The breeze was warm as it caressed my skin. I was sitting outside amongst the new blooming wild flowers in our back yard while Ethan, Levi, and Caleb began to bicker over how Levi was handling things–which I had to give Caleb some credit, he did have a solid point.

It could be nothing.

It could be, but I knew it wasn't.

I felt him coming before he even called to me. Liam walked up and sat amongst the flowers next to me. He was quiet for a few moments, just enjoying the day with me before he put an arm around my shoulder. "Want to talk about it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know even what to make of it. It could be nothing or everything–it feels like the latter."

"I do too," Liam said. "But it doesn't matter. You know it doesn't matter to us right?"

"I know but Liam, what if it's something like the cursed blood? I could be putting you all in danger–"

"We're already in danger Charlotte," Liam quickly said. "It's already dangerous."

"Yes but war with the vampires?"

"That's if Alex would really turn like that. We don't know that. Alex knows you, he knows Levi and Ethan. Helen cares for you as a friend, I can't imagine him going against people like that."

"People have before Liam," I said. "People have done horrible things out of fear."

"Charlotte we all have to die someday," Liam said with a soft smile. "Dying for your family and loved ones is a beautiful thing."

"Stop talking like that," I choked out. "We don't know anything. Bernard is right, they could be doing this for this reason–to get us worked up. No one is dying, no more talk of that."

"Well, if that is what they wanted then they are doing a damn good job," Liam said. "You should have seen Evangeline, she about killed me when I didn't bring her today."

"Why didn't you?"

He sighed and shook his head. "We got in a fight last night and I just needed some space to think."

"Liam–"

"I love her Charlotte, but–" He paused and shook his head.

"But what?"

"She got in a fight with Levi the other day. She had been having a rough week, some of the females got into it with her. Levi tried talking to her as did my mother but she just wasn't having it.

"We were having dinner with my parents when my father tried to talk to her about it and Lyle started asking questions. He's just a kid, he doesn't understand everything yet, you know?

"At one point Lyle asked why the females were being 'mean' to her and she listed off a bunch of vague reasons, you know he's just a kid and–he just sat there and looked at her then said 'Aunt Charlotte wouldn't have that.'

"Evangeline asked what he meant and he said, 'She just wouldn't have that.' Mom asked what he meant and he told us that, 'Aunt Char is a good Luna mom. She knows what she's doing–'"

"Oh my God," I groaned. "God that's just not true. I mean, I–"

"Charlotte," Liam said. "You are a good Luna, even when you feel like you're not. You care deeply about this pack and your loved ones. This pack loves you and respects you."

"I'm not perfect Liam. I'm still figuring this out," I rushed out.

"No one expects you to be," he replied. "And that's ok. That's why we love you."

"What about Evangeline?"

Liam sighed and shook his head. "Evangeline asking him if he thought that meant she would be a bad Luna. My mother was so irritated. It's just petty and she knew that it was–Lyle is just a kid." Liam paused and let out another hot breath. "He told her, and I quote, 'Not right now you wouldn't be. You should just ask Aunt Char what to do.'"

"Oh my God," I breathed out. Guilt was setting in. It was heavy on me and my beast who whined out for the red-headed female that we loved.

"Charlotte don't," Liam said.

"Don't what?"

"Feel guilty," he replied. "You can't help what happened."

"What did happen?"

"Evangeline flashed her teeth at Lyle and told him to watch his tongue. Lyle is only twelve but he's almost shifted twice in the last three months. We've had to keep a better eye on him because my father is afraid he would do it too soon."

"Did he?" Liam nodded

He looked at me with sad silver eyes. "We didn't tell Levi. My dad didn't want to worry him." He paused and chewed on his lip before he looked back at me. "I thought I was going to lose him. His arm actually broke and his fangs started to push through. When they are that young, well you know, it's hard to control it at first. So many things can set you off, things you never thought would. Lyle has a strong wolf, that much we know, and I know he needs to control it, but Evangeline knows better. She's been around pups like that at that age, she knows how delicate they are."

"Liam I'm so sorry," I said. "I can talk to her?"

"I don't know if it would do any good. We really got into it Charlotte, I mean really into it. I was just so mad at her–she knows better and she was almost the reason that Lyle could have shifted too early. You of all people know how dangerous that is–"

"I do," I replied back, thinking back to myself about the time that Levi pushed me a little too far. I felt so out of control then; it scared the hell out of me. I didn't know that she was going to lash out like that and I was sure that Lyle had no idea either.

