Hritika came back to her house to see Nihal pacing to and fro, while the chef sat on the armchair, biting his nails.

"Stop pacing and call the other two. Uncle and Luna Mahira are here. We need to go for the meeting," Hritika said, effectively stopping Nihal on his tracks.

Nihal took long steps towards her, "How can you leave without saying anything? Do you know how worried I was?"

"I am back now, so relax."

Nihal ran his hand through his hair, muttering under his breath, "One day I am going to die because of panic."

"Did you say something?" Hritika asked, standing there with folded hands.

Nihal showed his teeth angrily, before turning away from her.

"Yara, we need to go," he called out to his mate, who was preparing the warrior for the interrogation.

"Coming," Yara called back, before advising the warrior again as a last minute preparation, "It is obvious that given your rank, your wolf will have high temper. But please, please make sure to keep calm. They can deliberately try to anger you during interrogation, keep a calm and sane mind no matter what, okay?"

"Don't worry future Beta, I will take all the insults with a smile if it guarantees a life with my mate."

Yara smiled and patted his upper arm, before ushering him outside.

Seeing his mate trembling with fear, the warrior left Yara's side and rushed towards him, and held him dearly, sharing his warmth and support.

"If nothing works out, we will go and leave in the woods as rogues. I will fight all the ferals and in the meantime you can cook the delicious meals for me," the warrior whispered in the chef's ear.

The chef chuckled admist his tears, "Pray tell me where will we find a kitchen inside the forest?"

The mates continued whispering and joking as they walked, knowing fully well that it could be their last night together or their last night being alive.

"Nihal." Yara pulled him back through his elbow as a thought cross her mind. Along with Nihal, Hritika stopped too, gesturing with her hands, whether she should go ahead or stop with them.

Yara called her closer by her bending and opening her fingers. The three of them huddled together bending their heads, to keep the information from going out.

"Let's call Gamma in the meeting," she whispered.

"Are you out of your mind?" Nihal yelled, and rightfully so, got hit by both the ladies. "Are you out of your mind?" He whispered this time.

Yara glared at him, "I heard it the first time loud and clear. And no, I haven't lost my mind."

"Seriously Gamma? You know how orthodox he is," Nihal said.

"He is right." Hritika agreed.

"Exactly!" Yara looked at the cousins with a mischievous expression.

"She is upto something, isn't she?" Hritika asked warily.

Nihal nodded as he gulped in fear. "Definitely."

"Don't look scared guys." Yara laughed, "Calling Gamma will work in our favour."

"But he—"

Yara interjected before Nihal could sprout out his complains. "Just listen, he is one who believes in mates the most. He was the one who told me that mates are the blessings bestowed by the Moon Goddess, and we should accept our mate no matter who they are."

"No matter who they are..." Hritika repeated and a smile perched upon her face, finally understanding where was Yara going with her plan.

"It wouldn't matter that they both are of same gender if this relationship is destined. Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes, at least that's what we werewolves believe. So if Moon Goddess has chosen them to be mates then...."

"Then no one can stop them from being mates." Nihal completed Yara's sentence.

"Let's do it," Yara said, forwarding her hand.

Nihal and Hritika nodded, and stacked their hands on top of each other. They glanced at each other with a new confidence of winning, before tossing their hands up in the sky.

                           ★★★★★

"How were they able to bring a Moonstone Warrior inside the pack? Beta, the pack was in your hands. How can such a huge thing happen in your presence?" Luna scolded the Beta, who stood there with a bowed head.

They all were in Alpha's office waiting for Nihal and that warrior. Luna had already buried her grieving heart somewhere and stood there fiercely with Alpha as they grilled the Beta.

"Stop looking down and answer why it happened?" Alpha asked.

"As it was a special request from the Alpha's son, the guards didn't contact me. And when I found out, it was already too late," Beta answered, looking down in shame.

"It's not your fault," Luna said with a sigh, after calming down a bit. "No one could have imagined that Nihal would do something like this without having a word with the leaders," she said, looking pointedly at the Alpha.

"I am sure he must have some solid reason," Alpha said and before Luna could retaliate, Gamma entered the office.

Alpha, Luna and Beta looked at him with raised eyebrows, as they weren't expecting him.

"Yara called me, saying that my presence was needed in the meeting," Gamma answered the unasked question.

"She called you? That too willingly," Beta asked in an incredulous tone. This was something he couldn't believe even in his dreams.

Gamma narrowed his eyes at Beta's reaction, before elaborating, "It is a mate's situation."

"Mate?" Alpha asked and heaved a relieved sign after getting a confirming nod.

"See I told you Nihal wouldn't make a mistake. He allowed the warrior because he is a mate of our pack member," Alpha boasted on Luna's face, who rolled her eyes in return.

"But why would the warrior leave his pack? It doesn't make sense for a high ranking member to leave a pack. And seeing how warriors know so much of inside information of their own pack, they are usually paired with a low ranking mate. Then why?" Beta left the question in hanging, not really understanding the reason behind the Moonstone pack's warrior coming into their pack.

Luna mulled over the question with furrowed eyebrows. Her eyes widened at the conclusion she came. "Their pack is a traditional pack," she said.

"So?" The three men in the room asked in unison, causing her to roll her eyes yet again.

"A female born and brought in our pack would never be able to adjust in that pack. Going in Moonstone pack means stripping away from all the freedom, it means to give up their voice," Luna explained.

"Makes sense," Alpha agreed, "Knowing and understanding that his mate would not be able to adjust in his traditional pack, the warrior must have made such a drastic decision."

"As much as I applaud him for going this far for his mate, this move is going to create lot of problems between us and the Moonstone pack," Beta said.

"Doesn't matter. What are we leaders for if we cannot protect our members? They are mates and they have all the rights to stay together. We must protect them at all costs," Gamma pledged.

"I hope you don't forget these words after looking at the mates," Hritika spoke, as she stood at the door, hiding the view of the new couple.