Will turned to look at me as a female wild wolf came into the room, "I don't think you should be in here alone with them." he said, clear concern for his Alpha.

I smiled up at him, "Thanks but I can handle this. Look, her legs and hands are chained up." I said as the two wolf guards put her down on a chair roughly since she was being stubborn. She growled up at them, eyes burning yellow. The hooked the cuffs to a bar on the table so she wouldn't be able to get up. "Thank you both, I'll buzz when I'm finished with her." They both nodded and Will wished me luck before walking out of the room. The woman looked at me with a cold glare on her face as I walked over to the table with a yellow notepad. I sat down on the table clearing my throat, "I know all of this is very frustrating for you. What is your name?"

She growled, "Go to hell, tame wolf."

I tapped my pen against the notepad, "I'm just here to help you."

"Help me?" she spit out coldly as if I insulted her. "What do I need help with? You placed me in that concrete cage."

"I'm sure you'll prefer the woods." I said as she rolled her eyes. "Do you have children?" I asked, writing down children ready to write their name but all she need was huff heavily from her nose as she looked away. "I'm guessing not. I learned mostly it's only the females who have higher roles in the pack to have children. You must have been one of the Omega's."

She growled at me, "Shut up! Shut up! Let me go you bitch."

"I didn't mean no insult by this." I said as I set the pen down and looked at her. "How old are you?" I asked. She growled, pulling at the chains but they only left marks on her wrist. "Hey, calm down." I said softly and she growled. "I'm not here to hurt you, none of us are. I wanna help you."

"Help me by doing what?" she asked coldly. "I don't need your help, I don't need any tame wolf help. You'll only try to turn me away from the right ways."

"What I want is for you to have a better life." I said. "Believe me, the world is so much different. Have you ever gone in the city before?"

She growled, "No, it's a corrupted Hell place. Only the Alpha and Beta can go there. I rather stay where it's safe!"

"Well it's very different than it was a hundred years ago." I told her. "Look—I still don't know your name actually. How hard is it to just tell me that so I can respectfully address you?" I asked, making her mouth tightly shut as she looked at me. "My name is Matilda but I like to be called Mat."

"You are the Alpha, you should not be just called Mat." she said coldly. "You tame wolf teach your children that don't you? Not to address your leader the right way."

I smiled, "I'm just trying to make you feel equal."

"Well I'm not!" she coldly said. "You are an Alpha, tame or not you are an Alpha."

I straighten my back, "Fine, I am Alpha. Tell me your name. Now." My eyes turned Sapphire-Amber to show my authority and her eyes widen at me eyes. I bared my teeth, "Name, now."

She looked away, "It's Rhona."

"Rhona." I said as I worked her name down. I needed to collected information about every wolf. "Now Rhona, I'm gonna talk here for a few moments and I want you to listen. I don't want you to interrupt me at any point time. It's a new era and everything different. Our secret is only trusted to certain amount of humans. There isallotmore risk these days for our secret. I'll explain them later but Rhona I wanna give you a better life than what you have—ahh." I said when I saw her mouth open but I spoke before she could and she froze there with her mouth open a little. "Let me finish."

*

I bit down on a pickle, the crunching filling my needs of crunchy food. I brought the spoon of yogurt up to my mouth and took another bite of the pickle. I brought some angel hair noodle that had butter mixed in it. I drank some ice tea, burping loudly. Killian stared at me wide eye across the counter and I arched my eyebrow as I bit the pickle, "What? I had a busy stressful day, I need comfort food." I said as I ate more noodles. I spoke with a mouth full, "I been shouted, yelled, and almost spite in from today. I must be crazy thinking this was gonna be easy. Raiding was easier than this."

He twirled the noodles around the fork, "If I haven't seen you eat like this before I would think you were pregnant." he said. "I seen you put syrup on mac n cheese."

I groaned, "Oh man, I should have that tomorrow. Thanks for the craving." I sarcastically said.

He placed his chin on the palm of his hand, "I saw the place where Tamaz live and it's so beautiful Mat. So much land and all the mountains. Now that it's almost spring, the grass is so green. He has such a beautiful old fashion castle."

"A castle?" I questioned.

He grinned, "Been in his family since the seventeenth century. It's not huge but it's big. He done allot of remodeling to it." he said.

"You two are worse than girls. Always on the phone." I said as I walked over towards him. He reached up, running his finger across the left edge of my mouth where some melted butter was. I smiled at him, rubbing my cheek against his palm for affection, "I'm excited, I am. Nothing gonna stop us from going, promise."

He stood up, "Good, nothing better." he said, leaning down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting the side of my head on his chest. His arms locked around me as he sighed, "My annoying stubborn brash beautiful strong wife." I smiled as I giggled, bring my arms up around his neck as I held onto him. I felt so relaxed and felt comfort in his arms like I always have.

Aeriela

I picked up my purple graduation gown from my bed and slipped it on. I turned to face my phone where Zakaria was watching me and I held my hands up, "Well, do I look graduation ready?" I asked.

"The purple looks beautiful with your red hair." he said, making me smile. I turned to face my mirror, examining myself and everything did seem fine. My hair, makeup, and outfit. Yet I was so nervous when I don't know why. All I have to do is walk up on stage when they call my name, take my diploma, and walk off going back to my seat. I guess I was nervous because it actually means I finished something I didn't expect I could do. I never thought I could survive four years of high school going with human kids. I use to wanna puke at the thought of going with them but I learned how to live with them and forget they were even human.

Emily appeared at my door, "Ready, Elle?" she asked. "Oh Zakaria, hi!" she said as she went over towards my phone. "Excited for our Ellie?"

