No Gran.

No phone.

No Lexi.

No Ryan.

No School.

No freedom.

Only Gilbert.

And his growls.

Tearing the paper from the notebook, I stared at my writing that looked like of a two-year-old. As my right elbow was still healing and writing with left hand felt like writing with a broken hand.

My nostrils flared when I crushed the paper in my fist and threw it out of the window. Picking up the pen, I leaned ahead on the bed again. Scribbling again with my blood boiling in the very hand and teeth nearly breaking from the pressure I was putting on gritting them tight.

Obsessed with Mating Ceremony!

Obsessed with the Full Moon!

Obsessed with Mom!

Obsessed with-

The knock appeared on my door and it made me think for a blink. Because neither Thomas, nor Natalie would knock. Mom too would barge in. Pete would always talk to me out in other places. Gilbert and Eva never came. Not that they were welcomed.

"Come in," I said through clenched jaws, trying to calm the adult blood in me. I was burning with rage.

The door burst opened and came inside the face I didn't know what I felt about. But the crushed paper balls in his hands gave me a reason to welcome him inside.

"Looks like the Full Moon is triggering you too," said Ivan, looking amused as ever.

I lowered my eyes, breathing calmly.

Obsessed with bullying a human!

An innocent human!

Ivan chuckled, "I don't know what happened inside his office as it is sound proof. No one does."

Looking up, I observed his blue checkered shirt and black jogger beneath. Those first two buttons were open, giving me a glimpse of his lean chest and with my gaze going upwards, the stubble looked cute on him.

"I am glad, I am distracting you from cursing Alpha."

Gilbert!

Ivan cracked up at whatever expressions I made. He came closer and sat on the foot of my bed. "You can't call an Alpha so many things."

I gave him a sadistic smile. "If you are here to lecture me and defend him, please leave."

Ivan blinked and a sudden realization hit his face. "You are that upset with him."

I looked away while biting my lip. "I am vengeful," I muttered while clutching the pen tight in my hand. "And this is an understatement."

"You need to use this anger in a better way," he said, his cute smile showing me a little dimple on his left cheek.

My one eyebrow raised and he opened his mouth, coming closer on the bed. "Tomorrow is full moon," he whispered huskily.

"I would have understand that in a normal tone too."

A quirky smile stopped him for a second but then, the mischievousness spread on that pretty face and he explained, "Four pups have shifted within this week. It will be a little difficult to control them tomorrow night. One is female. The males are the naughtiest pup of the pack. One of them is quite bulky."

My eyes narrowed in sudden discomfort. "What is the relation of my anger with these newly shifted pups?"

Ivan gave me the knowing nod. "That is the best part. One of them, Axel will be locked at the ceremonial hall near the grounds."

"Okay? Wait. They are being locked at different places?"

He nodded hurriedly, looking in my eyes. "It will be easier to guard them, this way. The rest will be within the residential area. But the ceremonial hall is a little far. The strange thing is that Alpha has denied to guard that place."

My mouth opened. "Well, okay. . ."

"Misty, listen carefully." Ivan grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly. "He didn't even assigned Pete to guard him. Neither my father, nor your Uncle Robert. Do you know what this means?"

I gulped. "I don't know."

Ivan blinked patiently and explained, "That any other wolf except these high rankers won't be able to guard Axel. He will be able to fight the chains and the guards. He will get out of the hall and go for the first virgin he smells."

I blinked, trying to understand my role here.

"All the unshifted young virgin females will be here in this house. Sixteen of them including Natalie and Keira. Luna will guard them along with other rankers-"

"How do you know they are all virgins?" My eyes squinted at him.

Ivan shook his head. "You are too going to be here with them and your scent will be the most alluring."

"How do you know?" I asked quietly.

He smirked. "Because it is."

I swallowed my cheeks, trying to avoid the goody smile that was cracking.

"In any normal circumstances, if Axel breaks the chains, he will come to this house the first chance he get because of you. But for some reason, I think it won't happen. Because Alpha never puts any newly shifted wolf in that hall. It is the latest hall we have built. Money has been spent and he won't afford any kind of financial loss for a mere pup."

I still wasn't getting to understand what Ivan was thinking.

He lowered his eyes. "Axel has always been a sharp lad from the beginning. His training is phenomenal. I feel that Alpha wants him to do something. . ."

A bulb lit it my mind. "Aren't the grounds closer to the border of Lycan's pack? I mean, I have gone there twice but Thomas told me that the border was just a mini-forest away from the ground."

Ivan nodded. "That's what I am thinking. Alpha is planning something. I think, he wants Axel to break in the Lycan's pack."

I scoffed but seeing his serious face, my stomach churned. "Why would he want that?"

Ivan shook his head. "I can't tell you, Misty. But know that, it's wrong. Axel can lose his life."