"She told me at one point, 'I'm not her, I'm never going to be her.' When I asked her what she meant she said you, that she would never be you." I felt my heart twist in knots as Liam took his arm off my shoulder to rub his tired eyes. "I never want her to be you. I love her. The day I saw her it was like seeing an angel. I won't lie and say that what I felt for you before wasn't strong, but–"

"I know Liam," I said gently. "The day I met Ethan, well, it made it look like a drop of water in the ocean–no offense."

He chuckled and shook his head. "None taken, I felt the same. I told her, I never hid it from her. I have nothing to hide. She is–" he paused and leaned his hand on his fists. "She's perfect to me. I hate that she doesn't see that sometimes."

"Maybe Ethan could talk to her? Or Evan? Or both?" I suggested.

"She asked me how it felt–how it felt to know I wasn't Lucas. She said we were fools to think we could do what we were not meant to."

I growled lowly. My beast snapping out in anger. We love Lucas. We loved Lydia. But they were dead. They were dead and now it was Liam's seat to fill–a seat he could fill.

"That's bullshit and you know it, Liam." He nodded and looked back at me, silver eyes that looked void of the playfulness that I usually saw in them. "I believe in you and so does Ethan and so does Levi. It doesn't matter whose seat it was, it's yours now and I think you're doing a great job. I mean, Levi hasn't killed you yet? You and Remi are getting along better than ever–Liam, please don't tell me you're doubting yourself because no one here does.

"Ethan, if we're going to play this whole stupid 'fate' game, wasn't supposed to be where he is, but he is now as am I. It's not our job to determine the moon's fate, but it's our job to follow her call when we hear it."

I pushed some of his white-blonde hair out of his face and gave him a soft smile. "I can't imagine anyone better to take Levi's seat. You and Evangeline are good people; you work hard, you're strong, and you constantly try to do the right thing and if you don't stop moping then I am dragging you down this hill and laying into your ass until you do."

Liam's wry smiled matched mine. He kissed my temple then shook his head. "You know this is why I love you, right Char?"

"I know. No one beats your ass quite like I do," I said with a light laugh.

"What do I do about her Charlotte?"

I sighed. "Let me talk to Ethan? He always has been good with Evangeline, maybe he or Evan could get through to her?"

"Talking about me?" Ethan called out as he walked out to us.

"No," Liam rolled his eyes. "But there is something I need to talk to you about."

Ethan eyed him then sat down next to me. "Liam, I told you, we can't talk about us in front of Charlotte."

"Oh my God," I groaned.

Ethan gave Liam a mock scowl. "You told her?! Goddammit Liam!" he playfully growled out.

Liam growled lowly and shook his head. "You're a real ass, you know that?"

He nodded while he pulled me to his side. "I do actually."

"Ethan," I said while playfully swatting his chest. "Play nice."

Ethan rolled his eyes then looked back at Liam. "What is it?"

Liam sighed and looked behind him then back at Ethan. "This stays here, alright?"

Ethan held his gaze for a moment then nodded. "Alright, what is it?"

"I think, and I have no real proof so I'm not for sure," Liam rushed out. "I think Remi and Ryder are mates."

"What?!"

"No way," Ethan breathed out.

Liam sighed and nodded. "Yes, way."

"Hold on, what?!" I felt my mouth drop at least a few more inches. "How? How do you know?"

"I just have a feeling ok?"

"Dammit, don't tell me it's the Thorne itch?" Ethan groaned.

"It's the Thorne itch," Liam replied.

Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tell me why you think that is, even though it makes zero sense. I mean Liam, they've known each other how long and haven't even marked each other? How is that a thing?!"

Liam shrugged. "I don't, but Remi has been such an irritable ass lately," he complained. "Anyways, when Charlotte first left us, Remi came to the line and hugged her goodbye. That day, he went a little crazy on me. I was already upset that she left and Remi said he had 'things to do.'

"I don't think he crossed the line, but I think that since that day the mate pull has tugged at him. He's always taking every opportunity he can to go 'scout' with Ryder, he gets super pissed when I give him shit about it–actually gave me a bloody nose over it. However, when Ryder went to the mountains with you, and we didn't hear from you because you guys were like, behind enemy lines, Remi was like out of control. Seriously bro, I had to lay into him hard to get him to calm down."

