"Imagine if this is what Pete did in the longing for his mate, what must have Misty's mate done?"

My body turned stiff at Stephen's words. Eyes burned like fire as tears slid down in extreme misery that I felt for at seeing my first born.

The night left the sky but left its footprints over my son's torso.

"I will keep it as simple as it should be," said Stephen, moving his eyes over everyone's face. "He tried to kill himself."

A sob crawled all its way from my chest to the mouth. Gilbert's hands reached for my forearms, squeezing them gently.

"Look at Nirvan's face, Malina. Look at Jackie, and the other pups whom he nearly attacked. Made them piss in their pants," said Stephen with disturbance spreading all over his face. Pushing his specs back, he shook his head. "He is no ordinary Alpha. His mate is no ordinary female. Stars are angry at the time being wasted. Thus, he is on his way to become Nathan and Willis."

Sniffling softly, I stared at the dark scars over Pete's bare torso. He had clawed himself in agony. The dark skin was healing the wounds underneath. Yet it all looked worrisome. Terrifying.

"No," I whispered blankly. "No. No. Don't say that."

"You know why he is restless," said Stephen, making me look around the room. Iago and Taria were standing at the foot of the bed. Nirvan was seated at the chair near the wall. His clawed cheeks scared me. "His wolf asks for one sniff of his mate, Malina."

"No one is going anywhere!" I said immediately. Looking in the old man's eyes, I shook my head. "I lost Misty. It's my fault that I couldn't save her. I shouldn't have let her stay here in the first place. I don't want the rest of my family to enter the same territory and never come back. There must be other ways to bring her back. But no other being will leave-"

"His mate is losing hope." Stephen said while giving us serious stares. "If we are here for Pete, we don't know if anyone is there for her on that territory. Troubled, she reached the borders on the previous full moon. Desperate, she did show up on the third night. The Lycan inside her and Pete's wolf are writhing, Malina. Let him go to execute this plan."

I shook my head while letting out a faint sob.

The doors burst opened and entered Thomas. Alyssa followed along with a worried Ivan, his dark circles totally standing out among the rest of the pale face.

"The pups pissed in pants," said Thomas through clenched jaws while looking at Pete's face. "He scared the shit out of them. All of them are numb. What is he? A demon or what?"

Alyssa gasped while I stared at him in blankness.

"Is this what an Alpha does, father? You were the one saying, Pete earns respect more than the fear. Now, would you repeat those words?" Thomas asked angrily while looking at us.

Iago gulped and exchanged a blank glance with Taria. Both of them walked out of the room. "I'll make tea," she said while closing the door after her.

"I'll check on Axel and other pups," said Iago from across the closed door.

Gilbert left my forearms, and walked towards the foot of the bed. Alyssa backed away after observing the narrowed eyes from the conflicted father.

"Will you become the Alpha?" He asked through gritted teeth while nearing Thomas.

Alyssa gulped hard while glancing at Pete in concern. Nirvan stared at the scene with full interest while Stephen only shook his head with a small smile on his face.

Thomas flared his nostrils, his eyes filling up in confliction.

"Will you?" Gilbert asked while looking him in eye. "I will make you the Alpha. Do you take the authority now?"

Thomas's face shook in silence while my heart was beating faster. His eyes turned glossy and they lowered slowly.

"The day you feel ready to become an Alpha, you come and point out my decisions, son." Gilbert said while breathing calmly. I could see the anger resting on his narrowed eyebrows. "You are a good brother. Good son. Better than him in many ways. But your arrogance must not blind you from thinking rationally and refrain from concluding why he did such things. When you feel ready to take over, you tell me than asking why he is the Alpha here."

Thomas breathed shakily and Gilbert stepped back, maintaining distance. Alyssa's mouth parted in confliction.

"He did it when he wasn't in his senses," said Thomas, his voice shaking. "And, you forgive him? Is this excuse going to travel all the way for all his deeds?Pups could have been hurt."

"You think we don't know that?" Gilbert asked, his fury rising slowly.