"Why will Gilbert want Axel to die?"

Ivan gave me a serious look. "Die doing something great. . ."

I blinked calmly, thinking about all the legend of Alpha Rucus that I knew. "I don't think, there is something left there to go. It's not like there is some treasure there. Everyone I have met here, says Lycans are dangerous. Even if Axel crosses the territory, what will he do. Look for a Lycan girl?"

Ivan bit his lips, thinking quietly.

I observed his black hair falling on his forehead. His lashes were long and looked good. But suddenly, I realized something.

"Wait. Are you the only one aware of this security plan?" I asked him, slowly.

Ivan chewed on his lip, still thinking. "Alpha made the plan, discussed it with Pete, Uncle Robert, my father and Thomas was there too."

"Why are you the only one reaching to this thought?" I asked while getting my spine straight. "Pete could have thought about this too. He is wiser than you."

Ivan looked a little offended but he showed it in a polite way. He just smiled at me. "A Beta tries to solve problems in advance for his Alpha. Pete knows but he isn't sharing. He never rebels against his father. But I have a gut feeling that something is wrong. Axel's life is in danger."

"A werewolf's life in danger?" I rolled my eyes.

Ivan gave me serious look. "We can be hurt. Do you even watch TV? Wolfsbane, Silver, Mistletoe? They can kill us-"

"Yeah, whatever. But how is this related to me?" I asked while crossing my arms and leaning back on the pillows.

Ivan stopped chewing on his lips and sighed. "Because none of his pups will help me. But you will."

"Because I am not his child?" I asked, lowly.

Ivan squeezed my hand. "Because you are a good human being. I know, that Alpha deserves the hatred and you have spent your life without your mother because of him. It's actually neither his fault nor yours. It's just the fate. Because the person who is supposed to be blamed lives in both of your hearts. Luna."

I pressed my lip tight, looking away.

"Think yourself. Why would Alpha want Axel to roam freely on the full moon night? So by-mistake he can cross the forest and cross the border. He will look for the most alluring scent in their pack. And you know whose scent is more alluring from a pack?"

I nodded in curiousity.

Ivan gulped. "The Luna's scent." He blinked while explaining, "I have seen the records of Mating Ceremony during my training for Beta. My father taught me how years ago, the Lycan Alpha might have a gotten a mate belonging to another pack. Moon Goddess does that to dilute the blood from getting monstrous and build links. And from centuries, wolves were so afraid to get linked to Lycans. That instead of sending their females, they would suggest them to either join the elders in the valley or just-"

"Kill themselves?" I asked while rubbing my arms. Some uneasiness was crawling on my heart.

Ivan nodded. "What if the latest Alpha doesn't have a male heir? There are so many possibilities of that pack not having a Luna. This leaves to a possibility of smelling the next alluring scent."

"The previous Luna?" I guessed.

Ivan bit his lip and replied, "Luna Severa."

"Won't she be dead as the tale was of centuries ago-"

"Remains? Maybe, Alpha wants Axel to find the remains."

I thought deeply. "There is no alluring scent of any other female Lycan apart from Lunas?"

Ivan chuckled. "How would I know? I never went there. I am just making some guesses, Misty. I am telling you this all because you can distract Axel from crossing the territory by your alluring scent as you are a sweet, delicious himan-"

"Woah! Woah!" I laughed humorlessly and got up from the bed. "You are kidding me? I am not dying at the hands of blood-lusting teenager werewolf pup. That even after getting raped."

A shudder crossed even with just saying the words.

Ivan got up from the bed and walked around it to reach. He towered over me as he got closer and gave me a puppy-eyed look. "Misty, I will reach there with Pete, trust me. He won't even be able to see you. Just the scent. It can only reach him if you get out of the house and stand facing the way to the grounds."

"I might die," I whispered, in disbelief.

Ivan cupped my cheeks to my surprise and a strange warmth reached my skin. "Axel is way too young to beat us. Before Axel can reach you, Luna or Eva will take you back inside. It's just a matter of ten minutes. Five minutes going down, five minutes standing outside right the moment you hear the first growl."

"I won't get anything in return except for scoldings and insults." I whispered back.

Ivan sighed heavily. "Then, leave it. I won't force you. I could have easily used your clothes to lure Axel. But then, any of the volunteers could smell it and anyone would know, some conspiracy happened. But it's okay if you don't want to."

I was about to say thank you when he lowered his face to get closer to mine. So close that I could feel his breath on mine.

Even Ryan never tried something so forward with me. Ivan was gutsy and I didn't know if I like it because I wasn't ready for any kind of relationship. I have seen Lexi crying over her stupid boyfriends. But Ivan here, was waiting for his mate too.

Though, no matter what, my heart was beating crazily.

