For the next month, Blake ghosted me.

I caught a whiff of his scent in the elevator. I saw him disappearing behind the doors. His tall figure paced the grounds as I was trapped on my balcony many stories above.

At first, I followed the scent, opened the doors and took heart-pounding elevator rides...uselessly. Blake was like smoke. He truly avoided me.

At the same time, as his social manager, I knew where he was every minute of every day...available to everyone in the pack, yet not me. I thought it was a torment to see Blake, but never touch or kiss him. This was worse. Much worse.

My mood spiraled down so much, only a promise of a hot shower roused me out of bed on the morning Blake was departing for his stupid expedition cruise to Antarctica.

While hot jets massaged my skin and steam filled my shower cabin with herbal scents of my soap, my brain refused to take a five. And whose fault is it that Blake is going on a stupid cruise? a small voice in my head asked.

I jerked the water shut and slammed the glass door. Goddess, how could I have been so stupid!

Who the heck needs to go to Antarctica? Here, in Grauberg, we had all the natural beauty, snow and wildlife one could possibly wish for! What did Blake forget in Antarctica? Why was he leaving me?

I scribbled dumbass on the misted over mirror. Then, still wrapped in a towel, I poured a cup of coffee.

At least Scarlett wasn't going, and the cruise was so small and exclusive, chances were Blake would be the only werewolf there. Unless, the Goddess had another cruel jest up her sleeve and planted some gorgeous Alaskan Luna on the ship.

Yeah, that would be just my luck. I pressed my burning forehead against the cold windowpane, hoping to slow down the swirl of my unhappy thoughts.

It was dark outside, another reminder about how miserable my life was. The Longest Night of the year was only six weeks away. Six weeks before Blake has to stand before the pack and joyfully announce who his mate is. And, naturally, I hadn't seen a single paw print of my wolf on the fresh snow.

Maybe it was my lack of faith in the Goddess. Or, like Mie had said, lack of faith in myself. If I was somebody else, someone who hadn't been disappointed and rejected so many times, maybe I would have found the wolf weeks ago.

I felt so low, that if I was an obnoxious motivational speaker, I would have found my wolf today, just in the nick of time to stop Blake from leaving me.

I snorted at the thought of telling about my incredible triumph, just when the sky looked the darkest. And we lived happily ever after!

With a scoff, I pulled up snow pants over my leggings and snow boots, then swallowed the last dregs of coffee. "Here goes nothing."

Snow crunched under my boots as I entered the familiar trail. The winter's chill already hung in the air, despite it only being November, turning my breath into fog. Hoar frost turned every brunch and needle into a natural marvel. The forest slept, bound in ice, happy to rest in winter.

I felt almost guilty for intruding, as my footprints disturbed virginal snow away from the main pilgrimage passes. Birds' busy, rushing footprints were everywhere, but they didn't seem to disturb the peace as much.

Something gray, large and silent flashed between the trees, and I forgot about feeling guilty.

A wolf! It had to be a wolf!

Could this be my story of the last minute, unlooked for, miracle? Really? The moment was perfect: just as I despaired...though that was my state 24/7.

"Goddess, please! Please!" It was a lousy prayer, but my head and my heart throbbed too much to come up with anything more elaborate.

I raced after the streak of gray in a dark forest, my boots slipping on frozen leaves and snow. Had I felt chilly earlier? Hah! Sweat poured into my eyes now.

The wolf finally stopped and looked over his shoulder at me with luminous green eyes. My heart plunged: I knew this wolf, and he was taken.

Then my heart soared.

I glanced around frantically. "Blake!"

He came crashing through spruces and underbrush, but the wolf dashed down the trail, to come between us. Blake froze at the edge of the forest, respectful of the wolf's wishes.

No jumping into Blake's arms then...But even with no physical contact, gleeful chuckles spilled out of me. "Blake. You're here."

"I couldn't leave without saying goodbye," he said.

"I'm so happy," I said, covering my cheeks with my hands, despite them already burning from chill and joy. The rough wool of my gloves scratched me a little. "So happy! I missed you so much!"

Giddily, I devoured his tall figure with my gaze, afraid to miss some important detail.

