Prologue

Samuel's POV

"But that's not fair," I screamed, standing up from my chair.

I have been the leader of our coven for two decades now. The elemental coven is known for their powers tied to the five elements. The witches of our coven are often scary if I have to be honest.

"No. What's not fair is the fact that you chose to fall in love with her!" Marissa was on her feet the moment I stood up. She had been down my throat ever since I told her that I am in love with The Alpha's daughter of The Blue Moon Pack.

I am a witch by blood. Pure blooded at that. My father was a witch and my father was a warlock. So I became the leader of this coven at a young age because not everyone comes with a blood line like mine.

"Falling in love is not a decision. I didn't choose to fall in love, Marissa. It's a feeling that you only realize once you are in. And that's exactly what's -"

"What I am hearing right now, is a bunch of bullshit Samuel!" Marissa cuts me off mid sentence.

I can just strip her off her titles and banish her from the coven, if I want. But I stay calm instead and take a few deep breaths before turning around to walk out.

"If you choose her, Samuel. Then the abomination will pay one day," Marissa whispers just when I was at the door.

I turned around to look at her, blood boiling.

The abomination she just called, is my child. The Alpha's daughter is pregnant and it's with my child. I hid her somewhere not even my coven or her pack could reach.

I promised her I would deal with all the affairs and get back with her. And once I get back, I intend on staying forever with her. I don't mind if my child is a werewolf or a witch. I am just happy to be living my life with the one I love, despite our races being different.

"Touch the shadow of my child and then watch to see if you live for another day," my voice is as cold as it gets as I subtly warn Marissa and turn around again.

I know that my child will constantly have threats. From werewolves and witches. Because she is a product of two different races. Not just any people from any race, but a witch coven leader father and Alpha Heir mother.

People would be behind my child for power. For the blood that flows through their veins. I need to do something to protect my child.

I realized that now is the time I need to get back to Katherine. Before I could cross the borders of The Blue Moon Pack to let the Alpha know that his daughter is doing well, even though I cannot really tell him where she is.. he himself caught me instead.

"Tell me my daughter is alive!" His face is an inch away from mine, his fingers are digging into my throat, his nostrils flaring with an insane amount of anger.

"She is! She is!!" I whispered and only then, did he let me go in one piece.

"I received a threat from your coven and I swear to Moon Goddess if anything happens to my daughter-" Alpha Zachary stops mid sentence.

All I could do was hold his hand in mine and look him in the eye.

"I know what the threat states," I told him.

Because I was right in the same room when the scroll was written. My child will be cursed with a mark on their body even if I chose to put them in a far different corner of the planet.

The mark is for the witches of my own coven, to track my child down. Because in their eyes, my child is an abomination. Something that shouldn't have happened.

Witches and werewolves were friends at one point of time but not now. Now they are the rivals everyone fears about.

"The mark doesn't define your grand child's destiny, Alpha Zachary. Because that's my child. I would watch the world burn down to bits rather than putting my own blood in danger. One day, a person with the mark of the crescent moon on their body will arrive. And will be the Alpha to your pack. Because that's not just my child but Katherine's too," I assure him and watch a lone tear roll down his cheek.

"What about your coven?" He asked me and I just shrugged as my response.

"They can shove the same scroll up their asses because there is no way in hell I am letting my child get into their hands," I told him.

As much as I am a pure blooded wicca, Wicca is a male witch by the way, I am not fond of my own people's actions.

So for the first time in my life, I decided to be selfish. To protect my wife. To protect my unborn child. And to do everything in my capacity, to make sure my child reaches their destination. The Blue Moon Pack.

An Alpha with the mark of a crescent City on their body.

Chapter 1

Freya's POV

"Freyaaaa!!" I heard my bestie slash roomie scream as she pulled the comforter off me.

"Why do you even set your alarm when you know you don't wake up that way" she says again, but this time my face is met with ice cold water.

I gasped, opened my eyes and looked around. Tara is standing with an annoyed expression on her face.

"The fuck is wrong with the way you wake me up, Tar" I screamed at her and threw a pillow. She ducked just a little to avoid the pillow hitting her face but her annoyed expression still stayed.

"No the fuck is wrong with the way you wake me up, bitch. Your alarm wakes me up instead of waking you up" Tara screamed back at my face and fell on my bed, making my body jump a bit.

"Well, at least we both woke up thanks to the alarm," I whispered and fell back on the bed.

Tara and I stayed that way for a while in silence until my phone started ringing.

"Oh My Goodness, the noise pollution here is insane!" Tara scoffed as she walked out of my room.

I smiled at the screen when I noticed it's a call from my boyfriend.

"Good morning my Boo-boo" I coo into the phone and he just laughed on the other end. It's one of my favorite sounds to be honest. Hearing him laugh that way.

"It is night here now, Freya" he told me and I groaned.

I should get a hang of this time difference thing. It's just been a week since Tara and I moved here to this remote town. It's called Greenwood and the name does justice because it's green everywhere you see it.

"How is the place treating you?" Ivan asked me.

"So far, so good. I am just sad that I can't eat cronuts here. They don't do those things here," I told him as I sat up on the bed.

We talked for a few more minutes until he eventually had to hang up, because it's night over there and he has to sleep. I quickly take a shower and throw on a yellow sundress before walking out of my room.

Tara is already at the kitchen counter trying to understand how to cook eggs. Once she noticed me walking towards the kitchen, she confidently just dropped the egg on to the pan. Literally the whole egg. Along with the shell and everything.

"It's high time you need to stop acting like you are an ordinary person who knows things like these!" I said and she stuck her tongue out before throwing the eggs away in the trash, straight out of the pan.

This girl is a mess.

"You can always ask your daddy to send some of the staff for us, you know" I said, taking over the kitchen. And Tara sat on the high stool before the counter.

Tara's father is a billionaire who never said no to anything his daughter asked. Tara's mom passed away during childbirth so to him, Tara is his everything. That is also why he quickly said yes when she said she wanted to become a writer and go to a remote town to do her research.

And that people, is how and why Tara and I ended up here. My parents are basically non-existent at this point so I don't really have to ask anyone's permission before I do things like this.

My parents were happily married until my father caught my mom red handed, while she was sleeping with our then neighbor. And my mom was pregnant shortly after. My dad never believed that I was his child because in the back of his mind, I could be their neighbor's child which still somehow gives me the ick.

And then I was born, the DNA test was done and my dad was indeed my dad. But then he accused my mom of fabricating the test results and they both got separated because they hated each other so much at that point. I grew up with mom mostly because my dad firmly believed I wasn't his child. My mom had a series of boyfriends until she got married when I was nine. He was an asshole who used to milk my mom and I for money. According to the law, my dad had to pay child support and my mom's new husband would eat it all up.

I patiently waited until I was eighteen and I couldn't be happier to move out. Tara was my friend from college and we quickly became best friends. I never knew she was a billionaire's daughter until I visited her home.

It's been two years since I spoke to my mom. She never calls and I never call her either. My life is a lot more complicated than I can say at this point. And yes, I'll end my rant here. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

Tara and I sit on the porch at the backyard, which overlooks the lake, as we have our scrambled eggs and orange juice.

"How is Ivan treating you?" Tara asked out of the blue and I just looked at her through my narrowed gaze.

"Why the sudden interest?" I asked back, fully aware that she hates him to her very core.

But then again, no girl is ever so fond of her friend's boyfriend so I could cut her some slack there I guess.

"I'm just asking, okay?" She asked me and then proceeded to eat her food.

"He is good. Just trying to get a hang of this long distance relationship now" I told her and she didn't say anything again.

But deep down, even I am afraid if Ivan and I can pull this off or not.

"Alright. What are we gonna do for the rest of the day?" I asked Tara.

"Well, you are going to drive me around until I find a place so serene and peaceful, for my inspiration and motivation. We grab lunch, we gossip. We drive around some more and get takeaway as we come back for dinner," Tara shrugged as she told me all the plans.

Well, as a person who recently lost their job and has nothing to do, I guess I can do this pretty well.

.

.

.

Two hours later, I am still driving around and Tara hasn't found a place that she could draw motivation from.

And let me break this to you people... She is not a professional writer. She just decided out of blue that she should be one. I know you people might be wondering why so. Hear it from her own mouth now.

"Why do you even want to write, Tar?" I asked her, taking a U turn because we are about to reach a dead end.