Thomas turned blank. "All my life, I have seen you hyping him up, father. You and mother, both praise him. Both appreciate his existence. He has been hurting people in the name of being selfless. Misty is gone. Leo is almost gone. Natalie is gone. Now, look at his face," he said while pointing at the wall.

Nirvan seemed surprised. But the loyalty came back on his face as he shook his head. "Alpha was more in pain than any of us, Thomas." He said slowly, moving his mouth as less as possible.

"You are blessed that you can heal." Thomas said angrily while gesturing towards his face. "He clawed the shit out of your cheeks. You can barely move your jaws."

Nirvan flared his nostrils. "He clawed me because I was trying to stop him from hurting himself, Thomas. He wanted to kill himself, last night."

Thomas turned silent while Ivan sat on the bed on Pete's left side. His gaze wandered over the torso. "He's healing faster," said Ivan, bringing one per cent of relief to my heart. "Means he is as strong as he could be. The pain doesn't make him weak. Instead, he gets stronger. It brings the worst out of him."

Stephen watched his nephew curiously.

Ivan observed Pete's face. I myself observed the faint stubble, the broad chest, the tainted knuckles. He had gotten bulkier since the ceremony days. Was it the way to distract himself from the guilt of throwing Misty away or making Leo live like a corpse?

If only I could name his sins on my name, and free him of all the curses.

"It's his mate who is in danger, Alpha. Pete's mate is not well." Ivan said after thinking for a straight minute.

Gilbert and I exchanged a worried glance.

Thomas chuckled humorlessly. "The mate he is never meeting anyway. Being upset about it, he sent Misty there so to impress the Lycans. Be the good Alpha in Moon Goddess' eyes. He is trying to rule our lives. He sends Natalie away to human world where she has never been!" He said angrily.

"I won't hear your bullshit anymore," warned Nirvan while getting up from the chair.

Thomas pushed his sleeves of the shirt back and nodded. "Or what? You are going to throw me too to that territory?"

I gasped while Stephen warned, "Do this outside my house. Pete needs peace here. Get out, both of you."

Ivan gulped while looking at Pete sadly. His eyes caught mine and he smiled tightly.

"What Pete did to Misty and Leo, is his own fight, Luna. Do not stop the mother in your from comforting him in this time. Please refrain from doing what Willis' parents did," he said, pleading with his eyes too. "You need to understand what he did and why. He is aware of his deeds. And he is suffering."

Stephen nodded sincerely. "I would give anything to go back and let Nathan cross the border, Malina. Talk to him. Let him know, you might not forgive him so soon. But you are his mother. You understand his misery. He doesn't have his mate with him. He knows that she is suffering. He knows that one of them could leave this world soon enough if they don't do something."

He looked at Gilbert and gave an empathetic smile. "He feels alone in this journey of living a life without his mate. There's no one to share his deepest sorrows with. He is your first born. Make him feel special for once rather than expecting all that he has been burdened to do all his life?"

Gilbert looked at Pete's face, his nostrils flaring in confliction. The father in him wanted to support his son with all of his might. But the Alpha was partly ashamed to see the innocent pups hurt too. His hand reached for Pete's foot as he thought deeply.

"Maybe, this plan is less to save Misty and more to step on that territory?" I choked out while looking at Stephen. "He might not realize but deep inside, that is what he wants?"

Stephen shook his head at me with a sad smile on his face. "Do not doubt his kindness, Malina. He has always kept others before his personal wishes."

"The border is not protecting us anymore," said Ivan quietly. "Our Luna is struggling to survive on the other side."

Thomas chuckled nervously. "I can't believe you guys," he said with tears in his eyes. "He could have killed innocent pups, last night rather than protecting them. And you talk about the borders? First born? Special? Kindness?"

His eyes moved on mine accusingly. "Father killed Uncle Frankie and everything changed for you. You ran away, mother. Your mate turned into a bad wolf in some moments. Then why not Pete? Why? Because he is the first born. Of a fucking number, mother? What kind of a justice this is? I tried to help my sisters and I was whipped," he said sadly.