He was dressed for the journey rather than the office, in a steel-colored jacket with a gray fur trim, black jeans and tall hiking boots. He went hatless, so the snow from the tree branches he'd disturbed caught in his smoky-gray hair and dusted his collar. And beard.

Goddess, Blake started a beard, and I didn't know! It came in a darker shade, sharpening the lines of his cheekbones and square chin.

"I didn't know..." I rubbed my jaws continuing in a gesture that mimicked stroking a long beard. "When did you...?"

He shrugged. "Can't go clean-shaven in the ship's tight quarters. They promise a rugged adventure for tough men. You better be ready to have a real barbarian back."

I would have him in any disguise. I giggled again, imagining this metro-beard going bushy and wild. "I hope you'll not be disappointed."

Blake tore his gaze from me and pointed at the wolf. "He'll watch over you."

The wolf growled, sounding rather grumpy.

"Come on, you promised," Blake chided, and the wolf yawned so wide, I was worried he'd twist his jaw. Or that his pink tongue would fall out.

"I'll manage, Blake. After all, I managed without you for weeks."

"Lucky you," he said softly. His arms reached for me. "I was sick like a dog. I'm always sick when I can't smell you."

Holding hands was okay with our lupine chaperone, as I recalled. Slanting my eyes at the wolf, I slowly untied my scarf, pulled it down my neck and stepped toward Blake. Our fingers met. Mine, packed away in gloves, his bare.

I felt an electric charge pass between us and a broiling of flesh under my skin. My heart and my feet danced, when Blake brought the scarf to his face and inhaled deeply.

"I can't wait to see you again, Este," he said, folded my scarf neatly and tucked it into his pocket.

We held both hands for a little while in the still forest. There was something wholesome in just holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes, noticing every flutter of an eyelash, every puff of breath and the minute shifts in scent with the air.

Words were unnecessary and would have spoiled things. Wolf, Blake and me, we formed a small pack. Or a pact, where the wolf and I finally understood how precious I was to him. Or I thought I did and happiness oozed from me.

Time didn't exist for long precious minutes, but then the dawn broke, extinguishing the stars.

"No," I whimpered as Blake glanced at his watch.

His jaw clenched. He released my hands and backed into the spruces. "Until we see each other again Este..."

I blinked away tears and nodded. Why were the perfect moments so short and so rare?

"I left Harold in charge of the pack. Be wary of him," Blake said, and glanced at his watch again. "If he breaks faith with me, and with the Goddess, keep yours, Este. Do not seek the Moon Arch. Promise?"

Promise? sounded almost child-like in its poignancy, but he didn't order me this time. My heart went out to him. He wasn't throwing his weight around, being unreasonably despotic. No, he was truly afraid of what lay beyond the Arch. He was terrified of what may happen to me.

"I promise," I whispered.

He put his hand over his heart, then glanced at his watch again, threw his head back and howled, breaking the silence of the wood.

Then, where a tall man in a steel-gray jacket stood, was a gray werewolf in a long coat. The dark branches swayed as Blake bumped into them when he had increased in size, showering me with snowflakes... two branches even snapped.

Then he was gone, sprinting through the wood.

I glanced at my watch and gasped. Blake's flight was only three hours away...belatedly, I realized he must have sent his luggage with the car and was going to run as a werewolf to make the flight...all of it, so we could say our goodbyes in private...

I broke off the snapped branches completely and returned to the hotel with them, like it was a bunch of flowers.

***

Next morning, the spruce branches perfumed my warm room with their sap. But it wasn't Blake's scent. He made his flight, so he was likely waking up in Buenos Aires now, maybe even sniffing my scarf...

A heavy weight pressed on my body, and an invisible vise tightened around my skull. Without Blake, what was the point of getting out of bed?

Whimpering, I fought my shut-down body for half an hour before sending a text to Mie, asking for a sick day. Then I pulled a pillow over my head to avoid dealing with sunshine and the rest.

Mie must have replied, because my phone buzzed a dozen times, but I ignored it. I think I slept...at least until someone knocked on my door.

I tossed the pillow away, groaning. Would Mie just leave me be? "Go away," I croaked.