"Because I read a book with no story and it was actually a best seller. Can you fucking believe it?" She asked me back.

And yes. That's that.

"Oh My Gosh! Freya this is great. We should come here with a few drinks," Tara said and I whip my head to the direction she is pointing.

Sure enough, the place looks so peaceful. This town that we moved to, has a total of hundred and two houses. Very few eateries and things only locals know. After this town, it's endless forest, and then mountain range, and then another country. So that is also another reason why this is not really populated.

We didn't waste any more of our time and brought some local alcohol. Even the brands are different but we don't mind at the moment.

Tara and I sat on the hood of the car, with tins of beers in our hands.

"What are you even trying to write, Tar?" I asked her and she gave me a look. The look that I know for sure is not something that will end well. But let us just go ahead and hear it at this point.

"Shape shifters," Tara said and I accidentally spilled all the beer I had in my mouth. And I started coughing, struggling to breathe after what she just said.

"The fuck is that about!!" I laughed eventually as I looked at Tara but she was dead serious about what she just said.

"Oh you are serious?" I asked her, my smile slowly fading away.

All Tara did was just nod. I guess this is another of their billionaire things. Who even writes a book about shape shifters with no prior experience. And she even moved all the way across the globe to this remote town to draw inspiration for that book?

At this point we are just lucky that people here speak English.

"I wish Ivan was here," I whispered and got a stare from Tara.

"Why do you even hate him so much, Tar?" I finally asked my best friend and she shrugged before answering.

"I don't know. I always feel something's off about him," Tara said. I don't dive too much into it, because I know it won't end well.

We originally planned to have drinks until it was time for lunch but we ended it in the evening. We had snacks stacked up in the car so the food was never a problem.

I helped Tara get into the car and I sat in the driver seat again. But before I could start driving, I realized I might have had too many of the beers. My head started to feel dizzy. I knew it wasn't the right time to be driving, especially when this is a forest prone zone.

So I sat there in the car for a while. Until eventually my eyes felt too heavy to be held open.

I opened my eyes when I was so sure I closed for just five minutes, I realized that it might have been more than just five minutes. I looked around to find it's dark now.

I grabbed my phone to check the time and boy oh boy, was I asleep for three hours. Tara is still sleeping and this girl really leveled up her snoring game these days.

I was just about to rev up the engine and start driving but stopped when I saw a man standing before me. His striking blue eyes look like they are staring right into my soul. And somehow he also seems a bit predatory with the way he is looking at me.

My survival instincts were begging me to start the car, drive back and get back home safe. But the other side of my mind, that's totally idiotic wants me to get down and talk to the man.

He is dressed in a t- shirt that's three sizes larger than him and I wonder if he wore shorts underneath it. The t-shirt is actually covering him till his knees.

I get down the car and look around to find if there's someone else like him. And there's absolutely no one. Just him. Great. He could be a serial killer for all I know.

My head is still dizzy from the amount of alcohol I had earlier, but I managed to walk forward and reach the man. There is something weird about him. It's like I know I should hit his head with whatever stone I could find here, but I find myself trying to picture what he looks like underneath that loose t-shirt.

Heavens! I guess I need years of therapy at this point.

I stopped walking when he was at an arm's length distance. I looked at him, with my head throbbing but he is an eye candy so I guess I could cut him some slack.

"You shouldn't be here at this hour," the man spoke.

I am not even exaggerating, but his voice is like honey in my ears. Smooth as silk and sweet as honey. I could hear it all day, every day!

"Don't tell me what to do," I whispered back and I know I am going to do something I might regret later.

But few things are just not in our hands. So I did what I thought I would.

Just when the man before me was opening his mouth to tell me something, I opened my mouth and puked all over his t-shirt.

I only remembered that he muttered something under his breath before lifting me up from the ground. I remember his arms feeling underneath me as he walked towards the car. I was tucked in the backseat and that was all I could remember before blacking out.

If he is a serial killer, then maybe I can die peacefully knowing the last thing I had on this earth was beer. And that I puked it all on him.

Freya's POV

"Fucking Hell! Wake up Freyaa!!!"

I guess my alarm woke Tara up again. I extend my arm to grab the alarm but something hard hits me.

"Ouch!" I whimpered, opening my eyes to see that my fist just collided with the driver's seat of the car.

What is my car doing in my room? Wait. What am I doing in the car?

My eyes are wide open at this point and I notice that I am in the rear seat. Tara is in the passenger seat and she is looking at me as if I just grew two horns on the top of my head.

"Why are we here?" I asked her and she looks just as clueless as before.

"When we got into the car, I thought you were driving us back home last evening. But now it's early morning and we are in the middle of a fucking street!" Tara screamed and I finally remembered what all happened.

Damn. He wasn't a serial killer after all. I guess he didn't know where to drop me off so he parked the car in the street and left again.

"Are we going at least now? My head hurts so bad," Tara whispered and I have to agree, because I feel the same.

As I got down from the rear seat and moved towards the driver seat, I can't help but recall what his face looked like again. His eyes were really magnetic. The more I am forcing my mind not to think about those blue eyes, the more my mind is forcing me to recall everything again. It's a cycle at this point.

"What were you even doing in the rear seat?" Tara asked me, her hand on her forehead and eyes still closed. She is bad at handling alcohol but still loves to drink though.

Before I drove home, I drove to the only pharmacy that there is in this town. I grabbed some pills for the hangover while Tara grabbed us some greasy food from a cafe right across the street.

And then I felt it, someone watching me secretly. I can feel their gaze burning a hole in the back of my head but when I turned around, I saw no one. I stayed that way for a minute, scanning the surroundings to see if someone is actually here but I didn't find anyone.

Maybe it's the headache that's making me feel this way.

Tara and I made it home and we both had donuts in our hands, as we sat at the stools in the kitchen. We didn't even want to sit in the sun and watch the lake as we ate food.

"We could do a food review kind of thing. This donut is freaking delicious!" Tara said and I looked at her skeptically.

"I thought we came here so you could write a book. How come you want to be a food reviewer now?" I asked her as I took another bite of my donut. The chocolate frosting on this is seriously top notch.

"Nah but imagine the amount of money these content creators are making out of tiktok and instagram. It's insane, Freya" Tara nodded her head agreeing to what she just said, forgetting that I should be the one who needs to agree instead. Alright. whatever.

But she does have a point. I don't know if that's a myth to be busted or if it's actually a good paying job, but Tara and I are way too shy to eat in front of the camera.

"Try doing it right now!" I challenged Tara and she raised her eyebrow at me.

Still, she put her hair in a ponytail and switched the camera on her iphone. She placed it against a potted indoor plant before smiling and taking a bite of her donut. She smeared the frosting over her nose and I couldn't hold the laughter anymore.

"Stop fucking laughing" Tara whispered but even she was laughing at that point.

We both ended up sleeping in the living room instead of heading to our rooms. And the last thing I remember again is that Tara's phone was ringing non stop but we both were too tired to answer it.

.

.

.

I jolted awake when I heard someone pounding the main door. And just a few seconds later Tara woke up as well and we both exchanged looks before we both walked to the door. If it's danger, then we both are taking it down. And yes, I have nothing in my hand but at least Tara has a cushion in her hands. I know that's not a weapon but that's at least something, okay? Stop judging too much.

I opened the door to find the local cop leaning against the door frame with an unreadable expression. There is another man with a pot belly a few feet away, scrolling on his phone mindlessly.

"Is it a crime that we drank before it was even time for lunch?" Tara asked from behind me and I shushed her.

"Were you drinking early in the morning?" The man in the uniform asked and I glared at Tara before giving my attention to the cop.

"Is there something I can help you with, officer?" I asked him with a smile and I bet my mouth might be stinking right now, but hey, a girl gotta play along in situations like these.

"I guess the one behind the door is Tara Verma?" He asked, to which Tara and I exchanged shocked glances.

"What the fuck did you do?" I asked her and she raised her hands as if she was surrendering before she stood beside me, facing the cop.

"Your father made a ruckus since you weren't answering his calls. We never knew an influential person's daughter was living here in this remote town. I hope all is well, Miss Verma. Please call your father back and tell him that you are safe" the man before us said and walked away as if nothing happened.

Tara rolled her eyes and groaned as she walked inside. She grabbed her phone and walked to her room. I didn't want to disturb her so I went to my room only to find a rose on my table. My heart skipped a beat and I noticed I forgot to close my fucking window!

