifting his gaze to Ashton. Ashton nodded slightly in acknowledgement and anticipation. He waited for him to lash out on him for breaking his promise or whatever, but Christian simply said, "That settles it. Come on", Christian gestured his head to follow him before getting out of the room himself.

    Ashton breathed with relief when he noticed Caleb was smirking at him. Caleb winked at him after which he left Ashton all by himself in his room. Ashton took his time familiarising himself to his surroundings as he looked around. He still didn''t feel like unpacking so for now he simply put the locket away beneath his soft mattress.

    ~~~~

    "What happened"? Caleb asked his brother as soon as he left the room.

    "You tell me? When did this happen"? He asked him back pointing at Ashton''s door.

    "This morningˇ­ I guess". Caleb shrugged. "After my big confession we got into talking and we decided to give dating a try". Caleb informed unable to stop himself from smiling.

    "Wow" Christian smiled. "What do you mean decided? He has feelings for you right"? He asked just to make sure his brother was okay. Caleb nodded at him which did make Christian feel convinced, but he was still unsure how he felt about Ashton dating his brother. He wasn''t sure he felt with anyone in general, given how overprotective of a brother he was. "What about Dad? Did he say anythingˇ­ strange to you"? Christian asked carefully.

    "He asked me about Ashton, why I chose him, and all. He was surprisingly calm which kind of creeped me out" Caleb cringed visibly.

    "Yeah, calm Dad is not a good news" Christian sighed. "So? Did you tell him everything"?

    "Not really, I just told him how we found each other''s secret, and that we fell in love gradually and decided to date. Although now that I think about it it wasn''t exactly a lie. That is in a way things went down" Caleb chuckled. "Besides, before he could ask many questions I drew his attention towards the photos. I was very careful when I was there, more importantly Ashton was careful, he makes sure no one is nearby when he is shifting. Who took our photos"?

    "Dad told me he received it in the letter" Christain folded his hands. "I wonder if it''s someone we know. It''s weird that even though the letter was addressed to Dad it didn''t say who sent it".

    "Exactly. I think someone is trying to hide their identity. It''s the twenty-first century! They could have mailed. Why go to such lengths to send some photos"? Caleb questioned.

    "Maybe he is like Dad and worries that Ashton would harm him if he found out"? Christian suggested.

    "I doubt it. If they were really so scared they wouldn''t have dared to take pictures in the first place. What I don''t get is how did we miss someone''s presence" Caleb sighed in frustration.

    "Maybe you were busy romancing with each other" Christian cringed and soon as he suggested.

    "Come on! I am being serious". Caleb fist bumped his brother''s shoulder. "I wonder if the person knew about my secret. Thanks to him the whole pack does" Caleb huffed.

    "No, they don''t,"

    "They don''t"?

    "Nope, they still think you are an Alpha. Even if you are an Alpha, a pureblooded Alpha comes above you in the hierarchy of blood ranks, thus making it seem plausible that an pureblooded Alpha marked a regular Alpha '''' Chirstian clarified.

    "Well, if it''s someone who holds any grudge against our pack, our family, you, or even Ashton, things might get even difficult for you. They exposed Ashton today, tomorrow it might be you. Be careful" His brother patted his arm and left.

    Caleb did all the things he was set to do before he arrived at the dinner table. Having the Parkers as the house guest, they joined the Wrisbergs for the dinner, well half of them anyway. Mr Wrisberg and Chirstian had to stay out late again so they weren''t home.

    Dinner was a little awkward than you would expect. While the moms were busy sneaking glares at each other, our very own Caton (A/N: That is right! I hereby confirm this as their official ship name) were busy giving each other flirtatious smirk. Twins, however, were very confused and thus they finished their food as soon as possible just to get out of this situation as fast as possible. They barely spoke ever since they arrived here, and knowing that their brother was in a tough spot, they remained mostly quiet as to not make matters worse.

    Once they were done, Caleb decided to talk to the twins. Even if they were quite sharp, being in a new environment was sure difficult for them, especially in the environment of the pack house provided. After all he didn''t miss their expressions on the dinner table. He went upstairs and knocked on their room. While he didn''t hear any reply he did hear a few whispers.

    Deducing that they must have been panicking, he spoke "Hey guys, it''s me, Caleb". After a few seconds Ava opened the door for him letting him in. Their room was a bit different than that of Ashton''s. It had two beds, each large enough to fit both of them. The twins didn''t show their usual enthusiasm instead they simply waited for Caleb to continue. "How are you feeling"? He asked them carefully.

    They looked at each other before Ava replied, "We are okay"

    "Will Ashton be okay"? Ariel popped the question. Ava glared at her sister for asking him that so Caleb jumped in.

    "Of course. I will not let anything happen to him. I promise". He smiled.

    "They were saying you are his mate" Ariel continued. "Are you really"? Caleb nodded with a tiny smile at them.

    "So you love him"? This time Ava mustered the courage to ask him that earning him a chuckle from Caleb.

    He nodded, " I do, and I love you guys too. So, if you need anything, don''t be scared to ask me. I am still your friend" He smiled at them.

    "We know" Ava spoke. "But, this place is...very creepy" Ava mumbled while Ariel nodded in agreement.

    Snorting Caleb replied, "Is it? No wonder despite staying here for nineteen years this place never felt like home". He mumbled as well. "I know you are worried about Ashton, but I will do my best to keep him safe". Caleb tried to assure them.

    Both the twins nodded before Ariel mumbled, "The things is, everytime his secret is revealed bad things happen. In fact that''s one of the times we lost our Dad".

    "I see, makes sense why you are so worried" Caleb nodded. "Well, I don''t know if it helps or not, but bad things keep happening all the time here, so it''s not just because of your brother''s secret. So, maybe this time things will be different". Caleb shrugged. The twins nodded at him, visibly calmer than before. "Well, I should get going. Go to bed and get some rest, okay? Good night"! And he left.

    After getting down from the elevator he ran into none other than his own brother. He gave Caleb suspicious looks before saying, "Can''t stay away from Ashton, can you"? And scoffed.

    Surprised by the sudden attack he blushed a bit before retorting, "Okay, just because he is my mate not everything is about him! I went to see the twins". He admitted.

    "Whatever bro" Christian however didn''t appear so convinced.

    Caleb sighed before saying, "If you have so much time to bother me, then maybe you should start dating, or better get a mate! You''re about to be twenty three how long do you plan on being single"?

    Christian was taken aback by the sudden attack from his brother. "What the hell, bro"? He barked. Even if Christian was single at the moment his dating history was far better than Caleb''s. When he was himself a teenager, he used to be much more reckless than his brother, and thus dated quite a lot.

    He never got serious with anyone, and after graduation he enrolled in an nearby college for 2year online course before giving away the academic life altogether. After that he got way too engrossed in his pack activities to care about dating, and just decided to wait for however long his fated mate took to show up. They never did, and he completely forgot about finding a mate for himself altogether.

    "You know, if I could I would go get a mate right now" Christian admitted. "But, you should know how hard it is. While they are people who would love to be my mate, you know with the prospect of being the future Luna of the pack, I don''t think they will actually like me".

    "Then why don''t you start dating again? No one is getting any younger, even if our aging process is slow" Caleb suggested.

    "Maybe I should? I don''t know. The pack duties keep me quite busy. Why bother dating when you don''t have time for the other person". Christian suggested.

    "Who knows, like I found someone, maybe you will too. You know, who hates to be around you too much" Caleb winked. "You won''t have to worry about not giving enough time". Caleb teased while his brother simply shook his head at his brother''s unbelievable nature.

    "Go to sleep and stop irritating me" Chirstian smacked his brother''s head before taking his leave, leaving Caleb chuckling in the hallway.

 Chapter 91 - Late At Night

    Sleep didn''t come to Caleb so easily that night. Sure he has had sleepless nights before, but they were nothing like this. While he mostly hated staying up late to do his job or something, this time he couldn''t help but smile through and through. Every time he closed his eyes, he could feel that pair of lips that he encountered twice today, and like an earworm these two sentences kept ringing in his ears, "I can get used to this" and "Nothing a boyfriend shouldn''t do".

    Just a day ago he was wallowing in sadness and the pain of rejection, and now 24 hours later, he had a boyfriend, the one guy he had wanted for so long. He felt like an idiot for not confessing his feelings earlier, for being an idiot to think that his feelings are one sided. If only he had confessed his feelings long ago, he wouldn''t have had to suffer for so long.

    Honestly, if he could get a time machine he would go back to the past, smack his idiot old self and make him get together with Ashton much earlier. He was so happy tonight that he couldn''t get sidetracked by the fact that his parents were not okay with Ashton.

    Speaking of which, he couldn''t help but think about how Ashton must be feeling. He could tell that Ashton was not very comfortable when he was showing him around the place. He would be lying if he said he didn''t want to stay in his room and go to Ashton''s room instead, but with everyone in their house, will that be okay? Moreover he knew Ashton liked to sleep alone, and thanks to his heat even Ashton lost most of his sleep in the last couple of days.

    He shouldn''t disturb his boyfriend right. A smile formed once again as he thought of Ashton as his boyfriend. Maybe his brother was right, Caleb is whipped for the pureblooded Alpha kid. He tried once more to fall asleep, but once more the memory of that kiss floated in his mind. If a kiss could make him this crazy god knows what will happen to him when he mates with him. The thought of mating made him blush profusely so he decided to do some push ups, hoping it would wear him out enough to make him fall asleep.

    Feeling the sweat bubbles form in his forehead in such a cold weather he decided to wash off a bit before heading off to bed. I was already 2:00 o''clock in the morning and if he stayed awake further he would probably have huge dark circles the next day. Lying on his bed he stared at the ceiling he tried to think of all the useless things, maybe counting some sheeps would help him in the process to fall asleep. He slowly closed his eyes only to be woken up by a noise from outside the window.

    Startled, he sprung up on his bed and tried to figure out what was going on. Like a hand of ghost he saw a dark five fingered shadow trying to break the window. Since when was his house haunted? He wondered. Taking a deep breath, he took out the baseball bat he had tucked away in the closet ever since he realised that particular sport was not meant for him and approached the window cautiously.

    Unlocking the window he was about to hit the person on the other side of the window, when that person grabbed his hand blocking his attack, "I knew you would pull a stunt like this. Your anxiety levels were starting to make me anxious" said Ashton whilst taking the bat away from his face.

    "What the hell dude!!? You scared me"! Caleb breathed a sigh of relief. "Why didn''t you say who you were"?

    "I didn''t wanna disturb you in case you were already asleep". Ashton shrugged.

    "So what? You were gonna sneak up on me"? Caleb questioned.

    "Wellˇ­ I mean, I was just..."Ashton stammered, unsure of how to make his abrupt visit sound more casual. Caleb seeing the dilemma in his face chuckled and grabbed his hand, pulling him in. "Come inside, just because we are wolves doesn''t mean we have to stay in the chilling weather outside".

    Once Caleb successfully closed the window, he turned around to ask Ashton, "How come you are here, instead of sleeping"?

    "Well, I was wrong, when I imagined a soft mattress would help me sleep, but I couldn''t sleep no matter what". Ashton sighed. "Maybe it''s the first night effect? You know when you can''t sleep in new surroundings".

    "So, you came to see me"? Caleb decided to tease once more.

    "Well, you are the only one I could think off when I asked myself, ''who could be awake at this hour''? After I glanced at my clock" Ashton shrugged. Without waiting for any invitation, Ashton snuck into Caleb''s bed while covering himself with the quilt. The bed was significantly warm, signifying that Caleb was in fact on the bed.

    Caleb''s eyes widened at that bold gesture and couldn''t help from asking, "What are you doing? Who said you can take my bed? Get off my bed" He ordered.

    Ashton looked at him with a devilish smirk on his face, "Remember when you took my bed without permission on my birthday? It is revenge time" His devilish smirk deepened.

    "That was so long ago! And that was different, we weren''tˇ­ you know" Caleb stammered.

    "What? Mates who have made out on more than one occasion"? Ashton chuckled while Caleb''s eyes widened further. Ashton was usually a shy person, which is why whenever he behaved so boldly it kind of scared him. Not in a bad way though, cause he enjoyed his advances nevertheless. "Don''t worry, I won''t touch you at all. See this pillow will keep us separated". He pulled the large side pillow from above his head and kept it in the middle of the huge bed making partitions.

    Caleb rolled his eyes before mumbling, "You should worry about me jumping on you instead", recalling his earlier thoughts.

    Ashton, who apparently heard him, mumbled back, "be my guest". Caleb sighed before heading off to the bed and lying on the left side. At first he stared at the ceiling before turning his to the right, only to get his view blocked by the giant pillow.

    Irritated he pulled the pillow a little bit lower and looked at the peaceful face of sleeping Ashton. Whether he was actually asleep, or he was just pretending, he couldn''t tell. He simply enjoyed the peaceful moment and before he knew he dozed of as well.

    He didn''t know for how long he was asleep, but thanks to the chirping noise outside, Caleb woke up sprawled all across the bed while his face was buried between the giant pillow and the bed. How did he not suffocate? He wondered. He looked around to see no signs of Ashton, and wondered if he dreamt the whole Ashton coming to his room late at night.

    Rubbing his eyes, he stretched and noticed a page on the nightstand. Taking the page he read

    ''Had to leave before your family found me here and assassinated me. See ya pineapple!''

    He smiled reading the tiny note as he found himself cooing at his adorable nature. ''Seriously? The pack is worried about this guy''? Caleb found himself asking before he chuckled quietly. He freshened up before he headed down for breakfast.

    Seeing Ashton rub his eyes while coming from his elevator, as if he spent the entire night in his room made him laugh. He bit his lip, in order to suppress his smile so that people around him don''t get suspicious, which wasn''t really that necessary. Linking Ashton, he asked. [Do tell me if you are planning to sneak into my room every night. I will keep the baseball bat nearby to welcome you] Caleb implied with heavy loaded sarcasm.

    Ashton glared at him slightly, before smiling at the twins who were ready to go to school. Seeing them all dressed up he wondered, "Wait, what time is it"? Ashton asked.

    "Around 8, why"? Caleb answered, checking his watch.

    "Oh my god, I gotta go". Ashton ran away. Caleb scrunched his eyebrows before he realised that Ashton was about to be late for school. What surprised him more that Ashton was still allowed to go to school. He assumed his father would keep him all locked up here.

    He went back to his fathers home office to find it empty and looked around for the pictures. He examined them closely to determine the position of the photographer and tried to recall if he saw anything abnormal in his peripheral vision. What if the person was standing farther than he estimated? It was possible that the person simply zoomed.

    Wanting to check the place out once more, he decided to go to Ashton''s old place once more. He looked around the whole place for any residual scents or something, but it wasn''t that much of a surprise that he found no evidence given the pictures were taken days ago. Things were quiet normal and he was engrossed in his own while staring intently at the pictures when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

 Chapter 92 - Catch Up

    "Ahhh" a familiar scream reached Caleb''s ears when he twisted the hand that was placed a moment ago on his shoulder. That''s when he noticed and recognised the smell coming off from the other person and realised that it was none other than his friend Matt. How come he didn''t notice the scent before? Was he even that inattentive back when Ashton''s pictures were taken? "Man, let me go!" Matt shouted in pain when Caleb didn''t let him go, as he was busy pondering on his own.

    "Sorry", Caleb mumbled, setting him free. "Why the hell are you trying to sneak up on me"? He questioned.

    "What the hell are you talking about"? Matt retorted. "I called your name, and I think unlike your mate my scent is prominent enough" Matt retorted. Caleb tilted his head, wondering how the hell Matt found out about that given he was away for college. As if he read his mind, Matt said, "I heard from my parents. Apparently you two are headlines now".

    "That sounds about right" Caleb sighed and simply rolled his eyes.

    "Wait, so all of it is true? Is he really a pureblooded Alpha"? Matt asked enthusiastically. Caleb nodded at him in affirmation before he asked, "How long have you known that"?

    "About a year," Caleb shrugged.

    "Wait, was he that pureblooded Alpha whose smell was all over the place when we ran into that injured wolf, I this his name was Sebastian".

    "Yeah". Caleb nodded.

    "So is it true this time? That he is your mate? Or are you trying to fool everyone once more"? Matt asked to which Caleb affirmed that this time it was for real "Tell me everything, spare no details"! Matt insisted. Giving up on actually continuing his search Caleb confided in him. Since Matt already knew his omega secret, and was someone whom he called friend he didn''t see the point in bending the truth.

    By the time he was done, shock mixed with a tinge of anger overtook his face, "Wait a minute. So Ashton, whom you barely knew at that time knew about your secret, and me, who had been your friends for over a decade, didn''t"? Matt was clearly offended by this tiny, easily missed, detail.

    "It''s not like I told him on purpose, he just happened to find out. Just like you did. Never would I ever tell anyone about my true identity on purpose" Caleb declared.

    "Yeah , Yeah, you don''t have to make excuses. I knew you were crushing on him for a long time. The way you were so protective of him, I can''t believe it took you so long to figure out your own feelings". Matt shook his head at Caleb''s unbelievable behaviour.  "I have known you so for long, I knew I didn''t get it wrong when I thought you had feelings for him".

    "It''s not like you know everything. For a decade you thought I was an Alpha" Caleb retorted followed by a sassy smirk, which in turn made Matt''s proud smile disappear from his face. "But seriously? Why are you back? Don''t you have likeˇ­ classes or something"?

    "Well, I am taking two days off, and that plus weekend I have enough time to visit home. My mom sent me stuff, but boy did she get them wrong. So I finally managed to make some time and come and get them by myself". Matt sighed with frustration. "Also, I didn''t want to miss the celebrations".

    "College is hard eh"? Caleb snorted.

    "You have no ideaˇ­" Matt began and explained all the boring routines that he had to follow and how everyone treated the juniors as if they were free slaves or something. Caleb regretted not making it to the college, but somehow the hectic schedule made him feel a bit jealous instead of relieved. Did he actually wish he could have continued with his studies? He wondered.

    "How about the living arrangements"? Caleb asked. He was quite engrossed in the story and for some reason he wanted to know more.

    "Well, I live in the dorm. Did you know that we have a wolf warden? That''s right, a beta. Since many wolves visit there from time to time he makes sure the quarters are separate. Humans are given a whole different building than the wolves, and even in wolves they separate the three ranks" Matt finished earning an amazed expression from Caleb.

    "Damn, now I feel like going. If only I didn''t hide my real identity I could have easily gone there and stayed away from the Alphas". Caleb snorted.

    "Why don''t you go as a human''''? Matt suggested.

    "What"? Caleb looked at Matt as if he was crazy.

    "You told me that due to Ashton''s mark you have no scent. What if you pretended to be a human, like Ashton did here"? Matt proposed.

    "Nice idea, but you see there is a major loophole" Caleb took a deep breath, "Many of our wolves go there, they are bound to recognize me, as a leader, as an alpha from our pack. How do you think I should explain to them that suddenly my wolf form vanished and I turned into a human"?

    Matt who realised what he missed nodded his head, "Right. Well, I was just saying, man. I don''t want you to feel left out" Matt patted his arm in pity.

    Caleb eyed his actions suspiciously before asking, "What''s wrong"?

    "What do you mean"?

    "You are not this nice to me. For some reason you care more this time, if I accompany you to the college or not" Caleb pointed out.

    "Nooooo" Matt declared, clearing his throat, obviously failing at trying to make his no sound believable.

    "Are you lonely? Did you actually miss me"? Caleb smirked, when the expression on Matt''s face confirmed his suspicion.

    "Why would I miss you"? You were nothing but annoying". Matt retorted, clearly not convincing anyone in the process.

    "Yeah right. If it weren''t for me you would have been kicked out of school before you graduated"! Caleb scoffed. "What? Are you having trouble making friends or something"?

    "Well, as you know, there were only two people who could tolerate me. One turned out to be stone cold witch and died and the other one decided to take on pack duties and abandon me". Matt snickered.

    "Wow", Caleb was totally digging his friend''s misery, especially when his cause of misery was Caleb''s absence.

    "Nevermind" Matt tried to change the subject. "What are you doing here"?

    "You know how Ashton was exposed"? Matt nodded at Caleb''s question. "This was where the pics were taken. I am trying to see if I can find anything about it" Caleb sighed.

    "Any luck so far" Matt asked Caleb. Caleb shook his head before taking a look around him, frustrated.

    "What about you? Why the hell are you here? You knew about this place"? Caleb asked skeptically.

    "What? No" Matt snorted. "I was on my way home, and I saw you. It''s closer to the bus stand" Matt pointed at the distance. "Do you want some help"? Matt suggested.

    "Sure" Caleb shrugged, allowing him to join in. They stayed for almost a few hours while they searched. Caleb even went inside to see if the advantage of height could give him any clue. He didn''t let Matt inside of course, for some reason that thought annoyed him. He was the only one in his pack who had been inside Ashton''s house and he would like to keep it that way, even if Ashton didn''t live here anymore.

    "Did you find anything"? Caleb shouted from the window when he saw a tired Matt sitting on a piece of log.

    Matt looked up and replied, "I can''t anymore. I travelled for five hours today, and spent almost four hours here. I need to rest." In a very exhausted manner Matt replied.

    Caleb realising that they overworked themselves, decided to take his friend for a treat, however having spent most of the day in the sun, Matt wasn''t feeling up to it. He simply wanted to go home and take a long, long nap.

    On their way Caleb noticed a figure approaching them, which turned out to be none other than Ashton. His face had a tiny smile, that is until he saw Matt behind him. On one hand there was a time when he found him bothersome. But having taken his position in the team he understood why Matt was so cranky all the time.

    On the other hand, he felt a bit possessive of Caleb. Despite knowing that Matt and Caleb were nothing but friends, he felt irritated by their closeness. Damn, this mate bond was making him feel all those things he hated to feel. How long before it screwed up his sanity? He wondered.

    Caleb smiled on noticing Ashton however Matt looked at him skeptically. Matt didn''t get along with Ashton in many circumstances, but now knowing that Ashton could kill him easily without breaking a sweat, Matt refrained himself from making any snarky comments. He however couldn''t stop himself from saying, "Would you stop rubbing in your romance in front of me! Way to make me feel more sad for being single", when Caleb pecked Ashton''s lips taking both Ashton and Matt by surprise.

    Caleb chuckled at Matt''s comment but Ashton simply glared at him. Noticing that glare he realised that maybe it was for the best he avoided this duo, and took his leave, leaving the happy couple all by themselves.

 Chapter 93 - First Date

    "I thought he left for college," Ashton huffed. That was the first thing he said after Matt left.

    "So"? Caleb, confused by Ashton''s sudden defensive behavior, frowned.

    Ashton blinked, realising that his behavior was showing he cleared his throat, "Nothing. Nevermind".

    "Are you okay"? Caleb asked, not quite convinced yet.

    Ashton nodded at him before saying, "Yeah, I am fine. What were you up to"? Caleb explained everything that happened earlier. His search and literally how he found nothing. "Can''t you think of anyone in your circle who would pull such a stunt"? Ashton asked.

    Caleb shook his head lightly, before saying. "If it was that easy, it wouldn''t be a major problem. We still have no idea who was behind those omega kidnapping all those months ago, and now this new mystery. It''s killing me man"! Caleb sighed with frustration.

    "What if it''s the same person"? Ashton suggested. "I mean, there is a high chance that the wolf knows about you given how that crazy Alpha in rut recognized your true form". Ashton suggested, earning a wide eyed expression from Caleb. "What if someone was following you all along, and in the process discovered my identity".

    "Possible" Caleb whispered. "Although, that wolf found out who you were thanks to the deadly beating you bestowed him with," Caleb shrugged.

    "Yeah, maybe" Ashton mumbled. His fist tightened considerably at the thought of someone might harm Caleb.

    "Ouch!" Caleb winced, freeing his hand from Ashton''s, which Ashton didn''t realise he was holding. Ashton realized that once more he failed to control his feelings around Caleb. This is why he didn''t want a mate! He knows Caleb can take care of himself, more than anyone. Hell Caleb even beat him in a match, and yet he can''t help but feel like to lock him up and to keep him by his side so he remains unharmed.

    Caleb sighed, sensing that some kind of inner turmoil was going on inside of Ashton. Putting both of his hands on Ashton''s shoulder, he said "Look at me". Ashton reluctantly obliged before he continued. "I can tell something is wrong with you, okay? We are mates! But exactly what it is? I have no idea. If you don''t want to share that''s fine, but you don''t have to pretend to be fine, Alright"? Caleb asked him softly.

    Ashton''s heart twitched hearing his words. Even without knowing the real issue, Caleb managed to say the words that were comforting to him. Like he said, they were mates, so maybe he should try sharing with him, whatever was wrong. "Iˇ­ I am worried. I have all these feelings, and I have no idea what to do with them. I want to date you, but I have never dated anyone before, so I am worriedˇ­ what if I screw it up"? Ashton voiced his concern.

    "Well, dating experience before guarantees nothing. You can always screw up no matter what, because each and every person is different. If things start to go wrong don''t worry, I won''t let you go that easily. In case you haven''t figured out already I have been obsessed with you for a long time". Caleb admitted with a tiny blush on his cheeks.

    Ashton smirked at Caleb''s confession, before putting his lips on Caleb. No matter how many times he had kissed Caleb, he could never seem to get enough. The soft kiss soon turned into a heated one and both of them had to put a lot of effort to gain some self control and stop themselves. This was not exactly the right place for losing control, they were in the middle of the road after all, however empty it might be.

    "Okay, then maybe I should give it a try". Once their breathing was even, Ashton spoke.

    Caleb didn''t quite get what Ashton meant by that, but he found himself anticipating weird things thanks to the heated kiss they shared. "What are you talking about"?  He asked cautiously.

    "Iˇ­ had something planned for the evening. You know, in case you are free". Ashton shrugged. Still unsure what Ashton meant Caleb''s frown deepened. "Don''t worry, it''s nothing sexual. You can relax. I was thinking about going on a date, but I dunnoˇ­ dinner or movies seemed pretty typical to me. So...J planned something else". Ashton unformed despite his stammer.

    "Alright" a smile crept up on Caleb''s face in anticipation and adoration.

    "You are free, right"? Ashton asked to confirm. Caleb nodded at him before Ashton gestured to him to follow.

    After walking down the road for a while, their route deflected towards the woods. On the way, Caleb expressed his concern over safety of them being here, but Ashton promised that it would be okay, given he had done a sweep of this area just before he met up with Caleb. They reached the waterfall at the edge of the town, when Ashton declared that it was their destination.

    Caleb has been here on more than one occasion before, so he didn''t find anything new here. But he didn''t want to kill Ashton''s enthusiasm, so he pretended to be surprised as best as he could. Ashton, able to detect Caleb''s deception smirked before saying, "Don''t worry, I didn''t bring here for the scenery. I kind of guessed you might have been here before".

    "Are we swimming"? Caleb threw a wild guest

    ."Nope"! Ashton declared proudly.

    "Then what"? Caleb asked once more. He was glad they were not swimming, he wasn''t sure how he felt about that. Swimming with others wasn''t that much of a big deal, but with Ashton around it was a huge deal.

    "You will see, just give me a second". Ashton smirked and handed him his bag. "Do not let it go"! He ordered and left him all by himself while he went back in the bushes. Caleb had a guess what Ashton was about to do and he was proven right when a giant black wolf jumped out of the bushes. The entrance of the gigantic black wolf was indeed quite magnificent. Caleb snorted at Ashton''s showmanship.

    Ashton linked Caleb and spoke, [Get on]

    Caleb''s eyes widened at that request, "Get on"? He looked at him from top to bottom before asking, "As in, on your back"? The wolf nodded his head vigorously. "What are you trying to do"? Caleb asked him suspiciously.

    A growl escaped from the wolf''s mouth, after which Ashton continued in the link. [Just do what I say, don''t worry] he tried to convince him. Ashton crouched down to make it easier for Caleb to get on. Still suspicious of Ashton''s intentions, Caleb got on quite easily but reluctantly.

    When you are riding a horse, you are provided with a reign for holding on to it, but Ashton was a wild wolf, and all Caleb could find was fur so he put all his strength into holding onto the fur, which was not so much.

    Ashton walked back a few steps before giving a deafening howl. Caleb went head and hugged the neck of that giant wolf tighter. Holding on, he tried his best not to close his eyes. Ashton ran at his fastest and jumped right above the waterfall. The distance between both the shores was quite big enough for them to make it by a jump. Caleb panicked that both of them will fall on the water, and will be swept away by the waterfall.

    He was surprised when Ashton''s feet landed on the other edge, which was one or two inch away from the shore. The thrill cause a huge amount of adrenaline rush through Caleb''s body and he shouted "Yeaaaaaaahhhh"!!

    As loud as he could. Caleb was both scared and intrigued by this leap that he kind of wanted to do it again. Not realising that Ashton was still linked to him, he was surprised when Ashton''s voice spoke in his mind, [I will do that on our way back. Now get down] Ashton telling him to get down sounded like an order so he pouted but he got down nevertheless.

    He brushed his hands through his fur over his neck which felt quite nice to Ashton and he leaned further into the touch. Caleb smiled at Ashton''s willingness and he continued to do so. After awhile he hugged his giant face, before saying, "That was awesome"!. Even if Ashton could tell he enjoyed it, Caleb wanted to confirm with his words.

    [I am glad you liked it] Ashton spoke in link before snatching away the bag he gave him. A moment later Ashton emerged, wearing a different set of clothes which was probably kept in the bag and smiled awkwardly.

    "Well, it''s not like usual dates but so far I love it" Caleb chuckled. "So, what''s next"? Ashton''s face beamed with joy, feeling successful in his attempt. Taking out a few snacks from his bag he handed it over to Caleb.

    "I know eating is a very important part of dating, and being a healthy wolf. So I brought these". Caleb chuckled at that remark, before sitting down while enjoying their food along with the sun set.

 Chapter 94 - An Unexpected Encounter

    Christain was quite immersed in his work for a really long time. After a hectic day, he was going through all the training schedules and the possible strategies when something that his brother said reappeared in his mind

    "If you have so much time to tease me, maybe you should start dating, or better get a mate! You''re about to be twenty three how long do you plan on being single"?

    "Who knows, like I found someone, maybe you will too"

    Like an earworm they kept recurring in his head. As a pack leader he was expected to find a mate sooner or later, which is why it was even more surprising that it completely slipped off his mind. Was he getting so engrossed in his work that he eventually stopped caring? Or was he getting sidetracked from the expectation that when the time is right his parents will find him a suitable mate. Maybe now that his baby brother was mated, he should start to think about finding one too?

    Putting off with work he decided to head to the bar situated outside the town. Going to the ones in the town was useless. He knows almost everyone who goes there and no one there was good enough for him. It took him almost an hour to reach the bar, that too by the car. Looks like he had to find a local place to spend the night in case he manages to get drunk for real.

    The bartender was delighted to see Christian after a long time. Knowing well enough what he likes, he prepared him a mojito and served him along with saying, "Been a long time since you came here, enjoy"!

    The bartender was a human, and thus was forever amused by the level of tolerance Christian had. Thanks to his high metabolism, it took him a lot of bottles, a level that would probably be lethal to a normal human, to get him drunk for real. Still, drinking while suffering through some or the other issues was a popular trope. There is no reason he still can''t try to get drunk once in a while.

    When he was in his fourth drink he heard a voice next to him say, "If you wanna get drunk for real, you have to gulp it down all at once". The voice was quite familiar and upon turning around he recognized the face of the person.

    "Youˇ­" Thanks to feeling a bit tipsy he had a hard time remembering who it was. Despite the familiarity, something was different which prevented him from doing so. Suddenly it clicked him, if you replace the dark brown hair with blonde, and with a little chubbier jawline, it was none other than Sebastian Kyles, who stayed in their pack house during the witch attacks. "You''re Sebastian"! He exclaimed in recognition. "What brings you here? And why is your hair different"? For some reason he couldn''t help but bring up the hair. According to tipsy Christian, blonde suited the guy more.

    "Why? can''t I be here as well"? Sebastian snorted. "This is not your pack house" he remarked.

    "Why do you get defensive every time I say something? What do you hate me or something"? Christian asked, along with ordering two more drinks.

    "Maybe" Sebastian murmured while taking his drink.

    Christian shook his head at the others behaviour and instead tried the idea suggested by Sebastian. Indeed drinking faster helped him get drunk. Not sure how long that drunken haze would last, Christian kept ordering drinks so much so that even he scared the bartender.

    Meanwhile, Sebastian who was done with two drinks, enjoyed watching the drunk Christain and somehow enjoyed his misery, despite having no idea what it might be. The longer Christian sat there, the faster he ordered his drinks. Even the bartender was worried at some point that he might have gotten given his customer alcohol poisoning.

    ~~~~

    When Christian opened his eyes, he found himself lying on an unfamiliar, not so soft bed, with a little bit of dampness. Opening his eyes and taking in his surroundings, he was in an old, ill-maintained room with lots of cracks in the wall. Never ever is his life has he seen something so filthy. Being rich since childhood he did lead a life filled with luxury.

    Recovering slowly from his hangover and sleepy phase he realised that he wasn''t wearing any shirt. Panicked he looked around to see if anyone was there and looked down below his quilt, with anticipation to realise that he still had his pants on. He sighed in relief before realising that those were not his pants.

    His panic was taking over him, when he heard the door unlock. Recognising the guy as Sebastian from last night, he couldn''t help but be curious exactly what was going on. He eyed Sebastian suspiciously until Sebastian noticed the stare he was receiving from the former. "Are you still drunk or are you awake for real"? Sebastian asked with distaste.

    "What is going on? What happened"? Christian mumbled.

    "I got punished for telling you the drinking trick. That''s what happened". Sebastian remarked with much disgust dripping out of his voice. His scowl came off as pretty intimidating, but since he was wearing a T-shirt with a tiny snowman on it saying ''I like warm hugs'', it made Christain laugh at the contrast.

    "Why am I here? And where are my clothes"? Christian asked, trying to divert his attention from that ridiculous T-shirt. "And, why is your hair brown"? He added. For some reason he found the brown color on him unsettling. He preferred blonde on him more.

    "Cause I am an actor, and different roles demand different appearance"! Sebastian scoffed. "Anyways, I threw away all your clothes," Sebastian shrugged.

    "Why"?! Christian shouted.

    "What do you mean why? You yourself ruined your clothes, and mine"! Sebastian scolded him at the top of his voice. "God, you are a nightmare"He huffed.

    "Ruined"? Christian raised his eyebrows cautiously.

    "Yeah, you barfed all over the place". Sebastian cringed as the horrible memory flashed in front of his eyes. "What the hell were doing here alone if you planned to get that drunk"? Sebastian maintained his glare, while handing him over the package on his hand. Taking a peek inside of it, he realised that it had another T-shirt which was far more ridiculous that his. It had pictures of princesses on it, and there was no way Christian will wear it willingly.

    "I am not going to wear this," Christian declared.

    "Suit yourself" Sebastian muttered. "By the way, you owe me 500 bucks"

    "500 bucks"! A startled Christian exclaimed out loud.

    "Yep! These T-shirts are costly. I wouldn''t have bought them if it weren''t for your vomiting, pay me up"! Sebastian ordered

    Sighing, Christian looked around to find his wallet, which laid on the nightstand next to his bed. He wasted most of his money on the drinks last night, and the only cash he has left was a 100$ bill. Pursing his lips he mumbled, "Do you take cards"?

    Rolling his eyes, Sebastian sneered, "Yes! I take cards. After all I am a swipe-your-card machine"!

    Chirstian grimaced as the loud noise made his head hurt. "Well, I only have 100 bucks. You can keep them for now, I will pay you the rest of it later" He replied handing him the 100 bucks he had left.

    Snatching it from his hand, he replied, "Add interest and extra money for making me take care of you".

    Christian gave him an unamused expression before saying, "I never asked you to take care of me".

    "You drunken idiot"! Sebstian sneered once more. "Do you think I took care of you on purpose! Hell wanted to abandon you and get back to my dorm until you vomited on me as well! Do you even remember what you did while you were drunk"?

    Taken aback by the sudden blame he retracted himself. "What"? Christian''s eyes went wide while he fought the urge to imagine all kinds of worse scenarios.

    "Forget it! This is starting to piss me off. I will come to the pack house tomorrow! Keep my payment ready"! He ordered and stormed out of the room.

    After a long while, feeling helpless he wore the embarrassing T-shirt. Luckily he had a jacket in his car to cover this so that no one in the pack sees it and makes fun of him. While getting out he realised he was at one of the rooms that was situated above the bar. They made those in case anyone got too drunk to drive, they would have a place to stay.

    Throughout his journey he kept thinking about what he did last night. The last thing he could recall was cussing his fate before everything blacked out. He just hoped he didn''t do anything inappropriate that would ban him from the bar or something. He wondered a lot about what he could have possibly done to piss Sebastian off, you know, apart from soaking the other''s clothes in his puke. Then again, given Sebastian''s attitude towards him, that was all he needed to do. He was not looking forward to having his usual hectic day in this hungover at all.

 Chapter 95 - What Actually Happened

    Sebastian decided to stay in a hotel outside the pack house, not having had a great experience here last time. He felt as if it was easy to get succumbed into the madness of the pack business without even doing much. Feeling stressed by just the thought of it he decided to go out for some drinks. His tolerance was pretty high, even for an Alpha, and thus he enjoyed drinking from time to time.

    As a troubled teen, he picked up bad habits pretty easily. Drugs and smoking were one of them, and given his wolf status, he was pretty tolerant. Thanks to his high metabolism, never did he ever get caught in a blood test. By the time they took the blood, it was already clean. All of that changed when he ended up auditioning for a small commercial which was held on his college campus. Thanks to his looks he gained quite the popularity within the locals and decided to embark on this new career path.

    Taking a break of the media for the time being, he was really looking forward to having drinks peacefully, maybe even meet someone for a temporary hookup or something. Imagine how disappointed he was when he met the one person whom he found most annoying. Christian, the over critical son of the Head Alpha from Cresentile pack.

    Christian was sitting right next to him, which made him contemplate moving away but the bartender already gave him the drink he ordered last time. He must say, the bartender had a very sharp memory. Taking the whole thing at once he couldn''t help but glance next to the man absorbed in his own reverie as he slowly took his sips. It was amusing how Christian wasn''t drunk but he was yet to notice his presence.

    Christian appeared a bit sad so he against his better judgement he went ahead and gave him a drinking tip. He expected a thank you or at least no answer, but what he received was a question about why he was here and why his hair changed color? As if he was answerable to him. Annoyed, he let him be and took a few sips of his own drink.

    He was on his third glass when suddenly Sebastian fell off the chair. That startled him and a lot of people around him as well. Was he drunk already? How convenient. He wondered if he should help him, but decided to let the drunk man be as he is. He deserved to wake up with unexplained pain the next day due to him injuring himself in his drunken state. The thought itself brought a smirk to his face.

    Christian tried a number of times to get back on his seat only to collapse back into the ground. His state was indeed pitiful. A woman who was a human, either took pity on him, or wanted to take advantage of his drunken state, and thus approached him. She helped him up on the chair but soon started to flirt with him. He responded to her enthusiastically, but having no filter he spilled his guts out about the wolf community.

    She took most of it as a joke but Sebastian who sat next to him wanted to record everything so that he could make him regret terribly the next day. But then again, he would have to interact with the strung up Alpha once more. That thought was enough to make him refrain from doing so.

    Most of the things that Christian murmured was about being a mate. From his words it seemed that he needed to find a mate, and even asked the woman if she wanted to be his. That woman, who had no idea what it actually meant and maybe thought it simply meant sex, agreed.

    Usually it was none of his business, but he decided to step in at that very moment. "Excuse me, but I think I got it from here".

    "You are"? The woman asked him, annoyed by his rude interruption.

    "I am his brother". Sebastian lied flawlessly. Being an actor, pretending to be someone you are not came easily to him.

    "I know you are lying. If you were his brother why didn''t you help him when he was struggling to get up"? The woman, who was in a clear state of her mind (surprisingly) argued with him.

    "Because that''s our relationship. We don''t help each other unless we are about to die". Sebastian argued back, "Now get up and leave". He ordered her, his alpha voice emerging involuntarily. The woman seemed brave, but somehow she found herself succumbing to his command and left with a pout.

    Christian''s drunken self felt enraged by her sudden absence and threw a greatly misdirected punch at Sebastian, which, obviously, he didn''t have to dodge to avoid. "Why did you do that? She agreed to be my mate"! He snarled at Sebastian. Feeling annoyed, and the highly skeptical eyes of the bartender on himself he gave him an awkward smile before dragging Christian out of the bar by gripping on his collar.

    Once he was out of the crowd he answered back to Christian, "That woman didn''t even know what mate is. What if you ended up marking her in your drunken state? Weren''t you supposed to be careful as to whom you pick your mate as the future Alpha of your pack"? Sebastian had no idea why he was trying to knock some sense into this drunk guy. He just wanted to justify his actions even if the guy in front of him would not understand him.

    "I have been careful all my life, it''s time for me to be reckless"! Christian shouted. Sebastian sighed, clearly not thrilled about dealing with him.

    "Which one is your car"? Sebastian asked with frustration, not willing to continue anymore.

    "Don''t drink and drive"! Christain shouted at him once more. "I am going back there, I have to look for a mate" Christian tried to go back in, but Sebastian stopped him. In a normal situation Christian and Sebastian would be equals when it comes to strength, but Christian''s inability to focus gave Sebastian an edge. "Let me go" He cried like a child which made Sebastian feel bad for him.

    "I swear to god, I want to kill myself at this moment. I am clearly not drunk enough for this shit" Sebastian mumbled. "Look at me!" He straightened Christian and stared into his eyes. "Finding a mate is a life and death situation. With or without your social status you have to be careful when you choose your mate. They are supposed to be your life partner. Getting drunk and hooking up with random strangers is not the way, especially if you end up marking them on the first hookup! Believe me, I know"! Sebastian hoped to get through Christian.

    Even if he forgot all of this the next day, he needed Christian to hold up till he sobered up a little bit. A part of him now felt guilty for teaching him the ''getting drunk'' trick, which is why he felt responsible for whatever would happen next.

    Christian looked at him with innocent eyes, the way a baby stares at you when you talk. It was yet unsure how much he understood, but he seemed curious for more. Sebastian frowned when Christian brought his face closer to his. He became alert instantly ready to push him away if he did something inappropriate. Sebastian even retracted his own face a little bit.

    When their faces were inches apart, Christian pouted, which was soon followed by a volcano of smelly semi-liquid barf gushing out of his mouth. Most of Sebastian''s shirt was ruined, and it even managed to get to his skin. Christian himself was comparatively clear, which enraged Sebastian further. "Why god? What did I ever do to you to deserve something like this"! he mumbled with frustration.

    His heightened sense of smell did not help his condition while he fought back his own urge to barf at the site. He tried to push him away, but Christian collapsed on him smashing the puke in between. It was a miracle Sebastian has still held up.

    "That''s it, I am out"! Sebastian huffed in frustration. He was about to dump in the middle of the road but somehow seeing the soft sleepy expression on his face tugged at his heartstrings. He let out a deep breath before dragging him up to one of the empty smelly rooms upstairs. He took a quick shower to get rid of the smell before he threw away his pretty expensive shirt in the garbage.

    He stared at the unconscious state of the guy creating all this mess and fought his urge to stuff a pillow over his face. Maybe if he wasn''t a future Alpha he would have hesitated less? He groaned at his unfortunate fate before he took off Christian''s shirt and wiped off any residual vomit from his body. He even covered him with the quilt for no apparent reason. Now all he needed was to find something decent to wear and never give any wolf any drinking advice ever again.

 Chapter 96 - Perfect Moment

    The setting sun set a perfect ambience for our adventurous couple, Caleb and Ashton. The snacks Ashton brought were finished within a few minutes. After all, the bag Ashton brought was too tiny to hold the huge amount of snacks that is needed to feed two well grown wolves for a considerable amount of time. Nevertheless they enjoyed being there in each other''s presence. It was probably the first time they were completely alone, with no one to intrude, ever since Caleb confessed to Ashton.

    Caleb still found it hard to believe that he was going out with Ashton for real. The guy who was dead set on not ever getting a mate was dating him now. Caleb tried to savour the moment as much as he could, since he had been longing for it for so long. The moment itself felt surreal, as if it was a beautiful dream and he was afraid to wake up any moment now.

    Caleb turned his head towards Ashton, who looked back at him. They stared at each other, taking in each other''s presence before Caleb whispered. "Thank you for doing this. It''s perfect" He smiled. For a guy who has never dated in life, Caleb had to admit that Ashton nailed it. A flicker of a smile appeared in Ashton''s lips as well, although it didn''t stay there for long.

    Caleb gazed into Ashton''s eyes for a moment before shifting his eyes to the other''s lips. An expectant expression on Ashton''s face encouraged him to take the next step and he leaned in slowly for a kiss. In fact, even Ashton pushed himself forward so their lips could collide halfway. As soon as their lips touched, sparks flew all over their body and both of their minds went blank, forgetting everything else that could possibly ever had mattered.

    Caleb adjusted himself and soon put his left hand on Ashton''s waist and right hand below his face and thus brought them closer to each other and he kissed Ashton deeply. While the battle of lips continued, neither of them backed down when it came to opening their mouth. Getting impatient, Ashton bit on Caleb''s lower lip, making him wince and thus getting access to the rest of the mouth.

    Putting his tongue inside his mouth, Ashton explored the insides of his mouth, getting a bit salty taste thanks to the French fries they devoured earlier. Changing through the angles of their faces, the battle of tongue continued for a while since neither of them was willing to back down.

    Getting immersed in the wet kiss, soft moaning noises started to hit their ears like a melody, which fired them up even further. Finding the strength, Caleb pushed Ashton onto the soft grass and laid on top of him. Caleb tried to win the fight of dominance but somehow he felt himself slipping away. Snaking his hands onto his waist, Ashton flipped them over in a matter of a few seconds. While the wet grass on his bare neck didn''t feel so comfortable, the pleasure from the tongue on his own made up for the invincible uncomfortable sensation.

    The feeling of Caleb''s lips was something he still couldn''t get enough of.  The more he tasted those soft, plum lips, the more he wanted to eat up Caleb as a whole. Ashton tried his best to control himself, to fight his urge to take Caleb right then and there and tried to remind himself of how much Caleb meant to him, and how deeply he cared for him.

    Lost in the kiss, he suddenly realised that his body was literally attached to Caleb, while his hand was busy feeling down the bare skin on his abdomen and waist. In fact, even before he could realise what he was about to do, he pulled on the T-shirt Caleb was wearing causing it to rip. However, it wasn''t just Ashton who was going wild, Caleb was on the third button of Ashton''s shirt when he heard the fabric of his own apparel rip.

    In the kiss itself, he smirked. Soon he felt the loss of lips on his own, but before he could get frustrated he felt them on his neck. A series of soft wet kisses left a lingering feeling of yearning on his skin. Ashton was determined to leave no spot untouched.

    "Mhhhmm" Caleb moaned at the feeling, only to get tortured further by Ashton''s teeth. A brief flashback of a wild dream appeared on his mind. A time far back in the past when wanting Ashton this way probably wasn''t so right. This time however it was far better than that, given how he felt happy instead of guilty, and how this was real and not just his imagination.

    Ashton pulled the T-shirt to expose Caleb''s collar bone along with the mark he made on shoulder. The moment his lips and his teeth made contact with the mark, a wave of pleasure swept through Caleb''s entire body making him arch himself up while he moaned loudly, "Ahhhˇ­ Ashton". Ashton stopped momentarily to stare at the mark. Coming back from his haze, Caleb followed his gaze and deduced what Ashton might be looking at.

    The mark at the time of marking was nothing but a tool, or at least it was to Ashton. But deep down, he was glad and didn''t regret the fact at all that it was Caleb whom he ended up marking. He was glad Caleb made him do it, cause who knows how late he might have been if it was otherwise. He brought his lips to the mark and kissed it once more, this time way more sensually, thus triggering a wave of wild thoughts in Caleb''s mind and an intense amount of pleasure throughout his entire body.

    Staring at that mark brought back memories, like how crazy the marking process drove them. That was the time when they had their first kiss. A kiss which was raw, but unfortunately didn''t mean anything. Realising how it was not the way he expected his first kiss to be, Ashton smashed his lips on Caleb''s. This time it was way more heated and passionate, which Caleb reciprocated with equal enthusiasm. It was as if they were both trying to make up for the first time.

    This went on for a while, but when Caleb''s T-shirt was completely torn off, and half of Ashton''s buttons were ripped, Ashton pulled himself back. "Wait"! Feeling a bit confused and rejected Caleb frowned as he looked at him. Reading his face, Ashton mumbled, "I am not rejecting you. Please don''t be hurt". He pleaded, fearing that he messed up.

    Caleb, anticipating the anxiety coming off from Ashton said, "It''s okay if you are not ready for something more than this". He forced a smile on his face, "You don''t have to force yourself to do anything you are not comfortable with. I am happy even with this much"...for now'' he finished the sentence in his thought, and thanked heavens that Ashton was not linked to him at that very moment.

    Meanwhile Ashton mumbled, "I am notˇ­"He trailed off, unable to finish, so he finished it in his mind, ''I am not worried about forcing myself to do something I don''t want to. I am worried that if I go beyond this, I won''t be able to stop, that I will go wild and end up hurting you more. I am scared that if I rush too much, I might screw up''. Those were the words he wanted to convey but could not make himself to say out loud, but regardless he felt relieved when Caleb touched his cheek.

    "I am not going anywhere" He smirked. "No rush". Ashton held the hand on his cheek and kissed him on the hand slowly, while Caleb tried his best to hide the disappointment he was facing. The moment they had just now was perfect. Perfect enough to make more out of it, so perfect that it was worth getting frustrated over that now it is ruined. But he cannot push someone who was not ready. After all, he was going out with someone younger than him, and he needed to respect the other''s boundaries. Ashton was still a teenager after all, even if he had encountered wild teenagers before.

    "We should go back", Caleb mumbled, before looking at his exposed chest before his ears turned to a shade of pink.

    Ashton, noticing the other''s concern, offered him, clearing his throat, "Remember the clothes I left on the other side of the cliff? You can wear them". Caleb simply nodded at him, without saying anything.

    Going back behind the bushes, Ashton shifted. He brought back his backpack on his mouth before handing it over to Caleb, who in turn put it on his back, just like last time before getting on on the wolf. Despite being as thrilling as the last time, Caleb found it unable to enjoy the whole thing completely.

    Once they were back on the shore, Ashtons shifted back, handed the T-shirt to Caleb before both of them headed off to their house.

 Chapter 97 - A Major Responsibility

    On their way back both of them were pretty quiet and thus it was more awkward than it should be after their first date. Ashton kept lamenting that he screwed up big time, and couldn''t think of the best way to make up. Should he talk? Then again Caleb refuses to admit that he is mad, and Ashton himself is not much of a great talker.

    After returning Caleb deflected to his room, without even bothering to say bye. Ashton stood there thinking should he stop or let him go, but decided not to do anything for now and headed upstairs

    That night sleep came to Caleb a little later than usual, although his usual was pretty late itself. He couldn''t help but feel frustrated. Despite knowing and agreeing with what happened he found himself hoping for otherwise. He sure would have loved it if they didn''t stop so abruptly.

    He wasn''t exactly mad at Ashton, but he was frustrated with the way things were. He needed to come in terms with the fact that despite Caleb''s long crush on him, Ashton''s feelings were relatively new, and that it was important to find the proper pace to not screw things up. Then again, when did emotions ever listen to logic?

    ~~~~

    The next morning, waking up late, Caleb decided to talk it out with Ashton. After a good night of sleep he felt much energetic and fresh. On his way he ran into his brother, who was rushing in through the door, looking a bit deranged. Usually him coming in the house is not a big deal, with the amount of work he does, he keeps getting back and forth. But today he had his Car Keys with him, and he was wearing his leather jacket in the temperature above 90 degrees, which was so not in sync with his personality.

    "Are you alright"? Caleb called out to his brother loudly which made his brother flinch.

    "Don''t talk to me" his brother mumbled in a groggy voice. Suspiciously, Caleb eyed his brother before realisation hit him.

    "Are you drunk"? Caleb''s lips curved into an evil smirk.

    "No". A flat irritated voice replied.

    "Are you sure"? Caleb shouted for no apparent reason, making Chirstian wince.

    "Okay fine, I am. Now shut your damn mouth". His brother scolded him. "This is all your fault"! Christian shrieked at him before storming off to his room.

    Meanwhile, Caleb who was taken aback blinked while he scrunched his eyebrows. "What did I do"? He shouted at the direction of his brother''s room. Shaking his head in disbelief, he headed upstairs. He knocked twice on his door and even announced who he was, but he got no reply.

    He opened the door, which surprisingly wasn''t locked only to find it empty. That''s when it hit him that it was Friday, and that being a diligent student, Ashton probably went to school already. He closed the door before running downstairs. One of the servants approached him and informed him that his father had asked him to tell Caleb to go and see him in the office as soon as he was awake.

    At first he was annoyed for a moment, but knowing how his father disapproved of Ashton, it was probably for the best that he didn''t infuriate him any further. He went to the office only to be welcomed in his father''s room with a stern cold expression.

    "I have a task for you". His father declared. Unsure of what kind of ridiculous task his father was about to offer he blinked but refrained himself from saying anything. His father continued by saying, "Remember the annual banquet we hold every year"? He asked which Caleb nodded.

    "Well, with everything going on, your brother is a bit busy. I want you to take charge of it, but take help from Christian if you need any" His father informed him while Caleb stood wide eyed, unable to believe that his father gave him such a huge responsibility.

    The annual banquet that was held by the Wrisbergs was a famous event which many wolves looked forward to. The banquet took place in the pack-hall, adjacent to the pack house and each and every werewolf of the pack, and the wolves who were allies from outside the pack were invited.

    It celebrated the inter-territorial harmony and toasted to years of upcoming peace. It was important that every arrangement be done perfectly thus making this a huge deal of responsibility, something he never imagined his father would allow.

    "I will see to it" he accepted, while trying to suppress his smile so as to not give away his excitement.

    "You have two days to arrange everything. The banquet will take place on Sunday". His father informed him before he continued to stare at something on his computer.

    "Two Days"!? Caleb exclaimed. "How can I get everything done in two days? How will the guests arrive at such a short notice"!? He shrieked at his father.

    "Stop overreacting. The invitations were sent by me a month ago. As I said, your brother is too busy, so I am shifting the responsibility to you. I am sure your brother has already done something. Just follow up on that and fulfill the additional requirements". His father clarified.

    "Oh" Caleb voiced, disappointed realising that he was basically a last moment replacement. This brought him back down from his elation.

    "If you do a good job this year, you can arrange everything from scratch next year," his father added. That was enough to bring back his enthusiasm, and thus he exited the room, eager to make the best out of it.

    He was rarely ever appointed as the primary in any job related to pack activities. However, most of the time, it was either meager jobs which involved the least bit of risks, or as a secondary to someone else handling the task. Even if this wasn''t exactly a primary task for him, proving himself worthy would make him seem eligible for bigger responsibilities.

    Caleb ran back to the pack house and started to bother his brother who kept himself locked in the room until Christian recovered from his headache properly. He was mostly fine physically, in fact his headache seemed a bit minor now, but somehow he felt irritated. No wonder when Caleb kept knocking on the door constantly Christian threw the glass at the door making them shatter all over the place.

    Feeling guilty immediately, he answered back to his brother, "Hold on, let me clean this up". Using the broom to brush away some of the glass away from the door, he opened it to let his brother in.

    "What is going on"? Caleb asked him, confused by his reaction.

    "I am never getting drunk again".  Christian mumbled, which did not escape Caleb''s ears. "What brings you here"? Annoyed, Christian asked Caleb.

    Caleb told him everything his father said, and thus Christian promised to send him everything that he had arranged. "You do have to arrange a Catering service, as the one I selected canceled the last moment". Christian added to his list of instructions. Caleb nodded, feeling overwhelmed, before agreeing to it.

    He couldn''t find any Catering services nearby which would serve over a thousand people for a day. Given how it was a small town, lack of such big services was not uncommon. Going online, he did manage to find a few, and two of them even agreed to deliver on such short notice. But to confirm everything, he had to go there on spot and make a reservation properly.

    At first he thought he would go alone, but given the risks it would probably not be the best idea. In fact, there was still a possibility that someone was following him. He couldn''t ask his brother because he was busy as hell, not to mention recovering from hangover and his pissed off attitude. He couldn''t ask Ashton because he had school and not to mention things between them was going exactly smooth.

    Therefore he decided to bother the only other person that came to his mind, Matt. Turns out, he was so exhausted that Matt was still fast asleep despite the sun having crossed to the other side of the sky. At first he didn''t pick up his call, so he kept calling. Soon enough it started to go directly into voicemail.

    Glaring at a poor squirrel who just happened to be in Caleb''s line of sight, Caleb ran off to his friend''s house. Being a frequent visitor his parents let him right in. When he saw how sound asleep Matt was, Caleb got a big bowl of water before unloading it all at once on Matt.

    Matt jerked up on his seat, flabbergasted and obviously alarmed before he glared at Caleb, "Are you fu*****g kidding me"!

    "Get up, we have somewhere to go". Caleb ordered, with zero remorse for disturbing his friend.

    "Why do I have to go"? Matt questioned.

    "Because I said so". Caleb shrugged. "And the fact that you like a ride my Porsche", Caleb smirked, to which Matt simply gave him an unamused expression. "Now get up, we have a long way to go" he patted his back before leaving the room. Matt had an extreme urge to lock the door and go back to sleep, but somehow when he was on his two feet, instead of heading off to the door, he found himself going through the clothes in his closet.

 Chapter 98 - Wolf Themed

    On his way back Ashton wondered if he should get Caleb something; something that would break the awkwardness between them that rose ever since their date. That is when he realised that he didn''t know much about Caleb''s interests. He liked him, but he never expressed much interest in others personal stuff since he mostly preferred keeping to himself.

    This was one of the things that he probably needed to change if they were dating. Maybe he should start taking interest in him, and share his own inner turmoil from time to time. Maybe admitting the truth about why he behaved last night like that would make things better.

    He went to the gift shop to get him something. According to what Ashton knew, Caleb liked taking leadership, loved his pack and loved to play football. He talked his brains trying to figure out amongst these what would be the best gift. A football seems like a great gift, but also a bit useless given he was graduated and Caleb probably wouldn''t play all by himself. Frustrated he sighed so loud that the receptionist noticed him and felt bad for him.

    "Is there anything I can do for you"? She asked him politely.

    "Do you have anything...wolf themed"? Ashton asked reluctantly.

    She looked taken aback by the request a little bit, given her human status. "I will see what I can find". And she left.

    He stood there all by himself waiting for her to bring something while he looked around the room. She returned with a poster of a sandy brown wolf and presented it to him. While technically wolf themed he failed to understand exactly how it could be a gift material for Caleb. Maybe he should keep it as a backup in case he fails to find anything else.

    "Is that it"? He asked.

    "Wellˇ­" she hesitated. "Can you tell me exactly what kind of gift you are looking for? Maybe I can help better if I know. Is it a romantic gift? Friendly gift? Or for a little cousin or somethingˇ­?" she asked.

    "Romantic" Ashton declared.

    "So, she likes wolves"? She asked him.

    "He" Ashton clarified. "And yes, my boyfriend finds them fascinating". He declared proudly.

    "I see" she smiled awkwardly. "Um, we don''t usually keep much romantic stuff that would be wolf themed, but I do have a few key chains with wolves". She offered. Ashton nodded at her, encouraging her to show them. She brought him a tray filled with Keychains. She selected out the wolf one one by one.

    Some of them were simply flat templates of the faces, while a few were miniature models of the whole animal. Amongst them he saw a pitch black wolf and another with a white one. If he got them both, would it be considered as something like a couples gift? He wondered.

    Nevertheless, he bought them, having liked it far more than that poster earlier and headed off to home with enthusiasm. Instead of going to his own room he went straight to Caleb''s. He was surprised to see the door locked and wondered what could have possibly happened.

    He decided to ask the twins, who were very fond of Caleb, to see if they knew where he was. Given the fact that they were in the school earlier this day as well, even they had no idea where Caleb was. Hesitantly, he sent him a text, not daring to link him to bother his privacy. A minute later a received a reply with a map locations and a text saying {out of town, urgent pack business}

    Feeling dejected, he walked towards his own room, when he ran into Christian. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask him about Caleb''s whereabouts properly. Christian described to him everything about the banquet which seemed to make Ashton more tense for some reason. It wasn''t that Christian didn''t notice Ashton''s change in demeanor, he chose to ignore it believing that it would be intrusive.

    Ashton after clearing his throat spoke, "I know you are not thrilled about me dating Caleb, but I was wondering-"

    "You are right, I am not". Christian cut him off in the middle. "Which is why for your sake I suggest you don''t bring up the subject so easily" Ashton shut his mouth. He knew he wouldn''t be accepted by Caleb''s family so easily, but that didn''t make it any easier on him. Maybe he had hoped Christian would be the most accepting? Although, Ashton wouldn''t let their disapproval stop him from dating Caleb.

    Before he could feel further upset, he received a quick, "But if you hurt my brother, I will skin you alive". from Christian, who left immediately. Ashton found himself musing at his brother''s words before heading off to the room. He waited for Caleb to show up for a while, before he decided to immerse himself in his homework. It was hard to not feel anxious at all. It hasn''t been even a day since he last saw Caleb, and he already missed him like crazy.

    Things like this made him realize how hard it was going to be to keep to himself, to control himself around Caleb. It also made him worry that what would happen if ever Caleb got caught with him during his rut. Having no control of himself during his rut, he simply hoped that Caleb  would never have to encountered him during that time.

    ~~~~~

    After a hectic journey and constant whining from his trip mate Matt, Caleb wanted nothing more than to take a refreshing shower and head straight off to bed. However, fixing the Catering took so long that he didn''t get anything else done today. Which meant he had to work much more to get everything done in time.

    Dropping off Matt at his house, who didn''t spare him from the lecture for all the reasons he hated being friends with Caleb, Matt bid his farewell by saying, "see you later".

    Upon returning he saw Ashton waiting for him in the front door. With the day he had, he forgot everything that happened the day before, he simply went ahead and pecked him on the lips, as it was very normal in this situation to so before saying. "I have soo much to do. I will spend time with you later". And vanished.

    Ashton, who was still recovering from the sudden burst of affection, stared as he simply let Caleb walk away. Ashton wondered if he should just let it go, or should he bring up the subject when they have more time. It seemed Caleb was okay now, or maybe it was simply because he was busy. Nevertheless, there is nothing he could do now so he simply went back to his room.

    After taking the hot shower, he sat down on his bed calling all the services one by one, few of which were closed for the day, leaving him with no other option than to wait for tomorrow. Stretching, he lay on the bed and tried to organize his thoughts and make a mental schedule of how he would proceed.

    Somewhere along his thoughts,Caleb''s exhaustion caught up with him, and he drifted off to sleep. Next time he woke up was at 4 o'' clock in the morning when he really had to pee. Feeling still very sleepy, he wanted to doze off once more, until he realized that he had tons of work to do. For instance, the very first thing he needed to arrange was some cars that would pick up the out of town guests.

    The first flight that would arrive today was this afternoon, which gave him some time to arrange something. He asked, few of the pack members, including his friends if they were willing to pick them up. Being still early in the morning, it would take them some time to wake up, so he decided to get something to eat since he skipped last night''s meal and his stomach was growling at him.

    The kitchen was well lit as the cooks were preparing various meals. Given their inconsistent work hours the workload here was divided into two shifts of the day, 12hour each. That made sure that whenever they needed anything they could access it without overworking the servants.

    Most of his friends responded with the excuse that they were busy, feeling frustrated he decided to bring Matt once more and adding Ashton to the party to pick them up. There were total five families that were arriving, and thus after setting multiple cars he drove to the airport.

    While they waited they decided to get some refreshments. Most of the time it was Caleb chatting with Matt, while Ashton remained quiet unsure of his presence here. Being weekend he was free, but soon he wished he had something else to do than spend his time here. When they were waiting, being the leader, Caleb stood in front of the gate while Matt and Ashton flanked him on each side.

    As soon as the doors opened a strong gush of various scents reached their nostrils, while they weren''t much of a bother to Caleb, the scent was burning to Ashton and Matt. A sense of alarm spread through his body as one particular scents amongst the many reached its peak. A man, in his mid to late twenties appeared followed by multiple bodyguards. Was he some businessman or what? Ashton wondered.

    The scent was way too strong for a common Alpha, which is when he realised that this Alpha, just like Ashton was a pureblooded one.

 Chapter 99 - Cyrus Viserboldt

    Christian was busy with overseeing the training of younger werewolves, who recently joined the training program thanks to the recent alarming events. He had to make sure they are learning properly and everything considering they will be responsible for protecting the pack in the future. He was scolding some poor kid when one of the servants from the pack house called him.

    Giving the poor kid a final warning he responded to his servant who informed him that there was one young man who was looking for him. "Did he tell you what business he has with me"? Christian asked.

    "He insisted that you owe him something". The servant informed him.

    "Okay, tell him I will be there soon", he dismissed him. Asking Rexford to watch over the training instead of him for the time being, he ran back to the pack house. There he saw none other than the guy, once blonde now brunette guy, looking at him as if he was about to kill him.

    "Pay me up! I have been waiting here for a long time". Sebastian ordered.

    "You could have just given me your contact, I could have wired the payment to you". Christian sighed. "Why bother coming here, so far, just for a few hundred bucks"?

    "500" Sebastian clarified. "Also, I was going to be here anyway, why bother giving you my bank details". He shrugged.

    "Wait, what"? Christian frowned. "How can you just come here without the alpha''s permission. You won''t be allowed to stay in the pack premises" Christian informed sternly.

    "I don''t owe you any explanation" Sebastian declared sternly. "But, to not give you the wrong impression, it was your father who invited me".

    "What"? Christian frowned.

    "The banquet. You know about that right? After all, you''re his son". Sebastian mocked him.

    "I never bothered to look at the guest list. But yes, I am aware there would be few unpleasant guests". Christian retorted.

    "I will try to avoid them, just like I would try to avoid you. Now, give me my money, and I will be off" Sebastian ordered once more, not beating around the bush anymore.

    "Hold on," Christian said, before running inside the house to bring his wallet. He hardly carried it to any pack training as it had no use to him. Coming out of his house, he handed him the dollar bills, which Sebastian snatched away from his hand before running off. Skeptical of his actions, Christian decided to stop by the office to confront him about Sebastian.

    "Yes, as a matter of fact I did invite him", Mr Wrisberg confirmed.

    "Why"? Chirstian furrowed his eyebrows further. "I mean, he is a rogue. Isn''t the purpose of the banquet to strengthen the bond between various packs"? Christian pointed out.

    "It is, but to be fair he was originally from our pack. Last time he proved to be very efficient, and I hope that if after the banquet he sticks around, he could be useful". Mr Wrisberg announced without bothering to look up.

    "Useful for what"? Christian snorted. "Not every attack is a witch attack".

    "There are a lot of threats out there, some known, some unknown. It''s important to be prepared for the worst. When the time comes we are going to need as many wolves on our side as we can".

    "When the time comes"? Christian mumbled with confusion. It seemed that there was something his father was keeping from him, but he knew that he would not get anything more than this, so he decided to ask him something else. "Is this why you accepted Ashton so easily"?

    "Bold of you to assume I have accepted him" His father replied. The words made him stunned as he wondered what could his father have possibly meant by that. Before Christian could say anything his father hit him with a "If you have nothing else to say, go back to the training place". Christian hesitated for a moment before complying with his father.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Ever since the strong smell hit his nostrils, Ashton found it hard to focus. Like an instinct he had an urge to kill the pureblooded alpha him and run away with Caleb, being his mate and thus tried very hard to maintain his composure. Without even getting a proper glimpse of his face, he felt threatened by him to his bones. He hated these baseless instincts that were embedded in him, which further blurred the lines of an animal and a human for a werewolf like him.

    Unaware of what this pureblooded Alpha''s skill might be, he tried to hide his presence as much as possible, including putting on the sunglasses Caleb gave to both him and Matt. He was surprised to see Matt follow the same suit and wondered what impression he got from the scent. The amount of pheromones were way higher than any amount Ashton ever let out. Maybe if he ever unleashes all of it at once, his scent would be just as strong as his.

    The man approached Caleb, who seemed uncomfortable as well, and thus greeted him, "I am Cyrus Viserboldt" He spoke in a heavy european accent and pointed at the card Caleb was holding, "I believe you are here to pick me up". He smirked.

    That smirk made everyone uneasy, despite that they tried their best to hide it. Caleb nodded and invited him to join them. On their way, Cyrus remarked, "It''s amazing how as an omega they let you lead here".

    That sentence sent a chill down all of their spine. Caleb wondered if the rest of the wolves who were here heard him. He wanted to simply deny the fact, but then Cyrus would go back to explaining why he said what he did. Caleb remained quiet until they were seated in his Car. While Caleb was the one who drove, Ashton instinctively sat next to Caleb in the shotgun seat, still shaken up by his words, leaving the other two to sit in the back. Cyrus didn''t complain, but he didn''t look very pleased either.

    "Why do you think I am on omega"? Caleb asked once he was sure he was out of the rest of their earshot.

    "Your scent, it is commercial pheromones. The one in particular that you are using is very common in our city. It wouldn''t take a genius to figure out that if someone uses them on a daily basis he must be an omega. I must say though, the male ones are pretty rare" He smirked.

    Caleb, who has started driving glared at the windshield, feeling alarmed by Cyrus''s behaviour. He failed to understand as to why his father would invite another pureblooded Alpha, that too who seems in a position of power when he was clearly against Ashton. Exactly what was his father planning?

    Meanwhile, Ashton tightened his fists and focused all his energy from preventing himself from making any irrational move. After a moment of uncomfortable silence Cyrus spoke, "I believe it is rude not to introduce yourself, especially when I have already introduced myself".

    "I am Matt" Matt went first, feeling a bit intimidated by his aura.

    "An Alpha, I see" He smiled.

    "I am Caleb, I am the younger son of Arthur Wrisberg". Caleb spoke next.

    "Interesting" Cyrus nodded. "I wonder if they let you lead because you are related to the head Alpha" He mumbled. That sentence hit a nerve of Caleb. If anything he hated to be judged so quickly just because of his blood status. Time and time again he had proved that he is a great leader, whatever his blood status be, but at the end to most of the wolves his efforts mattered if he belonged to the proper blood rank in their traditional hierarchy. Thus, forcing Caleb to maintain his false Alpha status.

    "This is Ashton" Caleb chose to ignore his statement and introduced his mate.

    "You seem human, how come you are here with them"? He asked Ashton. Resisting the urge to growl he took a deep breath and looked back at Cyrus.

    "I am not human", saying this, Ashton let out his scent since there were not many reasons to hide his blood status anymore. The moment the scent hit Cyrus'' nose he assumed an alert stance from his playful one, thus affecting him the same way it affected Ashton earlier on meeting Cyrus. "I am his mate" He asserted further.

    Caleb, not missing the hint of jealousy in his voice, smirked. He could tell Ashton was uncomfortable, but he assumed it was because of the basic instincts that usually kicks in when Alphas meet another Alphas. From the tone of his voice he could tell he felt insecure regarding Caleb too, as if he was being possessive. Usually that is not something he would enjoy, but turns out with Ashton he doesn''t mind so much.

    "Well, I have never met another pureblooded Alpha in my lifetime. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you". Cyrus said with a smile which was hard to not perceive as forced. It was quite evident that he wasn''t pleased with Ashton, so that smile came off more threatening than intended.

    Ashton, returning the same gesture, smiled at him with equal amount of loathing before he said, "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Viserboldt"

    "Oh please, call me Cyrus" Cyrus smirked.

 Chapter 100 - Being A Leader

    The ride itself was quite uncomfortable for the trio, and given their long distance, it was further exhausting. Upon reaching, Caleb dropped off Matt, but not before thanking him for the second time for accompanying him. Caleb asked one of his maids to show Cyrus the room he had been allocated, just before he stormed off to the pack-office to confront his father.

    "What were you thinking sending me to pick up a pureblooded Alpha? What are you trying to pull off? Is this why handed me this responsibility"? He questioned loudly the moment he entered the room. His father who was on the phone, and from the looks of it, it seemed quite an important call, glared at Caleb.

    "I will call back, later. I have something to take care of". Mr. Wrisberg mumbled on the phone before hanging up, maintaining his glare throughout the process. "First of all, I think I was very clear that you are not supposed to come inside my private office without knocking. This rule applies to anyone in the pack, you don''t get to be an exception just because you are my son".

    "Yeah, I am aware. You''re my pack Alpha before you''re my father". Caleb huffed. "But, even as the pack Alpha, what were you thinking"?

    "That brings me to my second point, I did not send you to pick anyone up. I simply handed you some responsibilities. You were the one who was supposed to determine how to handle them, thus you are the one who decided to pick him up by yourself. And why are you getting mad at me? I mean, aren''t you fond of dealing with pureblooded Alphas, considering you mated with one? With choice? Now who is being judgemental"? Mr. Wrisberg scoffed.

    "I am not being judgemental, I am being skeptical of your actions. He doesn''t bother me as much as your decision to invite him does". Caleb asserted. "If you hate them so much, why did you invite one? Never did you ever do such a thing". Caleb snorted. "You clearly have problems with Ashton".

    "Yes, I do not trust him. But neither do I trust the one I invited. The one I invited, Cyrus Viserboldt, he is one of the most influentialˇ­ no, definitely the most influential pack from Europe. Imagine being on the wrong side of him". Mr Wrisberg tried to explain his son.

    "So you''re being two faced" Caleb scoffed. "You''re pretending to be nice to him, just because he has power"!?

    "Yes" Mr. Wrisberg declared unapologetically. "This whole pack is my responsibility. Anything I do reflects on the pack, and I would do anything to protect it". Caleb remained silent as he felt betrayed. He would be content even if he pretended to like Ashton. Why did he have to be so against his own mate?

    "You are young, Caleb. It is natural to be reckless, but I am assuming you want to be treated like a grown-up, so here is your chance. Proof that you can be responsible without letting your emotions get the best of you". Mr. Wrisberg smirked. "Being a leader is much more than ordering people around and living in luxury". Caleb rolled his eyes at that. "I am not going to help you this time, you have a problem, fix it on your own, withoutˇ­ causing the pack any trouble". His father voiced sternly. "Now get out of here and let me do my work". He dismissed him.

    Caleb''s anger was still bubbling inside of him which wanted to burst out like a volcano. Frustrated, he left the premises. He had so much left to do, but not in the mood to do it. He was literally cursing his fate, and his father in his head when he noticed Ashton standing in front of his door. "Can I help you"? He snapped at Ashton, clearly misdirecting his anger.

    Ashton, taken aback by the hostility, frowned, before changing it into glare. "Nevermind". He spat and was about to leave when Caleb grabbed his wrist, preventing him from doing so.

    "I am sorry, I am...I am not in a good mood right now, and I have a lot on my plate" Caleb apologized, not wanting to worsen their situation further.

    "Don''t you think I know that"? Ashton snapped at him. "I could tell you''re busy because ever since our first date I barely saw you".

    "So what? Am I supposed to abandon my work to spend time with you"? Caleb sighed with frustration. Already being on edge, Ashton''s words started to frustrate him.

    "That''s not what I meant," Ashton sighed. Looking away, he continued, "I know you are busy, and since I don''t have any classes today, I was wondering if you needed my help with anything else". He mumbled.

    All the anger that was piling up inside Caleb vanished the moment he heard those words. Here he was misunderstanding Ashton, credits to his hot headed mind, whereas Ashton was just trying to be helpful. Feeling touched, Caleb smiled and gave Ashton a deep kiss on the lips before saying, "Come inside. Maybe I can use your help after all".

    Locking his fingers with Ashton, he dragged him in while Ashton simply let him do that since he was still recovering from the shock of the sudden kiss. He still had a long way to go before he got used to Caleb''s surprise kisses.

    Caleb welcomed Ashton to sit comfortably on the bed while he took out necessary things from the drawer, "Can I ask you something"? Caleb spoke while digging.

    "Sure", Ashton shrugged.

    "Now that everyone knows that you are a pureblooded Alpha, why do you still hide your scent"? Caleb questioned. "I didn''t notice it much, but I realized this when you released your scent in the car".

    "Oh...um.." Ashton stumbled as he tried to come up with a logical explanation. There simply was none, and he decided to admit that. "I guess I am used to it. Besides what''s the point of spreading my pheromones everyone? It will only make your family, where everyone is Alpha, even more uncomfortable".

    "Stillˇ­ I would hate it if you were doing it just for my family''s sake". Caleb mumbled.

    "Don''t worry, that''s just one of the reasons. And that too a not so important one. I want your family to accept me, but not by deception, but for who I really am". Caleb was taken aback by such blunt honesty from Ashton. Those words were indeed so endearing that it was starting to melt his heart. He gave a tiny smile before joining him on the bed with a pile of files.

    While they both sat in the bed, he showed him all the plans that were in order for the banquet. While everything was supposed to be under his supervision he could use some help with arranging few of the things.

    At first Caleb wanted to give Ashton charge of the decoration, but knowing how little Ashton cared about such things, and how much Caleb cared about these things he decided to check that himself. After much careful thinking, he gave him the responsibility of lightning. He explained to him the plan, and guided him through all the activities that would be taking place on the day of the banquet before giving him the contact info of the people who were in charge of lighting.

    "What are you waiting for"? Caleb asked, frowning, when Ashton sat there quietly for a minute after Caleb was done with the explanation.

    "Iˇ­." Ashton wondered if it was the right moment to give him the present he bought. While he would prefer a much romantic setting, with the way they were getting rarely enough time to spend he didn''t want to delay it any further. "I have something for you"? Ashton declared.

    Raising his eyebrows Caleb asked suspiciously, "What"?

    "This" taking out the black wolf keychain, he handed it to him.

    Caleb looked at it quite carefully before a smile appeared on his face, "Is this supposed to be you"?

    "Sure" Ashton shrugged. "I barely shift, so this will help you not forget my wolf form" Ashton tried to joke.

    Caleb rolled his eyes before saying, "FYI, I happen to have a wonderful memory". He smirked. "Shouldn''t you get a white one too? That would make this a set" Caleb jokes.

    "Got it" Ashton took out the white one as well and displayed it properly to Caleb. Caleb blinked at Ashton, not actually expecting him to get a set and smiled.

    "You are amazing" Caleb, unable to resist anymore, kissed him once more. This time, instead of freezing, Ashton responded with equal enthusiasm. Ashton nibbled on his lower lips which made soft moans escape from Caleb''s mouth. After kissing for a while, before things got way too heated, they pulled away. Trying to bring their breathing back to normal, both of them cleared their throat, trying to act ''normal''.

    "I think I shouldˇ­ get going then" Ashton stammered before almost running out of the room. Meanwhile Caleb chuckled at his adorable behavior.

 Chapter 101 - Banquet

    The Banquet was supposed to be an almost entire day event, with guests coming in from the afternoon. The lunch and the dinner both would be served by the Banquet itself. When the twins went through their entire wardrobe and found none of the clothes they would like to wear, they started to bug Ashton to take them shopping.

    Ashton still had quite a few things to take care off. They were nothing too big, but still he wanted to do them diligently as being a responsible person he felt obliged to and also he wanted to keep his promise to Caleb. "I will take you", a feminine, but bold voice spoke, which came from behind them. Turning around, they noticed none other than Mrs. Wrisberg.

    Ashton slightly bowed at her to show her his respect, but still maintained his silence, as he was not entirely comfortable around her. The twins however, tried to hide behind Ashton to avoid her piercing eyes. Ashton, despite not wanting to say anything, decided to speak up, "It''s fine, I will take them after a while. I just need half an hour to take care of some things". He informed Mrs Wrisberg. "It''s alright right"? Ashton looked at the twins and asked. Normally they would pester Ashton more, but to get rid of Mrs Wrisberg they nodded vigorously, instantly agreeing with Ashton.

    Being Caleb''s mother she was used to being rejected over the little things all the time. After all, raising a rebellious son was never an easy task. Despite that she would have loved to bond with the twins since she found them genuinely nice and well mannered (and maybe get more info about her future son-in-law). Nevertheless, not too sound too intrusive, she nodded in agreement. "Take this" She handed him a card.

    Feeling offended Ashton frowned, trying very hard not to say something rude. Taking a deep breath Ashton spoke, "I appreciate the gesture but I can assure you we are good".

    "I am sure you do. But, thanks to my husband''s stubbornness you are forced to stay here against your wishes. This is a way me apologising from his behalf" She insisted.

    "You don''t have to". Ashton clarified. "We prefer real apology instead of money". Seeing the change in her expression, Ashton bit his lip, regretting losing control over his snappy attitude. He didn''t regret the context of what he said, but  maybe he could have tried a nice approach and thus he felt bad for screwing up. But there is a limit of what one can try with someone who gets on their nerves.

    He expected her to get mad or say something harsh, and honestly more than for himself he was worried for his sisters. "I can see why Caleb liked you" She mumbled with a smirk. "Well, I am really sorry for what my husband is putting your family through. For what it''s worth I will try to convince him to let you leave" She assured.

    "Thank You," Ashton said.

    "Well, if you are not going to take a card, take this" She handed him an envelope which made Ashton frown. ''What makes her think I will accept cash if I didn''t accept the card''?Ashton wondered. "It''s a voucher that''s about to expire. I got it months ago but I never got to use it. If you happen to shop here, feel free to use it. I would hate for it to go to waste". She clarified sensing the doubt in Ashton''s eyes.

    Thanking her, he took the twins away from her to the Banquet hall where they met Caleb. As usual they were excited to see him, and Ashton was quickly forgotten. This time however instead of feeling jealous he felt glad that Caleb got along with his family. If only he could do the same thing with his family. He mused with a suppressed scoff.

    He informed Caleb that he made sudden plans so he won''t be able to help after a while. Caleb simply shrugged, and let him be. After spending an entire afternoon with the twins they bought a pair gowns.  Ava chose a lilac colored one while Ariel preferred a maroon one. Satisfied, they returned with their brother, who himself didn''t get anything for himself.

    By the time they reached the pack house they could see a lot more commotion around the hall, which was not that far away from the house. Feeling largely underdressed the twins ran inside to get changed as soon as they could. Turns out even their mother was waiting for them to arrive as she didn''t want to be all by herself at the banquet.

    Ashton, who took some time before getting in, looked around him properly and tried to get a note of how many Alphas, betas and omegas were there. He was not surprised to find the majority of the guests were Alphas. After all the purpose of the banquet is to strengthen inter territorial relationships, and according to the hierarchy Alphas were the epitome of strength.

    He himself got changed into something not so formal but not so casual either. Lacking any tux, he decided to wear his black shirt which went nicely with the black pants he wore making him look very professional, until of course he noticed that his attire was very similar to the caterers present there. "Well, at least I will blend in", Ashton murmured to himself.

    He tried to look for the people he knew, mostly his family and Caleb. He wasn''t exactly looking forward to interacting with anyone, but he came here just because he was afraid of his family being alone here all by themselves.

    He could recognize the faces of many people who were from the pack. From going to school, to living in the premises for a long time, he got familiar with their faces. What he noticed was new was their expressions. The horror they elicited on sight of Ashton. He knew the pack was terrified of him just because of his blood status, he had noticed similar stares from the wolves in school for the last couple of days. Even the teachers who used to scold Ashton were wary of him and ignored him for the most part

    Finally finding his family, he approached them. His mother was talking with an out of town beta, which made him feel a bit relieved. The twins however were bored, having to pretend so sophisticated when they believed in having some fun, which is why they were a bit delighted to see Ashton.

    "You know, I was looking forward to attending this party. Feels like a bore to me". Ava rolled her eyes which made Ashton chuckle.

    "Now you know why I wasn''t so excited" Ashton retorted.

    "Oh please, like you are excited by anything". Ava rolled her eyes at him.

    Ashton simply shook her head at her boldness before saying, "By the way, don''t tell Caleb about this". He knew how hard he tried to put together this whole thing, and while it may not be their taste it was still magnificent. It was too sophisticated which could be boring sometimes.

    "Don''t tell Caleb what"? Caleb, who appeared out of nowhere, and apparently heard him asked suspiciously. Ashton pursed his lips, trying to think of something as an excuse before clearing his throat.

    "Why would I tell you, when I clearly mentioned not to tell you" Ashton hit him with this sentence which made Caleb look at him as if was gone mad or something.

    "Whatever" Caleb mumbled simply shaking his head before moving on to the twins. "I hope you guys are having fun"! They nodded seeing the enthusiasm on Caleb''s face, and realizing why Ashton said what he did.

    "What are you doing by the way? Aren''t you supposed to meet and greet these people"? Ashton asked Caleb after a minute.

    Rolling his eyes he replied, "All of them are asking me the same question. They are starting to make me sick". Caleb snorted. "Where is my mate? What does he look like? What does he do? Blah blah blah"! With an irritated sigh, he continued. "It''s like everything about me is about my mate"!

    "Well, to be fair these people know you right? I have heard this is an annual thing". Ashton asked.

    Caleb nodded, "I swear if anyone asks me anything about you anymore, I am going to break something"! Letting out a breath he looked at Ashton when suddenly an idea stuck to him. "You know what? Stick with me. If they ask me anything about you, I will redirect them to you"! Caleb proposed.

    "Why? So I could talk to them"? Ashton scoffed.

    "Yes" Caleb shrugged.

    "Ha ha ha" Ashton gave a heavy fake laugh. "No thank you. I am good".

    "You do realize you''re gonna have to talk eventually, right"? Caleb frowned at him.

    "Why"? Ashton raised his eyebrows, challenging him further.

    "Because today they will announce that you are my mate". Caleb shrugged.

    "WHAT"!? Ashton panicked.

 Chapter 102 - Difficult To Control

    "Why the hell did I not know about this"!? Ashton fumed at Caleb. He was never comfortable with such surprises. He hated being the center of attention, and he definitely didn''t want to be the center of attention in this party.

    "Did I forget to tell you"? Caleb frowned, taken aback by the sudden outburst. He tried to recall if he missed that detail while he was giving him all the ideas in brief of what was taking place. Being overwhelmed, it might have slipped away from his mind so he simply shrugged it off. "Well, nevertheless it''s happening. Being the Alpha''s son, it''s important that the other packs are aware about me, and that includes telling them about me finding my mate". Caleb explained.

    "As if they are aware of everything about you". Ashton snapped, implying his secret omega status. Caleb frowned, not expecting to get attacked suddenly like this. "I am sorry, I didn''t mean to snap like this. I really don''t want to be a part of this". He explained.

    "I get it, butˇ­" Caleb sighed. "Please! Do this for me" Caleb tried to insist on him again.

    After a brief pause of contemplation, "Fine!" Ashton sighed with frustration, finally giving into the request. "But don''t drag me into this. Announce whatever you want, but don''t you dare ask me to give a speech or something". Ashton glared.

    "Oh, I wasn''t going to", Caleb gave a tiny smirk. "What I meant earlier by ''talking'' was that when they find out who you are, they will surround you themselves".

    Ashton''s glare intensified, "Nevermind, I am out of this" Ashton spoke and tried to run away while Caleb tried to stop him by grabbing his hand tightly. "Let me go". Ashton tried to get out of his grasp, not that he couldn''t, given he was far more stronger than Caleb, but for some reason he simply didn''t.

    The twins were long gone from the scenario, not wanting to be a third wheel of this weird couple. Their playful banter was suddenly interrupted by a deep familiar voice, "Hello there".

    Ashton, who was trying to get out of Caleb''s hold a moment ago, grabbed his arm reflexively. "Oww" Caleb winced as Ashton grabbed him way too hard. Now it was Caleb''s turn to try and get out of his grip.  "Do you need something", Caleb asked Cyrus amidst his struggle to escape his mate''s grip.

    The aura and the scent Cyrus radiated was appealing enough to grab a lot of attention. Some marveled at his godlike beauty, while some avoided looking directly at him, clearly getting intimidated just by his presence. All over, they left the place he was standing and tried their best to mind their own business.

    "Oh, nothing in particular". Cyrus smirked. "Since I am not familiar with a lot of people around here, I was hoping maybe we could talk? You can introduce me to your guests as well. They seem to be a bit wary of me".

    Caleb smiled, despite feeling a bit disgusted by his expression. While Caleb would admit that Cyrus had a certain charm, his actions gave off a suspicious but smug vibe which repulsed Caleb to his very core. Ashton who was about to burst like a volcano stepped in before Caleb could reply, "I''m sorry he can''t.  He was about to introduce me to others". Ashton forced a smile on his face.

    His displeasure didn''t go unnoticed by either Caleb or Cyrus, however neither of them decided to bring it up. Instead Cyrus replied to him with a sickeningly polite voice, "That seems convenient. Introduce the both of us".

    Ashton put his arm around Caleb, hugging him from the side before he replied, "As you can see we are a couple. Do you really want to be a third wheel"? Ashton said, earning a glare from Cyrus for a very tiny moment.

    "Now, nowˇ­ Calm down. Both of you". Caleb interjected, not willing to let this Banquet turn into a fist fight of pureblooded Alphas. "If you want to get to know the people here, I can help you with that". Caleb smiled, but soon felt Ashtom grab him tighter.

    Ignoring the pain of the tight grasp for the time being, he continued. "Christian"! He called out to his brother who was standing a feet away talking with a middle aged woman. "Alpha Cyrus, here wants to get to know other people here, can you help him?" he asked. Christian nodded at him before turning around to bid a polite farewell.

    Looking back at Cyrus, Caleb continued, "My brother knows these people far better than I do. He is usually responsible for arranging all of this. I am sure he will be able to help you better". Caleb gave him a polite smile.

    He removed Ashton''s hand from his waist with a tiny bit of difficulty. Instead of pushing it away, he intertwined his fingers with his and dragged him away to a much private location. "What was that"! Caleb whisper-shouted at him.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton cleared his throat, pretending to be oblivious.

    "Just so you know, you were not as discreet as you think. Are youˇ­ jealous of Cyrus"? Caleb asked cautiously.

    "Should I be"? Ashton frowned.

    "I don''t think so! Even though I agree he gives off a bit creepy vibes, there is no reason that would affect us. So why do you get so possessive of me whenever he is around"? Caleb continued to scold him.

    "It''s not just when he is around" Ashton blurted.

    "What"? Caleb blinked.

    "I feel possessive of you all the time. Sure it shows around Cyrus, but I feel like that every time I see you with anyone who is not related to you. Even at times, with Matt". Ashton admitted, while avoiding Caleb''s gaze. He was not very proud of how he felt, and neither was he prepared for whatever negative reaction Caleb would give him.

    "Why didn''t you say something before then"? Caleb asked him softly, feeling bad for Ashton. He could tell Ashton didn''t intend to feel this way on purpose given how embarrassed Ashton was right now.

    "Becauseˇ­" Ashton sighed. "This is one of the typical Alpha behaviors I hate which I am having trouble controlling with. It''s my issue, I think it would take some time for me to get adjusted to this". Ashton mumbled.

    "I am your mate, Ashton. Your feelings are directed towards me and that is definitely my business" Caleb sighed. "Listen to me" Caleb instructed, while using his hand to turn Ashton''s face so that he looked directly at him. "We are both wolves, and we are both bound to have these irrational feelings sometimes that comes with it. There are times when I can''t control it, and I don''t blame you for that either".

    "Like what"? Ashton asked, unconvinced.

    "Likeˇ­" Caleb trailed off. "Like how I jumped on you in my heat".

    "Heat or rut is a different scenario. This is me in my prime". Ashton huffed. "I should be able to control these urges, I have always been good at controlling them". Ashton whispered

    "It''s not the end of the world if you can''t. Yes, it''s true that I like that you''re different. But I don''t like you because you are good at self control. I like you because you try to control your basic urges. That effort means a hell lot to me". Caleb smiled.

    Ashton blinked at Caleb, not sure what the right words would be to reply to him. So instead he slammed his lips at Caleb, despite not being so far away from the whole crowd, and kissed him passionately for a while. At first Caleb was taken aback, but recovering from the initial shock the very next moment he responded with equal enthusiasm. The kiss made them ecstatic and neither of them wanted to let go this time. Last two days they really didn''t get to spend some quality time together, and therefore the intensity of the kiss increased by four fold.

    When finally they pulled away, Caleb swiped his tongue over his lips, still trying to focus on anything other than the kiss. Ashton however, who didn''t fail to notice that tiny action wanted to kiss those lips once more. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily a few more times before he looked at Caleb who stared at him with a curious gaze.

    "In the name of honesty, I have something else to admit" Ashton whispered. Caleb nodded, encouraging him to continue.

    "Remember the day back at the waterfall. I am really sorry for ruining the moment. I-"

    "Don''t worry about it" Caleb cut him off mid-sentence. "I was a bit pissed at that time, but I am glad that you stopped. I don''t want you to do something you are not ready for". Caleb assured him.

    "It''s not that". Ashton cleared his throat. "I do feel ready, I just...I don''t feel so sure of myself". Caleb frowned, trying to decipher his words. "As you saw, when it comes to youˇ­ I have a tad bit of a problem with self control. What if, you knowˇ­ we go all the way, and I go all crazy on you. I don''t want to end up hurting you". Ashton mumbled.

    "You won''t". Caleb smiled. "The fact that you are worried so much is very sweet. And I think that the fact you don''t want to end up hurting me is why you will not lose control of yourself". Caleb assured him.

    "But what if I do"? Ashton voiced his concern.

    "Then bring it on. We will make do with it". Caleb declared. "Also, on case you forgot, I am not really that fragile". He smirked followed by a wink. Ashton shook his head before breaking into a smile.

    "Don''t attack me with your baseball bat tonight". Ashton whispered in Caleb''s ear, leaving him frozen at the spot, while he dissappeared in the crowd.

 Chapter 103 - Announcements

    Christian showed around Cyrus, one by one, not entirely pleased by the task given how his scent was burning his nostrils. Despite that he managed to maintain an outward appearance of calm and composed throughout the process. Time by time he could see Cyrus looking somewhere else, as if he was looking for someone. He could tell that Cyrus was not that invested in meeting new people even though he managed to put on a convincing smile.

    Christian was confused when Caleb suddenly linked him out of the blue and asked him to save him from an unbearable situation. He imagined somebody was trying to harass him or something, although thinking about it now he realises how unlikely that is. On getting his scent, he thought maybe Caleb couldn''t tolerate him because he is a pureblooded Alpha, but having spent a bit time with him he could tell why Caleb was so eager to get rid of him. He gave off really creepy vibes.

    "That is about it, rest are from our pack" Christian declared after introducing him to the local Alphas. "Help yourself to anything you want" Christian pointed at the buffet, "and if you need me, I will be up there". he showed him stage, mainly indicating the backstage.

    "Wait a minute" Cyrus mumbled a moment before Christian was about to leave. "Who is that guy? He seems a bit familiar". Cyrus asked pointed towards a brown haired man.

    "Oh, I think he is an actor or something, Sebastian Kyles" Christian shrugged, surprised by Cyrus'' sudden curiosity. Sebastian was standing right next to the buffet having an oyster while he laughed around with few of the women from Cresentile Pack. They were mostly omegas and a few betas, and all of them seemed very interested in him. It was as if a small fan-meeting was going on.

    "Oh, I remember him. Wasn''t he blonde"? Cyrus scoffed. Christian frowned, intrigued by his familiarity with Sebastian.

    "How do you know him"? Christian couldn''t help but ask.

    "Once he was in England for a photoshoot or something. I met him there, being the Alpha and all" Cyrus smirked. "I think I am gonna go and greet him. Thanks for showing me around". He said and left. His gratitude felt early forced to Christian as he noticed him approaching Sebastian. For some reason he assumed Sebastian would respond to Cyrus with the same arrogance he showed him, but somehow he was surprised when they hugged. It was even odd given how a powerful Alpha like Cyrus barely ever hugged anyone.

    [Get along with the announcements.  I think it''s time] his father who suddenly linked him, ordered. Shaking his head, he went on the stage and began to give his speech.

    He gave them various updates of the pack, including the recent changes in the training programmes. It wasn''t hard to decipher that most of the foreign audience was not pleased with the fact that they were training the omegas as well. While most of them belonged to elite packs, their mindsets were still quite traditional when it came to believing that omegas were too weak to learn fighting. In fact, the only reason the audience wasn''t outraged must be because of the explanation of recent omega abduction scenario.

    "I also have one personal thing to share." He announced after he was done briefing about the new pack modifications. "As you know, I have a younger brother, Caleb. Recently he has found his mate, and we are happy to welcome him into our family. His name is Ashton Parker, and I would like for him to come to the stage".

    Ashton did not feel like going to the stage, but since it was important for Caleb he fought his instinct to run away and with a blank face walked off to the stage. All the gawking eyes were starting to make him uncomfortable. He didn''t mind the attention as much as he minded the fact that these were all foreign wolves. He was a bit relieved when Caleb joined him a little later on the stage.

    "As you can see, they are still quite young, so the union ceremony won''t be taking place anytime soon. However, I hope you get along with him" Christian finished and looked at the duo, offering them a chance to speak anything if they want to. Both of them shook their heads so they concluded, "That will be all for the announcements. Now we have prepared some special performances, and they will be showcased one by one".

    All of them emptied the stage and soon a music started to play. It revealed George, playing a song, along with a few of his clubmates who happened to be wolves. It made Ashton wonder why he wasn''t asked to be a part of this given his excellent performance at the prom, but then realised that it was for the best that he wasn''t. Few of the foreign wolves were already starting to question him about this and that and it was starting to annoy him.

    They asked him all these questions about where he was from, which pack did he belong to. They were even skeptical of his blood status until he released his scent irritating the hell out of the guests. Caleb, who noticed how uncomfortable Ashton was, came to his rescue and took him away from the crowd. "I am so sorry, I didn''t realize how annoying they would get," He whispered softly.

    "Meh, I have dealt with such shit before" Ashton shrugged. "I don''t think I want to stay here anymore". Ashton mumbled after a minute.

    "You know what? Get going then". Caleb suggested. "I doubt this will be fun for you anyways". Caleb patted his back before disappearing into the crowd.

    Ashton left the building and went back to his room and focused on distracting himself. Now that he was at the pack house, he had less stuff to do. The maids mostly took care of the cleaning and laundry, while the house had enough servants for them to come to his aid that he was hardly left with anything to do on his own.

    All he could do was homework, thanks to helping Caleb he didn''t get to it yet. Finishing it within an hour he found himself getting distracted by the thoughts about banquet. Not only did he worry what was happening, he was also worried about Cyrus approaching his mate which enraged him to his core. Was he affected by him so much because they shared the same blood rank? He wondered.

    Not able to take it anymore, he decided to run back to the Banquet. The moment he was about to step out of the room he noticed Caleb standing there, with one hand up as if he was about to knock. "Why are you here"? Ashton asked him skeptically.

    "Well, I was trying to arrange a fun weekend for everyone the whole time. It''s not fair you don''t get to enjoy it, especially after all your work, so I decided to come spend some time with you". Caleb shrugged.

    "Because that''s fun"? Ashton raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

    "Well, that''s all I got. Besides I am missing the banquet I worked so hard to put together, at least you can pretend to be grateful" Caleb pouted.

    "You can go back," Ashton coughed, pretending as if he wasn''t delighted to have Caleb here with him.

    "Nah, I am good" Caleb shrugged unbothered. "I noticed how you left without eating anything, so I brought these for you" he held out a bag for him on his left hand. Entering into the room, while pushing Ashton away from his way, he set up the food he brought for him. Ashton simply admired his mate worrying for him despite the huge responsibility he was bestowed upon with. An involuntary smile crept up his face, something he didn''t even realize until Caleb asked, "Why are you smiling like that"?

    Since there was no one around Ashton went ahead and hugged him from the back and put his chin on Caleb''s shoulder. Caleb froze, wide eyed with the sudden wave of affection Ashton was displaying him and tried very hard not to blush at all. "What are you doing"? He mumbled. At this moment his racing heart was louder than his voice.

    "Hugging my mate" Ashton mumbled, closing his eyes as he hugged Caleb tighter. Caleb gulped not sure how to respond to Ashton, and a bit flattered by Ashton "You got a problem? Deal with it". Ashton huffed before he nestled his face in his neck.

    "Let go of me, the food will go bad. Hurry up and eat it." Caleb struggled a lot before finally managing to release himself from Ashton''s hold. Caleb turned around and glared at Ashton.

    "Which one, the one on the table, or the one in front of me"? Ashton smirked.

    "What"? Caleb gulped. His heart was definitely not ready for such jokes, especially after being disappointed so many times "Hey, this is not funny! You said you will come tonight, save all of this for then". He pushed away Ashton who kept coming close to him.

    "Well, I only said that because I thought you won''t be available before that. But now that you''re hereˇ­" Ashton approached him with a smirk developing on his face, dangerously slow while his voice lowered to a much deeper tone, "... And standing in front of me, why wait"?

 Chapter 104 - All The Way {R-18}

    [ Warning: After last chapter, I am sure you know what to expect ;) feel free to skip the chapter]

    Caleb''s heart beat took a spike the moment he heard those words. On one hand he was excited that Ashton was willing to take this further, on the other hand he was anxious about what would happen next. His head was about to explode from all the dilemma. "Are you sure"? Caleb whispered.

    Ashton replied to him by smashing his lips on Caleb. Caleb''s mind went blank as Ashton kept kissing him as if starting from his lips he would eat him as a whole. He earned sweet, soft moans from Caleb which were absorbed by Ashton''s lips which encouraged him even further. Soon, Caleb''s back was pressed to the wall next to the table. After making out till they absolutely needed to breathe Ashton pulled away, "Ashton, Iˇ­" Caleb whispered, trying to gather his thoughts.

    "Shhh" Ashton put his index finger on Caleb''s lips shutting him up. Caleb gulped as his heart threatened to leap out his chest. Ashton traced those lips with his thumb, before putting his lips back on them. This drove Caleb further crazy as he decided to let go of any resistance his sane mind might have wanted to put up. Then what about the banquet? Screw that! Caleb couldn''t care less anymore.

    "You smell so good". Ashton mumbled.

    That''s when Caleb noticed that Ashton let his scent out, the scent which in turn aroused him a lot. At the same time Caleb''s own scent was evident too which Ashton found hard to resist. Ashton took off Caleb''s jacket in a swift motion before pulling on his T-shirt to expose his neck. He left a trail of wet kisses on it and nibbled on the pale skin until they turned pink from all the abuse.

    Caleb threw back his head as waves of pleasure took over his entire body, and bit his lips to stop those embarrassing moans from escaping. Before he knew it, he stood shirtless in front of Ashton, who eyed him like a hungry wolf. An expression which only appeared in Caleb''s dream was a surreal reality. And before he knew it, he was yearning for more.

    Feeling unfair, Caleb started to unbutton Ashton''s black shirt, ripping a few of them in the process.

    At this point neither of them wanted to stop, and thus Ashton flipped them over before pushing him onto the bed. "Tell me now if you want me to stop. I won''t stop after this even if you beg me" Ashton warned with a smirk as he lay on top of Caleb.

    Caleb snorted, before pulling Ashton closer to him, putting both of his hands on Ashton''s face and said, "Don''t you dare"  before smashing his lips on to Ashton. During the kiss, Ashton''s hand kept roaming freely from his waist to his smooth chest, feeling his mate as much as possible. Everywhere Ashton touched Caleb, it left a lingering feeling of yearning on his bare skin.

    Ashton shifted his lips to Caleb''s neck once more, before continuing his trail to his collarbones, his chest until his navel. Caleb already felt that he couldn''t take any more than this, but still wanted to keep exploring this feeling. Soon he started to feel uncomfortable between his legs and the pressure of his pants were driving him crazy.

    Ashton pulled himself away for a moment, staring at his disheveled state. A deep blush was visible on his cheeks and ears, and it was the same Caleb who was so confident and bold most of the time. The contrast in those two situations is something Ashton found very appealing. Feeling encouraged, he put his mouth on the right pinkish nipple begging for some attention. He sucked and rolled around the small bead with his tongue and teeth.

    As if it wasn''t a torture enough, Ashton put his hand over Caleb''s covered member and rubbed it slowly applying a gentle pressure over it. Caleb''s moans got so loud that maybe even the soundproof walls might have to stop them from crossing the room. He was lucky that no one was in the house that day. Caleb''s moans only fired up Ashton as the frequency and intensity of his torture on both the pinkish bead and the throbbing member between his leg increased.

    "Ahhh, Ashh...Ashton" Caleb moaned out loud, unable to keep it inside anymore. Ashton was starting to feel inpatient. He wanted to ravish the dessert in front of him as fast as he could, but it was their first time and he wanted it to be a good experience for Caleb, something that won''t stop Caleb from doing this once more.

    He struggled to open the belt with one hand, making him irritated. Finally when the belt came off he put it around Caleb''s wrists, tying both of his hands together. Caleb was shocked seeing Ashton take such a bold step before he gave a tiny smile as well. Ashton put both of Caleb''s hands above his hands and kept it there using one of his hands, while he used the other hand to pull down both his pants and shorts thus freeing the throbbing member.

    This was the first time Ashton has seen him this naked, and he couldn''t help but blush, especially when Ashton took a moment to admire Caleb''s beauty in its rawest form. His eyes traced Caleb from head to toe for and memorized his entire body. He stared at his cock longer than the rest making Caleb both embarrassed and excited.

    "Ahhhhhh" Caleb let out a deep moan directly from his throat as Ashton''s cold hands made contact with the warm member. For an omega Caleb was pretty big, but so was Ashton''s hand. He kept rubbing it vigorously making Caleb throw his head back as his entire existence drowned in pleasure. From time to time Ashton would tease the tip and pinch his balls slightly earning deep moans from Caleb, "Ahhh...Ashtonˇ­ Moreˇ­". Caleb''s mind lost all his ability to think properly while he expressed his deepest desire for his mate, Ashton.

    He continued to work on his naked body making which probably short circuited his mind. "Ash.. I amˇ­ I am going to" Before he could finish his sentence, his member spread a white thick liquid all across Ashton''s hands and his lower body. Feeling embarrassed he wanted to hide his face, but his hands were still held back by Ashton.

    Ashton was on the edge, and it took everything in him to not slam into Caleb right at that moment. He stopped abruptly, realising he didn''t have any condoms with him. "What"? Caleb asked him, confusion and frustration clearly displayed on his face.

    "I don''t haveˇ­" Ashton blushed a bit, despite being so bold all this while.

    Caleb took a moment to understand what he was talking about before he snarled, "check my pocket".

    Ashto did as he was asked and was genuinely surprised to find two packets of condom and a tiny bottle of lube in there. Feeling a bit enraged he asked, "Why do you carry them"?

    "Well, I never knew when you will be ready, so I thought it''s better to be prepared". Caleb snorted.

    Ashton''s eyes widened for a moment before giving a smirk, "Then, let''s get on with it" Ashton pulled down his pants in a swift action and pushed Caleb''s legs above, surprised momentarily by the other''s flexibility, and exposed the pulsating entrance to his body. Caleb''s entire face turned peach once he felt Ashton''s piercing gaze to his hole.

    Ashton traced the bare hole with his hand before dropping almost all the lube on it. The cold liquid made Caleb clench his muscles, but he relaxed soon once he felt soft wet trail of kisses from his jaw to his mark on the shoulder. One nibble at his mark was enough to drive him mad and thus he relaxed a bit.

    Using the mixture of cum and lube he circled the entrance while almost poking into the hole making Caleb shiver. Slowly, Ashton inserted his index finger and before it could go all the way in Caleb''s muscles clenched once more. "You okay"? Ashton whispered. Caleb nodded encouraging him to continue and this he pushed his hands further. Caleb tried to keep his wincing to bare minimum as Ashton continued to search for his prostate.

    The painful expression on Caleb''s face was difficult to watch so he tried to make it better with kisses. Suddenly Caleb jerked his head, "Ahhhhhh" the loud moan indicated that Ashton found it, and thus kept massaging the same spot making Caleb writhe in bed with a mixture of pain and pleasure. The more he loosened up, Ashton added another finger to stretch him open as wide as he could. "Enough with the fingers already"! Caleb snarled at him, frustrated.

    Ashton, fueled up further as he took out all his fingers, before lining himself up with Caleb''s hole. He entered Caleb slowly while Caleb winced in pain. No amount of fingers could make up for this giant cock, and as much as it hurt him, it excited him further. "Let me know when you are ready," Ashton whispered in Caleb''s pinkish ear, before nibbling on it. He wanted to slam into him, but tried his best to hold back. After a few seconds he nodded, thus Ashton started to move slowly.

    He kept his pace painfully slow at first, frustrating both him and Caleb. "Go faster" Caleb ordered in frustration, taking Ashton back from surprise. After all, both of them were wolves, and the hungry desire for your mate ran bone deep for both of them. Ashton started to move pace at a remarkably faster pace and thus Caleb winced in pain at first. After a while the painful groans turned into heavy moans as pleasure engulfed every inch of his entire body. Soon both of their moans began to cover the entire room. At this point their moans were inseparable.

    As Ashton kept moving, he continued to bite and nibble on his pale skin that would definitely leave mark, even for a werewolf. After ramming into Caleb for a while, Ashton muttered, "I am... coming".

    "Me...too" Caleb said, each word between two thrust. Ashton''s speed increased at the last moment before he came into the condom separating their skins, while Caleb came over both of their stomachs. Unable to move any further, Ashton pulled out of Caleb and collapsed on top of him.

    It took them a while to gain the normal rhythm of their breathing. Once their heartbeats returned to normal Ashton spoke, "Are you okay"?

    "A little sore, but I am a wolf, so I will be fine" Caleb snorted. "What about you"?

    "I feel great". Ashton mumbled, "Good luck getting away from me now" Ashton teased.

    "Same here" Caleb mumbled back before bursting into soft laughter. After a while Caleb murmured, "Ashton"?

 Chapter 105 - After The High

    The entire room was filled with a mix of both of their scents. In the height of their passionate moments, Ashton ended up losing control of his special power, which was also the reason Caleb''s scent got out. As much as they found each other''s smell pleasing, it''s mix was satisfactory on a whole other level. It indicated their level of passion for each other.

    Both Ashton and Caleb laid on the bed next to each other for quite a long time, too lazy to move, or get dressed for that matter. They simply covered themselves with the sheets as they savoured the aftermath.

    "What if someone walks into the room."? Caleb, suddenly jerked up and looked at Ashton horrified.

    "The whole house is empty". Ashton pointed out.

    "For now! We don''t know when someone will be back. What if they get our smell and come here"? Caleb panicked.

    "Chill, I made sure to lock the door the moment you walked in". Ashton laughed slightly while Caleb simply shook his head.

    "Really? So you''re that eager" Caleb scoffed. "Couldn''t control yourself, could you"? Caleb teased with a smirk.

    "How could I? I have such a hot mate". Ashton admitted flatly without skipping a beat. He brought his face closer to Caleb and smirked. Caleb blinked, taken aback by his (not so sudden anymore) boldness. Ever since Caleb entered the room, Ashton kept surprising him with his bold actions. While he enjoyed the adorable, easily flattered Ashton, he must admit, bold Ashton was kind of a turn on.

    "Hold your horses. I am not ready for a round 2. Let me recover from this first".  Caleb blushed as the memory of their heated session flashed in front of his eyes. Ashton smirked before pulling Caleb close to him. He hugged him tightly which Caleb reciprocated with equal enthusiasm.

    "This is nice," Caleb mumbled, after a minute.

    "Hmmm" Ashton hummed and took a minute to enjoy this moment. "I can''t believe I was trying to fight this the whole time " Ashton snorted, indicating their session from a while ago.

    Caleb slapped his arm before saying, "I am talking about the hug, get your head out of the gutter".

    "Just the hug? So the sex was not nice"? Ashton asked, offended.

    "Nope" Caleb declared without skipping a beat. Ashton felt his heart shattering and was about to ask Caleb what felt wrong when Caleb mumbled, "It was freaking awesome". Caleb didn''t miss the horrified look on Ashton''s face and ended up laughing at him. Ashton sighed with a mix of relief and frustration before hugging him even tighter, making it difficult to breathe for the other.

    "Okay, okay. Let me breathe" Caleb slapped Ashton''s arm. Ashton squeezed him even tighter only to receive a glare from Caleb. Ashton pursed his lips trying not to chuckle at Caleb''s adorable reaction before finally loosening his arm.

    After another peaceful moment of snuggling Caleb spoke, "You know, if someone told me I would end up mating with a pureblooded Alpha, that too with my own choice before I even met you, I would have ended up laughing at their face", Caleb snorted. "Boy, would I have been so wrong".

    "Looks like I am not the only one whose plans for his mate got ruined". Ashton replied to him with a faint content smile. This moment was filled with bliss and neither of them wanted it to end. Even saying nothing felt really warm.

    "Can I ask you something"? Caleb whose face was nestled in Ashton''s neck looked up.

    Ashton turned his head "Mn"?

    "Since when did you have feelings for me? Was it always there or was it because of the marking"? Caleb asked, anxious of the answer. He himself wasn''t sure what answer he was expecting, that which answer he preferred more.

    "Does it matter"? Ashton asked after a moment of thought.

    "I dunno" Caleb shrugged. "But my feelings started way before you marked me. In fact I think it''s the major reason I asked you to mark me" .

    "Not that wolf attack"?

    "Sure, but I knew that I wanted you as my mate, quite strongly. There are times when I can''t help but feel like I manipulated you into mating with me". Caleb confessed, looking down.

    Ashton lowered his mouth and gave a soft peck to Caleb''s forehead. "Don''t be so hard on yourself, I wouldn''t have marked you too if I didn''t have any feelings for you".

    "Really"? Caleb jerked up on the bed, staring at him wide eyed.

    Ashton nodded before saying, "Before I agreed, I imagined all kinds of scenarios that could arise due to marking. One of which definitely led to us falling in love. And you know what? I didn''t hate it. "Ashton snorted. "The only scenario I hated was if something happens to you, then what I would do" Ashton whispered. "I usually don''t give much crap about people  but for some reason I found myself giving a lot crap about you".

    The honesty in his words touched Caleb''s heart. He gazed at Ashton with affectionate eyes before bringing his palm to touch his face. Ashton turned his head on the sudden touch, but didn''t say anything and allowed Caleb to continue tracing his face. Planting a deep kiss on Ashton''s lip Caleb mumbled, "I love you, Ashton Parker".

    "I love you too, Caleb Wrisberg". Ashton smiled at him. The smile was so big that it seemed almost foreign to his face. Caleb rejoiced in the fact he was the only one who got to see him like that.

    The sun was starting to set meaning that pretty soon Caleb would have to leave and go tend to the attending guests. He got up from the bed, despite resistance from Ashton and looked around the floor. His clothes were brutally ripped apart leaving him nothing to wear. He needed at least something to wear back to his room, before finding some of his own clothes. "Can I borrow some of your clothes"? Caleb asked.

    "Help yourself" Ashton showed him the closet.

    Caleb stared at the set of clothes that were either black, or white or some shade of grey. That''s when he realised that he had never seen him wear any colorful clothes, not counting the football jersey. He found a grey sweatshirt and soome baggy pants and wore them. Ashton was almost his size, and growing even bigger on a daily basis, so his clothes fit him very comfortably. "Why is your closet so bland"? Caleb asked.

    "I dunno, I just like black and white", Ashton shrugged. "Also that is our color". Ashton pointed out indicating their wolf forms. Caleb simply shook his head at that analogy. Who knew Ashton would be so good at flirting. Caleb mused at that thought.

    Once he was done getting ready he saw the food that was laid out and felt bad for it being ignored altogether. He decided to take them away to get them heated or put them in the fridge or something and started to pack it, "What are you doing"? A sudden bark from Ashton prompted him to halt in his actions.

    "It''s cold, I am taking it away. I will heat them up and send them back to you", Caleb replied with a frown.

    "Let it be, I would eat it. I have had enough hot meals for the day" Ashton smirked.

    Caleb''s eyes widened momentarily before he sighed. "Nevermind". He ran out of the door as fast as he could before Ashton said something else to make him turn crimson. He beat his heart numerous times to calm himself down till he reached the elevator. He rushed into his room and decided to wear something party wear before he headed back to the banquet.

    He found Matt there, who looked as if he just woke from sleep, he waved at him. "Hey, why are you late"?  Matt asked him skeptically. "Wasn''t all of this your responsibility"?

    "I wasˇ­ doing something important and got carried away". Caleb shrugged, maintaining his composure as best as he could. He tried to push away any inappropriate thoughts that threatened to pop up to his mind.

    "Was that ''something important'' named Ashton"? Matt raised his eyebrows in a teasing fashion which earned him wide eyes from Caleb. Caleb was dumbstruck and couldn''t even make himself to ask how he knew. He was stuck in a dilemma between admitting or denying the fact. Sensing his friend''s question he replied, "I can smell him all over you".

    "That simply means I was with him", Caleb shrugged.

    "Not the way you smell. Also, look at your face. It''sˇ­" Matt trailed off while Caleb gave him a suspicious frown, "Glowing". A loud smack was heard while Matt winced in pain,  "Ouch, geez dude calm down".

    "Enough with your nonsense. Yeah, I slept with him, so what? He is my boyfriend and mate! You got a problem with that"? Caleb challenged him with his ferocious glare. Matt gulped before simply shaking his head.

    "You did what"? Christian''s voice interrupted their conversation. Soon, Christian stood face to face while he simply gave Caleb a blank stare. Caleb gulped, while Matt picked this very moment as his cue to leave.

 Chapter 106 - Inner Turmoil

    Christian looked around all over the place while looking for his baby brother. The activities were thankfully not disrupted, not exactly needing Caleb''s active involvement, but still, he was supposed to supervise them. He even tried to link Caleb but he didn''t respond. He wondered if something happened to his brother or not, and the first suspect that came to his mind was that odd pureblooded alpha guest of this banquet. He looked around frantically to see if he could find him and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him talk to Sebastian.

    "Hey, you are Ashton''s sisters right"? He asked the twins when he spotted them. He faintly remembered that Caleb was fond of these twins so he hoped they would know something.

    While Ariel was a bit intimidated, Ava perfectly maintained her composure and replied to him, "Yes".

    "Have you seen Caleb around"? Christian asked. He looked back and forth between the both of them, partially waiting for either of them to answer and partially trying to identify the twins. He knew they were named Ava and Ariel, but he kept confusing between who is who.

    After taking a moment to think, Ava replied. "I think he took some food for Ashton. That''s the last time I saw him". She informed him with confidence.

    "How long ago was that"?

    "Around two hours, I think" Ava shrugged.

    "Thanks" He dismissed them and left. So Caleb was with Ashton. Given how they are mates it makes sense Caleb was with him instead of at the banquet but at least he could have responded to his link and answered.

    When the sun was almost setting he noticed Caleb entering, with a different set of clothes. He was about to go to him, but was stopped by Mr Bates who was very eager to catch up with him. After finally being able to get out of that situation, Christian approached his little brother when suddenly the words, "Yeah, I slept with him," hit his ears. Those words seemed to be coming from Caleb''s mouth, but somehow he found it hard to believe it.

    "You did what"? He ended up mumbling, earning a sudden jerk and shocked face from his Caleb. Caleb was almost a twenty year old, that is a good enough age for mating. Heck, most wolves are mated by the time they are eighteen. But this was not just any wolf, that was his baby brother. And finding out that he went with the mating process is a kind of lot to process.

    "Iˇ­ I meanˇ­" Caleb stuttered. Christian didn''t need to hear his words to confirm what he blabbed earlier. He could tell it from the scent coming off from him.

    "Nevermind" Christian shook his head. He forced a smile on his face, wanting to make sure that Caleb felt that it was okay with him. "How are you"? He asked in a whisper.

    "Do we really have to talk about it? Caleb cringed. Matt was his friend so he didn''t mind much. But Christian was his brother, no matter how close they were, he doesn''t want to indulge in such conversation with his brother.

    "Yes, we do young man". Christian declared. "I am not asking for the specifics, I just want to make sure you are okay".

    Trying his level best not to cringe Caleb mumbled an uncomfortable, "Yeah. I get you are worried about me and I appreciate that, but I am fine". He sighed. "Look, I really don''t want to talk about it. Please don''t make me more uncomfortable than I already am. Can I go"? He pleaded. Christian nodded at him, letting him go.

    Christian maintained his gaze at Caleb for a while, observing his reactions. He could tell that his brother was feeling much more lively than usual which brought a tiny smile on his face. Maybe having a mate is not so bad after all. After Caleb''s mate was announced to the public, Christian received many inquiries about his own mate. What kind of mate did he want? When did he plan on choosing one? Personal stuff like that.

    While Christian carefully avoided those questions, deep down the words did bother him. He was in his early twenties, thus given his long life ahead of him, and with his werewolf status, his life was bound to be quite a healthy one, he knew there was plenty of time left in life to find a mate. But the thing is when everyone around you moves forward in life, and you are still the same, you can''t help but feel stuck. He wasn''t that worried about not finding a mate, rather than feeling like his life was stagnant.

    Now that his brother was here, he felt much more relaxed. He decided to go to the bar, but he did not dare get drunk. He barely remembered anything from the last time, and he did not want to be a mess in front of all these people. He was deep in his thoughts when suddenly, like a flashback a voice, some words appeared in his head.

    Finding a mate is a life and death situation. With or without your social status you have to be careful when you choose your mate. They are supposed to be your life partner.

    He had no idea who said that, neither did he recognize the voice. But somehow those words felt comforting.

    At night, they arranged a DJ session for younger wolves, while most of the older ones decided to call it a night. It wasn''t mandatory for anyone to attend, so the ones who were a bit tired took their break. Christian feeling exhausted, was about to call it a day when his brother found him, "Can you stay here and watch over this place"?

    "Why"?  Christian frowned. "This is clearly your job, and I am exhausted" He huffed.

    "Please" He pouted. "I have to go and see Ashton".

    "Seriously? You spent the entire afternoon with your mate, control yourself brother"! Christian barked at him.

    "What"? Caleb''s eyes widened. "That is not what I meant! Geez" Caleb cringed. "Look, with all that has been going on lately, I completely forgot today''s date. Turns out today is supposed to be his birthday!".

    "It''s already after midnight, why bother"? Christian rolled his eyes at him.

    "No, I mean, today. Monday, after midnight. I want to be the first one to wish him". Caleb smiled.

    His brother glared at him before barking, "Are you kidding me"!? Caleb retracted himself seeing his brother like that. "You already bailed a lot of events on me, and now you want to bail again? His birthday is tomorrow, spend it with him. Make a day out of it if needed. But for nowˇ­ Go do your damn job"! Christian scolded him.

    He stormed off the hall and was on his way to the room when he noticed Ashton sitting right in front of his door. ''How convenient'' Christian thought, thinking maybe give him another brother talk or something. If only his scent didn''t bother him he could be much more intimidating.

    He was about to call him when he wondered why he was here instead of Caleb''s room. Shouldn''t that make more sense? "Ashton"? He called him carefully.

    Suddenly the entire hallway was filled with a monstrous growl. Ashton''s face seemed half human, half wolf making him look even more horrifying than ever. He wondered what was going on so he approached carefully. The furs on his face kept vanishing and reappearing as if some kind of internal fight was going on.

    "Are youˇ­ okay"? Christian mumbled, trying not to spook him.

    Regaining his human face for long enough, Ashton spoke. "Can you please take me toˇ­ take me to the containment cells? I should notˇ­ be here like this". Ashton struggled to breathe in between his words. That is when it hit Christian, Ashton was going into rut. Having a stronger wolf side, the changes on his face made much more sense.

    "Should I call Caleb"? Unsure, Christian asked.

    "NO!" Ashton snapped at him. Christian failed to understand his response as one of the primary instincts of a wolf in rut, or in heat was to be near their mate. The presence of their mate soothes them. Then why was Ashton so adamant to suffer?

    "Alright, come with me" Christian gestured to him to follow, leading him towards the back door to their building. The main entrance was busy with ongoing and incoming wolves so it seemed safer. From time to time the growl that escaped Ashton''s mouth scared Christian to his bones. He didn''t know what to expect or why he was doing what he was doing.

    All he knew was the only person who knew Ashton''s rut the best was himself, and maybe listening to him was the best option right now. He hoped he wouldn''t get mauled en route. After exiting the building there was a small grill like opening on the ground that seemed to be covered pretty efficiently. Christian opened it and gestured to Ashton to get in.

    The moment he was about to enter, both of them heard a familiar voice, "Ashton"? Christian''s face was a mix of confusion and horror while the man-wolf form of Ashton seemed pretty enthusiastic.

 Chapter 107 - Monster

    Caleb looked around him and cursed his fate as he had to spend his time supervising these crazy young people. As the music got loud he started to develop a terrible headache. As if it wasn''t enough, he started to feel tremendously suffocated. The whole experience seemed hauntingly familiar to him.

    ''Is this just because of such loud music''? He found himself pondering. He focused all his thoughts as much as he could into recalling when and where he felt this. That''s when he finally recalled that it happened right after the prom. It was not his own feelings, it was Ashton''s rut.

    He looked around for his friend who seemed to be dancing with another female wolf. They seemed to be getting along really well, and he was happy that his friend was finally moving on from Sara, but right now he needed help. His mate was in rut, and he needed to be there with him. Dragging Matt away from the crowd, "Can you look over this place? I really need to go"! Caleb sounded as desperate as one can get.

    "Come on man, I did a lot of stuff for you this weekend. Let me have tonight."! Matt whined.

    "I will be back within a few minutes. I swear. Just look around from time to time and make sure nothing funny is going on". Caleb insisted.

    "I hate being your friend" Matt mumbled, grinding his teeth.

    "Thanks, Man" Caleb patted his back and ran away. He was on his way to his room, but he had a gut feeling that is where he might not be. He was at the door when he heard a monstrous growl ripple through the walls of the hallway. Trying his best to locate the source he was headed off to the back door. Why would he be there? He wondered.

    "Ashton"? He asked when he saw him in a distraught form, trying to fight his own inner wolf.

    "Leave"! Ashton shouted at him, amidst his ongoing transmission. Caleb was confused, but he had a rough idea why Ashton would say that. He noticed his brother standing behind Ashton, who was very confused with whatever was going on and reluctant to make his next step.

    Caleb''s rational mind wanted to abide by Ashton''s wishes. He knew that Ashton had little control over his wolf in rut and he hated that. Caleb needed to stay away from him, but his heart felt otherwise. The distress and agony in Ashton''s distraught face was like a pin pricking on his heart. Caleb''s dilemma made it impossible for him to move away from his face.

    The hesitation emanating from Caleb was all Christian needed as a confirmation that keeping them apart was the best choice. He didn''t understand it, but he knew that was what he had to do. He tried to pull him towards the cell, but this time Ashton, or rather his wolf resisted even harder. It didn''t want to be separated from his mate, especially when he was right in front of his face.

    With much force Christian finally managed to drag him, and put him into the cell. He locked it despite those ferocious growls before Ashton shifted into his wolf form. Even though Christian has seen this wolf in the photographs, face to face he was indeed scary. The wolf tried to break out of its prison using all its strength, but the moment it made contact with the bars it shouted in agony and pain.

    Caleb, who was watching the entire scene unfold, moved involuntarily towards the gate as wanted to comfort him, but as soon as his finger made contact with the door he felt a sharp pain making him wince, "These have wolfsbane"? Baffled, Caleb asked his brother.

    Christian nodded without looking at him as he observed the raging giant black wolf intently. Caleb was surprised as this was something he was not aware of. How can they keep him in dark regarding such an important detail. The last time he was here was ages ago, but it was different back then. He wondered what could have changed since then.

    Suddenly his eyes dropped to his brother''s left palm and noticed that it was charred, "Your... hand"? Caleb mumbled. That grabbed Christian''s attention and he looked back at Caleb before taking a note of his hands. Both his hands had a deep bruise and if they had come in contact with a red hot iron.

    "Usually we wear gloves or something. This time I didn''t have enough time" .He mumbled nonchalantly. Caleb wasn''t sure for whom to worry about anymore. Should he worry about Ashton, his mate who was in so much pain and agony or should he worry about his brother who was bleeding and have a running course of wolfsbane through him, a deadly poison to them.

    "Let''s get that checked out" Caleb ordered his brother. His brother frowned at that. There was nothing Caleb could do at this very moment for Ashton, but he could save his brother from dying. "Just come with me". He grabbed his brother''s wrist and dragged him along with him.

    Christian was surprised when Caleb took him to his room instead of the hospital. Carefully he administered the antidote he had stocked for himself in need, which he forgot to carry today. "Why do you have this"? Christian asked.

    "I kept them in case I ever needed it in an emergency. I got it back when Sara was hurting the wolves". Caleb admitted. "Now tell me why the private cells have wolfsbane in them"?

    "These cells were designed for most dangerous rogue wolves. When the omegas started disappearing Dad had it laced with Wolfsbane. I think he was planning on keeping the culprit there. The wolfsbane in the door would make it harder for them to escape".

    "Wasn''t dad planning on keeping Ashton there"?  Caleb recalled. Christian nodded while pure horror laid on Caleb''s face. Just how far his dad would have gone if Ashton was not his mate, he wondered. While his body was here talking to his brother, his mind was focussed on Ashton, and the feelings that evoked in him due to his condition.

    His brother did not miss how distracted Caleb was, and thus asked him, "You can go see him if you want". He sighed, "But first, explain to me what is going on. Why is Ashton so determined to stay away from you despite the obvious pull he has for you".

    "I don''t know" Caleb sighed. He explained to his brother what Ashton''s mother told him the last time. The control issues he faced while he was in his rut was something Ashton was not accustomed to well enough. Even with only half of the explanation it was kind of hard for Christian to not feel bad for Ashton.

    "If he keeps trying to make attempts to escape, he will have multiple wolfsbane injuries. What if he doesn''t survive"? Caleb voiced his concern, getting teary eyes. From time to time he could feel the agony which only worsened his fear.

    "We need to find a way to pacify him and give him an antidote then" His brother sighed. "But he still has some time, the wolfsbane amount is not that lethal". His brother assured him.

    "He is a pureblooded Alpha, what if he is different"? Caleb panicked.

    "Then I guess we will wait and find out".

    Speechless, Caleb huffed and stormed out of the room. He ran to the basement and stared at the enraged giant wolf. It''s giant physique, those ferocious growls and along with its intent to pulverise anything that comes in its way, it was hard not to be scared of him. He appeared like, as many would love to label him as, a monster. Caleb''s heart twitched as he stared at the suffering wolf, while simultaneously he felt the pain and the agony of the other.

    Standing just two feet away from the door he fought his instinct to barge into that room through that door and comfort him. "Ashton" He mumbled. The wolf jerked his eyes at Caleb. It''s expression changed from angry to a timid one, as if it was pleading to him. Caleb thought of all the way that he could help without going in and that''s when he recalled a song.

    It was the same lullaby Ashton sang for him when he was in his heat and Ashton was trying to get away from his temptation. He began to sing. The voice may not be as melodious as Ashton''s singing voice, but it was something. It seemed to calm down the wolf a little bit as it stopped moving and just sat in one place. Caleb decided to do the same and sat down tucking his knees to his chest.

    "Even if I can''t be with you, I am here for you. Don''t worry" He said. He wasn''t sure if the wolf, or even Ashton, heard him or not. But he just wanted to say those words.

 Chapter 108 - Purpose

    Christian felt a tinge of guilt as he stared at the wounds on his hand healing rapidly. Even if what Ashton was going through has nothing to do with him, he did use up Caleb''s stock of wolfsbane. He might need them for another emergency, or in fact he might need him for Ashton as well and thus it would be wise to go out and get him some.

    On the door he saw none other than his father who headed to the dungeons,  "Dad"! He called him out stopping him on his tracks. "What are doing here"? Christian stalled, preventing him from disturbing his brother and Ashton. He had no idea what was going on there, but both of them were too overwhelmed to deal with their cynical father.

    "I received complaints of loud growls, I ought to check them out". Mr Wrisberg clarified. He turned to go but once more Christin stopped him.

    "It''s Ashton". Christian revealed. Mr Wrisberg raised an eyebrow to which Christian explained to him the situation at hand. He was not sure the kind of reaction he would get, but he was worried it won''t be a nice one.

    Mr Wrisberg gave an evil smirk before saying, "How convenient".

    "What do you mean"? Christian frowned, unsure of his intentions.

    "Rut is when an Alpha is at his or her worst. I assume Caleb would get to see what his mate is Capable of". Mr Wrisberg sneered.

    "Do you really think he would regret his decision of choosing Ashton after seeing him like that"? Christian asked. "He is strong-willed, I doubt he will take it the wrong way. In fact he feels more sad for him, rather than be terrified of him".

    "For his sake, I hope so". Mr Wrisberg declared flatly. "Nothing good comes out of regret anyways". Christian was unsure of what to make of his father''s reaction. At one point it seemed he wanted to separate Caleb and Ashton, but on the other hand it seemed opposite. Even for Christian his father was hard to decipher at this moment.

    "So you do not want Caleb to hate him"? Christian asked.

    Mr Wrisberg sighed before saying, "You are sure you got this situation under control"?

    Christian wondered why his father was avoiding his query, but he replied to him nonetheless. "Yes".

    "Good, because if Ashton goes rampage, we might need Cyrus''s help. We are not strong enough to take on a pureblooded Alpha, especially the one on rut, given its feral nature".

    "Is this why you brought him here? To build allies with him so that you could use him against Ashton? Is that your purpose"? Chrstian questioned. While most of the invitations sent went through Christian, the invitation for Cyrus was kept out of his sight. He often wondered what his father''s ulterior motives were.

    "You think I invited him because I wanted to? I can barely tolerate one pure blood''s presence, let alone have two have them roam freely in my grounds". Mr Wrisberg scoffed. His hatred for the type was way too deep for it to be not evident.

    "Then, why"? A whisper escaped from Christian''s mouth.

    "Because, he approached me. He said he was visiting America, and he wanted to attend the annual banquet we have planned. I hate them, but I am not stupid. In Europe he is considered the ultimate ruler. He commands a battalion of wolves, compared to which we are nothing. The wolves there literally worship him. I hate him for what he is but I am not an idiot who would want to antagonise such a powerful leader". Mr Wrisberg sighed. "I should get going. I assume neither of you are going to look after the guests? Seems like I will be the one taking responsibilities". His father vanished into the corridor.

    ~~~~~~

    Given the excitement for an entire day event, the night was still young for most of the wolves around here. Even though in any pack all the wolves won''t be sleeping at any given time, tonight was even much lively. Thank goodness for the noise absorbing walls or the guests who actually want to sleep will have a hard time falling asleep.

    Cyrus returned to his room from the party when it was around two. His room was at the topmost floor, and for some reason he thought it would be better to take the stairs instead of the elevators. While crossing the second floor he smelled a spike in a somewhat familiar scent. For a regular alpha they might miss the scent, but Cyrus was no regular wolf. Given how it seemed faded he could tell how long ago Ashton was present on this floor.

    When he focused his hearing, he could tell from the descriptions of the growls that his fellow pureblood was going through rut. His room, despite his absence, was guarded by four wolves, all of them being an Alpha. He entered his room and waited for a few minutes before another man, who also seemed like a bodyguard, walked in.

    "So? What is the status"?  Cyrus asked him.

    "It''s better than ever. I have everything we need, which thanks to that teenage pureblood was further easy to do". That man sneered with victory.

    "Well done, brother" He declared. Both of their faces were laid with a tiny smirk, until something hit Cyrus''s ears,

    "In Europe he is considered the ultimate ruler. He commands a battalion of wolves, compared to which we are nothing. The wolves there literally worship him. I hate him for what he is but I am not an idiot who would want to antagonise such a powerful leader."

    Cyrus scoffed as those words reached his ears. You see, as a pureblooded Alpha his senses were supposed to be heightened. But his powers were projecting those heightened senses to a range of at least a mile radius and gathering any information he needed. Even from the fifth floor he could smell Ashton''s rut, and hear his growls, making it easier to track him. In fact the people who knew about his ability referred to him as ''The Tracker'' for this remarkable ability.

    "What a coward" Cyrus mumbled.

    ~~~~~~

    Christian was on his way back to his room when suddenly he recalled why he was out of his room in the first place. He decided to run to the hospital when suddenly a big coffee coloured wolf attacked him out of nowhere. His arms suffered multiple scratches but luckily no major injury took place. His arms started to heal real quick while he assumed an alert stance towards the wolf.

    That wolf seemed familiar, but he failed to recognise who exactly it was. He could deduce from its stature that it was none from his pack which rose a threat of creating interpack enmity. Seeing the wolf''s ferocious gaze, Christian decided it would be best for him to shift as well, and transformed into a big grey wolf, with a bit of balck and white highlights.

    Christian bared his claws, and exposed his sharp canines trying to intimidate his opponent. The opponent however seems unfazed and snarled at him. The wolf waited for Christian to do something,  but Christian held back himself, determined to not make the first move. The wolf jumped on him trying to bite him, but Christian dodged the attack perfectly. This time, Christian being just behind the wolf bit his tail making the wolf wail in pain.

    The grey wolf smirked before howling. He wasn''t sure exactly what this wolf''s purpose. Was he trying to eliminate the next Alpha? But with Christian gone Caleb would assume the next position of the leader, given his omega status remains hidden. Even if that was the plan, it would always be smart to have a pack attack him rather than a lone wolf then why was this wolf attacking him all alone.

    He didn''t get much time to ponder upon his thoughts as he was attacked once more. This time the wolf got him injuring his shoulder blades. With the amount of pain he felt, he was sure his bone was fractured. Trying his best to maintain his posture, despite the excruciating pain, he tried to link his father. Before his father could respond, Christian had to let go of the link because the wolf was determined to kill him.

    Indeed the wolf had great strength, but given that its soul purpose at this moment seemed to exterminate Christian, its movement was erratic and uncoordinated. As if the wolf just wanted to keep attacking him without any proper technique. Was it possessed or something? Christian wondered.

    Taking advantage of that fact, he decided to trick the wolf and dodged the next attack by an inch, he laid down on the ground holding his breath. He pretended to be dead to get out of this situation while he linked his father his location. His father assured him that help would be there soon before disconnecting.

    Soon he heard rustling noises before he heard the sound of laboured breathing getting closer. From the footsteps it seemed the wolf was in his human form and was approaching him. The moment the hand of the person was about to make contact, Christian opened his eyes and attacked him. He managed to hit him hard in the head making him collapse in the ground.

    Christian observed the back of the man before shifting back to his human form. Rolling the unconscious man, he finally took a proper notice of his face and soon Christian''s eyes widened in recognition.

 Chapter 109 - Appearances Can Be Deceptive

    Christian was speechless as he stared at the very familiar face. "Sebastian"? He whispered in shock. If this happened back when they first met, perhaps it wouldn''t have hit Christian this hard. But when Sebastian saved them during the witch attack and how the other day he took care of Christian, he was beginning to trust Sebastian. Maybe even started to consider him as an ally. It is true what they say, Appearances can be deceptive.

    The wolves who were nearby came running to his rescue in his wolf form, but when they noticed that Christian was standing while he gazed over the unconscious body they relaxed considerably. None of them shifted back and instead tried to link with him. [Is he down? What should we do with him?] The in-charge amongst the group spoke up.

    Normally, irrespective of his personal feeling, in a situation like this he would suggest that he would take them to the pack house and keep him locked up in the holding cell. Given how that was currently occupied by Ashton, having an unconscious Alpha near him was probably not such a great idea. "We will take him to St Demoir Cellar".

    [But, sir-]

    "Don''t worry about it. Trust me on this." Christian voiced with authority. Being the only one in human form, he picked him up and put him over his shoulder. Even for Chrsitian who was used to heavy lifting, he must admit Sebastian was indeed heavy, even for an Alpha.

    The wolves circled around him and accompanied them till the St Demoir Cellar. Once they reached the guards stopped them, "Password"? The grumpy guard asked. The password was something that changed weekly. To avoid the ones who had the ability to shapeshift, this system was implemented. It would ensure that the person is what his face depicts.

    "Yesteryear" Christian replied without skipping a beat. The guard let him in. This place was darker than many places being official prison for dangerously rogue wolves. This place screamed cruelty while all the noises from all the corners and scaringly hollow corridors gave it a haunting edge. It was cruel to bring anyone who was not yet proven terribly guilty here, but at this very moment Christian didn''t have any choice, since this place was the closest. He had no idea when Sebastian would wake up, so he had to be as prepared as possible.

    Christian reached the end of the aisle where the cells were least dangerous. He chose the one which reeked off with the minimum wolfsbane on the door, and did not tie him up with the chains that were available in the room. It was too early to punish him like that. He exited the room while he waited for his father to arrive.

    After around 20 mins his father arrived looking tired than usual. Christian briefed him on everything that went down, that made Mr. Wrisberg questioned his own decision to invite this wolf here. He was usually very sure of his decision, so the fact that he misjudged made him infuriated.

    After what seemed like an eternity (2 hours) Sebastian lids started to tremble and he finally opened his eyes. "Whatˇ­ ouch!!" he said out loud, only to wince in pain. "What is going on"? He tried to locate the site of injury in his head.

    "You tell us, we let you stay here. I invited you here only to get betrayed"? Mr. Wrisberg voiced in an intimidating voice. Sebastian frowned, yet unable to comprehend the situation. Sebastian''s gaze slowly shifted to Christian''s face, searching for answers, but instead he found disappointment displayed clearly on his face.

    "How the hell did I betray you"? Sebastian frowned, still flinching at the pain once he sat up.

    "You attacked me"! Christian prompted.

    "Why the hell would I attack you"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "That''s exactly what we want to know". Mr Wrisberg clarified in a cold voice.

    "Look, I have no idea what you are talking about. The last thing I recall was I was at the party. Now I am sitting in a dark smelly basement, while my body hurts like hell". Sebastian declared while looking right into Mr. Wrisberg''s eyes. He looked at Christian and asked him, "You said I attacked you, what happened exactly? Tell me everything"!. He demanded with such a fierce voice that he sounded almost convincing.

    Christian retold the entire encounter with him in the woods. The more Sebastian heard, the more he pressured his mind to recall it. It wasn''t as if he didn''t recall, he did remember bits of it, like you do when you''re drunk. Did he somehow take some kind of drug?Then why would he be specifically violent towards Christian? If he was at the party when he blacked out, shouldn''t he attack them first.

    "So? Still remember nothing"? Christian mocked. All the trust Sebastian had managed to get from him was not there anymore.

    "I mean, nothing clear". Sebastian sighed. "I was talking with this woman Valerie Durance, she is getting married I think, ask her. Maybe she can fill you in on what happened". Sebastian suggested.

    "So what? You''re talking to her, and suddenly you backed out"? Mr Wrisberg asked in a calm, wary voice.

    "Not exactly". Sebastian sighed. "I think that''s when things started to get hazy. I think I was done talking to her, and I turned around...or something"? He whispered unsure of his own memory.

    "You are accusing one of our omegas for making you attack him? You really think we will believe you"? Christian asked skeptically.

    "So what, just because she is from your pack and she is an omega she can''t do something shady like this"? Sebastian sneered. Christian who knew that being an omega had nothing to do with what they are capable of maintained his quiet. "Besidesˇ­" Sebastian continued. "I am not accusing her. Like I said, I was done talking to her. She even invited me to her wedding if I could make it. What I am asking you is to check is what happened after that". He clarified.

    Both father and son duo took this advice under consideration and Mr Wrisberg gestured to him with his head to get on with it. Christian nodded before he tried to link Valerie. When he got through it, he questioned. [Did you recently meet anyone named Sebastian?]

    [Iˇ­ don''t think so.] She hesitated.

    "She denied that you met her. She didn''t know anyone named Sebastian" Christian declared.

    "Ask her if she met anyone named Kyle". Sebastian prompted. "Throw in my physical description if you will".

    "Why Kyle"? Christian narrowed his brows.

    "What do you mean why? I am famous, dude! I have to be careful in a crowd with my real identity". Sebastian declared with pride.

    Christian frowned skeptically at his narcissism before doing what he was asked. [Oh yes, quite a sweet guy]. Came her reply. Christian frowned as he failed to associate sweet with Sebastian. Did she get the wrong person?

    [Do remember when you last saw him?] He interrogated further.

    [Yes, I was talking with him around two hours ago, I think. He said his stomach started to hurt so he left abruptly. It did feel a bit odd. Is everything alright?]

    Ignoring her query he asked further, [Do you remember him taking something?]

    [Well, he was simply drinking. So is almost everyone here.] She threw in the details. [Am I in trouble?] She couldn''t help but ask. It''s not everyday the future head Alpha communicates with a common omega via a link.

    [No, but I advise you stay put. We might need you later.] He informed, before disconnecting. He turned to his father and nodded slightly.

    "So, your story checks out, but that doesn''t prove you are innocent". Christian declared while Sebastian simply glared at him.

    "What do you want me to do, take a drug test"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "Actually that''s not a bad idea, except any drug in your body would have been flushed away by your high metabolism". Christian shrugged.

    "Give it a try then. Any rare chances that it''s there, it might just prove my innocence". Sebastian sighed in defeat. He regretted more than ever coming here. All he wanted was to connect to his roots and now he is stuck in another conspiracy. This time, he is determined to never come back.

    Christian glanced at his father for approval before shifting his gaze back to Sebastian. He ordered a few wolves to get him the syringe and when it arrived he drew his blood. He was very careful when he entered or exited the room, worried that Sebastian might try to run away. Not only that he didn''t, not once did he make a fuss about being trapped here, or approach the gate to break his way out. His behaviour both fascinated and scared him. Exactly what was going on inside this guy''s head, Christian wondered.

    Once Christian was done he announced, "You can leave when the test results show up positive. Till then, you are trapped here".

 Chapter 110 - Jailed

    It had been almost an hour or two since Sebastian was left all alone in that empty dark cell. The space was small, with the edges roughly around 10 feet. He didn''t have much room to roam around freely, so he simply admired the crevices on the wall. It was around that time when he discovered that the door and the bars were soaked in wolfsbane. He always wondered why using wolfsbane was still legal, but then again, he hardly knew much about pack life.

    The entire night was difficult as it is, and surprisingly sleep didn''t hit him so easily. The entire place was way too cold, enough to make even a wolf tremble. Somehow he didn''t have his jacket on so it just made it harder for him to save heat. He tried to work out a bit in the hopes that it would make him tired enough to fall asleep, and kill the cold a little bit. While it worked with both the heat and tired thing, sleep still refused to grace him.

    Our instincts keep us from falling asleep in a new place, and in a place like this cell, it''s no wonder he was wide awake. Even though he knew that the chances of someone coming here to hurt him were quite thin, his instincts screamed otherwise. Amongst all the turmoil he finally drifted off at dawn.

    Waking up he realised he had a warm quilt covering his slightly cold body as he slept in a sitting posture while leaning onto the wall. He had no idea where it came from, but he could make a guess which made him snort immediately. As for his surroundings, they were hardly any different than the last time. It was still dark, except from the peeking light from the tiny grilled window high up at the wall, as if it was there just to prevent suffocation. Sebastian was lucky he wasn''t claustrophobic or else he would not have made it through the night.

    He got up, folding the quilt as nicely as he could before he peeked out of the cell. He couldn''t see anyone there and started to wonder if he was all alone in this place. A tiny growl filled the entire cell that emerged from nowhere else than his own stomach. As a wolf, diet was one of the most important part of daily life. To remain healthy, he needed at least around 3000 calories a day, way more than a regular human did.

    Suddenly he heard tapping sounds coming from the wall. He wondered who made that sound, and that if it was his neighbor. "What''s going on"? He asked out loud, wishing he could be heard. The tapping paused for a moment before it continued once more. On focusing further, he realised it was morse code. Sebastian never exactly learned morse code, so it was a bit hard for him to decipher what the person was saying.

    After a few more taps he was startled when a lady threw a packed, somewhat edible lunch at him through a tiny passage built right next to the door. He looked up to see a woman in her mid thirties, wearing black suit which seemed like a uniform. Her beta pheromones gave an impression of neither friend or foe. She gave him a dirty curious expression before turning around to leave. "Excuse me" Sebastian stopped her.

    She turned around and looked at him suspiciously. Before he could put forward his query she spoke, "This is the best food we have, eat it without complaining" She snarled at him. Complaints about the food was pretty common, so she simply assumed that was the case as well this time.

    "It''s not thatˇ­" Sebastian clarified. He cleared his throat before proceeding further. "Can you tell me what time is it"?

    She was taken aback by his question, so she checked her smart watch before replying "Around noon, why"?

    Sebastian wondered if the results for his blood tests were back yet. "Can you tell me who is next to me"? He questioned, pointing at the wall from where the taps were coming from.

    She peeked at the next cell before she snorted. "He is trying morse code again"? Confused Sebastian nodded. "He is Harris Milton. He cannot speak so he tries different methods to communicate. If I were you, I wouldn''t worry too much about it".

    "He can''t speak"? Sebastian whispered, wondering if it was a part of the punishment given to him. As if the woman read his mind she replied.

    "You are right, it is part of his punishment". She declared. Despite the horror Sebastian felt deep inside of him he managed to retain an expressionless face. "This place is not for minor offenders like you. I am told you are yet to be proven guilty"? Sebastian''s nod clarified he statement before she proceeded further. "Pray to God that you leave this cruel place as soon as you can. Many of the prisoners do that". She shrugged.  "However, hardly anyone ever left this place alive, so I wouldn''t count on it much". She sneered. "The reason why it''s known as ''Black hole of Cresentile''. Good luck to you".

    "Is everyone here responsible for heinous crimes"? Sebastian asked carefully as her words slowly started to get to him, while his hope of leaving this place started to fade.

    "Almost" The Lady declared with a tinge of smugness in her voice before taking her leave leaving Sebastian all alone with his horrified self. All this time he was certain that like before his innocence would be proved, except this time they had solid reasons to be suspicious of him.

    A rogue Alpha, attacking the future head Alpha was not something unheard off. In fact in olden times when the pressure of blending into human society was not a primary concern, most of the times rogues overtook over a lot of packs before developing their own pack.

    All these stories, these legends were a part of his bedtime stories when he was young. The way his mother depicted the world of wolves seemed magical. As if an enchanted fairytale you desperately want to be of. When he arrived here for the first time he saw first hand how wrong he was, but this time despite having no crisis at hand, he always got sucked into this mess for no apparent reason.

    He was starting to consider the offer to rejoin this pack put forward by Mr Wrisberg on his invitation mail. But now, he was sure, more than ever, that he does not want to return, given he actually manages to get out of this place.

    Here, he didn''t have much to do. He didn''t have his phone on him to call anyone, or just browse on the internet. Neither did he have anyone to link with ever since the death of his mate. He did regret choosing a human over a wolf. Not was it just hard to adapt, for both of them but also made it easy for others to kill her. Hardly anyone ever knew about it, given his influential figure he kept his private life a secret, which he must admit, was not an easy thing to do.

    In this horrible space all those repressed memories started to resurface one by one. He kept himself busy pretty much, and even though he had dealt with her death, it was still not an easy thing to bear. The horror of finding her body drained of blood, the guilt of not being able to protect her, and the rage of all not being able to avenge her, the emotions combined one was quite a complex one to deal with.

    His feelings for her were not as deep as one would expect to have for a mate, but he still cared about her. Despite being a mistake he did manage to bond with her making her death harder for him to bear. If he doesn''t manage to get out of here, he might never find out who was behind her death.

    "Sebastian"! He heard a familiar loud voice calling his name so he turned around. Christian, the owner of the voice seemed a bit taken aback cleared his throat before proceeding. He held out the paper in his hand and  showed it to him, "Negative for any known drug".

    "Well, it was a long shot," Sebastian sighed.

    "Got anything else to prove your innocence "? Christian meant to be snarky, but somehow his voice came out more softer than intended. Sebastian shifted his gaze from the paper to Christian''s face before he scoffed.

    "Nothing that comes to my mind". Sebastian shrugged.

    "Then I guess you will be stuck here". Christian declared. Even if his words seemed like a threat, they were instead pleading. His gut feeling told him that Sebastian was innocent, and somehow he wished too that he could be proven innocent. Seeing how Sebastian seemed to have given up he turned around to leave. His last words were, "I can transfer you to the holding cell once its available, but only if you don''t create further problems".

    -----------------

    Special Author''s note:

    Guys, I did a tiny interview for my friends channel. In case you are curious about me, like my real name, how I look like and all, do check it out.

    Also, don''t forget to like, share and subscribe as her channel focuses mostly on books and reading. Do check out her videos as well

    Here is the link :

    https://youtu.be/7OvV5fs6O2U

 Chapter 111 - Scared

    Caleb spent almost all his time down at the dungeons for a couple of days. He wanted to keep Ashton company for as long as he was in rut. Never did it ever feel like Ashton broke through his wolf form, or for that matter realised what was happening. But he did notice that the wolf was calmer when Caleb was here. It would spend hours just staring at him. Sometimes, the lack of blinking gave him a false impression that he was dead.

    He still couldn''t figure out why Ashton wanted him to stay away, now more than ever. Given his wolf''s response to him, it seemed like having him around was the best choice. In fact it was as if it would only listen to Caleb at this situation. Yet he wanted to abide by Ashton''s wishes. If he wasn''t sure of having him around, then maybe it''s better not to push him.

    It was his fifth day and yet things seemed the same. He left the dungeon for meals and came back right here. In fact, despite the most comfortable bed in his room, he slept in this messy dungeon. He was genuinely surprised his brother didn''t come to check up on him by now.

    It was one of those days when he drifted off to sleep, except it was the middle of the day and not night. He felt better than most of his days and probably that''s why sleep drowned him easy. Waking up he found Ashton, in his human form, sitting all by himself while he stared at the floor with an empty gaze.

    "Ashton, you are awake"! Caleb jumped with delight. That grabbed his attention as he stared at Caleb with poignant eyes. "How do you feel? I mean, I know how you feel, but at the same time I don''t. Does it hurt anywhere? Do you want something to eat? Can you even understand what I am saying?..."  Caleb went on with his ranting as Ashton simply shook his head slightly.

    "I am fine Caleb, do not worry". Ashton spoke up interrupting his rant. "Why are you here"? He asked in a displeased manner, which kind of bothered Caleb.

    "What do you mean ''why am I here''? My mate is in rut, where else should I be"? Caleb snapped at him. "Why the hell do you not me around you? Your wolf doesn''t seem to mind"!

    Ashton spoke, "That''s what I am afraid of" Ashton mumbled.

    "What the hell are you talking about"? Caleb frowned.

    "My wolf, Caleb. You don''t know what it''s capable of. Heck I don''t know what it''s capable of. Do you know I almost wiped out an entire forest without even realising"! Ashton raised his voice but it started to tremble at the end.

    "Ashton, we have been over this. I am pretty tough, you don''t have to worry about hurting me"! Caleb sighed with frustration.

    "You don''t get it. It''s not just about whether you will be hurt or not. It''s because I don''t want to be the one who tries to do something horrible". Ashton sighed heavily. "Like I said, I don''t know what my wolf is capable of, and I am not ready to find out yet". He whispered.

    That''s when Caleb realised, Ashton wasn''t scared for Caleb, he was scared of himself. Not having control over yourself can be scary, especially when you don''t know how or when that side of your will emerge. When someone is scared of something the go to reaction is run away from it. But how do you run away from yourself?

    Caleb wanted to embrace Ashton at this very moment, but the wolfsbane soaked bars were what kept them apart. He linked his brother for the keys before he brought back his attention to Ashton. "Look, I am sorry for pushing you hard. I just want to be there for you".

    "I know". Ashton whispered.

    "And if what you need is me keeping my distance from you in each and every rut of yours, then I will bear with it" Caleb declared.

    Ashton snorted, "Aren''t you tough". Caleb rolled his eyes at the remark. "I will figure out a better way to deal with the situation. I promise. It''s not fair for me to ask you to suffer because I am a coward".

    "You are not a coward, you are just careful. And there is nothing wrong with being a little bit careful".  Caleb assured him. "We are mates, Ashton. We are in this together. I would rather suffer along with you than see you suffer all by yourself". Caleb declared. Ashton, who was out of words remained quiet as he looked away. "You know what, let''s get you out of here" Caleb suggested, trying to change the subject.

    "How? I am locked in here". Ashton pointed at the lock on the door.

    "My brother will be here soon with the key, don''t worry". Caleb assured him. "Also, belated Happy Birthday, I guess". Caleb chuckled awkwardly.

    "You remembered"? Ashton was surprised.

    Caleb gave him an unamused expression before saying, "What am I? Your next door neighbor? Even they don''t forget your birthdays" Caleb scoffed.

    "Yeah well, Rut during my birthday, that''s new". Ashton scoffed. "Kind of breaks my record".

    "What do you mean"? Caleb asked him carefully.

    "Well, my rut is biannual. Usually it takes place either around May or November". He shrugged. "But this time, it''s here by so early, it hasn''t been 6 months yet, and look at me". He sighed.

    "I wonder ifˇ­ you knowˇ­ we triggered it". Caleb mumbles referring to the heated session they had a day before.

    Ashton''s eyes widened before he cleared his throat, "Orˇ­" he paused. "Maybe it''s because I am officially an adult now" Ashton shrugged.

    "Could be" Caleb nodded in agreement. "Nevertheless, I hope it''s the latter. I don''t want you to go rogue every time we sleep together". Caleb snorted. Ashton''s eyes widened at that and he looked away shyly.

    "Word of advice, when you have asked you brother to come, maybe refrain from talking about sex". His brother, who apparently heard him, remarked as he made his way to the dungeon. If Ashton was shy before, he was profusely embarrassed. His brother gave him a suggestive glare before opening the cell for him.

    "Why"?  Caleb questioned with a smirk. "Jealous of me for having a mate"? He teased his brother. Christian sighed with frustration before he gave Caleb a deathly stare, shutting him up. It seemed as if his brother had something very important to take care off, and that he wasn''t in the mood for a joke. Caleb pondered if that was the reason Caleb saw less of him lately.

    "Are you okay"? Caleb couldn''t help but ask.

    "Mn", Christian mumbled. "I have to be somewhere else, so I don''t have much time" He turned around to leave before he hauled midway. "By the way, I replaced your wolfsbane stock. Tend to his wounds if needed". He motioned his head towards Ashton, put the bag containing syringes, cotton and antidote in Caleb''s hand before he left.

    Caleb brought his focus back to his mate once he was out of the cell. Caleb pulled his hands and examined his arms closely looking for any wounds. Having been affected by wolfsbane, most of them were still struggling to heal. "Come with me", He took him outside the dungeon and treated his wounds properly.

    He made him sit at the bench in their garden, letting Ashton enjoy the breath of fresh air while cautiously he applied some ointments over his wounds. He also prepared a syringe of antidote to give him. He wasn''t entirely sure if that was necessary or not, but it was better to give him just to be on the safe side.

    Ashton winced a few times, before he bit his lip as he tried to be tough. For someone as tough as him, needles were not something he was fond of. "There you go" Caleb smiled as the healing began evidedent. The bruises faded away and tiny scratches disappeared in a blink of an eye. "Thanks". Ashton gave him a faint smile.

    He got up from his seat and kissed Caleb deeply, expressing his gratitude and affection for his mate. He kissed him passionately for a while, which Caleb responded to pretty enthusiastically. It''s been a while since Caleb got even a single touch from him and thus finally having him close brought him a sense of peace. The mate bond is indeed very strange and wonderful in it''s own way.

    Abruptly, Caleb pulled away, making Ashton frown at him, "Everything okay"?

    Caleb seemed as if he was immersed in some kind of deep thought, before he shook his head. "I think my heat is here". Ashton''s eyes widened and he tried to retract himself away from Caleb but suddenly Caleb''s hold tightened on his arm. "Don''t you dare run away from me. I comply with your wishes during your rut, and you comply with mine during my heat". Caleb glared.

