We rode four at least two hours. The land began to get rockier and bumpy so Alpha Rivers was forced to slow the pace in the name of keeping control of the horse. But he was an expert rider and we still wound through the trees at an amazing speed considering he terrain. The fresh wind blew through my air as I clutched onto him. It chilled my face with its wintery grasp but he was warm and I harboured his heat to keep off the shivers.

"How do you ride so well?" I asked him.

"The Pheonix territory is vast. All soldiers are taught to ride from boyhood to make getting around more efficient," he replied.

"I hadn't been on a horse until today," I admitted.

"Well I'm sorry your first ride had to be with that poor excuse of a man," he replied. "I hope your second makes up for it."

After letting out a short laugh, I wrapped my arms tighter around him and rested my head on his back.

I smiled to myself, "I think it might," I said quietly.

Darkness had fallen by the time he brought the horse to a halt. He climbed off before reaching up and putting his hands under my armpits and brought me down off the towering great horse too.

The low light made it difficult to see but we'd stopped in front of a large house. The walls were made of grey stone, the doors and window frames carved out of dark wood and the roof tiled in black. It loomed over us, blocking what little light the early moon provided and silently refusing to welcome us.

I glanced around the surrounded forest. The trees were tall and menacing with brittle branches that were completely still in the calm night.

I turned back around to see Alpha Rivers had opened the front door of the house.

"We'll rest here tonight," he said, "Come inside before anything sees us."

I looked out into the darkening forest once more and shuddered before nodding and stepping inside the house. He waited until I was in before shutting the door and pushing the latch.

I glanced around the hall. It was grand and large, like the entrance of some stately home. A deep red rug ran from the door over the deep brown wooden floorboards, covering the middle of the hall and up the wide staircase. Above us, hung a chandelier which was just visible in the emerging moonlight, each glass bead glistening and reflecting.

Alpha Rivers hadn't given the grandeur and elegance of the home a second look and had instead marched straight through into the next room.

I followed to find him forcefully pulling the curtains across the window, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"We keep quiet," he said before picking up a box of matches off a shelf and striking one, "We keep the lights off," he added lighting one singular candle on a wooden side table. "And we leave to continue the search for soldiers as soon as the horse has rested, probably at first light."

I nodded, "You know this place, don't you?" I asked as he placed the matches back on the shelf in their discrete spot wedged between a book and a jar of what looked like sugar, "Who lives here?"

He paused for a second, "No one anymore," he said, "But I used to. Years ago."

I looked around the room once more. It was a parlour with a hearth, a perfectly varnished table and shelves of homely bits and bobs.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"A little," I said.

He nodded before crouching down by the hearth and picking up some kindling.

"I don't want us to be hunted down by the smoke from the chimney just because I was a little cold," I said with a slight laugh.

He looked at me before continuing to break up the kindling into smaller pieces, "The darkness will mask the smoke."

"Alpha Rivers," I said sternly, "I'll be fine."

He then put the kindling back down and stood up.

"Go up the stairs to the first room on the right," he ordered, "You'll find blankets and a bed. I'll bring you a mug of something warm and whatever food I can find."

I nodded before I turned back to the hallway. As I stepped up the grand staircase, I ran my finger along the bannister. It was dusty but my finger left a trail of polished wood behind it. This house was clearly once well cared for but now was left empty and cold.

I walked along the hallway to the first door on the right. Underneath my feet, the floorboards groaned as my weight disrupted their sleep and as I turned the handle of the door and pushed it open, a creak sounded throughout the silence of the house.

The room held a handsome scent. It was faded but it was certainly Alpha Rivers': earthy and fresh, just like the forest at dawn. At first, only the blue-hued light of the moon illuminated the room but I soon found a candle by the bed which I lit with a battered old matchbox. Soon enough, the smell of burning dust and molten wax filled the room and it flickered with a soft yellow glow.

I sat down on the bed, which sunk perfectly with my weight, alleviating my tired legs from the burden of my weight. The sheets were dark and silk with fine embroidery, thin but at the foot of the bed sat a pile of a million throws and quilts which I soon created a warm haven with.

I lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling. With this moment to pause and supposedly relax, there was no distraction stopping my thoughts from gushing into my head as if someone had opened a flood gate. As my mind filled with thoughts of Rose, Tobias, war, the deaths of soldiers like Flynn and the horrors tomorrow may bring, the prospect of sleep drifted further and further. However appealing the idea of closing my eyes and letting my self succumb to my exhaustion was, the thoughts were as loud as a million marching bands playing simultaneously in my ear. They weren't going to let me sleep tonight. Not until I knew where Rose and Tobias were at the very least.

Fortunately, just as my mind was beginning to descend into a spiralling state of chaos, Alpha Rivers appeared at the door.

"The rats had got into the coffee, these crackers are stale and I have no idea how long ago these gherkins were pickled but this is all I could find," he said handing me a plate with a couple of thin crackers and a few questionable looking pickles on it, "It's something."

