This chapter is dedicated to @user83375555 for adding this book to their reading list! Thank you so much! You made me really happy!!❤❤

-:Ashton's PoV:-

We finally entered the borders of their pack and Julian raced towards the Packhouse. Outside, many people were standing, looking alarmed.

"You'll have to pass her to me," Julian parked the car, unbuckling his seat belt. I growled.

"They don't know you're mates," he pointed out. "All they see you as is their enemy pack's future Alpha."

I clicked my tongue in frustration as I realized he was right. I didn't want to leave Cecelia but I couldn't tell them we were mates, not until she wanted to do so herself. I couldn't take that away from her. I huffed.

"Fine," I forced out. I gently detangled her limbs from mine and opened my door, passing her to Julian. He took her with an apologetic look and ran to the awaiting crowd. It took everything in me to not be close to her then. I walked over to them slowly, Hayden and Noel not too far behind.

Alpha Rivers looked pale and Luna Rivers was crying. A tall authoritative figure with the same hair as Cecelia stood there stiffly, his jaw clenched and his hands fisted. Aaron. Another person seemed to be speaking, her hands moving in the air. Probably the Pack Doctor. My theories were confirmed when she gestured them to hurry inside and they complied. Probably to the medical wing. We followed them too.

They disappeared into a room on the ground floor, the door closing behind them. I was about to follow when Noel stopped me. I glared at him.

'Ashton, don't.' He warned.

'And why not?!' I snatched my hand away from him.

'We're guests here. They don't know you're her mate. They will not understand.' Hayden explained. I scowled and huffed in frustration. Why? I knew they were right, but Cecelia . . .

I slid down against the wall, helpless again. 

And damn the place, I couldn't hear what was going on inside because the fucked doors were soundproof. I pulled at my hair. They looked very distressed when we arrived. The pack doctor had looked horrified.

We sat there a while, waiting anxiously. Just when I was contemplating going in, Julian and the rest filed out.

I stared at Julian expectantly - more like glared but he didn't seem to mind - and he sighed, seating himself beside me on the floor.

"She . . . is unstable," he answered my unspoken question. My heart stopped beating.

"What?" I hissed. I ignored the questioning looks that her family threw me. Alpha Rivers looked mad to see me there but when his gaze shifted to Julian, he scowled and looked away with clenched fists.

Aaron kept looking at us scrutinizing.

"The wolfsbane got to her internal organs," Julian whispered, bringing my attention back to him. "They're saying that it was an extremely concentrated dose."

"So?" I freaked out. "Get the doctor to get it out and fix her!"

"It doesn't work that way," he shook his head sadly.

"I don't fucking care!" I exclaimed, stricken with fear and anxiety.

"Calm down, Ashton!" Hayden called but I couldn't register it. My head pounded and my heart raced. All I could think of was how pale and sick she looked in my arms. So lifeless. 

Just because some sadistic bastard thought it would be fun to mess with her. And that might cost her her life. That might cost me, my mate. That might cost my pack their Luna.

I didn't even realize I was shifting until a wolf from the pack who was passing by pointed at me and screamed, "Holy shit! He's shifting!"

Noel and Hayden acted quickly. They rushed to me, and with Julian's help, carried my shivering body outside towards the forest. I tried to stop, holding it off, but I was quickly losing control. They weren't even halfway there when I shifted completely. They quickly backed away, keeping a safe distance.

We whined, feeling Cecelia's presence stronger as our wolf. Her heartbeat was still weak and faint. But she was alive and that was reassurance in itself.

Xavier took control and he growled at them, starting to walk towards the Packhouse. They immediately blocked our way.

"Ashton, take back control," Hayden hurried. Xavier snarled.

"Dude, get it together," Noel coaxed.

'Get it together?!' Xavier snapped through the link. 'Our mate, your Luna, is probably dying in there!'

"I know, but you going there will probably make things worse," Hayden sighed.

'Move!' He thundered and they shivered, trying to resist their Alpha's command. They reluctantly moved out of the way with scowling faces. But Julian stayed put.

Of course. Naïve boy. What would he know about mates?

'Tell him to get out of my way,' I said through the mind link.

"He says get out of the way, but don't," Hayden said. Julian flashed him a small smile before he turned back to me with a serious expression. Behind him, Aaron came out of the Packhouse, standing beside Julian.

"Shift back, Silver Moon," he spat. Xavier snarled at him. Aaron took a step forward but Julian pulled him back gently.

Xavier took a step forward, eager to see Cecelia. He was getting extremely angsty, prowling around.

They all stepped back warily.

