Being an unexpected guest, I helped Stephen in cooking the dinner. Together, we ended up on salad, a curry full of boiled chickpeas and some tortillas.

After Eva left, I didn't have the energy left to say a word. I couldn't talk anymore. Crying twice within a day was a bad statistics for me. Never in my life, I had been this sad. Not even the day I got a B in my favorite subject or before a dentist appointment.

I offered to clean the shelf with a cloth while Stephen started putting curry in a bowl. He picked up two plates and little bowls to put them on the little circular dining table he had. Returning to the kitchen, he picked up another and started pouring while I was only washing my hands.

My eyebrows furrowed in question. "For whom?"

Stephen gave me a goofy glance. "Your future youngest brother-in-law is staying here with me, remember?"

For a moment, I was confused. But then it hit me. Axel!

"He will eat in his room only. So, I am taking this for him. This one spoon for his medicine and this glass of milk for energy," he said while smiling and picking up the plate.

"Can I see him?" I asked hesitantly as after all, the last time I had seen him, he was close to pouncing on me.

Stephen gave me an amused look. "You sure, you can handle it? I mean, Pete is brutal when it comes to being protective of his sisters."

I gulped at his words and nodded slightly. Stephen shrugged his shoulders and gestured for me to follow him. Leaving his dining hall, we walked towards a cozy corridor. Three doors passed and he finally stepped in front of one. That's when I realized that this side of his house was painted white and smelt of rich phenyl. It all gave hospital vibes.

Stephen opened the door gently and pushed it fully. "How is my beaten champ doing?"

A chuckle was heard from the room while I followed Stephen, turning more curious. But the moment my eyes fell on the bed and what laid on it, my throat tightened.

White bandages all around the legs, arms and head. On top of it, extreme swelling around the cheeks and wrists. His ankles looked so big, my heart started shaking in pain.

"All alone like your old ass, Steph." Axel murmured until he sniffed in the air. His gaze went through Stephen's shoulder and curiously found me. Confusion on his face turned into recognition. "Human."

"She has a beautiful name, Axel. People call her Misty." Stephen told the werewolf who couldn't stop glaring at me.

"People call her Luna's bastard," he said, raising his voice calmly like a King sitting on the bed.

The whole empathy inside me turned into wrath. "Should I write it on my forehead?" I yelled angrily. "That I am born out of a marriage!"

"Yeah! You should-" Axel started but then stopped when the words soaked in his mind. "What?"

Stephen walked ahead slowly putting the plate on the table connected to the hospital bed that he slid in front of Axel. But not before straightening up the upper portion of bed so he could look like he was sitting.

"Our Luna married her father, Axel. Didn't Malina screamed it the day she was nearly ready to leave with Misty?" Stephen muttered while stirring the curry with a spoon.

I was surprised. "How do you know that? You weren't there."

Stephen glanced at me with a goofy smile. "The news reaches me anyhow."

"Wait. So, they're all bastards?" Axel said as if confirming to himself.

Stephen gave him a disappointed look. "Are you a bastard? Your parents read the same vows and did the same rituals, Gilbert and Malina did."

Axel shook his head while Stephen put the spoon in his mouth. "No one is bastard here except the one who is trying to be mean to a pretty human," said Stephen while tearing a piece of tortilla, dipping it in curry to feed Axel.

I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms across my chest, glaring at Axel who now looked guilty. "I am sorry," he said, chewing on his food slowly. "For the full moon night too."

The whole anger went down and a sudden chill ran down my spine, remembering that night. "For being naked?" I taunted in a low tone.

Axel flared his nostrils while eating another morsel. "For doing the deed that lead me to become like this," he said while chewing and wincing continuously.

Stephen gave me a polite smile that said how the pup was telling the truth.

I blinked rapidly. "I won't accept your sorry until you tell me why were you desperate that night. You were about to rape my sister."

Axel cringed just as I mentioned that. Discomfort etched on his face while I noticed that his one eyebrow was pierced. His black flicks were falling on the bandaged forehead while the sides of the head were shaved to a mere stubble. He was muscular like everyone had told and I had seen that night.

