Alx's P.O.V.

Something tugs at my hand, I hold on tighter. Eric growls before I have a chance to stop him. 

"I'm not going anywhere. Not just yet." Shayla's blue eyes staring at me.

I find myself frozen. Unable to do anything but stare back at her. She tilts her head at me and I mirror her. 

"Alx?"

"Mm?"

"You don't need to cut off the blood flow." Smiling at me.

Her hand! I let go and it flashes red for a second. With her hand now free to move she gives my hand a small squeeze.

"How is he?" Nodding her head towards her brother.

"He's ok. He's not happy but he's ok." 

She nods understanding "And how are you?"

"Sorry?"

"How are you?" She repeats.

She's asking me if I'm ok. I wasn't hurt. "I'm not hurt."

"That doesn't answer my question."

How am I? "I'm good. Yeah, I'm good. Better now." A lot better.

"Good," Sitting up

I stand to help her, but she didn't need it. I stay standing next to her. I can be closer to her like this. "How are you, Shayla?" It was my turn to tilt my head at her.

"I don't think I need to tell you."

"Shayla."

"I'm sorry to be such a bother, Alx."

"You're -"

Holding up her hand she cuts me off. "I just couldn't let it happen. I just couldn't."

"I know, Shayla. I know. This isn't your fault. You did what you could. The fault is on them. Only on them. I don't like seeing you hurt. I don't. But. But I can't blame you for the choice you made. If you didn't act when you did those pups would be gone." 

"I don't wish to bring you or your pack chaos."

I wrap my arms around her. I can't believe that she's blaming herself for this. "You did not bring them here." Pulling back just enough to see her face. So many emotions are coming off her like waves. I can't pinpoint any of them. Not a single one. Her eyes are glossy. She wants to cry. 

"I can't help worrying that I have." 

"Rouges do these things. They don't wait for an invitation. They just destroy. You being here had nothing to do with it. Ok?" Holding her again. Rubbing her arm, I try to calm her. "Ok?"

She nods her head. Slowly sinking into me. I just hold her.  I don't ever want to let go.

-

I let her go. I don't want to. I want to keep holding her. But I still have to talk to her. 

"Shayla?"

She looks up at me, letting me know that she's listening. 

"I need to tell them."

She goes stiff.

"I need to tell them. Chris knows. He saw me holding your hand."

She nods following me.

"I need to tell them. They need to know. I can't keep it from them much longer. I'm sorry but I can't. I know it's a lot for you. And I'll keep it longer if you ask me to. But it's safer for you. I really need you safe, Shayla." 

She lets me finish, quietly waiting to see if I have anything else to say. "I understand. I've asked a lot of you to keep it to yourself. I know that, Alx. And I apologise for that. But it was something I needed. I appreciate it. I know it's time you tell them." She admits reluctantly.

"I won't make a big thing of it. I'll call a meeting with the elders. The news will spread from there. At some point, I will have to formally accept you as my Luna. But that doesn't have to happen any time soon."

She doesn't need to take all that on.

What is the equivalent of a Luna ceremony?

"I'll have to move in with you at some point, I assume?" She asks plainly. Catching me off guard.

"Yes." I nod. "But you can stay in a different room. I have no desire to make you uncomfortable." Trying to reassure her.

"Do you think Chris will be ok without me? I wanted to help him get through it. But I don't think I can." She asks, looking at him still passed out on the uncomfortable chair. 

"He's more than welcome to come over. We can have him for dinner. He can even stay over if it will make you feel better. If it will make you more comfortable."

"Mm. Ok." She replies in thought. 

"Were you planning on leaving?"

Her eyes snap to mine. Studying me for a moment before taking a breath. "I knew I would have to leave. But a lot has changed. I wasn't thinking when I came here. I wasn't at all. I just needed him, that's all I knew. When some sense did come back to me. I knew I had to tell him. I knew I wanted to be with him through that. I did think at some point I would have to leave. I don't think I could ever have thought that I'd end up mated to an Alpha. In all honesty, I thought I'd die single. So, yeah, a lot has changed." She explains still in thought.

"Is there anyone are anything back there for you? Do you have anything back there?"

"I do. I can't say that I don't. There are people and things that I need to take care of. I'll handle all of that another time when there's less going on."

"Am I stopping you from going back? Would you have left, if not for me?"

"Yes, I would have. Without you and Chris, there is nothing tieing me here. I would have left after Chris found his feet. You've seen the trouble I've caused in the time I've been here. It would have only got worse. There's a chance it still might. You're the only reason I've stayed." She confesses solemnly.

I feel Eric clawing at my skin.

'She just said she's staying here for us.'

He keeps trying to take control.

"Hay. I'm not going anywhere. Not anytime soon." Placing her good hand on my face, grazing her thumb over my cheek. Calming us. Staring right into my eyes. 

I can see my own eyes in hers. A ring of red still lingering in them. 

Here I am losing control, and she's so unfazed she puts her hand on me to calm me.

"I'm lucky to have you, Shayla." 

She's drawn back by that.

Placing my hand over hers, I lean into it. My eyes close on their own. I allow myself to enjoy the ease that this moment is giving me. 

She still has things to handle at home. She'll have to go back at some point. I might not be able to go with her. But she'll come bake to me. I know she'll come back. 

"When will you have to handle those things at home?" Opening my eyes again.

She thinks for a moment. "That place is no longer home for me. Too much has happened there. I will have to go back there. But I don't think I'll need to anytime soon. Things should be fine without me for a bit. I won't be able to tell you exactly when I need to go back. Just that I need to eventually." 

"I won't be able to come with you, would I?"

"It would complicate things. But I won't stop you."

"You wouldn't stop me?"

