Dedicated to magicofwords for all your hilarious comments that completely make my day and for your lovely votes. I'm sooo lucky to have a reader like you, thanks sweetie!

A huge shoutout to maybewannabe for all your amazing support! I really really appreciate it hun!

Picture of Megan Houston (Emma Stone) to the side.  

This chapter is unedited so please excuse the grammatical errors.

___

Suzzanah's POV

I can't go on...I can't go on like this!

A searing, thundering, overwhelming urge befell my terrified persona, an urge to getaway, to getaway from it all. My breath hitched and my body trembled under the weight of that one revelation.

I'm seeing ghosts!

I swallowed hard and took deep breaths. My heart continued to hammer in my chest at a rate far too alarming to be normal. My throat felt dry as I breathed shakily through my mouth, trying hard to keep my fear at bay.

I'm seeing ghosts!

I bit my lip hard to stop myself from screaming my lungs out and clenched my fists to stop them from trembling. Everything I had known to be true had been disproved in the last couple of days and I had had to bear the weight of knowing a completely new reality all alone, without a single other soul to share in my burden. And I had finally reached my limit.

I was seeing...ghosts!...

"Suzzanah? Are you alright?"

"Hey, what's up with you? You look pale"

Megan and Annabelle were trying to talk to me but I couldn't answer them. I didn't know how, I didn't know what to say to them, I didn't know anything! I squeezed my eyes shut and fisted my hair as waves of panic and fear threatened to drown my sanity.

"Hey, what's wrong?

Stop it!

"Hello? Earth to Suzzanah"

Stop taking to me!

"Suzzanah?!!"

Just stop! Stop saying my name!

"You're shaking! Are you okay? Hey, Suzzanah?!"

STOP!

"SUZZANAH??"

STOP calling me-

Lunaaa

My eyes shot open and unfathomable terror rushed through my veins at the recollection of that man's eerie voice. Before I even knew what I was doing, I had stood up and was making my way towards the stairs that led down to the ground. I needed to get back to my room, I needed to get away, from all the supernatural people, from all the paranormal beings, from everyone! I needed to get away right now!

Both Megan and Annabelle were calling out to me but their voices already sounded distant. I wasn't listening, I couldn't anymore. I ran across my row of seats, then down the wide flight of stairs and through the teeming crowd. I ran out the large gate that led to the Game grounds and down the cobblestone pathway, not even stopping for a breath, till the scenery around me blurred into a passing haze.

Just when I reached the fence nearing the turn leading to the rooms, my legs gave out underneath me and I collapsed against the wooden fence, my hands clutching it desperately for support as I gasped for breath. My lungs burned within my chest and my limbs trembled under my weight, the weight of an outsider. I didn't belong here, I was not supposed to be a part of this world. I was an outsider, I was afraid and I was alone-

So very alone...

The words of that woman I had met in the woods sounded in my head, the words from my dream.

"I'll always be here, right here. So don't ever feel alone"

Her words were meant to comfort me, but instead they only fuelled my dread. That woman...had she also...

Had she also been a ghost?

Up until now, everything I had come to know had been with regard to others- they were supernatural wolf people, they were a hidden society of a paranormal species, they were not supposed to exist, it had always been about them. But now...it was about me and what I am seeing.

I'm seeing ghosts...

Ghosts that whisper Luna, ghosts that bring ominous warnings and most of all, ghosts that only I can see. Ghosts...and not men, not even men who were supernatural, not even men who were...alive. Ghosts...

I'm seeing ghosts

I faintly heard the cold wind cutting through the thick rows of trees and ruffling the dry leaves, bringing them from their high branches down to the ground. The leaves hit the undergrowth softly, quietly, some even falling around me, and through my daze I heard one hitting the ground hard enough to make a sound. And I wondered...when I fell, would I make a sound, or would I fall noiselessly.

The woods were dark, the sky was dark and the path was dark. I couldn't see. And even if I could, how would know if what I saw was true? How would I know that I could trust what I saw? For nothing was as it seemed to be. The questions kept piling up and I had no answers, none.

I can't go on like this...I just can't go on!...

"Suzzanah?"

I jumped and a strangled scream escaped my lips as I turned around wide eyed. Through my blurred vision, I saw Megan standing a few feet away from me, her body tense, her features creased with worry.

"Suzzanah, are you okay?"

Her voice was still calm and even, but it was laced with concern. Was she worried about me? She took a step forward, her hand leaving her side to reach towards me. I blinked away the haziness from my vision wondering what was even causing it. It was not until Megan stood right in front of me and her hand squeezed my shoulder that it truly registered that she was here and that she had asked me a question.

"Suzzanah", I looked into her calm green eyes and felt myself jolt out of my daze. My eyes widened and I blinked several times trying to clear my vision.

"H-huh?" I breathed out, my voice coming out shaky and barely audible.

"Are you okay?" she asked again and I gulped and looked away. Licking my lips I nodded shakily not meeting her gaze, not wanting her to see the chaotic mess I was on the inside.

"Are you sure?" she asked and it took all of my remaining self-control to not break down. I couldn't tell her. I didn't even know if she was human or not. No matter what I couldn't tell her that I wasn't okay, not even a little bit.

