Luna Mahira was baffled when she saw a few guards bring water and food supplies.

"Make sure the kitchen is safe to use, before keeping all the supplies inside," Alpha Aarjav ordered the guards, who bowed and went to carry out the command.

Luna turned towards Alpha with a question in her eyes. "The pack needs a whole lot of restructuring before it is good for the pack members to use. Then why all this...."

"For Vivaan," Alpha answered like it was an obvious fact.

"Wh...why? He will be coming with us to the Aberrant pack, right? Right Aarjav?"

"Vivaan is the Alpha of this pack. He has to stay here. How can an Alpha just leave his own pack just like that?"

Alpha Aarjav's question made Luna's blood boil. Her palms fisted as she looked at him with gritted teeth.

"For how long were you planning this?" She asked, feeling cheated on.

"What's up with your tone? And stop looking at me like I am some evil person. It is an obvious fact that an Alpha stays in his pack. Of course, business trips are there, but even at that time there are Beta and Gamma available. Here, only Vivaan and Rehyaa are coronated as leaders. So they have to stay here until we complete the procedure of merger."

"Merger? Is that even going to happen?" Luna asked with a scoff.

"What happened? Is there any problem with the merger of Midnight pack and Aberrant pack?" Vivaan asked, having heard the last snippets of the conversation as he returned from their pack run.

Rehyaa too got worried when she saw the blazing eyes of her mother-in-law.

"I don't think there would be any merger," Luna told her son, "After all, Alpha's plan of getting you out of the pack has succeeded."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Vivaan asked, clasping Rehyaa's hand for support as he eyed his Mom and Alpha.

Rubbing her forehead with distress, Luna answered, "As an Alpha of this pack, you need to stay here. In the words of Alpha- until the procedure of Merger is completed; which I don't think would ever happen. While you are here, he will easily make Nihal the Alpha of our pack.

"It is not hard to make excuses for the delay in the merger. As the time will pass by, Nihal will make his place in the hearts of pack members and slowly they will all forget about your existence."

Loud, mocking slow claps were heard and they turned to see Alpha Aarjav making a show of clapping with  exaggeration.

"What a great story! You could have become an author if you tried. Seriously, stop doubting my intentions. I already promised that Vivaan will become an Alpha of our pack.

"If you still cannot trust me; then go and look into my office. I have already started the paperwork for the merger. I am doing the best I can to hurry the process."

"I will definitely check. It is hard to trust a person who blatantly favours one son over the other."

Vivaan gently pulled Luna Mahira towards him and a little away from Alpha and Rehyaa. Squeezing her shoulders, he, "Mom, what has gotten into you? You didn't even react so much when we...when we found out about Alpha's human relationship."

Vivaan was baffled as well as scared. He had noticed this behaviour when they had breakfast at Yara's house, but had let it go thinking it was a one time thing. However, if she continuously had these issues then something was amiss.

Luna sighed, rubbing her face tiredly, before apologizing. "Sorry for creating a scene on such a huge moment of your life. But I can't help but worry about you.

"When we first met Nihal, even though I didn't categorize him as an enemy, he was still someone we didn't want in our life. But because of Yara, he got more involved in our lives; then he saved so many pack members during silver rain, making his place in everyone's heart," seeing Vivaan's raised eyebrows, Luna added, "even in my heart. See, even us who should have never gotten along with him were charmed by his niceness. Afterwards, the pack business was given to him to handle temporarily. Slowly by slowly, he is everywhere. And I am afraid that you will soon be buried under his glory."

Vivaan chuckled softly at his cute mother. "Usually a person's bad deeds make everyone feel wary of them. But you are worried because Nihal is a nice person."

"I wouldn't have been worried if Alpha Aarjav wasn't biased. What am I going to do if he makes Nihal takeover the pack? And the pack won't even protest as they have started loving him as our own.

"Nihal- the first born, the one whose Alpha command is stronger than yours, the one who is destined to become an Alpha, the one who has got the current Alpha's backing. Do you realize that if he decides to go against you then it is all over. You will be finished if he changes his mind."

"Being a full werewolf, the one who has trained all his life to become an Alpha; if I cannot win against him: a human with no training; then am I really fit to be an Alpha?" Vivaan asked, trying to keep the hurt away from his voice.

"Vivaan you know that I didn't mean that...," Luna sighed, feeling bad for hurting her son's sentiments but it was the truth and Vivaan too was aware of it.

Vivaan was the best choice if they decided to see who could handle the pack better. However, the fight for the Alpha wasn't going to be physical or on the capabilities of managing the pack. Just like Alpha Aarjav, the destiny was also biased; only leaning towards the first born, irrespective of their individual capabilities.

Vivaan sighed, clutching his mother's hands tightly. "I know mom. My capabilities are of no use if Nihal doesn't grant me the chance. It all depends on him now."

"What are we going to do if this merger plan is a fluke? What if he," eyeing Alpha Aarjav, "abandons you in the Midnight pack?"

"He can do that." Vivaan agreed, causing Luna's heart to summersault. "I don't trust this man one bit. But..."

"But?" Luna asked, looking for the last bit of hope.

"But I trust Nihal, mom. I know he will keep his promise."

"You trust Nihal, but you won't trust me?" Alpha Aarjav asked, coming towards the duo, Rehyaa trailing behind him with tension.

"Have you ever done something to gain my trust?" Vivaan scoffed.

He then turned to speak to Luna, "Mom, Nihal won't backstab me," looking at Alpha pointedly, Vivaan continued, "And if someone tries to brainwash Nihal's mind, then Hritika and Yara are there to pull him back from the clutches of evil."