I'd been laying on his bed for almost an hour. I had intended to get up and start my rounds of the court at dawn, but the sheer warmth of the covers had demanded I stay. The mattress was impossibly plush, along with the pillows and covers. I loved the cool, silken feel of the black duvets, accentuated in gold trim that glimmered in light. An honorable assortment of coliurs, to represent him. 

To represent my mate. 

I blushed in spite of myself, in spite of everything that had occurred the day before. Those moments with Azriel had been magical, and falling asleep with my head tucked into his chest, his arm wrapped around me... it felt as though everything had finally fallen into place.

I sat up with a sigh. Azriel had left earlier this morning, saying he was going to find Alia and bring her back. A few things about that had struck me as odd, the first and foremost being that it sounded like a kidnapping. Azriel had assured me that thought it was technically kidnapping, yes, it was necessary. Performing magic in the broad daylight of a human town was one way to arouse suspicion, and maybe even alarm, even with the memory-loss curse. Besides, if things did go bad, or if Alia wanted to go back home, she'd be more than welcome to at any time -- Azriel would ensure her memory to be wiped so she wouldn't remember any of it in the first place.

It provided me with little ease, though. I hoped Alia would forgive me for this shortcoming once I explained myself to her; she always had. Azriel had assured me he would put Alia into a catatonic state, so she wouldn't feel alarmed or afraid.

But that wasn't my only worry -- how would Azriel know where to find her, or who she was? He'd assured me he recognized a second smell clinging to my clothes the first time I'd arrived here, and with that alone, he could locate her. I found it hard to believe he would recall a faint scent from months ago, but I had no other choice. 

I had to trust him. He was my only way to getting Alia back. 

I thought again. Maybe I was being selfish. No, correction: I was being selfish. Just like some mystery wolf had done to me, I was ripping Alia away from human life and introducing her to this complex and unbelievable world of werewolves. I guess the only reason I was hell-bent on doing so was so I could talk to her one last time, or at least properly say goodbye if she didn't accept me. I wanted to see her again, hear her voice, see that smile. Even with all the glory that came with this new life, part of me still ached for the past -- for what I'd once had, even if that life had died long ago. 

With a sigh, I stood. There was nothing worrying would do; I would just have to trust Azriel's judgment and hope everything would go smoothly. It's all I could do; hope.

Desperate to take my mind off things, I headed to the large walk-in closet and threw on a simple black dress. I would have preferred jeans and a tee-shirt, but as a Luna, I knew I ought to dress formally -- at least for the time being.

Tossing on a pair of black flats, I stalked towards the mahogany chest at the foot of the bed, where a black Pelta had been laid out. It was the same black texture of Azriel's. Instead of gold, however, silver embriodery had been woven in its place. I took a moment to admire the way the sunlight danced along its edges, the silver symbol of Alpha glaring at its center.

I still couldn't believe it. I was a Luna -- an Alpha in my own right. I would be leading the court that had once hated me, despised me.

I thought back to Zion, remembering how he too had risen to power. But then I remembered his condition and his worrisome behavior. He was on my mind a lot these days, especially with his ongoing absence.  I hope he's alright, I thought to myself. After much debate, I decided I would make a point to stop by the infirmary. Perhaps Dr. Hershel would allow me to see him.

Sucking in a deep breath, I tied the Pelta around my shoulders. Without another thought, I turned to the door and strode out the room.

Yes, the one downside to living in a beautiful tower so high up -- the staircase.

I groaned as I reached the first step, and then again as I hauled myself down the next. I hated stairs, and it seemed not even my werewolf body spared me of the tedious burning in my calves.

Once I reached the first floor, I stood there for a moment. I wasn't sure what to do with myself -- I couldn't run errands with Azriel, for obvious reasons, and I couldn't run them myself yet because I needed training in that regard. I couldn't go to training with Zion, either.

I paused, considering. After much debate, I turned on my heels and headed towards the Eastern Wing of the court -- towards Raina's quarters. Maybe her sunny personality would be enough to calm my anxious mind. 

As I walked down the halls, I noticed a few people staring my way, their expressions ranging anywhere from awestruck, sheepish, to downright fearful. A few stopped me to say a few words of thanks, or wax lyrical about my beauty, and I would gracefully take their compliments in stride. Some took the liberty to bow, addressing me as, "Lady Kyra".

I loved the attention, I really did, but at all the welcoming faces and gleaming eyes... I couldn't help but feel a prickle of bitterness. Where had all this warmth been when I'd first entered the court?

Small relief flooded through me once I reached Raina's chambers. She was on the opposite wing to my old room, and it occurred to me I'd never actually been to her room before; I only knew her location because she'd pointed it out to me one time. Taking up my hand, I knocked, and the door opened moments later.

The girl's emerald eyes glowed as they landed on me. "Kyra!" she yelled, then, catching herself, briskly added, "Lady."

I snorted. "Raina, please don't start with that; I've heard those words enough for one day and I don't need to hear it from your mouth as well."

She giggled. "Sorry, Ky." She motioned behind her. "Would you like to come in?"

I nodded. Her room was very different from mine and Azriel's -- dusty pink touched every inch of the space, from the walls to the furniture, along with golden accents that gleamed. Within minutes, we became lost in court gossip. I'd told her all about Alia, and how Azriel was going to get her today. Raina's excited reaction was more intense then I'd predicted, and it had me wondering if Raina and Alia would get along. The thought made me smile. I hadn't realized several hours had passed until the clock chimed twelve.

I excused myself, promising to see her again at The Feasting. I was about to return to Azriel's chambers -- our chambers -- when I remembered something. On my walk back to the tower, I made sure to duck down a side hall, and before long I was standing outside the infirmary.

I knocked on the door. "Dr. Hershel?" I called.

Moments later, the door opened, the wisdom-etched face peering from behind. "Yes, Lady Kyra?" he asked, sketching a bow. I refrained from telling him not to do so -- I knew it was disrespectful.

"May I know about Lord Zion's state, and if I may visit him?" I asked.

Something in the doctor's expression changed. I couldn't quite explain it, but it was almost as though he was putting on a mask, as though his defenses were up. "Sorry," he said flatly. "Lord Zion is still very sick -- you cannot visit him right now. We cannot risk exposing you to the Wolven Flu."

I tried to meet his eyes, but they wouldn't meet mine. It made me nervous -- was there something going on that I didn't know about? Was Zion in worse condition than I thought?

"Is he..." I began. "Is he okay?"

The doctor seemed to hesitate for a moment, still not meeting my eyes. Then, he nodded. "Yes, he's fine; he just needs a bit more time." His eyes flicked up to mine, but as someone who had always avoided eye contact, I could tell he was staring at my forehead. That could only mean one thing -- he was nervous. "Why don't you get some rest, my Lady," he suggested. "I'm sure being Luna is no small job."

I blinked. Once. Twice. I gave him a distant nod before turning away, only somewhat aware of the marble-plated halls around me. 

Something was going on, something that involved Zion. On my walk back to the chambers, I tried to convince myself that he really was just sick, that he was in a poor condition right now, but nothing he couldn't handle. Even so, I couldn't rid the feeling of dread that had taken root in my gut...