"I'm fine", I lied before sniffing and sighing involuntarily, "I-I just, needed a little air"

She didn't reply and I cleared my throat before looking up at her. Her vibrant green eyes bore deep into my scared ones and for a split second I felt like she saw right through my strong façade. And when that second ended, her brow furrowed and her forehead wrinkled slightly, but apart from that, her face remained calm.

"This morning, you seemed a little disturbed, then you passed out", she said softly, watching me with concerned eyes, "And now..." she raised her hand and I was surprised when she rubbed it against my cheeks, "You're crying", she finished making my eyes widen as my hands came up to touch my cheeks. My fingers met with wetness and I gasped before quickly rubbing my sleeves against my face.

"I-I didn't realize", I told her, quickly wiping my face, "D-did you come looking for me after I left?"

"Yes", she replied, "By the looks of your face before you suddenly ran off, I was worried you were having a panic attack"

I smiled bitterly. Had it been that obvious?

"It sort of had", she replied and my eyes widened.

Man! Had I said that out loud?! I can't believe what I'm doing!!

Despite my utter exhaustion, I managed to smile at her, "Thank you for coming after me and I'm sorry to have worried you", I told her, "I'm just going through some...difficult stuff in life"

So difficult that I felt like any minute now, I would shatter into a thousand pieces and drift away with the wind.

She was quiet for a few seconds before replying, "Why not tell someone about it?" she replied, "It'll make things easier"

I sighed and looked away, shaking my head sadly, "I don't think so...I don't think it will"

If anything, it'll probably complicate things further

"Look Suzzanah", she spoke pressing my shoulder gently, "there are things in this world that are bigger than all of us, and if we were meant to face those things alone, then there wouldn't be so many of us"

A heaviness descended upon my exhausted persona on hearing her words and I raised my gaze to her to find her watching me, her calm eyes gleaming understandingly, "Sometimes you need to go beyond how you think things are, to discover how they really are", she said softly, "and you'll be surprised at what you find"

I knew she was referring to how I had said I didn't think telling someone would make things easier. I sighed again, heavily, shakily, "I don't think I have the strength for any more surprises right now", I breathed out feeling a cold numbness descend upon me. The evening air had turned chilly and it was making my already cold body shiver involuntarily.

Or maybe it's the fear and not the cold that's causing me to shiver...

The wind got colder and colder and I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. My breathing became shallower as I found myself sinking deeper into despair.

I can't go on like this, I can't go on anymore...

All courage had left me, smothered by the weight of the terrifying events transpiring in my life. And I realized very slowly and very painfully that I was breaking, and I was breaking fast.

"Napoleon once said, Courage isn't having the strength to go on- it's going on when you don't have strength", Megan's soft words hit my cold body like a rush of wind making my head shoot up to look at her, my eyes wide in disbelief.

She smiled at me and there was something in her smile that warmed my cold body, "You may not have any strength left, but just the fact that you're still here even though it seems like you'd rather not be, shows that you do have courage. And honestly, that's enough"

My heart welled at her words as she squeezed my shoulder comfortingly, "It'll be okay", Megan said softly, her calm green eyes offering strange but genuine reassurance, "It really will"

She didn't know...she didn't know anything about what I was going through, and yet hearing those words somehow made my heart a little lighter and I realized that I really needed to hear that, even if it was from a stranger. For the first time, for the very first time someone had acknowledged that my efforts to keep it together weren't in vain. Someone had told me that what I was now, was enough.

Enough for me to go on...

It'll be okay...you do have courage...that's enough

I felt a tug at the corner my lips. It stretched on and on till I found myself smiling my most genuine smile as my eyes brimmed with gratefulness for the stranger who stood by my side. Megan's words had been exactly what I had needed to hear they left me feeling strangely rejuvenated.

And all of a sudden it didn't matter anymore whether she was human or a wolf or some other strange species I didn't know of yet. She had been there for me when I was feeling completely alone, and I was so grateful.

"Thank you", I whispered as the words came to my lips from the bottom of my heart, "Thank you so much. You don't know how much I needed that. I'm so grateful for you. Thank you."

I can do this, I'll be okay. I may be weak and I may be afraid, but whatever I am is enough. I'll get by, I'll be okay. I can go on...like this!

But can you go on alone?...

That thought pricked my heart painfully but I didn't get time to dwell on it as Megan smiled back, "See, I told you telling someone would help", she said smiling and I smiled back ignoring that disturbing thought and shook my head, "But I didn't really say anything"

"You didn't really need to say it to tell me", she replied looking away and my eyebrows furrowed in question.

"Huh?"

She shook her head, "I mean whatever little you did say was enough. Sometimes all it takes to set things right is a few words", I smiled, "Words telling someone the problem or words asking someone for answers"

That sentence caught me off guard, making my eyes shoot up to hers. Her eyes remained calm but a strange understanding glinted within them, "Think about it", she said, "if telling a stranger such as myself could help you, then imagine how much more someone you know would be able to do. Someone who cares. Someone whom you could tell the problem, and someone whom you could ask for answers. "

I cringed and bit my lip. That was my problem, I was alone. There was no one like that, no one I could tell without the fear of being punished for knowing...knowing that they were different, different from me.

"There is no one like that", I told her sadly but was surprised to find her smiling at me with amusement.

