"I should have known she would be just as stubborn as she was when she was ten," Hannah groaned, heading towards where they think Marley was at.

To their surprise, Marley was walking on the path towards them. Her face was stone, and the next person she wanted to talk to was Layla.

She tried not to be mad and hurt because she kept her secret to herself, but her secret wasn't just hers. Marley didn't know when Layla would have brought it up; there wasn't a good time since they found each other, but she didn't think there was a good time to tell her that was or still is in love with someone else.

"Marley," Layla yelled, her eyes holding her frustration, "what were you thinking?"

Marley stopped on the path, and she took a deep breath. She knew this talk was going to be harder then the wolves she spoke to in the cells.

"I. Am. Not. A. Child," Marley breathed out, standing tall with her pride, "So. Stop. Treating. Me. Like. One. You aren't my mom; you're my mate. We are equal."

"That's not the point," Hannah counter, "Marley, you can just talk to another Alpha's prisoner. Layla is right. You shouldn't have done that; it wasn't your place."

Gabby paused, "How about we all calm down? It's been really stressful, on all of us."

"I am an Alpha," Marley started, ignore Gabby's words. "I am the only family member of the Alpha that is free, and I have a duty to protect my people. Out of everyone here, I have the most information and experience with these rogues."

"You are blinded by those experiences," Hannah argued back. "You are letting your emotions take control of your words and actions."

Marley shook her head, "I'm not ten anymore. You don't know what I have faced. The least you could do is trust me. I'm not asking for your permission. I'm asking for your support."

Hannah shook her head, "I'm not giving you my support when you do foolish things like this. You have wasted time with you disobedience. Don't you want to walk your uncle and aunt up."

Marley kept her mouth closed. She was going to argue with Hannah's take of obedience, but she rather wake up her family. "Let's go wake them up then."

Hannah huffed, changing her direction to the Pack Hospital.

Gabby looked between Marley and Layla before following behind the Luna.

"We are not done with this conversation, Marley," Layla began, walking beside her mate.

"Why are you talking to me like I'm a child?" Marley questioned, none of the previous moments she had with her made her feel like the way she did now.

Layla shook her head, "You're only eighteen, Marls. You don't know anything about the world."

"I know things," Marley rebutted, but she was tired, and she was hurt. "I think I need a break. I need to put my full focus on saving my family," her voice cracked. "I don't like how you are treating me, and I know that I kept a huge secret from you, but you are still keeping one from me."

Layla's jaw dropped, her wolf howled inside her head. "What?"

Marley started to have tears in her eyes, "I'm not rejecting you, but I think we are at two different places in life. I don't think either of us is ready for a relationship, not when my family is being tortured and harmed and not when I know a little bit about your past with the Luna. I need time, and I think you need it too."

Before Layla could say a word, they reached the hospital, and Marley quickened her pace. Gabby lead them towards the previous Alpha and Luna, stepping aside.

Hannah took a deep breath when she saw Cecilia Moon for the first time in years, and Marley smiled when she saw her uncle and aunt, knowing that they weren't dead. She knew they were alive, but seeing is different from hearing.

Layla stood my the door, silent tears rolling down her eyes. Gabby noticed it, and made sure to check in with her friend later. She gave her a sad smile, but Layla didn't give her a response back.

Marley walked over to her dad's sister, her fingers finding her pack's mark. She looked up at Hannah, putting their argument past them for just this moment. She reached out her hand, ready to wake her aunt up. Marley may have never healed someone with the help from another from her birth pack, but she had seen her pack so it before.

Hannah put her hand in Marley's, nodding her head.

Marley closed her eyes, and she felt something powerful moving from Hannah into her. She took a deep breath, and the light that was there when she brought Layla back from the dead returned. Gabby and Layla fell to their knees, closing their eyes.

Hannah gasped, continuing to hold onto Marley, but seeing the light — something that she had not seen happen before. The machine hooked up to the Luna started to beep, and before Marley and Hannah could pull away to see what they accomplished, and let jerked forward, kicking Marley in the face.

Cecilia's eyes snapped open, and her wolf was ready to protect herself. She grabbed Hannah by the neck, but once she made eye contact, she gasped, "Hannah." She let the other Luna go, sitting up in her bed. She glanced around the room before her eyes landed on her niece.

"Marley," she gasped, moving from the bed, and cupping her checks. Marley's nose was broken, blood dripping down to her lips.

The Luna put on finger on her nose, and it was like nothing happened. She wiped the blood away.

Gabby and Layla finally were able to stand up, and they bowed they heads once again, "Luna."

The Luna helped her niece up before turning her attention to her mate. She moved to wake him up.

"Aunt Cecilia," Marley grabbed her arm, "Hannah and I got it. Rest."

"You can heal now," Cecilia smiled.

Marley nodded, "Yeah, I can."

Cecilia looked towards the two standing by the door, "Will you two go get my son, please?"

Gabby nodded her head, "Yes, Luna," before grabbing Layla and heading down the hallway.

Cecelia hugged her niece, "I knew it would come sooner or later." She kissed her forehead, "Do you have enough energy to wake him?"

Marley nodded her head, "Yeah."

*•*•*•*

"Goddess," Gabby started, "Layla are you alright?"

The Head Doctor shook her head, "She wants a break."

They both exited from the Pack Hospital, and both of them tried mind linking Alpha Joey.

He must have been busy in his office.

"A break?" Gabby asked, not understanding. "A break from what?"

Layla cried, "From me."

Gabby let out a whistle, "Damn, I know she was upset with you and Hannah, but I didn't know she was that mad."

"She mentioned something about Denice," Layla added, and they reached the Pack House.

"Layla. Gabby," Luna Denice was just about to leave the Pack House when she ran into them, "I thought you two would be at the Pack Hospital. I was just coming by to talk to you."

"We were at the Pack Hospital, Luna, but Luna Cecilia requested Alpha Joey," Gabby informed, knowing Layla wasn't ready to talk about the whole godmother situation.

"She's awake?"

———— A U T H O R  N O T E | 39 ————

If this chapter doesn't make sense, make sure you reread the last one. I updated it cause I realize that what I wrote made no sense at all.

Life is still stressful, but I got my wisdom teeth out, so I'm currently not going to school and my mouth is in pain — which means more free time to write.

I'm so proud of Marley when she talked to the Beta and the other doctor. I think she held herself together pretty well, if I do day so myself.

Cecilia and her mate are awake now! I hope that's exciting for you guys. I think the kick to the face was funny, and represented that she went down fighting when those rogues came after her.

QQ(#45): What are your thoughts on Layla's and Marley's break?