I shut it tight and took the rose in my hands. It was as if someone knew me well, because they placed a white rose on the table. The one I absolutely love, of all the flowers in this world.

But then again, who would even leave a rose for me? The only two people who remotely cares about me are not really fond of flowers and wouldn't do something like this. Ivan never gave me any flowers and Tara is actually allergic to flowers. So that's that.

I placed the rose in the empty vase on the same table and went to bed again. Tara might be sleeping again once she'd get done with lecturing her father about her freedom, privacy and all sorts of things.

And just when I shut my eyes, the only thing I saw were those blue eyes again. Looking at me with the same intensity makes it harder for me to sleep.

"Fucking hell" I muttered under my breath before walking to Tara's room. As expected she is sleeping again. So I sneaked out and sat in the car.

Tara's father is not only spoiling Tara but me too. Now that I am driving this Maybach, I don't think I can go back home one day and drive the second hand Ford that I own back there.

I drove all the way to the woods, to the same place I saw that man yesterday. I texted Tara that I couldn't sleep so I came out simply to drive around.

The forest is silent and peaceful. I guess Tara would indeed draw inspiration from this place under different circumstances and not like the one we had yesterday. We both drank like we tasted alcohol for the first time and realized only cool kids drank alcohol. It was absolute nuts.

I scroll through social media again and my eyes land on the bushes to my right, when I notice a movement. My entire attention is on the bushes and the way they are moving. My grip on the phone is now tighter, my heart beating out of my chest.

But right then, a rabbit hopped out of the bushes. I sighed with relief and then I began to wonder if coming here to see an unknown guy again was a good idea.

I turned my head to the front again, with my mind made up to leave but this time my heart indeed beat out of my chest. Because the man is now standing right in front of the car.

Holy fucking cow!

He is now wearing decent clothes. A gray t-shirt and blue trousers. His t-shirt was tucked in and he really looked presentable. Then why was he in that attire last evening? Is this the real him or was that the real him?

The man before me let out a smile and I didn't smile back. His smile faded away when he noticed I wasn't smiling. His blue eyes still hold a spark I cannot explain. They are making me want to know more about this person.

But I am here in a place I don't even know, staring at a person I haven't talked to, while my boyfriend might be peacefully sleeping because it could be fucking midnight there.

Once again, against my better judgment I got down the car. And this time, I didn't walk towards him. Just in case if things turn dangerous, I can quickly sit in the car and drive away.

I know I should be asking him something. Talk about something. And when I was driving to this place, I had a hundred questions in my mind but all of those flew out the window now that I am standing before him.

"Who are you? Ask him who he is" a voice in my head whispered.

And I bet you people would facepalm if you knew what question I asked him instead, just because I am nervous as heck.

"What if I puke on you again?"

Yes. That's what I asked. Alright. Maybe you can judge me here but not too harshly. Because you would probably find it funny knowing what happened afterwards. In the next chapter though. See ya!

Chapter 3

Aiden's POV

I simply cannot get the image out of my mind. She is literally the most gorgeous girl I ever laid my eyes on. The way her brown hair was dancing with the wind. The way her honey eyes were curious as she looked at me. It was as if she struck a chord in my heart.

But what I don't understand is why The Moon Goddess paired me up with a human. I am the Beta of The Blue Moon Pack, and I am currently the one my pack relies on.

"Earth to Aiden!" I heard Nora's voice and I jumped back to reality.

"What even got you distracted? This is very unlikely," she had a smirk on her face. And my response was just a groan.

I debated if I could tell her I have a mate or not. She is the Gamma's mate. Russell and Nora had been married and mated for five years now. Sometimes I look at them and wonder where my mate was.

I am a twenty five year old Beta with no mate yet. Usually werewolves find their mate once they turn eighteen and go through their first shift.

When I was eighteen, I thought my mate could be someone from another pack. When I was twenty, I thought my mate could be someone else's mate already. And when I was twenty three, I was pretty much convinced that I didn't have a mate at all. And that Moon Goddess pushed me into this world by accident.

But then it happened. I was on the pack run with the pack members last night. It was a Full Moon. And the full moon pack run had been a tradition of The Blue Moon Pack for centuries now.

"You ran off fighting the Rogues and apparently no one saw you later. Where were you?" Nora asked me and I just shrugged as a response.

I got distracted by the most intoxicating scent. The mate bond in me tugged and pulled me towards her. And she was there in her car, ready to drive away but stopped when she looked at me.

I bet she might be feeling the attraction right now. But she wouldn't know that it's the mate bond because she is not a werewolf. She wouldn't understand even if I explained it to her right now. It's much more complicated than it already seems.

"I never saw you like this and this is creeping me out, seriously" I got a whiff of cinnamon before I spotted Russell walking through the door.

"There is a system where you knock and walk in, instead of barging in" I rolled my eyes but they know I don't mean it.

"Alright. Who is the girl?" Russell asked me and my eyes went wide as I looked at him.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked him back to which he gave me a little smile before answering.

"So you want me to believe that you wore your t-shirt inside out and paraded looking like this, because nothing happened? Come on, Aiden!" Russell laughed.

It took me exactly one second to whip my head to look at my shirt and he was indeed right. I did put on my shirt inside out. Way to go Aiden! So much for keeping cool huh!

"She is a human, apparently" I told and received gasps from both Russell and Nora. Of course no one would imagine the Beta of The Blue Moon Pack to have a human for a mate.

Not that I care. But I just want to see and know if she is capable of surviving in the supernatural world. Especially the werewolf pack is not easy to deal with, for someone who is not a werewolf.

"Then what are you doing here? Go. See her again. Know her" Nora talked to me as if I was already committing a crime.

"I want to. But in absence of the Alpha, I have to-"

"Oh fuck that, Aiden! You have been a good Beta for the last seven years. It's time you need to make some time for your personal life. The Gamma and Gamma Female can take care of the pack just fine until you come back. Now shoo" Nora literally pushed me out of my own office.

I don't even call this an office. It's just a small room with a table, four chairs, stacks and stacks of books and documents. Nothing too dramatic to call it an office.

I got to the borders and turned around just once. I never in my life took time for my own personal life but this is the first time I am going to. I feel a tad bit guilty but the sense of mate bond and the tug is overpowering the guilt so I guess this is an order from Moon Goddess herself.

I close my eyes and undress myself behind a tree. And I jump from there towards the woods, and I shift into my wolf mid jump.

My wolf Mace is a huge gray wolf. The first time I got shifted and got Mace, he was an asshole towards me.

"That was me being as nice as possible. You either take it or shove it up your ass. Oh I guess you already did the latter," Mace's voice rang inside my head.

Now, you see what I was saying earlier about him being an asshole.? Yeah..that's that.

"Are you going to be fine, buddy?" I asked Mace.

Because I have my mate. My counterpart because she is a human. But my wolf doesn't have his mate, since she doesn't have a wolf side.

"I am honestly not so sure because the only thing I remember is she made us both smell like her vomit for an entire night. So yeah, does that seem exciting to you?" Mace asked me back.

I shut my mouth because he had a valid point.

I guess this is going to be the most bizarre way of finding one's mate. Usually us werewolves find mates during unmated parties or pack runs or meet ups. So not only is this unusual but .. I don't want to talk about how I smelled the entire night. Let's skip it for now.

My clothes that I wore before shifting back are now in Mace's mouth as he is sprinting towards the hill we both saw her last night.

It is hardly a ten minute wolf run from the pack's borders. But if a human wants to run, it might take an hour probably.

"Oh so we are calculating distance from your mate's point of view now? So romantic!" Mace says before he gives me the control, since we arrived at the place already.

I quickly throw on my clothes but this time, I recheck just to see if I put on my tshirt the right way. Once I made sure I did so, I sat on a rock and waited for her.

I am not a hundred percent sure that she would come, but my gut feeling says that she is just as attracted to me as I am attracted to her. I saw it in her eyes. The feeling was mutual.

And just as I was about to stand up and try shifting to my wolf again, I heard a car coming this way. I stand behind a tree and watch the car approaching. The same one I saw last night. I smile to myself now that I am sure she is attracted to me too.

I watch her sit in the car, without getting down. I watch her silently as she eats a bag of something I haven't seen (maybe because I am not aware of what all they keep selling in human land) , while scrolling through the phone.