"Really?" she asked, her green eyes twinkling with mirth and my eyebrows knit together in confusion as I nodded and her eyes lifted to look behind me, "Don't bet on that"

Before I could ask her what she had meant a loud voice called out from behind me, making my eyes widen in shock.

"SUZZANAH!"

Warmth rushed through my body at the sound of that familiar voice and I had just enough time to turn around before I found myself engulfed by large muscular arms and pressed into a warm hard chest that made electric tingles shoot through my body.

Zuerien

One of his large hands ran through my hair while the other rubbed my back up and down comfortingly before he pulled away just enough to let me look up at him. His handsome face was marred with deep concern, his eyes darting all over my face making sure I was okay.

Just like he always did

"Suzzanah, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with apprehension, "You're not hurt are you?"

I was too shocked to say anything as realization dawned on me. He came for me, yet again, he came for me! Being in his arms instantly comforted me, making me feel safe. Just the sight of his face was enough to make my burden feel lighter, the rich scent of wet soil, his scent, was enough to calm my anxiousness, and the look in his warm brown eyes was enough...

Enough for me to go on...

But can you go on alone?...

"...don't ever feel alone"

"It okay, I'm here"

My eyes widened in realization as warmth and relief washed over me. I...wasn't alone! He was here for me. Zuerien was here.

His eyes continued to search mine, worry etched deep into them, and just as my lips parted to give him a reply, two more familiar voices reached my ears, all calling out my name. I turned my head just in time to see Master Cole and Alpha Penson rush up to us, both wearing expression of worry similar to Zuerien's.

"Ms. Winters, are you okay?" Master Cole asked wide eyed.

"Are you hurt Ms. Winters?" Alpha Penson asked immediately after.

"Suzzanah, say something", Zuerien added shaking me slightly making me snap out of my shock.

They were all here, they came for me. I wasn't alone.

"I-I, I'm okay", I breathed and their expressions softened.

"Are you sure?" Zuerien asked and I nodded still wide eyed and a little dazed. All three of them released heavy sighs of relief making my mouth fall open and snap shut repeatedly.

"Thank goodness!" Master Cole breathed with a smile, "We were really worried when war- I mean Ms. Black told us something had happened to you. Its good to see that you're alright"

Annabelle had told them?

"You are sure nothing is wrong child?" Alpha Penson asked, "Shall we call the doctor just in case?"

"We're calling the doctor regardless", Zuerien answered instead of me, "First she needs to sit down and relax"

"I'm on the phone with Talon", Alpha Penson added, "He said he's going to go get Roma"

Alpha Penson was speaking via Bluetooth to Mr. Talon, whose panicked voice I could hear shouting through the line. Zuerien and Master Cole started to discuss something else regarding my health when Zuerien suddenly got a call from Master Marco who was also asking about me.

They were all here for me, I wasn't alone. I wasn't alone!

My eyes widened and I turned around to find Megan leaning against the fence, smiling at me softly. Her eyes glinted knowingly and I felt more of my worries disperse.

I do have courage...its enough...I can go on...I'm not alone... I can go on like this...

My heart felt so much lighter as though a burden had been lifted off me and something about her eyes told me she could tell. I was about to speak to her when Zuerien started to pull me away, telling Master Marco something about bringing me to the VIP cabin, making me gasp.

"W-wait!" I called pushing at his chest making all the men look down at me questioningly. Blushing, I disentangled myself from Zuerien's arms, which he let me do quite reluctantly and uncertainly, before grabbing Megan's hand.

"T-this is Megan Houston", I told them pulling her next to me, "She is my roommate"

"Oh yes. We've met", Zuerien replied looking at Megan, "Thank you for-"

"Its fine", she cut him off with a stiff smile after which Master Cole and Alpha Penson also greeted her.

"We'll be taking Suzzanah to the VIP cabin", he told Megan, "Please do join us"

She shook her head, "No thank you, I'll be heading back to the room now", she said making me turn around.

"Won't you watch the rest of the games?" I asked and she shook her head. "Why? Is something wrong?" I asked worriedly. Behind me I heard Mr. Penson start speaking to Mr. Talon again while Zuerien and Master Cole started to argue about something. Megan nodded, "I'm fine", she replied, "Just a small headache. It always happens when I'm in large crowds. I think I'll take a nap before dinner time"

"Okay", I replied still not convinced at her sudden resignation and she smiled, "Don't worry. Here"

She opened my palm and placed something cold on it. It was small and round and I wondered what it was as she said, "You dropped this", she closed my fingers over the object before adding in a whisper, "Remember what I said okay. Tell them the problem", her eyes flitted over my head for a second before returning to mine, "Tell him"

My eyes widened at her words and for some reason I knew she was talking about Zuerien. I cringed, "I can't", I breathed and she shook her head, "Yes you can"

"What if he doesn't...doesn't understand me?" I found myself asking her. Even though she was a stranger, there was something about her which told me that I could trust her, that I could confide in her.

"Oh he will understand", she differed with a meaningful look in her eyes, "he'll just understand it differently from you, and sometimes that's exactly what you need"

I was stunned by what she said and before I could reply she squeezed my hand before bowing to the three men behind me. I turned to find the three men nod at her. Both Zuerien and Alpha Penson were watching Megan with a strange look of uncertainty in them.

"Bye", Megan told me with a smile and then turned and walked away right after I returned the greeting.