    "Alright then, what do you want"? Ashton asked with a chuckle.

    Reaching his mate''s ear, Caleb whispered, "I want you".

 Chapter 112 - Not Enough {R-18}

    The moment they walked into the room Ashton pulled Caleb smashing him into the door. The loud thud was soon replaced by soft moans and kisses as Ashton left a trail of them on Caleb''s lips and cheek, neck and any place that was yet accessible to him. Caleb skin was highly sensitive at this point. Even a mild touch of Ashton''s lips on his skin turned him into a complete mess.

    "I need...more" Caleb whispered in his haze and spurring on Ashton. He focused on his neck and kissed the most sensitive area, biting and nibbling along the way to his jawline. "Mhmˇ­.Ash" Caleb mumbled, immersing himself in the pleasure of Ashton''s mouth. Soon enough, he was entirely naked apart from the shorts, still pressed to the wall while Ashton''s lips tortured the hell out of him by stimulating the mark on his shoulder, the most sensitive skin on his entire torso.

    "So...goodˇ­" Caleb kept mumbling. The more he expressed his desire for Ashton, the more Ashton pressed him onto the wall. Once he had enough of the upper body he moved onto the lower half. He teased the thick already hard member and pinched on it slightly teasing it.

    "AHHHHHˇ­.Ash...please...Iˇ­" and the rest of the words were lost in translation. Seeing Caleb perk up like that as his Adam''s apple moved in such a seductive manner while he let out the deep moans triggered something in Ashton. He pulled down his shorts aggressively exposing his member. Ashton provided the growing member with the attention it craved for.

    He bent down to his knees and stared at the cock for a moment. The moment his lips touched it Caleb threw his head back and let out a deep moan, "MmNnnn". His hands moved to the sides looking for some support while Ashton continued to work on the lower half of his body. Caleb grunted while his body moved on his own.

    Not only did Ashton kiss the throbbing member, he also kissed Caleb''s inner thighs while his hands snaked onto his buttcheeks massaging him throughly only to arouse him further. As if this torture was enough, soon his cock was engulfed by the hot and wet mouth of Ashton. Caleb''s brain went completely blank, to the point he even forgot his own name. He put all his weight on the poor tiny doorknob when he lost the strength in his knees to stand up anymore.

    While Ashton''s movements turned more erotic by the minute, Caleb kept writhing, and moaning and he threw his head back having his head at the door, overwhelmed by the stimulations his body was going through. "I can''tˇ­ I...I am...gonnaˇ­" he mumbled. The moment before he could come Ashton removed his mouth and all the white cream spread over their pelvis and on the floor. Caleb''s legs were beyond the point of  being capable of supporting anything, and thus he almost collapsed on the floor only to be held back by Ashton.

    Ashton brought his mouth next to his ears and whispered in a dangerously seductive voice, "What else do you want me to do". Before Ashton could get the reply he licked the sensitive skin over the ear making him shiver.

    "Iˇ­.want...you" Caleb managed to mumble.

    "Want me where" with a devilish smirk he whispered once more. His left hand was snaked around Caleb''s waist keeping him in position while his right hand that was placed on Caleb''s buttcheeks started to move in circles occasionally reaching the entrance. Ashton simply poked the entrance without actually going anything further that drove Caleb crazy.

    Caleb raked both of hands on Ashton''s somewhat long hair and mumbled, "I want you...inside of me...right now". Caleb ordered in a weak voice. Witnessing the blatant emotion on his mates face, Ashton slammed his lips onto Caleb, and without hesitating put two fingers inside of him, which thanks to his heat, went in pretty easily.

    "AHH...." He moaned out loud at that feeling of two slender long fingers digging inside him. "I...I can''tˇ­ahh", Caleb whimpered, struggling to form any kind of sentence as the fingers inside him moved at an dangerously high speed.

    "Can''t what"? Taking a break from nibbling on his mate''s ear, Ashton whispered.

    "Stand" Caleb blurted before letting out another heavy moan. Ashton put his hand below Caleb''s knees and lifted him up. Caleb''s loss wrapped around Ashton''s pelvis and the moment their cocks touched each other a wave of shiver coursed through his entire body. He was so engrossed in the moment that he didn''t even realize when Ashton took off his pants.

    The feeling of the giant cock in brushing against his own accompanied with the fingers that kept digging behind him and hitting the prostate in a pulsatile manner was enough to drive him crazy in regular sex. Having it all during his heat where each and every sensation of him was heightened several folds, he was amazed that he was still conscious.

    "Ashˇ­ Can''tˇ­ anymore...Iˇ­" Caleb cried as he was about to hit climax for the second time in this duration. He bit down sharply on Ashton''s shoulder making him wince in pain. Just as he was about to hit the ultimate form of ecstasy, both of the stimulations were gone. The pain of impending release was killing Caleb, and he was desperate for more "Why.." he started to question when the soft mattress hit his back.

    "You want more" Ashton teased the tip of the hardened member while he licked the pink beads on his chest. Caleb bit down on his lips, and yet failed to keep the shrill moan inside his throat. "Tell me, do you"? Ashton teased once more before biting down on the nipple.

    Caleb opened his mouth to speak but only embarrassing noises came out of them. Caleb nodded his head vigorously and Ashton smirked coyly at the response. He left a trail of soft wet kisses from one nipple to other then back to his collarbones and his neck, before bringing them back ultimately to his lips. He kissed him deeply, putting his tongue inside and exploring the hot cavern before pulling away. He took a moment to admire the peach colour displayed on his entire, usually pale, face that glistened through the sweat. "I want you to say it"! He whispered seductively.

    Caleb slowly opened his tightly shut eyes and stared at the hungry eyes of Ashton before he murmured, "I need moreˇ­. Come in... inside of me".

    At that very moment Ashton''s insides exploded with passion and he smashed his lips once more on Caleb''s. He used his fingers and some lube to stretch the loose while even further before he slid into it himself. "Uhhhhˇ­" Caleb''s moan filled the entire room, making Ashton crazy further.

    Even stretched, it was still not enough to accommodate the huge cock, so despite the pleasure of heat, the feeling of inevitable pain hit Caleb and he cried out. Ashton halted in his movements and gazed carefully at Caleb''s face. "It hurts"? He asked, concerned.

    Caleb nodded reluctantly in pain, but before Ashton could say something else Caleb mumbled "Stay". He was worried Ashton would pull out, and thus as an assurance he kissed Caleb, this time much more gently. Slowly he started to move inside of him until Caleb jolted, signaling that Ashton''s cock found Caleb''s prostate. Making sure to hit the right spot he increased his pace. Caleb''s entire body jerked with pleasure while his hips moved on his own to match the other''s rhythm. Not to mention he turned ever redder when his own embarrassing moans reached his own ears.

    As their pace kept increasing further Caleb shook violently as his release came near.  "Ashtonn"!! Caleb screamed his name the moment he dissolved into the most extreme for pleasure. His uneven breathing caught a hitch once he felt Ashton still moving inside of him. Since Caleb was already on the edge he came faster. Ashton continued to purge into him which ended up arousing Caleb, in his heat, once more. It didn''t take long for Caleb''s member to grow into its full size as his prostate was stimulated brutally by the giant cock.

    This time, both of them came at the same time. Caleb spread all his goods on their stomach once more while a hot spray of liquid filled Caleb''s gut. Coming back from the high Ashton pulled out and lay next to him trying to catch his breath.

    Caleb frowned at the loss of feeling, and soon that was replaced with another wave of pleasure as his heat took another peak. "Want to go one more time" he turned around and asked Ashton earning him wide eyes from Ashton.

    "You...are not done"? Ashton asked him back, baffled.

    "I am a wolf in heat Ash, this is nothing". Caleb challenged.

    Ashton chuckled before he said, "In that caseˇ­" he got up and sat above Caleb placing both of his legs on each side of him. Both them gave with other an evil smirk before their lips collided.

 Chapter 113 - Transfer

    Christian was unable to find any way to find Sebastian innocent. He tried to let it go but it kept coming back to him. While everything pointed that Sebastian was guilty, his gut told him otherwise. He thought maybe finding the real perpetrator would help. But who was the real perpetrator? He failed to figure it out.

    There were numerous guests and all of them were potential suspects. It''s been a few days, and it was time for the guests to return. It won''t be fair to keep them here on the basis of some incident which was questionable enough to make a convincing case. Christian was busy trying to keep the balance between pack duties, now that his brother decided to devote his entire time on his mate, so that didn''t leave him with much time to investigate.

    He finally managed to make out some time from his busy schedule and decided to visit Sebastian. The moment he stepped out of the door Caleb ended up calling for him. He got delayed by the request but nevertheless, there was no reason he won''t be able to make it.

    Once again, on his way out he ended up running into Cyrus. "Hello there", Cyrus presented him with his creepy smile. "I have been told that you would drive me to the airport"?

    Christian frowned. It was Caleb''s job now. Now that his mate was out of rut, it was his turn to take back his responsibilities. He linked his brother only to get a very short response, [Can''t. Heat.] How convenient. Few days early and their rut and heat could have synced perfectly.

    "Yeah, come with me". Christian gave him a polite nod before asking him to follow him. To be honest this short trip might turn into a blessing in disguise. He wouldn''t admit it out loud, yet, but his prime suspect was definitely Cyrus. It was frustrating that he was leaving already, but if he planned on going against him, he had to be very careful. Christian was furious, not crazy.

    The entire way Christian remained focussed on the road thus remaining quiet, or at least that was his pretense. He was mainly trying to observe Cyrus''s actions, trying his best to figure out what his special power might be. He just hoped it''s not mind reading or else he would have been screwed.

    He also kind of hoped it''s getting inside people''s heads though, because that would pose a perfect way to make Sebastian do what he did. He knew it wasn''t Cyrus who drugged him, because he remembered while he walked inside the building, it already reeked of the alpha''s smell. Whatever happened with Sebastian was clearly after that, so it seemed a bit unlikely.

    He even pulled the footage and saw that no one spiked his drinks or anything. He kept ordering and the bartender kept filling him up. At this point he was almost convinced that maybe he had been a poor judge of character and it was Sebastian who was guilty, except something didn''t feel right.

    "You are awfully quiet". Cyrus asked Christian, taking a break from staring out of the window.

    "I am a quiet guy". Christian replied with a flat expression.

    "Everything alright with your brother"? Cyrus questioned further.

    "I can assure you it is,". Christian replied with a polite smile.

    Unable to hold the conversation, Cyrus let it go. Christian dropped him off while maintaining an extremely professional rapport. Despite his suspicion he tried his best not to let it become obvious.

    By the time he was back, it was pretty late for him to visit. And some of the work required his immediate attention, so he was engrossed in pack duties once more. He barely had time to investigate a minor case, he can''t imagine how he will give him mate and family time in future. No wonder his father is always so distant, a pack this huge indeed is a lot of work.

    The St Demoir Cellar was a place that was quite dark in his own way. That place can take a physical and mental toll on anyone who stays there for long. Christian needed to transfer him to the dungeon now that Ashton was out of the cell, so at night when it was time to sleep, he decided to head for St Demoir Cellar.

    He was about to call out to him but when he found him lying down on the floor peacefully he didn''t have the heart to wake him up. Nevertheless, he needed to shift him so he woke him up. He called out to him several times before he finally received a response. "What the hell"!! A snark came out of his mouth but his eyes were still closed.

    "You need to wake up"? Christian insisted.

    "Why"!? "My life wasn''t enough that you decided to screw up my sleep as well" He sat up and glared at him. "Why are you here"?

    "To get you out of here" Christian declared. He saw a tinge of hope in a face masked with confusion and frustration. He realised how his words could be misleading, so he clarified himself fast. "I mean this cell. You can stay at the one in our house".

    Sebastian scoffed, "What difference does it make? It''s just another prison!".

    "It''s better than this". Christian insisted.

    "Yeah, right" Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Definitely much better".

    Christian sighed at the sarcasm before he said, "Look I know this is not ideal, but trust me, it''s better to get out of this place. Now, come on".

    "Sure, it''s not like I have much of a choice now, do I". A very sarcastic smile was displayed on Sebastian''s face.

    Christian pressed his tongue against his cheek before he said, "Really? Then go ahead, tell me, where would you like to go"?

    "I would like to be set free! This is ridiculous! You barely have any evidence against me! Why am I being held captive"? Sebastian shrieked. Last time he was confronted he was somewhat sure that sooner or later he would be out of this place. That if he endured it for the time being this nightmare would be over. However, after spending his past few days in this nightmarish hole, he was running out of endurance.

    "Because that bare evidence is all the evidence we have. That''s the problem, you are our only lead, and we have no other choice but to keep you in here". Christian tried to explain his best. He could understand Sebastian''s frustration, but he couldn''t actually help him much. "If you can help us, maybe we wouldn''t need to keep you in here. So, for now, please comply". Christian pleaded.

    "I tried to help, didn''t I? I told you everything I knew, everything that happened that day, but what for? Apparently all are dead ends. What more do you want me to do"? Sebastian spat, enraged and frustrated.

    "Just, comply with what I ask to not make things worse. I will have my brother go through everything I did, now that he is available, and hopefully he will find a clue. If you are in the house it would be easier for me to get you out. This place is quite far from there, I cannot always come here". Christian tried his best to convince the other man.

    "Alright" Sebastian sighed. Christian was skeptical if he would try to run or not, but he was glad that he didn''t. "Not gonna put cuffs on me"? Sebastian asked when Christian dragged him by his hand instead of doing anything shady.

    "I am trying to trust you. Don''t make me regret this" he looked at him straight in the eye before declaring. He brought his car this time, despite the rocky roads. Sebastian, who was sitting on the shotgun seat drifted off many times before jolting back up. From time to time, Christian would look at the man sitting next to him and see the innocent sleepy face that tugged at his heartstrings.

    He hated unfair judgements, and he did his best whenever he was needed. But, even in those times, when the law was being unfair, the people wronged had someone next to them, to support them. Sebastian however came here all alone, and no one was here to advocate on his behalf. Maybe that''s why he felt too obliged to help the other.

    He once saw this man in a magazine, and the smile on his face was indeed quite believable. Who knew that the same person was this lonely. He wasn''t much aware of his history, but all of his family was indeed dead. Maybe having a pack next to him would have sufficed, but unfortunately he was a rogue. Alas, he couldn''t make such important judgments based on his personal feelings so he had to consider Sebastian as one of the bad guys at this moment.

    "We are here" Christian shook him awake while he looked around. Sebastian didn''t resist much and simply followed Christian. The dungeon looked way less aggressive. Sebastian laid down immediately without bothering to undergo any casual exchange, and before he knew it he was sound asleep.

    Like Sebastian''s first day in  St Demoir Cellar, Christian brought him a pillow and a rug in case he needed it before locking the cellar once more for the second time this week.

 Chapter 114 - Re-Watch

    Caleb laid next to Ashton while the Moonlight glistened through the window. After an entire day of spending his heat with Ashton, he must admit this was his best heat. He felt relaxed and calmer than that of usual. It was good enough to make him calm, but not enough to make him asleep, so he simply stayed awake, staring at the ceiling while time to time he gazed at his sleeping mate right next to him.

    Caleb felt a little bad for straining him this bad just after his heat. Usually it''s the Alpha''s who were more promiscuous is nature, but somehow in their relationship it turned out to be Caleb.

    Amidst his thoughts he was interrupted by a buzz sound on his night stand. {I need your help} a text that was sent from his brother''s phone read. {Get back to me as soon as you can.} Caleb frowned what it might be so he replied back to him immediately.

    {What do you need?} Caleb asked.

    A quick and sudden reply came, {You are awake! That''s great}, followed by, {meet me in the office immediately if you can. It''s a bit urgent}

    Feeling sorry, he replied. {I can''t. I went into my heat this morning soˇ­ I am really not available.}

    After a whole minute he received a reply from his brother. {OK}. He felt bad for not being able to help him whatever urgent business he had for him. His brother had been nothing but supportive when he spent all of his time in the dungeon next to Ashton. He would love the chance to return his favour but it''s not like he can control his heat.

    ~~~~~~~~

    A few days later, Ashton, who had missed almost two weeks of school took a thorough shower at 4 am before running off to his classes. For some reason he felt more giddy than usual, and smiled too from time to time freaking out a few of his classmates. He was in much better mood especially elevated after the week he had.

    The more time he spent with his mate, the more he wanted to be next to him. He could feel himself getting more attached to Caleb, and now with mated and everything his attachment was quite strong. He feared he would soon be completely possessive of him, refusing to let Caleb out of his sight even for a moment, which would make him not such an ideal partner, but for now that was a problem for his future self.

    When Caleb woke up that morning in the empty bed he felt comparatively better and thus he decided to visit his brother. He made sure to take a thorough shower to get rid of all the smell before he went for a visit. His heat was over way faster this time. Was it because of Ashton, or was it simply because the duration was shortening on it''s own ever since he was marked, who knew.

    He knocked on the door reluctantly when he realised that he didn''t check with his brother before coming here. Receiving no response he decided to link him only to find out that he was at the training grounds. Christian instructed him to meet him at the office and while he himself gave the responsibilities to Rexford, his second in command.

    "What''s going on"? Caleb asked his brother the moment he spotted him. He invited him in his office and closed the door before explaining everything that happened on the night of the banquet and how he had been trying to look for clues.

    "So that''s why you were so busy". Caleb mumbled.

    "That and all the residual responsibilities for the Banquet that I had to take over." Christian shrugged. He didn''t want to blame his baby brother for dumping the work on him, because he knew that the situation couldn''t be helped. "Do not worry about it. Now that you are feeling better hep me with it".

    "What do you want from me"?

    "Anything. Whatever you can do to help". Christian sighed. "I have checked the CCTV, I talked to everyone he interacted with that day and I found nothing".

    "Do you have any suspects"? Caleb asked after a whole minute.

    "Wait? So you believe me? You don''t think Sebastian''s at fault"? Christian questioned.

    Caleb shrugged before saying, "I trust your instincts. Besides, like you said, I agree that he doesn''t have any valid motive for attacking you".

    "Wellˇ­ yeah" Christian smiled. "Do you think it''s Cyrus"?

    "Why him"? Caleb frowned.

    "Well, first of all he invited himself to the banquet, secondly-"

    "Wait, you mean Dad didn''t invite him here on purpose", Caleb cut in, wide eyed.

    Christian frowned, "No"

    "Okay, maybe I owe dad an apology" Caleb mumbled.

    Christian gave him a suspicious look before saying, "Anyways, as I was saying, he seemed highly interested in pack stuff. And most importantly, he knew Sebastian beforehand. I even caught them having a long conversation".

    "Did you question him? What did he say"? Caleb asked.

    "I did". Christian shrugged. "Of course I couldn''t use my direct accusatory tone. He is a powerful Alpha, it won''t be smart to antagonise him. Even if he ends up being the real culprit, we would need solid evidence and we would have to be extremely careful on how we handle the situation. Any wrong move can endanger the entire pack". Christian sighed.

    Caleb was silent for a long time so Christian decided to speak up once more, "What do you think"?

    "Iˇ­" Caleb began before he let out a breath. "I don''t like that guy. He gives me real creepy vibes and I would love to maintain my distance from him, forever. Butˇ­ I don''t think it''s him".

    "Why"?

    "Because what motive would that bring him"? Caleb raised his eyebrows. "Even if he somehow managed to kill you. His next rivals would be our entire family. Not to mention Ashton, a pure blooded just like him would be a potential threat to him. I think... Whoever did this has a personal grudge against you. Like, they don''t want the pack, they want you".

    "Why"? Christian frowned.

    "Well. it''s not like you haven''t pissed off anyone in your lifetime", Caleb chuckled.

    "Well, I definitely did piss off Sebastian" Christian rolled his eyes. "I cannot believe this. We still haven''t figured out who was behind those omega abductions, and now this. Just how many dangers our pack has to encounter at once"? Christian groaned.

    "Do you thinkˇ­ it''s the same person"? Caleb spoke up.

    "What"?

    "I mean, technically you are the one who followed the tracker that led to discovering the omegas. What if it was a vengeful attack from their behalf"? Caleb suggested.

    Christian considered it for a moment after which he mumbled a quick, "Maybe".

    "Show me the CCTV footage, maybe I would be able to spot something". Caleb urged.

    "I have seen them at least 10 times, good luck with that". He showed him to his computer. Caleb gazed intently at the video and from time to time he kept clicking on it. After almost twenty minutes he exclaimed, "Bingo!"

    "What"? Suddenly Christian found a ray of hope.

    "See this," Caleb called him next to him. "See this person in a balck hoodie"? He pointed at the screen.

    "Mn".

    "Follow him" Caleb ordered before pressing the play button. That person was moving in such a manner that actively hid his face away from the camera, as if he knew where the cameras were located. He/ she blended into the crowd pretty well. Judging from the surroundings a rough estimate of their height would be around 6feet. He saw the man talk to the bartender for a while before he disappeared into the crowd once more.

    "Okayˇ­ what about him"? Chrsitian frowned.

    "Come on"! Caleb shrieked. "See this", he rewinded a bit pointing at his hands. On a closer observation he noticed when he asked about a drink from the bartender he quickly replaced one of the glasses arranged on the counter.

    "Is thatˇ­" Christian frowned.

    "Follow that glass", Caleb pointed. Caleb increased the speed of the video 4x and soon the glass ended up on Sebastian''s hand from which he ended up drinking from.

    "How did I miss that?" Christian cursed himself.

    "Because the switching happened almost an hour ago from when he drank from it. I think that''s why you missed it".

    "And that''s why the bartender should have cleaned it before serving in it". Christian grunted earning a snort from his brother. "How did you figure it out"? Christian, thoroughly impressed, asked him.

    "Well, you told me you questioned everyone whom he came in contact with. So I figured you followed him throughout the footage. Since there was a possibility of someone messing with the drink, I traced the glass in his hand. I put the video in rewind and traced two of his glasses, and this turned out to be the one" Caleb shrugged.

    Christian smiled before he hugged his brother tightly, "You are a genius".

    Caleb who found it harder to breathe tapped his hand, "I know, now let go of me"!

    Christian let him go and after his enthusiasm subsided a little bit he declared, "All we have to do now is figure out who that person is".

    Announcement:

    I won''t update on April 1st. With that being said I will update four chaps on April second, but it might be available a little late to first pass users. Please bear with me for the inconvenience.

 Chapter 115 - Who Is He?

    "So, how do we ID this guy"? Christian asked Caleb.

    "If I tell you everything, what are you planning to do". Caleb rolled his eyes. at his brother. Taken aback by his smirk, Christian frowned.

    "I took care of your responsibilities for a week, how do you plan on repaying me?" Christian asked him with a cocky smile leaving Caleb speechless.

    "Fine, I will see what I can do". Caleb huffed and got back to the video. Caleb recorded everyone''s name whom he could identify having a conversation with him. He had no idea who that guy was, but he was hoping some of these people would. Unfortunately all of them were guests, and each and every guest was gone by now.

    "It''s hard to ID him without his face". Caleb sighed. " How the hell did we miss such a suspicious guy roaming around in our party"? Caleb huffed in frustration.

    "Maybe because you were busy with your mate and I was busy covering for you" Christian replied with a snark making Caleb feel further guilty. The heat and rut could be excused, but disappearing that day was kind of his fault too. Caleb couldn''t resist the temptation of his mate so that was definitely on him.

    "I am sorry" Caleb mumbled.

    "Look, I ain''t blaming you or anything, butˇ­ I get it, you have a mate. But do you plan on bailing on the pack every time because of that now? I am not accusing you or anything, but I know how much you enjoy being a leader figure. What is your next step? Did you ever think about it"? Christian asked him softly.

    Caleb remained quiet for a long time as he considered his brother''s words. Indeed these were important things that he didn''t think about. With the excitement of finally getting to mate with the one he has longed for really long time, and all the work this banquet gave him, he never thought about his future properly, or how things would change now that he was mated.

    "Wait". His brother spoke up, gaining Caleb''s attention back from his reverie. "We can ask him". He pointed at Rexford, who was guarding the place when that suspicious person walked him.

    "Let''s do that" Caleb nodded and both of them headed off to the training grounds.

    Rexford was quick to let go of his supervision the moment the Wrisberg brother''s arrived at the scene, however they only urged the trainees to continue with their business. "We need to talk to you, it''s important".

    Caleb showed him the footage on his phone before asking, "Do you remember this person"?

    Rexford frowned for a moment, trying to think hard before he replied, "I don''t quite remember him, but I did not check for his invite here, so it must be someone from our pack. I made sure I checked everyone''s invite who did not belong to this pack".

    "Him? You are sure it was a guy"? Christian frowned.

    "Yeah, no woman came wearing a black hoodie. Everyone wore some kind of gowns". Rexford assured. "I am pretty sure if I saw a woman wearing these, I would have remembered her".

    "You don''t remember anything else"?

    "Unfortunately, no sir". Rexford looked down.

    "Well, thank you for your help". Christian patted him on the shoulder before he disappeared.

    "Well, how do we find him"? Caleb sighed with frustration.

    "Let''s ask the man under suspicion". Christian smirked. "He is the only one available from the guests, maybe he will have any idea". Caleb shrugged before both of them left for the pack house.

    Sebastian was eating a giant sandwich which one of the maids must have given him. Christian made sure he received the same food as them, not to make him feel much uncomfortable that he was already. He was busy so it seemed that he didn''t notice the brother''s arrival, but in reality he simply chose to ignore the duo.

    "Sebastian, do you remember anyone in a hoodie from that party"? Christian asked him.

    "No," Sebastian replied without bothering to look at him as he gulped in another bite.

    "Okay, this is awkward." Caleb mumbled from behind his brother, which earned him a glare from his brother.

    "Look, I am sure this was the guy who drugged you". Christian tried once more.

    Sebastian stopped mid bite and turned around to look at him skeptically, "How sure"?

    "99 percent" Christian shrugged.

    "Then why am I still here"? Sebastian glared.

    "What"?

    "If you are so sure it wasn''t me, then why am I still being held Captive here"? Sebastian asked sternly. "Shouldn''t you let me go already"?

    "Well, we don''t know what chemical he used for instance". Christian shrugged. "And also, we don''t have enough evidence to prove you completely innocent yet".

    "What a coward" Sebastain mumbled.

    "Excuse me"?

    "Yes, I have to take all of your stupid excuses because you refuse to let me go, even though you of this guy drugging me". Sebastian scoffed.

    "Like I said, this is not enough," Christian pressed.

    "Yeah, right" Sebastian scoffed "I regret helping you ever at all. Not just you, but taking down that witch back then as well. This pack is ridiculous with its rules. When all of this is over, I demand huge compensation". Sebastian spat at him.

    "This is the protocol of our pack. You don''t expect me to treat you special just because you helped me once, do you"? Christian argued, trying his best to not lose his calm.

    "I am pretty sure I have helped you more than once"! Sebastian spat.

    "And you have attacked me once too, so clearly you are up to a nice start for balancing your favours"! Christian argued back with a louder voice.

    Caleb who was standing there quietly witnessed how things were starting to escalate and how their entire argument was pointless. He decided to jump in at the very last moment, "Please calm down! Both of you! You realise this is pointless right? It''s not gonna help anyone"

    ,

    "Sure,"  Christian sighed after a moment. He looked at Sebastian with a calmer expression despite the glare he was receiving and spoke, "Just try to help us. See this footage and tell me if you remember seeing anyone like this"? Christian took the phone from Caleb''s hand and showed him the footage. After observing intently he realised where things went wrong.

    "How the hell did he guess I was gonna drink from that glass"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "I don''t think he did," Caleb spoke up. "He seemed to just randomly put that glass. I think you were a victim of chance. In fact, I doubt you attacked my brother on purpose, I think you simply attacked him because he just happened to be in your path," Caleb explained.

    Sebastian nodded, "I see. Well, at least one of the brothers has got some brains" He mumbled that led to Christian pressing his tongue against his cheeks. He took a deep breath to fight the urge to give him a snarky reply.

    "Whatever, do you recognise this guy"? Christian pressed once more.

    Sebastian stared at the screen and shook his head lightly, "No". Both the brother''s looked at each other and sighed.

    "We might need some more time to get you out of here then"  Christian admitted softly.

    "Well, I figured as much," Sebastian remarked. "Let me know when you have further information. Until then I will keep rotting in this hell" Sebastian gave them a sarcastic smile before he sat down avoiding their gazes.

    Feeling apologetic both of the brothers exited the dungeon, "Looks like we hit another dead end". Christian sighed.

    "I don''t get it". Caleb frowned. Christian turned around and raised his eyebrows at him, "Why can''t you let him go. It is pretty clear that he is not the culprit. Maybe if you let him go, he will help you solve the case".

    "You know the protocols right, I have to ensure he is innocent before I do that". Christian frowned. "It''s not really upto me. Imagine how furious Dad would be if I let him out".

    "So? Convince him. I convinced him to keep Ashton out of there", Caleb smirked.

    Christian snorted, "First of all, I think that was me who convinced him. And secondly that was different. Ashton didn''t technically commit any crime and he is your mate".

    "Well, that means you are good at convincing right"? Caleb suggested. "Show this footage to Dad, who knows maybe he will agree. I mean, I don''t know much about that guy, but he did save us all back then. I don''t understand why he helped us other than that, but I don''t think it''s right to keep him locked up".

    "I don''t either, which is why I am so desperate to solve this as soon as I can". Christian sighed. "But, I think you are right, I will talk to Dad about it. Who knows, maybe I will be able to convince him"  Christian smiled.

    "Yeah" Caleb shrugged. "Well, let me know if you need any other help from me." Caleb smiled before he took his leave.

 Chapter 116 - Conflicted Descriptions

    Christian headed straight off to the office to meet with his father. He showed him the entire clip before he said, "Whoever he is, it is clear that he was the one who drugged him. I don''t think it''s fair to keep Sebastian locked after this".

    "I agree, let him go" His father replied.

    "Really"? Christian was taken aback by sudden approval. Since when was convincing his father so easy? He wondered. "What about pack rules"?

    "What about it"? Mr Wrisberg frowned.

    "He is not proven innocent yet, soˇ­"

    "I am confused, do you not want to let him go?" His father questioned him back. "Are you harbouring some sort of enmity towards that man that I am not aware of"? Mr Wrisberg eyed him suspiciously.

    "What? No!" Christian insisted.

    "Very well then" Mr Wrisberg sighed. "I doubt after all this he would join our pack, let''s not be too hostile about him". The more his father agreed the more suspicious he got. What was going on?

    "Well, I will let him out then"  Christian nodded. "But what do we do about this guy? We don''t know who it is"?

    Mr Wrisberg looked back at him before he viewed the footage once more. "We would need to figure out who he is. Did you contact the ones who interacted with him"?

    "All of them are gone". Christian pursed his lips.

    "Seriously? What is this, medieval era? Contact them via the internet". Mr Wrisberg sighed. "You know what, I will do it. I am afraid you will end up making it an interrogation".

    "Okayˇ­" Christian frowned.

    "Did you figure out what the drug was"? Mr Wrisberg asked.

    "Nothing from our server. Those effects don''t match with any of the ones that we know off. It must be something new, or a mix, or something rare" Christian explained.

    "Well, try to find out what it is. And let that poor man out. I think we have tortured him enough for no good reason". Mr Wrisberg dismissed him. On his way back to the pack house he couldn''t help but find his father''s behaviour suspicious. It was as if his father, who was famous for his paranoia, was convinced that Sebastian was innocent. But why?

    Shaking the feeling off he unlocked the door before he called out to Sebastian, "You are free to go".

    "What changed"? Sebastian looked at him skeptically.

    "I have no idea" Christian mumbled, "But my Dad asked me to let you go, soˇ­ here I am" He shrugged.

    "Seems like everyone is your family is smarter than you". Sebastian scoffed. "So I am free to go anywhere I want"?

    "Yes".

    "Great"! Sebastian exclaimed before he awkwardly looked around, "So where do I stay now"?

    "Wait, you want to stay back"? Christian scrunched his eyebrows at him. He was sure after the treatment Sebastian received here, he would run away as soon as possible, but somehow he was surprised for the second time today. ''Why is everyone behaving so strange today''? He thought.

    "Of course. I had to go through all this crap. I am not going anywhere until I make that son of b****h pay for what he did". Sebastian huffed.

    Suddenly Christian found his Dad trying to link him, [What is it?]

    [Come to the office, right now!]

    [I am with Sebastian right now...]

    [Great! Bring him in as well] His father ordered. Without waiting for any reply he disconnected the link.

    "Come with me" Christian ordered Sebastain.

    Sebastian glared at his commanding tone, unamused before he mumbled, "Which prison are you taking me to now"?

    "Nothing, my Dad has something to say. I think it''s related to this incident. Just come. After that I will get you a place in the pack house". Christian sighed before leading the way. Sebastian didn''t say anything back to him and simply followed him.

    At the pack office Mr Wrisberg urged both of them to take a seat before he proceeded with whatever he had to say. "First of all, I apologise for the way you were treated. I am not sure if you were aware or not, but things have been horrible for the past few months". Mr Wrisberg told Sebastian with utmost sincerity. Christian meanwhile sat in the background trying very hard not to scoff. His father rarely ever apologised to anyone.

    "Secondly..." He began before taking a glance at his computer until he finally looked at them. "I emailed them asking about this guy. Many are yet to reply, but two of them did. They say they do recognise him, however their descriptions vary quite drastically". He told him.

    "What do you mean?" Curious, Christian moved to the other side of the table and stared at the two emails displayed.

    The email from Mr Milton described him like this:

    He was a man around in his late thirties or early forties. He had quite an athletic build, although that''s not uncommon in wolves. He seemed polite and genuinely interested in my family. He had a moustache. He told me that his name was Herman Tolby and that he was from a neighboring pack from Willow street. It was hard to tell his rank, due to everyone being so close to each other, but I think he is an Alpha.

    While the other mail from Mrs Colton described him like this:

    Roger Dale, a man in his early forties, rude attitude. Even refused to tell me where the restroom is, and I only asked him because I overheard him say that he lives here, and that he has been to this hall in every occasion held here ever since he was little. His smell was less prominent, but I am pretty sure he was a beta.

    Christian made sure he read those emails, twice. In fact the expression of conflict was so evident on his face that even Sebastian walked to that side to get a read. Mr Wrisberg was not quite comfortable with him this close to all the sensitive files that were present on his desk, but he let it slide just this once.

    "The only thing that is common between these two mails is that he was a man in his late forties". Sebastian spoke up.

    "I am pretty sure both the names are fake, but I forwarded the previous male to your mother in case she recognised the name. I am sure she keeps tabs on the wolves from Willow Street". Mr Wrisberg informed Christian.

    Suddenly another mail popped in his computer. It was a reply sent to him by Mrs Colton, which was a reply to a previous mail sent by his father in regards to if that man had a moustache or not. She confirmed that he didn''t which only raised the diversity between these two personas.

    "Are they the same person"? Christian found himself questioning out loud.

    "I think so. We sent both of them the same footage, and this guy doesn''t disappear through the entire video. I am surprised how he pulled off two different personalities. He seems smart" Mr Wrisberg commented.

    "I think the second one is more similar to his original one". Sebastian spoke up.

    "Why"? Christian frowned.

    "Well, think about it. She says he was being rude, as if he was busy with something else. I think he had something on his mind so he behaved rashly, like maybe the plan he was about to pull off. If he would have been careful, he wouldn''t have tried to behave rudely". Sebastian explained.

    His father thought carefully before giving a satisfied smirk, "I agree, that seems plausible". Christian was not very comfortable how easily Sebastian gained his father''s approval. His father who was skeptical of everything, was actually impressed by Sebastian? Could his day get any weirder?

    "I don''t know who Mrs Colton is. Can I see the footage where he interacts with her"? Sebastian asked Mr Wrisberg politely. Mr Wriserberg nodded and pulled the footage. After a while he pointed at a middle aged woman as if she was looking for something before she pulled on that hooded guy''s arm, abruptly stopping him. The entire time his gaze was focused on something else, while trying to brush him off. They had noticed this before, but didn''t deduce anything from it. His gaze was focussed on something that was unfortunately not caught on the camera.

    "That is Mrs Diane Colton. She is the pack leader of a pack in the North". Mr Wrisberg threw in the fact casually. After a little while Mr Wrisberg received a reply from his wife denying the existence of any such man. However, she did send him a list of men which fit that physical description from Willow Street. That list had consisted of around 12 men, which was a lot, but at least something.

    "How do we proceed from this? Do we investigate each of them? But them what if he is from here"? Christian questioned.

    "It seems Mrs Colton and Mr Milton remember him quite well. If you keep everyone''s profile here, you can simply send their pictures to identify them". Sebastian suggested.

    "That''s not a bad idea, however some of the pictures are way old. They might not be accurate", Mr Wrisberg sighed.

    "Don''t wolves age slowly once they hit twenties. Maybe he didn''t change much" Sebastian shrugged. That sentence brought a smirk in everyone''s faces.

 Chapter 117 - Training

    The last few days have been crazy for Ashton. In fact so much has happened that it''s hard to believe that all of it was real. Ashton returned to school after quite a long leave. While his teachers were a bit furious, however the wolf teachers remained more or less ignorant towards him. On some level they were scared of him, not only because he was a pureblooded Alpha, but also because he was now related to the head Alpha now.

    Even the students seemed terrified of him. The wolves were aware of the reason, while the humans simply followed the suit on the grounds of the rumor stating ''he is dangerous''. Exhausted from being under the scrutinizing gaze of judgemental eyes, he headed off to see his sisters. Their room was empty, so he followed their scent that led to a field.

    He wasn''t that surprised to see the twins with Caleb. By now it was very well established how much they enjoyed spending their time with his mate. There was a time when he used to mind, but now, he simply enjoyed it.

    He was at a considerably far away distance from them, so it is possible that they did not notice his presence. He observes how he trained the girls. He was nice to them, but he was more strict that usual. He even caught Ava glaring at Caleb. During their one on one battle between the twins a wince from Ava made Ashton come closer. "Wow, that was brutal" Caleb commented. "Nicely done" He approved with a smile.

    Ashton gave him an unamused expression as he helped Ava get back on her feet. "Why are you here"? Ava asked Ashton suggestively.

    "I came here looking for you", Ashton admitted honestly.

    "Sure, sure. It was us you were looking for". Ariel teased. Ashton frowned for a moment until he got what his sisters were trying to imply. He shook his head before he sighed.

    "Seriously, I went to your room first. You weren''t there so I followed your scent"Ashton pressed.

    "Yes yes, we believe you. What more reason could you possibly have for coming here"Ava noted sarcastically earning a embarrassed sigh from Ashton and an amused chuckle from Caleb.

    "Don''t think too much! You are here to train, train properly"Ashton scolded them.

    "He is right," Ava turned to Ariel. "We should train properly. Butˇ­" She turned back to Ashton with a suspicious smirk.

    "Don''t worry, we won''t mind if you admit you are here to see Caleb. We are not that petty". Ariel chimed in.

    "You guys are ridiculous" Ashton commented and turned around to leave, when Ava grabbed his hand. Caleb who was amused by the entire situation decided to step in.

    "Since you are here, why don''t you give this a try as well. Remember, the twins weren''t the only ones who were supposed to train"? Caleb asked suggestively.

    "That wasˇ­"Ashton began, but found himself at a loss of any excuses. "You know what, sure."

    "Whom do you want to fight first"? Caleb asked.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton frowned. He looked at the twins staring at him with expectant expressions before his eyes widened. "I am not fighting my sisters"!

    "But you will fight your mate"? Ava replied to him with a snark. "Just admit you are here for him". And her teasing tone was back.

    "Do you want us to give you some privacy"? Ariel jumped in.

    "Girls"! Ashton shrieked.

    "You know what, we are a bit tired. How about we call it a day. You can continue to teach him". Ava informed Caleb before dragging her twin sister away with her.

    "Ain''t that sweet of her" Caleb remarked.

    "I am not here to see you, I was here to see them"! He insisted.

    "Yeah well, you are still stuck with me". Caleb sighed. "Anyways, last time you were here, you were lagging behind a little bit. Let''s see if you can defeat me this time" without waiting for the other to reply, Caleb shifted into his while wolf form.

    "How can I improve? I barely got any time to practice" Ashton protested.

    [Oh, come on!] Caleb linked him and scolded him.

    "Fine"Ashton shrugged before shifting as well. They combated against each other for a while. Ashton, who was familiar with Caleb''s techniques thanks to their last time, he was quite aware of what to expect. Maybe he wouldn''t do so well if it were someone unfamiliar, but with Caleb, he found it easier to win this time.

    Ashton bared his claws in the heat of the fight and was about to run them through his skin, when he recalled that he didn''t actually want to hurt him. Taking that momentary hesitation as an opportunity, Caleb raked his bare claws through him, making him wince and ultimately talking him down.

    [You should not have hesitated.] Caleb voiced in a cold tone.

    [Yeah, noted] Ashton winced in pain before Caleb finally let him go. [I am surprised how easy it is for you to attack me.] Ashton added. He didn''t mean to come off as accusatory, but somehow he did. He was actually glad, since he felt reassured that if Ashton ever failed to control himself, Caleb would fight back.

    [Yeah, well. I trained with my brother. I hesitated too when I was new. He made me tough I guess] Caleb explained. [I won''t say I am okay with hurting people I care about, but I am capable of hurting them regardless.]

    [I doubt, I can] Ashton mumbled.

    [We will see] Caleb nudged him on his shoulder with his snout. [That was impressive by the way. Even without any formal training you have definitely improved. So what do you say? Want to continue?]

    [I have to now, don''t I?] Ashton scoffed. [I like it or not I am a part of this pack, I think. And like you said, if I know how to use my strength judiciously, I would be able to protect the people I love better.] Despite their hairy snouts, Ashton could see a glimpse of a smile on Caleb''s face.

 Chapter 118 - The Future

    Once the sun started to set they started walking back to the pack house in his human form. Ashton was still skeptical about letting the others see his wolf form so he simply kept to his human form in the pack. Both of them were usually quiet on their way back. While remaining silent was Ashton''s trademark, it was unusual for Caleb to remain so.

    "Are you alright"? Ashton couldn''t help but ask.

    "I was just thinkingˇ­ about the future" Caleb replied with an awkward smile.

    "Want to share"? Ashton offered.

    "Wellˇ­"Caleb sighed. "You know how you had a plan for life. I sort of did too. And I never imagined having someone like you as a mate".

    "What''s that supposed to mean"? Ashton asked him, clearly offended.

    "Relax, it''s a compliment". Caleb chuckled. "I always thought if I even ended up getting a mate, I would not like that person, forget love" he chuckled. "And here I am. I even got to choose my own mate. After getting marked I never thought our relationship would progress like this. I mean, I wanted it toˇ­ a lot, but I was certain that it won''t".

    "Okayˇ­"Ashton mumbled, encouraging him to continue. He wasn''t exactly sure of the point he was trying to make yet.

    "I don''t know what is my next step". Caleb sighed. "I mean, I know like pack responsibility and all, butˇ­"

    "It doesn''t feel like it"? Ashton suggested.

    Caleb nodded at him, "Exactly". He chuckled. "You know, back when Matt was talking about college, despite telling me how everything about it was so negative, I wanted to go".

    "Then why don''t you"? Ashton suggested.

    "Becauseˇ­" Caleb sighed. "It''s complicated".

    "Then explain". Ashton encouraged.

    "Well, first of all, the semester has started already for this year, so I cannot apply before next year". Caleb sighed.

    "Then apply next year". Ashton shrugged. "Better late than never".

    "What about us then? There is no college in town. I would have to leave this pack".

    "How does the rest of your pack handle going to college"? Ashton asked.

    "Well, most of them opt for online courses, like my brother did. Even if they don''t want to, it''s fine, cause they don''t have a mate back home. Or, any pack responsibilities". Caleb sighed.

    "Well, I am sure the distance would be hard. But since we are mates, we are always connected. We can always link and chat with each other if needed". Ashton suggested.

    "That''s not the same. Besides, we have no idea what is the range of this link thing. What if it doesn''t work from that distance"? Caleb popped the question.

    "Then I will call you dummy! This is not 1850"! Ashton snapped at him. "Look, I would hate it if you stopped yourself from doing something just because of me. Distance or not, we are mates, that''s not changing. So go ahead, finish your college degree. In fact, even I was thinking of applying somewhere, so maybe I will go where you do" Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb ended up chuckling at his words. "That is so sweet of you, but that''s not the only thing. I amˇ­" Caleb looked around before continuing, "not who I pretend to be. What if being in a closed crowd somehow exposes my secret. Or worse, get me into some kind of  unprecedented trouble"?

    "What if it doesn''t"? Ashton raised an eyebrow. "You don''t have a scent right now, which will prevent you from getting exposed during... heat. If it helps, you can pretend to be a human, and go to a college only for humans``. Ashton suggested. "Any human would barely recognize you, so that would save you from trouble".

    "That''s actually not a bad idea". A smile appeared on Caleb''s face. "I might just have to convince my parents to let me do it," He sighed.

    "Well, we convinced them to think of me as a prospective mate". Ashton smirked.

    "I doubt they are convinced. Not my Dad at least, that man hates you like anything". Caleb blurted out while looking at the ground that somehow made Ashton feel hurt. He knew he wasn''t accepted yet, but hearing Caleb say that out loud made it so real for that moment. "I think he only tolerates you because he doesn''t have any choice". Caleb shrugged.

    Looking back at Ashton''s face he realised how his words might have affected his mate, "I mean, don''t take it personally. He has his own prejudices. To be fair, most of the time I doubt if he likes me having a son at all. I barely have his approval, how can someone whom he never met have it so easily" Caleb patted him on his shoulder. "Don''t worry about it too much".

    Ashton looked into Caleb''s eyes for a moment before he took the hand on his shoulder in his hands. Ashton stared at their intertwined hands before he mumbled, "I know". An involuntary smile crept up on both their faces. "You too."

    "Huh"? Caleb frowned.

    "About the future. Like I said before, plans hardly work out the way you want to be. You told me you have to wait till another year right? Take time to figure things out. Don''t make any rash decisions". Ashton advised.

    "Look at you being so wise". Caleb teased with a chuckle. "Also, the applications have to be sent early, soˇ­ like half a year".

    "Whatever, the decision doesn''t have to be made today". Ashton huffed. "Take your time, that''s my point. Gosh, I don''t like to talk this much". Ashton turned around, a tiny bit embarrassed. Caleb laughed at him, earning a playful punch from Ashton.

    After a minute, Caleb whispered. "I am so glad to have you as a mate". A smile carved into Ashton''s lips, but soon his lips were covered by a pair of soft warm lips while Caleb''s hands snaked into his neck. Ashton did the same with his hand and thus effectively bringing them closer.

    After their long gentle kiss, when they finally parted ways Caleb whispered, "I would miss these, if I decide to leave".

    "Well we have a yearˇ­ no, six months to make up for it". Ashton smirked suggestively before he put his lips back on Caleb''s lips.

 Chapter 119 - A Family Friend

    Segregating all the files that belonged to a man who could look like he was in his forties took a long time. Most of the time their files were categorised into their respective blood ranks. While the newer system in the computer had the capacity to segregate everything by the minute, the files of older folks were yet to be digitised.

    Mr Wrisberg tasked his son with all the files from the Beta section, while he scourged through the Alpha one. Sebastian who was now an essential part of this whole mess volunteered to help. He even suggested not to rule out the omegas. While they usually won''t agree, knowing that even an omega could look different thanks to Caleb, he let him do the files on omegas.

    The one who finished his stack earliest was Sebastian. Amongst omegas there were no files that seemed to match. Once done, he decided to help Christian whose pile of files seemed the largest. Going through all of that took them almost an hour and finally when they were done a collective of 178 files were deemed a prospective culprit.

    "Well, this seems tiny". Christian mumbled. "Don''t you think it would be rude to ask Mrs Colton to go through all of these pictures? It''s a lot".

    "Why don''t we just tell her why we are looking for him? She seemed quite displeased with this man, I am sure she would love the chance to put him in that hell hole I was stuck at". Sebastian countered.

    "Let''s just send her. She will reply if she is willing to help".  Mr Wrisberg sighed.

    Unlike last time her response didn''t come that fast. It was not a surprise given how she had to go through 178+ photographs, not to mention, she had other jobs than sitting by the laptop and replying to them. They stayed there for the entire night, and eventually except Mr Wrisberg the duo fell asleep on their chairs.

    In the morning, when the duo finally woke up, they were surprised to find Mr Wrisberg absent and a sticky note attached to the computer.

    "Going home to freshen up. Receive any reply, call me IMMEDIATELY"

    The message was short and concise, just like his father''s usual words. Christian took his father''s seat and went through all the received emails to see if any of them were from Mrs Colton. Sadly, there was none.

    "Do you think we will find him? Every attempt I have made seemed to lead to a dead end". Christian asked Sebastian while he continued to refresh the screen.

    "Who knows?" Sebastian shrugged. "We came this far. I don''t care anymore if you give up, cause I won''t. He irked me, so this is personal now"! Sebastian huffed.

    *Ding* A notification popped up on the computer gaining both of their attention. Christian linked his father immediately who in turn instructed him to go through the mail. He clicked to see one picture, with the words. "This man."

    "I remember him, he is a beta"! Sebastian exclaimed. "I went through his file last night". He jumped onto the pile that was kept in front of him and dug through the entire stack.The moment he found the correct file, Mr Wrisberg walked into the office.

    "What a timing". Christian commented.

    "So, who is it"?

    Holding the file, Sebastian read, " Quentin Morgan, a beta from this territory".

    "Let me see". Mr Wrisberg who seemed shocked by the name snatched the file from Sebastian''s hand and scanned the entire file. "Why would he do something like this"? He muttered.

    "That would explain why Rexford let him enter the banquet so easily. He basically lives here". Christian shrugged.

    "I am sorry, who is Quentin Morgan "? Sebastian, who couldn''t quite grasp what was happening asked with a puzzled expression.

    "He is a family friend, who lives in this pack. Quite close to us". Mr. Wrisberg explained.

    "If he is a friend, why would he do something like this"? Sebastian asked.

    "That''s exactly what I can''t decipher". Skeptical, Mr Wrisberg replied.

    "Do you think...perhapsˇ­ Mrs Colton made a mistake"? Christian proposed.

    Mr Wrisberg, considering his statement, checked her reply before shaking his head. "Her words are pretty affirmative. It doesn''t seem like it."

    "Soˇ­ we should go and confront him right"? Sebastian asked. He had no idea who this guy was, or what kind of sentiment these people had for him. Sure he was a friend, and it was hard not to feel betrayed, but that doesn''t make what he did alright. Sebastian was wronged thanks to him, and he wanted to take action accordingly.

    "We will" Mr Wrisberg voiced with a cold expression. "Let''s go".

    "Should I call for backup"? Christian asked.

    "Not yet" After considering for a moment, Mr Wrisberg replied. "Let''s see what he has to say for himself. If he tries to flee I am sure the three of us can catch him right"?  He asked, glancing at both of them.

    Christian and Sebastian looked at each other as if asking for some kind of confirmation. They shared a nod of agreement, and then turned around to nod at Mr Wrisberg. Without any link or anything, their communication turned out to be pretty effective.

    The house at their destination was a pretty simple one. It''s a typical small cozy country house that seemed to be perfect for a small family. Mr. Wrisberg waited for someone to open the door after ringing the bell. "Mr Wrisberg"? A girl in her teens smiled.

    "Hey Shelby, where is your Dad"? Mr Wrisberg asked her with a smile.

    "He is in the garage. Should I call him"? She asked politely.

    "That would be nice".

    "Come in". She welcomed him in the house.

    After a while a man who was covered in sweat appeared in front of him. It seemed like Quentin was busy with some heavy work. " Arthur, what brings you here"? He asked with a friendly smile.

    "You know, just wanted to check up on you. How is my friend doing? What is he up to these days? Why is he trying to give suspicious drugs to the wolf in the banquet." Mr Wrisberg smiled.

 Chapter 120 - Quentin Morgan

    "What the hell are you talking about"? Quentin Morgan scoffed. "Why would I do such a thing"?

    "That''s exactly what I want to know". Mr Wrisberg took out his phone and showed him the clip.

    "That could be anybody"! Quentin suggested.

    "I know. Look how carefully this guy avoided the cameras. Now that I recall, you did help my son fix up the technical stuff for the banquet"? Mr Wrisberg narrowed his eyes.

    "Seriously"? Quentin gave him an unamused expression. "I can''t believe you''re basing that off on such minimal evidence. I expected better from you, Arthur. How could you accuse me for something like this? I thought we were friends"..

    "So did I. Apparently our friendship means nothing to you". Mr Wrisberg scoffed. "Do you know anyone named Diane Colton"? Mr Wrisberg.

    "No. And I have nothing to do with whatever you are suggesting. Quentin insisted. "This is ridiculous! If you weren''t my friend, the head Alpha of our pack, I would throw you out"!

    "Hold that thought" Mr. Wrisberg instructed while he dug up something on his phone. "Modern technology is such a convenience" he mumbled before he held the screen against Quentin''s face.

    Suddenly another lady popped up on the screen who shouted. "Yes! That''s him"!

    "Thank you Mrs Colton. I really appreciate all the help". He expressed his gratitude politely before he hung up. Quentin who was so confident a moment ago didn''t seem so confident anymore. He stared at Mr Wrisberg with a blank face but his quivering fingers gave away his true emotions.

    Before anyone could utter any word, Quentin ran away. He made his exit from the backdoor, but before he could go much further he was blocked by two people. He recognized one of them, the other was a stranger to him. "Hello, Mr Morgan. Going somewhere"? Christian folded his arms.

    Quentin looked around trying to find a proper escape, but before he could contemplate anything, everything went black for him.

    When he opened his eyes he found himself surrounded by damp walls and iron bars, ahead of which that new guy from earlier stood who simply watched Quentin with a curious gaze. "Who are you"? Quentin found himself asking.

    "I am the guy you pissed off. Thanks to you I spent some horrible time behind this jail. Now let''s see how you deal with it". Sebastian smirked.

    "What"? Quentin frowned.

    "That''s right. That drug you mixed ended up getting into my system". Sebastian glared at Quentin. The rest of the duo appeared right at that moment. "Why did you do it? You don''t even know me, so I assume you were looking to create havoc. Why did you do it then? What do you have against this pack"? Sebastian bombarded him with all the questions.

    "I got this from here". Mr Wrisberg instructed Sebastian. He turned to Quentin and spoke, "I haven''t informed you family yet, about your whereabouts. But, eventually I have to because the pack needs to know how one of its members went against his own pack. I suggest you better start talking". Mr Wrisberg advised coldly.

    "You are threatening me"? Quentin scoffed.

    "Yes". Mr Wirisberg replied without skipping a beat. "For someone convicted of a crime, you sure have a lot of attitude".

    Quentin went quiet for a whole moment before he sighed in defeat. "Fine, what do you want to know"? He asked.

    "Why did you do it? All these years that I have known you, you were nothing but nice. I still find it hard to believe that you could do something like this. So what changed"? Mr. Wrisberg asked.

    "My daughters were abducted by some ruthless wolf a few months ago. That''s what changed". He spat. "That you, as an Alpha failed to protect so many innocent omegas".

    "What do you mean?" Mr Wrisberg narrowed his eyes. "Is this some kind of revenge for that. Because I must say, your approach is quite ironic. Attacking the same pack I failed to protect".

    "I am not that petty". Quentin snapped. "But, I am protective of my daughters". The trio frowned but looked at him curiously. "A few days before the banquet, I received a letter. It had a tiny note along with a small white packet. That note said ''you need this''. I had no idea what the heck it was so I threw it in the trash''. The next day I received another envelope with a long letter explaining to me what to do, which ended with an ''or elseˇ­''. Along with that letter there were several pictures of my daughters, doing various activities, as if someone was stalking them. As if that wasn''t all, I also found a few pictures of them from when they were abducted". Quentin explained.

    "So, you are saying that someone threatened you"? Mr Wrisberg frowned. "Why didn''t you report me earlier instead? Why did you go through the plan? If you came to me, I could have protected your family and caught the culprit who abducted those omegas long ago". Mr Wrisberg''s voice raised by a few decibels.

    "You honestly want me to believe that"? Quentin scoffed. "You knew last time what was happening. The abduction started months ago before my daughter''s were taken away, yet failed to protect them back then".

    "Because I didn''t expect them to be so audacious"! Mr Wrisberg defended.

    "Doesn''t matter. You failed to protect them nevertheless. They are my children Arthur, and it is my job to ensure their safety. The note clearly mentioned that if I inform you I would have to bear the consequences. If I didn''t have a family I wouldn''t be so worried. But I would not have jeopardised my family, my children like that".

    "So you didn''t think of the consequences that could arise if you went through that plan?" Mr Wrisberg glared.

    "I did, but I had to protect my daughters. I don''t expect you to understand Arthur. You are blessed with two Alpha sons, you won''t know what it''s like to be a father of an omega who is always mistreated in this society"! Quentin scoffed.

    "I would". Mr Wirsberg fought the urge to say these words out loud, but he simply mumbled them in his head while his glare softened a little bit.

    Author''s note:

    Hey guys, I am starting another Fantasy romance book along with my friend. While the main couple is straight, we have plans to introduce a side BL couple. Feel free to check it out and support it if possible!

    Book Name: [Key to a Goblin''s Heart]

 Chapter 121 - Further Investigation

    "I am sorry for what happened back then. I am sorry I failed to protect your daughters and all the omegas who were taken. I understand why you are scared, but don''t you think this would be over once and for all if we manage to catch the culprit"! Mr Wrisberg insisted.

    "I do. But it''s been months and you still haven''t able to catch anyone! In fact, you are celebrating with the banquet and everything as if you want to ignore everything that happened". Quentin accused.

    "I am not celebrating. I am still looking for who did all those while trying to avoid any further danger. I wanted to cancel the banquet this time, until my son showed up with a pureblooded Alpha mate. If I cancelled it, they would think I am adding a pureblooded Alpha to our pack and hiding him so that I can use him as a secret weapon. Word spreads, and I am sure they knew about my son''s mate even before they announced." Mr Wrisberg explained himself. "Like you said, it''s my job to protect the pack, and each and every decision I make, I think of them before I do so".

    Sebastian who was furious a moment ago felt a tinge of guilt in his heart as he witnessed the scene unfold. He still hated how he got caught up in all this mess, but he understood why that man did what he did. In fact, he wished that he could have helped him instead.

    With that being said, it was clear that despite Quentin''s actions, he wasn''t the major culprit here. Someone out there manipulated him, someone who won''t hesitate to manipulate another family member of a previous victim. Someone, who deserves to be in that cell instead of Quentin.

    "Look, you can''t change what happened. But you can help us catch this culprit. Help us take this person down once and for all". Mr Wrisberg insisted.

    "How? It''s not like he sent me those letters with a return address!" Quentin snapped. "If he finds out I blurted, my family would be doomed".

    "Then he won''t find out, I would make sure no one does". Mr Wrisberg declared. "You told me that you received a packet? You threw it away right? But clearly you managed to retrieve it". Mr Wirsberg hinted to which he received a nod. "Do you have any of the samples left"? Mr Wrisberg asked.

    "I used all of it. They sent me the exact amount that was needed for drugging". Quentin sighed. "But, I used my study table to spread the drug in that glass properly. I used a cotton swab for it, which I did not throw away". Quentin whispered. "I think it''s in the mini can below my drawers" Mr Wrisberg frowned, so Quentin clarified. "I use it temporarily to throw work related junk. It takes time to fill, so I throw it out in long intervals. No stinky stuff, just papers and all".

    "O..kay" Mr Wrisberg voiced. "We will check that then. What about the letters and the photographs"? Mr Wrisberg asked.

    "I.. burned the letter, because it was instructed. But I have the photographs in my desk". Quentin answered.

    "I will check them out then". Mr Wrisberg announced.

    He and his son along with Sebastian were about to take his leave when Quentin stopped him, "Wait"! They halted. "Why am I still kept here? I agreed to cooperate".

    "Because, like you said. Whoever did this should not find out that you blabbed. If you are kept here, he would think that you refused to utter a single word. That would also give us a very good excuse to search your house. I will get back to you when I have more information".

    "And my family?"Quentin asked, hesitantly.

    "I will figure something out" Mr Wrisberg nodded and took his leave.

    Once they were out of that corridor Mr Wrisberg instructed his son. "Go to his house, if possible scavenge his entire study. Apart from the suspicious things, take out anything which seems suspicious to you. Understood?" Christian nodded at his father. "Good, and if anyone asks why you are there or what, just tell him Quentin forgot some important file so you volunteered to deliver. Let''s keep the actual events under a hush for the time being". Christian nodded and left.

    Sebastian stood there dumbfounded and waited for Mr Wrisberg to give him any kind of instruction, but when he simply started walking, Sebastian called out, "What am I supposed to do"?

    Mr Wrisberg halted and frowned, for now, stay put. "Christian will come straight to the office, once he is done. Feel free to wait there". Sebastian nodded and followed Mr. Wrisberg.

    Christian returned to the office after an hour and half. He had a large folder in his hand, which gave the idea of carrying some documents. "Found everything you needed"? Mr Wrisberg asked him. Christian nodded in affirmation before unpacking the folder.

    "Here is that packet that contained drugs, I think. I wanted to go to the lab and get it tested, but I wasn''t sure if that would be a safe move" Christian informed his father.

    "Good call. We would need someone to test this and run these through the system though, to find out which drug it is". Mr Wrisberg sighed.

    "Yeah. But see this, the photographs". He laid out around 30 pictures, 15 of each sibling. Most of the pictures denoted their daily activities, like walking on some road, taking the bus, buying something from the shop. Meanwhile, two of the lot had them tied and blindfolded in the background of the same cave where they found the abducted omegas.

    "Whoever did this, we need to find him no matter what". Mr Wrisberg mumbled.

    "Doesn''t something feel familiar"? Christian asked his father. His father scrunched his eyebrows as he looked back at him, wondering what he was trying to indicate. "The pictures. Don''t they resemble the ones that were sent to you, that revealed that Ashton is a pureblooded Alpha".

    Mr Wrisberg''s face glistened up for a moment as the realisation hit him, an expression which was soon replaced by horror. "Do you think he knows aboutˇ­" He trailed off. He wanted to mention Caleb, but he refrained from doing so at Sebastian''s presence, who himself witnessed the exchange with a mix of realisation and confusion.

    "I think so" Christian, who didn''t fail to decipher his father''s words, mumbled.

    Mr Wrisberg immersed in his deep thought while he tried to decipher all the possible reasons that the culprit could have for exposing Ashton. The reason doesn''t seem like ''for the pack''s sake'' anymore. Did he expect Mr Wrisberg to throw Ashton out or something so that he can get to Caleb? Male omegas were rare, and thus considered a prized possession by many Alphas during ancient times. Even though times have changed, there are places where the conservative thoughts prevail.

    At this very moment he considered that maybe having Ashton beside Caleb was a good thing. No one would be crazy enough to fight a pureblooded Alpha just like that. Whatever Ashton''s true intentions behind marking Caleb might be, that bond was bound to make him possessive. Every alpha is possessive of their mate, even more so in pureblooded ones. Maybe at least Ashton would protect his son when needed.

    "Dad"! A voice interrupted him from his reverie.

    "What"? Mr Wirsberg looked up.

    "What do you think"? Christian asked.

    "About what"?

    "His plan". Christian pointed at Sebastian.

    "Can you repeat the plan once more?" Mr Wrisberg asked Sebastian.

    "I was saying, if you are willing to wait I know this guy who knows of drugs that most of us have never heard of. Problem is, he lives out of state. Going there, and coming back can take us at least three days, but at least I can guarantee that whoever is stalking won''t find out about it.

    "Sounds like a plan". Mr Wrisberg nodded. "Take Christian with you. I will take care of the pack until then. If anyone asks or suspects, I will make sure to make it seem as if you had some urgent business to attend to, but since you are our suspect, I am sending my son as well".

    "So what? I will be cuffed or something"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "That''s actually not the worst idea, but everyone knows that cuffs are useless on werewolves. I like the idea though" Christian prompted earning him a glare from Sebastian.

    "Just stay close to him. Make it look like you are keeping an eye on him if you can". Mr Wrisberg instructed his son before he turned to Sebastian. "Meanwhile you can pretend to be annoyed by his presence. You know, make it seem like you hate his presence, since he is supposed to be tailing you".

    Sebastian snorted hearing those words. "I won''t have to pretend". This time, it was Christian who glared at Sebastian. It was bound to be a fun trip indeed.

 Chapter 122 - I Know

    With Mr Wrisberg and his elder son busy with the recent investigations, it was upto Caleb to look after the pack activities for the time being. He didn''t mind since he enjoyed the pack responsibilities but sometimes they can be a bit overwhelming. Once he was done with the training and everything he decided to stop by Ashton''s school. He hasn''t been to his old school ever since he graduated, and picking up his boyfriend seemed like a perfect excuse to go.

    Today Ashton had football practice so he had to stay back late. With their upcoming inter school matches a lot of late practice sessions were due. As a Captain Ashton didn''t have any excuses to bail so he had no choice but to attend it, despite not really caring much about the team.

    After Caleb parked his car, on his way to the stadium, he ran into an old friend of his, "Mel"? He  called out.

    "Caleb"?  She looked up from her phone and gave him a smile. "What brings you to the school? Let me guess, your mate"? She teased him.

    "Of course". Caleb shrugged with a smirk before both of them burst into laughter.

    "So, how have you been. I haven''t seen you sinceˇ­" He tried to recall.

    "The party at Emily''s house on the day of graduation"? She prompted.

    "Yeahˇ­ It''s been months." Caleb nodded cheekily. "So, how have you been"?

    "Well, school keeps me busy, but with you and Matt goneˇ­ and Sara being dead, kind of lonely". She shrugged.

    "You have other friends right"? Caleb gave her an odd look.

    "Yeahˇ­ but they aren''t exactlyˇ­ wolves. I get bored". She shrugged. "What about you? You managed to get one of the rarest wolves for yourself huh"? She teased.

    "Well, I am quite rare myself". He went along with the flow.

    He didn''t actually think that she would get what he actually meant, which is why he was surprised to hear her say, "I know".

    "You know"? He snorted. He wondered what she could have possibly deduced from his words so he was curious.

    "Yeah, I know". She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

    "You know what"? Caleb narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

    "That you areˇ­" She trailed off before she finished her sentence in the link [an omega].

    Caleb''s eyes widened momentarily before he forced a laughter, "What? Whaˇ­ What? Nooooo" He shook his head in a not so convincing manner. "I am notˇ­. you know." He cleared his throat.

    "You can''t even say it out loud. You honestly expect me to believe you"? She gave him an ''Are you kidding me'' look.

    "You couldn''t say it out loud" Caleb countered her.

    "Because I know this is a big secret for you. I don''t want to mess it up". Melanie replied with confidence.

    Caleb opened his mouth to come up with further excuses, but he couldn''t find anything that would be situation appropriate, so he instead retorted, "What gives you that idea"?

    "What am I? An idiot? Like Matt?" She remarked in a derisive manner. "Your absence wasn''t nearly as convincing as you thought. Also, I found you running one day, in your human form. Your scent wasˇ­ quite strong". She explained.

    Caleb realised that at this point it''s better not to deny anymore, or else he would simply appear stupid, "Yeah, fine you got me" He huffed. "Man, for the first time I am so glad that Matt is an idiot."

    "Hey! Don''t badmouth behind his back" Melanie punched him on the shoulder.

    "Enough about me, what about you"? Caleb tried to revert the conversation. "Dating someone new"?

    "Actuallyˇ­ yeah". She gave a shy smile. "Remember that guy you used to be friends with, but then you grew apart?"  Melanie raised her eyebrows.

    "George" His eyes widened. There was a time when they used to be friends. It wasn''t like they were exactly enemies now, but they were not close anymore. "How come"?

    "Well, I have always kind of liked him. I decided to go ahead and confess". She admitted.

    "Yeahˇ­ confessing is hard. Took me a lot of guts". Caleb snorted, reminiscing the day they he and Ashton got together.  "Wait a minute", Caleb froze, earning a curious gaze from Melanie. "Did youˇ­ become friends with us just so you could talk to him when we were young"?

    "Yeah, that plan crashed like hell". Melanie snorted earlining a disappointed scoff from Caleb. "Come on, that was a long time ago"!

    "Yeah, whatever. I am used to being used". Caleb said, pretending to be helpful.

    "As if you were of any help". She rolled his eyes at him, before they both ended up bursting into laughter. Caleb invited her over to watch the game with her since Ashton had a long way to finish. Usually Melanie was not someone who cared for sports much. But she met Caleb after a long time, so she didn''t mind the chat.

    At the stadium Caleb sat at the podium stared at the game with nostalgia. He missed these tiny things about school. Things that made him feel like a human instead of a werewolf. Things that were not too tied with the pack life. An involuntary smile crept up on Caleb''s face as he witnessed Ashton command and everything. The more he witnessed the more he felt that Ashton would make a great leader, cold yet cautious and always to the point.

    "How did you knowˇ­" Melanie began to speak which gained Caleb''s attention. "How were you sure that you wanted to be his mate"?

    "Well, Iˇ­" Caleb hesitated. He didn''t have any answer for that, he just simply knew that he did. "I meanˇ­ I never had any moment of epiphany or something like that, but as time passed my feelings only grew stronger. I have dated before, but with Ashtonˇ­ I guess I felt like I belonged with him".

    "That''s nice," Melanie said with a poignant smile.

    "Why? Everything okay between you two"? Caleb asked her.

    "Yeah, everything is great. I like him a lotˇ­ but sometimes I hesitate when the topic of being a mate comes up." Melanie sighed. "I know, It''s all in my head, that I am being stupid."

    "I don''t think you are," Caleb declared. "You are allowed to feel whatever you want without being guilty about it. It''s not wrong to have doubts. Who knows, maybe it simply means you care more."

    "Soˇ­ what should I do"?

    "I don''t know what you should do, but maybe try telling him how you feel. Just because we are wolves doesn''t mean we have to rush into this whole mating thing." Caleb pointed out.

    "I suppose that''s true", Melanie smiled, "Thanks".

    After a few more rounds they called it a day. Ashton, who noticed the presence of his mate despite his lack of scent ran to him while drenching in sweat. Melanie decided to take her leave, not wanting to be a third wheel in the happy couple. "Hey, sorry for making you wait" He spoke to Caleb. "In my defense, you didn''t inform me you would be coming here".

    "I am not accusing you or anything" Caleb frowned. "Also, take a shower. You stink. I waited for an hour, I can wait a few more minutes" Caleb declared.

    Ashton glared at Caleb, before he mumbled "I will be back" and ran off. Caleb linked him and let him know that he would be waiting by his Car. Ashton changed into a pair of baggy pants and a shirt that gave him a casual touch in contrast to Caleb''s professional attire with Shirts and formal pants.

    "It''s late, what do you want to do"? Ashton asked him.

    "Well, with everything going onˇ­ I realised that I didn''t get to take you out on a proper date".

    "What about the day in the woods", Ashton pouted. He was offended that Caleb forgot about that.

    "That was you, now, it''s my turn." He smirked before getting inside his car. Ashton followed the same suit and they drove off. They ended up at the chinese restaurant they often visited back when they were not yet together. Ashton mused at the choice. What surprised him even more was a not so huge cake with his name on it.

    Ashton stared at the cake with a puzzled look before he gave the same expression to Caleb, who was smiling ear to ear. "You know, with all the rut and heat, we never actually got to celebrate your birthday." Caleb explained.

    "And here I thought you don''t like celebrating birthdays", Ashton narrowed his eyes at Caleb before he ended up chuckling.

    "I don''t mind as long as it''s not my own birthday" Caleb shrugged.

    "Why? Hate getting old or something?" Ashton frowned.

    "Noˇ­ I just don''t enjoy that much attention for my birthday. Saying thank you to everyone throughout the day is actually quite irritating" Caleb groaned which earned him a chuckle from his mate. Ashton simply shook his head at that excuse. "Anyways...Welcome to adulthood"! Caleb smirked.

    "Thank you". Ashton smiled. After a second, Caleb ended up choking on his water when Ashton murmured, "Although, you already did welcome me to adulthood in more adult ways".

    Once Caleb was done coughing, he shrieked, "Ashton"!

 Chapter 123 - The Tower

    The dinner was quite peaceful for both of them. They talked about various things, however most of the talking was done by Caleb. As usual, from time to time Caleb teased his mate but unfortunately this time, Ashton teased him back. He never imagined Ashton would be so confident with him until they got together. Indeed being in a relationship made Ashton pretty bold.

    After the dinner, instead of driving back to home, they drove off to a nearby sightseeing spot. It was a tower whose entrance was closed for the day, but to our boys the lock hardly stopped them from trespassing. Ashton was a bit reluctant at first, but Caleb managed to wear him down.

    They had to take the stairs since the electricity was shut. The tower was at least 10 floors which was enough to tire of a regular human. However the duo didn''t mind the stairs as much as they minded the locked glass door to the balcony. Climbing the fence was an option while they were downstairs, but the glass doors were a big hurdle to pass.

    "Now what"? Ashton sighed with frustration.

    Caleb looked around before whispering, "Should we break the glass"?

    "Are you out of your mind? You realize that places like these have alarms to avoid trespassing. Imagine if you got caught, and your Dad is the mayor"! Ashton pointed out loudly. In the empty hallway his voice echoed which further amplified his voice.

    "Well, it would be a shame if we returned from here". Caleb insisted, once more while whispering.

    "Why are you whispering? There is no one around". Ashton frowned skeptically.

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb took a glance around himself. "We are sneaking aroundˇ­ so, out of habit I guess". said Caleb in his normal voice while he shrugged.

    "Out of habit"? Ashton asked, baffled.

    "Do you have any ideas how to get to the balcony"? Caleb asked back, ignorinh Ashton''s question earlier.

    Aston sighed for a moment before he looked around the place properly. "Give me a minute" Ashton mumbled and disappeared into the dark leaving Caleb stranded all by himself in this empty place. If he was a human he would be very spooked by now. After a minute the doors opened by themselves leaving Caleb dumbfounded until Ashton came to stand next to him. "Let''s go"

    "Howˇ­?" Caleb fumbled with the words.

    "I checked their power source, turns out there is an emergency switch that opens this that is independent of the main power source which can be used in case someone is stuck there". Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb smiled, "I am impressed". They went into the balcony and stared at the dark town ahead. If they were in a city the whole place would be beautifully lit throughout, but as it was a small town the roads were quite dark indeed, giving this whole place a lonely vibe. "Wow, I didn''t expect it to be like this". Caleb mumbled.

    "It''s not so bad," Ashton assured him. Caleb turned to Ashton to see him staring at the sky and thus Caleb followed his gaze. The twinkling stars in the clear sky was quite the mood maker in contrast to the empty abandoned streets underneath. A smile appeared on Caleb''s lips while he enjoyed the quiet night sky that was filled with stars.

    "When I was young, when my Dad was yet to take over the duties of the head Alpha, our whole family used to come here from time to time". Caleb informed. "Once he took over the responsibilities, things changed. I haven''t been here since I was ten, I think". Caleb snorted. "Maybe that''s why my brother is so reluctant to find a mate, he knows it''s not easy being the family of Head Alpha". Caleb mumbled.

    "Life is never easy. You have to pick your moments" Ashton mumbled.

    Caleb snorted as he looked back at Ashton. "Look at me, being so talkative. Which reminds me, there is a lot about you that I don''t know yet".

    "What do you want to know"? Ashton offered. Caleb was surprised by the fact Ashton was willing to share.

    "Well, I know Sue adopted you, so what was your life like before that? What about your real family? You know them"? Caleb asked. He wasn''t sure how Ashton''s past affected him which is why he was reluctant to ask. But they were mates, so maybe he has more right to ask than he did before.

    "They passed away when I was nine." Ashton mumbled.

    "I am sorry". Caleb mumbled.

    "They were very strict. Always trying to control every aspect of what I did, which annoyed me a lot. They made decisions about my life without consulting me or bothering about how it would affect me" Ashton scoffed. "Sometimes your parents remind me of them," Ashton informed as he turned around to look at Caleb.

    "So you get why my family can be frustrating". Caleb joked, trying to lighten the mood only to earn an unamused blank stare from Ashton. "Sorry. Continue"

    "Anywaysˇ­ now that I look back, I get why they did what they did. They were simply trying to protect me." Ashton sighed. "I mean, I don''t agree with their ways, but I do get it".

    "Wait, protect"? Caleb asked, confused.

    "They were murdered" Ashton informed. "Honestly, I am surprised I am alive" He scoffed. "I remember Iˇ­" Ashton mumbled, finding it harder to breathe as he recalled the horrible experience. An experience which he buried deep into his mind. An experience which he re-lived from time to time in his nightmares.

    "It''s alright. You don''t have to say more." Caleb assured, feeling guilty for bringing up the subject. He patted Ashton on back while he held Ashton steady using his other hand.

    "I passed out, and then I woke up in a hospital. I don''t really remember much from that day" Ashton whispered.

    "I am sorry, I shouldn''t have asked." Caleb bit his lip while tears threatened to pour out of his eyes as the misery of his mate washed over himself. He also realised why Ashton might have been against having a mate, or rather scared to find a family. Why he was so protective of his foster family.

    Without saying anything further Caleb hugged Ashton tightly. He patted his back multiple times while Ashton focused on his breathing. After staying like that for a few minutes Ashton pulled away, "I am alright, don''t worry".

    "I am really sorry for asking. I shouldn''t haveˇ­" Caleb apologised once more.

    "It''s alright. You didn''t know. We are mates now, I should be sharing such details with you", Ashton muttered more to himself than to Caleb.

    "Well, you don''t have to force yourself if you are not ready for it. Let''s change the subject" Caleb suggested. Before he could suggest an alternate topic of conversation, the door behind them shut making them trapped on the open balcony at the 10th floor. "What''s going on"? Caleb frowned in confusion.

    "Remember, how I said it was for emergency purposes?" Ashton gulped. "Well, any emergency should be over by nowˇ­ so it closed automaticallyˇ­ I guess" Ashton explained looking away.

    "Well, now it''s officially an emergency"! Caleb shrieked. Ashton simply pursed his lips and remained quiet. "Guess we are stuck here". Caleb huffed. "Now what do we do"?

    "Do you want to jump"? Ashton suggested jokingly?

    "From the 10th floor? Might as well as leave a suicide note along with it"! Caleb remarked sarcastically. "I can''t even contact anyone because I know they are pretty busy these days". He mumbled. "I can''t even call anyone I know because my battery is dead. My link won''t work from this distanceˇ­." and he continued to rant expressing why they were officially screwed.

    After several minutes when his rant didn''t get any better Ashton shook him by his shoulders forcing him to look at him. "Calm down! The workers will come tomorrow morning. We can go back then."

    "But I have early morning training," Caleb insisted.

    "And I have classes. We just have to make do with it" Ashton sighed. Caleb grunted and looked away, clearly displeased with the situation. Ashton thought for a moment before he put his hand under Caleb''s chin before he put his lips on his.

    Caleb was shocked for a moment but he recovered from it quite fast as he kissed back his mate. The touch was those soft yet firm lips was enough to distract him. Ashton changed their angles multiple times as both of them savoured it. Ashton bit Caleb''s lower lip, and thus gained access to the entire mouth. The battle of lips soon turned into the battle of tongues which raised their body temperature significantly on this cold night. Caleb could feel that he was on the verge of getting aroused when he pulled back abruptly. Ashton frowned at him in confusion

    "Maybe we should calm down and not get carried away". Caleb mumbled while trying to catch his breath.

    "Why"? Ashton''s frown deepened. Caleb wasn''t the only one who got aroused.

    "We are out here, in the open, what if someone sees us"! Caleb whisper-shouted at him. He was surprised how Ashton could miss such an obvious fact.

    "Again. There is no one around here". Ashton sighed. Caleb opened his mouth to deny but he paused when he found himself actually considering it. Seeing the hesitation on Caleb''s face Ashton smirked. "Well"?

 Chapter 124 - ...Complete[R18]

    "Well?"

    "Iˇ­" Caleb hesitated further. Ashton took another step forward pressing Caleb between him and the rails. He snaked his arms to Caleb''s waist so that the other didn''t trip over the rail or something.

    "I didn''t say yes" Caleb gulped. Ashton''s hold tightened on his waist.

    "You were going to, I can tell" Ashton smirked before he put back his lips on his mate''s. Ashton nibbled on his lips and sucked on the lower lips with a much greater force earning him a suppressed moan from his mate.

    Ashton lowered his hands gradually from his waist to his butt and squeezed gently, earning him a gasp from Caleb and thus separating their lips. A hue of cherry red appeared on Caleb''s cheeks spread to the tip of his ears. In the dimness of moonless night, it was easy to miss it. Ashton however didn''t, and he also didn''t miss the glisten on Caleb''s eyes that begged for more.

    Ashton continued to rub his butt, the feeling of which was too arousing for Caleb that he had to bite his lips hard to prevent making any noise. Ashton smirked, finding Caleb''s urge to be quiet quite amusing. Soon enough Ashton''s teeth found Caleb''s collarbone and he continued to leave purple marks that had a beautiful contrast with Caleb''s pale skin.

    "Ash.. Ashton" Caleb struggled to speak. He was conflicted strongly in his mind. He wanted Ashton to stop for moral reasons, but at the same time he wanted him to continue because this felt too goddamn god.

    "Should I stop"? Ashton whispered. "There is no one around. No family in the same building. No people in a mile radius". Ashton tried to tempt him. As if that last sentence flipped a switch or something, Caleb smashed his lips onto Ashton,pressing his body strongly on Ashton.

    Ashton was taken aback, and needed some time to adjust to those invading lips while he adjusted both of their postures so that they didn''t fall over. Ashton was pushed backwards and his steps stopped the moment his back hit the closed doors, but Caleb''s hungry kisses continued to rain on him. After what seemed like an eternity, Caleb pulled away and breathed. "Fine, but not all the way". Caleb mumbled shyly.

    "As you wish" Ashton mumbled in his low seductive voice before putting his right leg between Caleb''s legs. He rubbed over the clothed member in a rhythmic manner that took away all the energy from Caleb''s legs that allowed him to stand. Ashton made sure to support him so that he didn''t fall over. Caleb stopped biting his lips and let the moans escape as and when they wished. The noises that hit Ashton''s ears was enough to encourage him and he increased his pace, which led to the increased volume and frequency of the embarrassing noises made by Caleb.

    "I can''tˇ­ ahhˇ­ can''t...stand" Caleb managed to utter while he struggled to breathe. Ashton hugged him properly before helping him lay down on the floor as he hovered over him. Despite the ample amount of coats, the moment the cold floor made contact with Caleb''s back, a wave of chill washed over his entire body.

    Once a few of the upper buttons were undone, Ashton dove into the exposed smooth skin over his chest and explored ravenously. He made sure that no part was left untouched by his lips. He kept biting and nibbling on the skin. At the same time his hand was busy working his way above the clothed member driving Caleb crazy. "You sure you don''t want to go all the way"? Ashton smirked.

    Caleb shook his head profusely when he found that the only thing his mouth was interested in doing was letting out embarrassing noises that revealed his bare desire for Ashton. Ashton''s smirk disappeared, but he agreed to comply because he didn''t want to force onto his mate. He was about to retract himself when Caleb''s hold on his arms tightened. "I want to...come"

    Ashton''s smirk was back and once more he continued with his torture. Ashton made sure to remove the pants so that it didn''t get dirty and he could still wear it back home. Once the cold air brushed against his hardening cock, Caleb shivered. Soon the feeling of cold was replaced with warmth as Ashton''s hand found their way. As the time passed by, Ashton''s speed kept increasing, and so did Caleb''s voice.

    "Now, you might wanna be quiet." Ashton whispered in his ears right before he nibbled on them. "Just because no one is nearby doesn''t mean you have to draw attention."

    "Curse You"!! Caleb shouted on top of his lungs as he came all over Ashton''s hands and his lower half. Caleb''s mind went completely blank and by the time it refocused he found his open mouth invaded by Ashton''s tongue. After a lot of efforts when Caleb finally gained back his focus he pushed Ashton away slowly as he murmured, "That''s enough".

    Ashton frowned for a split second before he mumbled a quick, "Alright".

    "Iˇ­ I am not really comfortable out in the open". Caleb mumbled shyly.

    "I am sorry." Ashton mumbled without looking him in the eye.

    Caleb realised that Ashton must be feeling guilty so he put his hands under his face, forced him to look him into the eyes and stared at him. "It''s alright. I didn''t exactly mention it earlier, so on some levels it''s my fault too" He mumbled.

    "No I amˇ­" Ashton began once more except this time he was stopped by his mate''s soft lips.

    After a soft long kiss, Caleb pulled away and smiled. "It''s okay. Trust me". Ashton simply nodded at him before looking away. Unsure of what to do, he simply put on his pants and sat down next to Ashton while leaning on the door.

    Caleb tried to think of all the things he could say to make things less awkward, but he said none of it. Instead he simply put his head on Ashton''s shoulder and leaned onto him instead of the door. Ashton''s body stiffened but he didn''t move or say anything.

    After a long time Ashton mumbled, "Caleb"?

    "Mn"?

    "How do you feel about marking me"? He looked back at Caleb.

    Caleb jolted up and looked at Ashton, wide eyed. "Are you serious"? Ashton nodded without any hesitation. "Butˇ­ do Alphas usually get marked in Alpha-omega relationships"? He asked hesitantly.

    "Who cares"? Ashton shrugged with frustration. "Do you want to or not"?

    Caleb took a moment to consider before nodding lightly. Since Ashton was wearing a baggy shirt, it was easy for him to pull it down without straining the material or anything, exposing his caramel skinned over his collarbone. Caleb hesitated, looking back and forth between the exposed skin and Ashton''s face. The confidence in Ashton''s eyes pushed him further and he exposed his canines.

    His eyes glowed a little bit before he sank his canines into Ashton''s skin earning him a painful sharp wince from Ashton. Remembering what Ashtom did to him the day he marked him, he licked the raw area and kissed over it sealing the mark. Ashton grunted through the tease as the pleasure overtook him and the moment Caleb retracted, Ashton snuck his hand on Caleb''s head and brought him closer for a heated kiss.

    After a minute of intense passionate kiss when Ashton finally let his mate go Caleb adjusted himself properly so that he didn''t fall over or anything. "I can see why it was hard for you to control the other day".He added.

    Once it seemed that Ashton felt better, Caleb asked him, "Do you feel okay"? Ashton took a moment before nodding. "Anything feels different"? He asked again.

    "Not really." Ashton chuckled. "It does feel good though. Like our bond is stronger than ever. That our bond isˇ­ complete". Ashton admitted earning a smile from Caleb.

    They stayed up a long time chatting with each other, and before they knew it they fell asleep while spooning to battle the cold breeze. They weren''t awake until the sky turned to a much lighter shade of blue. Ashton was the first one to wake up, but Caleb was still asleep since his face was almost buried between them.

    Somehow seeing the peaceful face of his mate wanted to protect him from waking up or something. He covered the exposed side of his face with his palm, but made sure not to move too much in order to avoid waking him up.

    "What is going on here"? A heavy voice shouted. That was enough to wake up Caleb and make Ashton jerk up. Throw his heavy eyes Caleb noticed a man standing at the door wearing a watchman uniform and a scared and shocked Ashton. "Just wait till I call the cops. How dare you trespass" He spat. Ashton looked at Caleb with widened eyes as anxiety took over Ashton.

    When the police finally picked up the guards call, Caleb grabbed Ashton''s hand and dragged him away. They ran as soon as they could while the incoherent shouts of the guard faded away in the background. Once they reached Caleb''s car both ended up laughing at the turn of events that took place. "Soˇ­ I have even broken the law now" Ashton commented.

    "Don''t worry, you will get used to is" Caleb teases earning a shocked face from Ashton.

 Chapter 125 - Worenzine

    The plane ride to California, the place where Sebastian was from, was around 3 hours long. Most of which was spent by them in a slumber. Having worked quite hard a few days both of them were tired, and if it weren''t for the flight attendant, they wouldn''t get up even at their destination.

    Sebastian booked a cab, and at around twenty minutes later they stood in front of a huge laboratory. "When you said you knew a guy, I thought he lived in a dungeon or something, not a proper lab worker." Christian scoffed.

    "Why a dungeon"? Sebastian frowned.

    "I dunno, maybe just the way you said. You made it seem like you were some trouble teenager doing drugs and he was your supplier" Christian chuckled.

    "Well, the first half of that statement is true," Sebastian confirmed. "Let''s go", he mumbled to a stunned Christian.

    "I am here to see Charlie Fitz," Sebastian informed the secretary. She asked him his name, called the concerned party and showed them the way.

    When they entered the upper half of the  person was covered behind the computer. On an approximation, Christian noticed the person had very short hair, which gave her a typical tomboyish appearance. Christian halted and grabbed Sebastian''s arm, making him halt as well. "I thought you said you know a guy"? He whispered.

    "Well, Charlie is gender-fluid. It''s hard to tell which pronoun she prefers at which time, so please refrain from using any. Or even better, keep your mouth shut. Don''t talk at all". Sebastian instructed.

    "Stuff like this should be mentioned earlier don''t you think"? Christian huffed back at him.

    "I can hear you". A grave voice answered them from behind the computer and looked up. "Hey Seb, long time no see" while her/his greeting seemed pleasant, the lack of any smile, even a faint one gave kind of creepy vibes.

    "Hi" Sebastian however smiled back. "Believe in or not I kind of got caught in a family mess".

    "I thought you have no family".

    "They are dead, yes, but they had connections which came back to bite me in the a**. Which is why it is very much annoying. Can you do me favor?"

    "Depends. What it is"?

    "Well, I have this drug, which I have no idea about. Can you determine what it is"?

    "Why do you have access to unknown drugs"? Charlie frowned. For the first time in their conversation she/he showed any particular emotion. It even took Christian by surprise.

    "It''s part of the whole mess". Sebastian sighed. "Can you help me or not"?

    "No"

    Sebastian sighed with defeat with downright rejection, while Christian couldn''t help but feel that their entire trip was nothing but a waste. "Didn''t you tell me you owe me one when I helped you with that police officer? You said you would be happy to return the favor". Sebastian reminded her/him.

    Charlie looked up from her computer, which could be mistaken for a glare, except that was her regular expression. "Alright". Sebastian smiled and handed her/him the packet. "Only trace amounts"? Sebastian nodded at Charlie.

    She took the door that was behind her study and welcomed the duo along with her/him. After putting it on the machine and doing something on the computer she/he stood still as all of them awaited the results.

    After a moment a lot of information piled up that was a little hard to decipher by Sebastian and Christian, so Charlie translated it for them. But first, she/he needed a moment to recover from the shock. "Why do you have this"? The concerned tone on her/his voice was not missed.

    "Someone gave it to me, like mixed it in my drinks"?

    "Alcoholic"?

    "Obviously" Sebastian scoffed.

    "Accidentally"?

    "No, on purpose". Sebastian informed her/him.

    Charlie sighed, before advising, "Well then you should file complaint for attempted murder cause it''s a miracle that you are alive".

    "Why"? Sebastian asked. Both Christian and Sebastian were surprised and gazed at each other before they looked at Charlie with curious gaze for further information.

    "Two years ago, Weig Pharmaceuticals were developing a drug officially labelled as W-III, but few of the developers gave it the nickname ''Worenzine''. It was a type of benzodiazepine. It was supposed to help with insomnia, but it failed the trials when it ended up killing almost each and every guinea pig after two weeks of constant administration. We studied the drug in lower doses and all. Even a little bit will kill you, even if it kills you late. At least if you are a guinea pig".

    "Whaaaat"? For the very first time Christian raised his voice since he stepped into this room.

    "How do you know so much about it? Do they publish so many details for an experiment"? Sebastian asked her, ignoring Christian''s comment.

    "I was invited to be part of that project, but I left midway". Charlie declared.

    "Why?"

    "Doesn''t concern you. Now you got what you wanted, feel free to leave". She showed them the door.

    "Hold on a sec. Do you know how they can still be accessible?" Sebastian asked. "I have it, so clearly someone is smuggling them".

    "I don''t have that much data. I left midway, remember"? Charlie raised an eyebrow. "But, I will see what I can find. I will mail you the details."

    "Thanks. I would appreciate that very much". Said Sebastian in gratitude. He motioned his head to the door to Christian, asking him to follow. After exiting the building Sebastian looked in his phone and informed Christian, "Well, our return flight isn''t for at least six hours. We got some time to kill".

    "What do you wanna do"? Christian asked.

    "Iˇ­" Sebastian thought for a moment. "Let''s go back to my apartment. I need to freshen up". He declared and booked a cab.

    "Well, that was something, but was that really helpful"? Christian asked while they waited for the cab to show up.

    "That was something. Let''s wait for Charli''s email and see what he got for us". Sebastian shrugged.

    The apartment was situated in a pretty much busy area for someone who claimed to be ''popular''. The apartment however was at the top of a 20 storey building with 2 deluxe bedrooms and great area coverage. Even if Christian was rich, he lived in a town, so the standard of living varied from that of a city boy. He couldn''t help but ask the other, "Do you own this place or rent this place"?

    "I own it" Sebastian mumbled before throwing him a towel and a pair of black pants and a blue T-shirt. "You are about my size, so that should fit you. Feel free to use the bathroom in the guest room." He pointed at the guest room. "It will be a long day, you should freshen up".  He declared before disappearing.

    Despite going later, Christian was first to emerge from the room to the dining hall. The busy pack life has made him quite accustomed to getting his things done quickly.

    While he sat there waiting for nothing in particular, he opened up the fridge to find something to eat, but he was ironically shocked to see it completely stocked. Before he could take anything out he heard a noise of beeping from the front door. Christian went there and was surprised to see a woman in her mid 30s taking her shoes off.

    She froze the moment she noticed Christian and mirrored the confused yet alert expression on her face. Each of them were worried that the other was a thief and were ready to attack each other. "Hey Wendy" a voice from Christian''s back broke the tension.

    Sebastian stood there, smiling while the disheveled wet hair gave him a fresh look. Seeing how the owner of the place was inside the home, her expression softened. She bowed slightly before going inside to do her work. "Who is she"? Christian asked skeptically.

    "What does it look like"? Sebastian shot back. "She keeps my apartment clean when I am not around". Christian''s expression softened a little bit once he heard that. "Why"?

    "Nothing, I was just worried someone followed us. Honestly, whoever this criminal is starting to scare me. Never did it ever take us this long to catch someone." Christian informed.

    Sebastian chose not to comment on it and provided him with a glass of water and an apple. "Let''s get something to eat before we leave".

    "What about her''''? Christian asked, pointing at the cleaning lady.

    "What about her"? Sebastian asked back. "You want to invite her as well"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "No! I meantˇ­ never mind. Let''s go" Christian shook his head. There was no point in arguing with this guy, and he was way too drained right now to care about these things. He also had to worry about all the disaster that awaited them if they didn''t figure things out soon. This time, Christian was shocked that instead of calling a cab he decided to walk. Turns out the place for eating was quite near, and very well familiar and fond of Sebastian.

 Chapter 126 - Unexpected Hurdle

    The owner of the place and Sebastian had a lot to catch up on as it seemed. Christian was surprised to find out that Sebastian can be nice and chatty as well. Why did he behave so rashly when he was at Crescent Point then? Did he really hate the pack that much? Or maybe he simply didn''t like Christian.

    Christian wasn''t in the mood to eat much so he simply ordered whatever Sebastian did. Sebastian didn''t miss the off mood, but he didn''t pester Christian about it. After the lunch Sebastian suggested going back to the apartment as there were some things he still needed to pack. While Chirstian waited for Sebastian to pack, he started to feel nauseated. Did he get some sort of food poisoning? He wondered.

    It wasn''t long before he realized what was going on. The spike in his own pheromones reached his own nose as the confusing mess of feelings overtook his entire body. His rut was here, and unfortunately this was a very wrong time and place to undergo his rut. If only he remembered the timing, he wouldn''t have had to come here. Unsure of what to do, Christian put down his head on the table as his animalistic instincts overtook him.

    Sebastian emerged from his room once he realised what was going on. The spike in the pheromones was something nor easy to miss, and having gone through it repeatedly in his life, he was well aware of what it signified. "You okay"? He asked cautiously.

    He received an enraged growl in reply but Christian tried his best to control all his overwhelming untamed emotions. Sebastian, unsure of what to do, asked him to go to the restroom in the guestroom.

    "We...have toˇ­ catchˇ­ the flight." Christian mumbled in his muffled voice.

    "Are you kidding me? You are in no condition to travel long distances. I have your father''s mail id, I would inform him." Sebastian suggested.

    "But-"

    "No buts. I am not in the mood to put up with your nonsense. Just do what I say and spare both of us the unnecessary trouble"! Sebastian scolded him. Christian wasn''t sure how to feel about that as he was currently focused on not letting go of control over himself. He didn''t want to end up doing something inappropriate.

    He complied as asked and took a really long cold shower. It wasn''t that much effective, but it did feel a bit better. This was one of those remedies he used to try when he underwent rut. He didn''t have a cabin or anything, not ever needing to hide the fact that he was in rut, but he still kept himself confined to his room as the rut passed by.

    His rut varied from Ashton''s in various aspects. For instance he didn''t need to lock himself in, because despite his wolf going haywire, it wasn''t stronger than Christian himself when it came to his willpower. He was in control, even if being in control was hard.

    He didn''t even have any memory lapses either. His rut usually lasted for two to three days and he would remember each and everything that he did that happened with him. He found his way to the bed and laid down there without bothering to dry up. The air con, coupled with the cold water droplets overlaying his skin gave a sense of numbness which was in way better than the agitated feeling of rut.

    His face was buried in the pillow when Sebastian walked in, "I received a reply- HOLY CRAP!" He shouted mid sentence. "If you are gonna lie naked, at least cover yourself up!" Sebastian snarled at him while he covered his eyes for the time being and averted his gaze to the doormat.

    "If it bothers you look away!" Christian snarled back in his frustration. Sebastian took deep breaths to calm himself down. He didn''t need the rut to feel enraged of any negative feeling, Christian''s attitude did the job pretty well.

    "This is my house, do as I say"! He snarled trying his best not to lose his calm, or look at the naked man in the bed room. Christian, agitated once more pulled the blanket haphazardly. Although it didn''t cover him quite well, it covered the private parts.

    Somehow Sebastian''s presence bothered Christian, and unlike Sebastian''s reaction to him, it wasn''t personal. A typical Alpha would be attracted to an omega, and usually feels threatened by an Alpha. Sebastian, being the same blood rank as him, agitated his wolf just by being present near him.

    The wolf usually doesn''t mind if that other Alpha was a family member. Even when two alphas are mated, or even a couple, their wolf side grows fond of that particular person and tolerates only that particular person, while giving the similar reaction to any other Alpha. In fact, the animosity can run both sides. Which is why even Sebastian was agitated just by being near Christian.

    "Your dad booked us a ticket for return a week later." Sebastian informed before taking his leave. Throughout the entire night neither of them slept. While Christian was engrossed in his own rut, Sebastian found the presence of someone else in his house pretty bothersome. He didn''t have many friends and even when they came over he made sure neither of them stayed overnight.

    For some reason, he preferred staying alone than sharing his personal space with someone else. Even if it was a whole other different room. This is one of the reasons he had a hard time adjusting to his mate. From time to time his nose would sense the rise in pheromones, and he would wake up from his drowsy state.

    If this continued, his rut would start out of time making it harder for both of them, and even possibly end up engaging in useless fights and making a mess of his apartment. It was around 3o''clock in the morning when he finally decided to do something and left his house in his jogging clothes.

    Sure, taking care of someone required effort and can be a bit cumbersome, but somehow taking care of Christian seemed to push him over the edge. It''s like his patience, which he lacked considerably, was tested when he was with Christian. Being away from the wolf in rut finally calmed down his rut. He considered going to a hotel and booking a room for the night, but somehow he also felt bad for leaving the alpha all by himself.

    "This is driving me crazy," Sebastian grunted when a message popped up in his phone. It was from charlie with a link to a very big document. It was a collection of articles, research records and even a few police records, almost everything that had to do with worenzine. Sebastian found himself a chair in the empty chair in the park and read through the entire 142 pages of the document until sunrise. In general he would hardly bother so much, but this was someone who messed with him, and clearly had access to this drug.

    "Ahh", A soft touch and the sharp sunlight woke him up. Turns out, Sebastian fell asleep in the park, and there was this lady, who touched him because she was trying to confirm that he was not dead.

    "Sorry about that" He mumbled and left for his house. He checked the time on his way and was surprised to find out that it was almost noon. He slept in a park chair, from the morning to noon, that too, in sitting posture? No wonder his back hurt a little bit or that the woman thought he was dead.

    When he entered the hallway he was surprised to find the colossal mess this place was under. Everything seemed not only out of place but severely destroyed as if some robbery took place in his absence. With his cleaning lady on a break, it was up to Sebastian to clean this up.

    Enraged and furious, he stormed into the guestroom, "What the hell were y-". He stopped mid sentence when a greyish wolf with black highlights stared back at him. It''s expression seemed furious as if it was ready to attack anyone on his way. Not entirely sure how to react, Sebastian dropped the bag in his hand, which consisted of a few drinks he brought and stared back at the wolf.

    Sebastian considered his next actions carefully before he slowly and gradually sat down on the floor. Inside, he felt his wolf getting agitated by his actions, but Sebastian managed to ignore that and gazed at the grey wolf in front of him slowly. What Sebastian was trying to do was an act of submission. For a born leader like Christian, it was less likely that the wolf wouldn''t attack him under current circumstances.

    He hoped that his gesture would work and that wolf would calm down. While the expression wolf softened for the time being, it was soon replaced by a howl followed by a snarl directed at Sebastian. Sebastian sat still, careful of the wolf''s action, but he probably should have run because the wolf pounced on him going right at his face.

 Chapter 127 - Scar

    Sebastian covered his face in the nick of time to avoid ending up with a permanent scar. The wolf scratched him quite deep to not only cause bleeding but some excruciating pain along with it. Sebastian winced in pain and tried his best not to retort despite his instincts screaming at him to do so.

    "Calm down Christian"! Sebastian mumbled from behind his arms, trying his best not to cry out in pain.

    A huge growl from Christian followed but the urge to attack diminished. He wasn''t sure who was in control at this point, the wolf or Christian. Nevertheless, Sebastian had to ensure his own safety. Taking a huge risk, he extended his arm and patted him through the fur. Gradually the expression on the wolf softened while it simply stared at him with a curious gaze.

    Interestingly enough, it wasn''t just Christian who calmed down, but Sebastian as well felt a little better. As a sudden wave of confidence washed over him, he used both of his hands to caress the wolf making him calm down further. ''I should have done this way before'' Sebastian thought.

    The grey wolf lowered on him and licked his entire face with affection. Sebastian closed his eyes while he smiled at that tiny gesture. Turns out he preferred the wolf over the human much more. The wolf form was adorable, the human one was somewhat annoying. Sebastian spent some time on the ground letting the wolf do whatever it wanted. Now that it was calmer he didn''t do anything destructive in nature.

    Sebastian realized that the wolf was threatened by him earlier, which caused it to act out, but now, after some affectionate pats, it was glad to have him next to it. The wolf seemingly stirred the moment his hands touched the ears. "You like that"? Sebastian mumbled, doing the same over a few more times, earning him playful grunts. It was like he was playing with his pet dog or something.

    "Maybe you should stay as a wolf for the time being". Christian mumbled. Sebastian found some meat to feed him while he spent his entire day trying to clean up the mess. Having barely slept last night, he decided to take a nap once he was done without even taking anything to eat. Ever since he came back here his entire schedule was a mess. Luckily his health didn''t require as much attention as humans, or his job would be in real peril.

    Once he woke up he was surprised to see the grey wolf with him on the bed. Sebastian was about to scream, when he resisted the urge. The wolf next to him was asleep too. "I guess you didn''t get much sleep last night either" He mumbled, grazing his hand through the fur. That''s when he noticed the scar on his hand, the one that was made by Christian earlier.

    Usually these things heal better, but somehow claw marks have a tendency to leave a scar. He was lucky it wasn''t in his face, or it would totally ruin his acting career. Although a scar on the face does give a badass appearance.

    He took care of the dinner and sat down to arrange the information in the document to come up with a new plan. Once he was done he watched a movie before he fell asleep on his couch itself. In the morning however he woke up to a pleasant smell of breakfast instead of his usual sunlight hitting on his eyes. "I see you are feeling better". Sebastian mumbled at Christian in his sleepy haze.

    "Yeah, finally the nightmare is over". Christian mumbled apologetically from the kitchen.

    "I never knew that the rich, spoiled, to-be-alpha can cook", Sebastian snorted.

    Christian looked up from the pan before he mumbled, "I can''t actually. All I know is how to make scrambled eggs". He clarified.

    "I don''t like eggs". Sebastian cringed.

    "Well, then don''t eat one". Christian retorted. "I am hungry as hell, so I am going to go ahead and help myself".

    "So you are making for yourself". Sebastian sighed.

    "Of course,". Christian clarified. "You didn''t think I would cook for you now, did you"? Christian suppressed his chuckle. Sebastian started to recall why he didn''t like the human version in the first place and simply shook his head.

    "Well, while you were out I got a lot of things. First of all, we have around four days left till we catch our flight back. Since he had no idea how long your rut could last this time he kept a safe one week window." Ignoring Christian''s snarky comment, Sebastian explained while taking a seat by the counter. "Pass me that water bottle" He gestured Christian before he continued with his story.

    "Also, Charlie sent me a document regarding worenzine". Sebastian spoke once he was done finishing half the bottle. "There are few places that are under hotlist for smuggling illegal drugs, while it didn''t mention which is which, I am sure one of them will have worenzine supply".

    "So what? You are going to go to each and every one of the places to look for worenzine" Christian asked skeptically. "Don''t you think that''s a bit too much. Maybe we should stop obsessing over this drug so much and head home"? He suggested.

    "NEVER"! Sebastian banged the table with his hand startling Christian. Christian gave him an are-you-crazy look before he dug into his own food. "Tracing this drug is our only clue. Weig Pharmaceuticals is situated in this place, which means this is the source of that drug. We have to find who drugged me. I want to figure out if they knew that drug was lethal. I also need to know if it will kill me in the long run. However, most importantly I need to show this person that they messed with the wrong wolf". Sebastian declared.

    "Alright, but how will you detect smuggling? You are not a cop, and it''s not like they do these things in plain sight". Christian shrugged.

    "I will pretend to be a buyer. I have a reputation in the streets to be one". Sebastian shrugged.

    "Don''t they check criminal records before they let you act"? Christian asked derisively.

    "Not if you earn good money. But, like I said, ''reputation on the streets''. I don''t have any official criminal record".

    "I can''t believe I am working with a drug dealer" Christian mumbled.

    "Hey, innocent until proven otherwise." Sebastian shot back at him. "Now go get changed, and maybe call your dad and let him know you are okay."

    "I am sure he doesn''t care." Christian uttered.

    "Oh he does actually. He wrote in that email." Sebastian informed, earning him a surprised yet amused look from Christian.

    "Emain"? Christian scoffed. "All right then". he mumbled before they both fell into comfortable silence. After Christian was done eating, he spoke up. "By the way, thank you for taking care of me, once again. I know it must not have been easy, but if you want compensation this time as well, do let me know."

    "I will calculate the amount and get back at you" Sebastian smirked. "By the wayˇ­ do you remember anything your wolf did"? Sebastian asked cautiously.

    "All of it". Christian declared. Sebastian froze while he stared at Christian wide eyed. "I let my wolf take over because it was agitated, which in turn caused me a great discomfort. I wasn''t lost in the background though. I was aware of what was happening".

    Sebastian went still for the whole minute as he came to terms with this tiny fact before he shouted, "then you should have stopped this"! He pointed at the scar on his forearm near the elbow.

    "Yeahˇ­ I am really sorry about that. My wolf hated you, I guess". Chrsistian smiled awkwardly.

    "Well guess what? I hate you"! Sebastian declared before he took his leave.

    "Didn''t seem like it last night". Christian shouted from the counter before he ended up laughing. He heard a disgruntled groan from the room which further increased his burst of laughter. He was kind of glad that despite their differences he had help when needed.

    After a while Sebastian left the apartment and disappeared for quite a long time. The whole day Christian, now out of his rut, got bored with having nothing to do. He called his father one briefing him about the situation. While Mr Wrisberg was skeptical of letting these young men venture into danger all by themselves but it was a little hard to send backup. He wasn''t sure whom he could trust and he himself couldn''t leave the pack all by itself at this point.

    Christian didn''t have any measures to contact Sebastian, which made him wonder how long it would take him to return. He even considered that Sebastian ran away, but even he felt like it was far fetched. "What took you so long"? Christian asked the moment he returned.

    "Well, I wasn''t exactly on a picnic now was I"? Sebastian scoffed.

    "How would I know where you were? You didn''t exactly tell me". Christian rolled his eyes. "All I can tell is that you were not at a picnic".

    "I went to check out those location. Let''s go". Sebastian ordered.

 Chapter 128 - The Location

    Author''s note: I am uploading this chap twice after a 24hour interval, as it failed to appear last time. If you are seeing two of this chap lemme know, I will replace one of it with the next chapter so that you don''t have to pay again. If not, here is the next chap! ENJOY!

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    "Like, right now" Christian asked, flabbergasted.

    "Yes", replied Sebastian with a baffled expression. "But you know, change first. You look like a homeless person."

    Christian shot a glare before he asked, "Exactly where are we going"?

    "You will see". Sebastian smirked.

    ~~~~~~~

    Christian looked around his surroundings while the realisation dawned upon him where Sebastian brought him. "So, the place where the exchange happens is a gay bar". He remarked skeptically.

    "Yes. Well, given how we are both guys, I am sure we will fit right in." Sebastian snorts while Christian simply shakes his head.

    "Do you have any idea whom to look for"? Christian asked.

    "I just need to find the supplier". Sebastian mumbled.

    "What ifˇ­ what if our scents tip em off"? Christian expressed his concern.

    "It''s possible that they might not show up." Sebastian nodded. "Let''s see".

    Making their way through the crowd they made it to the counter that was situated right in the hub of the entire dance floor. It was a great vantage point for keeping an eye on everyone and everything that was happening here.

    "Should we order something"? Sebastian wondered out loud.

    "I doubt that''s the best idea". Christian replied to him.

    "Why"? Sebastian frowned. "We have to blend in. Right now we look like we are here because we are looking for something don''t you think. We need to appear as if we are here to have some fun".

    "I agree. Except, drinking strange stuff is what got you in this mess in the first place." Christian reminded him. "You really want to drink something from here? A place where the presence of Worenzine is confirmed"? Christian raised his eyebrows.

    Sebastian considered his prospect before sighing. "Fine".

    "Excuse me, did you just say Worenzine"? The bartender prompted.

    "I so hate communicating out loud". Christian mumbles so low that even Sebastian, with his wolf hearing, almost didn''t hear him. In his pack, Christian used the advantage of links for sensitive stuff like this, however since Sebastian was not a part of their pack, the linking was not possible.

    Before Christian could say something, Sebastian huffed. "It''s none of your business"!

    Christian turned around and glared at Sebastian with confusion. Weren''t they here to dig about the drug? "Well, in case I heard right, and you are looking for it. Let me know". The bartender replied before he went to serve someone else.

    At that moment the music in the bar got even louder. As much as Christian would have preferred to keep his voice low, it was useless at this point. "What the hell was that? He was clearly interested in telling us" Christian scolded.

    "I know, and if we had reciprocated the same enthusiasm, do you think he would have offered to help us"? Sebastian raised an eyebrow earning a frown from Christian. "We need to make sure that he thinks we are potential buyers. Do you think the drug users will easily talk about it considering how illegal it is"? Sebastian clarified further.

    "You are shadier than I thought". Christian mumbled suspiciously.

    "You are gonna thank me when we are through. Trust me". Sebastian smirked.

    That bartender reappeared and stared at Sebastian with a curiosity and excitement. Sebastian didn''t notice that since he was busy looking around, but Cristian did, and it irked him. "Wait, aren''t you Sebastian Kyles"? He asked, earning Sebastian''s attention.

    "That would be me". Sebastian confirmed reluctantly.

    "Huge fan" the bartender declared. "No wonder you looked so familiar. You know, I would have never guessed that you were gay". The bartender snorted.

    "You know how it is with celebrities. Public image and all" Sebastian sighed. Indeed he was good at acting, because even Christian, who was well aware of the truth, was convinced at this point.

    "Don''t worry. I am good at keeping customer''s secrets." The bartender smirked. "How about you give me a token of appreciation?"

    "Are you, blackmailing me"? Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

    "I am simply asking for an autograph. That''s all". He replied.

    "Tell you what, I will give it to you the next time here if you don''t spill this little secret". Sebastian smirked. He never planned on coming back here. He simply didn''t want to leave the suspicious bartender his autograph in case he ended up sharing it in social media or something. Not that he would mind being outed or something, but he wasn''t gay for real, then why spread false information.

    Christian who was creeped out by the interaction decided to take himself away from this interaction. He roamed around the dance floor when a scent, seemingly of an alpha, hit his nose. The scent was unfamiliar, but it sure belonged to an alpha. He looked around and tried to trace it''s source, but unfortunately it was everywhere.

    He decided to look around further when a guy stopped him in his course. "Hey hottie". He tried to flirt.

    Christian wouldn''t mind getting hit on under normal circumstances, but he had a wolf to find, so to get out of this situation quickly, he mumbled the one thing that usually stops people''s advances. "Sorry, I am taken".

    "Then why are you here all by yourself?" That guy challenged him. "You sure you don''t want to have some fun".

    This guy''s persistence irked him. The scent had already faded, and now he was stuck in this situation. "I am not interested". He clarified boldly.

    "Really?" He challenged further.

    Christian was about to throw a punch at him when suddenly he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. "Hey babe" Sebastian smirked and kissed his cheek. Christian frowned, taken aback, and looked at him skeptically before realising what he was trying to do. "Everything alright?" he asked in a sarcastic manner before he glared at the other guy.

    "Told ya" Christian smirked at that unknown guy who stood there dumbfounded. He looked back and forth between Sebastian and Christian before he left with disappointment.

    "What the hell are you doing"? Sebastian whispered, shouted at him.

    "You tell me? Since when am I your ''babe''"? Christian challenged him back.

    Sebastian rolled his eyes before he replied. "I heard your conversation, so I stepped in. You are welcome by the way". Christian shook his head before explaining to him why he was wandering around.

    "Are you sure"? Sebastian asked.

    "I am, but now it''s gone." Christian sighed.

    "Do you thinkˇ­ that wolf could be a lead"?

    "Well, guessing that a wolf is here, it''s plausible. I mean, this drug doesn''t seem to kill wolves, so they can easily get it". Christian explained.

    "Then let''s look for who it is". Sebastian declared.

    Christian pointed at his left and mumbled, "Let''s look there".

    Sebastian immediately pulled his hand and scolded him, "Are you crazy"!

    "What"? Christian frowned.

    "Don''t point". Sebastian huffed.

    "Okay, sorry". Christian sighed before looking in that direction.

    "You know what"? Sebastian spoke up after a moment. "Let''s dance".

    "Excuse me"?

    "It''s a dance floor. Let''s pretend to be dancing while we scan the area".

    "You are good at pretending aren''t ya" Christian snorted.

    "Well, my job depends on it, so yes" Sebastian clarified before he started to move. Truth to be told, his movements were quite good, not that anyone was looking except for Christian. He chuckled before he joined in himself.

    "Did you learn dancing or something"? Impressed Christian asked.

    "I played the role of this dancer once. I mean, I knew a tad bit, but I received professional training just for that part". Sebastian informed him. "What about you"?

    "As the future alpha, I have learned a lot of stuff." Christian boasted.

    "Like what"? Sebastian challenged.

    "Well, I am fluent in at least 10 languages, english is definitely one of them". Christian boasted. "I also have black belt in taekwondo. And as you can see..." Christian switched their positions, "...I am very good at dancing".

    "Oh yeah"? Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You can''t cook though? Does the future Alpha plan on starving in the time of crisis"?

    Christian snorted at that comeback, "I agree I am not a professional cook, but I can cook enough to avoid starvation". He snorted. Sebastian ended up chuckling at that.

    "How did you get time to learn all this"? After a moment Sebastian asked. "Every time I have to learn a new skill for a role, it irritates me. I can''t imagine learning all that let alone 10 languages". He scoffed.

    "Well, my life had been quite busy since I was a kid. Never noticed that what I am doing is supposed to be tiresome". Christian shrugged.

    "Boy, I am so glad I am not a part of your pack. It sounds horrible". Sebastian remarked.

    "That''s just me. Not everyone is forced to learn all this stuff. You can learn anything you want. But yeah, a basic training is given to everyone so that can at least protect themselves at the time of crisis". Christian clarified.

    "Even the omegas"?

    "Recently, yes". Christian smiled. He looked around to catch anything suspicious while they danced their way to a separate location. Till now, there was no alpha scent that reached their nose. While it was possible whoever it was, left, Christian''s gut told him otherwise.

    "I have to admit, for someone who is not an actor, and who has never been to a gay bar, you blend in quite well". Sebastian teased.

    Christian looked back at Sebastian with a serious expression, before he declared. "It''s not my first time".

 Chapter 129 - Never Told Anyone

    "Really"? Amused, Sebastian asked. "Although, I shouldn''t be surprised". He snorted.

    "What''s that supposed to mean"? Christian asked, offended.

    "What I mean is, I don''t exactly know you. It''s not a surprise that I don''t know about this either." Sebastian clarified. "So, wait.. You are gay, right"?

    "Yes". Christian declared.

    "Wow" Sebastian smirked. "If only you had told me before, I would have told you where we were going"

    "Wait, did you think I am judgemental or something"? Christian frowned.

    "Like I said, I don''t know you". Sebastian shrugged.

    "I have a brother, who has a male mate" Christian pointed out.

    "And, I don''t know how you feel about that, now do I"? Sebastian raised his eyebrows in derision.

    "Never mind". Christian sighed.

    "Hey, I am sorry" Seeing the upset expression on Christian''s face, Sebastian mumbled. " I guess I should have known better".

    "I said, never mind". Christian repeated.

    "Well, it''s not that much of a big deal if you ask me. Although I have never lived in a pack, I am given to understand that due to the presence of fated mates the primary gender is rarely an issue when it comes to mating in the wolf community". Sebastian pointed out

    "True. We are generally not homophobic. It''s justˇ­" Christian cleared his throat. "You are the first person I have ever told this".

    "Really"? Sebastian''s eyes widened. "Wellˇ­ that''sˇ­" he stammered, unsure of what would be the right thing to say, "Why though?".

    "Well, I guessˇ­ I just never told anyone". Christian shrugged. "I alwaysˇ­ feared meeting my fated mate. In our history, there have been variances between the wolf''s sexual preference and fated mate. Usually in those cases, it was harder than it has to be...so I guessed I would keep it mum till I meet mine".

    "That''s absurd," Sebastian scoffed. "I am sure you know how rare fated mates are. And you are almostˇ­ well, How old are you"?

    "Twenty two".

    "Right, you are twenty two. Most wolves find their fated mate, iff they find by the time they are eighteen". Sebastian declared. "Are you really holding out to meet your fated mate now. That''s ridiculous"?

    "I think it''s romantic". Christian declared.

    "Yeah, and ridiculous". Sebastian scoffed. Christian glared at him before Sebastian continued. "What if you never meet your fated mate? Do you plan to stay alone all your life"? Sebastian raised his eyebrows.

    "Why not? Doesn''t seem like a bad option. You don''t have a mate, and you are older than me". Christian retorted.

    "I did have one though" Sebastian mumbled. Christian''s eyes widened while he noticed the subtle change of expression on his face. Just because there were no official articles about him, doesn''t mean he couldn''t have been in a relationship. He wanted to know what happened, but didn''t seem right to provoke further.

    If he had to guess, he would guess she died. And if he is right, that it''s even more important he doesn''t poke further. A loss of mate is not something to be taken lightly, and despite never experiencing himself he has seen the agony of the wolves whose mate died before them, especially if they were this young. "I am sorry". Christian mumbled.

    "Never mind", Sebastian retorted with his Christian''s own dialogue. Sebastian''s gaze  flickered for a moment to somewhere else before he lowered his voice. "I recognised the seller. He is talking to a guy wearing some kind of hoodie, so I can''t see his face".

    "Let''s go then". Christian suggested.

    "What if he is not who we are looking for"? Sebastian pondered out loud.

    "We won''t know that from here, let''s move to the back". Christian suggested earning an affirmative nod from Sebastian. The back was relatively empty. Apart from the suspicious exchange there was nothing much going on there.

    They stood next to the corner of the wall and tried to focus on whatever was happening. The scent coming from there confirmed that it was the wolf Christian was looking for earlier. While the alpha duo weren''t exactly visible to the suspicious guys, the wolf still might be able get their scent.

    Focusing hard on the conversation, they heard something like this.

    "Is that all"?

    "Yes, there won''t be anymore".

    "Good, here take it"

    "ˇ­."

    "ˇ­"

    "It''s alright. See you later".

    While the interaction was quite vague, what the alpha duo worried about more right now is not getting caught. As the scent of the wolf got stronger both Christian and Sebastian looked at each other, mirroring the same panicked expression.

    "I am sorry". Sebastian mouthed to Christain. Before Christian could comprehend what he meant by that he felt a pair of lips on his while at the same time his back slammed onto the wall. Christian was shocked for a moment before he realised what Sebastian was trying to sell here.

    When he heard the footsteps stop not too far from them, Christian returned the kiss with equal enthusiasm, out of fear that they would be caught. For someone who was not gay, he had to admit Sebastian was a great kisser even when it came to guys, and it was a little hard not to get swept away.

    When the footsteps faded away Sebastian pulled away before he looked back to the guy, "Should we follow him", He asked casually as if what happened just now didn''t affect him at all.

    Trying not to let it affect himself Christian cleared his throat and replied, "And our scents"?

    "That''s what I am worried about too". Sebastian clarified.

    "Let''s go. We can figure that out later" Seeing how he was about to disappear from out of sight, Christian proposed and dragged Sebastian along with him.

    As if the wolf could tell he was being followed, he increased his pace. It was fast enough to make the duo suspicious that the wolf was onto them. "If this keeps up, we will lose him". Sebastian uttered in anticipation.

    "Let''s get him. If he ends up with the bunch of other wolves, we might get ourselves in trouble". Christian suggested. Nodding, Sebastian hurried and increased his pace. At this point the duo was basically running, but unfortunately so was that other wolf which made it harder to catch him.

    Christian motioned something with his hand and got separated in the next alley when Christian took a right hand. At this point Sebastian ran after that unknown man trying his best to catch up to him.

    The wolf too ran at such a faster speed that he almost dropped his briefcase. Suddenly, as if something hit the wolf''s face, he rammed into something and collapsed on the ground itself, losing consciousness right at that moment.

    A moment later a person emerged from the dark alley, only to be revealed to be none other than Christian, who was holding some sort of metal rod in his hand.

    "Do you think he... is dead?", asked Sebastian who was huffing while he sucked in deeper breaths, tired from all the running. He was used to running on treadmills a lot, but he was not fond of running around like this, especially at a speed which is considered even higher for a typical werewolf.

    Christian lowered himself and put his index finger in front of the nostrils of that unconscious man before mumbling, "he is breathing".

    "Soˇ­" Sebastian hesitated. "We have got him, but now what"?

    "What do you mean"? Christian frowned. "We interrogate him"! He declared matter-of-factly.

    "Yeah, butˇ­"Sebastian lowered his voice. "What if he is a part of a pack nearby?" He whispered. "We have to be careful with him".

    "There aren''t any packs around here. You live here, Don''t you know that"( Christian narrowed his gaze suspiciously.

    "It''s not like I roam around this city a lot." Sebastian shrugged. "How do you know if there is a pack nearby or not?"

    "I am the to-be-alpha, remember"? Christian reminded him. "We keep a list of all the established packs. And thanks to globalisation, he has global records".

    "And youˇ­" Sebastian gazed at him suspiciously. "... Remember about each and every place"?

    "Nope"! Christian declared. "But I did check out this place before I flew out here. I am not an idiot".

    "Fair enough", Sebastian mumbled. "Let''s take him to my apartment". He suggested.

    Christian carried the unconscious wolf, while Sebastian carried the briefcase that was along with him. Finding a secluded place, Sebastian drove his car to that point so that no one could see them abducting the man, which was a bit tricky thanks to all the CCTV cameras the city was equipped with.

    Once they reached Sebastian''s apartment, Sebastian put the man in a room behind his wardrobe earning him a satisfied smirk from Christian. "Look who had a secret room" He remarked.

    "I keep it for any wolf business. This is also the place where I transform into my wolf form the most". Sebastian informed casually. He checked what was in the box. It had multiple packets of white substance that resembled the description on worenzine. Meanwhile, Christian clicked a picture of that man and sent it to his father for further information to get more information about the wolf, until he waited patiently for the man to wake up.

 Chapter 130 - Interrogations

    "You know, now that I think clearly, we might have gotten into some kind of big mess." Sebastian mumbled, immersed in his own thoughts.

    "Really? Now you are thinking? I offered you to drop out when we still had time, but you didn''t listen". Christian snarled at him.

    "Hey, I am just wondering"! Sebastian defended himself. Christian rolled his eyes before Sebastian reluctantly asked."So...this doesn''t make you panic at all?"

    "I have dealt with crazy stuff in my pack before." Christian smirked. "Crazy situations like this are definitely my thing".

    Sebastian''s corner of the mouth lifted while they waited patiently for the guy to wake up. When he finally did, he received piercing sharp glares from the alpha duos. "What do you want from me"? He asked anxiously.

    "Just, some informationˇ­" Christian held up the box before he continued further, "... about this".

    "What.."? Confused, he looked at the duo. "What is all this! Let me go"! The guys screamed as he struggled to get out of the hold of the ropes. While the ropes weren''t so powerful to hold back an alpha, their binding was in such a manner that it restricted his movements drastically, making it harder to escape.

    "Just so you know, if you scream here no one will be able to hear you". Sebastian added from the back before Christian took charge of the situation.

    "What do you do with this drug"? Christian asked sternly in response to which he simply received a glare. "If you want to make out of here in one piece, then you better start talking" Christian snarled.

    "I''m just...a seller. I sell them to different wolves, mostly rogues but sometimes pack members too in case the order ". That trembling guy answered him.

    "And to whom did you sell it at Cresentile Pack? Or any wolf from Crescent Point"? Christian further asked.

    The forehead crease of that man puckered where sweat droplets had begun to appear, despite the perfect function of the air conditioning. "I...I don''t remember".

    A devilish smirk appeared on Christian''s face. "Well, you better think harder, cause you won''t want to be the one messing with future Alpha of that pack". Christain threatened, with a subtle declaration of his identity.

    The guy stammered as he wondered what should be his next move. "Iˇ­"

    "I don''t think he is ready to talk yet. Let me put him out". Sebastian interrupted from the back.

    Christian raised one his eyebrows, more towards the man than Sebastian, "I suppose that''s a fair option".

    "I will do it" Sebastian stepped up and walked towards the man.

    Before he could reach, that man screamed, "I will talk, I will talk".

    Christian frowned. All of this seemed way too easy. How come a timid guy like him is a part of some drug dealing cartel. "So talk" nevertheless he ordered.

    "I never met the guy, neither do I know the name of the guy who ordered it". He mumbled fearfully.

    "Then how did you manage to send this to ''that person''." Sebastian asked curtly.

    "It was delivered to the pack office, in the name of stone Arthur Wrisberg. As far as I have heard he is the pack alpha. But, I don''t know anything else".

    "Dad"? Christian frowned. "If it was delivered in his name...how come it missed him?"

    "Who takes care of the deliveries?" Sebastian prompted.

    Christian replied after thinking for a while, "Usually it''s done via FedEx, so a few humans do. They deliver us stuff, soˇ­ no wolves are there".

    "Yeah, but such stuff are screened right"? Sebastian posed.

    "I think soˇ­ I dunno what to tell you". Christian mumbled. "Should we even trust you?" Christian narrowed his gaze at the man who trembled in fear. "When did you send it"?

    "Around... mid jan". He uttered.

    "Tell me the exact date"! Christian snarled at him. In the background Sebastian was quite amazed by how well Christian could handle himself.

    "Jan...14" he mumbled. Christian narrowed his gaze furthe. "I am being honestˇ­ I swear. Just pleaseˇ­ let me go" that man fumbled. Christian gave him a sarcastic smile before he punched him right on the face, causing him to black out.

    "Why did you do that"!? Sebastian asked out loud by the sudden turn of events.

    "What do you mean"? Chrstian frowned. "I have to verify what he said".

    "How"?

    "I am sure all the packages made it to the office, but before it reached my dad, someone managed to swipe it off." Christian explained. "I will ask Dad to check all the footages of the office from Jan 14 to Jan 18. I need to know who did that".

    "Don''t you think your father would have been notified if someone broke in"? Sebastian frowned.

    "I know, which is why I am afraid it''s someone who has access to the office". Chrsistian sighed. "There aren''t many people. I would be devastated if it''s really one of them". He mumbled while he gazed into nothing in particular.

    Before Sebastian could say something, Chrsistian left and mailed his father. It took them a little while, but he did hear back from his father. "I checked the footage. I know who did that. Come back, this is huge". That was all it said.

    "Why do you think he didn''t say much"? Sebastian, who read the mail along with him asked.

    "I dunno" Christian, just as confused, replied. "I am guessing we should do as he said. This mystery is about to be solved".

    Sebastian sighed. "Our flight is tomorrow. Meanwhile, what do we do with this guy"? Pointing at the closet, he asked.

    "He is still unconscious. Let''s dump him someplace far". Christian shrugged.

    "Dude! You don''t realize what you have done, do you"? Sebastian raised his voice earning a startled gaze from Christian. Christian''s brow puckered in confusion, so Sebastian continued further. "He has seen my face. I am a public figure. What happens when one fine day he finds out about me one day"?

    "He...knows your name"? Christian suggested unsure of the answer.

    "Yes, and then he finds a way to attack me! Then, what? Unlike you, I don''t have a pack who has my back when I need it"! Sebastian breathed.

    "You can always join our pack. I''m sure my Dad won''t mind" Christain snorted.

    "But, I won''t"! Sebastian snapped. "I love the life I have here. I don''t want to miss out on that".

    "Then don''t. Unlike me, you being a part of our pack won''t demand your constant presence. In fact, that will allow you to come and go from Crescent Point as you please." Christian explained. "Give it a thought". He suggested.

    Sebastian remained quiet once Christian left him all by himself. He considered for a really long time if it was the perfect choice or not. On one hand, the idea sounded tempting. This past few days he did have quite a bit of fun navigating this case with Chrsitian. On the other hand, in cases of emergencies he would have to abandon whatever he was up-to at that very minute. It was quite similar to a family emergency, but he also enjoyed staying all by himself.

    Not to mention the linking facilities that would accompany joining a pack. He didn''t like sharing his house for a night, that too in separate rooms, he wasn''t sure how he felt about having someone in mind. Conflicting thoughts like this were the reason he needed more time to come to a definite reason. But time was what he didn''t have. They had to leave the next day so he had to make a decision about the man tied up in the other room as soon as possible.

    Eventually he agreed to follow with Christian''s plan. Whatever came next would be tomorrow''s problem. Right now he needed to deal with the matter and hand. Once it was dark enough, they abandoned the man in the same empty alley form where they picked him up.

    They made sure that he wouldn''t wake up for at least a few more hours so that when he does, he fails to trace their scents. The next day they had an early morning flight, so neither of them slept that day. To prevent themselves from falling asleep they decided it was better to have some conversations. While Sebstian despised useless chats, he knew they were as effective as caffeine when it came to keeping him awake. Christian on the other hand was used to pulling an all nighter, so it hardly bothered him.

    "So? You decided to join our pack". After a failed attempt at a conversation, Christian asked Sebastian on a serious note.

    "I am not sure yet. There is still a lot to consider". Sebastian replied bluntly.

    "Still? If you are this torned about this decision then maybe you should do a trial run", Christian shrugged.

    "A what now"? Sebastian stared at Christian, unamused.

    "Join the pack. In case you find out it''s not working out, you are free to leave. I think you should get a taste of pack life before you make this decision." Christian shrugged. Sebastian didn''t reply to that as he found himself getting persuaded even further.

 Chapter 131 - Been Busy

    Caleb filled in for Christian while he was out of town for some business. While Caleb wasn''t sure exactly what business his brother had, he didn''t mind filling in his shoes for the time being. He had been a great help to him for the past couple of weeks, and he didn''t mind returning that favor at all.

    However, with his increased duties and Ashton''s daily practice after class, the mates barely got any time to spend together. However, for this fact that both of them were busy, it prevented them from missing each other much. He was still quite in the cloud number nine ever since he marked him back.

    Most of the time Alphas hated bearing the mark, especially of someone from lower blood rank. But with Ashton''s gesture, he was beyond elated that he chose Ashton as his mate.

    Caleb was busy training the twins when he received a link from his father.

    [Your brother would be returning from his trip. Find some time to pick him up.] He ordered and disconnected the link without waiting for any reply.

    Caleb frowned. He wasn''t the one who drove him on his way there, then why would he have to pick them up. Usually he wouldn''t mind, but after a week of busy schedule he finally managed to find some time to spend with Ashton, and now he has to spend that very time as a chauffeur to his brother.

    "You okay? You look glum"?  Ava, who was sweating thoroughly, asked him. Caleb''s attention returned to present before he smiled and nodded at them.

    On their way back to the pack house, the trio ran into Ashton, but to avoid getting overheard Caleb decided to talk in his link.

    [So, there has been a change of plans...] Caleb began.

    Ashton stopped abruptly and took a deep breath before he replied to him, "You have to stop scaring me like that"! He snarled at him, earning suspicious stares from the twins. Ashton noticing their gaze realised why Caleb did what he did and continued the rest in his head, [I am still not used to having you in my head unannounced. I need to learn how to reject a link] He huffed.

    Caleb rolled his eyes, [Sorry for disturbing your mental peace] He replied sarcastically. [But, back to my original point. I won''t be able to come with you tomorrow]

    [Let me guess, some urgent pack duty?] Annoyed, Ashton asked. While Caleb was still okay with their time away, it was evident Ashton was beyond annoyed. For some reason ever since he got marked his feelings for the other seemed to have heightened by many folds. He wasn''t sure if this would drive him further crazy, but he did find it hard to be around him without jumping on him a little more.

    [I have to go pick up my stupid brother] Caleb grunted, having picked up the annoyance of his mate. At this point, they were back to the pack house, everyone headed for their respective rooms. Well, everyone except Ashton. Ashton decided to follow Caleb and talk things through, despite his exhaustion. What''s surprising was Caleb didn''t notice that and was about to shut the door on Ashton''s face when he called out, "Hey! What the hell".

    That''s when he realised that Caleb was lost in his own trance. "Are you alright"? Ashton asked, pushing his way in Caleb''s room.

    "I am exhausted". Caleb mumbled.

    "Soˇ­ I should leave"? Ashton suggested.

    Caleb shook his head before he said, "Stay. Might as well spend some time together now. I feel bad for bailing on you tomorrow" Caleb pursed his lips.

    "When is your brother coming back"? Ashton asked.

    "His flight lands around noon, so I will be back late". Caleb suggested.

    "Wellˇ­ I guess it can''t be helped then". Ashton shrugged.

    "Want to watch something"? Caleb suggested. He opened netflix and showed him more or less anything that was available. "Choose whatever you like"? He shrugged and was about to leave when Ashton grabbed his wrists.

    "Wait" Ashton frowned. "Why am I sitting here alone watching this"? He glared. "I thought we were supposed to spend time together".

    "We are". Caleb assured. "I will be right back, I stink so bad, I just need to take a shower. I need a long one so it will be while". He smiled meekly.

    "Are you kidding me"? Ashton narrowed his eyes.

    "What"? Caleb. "If you don''t believe me, sniff yourself". Caleb brought himself closer so that his shirt was closer to his nose. Ashton on the other hand stopped breathing at that very moment the moment his eyes landed on the somewhat exposed collarbones. It was hard for Ashton to be this close to his mate and not to pounce on his right there and then.

    He gulped, and unsure how to react, he pushed Caleb away, almost making him fall due to the stumble and uttered. "Whatever, let me know when you are done I have..." he racked his brains for excuse, ".... Some stuff to do. I will see you then".

    Caleb opened his mouth to say something, but even before he could utter a single syllable, Ashton was gone leaving him standing him all by himself. "What''s wrong with him". Caleb mumbled and frowned at the door. Shaking his head, he got his clothes and took his sweet time freshening up. By the time he was almost done, he linked Ashton to come down.

    When he got out he found a cup of coffee at the nightstand. He asked one of the maids to bring him a cup before he went to wash, which was now on the verge of going cold enough to lose its taste. Therefore, to prevent that he decided to drink it before he could get dressed. Unfortunately though, as soon as he was done with the cup, Ashton walked in and froze in his spot when he noticed his half naked mate, with dripping wet hair.

    "Oh, you are here". Caleb. "Give me a minute and I will get dressed". Ashton frowned. He was more frustrated at Caleb than himself since he was seemingly unaffected by the situation right now. If Ashton didn''t learn to control himself properly right now, he might end up doing something he regrets.

    Caleb witnessed the hesitation on Ashton''s eyes and asked him, "What''s wrong with you? You have been acting quite weird lately".

    "Noˇ­ I am not". Ashton looked away.

    "You are". Caleb took a few steps towards him, trying to find some clue as to what was happening. Since Ashton avoided his gaze sneakily, Caleb linked Ashton as he heard in his head [...don''t come any closerˇ­ stay away...]

    Caleb halted in his steps and frowned. He took a quick glance at himself and realised what could be the trigger for his current behaviour. An evil smirk graced his face as he looked at his conflicted mate with suggestive eyes. "Does me being like this bother you".

    "... No". After a not so subtle pause Ashton replied.

    Caleb''s smirk deepened and his steps further approached his mate. "Since when are you so shy"? He challenged, "Usually, you are the one who takes charge, aren''t you"?

    "It''s different this time," Ashton admitted. Caleb''s smirk faded a little bit as he pondered what he meant. "Iˇ­ my feelings are stronger than ever".

    "Due to the mark"? Caleb proposed, shifting his glance from Ashton''s face to his turtleneck, which was currently hiding the mark he made. Ashton nodded at him reluctantly earning him a chuckle from Caleb.

    "That''s good, isn''t it? Or are you scared once more that you would lose control"? Caleb took a guess. Ashton didn''t reply to him, but his gaze held a bit of heavy emotion, a fear of regret that was not uncommon on Ashton''s face, which gave away his true feelings. "It''s okay if you do".

    Ashton''s eyes widened before he snapped, "No"!

    Caleb rolled his eyes before he mumbled, "Honestly, sometimes I hate the fact that you try to hold back so much. For once, I would like to see you not try so much and express your real feelings". He huffed.

    "Believe me, you don''t want that". Ashton warned through his teeth.

    "Believe me...", Caleb brought his face closer to Ashton''s. "I. do." After each word, Caleb decreased the distance between their faces by an inch. Apart from hearing the loud mixed heartbeats of both of them, Caleb could also feel the wave of the hot breaths on his cold lips. Ashton stared at him intensely as if he was giving him a ''last warning''. Caleb maintained his confident gaze, determined to not give up at this moment. They have been apart for a while, and he didn''t want to back down at this moment.

    Suddenly he felt a pair of lips on his own which came onto him with a tremendous force, and before he could react properly he winced in pain as blood trickled down his punctured lower lip. Ashton pulled away and challenged him once more, "You still want me to go wild"?

    Caleb glared at him before he licked the blood from his lips, "Yes".

 Chapter 132 - Regret

    Ashton slammed his lips once more on Caleb''s earning a wince from him. However, this time he didn''t stop, instead continued to ravage those lips as he was planning on eating them whole. Ashton slammed him onto the door, an action which caused his towel to get undone, making him stand naked in the room.

    When their lungs finally gave out they retracted by just a mere inch. Breathing heavily, they stared at each other. Their heartbeats took a spike when they noticed nothing but pure desire for the other in each other''s eyes. Somehow, wild Ashton made him way more excited that he has ever been.

    Ashton''s eyes lowered to his mate''s completely exposed collarbones which soon made contact with his bare teeth. Ashton kissed, nibbled and bit on the bare, wet and pale skin ruthlessly making purplish bruises along his way. His force was greater than ever while he continued on his way to ravish his mate.

    ~~~~~~

    (A/N: I am skipping some stuff. Feel free to put in your Imagination)

    ~~~~~~

    When Caleb opened his eyes the next morning he found his face stuck to someone''s chest. He noticed the raw smell and realised that it was none other than his mate who was sound asleep while he hugged him. Caleb tried to move a little bit but a sharp pain shot up in his spine which almost seemed paralysing.

    With much effort he managed to loosen the hold Ashton had on him and looked below.It seemed that both of them were completely naked, but their lower half was almost covered by the sheets. He tried to move his legs, but once more the pain engulfed him making him cry out silently. That''s when he noticed the bloodstains on the bed sheet under the cover.

    Each time they had sex, neither once did it cause bleeding. He could only imagine how much Ashton tried to be careful during their previous times. Caleb tried very hard to recall what went down last night. Everything happened so fast that it was hard to register each and every tiny detail.

    He recalled the vulgar kisses, the bites that turned his entire torso blue. He remembered getting f**ked more than once, but after the third time, he lost count. Did heˇ­ lose consciousness while doing it? Now that he was reliving everything, he recalled how he took caffeine to keep him awake, and here he wasˇ­ waking up next to his mate just a while ago.

    His sluggish, painful movements finally managed to wake Ashton up and he stared at Caleb, who was yet to notice the pair of eyes on him. Finally, Caleb gave up and collapsed on the arm under his neck and looked up to meet Ashton''s empty gaze. "I see you are awake" Caleb chuckled half-heartedly.

    "I am sorry", Ashton mumbled.

    Caleb blinked at him before he held his cheeks with his free left hand, "Don''t worry about it, I am sure I will be fine".

    "But you are not"! Ashton argued on the verge of tears. Even for him the entire night was blur as he gave into his animalistic instincts the other day. "How bad is it"? He asked.

    "I can''tˇ­ move" Caleb mumbled. "But, I am sure the pain will be gone soon". He added when he noticed the regret took over Ashton''s entire face.

    "What if it isn''t"? Ashton mumbled, more to himself than to Caleb.

    Caleb wasn''t sure exactly what to say at this moment. It was clear Ashton hated himself at this very moment and was lamenting silently in self loathing. That expression tugged at his heart making Caleb feel guilty for pushing Ashton. He needed to assure Ashton that it was alright, that it was not that big of a deal, but he wasn''t yet sure what the right words were, so he put his hands behind Ashton''s head and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

    "I don''t remember much, but I do remember enjoying it". Caleb spoke once he pulled back. "The pain will be gone, don''t beat yourself up". Ashton avoided Caleb''s gaze and simply hugged him tightly burying his face on Caleb''s neck. Caleb grazed his palm softly over Ashton''s back to give him assurance.

    How ironic was it? It was Caleb who was in so much pain and yet he was the one who was comforting instead of getting comforted. After a while when Ashton''s heartbeats were more steadier, Caleb mumbled, "Help me wash up? I feel so sticky". Ashton pulled away and nodded.

    Ashton went to his bathroom and drew him a bath with lukewarm water. He picked up Caleb as cautiously as possible. Caleb stiffened, but he made no noise. He lowered him down on the tub, while focusing on Caleb''s blank face the entire time to detect a slightest change in those expressions. Caleb, as if he were well aware of his mate''s intentions, was determined to keep a stoic face.

    The warm water felt really good on his body. It soothed the aching joints and the inflamed skin and he relaxed considerably. Ashton sat there quietly, waiting for any instructions to come his way. He was scared to even touch Caleb unless he was asked to. He looked at the bruises he made all over his mate''s body which caused a turmoil of unexplained emotions to overcome through his entire body. Apart from bruises there were some scratches as well as if some animal gnawed on him.In fact it did and he was that animal himself.

    No amount of words would ever be enough to express the regret he felt at this moment right now. If only he could turn back time he would, and push Caleb away from him as far as possible. The past was unfortunately out of his hands, but the future wasn''t. "Let''s not have sex anymore" he murmured dangerously low.

    Caleb''s who was busy cleaning himself froze and looked up at Ashton. "I am not in the condition to have sex" he snorted. Ashton''s face didn''t change at all which further worried Caleb, "Wait, you meanˇ­ like ever"?

    "Not unless I get better at self control". Ashton declared softly, unable to look Caleb in the eye.

    "Ash, you are better at self control! You are better than any Alpha I have ever met. You found me in my heat when you barely even knew me, and yet instead of taking advantage you cared for me". Caleb''s voice quivered by the end of his sentence.

    "That was before I didˇ­ all of this to you" Ashton pointed at his chest. "I am not sure how much I can hold back myself anymore, and I am worried that it will only get worse" Ashton confessed.

    "It won''t!" Caleb insisted. "And even if it does, I am here for you" Caleb insisted.

    "That''s the problem!" Ashton''s raised his voice. "You are my mate, and you''re the person who gets affected by my control issues the most. Iˇ­ I can''t keep doing this to you. This isn''t love, this is abuse and I am not okay with this" He burst out as a teardrop rolled down his cheeks. If Caleb could, he would get up and hug Ashton this very moment, but the pain was strong enough to hold him down.

    "Ashton, look-" Caleb began.

    "I can''t do this" Ashton repeated.

    "So what? You are breaking up with me? You are giving up on us?" Caleb accused him, even if he didn''t want to. It was hard not to get hurt by his words, despite understanding very well why he did what he did.

    "No" Ashton shook his head reluctantly. "Let''s just... stay away from each other for a while. I love you Caleb Wrisberg, and I don''t want to end up hurting you like this". Ashton declared. Caleb wasn''t sure what to say at this moment but he found himself fighting his own tears. "I will be outside, call me when you are done. I will carry you" Ashton whispered softly before he left.

    As frustration and anger took over him, Caleb threw the mug on the wall that was right next to him. The mug, like his heart, broke into many pieces and laid there helpless. Soon, the water he was bathing in was mixed with his own tears as he broke into silent sobs. Did his stunt finally break their relationship? He feared.

    He spent his time there longer than usual. The reason being the unbearable pain inflicted upon both, his body and his heart. He wanted to go out and explain to Ashton how not to let this tiny incident bother him, but it was quite evident that Ashton was not ready to listen yet. He wasn''t sure what was his next step and he found himself to be frustrated even more. As if he didn''t have enough problems, he found his father trying to link him. [Where are you? Weren''t you supposed to go and pick up your brother?]

    After a pause, Caleb replied, [I will go]

    Mr Wrisberg didn''t miss the slight dismay in his son''s voice, but he decided not to ask him about it. They didn''t really talk about feelings, and it felt really awkward to start now.

    Once Caleb was done, he called Ashton to help him get ready.

 Chapter 133 - Big Reveal

    "Where is Caleb"?  That''s the first thing Christian asked when he spotted Ashton, his brother''s mate as his replacement.

    "He wasˇ­ not feeling well, so he asked me to come". Ashton sighed. Christian eyed him suspiciously, but nevertheless he let him off the hook. As if this interaction wasn''t uncomfortable enough, Ashton was also at the receiving end of prolonged stare from Christian''s friend. Finally, he decided to come out and snap,  "What"?!

    Sebastian blinked before he replied, "Nothing. Youˇ­ seem familiar".

    "He is my brother''s mate. We introduced him at the banquet". Christian prompted.

    "No, I know thatˇ­ butˇ­" Sebastian frowned as he failed to recall where else did they encounter. Ashton glared at him for a moment before turning away his head.

    "Can you drive"? Ashton asked Christian, the moment they reached Caleb''s beloved Porsche.

    "Why? I just came back from a long flight, shouldn''t you be the one to drive"? Christian gave him an odd look.

    "Iˇ­ I am not that good at driving" Ashton admitted. "It''s a miracle I made it this far without any damage".

    Christain frowned suspiciously, before he shook his head and got into the driving seat. While driving he couldn''t help but ask, "Do you even have a car? Now that I think about it, I don''t think you have a car, right"?

    "I don''t,"Ashton admitted cheekily.

    Christian''s eyes widened at that. "How the hell did you drive this thing to the airport then? Does Caleb know you can''t drive? Does he know you took his car despite knowing not to drive? Just how did you not get caught"? Christian bombarded him with his questions.

    "Would you relax, he is just a kid who broke one rule. What''s the big deal"?  Sebastian prompted with annoyance.

    Christian rolled his eyes before he said, "Well"? To Ashton.

    "He does know actually. He wasn''tˇ­ in the condition to drive, so he asked me to. When I told him I can''tˇ­ he said he would instruct me through the mate bond". Ashton explained.

    "You are telling me that the mate bond works that far?" Christian frowned, "The airport is too far for our pack links to work".

    "Apparently so". Ashton shrugged. "I could hear him loud and clear, till the very end". Ashton explained.

    "Interesting". Christian mumbled.

    After a while Sebastian prompted, "Is itˇ­ what I think it is"? He looked at Ashton suggestively.

    Ashton frowned, wondering what Sebastian was guessing, and a bit scared that he got it right. Clearing his throat, he asked, "What do you think it is"?

    "The rut". Sebastian smirked.

    Both Ashton and Christian visibly stiffened. Sebastian failed to notice that since he decided to look something out of the window while Christian and Ashton stole a glance at each other. They both knew that Caleb being an Alpha was a lie, and that rut was not something he was capable of going through. It''s equivalent, heat was however an option, and somehow Christian believed it to be the case when Ashton mumbled, "Yes, it''sˇ­ that".

    "Oh yeahˇ­ I am so glad he is not the one driving us" Sebastian chuckled cluelessly while both Ashton and Christian, sighed with relief.

    Once they reached the pack house they found Mr Wrisberg waiting for them at the gate. He was pleased to see them back when he noticed Ashton coming out of the car as well. "Well, where is Caleb"? He asked him with much distaste.

    "He isˇ­  unwell" Ashton repeated the same thing. If it was not his fault for Caleb''s current state, maybe he would have replied more confidently. Yes, his regret was easy to mistake for sorrow regarding his mate, which is the prime reason for not getting caught for lying in this situation.

    Mr Wrisberg pushed his tongue against his cheek before he mumbled, "Follow me". He was about to leave when he turned to Ashton and ordered him coldly, "Not you".

    One might assume that Ashton was offended, instead he sighed with relief since he was not in the mood to deal with Mr Wrisberg. He left to go on check up on Caleb as it''s been almost 6 hours since he left him once he helped him get dressed. He wasn''t entirely sure how to react around him, still scared to be around him, but he was still worried about him.

    He knocked on the door twice until he heard a weak come in. Panicked, he ran into his room only to find Caleb looking for something in the computer. As if Caleb knew it was Ashton who walked in, he refused to turn around and spare him a glance. Under normal circumstances Ashton would have protested, or even at least have done something to draw his mate''s attention, but this time he felt like he deserved the cold shoulder. He remained quiet for a while before he asked, "How are you feeling"?

    Following an exasperated sigh Caleb replied, "Been better". Ashton was about to leave when he heard the chair creak, "But I can move now".  He continued. "I told you, I will be fine". He huffed.

    "That''sˇ­" Ashton hesitated, "That''s good news".

    "Of course! I am a werewolf, not some fragile little bird who has never left it''s nest. I have dealt with worse injuries on a daily basis. Remember the time I got poisoned with Wolfsbane"? Caleb tried to reason with him once more. At this point, even he was frustrated.

    "Just because you can take it doesn''t make it okay for me to hurt you". Ashton declared. "I should get going" Ashton mumbled before their conversation escalated.

    Caleb grabbed his wrist and glared at his mate, "Do you plan on running away every chance you feel like you screwed up"? Ashton jerked his head and looked at Caleb with many unexplained emotions. He was right, Ashton was being a coward by pushing him away, but he would rather be a coward rather than reckless. Especially when it came to his mate.

    Ashton remained quiet for a long while, long enough to make Caleb give up with frustration. He let go of his hand, and before Ashton could leave his room, Caleb himself stormed out of his own room, unbothered by whatever Ashton chose to do next.

    On his way out he felt his father trying to link him, asking him about his health. He assured him he was fine now as to which he requested his presence at the office as well. Caleb deflected his undetermined course and reached the office as soon as possible. "What is it"? He asked when he noticed the three anticipating gazes fall on him the moment he walked in.

    "Oh, it''s just you" Christian sighed with relief.

    "What''s going on"? Caleb frowned.

    "Remember we were trying to figure out who framed him? Well, apparently Dad has figured it out." Christian. "And he brought us here for the big reveal." Caleb''s frown deepened as to which Christian filled him on with everything that happened. Starting from Quentin, to everything that he wasn''t aware of. Well, everything that was relevant to the case.

    "I didn''t bring you here for any big reveal" Mr. Wrisberg added at the end earning curious gazes from the trio. "This is my office, not the home of criminals". He shook his head. "I just wanted to wait for him. The real culprit is waiting at the St Demoir Cellar, and that is where we would be going".

    All of them nodded and followed Mr. Wrisberg. It took them a while, and with each step their anxiety increased. They were quite frustrated that Mr Wrisberg was making them wait this much. Why couldn''t he just go ahead and tell them? Was it someone they knew? Or was it because it''s some stranger that they thought it was the best idea. These kinds of thoughts were invading their mind, especially Christian.

    Caleb on the other hand was still pretty distracted, making it hard for him to care for the situation at hand albeit it''s high importance. The guard let them in without much ado, and with the sun almost dipping at the horizon they walked through the empty, dimly lit hallways before taking the stairs that led them to the cells present below the ground level.

    Serious Criminals, the criminals who were sent here for a lifetime as the sentence were the ones who resided here. It was given that their nature of crime was cruel enough to earn them a cell here. The level of cruelty this floor offered was so high that the suffering Sebastian had to endure during his time here can be easily classified for vacation.

    With each passing cell they earned angry, brazen glares from the inmates which creeped them out. Sebastian was the most bothered given his first time here and he was genuinely curious how the Wrisberg brothers were seemingly unaffected. He finally realised the source of all those terrible noises from the time he spent here.

    Finally, at the end of the alley, a familiar face greeted both the Wrisberg brothers, making them freeze at their spot. Sebastian on the other hand was a little bit confused, so he asked, "Who is he"?

    "His name is Rexford Sullivan". Mr Wrisberg Replied.

 Chapter 134 - For Now

    Sebastian nodded once he heard the name as if he recognised him from his name or something. After taking a long moment to recover Christian shouted, "What the hell dude!?". Caleb, was yet to recover.

    "Are you sure you got the right guy"? Sebastian muttered. Mr Wrisberg threw him a glare before shifting that to his supposed-beta.

    "Why don''t you tell them?" Mr Wirsberg scoffed. "What you did. And most importantly, why you did it".

    Rexford avoided their gazes before mumbling, "I was the one who gave them access to those omegas months ago".

    Caleb, who was shocked to very core and yet scared asked, "But why? I thought we were friends".

    "Friends"? Rexford scoffed. "I was the beta of the pack, and yet I was treated like your servants do at the pack house. Expecting me to follow through every order you ever make as if I had no value of my own".

    "So you decide to do something heinous like this"?  Christian prompted.

    "I just wanted to reveal how useless your strategies are." He scoffed. "Despite being aware of the situation for so long you failed to protect your pack".

    "Because I had a snitch like you as a beta in my pack" Mr. Wrisberg snorted.

    "Because you disregard any suggestions, any opinions, a pack member can have and play by your own rules." Rexford corrected him.

    "That''s it?" Christian scoffed. "If I knew you were this petty when I recommended you for the beta position, I wouldn''t have done that". Christian uttered with remorse dipping from his voice.

    "Yes, you shouldn''t have" Rexford smirked. "As soon as I took over the position, I found out what happened to the earlier beta of the pack. I simply wanted to avoid that fate.". Sebastian and Caleb, both frowned at confusion meanwhile Chirstian and Mr Wrisberg stiffened. The confused duo wanted to ask what was Rexford talking about, but it didn''t seem like the appropriate moment yet.

    "I wanted to take charge of the things I do instead of getting pushed around like some slaves. I was just making a way for myself." Rexford.

    "How can you be part of a pack and yet so selfish"? Caleb prompted when no one spoke.

    "You really think you should lecture me about being selfish? You pose as their leader on a daily basis and yet you lie to everyone to their face. Every. Single. Day." At that point Caleb froze as well. So it seems that Rexford was well aware of his secret.

    Meanwhile, Sebastian fronwed, clearly frustrated by all the family secrets. He really didn''t care about them, he just wanted to get this over with and leave. But he was curious of Rexford''s motivation behind getting him involved so he asked, "Then why did you target me"?

    "I needed someone to draw their attention. You were, merely chosen by chance, I didn''t select you with any ulterior purpose". Rexford admitted. As much as those words were supposed to feel like a relief, thanks to that attitude attached to him, he was beyond annoyed. If anything he hated more than people is taking crap from people. And right now Sebastian just wanted to punch his jaw till he had a fractured jawbone.

    "What do you mean, draw attention"? Mr Wrisberg prompted before Sebastian could express his anger. Rexford remained quiet, a tinge of regret taking over his face.

    "It was useless anyways!" He huffed. Each of them frowned, unsure of his ultimate agenda.

    "Well, whatever your reason was, you will be rotting here for the rest of your life". Mr Wrsiberg announced and turned around from leave. From his back he heard a contemptuous scorn.

    "One day your crimes will definitely catch up with you". When they were at a considerable distance, Rexford shouted from his cell. Mr Wrisberg paused momentarily, prompting others to pause as well, given how they were walking behind Mr. Wrisberg.It seemed as if he was about to turn around and say something, but he resumed his pace a moment later leading the others to follow the same suit.

    Once they were out of the cellar, Caleb questioned, "What was he talking about? What happened to uncle Jay"?

    "It is classified information. Like I have said before, I cannot disclose the specifics". Mr Wirsberg announced and left.

    Caleb turned to his brother with a much more inquisitive expression, "Well"?

    Christian shook his head and looked down on the ground, "To be honest, I don''t know everything either."

    "Seemed like you do". Caleb accused.

    "I knew it was fishy. I suspected itˇ­ beforehand. Knowing Dad well enough, I didn''t bother to ask".

    "What do you think Dad is hiding from us"? Caleb frowned before taking his leave.

    "Do you really think he got the right person? What if someone more is involved. What if he was lying about failing whatever he was planning when he used me as a deception"? Sebastian asked Christian, bringing him back from his own world.

    "I don''t know," Christian mumbled. They walked back to the office to be unwelcomed by Mr. Wrisberg. However after much persuasion he let them in and voiced their concern.

    "We don''t know what he did. Can you really trust his words"? Christian tried to reason with his uptight father.

    "Yeah. I can assure you he was not lying". Mr Wirsberg announced.

    "But, how"? Christian frowned.

    Mr Wrisberg glared at them hoping they would back off, but unfortunately both them seemed quite determined to dig the truth out. "Fine". Mr Wrisberg sighed. "I have this thing, colloquially popular as truth serum. I gave it to him. If he was willing to talk, he was not lying".

    "Wait a minute"? Sebastian prompted before Christian could say anything further. "You had this thing with you, and you didn''t think to use it on me? You would have easily known that I was telling the truth when I got accused of attacking this guy". He huffed in frustration pointing at Christian.

    "Who said I didn''t"? Mr Wirsberg questioned him back.

    Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn''t decide what to ask as a bunch of questions swarmed his mind. That is when Christian took charge, "Is this why you were willing to let him out when I told you we have other evidence that he was drugged"?

