Elijah and I were laughing as we walked. Flying always filled me with indescribable joy. We stopped outside the old alpha's house. Roger always held his meetings there. I stopped at the door. This wasn't my war. I didn't need to know.

"Be safe," Elijah said, pulling open the door. I smiled.

"You, too."

"Naomi!" a voice exclaimed.

Elijah and I whirled to the voice and froze.

Berry.

Berry was here.

"Berry?!" I exclaimed. Overwhelming dread mixed with relief washed over me. I was so glad she was safe. But she had lost Seth. And it was all my fault.

Berry came running up, tears streaking down her face.

"Naomi, I am so sorry," she threw her arms around me and shoved her face into my shoulder. It took me a few seconds before I hugged her back.

"Berry, you have nothing to be sorry about." A horrible guilt flooded me, rising from my toes to my ears. A horrible thought flashed through my mind. What if she didn't know about Seth? What if they left him behind and still thought he was safe? What if I had to tell them that I was the reason he was dead? "I...I am so sorry about Seth."

Tears flooded down my face as we held onto each other for dear life. How dare I laugh with Elijah knowing that I was the reason for their child's death? "What?' she asked, pulling back and looking at me. I couldn't meet her eyes.

"I...Seth..." I finally said.

"Who is Seth?" she asked, confused. I realized Eric was behind her, sporting a new scar across his forehead. He shook his head at the name.

Did they wipe her memory? "Your son," I whispered.

Her hand went to her stomach. I stared in shock. She gave me a small smile. "Josie is fine. We had a check-up a few days ago. She's growing normally."

I stared. A wave of confusion, shock, and relief crashed over me. "But...but...you gave birth a few weeks ago. To a boy. Seth...and...and he's dead," I muttered like a crazy person.

Berry's eyes widened. "Naomi, what are you taking about? I'm only halfway through my pregnancy."

Was this a dream? Was I alive?

Finally, I felt Elijah hands shaking my shoulders. "It was a fake," Elijah said. I blinked, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "I...didn't know, but that makes sense. Damien projected a false vision of their child."

"But...but I saw you giving birth the night before the fight," I said, talking around Elijah to Berry.

She looked down then. "Eric and I escaped earlier that week. Naomi, I am so sorry. Eric tried to find you that morning, but you were gone. We checked everywhere. We had to run. I am so sorry," she said.

I shook my head, trying to reconcile what I saw a few weeks ago with what I was seeing now. Berry was very clearly pregnant now.

"You...haven't had your kid yet?"

She shook her head.

Elijah shook me again as I froze. "Naomi. Look at me." I did as he asked. "Damien is a master manipulator. He must have given you a false vision of the baby's birth. The illusion in the road was nothing more. An illusion.

"I didn't kill anyone?" I asked softly. Elijah pulled me into a hug, and I broke down again in relief. Seth wasn't dead. Seth wasn't even real. I finally pulled back, tears still flowing. "I guess...your labor was like ten minutes," I joked. "I guess that doesn't really make much sense. I felt so bad. I hadn't seen you in a while and I thought I was being a horrible friend." Elijah let me go as my tears slowed down.

Berry pulled me into another hug and I fiercely reciprocated, overjoyed at her enlarged stomach, even as I cried. "Naomi, we tried to look for you. Eric was teleporting like crazy. Where were you that morning. Tuesday..." she looked at Eric for confirmation. "Tuesday morning?" Tears were filling her eyes. "We are so sorry. We were trying..." she broke off as a sob rose in her throat.

"We were training in the dark realm," Elijah realized. "You wouldn't have been able to find her. We were hiding from Damien. I didn't know I was also hiding her from you."

Berry pulled back and looked at me intently. "Naomi, I am so sorry. We tried. I heard what he did to you," she said before breaking down again.

I rubbed her back comfortingly as my tears began to subside. "It's okay, it's okay. You did everything you could. Thank you. Thank you. What he did isn't your fault. And I'm here now. I'm free of him."