His nostrils flared as he looked at his father. "No, I can't be the Alpha. Because you never thought of me as a wolf who could be an Alpha, father. Because you never saw me the way you saw Pete. Because I was always a sissy one who laughed with females. Because I wasn't serious like him and joked more than he ever could. I can't be the Alpha because that's how I have been raised," he said, his voice cracking along with my heart. "My wolf knows how to bend in front of his brother. He doesn't know how to lead. He only knows to follow orders and listen his parents bragging about his elder brother's extraordinary traits. I cannot rise up to thinking that I can do more than this supporting role. I can't lead."

A tear slipped down from his eyes which he wiped immediately. His lips trembled hard.

Gilbert stared at Pete's foot, listening everything with blank expressions on his face.

"Everyone is talking about his mate suffering there on the other side. No one's worried about Misty. Fine if his mate knows that she is sensitive. Fine if he won't hurt her. But she is there, by force. Betrayed. Scared. In a strange world, she never thought could be real. She has to be with a man who could be barbaric. Whom she didn't chose. She was burdened by your ignorance, father. She longed for that one gaze from you. Don't even act like I don't understand that you brought her here knowingly."

"Thomas!" I gasped while getting up from the chair.

Ivan too got from Pete's side and looked at him in disturbance. He tried to walk closer to him and said, "Thomas, we all know that Alpha wanted our Luna to spend time with her."

"No!" Thomas yelled while pushing him away. My eyes widened in shock. "He brought her here knowingly. He acts like he wanted to save her!"

Nirvan flared his nostrils. "So, he fought all the Alphas and Lunas for fun? You idiot!"

Thomas smirked humorlessly and stepped back towards the door. He moved his finger pointing at everyone with tears hanging on his lashes.

"All this time, we made you feel ignored?" I asked in hurt. "When did I ever say that you are any less important to me than Pete? Where is this comparison coming from, Tommy?"

"Because you are ignoring the depth of wrong he is doing to everyone surrounding him," said Thomas while looking at me sadly. "Everyone is singing. He made a plan. He has been planning to bring her back. The hardwork I did to save my sisters, driving all night, breaking my loyalty to this pack, not caring about my morales, caring about their future-he splashed water over those efforts of mine, mother. He ruined it all and threw Misty away just like that. All our lives, none of us called her sister. Now, when she came here to know us, within two months, he practised his right on her as a big brother. Pathetic!"

"But no one calls him that," he said while looking at his father.

"Thomas, enough." Alyssa grabbed his elbow, pulling him out of the room.

"Let me go," he said angrily while trying to free his hand from her. He turned back to face us and said, "Pack comes first. Right! But not before righteousness, father. You ignored Misty and that will be counted. You killed Uncle Frankie and that will be counted. You killed Misty's father and that will be counted. Just like that Pete's deeds will be counted too. Supporting family doesn't mean, supporting them when they are being evil to someone else."

Gilbert didn't move his gaze off Pete's fate.

Thomas took a long breathe before saying, "Pete's failing us an Alpha. I have the right to say it because all of my life I had been trained to respect and be loyal to him. I was beaten for failing to do so, father. I can't be your Alpha. But he doesn't deserve this fame when he is not the saint here, anymore. Aunt Ilona is surviving without her mate. Isn't she, father? Pete can survive too!"

Blood turned cold while goosebumps risen all over my arms.

Alyssa forcefully pulled Thomas out as at last he let her do it.

The door was shut while Gilbert's glossy eyes raised to meet mine.

As if my heart couldn't beat anymore.

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______

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"What does she like the most?"

I closed my eyes, breathing hard to not burst out in tears.

"She likes shakes a lot, Rose. But you don't have to please her. She is there for you," I said softly, listening to the warm chuckles of Andrew's mother.

His mere memory would make my soul curl in guilt. His beautiful smile was so kind. Radiant and positive, all the time, he was just what Misty needed as a father.

It wasn't Gilbert who had snatched him from Misty. It was me. I was the root of all the causes and I didn't know how to sort this mess.

"How come she is so beautiful, Malina?" Rose whispered on the phone. "Just like you looked like the first time I saw you. Though, she is curvier than you were. I bet, she is her father's most spoiled one."

We didn't know anymore which one we spoiled more. Each pup of mine was complaining in his or her heart for our extra attention. I had failed as a mother.