Well, I know what a phone is because the only connection one Alpha has with another is a phone. But often even Alphas tend to forget plugging the charger because they don't even know how to use it properly. We werewolves in a pack have mindlinks that allow us to talk mind to mind without voicing things out.

A rustle in the bushes grabbed my attention. I sniffed the air slightly to smell if there are any Rogues here but there are none. And it took my mate only a minute until she noticed the rustle and turned that way. I guess now is the right time to surprise her.

I stand in front of the car while her eyes are on the bushes. She sighed in relief the moment a rabbit hopped out of the bushes. She is so cute as she watches the bunny with a smile. But her face quickly turned into horror when she noticed me standing and probably staring too.

We both are frozen and my hopes are going up and down at this point. I don't know if I should smile and show her I am not a killer. Or if she would find my smile creepy. A man on the hill who was dressed like a caveman last night is now dressed decently, but he has a smile on his face. Wow that sounds so safe, right? (Insert dripping sarcasm here)

And yet, the girl walks out and I am happy she does. She is just as beautiful as I remember her from the last time I saw her, which could be less than fifteen hours at this point.

"What if I puke on you again?" She asks me in the sweetest possible voice, but her choice of questions are making me wonder. A little bit.

And what am I supposed to answer for that?

"Wash, I guess?" I asked her back, because I am absolutely not sure what could be the answer, if at all there is any.

Is this the human way of communication or am I doing something wrong.?

"Yeah. Sorry for being idiotic. I guess I owe you a t- shirt that could probably fit two more people in it. Oh! A dirty one at that" she said and now, Mace is finally interested.

"Alright. She is funny. Maybe I can get along with her"

Chapter 4

Freya's POV

"Yeah. Sorry for being idiotic. I guess I owe you a t-shirt that could probably fit two more people in it. Oh! A dirty one at that" I told him.

Now I hope y'all know my problem. It's either I don't talk at all. Or I talk too much. Right now, I guess I am a blend of my both moods.

The man before me chuckles. Glad at least someone is finding this funny.

"I am Aiden. Nice to meet you too Miss -" he stopped midway and I nodded.

He raised his eyebrow at me and I quickly realised what I was supposed to say.

"Freya" I whispered and he nodded. It's like my last brain cell is struggling to stay alive in the presence of this guy.

I wasn't this way. This version of me is new even to me. I was the one who stood before the cops when the influential Tara Verma hid behind the door. I am not saying she is a coward, but that's how I stand straight.

And now, I am asking the man before me if I want to buy him a dirty t-shirt. Isn't that an impressive progress?

"Do you have a house on this hill, Aiden? Or do you bring people here to behead them and feel happy?" I asked him, but this time my voice was a lot firmer than how it sounded a minute ago.

"I dropped you back in the town, so do I look like someone who would behead people for fun?" He asked me back.

Oooh. We got ourselves a talker here. Okay. Alright.

"Then what are you doing here? Selling french fries to the birds or feeding steaks to the animals?" I asked him again.

Alright. Just when I thought I was starting to make sense, suddenly.. I don't. Does this happen to you lot, or am I just weird?

And when I didn't receive any response from Aiden, I concluded that I am weird and this doesn't happen to other people. Well, now I can sleep in peace knowing I embarrassed myself in front of a man that I.. oh wait .. make it twice. I embarassed myself twice in front of the same man.

Freya! Look at you slaying in this new town.!

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I bet it's from Tara. I let that be and focus on the man before me instead. He is just staring at me, at this point. Probably wondering what to talk because apparently the new Freya is a terrible talker.

"Why did you ask me to leave last night?" I finally asked him, once I gained my courage and common sense.

"Because this is dangerous place, Freya. A hill and midnight" Aiden answered and I just shrugged at him.

"A hill. Midnight. And a man who didn't look like this. I guess the definition of a dangerous place varies, Aiden" I told him.

Now there is silence again but not the same thick one like before. The earlier tension between us both was thick enough that someone would need a sword to slice through it.

"See, I know you have your own reasons to not believe me. And I don't even have any plan on proving it to you. But if you get to know me, I bet you'll understand what I meant yesterday" Aiden spoke in a tone that oozes confidence.

Well, he is someone I know nothing about. And he is asking me to be his friend and get to know him so I can understand if he is dangerous or not. I am in a new town and I don't even know who to trust and who to not trust. So I guess my answer is clear.

"Fine. But please don't tell me you live here," I whispered looking around.

If my mind voice spoke to me again, she would be raising eyebrows questioning my decision making skills.

"No. Not here. That's for sure. I just came here in hopes of-"

He stopped mid sentence. And if he is about to say that he came here for me, then I am getting in my car and driving away. And this time, I am not even going to come back because there is no way in hell someone who saw another person for a few minutes decided to try their luck to see them again. Sounds so cringe.

"I hope you are not talking about you" a voice in my head says again.

I groan mentally. Just when I thought I don't have a mind voice, it pops out of nowhere. I have had this problem for four years now. Tara was so afraid when I told her about it, and she made me go to various psychologists and psychiatrists.

But none of them had a solid answer. The one who told me remotely sensible one, was Dr. Lincoln. He said that could be my own subconscious self trying to voice out things I don't voice out. To some kids with troubled childhood, it could be a way to cope up with reality. That's what he said so I don't know if it's a thing. Now don't come at me because I really have no idea!

"In hopes of?" I asked him back, trying my best not to deviate from the serious conversation we were having a moment ago.

"In hopes of bagging an animal for a feast tonight. My family loves meat," Aiden told me and I raised my eyebrow.

"You know if you probably told me you came here in hopes of watching the view or something else, it could have made much more sense" I told him and I watched him close his eyes for a second.

For a fact I know that he might be cursing himself in his head. Good job, Freya.

Just when he was about to open his mouth, either to argue or to explain, my phone rings but it's a call this time. I pull my phone out from my pocket to see it is indeed Tara.

"Good morning, sweets" I said as soon as I answered but the tone is not as sweet as I remember the last time.

"Did you pack your bags and leave just because I brought cops to the doorstep?" Tara asked me instead.

Now if you know Tara, you will understand where her insecurities often stem from. The fact that she never had a mother. A very busy father. And a series of nannies made her believe that people leave when she is acting weird.

"Calm down, will you? I just came out to drive around a bit. What should I bring for dinner? I don't want to cook" I asked her in the call and she took around ten seconds to answer. And I bet she used those ten seconds to reassure herself that no one is leaving her.

"Pizza would do good, I hope" she answered and I agreed before hanging up.

And only then did I realised that the text earlier was from Ivan. My boyfriend who is in another country, across the globe. His text read..

Ivan : I don't know why, but I just missed you. Could we do a facetime if you are not busy?

I look at Aiden before me now, waiting for me to be done with my phone so he could talk. And just like that, I suddenly feel like the biggest asshole.

You know those podcasts where people send their stories and ask if they are the asshole? Well if I send mine and ask if I am an asshole, I guess the voting percentage would hit a hundred percent mark for the first time in the history.

"Is everything good?" Aiden asked me and I looked at him.

His eyes are somehow softer than before. As if he is a bit concerned about me. Why would he? After all he is someone I met not even twenty four hours ago. I guess I should be taking equal blame because I came here searching for him.

"No. Everything is fine. It's just that .. " I try to come up with something but realised saying the truth is preferable.

"It's just that my boyfriend misses me so I should probably get back on a call with him. Would you mind if I?" I asked him and didn't even wait for another second. I turned around and got into my car.

The first thing I did was facetime Ivan while sitting in the car. My gaze landed on Aiden just once before I hit the call option again when Ivan didn't answer the first time.

Of course it's been a few minutes since he sent me the text. He might have fallen asleep waiting for my call while I am here trying to know a stranger just because I got attracted to his blue eyes.

What the fuck is wrong with you Freya?

I quickly texted back Ivan saying I was in the shower. And once again, I feel like an asshole for lying to him.

Getting down the car again, I noticed that Aiden was gone. But in the place where he stood, was a piece of his own clothing. Did he run off into the woods naked?

I guess I really should stay away not only because this is weird but because Ivan doesn't deserve this. Alright. Am I the asshole for talking to another guy I found attractive even when I have a boyfriend?

I drove off in my car again but the more I am driving downhill, the more I feel the hair on my body raise. The sounds of a wolf howling is something I am hearing for the first time and it's not what I imagined for it to sound like.

I stood in line at the pizza place and overheard the couple in the front talk about the wolf howl. I guess the girl is a local and the boy is not.