She sobbed again, hugging me tight.

"And I think your labor is going to be more than ten minutes this time. Well, for real, I guess," I joked softly. She snorted.

"If I had..." she said between tear-laden breaths, "a ten-minute labor, Eric and I would have thirty kids."

"We might still," Eric joked, reaching to rub her shoulders.

"If we alternate," Berry shot back, smiling through her tears. "I have this one, you have the next."

Eric laughed. "Okay, not possible. Maybe we'll only have...ten?"

Berry laughed again and pulled away from me. It was a sweet sound. It made my heart ache with joy. "You still don't know how to change a diaper."

"We don't have the baby yet!" Eric exclaimed.

"There are other babies in the world!" Berry replied.

I felt Elijah's eyes on me. I turned to him. "You should get to your meeting," I said. "Daria hates it when people are late."

"I am going as well. Naomi, I leave in you in very capable hands. Your own."

Berry spluttered in mock anger and stalked up to him angrily, onto to stand on her tip-toes and peck him on the lips. "You and I. Later," she warned.

Eric smiled and lowered his voice. "We have to make it to ten somehow," he muttered and pecked her forehead. Berry rolled her eyes.

"Already pregnant," she muttered to him.

Elijah reached out a hand and Eric looked between Elijah and I. "Elijah," he said. "We've met a few times, but never as friends."

"Eric. I am glad to meet as friends."

The two of them spun off, leaving Berry and I to our own devices.

+++++++++++++

"Not much has changed from the outside," Berry said. "But the pack is totally different."

I nodded. "The pack itself technically still belongs to Damien. As his supporters dwindled, those who were loyal to him went to the castle. Those who remained behind became rogues."

"Eric and I made that step when we left. We're rogues now, too. I'd imagine Damien will never let you become a rogue, will he?"

I shook my head.

Becoming a rogue required assent on both the alpha and the werewolf. No matter how much I wanted to leave, Damien would never let me. If I became a rogue, he would lose his Alpha's Claim. The thought of him still holding that power over me made my skin crawl.

"I can't believe that Damien went crazy. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy," Berry said. "And then he snapped."

I nodded, eager to talk about something else. "How has the pregnancy been? I asked.

She groaned theatrically, grabbing her stomach. "Morning sickness. So bad. My mom had it bad and I was so hoping to avoid it, but alas. It came with flying colors. At least they say girls are harder on the body, so I can hope for a boy next time."

"Next time?" I asked. She laughed.

"It's not for everyone, but Eric and I weren't really joking about ten. Of course, after changing a billion diapers, I may change my mind." We laughed again. "How about you?"

I took a step back. "Kids? I don't think I want to bring anyone into this world," I admitted. "Not after...not after thinking that I killed your kid."

She sighed. "Even if that were true, you didn't kill that baby, Damien did. The psychopath," she muttered. "But I can see your point. Kids are scary."

"That...and I don't have a mate anymore."

She tilted her head. "I thought—"

"Elijah was my mate, but Damien broke it when he marked me. And obviously, I am not going to mate with Damien. I would kill him first," I said, shocking myself at my words.

Berry didn't seem fazed. "Not Damien. I just thought something was going on between you and Elijah. If not, I totally get it."

I smiled softly. "No. Elijah and I are friends. There's no mate bond to draw us together."

Berry rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but the mate bond isn't what makes a relationship. Love is. Dedication is. Significance..." she faded. "I can see why you wouldn't be comfortable with that. Maximus was a prick and Damien was worse."

"Just friends," I confirmed. Then why are you sleeping in his bed?

Berry nodded.

I nodded. "Right now, I just want to hide away." As I said it, my voice choked. I took a deep breath, suddenly grateful for Berry's company. "I..." despite my efforts, tears began choking me up. "I'm...done...with all of this."

Berry nodded knowingly.

I took another deep breath.