Theo POV

"Our casualties were low, only four members of our pack are deceased. Their families have been informed and Jerry is arranging the funeral as we speak. About twenty were injured, although none were serious. Overall, we came out well." I tell Colton. 

"That's good to hear. The training is working. Shows that there is no need to make changes. However, sign the injured up for a few extra classes. Clearly, they weren't prepared." Colton responds as he leans back in his chair. 

"Should I look at your shoulder?" 

He nods his head and I take a step towards him. The wound is already beginning to heal but I clean it out to prevent any infections. 

"Theo?" Colton says. 

"Yes?"

"Have you seen Skylar?" He questions, turning his head to look at me. 

"Last I saw she was sitting in the chair you left her in," I respond. I quickly wrap the wound and step away from him. "Did you want me to check on her?" 

"No, no. I will. She's probably just worked up about the battle and her old pack. She will get over it." He sighs. 

I hesitate slightly, choosing my next words carefully. "I think it's more than just being worked up about it, Colton. Her old pack has been slaughtered. She saw her old Alpha dead on the ground. People she grew up with bled at her feet. Her father will be killed. I'd say she is depressed, at a very minimum. It's a lot to take in."

Colton wipes his face with his hand and stands from his seat. "I know. She isn't built for this. She needs to toughen up." 

"She doesn't need to toughen up, brother. You need to soften up." I reply before stepping outside of the office, leaving him to think over my words. 

I walk down the hall to the living room, my head low as I pass weeping women whose mates have fallen. Four lives lost in a pointless war. When will it end?

As I enter the living room, my eyes immediately fall on Skylar. Her eyes are red and swollen from the tears that continuously fall down her face. Her skin is pale and sickly and her lips are chapped. I can see her hands shaking. I can hear soft whimpers leaving her mouth. My heart aches for her. 

"Skylar," I say softly as I slowly step towards her. She doesn't move. She doesn't even flinch at my voice. 

"Skylar," I repeat, a little more loudly. I bend a knee in front of her and take one of her shaky hands in mine. "I'm here."

She doesn't respond or look into my eyes. She just sits there, whimpering and shaking. My eyes search hers for something but come up empty. 

"Skylar, I need you to talk to me. Please. I need to know if you are okay."

Her eyes suddenly snap to mine, giving me a glimmer of hope. 

"Okay?" She says, her voice raspy from all the tears she shed. "Okay?"

"Yes, I need to know if you are okay," I reply. 

"Okay?" She repeats, this time ripping her hand from mine. "Okay? How can I be okay, Theo? They are all dead! All of them! He killed them all! And my father is next! How can I be okay!" 

I shake my head. "I don't know, but let me help you."

"No, Theo. I don't want your help. I don't need it. This is what I am destined to be. Colton's mate - a punching bag and fuck toy." She sneers. "This is what the Moon Goddess wants - me to submit to him and bear him children! So fuck it! I'm done! That's what I'm going to do!" 

I look at her in disbelief. No words coming to my lips. 

"That's right, Theo. I am done! It's over. Everything I ever lived for is gone. I'm gone." She whimpers out. 

She turns from me, putting her head in her hands and I take that as my signal to leave. She is so broken. She isn't that girl I fell in love with anymore. I don't even know how to save her from this. I don't know how to fix this. I'm a fucken doctor, why can't I fix this?

I stumble up the stairs and head to my office. Thoughts of Skylar flood my mind, making my head spin. I reach for the hidden flask of whiskey behind some medical books and take a long swig of the burning liquid. 

"Long day?" A voice says behind me, causing me to jump. Larson stands on the doorway of my office, arms folded looking at me with a smirk on his face. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm fine." I sneer, closing my flask and returning it to it's hiding place. "What do you want?"

"I saw you in the hall." He responds. "Are you okay? You look devastated." 

I scratch my neck and let out a slow breath before I answer. "She's gone."

"Who is?" He asks confused. 

"Skylar."

"She's downstairs, Theo. I don't know what you mean?"

"No, she's gone. Her body's down there, but Skylar isn't." I snort. 

"I'm not sure what you're saying-"

"She's gone! Broken! She's dead to us all. She's given up, Larson. She's lost her fight." I lament. 

"We can help her. She just needs to get away from Colton, Theo."

"How are we supposed to do that? How!? I'm sure as fuck ain't strong enough and clearly, the shit that you pulled out there proved how weak you are compared to him, so answer me this. How are we supposed to help her? How are we supposed to get her away from him, Larson?" I exasperated. 

"We don't give up. Even if she has given up, we can't. We need to do this for her, Theo. We can't give in. This needs to end. This madness that Colton runs needs to end. We need to bring it to that end. We can do it. I know I can make myself strong enough." Larson promises. I can see the determination in his eyes. 

"But what if it's not enough?" I sigh, defeated. 

"We make it enough. We have to do this, Theo. We have no choice."

"I know. I just don't know how."

"Me either, but I will figure it out," Larson states. 

I look at Larson. He has been my best friend for years and I know that when he says something, he does it. I just don't see how he can do this. 

"I promise I will fix this." He says as if reading my mind. He nods his head at me before leaving me alone in the room. 

I feel a strange wetness suddenly dampen my cheeks and lift a hand to inspect it, only to find tears dripping from my eyes. 

Sadness fills my heart and soul. I can feel my wolf whimpering in the back of my head for Skylar. 

Larson is right. We need to fix this. We need to do this for her. 

Skylar, you may have given up, but I won't give in. 

Larson POV

Leaving Colton's office, I head to the stairs. I needed to see Skylar for myself. I needed to see if she had truly given up or if it is just everything taking its toll on her. 

I head down the stairs, skipping two steps at a time and quickly land at the bottom with a thud. I quietly step towards Skylar who is rocking back and forth in her chair, staring out a window that looks over the courtyard. She looks lost and empty. There is a hollowness in her eyes that burns me to the core. Fear begins to settle in my stomach at the possibility that Theo was right.

I sit down in the chair next to Skylar and look at her, waiting for her to say something. She continues to look out the window, as if I am not there, ignoring my presence altogether. I turn my head, searching for whatever it is that has her attention, but see nothing except for pack members doing whatever it is they are doing. 

A small sigh catches my attention, forcing me to look at the broken girl beside me. She is now looking at me, almost like she is staring through me. 

"I can't do it anymore, Beta Larson. I'm sorry." She whispers out, her voice cracking at my name. "I'm done. It's worthless. Pointless."

"You can't give up Skylar," I tell her, but she shakes her head in response. 

"I already have." She looks down at her hands that sit on her lap. "I need to accept that this my fate and be done with it."

"No. It's not. You make your own fate, Luna." I affirm. 

"It simply isn't true."

"Skylar, look at me," I command and she looks at me with her tear-filled eyes. "I promise you that I will put an end to this. You won't continue to live like this. I promise you." 

"You shouldn't make promises that you can't keep." She demurred. 

I shake my head and hold her head gently with my hands. "No, Skylar. This is a promise I will keep." I confirm. I give her a short kiss on the forehead and leave her to sit on the chair.

I promise, Luna. I promise this on everything I stand on. I promise that you won't have to do this much longer.