"No. It is strange because the last time this town heard a wolf howling was twenty two years ago. The year I was born" the girl told the boy and the boy just discarded it as if it was rubbish.

Twenty two years ago. The year I was born too.

Chapter 5

Freya's POV

"Oh Thank Goodness, I am starving!" Tara said as soon as I walked through the door with bags of food in my hands.

We do have a kitchen. We have groceries stacked up to the brim. We have everything we want to cook and eat. But we just don't.

"I decided I am going to start my food reviewing career as a side hustle for some money," Tara said again and by now, I am super tired.

"Tar, you really don't have to act like you don't come from a super rich family," I whispered as I pulled the boxes of pizza out of the bag.

I started eating mine but watched as Tara literally acted like she was indeed a food reviewer. And she posted it on her new gram account because according to her, this is not her personal life. Whatever.

My thoughts drifted to Aiden. There was a pull that I can feel but can't explain. It was as if I was moving robotically, against my very own accord.

"But this is so good. You need to definitely try this," I heard Tara in the background as I mindlessly nibble at my food.

Good thing is that Tara finished it fast and got back to gossiping with me real soon. Thank Heavens because at this point.. anything to keep my mind off of Aiden.

"So where did you run off to?" Tara asked me and all I could do was shrug.

"Couldn't sleep so just wandered here and there," I shrugged off again.

"Alright. So I saw a post of the girl we hate, and guess what!" Tara said and grabbed her phone again.

I took another bite of my food until she passed me her phone. And I saw the girl we both were talking about, posted on her profile that she just got engaged to someone we never knew.

My eyes went wide as I looked at Tara and she just smiled knowing my expression.

Well, the girl is Lindsey and she was with Ivan for a period of time. That's what I put it in the form of words. Tara straight up says he was two timing. And partially I do agree. The only reason I am still with him, is the fact that I am a spineless bitch and he is too good with his words and manipulative behaviour.

And I love him.

"Keep telling yourself that," I heard the voice inside my head once again.

At this point it's frustrating to me because the voice is only growing louder and louder. It's very strange because the voice is louder only after I came here to this town.

By now it's dark again. Tara and I spent majority of today sleeping so it's only fair that it's already evening again. Tara then opened her laptop and did something but her facial expressions were the level of entertainment I crave to see in all the tv shows and series.

"What the heck is wrong now?" I asked Tara when I noticed she froze reading something on the screen.

"I thought writing was easy until I started reading shape shifter books man! This shit is blowing my mind away," Tara sighed and all I could do was chuckle.

I left her to do her thing and pulled my phone from my pocket. I did my own stalking about Lindsey and somehow, the fact that Ivan and Lindsey are still following each other is not sitting right with me.

My mind drifted to directions I had never been to. Could they be texting each other and I'll never know because I am far away from him? Could they be secretly meeting each other?

I look at Lindsey's recent pictures and she has the type of body I would only dream of. Slim, but not bony. Sharp jawline. Waist that's barely there. I look at myself again and.. yeah, let us just say that I am curvaceous. And if you properly notice, I do have a bit of belly fat dangling when I wear low waist jeans or anything like that.

"Alright. I'm heading to sleep. Let's go grocery shopping tomorrow, hmm?" Tara asked, grabbing her laptop and phone while I just nodded absent minded.

I walked to my room, still wondering if Ivan and Lindsey are still meeting.

It's not that I don't trust Ivan. It's just that he barely gives me any space to fully trust him. A year ago, there was a point where I thought I would be out of his picture because he would choose Lindsey. It went to that level but somehow he walked towards me and said he would stay loyal and all he wanted was me.

I guess I should focus on that. He told me he will stay loyal to me and that's what I should really keep in mind.

I took a long piping hot shower before I hit the bed. And strange enough, I dreamt of Aiden.

.

.

I woke up with a jolt, drenched in sweat because kissing Aiden in my dream was the last thing I would have probably guessed.

I took a look out the window and it's early in the morning already. Not the usual time I prefer going for a morning run, but I changed my outfit and set out anyways. The sky is beginning to change colours now and I first started walking instead of jogging.

I checked my phone to see if I got any texts or calls from Ivan and I find nothing. I absent mindedly took a different route to what I usually take and the views are breathtaking.

Everywhere I see, there is greenery. Plants I had never seen before, flowers I had never smelt before. Tara would freak out when she sees this place. I chose walking today now that the views are unfolding before my eyes.

Just when I am about to take a different turn, I sensed something wrong. I should know things would be wrong the moment I saw these views but not even a single person here. I had never even heard of this place even though it's been a few days since I came here.

I turned around and started walking back. Then I started running back and I turned around just to see who was following me. And I saw a man with a layer of dirt on him. I can smell the stink even though he is a good few yards away from me.

The man was faster than me and before I took ten steps, he reached me. I was ready to throw a punch straight at his face but out of blue came someone who tackled the creepy man before I could punch him.

Thank God it's Aiden!

Chapter 6

Freya's POV

Aiden's growl was so fierce that I had to take a step back and watch him beat the shit out of the stinky guy. The stinky guy was buff but Aiden was buffer.

Aiden was on top of him, with the stinky guy's throat in Aiden's hand. They both muttered to each other as if it were just another casual conversation.

My back hits a tree and I just stood there, watching what looked like a combat fight. Because those two are doing it exactly like that. If you ask me how I know that, then this is the moment where I tell you that I love watching people fight. I don't know why but it always attracted me watching how people fight and their moves during a combat. Tara calls me weird but it is what it is.

Aiden looked at me once and tilted his head, asking me to turn around. I shook my head saying I am going to watch. Of course! I love watching people fight, remember?

Aiden rolled his eyes and sunk his fingers into the chest of the stinky guy and I puked once again immediately. It is as if Aiden is switching on the gagging button whenever he comes across me. But for various reasons.

The stinky guy screamed in pain, but managed to wiggle himself out of Aiden's grip and run away. His hand is clutching his chest and how the fuck does he have so much energy to run away like that after someone sunk their fingers into their body.

Aiden walked towards me and I instinctively took a step backwards but my back is already facing the tree so I have nowhere to run now. Aiden is before me.

"It would have been even more great if you did this earlier, Freya" Aiden said and there is a hint of growl in his voice.

"I was about to-"

"About to die in hands of that Rogue! What were you even thinking by coming in this route? Did no one ever tell you that North is always off limits?" Aiden was screaming at that point, and that's when I thought I had enough.

"Alright. North is off limits and no one told me. But why are you here if North is off limits? And how come you came at the exact same time when I was about to punch him? I guess I should be more afraid of you than I should be of him!!" I told him straight on his face.

I half expected him to scream again or show any signs of hurt. But to my surprise Aiden managed to keep his face so stern. He didn't even show any reaction, even if he had any. And now this is starting to get on my nerves.

"Why are you here, Aiden?" I asked him even though I don't want to know about it.

Aiden doesn't say a word as he walks off the way he came. I screamed his name in frustration but he didn't turn around. He kept walking until I couldn't see him again.

Fuck him!

.

.

.

I chugged an entire bottle of water as soon as I got home. Tara is still asleep, and I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing for me. So I walk upstairs and take a quick shower. I opened the door to my room to see if Tara woke up, but she still hasn't woken up.

This happens once in a while. She oversleeps by one or two hours sometimes so I guess today is that kind of day. I quickly made myself a bowl of cereal and sat at the small dining table with my phone in my hand.

There's no text or call from Ivan and things are starting to feel a lot more silent. And people, that's what happens where you don't have a friend circle. All I have is a line at this point, not even circle. Just Tara and Ivan standing at two ends of a line. And they hate each other so I guess it's a sarcastic bonus.

I drop a quick text for Ivan asking him to call me whenever he reads the text and ate my breakfast in silence. Now that I had spent too much time in silence, the silence is starting to irritate me now.

My thoughts drifted to Aiden again. I don't know why he bothers with my mind, but he does.. a lot. I find myself thinking about him at random times and it's frustrating.

I walked to Tara's room when I realised she overslept than any other normal day. I knocked on the door but there was no response, so I opened the door and walked in.

Tara is on bed, like a chicken in an egg. Completely folded herself into a ball with a blanket on her. And her skin is scorching hot.

"Oh My Gosh, you are down with fever Tar" I muttered.

I put a damp cloth over her forehead and ran out to the nearest pharmacy to get her anything that could bring her fever down.

