My blood runs ice cold at his words, and the only thing I'm able to choke out is a brilliant: "Um, what?" I had forgotten that Sebastian wasn't supposed to know about the Transformation, which was why I didn't think twice about why he asked to call.

"Don't play dumb, Ares!" Sebastian yells, and I try to slow my breathing, and think about the best way to handle this. The truth is, I had barely even thought about the Red Crescent situation, too wrapped up in the Thane drama, Blood Lake wolves being murdered, and the Mating Gathering.

Sebastian was pissed that I killed Wilson and hadn't told him, and rightly so. He had been waiting to become the Alpha for a long time.

"You need to calm down," I say, my tone unwavering. "We can discuss this in person."

"Fuck that! We're talking about it now. How could you not tell me that you killed Wilson and became the Alpha? How long have you been the Alpha of Red Crescent?" He's still yelling, infuriated by my betrayal.

"This is not a conversation suitable for over the phone," I calmly state. "Cain and I will come down in a few days and we can discuss what the next steps will be."

Sebastian's voice is cold as he asks, "What do you mean discuss the next steps? The next step is to pass the position down to me. We have already agreed on that, there's nothing left to discuss."

"And that will happen, Seb. I have no desire to remain Alpha of Red Crescent," I assure him, and it's all true. "The issue is the timing. I didn't kill Wilson long ago. Cain says it could be dangerous for me to do another transference in such close succession."

Sebastian considers what I'm telling him. "You need to do the transference soon, Ares," He sighs, and I'm relieved that he's considerably calmer. This situation easily could have escalated into something much more dangerous. "Red Crescent is a disaster right now, you know this. They need an Alpha or we will collapse."

"I know," I say quietly. "But Sebastian- you don't understand how debilitating the transference is. Right now isn't a good time for it to take place. It could destroy me."

And it could. I had been reading about voluntary Alpha transfers, and all of the information was brutal. If the person passing the title to someone else isn't in full health, the transference could easily turn deadly, or severely crippling. Despite the fact that the original Alpha retains their strength, the breaking of the Alpha bond itself brutal, just like the formation of it had been for me.

Cain knew all of this, of course, which was why he was resistant to me transferring the title to Sebastian so soon after I already went through it once.

"Are you pregnant?" Seb suddenly asks, surprising me.

"Um, no," I answer after the shock of the random question wears off. "Why would you ask that?"

Seb pauses. "I thought that may be why you were holding off the transference."

I swallow, holding back a river of emotions I refuse to confront or even acknowledge. "Cain wanted to return to Red Crescent soon anyways. We'll come down in a few days and we can talk about it then, alright? Until then, don't tell any Red Crescent wolves about this."

I don't trust any of them besides Seb. With all of the minor rebellions in Red Crescent, knowledge that I'm the Alpha would certainly incite a riot, and it would result in enough bloodshed to where there may not be enough wolves left for a pack.

He sighs. "Fine. But we are doing the transference, and soon."

I don't like the edge in his voice. "And if I refuse?" I snarl. I don't like his insubordination either, and my wolf doesn't appreciate the disrespect.

"Then I will challenge you for the title," Sebastian answers calmly. "I'm done waiting for Blood Lake bastards to decide the fate of Red Crescent. This is my pack, and I will take it from you. I hope for your sake, it's willingly."

I squeeze my phone so hard in my hand some of the glass from the screen shatters, but it's still working, and Seb is still on the phone. "Watch who you're threatening, pup," I say, my voice deadly calm. "I was able to take you on even before I was an Alpha. Now? I could tear you apart without breaking a sweat. It would serve you well to remember that."

Sebastian laughs, but there's no trace of humor. He sounds so much like Wilson when he does that, it sends a cold chill down my spine. "That's always been your problem, Ares. You're too arrogant. It will be your downfall."

With that, he hangs up.

The glass from the screen was still in my hand, and due to my expedited healing abilities, my skin had already begun to heal over, with the glass still in my hand. I curse under my breath, summoning a razor blade, and reslice my hand, pulling out the shards of glass.

Sebastian's words were more impactful than he could have realized. Jax had said something similar in the cellar all those months ago. Something about arrogance or whatever, honestly, I wasn't really listening because he and Wilson talked too much.

Was he right? Could he beat me in a challenge? He possesses the Gift of lightening, an incredibly
powerful weapon to wield, worse than anything I could summon. We would fight in wolf form, but there was a chance he could use his Gift even as a wolf, if he had honed it enough. My Gift would be completely useless in wolf form, and he knows it.

Either way, I doubt it would come to that. I have no issue with him becoming the Alpha of Red Crescent, but he doesn't seem to be particularly keen on waiting.

My annoying internal monologue was interrupted when Cain opened the door. "Why are you bleeding?" He frowned. "And why is the faucet on?"

"Sebastian knows," is all I say.

Cain's frown deepens. "How did he find out?"

I pause. I didn't think to ask, but it was strange that he called me out of the blue like that. "I'm not sure. We'll go down in a few days and we can ask."

"Is he mad?" Cain asks, taking my hand to inspect the injury which already was practically healed over.

I sigh. "He's not thrilled. He wants to do the transference soon."

"He will wait until we decide you're ready," Cain says firmly, and I nod.

I decide not to tell him that Sebastian threatened to challenge me for the position. It would only enrage him, and killing Seb would cause more problems than it would solve.

In all honesty, I didn't take Seb's threat too seriously. I'm sure he wouldn't risk challenging me, no matter how confident he is, he has witnessed me kill all of my challengers for the Gamma position, and he knows there's just as good of a chance that he ends up with his head detached from his body. I wasn't even particularly mad at him for threatening to challenge me. He has waited a long time for the Alpha position, and he knows that his pack is suffering without an Alpha, and it was hard to fault him for wanting to fix this immediately.