He rejected Stephen's morsel as he gave me an uncomfortable look. "I didn't intend to rape her. Okay! I have way too many she-wolves lined up behind me."

"Not an Alpha's daughter," I said through gritted teeth, remembering how dare he even hovered over little Natalie.

Stephen snickered a little while adding, "Natalie doesn't give you any line. Does she? She was in your batch of schooling if I remember."

"Wrong, old medic." Axel gave him an annoyed look. "She is three years younger. And I am not interested in her."

"Neither does she. Though, I can smell your lies," mused Stephen while bringing the morsel closer to his mouth which the wolf took slowly.

Axel shook his head and was about to speak something when a drool of curry leaked from his mouth. He moved his arm to wipe it and regretted it immediately as he started groaning in pain.

"Why are you not healing faster? You are a werewolf," I asked, observing his pain.

Stephen shook his head while placing his arm on his chest. Axel breathed hard while taking support of the bed. "Pete had hit him again the next day to the full moon night. Credit goes to Gilbert for keeping him alive. He came in between to save Axel's beaten ass."

I moved my gaze slowly on the whole body of his. Even his feet were red and swollen.

"Axel is healing. Just not faster. The shift on the full moon night was hard for him as he had only shifted once before that. It broke his bones and wounded him internally. On top of it, Pete had beaten him. Also that he felt extreme bittersweet pain for Natalie-"

"That's not true. I am alright!" Axel tried to cover it up.

That's when my patience went away and I asked the much awaited question. "I know that after wolves shift, they can find their mates. Tell me the truth," I said, moving closer to Axel's bed. "Tell me if Natalie is your mate."

Axel swallowed his cheeks, looking at me in conflict. "I can't confirm about my mate if she has not shifted yet."

"What?" I was hell confused.

Stephen put the morsel in his mouth and took the chance to clear it to me. "He is making it up. He can smell her scent and has confirmed it to his wolf. He knows who she is. But his ego is bigger than his dick-"

"Shut up. Will you?" Axel said while looking at Stephen.

"Why are you lying then? I don't have a problem with you if Natalie's your mate. But at least confirm it so I can call that night a helpless one for you. We all know, you weren't in your senses. . ." I tried to make him understand.

"I don't even remember what happened-"

"Lying again," Stephen said while giving him water. "He is just scared of Pete. Nothing else."

Axel let out a faint growl. He stopped looking at me and muttered, "That was a tough night. I just remember pouncing on you and before I could even understand, it was not you. It was her."

"Why me?" I asked hurriedly.

Axel gave me a normal look. "Human. Duh! Your scent is how of a prey should be. Sweeter."

I didn't like that.

"But then, it was her. The point of fighting was nowhere when I had lost myself into my wolf. I was turned on by the close proximity. You had seen my bulge. Haven't you?" He taunted me with a straight face.

My face turned red and legs started shaking. Oh God! Why would he be so shameless? I swear, I would give anything in return of forgetting that night.

"The first time, I saw you. You were my prey. But when I saw her lying under me," Axel let out a faint growl. "It was my. . ."

"Mate," I whispered.

Axel gave me a helpless look. "If I had been thinking of raping her, I would have remember it. But all I remember was that she wanted it as much as I did. I could smell her arousal. . ."

My stomach started churning as it wasn't my usual life to discuss my sister's arousal with two men in a room.

I gulped hard, trying to not remember the scene. But guess what, the scene was playing in 1080p in my mind.

"Then, she put her hand on my cheek. She touched me," he said softly, looking far as if he too was remembering that night. "She had tears in her eyes. I couldn't control it. Whatever I was feeling for her."

The scene turned too intense that I tried to wrap it up. "So, she is your mate?"

Stephen put another morsel in his mouth. Axel ate quietly, giving me a shake of head. "No. I am not sure."

"What the hell!" I was irritated now.

"I feel for her. But her wolf hasn't given me the signs. My soul starts shaking whenever she is there in my mind and heart but then, I remember how her brother cracked each of my bone into two, clawed all of my stomach. I feel hatred for her. . ." Axel stated slowly. "But my wolf screams at me that she is the one. I don't know. I am conflicted. . ."

"Should I bring her to you?" I said, biting my lip. "Will that help?"