Ethan eyed Liam for a long moment then scratched his head. "Ok, are you sure it's a mate and not a potential bond?"

"I don't know, it very well could be, but he won't tell me," Liam said. "I tried to ask. I got Remi kinda hammered one night–ok really hammered, and tried to get it out of him but he was not talking. Real waste of good beer too."

"Liam," I scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "Drastic times call for drastic measures Char!"

"Why hide it, though?" I asked. "Honestly, no one here would care. I would actually be really happy for both of them."

"Agreed," Ethan said. "But, Ryder is a damn good tracker..."

"Well I think that's part of it," Liam said. "I think one, Remi is afraid how Bowie and his mom would react, which is shit because no one would care. Honestly, they would just be happy that he is happy. Levi wouldn't care, he's been suspicious as has my dad.

"I think they both are worried too about what it would mean. I mean, Remi will be my beta, Ryder is your head tracker. It's not like one of them leaving would be a simple deal."

"Well, what if they don't?" I suggested. "I mean, our lines are close together. It would be hard, but it could be done."

Ethan thought for a while before he looked back at Liam. "It does make sense. I'll talk to Ev. I don't know if he's noticed–we've all just been so busy, it's easy to miss things like that. What do you plan to do?"

Liam shrugged. "Well, he won't admit it. Not much I can do if he's just going to deny it. You think Ryder would deny it too?"

"If he hasn't said anything to us at all by now, then yes," Ethan said.

"I could poke around," I suggested. " I mean, I feel like I am more neutral than you two."

Ethan looked at me then at Liam. "It couldn't hurt."

Liam nodded. "Have at it Char."

"We need to go see about Cora sunshine," Ethan said. He looked up at Liam with a raised brow. "Want to come?"

Liam nodded. "The crazy mountain chick?"

"She's Jake's mate," I said sternly. "So be nice."

"Fine, fine," Liam said. "I can do that."

"Alright then," Ethan said. "Let's go. We need to stop there then head to Lusa."

"I think Levi wanted to go too," Liam added. " Heard their rock has been whispering like crazy."

Ethan groaned. "Honestly, I am two seconds away from blowing that damn tree to hell."

"I do like explosives," Liam said with a sly smile.

"I need to brush my teeth, and then we can go?"

"Sounds good," Liam said.

Ethan watched me walk away into the house before I felt him walk after me. Quickly, I trotted up the stairs and turned into our bedroom where his hands caught me. "Brush your teeth?"

"I need to talk to you," I whispered back, closing the door as I pulled Ethan in behind me.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern flooding in his eyes.

"Just watch," I replied. I leaned against the wall and let the conversation between Liam and I flood over the bond. Ethan was still, leaning against the opposite side of the doorway from me; his eyes looking over my shoulder while the images poured over the bond.

Ethan sighed then looked back at me. "She shouldn't have done that. Lyle's just a kid."

"You should talk to her. I think if Lyanna or I tried that it would end badly."

Ethan nodded. "Maybe Andrea?" he mused.

"That may be good, but I really think that you or Evan should talk to her too," I replied.

"She shouldn't doubt him like that, Liam is a good man. He'll be a good alpha one day, he's just not ready yet–he probably won't be for a while. Levi's got a lot of good years left, I mean, if my dad were still around I would probably be in the same boat."

"I just hate it," I breathed out. "Liam doesn't deserve that. Neither does Lander."

"I know," Ethan replied. "It's just tense right now. It's hard for everyone. That could be part of it."

"It probably is," I breathed out.

"I'll link her or Skype her tonight," Ethan said.

"You should go talk to her in person." I have him a long look. "This isn't a conversation that deserves less."

Ethan stepped towards me and put his hands on either side of my waist. "I'm not leaving you, not until this is over. You're superglued to my hip, remember?"

"Ethan–"

"Charlotte, I almost lost my mind when they took you. It doesn't feel safe to be away from you, he's anxious when I think about it. Especially after last night, baby, you realize that–"

"That what Ethan? My blood isn't cursed. It could be nothing!"

"Charlotte, look at me and tell me you really believe that," he said. His blue-green eyes staring down at me and stripping my soul naked. "I don't believe that baby."