"Well yes, I wished to be there for her but of course my brother doesn't want me to leave the country without him." he said, rolling his eyes. "I hope you two walk across the stage with your head held high."

Emily grinned, "I'll walk on it like I'm on a runway." I rolled my eyes, lightly pushing her away and she glared at me before giggling, "Come on, we gotta be there by six."

*

Waiting near the steps of the stage, I placed my hand against the wall as I looked out in the auditorium where hundreds of people were watching us take out diploma. So many flashes of camera, so little space it felt. My stomach was in knots, feeling somehow trapped but I tried not to let it all get to me. Why could the auditorium be bigger?

Someone nudged me from behind and without thinking my head turned around as I growled. John, a human classmate eyes widen at me and he quickly pointed over me to move ahead. My eyes widen as I swallowed the forming lump in my throat, "Sorry John, you surprised me." I said before turning my head back and walked forwards.

When the girl in front of me walked over to principle, they both shook hands and she took her diploma. "Aeriela Vaughn." she called for me. Taking a deep breath, I forced a small smile on my face as I walked out on stage and over to Principle Hanley. She held her hand out towards me and I placed my hand in hers to shake it. The vice principle held out my diploma and I thanked him as I took it. I quickly walked off stage, taking a deep breath of relief when I was out of the light.

*

I looked around the crowded hallway of families to look for mine. I was starting to feel the pressure feeling of being trapped again as I pushed myself through the crowd. I looked around, looking for someone but it was hard. They really need to make this a bigger school. Looking near the large windows, I finally found them all there. The pack kids were talking to Mat, showing their respect to their alpha and gave them invitation for upcoming weddings. Not that it's summer, it's wedding season.

I walked over towards them and Sofia hugged me first, "I'm so proud of you, Ellie." she said, those words making it feel like walking across the stage was worth it. Clyde, Devin, Zoe, Killian all hugged me.

Mat smiled at Luna, "I'll be there next Saturday, I promise." she said, patting her shoulder before walking over to me. We wrapped our arms around each other, "Hope you heard me screaming your name while you walked out."

"Oh, I didn't hear you." I said, chuckling. "Actually with how nervous I was, I could hardly hear anything other than what was in front of me."

"It's okay, Sofia videotape it. You'll hear it later." she said. Chuckling, I lowered my eyes to the floor until I felt a pair of eyes on me. I lifted my head, seeing up the short staircase across from us Ulric leaning against the wall. He gave me a small smile, waving at me once.

*

It was more respected to celebrate big things together so on Mat ranch allot of the pack member were here to celebrate us graduating wolves. A big bonfire was set up, tables filled with a bunch of food, music playing, and everyone around talking with each other. We do things together, not separating. As Alpha, Mat had to call everyone together and give a small speech to us graduating wolves.

When the speech was over, I pulled my chair up towards the bonfire and watched as all the wolves shifted into wolves. They all ran out of the run and I lowered my head, wanting to be apart of that but I wasn't yet. Maybe I haven't spent eighteen springs alive, maybe I'm younger. I don't know, I don't understand why I haven't shifted. There's only a month left of spring left.

I got up from the chair, pulling my shawl around me closer as I turned around. Someone was a few feet away from me, surprising me as I looked up to see Ulric. "Oh." I said, my mouth forming a small 'o' shape. "You didn't go out for the run?"

He shook his head, "Nah, I might later. I wanted to come over to congratulate you."

"Well, thanks." I said, walking past him. I wanted to thank him also for convincing Mat for trying to involve me but I couldn't seem to bring the words out to say. I walked over towards the house and sat on the swing set. The ranch was a good half mile away, so not much people were around the house. I tilt my head back, looking up at the stairs and the moon. I counted each star in the sky, trying to keep myself busy.

It was only when I heard a creak noise from the staircase that I looked away. Ulric walked up the porch and I brought my shawl closer around me as he came over. He pulled a chair over towards me and I arched my eyebrow at him.

He looked up at the sky, "I remember looking at the stars allot with you. It was always boring even though you found them fascinating." he said. He looked at me, "What are you planning to do now that you graduated?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, maybe get a job. I shouldn't let Clyde take care of me forever. I don't care that most of the girls get married and depend of their husbands."

He nodded, "That sounds good,any jobs in mind?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, maybe the craft store in town." I said as he nodded. I tilt my head slightly, "Why you asking?"

He shrugged, "Just keeping things casual, friendly."

I winced my eyes, "Maybe us being friends isn't such a good idea."

"Why not?" he asked. "We're adult here, we ca keep things casual."

"No, not us. Not with our history." I told him. I huffed heavily, "Why can't you just leave, Ulric? Leave me alone forever?"

"It's my life, I can live wherever I want." he said, making me snort. "And maybe I think my life is here, near the important people in my life—"

I got up from the swing, "Ulric, I know it was you who changed Mat mind about involving me in the project so I wanna say thank you for that and I appreciate it. It was.. .very mature of you and you have shown me you change allot. I wanna let you know I been talking to Alpha Tamaz brother Zakaria allot." I said, watching his eyes get big. Expecting there to be anger and jealousy in them, it surprised me to see them look hurt. "It's nothing official and it might never be but he's seems very nice. My point is I finally was able to move on from you so I don't think being friends with you I'll be able to keep my feeling intact now that I'm okay again."

He lowered his eyes to the floor, "He lives in another country, Aeriela."

"Who willing to move here. Things are—going fine between us. He's a good friend and I actually like him. Please don't try to ruin any of it." I said. "Or maybe it's me who should move over there. At least this way, we won't have to see each other the rest of our lives."

His wide blue eyes continued to stare down at the porch, "Aeriela—"

"If you see Sofia or Clyde, tell them I headed home early." I said before walking away.