"Where did you go off to?" I ask Cain as I wash the remaining blood off of my hand, wanting to change the subject away from Seb.

Cain grins, a rare sight. "I got you a present."

I frown. "I hate presents."

"So only Thane is allowed to get you presents?" Cain asks, an edge in his tone.

I flinch at the mention of Thane's name. "No, of course not."

"Good. Put on your fur cloak, we need to go outside for it, and it's cold," Cain instructs, always a dictator.

"Yes, Alpha," I mockingly say as I pull on my thickest cloak, a dark brown one Cain made for me. If there was one thing Cain loved more than anything, it was providing me with fur clothing items. He once explained that it's customary in Blood Lake for males to gift their mates with fur, something about providing for them or whatever barbaric reasoning he gave.

Cain scoops me into his arms, pressing me tight against his bare chest. His Gift constantly provided him with warmth, and he never had to wear fur for warmth, though he opted for it in more formal occasions.

He walks us downstairs, and out the front door, and though I'd never admit it to him, I was glad he made me put on a cloak. It was freezing outside, no doubt a subzero temperature, and that wasn't even factoring in the biting winds.

Cain placed down on the ground once we were a few yards away from our home, my feet sinking slightly into the snow.

I suddenly remember Thane's phone call, and my resolve to tell Cain about the dreams. "Cain, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Later," Cain hushes me. "Present first."

Reaching into his back pocket, he pulls out a bracelet. It's black, wiry, and would have to be wrapped around my wrist multiple times in order to fit.

I frown. "You got me jewelry?" I ask, both confused and deeply perplexed. Cain knows I loathe jewelry. It hinders those in battle, and can often be used as a weapon against themselves. I've seen people get choked out by their necklaces and had earrings ripped out, tearing through their ears. I have choked people out with their own necklaces and ripped their earrings out.

In all honesty, it's just simply impractical.

Cain holds out the bracelet, dropping it in my hand. "It is jewelry, but not just any jewelry. Unwind it."

Intrigued, I do as he says. The bracelet unwinds into a long, harsh... whip. "It's a whip," I grin. "It's cool, though I'm not sure why you gave it to me, seeing as how I could just summon one myself."

Cain smiles, his eyes twinkling, and he looks breathtaking in the moonlight. His darkly tanned skin glows, a harsh contrast against the white snow. "It's not just any whip. Go ahead, try it out."

Shrugging, I crack the whip. Nothing happens. I do it again. Nothing happens that time either. "I think it's defective," I say.

Cain rolls his eyes. "Don't be so impatient, pup. One more time."

This time, when I swing the whip, flames burst out of the wire, dancing along the line. A slow smile spreads across my face. "Holy fuck. You enchanted a whip for me?"

Cain smiles. "I knew you'd like it."

I laugh with glee, and continue to crack the whip, watching as the flames remain controlled to the wire, even as I lash at a tree, it only burns the tree, but doesn't catch on fire.

Cain merely watches with a huge smile on his face as I have my fun, burning random shit I come across, making harsh black lines in the snow.

I suddenly realize I have no idea how to put the fire out. As if reading my mind, Cain says, "Just wrap it around your wrist."

I blink. "I would prefer not to burn myself, but thanks for the tip, you sadist."

Cain rolls his eyes. "It won't burn you. Just do it."

I hesitate, but decide that Cain wouldn't let me do it if it would hurt me, he was far too protective for that. I grab the whip, taking the flaming wire in my hand, and I'm surprised when my hand doesn't burn at all. It feels slightly warmer, but as I wrap the whip around my wrist, the fire dies out.

"How?" I ask, completely dumbfounded by my new weapon.

"I Charmed it," Cain says simply. "It's receptive to your touch alone, it can't ever burn you."

I throw my arms around Cain, and he lifts me off of the ground, my legs wrapped around his waist. "Thank you, Cain," I say, touched by the thoughtful gift. "It's perfect."

"You're perfect," Cain murmurs into my hair. "It's your present for behaving at the Mating Gathering."

I snort. "You gave me a weapon because I didn't resort to violence? Seems counterproductive."

I feel Cain shrug. "I'm proud of you. You controlled your wolf unbelievably well. I thought for sure I would have to subdue you so you wouldn't try knocking Killian out."

I glow from his compliment, but he's not done. "It's not just the Mating Gathering that I'm proud of you for. You continue to amaze me every day with your strength and resilience. You have gone through so much, not just in the last year, but your whole life. Any other person would have fallen apart from the things you've been through. But not my impossibly fierce, deadly mate, who rises to every challenge and always comes out on top, never showing weakness, never backing down. You're the greatest Luna Blood Lake could have gotten, a natural and intelligent leader. Every morning I wake up, I thank the Moon Goddess for blessing me with someone so perfect, someone so strong. I love you, Ares. So much. More than I thought was ever possible."

It feels like I've been punched in the throat. Cain doesn't talk very much, a trait that makes him so similar to me, but it made his declaration so much more powerful. We rarely say "I love you", and though I know he does, the fact that he said it so seriously, with so much reverence towards me, it makes me speechless.

I try to find the words, but there are none I can say to express the complex feelings I have for my mate. Feelings aren't something I'm good at, much less talking about.

Cain squeezes me tighter as he walks us back to our home. As if reading my mind, he says, "You don't have to say anything. I know."

There's a lump in my throat as I nod, and he kisses my temple, leaving a searing warmth from his lips.
And the dream I have about Thane that night makes my guilt so, so much worse.

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