It was like she suddenly didn't want to stay here even a second more than was necessary, almost as if she was uncomfortable being among these men. So perhaps she was not one of them, not a wolf. Did that mean she was human?

She had answered so many of my questions without even knowing them. It was like without knowing anything about me, she had still understood me perfectly, even though I hadn't said anything to her...

"You didn't really need to say it to tell me"

Her words echoed in my mind as I watched her disappear around a corner. Somehow, deep deep inside of me I had a feeling, that human or not, there was definitely far more to Megan than she let on.

****

Sitting on a huge, soft and comfortable rich leather couch in a lavishly furnished and air-conditioned cabin with a huge tinted glass window, spanning the entire length of the wall providing front row seats to the Games taking place is extremely gratifying, but not when you have five other large males bent over you with their faces plunging into your personal space like cows sticking their heads in through your car windows.

It had been ten minutes since I had been brought to the VIP cabin which I had failed to locate on the other side of the Game Grounds earlier. It was embarrassing enough that I had been carried here by an insufferable Alpha Zuerien who had remained unrelenting in his desire to not let me walk throughout our little journey to this cabin despite my pummelling and pleading and screeching and struggling.

It had been even more embarrassing because Master Cole and Alpha Penson had displayed blatant incapability in keeping the utterly amused looks off their faces, with Master Cole throwing some extremely inappropriate suggestive comments about our 'intimate' positioning and even almost snapping a picture, almost, or so I desperately hoped.

My only solace was that they had not taken the route to the VIP cabin that led through the Game Grounds, saving me the appalling displeasure of being seen in such an inappropriate position with the CEO, but instead had taken some other thankfully deserted path that went around the Grounds to reach the cabin.

Once there, I had very carefully been deposited onto the largest leather couch in the cabin, red-faced and tongue-tied, and just when I thought I would be allowed a few minutes of solitude to mourn my lost dignity, Mr. Talon, Master Marco and Roma also barged into the room adding to my despair.

Apparently in addition to being our dorm warden, Roma was a doctor of which I had been completely unaware. She had checked my vitals and examined me for injuries despite my pleading denial of having any, going as far as asking me to undress so she could make sure.

As if that wasn't enough to scar me for life, Roma told me that she had already examined me in the afternoon after Zuerien had taken me back to the room unconscious. And although she had claimed that I had not been completely unclothed for that examination, it provided me little comfort as I was told that Zuerien had been in the room when she had done so.

GAAAHHHHHH!

Once she was satisfied that I was physically intact she left and the men then started to torture my alimentary canal. I would have happily eaten the food brought to me, had it not been food enough to feed ten hungry warthogs. To add to my misery Zuerien knew I had not had breakfast or lunch which only increased the number of items on the menu. When I had eaten so much that I started to resemble the statue of the laughing Buddha, I shrieked in irritation.

"Please stop! I've already eaten enough to be able to hibernate for the next six months", I pleaded, "I told you, I'm alright now. Why are you all so worried?"

"Well Alpha Zuerien was already a little freaked out since he saw you looking worried sitting there in the stands", Master Cole said making my eyes widen at the fact that Zuerien had seen noticed my demeanour from so faraway, "And after talking to Annabelle the rest of us freaked out as well"

"It didn't help that all of us felt your-"

A cacophony of hissing reprimands shushed Mr. Talon's wide eyed confession making me quite a bit curious and even more annoyed.

"Felt your what?" I asked suspiciously.

"Absence", Master Cole added quickly and Master Marco agreed enthusiastically, "That's right! We all felt your absence. How could we not miss someone as beaut-"

"Marco, get your butt back on the field", Zuerien growled cutting him off making him pout sulkily, "I'm not needed yet. I can stay and help take care of the L-" all our eyes went wide, "L-ady, the young Lady", he quickly caught himself earning him two glares, one panicked look and one amused look in addition to my own narrow eyed one.

"But what exactly did Annabelle even tell you?" I asked.

"She said you looked like you were having a panic attack, that you suddenly went pale and started to breathe heavily before running off", Master Cole replied, "She said that Megan had told her to call Alpha Zuerien and tell him about you, saying that you ran out of the Grounds towards your room"

My eyes went wide at his words not just because Annabelle had actually willingly taken orders from someone but because there was something about what he said that was completely off.

I left the game grounds without saying a word to either of my room mates, then how did Megan know I was gonna go towards the rooms and not somewhere else? Lucky guess? Calculated perception? ESP?

I reached down and placed a palm on my pant pocket feeling the small round object she had given me, inside it. After she had left, just before Alpha Zuerien had hauled me off my feet, I had opened my palm to find a glassy pearl the size of a shirt button in my hand. Although small, it sparkled brilliantly in the slightest of light. It was smooth, it was beautiful and it was not mine.

She had probably seen it lying next to me on the path and assumed it was mine. What was I supposed to do with it now? Sighing I scratched my head, "I'm sorry for worrying you. But I'm fine, there is nothing wrong with me"

The minute I said those words Zuerien's sharp brown eyes zeroed in on mine and I could immediately tell that he didn't buy my statement one bit. Alpha Penson was giving me a similar but less intimidating look and I gulped.

"That isn't true and you know it", Zuerien said making my eyes widen, "What's wrong Suzzanah? What are you not telling us?"