A sudden anger pulled up on his face. Axel gave me an angry look. "No. What the fuck! You want me dead! That bitch's brother ripped me apart. I don't want to see her. She was the one who stood in the middle of ground. I was attacking you but she came in between. It wasn't my fault. It was hers. She hasn't even come to see me if I am alive or not!"

"Come on, she knows you are alive." Stephen muttered while helping him drink the water.

I sighed heavily, turning around to give myself a moment. This was confusing. I had seen how Natalie was accepting Axel's advances.

"Don't talk about her. I hate her and her family. They are biased. Everyone's angry on me because I was naked. No one accepts or even dares to think that Natalie enjoyed me being naked. Everyone smelt my lust. No one smelled her arousal! That whore!"

"Enough." Stephen brought the morsel closer to his face while I felt a darkness spreading in my chest.

I smelt her arousal

Eva had said the same. She knew and believed the same.

I tried to to reason. "Maybe, she is your mate. That's why-"

"I don't want her to be my mate. She is not! She is not!" Axel said, growling and ending up wincing hard.

"Misty," Stephen gave me a pleading look.

I blinked and glared at Axel.

"Fine. I am going to sleep."

* * * *

"Your turn," I muttered while putting my bishop at G5.

Stephen tilted his head, smiling to hide his surprise at my move. I trapped his knight and rook together. "You are good at this," he murmured while thinking.

"I am. This was the only connection between me and Ryan. Lexi didn't like chess much and Ryan did. This was the only chance, when I couldn't say him no or shy away." I giggled.

Stephen patted his finger against his chin, observing the board. He picked up his knight, moved it right in front of bishop. I narrowed my eyes as now, my bishop and a soldier was on Knight's target.

"Why are you after my bishop?" I groaned while moving it back, losing the target.

Stephen chuckled. "It is not what it looks like," he said while moving his fingers on top of the board. Picking up his knight, he smiled. "I wasn't after bishop or soldier. I was after someone else," he said, taking my Queen away.

I gasped, giving him a sour look. "You are such an actor."

He gave me that smarty look. "I am not. You are not into this game hundred percent. You are thinking something else. Something is bugging you."

I bit my lip while looking at him.

Why do you think the mythology class and ground trainings are being provided to your half-sisters and other she-wolves?

"Do you mean that all the she-wolves are getting to know about their pack's history and all that training. . . So, they could be prepared as spies if they are chosen for Lycans?" I asked hesitantly.

Stephen blinked, staring at me. "You are worrying about your sisters. Despite everything?"

My eyes lowered and jaws clenched. I breathed slowly, not being able to say anything. "I am curious," I said lowly.

Stephen smiled like he didn't believe me. "Yes, you are curious and you are right. They all are being prepared for the worst."

Chill ran down my spine.

"You mean that. . . that Eva or Natalie could be chosen. That Keira could be destined to a Lycan?"

Stephen gulped slowly. He wasn't sleepy and had observed my bad mood. To make me feel at home, he offered a chess game. For the first time in days, I felt like home.

"Yes."

My lips parted in shock.

"But like I said, after Valeria, there were only six she-wolves destined to Lycans. Two of them from Eastern pack. Two from Mystic Warriors. Two from the Western one."

My eyebrows furrowed. "But you said that only neighbors get mated."

He shook his head immediately. "I didn't say that. I said that mostly neighbors get mated to each other. But this doesn't mean, you can't get mated to a wolf from a far located pack. You can. Those two daughters of the Northern pack were common she-wolves and were mated to Alpha's two of the four nephews."

I gulped. "Do you know their Alpha's name?"

"I do," said Stephen while tilting his head. "Why won't I? He is the only one who talks. It's your turn Misty." He reminded me to play my move.

I sighed while staring at the board. I had lost my Queen. But I still had one knight, one rook and two bishops. I still could win the game but not if I remove his Queen too.

I bit my lip while narrowing my eyes. He had his Queen just one step away from my soldier who was at H6. I could kill her and the next step would lead to G8. His Black Queen won't be able to kill my soldier because the rook was already there for protection. My soldier would become a Queen. I could revive my Queen.