    "Uh-huh". Mr Wirsberg straightened himself in his chair. "I couldn''t let him out without any solid proof, not with the knowledge that whoever was behind this was someone who is close to us. I had to be careful".

    "Thenˇ­" Sebastian fumbled. "How did Iˇ­ not know about being under its influence"?

    "That''s how it works. Like I said, if he was willing to talk, he was telling the truth. With him, he might have tried to lie his way out, but I guess you were determined to tell us what happened exactly as it is so you didn''t notice something was off." Mr Wrisberg explained. "Basically, I did what I did with Quentin. Keep you in the cell to fool the real culprit".

    "Why didn''t you just tell me that before"?  Sebastian scoffed. "Do you have any idea how miserable that horrible place made me"?

    "I can imagine". Mr Wrisberg sighed. "But, unfortunately I couldn''t trust you fully yet. In case you haven''t noticed, we don''t know much about you and neither are you a part of this pack".

    "So you are suspicious of everyone"? Sebastian sneered. "That''s borderline paranoia".

    "I guess". Mr Wrisberg shrugged. "Now, get out of here"! He snarled at both of them.

    Sebastian rolled his eyes in distaste before walking out of that room. Christian however took a moment to comprehend the situation before he walked out as well. He pushed his father enough for the day, maybe he should try persuading him some other day.

    He caught Sebastian on his way to his car, "So, I guess you are leaving then"? He asked.

    Sebastian paused, "For now".

    Christian smirked as he raised his eyebrows which did not go unnoticed by Sebastian; following a sigh he spoke, "Look, I had funˇ­ working on this mystery. Sure it was hectic and all, but I guess being a wolfˇ­ and getting to use that part of me while working on somethingˇ­" He struggled to find the right words.

    "Felt nice"? Christian offered.

    "I suppose". Sebastian snorted. "But, I have a life out there I just cannot abandon. I am famous, which brings quite a responsibility on my shoulders. I mean sure, not that famous, but I have fansˇ­ and I am sure they would mind if I disappear abruptly. Plus I love what I do." He shrugged.

    "Then why did you say, ''for now''?" Christian questioned. "It doesn''t seem like you plan to return".

    "I have unfinished business. And like you said, it''s not absolutely essential to be present here all the time even if I am the part of this pack. I think I am going to take advantage of that." Sebastian smiled."Goodbye".

    "Goodbye". Chrsitian bid his farewell, and once Sebastian''s car was out of his sight, he whispered, "For now".

 Chapter 135 - Control

    Caleb ran to the pack house as fast as he could, once he left St Demoir''s. He was frustrated with the way things turned out, and honestly a little bit scared as he found out Rexford was aware of his secret. Did he tell the others? He wondered. How long did he have before others figure out his secret as well? Was it even worth it to keep this secret anymore? He wondered.

    Lately, ever since he had a spat with Ashton, he felt like things were going out of control. Sure, he assumed stuff like this would happen to them sooner or later, but he didn''t fathom how this would screw things up. He always assumed he would find a way out, like he always did with Ashton before. He was pretty good at getting through Ashton''s head after all. This time however, his mate seemed adamant.

    He went straight to Ashton''s room instead of his own as soon as he crossed the front door. In fact, even upstairs, Caleb barged into Ashton''s room as if he was about to yell at Ashton. Fortunately for Ashton, and unfortunately for Caleb, Ashton was not in his room. ''Where are you''? Caleb found himself wondering out loud.

    He focused his linking and tried to connect to Ashton. The permission required to link to other members of the pack was not something that was applicable when it came to them. Maybe that''s the reason why mates were so vulnerable to each other. However, it seemed Ashton was yet to be aware of Caleb''s presence in his head, and Caleb decided to keep it that way.

    He saw familiar surroundings once he connected. The place, albeit it''s wilderness, radiated a sense of calm. On a proper run down on his memory lane he recalled where that place was and decided to head out there.

    After finding his way through the bushes he gazed at Ashton from his back, who himself was lost in his thoughts as he stared aimlessly at the distance. Caleb pondered upon why Ashton seemed so lost. He recalled in his head how Ashton hesitated the first time they were here. Thinking back, Ashton always did his best to hold back just not to end up hurting Caleb. Maybe, Caleb shouldn''t have pushed him the other day?

    "Ashton"? He called out prompting him to look back. Even with a blank face, there was a tinge of surprise on Ashton''s eyes, confused that how did Caleb know where he was. The lack of Caleb''s smell, and the lack of attention from Ashton prevented him detecting his mate''s presence earlier.

    "Why are you here"? Ashton asked after a moment.

    "We need to talk"! Caleb declared. Ashton looked away, so Caleb approached him, forcing him to look him in the eyes as he continued further. "Look, I agree, I don''t exactly understand why you are so bothered but if we don''t talk about it then what happens to us"?

    "We will be fine". Ashton declared. "I won''t let this happen ever again". He gritted his teeth.

    "By never having sex"? Caleb rolled his eyes and received a momentary glare from Ashton. Soon enough, he looked away once more. "Listen, I know you lost a little bit of control, but did you ever know why I didn''t stop you"? He raised his voice.

    "Because it wouldn''t have mattered anyways"? Ashton suggested.

    "Please". Caleb scoffed. "If I wanted I could have thrown you off easily. Your inner wolf might be stronger than me, but it''s dumber". Ashton snapped his neck and looked him directly at his face with an unamused glare. "It''s true. I have defeated you twice in our wolf forms". Caleb supported his earlier argument.

    "What''s your point"? Annoyed, Ashton asked.

    "My point is, no matter how much out of control you were, you didn''t do anything I didn''t agree on. I wasn''t the one who was out of control and I was aware of everything that happened. You need to stop blaming yourself. If we are to regret what happened the other day, we are both to blame"! Caleb insisted.

    Ashton looked back at him with a softer expression. For a moment Caleb''s heart was filled with hope as he felt that he finally managed to get through Ashton. But soon enough Ashton looked away earning him a frustrated sigh from his mate.

    "If we can''t figure out such silly things, how are we supposed to be mates?" Caleb asked. His voice quivered a bit at the end. It was as if his fear was coming true. That Ashton would regret mating with him.

    Ashton looked back at Caleb and simply stared at him. He could feel that he was hurting his mate, which in turn was hurting him, but he wasn''t sure what to do about it. A part of him wanted to figure everything out before he proceeded with their relationship, and a part of him just wanted to hug his mate and comfort him.

    The battle between these two parts went on for a few seconds. Finally the later won and Ashton engulfed Caleb in a giant embrace. Caleb returned that hug enthusiastically and both of them remained like that for a long while. Caleb buried his face on Ashton''s shoulders and savoured the moment as much as he could. "I am sorry for hurting you. Both then and now". Ashton mumbled in between the hug.

    "To be fair, I wasn''t exactly easy on you. I remember clawing your back". Caleb teased making Ashton''s eyes go wide. As mentioned before, Ashton barely remembered what happened the other night, which is why he didn''t remember getting clawed. But now he realised why his back stung so much in the morning.

    "And here I thought only I have a problem with controlling myself". Ashton snickered.

    "You were right. I did them on purpose, as a revenge." Caleb joked and both of them ended up laughing.

    "Soˇ­ we are good"? Once they were both quieted down, Caleb asked.

    "Yeah". Ashton nodded. Snaking his hand onto Caleb''s neck he pulled him in for a deep passionate kiss. Maybe Ashton still won''t be able to control himself, but for now he was willing to take a leap of faith in their relationship and was willing to work on it in a more productive way. In a way which won''t hurt them like this, both physically and emotionally.

    After a while when their lips finally separated their foreheads made contact with each other as they savoured the moment. Gradually they opened their eyes and simply stared at each other. No words left their lips yet millions of words were spoken at that moment.

    "You know what we should do"? After a moment Caleb prompted.

    "What"?

    "Cross this water once more". Caleb shrugged.

    "You sure"? Ashton''s brow scrunched. Caleb nodded at him so Ashton began to take off his clothes.

    "Whoa"! Caleb shouted.

    "What"? Ashton frowned. "It''s not like I have other clothes with me, I need these if I don''t want to return home naked."

    "Yeah butˇ­ don''t you hide in the bushes or something"? Caleb reminded him.

    Ashton thought for a moment before he replied, "That was before you saw me naked. It doesn''t really matter anymore". Ashton shifted without waiting further and motioned Caleb to hop in. Caleb shook his head and mumbled "This time, I am doing this on my own. I will come after you". He motioned with his arm.

    Ashton linked him and asked, [That might not be the best idea. My wolf form is way bigger than yours, you might not make it.]

    Caleb frowned, clearly offended. "Hey, I will have you known that I am way faster than you are. You might have the advantage of size, but I have advantage of speed." He argued.

    [Suit yourself] Ashton''s wolf low-growled at him before making the jump. At the other shore he turned around and looked at Caleb. Even from far Ashton could make out a smirk on Caleb''s face as he took a few steps back. He shifted at the farthest point and ran towards the edge. He was just as inch away from the shore when he made a jump for it.

    Indeed his speed gave him a good edge as his leap was bigger that Ashton anticipated. Ashton was oddly satisfied that he was wrong, but too bad it didn''t stay for long as Caleb dropped just before he reached the shore, literally just a few inches away.

    [CALEB!] Ashton screamed through the link as he bowed over the edge to look for his mate. It is hard to spot anything with the heavy flow of water. Ashton called out to his mate quite a few times but to no avail. When Ashton was about to jump in he saw the white wolf emerge from the water. From the looks of it, it seemed Caleb had things under control as he swam over to the other side.

    One would think that this misadventure would make him feel annoyed, but Caleb was laughing once he changed back into his human form. He didn''t abandon the river and supported himself on the edge.

    In his wolf form Ashton ran down to him and changed back to his human form before joining him in the water. "You should have taken my offer". Ashton blurted.

    "Nah". Caleb chuckled. "This was way more fun".

 Chapter 136 - First Crush

    After a whole afternoon of swimming and stuff they walked home. On the way Caleb explained to Ashton everything that took place earlier that day. How Rexford was the main culprit behind the scenes.

    Ashton was quite surprised and wondered if anyone was left trustworthy in this pack anymore. If the beta himself was so untrustworthy, who knows who else might betray them any other day. What''s surprising was that even after all that scheming he never got caught for it despite being connected to everyone with the pack link.

    When they were entering through the main gate, they saw both the twins coming from somewhere as well. "Where have you been?" That''s the first thing Ashton asked the moment they noticed him.

    Ariel opened her mouth to explain but Ava beat her to it, "We could ask you the same thing. It''s not even the rainy season and yet all your hair is wet".

    Ashton blinked surprised by the sudden question while Caleb suppressed a laugh. Turns out Ava was not in the mood for questioning. After taking a moment to recover Ashton spoke, "We went swimming. Now you". He asked sternly.

    "..." Ava remained quiet.

    "We went to the park," Ariel added.

    "That''s so far," Ashton frowned. "Did you guysˇ­ walk there?".

    "Not the children''s park. The park nearby. We went for an evening walk" Ariel shrugged.

    Ashton narrowed his brows at them but didn''t say anything apart from, "Alright" and left.

    When Ava was certain that Ashton was completely out of their earshot, Ava pinched Ariel real hard. "Ouch! What the help Ava"! She shouted.

    "Why did you tell him where we were?" Ava whisper shouted at her.

    "What''s wrong with the park? And an evening walk? That was literally the perfect excuse"! Ariel retorted.

    "Except we were at the park so that was not just some excuse." Ava huffed.

    "No, but we didn''t go for a walk. We went to play baseball" Ariel glared at her.

    "Yeah, I doubt Ashton would mind us playing baseball". Ava rolled her eyes.

    "He probably won''t. But he might not react so well as to why we were playing baseball with unknown teenagers". Ariel scoffed.

    "What do you mean why"? Ava frowned. "I just love baseball" she shrugged.

    "Yeah? You didn''t even know what home run is". Ariel pointed out and scoffed.

    "Which is why I went to learn. I found my new hobby" Ava declared proudly.

    "Yeah your new hobby was the tall pitcher of the opposite team" Ariel smirked.

    Ava''s eyes widened twice as big as its size. "What do you mean?" She asked hesitantly.

    "We both know what I mean. You don''t think I noticed you staring at him before we went in?" Ariel gave her sister a smug smile.

    Ava frowned before mumbling, "Whatever." Ariel was quite amused by her sister''s reaction and as much as she wanted to enjoy teasing her sister about her first crush since they moved here she didn''t want to be too mean. She knew things would turn ugly if Ava got mad for real.

    "Who was the pitcher?" A deep voice came from the back making the girls turn in a reflex. They saw a smirking Caleb leaning against the door enjoying the commotion in front of him.

    "When did you get here?" Ava shrieked.

    "Thanks to Ashton I can sneak in on people'''' Caleb suppressed a laugh. "I was there the whole time. You guys were so focused on Ashton''s footsteps that you didn''t even bother with me". He smirked.

    Both Ava and Ariel looked at each other with a tinge of worry before they looked at Caleb, "Please don''t tell Ashton" Ava begged.

    "We love Ashton, but he can be a bit overprotective of us," Ariel added.

    "Yeah, tell me about it" Caleb snorted. "I have to deal with him almost on a daily basis." Caleb groaned.

    "Hey, we didn''t choose him. You did" Ava said smugly.

    "He told me how he met you, I agree to disagree" Caleb smiled smugly.

    "Whatever." Ava rolled his eyes.

    "So? What''s his name? The baseball prince?" Caleb asked.

    "Ughhh" Ava cringed. "He is not any prince. Alsoˇ­ I don''t know his name"

    "What"? Caleb sighed. "How can you not know his name?"

    "I didn''t get to ask him!" Ava shouted that regretted it immediately.

    "Okay, calm down girl" Caleb patted her.

    "When you had a crush on Ashton, was it hard for you to talk to him?" Ava asked.

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb thought for a moment. "My crush developed gradually, soˇ­ not so much. I mean, he talks so less talking was barely an issue. My major issue was confession".

    "Wait, so you confessed first?" Ariel, who was excited jumped.

    "Uh-huh" Caleb nodded. He explained to the twins everything on how they met and how they got together. Of course it kept it rated PG because they were still quite young despite their rapid growth.

    Once Caleb was done both the twins seemed to be smiling from ear to ear. "Look at you, being so bold. I wish it was this easy for me" Ava sighed.

    "You wanna confess?" Caleb asked.

    "Not really. But I would like to talk to him. Maybe find out his name. He is really good looking" Ava sighed.

    Caleb chuckled, "How long have you known that pitcher?"

    "A while now. I ran into him when he came to school to pick up his brother." She shrugged. "He is in high school, I think. He looked like it." Ava informed him. Caleb simply nodded at her.

    "Actually he is in high school. Few guys told me in the field", Ariel added. Ava looked at her sister and almost jumped to find out a detail about him.

    "Did they tell you his name?" Caleb asked. Ariel shook her head slightly in response. "Wait, does he go to our high school?" Caleb asked.

    "I guess, there aren''t many schools here," Ariel shrugged.

    "Alright then. I will help you guys find him. After all he''s Ava''s first crush" Caleb teased.

    "He is not my gutsy crush."Ava prompted. "But, he is my first crush here" Ava put her face in hands as embarrassment kicked in.

    Special author''s note: If this chap seems a bit rushed, it''s because it was. Due to some mishap I had to replace this chapter and thus I had to write this fast. Hopefully this isn''t too boring or random.

 Chapter 137 - Tour

    Caleb stood outside the huge campus and started to wonder if choosing to come here was the right decision. Sure, he was yet to enroll anywhere at this point, but coming here was one of the biggest challenges he might have to face in a long time. Should he have waited another year? Maybe then he and Ashton could have joined college together? Assuming his skeptical Dad would let Ashton out of his sight.

    He still had time to apply, so he simply decided to enjoy the college tour along with his brother who prompted him from his reverie, "You alright"?

    "Yeah" Caleb breathed, trying to convince both himself and his brother.

    "Sure? You seem to be second guessing". Christian raised an eyebrow.

    "This is a big decision, of course I am. This place is almost 12hours from home. If I go here full time I will barely get toˇ­" he wanted to say ''see Ashton'' but he didn''t want to sound like an ungrateful brother so he replaced that with a "see our family".

    "Yeah, the family who is yet to graduate high school" Christian who did guess about his brother correctly, scoffed.

    "Whatever. Let''s just get on with it".  Caleb huffed and gathered along with everyone else at the start of the tour. The tour guide was yet to come so everyone else was busy either with talking to their family, or they were busy getting to know each other.

    Caleb wasn''t planning on friendships yet, so he was relieved when the tour guide showed up. Starting from the gate, the tour guide gave a brief introduction of this place, and it''s rich heritage. This place was known for many famous alumni which seemed to intrigue many of the visitors.

    She showed everyone around, all the places that were assigned for particular stuff and then the places which are free to visit for everyone. Once they were done, Christian asked his brother. "So, what do you think"?

    "It''s not bad," Caleb admitted honestly. "If I were any other normal human being, I would love to take classes here".

    "But"? Chrstian sensing the train of thoughts raised his eyebrows.

    "Well, what if I decide to do this and I end up regretting it"? Caleb voiced his concern.

    "What if you don''t? And all of this works out"? Christian suggested, earning an exasperated sigh from Caleb. "Look, I know it''s a big decision. But it''s okay to make a few wrong choices in your life. If it ends up you don''t fit in, I will come and get you out of here".

    Caleb ended up laughing at his Brother''s words, "What am I? Four? You need to rescue me from school".

    "Well, my baby brother sure is being a baby about it, so why not". Christian played along earning a momentary glare. "Did you talk to Ashton about it? About how you feel? Do you have any idea how he feels about this whole thing"? Christian asked with a serious tone once the joking environment passed.

    Caleb nodded slowly before he said, "I mean, I only asked him for his opinion. For someone who claims to be possessive, I was surprised when he blurted ''Go for it'' the moment I popped the question". Caleb confessed with much distaste. "I wasn''t sure whether to be glad or offended". He scowled.

    "Maybe he is just saying that. You know, because he thinks you want to come here"? Christian suggested.

    "I guess. When I told him about this place he did seem tense until I explained why I chose this place. It''s farther away from any wolf packs, it''s mostly for humans so it would be easier to blend in for me without getting in trouble". Caleb shrugged.

    "Seems perfect". Christian shrugged.

    "Yeah, butˇ­" Caleb sighed. "I barely know anyone here. Which is exactly what I planned for but... it''s still scary. Never have I ever had to deal with such such a huge change. I grew up with the same set of people and even though our friendships changed, they were still the same people." He explained.

    "So, you are worried you would get lonely"? Christian asked carefully.

    Caleb shrugged. "Happened to Matt".

    "And now he is barely home because he got a new girlfriend." His brother pointed out. "I mean you surely have a mate so the same won''t happen to you, but who knows? You might end up meeting some awesome new people here." Christian said softly.

    "I guess", Caleb smiled and mumbled, "Thanks". Even though his dilemma was still there, he did better. Sharing his worries indeed helped, instead he felt silly for bottling them up.

    "Caleb"? A high pitched familiar voice called him out.

    Caleb looked around frantically until he saw the person he was looking for, "Karolyn"? He smiled. "What are you doing here". He approached her and asked her.

    "What do you mean? I go to this college. What about you"? She asked enthusiastically. She was indeed quite excited to see her old friend after such a long time.

    "I am thinking about coming here". Caleb admitted. "Wait, there are otherˇ­" he looked around before lowering his voice. "...wolves here"?

    "If there were, I won''t be here." Karolyn mumbled. "Don''t get me wrong, I love all the pack sentiment and all, but damn do they take up all your time. I don''t want my academics to suffer because of it." She declared.

    "Such a nerd", Caleb teased while Karolyn shot him a pretend glare before both of them ended up chuckling.

    "Well, speaking of academics, I have to head out now. Let me know if you join, I can help you around if needed" she smiled and disappeared.

    "Well, it seems like you do know someone here, after all". Chrsistian who observed their entire interaction snorted.

    "I guess" Caleb, much calmer than before smiled. "I think I might come here." He declared before taking a leave.

    Due to their long journey they were supposed to spend the night here. After the hectic day and dinner when it was finally time to fall asleep there were two things that kept Caleb awake. First was his brother''s way to loud snoring from the bed on the other side of the room.

    Secondly, it''s because he missed his mate. For the past few months he had gotten used to being close to his mate, with Ashton living together. Not that he would admit easily but he did kind of get attached to Ashton. As a mate it was a given thing, but he wondered if one night apart drove him crazy, then how would he spend weeks in his college.

    He was deep in his thoughts when he heard someone in his head which brought a smile to his face [You awake?]

    [Yeah. Why are you awake though? It''s 1 o''clock.] Caleb asked him back.

    [Just, wanted to know. How today went?] Ashton clarified. [Did you like that place?]

    [I did actually. It''s great] Caleb informed. Despite his worries he had to admit he was charmed by this college.

    [Thenˇ­ will you move next year?] Ashton asked, reluctantly.

    [If I get in, sure. This place has a lot of suitors] Caleb chuckled in his head. [Why? Do you not want me to go?]

    [No!] Ashton exclaimed. [I mean, no I want you to go]. He explained.

    [Well, when you graduate you can come and join me] Caleb suggested. A part of him wanted for Ashton to hold him back, but he didn''t want to come off as too needy so he held back.

    [Will do!] Ashton replied. [You can be the one to give me a campus tour] he added.

    [Then maybe you should work on your scholastics.] Caleb chuckled.

    [I am sure Captain of the football team whose team didn''t miss a single trophy sounds good on the application.] Ashton suggested with smug.

    [Don''t get too cocky, you still have the finals left] Caleb scolded him playfully.

    Such playful teasing words were exchanged more or less for the entire night. He was so immersed in his conversation that he didn''t realise how long they were talking until the sun peeked inside the room through the narrow slit of the curtains.

    He was surprised that he managed to pull an all nighter just for talking. He was more surprised that so did Ashton. That guy was bad at staying up all night, and yet Caleb wondered how Ashton wasn''t asleep yet.

    [It''s morning already, don''t you have to sleep?] Caleb asked his mate.

    [Meh. Today is Saturday, I will sleep in the whole day] Ashton shrugged it off. [See you soon] he mumbled and let go of the link.

    Caleb tried to drift off himself as well, but in no less than twenty minutes his brother shook him violently enough to wake up a dead man. "What do you want"!? Caleb shouted at his brother.

    "You can sleep in the car, but we really need to get going". Christian declared. After a tiny tug of war with the blanket Caleb finally freshened up with reluctance and frustration until they hit the road. Caleb took the backseat where once more he drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 138 - Walking Down The Memory Lane

    When Caleb returned, he found a very sleepy Ashton immersing himself in a cup of black coffee while sitting all by himself in the cafeteria he used to work in. "Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you"? Caleb asked his mate the moment he spotted him.

    Sluggishly Ashton moved his eyes and looked up at his mate. "I couldn''t sleep. The twins dragged me to buy stuff for them".

    "Maybe from next time you shouldn''t stay up for the whole night for no apparent reason". Caleb scoffed.

    "You were busy the whole day! What was I supposed to do"? Ashton snapped in his sleepy daze.

    "I was away just for a day, what will you do once I enroll full time? Abandon sleep"? Caleb voiced his concern.

    "I will find a way. I have a busy life". Ashton shrugged

    Caleb chuckled and shook his head. He received an unamused glare from Ashton, so he cleared his throat and asked."Why didn''t you take a rain check? With the mall activities and all"?

    "They are starting high school next fall and they are excited. I don''t wanna kill that enthusiasm". Ashton shrugged and took a large sip of coffee.

    "Calm down there boy" A voice of a middle aged woman spoke. "I don''t want my ex-employee to get caffeine poisoning" Mrs Meyers scolded him before she disappeared.

    Caleb tried to suppress his chuckle before he asked Ashton, "Why are you getting coffee now? Just go and home and get some rest".

    Finishing his last sip he mumbled, "Too late". Caleb simply shook his head at his behavior. "How did you find me here? That reminds me, how do you find me so easily these days"? Ashton asked. He had been surprised many times by Caleb''s sudden arrival quite a few times, and although he meant to ask, he forgot to.

    Caleb thought for a moment before saying, "That''s a secret". He smirked. Ashton rolled his eyes before both of them left the cafeteria.

    On reaching home, Caleb was informed that his father called for him so he asked Ashton to get some rest. Ashton was about to explain how his system was filled with caffeine when Caleb cut in, "You are a pureblooded Alpha. You have high enough metabolism. You will be good to sleep in no time". Caleb scolded and disappeared.

    Ashton sighed and did as was asked. Sleep continued to evade him so he simply closed his eyes and started to ponder upon Caleb''s words. He agreed with Caleb''s plan because he didn''t want to be too selfish. It''s just a year, they should be fine right? At least for their sake, he hoped so.

    He would have loved if Caleb stayed home one more year and they could attend college together. Then again, Caleb said he didn''t want to lose another year. He hates that circumstances wouldn''t let Caleb choose college as an option before, but with no scent now, Caleb could move forward in life just the way he wanted.

    When Caleb told him his plan he tried his best to be supportive. Thinking logically he thought maybe it was for the best. But somehow he was darn sure he would miss his mate. For someone who was a loner most of his life, he sure got way too attached to someone else.

    His thoughts took various twists and turns and by the time he opened his eyes he noticed a presence next to him. He turned his head and saw Caleb was laying there playing with his phone. "You know, I have to ask. Why don''t you ever lock your door? I can get in easily whenever I come here". Caleb asked him, still looking at his screen.

    Ashton cleared his throat before he replied, "That is exactly why I never lock it".

    Caleb froze and looked at him wide eyed. "Wait for real"? Ashton nodded. That''s when he noticed that it was quite late in the noon. Wait did he actually manage to fall asleep.

    "When did you get here? How long was I out?" Ashton asked.

    "For a while. I heard you snore". Caleb chuckled. "If you are up to it  let''s go out tonight." Caleb prompted.

    "Sure" a faint smile appeared on Ashton''s face. "Why so suddenly"?

    "Why, do you mind"? Caleb frowned.

    "What? No! I am all in". Ashton clarified in a hurried manner. "But, can I ask, where are we going"?

    "You know, justˇ­ go out and everything. With our lives we barely get to spend quality time together like normal couples do". Caleb shrugged.

    "Yeah, but then again, we aren''t a normal couple", Ashton mused.

    "Yeah" Caleb laughed. "We are indeed rare".

    Caleb took Ashton to his old house which appeared to be quite dusted now. With everything going on, this place was left unattended for a long time. Ashton was confused as to why Ashton brought him here. In it''s condition how could they possibly have a good time here.

    "You know, now that I think about itˇ­" Caleb began to mumble. "This place holds a lot of key moments for us".

    "Really"? Skeptically asked Ashton.

    "Yes. Think about it. This is where we found out about each other''s secretsˇ­"

    "Actually, it was in that inn outside the town." Ashton prompted. "Your memory seems compromised".

    "No, I remember that. But, that was the first time I came here. I was terrified because you were the first one to find out my secret apart from my family". Caleb clarified.

    "And on top of that, I just happened to be a pureblooded Alpha". Ashton added.

    "Yeah, that too" Caleb shrugged. "I was very skeptical about your true intentions" He laughed as those memories popped up.

    "Well, I can understand why. My kind is known for its bad reputation". Ashton shrugged.

    Caleb remained silent as he opened the door to Ashton''s old room carefully. They came up here amidst their chit chat. "This place looks soˇ­" Caleb struggled to find the right word.

    "Dead"? Ashton suggested.

    "Yeah" Caleb snorted. Even though he didn''t live here anymore, he had a hard time seeing this place in such bad condition. He tried to dust off the bed at first, and when that didn''t work he took off the bed sheet exposing the mattress.

    Caleb felt bad and offered help. Ashton denied it right away and instead made him sit on the bed while he roughly cleaned up his room. "You do realize that once we are gone this place will get dirty once more"? Caleb couldn''t help but ask.

    "So what? Should we walk on this dirt"? Ashton grunted.

    "No, I meanˇ­" Caleb sighed. "It took you almost half an hour to clean this place up. We won''t be even here for long".

    "Then maybe you should''ve said something earlier," Ashton frowned.

    "Forget it" Caleb dismissed him. Their conversation was headed off to useless conflict, and he didn''t want to ruin this evening they had. "Just sit here". He patted the empty space next to him. Ashton frowned and eyed him suspiciously before complying.

    Both of them sat next to each other in a comfortable silence. They simply enjoyed each other''s presence as that''s the one thing they won''t get to have anymore. "You know, I am going to miss you. Once I leave". Caleb whispered.

    "So will I". Ashton admitted honestly. "But I think we can make it work". Ashton assured. Caleb wasn''t sure if his mate was simply consoling him or he actually meant it, but somehow Caleb was convinced.

    After a moment of proper thought, Caleb mumbled "Can I make a crazy request"? Ashton turned at him, took a pause, and then nodded at him. "You told me you have never let out the full strength of your scent. No one is here, why don''t you do it?" Caleb suggested. "I know your scent doesn''t bother me, so it''s a perfect situation."

    "I guessˇ­ that''s okay" Ashton mumbled after giving it a thought. "But why do you want me to"?

    "I am curious," Caleb declared. "Pleaaaseee" Caleb sang.

    Ashton cringed at the overt sweetness of his mate before sighing. He shut his eyes tight, and put his all energy in letting go of his control. It''s been so long that he almost forgot how to let go.

    Caleb followed each and every details on his face as the intensity of his mates scent increased. He could even smell his own scent, but Ashton''s scent was much more delightful. Gradually, the forehead creases on Ashton''s face smoothened, like how it does when you finally let go of something you have been holding in for a long time.

    Caleb could tell that the scent drew him closer to Ashton. The stronger it got the harder it got for Caleb to restrain himself from burying his nose in Ashton''s neck, the area of strongest pheromones. Caleb bit his inner lip to the point of bleeding just to keep him in check with reality.

    A part of him was glad he wasn''t around this scent all the time. It would drive him crazy on a daily basis. On the other hand he also wished that Ashton would let out his scent more often. Caleb wasn''t yet over his inner turmoil yet when Ashton opened his eyes slowly. On careful observation, he realised that the entire eyeball of Ashton turned into a red orb.

 Chapter 139 - To Remember (R18)

    Caleb wasn''t sure what enticed him the most. The intoxicating scent or those glowing red orbs adding just the right amount of vigor to Ashton''s persona. All he knew, that at that very moment he was enchanted. "Your eyesˇ­" he whispered.

    "What about them"? In a deeper than usual voice Ashton asked him. It was a bit odd to hear him like this. It was hard for him to determine whether or not Ashton was in full control right now or his wolf took over.

    Gradually the blazing red orbs shifted back to its original dark one. "Are you okay"? He asked in a clearer voice when Caleb didn''t answer him. To make matters worse Caleb simply kept staring at his mate. Ashton leaned in further and shook him gently. "Caleb"?

    Caleb blinked, until his eyes refocused on his face. "I am fine". He declared. "Your scentˇ­ it''sˇ­"he wasn''t sure how to explain it. It felt like a lot, and yet it felt right.

    "Too much, uh? And That''s why I keep it down". Ashton chuckled.

    "I liked it". Caleb mumbled without even realising.

    Ashton looked at him and noticed Caleb starting at his neck. There was a tinge of pinkish hue on his cheeks that gave an idea about what must be going inside that head of his. Ashton shook him once more to catch his attention, "You sure, you okay"?

    Clearing his throat he replied, "Definitely"!

    Ashton smirked, before slamming his lips onto his mate''s. Despite his initial desire, the sudden kiss did feel a bit sudden which is why it took him a second before he could respond. Nonetheless he responded with equal, if not more, enthusiasm and kissed him back with equal vigor.

    Amidst their make out session, Ashton pushed Caleb gently on the bed while muffled moans started to ring into his ears. Caleb had something else planned for the evening, but he had to admit he was loving the unexpected turn their evening was taking.

    Caleb still tried his best not to get his hopes up, because ever since that incident months ago, that is correct, MONTHS, Ashton found some or the other ways to avoid having sex. Why would this time be any different? He wondered. Caleb didn''t want to fight over it so he didn''t bring up the subject.

    Ashton''s pushed down on him, increasing the force of the not so gentle anymore kiss. Finally when they couldn''t keep up with the lack of air in their lungs, they pulled away and gasped trying to catch their breaths. Caleb knew this was it, until he felt the same pair of soft lips at the nape of his neck. As much as he loved the tingling sensation, he yelled, "Stop"!

    Startled, Ashton pulled away and stared at Caleb with confusion. He wasn''t sure what to ask as hundreds of questions ran through his head. He simply stared at Caleb with confusion and pursed his lips. "You can''t keep doing this to me". Caleb explained.

    "Kiss"? Ashton frowned.

    "No, this"! He insisted. "Every time things start to heat up you always find an excuse to stop midway leaving me hanging." Caleb declared. With the prospect of leaving, lately he had been feeling a lot of emotions, which was one of the reasons why he found it hard to keep it in. "I know you are still scared of what can happen if we do it, but this sucks"!

    Ashton stared at those teary eyes below and realised how his actions might have been counterproductive. "I am sorry". Ashton mumbled.

    "I don''t want an apology". Caleb whispered. "I will be gone soon, Ashton. Once I am off to college we will already see less of each other, do you really want to be so distant even now"? He asked.

    Ashton looked away before he shook his head. Caleb snaked his left hand to Ashton''s cheek and made him look Caleb in the eye. They didn''t stay anything for a while and simply stared at each other. After a moment, Ashton pushed himself and planted a soft kiss on Caleb''s forehead. "It sucks for me too, you know". He mumbled.

    "I know", Caleb assured.

    "But I don''t want you to remember all these memories once you go." Ashton declared. Once again his lips found his way to Caleb''s and gave him a shower of kisses on not only his lips, but to his entire face. "This.. timeˇ­ I won''tˇ­ stop". Ashton mumbled in between kisses.

    Caleb''s heart fluttered at those words and pulled further Ashton closer to him by his waist while getting lost in the moment. Before they knew it, both of them laid naked while their bare skin brushed against each other. Ashton left a trail of wet kisses throughout Caleb''s entire body while Caleb simply moaned, unrestrained and expressive of his deepest desire.

    Ashton moved on to erect beads on his chest and nibbled and played with them until Caleb''s moans turned into cries of pleasure. To add onto the torture Ashton played with the semi hard below member poking at his abdomen.

    Caleb felt himself at his limit and pulled on Ashton''s hair unconsciously while he was at it. Just when he was about to release Ashton withdrew himself away from him earning a frustrated growl from Caleb. Before Caleb could say something, Ashton pulled him as well, and a swift movement flipped them over so that it was Ashton who laid on the bed while Caleb sat on top of him.

    Caleb''s eyes widened for a moment and while his cheeks turned to the color peach. Nevertheless, he was aroused enough to not give much thought into it and started rubbing onto Ashton. Ashton''s breath hitched as Caleb took initiative.

    He snaked his hands to grab his butt and massaged it thoroughly which increased Caleb''s pace. After a while, putting each finger from both the sides, Ashton stretched Caleb''s quivering hole. "Ash..!!" Caleb moaned out loud at the sudden feeling of intrusion. Ashton smirked, but soon it turned into a frown.

    He pulled Caleb and whispered into his ears, "Did you, do this yourself"? Ashton asked. He had to admit, he was surprised how loosened up Caleb was, given it had been months since they did this.

    Caleb wanted to deny, but instead he shouted, "Whose fault is that"?!

    Ashton chuckled, positioned Caleb properly and slammed into him. Caleb''s voice crackled at the sudden intrusion. No amount of foreplay would ever be enough for the giant rod invading his back. Caleb held his breath trying to ignore the pain when Ashton started to move him up and down his member slowly.

    Once the pain started to get masked by pleasure Ashton stopped and ordered, "Move yourself". Caleb obliged gladly. With the pain it was hard to move at a faster pace, so Ashton helped him a little bit by matching his rhythm while holding him steady.

    Once, the entire cock vanished inside of him Caleb shivered. Not only did it hit the right spot, it was the deepest Caleb has ever been penetrated. His own cock sprang up as the intense amount of pleasure overtook his body.

    With the new feeling, Caleb increased his pace gradually but to both his horror and excitement he found the cock inside of him growing stretching his wrecked hole further apart. Never did it ever feel so intense, and with months of no sex it felt as if he was in the state of pure bliss.

    Forgetting everything, even his own name Caleb screamed "Ahh...Ashton..Ahh!" driving Ashton further crazy. Ashton bit onto Caleb''s bare chest as he felt nearing his release. Caleb was too preoccupied to feel the bite, while his blank mind focused on one and only thing, that is the waves of pleasure engulfing his entire body.

    Soon, Caleb found himself shaking violently as he came all over their abdomen. After a few more thrusts, he felt a spurt of thick hot liquid inside his gut. Caleb collapsed on top of his mate feeling energy drain out of his entire body. Despite being so tired he frowned when Ashton pulled away.

    They both breathed heavily trying to catch their breaths. "That was amazing". Ashton mumbled while he hugged Caleb tightly who laid on top of him.

    "And that''s why you shouldn''t have stopped yourself earlier" Caleb smirked against Ashton''s neck.

    Ashton smirked and mumbled, "Then maybe we should make up for all those lost times".

    Instead of shying away, Caleb licked the mark he made. "We sure should." This time before Ashton could do anything, Caleb started to leave wet kisses on his body, moving from his neck to his growing member. Taking a moment to appreciate the giant member that happened to be inside of him a moment ago, Caleb put it inside his mouth.

    It was way too big to fit inside his mouth even if he choked, so instead he used his hands to rub down the exposed area while his tongue licked the entire member, teasing the tip from time to time.

    Meanwhile, Ashton who was loving his mate taking charge of the situation, grazed his hair encouraging him to continue. Once, it was big enough, Caleb himself pushed himself down on the giant member. This time, thanks to their first session, it went right in. The cum from earlier worked as perfect lubricant making it easier for him to move.

    The pain was way less than before, and somehow the pleasure was way more magnified. From now on, Caleb would never give up with just one round. He kept moving until once more his insides and their sticky bodies were laced with cum.

    Somehow they didn''t even stop at two rounds. But no, they were far away from being done. As if the world is ending tomorrow, they kept going on and on until neither of them couldn''t take it anymore. And that''s how their entire night of planned date was ruined blissfully.

 Chapter 140 - Drop Off

    Caleb put the large suitcase in the trunk of his car when he heard a loud voice. "Wait"! Ashton came down running to him. It''s been several months since he came back from the tour and Caleb not only decided to enroll full time, but he also got accepted to Willmount University.

    His family was pretty alright with his moving out, especially after Caleb ensured that the likelihood of running into the supernatural was less. Of course he didn''t tell them about his encounter with Karolyn there.

    As for our mate duo, they tried to accept the upcoming change in their lives. That doesn''t mean it was easy on any of them. Caleb had a mix of both excitement and sorrow, but he had promised that they will talk everyday via link. Somehow distance never affected their link, which was comforting to both of them.

    As for Ashton, he was sure he would have trouble adjusting, but he was known for his self control and he was adamant on working this out. For this very reason he decided not to be present when Caleb took his leave. His sudden arrival was not only a surprise to Caleb, but also to Ashton himself.

    "What are you doing here"? Caleb asked. He didn''t mind Ashton''s presence though. On the contrary he was glad Ashton showed up. "I thought you had practice".

    "I did. I cancelled. We have a whole year to take care of it." Ashton shrugged. Since they won last year, the coach had confidence in Ashton''s leadership, and pretty much let him do whatever he wanted to do.

    "That''s irresponsible", Caleb reprimanded his mate.

    "Don''t worry, I know how to make up for that". Ashton shrugged. He took a deep breath following which he asked, "Can I come"?

    "To the college"? Caleb frowned. Ashton nodded meekly. "Well, that sounds great, but how do you plan on returning? My car will be with me". Caleb frowned.

    "I can take the bus. It''s a longer journey, but I am sure I can find a bus back home". Ashton shrugged.

    "Are you sure"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows. "It''s a long ride itself, the bus just makes it longer."

    "I don''t mind". Ashton shrugged. "Come on! Let me come", he insisted.

    Caleb sighed, "Fine".

    The drive was quite long, and if it was not for the fact that this would soon turn into a goodbye, it could have become a romantic long drive. They did various kinds of stuff while en-route. Caleb managed to drag him to an amusement park on the way, they stopped for street meat and they even managed to get the tire leaked in the middle of nowhere. Luckily Caleb had a spare.

    By the time they arrived at the premises, it was quite late in the evening. Once he got the key to room number 38, he entered the empty room and gawked at it. It was a much smaller room than the one he had back at Crescent Point. In fact, all the luxuries he enjoyed as the son of pack Alpha were behind him. Here, he would be just another guy. The thought both terrified and excited him.

    Ashton remained quiet the entire time and let Caleb have his moment. While for Caleb this would be a small room, Ashton has lived in a smaller space before. Back at the orphanage when he was young he literally had to share his bunk bed.

    "I guess this is it". Caleb mumbled, setting down his luggage.

    "I guess it is". Ashton added. "Nervous"? He asked a minute later once he got a glimpse of Caleb''s face.

    "A little," Caleb admitted honestly.

    "Well, this is your first time moving away from home. As someone who has done this pretty often, let me tell you one thingˇ­ " that drew caleb''s attention. "I don''t know what it will be like, adjusting to this new environment. It might be easy, it might be tough, although I think it would be latter". Caleb chuckled at that, "Whatever it is, eventually you will get used to it. It won''t feelˇ­ different anymore".

    "Thanks" Caleb smiled. "Who knew you can give a pep talk". Caleb teased.

    "Yeah, I am bad at those''''. Ashton agreed. "Well, do you need some help setting up? Or should I leave"?

    "Well, I could use some help, but what do you mean leave"? Caleb frowned. "It''s so late already, you would get nothing for your way back home. In fact me and Christian drove last time and yet we decided to stay here". Caleb''s voice was louder this time, which seemed a bit odd in this empty room.

    "Maybe, I can get a room somewhere"? Ashton suggested.

    "Nonsense!" Caleb scoffed. "You can spend the night here. My roommate won''t get here until tomorrow, you might as well stay with me". He offered.

    "Are you sure"? Ashton asked to which he received an affirmative nod. "Wait, how do you know about your roommate"?

    "The receptionist told me". Caleb shrugged. "I actually have no idea who he is, but I am guessing that he lives nearby if he is coming by tomorrow. Most of the students are here already".

    "Did you ever have a roommate before"? Ashton asked him skeptically.

    "Well, unless the sleepovers with Matt and George count when we were younger, I don''t think so". Caleb shrugged.

    Ashton shook his head, "Well, good luck" he mumbled. Ashton won''t admit to Caleb''s face but at this point he was worried once more. In all the hassle of Caleb leaving he forgot that his mate would also get an assigned roommate. Keeping aside his possessive side for Caleb, he was worried about him adjusting. Not to mention, he was worried what kind of guy Caleb''s new roommate would be.

    Ashton remained quiet most of the time, even quieter than his usual self. He helped Caleb clean his room, arrange his stuff and once they were done, they both headed off to dinner. Under normal circumstances outsiders weren''t allowed in the premises. But with so much turnover, with new students starting their year soon, it was difficult for the guards to determine who belonged here and who didn''t. Ashton being similar to their age blended right in.

    After the crazy day they had it was hard not to feel tired at all. Caleb took the bed on the left while Ashton decided to sleep in the empty bed on the right for the night. Their bed''s were narrow enough to not accommodate more than one person. Somehow Ashton found it difficult to fall asleep as he was worried once he woke up, it would be goodbye for real. He assured Caleb he was ready to let go, but he was yet to convince himself entirely.

    Ashton tossed and turned around in his bed trying his best to fall asleep. He needed the sleep if he were to make it home the next day, and yet somehow sleep evaded him. He even tried to count sheep, but that just made him hungry. "Move aside", the voice of his mate prompted him to open his eyes.

    Looking at the wall next to him he mumbled, "Where"?

    "Just lean to the wall". Caleb insisted. Ashton positioned himself on the side, his back touching the wall while Caleb took a similar position mirroring Ashton on the little space created by him. At this point, their back literally made up the border of the beds.

    "You do realise, that you can fall off any minute"? Ashton spoke once Caleb seemed comfortable.

    "Then don''t let me fall off you idiot", Caleb scoffed and pulled Ashton''s hand over his waist, followed by putting his own hand on Ashton''s. "This is okay, right?"

    "I guess. I just hope I don''t fall asleep in the middle of the road tomorrow" Ashton joked.

    "No! I meant us." Caleb clarified. "I still keep wondering if this is a huge mistake".

    "Don''t worry too much about it. Like I said, if this turns out to be a bad idea, you can always drop out". Ashton sighed.

    A giant smile crept up on Caleb''s lips and he hugged Ashton even tighter. He gave him a quick peck on Ashton''s lips and stared at him intently while Ashton stared back at him. "I am gonna miss you", Caleb whispered.

    "Me too" Ashton whispered back. "I am just a link away, Don''t forget that". Caleb nodded at him and closed his eyes. Ashton followed the same suit and closed his own eyes as well. Somehow, despite tremendous lack of space and the possibility of falling down the bed, both of them were much more comfortable like this.

    In fact, to Caleb this bed felt a lot more uncomfortable. But somehow despite everything, he managed to fall asleep.

    The next morning when he woke up he found his back touching Ashton''s chest and realized amidst their good night sleep he somehow ended up being the little spoon. Ashton''s softs snores reached Caleb''s ears and therefore he decided not to move and remained still.

    After almost an hour or so when Ashton finally woke up, Caleb got up and stretched himself. He went ahead to freshen up followed by Ashton, but once he was about to leave they heard a knock at the door.

 Chapter 141 - New Roommate

    Caleb opened the door to reveal a tall brunette guy carrying a bunch of stuff with him. He wasn''t as tall as Caleb, but may be mere inches shorter. Thanks to the black mask on his face Caleb couldn''t make out his face, but he could make out his beige complexion and his hazel eyes. "Hi! You must be my roommate". A deep voice spoke. "I am Warren Ewing". He held out his hand.

    Charmed by his friendly demeanor Caleb shook Warren''s hand, "Caleb Wrisberg".

    He was about to get inside when he noticed Ashton next to him. Stopping abruptly he asked, "Did I get the wrong room"? Caleb frowned, until he realised that this Warren guy mistook Ashton for his roommate.

    "No, this is my boyfriend". Caleb introduced a grumpy faced Ashton. "He is not my roommate".

    "Oh, hi". Warren greeted, taking off his mask. For a human, Warren did have a charming appearance. Ashton nodded simply and decided to take his leave.

    "I will be back later, get comfortable" Caleb instructed his new roommate and went out with Ashton. Catching up to him he asked, "Don''t tell me even he makes you jealous". Caleb snorted.

    "Actually he doesn''t", Ashton breathed. "I guess my Alpha instincts don''t get triggered by humans''''. He wondered.

    "Well, then I am glad I chose this school", Caleb admitted honestly. After having some pancakes, Ashton took the bus and left. He returned to his room to find his new roommate sprawled across the bed on the right while playing with his phone.

    Caleb wasn''t sure how to interact with him. Being roommates it was necessary for them to get along, but at the same time this is their first time meeting so it was bound to be a bit awkward. Caleb sighed and simply sat back on his seat.

    It seemed Warren finally noticed Caleb and looked up from his phone, "Hey"

    "Hey" Caleb nodded awkwardly.

    Somehow the guy seemed to miss that awkwardness and continued with his conversation, "So? Where are you from? I am from New Orleans".

    "Crescent Point. It''s a small town in the south". Caleb explained.

    "I see". He nodded. "Well, I hope we get along". Warren shrugged.

    "Me too" Caleb smiled. "Can I ask you something"? Warren nodded at him. "How come you are here so early in the morning".

    "Let''s just say I had to take the wrong flight on my way here due to last minute booking. I would be here early but I was on a trip with my family, andˇ­ well, let''s just say things went a little bit different than expected". He chuckled.

    "I see", Caleb nodded with an amused smile.

    "What about your boyfriend? He seemedˇ­" Warren trailed off finding the right way to describe his first impression.

    "Tense"? Caleb suggested.

    "Wellˇ­ that''s one way to put it". Warren snorted.

    "Don''t worry about him." Caleb brushed it off. "He can be like that. I think he was tense because we are parting waysˇ­ for now".

    "You guys are trying the long distance thing, huh? Warred smirked. "I don''t think I could do that. I specifically broke up with my girlfriend before I came here".

    Caleb snorted at that. Even though Caleb used the term boyfriend, their bond signified something more than that. It wasn''t some casual relationship like most teenagers have these days. It was a sacred mate bond between two werewolves. Of course, he could explain none of this to his human roommate so he simply shrugged. "He is a great guy. But he talks less". Caleb explained.

    Warren nodded at him with a smile, "So, what''s your major"?

    "Sports. Yours"?

    "Science. Biology to be precise". Warren shrugged.

    "Wow" Caleb mumbled.

    "Well, do you have any idea where we can get something to eat?" Warren asked.

    "There is a place down the street. I ate there last night. It should be open now" Caleb instructed. Warren thanked him and left.

    Throughout the day he kept wondering how far along Ashton was. As if Ashton could anticipate this he kept on texting Caleb his location every half an hour. When he got enough time he called his brother to let him know he was settled. In usual cases the kids call their parents too, but he barely talked with them while he was there, so why bother now?

    Apart from Ashton, he was also worried about his orientation the next day. It was a part of common college anxiety. A mix of excitement and anticipation running through the mind. His roommate''s chilled attitude did not help. Before meeting Warren, he did worry what kind of roommate he would get and so far it seemed like it was working.

    Thanks to Warren''s friendly nature, their interactions were less awkward than anticipated. Whenever he talked to Caleb, it seemed like he was talking to an old friend which put Caleb at ease. Caleb oddly enjoyed it.

    Back at pack house many kids avoided him due to his background. They didn''t want to get involved with him in case something goes wrong. In fact, whenever anyone talked to him it was either out of fear or respect. Of course Ashton was an exception, but he and his family were probably the only one.

    Of course he had Matt, but there were times when Matt could be a jerk. Now that he was settled at his own college and had a girlfriend, he barely made it home. He never met Tracey, but he simply hoped that she was better than Sara. He didn''t want his friend to suffer another heartbreak like that.

    Thinking of his friends Caleb recalled that here too he had a friend. SInce he was getting bored he decided to call her and see what she was upto. She told him that she was headed off to buy some supplies and if Caleb wanted he was welcome to join her.

    Caleb agreed and took his wallet as well, so that he could buy if he found something he needed. "So, how have you been"? He asked once he met up with Karolyn.

    "Same old." She shrugged. "What about you? Last I saw you, you were pinning for that boy who worked at the cafeteria". She asked with a suggestive smile. "I forgot his name, what is it"?

    "Ashton" Caleb reminded her.

    "Yeah. What happened with that. If you are here, should I assume something bad happened"? She narrowed her eyebrows.

    "On the contrary, we are mates now". Caleb gave her a giant smile.

    "Really?" A smile flashed on her face as if she was ready to squeal. "Then why the hell are you here?" She gave him a are-you-crazy look. "Wait, you said mates, does that mean you told him that you are a wolf? How did he take it"? She was so excited with the news that she kept bombarding him with these questions.

    Caleb frowned for a moment but soon he realised that there was a time when Ashton was considered as a human by almost everyone. He wondered if telling her the truth might be the right thing. Given how Ashton''s secret wasn''t so much of a secret anymore he decided to confide. "He knew".

    "Wait, what"? Karolyn scrunched her eyebrows while at the same time he filled up her cart in the mart.

    "Yeah, he himself is a wolf". Caleb admitted cheekily while putting a few cereals in his cart.

    "How? I don''t think I smelled any Alpha scent on his", her frown deepened as she tried her best to recall. Caleb explained to her everything. How Ashton was a pureblooded Alpha and how he hid his scent. He also told her that Caleb was aware of this secret before falling for him, although he didn''t reveal how he found out. If he did,he would have ended up revealing his own secret.

    Once he was done, Karolyn''s mouth was agape. "Wow, that''s a lot of drama".

    "Tell me about it", Caleb scoffed. "What about you? What''s going on with your life"? Caleb tried to divert the conversation. "Find any suitor''s yet"?

    "Not really", Karolyn shrugged.

    "Still hung up on me"? Caleb teased.

    "Eww!No!" Karolyn cringed. "I am justˇ­ not in a rush." She explained.

    "Your parents didn''t force you"?

    "Why would they?" Karolyn frowned. "They want me to live my life the way I want. They never tried to control it in the first place".

    "Wow, wonder what that''s like" Caleb scoffed. "Can your parents adopt me"? He joked.

    "No thank you. I already have three irritating brother''s of my own, I don''t want any more". Karolyn declared.

    They left the mart and drove back to the campus. It was Caleb who drove them here so it was up to him to drop Karolyn off to her building. She wished him a quick good luck before she left. When he returned he was momentarily stunned to see a messy bed on the other side of the room. The contrast from his own was clearly visible. Staring at that he realised that he might have to spend his next three years dealing with mess in his room after all.

 Chapter 142 - Orientation

    He made sure to wake up earlier than usual the next to next morning. Not that he slept early, but he was way too anxious to feel sleepy. He wondered if this is how Ashton felt everytime he moved. Till now everything went well and he looked forward to new things.

    In his class he saw all the new faces gawking at every individual that entered the room. It didn''t seem like they were checking the candidates. It appeared as if the students were waiting for the professor to show up.

    Caleb found an empty spot close to the alley a few rows later. He sat down and looked around himself wondering whether or not he should engage in any kind of interaction. He found few students who had already started to chat, and few sat idle just like him examining their own surroundings awkwardly.

    Even if he didn''t know anyone here, he felt glad that he wasn''t the only one who felt like this. He also noticed a few eyes at him checking him out from time to time. He had a handsome appearance which tended to be eye-catching. Caleb was used to getting attention even if he never got it from these people so he didn''t mind it as much.

    "Is that seat available"? A girl who appeared next to Caleb asked, pointing at the seat next to him. Caleb shook his head and allowed her and the guy who was accompanying her to get inside.

    "I am June by the way." She introduced herself with a friendly smile. "And this is John."

    Caleb following the same suit replied, "I am Caleb. Nice to meet you two".

    "Do you have any idea what they are planning to do"? She asked.

    Caleb shrugged, "I am just as clueless as you are".

    The trio chatted for a while getting familiar with the others whilst they waited for any professor to show up. Turns out those two were cousins and even though she was a year older they were starting college together.

    When the professor finally showed up everyone gawked at her with their utmost attention. "Everyone, welcome to Willmount University", she began in a soft but stern voice. "Today is your first day of the upcoming three years of your life here. In this time you will learn a lot of new things, maybe unlearn a few things too. Make lots of friends, rivals and get to know each other better in that process.

    But most importantly, you are here to grow as a person. And with that spirit I welcome you all to the next phase of your life". She finished. The entire hall was filled with a round of applause, after which she continued "I am Professor Luna Maverick, I would be teaching you Psychology 205. But today, we would be learning what lies ahead of us.

    I am going to give you an idea of what to expect. How things are done here. What''s the curriculum.How the exams are conducted here, and when. Stuff like these. Soon my fellow professors, who would be teaching you other subjects will be joining me". She explained.

    She had a presentation prepared that showed various aspects of what to expect. In a nutshell, the session was precise and informative. A lot of students had already developed a liking towards her.

    After her big presentation when most of the teachers had arrived she introduced all the teachers starting from principal Baldwin. The entire session ran for around 2 hours after which they were given the green card to go.

    Today there won''t be any official classes but students were free to roam around the campus to familiarize themselves. Each student was handed a map of the campus along with the brochure at the time of admission. Tracing that each chose their different ways.

    Some students returned to their dorms. Some stayed back and roamed. Some were hungry so they ran to the cafeteria. At one point it was hard to tell who was a new student and who were the seniors.

    Caleb stuck to the cousin duo he met back at the hall and they were happy to have him join us. They wanted to check out the gym and thus decided to check that out. The entire area was huge and was quite well equipped for professional training. Of course Caleb enlisted for football so this didn''t matter much. Although he would like to meet the college coach.

    June was a swimmer, who had won multiple championships until she made it here. She was in fact recruited by even better colleges but she wanted to be closer to her family so she stayed back. Her cousin, however, was in here for basketball.

    Seeing them made him wonder if he made a rash decision, but then again he took months of contemplation and self doubt to come to this decision. Maybe it was time he stopped wondering ''What if this was a mistake''.

    The trip ended with a short exchange of "Good bye" "See you later" and all that. Caleb was yet to make it out of the building when a guy ran up to him, "Hey, you are in for sports right"? Caleb nodded reluctantly.

    "Great, everyone from there is having a sort of get to know together party. The seniors invited us, and let''s just say it''s better to not refuse them". That guy explained. He handed him a pamphlet which held the details required for him to be present.

    The time of arrival mentioned there was 6:30. All of them gathered at the giant playground adjacent to the administrative building of the campus. As far as Caleb could tell, almost each and every junior was present in the ground compared to that the amount of seniors were less.

    The seniors introduced themselves one by one. They asked each and everyone to introduce themselves as well. The seniors did come off a bit bossy which reminded Caleb of himself during pack activities.

    From each and every department at least one member was there so that they could give an idea on how things work. The captain of the football team named Sean Bailey finally managed to catch Caleb''s attention. He demanded the new candidates introduce themselves and not to get into the wrong side Caleb abided without much hassle.

    He shared his contact info after which he let the juniors go. Most of the interactions were over by eight and they invited the juniors to a tiny party they were hosting. Since it was the first day for the juniors, it was a welcoming gesture from the upperclassmen.

    Caleb wondered whether or not he should go. The problem is, he needed to ensure to have enough connections so that he could make it through college without unnecessary trouble. On the other hand, he also needed to ensure that he was back at home in time so that he could chat with Ashton.

    He sent a text to Ashton explaining that he might be a little late this night, before he went to the party. By the time he was back it was close to midnight, but thanks to his wolf stamina he was far from exhaustion. He has had way more challenging days as a leader.

    He tried to check if Ashton was awake at that hour or not. Caleb tried to explain everything that happened to him. [Today was so different, and yet, so awesome]

    [I know] Ashton mumbled

    [You know?] Caleb scrunched his eyebrows.

    [Remember how you said our connections are way too deep. I can see what happened] Ashton explained.

    [Wait. Are you telling me you can read my memories now?] Caleb panicked.

    [What? No!] Ashton exclaimed immediately. [I mean, not that I am aware of. It''s just...when you were explaining you were kind of imagining everything. Your strong feelings must have made a clear impact cause I could see them as vivid images in my own head] Ashton explained.

    [Oh, thank god] Caleb sighed. "You scared me for a moment there". Caleb ended up chuckling.

    [Don''t worry, I am not interested in invading your privacy just because we are mates] Ashton clarified from the other end.

    A giant smile Crept up on Caleb''s face but it turned to a frown when he noticed his roommate giving him dirty looks, "What"? Caleb asked him skeptically.

    "Dude, whom are you talking to"? Warren asked. It was evident he was worried Caleb was going crazy.

    "I have an earpiece on my other ear" Caleb pointed at the ear that was away from Warren''s sight. "I am chatting with my boyfriend".

    A sigh of relief from Warren was followed by, "Oh, thank god". He got back to eating and said, "Sorry to interrupt. Continue".

    That night both of them slept later than usual. It was their first night this much apart and therefore they were both yet to get used to it. Once the clock hit 1, after much insistence from Caleb, Ashton finally let go of the link and both of them drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 143 - Back At Home

    It took Ashton more than a day to return home. The journey was tiresome in its own, and despite his wolf status he failed to avoid collapsing on his bed the moment he returned home.

    He wasn''t sure what exhausted him more, the journey or the fact that he would have to travel the double amount in case he ever wanted to see Caleb. With his senior year starting he would be busy enough as it is, on top of that he needed to make sure he got enough grades to be eligible for Willmount University next year.

    He still had a week before officially his classes began so he had the whole week to enjoy by himself. Except he didn''t have much to do on his own anymore.

    He took a quick nap and once he woke up he decided to go check out the twins. At this time of the day it was their daily practice session time and with Caleb gone, it was up to others to teach them. Although, almost a year of practice had made them quite invincible.

    "Ashton, wanna join us"? Ariel offered her brother when she noticed him standing below a tree at their practice site.

    Ashton contemplated, but decided to not do it since he was not comfortable with fighting his sisters. "Come on! With Caleb gone we can use some formal training". Ava insisted.

    Ashton was still hesitant but somehow after a little bit more of the same persuasion Ashton finally agreed. Saying no to these twins had always been one of his weakness. And he ended up regretting it in more than one occasion.

    At first he thought it was maybe because they are so adorable. Now that they were starting high school and they looked quite older, they had much mischievous appearance rather than an adorable one. Yet somehow he failed to deny their request.

    Ashton fought with them in a hand to hand combat. Even though he could still overpower them, the very fact that they managed to give him a hard time was evidence of how good Caleb had trained them. Not to mention, at one point both of them managed to trick Ashton.

    What he noticed was that Ariel and Ava faired much better together than alone. They exchanged looks, silent nods and some key signatures to augment each other''s tactic. Essentially they had a good teamwork and compatibility with each other. Despite feeling that maybe as a twins it is obvious, Ashton was quite proud of them.

    At first it seemed to Ashton that this was just another training session for the twins. But after a lot of practice when the twins were reluctant to give it up, Ashton wondered if something was bothering them or not.

    He wasn''t sure how to ask them, but he gave it a try nonetheless, "You guys okay"?

    "We''re great"! Ariel replied once she and Ava exchanged a confused look.

    "Then why are you so invested in practice"? Ashton frowned.

    "Well weˇ­" Ava hesitated. "You know us, we enjoy training".

    "Is something bothering you" Ashton tried a more direct approach. He was not usually great with such conversations, and it was clear to his sisters how their poor brother was struggling.

    "We are justˇ­ excited to start a new school". Ariel shrugged.

    "So you are worried"? Ashton raised an eyebrow.

    Once again Ariel and Ava exchanged a glance. "A little bit". Ariel mumbled.

    "It''s hard not to. It''s high school! Like we are excited but, you knowˇ­ we are also worried how it will be like." Ava explained.

    "I am sure you will find a lot of common friends", Ashton wondered.

    "We know" Ariel shrugged. "It''s just thatˇ­ it''s still a new environment."

    Ashton nodded reluctantly. He had always tried to steer clear from almost anyone altogether when it came to getting involved wit people. Oddly he never bothered about such things because he knew no matter what he is gonna avoid anyone no matter what. Maybe that''s the reason why he failed to see things from the twins perspective

    Despite that, he wanted to be of help to them. He wasn''t sure what the right words were so he simply added, "Well, I am a senior now. If anyone bothers you or you need any help, feel free to approach me".

    "We know" Ava smiled.

    "We will be fine. It''s just first day anxiety. I am sure" Ariel assured.

    Ashton nodded awkwardly, "Well if anyone bothers you I am sure you won''t need help. You guys are good" He joked, while approving of their skills.

    "Thanks", Ava shrugged.

    "What about you? How you holding up"? Ariel asked her brother.

    "I mean, it''s the same old high school for me, thankfully for the last year. If anything I am excited to go and just get it done with". Ashton grunted.

    The twins chuckled before Ariel spoke, "I am not asking about high school. I am asking about Caleb. I mean, we love him, but he is your mate. With him gone, how you holding up"?

    Ashton blinked. He didn''t really expect to be asked such a question by the twins. It was a bit weird given how it was Ashton who mostly looked out for them, but now even they asked him questions like this. "I am okay". Ashton shrugged.

    "Doesn''t seem like it", Ava prompted. "You really want us to believe that you''re completely fine with your mate gone, the guy who couldn''t keep his distance from Caleb"?

    Ashton''s eyes widened at that. Never did he ever imagine the twins being so bold with such stuff, "That is not true"! He protested.

    "Yeah, right" Ariel scoffed.

    "You do realize that we are not ten years old anymore"? Ava asked. "We notice things to. I mean I knew you had a thing for Caleb way before you did". Ava smirked.

    Ashton sighed and simply shook his head. Exactly what kind of situation did he get himself into, he wondered. "Well, I am fine. I am the one who encouraged Caleb to go. Why would I mind"?

    "Because he is your mate"? Ava said like ''duh''.

    "You encouraged him because you thought it was right thing to do", Ariel continued. "It doesn''t mean you have to love it".

    "Oh, really"? Ashton folded his hands. He still couldn''t believe he was having this conversation with his sisters.

    "Yepp. What we feel and what we think might not be the same. Our feelings can often be irrational and that''s okay. We are allowed to feel irrational things". Ariel shrugged.

    Ashton looked that suspiciously before he sighed, "Okay, that''s enough with you two! Now let''s go back"! He scolded them. Not that he didn''t agree with her words, but the fact that they seemed so right bothered him a bit. ''When did they become a wise owl''? Ashton wondered.

    "You know we are right" Ava screamed on her way back once she was at a considerable distance.

    On his way back he ran into his mom who was working on some knitting. "What are you upto"? He asked her.

    "One day and you are already bored"? Mrs Parker snorted.

    "What"? Ashton frowned.

    "You never ask me that. What''s wrong with you? Do you miss Caleb"? She asked him.

    "No! Why is everyone so obsessed with Caleb"? Ashton groaned with frustration.

    "Who is everyone"? Mrs Parker laughted.

    "The twins, you" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    A chuckle formed on Mrs Parker''s lips as she mumbled, "I raised them well", earning a glare and a pout from Ashton. "Well, as you can see I am knitting." She said amidst her soft laughter.

    "I mean, why would I miss with him? I am the one who encouraged him to go ahead and go to college". Ashton huffed.

    Trying to suprress a smile, Mrs Parker spoke, "Sounds like you do miss him."

    "No, I don''t". Ashton insisted once more.

    "Well, then you are lucky. Remember when Dan was away for a whole month because he had to take care of his parents, but since it was exam season I had to stay back with you guys"? Mrs Parker asked.

    Ashton smiled and nodded at her, "Did you miss him back then"?

    "I did. Even though I was the one persuaded to go". Mrs Parker smiled.

    "So how did you deal with it"? Ashton asked.

    "Iˇ­ didn''t. I kept missing him. Check up on him from time to time and wellˇ­ when we were finally reunited, it felt relieving". Mrs Parker explained.

    Ashton remained quiet for a long time. When Mrs Parker looked at him he asked softly, "It must be tough. I am sorry that he is not here anymore". Ashton mumbled. Putting himself on his mothers shoes, even just imaginating a world without his mate terrified him to his inner core. He couldn''t possibly fathom how his mother dealt with it.

    "It''s tough, I agree. But I know what he had was worthwhile, even if we had it for a limited amount of time". She smiled, fighting her tears back. "I guess, looking back I simply cherish those memories." Her poignant smile deepened. "Plus I have three kids who needs my attention so I am busy most of the time" she chucked.

    "Thank you. For making me a part of this family"Ashton smiled, as if he wasn''t on the verge of tears himself.

 Chapter 144 - The Distance

    For the first week, Ashton always found time to talk with Caleb. Partly because he himself was yet to go back to school. With Caleb getting busier in his college and Ashton getting back to the school things became slightly less complicated.

    They each had less time, but worse was their free time were not always the ones that synced thus effectively decreasing their time together. They still connected, having at least one chat daily. Within another week, hourly conversations were reduced to a catch up of a few minutes. Fortunately enough, either of them were busy enough as to not feel bothered by this yet.

    Caleb had plans to go home for the weekend, but somehow the coach of the  team asked for extra hours for practice since last year the group performed terribly. Being new, he had no choice but to comply or else he would get on the wrong side of the coach. That impression would be a long lasting one.

    On the other hand, Ashton was excited to see Caleb until he heard the news. He tried his best to not to let it get to him, and pretended that everything was alright.

    Another week passed away just like that and once more Caleb failed to get a weekend off. At this point it wasn''t just Ashton on whom it was starting to take a toll, it was Caleb as well. Finally when after two booked weekends he got a weekend he was beyond relieved to go back to Crescent Point.

    He was busy packing for his stuff when his roommate entered the room and collapsed from exhaustion. "I hate this," he mumbled.

    "You okay"? Out of courtesy Caleb asked.

    Warren went on to ramble how he got into an unprecedented argument with the professor and now he had more homework than anyone else, not to mention it seemed he screwed up his upcoming grades. Caleb listened for the first half but ignored most of the ramble that went on for at least 20 minutes, with occasional breaks and sudden bouts of frustration.

    When it seemed Warren had finally calmed down he finally noticed the packed suitcase of Caleb, "Man, you are so lucky. You get to go home"

    "My house is an entire day car ride away." Caleb scoffed. "How the hell is that lucky"?

    "Wait? Why are you going back then"? Warren frowned. "Don''t you need to be back on monday"?

    "Not really. I do have some classes, but no practice. I am okay to ditch them". Caleb shrugged.

    "Wow". Warren sighed."You really miss home, huh"?

    "A little bit", Caleb agreed.

    Since they were done for the day they both went to eat out. Over the course of last month these two have gotten really close. Caleb had some trouble adjusting to the messy roommate at first, but over time he managed to convince Warren to clean up once in a while.

    Even Warren helped him once in a while and cleaned the entire room and stuff when Caleb was out. Truthfully speaking, Caleb was quite satisfied with the roommate he had. Sure, he studied a lot which sometimes made it difficult to sleep but otherwise he was a nice guy.

    During this time they also got to share stories about their home. Turns out, Warren has four brothers and sisters and thus comes from a huge family. He has two big step sisters, while one younger half brother. In fact, his sisters are quite known for their accomplishments in their respective fields, which kind of put a pressure on Warren to perform well in his academics. Caleb couldn''t exactly relate to this, but he did feel bad for the poor guy. One doesn''t have to be a werewolf to get involved into useless troubles.

    On their way back, Caleb couldn''t help but be excited to return as soon as the sun rose. He planned on leaving as early as possible so that he could reach early. The enthusiasm was quite evident on his face and his actions and thus did not go unnoticed, which obviously welcomed teasing from Warren''s side, "Can''t wait to see your boyfriend, huh"?

    Caleb tried to brush it off, but he didn''t fool anyone. This was the first time since the day Warren met Ashton that he brought him up, "By the way, how did you meet that guy"?

    Caleb told his story. He missed out the details that had anything to do with being a wolf, which turned his story a little bland. Nevertheless he tried his best to convey his depth of feelings. He just finished him telling him about the advice of Karolyn when he halted abruptly.

    Warren noticed the abrupt freeze in Caleb''s stature and asked him, "You okay"?

    "No" Caleb breathed out. He couldn''t tell Warren exactly what was wrong with him, but he needed to get out of this situation right away.

    "Come on, let''s get you back", Warren insisted. They were close to their room so it didn''t take them much longer to reach. Once Caleb found a comfortable position to lay down he heard Ashton''s voice in his head. Ashton didn''t ask him how he felt or tried to talk to him as if ''it will be okay'' and stuff like that. He simply sang Caleb the lullaby that he once did when he couldn''t keep him company.

    At that moment he realised Ashton was already in his head from the moment he hit his heat. It was wonderfully painful to have him around despite not having him around. Ashton''s soothing voice calmed him down and distracted him from the pain.

    Meanwhile his roommate who wasn''t sure what to do tried to call 911. Once Caleb realised what was up he shouted at Warren, "NO! Don''t you dare"!

    Warren was taken aback by the sudden outburst momentarily, but he retaliated nonetheless, "What the hell are you talking about?"

    "I don''t need a doctor! I will be fine"! Caleb snarled.

    "This is not fine! You clearly need help" Warren protested. "What if this is serious? I do not want my roommate to die out here when I am around to call an ambulance"!

    "Look, this has happened to me before, alright?" He tried to reason with Warren. "I appreciate your help, but all I need is a little bit of rest and I will be fine. Trust me"! Through his pain he tried to convince his roommate.

    Warren hung up the phone but still seemed reluctant as if he was ready to call them back up any minute. He wondered if it was okay to take his word for it or something. Unsure of what to do, he left the apartment.

    Caleb was relieved when he did, because he needed to shout in his pain. He wished that there was some kind of way Warren won''t be back until his heat was over, but he knew that was far fetched given it was his room too. It wasn''t fair for Caleb to ask him to stay out without proper explanation.

    After around 20 minutes his roommate showed up with a care package of some sorts. Warren handed it to him and said, "Look I don''t know what''s going on, but I got you this. Take it if you run a fever". He handed it to him before he went to lie on his bed.

    Caleb knew very well that these regular medicines won''t work on him. Their quantity was too low to make any effect. Of course, he could take more than one pill, but he had no idea exactly how much more he needed to take to make any difference. It was better not to experiment with it right now.

    The next morning when Caleb woke up his entire bed was soaked in sweat and his body was running a high fever. For the past few months he had his mate nearby everytime he went into heat, and he was there for whatever he needed him to do.

    He missed his mate most of the time, but somehow he missed him even more this time. It wasn''t just the sex though, he missed the warmth and comfort of having his mate by his side as well. Somehow he felt on an emotional overdrive this time. Caleb was so excited that he would get to see his mate finally after a whole month, but the damn heat had to hit him at the wrong time.

    Warren who made sure to check on Caleb the next morning was getting more worried about him by the minute. He hoped his roommate would be better by now, but to his eyes it only seemed worse. Just to convince Warren, Caleb even chugged down a pill to convince Warren to let him be, but this time he was adamant. "That''s it, I am calling a doctor".

    Warren stormed out of the room, and as much as Caleb would love to run out and stop him he didn''t have the strength anymore. He wasn''t sure how a human doctor would react to his heat so he simply closed his eyes and waited for the doctor to show up.

    The next time the doorknob clunked, he heard Warren say, "Look who is here".

    Caleb sighed with frustration when he heard a very familiar voice say, "Caleb".

 Chapter 145 - I Missed You

    Warren was freaked out to see his roommate in such a condition. He knew that calling a doctor was the right choice, but weirdly even his gut told him otherwise. In the battle with his gut he ended up colliding with someone bulky. "Ouch" he winced.

    "I am sorry" a heavy voice replied. Looking up, Warren recognized his face and somehow was relieved.

    "Your boyfriend-" Warren began to explain.

    "I know" Ashton cut him off. "I will go see to it". Warren nodded at him. It seemed Ashton was well aware of what was going on, and even though it was surprising given how early he was, Warren was relieved to hand over the responsibilities to Caleb''s boyfriend.

    "Caleb" Ashton called his boyfriend as soon as he entered.

    Amidst the overwhelming pain Caleb looked up at his mate who was standing at the door. He was surprised to see Ashton here that too this soon thus he briefly considered if it was a mere hallucination. But then again, his roommate could see him as well, so maybe not. "Whatˇ­? Howˇ­?" He tried to ask, but resigned most of his words due to the pain.

    "Let''s get you checked up, come on". Ashton tried to pull him.

    "NO"! Caleb protested. He was a bit confused about what was going on. Thanks to the heat it took him a bit longer to comprehend that Ashton was just pretending to take him to a doctor to make it look convincing. Despite that Caleb kept up with his pretend protests to make-believe that he was still not thrilled about seeing a doctor.

    Ashton took him to a nearby hotel which he booked for a few days. Even if there was no wolf around, he had to be careful about his mate. Ashton brought a bowl of cold water and a towel to wipe off the sweat so Caleb could get comfortable. Gradually he took of his shirt and started to wipe him from head to torso earning him a satisfied moan from Caleb.

    "Howˇ­?" Caleb tried to ask one more time.

    "I stole your brother''s car and drove here. I travelled the whole night". Ashton explained anticipating Caleb''s question. Caleb''s eyes widened at that to which Ashton chuckled. "Yeah, Christian will kill me once he finds out".

    Caleb who was laying on the bed all this time trying to get comfortable suddenly pushed himself forward in an attempt to sit, "You need anything?" Ashton asked. "Tell me and I will get it".

    Caleb shook his head and wrapped his arms around his mate''s body and snuggled closer to him. With every passing second the hold of Caleb on his mate''s body only got tighter. Ashton was shocked for a moment but he knew that this reaction wasn''t entirely unexpected from a wolf in heat so he hugged back his mate and brushed his back quite a few times to soothe his mate.

    "I missed you" Caleb mumbled against Ashton''s neck.

    Ashton continuing his hand movements against Caleb''s back mumbled, "I missed you too". Ashton let a little bit of his scent out accompanying which Caleb''s scent was out as well. Ashton tried his best to hold on to his animalistic instinct''s and let Caleb have his moment.

    Ashton could feel Caleb''s nose at the nape of his neck sniffing for his mate''s scent even further. Usually it was the scent that drove him crazy, but this time it was something that calmed him down. It worked like a reassurance that his mate was finally near him.

    Caleb wanted this moment to last longer. He wished that he could have this without the pain or suffering for a much longer time. Ashton, who could feel the intense surge of his mate''s emotion, started mumbling next to Caleb''s ears, "I am here, don''t worry. I am here for as long as you want me". He coupled his words with the brushing of his fingers on his mate''s head.

    Caleb''s hug tightened for a split second before he pulled away a little bit. Caleb stared at those dark eyes that reflected his own intense emotions as Caleb failed to put them into words. Yet, Ashton put a smile on his face and caressed his face as if he understood everything Caleb wanted to say.

    "I got you", Ashton mumbled.

    Caleb pushed himself and planted a soft kiss on Ashton''s lips which soon turned into a heated one as both of them found their restraint withering away. He pushed Caleb gently on the bed and continued with his gestures without breaking away.

    That day they connected on a whole different level. Their physical touch was loaded with a lot of heavy emotions that were conveyed equally. Being away from each other for this long only made things much more intense this time as both of them delved into the sea of pleasure which only the other could provide.

    Time Caleb''s heat lasted for only two days. For the past few months his heat showed a lot of inconsistencies when it came to duration, but Caleb brushed it off because it didn''t affect much except the unpredictableness of the situation.

    It was Tuesday by the time Caleb finally felt normal. He didn''t leave the hotel for the entire time he was here, but Ashton made sure to get him food or anything else he might have needed for as long as he was here.

    When Caleb woke up to the empty bed this morning he wondered where could have Ashton gone? Did he leave already knowing that his mate felt much better now. He felt guilty enough for causing him trouble as it is, he didn''t want to burden him further.

    He was deep in his thought when he heard the doorknob click and Ashton walked in. Caleb didn''t want to admit but he was delighted to see his mate back here.

    "I know you were feeling better this morning, so I went back to the dorm and got you a change of clothes". Ashton put the clothes on the chair in that room. "We ruined most of our clothes soˇ­" Ashton mumbled awkwardly and Caleb ended up laughing at that.

    "Don''t worry about it. I am rich, remember, I can always buy some new clothes" Caleb teased.

    "Just because you have money doesn''t mean you should go around and waste it. We ought to be cautious from next time". Ashton huffed.

    Caleb ended up laughing once more at Ashton''s words. "Sure, whatever you say". From his tone it was clear Caleb wasn''t convinced so Ashton glared at him. "Come here" Caleb invited him to sit next to him. Ashton abided without any hesitation and stared at Caleb intently.

    "I am so glad you showed up when you did, but should you really be here right now"? Caleb asked. "What if you miss too many classes"?

    "Don''t worry. I can still catch up. I missed you idiot, how can I not come"? Ashton scolded him. Once he realised what he blurted, his eyes widened momentarily and he cleared his throat, "I meanˇ­ Iˇ­ You were in heat. I knew you were in no condition to drive soˇ­ I came here".

    "Okay...", Caleb chuckled. "But for real though, I missed you a lot." Caleb put his head on Ashton''s shoulder which made Ashton stiffen for a second. He relaxed the very next moment and hugged Caleb from the side to make him more comfortable. "Did you think it was a mistake"?

    "Hm"?

    "Coming here?" Caleb clarified. "I thought I could handle it, but now that I am actually here, one month and I am already so frustrated."

    "I don''t know," Ashton sighed. "Do you enjoy the things here? The environment of college and all?"

    "I do. Butˇ­ " Caleb hesitated to find the right words, "I miss the things back at home".

    "I am sure you do." Ashton snorted.

    "I miss you", Caleb confessed.

    "I know." Ashton sighed. "So do I. But.. " He took a deep breath before he continued, "I know it''s tougher to stay apart as mates. We are mated wolves and we kind of need the constant presence of each other. But we also have a life apart from each other and I don''t think it should suffer just because we are mates".

    "What do you mean"? Caleb frowned.

    "When you first told me you wanted to give college a try, I saw a flicker ofˇ­ hope inside of you. In a way I was glad because even if I wanted to go to college someday, and even if I settled back at your packˇ­ I would have gone for college". He sighed. "My point is, we just have to endure this distance for just a year. Then I will be here in no time".

    "I guess". Caleb shrugged. "I am sure you will love it here. It''s so human-like here. Free of constant werewolf drama and their stupid prejucides. I am starting to see why you wanted to escape the werewolf world".

    Ashton chuckled, "Maybe then we should settle down here someday" He suggested earning a chuckle from Caleb.

    "Maybe". Caleb shrugged.

    "But for now, let''s focus on getting through this year. I am sure we will see each other on big holidays. If needed we can make the most of it" Ashton suggested. A giant smile erupted on Caleb''s lips as a sudden wave of affection washed over him for his mate. Pushing himself over, he planted a soft gentle kiss on his mate who responded enthusiastically and both of them cherished this moment together.

 Chapter 146 - Over The Year

    As promised both of them tried their best not to let distance get to their heads. It wasn''t as easy as agreed, but they looked forward to every time they would get to see each other next. There were times when either of them had to cancel, or some or the other hurdles showed up, but they were too stubborn to let them affect their relationship.

    After almost a year when it was time for exams, both Caleb and Ashton were busy as hell. Ashton was in fact worried that if he didn''t score well enough, he might have to find another college.

    Mr Wrisberg wasn''t sure of letting him out of sight, but Caleb used his presence at the college as an advantage to convince his father to let him come to him. Over the whole year he failed to notice any questionable behavior from Ashton, so albeit his reluctance, he gave Ashton his permission to go.

    As the end of first year for Caleb and the beginning of Ashton''s first year approached they couldn''t help but be excited. Caleb was supposed to return home for the summer, but he wished with everything he got that he won''t have to return alone.

    It was two weeks before summer break when he was on the ground talking with his brother on his phone when he heard a familiar voice, "Caleb"!

    "Karolyn"? Caleb turned around. He saw an urgent expression on her face prompting him to hang up so that he could listen to whatever Karolyn had to say. "What''s going on".

    "You won''t believe what happened with me"? She managed to speak in between her huffs as she ran her entire way.

    "I am guessing something exciting based on the giant smile on your face" Caleb shrugged.

    "Yess"! Karolyn exclaimed. "You know, I am so glad that we didn''t work out because I just found my mate"! She screamed with excitement.

    "That''s awesome" Caleb mimicked her giant smile for a minute which soon turned into a frown, "Wait, what do you mean just found"?

    "Yeah, it''s exactly what it sounds like" She nodded. "I have a fated mate". Karolyn, who managed to be calm most of the time was on the verge imif squeaking.

    "Great, so who is it"?Caleb asked.

    "This guy I met. I signed up for these extra classes last week, but I couldn''t go due to exams. I went there today, and guess what"? She smirked.

    "There stood your prince charming", Caleb teased.

    "No"! Karolyn scowled. "He is not in my class. I ran into him on my way out". She explained.

    "Oh" Caleb''s smile faded a bit.

    "Yeah, plus he is human." Karolyn mumbled.

    "You seem oddly excited about that". Caleb commented.

    "I am just excited to find my mate. I know it sounds cheesy, but I always wanted to experience what it would be like to have a fated mate. Looks like I am about to find out". She shrugged.

    "Well, it might still be a bit difficult for you. Remember that guy is not a wolf so even if he does feel attracted to you, he won''t feel that strongly."

    "I know" she shrugged.

    "Don''t come off too strong". Caleb advised further.

    "I know"! She raised her voice. "Just because I am excited doesn''t mean I am an idiot, Caleb. I know I have to be careful so that I don''t scare him off". Karolyn rolled her eyes.

    Caleb chuckled and gave her a hug before he said, "I am so happy for you".

    "Thanks".

    "Soˇ­ what''s his name"?

    "Ummˇ­" She hesitated. Caleb raised one of his eyebrows, "That''s the thing I don''t know".

    "What"!? Caleb shouted. He looked around to find suspicious stares at him so he cleared his throat before lowering his voice. "What do you mean? Didn''t you ask him"?

    "No. I didn''t want to ruin my first impression, so I wanted to take my time. By the time I felt ready, he vanished". She sighed.

    "You could have followed him! You have wolf smell" Caleb pointed out.

    "I know! But he is a human. Even if I can smell his scent, it''s too weak for me to trace. It disappeared soon". She sighed.

    "Then how come you are so excited"? Caleb sighed.

    "Cause I at least found him. That''s definitely something!" She insisted.

    "I love how optimistic you are", Caleb snorted.

    "Whatever, help me find him." Karolyn insisted.

    "How am I supposed to do that", Caleb "I don''t know where he is or who he is as a matter of fact", Caleb huffed. "You saw him, I didn''t," He scoffed.

    "I know, but come on. I can describe how he looks like and you can help me. I can''t exactly go to anyone else for this now can I? People will think I am some kind of weird stalker". Karolyn whined.

    "Wellˇ­"Caleb sighed. "Sure give it a whirl".

    "He is quite tall. I think he is a mix-race, but I am not completely sure. Black hair". She tried.

    "I don''t think I know any mixed-race person. Sure he is from this campus"? He asked.

    "Yes! It''s not like you know everyone. Please keep an open mind", she insisted. "Please".

    "Look, I don''t mind helping you. I just can''t guarantee I will find him though. I mean, you didn''t give me much to go for" Caleb sighed.

    "Unfortunately, that''s all I got" she frowned. "But I appreciate whatever help you can get me".

    Caleb smiled and patted his friend''s back. They chatted for a while, catching up with each other a bit until they both decided to part ways.

    On his way back to the dormitory he couldn''t help but smile to himself as he recalled his past. There was a time when he dated Karolyn, when their parents tried to set them up against each other. But they had better suitors awaiting, someone who was meant just for them which is why it''s good that they didn''t work out. Maybe things have a way of working out after all.

    Back at his room he called Ashton, although they couldn''t talk for long due to Ashton''s exams. Caleb was set to return home two days later, and was busy packing when his roommate just walked in and collapsed on the bed.

    Warren was usually a hardworking person, so this wasn''t new to him. However something felt different. Caleb wondered if he should bother asking him or not. Given how despite having no idea, Warren tried to help him whenever he got caught in heat at the wrong moment, he decided to give it a go.

    "You alright"? Caleb asked. In response he received nothing but a muffled groan from the pillow his head was buried in. "What''s going on with you"? Caleb asked carefully.

    "I screwed up" Warren raised his head from the pillow only to put it back once more into it.

    "By doing what"? Caleb pestered.

    "Remember when I said I pissed off a teacher at the beginning of the semester"? Warren turned to talk.

    "Uh huh" Caleb nodded.

    "Well, I dropped his class in the fear of scoring less. But now, the professor who taught me instead the whole year is on leave" Warren groaned.

    "Which is bad becauseˇ­"? Caleb frowned.

    "Because all the papers would be checked by Professor McCain. The one I pissed off" Warren sighed.

    "Stuff with him happened ages ago. Maybe he simply doesn''t remember". Caleb suggested.

    "Nuh uh" Warren shook his head. "For a 50 year old guy he has got one heck of a memory. I would hate to find out how sharp he was when he was our age". Warren scoffed.

    "Maybe he only remembers important things"? Caleb tried once more. "What if he forgot what he did. Or doesn''t hold grudges and it doesn''t make any difference on your grades".

    "He gave me this when he saw me today" Warren scoffed. He made a peace sign with his fingers then put them in his eyes followed by in front of him. "That was so random," Warren groaned.

    "Oh yeah, you''re screwed". Caleb mumbled. "But, I have seen your grades. I am sure even if you score less than you deserve you will get a pretty good score" Caleb tried to reassure him.

    "Still, it would suck after a year long hard work." Warren groaned.

    "That it would". Caleb agreed. "You know what we should do?" Caleb spoke up after a moment.

    "Get me a plastic surgery and a change of name and identity"? Warren suggested.

    "What"?! Caleb cringed. It had been a year, but he was yet to get accustomed to his random idiotic ideas. "Nooo"! He rolled his eyes.

    "Sounds like a perfect option" Warren shrugged.

    "We are not getting you plastic surgery or anything. But let''s get you drunk"! Caleb offered.

    "What"?

    "Yeah, Seth Walker is throwing a party at his floor. Come with me, and we will enjoy it". Caleb offered.

    "Well, normally I don''t like such parties. But, what the hell, let''s go". Warren shrugged and started to get ready. Soon they disappeared for the party

 Chapter 147 - Headache

    Warren woke up to a painful sensation of the sunlight hitting his tired eyes. This is exactly why he avoided getting drunk. His low alcohol tolerance made him quite vulnerable. It also made him envious to his roommate who no matter how many drinks he had, he still failed to get drunk.

    Most of his night was a blur to him, but lucky for him his flight wasn''t for another two days or he would collapse on the road itself. "Good morning"! Caleb screamed next to Warren, making him wince in pain.

    "Get away from me you ba****d" Warren cursed covering himself with a pillow.

    Caleb ended up laughing at his roommates behavior. His werewolf metabolism was savior in such kinds of scenarios, saving him from such headaches. Since no one here was aware of his true identity, he was never tricked into getting drunk mainly because they didn''t know how to get a wolf drunk.

    He hit the road as soon as he could, excited to return. It was going to be a long break, but he was more excited because the next time he would be returning, there is a high chance he won''t be alone. At least he won''t have to video call him or ask for his pictures to see him.

    Not to mention, he also had plans with his friends like Matt and all to hangout. Overall, this break was bound to be a productive one.

    ~~~~~~~

    Ashton was on his way out when his sisters found him and tagged along without any invitation. "So, big day huh"? Ava teased while both smirked at him.

    "Why"? Ashton frowned.

    "We go to the same high school as you"! Ava scoffed. "Today is prom".

    "Yeah, I am not going". Ashton declared, getting irritated by the minute.

    "Come on. Last time you were there you ended up singing. Participate, just for once". Ariel insisted.

    "Okay, first of all, whether I go or not, doesn''t concern you". Ashton scolded them, "Secondly, how the hell did you know that"? Ashton huffed.

    "Caleb told us," Ava shrugged.

    "And...what else did he tell you"? Ashton asked cautiously remembering how that prom changed their relationship dynamics.

    "That you are a good singer"? Ariel suggested.

    "Did something else happen"? Ava asked with a teasing smirk.

    "No," Ashton declared. "Now go ahead and do your work. I got stuff to do". He declared. For the summer he picked a job at a garage nearby. He was a fast learner, and with training from his late adopted father, and the mentoring of the garage owner he got a good earning.

    Willmount University was not a cheap university to go. He needed to save up enough money if he wanted to go on his own. Caleb offered to pay for him, but Ashton wouldn''t be comfortable with that choice so Caleb didn''t push him further.

    He was busy polishing a piece of metal when the manager called him, "I am closing in early today. I have someplace to be. You can go home, I won''t cut your pay". The manager was a human, and thus unaware of Ashton''s wolf status. That was also the reason he could easily be rude to Ashton whenever he felt like it.

    Ashton didn''t mind though, with literally every wolf around him scared of him he could use some normalcy. He returned home by the time it was seven. It wasn''t too early, but it wasn''t too late either.

    "You are back"! Ava exclaimed. "I knew you wanted to go to prom" She teased.

    "I am not here for prom," Ashton rolled his eyes. How come he ran into his sister twice on the day he would like to avoid her. Not to mention, this place was huge enough to get lost.

    "Come on, it''s not like you have anything else to do anyways". Ava insisted.

    "In case you haven''t noticed, I don''t exactly have a date". Ashton declared. "I am not going".

    "If it''s about a date, I am sure I can help with that". A very familiar voice appeared behind Ashton making his frustration evaporate just like that in a matter of a few seconds.

    "Caleb"! Ava exclaimed the moment she saw him and Ashton stared at his mate with blank expression. He was excited to see his mate after so long, but he was not going to show it in front of his sister. He had endured enough teasing for the day. "It''s so good to see you back" Ava smiled

    "It''s good to be back" Caleb beamed. "But why are you so adamant about prom"? He looked at Ashton and asked. "Once you graduate, you won''t have a second chance at these things".

    "I never enjoyed these things. I don''t even want a first chance at these" Ashton groaned with frustration. The whole persuasive situation was starting to give him a headache.

    "Come on! It was fun last time" Caleb. "I can go as your date". He offered.

    "Hold on a sec" Ashton folded his arms giving a suspicious look. "I won''t get a second chance, but you get to go despite the fact that you have graduated"? His gaze narrowed.

    "Well, people hardly stop me here. So...why not" Caleb shrugged.

    They remained silent as Ashton seriously considered Caleb''s suggestion, "Well since you''re here, he is all yours" Ava told Caleb gesturing at Ashton. "I am outta here". And she left.

    "If you don''t want to go that''s fine too" Caleb whispered.

    "Of course it is", Ashton glared at him. "Get dressed, we don''t want to be late further" Ashton ordered and vanished.

    Caleb chuckled at his mate''s adorable behavior. He didn''t have time to shop, so he tried to make the best of the clothes he had available. He simply needed to avoid what he wore last time and he would be good to go.

    Finding a decent enough outfit from his walk in closet he headed off to the front porch. Caleb waited there for a while until Ashton showed up completely dressed up.

    Over the course of another year he had grown much taller exceeding Caleb by quite a lot. On top of that, with much sharpest features he looked way more manly. At this point his face was a perfect blend of a boy and a man depicting the phase of transitioning. Not to mention, his outfit brought a whole different aura to him. If people weren''t scared of him yet, they might be scared now.

    "What? Ashton asked, bringing Caleb back from his reverie.

    Caleb blinked a few times when he realised he had been staring at Ashton all this while, "Nothing", He cleared his throat. "Let''s go". Without making any eye contact he left for the garage and brought out his car. Ashton joined him but unfortunately the ride to the school was a quiet one. Ashton was never much of a talker, and Caleb somehow refused to look at Ashton.

    They reached the parking lot of the school. As Caleb was about to get out Ashton grabbed his hand and forced Caleb to look at him, "Are you mad at me? Did I do something"?

    "What? NO! Where is that coming from"? Caleb asked.

    "Then why are you avoiding me?" Ashton asked. "This was your idea, not mine. If you are not feeling up to it, let''s go back"

    "Nooooo" Caleb sang. "This is your last year. You should enjoy it" he insisted.

    "Why do care so much if I go to prom"? Ashton asked.

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb trailed off, trying to come up with an appropriate reason. "I guessˇ­ I remember missing one of my proms. The next year wasn''t so great either, with marking and all. I just think it''s important to enjoy these things while we can". Caleb shrugged.

    "Really" Ashton eyes him suspiciously.

    "Well, that andˇ­" Caleb cleared his throat. "I can go with someone actually want to go with". He shrugged.

    "I knew it"! Ashton exclaimed. "This was never about me, it was always about you" he huffed.

    "Yeah" Caleb admitted meekly.

    "So why are you avoiding me? Shouldn''t you be excited"? Ashton frowned.

    "I am"! Caleb affirmed. "It''s just thatˇ­" Caleb let out a breath. "You look good".

    Ashton''s frown deepened, "you are avoiding me because I look good. Try making a little more sense than that."

    "Its tempting" Caleb admitted with a blush, whist looking away.

    Ashton unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed himself to land a soft kiss on Caleb''s lips. After a while when things were starting to get a little heated Ashton pulled away.

    "Let''s go." Ashton said. Catching his breath, Caleb nodded.

    At the hall many were surprised to see Caleb. He was quite popular when he was here, thus most remembered him. The wolves knew about the new situation, and while the humans have heard rumors about Ashton and Caleb dating, them entering the prom while holding each other''s hand confirmed everything.

    Some frowned, some smiled. Some simply avoided them because they were scared of both of them. As a whole, they were definitely a power couple of this prom.

 Chapter 148 - Closer

    "Everyone is staring at us. I am not liking this one bit." Caleb mumbled as he took a glance across the room.

    "So what? Let them."Ashton shrugged. "Ever since I got outed I have been getting these constantly", Ashton replied to him without bothering to check.

    "Wait what? That''s horrible" Caleb''s voice got louder.

    "Meh. I am used to them. I can not care less and I know how to ignore them." Ashton shrugged it off.

    "Well... I don''t. It''s creeping me outˇ­" Caleb mumbled unsure. He was starting to reconsider his decision of enjoying the prom.

    "Try focusing on something else." Ashton suggested. "Like this song they are playing. Or perhaps...." his voice lowered and he bent down to reach Caleb''s ears,  "me"?

    There was an instant rush of blood into his earlobes as he blurted, "What?" Clearing his throat, he continued "Ashton we are at the school. Please calm down, this is not the time and pla-"

    "I meant, let''s dance." Ashton cut him off. "Dancing will take your mind off them. What were you thinking? Get your head out of the gutter" Ashton teased.

    "Sure, that''s what you meant". Caleb rolled his eyes.

    Ashton dragged him to an empty area on the dance floor. Based on the song, both of them slow-danced with each other while occasionally giving each other affectionate gazes. "You know, back then, I really believed you can''t dance". Caleb admitted, recalling a conversation he shared with Ashton last time he was in here.

    "Yeah, I am kind of a hidden talent" Ashton joked to lighten the mood only to get Caleb to simply roll his eyes.

    As their dance progressed, something started to draw them even closer. At first it was just the vibe of charged moves. As their dance progressed further it was Ashton''s hand on Caleb''s waist that pulled him even closer.

    When they were close enough to feel the tingle of each other''s lingering breath on the other''s skin, Caleb looked up to meet his mate''s intense gaze as if it was looking deep into his soul. Closing the tiny distance between them Ashton put his lips on Caleb''s and kissed him in the middle of the dance floor unbothered by the hundreds of eyes watching them. Ashton loved this man, and he was not afraid to show it.

    Caleb, who was a bit shy earlier, kissed him back with equal vigor. In that moment it seemed everything that was happening in the background faded away even further. Their passionate kiss was enough to take off many glances off them, but they couldn''t care less. Because they simply cared about being with each other.

    Ashon pulled away and smiled and Caleb who chuckled at his expression. "What"? Ashton asked.

    "Nothing." Caleb assured. "It''s rare to see you so bold".

    "Wellˇ­" Ashton sighed. "If you can declare your love for me in front of the entire pack including your father, why can''t I kiss you in front of the entire school"? Ashton raised one of his eyebrows.

    "Look at you being so dramatic" Caleb snorted. "What happened to the shy, somewhat rude, somewhat annoyed kid I fell in love with"? Caleb teased.

    "The kid grew up," Ashton smirked. "And got himself an awesome mate". He kissed Caleb once more. Once he pulled away and mumbled. "Just for the record, I am still rude. Just not with you". He winked and Caleb ended up laughing.

    After dancing for a while when the song started to change to a much enthusiastic one both of them decided to take a break and sat in one of the chairs at the distance. It''s not like they needed a break or they were tired, but there was something peaceful just sitting next to each other doing nothing.

    "You know, sitting here away from everyone else, just observing others kinda gives me dej¨¤ v¨´." Caleb spoke up.

    "Uh huh" Ashton sighed.

    "I remember, one minute I am sitting here talking to you, and the next thing I know you are singing a song that turned my entire world around". Caleb sighed.

    "What are you talking about"? Ashton frowned. "Did youˇ­ decide for the mark just because of the song I sang"?

    "Not really. It simply encouraged me," Caleb clarified. "I justˇ­ I didn''t want to wait anymore. I should have tried a different approach, but I was scared of rejection". Ashton''s expression softened as he realised why Caleb stormed off the other night. "That was one hell of a crazy night". Caleb chuckled.

    "Come on" Ashton stood up and reached his hand out to Caleb.

    "To where"? Caleb''s brow twisted.

    "Just... come with me". Ashton insisted.

    Caleb agreed and took Ashton''s hand. Both of them walked out of the celebration and found themselves on the ground floor headed off to the same closet where their relationship took a sharp turn almost two years ago. "Why are we here"? Caleb asked skeptically once they reached their destination.

    "We were reminiscing. So, I brought you here" Ashton shrugged.

    "I see", Caleb narrowed his glance. "Well, to be honest, this place does have a special memory for us despite it''s disgusting appearance. This is where we had our first kiss".

    "Right". Ashton mumbled unsure earning a frown from Caleb. Did Ashton forget that? Although he probably can''t blame him given the nature of their relationship back then. Once Ashton noticed Caleb''s expression he soon clarified, "It''s not like I don''t remember. I do. It''s just thatˇ­" Ashton fumbled with words so he took a deep breath.

    "It''s justˇ­ back then, it didn''t mean anything. We were still on the high from the mark and we wereˇ­ you knowˇ­ in the mood. It was purely sexual and I felt bad for taking advantage of the situation. I guess I always considered the kiss in your Car as the first one, because that time I meant to, with all my heart".

    "It meant to me though" Caleb admitted honestly. "Like I said, I had feelings for you way back". A poignant smile appeared on his face as he mumbled, "Sorry for forcing on you like that. I shouldn''t have".

    Ashton blinked, unsure of what to say. "Well, what if our first kiss here was messy like that. Let''s rewrite that memory, shall we?" He asked. A confused frown appeared on Caleb''s face which was replaced soon by a gaping mouth and widened eyes as Ashton pushed him against the door thus effectively closing it.

    Ashton lowered his lips on Caleb and kissed him passionately to make up for his past. He pressed onto Caleb inherently crushing him between himself and the door. Getting lost in the moment, Caleb snaked both of his hands to Ashton''s neck and pulled him further closer. This was far better than their last kiss here.

    After a few seconds, Ashton moved down from his lips to his neck via his jaw. Finding the mark he made, he nibbled over it. He left open mouthed wet kisses over the entire mark. Caleb found himself shaking at the intense wave of pleasure and covered his mouth with one of free hands trying his best to suppress those moans that threatened to escape his mouth. Caleb somehow didn''t forget that there were a lot of wolves in the school, and that he could be easily heard.

    Caleb even bit his lips to the point of bleeding until Ashton finally let Caleb''s mark go leaving Caleb in a complete mess. He tried to catch his breath, but his mouth was soon invaded by a tongue making him forget everything else that was important. Everything that mattered to him was pushed deep into his subconscious while he kissed Ashton with all he got.

    They have been apart for almost two months now. A passion restrained for that long was bound to explode some way or the other. And thus somehow being with each other so many times they kissed each other as if it was their first kiss. As if there were no tomorrow for them.

    They lost track of time a long ago and after what seemed like an eternity, Ashton finally pulled away allowing both of them to catch their breaths. After a long moment of silence he asked, "Can we not go back to our house"?

    Caleb looked up with scrunched eyebrows. "Let''s spend the night somewhere else. Just you and me". Caleb''s breath hitched as he found himself speechless. He nodded slightly amidst the noise of their fluttering heart beats. A smile crept up Ashton''s lips and he gave Caleb a quick peck before he pulled himself away properly.

    They went back to the prom, but neither of them wanted to be here. They simply stayed back for the sake of each other, which was ironic in itself. All they could focus on was what happened back in the closet and what could happen tonight.

    After around half an hour when Caleb couldn''t take it anymore he pulled Ashton by his sleeves and asked, "Let''s get out of here. This is enough for prom".

    "Sure" Ashton smirked.

 Chapter 149 - Loose Ends

    Ashton stared at the blank computer screen, refreshing it from moment to moment as Willmount University would announce its students'' acceptance any moment now. He didn''t tell anyone that today was the date. He simply sat on one corner of the room waiting patiently for something to happen.

    He was worried he won''t be accepted, but he was also worried how to tell Caleb if he didn''t. The moment something appeared on the screen Ashton closed his laptop in a reflex, almost breaking it in the process. In the moment of anxiety he almost forgot his own strength. Here he was waiting for the results and now he couldn''t even look at the screen. Oh, the irony.

    He fumbled with his fingers tapping it against the cold metal of the laptop constantly trying to calm himself down. He not failed to do so, he was so stressed that he almost failed to control his scent. "You alright"? Caleb asked, walking into his room.

    "I have got to start locking the door" Ashton mumbled as soon as he saw him.

    "You are freaking me out. There I was in my room watching a sitcom, the next thing I know I am scared to the point of puking. I know that was you. So, what the hell is going on with you"? Caleb asked with frustration. "I know that was you and not me, so tell me" he demanded.

    "Iˇ­ " Ashton struggled to find the right words. "They announced it". He blurted.

    "Who announced what"? Caleb''s frown deepened. "Start making sense or Imma go get inside your head" he threatened. Usually Caleb would be calm, but he was a bit pissed by his sudden emotion during a laughable scene.

    "Just look at this and tell me what it says." Ashton handed the laptop to him. As soon as Caleb opened it Ashton prompted, "Don''t read it out loud, justˇ­ read and and tell me the gist".

    "O...kay" Caleb''s forehead creases deepened at his mate''s odd behavior.

    Ashton focused his gaze on Caleb''s eyes, trying to decipher the content from his expression. At first a shocked expression laced his face which then turned into a frown. It remained there until he was done.

    "Soˇ­ " Caleb trailed off. At this point Ashton was sure he didn''t get in. "I have some bad news".

    "Nevermind. I will try again next time".

    "No, the bad news is, you need to go shopping. I am afraid you don''t have all the things you need to move to Willmount" Caleb mumbled as a sneaky smile threatened to break into his face.

    Ashton froze for a moment as he took a moment to decipher his words. Soon his blank stare turned into glare as if he would turn Caleb into ashes right that moment. "How dare you scare me like that"! He screamed.

    Caleb tried to make a run for his life, but Ashton jumped over his table and tackled Caleb causing both of them to fall on the floor. Both of them winced in pain, but Caleb''s movements were restricted due to the heavy weight over him. "You tricked me, now it''s time for your punishment". He said in a dangerously low voice.

    Caleb''s face scrunched as he wondered where Ashton was headed. Soon he felt something on his waist and turned into a laughing mess while Ashton tickled his brains out. "Stopˇ­.stopˇ­" Caleb kept begging amidst his laughter but Ashton didn''t bother to listen and instead his smirk deepened further.

    "I am sorry...I am sorry" Caleb tried once more. "Stop" and once more he broke into laughter.

    Finally Ashton stopped and stared at him, "If you ever scare me like that again, Imma kill you for real".

    "Yeah, right". Caleb scoffed. He knew very well how empty Ashton''s threatts were. He regretted his reaction soon enough because once more his waist was busy getting tickled by Ashton. "I said I am sorry" Caleb laughed again, "Just let me go".

    Ashton finally pulled away and mumbled, "get ready"

    "Why"? Caleb frowned.

    "You told me yourself, I gotta go shopping. Let''s go" Ashton pressed.

    "Right now"? Caleb asked awkwardly, "I wasˇ­ in the middle of an episode".

    "It will be midnight by the time you finish. Just come with me". Ashton whined.

    "Fine, fine" Caleb agreed with a sigh. "I will get my car".

    That evening they spent their entire time in the shopping mall. They didn''t have much to buy, but Caleb insisted they hang out for a little more before they returned. Caleb even convinced him to get a nice haircut which maintained its length, despite a lot of protest from Asthon.

    Once they returned, anxiety hit Ashton back once he imagined that he would need to tell his mom and his sisters. He always imagined going off to college, way before he got entangled with this pack. But now that it was coming into reality he started to panic for real. He wondered what would their reaction be.

    He asked his sister''s to come to their mother''s room while he headed there themself. Once everyone was there he took a deep breath and explained to them that he would be going to the same college as Caleb. The twins were beyond thrilled to hear the news, and while Mrs Parker expressed a similar enthusiasm, she did feel a bit bad to let her son go.

    Over the last few years she noticed how frequent Caleb''s visits were, and given that was the most he could make she worried Ashton would make even less. Caleb had his mate here, but Ashton would have his'' with him. Despite her feelings she managed to put on a smile to encourage Ashton.

    Ashton didn''t miss the flicker of conflict on his mother''s face, but for both their sake he didn''t bring it up. He simply hugged and mumbled, "Thank you mom, for everything. Without you I won''t be here. I will miss you".

    "Me too son. But you have a lot to accomplish, so go ahead and give em hell" She encouraged her son.

    "Maybe we can go someday. Who knows, if we like it there we can go there too, when we are adults"  Ava interrupted.

    "You are going to work even harder than. You need to stop goofing around all the time". Ashton scolded her.

    "Hey, I score pretty great for someone who is popular. I am not a nerd". She declared proudly.

    "Just study a bit harder", Ashton sighed and ended up laughing with them. Once Ava left the room Ashton turned to Ariel. "Take care of the family for me"?

    "Why me"? She asked, amused.

    "Well, you are the older twinˇ­ so" He sighed. "I am passing on my responsibility to you" Ashton patted her head, making her laugh.

    "Don''t worry bro. I got this" She assured. "Go get em". Ashton hugged her as well. He would be lying if he said he was thrilled about moving away. As much as he was happy to spend more time with Caleb, and as much as he had planned this entire life, it was still hard to say Goodbye.

    He loved his family. Even if he wouldn''t probably admit it so easy, in his heart he was reluctant to let go. He had been with this family for almost a decade. He witnessed his young mother growing strands of grey hair. He witnessed the transition of his crybaby twin sisters into inquisitive young girls to classy teenagers. He wished he could be around for more. And even though it was not an ultimate goodbye, it was still hard on him.

    He still had almost a month before he needed to move out. He made sure he found enough time to spend time with his family. He took them out quite a few times. He watched way too romantic movies with his sisters, he helped his mother arrange her stuff. He even found time to spend with his mate.

    Despite everything, he also made sure he said a proper goodbye to Caleb''s family. They might not have been very warm to him, but since they were Caleb''s family, they were his too. When he found Mrs Wrisberg by the garden one day she was surprised to find him initiating a conversation. Something that even her own son barely did.

    She always assumed Ashton didn''t like her, but as it seems he was genuinely awkward with their conversation. Apart from accepting his goodbye she added, "Please take care of my son. I know he is tough and that he can take care of himself. But he needs you. I know he does. Be there for him" She asked. Ashton agreed to her as he felt a hint of approval coming off her.

    He tried Christian next who was genuinely happy for them. Over time he came to accept Ashton as he noticed how happy he made his little brother. He was glad his brother had someone in his life.

    As for Mr. Wrisberg, he didn''t even spare him a glance. Nevertheless Ashton was glad he visited as he believed it was something he oughta do irrespective of his response. At this point he was convinced that Mr. Wrisberg would never accept him into the family, and even Ashton had stopped trying at this point. With tying of the loose ends, he was ready for the next chapter of his life.

 Chapter 150 - Weird And Confusing

    Once the semester date neared, college students started to return one by one. Unlike last time, it was Warren who arrived earlier than his roommate, probably because his roommate will join later as his boyfriend was joining them this year, or at least that''s what his roommate told him when he asked Warren to clean up the room.

    The point is, he didn''t mind staying alone. In fact after a crowded holiday he had with his siblings, their spouses and their kids, he actually enjoyed this calm and peaceful environment.

    Almost after around 2 weeks, when Caleb finally showed up he was a bit disappointed that he would have to deal with constant nagging that the room is a mess, but even he had to admit, Caleb was much more suitable roommate than his chaotic nieces and nephews.

    On one such day when he was playing on his phone he heard a knock on the door. It was unusual because usually the only person who came to their room was Caleb, and he knew that Warren usually kept the door open so he didn''t have to get up.

    "Come in"! He shouted from his bed.

    The door opened to reveal a tall, muscular but a familiar guy. He gave off an intimidating vibe and it took Warren a moment to recognize him, "Ashton"?

    "Hi" Ashton cleared his throat awkwardly. "Is Caleb...here"? He asked reluctantly.

    Warren shook his head casually before he mumbled, "He went out. In fact, I would guess he went to see you".

    "Did he"? Ashton frowned. "Then maybe, I should go back" he mumbled." Warren couldn''t help but chuckle at his words. He could understand why Caleb called this hunky guy adorable.

    "Did youˇ­ grow taller"? After a moment of awkward silence, Warren asked.

    "I dunno", Ashton shrugged.

    "You look taller. I know I didn''t shrink down". Warren mumbled.

    Ashton thought for a while when he realized that even Caleb seemed a bit shorter to him that usual. Being in a growing phase it was confusing. You don''t really realise much, but people around you notice.

    "Okay, I should get going" Ashton mumbled awkwardly and left.

    Warren huffed in frustration when Ashton left the door ajar. He got up, against his will and was about to shut it when someone very unexpected popped up. He expected the other person to say something, but she simply stared at him, freaking him out.

    "What"? He asked, getting more uncomfortable by the moment.

    "Cal..Caleb"? She stumbled,

    "Oh" So that''s why she is here. He had no idea who she was or how she knew Caleb. Usually when girls show up to their dorm they know it''s because they are here to visit their boyfriend. He knew for a fact that it was not the case with this girl unless she was being delusional or Caleb was cheating on his own boyfriend.

    "Who are you"? He asked skeptically.

    Clearing her throat twice she answered, "I am Karolyn. I am his friend".

    "He never mentioned you", Warren furrowed his brow getting suspicious by the minute.

    "Wow, I am not at all offended", Karolyn mumbled. The suspicious glare from Warren deepened further which hinted her what idea Warren was getting from her. And she absolutely hated to give him the wrong idea, "Look, I am not his stalker okay, I know he has a ma-... I mean a boyfriend" She corrected herself at the last moment.

    Somehow her affirmation made Warren relax a bit as he unconsciously stepped aside from the door. Even still she didn''t enter their room, "Can I help you"? Warren asked.

    "Well, I came here to see him. He agreed to help me with something and I wanted to know what''s up with that". She sighed. "Butˇ­ I don''t think that would be necessary." She gave him a devious smile creeping him out once more.

    "What"? Warren couldn''t help but ask. He has seen crazy behaviours from girls before, but somehow her behaviour seemed different. Nevertheless it was still odd.

    "Nothing, it''s a long story." She shook her head and sighed.

    "Okayˇ­" He mumbled awkwardly. He didn''t know what else to say. It seemed they were pretty much done with the conversation now, but he didn''t wanna seem rude and shut the door at her face so he waited patiently for her to leave.

    "Do you mind if I ask you something"? She asked with reluctance.

    "What"? Warren asked, quite worried where this conversation was headed.

    "Don''t take this the wrong wayˇ­ butˇ­ are you perhaps mixed race"? She asked. Race could be a controversial topic and she was not sure if it was okay to bring it up.

    "Yeah, I am part latin" He shrugged.

    "I knew it"! Karolyn exclaimed. Her giant smile faded away when he noticed the dirty look Warren was giving her to her response so she cleared her throat so she cleared her throat and asked, "Do you know when Caleb would be here"? She asked.

    Warren shook his head, "Can''t you just call him or something"?

    "Nah," She shook her head, "Can you tell him I stopped by? Just tell him my name, Karolyn".

    "Will do," Warren nodded.

    She turned around, "Oh, and tell him I don''t need his help regardingˇ­ Well, what I asked him." She smiled. "Also, tell him I said he is an idiot" She gave him a sarcastic smile before she flitted off their premises. Warren stared at her back as he contemplated their somewhat weird and confusing interaction.

    Once she was out of his sight he noticed that few of the guys were staring at her while giving all those looks. Now that he thinks about it he must admit she was quite attractive. If he didn''t get those creepy vibes from her, who knows he might be even attracted to her.

    Caleb showed up around evening looking all happy and all. Warren had a good guess why but he had no intention of confirming his suspicion. He made sure he informed Caleb everything. Caleb frowned at first as to why she would call him an idiot. If anything, he was known for being quite brilliant back at his pack.

    "Oh and also, she asked me if I am mixed race?" Warren added.

    Caleb''s eyes widened, "wait, you are"?

    "Yeah"?  He looked at him like, ''duh''. "Part-latin"

    "OH MY GOD" Caleb screamed, startling the hell out of his roommate.

 Chapter 151 - "Nothing Lasts Forever"

    "OH MY GOD" Caleb screamed, startling the hell out of his roommate. "I gotta go", he declared for no apparent reason.

    "Okayˇ­" Warren mumbled, quite unsure of what to make his roommate''s sudden behavior. The day simply kept getting more confusing to him. He shook his head and put almost all his attention to his phone and after a moment he heard the door behind him slam shut.

    Caleb ran out of his room as he wondered what to do at this moment. He wanted to talk to Karolyn about Warren, at the same time he wanted to figure out how to introduce him to all these werewolves and all. Caleb had a wonderful year around humans, but as the saying goes, ''nothing lasts forever''.

    He was halfway across the campus when he realised what time it was. It was late enough to have a chat with Karolyn, although he wanted to give it a shot given how surprised he was. In his defense, he never met a latin person, how was he supposed to know Warren is latin? that too just part?

    He decided to come back to his dorm once the shock of it wore off. On his way he ran into Ashton who himself seemed to be headed out. "What are you doing here"? Caleb asked him.

    "I needed some air. My roommate was suffocating me. He never shuts up" Ashton groaned. "What are you doing here"? He asked back.

    "So...here is what happened". Caleb breathed. "Remember, Warren? My roommate"? He nodded. "He is Karolyn''s mate".

    The moment Ashton heard that, he frowned, "What did you say"?

    "Warren is Karolyn''s mate"? Caleb repeated, unsure of Ashton''s response.

    "Is she here"? Ashton asked, his voice significantly higher than normal.

    "Yeah, she goes to this school" Casually, Caleb mentioned.

    "And you didn''t think about telling me for an entire year you were here"? Ashton asked in an accusatory tone. Even his volume was significantly higher.

    "It''s not like we hang out a lot. I am busy, she is busy, we barely see each other. I guess I just forgot to tell you" Caleb shrugged, getting sidetracked by Ashton''s response. He noticed how Ashton''s face looked tense despite its blank gaze.

    "You said there were no wolves here" Ashton blurted after a moment.

    "Yeah, well..she is the only one I met. I didn''t spot any other". Caleb explained.

    Ashton''s gaze darkened before he asked in a terrifying voice, "Did you know that she was here before you applied here"?

    Caleb blinked. Ashton''s voice was grave enough to scare anyone, and it also scared Caleb. Not because of its grave nature, but he failed to understand why Ashton was reacting like this. Did Ashton have enough reason to hate Karolyn, Caleb wondered. "Yeahˇ­" he mumbled nevertheless.

    Ashton turned around and did his very best to control his anger. In fact at this point even Caleb could feel that. "Why does this bother you so much"? Caleb asked, concerned.

    "You tell me, when was the last time you saw her"?

    "Before the holidays"?

    "No, last time before enrolling here".

    "When she visited us" Caleb shrugged.

    "When your parents tried to set you two up"! Ashton huffed, still refusing to make eye contact.

    "Oh my god, are you jealous"? Caleb put his palm on his forehead. "That was a long time ago. I have a mate. You. She has a mate, who also happens to be my roommate". Caleb tried to clarify.

    "I don''t like her". Ashton declared.

    "Would you feel any differently if I told you she was the one who encouraged me to confront my feelings for you"? Caleb asked.

    At that point, Ashton decided to turn back and look him in the eye, trying to decide if he was being tricked or not. He was possessive in general when it came to Caleb. It only got worse with time, but somehow the thought of Karolyn pressed his buttons.

    Caleb could tell Ashton wasn''t completely convinced so he tried another thing hoping it would work. He linked him, and showed him the day Karolyn and him went to that cafeteria and how she egged him to confront his own feelings. Ashton knew faking a memory that vivid won''t be an easy job. He also knew that if that memory was this vivid, it must mean that it made a deep impact on Caleb as well.

    "Well"? Caleb asked.

    Ashton''s brow tensed before he looked away, "I still don''t like her".

    "Oh my god, would you just let it go" Caleb groaned. "You know that I can tell you are convinced, right?" When Ashton still refused to look at him, Caleb huffed, "okay now, you are just being petty."

    Ashton''s expression softened, but he still refused to look at his mate. Taking a step forward, Caleb put both of his hands at Ashton''s cheeks forcing him to look at her. "Why does she bother you this much"? He asked softly.

    "I dunno" Ashton sighed. "I am possessive. You guys have a weird history together. She is a werewolf and an alpha".

    "Well, she is not you" Caleb replied without skipping a beat. "And unless there is a second you popping up outta nowhere, you got nothing to be worried about".

    Ashton ended up chuckling at his words. Somehow Caleb always knew the right thing to say, therefore making communication much easier between them.

    "Soˇ­"Ashton cleared his throat. "If a second me to pop up from somewhere, you would leave me"?

    "Oh my god" Caleb groaned before bursting into laughter. Ashton followed the same suit then put both his hands at Caleb''s waist bringing them closer. Caleb looked at Ashton who looked back at him thus both of shared affectionate gazes.

    Ashton lowered his head, planted a soft long kiss before letting him go. "It''s getting late, I should probably get going". Ashton mumbled.

    "Need any help"? Caleb offered.

    "Well, unless you can make my roommate magically disappear, I don''t think so". Ashton sighed. Both of them parted ways for the night. For now, it seemed really peaceful. But, nothing lasts forever.

 Chapter 152 - Pungent Smell

    It''s been a few weeks since Caleb and Karolyn both found out about Warren being her mate. Unfortunately though they failed a proper opportunity to introduce him to the world of werewolves. The problem is, there were no werewolves around and it was risky in itself. On top of that whenever Caleb tried to talk his friend up, Warren seemed to give a weird reaction.

    Was this supposed to happen? Even when you''re human if you''re mated to some wolf you should at least feel attraction right? Seemed like there were lot of inconsistencies in their legends

    However, after the whole week things started to get trickier. Till then their biggest challenge, aside from academic ones, was a big reveal to Warren. However, when on Monday after two weeks they were having lunch at the cafeteria a peculiar smell filled their nostrils.

    Both Caleb and Ashton looked up from their food and looked at each other. Their disgusted expression mirrored each other. [What is that?] Ashton linked his mate and asked. Since it had to do with scents, he decided it was best to be discrete.

    [I dunno. Never have I ever smelled such a pungent smell in my entire lifetime.] Caleb replied.

    [The fact that it smells the same to both of us is a bit concerning] Ashton sighed. He looked in front of him, he scanned the entire area behind Caleb who was sitting face to face with him, and Caleb followed the same suit once he realised what his mate was upto.

    It was a bit hard to decipher the exact source of the scent from a single point. But he wasn''t sure how to leave in the middle of his meal. [Do you spot anything?] Caleb asked his mate after a moment.

    [Nothing suspicious that''s for sure] Ashton replied. [Whatever it is, it''s good with hiding]

    [Should we be really concerned?] Caleb asked him when the smell finally disappeared.

    [I wonder] Ashton replied. It was easy to tell even Ashton was starting to worry about the situation.

    The smell did not appear to them for the rest of the day. Ashton wondered if he should be worried or not. Honestly he was worried about his mate more than himself. The thing with such ominous smells is that they constitute a threat. When something smells this repulsive to both of them, it must not be a good news.

    When the day was over a wave of relief washed over him. An entire day passed but nothing bad happened. He started to consider that maybe it was nothing, that it was simply a smell coming to them stronger because of their werewolves genes. After all, the kitchen was quite right there. Who is to say they didn''t burn anything?

    When he woke up the next day his concern was almost forgotten until he left his room. The commotion in the premises was uncanny and held a certain amount of anxiety amongst all the individuals. "What''s going on"? He mumbled. He didn''t ask anyone in particular, but somehow his talkative roommate who was on his way to their room heard him and took it as an invitation to talk.

    "Some missing cases are going on," his roommate replied.

    "Missing cases"? From the very first time ever since entering this dorm did he reply to his roommate in such a straightforward manner. A glint of smile amidst the chaos appeared on the face of his roommate.

    "Some of our seniors disappeared last night", He explained.

    "Wait, our seniors"? Ashton paused. He didn''t care about many seniors, but there was one senior he absolutely cared about.

    "Yeah, each from three different departments". His roommate shrugged.

    "Who were they? Which departments"? Ashton asked. The urgency in his voice had become evident enough to receive suspicious gazes from people around him.

    The fact is, even though Ashton had no intention of hiding, his relationship with Caleb is yet to spread like a wildfire in their campus. To their eyes, the exaggerated response of the cold unbothered guy definitely seemed like a big deal.

    "I dunno", his roommate replied. He was starting to feel uncomfortable by Ashton''s intimidating aura.

    "Zack, find out who and tell me"! Ashton literally shouted in front of the entire campus. Not only Zack, but almost everyone stared at him like he lost his mind or something.

    "What do you want me to do"? Zack replied exasperated. "All I know is that none of them were from my department." He mumbled and took his leave. He didn''t want to deal with annoyed Ashton any further.

    Relief washed over Ashton as he heard that. Caleb was definitely in his department, and therefore not one of the people who disappeared. Even if it was a good news he still felt the urge to go and check for himself. It was hard to calm down fully without confirming with his own eyes.

    He wanted to storm off but noticed most of the eyes are on him. [What are you doing?] He heard his mate in his ears.

    [Where are you?] Ashton asked him back instead ignoring Caleb''s question.

    [The corridor above you. What''s wrong with you? Why are you letting your scent out?] Concerned, asked Caleb.

    That''s when Ashton realized that in the heat of the moment his control over his scent slipped. He stopped the release of his pheromones immediately and tried to notice if there were any changes of the expression amongst the people around him.

    It shouldn''t for normal humans, but if it did there was meant to be something sketchy with that. [Well? What is happening?] Caleb insisted in the link.

    [Someone disappeared] Ashton replied.

    [What?] Caleb was surprised. How come he had no idea about the situation just from a floor above? [Who] Caleb asked.

    [I myself don''t know about it.] Ashton admitted. He informed Caleb about what his roommate told him. Once he was done Caleb sighed and assured him that he was fine, having guessed Ashton''s reaction to the news correctly.

    [Do you think it has something to do with that ominous smell?] Caleb asked.

    [Possible] Ashton replied.

 Chapter 153 - Covered In Bruises

    The missing boys were never found by the police there. It''s been several weeks now and the local police were on the verge of declaring this a cold case. Of course the parents of the concerned did not take this news lightly and through many means they still forced the police to continue the investigations.

    In a situation like this it was not to panic. The students disappeared from a bar situated uptown, but still it was scary. Many panicked that the same would happen to others, including the university authorities and therefore made it mandatory for everyone to return to their dorm by 9. It was a strict move, but it was essential given the situation at hand.

    The scent that had reached Caleb and Ashton the other day reached to them quite a few times on the campus. Unfortunately it''s intensity was never enough to track it''s source. They couldn''t help but think that it had something to do with their disappearance.

    The couple were practicing on the field with the rest of the teammates when Karolyn showed up. She received multiple stares from her surroundings until she glared at them to make them turn away. As for Caleb and Ashton, it was her scent that alarmed them about her presence.

    Like a reflex, Ashton grabbed his mate''s hand the moment he spotted her. Ashton was ready to shoot deathly stares at her until he noticed her face. It was bruised badly as if she had been in some intense physical fight. Ashton started to guess what could have caused her to look like this while Caleb gawked at his friend with shock.

    Caleb knew Karolyn was usually a calm girl. She didn''t indulge in any fight until and unless there was no other choice. She was good at it, but she simply avoided it. Seeing her, all bruised up like that made him wonder what could have possibly happened to her in this university filled with humans.

    "What happened"? Caleb asked her.

    "Can I talk to you? In private"? She asked while she glanced around her. There were still some people who were still gawking at her.

    Ashton''s hold on his mate tightened as a reflex. Ashton looked at Karolyn suspiciously. When Karolyn noticed his gaze on herself she blinked a few times before asking him to join them as well.

    Finding a secluded spot Karolyn sighed, "So, I have bad news". She began.

    Before she could say much, Caleb asked, "First tell us why are you so much bruised like this? And why is it taking so forever to heal"?

    "I am getting to that. It''s part of the whole story" She mumbled. "Guess who decided to join this university this year"? She asked both of them. Caleb and Ashton glanced at each other before they shrugged cluelessly. "Vampires".

    Both their eyes widened the moment they heard her say that word. In their entire life never have they ever encountered one, most probably because most of them were extinct by now. In fact, due to their inability to survive in the sunlight is one of the major factors on why they were not easily spotted.

    "Whyˇ­"? Caleb''s question got lost in silence while Ashton simply remained quiet, still trying to comprehend the situation.

    "They usually avoid wolf packs, so it;s harder to come by one of these days." Karolyn sighed. "But there is no pack as such nearby, so I guess it''s no surprise one showed up here".

    "Why was he or she on the campus?" Ashton asked.

    "Sheˇ­ is one of the students here". Karolyn explained. "I am the head of the trivia club and one of them came to join it".

    "One of them..?" Ashton deadpanned.

    "Yes, I believe there are more. I have heard that she has other siblings who joined as well". Karolyn sighed. "Unlike you two, my scent is pretty prominent. With her pungent smell and my own Alpha pheromones, we both knew who the other were". Karolyn paused a moment. "And that''s how we got into a fight".

    "Why did you bother?" Caleb asked. "You could have just ignored her".

    "I know, but she was the one who attacked me first. She mumbled that I am a threat she did not foresee before she jumped". Karolyn shrugged. "What was I supposed to do? Let her have it? I fight back." She huffed. "These scratches will time to disappear" She looked at her hands and mumbled.

    Vampire marks slow down the healing process, so unless the blow was absolutely lethal these scratches weren''t really a threat. "What about your face?" Caleb asked.

    "This will heal by tomorrow" She shrugged. "That b***ch threw a desk at me, so it''s from that" she explained.

    "How are you conscious?" Caleb''s eyes widened.

    "I avoided it. But.. not entirely, hence the bruises". Karolyn explained.

    Caleb nodded at her. "But now she knows about you, what if she comes after you along with her ''family''? What are you gonna do then?" Caleb questioned.

    "Which is why I am here". She sighed. "You guys are better hidden than me, and there is a slight chance that they might avoid me too. I won''t ask you to fight on my behalf, but if possible try to figure out who the other''s are so that we can stay for a lookout". Karolyn  replied.

    "Well, if it''s come to that we will fight for you" Caleb declared. He turned around to confirm with his mate, who after a moment of hesitation nodded his head as well. Caleb gave Ashton a smile before he turned around to look at Karolyn, "try to stay out of any trouble. If possible, just send me a text if you get into any troublesome situation." Caleb instructed her.

    She smiled at him and mumbled a thanks and nodded at Ashton. "I really appreciate it" She mumbled.

    "I bet one of them is near us" Ashton mumbled after a minute.

    Caleb frowned until realisation hit him, "That smell". He affirmed.

    "Yes, let''s get started with that one. Let''s track who that is". He declared.

 Chapter 154 - Moth To A Flame

    "You know, I have been wondering whether or not we should tell the pack about it". Ashton mumbled once Karolyn was out of sight.

    A startled expression on Caleb''s face confirmed that he was not exactly on board with this idea, "Why the hell would we do that?"

    "So that we can have a backup?" Ashton mumbled in an obvious tone.

    "You really think they will send backup?" Caleb scoffed, "What they''ll do is call both of us back so that we are out of danger."

    "But what if we get caught in all this mess? What if you get caught all in this mess?" Ashton''s voice got higher by the moment. "What ifˇ­"

    "Look, Ash, I get it. You are worried, but so am I". Caleb huffed. "I am too worried for us, butˇ­" He took a deep breath, "Like she said, we are good at hiding, with our overall lack of scent. Besides, we can''t keep running away everytime we face danger."

    "I am not suggesting running awayˇ­" Ashton tried to explain but Caleb cut him off.

    "I knowˇ­" Caleb sighed. "But I also know my pack... my Dad. I have spent a year here and I have waited for you for most of it. I made the decision to come here so that I could move on with my life, to experience life outside from the pack. I don''t want to just give it all away and go back Ashton"! He explained as anger overtook him.

    "Okay Okayˇ­" Ashton grabbed onto his mate''s hand and rubbed held it tightly in order to keep him calm. "We don''t have to tell the pack. But please, tell me you would be careful."

    "Of course!" Caleb exclaimed. "Look, I love my life, I have no intention of dying!" Ashton ended up snorting at that and a slight smile appeared on Caleb''s face. "By the way, you be careful as well. I assume you have never met a vampire?" Ashton shook his head confirming Caleb''s statement. "Well, then look out".

    "Of course. How can I disobey you"? Ashton said with a flirtatious smile on his face earning an unamused glare from Caleb. Suppressing his smile he put a quick peck on his mate''s lips thus exiting the premises.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "So, did you find out anything?" Karolyn asked. It''s been two weeks since the last time they met. This morning they decided to meet up once more to discuss the vamps and currently they were in a tousled room of the old campus building. This place was as messier as it gets, but at least it would ensure privacy.

    "Quite a lot actually," Caleb admitted.

    "One of the vamps is my classmate. He doesn''t attend many classes. I only met him once" Ashton added.

    "Did you talk to him"? Karolyn asked.

    "Wellˇ­" Ashton trailed off.

    Seeing him fumble, Caleb decided to take over for him. "Well, in case you didn''t know he doesn''t talk much..." Caleb mumbled awkwardly pointing at Ashton who simply looked away.

    "Really? Never noticed that about him" Karolyn mumbled sarcastically earning a glare from Ashton.

    "But, he did eavesdrop on this guy". Caleb confirmed. "And a little bit stalked him". He chuckled when Ashton simply rolled his eyes.

    "That''sˇ­ not so bad." Karolyn smiled. "So, what did you find out"?

    Clearing his throat, Ashton began, "Well, this one''s name is Billy Montague. He is not exactly social either, so he wasn''t involved in many conversations. I saw many girls and a few dudes gawk at him, so it was people who were discussing him mostly". Ashton informed.

    "Makes sense" Karolyn sighed. "Vampires are supposed to attract human attention. That''s one of the ways to lure in their prey. Like a moth who is attracted to a flame".

    "Yeah, that sounds about right", Caleb mumbled.

    "What about the sun? It didn''t affect him? If he is in your Department, doesn''t it mean he needs to go out for sports"? She asked.

    "He is into swimming. We have an indoor swimming pool" Ashton clarified. "Although he seemed bothered by sunlight, he didn''t seem physically affected by it".

    "He must be a daywalker," Karolyn declared.

    "What"? Both Caleb and Ashton exclaimed at the same time.

    "Did none of you study about Vampires?" She frowned.

    "I never had a pack" Ashton shrugged, "I don''t know what his excuse is" He shrugged casually pointing at Caleb who simply pressed his tongue against his cheek.

    "I was never interested in Vampires. They hardly show up these days". Caleb shrugged.

    "Wow" Karolyn smiled sarcastically before she continued. "A day walker is the one who has the ability to tolerate the sun. A night walker doesn''t"

    "Seemsˇ­ pretty obvious," Ashton mumbled.

    "Why the distinction"? Caleb asked.

    "A pack can have an Alpha, beta and an omega, why can''t there be variety amongst Vamps"? She asked him back. "There are other differences too but this is the basic one. While the daywalkers are usually called less aggressive, they are more dangerous due to their ability to hide in the plain sight.

    They are less suspicious to humans, not to mention they are easily attracted by the Vamps. This in turn makes them way more dangerous than the night walkers in a way". She sighed.

    "Seems about right" Caleb mumbled, "Did that girl try to attack you a second time"?

    "Not really" Karolun sighed. "I have been trying really hard not to run into her while I am alone. I think even she might be avoiding me".

    "Soˇ­ you are gonna avoid each other''s existence for eternity?" Ashton asked, unconvinced.

    "Well, no one was found drained of blood though, so Imma go ahead and maintain this facade. If people start to die a lot I might kill her" Karolyn shrugged.

    "Don''t you think... that''s harsh"? Caleb asked.

    "Not if she is the one killing innocent humans" Karolyn huffed.

    "Have you ever killed a vamp before"? Ashton asked her. She nodded casually as if it was totally normal. Both Ashton and Caleb''s eyes widened a bit as they looked at each other mirroring their expression.

    Before their conversation could proceed further, Karolyn mumbled, "Something''s wrong".

 Chapter 155 - Looking For Him

    "Like what"? Asked Caleb in a confused manner.

    "I dunnoˇ­" Karlyn breathed, "something doesn''t just... feel right".

    "...." Caleb remained quiet as he looked back at Ashton looking for some answers. Alas, even Ashton himself was clueless about whatever was happening.

    "I don''t like this ominous feeling" After a moment Karolyn replied.

    "You should go back, take some rest", Caleb suggested. He wasn''t sure what was happening, but that''s the best advice that he could think of at this moment.

    "No, it''s not something from the inside. Iˇ­" She struggled with her words. "I amˇ­. wellˇ­ it''s like a premonition that something bad is going to happen. Like I am catching some sort of vibe or something".

    "Why don''t you go back. We will look around to see if we can find something." Caleb suggested.

    "You don''t get it!" Her voice raised by several decibels. Both Caleb and Ashton were taken aback by her sudden change in attitude and backed off. Ashton instinctively covered Caleb a little bit from the side in such a way that if she goes rampage he will cover Caleb entirely in a second.

    "What do you need us to do"? Caleb asked. He knew his friend was not someone who easily loses control over her emotions. At this moment that was all he could think of asking.

    "Iˇ­" Karolyn struggled to answer that once more "I need to figure it out. What is this, what should I do. I amˇ­ confused" She mumbled.

    All of them remained silent for a long time, Karolyn clutched her vest trying to figure out her own surge of emotions while Caleb simply gazed at her attentively. Despite grilling his head for any possible illness he failed to come up with a valid reason for her behavior.

    "Warren". Ashon mumbled in his own daze. Both Karolyn and Caleb looked at him in confusion, until they realised what he was hinting at.

    "Nooo! It can''t be him right"? Karolyn deadpanned. "This isn''t about him. This shouldn''t be about him"! She insisted harder.

    "He is your mate...soˇ­" Ashton tried to explain why he came up with that logic. Something about Karolyn''s behaviour reminded him of himself back when Caleb was almost attacked by that rogue Alpha. The intense feeling associated with your mate, especially if you are an Alpha, is something Ashton was weirdly familiar to.

    "I will go back to my room right now" Caleb suggested.

    "First call him"! Karolyn screamed

    "Right"! Caleb mumbled as he dialed his roommate. From the very first ring he hoped his call would be answered and with each passing ring his hope faded away further. When the call was finally directed to voicecall, he mumbled. "Call me ASAP"! He tried once more but when the rings stopped Caleb turned to Karolyn and mumbled. "No response."

    "I will keep trying, you go Back" Ashton instructed. As Caleb''s mate he ensured he had Warren''s contact info way before he was enrolled in here. Whenever he needed something and somehow Caleb wasn''t available despite their ever strong link, he called Warren, who was more than happy to help. More often than not such situations arose when Caleb was in heat.

    "Okay". Caleb nodded at him and disappeared. Ashton kept dialing Warren while Karolyn''s entire gaze focused on the phone in Ashton''s hand.

    "This is useless" Karolyn mumbled as soon as his call was rejected once more. "I gotta go" She declared and was about to leave when Ashton stopped her by getting in her way. "Look, I don''t care if you are the mate of one of my closest friends. Step aside"!

    "I will, but you need to calm down. You are not gonna find him just like that" Ashton tried to get through her. Unlike with him and Caleb, she never marked or got through the entire mating process, which means she had no connections to him apart from being his fated mate.

    Karolyn''s gaze intensified, "Watch me try" She spat and tried to use her Alpha strength into moving Ashton. As a pureblood, it was no surprise that he could easily resist her. Even if he was skeptical about this woman, deep down he could relate to her, and somehow it made him feel bad for her.

    "How about this"? Ashton spoke, gaining her momentarily attention. "I go with you. I will look along with you. We can cover a wider range. I know himˇ­ somewhat. I may have some ideas on where he could be." He suggested.

    "Fine, let''s go. I do not want something to happen to him." She growled. She was grateful, for sure, but it was just too hard to express her gratitude right now when everything in her just drove her over the edge. Ashton nodded as they both exited the room.

    He headed off to the department of science, a place he had seldom been to. Nevertheless the symmetry of the building made it easier for it to navigate. On his way to the library, as Warren was known for being the studious guy, he knocked into someone.

    While the girl who was hit by him seemed bothered and murmured a quick apology, the scent coming off of her triggered Ashton. ''Was she the one who attacked Karolyn" he wondered. Turns out, his lack of scent was definitely helpful, even after a skin to skin contact.

    His search on the library was a failure, so he searched the entire building looking for Warren and even paid special attention to the places designated for stud groups or self study. When everything failed, after almost an hour he arrived at the main door where he found Karolyn waiting with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry" Ashton mumbled. He was sorry that he failed to find her mate, and sorry that she had to feel all this.

    Karolyn shook his head, "It''s not your fault. I justˇ­" She fumbled. "I can''t feelˇ­ anything anymore".

    "Isn''t that great news? Maybe that simply means he is out of danger"! Ashton suggested.

    "Or dead". Karolyn mumbled. Ashton wished he could say she was wrong. But he actually had no idea how it felt. He knew it was supposed to be devastating, but in what way.

    Before he could think of anything to say to her that would be comforting he heard his mate''s voice in his head. [Come to my room. You gotta see this]

 Chapter 156 - Misery

    Pain, anger and regret. They were one of the many emotions Warren experienced at this given moment. All Warren wanted at this very moment, was to die. At every other moment he only wished one thing, that he didn''t leave for Los Angeles.

    He needed to buy a few things, and even if he could have them delivered to his doorstep, he thought it would be better to go out and get some fresh air. One of the very few terrible decisions he made in this life.

    He was sitting outside a local convenient store and munching on his noodles until this woman came and asked him for directions. When that woman failed to understand, he volunteered to help her. He was headed on the same way, so it was beneficial to both of them.

    A little while later she stopped following his instructions and took some surprising turns on the way. At first Warren was confused. The moment it hit him he was being abducted he tried to reason with the person. "What''s going on? Where are you taking me?" He asked, raising his volume ten folds.

    He received nothing but silence as his answer, so he tried to scream his lungs out. Unfortunately they were at an empty road making it hard for his voice to make any difference. He was even willing to jump out of this running car if the car wasn''t going at the speed of 90miles per hour. How was it even allowed on this road? Where were the cops when you needed them the most?

    He realised he was doomed, but he tried to figure out the exact intentions of this lady. His very first guess was that she wanted to rob him. That was ridiculous in one aspect, given he didn''t carry a lot of money, however there was no way this woman could have known it.

    She finally stopped flying away her car, but the area was completely unknown to him. In the last one year he has been to the city, never had he ever been to this part of it. He didn''t wait for her to say something, he unlocked the door and made a run for it.

    He was away by a few yards when he came face to face with another person. From a distance, he thought he finally found some help, but when he was close enough he realized it was the same woman. ''Is she ghost''? Warren found himself wondering.

    He tried to run the other way, but like a gust of wind some movement happened next to him and soon she stood in front of him once more. The flashback of each and every horror movie he has watched till the day flashed in his mind. He enjoyed watching them, in fact, with the lights off. Never did he ever imagine those things could happen in reality.

    He was half assured that this was a part of some elaborate nightmare and had the urge to pinch himself. Somehow he failed to move his hands as he stared at the woman taking each step towards him. It was like he was paralyzed and the closer she got the harder it got to break free.

    The infliction of pain to distinguish nightmare from reality graced him in a slightly different manner. Instead of a pinch he felt a sharp pricking pain in his pain to ensure that it was indeed a nightmare. And this nightmare was as real as he gets.

    He wanted to scream, or at least to wince in pain as he felt two large sharp things piercing the skin on his neck. Alas he simply stood still while the torture bestowed upon him.

    The pain was soon replaced by numbness followed by dizziness. He wasn''t sure what was happening anymore and before he knew it everything turned dark. The last thing he heard was some sirens before he was engulfed into the darkness of a void.

    After a long time Warren finally found the ability to feel something, and that something was pain. It coupled nicely with his anger and regret as he failed to comprehend everything that was happening to him.

    How much of it was real? How much of it was fake? He couldn''t tell. What he could tell however that there was a sharp excruciating pain spreading through every inch of his entire body. He struggled to move but even that hurt.

    When he finally opened his eyes, he saw nothing but darkness around him. How long was he out? He had no idea. He was simply in a dark area with nothing visible. He felt a sharp pain in his eyes and thus Warren closed his eyes instinctively.

    When finally the pain subsided a little bit he opened them. His vision felt blurry, but it was hard to tell amidst this darkness. Somehow after blinking more than twice he felt his vision become clearer. He noticed his surroundings and somehow he felt that he could visualize things much better.

    He seemed to be in some sort of weird Cabin, but the lack of coordinated movements from his body due the pain kept him restricted to his position while he was left wondering of his current status. With all the bodily pain, the feeling which overwhelmed him the most right now was misery. He was miserable and it just kept getting worse for him.

    He wasn''t how long he was here. He heard a few metals clunk together, some whispering noises but that were from a distance. But somehow it was hard to decipher what was real and what wasn''t anymore.

    After what seemed like an eternity, it stopped. Everything stopped. The noises that were bothering him, the pain that consumed him even the husky noise of his own breath and the beating of his heart. Nothing happened. Was this it? Was he finally dead?

    Before he could think further a sharp light hit his eyes making him snap his eyes shut. "I am sorry for your loss. He is here". He felt the curtain like thing which was above his head removed which until now he didn''t realize was there.

    He felt a hand on his neck and he jolted his eyes open. He saw an unknown nurse and the known face of his roommate next to her. "Ahhh!" She shrieked at her highest pitch and ran away from the room. Caleb himself stood wide eyed but somehow his response was much calmer.

    Looking around himself he realised he was in a morgue. Did the hospital presume he was dead? He wondered. Then how was he awake now? And if that''s indeed a shocker then why was Caleb so calm when that nurse practically ran away? All these questions swarmed inside Warren''s head.

    "What''s going on"? In a groggy voice Warren asked.

    "I...have no idea" Caleb mumbled.

    "What are you doing here"? Warren asked him that instead.

    "I was called from this hospital. Apparently you got into some kind of accident.  They said they found you in your car." Caleb mumbled. "I highly doubt that''s the whole story. I am curious to know your side of the story".

    "I don''t have any. The accident seems plausible enough". Warren mumbled.

    "Really? You actually remember ramming into a tree"? Caleb asked.

    "Sure". Warren mumbled. He was confused as it is and he was not into the mood for explaining himself.

    "Good because they didn''t find your car ramming into a tree. There is clearly a different story from you". Caleb insisted.

    "My side of the story.. is way less believable." Warren insisted.

    "Try me"! Caleb challenged. Warren sighed and thus began recounting his tale. He tried to leave out some unbelievable details, but Caleb 7seemed way too persistent to let it go.

    When Warren was done, he asked Caleb, "Well? Do you believe my story?" Warren was sure he would get no or some kind of sarcastic remark as an answer which is why despite what it looked like he failed to believe that the casual nod from Caleb was sincere.

    "Why? What do you think happened? Who attacked me"? Warren challenged. Caleb hesitated wondering if he was the right person to disclose everything. Warren deserved to know what happened to him more than anyone else, but unfortunately there was no _right_ way to say it. "Come on! Tell me" Warren insisted once more.

    "It''s...a little hard to explain." Caleb began.

    "Well, I should sure hope so" Warren huffed. "Look, I don''t understand what''s wrong with me. Something feels very different, but I just don''t know what it is" Warren took a deep breath. "I need to know. Please."

    "I have a faint idea, what''s wrong with you. Butˇ­ I don''t think I am the right person to explain everything." Caleb admitted honestly.

    "Why"? Warren.

    "Cause I don''t really have all the answers. But I know who might have". Caleb offered.

    "Then why are we here"? Warren''s volume took a spike.

    "What"?

    "Let''s go"! He got down from the bed. He ran towards the door, but surprisingly he was at the door which was almost a 10feet away in a second. He stood there shocked and turned to Caleb who still seemed unbothered. "Is thisˇ­.supposed to happen"? He asked, unsure.

    "I think so. Like I said, I am very unclear about what is going on with you". Caleb answered him.

    "Alright, let''s get going" Warren mumbled and exited the door.

 Chapter 157 - Werewolves And Vampires

    Warren was highly skeptical when Caleb opened the door to their own room. Caleb said he wasn''t aware of everything, and Warren himself had zero idea. Was he being tricked? He wondered. The opened door revealed two more people, whom he knew beforehand.

    "So...they know"? Warren couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yeah". Caleb shrugged. "Well, she does. " He pointed at Karolyn.

    Before he could take another step towards Karolyn, he could smell a weird smell coming off from her. It wasn''t unpleasant, but it wasn''t very expected either. It somehow triggered his emotions in a way he couldn''t quite explain.

    "What is wrong with me"? He asked.

    "Based on how you appearˇ­ I have to admit, you are aˇ­" She hesitated. She looked around at Caleb and Ashton who themselves looked anxious. Their gazes were doubtful, but they were encouraging nonetheless. "A Vampire" she declared.

    "What"? Warren blurted. It was evident Warren wasn''t convinced. Karolyn sighed, expecting this reaction from him. The refusal to accept the existence of supernatural beings was one of the few things that helped them conceal their identities from humans. "Okay, now you are just pranking me" he scoffed.

    "Why on earth would we do that?" Karolyn argued.

    "Why not"? Warren argued back. "I am clearly having a bad day as it is, I don''t need all of this".

    Karolyn sighed. "Tell me something" she tried a different approach. "Does blood bother you"?

    "No" Warren declared without skipping a beat. "I am a science student, I love bio. I don''t think me seeing blood is something you have to be worried about"

    "Good" She smirked. Taking a pocket knife out of her pocket she cut her skin deep enough to injure a tendon.

    While her face maintained its neutral gaze Warren''s eyes widened. "Are f***ing crazy"? He shouted. "This is absurd" He mumbled. His gaze flickered quite a few times to the blood dripping of her forearm. Each time, his gaze lingered longer than the last time, as if it was hard to look away.

    He wanted to look at the blood, and possibly wanted something more. He couldn''t decipher why he felt what he did, and the dry itchy feeling in his throat did not help him focus. "Let me drink this first" He took the bottle next to him and chugged down the almost ice cold water down his throat. His dryness of throat subsided for a while, but the itchy feeling remained as it was.

    "No, this can''t be it" Warren mumbled once he found himself actually considering Karolyn''s words. She came closer to him, making him agitated further. "Stay away from me" He snarled at her. He was surprised by his own sudden outburst. He was generally a laid back guy, but somehow he feltˇ­ agitated.

    "You still don''t believe me"? She challenged him. He opened his mouth to protest but he couldn''t think of a proper argument.

    "Karolyn, calm down" Caleb instructed from the back. "He is overwhelmed as it is, maybe try a nicer approach" He suggested.

    "Shut up"! She snapped back at Caleb before looking back at Warren. "He is a vampire whether he accepts it or not. This might be a lot for him, but this is how it is" She declared. Her voice seemed to quiver at the end, making Caleb suspicious of Karolyn''s behaviour.

    Karolyn never liked Vampires as much, but now that her mate was one now, that too he turned into one after meeting her was making her crazy. If only she didn''t wait long enough to disclose everything to Warren. She was frustrated with the way things turned out, but even more furious that she wasn''t able to do anything. On some level, she believed that she was to be blamed as well.

    "Why should I trust you?" Warren snapped. "I don''t even know who you are," He declared.

    "I am his friend" Karolyn pointed at Caleb, "I am also a werewolf. And I am someone who is supposed to not like vampires" She declared.

    Both Caleb and Ashton''s eyes widened at her abrupt revelation. Sure they were expecting this, but not in the way it was happening. Things were getting much more chaotic by the minute. "Now you are a werewolf?" Warren scoffed. "What kind of idiot do you take me for Miss ''Caleb''s friend''" He asked her sarcastically.

    "The one who thinks he is too smart but actually dumb guy with rigid beliefs" She spat back. She closed her eyes before her face started to morph into a furry thing which had countless dark grey, almost black, hair. Ashton was surprised to see her wolf colour so similar to his. Somehow seeing that made him a little bit jealous and a probable pout appeared on his face.

    "Am Iˇ­ still hallucinating"? Warren wondered out loud. Frustrated, Karolyn released a large grown making Warren stumble and fall back. Before she could transform both Caleb and Ashton held her back by putting their hand on her shoulder each.

    "Will you calm down"! Caleb shouted. "You are going way too far".

    "Karolyn" Ashton spoke in his Alpha voice, "Back off"! His voice had a commanding undertone that Karolyn found hard to defy. His voice was enough to make her stand back and shift into her original form,

    Caleb crouched down and looked at his roommate, "Look, I get this is confusing for you, and I wish I could help you like you did every time I had my heat. But I can''t. This is happening, and you are becomingˇ­ you have become almost a vampire".

    "Heat"? Both Karolyn and Warren asked him at the same time. Both were confused, but for opposite reasons. Caleb''s eyes widened as he realised he accidentally let out his secret.

    "Um...I" Caleb looked at Karolyn and Warren back and forth as he hesitated. His gaze shifted to Ashton who nodded at him, encouraging him to go ahead and tell them the truth.

    "Yeah, I have them." He looked at Karolyn, "I amˇ­ an omega" He admitted.

    "I still don''t understand" Warren mumbled, while Karolyn looked at him, agape. She swallowed before focusing her attention on Warren. This tiny revelation had distracted her enough, and now she wasn''t sure anymore what to do.

    "This is much more complicated," Caleb explained to Warren. "All I can tell you is that I am a werewolf as well, andˇ­ so is Ashton" He admitted with an awkward smile.

    "Soˇ­ you''re telling me I have been living with a werewolf for the past year?" He asked carefully. Caleb nodded at him awkwardly. "Wow" he mumbled after a moment. Warren was relieved, confused and scared.

    Even if he believed he was a Vampire now, it didn''t solve his problem. It gave him more questions than he had before. What did it mean for him now? Would he become a killer? Would he need blood to stay alive? Would the sun burn him? Would he have to cut classes since it''s in the daylight? Would he be able to see his family without killing them? Stuff like that.

    Seeing the dilemma on his face Caleb offered, "Look, I know it''s confusing right now, but we got you. We will help you through it"

    "How"? Warren asked. "You all are werewolves right? If this crazy lady is right.." He pointed at Karolyn earning an eye roll from her "...then we are supposed to hate each other".

    "Well..."Caleb chuckled, "I am known for not being the way I am supposed to be" he smirked. Warren raised his eyebrow unsure of what Caleb was implying but Caleb simply shook his head to let this one go.

    "Soˇ­" Warren trailed off, "What am I supposed to do"? He asked.

    "You want to be a vampire?" Karolyn asked.

    "Do I have a choice?" Warren asked.

    Karolyn went quiet for a few seconds before she replied, "No".

    "Well, then I guess, I will be a Vampire" Warren shrugged. "Why cry over something that''s not under my control. Life is messy enough without making it harder for myself".

    Karolyn blinked at his words realising that maybe she was more affected than he was. Sure she was angry, but her anger won''t solve anything. No Matter how much she hated the way these events turned out to be, she had no choice. She needed to accept it. But the question still remains, can she be okay with having a mate now who was a vampire? She wondered.

    "Well"? Warren asked her when she didn''t respond. That''s when Karolyn realised that she was staring at him blatantly.

    "Well, you need to complete your transition" She declared.

    "Right, you mentioned I am almost a Vampire" He glanced at Caleb for a second. "Soˇ­ I am not a vampire yet"?

    "No". Karolyn shook her head, "But you are too far along your transition to revert you back to your human form" She informed.

    "Andˇ­ exactly what triggered my transition?" Warren asked.

    "Residual venom. I assume someone was feeding from you, but forgot to ensure you had no venom in your system" Karolyn explained.

    "Okayˇ­" He nodded. "And, how will my transition be completed"? Warren questioned further.

    Karolyn took a deep breath before declaring, "Feeding"

 Chapter 158 - Transition Complete

    "You don''t mean I have to drink blood now do you"? Warren asked carefully.

    "Why? You said blood doesn''t bother you"? Karen raised her eyebrow with a tiny smirk.

    "Neither does a truck! Doesn''t mean I go ahead and eat it"! Warren cringed.

    "Well, you gotta drink blood". Karolyn shrugged. "Also, Human blood. Any other blood won''t do"

    "What"?! Warren shouted! "I can''t hurt another human being. Iˇ­ Let''s go look for a blood bank"! Warren suggested.

    "Nope" Karolyn said flatly.

    "Why not"?! Warren shrieked.

    "Blood banks have frozen blood, you need the warm kindˇ­ to take effect". She smirked.

    "But Iˇ­" He hesitated. "I can''t kill a human".

    "You don''t have to kill anyone. Just a sip is enough". She shrugged.

    "What about vampire venom then? Doesn''t half kill cause them to turn into vampires".

    "Okay, first of all, residual venom is not the same as half kill. What happened with you is a bit different. In a hurry that vampire forgot to clean your bite mark. That''s whyˇ­ this happened to you". She informed him.

    "Okayˇ­ but I dunno how to properly clean a bite mark", Warren pointed out.

    "Which brings me to my second point." She sighed. "You don''t have any venom. You can''t have it until you complete your transition". She declared.

    "Oh" Warren jolted. "Okay" He seemed visibly amused and relieved at the same time.

    "Wellˇ­" Karolyn cleared her throat. "You are good to go".

    "Okay.." Warren mumbled. Both Warren and Karolyn stared at various things while glancing at each other from time to time, meanwhile Ashton and Caleb looked at each other wondering what these two were waiting for.

    "You need something"? Caleb couldn''t help but ask. Ashton suppressed a chuckle and cleared his throat instead.

    "Warren, whom do you hate the most"? Ashton asked.

    "Wait, I know this one" Caleb prompted, earning amazed glances from the trio. "This professorˇ­ who got into your bad side. What was his nameˇ­" He tried to think deeply.

    "Professor McCain"? Warren recalled.

    "Yes"! Caleb exclaimed.

    "NO"! Karolyn shouted. "You hate professor McCain? He is the best"!

    "I don''t hate him. He hates me"! Warren clarified loudly.

    "Well, I am not letting you suck his blood" Karolyn argued.

    "I wasn''t going to. I don''t want to give him another reason to lower my grades! I might as well not undergo this transition and die", Warren huffed.

    "No"! Karolyn shouted once more, earning a surprised gaze from Warren. "We will find someone. Let''s go" She grabbed his shirt and pulled him out of that room.

    "These two can''t even agree on the simplest thing, how are the gonna date in future"? Caleb mumbled.

    "And now you can see why I am not so fond of fated mates stuff." Ashton added.

    "You and me both brother" Caleb mumbled.

    "Should we follow them"? Ashton asked peeking outside the door.

    "I dunno" Caleb shrugged. "I kind of want to ensure his safety, but he is Karolyn''s mateˇ­ and Iˇ­ well" He sighed. "I don''t wanna watch him feed."

    "I feel ya" Ashton added. "But I think we should follow," he added.

    "Alright, but if I vomit on youˇ­ that''s not on me"! Caleb declared and stormed off.

    "You can vomit on the floor"! Ashton shouted at Caleb as he caught up with him.

    They crept their way outside the campus along with the anxiety of getting spotted. It was past midnight, which meant that there were fewer people out and also past their curfew. That''s right, after what happened to those three seniors their university put up a curfew for its student.

    Since it was a city, it wasn''t a total blackout, but still quite dark outside. However, with three werewolf eyesight and a developing Vampire eyesight the road was clear as day.

    "Iˇ­ I am not sure I wanna attack someone" Warren mumbled once they were out of the main door. "I hated what happened to me today, andˇ­ I don''t think I can do that to someone else"

    "So what? You''re willing to die"? Karolyn spat.

    "Yes" Warren declared.

    "No!" Karolyn. "We''re getting you someone"!

    "Why are you so obsessed with whether I die or live"? Warren asked, exasperated and exhausted by her domineering attitude. "It''s my life! I get to choose"! He declared.