"She is," I said quietly. "She opens slowly to new people, Rose. Please give her time if she reacts differently. She has never lived alone away from us before."

"Three days by now. She is liking my dishes," said Rose while giggling softly. "Ah! She showed me those photos. My. . . My. . . Misty looked so chirpy. What was that function about? Natalie mentioned ceremony. . . I don't-"

I blinked softly. "Like a wedding, Rose. The packs come and wolves find the mates. Misty enjoyed very much."

"I could see that," the woman said lowly. "The dresses looked expensive and the traditional one. She mixed with the crowd easily."

I kept quiet while wiping the corner of my eyes. "Yes," I choked out while Gilbert palmed my thigh, asking me to have control.

We were sitting on our bed, in the afternoon, after returning from the houses of pups Pete had scared and injured last night. We were resting until Stephen would let us know when Pete would be awake. Alyssa and Thomas hadn't returned home yet.

We couldn't talk anymore. Thomas' words were echoing in our minds like sirens. The slices of our hearts were laid apart inside our chests.

To lighten my heart, Gilbert suggested to call Rose.

"Where is she now?" The old woman asked, churning my stomach. It took all of my guts to lie.

"Afternoon nap, Rose. We all rest a little after the lunch-"

"Ah! It's okay. Good. The nap is good," she said, chuckling slowly. "Tell her, she doesn't have to worry about exploring the more places. Natalie said that she is loving the folklores there. . ."

I exchanged a blank glance with Gilbert who sighed heavily.

". . . She does," I said lightly. "I'll wake her up if you want to talk?" I asked, feeling the guilt ripping my soul apart.

"Ah! Malina! No. Don't disturb her. Let her enjoy. You don't know how tough college gets. It's all about career building and getting distant from friends. I am glad she is having this long vacation. Andrew would always tell me how mountains lighten the mind. They are like monks themselves, inspiring us to just sit and meditate. She needed this, dear. She has been worrying about me, my medicines, cooking with me, paying bills on my behalf, grocery shopping. She needed this."

"Aren't you upset, Rose?" I asked shakily. "You don't miss her?"

She chuckled lightly. "Of course, I do. Damn this love that binds us with persons like that. I have been calling Natalie, Misty from last three days. She is low-key pissed. The features matches closely and I realize, now that Misty has been longing for this all her life. I know, these are the happiest days of her life yet, Malina. Nothing makes me happier than knowing she is mingling with her roots there. Natalie said that she met your brother and nephews."

I smiled through tears. "She met every wolf, Rose. Everyone loves her. She reminds me so much of your sass. She sleeps on her side all night just like Andrew. . ." I said, glancing at Gilbert, daring him to even stiffen at my words.

He was just starting at the wall in the front, listening our conversation quietly. He didn't remove his hand from my thigh.

"She does," chuckled Rose loudly. "Does she wake up early?"

I sniffled softly, remembering the times from two weeks ago. "She had. . . She has started to. She likes to witness the training. She would take part too."

"Malina?" She asked reluctantly, in a calm tone, all of a sudden. "Are you alone?"

I turned alert. Looking at Gilbert, I gulped when he nodded his head with calm eyes. "Yeah, what happened?"

Rose took a long breathe of silence before saying, "If she wants to live there with you, let her be for my sake, Malina. Do not worry about her education. Her future. She always wanted to be with you and him. Even if it this way, being apart from me, I have no problem. She can take her own decisions. But I will come in her way of thoughts. She will hesitate to admit that she wants be there with you always, dear."

I sucked in a breathe. "Rose, don't say that. Misty knows your value. She knows how important you have been to her. To me. You matter to us. Don't think that way. Even if Misty wants to live her whole life here, I would bring you here with me to be with her. We can always find a middle path," I said, knowing that half of my words had no meaning. "And, she is a human. I know, this is not the world she wants to be her whole life. It was a thirst that is getting quenched slowly."

Rose stayed quiet as I lastly added, "I am sure, of all the places, deep inside her heart, she sees her future with you in that sweet home."

Gilbert pulled back his hand and turned on his side. His shoulders relaxed as he breathed softly.