"No, I wouldn't. I might not be able to answer all of your questions. But I won't stop you." She answers honestly. 

What would I be asking questions about? 

She's still not telling me everything. She's still hiding something. What could it be that she can't tell me?

"What are you hiding from me?"

She sighs. "I can't tell you. Not now at least. It will bring trouble here."

"Shayla, I could help you with it. If I know what it is." I plead with her.

"It's not something I need help with. It's not a problem that needs a solution. It's not an enemy that needs slaying. I understand you want to help but you can't. It's a decision I made a long time ago. A decision I continue to make. Just as I chose to step in with the rouges. I know I will have to tell you. And I will. It's just not safe to right now. I don't want any harm coming to you or your people."

"Your people too, Shayla. They're your people too."

She stills for a moment. She's never thought of them like that I bet. A new thought for her I guess.

"Even more of a reason to keep it to myself for now."

She's not going to tell me. No amount of convincing is going to get her to tell me. I have to trust that she will tell me in her own time. I have to trust her. She has given me no reason to doubt her. I just have to trust her. "Ok. I'll leave it. But you need to promise to tell me."

"I promise to tell you when it's safe. Well, safer."

"Thank you." Kissing her hand.

She gives me a burdened smile. "He's really out of it." Looking over to Chris. Desperately wanting to change the subject. "Does wolfsbane normally take that long to wear off?"

"It depends on the dosage, the wolf, the type of injury and so on. Wolfsbane can kill us in too high dosages but we use a non-lethal variety. I think he just needs the rest."

She nods still studying him. "I have to stay here, don't I?"

"Shayla. You have broken ribs and a boxing fracture. Neither of them we can do much about. You had a dislocated finger and shoulder that have been put back in place. You sprained your ankle. Both of your shins are blue with bruises. Not to mention all the other bruises and scratches you have all over you." 

She just leans back accepting her fate. 

"We're giving you two different meds for swelling so, you can breathe. We've given you 'Leighis' to help you heal faster. We don't know how well you'll take it, but Doc did a compatibility test that was promising. We're pumping you with calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins B C D and so on. We're doing all we can to try and help you heal."

A smile cracks on her face. "Wow. I'll heal in no time." Laughing to herself. But the sweet sound doesn't last long. "What happens now, Alx?" She asks me so vulnerably. 

Catching me off guard. "Well, I'll call a meeting with the elders as soon as Chris wakes up so you can have someone with you. I'll inform them that you are my mate and their Luna. They won't want to believe it. All of them have tried to get me to take their daughters as a chosen mate. So, they won't be happy. There is a chance they might try to fight me on it. It would be a poor decision. Wouldn't be the first time they've made a poor decision. I'll handle it either way. From there the news will spread like wildfire. Some will embrace you, others will despise you. But all will protect you. They no longer have a choice in the matter. At the end of the day, it's not something you need to worry about. You just focus on getting better." Trying to inform and reassure her the best I can.

"Focus on getting better? You mean stay here all day while Doc and his team pock and prod at me." 

"I'll bring you your notebook, and a new one with some new pens. And I can bring you some reading books if you'd like."

"My notebook? I think it's still on the field." 

"I'll find it wherever it is."

"Thank you." She says smiling. "And the rouges? What will you do with them?"

Just the mention of them sends my blood boiling. I had hoped that she'd forgotten them. Hell, I had for a moment. "Don't concern yourself with that." I bark at her.

"If you're going to kill then just kill them. Don't drag it out. They won't tell you anything. Making them suffer won't change what happened. Please, don't do anything unnecessary." She calmly pleads with me. In such a way it feels like she's done the very thing she asking me not to do.

"I have to know why they came here. I have to know how they got in. I have to know why they were after the pups. I have to know."

"I understand. But they will not tell you."

"They have to pay for what they've done."

"Death is payment enough." 

Silencing me. My jaw clenches. I'm unable to say another word.

Calm down. She has a point. I have to admit it. After taking a few breaths, I hold her good hand in both of mine. I kiss her hand letting my lips linger there for a moment. "Ok."

-

I've called a meeting, walking my way there now. Chris finally woke up. Shayla was so happy to see him ok. The smile she had on her face. I'll have to keep that smile in my head through this meeting, or I might just snap. 

I'm finally doing it. I'm finally announcing Shayla as my mate, as my Luna. I would want it to be under better circumstances. But I doing it, that's what matters. 

I'm greeted with shouting and yelling the moment I open the door. Most of which I can't make out. I don't really care to. "How dare they come here." "How did they get in?" "Were any of the pups taken?" "How many of the pups were injured?" All trying to outyell the other. Only one stayed silent. Smith. Why is Smith here? Why could he possibly want to be here?

"What are you doing here, Smith? This meeting is for elders only."

The room goes quiet. Dead quiet. At last. 

"I know Alpha. I came to vouch for Shayla." He admits.

'Luna!'

Vouch for her? He thinks he needs to vouch for her. "I thought you didn't like her?" 

"I didn't like her. But after seeing her fight. After seeing all the effort she put into saving the pups. She's gained my respect. I miss judged her terribly." He confesses.

I nod, trying to keep my temper in check. So, it takes her almost dying to get any respect. "For future reference, Smith. The moment you have knowledge of such things you are to inform me. Understand?" 

"Yes, Alpha. It's a mistake I will not make again." Holding his head low.

"Good. I thank you for all your efforts. Now leave."

His head shoots up, not expecting to be dismissed so quickly. I can feel all the elder's eyes on me, staring at me shocked. Not expecting it either.

All of this is really starting to piss me off. 

Smith opens his mouth to protest.

Enough of this. "Your Luna does not need you to vouch for her."