    "It''s because youˇ­" She started to explain but stopped midway.

    "Because I what"? Warren challenged.

    Taking a deep breath she spoke, "It''s a whole different story. I wish I could explain but right now this is confusing enough as it is. Please first finish your transition and perhaps, don''t die on me".

    "No, I wanna know. Now" Warren argued.

    "Shhh" Caleb hushed.

    "No, I wanna-" Warren tried to protest but was sushed by Caleb immediately.

    "Do you hear that"? Caleb whispered. Each and everyone of them tried to focus on the noise when they heard some cries.

    "Let me goˇ­ please" a faint voice reached their ears. If it were a human he/ she might have missed it.

    Approaching the noise they tried to locate the source of it. At the end of an empty subway they found an old lady being threatened by some thug. "I can''t let you escape this easily". That guy declared.

    "There is your meal" Karolyn pointed at the thug while nudging Warren. That not only grabbed Warren''s attention but also grabbed the thugs as well as the old lady''s attention. The thug took a few steps back before he made a run for it. He wasn''t going to have a match of four against one. "Don''t let him go" Karolyn ordered Warren before she went to talk to the trembling old lady.

    Warren frowned. How was he supposed to catch up with that guy? He was literally out of his sight. His frown vanished when he recalled a tiny incident at the hospital. He remembered covering a few feet in a second. That''s right, he was fast now.

    Smirking, Warren tried to run towards the guy. Warren tried to follow the same direction, and was on the right track, but unfortunately he tried way too hard and ended up collapsing on top of that guy.

    Warren''s weight combined with his speed was an impact that was not easy to take. The guy winced in pain while he tried to reorient himself. "I am sorry". He knew this guy was not an innocent one, but still of felt wrong to hurt him like this.

    Warren wasn''t sure exactly what to do. He had seen in movies and stuff that the vampires fangs come out, but how to make them come out? He had no idea. "Get off me" the guy shouted.

    Warren''s eyes widened and he simply bit his skin trying to peirce it. Like an awakening instinct, the skin ruptured immediately as the fangs made its way through it. The guy cried out in pain, but soon no voice came out of his throat as went still in his position.

    Blood gushed into Warren''s mouth and as much as the thought of it disgusted him, the taste on his tongue was too addictive to let go. He simply wanted to keep drinking and never stop. He even forgot his own resolve to not kill and drained the guy almost to the point of return.

    Before he could realize what was happening with him he found two arms pulling him back by his shoulders and his chest while Warren resisted with all his might. "Calm down"! He heard in the background. It was a masculine voice, but he was in his thirsty daze to realize which one of the duo it was.

    When his gaze focused he noticed that Karolyn was checking his pulse trying to make sure that the man was dead or alive. After a moment she turned back to look at him and the other and nodded. She approached Warren who recoiled instinctively.

    She paused for a moment before she put a hand on his chest, "You told me you didn''t want to kill anyone. You have to calm down. I know it''s hard, but I need you to try". She whispered in a soothing manner.

    Warren blinked and took deep breaths until his breathing became even. He stopped resisting Ashton and Caleb who were pulling him away and turned his face away from the lifeless body of that man. "Soˇ­ is it done? Is my transition complete"? He whispered after a whole minute.

    "Hm" Karolyn assured him. She took a photo of his face which caused him to flinch immediately. The flash from the phone was hard to take, especially when done so suddenly. "Don''t ever let anyone put light on your eyes". Karolyn mumbled.

    "Why"? Still wincing, Warren asked.

    "See this" she showed him the photo. His iris had bright red appearance as if it had been stained by blood. "In normal light it appears maroon to brown, so you would be good to go. But be careful." She instructed.

    "Alright then". Warren mumbled. "What else do I need to be careful about"? He asked after a whole minute.

 Chapter 159 - Newbie Vampire

    "Well...Sun. For now". Karolyn shrugged.

    "So, getting burned on the sun part is true?" Warren asked.

    "Wellˇ­" karolyn sighed. She explained to him all about the concept of daywalkers and nightwalkers. How he needed to avoid being too close to humans if he wasn''t sure of his level of control. After tonight, she expected Warren to have better control, but it was still too early to say for sure.

    Warren was worried that he would need to feed on humans, but Karolyn assured that it was just a transition that needed human blood. It made him their strongest, but he could easily survive on animal blood, or blood from the blood bank if he could arrange that. Karolyn suggested the latter is preferred more.

    They walked side by side talking about all the perks of vampire hood while Caleb simply admired the duo getting to bond with each other as he followed them from the back. Ashton however was bored and felt like a third wheel and just wanted to get out of this situation.

    [Seems like they would work out after all] Caleb linked and told Ashton who snorted at him.

    [I wouldn''t be so sure. They still have a lot to discover about each other.] Ashton replied.

    [Would it kill you to be positive?] Caleb pouted and shook his head.

    Ashton simply smiled and didn''t say anything. His dislike for Karolyn was childish, but it didn''t mean he hoped for this to fail. If anything he would be relieved the most if Karolyn and Warren ended up in a successful relationship.

    Thinking about all this he stopped abrupt in his steps when a pungent smell hit his nose. While the intensity of that smell wasn''t high enough, it''s odor was the worst. When he saw the others similarly unbothered, he wondered why they aren''t reacting the same way[Can you smell that?]

    [Smell what?] Caleb asked.

    [You don''t smell it?] Flabbergasted, Ashton asked. He felt even better that he was using the link to communicate now. He looked around to check if someone was within their range.

    "What''s that smell"? After a whole minute Warren asked.

    Ashton looked at him and tried to decipher why not each and everyone were getting the scent. That''s when they heard a ruffling of sound behind them. They turned in a swift action to reveal a boy who looked to be in his late teens. Ashton and Caleb both stiffened and glared at him while Karolyn tried to cover her clueless mate.

    "What do we have here"? A deep voice came from the mysterious guy. "Looks like someone forgot to clean up" His gaze shifted at Warren.

    "What do you want"? Caleb asked. Ashton wanted to grab his mate''s mouth and stop him from talking. Ashton''s instincts were screaming Vampire and he didn''t wanna find out why. Not with his mate around.

    "To see what happened to him. Clearly he went through his transition, but what I found more amusing is that he is being assisted by a werewolf. He looked at Karolyn and gave her a devious smirk. It didn''t bother her the slightest, but it gave Warren an urge to punch him in the face.

    "What do you want from us"?  Warren questioned.

    "To get rid of you". He declared looking straight at Warren in the eye. Warren''s eyes widened as rest of the wolves panicked.

    "Why"? Caleb asked.

    Before he could answer Karolyn shouted, "I won''t let you go near him"!

    "You think you can stop me little wolf"?  He scoffed. Karolyn was approaching her mid twenties, and with this guys teenage appearance his statement appeared quite ironic, but they knew better. Karolyn growled at him which only earned a boisterous laugh from this mysterious guy.

    He took a step forward and attacked Warren in a blink of an eye, which was way too fast for the wolves to comprehend. It seemed as if he was trying to kill him so Karolyn and Caleb tried their best to separate them. Ashton on the other hand observed this guy and wondered why despite being a vampire, why he gave off a different vibe.

    He pushed them both back in a brush of a hand which caused them to land. They tried to retaliate but before they could he declared, "If you disturb me, I will kill him and then I will kill all of you".

    The intent of hurting Caleb was something that triggered Ashton''s wolf. He lost control over his scent, which surprisingly came as a tool of distraction. That mysterious guy let go of Warren, who recoiled instinctively, and looked at Ashton with curious and suspicious eyes. "Interesting, never thought a Valestine would leave its nest" He mumbled.

    His words got Ashton which resulted in him calming down, including his eyes turning back to normal color, "What did just call me"? He whispered.

    "Valestine" Confusion appeared on that guy''s face. "Why, you aren''t"? He tilted his head.

    Ashton pursed his lips as he struggled to find the right answer. He didn''t want to say no and give him the benefit of the doubt, but at the same time saying yes would be far fetched. He had no idea what Valestine was, but somehow it seemed to be a key to his own past. He was dying to ask, but he just didn''t know how.

    "Your silence tells me you don''t have a clue," He scoffed. "It''s so sad". Ashton paused. Did this guy read his mind or was it simply his face? Ashton was good at keeping a blank stare, did he slip this time? He wondered.

    "Why are you after Warren?" Ashton asked, diverting the attention.

    That mysterious guy scoffed, "I couldn''t care less about him. But he is a new vampire who wasn''t supposed to be one. Thanks to one of my comrades this happened". He sighed. "I am just correcting her mistake".

    "This is not the way"! Karlyn shouted but Caleb held her back.

    "Let him talk" Caleb tried to convince his friend.

    "We will take care of him," Ashton negotiated.

    "And how do I plan on doing that"? He smirked. "You don''t even know about yourself, you expect me to believe you know what to do with him?" He scoffed.

    "You are right, I don''t," Ashton declared. "But she does" he pointed at Karolyn. "He deserves a chance," Ashton said, pointing at Warren. "This is the least you can give him given how your comrade almost killed him".

    "Or..." that guy smirked, "I can kill him".

    This time it was Ashton who let out a growl. Somehow instead of intimidating that guy it fascinated him. "Your attempts to scare me are adorable. You really think you can control a newbieVampire? They are the most voracious of our kind". That guy scoffed. Ashton gritted his teeth but didn''t say anything. The fact that this guy seemed to know more about Ashton than Ashton did himself was scary. He didn''t want to risk the unknown.

    "Fine, I will give you a chance. But if you cause any trouble, or the secret of vampires leak out, I am coming for you" He declared.

    He turned around but paused for a moment, "Oh, and alsoˇ­ I apologise for my sister Lily." He looked at Karolyn. "She has personal enmity towards wolves. She won''t attack you anymore." He gave them a creepy smile and disappeared.

    "Who was that guy"? Warren mumbled after a whole minute.

    "Seemed like someone related to lily" Ashton huffed. "That''s the girl who attacked you I guess" he nudged at Karolyn who nodded for confirmation. "Is it perhaps, they are related"?

    "Could be. They might be a part of same group". Karolyn shrugged.

    "Why was he so obsessed with my death? Why would I be a nuisance"? Warren popped the question.

    "New Vampires have trouble controlling their urges. He thinks you will expose Vampires to the humans. We don''t always see eye to eye, but we are quite obsessed with keeping our secret." Karolyn informed him.

    "You really think people will really easily believe such things"? Warren rolled his eyes.

    "Why not?" Karolyn smirked. "Not everyone is so stiff like you".

    "I''m not"! Warren protested before he looked away.

    They started to walk back to the campus when Karolyn approached Caleb, "Can you take care of him?" She whispered.

    "I suppose" Caleb mumbled. "Don''t worry, we will see to it. You should go back to the dorm, it''s already too late. Take some rest.".

    "Mn" Karolyn hummed. "I will see you guys later." She declared to everyone there. "I have somethings I need to talk to. Meet me tomorrow" she instructed Caleb. "As for you," she turned to Warren. "Try to stay out of trouble. Get my contact info from them if needed. You can contact me if you need anything"

    "I don''t want to". Warren mumbled. He won''t be heard, but he didn''t know about the enhanced hearing the wolves possesed. He was visibly confused when Karolyn shot him q glare before she left.

    It seemed he had a lot to learn, after all, he was just a newbie Vampire.

 Chapter 160 - To Be Or Not To Be

    Ashton couldn''t sleep the entire night that day. What that teenage looking vampire said to him was enough to trigger something in him. What is Valestine? Did it actually mean something or was it simply a bluff? Although that vamp didn''t know him well enough to pull out such a bluff.

    Every time he drifted off he recalled what the vampire said, and just like that he was wide awake. He had an urge to go to him, to find him and ask him about it. But he knew that was probably not the best idea. He didn''t mind putting his own life in danger, but what if it affected Caleb as well?

    Naturally, the next day he felt drowsy. He was distracted too on top of that to even when it came to the date he was on. Since Ashton was quite new here, Caleb took it upon himself to show him around, and at the same time make the most of their date.

    "Ash, what''s wrong"? Caleb asked his mate while he drove. He could tell something was bothering his mate but he wasn''t sure if it was okay to ask.

    "..." Ashton kept staring outside the window.

    "Ashton"? Caleb called him, a bit louder this time.

    "Huh"? Ashton jolted, signaling that Caleb''s voice broke through his reverie.

    "What is going on with you?" In a concerned voice asked Caleb. "You have been distracted for the entire evening? Did something happen? Is it me"?

    "What?" Ashton''s brows furrowed. "No"! He immediately shouted to reassure Caleb. He didn''t realize that Caleb would think like that. "I justˇ­" he hesitated. "Iˇ­ I can''t help but think about Valestine".

    Caleb blinked as soon as he heard him say that. Ashton didn''t notice, but Caleb''s hold on the steering wheel got significantly tighter. "Do you really think he was being honest"? In a soft voice, Caleb asked.

    There was a moment of silence in the car before Ashton mumbled, "I don''t know what to think". Caleb looked at Ashton but didn''t say anything. After a minute Ashton asked, "Do you think it''s foolish of me, to let me bother something like this?"

    "No"! Caleb assured. "In fact, I think if I were you, I would have done the exact same thing".

    "Yeah butˇ­" Ashton sighed. "I usually don''t let simple stuff like this bother me".

    Caleb chuckled once he heard that earning a suspicious glare from his mate,"I think you pretend that it doesn''t bother you. I have seen you worrying about small stuff, stuff which usual people don''t give a damn about".

    "Hey"! Ashton shrieked. He was clearly offended by Caleb''s words. Although that shriek earned him a series of laughter from Caleb. Ashton shot a glare at him before he mumbled, "well, this Valestine thing bothers me. Do you know what it is?" Ashton asked.

    "Iˇ­ it sounds a bit familiar but it''s hard to recall exactly." Caleb mumbled. "Shall I ask my brother? Maybe he will know". Caleb offered.

    "Iˇ­" Ashton hesitated once more. "I am not sure."

    Caleb frowned before he asked, "What do you mean? Aren''t you curious?"

    "I amˇ­ I am just worried. What if I don''t like whatever it is? What ifˇ­ what if it''s really related to my past"? Ashton expressed his worries. "What do I do then?"

    "Wellˇ­ " Caleb tried to think of what would be the right thing to say. "I don''t know what''s the right thing to do. But, whatever you need, I am here for you" Caleb smiled at Ashton.

    Ashton smiled back at him before looking away. "I know" he mumbled

    For the later half of the evening, Ashton felt much better than before. He was yet to figure out what he wanted but he knew that it''s okay to not obsess over this decision for the time being.

    Caleb took him to all the places that were nearby their dorm. As a city, it was much more lively than the town, which made it easier for them to do a lot of stuff humans here enjoyed. For example, Caleb took him to the bowling alley and tried to teach Ashton. Over the last year Caleb learned to play this sport and thought would be fun to do it together.

    When it was a bit late, Caleb took him for ice skating as well. Surprisingly enough, this was something Ashton was not unfamiliar with. In fact, he was better on the rink than his mate.

    "Where did you learn to skate?" Caleb asked him at the end, thoroughly impressed by his mate.

    "I used to move around a lot, remember?" Ashton reminded him. "I stayed in Alaska in my early teens. There was this guy who happened to be the son of my Dad''s friend. He taught me these". Ashton informed.

    "Singing, Football, Ice-skatingˇ­ aren''t you a talented fella?" Caleb teased.

    "Quite charming don''t you think"? Ashton winked at Caleb earning him a chuckle.

    With so much physical activity and learning new things, Ashton''s focus was completely shifted from his worries to the present making the day quite eventful that he thought originally. By the end of it, it was really late for them to keep trying new things.

    Ashton suggested that they should go back, but Caleb insisted that they eat out. Unlike Crescent Point, the restaurants here were open with a lot of people in it. While it was nice for a different vibe, it was bad for a couple who had no reservations. "What should we do now"? Ashton asked.

    "Wait?" Caleb suggested.

    "It''s already past curfew"! Ashton reminded him.

    "We will sneak in", Caleb shrugged, earning a frustrated groan from Ashton. Caleb tried once more to see if he could get an earlier slot while Ashton looked around the restaurant taking in his surroundings. "So...we might have to wait another hour," Caleb nodded cheekily.

    "How about that," Ashton pointed at a food truck from a distance.

    "You want to eat from there?"

    "Why not? Even if it''s less fancy, it''s fun. We should try it". Ashton grabbed Caleb''s hand and dragged him there.

    Buying some street meat, Ashton and Caleb decided to take a walk down the street while they ate. "So, what''s it like? Having a vampire roommate?" Ashton asked.

    "Not so bad, except the room stinks all the time". Caleb cringed and they both ended up laughing. "Sometimes I envy he won''t get my scent. Then he would realize how it is like for me". He grunted.

    "Isn''t that better? Imagine if both of you were pissed off by the other just because the other ''stinks''. You guys will fight all the time". Ashton pointed out.

    "I guess". Caleb shrugged.

    "So, he is adjusting fine"? Ashton asked.

    "Yeah. For now he didn''t vamp out or anything. I worry though, if he runs into someone bleeding what will happen. He is a daywalker so he can go out on the day, so that''s a bonus for hiding identity." Said Caleb. "You know he also asked me about us, so I explained the mate thing to him. He was surprisingly excited by the prospect of mates". Caleb chuckled.

    "Well, then I am sure he would love to have Karolyn as a mate". Ashton mumbled sarcastically before taking a sip from his cup of sprite.

    "Hey"! Caleb hit his arm lightly sensing the sarcasm "She is not that bad you know." He defended. "But, I did regret telling him about the mate thing cause he asked me about Karolyn. I didn''t want to lie, but then again I wasn''t sure I should tell himˇ­ so I said no".

    "Poor thing" Ash mumbled. "He has no idea that he will have to deal with her forever" Ashton mumbled.

    "Ashton"! Caleb scolded once more.

    "Sorry, sorry" Ashton suppressed a chuckle. "You were sayingˇ­"

    "Yeah, Karolyn. I think he didn''t like the prospect of Karolyn having a mate. Who knows, maybe he got a crush on her".

    "Yesterday they argued all the time," Ashton pointed out.

    "We used to argue a lot," Caleb reminded his mate. "I think arguments are fine. She helped him when he needed, even if she came off a bit strong. I think they could work out".

    "As a fellow werewolf,  I hope so." Ashton agreed. "Chosen Mates are easier, because we literally chose the other person. We know we want them. But Fated mates are a bitˇ­ tricky, I guess".

    "Maybe they are fated for a reason. Think about it, Warren wouldn''t have survived if it were not for us. We wouldn''t have helped him or rather wouldn''t have known that he needed help. If that scrawny vampire found him before us, he would be dead by now. Warren is a nice guy, he deserves better". Caleb explained.

    "I suppose you are right. I guess things do have a way of working out". Ashton declared. They walked in silence for a while. While Caleb was simply quiet, multiple trains of thoughts ran through Ashton''s head as he reflected upon his own words. "You know what"? He prompted their silence.

    "Hm"?

    "Ask your brother. About Valestine." Ashton declared.

    "You sure"? Caleb asked.

    "Absolutely."

 Chapter 161 - Valestine

    The next few days people were quite excited for the upcoming Halloween event in the premises so classes were more or less unofficially suspended. Caleb decided to use this break and return home to search about Valestine properly. Of course, he chose to take Ashton as well.

    His roommate who was reluctant to let him go as he still needed some guidance with all this supernatural stuff. Caleb wouldn''t mind helping Warren but he needed to take this break which is why he simply asked him to contact Karolyn in case he needed any urgent help.

    The twins literally hugged both of them as soon as they saw Caleb and Ashton. They didn''t spend a lot of time with Ashton, but nevertheless they missed him. Caleb on the other hand was very fond of the twins, and vice versa. "I hope you guys are not slacking off now that I am away"

    "Are you kidding, not only we are improving a lot, Christian even let us train the newest recruits. How cool is that"! Ava exclaimed, unable to hold her excitement any further.

    "That is so cool" Caleb ageed. Even a smile crept on Ashton''s stoic face as he witnessed his sister''s gleeful face from the behind.

    "How have you been? Ashton?" Ariel turned around to ask her brother.

    "I am.." Ashton sighed. "I am good. Still adjusting to everything."

    "Did you miss us"? Ava prompted.

    "Did I miss two annoying little girls annoying me every time I managed to gain an ounce of mental peace"? He asked them only to earn a scowl from both of them. "Guess what? I did". He added turning their frowns upside down.

    "Why don''t you guys catch up. I will see you once I freshen up". Caleb suggested. They nodded allowing him to take his leave. While he was headed towards his room he saw his brother coming out of his room. "Christian" Caleb called. It''s better to ask him now, right?

    "Caleb" Christian offered him a giant smile. "You didn''t say you would be back".

    "Yeah well, I decided to come at the last moment" Caleb shrugged. They talked for a bit, exchanging their greetings and all. When Christian was about to leave for wherever he was headed to, Caleb stopped him abruptly by calling out his name. "Can I ask you something?" He asked looking around to check if anyone was around or not as if he was a criminal who was trying to spread the word.

    "What"? Christian frowned.

    "I was wonderingˇ­ if you remember anything about Valestine?" Caleb asked.

    Christian''s eyes widened the moment he heard those words. "Where did you hear that word?" He asked, with a terrified expression. His face made Caleb contemplate whether or not it was safe to tell him. He couldn''t help but think that his brother would react negatively if he found out that Ashton was a prospect for Valestine.

    "I heardˇ­ Karolyn mention it". He mumbled his friend''s name as she was the only supernatural creature he could think of whom his brother might not be wary of.

    "In what context?" Christian pressed.

    "I dunno" Caleb shrugged. "I just remember the word felt familiar. I couldn''t remember where I heard that, but I was hoping you could tell me"

    Christian sighed. "Fine, I will give that a try. Valestine are a subset of cursed creatures. Creatures that resemble werewolves."

    "Wait! So they are notˇ­ werewolves." Caleb frowned, confused. How can Ashton be one of them, Ashton was a werewolf right?

    Christian tilted his head as he thought of an appropriate way to phrase it. "In most aspects, they areˇ­ but there are certain aspects from where they are different. Like how we are humans who can turn into wolves, they are wolves who can turn into humans."

    "The difference being"? Caleb wondered.

    "The difference being that most of them spend their entire lives as wolves unaware of the fact that they even possess a human form. Remember our grandpa? He never turned into a werewolf in his entire life right? It¨¦ because he never tried to shift. Just like that he never unlocked other traits of being a werewolf." Christian tried to explain.

    "Yeah.. he lived almost like a wolf. It''s a surprise mom turned out to be an Alpha." Caleb chuckled.

    "Shifting of parents has nothing to do with anyone''s blood rank. Take yourself for an instance". Christian reminded him.

    "Right." Caleb nodded. "Soˇ­ they are like wolves who can go without turning into a human".

    "Precisely.". Christian confirmed. "They are known to be the wildest of our lot. Their human sides lack a lot of civilised social skills which makes them quite dangerous to even common people. However, their instincts of the wolf are the most superior. They can smell danger even before they appear."

    Caleb went silent for a while. He contemplated Ashton as a Valestine. Was he really supposed to be that wild. Remembering his wolf form he recalled how scary it can look. There were times when his wolf form took complete control over his human form. He always assumed it must be the case for any pureblooded Alpha, but was it really so? It''s true Ashton had control issues but what was the source of it?

    He wondered if all that''s true whether he should feel impressed by his self control or sad for Ashton that he had to deal with so much without even knowing why. He couldn''t even begin to imagine what it''s like not knowing who you are. It''s true Ashton blended in as a common werewolf, but.... He did show some signs of Valestine as well. Was he really one of them? How did that scrawny vampire deduce Ashton is one? He wondered.

    Caleb asked, "Where are they found?"

    "I don''tˇ­  think they are found anywhere." Christian mumbled, earning a curious gaze from Caleb. "They are supposed to be a myth. Honestly it''s one of the potential characters that can exist from our legends. You know, like all the tales of moon goddess and lycanthrope. We don''t have much evidence of their existence, but they are accounted for in our tales."

    "Waitˇ­ so all this just for a myth"? Caleb frowned.

    "You know how it is. People are more scared by myths than the truth. What you can''t see is always scarier than what you can". Christian sighed.

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb sighed, "I suppose that''s true" he nodded. "Tell me something, how would I recognise a Valestine"?

    "You wouldn''t" Christian scowled. "That''s the point. You can''t recognise something that doesn''t exist. That''s the point."

    "I knowˇ­ but in those myths, is there a mention of the physical attributes that are different for them". Caleb asked.

    "Wellˇ­" Christian thought for a moment. "I am sure there is something, I don''t know much about that though" Christian shrugged. "Why are you so interested in Valestine?" Christian asked suspiciously. "Did you run into some wolf claiming to be one? Is your friend Karolyn one"? He asked.

    "What!?" Caleb laughed. "Noo"

    "Did she run into one"? Christian asked once more.

    "No, not really" Caleb confirmed. "We were just discussing werewolves so it popped up". Caleb lied.

    "Soˇ­ why didn''t you ask her about it"?  Christian''s suspicious gaze strengthened.

    "I did, even she said she barely remembered," He declared without skipping a beat.

    "Alright then," Christian gave him one final look of suspicion before his face softened. "Anyways, I should get going. You want to explore more lycanthropic mythologies. I say you go ahead and read some books from the pack library" Christian advised and left.

    "That''s actually a great idea" Caleb mumbled.

    Once he had freshened up he decided to go check out at the library. What Christian told him affected him deeply. Even if his brother insisted it was a myth he wasn''t convinced entirely. After all, even werewolves are myth to normal humans, who is to say this is any different. In fact most of their legends were derived from some original tales, which is why he was more absorbed by it.

    He scoured the entire mythologies section for the word Valestine. Under a book of lycanthropic history he found a mention of a tale suggesting a massacre that took place in a small town. It said that apparently the curse on them spread to the entire town upon confrontation. It turned the usual werewolves into wolves for eternity causing most of the wolves to die out as they were hunted in the later years.

    The problem is, it wasn''t a documented event, but simply a tale that was often prevalent in the medieval times. As time went on such stories disappeared nonetheless. He kept looking further when he finally found an article on them in another book citing various creatures over the course of time, including the ones that were extinct.

    The moment he saw the hand drawn picture on that page Caleb let go of the book in a scare. Somehow that picture looked exactly like Ashton''s wolf, bulky, fierce and savage. The resemblance was way too uncanny for his liking. As he stared at the picture intently he couldn''t help but wonderˇ­ Who was his mate?

 Chapter 162 - Tell Him

    "Soˇ­ did you ask him?" Ashton whispered to Caleb on the dinner table. After a long time it was the whole family on the dinner table. Unfortunately instead of being joyous itit felt more awkward than a family dinner should be. It was so quiet that the most prominent noise on the table was the clattering noise of the cutlery.

    [Can weˇ­ talk about this later?] Caleb replied to him in the link trying his best to avoid the attention of the people around him.

    After the dinner when everyone headed straight to their room Ashton found a way to sneak into Caleb''s room without getting caught. He didn''t know what he was so worried about. His presence in his mate''s room was supposed to be quite normal right?

    "Hey" Caleb mumbled when he noticed Ashton coming in.

    "So"?

    "I did. It''s a lot" Caleb nodded. "Sit down" He offered him his bed while he placed a chair in front of him and sat on it. He started to explain to him everything his brother told him. Unlike him, Ashton showed a little to no reaction to whatever he said and kept listening intently. Caleb even shared the tale he found in the book, something which he was quite reluctant to do.

    Once he was done Caleb looked at Ashton for a while waiting for a reaction, but Ashton simply kept staring at the floor. "Ashtonˇ­"? Caleb called out softly. That made Ashton look at him with blank eyes. "You okay?"

    Ashton nodded lightly, "What do you think?"

    "About what"?

    "About me possibly being one of them"? Ashton clarified.

    "Does it matter?" Caleb sighed.

    "I value your opinions Caleb. Please tell me what you think?" Ashton insisted.

    "Noˇ­. I meant" Caleb cleared his throat. "That''s what I think. ''Does it matter?'' Whether or not you are a Valestine, it doesn''t change how I view you. You are still the same socially awkward kid for me" Caleb added trying to lighten the mood.

    "I am almost twenty for god''s sake, you are not gonna let go of the '' calling me a kid'' thing, are you?" Ashton groaned.

    Caleb pursed his lips and gently shook his head. "No, I am not" He chuckled before he asked. "What about you? How do you feel about it?"

    Ashton went quite once more. "I don''t know," He sighed. "I don''t know what to feel. What to believe".

    "It''s okay." Caleb added. "You don''t have to figure out everything today, take your time. If you need anything, do tell me". They remained quiet for quite a long time. Ashton continued to stare blankly at nothing while Caleb simply took his right hand and rubbed it between his palms in a soothing manner.

    After what seemed like eternity Ashton whispered, "If I really amˇ­ a Valestine, does it mean eventually I will lose control of my wolf form"? He asked.

    Caleb blinked at his words. He wanted to say that ''don''t worry about it'' but it was not like he can guarantee anything. "I don''t know," He mumbled.

    "Latelyˇ­ I have felt the wolf side of mine get stronger. I remember less of my rut. Iˇ­ I don''t even remember shifting into my wolf form last time. What if Iˇ­ What ifˇ­" Ashton''s voice quivered as he failed to put his worries into words.

    "Heyˇ­ Don''t worry" Caleb put his hands on Ashton''s shoulder. "I am here for you. If you ever feel overwhelmed by your wolf side, I will hold onto your human side".

    Ashton ended up rolling his eyes and shaking his head, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

    "I''ll figure something out"! Caleb declared enthusiastically. "I''ll do whatever it takes"!

    "That''s sweet of you" Ashton chuckled. Pushing himself from the bed he landed a gentle kiss on Caleb''s lips and smiled a bit once he pulled away. "As much as I appreciate your help, please don''t approach my wolf form when I am not in control". He said.

    "Why"?! Caleb frowned with annoyance. "Just so you know your wolf form happens to like me! I am not some weakling who can''t take your wolf form".

    "I never said you were. In fact one of the reasons I feel comfortable with you is because I know you don''t need my protection." Ashton clarified.

    "Then whyˇ­"? Caleb asked.

    "It''s not me," Ashton sighed. "My wolf formˇ­ despite being meˇ­ it''s not me".

    Caleb frowned. "Hold on a second, are youˇ­ jealous of your own wolf"? He looked at Ashton as if he had lost all his brain cells.

    "NO!" Ashton defended himself immediately. "It''s justˇ­" He struggled to find the right words. "Just don''t get too close to my wolf."

    "And here I thought you were crazy for getting jealous of Karolyn" Caleb mumbled.

    "Hey! You don''t know what it''s like to have this alternate persona inside of you which you are not familiar with at all. Not to mention I can''t help but feel possessive around you all the time"! Ashton defended himself. "Do you have any idea how much I get frustrated whenever you are away from my sight"? Ashton huffed.

    "Wellˇ­No" Caleb was taken aback by his sudden baldness. "You don''t seem frustrated". Caleb added.

    "Yeahˇ­ I am good at not showing my emotions" Ashton mumbled and looked away.

    Caleb hugged him tightly from the behind and put his head on the back. "You are right, you don''t show your emotions a lot. As good as I am at reading you, I still miss a lot of it".

    "It''s not like I want to feel possessive. I can''t help it" Ashton mumbled.

    "I know" Caleb squeezed him in his hug. Ashton turned around and hugged back his mate. "I love it when you share the way you feel. Makes me feel more connected to you." He admitted earning a tiny smile from Ashton.

    Ashton pecked his mate once more before hugging his mate way too tightly to breathe. "I am lucky to have you" he mumbled and buried his face in his neck. Thanks to Ashton''s powers Caleb''s pheromones were not expressed, but somehow nuzzling into the nape of Caleb''s neck calmed him down.

    It doesn''t matter how much human or how much of a wolf he was, he loved Caleb just the same and nothing would ever change that.

 Chapter 163 - Halloween

    Which creature is easiest to imitate if you are a bloodsucking living nightmare? A vampire? Or perhaps a Dracula? These were the easiest choices for this party he was invited to. He contemplated not going, but he went on most of the social events that were held at university as a whole. He didn''t want to feel left out.

    Ever since he became a vampire it hasn''t been entirely easy on him. He felt more thirsty that often which wasn''t quenched by any amount of water. Not to mention he noticed people''s pulse more. Like their neck, or their wrist, anywhere which can be a gateway to a satisfying blood meal.

    He wanted to reach out to Karolyn, but he knew that there was only one way to deal with it. Point is he didn''t want to hurt anyone. He wasn''t exactly comfortable with feeding off people. As for animals, he liked them. He couldn''t bring himself to hurt them either. Blood banks weren''t exactly accessible to him.

    It was a huge risk, going out tonight for the party. But he didn''t want to end up becoming a recluse. He faintly remembered one of the wolves saying that he might have a better self control. He could just hope those words were right and that he would be fine this evening.

    Even if he was a vampire he needed a costume change. Like red paint mimicking blood. Fangs were however not so necessary, although showing his real fangs might not be best. In fact he still had to learn how to bring them out voluntarily.

    He wore his darkest clothes he could find in his closet, which was hard given he preferred lively colours more, so the darkest thing he had was a navy blue jacket. Luckily he had a black jeans along with it. Even if the combination of it looked quite funny, it worked for halloween.

    Making an appearance at the giant party he tried to recognise who was who and what they came as. Few of them were simple, few of them a little more specific to be able to be detected by everyone.

    He walked down the corner to get some drinks. Ever since turned into a vampire he realised he had an uncanny resemblance to Alcohol. It was as if Alcohol was never absorbed by his system. While it saved him some public humiliation it made alcohol a useless drink, effect wise.

    He was on his third cup when a sudden arm wrapped around him, "What sorrow are you trying to drown yourself in?" A familiar voice wearing an hobbit costume asked him. "I spotted you like from there..." he pointed at a few feet away, "You drank the entire bottle by the time I am here". His friend chuckled.

    "Jerry"!  Warren greeted taking his arm off him. The pulse of his friend started to bother him subconsciously once more. "I''m just drinking. This party is fun". He replied.

    "Be careful friend, you don''t have your roommate to carry you back. And I won''t take his place cause I will be the last person to leave" Jerry snickered. Warren shook his head at his friend''s enthusiasm. Jerry was, what would call, a social butterfly. Not that Warren was antisocial but he could never match Jerry''s vigor.

    Despite that they have been friends since day one of their college as they found each other to be benchmates. While Jerry was the first person to bother him when he noticed subtle changes in Warren''s demeanour once he turned into a vampire, he didn''t bother him for long. He was lucky Jerry was easy to distract, but he didn''t know how long he would manage to avoid his closest friend.

    They had a casual chat which didn''t last for long as Jerry''s girlfriend Paige, who seemed to be dressed up as a fairy, showed up soon enough.

    He was left alone by himself once more. He wanted to get a girlfriend too, but his plans backfired when he turned into a vampire. Even if more people were attracted to him now, he was sure they wouldn''t appreciate it if he drank their blood. Snorting mentally he noticed a skeleton staring at him.

    He wondered who could possibly love a skeleton costume, although skeletons were a traditional horror costume, they weren''t exactly a popular choice. With the face almost covered it was hard to tell if that skeleton was looking at him or something that was near him or simply it appeared as if the skeleton was staring at him.

    Getting a bit uncomfortable he decided to move away and found himself another secluded spot. Reluctantly he looked around for the skeleton. It didn''t seem that the skeleton had moved at all but it seemed that it''s gaze shifted at him. Warren wondered if it was his delusion of whoever was under that skeleton was after him.

    With his friends gone he didn''t have people to protect him. Last time a teenage looking vampire was after his life, was it him under that costume? Was it someone who was somehow or the other way related to him? Should he fear for his life now? He wondered.

    He decided it was best not to tempt fate so he tried to run away. He walked at a much faster pace but not so fast to alarm a regular human being. Although it won''t matter much given the drunken status of most of the people at the party.

    He turned around for a moment to see if he lost the sight when he suddenly knocked over into someone spilling an entire glass. He stood there frozen as he stared intently at the pieces of glass shreds on the floor.

    However what caused him to freeze was not the glass shreds but the drops of blood accompanying it. Right now he had a whole different reason to worry. He was worried he would be exposed. He was even more worried he would finally turn into a the murder he dreaded to become.

 Chapter 164 - For The First Time In Forever

    The entire crowd stared at the girl who was holding her injured hand while trembling at the sight of blood. They also stared at the heartless jerk who bumped into her but didn''t even have the courtesy to even apologize, let alone help her.

    Few people who were close to the girl came to her aid. She winced as she failed at holding in the tears that were threatening to escape. The commotion got big enough that a few people bumped into Warren while going to her. The crowd plus the frequent bumping brought him back from his daze.

    Before he could make a conscious decision on what his next step should be he felt a hand grab his wrist and being pulled away from it. If he wasn''t so distracted by the smell of blood coming towards him he might have reacted to a stranger pulling his hand.

    When he finally got far enough he looked at the person holding him by the wrist, "gahh!" He shouted upon seeing it was none other than skeleton. "What do you want from me"? He asked out loud, panic dripping from his voice.

    "Relax"! A familiar feminine voice scolded him. She took off her skeleton mask and revealed herself to be none other than Karolyn. "What the hell do you think you are doing? I asked you to lay low for the time being"! She scolded him.

    "So what? I would stop doing everything? That would only make me more suspicious!" Warren argued.

    "Like hell! If you had lost control back then there would be no scope of suspicion. Even if this crowd didn''t kill you that weirdo Vamp would have!" She snarled back at him.

    "Okay, first of all, I wasn''t caught. I might just be the epitome of self restraint" Warren boasted. Karolyn rolled her eyes at his comment. "And secondly, even if I was caught, it''s halloween. For all they know I am pretending to be a vampire"! He huffed.

    "This is still a big risk" She argued.

    "What is your problem? I know you don''t like Vampires, and I am sorry that I am one. But it''s not like I changed into one on purpose. If it''s so bad stop helping me. I appreciate what you have done for me but please stop badgering me"! Warren shouted at her aggressively. They were lucky they were far away from the crowd or else instead of the bleeding girl these two would be the center of their attention right now.

    "Iˇ­" She struggled to form her next sentence. Her concern took a wrong approach and now she is being perceived as the hateful one. Was she okay with Warren being a Vampire? Yes. But she blamed herself for not warning him earlier. What made it worse was that while Warren seemed to be doing great at adjusting to this new dynamic she had trouble at believing that he would be alright.

    All the excitement she felt when she discovered that she had a fated mate was gone and she started to realise the problem with the fated with fated mates. No matter how hard it gets to get along with Warren she is stuck with him. Stuck with forever being worried for him. "I am sorry" She mumbled. "I didn''t mean to be so aggressive. I am just worried for you".

    "I know," Warren sighed. "Look, I really am thankful for all the help you have given me. Not everyone would do so much for their friend''s roommate. Butˇ­ you are being way too much" he let out an awkward breath.

    "I agree" She sighed. "I said I am sorry"

    "Alright," he nodded, accepting her apology. He was about to leave when he halted. "By the way? Why were you staring at me all night? I thought you were that weirdo vamp who was here to kill me". He asked.

    "I didn''t mean to alarm you. I was just keeping an eye on you. This is a huge party with lots of reckless collegiates. Something or the other was bound to happen". She shrugged.

    "Okayˇ­"  He nodded awkwardly. " Can I ask you another thing?"  He tilted his head in a curious manner. She nodded allowing him to continue, "Why are you dressed as a skeleton"?

    "Why what''s wrong with a skeleton"? She pouted and looked below pulling at her dress. "It''s halloween. Skeleton is definitely scary"! She defended herself.

    "It sure is," Warren smiled trying not to break into laughter. When Karolyn was not being so aggressive she was not too bad to have around. And in this whole party it was only her with whom he could be completely honest right now. "Do you want to go back to the party"? He asked.

    "Not really" She frowned apologetically.

    "Yeah, me neither" Warren chuckled. " Just, wait a minute" Warren disappeared at his vampiric speed only to reappear a few seconds later. "Come with me" He motioned for her to follow. They headed off to the terrace of the main building which was far enough from the site of the party. "Let''s sit down"  he invited Karolyn and sat down on the floor.

    Karolyn followed the same suit without any word while she tried to contemplate his actions. For the first time in forever it seemed that they were getting along. She stole a few glances at Warren trying to deduce what was going on inside his head. As the time passed she could feel her cheeks heating up, but she wasn''t sure if it was the alcohol they were having, or the proximity he shared with Warren.

    "What''s all this"? She finally ended up asking.

    Warren looked at her and furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?"

    "This? You being so nice". Karolyn clarified

    "Hey! I was never the rude one. You always found something to argue with me." Warren scoffed.

    "I know, so why are you being so nice to me?" Karolyn raised her eyebrows

    "Well, I just realisedˇ­" Warren trailed off as he looked away.

    "What?" She pestered him.

    "When you are not being a jerk, you are not so bad" Karolyn rolled her eyes upon hearing that.

    "I am nicer in general. I just don''t do well under stress" Karolyn breathed.

    "And I stress you out?" Warren frowned.

    "What? No!" She declared loudly. "It''s not you. It''s you turning into a Vampire" She admitted honestly.

    "Yeah, werewolves and Vamps do not get along. I can understand your stress" Warren sighed. Karolyn tilted her head and looked at him curiously. "What?"  He smirked. "I am into fantasy and scifi stuff. I have seen things".

    "And you think it''s accurate"? Karolyn smirked.

    "There are a lot of variations when it comes to the portrayal of such supernatural things, so it''s obvious that not all are true. What is constant though is the enmity between Vampires and werewolves so Imma assume there is something to it. Am I wrong?" Warren furrowed his brows.

    "Well...No" Karolyn admitted sadly. "To be fair we don''t encounter each other much. We all have our territories where we like to stay. By chance we both happened to come to this place where neither or our territories exist".

    "Why? I mean why leave your territory. All of you, including Caleb and Ashton. Do you belong to the sameˇ­" Warren trailed off in search of a better word.

    "Pack" Karolyn offered. "No, we don''t. We have different packs. I met him once when we were young. We have dated once too, but mostly we kept in touch" She shrugged.

    "Really"? He tensed up. "Doesn''t it getˇ­ awkward with Ashton"? Warren asked.

    "I hope not. They are mates. It''s a bond beyond some boyfriends. It''s a bond stronger than a marriage."  Karolyn defended.

    "Oh," Warren whispered. "Is it likeˇ­ you know destined for each other stuff"?

    "Not always" Karolyn shook her head. "In fact these days fated mates are rare. They fall under the category of destined for each other. Caleb and Ashton are different, they chose each other to be mates".

    "So, how is it different?" Warren frowned.

    "What do you mean? Mating is not just dating. It''s a process" Karolyn tried to explain.

    "So sex?" Warren offered.

    "It''s a part of it. But that''s not all" Karolyn explained getting more and more uncomfortable by the moment. "It''sˇ­ more intimate, and not just physically, emotionally as well" She sighed.

    "Emotionally"? Warren frowned.

    "Likeˇ­ they can feel each other''s emotions. I think they can even have private conversations in their heads, although that perk is shared by packmates to a limited extent".

    "Wow, sounds awesome" Warren smirked. "You seem to know a lot about it, you speak from experience?" He asked.

    "What"? Karolyn deadpanned.

    "You know, like you have a mate"? Warren shrugged.

    "Iˇ­ I do" She admitted hesitantly. "But it''s different for me. I am still figuring this out" She admitted honestly.

    "Why"?

    "In my case it''s fated mates. I have found out recently. It''sˇ­ complicated" She admitted honestly.

    "Why? Is it a girl?" He asked.

    "No"! She raised her volume.

    "Do you want it to be a girl"? He asked again.

    "What, No"! She shrieked. "I am straight and my fated mate is a guy".

    "Then what''s the problem"? Warren raised his eyebrows curiously.She hesitated but didn''t say a word. "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to. It''s personal stuff, I am sorry for pestering" Warren prompted immediately realising how deep his question was.

    "Noˇ­ it''s not actually" She blurted. Warren tilted his head encouraging her to continue, "My fated mate is...you".

 Chapter 165 - Its You

    "M..me"? As if he was trying to speak from his choked throat, he blurted. "You''re messing with me aren''t you?" He asked carefully.

    "Trust me, I wouldn''t joke about something like this"

    "But, Iˇ­?" Warren found himself as a loss of words. "Whyˇ­?"

    "What do you mean why"? Karolyn frowned.

    "Umˇ­" Warren hesitated. He opened his mouth, but closed it immediately as he failed to make a response. He wasn''t sure how to feel about this. Suddenly turning into a vampire doesn''t seem so bad to him anymore.

    "You know what. I should probably go."

    "Wait"?... "I meanˇ­"

    "Take your time to process it. I know what a confusing thing it might be for you.". Karolyn said softly. "Take some time to wrap your head around it. Call me when you have figured it all out". She mumbled and left.

    He wanted to stop her, but he didn''t know how. He didn''t know why. What was he supposed to do? Should he just let her go just like that? Should he run after her? He wants to, butˇ­ he is confused. He doesn''t know what to tell her anymore.

    Was it a proposal? He never got proposed before. He had proposed to people and he finally understood why some of the girls were taken aback like that. Remembering those, he also recalled how rejected he felt by their response. Is that how Karolyn felt right now? If yes, then it was even worse than what he was hoping for.

    He left the party immediately as well. Ever since he turned into a Vampire he realised he didn''t really need sleep anymore. Sure he slept, but that was more out of habit than necessity. It was no surprise that in a moment like this sleep evaded him completely.

    His mind was highly distracted and despite taking a stroll he failed to come to a proper decision. He wasn''t sure what the right response was. He wasn''t sure if he had feelings for her. Sure he was grateful for her help, but he didn''t feel that strongly about her. Wasn''t it odd?

    When after two days when Caleb finally showed up he tried to ask him for his help, "Calebˇ­ did you know about Karolyn"?

    "What about her"? He asked him back, clueless.

    "That I am supposed to beˇ­" Warren hesitated once more. He suddenly realized that if Caleb was unaware, he didn''t want to be the one to inform him.

    Caleb''s frown deepened once more, but it widened soon enough. "You meanˇ­ how you and her are supposed to be related"? Caleb prompted.

    "So you know"! Warren exclaimed.

    "Yeah" Caleb told him awkwardly.

    "Why didn''t you say something before. If I knew I could have reacted better when she told me"! Warren let out a groan.

    "It''s not my thing to tell"! Caleb retaliated. "Why what did you do? Did you reject her"? Caleb deadpanned.

    "What!? No!!" Warren clarified. "I don''t understand most of it, but I know rejection is suppposed to be pretty bad".

    "It''s true" Caleb nodded. "I remember when I confessed, I was beyond terrified that Ashton would reject right away".

    "Really?" Warren frowned. "That guy seems obsessed with you".

    "Being a mate does that to you". Caleb chuckled.

    "So you are sayingˇ­ if I end up being her mate I will be like that"? Warren asked carefully.

    "I don''t think so. Ashton isˇ­ different". Caleb tilted his head.

    "Yeah I know, he is a werewolf, I am a Vampire." Warren rolled his eyes.

    "No I know." Caleb chuckled. "What I meant was he is quite different even for a werewolf."

    "Oh"? Warren asked. Before Caleb could explain Warren prompted, "Nevermind, first help me out"! He shrieked

    "How"? Caleb gave him an odd look

    "What how? Tell me what to do"! Warren argued

    "Why would I tell you? Do whatever you want to do"! Caleb argued back.

    "I don''t know what to do, what I want. I am so fking confused". Warren let out an exasperated sigh.

    "Do you like her"? Caleb asked after taking a deep breath.

    "She is nice, butˇ­ I don''t think I feel about her like that" Warren admitted honestly

    "Okayˇ­" Caleb nodded, "Are you attracted to her"?he asked

    "She is quite attractive, I would be blind not to" Warren huffed.

    Caleb rolled his eyes at him before asking, "just what do you feel?"

    "I don''t know. Iˇ­ I don''t know. Shouldn''t I feel about her too, if I am supposed to be her mate. Like, even if I am not a werewolf, shouldn''t I have at least some feelings for her".  Warren asked. His words were filled with desperation.

    "Let me ask you this, do you feel, repulsed by her"? Caleb tried to take a different approach.

    "Noo"! Warren declared immediately without skipping a bit. "She can be annoying, I agree. But she means well".

    "No, I meant instinctively. Do you get a gut feeling that you should get away from her"? Caleb clarified.

    "No" Warren frowned.

    "Well there you have it" Caleb replied. Warren''s frown deepened further. "As a Vampire, her scent should bother you. Drive you apart from her. But since you are her mate, it doesn''t".

    "I guessˇ­ that''s something." Warren''s expression softened as he considered it for a moment. "But, your scent doesn''t bother me either." He recalled

    "Do you get any scent from me" Caleb smirked.

    "...no" Warren replied, confused by his roommate''s weird response.

    "Yeah, cause there ain''t one. Perks of being Ashton''s mate. He can control his scent and as his mate it works with me too". Caleb''s smirk deepened.

    "Wolves can do that" Warren''s eyes widened with excitement.

    "No, but like I said, Ashton is special", said Caleb.

    "Just how special is he"? Warren asked, amused. Caleb replied to him with a simple smirk.

    "Look, I know this is a big decision and you are trying to be careful. But maybe don''t overthink it". Caleb patted his shoulders before he disappeared.

    Warren pondered upon his roommate''s word for a while. Maybe it was not really that much pf a big deal as he was making it to be. For god''s sake his life already turned upside down when he turned into a Vampire. Even if being in a relationship of Vampire and Werewolf might be a challenge, he won''t know unless he tried it.

    Summoning the courage he sent a text to Karolyn to meet up. He wanted to call, but he realised it was way too late and maybe not the appropriate time for it.

    The first thing he received as a reply in the morning was, "who is this?"

    He was surprised to find out that she didn''t have his contact info, then again why should she? He replied to her and they agreed to meet after the class.

    He was waiting for her by the dance terrace they went to the other day, the perfect place to finish the conversation they started. The way to the terrace was usually locked but with his newfound super strength it was barely an issue.

    He reached there early to make sure he was prepared to say whatever he had planned. He constantly revised in his head how to address it, each time a different variation. However when she finally walked in through the door his mind went completely blank.

    She stared at him for a moment while he stared right back at her, "Hi" after a long awkward pause Karolyn mumbled.

    "Hi" Warren let out a nervous chuckle. There was yet another awkward pause. "Thanks, for agreeing to see me".

    "Of course" She gave him a smile.

    "I''m sorry, for reacting like that. The other day." Warren mumbled.

    "I didn''t mind. Finally you reacted the way I expected you to". She chuckled.

    "Well, I thought for a while. Andˇ­ I wanted to ask you what do you want to do about this situation"?

    "Me"? She looked at him surprised.

    "You said fated mates right? Doesn''t seem like you had a choice either". Warren clarified.

    "Wow" She gulped. "Well, I think we should try to get along, for now. As much as I was open to the idea of fated mates, I didn''t expect you to beˇ­"

    "A vampire"?

    "A human who turned into a Vampire" She smiled nervously. "I can''t believe I let something like this happen to you. I was trying to be careful about how to tell you, but now I regret it"

    "Well, it''s not like you would have known" Warren consoled her.

    "I should have anticipated." Karolyn argued. "I had a fight with a Vampire a few weeks before this happened to you. Honestly I am just glad you didn''t end up dying" Karolyn managed to say as she found it difficult to breathe with each passing minute.

    "Calm down" Warren put his hand on her shoulder. "Honestly, I am not that thrilled about being a Vampire either. I don''t want to hurt anyone and the urge to attack someone is driving me crazy. But no matter what I can''t change who I am now. Soˇ­" he sighed. "I''m trying to make the best of it".

    Karolyn simply smiled at him.

 Chapter 166 - In Love

    "Why are you smiling?" Warren asked Karolyn.

    "It''s nothing. I''m justˇ­ I mean I finally get why you were so okay with being a Vamp." Karolyn.

    "Oh"

    "Listen, I need to run. But maybe sometime we can hangout?" Karolyn asked reluctantly.

    "How about the weekend"? Warren prompted

    "Sounds Perfect".  She smiled and disappeared. Meanwhile Warren stood on the terrace with a giant smile, the presence of which he was still unaware of.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Ashton was on his way to the classroom when he felt something. Something that terrified him, something that was inevitable. His rut was here. When he moved here he planned on finding a secluded spot to spend his rut in. Unfortunately, with Warren''s turning into Vampire and everything he couldn''t quite get to it.

    When he recalled he had nowhere to go he panicked. Retrospectively speaking, even Panicking itself was another cause of his panic. His emotional instability, especially during his rut, was something that would allow his wolf to take over. Ashton would absolutely hate that.

    He tried to run away from everything as fast as he could. He knew it was useless since his wolf would find a way back here, especially since Caleb was here. Speaking of which, Caleb probably knew what was going on with him thanks to their mate bond.

    He ran away as far as he could from the university. A wolf undergoing rut wasn''t as fast as a regular wolf. That being said he didn''t go far when everything went black for him.

    ...

    When he finally opened his eyes he noticed he was in a bed. He was back to his human form but apparently naked. His lower half of the body was covered. He looked around trying to grasp his unfamiliar surroundings. What was happening, "You are awake". He heard Caleb''s voice speak from next to him.

    "You''re here?" Ashton''s eyes widened. "What happened?" Panic stricken he asked.

    "How much do you remember"? Caleb asked.

    "Not much". Ashton mumbled.

    "Well, I found you". Caleb mumbled.

    "My wolf didn''t find you"? Ashton asked, surprised.

    "No, in fact it coiled away from me this time. I assumed it was you who was in charge. Apparently that wasn''t the case". Caleb mumbled.

    "What was Iˇ­ it doing when you found me?" Ashton asked hesitantly.

    "Feeding. You killed some animal, I think. It was mauled at such an extent that I had no idea which animal it was. It looked like a deer though, then again deers are rare in a city like this. They are mostly found in the zoo if at all spotted." Caleb shrugged.

    "Maybe that''s why." Ashton mumbled.

    "What?" Caleb frowned.

    "My wolf. Maybe it thought you would be disappointed, by its wild nature". Ashton suggested.

    "That''s adorable" Caleb  chuckled, however he received a glare from his mate.

    After a whole minute Ashton asked, "did I...do something else"?

    "Like...to me"? Caleb asked. Ashton nodded hesitantly. Caleb sighed, "I don''t want to talk about it". He cringed.

    "Oh my god!" Ashton exclaimed. He stared at his mate with pure horror on his face.

    Caleb ended up laughing, "it''s not what you think. Get your head out of the gutter"! He scolded playfully.

    "Then why don''t you want to talk about it"? Ashton''s guilty face turned into a frown.

    "I''m just messing with you" Caleb snorted. "Man, you should see your face". He ended up laughing.

    Ashton shot him an intense glare before screaming, "this is not funny!"

    "I''m sorry, I am sorry" Caleb mumbled trying his best to suppress his laughter. "Look, a lot happened. How about I walk you through it"

    "Alright" Ashton mumbled.

    "So, here is what happenedˇ­ I was on my way back to dorm. I didn''t have any classes left and was looking forward to catching up with this show I started. Suddenly I feltˇ­ well you. Going into rut."

    "You knew, it was me, right away"? Puzzled, Ashton asked his mate.

    Caleb nodded. "Lately I have been getting better at telling if what I am feeling are my feelings our yours".

    "That''s, impressive". Ashton mumbled.

    "Thanks" Caleb smiled. "Anyways, I tried to locate youˇ­ which wasn''t so easy. Linking you, whatever I saw was new to me. I didn''t recognize a single thing I saw. So I assumed you would show up at some point. I would hate it if it did while I was in the middle of the street so I ended up at the back of the campus. I waited there for you. I was certain you would show up."

    "But I didn''t". Ashton mumbled.

    "But you didn''t," Caleb affirmed. "I thought maybe you were far away, but it''s been hours so that seemed unlikely." Caleb sighed with a disappointed expression.

    "If you couldn''t figure out where I was, how did you know where to find me"? Ashton looked at him with a puzzled face.

    "News" Caleb shrugged. "Apparently there had been a voracious wolf sighting near Regde Street". Ashton''s eyes widened as soon as he heard his mate. "Luckily I found you before they did".

    "Yeah." Ashton breathed. "So what happened next".

    "Well, youˇ­ or your wolf tried to run away from me. So as your mate I tried to catch your attention. You know, the usual pep talk." Caleb shrugged.

    "Did it work"?

    "Not at first. Luckily I am faster,  so I could catch up. I tried to restrain you, butˇ­ I couldn''t hold you back" Caleb sighed. "You threw me over a tree" Caleb winced as he clutched his back.

    "The pain is still there?" Confused Ashton asked.

    "No, the memory of the pain is. I think I almost broke my neck", Caleb shuddered as the memory came back to him.

    "Now do you get why I tell you to stay away from me during rut"! Ashton scolded.

    "Oh please, it''s not like you predicted exactly how things would go down" Caleb rolled his eyes. "Besides what happened nextˇ­ was completely different"

    "What happened next?"

    "Wellˇ­" before Caleb could say further a tinge of blush appeared on his cheeks. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Your wolf came to me."

    "And"? Ashton asked when Caleb didn''t continue.

    "It nuzzled me and licked my entire face." Caleb gulped. "I wasn''t sure what it was trying to do, but...it seemed affectionate". Caleb payed attention to Ashton''s subtle movements which is why he didn''t miss the the slight twitch of his fists despite the blank unbothered stare"

    "After that I tried to calm it down. You shifted into human form and th-""

    "Wait what? In between my rut"? Ashton prompted.

    "Yeah"

    "I don''t transform back in my rut". Ashton argued.

    "I know. I have witnessed a lot of your rut staying in the cell in our house."! Caleb retaliated. "I assumed you were in control, but when you didn''t talk or anything, I realized that was not the case".

    "Butˇ­ why? Why did I change back in the middle"? Ashton mumbled.

    "I wish I knew, but I don''t." Caleb whispered.

    "What did I do next"? He asked again.

    "Wellˇ­ I tried to talk to you, and you just kept attaching yourself onto me"

    "Attach?" Ashton''s brows furrowed.

    "Yeah, you hugged me tightly and wouldn''t let go. Caught really weird stares on my way here." Caleb cringed. "I brought you here because I didn''t think it would be safe to take you back to campus like that."

    "What place is this"? Ashton whispered. "This seems familiar, yet it doesn''t."

    "It''s a hotel," Caleb informed. Ashton''s frowned as he wondered why a hotel would appear familiar to him. As if Caleb could read his mind he explained, "Remember that time when you came here last year q few times during my heat? This is that place".

    "Oh?" Ashton whispered looking around himself. He noticed the similarly and yet spotted a few differences but he simply nodded.

    "This is a different room and floor. So I guess, this is different". Caleb sighed.

    "How long have I beenˇ­ like this"? Ashton asked after a moment of thought.

    "A couple of days. It''s Tuesday. You got into rut on Friday", said Caleb. Ashton simply nodded and remained quiet. Getting away from the wall where Caleb was leaning onto all along, Caleb approached Ashton and planted a soft kiss on his mate''s lips.

    "I missed you, these past few days" Caleb admitted honestly. Ashton looked at him in the eyes and grabbing his neck he pulled him back for a deep passionate kiss.

    After few minutes when Ashton finally pulled away he whispered "me too".

    Caleb chuckled, "You don''t even remember anything." Caleb teased. "How could you possibly miss me?"

    "I know I don''t remember." Ashton nodded. "But the way you make me feel, I am sure I missed you".

    "Oh really"? Caleb teased further in response to which he received a sincere nod. "And what is that you feel"?

    Ashton blinked for a moment. He wasn''t sure what to reply because he felt multitude of emotions for his mate which couldn''t be described by a single word. When Caleb''s gaze over him sharpened Ashton simply replied, "in love".

 Chapter 167 - Whats Bothering You

    Caleb''s eyes widened the moment he heard Ashton say those two words. "No matter what, I can never get used to you being so upfront". Caleb chuckled.

    Ashton smirked,"I know". Caleb rolled his eyes and smiled at Ashton. "I think it''s getting late, we should check out or else I would have to pay for another day" said Caleb.

    "Right", Ashton got up and started to dress up while Caleb looked away slightly.

    Checking out of the hotel all of them headed off downstairs. On their way back to the dorm Caleb noticed Ashton was lost in his own thoughts. He was awfully quiet, even for q quiet person like Ashton. Caleb didn''t want to bother him, but Caleb was starting to feel concerned. "You okay?" He asked.

    Ashton who was lost in his own trance failed to realize that he was called let alone answer his mate. "Ash?" He Called once more, this time a little bit louder while shaking him gently.

    "Uh, what"? Ashton blinked.

    "What is going on with you?" Caleb asked. "Is everything okay"?

    "Yeah, everything is fine", Ashton assured.

    "Then what are you thinking about? Your rut? Caleb asked. "Are you upset that I found you"? He whispered.

    "Nooo"! Ashton denied immediately. "I am glad you did. I need to find a way to restrain myself before I do something bad." He mumbled.

    "Why would you"? Caleb asked. Ashton turned to him and frowned prompting Caleb to explain further. "This time nothing bad happened. In fact your wolf was very well behaved. Do you really have toˇ­ restrain yourself"? Caleb asked softly.

    "You don''t get it. This one time guarantees nothing. Don''t push it, or you may end up regretting it". Ashton dismissed.

    Caleb however didn''t want to let go so easily, "You don''t know that! Did you ever wonder that your wolf acts out because you restrain him. That it simply wants to beˇ­ free"? Caleb asked.

    Ashton blinked but went quiet. Caleb had to wait for a whole minute before Caleb replied, "but what happens if I don''t? If my wolf goes rampage despite me letting it be free, then what? This wolf is a part of me, and whatever it does is my responsibility. I cannot take it lightly" Ashton pressed.

    "You are right." Caleb sighed, earning a satisfying glance from Ashton. "This wolf is a part of you.  Which means no matter how different you think it is, it''s still you. What I noticed, it didn''t seem that different from you".

    "What do you mean"? Ashton frowned while getting a bit offended.

    "I noticed things. You know, they way it behaves". Caleb sighed.

    "And? Are you telling me I am that aggressive"? Ashton asked, getting angrier by the minute.

    "No, but I have noticed that urge in you. You are worried that the wolf would hurt me, but the way it stayed with me proved that it just wants me to be by its side". Caleb stopped in his tracks and let out a deep breath.

    "Your point being"? Ashton asked.

    "I think whatever the wolf does is embodiment of your deepest desire. Since it''s a wolf, it doesn''t restrain yourself the way you do yourself. I think you both have similar feelings regarding everything, but the difference lies on how you handle it".

    "That''s what I am more afraid of" Ashton whispered leading to furrowing of Caleb''s eyebrows. "I am aware of what goes inside of me. The urge to go rampage is there. And I am worried it will manifest if my wolf gains too much control over me"

    "You are too hard on yourself, Ash. I get it, you''re scared. I would be too if I were you. But despite your conflicting urges, deep within, you are a good person." Caleb declared. "Have some faith in yourself, and your wolf. And if you find it difficult, I am here to help you. I will make sure your wolf doesn''t do anything you would regret."

    "What if you get hurt?" Ashton asked.

    "I did get hurt", Caleb reminded his mate. "And I saw the regret in the wolf''s eyes which made me sure enough to declare that your wolf would never hurt me on purpose. Or accidentally, cause I remember it being careful around me." Caleb mumbled softly.

    Ashton''s expression changed and he looked away. "Trust me on this". Caleb insisted.

    "I do." Ashton shrugged. "If you think this is the right thing to do, then I''ll give it a go". He whispered.

    A giant smile crept up on Caleb''s face before he kissed his mate excitedly. Ashton went still for a moment but responded enthusiastically to his mate''s advances. When Caleb pulled away he hugged him tightly.

    When he pulled away he noticed that despite their conversation Ashton still had a tinge of doubt. "What is it now"? He asked again.

    "It''s justˇ­ my memory. I don''t remember anything from the rut, in fact memories before the rut hit me completely are gone. I justˇ­ feel like I am losing control". Ashton whispered.

    "But you always get it back." Caleb reminded. "Isn''t that a good thing? Not remembering all the pain you went through. I would love to forget all the pain I have to go through during the heat". Caleb snickered.

    "No, I meanˇ­ all the stuff about Valestine. What if one day I don''t remember anything. What if I get stuck in my wolf form or worse my wolf takes complete control over me"?

    "So that''s what you''re worried about" Caleb whispered. Ashton remained quiet but his silence was the confirmation he needed. "Look, it''s clearly stated that it is a myth, which means we don''t know how much of it is true".

    "But it is true! That Vampire recognized me"! Ashton insisted.

    "Do you honestly trust that Vampire?" Caleb asked, glaring at him.

    "I cannot trust him, I cannot trust your records, so whom am I supposed to trust"! Ashton screamed. Caleb blinked. He realized his mate''s frustration but the fact that he was of no help to his mate frustrated Caleb too.

    "I''m sorry" Caleb mumbled. "I understand that you are confused."

    "It''s more than that. Ever since I was young I moved around a lot. After what happened to them I was sure we were running away from something or someone. I didn''t know what it was, butˇ­ I do want to know" he sighed.

    "I have no idea which pack they belonged to, or the fact that wolves move in packs until I was adopted. It''s frustrating not knowing where you come from. Iˇ­ I can''t help but wonder what if their death is linked to my origin? That there is a good reason they were killed?"

    Caleb stared at him with a soft expression as he took everything in. He had no idea that Ashton felt this way. That Ashton had been wondering about the past which he deliberately tried to forget. "The nightmares which stopped once I moved to Crescent Point are starting to come back to me" Ashton admitted. "I don''t know what to make of it".

    "I had no idea you felt this way." Caleb admitted. "But, I get why you are so worried about Valestine now. If I were you, so would I."

    "Yeah wellˇ­" Ashton sighed. "It''s not like it''s doing us any good".

    "No, we need to do some digging". Caleb declared.

    "How? You said yourself, we have no reliable leads." Ashton asked.

    "Well, we at least have some leads, even if they are unreliable". Caleb insisted. "I already checked whatever I could with Christian. As for Dad, I doubt he will be so open about such things if I asked. In case you haven''t noticed, he isn''t the most open guy around". Caleb let out an exasperated sigh.

    "Really? Never noticed that about him" Ashton commented with heavy sarcasm earning an eye roll from Caleb.

    "Anyways, I was hoping maybe we can follow the other lead"? Caleb sighed.

    "Other lead? With that Vamp"? Ashton frowned.

    "Why not? He was the one to recognize you. If he was being honest that means he knows about Valestine. Enough to differentiate you from the rest of the werewolves in your human form, just by your scent".

    "And he will justˇ­ tell us? If we ask"? Ashton asked, pointing out the irony in his plan.

    "Well, we won''t know unless we try? This is important to you and to me. Let''s not leave any stones unturned". Caleb declared with determination in his voice. "I want to know exactly what gave away the fact that you are a Valestine."

    "Okayˇ­ but I have no idea who he is, or where he is. How the hell would we find him"? Ashton asked.

    "We don''t know where he isˇ­ but we know where to find a Vamp who knows about him. Remember he apologized to Karolyn for Lily, his Vampire friend? Let''s go have a chat with her". Caleb smirked while Ashton eyed him suspiciously.

    Special Author''s note:

    Hello my lovely Readers, I have a gift for you.

    You guys have given me gifts, unlocked my chapter with your coins as a thank you here is a CODE to redeem a 100 coins into your account.

    Now remember, This is a first come first serve basis, and after 10 ppl this will be invalid.

    AB99YTKZ6XLPTKL7A

 Chapter 168 - Lets Get Lily

    "Are you sure she would be here"? Ashton asked as they stood in front of the building belonging to the science department.

    "Well, this is where Karolyn goes, and I am sure she would be near". Caleb shrugged.

    "How sure?" Ashton frowned, still gawking at the building.

    "... 66%" Caleb mumbled.

    "Why 66%"? Ashton''s face twitched as he turned his gaze to his mate and gazed at him awkwardly.

    "I justˇ­ think 66% is a good number". Caleb shrugged making Ashton shake his head. "Let''s go" he motioned with his head after which they walked into the building.

    They tried to use their incredible sense of smell to track their target. They considered splitting up and searching first, but they went against the idea as they felt maybe taking in a vampire one on one was not such a good idea. Frankly speaking, they were just worried that the other would be hurt if they left.

    On their way to the 2nd floor they ran into Karolyn who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. She almost didn''t notice these two, but with their more than usual bulky stature they were quite hard to miss, "What brings you here"?

    "We are looking for the Vamp who attacked you, Lily, was it?" Caleb asked.

    "Yeah" Karolyn nodded. "Why are you looking for her deliberately?"

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb trailed off and looked at Ashton. Ashton looked back at his mate with an unsure expression. Caleb intertwined his fingers with his mate''s and gently squeezed his hand along with a subtle but noticeable nod.

    "I have something important to ask her" Ashton stepped in and informed her.

    Karolyn''s gaze narrowed considerably and she eyed him suspiciously for a while. "Are you sure about this? As much as I know her I can guarantee you she is very hostile, especially if its us".

    "That''s why we can use your help" Caleb prompted.

    Karolyn''s gaze narrowed further, "You want my help without giving me a proper context?"

    "Why not? You have fought with her before, you clearly know how to deal with her." Caleb pleaded.

    "I do. Which is why I am asking you to reconsider. Which is why I am a bit reluctant to help you. She is not just wild, she is murderous. The moment she''ll spot you she will go for the kill" Karolyn shuddered recalling her own experience.

    "Yeah, that scrawny vampire did tell us that she has some kind of personal grudge against our kind" Caleb shrugged. "Come on, help us"!

    Karolyn sighed, "I''ll ping you when I find her. But I''m not engaging in any kind of conversation" she declared.

    "We''re cool with that," Ashton prompted. She disappeared into the hallway while the mate duos headed off to the other side of the corridor. Upon reaching the end of the alley they found an empty room with a bunch of chairs from which came the same pungent smell accompanied with the smell of blood. (A/N: who here has ever smelt blood?)

    Entering the room they saw a guy standing perfectly still while a woman with long blonde hair was attached to his neck. Her petite stature made it easily accessible to the guy''s neck who himself happened to be shorter than the average.

    When she was done she pulled away and looked him in the eye for a second. It was so subtle that anyone could easily miss that something changed due to her momentary stare. She took a few steps back and wiped the blood that leaked out of him. That guy kept staring at nothing in particular and once Lily was done he simply walked out.

    Lily turned around to spot two unknown guys looking at him, "Feeding in broad daylight?" Caleb scoffed but immediately regretted it as he recalled his main purpose of being here was to take her help.

    Her stiffened expression turned into a suspicious one as she looked at them. Their calm and composed attitude gave her the idea that maybe they expected something to see like this. It also made it apparently clear that the two men standing in front of him were not human. But she couldn''t care less what they were. They were a threat to her secret and the only option in such a scenario was to wipe them out.

    She started to leap at them and before Ashton could react he was thrown away from Lily''s line of trajectory. Gaining his composure he realised that Caleb separated them to avoid getting hurt. The mere fact that she aimed for Caleb''s neck drove Ashton crazy. Luckily Caleb had his speed as in came handy while dodging her attack.

    After a little chase when she finally managed to pin down Caleb she bared her fangs. She was about to bite when she was thrown into the wall. Before she could regain her composure she found herself getting restrained by someone apart from the two men. The scent emanating from the unknown person was familiar to her, but before she could retaliate, her entire world faded into darkness.

    "I thought you weren''t gonna help" getting up Caleb smirked at his friend.

    "I thought so too" Karolyn sighed. "Apparently I am not very fond of her".

    "Thanks" Ashton mumbled in a low voice.

    Karolyn gave Ashton a slight nod before asking, "why are you hunting her? You are aware of the risk you are taking right? What if that Vamp who tried to have Warren killed shows up".

    "That, actually, would be very helpful" Caleb snorted.

    Karolyn''s gaze narrowed as Ashton added, "We are looking for him. I have something to ask him".

    After a moment of pause Karolyn asked, "does it have something to do with Valestine"?

    "Do you know about them"? Ashton asked, with a flicker of hope glimmering in his eyes.

    "No, not really. I remember him mentioning it the other day, so I just assumed". Karolyn shrugged.

    "You are not wrong though" Caleb mused, a bit impressed by her. "How long will she stay like this?" Caleb asked.

    "No idea". Karolyn shrugged.

    "What''s the plan here"? Ashton asked. All of them looked at each other cluelessly and soon realized that they had been quite hasty regarding their endeavor. "We''re screwed". Ashton sighed.

    "Not so fast", Caleb whispered. "How strong are vamps"? He asked Karolyn.

    "Stronger than us." Karolyn mumbled.

    "Strong metal to break metal"? Caleb asked.

    "Umˇ­ Depends on this thickness. I am not quite sure yet" Karolyn smiled awkwardly.

    "Oh god" Caleb groaned. "Let''s take her." He declared picking her up and walked to the depar of veterinary. Finding a big enough cage meant for large dogs like German shepherds, he threw her in, which thanks to her petite form it wasn''t so difficult to make her fit. He wasn''t sure it would work but that''s all he had for now.

    "Thisˇ­ doesn''t seem so good. What if someone comes here?"Ashton looked around and asked.

    "They won''t. The department issued a holiday due to some administrative issues." Caleb informed. Both Ashton and Karolyn gave him an odd look which was noticed by Caleb moments later. "What? I have friends". He shrugged, a bit proud of himself.

    "No wonder you knew where this department is" Ashton mumbled. "When I wake up, what should I ask her?" Ashton asked the others. "I doubt she would be willing to comply".

    "Well, as a pack leader I have few tricks up my sleeve." Caleb boasted. "Let me handle this".

    After a few more minutes Lily finally stirred. She found herself restrained by the metallic birds and disgusted by the dog poop smell that was emanating from the entire cage. "Let go of me"! She snarled at all of them.

    "Not so fast," Caleb declared in a deep voice. His voice held a certain authority which for a non-Alpha wolf was pretty impressive. "You keep attacking us. I can''t just let it slide anymore" he spoke in a manner as if he was the leader amongst the trio.

    "Us?" Lily''s gaze narrowed. "You''re the scentless wolves" her eyes widened with realisation.

    "Yes, and you attacked us for no good reason" Caleb mumbled with a blank stare.

    "I didn''t know"! She insisted.

    "You referred to us as scent less wolf, clearly you know about us. You should have been more careful". Caleb snickered.

    "I was trying to be careful. I need to protect my secret"! She shook the cage violently.

    "I know. Which is why I think we should take you out when we can. Or you might end up exposing yourself". Caleb shrugged.

    "No! We had a deal. Steer clear!" Lily snarled. "You don''t know Axel. He can be ruthless when you betray him. If you go against him, he won''t just kill your little vampire boy toy" she snickered at Karolyn earning growl from her  and was about to leap on her only to be held back by Ashton, "but he will destroy each and everyone of you".

    "Betray?" Caleb scoffed. "You are the one who attacked us when we didn''t do anything to you. If anything you betrayed him cause he promised you won''t bother us anymore. If he is dangerous, then perhaps you are the one whom he should come after." An evil smirk crept up Caleb''s face.

    What he expected was some protest or argument on how that Vampire, Axel was it? Won''t attack Lily, but instead he received silence coupled with a shudder of fear of her entire body.

 Chapter 169 - Axel

    "What, you''re scared of him"? Karolyn mocked.

    "I know him. If you did, so would you be" she said in a chilly voice.

    "Isn''t he your friend?" Caleb wondered.

    She scoffed and broke into boisterous laughter, "he is no one''s friend. He is a living nightmare, even for our kind"

    All the wolves looked at each other as they felt a bit of a fear creeping through their veins. It worried them that they might get more than what they bargained for.

    "If he is not your friend, then we have nothing to worry about. He will let you die here without an ounce of a thought" Caleb admitted smugly. Both Karolyn and Ashton looked at Caleb as if he was out of his mind. Clearly the situation was getting out of hand, how could he still keep acting like this?

    "Let me out! What do you want from me"!? She screamed once more, shaking the cage vigorously while panic overtook her. On a closer look it appeared that the metal rods were starting to bend. She was too frantic to notice, but Caleb knew he didn''t have much long before she broke free.

    "Not much. I just want peace between our kind because we''re surrounded by numerous humans. I need more than your friend,  Axel''s words that you won''t attack any one of us". Caleb snickered.

    "More than his words"? Lily scoffed. "His words are more than enough. This time I didn''t recognize you two or else I wouldn''t have attacked"! She insisted.

    "Why should I believe you? Why should I believe him or anything he says?" Caleb raised his eyebrows.

    "Because he never lies, not even jokingly. If he ever tells you casually you will die, you will within a few days". Lily mumbled as she continued to shake that tiny cage. "He''ll make sure of it"

    "Then maybe we should have a chat with him. Let''s verify how authentic his words are". Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "Good luck finding him. We barely spot him once a day." Lily scoffed.

    "Then let''s catch him," Caleb shrugged. "We know how he smells, we can easily track him," he smirked.

    "And then what? He will kill you"! She snarled.

    "He seemed to be interested in negotiating. Let''s see if it pertains or not when the person in question is you." Caleb mumbled.

    "You don''t know what you''re talking about." Lily scoffed. "He is by far the most dangerous person I have ever met. If you meet him, you are dead".

    "You''re right" Caleb''s face lit up as if realisation hit him. "My life is too precious to end it like this. I will just go ahead and kill you. Problem solved. Easy peasy". He shrugged.

    "No"! She shrieked. "I''ll not attack anymore. I swear"! She fumbled with her words as she fidgeted.

    "And I should just trust you?" Caleb raised his brows.

    "Please. You don''t trust me but you would trust Axel right"? Lily said, "Just let me talk with him once''''. She begged.

    "Why would I do that?" Caleb asked smugly once more. Both Karolyn and Ashton frowned. Wasn''t that the whole point of all this hassle? Getting to meet Axel was what they were aiming for right? Then why go deny Lily the opportunity to bring Axel here, they wondered.

    "If you don''t, he would be furious and kill you and everyone you care for"! Lily warned.

    "If you talk to him, he would be furious with you" Caleb smirked. "You know what, you are right. Better you than me. Call him".

    "Iˇ­ I don''t know how to call for him. But I live on Southern Avenue and if you go there he is bound to show up sometime."

    "Why should I go into such trouble for you? Won''t it be easier to simply kill you?" Caleb folded his hands while he asked coyly

    "Please, please let me go"! She begs again, "just let go of me"! She shakes the cage violently.

    "What do you think I should do''''? Caleb turned to Ashton who stared at her blankly. "Ashton?" He called out loudly.

    "Huh?" Coming back to reality he asked.

    "I asked, what should I do"? Caleb asked. Ashton blinked and looked back and forth between him and Lily.

    Soon Caleb felt Ashton link him, [what do you want me to say? I zoned out]

    While Caleb''s steady inquisitive gaze was maintained, Ashton could feel that Caleb was rolling his eyes internally. [Act Coy!] Caleb screamed in his head.

    [I can''t!] Ashton shouted back.

    [Fine. Just deny. Tell me to go find Axel for her and let her go if Axel confirms she would be peaceful] Caleb scowled mentally.

    "Give her a chance. I will go find Axel, until then, she is stuck here". Ashton declared confidently as if he didn''t just zone out a few minutes ago.

    "Hmmˇ­" Caleb hummed. "I''ll think about it". He smirked and exited the room abruptly. Both Karolyn and Ashton ran after him and gave him, ''Are you crazy? look''. Before they could say anything Caleb put his index finger on his mouth and gestured towards his ears then the door as in to indicate her Vampire hearing.

    When they were considerably out of the earshot of Lily Caleb spoke, "We have to be careful what we say around her. I can use the link with him, but not you". He indicated to Karolyn.

    "Yeah, alright" dismissing Caleb quickly Karolyn argued, "What was all that about? I thought you were trying to get to that teenage looking Vamp through her? Why are you being so difficult when she is clearly leading you to it".

    "Because I don''t wanna give away the fact that that is our ultimate aim. I am trying to establish an upper hand on the situation here. If I am going to talk to Axel, I need to make sure I have leverage." Caleb explained.

    "Yeah but, the cage she is in is not durable. I can see her bending it already and who knows how long we have before she breaks through?" Karolyn mumbled.

    "I was hoping you could help with that. You clocked her once, can''t you do it again?" Caleb wondered.

    "Me? Are you crazy? I had a situational advantage at that moment. Right now I can''t. If she wasn''t freaking out right now she could have applied her strength properly and got out of her cage all by herself". Karolyn huffed.

    "I know". Caleb mumbled. "It''s weird she is so scared by that cage when she is such a fierce fighter".

    "I know right," She mumbled back.

    "Maybe she is claustrophobic, " Ashton suggested. "That could explain why she panicked so much once we put her in the cage. I doubt she can even think straight at this moment. She seemed way too frantic to get out more than survive".

    "That''s true. Not once did she mention don''t kill me. She kept begging let me out, let me out". Caleb recalled.

    "On top of that, I doubt he will have trouble finding her all by himself. What if he rescues her even before you guys can talk to him?" Karolyn reminded him after a somewhat awkward pause.

    "We need to take her someplace else. She is easy to trace here. After all this is still officially the university campus". Caleb mumbled.

    "But where?" Ashton whispered.

    "I might know a place where we can keep her for the time being," Karolyn offered. All the eyes turned to her as she began to speak, "Warren goes to this library in Redge street. He once told me that the original place was situated elsewhere.

    I have seen the place but don''t know it''s name. It''s an old construction site that stopped midway. Basically nothing is present there. We can shift her there. Even if she screams her lungs out, chances are no one would hear her. At least not a normal human being." She finished with a proud smirk and waited for a look of bemusement to grace the faces of the mate duo.

    What followed however was their narrowing of eyes in suspicion. Before Karolyn could say something Caleb asked, "Since when are you two so cozy"?

    "Why"? She glared. "Since a few days as I confessed about us being mates".

    "You what"! Excited Caleb shouted.

    "Yeahˇ­ we are datingˇ­ sort of". We are in the ''getting to know each other'' phase, and it''s going pretty well" She failed miserably at suppressing her smile while the guys smirked at her.

    "Looks like someone is having a great time." Caleb mumbled. "I wanna hear so much about it, but right now I don''t have much time. Let''s do what you said. Let''s take her there".

    "But first, how are you gonna make her pass out?" Ashton reminded them. "Is it safe to take her out of here while she is screaming?"

    "Fair point" Caleb mumbled. "Karolyn?" He looked at her and raised his eyebrows.

    "I''ll do something." She mumbled after an exasperated sigh and left. Caleb and Ashton followed her at the same pace as Ashton mumbled, "Look at me, I am abducting people now"

 Chapter 170 - Crazy About You (R18)

    [I am sure you love the chap heading (winks)]

    Dumping the cage on the floor while the captive lay unconscious peacefully, Caleb spoke. "You are sure it''s safe to keep her here right"?

    "Well, it''s better than our uni I guess." Karolyn shrugged.

    "That''s true," Ashton affirmed.

    "So, what should we do next? Should we head off to Southern Avenue?" Karolyn asked.

    "You will come with us?" Caleb asked in a pleasantly surprised manner. "I thought you didn''t wanna be involved".

    "I didn''t" Karolyn "But now I am already a part of it, so might as well see through it".

    Caleb smirked at her while a tiny smile crept up Ashton''s face. "It''s still early, how about we head off in the evening. If he shows up once a day, I doubt it will be in this broad daylight."

    "Why"? Ashton frowned. He failed to see his logic in support of his argument.

    "Think about it, she said she sees him barely once a day. How can she see him if she is not home? Also, I have a feeling that he will come looking for her and we might not need to go to Southern Avenue at all." Caleb folded his hands and sighed.

    "Isn''t that more dangerous?" Karolyn asked.

    "I doubt that." Caleb snorted. "We are way more familiar with this campus than that vamps home on Southern Avenue. If we stay here there is less chances of getting stuck in some unknown place".

    "That''s a good point actually" Karolyn nodded her head. "Well, imma head back. Call me when you go alright? We don''t have many wolves here, we need to have each other''s back" she gave a subtle nod and vanished.

    "Isn''t she nice" Caleb smirked as he turned to Ashton. He noticed Ashton was staring at him blankly but on a closer look he could tell that the corner of his lips were lifted a millimeters and a subtle hint of pride was hidden behind his expressionless face.

    "What"? He asked.

    "Nothing" Ashton admitted before looking away.

    Something about his ''Nothing'' didn''t feel right so Caleb tried to badger his mate, "Come on! Share with me". Ashton glanced at Caleb for a second before grabbing his hand and dragged him. "Whoa! What''s wrong? Are you mad at me"? He asked.

    Ashton''s lack of reply made Caleb further anxious. He wasn''t sure where they were headed but he didn''t protest since he was curious as to what Ashton was upto.

    As their path got more familiar, Caleb found himself walking up the stairs to his dorm. Before they reached the second floor Ashton pulled him towards his room, "Ash? Calm down" meanwhile Caleb continued to talk as an attempt to get through him.

    Soon Caleb found himself getting dragged by Ashton to Ashton''s room. As if Caleb wasn''t confused enough Ashton closed the door and stared at him. Why did it feel like he was getting abdomen, "What''s wrong?" Caleb asked softly.

    Ashton didn''t say a word and instead pulled Caleb towards himself and gave him a heavy kiss. Caleb was confused with whatever was happening, but the lips on his were way too addictive to not reciprocate. Caleb kissed back his mate with equal vigor, getting immersed further into the moment gradually.

    Caleb caught his breath when Ashton fondant released his lips, but before he could organize his thoughts he felt those same pair of lips on his nape of the neck driving him crazy. It took everything in him to resist and push back Ashton while he was on the verge of releasing embarrassing sounds.

    "Where is this coming from Ash? You Alright?" Caleb whispered. Somehow he didn''t raise his voice louder than this.

    Ashton''s hold on Caleb''s waist tightened as he whispered, "I like how you managed to break her without giving away much. It''s been a long time since I saw you take a lead like that." Ashton planted a kiss on Caleb''s cheek.

    "Okayˇ­." Caleb mumbled, unsure of himself. "Why attack me with kisses though?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    "Seeing you being coy like that, I couldn''t help myself" Ashton admitted albeit his shyness and buried his face once more in Caleb''s nape. It took a moment for Caleb to realize why Ashton is doing this, and the moment it hit him, it made him wide eyed.

    "Wait," he called out, making Ashton stop in his tracks. "This is not a good time."

    "Why" Ashton frowned.

    "It''s the middle of the day, we have stuff to do"! Caleb argued.

    "Like"? Ashton challenged.

    "Likeˇ­ we need to go and find Axel," Caleb reminded.

    "Not before evening. You said it yourself, we have time". Ashton whined.

    "What if your roommate walks in?" Caleb reminded, prompting him to stop once more..

    "He won''t." Ashton declared " He is barely here these days. In fact most of the time he spends his nights with his girlfriend, I think. And if it still worries youˇ­ " Ashton turned and locked the door immediately from the inside. "There, you have it".

    "Iˇ­ " Caleb trailed off as he ran out of further excuses. He simply glared at his smirking mate and let him get away with whatever he was planning for.

    Somewhere down the line Ashton''s heated kisses and sensual touches broke Caleb''s will to resist, who was not only reciprocating enthusiastically, but also became a moaning mess attached to the locked door. After a long time of heavy heated make out sessions, Ashton pulled away and ordered, "Take off your clothes."!

    "What"? Caleb''s eyes widened while a hue of pink spread across his cheek to the tip of his ears.

    Pulling off his T-shirt, Ashton repeated, "Just take it off".

    Caleb scoffed at how horny his mate was being before he smirked, "Fine," Pushing himself away from the door he pushed Ashton, "but this time let me run things". Ashton''s back hit the bed as soon as Caleb said it.

    "Have at it," Ashton smirked back. Ashton loved it when Caleb took charge of things, and for some reason his attitude only spurred him on.

    Caleb left wet kisses on Ashton''s bare chest while Ashton let out soft moans. Caleb fumbled with his shirt buttons but suddenly he felt Ashton grab his hands and pull the fabric apart from each other causing the buttons to tear off. Caleb smirked against his mate''s abs before coming back to his lips, "That eager huh"? He whispered roughly against his ears,

    "You bet"! Ashton bit hard on the mark he made years ago as it laid right in front of him.

    Caleb let out a deep moan, "Ashton!" He bit his lip the moment embarrassment caught him but as Ashton''s torture over the mark increased Caleb let his voice escape on their own accord.

    As if Ashton wasn''t satisfied enough, he covered both nipples of his mate with his finger and pulled and rubbed on those till Caleb buried his face in Ashton''s neck. Caleb left a few sloppy kisses on the smooth caramel skin until Ashton''s fingers were replaced by his mouth. To add on to the delicious torture Ashton poked at Caleb''s crotch from time to time using his thigh.

    As if a switch flipped inside Caleb''s head, he pulled away, "wait"!

    "Now what"? Ashton huffed in frustration.

    "I said I''ll run things. Why are you taking over?" Caleb expressed his displeasure.

    "No, I am not" Ashton denied. "Look who is sitting on top" He teased.

    Caleb glared, "That''s not my point"! He huffed. He pushed down Ashton and pulled down his trousers. "Sit back and let me do my thing" he ordered.

    Ashton didn''t know what turned him on more, Caleb trying to be dominating or the feel of his mouth surrounding his own giant cock. With Caleb''s skills it didn''t take his cock long to reach its full size. Ashton pulled on his mate''s hair as he could feel himself nearing his release.

    Suddenly Caleb pulled away leaving him hanging just like that. Before he could while he felt soft lips on his with a slight taste of his own precum.

    Having his mate kiss him was great, but the pain on his throbbing cock was not a wonderful addition for Ashton.  Suddenly he felt something surround his cock and when he found the opportunity to look he saw Caleb sinking down on his erect penis.

    "Caleb"! Ashton moaned as Caleb''s heat further stimulated him. Caleb let out a momentary smirk which was soon replaced by a grimace as pain hit him. Unable to hold any longer Ashton held Caleb in position and rammed into him making Caleb scream out in pain.

    They moved in synchrony as the room filled with their combined moans. Ashton''s were entirely out of pleasure, while Caleb had a mix of pain along with pleasure. Ashton who was dying for release a moment ago held out as he kept on stretching Caleb''s hole. Both of them released at the same time and Caleb collapsed on Ashton as his legs finally gave out the strength.

    Both of them laid like that for a while as Ashton''s rubs his hand over Caleb''s back. Suddenly Ashton flipped them and whispered, "Ready for round 2"?

    Caleb''s eyes widened, "Damn, what has gotten into you? It''s neither your rut nor my heat" He asked.

    Ashton pecked his lips before he said, "I guess I am just crazy about you" and reconnected those lips once more.

 Chapter 171 - Southern Avenue

    "What time is it"? That''s the first thing Caleb asked as he woke up. He didn''t realize when he drifted off, but going more than three rounds when you are not in heat is draining in itself. Not that he was complaining.

    "It''s around three," Ashton replied as he hugged him tightly, "Good morning sleeping Beauty".

    Caleb snorted at his mate''s words, "Really? We are using nicknames now"?

    "You call me Ash all the time, I don''t see why not?" Ashton challenged.

    "I do"? Confused, Caleb asked.

    "Yeah" Ashton let out a gentle laugh, "You are not aware of it"?

    Caleb chuckled. "No, Never realised it."

    "You do it mostly during sex" Ashton whispered in Caleb''s ears and soon recieved a smack from Caleb. "Ouch"! Ashton winced in pain only to receive glares from his mate. Suddenly Caleb''s phone buzzed drawing both of their attention. "What is it"? Ashton asked Caleb, who was checking his phone.

    "It''s a message from Karolyn, she informed me that she is done with her classes and that she is ready whenever we are.

    "Great, are you ready"? Ashton asked.

    Caleb thought for a moment, "I think we should go now" Ashton waited for Caleb to continue as he paused, "By this time most of the institutions close now. It''s possible that Axel might show up wherever they live. We should go".

    "You sure you can move"? Ashton asked, half teasing half concerned.

    "I hope so, or you are carrying me" Caleb huffed.

    "You know I would be happy to do that right" Ashton brought his face closer to Caleb''s and gave him a cheeky smile.

    "Shut up" Caleb scorned and got out of bed and got ready as soon as he could. He texted Karolyn and all of them met up in front of the university. "So what''s the plan?" She asked.

    "I was hoping, maybe we could stalk him?" Caleb shrugged. "Since we lack smell he won''t be able to detect us".

    "Well, if I am with you he might, I have my own scent". Karolyn reminded Caleb. "Should I stay back"? She offered.

    "Maybe you can keep an eye on Lily," Ashton proposed. He wasn''t sure how he felt about abducting her like that, but then again she didn''t hesitate an ounce to attack them, so his feelings were definitely mixed. He didn''t mind himself, but he would never forgive someone trying to hurt his mate, however accidental it might be.

    "You got it" Karolyn nodded and left.

    "Let''s go," Caleb sighed as they drove off with their car.

    The Southern Avenue was a big area that was situated in the hub of the metropolitan city they lived in. This place seemed to have more people than they did back at Crescent Point. Looking for anyone in a crowd like this was going to be tricky, but luckily they had their sense of smell which would be triggered by a vampire.

    "Where do we start?" Ashton who looked a bit overwhelmed, asked.

    "Should we split up?" Caleb suggested. "We have a lot of area to cover, maybe this way we can find him soon".

    "No!" Ashton defended immediately.

    "Why not"? Caleb frowned, clearly offended by the sudden denial of his mate.

    "What happens when one of us finds him? One of us can get in serious trouble if we are face to face with him all by ourselves." Ashton explained. He was more worried about Caleb than himself, but then again he knew how defensive Caleb would get if he mentioned that.

    "Then that one of us links the other" Caleb shrugged clearly not missing whom Ashton was trying to imply. "I am not saying we should confront him head on. Whoever finds him first calls the other and we go together. Heck we can even plan as we go thanks to our ability to link" Caleb suggested.

    "That''sˇ­ actually a good idea," Ashton nodded his head.

    "Of course it is. We do stuff like this all the time in our pack. In facts that''s one of the many ways to run a group search" Caleb snorted. "You start from there, I''ll take over from here" He pointed at two opposite sides of the same alley which was adjacent to the store right in front of them. Before Ashton could agree Caleb had vanished which left Ashton no choice but to go with as he was asked.

    Ashton felt Caleb connect twice on his way to see how far along he was. This whole thing was taking frustratingly long until after a whole hour a tinge of a pungent smell hit Ashton''s nose. Following the scent he found himself following a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. She had brown hair with blonde streaks that made her stand out from the rest. From the appearance of it, it appeared as if she was out here shopping for stuff.

    Ashton tried his best to take interest in local stuff that would make his stalking inapparent. Once she was done she headed off to a less crowded area making it hard for Ashton to blend in the crowd as he followed. Should he contact Caleb? Or should he figure out first where she was headed?

    Choosing to go with the latter he found her going to a beautiful house situated at a level higher than the road as a separate path led to the door. Ashton stayed back and linked Caleb while showing him the path he took.

    A few minutes later Caleb showed up next to him, [You sure this is their house?] Linking once more, Caleb asked his mate.

    [I saw a blonde Vampire walk in, soˇ­ let''s see] Ashton replied.

    Keeping a watch on the house was exhausting. It was like staring at a buffering video. It was looking at the same thing while they consciously waited for something to happen. [It''s getting dark. Maybe we should go back] Ashton suggested to Caleb, who was sitting on the ground and appeared on the verge of dozing off.

    [No, I am fine. We need to do this. Today itself] Caleb refused adamantly while he blinked vigorously.

    Taking a seat right next to Caleb he wrapped his right arm around his mate''s shoulder and brought him closer to his body. [You look tired, you need rest. I will stay back] he said softly in the link.

    [And what? Face him all by yourself? Nuh-uh!] He protested. [I am clearly a better talker than you are!]

    [Sure you are, but right now you are sleep deprived and a bit agitated. You can''t make you way through your words in this state] Ashton tried to reason with him..

    [I''m still not leaving you all by yourself] Caleb declared.

    [How about I call you when he comes, and then we face him together?] Ashton proposed.

    [What if he disappears by the time I get here. The whole trip would be wasted] Caleb frowned despite all the words being spoken mentally.

    Ashton paused for a minute as he considered the situation at hand [How about you take a nap here? I''ll simply wake you up when I spot Axel or something]

    Caleb''s frown deepened [I can''t. This place is uncomfortable]

    Ashton chuckled as he mused at the fact that his mate was accustomed to comfort when it came to falling asleep. As for Ashton? He could even fall asleep as he stood.

    Ashton pulled away his arm from Caleb''s shoulder only to place both of them on his waist. He pulled him so that Caleb''s body rested on Ashton''s such that Caleb''s back rested on his giant chest. [What are you doing?] Caleb asked once Ashton was done positioning them.

    [You said you were uncomfortable] Ashton said innocently.

    [You think this is comfortable?] Caleb asked sarcastically. A visible frown appeared on Ashton''s face as he let go of Caleb''s waist, but before he could pull away properly Caleb put his own hands over Ashton and held them such that he was completely snuggled with his mate. [Cause you are right, this is very comfortable]

    Getting so comfy on Ashton''s lap, Ashton realized that from this angle Caleb looked quite adorable. Unable to resist, he planted a soft kiss on Caleb''s cheek. Caleb laughed a little before he closed his eyes and relaxed.

    In less than 10 minutes Ashton could hear soft snoring noises coming from Caleb who laid in his arms perfectly still. While Ashton didn''t mind the noise he wondered if it would draw attention or not. He tried to shift his mate a little in the efforts to eliminate the snoring but that wasn''t much effective. All the time they had been there this was probably their noisiest and he just hoped this was not enough to draw attention.

    After sitting like that for almost 2 hours Ashton''s back finally started to give away. He didn''t want to alarm Caleb who was sound asleep so he maintained the same position nevertheless. After a while he noticed the same scrawny teenage looking vampire they have been looking for the entire time. To reconfirm Ashton actively sniffed in the air around him just to confirm his scent.

    He observed Axel as he started at the house for a long minute. What Ashton found even more peculiar that instead of going in he took an alternative route and walked away. Ashton pondered for a second why Axel did what he did before he realised that maybe sitting here for much longer won''t help their cause.

 Chapter 172 - Confrontation

    Ashton knew that if he waited any longer he would lose him again, and thus going with his instincts he adjusted Caleb properly and laid him down before he followed him. At that moment he almost forgot about the plan of calling him. Why almost? Cause part of him was adamant to keep Caleb safe.

    He followed him as he walked down the lane. At the end of the road he took a turn that led him off the main road and was directed towards an abandoned river bank. Ashton wasn''t sure what Axel was aiming for, but he kept following him nonetheless. Axel stopped abruptly and took an empty chair as he whistled an ominous song (or at least that''s what it seemed like) and rocked his legs aimlessly.

    As the night got darker he heard him say, "You really think I don''t know that you are here". If it weren''t for Ashton''s wolf hearing he wouldn''t have noticed. Ashton tried to follow his gaze to see whom he was talking to, until his gaze shifted to where Ashton was hiding. He was hiding behind the bushes so it was hard to spot him with naked eyes, but somehow Axel''s gaze was fixated on him which made Ashton unnerve.

    "Yes, you, the rogue Valestine wolf" Axel declared.

    Ashton could hear his heartbeat rise despite trying his best to maintain an expressionless demeanour and it''s possible that as a vampire so could Axel. A vampire was usually sensitive to these things as it helped them catch their prey. Coming out of the bushes Ashton greeted him, "Axel"

    "I see you know my name" He smirked. "I wonder how that is" his tone had a heavy loaded sarcasm that said otherwise.

    "Yeahˇ­" Ashton fumbled.

    "So what''s the reason you are stalking me? I thought we agreed to steer clear of each other" He tilted his head with a deadly stare. Ashton was usually not the one to get intimidated, but he could feel a bit unnerved with his aura. "Then suddenly you go ahead and take one of my people captive"

    Ashton''s eyes widened as soon as he realised that Axel was aware of the situation. Did he know the real reason Ashton was here? Ashton wondered. "Sorry about that, but she did attack us" He tried the same tactic Caleb applied on Lily as in shifting the blame.

    "Cause you went looking for her. You really think you can fool me? Just like that?" Axel snickered. "I know I look younger than you, but let me assure you I am older than your forefathers''''.

    "..." Ashton remained quiet as he failed to come up with an appropriate excuse.

    "What do you want from me?" Axel asked.

    "I want some information," Ashton admitted honestly.

    "You really have a unique way of asking favors" He scoffed. "But no, I won''t help you with anything."

    "Just he-"

    "You attacked one of my kind despite our deal, you must pay the consequences." Axel declared in a grave voice making a chill run through Ashton''s spine. He was worried where this was headed but he was glad that he didn''t bring Caleb with him. The last thing he needed was to be his mate in danger.

    "Consequences?" Ashton challenged.

    "Do not be so cocky, I know how to deal with the Valestine wolf. In my lifetime I have managed to kill a few" He snickered.

    "I am not a Valestine wolf," Ashton challenged.

    "Of course you are." Axel smirked. "The ability to hide in plain sight by masking your scent, that is definitely a Valestine trait." He scoffed. Wait, so it wasn''t because he was a pureblooded Alpha? So his skill wasn''t as unique as he thought? Ashton wasn''t sure whether he was sad or relieved by this revelation.

    "So that''s why you are here" Axel, who noticed the subtle changes in Ashton''s face mumbled. "you want to know more about Valestine" Axel snickered. "I will be careful not to tell you more".

    Was he a mind reader? Ashton wondered. All his life he had been very good at hiding his emotions. The one person who is best at deducing them was his mother, followed by Caleb who still wasn''t half as good as Mrs Parker. Then how come this guy accurately interpreted him so well?

    "So what do you want? Kill me?" Ashton challenged.

    "Killing you would be easier, I have other ways to deal with you" He smiled.

    "Like what?" Ashton challenged. A smirk appeared on Axel''s lips followed by a shriek from his opponent.

    Ashton fell on the ground clutching his chest as the pain and agony took all  over him. Pain and agony of what? He had no idea. Whatever was happening with Ashton was vaguely similar to his rut, except his rut caused disarray of emotions, this time, it was purely pain.

    What was happening to him? Was Axel doing this to him? Can Vampires do such a thing? He wondered. "You didn''t think you were the only one special around here did you?" That statement from Axel confirmed that indeed it wasn''t a regular Vampire quality. Then, what was he? Was Axel not a Vampire? If not, then what?

    He couldn''t fathom for longer as the agony increased in intensity. He recalled Lily being scared of him and he could imagine why, "Ughhhh'''' He screamed despite his best to suppress his groans. The pain was too much, as if he was on the verge of his death. As if the pain would itself be enough to kill him. Except he had to endure everything but death.

    "How does it feel?" Axel snickered. "Not enough? Don''t worry, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what I plan to do. I haven''t even touched you and you are already on the ground." He let out an evil laugh. "Perhaps from the next time you would be careful."  He paused. " Oh wait, you have to be alive to be there '' the next'' time" He snickered.

    As much as the pain was suffocating him, he would like to stuff Axel''s mouth first to stop him from talking. Ashton was never the talkative one, and he absolutely hated talkative ones like Axel. The pain increased in spike as Ashton fought back his tears that threatened to escape his eyes, "STOP"! He heard a familiar voice speak.

    Dread filled Ashton as soon as he recognised his voice. He didn''t want anyone but himself to be a part of this mess, let alone his mate. How did he find him? Or right, the mate bond. Caleb knew something was wrong with Ashton thanks to the bond they share. This was the first time Ashton hated their mate bond. "Let go of him"! Caleb shouted.

    "Why should I"? Axel smirked. "You didn''t spare when one of mine begged to be let out. In fact you were the one who caged her" He snorted. "This is your mate right? Let''s see how you feel to see one of your own, that too your mate, suffer".

    Caleb crouched down beside Ashton who was writhing in pain. It seemed as if Ashton was trying to say something, but his words mixed with groan turned so incoherent that they were beyond anyone''s ability to decipher. [Get out of here!] Ashton shouted in Caleb''s head.

    [NO. I am your mate and I deserve to be here, you don''t get to tell me what to do or what not to do] Caleb reprimanded him in his mind before turning to Axel. " Let. him. Go"  He spat.

    " Or else?" Axel snorted. "A Valestine wolf, that too a pureblooded one can''t stop me, you think an omega can?" He mocked. Caleb blinked as he realised Axel knew his identity as well? Just how good was this guy at deciphering things?

    "Do not underestimate me for my blood status. I am known to surprise people." Caleb challenged,

    A boisterous laughter followed Caleb''s comment, "Is that so? Surprise me" He smiled and soon Caleb himself was suffocating in pain. Unlike Ashton, he didn''t hit the ground. He had an experience of fighting pain thanks to his heat, but unlike his heat where most of the pain was localised at the abdomen thus pain was in his head.

    Axel''s smile faded a bit as he saw Caleb stand on his own, and naturally the intensity of his pain increased which was in par with Ashton''s pain now. Ashton, who could tell that Caleb was having it as bad as him, writhed in the ground helpless to help his mate.

    Caleb dropped to the ground, but didn''t lay on it like Ashton. He was simply on his knees as he tried to focus and battle whatever the hell Axel was trying on them. He focused on the current situation and glared at Axel. Axel smirked until Caleb pushed himself up from the ground. Caleb started to come towards him and with each step he took he could feel the pain rising, but what encouraged him was what accompanied the pain, that is the fading of Axel''s smirk.

 Chapter 173 - In The Wrong Direction

    "I must say, I am surprised" Axel mumbled and suddenly both of them were free from pain. " It would be a shame for someone as resilient as you to die. I''ll let you go". Both Caleb and Ashton looked at each other as if they wanted to recheck they didn''t hear wrong, "But, there will be consequences."

    "Consequences? We didn''t exactly harm anyone! If-" Caleb started to defend them when Axel raised his voice.

    "You really think you will get a choice after you tricked one of us, manipulated Lily to get to me?" Axel scoffed. "I am not that easy. You think you can just go ahead and play games with me? You don''t know whom you ended up messing with" His smirk turned into a glare. "Your friend must pay for what you did".

    Before Ashton or Caleb could say something Axel vanished in a blink of an eye. It was so fast that even with their heightened senses they missed it. "What do you think he meant by that?"Ashton asked.

    "Are you out of your mind"! Caleb screamed at him. "You told me you will wake me up! What the hell were you thinking by going after him all by yourself?" He shouted. Ashton was taken aback by Caleb''s sudden outburst. Thinking back, Caleb was not someone who lost his cool so easily, and never had he ever been this mad at Ashton. The rarity of the situation only made it difficult for Ashton to decide what he should do or say next.

    "I was in a hurry," He mumbled. "He would have disappeared"

    "Hurry my ass!" Caleb screamed at him. "You really think I didn''t realise how gently you set me down. That''s right, I knew. I woke up at that moment. I am a light sleeper. Who does that in a hurry".

    "If you woke up that very moment, then why did you show up late"? Ashton accused back.

    "Iˇ­ Before I could catch up with you, you had already started chatting with him. I stayed back so that I can be of help if required". Caleb admitted.

    "Well, your plan succeeded" Ashton gave him an awkward smile only to receive a glare.

    "I wouldn''t have needed that plan if you didn''t go ahead without me"! Caleb shouted at him.

    Ashton took a deep breath, "I''m sorry for that, but we have bigger problems now. He said a friend will pay for what we did. I can''t help but think of Warren immediately."

    "Of course it''s Warren. His life was the deal we made last time. And now Iˇ­. I screwed up" Caleb felt his breath hitch at his throat. "Warrenˇ­ his life is in danger" Caleb felt himself panic.

    "We need to tell him. Maybe we can find a way to save him" Ashton suggested.

    "But what if we can''t? Axel is too good for us to beat. He knows about us better than anyone we have ever met. Can we really can''t hide Warren  from him?" Caleb panicked as his voice raised a certain pitch.

    Aston could tell that his mate was freaking out. Putting his hands over his mate''s shoulder he whispered,  "Well we have to try. Let''s go"!

    On their way back to the dorm Caleb was quiet the entire way. When Ashton is the quiet one, it''s natural. But when the quiet one is Caleb, it''s downright freaky. What made the ride even more scary was the increased speed of the car that was being controlled by Caleb. Ashton was certain that Caleb was upset, but he didn''t know how to make him feel better so he remained quiet.

    Going towards his room, Caleb rushed as if his entire life depended on it. Ashton followed the same suit. Two guys running like this was definitely an eye catcher. Many people wondered what was up with those two.

    The moment he reached the door, Caleb barged into his room only to find it empty. Given the situation it made sense that Caleb panicked even further. In fact, even Ashton could feel the panic within himself raise, "Did you see Warren somewhere?" Caleb asked the guy who was passing in front of the room. Ashton didn''t know the guy, but from the looks of it, it seemed Caleb did.

    "Sorry bud, haven''t seen him since biochem" That guy shrugged and continued with his pursuit. Caleb''s face was graced with pure horror as he imagined what could be happening to Warren right now. Ashton who saw Caleb''s reaction suddenly recalled that maybe he should try calling him first.

    Ashton dialed his mate''s roommate and waited for him to pick up. When he didn''t Ashton tried once more. Luckily this time after the fourth ring someone finally picked up, "Hey Ashton, what''s up"? Luckily it was Warren.

    "Oh thank God, where are you?" Ashton asked.

    Before he could hear his reply Caleb snatched away his phone and spoke, "Are you safe? Where are you? Wherever you are just come back to the dorm"! Caleb shouted.

    "Okayˇ­ calm down buddy. I am fine. I am with Karloyn actually, at that old library."Warren informed. A wave of relief washed over Caleb and Ashton and Caleb finally let out the breath which he didn''t know he was holding. What''s wrong? Why are you freaking out like this? Andˇ­. Why would I be not safe"?

    "I''ll be there. Just don''t get yourself killed" Caleb informed and gestured Ashton to follow. This time Ashton was relieved that Caleb didn''t drive as if he was headed off to kill them. Nevertheless his speed was still pretty high to make Ashton clutch onto his seat belts firmly. In fact, they were the ones that were almost on the verge of tearing.

    On reaching the old library, he found both Karolyn and Warren sitting there just outside the room where Lily was kept. Meanwhile Lily inside the room was still passed out, "I think she is claustrophobic. She was freaking out the moment she woke up, and I think that''s why she passed out again" Karolyn informed them.

    "What is going on?" Warren asked.

    "Why are you here?" Caleb asked back.

    "She told me what you did. So I came here. I didn''t wanna be left out" Warren smiled. Caleb let out an exasperated sigh. "What? I am a Vampire now, you can''t just leave me out just like that" Warren huffed.

    Taking a deep breath Caleb said, "We screwed up". A frown appeared on both Karolyn and Warren''s face as they glanced at each other for a moment. Caleb explained how things went down with Axel and how he could deduce everything. As the story passed the shock on the duo''s face intensified.

    By the time Caleb finished horror appeared on their faces as well and Karolyn shouted, "Are you crazy! You had to screw this up didn''t you"

    Ashton who was standing right next to Caleb held his hand the moment Caleb flinched at her words, "It wasn''t his fault. I was the one who didn''t follow the plan." Ashton defended him.

    "Axel knew what was up whether you confronted him alone or together." Karolyn spat with anger. "It was Caleb who came up with this plan to get to him so it was clearly his fault" She shifted her gaze to Caleb and glared at him.

    "No, it wasn''t his fault, he-" Ashton started to defend his mate but he was cut off in the middle.

    "No!" Caleb screamed. "She is right, it was my fault" He mumbled.

    "Calebˇ­" Ashton whispered as he saw Caleb on the verge of breaking down.

    Warren who saw everything got up from his seat and spoke, "Guys, calm down. What happened cannot be undone. Pointing fingers isn''t really gonna help us." Warren tried to calm them down.

    "Your life is in danger, how can you be so calm"? Karolyn asked in a quivering voice.

    "It''s because my life''s in danger that I am so calm. Panicking and lashing out on each other won''t help us. I think we need a proper plan to deal with this. So please, can we move on"?  Warren asked.

    "Sure" Karolyn sighed. "But I am not getting involved in any plan that involves him." She spat at Caleb who simply looked down avoiding her gaze.

    "Karolyn"! Warren scolded.

    She shot him a glare before grabbing his wrist, "I don''t want anything to do with you. Stay away from me, and if possible stay away from both of us" She spat and left leaving both Ashton and Caleb all by himself.

    Seeing the situation turn up like that Ashton had a strong urge to defend Caleb, but the way Caleb refused to be defended is what made him so helpless. He was so angry that he simply wanted to punch the wall in front of him. When he looked at Caleb, he saw tears brimming at his eyes about to fall. Unable to see his mate in pain Ashton hugged him and patted his head to soothe him.

    Caleb stood still and didn''t even bother to hug back. It broke Ashton''s heart to see his mate like this, but he still didn''t let go as he needed to show him that no matter what, Ashton was there for him.

 Chapter 174 - Being A Leader

    Ashton felt broken to see his mate suffer like this. In their entire relationship for the very first time, it was Caleb who pushed his mate away. He tried his best to talk to Caleb, to break through like every time Caleb did when Ashton felt upset, but somehow he couldn''t convince Caleb.

    For instance he bought him some ice cream, like he used to do for his sisters when they were sad, and tried to talk to him. Not only Caleb rejected the ice cream but he shut off every time Ashton brought up the subject by saying, "You don''t get it". If only he could explain properly that Ashton was well accustomed with screwing things up.

    From time to time Caleb kept texting Warren to check if he was okay. He would have called, but that would have definitely alarmed Karolyn, and she was very clear on not to disturb either of them.

    Warren didn''t mind though. He kept updating on their status even if Caleb didn''t ask. Currently they were hiding at a place which for the purposes of the secrecy Warren didn''t reveal over a text. Karolyn was still furious and she was on her toes for any signs of danger.

    After almost a day and a half, when Caleb was on his bed chatting with Warren he suddenly heard knocks on his door. He assumed naturally that it was Ashton so he simply replied to the door, "Go away"!

    He heard knocks again which Caleb chose to ignore until it got too much. Frustrated, he opened the door to shout, "I told y-" he stopped immediately when he noticed the other person was not Ashton. "Oh, hi" he said.

    "Hi! What the hell is wrong with you?" Christian asked.

    "Nothing. What are you doing here?" Caleb asked, surprised by the surprise visit.

    "Ashton called. Said you were being weird" Chirstian sighed.

    Rolling his eyes Caleb replied, "I am not being weird".

    "Considering how long it took you to open this door, I would say you are definitely being weird". Christian pointed out

    "I just don''t want to talk"! Caleb groaned.

    "Why?"Christian furrowed his brows. "For as long as I have known you both, I noticed you were the talkative one".

    "Iˇ­" Caleb trailed off, "I screwed up, okay! There, happy?" He admitted and took a seat on his bed allowing his brother to come in.

    "You have screwed up before, what makes this time so different?" Christian asked.

    "My friend''s life''s in danger, because I screwed up." Caleb admitted, exasperated.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian sighed. "Why don''t you tell me what happened in more detail?" Caleb hesitated for a moment before telling him what happened. He admitted everything from Valestine to the presence of Vampires. Everything. He was worried as soon as he finished his brother would get all over protective and mad as to why he didn''t inform him about the Vampires before, and that he would get scolded.

    To Caleb''s surprise Christian was calm and composed till the end of the story which somehow stressed out Caleb even further. "So yeah, that''s it" Caleb mumbled at the end of the recalling and stared at his brother''s face for any changes in his expression that would indicate an immediate lashing out.

    "So that''s why you asked me about Valestine the other day?" that was the first thing Christian muttered.

    "Yeahˇ­" Unsure, Caleb mumbled.

    "Why didn''t you just tell me the truth?" Christian asked. "If I knew the truth I could have tried to help you properly. Maybe you wouldn''t be in this mess in the first place".

    Caleb glared at his brother, "Don''t you remember the way you reacted when I asked about it? How could I be honest after that?"

    "Iˇ­ I am sorry for reacting like that. But if you need any help there is no way I won''t help you." Christian shrugged. "A little honesty could have saved you a lot of trouble. You are my baby brother, and I will always have your back". Christian reminded him.

    "I know, but this was more about Ashton" Caleb reminded him instead.

    "As your mate, that is definitely your business, which means he is just as important to me." Christian assured. A smile crept up on Caleb''s smile as he heard those words. This is the first time ever Caleb felt that Ashton was accepted by his brother.

    "Wait, does it meanˇ­ you finally approve of Ashton as my mate?" Caleb asked anxiously.

    "Wellˇ­" he sighed. "I am not his biggest fan, but he makes you happy. So yeahˇ­ why not". Christian shrugged. That only made Caleb''s smile even bigger as he jumped up on Caleb and hugged.

    "Wait, soˇ­ will youˇ­ figure out about Valestine for me?" Caleb asked.

    "Sure. At least I''ll try my best". Christian patted Caleb''s shoulder. The smile on Caleb''s face remained there for a while, but soon faded away as the situation dawned on him, "What''s wrong?" Christian asked.

    "It still doesn''t change that I screwed up though" Caleb sighed. "I regret taking the lead in this situation. I shouldn''t have tried to do this my way". Caleb groaned.

    "And you think sitting here crying about it will change things?" Christian asked in a mocking manner thus receiving a glare from his brother.

    "First of all, I am not crying. I am just upset. And secondly I am just worried about doing more harm than good if I try to help or even get out of this room". Caleb shrugged.

    "So you screw up one time and you won''t leave your room"? Christian scoffed.

    "It''s not just some screw up, it''s someone''s life I put in danger" Caleb sighed.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian mumbled, "But your friend is still alive right? Not all is lost".

    "You don''t get it. I took charge of things and now things are bad. It''s my responsibility." Caleb sighed. "I don''t think I should be in charge of things."

    Christian let out a small laugh to which he received a confused glance from his brother, "Do you think people who are in charge are the ones who never screw up"?

    "Did you and Dad ever screw up?" Caleb asked back.

    "What do you think? A good leader is not made in a day". Christian said. "No matter how experienced you are you are always prone to make the wrong decision, often without realising. But that''s okay, cause a wrong decision is not what decides how good leader you are, but how you proceed after that is what makes a leader a good one"

    "Proceed"? Caleb asked.

    "When you were at the pack house you had me and Dad backing you up, so you never really got the chance to mess things up. Here, now what you have done is your responsibility and it''s up to you on how you handle it. You can either sit here and mope around all day, or you can go out there and help your friend." Christian explained.

    "What if I mess things up further"? Caleb asked.

    "You won''t. Cause this time you would be more cautious" Christian smiled. "You can''t be afraid of doing stuff in the fear of making mistakes. Making mistakes, however big or small, is important. When you make mistakes you learn. And when you learn, you grow" He advised.

    "So what should I do now"? Caleb asked.

    Christian smirked before he said, "Here is what you''re gonna do. You are gonna forgive yourself and then you''re gonna figure out what went wrong and how you could have handled things better. And then you are gonna find a way to rectify your mistakes."

    "That''s way too generic," Caleb scowled.

    "Of course it is. I am not gonna spoon feed you solutions. You are the smart one, you can figure this much out for yourself". Christian scolded. "What do you say?"

    "Iˇ­. I think I know where I messed up" Caleb mumbled.

    "Good, try a little harder and you would know exactly what to do" Christian smiled. He hugged his brother once before getting up. I should go, I left stuff on hold when Ashton told me it was urgent".

    "He was exaggerating," Caleb shrugged.

    "I am glad he was" Christian scoffed and left.

    The moment Christian walked down the stairs Ashton emerged from the other end of the corridor with a tiny smile. Seems like He heard every bit of the conversation that took place between them. He couldn''t help but feel proud of himself for calling Christian.

    When Ashton failed to talk to him, he realised that maybe his brother would be a better choice for a pep talk, because in Caleb''s family Christian was the only one he was close too. Not to mention he had leadership skills that could be handy for proper advice.

    He stared at the door of Caleb''s room for a little longer than necessary. When he was about to turn away the door opened to reveal an excited but determined Caleb. The moment Caleb saw his mate standing there he flashed a tiny smile. Going over to him he gave his mate a soft peck on the lips before saying, "Let''s go". Caleb dragged him by his hand and Ashton was more than happy to follow.

 Chapter 175 - The Process

    Karolyn was beyond furious when she found out her mate''s life was in Danger. She was so frantic about finding a safe place that she didn''t almost realize where she was headed for. Warren who was with her the whole time didn''t bother to disturb her or ask her to calm down. He knew why she was so anxious, so he simply let her get away with her eccentricities.

    When they finally arrived at their destination Warren looked around himself, surprised by his surroundings,"What place is this?"

    "It''s an old warehouse. One of my Dad''s old clients used to use this place as a warehouse. My Dad talked to him if I can use this or not, So, here I am" Karolyn explained.

    "When did you call your dad?"Warren asked, surprised.

    "I didn''t. My place is close remember?" Karolyn reminded Warren. Warren failed to understand how that was relevant so Karolyn explained further. "I linked him. This is this telepathic thing wolves of the same family or pack can do" She explained.

    "Link?" Warren asked

    "Yeah" Karolyn nodded. They walked into a room which was neither too big to echo their voice nor too small to accommodate two people.

    "What''s that like?" He asked. "Like you can read each other''s mind and stuff?" Warren asked her enthusiastically while setting down his bag on the table.

    "Not exactly" She sighed. "It''s more like talking, but instead of talking out loud, you know using our voice and mouth we use our thoughts to form words. The weaker the link is, the more privacy is maintained."

    "As in?" Warren tilted his head.

    "Like, My Dad doesn''t know that I have a mate. Even if I was worried about you I didn''t want to share that part so he didn''t find out." Karolyn explained and smiled.

    Unfortunately though Warren''s enthusiasm turned into a frown. "Why didn''t you tell your Dad? Are you ashamed to have me as your mate?" Warren asked.

    "What? No!" Karolyn shrieked. "I justˇ­ I don''t want to tell him in a link or something. I wanna talk face to face". Karolyn shrugged.

    "Because you are worried he won''t approve of me?" Warren raised his right brow.

    "Nooooˇ­"Karolyn almost sang. "Well, yeah".

    "Why though? Isn''t having a fated mate universally accepted?" Warren asked. "Not to mention, I think I am a great guy".

    Karolyn chuckled at his self boast. "You are terrific. And yes, my parents told me that they would be okay with whomever I chose as a mate. Now that I have got a fated one, that would be even more applicable. It''s just thatˇ­" Karolyn hesitated. "I am not sure when they said they would be fine with anybody that included a Vampire as well. Especially when they were aware of my aversion to them".

    "Why are youˇ­ so repulsed by them? Just by instinct?" Warren asked.

    "A little bit. But not entirely" Karolyn shrugged. "When I was in high school this guy asked me out. I said no because I wasn''t that much into him. However he was persistent, and over time I thought maybe I should give him a try." She shrugged.

    She was so into the story that she almost missed Warren''s face twitch. "Anyways, he played basketball and after the big tournament I was going to ask him out, butˇ­ he died on the day of the tournament. He never showed up, and his body was found in the river rescued by some fisherman off the shore after two weeks".

    "Two weeks"? Warren cringed. "It didn''t float?"

    "No" Karolyn shook her head. "His body was completely drained out of blood before he was thrown into the river. At least that''s what the autopsy said."

    "So it was a vampire?"

    "I mean, I never saw one. But, that''s what it seemed like. There were sightings of similar killings following that which solidified my suspicion" Karolyn admitted.

    "That sounds harsh," Warren whispered. "I am sorry, that happened."

    "Yeah, but I shouldn''t project my hatred for that killer to all Vampires." Karolyn shrugged.

    "Yeah" Warren admitted and remained quiet for a while. "You know, I have to admit though. This link thing is cool. Wish I could experience it".

    "You might be able to,"Karolyn smiled.

    "Shut up"! Warren beamed with enthusiasm. "Vampires can do that?" He almost shouted.

    "No, no no"! Karolyn raised her hand immediately denying his guess. "It''s just that, mates can do it. Ashton and Caleb can literally even see what the other is seeing". She shrugged. Her frown that had somewhat vanished earlier returned as soon as she mentioned Caleb. During their conversation she almost forgot that earlier that day she fought with him.

    "Cool, can you teach me how to do it"? Warren asked.

    "Not yet. We are not exactly at that phase either". Karolyn mumbled, getting a bit uncomfortable.

    "That phase? What is that? Sex?" Warren asked.

    "Not really no," Karolyn shrieked. "It''s marking" She sighed.

    "What''s that"? Warren asked. Karolyn took a deep breath and explained to him about the whole process. When she was done Warren mumbled, "Wow, that sounds intimate".

    "It is" Karolyn admitted.

    "Look, I am sorry if I am making you uncomfortable. I justˇ­ I mean no matter how much of a TV show slash movie fan I am, I still don''t know a lot of things, and I won''t if you tell me" Warren whispered.

    "I agree" Karolyn chuckled. "But, I didn''t imagine that this is how we would be having this conversation. Running around from a, god knows how many years old, vampire." She sighed.

    "Well, a lot of things for us are happening in unexpected ways. I don''t see why this has to be any different" Warren shrugged.

    "I guess that''s true" She smiled. Warren looked at her with a content smile before closing in on her. Her lack of retraction encouraged Warren to continue further and thus he landed a sweet but long kiss on her lips.

    Karolyn couldn''t help but be flustered at the fact that this was officially their first kiss. Maybe being stuck in an old warehouse while running away from a murderous Vampire wasn''t so bad.

    As soon as he pulled away they both pulled away and pursed their lips in embarrassment. For the entire day Karolyn failed to let down her smile as she was visibly excited.

    Next day when she woke up she saw Warren was chatting on someone on the phone, or at least it seemed like it. "Who is it?" she asked him.

    Without paying it much of a thought she replied, "It''s Caleb".

    "What"!? She jolted up and sat, "You didn''t tell him where we are right?" She asked him anxiously.

    "Are you crazy? Phones are a known method of tracking people, why would I do that?" Warren shrugged.

    "And, he can''t track this phone?" Karolyn asked, unsure of Warren''s behaviour.

    "It''s hard to do so unless you are on call. Also, this is not my phone. I swiped it off of some stranger" Warren admitted feeling a tinge of guilt. "You are still mad at him?" he asked.

    "Why shouldn''t I be?" She huffed. "He jeopardised so much by underestimating  Axel. If it weren''t for his over confidence we wouldn''t have to hide like this! This is so freaking uncomfortable" She looked at the couch which she used to sleep the night before.

    "Look, he meant well. He was just trying to help. Don''t be so hard on him". Warren tried to convince Karolyn who simply glared at her own mate.

    "Why should I not? He literally put a lot at stakes"? She huffed.

    "Because he is your friend. Imagine if you were in his place and you screwed up, wouldn''t you feel guilty?" Warren asked. "He feels really terrible for how things went down, don''t make it harder for him." Warren mumbled.

    "I guess, you are right" She whispered. "Once we figure out a permanent plan for this, maybe I will talk to him," Karolyn shrugged.

    "Well, I didn''t exactly think of anything", Warren shrugged. "What about you"?

    "So far, I have got running away to Antarctica" Karolyn groaned.

    "Okayˇ­" Warren looked at her suspiciously. "We''ll call that plan B. Let''s find a better alternative way".

    "Kill Axel?" Karolyn shrugged.

    "Okay now who''s the one underestimating Axel" Warren gave him an unamused look.

    "Okay, I''m out of plans." Karolyn huffed getting frustrated by the minute. "Why don''t you give it a try"? She pouted.

    "Okayˇ­" Warren focused really hard to figure out something however after a while he sighed and mumbled, "I got nothing". Karolyn simply rolled her eyes at him.

    Before their conversation could escalate further, suddenly they heard noises of metal clunking which appeared to be coming from the front door. They knew both hiding and running away was useless as their scents would reveal their location splendidly.

    Both Karolyn and Warren looked at each other before sharing a subtle nod with each other. They stared at the door on the room ready to fight for their life as the sounds of angry footsteps kept getting closer and closer every minute.

 Chapter 176 - I Am Sorry

    The door opened to reveal a person with a tall built and lean figure. The contrast with the light outside made it harder to see, but when the face of the person came into focus, a wave of relief washed over Warren and Karolyn. "Caleb"? Warren mumbled. "How did you find us?"

    "I called up and asked her dad about whereabouts," Caleb pointed at Karolyn.

    "And, he just gave it to you?" Warren frowned.

    "Yup, this hideout might not be as effective as you think" Caleb shrugged with an awkward smile displayed on his face.

    "What are you doing here"? Karolyn snarled at Caleb.

    "I figured out a way, I-" Caleb started to explain but Karolyn cut him off.

    "I asked you to stay away. You have helped enough" She gritted her teeth.

    Caleb pressed his tongue against his cheek before taking a step further, "No! I am the one who messed up, and it''s up to me to rectify it"! Caleb insisted adamantly. "Don''t worry, I won''t make the same mistake twice." Karolyn huffed and looked away. "I mean it," Caleb continued. "I am sorry for screwing up, and underestimating Axel" he pleaded.

    "How can I possibly trust you?" Karolyn folded her arms. "No offense but trusting you is kind of hard for me right now. Agreeing with you is what got me into this situation. Even if you mean well I am not a fan of the consequences of your actions" she said in a stern voice.

    "Hear me out. If you do not like it, I won''t go through with it". Caleb insisted. Karolyn considered for a moment before nodding at him. Caleb took a deep breath before he began to explain everything. It didn''t take him long as his plan wasn''t some long elaborate sequence of events and thus when he was done it took Karolyn a little longer to speak.

    "Fine", she sighed. "If you really think it''ll work, give it a try. It seems pretty far fetched though", Karolyn sighed.

    "I know, which is why I wanted to ask you, like I should have last time instead of just assuming that things would work out" Caleb sighed. "I wanted your opinion".

    "It''s a stupid plan" Karolyn declared. "But, it''s worth a shot." She mumbled.

    Caleb smiled, "I will not let you down"! He smiled and exited the room.

    While he went down the stairs he found Ashton waiting for him."So?" He asked. Caleb nodded in affirmation and received a smile. They headed off to Southern Avenue once more, "You sure about this right?" Ashton asked.

    "Yes, this time let me do the talking." He gritted his teeth "Do not, I repeat, do not interfere".

    "Alright" Ashton chuckled. "I promise to stay out of your way" he whispered. Caleb smirked but didn''t say anything to him. Their entire ride was a bit quieter than usual. However this time things weren''t really that uncomfortable anymore.

    When they reached Southern Avenue, as soon as they got out of the Car Caleb grabbed Ashton''s hand tightly, earning a shocked face from Ashton, "I thought you didn''t want me there"?

    "No," Caleb clarified. "I ask you to remain quiet. I definitely want you there, why else do you think I brought you here?" He scoffed, tilting his head.

    "I dunno" Ashton shrugged, "Moral support"? He suggested earning an eye roll. "I mean I am not gonna talk, I wasn''t the one who was driving, I am still unclear on how I can be of any help".

    "Two hands are better than one" Caleb shrugged. "Off chance things go terribly wrong I can use your help to defend him.

    "I doubt how that would be helpful. He wasn''t exactly using physical strength against us the last time. What makes you think this time would be different?" Ashton frowned.

    "I don''t think this time would be different. But I think his powers will be weaker if he attacks both of us together, or at least that''s what I am hoping for" Caleb mumbled looking around himself.

    "You''re wrong," Came a familiar voice much deeper from the background. They jolted up and looked around themselves for the source of the voice. In their mid search Caleb spotted Axel coming from the alley next to their house.

    "Ow" in a whisper Ashton winced as he felt the grip on his hand tighten suddenly.

    "Here to give away your friend?" Axel looked around for Warren, or at least that''s what he seemed like doing. "Or you wanna sacrifice yourself instead of your friend" he smirked.

    "I want to talk to you," Caleb declared with confidence while Ashton tried his best to stick to Caleb in case he needed any help.

    "I thought I made it pretty clear that I did not want to talk to you" Axel said against the gritting of his teeth.

    "Okay, then let me talk. Just listen to what I have to say. Please". Caleb insisted.

    Axel''s brow puckered and it remained like that for a while. "You have 60 seconds".

    "Fair enough" Caleb took a deep breath, but made it quick as the clock was literally ticking, "I am sorry for targeting Lily the other Day. I promised to stay out of your way and that was not cool. Warren had nothing to do with this, in fact I think he is doing far better as a Vampire than I have imagined. He doesn''t deserve to die for my stupid mistake". Caleb sighed. "Just let him off the hook".

    Axel stared at them with an amused expression. "You really think an apology would set things right"? He scoffed.

    "No, but I do think it would make things easier for me". Caleb sighed. "I could have tried a better way to find you."

    "You''re bold" Axel smirked. Somehow that smirk irked off Ashton and instinctively he took a position in front of him. Axel who did not miss it tilted his head in amusement, "Relax, I am not going to steal your mate. I might kill him though, cause he did cross a line".

    Ashton glared at him but refrained himself from saying the wrong thing. Last time he was helpless against Axel''s powers and there was no reason why this time would be any different. He knew if he pissed off Axel than they already did he, and most importantly his mate, might not make it out of here alive. Not to mention Caleb was perfectly clear about him not saying a word.

    "You want to kill me?" Caleb asked. "I agree, I deserve it. But what about Warren? You were after him since the beginning when it''s clear that it was one of you who messed up." Caleb pointed out. Axel''s smirk faded away by a tinge urging Caleb to continue. "Why does that Vampire get away with making a mistake and we don''t? Especially when you are supposed to be responsible for them, I assume" Caleb shrugged.

    "Who told you I let her off the hook?" Axel snorted. Caleb''s confidence once more evaporated in the thin chilly air.

    "You killed her?" Horrified, Caleb whispered.

    "No" Axel shook his head. "A vampire has already died once. Death is really not a big deal for them. I did something worse". He gave them a much creepy smile.

    "Like what"? Caleb asked despite his guts screaming at him to shut up and run away in the opposite direction as fast as possible.

    "Let''s leave it at ''something worse''. I don''t owe you any explanation for my Vampires." Axel glared at them.

    Ashton and Caleb shared a glance at each other while they contemplated their next move. [Should we leave?] Ashton asked in the link.

    [I think so. I am done. But somehow this is still creeping me out] Caleb admitted honestly while maintaining a straight face.

    "Fascinating" Axel mumbled. Both Caleb and Ashton jerked their heads at Axel and took on a defensive posture. Anything or everything Axel did was enough to tick them off.

    "What do you mean?" Caleb asked, despite his better judgement.

    "I have never seen a Valestine wolf link. Although they are rarely in a position to link with anyone" He smirked. The mention of Valestine was enough to trigger something in Ashton and he finally ended up speaking.

    "You are well aware that I hardly know anything about it. I appreciate your efforts at irritating me by mentioning it constantly but if you are really not going to tell me anything what''s the point?" He huffed. "Whatever it is, for now, it''s just a word for me". Ashton shrugged.

    "No it''s not" Axel smirked. "It bothers you, a lot, to not know about it. So much so that you are willing to do anything for it" as soon as Ashton heard those words he clenched his fists. Was he right? Ashton wondered. Was Ashton really that obsessed with finding out about Valestine that he couldn''t even think straight.

    "Not anymore", still a lot unsure of himself Ashton declared confidently.

 Chapter 177 - A Source Of Obsession

    ""I am confused." mumbled Caleb as he got up the stairs. "Was that a successful interaction"? He asked Ashton who was right next to him physically, but his mind was lost in its own world. "Ashton"! Caleb shook his mate.

    "What"? Ashton snapped. He blinked as his connection to reality restored.

    "I am asking what do you think of that interaction? Why are you so lost? Worried about Valestine stuff?" Caleb asked.

    "Not exactly."  Ashton sighed and looked away. "I mean, do you think I obsess too much?" he asked.

    "Yeah" Caleb shrugged casually making Ashton visibly sad. "But it''s okay. It''s alright to get obsessed every now and then. You can''t always not let stuff, especially something like this, not bother you."

    "Still, we are in this mess because I was too curious," Ashton sighed.

    "No, we are in this mess because I took a wrong approach" Caleb corrected.

    "Because of me," Ashton pointed out.

    "Okay, are we about to fight regarding ''it''s my fault, no it''s mine''?" Caleb glared. Ashton opened his mouth a few times to say something but no words made it out. "Good, let''s wait and watch if Axel comes for Warren or not. I hope he won''t, but there is no sure way to know". Caleb groaned. "Honestly, I am horrified by the mere thought of informing Karolyn about this" Caleb sighed.

    "Did she ask anything yet?" Ashton asked.

    "She did send me a text. I didn''t ''see''it yet'''' Caleb shuddered. Suddenly a ringing sound startled both of them which happened to come from Caleb''s pocket, "Do you thinkˇ­. it''s her?"

    "See for yourself" Ashton shrugged and nudged his mate.

    Caleb sighed with relief when he looked at the screen once he took out the phone out of his pocket, "It''s Christian." Clearing his throat, he answered Hi".

    "Hey, so I did some active research on Valestine. Turns out there is not much to find" Christian informed.

    "So, you got nothing"? Caleb asked with an exasperated sigh.

    "Well, not nothing, just not much" Christian shrugged. "I widened my search with targeting other packs, turns out most of them even never heard of the word".

    "Makes sense, it is considered a myth" Caleb chuckled.

    "Yeah, so, one of the packs from the north said that they have encountered one face to face quite recently. Although I doubt 50 years is recent, given it''s status of myth I will say that''s definitely something".

    "Wait, really? They have encountered one face to face?" Caleb''s eyes brightened with hope while so did Ashton''s as he eavesdropped blatantly on the ongoing conversation between these two brothers. While Caleb was mostly excited, Ashton was a bit anxious regarding whatever he was about to find out.

    "Yeah, a Valestine wolf was spotted in the town apparently. It''s stature made it look like a werewolf, but it''s animalistic nature made it seem otherwise" Christian clarified.

    "Were they certain that it was indeed a Valestine wolf?" Caleb asked cautiously.

    "They think so. A normal wolf is not undefeatable by us, but somehow that wolf that showed up killed most of them". Christian mumbled in a sad voice.

    "What happened to that wolf then?" Caleba asked.

    "They managed to kill it," Christian informed him. "Which brings me to my next point, remember how I said they are wolves who transform into humans, like kind of the other way round?"

    "Yeah," A normal werewolf will retain its wolf form if it dies in one. However, a Valestine wolf will revert back to its intended human form. That''s exactly what happened with that wolf, ergo, it was definitely a Valestine."

    "Whoaˇ­" Caleb mumbled as he looked at Ashton''s face, which despite Caleb''s better judgement, appeared blank and emotionless. "What happened after that?"

    "Well, they said once they send one of their own to explore their origin. You know to find out where it came from, or if they should expect more and stuff. The person never made it back" Christian sighed.

    "Did theyˇ­ kill that person?" Caleb asked carefully while keeping an eye on subtle changes on Ashton''s face.

    "It''s possible, but the person could have been simply lost" Christian shrugged. "It is said that the place Valestine wolves live is somewhat inaccessible to any other species. It''s not easy to find. Apparently they are extremely territorial to the point that they never leave their place." Christian shrugged.

    "Whoaˇ­ the nest" Caleb mumbled.

    "The What"?

    "What?"

    Both Christian and Ashton asked him at the same time. "The what" was said by Christian while the next one was Ashton.

    "The nest! When we first met Axel, he said it''s rare to see a Valestine wolf outside it''s nest," Caleb explained.

    "Right, he did say that," Ashton affirmed.

    "Who is that?" Christian asked from the other side of the phone, "Is that Ashton? Is he there?"

    "Yeahˇ­" Caleb mumbled, unsure of why his brother was asking him that.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian mumbled before taking a deep breath. "Anyways, the way they described the anger, the wild nature of the wolf, it kind of reminded me... of Ashton in rut."

    "Yeah.." Caleb mumbled as he noticed Ashton biting his inner lip. "Anything else that might have been significant?" Caleb asked, trying to move on with the conversation.

    "Not really. They are quite secretive in nature. As far as I could tell the reason they are considered a myth is because they never show up. That could be the reason why we know so less about them. They want us to know less about them" Christian shrugged.

    "Wait, I thought they were wild. Do they have enough consciousness to decide to be that secretive"?  Caleb asked skeptically.

    "Who knows, after all most of the things I said are speculations. For all we know that wolf was just a violent one who desired to kill all those wolves back then. Or maybe something more happened that they are letting us know. Honestly I don''t know how much to trust and how much not to".

    "I see" Caleb mumbled.

    "Give the phone to Ashton," Christian ordered after a few seconds of silence. Unsure of why his brother wanted to talk to his mate Caleb did as he was asked.

    "Hello" Ashton voiced reluctantly.

    "I assume you heard everything I said?" Christian asked, getting striaght to the point.

    "... Yeah" Ashton admitted hesitantly.

    "Listen, do not put so much of your thoughts into that. I get it you are worried about it, and I would too if I were you. But make sure you don''t jeopardise what you have for something that could have been. You have a family here, don''t do anything reckless, at least for them". Christian advised.

    "Kayˇ­" Ashton sighed. "Thanks for helping me," he mumbled and shoved the phone back in Caleb''s hand, earning a surprised glance from him.

    "Okay, I think I''ll hang up now" Caleb mumbled into the phone. Hanging up he looked at Ashton and asked, "So? What do you think?"

    "Honestly, I dunno" Ashton let out an exasperated sigh. "At this point it feels like a drag. I barely know anything. Whatever I know is either too vague or really not that relevant or not reliable. I thinkˇ­" He sighed. "I am just gonna give up" Ashton sighed.

    Caleb remained quiet and suddenly engulfed his mate in a warm embrace. Ashton, unsure of the sudden gesture, hugged him back and remained like this. Caleb did notice a few people staring at them, but he couldn''t give a damn about them.

    This time, Ashton was the one to pull away first. "I am fine, really".

    "The fact that I didn''t ask you and yet you are trying to assure me is not so reassuring" Caleb rolled his eyes. "I am sorry, that this is such a drag" He whispered looking him in the eye.

    "Don''t be. Thanks to all your help we have come this far. But, I think this is enough now. Christian was right, if I keep obsessing over it too much I might end up bringing unintended problems to my family. Not to mention I am terrified something might happen to you" Ashton sighed.

    "To me?" Caleb chuckled.

    Soon Ashton''s eyes widened as he realised he spoke too much. "I meanˇ­ I.." Ashton fumbled with words only to be shut up by a pair of lips on his.

    When Caleb finally pulled away he mumbled, "Don''t worry. Nothing will happen to me. Remember, you got a tough one" Caleb declared with a smug smile to which Ashton responded with shaking of his head.

    "You can be the toughest person on the entire planet and I would still worry about you, cause you, Caleb Wrisberg, are my mate. I love you" Ashton declared.

    A smile appeared on Caleb''s face as he whispered, "Wow."

    "What?" Ashton frowned.

    "Nothing. It''s just thatˇ­ you don''t usually say stuff like this. When you do, it''s hard not to feel flustered." He chuckled. "But, I get what you mean. I worry about you too. Guess that''s one side effect of being mates". Ashton rolled his eyes once more before kissing his mate passionately.

    Unlike other times, what made them pull away from each other was not lack of breath or contentment, it was a familiar burning smell triggering their nostrils which was enough to make them alert.

 Chapter 178 - In The North

    "Axel" both of them mumbled at the same time. Ashton put himself in front of Caleb instinctively and glared at Axel, "What are you doing here?" He spat at Axel.

    "I am here for you" Axel pointed right at Ashton earning him a confused yet alert glance.

    "Why?" Ashton asked.

    "Look, we apologised. What else do you want from us"? Caleb spoke from behind Ashton who failed to move Ashton despite his desperate attempts.

    "Nothing, I just want to share some information, about Valestine" Axel let out an evil smirk.

    Finding it difficult to trust him, Ashton asked, "But why?"

    "I thought you made it pretty clear that you don''t want to help us". Said Caleb.

    "I didn''t, but then you got me. You were right, I was the one who was unfair first, so consider this as my final peace offering". Axel shrugged.

    "Too bad, I am not curious anymore" Ashton shrugged without any hesitation.

    "Okay then" Axel turned around to leave but before he could run off using his superspeed, a call stopped him.

    "Wait"! Caleb shouted. "We want to know". He declared.

    [What are you doing?] shouted Ashton in Caleb''s head.

    [Trying to get information.] Caleb retorted.

    [I thought we were giving up?] Ashton asked.

    [With all the hassle we have been through, it would be foolish not to hear him out.] Caleb retorted in his head.

    "Looks like you have a lot to discuss. Unfortunately, my time is valuable. I am out" Axel declared.

    "Wait"! This time both of them shouted in chorus.

    "Tell us" Ashton sighed.

    "What do you want to know?" Axel folded his arms.

    "Wellˇ­" Ashton looked at Caleb who gave him an encouraging nod. "Where are they from?"

    "The North" Axel shrugged.

    "That narrows it down" Ashton commented earning a quick hit from his mate.

    "I''d be careful with the sass if I were you" Axel glared. "The North is literally the northernmost part. As far as you can go"

    Gulping, Ashton continued, "Just head north?"

    "Yes, they live at a place which is inaccessible to a lot of creatures, mainly because they will succumb to cold before they reach there. Even werewolves with their increased body temperature cannot resist that cold." Axel smirked. "Us Vampires are exceptions since cold is what we are".

    "That makes a lot of sense" Caleb mumbled.

    "So, you are saying I can tolerate that cold?" Ashton asked.

    "Can''t you?" Axel raised his brows. "Have you ever been in a cold place together?" He asked Ashton while he pointed at Caleb with his eyes.

    They looked at each other while pondering upon the asked question. Recalling the one time when they were stuck on the tower for an entire night they recalled how cold Caleb was, on the contrary Ashton had no problem bearing with it despite being able to feel the chilly breeze on his exposed skin. They always assumed it was due to the fact they belonged to different ranks. It never occurred to them that there could be a different reason.

    "Seems like you have" Axel commented as he observed the subtle changes of expression on the faces of Caleb and Ashton.

    "Are theyˇ­ really ruthless?" Ashton asked reluctantly, fearing the answer. He wanted to know, at the same time he didn''t.

    "They can be, yes," Axel nodded. "But I have seen exceptions" he let out a genuine smile. They were surprised to see him like that, even if that smile remained there momentarily. Caleb and Ashton couldn''t help but wonder why he said that so fondly.

    "Exceptions, as in?" Ashton frowned.

    "I have been in each and every place there is to visit in the earth in my lifetime. I have been to the north as well. Back then I was hit byˇ­ well let''s just say severely injured. One of the tribesmen nursed me back to health". Axel sighed.

    "Canˇ­ Vampires be injured?" Ashton asked skeptically.

    A fit of maniacal laughter jolted through Axel before he replied, "I am not answering anything about Vampires. But after living in earth for as long as I have, you will realize that almost everything is a possibility."

    "That doesn''t sound right" Caleb mumbled.

    "Excuse me"? Axel asked.

    "Vampires and Werewolves are deemed enemies by their innermost instincts. How can some creature who is known to be most instinctual be so graceful to a Vamp"? Asked Caleb.

    "Like I said, there are exceptions." Axel smirked. "Also, I think it''s pretty clear that Valestine wolves are not typically werewolves. Sure they share common ancestry, but they are quite different" he scoffed.

    "So they are okay with Vamps?" Caleb asked skeptically.

    "Of course. In fact the enmity between the Vampires and werewolves are centuries old. Q long ago there was a time when they lived in harmony. When wild hunting was still prominent in the wolves and the place were way less civilized" Axel informed them.

    "Just how old are you?" Ashton found himself mumbling, earning a scoff from Axel.

    "Old enough," Axel declared. "You can ask me about Valestine as much as you want, but do not expect me to answer anything regarding me or Vampires". He said in a chilly voice

    "Fair enough," Caleb mumbled.

    "Wellˇ­"Ashton thought of any other question he might have had but failed to come up with anything.

    "When we first met you, you said they rarely leave their nest. What was that all about?" Caleb asked.

    "They are territorial creatures. They do not like to leave or intrude other territories" Axel shrugged. Caleb frowned as it was the same thing his brother told him.

    "So, how come if Ashton is one of them, he is here?" Caleb wondered out loud.

    "That is something I do not have an answer to, but I must admit, it does tickle my curiosity a little bit." He let out a tiny smile.

    "Valestine wolves have more wolf dominated sides, right?" Ashton asked, to which Axel simply nodded. "Is there a possibility that a wolf might get, well stuck in their wolf form"? He asked.

    Axel narrowed his eyebrows, "That should not happen unlessˇ­" Axel trailed off before he asked, "Do you have a dissociated personality with your wolf?"

    Ashton''s eyes widened a little bit as soon as he heard Axel say those words, "Wait, it''s not aˇ­ Valestine thing?"

    "As far as I know, no," Axel shrugged. "Interesting" He mumbled in a scary voice. "You appear as if you are one of them, and yet you don''t. Ashtonˇ­ Parker was it?" He asked. Ashton''s eyes widened as he couldn''t recall ever telling him his name. "What are you?" He asked him.

    "In case you didn''t realise, that is what I am trying to figure out" He huffed.

    Axel glared at him but Caleb interrupted, "Okay, let''s not lose our calm here" He patted Ashton''s back and with a lot of efforts finally pushed him aside. "Axel, should I take this little visit as a sign of you letting go of the plan to attack Warren" He asked cautiously .

    "For now" He whispered, maintaining his glare at Ashton before he disappeared. They blinked before they realised that Axel was gone for good now.

    "I hope you were done," Caleb asked Ashton, who just stared at the empty space blankly. "Ashton"? He called once more after a while when he didn''t receive any response.

    "What am I, Caleb?" He asked in a whisper. Caleb was taken aback by the sudden question and he went still for a moment as he tried to think of the best answer he could give him.

    After a whole minute, Caleb hugged him from the back and buried his face on the denim of Ashton''s jacket. "You are my mate"

    "I know, butˇ­ " Ashton turned around and looked at him directly in the eye, "What am I? Outside of our relationship. My adopted family?" He questioned more to himself than to Caleb.

    "I don''t know" Caleb whispered after a whole minute, "But you can always find out?" Caleb shrugged.

    "How, we have exhausted our leads" Ashton pointed out.

    "Not at all" Caleb smirked. "Axel told you they reside in the north, you can go check it out" He shrugged.

    "The north? You do realise that ''The north'' is a huge and vague area, right?" Ashton reminded him.

    "Not at all. If you rule out all the places whose temperature I can''t tolerate" Caleb smirk deepened. "In survival training I had once my lowest temperature was 28 degrees. Just find the places below that range" Ashton stared at him blankly without any visual or verbal response whatsoever, so much so that it almost crept out Caleb.

    "Ashton"? Caleb asked carefully.

    This time he received a response on his lips, a deep and passionate one before Ashton pulled away and mumbled, "You are a genius! What would I do without you"

    Caleb ended up laughing at his response before he mumbled, "Remember that in the future".

    "I will" Ashton smirked before pulling both of them into Caleb''s room and shutting the door for the night.

 Chapter 179 - Bell Pepper

    Things started to return back to normalcyˇ­ or at least somewhat after that. Warren and Karolyn got out of their hiding place albeit their reluctance as they found nothing else happening on the campus. Turns out. Axel was indeed true to his words and did not bother them anymore. The deaths in the city reduced too, or at least were the reported ones. It was possible they found better targets, targets that no one would see missing.

    After a brief discussion and a little bit of fight Caleb and Ashton came to the conclusion that around spring break Ashton would try to navigate the area on his own. Caleb insisted he come but Ashton denied it at every chance despite Caleb''s protest and insisted that he would be fine with a few warm sweaters.

    Caleb was mad at him for leaving him behind, until Ashton reminded him that so did he when he left for college. After that all Caleb could do was pout as let Ashton do whatever he felt like.

    Caleb did try to threaten him into letting him come with the threat of ratting him out to his mom. Apparently Ashton himself already told her about his plan thus rendering his ''threat'' moot. When everything he tried failed he reluctantly accepted that Ashton would be making this trip solo.

    "I don''t understand, you say you will be back soon, why do you need to pack so much?" Caleb asked, who volunteered to help him prepare for the trip.

    "I don''t know how long it will take." Ashton shrugged. "I don''t wanna be caught off guard when I am roaming over some frozen lake." Ashton mumbled while he took out clothes from his closet.

    "Hence the fishing rod?" Caleb asked skeptically, holding out the new slate rod which was lying on the bed. "Where did you even get this thing?"

    "I bought it online," Ashton shrugged.

    "Right" Caleb nodded. "So, tomorrow evening huh?"

    "Yea," Ashton mumbled, taking a glance off the clock. "By this time tomorrow I will be on the flight". Ashton smirked.

    It was not hard to detect the hidden excitement in Ashton''s voice. In fact apart from the fact he would not see his mate for a while, Ashton''s excitement was the one that was ticking off Caleb. Nevertheless, Caleb realised how important this was to Ashton, and therefore tried his best to mask his feelings of discontent.

    Once they were done, Ashton had a total of three huge bags as if he was moving someplace else and not going for a ''short trip''. "Does the airline even allow this much"?  Caleb found himself wondering out loud.

    "Don''t worry, they look a lot but they are light. They won''t cross the weight limit". Ashton assured.

    "Maybe it''s just you who think it''s light. I mean no offence but you do possess a kind of super strength." Caleb shrugged.

    "Kind of?" Ashton frowned as he appeared offended by the statement, "I am the epitome of super strength" Ashton boasted, in a teasing manner.

    Rolling his eyes Caleb mumbled, "Whatever". After a few seconds when he was done, he mumbled, "What do you wanna do? We finished pretty early, wanna go out?" Caleb suggested.

    "No" Ashton shook his head. "I don''t know what kind of busy day I might be having tomorrow, I want to take some rest" He shrugged.

    "Alright then" Caleb mumbled and reached for the door when his mate called him suddenly.

    "Where are you going"? Asked Ashton.

    "You wanted some rest?" Caleb reminded.

    "Yeah, but it''s not like I am falling asleep right this moment" Ashton shrugged. "How can you just leave like that when we are separating tomorrow"? Ashton said feigning a hurt expression. It''s been a long time since he teased his mate, so he wanted to try once more.

    "How can I leave like that?" Caleb shouted to apparently missed the hint of a tease. "You are so excited to leave as if I don''t really matter anymore. I mean I get it it''s important, but you can be a little upset" Caleb huffed.

    Ashton blinked at him. He was taken aback by his sudden outburst and needed a moment to recover from the shock before he could answer Caleb, "Who said I am not upset?" Ashton asked.

    "You don''t seem like it?" Caleb whispered.

    "I barely put out my emotions." Ashton shrugged. "Although you are good at telling my true feelings, there are times when you do miss them." He sighed.

    "Sorry" Caleb mumbled looking away. He took a seat in the bed and looked at Ashton. "What do you want to do"?

    "It''s getting late, wanna get some dinner?" Ashton asked.

    "I thought you didn''t wanna go out" Caleb smirked.

    "I don''t," He smirked. Taking out a box out of mini freeze he mumbled. "I was planning to cook," Ashton declared with a smirk.

    "Since when do you know how to cook?" Caleb asked skeptically.

    "Since forever?" Ashton frowned. "Back in the days it was just me and my Dad who cooked in family picnics, My adopted Dad I mean" He informed him.

    Caleb frowned, "Just how much are you hiding from me"?

    "I guess, we will find out," Ashton''s smirk deepened. "Give me half an hour, I will make something out of it. I hope you enjoy meat" Ashton asked.

    "Who doesn''t?" Caleb scoffed. {A/N: Vegans?Vegetarians, pls don''t attack me} "But, I wanna help too". He insisted.

    "Sure, can you chop these bell peppers for me?" Ashton handed him the knife and the peppers.

    "Okay.."he mumbled unsure. He had seen people cutting these on cooking shows, it seemed pretty easy there. Why not mimic that? Unfortunately though, it turned out to be harder than it looked. At first he wasn''t sure of the strength needed so he put a lot of pressure almost cutting off his finger. Next time he was too careful that it didn''t even make a dent.

    Once Ashton was done mincing the meat he looked at Caleb''s hand who was still not even done halfway, "What are you doing?" Ashton chuckled lightly.

    "Cutting these," Caleb answered, holding out the intact half of the bell pepper on one hand and the knife on the other. Ashton gave him a giant smile before taking these from his hand.

    "Do it like this" In a matter of a few seconds Ashton was done through half of that half piece, with a much cleaner cut than Caleb''s. Caleb stared intently at the board trying to learn. "Here, try it" Ashton handed the rest to Caleb.

    Caleb fumbled a bit, but this time his cuts were better. A smirk appeared on Ashton''s mind following a devious idea in his head. Hugging his mate from behind he whispered in his ears, "Let me help you, it will be done faster". He put his hands on Caleb''s hand and chopped the remaining pieces.

    Caleb went still the moment he felt Ashton touch his back, and it took him a lot to recover. "What are you doing?" he asked in a groggy voice as his heart rate elevated.

    "Helping you cut it" Ashton replied, pretending to be completely innocent.

    "Let go of me" He pushed away Ashton who frowned at him. "We are done" he pointed at the board with his knife. "What next?" Caleb asked, trying to get his breathing back to normal.

    "Now you just have to chop these and we would be good to go" He handed him a few other ingredients.  Caleb stared at the variety before he shifted his wide eyed gaze at Ashton. "This is a lot," He mumbled.

    "Want my help" Ashton smirked and took a step towards Caleb.

    Putting the hilt of the knife on Ashton''s chest, "I got this. Stay back" he scowled. Ashton broke into soft laughter before he took half of Caleb''s pile and aided him.

    It took them almost twenty minutes until they were finally done. The smell was so good that he found it hard to resist eating. The portion was not too much in comparison to their wolf appetite, but damn did he love the fact that this was something Ashton made for him.

    While Caleb was not so bad at romance himself, his usual approach involved spending money on it, like selecting beautiful but extravagant places. Ashton however could easily charm Caleb without much of an expenditure. He had to admit, he liked the way Ashton thinks, especially in moments like this where he can''t just stop munching on the meat because it was so damn delicious.

    "You might wanna slow down. I am far from done, and I don''t wanna Heimlich you mid meal if you end up choking" Ashton joked.

    "Don''t worry, I can help you finish you your meal", Caleb gave him an evil smirk.

    "No way! I divided our shares equally"! Ashton glared playfully.

    "Come on! I''ll buy you pineapple juice". Caleb tried to bribe him making Ashton laugh. "I am not kidding, desserts on me. I''ll go get them"! He announced enthusiastically.

    Ashton genuine smile turned into an evil smirk, "I am so glad you said that, cause I definitely need you for what I have planned for dessert."

 Chapter 180 - Dessert (R18)

    Caleb stopped abruptly in his mid bite as soon as he heard those words. He knew what Ashton was indicating and just so that he couldn''t be teased, he continued to eat as if he heard nothing. "Guess what, I am not hungry anymore" Caleb drank the whole glass of water before he headed off to the toilet to wash off.

    "You didn''t finish" Ashton shouted, calling him out.

    "You can have my share"! Caleb shouted back at him. Ashton chuckled and emptied his mate''s plate and ate in silence. When Caleb came back he noticed Ashton lying on his bed while watching something "Not gonna wash up"? Caleb asked.

    "Nuh-uh" Ashton replied absent mindedly. "I am busy".

    "Doing what"? Caleb snorted.

    "Netflix..." Ashton showed him the phone screen briefly. "... and chill" He added before turning back to the video. Caleb stood in his place briefly and pressed his cheek with his tongue.

    "You get this is not funny anymore" Caleb scoffed.

    "What is not funny"? Ashton asked calmly, pretending to be clueless.

    "Oh god" Caleb groaned. "These jokes that you keep making"

    Putting down his phone Ashton turned to Caleb, "What jokes"?