"What the hell?" Aaron demanded. "Why is he acting that way?"

Noel, Julian, and Hayden exchanged weary looks, staying silent.

"I swear to Selene . . . " Aaron cursed, catching that. As if the party wasn't enough, Alpha and Luna Rivers joined us. Xavier increased his prowling. 

"Let him in," Luna Rivers said in a hoarse voice, her eyes red from crying. Everyone turned to look at her as if she was a lunatic. She rolled her eyes, in a way that resembled Cecelia so much that it made our heart ache.

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "Don't tell me he isn't her mate!"

Well, if I were human then, I would've definitely dropped my jaw. Since I wasn't, I made do by tilting my head to the side and rolling my tongue out.

"What?!" Aaron vociferated.

She smiled at me, ignoring her son.

"I have a mate too, you know?" She looked at Alpha Rivers and he looked down at her with surprising tenderness.

"Why are you still here?" She asked, snapping us out of our daze. We trotted to her under the watchful eye of the Alpha and bowed down to show her our respect and gratitude. She gave us a motherly smile and patted our head softly before urging us to go.

'Tell her not to tell anyone else yet,' I mind linked Hayden. He gave me a dirty look. I glared at him, 'Do it.'

"Umm, Luna?" He said. "He wants me to tell you something."

"Yes?" She asked curiously. He gulped, obviously not liking it.

"He says not to tell anyone about this yet," he said slowly.

She shifted her gaze to me with a frown.

"Why?" she asked calmly, holding back her mate. Who, by the way, looked ready to rip us to shreds.

'We need to sort some things out first,' I mind linked Hayden quickly who relayed it to her just as fast. Her frown deepened.

"I won't pry, but I pray you sort it out soon," she finally said. Xavier nodded his head.

"You hurt her and you're dead, boy," Alpha Rivers muttered. We looked at him, trying to convince him with our eyes that we won't. Not more than we already had. We held his gaze for a while, pleading him to understand. He must've been satisfied because he gave us a short nod of approval.

We followed the scent of citrus and spice till we reached Cecelia's room in the medical wing. She was hooked to a few machines, her heartbeat still faint. They had put an oxygen mask on her to help her breathe. Her breathing was short and shallow. She was pale as paper.

Xavier whimpered as he walked to her and sat down beside her bed, on the floor. She looked so breakable and vulnerable like that. We smiled when her heartbeat quickened a little when we sniffed at her neck. Her body recognized us as her mate even if she didn't.

When the nurse came in to check on her a while later, she saw us sitting there and did a double-take. She seemed to mind link someone before she relaxed. She did what she had to do and left quickly. 

They asked me for my blood for her transfusion, to speed up her recovery. I was her mate, it would help. I was surprised at first, to know that they knew. But then I forced myself to calm down and trust the Luna. I gave them as many packs as they needed without further ado. Luna Rivers was very vocal about her gratitude. She became emotional and Alpha Rivers had to come and calm her down.

It was evening when Noel and Hayden came in as well.

'What do you want?' I asked when they kept staring at me without saying anything.

"You blocked the mind link and didn't have your phone on you," Noel began. "So we came here to get you home."

'What?' I snarled.

"Ashton, your parents are asking for you," Hayden sighed.

'Not my problem,' I huffed.

"Yes!" Hayden exclaimed. "Yes, it is!"

'I am not going home right now!' I yapped out. He cringed back.

"Dude then talk to them. Explain, because we can't," Noel tried. I sighed.

' . . . Fine.' I grit out. They collectively exhaled in relief and Noel threw at me a pair of basketball shorts. I shifted and put them on. I glanced at Cecelia and sighed again. She was stable now. Her heartbeat was stronger, the transfusions having had more than the desired results. She had stabilized within minutes.

It was rather astonishing, the speed of her recovery. But I wasn't complaining. To me, it couldn't be fast enough.

"She'll be fine, Ashton," Noel said gently. I shook my head. He wouldn't understand. I had to fight the urge to mark her all afternoon. That would've sped up her recovery. But after she was declared stable, I couldn't. I wanted her consent to mark her. Not to mention my blood worked just fine.

Hayden tossed me my phone which I caught with a grateful smile. I went out and spoke to my mom and dad quickly, explaining that I wouldn't be going home that night. I didn't tell them about the mate thing yet but I knew I had to do it soon. I'd tell them face to face. That was a conversation we needed to have in person. I was going back to Cecelia's room when Aaron intercepted me.

"Summers," he said.

"Rivers," I nodded.

"Come with me," he commanded, taking off in the opposite direction from Cecelia's room.