I nodded and took the plate, "Something is usually better than nothing."

He sat on the edge of the bed and we ate in silence until our stomachs rumbled a little less.

"I feel guilty lying here with Tobias and Rose out there somewhere," I said, resting my head on the pillow.

"Try not to worry about them," he replied shuffling closer and taking my hand, "They're tough. They'll be okay."

I forced a smile, "They're the toughest people I know. But I can't help but worry."

There was then quiet for a while. Feeling his soft fingers in mine as he held my hand was a distraction that quietened the screaming thoughts inside my head. I felt myself relax to the smell of his scent and for once, I didn't feel quite so alone.

I could hear his heart rate slowing too as he looked around the room and sighed.

"I never liked this house," he said, "But tonight it feels particularly cold and dark and unsettling."

"It's certainly not cosy," I replied, "But it's alright."

"It is now that silence has taken hold," he said, "It may be slightly eerie but it's far better than what it was before."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

He sighed, "I grew up here," was all he said at first before he looked down at me and examined my face.

I waited patiently, urging him to carry on. To tell me something, anything about himself that held some kind of significance.

"And my childhood was one neverending series of miserable events," he continued with a sigh.

I squeezed his hand, "I'm sorry."

"You aren't accountable. You weren't there," he replied with a slight laugh. "But I don't want to get into that now. There's enough shit going on to think about. We don't want a shit overload."

I smiled, "That would be very messy."

He seemed to suddenly freeze, his face dropping as he continued to look down at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing...just..." he said before trailing off, "Just your smile, I haven't quite got used to its beauty yet."

I blushed and looked down but he placed his fingers under my chin and lifted my head to face him again.

His eyes were soft and mellow as a slight smile twitched at his lips.

"And it makes a nice change not to be alone in this house," he added before he lifted the blanket up over my shoulders, "Get some sleep, Esme."

He then smiled once more before he stood up and turned to the door.

"No, Theodore," I said reaching for his hand, "Don't go."

I suddenly recoiled my hand from his, realising what I had let slip.

We'd been through a lot today and on top of it all, Tobias and Rose were still missing. I felt lost and anxious. The last thing I wanted was to be alone but I felt reluctant to let him know that his company comforted me in some strange way, especially now I knew that my company comforted him too.

He sat back down beside me.

"Move over," he said, nudging me.

I caught his scent in my nose again and couldn't help but oblige as he slipped in under the sheets beside me before slowly wrapping his arms around me and resting his head on the pillow.

The candle still flickered beside us, illuminating us in a soft orange glow as we lay there, finding an unexpected bit of peace in the middle of everything.

He let out a deep sigh as I felt his hand move to my head where he twiddled a strand of my hair in his fingers.

"This is the closest to content I've felt in a while," he said, letting out a deep sigh.

"Despite the impending doom we face?" I asked.

"I'm not thinking about that right now," he replied.

I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Then what are you thinking about?"

He paused for a second, "...how heavenly it feels to have you in my arms."

I lifted my head and looked up at him before smiling, "Don't get used to it," I laughed.

He smiled but it felt like I could have said anything and his response would have been the same. His eyes were so busy fixating on my face that it didn't seem like he was listening.

He brushed a lock of hair out of my face with his fingertip before his eyes flickered down to my lips. I couldn't help but begin to melt again, the anticipation of his next move driving me wild.

"We aren't compatible, Theodore," I said as I dragged my eyes from his lips.

"I know," he replied slipping his hand behind my head, "But I can't stop thinking about you. You've been in my head since the day we met."

My wolf jumped with joy at the thought of him thinking about us as much as we couldn't help but think about him.

"We can't make each other happy," I pointed out.

"That's not true," he replied after a pause, "It's not what we both imagined but we'd be idiots not to at least try and make it work."

His fingers pushed up into my hair as he pressed his forehead against mine, his breathing speeding up.

"Make it work? Together?" I asked, "Both of us?"

He nodded, "We both have adjustments to make."

He brought his other hand to my cheek and he held my face gently in his hands.

I desperately wanted to believe him. I'd begun to imagine what our future could be like together. It was an idealised, fabricated version but it wasn't out of our reach if only a wall built of concrete bricks of stubbornness glued together with a lack of will to compromise didn't stand in our way.

We could be happy.

As mates.

He held me in his embrace, his eyes taking in every aspect of my face as his thumb gently stroked my cheek.

His eyes then fell to my mouth again before he pulled me closer until our lips collided and he kissed me even more softly than he had before. I began to sink into that feeling again, my hand falling to his chest as he gripped my waist and pulled me closer to him. The bliss taking hold.

I pulled away, "Alpha Rivers-"

"Sssh," he hushed before kissing me again.

My hand gravitated to his cheek feeling the unshaven stubble and the godly bone structure underneath.

There was something that just felt right. Like it was natural. Like instinct. An instinct I didn't have the strength to resist anymore.