    "Really, you wanna play?" Caleb gave him a threatening smile.

    "Play what? Caleb what are you talking about?" Ashton asked, successfully able to suppress his smile.

    "Nothing, must be a misunderstanding" Lowering his voice, Caleb answered. Suddenly Ashton''s eyes widened as Caleb got on top of him. He was unsure what Caleb was trying to pull here, but the hint of smirk remained as he was excited to see where this was headed.

    When Caleb was completely hovering over him, Ashton asked in a whisper, "Why are you looking at me like that"?

    "Like what?"Caleb frowned coyly. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just trying to get my phone." He gave him a not so innocent smile and held out his phone which he grabbed from the other side of the table. "I figured, you should not be the only one who gets to do netflix and chill here".

    "Especially when you are here?" Ashton turned his head towards Caleb and gave him a coy smile.

    "Yeah, be a nice host" Caleb smiled.

    "You are right," Ashton nodded. He pulled out something from the drawer and plugged something in it before putting the thing in between them. Suddenly the ceiling above them lit up while the movie Ashton was watching played there.

    "Since when do you have a projector?" Caleb asked.

    "It''s my roommate''s. He doesn''t mind if I use it though." Ashton shrugged.

    They laid down on the bed as the movie kept playing. Caleb had no idea which movie they were watching, but whichever movie it was it was pretty good. Ashton indeed picked a perfect movie. If it were any other place Caleb would be totally engrossed in the movie, but with Ashton lying next to him like that, especially when he was about to leave made it hard for him to focus.

    Not only Caleb''s attention kept diverting to his mate, he didn''t even want his attention to be elsewhere at this point. He wanted to make the most of this limited time he had with him because God knows how long it will be for them before they reunite. He didn''t just wait this night like this. ''I can''t believe we are actually chilling while watching netflix.'' Caleb thought in his mind.

    [I heard that] Ashton voiced in his head.

    Caleb''s eyes widened and his heart rate hit a spike when suddenly the lights went out and the whole ceiling turned black. Before he could adjust to the dimness he felt a hand slipping inside his shirt through his flank and a gust of few heavy breaths hit his ear, "Ashton I-" Caleb began to speak only to be silenced by a finger on his lips.

    "Shhh" Ashton whispered in his ears. Slowly he traced the lower lip of Caleb with his thumb as Caleb''s heart rate accelerated beyond its limit. Soon the thumb itself was replaced by a pair of soft lips and like a reflex Caleb arched up to bring their bodies as close as possible.

    The kiss turned into a heated one way too fast. Ashton made a few trips to Caleb''s neck and ear, leaving open mouthed sloppy kisses before returning back to his lips once more. Caleb was so engrossed in the moment that he almost forgot..  "Wait"!

    "What''s wrong?" Ashton asked him.

    "What if your roommate comes back. Its late. We need to lock the door". Caleb voiced his concern.

    "Do not worry, he left for home already. We haveˇ­ this whole roomˇ­ all to ourselves" Ashton uttered. With each word his voice got seductively lower until he hovered over his mate. Caleb remained still in anticipation but excitement as Ashton stared at him like a meal he was about to ravish.

    Pulling off his dark T-shirt he gazed at Caleb''s eyes directly while Caleb found himself to be conflicted on where to look. Should he look at his abs, or should he continued to stare at those deep eyes.

    As if this wasn''t making Caleb crazy enough, soon he felt a tinge of intoxicating scent reach his nostrils while the Ashton''s eyes shifted its color to red. By now Caleb could see pretty well in the dark, but what made Ashton''s eyes more prominent was the glow on his eyes. Ashton''s eyes were not just red, it was literally glowing.

    Caleb found a hint of doubt arose in him so he whispered, "Ashton, it''s you...right?"

    "Yes. I am in control" he mumbled and bend down to kiss the edge of his collabone. That''s when Caleb noticed that all the buttons of his shirt were opened this whole time. When did Ashton do this? Oh right, when they got way too engrossed in kisses.

    "Ah" Caleb let out a moan when Ashton bit down on the pale skin. It hurt, but somehow it also made him feel good.

    Ashton stopped abruptly and asked, "This is...okay right?" He didn''t want to get too carried away just because he was overwhelmed.

    "Oh yeah" Caleb smirked before pushing himself up and slamming his lips onto Ashton''s. After a mini make out session, Ashton moved to his bare chest brazenly leaving his marks while turning the pale skin into patches of purple and pink. Caleb subconsciously arched his back to give his mate more access as he moaned on the sensation spreading through his entire body.

    "Enough with the teasing already"! Caleb snarled as he felt getting uncomfortable in his pants. A tiny chuckle left Ashton''s mouth as he rubbed the caged memeber of his mate vigorously. "Ughhhh!" Caleb groaned as the feeling only got intense.

    "If only you had any idea how good you sound" Ashton mumbled and teased the erect buds on his chest while continuing to torture the growing member downstairs. When Caleb''s moan started to approach a cry Ashton opened the zip and let the member free.

    Caleb assumed he was going to continue, but instead Ashton pulled him up before flipping them. "What are you doing?" Caleb found himself asking Ashton who pushed down his own sweatpants. Ashton smirked before he positioned themselves in such a way that made Caleb blush really hard. (A/N:69 alert!)

    As Caleb simply stared at Ashton''s cock he could feel himself growing as well. Taking the giant rod in hand he put most of it in his mouth and played with it using his tongue. "Ugghhh" a satisfied groan from Ashton encouraged him to keep going and thus he increased his pace.

    Soon Caleb found something invading his entrance that was too wet to be a finger. Once he realised what it was he stopped in his actions momentarily only to suck harder than before. "You are killing me"! Ashton groaned before pulling Caleb face to face with him.

    "I wasn''t done", Caleb pouted. Ashton let out a chuckle and kissed him passionately. In between the kiss Caleb felt Ashton''s finger in his whole stretching him out. Caleb moaned in the kiss itself but soon winced in pain as the giant rod that was in his mouth invaded his hole.

    Usually Ashton took his time, gave Caleb enough time to get used to his size before going too deep. However this time he slammed right into him making Caleb cry out in pain, "Ahh"!

    "Sorry, I couldn''t control," Ashton mumbled. "You feel so good" Ashton whispered seductively in Caleb''s ears. "Move" He asked Caleb.

    Caleb who was sitting on top started to move, but he was yet to recover from the pain so went slow. Getting impatient, Ashton put his hand on Caleb''s hips and helped him move faster. "Slow down...ahh" Caleb winced as the pain started to bother him. "Ahhh...Ashhh" Caleb''s Adam''s apple moved as he let out a deep moan once Ashton hit just the right spot.

    "Should I slow down"? Ashton teased.

    Caleb shot him a glare before he said, "Keep going"! Ashton let out a chuckle and moved Caleb with much greater speed and Caleb in return matched his rhythm while becoming a moaning mess on top of Ashton. After a while Caleb screamed, "Ashton!!" before coming all over their stomach.

    As Caleb collapsed on top of Ashton, Ashton pulled out and flipped them over so Caleb could lie on the bed. Folding his legs high enough to expose his hole completely Ashton slammed right back into him, "Today, I will be coming only inside of you".

    Caleb''s eyes widened for a moment but he didn''t have much time to reach since Ashton continued to slam into him once more at a much higher space. Caleb, despite having come before, started to feel himself harden and blushed heavily when he felt hot liquid hit his gut while Ashton moaned out loud.

    Finally, Ashton pulled out from Caleb and laid down next to him, "That was freaking awesome" Ashton mumbled.

    "I am still hard," Caleb declared, making Ashton look at him wide eyed before he smirked. "Wanna go for another round?"

    "Definitely" Caleb smiled.

    "How many do you want?" Ashton teased.

    "Let''s see how long you can keep up," Caleb smirked before getting on top of him and they continued with their venture.

 Chapter 181 - Farewell

    Caleb woke up as soon he heard the birds chirping outside mixed with soft snoring noises coming from his mate. He wondered whether he should or not wake him up. Checking out the time from the clock on the other side of the wall he realised it was almost 2:00pm "Ash! Wake up" he shook his mate violently. The flight for Ashton was at 4 o''clock. The airport itself was half an hour away with Car, so they knew if they were to make it they needed to rush.

    "You have two hours before you miss your flight sleepyhead! Wake up" Caleb quite literally bonked Ashton''s head.

    "Ouch" Ashton winced in pain. "Can''t believe I am getting abused by my mate first thing in the morning" he teased.

    "Really?" Caleb scoffed. "You know what, stay back. Seems really convenient to me" Caleb hugged him tighter while Ashton stared at him as if he lost his mind.

    "Okay...I gotta go" Ashton pushed Caleb away and started to dress up fast. Without paying much attention, he grabbed whatever piece of clothing he grabbed first. He ended up wearing a brown shirt and a pair of jeans which made him seem a bit odd given how it was not his style and thus left.

    Caleb drove him to the airport, going a little over the speed limit whenever he got the chance to make it early. "I know you are not happy about me leaving, but thanks for driving me" Ashton mumbled in the ride.

    Not losing focus from the road Caleb mumbled, "You gotta do what you gotta do, I gotta do what I gotta do" He shrugged. Ashton chuckled half heartedly at his response and once more drove off silently.

    "Iˇ­ I planned a lot to say when I decided to drop you off, but you ruined it all by sleeping late, soˇ­ I guess I''ll just say bye" Caleb patted Ashton''s shoulder urging him to get going.

    "You can always link me," Ashton smirked.

    "It''s not the same"! Caleb whined and looked away. "You shouldn''t have compromised your sleep last night" he huffed.

    "Given what we compromised our sleep for, worth it"! Ashton smirk reached its highest intensity.

    Caleb shot him a glare, "Just Go. Go! Go! Go!"He pushed Ashton with all his strength.

    "Okay, okay, Don''t push me" Ashton swatted away his hand. "Bye", and planted a swift kiss on Caleb''s lips before running away with a chunk of luggage.

    Caleb stood still until Ashton was completely out of sight. He wanted to come back but somehow he found it difficult. Was it really this difficult for Ashton when Caleb left for college? That makes him feel even more terrible.

    The whole ride he was fighting the urge to link Ashton as he needed to focus on the road. A part of Caleb made him feel a bit odd that he was so obsessed with Ashton''s departure, or simply Ashton himself. What happened to him? He was a pretty independent guy, then when did he get so obsessed with his mate? And here he thought Ashton would be the obsessed one. Boy was he wrong.

    Once he returned he freshened up before lying on the bed. After having a long, long argument with himself he finally linked Ashton, [How far along are you?]

    [I think we will land soon, it''s been a while] Ashton replied to him immediately.

    "Look at you going on such a big trip all by yourself, when I first met you, you were an awkward 16 year old, and now..." Caleb snorted. "You are taller than me" he groaned.

    [Yeah, I grew up] Ashton said softly. [I promise I''ll pay you back every penny I spend on this trip] Ashton admitted.

    "Once again, you don''t have to. But, if you really really want to, maybe you can give me something I want" Caleb smirked.

    [Like what?] Ashton scoffed. [You literally have everything.]

    "I will think of something". Caleb replied with a smug smile on his face.

    "Are youˇ­ talking through your earpiece?" Suddenly a voice asked him, making Caleb jolt up. That''s when he realised his roommate, Warren had walked into the room.

    "I am actually talking to Ashton" Caleb answered him. "I can link him. You know what it is right?" he asked to which he received a nod from Warren.

    [Tell him I said I] Ashton prompted in his head.

    "Andˇ­ Ashton says hi" Caleb chuckled.

    "Wow, it''s like you are in a call" Warren snorted.

    "It''s exactly like that. Except I can see where he is" Caleb shrugged smugly.

    [Okay, I gotta go. We are about to land. I will link you once I have some free time, okay?] he asked.

    "Okay" Caleb replied to Ashton before turning to Warren.

    "Soˇ­ like a video call?" Warren suggested.

    "Mostly" Caleb nodded. "I mostly see what he sees. I can''t see his face though, unless he is looking into a mirror. Even then it''s odd, it''s like seeing the face of his mirror clone" Caleb shuddered.

    "Shouldn''t they be the same?" Warren frowned. "I remember his face is quite symmetrical".

    "Not really" Caleb shook his head. "You will get me if you see it in reverse. He doesn''t take selfies either, so it''s hard to explain what I''m talking about.  Caleb chuckled.

    "I see," Warren snorted.

    Suddenly there was a knock on the door which was opened by Warren revealing Karolyn, "Hi, I know I''m early, but that class was too boring to sit" She groaned and welcomed herself in. Seeing Caleb she frowned, "What happened to you? Why so grumpy?" She narrowed her eyes.

    "Ashton left," Warren answered on behalf of Caleb before Caleb could say something.

    "Left where?" She scowled. "Wait, did heˇ­"? Her eyes started to become round like a tennis ball.

    "Not like that"! Caleb screamed as soon as he realised what Karolyn was trying to indicate. "He is just gone for a while".

    "Oh thank god, you scared the crap out of me" Karolyn slapped his arm lightly. "He will be back, why are you so upset?" she frowned.

    Caleb shot her a glare before mumbling, "Get out".

    "Actually we were about to leave" Karolyn replied smugly.

    "You wanna join us?" Warren offered.

    "To where?" Caleb frowned.

    "The observatory" Warren informed him.

    After thinking for a while he mumbled, "No, it''s alright guys. I don''t wanna be a third wheel" Caleb replied awkwardly.

    "Don''t be a baby, just come with us. It will be fun"! Karolyn insisted. "It will help you take your mind off Ashton for a while" She nudged.

    "You sure about this"? Caleb asked.

    "Yeah. Come with us" Warren insisted as Karolyn nodded her head vigorously. Caleb agreed to go with them as they drove off to the observatory in Caleb''s car.

    The whole trip to the observatory took most of their evening. Even though Caleb was worried about having to tolerate a lovey dovey couple he had to admit this turned out to be better than he thought.

    There were moments where Caleb felt like the third wheel, but that bare minimum was unavoidable. Caleb felt quite bad for being intruding, and no matter how many times Warren or Karolyn told him that it''s not a big deal, they couldn''t convince Caleb otherwise. That is the sole reason they had to agree to let Caleb pay for the entire day.

    Once they were out Caleb decided to take them to one of the fancy bars he had been to recently with his friend from his batch. Warren and Karolyn were excited as they have never been to this side of the town before. While on their 6th drink when only Warren was starting to get drunk a guy approached their table to talk to Karolyn. Before she could say anything Warren spoke in a drunken haze, "She''s taken. Shoo shoo"

    Both Caleb and Karolyn ended up breaking into laughter. Once the man left then alone Warren pouted and asked, "What''s funny"? He only got to hear their laughter in response and asked again, "Tell me! I wanna laugh too".

    "It''s you, Warren" Karolyn finally replied to him while Caleb continued to laugh.

    "You are so pretty" Warren mumbled in his haze as he looked at Karolyn like he was dreaming or something. Karolyn blushed before looking around and trying to calm down Warren.

    "Okay! Before this gets out of hand I think we should leave". Caleb cleared his throat. Once they were back Caleb decided to let them stay in his room while he headed off to Ashton''s room.

    For a while now Ashton has been letting out his smell, even though not at its highest intensity. The room had a tinge of remnant smell. Somehow that remnant scent brought peace to his agitated mind as he took a few deep breaths.

    He looked around the place which appeared emptier than usual. Remembering the day before a tiny smile crept up his face Snuggling up on the bed he closed his eyes as he drifted off to sleep after the tiresome day he had.

 Chapter 182 - In Your Dreams...

    When Caleb opened his eyes he found himself sleeping in the empty dark room as the moonlight peeked through the small opening in between the curtains. How long was he asleep? Caleb wondered. Taking out his phone he realised it was almost 2 o''clock.

    Staying up till late night was kind of his thing, and after the nap he had he wasn''t sure he could fall asleep again. That''s when he recalled that Ashton didn''t contact him at all since he landed. Gazing at the clock once more he thought that maybe it was not an appropriate time to link Ashton as he usually sleeps at this hour. Not to mention he didn''t catch a good night''s sleep last night.

    He still decided to see if he can link him or not. Turns out he can, and he could see what he was dreaming. They changed faster than he could comprehend before things got more clearer. At first Ashton''s dreams were abstract. Like a concept with no context.

    As time passed by they started to get more personal. He saw a person who was way taller than him talk to him while fixing cars. He didn''t know who he was until he heard a childish voice say which seemed to be coming from himself "thanks Dad".

    Wait, was that how Ashton sounded like before his voice changed. It was so adorable that now he wished he could see how he looked like when he was young. Like his prayer was heard or something he suddenly saw Ashton stare at a mirror. He looked quite the same except his features were more round and adorable. Never having seen pictures of baby Ashton this was definitely a treat.

    He didn''t have his usual glasses on and with the way he was dressed he definitely seemed like he was the cool kid around. Then when did Ashton start to dress up like dorks? He wondered. Maybe Ashton did really put in a lot of effort when he moved to camouflage himself.

    Ashton changed his angle a little bit and froze as he noticed someone behind him. Turning back at an instance he glared. "Who are you?" This time he could see Ashton directly without any mirror. Wait what just happened? Looking back into the same mirror he saw his own reflection.

    How is this possible? He was not supposed to exist in his head separately like that? Or is it a trick Ashton''s head was playing on Caleb sensing his presence. The link thing was definitely more mysterious that he thought, and as he noticed his young Ashton''s eyes turn red he realised he needed to do something as soon as possible.

    "Calm down Ashton" he mumbled.

    "How do youˇ­ know my name?" Young Ashton asked him.

    "Wellˇ­"Caleb tilted his head as he pondered upon how to explain. It was not like he was in the past or something, so admitting the truth won''t change history or something. Then again, convincing Ashton that he is saying the truth is trickier. "You know my name too, you know" Caleb teased.

    "I don''t! I have never seen you in my entire life. Tell me before I call my parents. What. do. You. want?"he spat his words. The way his anger was taking over was a proof that Ashton has always dealt with his anger issues. No wonder he is so concerned.

    Never having met Caleb in his life when Ashton was this old was probably the reason why Young Ashton didn''t recognise him, "I am not here to harm you. I promise." He raised his hands as if he was surrendering himself. "How about this, what do you think my name is?" Young Ashton frowned at his words, "Come on, tell me"

    "I don''t knowˇ­" he whispered. "Caleb"? He guessed.

    "Yess!!" Caleb jumped up in excitement. "You do recognise me! I knew it! That''s right, my name is Caleb Lucian Wrisberg!" He chuckled. "It might be hard to believe this but I am your mate".

    Young Ashton frowned at him as he looked at him curiously and with suspicion, "Stop lying! I don''t have any mate. How can you know you are my mate if I don''t"? He retorted.

    "You do know, how else do you think you recognise me?" Caleb challenged.

    "Stop playing games with me"! Young Ashton huffed at him.

    Bending down Caleb looked at him, "I am not playing games with you Ashton. If you are confused as to what is happening let me tell you" He smiled. "This is a dream. Look around, everything is so hazy." he showed him. Young Ashton looked around but failed to accept the fact that it was not real, "I am here because I was worried about you. And I missed you" Caleb smiled. "Do you really think I am dangerous?" Caleb asked softly.

    "You look likeˇ­" Young Ashton trailed off, "you are not" he mumbled. Taking a few steps in front he touched his cheeks gently. Caleb presented him with a smile encouraging him to continue. Young Ashton traced the angle of his face with his eyes before looking him in the eye. "You are an omega" he mumbled.

    "I am" Caleb nodded.

    "You don''t look like one" Young Ashton mumbled.

    "Yeah, I know. Sorry about that." Caleb pursed his lips.

    "Don''t be" Young Ashton whispered.

    "You trust me?" Caleb asked after a whole minute.

    Taking a pause young Ashton replied, "No" Caleb''s smile faded until Ashton continued, "but I want to." and his smile was back on. After a minute young Ashton asked him "You are a lot older than me".

    Caleb''s eyes widened, "No!" He screamed. "I am less than two years older than you." he defended.

    Withdrawing his hand, he cleared his throat, "Whatever" He didn''t seem convinced, but he didn''t care either. Suddenly Ashton grabbed his hand and pulled him, "Where are you taking me?" Somehow even if the dream Ashton was young, he found it difficult to resist. It was as if he was stronger than regular Ashton.

    Ashton didn''t answer him and dragged him to the front yard where his Dad was working on the Car. Caleb simply stood there stunned by Ashton''s actions. What was he planning to do, "Dad, this is my mate" he announced earning his Dad''s attention and Caleb''s wide eyes.

    Caleb felt weird as if he was meeting Ashton''s father for real. For some reason he was glad that this was all a part of a dream and not reality. Telling someone that you are/ will be dating his son whom you are meeting for the first time was kind of nerve wracking. He could finally understand why people felt so frightened to meet the family.

    In his case, he knew the whole family before he started to date Ashton, but in this case it was different. Is this how Ashton felt when he met Caleb''s family?  He wondered, "Soˇ­ you are my son''s mate" The man who looked quite young for his age narrowed his gaze at Caleb.

    "Yes," Caleb replied in a groggy voice before clearing his throat. "Hello Mr Parker" Judging from Young Ashton''s age and the stories he heard earlier he was sure this was his adopted father.

    Ashton''s Dad took a few steps towards him while maintaining his stern gaze at him. The closer he came the faster Caleb''s non existent heart beat worried about the reaction of this unknown man.

    He put his arm on Caleb''s shoulder and mumbled, "welcome to the family" a smile appeared on his face and Caleb finally let out his breath which he didn''t realise earlier that he was holding. "Also, call me Dan" he patted his arm. "I am making barbecue, stay for lunch" he ordered before getting back to his car.

    Somehow hearing those words made him smile. Sure, it was not exactly Mr Parker, but it was simply his mirage. It was how Ashton remembered his Dad to be and seeing the kind of person he was, Caleb felt glad that Ashton found this tiny family when he did. Caleb couldn''t help but wish if only his own family, especially his Dad, was accepting of Ashton.

    Ashton dragged him back to his house and introduced him to his whole family who were more than delighted to see him. Given how in the real world he had already met them he was more sure of himself than he was earlier.

    When he was done meeting everyone and he was alone with the younger version of Ashton once more, Caleb waited for Ashton to ask something. From the looks of it he appeared curious. Somehow the masking of expression which Ashton is pro at seems like is yet to develop for him.

    Ashton glanced at Caleb and asked, "You like being my mate, right?"

    "I love it" without skipping a beat Caleb answered. "I chose you, on purpose" he smiled.

    Suddenly a pair of arms surrounded his torso as Ashton hugged him tightly, "I don''t have a lot of family, thank you for being mine".

 Chapter 183 - ... And In Your Nightmares

    (A/N: Predictions on the title?)

    A poignant smile graced Caleb''s face as soon as he heard those words. No matter how much Ashton pretended he was fine being alone or that he didn''t need anyone else in his life, deep down, he did get lonely.

    Caleb patted the young Ashton''s head and ruffled his hands through his hair. "Thank you too, for choosing me back". Caleb mumbled.

    "Why won''t I? You''re amazing"! Ashton defended.

    Caleb chuckled, "I thought you didn''t know me". He teased.

    "I...I..." Ashton fumbled, taken aback by Caleb''s words, "I just know it"! He huffed.

    "You are amazing too. I miss you, a lot" Caleb mumbled.

    "Is this why you are here? Because you miss me?" Ashton asked. Caleb nodded at him and smiled. "I am sure wherever I am, I miss you too" he mumbled.

    "Ashton"! At that very moment Ashton''s mother called for him. Ashton separated himself from Caleb and looked at him.

    "Go, I''ll wait"! Caleb smiled at Ashton. Ashton nodded at him before running off to one of the hazy areas and thus disappearing. Caleb''s face contained a hint of contentment which soon started to fade as his surroundings got blurry.

    What was happening? He didn''t know. But the blurry bright colors of his dream started to blend into a shade of grey which morphed into an empty darkness. Hollow, empty darkness. What just happened? Caleb wondered. l looked around for any clue but all he saw was endless darkness.

    "Ashton"! Caleb called for his mate. It was all in Ashton''s head right, Ashton was bound to be nearby. "Ashton! Ashton"! He called out loudly.

    "He is not here" A ruffled voice spoke from behind him and he turned back sharply. "And neither should you be here" the voice coming from the eternal darkness spoke. He recognised that voice. It felt like it belonged to Ashton at the same time he was sure it didn''t.

    A ray of light appeared out of nowhere focusing red glowing eyes in front of him. The girth of the light beam increased and revealed a giant pitch black wolf in front of him. "Why are you here?" The wolf asked him clearly. Wait, was it the wolf Ashton was so scared of? He never knew the wolf could talk. "I cannot talk as it''s not in my nature, but in hereˇ­" his snout made a round as he looked around, "The rules of nature hardly apply" as if the wolf heard everything Caleb thought, he replied.

    "I wasˇ­ I was in his dreams andˇ­ and now I am here. What is this place?" Caleb asked in a soft voice. Despite how scary the wolf looked he had a feeling this wolf won''t harm him.

    "Thisˇ­ is Ashton''s mind, a place which he himself isn''t aware of" Ashton''s wolf said after a moment. "With Ashton sleeping his guards were off, and you made your way here" he explained.

    "I.. I didn''t know it was possible" Caleb mumbled, taken aback.

    "You need to leave" The wolf growled at him.

    "But why?" Caleb frowned. "Do you really resent me that much"? He found himself asking. He always felt this wolf liked him as well, but apparently that was not the case.

    "You need to leave his mind before he wakes up. And never come back when he is asleep. It''s dangerous"! The wolf pushed him with his snout.

    "What happens if I don''t?" Caleb challenged.

    "Then you will be imprisoned hereˇ­ with me" The wolf declared.

    "You are imprisoned here"? Caleb asked.

    "Of course. Ashton never let''s me out and over time this place turned into a prison which is automatically locked whenever he wakes up." The wolf explained to him.

    "Then I will be free when he wakes up again". Caleb suggested.

    "I belong here, you don''t. It''s no guarantee your consciousness could survive here. You need to leave". The wolf nudged him once more.

    "What about you? I have seen you this rut, you know how to escape"! Caleb asked.

    "Rut is the only time I am strong enough to overcome these walls, where he himself unknowingly breaks these walls" The wolf mumbled.

    "Ashton is scared of you," Caleb whispered. "He thinks if he gives you enough control you will ruin everything. I don''t think you will, will you?" Caleb whispered. He felt bad for the wolf trapped inside Ashton for the very first time. He always knew the struggle Ashton had to go through, or at least the part of it. He had no idea how the wolf might have felt, or that it feels something specifically.

    "He is right to be worried. And I am glad he has self control unlike me" He nudged his side with his snout before turning away. "You need to leave. You should never come back here".

    "I don''t want to"! Caleb insisted.

    "Leave"! The wolf growled heavily at Caleb causing him to take a step back.

    "Fine"! Caleb huffed back and put his efforts on escaping this tiny prison. When he opened his eyes a moment later he was surprised to find himself in the same place. What was happening.

    "I can''tˇ­" Caleb fumbled with words earning the wolf''s attention back thus the wolf turned. "I can''t get outta here"! He voiced, panicstricken.

    "What? Butˇ­"the wolf looked around. "Ashton isn''t awake yet" he mumbled.

    "Why am I stuck here?" Caleb panicked. "What would happen to me if I am stuck here? If my body won''t wake up"? Caleb wondered out loud.

    "This is why you shouldn''t have come here."! The wolf huffed.

    "What do I do now"! Caleb pestered the wolf.

    "I can try to weaken these walls, you need to exit as soon as the walls are weakened." The wolf declared after a moment.

    "That''s it? Well that doesn''t sound so bad" Caleb let out a sigh of relief. "Let''s try that''''. He declared with eagerness.

    "Although, there is a catch" The wolf mumbled.

    "What?" Caleb''s relief vanished.

    "Trying to break these walls will wake up Ashton and that will lock this place one more. The window between weakening of these walls and Ashton waking up is very brief. You have to escape in the very brief moment". The wolf notified him.

    "And how long will that brief moment be?" Caleb asked him cautiously.

    "A second? Maybe less. It depends on Ashton. How fast he can wake up. When it comes to me he wakes up pretty fast" The wolf declared.

    "Wow, that''sˇ­ " Caleb let out a breath. "You know what, I need to get out of here"! He straightened up himself. "Let''s do this"! He declared with confidence.

    "Alright then, Get ready" he warned.

    "Wait, what if this fails? I am stuck here forever?" Caleb asked.

    "I wish I knew for sure. You are the only other soul apart from me who has been here" the wolf declared.

    "You must have been lonely" Caleb mumbled. The wolf heard him but didn''t reply. Caleb took a deep breath, "Okay, I am ready. I''ll try to get out of here meanwhile you try to break the walls of this prison".

    The wolf nodded in agreement and walked back a few steps assuring a safe distance between him and Caleb. Caleb wasn''t sure exactly what was going to happen or exactly how the distance was significant. But no matter how much he wanted to find out he cannot just stare at Ashton''s wolf right now. Therefore closing his eyes, Caleb tried very hard to get back into his body.

    Despite his tremendous focus he could hear the wolf''s howl. Following that howl there was a significant raise in temperature which made Caleb deeply curious of the cause. Not breaking his focus he put all his energy into escaping this phase.

    Like a flash of stuff he could feel things around him changing. He heard a few background noises, noises that were unsettling but he also heard some chirping noise in the mix of it. When everything resolved Caleb''s eyes opened wide as he found himself gasping for breath.

    For some reason he felt cold as if he was about to start shivering. Given his tolerance to heat and the season spring that seemed really far fetched. He gazed at his palm and sole which appeared paler than usual  Sure he was a pale guy in general, but that made the blood underneath his skin more visible.

    His appearance on the mirror, while still surrounded by the darkness of the night appeared veryˇ­ lifeless. For now he was just glad that it was his face he was seeing in the mirror. After a few minutes he could notice the color returning to his body which made him wonder, did going into Ashton''s dreams made him somehow separated from his body? To the degree where it started to lose its color. He wasn''t dead for the time he was gone right?

    All these questions and confusion kept on bothering Caleb a lot. He wasn''t sure what to make of this entire situation as it was not only new to him but completely unheard off. Amidst his haphazard though he heard a call in his head, "Caleb?"

 Chapter 184 - That Thing

    "Ashton, is that you"? He spoke out loud despite feeling that Ashton was connected to him via his link.

    "Were youˇ­ trying to link me? I think I felt your presence". Ashton mumbled.

    Caleb remained quiet unsure of what to answer as the entire incident flashed through in front of his eyes. Unfortunately for him though, Ashton saw everything, or at least enough to comprehend what just happened. [Why were you in my head?] he asked in anger.

    "I was just making sure if you were asleep or not," Caleb retorted. "I got caught up in all the dream things" He mumbled out loud. "I am sorry" He mumbled.

    [Sorry?] Ashton huffed. [What if my wolf was right? What if you would have been trapped in there?] Ashton shouted in his head.

    "Then you would have let me out! I know I will be fine!" Caleb declared with confidence. "And it''s not like I went to that creative prison inside your head on purpose! I lost my way!" Caleb shouted back. "You are equally to blame! You told me that you''ll link me once you''re settled in, but you never did"!

    [I tried, but you were asleep back then. I didn''t want to disturb! I saw your dream too right, but unlike you I left!] Ashton retorted.

    "Okay fine! I am sorry for staying. I was curious to see your childhood okay, it''s not like I know a lot about your past". Caleb mumbled.

    [I guess...] Ashton trailed off. [I am sorry too, for yelling. I justˇ­ freaked out okay!] Ashton admitted sheepishly. [It''s hard enough being apart, I don''t want something to happen to you when I am away]

    "I knowˇ­" Caleb mumbled. "What did you see in my dream"? He asked after a minute.

    [I didn''t stay there for long, so...] Ashton tried to divert the question but just like Ashton earlier he saw and couldn''t help but blush.

    "I can''t believe Iˇ­ I dreamt that" Caleb sighed.

    [Wellˇ­ if that''s something you wanna do for real, I won''t mind] Ashton shrugged and let out a fake cough making Caleb press his tongue against his cheek.

    "No!" Caleb protested. "I am not doing that. That concept is bat crap crazy"! Caleb protested.

    [How would you know without trying] Ashton chuckled.

    "I just doˇ­ we are not having this conversation"! Caleb cleared his throat after declaration. "Now go back to sleep, I will talk to you tomorrow"

    [Good night] Ashton mumbled softly and once more Caleb was left all alone by himself. Caleb sat up on the bed and imagined what he saw when he was in Ashton''s head. It was a bit embarrassing, and considering that it was actually Caleb''s dream he felt even more embarrassed.

    He saw himself lying on Ashton''s bed, which was for the most of it true. What was different was what he was surrounded with. There were clothes lying everywhere around him that belonged to Ashton. They were not just any clothes, they were the ones recently worn by Ashton which had his scent loaded in it. That''s right, in his dream he was nesting.

    Nesting was a common practice for most of the omegas back in the days who were separated from their mates, specifically the alpha ones, for some or the other reason. There wasn''t anything inherently impulsive about it, unlike most of their actions, like their behaviour during heat or rut.

    Caleb had heard of it back when he was young and found the notion a bit weird. The primary goal of the nesting process was to make the omegas feel safe. Being surrounded by the scent of your mate was reassuring to the omegas back then, or so he heard.

    He found this ridiculous for many reasons. For instance, even if he loves Ashton''s scent there is no way this is similar to having him around for real, so how the hell was this supposed to make him feel better? As for Caleb he felt pretty safe no matter what, so he was sure he didn''t need any fake reassurance of his safety. Then why did he dream of that? He failed to comprehend.

    The whole night he struggled to fall asleep once more. Given how he barely slept the night before it was a miracle he wasn''t drowsy at all. A lot of thoughts ran through his mind as he stared at the bland dark ceiling over Ashton''s bed.

    More often than not his thought drifted off to the wolf he met in his head. Caleb was sure Ashton saw him communicate with the wolf, but he was surprised that Ashton didn''t bring it up given his history of jealousy over his own wolf. This was the first time he communicated properly with the wolf, and it was a bit hard not to think about it at all.

    When there was a change of the color of the sky, Caleb groaned and washed up before heading out for jog. He wasn''t this bummed about separation when he came to college first, and part of the reason was he was too busy to miss Ashton. So that''s what he needed now, an activity, a distraction to keep his mind off his mate.

    When he went back he headed for his own room. He considered whether or not to knock before just knocking. He was too tired and frustrated to ponder too much. A very sleepy and mostly naked Warren opened the door for him. Feeling better about the decision to leave those two alone last night Caleb cleared his throat, "I need my wallet. I need to buy some stuff."

    "Come on in" In a groggy voice he replied and moved away from the door. Caleb could still see Karolyn lying on Warren''s bed but didn''t pay much attention to her. He was not happy about being around a happy couple anymore.

    "By the way, do you need anything?" Caleb asked him before he left.

    Warren thought for a moment before replying, "No, thanks. I am flying back home the day after tomorrow" He smiled before closing the door.

    In order to avoid the happy couple, Caleb brought all the stuff to Ashton''s room. The way he was using Ashton''s room was as if he was the owner of this room. Seeing how the campus was getting emptier, Caleb decided he will head back home after a few days. At least there will be a pack to distract him.

    He was almost done making the pancake when Ashton linked him. "How are you"? Caleb asked him the very first thing. Trying to get a proper image of the area he realised that he was stuck in some kind of snowstorm.

    [Guess what, it''s minus 2 degrees hereˇ­ and I can still go without a sweater.] Ashton scoffed. [I am starting to think maybe I am one of them.]

    "Can I ask you something?" Caleb mumbled.

    [Uh-huh]

    "How long do you plan to stay there? I know you are looking for those secretive wolves. But in case you don''t find themˇ­ how long are you willing to search?" Caleb asked.

    [Iˇ­] Ashton thought for a moment. [A month? I can''t go more than that] Ashton groaned. They spent the rest of the evening chatting in their link. Due to the unexpected snowstorm it was hard for Ashton to move beyond it and thus the evening turned out to be much better than Caleb anticipated. Ashton told him all the crazy things that happened to him till now which kinda made Caleb jealous for missing out.

    "Well, lemme keep me updated" Caleb chuckled after almost two hours.

    [Will do] Ashton agreed before letting go of the link.

    Feeling elated he had his dinner (Which was supposed to be his lunch) and ordered a bit more takeout as he was way too hungry. He was so bored in between that he even called his brother to check how everything was at home. Too bad his brother was busy with some unexpected situation, so he couldn''t continue to chat.

    He briefly considered seeing what his friends were upto, but he didn''t wanna be a third wheel in two nights in a row so he spent the rest of the time catching up to his fav series on netflix. After almost seven episodes when he saw the clock hit 2:00 am he decided to go back to sleep, but again sleep continued to evade. "Ughhh"! He groaned out loud. "If only I had sleeping pillsˇ­ and they worked on me" Caleb sighed.

    That''s when an idea struck him which he was adamant to push aside. There was no way he would try Nesting as he was sure that it could never work. It was never for sleeping, it was to make them feel safe. There was no chance it would workˇ­ right?

    Looking around he realised that no matter what he did, no one would ever find out. If he was careful while linking with Ashton, his secret will be perfectly safe. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he took out a few outfits that Ashton didn''t take with him. Most of them were summer outfits, but surprisingly of a darker theme.

    Ashton didn''t exactly wear them recently, but somehow there was still a bit of his scent left which he found himself inhaling. He tried the same thing with a few more clothes before he decided it was probably not gonna work. When he was about to put them back he received a call back from his brother, and that is probably the last thing he remembers for the night.

 Chapter 185 - On The Other Hand

    Ever since he landed Ashton has been in some or the other trouble. For instance the troublesome plane ride. No, the weather was perfectly normal, it was the sobbing young man next to him who was returning home after his girlfriend dumped him and his wedding proposal. It''s not like Ashton asked, but the guy, named Ronnie, kept sharing literally everything killing Ashton''s will to sleep.

    He wanted to lash out on him, like usual. But somehow imagining himself in this man''s shoes he could feel the pain of the man so he just sat there mumbling ''there there'' like a robot once in a while.

    Once the plane landed Ashton was more than thrilled to get out of that giant metal as he was exhausted enough without constant irritation. Talking out his phone, he looked for all the buses that drove to the base of the mountain. Due to its uneven terrain only few modes of transport were available on that way.

    Imagine how pissed he was when he found out that the next bus would leave after 2 and half hours. Deciding to grab some lunch he got himself two hot dogs from a nearby stand and packed a few more to eat on the way. The journey was of six hours and despite it''s multiple stops he had to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

    By the time he reached there it was already quite late at night. Typically the native people were the only one who were on the street. Luckily this was still a part of the tourist spots so there were hotels around for the night stay.

    Unfortunately for him though, none of the hotel''s had any empty rooms available for Ashton. Finding nowhere else to go he decided to spend the night at the bus station like a homeless person. He did try to link his mate, but unfortunately he was asleep dreaming about something Ashton was sure Caleb would never do.

    After laying down for a while a native woman came to poke him with a stick, "gahhhh"! Ashton screamed, almost attacking the middle aged woman.

    She asked him something which he failed to comprehend, so she spoke in english but with a heavy accent, "Don''t sleep here"

    "I don''t have anywhere else to go," Ashton admitted honestly.

    "Come with me" The woman gestured to him to follow. Ashton eyed her back suspiciously to figure out whether she was genuinely kind or she had any ultimate agenda. Weighing the pros and cons he ultimately decided to follow her and ran to catch up with her

    Once Ashton stepped inside her place he realised that their way of living was completely different from his. For instance there was this irritating smell that continuously bothered him. Then she handed him a drink which was supposed to be tea according to the woman but it''s taste was worse than anything he ever tasted.

    He was reluctant to fall asleep that night, but that tiresome journey coupled with sleep deprivation knocked him out pretty soon. He did wake up in the middle of the night as he could feel something was wrong. Turns out it was none other than Caleb who was in his mind. That situation made him wonder, was it even possible to be stuck in someone else''s consciousness forever.

    The next morning when he woke up he was relieved to find himself alive and at the same place he fell asleep in. It was dawn thus he figured it would be best to sneak out now before anyone else sees them. Oh boy was he wrong when he saw the woman running an axe through some wood.

    When she saw him all packed up, she confronted him in english, but she spoke so fast that Ashton missed most of what she said. The few words he understood were, ''Careful'' ''Coyotes'' and ''Lumberjack''. There was no way he could connect these three words into something meaningful so he simply forced an awkward smile, bowed a little bit and left.

    He took one of the local commercial mini vans to the other side of the mountain which was even colder than his last location. The place was covered in snow and a few people who were around him were quite literally shivering to keep warm. On the other hand Ashton was perfectly fine but he kept his sweater on just for the sake of blending in.

    Most of the people took the hotel that was available there. It was apparently the last stop for all the visitors. Deciding to ask the locals about what lies ahead so that he could have a brief idea on what to do he decided to enter the hotel.

    "How may I help you, sir"? The kind receptionist asked. "We currently don''t have any single room available. I can give you a double room but it charges more". He informed Ashton.

    "I don''t need a room. I want to know what lies beyond the prohibited zone". Ashton asked.

    "Wellˇ­that isˇ­ uhh" The receptionist fumbled a bit before clearing his throat. "I am quite new here sir, so I am not sure what lies ahead. But that area is dedicated to wilderness, so I am sure it won''t be an easy place to survive".

    "I see" Ashton nodded as he considered just how vast the place beyond the limits was.

    "Are youˇ­ considering going there"? The receptionist asked, concerned.

    To maintain a harmless facade Ashton replied, "I am a wildlife photographer, so I need to see that place".

    "Even though sir, I strongly recommend you against it. The place is no place for a human. I have seen many such explorers venture into the forest but never did any of them make it back alive." He informed him.

    Ashton had an urge to say that he wouldn''t mind. That is exactly what he was looking for, but he refrain himself from doing so. "I agree this is dangerous, but I have to do this," he replied.

    "Alright sir, but I think you should wait it out". He suggested.

    "You see the snowfall, according to the forecast it''s about to turn into a blizzard now." He informed him.

    {BONUS SCENE}

    A couple of knocks was the one that got Caleb off from his slumber. He opened his eyes begrudgingly and noticed that it was mid day and he was somehow buried in a huge pile of clothes. Caleb jerked up and sat on the bed as he recalled how he gave into the urge last night.

    "Oh God" he whispered. The more he looked around himself, the more embarrassed he got. His face was buried in his palms when again his door was greeted with knocks. He got out of the bed and opened it to reveal Warren.

    "Dude, you okay?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice. Caleb noticed he had luggage with him. "I tried to call you a lot but your phone is switched off" he informed.

    "Yeah, I need to charge it," Caleb admitted meekly, taking a glance at the nightstand. "You are leaving already?"

    "Yeah, remember I have a flight?" Warren reminded

    "Wasn''t it tomorrow?" I frowned.

    "Nope. That''s what I am trying to tell you. You have been gone for the whole day. Did you sleep through the entire day yesterday?" Warren asked with widener eyes. Warren himself peeked in the room before saying, "And oh god this room is such a mess".

    "I think I did. Well thanks for waking me up. You should probably catch your flight, I will...Clean this up" Caleb nudged his roommate away. Warren narrowed his gaze at Caleb but didn''t say much and left.

    "That was a close one" Caleb sighed as he thanked his lucky stars that Warren wasn''t a wolf. He tried to clean up this mess as soon as possible, before someone else walked in...

 Chapter 186 - The Delay Of Blizzard

    "A blizzard?" Ashton frowned. "Are you sure?" He asked again.

    "That''s what the forecast said. They are quite common here" The receptionist answered.

    "Fine, I will take a room" He agreed. He was half convinced that this blizzard was just a hoax and that he was just trying to rip him off. But in case he was right, it was better not to risk it right? After all he promised his mate he would be careful no matter what and he didn''t want to break his promise to his mate.

    After freshening up he linked Caleb and chatted with him the entire afternoon. Towards noon the snowfall started to increase and by the time he hung up on Caleb the blizzard had taken its worst form. He was really glad at this point that he decided to stay back.

    The wait for the blizzard to stop turned into two days. By the end of the third day, that is around midnight the blizzard finally took the shape of a harmless snowfall. A lot of damage had occurred in its course and as much bad Ashton felt for the people around he needed to get a move on.

    He was packing up his stuff when Caleb linked him. Ashton informed him about the scenario and how he planned on leaving. Caleb however wasn''t so pleased with it, [This is a stupid idea. It''s almost midnight]

    [I gotta leave, it''s already so late] Ashton protested.

    [You told me yourself that the area is full of wilderness] Caleb reminded him. [You told me you won''t be reckless. If you have waited for two days why not a few hours? You can leave when it''s morning right?] Caleb insisted.

    [But what if the blizzard happens again?] Ashton whined.

    [More reason for you to stay. You need to be at least a little bit sure before you venture into the unknown. I am worried sick you know!] Caleb scowled at him.

    [Okay, fine fine, I will stay back.] Ashton pouted. Taking off his shoes and his shirt (feeling perfectly normal in this sub zero temperature) he laid down on the bed and chatted with his mate.

    After a little while he also conversed with his siblings through Caleb who worked like some mailbox. His sister''s were quite taller than the last time he saw them, but then again maybe due to Caleb''s smaller height it appeared so to him through his eyes. Once he was done chatting with the family, content that they were doing okay he fell asleep.

    In the middle of the night, (or so he thought) he heard the sound of faint screams coming from a distance far apart. He was stuck in a closed place unable to get out no matter how much strength he applied. All he could do was lament as he sat in the closed space helplessly while forced to hear the screams of his loved ones.

    As the sound got louder his struggle to get out increased no matter how tired he was. He was desperate for a way out but it only got harder. He heard a loud thud close to the door when suddenly he found his strength increased four fold and finally he broke free of the invisible cage.

    He saw the entire place was covered in fire as multiple dead bodies lay on the ground. Some of them belonged to a few people he met in the pack, some of them were unknown. He froze in his spot as he saw two very similar looking people lying in the pile of ash as he recognised them by their half burned faces.

    As if this wasn''t horrendous enough he a few steps away he saw both his parents lay dead next to his own mate. Suddenly everything vanished as he opened his eyes sweating profusely in this chilly weather.

    "Why did I dream of that?" He asked himself. Never had he ever had this kind of dream in his entire life, then why now? Why now when he was so away from his family. Why did it have to be so tragic? He wondered when suddenly a drop of water fell on his hand. Looking at that drop he realised that Ashton had ended up crying.

    Trying to take his mind off it, he went to the toilet and washed his face numerous times before staring at the mirror for a while. Like a living nightmare he heard those ominous noises once more which terrified him beyond anything. Was he still inside his dream? He wondered.

    Opening the door to the balcony he saw everyone running around here and there. "What''s going on"? He asked, catching a frantic bellboy.

    "There is the beast" he somehow mumbled before freeing himself from Ashton''s grip and ran.

    Unsure of what he meant he stared at the empty corner from where everyone left. He tried to grab his luggage and escape but as soon as he took a few steps towards the same direction he heard growling noises. Ashton stopped in his tracks before turning back slowly.

    Ashton''s eyes widened in shock and awe as he stared at the beast in front of him. It was as if looking into a mirror but instead of his human form it was wolf form. So all the myth of the Valestine Wolf was real?

    The wolf took each step carefully as he approached Ashton. The way his eyes were focussed on Ashton was the way a Hyena traces his prey. When it was a feet distance from Ashton, it growled at him before pouncing at him. At that very moment Ashton returned from his stance and crouched down so that the wolf missed the hit.

    The wolf was further irritated by his miss, but so was Ashton by the sudden attack. Without hesitation he let out his scent and soon his eyes turned into blazing red. The hungry wolf who was about to attack him paused and gazed at him curiously. Ashton on the other hand felt himself getting out of control as he turned into his wolf form. He remembers having a combat with the other wolf and thanks to Caleb''s training he was doing quite well. However the further he fought the further things started to turn hazy for him and before he knew everything turned into darkness for him.

 Chapter 187 - Growing Up

    It''s been days since Caleb was back and indeed staying here and taking care of the pack activities helped him stay distracted. On one of these days when he was about to leave the house he heard shouting at the front porch.

    "No!" Ava shouted at the girl in front of her. "I don''t need your advice! You don''t get to pretend that you get what I''m going through. This is none of your business!" She stormed out as soon as she was done, almost hitting Caleb in the process.

    Caleb looked at Ava''s back with shock before turning his gaze slowly at Ariel. "What''sˇ­ happening"?  He asked her reluctantly.

    "It''s not a big deal, she just broke up with this guy. More like he dumped her" Ariel shrugged.

    "No wonder she is upset," Caleb mumbled. "But why is she taking out on you? Did you say something? I meanˇ­ I know she is upset but she never lashed out like that on you".

    "It has happened before" Ariel mumbled awkwardly. "It keeps happening more and more these days" She whispered with a hint of melancholy.

    "Are you okay"? Caleb asked her instead.

    "I am fine". Ariel brushed herself before forcing a smile. "It''s her who is grumpy"

    "You do realise you can talk to me right? I know, I am not Ashton, but as his mate and your friend, I am kinda like your brother" Caleb offered.

    "Yeah, cause Ashton is such a people person" Ariel snorted sarcastically.

    "Well.." Caleb sighed. "That''s why you have me here" He smirked.

    Ariel sighed before she mumbled, "It''s just thatˇ­ I think we areˇ­"She sighed. Taking a deep breath she admitted, "growing apart". Caleb continued to stare at her as if he was waiting for her to continue. "When we were young, we used to do everything together. We used to stick together, play togetherˇ­ share secrets with each other" She paused. "It feels like everything is changing".

    "And why do you think that?" Caleb asked.

    "Wellˇ­" Ariel took a deep breath. "For instance we have completely different friend circles now. Not to mention, we even have our own rooms. I justˇ­ I know she keeps a lot of secrets from meˇ­ and on some levels I think so do I" She shrugged.

    "Wow" Caleb mumbled.

    "I know it''s silly, but I miss the time when we used to do everything together. I miss us. I guess not all twins share the same brain cell" Ariel chuckled half heartedly.

    "You are right, they aren''t," Caleb declared. "I know it''s hardˇ­ no matter what you always had each other''s back. Since you guys were toddler you were each other''s best friend. It''s normal to feel like this. But.." He took a pause. "You have to remember that just because you two look the same doesn''t mean you are the same."

    "Yeah... I am starting to get that", Ariel admitted with a gloomy face.

    "Things like this will keep happening to you. It doesn''t necessarily mean it''s bad. Maybe she is not involved with your life so much, but I am sure she still has your back when you need her." Caleb patted her arm. "And just because things are like this doesn''t mean you guys are growing apart. It means you are growing up. You are becoming people of your own" Caleb shrugged.

    "I knowˇ­ I hear you," Ariel sighed. "I justˇ­ hate that we are growing into two different kinds of people. I guess having a twin doesn''t always mean you will have someone similar to you". She snorted.

    "Yep, it doesn''t" Caleb sighed. "But, if you are really upset about her growing apart then maybe you can make some effort on your part." He suggested.

    "You don''t think I have tried?" Ariel scowled. "It''s like every attempt I make pushes us further apart." She groaned. "Take this for example. I was trying to console her. I told her that just because this guy was an idiot to dump you doesn''t mean you will end up alone. And then you pretty much saw her reaction" She pointed at the door where Ava vanished.

    "Why do you think she reacted that way?" Caleb asked her carefully.

    "I dunnoˇ­ she is crazy" Ariel rolled her eyes.

    "Ariel" Caleb said sternly. "Try a little harder"

    "She is hurting" Ariel sighed. "I get that she is irritable because it''s hard not because it''s hard not to feel that way, but what am I supposed to say to her"?  Ariel asked.

    "Nothing," Caleb shrugged. "She will get over him herself if needed. She doesn''t need you to tell that. Maybe that''s why she was mad because you didn''t consider her feelings."

    "I did," Ariel insisted.

    "Did you?" Caleb folded his arms. "I know you wanted to make her feel better, but did you consider how your words are going to affect her before you said them"?

    "Well...No" Ariel sighed. "I guess, I get what you are trying to say," Ariel sighed. "Thanks for the pep talk, that really helped." She flashed him a smile before disappearing off to the kitchen.

    Scouring the entire fridge she finally found the thing she was looking for and headed straight off to the door upstairs and knocked at it. When she didn''t receive any response she tried to unlock the door and surprisingly enough it worked.

    Ariel found her sister sobbing on the bed with her head burning below the pillow. "Ava" Ariel called her sister.

    "Go Away!" Ava screamed at her sister.

    After a moment Ariel spoke, "I brought ice cream".

    "Ice cream"? Ava finally looked up, " You think having ice cream can fix this? I am not a child, Ariel!" She huffed at her sister.

    "I know," Ariel admitted, maintaining her calm. "And I don''t think ice cream can fix this. I justˇ­ I really wanted to eat this with you" Ariel whispered.

    "I am not in the mood"! Ava spat and buried her head back in.

    "I''ll have it by myself then. I am here if you need some" Ariel declared and sat down on the chair of her room. Ava didn''t respond to her anymore and continued to sob on her own.

    Ariel simply sat there with the ice cream in her hand unable to eat it. Nevertheless she didn''t leave her sister''s side and remained there quite and let her sister sob. After what seemed like an eternity when Ava finally looked up, she went ahead and snatched the ice cream from her sister''s before digging in. After a few huge bites she shared it with her sister as well and somehow the quiet evening turned out to be quite nice for the sisters.

    Meanwhile, Caleb, who was standing at the door, who decided to check on the sisters on his way back, smiled as he saw them bond. He was glad that in absence of Ashton he was able to deal with the sisters.

    It''s been quite long since they last talked. It''s been almost a week, 8 days since he even heard from him. Caleb assumed that Ashton was either busy or somehow unreachable at the moment. Ashton promised he would be back in a few weeks and thus he promised himself that he would not pester him unless it''s absolutely required. After all, it''s just been 8 days right?

 Chapter 188 - A Whole Lot

    A whole lot has changed in these past few years. What seemed like a wait for 8 days, turned into 8 years in a blink of an eye. But that doesn''t mean that the things are exactly the same. That''s the thing about time, it does not wait for anyone.

    "You there?" Christian knocked on the door of the room that once belonged to Ashton, but ever since then Caleb had taken over it.

    "Come in,"  Caleb offered and soon Christian walked in. Caleb raised an eyebrow but Christian simply shook his head. "Well, it was a long shot anyways"

    "It''s been 8 years Caleb, maybe it''s time to give up". Christian mumbled after a while.

    "On what?" Caleb scoffed without even looking at him. "Be it 8 or 80 years, I am not giving up" Caleb declared. This was not the first time he had to say something like this to his brother, or his parentsˇ­ even Ashton''s sister and mom.

    When Caleb failed to make any connection with Ashton and after many search parties that failed to find him, almost everyone but Caleb started to consider that maybe he is dead. The loss of link is commonly associated with the death of a mate, and that was why everyone was inclined to believe that Ashton might not have made it.

    But Caleb knew better. He knew that there was a very high chance that this loss of link signified something else, that is exclusive to Valestine wolf, or maybe simply to Ashton. He was suggested to move on, to find someone else in life, but Caleb was known for his stubbornness. And no matter how everytime he lost a little bit of hope when someone told him Ashton would not be coming back, he was adamant.

    "Alright then" his brother mumbled. "Can I ask you something?"

    "Uh-huh" Caleb nodded.

    "How can you still be so sure that he isˇ­" Christian trailed off unable to finish his sentence.

    "When Warren was dying, Karolyn could tell" Caleb informed his brother. "So what if Ashton is different? So was Warren. He was a human and then a Vampireˇ­ and yet the bond of mate''s remained the same between them. She knew that he was dyingˇ­ and I believe so would I if something were to happen to Ashton".

    "Butˇ­ you haven''t felt the bond for ages". Christian mumbled.

    "So what?" Caleb asked. "When Warren turned into a Vampire he wasn''t exactly matedˇ­ or marked"

    "Trueˇ­" Christian nodded, "But they were fated mates. What if things were different for them" Christian asked.

    "What if?" Caleb tilted his head. "Then I will take the benefit of doubt and have faith that Ashton is aliveˇ­ and for some reason he can''t come back to me". Christian remained quiet for a while until Caleb spoke again, "let''s not talk about such stuff right now. Tomorrow is a big day for youˇ­ I don''t wanna be the sad sack of the event".

    "You are my brother Caleb, you can be anything you want" Christian teased.

    Caleb snorted, "Yeah, I don''t wanna be a sad sack"

    "What sack do you wanna be"? Christian continued to tease as he felt the environment lighting up a bit.

    "The most handsome one" Caleb smirked before getting up. "Anyways, I promised I would take care of everything in the ceremony so go ahead and take a nap. I can tell by your eyes that you haven''t slept for days" Caleb pushed him out of the room, thereby exiting himself.

    "I will go get things done,"  Caleb mumbled and headed off downstairs. From preparing all the guest rooms to arranging everything it was a big responsibility on his part. But this was not his first time, and somehow he was able to handle things quite well.

    Looking at the decorations from the stage he took a deep breath and mumbled, "Now that is what we call a proper show".

    "Sir" he heard one of the butlers call him.

    "Oh, hey Mr Gibson" Caleb smiled at him. "What can I do for you?"

    "Wellˇ­ this is a bit hard for me to say, butˇ­" He hesitated. "It happened again".

    "Again?" Caleb frowned. "When was the last time you saw him"?

    "This morning when he was getting ready". Keeping his head low, Mr Gibson answered. Mr Gibson was a man who was a descendant of a wolf. In the line of succession due to multiple mating the ability to turn into wolf was lost. Despite having the wolf gene they cannot transform into one, but who knowsˇ­ there was always a chance something or the other might trigger it.

    Mr Gibson was hired by Caleb when he moved back to the pack. Taking over the role of the sheriff he worked alongside the Mayor, that was his dad for many such purposes. Having a responsibility like that required him to be present at all times, and thus he was rarely home. Which was good for him since he could keep his mind wandering off to his lost mate, but maybe it was not the best solution for everybody. "I got it, don''t worry." He nodded and dismissed Mr Gibson.

    Calling his friend Melanie he asked her to make sure that the things were getting done properly until everyone was back. She was appointed as the head beta after she came back from her own university, and having been a national level martial artist, she indeed had quite the skill.

    Taking a break, he headed off to the woods outside the boundaries of the pack. On the outskirts of the small town he found the one house that encaptured exciting days from the days he was young. Sensing the tangy odor in the air Caleb chuckled before heading inside.

    There were only two people who had the key to this place, One was Mrs Parker, who often came back here to make sure everything is in the right place, and the other was Caleb, who came here when he missed his mate way too much. The door was still locked but from the mud on the wall of the house Caleb could make out that the house wasn''t empty.

    Caleb let out a tiny but poignant smile before heading upstairs till the tiny terrace above the roof, and as expected there stood the guy Caleb was looking for who seemed to have noticed Caleb''s presence, but somehow decided not to pay any heed to him until Caleb called out, "Connor"?

 Chapter 189 - Connor

    "Connor"? Caleb called out to the boy standing at the edge of the terrace.

    "Hi Dad", the young boy who looked like he was about to become a pre-teen answered him without bothering to turn around.

    "Mr Gibson told me you ran away, again". Caleb told him.

    "He is such a tattletale," Connor grunted.

    "It''s his job to tell me everything related to you". Caleb reminded Connor.

    "I didn''t run away. I just needed to be alone" Connor mumbled.

    "I know" Caleb chuckled. "That''s why I am here and not the whole pack". Connor finally looked at Caleb and shot him a glare before looking away. "What''s going on with you?" Caleb asked him softly crouching down so that Connor appeared taller.

    Connor remained quiet for a while and Caleb waited patiently for him to continue. "What is wrong with me?" He asked in a whisper that Caleb almost missed.

    "Nothing." Caleb replied without skipping a beat. "Why do you think something is wrong?"

    "I dunno. Everyone else, they are so... different than me" Connor mumbled.

    "Listen buddy, being different doesn''t mean being wrong. It''s hard being different in this world, but never ever feel that something is wrong with you. You are perfectly normal" Caleb assured.

    "It''s not just people," Connor said. "I feel it too. I have these urges no one gets. It scares me when I feel I won''t be able to control them. I don''t know how to explain myself to my friends because they don''t get it either. Even if they are not the ones running away from me, it still makes me feelˇ­" He paused. "Lonely".

    Caleb turned him around to make Connor look at himself, "I am sorry that you feel this way. But you got me" Caleb offered him a tiny smile.

    "You''re hardly around. It''s always Mr. Gibson this, Mr. Gibson that. And even he would stop hanging around once you stop paying him" Connor huffed.

    Caleb blinked as he realised that in a way his son was right. When Caleb was young he himself resented his own father for never being around and now he was doing the same thing to his son. He shouldn''t neglect his son just because he misses his mate so much, because that isn''t fair to Connor.

    "I''m sorry." He mumbled but Connor didn''t reply to him. "Tell you what, I''ll fire Mr Gibson and I''ll take care of you".

    "I am not a baby, I can take care of myself" Connor huffed. Caleb ended up chuckling at his son. Caleb had to admit that Connor''s stubborn passive aggressive ways kind of reminded him of Ashton. Their uncanny resemblance despite never having met each other baffled him from time to time. "Besides, Mr Gibson shouldn''t lose his job because of me".

    "Alright then" Caleb smiled. "But I promise, I will try to be around more" He declared.

    They fell into comfortable silence and after a whole minute Connor spoke, "Don''t you need to prepare for tomorrow?"

    "I do" Caleb nodded.

    "Thenˇ­ maybe you should get going," He added.

    "I have taken care of almost everything. I just need to check things once more before I go to sleep and I will be fine. For nowˇ­ Let''s stay here" He smiled.

    "It''s peaceful here" Connor mumbled after a minute.

    "Mn?"

    "Thanks for showing me this place". Connor mumbled.

    "I liked to come here too, when I felt lonely," Caleb admitted.

    "Butˇ­ you have so many friends," Connor pointed out.

    "Trust meˇ­ even with so many friends it''s possible to feel lonely" Caleb patted the shoulder of his son.

    "That sucks" Connor grunted.

    "Language"! Caleb raised his voice shutting his son''s mouth. "My point is, don''t be so hard on yourself. Friends or no friends, you''re awesome" Caleb assured his son.

    "Yeah right" Connor mumbled a little bit sarcastically. For a kid he was definitely hard to convince most of the time.

    "Let''s do something, just you and me," Caleb offered.

    "Like what?" Connor narrowed his brows.

    "Wellˇ­ " Caleb struggled to think of something. "How about laser tag? You love that".

    "Aren''t you a little too old for it" Connor narrowed his brows.

    "Hey young man, do not be snarky. And also, I look far younger than I am" Caleb boasted.

    "Still. I don''t wanna play laser tag with you" Connor pouted.

    "Soˇ­"  Caleb sighed. "What do you wanna do"?

    "Wanna play fortnite?" Connor asked.

    "Done"! Caleb declared even though he had no idea what he got himself into. He assumed it would be some simple game but boy was he wrong.

    Caleb drove him back to the pack house and asked him to set up. They played for a long time almost making Caleb''s fingers hurt in the process. When Caleb saw that the clock was about to cross the 12 mark he decided that they had it enough for the day. "Okayˇ­ let''s go to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day"

    "What is the point?" Connor pouted. "You are making me go to school anyways".

    "Alright young man, do not get carried away. I am never letting you cut school" Caleb scolded.

    After putting his son to bed he headed off to the hall to ensure the preparations were up to the mark only to be greeted by Melanie''s scowl. "That was quick," Melanie remarked sarcastically as soon as she saw him.

    "I am sorry, it was Connor," Caleb said with a not so apologetic face.

    "So now you are going to blame it on your seven year old? What a jerk"! She remarked playfully.

    "Okay, you have done enough. You should go back" he pushed her towards the exit.

    "Of course I should. I missed my date because of this" She huffed before disappearing. Caleb chuckled softly at her before taking a final look at the place. When he was about to leave he spotted his brother headed off to somewhere. Feeling a bit suspicious, Caleb followed his brother to the office where he was simply sitting in the chair and drinking, "Can I come in"?  Caleb knocked on the open door.

 Chapter 190 - Drinking Buddy

    "Can I come in"?  Caleb knocked on the open door earning his brother''s attention.

    "Caleb"? Christian presented him with an unusual smile. "What brings you here"?

    "I can ask you the same thing", Caleb mumbled. "I told you to go take rest and here you are drinking in the office past midnight". He folded his arms before he asked, "Is everything alright?"

    "Of course. Everything is great. I am justˇ­ enjoying" He held up glass before taking the sip.

    "Yeah, you had to pause to think" Caleb rolled his eyes. He took a seat and started to pour himself a glass.

    "You think that''s a good idea"? Christian prompted.

    "They need you more sober tomorrow than me," Caleb smirked. "Also, I have better tolerance than you" He gave his brother a smug smile. Christian simply chuckled and they drank as they sat quietly. After a whole minute Caleb mumbled, "You know you don''t have to do this, right?"

    "Where is this coming from?" Christian frowned. "It was my decision, and I made my decision," he declared.

    "Yeahˇ­" Caleb breathed. "But I can also sense the hint of regret in your decision". Christian raised his eyebrows so Caleb continued. "Remember how your superpower is to be able to tell when something is wrong with me? I can tell that same thing about you too" Caleb smiled.

    "You think you know me that well?" Christian raised his eyebrows with a hint of challenge.

    "More than you think" Caleb smirked. "Which is why I am certain this is a bad decision".

    "If you are this certain why did you want to be in charge of the celebrations?" Christian challenged him further.

    "Because if we are having a party, it should not be lame" Caleb declared. "But, I can still cancel".

    "No"! Christian exclaimed starling Caleb is the process.

    "Alright then" Caleb mumbled.  "What about Sebastian?" Caleb asked.

    "What about him?" Christian frowned.

    "Well, didn''t you used to have a thing for him"? Caleb narrowed his eyes at his brother who just stared at Caleb blankly. "What?"

    "Who told you?" Christian narrowed his eyes.

    "No One" Caleb shrugged. "I could tell".

    "Yeah, well you got it wrong" Christian scoffed.

    After a few seconds Caleb voiced, "Nope, I don''t think I do"

    "Believe whatever you want". Christian simply shrugged off before sipping down the entire glass.

    "Did you everˇ­ tell him how you feel?" Caleb asked, adamant to not let it go.

    "What, feel? I had a very minor crush on him when we met. That''s all. It''s all gone now". Christian shrugged.

    "Uh-huh"! Caleb exclaimed. "I knew it, I knew you liked him"!

    "Key word, ''liked''. I do not like him anymore". Christian clarified.

    "You knowˇ­" Caleb, "Now I can imagine how annoyed you were when I refused to confess my feelings forˇ­ Ashton" Caleb mumbled. Suddenly mentioning Ashton brought back a turmoil of feelings he wasn''t ready to confront.

    "That was different."Christian declared.

    "Really? How?" Caleb nudged further.

    "You weren''t sure how Ashton felt for you. I know how Sebastian does." Christian declared.

    "Come on!" Caleb groaned. "I know he disagrees with you a lot but doesn''t mean he hates you. He is playful. Who knows, he might even like you" Caleb suggested.

    "I didn''t mean he hates me, what I meant was that he is straight," Christian declared.

    "Did he himself tell you that?" Caleb challenged him.

    "In a manner of speaking. He had a human mate before who was a girl. Not to mentionˇ­ we went to a gay bar where he had to ''pretend'' to be gay. You don''t pretend what you are, you pretend what you''re not" Christian sighed.

    "Just like you pretending you don''t still have feelings for him" Caleb murmured, but Christian heard him nonetheless and shot him a glare. "But, don''t you think you will feel better if you confess?" Caleb insisted.

    "Unlike you, we haven''t marked each other. We are friends, I am okay with that" Christian almost slammed the glass in his hand on the table. He got up from the seat and left. Caleb sat there quietly for a moment before exiting the premises himself.

    Christian instead of going back to the pack house headed off to a bar. He knew his pack members would start pestering him, and he wasn''t in the mood to talk. So he simply went out to have some peace and quiet time. Just before he was about to enter he heard a familiar voice say, "Christian"?

    Wishing he heard wrong he turned around, "Sebastian?" He had to admit he did not expect him to see here. Sure he kind of guessed he would show up at the ceremony but not here. "What are you doing here?" Christiana asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "What do you mean?" Sebastian frowned. "You are getting married, of course I have to come" He smiled.

    "Yeah, that''s months away. It''s just an engagement party" Christian reminded him.

    "Yeah, potato potato" (A/N: If you know the expression, you must have read it differently ) [ie. Po-tay-to/ Po-tah-to]]

    "But no, I meant here. In this bar. What are you doing here?" Christian asked.

    "I can ask you the same thing"? Sebastian raised his eyebrows. "I always come here on my way to the pack house. This bartender knows what I want" He chuckled.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian mumbled. "Well, I guess it''s a good thing that you showed up" Christian shrugged.

    "That doesn''t sound right" Sebastian frowned.

    "Yeah, if I get too drunk, you can drive me to the pack." Christian smirked. "I need to be there, early" He shrugged.

    Recalling an incident years ago Sebastian exclaimed, "No"!

    "What?" Christian frowned.

    "I do not have spare clothes, and I don''t want to wear a barbie costume back to the packhouse. You are not getting drunk today!" Sebastian huffed.

    "Let''s hope soˇ­ for both our sake" Christain smirked and vanished through the door. Sebastian looked around before letting out a sigh of exasperation and putting his hand on his forehead. Once he took a seat next to Christian, he felt his hope withering as Christian shouted at the bartender, "Hit him up, he is my drinking buddy for the night".

 Chapter 191 - Guilty

    No matter how much he tried Sebastian couldn''t get him to stop drinking.

    Sebastian couldn''t help but wonder, did Christian really want to go through with this wedding? He didn''t even know whom Christian chose to be his mate but Sebastian couldn''t help but feel that Christian was second guessing himself about this whole thing.

    When Christian started to doze off Sebastian finally managed to swipe off the real drink with something a little less alcoholic, "What is wrong with you? Why are you being like this?"

    In a dreamy haze Christian replied, "I have always been annoying, remember?"

    "Not like this," Sebastian mumbled. "Christian, whom did you choose to be your mate?" He asked him seriously.

    "Why do you care"? Christian snapped.

    "I wanna know" Sebastian replied sternly.

    "It''s the daughter of the pack of the head alpha from the Silver Cross Pack. "

    "Wait a sec, it''s a woman?" Sebastian frowned visibly.

    "Yepp" Christian mouthed coupled with a sip of his drink.

    "Are you out of your mind? Why the hell are you marrying a woman?" Sebastian whisper shouted at Christian.

    "Why not? That way we can continue the line. Seems like a perfect solution" Christian admitted.

    "What about the fact that you are gay? Can you actually have feelings for her"? Sebastian asked, getting angrier by the minute.

    "Shhhh" Christian shushed him before looking around. He smiled before looking back, "It doesn''t matter anymore".

    "I told you numerous times you shouldn''t pick mates at random!" Sebastian sighed exasperated. "Man I have been gone for a month and you created such a mess".

    "It''s not a mess!" Christian insisted with an angry pout. "I am over thirty Seb, I am running out of time." He mumbled before taking a sip. "I cannot keep waiting for love any longer. I am exhausted" He pouted.

    "That''s alright, but do you really think it should be a girl? Choose someone whom you at least have a shot with being happy. This way you will both end up miserable" Sebastian insisted.

    "How do you know"? Christian challenged, "The future is not certain. Maybe we will have a perfect life"

    "It doesn''t work that way," Sebastian sighed. "I had a mate whom I didn''t love, and it was awful. Trust me, this is not gonna end well".

    "You" Christian brought his index finger close to his mouth. "You are always being so critical of my choices. But I don''t care! I am getting married" he smiled. "I am GETTING MARRIED" Christian shouted at the top of his lungs earning a cheer from the entire bar and a complimentary drink from the bartender.

    Sebastian on the other hand simply shook his head and snatched away the glass from the table and glared at the bartender before looking back at Christian. "Will you stop it"?

    "No, I am happy, I won''t stop," Christian smiled like crazy. "Today I''m going to empty this bar myself"

    "That''s it. I am done tolerating this ridiculous behavior" Sebastian declared before dragging him out of the bar and putting him inside his car.

    The entire way Christian kept saying stuff like,  "Let me go" , "I am not done" or "I need to celebrate" however without paying any heed to Christian''s effortless protests he dragged him away.

    "You are clearly miserable. Every time you get overwhelmed you resort to drinking. It''s only engagement and you are already like this, do you really think you can survive the whole marriage?" He asked as soon as Christian was seated in the car. Honestly he wasn''t sure why he was bothering with this drunk man. He was almost 100 percent sure that Sebastian would forget everything the next day.

    "Why do you care? Why are you so determined to make me quit this? What do you want" Christian narrowed his eyes and brought his face closer to Sebastian and stared at him suspiciously.

    "You are my friend," Sebastian mumbled. "Of course I care".

    "Friend"? Christian frowned before ending up in a series of laughter. "That''s the problem, I am sick of being your friend, it''s exhausting" He groaned.

    "What do you mean?" Sebastian frowned.

    "You tell me I am miserable. Who is the reason I am this miserable"? Christian scowled.

    "You?" Sebastian guessed after a second. He wasn''t sure whom Christian was trying to shift the blame to. He had a feeling Christian was indicating him, but then again he couldn''t think of any reason why.

    "No you! It''s because you refuse to return my feelings!"  Christian shouted at him.

    Sebastian blinked as his eyes widened at Christian. What was going on? Was he just confessed to? How the hell did he not see this coming? He was pretty good at telling when people liked him. Things like this ran through his mind as he failed to move even a single inch. Meanwhile a heavily drunk Christian seemed to be on the verge of passing out.

    "You haveˇ­ feelings for me?" Reluctantly, Sebastian asked. A part of him knew that if he asked this to the sober Christian he would not get an honest answer.

    Christian nodded his head vigorously before saying, "Why won''t I? You''re hot" he gave a crazy smile before saying, "And you''re good at what you do" he mumbled.

    Christian opened his mouth to say something else but a lump in his throat prevented him from doing so. Anticipating his next move Sebastian pulled him out of the car and positioned him so that he could vomit properly.

    Sebastian rubbed his back as he vomited. Usually, he would be disgusted by this whole thing, but this time my mind was occupied with the thoughts of what he just heard.

    Being a popular artist it was not uncommon for him to be confessed. Heck he even met crazy fans who wanted to marry him and still he didn''t let it bother him, but somehow hearing that Christian had feelings for him made him feelˇ­ guilty. Guilty for not realizing it sooner, guilty for making the guy in front of him suffer or guilty for not being sure what to do next.

 Chapter 192 - Marathon

    The next morning when Christian woke up he was surprised to find himself in his own bed. What he was not surprised by was terrible headache that refused to let him go and the time on the clock beside his bed showing 1:00pm on the watch. How had not anyone called him yet? Shouldn''t the guests from Silver Cross Pack here already? He wondered.

    He tried to recall what happened last night, but just like always his process gave him extra headache instead of his lost memories. He remembers running into Sebastian the night before, which would explain why he was back to his room. After joining the pack Sebastian was allowed to enter the pack house as he pleased without much difficulty.

    What was difficult was Christian hiding his feelings when they were on patrol together every time Sebastian returned to the Pack for the vacation. Luckily, he managed to do it so well (or so he thought). Taking a long shower and brushing his teeth when he started to get ready he felt his brother trying to link him.

    [Thank God you are finally awake.] A relieved Caleb replied from the other end. [I told the Carson''s that you had to leave town for urgent business, but you will be back anytime soon] Caleb complained.

    [That doesn''t sound so bad] Christian commented.

    [That was 3 hours ago dumbass. You are getting engaged todayˇ­ this is not a joke!] Caleb screamed in his head and the residual hangover did not make it easier on Christian to bear with it.

    [Shut up!] Christian retaliated immediately. [I''ll be there in a few minutes. Tell them I am here, I just need a bit of time to freshen up]

    [I will do that. If someone asks what ''emergency'' you had to deal with, I''m not gonna help ya. Think of a proper excuse, will you?] Caleb scolded before disconnecting the link.

    Groaning out of frustration he exited from his room. On his way out he ran into none other than Sebastian who was sitting on the front porch and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, "Sebastian"! Christian called him. Christian caught a hint of reluctance as Sebastian turned his head to look at Christian. "Thanks for bringing me home."Christian shouted.

    Somehow the brow crease on Sebastian''s forehead persisted as he spoke, "Do you rememberˇ­ anything from last night?" Sebastian asked him.

    Christian frowned. He thought once more to the brim of getting a headache before shaking his head, "Not really. Why what did I do?" He asked. Sebastian blinked but nothing came out of his mouth. "Wait, did I vomit on you? Again?" Christian''s eyes widened.

    Sebastian shook his head gently before saying, "Don''t worry about it". The point is he wasn''t sure if he was ready to confront it yet. He still hasn''t figured out what was the best thing to do in this situation. "You are sure about this right?" Sebastian asked him. "This wedding?"

    "Absolutely" Christian nodded, "Why do you ask?"

    Sebastian fumbled but said, "You got really drunk last night, I was wondering if you''re having second thoughts or not." He claimed. Luckily he was good at acting so he managed to sell it.

    "Oh yeah. Don''t worry about it" Christian brushed it off.

    "Justˇ­ Don''t do anything you regret" Sebastian advised him. Christian nodded awkwardly and left for his destination leaving Sebastian behind. "I wish I could forget what happened" he mumbled with displeasure.

    As Sebastian sat there in solitude things started to come back to him. Everything that happened with them and how he was supposed to deal with it. He didn''t want to bring up the drunken confession but somehow he himself had a hard time forgetting it.

    As for Christian, he finally went to the ceremony hall and greeted his about to be parents-in-law. "I am sorry for my delay Alpha Carson. Luna" he bowed slightly out of respect."

    "Oh honey, don''t be so formal with us. You can call us Darlene and Robert" she shook Christian''s hand and greeted him politely.

    "Alright then. Thanks, Darlene" Christian tried.

    "You''re such a gentleman. I''m happy you will my daughter''s husband." She smiled, but somehow hearing her say those words made Christian uncomfortable. Brushing it off he smiled whey she introduced him with her other children.

    "Delphine is getting ready, but you''ve already met her. These are my other children. She is Daisy, my youngest child."

    "Hi" she smiled at him which Christian reciprocated. From her scent, Christian could make out that she was a beta just like her mom. She had a round face that resembled her older sister a lot. They could easily pass for twins despite their age difference of 7 years.

    "And there, talking to your younger brother is my one and only son, Raymond" she pointed at him. "He is an alpha too, like Delphine" she informed him.

    "The One from London" Christian asked.

    "Yes" she smiled. "He stays there to be with his mate".

    They chatted for a bit, getting to know each other and all. Their pairing was so systematic that their real interaction with each other was very less. Somewhere in their conversation but Mr and Mrs Wrisberg joined the conversation. Taking this opportunity he escaped the elders to look for his brother.

    "Caleb, you''ve done a wonderful job" Christian praised his brother.

    "I know. When it comes to parties I have a sixth sense." Caleb mumbled taking a look around the entire hall. "Oh Ray, this is my brother" Caleb introduced Christian.

    "My brother in law" Ray narrowed his eyes at Christian. Frowning upon his reaction he wondered what to say next, but an energetic charming voice cut off their conversation.

    "Dad" there came Connor running at Caleb. The moment he saw Ray he stiffened and stuck more closely to Caleb.

    "Oh you have a son" a smile appeared on Ray''s face as he looked at connor. His coy face was replaced with Joy as he looked at Young Connor who seemed wary of Ray.

    "Come on, don''t hide" Caleb tried to bring him out but failed to do so. Turning back to Ray, he said awkwardly, "I am sorry, he is a bit shy".

    "It''s alright. I used to be shy when I was young" Ray chuckled. "Let''s see how my daughter turns out" he snorted.

    "Your daughter"? Caleb mused. "Yeah, my wife is pregnant. She is tooˇ­ far along to travel. Hopefully I will be back before she delivers" he chuckled. "By the way, it was nice meeting you" he told Christian before disappearing into the crowd.

    "You okay"? Caleb asked Christian who seemed a bit lost.

    "Yeah" Christian nodded. "It''s just that, everyone seems to be moving on".

    "What do you mean"? Caleb frowned.

    "You have a son, that guy over thereˇ­" Christian pointed at Raymond, "He is a twenty four year old guy and he too is going to be a Dad. Me? I''m 31 and not yet married. You see how I have been stuck in my life".

    "Well, first of all, when I got Connor I was even younger than that guy" Caleb sighed. "And secondly, it''s not a hard and fast rule that you have to be married at 30. Just because everyone has moved on doesn''t mean you are left behind. You''re moving at your own pace. Everyone does!". Caleb scolded.

    "Yeah, well I need to speed up" Christian scoffed.

    "I doubt that. Life is not a sprint, it''s a marathon" Caleb said. "The more you mess with your pace, the more the chances are of you screwing up". Christian didn''t reply to him but he simply looked away. "I''ll get changed, you get ready as well" Caleb informed his brother before taking Connor away with him out of the hall.

 Chapter 193 - The Ceremony

    "Where the hell are you"! Caleb muttered on the phone as he waited for him to come. He was clear, crystal clear on not being late for the ceremony, but his brother was adamant on not listening to him. You must be wondering why he just didn''t link him right? It''s because he failed to do so when he tried before.

    Even if Caleb couldn''t read what was going on inside Mr and Mrs Carson and their kids'' heads, it was clear that they were extremely displeased with Christian''s behaviour. Caleb was the organiser of the event, so he couldn''t exactly leave the ceremony. Linking Sebastian, he asked him [Can you please check up on my bro, he seems to be very disobedient today] Caleb asked him.

    [I can imagine why] Sebastian mumbled.

    [Wait, what do you mean] Like a strong flashback the scene of confession from the night before appeared in front of his eyes. Of course Caleb couldn''t see or hear anything, but he did get a hint of the faint voice of his own brother confessing. [So that''s what happened yesterday]

    [Yeah] Sebastian admitted reluctantly.

    [I am guessing Christian remembered nothing?] Caleb asked him.

    [Yeah] Sebastian affirmed once more. [Look, I know you are his brother but can you please not tell him about this? He clearly didn''t intend for me to find outˇ­ and with this ceremony, I think it''s better if he doesn''t]

    [Yeah, I won''t tell him] Caleb assured him. [But I don''t think he should do it. I need to stop it] thought Caleb.

    Before Sebastian could say anything to retort, Caleb disconnected the link. He looked around for a distraction or something of sort that would disrupt this ceremony. He briefly considered breaking off the chandelier above to cause a massacre big enough to postpone this. Of course, Caleb would get a scolding for not checking its integrity beforehand, but he wouldn''t let his brother go through with this.

    As he was about to go to the roof he saw his brother walk in the hall completely dressed and everything. Somehow he seemed to appearˇ­ glowing. Caleb wanted to stop his brother once more, but no matter what Christian just won''t let him link him. From behind him walked the bride to be, dressed in the beautiful satin gown who can steal millions of hearts. Of course, Christian was not one of the million.

    Both of them walked off to the stage, side by side as Caleb''s panic only increased further. He wanted to scream on top of his lungs, ''Don''t do it brother''. But Alas, he couldn''t.

    Once they were both at the stage, the elder asked for permission to begin, "Hold on" Christian asked for a pause. He looked at Delphine who nodded at him before he turned back to the audience and took the mic at the podium accompanied by Delphine.

    "Thank you everyone for coming here, I have a big announcement to make" His words caught the audience''s attention. Meanwhile Caleb was spiraling so much that he didn''t even care anymore. "Delphine and I had a proper conversation with each other, and after having a proper conversation we have decided not to go through with this union"

    That not only brought back Caleb''s attention, but it initiated a cascade of whispers through the entire hall, one of which was too prominent to be called a whisper. "But why?" The voice belonged to Mrs Carson.

    "There is something I have never told anyone. I am Gay" As soon as he those words shock appeared on the face of Carson family, well everyone except Delphine. "I know I shouldn''t have kept this a secret. And I definitely shouldn''t have picked Delphineˇ­" he looked at her who simply gave him a poignant smile, "To be my mate. It was a wrong decision", he declared.

    The entire crowd went quiet while both Caleb and Sebastian at a distance suppressed their smiles. "I admit that it was wrong of me, and I am extremely sorry...for dragging this along." He pursed his lips before continuing. "I want to thank my brother for organising this entire event for me" He looked at Caleb who simply smiled back at him, "Which is why, apart from the actual engagement, the party will go on as planned." He chuckled, making Caleb laugh lightly.

    "Don''t you have anything to say?" Mrs Carson shot at her firstborn from her seat.

    Taking the mike from Christian, she spoke, "I support this decision. If we go through with this..." She turned to look at Christian, "Both of us will be miserable. If we become two miserable leaders of the pack we will be a disaster. This is definitely the best solution, I am certain" She announced.

    Mrs Carson appeared to be clearly offended as she stormed off from her seat. Mr Carson however supported his daughter, but his wife''s reaction made him run after her. Meanwhile the Carson siblings seemed agitated but they didn''t care as much as Mrs Carson. Getting down from the stage, he approached Caleb as Caleb approached him,

    "I cannot believe you did that," Caleb chuckled.

    "Yeah, me neither," Christian smiled.

    "How do you feel?" Caleb asked.

    "Honestly, a lot better," Christian chuckled.

    "Uncle, what''s gay" Connor, who came running at Christian, asked.

    Christian bent down to Connor''s height and smiled, "It''s when someone loves someone of the same gender. Like a girl crushing on another girl, or as for me, I prefer guys".

    "Like Dad" he looked at Caleb. Caleb chuckled while Christian looked at his brother amusedly.

    "I had told him about Ashton" He chuckled. Looking back at his son he explain, "I am not gay, I am pansexual" Connor frowned once more as he failed to comprehend his father''s words so Caleb took his time to explain it. "Do you get it?" When he was done, he asked his son.

    After a big pause, Connor shook his head, "Not entirely".

    "It''s okay, someday you will understand better", Caleb patted his head. Looking back at Christian he asked, "So, what changed your mind?" Caleb.

    "Wellˇ­" Christian gave him a coy smile, "They did" he pointed at someone and upon turning around Caleb smiled as he recognised them.

 Chapter 194 - A While Ago

    (A while agoˇ­)

    Christian was busy fixing his bowtie when two familiar figures walked in, "Look at you, the blushing groom" Ava teased.

    "It''s the brides who blush" Christian corrected her.

    "I know, I was just messing with ya" She chuckled.

    "I thought you guys won''t be able to make it" Christian prompted while sighing in frustration for the nth time as he failed to tie the bowtie.

    "Do you need help with that?" Ariel offered.

    "Please" Christian agreed. Ariel took the bowtie and tried to tie it properly. Meanwhile Ava decided to engage in a conversation.

    "I wasn''t going to make it, due to exams. But I dragged Ariel and caught a last minute train and hopped in here." She informed him.

    "You were that excited?" Christian chuckled.

    "Of course" Ava beamed. "How can we miss the union ceremony of our future pack Alpha" she smiled and Christian laughed at her excitement. "You don''t seem so excited, on the other hand" Ava frowned.

    "I am just tired" Christian brushed it off.

    "You''re agitated," Ariel prompted. "I have seen you wear a bowtie, never have you ever struggled with this".

    "That doesn''t mean anything," Christian scowled.

    "Of course it does. We often express big emotions via small gestures, however subconsciously it might be. Our emotional state is often conveyed by the little things we do" Ariel explained.

    "That''sˇ­" Christian fumbled. "Whatever you''re reading on those psychology books, stop taking it so literally" he mumbled. "Reality is different"

    "It''s not from one of my books. It''s from my personal experience". Ariel smiled.

    "Can you believe her" Christian turned to Ava for help.

    "Yep, she is good with this stuff. Trust me. She is my go-to girl for any emotional stuff" Ava snorted while a smug smirk appeared on Ariel''s face.

    "Whatever" Christian shook his head.

    "Andˇ­ done," Ariel announced. "See, it looks good enough."

    "Yeah." Looking at the mirror Christian agreed. "Thanks".

    "You know, we met Delphine. She seems really excited to be with you" Ava prompted.

    "That''s...good" Christian mumbled, not bothering to look at either of them.

    "But you don''t feel the same" Ava mumbled.

    "Well.. I still haven''t.."Christian began to speak but Ava cut her off

    "Oh stop it!" Ava groaned. "I don''t know whom you''re trying to fool but it''s not gonna work on us".

    "Yeah, we''re very perceptive," Ariel tagged.

    "Okay, let''s assume for a moment that what you''re saying is right" The twins suppressed their giggle as soon as Christian said that prompting Christian to add quickly, "It''s not, but let''s assume. What''s the big deal?"

    "Have you ever had any unrequited crush?" Ava asked. She didn''t miss the flutter of Christian''s eyes and how his shoulders tensed slightly at the mention of it. "Well, I have. And it sucks not to be reciprocated. Trust me".

    "What has that got to do anything with me?" Christian frowned.

    "Remember how I told you that Delphine likes you. Imagine what it will be like if you actually get through with this. How high her hopes would be and how it would crush her when you actually don''t reciprocate her feelings" Ava explained.

    "I know you think this is the right thing to do, but how is hurting her the right thing?" Ariel asked.

    "Who says I am gonna hurt her? Who knows, maybe I will end up liking her" Christian challenged them.

    Both the girls looked at each other before snorting, "you don''t see the irony in your statement do you? If you are marrying someone you don''t even like, if you''re aiming for ''like'' in a relationship like mates, do you really think that''s gonna make her happy?" Ava asked.

    "You''re already agitated. Imagine living a lie for years to come and how miserable it will make you. And I know that you feel that your feelings don''t matter. But if you''re miserable, you''re gonna make your wife miserable and it''s gonna affect the entire pack." Ariel added.

    Christian remained quiet as he kept staring at the mirror contemplating upon the words. "I need to go" without further ado, he vanished into the hallway.

    ˇ­.(now).....

    "...After that, I had a little chat with Delphine when you kept interrupting me by trying to link. She and I agreed to not go through with this." Christian explained.

    "For what it''s worth, I think you made the right call" Caleb smiled and so did the twins who stood next to them. Meanwhile Connor stayed wide eyed the entire time as he failed to comprehend a few things.

    "Yeah, I can''t believe it took me this long to go through with it". Christian snorted.

    Smiling at Christian, Caleb turned to the twins to finally greet them. "Ava! Ariel! It''s so good to see you" Both the girls gave Caleb a hug before taking turns hugging Connor who was pretty excited to see his favorite aunts. "I missed you guys," said Caleb.

    "I missed you a lot," Connor admitted upon seeing them and gave them a faint smile.

    "I missed you too Connor" Ariel hugged her nephew tightly to the point of suffocating him.

    When Connor murmured, "Ariel, let me breathe" is when Ariel finally let him go. Taking his hand Ariel disappeared into the crowd while Ava stayed back to chat with the brothers.

    "So, do you regret running here? Now that I am actually not getting married?" Christian asked Ava.

    "Well, this party has booze" She smirked. "Also, who knows, you might actually end up with your special someone thanks to this party" She teased and glanced sideways for a minute before looking back at Christian. Christian frowned and followed her gaze and once he realised she was talking about Sebastian he simply shook his head.

    He gave Ava and ''¨®h really''look before moving away. "Everyone knew" Caleb murmured from the side suppressing a smile while Ava took a sip from her glass smugly.

    "Just so you know, I am good at telling who has a crush on who. When I first saw Caleb, I knew instantly Ashton liked him" She boasted. She somehow missed the subtle change in Caleb''s expression

    Christian however didn''t so he prompted, "I am not your brother"

    "I have known you for more than a decade now. You might as well as be. Caleb is like a brother to me, why not you"?  Ava smirked.

    "Whatever," Chrstian sighed and disappeared.

    That was the moment she noticed that Caleb looked a little down than he did a few seconds ago and upon recalling her conversation, she could guess correctly why. To take Caleb''s mind off of it, she decided to tell him something else, "Can I tell you a secret? Promise me you won''t tell anyone".

    "What?" He frowned.

    "I found my fated mate" She declared trying to suppress her smile but unfortunately the blush on her face gave her away.

    "Really" Caleb''s eyes widened. "When?" He asked with utter excitement.

    "....Now" She mumbled after hesitation.

    "Now"! Caleb almost ended up screaming from excitement.

    "Shhh"! Ava shushed him immediately.

    "Sorry". Caleb mumbled. "But, who...how?"Caleb fumbled.

    "See that guy over there" She pointed at a red-headed guy who was talking to the head Alpha''s son.

    "Whoa, who is he"? Caleb asked.

    "No idea." Ava shook her head and took another sip while slyly looking away.

    "What? why? He knows you are his mate right?" Caleb frowned.

    "Of course, it''s justˇ­. He did try to talk to me a few times, but I am playing a little hard to get" She admitted sheepishly.

    "But why?" Caleb asked, clearly baffled by her actions.

    "What, I am not that easy" Ava cleared her throat. "Just because I am a wolf, and he is my fated mate doesn''t mean I will go running into his arms. That era is prehistoric" She snorted.

    "Yeah" Caleb nodded sarcastically. Bringing his face closer to her ear he said, "You do realise that he is a wolf and he can hear everything you just said". The moment Ava heard those words her eyes became double the size of it''s original. She took a quick glance at her mate and saw a shy smile on his face which only seemed to confirm Caleb''s theory.

    "Oh shit" She uttered.

 Chapter 195 - Next Time...

    Christian was on his way out when he heard something. He spotted his father and the couple who almost became his parents in law going at each other like some wild wolves. (Pun intended). It was a miracle that it didn''t turn into a scene. Crouching on the door, he tried to eavesdrop.

    "Disgusting"! Mrs Carson shouted, almost screamed to be precise at Mr Wrisberg as they stood outside the hall.

    "Excuse me"? Mr Wrisberg glared at Mrs Carson.

    "That''s right," She challenged. "I am not talking about him being gay, but how dare he played us like this"?

    "Your daughterˇ­. seems to be fine with it" Mr Wrisberg pointed out.

    "She is naive, even for her age" She fumed with anger. "I told you not to associate with a pack like Cresentile, now see what mess you got us into. She unloaded on her husband".

    "Darling, calm down" Mr Carson tried to console his wife while throwing apologetic glances towards Mr Wrisberg.

    "This is outrageous, we will never forget this" she almost spat at Mr. Wrisberg and she disappeared.

    Mr. Carson however felt really sorry for his wife''s behavior so he bowed his head and mumbled, "I am really Sorry Arthur. As you know, she can be a little crazy at times. Please ignore her. Once she calms down I will talk to her".

    "You better," Mr Wrisberg sighed. "I am not gonna let anyone harm my pack"

    "Don''t worry, I won''t let it come to that." Mr Carson assured before taking his leave.

    As Mr Wrisberg took a swift turn he noticed none other than his eldest son standing by the doorway. Gaining back his composure Mr. Wrisberg asked him, "What are you doing here?"

    "I was on my way out, when I heardˇ­" he trailed off as guilt dawned upon him. "I am sorry Dad. For cancelling the ceremony at the last minute".

    "As you should be, '''' Mr Wrisberg said sternly. After a brief pause, Mr Wrisberg spoke, "But I am more glad you didn''t go through with it"

    Christian who refused to look his own father in his eyes earlier jolted up and stared at him blankly. "What?"

    "I am glad you finally made a selfish choice. It''s important to think of the pack, to make some sacrifices for the betterment of the pack, but not so much that you forget who you are." He declared. "I have made some really difficult choices for the sake of the pack. But, marrying your mother or having you two wasn''t definitely one of them".

    "So you don''t have a problem with me being Gay?". Christian asked with a tinge of hope.

    "Why should I? Unlike humans, us wolves don''t normalize being straight. Each and every secuality is equally accepted. As for leaders, there have been and there are many leaders who have non-hetero relationships." Mr. Wrisberg reminded him.

    "Thanks" Christian smiled.

    "But what aboutˇ­ me taking over the role?" Christian asked. "I know you were looking forward to retirement, andˇ­ with me not having a mate it only delays your plans.

    "Well yeah" Mr Wrisberg sighed. "I guess I will have to step down without you getting a mate."

    "Butˇ­" Christian prompted, "Every Alpha has a mate, how can I be one without a mate?"

    "Then I guess you should start looking for one." Mr Wrisberg shrugged. "Seriously, even your younger brother has a seven year old son, maybe it''s time you settle down for good" He paused, But this time, no false mates. Do not chose a girl, and definitely not someone whom you don''t have feelings for" He glared.

    "I willˇ­ try" Christian sighed. "Can I ask you something else?" He said after a while. Mr. Wrisberg gave him a slight nod encouraging him to continue. "You''re okay with me being Gay, then why are you so hard on Caleb, for... you knowˇ­" Christian prevented himself from saying the word Omega as he was worried someone might overhear him. It was a miracle how even after all these years, his secret was well maintained. He tried to link his father to convey his message but Mr. Wrisberg dismissed it as he could very well guess his son''s intention.

    "I''m not hard on him for being one." Mr. Wrisberg frowned. "I am just worried for him". He declared.

    "Right," Christian nodded.

    "Right?" Mr Wrisberg scoffed. "It wasn''t me who came up with hiding it from the entire pack. It was solely his decision, remember? He was the one who didn''t want to be known for his blood rank. I simply complied with it". He shrugged.

    "But you still treat him likeˇ­ one" Christian prompted. "Ever thought the reason he doesn''t want to tell everyone is because he is worried he would get treated exactly the same as he does from you".

    "Cause he isˇ­ one. Hiding who you are doesn''t change you." He folded his arm. "I know I come off as critical, but I am just trying to look out. Thanks to his over enthusiastic attitude he is alone right now" Mr. Wrisberg declared. Christian decided not to say anything else because he knew it would be pointless to argue at all.

    "You got anything else to say?" Mr Wrisberg asked. Christian simply shook his head in denial"I will get going then" Mr. Wrisberg patted his son''s shoulder before he went inside.

    Christian stood there standing contemplating on how their conversation was a relief to him and yet most of it was horribly wrong. Telling everyone about himself, admitting who he was, was freeing for him. He assumed that maybe if Caleb told everyone about his blood rank, he would feel the same. Of course he would never bring it up on purpose knowing well how it can be a sensitive subject for Caleb.

    He was a bit tired, still a bit hungover from the drinking session from the day before and he wanted to get away from the crowd. Knowing well enough that people might come to his house, he chose the office as his resting place.

    A few years ago he got a couch in his office to nap in there when things got too unbearable at the house, or if he had tons of work. Laying down there while he immersed himself into the peaceful quiet ambience of the office, he recalled the crazy day he had. A smile appeared on his face as his recollections passed by.

    What prompted him to abandon his lazy posture was a knock on the closed door, which upon opening revealed none other than the current beta of their pack. As soon as the door opened, catching her breath, she said, "Guess what, I think we found him".

 Chapter 196 - Found Him?

    Christian''s brow furrowed as he asked, "Found whom".

    "...Ashton, I think" Melanie hesitated before declaring.

    Christian''s eyes widened to almost double of its original size. Just when he thought this day couldn''t get any crazier. "Waitˇ­ you sure?" He asked.

    "Not 100%, no" Melanie shook her head. "See this" taking out her phone she showed him a picture that consisted of many wolves surrounding a gigantic black one. "I have this friend at Ice Fountain Pack from Alaska. I was planning to meet her this summer but she cancelled at the last minute. And she sent me this saying they were attacked by this wolf" Melanie explained.

    Christian took the phone from her hand and examined closely including zooming in on the pic and everything. "He does kind of look like Ashton, but this one seems a bit...bigger" Christian mumbled.

    "Maybe, he grew?" Melanie shrugged.

    "I dunno," he whispered. "He was almost done with his growing years"

    "But isn''t it possible?"She insisted, "Caleb always says that Ashton is alive and I know we dismiss thatˇ­ butˇ­. I think he does this knowing well that his mate is alive. I mean, one would really know when your mate dies right?" Melanie pursed her lips.

    "Okay, let''s assume for a second that you''re right. Even if he is Ashton, what''s the point? How can we actually confirm it?" Christian posed.

    "Here is the thing. They captured this wolf. They are still discussing what to do with him, and I don''t think I can prevent them from executing him" Melanie pursed her lips once more as Christian''s eyes widened.

    "NO!" Christian panicked. "Why execute"?

    "Like I said, he attacked them". She shrugged meekly.

    "I need to go there. Immediately. I am gonna contact the pack head and see if we can get them to hold off their rulings or anything" Christian declared.

    "Should Iˇ­ tell Caleb?" Melanie asked hesitantly.

    "No," Christian nodded. "He already misses Ashton a lot, and I don''t wanna give him false hope until I am 100% sure it''s Ashton. It crushes me to see his hope flickering away everytime our search party fails to find Ashton" Christian sighed.

    "Don''t you think it will be helpful to bring Caleb along"? Melanie asked.

    "Let me confirm if it''s Ashton or not. Maybe then I''ll call for him." Christian mumbled. "Can you arrange tickets for me? I''ll see if I can contact the Alpha of Ice Fountain".

    On contacting the Alpha of the pack, he managed to convince him to wait for him to let him see the wolf first hand. He contemplated whether or not to tell them the truth but decided to go with, ''A similar incident happened here, I want to verify something''. And as he guessed, it worked.

    Melanie mailed him the tickets a few minutes later, according to which he was set to leave the next day. Even though he has left the pack boundaries quite often, the only time he travelled that far was the time when he flew with Sebastian for the investigation of worenzine.

    This trip however will be made by him only, and he really hoped his rut didn''t screw things up. Staring at the tickets he thought, ''now all I need is a convincing excuse for my abrupt departure.''

    He spent a lot of time in the office trying to go through the history of the Ice Fountain pack. It was one of those packs that didn''t have much connection with theirs due to its distance. He researched not only the pack, but any evidence of such similar attacks.

    He also went through multiple pictures of the wolf that the Alpha of the pack sent on their request. Amongst all the pictures one thing was constant. The urge to kill in those bold red eyes. Even though he was certain that Ashton was harmless, he knew that Ashton had it in him to be this vulgar.

    And somehow in his heart he found himself with this conflicted feeling. He wanted that to be Ashton, and at the same time he didn''t. He wanted to trust his baby brother, to believe that Ashton is still out there. That Caleb was right to cling on to the hope all along. But those eyes somehow made him feel that it was not Ashton. That even if it was, the real him was lost somewhere. That finding Ashton in this form would be useless all over again.

    Immersed in his own thoughts his eyes drifted off to the clock on the bystand. Turns out it was actually quite late and if he had to catch the early morning flight the next day he had to make it early. Deciding to call it a day he returned home. From a distance he could make out that the party was over and for some weird reason it brought him relief until the person he wanted to see last appeared in front of him.

    "Sebastian?" Christian questioned him.

    "Hi" Sebastian sighed awkwardly. "I was justˇ­ on my way home" he informed Christian.

    "Yeah, me too," Christian shrugged as well. He could sense there was some sort of tension, but he had no idea why.

    "Soˇ­ you are not getting married huh"? Sebastian attempted to make small talk.

    "For now... Yeah" Christian chuckled. "But eventually, I will," He declared. Christian fell into deep thought for a moment before saying, "I do have something to tell you though."

    "What?"

    "I like you." He declared making Sebastian freeze. " And I don''t mean as a friend. I have romantic feelings for you". He declared. He did a lot of crazy things today, why not just admit his feelings as well. The more he held on, the more burdensome it got anyways. When Sebastian tried to avoid his gaze, Christian frowned, "You knew that, didn''t you"?

    "You confessed to me, while you were drunk," Sebastian admitted honestly.

    "I see" Christian chuckled, "Wait, drunk when? Yesterday?" He asked to which Sebastian nodded to clarify. "So, that''s why you were avoiding me" Christian whispered.

    "Look, Iˇ­ I am reallyˇ­ honored? I guess... that you feel like this about meˇ­ but Iˇ­" Sebastian fumbled with words as he found himself confused on what to say, or even confused upon what he felt for that matter.

    "I know," Christian declared, stopping him mid-rant. "I am not confessing because I want you to reciprocate. I am confessing to you to get a closure. I am sick of this crush now." he chuckled. "It''s been really long, and I want to move on" Christian admitted with a smile while somehow he felt like insides were ripping him apart.

    "How long?" Sebastian asked.

    "Wellˇ­ I am not exactly sureˇ­ but I guess since when we met" Christian shrugged. That caused Sebastian''s eyes to almost pop out of its sockets. "Yeah, it''s long. But like I said, I am trying to move on. And I want to do this right". Sebastian, unsure of what to say, nodded awkwardly. "We are cool right? You and me? It won''t affect our friendship."

    "Yeahˇ­ totally" Sebastian assured.

    "Good" Christian smiled. "I gotta go now, I will see you later then" and he disappeared leaving a very confused Sebastian on that very spot. What Sebastian failed to comprehend is why he couldn''t just downright reject him. Apart from not wanting to hurt him, why did it also feel...wrong?

 Chapter 197 - Mollitia Sit Virtus

    The next morning Christian woke up before the sun crossed the horizon. He had an early flight to catch, and therefore without much ado he left. He made sure to send his Father a text as to why he had vanished. He decided to go for the truth knowing well enough that his father won''t bother telling Caleb about it. In fact he asked Mr. Wrisberg to keep the entire thing a secret.

    The flight to Alaska was quite long, and therefore it was quite late by the time he actually reached the pack house which itself was a long way from the airport. Upon reaching the boundary he was welcomed by the pack beta himself.

    "You must be Christian Wrisberg, from the Crescentile pack" he extended his hand. "I am Riley Buchanan. Welcome to the Ice Fountain". Christian nodded and shook the hand of the blonde guy before he entered the pack.

    The pack house was not that close to the border of the pack, but it was not so far that it would be tiresome to walk. On his way in, he noticed all the things that were happening inside the premises. This pack seemed smaller than theirs.

    He could see why this pack was called Ice Fountain. The entire area was covered with god knows how many layers of ice. This place was too cold thus explaining two layers of sweaters on the residents. Still, it was less than his four layered one. There was no fountain in sight, so he had no idea what was with that.

    Outside the head office there was a huge ice sculpture with a giant wolf. The wolf was shown mid-howl while the byline read "mollitia sit virtus".Christian didn''t realise, but something about this drew him in a trance. "Mollitia sit virtus, Resilience is strength." Riley spoke who stood next to Christian drawing the later''s attention. "This is kind of our motto here."

    "I see" Christian nodded. "This is amazing" looking back at the sculpture he commented.

    Once he reached the office he was greeted by the pack Alpha, who was slightly older than him. "Welcome to the Ice Fountain. I hope the journey wasn''t trouble".

    "Not at all, it was quite the ride" Christian gave the other a subtle nod. "If you don''t mind me asking, why is your pack named Ice Fountain? I have heard quite the names all around the world, but a name like this isˇ­ unique"

    "I suppose it is," The Alpha chucked. "My name is Miller Fountain." He declared. Christian''s eyes widened in realization. "This pack was founded by my great grandfather. So, we are quite new in that sense". He explained

    "I see". Christian nodded. "That would explain why I haven''t heard of it much," he mumbled.

    "We have heard of crescentile though, and I must sayˇ­ you have quite interesting history"

    "Well, it''s a bit longˇ­ that''s all" Christian shrugged.

    "I guess" Miller took a deep breath. "So, would you like to see the wolf now or later?"

    "How about now?" Christian asked.

    "Sounds perfect," Miller Smiled. He led them to their small holding cell which was quite questionable to be fair. How did this hold back such a voracious wolf? Christian wondered. "Careful with the walls, they are loaded with wolfsbane." Miller warned. That hit Christian with realisation as he understood their tactic.

    "Is this wolf susceptible to wolfsbane?" Christian asked.

    "I think so. A little amount doesn''t do the trick though, I think we need a lot" Miller wondered. As far as Christian could recall, Ashton was susceptible to Wolfsbane and therefore he felt his hope flickering away.

    Once they reached the dark hub of their tiny prison, they stared at the biggermost cell there. The wolf was almost camouflaged with the black walls making it harder to spot.

    "Is heˇ­ asleep"? Christian asked.

    "It appears so," Miller nodded. "Perhaps now is not the best time. This wolf is unstable. Even if it''s imprisoned here, I would prefer not to bother him unnecessarily." Christian nodded at him before agreeing to exit this place.

    They headed off to the guest house where Christian was allotted one of the best rooms available to them. It was neatly arranged with a thermostat keeping the area warm making it easier for him to tolerate this cold weather.

    Upon asking about the wolf, Christian realised that the wolf mostly stays active in the night. They agreed to give the interactions some try after supper. At night however, due to some urgent business the Alpha had to cancel the plan for taking him there. However, Christian thought that this might be the perfect opportunity for him to go and see things for himself. If he was left alone with the wolf, he might actually get to talk to him.

    Making sure no one catches him he slips into the dungeon which was directly connected to their tiny prison. One of the best things about having a tiny pack is that almost everyone is required for the duties, leaving rarely anyone to fend off.

    He snuck back into the dungeon and noticed the wolf munching on something. Someone must have provided him with food. Christian thought. He stood there for a while observing the wolf as it ravished the food in front of him as if it was starving.

    Christian wasn''t sure what to say. He wanted to try the name Ashton, but that would be a bit awkward if it wasn''t him. Taking a quick look around him he cleared his throat earning the wolf''s attention. It stopped in his pace and turned his head slightly to see Christian in its peripheral vision.

    That momentary brief response was all he got before it got back into its own food. The vulgar wolf the pack members described seemed to be contrasting to the current ''mind my own business'' hungry wolf.

    "Ashton" finally Christian dared to use that name. The wolf''s only response was to ignore him. So Christian called again, "Ashton, is that really you?" Still no response.

    It was clear that no matter how many times he had to repeat this, he was not going to receive any response. So he decided to try another way. "You don''t want to respond, fine. Let''s see how you respond to Caleb who is also on his way". Christian felt like an idiot, for mentioning Caleb. He found himself desperately wishing that this wolf was Ashton. And when that wolf paused again for a moment, Christian found a flicker of hope that this after all might be Ashton.

    "Who is there"? Suddenly Christian heard another voice at the main gate.

 Chapter 198 - Unauthorised.

    "Who is there"? The presence of another human voice startles Christian as he contemplates hiding. He looks around frantically for a place to hide but fails at it miserably. As the familiar scent hits his nose his panic increases by four folds. "Mr Wrisberg?" A familiar voice calls Christian when the man, who turned out to be the beta of the pack, finally found him.

    "Hi," Christian says awkwardly. "FYI, You can call me Christian" he added

    "Okayˇ­" he trailed off before taking a quick look around himself. What are you doing here?" Riley asked suspiciously.

    "I came here to see the wolf." Christian admitted honestly.

    "Didn''t the alpha warn you about not coming here all by yourself"? Riley asked.

    "He did, but he also told me they need to make a decision about this wolf as fast as possible" Christian shrugged. "I thought, I shouldn''t delay much. Besides this wolf is in the cage, is it really that harmful.

    Taking a step closer to Christian he turned around to gaze at the wolf. He hit the flashlight directly at the wolf''s face but it turned it''s face away. "That''s odd," Riley mumbled.

    "What''s odd?" Christian found himself asking.

    "The eyes. When it attacked us it was red. Right now, it seems black" Riley mumbled. "I wonder why no one noticed it yet. I gotta inform the Alpha" He mumbled.

    "Why do you think that is" Riley halted as soon as he turned around to leave when Christian asked him this.

    "Hm?"

    "Why do you think his eyes are different?" Christian asked again.

    Riley thought for a moment before answering, "It could indicate many things"

    "Like"? Christian pressed.

    "Will you believe me if I told you"? Riley challenged.

    "Try me. Trust me when I say I wouldn''t be here if I was not looking for something crazy" Christian shrugged.

    After considering it for a few seconds he mumbled, "Alright. Firstly it could simply mean it''s some kind of an ability exclusive to this wolf. It could also mean that it was under some kind of mind control, orˇ­" Riley trailed off.

    "Or"? Christian pressed.

    Taking a deep breath Riley mumbled, "The legend of the Valestine is true" He shrugged. "You know what that is right?" He asked when the mention of Valestine evoked no physical or facial response from Christian

    "As a matter of fact, I do," Christian admitted. "Also, let me tell you.. I have seen a Valestine wolf before" He informed Riley referring to Ashton himself. His lineage was never been confirmed, but he was willing to consider it.

    "Wait what?" Shocked, Riley turned at Christian. "You aren''t kidding right?"

    "Nope," Christian shook his head. "My brother dated this guy once, he was one"

    "Okay, now that is nonsense. They don''t have human forms" Riley rolled his eyes.

    "They do, they simply use it rarely. There''s a difference." Christian pointed out.

    "Still, dated? They barely leave the ice" Riley noted. Before their conversation/ argument can proceed further a loud growl from the cell turned them quiet. "What''s going on? Did I infuriate him?" Riley asked. The wolf continued to growl at them as if trying to push them out of his way. It was miraculous how the wolf was bothered by their presence but not the bars.

    "We need to leave, right now" Christian mumbled.

    "Come on" Riley gave him a subtle nod and instructed him to follow after which they both got out of the dungeon. Once they were out, both of them took a few bouts of deep breath before mumbling, "You do realise that if I tell this to our Alpha you may get in trouble"?

    Christian frowned, "Are you blackmailing me? Besides, he is bound to find out, he can hear your thoughts". He pointed out.

    "Which is why I am good at controlling them when I am in the link" Riley smirked. "Tell me why you were down there, and I won''t tell him"

    Christian narrowed his gaze before sighing, "We are looking for someone. I was just wondering if that wolf is him" Christian admitted honestly.

    "Someone" Riley furrowed his brows. "How important is this someone"? He asked.

    "Remember how I told you my brother dated a Valestine?" Riley nodded at the question posed by Christian, "Well, he didn''t just date him. He mated with one." He declared.

    "Why?" Riley''s eyes widened. "That is so messed up" He sighed.

    "Love is love, right?" Christian shrugged.

    "Yeahˇ­ but stillˇ­ " Riley trailed off. "I won''t tell the alpha, butˇ­ is he really the one you are looking for. And if he is, do you know how to turn him back into a human?" Riley asked.

    Christian shook his head but halted abruptly, "Wait, do you? You seem to really familiar with the legends of Valestine, do you know how to turn him back to human"

    "I have just a few stories from grandparents of a close friend of mine. They are from a pack that often got attacked by Valestines, or so I heard" Riley shrugged.

    "So?" Christian tilted his head. "Did they tell you how to turn them back into humans?"

    "Well, if their stories are to be trustedˇ­ I guess it has to be something that compels them to be human. In this case, your brother might do the trick" Riley shrugged. "It will actually confirm better if this wolf is your brother''s mate or not"

    "Yeahˇ­" Christian sighed. "I guess I gotta bring him in"

    "There is one problem though," Riley reminded after a whole minute. Christian tilted his head and narrowed his gaze at him in confusion. "How are you going to convince the Alpha not to kill him? I don''t think he will hold on just because there is a meek possibility that this wolf might be mated to your brother"

    "I figured," Christian nodded. "Well, I will see what I can do about that, but for now I need to return." He declared and left after passing along a subtle nod. On his way back he couldn''t help but feel that the wolf showed certain mannerisms like Ashton.

    Not only the names Ashton and Caleb elicited some response, but also the avoidance that was Classic Ashton whenever he got into too much overwhelming situation which was mostly around his rut. He still recalls the first time Ashton turned into his wolf, and how desperately he wanted to push away Caleb, and somehow he felt like the wolf was responding the same.

    Christian still wasn''t sure whether or not to call Caleb here, but he knew that Caleb was their definitive answer. Problem was, he needed to convince the Alpha to not kill that wolf in captive until his brother shows up.

 Chapter 199 - "Now Is Not The Time..."

    No matter how much Christian tried to call his baby brother he would not pick up. Sure, it was a bit late at night, but he knew his brother. There was no way Caleb wouldn''t respond to his call. What was more terrifying was that the phone was switched off and it directly went to voicemail.

    Finally failing for like after a hundredth time, he decided to call his Dad the next morning. The good news was everything was fine and there was nothing to be worried about at home. The bad news however was that apparently Caleb would be available for the entire weekend as he took his son Connor fishing for the weekend.

    Somehow Christian either needed to stall the members of this pack or he had to admit the truth. With Riley it went well, but if he were to be trusted, it can''t be said the same for Alpha Miller. If only he knew a sureshot of ways to do so.

    Suddenly, whilst recalling his last trips he remembered the time when their plans were delayed due to his rut. Of course he couldn''t fake his rut, but maybe if he convinced the pack members he was sick, thenˇ­ maybe there was still a chance. All he needed was a tiny ruse.

    He knew that the wolves are usually resilient to the atmospheric changes meaning ''just sick'' won''t be applicable to him. God it''s hard to fake sick when you are a werewolf. But what else can he come up with that would do the trick?

    After a lot of thinking he finally decided to tell the other''s that he broke his ankle and that it would need at least another day to heal before he could walk. They tried to take him to the local doctor, but Christian assured them that it won''t be necessary as he has had such experiences before. When the Alpha wouldn''t budge about the doctor thing, Riley volunteered to take Christian there.

    Riley had a rough idea as to what happened to Christian and he decided it was better to stall them this way. Luckily it was Sunday, which meant that if Caleb was back by the next day, he could actually talk to him. While it seemed like their tiny ruse was working, Riley could tell that the Alpha was getting suspicious so he warned Christian that this wouldn''t work for long.

    The next day in the morning Caleb finally called Christian. "Hey, you called me a lot, is everything alright? I was away with Connor and my phone ran out of battery". Caleb informed him.

    "Yeah, can youˇ­ come to Alaska"? Christian asked.

    "Alaska"? Caleb scoffed. "I have a job Christian, I can''t just go to Alas..wait, you said comeˇ­ are you in Alaska? Dad said you went to Hilkin Ranch. What the hell bro?" Caleb scowled at him,

    "It''s a long story.. But I am pretty sure you should come here"

    "Look, I have cases pending, I cannot just not tend to them. I hate to take advantage of my position. People already call me a snob because I am related to the Mayor". Caleb grunted.

    "Where are you?" Christian asked.

    "I am driving back home. Connor is still asleep, but I need to head back" Caleb replied. "I really cannot go Alaska, can''t you ask any other pack member to go? How about Melanie? She is literally your beta" Caleb proposed.

    "Trust me, she would be my first choice if it was up to me, but..." Christian grunted.

    "I am not offended at all" Christian heard his brother murmur.

    "...But, she can''t, it has to be you. It''sˇ­ related to Ashton" Christian admitted and the moment he did he heard the tired screech. "Caleb? Caleb you alright?" Chistian found himself cursing. ''Damn it! I should have waited till he stopped driving'' Christian cussed himself.

    "Dad, what''s going on? Dad?" Christian heard the little boy ask in the background.

    "I am sorry, kid. The road is a bit slippery. I will be careful" Caleb coaxed his son. "Go back to sleep".

    "You are okay, right?" Connor asked Caleb.

    Caleb put a hand on his cheek and smiled, "I am fine. I am sorry for scaring you buddy".

    "I am not scared! I don''t get scared" Connor insisted before he turned around and closed his eyes.

    Caleb waited for a significant amount of time before he asked Christian, "What did you mean when you said, it''s about Ashton?" with hesitation he asked. Caleb was thrilled with the prospect of finding back his mate, but he was horrified by the possibility that somehow, whatever it was, proved that Ashton was dead. He wasn''t ready for the latter.

    Christian took a deep breath and explained everything that happened. "I thinkˇ­ I think it could be Ashton because he seemed to react, subtly, but react and I think it''s possible that it''s the wolf who is in control." Caleb was silent on the other side so Christian asked, "Caleb? You there?

    "Yeahˇ­ it''s justˇ­" Caleb''s grip on the steering wheel strengthened. "I don''t know what to believe anymore".

    "What are you talking about?" Christian whispered. "Of all people I know, you are the one who never gives up hope on finding Ashton".

    "I still haven''t given up. I am justˇ­ tired of failing to find him" Caleb sighed. "I still believe he is out there, but with every passing day, with every failed attempt, I lose hope. I believe more and more that it isn''t him anymore. That this would once more end in failure." Caleb admitted honestly.

    "Imagine how happy you would be the day when you find yourself being wrong"  Christian sighed. "Caleb, even after all of us gave up you never did. No matter how many times we tried to convince you, you were adamant and stubborn. You have held on for so long, now is not the time to give up . I strongly feel this wolf is Ashton. Just come here and check it" Christian pleaded.

    "Fine"! Caleb agreed after a whole minute. "Give me a few hours I will let you know the earliest I can be there". Caleb informed him.

    "That sounds about right. See ya", and he hung up.

    The next time the Alpha showed up, Christian admitted he was feeling much better. Since it was already morning, it was pointless, so the Alpha agreed to take him there this evening. According to Caleb the earliest he could reach here was midnight. Christian just hoped he would be able to convince the people not to kill this wolf, at least for the time being.

 Chapter 200 - Re-established

    "Soˇ­ is it that wolf?" Alpha Miller asked as he fed a few raw rabbits to the wolf inside the cellar.

    "That wolf?" Christian furrowed his eyebrows.

    "The one which attacked your pack". Alpha Miller reminded.

    "Ahhˇ­ it appears so, yes." Christian voiced. "Can I ask? How did things go down exactly?"

    "There isn''t much to tell. This wolf showed up out of nowhere and out of the blue it started attacking my wolves who were out there on patrol" Alpha Miller explained.

    "Just like that? No provocation"? Christian narrowed his gaze.

    "Are you trying to defend this wolf, Mr Wrisberg?" Alpha Miller frowned.

    "I am merely using my judgments. According to my observation this wolf is very wild, but it''s also simple. It''s like it''s connected to its primal instincts" Christian noted. Alpha Miller tilted his head so he continued. "I believe that this wolf won''t attack until provoked. Can you assure me that no one provoked him".

    "I can" If not for a moment of hesitation, Christian would have believed him. But he didn''t. If it were his pack he could take some real measures against this guy, but being here, several miles apart from his pack and his family, he needed to be very careful. He shouldn''t get too daring.

    "Then I guess I am wrong," Christian nodded. "Anyways, what do you plan on doing with him?"

    "Kill him", Alpha Miller declared.

    "And exactly how do you plan to achieve that?" Christian asked after a moment of deadly pause.

    "We will overdose him on Wolfsbane. I don''t know the exact dose but if we keep infusing him with it, it is bound to kill him eventually" Alpha Miller shrugged.

    In his mind Christian screamed, ''Caleb please hurry up''

    "This is a very dangerous wolf, how are you even gonna tame it enough to do that"? Christian asked them skeptically.

    "Mr. Wrisberg, this wolf might be dangerous, but he is outnumbered." Alpha Miller declared smugly. "We were gonna do it ASAP, but since it has already been delayed, and now we know we can contain him, we can wait for two more days".

    That got Christian''s attention. "Why wait two more days"? Christian asked.

    "Full moon. Here, we consider anything done in the full moon as a prospect of good luck." He shrugged.

    "I see" is all Christian could say. The more he heard Alpha Miller talk, the more it sickened him. He could guess why Riley was skeptical of him. Despite his warm welcome, Christian was starting to feel really uncomfortable by the advances made by Alpha Miller. It was as if anything he said was laid with silent threat in his voice.

    He informed that his brother was nearby and that after taking care of stuff he might stop by. Alpha Miller was skeptical but passed the duty to Riley for whatever was needed at the moment. The fact that Alpha Miller would be out this night for patrolling activities was a big comfort to them.

    When Caleb finally showed up, the clock in the room showed 00:37. The first thing Christian did upon seeing him was gave him a hug. But Caleb was too frantic to care, "Where is he? Or that wolf"? He asked.

    "Iˇ­ I know a shortcut, butˇ­" Christian hesitated, "I am not sure it would be safe"

    "I will help," Riley, who happened to be standing right next to Caleb, offered.

    "Thanks", Christian shot him a smile before all of them exited the room. Everyone was quiet the entire way which given their sneaky situation was extremely necessary. When they finally reached their destination, Riley showed him the cell.

    Switching on the flashlight, he advised, "The wolf is pitch black in color, so he might get camouflaged. Use this" He handed the flashlight over to Caleb. "It might be a bit helpful" Caleb gave him a nod before closing in on the cell. "Also, don''t touch anything here, most of it is laced with wolfsbane. We don''t have enough antidote at he moment, so I can''t smuggle you some if you end up hurting yourself".

    "We will give you some privacy" Christian prompted.

    "But-" Before Riley could protest, Christian dragged away. Riley still had some things to instruct, but most of it was be careful and all that so he didn''t bother much.

    "What are you doing? What if he needs our help"? Riley asked Christian.

    Rolling his eyes, Christian answered. "He is my brother. He can link me", Riley blinked before nodding as he helped Christian keep a lookout for anything else.

    Meanwhile in the dungeon, Caleb took a few steps towards the cage as he called out softly, "Ashton"?

    The wolf as expected did not respond. It didn''t even turn back or anything just held still as if it was asleep. It was a bit odd considering how Christian mentioned the wolf is usually awake at night. Now that he thought about it, Ashton was never to stay up at night. Maybe this wasn''t Ashton at all.

    "Ash?" He called again softly. He felt a bit idiotic for standing here like this talking to that wolf when he had no idea if this was Ashton or not. He wanted to have faith in his brother and wanted very much to believe that this wolf in fact was Ashton. Therefore, when he didn''t receive any response from the still wolf, he finally threw a pebble from the ground at him as an attempt to elicit any response.

    "Grrr" Finally the wolf growled at him, but paused mid way as soon as Caleb put the light of the flashlight on his face. The hesitation in the wolf''s face, was what solidified the hope in Caleb that yes, this was definitely his Ashton. He took another step towards it and noticed all the intricate features of the wolf.

    Caleb had only seen Ashton in his wolf form a few times, and therefore he was more than certain that this was definitely his mate. Taking another step closer he called again, "Ash"! This time, a bit more loudly. The wolf growled at him, but with muck meek intensity before turning his head around. Running out of eight year of patience he finally declared, "If you don''t respond to me properly, I am coming in".

    Somehow, that seemed to trigger the wolf and he kept growling at him incoherently as an attempt to scare him away. But Caleb was determined. Taking off his leather jacket in this extremely cold weather, he used it to grip the bars in order to avoid contact with wolfsbane and he headed in.

    What was surprising that in a moment that instead of taking this chance to escape the wolf came growling at him. Caleb however resisted every urge to recoil and as if he went crazy or something he approximated towards the voracious wolf. "I know it''s you," Caleb declared. "I know it''s not you who is in control Ashton. But I have met you before, during Ash''s rut and in his head. you are his wolf" He declared.

    "Do you realise if you stay here like this, they might kill you?" Caleb snapped. "I knew you weren''t dead"!  He added "Then why are you so eager to die"? He shouted at the wolf. The wolf recoiled as he heard Caleb. But Caleb continued to take his steps further towards the giant wolf.

    "I know you can understand me. But I need to communicate!" He raised his voice. Caleb was lucky that no one walked in as his voice kept getting louder by the minute. "Are you blocking me? From your mind? Is that why I could never link you?" He asked. The wolf who shrunk back at the corner of the wall continued to avoid his gaze.

    Finding an insane amount of courage Caleb put his hand over the black fur and spoke, "The only way I am leaving here is that I am taking you with me. Or you kill me. Cause if you don''t and I am discovered here, I will definitely be in trouble, who knows they will kill me with you" Caleb shrugged.

    As if something snapped in the wolf''s head, it jerked up growling at him. Caleb''s back hit the floor and surprisingly enough, that was not the worst pain he had at the moment. He felt his head hurt as suddenly a gush of memories started to come into his head. "Ahhh" Caleb screamed as the pain got unbearable. The link that had been lost all those years ago seemed to be reestablished finally.

    He saw flashes of how he got in trouble with the wolves, how he was trapped by other wolves who were probably bigger than him. He saw him getting dragged back as he tried to escape. And he witnessed almost dying as well. All those memories were too vague, too fast for him to comprehend anything, And as the pain in his head increased, his world turned even darker due to collapsing right on the floor.

 Chapter 201 - Eight Years?

    When Caleb opened his eyes he found himself in an unknown room. The moment he was able to comprehend that he was in unfamiliar surroundings he jolted up and looked around. He finally recalled everything and realised that he was in the same cell. What changed was that instead of a wolf he found a human, sitting by the corner, naked, and on a closer look he realised it was none other than Ashton.

    A million things came to his mind as Caleb gazed upon his mate, who simply stared back at him with those blank eyes. Unfortunately not a single voice came out of his mouth as he found his voice on the verge of quivering. So it was expected that Ashton was the one to break silence, "You areˇ­ Caleb"? He asked unsure. "You look... different" He mumbled. The way he was disoriented made Caleb suspicious that maybe Ashton had no idea that it''s been eight years.

    "You haven''t changed at all" through his quivering voice, Caleb mumbled. It was true. It''s been eight years and yet Ashton looked the same as he did eight years ago. It fascinated him and made him wonder how is that even possible, but first and foremost he engulfed his long lost mate in a hug. Without his jacket in this cold temperature, the warm embrace of Ashton felt awfully nice.

    "Oh, Ashton" Caleb mumbled in a muffled hug while Ashton simply hugged him back still not over his confusion.

    "Where are we? What''s going on?" Ashton asked a minute later into the hug.

    Finally pulling away Caleb put both of his hands on Ashton''s shoulders and asked. "What is the last thing you remember?"

    "Iˇ­ I was in this hotel, which was attacked by this wolf who resembled me, butˇ­ he.. he was bigger." Ashton winced in pain in an attempt to recall. "Iˇ­ I don''t remember anything else. I woke up here and saw you lying there. With your face half buried and with the beard I didn''t recognise you properly. It feels like yesterday to me, but something tells me it''s been a while since that". He mumbled.

    "8 years," Caleb mumbled.

    Ashton''s eyes widened the moment he heard that, "eight years?" Ashton whispered, unable to believe it. "But...how?"

    "You don''t really remember anything? But how?" Caleb whispered. "I sawˇ­" he trailed off.

    "How can I not remember eight years?" Ashton asked, as his breathing took a hitch. "I.. I used to have memory lapses during my rut. Do you think my wolf has been in control for all these years?" He asked Caleb who simply couldn''t take his eyes off his mate.

    "That seems likely," Caleb mumbled.

    "Do you know what happened? Did you ever see anything in the link?" Ashton asked.

    "The link hasn''t been there all this time" Caleb mumbled, causing Ashton''s eyes to widen. "At first I thought it was because of some problems in the north. That you are busy or maybe you have finally crossed the range of our limit. After almost 2 weeks when I failed to connect with you, I gotˇ­ worried. My brother sent a search party but they couldn''t find any clue either" Caleb''s breath hitched. "Everyone tried to convince me you were dead. I didn''t wanna believe them butˇ­" Caleb found himself at loss of words while he struggled to keep the tears in, alas failing miserably.

    Ashton, who was himself shocked with the way things turned out, racked his brains to find an answer, to figure out what to do next. He touched Caleb''s face with his right hand and mumbled, "I am so sorry" his voice started to quiver as well. "I shouldn''t have left. I shouldn''t have been so stubborn and obsessed with my past. I shouldn''t have abandoned you. I am so sorry for... abandoning you like this.." and Ashton broke into tears as well. With their bond reestablished, he could feel how devastating it was for Caleb. He could feel a hint of what Caleb felt all these years. The mere fact that he caused his mate so much pain made him loathe himself.

    "Hey, heyˇ­ look at me," Caleb whispered to his mate. "Look at me. I know you didn''t mean to abandon me."

    "Doesn''t change the fact that I did." Ashton huffed. "If only I hadn''t been so obsessed...Iˇ­ We could have been together. We wouldn''t have lost all these years". He bit his lips trying very hard not to have a meltdown.

    "How would you have known that this would happen? The moment your wolf connected with me, I saw theseˇ­ flashes of memories. From what it seemed like, you didn''t have a choice either. You were... trapped". Caleb mumbled.

    "You peeked into my wolf''s memories?" Ashton asked to which he received an affirmative nod from Caleb. "What else did you see?"

    "I...I saw them trying to kill you. I thinkˇ­ they tortured you as well... or your wolf, because you were not the one in control" Caleb mumbled.

    "Who are ''they''?" Ashton asked.

    "Wolves who looked more dangerous than you. They had shades of deep grey and dark brown. But it seemed, they were bigger than you. All I saw was wolves, no humans" Caleb explained. "I think you found them. Valestine wolves. Cause they definitely looked like one".

    Ashton snorted, "At what cost?" He sighed.

    "These past eight years have been extremely hard for me, without you by my side."Caleb declared and took a deep breath. "But I am really glad you''re alive," Caleb let out a smile. "You''re here" he brought his face closer to Ashton and put his forehead on Ashton''s. They remained like that for a while, crying yet smiling at the same time. Caleb turned his face and put his lips on Ashton''s, giving him a long passionate kiss, expelling all the emotions that built up inside of him for these past eight years.

    "Thank you, for coming back to me," Caleb whispered once he pulled away.

    "I am never leaving you again, I promise" Ashton mumbled with determination. This time it was Ashton who engulfed his mate into a hug. They had no idea how long they remained like that, but what prompted them to separate was a sound of metal clunking. They became alert immediately, Caleb more than Ashton as they knew what to anticipate in this condition.

    They were relieved to see that it was none other than Christian, followed by Riley, whom Ashton was wary of as he failed to recognize Riley. "It''s getting late, you should leave." Riley advised.

    "I am not leaving him here"! Caleb''s grip tightened on his mate''s hand as he glared at Riley.

    "I am not asking you too. Since he looks like a human now, he can blend in. You can just tell others that your mate came here with you". Riley advised.

    "What about the Alpha of this pack?" Caleb mumbled, "won''t he be suspicious. Won''t he wanna know what happened to the big bad wolf"? Caleb asked. Ashton simply stared at them, looking back and forth as they spoke since he legit had no idea on what was going on. The more he tried to think, the more his head hurt.

    "Yeah, I need to fake an escape about that" he mumbled. "You go back to your room. It''s next to your brother''s room, here is the key" Riley handed over the key to Christian. "I''ll inform Alpha Miller that when I came to feed the wolf and I saw it''s missing. That will probably cause some distraction." He mumbled.

    "Thank you" Christian mumbled.

    "Anytime" He patted Christian''s shoulder before he disappeared. Christian guided them through the other pathway to their guest house. The entire way Ashton maintained his silence, partly because he was asked to and partly because he was worried about what to say.

    Once they reached their respective rooms, Christian handed him some of his big clothes hoping they would fit. As it so happens, even if he looked way younger than the Wrisberg brothers, he was bigger than both of them. Once Christian noticed the hesitation in Ashton''s eyes, he said, "I know you have a lot of questions. But they need to wait. First, we have to get you out of here"

    "But, how?" Ashton finally spoke.

    "That bis something we are yet to figure out". Christian declared followed by a sigh.

 Chapter 202 - Meanwhile...

    "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" was the first thing Sebastian asked as he noticed the twins fighting over what to do while Connor simply gazed at them back and forth staring at them awkwardly.

    "She wants to go to the mall" Ariel rolled her eyes pointing at Ava.

    "Yeah, it''s better than some lame park" Ava rolled her eyes.

    "Don''t you have a date you should be on?" Ariel snapped at her sister.

    "Don''t you have a boring essay to write?" Ava snapped back.

    "Girls! Girls"! Sebastian shouted as he noticed things getting out of hand. "Whatˇ­ is happening?"

    "We can''t decide where to take Connor," Ava sighed.

    "Did youˇ­ ask him?" Sebastian asked awkwardly.

    "Yeah, we did," Ariel sighed.

    "He wants to go to that laser tag place" Ava sighed.

    "So? Do that?" Sebastian shrugged, earning a dull expression from the twins. They looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "What?"

    "Do you even know where that place is? It''s a three hour ride away"! Ava explained.

    "I see," Sebastian mumbled. He took a few steps towards Connor and spoke, "What else do you wanna do? Laser tag isn''t an option". Sebastian mumbled.

    After a careful thinking Connor answered, "I wanna talk to Dad"

    "That doesn''t sound so bad" Sebastian smiled and looked at the girls.

    "Caleb is on a plane. Christian called him to go where he is and now he is gone too" Ariel sighed. "He sent me a text to look after him" She held out her phone with a sarcastic smile. "Apparently I am available at his service" she remarked followed by an eyeroll.

    "Come on. You knew he wouldn''t have asked you to do that if he had a choice" Sebastian snorted before becoming quiet. As the idea hit him, he realised that he was so concerned with avoiding Christan that he didn''t even realise that Christian was gone.

    After a lot of debate they finally agreed to go to an ice cream parlour. Connor took almost everything in the mix. While Ava got chocolate while Ariel went for a mix of Butterscotch and pistachio. Meanwhile Sebastian took simple vanilla. As they had their ice cream suddenly Ava froze in her spot.

    "Brain freeze?" Ariel, who noticed her sister, asked. She gently shook her head and gestured at her back. There stood the same guy whom Ava declared as a mate. "Isn''t thatˇ­"?  Before she could finish herself, Ava cut in

    "We need to leave. Now" Ava dragged Connor who was sitting right next to her and Sebastian and Ariel tried to follow her. Sebastian shot a quick apologetic nod towards the unnamed guy before he ran out of the parlour.

    "What''s going on?" Ariel asked Ava when she finally stopped running. "I mean, I know you avoided him at the ceremony? But why now? Aren''t youˇ­ happy to have a mate?" She asked.

    "I don''t know," Ava sighed. "I never imagined I would have a fated mate. They are really rare. I am twenty three, I pretty much gave up on that idea" Ava shrugged.

    "So what?" Ariel frowned. "You remember Caleb''s friend? He told me that she met her mate when she was twenty two".

    "I know! People meet their fated mate even at 50" Ava groaned. "But, I probably didn''t wanna wait till 50" she shrugged. Ariel frowned and so did the awkward spectators who decided it was better not to butt in.

    "What I am trying to say is, I have a boyfriend." Ava sighed. "His name is Ben. He goes to my uni, andˇ­ things have been going pretty great. He is a human, so he won''t get all this mate stuff, andˇ­ I don''t know how to break up with him". She sighed.

    "So you don''t wanna hurt him," Ariel sighed.

    "Of course I don''t. He is a great guy. And, just because I have a mate doesn''t mean I can just walk all over him just like that. I need to justify it properly" Ava shrugged.

    "What about him?" Ariel asked. "I mean, I get itˇ­ but, don''t you think you should tell him, your mate I mean, about this. Won''t he be confused?"

    "Ian. His name is Ian. I did talk to him that evening. I said I need a bit more time, but it''s still awkward being around him." Ava sighed. "I haven''t even told mom yet. You know how protective she is, she will definitely freak out" Ava groaned. "When did relationships get so complicated?" she groaned.

    "How would I know? I have never been in one" Ariel shrugged. "Don''t worry sis, you will figure it out". She hugged her twin sister from the side.

    "Tammy!" Suddenly, Connor shouted looking at the distance. They noticed it was none other than Matt, who was carrying his baby daughter on his head. Connor didn''t have a lot of friends, however Tammy was definitely a friend of his. She was younger than him, but nevertheless with her energetic attitude they got along well.

    Matt, upon hearing Connor approached them, "Hey, what brings you here?" He asked.

    "We were justˇ­ playing around I guess" Ava shrugged. "What about you? When did you get back?" Ava asked cheerfully.

    "This morning. Man, it''s been eight years, and Courtney is still not fond of me" Matt groaned.

    "I meanˇ­ you did knock up her daughter" Sebastian decided to chip in and tease.

    Matt shot him a glare before answering, "She is my wife!" He sighed. "Anyways, I do miss her though, but I know she is more comfortable at her parent''s houseˇ­ so I get Tammy for two weeks" he informed the lot with a smile.

    "It''s been a while," Connor smiled.

    "Conni!!" Tammy shouted from Matt''s head who finally noticed the tiny boy between all the adults. "Tammy missed you"! She chirped.

    All the adults started cooing at her adorable call. "Where is Caleb?" Matt asked. Ava explained how he had to leave abruptly so they were tasked with watching over Connor. "If you want, I can watch them?" Matt offered.

    "You sure?" Ava asked and Ariel gazed at him with delight.

    "Yeah, with Tracey back at her house, I do have time. Also, I think Tammy would love to play with Connor" he shrugged.

    "Thank you so much" Ava gave him a quick tight hug before disappearing.

    "That was fast," Ariel mumbled while staring at Ava''s back.

    "Well, I should get going I guess. Come on Connor" Matt put out his hand to hold Connor''s hand and took them away together.

 Chapter 203 - Sexuality

    "So, what will you do now"? Ariel asked Sebastian who was the only one left.

    "I have a lot of things to do," Sebastian assured. Ariel maintained her blank stare at him before narrowing her gaze at him. "What?" Sebastian asked, noticing her suspicious glance.

    "What''s wrong with you?" Ariel asked Sebastian, slightly narrowing her gaze at him.

    "Nothing"!

    "You sure?"

    "Of course" Christian rolled his eyes.

    "I''ll leave you to it then" Ariel shrugged and was about to leave when Sebastian shouted, "Wait"!

    "What?" Ariel raised her eyebrows after she turned back to look at him.

    "You mentioned earlier you have never been in a relationship". Sebastian mumbled.

    "Yeahˇ­ What about it"? Ariel frowned.

    "I hope you don''t mind me asking this, butˇ­ Did anyone ever propose to you?" Sebastian asked, trying his best to ignore the awkwardness. He wasn''t exactly close with her. They just happened to get acquainted through Wrisberg brothers.

    "Of course" She smiled smugly. "But why are you asking"?

    "I just wanted to knowˇ­ how did you reject them?" Sebastian shrugged. "Like, how did you know for sure you didn''t wanna be with them"? He asked.

    Ariel tilted her head before she mumbled, "I just...knew." after taking a pause, she mumbled, "Shouldn''t you be familiar with situations like this? I mean, you are kind of popular. You look good, I can''t believe you haven''t been in a situation like this before". She frowned.

    "Actually, most of the time it was just fans. I know most of them were trying to flatter me, and frankly speaking I couldn''t be less interested in them" Sebastian shrugged.

    "So this time you are interested, but you want to reject this oneˇ­ for some reason" she furrowed her eyebrows as she struggled to figure out the missing link in his statements.

    "More like, the person is close to me...so I.. I guess I feel bad about hurting.. them" Sebastian admitted.

    "Ahhˇ­." A bright smile appeared on Ariel''s face. "So he confessed"

    "What?" Sebastian paled.

    "You said them" Ariel.

    "So? It could have been anybody, why would you assume-"

    "Give it a rest" Ariel interrupted, shutting him up. "Your fans might be crazy for you, but hereˇ­ there aren''t many people who have a crush on you."

    "..." Sebastian opened his mouth several times but nothing came out of his mouth. Seeing him struggle like that made Ariel chuckle. "You don''t know what you are talking about"

    "You wanna bet?"Ariel scoffed. "I convinced Christian to not go through with this engagement ceremony. Trust me, I have good deduction skills" She winked "You can tell me. I am an excellent secret keeper." she smiled.

    "Fine. Yeahˇ­ Christian confessed." Sebastian pursed his lips, "Twice actually". Ariel''s eyes widened at this piece of information. "He didn''t mean to. He was drunk the first time" Sebastian clarified before Ariel got any wrong idea.

    "I see, so are having a hard time rejecting him" Ariel nodded. Her teasing smile was replaced with a concerned expression. "You are afraid to ruin your friendship?"

    "Maybe?" Sebastian mumbled, unsure of himself. Ariel tilted her head in confusion so he spoke further, "He isn''t exactly waiting for my answer. He knows I am straight. And he is ready to move on".

    "That doesn''t sound so bad." Ariel let out a tiny smile. "That''s what you want right?" She asked to which she received no response so she tried again, "Right?"

    "I don''t know," Sebastian sighed. "Everything laid out so perfectly and yet I can''t believe I am this conflicted" He sighed. "I am straight, okay. I have always identified as straight, butˇ­ I dunno. I feel as ifˇ­ I wanna... try" Sebastian mumbled. "Won''t that be wrong?"

    "If you are experimenting, thenˇ­ probably not the best for him." Ariel sighed. "But againˇ­ who can say. You might end up falling for him after all. You already have all these confusing feelings for him. Maybe it''s worth it?"

    "What if it''s not? I mean, I am over thirty year old, I shouldn''t be questioning myself like this. I am so confused" Sebastian sighed.

    "Okay.. first of all, age is just a number. It''s okay to question whenever you feel like it. Seconflyˇ­" Ariel took a deep breath before saying, "I think, it''s okay to change your labels. Or not, if you don''t want to. You said that you always identified as straight, right?" He nodded at her

    "Well, just because you did doesn''t mean you can''t change it. You might be a wolf, but you have spent a majority of your growing years in a society which believes in heteronormativity. You are straight until you decide otherwise. Trust me, I have seen a lot of crap like this in my uni" She grunted before taking a deep breath. "My point is, it''s okay to change labels if you want. At the end of the day it''s your life, do whatever the f**k you want" She smiled.

    "Wow, this frustrates you a lot, doesn''t it" Sebastian chuckled. "But I guess, I see your point."

    "Uh-huh?" Ariel asked.

    "Hmmˇ­ I still have to figure out my exact feelings, but I guess I should keep my mind open." Ariel nodded at him with a smile. "Wow, you are good at this, You should definitely be a therapist". Ariel ended up laughing at that.

    "I do want to be one once I graduate. Living here I noticed the wolves don''t have access to mental health services at all. When I was struggling with my own sexuality, it was hard. In fact, not just that, being a bit awkward at social interactions, I had a hard time fitting in. One of my friends recommended me to a therapist who happened to be his cousin. It helped. So yeah, I guessˇ­ I wanna be helpful too, like that" Ariel let out a smile.

    "That''s so beautiful." Sebastian mumbled. "Wait, you mentioned sexuality. Are you gay"? He asked. "You don''t have to answer that" He added quickly before she could say something.

    "You don''t have to walk around the eggshells around me" She chuckled. "No, I am not gay. I am asexual." She declared. "Wolves are usually sexual beings. I guess I am an exception".

    "Hence no relationships" Sebastian added.

    "Not exactlyˇ­ I mean yeah for me. But it''s not the same for everyone else." Ariel explained. Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows, so she continued. "It''s a big spectrum. It''ll take a long time for me to explain. I''ll tell you what? You figure out this thing with Christian and thenˇ­ maybe I will explain it to you some other day.

    "Okay" Sebastian nodded. "Thanks, for giving me another perspective"

    "Anytime" Ariel smiled before she headed off to her room.

 Chapter 204 - Backstory?

    "I think we need to get our stories straight." Caleb suggested. Christian nodded at him.

    "Here is what I was thinking. I''ll say when you told me you were here, I didn''t know you were here with Ashton. So, I didn''t know he would be coming?" He proposed.

    "Okay, so we are faking that he came with me"? Caleb asked inquisitively.

    "You got any better idea? I am all ears" Cristian shrugged.

    "No, let''s go with this one," Caleb nodded. "How about, we say that I was here with Ashton for a trip. Like to get away from the craziness of our pack life"? Caleb proposed.

    Christian nodded at him before he mumbled, "Although, what if the alpha here found out that your mate had been missing for years? We are the sons of pack leaders, new travel fast".

    "True, but the very fact that you had to introduce yourself, and that he didn''t know about you beforehand might be suggestive of that he actually doesn''t know about us" Caleb suggested.

    "Well, if so then there is a very high chance we might be suspected for his disappearance from the cell", Caleb sighed. "Not to mention, even if that guy...Riley? Was it? He helped us. I am not so sure about his intentions. He is awfully nice to complete strangers" Caleb admitted.

    "I am not gonna lie, I find it suspicious too". Christian sighed. "For all I know he might rat us out to the Alpha".

    "Well, we are werewolves from a strong pack, if it comes down to it, we might have to fight back". Caleb sighed.

    "No"! Ashton prompted.

    Both Caleb and Christian turned to look at him before Caleb asked, "What?"

    "I am not fighting anyone. I am not going to shift" Ashton declared.

    "Are you out of your mind?" Christian huffed.

    "I am not!" Ashton insisted stubbornly. Christian was about to lose his temper when Caleb gave him a nod to keep him quiet. He looked at Ashton and waited for him to explain.

    "I don''t want to shift. The last time I did, eight years went by. I don''t want to shift". Ashton insisted.

    "I got you," Caleb whispered. "I managed to get you back, didn''t I? Maybe my presence will help?" Caleb suggested.

    "No" Ashton shook his head comparatively more vigorously. "I don''t want to"! His voice raised a pitch.

    "Okay, okayˇ­ you don''t have to". Caleb assured him. "So, what do we do now?" Turning to his brother, Caleb asked.

    "We wait for the Alpha to find out, and we wait for his verdict". Christian sighed.

    "It''s really risky, you know that right"?  Caleb asked before he sighed. Christian gave him a slight nod before they were engulfed into silence once more. All of their heart rates hit a spike as soon as they heard knocks on the door.

    Hesitantly, Christian opened the door to his room only to reveal Riley at the door. "The Alpha found out about the missing wolf. He want everyone including you two be there".

    "Wait, did you tell him it''s two of us"? Panicked, Christian asked.

    "I think what I actually said was ''our guests from the Cresentile Pack''. I didn''t say ''2'' per say." Riley informed them.

    "That''s a relief." He sighed. "Can you tell him that Caleb was accompanied by Ashton on his way here?"

    "Sure" Riley nodded. "But, you really need to hurry. He called a meeting and we urgently need to be there"

    "Can''t you tell him that we are sleeping?" Christian asked.

    "I did bring it up earlier. He asked me to ''just wake em up''" Riley rolled his eyes while he emphasized on ''just wake em up'' by deepening his voice. "Just put on a few night robes I guess. Make it look like you were actually sleeping to sell it? I''ll wait by the door till you''re done. But hurry up, or things might get worse" He shrugged before closing that door.

    With Riley by the door it made it difficult to have a conversation out loud. While Caleb can communicate with both Ashton and Christian via link, the later two didn''t have any means of communication. If Ashton was trained in ASA (American sign language) it might have still worked.

    Sighing, Christin got a few robes out of his wardrobe and handed each of them to the duo. They changed quickly as soon as possible before heading out. Riley guided them to the community hall where the entire pack was gathered around together. "You''re late" was the first thing Alpha Miller uttered upon seeing them.

    Before the trio could say anything, Riley interrupted. "Well, he was sleeping, and they were busyˇ­ getting busy, so we got delayed" As soon as Riley mumbled those words both Caleb''s and Ashton''s eyes widened at that. Meanwhile, Christian tried his best to keep his smile away from his mouth.

    "Wait a second, why are you three people".

    "They are mates," Riley introduced. Alpha Miller tilted his head, so Christian put forward the explanation they had planned already. Once he was done, Christian looked at him waiting for him to say something as he kept on glancing at Caleb and Ashton suspiciously.

    "Very well then" Alpha Miller let out a faint smile. "Since we have new guests, why don''t you go ahead and introduce yourselves. He asked after looking at the mate duo.

    Unsure of Ashton''s mental state, Caleb took the lead. "I am Caleb Wrisberg. I am his brother." He pointed at Christian using his thumb. "And this is my mate, Ashton Parker".

    "He looks quite young, '''' Alpha Miller commented.

    "You know how it isˇ­ love is love" Caleb added but soon started to feel awkward about his statement. He agreed with it, but at this moment he was trying to fake the entire situation just to avoid getting caught.

    "Of course it is," Alpha Miller gave a nod before shifting his focus to the crowd. "You must be wondering why we have gathered here. I just want to make an important announcement that can have big consequences on us." he declared.

    The entire crowd started to talk in hush hush, wondering what was going on here. "Silence" He ordered and once again the entire hall dipped back into cold silence. "As I was saying, I have alarming news. The ferocious beast that attacked us the other day had escaped his containment" The fear and shock was evident on the face of each and every member of the crowd.

    Seeing their horrified expression pained Ashton as guilt of hurting such a large pack started to consume him. He couldn''t believe he really went savage after all. He couldn''t help but feel that he deserved to be locked up in the cabinet. Suddenly a tight grip on his hand drew his attention to the person next to him. It seemed as if Caleb could feel his guilt that engulfed him.

    "Do not worry," Alpha Miller assured the rest of the pack. "I will strengthen our security measures and try my level best to track down the runaway wolf. If any of you have any suggestions or any intel on the wolf I suggest you come forward. We might need all our resources to find this one" Alpha Miller sighed.

    He waited patiently for anybody to speak up, to make a stand, but no one did. Therefore, after waiting for like half a minute he declared. "Then. That will be all for now. I apologise for ruining your sleep but I suggest you ensure your safety as we have a fugitive beast. Good night everyone" He declared.

    Everyone started to clear out the hall, and so did our Crescentile trio. However, before these three could go much further, they were stopped by Alpha Miller. "If you don''t mind, I would like to discuss something with you. Can you stay back?" He asked. As the three of them halted, each and everyone of their faces paled waiting to get caught.

    AUTHOR''S NOTE

    try redeeming this code guys

    AB9AY93NQGSPRUJ9A

 Chapter 205 - Whats Different

    "If you don''t mind, I would like to discuss something with you. Can you stay back?" That was the sentence that ran chills through all of their spines who were present at the room at that given moment, But the one who was most scared was Caleb. Once the hall was entirely empty, including Riley who was gone, Alpha Miller took some steps towards the trio.

    With each step he took, their heart rates increased by a beat. At this point all they hoped that they shouldn''t come off as too suspicious, no matter what Miller has to say. "Mr. Wrisberg, I know that you came here solely for the wolf. I am sorry things took such an ugly turn. But if it''s okay with you, I would like your help regarding it''s search." He conveyed.

    A wave of relief washed over all of them. Christian nodded at Alpha Miller in approval of the suggested plan, "I would be happy to help."  And with that even they were allowed to leave. Once all of them were all alone, they looked at each other contemplating the current situation. "It''s late. Go to sleep. We will talk tomorrow" He ordered.

    Nodding, Caleb took Ashton to the room he was assigned to. Having had no time to unpack, it looked kinda dull. Ashton simply looked around the room before his gaze settled on his mate. The features on Caleb had changed over the past few years. Even if Caleb looked much thicker in general, he somehow seemedˇ­ a little shabby.

    As far as Ashton was aware, Caleb loved to take care of himself. Caleb l not only always tried to look his best, but he also tried to stay as fit as possible. Years of separation had taken a surprising toll on his health, which may not be noticeable for everyone, but it was noticeable for Ashton.

    Caleb was in the middle of packing when suddenly he felt a pair of arms around his waist. It was accompanied by the warm chest on his back and a chin on his shoulder. "What are you doing?'''' He asked, carefully.

    "Savouring the moment" Ashton mumbled without moving around much.

    "I should be the one saying that. I waited for you eight years" Caleb let out a cheeky smile.

    "I am sorry" Ashton mumbled after a few seconds.

    "Don''t be sorry. I am just glad to have you back" Caleb declared before finally turning over. He put both of his hands on Ashton''s face and brought it closer to his own. "Just don''t everˇ­ ever leave me again" he demanded.

    "Never"! Ashton agreed. Ashton engulfed his mate in a hug and stayed like that. Ashton didn''t have his pheromones emanating from him and it was the same for Caleb. There was no smell altogether, and yet, the hug soothed both of them.

    After a whole minute, Caleb finally spoke, "I should unpack," he tried to let go but Ashton held on and only tightened his hold, "Ashton?"

    "Can we stay like thisˇ­ for a little longer" Ashton whispered which happened to be right next to Caleb''s ears. Caleb, who had withdrawn his hand, put it back on Ashton''s back. They stayed like that for quite a while. Neither of them said anything and yet a lot of emotions were conveyed. The yearning, the longing for each other and most importantly the love they had for each other.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Caleb and Ashton let go of each other. "I have a lot to catch up on, don''t I?" Ashton asked.

    "I guess you do" Caleb chuckled. "Let me finish unpacking, then we can talk." Caleb suggested. He didn''t unpack completely though. He was expecting a quick departure. He simply arranged the ones which he might be needing the very next morning. It was a miracle that Alpja Miller didn''t suspect them. He wanted to escape before that notion changed.

    Once he was done he sat down on the bed next to Ashton and asked, "What do you want to know?"

    After a careful thinking he asked, "How are you?"

    Caleb chuckled, "I am exactly how I look like". He replied.

    "What do you do now? You lead the pack?" Ashton asked.

    "Sometimes. To keep a link with the humans I took a job and now I am the sheriff of the town." Caleb shrugged.

    "That''s awesome"! Ashton exclaimed.

    "Yeah...not really" Caleb snorted. "It''s a good distraction". Ashton pursed his lips but didn''t dare say anything.

    "Wait, if it''s been eight years, then I guess you areˇ­ twenty nine year old?" Ashton asked. Caleb nodded at him. "Then the twins, they must be older too right?"

    "Hmm" Caleb nodded. "After you disappeared, my Dad convinced them to be a part of the pack. He said that with you being my mate, they were a part of the family. I guess he thought three omegas by themselves would not be safe." Caleb sighed. "But, they are officially our pack members now." He explained.

    "That''s comforting to hear" Ashton asked. "How about my mom? how is she doing"?

    "Just like me, I guess. Losing you took a toll on her too. Sheˇ­ shows that she is strong but we know deep down she is struggling a lot." Caleb admitted. "I am sure she would be very delighted to see you" Caleb smiled.

    Ashton remained quiet for a while. "I have disappointed a lot of people, didn''t I"? He asked in a whisper.

    "I guess" Caleb shrugged. "So, it''s up to you now to change that about you". He insisted.

    "How?" Ashton asked. "No matter how much I apologize, I can never make up for the lost time. I promised my Dad that I will take care of mom and the twins for as long as they need me. Look at me now," Ashton scoffed. "I abandoned my mother for eight years. Iˇ­ I missed the twins growing up. They are adults now right?" He asked to which Caleb simply nodded. "I missed a lot of important things".

    "Yeah, but that''s the thing about life" Caleb smiled. "There is always going to something or the other which is important. You might have missed a few but make sure you don''t miss the upcoming ones" Caleb took Ashton''s hand and rubbed on calluses on his hand. "What happened to you, what happened to us is unfortunate. But eventually, we need to move on". He mumbled.

    Ashton stared at his mate''s face as Caleb seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Taking a leap, Ashton put his lips on his mate''s and kissed him passionately. He had a lot to make up for, maybe now is a good time to start after all.

 Chapter 206 - The Return

    "I am glad you decided to visit me, it''s sad that you have to leave right now" Christian faked as he hugged Caleb goodbye as he noticed Alpha Miller in his earshot. If there was any chance he was eavesdropping, he had to be sure he didn''t give away anything.

    Caleb booked a return flight as soon as he woke up. The flight was supposed to leave at night, therefore he had to spend an entire day here, before he could finally leave in the evening. [You sure this is okay] Caleb asked his brother in the link.

    [Don''t Worry. Ashton is their target, get him out as soon as possible. It''s Important to keep him away from all this madness.] Christian advised.

    [Won''t you be all by yourself here?] Caleb''s worry started to appear in his face.

    Christian shook him lightly and replied. "Don''t worry. I will make sure I am safe while looking for this wolf. I got this." He assured his brother. Christian knew that sentence could have been interpreted in two different ways, and he took very advantage of the fact.

    Ashton came out of the apartment carrying his mate''s luggage before they boarded the car. The whole time Caleb felt nothing but anxious. What they did was literally trick the other pack leader and he knows that if the situation was reversed how pissed off he would be. Yet, he didn''t feel like admitting the truth was the solution here. He just needed to get Ashton out of here, before he could make any proper move regarding this.