A wave of panic washed over me as Alpha Penson leaned in as well, "Suzzanah, if anything is bothering you, you can tell us. We'll help you", he said and I gulped.

"Yeah!" Master Marco agreed, "Just like when you were having trouble with the blue-green eyed guy and told us, we got right to it didn't we?"

My eyes widened in shock and my heart rate spiked at his words as he continued, "If you tell us what the problem is we can try and help you with it"

"Please tell us child", Mr. Talon added, "We'll do all we can to help. Its very disheartening seeing you so pale and tired"

My eyes widened as all the men watched me with worried eyes. They all seemed genuinely concerned for my well-being and I couldn't help but feel the urge to tell them everything.

Tell them.

I remembered Megan's words from before and the urge intensified. But what if it back fired? I was alone with so many wolf men, what if after I told them, they got mad and went out of control and...

I gulped and looked away but Zuerien's hand came under my chin lifting my gaze to his as he sat crouched in front of me.

"What's happening with you?" he asked, "What were you disturbed about?"

My heart skipped a beat at his question as his eyes bore into mine. His voice was laced with deep concern and I instantly felt bad for making him worry, for making them all worry. He bent closer to me, placing his hands over my arms making tingles shoot through me, "Please tell me"

My heart welled at the desperation in his words and his need to know what was bothering me.

Tell him.

My gaze met his to find concern, affection and desperation swirling within his warm brown orbs. And I knew I needed to tell him, wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell them all, I couldn't keep it to myself anymore.

My lips parted and everyone around me tensed as I struggled to get the words out. Zuerien's hands squeezed my arms reassuringly and I gulped.

"I..." he nodded at me encouragingly while Mr. Talon stood behind my couch smiling down at me softly. Master Cole also sat down next to Zuerien while Alpha Penson and Alpha Marco leaned in from either side. I licked my lips again, my throat suddenly feeling dry, "I...I kn- I..."

Master Cole nodded for me to continue and Zuerien bent his head closer to mine. I bit my lip as my heart rate sped up at the thought of what might happen if I told them I knew Evan Stanlings was dead, that I knew they thought I was seeing ghosts, that I knew they were....

I gulped again before exhaling shakily, "I...know that, I know that Ev-"

"Just say it Suzzanah", Zuerien encouraged softly and I took a deep breath.

"I know Evan Stanlings is dead", I choked out in one breath making everyone's eyes go wide as extreme shock marred their features, Mr. Talon even emitting a sharp squeal. I held Zuerien's gaze and winced, "I know he's dead"

The tension in the air suddenly grew so thick that it could be cut with a knife. All the men were exchanging tense glances most of them directed towards Alpha Penson. I too turned my head towards him. His eyes were narrowed in thought and when his gaze met mine, he winced ever so slightly.

"Who told you?" he asked softly.

My breath hitched and I stammered, "I-I figured it out", I told him uncertainly "Since Master Cole told me the guy's name in the car", Master Cole cringed when Alpha Zuerien and Alpha Penson gave him sharp looks, "when I asked someone about it, they told me he died three years ago"

Behind me, Mr. Talon turned as pale as a whitewashed wall. Alpha Marco bit his lip as his eyes kept darting between Alpha Penson and Zuerien, no doubt waiting for one of them to say something.

"Why-" all their eyes shot towards me, "W-why was I shown his picture?" I asked, "Do you really think I'm...I'm seeing ghosts?!" my voice came out panicked, immediately making Zuerien's eyes soften, "D-do you think I'm going crazy?"

Master Cole and Alpha Marco's jaws dropped in panic, while Zuerien quickly shook his head, his lips parting but no words coming out. His grip on my arms tightened and I bit my lip as fear seeped into my veins again.

"N-no Ms. Winters! Of course not! It was just a hologram", Master Cole, "Not a ghost! When we asked for pictures of blue-green eyed men, our human resource guys probably gave us pictures of all such people, even those who are d-dead" he finished.

Alpha Marco and Mr. Talon were about to agree with him but I quickly asked, "But if that's the case then why didn't you guys put it aside when you were showing me the pictures? You knew he is dead", I said making their faces fall again, "Why was I still asked about the picture?"

"Yes", Zuerien grit out, "Why was she still asked about the picture John?" he spat out glaring daggers at Alpha Penson. Everyone's nervous wide eyes shot to Alpha Penson who raised his eyebrows and looked away thoughtfully.

"Mr. Penson", he looked down at me and his eyes immediately softened when he saw the fear in mine, "Is it true? You really think I'm seeing ghosts?"

He smiled, "Evan Stanlings may be dead but he wasn't the man you saw Ms. Winters", he replied, "Then what are you so worried about?"

"That the idea still did occur to you", I replied making his eyes narrow ever so slightly, "That you still did insinuate that I could have seen a dead person. Why Sir?"

He opened his mouth to reply but Zuerien spoke before him, "Answer wisely John", he grit out, his voice laced with warning making Alpha Penson smile and shake his head.

"Because even if it had been Evan Stanlings you saw, there would still be nothing wrong with it. Our old theory about the holograms still stands", he replied making everyone's eyes widen in confusion as we waited for him to elaborate.