I soon forgot my doubts as we delved deeper and deeper into the kiss and I felt the warmth of his body against mine. His hand moved up to my back, pressing me closer to him as he pushed his fingers up through my hair with the other.

He pulled away for a brief moment, letting out a low groan as I caught my breath before he pulled me on top of him and rested his hands on my thigh, sending tingles through my whole body.

I leant down and kissed him again as his fingers pressed firmly around my thighs. His hands then reached for the top button of my shirt.

I pulled away and put my hand over his, taking a sharp breath in.

"I'm sorry I just-" I said quickly.

It was then that I noticed the orange glow of his eyes.

"Your wolf," I said. "It's..."

"Under control," he said firmly as he took his hands off my shirt, "Just kiss me again."

I leant back down to kiss his handsome jaw and his cheeks. When I finally reached his lips, he put his hands behind my neck and held me closer to him.

He soon rolled over again, putting my body underneath his, giving him full capabilities to kiss me deeper. As he pulled away for a brief moment, I noticed his eyes had only grow brighter but he rested his hand on my waist and pulled me back into his lips before I could dwell on it.

He rested his hands either side of my head as his hand moved down to my thigh again where he lifted my legs apart and pressed his body against mine.

He then reached for his shirt, peeling it off in one movement. I couldn't help but admire his body, which was just as well defined as his face and his skin so perfect and soft.

I placed my hand on his shoulder before running it down his arm, feeling the muscle as his hand gravitated towards the buttons on my shirt. He quickly had them undone and was shrugging the shirt off me, leaving me exposed to his wandering eyes.

"You're perfect, Esme," he said, his voice deep but smooth, "I have to make you mine."

He then ran his finger across my chest and kissed my neck. The feeling was sensational as he touched me and when he moved down to the zipper on my trousers and he slowly unzipped them, I couldn't resist. My wolf was too busy sending my stomach until a floating, hopping mess of butterflies.

He freed me of my trousers and discarded them onto the floor before leaning down to kiss me again.

I put my hands behind his head and pulled him deeper into my lips like I couldn't get enough of him.

As we kissed, his hand crept up my inner thigh until it reached the edge of my underwear. It lingered there for a few moments before slipping underneath. I had to grip his hair and take a deep breath in as his fingers  devled between my legs.

I let a shaky breath out as he held my hand tight and my back automatically arched.

It was an intense but fantastic feeling, one I couldn't bear but couldn't get enough of at the same time.

After fearing I'd pull his hair out, I took to clasping his back, dragging my nails down his skin.

It was some time before he pulled his fingers away, leaving me gasping for air. He kissed my cheek before reaching for the zipper on his own trousers and soon escaping them.

He slipped his hands into mine, holding them beside my head before kissing me once again.

He then positioned himself and I had to squeeze his hands tightly.

"Slowly," I whimpered.

I squirmed with the pain but he held me firmly still.

"Fuck," he groaned in pleasure as he closed his eyes, his lips slightly parted.

I let out another gasp before I freed my hand from his and brought it to his hip in an attempt to stop him going any further.

He grabbed my hand and took it back in his, "I'll be gentle," he promised, "Just trust me."

I nodded and entwined our fingers once again.

"Theodore," I moaned, as the pain began to turn to something else.

"Sssh," he whispered in my ear, "You have to be quiet."

I nodded and bit my lip, holding in all noises.

"Good girl," he said, his hand running down my cheek to my neck.

It was amazing. He was amazing.

The pleasure just built and built until finally I gasped and it began to release in an amazing flood of tingles. I felt my wolf howl and my eyes luminesce as I arched my back, shaking and moaning, as my eyes rolled back. My hips spasmed as I clasped his back, my nails digging into him as it only got more intense. He slammed his hand over my mouth but I couldn't be quiet, the sensation was too intense.

I shut my eyes tight, as I grasped the sheets tightly in my fingers and then his back and his hands and his arms until finally, the feeling began to trail away, leaving me breathless as he pulled out and collapsed beside me.

He caught his breath for a moment, his eyes still glowing orange before he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close into his chest.

"Finally mine," he whispered before planting a long kiss on my forehead.

I rested my hands on his bare chest and let him hold me in silence for a few minutes as I regained the ability to speak.

"Will you stay here tonight with me?" I asked.

He smiled, "You think I'm gonna fuck you and then leave?"

I shrugged, "Wouldn't put it past you..."

"Of course not, Esme," he replied, "You're my Luna now. You're stuck with me."

I smiled fleetingly before resting my head back down on his shoulder, gently resting my fingers on the soft skin on his inner arm.

He tucked my hair behind my ear before leaning forward and kissing my neck.

"Get some sleep," he said, holding me close to him, "And then tomorrow we will work to restore the peace in this war-stricken pack so that you can live happily here as its Luna."

"And if we can't?" I asked.

"Then we'll still be in it together," he replied, "As mates."