I drove in circles all over the town but couldn't locate a pharmacy. Just when I was about to cry with helplessness, I saw a small board that read pharmacy. I thanked all the Gods above and walked to it only to find it closed.

I let out a frustrated sigh and sat in the car again. I drove backwards and hit someone else's car.

"Fuck my luck today!" I groaned and got down to see the damage, and the money I gotta pay.

"I am so sorry I was in a hurry and-"

"It's alright. I didn't say a word," a man gets down with a smile on his face that made me sigh in relief.

"Yes. But-"

"It's alright love. I already saw the way you ran to your car. You clearly looked tensed. Do you need something from the pharmacy?" He asked me and I nodded.

He looks like he is in his late twenties. Jet black curly hair and chocolate brown eyes. He looks like he is dressed for the winter and not fall.

I told him about Tara and half expected him to tell me that he is the owner of the pharmacy. But turned out, he is not.

Instead, he gave me a glass bottle that has pale pink liquid in it. And it is sealed with a cork, even though the size of that glass bottle is so small. I guess it's more of a vial instead of a bottle.

"Give her this. Thank me later with a glass of wine. I know a place down the lane," he told me and I am suddenly at a loss for words.

"I bet you'll be there tomorrow at the same time to tell me her fever went down. Have a great day love," the man said and drove away in his car.

Ummm.. what the heck?

Freya's POV

I don't know what is in that pink liquid, but Tara's fever indeed went down by evening the same day. I didn't tell her where I got it from, because even I don't know who he is or what he does.

But one thing I am sure of, is this town has its own secrets. Its own lane of life. There are so many things and people who do strange things but somehow, it seems normal here.

I am definitely going to meet him today, which is in an hour. I don't know what kind of place serves wine in the morning at brunch time, but if there is something like that, then Tara and I will have our new favorite spot here.

I told Tara I was going to buy some muesli because we ran out of it. We indeed ran out of muesli and I would be lying if I told you I didn't search for it in the middle of the night. I just needed a reason, okay?

I drove the car to the pharmacy first because all I saw at the end of the lane were houses and no restaurants or breweries or anything of that sort. I waited for just five minutes until he came again.

"How did it go?" He asked and I smiled.

"Thank you for being a nameless savior!" I smirked and that made him laugh. Somehow every man I come across in this town seems interesting to me. As if they are from a species that I haven't known before.

"Caleb, pleasure to meet a beautiful lady like you," he says as he extends his hand and I give him mine. I secretly watched myself and wondered if I looked like a lady and not a girl.

Caleb then kissed the back of my hand. It sent volts of shock through me because no one ever kissed me that tenderly. And it's just on the back of my hand, what the fuck is happening to me?!

"I didn't see any place that serves wine," I tilted my head towards the end of the lane.

"Not this way, but that way. That end of the lane and it's alright. I'll lead you to it," he says and parks his car in front of the pharmacy.

Why? I think there would be enough parking space if there is a place that serves wine in the morning. But still, I don't ask questions and follow him. He tells me a few things about the town, few interesting, and the others boring.

We reached what looks like another house, but he goes in. I follow him but this time hesitantly.

"Welcome to my home and wine is served twenty four hours a day!" Caleb says and I couldn't stop the little chuckle that came out of me.

"Make yourself at home while I get you your glass of wine. Merlot?" Caleb asked me.

"Merlot would be perfect," I told him and watched him walk into another room.

I took a look around and I found a table in the corner, overlooking the backyard through the giant window. I walked to the table and found many books, papers and notes scattered across it.

I took a quick look and it's about herbs, medicinal qualities and of those sorts. I guess this is how he gave me that vial with the liquid in it.

I moved towards the bookshelf and the books are mostly of the same category. Caleb walked out with two glasses of wine and handed me one.

"So this is how you had the vial of liquid with you?" I asked him and he nodded with a smile.

"We don't get a lot of things here. So we make the best with what we can," Caleb said.

Impressive.

Caleb then told me how fascinating it is to read about plants with medicinal benefits and all. And slowly it was starting to get boring. I would rather talk about what a girl said about her boyfriend to another friend than know that the plant with yellow leaves helps humans poop everyday.

"I will head back, Caleb. It was nice meeting you" I smiled at Caleb, handing him the empty wine glass.

I would have loved to have more if he talked about anything other than plants. He is handsome. He knows so many things and that's something that makes him both attractive and unattractive if that makes any sense.

"You can come any time if you want some wine. I have a cellar full of it," Caleb told me and I nodded as a gesture of goodbye.

He followed me to the place where we parked our cars and I waved at him. I started driving without wasting another second.

But just when I was about to turn around the street, I saw through the rearview mirror if Caleb was still standing there. And I saw Aiden instead of Caleb. I stopped the car right there and looked again just to see if he is indeed Aiden or if my mind is playing games with me.

I rubbed my eyes and saw it was still Aiden. I got down from the car and watched as he walked towards me.

"What are you doing with him?" Aiden asked me, and once again, I really have a problem with his tone. He talks as if I am his girlfriend.

"And what are you doing by stalking me?" I asked him back.

"What does stalking mean?" He asked me back.

Okay. I know people are strange here but I didn't know they were this level strange.

"Get lost, Aiden" was all I could manage to tell him and turn around to get into the car and drive off.

But Aiden's firm grip on me stops me from doing so. He pushes me towards the car so my back is now against the car, and he is standing two inches away from me.

He was holding me in a firm grip and pushed me, but not in a way that I could feel the hurt. Somehow it was still gentle and it's giving me mixed feelings now.

"Trust me Freya, you will regret it if you travel with him. He is not what you know" Aiden whispered.

"Sounds rich coming from a guy who is ordering me around," I whispered back but sarcasm dripped through my voice.

Aiden let me go and took a step backwards.

"Please. If you have at least an ounce of trust in me, then do stay away from him" Aiden told me and walked away without looking back.

I don't know if I love this strange town or hate it to my core. But I made a huge noise by shutting the car door harshly. Aiden turned around when he heard that. That's exactly what I wanted.

I gave him a serious look and walked to Caleb's house again. He received me with a smile on his face and I walked in, but I could feel Aiden's eyes drilling a hold on my back.

Chapter 8

Aiden's POV

Caleb out of all people! That's who she chose to hang out with.

"But she doesn't know Caleb" Mace tried to put his point but somehow, it doesn't sit well with me.

The fact that she looked at me dead in the eye and walked to Caleb's home is making me even more angrier. Caleb doesn't know that I was there. Or maybe he does. I don't give a shit.

The Greenwood is home to so many witches and wiccas from The Elemental coven, and Caleb is one of them. I do my best as a Beta every single day to put my own people as far as away from Caleb and his clan.

But my own mate is now at his home, probably listening to his plant stories. As much as Caleb is a Wicca from the coven, his love for plants and potions make people wonder if he is a Donovan incarnation. Donovan Fade was once upon a time the most powerful wizard who was born to a Demon from Hell. Ruler of Hell to be precise.

Mace was howling as he was sprinting towards The Blue Moon Pack. I have a mate to take care of, and a pack to take care of as well. I can't fail at both. And I already feel like I am failing at one, that too in the hands of Caleb.

I noticed a Rogue at the borders of the pack. And to my surprise, the same Rogue who attacked Freya. Usually Rogues don't lurk around a pack's border so this is new.

Mace stayed as silent as possible until he was closer to the Rogue and in one leap, he was on the Rogue once again. He stinks so bad but that is how Rogues are. They are ungroomed, layers of dirt piled upon and no pack to get back to. They are free willed but more savage than decent.

Mace pinned the man by his throat, and it promoted the Rogue to shift into his own wolf. It's a brown one and a fairly large one for a Rogue. Still smaller than me, but he could be someone who once belonged to a pack. And maybe in the ranks of the middle order.

Mace growls at the Rogue and the Rogue growls back. Alright, this is new too. So Mace sunk his teeth into the shoulder of the Rogue to which the Rogue hollered in pain.

"I came here for help!" The Rogue's voice rang in the air and I pulled back from him.

"The Blue Moon Pack doesn't owe any help to Rogues," I told him with a growl.

"But it does, to The Silver Streak Pack. I come from the Silver Streak!!" His voice rang again.

For a moment both Mace and I froze in the same spot. We hadn't seen a wolf or a person from The Silver Streak Pack in two decades. Ever since our Alpha's daughter ran with our future Alpha still in her womb.