"Why?" I asked, not budging. He sighed, turning around to face me.

"We have a meeting," he said. "It's about Tasha's kidnapping and today's incident. You might want to know what's going on, seeing as how Cece's your mate." He tried to keep the distaste from showing but wasn't very successful. Still, I appreciated the effort.

I nodded again, "Okay."

He lead me to his father's office. He knocked and ushered me in. Alpha Rivers frowned when he saw me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. I looked at Aaron.

Their eyes glazed over as they communicated via the mind link.

"Fine," Alpha Rivers finally grunted.

So he brought me there because he thought I should be here, not on orders. He was pleading my presence and he didn't even like me. I owed him.

Luna Rivers smiled at me and I smiled back weakly.

"Julian, get us started," Alpha Rivers commanded. I turned around in his line of sight and saw Julian leaning against the far wall. He nodded.

"Tasha was taken yesterday," he started. "Since then we've received two messages warning us. One telling us to come and get her, the other offering a bargain against an attack." He paused. "Tasha was a lean girl. She was five-six, had brown hair and green eyes." I frowned to myself, trying to place the information's importance.

"She resembled Cecelia uncannily when it came to body phenotype," he said and my blood ran cold and understanding dawned on me. "We suspected they were after Cecelia before when the rogue sightings increased near the time she came back, but yesterday's kidnapping and today's  . . . extraordinary events have confirmed our theories." He continued, "We need to do something about it if they were bold enough to kidnap a pack member and get into the school to galvanize Lia's locker and spike the antiseptic."

"We are increasing the border patrol," Alpha Rivers stated.

"We already have, Robert," Luna said softly. "We need to come up with alternative solutions."

"But, Regina," he protested but she shook her head.

"We need our warriors well-rested." She said firmly.

"Then increase training time for teens and start training for pups in the age group of ten to twelve," he said. She nodded thoughtfully.

"Assign Ms. Cecelia a full-time guard," one of the persons in the meeting suggested.

"That won't be necessary, Beta Carson," Julian said. "Either me or Ashton will be with her at all times. She won't be alone."

"But-"

"She will never agree to it," he interrupted. "And she's physically capable of protecting herself, trust me."

"Fine," the older man huffed.

"Forbid the kids to go to school for a while," another said.

"That's a short-term solution, Craig," Beta Carson said. "We need a practical solution. We can't interfere with our kids' education."

"I guess you're right," he sighed.

"When can the training start, Wesley?" Alpha Rivers addressed a somber-looking man standing near the door.

"Whenever you want, Alpha," he replied.

"Tomorrow morning, first thing," Alpha responded.

"I'll help you, Warrior Wesley," Julian volunteered.

"Me too," Aaron added.

"Thank you boys," he smiled gratefully.

"The kids are not to leave the Packhouse after sundown," Alpha said. Everyone murmured in agreement.

"Start tracking the rogues," Craig said.

"They aren't leaving any strong trails, Gamma Craig. We've tried," Julian said tiredly.

"We have a great tracker," I spoke for the first time. Seven pairs of eyes shifted to me.

"Why would you help us?" Gamma Craig narrowed his eyes at me. Call me crazy, but I immediately disliked that man.

"Why not?" I shrugged, playing it off.

"You're a Si-"

"That would be great, Ashton," Alpha Rivers interrupted, earning confused looks from his trusted ones. I nodded, feeling guilty.

"I will speak with my father tomorrow and get on it," I said.

"Perfect."

"Prepare for a war," Wesley warned.

"We will," Alpha stated solemnly.

I tried to calm my nerves which were fraying since they revealed that Cecelia was the target of a kidnapping. I was itching to hold her, to scent her, and assure myself that she was okay. I was going crazy inside. Xavier was losing it too, needing to see her safe and unharmed.

The conversation suddenly ceased as Luna Rivers got up quickly.

"Cecelia is awake," she said, looking at me.

I shot up and was out of the door without asking the Alpha's permission to leave his meeting. In hindsight, very rude. But the only thing in my mind then was Cecelia. I burst through the door of the room she was being kept in. 

Hazel met green.

My world was back on its axis again.

******************************

A/N:-

Haha, I loved writing this one. A whiny, lovesick Ashton is a cute Ashton. At least I think so. 

What are your thoughts on this chapter? Comment!!

Why do the rogues want Cecelia? Aaron, Robert, and Regina know that Ashton and Cecelia are mates. Now that she's awake, what will happen with her and Ashton? Will they get past all that has happened ??

Keep reading to find out.

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Until next time, all my love,
xoxo.