"That will be flattering, dear. But how many years I have left to live? She has grown up here. One day, she'll come back and continue her life here. But years later, I will be gone. She will be alone."

My lips parted at the sudden intensity in her old shaky voice. "She is not alone, Rose. Not anymore," I whispered while gulping hard. "She has her family now. Her siblings love her."

"Gilbert?"

I stiffened and looked at my mate immediately. He kept breathing softly as if pretending to be asleep. But I knew, he was awake.

"Your silence answers my question. Though, she has reached the age when she doesn't need a father anymore. It's not like I even want him to be any near to her. But you know how Misty has longed for-"

"I know, Rose." I whispered softly, wiping my cheeks.

"When she will find the love of her life, a father might come free." The old woman said, making my lips tremble. "Please tell me she is not crushing over any werewolf man there. Do not let her make the mistake, Andrew lost his life for," she joked, making me close my eyes.

The pain in my chest had started to turn unbearable.

"She knows her limits," I choked out, making her chuckle. "Oops! Your daughter is coming right here. I must change the topic. Oh wait! She can hear me. . ."

"Is it my mother?" The distant voice came. It was strange to hear Natalie asking her so politely.

"Yes. Here."

The voice of shuffling came, followed by Natalie's faint breathing.

I clenched my jaws and released a heaving sigh. "How are you doing?"

"Getting used to being here, mother. I hope, this will make you forgive me now?" She said quietly, making me glance at Gilbert who got up to sit and rest his back against the pillows.

"Was there any sign, last night?" I asked while she hummed negatively.

"I am the weakest of your pups. I am meant to shift the late I can be, mother." She said, chuckling nervously. "I slept peacefully."

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

"Axel didn't pick up my phone. Do you know if he is okay?" She asked hesitantly, making me glance at Gilbert who nodded actively.

"He is doing fine now. He was chained, last night to not take any risks." I said, making her suck in a breathe.

Silence followed while I slowly asked, "Why did you have to accompany Thomas when you knew it was Axel?" My teeth gritted in confliction. "If you hadn't accompanied him and Misty, she would have been far away. Saved."

Natalie chuckled humorlessly. "Does it matter now, mother? You won't believe me if I say that I was still fifty percent scared that I would be chosen. I have not shifted, I was only fifty percent confirmed about Axel. To save myself and her, I did what I had to. I never expected Axel to leave his arrogance behind and chase us that night. If only I had the courage to ask him for confirmation, whatever happened that night wouldn't have happened."

I pressed my lips tight, taking her words into consideration.

"But does my fear look genuine to any of you? No, it doesn't. I did what I could, mother. I asked her to hide. I asked brother Pete to stop. If I couldn't share my doubts with you and father on the full moon night itself, it's because of your lack of empathy for my age and weaknesses. Only Thomas tried to understand what I was going through and father whipped him mercilessly. Watch him help any other ever again in life, mother. You wronged him."

Gilbert breathed heavily while I blinked the tear-filled eyes.

"I am jealous of Misty, you know. It's great to be here. No pressure of getting trained to spy in Lycan's pack. No burden of achieving as much as my elders did. No orders. No stupid border and Alpha Rucus' rules. It feels like I belong here. But I am not going to get myself attached to this place. Because brother Pete has turned pro at hurting people where he knows would hurt them the most."

I blinked, feeling the tears slide down my cheeks. All of a sudden, Gilbert took the phone from me and placed it on his ear.

"Rhea's father, Cedric is posted at the green belts where this society and this street ends. Yours is the last house. In case, you need anything."

She turned silent, obviously in fright.

"Father. . ."

Gilbert didn't listen. "No need to fear Pete anymore. Please get attached to that place. He will soon be dead anyway. That will be fun, now. Won't it be? Axel will come to you when he himself recovers from last night's exhaustion."

Her loud gasp reached my ears. "Father, what happened? Why would you say that? Father. . ."

Gilbert clenched his jaws and hung up the phone. Putting it away, he sighed heavily. Pulling me in his arms, he pushed my head against his chest, rubbing my back.

"You have been the best father to our pups, Gilbert. It is me who has spoiled everything." I said, making him grunt angrily.