"Just because a person is dead doesn't mean his appearance can't still be misused", he replied, "A hologram is nothing but a computerized three dimensional projection. Whose appearance the program takes is completely in the hands of the programmer. If he or she chose it, they could model the hologram to look like the Abraham Lincoln even, but I'm assuming that would be too much of a dead give-away towards the 'prank' part of this situation"

My jaw fell to the floor as realization struck me hard. It was true, just because the man himself is dead doesn't mean his face and body can't be animated and turned into a program to scare the living daylights of out someone like me. So was that all...there was really nothing for me to be worried about?

Everyone around me suddenly looked extremely relieved themselves, Master Cole and Alpha Marco exchanging small exhausted smiles, Zuerien running a hand through his hair with a sigh and Mr. Talon fanning himself with his notepad. That left one question unanswered.

"Why?" I voiced my concern catching everyone's attention again, "Why would someone go through all this trouble? Designing holograms, putting them in place, waiting for the right time to activate the program, and all this for some nobody like me. It seems so unproductive", I said and Alpha Penson's eyes suddenly gleamed with understanding.

It made me uneasy but I still continued, "If it really was a hologram then that prankster would have needed to know exactly when I would get out of the office, exactly where I would go and even the exact time when I would be alone", I said making everyone's eyes turn thoughtful, "That seems like a highly unlikely occurrence, not very believable" I finished.

Alpha Penson's eyes continued to gleam in that ever knowing manner of his as a small smile played on his lips, "Well Suzzanah, I'm afraid you'll have to make that decision for yourself. Its either a hologram...or a ghost", a soft gasp escaped my lips and everyone suddenly looked tense again, "You tell me, which one of the two is more...believable"

A lump formed in my throat at his words, knowing very well that yet again he had left me hanging. Master Cole, Alpha Marco and Mr. Talon were exchanging uneasy glances while Alpha Zuerien was glaring at Alpha Penson.

Alpha Penson exhaled heavily, "Rest assured Suzzanah, as far as the hologram theory is concerned we are still actively looking into it and trying to find this prankster. If something like this happens again, be sure to let us know. But for now, stay calm and don't worry. Everything is alright"

Is it really?...

Was everything really okay? His words had left me feeling disturbed yet again. What was it that I had really seen?

"I'm afraid you'll have to make that decision for yourself"

If it was only a hologram, then in addition to all the unanswered questions I had already posed, why had Mr. Penson made that disturbing statement when I had eavesdropped on their conversation earlier by the fence?

"I think we have seen enough of our Luna's mind-boggling abilities to know that with her, even the so called 'impossible' becomes very much possible"

If it was just a hologram, then what was so impossible about me having seen it? I obviously couldn't ask them about that seeing as then I would have to disclose the fact that I had been eavesdropping.

And then there was also the matter of how only I had seen it. If it was just a hologram why wasn't Steroid aka Alpha Zuerien able to see it?

That was yet another question I couldn't ask because if I did I would have to disclose the fact that I knew of their secret. And after this evening's little panic attack I wasn't ready for another big showdown, not just yet.

And then...what of that other caped figure, the woman? Why was no one willing to look into that matter? Had she been real or had that too just been another hologram?

I was about to ask Alpha Penson this when he suddenly spoke up instead, "Alpha, Cole, your event is up next and Marco, your assistant seems to be in need of your assistance. She is messing the greetings and the agenda and not surprisingly so, seeing as it your job, not hers"

All three men's eyes widened in realization and Alpha Marco jumped around to see that his assistant was stumbling over all her words and looking around helplessly as she stood on the podium.

"Oh for the love of- Excuse me!" Master Marco said throwing his hands in the air before quickly before running out the door shouting, "Take care Ms. Winters". I noticed that even though he carefree and hyperactive here, the minute he stepped foot into his role as the coordinator, his entire demeanour changed into one that portrayed authority and demanded respect.

"Talon", Mr. Talon jumped at the sound of Mr. Penson's voice, displacing his glasses, "Don't you have to check if our special guests have arrived yet?"

"OH!" Mr. Talon shrieked in shock before running out of the room fumbling with his phone and notepad barely avoiding collision with Master Marco as he ran back inside and grabbed Master Cole and Alpha Zuerien's arms, "What are you both still doing here? Your event is up next!" he screeched pulling them towards the door.

Alpha Zuerien pulled away from him, "Postpone my matches, I want to stay with Suzzanah a little longer"

My eyes widened at all the possibilities that could hint towards but afraid that he might start the force feeding regimen again I quickly pitched in, "N-no need to worry about me!" I told him moving my gaze out of the glass window toward the large board outside displaying the list of events, "Please go ahead and participate in your-" my eyes widened as I read out the event, "One. On. One. COMBAT???!!"

WHAAAAATTTT????

"What is the meaning of this?" I shouted wide eyed, "Why do you have a wrestling event here?" I asked horrified and all the men exchanged glances.

"Well, it's not exactly wrestling, it wont be nearly as brutal", Master Cole replied, "these are just friendly matches meant to excite the crowds a little", he told me making me cringe, "No one here will get seriously injured"

"And even if they do they'll be fine by tomorrow"

All the three men gave Alpha Penson exasperated looks while he shrugged looking amused. My eyes were wide knowing that he had obviously hinted towards their kind's advanced healing abilities which I had already witnessed first-hand with Annabelle.

Yet another clue huh Alpha Penson? I thought uncertainly, Sometimes it feels like you're actually trying to leak your secret!