    Once they boarded the plane, they finally felt relaxed enough, or at least Caleb did. Ashton was highly anxious about meeting his family. His anxiety levels were so high that Caleb could basically sense it even without his bond to Ashton. "Ash"?  He called out his mate. "Worried about your family"?

    Ashton nodded. "I don''t know what to expect. Maybe it would help if you could tell me what they are up to these days, but you refuse to tell me anything" Ashton pouted.

    "Hey, I am just being fair. They spent eight years wondering what the hell happened to you. You can spend 8 hours wondering what happened to them" Caleb shrugged.

    "Wow" Ashton huffed. "You have definitely become mean"

    "Yeah. It''s hard not to when you have to take crap from basic idiots. Actually you know what, everybody in general" Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "Soˇ­ they still don''t know about you.. Being an omega"? Ashton asked carefully noticing his mate''s frustration.

    "No" Caleb shook his head. "Most of the pack members believe I lost my mate and the fact that I refused to believe it is a sign that I have gone crazy." He rolled his eyes once more. "They can barely respect me as their leader anymore, imagine how they would feel if I came out as an omega to them" He huffed. "I can''t wait to see their stupid faces once they see you" Caleb sighed.

    As Ashton heard Caleb''s words he realised how different he sounded. Caleb''s personality emanated a bitter aura, most of which was definitely his fault. This was exactly how he used to react to situations after he lost his parents, obviously in a more childish way. But something about this situation felt similar to that one.

    The warm bright aura that Caleb had, which annoyed Ashton since day one, somehow seemed to have faded. And Ashton definitely missed that. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Those words from Caleb are what brought his focus back to their current scenario.

    "Nothing," Ashton mumbled before looking away.

    "It''s not nothing. You were looking at me likeˇ­ you were disappointed or something".  Caleb admitted.

    "Of course not!" Ashton rectified immediately. "I could never be disappointed in you no matter what. I justˇ­ I am starting to notice howˇ­ different you have become" Ashton admitted.

    "And it bothers you?" Caleb asked. "That I don''t seem the same anymore?"

    "Noˇ­" Ashton trailed off. He was certain it was not that. He wasn''t just sure what he felt at the moment. "It''s not like you are a completely different person. You are still you. It''s been eight years since I last saw you and you were bound to change. I justˇ­ I just wish we could have changed together" He admitted. "Grow up together".

    "...Me too," Caleb mumbled after a minute. "But, fate had different plans" He sighed. "It''s weird how you don''t remember a single thing since you shifted. It''s also weird how you appear exactly the same. You were already a year and half years younger than me, and now you look even more younger" Caleb scoffed.

    "Looks like you are destined to date a kid" Ashton joked while Caleb shot him a glare that conveyed a message, ''not funny''. "Sorry" After another minute, Ashton asked. "Why did everyone think I died? I mean, you would feel the severed bond right?" Ashton asked.

    "That''s what I said," Caleb groaned. "But everyone refused to believe me. Remember how when Warren was attacked, you know the day he turned into a vampire. Karolyn could feel it even without any marking or mating. We have been through both right? How could I not feel anything if something bad happen to you?" Caleb questioned. "But then again, the lack of any link from you made me question how much of my logic was valid".

    "That''s another thing I don''t understand," Ashton murmured. "I was alive. You are capable of linking me in my wolf form right? Or even if my wolf was in control"?  Caleb nodded at his mate, "Then how come you couldn''t connect with me at all?"

    "I don''t know." Caleb sighed. "Maybe your wolf does" ? Caleb suggested. "Should I try speaking with him again"? He asked.

    "I am not letting my wolf get control," Ashton shook his head. "I told you, I am not sure I can control it anymore. I.. I..." Ashton fumbled so Caleb put his arms around Ashton and tried to calm him down.

    The entire way Caleb didn''t bother bringing up the topic at all. They both watched a movie but both of their minds wandered off to their respective problems. Caleb was worried what would happen to his brother whom he left behind meanwhile Ashton was worried about how he will see his family, and what would their reaction be upon seeing him

    When they finally reached the airport, they left immediately for the pack house. The entire way Ashton was distracted as he was busy coming up with all kinds of different scenarios for the supposed reunion of Ashton with his family. All Caleb told him that his sister''s were home, but he didn''t give much detail on that.

    As for his mother, she was not home yet. Where was she? He had no idea cause Caleb refuses to tell him anything. Honestly if Caleb didn''t insist on keeping these from him, maybe he wouldn''t be having such a hard time right now. But a part of him also felt like he deserved it. He too needed to know how frustrating not knowing can be.

    When the Car finally stopped in front of the pack house instead of in the garage, Caleb was the first one to get out. As soon as he did he saw his father coming out of the building as if he was headed off to somewhere. He halted as soon as he spotted Caleb next to his car.

    "So?" His father asked Caleb. Caleb pursed his lips and looked back at his car from where Ashton emerged as he finally gathered the courage to face Mr. Wrisberg. He saw Mr. Wrisberg gave him stern and blank expressions. Ashton found it really hard to make eye contact at this very moment. Of all the timed Mr. Wrisberg was displeased with him this time for a solid reason.

    "So it was him". Mr. Wrisberg mumbled. He took a few steps towards Ashton and stopped directly in front of Ashton''s face as his gaze intensified. Ashton, who had been avoiding his mate''s father''s gaze, was finally forced to look at Mr Wrisberg.

    "Dad" Caleb tried to divert his Dad''s attention, but to no avail. A sudden loud noise startled all of them followed by a really terrible burning sensation on Ashton''s cheek. Ashtonˇ­ or, for the record, even Caleb did not expect for Mr. Wrisberg to slap him just like that. The moment Caleb recovered from the shock he shouted, "Dad"!

 Chapter 207 - Back To The Pack House

    Being a wolf of such higher rank, the burning sensation disappeared quite early. What remained however was utter humiliation and anger that was about to burst out of Ashton. Unfortunately, or fortunately Caleb was way ahead of him.

    "Dad, step away from him"! He shouted at him. Mr. Wrisberg shot a glare at his son but he did as he was asked. "Why are you slapping him?" He asked his father.

    "Why are you defending him?" Mr Wrisberg retorted

    "He is my mate", Caleb asserted

    "The mate who abandoned you eight years ago." Mr Wrisberg scoffed. "What a mate". He noted sarcastically

    "Dad, you don''t know what he has been through. Shouldn''t you give him a chance to explain" Caleb pleaded.

    "I don''t care. When he chose you to be his mate he was supposed to be with you. Not disappear out of the blue like that"! Mr Wrisberg raised his voice and yet maintained his calm..

    "He is my mate, why are you getting so worked up?" Caleb however found it hard to remain calm.

    "Cause you are my son? Or am I not supposed to care about anything at all anymore now that your precious mate is back"  Mr Wrsiberg snorted sarcastically.

    "When did you ever care for me?" Caleb pointed out.

    "You are right. It was just Christian" "Do whatever you want. Maybe you deserve to be miserable after all" And with that Mr Wrisberg disappeared.

    "Can you believe him?" Caleb mumbled.

    "Yes," Ashton mumbled. Caleb narrowed his gaze at Ashton so he continued. "He is not completely wrong though. As your mate I abandoned you and that''s not forgivable at all. As your father he has every right to be mad at me".

    "Do not patronize him" Caleb scolded him back. "Let''s go" Caleb motioned him and they entered the pack house. It''s been years since he had been here and yet the ethereal beauty of this place remained nonetheless the same. The intricate details on walls maintained it''s dignity.

    A few paintings on the wall had been replaced but that blended splendidly with the background. He walked and subconsciously followed Caleb to his room. When they reached his room he noticed how it was exactly the same and yet, it felt a little dull. Caleb turned around and asked Ashton, "Why did you follow me till here?"

    "Iˇ­ I am not sure if I still have a room here" Ashton admitted honestly.

    "As if I would let anyone take it" Caleb snorted smugly. "Lemme get changed, I''ll go with you".

    Ashton sat down as Caleb shifted into something more comfortable. While he was changing Ashton noticed that there was a big scar across his abs on the right side just below his chest. He was curious and about to ask him when a shirt landed on his face. "This is yours. You can wear it" he advised.

    "Youˇ­ had my shirt?" Ashton frowned as he asked.

    Cleaning his throat he replied, " Just this one".

    "Why" Ashton''s frown deepened in confusion.

    "Doesn''t matter. You want it or not"?  Caleb snapped.

    Ashton looked at Caleb''s face then looked back at the black shirt in his hand. "No, you can keep it" he put the shirt on the shirt on the bed. Caleb furrowed his brows at Ashton before shaking his head dismissively. "Come on, let''s go" Caleb gestured with his head and led Ashton to his room.

    Ashton''s room was just the same as he left it. Not a single thing has changed. Not to mention how clean this looked. It was as if he had been living here all this time. As if Caleb read his mind he mumbled, "I have this place cleaned once a week. I had it cleaned before I left for the Ice Fountain".

    "Thanks," Ashton whispered. "You believed in me"

    "Yeah" Caleb smirked. "I used to come here, from time to time, when I missed you" Caleb admitted.

    "You know what I hate the most?" Ashton mumbled after a whole minute. "That it was so worthless. Eight years of disappearance, and for what? For nothing"! Ashton huffed. Caleb took a few steps towards him and gave him a side hug. They remained like that for a while until they heard a few knocks on the door.

    "Come in," Caleb answered.

    "I knew you would be here. I wanted to tell you that Con-" Ariel who started to talk as soon as she stepped through the door froze at the spot when she spotted Ashton. It wasn''t just her who couldn''t believe their own eyes, it was Ashton too. Last time he saw Ariel was back when she was still a teenager. Now? She was a woman.

    "Ashton"?  She whispered. "I am not hallucinating right? Tell me it''s not a side effect of my meds!" She demanded out loud.

    "You are not," Caleb snorted. "He is really here, This is why I left so abruptly" Caleb explained with a smile bigger than his lips could take.

    Ashton remained quiet but he could feel himself tearing up just like Ariel. Without wasting another second Ariel came and hugged her long lost brother tightly and squeezed him till he ran out of breath. But Ashton couldn''t care less about his breath, he simply hugged her back, "Ashton you''reˇ­" She took a deep breath as her voice started to quiver. "You''reˇ­ exactly the same" She chuckled.

    "Look at you," Ashton mumbled, putting a hand on his sister''s face. "You have grown so much."

    "Yeahˇ­" She smiled.

    "And you have become stronger. That hug, damn!" Ashton commented Ariel gave him a smug shrug before she ended up chuckling through her finally escaping tears.

    "You know what, I have some work to do. I will leave you guys to it" Caleb mumbled before waving his hand at both Ariel and Ashton.

    "I am sorry, for not being around" Ashton mumbled once Caleb was out of the door.

    "Yes, I am very mad at you" She gave him a punch on his shoulder making him wince. "How could you leave us. You adorable sisters and your lovely mom. Not to mention your extremely attractive mate" She folded her hands and huffed.

    "You know me, I am stubborn" He sighed. "And I was an idiot," he mumbled.

    "Well, maybe don''t be a bigger idiot and leave us alone once more" She pouted.

    "I won''t," Ashton shook his head. "I already missed eight years, I cannot lose any more. I am never leaving this pack ever again" he declared.

    "Good" She cleared her throat. "So, what have you been upto? Why do you look exactly the same? Like you haven''t aged a single day"? Asked Ariel.

    "I wish I knew. All I know is that it wasn''t me but the wolf in me who was in control. For me, all those eight years are a blank. For me it''s like it all happened yesterday." He sighed as Ariel simply stared at him sympathetically. "As for my aging, I think it halted once my wolf took over. It''s one of the phenomena I don''t understand," ``he sighed.

    "So, you are still twenty year old?" Ariel asked furrowing her eyebrows to which Ashton simply shrugged. "Wait, that means I am older than you? I am twenty four" She chirped.

    "Yeahˇ­ no" Ashton shook his head. "No matter what you will always be my little sister". He declared. Ariel simply scoffed at him in response before their bond ended up laughing lightly.

 Chapter 208 - Sisters

    After a few minutes Ashton asked, "Soˇ­ tell me? How are you doing? Do you have a mate yet?"

    "No, I actually don''t," Ariel shrugged. "But guess what, Ava did. That too very recently"!

    "Really? Who is it?" Ashton folded his hand as if he was about to interrogate.

    "This guyˇ­ name is Ian" Ava shrugged.

    "This guy? He is your sister''s mate and all you know is his name? What happened to taking care of her in my absence"? Ashton raised her eyebrows.

    "Hey, she is not a baby alright. She can take care of herself" Ariel scowled.

    "I know" Ashton laughed lightly. "I was just teasing you" Ariel simply pouted in response to Ashton. "You know what, you are right, teasing your siblings is actually fun" at this point Ariel was simply shooting glares at her brother.

    Before their conversation could continue a running Ava came rushing through the door. "It''s true, you are really here" She breathed out loud as she looked at Ashton.

    "Ava" Ashton smiled. Suddenly, once more he was engulfed in a hug by his sister. "Ouch!" Before he could say anything else he received a series of punches from his enraged sister directed right at his shoulder and his arm. If he was a human, he might have ended up with a dislocated shoulder by now.

    "How...dare...you...abandon...us...likeˇ­ thatˇ­! I amˇ­ goingˇ­ to ˇ­ kill.. You"! She declared between her punches.

    Even if he had the power to stop her he didn''t. He simply looked at Ariel in a plea of help. But all Ariel did was shrug and let her brother get beaten up like that.

    "Let go of me" Finally Ashton begged his sister.

    "NO"! She shouted at Ashton while her eyes were filled with tears. "You deserve this you jerk"!

    "You are right," Ashton sighed. "But it hurts. Can you please?'''' He begged. After a few more punches she finally let him go. "Who told you?"

    "I did," Ariel smirked. "I would have called mom too but unfortunately she is away.

    "Where is she?" Ashton asked.

    "Mrs Wrisberg dragged her to her parents house. According to Mrs Wrisberg she needed a change of scenario." Ava shrugged.

    "So, they are like friends now?" Ashton asked.

    "Yepp"! Ariel shrugged. "Thanks to your abrupt disappearance they bonded with each other quite a lot."

    "I am glad," Ashton smiled. "So, who is Ian?" Ashton folded his arms.

    Ava''s eyes widened and she looked at Ariel. "I cannot believe you told him."!

    Ariel simply shrugged in response. "I told you he is here, it''s only fair he gets something in return". She received glares from both of her siblings so she simply pursed her lips and maintained quiet.

    Ashton''s glare softened soon as he stared at his siblings with a poignant smile. Last time they were two teenagers who were trying to figure out their life. But today, they are grown women. Frankly speaking they all seemed of the same age now, which was perfect given that their age difference was probably not much.

    "So how is life for you? What are you guys up to these days?" He asked.

    "Well, I am selected as an editor for this company in Moscow. I don''t need to live there, we have a local branch here. So I will work there after I graduate." Ava informed. "I am also kind of stuck between my apparent mate who is a stranger to me, and my boyfriend who is the most amazing person on this planet".

    "Wowˇ­" Ashton gulped. "So you are juggling between two guys. Great" Ashton nodded awkwardly.

    "I am not juggling! I am simply confused, okay!" She shouted at her brother. "It''s  a little messy right now. I need to figure things out." Ava groaned.

    "Soundsˇ­ colorful" Ashton nodded. "What about you?" Ashton turned to Ariel.

    "I am currently majoring in Psychology. After I graduate I wanna work around to spread mental health awareness" she declared.

    "That''sˇ­ great," Ashton nodded. "You mentioned about some meds earlier? Are you alright?"

    "Yeah. I am having little insomnia lately so I am getting treated for that". She assured him. "I''m fine. I''m sure it''s just the stress.

    "Okayˇ­" Ashton mumbled quite unconvinced. But he decided not to say anything further.

    "What about you?" Ava asked. Ashton explained his situation to her in detail which led her to hug Ashton. "I am sorry for hitting you earlier" She mumbled.

    "Noˇ­ I am glad you did. I am glad you were angry. I know you missed me" Ashton smiled.

    "So, now that you are here, what do you want to do?" Asked Ava.

    "I don''t know. I guess I want to catch up for now,"he mumbled. "I still don''t know what is same and what changed over the past few years.

    "Well," Ava thought for a while. "I am sure you will catch on eventually. But get some rest for now. It''s getting late. I am here for another week, so is she. Let''s hang out?" Ava asked.

    "Sounds great?" Ashton smiled.

    The next day he woke up later than usual which meant that he had already missed breakfast for the day. He saw a different phone on the nightstand and realised that Caleb got him a new one since he had lost every possession he had when he went for his trip.

    It only had one number saved and a ton of messages from the same number giving him the contact info of everyone. After he was done showering he decided to head but a knock from the door distracted him. Upon opening it, he saw a man who seemed to be in his late forties. He had never seen this man but it seemed like he was a worker here so he simply stared at him.

    "Allow me to introduce myself, but I am Mr Gibson. Mister Wrisberg had advised me to take care of you since he went to pick up his son" He declared.

    Ashton frowned as a lot of things didn''t make sense in the sentence. Why will Mr. Wrisberg need to pick up Caleb, where was he? "I am sorry, pick up from where?" Ashton asked once more.

    "The school, Mr. Parker" He declared.

    "Wait what?" Ashton halted in his path abruptly, "Wait, which Mr Wrsiberg are you talking about"? Ashton asked.

    "Master Caleb Wrisberg" Mr Gibson notified him.

    "Caleb has a son?" Ashton whispered as the shock hit him.

    "Yes, his name is Connor. He is a seven year old." Mr Gibson notified. Ashton froze in his spot as he failed to wrap his head around this information. The age seemed highly uncanny. And given the duration of Ashton''s disappearance it was possible that the kid wasˇ­ related to him.

    If that were true that means he didn''t just abandon Caleb, but he gave him a huge responsibility before he left. What he also failed to comprehend was why Caleb hid this fact from him. Of all the thing Caleb told him about, why didn''t he mention his son.

    Before he could rack his brains further he noticed a child running towards him who stopped abruptly as soon as he noticed Ashton. He stared at Ashton with a blank gaze before taking a few steps back. Ashton realised who this kid was as soon as he ran to Caleb and hid behind him, "Dad" he mumbled.

 Chapter 209 - The Son

    Ashton looked at the kid and at Caleb back and forth. Caleb seemed to be unbothered by Ashton''s surprise and simply observed Ashton''s response. "Who...is he?" Connor asked from the back of Ashton.

    "Remember I told you about Ashton, this is him". Connor introduced to his son. "This is Connor". Caleb introduced Ashton.

    "..." Ashton opened his mouth, but failed to say anything. So instead, he linked Caleb. [What? How? When? Where] He just blabbered whatever question words he could think of.

    "Can I go to my room"? Connor asked. Caleb nodded at him and carefully avoiding Ashton he vanished. Caleb motioned to Mr Gibson to follow after Connor who was standing behind Ashton earlier. After Mr. Gibson was gone Caleb took a few steps further.

    "You''re a Dad"? Ashton asked before Caleb.

    "Yeah," Caleb shrugged.

    "Why didn''t you tell me?"Ashton asked in confusion. "I mean...how? He is seven right?" Ashton asked.

    "Almost" Caleb chuckled. "Believe it or not, it''s his birthday next week". Caleb informed him.

    Ashton paused and tried to do math with his disheveled mind and realised that Connor was born a year and a month later after he disappeared. "Wait, whose son is he?" Caleb raised his eyebrow so Ashton asked again, "I meant biologically?"

    "Wellˇ­" Caleb trailed off. He looked around himself to make sure no one was around and murmured. "You remember my ex-roommate Warren? His son. This kid is half vampire" Caleb came clean.

    "You and Warren"? Ashton''s eyes widened four fold.

    And so did Caleb''s and therefore he shouted, "Ewww! NO!!" Trying to bring down his voice. "Why the hell would me and Warren get a kid??? He had a mate. I have a mate"! Caleb huffed.

    "Sorry...he called you Dad" Ashton tried to justify his assumption.

    "Noˇ­ because I raised him," Caleb sighed. "He was born to Karolyn and Warren originally. But, a lot of people from Karolyn''s former pack didn''t approve of her relationship".

    "But they were fated mates!" Ashton prompted.

    "I know. But some wolves still have their prejudices" Caleb sighed. "Since Vampires are technically dead, and Vampire and werewolves don''t mix, no one actually expected them to conceive, not even Karolyn and Warren ''''. Caleb shrugged.

    "So they abandoned him?" Ashton frowned. He did not like the idea and was not thrilled with wherever this story was going.

    "Of course not"! Caleb snapped. "The pregnancy might have been a surprise but they were really excited to have him. Unfortunately, the wolves felt otherwise...and theyˇ­" Caleb hesitated. "They killed them."

    Ashton''s eyes widened as soon as he heard that. He paled and honestly felt the anger bottled up inside of him resurface. He could relate this story to his childhood. He might not have known why his parents were killed, but he knew they were hunted too. And just like Karolyn and Warren they couldn''t make it.

    As if Caleb could read what was going on inside of his mind Caleb put his hand on Ashton''s shoulders, "You are right". He smiled. "His story resembles you".

    "Are youˇ­" he was going to ask ''are you in my head'' but Caleb shook his head before he could finish.

    "I could tell. I myself had noticed the resemblance" Caleb sighed. "She knew if her parents had him he wouldn''t be safe. Warren''s parents were human, they won''t be able to deal with a kid who is a Vampire and a werewolf at the same time. So she asked meˇ­ to take him" Caleb mumbled. "To keep him safe"

    "They didn''t know she delivered before she died. She faked being pregnant." Caleb informed him after a minute. "I couldn''t refuse her either. I offered help to fight but she declined. She insisted that she needed me to protect her kid. And faking her child''s death, dying herself was her only option" he breathed recalling that horrible day.

    "You didn''t try to convince her otherwise"? Ashton asked. He was never fond of Karolyn but he never wanted such a terrible fate for her. Ashton was sure that the most terrible thing that happened in the past few years was their separation. But he was clearly wrong. He hated that he was wrong. And the very fact Caleb had to deal with so much loss all by himself made him feelˇ­ even more guilty.

    "You didn''t think I tried?" Caleb scoffed. "She is one stubborn girl. And with pregnancy she was even more stubborn."

    "I am sorry" Ashton whispered.

    "Me too," Caleb mumbled.

    "Doesˇ­ Connor know?" Ashton asked after a minute.

    Caleb shook his head gently and mumbled, "I didn''t know how to tell him. People used to tease him for not having a mom. I told him I have a mate and thatˇ­ he is missing for now." Caleb looked Ashton in the eye on the verge of tearing up. "This is okay with you right?" He asked. "Adopting him was my decision, I will not force you to do the same just because you are my mate" he declared.

    "Are you kidding?" Ashton frowned. "You gave a home to a kid who needed it. I couldn''t be more proud of being your mate" Ashton chuckled and planted a kiss on Caleb''s lips.

    After Ashton pulled away Caleb mumbled, "Good".

    "I don''t think he likes me though" Ashton mumbled after a while.

    "He just met you. He doesn''t really like anybody. You should try to befriend him. Give him time, he might open up." Caleb advised.

    "Do you even know me?" Ashton asked. "I''m not a very people person either".

    "Exactly. He is like you. You should know how to deal with him"! Caleb shrugged.

    "I don''t think you understand how people like me function. We are not good at making friends" Ashton retorted.

    "He is a kid. Not a ghost. Try talking to him at least". Caleb begged. "If it helps, I told him about you before. I told him how similar you two were and he kind of admires you. Try talking to him, maybe he will like you. He is just scared because he never met you". Caleb sighed.

    "You think?" Ashton gulped. Caleb nodded at him in order to encourage him. Ashton took a deep breath, "Alright, I''ll give it a try".

    Meanwhileˇ­.

    "Can you bring me a sandwich" Connor asked Mr. Gibson as soon as he spotted him. He sometimes hated how Mr. Gibson was always around instead of his Dad.

    While emptying his backpack he realised he forgot the pamphlet he was supposed to give to his father in the Car. He simply jumped out of the window and with his skills, jumpimg was no big deal no matter wherever he was.

    His climbing skills however were still work ij progress thanks to his tiny arms and legs and therefore he was forced to take the front door. He halted when he heard his Dad and his mate talk and listened. When he heard, "...I raised him," Caleb sighed. "He was born to Karolyn and Warrenˇ­" Connpr froze. Wait, Caleb wasn''t his real Dad? But...why? Why...why did his parents gave him to Caleb.

    As Caleb proceeded with the story of his birth, the one that Caleb never dared to tell Connor to his face, Connor started to feel tears escaping the bounds of his eyes. He was so angry that he wanted to tear apart anyone he saw. Fighting the urge, he ran away. He ran away to the one place that provided him solace in times like thisˇ­ but would it really help this time? He wondered.

 Chapter 210 - Unique

    Ashton thought of many ways on how to interact with Connor. Usually he was not so bad with kids, or at least that was the case when he met the twins. But now? Things seem different. Connor literally ran away the moment he saw him.

    Speaking of which, the more time he spends here the more things seem different to him. The people are older, the place is the same and yet so different. But meeting Connor, changed something. He is literally a new person to him. And seeing how grown up he is, it was hard not to feel stuck. It was as if someone shoved him in a time machine and made him travel to eight years in the future.

    He wanted to explore more, to see what else has changed. Caleb had piled up work to attend to so he left and even though the twins were available, he didn''t want to disturb them. He wanted to go somewhere quiet. Somewhere secluded and therefore he headed off for his old house.

    Not having the key made things tricker, but he knew the alternative way to the basement, which in turn was connected to the main house. Taking that route he gazed at his barren apartment as the cracks on the wall became apparent. It didn''t really look like those haunted houses with all the dust and spider webs, but it just felt a bitˇ­ lonely.

    He lived in this house for a few months, but all those memories had a certain warmth to it. Looking around the living room he recalled all those hours of playing with the twins, how he used to pester his mother. How Caleb used to pester him whenever he made a visit. .

    He headed upstairs to his room and noticed how it was still kept neat. He still remembers the day Caleb slept over for the first time. He also remembers the day they slept together in this same room. Yet all those memories felt soˇ­ distant.

    He was lost in his own thoughts, when he heard a metals clunk. He headed out of the room and looked around everywhere to detect the source of the noise. After a while Ashton heard the same noise once more and headed out to the terrace. His anxiousness vanished when he spotted an anxious kid throwing some metal pipes at the wall.

    He was so engrossed in his activity that he failed to notice that he was being watched. The lack of any scent from Ashton was a huge benefactor for himself. The more Ashton observed, the more he realised that this kid was way more different than others, and not just biologically. Ashton also realised that Caleb was right, that Connor was a lot like him.

    When he was younger he always liked to throw stuff here and there, and it was evident that Connor was angry too. What helped him calm down was a significant amount of damage and a pineapple shake. He wished he knew what calmed Connor down.

    After a whole minute of throwing nothing when it seemed to Ashton that Connor was done he spoke, "Connor".

    The moment he noticed Ashton he froze. "Don''t come near me" Connor threatened as he recoiled back.

    "Okayˇ­ I won''t" Ashton raised his hands and promised. The kid looked angry and yet frightened and he had no idea why. He did want to figure out what was happening though. After a while of silence, Ashton asked, "Does your Dad know you are here?"

    "He is not my Dad!'''' Connor screamed. As soon as he uttered those words Ashton''s eyes widened. How did he know? Did he overhear them? Ashton remained quiet for a while as he didn''t know what to say next. He was not the one who is good with words, and this was definitely a complicated situation. Should he call Caleb?

    "Why do you say so?" Ashton asked him.

    "Don''t pretend! He told you. I saw he told you, he is not my dad"! Connor fought his tears as he screamed the truth out loud. "They are dead. My parents are dead, because of me...because I am a freak"! He sobbed.

    Ashton pursed his lips as he saw the little boy break down in front of him. He knew a news like this wasn''t going to be easy on a kid. But he didn''t know what else to do. So he decided to be honest instead. "So are mine," Ashton declared.

    Connor looked at him in between his sobs, "You are lying! Just like my D...Dad" Connor insisted.

    "I wish I was," Ashton whispered. "When I was nine years old, I was excited to return home from school. All I found were dead bodies of my parents waiting for meˇ­ and a killer waiting to kill me" Ashton mumbled.

    "Then how are youˇ­ alive?" Connor asked.

    "I guess someone must have protected me," Ashton shrugged. "I wish I knew who"

    "Dad protected me," Connor declared after a minute.

    "Yes, he did. And  he will continue to do that. Do you know how much he loves you?" Ashton crouched down and asked.

    "He is barely around," Connor mumbled.

    "That''sˇ­ my fault. Iˇ­ left years ago" Ashton mumbled. "But that doesn''t mean your Dad doesn''t love you" He tried to convince.

    "Youˇ­ You are Ashton. This is your house?" Connor asked. A smile appeared on Ashton''s face as he nodded. Turns out Caleb really did tell Connor stories about him. "You are terrible"! He declared.

    Ashton''s smile faded and after taking a moment to recover he asked, "Why?"

    "You made my Dad sad! He was very sad that you left! I do not like you!" Connor declared. "Stay away from me"! Connor bared his infamous fangs. That''s right, he was the only wolf in the entire Crescent Point who possessed fangs. The one of the many features that made other kids of his age label him as a ''freak''.

    "You are not the only one who is unique" Ashton raised his eyebrows. Soon, his scent started to emanate from him and his eyeballs turned to a glowing shade of red. Connor being half-alpha werewolf and a half- vampire, the scent of a pureblood definitely irritated him. It was enough to trigger his fight or flight instincts. But he held back.

    Soon Ashton''s demeanor returned to normal and he started to feel bad about scaring the kid. Connor was still less scared than he anticipated to be which kind of made Ashton feel proud. So what if Caleb wasn''t biologically related to Connor, Connor was definitely Caleb''s son.

    "I am sorry. I have troubleˇ­ controlling my powers sometimes" he declared. "I am also very sorry for abandoning your Dad. And I get it, if you don''t like me. I deserve it. But don''t be mad at your dad for not telling you all this before. He was just trying to protect you".

    "But I deserved to know," Connor teared up.

    "Of course you did. But he was just trying to do his best." Ashton sighed. "He was afraid you would hate him, because he loves you a lot." That prompted Connor to think but he still couldn''t stop hurting. "Tell me something, don''t you love your Dad anymore?" Ashton asked.

    "I do"! Without skipping a beat he declared. Ashton smiled at him. "I still don''t like you"! Connor huffed. Ashton ended up chuckling at his words.

    Suddenly Ashton heard a voice in his head, [Have you seenˇ­ Oh. Okay so he is with you?] Caleb asked.

    [Yeah, I got him don''t worry] Caleb was yet to see everything that happened with Ashton and Connor and before Ashton could recall it Caleb disconnected the link himself.

    To Caleb, it appeared as if his son and his long lost mate bonded, and therefore he was glad Ashton found him. In fact, that is the main reason why Caleb decided that it was probably for the best not to interrupt.

 Chapter 211 - Some More Details

    "I followed up with everyone''s alibis. Almost everyone checked out" Alpha Miller threw the file on the table. "How the hell did the wolf escape?! I should have drenched those walls with even more wolfsbane"! Alpha Miller huffed.

    "Alpha, please calm down," his second in command, Riley Bensen pleaded. Knowing his hand in the escape of the wolf, it was hard not to be anxious right now. Despite betraying his own pack, or rather the pack leader he didn''t feel guilty at all for letting Ashton escape. He just needed to be careful around Alpha Miller so that he didn''t let it slip.

    "Did you call for me?" Christian who entered Alpha Miller''s office right at that moment, asked.

    "Yes, I need you to help me figure out this mystery." He huffed. "Where were you? Weren''t you supposed to be helping me locate this wolf? Or are you simply here to waste your time"? He snapped.

    "Alpha Miller, I understand that you are pissed at the way things worsened, but I ask you to keep your behavior in check". Christian glared. Riley, who was just standing there witnessing the scene unfold awkwardly, almost choked in his own saliva "As for where I was, I was talking with the locals outside your pack to gather any relevant information that I could find".

    "Is that so"? Alpha Miller narrowed his gaze. Christian raised one of his eyebrows challenging the Alpha. "And what did you find out?"

    "As it so happens, they have seen many wolves nearby, but none of them were by themselves. What I mean is that the wolves they might have noticed were always in groups. I assume they simply saw your wolves on patrol"? Christian suggested.

    "Possible" Alpha Miller whispered. "I do have one thing to ask you though." The furious gaze of the Alpha turned into a composed one, rendering Christian apprehensive of his next move. "How did youid you find out about this wolf being here?"

    "My beta, Melanie Pierre happens to know a wolf from this pack, Natalie Quinn. She was informed by Natalie about this attack" Christian declared. "If you have trouble believing me, you can always ask her"

    "Oh, I will," Alpha Miller nodded and turned around to look at Riley. "Call her"

    "Are you suspecting me"? Christian tilted his head.

    "Shouldn''t I?" Alpha Miller tilted his head as well. "Excuse me for my apparent rude behaviour, but this pack is my responsibility. Even if you are a guest here, you are still an outsider. And it is my responsibility to scrutinize you just as well." He explained.

    "Fair enough," Christian smiled. "Feel free to ask any questions you might have"

    After a few seconds Alpha Miller spoke, "I do have one question. You said your pack was attacked by something similar when you decided to come here. May I ask, like what?" Christian frowned at the question so he spoke further, "I meant, can you give me a detailed brief of the incident. Who knows, we might something which will help up track the beast down"

    "I suppose that is correct," Christian smiled. He tried to rack his brains for an alternative story, which would seem believable. "Well, what happened to us was years ago. Our wolves started to disappear one by one, and we didn''t know who was after that" He decided to recount the tale of the disappearance of omegas and blend it into something that would be more suitable for this situation. That way, even if Miller did some research, he won''t find his story false.

    "Anyways, after extensive search we found a middle aged guy, who turned into a dangerous wolf. He looked just like the one in the cage. We locked him up, but he managed to escape just like this time" Christian spoke without skipping a beat.

    "Escape" Alpha Miller pointed out, "Don''t you think you should have mentioned a detail like this before"?

    "Our Jail is not laced with Wolfsbane. In fact, in our pack wolfsbane is banned and anyone who possesses it will have to face some serious consequences." Christian informed Alpha Miller. "Since wolfsbane is deadly, and we don''t want our perpetrators to kill themselves by burning themselves in wolfsbane or something like that, we keep them out of our prison. The bars are strong enough to keep the wolves in. I assumed with you wolfsbane laced cells, the wolf won''t find his way out"

    "Well, your bars couldn''t keep the beast in. What made you think that our mediocre cell will stop him."? Alpha Miller tilted his head. Christian prevented himself from making the snide remark. ''You think this is mediocre? Mediocre would be better'' He was already fighting to keep his stand in which can only be described as an interrogation, he did not need his sass to make things worse at the moment.

    "Like I mentioned, Wolfsbane" Christian clarified. "You made it very clear you used a lot more than necessary, didn''t you"?

    "We did," Alpha Miller pressed his cheek with his tongue, "but apparently that wasn''t enough."

    At that very moment Riley along with Melanie''s said friend Natalie walked in. "You called for me, Alpha?" She smiled.

    "I did" Alpha Miller nodded. He asked her about sending any information to someone in the pack from Cresentile, which she confirmed.

    "Yes, I did send her a picture. This is the third time I bailed on our plans. I didn''t want it to come off as some lame excuse, so I sent this pic as a proof" she mumbled and took out her phone to show him.

    As Alpha Miller stared at the picture in Natalie''s hand he gritted his teeth. For some reason he believed he would find some or the other loophole in his statements, but it was beyond frustrating that everything checked out. You see, wolves have really good instincts in general, and with someone with an experience as that of Alpha, it was even more precise at times.

    So even if everything seemed to be checking out, he knew something was suspicious. From the beginning he had his doubts about sudden arrival, but Miller couldn''t come up with any other reason for coming here earlier. If only there was a way to find out exactly what Christian could have done to set things this way, "Are you done checking me?" Christian asked sternly. "If it is so, I would like to leave."

    "Sure" Alpha nodded at him. "I''ll call for you if I need anything else," Alpha Miller nodded. Once Christian was out of his sight, Alpha Miller turned to Riley and asked. "You are familiar with their pack right? What do you think about him"?

    Riley gulped before declaring, "I think he is genuine". He declared.

    "Good, I hope that you too are on the right of this" Alpha Miller told Riley sternly, before dismissing him by saying, "I want you to keep an eye on him. Whatever he does, everything he does I want you to report to me. Understood?" Alpha Miller asked.

    "Understood" Riley nodded before taking his leave while thanking the heavens that his anxiety didn''t kick in this time. He could almost feel his heartbeat on the verge of giving away his facade. He needed a way to dissolve the situation soon, or he might be in some serious danger.

 Chapter 212 - The Kind Of A Leader

    Christian finally breathed a sigh of relief when he returned back to his room. He very well knew that it was a matter of time before the suspicion of Alpha Miller landed upon him. He anticipated this. But what he couldn''t anticipate was how he would go on about it.

    Christian needed to make a clear exit or else they might as well land on a war with the Ice Fountain pack. Of all the time, this might not be a great time. With his mother away and Dad on the verge of retiring and with Ashton recently recovered from whatever madness he was a part ofˇ­ this was definitely bad timing. Not to mention he was trying his best to get over his longtime crush.

    Christian was pacing back and forth in his room trying to come up with a viable solution when he heard knocks on the door. The scent seeping in through the door assured him it was Riley. But at this point, he still found it hard to trust him, but at this point, Riley is all he got for assessing the situation.

    The moment Christian opened the door a panicked Riley walked in through the door. "Okay...this is bad...this is so bad" he mumbled.

    Christian shut the door and while folding his arms he asked, "What is going on? What did he say?"

    "He asked me to keep an eye on you. Report everything back to him" Riley admitted.

    "That...doesn''t sound so bad. I am really surprised he lets you deal with anything that has to do with me, without an ounce of suspicion". Christian snorted.

    "Yeah, cause I know the most about Crescent Pack" Riley shrugged.

    "Come again" Christian narrowed his gaze suspiciously. "How do you know the most about Crescentile packs?"

    "Well, my great grandmother used to be a part of your pack." Riley informed him. Christian raised an eyebrow and tilted his head prompting Riley to continue. "Sheila Cornwell. She fell in love with my Great Grandpa and moved here. Back at that time it wasn''t exactly a pack. She passed away when I was a teenager, but I have heard first hand stories from her, so I know a lot of things that used to be in your pack." Riley explained.

    "Waitˇ­"Christian scoffed. "You are related to the Cornwells?" Asked Christian. "Never thought they had an extended family here". He snorted.

    "Yeah, we don''t interact much. I don''t interact at all. But for some reason Alpha Miller thought as his beta and someone related to a family from the Crescentile pack, it would be great to bestow me with your responsibilities" Riley sighed.

    "Well, I am glad he did," Christian smiled. "I doubt any other wolf would have helped me".

    "You never know. Knowing Alpha Miller, they probably would have." Riley smiled.

    "Wait what?" Christian frowned. "Why? He seemed like he cared a lot about his pack and the pack members. He is extremely adamant on finding this wolf just for the sake of his pack. He seems to be a good leader to me. And if I hadn''t done anything shadyˇ­ I might have actually gotten along with him" Christian shrugged.

    Riley snorted at that before clearing his throat. "Let me ask you something, have you ever been in a relationship"

    Christian blinked, getting thrown off by that abrupt question. "I''ll tell you what, let''s finish this conversation and we can then talk about my love life" Christian remarked in annoyance.

    "No, I mean.." Riley chuckled. "Well, let me put it this way. You know how when you are in a relationship, and you are new to it everything seems so happy. When your significant other does things for you, like getting you flowers on a daily basis orˇ­ getting jealous or you knowˇ­ keeping tabs on what and where you are gonna be, and it seems likeˇ­ your partner cares about you"? Riley asked.

    Not exactly relating to it Christian nodded reluctantly, "Yeahˇ­."

    "Well, that''s what you see when you see Alpha Miller. You think he is caring and good because you just got to know him. You don''t know him like I do" Riley declared. "In a relationship, over time, you realise how those cute behaviours had hidden toxic tendencies and by the time you do, the damage has been done. You have already given them too much power" Riley shrugged.

    "Wow," Christian mumbled. "Somebody had a terrible experience in dating"

    "I have had my share" Riley smirked. "But, that''s not my point. When Miller took over the alpha he vowed to make this place safe. To abolish the old rules and march towards a better future. He just made the rules that benefited himself." Riley shrugged.

    "Like what?" Christian asked.

    "Well, for instanceˇ­ any omega cannot leave the pack boundary unless he or she is accompanied by their mate or a related Alpha of their family". Riley shrugged.

    "So, if an omega is orphanedˇ­" Christian mumbled.

    "Yeahˇ­ they are trapped here until they choose a mate. Which also means they have to choose a mate from this pack only. Not to mention it essentially traps them in this land" Riley sighed.

    "That''s horrible" Christian huffed, "Why didn''t the people of the pack put up a fight?"

    "Because, Miller told them, and I quote, ''This will ensure the utmost security of the omegas''" Riley let out a sarcastic smile. "What a load of crap".

    "You know, in our pack we train the omegas to fight. Trust me, they are good at taking down abusive ones" Christian shrugged.

    "I know. My mum told me. Guess what Miller said when I suggested the same?" Riley snorted, while Christian tilted his head. "You don''t run the pack, don''t you dare overmine my ideas" Deepening his voice further to mimic Miller, he spoke.

    There was an awkward pause in the room after which Christian spoke, "Wow, I am surprised he even trusts you with me. I feel much better now for deceiving him. From what it seems he would have never allowed to let Ashton go just like that"

    "You are not wrong." Riley sighed. "Why else do you think I helped you cover"?

    "I don''t know...I honestly don''t know" Christian sighed. "If he is really as terrible as you say, and if there is a chance he might find out about how you helped us, he might kill you. Whyˇ­ why would you take such a risk?"

    "Cause, I respect the mate bond. It must have been terrible for them to be apart. I just wanted to help" Riley sighed.

    "But you trusted me even when you didn''t know me," Christian asked.

    "Yeah.. I had an instinct." Riley smiled. Christian smiled back at him. After a few seconds Riley spoke "As for Miller, he doesn''t exactly trust me. More like, he knows I am his best choice"

    "Becauseˇ­ ?" Christian trailed off.

    "I kind of have the best fighting skills here," Riley chuckled. "Whatever, I need to go back and report, I guess. Just to have our stories straight, let''s just say you were doingˇ­"?  Riley asked.

    "Taking a nap. Still. It will give you a free window. Let''s try to come up with a better plan. I need to leave this place as soon as possible" Christian sighed.

    "I couldn''t agree more," Riley declared and vanished.

 Chapter 213 - Escape

    Christian spent a lot of time thinking about a way to escape this place. He knew no matter what he did he would definitely have to stay here as long as he had zero lead. As for figuring out the sources of the leads, he definitely didn''t have any. Should he fake something? Would it be enough for him to leave? There was no way that they could find Ashton here, so how the hell would he convince Alpha Miller to let it go.

    Based on Riley''s words it didn''t seem like Alpha Miller is the one to let go, and yet, Christian hoped he would be able to convince him otherwise. At this point he seriously started to consider running away before he got into some serious trouble.

    Unfortunately though, if he tried to make a run for it it would put his pack in danger. He didn''t want it to come to that. Feeling hopeless he decided to take advice from one person he can always reply upon. He dialed Caleb. Caleb was in the middle of some paperwork when his brother called him, "Did you find a way out?" Was the first thing Caleb asked his brother.

    As for Christian, in response he explained the entire situation to him including Riley''s connection to their pack and his perspective of Alpha Miller. Once he was done briefing he asked for Caleb''s advice, "What do you think I should do? I thought of everythingˇ­ and all I can come up with is to run away. But that too puts our pack in danger" Christian groaned.

    "If you stay there alone you might not make it out alive. But you decide to leave, even if you come here by running away it might give you a chance at surviving. As for war, we are way way stronger than their pack. They''ll crumble in front of us" Caleb scoffed.

    "Caleb don''t be too overconfident" Christian scolded.

    "But it''s true," Caleb insisted. "Besides, even I can''t think of a better way"

    "Noˇ­ this can''t be it" Christian mumbled.

    "Why are you so adamant on staying there like this? Do you have some kind of attachment?" Caleb teased. "Just leave."

    "Do you realise what you are saying? That would be such a cowardly move" Christian huffed.

    "I left. Are you calling me a coward." There was no response from the other end, but if they were face to face at this moment Christian would be glaring at him right now. "Look, I know that what I am asking of you is a big step. But the more you stay there, the more worried I get. You are all alone there. You shouldn''t have gone there all by yourself" Caleb whispered.

    "I know, but I just didn''t wanna put a lot of pack effort in vain. We had a lot of failed attempts in the past, didn''t we" Christian sighed.

    "But not this time," Caleb sighed. "I''ll come. Maybe we can figure something out together?" Caleb offered.

    "No way!" Christian shouted. "Look, you were just reunited with your mate, you should stay there!" Christian huffed.

    "I spent eight years without him, he can wait a few days" Caleb huffed.

    "You have got to be kidding me" Christian snorted. "When he left, he didn''t know it would take him eight years to come back. Just like you don''t know we will be out of here in a few days. What if something happens to you. Screw Ashton, as your big brother, how am I supposed to let it happen?" Christian scolded him. "Not to mention, you have a son who needs you"!

    "But, I am worried," Caleb insisted.

    Christian let out an exasperated sigh. "You know what, give me a few more hours. If I don''t find an alternative way, I''ll make a run for it" Christian declared.

    "Are you sure"? Caleb asked hesitantly.

    "Mnn"

    "Be careful" Caleb pursed his lips before hanging up his phone.

    Christian waited there for a few hours trying to find a way out. Knowing the Alpha was highly suspicious of him he knew even running away was going to be difficult. He needed to plan his escape meticulously and that is exactly what he did.

    Around late at night, he decided to go and make a trip to the office of Alpha Miller. As expected, Christian noticed Riley following him and to not make it obvious he pretended to be unaware of Riley''s follow. When he reached the office he was relieved to spot Alpha Miller there.

    "What brings you by"? Alpha Miller asked him suspiciously.

    "I called a few of my fellow pack Alphas to ask if they had seen anything like this before and one of them sent me this". He showed the picture he had stored in his gallery a few years back when they traded the exact route taken by Ashton. The hotel which Ashton remember''s last had footage of another wolf who resembled Ashton.

    At that point they believed it to be Ashton, but Ashton confirmed that it was the wolf which sort of attacked them and therefore he remembers it the last. "This is almost 60 miles away from here," Alpha Miller noted. "This area is restricted to us wolves, it has a dark history"

    "Why?" Christian tilted his head. "No one who had ever crossed this boundary made it back alive. We have lost countless wolves before we stopped exploring that area. If you have entered this place, that means you''re definitely gone for good".

    "Maybe that''s what happened to the wolf? You know, he crossed the border. Maybe now he is dead?" Christian suggested. If there was any chance Alpha Miller would let it go now, he could finally return in peace.

    "We don''t know for sure". Alpha Miller declared. "All this picture tells us that this wolf was thereˇ­" Alpha Miller trailed off. "But we could make sure." He suggested. "You know what, this has been helpful, I think we should check this one out".

    "Do you need me to come?" Christian asked.

    "No need, we got this" Alpha Miller nodded at him. "While Christian tried to look bummed by the prospect of not accompanying Alpha Miller, he was secretly thrilled as he had a perfect window to escape. As soon as he was sure that Alpha Miller and most of his pack went to check it out he picked up his trawley and headed out.

    He was shocked to see Riley standing in front of him the moment he reached the main gate. "You are running away?"

    "Yes" Christian affirmed apologetically. "I am so sorry, I really am... but I have to get out of here" Christian mumbled.

    "No, I get that" Riley sighed, "But, I would be questioned when they find out that you are missing after they are backˇ­." He trailed off.

    "..." Christian remained quiet as he didn''t know how to respond to that. After all Riley had done for him, he felt terrible for putting him in a situation like this. He wished really bad for something he could do for his friend.

    "I need you to knock me out," Riley ordered out of the blue.

    ''What"? Chirstian scowled.

    "I don''t want to die in Miller''s hands. I cannot let him know that I let you go. I need you to knock me out so that it appears that I tried but failed to stop you from leaving" Riley suggested. "They will be suspicious of you anyways if you leave, I can''t have them be suspicious of me as well."

    "I suppose that''s fair," Christian mumbled. "Butˇ­" he trailed off as he found himself hesitant to hit the guy in front of him.

    "Alsoˇ­" Riley prompted. "At this hour, you will find nothing to drive you. So here," He dug out his car keys from his pocket and threw them to him. "The bronze one in the main garage is mine. I''ll tell them that you stole it" Riley shrugged.

    "Another accusation", Christian snorted. "Thank you" Chirstian mumbled. "For everything. All this wouldn''t have been possible without your help" He mumbled. "Let me know if you ever need my help".

    "Will do," Riley smiled. Christian gave him a nod after a few moments of hesitation he threw a really hard punch on Riley''s face. Christian was well trained when it came to incapacitate any werewolves and thus a single punch was more than enough to render Riley unconscious on the ground without any visual bleeding. Christian still ensured that Riley''s breathing was intact just in case. In fact, if Riley were a human, his punch might have been potentially fatal.

    Going to the garage he managed to spot the one and only bronze car and drive off to the airport in the hopes that he would be back home in less than twenty four hours. he needed to be away from this place before his absence in the pack became evident. He also needed to be prepared for anything that might threaten their harmony. This time, things really got complicated.

 Chapter 214 - Kids

    After a lot of convincing Ashton finally managed to get Connor to return to the Pack house with him. All the way he was wary of Ashton which ended up making both of them uncomfortable. Connor ran away to his room as soon as he reached the front door. It was evident that the news like that hit him pretty bad. It would be the same for anyone. You spend your whole life believing something, and in a matter of few seconds everything changes.

    As Connor sat on the bed he took out the pamphlet he was supposed to give his father. It was an invitation to his school for Halloween where there was an event and everyone was supposed to give it to their parents. When Connor was in the car back home, he was reluctant to mention it to his Dad as knew Caleb was busy and didn''t have much time to spare. But nowˇ­ he didn''t want him to give it to Caleb for a whole different reason.

    "Master, you are being called for dinner" Mr Gibson informed when it was getting late.

    "I am not hungry" Connor mumbled and slept down on the bed burying his face on the soft mattress.

    "But Mast-" My Gibson began but Connor shut him up.

    "GO AWAY!" He screamed.

    Mr Gibson sighed at the young boy''s behaviour. Even though tantrums like this were normal Mr Gibson could feel it was something bigger. Even Caleb''s mate looked wary when Mr. Gibson was tasked with calling him for dinner making him wonder what was wrong. Noticing the pamphlet next to his bed, he decided that it was better to call Caleb and let him take care of him instead.

    He went to call for Caleb asking for his help, who upon considering the matter decided to take care it by himself. When Caleb noticed his little boy sprawled into the bed along with the flyer next to his bed, he felt bad. He automatically assumed that Connor was sad that Caleb didn''t give him much time and that Connor thought that Caleb would  refuse to attend.

    "Hey, buddy" Very softly, he called out to his son.

    "..." Connor didn''t respond but he did push his face further down the mattress.

    "I am available on Halloween, do you want me to go with you"? He asked.

    "No"! Connor shouted. "You lied to me. Don''t come" He jolted up on his bed and snatched the paper from his dad, and tried to run away, but failed as Ashton stood in front of the door. Even though Connor would never admit it, something about Ashton scared him.

    "What''s the matter, Connor"? Caleb begged. At that point Ashton decided that it''s best for Caleb if he had better context. Ashton had hoped that Connor would behave differently, or that Caleb would not find out he knew, but hiding stuff just to protect the other was what was hurting Connor in the first place.

    Ashton linked Caleb and gave him a glimpse of the interaction he shared with Connor which drained the blood from his face. Caleb''s pale face turned paler. "Move" Connor shouted at Ashton but he stuck to the door like a statue.

    "Connor, please let me explain" Caleb begged Connor, but Connor refused to look at his dad.

    "I don''t want to listen! You lied to me, you will lie again. I don''t trust you!" Connor broke down to tears and Caleb rushed to hug his son. Ashton continued to stand at the door and stare at them as he was confused on what to do. His instincts told him to comfort Connor, but Caleb was better at it, and it seemed he had it under control for now.

    "I am sorry baby, I should have never lied to you. Please forgive me" Caleb begged. He tried all these years to keep this one secret from his son, and he hated that his son found out the truth like this. Still it was better than someone else telling him and manipulating him in his/her own accord. Knowing how they had their enemies, it was still a huge possibility.

    "Is this why you are away all the time, because I am not your real son?" Connor whispered through his sobs. Caleb''s eyes widened at that as both his and Ashton''s heart broke at the question. So that''s why Connor was so frustrated. Because he thought Caleb didn''t love him.

    "NO! DEFINITELY NOT"!  Caleb asserted with a louder voice. "I had my own issuesˇ­ but never have I once not loved since I took you in. That is the truth."!  Caleb declared. "I am sorry, I have not been around so muchˇ­ but I promise to be better. Okay? I love you." Caleb fought his own tears. "Don''t you dare call yourself ''not my real son''. I raised you since you were a baby! I am definitely your Dad!" Caleb scolded.

    Connor turned around and hugged him and they both cried their hearts out while hugging each other. Ashton knew it was hard being a single parent, even if he didn''t have any such first hand experience. And he felt sorry that because of his absence Caleb and Connor had strained relationships. When Caleb''s gaze met his during all that crying, Ashton mouthed a soft, ''I am so sorry''.

    Caleb lightly shook his head. After what it seemed like a really long time, Caleb finally got his son to calm down. Caleb finally managed to talk him into going for dinner and shot a glare at Ashton who happened to witness everything and stood near the doorframe the entire time.

    "Caleb, I am sorry I didn''t mention it earlier..." Ashton added to a speed walking Caleb.

    "Don''t mention it" Caleb replied to him coldly.

    "Look, I am really sorry. But I didn''t want you to be hurt. I thought I handled it wellˇ­" Ashton began but was cut off by Caleb.

    "Handled it well?!" Caleb shouted. He stopped midway and looked around himself. Relieved that no one was actually around he walked back into his room followed by Ashton. As soon as they were in Caleb closed the door and shouted at Ashton, "What the hell do you mean, you handled? You don''t even know Connor. You just met him today".

    "You asked me to bond with him" Ashton reminded him,

    "Yeahˇ­ but it doesn''t mean hiding something this big from me."! Caleb sighed in frustration. "Just... let it go. None of this would have happened if I didn''t tell you the entire story standing in the middle of a hallway. I mean..."  He glared at Ashton. "Why the hell would you assume he is biologically related to me? I am a guy for f**ks sake".

    "I knowˇ­ I think I have heard somewhere that male omegas are capable of conceiving. Clearly I was wrong." Ashton sighed as well. As soon as those words left Ashton Caleb became quiet.

    "You were not wrong," Caleb added with a melancholic tone. Ashton narrowed his gaze which is why Caleb continued. "Usually male omegas can." He found his voice hitched in his throat, "I can''t."

    "Oh" Ashton whispered. "I am sorry didn''t know"

    "I never told you. That''s on me. I am sorry for keeping it" Caleb bit his lips. "I should have told you when we started dating. I am sorry".

    "Wait, how long have you known"? Ashton asked.

    "Since the time I found out I was an omega." Caleb informed him. "My parents were not convinced that I might be an omega. Theyˇ­ they wanted to confirm once more so they had me tested. With a confirmation of me being an omega I also came to know that I can never have kids of my own" Caleb sighed. "When I met youˇ­ you were so against having a family, Andˇ­ I also presumed you didn''t know about male omegas capable of conceiving...so I never bothered to tell you."

    "Iˇ­ I am sorry"  Ashton whispered.

    "Why are you sorry now?" Caleb snorted with frustration.

    "It must not have been easy, finding out you can''t have kids of your own". Ashton mumbled. "I am just sorry you had to go through that"

    Caleb scoffed, "You are not mad that I didn''t tell you?"

    "It wouldn''t have made any difference."  Ashton shrugged. "I was too selfish to let you go. I still am." He whispered. Caleb stared at Ashton with a gaze full of poignance  with a mix of affection he had for his mate, which Ashton reciprocated very well. "You were right, I don''t know Connor, not like you do and I promise not to do something like this again. Iˇ­ I am new at this. Usually I wouldn''t care how my interactions wentˇ­ but I don''t wanna screw it up with Connor. He is your son, and I just want him to like me as well" Ashton mumbled.

    "I know" with a quivering voice Caleb mumbled before planting a deep passionate kiss on Ashton''s lips. They kissed for a real long time and before things started to heat up Ashton pulled away. "What''s wrong?" He asked.

    "I thoughtˇ­ I could pick up where I left off. I was wrong. I missed eight years, and I need to figure out a lot beforeˇ­ this can happen," Caleb frowned at Ashton''s statement but didn''t interrupt. "It''s been a little tense between usˇ­ ever since I regained consciousness. Maybe we shouldn''t rush it?" Ashton asked.

    Caleb considered it for a moment before giving him a subtle nod. "Maybe it''s for the best"

 Chapter 215 - After The Blackout

    It was a bit awkward at the dinner table this night. A weeping son, and angry father and a recently found but distanced mate was not something that was easy on Caleb. In retrospect, even it was tougher on Ashton. He never felt so lost in his life. He sat there with the people he loved and cherished the most, and yet these people seemed so different to him.

    Eight years is a long time and Ashton needed more than just a day to adapt to the chnages around him. To learn and get accustomed to what was different. To let go of the past that was not his part of his life anymore. It wasn''t easy for him, to push away Caleb like he did earlier, but he wanted to reconnect with his mate properly before something happened between them.

    Once the long awkward dinner was over Ashton gave his mate a slight peck before heading off to his room. As he laid on the bed in the dark staring at the wide ceiling blankly he struggled to fall asleep. Deep down he feared losing control over himself again. And no matter how much he promised Caleb he won''t be gone, he himself was vaguely sure of it. Amidst his thoughts he never realised when he fell asleep, until....

    Ashton was late for home because he missed the bus, on purpose. He wanted to stay back and play with his friends. He knew that a good dose of scolding awaited him when he would reach home, but can you blame him? His parents were too strict to begin with.

    If he was late or if he went anywhere without their permission they grounded him. He was sick of so many rules anyways, and even if he was far away from puberty his rebellious nature had increased in the last year thanks to his infrequent shifting, which in turn was a rebellion in its own way.

    When he reached home he was reluctant to get in by making it too obvious, which is why you can imagine how happy he must have felt when he saw the door was unlocked. He slipped in slowly and carefully with soft footsteps, until he reached the intersection between the stairs and the living room. He was about to take the stairs when he caught something in his peripheral vision.

    He turned around to find both of his parents lying down on the ground in a puddle of red fluid. With fear he almost fell on the ground, but on the off chance his parents were still alive he mustered up the courage and tried to shake them. With no reaction coming from them he started to panic and cried a lot harder.

    He dug out his phone and tried calling 911.

    "Hello!! Please save my parents"! He cried into the phone without even waiting for them to begin.

    In the reply he heard a woman say  "please calm down and tell us everything". He was about to begin his story when he heard faint footsteps coming out of his way. He knew someone else came here to do this, but what he didn''t anticipate was that the intruder was still present in their house.

    With courage he turned around and saw the person attack him. With a nine year old kid like him he didn''t need any weapons, he simply choked the little boy while Ashton struggled for air.

    He tried everything to get out of that hold, to shake the person off him but to no avail. And before he knew everything turned dark for him.

    Usually at this point of his nightmare Ashton would wake up. In reality the next thing he recalled waking up at the hospital with a diagnosis of ''collapse due to shock''. He didn''t know who saved him, or how the hell did he manage to escape. All he knew was that he was all alone, and in a span of a few hours, he became an orphan.

    However, this time was a bit different. Despite sweating profusely he continued to have the nightmare, only this time he saw something else, something that happened to him after the blackout. Something, which was completely unfamiliar to him

    ...And before he knew everything turned dark for him, until things came back into focus with a mildly distorted line of vision. The distortion resembled from the time he shifted into his wolf form, Did he shift into his wolf form? But then again he could still see his tiny hand against the hand that strangled him.  Suddenly his nails changed its shape from the one in his wolf form and the guy shrieked in pain as those sharp growing nails pierced his skin.

    The man whose face was covered seemed to glare at him, before shifting into a Caramel coloured wolf. The wolf pounded on him, but Ashton transitioned midway and scratched the hell out of the wolf in front of him. It was a pureblooded Alpha as well. And it was evident that both his parents who shared the same blood rank as Ashton couldn''t survive this man. There was no way Ashton was gonna make itˇ­ right?

    The wolf, who had plenty of slow healing scratches growled at him. Aiming at him, ready to take him down any minute. Suddenly there were loud knocks on the door which distracted the killer long enough to pierce his nails right through his carotid. Having sharp nails was a weapon on his own. And as soon as the doorknob clinked he collapsed on the floor.

    "No!"  Ashton screamed out loud as he woke up. He was lying shirtless and yet he was covered completely in sweat. But why? What was that nightmare. He always assumed that he was saved by someone else, or by some miracle that day.. What he couldn''t believe was it was his own wolf which saved him. What he failed to believe further was that, even though that man was a murderer, it was Ashton who killed him.

    That killer was his first ever kill. Of course he had no idea on how or what happened to him afterwards. All he knew was that his parents were dead and the house was off limits and soon enough he was shifting through foster homes. All his life he tried his best not to harm anyone, but he was already a killer at the age nine. He couldn''t believe that such a major detail was completely blocked away in his mind.

    Thinking back, he realised that it was his first ever blackout before his rut started to happen. That was his first ever blackout and only other blackout which happened to him before this past few years. But why now? No matter what he failed to understand that out of all times why was he having a recall now? How come these are not depressed anymore?

    Did it have something to do with him being under the control of the wolf for eight years? Did it signify that his wolf was fighting for control and Ashton might not be as safe as he originally predicted himself to be? Did it mean that he will recall everything that happened to him in the last eight years?

    If all of that was true he didn''t know what to feel. It was like a blessing, but at the same time a curse. What is the point of remembering all that if he lost himself once more?

    With all that heavy thoughts he fell asleep only to be awoken in the early morning by none other than Caleb himself shaking him up, "Get ready, we gotta go".

 Chapter 216 - The Wolf In Me

    "Hey, Caleb" Ashton woke up and as soon as he noticed the time on the clock was 1:00 o'' clock he jolted up on the bed. "I slept through the entire day"? Shocked, he asked.

    "Yeahˇ­" Caleb gave him an apologetic smile. "I came to wake you up earlier, but you seemedˇ­ so peaceful. I didn''t have the heart to" Caleb admitted. "Are you okay? Are you getting enough sleep"? Caleb asked him.

    Ashton nodded, he shifted his gaze and looked at Caleb directly into his eyes. "No matter what, call me early" He pleaded. He was somehow scared that his wolf will take over him during his sleep ever since those nightmares hit him. "Is everything alright?" Sensing the trouble in Caleb''s expression Ashton asked.

    "Yeah. Christian called. He would be here in an hourˇ­ he asked for a meeting. I think we should all be there" Caleb mumbled.

    "Yeah, give me ten minutes, I will freshen up" Ashton whispered before he headed off to the bathroom. Just when he was about to enter he noticed that Caleb was headed out so he called for him, "Caleb!" With a hopeful expression he looked back. "I have something to discuss with youˇ­ is it alright if you stay here?"

    ".. I guess so" Caleb nodded after considering it for a while and sat down quietly on the bed which had a strong scent of Ashton. It felt even more comfortable than it did a week ago. Seems like Ashton didn''t restrain his scent while he slept.

    It took Ashton a few minutes before he came out with a towel around his neck soaking the dripping water which slid down his hair strands. Since the first time Ashton came back, he lookedˇ­ refreshed. "Connor"? Ashton asked Caleb.

    "In school"

    "Your job"?

    "I took the afternoon off when Christian called," Caleb clarified. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?'''' Caleb asked after a minute.

    "I saw something," Ashton mumbled. Caleb furrowed his brows until he felt Ashton linking him. As soon as he did, a feeling of wallow consumed him as he witnessed the nightmare Ashton had the day before. He also saw the glimpses of blood laced faces of Ashton''s birth parents and found himself breathing heavily at the sight. ''Had to witness this at such a young age'' Caleb said in his mind as his heart broke.

    "I didn''t remember most of it." Ashton declared. "...until yesterday." He sighed. "All this time I was scared of becoming a killer, guess what, I already am" Ashton mumbled.

    "That''s ridiculous"! Caleb shouted at him. "If you didn''t kill him he would have killed you instead. First of all, your attack wasn''t intentional, you clearly weren''t in control. And secondly, it was most definitely self defence! That does not make you a killer"! Caleb insisted.

    "I killed him," Ashton reminded him.

    "Because you had no choice."! Caleb argued back. "I hate to disagree with you but I think the wolf did the right thing".

    "To kill someone"? Baffled, Ashton asked.

    "To protect you. I agree you always make your wolf sound like he''s terrible but every time I witnessed him he was actually nice. If anything you two are exactly the same! Which makes perfect sense, since you guys are essentially the same person.

    "What did you say"? Ashton clenched his fists. "I am not like my wolf. I will be a killer" He spat.

    "Oh really" Caleb raised his eyebrows followed by a scoff. "Who was the one who beat up another wolf to pulp because the wolf tried to attack me?" He reminded Ashton of the time when the omegas went missing and Caleb was about to be one of them. "If I didn''t stop you, you would have ended up killing him".

    "That was different"! Ashton sighed. "I was trying to protect you"! He claimed.

    "Because you cared for me. Even back then when we were not mated yet." Caleb huffed. "Just like your wolf cares for you"

    "Of course it does. We share the same body" Ashton sighed.

    Caleb opened his mouth before sighing, "I know it''s not easy to have a part of yourself completely out of control. We have it different, our wolves are basically usˇ­ but with you, it''s almost equal from both the sides. I get it why you are scared to lose control, but you need to realise that the wolf in you isn''t as bad as you make him to be" Caleb sighed.

    "You realise that the wolf in me is what kept us apart all these years right?" Ashton reminded his mate.

    "More than you know. I have lived every second of it, and I know how torturing it was, but maybe your wolf had a reason. You might not agree with me, but I am willing to give your wolf a benefit of the doubt" Caleb declared.

    "Fine, have at itˇ­ let me know what you can find" Ashton remarked sarcastically. They both sighed at that before it went quiet.

    "We argued back to back for two days," Caleb whispered. "What is wrong with us?" he sighed.

    "I dunno," Ashton simply shrugged. "For the record, I hate us being like this," Ashton added.

    "Me too," Caleb added quickly. "Then why is it so hard?"

    "Maybe because it''s been a long time since we have seen each other. I know we are trying to start from where we left off, or at least I amˇ­ but after giving it a thought I realised that''s not gonna work. We can''t just reconnect just like that" Ashton sighed.

    "Wait are youˇ­" Caleb found himself tongue tied as he struggled to say his next words, "Are youˇ­ breaking up with me?"

    Ashton paled, "No!" He shouted immediately. "You are mate, that is definitely not something I want to do".

    "Oh thank god" Caleb let out a sigh of relief. "This isˇ­ driving me crazy." he murmured. "What did you mean by that then?"

    Ashton smirked as he took a few careful steps towards his mate, "I was thinking instead of starting where we left off, we start from the beginning. Get to know each other like we are complete strangers. Go on a few dates, hang out a little bitˇ­. Fall in love all over again". He added. By the end of his proposal he stood face to face with his mate who in turn had a huge smirk plastered to his face.

    "You are crazy," Caleb chuckled.

    "So?" Ashton tilted his head.

    "Sounds great". Caleb shrugged. His face scrunched a little bit before he mumbled, "Hold that thought for now though. Christian is here, let''s go" Caleb jerked his head motioning him to follow.

 Chapter 217 - The Urgent Meeting

    "Thank you everyone for making it here in such a short notice." Christian began the meeting as everyone looked at him. Unlike the ice fountain pack, they had a huge number of people to accommodate everyone, so the ones who were part of the council were summoned. "I have bad news, I am afraid. There is a high chance of us getting attacked and I want us to be prepared if and when the time comes."

    "Attacked?"

    "By whom? When?"

    "Why? Why us?

    "Are we at war?

    A wave of questions and curious whispers broke out throughout the ground. Christian had to clear his throat pretty loud to gain back everyone''s attention. "I know this is a bit of a shock, but I believe that we are well trained to tackle this threat."

    "But, we have never been to war before. I thought our generation is peaceful." One of the wolves from the council asked.

    "Did you think it will remain like this forever?" Christian asked them sternly. "This council exists for a reason. If you join it, it means you should be ready to fight whenever the situation arises", He announced.

    "But-"

    "And if you think this is too much, resign now. Just to be clear, you won''t be able to join back" He declared. The wolf who was about to say something went quiet. "Good, I appreciate the loyalty of the pack members" He nodded.

    "But, whom will we be fighting against"? Another wolf from the council asked.

    "How many of you have heard of the Ice Fountain Pack?" He asked. Melanie was the only one who had the urge to raise her hand, but she deduced that this question wasn''t really intended for her as she made it pretty clear earlier when she introduced him to the pack herself. "Very well then, let me give you a brief idea."

    When he was done most of them appeared relieved and a few appeared confused. Finally one of them found the courage to ask the question everyone wanted the answer to, "I don''t understand. This pack is not only very small, but they also live quite far from us. Why would they want to attack us?"

    "That brings me to my next order of business." Christian declared. "As many of you know my little brother''s mate had vanished quite a long time ago. However, as you can notice, he is back with us" Christian pointed at Ashton who was standing at the back with Caleb. Most of them gawked at him with a shocked expression on his face.

    The older members of the council recognised him and once more became wary of him. While they knew losing a mate was tough, most of them were quite glad that they were free of a scary pureblooded Alpha. However, many younger members of the council didn''t recognise him as most of them were teenagers or pre-teens when Ashton was first introduced to the pack.

    As the seconds passed by Ashton started to feel uncomfortable with their intruding and scared gazes. Caleb, who could sense the discomfort of his mate, grabbed the hand of his mate and pressed his palm tightly.

    "As I was sayingˇ­" Christian began to speak as to divert back their attention to him. "He was held prisoner in their pack and after a lot of struggle we managed to get him back. We however might have agitated the pack leader and therefore we are currently on bad terms with them with an unpredictable future" He declared.

    A lot of hushes started in the pack once more. Not every one of them were clearly heard, but from the point where Ashton and Caleb were standing, both of them heard a couple talk where one of the girls said, "I knew this wolf would bring us trouble"

    "Tell me about that," Her girlfriend replied.

    Hearing those words, it was hard for Ashton to pretend not to let them bother him. Caleb however didn''t bother hiding his anger as he found his fists clenching and he shot glares at the arrogant couple.

    "If anyone has anything to say, speak up now" Christian declared from the stage. After a whole minute of complete silence he spoke again, "If not, then dismissed See you in the next meeting".

    Everyone scattered as they felt suitable and ended up where they wanted. Caleb stood beside Ashton as he contemplated upon those words. The couple earlier was arrogant, but they weren''t exactly wrong. All this mess was because of him. "Ashton, look at me," Caleb called out to him. Ashton did as asked and stared at him blankly, "Don''t forget, going there was our decision so was making a run for it. If you are going to put balme, don''t forget to blame us". Caleb reminded him.

    "Stillˇ­" Ashton mumbled. "I am sorry for messing things up terribly"

    "We all make decisions we regret" Christian appeared right next to them at that very moment. "I will tell you the same thing I told Caleb when he messed up with that vamp. You can''t change the past. You can''t always fix what''s broken. You need to learn how to let it go"

    "Easy for you to say." Ashton sighed. "How can I possibly let it go when I get a constant reminder of how I screwed up big time".

    "Just to be clear, I am not asking you to ignore it. I am asking you to accept it." Christian shrugged. "I know you feel bad for missing out on eight years, as you should. Anyone would. But make sure the lost eight years don''t make your upcoming eight years miserable." He folded his arms. "We are in this mess, like it or not. And I need to know that you are willing to fight with us when the time comes".

    "I.. I am not so sure about shifting" Ashton admitted hesitantly.

    "Then fight in human form. You are hella strong even in this form. Use it to your advantage." Christian shrugged recalling the first time he asked Ashton to do an arm wrestling match with him. Oh boy was he embarrassed. "Caleb will train you for that" He added.

    "I will"? Caleb''s eyes widened as he looked at him.

    "Yes you will," Christian nodded. "Including Connor as well. He might be young, but it never hurts to be prepared with self defence. If possible, teach him how to use his vampire side as an advantage" He sighed. "Although that might need to you tell him the truth about his heritage"

    "He knows," Caleb admitted meekly.

    Christian''s eyes widened before he nodded, "Very well then. Teach him how to make use of his vampire half as strength"

    "How am I supposed to do that? I am not a Vampire?" Caleb huffed.

    "You are his Dad. You figure it out" Christian gave him a creepy smile. "You are good with unknown things anyway" Christian gave Ashton a quick glance before walking away leaving both of them puzzled and frozen at the same spot. Caleb pouted at his brother''s comment. Pushing his cheek with his tongue he sighed. After all, despite his brother''s snide comment Christian was right. He needed his mate and his kid to be well prepared, and who better to train them than Caleb himself?

 Chapter 218 - Not Move On

    Christian walked back to his office to get an idea of his pending work. Just because there is a chance of attack doesn''t mean he will get to bail on his responsibilities. Ever since his Dad stepped down from the duty, it''s all up to him. He was starting to see why his Dad was cranky. The amount of work required was insane.

    He was an hour into the system when he heard a few knocks on the door. He raised his head to spot a familiar figure looking at him, "Hi, I see you are not avoiding me anymore" Christian snickered.

    "I wasn''t avoiding you" Sebastian cleared his throat.

    Christian tilted his head in a ''Come on'' way. "Yeah, okay, I was a little. But that was after you forgot that you drank andˇ­" Sebastian hesitated.

    "Confessed to you?" Christian helped him out.

    "Yeah," Sebastian nodded.

    CHristian nodded along with him before folding his hands and asking, "Does it really bother you that much? That I had feelings for you"?

    "You don''t anymore?" Sebastian asked him instead.

    "Not as strongly, no. But I am trying my best to get over it" Christian mumbled. "But let''s not change the subject" He sighed. "Does it bother you"?

    "It bothers me that I don''t return them," Sebastian admitted honestly. "One-sided crushes are toughˇ­ and I hate that you-reˇ­ stuck with me"

    "I don''t," Christian snorted. "I mean you can be a d**k once in a while but other than that you are a great guy".

    "Thanks for the compliment" Sebastian offered him a sarcastic smile.

    "You''re welcome" Christian played along and gave him a devious smirk in return.

    Sebastian shook his head before saying, "I thought you ran away from me. That was until I saw Ashton."

    "Okay, I might be a little wary and careful at times, but I am not a coward. Why would I run away from my own pack"? Christian scowled.

    "I dunnoˇ­" Sebastian trailed off. "You have ways of being unexpected. You confessed to me out of the blue."  he shrugged and raised his hand. "Remember this scar? You gave it to meˇ­ when I was just trying to help you".

    "Okay, first of all, that scar was not entirely my fault. My rutty wolf was the one who went berserk. And secondly, I thought I made it up to you by licking your face." Christian looked back at him from his computer with a classic smirk to witness the wide eyes of Sebastian.

    "You really say anything don''t you. What happened to the ''plan your every move'' kind of guy"?  Sebastian asked.

    "Well, I have recently learned that being yourself has its own advantages. So I am not gonna suppress everything" Christian admitted.

    "Good" Sebastian smiled. "You shouldn''t''

    Before their conversation could proceed further there was another knock at the door, which turned out to be none other than Mr. Wrisberg. "I heard you are back son" He mumbled. "I called your mother as well, she will be here soon" he informed his son.

    "I should probably leave," Sebastian prompted but Mr. Wrisberg raised his hand to stop him.

    "You can stay, this won''t take long". Mr. Wrisberg cleared his throat before asking, "I heard there was a potential attack?" He sighed. "What was that about? What went down at the Ice Fountain pack?"

    Christian hesitated for a moment before telling him everything. He didn''t forget to mention the memory lapse of Ashton, especially when he knew how disappointed Mr. Wrisberg was of Ashton. By the time he was done both Mr. Wrisberg and Sebastian were conflicted.

    "So this Riley, he is related to the Cornwells. Are you sure he didn''t have ulterior motives?" Mr. Wrisberg asked.

    "Not that I could find. He was actually helpful". Christian smiled.

    "Good. Why don''t you contact him and get the status update?" Mr. Wrisberg.

    "He didn''t want his pack leader to find out that I left, which is why we didn''t exchange contact" Christian mumbled, he pursed his lips before saying, "But, Mel might be able to help with that".

    "She has a friend there," Mr Wrisberg murmured.

    "I''ll tell her to check the available intels" Murmured Christian and linked her.

    [Did you hear back from your friend at the Ice Fountain at all] he asked.

    [As a matter of fact I did. She was really upset that I showed you the picture. She is apparently under trouble now.] Melanie took a pause before she mumbled, [I think she might be facing some significant consequences]

    [Then I suppose there is no way she would tell you what the Alpha Plans are?] Christian asked the question he very well knew the answer to.

    [I don''t think she can. She doesn''t even know what is going on. I checked with her the first thing after you arrived.] Melanie informed him. [Although I doubt she would let us know even if she had any idea.] Melanie sighed. Letting go of the link, Christian informed his father of the same.

    "I see" Mr. Wrisberg sighed. "I guess we have no choice but to wait it out then." Christian nodded at his father as well. "Oh another thing, I was hoping to hold the official ceremony for handing over the pack to you. It''s high time I stepped down".

    "Butˇ­ I don''t have a mate yet" Christian mumbled. "Is it even possible to be the pack Alpha without a Luna"?

    "There are a lot of things that make you stronger, not just having a mate. You risked your life for your little brother, and I know you will do your best for this pack. You don''t need a mate to make you care. You are well versed with taking care of others." Mr. Wrisberg announced. "Once this conundrum is over, let''s make it official."

    "You really believe I am ready?" Christian asked. He would be lying if he said hearing those words didn''t make him feel elated at all. In fact the nod given by Mr. Wrisberg made him smile as well.

    "You have been ready a long time ago" Mr. Wrisberg affirmed. "I''ll see you later then. Your mum is here" Mr. Wrisberg smiled before he disappeared.

    "I know I have been in this pack for like a decade, but I swear I have never seen him smile" Sebastian mumbled, with a hint of surprise in his voice. After a moment he finaly felt relieved that Mr. Wrisberg was gone.

    "I haveˇ­ when I was young" He mumbled. "Having these responsibilities made him like that". Christian sighed. "And I can imagine why, the responsibility is insane. I literally have to look over everything." Christian sighed. "I think I need to go now, I need these signatures".

    "Yeah, you do that. Just don''t become grumpy like your Dad". Sebastian teased.

    "I am not promising anything," Christian shrugged and vanished leaving Sebastian alone in the office.

    "And, can you not move on yet"? He mumbled  while looking out at the empty hallway. He knew it was hopeless wishing it, if anything he needed to do something about it. What he didn''t know was that Christian forgot something and was on his way back when he heard Sebastian say those words.

 Chapter 219 - Son

    "Ashton"! A sudden voice made him halt. Turning around he noticed a familiar figure approach them, "Wow, you really look the same" Matt commented.

    "Youˇ­ Don''t" Ashton replied awkwardly.

    "Yeah, it''s a long  and grossly confusing story." Caleb tagged. "By the way, thanks man. Ava told me you took care of Connor while I was gone".

    "Anytime Man," Matt patted him on his arm. "Besides, you know how much Tammy loves Connor," he smiled.

    "Who is Tammy?" Ashton prompted.

    "My daughter," Matt informed Ashton. "She is a little younger than Connor, but they get along well" he sighed.

    "I see," Ashton mumbled. "You seemˇ­ a bit different" he commented after a while.

    "Well, unlike you I did grow up," Matt shrugged.

    "Yeah, he is less of an a***ole than he used to be back then" Caleb scoffed.

    "What are you talking about, I was always nice" Matt pretended to be offended before he ended up laughing as well, "I figured, with kids around it''s probably not a great idea to unleash my anger here and then. I have gotten better at controlling it" He laughed.

    "How many kids do you have?" Ashton asked.

    "For now one. Tracey, my mate...she is expecting again" Matt admitted sheepishly.

    "Congratulations!" Ashton let out a faint smile.

    "You know, now that I think about it, this is the first time I have ever seen you smile at me" Matt teased. Ashton''s smile returned to a scowl. Matt chuckled before he bid farewell to his friends after their tiny chat claiming that he was late for work.

    "Let''s go back" Caleb gestured. When they reached home, Ashton saw a familiar and somewhat senescent figure sitting on the front porch.

    "Ashtonˇ­ it''s really you" she let out a bit of a smile as tears broke out of the containment of his eyes. "You...you are really here" she spoke in between her sobs. Ashton who stood at the gate felt something wet on his cheek as he witnessed his mother express joy at his return. He felt as if his body froze and that he was unable to move at all.

    Caleb grabbed his hand and led him to his mother and as soon as he was near enough Sue engulfed her son in a giant hug. "You are alive" She breathed as she hugged her son.

    "I am sorry for not being around" Ashton admitted reluctantly.

    "You should be!" Sue scowled playfully at her son. "You promised to get my Car fixed, you still owe me that" She huffed.

    "It''s still in the same condition"? Ashton''s eyes widened. The only Car that they had belonged to his mom, and she needed it for her daily activities. Ashton promised to get it fixed for a cheaper price at the garage he used to work in after his trip, but that was the story of eight years ago.

    "Of course not." Sue rolled her eyes, "But you do need to make up for the last eight years" She expressed adamantly. She turned to Caleb and smiled at him, "Thank you for bringing him back home, even when I lost hope, you didn''t give up"

    "I promised you I''ll find him, didn''t I?" Caleb suppressed a tear and smiled at his mate''s mother. Caleb hugged Sue before saying, "I should probably get going, I need to pick up Connor." He nodded and left the mother son duo all by themselves.

    They stood there in silence, simply cherishing each other''s presence. Mrs Parker couldn''t believe that her son was in front of her. If this was some sort of hallucination, she wished it never went away. "I have disappointed you, haven''t I"?  Ashton asked after a whole minute.

    "You have always been a little unpredictable" Mrs Parker chuckled, "But, noˇ­ you can never disappoint me. I know I raised my son right". Ashton smiled faintly at his mother. "Besides, I had Caleb. He was a good son to me".

    Ashton''s smile faded for a moment, "Don''t tell me you replaced me as a son".

    "He is your mate"! Mrs Parker chuckled.

    "So? He can be your son too, but you are not allowed to replace me" Ashton pouted.

    Mrs Parker smacked her son lightly before saying, "Say''s the one who showed up after eight years." Ashton rubbed his head while wondering how did his mom reach his head despite her short stature.  "So tell me, did you find anything? Where do you come from?" She asked.

    Ashton paused for a moment before gently shaking his head, "It was my wolf who was in control, and Iˇ­ I don''t really recall itˇ­.Yet". he admitted.

    "Yet"? Mrs Parker tilted his head.

    "I saw a dream, or rather a vision where I recalled what happened after my Parent''s death" Ashton mumbled. Mrs Parker remained quiet, waiting for her son to continue. "I killed their murderer".

    "Oh honey," She whispered. She engulfed him in a hug once more before saying, "I know horrible things have happened to you back then. It won''t go away, but always remember, you are not alone" She took his hand in her own and held it in between both her palms. "You have me, Ava and Ariel and Caleb. If you can get him to like you, even Connor" She smiled. "We are here for you, no matter what".

    Ashton let out a smile before saying, "Sharingˇ­ has always been my weak spot" He mumbled. "But, I''ll try". Ashton nodded. His mother nodded along as well. "Mom, can I ask you one thing"? Ashton asked after a moment. "I can tell Connor is not very fond of meˇ­ do you know how I should bond with him?"

    "He doesn''t like you"? Mrs Parker frowned.

    "Iˇ­ I think I screwed it up" Ashton admitted sheepishly.

    "That''s odd. You guys are so similar I assumed you would bond well, but I guessˇ­ that''s not the case" She sighed.

    "He is Caleb''s son, and I would like to bond with him". Ashton added.

    "You mean, your son right"? Mrs Parker smirked. "Caleb is your mate, if Connor is his son, then he so is yours. That''s how it works. Maybe start from there then" She advised.

    "I dunno, every time I try to talk to him, I feel he is distancing himself" Ashton sighed.

    "And?" She asked.

    "Andˇ­. I failed to talk to him" Ashton sighed.

    "What did I used to do when you sulked after getting into a fight?" Mrs Parker asked with a smirk.

    "You gave me advice," Ashton answered as he recalled.

    "And you were annoyed by me every single time," Mrs Parker recalled as well. "I know you think I didn''t notice, but I did. But I didn''t let it stop me. I knew even if you were quiet, you were looking away, you were listening" She nodded. "So does Connor, especially when he pushes people away."

    "But I tried treating him the way I wanna be treated," Ashton sighed. "It didn''t work"

    "Maybe try how a parent needs to treat a son, rather than how he wants to be treated"? Mrs Parker raised her eyebrows. Ashton frowned, leading her to groan, "My God, you are still an idiot. All I am saying, push harder, even if he pushes you away. And give him some time, he will come around." She sighed. "It must be hard for you, one day you guys are a young couple in love, the next thing you know you have a seven year old son. But try to understand from Connor''s point of view. He doesn''t know youˇ­ he will need time before he warms up to you" She reminded him.

    "I suppose," Ashton mumbled. "Being a Parent sounds tough. Thank you for raising me,"he replied. Mrs Parker ended up laughing at her son''s words before  shaking her head gently.

 Chapter 220 - He Is Coming.

    What did he mean? When he said "And, can you not move on yet"? Those trivial words were a huge distraction to Christian. He ran out of the building even without getting what he wanted because he didn''t want to confront him yet. He was finally getting over Sebastianˇ­ things finally seemed okay between them, then why? Why did he have to go ahead and say something like that? Just why? Of all times?

    He couldn''t believe that despite having weeks of pending work, he couldn''t get anything done. "Dang it!" he slammed the file on the table after staring at it for at least five minutes with undue frustration. No matter how many times he reminded himself of the workload and how he had more important matters at his hand his mind kept drifting off to those few words.

    Unable to take it anymore, he headed out of the office hoping he wouldn''t run into Sebastian. He decided to head off to the terrace only to realise it was dark. Checking his watch he came to know that it was almost time for dinner. Where did all the time go? He sighed. Taking out a cigarette he started to smoke. He smoked only when things got way too frustrating to handle and after almost 6 months, it seemed like it was time again.

    He was halfway through the cigarette when he noticed a familiar figure at the gate. It appeared as though he was trying to convince the guards to let him in. Recognising him seconds later, he headed off to the gate himself, "It''s Okay, he is a friend." Christian asked the guards to let him in and they complied with his orders. "Riley, why.. Why are you here?"

    "He is coming. And he is not alone" That''s all Riley had to say. Christian realised the tension in his voice welcomed him to his office. "He figured out what we didˇ­ and heˇ­ threw me out".

    "I am surprised he didn''t kill you" Christian mumbled.

    "So am I! I guess since his daughter was around he was trying his best not to sound harsh" Riley sighed. "Thank God she was with me back then".

    "So what''s next? You said he is not alone, what do you mean"? Christian asked him, concerned.

    "He has ties to a few packs nearby. Not that close, but you can call them allies. I don''t know exactly which ones he would approach, cause you know... He threw me out. But I do know that he is preparing to attack, or something similar." Riley sighed.

    "I am so sorry," Christian mumbled. "I am sorry that he found out, that was not supposed to happen".

    "He can be dense at times, but Miller is alpha for a reason." Riley pursed his lips. "He didn''t even listen to me, why did I help you? He was furious. I don''t think he realises that your brother''s mate was that wolf, I think he simply thinks you let him go" Riley admitted. "Either way, he is coming here". Riley sighed. "As soon as he finishes gathering up people".

    "Thank youˇ­ for coming here and alerting us" Christian expressed his gratitude. "I need to make sure my pack is ready for whatever Miller is planning."

    "I''ll help you. I have been the beta of his pack for the last six years, I can help you take him down." Riley voiced with determination.

    "Thank you" Christian smiled. "You know, I feel guilty. You have helped us so much, and yet we made things worse for you". Christian gave him an apologetic frown.

    "I didn''t like it there anyways. Alpha Miller started to get on my nerves. I tried to leave earlier, but it didn''t work. In a way I am lucky he threw me out" Riley admitted.

    "Sounds like you hold a lot of grudge against him." Christian scoffed.

    "He separated me from my mother because she was old and not useful enough" Riley scoffed. "He is lucky I didn''t kill him".

    "So that''s why you are helping us" Christian let out a smirk.

    "That''s part of the reason. I just want him to suffer defeat. I am sick of his giant ego" Riley sighed.

    "You wanna kill him"? Christian asked.

    "I would love to," Riley snorted. "But I don''t want to. His familyˇ­ His wife and his daughter are lovely people. And he is a good husband and a father, no matter how terrible of an Alpha he is. Even if he deserves to die in my opinion, they don''t deserve it".  Riley admitted.

    "Yeah, it won''t be fair." Christian sighed. "Well, you must have had a long journey, how about I show you a place to stay. You can stay in the pack house. There is plenty of room" Christian offered. "You can tell us what you know tomorrow morning. I will get my family and my beta too".

    "Sure" Riley smiled and nodded.

    Christian led the way to the pack house when Riley was following behind. That''s when Christian noticed he didn''t have his luggage with him. "You didn''t bring anything?" He asked.

    "I didn''t have the time to pack," Riley admitted sheepishly. "I have my card though, I would need to go shopping". He shook his own head at the mere thought of it, indicating that he doesn''t enjoy shopping.

    "Alright," Christian nodded. Before he could turn around and walk further, Riley spoke.

    "Oh my God, he is here" Riley''s face paled.

    "Miller? This fast"?  Christian panicked. Did he follow him or something.

    "What? No!" Riley dismissed the thought immediately. "Sebastian Kyles. He is one of the greatest actors I have ever seen" Riley said, trying his best to suppress his smile but failing miserably at it. Christian on the other hand had a frown on his face as he did not want to face him. At this very moment, neither of the two wanted to talk to Sebastian, however it was for a very different reason.

    "Am I dreaming?" Riley mumbled. "Did I fall asleep? Can you pinch me"? He asked Christian earning an eye roll from him. He knew Sebastian was popular, but somehow seeing Riley fan-boying over him annoyed the hell out of it. He wanted to wipe off that huge smile off his face so badly.

    "Christian, is that you"? Sebastian called him from his back.

    Riley''s eyes widened and he approximated to Christian''s face, "Oh my god, are you friends with him"? He asked in a whisper.

    "Yes I am? Who are you"? Sebastian raised his voice, who apparently as a wolf didn''t fail to hear him whisper.

    Christian shook his head before turning around, "Seb, this is Riley. The wolf who helped us bring back Ashton".

    "Oh" Sebastian let out. His suspicious gaze turned into an unreadable expression while Riley frowned at him.

    "Are you aˇ­ wolf too?" Riley''s eyes widened. "Never would I have ever guessed that in a million years" He looked at him wide eyed.

    "I am sorry, do I know you"? Sebastian furrowed his brows and folded his arms.

    "Noˇ­ but I know you" Riley said with a huge smile that was starting to creep out Sebastian. "I am a huge fan of your works! You are like the King of Sci-fi movies" He said.

    "Oh.. so you are a fan" Sebastian nodded. "I don''t see many fans here, so I am not used to this around this neighborhood." He chuckled as well.

    "Can I have your autograph"? Riley blurted out.

    "...Sure" Sebastian mumbled as he recovered. "Just don''t post it on social media" He asked.

    "Won''t be a problem," Riley shook his head vigorously . He looked around himself but he had nothing on himself so he approached Sebastian startling him. Taking a marker from his pocket, he said, "Just sign my T-shirt." Sebastian blinked but he complied anyway. His white shirt did make it easier for Sebastian to sign it.

    Riley kept gawking at Sebastian making both of the wolves uncomfortable. "You know what, it''s late. I''ll see you tomorrow" Christian declared. "Come on let''s go" Grabbing Riley''s hand he took him to the pack house. Meanwhile, the poor marker which Riley forgot to take back broke in Sebastian''s fist as he glared at the duo from the back.

 Chapter 221 - Whatever I Know

    "You called for us"? Caleb asked as soon as he entered the office alongside his mate.

    "Yesˇ­ I guess that''s all" Christian looked at the room at each person one by one. From left to right, they stood in the order; Mr. Wrisberg, Sebastian, Caleb, Ashton, Melanie and Riley, who was right next to Christian as well.

    "Wait youˇ­" Caleb mumbled as soon as he saw Riley.

    "Yes," Christian nodded. "Dad, Mel, he is Riley, the one who helped us escape." He introduced to the only people in the room unfamiliar with his face. "He has some information for us. We are getting attacked, that''s for sure" he declared. The tension in the air finally reached everyone''s face as the hint of apprehensions started to appear on everyone''s faces.

    "Soˇ­" Riley began as he felt those unfamiliar eyes on him. He cleared his throat before he began to speak as if he was briefing. "The Ice Fountain pack is not so big. It has even less than 500 hundred, making us quite vulnerable. Butˇ­ Miller, our Alpha, is aware of this fact as well." He took out a map from his pocket and laid it on the table. Everyone gathered around further staring at the map.

    "So this is our pack." He pointed at a red dot on it. "These are four more packs nearby with which we have close contact. I think they are the ones Miller will approach" His fingers roamed above the green dots.

    "This is Esmogene and Cannibite" He noted at the two closest green dots. "They are more or less the closest to each other given their geographical proximity" He sighed. "This is Lycannar, the one which is closest to us." He paused for a moment. "And this is the Red Moon. The biggest of all these packs. If we total everyone, this pack is almost fifty percent of it"

    "I know Red Moon" Mr. Wrisberg declared. "My father once fought alongside them when he was a new Alpha" He sighed. "We have connections to them, will they really attack us"? Mr. Wrisberg wondered out loud.

    "I think it''s still too early to rule out any possibilities." Christian mumbled. Mr Wrisberg nodded at his son and urged Riley to continue.

    "Soˇ­ if we do a total headcount of the pack members together, it comes around to approximately 3000" Riley declared.

    "It''s less than us." Christian mumbled. ".. but comparable".

    "Wait a minute. A headcount is not right. Not everyone will fight. Usually it''s the wolves trained for such purposes take the lead. And if it''s an emergency, the wolves with basic training participate." Caleb reminded everyone, drawing their attention towards himself. "Nowˇ­ if we exclude the ones who absolutely can''t participate. Children below the age of.. seven, and the pregnant womanˇ­ it''ll be lower" He shrugged.

    "Yeah, but we have no way of knowing that," Christian reminded him.

    "Usually, the average wolf population wise speaking, the untrained ones consist of approximately 10 percent. That''s still a lot, for a total of 3000, I mean" Caleb shrugged.

    "How do you know that"? Taken aback, Christian asked.

    "Grandpa taught me. He had fought a lot of wars in his time. He taught me how to play with the numbers" Caleb shrugged.

    "He is rightˇ­ My Father knew all this stuff" Mr Wrisberg nodded. "He taught me tooˇ­ but I guess I forgot."

    "Okayˇ­" Christian looked back and forth from his father to his brother before declaring. "So that brings us to what, 2700? That''s still a lot. We have around 5000 members who are well trained. They will be outnumbered, but it will definitely be a fight". He declared.

    "Maybe we should alert the subdivisions of our packs, '''' Caleb suggested.

    "Can you take care of that"? Christian asked him. Caleb gave him an affirmative nod. "Speaking of which. The under-aged and the pregnant ones of our pack need protection. Given they will attack us, we need to move them to a safe place." Christian asked.

    "My aunt''s lakehouse"? Melanie suggested. Chrisitian tilted his head so as to let her speak further. "My aunt married a human and moved out of this pack. She lives across the town, it''s like a two hour drive in a car" Melanie shrugged. "It''s big enoughˇ­ at least to accommodate them for a while. Plus, it''s away from the pack.. So it''s safe," she suggested.

    "That seems about right," Christian smiled. "But, it is still risky. We would need someone to stay there, in case we need it" He asked.

    "I''ll go" For the very first time, Ashton spoke up. "I haven''t exactly been in the pack so I lack coordination with others. But I am good at fighting" he mumbled. Mr Wrisberg didn''t look too convinced but he didn''t deny him either.

    "I''ll help him," Riley spoke. "Even if I don''t have any coordination with them, I can help him."

    "I appreciate your help, but you are not from this pack" Mr. Wrisberg declared. Everyone looked at him as his tone turned to a stern one. "As much as I appreciate your help I cannot fully trust you when you keep calling Ice Fountain ''our pack'' and thisˇ­ Miller, ''our Alpha''." Declared Mr. Wrisberg.

    "I get that" He nodded.

    "But Dad-" Christian was about to protest his dad shut him by raising his hand.

    "It''s a war son" He declared. "We have to be careful"

    "What if he becomes part of our pack"?  Caleb suggested. "That way you will know if he is loyal or not" He suggested.

    Mr Wrisberg shifted his gaze to Riley who nodded at him. "Very well then. Let''s do that". He looked at Ashton and said, "While we are at it, why don''t you join us too? Or you keep on planning to be an outsider forever while being mated to my son".

    Ashton blinked at Mr. Wrisberg. He couldn''t believe it was the same Mr Wrisberg who slapped him a couple of days ago. Honestly he was expecting Mr Wrisberg to throw him out sooner or later. He had always been hostile to Ashton, and the fact he was just asked to be a part of this Cresentile Pack meant a great deal to him. More than he would like to admit.

    "I will join," Ashton nodded.

    "Very well. Follow me" He instructed them.

 Chapter 222 - Becoming A Member

    [Where are we going] Linking his mate, Ashton asked.

    [Don''t worry, we are not going anywhere suspicious] Caleb replied right before they took the stairs.

    As Mr. Wrisberg led the way, Caleb, Ashton and Riley followed him. They ended up two floors above and down the corridor there was a huge hall as if it was designed for gathering. How come this was not the place they had their gatherings at? Ashton wondered.

    "Usually when we accept someone new on the pack we hold a tiny ceremony for the council members, but we don''t have time." Mr. Wriserg declared. Riley seemed to be more aware of the process than Ashton was given he was beta of his designated pack. As for Ashton this might be the first time he was ever going to be a part of the pack.

    Mr. Wrisberg sensing Ashton''s confusion called Riley first to the podium at the center. They joined their right hand before Mr. Wrisberg asked out loud. "Are you certain you want to be a member of the Crescentile Pack?"

    "Yes," Riley declared. It was quite for a few more seconds before Mr. Wrisberg declared that they were done.

    "That''s it?" Ashton whispered before looking at Caleb.

    [He is gonna ask you a few questions, make sure to answer them properly.] Caleb chuckled in his head.

    [He only asked one] Ashton reminded.

    [Out loud. Get ready to have my Dad in your head.] Caleb teased.

    Mr Wrisberg motioned Ashton to take Riley''s place as he stepped down the podium. Ashton found his heart rate rise as he did so and followed the same suit. Just like with Riley they joined their right hands and Mr. Wrisberg asked, "Are you certain you want to be a member of the Crescentile Pack?"

    "Yes," Ashton declared.

    A few seconds later he heard in his head [Do you swear to treat this pack as your family and come to it''s aid when required?] He was asked.

    [I swear] Ashton declared with utmost determination.

    [Then I, Arthur Wrisberg, the Alpha of Crescentile Pack, accept you in this pack on behalf of every member of this pack. You may be allowed to link other''s now] He declared and let go. "It''d done"

    Ashton turned to look at his mate who held a smile filled with adoration which only made Ashton sure of his decision. Suddenly he felt like a sensation on his head that was impossible to put words to. It was similar to when something got stuck on your throat, but instead your throat it was in his mind. "What''s wrong?" Caleb asked as he struggled to breathe.

    "My head.. Something feels weird" Ashton admitted.

    "Ahˇ­ let it in," Caleb smiled at him.

    "What"? Ashton frowned as he struggled to breathe further.

    "I am saying, let it in," Caleb tried again. "My brother, I told him you are done so he is verifying by trying to link you".

    "Okayˇ­ but how"? Ashton asked. "How do I let him in?" He asked.

    "Just stop fighting it and relax." Caleb instructed, Ashton tilted his head so Calebs said, "Take a deep breathˇ­. And relax".

    Ashton nodded and did as he was asked. He tried not to resist the feeling and once it was completely gone he heard, [Finally. Next time make sure you respond fast]

    [Okay] is all Ashton replied before his mind was empty of any intrusion again.

    "This feltˇ­ different than it did with yours," Ashton mumbled as they got out of the room.

    "Of course it did, mate bond and pack bonds are different. You didn''t know?" Caleb asked his mate.

    "I knew it was gonna be different. I didn''t exactly know how," Ashton mumbled. Caleb raised his eyebrows so he continued. "The last time I linked anyone was my parents when I was around nine. I think, as I grew up my resistance increased."

    "That happens," Caleb nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah" Ashton whispered. "I guess that''s why it feels so weird."

    "Don''t worry, you will get used to it" Caleb assured his mate as he patted his back. "I checked with Christian. He said the van will be here any minute. I''ll bring Connor and everything. I know you two aren''t exactly on best terms right now, but I would really appreciate it if youˇ­ kept him safe".

    "Of course I will," Ashton blurted in a minute. "There is no way I won''t. I''ll look out for everyone else".

    "And ifˇ­" Caleb breathed. "And if things get overwhelming, call me. I know you don''t wanna shift right now-"

    "Doesn''t matter," Ashton declared. "I''ll do everything in my power to keep them safe and protected. Caleb let out a smile and gave him a nod.

    "Ashton" Suddenly they heard someone call, making them hald. Turning around they realised that it was none other than Sebastian. "Hi, I am not sure if you know who I amˇ­" Ashton shook his head lightly to convey that he didn''t. "My name is Sebastian. And Iˇ­ I wanted to thank you".

    "Me?" Ashton frowned out of confusion.

    "Yeah. When I first arrived here I was attacked. After I joined the pack I found out it was you who came to my rescue. Thanks for saving my life back then". Sebastian extended his hand to shake. Ashton took a moment before shaking his hand. Giving Ashton a slight nod, Sebastian disappeared.

    "Guess what, my brother likes him" Caleb chuckled once he was out of their sight.

    "I can imagine why," Ashton mumbled. Caleb jerked his head to look at Ashton so he continued. "I mean he is hot" He shrugged and soon Caleb''s look turned into a glare. "Of course, not as hot as you. But you know Christian can''t like you since you are my mateˇ­ and his brother. That would be weird, so he likes him" Ashton rambled on getting flustered by the minute.

    "Justˇ­ don''t" Caleb shook his head as he cringed. "Remember that, andˇ­ make sure you come back this time" Caleb declared. "Or I will hunt your ghost if I have to" He threatened.

    "I wouldn''t dare" Ashton declared.

 Chapter 223 - He Is Here

    "Son, I know you don''t want to be away, but pleaseˇ­ do this for me" Caleb pleaded to his son who simply refused to look at him while he packed his backpack. In his heart Connor was prepared to never see his ''Dad'' again. "Connor, look at me," Caleb whispered and turned Connor to face himself. "I am really sorry for sending you awayˇ­ but trust me, you''ll be back home before you know it". When Connor still didn''t say anything Caleb mumbled, "Okay"?

    "Okay" Connor whispered.

    They hired a huge bus that would get them to safety and somehow Connor avoided Ashton on his way in, who happened to be waiting for the duo right by the door. "He isˇ­." Caleb started,  but hesitated. "He is really torn. I know I am not allowed to ask you for personal favour but... Please keep an eye on him" Caleb begged.

    "I am not letting him out of my sight" Ashton promised. Bringing his face closer, Caleb planted a long but sweet kiss on Ashton''s lips and they both cherished the moment. Finally pulling away, Ashton mumbled. "I''ll be back for more." He winked, making Caleb laugh. Caleb hated this. Even if it was too close to home, he hated being separated from his mate.

    "Guys" Matt approached them with a sleeping Tammy in his arms. "When I dropped off Tracey, I promised I''d do my best to protect Tammy. I am coming with you" He declared.

    "Butˇ­" Caleb was about to protest.

    "Look, I am not leaving my daughter alone. At any cost"! He raised his voice prompting Tammy to wiggle in her sleep. Good things Tammy was a heavy sleeperˇ­ or she might be frustrated. "I am not leaving her" Matt insisted.

    "We already have a lot of people on board" Ashton spoke, earning a glare from Matt which Ashton didn''t really notice. "I think we can use some extra manpower just in case" The moment he said those words Matt''s glare turned into a grateful stare.

    "Fine" Caleb shrugged after a moment. "I''ll inform my brother that you would be unavailable" He nodded. Caleb''s gaze lingered on Ashton for a while before he decided to leave that spot. Matt got up with his daughter while Ashton waited at the gate for the rest of them.

    Once everyone that was accounted for boarded the bus, they headed off to their destination. The entire way Riley and Ashton had to keep up to look out for any unknown dangers out there. Matt decided to cater to the kids and the pregnant women as they were most familiar with him. Very few of them recognised Ashton, but none of them recognised Riley.

    After what it seemed like forever they finally reached their destination. The house was huge enough for the old lady that was waiting for them at the door. It seemed she had many servants, but she didn''t have any companion of her own. She welcomed them on her own and the people tried their best to make themselves as comfortable as they could.

    All the time when they were reshuffling not once did Ashton let the boy out of his sight. Most of the kids were busy talking with each other but Connorˇ­ he was sitting by the corner staring out of the window all alone. When Connor was sitting all by himself, he was approached by Ashton. Ashton was sure Connor would pull away, but he was surprised that he didn''t.

    "My Dad won''t die right"? Connor asked Ashton.

    Ashton wondered whether to be honest or be comforting as he struggled to do both. He didn''t want to bother Caleb at this time as he knew the fight had already ensued there. He really wished he was good with words. "I don''t know" he decided to be honest. Connor had enough lies for a while, maybe a little bit of honesty was good. "I don''t know what I would do without him". I mumbled.

    "If you really love him that much, why did you leave?" Connor finally looked at Ashton.

    Feeling his heart swell up Ashton tried, "I didn''t realise it will take me this long to get back. Iˇ­ I just wanted to find out who I am" Ashton admitted. "What I am" He continued.

    "Did you?" Connor asked.

    "I dunno," Ashton mumbled once more. "

    "What do you know" getting frustrated, Connor scowled.

    Ashton ended up chuckling at his answer. "I know I am not just some werewolf," I shrugged. "I amˇ­ differentˇ­ I guess I just wanted to find someone similar to me". After a moment of silence Ashton explained further. "You see, my wolf and Iˇ­ we are not connected like most. Sometimes, my wolf takes over my body and I don''t remember a single thing" Ashton admitted honestly. "It was as if I blinked and suddenly I had lost seven years" Ashton felt himself tearing up.

    "It must be scary," Connor mumbled. "I am scared of myself too. I have these urgesˇ­ which makes me hurt people. I.. I can''t always control myself" He mumbled.

    "It took me a long time before I learned how to control. I am supposed to be impulsive by nature" Ashton added.

    "Can you teach me? Control?" Ashton was shocked to hear Connor ask him that.

    "Me?... Sure!" He answered immediately. "After all of this is overˇ­ I''ll teach you"

    "I know you are Daddy''s mate, But I am not calling you Dad" Connor declared.

    "How about a friend?" Ashton suggested after a moment. "I don''t have a lot of friends. Your Dad is all I gotˇ­ and we fight from time to time" Ashton played.

    "If you hurt Dad again, I''ll hurt you" Connor threatened Ashton with his adorable glare.

    "And I will let you," Ashton nodded. "If I ever hurt him again, I deserve to be punished." Ashton agreed. Before their conversation could proceed further, Ashton heard some noises from the front door. Suddenly they heard a huge scream coming from upstairs and Ashton ran towards the noise.

    The moment he reached there he was shocked to see one of the women bleeding. It was healing fast, but it must have been a grave injury depending on it''s healing rate. Ashton looked around and he finally recognised the smell trail, he linked Caleb. [He is here].

 Chapter 224 - The War

    "They are gone"? Christian asked his brother as soon as he stepped into the office. With a reluctance to admit, Caleb nodded at his brother affirming his statement. "Good, I am worried that despite our accepting them into the pack the link might not work due to the distance. Melanie didn''t tell me the exact address, but I know they are far enough."

    "Won''t that be a problem"? Sebastian asked.

    "I hope not. Caleb, I need you to be connected to Ashton all the time. Keep me updated on everything and anything that happens to him." Christian ordered. Caleb simply nodded at his brother. Suddenly they heard incoming hastily approaching footsteps forcing them to attain an alert stance as they fixed their gaze at the door.

    The door swung open and the wolves in the room were ready to jump until they realised that they knew this person, "Duke?" Caleb frowned.

    "Camilla, she was attacked." He gasped.

    "What"? Caleb mumbled while all of them deadpanned. "Yeah, We brought our kids here to send them for hiding and she was attacked out of nowhere. Her mate is with her, and I scratched that wolf pretty badly, but I couldn''t catch them." He announced with terror evident in his voice.

    What happened earlier shook him to his core, and why wouldn''t it? His sister was just attacked right in front of him and he failed to protect her. "How is she doing?" Caleb asked before Christian could ask something else.

    "I dunno," Duke shook his head in terror. "The attack, the one that you warned us about. It''s here".

    Again, Christian was interrupted before he could speak as Melanie tried to link him, [The wolves are attacking rampantly. Somehow they managed to infiltrate our borders. We have secured the perimeter of the pack house, but I can''t ensure how long we can hold them back]

    Christian took a moment to respond, [Make sure no one is outnumbered, and no wolf fights alone] he ordered. "They are here" he declared once he disconnected.

    "They are.. Brutal" Sebastian mumbled whilst he stared out of the window.  "I wonder which one of them is Alpha Miller" He sighed as he looked back.

    "None" Christian declared.

    "How can you know for sure"? Sebastian frowned.

    "In our wars the head doesn''t come on the field until and unless it is an absolute necessity. No head shows up in the front this early". He explained.

    "I see" Sebastian was min-nod when he stopped abruptly, "Wait, does that mean you will stay in here?"

    "Yeah, not unless the situation worsens," Christian shrugged.

    "Are you crazy?!!" Sebastian snarled. "They are fighting with all they have got and you, the leader they look up to, you are gonna sit here like some coward"?

    "Sebastian" Christian voiced sternly. "I know you are concerned about them, so am I. But if we don''t follow protocol things can get really messed up"

    Sebastian scoffed at that, "Well, I am going out there"

    "Wait"! Christian shouted. "As your pack leader I order you to stay in".

    Sebastian scoffed again, "When I joined this pack, I swore I would treat this pack as my own family. There is no way I am letting my family get hurt like this" He pressed on every syllable, since ''I''. "Ever. I won''t just sit around and watch my family get hurt" and with that he disappeared.

    Christian stared at the spot where Sebastian left his line of sight. In his heart Christian knew that Sebastian was right. The fact that he would do the right thing instead of going by the book was one of the things he admired about Sebastian. Maybe because the book was too old, but Christian was not sure how to not follow the rules.

    "You know, I hate to say thisˇ­ but I think he is right" Caleb prompted catching his attention.

    "So you''re suggesting I go out there?" Christian asked calmly, partly hoping for a yes. One yes and he would be on the field with everyone.

    "No, I think I should go" Caleb clarified. Christian tilted his head lightly, "You are not the only leader figure here".

    "But-" Christian began to protest.

    "Brother, have faith in me. I have been training with you since I was five. I can take care of this". Caleb insisted.

    "I know you can" Christian clarified, "But I am also aware that you can be a bit reckless when your emotions are on overdrive. With Ashyon and Connor gone, I know it is" Christian declared. Caleb opened his mouth to protest but he closed it recalling that in the past he had made a few reckless decisions just to prove himself but ultimately getting himself in trouble. "You can go, but not alone". Christian warned.

    "I''ll go with him" Duke suggested. Duke used to train along with them when young, and even though it''s been years since they fought together, Christian would like to believe they could coordinate.

    "How about both of us join Sebastian. He ran out all by himself, I think he can use us" Caleb suggested.

    Christian after a moment of thought nodded in approval. "Fine, go ahead"

    Caleb and Duke ran out of the house to see a almost a literal blood bath. So far no wolf was dead, but there was still a lot of blood out there. When a few of the angry wolves of the other side noticed Caleb and Duke exit the building, they jumped on them. In a second both of them jumped up in the air and shifted into their respective white and bronze wolf and dodged their attack.

    When the wolves didn''t look back the duo realised the were headed inside, So Caleb jumped and scratched through the fur of the taupe wolf while Duke bit the tail of the charcoal wolf making her wail in pain. The fought with them for a while until Caleb managed to Knock the taupe wolf out. After that he helped Duke fight the Charcoal one.

    Once they were done and shared a nod and looked around. They finally spotted Sebastian outnumbered by two wolves and both of them jumped at the heap over him. Yhe wolves flew back as Caleb and Duke flanked Sebastian. [Thanks] he replied in the link. Soon, they were flanked two more silver wolves. Caleb shared a nod at them as he acknowledged their presence. The twins were here.

    Some of the wolves from the other side seemed surprised by the skills of the omegas. A few wolves tried to take on them, assured that they will succeed. Alas, that only brought them a deep sleep after the knock out. They didn''t know how long they fought, but the sun was starting to set and many wolves started to retreat. [Should we follow them] the wolves in the link asked.

    Before Caleb could say anythinghe had a flash of vision. He was surrounded by many kids, Riley andˇ­ and Alpha Miller was there. Caleb''s eyes widened, as he realised the Alpha found their kids. Immediately, Caleb informed his brother. When he was about to let go he felt an incredible amount of pain before everything turned dark for him.

 Chapter 225 - The Caramel Wolf

    Ashton was suddenly flanked by Riley and Matt. he could feel his connection flicker with Caleb, but he couldn''t focus on it right now. He wondered how to convey the duo behind him his thoughts when he recalled he could link them. He tried that and was elated to realise he succeeded. [He is Miller, the Alpha of Ice Fountain]

    [What?] Matt panicked. [Why is the Alpha here? How is he here?]

    [Oh noˇ­!] Riley deadpanned.

    [What ?!] Matt snarled before Ashton could.

    [In our pack we put a tracker in everyone''s enamel so that we can track the wolves when necessary. It''s a way to protect us in case of emergencies] Riley explained through the pressing situation. [I forgot I had one. He must have tracked me]

    [You brought them here?] Matt was furious. [You put my kid in danger, I swear I would kill you. I knew you weren''t trustworthy] Riley didn''t bother to counter the accusation.

    [MATT!] Ashton shouted in his voice. Ashton failed to realise but the pureblood tone in his voice was what influenced them, compelling Matt to keep quiet. [we have a bigger, and a clearer enemy in front of us. We need to deal with him]

    [But if he is hereˇ­ there can be more] Riley mumbled.

    [We need to deal with everyone] Ashton declared. He tried his best to contact Caleb, but he failed. No matter what he couldn''t link his mate. This was all on them now. He had to ensure everyone remained safe. He was the reason these people were in trouble, and ergo they were his responsibility.

    That was the moment Alpha Miller attacked, but instead of going for the trio, he jumped through the stairs at the kids. The pregnant women tried to keep the kids out of the way before the trio jumped blocking him. Both Matt and Riley shifted and jumped on the Caramel wolf while Ashton retained his human form.

    He tried to safeguard everyone until another wolf who happened to be a Sub-Alpha broke into their room. For the wolves, it was 2 vs 2 now. However, it appeared Matt and Riley were losing against Alpha Miller and the other one, [Who is she? Do you know her?] Ashton asked in the link.

    [She is our Luna] Riley replied. No wonder these two were losing, they were Alpha and the Luna for a reason, and their skills were impeccable. A wave of fear washed through everyone as Matt screamed in pain the moment Miller''s teeth broke into his thick skin. The fight that was already hard seemed impossible to win at this moment.

    Seeing Matt hurt like that, Tammy cried, "Dad!" The cry of fear of the little girl triggered something in him. If he continues to maintain his human form and not fight them, these two will definitely suffer, but so will their family. He cannot let fear of losing control stop him from doing the right thing.

    If things are already this bad here, he had no idea how bad they must be back at the pack house. Suddenly the reason why his connection to his mate got cut off became clear to him. Aside from the fear the anger consumed him and he snarled at the fighting wolves scaring almost everyone. His snarl had the dominating undertone of a pureblooded Alpha, and with that coupled with his red eyes at the moment, it was hard not to be scared of him.

    "Let them go" He pronounced each of those words clearly, each word with a step he took. If not for his authoritative voice, the wolves would have attacked him, but they feel compelled to abide by him, like an invisible force controlling them instead of their own subconscious.

    Suddenly another glass broke distracting everyone, thereby marking the entry of the third werewolf in the house. [Seriously how many are gonna pop up] Riley groaned in frustration.

    Taking advantage of that distraction both Alpha Miller and his mate pounced on Ashton making him fall down. They went for the kill, but luckily Matt and Riley stopped them due to their quick Ashton. "Ashton"! He heard the voice of Connor ring through the crowd. Recalling his promise to protect him at all cost, Ashton broke through his skin and morphed into the giant wolf everyone feared.

    As soon as Alpha Miller noticed a giant shadow subsuming his own he turned to look at the source. Alpha Miller was stunned momentarily as the time when he was almost killed by this same werewolf flashed in front of his mind. So that''s why that wolf was goneˇ­ thought Alpha Miller. Before he could respond Ashton grabbed the third wolf by its neck and threw him out of the window. For a pureblooded/Valestine (?) wolf like Ashton, it was no big deal.

    Alpha Miller deadpanned. Recalling everything this wolf was capable of, he nudged his mate to run. She refused to until somehow he managed to convince her and she made a run for it. Riley and Matt tried to stop her but Ashton didn''t care. His focus was solely upon the Alpha wolf who threatened his family. Who threatened his lifeˇ­ who threatened these innocent little wolves just for the sake of his pride.

    Ashton took a few careful steps towards the wolf in front of him. He jumped on the wolf and started to rip him. Alpha Miller was heavily injured in the process and was mewling for his dear life when he heard, "Don''t"! It was none other than Connor. "Don''t kill him. Don''t be a killer" He begged.

    Taking advantage of the momentary distraction and mustering all the strength he had left in him, Alpha Miller made a run for it. As soon as Ashton realised what was happening he tried to go after him but Connor managed to run in front of him. Given his Vampire genes, Connor was faster than anyone in the pack. He stood in front of Ashton and shouted.

    "Don''t do this! Don''t do this!"  Ashton''s wolf tried to swat him away with his snout, but it wasn''t exactly of any help given Connor was just as stubborn as Ashton. "You promised me you won''t hurt Dad. If you do this you will hurt him". That was what snapped Ashton back to reality and his red eyes faded to the black ones.

    He changed back to his human form and contemplated how immersed he was in killing Alpha Miller. His wolf didn''t get the control, neither did he desire to kill Alpha Millerˇ­ then why? Why couldn''t he stop them? With Alpha Miller that heavily injured it was sure he won''t attack anyone personally anytime soon.

    The marks made by a fellow wolf took time to heal, which meant wherever Alpha Miller was, he was suffering. He was weak. In retrospect they were safe from Alpha Miller. Doesn''t mean the other''s won''t come through. Ashton needed to compose himself when they did, and as all these thoughts upon him he looked around him. Those kids, the young womenˇ­ they looked terrified of him. Like Always.

    And then he looked back at Connor, expecting the same reaction. But insteadˇ­ Connor appeared grateful, and somehow that hurt more than the scratch on his arm made by Alpha Miller.

 Chapter 226 - Injured

    Sebastian linked Christian as soon as he was done taking down the wolf that attacked Caleb. He made sure he hurt him well enough because it pissed him off to see Caleb pass out like that. The white wolf form of Caleb laid on the ground contrasting well with the bloody sand below. That''s when Sebastian noticed that Caleb was bleeding out from his head.

    Shifting back immediately he linked Christian, [Caleb is down. I am taking him to the hospital.] and he left. It was a miracle that no one was attacked in the hospital. Maybe the fact that it was also a human hospital, shadowed it from the fact that wolves too were treated here.

    Sebastian decided to be careful in his approach. He didn''t want to walk through the front door holding a giant snow wolf where humans might be waiting to get their ailments, so he took the backdoor. He carefully avoided any human interaction and went to the mini emergency center for the wolves, which thanks to their impromptu was already overcrowded.

    "Dr. Brown" Sebastian called the one person he could actually recognise. He was busy with a nurse, guiding her through one of the procedures when his attention was caught by Sebastian. As soon as he noticed the blood on the wolf''s head he came running.

    "Put him down here, let me examine him" Dr. Browne ordered.

    "Please be careful. It''s Caleb" Sebastian requested nervously.

    "I am aware, Mr Kyles. Don''t worry" he examined the wound thoroughly and asked for sutures. "His wound isn''t deep, but since he hit his head his body is a bit discoordinated. He will need time to heal fully. Hopefully the sutures will help", ``he replied. The Doctor was one of the betas of the pack, but most importantly he was known for his excellent medical skills.

    "Okay" Sebastian simply nodded at them.

    After the doctor was done stitching he asked the nurse to shift Caleb to the VIP Cabin, reserved for the Mayor''s family. "How is he?"! A running Christian came to him, as soon as they were done placing Caleb in the Cabin. He was still in his wolf form, and yet he managed to stand out.

    "He might need some time to recover," Sebastian mumbled.

    At that moment Dr. Browne walked in and bowed slightly to acknowledge the future Alpha. "I heard that his mate came backˇ­." He spoke to Chirstian  "Where is he?''''

    "He isˇ­ not here at the moment" Christian replied as he pursed his lips.

    "He is healing slowlyˇ­ but having his mate by his side might speed up his healing" informed the doctor.

    "How long will it take him to wake up?"

    "We aren''t sure. Heˇ­ has a bit different physiology" Dr. Browne commented. Christian jerked his head to the Doctor and his expression took away the fact that he knew Caleb was an omega. Despite that Christian linked him and asked to elaborate. [Don''t worry, I know that people are unaware of his blood status. Such things never escape the gossip around here. I won''t reveal this to anyone.]

    [Thank you] is all Christian could say.

    "Another thing, the hospital is overwhelmed right now. Maybe we should reject human treatment for now? We are severely short staffed".

    "The humans are the one camouflaging this hospital. It would be risky. Give me some time, I''ll see if I can arrange some staff for the hospital" He nodded. The Doctor nodded at him and took his leave.

    Christian stood there staring at his brother''s lifeless wolf form as guilt took over him. How is he supposed to protect the pack if he can''t even his own family. Not to mention Caleb informed him that Ashton had been discovered and he had no clue whatsoever was happening there. "You were right," Christian mumbled.

    Sebastian, who was simply observing Christian mumbled, "Huh"?

    "I shouldn''t have stayed back there like a coward. I should have fought. I should have been there next to my brother." Christian sighed.

    "Imagine the havoc that would be unleashing if you both got injured like this" Sebastian pointed out.

    "It should have been me, instead of him. He just found his mateˇ­ They cannot separate again. Not like this" He shook his head. "I gotta go" He mumbled and ran out of the room. Knowing well enough that Christian was very emotional right now Sebastian followed.

    "Wait! Where are you going"? Sebastian shouted as he caught up with him.

    "To the hideout" Christian confessed. "Right before Caleb passed out he informed me that they were found out. There is a very good chance something might have happened to them. Ashton and Caleb just met, I cannot let them separate just like that."

    "But-" Sebastian began but he was cut off by Christain.

    "I am going there. I have seen my brother break down little by little in the absence of his mate. He claimed to be strong, but I knew. I knew how he felt because I can tell what''s going on with my brother. I am not letting him go through that again so easily"! Christian huffed in anger as his voice quivered.

    "I''ll come with you," declared Sebastian.

    "What"? Christian scoffed.

    "This is a dangerous mission. I am not letting you go alone. You need backup. You are still the leader of this pack". Sebastian justified.

    "Exactly. And I am taking responsibility." Christian declared with utmost determination. "I need someone to take care of everything while I am gone. As my beta it''s Melanie''s job, but I want you to help her. Stay here, and keep these people safe." Christian ordered.

    "Look, this is no-" Sebastian began but once more he was cut off by Christian.

    "I am not taking you! I''ll take other wolves for my safety. As for you, you are staying" He snarled.

    Sebastian simply stared at Christian who couldn''t just stop glaring. Christian wasn''t angry at Sebastian, but unfortunately it was coming down on him. In the next few seconds everything happened so fast that he couldn''t comprehend the sequence. All he could feel was a pair of soft but firm lips on his own.

    Christian would be lying if he said he hated the kiss. What he hated was instead of pushing Sebastian away he let him have his way with him. Christian closed his eyes as well and savoured the kiss as much as he could before he had to deal with the reality again. When Sebastian finally pulled away, Christian stared at those lips instead of his eyes. His mind was completely blank. He didn''t even know what to think.

    "This is the second time you kissed me without my permission" Christian tried his best to sound accusatory but it came out simple as a statement.

    "And this is the second time you let me," Sebastian challenged.

    "I have so many questions." Christian mumbled before finally looking him in the eye. "Unfortunately I don''t have time for all this" He pressed his cheek with his tongue.

    "Then you better make it back in one piece" Sebastian smirked. "Don''t die," Sebastian said out loud before releasing Christian from his grip. Christian blinked twice before he disappeared from his sight.

    Christian ensured he instructed Melanie Properly before he left. Thanks to the cooling down of things his way was cleared. No matter how dark the road seemed, his attention kept coming back to the kiss. First Sebastian said not to move on, and now this? If Sebastian had any interest in him why not just say it already? Maybe make it a lot less harder for him. Or else just let him get over his crush. Why confuse him?

    His feelings were thrown into turmoil and with everything going on around he felt a bit guilty for letting that kiss bother him so much. But no matter what he felt, he couldn''t forget the giddy feeling he got when their lips met. No matter what he felt, he couldn''t help but want more.

 Chapter 227 - The Aftermath

    It was really late by the time Christian reached the safe house. He had no idea how things were and he kept trying to link Ashton as much as he could so that whenever he would be in the range, he could check what was the situation.

    [Christian?] When Ashton finally linked him, he sighed in relief.

    [Caleb told me you were discovered. What''s the status?] Christian asked.

    [Everyone is frightened, but they are safe.] Ashton replied.

    Christian paused for a moment before ordering, [Take care of them, and keep me updated!]

    [Understood.] Ashton went quiet which made Christian almost disconnect the link. [How is Caleb?]

    [You know?] Christian was surprised  but then mumbled. [Of course you do, you''re his mate. He is still recovering.] Christian could tell by the silence from the other end how devastated Ashton was. And how hard he was trying not to lose it. [Once I am there you can come back.] Christian offered.

    [I can''t just leave my duty] Ashton argued.

    [You won''t. I''ll be taking over for you. You are needed elsewhere] he declared. He hit the accelerator and exceeded the speed limit just so that he was on time. Once he reached he saw Connor stuck next to Ashton until he saw that it was Christian who entered. A wave of relief washed over the pack members who were isolated here.

    He gave Ashton a subtle nod, an indication for him to leave. Ashton turned his head towards Connor as if he wanted to take him with him. Sensing the query, he nodded in approval. Maybe Caleb having his son next to him would be better, thought Christian.

    Ashton picked up Connor and left. "I am sorry I am late. Tell me everything that happened."  He asked. Matt taking charge explained the fight that broke off including Ashton''s shifting and everything. Christian panicked for the moment and wondered whether or not Alpha Miller figured it out that Ashton was the same wolf they tried to get persecuted.

    I mean, he was not that dumb, he wouldn''t have been an Alpha if he were. Suddenly he wondered if he did the right thing sending Ashton back alone like that, that too with baby Connor. Then again, Ashton was the one who completely overtook him in the fight earlier. So maybe if something happens he can take care of himself?

    Unless it''s a pack attack. But with Ashton''s diminished scent, he was natural at hiding, "I still don''t understandˇ­ how did he figure out you guys were here"?

    "It was my fault," Riley explained. "All of us have this tracker in our enamels to track us if one of us goes missing". Riley sighed. "It was one of my ideas when some omegas started disappearing on our pack few years back"

    "Wait, if everyone of you has it, does it mean so does Alpha Miller"? He asked.

    Riley nodded, "Of course"

    "Can you access it? Track him using the same tracker?" Christian asked.

    Riley''s eyes widened as he realised that he can actually use their own trick against him. "Yes I can, Give me a sec" He jumped up and ran upstairs. He came down holding a tab in his hand in which he did something. After a few minutes he showed Christian the screen. "There, he is here"

    "Wow, you are good with computers" Christian remarked.

    "Yeah, I like them. Techs have always been my interest" Riley shrugged. "He is not that far from here, do you think he is planning to attack us again"? Asked Riley.

    "Possible. Maybe he is waiting for other members to join?" Christian proposed.

    "Thatˇ­ would be terrible" Matt commented.

    Christian looked around the frightened faces of the members, especially the little kids and a sharp feeling of guilt hit him. He was meant to protect these people, how can he assure them that he will? He could fairly witness that they were on the verge of losing their hope.

    "Let''s check out," Christian declared.

    "What?" Matt paled.

    "Let''s check this out. See what the hell is he doing here?"

    "We can''t just leave these people. What if he is waiting for us to attack?" Matt added.

    "He is not that smart," Riley added. "But, even I wouldn''t risk it" He tilted his head.

    Shaking his head, Christian replied. "Fine, stay here, I''ll check out whatever is happening," Christian added.

    "Wait, is it safe to go alone"? Matt prompted.

    "Sitting here doing nothing is worse. Keep an eye on them. I''ll check it out. Also, we need to shift. This place has been discovered, we need another hiding place" He declared and took his exit before their conversation could proceed further.

    He knew it was risky, especially given how they were literally in the middle of a war. But after what happened to his brother, what happened to most of his pack, it was a little hard not to feel useless.

    Following the map shown in the tab he proceeded. He noticed for any movement, any sort of formation or anything. Thanks to Riley''s calibration, not only it showed Alpha Miller, but it showed the rest of the pack as well if you zoom out a little, indicating that the rest of the Ice Fountain pack was farther away.

    What he found odd was his mate, The Luna, was going away from her mate instead of towards him. What was the plan here. When he was close enough the familiar scent of the Alpha hit his nose. At the same time it seemed a bit off. As if the scent was adulterated or something. Christian was sure Alpha Miller recognised his scent as well, which is why Christian was surprised to find the Alpha still in the same position.

    As he walked through the bushes, careful at every step he took he noticed the caramel fur of the wolf. Carefully he approached, but upon a proper look he froze. He contacted Riley and Matt immediately. [Guys, you should come and see this] he told them.

    [What? Did you find Alpha Miller?]Matt asked.

    [I did] Christian confirmed. [He is dead]

 Chapter 228 - A Return Trip

    Returning home was a challenge in itself given he actually didn''t have much experience driving. He needed to master that one skill if he wanted to get by. Nevertheless, he was glad Christian lent him his car as Ashton tried his best to ensure that he drove safely.

    He looked at Connor staring outside the window from the shotgun seat and wondered what was going on in his mind, "Do you wanna take some rest?" Ashton asked him reluctantly. He must say he got really awkward when it came to talking to Connor. However, he was glad that Connor got through him earlier.

    "I am not tired" After a whole minute Connor finally answered. "I wanna see Dad". Ashton pursed his lips once he realised that Connor might not be aware of the fact that Caleb is unwell. Should he tell him? The last time he kept a secret things got tricky, but this time...Why freak the kid out unnecessarily?

    "It''s gonna be a long ride, you might as well take a nap so that you have all of your energy when we reach there". Ashton added, avoiding the dilemma at hand.

    "You are the one who fought the bad wolf. You are the one who needs rest" Connor huffed.

    Ashton chuckled at that and mumbled, "I wish I could, but then who would drive"?

    "Drive faster"! Connor whined. Ashton pursed his lips and hit the accelerator only to slow down soon enough. He didn''t have the confidence that he could manage this ride with a higher speed. Luckily Connor didn''t react and therefore Ashton drove the car in silence.

    "Hey, thanks for today," Ashton added. "For talking me out of it. I am so bad at controlling myself" Ashton mumbled.

    "It sucks," Connor mumbled.

    "Yeah it does" Ashton whispered but soon his eyes widened as he realised Connor almost used the s-word. Was it okay? Should he say something? God he was bad at this parenting thing. Dealing with his twins was easier than this, mainly because they were always so fond of him. With Connor, all he got was indifference.

    From time to time Ashton would check up on Connor, to see how he was doing. Every time he would find Connor in a similar position, until once he realised that Connor actually fell asleep. He smiled at the peaceful adorable face and realised that it was better he did not reveal much. The kid must be tired from all the hassle. After all, he was just seven.

    It took him a bit long but he was back at Crescent Point by a little past midnight. He didn''t bother to wake up Connor and instead, he gently picked him up and carried inside. Given how Connor was still sound asleep, Ashton deduced that he must have been really very tired.

    He went in through the front gate and headed upstairs. From the scent, he knew where all the injured wolves were kept. However the scents were so mixed that it was hard to tell them apart. He knew Caleb had no scent which made it even hard to track him. He went from one room to the other room until the end of the corridor.

    At the end when he failed to find his mate he sighed. He looked around for a familiar face, but ultimately decided to ask one of the nurses. "Have you seen Caleb Wrisberg"? He asked. She simply shook her head no before she rushed in to do her work. Seeing all these injured wolves made him realise the impact of the ongoing war. So many casualtiesˇ­ and for what? Just because he ran away from the Ice Fountain Pack.

    "Ashton"? A vaguely familiar voice called him. Turning around he noticed it was Sebastian. "What are you doing here?"

    "Looking for Caleb," Ashton mumbled.

    "He is in the VIP room. It''s there" Sebastian showed him the direction.

    "Thank you" Ashton gave him a subtle nod before running off to the room.

    Once he entered the Cabin, he noticed the white wolf lying unconscious on the bed. His white fur was stained red at the rim of his neck.

    Ashton put down Connor gently on the sofa and approached Caleb with very slow and soft footsteps. "Caleb" He whispered to no avail. He brushed his fingers through his fur as he stared at his unconscious mate. He felt a pang in his chest accompanied by fear of losing his mate. Is this how Caleb felt for all these years he was gone? Ashton wondered.

    Suddenly, the doctor walked in making him flinch. "Ohˇ­ you are here. You are his mate right"? The doctor asked. Ashton affirmed with a nod before the doctor proceeded with, "Do not worry, his life isn''t in danger." Those words brought him a great deal of relief. "But, I am glad you are here. Your presence might help him heal faster." He commented.

    "How fast"? Asked Ashton.

    "Can''t say. For nowˇ­." He focused on the monitor. "He seems to be recovering at a very slow rate. Let''s see how fast he recovers now that you are here. It''s highly subjective." explained the doctor. He exited the room leaving Ashton alone with the white wolf all by himself.

    Ashton was very confused on what to do. Should he say something? Should he say just maintain silence and let him recover in peace. Should he admit honestly about how he is feeling? "I wish I was here" He whispered. It was honest. He wished he was here to prevent whatever happened to him. He wanted to tear the wolf apart, rib by rib, who did this to him. He had this urge in him to go find out the culprit, but he suppressed it as he wanted to be next to him. ''My presence might help him heal'' he reminded himself.

    Amongst the chaos and the waiting he didn''t know when he drifted off to sleep, but he does recall something furry waking him up. "He noticed his face was buried in Caleb''s fur and Caleb was starting to move.

    In a manner of a few seconds Ashton became wide alert and stared at his mate. Caleb was starting to move slightly. Ashton''s gaze intensified at Caleb''s eyes as he patiently waited for his mate to open them. After what seemed like eternity, Caleb finally opened his eyes, albeit sluggish as his eyes tried to get used to the light.

    An involuntary smile broke into his face as he stared at his mate. "Caleb" whispered Ashton and he brushed his hand through the fur on Caleb''s head. Caleb''s face turned to look at him and he blinked. After a second he could feel Caleb in his head, [Why are you here?]

    "Your brother traded places with me. I brought Connor with me too" Ashton informed. Caleb tried to get up but winced in pain that erupted in his head. "Calm down. You still need to rest. You are injured" Ashton scolded his mate. Caleb growled at his mate but nevertheless remained calm.

    [What happened at the safe house?] Caleb asked.

    Ashton decided to show him instead of telling him and replayed the entire scenario that went down. "Connor, is good at calming me down it seems"

    [I told you, he''ll grow on you] Caleb voiced with content. [How are you? Are you hurt in any way?] Caleb''s snout started to move frantically as he checked for any bruises over his mate''s body. Ashton tried to calm him down, but to no avail.

    When Caleb realised his wolf form wasn''t very handy, he shifted back to his human form to check out his mate. Ashton tried to look away from his mate''s naked self and tossed him the hospital gown to wear. Caleb scowled but put it on nevertheless. Ashton checked his watch and smiled, "It''s only been 2 hours and you are completely healed"!  He exclaimed. "I am so glad I came back"!

    Caleb smiled back but before he could say anything he felt a pair of soft lips on his. Soon, he was completely engrossed in the kiss forgetting everything else. As the Kiss started to feel heated Ashton withdrew abruptly making him frown. Ashton stole a glance at the couch and Caleb, following his gaze, noticed Connor sleeping. Yeah, this was definitely not the time. "I am so happy," Caleb mumbled.

 Chapter 229 - Sanctuary

    "Oh my God, he is really dead" that''s the first thing Matt said as soon as he arrived at the scene.

    "Where is Riley"? Christian asked Matt.

    "He stayed back. He thought it won''t be wise to leave those kids alone even if this Alpha is dead" Matt nudged his head towards the dead wolf lying on the floor.

    "I must say, he is right," Christian sighed. "Do you know what killed him"?

    "... Ashton"? With hesitation, Matt suggested.

    "Look, I know Ashton is strong, but he is not a killer okay". Christian scowled.

    "No.. I know. I am not saying he did it on purpose. When he was fighting, it seemed likeˇ­ like a switch went off in his head and all he could focus on was beating this guy to pulp" Matt explained. "I am not saying he intended to kill himˇ­ I am saying he might have ended up killing him".

    Christian was silent for a moment as he could reflect upon it. He knew this war was already too bad, but with their leader dead, the wolves of the pack might definitely seek vengeance. Especially if it''s Ashton who killed him. "What do we do next"? Asked Matt.

    "We take him back," Christian declared.

    "Wait what? What about the kids? Do you really want them seeing a dead wolf"? Matt questioned. "I don''t want that for my little Tammy" he objected.

    "I am not saying to dump him on the kid''s face. We can keep him in the basement. I dunno, why his mate left him all by himselfˇ­ but if she is coming back for him we can use his body for leverage" Christian suggested.

    "Very well then" Mumbled Matt.

    Christian, with the help of Matt, picked up the heavy wolf and carried him back to their house. Finding the basement on his way, he dumps the body there. "And Riley in here" Christian ordered.

    Matt left immediately to follow the orders given to him. After a minute, Riley opened the door to the basement. "Wow, it''s really dark down here," he commented. Not that it bothered him, as a wolf he had excellent vision. "You called me?" He asked.

    "I did." Christian confirmed. "You told me that there is some tracker in the enamels. I want you to disable it in him, and yourself" he ordered.

    "I already disabled mine," Riley affirmed. "But, since he is dead, why not just pull out his tooth"? He suggested.

    "That won''t disable it, what''s the point?" Christian frowned.

    "That''s the point"! Riley exclaimed. "If I disable it, it will be shown as the last known location for him. If I pull it out and throw it somewhere else, it will misdirect them" Riley suggested. "Since he is dead, it would make sense why he isn''t moving. On top of that they won''t be able to find him" Riley beamed, satisfied with his brilliant idea.

    A tiny smile crept up Christian''s face affirming that he silently agreed with the plan as well. "Very well then, let''s do that" Christian nodded.

    Riley opened the mouth of the wolf with much difficulty given that rigor mortis had already set in. Identifying the tracker he pulled it out in his hand. "Gotta" He smirked. "So, where do I throw it"? Asked Riley.

    "We throw it on our way out of here. I have arranged another location for us. Hopefully it will be safe." Christian declared. Taking something out of his pocket, he sprayed it all over the wolf. "It''ll mask his strength well enough."

    "Umˇ­ is it really okay to just leave him here? What about the lady who lives here. She doesn''t deserve this" Riley pointed out.

    "For now, she is coming with us. She isn''t safe anymore." Christian declared. They both got upstairs and tried to gain the attention of the crowd. The kids were reluctant and confused but the adults listened. "We need to leave this place. All of us" He declared as the horror on everyone''s face became evident. "Including you" he turned to the owner of this house.

    "Son, this place is my sanctuary. How can I leave it? You must leave without me." She instructed.

    "Look, this place isn''t safe anymore" Christian tried to explain. "Please come with us. We have already put you in danger by choosing this place to take shelter. We are truly sorry, but you must understand that this place was discovered. With them in the wild, you can get attacked anytime" Christian tried his best to convince, but somehow her face seemed adamant.

    "Then so be it. I have lived a longˇ­ unbearably long life. It''s time to say goodbye anyways" She smiled.

    "Not like this!" Protested Christian. "You don''t have to give up on life yet. You still have plenty more years to live!" insisted Christian.

    "I am not giving up," She smiled. "Someday, you are gonna realise that death is not as bad as we make it to be. Albeit it''s dread, there is peace in death. The peace every soul deserves... eventually" She smiled. "Do not worry about me. Take your leave" She nodded and headed off upstairs.

    Christian never felt this helpless. Usually when he wants something done, he orders them. Most of the time it''s for their benefit so they don''t argue with Christian. But this old ladyˇ­ she wasˇ­ stubborn. How do you save someone who does not want to be saved? Thought Christian.

    "Let''s go," a disheartened Christian ordered. The bus was filled up once more as they headed off to their next destination. Throughout the way his mind drifted off to multitude of things. What next? How was his brother? How many more casualties will there be? And most importantly, will they try to attack the owner of the house now that she is not guarded by anyone. As much as he wanted to send someone to look after her, he couldn''t as they were already short on members.

    As for Melanie, no matter how much he tried to contact her, he received no response. He didn''t even know how he would face her knowing that Christian just left her to die. He wondered. "Should I throw it out now"? Asked Riley, breaking Christian from his reverie.

    Christian, turning his head, gave him a subtle nod before he looked out of the window once more. And just like that, they silently drove off. Most of the people drifted off given the tiresome day they had. No matter who slept, sleep evaded Christian. By the time they reached their destination, Christian could spot light in the horizon.

 Chapter 230 - I Trust You

    Christian had to wake up the ones who were asleep. One by one they got down, Christian, Riley and Matt even carried a few kids so as to not disturb them. Christian stared at the old warehouse as he stood in front of him contemplating his choice. He entered the building and found a suitable room for their stay.

    All the workers had resting rooms here, making it equipped with beds. They put at least 2 kids, sometimes four if they are too babies, in one bed and managed to accumulate everyone. Christian made sure to cover their tracks and hid the bus in the garage. Once everything was settled he finally connected with Melanie.

    Turns out their current location was much closer to their pack thus enabling connection with the members. In retrospect this was a much better option. Not only will it allow them to ask for help in time, it will also enable them to arrange backup quickly if required.

    He explained everything to her and he expected Melanie to lash out at Christian for not convincing her aunt to follow but she was clearly unbothered. As if she expected her aunt to react this way. [Don''t worry, she is tougher than she appears] Melanie informed him.

    [What''s the status of the pack right now?] asked Christian.

    [We haven''t received any attack since your departure.] Melanie assured. [But... I did receive an email. From the Luna of Ice Fountain pack. She wants to talk to you. Face to face] she explained.

    [Trying to single me out?] Christian scoffed.

    [Not exactly] Melanie hesitated. [She merely wants a video conference. I wonder what she wants now that her mate is dead. I assume it''s not something good.]

    [No, it must not be] Christian sighed. [I''ll come to the main office and sort things out. I do not want to risk exposing this location] He confirmed and let go of the link.

    He headed off inside and informed Matt and Riley of the same. "Wait, you are leaving everything to us"?

    "Don''t worry, I''ll send someone in for a replacement." Christian assured.

    He headed off to the pack hospital through the back exit and headed off to see if his brother was awake or not. To his delight, Caleb was not only wide awake but was also in his human form, chatting with Ashton whilst holding each other''s hand. An involuntary smile crept up his face as he was glad Caleb finally had his mate back to rely upon. Despite the recent injury, Caleb had a smile on his face.

    Caleb and Ashton would have noticed Christian''s presence due to his scent if not for the strong scent of phenyl in the hospital. Their scents spread less in this hospital environment. "He woke up a few hours ago" A familiar voice spoke from Christian''s back.

    ""Sebastian" Christian acknowledged his presence.

    "Being here brings back a lot of memories," Sebastian mumbled. Crhirtian looked at him and tilted his head in confusion. "I woke up here when I first arrived here. This is I guess I first met you" He mumbled. Christian looked away once he understood what Sebastian was implying. He didn''t comment on anything whatsoever.

    "What happened at the safe house"? Sebastian asked him. Christian explained everything about the dead wolf and how Luna wanted to talk to him.

    "I need to go back to the office soon," Christain declared. "I asked Melanie to look after everyone here. So I need you to go back to the warehouse. Keep an eye on the kids". He said.

    "What?" Sebastian jerked his head. "Why me"?

    "Why not?" Christian asked him back. "You don''t think you can handle it"?

    Sebastian shot him a glare. "It''s not that. That Riley dude is there right? I am not very comfortable around him". He cringed.

    "What"? Christian snorted. "What are you talking about? That boy loves you."

    "Exactly. I don''t mix my wolf life with my acting life. This is a whole new territory for me" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Look, I am sorry I am forcing you to mix those two, but we are in the middle of a Crisis now. I need to ensure that I do what''s best for the pack. I need someone to look after the kids out there, I need someone whom I can trust completely. You are one of the few" Christian declared.

    "You are just saying that because of your crush on me" Sebastian shook his head.

    Christian shot him a quick glare before saying, "I am saying that because you had our back every time we were in trouble and you were around. You had our back when that witch attacked us even when you barely knew us at that time. You had our back when we were dealing with worenzine. My point is, you have earned this trust, despite that random kiss earlier" Christian declared. "As for my crush, I am sure this is part of the reason why I had a crush, but that''s not why I trust you."

    Sebastian stood there wide eyed as he took everything in. If the situation were a bit different he might have kissed him again, he was that moved at least. But this was a serious situation, so he simply nodded and took his leave"

    Christian headed off to the office and switched on his computer. He received a forwarded mail from Melanie that she received from Luna. It went,

    ''This battle had gone out of hand, from both the sides. I have lost my mate and many are gravely injured. As a de facto leader, I am taking charge and calling off the war for now before anyone else gets hurt.

    However, I would like to discuss something very important with you. Given the depth of the situation I could understand why a face to face meeting is off the table, but I need to ensure it''s you I am talking to so I request a video conference. You have 24 hours before I retract my order to hold back.

    ''Your''s sincerely

    Genevieve Fountain.

    Christian read that message several times to make sure if or not there was any catch. Weighing down every pros and cons of the situation, he finally dialed the Luna and waited for her to respond as to why she requested this meeting.

 Chapter 231 - One On One

    When the pack Luna finally answered from the other end he noticed that she was a much older lady than Alpha Miller, who had silver blonde hair, much like ice. She indeed appeared as if she was born to be the Luna of Ice Fountain.

    "Greetings, Mr Wrisberg" She began. "It isˇ­ really you". She smirked.

    "I am surprised you can tell, considering we never met," Christian replied back. Her voice had a certain devious charm that urged Christian to be cautious around her. "So tell me, to what do I owe this pleasure"? He asked.

    She let out a subtle suspicious smile before she spoke, "The wolf that you abducted from us, you had him weaponised" She began. "That weapon of yours is responsible for killing my husband."

    "He is not a weapon" Christian prompted.

    "A wildling like that can be nothing but a weapon" She snorted.

    "You mean like that mindless husband of yours"? Christian tilted his head. As soon as he said those words the woman''s smirk turned into a glare. "As for abducting, I am sure you were the one who held him captive against his wishes. If anything we freed them."

    "And jeopardised everything for that one wolf"? She challenged him.

    "Sure. If your husband can jeopardise his pack and four others for his ego, I don''t see why I shouldn''t do the same for my brother''s mate." Christian challenged. As soon as he said that, his fingers trembled a bit. He wasn''t supposed to reveal that, what if she came for his brother for vengeance. Sure Caleb was a good fighter, but he was still recovering.

    "Your brother''s mate killed mine" She scoffed. "Give me a reason why he deserves to live".

    "Your husband is the one who was adamant on killing him." Christian pointed out. "If it weren''t for his obsession of murder, he would be alive. In fact, your husband is the one who got off easy. Plain and simple death"

    "Lies," Genevieve spat. "You are deliberately trying to turn this over to us. Your precious wolf was the one who attacked us in our home."

    "As far as I am concerned he wouldn''t have attacked if you didn''t bother him. You guys are nosy, and you expect everyone else to pay for your intrusiveness? What a bunch of cowards" Christian hit again.

    She scoffed. "There you go again, using a bunch of excuses. It''s called being careful. We deserve to know why another wolf was trespassing." She argued back.

    "Sure, but that doesn''t mean you would resort to violence to get what you want" Christian argued back.

    "You don''t play with words while you deal with monsters. You gotta take action if you want to protect yourself," She tilted her head slightly.

    "Maybe it''s your paranoia which got your husband killed." Christian sighed. "Is that all you wanted to discuss"?

    "I am offering a truce." She blurted. "Hand us the wolf who killed my husband and we will retreat peacefully".

    "Not a chance" Without skipping a beat Christian declared.

    "Then there will be bloodshed" She smirked.

    "Yeah, yours. Riley told me you have kids. They just lost their father, do you want them to become orphans"? Christian asked.

    "Bold of you to assume I''ll die" She scoffed. "The only reason he could kill my husband was because we didn''t expect him to be that monster. We will be prepared when we strike again."

    "And when you do I want you to remember that we are literally fighting with the least bit of our efforts. Which means, our recruitments will be here soon, and not only will you be outnumbered, you will be overpowered when you do so." He joined his hands into a fist as he stared into the screen. "You are fighting us in our land. You really think you can get to us?"

    She opened her mouth but fumbled to say anything else. Christian could tell her confidence was shaken and as much pleased as he was with their interaction, he didn''t want to unleash a battle here. He wasn''t exactly fond of this war, so he came up with another solution. "How about thisˇ­" He suggested. The moment he said that Christian swears that Mrs Fountain''s ears perked up.

    "We settle this one on one battle" Christian proposed.

    "I am intriguedˇ­" a smile appeared on her face. "But on one condition, that monster won''t be the one to fight us"

    "He is not a monster" Christian protested, "And no, I would take the fight" Christian declared. He had put enough pack members in jeopardy already, he didn''t wanna do more.

    "Very well then. I''ll see you at the Downpour Stadium. As it''s mayor I am sure you can arrange that" She shrugged before hanging up. Christain sat there quietly wondering about everything that went down, including whether or not he should have proposed the idea. He already had the upper hand, should he have intimidated her more till she backed off? That doesn''t seem very likely given that this woman just lost her mate, and wolves don''t take the loss of their mate lightly.

    "You aren''t seriously considering that are you"? Asked Sebastian who walked in.

    "Why are you still here"? Christian shot back.

    "Relax, I checked with Matt 5 minutes ago, as I have been doing so every 10 minutes for that past hour." Sebastian shrugged. "What about you? You really wanna go through with this? You realise how risky this is right"? Sebastian mocked.

    "I appreciate your concern, but I assure you I am quite capable." Christian shrugged.

    "That''s not what I am worried about. I am sure as the future Alpha you have your training. I meant do you really trust that woman? What if she uses that as a distraction or takes this as an opportunity for something much more dangerous? What then"? Sebastian pointed out.

    "Don''t worry. I will make sure I tie up every loose end before I go there." Christian sighed. "Besides, you were the one who said I should go out in the front. Fight with others" He shrugged.

    "I did," Sebastian tilted his head, "But don''t be blinded by the spirit. Just watch out" Sebastian advised.

    "I will." Christian let out a smile. "Now, you should leave. When I said you should be present there, I need you to physically present there. Even I can check up on them. Go"! He snarled at Sebastian. Sebastian shot him a quick glare before taking his leave. As he sat there all by himself he considered everything.

    He was in the middle of imagining various scenarios when he felt his brother trying to link him

 Chapter 232 - Cut Some Slack

    "I think I saw Chris," mumbled Caleb, while looking at the door. Ashton turned his head around and tried to spot the said person.

    "I don''t think he is here, he traded places with me last night, remember"? Ashton reminded him.

    "I know, which is why I am a bit confused," Caleb frowned.

    "Dad!" Connor, who was twisting and turning in bed a while ago, jumped up. He was wide awake in a manner of a few seconds as he came down running to Caleb and jumped on him,

    "Ouch" Caleb winced making Connor pull away abruptly,

    "Did I hurt you"? He asked.

    "No, I am good." Caleb chuckled. "I am fine now"

    Connor without any word hugged his dad and remained like that. Soon enough he heard silent sobs, "I was worried something happened to you" He mumbled. Ashton was surprised for a moment, since he technically didn''t tell Connor about Caleb''s mishap. but somehow he seemed to have figured it out. Or maybe he was surprised to see his dad in hospital gown.

    "How did you know"? Ashton asked after a whole minute.

    "We are in hospital, clearly Dad is the patient! I am not an idiot"! He snarled at Ashton before hugging his Dad tighter. Ashton pouted at him while Caleb simply laughed at these two.

    "Don''t worry baby, I am absolutely fine" Caleb assured his son, patting Connor''s back in a soothing manner.

    "So, we can go home now"? Connor asked.

    "I suppose so" Caleb looked around, "I think you should see if the doctor is in or not. I wanna go home" Caleb grunted. Ashton nodded and left these two alone. Once he was gone, Caleb said, "I heard you were very brave. I am so proud of you" he mumbled.

    "I am not leaving you! I am staying with you"! Connor insisted.

    "Okay" Caleb agreed. "You are safe with us anyways" he mumbled.

    "Dadˇ­ can I ask you something"? Connor looked up.

    "Uh-hmm"

    "Why are they attacking us?" Connor asked.

    Caleb pursed his lips as he hesitated. As much as he wanted to lie and protect him he recalled how hurt Connor was when he hid his parentage, why would  risk it again this time? "They captured Ashton and put him in prison. We got him out of there, so they are mad at us" That was definitely an oversimplification. But technically he was correct.

    "Why did they capture him?" Connor asked.

    "Becauseˇ­ they felt he was dangerous" Caleb mumbled.

    "Well, he is," Connor agreed. "But that''s not a reason to put someone in prison! I am dangerous too, will they do the same to me?" he asked.

    "NO"!  Caleb exclaimed immediately. "I will never let them"! He assured him. "I will make sure of that."

    "Butˇ­. you are hurt" he mumbled.

    "No, I have healed," Caleb smiled. At that moment Sebastian walked in their room as if he was looking for something.

    "Do you know where Ashton is"? Sebastian asked.

    "I think he went to check with the doctor, why"? Caleb asked.

    "Your brother asked me for protection duty for the kids. I was hoping to get an idea of what happened with him out there" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Wait, where is my brother"? Caleb asked.

    "In his office"? Sebastian shrugged. Caleb was confused so he explained to him how he shifted the safe house location. He also ended up mentioning a call from the Luna, but he didn''t reveal the specifics. "I''ll see if I can find him. If I delay further Christian will most definitely kill me" Sebastian rolled his eyes before taking his exit.

    Wondering for a while he decided to link his brother, [What''s going on? I heard from Sebastian.] he began.

    [It''s not a big deal, I will be fine.] replied Christian.

    [Wait what? What did she demand?] That''s when Christian realised that he didn''t hear the whole story. [Sebastian just told me you got a call from the Luna of Ice Fountain Pack, he didn''t give me the specifics. What did you mean you will be fine?]

    [Nothing, it was not important] Christian tried to brush him off.

    [Don''t tell meˇ­ they are asking for you instead of the war! Don''t be an idiot!] Caleb panicked.

    [They are not asking for me!] Christian clarified. [It''s Ashton they are asking for. She is mad because heˇ­. He killer her mate]

    [Ashton killed him?] Caleb was stunned. That was not the story he heard.

    [I don''t think he knows. But she is mad, so I negotiated with her.] Christian explained.

    [For what?]

    [I''ll fight with her. If she loses, she will have to leave this town. She will retreat from this war.] Christian explained.

    [It''s still dangerous] Caleb paused for a moment. [I''ll go with you!] He proposed.

    [Not a chance!] His brother shot him down.

    [Look, if they want Ashton I doubt they''ll let you off the hook so easily. I am definitely coming with you! You are my brother] Caleb kept on insisting.

    [Don''t you think I have considered that? Don''t worry, I got this.] Christian tried to convince his brother. [I will take backup with me, just in case. Justˇ­ stay out of sight.]

    [I can''t just sit here and not do anything!] Caleb groaned.

    [I am not asking you to sit and do nothing. I need to keep Ashton safe. And Connor. I ended up blurting out how the wolf they are hunting for is your mate, which means while I fight with her, I need you to protect your family. Cause they might come after you!] Christian instructed,

    After a long pause Caleb finally agreed with his brother. [Okay, fine!] and let go of the link.

    He was busy contemplating everything when Ashton walked into the room. Sensing the tension on his mate he asked, "Everything alright"? A fake smile appeared on his face as he nodded. Ashton wasn''t convinced so he took a peak at Caleb''s thoughts. What he found out left him mortified. "Iˇ­ killed him"?

    Caleb''s eyes widened as soon as he realised the trick Ashton just pulled, "I know you didn''t mean to" Caleb assured.

    "Doesn''t matter. I still killed him, Iˇ­ I didn''t want to kill him". Ashton breathed.

    "I know" Caleb held his hand and pulled him closer to himself. "I know you didn''t want to. I am so sorry that he didn''t survive." He tried to console his mate as he gently brushed his fingers over the back of his mate''s palm. "But this was not your fault. You were not in control".

    "Is my lack of control supposed to excuse everything?" Ashton asked. "Control or not, it doesn''t change the fact that I killed him."

    "You gotta cut yourself some slack" Caleb sighed. "It wasn''t just some random loss of control, he attacked you. He threatened to attack everyone there, including our son Connor" He mumbled. "If I were there, I would have made the same choice"!

    "I didn''t choose to kill him," Ashton pointed out.

    "Exactly my point! It wasn''t a choice, so you gotta forgive yourself." Caleb insisted.

    "Thanks for saving us" Connor who listened to the whole conversation, whose presence they forgot about in their heated argument, blurted in the hopes of making Ashton feel better.

    "See? He is glad that you fought back. And I am sure so is everyone else" Caleb sighed. "I know it''s not easy for youˇ­ But you gotta start cutting yourself some slack. You cannot pull away everytime you lose controlˇ­ promise me"! Caleb pressed his hand and gave him a stern look.

    "I''ll try" is all Ashton could mumble.

    "Good" Caleb nodded. "Nowˇ­" he looked back and forth from Ashton and Connor. "I need you two to do something for me. Will you"? He asked. Both of them nodded immediately at him. "Okay then." Caleb sighed.

 Chapter 233 - Downpour Stadium

    "Finally, you showed up" Christian smirked as he stared at the same woman he saw on the screen the other day in the flesh.

    "Sorry for the delay. As you know, we are not nativesˇ­ we needed time to figure out the route" Genevieve mocked Christian, based on a statement he made in their call on how his pack knows this place better than them.