"No, you didn't. We have been better than our own parents, Malina. Keeping them in womb for months, watching them growing, giving them everything they wish for, teaching them the lessons you wished you had known when you were young, protecting them from all the evils, preaching about the religion, our tribe, our pack, our Goddess and what not. Where did we held back from putting our hearts out to them?" He asked in his rough voice, sighing heavily.

"Expecting empathy, compassion, patriotism, mental strength was maybe too much." He said absentmindedly. "My father would have buried me six feet under the ground for betraying my Alpha. Thomas deserved the punishment. Did it knowingly! Other common wolves who suffered the punishment, their souls would have asked for justice, Malina. Maybe, it's the punishment for not accepting the human pup life gave me forcefully."

"No. . ." I choked out, blinking softly.

"It's her guardian angel bringing justice to her. Her misery then is mine now. The pups I fathered, think I have been biased. Done nothing for them." He said in a low tone, sounding tired and confused. "It is the justice for the pain I gave you, for keeping her away from you."

I shook my head. "You did it for her safety, I know. Don't blame yourself. It was hard. . ."

"I have been hard," he said quietly. "Thought a human pup wouldn't survive here in our world. Kept her connected to her kind. Kept her away from me. So she won't feel disgusted afterwards, knowing I had killed her father. His face flashed every moment I looked in her grey eyes. I won't deny the hatred I felt. I didn't want her around me, I couldn't."

I sniffled softly. "I understand, Gilbert. I am sure, Misty does too. The pups are angry for how things took place. For now, we must not let Pete harm himself anymore."

He silenced.

"I feel bad for throwing her out of our home," I said, my voice cracking. "Only if I could understand that he didn't do it for fun. He might have had reasons."

"We will get through this. We will improve," said Gilbert while kissing my forehead. "But Thomas talisman, the stone. . ."

"Amethyst?"

He hummed absentmindedly. "It was glowing."

My heart dropped. "Luna Elsie said, it glows at the extreme emotions. Or when something good or bad is about to happen." I said, looking up in his blue eyes.

He smiled slowly.

"The encourager of relationships, the positivity of this house, the laughter, the healing herb of my family, composed," I said softly. "Thomas is deeply hurt by our lack of anger towards Pete."

"He is not jealous," said Gilbert while pushing my hair behind my ear. "He is desperate to make things right. He can't do it all alone and easily. He is frustrated. The anger on us is right too, my mate. He isn't wrong. We teach our first born to be a leader. While the rest of the siblings are asked to follow him or her. They get used to being look up to someone. They get dependent. It is my fault that I never told Thomas, he was equally eligible to be an Alpha as Pete is. But morally, the first born is automatically thought of as the ultimate successor. Eva longed for the same words. But the path for success is not the same for everyone."

I put my hand back on his chest. "Who would go if I agree to the plan? I want to see her."

Gilbert stiffened. "You won't go. You are important for this pack. For your pups. Neither will Nirvan. I don't want Thomas to go. But he is being difficult. Eva will leave to meet Luna Elsie soon."

"Orina will accompany her. You don't have to worry," I said while staring at the wall. "I am worried about Pete. What if he decides to stay there?"

"I am his father," he said confidently. "As long as I am alive, he can't be stuck there. I will bring him back."

I looked at him slowly. My nostrils flared in emotion as I smiled sadly.

"Which explains why Misty is stuck there." I said calmly, watching his lips part at my words. "I already know if she is going to be back or not. I know what happens to pups without fathers, Gilbert. I know," I whispered while flaring my nostrils in the calm anger, showing him that I knew everything.

His eyes turned blank while I raised my eyebrow. "Thomas is a pure soul. He barely lies. Maybe, the amethyst glowed to sign him that his observation over you bringing Misty here, was true." I said through gritted teeth while looking in his eyes. "The last time you had marked me was five years ago, Gilbert. You are my mate. You can't hide too much from me."

He stayed stunned while I pulled myself back from him, swinging by legs off the bed and leaving the room.

His loud heartbeats could be heard across the door to the stairs.

______

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More songs that reminds you of Misty or any other characters or suits any scene.