Everyone got back to their own work but still a heaviness prevailed in the air. The gloomy atmosphere was spread all around, even causing the pups to notice that something upsetting had happened.

Vivaan tossed around on his bed as  his mind was at unrest. Although not at the same intensity, he too had felt the link break. This had happened first time in his life and he was having a hard time coping with it. The only thing that would help him feel a little at ease was not possible.

Joy wanted an out. Running through the forest was the best solution but forest was covered with silver remains. Huffing, he sat up on the bed, clutching his hair in frustration.

"Lets take a short run on the training ground. It cannot compare to the forest but something is better than nothing." Joy suggested.

"Now?" Vivaan asked, while looking at the wall clock with tired eyes.

"It's the best time. Warriors would come at 5'o clock to train. We will have one full hour to run without being disturbed." Joy responded in a firm voice.

Vivaan accepted Joy's suggestion and stood up, muttering a final goodbye to his sleep.

As Joy entered the training ground, he noticed Hritika running on the tracks. Annoyed at his luck, he was going to turn back and return to his room, when he saw Hritika losing her balance. Joy made a huge jump, coming in between Hritika and the ground, softening her fall.

Hritika shrieked with all her might, bursting Joy's eardrums. Joy yelped, causing Hritika to fall on her butt. Huffing, he left to shift into Vivaan.

Hritika had managed to stand up by the time, Vivaan jogged back to her.

"Did you really need to shriek so loud?" Vivaan asked, rubbing his ears.

"What were you expecting when you came out of nowhere?" Hritika questioned back.

'And here I thought, she yelled because she feared the fall,' Vivaan thought in self pity. 

"Joy was just trying to save you from the fall," Vivaan grumbled.

"By the way, what were you doing here at this time?" Vivaan asked with raised eyebrows.

"What does it look like?" Hritika asked, pointing towards her workout clothes.

"Yeah, I saw that but it seems a little unbelievable," Vivaan said, muffling his laugh.

"Go on, don't hide it. Laugh all you want, I was just trying to build up my stamina," Hritika muttered in a peeved tone.

"Sorry sorry." Vivaan apologized, raising his hands in surrender.

"But why the sudden change of heart?" he asked when Hritika's mood turned back to normal.

Hritika blew out some air and sat down on the ground before answering, "I decided to work on myself when I was helping Alina and the young ones to reach the pack house. My lack of stamina bothered me for the first time."

Vivaan too imitated her and sat down while muttering, "Pups."

"Huh?" Hritika looked at him with confusion.

"We call the young ones- Pups," Vivaan elaborated.

"Oh!" Hritika answered dumbly.

"Do you want to run with Joy? Along with running, it will also help to reduce your fear of our counterparts." Vivaan suggested.

"Nihal too got rid of the fear by walking and running along with Sachi." Vivaan added when he saw that Hritika wasn't too convinced.

"You are missing the runs with Yara, aren't you?" Hritika asked in a knowing tone.

"Yeah, I am," Vivaan answered truthfully.

Not wanting to be misunderstood, he hurriedly added, "But I also understand that between the duties and everything that has happened, she doesn't get much time. And in that little time, it's obvious that she would prioritize her mate. Moreover, we are always together while working. It's just the fun time that has been compromised."

"So you want to use me as a proxy. But what would happen later? When you would find your mate, I will be left alone," Hritika asked, tongue in cheek.

"By that time, you would also have your life partner with you. So, I don't think you would miss me too much." Vivaan responded, just as cheekily.

"Life partner?" Hritika scoffed. "How am I supposed to find someone while living between the werewolves? I don't even have a werewolf gene, for me to have a mate "

"Once the council meeting is done, I promise that I will look into this and make it possible for you to go out of the pack according to your will." Vivaan vowed, suddenly getting serious.

"What if I don't want a life partner? Then your efforts would go to waste," Hritika queried.

"That's upto you. It's totally fine if you decide to be single but that should be on your terms and not because you weren't allowed to meet anyone," Vivaan answered, making Hritika smile at him warmly.

He surely knew how to win hearts. No wonder the whole pack was a fan of him.

"Thank you." Hritika spoke sincerely as her heart felt the warmth of the younger brother. Hritika didn't even realize when the banter with Vivaan turned into care and he too became her brother along with Nihal.

"Now get up and shift fast or else everyone would wake up before we can run a single round," Hritika said, standing up.

It took a few minutes for Hritika to lose her stiffness but she got comfortable with running along with Joy nearby. There was no match between Joy and Hritika's speed and they didn't even bother trying. Both ran at their own pace, occasionally giving a head nod (wolf nod in Joy's case) as they passed each other.