On looking out again I realized that the combat event for the women had just ended, and much to my surprise or should I say shock, Annabelle had participated and made it to the finals which would be held on a later date.

"I still can't believe you actually have an event like this here!" I told them, "It's not normal for a work place to promote dangerous activities like this!"

"Only those who are considered suitable are allowed to participate, so you don't need to worry", Zuerien told me making me glare at him.

"First of all, you need to be disqualified!" I told him making Master Cole and Alpha Marco chuckle and Zuerien's own eyes also crinkled in amusement making my irritation spike, "That will prevent half the damage! And what exactly does suitable mean?"

"Those who have prior experience in this sort of thing", he replied and my mouth fell open as I caught a glimpse of the large number of participants waiting their turn and then remembered that there had already been a female event before this.

How can there be that many people here with prior experience in combat?

Annabelle had participated and she had told me she was a warrior. And all those huge shirtless guys I had seen in the woods were also warriors.

Pack warriors...

Did that mean they were the ones participating in this event? Were the participants all wolves?

"Cole, Marco, go back to the grounds, I'll join you shortly", Zuerien said.

Both men nodded before rushing out the door and just then I heard a roar coming from the grounds. At that precise moment, Alpha Penson received a phone call, and excused himself, leaving me and Zuerien alone in the cabin.

The men's combat event had already commenced and I turned just in time to catch one abnormally muscle bound man hurling another equally abnormal looking man over his shoulder and onto the hard ground with a loud thud. I cringed. If a wolf warrior could fight like that then how much more their wolf King?!

I turned my gaze towards Zuerien. With biceps like those he probably weight lifted trees for his daily workout. He might end up throwing his competitors into the stands!

A loud whistle sounded followed by the announcement of a winner and the crowd erupted into cheers before two new names were announced and my desperation grew.

"Please go get disqualified!" I begged Zuerien, "For the sake of employee sustenance"

His lips quirked upwards, "So you agree that I'll win?" he asked and I bit my lip, "I agree that you'll clobber, and maybe produce casualties", I replied

He exhaled heavily and shook his head looking amused, "I won't kill anyone here"

Here??!! Does that mean he will kill them somewhere else, especially if he found out they knew about him being partly animal.

"But you will clobber?" I asked nervously he shrugged, "If necessary", he replied casually. I gulped, "And what if someone else clobbers you?" I asked and he snorted.

"That's not going to happen", he told me cockily and I frowned at him.

"Must you be so over-confident?" I asked, "At least consider what I'm saying, some of those men are the size of houses", I told him.

"Size doesn't matter", he told me and my frown deepened, "You won't feel quite the same when they are sitting on you!" I retorted.

He snorted, "Don't worry, they won't even be able to get close to me", he told me, "After all, there is only one person who is allowed that right"

I didn't have time to ponder his words as he suddenly bent down and buried his face in the crook of my neck making my eyes go wide. My cheeks immediately warmed and images of the kiss from earlier this morning flashed in my mind. Electric heat seared through my body and my heart rate sped up as he pressed himself closer to me and inhaled deeply.

"I see you wore the perfume", he whispered and I felt him smile against my skin making it hard for me to breath normally, "It's nice", he said, "But I prefer your natural scent far better"

There it was again. What natural scent was he talking about?!

Yet again I didn't get a chance to ask as that dreaded whistle blew announcing the commencement of another fight.

"Damn! I need to go", he whispered under his breath before reluctantly pulling away, "Stay here and rest. Don't go wandering off alone. I'll see you after the event", my shoulders slumped in defeat and I nodded, "And Suzzanah", I looked up at him, "You are okay, aren't you?"

His voice was uncertain, his eyes concerned and without even thinking about it I smiled widely at him reassuringly making his eyes widen, "Thank you, I'm alright now, really"

He didn't reply but just stared at me unblinking, with soft eyes lost in deep though, almost as though he had gone into a trance. My eyebrows furrowed and I was about to ask him what was wrong when yet another roar sounded from the fighting ring followed by cheering catching both our attention.

I winced eyeing the ring dejectedly before looking back at him, "Please don't die", I said and he snorted.

"I won't", he replied, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"And try not to kill anyone else", I said nervously, knowing that was probably the more difficult of the two and he seemed to share my thoughts.

"I'll make you a deal", he said suddenly bending towards me pulling me closer making my eyes widen, "If I win and manage to not injure my opponents too badly, then I get a prize from you", he said, "And it can be anything I want"

Before I could reply he bent down and pressed his lips to the hickey on my neck making tingles shoot through my body. And before I could resurface from my daze he turned and started to walk towards the door leaving me shocked and gaping, "And what if you lose?" I shouted after him in panic.

"I won't", he called back before closing the door behind him.

Now alone I had time to think about everything that had just happened. Even after confessing, I still had no appropriate answers. Because Alpha Penson had a bad habit of always leaving me with answers framed in the form of questions.

"Its either a hologram...or a ghost. You tell me, which one of the two is more...believable"

His words haunted me. Yes he had given me an explanation for my queries, but he given it in such a way that there were still blank spaces that didn't add up. He had left it upon me to choose whether to believe it or not.