    "Well, don''t get too familiar" Christian smiled back, earning a brief but subtle glare from Genevieve.

    "Anyways, you know the rules of one on one fights. We fight in our human formsˇ­" She nodded. "And no one else interrupts" She looked at the council members that accompanied Christian to their match.

    Christian tilted his head a little before letting out a tiny smirk, "Agreed. They are just here to watch. Just like your friends" He took a glance at the wolves standing behind hers.

    "That seems fair," She smiled. "What are we waiting for then?"

    Christian gave her a nod before both of them turned to look at their respective pack mates and they nodded at them supposably asking them to back off. When they were at a considerable distance both Christian and Genevive looked at each other.

    In a second their soft glance changed into a deadly stare and suddenly she leaped on him. Christian wasn''t so bad at fending her off either as he managed to counter most, if not all her moves. He took a few hits in his flank and his right leg, but they healed as soon as they hurt. Meanwhile Christian managed to bruise her ankle once and had almost twisted her right wrist within five minutes into their combat.

    Both of them were wolves and neither of them were tired. However, her aggressive fighting made it obvious that she was still grieving her husband''s death and that she was channeling all that into their fight. Christian taking advantage of that tiny fact, made sure to hit her where it hurt the most.

    She tried to distract him with some trash talk, but wellˇ­ "This is all you got"? She snorted.

    "Oh Ice lady, I am just warming up" Christian smiled at her. She shot him another glare before jumping again. This time her attacks were much more focused than the last one as if she realised what was holding her back. She started to become a real challenge when she managed to injure Christian several more times than earlier.

    "Still warming up?" She chuckled out of her momentary victory.

    Christian simply shrugged and just like that they had another round.

    "Looks like someone needs help? Wanna give up?" She snickered.

    "You really don''t want that" Christian let out a devious laughter. Her gaze flickered and she furrowed her eyebrows suspiciously. "What do you mean?".

    "One of the biggest packs, The Red Moon, left your team. You were outnumbered before, but now? You''re severely outnumbered. Our pack is gonna kill yours" Christian scoffed.

    She blinked in confusion, unable to determine how he knew that. She had few of his wolves keep an eye on Christian, and he didn''t have any contact with anyone outside his pack, especially from Red Moon. It took her a moment to realise that it was the Crescentile Pack who convinced the Red Moon to abandon their alliance.

    Enraged by his audacity, and overwhelmed by her mate''s recent demise she charged at him with everything she got. Little did she know that it would backfire so bad as Christian used her own inertia against her and pinned her to the ground while strangling Genevieve by his elbow.

    The more she struggled to break free, the harder it got to breathe. Her eyes were starting to run red when she finally saw black.

    Christian pulled away and looked at the wolves, who came accompanying her. "Maybe you want to warn the rest of your pack mates about the outcome. Unlessˇ­ you wanna try your luck too?" Christian raised an eyebrow, subtly hinting at the unconscious Genevieve and the council members Christian took along with him.

    One of Genevieve''s pack mates came forward to take Genevieve but Christian snarled, "Leave. Her. There". He pressed on every syllable pressing on his authority. Timid, those people were forced to leave without Genevieve.

    From the back came running the five people and he asked them, "Take her to St Demoir. Put her in the darkest cell in there" Ordered Christian. As he stood in the stadium all by himself, he recalled the events of the night before when he was still spiraling over this fight.

    ˇ­. Previous nightˇ­

    Christian was pacing up and down in his room, having convinced everyone that he was fine and that he had everything figured out when in fact, he was more confused than ever. "Son, I heard you called for one on one fight?" Mr. Wrisberg welcomed himself in Christian''s office.

    "Who told you"? Christian was shocked that even his father was aware before he could tell him.

    "Word travels fast" Mr. Wrisberg shrugged. "You worried?" He asked. Christian wanted to give the same answer he did to everyone else but he couldn''t even bring himself to shake his head so instead he simply stared at his father. "I have known you since forever, you are not the type who would worry over a fight. What''s got you".

    "I am worried she would go back on her word and attack us anyways" Christian shrugged.

    "Don''t worry about that" Mr. Wrisberg snorted. "Be sure about that. When it comes to war, assume the worst of your enemies. Helps you prepare better".

    "Yeah, but I dunno what to do about it. How can I stop her from attacking us"?

    "By making sure she believes she will lose". Mr. Wrisberg declared casually.

    "She just lost her mate. There is no way she is pulling out of this war no matter what". Christian sighed.

    "No, because she thinks she has a chance to win. She won''t if her pack size almost reduces to half". Mr. Wrisberg shrugged.

    "And how am I supposed to do that? Kill random wolves of her pack"? Christian rolled his eyes. He was joking, but knowing his father he was worried if Mr. Wrisberg took him seriously.

    "Please" Mr. Wrisberg snorted. "That Fountain pack is too tiny to be called even half. Don''t you see? Most of the wolves that are fighting are not from her pack?"

    "How did you know?" Christian frowned.

    "I checked." Mr. Wrisberg shrugged. "Convince the other packs to back out and she got nothing". Mr. Wrisberg tilted his head.

    "That is an excellent idea" Christian declared, "butˇ­ I don''t have much time left to go convince each of them to back out before the fight. I have only five hours."

    "Well, then I guess it''s your lucky day" Mr. Wrisberg smirked earning a suspicious frown from Christian. "I already convinced Red Moon to back out". Mr. Wrisberg shrugged.

    "What?" Christian''s eyes widened with delight, "How..?" He struggled to ask.

    "Turns out, she convinced all other packs to attack us on the grounds that ''we'' abducted ''their'' Alpha. I simply showed him the footage of attack I received from Mel''s aunt, showing that he was never abducted. Turns out that was the reason he was hiding all along." Mr. Wrisberg explained. "She was trying to gain the ''loss of mate'' sympathy on them".

    "Little did she know it''ll come true" Christian mumbled. "This is great, thanks Dad" he smiled. "Here I was struggling to find a solution and you did it so easilyˇ­" he mumbled. "Maybe I am not ready ro become an Alpha" he mumbled after a huge pause.

    "Of course you are" Mr. Wrisberg argued. "You won''t always have the answers just because you are an Alpha. You have to be open to help. As I should have been when I was young" he mumbled. "Trust me, you got this" Mr. Wrisberg put a hand on his son''s shoulder. "Go get em" he gave him a subtle nod before taking his leave.

 Chapter 234 - The Sentence.

    When Genevieve''s eyes flickered she found herself surrounded by nothing but darkness? Is this hell? Is she dead? She wondered. Things came into focus and she realised that she was in a cell, not too different from the ones that her pack had modelled, except these seemed sturdier.

    "Looking for a way out"? An unfamiliar voice called out, gaining her attention.

    "You!" She snarled as she stared directly at the killer of her husband. She jolted towards the bars and was about to shake it when something stung. "Ahh"! She looked at the blisters in her hand that ate her skin. "I thought Crescentile''s didn''t use wolfsbane," she winced in pain.

    "No, but you do. It''s only fair you get it" Ashton replied.

    "You wanna talk about fair"? She screamed. "You murdered my husband in front of me! You dare talk about fair".

    "I didn''t intend to" Ashton admitted.

    "That''s supposed to change everything?" She scoffed. "You killed him ruthlessly and given the chance I am sure you would do it to anyone! I can''t possibly imagine someone voluntarily choosing you to be their mate. Did you blackmail him?" She snickered. Ashton''s fists tightened as he fought the urge to punch her. "You are a monster"! She huffed.

    "I was born this way" Ashton declared, his fists loosened. "But youˇ­ you chose to be one" He scoffed. She tilted her head and looked at him suspiciously. "Planning to attack innocent kids just to use it as leverage? Using your husband as a pawn for all your dirty deeds. Separating packmates from their family just for your sake? You chose to do thoseˇ­ you are worse"

    "What are you talking about"? Her lips quivered through her brave facade.

    "He is talking about all the crimes you have committed in your husband''s shadow" Christian walked in along with his brother and his father. "I was planning to let you go as you are the current Luna.. ergo the leader, butˇ­" He snorted. "Your pack members pleaded otherwise" he shrugged.

    "They want you to rot in here for eternity" Christian declared.

    "No" She deadpanned.

    "Yes," he shrugged.

    "I have two kids! You already took their father away, you want to take their mom away from them too?" She insisted. "I''ll never bother your pack, let me out. At least for their sake". She begged.

    "Funny you should mention that" Christian tilted his head before he looked behind him. A girl, who seemed to be in her early teens, walked into the corridor. She stared at Genevieve with contempt, which was odd considering she looked like a miniature version of her. "She is your daughter? She insisted you stay here too".

    "Carmen, he is lying right?" She looked at her daughter, with an unreadable expression.

    The young girl made a fist before declaring, "I want you to stay here. Away from me an Ivy" She declared.

    "Why would you say that? Don''t you love your mother"? She looked heartbroken.

    "I did" She declared. Pulling the sleeve on her right arm she revealed a scar mark that can only be made by a wolf''s paw declaring, "But you never loved us." She mumbled. Ashton and Caleb, who had seen it earlier that day just simply stared at her scar once more... Still mortified that a mother could do something like this to their own child.

    "Honey, that was not my intention. You know that I didn''t mean to hurt you right" She mumbled with all the motherly affection she could muster.

    "Really? Then how come you never apologised for it? Or at least put something, I dunno, some ointment over it. You just ignored this.. And many other things just like that" Carmen was on the verge of tears. "You are not my mother. I don''t wanna see you"!

    "So what, you are helping these people?" She accused Carmen. "He killed your Dad"! Genevieve pointed at Ashton.

    "No Mother" Carmen breathed. "You killed him. You manipulated him to do all your dirty work, including attacking those poor kids. I was there, remember"? She scoffed. "You were the one that got him killed."

    "You don''t know what you are talking about"! Genevieve snarled at her daughter, making Carmen flinch. Just because Genevieve was behind the bars doesn''t mean Carmen wasn''t terrified of her at all. Seeing her reaction, both Ashton and Christian shielded her and covered her from both her sides.

    "That''s enough," Christian declared. "Also, there is one bottle of wolfsbane antidoteˇ­ and that''s all you''ll ever get" He cleared his throat. "I cannot believe you got infected already. Guess, you are never touching these bars ever again" He sighed and motioned everyone to follow him.

    Once they were out, Christian turned to Carmen, "You alright"?

    She hesitated, but nodded nevertheless. "I am really sorryˇ­ about your Dad" Ashton prompted.

    "You were just trying to protect your kid, like a Dad should. Like my Dad would" She mumbled.

    "We have his body, we will give him a proper funeral" Christian declared. "He deserves it. You should be there" Christian instructed. She nodded reluctantly.

    "What do you and your sister want to do"? Caleb asked her.

    "I dunno," She shrugged. "I was hoping I could stay here. I heard most of our original pack will be joining yoursˇ­ and maybe I could get the same treatment? And my baby sister too"? She asked.

    "Of course, you are always welcome here,"  Caleb smiled at her. "And if you ever need anything, you can ask any of us" He assured.

    "Thank you" Carmen smiled half-heartedly.

    "Come on, we''ll get you and your sister settled" Caleb held out his hand. She took it and they both walked off to the pack house, leaving Christian Ashton and Mr. Wirsberg.

    "I should get going. I gotta prepare for a mass ceremony for welcoming them into the pack" Declared Mr. Wrisberg and he took his leave as well.

    "Something bothering you"? Christian asked Ashton whose eyes were fixated where Caleb disappeared. He seemed lost.

    "I amˇ­ reflecting. I have been home for like a week and a half.. And so much so has happened" He mumbled. "I feel bad for being the root cause of all this".

    "You should feel proud," Christian prompted. "Their pack was broken way before you came around. Thanks to you, the members of Ice Fountain are finally free. Thanks to you two kids are out of their abusive home."

    "I killed their only parent who loved them", Ashton sighed.

    "Trueˇ­" Christian nodded. "I guess then you should do something to make up for it" Ashton''s brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Christian, who was smirking instead. Before Ashton could ask what he meant, Christian simply smiled and left.

 Chapter 235 - Our Love

    "Hey"

    "Hey"

    Ashton greeted Caleb who just came out of the pack house. "She settled in"? Asked Ashton.

    "Somewhat. It''s not so easy to settle in a different place, especially after what happened to her". Caleb sighed. "But...I''ll try my best to make her comfortable," he mumbled.

    "You will do great. You are good at making people comfortable" Ashton smiled.

    "I am good at making people uncomfortable too, '''' Caleb smirked. "When I want"

    "Yeahˇ­ you used to do that when we just met. Annoy the crap out of me" Ashton reminisced with a chuckle which was accompanied by Caleb''s disgusted pout.

    "By the wayˇ­ I am surprised the way you handled that Luna. She was attacking your soft spot and... for a momentˇ­ I was worried she was gonna get to you, but I wasˇ­ quite impressed by your confidence".

    "Yeah, I was pretending. I am good at pretending, remember? I was actually feeling a lot more guilt than I let on" mumbled Ashton.

    "Well, you sold it" Caleb mumbled and engulfed his mate in a giant hug. "How are you doing"?

    "Shouldn''t I be asking you that"? Ashton asked him instead whilst putting his arms around the waist of his mate. "You were the one who took a hit"

    "I heal fast," Caleb shrugged. "But I meant emotionally. I know how difficult things must have been for you."

    "I am doing okayˇ­" Ashton assured him.

    "You aren''t pretending"? Pulling away, Caleb narrowed his gaze.

    "No" Ashton chuckled. "Not anymore. By the way, where is Connor"? He asked after a moment.

    "He is with Sue" Caleb shrugged. "Why"?

    "Wellˇ­ if you are freeˇ­ will you like to come with me"? Ashton asked reluctantly

    "Where"? Caleb frowned.

    "Just.. follow me" Ashton smirked. Getting suspicious Caleb tried to enter his mind but all he could see was darkness and hear a somewhat familiar song. "I know you are trying to get in my head" Winked Ashton which led Caleb to realise that Ashton was actually using distraction to keep him out. What was he being so secretive about? A date? He wondered. Ashton did say that he wanted to restart a bit, so maybe, this was it?

    "Is this a surprise date?" Asked Caleb.

    "Something like that". Ashton smiled.

    They reached the garage making Caleb smirk, "You know between you and me, you realise you have to tell me where we are going right?" Asked Caleb. "I''m the one gonna be driving" he smirked.

    "I know. Get in" Ashton ordered even though it was not his car to begin with, making Caleb chuckle. Caleb drove in silence as his GPS kept giving him directions. It frustrated him that Ashton wouldn''t tell him where they were headed. Towards the end Caleb could start to guess where they were headed and he was proven right.

    "Seriously? You could have just told me you wanted to visit your old home" Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "I know," Ashton chuckled. "Butˇ­" Ashton went to open the bunker and took out two huge bags.

    "Wait, are we moving in here together?" Caleb joked.

    "If you''re up for it? Why not?" Ashton shrugged. "Honestly it has much more Privacy than your pack house".

    "With a kid around...nope" Caleb tilted his head and they both ended up laughing.

    "These are some snacks that I picked up. This time I did not get our appetite wrong". He chuckled.  It was almost late in the afternoon and the growling noise from their stomachs from time to time was a good reminder that they were yet to eat.

    Heading inside they headed upstairs and opened the window. His room was cleaned up by Ashton on his last visit and it looked quite good in itself. "Why did you wanna come here so suddenly"? Caleb''s brow furrowed. Most of the times they have been here it ended up in sex. He was almost 100% certain that it was the same thing on his mind.

    "No I don''t wanna have sex". As if Ashton read his mind (which he could have) he replied. "I am just tired of everything that''s been going on. With what happened to you...I just.." Ashton sighed and struggled with his words. "I just wanted to spend time with you. I know that now that you''re older you have much more responsibilities than beforeˇ­ so I just had to make sure you were available" shrugged Ashton.

    "Ashton that is really sweet" Caleb smiled and pulled his mate into a deep passionate kiss. Once he pulled away and mumbled, "I missed thisˇ­ just usˇ­ hanging out".

    "So did I". Ashton whispered. Their eyes met and they kept staring into each other''s eyes for a bit longer, as if an invisible force prevented them from looking away. The endearment in Ashton''s gaze filled Caleb''s heart with content as he still thanked the moon Goddess for returning his mate to him.

    "I love you" Whispered Caleb. Before Ashton could say anything else their perfect moment was ruined by the loud synced up growling noise from their stomach. "Let''s tame that one first, shall we?" He chuckled to which Ashton nodded with a smile.

    Ashton unpacked the food which seemed to be very much high in calories. "Where did you get this"? Asked Caleb.

    "I cooked it," Ashton shrugged. Caleb''s eyes widened as he failed to fathom how on earth did Ashton find time to cook this much. A small laughter erupted from Ashton before he said, "I''m just messing with ya. The maids cooked it. I just packed em here. Butˇ­" he smirked. "If you want, I can cook for you next time. I am not so bad"

    "I remember," Caleb chuckled before he took a large bite of the lasagna. They chugged down in the food and within half an hour everything had vanished. "That was...good" Caleb burped, patting his belly for the visual effect. "I am so tired," he mumbled.

    "Go to the terrace," Asked Ashton.

    "Why?" Caleb frowned.

    "Justˇ­ go" Ashton insisted. "I''ll be there in a minute".

    "Okay" Caleb frowned at the weird way of kicking him out by his own mate. Caleb had to wait a while until Ashton showed up with his futon. Caleb chuckled at his attempts of dragging that huge thing through the narrow door. "What are you doing" He laughed and lent him a hand.

    After spreading it on the floor they both collapsed on it and remained like that. They chatted for a while, just random talks. Asking some personal questions and all while getting comfy on the soft mattress.

    "You knowˇ­ I could get used to this" Caleb mumbled. Ashton looked at him with an inquisitive expression. "You and me, justˇ­ just us like this," Caleb smiled.

    Ashton sat up and gave him a giant smile. "I am so glad you said this".

    Caleb, who was confused by Ashton''s sudden enthusiasm and wondered what he was trying to pull off. Ashton dug his pocket and pulled out something that was hidden in his fist. "Caleb, I know this past eight years wasn''t exactly like how we imagined our life would be..."

    "What are you doing?" Caleb frowned, getting a strange vibe from his mate. Ashton put his finger in his mouth indicating him to remain put.

    "Let me finish. Caleb, I love youˇ­ and I hate the fact that we were robbed eight years of togetherness. I am at least partially responsible, if not completelyˇ­ but that made me realise one thing". Since Caleb wasn''t allowed to talk he simply deepened his suspicious frown.

    "That I don''t want to spend any more time apart from you. I know we have changed, and I know we need to re-learn about each other, but no matter what I learn there is one thing I can guarantee that hasn''t changed is that our love for each other" without even realizing Caleb gave him a subtle nod, affirming to the fact that how strongly he feels for Ashton to this day.

    "I love you, Caleb Wrisberg, a lot. And I am willing to do anything, anything for you!" Ashton sighed and smiled. "But, I want you to do something for me today." Caleb tilted his head wondering what that could be and that''s exactly when Ashton opened his fists. Caleb''s eyes widened as soon as he noticed the ring on his hand and quite literally froze in his spot.

    "Caleb Wrsiberg, will you marry me?"

 Chapter 236 - "He Said..."

    "Caleb?" Ashton asked after a whole minute had passed. Honestly speaking, before he pulled the whole speech he was very nervous.  Unsure even if he should pop the question. Now that cat was out of the bag he didn''t know what else to do until Caleb gave him an answer.

    Caleb''s eyes were still fixated on the ring and he was so still that Ashton could tell Caleb had even stopped breathing. It was as if Caleb completely shut down. "FYI, You can say no" Ashton cleared his throat nervously.

    "No" Caleb mumbled but then quickly mumbled, "I am not saying no to you, I am saying, no, I don''t want to say No. I mean I am not saying Yes, but I am also not saying No. I am not even sure what I am saying at this point" Caleb rambled on and breathed to take a minute. "Are you sure?" He asked Ashton reluctantly.

    "Wouldn''t have asked you if I weren''t. I love you a lot, and I would love to marry you" mumbled Ashton. "If you will like the same". He added.

    "Yes"! Caleb mumbled. "Yess, I will marry you. Of course I will" before Ashton could even give him the ring Caleb jumped on him and kissed him aggressively. In the excitement Ashton almost dropped the ring, but nevertheless, he kissed his mate back. "I love you so much Ashton Parker" Caleb mumbled between kisses.

    When Caleb''s excitement finally settled down a bit, Ashton popped the ring again. Taking his mate''s hand he put it on which fit him perfectly. "How did you know my ring size?" Caleb asked with a chuckle.

    "I had help" Ashton chuckled as well, recalling his encounter with Christian earlier that dayˇ­

    Christian was busy arranging stuff in his office when he heard a knock. "Can I come in?"

    "Sure" he allowed when he noticed it was Ashton. "What can I do for you?"

    "You don''t...happen to knowˇ­"Ashton hesitated.

    "Yeah?" Christian raised his brows, intrigued

    "Caleb''s ring size do you?" Ashton murmured. A human sure would have missed it, but luckily Christian was a werewolf.

    Christian''s eyes widened whilst Ashton''s cheeks turned hotter by the second, "You''re gonna propose" Christian smiled. Unable to form any words Ashton simply nodded. The giant smile on Christian''s face was a confirmation that he approved which brought Ashton great relief. "Wellˇ­ I never measured his size, but.." Christian opened one of his drawers, "This is an old ring of his. He asked me to get it fixed, but I forgot" Christian shook his head at himself.

    "Thanks" Still blushing, Ashton nodded and left.

    Ashton''s smile deepened at the recall. Caleb who happened to witness it in his head smiled as well. "So that''s what happened." He chuckled. "Wait.. this happened earlier today rightˇ­. when did you get time to get it sized"?

    "I actually didn''t." Ashton clarified. "This ring belonged to my Dad, adopted Dad I mean. It was already the same size" shrugged Ashton. "Neat huh"? He chuckled.

    Caleb who couldn''t stop smiling and staring at his mate planted another kiss on Ashton''s lips. Ashton kissed him back with equal enthusiasm and soon their passionate kiss turned into a heated one. Within the kisses, they let out soft moans which rang in their ears. It''s been a long time since they felt this way, passionate, lovedˇ­ and so alive.

    [A/N: Okay, I didn''t issue a warning in the chapter title, so Imma issue one now. R18 stuff ahead. Proceed with caution. Skip to next chapter if you don''t wish to read it. Or wait for me to post it... if it''s unavailable]

    When after a long time they couldn''t breathe anymore, they pulled away trying to catch their breaths, "Wanna go inside"? In between his breaths Ashton proposed. Caleb let out a smirk before he got up and got inside. Ashton followed the same suit and soon they were back in their own room. As soon as Ashton stepped into his room, he was showered with hot and heavy kisses once more making him almost trip, but thanks to the door behind him, he didn''t.

    They changed angles as Caleb held his mate''s face in position, while Ashton''s hand wandered off to the skin below his mate''s shirt. He traced the margin of those rock hard abs until his fingers hit something else. Pulling away he frowned. "This scar"? He whispered as he traced it with his fingers.

    "It''s a long story" Caleb mumbled, "Let''s just say I got it while trying to escape"

    "Escape what"? Mumbled Ashton.

    "Mutiny"? Caleb mumbled. "Remember I told you about Warren and Karolyn. During their mutiny I escaped with Connor back then, but it wasn''t that easyˇ­ in the turmoil, I got this scar" Caleb mumbled, stealing a glance at the big shiny cicatrix. "This was actually done by a Vampire" He agreed.

    "I am so sorry you had to go through with it all alone" Ashton whispered.

    "Stop apologising" Caleb declared and kissed him, "Make sure you don''t do it ever again" And he kissed his mate back.

    In their heated moment, Ashton pushed his mate gently before both of them fell into the bed. Ashton showered his mate''s body full of kisses and soon they were both shirtless. Ashton made sure to appreciate every inch of his mate''s body available to him.

    Tracing his abs Ashton reached Caleb''s crotch and rubbed gently over the covered member until Caleb became a moaning mess. These moans were like music to Ashton''s ears. It''s been eight years since he heard them and it only encouraged him to continue.

    "I can''t.."! Caleb cried out, at this point even impossible to breathe properly. His body missed Ashton''s and Ashton''s touch was definitely driving him crazy, "Just hurry up"! Caleb let out a frustrated growl.

    Ashton smirked at his mate''s eagerness and pulled down both of their pants in a manner of a few seconds. Pushing Caleb''s leg upwards, Ashton positioned himself. Before he entered, he made sure he prepped his mate properly as to not hurt him more than he already had.

    As Ashton''s fingers worked magic on Caleb''s entrance, Caleb threw his head crying out in pleasure, letting out a deep throated moan. The stimulus was so intense that Caleb ended up coming just with fingers.

    Ashton crawled up and kissed Caleb softly on the lips and his cheeks comforting him as Caleb came back from the high. "Do I go in"? Ashton asked. He would be really frustrated if Caleb said no, but he wanted to make sure.

    Unable to form any words, Caleb simply let out a nod. Getting all the motivation he Ashton pushed himself in slowly, allowing Caleb to adjust to his size. Caleb''s whole body shivered as pleasure overtook his body. "I''ll start to move" Ashton declared and started to move.

    Caleb who just came a while ago seemed to be on the verge of coming again. He let out his uninhibited moans which were absorbed by the walls of the room while their sheets were drenched in their sweet and cum.

    Ashton continued to work his way up I increased his pace with every push and soon enough he was practically ramming into Caleb. Caleb didn''t mind though, all he wanted at this point was for his mate to move faster.

    "I love you Caleb Wrisberg" declared Ashton, and after a few pushes he came inside Caleb. Caleb too came once more staining both of their abs.

    "Thank You, for coming back to me" in high, Caleb mumbled.

    "Thank you, for never giving up on me" Ashton replied back and planted a soft kiss on his mate''s lips before he pulled himself out. After the evening they had neither of them had any energy or will to move so they stayed back in the bed cuddling till the late night.

 Chapter 237 - Commitment Issues

    Christian had a lot in his mind given he was supposed to ensure everyone''s well being in the aftermath. His father, who was still the official head of the pack, was busy integrating the willing members of the ice fountain pack into theirs. Mr Wrisberg arranged the quarters in the nearby pack for them to stay.

    He headed off to the hospital, once he ensured everything was okay. He noticed that people were recovering in the hospital as well. It was a good sign. He smiled. He made sure the kids who were hidden in the warehouse were reinstated back to their households. Whose parents were injured were put in the custody of the officials of pack nursery.

    Christian had to admit, even if the scene appeared to be brutal, it was nothing compared to the stories he had heard about the interpack wars of the olden times. Christian expected this one to go that bad, but thanks to their clever members, the casualty count was far too less than expected.

    Christian was back in his office arranging folders and uploading the database of their newest pack members when he received a surprise visit from Ashton. His attitude was both suspicious and confusing, until he mentioned a ring. Christian was elated, considering how much his brother would appreciate the gesture.

    Christian had seen his brother being in love, and heartbroken at the loss of his mate. He knew that despite their differences, Ashton and Caleb were meant to be and he couldn''t be more happy that their relationship was moving forward.

    Which brought him back to his own relationship problems. Before he was taken over by this one on one fight, he remembers Sebastian giving him hints that he might be interested, including the sudden kiss which he couldn''t make any other reason for. He wanted to figure things out after everything was over, so given their current situation Christian decided to talk it out.

    He knew where Sebastian lived, since he had been there before. He got dressed up and headed off to the said person''s house. Once he was at the door, he hesitated. Should heˇ­ knock, he wondered. Mustering all the courage he knocked and after a few seconds the door opened to reveal Sebastian. "I thought it was you" mumbled as he welcomed him in.

    Christian entering the room took a quick glance in the room. It was so clean as if this was recently brought. Back in the city Sebastian had a maid, which Christian assumed that''s how Sebastian kept his apartment clean. Seeing this room, he wasn''t so sure. "Why the medicines"? Asked Christian once he noticed them at the table.

    "You know werewolves and their claw marks. They tend to heal slowly." Sebastian shrugged. "I got them from the hospital"

    "You okay"? Christian asked.

    "Yeah, just minor scratches. I am fine" Sebastian brushed it off. "What brings you here? I heard you nailed that obnoxious Alphas wife". Sebastian snorted.

    "Okay first of all, that sounds a bit.. Misleading. And secondly, Yeah, I did" Christian smirked. "I told you, I got this".

    "Never doubted you," Sebastian shrugged.

    "Wellˇ­ now that the war is over, I think we need to talk," Christian declared. Sebastian froze for a second once he realised where their conversation was headed. Nevertheless, he turned around to have a face to face chat.

    "Yeah, I guess we do, '''' Sebastian agreed meekly.

    "First, I heard you say that you wished I didn''t move on." As soon as Christian said it Sebastian''s eyes widened. He never could have imagined that he was heard by Christian. How..? "And then you kissed me back in the hospital. Correct me if I am wrong, but that seems to be like you are interested in meˇ­ romantically." Christian declared. "So? Am I right? Or wrong, and if so please justify your actions"

    "You are not wrong. Iˇ­ I think I have feelings for you too" Sebastian affirmed.

    "You think?" Christian narrowed his gaze.

    "I meanˇ­ Yeah" shrugged Sebastian. "Look, I never thought of you like that before you confessedˇ­ I never thought of anyone like that to be honest. I felt that I might not be interested in you, but then I saw you jamming with Rileyˇ­ and I think I got jealous." Admitted Sebastian.

    "Riley"? Christian frowned. "He likes you" Christian reminded him, "I mean, not like like, but he is definitely your fan"

    "I knowˇ­" Sebastian shivered as he recalled. He did not like Riley.

    "Then what''s the problem"? Christian asked.

    Sebastian sighed, "You know I have been mated before, right?" Christian gave him a gentle nod. "When I lost herˇ­ I felt so broken, even if I have never thought I loved her enough. My feelings for her were so complicated, and mating with her only made things harder, and with her death, it simply worsened. I have screwed this up beforeˇ­ and I.. I don''t wanna do it again"

    "You know I am a werewolf right? I am not fragile" Christian folded his arms.

    "It''s not just that. I regretted mating with her because I didn''t feel so strongly about her. What if what I feel towards you is something similar. What if it turns out to be a huge mistake? Since we''re both wolves we''ll both end up suffering. I have really come to treasure our friendshipˇ­ I don''t wanna screw that up" mumbled Sebastian.

    "Seems like you are afraid of commitment" Christian shrugged.

    "I guess" Sebastian sighed.

    "No, I meanˇ­ it seems like your only issue is commitment." Christian repeated. "Which means, you should be okay as long as you don''t have to commit, right? How about this"? Taking a pause asked Christian, "We go out. You know, date casually... See where it goes. We don''t have to commit immediately. I mean I am all for the mate bond, but I think committing to it soon is stupid. We should always get to know that person."

    "Wait for real"? Sebastian''s eyes widened. He couldn''t believe his own ears. Suddenly their relationship didn''t feel so hopeless anymore.

    "Yeah, It''s not like I know everything about you. This could work out for both of us".  Christian reassured him.

    "I''d like that very much" Sebastian mumbled with a smile. "So, what do you wanna do?" He asked.

    "I dunno," Christian sighed as he thought harder. "What are you going to do tonight?" Christian asked.

    "Tonight"? Sebastian frowned and tried to recall. "I was gonna order in and... watch some series and... well sleep. I haven''t had that in a really long time." he mumbled.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian trailed off, "So you''re available or not"? He asked again.

    "I''m available," Sebastian nodded. "Why"? he tilted his head.

    "Meet me at the front gate of my house". Christian ordered. "We''re going out," he declared.

    "Like a date?" Sebastian chuckled.

    "Not like a date. It''s a date" Christian clarified. Sebastian smirked at the confidence of the other Alpha. Christian turned around to leave but halted. Turning back he mumbled, "I almost forgot" walking towards Sebastian, Christian planted a kiss on his mouth, "one down, one more to go. Its revenge time." And he vanished, leaving a deeply puzzled and stunned Sebastian behind.

 Chapter 238 - Smooth And Slide

    Christian received a text from Sebastian that he was there whilst Christian was getting dressed for the night. He had the whole night planned and wished fervently that it didn''t go sideways. As a pack leader, Christian was more accustomed to formal wear, meaning a shirt with pants with occasional tie. However, this time he tried to dress more casual and put on a maroon T-shirt with grey jeans.

    Taking a final glance at his appearance, he decided it was time to get out of the house. Once he was at the gate, he noticed Sebastian was well groomed as well. "You look good" Christian complimented his date casually.

    "I know," Sebastian shrugged. Christian rolled his eyes followed by shaking his head as he led both of them to the garage. "FYI, you look good too" Once both of them were seated in Christian''s car, Sebastian added. Christian chuckled before driving off to their destination.

    "So, where are we going?'''' asked Sebastian, once they were on the road for almost fifteen minutes.

    "You''ll see," mumbled Christian. Sebastian narrowed his gaze at the other but didn''t poke him further. It was clear Christian wanted to keep it a surprise, and Sebastian didn''t want to ruin it this soon.

    Once they reached, the board over the place read, ''Smooth and Slide''. This was a new place for Sebastian as he had never been here for his entire time here. In fact, Sebastian had his doubts whether or not they were still in the city or not. "Are we still in Crescent Point"? Asked Sebastian.

    "Nope, but don''t worry, we are not that far away from the border" Christian shrugged.

    "Is itˇ­ safe to cross the border, given we just had an intense war?" Sebastian asked with apprehension. "I mean, what if there are some shady wolves lurking around the corner"?

    "Then we will fight em" Christian shrugged. "Between you and me, we are pretty good fighters" He declared with confidence.

    "That''s true" Sebastian trailed off as he took a careful glance at his surroundings. Once Christian was done parking, he arrived next to Sebastian, "Let''s go".

    At the counter, Christian negotiated something with the receptionist before he met with Sebastian at the gate, "I hope you are good with your balance when it''s slippery" Christian chuckled. Sebastian frowned in confusion until Christian held out the pair of skates in his hand. Now, Sebastian was simply filled with dread.

    "Soˇ­ we''re.. Skating"? Hesitantly, Sebastian asked.

    "Yep"! Christian shrugged. "Don''t tell me, you have never skated before''''?

    "Well, I..." Sebastian struggled to explain it to Christian. "Actually, I did have a roll of skater once, so I received a mandatory training from my agency for the part," Sebastian informed Christian.

    "That''s good then. You know how to skate" Christian handed Sebastian his pair and pointed at his feet indicating him to wear it.

    "Yeah, wellˇ­ that mandatory training was a disaster." Sebastian sighed. "They ended up using a stunt double for the entire season," Sebastian admitted. "Eventually they had to write out my character as it was being more hustle than it should be."

    "Well, you don''t have to be a pro here to skate," Christian declared. "Just the basics is more than enough. Come on, it''ll be fun. If you need, I can teach you" Christian offered.

    "A professional trainer couldn''t teach me, what makes you think you can"? Sebastian offered him a scoff.

    "Well, for starters I am aware of your wolf status. I know you more than that trainer did. Not to mention, this is not a compulsory thing. Even if you don''t get it by the end of the day, it''s fine." Christian shrugged. "I just want us to spend some quality time".

    "I really appreciate that," Sebastian prompted. "I do, but skating and I just don''t mix" Sebastian sighed.

    There goes Christian''s mega plan for their date. Taking a deep breath he mumbled, trying very hard not to sound disappointed, "Okayˇ­" He nodded. "I guess I''ll return these then.".

    "Wait" Sebastian stopped him, holding him by his forearm to stop him in the tracks. "You clearly wanna do this, why return them"?

    "We were supposed to spend this evening together, remember"? Christian tried to remind him.

    "I do," Sebastian nodded. "How about this, you tell me why you chose this place"?

    "What do you mean why"? Christian chuckled. "I just thought it would be a great idea."

    "Skating"? Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Not everyone can do that. Which also surprises me, how can you do it? You have the busiest schedule of all the people I have met, where did you manage to find the time to learn it"?

    "My mom taught me and Caleb," Christian admitted. "When we were young, my mother used to own this skating rink, having a passion for it since she was little. When we started to grow up, when her responsibilities as the pack Luna increased, she sold this place" Christian reminisced while gazing at the pale yellowish walls.

    "So, it does hold a sentimental value," Sebastian chuckled.

    Christian took a deep breath before he sighed. "I guess. I seldom visit here now that I am about to be an Alpha, but I guess coming back hereˇ­ brought my memories back." he smiled. "But, if you are not comfortable with this, let''s find something else to do. Something we will both enjoy".

    "You know what" Sebastian stopped him again, "Let''s do this".

    "No, it''s really okay. We don''t have to do this" Christian insisted.

    "No, I wanna" Sebastian shook his head. "Yeah. I would like it if I didn''t have to hire a stunt double just for skating the next time."

    "Wait, are you sure"? Christian asked him again.

    "Yep! Let''s go before it''s too late" Sebastian dragged him in the rink. The place was huge with many people enjoying themselves as they skated. Sebastian could feel his blood pressure rise, but he did his best to appear calm. He did have good acting skills after all.

    "You ready"?Christian asked him once he was done putting on his shoes. Making sure his shoes are stuck to his feet firmly, Sebastian nodded. Christian got on the rink and asked Sebastian to join. Very carefully, he dropped one leg at the time, never leaving the barrier, which was smart considering he had a terrible balance.

    Christian tried his best to accommodate him, to help him skate, or at least, get him to stand without falling down. Seeing Sebastian collide with the ground twice made him realise that maybe coming back here won''t be such a great idea after all.

    If Sebastian wasn''t a wolf, he probably would need an ice pack in his coccyx to combat the injury, but all he needed was five minutes of rest to feel as good as new. "I am so sorry, this was a mistake" Christian admitted.

    "A big one," Sebastian groaned. "But, it was fun. Without the pressure of aiming at perfectionˇ­ turns out, falling is fun" Sebastian gave him a quick weird smile. Christian wasn''t sure whether or not Sebastian was being sarcastic or not, but he didn''t push him any further."

    "Let''s get out of here" Christian cleared his throat.

    "Yeah" Sebastian sighed and followed.

 Chapter 239 - Later That Night

    "Please tell me your next plan does not involve anything this demanding" Sebastian asked whilst groaning

    "We are just going to eat" Christian mumbled flatly.

    "Good, I need some nutrition after all the injuries" Sebastian sighed as he looked outside the window. Christian remained quiet as he drove in silence while he drove quietly to the restaurant. He couldn''t believe how badly he screwed up. For some reason he assumed skating will be fun without considering Sebastian''s preference.

    Christian had known Sebastian for a decade now. Yes, they had their differences, but they always managed to find a mutual ground. To think that he badly screwed up their first ever dateˇ­ it was driving him crazy.

    The ride to the restaurant was around 20 mins, and so they were there soon enough, before Sebastian could realize that there was some kind of turmoil going on inside of Christian. At the restaurant they both ordered the dishes they like after which, Sebastian spoke up. "Chris, you okay?"

    "Yeah," Christian nodded, although he couldn''t exactly sell it.

    "Look, I am sorry for getting angry. You know meˇ­ I can get frustrated real quick" sighed Sebastian. "It doesn''t mean anything".

    "I wish I never chose skating," Sighed Christian.

    "Hey, skating is one of the top 10 stuff to do on a date. It''s not our fault I''m terrible at it" Sebastian sighed. "I mean, I am usually good at a lot of stuff. I can ride a horse, I even know how to sword fight" Sebastian gloated. He noticed the curious gaze of Christian, so he explained. "I played the role of a knight once, in a period drama. That was at the beginning of my career, I had a recurring role."

    "The Land of Miracles?" Christian raised an eyebrow.

    Sebastian''s eyes widened before he explained, "Yess!!" He let out a snort. "I was in my early twenties back then. How did you know? I don''t think we had met back then?"

    "Well, I started watching that show when I was in high school. I think around season 4 or 5 you came along" Christian mumbled. "I don''t binge shows these days, but that''s one of the last ones I saw" Christian shrugged. "I finished the series," Christian nodded.

    "Whoa" Sebastian was clearly impressed. "So you knew about me even before we met"? He chuckled.

    Christian shrugged. "As an actor. Like Riley, I had no idea you were a werewolf as well, until you showed up here of course" Christian chuckled. Sebastian was momentarily displeased at the mention of Riley, but he hid it well.

    "Still," Sebastian smiled. "That''s a heck of a coincidence" he chuckled. "Wait, don''t tell me you liked me since then"? Sebastian asked coyly.

    "No" Christian shook his head. "Back then I remember being annoyed by your character. He wasˇ­ well for a lack of a better word, An Ass"

    "Well, it''s not like I am my character." Sebastian shrugged while clearing his throat. "Your opinion changed after you met me, right"?

    "Nope. If only I am amazed at how similar you are to your very first character" Christian nodded.

    The big anticipatory smile on Sebastian''s face turned into a frown. "Wait what"?

    "Yeah," Christian nodded.

    "And here I thought you liked me." Sebastian tilted his head "I am confused."

    "It''s not that hard" Christian shook his head, "You are an ass, most of the times, but I like youˇ­ anyways"

    "I don''t know whether to be flattered or offended," Sebastian shook his head. "Speaking of TV shows, I will be leaving tomorrow"

    "Wait what?" Christian froze. "Didn''t you just get here"

    "Nooo" Sebastian frowned. "I have been here for almost a month now". Christian seemed to be calculating on his head for a double check so Sebastian added, "I came here for your ''wedding'', remember"?

    "Yeah, can''t believe it''s been a month," Christian scoffed. "Do you have to leave?" Christian asked.

    "I actually do." Sebastian sighed. "I won''t be gone for long though. You see, this part that I am supposed to appear for is a cameo. I''ll be there for like a week and then come back".

    "It''s a cameo, do you need to do it"? Christian asked.

    " Hey, I take each and every role of mine seriously. Do you want me to be jobless?" Sebastian glared.

    "That''s not what I meant," Christian groaned. "I mean, you can''t postpone it or anything"?

    "It''s a cameo. Why would they halt their production for just a cameo?" Sebastian sighed. Christian shrugged as he realised what Sebastian was indicating. "Anyways, the production actually took my request for the delay" Christian tilted his head in confusion. "Apparently ever since my fans found out that I will be appearing in that show, it has generated quite a buzz. Since the war started I told them I won''t be able to make it"

    "And they just let you"? Christian was surprised.

    "I told I had mono, they were more than happy to let me take a leave" Sebastian sighed, earning a sudden burst of laughter from Christian.

    Sebastian was confused so Christian elaborated, "I am sorry, it''s just.. Do wolves even get monos?"

    "I dunno," Sebastian simply shrugged. "I do know that it would get me a day off, so I sold it".

    Christian continued to laugh, "You do realise Mono takes time to heal, like weeks. Will they really let you join this early"?

    "Actually, I already told them I''ll be there by tomorrow. I said the doctor made a mistake, and I am all good" Sebastian pressed his lips together, "Sorry, I know how much you want me to stay. In fact I want to stay too"

    "You gotta do what you gotta do, I gotta do what I gotta do" Christian shrugged and forced a smile. "You will be back in a week I guess. I will see you then" Christian offered.

    "Yeah, definitely," Sebastian smiled. "Orˇ­." he trailed off earning a head told from Christian, "What if you come with me"?

    "Excuse me" Christian did not expect him to say that.

    "Yeah! You said you would get to know more about me, this seems like a good idea. Come with me and see what my acting life''s like" Sebastian offered.

    "That sounds great, butˇ­" Christian sighed. "I can''t go. I have to take care of everything here. If I leave, then who is gonna take care of everything."

    "Your Dad? He is still the Alpha, not to mention very capable. Also, with Ashton back on the team, Caleb is doing much better than before." Sebastian reminded him.

    "But stillˇ­" Christian trailed off.

    "You honestly don''t believe that the pack will crumble if you leave, do you"? The lack of any verbal answer, coupled with Christian avoiding his gaze confirmed that Sebastian''s assumption was right on point. "Wow, you really do worry a lot about this pack"

    "It''s my pack. My home" Christian shrugged.

    "Look, remember that time when we were tracking worenzine? It was a time of crisis, and even then the pack was fine with you away. One week will not be a problem, and we live in the era of phones, if there is any problem the pack members can always call" Sebastian reminded him.

    "I suppose that''s true," Sighed Christian.

    "Despite this horrible permanent scar that you left me with, I think we had fun. That was the first time we ever got along. Who knows, maybe this trip will be good for us" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Maybe" Christian nodded. They were silent for a while as Christian took his moment to consider. After weighing the pros and cons of being away from the pack for a week, he sighed. "Alright, I guess I am in" Christian declared.

    A smile appeared on Sebastian''s lips. "It''s gonna be fun".

 Chapter 240 - Night Sweats

    Saying that Caleb was happy would be the understatement of the century. And probably feeling this euphoric was the reason why he couldn''t fall asleep. That and he basically slept an entire day in the hospital the previous day. As for Ashton, he was literally snoring. Honestly, he didn''t know Ashton snored. Then again, Ashton didn''t get much sleep earlier. He drove all night just so that he could be close to Caleb.

    As Caleb stared at his mate, sleeping peacefully, all kinds of emotions ran through him. He still couldn''t believe he would be marrying this man. Sure they were mates and someday it was meant to happen, but he didn''t expect that someday to be today. At this very moment he felt like the luckiest guy alive.

    His phone buzzed with a notification from Mrs Parker, in response to Caleb''s message asking him about Connor. According to her he was fast asleep. Another text followed where she subtly asked whether or not Ashton gave him something. Chuckling at her attempt, he took a photo of his ring with the flashlight on and sent it to her with a caption, ''I''ll bring this one home tomorrow''.

    Caleb''s smile only increased at this point to the extent it was starting to hurt his cheeks. He traced Ashton''s face, staring from his hidden hairline to his sharp jaw. A moment never felt so peaceful, too bad it didn''t last long.

    Suddenly a crease appeared on Ashton''s forehead indicating that he was in distress. Caleb thought maybe something prick Ashton or he woke up momentarily, but as the minutes passed Caleb realised that was not the case. From slight forehead crease to sudden involuntary twitches Ashton''s peaceful demeanour took a drastic turn way too quickly.

    Caleb didn''t know what to do so he gently shook Ashton only to get no response from him. "Let me out," Ashton mumbled in his sleep. ''Just let me out"! He shrieked. Caleb wasn''t sure what was happening, so he shook Ashton violently to get him to wake up.

    When Ashton finally opened his eyes his whole body was covered with sweat. "Ashton, Ashton"  Caleb tried to calm his mate down who looked around himself frantically, trying to grasp the situation.

    It took Ashton more than a minute to calm down, to bring his breathing back to even. When he was finally soothed enough, he spoke, "I sawˇ­ I saw something"

    "Is it a bad dream? From when you were nine"? Caleb couldn''t bring himself to say ''when your parents were murdered'' especially when Ashton was this distressed.

    "Noˇ­ this was different" Ashton shook his head. Trying to recollect, he mumbled. "I saw that wolfˇ­ identical to mine. The one I fought, before I woke up next to you eight years later" Ashton  declared.

    "That must be horrible, remembering that wolf," Caleb consoled his mate.

    "I fought with him," Ashton whispered. "I never recalled fighting with him, but nowˇ­ I saw myself fighting with him. He wasˇ­ strong, way stronger than me and I thinkˇ­ he knocked me out."

    "Wait, are you telling me you are remembering"? Asked Caleb.

    Ashton nodded at his mate slightly, "I am remembering things that happened with my wolf. Whyˇ­ what is happening to me"?

    "Hey hey, calm down. We will figure this out, I promise, okay" Caleb assured him. "Now, tell me what you saw. If that''s okay."

    Ashton needed a moment but he nodded. "As I said, I was knocked out. I think my wolf severed the connection with you before I passed out. I didn''t know how he did that, butˇ­" He trailed off. "Anyways, I woke up in this place. It was coldˇ­ even for me. Not unbearable, but I could definitely tell. I was in this cave/ prison, where they were holding me captive. Then theseˇ­ big wolves approached meˇ­" Ashton trailed off again. "Those wolvesˇ­. Were bigger than me" Ashton couldn''t seem to believe himself.

    "Anyways, I couldn''t understand what they were talking about. I didn''t understand their languageˇ­. But I think my wolf did. He even talked with them and I thinkˇ­ I think they wanted to kill me"? He mumbled.

    "So that''s why you kept saying, ''let me go, let me go''"Caleb mumbled.

    "What"? Ashton was taken aback.

    "In your dream. You kept mumbling to let you go, before you started to sweat harder"

    "Oh" Ashton whispered. "I didn''t see much after that, I woke up. But I thinkˇ­ I think one of them called me an abomination"

    "What"? Caleb was taken aback. "Maybe you misinterpreted it." he suggested.

    "I didn''t" Ashton shook his head with confidence. "Those wolves, they were Valestine wolves. Why would they call me an abomination?" Ashton wondered.

    "Well, whatever their reason might be, they were wrong," Caleb declared. "They don''t know you like I do, and I can assure you of all the things you are, you are not an abomination." Caleb declared.

    "Thanks for saying that," Ashton mumbled half heartedly.

    "Do you want me to... help you figure out more? Caleb offered.

    Ashton looked at his mate intently before shaking his head. "No" Caleb didn''t expect that response so he tilted his head, "Last time I was this obsessed with my past, I lost eight years with you. No matter what my past is, it doesn''t change much. I don''t wanna look back anymore, I don''t wanna be stuck in my past and miss out on my future" Ashton sighed.

    "Is that why you proposed?" Caleb asked. "Because you didn''t want to miss out"?

    "NO"! Ashton shouted immediately. "I proposed to you because I love you. Because almost losing you the other day terrified me to my very core, I proposed because I want to be with youˇ­ for the rest of my life" Ashton declared.

    "I''m glad, but look, if you are suddenly remembering, and if you wanna talk about it, I am happy to help. I''ll listen." Caleb took Ashton''s hand and pressed it gently.

    "Thank you, for saying that" Ashton gave him a gentle smile, before kissing his mate. Soon, the terrifying night for Ashton turned into a memorable one.

 Chapter 241 - Were Engaged

    The rest of the night, Ashton didn''t have any more nightmares, or recollection to be precise. Engulfed by his mateˇ­ I mean, his fianc¨¦''s hug, he had a pretty decent sleep. The next morning, once both of them woke up they decided to head home.

    On their way they discussed many ideas on how to announce it to people. Caleb wanted to throw a party, but Ashton wanted a more subtle expression of this recent development. When they saw their ''engagement reveal'' conversation going nowhere in particular, they decided to talk about the wedding instead.

    "Don''t tell me you want a small wedding as well"! Caleb groaned.

    "Marrying the beloved son of one of the strongest packs known to wolves? Yeah that can''t be a small wedding" Ashton snorted. "Besides, I want everyone to know that you''re not just my mate, you''re my husband".

    Caleb tried his best to not smile as the word ''husband'' tugged at his heartstrings. They were still betrothed, but to be soon husband of the man he loved so much was another kind of excitement.

    "Good, causeˇ­"Caleb cleared his throat, "I am gonna show off the awesome mate I have".

    "You do realise most people don''t like me" Ashton reminded.

    "They are just scared of you," Caleb shrugged.

    "Yeah that''s what I meant" Ashton shook his head.

    "I know you don''t like being feared, but trust meˇ­ it comes in handy in situations. I for one would love to intimidate people" Caleb sighed. "Besides it''s a good thing they''re scared of you right, no one will hit on me". Caleb teased.

    "Wait, when I was goneˇ­ did something hit on you"? Ashton''s eyes widened as he asked.

    "Not the wolves, they knew I was mated" Caleb shrugged.

    "But the humans"? Ashton asked hesitantly. Caleb knew how easily Ashton got jealous and it was so fun to tease him, which made it equally hard for him to suppress his smile. "Who hit on you"? Ashton''s voice raised a bit.

    "Relax, would you? It was back in college. I don''t even remember their names" Caleb sighed.

    "Their names?" Ashton''s voice got louder. "How many people hit on you"?

    "I dunno, never counted," Caleb shrugged. "But, can you blame themˇ­ I mean, look at me." Caleb gloated.

    Ashton shot his mate a glare before looking away. After a few seconds he mumbled, "This is why you shouldn''t have good looking mates".

    Caleb, who happened to hear that, ended up laughing, "Ash, does it matter? No matter who has their eyes on me, I''ll always have eyes on you. Even when you''re away" Caleb mumbled which finally made Ashton look at him with a much softer expression.

    "I don''t wanna be away anymore" Ashton mumbled. "I wanna be with youˇ­ for the rest of my life".

    Caleb blinked before sparing a glance at Ashton. "You gotta start to warn me before you say stuff like that".

    Ashton had an urge to kiss his mate, but since Caleb was driving he refrained himself from doing soˇ­ for like a minute until he stole a kiss from his cheek.

    They reached the pack house soon enough. Before Ashton could reach the main gate of their house he was engulfed in a giant hug, "Oh thank god, you''re okay".

    "Ava"? Ashton was surprised by the sudden hug.

    "I was gone for one day! One, and you start a war"! Ava scolded Ashton while hitting her brother on the arm repeatedly. "It''s like, I shouldn''t go back to college at all".

    "Lucky our midterms are still away" Ariel, who appeared next to her, mumbled.

    "It''s fine you know, the war lasted like a day" Caleb brushed it off.

    "Yeah, and yet you managed to end up in hospital" Ava snapped with snark.

    "I meanˇ­" Caleb cleared his throat to defend himself, but that was of no use. As he struggled to find a proper comeback.

    "Wait, is it okay for you to be back"? Ashton asked them.

    "Yeah, it''s the weekend. Plus it''s college. What''s the point of going to one if you can''t bunk a few classes.

    "Wow" Ashton nodded, bewildered.

    "Dad"! Suddenly, Connor appeared, accompanied with his uncle, Christian, who was more than happy to see him. "How are you"? He asked.

    "I am fine," Caleb replied with a smile as he hugged his son. "Want to go and buy some costumes"? Caleb asked. "For halloween"?

    "Today"? Connor was excited as soon as he heard it. Caleb gave him a nod of affirmation so Connor nodded vigorously, "Yess"!! Caleb chuckled to see his son excited about it. "What is that"? Connor asked as he noticed something unfamiliar on Caleb''s finger.

    "Thisˇ­" Caleb tried to say without letting the smile bother him. However before he could finish the girls happened to notice it as well.

    "Wait, wait, waitˇ­ is that what I think it is"? Ava''s eyes widened. Caleb glanced at Ashton before nodding slightly, "ha"! Ava let out a squeal of excitement. "Yay! I can''t believe you''re engaged"! This time Ava engulfed both of them in a hug. Ariel didn''t fail to join as well. "This is so exciting. I gotta do so much. I''ll help you organise, but I also need to buy a dressˇ­. This is gonna be so much fun" Ava rambled on.

    "Congratulationsˇ­ it''s about time" Ariel smirked. Ashton and Caleb simply smiled at the excitement of their sister.

    "Congratulations," Christian added.

    "What''s going on here? I heard a noise"! Caleb''s mom appeared from the house as she witnessed the commotion just outside her house. "Is everything alright?" Given the recent war, it was plausible as to why she would be worried, however her worry ceased once she noticed the excitement and happiness on everyone''s face.

    "Mom" Caleb called, "We''re engaged" Intertwining his finger''s with Ashton''s he declared.

    Mrs. Wrisberg went still for a moment before a smile appeared on her face as well. "About time" She approached them and gave them a giant hug. "Oh my God, I can''t believe finally one of my son''s is getting married. I hope you go all along the way" She sighed, stealing a quick glance at Christian, who just happened to be another son to recently called off his wedding.

    Christian however didn''t let it bother himself that much, recalling the wonderful night he spent the night before.

 Chapter 242 - Shop

    "What do you wanna dress up as?" Caleb asked his son once they reached the costume shop.

    "Ummˇ­." Connor thought harder, taking a look around the room. "I want to be spiderman" he pointed at the small spidey costume hanging on the wall.

    "Okayˇ­" Caleb nodded before turning around to the cashier, "Do you have any iron man costume here"? Caleb asked, "For me, not for him".

    "I might" he tilted his head for a moment before exiting his counter to look for the same. After a few minutes of just standing there, the cashier arrived with a heavily shiny Iron Man outfit.

    Caleb rented it and both of them exited the store. Since it''s been a while since the father son duo had spent some quality time, Caleb didn''t want to go home just yet. "Wanna do something? Just the two of us"? Connor asked his son.

    Connor thought for a moment before he mumbled, "I wanna buy a video game." He jumped.

    "Another? You have like a dozen of them" Caleb sighed.

    "I finished playing most of them," Connor frowned. "Nevermind, let''s just go home" Connor mumbled sadly.

    "No, let''s go buy something you''d like" Seeing the expression on his son''s face, Caleb quickly changed his mind.

    "Really"? Connor''s face lit up.

    "Yepp, let''s go" Caleb smiled and extended his hand for his son to grab it.

    At the store Connor marveled at the variety in the store, jumping from box to box in excitement. It''s been a long time since he saw Connor happy like that and therefore Caleb did not mind spending that little extra money on a game given he had plenty of it.

    "I''ll get this" Connor held out one of the boxes and handed it to Caleb. Caleb looked at the box trying to figure out what it was about. But he gave up pretty quickly and just bought the thing himself. "Let''s go get something to eat," Caleb suggested.

    "Ice cream"! Connor prompted. As a vampire-werewolf hybrid neither did Connor catch cold, nor was his teeth''s integrity compromised, thus eliminating some essential reasons as to why Connor can''t have ice cream. Besides, Caleb was enjoying seeing his son enjoy this much, so he let him have it for the day.

    At the ice cream parlour, after ordering their favorites they sat face to face while waiting for their order to arrive, sensing it as the perfect opportunity Caleb decided to ask the question he had been dying to ask. "Connor, what do you think of me getting married to Ashton"? He needed to know how his son felt.

    Connor went quiet for a moment as he thought hard, struggled, to put his words into feelings. "You love him, right"? He asked.

    "Of course" Caleb nodded, "And I also love you, so I need to know you are okay with this before I go through with it."

    "He isˇ­ annoying" Connor pouted, "But I can tell he loves you a lot." Connor mumbled.

    "Why do you feel that"? Caleb chuckled.

    "He looks at you likeˇ­. I look at my video games" Connor mumbled, earning a chuckle from Caleb. Caleb was quite amused by the analogy his son provided him, but he would take it.

    "So, you''re okay with all this"? Caleb asked again.

    Connor nodded before mumbling, "I am not calling him Dad though. I''ll only call you that" he pouted.

    "Okayˇ­" Caleb laughed lightly, "I think Ashton prefers you calling him by his name". Before their conversation could proceed further, their ice cream arrived and they started to munch on their share, sometimes stealing the other''s share in a playful manner.

    Meanwhileˇ­

    "Girls, I am not getting married tomorrow, why are you dragging me into this"? Ashton groaned as his sisters somehow managed to convince him to go to the mall with them. When his sister''s were younger, their cuteness was the one that convinced Ashton, or so he believed. But now that they are older, and yet they managed to drag him here, he is not sure.

    "With you nothing is sure" Ariel snapped.

    "True! What if you decided this evening to get married tomorrow. What if you decided to elope"? Ava scoffed. "I need to make sure I have my dress prepared for the ceremony"! She huffed.

    "Girls, I don''t even have my own tux for the wedding, how the hell would I get married"? Ashton rolled his eyes at them.

    "We''ll get you some," Ava shrugged.

    "What"? Ashton appeared visibly offended. "I was hoping to do that with Caleb.

    "Are you crazy!"

    "Nuh-UH"!

    Both of them shouted at Ashton startling him to his core. "What"? Ashton frowned. At this point he was sure his sisters were over-reacting.

    "Don''t you know it''s bad luck for the groom to see the other groom in his wedding tux"? Ava folded her arms.

    Ashton''s face twitched at the weird logic before he mumbled, "I think that''s for brides"

    "Yeah, well this wedding doesn''t have a bride. Doesn''t mean you shouldn''t follow traditions" Ava rolled her eyes.

    "Yeah," Ariel seconded her sister. "Two of our most favourite people are getting married, and we are gonna make sure that everything is on point".

    "Yep." Ava nodded. Ashton simply shook his behaviour at the childish behavior of his adult baby sisters. Clearly they haven''t grown up as much as Ashton expected them to be.

    "Okay, Ariel, I''m gonna go give these dresses a trial. Don''t let him out of sight" Ava ordered and disappeared.

    "Don''t you have to buy some ''''? Ashton asked the remaining sister, i.e. Ariel.

    "I''ll try after she is done. You are too slippery to be left alone" Ariel shrugged.

    "Why would I slip away? Despite all this chaos that I hate being a part of, I do wanna get married. I do appreciate you two being so enthusiastic about it" Ashton mumbled flatly.

    "Then what''s the problem?" Ariel asked.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton frowned.

    "I can tell something is not adding up. It''s like you are excited from the outsideˇ­ but concerned from the inside" Ariel shrugged. Ashton raised an eyebrow at her so she shrugged, "Psychology major".

    "It''s nothing" Ashton brushed it off.

    "It''s not nothing" Ariel argued, but, if you don''t wanna tell me about it that''s fine too. I have learned to respect people''s boundaries,`" She smiled.

    After a minute or so, Ashton finally spoke. "I had a nightmareˇ­ of the time when I wasˇ­ gone. It was vagueˇ­. But it also felt like it meant something. Do you know anything similar"?

    "Well, our curriculum mostly deals with human psychology, but I guess wolves are not that different. Whenever someone''s memory flashes as dreams we do hypnosis to decode what they are going through." Ariel mumbled. "Although, with your wolf nature I doubt that would work."

    "I thinkˇ­" Ashton trailed off. "I think I know something similar." he mumbled.

 Chapter 243 - Cozy

    It took the sisters almost two hours before they found the dress they liked. Ashton was really tired, so much so that he did not want to look around anymore and go back home as soon as possible. "Can we buy my tux some other dayˇ­ I really don''t wanna" Ashton groaned.

    "You have been whining since we got here. Just come with us" Ava snapped.

    Ashton blinked at her raised voice before agreeing to follow them. His sisters have become way more wild than they were before, way more for him to handle. Even Caleb failed to argue with them earlier that morning.

    Reaching the store, he put on a few tuxes selected by his sisters which appeared essentially the same to him, with very marginal differences like a tie or a bowtie, or the tie being of different shades of gray. Honestly he really didn''t care anymore and wanted to get out of here ASAP.

    "Come on, look more alive would ya?" Ava let out a frustrated sigh.

    Sensing Ariel trying to link him, Ashton replied, [Yeah?]

    [Is this about your nightmares? The sudden idea that you got?] She asked.

    [A little bit, yeah] Ashton admitted. [I have to get out of here]

    Ariel gave him a slight nod before saying, "Let''s go home Ava. He is clearly not in the mood".

    "He is never in the mood" Ava rolled her eyes.

    "I know, but I am starting to feel exhausted. Let''s go back for the day. We don''t want him to end up with a tux he hates." Ariel insisted.

    "Fine" Ava sighed before they all exited the store together. Upon returning home, he tried to look for his mate, which wasn''t a surprise that he wasn''t around. Caleb needed to spend some quality time with his son, which he understood so he decided to wait.

    He was on his way to his room when he ran into a familiar figure. Ashton stood there still as a hint of fear mixed with awkwardness crept up on him. "I heard the news," declared Mr. Wrisberg. Those two barely got on the save page, and judging from his flat tone Ashton couldn''t help but anticipate hostility towards him.

    "Yeah, Iˇ­" Ashton trailed off.

    Mr. Wrisberg took careful steps towards his soon to be soon in law, "it''s good that you''re moving forward, butˇ­" he took even slower steps, "If you hurt my son again I''ll bury you alive".

    Ashton wanted to point out how that would be unhelpful as he could probably find his way out, but he didn''t want to antagonize his soon to be father in law, so Ashton gulped and simply nodded at Mr. Wrisberg. It was amazing how despite being the bigger one, Ashton was so intimidated by Mr. Wrisberg.

    Ashton stood there still until Mr. Wrisberg''s scent faded away completely. Ashton took a few deeo breaths, a sigh of relief if one may, and thanked his lucky stars that Mr. Wrisberg didn''t oppose. With seemingly gaining approvals from each of their family members, Ashton was beyond elated and didn''t care anymore who thought what. His happiness was so high that he almost forgot the dilemma.... Almost.

    Caleb finally arrived late in the evening, but somehow Caleb was occupied by someone or the other making it harder for Ashton to have a private chat. Turns out both of their mothers threw a party for this auspicious occasion and thus a heavy celebration was in order.

    The wolves partied hard, they congratulated the happy couple, some even gave them gifts but most of them got hella drunk. Ashton''s metabolism prevented him from getting drunk, and Caleb was good at holding his liquor, so these two were still quite sober by the end of it. However, they still didn''t get any chance to talk no matter how much Ashton tried.

    Feeling desolate, Ashton decided to call it a day and head to his room. After freshening up when he was finally about to sleep, he was startled by loud knocks on his door. Did someone slip from the party? God, he wanted a rest so bad.

    Opening the door he realised it was none other than his mate, smiling at him sheepishly as he stared at him. "Are you drunk"? Ashton asked.

    "NO"! Caleb replied way to loud.

    "Kay.." Ashton helped his mate in and helped him get comfy in his bed. Clearly Caleb had a lot if he was in this state, and unwilling to disturb him he just let his mate have at it.

    "Ash" Caleb called after a minute.

    "Hmm?"

    "Iˇ­ I love you" Caleb mumbled.

    "I know" a smile crept up Ashton''s face. "FYI, I love you too". Caleb''s warm extremities warmed up further as he heard his mate say those words. After a minute or so, Caleb gently put his head on his mate''s shoulder and mumbled, "When you said we need time to reconnect, I was worried that you wanted to break up," Caleb admitted honestly.

    "I can never do that, '''' mumbled Ashton. "that''s one thing I''m too selfish to do, '''' Ashton reassured. Soon Ashton felt arms around his waist with a warmth that his mate''s body gave out. "You''re cozy today" Ashton chuckled at his mate''s adorableness.

    "I''m always cozy. I don''t show it" Ashton chuckled at his mate''s reply. Even though this was not the conversation he was hoping to have with his mate, this was still nice. Just having his mate by his side, healthy and well, was enough to keep him content.

    When Ashton noticed Caleb''s drowsiness catching up with him, Ashton positioned him nicely on his bed, allowing him to sleep comfortably. Caleb however seemed reluctant to let go of his mate, as if he was anxious or something. To assure him, not only Ashton laid down next to him and hugged him, he also let his scent out.

    The scent of your mate is supposed to be comforting, and somehow it actually worked as Caleb''s agitation settled down and he drifted off to sleep. Ashton, who was busy keeping Caleb cozy, also drifted off to sleep pretty soon,as he too could sniff his mate''s scent that soothed him.

 Chapter 244 - Why And Who?

    It was around dawn when Ashton opened his eyes only to find out that his mate had been staring at him. "When did you wake up"? In his groggy voice, Ashton asked,

    "A few hours ago" Caleb mumbled. That caused Ashton to widen his eyes to which Caleb replied, "I am a light sleeper. Besides, my hangover is gone".

    "Hmm" Ashton mumbled sleepily. "If you want, you can go" Ashton mumbled.

    "I know. I was actually here because you wanted to tell me something? I guess I got a bit more drunk for whatever it is" Caleb mumbled. "Just go back to sleep, we''ll talk when you are feeling fresh"

    "Actuallyˇ­ no." Ashton jolted up a bit once he recalled what he wanted to say. "I was talking with Ariel who told me that in situations like this, they use hypnosis on humans to figure out what their dreams signify. I was thinking maybe I could try something similar." He mumbled. Caleb nodded at him, encouraging him to continue.

    "Do you remember the time when you delved into my dreams"? Ashton asked. Caleb nodded reluctantly, sensing the direction of this conversation. "I was hoping maybe you could try something similar again. You told me that you talked with my wolf right? That you actually got along with each other. I was hoping maybe you can do that again"? Ashton whispered. "If that''s okay".

    "Ashton, Iˇ­" Caleb trailed off. "As much as I would love to do that, to help you out, I shouldn''t go into your dreams. I was almost trapped there, remember?" Caleb sighed. "When I woke up, my body was ice cold, as if someone froze me or something".

    "Iˇ­ I didn''t know that" Ashton shook his head. "But I do remember that you can get stuck in my head, which is why I don''t want you to go into my head." Caleb tilted his head in confusion to his statement, "I want you to talk to my wolf. I will give control to my wolf, and maybeˇ­ you can convince him to tell you what happened, or why am I dreaming of these now"?

    Caleb considered it for a moment, "I can do that" Caleb affirmed.

    Ashton smiled and closed his eyes, only to open them again with glowing red eyes directly staring at Caleb. "Ashton?... Wolf"? He mumbled. It felt weird calling him wolf, but he didn''t know what else to call. Technically he didn''t have a designated name, not that he knew off so that he can acknowledge him separately. After all, his wolf was strong enough to be categorised as a separate persona.

    "Can you hear me?" He asked.

    "What did you do!?" Ashton, or his wolf in Ashton''s form snarled at him, his voice having a tinge of an echo distinguishing him from his human form.

    "What do you mean"? Caleb asked.

    "You shouldn''t have found meˇ­ now they''ll come for you" He warned.

    "Who are they"? Caleb frowned. "The Valestines"?

    "The werewolves," His wolf declared.

    "They already did, we defeated them" Caleb shrugged, indicating their recent war.

    "Not themˇ­ the ones who killed Ashton''s parents" The wolf informed.

    "But why..?" Caleb couldn''t comprehend what was actually going on. "Who will come after us"?

    "They killed his parents, and they believed they killed Ashton tooˇ­ but they didn''t." The wolf mumbled.

    "Who are they"? Caleb asked again.

    "Ashton''s extended family. They killed his parentsˇ­ just like he said they would" He declared with a load of resentment.

    "Who said"? Caleb asked. His story was so confusing, he had no idea who is who anymore.

    "My fatherˇ­ our father." declared the wolf.

    "Waitˇ­ why would he say so"? Asked Caleb. "Why were they after him"?

    "Because he was just like those wolves we found in the north. He was a Valestine" The wolf declared. Caleb was surprised that this wolf knew. He was more surprised that Ashton didn''t. Why would Ashton''s biological father tell the wolf something like that and not Ashton? Was it because he was too young back then?

    "If you knew, why didn''t you tell me? Tell us that you''re a Valestine? Ashton wouldn''t have been away for so long then? Maybe he would have suffered less" Caleb tried his best to hold his anger. He couldn''t help but feel betrayed by the wolf.

    "Because I never knew that''s what our father was until I saw the other Valestine wolves. Even I didn''t know" The wolf admitted.

    "So Ashton is a Valestine after all" Caleb sighed.

    "No" The wolf prompted, confusing Caleb once more. "A Valestine has his wolf side dominant, a werewolf has his human side. With usˇ­ it''s both. Becauseˇ­ we''re both." He declared. Caleb raised his eyebrows as a need for confirmation if whatever Caleb was thinking was true. "Our mother was a pureblooded Alpha"

    That''s when Caleb realised, Ashton was half and half as well. The more he heard Ashton''s wolf story, the more he realised how much more similar he was to Connor. It was one crazy coincidence. He still failed to understand one thing, "What is with the dreams then? The ones Ashton keeps having? They are your memories right"? He asked.

    The wolf nodded at him, "Why now"? Caleb asked.

    "Ashton is not a child anymore. He should know what I did" The wolf looked away. Wait, so he was trying to protect Ashton all along? And Ashton caged him inside his mind.

    "Did youˇ­ purposefully sever our connection, back when you were in the north"? This was Caleb''s personal question. The wolf continued to avoid his gaze, but he did provide Caleb with a subtle nod. "Why? Why did you do that"? Caleb''s voice quivered.

    "To protect you. I didn''t know what they were capable of. What if they come after you? Or my family? I had to" The wolf announced.

    "But you could have let Ashton know that? Why keep his memories away from him"? Caleb asked.

    "That''s what I have been trying to do. We might be two entitled stuck in one body, but we don''t exactly communicate. His defenses are higher than ever making it harder for me to break through. On those rare occasions where he let slip, I planted those memories that manifested as dreams" The wolf announced.

    That''s when he realised, Ashton''s dreams are followed by Ashton giving control to his wolf. Like when he fought the Alpha of Ice Fountain Pack. Caleb looked at Ashton, to ask even more questions, but Ashton was asleep, given that the wolf was gone by now. He got a lot of answers, and a hell lot of questions, and soon, he needed to figure things out, for the sake of Ashtonˇ­ for the sake of their family.

 Chapter 245 - Try

    Ashton finally woke up around midday, spotting two unusual things. One, was the breakfast next to his bed, and second was the concerned expression on Caleb''s face. Recalling their early morning conversation, Ashton asked carefully, "Did you do it? Did you get toˇ­ talk to my wolf form"?

    "I did," Caleb affirmed. After a sigh and a moment of consideration he told Ashton everything he was told. By the end of it, even Ashton appeared petrified of everything. "This whole time.. I thoughtˇ­ I was fighting him, but he was protecting me"?

    This was the first time Ashton referred to his wolf as ''he'' and not , something which Caleb wondered, Ashton realised it or not. "You okay"? Caleb asked his mate gently.

    "I honestly don''t know," Ashton whispered. "This is driving me crazyˇ­"

    "Hey, it''s alright. I would too, if I were you". Caleb mumbled softly.

    "Now it makes so much sense, why am I so different... I was born different" Ashton sighed. "I don''t fit anywhere" he scoffed. "An abomination."

    "Hey"! Caleb called him out, "You can be half breed, quarter breed, or whatever the hell that one can be, but you are not an abomination." He scolded. "Do not belittle yourself"!

    "No, I''m notˇ­" Ashton blurted, taken aback by Caleb''s sudden outburst. "I was justˇ­ figuring out why they might have called me an abomination"

    "Oh" Caleb blinked. "Good"

    Ashton tilted his head before continuing, "It''s hard to believe my own father shared this fact with my wolf but never with me."

    "He was trying to protect you, just like your wolf," Caleb assured him.

    "Don''t you think it would have been better if I knew"? Ashton pressed.

    "Maybe he would have revealed it when you were old enough to take it," Caleb shrugged. "But he just didn''t get the chance."

    "Thatˇ­ actually makes sense," Ashton nodded. "Wish I could communicate with my wolf like you did. Unfortunately one of us blacks out when the other is in control"

    "That''s not true," Caleb prompted. "Your wolf remembers what you do. Maybe you don''t know what your wolf does because you shun away that part of yourself". He suggested.

    "Yeah right, as if my wolf is very keen on sharing with me" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "My point is, you two lack communication. More importantly, you make efforts for communication" Caleb sighed.

    "That sounds like some relationship advice on a banner" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "Yeah, well it is a relationship between you and your alter ego" Caleb rolled his eyes back at Ashton. "I would suggest you try to bond with your wolf self yourself." Ashton opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by Caleb. "I know it is easier said than done. Heck, I even dunno how to do it. I am no expert. All I am saying isˇ­ try. Maybe something will come around. If you want I''ll actively help you" Caleb offered.

    "I appreciate the help. I really do, but no thanks." Ashton sighed. "I''ll give it a try, see what pops up. Meanwhile, we still have a wedding to plan"

    Caleb chuckled, "You are really obsessed with this wedding aren''t you" Caleb scoffed.

    "No, more like, I am obsessed with you" Ashton smirked.

    Caleb blinked, "What did I say about warnings"! Caleb scolded and got up from the bed and walked right into Ashton''s bathroom. He freshened up as he had a huge day ahead of himself, and decided to wear some of his mate''s clothes on his way.

    On his way out he ran into two newest additions of the pack members, "Heyˇ­ what are you doing here? You don''t have school"? He asked the girls.

    The older one of them, Carmen answered. "The transfer of the details is taking time. Without any official guardian, they are reluctant to let us in" She mumbled.

    "That''sˇ­ preposterous," Caleb scoffed. "You know what, come with me, I''ll get you registered today"! He declared. "Official guardian. What a bulshit! People need education"! He huffed and walked to his car. After walking for a few steps he noticed the girls didn''t follow him, so he turned around and asked, "What''s wrong"?

    "You have already done enough for us, you don''t have to get in trouble for us. Your son is in school too right? What if it impacts him badly"? Carmen mumbled.

    "I''m the brother of the head of the pack." Caleb declared, "Not to mention, but I am also the sheriff. I won''t threaten them or anything or anything. I''ll make sure you get in properly, that''s all." Caleb assured them. "Another thing, from the moment you guys joined our pack you have inherently become our responsibilities.

    Never worry about reaching out to us, or at least to me. I promise I''ll try to help you properly." Caleb mumbled. "Now go get the stuff you might need, and we will head off" He mumbled. Paging his subordinates that he would be late at work today, yet again, he brought out his car.

    The girls got their school bags and from a request to Melanie, she mailed the documents from their earlier school. He tried to go to the middle school first, to get Carmen transferred, after which he would head out to the elementary school, picking up his son as well. He was lucky that he shifted into the night shift, so even though he said he would be late, he was glad that he wouldn''t be too late. On their way, after a long quiet time, Carmen spoke up."You are getting married"? She asked. "Sorry, I don''t wanna be so intrusive".

    "You don''t have to be on your toes around me," Caleb sighed. "I know your mum was tough on you, but we''re not like that. Such casual things are okay to ask. So is asking for help regarding important stuff, or any stuff for that matter."

    "Thank you Mr. Wrisberg" She mumbled, "This is justˇ­ it''s a lot harder to adjust than I thought" She whispered.

    "Of course it is. You are in a completely new surroundings with no guardian to guide you. If I were in your place, I''d be terrified." Caleb sighed. "You are very brave Carmen, never forget that. I''m sure over time it''ll get easier, but for the time being, feel free to rely on me" He smiled at her.

    "Thanks" She smiled before sharing that smile with her little sister.

    "Oh, also, to answer your question. Yes, I''m getting married. And you two are welcome to attend" he chuckled. Soon they reached the school and Caleb mumbled, "it is time to set things up properly."

 Chapter 246 - Away From Home

    "You ready"? Sebastian asked Christian as he showed up below his apartment.

    "I guess," Christian mumbled.

    "Is this your first time away from home"? Sebastian asked, getting inside the Car.

    "I went with you for that worenzine business" Christian reminded him, starting the engine.

    "No, I mean for something that is unrelated to the pack" Sebastian rolled his eyes.

    "Iˇ­ I suppose so" Chistian hesitated.

    "Wow, and what did your dad say when you said you wanted a break?" Sebastian scoffed.

    "He seemedˇ­. Well, like always, unbothered" Christian sighed. "But he agreed to look after the pack while I am gone, so I guessˇ­ that''s a yes"? He tilted his head.

    "Yep," Sebastian nodded. "He didn''t stop you, take the benefit of doubt" They had a little chat about their trip on how long this was gonna be. Turns out they were travelling to Europe since it was a british show. Somehow hearing about the distance made Christian a bit worried. If something happens, if they need him back home, he won''t be able to make it back in time. "You okay"? Sebastian asked.

    "Yeahˇ­ just excited about the trip" Christian shrugged.

    "That''s an odd way to be excited" Sebastian commented but didn''t bother him further. After the checkout and everything, Sebastian finally spoke, breaking the distracted silence of Christian, "So.. this flight is gonna be like for half a day. I suggest you get comfy"

    "But I am not tired," Christian mumbled.

    "Well, give it time," Sebastian winked at him before moving ahead. Christian noticed some of the passengers took a pill or something. The frequency made him ponder if it was some sort of essential for intercontinental flight or not, so he asked Sebastian.

    "What is that pill?" Christian asked in an incredibly low whisper that no human would be able to hear. Sebastian followed Christian''s gaze and ended up chukcling.

    "It''s sort of a sleeping pill. They are gonna get cozy" Sebastian snorted. Christian gave him a dirty look. "Look, it''s a long flight. Too bad those don''t work on me, or I''d take one myself" he snorted.

    Frankly Sebastian didn''t need one though. After a few minutes of takeoff Sebastian dozed off to sleep, covering himself on a warm blanket and snoring from time to time, making Christian wonder if he should pretend to be a stranger to the snoring sloth next to him.

    Sebastian woke up to a curious gaze from his travel mate when it was lunch time. He furrowed his brows and asked, "What"?

    "What did you take"? Christian wondered. "You were literally snoring"

    "This isn''t my first time on such a long flight. It''s like my fourth home to me"

    "Fourth"? Christian frowned.

    "Yepp'''' Sebastian chuckled. Without any further explanation, Sebastian went ahead and had lunch. As soon as he was done, he went back to sleep once more. How could he sleep so much? Christian wondered. Who knew Sebastian could be this lazy too.

    There were times when Sebastian did wake up, but Christian decided not to bother him much, mostly because he was invested in a movie he stumbled upon.

    When Sebastian finally noticed what he was watching, all his sleep went out of the tightly sealed window."Wait, is this..."?

    "Yep," Christian chukled. "From the stars" He laughed. "It is so odd to see you being so cheesy" He laughed. "Not to mention stupid, this is peak comedy" He laughed again.

    "Yeah, cause it''s a rom-com" Sebastian rolled his eyes.

    "I thought you only did Sci-fi," Christian teased.

    "Mostly, this was a little while ago. I was looking to shake things upˇ­ and well" Sebastian sighed.

    "This is great," Christian commented. "You are a good actor. I am convinced you are really stupid"

    "Huh"?

    "From this guy" He pointed at the screen, towards Sebastian.

    "Uhhˇ­." Sebastian mumbled. He had to say, no matter how much praise and admiration he had received till date due to his performances, this was one the best. Somehow, the genuineness in his voice made it much more worth it. Not to mention, he was happy that the guy who barely watched movies was not only watching his work, but also seemed to be enjoying it. It was rewarding on a whole other level.

    When they finally arrived at their destination, a Car was sent to pick them up. "Mr Kyles, I didn''t know you would be bringing company" The guy stammered.

    "Yeah, will that be a problem"? Sebastian asked, a hint of agitation clear in his voice.

    "We only booked one room, and the hotel is kind of unavailable for prompt booking" He admitted reluctantly. "Do you want me to find another place for your friend"?

    "I thought you were giving me a deluxe room? Aren''t they big enough for two people"? Sebastian asked.

    "It isˇ­ I just assumed you would want privacy" He cleared his throat.

    "You''re right. Apart from my friend here, no one is allowed inside" Sebastian said coldly, "Understood"? That poor guy nodded vigorously, to deliver that yes, he got it.

    Christian was impressed by how intimidating Sebastian was, although he felt bad for the poor guy who is just doing his job. Not to mention, Christian was not at all pleased by the guy, or Sebastian referring to himself as a friend. Of course they discussed that they would keep things casual, but still, friend was a little loose term for themˇ­ right?

    Then again, he couldn''t blame Sebastian for taking that road. The stars barely get privacy and most of them prefer keeping their private lifeˇ­ well, private. And knowing Sebastian and his reputation from whatever he has heard, Sebastian was definitely one of those people.

    All his life it has been hard to date people, mainly because of his own work. But given how he was gonna be dating a literal star, it was bound to be tougher. With wolves life was much simpler, but all these crazy things in the human world was not something he cared about. It was thrilling, yet unnerving.

    After a while amidst their drive through, Sebastian decided to link Christian, [Hey, is everything alright?]

    [Of course, why wouldn''t it be] Christian replied nonchalantly.

    [Well, you barely spoke since the airport, and you appearˇ­ grumpy. I thought I was supposed to be the grumpy one] Sebastian mused.

    [I am sure it''s jet lag. I''ll be fine] Christian brushed it off.

    [Okay...] Sebastian mumbled. He wasn''t convinced but he decided not to bother him much. He could feel everything was a bit overwhelming for Christian and if he were to talk about it Sebastian would prefer it out loud instead of a link, so he simply let him be.

 Chapter 247 - Distraction

    For someone complaining of jet lag, Christian certainly did not rest. He wasn''t super enthusiastic either, he was just awake andˇ­ lost. "You ready"? Sebastian asked the man staring blankly out of the window.

    "You have a shoot now"? Asked Christian.

    "What, no?! It''s late. I meant for like dinner. There is this nice restaurant across the street, let''s go take a look, and maybe find something delicious to eat". Sebastian smirked.

    "Is it okay for you? I mean, you are a celebrity, sort of" Christian shrugged.

    Sebastian rolled his eyes at the ''sort of'' before mumbling, dude we have like the best metabolism ever. That''s the perk of being a werewolf. We can eat as much as we want and yet we''ll still be in shape". He gloated.

    "No, I meant going out in public like that. Won''t you get.. Recognised or something?" Christian shrugged.

    "You are right, which is why I called ahead and got us more of a private reservation" Sebastian shrugged. Christian frowned contemplating those words. "Just come with me, you''ll see".

    They went ahead and found the restaurant a bit more deserted that Christian expected it to be. Sebastian, who wore a mask, talked at the counter before the waitress showed them their table. Turns out this one had a rooftop setting with only four tables, and apart from them, no one else was on that rooftop.

    "Thisˇ­ is nice" Christian commented once they were seated.

    Sebastian too took off his mask, breathing in the fresh air. He noticed that Christian seemed to be a bit distracted as he looked away, once more looking lost in his own thoughts. Finally, Sebastian decided to call him out, "Christian, is everything okay? Ever since you have been here you seem distracted." He asked. Christian was about to say something, before Sebastian cut him off, "And don''t say it''s jet lag. I have travelled enough to know what jet lag is" Christian remained quiet for a while so Sebastian asked again, "hey, what''s going on"?

    "I am justˇ­" Christian  hesitated. "I am worried about the pack"

    "Did something happen"? Sebastian asked.

    "I dunno." Christian sighed. "I justˇ­ can''t help but worry," he let out with frustration. Sebastian remained quiet and stared at Christian blankly. "I know, I sound crazy."

    "Not really," Sebastian shrugged. "The pack is your whole life, of course you''re worried".

    "You know I wanna call Melanie and get an update, like I usually do. It''s soˇ­. Weird not doing that". Christian let out a frustrated sigh.

    "Why don''t you do it" Sebastian suggested.

    "Because I want to trust her. Not to mention I am sure they would call me if I am needed. Also, I am here to spend time with you. I don''t want to obsess over the pack, andˇ­" Christian sighed. That was indeed a lot.

    "Yeah, you are still obsessing even if you are avoiding the topic" Sebastian rolled his eyes.

    "Yeah, well it''s hard for me. I have a daily plan. Responsibilities that I need to take care of. I always have something or the other to attend. But now..." Christian sighed. "I spent hours hearing you snore and watching a movie" He shook his head.

    "Okay, I agree my snores wouldn''t have been a delight", offended, Sebastian cleared his throat. "But the movie was fun. And I am not just saying that only because I starred in it. Yeah sure my character is the funniest, but the whole movie is dope! Check Imbd, it has good reviews"! Sebastian shrugged.

    "The movie was great" Christian shook his head, "It''s just thatˇ­ Do you know that it''s the first movie I saw afterˇ­ well probably a decade" Christian shrugged.

    "I''m sorry what"? Sebastian blinked. For someone with super hearing, he couldn''t quite believe his own ears.

    "Yeah," Christian scoffed. "I always have something or the other to do and having fun isn''t just one of them. You know what I do for fun?"He asked.  Sebastian shrugged at him, so Christian continued. "I get drunk"

    "Yeah, you probably shouldn''t do that." Sebastian mumbled, earning a blank stare from Christian. "Look, I get it. Your life is completely different from this. You have been groomed to be the pack alpha since you wereˇ­ I dunno, a baby"? He suggested.

    "Not a baby, a kid" Christian rolled his eyes.

    "Same thing" Sebastian brushed it off. "My point is, you are at it for as long as you can remember. You are not used to any other dynamic. It''s okay.. If you feel a little out of place" Sebastian shrugged.

    "I guess" Christian shrugged. "I gotta admit, I never realized how obsessed I am with our pack" He snorted.

    "Well, now you know" Sebastian shrugged. Their food arrived at rhe moment. As they started to eat Sebastian mumbled. "Don''t beat yourself up, we can all be a little obsessed sometimes. You''ll get over it, eventually" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Well, in that spirit, tell me. What is the role that you''re up for"?

    "Here? Well, I''m playing the CEO of this company which the female leads joins" Sebastian shrugged.

    "And your role is only Cameo? Won''t they need you later"? Christian asked.

    "Well it''s not like the CEO hovers around his workers all the time. Maybe he is minding his own business behind the screens" Sebastian shrugged. "They can always call me back if they need me in the future".

    "Right," Christian nodded.

    "I dunno much. I don''t have the whole script and neither do I watch this show" Sebastian sighed.

    "Do you know what is it about"? Christian asked.

    "I Googled it. Apparently it''s some sort of Sci-fi slash crime thriller. The woman who will be joining ''my company''..." Sebastian literally used his fingers to quote. "Is kinda like tech support of the team. The main cast members I mean" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Okayˇ­" Christian nodded.

    "Did it work"? Sebastian asked.

    "What" Christian frowned.

    "You know, this distraction?" Sebastian shrugged.

    A tiny chuckle appeared on Christian''s face. "A little bit, yes" he nodded and started to devour his food.

 Chapter 248 - Some More

    "What do you mean this is against the rules? Since when is education against the rules"? Caleb expressed his anger towards the vice principal.

    "Well, technically their parents are still their guardians, and without their consent it''s sort of impossible to provide them with admissions here" the vice principal informed awkwardly.

    "Are you kidding me? You of all people know why this situation has come up. You can''t keep them off here for a petty reason like this." Caleb sighed out of frustration.

    "Look, I know that. And as much as I''d like to help you out I can''t. This new principal is very strict. The older one used to sign any document I brought without batting an eyelash. But this one, she literally reads every single words" sighed the vice principal.

    "So only their legal guardians can do it"? Caleb asked.

    "I''m afraid so." The Vice Principal mumbled.

    "And we can''t change the Principal"? Caleb raised an eyebrow.

    The Vice Principal chuckled, "Believe me, if I could, I would. This one literally has connections to the president making it way harder for us to do anything about her" dejected, the vice principal admitted.

    "I see," Caleb sighed. "Well, I can forge a fake death certificate, will that help''''? He asked.

    "It might" After considering, the vice principal replied. "But you might need a local guardian. Someone official".

    "I''ll adopt them," Caleb shrugged. "Give me a few days, I''ll bring in the documents" Caleb nodded.

    "Definitely" the vice principal nodded and Caleb exited from the room. He saw the girls waiting outside so he called them to follow.

    "Girls, it''ll take some time but hopefully soon you guys will be officially enrolled." Caleb smiled at them.

    "Um...Mr Wrisberg," Carmen hesitated.

    Caleb remained quiet and simply looked at her to continue with her words, "What is it?'''' He finally asked, sensing her hesitation.

    "We, we would like to be Fountains" Carmen mumbled.

    "What"? Caleb scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

    "We heard you say you''ll adopt us" She admitted pointing towards her ears to point out her werewolf hearing. "I really appreciate the effort but we still wanna be a Fountain" She explained.

    A chuckle appeared on Caleb''s face, "I am adopting you so you can get enrolled. You are under no obligation to make me your Dad or take my name. You don''t have to do anything you don''t want to" Caleb patted her head.

    Carmen smiled before saying, "I know my Dad has a bad reputation here but, to usˇ­ he was the best Dad ever" she admitted with a certain amount of poignancy in her voice while she took a glance at her little sister Ivy.

    Thinking like that Caleb realised that Adoption was kind of a big step. Sure he said he will do it in the heat of the moment, but it was important for him to consider all other aspects of it.

    It was different with Connor since he was a baby, but these girls are older and know who their real parents are. Not to mention, him adopting anyone is also kind of bringing Ashton into this whole thing with them getting married soon. He had no idea how Ashton would react. Sure he hoped for a positive response, but no one can tell.

    "It''s okay," Caleb smiled. "I''m just glad he was nice to you two. Come on, I''ll get you some ice cream. It''s really hot in here". He welcomed them. Caleb took them to an ice cream parlor and needless to say the girls were quite happy by the time they came out.

    On his way back he was surprised to see his mate, and recently turned to his fianc¨¦e to return home as well along with his sisters. "Where''ve you been"? Caleb asked after bidding the girls goodbye.

    "Shopping for the wedding" groaned Ashton, expressing his utter disgust over the activity.

    "Hey! I thought we were supposed to do that together"! Caleb replied, deeply offended by this recently discovered fact.

    "Oh not for me. For them." Ashton clarified. "Somehow they seem more enthusiastic than I am" Ashton sighed and chuckled. "Although they did drag me to shop for me, they ran out of time and I ran out of patience" Ashton declared.

    "Wow, sounds like you had quite a day" Caleb mumbled before snorting.

    "Yeah, but it was fun. What about you? Where did you take those girls?" Ashton asked.

    "I took them to enroll in the school." Caleb informed him.

    "Ahh" Ashton nodded meekly.

    "Say what, how would you feel about adopting more children?" Asked Caleb.

    "That sounds good," Ashton nodded, amused by that possibility.

    "Now" Caleb added.

    "Now?" Ashton blinked. His smile was completely replaced by an expression of pure dread.

    "Now" Caleb confirmed, gazing at him suspiciously. "Why? What''s wrong with now"?

    "Nothing," Ashton blurted out way too quickly. Caleb raised his eyebrows, clearly evident that he did not believe him. "Okay, fine. It''s justˇ­ I am kinda struggling with the one we already have now. I mean.. he is great, but I doubt I''m his favorite." Ashton admitted, with respect to his relationship with Connor.

    "So what? I don''t think anyone is his favorite" Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "You are. He loves you" Ashton shrugged.

    "And? We still argue from time to time. Yes, he is usually an obedient kid but did you know that once I had to ground him twice just in a day"? Caleb scoffed. "He was so pissed at me he didn''t even talk to me for a month."

    "Wait, what?" Ashton was shocked. "Youˇ­ didn''t try to talk"?

    "I did, I didn''t pressurise him much. He needed to know I will not be giving in to his every other whim" Caleb grunted. "I knew he would come around eventually, as he did".

    "No one ever has a perfect relationship. I know you think you have a rocky relationship with Connor, and I can imagine why you feel that way, but trust me, you are doing great. Connor won''t even talk to someone he doesn''t like and he is really fond of you". Caleb assured him.

    "He is not fond of me" Ashton scoffed, completely in disbelief in regards to Caleb''s statement.

    "Of course he is"! Caleb rolled his eyes. "He actually looks up to you. Trust meˇ­ he can relate to how difficult it is to be different". Caleb smiled and patted his mate''s arm.

    "Okay, Okay, I''ll believe you" Ashton sighed, giving up on the argument. "But why do you want to adopt right now? I mean, what brought this on?" Caleb explained to him about an earlier conversation he had and how it led him to decide to adopt. Once Caleb was done Ashton smiled, "You did the right thing. We should adopt them"

    "That turned around your judgement pretty quick" Caleb remarked, with a curious smirk on his face.

    "Cause I know how they might feel. I was orphaned at nineˇ­ I was a bit younger than the older one here, Carmen?" He asked to which Caleb nodded. "Anyways, I remember how lost and empty I felt. It was as if I was left all alone in this world, until I met my current family. I''m always thankful for these people welcoming me in their family and someday these girls too will feel the same way" Ashton mumbled.

    "Wow" Caleb whispered. "I suppose so. So it''s decided thenˇ­ we are having more kids". He smirked.

    "Yep" Ashton smiled back at him.

 Chapter 249 - Behind The Scenes-1

    "Don''t you have... like shooting today? Why are you still asleep" Christian asked, to the snoring Sebastian. Damn, could he sleep. Obviously he didn''t get any response so Christian tried to shake Sebastian.

    In his drowsiness, Sebastian swatted his arm away from him and turned around to fall asleep again. Christian groaned in frustration and called out to him again. "Sebastian, wake up"

    "What"!? Sebastian snarled at him. "Lemme sleep, I was awake all night"! He snarled and got comfortable.

    "Well, why were you? You shouldn''t have slept on the plane" Christian blamed and shook Sebastian once more.

    "You were the drunkard that I had to carry home! How are you not hungover"? Christian cursed. "Just lemme sleep, My shoot is in the afternoon".

    "It''s eleven, not so far from the ''afternoon'' Christian rolled his eyes which finally managed to earn him a glare from Sebastian. "Also, I was drunk enough to get tipsy, not drunk enough to have a hangover".

    "I hate you!'''' snarled Sebastian before storming off to the bedroom. It took him almost half an hour to freshen up, before he headed out of the bathroom only to find a table full of food.

    "Sorry for ruining your sleep yesterday" Christian smiled as he sat next to the food.

    "Don''t pretend that you got this food for me to make up for"! Scoffed Sebastian, "This is room service, they do it anyways" he rolled his eyes.

    "Right, I forgot that you have done this many times." Christian chuckled sheepishly.

    "Yeah!" Sebastian scoffed.

    "So, shall we go"? Christian asked.

    "Wait, lemme have this breakfast first that you bought for me" Sebastian gave him a sarcastic smile.

    "Okay, fine" Both of them munched down on the food before they headed off. As usual someone was there to pick them up, probably a chauffeur from the set.

    Once they reached the set, Christian marvelled at the awesome scenario of the set. Everything seemed so real and yet everything was so fake. He was soon separated from Christian as the producers and the directors hogged him.

    One of the people even hugged him, seemingly an old buddy, and congratulated him on getting over mono. That''s right, Sebastian did say he was suffering from mono to these people. Somehow seeing these people bothered him. He wasn''t jealous or anything, what he felt mostly wasˇ­ alienated.

    His pack life wasn''t just a little diverse from the life Sebastian had, it was completely contrary. It was as if Christian had been transferred to some kind of alternate universe. And he was not just an alien, he was invisible.

    He finally started to understand Sebastian''s request to get to know his world a bit better. Maybe this experience will help them connect. Which also made him wonder, how the hell did Sebastian manage to settle with the tranquil life of their pack.

    He went through the entire place unnoticed until Sebastian''s friend noticed him, "Wow, I see you finally hired yourself a bodyguard after a decade. Took you long enough". That friend joked.

    Christian blinked twice. Was he just considered Sebastian''s bodyguard? Was it because of the plain black T-shirt he was wearing? He waited for Sebastian to correct him but he simply smiled awkwardly. Somehow it felt more insulting than being a friend. "Hi, I am Sam. But I guess you already know that. Cause you know, I''m a star" That guy, Sam declared with pride.

    Christian scoffed internally at his self confidence before shaking his extended hand, "No, I don''t. I am Christian by the way" he introduced with a smile.

    "Uh.." Sam nodded awkwardly, "What are your qualifications"? He asked.

    "What"? Christian tilted his head in confusion.

    "You know, you are a bodyguard right?" Sam asked.

    "I''m well trained in Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, Kung Fu, Boxing and a few more" he declared in a single breath. "To simplify, I am good enough to qualify for brown belt equivalent in each and every one of them" Christian smiled while a blank but surprised expression was plastered to Sam''s face.

    "You are kidding right"? He asked once he recovered from shock. When Christian simply replied with a confident smile Sam turned to Sebastian. "He is kidding right"?

    Sebastian laughed awkwardly again, "No, he is that good".

    "Whoa" Sam''s eyes widened further. "Are you even human"?

    Christian simply chuckled at the irony of that situation. "Anyways, I need to see my script, I''ll talk to you later" Sebastian patted his friend and bid him farewell and dragged Christian along with him.

    "Wait, do you really know all that?" Sebastian asked when he was significantly away from Sam.

    "Yeah, Alpha training remember"? Christian smirked.

    "Wow I- I don''t know whether to be proud of worried for you." Sebastian mumbled.

    "Worried"? Christian frowned.

    "You knowˇ­ that you had to learn all that" Sebastian mumbled, emphasizing on ''Had to''.

    "I mean, I didn''t hate it. I kinda like being all powerful and stuff". Christian chuckled.

    "Stillˇ­" Sebastian mumbled.

    "You don''t have any training"? Christian asked.

    "I know Taekwondo. I learnt it in high school" Sebastian mumbled. "I meanˇ­ Not that I want one, you are kinda perfect for being my bodyguard" Sebastian joked.

    Christian put both his hands on Sebastian''s shoulder and leaned in until Sebastian''s brows puckered a little bit. Christain took a scan at Sebastian''s torso before saying, "Sure, I won''t mind guarding this body".

    Sebastian''s brows puckered further before his eyes widened. Satisfied with the reaction he received from Sebastian, Christian smirked. "Anyways, I gotta use the men''s room. You get ready, big guy. You gotta CEO to play". He patted his shoulders and went away.

    Sebastian dressed up neatly before he got ready for his makeup. Christian who disappeared an hour ago saying that he needed to find a men''s room was nowhere near to be seen. He tried to look for him, but Christian was nowhere to be found. Finally, seeing with no option left he went ahead without Christian to continue with his schedule.

    ˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇî

    ˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇîˇî

    Special Author''s note:

    So, while I continue with this story, I have a short story in the making (with very slow updates)

    Feel free to check it out. It''s titled

    "31 Days (BL)"

    Here is the Summary...

    Is 31 days enough to fall for someone?

    Dr. Terrance Tyson, an OS third year resident, felt bad for taking out his anger on the intern, Chance Lopez during his rotation at Orthopedics. Feeling guilty, Dr. Tyson approached Chance to sort things out, but Chance was the one to hold a grudge so he brought forward a deal.

    "You made me suffer for 31 days, it''s only fair I get to torture you for 31 days" Chance smirked.

    "Really, and what is it that you want me to do? Cover your shift?" Dr. Tyson rolled his eyes.

    "Nah, I can relax this month." Chance shook his head, "But what aboutˇ­ "he lowered his voice dangerously, "Sleeping with me for 31 days straight".

    "Deal" Dr. Tyson smirked. Chance, who was half kidding when he proposed this idea, gawked at his senior. "Just so you know I don''t mind Sleeping with guys," Dr. Tyson smirked.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    This will be a super short story with 32 chapters and most probably 5 extras (or more If I get good response)

    Feel free to check this one out for a light reading.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Chapter 250 - Behind The Scenes-2

    "And cut" the director yelled after a while once the girl, who was supposed to the main lead Sebastian mentioned the other day. Basically this scene was the one where she walked into the office and everyone stared at her appalled by her beauty.

    The men were to express fancy over her appearance, and the women were supposed to cringe at her due to jealousy. Honestly all Christian could do behind the scenes is feel nauseated at the clich¨¦ nature of this whole scene. Not to mention the overly dressed attire of the female lead was far from what an office environment might require.

    Her high pointed heels and her wavy untied hair was just so impractical. From the looks of it she was newly hired as the assistant of the CEO. It made Christian wonder, how come Sebastian is a cameo. Won''t she be surrounding him all the time as his assistant?

    Was she supposed to get fired? I meanˇ­ from the looks of it she had a tendency to delay with her assignments. Or was Sebastian selling the company or something? At that moment when Sebastian walked in Christian noticed that Sebastian was dressed in a tux way costlier than the one he wore at Christian''s ''wedding''.

    Not just that, he looked way more handsome than he ever did before. Now it was Christian who had a hard time taking his eyes off of him. Sebastian''s eyes widened when he noticed Christian and tried to approach him before the director caught his attention.

    The director explained the scene to Sebastian before they got into their position. This time instead of focusing head on, Christian decided to go and stand behind the director to see this shot.

    "...And action"! Shouted the Director. In the monitor, Christian saw Sebastian walk in through the main door with a stern cold expression, something that Christian had never seen before. Somehow it even made him hotter.

    Apparently that''s how it was supposed to be, as the assistant, the female lead fake blushed ( or maybe really blushed, cause you knowˇ­ that''s how hot he looked) and fumbled with her words, "I''m...I''m the new Assistant. Luna Devoe".

    "Miss Devoe, I hope you work faster than you can talk cause I don''t have the whole day to waste." He remarked rudely, giving off the impression of an arrogant but demanding CEO.

    Somehow his tone made her shiver a little, and to be fairˇ­ it kinda intrigued Christian as well. It felt so odd, yet so real. "Yes sir. Whatever you need". She spoke in a breath.

    Sebastian, or whatever his character''s name was, ignored ''Luna'' and sat on his chair. "Get me some coffee, and the files on project Nexus" Sebastian ordered.

    "With sugar or without sugar"? ''Luna'' asked.

    "You don''t know"? Sebastian glared as if she was supposed to be a mind reader and anticipate his preferences. "Is this a restaurant"? He raised his voice. "Knowing about me is the first and foremost requirement for this position. How the hell did they hire you"! He shouted. Even Christian started to feel bad for this ''Luna''. Somehow the grumpy Sebastian seemed much better than whatever character this was.

    "I''ll find out" fidgeting nervously, she exited the door.

    Sebastian looked back into the computer with a cold blank stare. Christian waited eagerly to see what would happen next but unfortunately the director yelled "Cut"!

    And Sebastian''s features softened in a second. It was as if he morphed into a different person altogether. If Christian didn''t know better, he would say that Sebastian had split personality or something. Seeing him work like that, feeling himself getting immersed into the ongoing scene, made Christian wanna explore more of his works.

    Once more Sebastian''s attempt to talk to Christian was interrupted by the director who explained to him about the next scene. Christian, chuckled and linked him, [You have something to say]

    [Oh] was the first response Christian received from Sebastian. [I almost forgot we can do this. Damn!]

    [Yeah, you must not be used to linking out here] Christian chuckled internally.

    [Yeah. Anyways, I was looking for you. You are okay right? Are you hungry or anything?] Sebastian asked.

    [Don''t worry about me, I''ll get something if I want. I guess you should focus on what the director is saying cause I would really like to see what happens next.]

    Sebastian nodded before focusing on the Director. After around five minutes, when the people were done with make-up and setting the props, they took their position. Sebastian''s face morphed into cold arrogant nature once more. If Christian was being honest, this sudden shift in demeanor was kind of a turn on.

    The female lead, ''Luna'' walked in with a hot cup of coffee and laid it in front of him following which she laid the file on ''Nexus Project". Without sparing a glance at Luna, he drank a sip of coffee before spitting all of it on Luna''s outfit, who closed her eyes with disgust. "I told you to find out my preferences, clearly you have hearing problems cause this ain''t the temperature of my coffee. I can''t believe what a slob they hired for me".

    ''Luna'' bit her lip, biting down on her anger and apologized, "I''m really sorry sir, it won''t happen again" she trembled.

    "It better not. You better get your act together or you''ll be fired. God, you ruined my day" Sebastian scoffed bitterly.

    She kept her head down before turning around and walking away. A closer shot to her face revealed her silently cursing her boss. Seems like Christian might be right after all about getting fired, however he totally got the reason wrong. Honestly if Christian ever encountered such a bitter person he would punch him in the face.

    Although it wasn''t Sebastian''s fault that his character was a d**k, Christian felt oddly agitated by his behavior. Somehow he could empathize with the female lead and found himself wishing that he could go in and comfort ''Luna''.

    The actress was fine given how she was laughing with Sebastian right now, who actually apologized if he spat too harshly. Meanwhile Christian''s glare shifted to the Director who wondered what the hell was this director thinking, and where the hell was this storyline headed.

 Chapter 251 - The Right Way

    "Where are we going"? Ashton asked Caleb who just happened to drag him from the middle of his work.

    "Trust me, it''s important," Caleb smirked.

    "This better be, I just joined work, I can''t afford to be slacking off" Ashton mumbled.

    The simple car ride turned out to be a long ride of more than an hour. By the end of it they were even out of the town. "Don''t tell me you dragged me here to a surprise trip" Ashton remarked, a bit disappointed but secretly enthusiastic about this whole trip.

    "Of course not"! Caleb scoffed. "Aren''t you a bit over romantic" he rolled his eyes.

    "I''m not the one who pulled my fianc¨¦e from work and drove him cross country" Ashton argued.

    "For work. Trust me, it''s really important" Caleb declared once more. After another 15 minutes, Caleb and Ashton drove into a parking lot near a courthouse.

    "Are we hereˇ­ to register our marriage"? Ashton asked reluctantly.

    Caleb shot him a glare, "No! The other thing. We were adopting, remember"! Scoffed Caleb.

    "Right" Ashton nodded. "Wait, can we do that without the girls here"? He asked.

    "It''s not a one day process dude. I am here to get a copy of the legal documents of Connor''s adoption. Also, while we''re at it let''s get you added as his official parent" Caleb proposed.

    "Wait, really?" Ashton''s eyes widened, both with excitement and bewilderment.

    "Uh-huh". Caleb nodded.

    [A/N: Okay, so I dunno how adoption process works, so whatever rubbish rules and process I put next, please consider that it''s exclusive to this omegaverse]

    According to Caleb this was supposed to be a quick process. Just go and get the documents. Who knew that there would be such a huge line and they''ll still be stuck in this line even after an hour. "Caleb, I know I''m supposed to be durable, but I can''t keep standing anymore" Groaned Ashton.

    "I wish there was an alternative. Even I hate this" Huffed Caleb.

    "Aren''t you likeˇ­ the Mayor''s son or something"? Ashton asked.

    "I''m also the sheriff of my town, thanks for remembering that" Caleb offered him a sarcastic smile. "But even so, I forgot my batch and I don''t have any way to prove how I am related to the Mayor". Caleb shrugged.

    "You have his Last name" Ashton pointed out.

    "Anyone can have Wrisberg as his Last name. It ultimately proves nothing" Caleb sighed. "Wanna get out of here" Caleb asked.

    "And do what"? Ashton snorted. "I don''t want my past one hour to be a waste."

    "We won''t lose this line" Caleb leaned forward on his toes and searched ahead. "We still have like an hour before it''s our turn. We could grab lunch"? Caleb suggested. "I know I am hungry".

    Ashton looked around, considering for a moment before he nodded. "Alright then. Let''s go". And he disappeared.

    Finding a cafe nearby, they found a spot to eat. Unfortunately, the food there was way too poor to let it reach their stomach. Not to mention, the menu was really really foreign to them and almost every food was way too spicy for them. How can people eat such spicy food? Exactly what kind of cuisine was this?!

    They ended up having simply sparkling water and some ice cream before they left, "You know, I''m starting to get why this place was so empty" Ashton scoffed.

    "I know right? How the hell are they still in business?" Caleb wondered at the same time. On their way back to the courthouse they started to chat, discussing about this and that which led them to an important discussion.

    "So many hurdles, feels like today all the bad luck us upon us" Mused Ashton.

    "Can I ask you something? I''m not forcing you to do this right? I mean I know we talked about this but I kinda wonder if you''re doing this for me and not because you actually want to" Caleb asked hesitantly.

    "Adoption"? Ashton asked. Caleb nodded, affirming the statement. "Well at first I did agree because of youˇ­ but now that I think about it, I''m quite excited about it". Smiled Ashton.

    "Really "? An involuntary smile crept Caleb''s face.

    "Yeah. I guess I freaked because I don''t know how to do this. Parenting, I mean" Ashton snorted.

    "Well if it freaked you out you''re definitely on the right path" Caleb chuckled.

    "What"? Ashton tilted his head, amused by Caleb''s postulate.

    "Yeah, it just means you''re careful. I remember when I got Connor. It was so sudden and I was barely an adult myself, and then suddenly I had a son" Caleb recalled. "I know I like to lead my pack, but that''s nothing compared to being a parent".

    "So, what did you do then? How did you figure outˇ­ how to take care of him, the right way?" Ashton asked.

    "Iˇ­" Caleb trailed off, thinking for an apt response. "I didn''t, I guess. I struggled a lot. These girls are older, but Connorˇ­ he was a baby. The constant crying, feeding, changing of diapers and god knows what else I did." Sighed Caleb.

    "My point is, it was horrible." Caleb chuckled. "But it was hugely rewarding. I guess somewhere along the way I got the hang of it" Caleb smiled. "Of course I had help. My family, your mumˇ­ even the twinsˇ­ they really helped". Caleb smiled.

    "Now I am even more sorry that I missed all that" Ashton declared. "Sounds like a hell lot of journey"

    "It was, and as much as I would have preferred to do it with you, I am glad that I get to do this again" Caleb smiled and intertwined his fingers with Ashton''s. "This time I have you".

    "Yeah, but the girls are older. Like you said its a different experience" Ashton reminded. A sudden feeling on Caleb''s lips distracted him from the ongoing conversation until Ashton pulled away. "After we get married, let''s get some more".

    "More? Can we even afford it"? Caleb asked.

    "I''ll get a better job, besides I thought you were loaded" Ashton teased.

    "Yesterday you were reluctant and suddenly you want way more kids"? Caleb scoffed.

    "What can I say, there is just something about the way you say things that touches my heart" pulling Caleb''s hand through their intertwined hold, Ashton kissed the hand of his mate. Caleb smiled before putting his lips on Ashton as well.

 Chapter 252 - Suppressed

    Due to some inconvenience, the court work failed to work out. Not to mention the faraway driveway that they didn''t have the energy to keep traveling. Caleb considered staying here, to finish up with the process before returning home, but with Christian gone Caleb had an impromptu responsibility to look after the pack. Sure Melanie helped, but it was still Caleb''s primary responsibility. Anything urgent, and he had to be there.

    To be fair Caleb was glad that his brother took this tiny vacation. For as long as he can remember, Christian was never the selfish kind. Everything he ever did was for someone else. Train to be an Alpha since he was a kid for the future of the pack. Look after Caleb because his parents were against his wishes. Endanger his own life so that Caleb could be with Ashton.

    In a manner of speaking, Caleb owed a lot to his brother, and therefore this responsibility in his absence was more of an honor than a burden. However the work itself can be a burden sometimes. How the hell did Christian manage everything, he''d never know.

    Caleb was driving in silence while Ashton simply stared out of the window, wondering about various things while the music player played some random song when suddenly there was a jerk. Turns out Caleb hit the breaks while he was going 50 miles per hour.

    "What happened?" Ashton asked, recovering from the shock. He looked around fanatically to spot a dead body or some broken windshield or something. When he found none, he looked at Caleb. "Are you okay"? He was worried

    "Not again"! Caleb slammed the steering wheel really hard before grunting in pain.

    "What''s going o-.." Before Ashton could finish something hit his nose, "Oh".

    "Damn it! I Forgot my suppressants"! Caleb huffed as his heat hit a new peak.

    "Wait what? You have been taking suppressants"? Ashton was shocked. He knew the effects suppressants had on the omegas. After his adoptive Dad passed away, his mother used them for a while. At first she thought it would be relieving, until it started to take a toll on her.

    Wolves have much more stamina and vitality compared to humans, and yet his mother seemed to grow weaker with every passing month. Back then Ashton was still a teenager. He didn''t know his mother was on suppressants, but he did notice that his mother''s heat didn''t come anymore. With his alpha genes, that too with his half-blooded status, there is no way he would have missed a heat just like that.

    Upon confronting his mother things finally became clearer. He convinced his mother eventually that if she kept taking it she might lose her life. The twins will be orphaned, and so will he once more. It took a lot of arguments before he finally convinced his mom to quit using it.

    After that his mother recovered, slowly... But she did. Her heats were back, but with much less intensity. Maybe her wolf side could comprehend that she didn''t have her mate anymore. Maybe that''s why her heat bothered her less. In fact over time she got accustomed to the pain, thereby not needing any assistance any further.

    With Caleb however the story was a bit different. His mate was alive. There is no way Caleb could ever be okay with the heat on his own. Is that why Caleb was forced to depend on suppressants. When he met Caleb after eight years, Caleb appeared the same. Which could indicate that he didn''t have any drastic effects of the suppressants. Still, they were better to be avoided.

    "Yeah so what"!? In pain, Caleb shouted. "I can''t take this anymore" In pain he moaned.

    "Caleb those suppressants are really harmful in the long term" Ashton expressed his concern to which he only received a snarl.

    "I am in a lot of pain and I''m horny. Do you think I have time for a lecture"! Caleb shouted at him before he groaned in pain.

    "Right" Ashton looked around frantically, to find a place to rest. Except there was none, because they were in the middle of a highway. Taking out his phone he googled nearest hotel/motels and the closest one was two miles away. It was not like Caleb could drive them. Ashton could try, but that 2 miles would be really painful. Not to mention he wasn''t exactly familiar with the route.

    Out of options, Ashton decided to shift Caleb to the back seat, and taking out his handkerchief he tried to wipe off his sweat. Caleb unbuttoned his shirt subconsciously to let out some heat, to relieve himself of the pain. Ashton had witnessed Caleb in heat plenty of times, each of them being severe than the last, but never had he seen Caleb in this much pain.

    Yes, the heat made him horny, but this oneˇ­ it was just too painful. Ashton was internally blaming it to the suppressants that Caleb took. But right now, Caleb didn''t need blaming. He needed comfort, something that Ashton was doubtful he could deliver.

    Usually sex relieves pain and the sex drive, but looking at Caleb it seemed that even a bit of making out would break him. "What are you doing.."? Sluggishly, Caleb asked.

    "I am trying to make you comfortable." Ashton declared.

    "Ahhhhh" Caleb cried out loud in pain as he tossed and turned in bed. "I can''t do this anymore, I can''t," he kept crying. He could easily spot the tears that were almost blended with the sweat. Caleb was one strong person. No matter how hard the heat has been, Caleb would cry due to it. If he was in fact crying, the pain must be agonising. At least that''s how it felt to Ashton who being his mate could feel a part of Caleb''s pain.

    That pain suffocated Ashton as well. He didn''t know what else to do, so going off with his instincts he planted a soft kiss on Caleb''s lips. Before Ashton could pull away Caleb wrapped his hand around Ashton''s neck and pulled him closer to himself. Soon the kiss which started off as an innocent gesture turned into a heated oneˇ­.

 Chapter 253 - Pain And Pleasure (R18)

    (A/N: Ahem, don''t be too excited with the title. That''s just me riling you guys up for fun! XD.. Nevertheless have fun!)

    It took everything in Ashton not to ravage his mate right then and there. He knew that if he lost control now he wouldn''t be able to turn back. Since he could feel the pain Caleb was in, he did not want to inflict more.

    Pulling away, he asked, "Caleb is this really okay. You''re in pain and-" before he could finish Caleb slammed his lips once more unto Ashton.

    "I want you" Caleb declared before bringing him closer to himself. The problem is, the seat of the driver and the shotgun seat weren''t exactly comfortable for the position they were in. To ensure a much more smooth ride Ashton slipped to the backseat through the space between the two seats.

    Caleb moaned at the loss of the fine pair of lips on his, but soon Ashton slipped his arm underneath Caleb and in a swift action pulled him in the backseat. Before both of them could settle down Caleb jumped on him biting onto his lips really hard.

    The way Caleb was going crazy was definitely driving Ashton over the edge as well. After a few minutes of the battle of lips, Ashton finally gave up trying to control his instincts and pulled on Caleb''s hair making him cry out in pain.

    In his animalistic urge, Ashton ended up ripping apart Caleb''s shirt, and the buttons went flying everywhere. Snaking his arm into Caleb''s waist, Ashton flipped them over, but soon banged his head into the roof of the car bringing both of them back from their stance, "Ouch" he cried out in pain.

    "Ash..you okay"? Despite his heavy breathing, Caleb asked.

    "I hate how small this car is"! Ashton grunted before biting down on the right bud of his chiseled mate''s chest.

    "Ahhh!" Caleb moaned out loud as a wave of pleasure overtook his entire body. Encouraged by it further Ashton nibbled and tortured the bud to the point where it was close to bleeding. While Ashton bit on his mate''s nipples, taking turns with each one, Caleb bit down on his own lips trying not to scream and injure his own vocal cords.

    After a thorough torture of those poor buds, Ashton moved down to those prominent abs underneath, but not before paying extra attention to the scar on his abdomen. It hurt Ashton to see Caleb hurt like this, especially branded with something permanent like this, and yet this scar only made him more beautiful, and through his kisses Ashton made sure to convey that.

    Going down further Ashton nuzzled his tip of the nose from his bellybutton to the zip of his pants. He tried to open it with his mouth, but it turned out to be harder than he anticipated when Ashton ended up bleeding through his lower lip. Luckily, his healing powers allowed him to continue despite this tiny setback, and after struggling for a while, he finally managed to pull it down.

    A wave of shiver passed through Caleb''s body when the cold air touched his hot and thick member. Of all days, today had to be the one he didn''t put on his underwear, but Caleb was too into the sensations Ashton made him feel to complain.

    Caleb''s hard member wasn''t exposed to the cold for long, as the warmth of Ashton''s mouth took over to coax and tease it at the same time. This time Caleb finally gave him and screamed at the top of his voice, "Ashton! AHHH".

    It was clear that he forgot that they were technically in the middle of nowhere as the Caleb Ashton knew would never approve of sex out here. Luckily there weren''t any others nearby, this highway being a secluded one.

    As Ashton kept on working his magic on the hard member, meanwhile Caleb literally kept shouting his name, "Ash, I''mˇ­" before he could finish he came all over his mouth.

    Ashton spat the cum on his mouth, before using some remaining of it as lube to loosen up the hole. Thanks to the heat the area was pretty loosened as two fingers went in easily without much hassle.

    "Ughhhh '''' Caleb let out a deep throated moan at the invasive touch of his mate. To hear more of those delicious moans Ashton swirled around his fingers leaving no spot untouched until he probed his spot. Ashton was well familiar with the spot and therefore he intentionally dragged it out.

    Nevertheless, the moment Ashton did it Caleb jolted up and let out a heavy moan. At this point Caleb was so basked in pleasure that the pain was barely something he could feel. Caleb''s mind was completely blank and all he could focus was on the point from where waves of pleasure emanated engulfing his entire existence.

    "Enough with the fingers!" Caleb shouted out of frustration as he realised it was not enough. He wanted more. He needed more.

    Ashton, not wasting another second, lowered his trousers and underpants finally freeing the painfully throbbing member as he aligned himself with Caleb''s wet hole. "I''m going in," Ashton warned as he slowly pushed himself.

    Caleb however couldn''t take it anymore and lowered his hips to take all of it in at once. Despite the pain that shot through his spine, the pleasure of that hot dick hitting just the right spot was incomparable to any pain caused in the process.

    Caleb frustratingly matched his mate''s slow rhythm by moving his hips before shouting, "What are you? A turtle? Go faster"! He shouted.

    As if something snapped in Ashton he stopped, as his expression darkerened. Caleb glanced at Ashton who looked at him sternly when Caleb noticed that there was an edge of red on Ashton''s iris. Caleb wasn''t sure if it was the wolf of Ashton who was in control, and he didn''t have much time to ponder upon it as Ashton rammed into him at such a high speed that it would make an ordinary human

    unconscious.

    "Is this wolf enough for you"? Ashton asked through his teeth, but Caleb was too engrossed to comprehend those words. Coupled with his painful heat, somewhere along the thrusts, Caleb ended up passing out.

 Chapter 254 - Get Used To

    "You don''t think your character is way too rude" On their way back to the hotel Christian mentioned.

    "Of course," Sebastian agreed.

    "Then why did you agree to play this charecter"? Christian asked.

    "Why not? Someone sould portray him. There are people like that out there for real, I''m just portraying one" Sebastian shrugged.

    "Still, it doesn''t make youˇ­ feel bad"? Asked Christian.

    "Why should it? I''m not that Character. Sure I might punch him in the face if I meet this character face to face, but no, it doesn''t make me feel bad for portraying him". Sebastian informed him.

    "Well, I know you don''t wanna hear this but I hate your character" Christian grunted.

    "Why won''t I?"Sebastian chuckled. "I played that character. The fact that I managed to make you hate him is a victory for me. What''s the point of playing a villain if people don''t hate him." Sebastian shrugged.

    "He didn''t seem like va villain. I think he is more of a selfish d**k" Christian recalled.

    Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Besides, it''s fun playing Charecters who are different than you".

    "Wellˇ­ " Christian trailed off with a tone of disagreement earning a dirty look from Sebastian, "I mean, you are a little less jerk than himˇ­ but you''re a jerk" Christian shrugged.

    "Thanks for the compliment" Sebastian offered him a sarcastic smile. "And that''s what I get for making you travel cross country" Sebastian mumbled, which Christian did not miss. He simply suppressed his smile.

    Upon reaching their hotel they decided to order room service instead of going out, agreeing that both of them had a rough day. As they delved into their meal, they indulged into some conversation, "So how is the trip so far?" Sebastian asked.

    "It''s a bitˇ­ overwhelming. But I love it. I wonder if this is how you felt when you arrived in our pack all these years ago" Christian admitted.

    "A little bit, I mean, how can I not when I was in the middle of a witch attack, it wasn''t exactly a picnic." Sebastian snorted. "Not to mention you were way too suspicious on me".

    "Hey, I was just doing my job. If I start good looking guys off the hook then I''d be a terrible Alpha" Christian rolled his eyes.

    "So, I am good looking" Sebastian smirked.

    "You''re an actor slash model. Isn''t that like the very first requirement for the job?" Christian rolled his eyes again.

    "Oh please" Sebastian snorted. "But yeah, it was okay. The pack environment. I sort of expected the way things were. My mum told me stories when I was young, so it wasn''t soˇ­ alien." Told Sebastian.

    "Still, it''s not the same thing" Shrugged, Christian. "Even I know how humans live butˇ­" Christian was cut off by Sebastian

    "No, you know how humans live. You don''t know how I lived. What I knew was how Crescentile Pack lived, not just any random werewolf." Sebastian clarified.

    "I guess you are right," Christian mumbled after a while. "But, thanks for inviting me. This definitely got me chance to get to know you much better" he smiled.

    "So, does that mean you will come with me next time?" Asked Sebastian.

    "Next time"? Christian blinked. "I''ll be Alpha then, it would be a bit difficultˇ­ almost impossible to get away from my responsibilities" He admitted sadly.

    "For what it''s worth, I''d love to have you with me on my trips. Traveling solo is fun...but traveling with someone who is close to me isˇ­ much better" Sebastian smiled.

    "Sealing that bodyguard position?" Christian teased.

    Sebastian chuckled at that comment, "You didn''t have to go along with that. I would have corrected him".

    "And said what"? Christian shrugged. "The other day that chauffeur presumed we are friends. I mean, I know we are keeping it casual, but we''re not exactly friends either". Christian pursed his lips, hoping that he didn''t make the situation awkward.

    "We''re dating," Sebastian shrugged. "That''s what I''ll tell others".

    "But, is that okay? You''re an actor. Telling that you''re dating anyoneˇ­ let alone me can have really big consequences. I know it because telling my pack who I am was really scary. Telling the world is scarier". Christian admitted biting his lower lip.

    "But it felt good right?" Sebastian scoffed. "Sometimes it feels good to share. If my fans truly love me it shouldn''t bother them whom I am dating. They should be supportive" Sebastian shrugged.

    "But, what if they''re not"? Christian asked.

    "Then they can unfollow me. I am not gonna hold em back by lying." Sebastian shrugged.

    "It can cost you a lot," Christian reminded him.

    "I''ll take my chances. I''ll rather lose fans than pretend to be something I am not". Sebastian shrugged.

    "You''re an actor, that''s your job. Also, you pretend to be a human on a daily basis despite being a werewolf" Christian pointed out the irony in his statement.

    Sebastian glared at Christian, "you had to ruin it, didn''t you?" he groaned, making Christian chuckle. "You know what I mean. I''ve wondered about these things before inviting you here. How it would affect my life and all. I''m not the impulsive kind" Sebastian insisted. "If it''s okay with you, I''d like to tell people the truth".

    "Wait, is that why you didn''t say anything? Got awkward and all? Because you were worried about how I feel about telling your friends"? Christian asked.

    "Duh! I know how you struggled with telling others. Heck it took you a decade and a few bottles of wine to tell me how you feel about me. Of course I was worried about you" Sebastian insisted.

    Christian smile, "That''s really sweet. I don''t mind if you tell others. In factˇ­" Christian cleared his throat and leaned forward. "I''d prefer that" he whispered with a coy smile.

    A smirk appeared on Sebastian''s lips before he put his lips on Christian''s. This time Christian responded enthusiastically and kissed Sebastian back with everything. This was the first time their kiss didn''t feel like some ruse, or even rushed. It was sweet, like the pie they just had, and warm that emanated from the inside.

    Pulling away, Sebastian smiled at Christian, "I see you''re getting too used to this" Christian commented.

    "I am. So should you, cause there''s gonna be a lot more of this" Sebastian smirked.

    "Oh yeah"? Christian challenged him playfully.

    "Yeah" Sebastian nodded confidently before they both ended up laughing. After their laughter subsided, once again they closed the distance. Sebastian snaked his arm around Christian''s waist and was about to push him down when a loud ringtone interrupted them prompting them to stop.

    (A/N: I hate it when that happens)

    Pulling away they smirked when a frustrated Sebastian picked up the phone. "What"? Sebastian answered, annoyed.

    "Are you kidding me? I have plans"! He huffed into the phone. "Yes, I know I know. Fine, I''ll be there". He mumbled before he hung up.

    Christian raised an eyebrow to which Sebastian replied, "We have to be at the set earlier. The shooting was pushed ahead due to some problems". He groaned.

    "That''s sounds okay" Christian simply shrugged. Glaring at that comment Sebastian headed to bed, knowing he would have to be early the next day.

 Chapter 255 - An Old Acquaintance

    The next day, both of them left for the shoot early as expected. Christian, like the day earlier, didn''t focus much on the scene, having been annoyed by Sebastian''s Character beforehand.

    He was more focused on the other stuff nearby. Exploring the building, he realised that some sort of MVP will be arriving, and a major event will take place in the hall below, thus vacating the entire place as early as possible.

    Being on foreign land, and being by yourself could be a bit overwhelming, but Christian moved as if he recognized each and every corner of this place. After taking a thorough trip through the building, thanks to his access batch of ''Staff Member'' which Sebastian got him he was allowed to places, Christian ran into a familiar face, "Aren''t you Sebastian''s bodyguard, why are you down here"?

    "Aren''t you a crew member? Why are you down here"? Christian snapped back.

    "I''m an actor!" Sam defended. "I''m not some random crew member".

    "So, are you or are you not a part of that show Sebastian''s doing?" Christian asked.

    "Of course I am," Sam sighed. "But I''m not a crew member, I am the star," he huffed.

    "The star"? Christian raised his chin, "Which Character do you play?" Before Sam could answer, Christian added, "Don''t tell me the character name. Make it relevant to the characters I saw yesterday"

    "I play the lead role, that girl''s love interest" Sam grunted. Sam''s phone beeped and therefore, he decided to leave as he was being summoned.

    Christian having been through with his trip, he decided to head upstairs as well. "Christian, I am done for the day" Sebastian found him and informed him. "You hungry"? Sebastian asked.

    "Sure" Eyeing Sam from earlier with a dirty look Christian nodded. On their way out a strong smell hit both their noses, almost burning their nostrils. Such strong scents were characteristic of a particular kind of wolves, and it didn''t help that this felt so familiar.

    (A/N: Before I move further, make a guess which character it is.)

    "Is it meˇ­ or does this feel familiar?" Christian asked.

    "I think I have smelt this, but nothing of my recent memories is kicking in" Scrunching his nose, Sebastian answered. "But it''s a wolf, that''s for sure." Sebastian nodded.

    "So, what do we do now?" Christian mumbled. "My instincts tell me to not go looking for trouble. My instincts are also telling me to check this out so that I can be aware of my surroundings" He sighed.

    "I get what you mean. Even my instincts are running haywire" Sebastian nodded. As the elevator approached the ground floor, the scent only got stronger making them wonder if they were walking into a trap or not.

    Getting out they realized that apart from that particular strong smell, there were many werewolves that were on that floor. Alas, Sebastian and Christian didn''t have Ashton''s gift so the best they could do to avoid a very bad situation was to avoid everything in the situation.

    "Hello to you two" A familiar voice spoke, making them halt in their place. "Long time no see" in a chilling voice Cyrus spoke.

    Turning around, Christian and Sebastian finally noticed the guy, recognizing him finally by his appearance. "Hi" Sebastian greeted him with a smile while Christian just stared at him skeptically.

    "Hello" Christian greeted him eventually as well. Apart from his visit in their yearly banquet a decade ago, he didn''t spot Cyrus anywhere at all, which makes sense since he had his own pack in here which was far away from their pack. And yet, somehow his presence made Christian wary of his surroundings.

    "What brings you two here"? He tilted his head. "Shooting "? Shifting his glance to Sebastian he asked. Sebastian nodded, confirming his speculation. "Well, since you''re here, why don''t you join us? We are having a party here" he offered them a coy smile.

    Before Christian could say no, Sebastian declared, "Sure, we would love to". As Sebastian followed Cyrus, Christian glared at Sebastian''s back as he was right behind him. "So, what is this party for"?

    "Beginning of a new project. I bought this building, today" Cyrus informed.

    "You deal with tech right? This is a studio" Sebastian frowned. "Or are you finally expanding your horizon to the entertainment industry"? Sebastian asked.

    "Don''t be ridiculous Seb. I will be demolishing this building" Cyrus scoffed leaving Sebastian dumbfounded.

    "Wait what"? Sebastian asked, finally recovering. "Why"?

    "What do you mean why?" Cyrus raised his eyebrows. "I bought this place, I can do anything with it" Cyrus shook his head.

    "Many regular shows and some movies are being filmed in this building, what about them"? Sebastian asked, feeling a bit devastated.

    "They can always relocate. Besides, what they do is none of my concern, Cyrus shrugged and left.

    "Can you believe him" Sebastian scoffed once he was out of earshot.

    "I know" Christian finally spoke. "He gives me the creeps".

    "What? No! I meant about this studio". Sebastian pointed out.

    "Well, he is a businessman, he is just looking for his advantage" Christian shrugged.

    "So you agree with him" Sebastian''s brows furrowed.

    "No, I''m merely pointing out why he is doing it". Christian shrugged.

    "Then why does he give you creeps"? Asked Sebastian.

    "The last time he showed up, he wasˇ­ he was up to something. Why would he invite himself out of the blue just that once''''? Christian raised an eyebrow. "Why would we suddenly become interesting"? He asked.

    "Cause you were recently joined by a pureblooded Alpha"? Recalling the banquet from a decade ago, Sebastian mumbled. "But he didn''t do anything". Sebastian reminded.

    "Maybe because he didn''t find Ashton threatening enough." Christian shrugged. "Not to mention he found out aboutˇ­" Christian trailed off once he realised where his words were headed. Caleb being an omega is not something Christian just exposed lightly, not even to Sebastian.

    "About"? Sebastian pressed.

    "Never mind" Christian tried to brush it off.

    Sebastian narrowed his brows for a second before mumbling"You''re hiding something aren''t you"?

    "It''s not like that." Christian tried to clarify only to be hit by a sarcastic scoff. "Besides it''s not like I know everything about you".

    "Because it never came up. I''ll tell you anything that ever comes up, I won''t hide it on purpose" scoffed Sebastian.

    "Look, this is not personal. Yes its a secret, but it''s not my secret to tell. I can''t tell you without asking the person concerned" Christian insisted.

    "Whatever" Sebastian shook his head, dejected before walking out of the building. Christian was lucky that Sebastian didn''t drive away without him at that point, but the silent ride back home made things way more unbearable.

 Chapter 256 - Calebs Secret

    The awkward lunch after the silent ride was even more unbearable. Feeling dejected, Christian finally decided to speak with Caleb about it. He would feel much comfortable knowing that Caleb was aware and on board with revealing his secret. Unfortunately for him, not only Caleb didn''t pick up his phone, but after a few rings his call went directly to voice-mail. "Damn it"! Christian shouted in frustration.

    The rest of the day was a bit of cold between them with Christian growing increasingly frustrated with no response from Caleb, call or text. Finally he decided to call Melanie, to check his brother''s whereabouts, only to find out that Caleb had been away for two days.

    The one time Christian left Caleb incharge, and he disappeared as well? Now Christian was pissed for a whole different reason. He was really counting on Caleb to look after things, even if he knew that Melanie would probably do just fine. Nevertheless, Caleb had known a lot about the pack politics way longer than Melanie and therefore such absence was really concerning.

    The next day early in the morning he received a text from Caleb, {What do you want} it read. Jolting up from bed instantly, he headed out to the terrace of that hotel and called him.

    The moment Caleb picked up Christian snarled. "Where the hell did you disappear"?!

    "Calm down. I''m just a town away, not seas away like you are" Caleb rolled his eyes. Not that Christian could see him, but Christian knew.

    "Why are out there"? Christian asked properly.

    "I had some legal stuff to take care of. Due to some issues things took longer. I''m on my way back." Caleb explained. "Tell me something, why the hell did you text me and call me so many times"? Caleb asked.

    "I wanted to ask you something," Christian mumbled. He explained the situation he got into and at the end he asked, "Is it okay if I tell him you''re an omega"?

    Christian''s question was met with silence from the other end which could only mean two things. Either there was a network issue, or Caleb disagreed with him. He was about to say ''never mind, I''ll find another way'' but Caleb asked him instead, "Do you trust him"?

    Christian blinked, but replied, "Yes".

    "They go ahead and tell him. I know how hard it is to earn your trust, so if you trust him it''s good enough for me" Caleb declared.

    "Alright then" Christian smiled, thrilled to be able to dissolve their riff pretty soon.

    Heading downstairs he was stopped by a bellboy before he could enter his room. "Excuse me sir, are you Sebastian Kyle or Christian Wrisberg"?

    "I''m Cristian, why do you ask"? Christian tilted his head in suspicion.

    "I was asked to deliver this to you" The Bellboy handed him a card before taking his leave after a final bow. Christian examined the card thoroughly and realised it was an invitation.

    Sebastian and Christian,

    It was a pleasure to meet both of you and I was hoping that we could have a much more informal conversation. After a busy day, let''s meet tonight at my place. Dinner is on me.

    -Cyrus Viserboldt

    Christian''s eyes widened as he read that letter twice. Just what did he want from them? Usually, in such circumstances Christian would love to avoid stuff like this. However, given how powerful Cyrus is, probably the most powerful werewolf in the entire Europe, that he didn''t want to risk getting on his bad side.

    Perhaps the wise thing to do was to accept this invitation. All he hoped was that it didn''t bring some other kind of disagreement between them. These last few weeks have been really good between Sebastian and him, that Christian would really hate to screw that up.

    Entering the room, he noticed Sebastian was still in the shower. Christian was yet to freshen up, so he waited for his turn. When Sebastian came out, he noticed Christian sitting there going through something. Even before he could wipe his wet hair, he decided to talk. "Christian, about yesterdayˇ­" he began.

    "Yeah, about that I am ready to tell you" Christian declared with a glee.

    "You don''t really have to. Iˇ­ you were right. If its not your secret to tell, then you shouldn''t tell. People have their own privacy, you shouldn''t violate it" Sebastian sighed.

    "I know, which is why I asked the concerned person if I can tell you or not" Christian smirked. "He''s alright with it".

    "He?" Sebastian furrowed his brows.

    "Yes, he. It''s Caleb" Christian declared. A wave if relief washed over Sebastian and he smiled with relief. Wondering suspiciously what the hell Sebastian assumed earlier, Christian spoke, "Anyways, it''s kind of a big secret, the kind he keeps from the entire pack. Only our family knows, no one else".

    "Okayˇ­" Sebastian trailed off, unsure what could possibly be such a big secret.

    "He.. he is an omega". Christian declared.

    Sebastian blinked, wondering if he heard him right, "What"? He mumbled.

    "Yeah, and umˇ­ he doesn''t share it with anyone because, well, you know how omegas are treated, especially the male ones" Christian sighed.

    "Whoa" Sebastian mumbled, still unable to believe it. "But, he doesn''t look likeˇ­" Sebastian trailed off.

    "Yea, he has bulky features. He prefers it that way, it helps him hide his identity" Christian explained.

    "Well, I''m not thrilled by the fact I have been fooled, butˇ­ I guess I can understand why he did that." Sebastian mumbled. "His mate, Ashton, he knows right"?

    "Yeah, he had known since the beginning," Christian smiled. "They both knew about each other since the beginning" he rolled his eyes.

    "What a perfect pair" Sebastian snorted before shaking his head. "Well I better get ready, two more days and I am done with this" Sebastian groaned. He was about to go to the closet when he noticed a card next to Christian. "What''s that"? He asked.

    "Oh this. It''s an invitation for us. From Cyrus" Christian declared.

    "What"? Sebastian deadpanned. Taking it from the bed, he gave it a read, more than once before he sighed exasperated. "Something tells me we shouldn''t miss this".

    "I agree," Christian nodded.

    "Wait, yesterday you were saying that Cyrus figured out something. Was it Caleb''s secret"? Sebastian asked.

    "Yeah, no one told himˇ­ he just figured it out himself," Christian sighed.

    "Wow," Sebastian mumbled. "Then I guess we should be really careful around him".

    "I suppose so," Christian affirmed. They both got ready, heading to the shoot looking ahead to an wonderful afternoon, and a pretty terrible evening. They were both apprehensive about why were they invited in the first place, they were both reluctant, but both knew they had to be there.

 Chapter 257 - The Mansion

    After the shoot, they drove off to the mansion as directed by Cyrus in his invitation. The shoot took longer than expected, and therefore they could barely have lunch. Both of them would have preferred to change, but it can''t be helped at that point.

    Christian suggested they change on their way, but they didn''t have any change of clothes to begin with. If it were not a foreign country Christian would''ve simply bought themselves a tux, but unfortunately that was not possible at this moment thanks to different currencies.

    As they drove into the hub of the city they marvelled at the neighborhood and perhaps secretly wished how awesome it would be to live here. At their destination, the car stopped in front of a giant mansion with gray and steel hues making it stand out from its surroundings. Not that it was needed but it blended well with the garden in front.

    At the gate, they were picked up by a few butlers. The level of sophistication they emanated, kind of made Christian jealous. Sure theu too had a luxurious lifestyle, but this was different. They were led into the house into the beautiful living room before they were asked to wait.

    "This place isˇ­ " Sebastian mumbled, looking around when it was just the two of them, "Magnificent".

    "I hate to admit it, but yes it is" Christian agreed. "What are these portraits?" He mumbled.

    Sebastian got up from his seat and looked at them. "Doesn''t this, resemble Cyrus"? Sebastian commented.

    "If that''s what it is, thenˇ­ is it a familiar portrait"? Christian mumbled.

    "Yes it is" A grave voice declared from their back. As it so happens Cyrus walked in at that very moment. He walked to them with a stern expression which made them wonder if getting curious was the right thing to do or not.

    As he stood in between them glancing at the picture his silence with a blank expression made them wonder what could be the reason for this. Usually Cyrus'' face is laced with a fake smile, but nowˇ­ that doesn''t seem to be the case. "We keep a family portrait, it''s a tradition of ours" he smirked. "You see that empty wall up there? Soon there will be a picture of me with my wife and my son," He declared.

    "I cannot help but notice, most of your generation only has one kid" Sebastian commented until he realised that maybe he shouldn''t have.

    "Yes, that''s the norm. We maintain a line of pureblooded Alphas, which means we must not tempt fate further. We prefer one child each generation, unless of course, twins or triplets or something like that are born". Cyrus explained flatly.

    For someone who lived in the modern world, Cyrus sure came from very traditional values. It also seemed like Cyrus agreed with those traditional values. Maintaining a line of pureblooded Alphas, it seemed like everything here was too calculated, as if they were writing on a notepad and not living a life.

    It also explained how they gained such a power. It was a generations of dominance and suppression sustained by a line of purebreds. Christian wondered if that''s why Cyrus was interested in their pack business, because they harbored one.

    Suddenly, Christian was not jealous anymore. Sure his upbringing was a little less lavish, and there was some tension between his parents but he loved growing up in Crescentile with a little brother to boss over and train.

    "If you don''t mind me asking, is there any particular reason as to why we were invited"? Christian asked.

    "Well, I don''t see why not? Your pack gave me such a warm welcome, I figured it''s only fair I do the same. I never not repay my favors, no matter how long it has been" and there it was. That fake smile on his face was back once more. "That''s enough about me. Have you tried the local cuisine yet"? Cyrus asked.

    Christian and Sebastian shared a glance before both of them shook their heads, "Well, the best chef made today''s meal, so I hope you will enjoy them". He smiled and let them to the dining hall. Soon they were joined by a young teenage boy in a lavish school uniform and a vivacious young lady, with vibrant aura around her.

    "This is my wife, Celestia, and my Son, Caledon" Cyrus introduced them.

    "Just Call me Cal" His son interjected until he was shut up by his father''s glare.

    "And these are some of my friends. Sebastian Kyle, and Christian Wrisberg." Cyrus continued

    "Nice to meet you" Sebastian greeted them awkwardly.

    "Americans. They are rare" Celestia looked at her husband.

    "They are our guests. Treat them well" Cyrus offered her the same fake smile he had offered them all along. Christian and Sebastian both looked at each other mimicking their awkward expression as they both hoped to be anywhere else apart from this dinner table.

    Christian linked with Sebastian and spoke, [Tell me this doesn''t weird you out?]

    [I dunno man, and I thought your family was a cold one. What is with pack Alphas and their families?] Sebastian asked.

    If Christian could, he would roll his eyes at Sebastian, but he wouldn''t want to give away in front of Cyrus so he simply shot Sebastian a glare before he started to eat. Christian was a bit apprehensive about the food but since they were being served from the same place, and everyone else ate it easily, he hoped the chances of having something mixed is less.

    "So, tell me about your pack?" Cyrus asked after a few bites. "Everything good"?

    "Yeah," Christian nodded.

    "I heard that you guys faced a recent war?" Cyrus mentioned. "Word travels fast," he smirked.

    "I suppose so" Chirstian smiled as well, bringing back his professional smile. "But we dealt with it thus restoring the peace we all aim for" Christian declared.

    "That''s good to hear, but it makes me wonder, how can a peaceful pack like you get into a war"? Cyrus tilted his head in suspicion.

    "The world is not peaceful just because we are" Christian declared sternly. "Sometimes you just get dragged into a mess you didn''t ask for" He shrugged.

    "Understandable," Cyrus nodded. "Still, to attack a pack like you, they must have been stupid" he scoffed.

    "They were eager, they tried their luck" Christian shrugged. "Luckˇ­ didn''t last for them" he answered smugly. Sebastian looked back and forth from Christian to Cyrus. Cyrus was determined to extract information, and the more he dug the more cryptic and vague Christian got.

    It was as if Sebastian was watching a game of words to see who would win. The dinner went by with remarks like that from both of them from time to time and honestly everyone was glad when it was over. After the dinner Cyrus offered them to drink but Sebastian denied, knowing how it affects Christian, by saying he needs adequate rest for the next day''s shoot.

    Cyrus even offered to pull some strings to postpone the shoot, however Sebastian stood by his point that he had other plans after the shoot he didn''t wish to delay and with that they took their leave. "That wasˇ­ a heck of an evening" Sebastian sighed once they were out of Cyrus'' earshot.

    "Tell me about it" Christian commented whilst they drove away.

 Chapter 258 - Give Him A Chance

    "Good morning" Ashton mumbled once Caleb got back to the car. He was still shirtless, but he was lucky that no one was nearby, since it was still quite the daylight. In between Caleb''s heat, Ashton somehow managed to find even a more secluded place to park their car and hide for the time being. It was like a weird camping trip, except all they had was their car. Luckily, Caleb had a refill for the tank just before he left for back home and they didn''t need heat in the night, to keep them warm.

    "It''s afternoon." Caleb corrected once he was inside.

    "Not for me" Ashton mumbled groggily, as he got up. "Feeling better"

    "Better than before, yesˇ­ there is still a bit of an after effect left" Caleb informed his mate.

    "After effect"? Ashton frowned.

    "Yeah, I am still in pain, and I am still horny. Just not too much. I can drive us home" Caleb informed.

    "You don''t have to" Ashton informed. "I''ll get us some lunch. And a couple of shirts maybe" He mumbled. Caleb chuckled at that. You see, their session somehow ruined Caleb''s shirt and while Ashton''s sweatshirt was intact, it was definitely not wearable anymore. "I''ll be back," Ashton exited the car.

    As Caleb sat there alone he caught up with the work he had. Melanie had sent him over ten predicaments that needed his approval and not to mention the status updates he needed to be updated with. How the hell did his brother keep up with this on a daily basis? Caleb scrunched his nose in annoyance.

    Ashton returned to their car after around half an hour with five sandwiches and a pair of the couple''s T-shirts and sweatpants. "I ran out of money, so I got these." He handed a pair to Caleb.

    "These cost less?" Caleb was amused. Usually a couple''s stuff costs more, since they are more romantic. Caleb was amused that these didn''t.

    "I stole them from a bachelor''s party." Ashton shrugged. "I think these are copies for the groom''s shirt," Ashton shrugged. Opening it, he realised that the greyish shirt had written. ''Groom to be'' all over the front. Coincidentally enough, not only was it their size, but somehow the title fit them perfectly.

    "Talk about making things work" Caleb chuckled amused by him.

    "Yeah well, I am good at alternatives" Ashton shrugged. "Listen, let''s not drive until you''re over your heat. Your scent is not that prominent, but it''s still better to recover before we leave" Ashton insisted.

    "Ashton I am fine, I need to return" Caleb shook his head.

    "I know you are," Ashton nodded. "But I am not fine with you driving this in mid heat"

    "I am not in mid heat. If anything I am in end heat" Caleb rolled his eyes. Ashton scrunched his brows and tilted his head, "You know what I mean. Come on Ashton, we got to go back soon anyways"

    "Look I get it, but please let''s wait it out a bit longer? It''s already about to be dusk, let''s not make this journey too risky" Ashton shrugged.

    "What are you talking about? It''s two o''clock" Caleb rolled his eyes as he put on his new stolen T-shirt.

    "Please, I beg ya. Let''s not leave yet" Ashton groaned.

    "What''s going on with you? You used to believe I was tougher" Caleb folded his arms.

    "I still do, butˇ­" Ashton sighed. "You told me you have been taking suppressants. They have side effects. You may feel like your heat is about to be over, but what if it comes back. We might not find a comfortable stay like this the next time. Then what"? Ashton asked.

    "Ashton, I didn''t take them this time," Caleb reminded him.

    "I know, but they can affect you for a longer time, months after you take them. Trust me, my mom used to take it, so I know. It has weird side effects" Ashton whispered.

    Caleb opened his mouth to argue but closed it again, "Fine, we can wait it out" he sighed.

    Ashton gave Caleb a giant smile followed by a huge kiss on his cheek. Caleb rolled his eyes at the sudden burst of affection, but didn''t say much. " Say what? Was it your brother? Earlier this afternoon"? Ashton asked.

    "Yeah, he wanted to share my secret with Sebastian," Caleb shrugged, as he took the first bite of the second sandwich. After an entire night of sex, he was really that hungry.

    "And"?

    "And I said, go for it" Caleb shrugged.

    "Is that really okay with you?" Ashton asked.

    "Yeah, Sebastian is a good guy. And if it works out between them, he might become family. And for me, my family should know my secret" Caleb shrugged.

    "Really? Does Connor know"? Ashton asked.

    Caleb froze mid bite before looking at Ashton, while lowering his sandwich. "Connor is a different story"

    "Why? He is your family, he is your son" Ashton pressed.

    "He is a kid," Caleb added.

    "Who is smarter beyond his age. If he could take the fact that he is adopted, and that his real parents died so he could live, I don''t see why he can''t accept the fact that you''re an omega" Ashton pressed further. Caleb opened his mouth but instead looked away without saying anything. "Unless, you can''t" Ashton whispered.

    "Right, I am not ready to tell him," Caleb sighed. "The entire pack is wary of him because he comes off as different. He has learned omegas are supposed to be weak and all other bullshit from the kids around him. I don''t want to disappoint him" Caleb admitted.

    "That kid won''t be disappointed," Ashton chuckled. "If he could forgive me, the jerk who abandoned his Dad, then he can accept you for who you are"

    "Maybe, but he might be disappointed that I lied," Caleb pursed his lips.

    "What if he eventually finds out. The longer you wait, the more disappointed he will be." Ashton pointed out.

    "I dunno," Caleb sighed.

    "Come on, give him a chance. You lied to him so he found out the truth the other way. Tell him yourself this time, tell him why you hid it. Maybe he will understand. Maybe he will even stand up when other kids make fun of the omegas as weaklings" Ashton shrugged.

    "Since when are you the master of pep talks" Caleb narrowed his eyes.

    "Well, when you date Caleb Wrisberg, you are bound to pick up a few things" Ashton smirked.

    "Oh yeah" Caleb raised his eyebrows in a teasing manner before the both ended up laughing.

 Chapter 259 - The Final Cut

    "Finally, last day" Sebastian smiled as he woke. Today for the first and the last time in their entire shoot, they had an outdoor spot. Sebastian was kind of excited, to leave the confined area and shoot outdoors. Sebastian preferred the outdoor ones more, and thus his pleasure on today''s plan.

    Christian, who was late to wake up today, tilted his head in confusion with the amount of excitement his roommate emanated. "Why are you so excited? We are still here for two more days" Christian pointed out.

    "I know!" Sebastian exclaimed. "We are in France dude, let''s go on a tour. Paris is just a train ride away. Let''s visit the city of love" Sebastian smiled.

    "Did you hit your head or something"? Christian scrunched his eyebrows. "What is up with you"?

    "I am just excited to finish this. I always get this excited when I finish any project. This is a minor role. You should see me after a major oneˇ­ it''s like I am going all out" Sebastian smirked.

    "Okay" Christian nodded awkwardly. He had never seen such excitement on Sebastian ever in their decade long friendship. Sure, for most of their relationship it was Sebastian being annoyed at something Christian said or did. Yet, it was nice to see this side of Sebastian.

    They left the apartment and went straight to their filming location. It was a windy day, making things a bit more messy that they were hoping for, but also, provided a perfect setting for that day. "I only have like an hour to shoot before I go back. Only one shot today" Sebastian shrugged.

    Christian nodded at him as they got him prepared. At the scene there was a big black Mercedes, which was supposed to be the Car of Sebastian''s character. Christain couldn''t help but wonder where the storyline was headed.

    He didn''t pay much attention for the past two days, but somehow the story didn''t really add up. Sebastian informed him that they don''t always shoot the story in sequence, but shoot it according to their convenience. Seeing everyone work hard like this, Christian realised how difficult it was for everyone, way more difficult than it seemed on the screen

    After staying here for a couple of days Christian must admit that he had less worry about his pack. Maybe staying here made it easier for him to stress less about his pack. He must admit, it wasn''t so bad. But yeah, it was a bit boring.

    Sebastian suited up once more for his final scene. Christian focused on the Director''s screen instead of the scene itself knowing it looked way too messy. "Yeah, I don''t care who got evicted, I need to finish those projects on time! And I need those files very first thing in the morning" huffed Sebastian as his character in the phone while sitting on the backseat of the car.

    Suddenly the car shook like it halted. ''Sebastian'' lashed out at his driver for not driving properly before he turned left and widened his eyes. "And cut," The director shouted.

    Christian couldn''t help but mumble, "Wait what''s happening"?

    The director shot him a dirty look before spatting, "he''s getting into an accident, what do you think"?

    Christian''s eyes widened at that. The accident would explain why Sebastian only had a cameo role. They were simply killing of his character. Christain knew that Sebastian wasn''t dying for real, and yet seeing him dieˇ­ even in the screen worried him.

    They turned the car over to make it realistic, while smeared Sebastian''s face and hands with Fake blood before getting him into the car. It took a few people to position him accordingly and they began their shoot one more.

    The scene began with Sebastian opening his eyes, regaining his consciousness while he tried to free himself, and yet before he could do so he passed out once more, or maybe, he simply died. Christian could feel his heart rate escalate, so much so that he almost scraped the idea of watching this series, specifically these episodes when it aired.

    When the scene was done and Sebastian was all cleaned up, he approached Christian, "So that''s what they were gonna do" He snorted.

    "You didn''t know they were gonna kill you off"? Christian asked. "Not really. I found out this morning. According to the script my death would be the first scene that aired. It''ll serve as some mystery and all those scenes that I recorded till now will serve as a flashback." Sebastian explained.

    "Wow. Have you ever been killed on screen like this"? Christian couldn''t help but ask.

    "Plenty of times" Sebastian shrugged non challantly. "There was this scene where I was killed by being buried alive. I wasn''t technically buried, but that was really freaky" he scoffed.

    "Wait, what?" Christian''s eyes widened. "Why on earth would they do that"? He couldn''t help but be freaked out.

    "That''s the point. I think it was either a horror show or a thrillerˇ­" Sebastian mumbled. "I was a cameo there as well" he explained. "You know, now that you mention, a lot of my cameos ended in death" Sebastian nodded.

    "You certainly love dying," Christian commented.

    "Hey, as long as it''s not real, I enjoy almost everything." Sebastian smirked.

    "Everything? Evenˇ­ R18 stuff" Christian couldn''t help but ask awkwardly.

    "Well, the sex scenes we film are basically taking of clothes and then waking up the next day" Sebastian shrugged. Somehow hearing it made Christian bite his inner lip so hard that he almost bled. "Are you.. jealous"? Sebastian couldn''t help but ask when he noticed a slight grimace in his flat expression.

    "Why would I be jealous? It''s just acting" Christian brushed it off.

    "Yeah, butˇ­ something seems off," Sebastian frowned.

    "Nevermind. Let''s go home". Christian shrugged.

    "Oh we are not going home. I checked out this morning. Let''s go grab lunch, and after that we will take a train to Paris this evening" Sebastian smirked.

    "Wowˇ­ you really planned a lot. You make it sound like its honeymoon or something" Christian shrugged.

    "Well, Let''s see how this trip turns out" Sebastian winked before leaving him standing all by himself, making him wonder all kinds of things Sebastian might be planning for their trip.

    As planned they had their final lunch in the city before they headed off to Paris. They arrived at their new hotel around night, but the journey there gave them a tiny glimpse of what might await their trip here. Christian would be lying if he said he wasn''t excited at all for the next two days.

 Chapter 260 - Succesfully Enrolled

    Caleb''s heat didn''t resurface after that, but the after effect stayed for another day. Caleb was a bit frustrated with Ashton for wasting another day, but staying there in the wild for another day wasn''t so bad, if all the huge responsibilities of the pack weren''t his at that moment.

    They were briefly spotted by a band of coyotes, but come onˇ­ they were no wolves, and thus were no match for full grown werewolves. They drove the coyotes away in no time, and had quite the fun doing it if they were to be honest.

    On their way back Ashton was drowsy as hell, having not slept at all for the past two days, not even a nap. Caleb on the other hand still had a lot of energy left despite his heat, which Ashton kind of envied. Once they were back Ashton straight away walked into his room, without a word and collapsed right on to the bed.

    Caleb on the other had stuff to do. He had already extended his leave enough that if he didn''t go back to his work soon, he might actually lose his job. He went back after a quick shower only to be greeted with a huge pile of files that had all the cases they accumulated over the past few days.

    From the looks of it, it appeared that in Caleb''s absence no work got done. Just how much crime happens in the Cresentile Pack outside their Pack jurisdiction? He wondered. He took a look at the cases, and where they were with each one of them. Most of them were complete, which accounted for petty thefts and public indecency, but a few of them were mysterious, which might have to do something with the recent war.

    Nevertheless, all of them needed his supervision and he divided the unsolved cases amongst the team before he finished up with the rest of the paperwork. When he was handing out the cases, one of his co-worker, Scott, the one who was closest to Caleb at the station, happened to notice the ring on his hand, "Wait, Sher, are you getting married"? He asked him. He had a habit of using short forms, and often called Caleb Sher, as a short form of sheriff.

    "Ahh, yes" Taking a glance at his ring Caleb affirmed.

    "Damn it! About time. I see you finally found someone of your standards" Scott cheered. "But, I''m surprised you didn''t tell us you were dating someone" he frowned. He was quite friendly, and Caleb wouldn''t have minded much if he didn''t have so much to hide from him as he was a human.