A shiver crawled down my spine, because the scent wasn't Mie. Shit.

"Open up, little Omega, or I'll use my master-key," Harold said.

I pondered the hardship of dragging my aching body out of bed. "Master-key..."

"Fine." He breezed in, looking annoyingly solid and energetic. In his hands he held a glossy shopping bag. Before my tired mind came up with an obvious question, Harold sat on the edge of my bed and opened it. "Mie sent a care package. Let's see..."

He extracted a gigantic box of chamomile tea, then an enormous bottle of Advil, then...

Goddess! Even in my out-of-it state I blushed a beet-red when I saw the last item Mie picked for me.

Harold stared at it as well. "I would have guessed bath salts, but Mie isn't subtle, is she?" And he waved the vibrator at me. A huge one. Anatomically correct as far as I could tell from the packaging.

I squeaked. Given that I threw the pillow away, I pulled the blanket over my head to disappear.

Harold caught the edge, yanked it back and held firm, not letting me hide away.

Fine! I squeezed my eyes shut not to see his amused smirk.

"Little Omega," Harold said, "Mie's solution to your problem is obvious."

He paused with a twist on his lips that triggered my paranoia so much; I sat up in bed and leaned toward him. Did he deduce the truth? Or did he still put everything that happened to me to Blake fucking me on the side?

His smirk turned ugly. "Scarlett demanded that I take you deep into the forest to the Moon Arch."

It sounded so much like a dark fairy-take, I should have freaked out, but I actually felt an emotion closer to pride stir in my gut. "The Luna considered me worthy of elimination? Wow."

Scarlett's plan was perfect, actually. Everybody knew I was obsessed with the Moon Arch.

If I disappeared or came back corrupt, they, the respected members of the pack, could deny having anything to do with it. They'd sit pretty and click their tongues in dismay over my doom. The dumb Omega didn't listen! She brought it upon herself! May her fate serve as a cautionary tale to other ambitious Omegas!

Fortunately for me, Beta Harold was what he was—a conniving jerk, yes, but also the next best thing to an Alpha, and a son of one.

Plus, Blake left him in charge.

I wished I was there when Scarlett tried to order him around! That would have been a moment for the ages.

Harold scoffed as we stared at each-other, obviously pissed at the new understanding he was reaching with a lowly Omega.

"I have no intention of lying to Blake," he said.

"That's honorable."

He scoffed again, then picked up the stupid vibratory and turned it on.

Goddess! I dropped my eyes, burning with embarrassment. "Stop it..."

"I told you once that I want what Blake has. All of it," Harold said, waving the vibratory like a conductor's baton. "You refused me once. But now, with how badly it hurts, and with all this big fat nothing Blake gave you... Well, little Omega, use your head. You can try this stupid thing or—"

"No!" I cried.

"Listen, you dumb girl. Just listen! Listen, before you say anything else, because nobody has refused me thrice."

I wanted to snap at him, but he cowed me with his aura. I whimpered, hating being an Omega.

"A bond, even a fated bond, is easy to break. With it, the mate-sickness passes. All you have to do is let another man pin you. A few moments of pure pleasure at the end of my dick—and you're whole and hale."

"Get out," I howled, clenching the blanket in my fingers. Tears stung my eyes.

Scarlett wanted me dead, but Harold was actually worse. The disgusting man wanted to humiliate me. Wanted to prove that I was too weak to take the mate-sickness, and that I would betray Blake to feel better.

"I would never betray Blake!" Despite the pain that reached straight into my bone marrow, I jumped out of bed, and ran to the door, throwing it open. "Out, you asshole! Out!"

He rose from my bed slowly. "All right, I am going." As he walked to the door, unhurried, his scowl turned into a smile that I liked even less. Trembling, I followed the direction of his gaze.

He wasn't ogling my breasts through the thin fabric of my t-shirt. He was looking at the object that hung between them. My moonstone ring slipped over the shirt and dangled with my every rugged intake of breath.

Harold's finger hooked the chain for a second as he brushed past me and twisted it to see the gem's rounded top.

Two stars blazed bright from the blue.