Mace took a step back and the Rogue shifted back to his human form, but this time he is naked. And this time, I noticed the tattoo that ran from his right shoulder, down to his elbow.

The map of the Silver Streak. The only pack that is covered in snow and to anyone coming from the outside world, it's a silver streak in the midst of greenery. No one ever knew where all that snow came from.

The Silver Streak Pack and The Blue Moon Pack were friends with each other until the Alpha of The Silver Streak Pack decided to show his Alphahole-ness and ruin the connection between both the packs.

I shifted back to my human form and

"What does your Alpha need now?" I asked him, as I put on a basketball shorts on me and I threw a pair at the Rogue's face,"And why are you a Rogue if you come from The Silver Streak Pack?"

"Alpha Alexander is no more. But before that, he banished so many pack members. I am one of them. But the new Alpha needs help," the Rogue said to me.

Why does the new Alpha need help if he is an Alpha. After all, I am a Beta to The Blue Moon Pack. I am not even an Alpha to begin with.

"Alpha Mark is his nine year old son. And he doesn't have any experience as an Alpha. We have no one to look up to, but our dear friend The Blue Moon Pack" The Rogue was starting to request me with agony in his voice.

"Who are you?" I asked him, giving him my hand and he took it, standing up with his upper half still bleeding.

"I am Nicholas. The former army chief of The Silver Streak," he told me.

I walked to the pack with him by my side. But since I am standing beside him, no one at the border patrol stopped us.

"Alpha Alexander died by drowning. And that made his son the youngest Alpha ever. He doesn't even have a wolf, he doesn't know pack behavior. And we can't trust the pack going into someone else's hand. Please help us, Beta Aiden" Nicholas was begging me at this point.

I mindliked Nora and Russel to come to the hospital. Nicholas needed treatment and I want someone else to hear the story and cross check if it is actually true. The tattoo on his arm suggests he is indeed from The Silver Streak Pack, but I can't just trust any person with a random ass tattoo on their body.

Nora and Russel arrived, patiently hearing the story Nicholas told. And then left to cross check the facts. And according to the rules, until then, he will be in the cells in the dungeons. Here at The Blue Moon Pack, people are guilty until proven innocent. And there is nothing even an Alpha can do about it.

Just when I was about to walk out of the cell, I turned around to ask the last doubt that's been in the back of my head for a while now.

"Why did you attack that human girl if your target was reaching here at this pack?" I asked Nicholas.

"Because I saw you talking to her once. I did not know how to reach you without you coming at my throat" he answered.

"And I did not harm her. Because I know she belongs to you, Beta Aiden"

Alright. Enough information for today. I should see who this nine year old boy is who needs training to be an Alpha.

Freya's POV

Oh boy! I was trying to get away from one stranger but ended up in the house of another. Caleb is now telling me about the herbs that went into the tea he is serving me now. It's now almost dark and I just want to go home.

I texted Tara real quick.

Call me now! SOS!!

And in under a minute I got a call from her.

"Bitch are you producing muesli or what?" Tara asked me as soon as I answered the call.

"OMG whatttt!!!" I screamed into the phone.

"Oooohkay. Is he hot?" Tara asked me, clearly understanding the kind of situation I am in.

"Oh no! I stepped out for a bit. It's okay. I'll be there," I told Tara and she is now in a laughter fest.

"Bitch you sound so screwed" Tara couldn't hold her laughter but I hung up.

I looked at Caleb with my facial expression that screams sorry, which I am not by the way. And he quickly understood judging how he already heard the conversation earlier.

"I would love to drop by whenever I am around, Caleb" I told him with a smile but mentally made a note not to ever be here.

I quickly got out and waved bye at him. I didn't even take a glance around. Afraid I would stumble across another weirdo who would change the direction of my destination.

Tara then texted me that she is making dinner for us today. Which is why, I am now heading to the place where we love the sandwiches. Tara doesn't even know how to crack open the eggs so I am pretty sure it's gonna be a disaster.

"Two fried chicken sandwiches, a side of fries, lemon sodas and a half pound brownie please," I ordered and the lady's face somehow lit up as soon as she saw me.

I actually haven't seen her before. There used to be another girl who worked here. So I just smiled and nodded before I sat at one of the tables, waiting for the order.

And while I was waiting, scrolling through the gram, A cup of hot chocolate was placed before me.

"But I didn't order this," I whispered but the waitress turned her head towards the lady who was at the counter.

She smiled and waved at me. And how come every person here is so strange and weird to a point now I am starting to feel like I entered into a different dimension?

"I didn't order this!" I told her, taking the hot chocolate with me. As much as I love a cup of free hot chocolate, I don't know if I can trust anyone here.

"Oh it's okay Katherine. I know you love it," the lady says.

Katherine?

"I am sorry but I am not Katherine. I am Freya. You might be mistaken, I am sorry" I told her again. And this time she takes a look, a bit skeptical.

Eventually she nods.

"Maybe. I am sorry honey. But do enjoy the hot chocolate. It's on the house," she smiled at me.

Alright. Maybe I can enjoy this hot chocolate now. Katherine. That's who she mistook me for. I wonder if people thought Katherine looked pretty or basic. The way the face of the lady lit up, maybe she was pretty. I mean, if she did look like me then I bet she was the most prettiest girl ever!

I got home with the food in my hands and just as I expected, the cooking was indeed a fail. The entire house is filled with smoke and I wonder how did the alarms not ring through the smoke detector. Maybe it's broken.

"I just followed the instructions!!" Tara screamed in between the series of soft coughs.

We opened all the doors and windows, and sat in the backyard with the food in our hands.

"What were the instructions? Get a matchbox, light a stick, and burn the house down?" I asked her to which she stuck her tongue out.

"They asked to bake the chicken for 375 minutes and that's what I did," she said, showing me her phone from which she followed a recipe.

"That's the temperature, Tar! You were supposed to bake those for thirty minutes. But Thank God we don't have a crispy baked house," I said sarcastically before finishing my food.

"Alright. How was the guy? How did you even meet him?" Tara jumped into the topic without even giving me a chance to divert it.

"He was the one who gave me the medicine that I gave to you yesterday. He said there was a place that served wine all day. Turns out it was his home" I told her and there was a strange noise coming from her throat.

"Lame in my books," she said and I thought so too.

"Okay. I thought about telling you something but couldn't. You have a delivery," Tara told me.

A delivery? To me? The last time I remember, I have a non existent father and a mother who thinks I am non existent. So I was literally raised like an orphan.

"Maybe for you, but name spelled wrong" I said, still walking inside.

There is still smoke inside the house but a lot better than how it was the time I stepped in earlier. I found a bouquet of white roses. The same color and shade, like the one I found on my table a few days ago. But it was just one then, and a bouquet now.

I turned the entire bouquet around to see if there's any card or something but there was none. Except for my name engraved on the basket itself. In golden letters that too.

"Maybe it was from the guy you told earlier," Tara said and I stood silent.

Caleb was with me all the while. He doesn't even know where I live. It could be Aiden since he has a habit of stalking me here and there.

But my heart jumped out of my chest when I saw a small note secretly stuck under the basket.

I know who you are Katherine. Or should I call you Freya?

Chapter 10

Freya's POV

Who the heck is Katherine now? Why is this entire town so goddamn weird? I don't tell Tara anything. I just took those flowers to my room and called it a day even though it's early and I just had my first meal of the day.

I looked at the bouquet for what seemed like an hour. Not even a clue about who might have sent this or what purpose they have to send this.

I took the note again.

I know who you are Katherine. Or should I call you Freya?

Seems like someone who knows me enough to name me as well. The lady at the small cafe earlier mistook me for Katherine too. Who is this Katherine and why do people think she is me?

I read the note again and again and again until it eventually fell dark and I drifted into sleep.

.

.

.

"When would you ever get rid of this habit?" Tara's voice woke me up with a jolt and I realized my alarm woke her up once again.

I looked around and found the note still in my hand. I expertly tugged it under my pillow, acting like I didn't do anything. I switched my alarm off and watched as Tara walked out again. But a series of mutters running along with her.

I changed into my track outfit before I walked out. No messages and calls from Ivan today again. Now it is beginning to frustrate me. So I called him and called him and called him until I realized he wouldn't answer. I was about to give up when I received a call from that one person who's been in my mind for a while now.