    "I told you I once sort of had a fianc¨¦e right"? Caleb reminded him. Of course saying mate wouldn''t have made much sense, so he used to say sort of fianc¨¦e. "It''s him". Caleb clarified.

    "Waitˇ­ you saidˇ­ he is gone" Scott tilted his head in confusion.

    "Yeah, gone. Not dead". Caleb shook his head. "He is back." Caleb clarified.

    "Whoaaa, Sher we want to meet him"! Scott delightfully declared. Caleb shot him a dirty look, to remind him to stay within his boundaries but somehow Scott missed it. "Come on! We must know who finally nailed our cold sheriff. Besides, you were gone for a while, and we deserve a celebration for this news"! He rambled.

    Caleb shot him a blank look before sighing. "Fine. Team dinner, tonight." He declared.

    "Yes"! Scott cheered.

    "Now go back to work" Caleb shooed him away. When finally he had caught up with most of his work he realised that it''s almost evening. Caleb thought that this was a perfect opportunity to introduce his team with his spouse to be and decided to call Ashton. When it didn''t work he tried to link him only to realise that Ashton was still asleep. Given how tired and exhausted his mate must be he didn''t bother him any further.

    At the team dinner, Caleb showed them a picture of him and Ashton instead to introduce the team to his fianc¨¦e. The picture was a recent one, which meant Ashton appeared way younger than he actually was thus making the age gap between them more heightened. Caleb did receive a few judgemental glances, but he couldn''t care less.

    Team dinners amongst them were not that common, so it was a bit awkward as well. The only person who had fun was clueless Scott, who indirectly was the reason for this whole arrangement.

    The tedious workload of the day finally got to Caleb by the time he reached home, so without wandering anywhere else he headed straight to bed. The next morning, he decided to get the girls admitted to the school, finally, having successfully forged the documents and adopted them legally.

    It was a two way trip, one to middle school another to elementary school. He saved the elementary school for last because that way he could also pick up Connor on his way back.

    The papers that he had forged were indistinguishable from the real ones, which means officially now both parents of Carmen and Ivy were legally dead. As for the girls, they didn''t mind as they were never quite fond of their mother.

    "So, you''re good to go" Caleb declared to Carmen once he came out of the Vice Principal''s office.

    "Okay" Carmen nodded nervously, anxious for the first day of a new life.

    "Hey, I know it''s gonna be a bit hard to fit in. As someone new it''s not that uncommon to feel like an outsider, but trust me. Things will be better eventually." He patted her shoulder, encouraging her.

    "Thank you Mr Wrisberg. " Carmen smiled at him.

    "You know what, call me Caleb" Caleb insisted.

    "Okayˇ­" She nodded and vanishes into the hallway with a copy of her schedule.

    The process in the elementary school took even less time, and soon enough Ivy was enrolled as well. However, due to shorter class hours, by the time they were done, their classes were over. Connor, who was delighted to see his Dad pick him up, however his smile turned into a frown once he noticed Ivy. He didn''t hate Ivy or anything, but as a stranger Connor felt really uncomfortable around her. Not to mention he wasn''t thrilled to have his Dad get so close to Ivy, or her big sister Carmen.

    After returning home, Caleb tried to call and link Ashton, to tell him about the adoption and successful enrollment but Caleb still couldn''t reach him. Exasperated he decided to go to his room to find him still fast asleep. Annoyed, Caleb was about to wake him up but as soon as he touched Ashton he froze. For someone with a temperature as high as Ashton he was pretty cold.

    "Ash! Ashton!" Caleb tried to shake him, wake him up, but nothing worked.. "Oh my Godˇ­" Caleb mumbled, unsure of what to do next.

 Chapter 261 - Alvaro

    Ashton was way too tired for anything when he collapsed, which is why he was surprised to wake up in a place that''s been long forgotten to him. His home, the very first one he remembers. Things were so surreal that he believed he was dreaming.

    He walked below only to be greeted by his parents, his real parentsˇ­ whose face he had long forgotten. "Mom, Dad" Ashton whispered. He couldn''t believe his eyes. He looked at himself, to see if he was young or not, which to his surprise he wasn''t.

    "You''re just on time! Breakfast is ready! Hurry up" His mother called. Ashton blinked, mesmerized by the voice he never thought he would ever hear again.

    He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He ate in silence as his parents chatted with each other affectionately. The food tasted just the same from when he was younger, probably tasted even better. But who could tell?

    He wasn''t sure what was happening. Why was he in this place at all? What was this place anymore, he didn''t know. "I have to go" Ashton declared and stood up from his chair immediately. He needed to find out what''s going on.

    His mother shot him a glare, "Ash, I made breakfast for the whole family you''ll finish every bit of it!" Ashton blinked at her. She was just as strict as she was when he was a boy, except he didn''t hate her scoldings anymore.

    "I''ll be back. Just a sec" He excused himself. His ''mother'' assumed that he was going to the washroom or something until he walked right out of that door.

    He wanted to look at the surroundings, to see if he could figure out what was happening. And that''s when he met him...His Wolfˇ­ Standing face to face with him.

    "Did youˇ­ Did you do all this"? Ashton asked. Never in his entire life did he ever speak to his wolf, always shunning him away because he was too difficult to control. He didn''t even know how to. Which is why this moment was big for both of them

    "Yes, I am channeling my memories" The wolf replied in a much deeper and aggressive voice. Ashton wondered if that''s how he sounded like when he gave the wolf control.

    "Why did you bring me here?" Ashton asked, hesitantly.

    "I didn''t. You came here yourself" The Wolf explained.

    "No, I didn''t. What is this place even"? Ashton snickered and looked around himself.

    "This is the cage you created for me, I just made it more homey for us" The wolf declared. "Why are you here"? The wolf asked.

    "I.. I dunno. I don''t remember coming here" Ashton looked around frantically. "I.. I did want to talk to you though. But that was days ago" Ashton sighed.

    "That must be it," The Wolf nodded. "What do you want from me? I suppose you are not here to free me from this prison or relinquish control?" His wolf remarked.

    The way he spoke was quite similar to Ashton, which made sense given how he was just another part of Ashton. "I want to know everything. Things that you hide from me". Ashton declared.

    "There is nothing much left for me to tell you" the wolf looked away.

    "Butˇ­" Ashton trailed off, when another question popped into his head. "What should I call you?"

    "You''ve referred to me as " your wolf" your entire life. I guess you can keep calling me that" His wolf declared.

    "But, don''t you have a name? You are clearly different from meˇ­" Ashton wondered.

    "I suppose I don''t." The wolf mused. "But it''s better that way". He shrugged.

    "What do you mean"? Ashton squinted.

    "In the world that you live in, I shouldn''t exist. If the word goes out, they''ll come after youˇ­ just like all those years ago" The wolf spoke.

    "Yeah, but they didn''t get me last time," Ashton insisted. "Whoever they are, they are my parents".

    "Your parents were never the target, it was always you" The Wolf declared. "To the world you''re a pureblooded Alpha, stay that way. Don''t try to be anything else" His Wolf warned him.

    "But, I am not! I am not just some pureblooded Alpha, I am half-Valestine as well!" Ashton argued. "I can''t just ignore that part of me. I am sick of pretending to be someone I am not"! Ashton huffed.

    "For you sake, I hope you learn. I won''t be able to protect you the next time. Or your loved ones," The wolf declared before looking away. Following his gaze, he noticed his adopted family chilling with Caleb and Connor at a faraway distance. It wasn''t just him anymore, it was a bunch of people he cared about.

    "What do you want me to do"!? Ashton snarled at the wolf, as the thought of something happening to any of them because of himself crossed his mind.

    "Lie"! The wolf declared. "I want you to lie about your origins. Don''t share the fact that you have connections with Valestine Wolves.

    "With whom would I share it with?" Ashton rolled his eyes, recalling he wasn''t exactly a friendly guy. "The only person who knows about it, is Caleb".

    "Keep it that way. He is our mate, and he is the purest of our kind. Don''t share with anyone else." His wolf nodded. "You should leave". His wolf declared.

    "But, why"? Ashton tilted his head.

    "This is your prison, so you can''t get trapped in here." The wolf nodded. "But it still disconnects you with yourself. The more time you spend here, the harder it will be to return"

    "And how do I get back" Ashton asked.

    "Thatˇ­ is something for you to figure out. I have no idea." The wolf sighed. "Maybe try going back to the people of real world"? He suggested.

    "Okay.. I''ll give it a try" Ashton nodded and closed his eyes, only to reopen it immediately. "Wait, I am willing to lie but that doesn''t erase your existence". Ashton spoke.

    "You want me to disappear"? Dejected, the wolf asked.

    "No, what I mean was, since you exist, you need a name" Ashton cleared his throat.

    "You have anything in particular"? His wolf tilted his head, finally giving into Ashton''s idea of him having a name.

    After a moment of deep thought Ashton mumbled. "Alvaro".

    "Alvaro"? The wolf tilted his head. "I like that," he nodded. "Now leave"! He urged.

    Ashton shook his head, and tried really hard to wake up. No matter what he did, he failed to do so. It started to worry him until he heard the words, "Ash! Ashton"! Coming from a place he couldn''t locate.. It sounded like Caleb was trying to wake him up and therefore Ashton tried much harder to wake up.

 Chapter 262 - Overslept

    Ashton opened his eyes to a noise of beeping. The things were still hazy and unclear, but he could tell that he was having a hard time breathing. He tried to talk, but his voice was a bit groggy. "Where am I?'''' He asked

    Things finally focused and he looked around himself, to find himself in the hospital set up with gawking but stunned eyes of Caleb on himself. "Caleb, what''sˇ­" He started to ask but he was engulfed in a giant hug which almost broke his ribs.

    "I''m so glad you wrote up" Caleb whispered in his ears.

    "Why won''t I? I was tired so I guess I overslept" Ashton replied with a yawn.

    "Overslept"? Caleb scoffed. "Do you have any idea how long you were asleep"? Caleb asked.

    "A whole Day"? Ashton guessed.. He had once done it before when he was at the brink of exhaustion due to being unable to sleep for a few days while they were on the run. Being a strong wolf, he was the one of the wolves to keep lookouts while others slept.

    "Four Days," Caleb declared.

    Ashton blinked but somehow his eyes widened. "F..Four Days? Really"? He mumbled, unable to believe it.

    "Why else would I bring you here? I was worried you were in some kind of coma or something. Your body was so cold". Caleb sighed, biting his lower lip. "The doctor''s however just said that you were asleep, but you wouldn''t wake up no matter how much they tried".

    "I''m sorry" Ashton mumbled.

    "Why are you sorry?" Caleb groaned with annoyance. "Tell me something, has this ever happened to youˇ­ before?"

    "Sleeping? No. Long blackouts? Yes. When I am in rut" Ashton shrugged recalling his memory blackouts.

    "This wasn''t rut," Caleb noted.

    "Nope" Ashton shook his head. He recalled the chat he had with his wolf, wondering if he should try and talk to Caleb about it. They way Alvaro spoke about hiding who he wasˇ­ he wasn''t sure how to explain everything.

    Before he could come to any conclusion, The Doctor along with a nurse walked in. The Doctor examined him properly, including throwing lights into his eyes and after he was done he declared, "You seem to be doing fine. How do you feel"? He asked.

    "Tired, but also refreshed"? Ashton guessed. "I feel like I just woke up". He shrugged.

    "I see". The Doctor nodded.

    "Is there something to be worried about"? Caleb asked, concerned for his mate.

    "From what I can tell, he is just as fine as any other wolf". The Doctor declared. "I''ll get your discharge ready".

    "Wait, what if it happens again"? Caleb stopped the doctor.

    "Bring him here, we''ll evaluate further." The doctor assured and left.

    "Caleb, I''m fine," Ashton assured his mate.

    "Remember what you said to me? That you would always worry about me no matter how tough I am. It goes both ways". Caleb declared.

    "I know. I hate to worry you, but trust me. I am fine". Ashton nodded.

    Caleb let out a deep breath before he spoke, "I still don''t understand how this happened? Do you.. have any theories?"

    "Well.." Ashton trailed off. Caleb raised an eyebrow but before he could talk, Christian walked in through the door.

    Ashton was surprised to see him, but then he realized that it''s been almost a week since he left. "I see you are finally awake". He snorted.

    "Did youˇ­ leave midway because of me"? Ashton was shocked. Given how Caleb was worried about him, it would make sense Christian came back to take over the pack duties from his brother.

    "Don''t be stupid. I didn''t even know you were in the hospital until I got back" Christian shot Caleb a glare. "My brother who promised to keep me updated forgot to mention you". Christian remarked sarcastically.

    "Well, for someone who took over pack duties for the first time, I think I did pretty great" Caleb declared smugly.

    Christian gave him an unamused look before he sighed, "Yeah, things are alright here". He looked back at Ashton and informed him, "Your mother is on her way. She''ll be here soon". Christian patted Ashton''s back. "I''d say get rest butˇ­ I think you had plenty already" Ashton chuckled faintly at that before Christian left.

    "So, you were saying"? Caleb reminded one Christian was gone. Ashton frowned to which he continued, "It seemed like you know what happened".

    "Ohˇ­ I don''t actually. Butˇ­" Ashton trailed off again. He decided to link Caleb and show him instead of telling him and once he was done Caleb was in awe.

    "You.. you were in that prison of yours. Maybe that''s why you were cold". Caleb mumbled as if he had an epiphany. Ashton frowned so Caleb explained, recalling his own experience when he had encountered Alvaro in Ashton''s head.

    "I seeˇ­" Ashton mumbled once Caleb was done.

    "So that''s how your parents looked like" Caleb mumbled after a minute of silence.

    "I guess. I forgot how they looked like" Ashton mumbled. "Without any picture or anythingˇ­ I didn''t have anything to remind me of them. I''m glad Alvaro remembers them" Ashton declared.

    "Me too. I finally got to see them". Caleb smiled as well.

    That''s when Mrs Parker walked in their room, "Oh my boy, you are finally awake"! She exclaimed with Joy. At this point, Ashton was really embarrassed. The more people treated him like he was sick, the sicker (A/N: pun intended) he actually got.

    "Mom, I am fine" He declared through the suffocating hug of his mom.

    "If you had slept any longer I would have called your Sisters home" she huffed.

    "Mom! The girls need their education." Ashton argued.

    "Big talk from the guy who dropped out in the first year." Mrs Parker rolled her eyes. "Son, you need to stop scaring me like that. I am growing old, my poor heart can''t take it anymore" She scolded.

    "Mom, you''re a werewolf. Your heart is fine" Ashton rolled his eyes.

    "Anyways, you''re coming home tonight." She declared. Ashton frowned, so explained further. "I don''t live in the pack house anymore, remember? I have another apartment nearby. You should come," She insisted. Turning to Caleb she declared, "Both of you".

    "We''ll be there, Sue," Caleb assured her. Mrs Parker stayed there for a while before she took her leave as well. Once she was gone, Caleb mumbled. "You have an amazing mom".

 Chapter 263 - The New Home

    Ashton was soon discharged from the hospital, after which he was headed to their new apartment along with Caleb. As Sue mentioned earlier, it wasn''t that far away from the pack house. Ashton packed up all the necessary things he might need for a while and headed off to their destination.

    The building was fairly new according to its appearance. Ashton has never been here so he had no idea if this building was here earlier or not, but nevertheless it was one heck of an architecture. It also made him wonder how his mom could afford this place. He would hate it if she took it as a gift, then again it was his mom''s decision and not his.

    The apartment was labelled as 4b where they waited for Mrs Parker to open up the door. Upon entering, Ashton stared in awe at the beauty of the apartment. "Wow" is all he could say. It was a much roomier space than what they had before, and it looked like this was a loft.

    "I am glad you like it," Sue smiled.. "I can''t wait to see your reaction when you see your room".

    "My room"? Ashton was surprised. "I have my own room" he couldn''t help but be surprised at this. He disappeared for eight years. The fact that despite the uncertainty of him returning, his mother still held out hopes for his return.

    "Well, technically it''s both of your rooms," Mrs Parker clarified. "You guys are mates, I thought why have separate rooms" She shrugged.

    "Yeah, it is filled with my stuff," Caleb admitted. "I need to make some space, I''ll be back" Caleb nodded and went away.

    "Soˇ­" Mrs Parker tilted her head. "What do you think"?

    "About what"? Frowned Ashton.

    "I can tell something is on your mind. I am your mother, remember"? She raised her eyebrow. "But, you''re also an adult. You don''t have to share everything with me" She chuckled.

    The way his mother could read him, even after all these years never stopped to baffle him. "I was wonderingˇ­ how you got this place"?

    "I had some money saved up. When we joined this packˇ­ I had a feeling this was gonna be a bit permanent. So I bought this place. Don''t worry, I didn''t take advantage of your mate''s loaded family, although they did offer" She smirked.

    "I didn''t mean it like that," Ashton said with embarrassment.

    "I know you didn''t. I am just messing with you." She laughed. "Come on, I made dinner. I hope you still like beef" She smirked.

    "The one you cook? I love it" Ashton smirked. She served them dinner and soon Caleb joined them on the table.

    "It would have been more fun if the girls were here." Mrs Parker remarked. "I would have asked you to come here sooner, but I figured with everything that''s going on, you already had a lot on your plate" She chuckled.

    "No matter how much I have on my plate, I''ll always have some room for your beef" Ashton declared with his mouth full of meat.

    "You know what, one of these days Ashton should cook". Caleb prompted making Ashton freeze. "What? Why me"? Ashton froze.

    "Cause, you are a good cook" Caleb declared as a matter of factly.

    "Not in front of her, no," Ashton pointed at his mom.

    And their mutual teasing went on for a while until Ashton''s mom convinced Ashton to cook the next time they were here. "The girls will be back next month. What do you say about then?" Mrs Parker offered.

    "Sounds good," Ashton nodded.

    "Soˇ­ the bigger question that I have been meaning to ask you" Sue took a deep breath. "When is the big day"? She smirked. Caleb and Ashton looked at each other, scrunching their eyebrows with confusion whilst hoping that the other would get it. "You guys are getting married right? Do you have a date? Venueˇ­ or anything"? She asked.

    "Not.. yet" Caleb admitted awkwardly. "We''ll get to it"

    "When"? She urged them.

    "We have been busy this past week but..." Caleb looked at Ashton who continued for him.

    "We will get to it now that we are free" Ashton declared. Mrs Parker narrowed her eyes to indicate how she did not believe him. "We will, I promise". Ashton insisted.

    "Why the hold up"? Mrs Parker tilted her head.

    "Well, Sue, we actually adopted those girls, Carmen and Ivy. The ones from the Fountain Pack" Caleb informed.

    "Wait, you guys got more kids"?! Now Sue was excited for a whole different reason.

    "Yeah" Sheepishly, both of them nodded.

    "That''s great!" Mrs Parker congratulated them. "Hold on a second" she vanished only to reappear with a bottle of champagne. "Wedding and a growing family, this calls for a celebration" she smirked.

    That night they spent a lot of time chatting with each other having drinks and everything. The evening was surprisingly quaint given how the past month has been. An evening of relaxation was just what they needed before the wedding responsibilities took over most of their free time.

    When it was really late, they decided to call it a night and headed for their respective rooms. Caleb led Ashton to their room, which Ashton examined very closely. The walls were a faded shade of beige which contrasted well with the brown curtains and the dim light in the room. The setup was itself very romantic. Too bad they were not the only ones in this house, or they might not get any sleep at all.

    Speaking of sleep, Ashton wasn''t sleepy at all. Having slept for so long, not only was he wide awake, but he was also worried that if he dozed off he might not wake up soon enough. As if Caleb could sense what was bothering him, he mumbled, "Don''t worry. You won''t slip up again."

    "How can you possibly know that"? Ashton asked.

    "I don''t," Caleb chuckled. "But, even if you do.. I guess it''s okay as long as it''s nothing serious."

    "Alvaro said, I put him in that prison. That I built it. I don''t know how I did it, but I want to take it down" Ashton admitted.

    "Ashton, you don''t know what the consequences of doing that would be. Both of you fight for dominance in the same bodyˇ­ what if in doing so you unleashˇ­ everything. What if you get caught"? Caleb asked. "I mean, I feel bad for Alvaro, but I think even he will agree with me."

    "Maybe" Shrugged Ashton. "But, I think if we can be on the same terms, communicate well, we can pull off faking who we are. It''s already out there I might be a Valestine, I just have to convince everyone I meet that I am not." Ashton sighed.

    "It''s not that easy" Caleb pursed his lips. "People are suspicious enough of you just because you are a pureblooded Alpha. You really think they''ll be easily convinced that you are not far more dangerous.

    "Maybe not," Ashton shook his head. "But, I.. I don''t want to keep Alvaro in that prison anymore. Thanks to him I got to see my parents todayˇ­ something I never ever hoped to do ever again. All this time I made him to be the villain, in the hindsight, it was always me" Ashton admitted.

    "Look, I still think it a bad idea" Caleb sighed. "A really, really bad idea. Butˇ­" he paused. "If you want to do it, then I am on board. I''ll help you" Caleb nodded and smiled at him. Ashton returned the smile with equal enthusiasm and kissed Caleb before they both drifted off to sleep. Of course it took Ashton much longer, but he just spent that extra time watching Caleb who never looked that peaceful.

 Chapter 264 - A New Offer

    "Soˇ­ how does it feel to be back"? Asked Sebastian once he spotted Christian.

    "Feels good." He nodded.

    "Your brother''s mate is awake"? Asked Sebastian.

    "Yeahˇ­ he is okay," Christian nodded.

    "I told you, you didn''t need to worry about him," Sebastian shrugged.

    "Why not? I saw what losing him did to my brother. I don''t ever want to see him like that ever again" Christian declared firmly.

    "I know that. But, as much as you want to protect your little brother, he is not a kid anymore. You need to stop being overprotective of him". Sebastian smiled.

    "I''m not overprotective of him" Christian denied immediately. Sebastian tilted his head with a raised eyebrow clearly denoting how he disagreed. "What? I just worry about him as his big brother".

    "You do a lot more than worry," Sebastian pointed out. "I understand why you do that, nowˇ­ but trust meˇ­ he can take care of himself." Sebastian declared.

    "Of course I know that! I made sure he is tough" Christian huffed.

    "Well just so you knowˇ­ you did a great job". Sebastian shrugged. Christian shook his head tired and frustrated with this conversation as he headed off to get his suitcase. No, they were not living together. It''s just he was in a hurry to go to the hospital, to see Ashton and his brother that he left his luggage with Sebastian.

    "Before you leave. I want your feedback" Sebastian stopped Christian before he could step out of the room.

    "About what"? Christian frowned.

    "About our trip? What did you think"? Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

    "It was really great. Especially Paris" Christian let out a smile.

    "Butˇ­"? Sebastian asked, sensing the tone of Christian''s words.

    "Nothing. It''s justˇ­ good to be back". Christian admitted honestly. It was true. No matter how much fun he had while he was away, there was no place like home.

    "I figured as much" Sebastian ended up chuckling. "Anywaysˇ­ I was planning to tell youˇ­ I got another offer" Sebastian admitted.

    "So, you are leaving again"? Christian couldn''t help but ask this with a tinge of disappointment.

    "Yeah, but not before two months." Sebastian clarified. Christian smiled until he realised that was not all. "But, I might be gone for months," Sebastian revealed.

    "Okayˇ­ that sounds like a big opportunity" Christian tried to play it cool.

    "It is." Sebastian admitted. It was supposed to be happy news, and yet somehow there was no joy in revealing it. "It''s for a show where I''ll be playing the lead. Ironically, I''ll be playing a Vampire" Sebastian chuckled at that. "If it gets picked up for more seasons,I''ll be gone for longer." Sebastian explained.

    "Well, if it''s not this there will be something else" Christian snorted. Sebastian furrowed his brows, so Carson explained. "You''re an actor. That is your Job. No matter what role you take, it''s bound to keep you busyˇ­ to keep you away from here. Just like my Job is here. I look after my pack".

    "Is this really okay? We just started dating, and you''re okay with the long distance" Sebastian asked hesitantly. When he received no reply, Sebastian couldn''t help but jump to another conclusion, "or wait, are youˇ­ are you giving up on us".

    "No, I am not," Christian clarified immediately. "It''s justˇ­ it''s gonna be hard. Being away from youˇ­ but, you have to do this. I saw you in action, you''re too good to give up on such an opportunity. I mean to be the lead on your own show? Man that''s awesome"! Christian cheered.

    Sebastian stared at Christian blankly before engulfing him into a hug, "You are way too nice. It''s annoying" Sebastian declared with a hint of annoyance.

    "Yeah, I am the annoying one," Christian remarked sarcastically.

    Pulling away from the hug Sebastian declared, "Well I, for one, am going to miss you".

    "I''ll be alright," Christian teased.

    "You can pretend to be a little bummed, you know". Sebastian rolled his eyes.

    "Well, this is nothing new for me, remember? I had a long time crush on you, which means that whenever you were away I missed you a lot initially. I mean, I know we weren''t dating, but we were friends". Christian shrugged.

    "Soˇ­ you just got used to my absence then?" Sebastian asked.

    "Nope"! Christian clarified. "I just recalled how awesome it was to see you again. We would have fun whenever you''re back" Christian mumbled. "Over time, I used to look forward to it," Christian smiled.

    "We did have fun," Sebastian chuckled. "I guess I''ll see you around then".

    "Yeah, besides it''s not like you''re leaving Tomorrow, we still have time". Christian pointed out.

    "Right," Sebastian nodded.

    "And if you miss me too much you can always call me" Christian shrugged.

    "Yeah yeah, I got it" Sebastian shook his head before ending up laughing. "Well, since you''re away for so long I know you have a lot to catch up on. Not to mention you are supposed to have this ceremony as you take on pack responsibilities as the official Alpha. But, if you manage to find some spare time, we can still have a get-together, " Sebastian offered.

    "Sounds like a plan" Christian smiled before exiting the apartment. The pack house wasn''t that far away from Sebastian''s apartment, so he reached home pretty early. After taking a shower and a huge lunch, Christian headed straight to the office to take over the responsibilities he handed over to Caleb for the time being.

    It was weird how since he came back his focus was fluctuating when it came to work. From time to time he found himself getting immersed into the weekend they had. The train ride together, or the shared ice-cream. These memories were also accompanied by involuntary smiles from time to time.

    "Are you okay"? He heard a familiar voice ask from the door. It was none other than the pack beta, who was here on Christian''s orders. "You''re smiling like a crazy person".

    "I''m fine" Christian tried to brush it off, but when another while appeared on his face he sighed. "You know what, I am not. I''ve lost my mind" Christian groaned.

 Chapter 265 - Rush

    "I see you are back" Noted his father once Christian reached his father''s office.

    "Yeahˇ­ I am ready to take on my responsibilities again". Declared Christian.

    "That''s great. But first and foremost, we need to make you the official Head Alpha." Mr Wrisberg informed him. "I was thinking, next week"?

    "That fast"? Christian widened his eyes. Usually preparations like this took at least a month. While the process itself wasn''t that cumbersome, since it was an official ceremony involving the entire pack, the whole pack must be invited and a feast was arranged for them.

    "Why not? Why delay any further?" His father countered. "Besides, I have already started a few preparations for the ceremony since last week, after the war ended. The invitations are sent, and most of them RSVP''d that they''d make it.

    "Yeah, butˇ­" Christian trailed off. It felt a bit weird how his father was pushing this. His father had always loved control and no matter what, always wanted to have the upper hand in every situation. Then why was his father so desperate to give up the pack responsibilities so urgently?

    "What, you''re having second thoughts on the pack"? Mr Wrisberg asked. "You don''t want to be an Alpha anymore after being on that trip"? There was a hidden undertone in his words which indicated that Christian was somehow influenced by Sebastian or even the trip to pursue a life outside the pack, something he was not pleased with.

    Christian however wasn''t an idiot. He caught on what his father was trying to imply and thus said, "I have worked for around thirty years, tirelessly to become worthy to lead this pack one day. I might have my doubts on being worthy, but I know that I will keep trying to be the best version of myself. A ''trip'' won''t change that." Christian said with bitterness.

    "Fair enough. Next week then" Mr Wrisberg declared nonchalantly without being bothered by his remark.

    Christian was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Is everything alright? With you"? He couldn''t help but ask. His father had been acting strange ever since the war. He couldn''t help but thinkˇ­ couldn''t help but expect the worst.

    "Me? What could possibly be wrong with me" Mr Wrisberg scoffed. "I am fine". He declared and dismissed his son.

    Chirstian came out of his father''s office before heading on to his own. He was lost deep in his thoughts, distracted by his thoughts when he heard a knock on his door. It was none other than his little brother. "I forgot to bring these papers earlier, so I am here to drop them off. These are new registrations" Caleb handed him the file.

    "Just keep it here" Christian instructed absent-mindedly.

    "What''s up with you"? Caleb asked his brother.

    Christian thought for a moment, whether or not he should involve Caleb in his crazy speculation. "Did you know that Dad arranged ''passing the torch'' ceremony next week?"

    "Know? More like helped him arrange everything quick" Caleb scoffed. "It was the main reason for my hectic schedule last week," Caleb chuckled. "Well that and adoption".

    "Adoption?" Frowned Christian.

    "Yeah, I adopted the Fountain Girls," Caleb informed his brother.

    "Wow, congratulations" Christian smiled half-heartedly at him. "Look at you growing your family"

    "Yepp, three kids, a finace¨¦. Mom and Dadˇ­ and somewhat sad brother. I got the whole package" Caleb snorted, earning a glare from Christian. "What''s going on with you? You lookˇ­ sad. Is it about Sebastian"?

    "No. I mean he would be taking a big leave.. But this is not about him" Christian declared. "I am confusedˇ­ about Dad"

    "What about him"? Caleb wondered.

    "He.. don''t you think he is rushing this. Passing on the torch to me" Christian asked.

    "What are you talking about. You are thirty one, if anything, I think he had been really patient on this one" Caleb chuckled.

    "No, not like that. He is arranging everything in two weeks. As if waiting longer isˇ­ going to bring some apocalypse or something" Christian explained.

    "Oh" Caleb whispered. "Are you sure you are not reading too much into it"?

    "I dunno." Christian shrugged and sighed.

    "You don''t think he isˇ­" Caleb trailed off, unable to even express himself as dread filled him.

    "I dunno," Christian repeated and sighed.

    "Oh God, why would you give me ideas"! Caleb groaned with annoyance.

    "Look, I am not trying to freak out or anything. It''s justˇ­. I am freaked out." Christian admitted.

    "Yeah, I get thatˇ­ but. Oh god" Caleb closed his eyes and took a deep breath and declared, "You know what? I have a lot of pending cases that need my attention. Soˇ­ I''m justˇ­ gonna go and ignore this entire conversationˇ­ and pretend as if everythings alright" Caleb put up a fake smile and got up.

    "Can you"? Christian asked.

    "Stop it"! Caleb snarled at his brother and disappeared.

    Reflecting upon his brother''s words, he realised that Caleb''s plan probably was the best plan at this moment. It''s not like thinking too much about it would help, but at the same time he had many responsibilities that needed his attention.

    So, ignoring everything he immersed himself in the workload he had. It wasn''t that easy, but he was willing to give it a shoy.

    On the other hand Caleb who promised to focus work only was often distracted by what Christian said. He had to admit that Christian had a point and he was so busy with his own stuff that he didn''t notice how weird his Dad was acting.

    To be fair Caleb and Mr Wrisberg weren''t that close, which could explain why he didn''t notice earlier. Their relationship was more like a boss-employer than father and son.... And at this point Caleb preferred it that way.

    After he was done updating the cases on the computer, Scott approached him, "Did you know this"?

    "Know what?" Frowned Caleb.

    "We will be having a new cheif soon. Carter has been relocated". Scott informed him. "Aren''t you the boss? You should know this stuff". Scott frowned.

    "You''re right, I am the boss. You should be careful how you speak in front of me" Caleb remarked with a glare immediately sending a chill down Scott''s spine. "As for Carter. I am aware. I just don''t this it makes any difference. Now, if you''re done for the day, go home" Caleb ordered before logging off his computer.

    Scott disappeared immediately so as to not antagonize his boss further.. Caleb was mostly chill, but at the times he was not he can be scary as hell.

 Chapter 266 - Forgotten Plans

    That evening, Ashton decided to pay his mate a visit to the police station. He just got his first pay after all these years and he was excited to celebrate. It wasn''t much, since his pay was weekly, but stillˇ­ enough to celebrate.

    Ashton had no idea when Caleb got off work. But he decided to wait in case it took him time. Ashton linked his mate to check if Caleb was still inside or not. After confirming, Ashton simply sat down on the concrete bench outside.

    After a while a guy came out of the door mumbling stuff, which after a careful listening Ashton deduced he was cursing his superior. "He is barely here but he pretends to be all high and mighty! Superior my ass, I have to take care of everything" He huffed.

    He froze as soon as he spotted Ashton on the bench, as if he recognized Ashton. The expression of familiarity on his face confused Ashton, as he had no recollection of a situation when he had met this weird guy.

    "Youˇ­!" That guy exclaimed as soon as he spotted him. "You''re him" his actions only confused Ashton further.

    "Who are you"? Ashton asked with annoyance. "I am Scott Carson. I''m a sergeant here. It''s nice to Finnair meet you. You are Sher''s fianc¨¦e right"? He asked. Ashton frowned upon which he cleared, "Sheriff Wrisberg".

    "Yep"! Ashton nodded. "How did you knowˇ­"? He trailed off.

    "Sher told us. He showed us your pic the other day when you couldn''t make it" explained Scott. "You look much better in person." He commented.

    Ashton frowned but didn''t say anything. After a few awkward seconds passed, Ashton asked, "The superior you''re cursing a moment agoˇ­ Was it Caleb"? Ashton raised an eyebrow

    Scott paled immediately as soon as his mind processed the accusation, "Whaaat.. No!" He replied in a higher pitch. The dead blank stare Ashton gave him was implying that Ashton clearly didn''t buy it. "Okay, I''m sorry! Yeah it was him. He is usually nice, but sometimes he can be a bitˇ­ strict" Scott explained, trying not to say anything that would further aggravate the situation. "Please don''t tell him. I really like my job. My kids depend on me" he begged.

    Ashton was surprised by how Scott just revealed everything. It was like instead of the police he was a petty thief under interrogation. "Let''s hope it doesn''t come up," Ashton shrugged. Of course Scott was irritated that Ashton couldn''t just keep his mouth shut. But as for Ashton, he couldn''t exactly promise anything because of the mate bond they shared. Nothing, no memories were private for them.

    "Anyways, I gotta go. I''ll see you some other time" Scott shrugged and took his leave.

    Ashton waited for another hour, sitting there by himself, until a hand on his shoulder startled him. "How long have you been sitting here?" Asked Caleb.

    "Not for long," Ashton smiled.

    "Why didn''t you come inside? I could have introduced you to my colleagues" Caleb asked.

    "I didn''t want to disturb you". Explained Ashton.

    "That''s sweet of you, but FYI I don''t mind". Caleb patted his back before Ashton got up. "Ready to head home"? He asked.

    "Actually, I was hoping we could do something else," Ashton replied with a smirk.

    "Ashton, it''s all we did last week" Caleb rolled his eyes.

    "Not that"! Ashton defended with a blush that was hidden by the dim light of twilight.

    "Okayˇ­" Caleb laughed at his mate''s reaction. "What did you wanna do"? He raised an eyebrow.

    "Remember when I said, we need to relearn about each other. With everything that happened I forgot we didn''t get to do it much. So, I was hoping to go on our first date". He declared, emphasizing on the word ''first''.

    "Like a roleplay"? Caleb smirked.

    "You can say that," Ashton nodded meekly. "But, instead of pretending to be someone else we would be us". Ashton shrugged. "Except the part where we already know each other".

    "Sounds fun" Caleb''s lips twisted with a suggestive smile. "In that caseˇ­ Hi! I''m Sheriff Caleb Wrisberg, how can I help you"?

    Ashton fought the smile that threatened to appear on his face. "Hello Sheriff. I''m Ashton Parker, just a common man living in this town. I was hoping you could spare me a few of your precious hours?" Ashton asked flirtatiously.

    "Is it urgent? I was actually headed home" Caleb teased.

    "I''m afraid it''s very urgent." Ashton played along. "You need to come with me right now" Ashton said ''urgently''.

    "Well, it sounds like we should get going," Caleb nodded and walked off. Since Ashton didn''t have any vehicle with him, they took Caleb''s Car.

    When they finally arrived at their destination, Caleb smirked at their destination. It was the same place where Caleb brought him for their 2nd date. Caleb was more amused that Ashton chose this place of all the places, "So what''s the emergency "? Caleb asked, playing and teasing.

    "You see.. today this restaurant had low visits. There''s a lot of food, and if not eaten can create unnecessary wastage" Ashton smirked.

    "I see, that is a very important crisis" Caleb nodded dramatically. "As a sheriff I should step up and help them. But I can''t do it alone. Will you assist me?" Caleb shrugged.

    "With pleasure" Ashton bowed his head. "Always ready to help you help people".

    Caleb ended up chuckling for a moment, breaking his character before he headed on to the restaurant. After ordering, Caleb decided to talk, "So, while we wait on that, let''s get to know each other. Tell me more about yourself".

    "I''m a simple man. I work in a garage." Ashton shrugged.

    "Family?" Caleb asked.

    "Oh, I have a big one. Twin sisters, a mom. A finace¨¦ and three adorable kids". Ashton shrugged. "What about you"?

    "I have a big brother. He can be annoying but I love him. I too have a fianc¨¦e and three kids by the way". Caleb added suppressing a chuckle.

    "Common ground". Ashton smirked suggestively. "So, tell me about this fianc¨¦e of yours" Ashton pried.

    "Oh, there is nothing much to tell. He is just a simple man." Caleb mumbled using Ashton''s own words against him. "He can be a bit possessive though".

    "Really"? Ashton blinked. "Don''t you think he will mind if he sees us together?".

    "Very. You should be careful of him. He will actually kill you". Caleb teased.

    "Well, the town sheriff will protect me," Ashton smirked.

    At that moment their dinner arrived and they ate while continuing their playful conversation. After they were done, Caleb mumbled. "Well, I guess we are done helping people".

    "Not yet. There is another place where you might be needed. If you are up for it"? Ashton raised an eyebrow at him.

    Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Caleb mumbled.. "Okay, Let''s help people out more".

 Chapter 267 - Under The Stars

    "It''s not people," Ashton mumbled. Caleb raised an eyebrow to which Ashton added. "You''ll see".

    As soon as Caleb was about to get into the car, he was stopped by Ashton by putting a hand on his wrist. "No Car"? Caleb raised an eyebrow.

    "No Car" Ashton smirked. An amused smile appeared on Caleb''s face as soon as he noticed the smirk on his mate''s face.

    "Aren''t you a mysterious helper?" Caleb remarked. He led them through the empty road towards an unknown direction. Caleb wasn''t quite sure where they were headed but it didn''t matter since they were together. And being together is all they needed.

    "You know, being werewolves we are always used to running around in our paws. It''s nice to walk in peace for a change". Caleb mumbled.

    "I''m sorry, did you say werewolves? Do you believe in such myths"? Ashton teased.

    Caleb ended up rolling his eyes followed by a laugh. "I see you don''t believe in such stories. Too bad." Caleb shook his head.

    "Tell me somethingˇ­" Ashton trailed off. "What made you want to be a sheriff? Did you always want to become one"? He asked.

    "Honestlyˇ­ I dunno. I never thought about my future as much. My primary goal was to become stronger than I am perceived. To prove my worthˇ­ to be more than just some male omegaˇ­" Caleb pursed his lips, "But, after losing youˇ­ I realised that there are more threats in the world that don''t include my pack." Caleb explained.

    Ashton remained quiet allowing Caleb to continue, "After what happened with Warren and Karolynˇ­ After I got Connorˇ­ I wanted to protect him at all costs. I guess choosing to be a police helped that to a certain extent. That way I had authority as a human as well" Caleb smiled.

    "Well, Connor is lucky to have a Dad like you," Ashton commented. "I am lucky to have a mate like you".

    "We are breaking characters are we"? Caleb asked.

    "Yeah.. I can''t do that any longer." Ashton chuckled. "I know I am your mate, and I always will feel a part of what you feel. This connection goes both waysˇ­ but I don''t think I can ever understand the pain you went through for all these years. If I could turn back timeˇ­ I will, and I will decide to stay" Ashton replied with guilt.

    "We all make stupid decisions, some we regret more than the others. But it''s okay. Because deep down I always knew you would come back" Declared Caleb.

    "How could you have such faith"? Ashton asked.

    "I love youˇ­ that''s how" Caleb mumbled.

    Ashton halted, prompting Caleb to hold still as well. "What"? Caleb asked. Without any further words Ashton pulled Caleb into an embrace and hugged him tightly. Caleb was stunned for a moment by the sudden affection before he hugged him back.

    "I love you.. So so much" Ashton whispered in Caleb''s ears.

    "I know" Caleb chuckled and patted his back.

    After a while, Ashton pulled back and declared, "We''re here"

    "In the middle of the road"? Caleb looked around and questioned.

    "No," Ashton laughed. "Come" he led him through the bushes to the brink of a waterfall. This was one of the few places Ashton brought him for dates when they were younger. Caleb never visited this place alone. It always held a special place in his heart. Something that belonged to just them. He couldn''t come back here just by himself.

    But being back hereˇ­ once more relieving all those memories, a nostalgic era threatened to escape his eyes. He couldn''t believe how long it had been. The memories in his head were so fresh that it still felt like yesterday.

    "I didn''t bring a rug, but if it''s okay with you we can sit down. The grass is still a bit wet from the rain" Ashton mumbled. Caleb didn''t reply as the surge of emotions made him mum. "Caleb"? Ashton whispered.

    "I would like to sit down", Caleb whispered through his quivering voice.

    "Caleb are you okay"? Ashton froze as soon as he heard his voice. "We can leave if you don''t like it." Ashton blurted.

    "No, Ashton. I wanna stay" Caleb smiled at him and nodded. Taking the lead he sat down on the wet grass after which he pulled Ashton''s hand to make him sit as well. "Coming back here just reminded me of old times. I guess that''s why I got so emotional." Caleb chuckled.

    "I see," Ashton mumbled. "I used to come here a lotˇ­ especially a lot with you" Ashton shared. "I don''t express my emotions much, so I used to come here to vent since this place is soˇ­ quaint"

    "I can see that," Caleb smiled. A yawn escaped through Caleb signifying how tired he was after the day he had. He was about to lie down when Ashton put his hand on Caleb''s back.

    "What are you doing"? Ashton asked with a frown.

    "I am lying down," Caleb declared as a matter of factly.

    "The grass is wet, and muddy!" Ashton reminded him. "You are wearing a light colored shirt. It''ll be stained." Ashton tried to reason with him.

    "Ashton, I am very tired. I really don''t care" Caleb shook his head in annoyance.

    "I got ya" Ashton nodded. Ashton declared and slid behind Caleb and made Caleb lie down on his own chest. "This is comfy enough?'''' He asked.

    Getting further comfortable he mumbled, "Perfect. This way I can look at the stars without dirtying my shirt" He chuckled.

    Ashton looked up to see a foggy sky, with a distorted crescent moon. Since it was the time of rain, the sky was foggy and therefore stars weren''t visible. "There aren''t any stars," Ashton commented with a frown.

    "They are behind the clouds. I can''t see them, but I know they are there. Sometimes that''s just as good" Caleb mumbled whilst closing his eyes.

    "What"? Ashton frowned. He had a feeling Caleb was trying to pull a metaphor, but he had no idea what.

    "You wouldn''t get it" Caleb smirked before he went quiet.

 Chapter 268 - Summoned

    Ashton sat there for a while, still while playing with his mate''s hair that was blocking his face. Soon, there were soft snores coming from the man lying on his chest. It was really late at night, therefore it was not just Caleb, but Ashton as well so was tired as hell.

    However, Ashton didn''t want to miss out on witnessing the face of his peacefully asleep mate. Caleb''s features had matured over the span of eight years. His jaw was more prominent along with the visible beard line on his clean shaven face. Somehow Caleb appeared even more handsome to him.

    Suddenly, Caleb''s brow puckered and he woke up in a jolt. Before Ashton could ask what was wrong he felt a few droplets on his exposed back of the palm. It was raining, again.

    Caleb sat up, agitated by the droplets and within that tiny duration of Caleb''s action the rain came down like a freaking storm on them. Their car was still far away rendering them unable to reach there without being soaking wet.

    However they ran through the bushes, where the overhead trees provided them a Pseudo shelter. The rain still poured through them, but with less agitating vigor. "Damn it, my shirt is ruined" Caleb huffed in annoyance trying to brush off some of the water droplets from his arm.

    When he finally looked up at Ashton he noticed Ashton was still, staring at him with a blank expression. Caleb noticed how Ashton''s dripping hair gave his look a certain edge even in the dark, "Ashton?" He called out.

    Ashton blinked and swallowed his own saliva before clearing his throat, "What?" He asked.

    "You okay"? Caleb frowned.

    Ashton simply nodded and continued to stare at him. To get a proper look, Caleb put his hand on his mate''s face but instead of that look he got a sudden attack of lips on his own. Those lips laced with rainwater brought out a different kind of heat in that moment, the one where Caleb found himself melting faster than ever.

    Ashton pushed his mate on the tree behind Caleb and continued to kiss his mate fiercely, as if Ashton had to put everything he had into that one kiss.

    Caleb, whose mind was completely blank, could only focus on kissing back his mate, and soon he found his own hands tracing the abs of his own mate from under the shirt. Somehow he himself forgot about his discomfort of being intimate in the open.

    Somehow this rain fueled up the intensity of the passion they had for each other, but neither of them were complaining. Ashton moved down to his mate''s neck and nibbled on it before biting down, ensuring that it left a bruise that would last long enough.

    Heavy but soft moans escaped Caleb''s mouth as Ashton found his way to Caleb''s collarbones. Turns out Ashton had already managed to unbutton the first two buttons of his shirt.

    Just as Ashton was about to go down a loud ring brought both of them back from their haze. Both of them tried to catch their breaths before Caleb took out his phone from his pocket, "What"! He snarled.

    "Thereˇ­### and he..##..unknown"... the line was disturbing as hell. Caleb checked and realized that it was from the police station itself.

    "This is odd. I never get calls from the station. Most of the cases they can handle by themselves" Caleb mumbled.

    "Do you think it''s urgent"? With disappointment, Ashton asked.

    "As much as I would love to continue with our session, I think I need to go". Declared Caleb.

    "Butˇ­" Ashton pursed his lips. "It''s raining," he added.

    "Don''t worry, I can''t catch a cold , remember "? Caleb smirked and ran through the raging storm leaving a wet Ashton stranded in the bushes. Ashton had no choice but to wait it out before he headed home. As much as he wanted to go and check up on Caleb, Ashton could tell if they stopped midway, Caleb would prefer not to be disturbed. To ensure what was happening, Ashton kept linking his mate from time to time

    Caleb on the other hand felt bad for abandoning Ashton like that in the rain, but he knew he was needed urgently at the police station. If being a sheriff and a pack leader has taught him something, it was to trust your own gut. And right now, his gut screamed that he should be at the police station.

    Upon reaching a strong sense of wolf smell hit his nose. He frowned in suspicion before entering the bullpen. "What''s going on"? He asked.

    "A dead unknown man was discovered by the bayou a while ago. We have no means of ID-ing him" an unfamiliar voice briefed.

    Caleb turned to the strange man wearing the same uniform as the most of them and asked, "And you are"?

    "I am Sergeant Casper Stevens. I''m new and was transferred here" the man replied.

    "Don''t you start tomorrow"? Caleb narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

    "I do. I was on my way to check out my new workplace when I found this person" Declared Sergeant Stevens. "Shouldn''t we focus on identifying this man"? Annoyed, the Sergeant asked.

    "And figure out what happened to him," Caleb sighed. "Do you have the photos from the crime scene?" He asked. The Sergeant nodded and went away to get it.

    Taking advantage of that tiny window, Caleb took the fingerprints and a few hair samples. Judging from the scent of this wolf, he was not a member of this pack. What more was that his scent was that of an Alpha. Whatever happened just has been brutal as the Alphas never back down without a fight.

    The abrasions on his whole body and his face were ruined, showing how brutal the killer was, whoever he was.. Caleb couldn''t help but feel a sense of deja vu as he stared at the body of the unknown wolf. They just recovered from a war so why was it happening again? Caleb wondered

 Chapter 269 - Substitute

    Ashton waited for his mate to show up for the entire night. He was too tired to stay awake, but he still managed. After around three he started to doze off, unable to keep his eyes open anymore. He checked on Caleb one last time through their link before he dozed off for good.

    The next day he woke up late, at around noon. He went to look for his mate, but when he didn''t find him he linked him again to still find him working on a case. Ashton had no idea why Caleb was this invested. Somehow it seemed Caleb cared about this case more than any others.

    "Have you seen my Dad"? A childish voice asked from Ashton''s back.

    Ashton turned around and looked down to find none other than Connor looking at Ashton with earnest expression. He had never seen Connor this adorable.

    "Heˇ­ he is at work" Ashton declared.

    "He is always at work," Connor grunted.

    "Why are you here? Don''t you have school"? Ashton asked as he tried to recall which day of the week it was. It was Wednesday, so it wasn''t supposed to be a holiday.

    "Today is Halloween! It''s a holiday" Connor declared with annoyance. "Dad promised to go to the school with me," he pouted.

    "Tell you what, I''ll tell him about this" Ashton offered.

    "No, I wanna talk to him myself. Call my Dad, I wanna talk to him"! Connor insisted while shaking Ashton''s arm via his sleeve.

    "I.. I don''t have his number" Ashton admitted. It was weird how despite being mates he never bothered taking his number. Most of the time linking worked, so he didn''t bother with a call. "I link him, since I am his mate," Ashton admitted.

    "Huh! This is why I should get to have a phone" Connor pouted and left. Ashton contemplated whether to follow the kid or not, but he decided it was best he talked to Caleb about this.

    He finally linked Caleb, and made him aware of his presence, [hey, you haven''t been home yet]

    [Hi, I''m sorry Ash. The work this time is a bit urgent] Caleb replied.

    [But, today is Halloween. Connor is waiting for you] Ashton informed his mate.

    [Shit!! I totally forgot about that. I...] Caleb hesitated. [I have missed a lot of key events in his life, I was really looking forward to the halloween] Caleb expressed, disheartened.

    [Then come! You have taken a lot of breaks for me, for the pack. Take one for your son] Ashton insisted.

    [That''s the point. I can''t] Caleb sighed.

    [But why?] Ashton urged.

    [This one involves a wolf, and not just any wolf, but the leader of Linares pack. It is not one of our packs, but it is still nearby] Declared Caleb. [If only you could see how brutally he was murdered Ashton, you''d realise why I am so concerned. I need to figure out who did this, before this threat becomes a threat to our pack]

    [What if the murder had nothing to do with us? What if whoever killed had a personal grudge against him or the Linares pack? Maybe this is not that big of a threat] Ashton insisted.

    [I really hope you are right. I don''t want it to be otherwiseˇ­ but..] Caleb trailed off.

    [You can''t be at peace if you are not certain] Ashton declared for him instead. [I get it, but what about Connor? He was really looking forward to a father son evening] Ashton asked.

    [Wait a minute, you can go with him instead of me.] Caleb offered.

    [What no! He needs his Dad there] Ashton rolled his eyes.

    [Hello! You adopted him right? You are officially his Dad. Just go with him, bond with him. You can wear the costume I bought. It''s in my closet, black bag on the leftˇ­ if it fits you that is] Caleb chuckled.

    [Hey! Do not do this. You know if I show up instead of you he would be annoyed as hell?] Ashton tried to persuade his mate.

    [I know. But if none of us go he''ll be even more disappointed. Just go with him, show up for him just this once. I promise as soon as I am done I''ll be there.] Caleb tried to convince him.

    [Caleb there would always be some or the other threat, you can''t miss out on Connor''s entire life for that can you? Especially important moments like this.] Ashton sighed.

    Caleb didn''t reply to him or anything, and pretty soon he was disconnected from the link. Sighing, Ashton headed towards his mate''s room and scoured the entire closet. Finally finding the bag Caleb was talking about, he looked inside it. The clothes appeared gold and red, and on taking out he realised it was an iron man suit.

    Ashton was not a fan of superhero cultures that humans seemed to enjoy a lot, which made it only worse that he would have to wear these to a party. Not to mention Caleb won''t be super thrilled to have Ashton in the party.

    On the other hand, Ashton''s face would be hidden in the mask, meaning as long as his voice was not heard, he would be able to pretend that he is Calebˇ­. Unless Connor catches the differences in their body shape.

    Should he give it a try? But then Connor would be hurt if he found out he was lied to. Connor''s reaction when he found out that Caleb wasn''t his real Dad was pretty heartbreaking, and he would hate to lie to that kid again.

    So, trying to ignore his distaste in the costume, he decided to give it a tryˇ­ and guess what? It fit him really well. Now all he had to do was convince Connor that instead of Caleb it would be him who would be accompanying him.

    He looked for Connor all around in the house. When he finally found him lying on his bed, upset, he called out "Connor"?

    Connor froze as soon as he looked at him, "Why are you in my Dad''s costume"? He was furious.

    "Um.. your Dad couldn''t make it" Ashton tried.

    "So? You can''t have his costume"! He huffed. "What if he decides to come at the last moment, what will he wear then"! Connor shouted at Ashton. Ashton sighed in exasperation.. Not only he didn''t know how to answer that, he had no idea how he was gonna convince Connor that he would be accompanying him.

 Chapter 270 - The Reason Behind

    Ashton tried once more to link Caleb and see if he could be there, but all he did was disturb him causing him to delay further. Ashton tried to talk to Connor as well, but it turned out to be hopeless as well. Instead Connor was now dead set on not going to the school party at all.

    Ashton groaned, unsure of what to do, so he called another person who might actually know how to help him. He explained his situation properly before groaning, "What should I do"?

    "What do you want to do"? His mum, Mrs Parker, asked.

    "I want to go with him. I don''t want him to miss out on an important school event like this" Ashton sighed.

    "Then take him." Mrs Parker said as a matter of factly. "Talk to him, ask him why can''t you go with him". Mrs Parker urged.

    "Because he hates me," Ashton declared.

    "He doesn''t!" Mrs Parker huffed, offended by his assumption. "Stop assuming how he feels and talk to him. He is a brilliant kid. Maybe he is upset because he was looking forward to spending quality time with his Dad, rather than halloween. Just go talk to him". Ashton could feel the eye roll from the other side of the line.

    "I''llˇ­ I''ll try" Exasperated, Ashton replied.

    He headed back to Connor''s room, once more, only to find it locked from the inside. "Connor! Come on open the door" He urged.

    "Is my Dad coming"? Connor asked from the inside.

    "No, butˇ­" Ashton began but he was soon cut off.

    "Then Go away! Stop bothering me"! Connor huffed. Ashton could tell from the sound of Connor''s voice that he was feeling hurt. And as much as Ashton hated that Connor felt that way he had no idea what to do about it.

    "Connor, please talk to me. Why don''t you want me at your halloween party"? Ashton asked softly.

    "Because we are supposed to take our parents. You are not my Parent"! Connor screamed.

    "I knowˇ­ but I can be" Ashton tried.

    "I don''t want you to be! Ever since you came my Dad only spends time with you"! Connor shouted in anger. Wait, is that why he didn''t like Ashton, because Caleb spends so much time with him. They had lost eight years, so they tried to make up for some lost timeˇ­ but he never realized that Connor felt so left out.

    Now Ashton felt like an idiot. In retrospect, Connor did hate him. He hated Ashton for keeping his Dad away from him, "It''s not like that Connor." Ashton tried to explain.

    "You guys went for a trip last week! Don''t try to fool me" Connor huffed.

    "We didn''t go for a trip, it was important" Ashton countered.

    "Stop lying"! Connor shrieked from the other side of the door.

    "I am not. Do you wanna know what we did? We adopted those girlsˇ­ and I adopted you, officially" Ashton declared. He waited for Connor''s response, in regards to this big revelation, but he was starting to worry when he received no response.

    "Connor"! Ashton knocked again. Maybe he did it. The final strike which only increased Connor''s anger towards him. Ashton couldn''t help but cuss at himself at this moment.

    After a whole minute, which felt like a lot more by the way, the door opened as Connor stared at him suspiciously. "You.. adopted me"? He questioned.

    "Yes. I am going to marry your Dad. I would like to be your family as well" Ashton declared.

    "You didn''t have to adopt me just because you''re marrying him" Connor mumbled.

    Ashton crouched down so that they were talking face to face. "I know I didn''t, but I wanted to".

    "Why"? Connor asked in a whisper.

    "Because I know how you feel. At least a part of it. When I lost my parents I was completely alone in the world until the Parkers adopted me. I don''t want you to feel like that ever" Ashton declared.

    "So you pity me"! Connor pouted.

    Ashton shook his head, "No Connor. I like you. You helped me stay in control when I felt I was done for. I would love to be your family. I know legally, I am your Dad as well, but if you''ll let meˇ­ I''d really like to be your family" Ashton said.

    "You would look like a teenage Dad," Connor commented.

    Ashton chuckled at that comment before asking, "Is that a yes"?

    Connor nodded at him lightly before saying, "I''ll go get my costume ready".

    Ashton helped Connor fit into the costume before driving him to his school. Most of the people, including their principal, stared at Ashton thanks to him keeping his mask off. Turns out, even in that ridiculous outfit, Ashton still looked quite hot.

    At the school, they had a few events planned including many games related or even non related to halloween. Most of them had the parents teacher duo as a team and therefore it was like a mini competition, and whoever won that particular round would get a halloween themed prize. Some got a gutted pumpkin, some got scary horror masks. One person even got a skeleton costume. While Connor and Ashton got Vampire fangs. The prize was coincidentally appropriate as it went well with Connor''s other half.

    "You can have it" Connor gave those tiny fangs to Ashton, even those that won''t fit Ashton.

    "I don''t think these would fit me," Ashton chuckled.

    "These are useless to me. I like the real ones more" Connor shrugged. Ashton, with a smile, took those fangs as a token of the time they spent here. It was really fun, and for the first time he actually felt like Connor''s Dad. That Connor accepted him as his Dad.

    Ashton was on the brink of happiness when the teacher announced the final activity. ''The haunted house''. Basically, they have transformed the common hall into a series of scary stuff. There are a bunch of clues hidden in the room that would help them solve a puzzle to escape the room. Yes, it was more of an escape room.

    Ashton was skeptical, but he decided to give it a try. The room, even though made artificially scary, was still kept PG rated for the little kids. So much so that Connor was bored. He had seen much horrible stuff in real life. They looked for clues, and found them within five minutes.

    However, the clues were still complicated for them to crack the ultimate puzzle. Feeling that they would eventually run out of time, both of them sighed.. Until, they heard a familiar voice say, "Maybe I can help."

 Chapter 271 - Happy

    Both Ashton and Connor turned to find none other than Caleb.

    "Caleb"!

    "Dad"!

    Both of them exclaimed at the same time. "Whatˇ­ howˇ­"? Ashton trailed off with a chuckle.

    "I decided to take a break," Caleb replied with a smile. "I guess you were right. I can''t keep missing his life just because of some cases." Caleb declared.

    "I thought it was an important one?" Ashton smirked.

    "So is this". Caleb declared. "Now let''s see what this puzzle is". He squatted down to take a look at the note in Connor''s hand.

    ''Like it or not, you let me in

    But you throw me out, when it''s Halloween''

    "What exactly do we throw out on Halloween"? Ashton mumbled.

    "Hurry Dad! We are close to winning this round" Connor urged.

    "Umˇ­" Caleb thought harder, and took a look around himself, to spot anything that could fit the description of the puzzle even remotely. As if someone lit a bulb, his eyes glistened, and he ran towards the table. Taking off the huge pumpkin over the shelf, he put his hand into it. After a second or two, his hand emerged with a key. "This is it"! He exclaimed as he ran towards the door, letting them out.

    Finally they managed to come out of the room. "Yes! We made it! We made it to the contest! We win"! Connor jumped with happiness and soon enough he was on his Dad''s lap. Caleb and Ashton rejoiced as well, seeing the smiling face of their son.

    They received a prize at the end of the night and pretty much left the party with smiling faces. "This is the first time two of my parents showed up," Connor mumbled. "It was awesome"!

    Caleb, who was amused by the remark, looked at Ashton. Linking him, he replied, [Yep! I am officially his Dad as well.]. Ashton thought back to his conversation, which Caleb managed to get a glimpse of and thus the latter smiled in response.

    "You know.. I was thinkingˇ­ Since Christmas is coming, do you wanna go somewhere? It''ll be like a family vacation" Caleb suggested.

    "Really"?

    "A vacation"?

    Ashton was surprised and so was Connor. As far as either or them could recall, they never had any official vacation as of yet. Sure, they had gone on tiny trips, but it was either due to some other reason, or very short lasting. "Will you get the time"? Ashton asked, aware of the workload on Caleb.

    "I''ll put in overtime for the upcoming weeks so that I can apply for a leave" Caleb suggested. "I was gonna put in some extra hours anyways, might as well get something out of it." Caleb smirked.

    "What about the passing-the-torch ceremony? You need to be there as well"? Ashton suggested.

    "I actually don''t. It''s not me who is getting the torch" Caleb pointed out.

    "But Uncle Chris would miss you". Connor pouted. "You won''t be there"

    "Trust me, he will be pretty busy himself," Caleb scoffed. "The party guests are gonna hog all of his attention. And I am pretty sure if he has some attention to spare, Sebastian can fill the role." he smirked.

    "You are still his brother" Ashton pointed out.

    "I know," Caleb smiled. "But we both know how important our jobs are. If I were him, I won''t mind, especially if he comes to know the case I am working on"

    "What are you working on"? Connor, who was unaware, asked with utter innocence in his voice.

    "Uhˇ­" Caleb struggled, not to alarm his seven year old son. "It''sˇ­ a little bit wolf related. As a sheriff I have to make sure I mask things properly from the humansˇ­ you knowˇ­ casual bridging the gap stuff" Caleb shrugged, but soon he felt a link.

    [You''re lying to him again.] Ashton pointed out.

    [I don''t want him to be worried for nothing.] Caleb replied.

    [Are you sure it''s nothing?] Ashton asked. [If he knows, he''ll be careful.]

    [Lemme figure things out first, then I''ll rethink my decision to tell him] Caleb declared, disconnecting the link.

    Upon reaching home, they were greeted by their traditional family halloween meal, with both of their families present. Surprisingly, Christian wasn''t in the mix, but then again, Alpha business keeps him quite busy. Ashton was quite delighted to see the twins are back.

    But, when he found out they would be leaving the next day, he offered to drop them off. The twins were skeptical, being well familiar with his driving skills, but Ashton managed to convince them with arguments like, ''this would be a great way to catch up'' or, ''he''ll get to see where they are going to college'' and eventually, ''I am your big brother, it''s my decision, deal with it''.

    It was a happy moment, too happy for any of them in a long while. Where all of them were together, where all of them got along with each otherˇ­ when no one''s life was in immediate danger. So, when Ashton noticed Caleb slip away to the front porch, he followed him, wondering what was going on.

    "Worried about the mysterious dead wolf"? Ashton assumed. He knows why Caleb is so affected by that, and as much Ashton sucks at comforting, he wants to try.

    "I am, but I can take care of it later." Caleb shook his head.

    "What''s wrong"? Ashton asked, tilting his head as he took the seat next to him.

    "I dunno," Caleb pursed his lips and looked at him. "Itˇ­ it seems like a dream. I mean, we still have a lot to do, wedding plans and allˇ­ and with my overtime, it might be a bit difficult to make time. But seeing you with Connor today, getting along as if we have always been a little familyˇ­" Caleb sighed.

    "Isn''t that what you wanted"? Ashton frowned.

    "It''s exactly what I wanted," Caleb chuckled. "Which is why it is harder to believe." He hummed.

    Ashton was still confused. All this time Caleb tried to encourage Ashton to bond with Connor, and now that he has, Caleb tells him that he thought it won''t be easy. It was a bit hard not to feel hurt. "What does that mean"? He asked.

    "I am happy, Ashton," Caleb mumbled. "Happier than I have ever been in a long time. Last time I felt this way was probably when we got together. As if I got everything I wished forˇ­" Caleb sighed. Ashton waited for Caleb to continue. "I am just scared of what will happen next. I want this to last forever"

    "It will," Ashton prompted.

    "How can you possibly know that"? Caleb rolled his eyes, glancing at him.

    "Because I will do everything in my power to keep it that way." Ashton whispered and planted a soft, but a lingering kiss on his mate''s lips. "And I know so will you. We got this. Together." Ashton smiled.

    Caleb smiled before putting his head on Ashton''s shoulder. "I love youˇ­ so much, Ashton Parker."

    "I love you too, so much, Sheriff Caleb Wrisberg," Ashton smirked, putting his arms over Caleb''s shoulders bringing him closer after which he put his head over Caleb''s, thus enjoying their moment of tranquility.

 Chapter 272 - Pissed

    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

    Christian was busy with his work when he received a text from none other than Sebastian, {7 pm, my place, see you then} Christian frowned. Did Sebastian just order him to be there. Christain was yet to tie up loose strings and with the passing the torch ceremony approaching, things were way too packed for him.

    {Can''t} is all Christian replied.

    {COME! or else I''d be really pissed} came a reply from Sebastian.

    {I have work to do!} Christian huffed as he hit the send button. It was Sebastian''s fault that he had so much work piled up. Sebastian always managed to distract him from doing his work, either by annoying him or just randomly appearing in his thoughts when he was trying to focus.

    {You always have work. Nevermind, I shouldn''t have asked.} That text with a plain face emoji appeared on Christian''s phone.

    Christian stared at the screen for a while. He wondered if Sebastian was planning something which fell through because of his refusal. Feeling bad for pushing Sebastian away, Christian texted Sebastian {I''ll be there, but can it be 7:30?}

    A moment later his phone beeped {Deal}.

    Christian tried harder not to get distracted further as he focussed on getting his job done. He skipped practice today, to keep up with the official processes so that he''d have time to spare in the evening.

    Christian had to admit, in some aspects having a crush was better than actually dating Sebastian. Christian had so much work that he wasn''t sure if he''d be able to maintain a proper work life balance if they got serious.

    He hoped they would in the future, but he wasn''t sure how much time he would be able to put into the relationship. What he feared more is that Christian''s work will drive them apart from each other, like how his father was distant to their entire family.

    After finishing up with his work, while skipping lunch while doing so he headed for Sebastian''s apartment. There before he knocked the door he checked the time in his phone reading 19:28, and sighed in relief that he was just in time. There were muffled noises coming from the other side of the door, and while wondering what might be the cause of that, Christian knocked.

    After a few seconds the door was opened by Sebastian who was shirtless and quite sweaty. It was hard to look away from Sebastian, but in the periphery Christian did not miss the bright lights and the loud music signifying that a party was going on. "What''s happening"? Christian couldn''t help but ask, after swallowing his saliva.

    "It''s halloween"! Sebastian declared with excitement. "Which reminds me, I probably should have mentioned a costume. You lookˇ­ bland" Sebastian declared while taking a look at Christian from head to toe.

    "I guess like you I should probably take off my shirt then" Christian mumbled sarcastically.

    Not that Sebastian missed it, but he wanted to confirm as the loud music was distracting him, "Wait what"?

    "Never mind." Christian shook his head. "Don''t tell me you called me here for this party"?

    "Of course?" Sebastian frowned. "Why else would I call you"

    Christian opened his mouth, to say what he actually thought. To say that maybe it was something that would be for just the two of them. Not that he minded a party, but he postponed his remaining work onto the next day just for some party. It pissed him off. Taking a deep breath instead he blurted, "Where is the booze"?

    Sebastian frowned, being well aware of Christian''s tolerance, but he still showed him the direction to the drinks. Without a word Christian left making Sebastian wonder what was wrong with Christian.

    After around four of five shots of vodka, Christian looked around the entire room. He recognised everyone, as all of them were werewolves who were around his age. Even Melanie was there, and so was one of the newest members of their pack Riley.

    Christian assumed Sebastian found Riley annoying, which is why he was surprised to see him at this party. What was more surprising was that Sebastian seemed to be having some kind of a casual conversation with Riley at that very moment.

    Christian had no idea what came over him, maybe it was the drinks taking down his inhibitions, but he slammed the bottle in front of him, loud enough to attract the attention of the entire party. Even his hand started to bleed, but the booze prevented him from feeling the pain.

    "What is wrong with you"? Sebastian, who happened to have appeared right next to him, whisper-shouted at him.

    "Go away" Christian brushed him off while looking for another, fresh bottle of alcohol.

    "Christian you should stop, you''re bleeding" Sebastian tried to stop him, but Christian tried to keep swatting him away, getting blood on Sebastian''s body in the process. When Sebastian noticed Christian was still bleeding, he realised that the piece of glass was still in there, thus preventing Christian from healing, along with alcohol, obviously.

    Sebastian looked around the room, to find lingering gazes at their commotion so he grabbed Christian''s hand really hard and dragged him to his bedroom, the one place that was off limits to the entire party. Thank goodness he had installed sound proof walls cause he was about to be really pissed, "What the hell is going on with you!? You have been acting weird ever since you got here"! Sebastian shouted, despite trying his best not to yell too much.

    "Maybe it wouldn''t have ended up like this if you didn''t trick me into coming here"! Christian spat in his drunken haze.

    "Tricked you?" Sebastian frowned. "I never tricked you"! Sebastian argued.

    "You didn''t need me at this party! At all! You were having fun chatting with everyone just as well without me in here! You guilt tripped me into coming here"! Christian''s voice got louder.

    "Chatting with whom"? Sebastian frowned.

    "I dunno, Riley"? Christian shrugged.

    "I was sitting right next to you while you chugged down on an entire bottle. I didn''t even invite him, why the hell would I be chatting with him"!? Sebastian groaned.

    Christian blinked. Did he see wrong because he was so drunk? It was possible. But still, he was still so angry. "Why did you call me here. You didn''t need me here"? Christian argued.

    "Well, I thought it would be nice to have my boyfriend at a party I am throwing. Clearly you''d rather be somewhere else. Just go home, or crash here if you''d like. If you hate so much being here I won''t call you from the next time onwards" Hurt, Sebastian mumbled.

    He was about to leave when Chirstian''s word stopped him. "I don''t hate being here. I hate other''s being here".

    Sebastian turned around, "What do you mean"?

    "I thought you wanted to spend the evening with me" Christian admitted finally.

    "I did," Sebastian clarified.

    "Not with others around" Chirstian clarified further.

    "Wait, so that''s why you are so pissed"? Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "It''s just a party, who knew you were so possessive" he scoffed.

    "I don''t get to give us a lot of time. I just want the time we spend together to be special. That''s all" Christian admitted, while still being dazed due to alcohol.. Christian tried to shake his head to clear off his mind, but was stopped midway once he felt a pair of lips on his.

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 273 - [BONUS] Convenient Store

    Ariel was at the convenience store buying some stuff she might need on her short trip to Crescent pack. She was at the counter when another guy appeared right next to her, presumably to stand next to her in line, until he blurted, "Can you let me? I am in a hurry". He asked Ariel.

    Ariel could smell the wolf smell on him, but she had never met him before, "Why?'''' She raised an eyebrow, refusing to budge.

    As soon as the guy noticed her face his eyes widened, "Never mind". If Ariel didn''t know any better, she would say that this guy had seen a ghost.

    The more she tried to make eye contact with him the more he avoided her gaze, "Do you have a problem with me"? Ariel couldn''t help but straight up ask him.

    "N..no" he gulped.

    "Come on! I''m not an idiot. Do you know me"? Ariel pressed.

    "Not... exactly. I ran into you in the parking lot.. yesterday" That guy gulped.

    "Which parking lot"? Ariel.

    "The one in the pack house." He clarified.

    "I wasn''t there yesterday," Ariel shook her head.

    "Right. No you weren''t" He shook his head.

    "What did you see that made you so uncomfortable with me?" Ariel pressed.

    "You wereˇ­ with your boyfriend" the guy began.

    "I don''t have a boyfriend." Ariel rolled her eyes.

    "I mean, yeah. It doesn''t have to be a boyfriend for hookup-" he began, but was cut off by Ariel.

    "Ewww"! She could taste the disgust in her tongue. "I haven''t hooked up with anyone! Is there a chance that I had shorter hair? Till this much"? Ariel pointed her shoulders at the level of her collarbones.

    "Yeah.."the guy nodded after a moment of careful thinking.

    "That was not me. It was my twin sister, Ava. She can be a bitˇ­ wild, I guess" Ariel chuckled fondly.

    "Twins"? The guy''s eyes widened.

    "Yeup! How the hell do you explain sudden long hair, at least as long as mine"? Ariel rolled her eyes.

    "Wig"? The guy suggested, only to get an glare in return. "I am sorry. That was a poor joke. Let me start over, hi. I am Riley".

    "Riley?" Ariel tilted her head at the familiarity of that name. "Ahh, you''re that beta from Ice Fountain pack, the one who helped us win against them" she smirked. "Thanks for helping my brother".

    "Your brother?" Riley frowned.

    "Ashton. The pureblooded Alpha" Ariel clarified.

    "Ahh.. you are his sister. I see" Riley nodded.

    "Why are you in a hurry? You going to Sebastian''s party"? Ariel asked.

    "Sebastian as in Sebastian Kyles?" Riley''s eyes widened as his breathing hitched. Ariel gave him a suspicious look, "He is throwing a party"?

    "Yeah, almost everyone from the ages of 21 to 35 are invited." Ariel shrugged.

    "Not me," Riley chuckled. "I think he finds me annoying"

    "He is not comfortable with fan interactions here," Ariel smiled. "Plus, you are really close with Christian, so he has reasons to not like you."

    "I am not gonna steal his friend" Riley rolled his eyes. Ariel raised her eyebrow at the word friend.

    "Friend"? Ariel asked out loud.

    "They are dating"? Riley was definitely surprised to hear that. "That''s awesome." He chuckled. "But why hate me, it''s not like I am interested in Chirstian like that. I am straight."

    "He doesn''t know that," Ariel smirked. "You seem to have a tendency of coming off as flirty"

    "Really?" Riley was indeed taken aback. "That''s too bad."

    "You wanna know what''s funny, I think Christian believes you like Sebastian," Ariel laughed.

    "No, I love him. But, as an actor." Riley clarified. "Wow, looks like I created a whole misunderstanding for nothing" he sighed and looked down. "Anyways, I gotta go"

    "I paid for your stuff, just take them," Ariel shrugged.

    "What"?! Riley was taken aback. "You didn''t have to." Riley blinked. "Just so we are clear, I wasn''t flirting with you"

    "The guys who try to flirt with me get kicked in their nuts, not paid for their stuff. Just think of it as a gesture. Thank you for helping my brother. No matter how weird you are, going against your alpha must not have been easy" Ariel smiled.

    "You kick the guys who flirt with you"? Riley was taken aback, a bit horrified by her. "Literally"?

    "Sometimes" Ariel shrugged. "Sometimes just metaphorically"

    "Why?" Riley asked, baffled.

    "Cause I don''t wanna date them. And apparently having no boyfriend is a free pass for keep pursuing till you give in" Ariel rolled her eyes. "I am just not into them."

    "Who are you into? Girls"? Riley asked.

    "Look, I know we were having a moment, but I am not really not comfortable discussing this with you. We are not that close" Ariel declared.

    "Sorry, I was just trying to make conversation" Riley apologised quickly. "As you know I am new here, and everyone here has some sort of dynamic where I don''t really fit into. I guessˇ­ I have been trying to make conversation too much." Riley sighed.

    "Having trouble fitting in, huh," Ariel nodded.

    "I mean, I am a friendly guy, I would like to make friends" Riley shrugged.

    "Well, you are not making friends with me today," Ariel added.

    "That was not what I meant. I was saying that I have been trying so hard that I guess, I came off as creepy. I was apologising" Riley corrected.

    "Well, I can be guarded," Ariel sighed. "But you know who is not guarded"? Ariel smirked. Riley frowned at her, "People who are drunk as a skunk" She smiled.

    "So what, you are suggesting I should go to a bar or something"?Riley thought for a moment. "I mean, that doesn''t sound so bad, but if I end up too drunk, there won''t be anyone to drive me home."

    "I am not talking about a bar" Ariel rolled her eyes. "I am talking about Sebastian''s party," she clarified.

    "Nooo...no" Riley shook his head immediately. "I was clearly not invited. I don''t wanna overstep my boundaries. I think I have pissed him off enough."

    "It''s gonna be crazy, no one will even notice that you''re there." Ariel sighed. "And if it helps you feel any better, you can come with me. I am allowed to bring friends"

    "I thought we would not be friends today"? Riley remarked sarcastically.

    "We won''t," Ariel smirked, tilting her head a bit. "But, Sebastian doesn''t need to know that". Riley raised his eyebrows, "I''m gonna need a feedback though, I wanna see if it works"

    Riley simply stared at her blankly. "And you called me weird"

    "I am a psychology student, currently I am studying interactions. You would be a perfect candidate"

    "Great, a lab rat," Riley nodded.

    "You wanna come or not?" Ariel snapped.

    "Yeah," Riley nodded.

    "Good, meet me at the pack house at eight" Ariel shrugged and left.

 Chapter 274 - Debatable

    The pair of lips were followed by a pair of hands snaking into Christian''s neck as he felt himself being pushed back further, until his back hit the wall. They kept kissing and changing angles, whilst Christian managed to hold Sebastian''s waist, ensuring stability in their chaotic make out session.

    When neither of them couldn''t breathe anymore, Sebastian finally pulled away and looked at Christian, who still had his eyes closed. Sebastian put his forehead on Christian and mumbled, "I wish you would remember this once you are sober".

    "I''d be an idiot not to. I might be drunk, but I am not that hammered" Christian chuckled. Christian advanced his head further, to kiss him again, but Sebastian pushed him back, preventing him from doing so. Christian frowned, worried that Sebastian was starting to regret their heated kiss, or have second thoughts as to where this was headed.

    Sure they had decided to take things slow, but at this point it was starting to frustrate Christian. Sebastian grabbed Christian''s right hand, and using his own hand Sebastian plucked the piece of glass that was still stuck there. While Christian didn''t realise the glass pieces were still stuck there, he flinched a bit when Sebatian plucked them out.

    "Let''s not injure ourselves further, shall we" Sebastian chuckled before putting his lips back on Christian, continuing with their cascade.

    Unlike Christian, Sebastian was already shirtless giving Christian an easier access to the ripped body. As he got immersed into the kiss further, as if something snapped in him, Christian grabbed Sebastian''s waist and flipped them in a second.

    It hurt a bit when Sebastian''s back hit the wall due to Christian''s violent push. But he didn''t have time to ponder upon it as he felt the pair of lips on the junction of his neck and the collarbones. Christian gnawed at the exposed skin tracing the edge of the collarbone while soft moans escaped Sebastian.

    Sebastian must admit, he was impressed by Christian''s skills. But Sebastian was pretty skilled himself, and therefore to demonstrate Sebastian pushed both of them together onto the giant bed.

    Sebastian pulled on to the hem of the shirt before ripping it apart into god knows how many pieces. Sebastian had plenty of clothes to lend Christian afterwards, and since they were the same size, it''d fit Christian. But right now, he needed access to the pale skin underneath.

    Sebastian started his journey from the belly button, and while tracing the edge of the abs he reached at the well built pectorals. He bit down on the skin and kept nibbling until the edge of right nipple.

    Feeling Sebastian stop suddenly Christian frowned and glared at him. He saw Sebastian smirk, making Christian confused further until he felt pressure over his nipples and his crotch.

    As much as it felt good, Christian wasn''t about to give up control. He was an Alpha for a reason and he had a deep seated urge to be dominant. Therefore, mustering all his strength he flipped them over and continued where they left off.

    Since, Sebastian was an Alpha as well, he wasn''t that keen on giving up control either, and therefore the battle of dominance continued until it ended up frustrating both of them.

    "This isn''t gonna work out" Sebastian groaned in frustration.

    "I''m not backing down," Christian declared.

    "Well, neither am I"! Sebastian argued as well.

    "One of us has to if we are to continue with this" Christian grunted.

    "Maybe you should be the one to do so," Sebastian shrugged. Christian rolled his eyes, pulled himself away and lied down next to Sebastian. "I guess we have never talked having sex before" Sebastian mumbled, dejected.

    Christian wanted to say how he didn''t bring it up since he was trying to give Sebastian some space and didn''t want to scare him away. But he simply ended up sighing. "Maybe sex isn''t on the table for us" Christian declared, dejected. He sat up and said, "I gotta go"

    "Wait "! Sebastian grabbed Christian''s wrist, preventing him from standing up. "If this means a lot to youˇ­ I can let youˇ­" Sebastian trailed off.

    "No"! Christian sighed. "I don''t want to do it like this. If we are having sex, I want both of us to enjoy it" Christian declared.

    "Look, I have mostly been in straight relationships before, and even those were more than a decade ago." Sebastian tried to explain. "I''m nervous about this whole thing, but I am also excited sinceˇ­ it''s you".

    "I''m glad. But, we don''t have to decide right now. We''re both a bit drunk and we might end up making decisions we regret." Christian pointed out to him. "Besides, we decided to take it slow anyways. We can do this some other time".

    "I''m sick of going slow. I''m outta patience" Sebastian groaned.

    Christian blinked, "Really"? In response he received a deep kiss from the other. Christian chuckled once Sebastian pulled away. Turns out he wasn''t the only one to hold himself back. "You know what, fine." Christian huffed.

    "Fine, what"? Sebastian frowned.

    "Since this is your first time with a guy, you can top," Christian sighed. A faint smirk appeared on Sebastian''s face to which he received, "...but on a condition that this a one time thing. Next time I''ll top" Christian added.

    Sebastian''s smirk disappeared and he blinked simply. After a few seconds he mumbled, "Alright". Christian was pulled into the bed and soon they resumed their session from where they left off.

    Their rest of the clothes were tossed to the floor and the only sounds audible were the sounds of their moans. Their noises were partially tuned out by the noise proof wall, and the rest by the loud party in the living room.

    (A/N: I''m not going into the R18 details this time coz I''m not in the mood to write it. Instead of writing bland stuff, I decided not to write it at all)

    They lost count on how many times they did it. Taking turns till they couldn''t even move. Both of them were Alphas, filled with raw emotions and none of them wanted to stop until they really had to.

    Sebastian had no idea what happened with the party outside. Neither did he care about it. All he cared about was the man lying next to him, whilst they both laid next to each other, unable to move. They were lucky they were wolves, or they would be bed ridden for weeks.

    They remained like that until, not so long after, sunlight greeted them.

 Chapter 275 - Relatives

    "I gotta go" Christian got up as soon as he found some strength within himself to move.

    "Right away"? Sebastian couldn''t help but be upset about this situation. "You barely got any sleep. You still have your morning breath"

    "Yeah! But I''m also late." Christian pointed out.

    "How can you possibly know that? You never checked the time". Sebastian pointed out.

    "It''s a bright day. I''m definitely late. Also my dad just linked me and asked, and here I quote, "Hurry up son! It''s lunch time, where the hell are you?!" Christian rolled his eyes while he blurted the quoted voice by a fake deep voice, mimicking his father''s authority, which only made Sebastian cringe.

    "Okay, don''t take this the wrong way, but since when does he care about your lunch"? Sebastian asked.

    "He cares about his reputation. My relatives are here. They want to see me" Christian shrugged. "At least that''s what my Dad said".

    "The same relatives who didn''t show up for the wedding?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

    "The engagement party. I am sure they would have shown up for the wedding". Christian shrugged.

    "Does your Dad know you are hereˇ­ with me"? Sebastian asked, reluctantly.

    "Nope"! Christian exclaimed as he put on his shirt. "There is no way I am letting him know that. Thank god he can''t see what I am seeing, or elseˇ­" A smirk appeared on Sebastian''s face until Christian mumbled, "I should get going".

    "I know you''re busy, but I gotta say it''s really hard not to take this the wrong way." Sebastian declared, making Christian halt in his way.

    "What"? Christian paused.

    "Come on! We had a great night. At least that''s what I think, and now you''re leaving so suddenlyˇ­" Sebastian trailed off, struggling to explain himself.

    Christian sighed and approached Sebastian and was about to kiss him when Sebastian pulled away, earning a frown from the former, "morning breath" Sebastian reminded Christian. With an eye roll, Christian pulled Sebastian with force and kissed him anyway.

    "I don''t care." Christian declared. "I loved it, okay. Last night was kinda a dream come true and I really wish I didn''t have to leave yet, but I gottaˇ­ so, good bye." Christian planted another peck after which he added, "You know I''ll be back". He winked after which he left.

    Sebastian, still tired, went back to sleep with a glee of morning kiss, meanwhile Christian had to be extremely careful not to step on anything slippery between Sebastian''s bedroom and the apartment door.

    It appeared that the party people had almost completely destroyed this place. If Sebastian was going to clean up this entire place all by himself, then he had a whole day worth of work to do. When he finally managed to step out of the filthy apartment, Christian took a deep breath of relief, before heading off to the Pack house.

    "Christian, where have you been"? The first person to spot him was of course his little brother.

    "Work" Christian shrugged.

    "No, I checked at the office. You weren''t there" Caleb shook his head and brought his face closer to Christian in an attempt to sniff. "Oh.. I see someone scored a home run" Caleb smirked earning an unamused stare from Christian.

    "I can sniff Sebastian all over you. Unlike me and Ash you do give off an awful lot of pheromones" Caleb pursed his lips, suppressing his smile.

    "Which means everyone will be able to tell" Christian rolled his eyes. " Great, just what I need," Christian remarked sarcastically.

    "Relax. Remember when you came out to the entire pack?" Caleb asked. Upon receiving a nod from Christian he continued, "Well then, be that confident and own it. Just pretend it doesn''t bother you, and they will stop teasing" Caleb shrugged. "Anyways, I gotta goˇ­ I am working on this case, in which I would love your input, but for now, you have people to deal with. Bye" Caleb gave his brother a subtle nod and left.

    Christian entered to see an entire table full of people in the dining hall, with plates recently emptied. The meal was towards its end, which means, they are fully loaded to annoy the crap out of him. "Christian, hey.. Do you remember me?" A lady probably in her mid-fifties (Not that she appeared as one, she could easily pass for late thirties).

    "He Rose" Christian offered his aunt, Rosette, a fake smile. She was the sister of Rachel, ie, Christian''s mother, whom neither Christian nor his mother was fond of. But, they tolerated her. "Last time I saw you, you were a teen"

    "Yeah.." Christian nodded. He remembers wishing he never had to see her again.

    "I was sad to hear you broke up the wedding. Rachel told me why, but I would have loved to come if you didn''t"

    "So, I shouldn''t have called it off?" Christian raised an eyebrow.

    "Of course, you should have. But you should find yourself the right person soon enough" Rosette declared.

    "Leave him alone" A groggy elderly voice snapped.

    "Grandpa"! Finally one relative Christian was happy to see. "I didn''t know you were coming back." his grandpa had decided to travel the world when he handed off the pack responsibilities to his younger generation, Rachel and Rosette. He wasn''t satisfied with Rosette''s leadership, but he didn''t bother to interfere either.

    It was hard to tell where he was, in the Pacific, or in some distant town in Brazil. Last he heard from his grandpa was two years ago when he went to Turkey for his anniversary. Christian had to admit, his grandpa was indeed living the dream, even at his age.

    Speaking of travel, Chirstian had a feeling that his grandpa would get along quite well with Sebastian as they are both known to travel a lot, even if Sebastian does it for work purposes. "My grandson is taking over Crescent Point! How can I not come!? Feels like I have been waiting for this day for eternity" The grandpa jokes.

    "I am really glad you could make it" Christian smiled while giving his grandpa a hug.

    "One more thing son, who is he?" Grandpa asked him.

    "Who"? Christian frowned.

    "The guy I am smelling all over you," the grandpa asked, leaving Christian stunned, and possibly with a bit of palpitation.

 Chapter 276 - The Guy

    "What?" Christian blinked. He remembered his brother''s advice to be confident, to own up to it, but somehow hearing his grandfather ask him like that caught him off-guard. Sure, he expected this with his aunt Rosette to pull off a stunt like that, but his grandfatherˇ­ nope.

    "Come on! We are all adults here, and you are approaching my age with every passing year. Who is the guy"? His grandpa pushed.

    "This guy. It''s not like you would recognise him" Christian blurted.

    "I think I would," Rachel stepped up and sniffed around. "Ahh, I see" She smirked.

    Christian linked his mother [God, save me.]

    [I am not God, son. I am your mom. Although I can see why you will be so confused.] Mrs. Wrisberg teased her son through the link.

    Christian let out an uncomfortable smile before snarling in the link, [Mom please. I am not sure if I am ready for this conversation.]

    Suddenly the conversation shifted entirely to Mrs Wrisberg, "So Rachel, who is it"? Grandpa Lance asked.

    "He is a pack member of ours" Rachel mumbled.

    "Well, invite him to dinner. I would like to meet the one who finally swayed our boy Christian" Grandpa ordered.

    "But Grandpa-" Christian tried to stop it from happening, but his protests were quickly dismissed and therefore he was sent back to his room. He asked the servants to get him food in his room and decided to check up on his emails one last time before the ceremony.

    He tried to contact his Dad if he had any work for him, perhaps to take his mind off the conversation he was dreading at the dinner, but even his Dad gave him the day off and simply asked him to take rest before the big day. After all, from tomorrow, everything will officially be his responsibility.

    After a while, when Christian was bored with everything, he decided to head off to the police station to check with his brother as Caleb had mentioned earlier that Caleb could use some input. Sure he could just link the guy, but he was so bored that even driving there for not much reason seemed like a good expenditure of time.

    Upon reaching the police station he decided to link his brother, [I am here, can you come out for a second] he asked.

    [Here as in... Police station? Why?] Caleb asked, surprised.

    [Yeah, you said you wanted some help] Christian reminded his brother.

    [Yeah, but it could wait. Tomorrow is passing the torch ceremony. You should rest] Caleb suggested.

    [I''m sick of taking rest! I am bored. I''m available now, I won''t be later and then I won''t be able to help] Christian snarled in his head.

    [Okayˇ­ just wait for me] Caleb mumbled and disconnected the link.

    Outside, Caleb arrived with a folder in his hand and asked, "Take a walk with me."

    While walking at the sideways, Caleb took a look around the and tried to decide whether or not there was anyone around, eavesdropping or otherwise. Seeming sure of himself, Caleb asked, "Did you ever hear about the Alpha of the Linares pack"?

    "What about him"? Christian was confused.

    "As in, do you know what kind of person he was?" Caleb clarified.

    "Iˇ­ No. Linares pack has always avoided us and since they weren''t really causing any trouble, I didn''t bother." Christian informed his brother. "Why are you so curious about that?"

    "The Alpha, Casper Stevens was found dead" Caleb declared.

    "Wait, what!?" Christian was shocked. "Why didn''t you tell me about this before? This could wait? It sounds serious" Christian argued.

    "Yeah, but when I told dad he threatened me not to tell you before the ceremony" Caleb gulped. "Pretend to be surprised when he tells you, would ya"? Caleb asked.

    Christian stared blankly at his brother before sighing, "When did this happen"?

    "A few days ago. We have been trying to figure out the perpetrator, but so far no luck. If it were up to, I''ll totally shift this case from here to our pack. Mr. Stevens was the head of the pack, a werewolf Alpha, there is no way something human killed him" Caleb scoffed.

    "How did he die"? Christian asked.

    "The entire body was mauled". Caleb declared.

    "Sounds like one of us," Christian mumbled. "Or worseˇ­" he trailed off when it hit him, "You don''t think it''sˇ­"

    "That''s what I am afraid of," Caleb sighed, sensing what his brother was trying to imply. "Ash has been worried about me being so obsessed with this case, but I can''t tell him why I am taking this so seriously," Caleb admitted sadly.

    "He is your mate Caleb, don''t you think he would figure it out eventually"? Christian asked.

    "Until thenˇ­" Caleb shrugged. "Enough about this, I wanted to ask you to look into that matter after tomorrow. If you do anything before that Dad will personally kill me". Caleb snickered.

    "But I am so bored" Christian groaned.

    "Go, spend time with your boyfriend." Caleb dismissed him. Christian was taken aback by Caleb''s audacity to be this direct, but then again, he did raise his brother to be fearless.

    After being completely jobless for the entire day, Christian decided to pay a visit to his boyfriend. Sebastian, who was in the middle of cleaning up was indeed surprised to see Christian at his doorstep, the guy who claimed to be very busy. "Hi" Christian greeted awkwardly.

    "Look who found time in his busy schedule", sarcastically, Sebastian noted. "Don''t tell me you are here to pick me up? I have a lot to do yet" Sebastian declared.

    "Pick you up"? Christian was confused until he realised that upon his grandfather''s insistence, his mother might have invited him. "No, no, I am not here for that." Christian clarified.

    "Cool, so what brings you here" Sebastian asked while plugging the vacuum to the socket.

    "I wanted to see how you were doing, " Christian mumbled. "Did you clean up the entire place by yourself"? He asked, recalling the horrifying situation of the apartment when he left.

    "Yea, it''s not like I am rich like you. Gotta do my own work" Sebastian commented.

    "You are a famous actor, the hell you are"! Christian pointed out.

    Sebastian chuckled, before saying, "You can sit over there, I''ll clean up this mess"

    "You want some help"? Christian offered.

    "No, thanks, '''' Sebastian snapped. "I.. would really prefer to do it by myself." Ge cleared his throat. "Just go sit there and wait, I''ll be there soon". Feeling unwanted from everywhere, Christian simply headed off to the couch and laid down, while observing Sebastian clean up.. Somewhere in the observing, he felt his eyelids getting heavy, and without even realizing he drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 277 - The Luna

    The next thing Christian recalled was being gently shaken so that he would wake up. "Did Iˇ­ fall asleep"? Christian mumbled in a groggy voice, stating the obvious.

    "You did," Sebastian rolled his eyes. "See what happens when you don''t take enough rest."

    "Yeah, I am not used to time off. From tomorrow I won''t have time off," Christian sighed.

    "Waitˇ­" Sebastian trailed off. "You don''t mean you will be busier after taking on the responsibilities, do you?"

    "Yeah," Christian shrugged, in an ''obviously'' manner.

    "You are already too busy," Sebastian complained. "Not to sound like a bummer, but if you are busier what happens to us"? Sebastian asked.

    "Will that be a problem"? Christian blinked.

    "Remember how I wasn''t a fan of how you left abruptly this morning." Sebastian raised his eyebrows. Christian remained silent so Sebastian added, "You see where I am going with this"?

    "What do you want me to do?" Christian sighed. "Not become the Alpha"?

    "Of course not!" Sebastian defended immediately. "Look, being the Alpha is not just your responsibility, butˇ­ it''s something you''ve always wanted to be. It''s your destiny. What I want is that you find a work life balance. Down the line, I don''t want you to turn into a grumpy old man like your Dad. I hope you know I''m not a fan". Sebastian mumbled.

    "You think about that"? Christian smirked. "Our future"?

    "Of course I do,"! Sebastian shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Don''t change the subject. Do you get what I am trying to say"?

    "I get it," Christian nodded. "Look, being the Alpha of this pack is gonna be tough as hell. But, I got Caleb to depend on once in a while" Christian smiled.

    "And you got me," Sebastian pointed out. "I know I am not the most active person when it comes to pack activities, but I can pull through when needed". Christian opened his mouth to say something but struggled to say it. Seeing Christian hesitate like that frustrated Sebastian further. "What!? Just talk to me already"!

    "Okayˇ­ " Christian tried. "I know we are in a casual relationship, sort ofˇ­ but do you wanna be my mate? For real? Cause the way you are talking about the future is giving me the idea".

    Sebastian blinked. He thought about his future with Christian, but at the same time he worried about commitment. "This is why I didn''t wanna say anything. Forget it." Christian dismissed. "We don''t know what the future will be like, let''s not ruin today for it." Christian got up.

    "Wait," Sebastian called out. After an uncomfortable pause he blurted. "What are they like? Your family? Should I wear formals or Casuals? It''s almost time" Sebastian changed the subject.

    "Just be yourself. I am sure you will get along with them well." Christian mumbled. "I should goˇ­ get ready. You know where I liveˇ­ see you soon" Christian mumbled and excused himself leaving a troubled Sebastian behind.

    Christian headed back home, and got ready for the evening. He didn''t put on some fancy dress, but put on a dark sweatshirt and pants to appear moreˇ­ clothed than his usual attire. After a while, Sebastian showed up at the front door.

    Being an open house, Sebastian didn''t actually have to knock or anything so he tried to link with Christian. Christian refused those links and Sebastian was on the verge his frustration was greeted by Ashton on the door. "Family dinner"? He asked.

    Checking out the formal shirt and pant attire Ashton had Sebastian asked back, "You too"?

    "Yeah," Ashton sighed. "I really need to move out of this house. It''s awkward".

    "Ahh, you guys are here. Come in" Mrs Wrisberg who spotted the guys smiled at them. She smirked at both of them which made Ashton feel a bit uncomfortable, meanwhile Sebastian hid his anxiety pretty well with a charming smile on his face.

    They were invited to the living room for an introduction before the official dinner as they planned. "Dad, you have met Ashton earlier. This is Sebastian".

    "Christian''s dude"? In a grumpy voice grandpa asked. Sebastian pursed his lips, not so fond of the way he was referred to, but he knew how to be polite, so he presented the grandpa the same polite smile he offered Mrs. Wrisberg earlier.

    "Have a seat son," Grandpa invited him and asked the servants for Christian to come down. "So, tell me about yourself, are you from this pack or some other pack"?

    "From this pack" Sebastian answered with utmost politeness.

    "I guess then you are acquainted with how this pack works," Grandpa noted. Sebastian could sense some tension in those words but he didn''t bother asking him about that.

    "Is that why you chose Christian?" Their aunt Rosette asked.

    "Excuse me"? Sebastian raised his eyebrows.

    "I mean, you are an Alpha, are you really okay with being the Luna"? Rosette clarified.

    Before Sebastian could snap and say something Mrs Wrisberg intervened. "You will have to excuse my sister, she is incapable of accepting that born Alphas can be responsible Lunas. She has a tendency of underestimating a Luna''s position". She snickered.

    Sebastian was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Thinking back he realised that the aunt''s comment can be applied to the situation of Mrs Wrisberg as well. She too was the Alpha who chose the Luna''s position. But to be fair, Sebastian didn''t consider becoming the Luna...yet. It reminded him of the question Christian asked, was he willing to be serious?

    They were together, but not in the mates sense and as much as he would love to carry this relationship on the terms of being a human, he needed to realise that being with Christian comes with it''s own extra perks. Being with him, being his mate would mean becoming the Luna of this pack.

    He didn''t mind that this position was traditionally reserved for the women, or the omegas. What he minded was the implications it had, and the responsibilities. While Mr. Wrisberg was technically the head, most of the issues related to peripheral packs were tackled by Mrs. Wrisberg. And she was really good at it given how she barely asked the help of her children to deal with whatever was going on.

    The only person she relayed to was Mr. Wrisberg. Which meant the relationship Mr. And Mrs Wrisberg shared was both professional and a personal one. Being Christian''s mate would imply having the same. Sebastian, who was carefree in his own might wasn''t sure if he could do that in the long run.

    Butˇ­ butˇ­ he didn''t wanna give up on Christian either. Not really. "Son,"! A loud voice and a gentle shake on his thigh brought back Sebastian from his own reverie. He noticed that it was Grandpa was calling him, and that it was Ashton who shook his leg. "Like my daughter said, Don''t take what Rosette says to your heart. You seem like a smart young man, I am sure you know what you''re doing". Grandpa declared.

    It was at that moment Christian walked in the room and stared at the ensemble in the living room.. As soon as Christian and Sebastian''s eyes met, there was this awkward tension that was back between them, with a lot of self doubt that Sebastian was brimming with.

 Chapter 278 - Future?

    Christian noticed the way Sebastian was dressed, in a formal wear that was not too formal. A blazer over a plain shirt gave him a pretty decent look. Christian would take his time admiring hisˇ­ boyfriend if things weren''t a bit awkward right now. Not just due to the earlier question, but also because of the presence of the relatives.

    On his way here he did hear the intrusive questions his aunt started to ask, which made him feel bad for Sebastian. Christian tried to link Sebastian and when he was allowed, the first thing Christian said was, [I am sorry about my aunt]

    [Just that? I have been trying to link you, you didn''t respond] Sebastian pointed out.

    [I wasˇ­ changing] Christian excused. He wasn''t. He was a bit pissed from earlier, but that is what came in his head the very first thing.

    [Right, cause you got stuff to hide] Sebastian, who was on the edge already due to all the questions snapped.

    Before their mental banter could proceed further, their aunt Rosette intervened, "So, tell me what do you do? You know, to masquerade as a human?"

    "I am an actor," Sebastian declared flatly.

    "Actingˇ­ must be tough keeping a facade in front of the lens," Aunt Rosette declared. "Did you ever consider pursuing something else"?

    "I like working where I am, so no," Sebastian declared. At this point he was simply fighting an urge to punch the women. "Can you excuse me for a second, I need to take a minute" He declared and headed out. Thankfully, the way to the men''s room and the main door was in the same direction from the living room. Christian who was done with his aunt, ran after Sebastian.

    "Sebastian! Seb!" Christian called out to Sebastian as he stormed out of the building, "Seb!!" Finally, Sebastian halted right in front of the main gate of the house, outside the fence.

    "You could have warned me about her," Sebastian snapped.

    "I know, I am sorry. I forgot how irritating she can be" Christian mumbled. "Do you have to leave?"

    "What?"! Sebastian huffed. "No, I am not gonna leave. She doesn''t think I am worthy enough, I don''t wanna give her another excuse by running away before dinner." He huffed.

    "Why does her words bother you so much? I mean, you are an actor right? You must be used to all kinds of opinions." Christian mumbled, "You know what, she doesn''t live here. Just ignore her, she can be a bitˇ­ provoking at times" Christian explained.

    "But she is not wrong," Sebastian sighed. "I mean, earlier today you asked me what my plans for the future were, and I chickened out. I mean, that''s not how you do it in relationships" Sebastian declared.

    "Well, I did ask you out of the blue" Christian mumbled, and tried to stand exactly in front of Sebastian''s face. "Look, we are not young people, or choices have bigger consequences, andˇ­ I get it, it''s hard making a decision like this."

    "So will you be okay if someday I decide that all of this is not worth it? That I can''t be the Luna of this pack?" Sebastian mumbled.

    "Of course not," Christian mumbled. "I will be pretty heartbroken." he admitted honestly"

    "I don''t want that," Sebastian mumbled.

    "So what? You wanna break up? Now"? Christian snapped.

    "No," Sebastian whispered. "I know, that''s selfish, but I don''t wanna give up on us."

    "Then screw everything else" Christian huffed as he let out a sigh of relief.

    "No," Sebastian shook his head after a while. "I can''t do that. Look, you are one of the most responsible people I have ever met. I mean, the word literally describes you. I don''t wanna keep you hanging like that"

    "Sebastian, where are you going with this''? Christian sighed. "I am confused" he declared honestly.

    After a whole minute of awkward silence, Sebastian mumbled "I wanna do it." ."It"? Christian raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

    "I will be the Luna" Sebastian declared.

    "What"? Christian''s eyes widened. It somehow felt worse than what he was imagining, "Dude, you don''t have to decide right this instance. I mean, we are just getting started. We don''t know if we are compatible enough or-"

    His rant was interrupted by Sebastian, "Chris, we have known each other for more than a decade. Despite our rocky start, look at us now. We are dating. I mean sure I was cranky at you busy earlier, but now that I think about it, if I am out there doing my job, filming shows, I will be busy too. Yes, I will miss you, but I think our jobs are meant to keep us busy" Sebastian mumbled.

    "You sure about this?" Christian asked carefully, "Like really really sure?"

    "Yea! I am done being scared of the future. I wanna take a leap of faith, or whatever" Sebastian shrugged and before he could say anything else he was pulled into a deep long kiss which somehow cleared all the chaos going on in his mind.

    Pulling away Christian mumbled, "You scared the crap outta me, you know that?"

    "What can I say?" Sebastian smirked, "part of my charm."

    Christian raised an eyebrow before he ended up laughing softly, "Well, since you have already decided, I might as well pop the question." Christian smirked, whilst Sebastian put up a frown. "Sebastian Kylesˇ­" Sebastian''s frown turned into an anxious stare, "Will you be my mate"?

    A smile curved up from Sebastian''s lips before he said, "Why the hell not"? And this time it was him who pulled him in for the kiss. Sebastian made sure he kissed his ''mate'' for longer this time, so much so that Christian had a hard time pulling away before things escalated.

    "Calm down, cowboy. We have a dinner to attend to. If you wanna do the whole ''process'', you gonna have to wait" Christian smirked. "And maybe pretend to like my aunt and the rest of my family."

    Sebastian pretended to think for a moment, "You know what.. I am good at pretending, you know, since I am an actor" Sebastian smirked.. Christian shook his head before leading the man back to their house for the rest of the night.

 Chapter 279 - Our Home

    "So, what did I miss"? Caleb who had finally arrived at the doorstep, stinking from a long day''s work whilst wearing a uniform with a sweater (as it''s cold for the ''humans''). It didn''t take the feisty omega to detect some sort of tension going on, especially when he could sense how uncomfortable his mate was. Caleb didn''t need to ask why, because he already knew how social situations made Caleb uncomfortable.

    "We were just chatting about you and Ashton. I assume we will gather here soon for your wedding"? His aunt, Rosette suggested. "It''s nice to see you back". With a hint of sarcasm she added.

    Caleb gulped before shrugging vaguely. "Likewise. I will go take a quick  shower, I will be right back" Caleb smiled awkwardly and left. Ashton''s gaze followed his sweaty mate before their grandpa caught his attention.

    "So, tell us, what do you plan for your future?" Their grandpa asked.

    "How far along"? Ashton asked awkwardly after a minute of careful thinking.

    "After marriage you bone head. Now, I am aware that you don''t need to support my grandson, he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. But you did disappear for a really long time. I swear, if you ever pull a stunt like that, I will personally hunt you down and beat your ass. I might look old, but I have what it takes to take down jerks like you"! His grandpa threatened.

    Ashton was pretty sure that despite the serious tone, Ashton could definitely take this man. His pureblooded, or rather his half Valestine heritage gave him the advantage. Not to mention, their respective ages.

    But, hearing those words from Grandpa did feel justified. In a way Ashton could have avoided everything, and yet somehow he abandoned his mate. No amount of guilt could ever change that. And no amount of time can release him from this guilt. "Currently I am working at a local garage. I might change jobs after a while, but I''m not leaving Crescent Point" Ashton declared.

    "You better not"! Grandpa threatened. Thankfully, at that moment Christian and Sebastian walked in, looking a bit more cozy with each other than before. While Ashton was curious what was happening, he was just glad for the time being that the duo showed up when they did. The attention shifted to them and soon they were joined by a freshly out of shower Caleb.

    The rest of the night was a bit tense (even tense would be understating it), but luckily it was over not long before midnight. Somehow Caleb managed to keep their attention off Ashton and Sebastian pretended to agree with them a lot to avoid conflicts.

    When they were all finally tired from the journey they had along with the heavy meal topping it off, they finally called it a day and headed off.

    Caleb decided to go ahead and check on his son, whom Ashton put to bed before this family interrogation began. He stared at the sleeping peacefully face of Connor, planted a soft kiss on his forehead and tucked him in once more, properly before he headed out. Instead of going for his room, he headed upstairs to check on his mate.

    These past few days he had been engrossed in work, so much so that even he had started to miss his family. He knocked on Ashton''s room, and soon Caleb was let in. He was about to apologize for the third degree with his grandpa back there, but he froze before he could utter a word. What surprised him was that there were packed bags in his room. "Wait, what''s going on? Are you leaving me"? Caleb asked, half joking half-concerned. "What about your promise to grandpa?"

    "You heard that"? Ashton chuckled. "Of course, I am not leaving you. I''ve been meaning to tell you this but since you have been so busy I didn''t get to bring it up before..."

    "What''s going on"? Caleb''s face paled.

    "Remember what I said about moving out. After spending time with your family, I am even more sure of it now. At the edge of this pack I found a decent apartmentˇ­" Ashton dug out his phone and showed a few pictures of it to Caleb. "It''s not much, especially with no furniture around, but I think I can make it work."

    "So, you''re gonna leave the pack house..." Caleb couldn''t help but sound a bit heartbroken. Ashton caught the hint, and tried his best to hide his smirk.

    "I was hoping you would join me for the same". Ashton suggested. "I shouldn''t ask you to leave your home, but I gotta ask. I signed the lease in both of our names. It has enough space for all of usˇ­ if you are up for it". Ashton shrugged.

    "Wow" Caleb whispered out after a second of staring at Ashton. "Our first house." Ashton chuckled at that.

    "Should I have shown you this before I got it"? Ashton asked.

    "I mean, I would have helped you out. Butˇ­ " Caleb let out a giant smile. "I love this surprise". Brimming with happiness, he pulled his mate into not only a huge but also a tender kiss. Ashton hugged him midway and tried to convey all the love he had for his mate via that kiss.

    "I am glad you do." He shrugged. "I only have a bed and a closet there, but I can really use your help in making the placeˇ­ more homey." Ashton declared awkwardly. "Can you help? Whenever you have time"?

    "Of course. It is our home." Caleb chuckled.

    "It will be, once it''s done grooming up," Ashton smiled.

    Caleb shook his head, "It doesn''t matter. You, Ashton, you are my home. Wherever you are". Caleb smiled.

    Ashton simply stared at his mate longingly. Their tranquil exchange of stares were interrupted by a knock on the door. Thanks to their sniffing abilities, they knew it was none other than Caleb''s mother, Mrs Rachel Wrisberg.. They looked at each other, wondering what was going on, before deciding to open the door for her.

 Chapter 280 - Moon Fire

    "Hey mom, is everything alright"? Caleb asked, concerned.

    "Yeah, you got a minute?" Mrs Wrisberg asked. Caleb and Ashton exchanged glances before Caleb nodded. "I wanted to give you this". Smiled Mrs Wrisberg. It was a small box, with a little dust on either side of it, signifying that it had been stagnant for a while. Caleb opened it, to find a small pendant with a locket that had a symbol of a silver moon where half of the moon was set on silver white flames. Caleb stared at the symbol for a solid ten seconds before he narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to his mother.

    "What is this"? Caleb asked suspiciously. That was heck of an odd symbol.

    "This is an heirloom." Mrs Wrisberg declared with a poignant smile. My grandmother got it for me, who got it from her parents." She smiled, reminiscing fondly. "I have had it long enough, I want you to have it."

    "Wait a second, are you giving this to me because you don''t have a daughter? And I am somehow closest to one"? Caleb asked suspiciously, not quite thrilled with the idea himself.

    "Oh God no!" Mrs Wrisberg let out a disgusted huff. "You are my son, and that''s why I am giving it to you. I justˇ­ I feel like you and I have had our disagreements in the past. I often didn''t treat you the way you wanted to be, but I treated you how I thought you should be treated. I was wrong." She paused for a minute.

    "Don''t worry about all that, it was a long time ago". Caleb insisted.

    "So you are not still pissed"? Mrs Wrisberg smirked suggestively.

    "You know what, I really want to be pissed. But guess what, I can''t." Caleb chuckled. "I am a parent now, and in a weird way I understand your intentions. You just did what you thought would be good for me, because you wanted to keep me safe." Caleb mused.

    "Looks like my son has matured a lot". Mrs Wrisberg remarked playfully.

    "Well, I can''t be a rebellious teenager forever," Caleb shrugged playfully.

    "That stuff is all in the past now, and I would like to keep it there." Mrs Wrisberg added

    Caleb smiled at his mom, "So would I." Caleb nodded. "And thanks for this one, I guess".

    "It''s nothing" Mrs Wrisberg patted Caleb''s arm. "I am proud of you son." She added.

    An involuntary smile appeared on Caleb''s face. "So, does this pendant mean anything?" He asked.

    "Yeah" Mrs Wrisberg nodded. "It ties up with one of our ancient forgotten folklore. You want to know"? Caleb nodded at his mother''s question which led Mrs Wrisberg to recount her tale.

    "This story is an ancient one, retold many times long ago. It was a time before there was science, before we could shift at will. It was a time when the full moon triggered our shifts into the wolf form, causing us to ascend into madness. When silver made us vulnerable. All those legends that are part of the human folklore, they way they know wolves now.

    They believed the full moon was bright because it''s other half, that was invisible to us, was burning, and as a blessing we were subjugated to similar pain for our transformation. That it made us one with the moon goddess."

    "How can pain be a blessing"? Caleb frowned. He recalled his extremely painful heats and winced at the thought.

    "Pain teaches us humility. That we are not invincible creatures, not beyond destruction." Mrs Wrisberg sighed. "Besides, you can''t say that you have never enjoyed any of your heat". She smirked. Seeing Caleb frown her gaze shifted to Ashton, and soon both their faces turned pink as a peach.

    "Mom"! Caleb screamed, almost reaching a high pitch. "This locket, it''s the moon fire". Caleb whispered after a whole minute of embarrassing silence.

    "Wait you knew about this"? Mrs Wrisberg wondered.

    "I remember grandma once telling us this story, I didn''t know that this was the symbol for it". Caleb affirmed.

    "Well, I should get going, big day tomorrow. Get some rest" Mrs Wrisberg patted Caleb''s arm. "I understand you are moving out" She spoke turning to Ashton, "And that Caleb and Connor might accompany you."

    "Yes, ma''am". Ashton gulped at the woman.

    Mrs Wrisberg chuckled at being referred to as a ma''am, so he intervened, "Make that, Mom. As Caleb''s mate you should call me Mom". Mrs Wrisberg suggested. "Both of you, don''t forget to visit very often."

    "Yesˇ­ Mom" Ashton nodded awkwardly while Caleb tried his best to hold his laughter at his flustered face.

    Mrs Wrisberg on the other hand offered both of them with a gentle smile. "Good night." She declared and headed for the door.

    "Good night," Caleb shouted back and soon, his mother was out of the door. There was a moment of tranquility until Ashton prompted.

    "Caleb, will you marry me"? Ashton blurted.

    Holding out his hand, where the ring glistened, Caleb sighed, "I think I already answered that question".

    "I meant soon. I don''t want to wait much longer." Ashton clarified.

    "What changed your mind? I know you have been avoiding it". Caleb smirked.

    "I haven''t been avoiding it"! Ashton argued with a little bit higher than normal pitch. "I justˇ­ I was trying to be careful. I want to be with you, marry you, have a family with you, nothing can ever change that. But, I have been anxious ever since Alvaro told me that being with me puts you and everyone in danger." Ashton admitted.

    "And the danger is gone"? Caleb scoffed sarcastically.

    "No". Ashton sighed. "Butˇ­"Ashton struggled to form the sentences. "Every time I have pushed you away, I have hurt you, intentionally or unintentionally. I have hurt myself. Maybe there are dangers to being together, butˇ­ what''s the point of being apart if we''re just both miserable?" Ashton asked.

    "Looks like you are growing up" Caleb chuckled.

    "Wellˇ­ I was due" Ashton shrugged, referring to his still aging for the past eight years he had been gone. Caleb chuckled along and after a moment of little laughter, Caleb neared his mate and snaked his hands onto the nape of his mate''s neck. "Ashton Parker" Caleb took a deep breath. "Let''s get married".. He smiled.

 Chapter 281 - Big Or Small

    The next day Ashton woke up due to loud noises on the door which startled him. Getting up he realized the door was unlocked, so he shouted "Come in"!

    A hanging on the doorknob Connor entered the room. "Dad said you will take me shopping". Was the first thing he blurted.

    Ashton, who was still half dazed, was definitely awake now that he heard Connor utter those words. "He said what"? Ashton was shocked.

    "It''s for the ceremony"! Connor whined.

    "Didn''t Ca- I mean you Dad already got you one"? Ashton asked, rubbing his eyes.

    "He did, but I accidentally tore it. Come on! The ceremony starts in the afternoon, we have to hurry"! Connor came to bed and started pulling Ashton by his hand.

    "Okay, Okay" Ashton managed to get out of bed without tripping. "Connor, where is your Dad ''''? Ashton asked.

    "Work" is all Caleb replied.

    Ashton frowned until he noticed a tin can at his nightstand, with an attached note saying.

    Had to go, emergency. But don''t worry, I will be back soon as I can, until then enjoy this

    -Pineapple.

    Ashton couldn''t help but chuckle at that. Sure he was the one who gave Caleb that nickname, he just didn''t expect Caleb to use it like this. "Connor, get dressed, let''s go shopping" Ashton declared, the words he would soon regret.

    As they moved from shops to shops Ashton could feel the energy drain out of him. Last night he barely got any sleep, thanks to...Caleb and now this kid was jumping around from store to store. Why do they have so many choices for the kids these days anyways?

    Ashton had to admit, Connor was definitely like Caleb when it came to shopping. You can never finish early. When Connor finally found a dress he liked, Ashton sighed in relief as he drove back. Next time, he would either bring Caleb or the twins.

    "Sorry, if I wasted your time". Feeling the frustration coming off of Ashton, Connor apologized.

    "No, it''s okay" All the frustration Ashton had immediately melted away. "I just didn''t sleep well last night. I am not mad at you".

    "Really"? Connor asked, with a hint of glee in his eyes.

    "Of course". Ashton assured with a smile.

    "Great! Can I have an ice cream then?" Connor jumped. Ashton chuckled at how Connor almost guilt tripped him to an ice cream. Key word, ''almost''.

    "Connor, you gotta keep your stomach empty. You don''t wanna eat anything at the feast"? Ashton asked.

    "It''s just an ice cream! I have a huge appetite, so I can eat the feast." Connor insisted. "Please" Connor begged with an adorable pout.

    Ashton considered it for a moment, stealing a few suspicious glances at that adorable pout before sighing, "Fine. We will stop by the parlor." Ashton couldn''t believe that he let a kid rule his entire day up until now.

    Not that he minded, as the twins used to annoy him all the time when they were little. Now that they were so grown up, they didn''t need him anymore, so seeing the innocent nature of the kid in front of him brought back a certain warmth, hinted with nostalgia.

    After returning home, Ashton realized that the ceremony had already started and the guests had started to arrive. What''s more astonishing was that even Caleb had reached. Ashton gave his mate a quick kiss before he turned to Connor, "Do you need any help dressing up"?

    "I am not a baby. I can dress myself"! Connor huffed and ran away to his room. Ashton chuckled at that.

    "You know, if you want, I can help you dress up". Caleb declared with a suggestive smile.

    Ashton, not missing the hint declared, "maybe after the party you can help me". Caleb ended up laughing at that until a pack member of the neighboring pack approached them.

    "I heard you two are engaged"? The woman asked.

    "Yeah, we will be getting married." Caleb agreed. Even Ashton could tell that he didn''t recognize who the woman was, but he was being polite nonetheless.

    "I am so happy to hear that. After Christian''s wedding fell through, I was quite devastated." She gave them a pretend sad smile.

    "Tell you what, if this wedding falls through we will still have that party". Caleb joked.

    "NOO"! The woman shook her head vigorously. "I know you two are mates. I want you two to be happy". She laughed lightly. "So, do you have a date yet"? She asked.

    Both Caleb and Ashton looked at each other, "Umˇ­" Caleb began, "We have been waiting for this event to be done and dusted. We will decide after this". Caleb declared.

    "Alright." The woman nodded. "Have you decided on other things yet"? She asked.

    "Well, some stuff." Caleb nodded. "Some yet to figure out". Caleb nodded.

    "Well, I hope you are having a big wedding" the woman smirked.

    "Definitely. The son of Crescentile Pack Alpha can''t really have a small ceremony now, can he"? He asked bit rhetorically, a bit sarcastically but over all it felt like he meant it.

    "Good, I look forward to it" She patted Caleb''s arm and decided to take her leave at this moment.

    "You really want an outdoor wedding"? Asked Ashton after they realised it was just the two of them.

    "You don''t"? Caleb mused at that.

    "Well, given that I am quite the introvert, I don''t think a huge crowd will do me a favor" Ashton pursed his lips awkwardly.

    "Well, if it helps, you just need to focus on me." Caleb shrugged.

    "...Sure." Ashton agreed feeling a bit uncomfortable. "We weren''t gonna talk about the wedding today huh"? He chuckled.

    "You are right," Caleb smirked. Linking Ashton, he continued, [out loud. We can still discuss it in here]

    [Hey! Thats cheating] Ashton called out to Caleb.

    [It''s not exactly talking] Caleb declared with the smirk still persistent in his face.

    [Okayˇ­] Ashton agreed after a minute.

    [Hey, if you don''t want a big wedding, we can arrange that. It''s our big day, who cares who us expecting what?] Caleb declared. [It should be special for us]

    [Exactly. And if you want a big wedding, I don''t want to take that away from you] Ashton countered.

    [It''s not the wedding. I just want people to know we are taken. Like I wanna announce it in the biggest way possible] Caleb shrugged.

    [So, let''s do it. Let''s have a huge wedding.] Ashton insisted.

    [Again, I didn''t say about the wedding.] Caleb smiled. [Now that I think about it, a small wedding can be really intimate, special and filled with people we love. Suddenly, I feel like I want it] a faint smile appeared on Caleb''s lips.

    [So, what about announcing to the whole world then?] Ashton asked.

    [We can have a big reception. Party will be taken care of] Caleb suggested.

    [That sounds good] Ashton smiled as well.

    [It''s settled then] Caleb gazed at his mate''s eyes.

    [Small wedding, big reception..] Ashton confirmed.

 Chapter 282 - Passing The Torch

    "Everyone who has gathered here today, I welcome you as the current Alpha of this pack on the behalf of everyone who is a member of Crescentile Pack." Mr Wrisberg began. "I was given this opportunity thirty six years ago, a year after I married Rachel. It''s been an honor for both of us to serve this pack ever since. But it is time for us to take a step down and to let the next generation take on the title." Mr Wirsberg smiled at the crowd.

    "Christian, come on the stage." Mr. Wrisberg called his son. As soon as Christian was there, he continued. "I, Arthur Silas Wrisberg, would like to pass the title of the Head Alpha of the Crescentile Pack to my firstborn Christian Hardine Wrisberg." he declared.

    In the Crown, Ashton linked his mate and asked, [His middle name is Hardine? What''s yours?]

    [Lucian] Caleb informed him.

    Mr. Wrisberg, who held a ring on his right middle finger, pulled it off and handed it to Christian. The ring had no extra powers, and was merely a symbolic gesture of the title of the Head Alpha of this pack. As Christian took it, the ring adjusted itself to the size of Christian''s ring and thereby the ring became his.

    Usually, after this a similar ceremony was done to pass down the title of Luna. Since Christian was unmated, Mr Wrisberg took it upon himself to announce that this won''t follow this time, but before he could his son linked him, [Dad, Sebastian and I had a discussion. He is going to be the Luna.] Christian informed his father.

    Mr. Wrisberg, who was quite concerned by the sudden development, gave it a thought. While he was skeptical of the relationship between his son and the said wolf, Mr. Wrisberg knew that Sebastian was an excellent choice for the Luna. His skillset is what prompted him to join his pack. Recalling the same event. [Are you sure about this son? If I announce that, he won''t be able to abandon this title ever.]

    Christian looked at Sebastian in the crowd, who simply smiled at Christian and nodded as if he had been in the link this entire time. (He wasn''t, but he could tell what Christian was trying to ask. And seeing him up there, Sebastian realised that there is nothing more he would love to be there right next to Christian.

    "Well, as planned earlier, I was going for the hall of fame, but there had been an interesting development." Mr. Wrisberg declared. "I would like to call Sebastian Kyles on the stage," he declared.

    Sebastian, taking a deep breath, headed out to the stage. As an actor he was over the stage of stage fright, but somehow he was more nervous than he had ever been on stage. His heartbeat elevated as he stood right next to Christian and stared at the entire crowd of people he too will be responsible for. It was hard not to be anxious about it.

    A hand slipped in his hand which prompted Sebastian to look at his right. He saw Christian looking at him and smiled and in that instant, all his worries melted away. Sebastian wouldn''t have to do this alone. And if Christian was strong enough to take on these responsibilities, he can be as well. Sebastian smiled back at him.

    "I would like to pass the mic to my beloved wife, Rachel." and with that, Mr. Wrisberg stepped down. As Mrs. Wrisberg took her position, she mumbled, "As a mother, I will always hold firm on the belief that no one will ever be good enough for my sons." She declared with a smirk as she also stole a quick glance at Ashton causing Ashton to panic. Caleb followed his brother''s suit and held his mate''s hand as well.

    "But as the Luna, I can say for sure that Sebastian will be the perfect candidate for the position of Luna. I have known this man for over a decade, and if there is one thing I know about him is that he is very passionate. And I know that he will serve this pack with equal passion." She declared. She took out her silver ring and handed it to Sebastian. As was with Alpha ring, this ring too adjusted itself to Sebastian''s size.

    "Before we move on to the oath taking ceremony, we would like to hand their pictures to the hall of fame." Mrs Wrisberg declared and with that Caleb rose up from the seat. He went backstage and soon the curtain covering the hall opened revealing the portraits of all the alphas and lunas that had been before them. The portraits moved to make space for a new one.

    Caleb appeared on the stage with two portraits on both of his hands that he handed to both his parents. Mr. Wirsberg hung the picture of Chrstian on the Left, while Mrs Wrisberg put the picture of Sebastian right next to it on the right. The lights around the picture turned into a bright multicolor display, pertaining to the current ceremony.

    This time, it was both Christian and Sebastian who took the mic. Christian was the one who took the chance first, "I, Christian Hardine Wrisberg, the current alpha of the Crescentile Pack, promise to serve and protect this pack with every cell of my existence till I hold this titleˇ­" he looked at Sebastian and strengthened his grip. "Along with my mate, Sebastian."

    Sebastian gave Christian a faint smile before declaring, "I, Sebastian Mason Kyles, the current Luna of this pack,  promise to serve and protect this pack with every cell of my existence till I hold this title along with my mate, Christian." And with that, both of them shifted into their werewolf forms.

    The entire pack came out of their seats in the giant aisle (that was created giant on purpose) and shifted as well. Christian and Sebastian initiated a howl, which was joined in by everyone.. Thus, the leadership of Christian and Sebastian was sealed in the pack with the howl marking the official end of the ceremony.

 Chapter 283 - Part Of The Family

    After the ceremony everyone started to surround the couple with greetings and blessings for their future. Meanwhile, Ashton who was sitting with Connor, Carmen and Ivy as Ashton wasn''t sure whom to interact with, and neither were the girls. As for Connor, Ashton was asked by Caleb not to let him out of his sight until he was back, so as soon as Caleb arrived after spotting them, Connor jumped at him,

    "Dad, Can I go and meet the cousins. Ashton won''t let me out." Connor shot Ashton a glare, which Ashton accepted without a word.

    "Connor, we are about to start eating." Caleb reminded him.

    "I knowˇ­ butˇ­" Connor begged. Caleb sighed and gazed at his mate before shifting his gaze to the girls. "Okay." he declared. Connon jumbled in glee, until Caleb added. "But on one condition. Take Carmen and Ivy with you and introduce them to the family."

    "But-" Connor hesitated.

    "It''s okay, we don''tˇ­" Carmen began. but both of them were shut off by Caleb.

    "Don''t be silly. Connorˇ­. Carmen and Ivy are family, remember that." Caleb declared sternly before he gestured to the girls to follow Connor. Once they were gone, Ashton got up from the seat. "You wanna go with them?" he turned to Ashton and asked.

    "Nope. I have had enough of your family last night. I need a break before I explode." Ashton sighed. "Soˇ­ how are you?" Ashton asked.

    "I am good?" Caleb blurted, unsure of why Ashton was asking him this out of the blue. "What is going on with you?"

    "There was an emergency right? I hope it wasn''t too much trouble." Ashton reminded him, referring to Caleb''s job.

    "Oh, that. No, it wasn''t for work. I took an official leave, which was hard because I have already taken a ton of unofficial leave. I swear if my father wasn''t the mayor I would be kicked out already." Caleb shook his head.

    "So what happened"? Ashton was amazed.

    "Sebastian called me, said he needed a favor." Caleb raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh?" Ashton puckered his brows.

    "Uh-huh. How else do you think Sebastian got that portrait of himself this quick." Caleb smirked.

    "So that''s what you were doing." Ashton chuckled. "So that''s how you knew."

    "Yepp." Caleb chuckled. "That son of a b***h did it. He made a crazy, stupid decision."

    "I think the word you are looking for is brave." Ashton clarified. Caleb eyes him playfully before holding onto his hand. Ashton was surprised by the sudden action, to which Caleb simply shrugged.

    "Come on, let''s utilize my day off to the fullest," and with that Ashton was dragged away by his mate.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Meanwhile, Connor, who was annoyed by the presence of the girls behind him, sighed. It was odd enough to see the little one, Ivy in school that now he was forced to spend time with the girls here as well. There was something about these girls that he found annoying. Perhaps it was because they were the daughters of that evil Alpha or maybe because he would also have to share his Dad with them now that they had been adopted.

    "Mace!" Connor called out to his second cousin, who was the youngest daughter of Rosette (Mrs Wrisberg''s sister). Even though Mace and Caleb were technically cousins. With respect to their age, Mace and Connor were closer. Connor was only three years younger than Mace, and Connor''s favorite cousin, despite the rift between Rachel and Rosette.

    "Connor! Finally. Where were you? Look what I saved you"? She put her hand out to reveal a giant shrimp on her hand. "It was the largest one!" Mace chuckled. It didn''t take Mace long to notice that there were two other girls beside Connor who were simply standing there while looking at each other. From their look, it appeared as if the bigger one was fond of the little one.

    Connor was engulfed by the shape of the shrimp until he noticed the curious gaze of Mace, he followed her gaze and discovered that it was the sisters. Connor pouted, but went ahead with the introduction, "This is Ivy, she is in my class." he pointed at Ivy before pointing at Carmen, "And this is Carmen."

    "They are your friends"? Mace asked them.

    "No, they live here." Connor blurted. "My Dad adopted them."

    "Really? That''s awesome"! Mace declared with joy. "You are so lucky your sister is your classmate. My sisters are so older than me that they don''t even include me in anything." Now it was Mace who was pouting.

    "They are not my sisters." Connor huffed. "Carmen and Ivy are sisters, but they are not my sisters!" Caleb insisted.

    "It''s true," Carmen shrugged.

    "Connor, that''s not how it works." Mace frowned. "You said your Dad adopted them right, then they are your sisters."

    "It was because of the school. It didn''t mean anything," Carmen clarified. "We still go by our real surnames. My full name is Carmen Fountain." she prompted.

    "See?" Connor added.

    Mace looked back and forth between the two of them and sighed. Surnames don''t mean much. "I am Mace Lance-Pickett. It''s not the surname of either of my parent''s last name. They are still my parents."

    "What''s their last name?" Carmen asked.

    "My mom''s Lance. My Dad''s Pickett." Mace shrugged.

    Carmen chuckled at that and spoke, "you got both of your parent''s names dummy."

    "I am not a dummy." Mace huffed. "You''re a dummy. You are family if you are adopted. You are older than me, right? You should know that." She pouted.

    "Iˇ­" Carmen was speechless, not sure how to win with Mace, so she simply sighed. She turned to look at Connor who was as frustrated as Mace was busy with Carmen and Ivy instead of playing with her, so Carmen simply said, "You are right."

    Mace gave a victorious smile before she turned to Connor and said, "finish it fast, I got some other things I want to show you." She smirked. Connor put the entire shrimp in his mouth all at once as Mace turned to the sisters. "You two as well! Come and join me." She invited them. Despite his stuffed mouth, Caleb let out a frown.

 Chapter 284 - Stamina

    Ashton had a suspicion what Caleb was trying to do, and he sure hoped that he was right. Ashton''s suspicion was confirmed as soon as they reached Ashton''s room in the pack house when their lips met with each other. There was a battle of tongues and a battle for dominance, and neither of them was willing to give up.

    While their lips did their own Job, Caleb''s hand gnawed at his mate like a hungry beast. "Eager, are we?" Ashton teased his mate who was quite expressive of his needs.

    "Just shut up, and do me"! Caleb ordered and almost tore the tuxedo Ashton was wearing, thus keeping his promise to help his mate undress later on. Even before the tux could hit the ground, the battle of lips ensued once more leaving the duo breathless.

    "Calebˇ­" Ashton whispered as he pulled away, while Caleb was busy smirking considering himself victorious. However the next thing Caleb uttered was a high pitched moan, as  Ashton''s teeth started to nibble on his mark. For werewolves the mark was not just a symbol of their bond, but also an extremely erogenous area as well. And Ashton''s teeth were doing the work pretty well.

    "Ash...Ugh!" Caleb tried his best not to be too loud and yet failed miserably with the task at hand. He was so glad everyone was at the party right now,  even though the walls were pretty soundproof. Unable to take it anymore Caleb pulled off his tie to give Ashton''s access to another part of his body apart from his neck.

    Ashton, not missing the cue, kept leaving wet sloppy kisses on Caleb''s collarbone and occasionally lingered longer on the mark, unbuttoned Caleb''s shirt and traced his hands with his own lips, driving Caleb further insane. The moment was quite intense, so much so that a sudden pause in Ashton''s action was definitely unaccounted for.

    "What''s wrong"? Caleb asked, catching his breath. He noticed the gaze Ashton was giving his torso and on a further observation Caleb realised Ashton was staring at his scar. "Will you ever get used to it"? In a broken voice he asked. It was a little cicatrix in his otherwise perfect body that Caleb didn''t mind having. As for his mate, Caleb was quite unsure.

    "No." Ashton mumbled, Causing Caleb to bite onto his own lips. "Every time I see that scar, my mind goes crazy. What could have possibly happened and what if you didn''tˇ­" Ashton trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

    Caleb put his palm on his mate''s cheek trying to shift the other''s gaze from his torso to his face, "Ashton, you know what happened. And look at me, I have never been better."

    "But I don''t know the whole thing. All I know is that if it left a scar, it must have been something big and terrible". Ashton declared and took a pause. "And I couldn''t protect you".

    "It''s not your job to protect me". Caleb tried to retaliate. "I will be fine".

    "You are my family, it''s always my job". Ashton whispered. Caleb, unsure of what to say, put back his own lips onto his mate to give his mate a deep, comforting kiss. Something completely different than their earlier session.

    "I am here now, and so are you. Don''t forget that. Let''s forget the past for once and live in the moment, shall we"? Caleb suggested.

    Ashton blinked, nodded and pulled his mate onto the bed, crashing Caleb on the bed and Ashton hovering on top of him. "Let''s get on with it." Ashton smirked as well and continued with his business.

    Within a matter of a few seconds both of them had completely gotten rid of their clothes as they lay scattered on the floor while the room filled with the noises of soft and yet heavy moans. There were words spoken, except maybe either of them calling each other''s name as both of them yearned for more.

    This time it was different than most of their lust filled sessions as this time it was more than just physical. It was about conveying all the emotions they had for each other through their bodies. After both of them climaxed they laid next to each other staring at the ceiling for a while. "You know..." Caleb spoke after a moment of tranquility. "I love our over the top horny sex. But this oneˇ­ I love it even more". He smirked.

    Ashton, who blushed a little, let out a little smirk after which he pulled himself up. "You have time for another round"? He asked.

    Caleb put his hand on Ashton''s neck and pulled him closer, face to face so their faces were only inches apart. "You sure you can last another round"? He asked with a smirk.

    "Don''t forget I am younger than you, old man". Ashton challenged Caleb.

    "Old man?" Caleb scoffed. "Kid, don''t you have any manners on how to talk to older people?"

    "Yeah, talking has never been my strong suit." Ashton pushed himself further till he was dangerously close to his mate. "So how about I do something else?" And with that he crashed his lips onto his mate, and thus they went about for another round.

    ˇ­ and another. And another.  And anotherˇ­ till they couldn''t just keep going anymore. "I think you might need another official leave." Ashton commented at the end.

    "If I could I would not stop atˇ­ wait, how many rounds has it been"? Caleb asked.

    "I stopped counting after four." Ashton declared. "Dang, where did you get all this stamina?"

    "Must be an effect of my old age" Caleb teased his mate and they both ended up laughing.

    Ashton hugged his mate from the side and declared, "You better finish all this job you have until our wedding, cause I need all this stamina in our honeymoon." Ashton scoffed.

    "Wait, we are going on a honeymoon?" Caleb jolted up.

    "Of course, what kind of wedding would it be without a honeymoon"? Ashton frowned.

    "But the kids-" Caleb was cut off by Ashton.

    "They will be fine. Like you they can take care of themselves. And we have both of our families to watch over them.  I think they will be happy to help us". Ashton suggested.

    "I guessˇ­" still unsure Caleb mumbled. To dissipate Caleb''s concern, Ashton tried another approach.

    "What, you''re scared you won''t be able to keep up with me"? Ashton smirked.

    Caleb glared at his mate, albeit playfully. "Just wait till honeymoon.. I''ll show who has the better stamina"! Caleb huffed, causing Ashton to erupt in laughter.

 Chapter 285 - Part Of The Plan

    It was a while until Christian and Sebastian got some time to themselves. It was almost sundown when they found themselves in a quaint environment. "Aren''t you hungry?'' Christian asked his mateˇ­ Wow, it was hard for him to imagine the guy he had been pinning on for far too long was his mate.

    "A little," Sebastian who was not accompanying Christian all along, even though the people were mostly interested in Christian rather than Sebastian.

    "You should go have something." Christian suggested.

    "You coming?" Sebastian asked, but Christian denied by shaking his head no. "I can wait a while." Sebastian shrugged.

    "You don''t have to wait for me." Christian chuckled.

    "I know." Sebastian merely shrugged at that.

    "Looks like you have become bold all of a sudden." Christian smirked. Upon Sebastian''s frown, Christian elaborated. "To be the official Lunaˇ­ what happened?"

    "I thought I agreed to be the Luna." Sebastian reminded Christian.

    "Yeah, but this is way more official than I was hoping in a day". Christian snorted.

    "Are you disappointed?" Christian asked.

    "On the contrary, I am overjoyed." Christian smiled. "I didn''t expect you to do that. That was crazy".

    "It was?" Sebastian mused in a teasing manner. "I thought it was brave and the right thing to do." Sebastian smiled.

    "Yeah, that too". Christian chuckled. "You realise what this means right? It means you sealed your fate. No matter what, you will have to end up as the Luna. Your only way out is death". Christian smirked.

    "For me it''s being with you until death does us apart". Sebastian smirked.

    "Whoa, slow down. What''s with the wedding vows?" Christian asked. "Did you take something?" He asked curtly.

    "No". Sebastian snorted and ended up laughing. "I am just teasing you. I know I have always been reluctant, butˇ­ I like being with you soˇ­ I am taking a leap."

    "And you are not scared at all"? Christian asked suggestively.

    "Oh, I am scared as hell"! Sebastian nodded. "But, I am also excited. I can be the Luna or whatever it is that I have to be to be with you".

    Christian felt a flicker of warmth I his heart that spread all along his body. He took a step closer to Sebastian, and whispered, "All you have to be is you. I love you just the way you are."

    Sebastian tried really hard to fight the smile that crept up his face and despite his best efforts, he failed. "Damn you! Chris"!

    Before their conversation could proceed further, Christian was called away once more, and while Sebastian tried to keep up he got interrupted by a buzz on his phone. He took it out and let out an involuntary groan.

    Sebastian recognized the number very well and even though he had blocked another number from the same person a day ago, he didn''t have this new number saved, so he didn''t get to block this yetˇ­ until now. Blocking it, he ran and caught up with Christian as he was hoarded by some relatives or friends once more.

    That ceremony lasted till quite late, with capping of the night with some jazz music where even the older couples danced. Amidst the crowd, Mr. And Mrs Wrisberg appeared quite affectionate with each other. Sebastian and Christian, who spotted the couple smirked at them.

    "You know, it''s been really long since I saw them like this". Christian mumbled. "My Dad has a smile on his face, can you believe that?"

    "Are you sure it''s you Dad? He is not replaced by someone who looks like your Dad?" Sebastian teased, but the poignant glum look on Christian''s face persisted. "What''s wrong"?

    "I can''t help but wonder." Christian mumbled. "Now that he is free of the responsibilities of the pack, he can smile again. What kind of childhood would we have had if he never had that responsibility in the first place?" He wondered. "What would happen to me in this?"

    "You have me". Sebastian reminded his mate.

    "My Dad had mum". Christian pointed out with a shrug.

    "And you have Caleb, who loved helping you out more that anything. Your father was a single son, perhaps that''s why he had two sons, so you won''t have to take all the responsibility." Sebastian wondered.

    "Maybe." Christian shrugged followed by a frown. "Where is he anyways"? He looked around, nor being able to spot his brother ever since the passing the torch ceremony ended.

    "I think I saw him with Ashton earlier." Sebastian recalled.

    "Nevermind." Christian shrugged, not willing to speculate what those two may be upto. "I just hope my kids have lesser pressure growing up than I did." He smiled. He turned to see a wide eyes Sebastian looking at him.

    That''s when Christian realised, in their very long friendship and hasty relationship, they had never discussed the prospect of kids and all. Being Sebastian''s mate, it was a discussion that was for both of them. "You Okay?" He asked Sebastian sheepishly.

    Sebastian tried to nod, but his head appeared stuck somehow, not even a word came out of his mouth. "Geez, we don''t need kids. Feel better yet"?

    "You gotta stop pressuring me"! Sebastian snapped then he looked around to see if anyone else heard him or not. They didn''t. "I am not saying I want kids, I am also not saying I don''t want them. Let''s...revisit this after a while.. after I have given it much thought."

    "Sure." Christian nodded. "Just so you know, I didn''t utter kids because I want kids, I said that because that''s the part of the plan. The plan that everyone had for me, even before I was born." Christian recalled.

    "So you don''t want kids"? Sebastian asked.

    "Honestly?"Christian raised an eyebrow and following an encouraging nod from Sebastian, Christian added. "I don''t know. I have never given it enough though to know this properly."

    "Then maybe we can figure this together?" Sebastian suggested. "You broke of your engagement, and you have never been happier. Sometimes it''s better to walk away from the plan" Sebastian reminded him.

    "I suppose it is" Christian smiled, as he stared at his parents fondly, seeing them enjoy each other''s presence, wishing that after that long, he too has something similar with Sebastian.

 Chapter 286 - At The Scene: Part 1

    {Trigger Alert: Some non-sexual explicit shit mentioned.}

    Caleb had been extremely tired, and asleep when a call woke him up. However his mate was still sound asleep right next to him. He blinked a few times before the number focussed and he picked it up, "What''s wrong"? He asked.

    "We got another one." The voice from the other side replied. "This time it''s shredded." He shrugged.

    "Send me the location, I''ll be there ASAP." He declared and got up from the bed. This was Ashton''s room, but even he had his stuff packed, so he somehow wore the shirt and pants he had last night, went down for a quick change and headed out without wearing formals.

    As soon as he reached the location, he realized it was just outside the city boundaries, a little deeper into the woods. A perfect spot for unnoticeable crime. There were tapes surrounding the entire area and a few cameras from the local journalists. The scene appeared so intense, with body parts sprawled across the field, some parts barely recognizable thus being attributed as mere pieces of flesh. It was a gore fest.

    He noticed his fellow new colleague at the scene, approaching him as he was about to brief him, "Sir, this bodyˇ­ or at least the parts of it was discovered by a family on their way to the picnic as their tire broke down. They discovered the smell of rotting bodies and thus approached this.

    "You have their statements"? Caleb asked. The sergeant nodded and proceeded. Meanwhile Caleb tried his level best to sniff if there was any residual wolf smell or not. There was a tiny chance it was a wolf, but due to the rancid smell, nothing else was remotely detectable. Caleb grimaced in disgust.

    "So that''s all about it." Sergeant Stevens finished. Caleb, who had missed out on everything, looked at Sergeant Stevens wide eyed. "Oh, Umˇ­ Leave me a copy of these on my desk. I will go through them once more while going through the case."

    "Sure sir." Sergeant nodded. Going below the tapes of the contained zone, Caleb took a closer look. At the very first step, he felt something below his foot, despite all the mud. Withdrawing his foot he noticed it was an ear attached to some fleshy body part, that didn''t really resemble a muscle, but then again, who could tell in this mess.

    Caleb was so glad he had skipped breakfast, because despite his strong gut there is no way he wouldn''t have thrown up at this site had he been full stomach. He looked around the area to spot anything that would suggest it was the work of some wolf or someone he might have recognised.

    "Sir, I need you to step aside, we can''t let this zone get contaminated." One of the Forensic guys spoke up as Caleb approached further.

    "I am an hour late here, aren''t you guys done taking the sample"? Caleb huffed in frustration.

    "It''s outside the city limits, even we were late." the same guy replied.

    "Well hurry up. I need to check for some thingsˇ­.?" Caleb lingered on, asking for his name.

    "Belmont." he declared his surname. Caleb nodded and left. He waited for a while before his sergeant appeared in front of him again, "What is it"?

    "I have been wondering, should we connect with national security"? The sergeant proposed. Given their circumstances, if they contacted any form of national security, and werewolves or related were involved in this, things could go awry. It''s a bad thing that it was the new Sergeant, Casper Stevens who was the one to pick up the call, or else he would have quite easily kept it under the wraps until they had more information.

    With Scott, such problems never arose as he was accustomed to the shady things that occurred in this town from time to time, however, this new worker seemed quite determined, a typical law abiding police which kind of annoyed Caleb even further.

    "Let''s wait. Once we have some more info we can contact them." Caleb suggested.

    "But what if it''s too late by then"? The sergeant asked.

    "We can''t just ask the national security to help us without doing some digging of our own." Caleb declared sternly, with a little bit of snap in his voice. "If we get their help, we will still be needed for helping them as locals. We need to show them we are competent enough, or our department can get in serious trouble." Caleb declared.

    "Isn''t that a bit far-fetched." Unconvinced, The sergeant asked.

    "I think so too, but it''s the typical bureaucratic nonsense." Caleb shrugged. "I am also the ma- former mayor''s son. Trust me on this." Caleb tried his level best to subjugate his underling. Still not completely convinced, The sergeant nodded reluctantly and left.

    After a certain while, the forensics cleared the scene, allowing Caleb to explore the scene further. Before he could go much further, he called upon the forensic guy from earlier, "Hey, Belmont!" Caleb shouted. "What did you find out"? He asked.

    "Well, I still have some samples to run." the guy, Belmont admitted honestly.

    "Yes, but what''s your cursory findings"? Caleb asked.

    "If you ask meˇ­ if you throw all judgements and predicaments aside, there is no way this was done by some local animal or humans. It''s done by some sort of monster." Belmont declared, as a chill went down his own spine.

    "Wait, why not animals?" Caleb asked. Wolves (or werewolves to be exact) were a common sighting in this area. It was likely a wolf would have done thisˇ­ right?

    "No animal would shred apart it''s prey like this and not take a bite. Even though the body has started rotting, they still fit like jigsaw puzzles." Belmont declared.

    "Andˇ­ you have found each and every piece?" Caleb asked.

    "We think so." Belmont nodded.

    "A human could have done this." Caleb offered. "They have weapons." Caleb reminded Belmont.

    "It''s easier to cut a human like this if they are dead. Whoever did this, attacked this person while he was alive. Not only the blood is drained, we found a few leaves where there is splattered blood. It''s as old as this body." Belmont explained.

    "The person could have been killed here before he tore him into pieces."

    "There was no blood in the body at all." Belmont declared, which instantly turned Caleb''s head towards vampires, but then again, there was blood all around the place. A vampire won''t need to do all this.

    "Only a beating heart would be able to do that. Blood clots quite fast in a dead body. There would be something left, if not all had this body been dismembered this badly." Belmont explained. Caleb heard the words and stared at the scene in horror. Most of it was removed by the forensics and only traces of the scene remained in the crime scene.

    "Thank you for your analysis." Caleb declared, dismissing Belmont. He didn''t know how long he stared at the scene. In his thirty years of life, he had never seen anything this horrible, and yet something like this happened right outside their town. How can he not worry?

    Caleb''s reverie was finally broken by a text from his mate saying, {Caleb, you okay?}

    As he stared at the mess in front him, he received a text from his mate, "Are you Okay"?

 Chapter 287 - At The Scene: Part 2

    "Are you okay"? The message from Ashton read. Caleb was surprised to see Ashton text instead of simply linking and asking, so Caleb linked his mate instead.

    [How come you texted?] Caleb asked.

    [I knew you were busy, so I didn''t wanna bother you. I felt this surge ofˇ­. I dunno how to describe this emotion, but it was highly unpleasant.] Ashton declared.

    Turns out, the scene had freaked out Caleb so much that even Ashton could feel it. [It''s not much. Just some disturbing stuff...at work. Job of a sheriff you know] Caleb shrugged.

    [Oh my Godˇ­ thatˇ­ looked horrible] Ashton declared. Ashton didn''t seem so sure of himself, but what was certain is that Ashton did get a peak at whatever Caleb saw a moment earlier.

    So Caleb did the next thing he could think of. [Have you ever seen something like this?] Caleb asked his mate genuinely. He was very wary of the answer he could have gotten.

    [Not that I know of.] Ashton recalled and declared honestly.

    [Alright, I willˇ­ see what I can do. Maybe talk to my brother while I am at it. See you later] Caleb declared and disconnected the link.

    After talking to his mate, Caleb headed out for the police station to check on the files. Caleb took a very good swipe at the pictures of the crime scene before taking a look at the statements of the people who discovered it, something he had missed earlier.

    It didn''t have much. All of them described how they were simply annoyed at the broken tire while their mother fixed it. Their youngest son, who was about five, wandered off to the forest in search of his toy when he ended up finding a stinky piece of ''cloth'' which was confirmed by the mother that it was detached skin.

    As Caleb imagined the situation in front of his eyes, he felt his last night''s lunch (as he had also skipped dinner at the ceremony) at his throat threatening to come out. With nothing much conclusive, he declared he will be out for a while, working this case.

    Sergeant Casper Stevens wanted to tag along, but Caleb dismissed him saying he was needed here in case something came up. Disheartened, the sergeant agreed to stay as Caleb went ahead.

    Caleb called his brother, who seemed to be working on a ton of work at the moment. (Given how Christian already had tons of work, but since it was his first time complaining, that meant it was much worse this time. Perks of being a Pack Alpha.) Caleb left Christian the address in case he ever wanted to check it out on his own and Caleb headed back to the scene.

    There he noticed a familiar fancy car parked nearby attached to which stood Sebastian as he seemed to be waiting for someone. "Sebastian?" Caleb was amused.

    "Your brother sent me here. He is a bit busy, but it seemed like you could use some help." Sebastian shrugged.

    "I really can," Caleb nodded with a sigh. "I am so glad you are here."

    "Well, I am the pack Luna." Sebastian shrugged. "I take my Job very seriously."

    Caleb stared at Sebastian with a hint of cringe in his eyes. It was really off for Sebastian to be this involved with pack business. Despite being a pack member, Sebastian kept away from the pack unless it was an emergency. And now this guy was the pack Luna. It was still a bit hard to digest.

    "Anyways, follow me." Caleb shrugged and invited Sebastian.

    They arrived at the area and Caleb took out his phone to show him some pictures to Sebastian in order to help him correlate the scene. Even Sebastian cringed a bit at the photos. "My forensics guy seems pretty convinced that this was a work of and I quote, ''A monster.''" Caleb declared.

    "I mean...I don''t think it''s done by a wolf." Sebastian shrugged. "And by wolf I mean-".

    "Werewolves, yeah I got it." Caleb affirmed.

    "Well, unless you have other animals in the territory, I don''t know what did this." Sebastain declared.

    "Well, we don''t." Caleb shook his head. "We don''t have any animals aroundˇ­ not unless something is new."

    "I think it is." Sebastian declared.

    "Yeah, that''s what I am afraid of." Caleb mumbled which was followed by a dreadful silence. "I don''t know, but...umˇ­" he wondered if he should pose the question or not. "Do you think a Vampire could have done this?"

    "A Vampire"? Sebastian tilted his head in confusion. "Do you have any particular reason to believe that it could be Vampires?" He asked.

    "Belton, I mean my forensics guy said that this human was drained of blood. Well, he technically didn''t say drainˇ­ he said the body parts didn''t have blood left and almost all of it was scattered around." Caleb declared.

    "A Vampire would drink the blood, not scatter it". Sebastian declared.

    "I know, but it is possible they didn''t drink completely when theyˇ­ shattered this person." Caleb shrugged.

    "The only reason a Vampire would bother to go to so much length is when they are trying to cover up their tracks." Sebastian informed him.

    "It doesn''t look so covered up to me" Caleb sighed.

    "Yeah, me neither." Sebastian noted. "In fact, this person might have been alive when this happened. I meanˇ­ this person is clearly shredded. I think hiding this body would be much much easier than hiding a full body. If I am not wrong, this body would decompose much earlier too, making it a perfect crime."

    "I guess." Caleb noted. "But, what''s your point?"

    "My point is, whoever did this. Heˇ­ or she... or theyˇ­ are new in town. And, so unfamiliar with the rules that they didn''t bother to hide the body at all." Sebastian shrugged. "Either that, or they wanted us to find this body. It''s an act of pure wrath." Sebastian noted.

    "Wow, you are good at this stuff. You sure you wanna be an actor and not work a few more cases with me?" Caleb suggested.

    "I know I am awesome, but I gotta have my priorities." Sebastian shrugged casually. "Also, I wonder if one person did this. There could be more than one right"? He suggested.

    "At this point I am not even sure it was one person. There are literally no footprints." Caleb informed Sebastian.

    "Maybe the person ate something and exploded?" Sebastian suggested to which Caleb jerked his head and looked at Sebastian. "What"?

    "You could be right though. No wonder this person was this shredded. And no one was around so maybe there was no one to actually hide the crime?"

    "Suicide?" Sebastian wondered.

    "I really hope so...but I know it isn''t. As plausible as that sounds There is no remnants of any bomb or some. An explosion would leave some kind of mark on the body." Caleb declared. "Even a shredded body."

    "Yeah, you are right." Sebastian sighed. "Do you know who this person was"?

    "We are still working on that." Caleb sighed.

    "Well, lemme know when you have more information and in case you need any help. Till then, good luck." Sebastian suggested.

    Caleb took one last look (for now) before he left.

 Chapter 288 - Dread

    After the whole day''s work, there wasn''t anything significant Caleb could find on the recent murder case. He worried about his family finding out, but then again, they deserved to know. Especially Ashton.

    Returning home he was a bit relieved that Ashton had moved out earlier. But amidst everything, Caleb was supposed to help Ashton regarding decorating their home as well. Not to mention he had to look after his kids too.

    Even though he had been the town sheriff for a while, he had never encountered something so demanding that may overlap with his life as werewolves as well. And with Ashton back and two more kids, he had way more to loose. It was hard not to feel overwhelmed right now, but at this moment Christian had much more pressing concerns right now.

    It was already about to be twelve when he reached home. The kids were put to sleep by his parents and the butler and before going to his own room, Caleb checked upon the trio separately before going back to his bed.

    He was busy showering when he felt a pang in his heart. From experience he knew it wasn''t his head, because as painful as heat might be, it never gave the sense of raw dread. He wondered if it had something to do with Ashton, so he tried his level best to contact his mate.

    Unfortunately not only did Ashton didn''t respond, but no matter what Caleb couldn''t get through to him. To get a glimpse of what''s going on with Ashton or not. Now the dread he felt was coming from him as a sense of deja v¨´ hit him.

    "Ashton" he whispered in fear. Getting out of the bathroom mid shower he put on the first shirt and trousers he could spot and ran. After the hectic day he had, Caleb was quite tired, but given how he couldn''t connect to Ashton, he couldn''t care less.

    Luckily Caleb had the address to Ashton''s new apartment despite never having gone there personally, and just so that anything couldn''t slow him down, instead of taking his car, he shifted and ran. Being the fastest wolf in the pack definitely came in handy.

    Once he reached to the new place, he noticed how everything was dark. Caleb rushed in through the window (which Ashton didn''t bother closing) and searched for him. Caleb stared at the room in his wolf form and realised that it was a mess. An empty room was hard to mews up, but the torn sheets and certain claw marks on the wall signified some sort of conflict.

    Caleb''s panic only increased after that. And that''s that''s he realised, Ashton didn''t forget to close the window, he might have jumped out of it. With Ashton''s power, there was no point in tracking the scent. So amidst the pitch dark area, Caleb tried to look for his mate. At this point Caleb definitely wishes he had a flashlight with him.

    Caleb spent the entire night looking for his mate, but to no avail. Even in the light of dawn, Ashton''s trail seemed lost. Finally with crippling hope he returned home. He didn''t know where to look for Ashton, so he called Mrs Parker.

    "Hey, what''s up?" She chirped. Her voice made Caleb wonder if or not should he pop the question. Ashton disappearing again was a trauma not just for Caleb but for the entire family.

    "Hi, I was wondering if Ashton said something to you or not". Caleb asked.

    "About what?" Mrs. Parker asked. "Caleb, is everything alright" she asked in a soothing voice.

    "Yeahˇ­ I just think Ashton is going through something that I cannot decipher quite well." Caleb mumbled. It wasn''t the truth, but it wasn''t completely a lie either. Something was going on, he just wasn''t sure what it was.

    "Umˇ­ No he didn''t tell me anything. I know Ashton has a hard time sharing, but trust me, you are good at getting him to open up. Just try a bit hard." Mrs Parker urged Caleb.

    Without revealing the truth, Caleb mumbled, "I will try that." He groaned once he hung up. He didn''t have the energy or the heart to face his kids right now, and he couldn''t help but feel lost. He wanted to call Christian or Sebastian for help, but he knew even they were exhausted as well.

    He pondered for a while staring at the ceiling when he received a call. He looked at the number to realise it was from the police station. Must be something with the case. No matter how urgent if seemed, with Ashton MIA (missing in action) it was hard to care.

    Finally after fourth ring he picked up "What?!" He snarled, not caring who was on the other end.

    "We found someone passed out on the bayou." It was Sergeant Stevens.

    "Then call the hospital! Why are you calling me"? Caleb groaned.

    "He refuses to go to the hospital. And Frankly, he seems stronger than all of us even in this state." His Sergeant replied.

    "Then call some doctors to check up on him". Caleb suggested.

    "We were about to do that, but he asked us to call you." The sergeant replied. "He seems to know you."

    Caleb blinked at that information, "Wait do you have his name?"

    "Ashton Parker". The sergeant replied. A wave of relief and confused washed over Caleb.

    "Next time lead with that"! Caleb barked into the cell phone before he hung up. Without wasting even a second he ran back to the police station and found Ashton restrained in one of the cells while he wore some torn up clothes that might have been stored from previous cases.

    "Ashton?" Caleb called out. Ashton looked at Caleb with empty eyes.

    "Umˇ­" The sergeant appeared next to him. "We found him naked so we gave him some clothes".

    "Yeah, I got that." Caleb snapped. "Get him out of there and bring him to my office. I want to have a private chat with him." He ordered.

    "Sir, are you sure about that? He seems a bit crazy and he is really strong." Sergeant declared.

    Caleb shot his officer a glare. "He is my fianc¨¦. I got him" he declared. The sergeant was a bit surprised, but without further ado he did as was asked of him. Once Ashton was brought to Caleb''s office, Caleb ensured he turned on the heater. No he didn''t need heat, but the heater made enough noise to prevent people from eavesdropping.

    Caleb helped Ashton take a seat, and stood next to Ashton.. "Ashˇ­ what happened?" Reluctantly Caleb whispered.