{Dean's POV}

I watched as Cassandra returned to the bedroom, a sad shake of her head before opening the bedroom door for Russ.

"Alpha, glad to see you're up." Russ sounded.I nodded, "and I'll be back to business as usual." I said before Cassandra shot me a look that suggested otherwise. "Well so long as I'm not straining myself course.

"Russ please tell us what you found." My mate said, sounding every bit the Luna I already knew her to be.

"We followed Jace Fletcher's scent...it's actually much stronger since he's shifted now, but the scent came up cold...I still have men out there however..." He said.

"Well I don't want you all exhausting yourselves..." Cassie said. "Should we just call it a night and start fresh in the morning?"

I love my mates caring nature, but Russ and I both knew we couldn't just stop in the middle of a search... and it was evident as he looked at me, I shook my head 'no'.

"Luna you are very thoughtful, but the guard and I won't stop until we've found him...rest assured that the men and I will take care to have shifts where we can rest." Russ offered kindly. "And there's more."

I was all ears now.

"While the scent grew cold, it did lead us to a sight...there were five that we saw today...three were taken care of already at the challange and we know two got away...but Alpha, Luna...there's more of them, I'd say at least 25, 30?"

I sighed. "I'll have to inform the surrounding packs, call our alliances and have their men on standby ready to go if we should need them...we should also let Alpha Carter know as well."

"He will be at dinner with Stephanie and her parents." Cassie said.

"We'll handle that Russ, thank you for reporting back, be careful out there and call my phone if you can't get away...either the Luna or myself will answer."He nodded and then left us.

"Love could you help me?" I asked more than a little embarrassed to need her help with something so simple as reaching my phone right next to me."

She moved to my bedside table and handed me my cellphone before she kissed me, "Thank you for asking me for help when you need it...and keeping me involved even though you're awake now."

I smiled, "My Love, you are the Luna of this pack...today alone should show you and anyone who has ever doubted that title, that you are a very big part of our pack and our team...awake or not, injured or not I will always need your help and your input, I just never want to overwhelm you or stress you...unfortunately, that's just part of the job I suppose."

She got back onto the bed with me and I called up the all the Alphas nearest us on speakerphone, Cassandra and I filled them in on what was going on."If anyone sees him, he is to be killed without hesitation as he is dangerous and impulsive, and anyone found harboring him will be considered an accomplice and will need to be held for the council to judge...don't kill them, but don't take it easy on them either." I said.

Cassandra looked at me with worry in her eyes, I knew she didn't want me to be a monster, and I'm guessing she hasn't figured out that the three men that were "taken care of" earlier were men I had personally killed without even second guessing it...well two of the three I killed, the other one I just beat really badly before my guard pulled me off of him, He died later as the doctor was looking him over.

Next we did the same for our alliances, and this time I asked them to spare men, "it's never easy asking for help from others...but if it came to my pack and my mate's well being I would never hesitate.

"One more call Love." I said as I dialed up the council.

It was never a good thing when you have to reach out to the council for anything other than Mate business.

So of course when I filled them in on Jace's attack as well as Jace's potential pack of rogues...they were furious.

When I hung up my stomach growled and Cassandra giggled.

"I should feed you."

I pulled her to me carefully and kissed her deeply. "Careful how you phrase your words right now Love...I'm absolutely famished in more ways than one."

Her cheeks pinked and I kissed her once again before she pulled away from me. "Be good." She cutely chastised me. "Just relax and I'll bring you some food." She said with a beautiful smile still on her face, and that's all I wanted, to see her smile...but not a sad or tired smile, her real eye sparkling genuinely happy smile.

"No wait...I'll come with you." I said.

"Dean..." She sounded worriedly.

"Hey, you said the doctor suggested I stay as normally active as I can handle...and going down the stairs is hardly high intensity Love...last thing we all want is for my body to grow weak from just laying around."

She rolled her eyes but gave in. I put a shirt on to cover my bandaged abdomen, otherwise I'd have my mother hysterical over my injuries, and I honestly had enough to deal with without her theatrics.

I took Cassandra's hand in mine and together we left the bedroom.

"I'm sorry the test read negative...are you alright Love?" I asked carefully.

She shook her head, "It wasn't a negative...to be honest it was nothing."

"What?" I asked confused.

"I don't know...I tested both of them that came in the box, and neither said anything, I'm thinking they may be faulty or something."

I understood now, the tests were bad.

"Well, if you're still curious, tomorrow when we call the doctor we can ask him to bring a pregnancy test with him...he's got to check on me either way."

She nodded, "Thank you My Love...honestly I think hearing from him would probably be the best thing anyways." She said.

We dropped the subject altogether once we reached the living room. Not only were we greeted by our parents, but Alpha Carter and Stephanie were also there alongside Jax who was rocking his own sling.

Together we all sat down to eat and talked about more normal topics like the damn presenting that still needed to take place.

And as I watched my Mate happily talk about this and that I could help but be so capitivated by her.

I love this girl with my whole heart.

And I knew we were talking more and more about kids, but really I wanted nothing more than to ask her to be my wife.