With a straight face, I picked up my soldier and moved it ahead.

Stephen raised his eyebrows, looking up at me. "You don't have to be worried about your sisters. There are two more packs apart from ours who are in line. Hidden furs and the Northern pack. They haven't given a single she-wolf yet. None had been destined for any Lycan yet. Impossible can happen this time."

I gulped while listening to what he added, "A quick fact for you. The two of the four Lycan brothers who attacked Alpha Rucus' pack were destined to the two she-wolves. One from the Northern Pack and one from the Hidden furs. The non-neighbours."

Stephen chuckled at my stunned face. My mind was blown.

"How do the packs know? Axel here isn't sure even when he hovered over Natalie, naked." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Axel is scared of Pete. He is the future Alpha. Axel doesn't want to die the first day Pete becomes the Alpha. The pup is scared to admit the truth. But if he keeps saying he is confused. He is actually confused," said Stephen while pushing his specs on the nose.

"During the ancient times, it all was mystical. Magical. There were seers and wizards all around. The stories come out from the history books of both the packs that two of the she-wolves died after thirty years of the boundary formation. They died of longing for their mates."

I moved my tongue beneath my upper teeth. "How could someone die of longing, Stephen? There is a thing called moving-on. Second chances are there for everyone."

"Your mother tried," said Stephen, giving me a small smile. "Now, she is spending each day of life in conflict. And she doesn't want to choose."

My heart throbbed in pain and nostrils flared at his words.

Stephen shook his head mildly at seeing his Queen getting trapped. He couldn't do anything about saving her. So, he ended up bringing his knight closer to my rook. The best he could do.

"I don't understand if you are in her favor or not. Sometimes, you praise her. Sometimes, you talk like you don't like her," I said.

"I am in the favor of the right, Misty. If you spent all your life longing for a family, have you ever given a thought if your mother has longed to live with you too." He said, smiling lightly. "People can die of longing. But they stay alive to fulfill some purposes."

"I am alive because I have to find a way that could stop pups like Pete to end up like my Nathan. Malina is alive because she knows that she has a legacy to carry on. She has to see the next Luna before she can even think of freeing herself from the conflict of choosing between you and Gilbert."

His words were like arrows. Hitting me where it was hurting the most.

"But she can simply ask Gilbert to stay cool with my presence. I can stop hating him and instead, get along with him." I said, while moving my soldier on G7, taking his Queen to avenge mine's death. "After all a Queen is who handles all problems with ease."

Stephen sighed heavily while giving me an appreciating nod. "With one daughter who is human and unaccepted by her own mate, with two daughters who could be destined to the Lycans. And yet, she smiles and takes care of the pack. She keeps her mate happy by choosing to be with him physically. So, he could end up getting melted by her requests and let you stay here for more days for her own happiness."

"Gilbert is a moron, Misty. No doubt in that. A clever beast who knows how to put his stars align so he could impress his Moon. But your mother dared to run away from him to give a piece of mind. She avenged her brother's death by keeping him longing for her for the most time she could make it possible," he explained swiftly.

"This isn't the first time, she is hosting a Ceremony. But it's going to be hard for her if Pete truly has a mate out there in Lycan's territory. It's going to be harder if you will be leaving the third night. She will suffer more. For a she-wolf who is suffering so much, yet she sends her pup to bring you back to her. She is Queen in the eyes of those who see her efforts."

My jaws clenched as I blinked slowly. Whenever I would feel like hating my mother, someone would end up making me feel guilt for even thinking that way. I hated it. I hated being conflicted.

Stephen looked down at the board, his eyes moving on each piece.

"If Eva, Keira or Natalie will be chosen for Lycans, it's their destiny and karma. But I am sure they won't be chosen and neither does any of the she-wolves here. But if you are worried about your sisters, Misty. You should at least ask them how they feel about it."

"Each of the she-wolf above sixteen here is being trained. They have been taught cleverness, to hide their feelings, to stay strong. None of them are allowed to talk to other she-wolf about how much they are scared to even imagine themselves being mated to a Lycan," he explained slowly. "But you are a human."

I smiled at the thought of breaking another rule. I could ask the three sisters of