I sighed and nodded to him. "What do we do Ethan?"

"We keep digging and we keep you safe. I don't distrust Barrett or Derek or their mates, but Alex is dangerous, love, as is Dominic. If their goal is to set us against them, then I would if he came after you. I would and I would show him what a real monster looks like–"

"Ethan!" I cocked my head and looked at his eyes that held a dark truth. A truth I understood because if the tables were flipped then the moon only knows the hell I would reign if someone came after Ethan or my pack or my family. I leaned forward and kissed his chest. "Let's not start a war. We have no reason to. Alex and Leo have if anything been helping so far. All we have is what we saw in the tree, and that's not quiet enough to burn the treaty over. Even then, it's not fair of us to think that Alex would go genocide crazy on us if I was something like that. There may be a past, but it doesn't mean that his views are not different."

His fingers caught a loose curl. He looped around and smiled at me. "You're killing all my murderous desires sunshine. Such a fun sucker."

I rolled my eyes and reached for the door. "Talk to your sister."

"Fun sucker."

"You'll think sucker later," I grumbled, eliciting a low growl from his chest.

"That better be a promise baby," he spoke lowly to me, his breath running up my neck, while he quickly pinched my ass cheek as I trotted down the stairs.

I swatted his chest then turned the stair landing to see Levi chatting with Caleb. Liam walked in, he eyed us curiously, then rolled his eyes as he walked over to Levi who took a long sip of coffee before he looked back at us. "Ready to talk to Fruit Loops?"

"What?" I asked, my voice slightly curious and a mix of a laugh as he eyed me seriously.

"Lyle," Levi chuckled out. "That damn boy."

"When uncle Levi told us about Cora, Lyle was there. Levi said that, the girl was a 'damn fruitcake and that she was pretty loopy.' The words eventually somehow in Lyle's brain became 'Fruit Loops.' So now my younger brother will only refer to Cora as that."

"She's Jake's mate!"

Levi shrugged at me. "Lyle's words not mine."

"You're the alpha, he's only twelve!"

"And that is a damn good nickname" Levi added.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Just don't say it in front of her or Jake."

Levi scoffed. "What do you think I am? An amateur?"

Ethan threw his hands up in surrender. "I would never say that uncle, I value my ass too much."

"As do I," I added.

Liam groaned while Bernard rolled his eyes. Caleb let out some smoke from his lips and looked at us. "If you don't mind, I would like to come. Daphne thought one of us should check up on the poor girl."

"Fine by me," Ethan replied.

"I need to check on the tree then head to Lusa," Bernard said.

"Ryder can come by and get you," Ethan said. "You can wait here or come to the pack house to meet him?"

"I'll come with you, it reeks of pheromones in here anyways," Bernard replied dryly, his words causing me to blush.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Cranky ass witch," he grumbled before he walked out of the house.

"Not as much as you wolf," Bernard dully said over his shoulder.

Ethan shook his head. "I like the way our house smells."

Liam scoffed out a laugh. "Ya, I am sure you do. It smells like pancakes, sex, a bit of what's left of Charlotte's heat, and there is this odd mix of vanilla–like whipped cream–" he paused and eyed Ethan and I. "Weird shit you two are into if you ask me."

Ethan growled then ran after Liam, who darted out the door past Levi. Caleb held the door open for me and walked next to me for a few steps. "Let me ask you this Charlotte, who do you think you are?"

I turned and eyed the white haired witch as he took another puff of smoke. "Does it matter?"

He smiled at me and nodded, almost approving my answer. "What would you do if it did?"

"What should I do?"

He sighed. "I guess it would depend. Alex can be a rageful man–"

"Has he met Levi Thorne?" I injected.

Caleb laughed and nodded. "True dear, true."

"I don't want a war Caleb, I want my pack to live in peace. I want my family to live in peace. I want to grow old and have a herd of children with my mate, even though the herd is more his idea than mine. I really would rather have around three or four–" Caleb eyed me amusingly for a few strides before he took another puff of his cigar. "If Alex so much as tried to harm them, then in all his years he would finally realize what a true monster looked like. Believe me when I say I am far from perfect and I may mean well, but I am not afraid to push the line to protect them."

"I know the feeling," Caleb said. "I wish I would have done more. I should have. When we lost Susie–I should have ended them."

"Why didn't