If I did believe that it was a hologram, then that would mean that entire dream and the warnings about that dangerous man were all nothing but figments of my own imagination. But what about the woman in the woods who had appeared and disappeared just as suddenly as the blue-green eyed man? Had she been also been a hologram? Surely it couldn't be.

Alpha Penson didn't know that I had met this woman, so it was easy for him to stick to the theory of the holograms. But I had met her and the only way to ascertain his theory would be to tell him about her. He would have an explanation, he always does. Until then, it was best I put this entire mess behind me. It was far too draining to be dwelt upon.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to try and watch the matches instead. It had been Zuerien's turn when I tuned into the competition and I bit my lip worriedly although I wasn't sure if I was worried for Zuerien or his opponent whom I had never seen before. He was probably from one of the other branches abroad.

The minute Zuerien walked onto the Ground, every single person seated in the audience as well as all the participants stood up and bowed their heads in respect. Zuerien looked regal as he walked onto the fighting ring. Gone was his relaxed and mischievous side. With his head held high, his aura both authoritative and dominant, he looked every bit the King he was titled as. It was such a powerful sight to behold that I too involuntarily bowed my head, not taking my eye off his powerful presence.

After the audience and other participants were seated, the match began. The entire crowd went deathly silent and a sense of apprehension descended over the Game Grounds. I was a little surprised by Zuerien's demeanor, he was so calm that he nearly looked bored.

His opponent bowed to him again and Zuerien nodded at him, before the whistle blew and the man roared like a tank and charged at him. At didn't get any time to panic like a worry-wot because within a split second, the larger man spun in the air and landed on the ground, sprawled there unmoving. He was out cold. I gaped in shock.

What happened?

The entire crowd seemed to be wondering the same thing for a few seconds before bursting in thunderous applause. Zuerien hadn't even moved from his spot, so how had he won?! The large man was carried away and I wondered in horror if he was dead.

"I wont kill anyone here"

Wiping my brow, I started to nibble nervously on a potato chip. Yet another man walked onto the ring but Zuerien's indifferent expression didn't falter. And within the next ten seconds that man was also being carried away leaving the crowd utterly confused yet thrilled at the same time. This process repeated itself every time Zuerien had to fight, which thankfully wasn't very often as it seemed he only went against the strongest performers and yet no one even managed to land a finger on him.

Most of the other matches weren't quite as bad as I thought they would be. There was no tearing of limbs or disfiguring of faces or any other bloody maiming. Every fighter who came on seemed quite skilled. And whoever managed to pin the other person down for ten seconds, got them to surrender or knocked them unconscious won.

After a while I felt the need to use the washroom. I was about to get up when the referee announced the last match of the day and I nearly fell off couch when I heard the names of the competitors.

Master Zuerien Kai Royale vs. Master Cole Knightly

WHAAATTT?!!

Both the men walked onto the ring and yet again the entire crowd rose and bowed in respect to the Alpha and his second in command. For the first time that night Zuerien actually looked excited. I watched as Zuerien reached down and pulled his sweaty wife-beater off making my heart nearly stop and some women in the stands faint as the crowd went crazy in the loudest cheering of the evening. Master Cole repeated the action making some more women collapse. At this rate none of the females would even be awake for the match!

I tried not to stare but I couldn't help it when my eyes fell to Zuerien's abdomen and found a heart-stopping jaw-dropping six pack which rippled deliciously with his every movement. The muscles of his biceps bulged as he rolled his shoulders in preparation for the match. Thick veins pulsed rhythmically as they ran down the length of his sturdy arms and the muscles of his back flexed and glistened underneath a thin layer of sweat.

And I forgot how to breathe.

Both the men had arrogant smirks plastered across their faces. The entire field was pulsing with caged excitement waiting to be let loose. The crowd had been enveloped by a pin drop silence.

The referee put the whistle to his mouth and I sat on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat. It was like even the air around them knew that this was the most prominent event of the day as it had quieted down considerably. A peal of thunder flashed across the sky and for some reason I felt the need to tear my eyes away from the match.

And when I did my gaze immediately landed on one dark figure leaning against a pole opposite to the ring, just a small distance away from the cabin where we were seated. It was a man, dressed in a hoodie. He had a bottle of water in his hand and my eyebrows knit together in confusion when he poured some water into his cupped palm and then rhythmically moved his palm from side to side.

I frowned and was about to look away when he suddenly threw the water in his palm into the air, but instead of splattering everywhere, the water formed an almost solid looking straight line, not one drop escaping, before landing in his cupped palm again. I watched in disbelief as he repeated his actions again. It was almost as if he was controlling the water. And I nearly cried out in shock when the water suddenly formed a ball in his hands and he spun it on his fingertips.

How?...

Still spinning the somehow solidified ball of water, he looked up at the sky and then snapped the fingers of his other hand, and my breath caught in my throat when out of nowhere, yet another peal of thunder seared through the suddenly stormy sky. 

And then the whistle blew.

*****

A/N

Hello my darling readers,

This is the now officially the LONGEST chapter I have written, and hats off to you guys for  finishing it!! I deliberately made it much longer than the others, seeing as I don't know exactly when I'll be able to give you guys another update.

I know it's a sort of like cliffhanger but what am I gonna do :/ lol. Please be patient with me, I'll try my best to update again as soon as possible.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please please vote and comment to let me know what you think :)

Until next time,

All my love

Angel