Ivan gazed at my lips, parting his own. I was close to fall on the floor because my legs had weakened by the close proximity. I was not just virgin physically, but mentally and emotionally.

"Scribbling on the paper is not enough," he whispered right before pressing his lips upon mine, churning my stomach with so many butterflies.

My eyes closed on their accord but a little insecurity already started stabbing my head from the back telling me, that this guy had a mate out there in the world.

Putting my hands on his chest, I pushed Ivan away with a little force. Because he had grabbed my forearms and was trying to break in my big mouth with his tongue. I broke the kiss before he could do more.

My breaths came out shallow despite the mere peck that it was. I was just scared and this kiss didn't feel right. Because Pete was always making sure, Ivan was far away from me. I needed to remember his efforts before allowing Ivan to do that.

But he had anyway kissed me and I was supposed to cherish the moment which I couldn't.

Ivan gave me a soft smile. "If a rebel is hiding inside this soft and sweet Misty, she needs to come out and perform."

He left my cheeks and moved back.

"Just like the wild Misty I saw when I was kidnapping her. Giving me a tough fight and not caring what dangerous creatures I was. She just wanted to be free," he said, licking his lips and left my room.

While I stood there dumbfounded, feeling my heart pumping with the sudden thrill as I looked at the pen and crushed paper balls on the bed.

Wild. . .

* * * *

"What is happening?"

The chatters on the second floor turned louder and all I wanted to do was go down to my bedroom the on the first one.

"The she-wolves are just excited to stay here in Alpha's house. They must be hoping to see shirtless Thomas or Nirvan in the morning," said Natalie while putting her arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry about them. They are safe. This is nothing new."

"What about Keira and Eva? Did they gave their rooms too to these females like you?" I asked while going down the stairs with her chuckling beside me.

"Keira is sleeping with her little brothers in their rooms. So yeah, her room is taken. Well, Eva made sure to life threaten the she-wolves if any of them touches her things. She is on the ground floor guarding the doors. While Mom and Ivan's mother are guarding too but on their turns. One asleep and one awake."

I nodded, keeping in mind the security plan Ivan had told me. "What about the newly shifted pups? They all are locked in some dungeons in this pack?"

Natalie chuckled. "We do have dungeons. But not here in the pack. Don't tell anyone. That's secret information."

I stopped on my tracks, looking at her in shock. She smiled and explained, "Don't fret about it."

She pushed me to continue walking and we finally landed on the first floor. "Alia and Jackie are cousins. So, they put them together in the basement under the hall we were having mythology classes."

My eyebrows raised and ears opened fully.

"Meeku is a very naughty pup. So, they took him to a tanker under Beta Iago's new home. He made it built for rainwater harvesting. Father himself is guarding him there," she explained while I smiled at seeing Nina standing there near my bedroom door.

"Hey!" She waved excitedly. "Luna suggested me to sleep with Misty. Is it fine-"

"You are welcomed," I chirped while opening my door and bursting inside. Natalie chuckled along with her, both immediately jumping on my clean and soft bed. While I took the initiative to remove the curtains and open my window for some fresh air.

"Did they give you the supper?" Natalie asked Nina.

"Yes."

Till then, my eyes moved all over the small huts of this pack and between them at the centre, the moon rays fell on the statue of Alpha Rucus who was facing and forwarding his hand towards the Lycan's pack.

"You didn't tell me about the forth one," I said, while thinking about Ivan's words, yesterday. He really wanted to help Axel.

Their murmuring stopped and Natalie answered, "He is placed at the ceremonial hall near the grounds, Misty. Axel, he is the bulkiest of them."

My eyes narrowed when Nina pointed out the same question that Ivan had in mind. "Isn't it too close to the Lycan's border?"

Natalie chuckled. "Believe in my father, Nina. He doesn't do anything without any logic. Maybe, Axel is way too stronger tonight to harm any of us. It's better to place him there. Trust me."

"But he can cross the border?" I asked while removing the shirt I had work over my grey spaghetti top. "That makes it risky to keep him there."

Natalie gave me an assured look. "The ceremony is closer. Every pup over sixteen might find their mates, this year. They all have that lust in mind, Misty. And full moon makes the deal crazier. Axel is harmful at the moment and it's better to keep him near the Lycans. Even if he crosses, he will be able to come back. He can cross the border from both sides, that's the advantage."

Nina nodded in agreement. "Plus who knows he might bring some information."

I turned around to stare at the statue of Alpha Rucus and slowly my eyes raised to the full round moon above, coming out from beneath the foggy clouds.

The loud growl of the night echoed around the pack and deep in my heart.

"Come, Misty." Natalie called me out, smiling at me, patting the area on her left as she was in the middle and Nina was on her right.

"Let's sleep."

_______

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