I answered the call and acted like I was busy doing so many things when I was just taking my morning walk, in all honesty.

"Hi Lindsey. Didn't expect you to call me," I said into the phone but I couldn't hear anything on the other end.

Just faint voices. I recognise one as Ivan's and the other I don't know. It clearly looks like she was trying to let me overhear the conversation but I can't make out what they are talking about.

And maybe Lindsey thought the same. She moved closer and I hear the voices growing louder now. I can actually understand the voices and the conversations they are having right now.

"But this belongs to you, Ivan!" I heard a woman say.

What belongs to Ivan?

"Knowing you, it could be anybody's Phoebe" Ivan told me and I heard two gasps. One is of Lindsey for sure and the other might be Phoebe's.

I don't even know what they are talking about. What belongs to Ivan?

"Knowing you, I should have known I shouldn't trust you. I feel so sorry for your poor girlfriend" Phoebe's voice came through.

And just like that, I stopped walking. I don't know who this Phoebe is but it seems like she knows me.

"You don't bring Freya into this!" Ivan said in a threatening voice that I had never heard from him before. Is this the same Ivan I know or is something happening there that I am totally unaware of.

"I won't bring her into this, if you take responsibility for this. I don't mind raising this child alone, but acknowledge that this child is yours. In my belly right now" Phoebe said.

And that was what I needed to hear before I sat on the sidewalk. My heart is beating crazily fast and I am unable to catch my breath. Someone over there is pregnant and is claiming that Ivan is the child's father.

It can't be. It fucking can't be!

"I know I slept with you a few times, Phoebe. But I was on protection. There is no way in fucking hell this is mine. It's your mess to deal with. Now get out before I ask the security to throw you out," Ivan's voice was dangerous and I really am hearing a different version of Ivan.

"I thought you changed after you went back to Freya," Lindsey said and I guess Phoebe just left. I don't hear her voice anymore.

"She is not a Goddess to change me. I am still me but a side she'll never know existed. Now please go take care of Phoebe's problem before I tell your fiance about the past you never want to resurface," Ivan is now threatening Lindsey as well.

I put Lindsey's call on hold to call Ivan and he doesn't answer again. I hung his call and got back to Lindsey's call.

"You'll have to talk to her eventually. You know she is insecure, right?" Lindsey asked Ivan.

"I know. Which is why I am growing tiresome. I wish I knew a way to end this," Ivan said.

That was all I needed to know before I hung up the call. I looked up at the sky. The pretty colors of orange, pink and purple are like streaks of painting on a canvas.

I don't know for how long I watched the sky until it became blurry. I cried my eyes out, not even worrying to wipe my tears. I am literally sitting on the sidewalk, early in the morning and crying because my boyfriend who already cheated on me once, cheated on me again.

I am the fool here for trusting that he could change for me.

He is now a father of an unborn baby.

My phone rings and it's Ivan now. I answer it just to see what kind of lie he is ready to spin again.

"Is it already morning there, sweetie?" He asked as if everything was alright.

"Yes. And I woke up just now. To a news that'll blow your mind away" I told him and I could hear him chuckle on the other end.

Only if I could punch him through the phone right now!

"I might come home in a couple of days, Boo-boo" I screamed even though I am sure I am not going anywhere, anytime soon.

"Wow. You missed me, huh?" He asked and I want to gag now.

"Yeah. That, and I have a friend there. Phoebe. Turns out she is pregnant!" I told and I heard pin drop silence on the other end.

That gave me the kind of closure I wanted. Just to make sure if this is a different Ivan people were talking to. But turns out, it is indeed true like they say. Once a cheater, always a cheater.

"Don't even call me again, asshole"

Chapter 11

Aiden's POV

Sobbing is the right word for it. That's what she is doing right now. I knew she would be doing her morning routine of a walk and jog. But I didn't expect this, this morning.

"Who is she?" A voice startled me and I am on my guard to punch the shit out of them. But instead, I felt relieved when I saw it was Russell.

And what the heck is he doing here now?

"What are you here? How do you even know I am here?' I asked him to which, he just shrugged his shoulders and his gaze fell on Freya again.

"She looks like someone just broke her fragile heart," he commented and I didn't say anything because that seems just right.

She did tell me she had a boyfriend. Did that asshole do anything that made her cry? Who in their right mind would hurt a girl like her?

"That girl there is my mate," I finally got it off my chest and the sound Russel made, made me wonder if he is happy for me or sad or both.

"I don't know if I can congratulate you, man" he told me and I hit the back of his head.

Russel and Nora are the two people who made me believe that mate bond is a beautiful thing. And now watch him ready to talk shit behind her back.

"Sometimes, it's all good. But sometimes, it's sacrifices you know. Mate bond is only beautiful if you are willing to accept it all. The good times and sacrifices. Just take time and think if a human girl is worth your sacrifices," Russel told me.

"I just came here to see where you were running off to every morning. Now that I know, I am heading back. Good luck consoling her because she looks like she is not going to stop crying anytime soon," Russel patted my shoulder before he shifted and ran in the direction of The Blue Moon Pack.

I stood there for a few more minutes, debating if I should go to her or not. Our last few meets haven't been something that could make her trust me. So jumping before her out of nowhere could only make it worse.

I don't even have this goddamn phone thing she has in her hand. I could have pretended I was talking, just like her and walked in that direction. Maybe I'll just do it without the phone part.

I silently ran in the opposite direction and eased myself before I jogged casually towards my mate. My beautiful mate who seems to be in a lot of pain.

I made a bit more noise than usual so she could see me. But she didn't even notice I ran in front of her three times. She looked pretty zoned out and she wouldn't even notice even if someone robbed her off of everything that's on her body.

So I gave up and walked to her, standing just a few inches away from her.

"What's wrong, Freya?" I asked her and she finally looked at me.

Her face is tear stained. And her eyes were so lifeless that it literally gave my heart an instant scar.

Freya didn't answer me, so I sat beside her. I didn't know if I could pull her closer to me, so instead, I moved a bit closer to her.

Freya started another round of sobbing and this time I pulled her to me. Her face is now buried in my chest, her sobs gone silent because of the closed space.

"Shh. It's okay. It's okay" I kept telling her but deep down I was already making plans to skin the bastard alive.

I am a bit far from my pack so I cannot mindlink Russel or anyone. But I am sure I am going to find that asshole, skin him alive, snap his fucking neck, and put his head on a pike.

"He made another girl pregnant, Aiden. He made- he-"

"Shhh! It's alright. Shh," I kept shushing her in hopes that she would calm down.

How the fuck did he sleep with someone else when he had Freya with him? But then again, it was for my own good because she is my mate and she would eventually find her way to me.

But he didn't have to break her heart this way.

"The day I see him, is the day we both kill him" Mace said in my head and I couldn't agree more.

I didn't know where to take her. I don't know many places in Greenwood because it was occupied by The Elemental Coven decades ago. We all lost human contact after that and there are very few humans left in the town.

Many of them already know the secret but they still choose to remain silent. Out of fear of the witches or favor is something I would never understand.

"I don't want to go home. Tara would start her 'I told you so' speech because she always thought there was something off with Ivan. I should have trusted her gut feeling. Ugh! I am a stupid. Why didn't I trust my best friend who only wanted good things for me. Honestly I guess I deserve this-"

"Freya! Stop!!" I held her by her shoulders and shook her. That did the trick. She quickly shut up and looked at me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked me as if she just got into her senses.

"Do you want to get out of here?" I asked her back and she took a few seconds before she nodded her head as a yes.

I knew a perfect spot that could make her mind calm and think about things. The waterfall is just a few miles from here. Not too far away where she couldn't walk. Judging her routine of walking and jogging, this would be a piece of cake to her.

I showed her the way and she was going on and on about how stupid she was to give him another chance. I guess now I know more about Ivan than she does. Male psychologist, you can say.

And with the gathered information, I am sure I will find him in less than a week. Probably chop his balls so he wouldn't make another girl pregnant. And send those balls as a present to Freya.

The moment Freya spotted the waterfalls, her mood changed ever so slightly. Her face lit up a little and there's a smile on her face now. Good thing because that's what I am aiming for.

She turned to me with a smile on her face and she did something that I didn't imagine she would do.

Freya took a step closer and hugged me. Her arms around my shoulders and she stood on her toes because of the height difference.

My soul left my body for that one second and came back just because I had to hug her back.