---- Untimely: (of an event or act) happening or done at an unsuitable time. ----

And they had a plan, that I did not doubt. What I doubted was the outcome. 

When we came back from the pizzeria, Alpha Neil and Max were talking in the pack house's living room. They stopped their conversation and offered us to sit in the sofas with them.

"Business is finished." Max stated, looking at Noah and me. We both nodded and he leaned into the comfortable couch. "We leave tomorrow after breakfast."

"Wait, what?!" Beta Harper's voice boomed over the living room, drawing the attention of every soul. "What about the bonding time between you guys?" She pointed her finger and moved it forth and backwards between Alpha Neil and me. "They have to stay at least one night more!"

Alpha Neil arched his eyebrow and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his folded hands, giving Beta Harper all of his attention. The smiled spreading on his face gave off he knew his beta too well.

"Let's see Harps... What's cooking in that head of yours?"



It worked. I did not believe it myself, but somehow, they convinced father to let us stay a night more. He had indeed left ahead as he didn't like staying longer than necessary out of our pack.

I was staring back at my reflection still flabbergasted about the real meaning of this whole situation. It was the very first time in my life I was out of my pack without father's direct supervision. I was wearing a beautiful dress borrowed from the girl that was in that very moment braiding my hair. I was about to go to a party that same girl had put out in the last few hours. To celebrate Max's and my birthday. I was amazed.

She saw my face and giggled, grabbing my jaw and pushing it up to close my mouth.

"Riley, it's the 7th time I had to do that for you since I entered the room 15 minutes ago. Get over it already!"

I nodded, a little embarrassed, and leaned to put the mascara and finish my make-up.

"The mouth!!" I rolled my eyes to her complaint and she let out a small laugh. "I know, I know. I do that one too..."

I slapped her arm lightly and laughed with her. It was easy being with her and I could not help but think that I would very much like to call her friend sometime soon.

The day had went by in a rush and soon we were in a club filled with young wolves, drinks and deafening loud music. Obviously, there was flirting all around. All the boys, besides the marked Gamma Brendan, had been hovered by interested she-wolves from the moment we walked into the place. 

Maybe that was one of the reasons why Beta Harper had been glued to me from the beginning. Kaito had been trying to get her to dance with him, but to no avail. It hurt me to see the disappointment in his eyes. I suppose every mate has a limit on how much they can stand not touching their partner at all and Beta Harper was being pretty stubborn about it. 

Around ten in the evening I decided it was time to take a breather. I was trying to keep a normal pace of drinking in werewolf standards, but alcohol affected me way more than to them. Thank god I sneaked plenty of mocktails in between real ones.

I looked around to find Max dancing very close to a young red-haired beauty. I rolled my eyes and turned to the door, leaving the beast and its prey to continue their business. Which one was which was yet to be decided.

I strolled a bit around the entrance, enjoying the cold wind when I heard steps approaching me. I looked back to find a visit I did not expect.

"Alpha Neil." I bowed. This was literally the first time we spoke alone and I was not ready for it. I do not know why; I had just assumed he was not interested in me. "Everything OK?"

"I feel like I should be the one asking that." He handed me a jacket, probably his, and I rejected it. A shiver ran down my spine and I knew I really needed one in the moment. He rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Have it your way..."

"With all due respect, Alpha, I hardly get it my way." I stared at him, the idea of being nice to him went down the drain. I could not afford giving him the slightest impression that I fancied him. "If I had, I wouldn't be here, meeting Alphas looking for out-of-mate-bond partners."

"Well, isn't that a tad hypocritical on your part?" I glared at him and he held the eye contact without blinking. "Do not try to criticize me when you are having an out-of-mate-bond relationship yourself."

That hurt. He was right, but he had no idea what kind of luggage I was carrying. I sighed and brushed my arms, feeling the goosebumps expanding all over my body. He offered his jacket again and this time I took it with a small thanks. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to snap at you like that." His voice broke the silence while I was pulling the warm coat on me. My eyes met with his again and he gestured towards a bench that was nearby. When we sat down, he continued. "To be fair, I was about to give up, but just a month ago, Harper showed up with this 32-year-old dingus claiming to be her mate."

My eyes opened wide and he nodded slowly, a knowing smile stretching on his face.

"You are telling me Kaito is 32?!" I looked around, looking for someone that could deny the fact, but we were completely alone. "Seriously 32?! I mean, he doesn't look a day older than Noah!" Alpha Neil was enjoying my reaction so he sat back while I freaked out. It took me a couple of minutes of repeating again and again the same sentences but, after a while, I kind of accepted it and let my mind get past that piece of information to analyze the rest. "So Kaito has been waiting for so long..."

"Well, waiting..." Alpha Neil ran a hand through his dark reddish hair and smirked lightly. "Let's rather say: he didn't settle down. You see, he is the CEO of his own software company and... He has a name for being one of the most desirable and accessible-for-a-night-stand bachelors, especially in human gossip magazines."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the reason for Beta Harper's behavior. Can't be very nice to know that your mate has slept with half the population of the country. Assuming he didn't sleep with guys too.

"Damn..." The cleverest word my mouth has ever uttered, I know.

"I cannot blame the guy. 32 years is a lot when there are people who find their mates on their 18th birthday. Looks like even his own wolf had been AWOL for a couple of years." Alpha Neil sighed and I nodded. "Nonetheless, it is good to know it's never too late. I know my pack needs a Luna, and an heir, but I simply can't give up."

"I wish I had that chance..." The words spilled under my breath but it was not low enough to avoid the werewolf hearing. The alpha gave me a weird look and I forced a smile rolling my eyes and stood up. "Time to go back before they forget about us." He decided to go with the flow and ignore my comment, but he said he would stay a little longer out. I nodded and walked to the entrance, stopping in front of it. I turned my head slightly back to look at him, to find him staring back at me. "Thanks for the pep talk, Alpha Neil."

I entered the bar without waiting for an answer. I scanned the area and located Noah in a corner, talking with Gamma Brendan and Beta Harper. Max was letting a couple of girls grind themselves against him, though he didn't look that much interested. It took me a while finding Kaito, but I just had to follow the beta's unmoving and deathly glare to spot him near the bar, talking with a beautiful and petite Asian woman.

I guessed he probably didn't even notice the flirtatious ways of the girl in front of him, but Beta Harper was not taking his friendliness to other women that well. I decided to approach them and see what was going on.

When I was just a couple of steps away from them, Kaito's gaze met mine and gave me a friendly smile. I was worried he was still holding a grudge for my comments on the car, but he seemed to have gone over it already. I smiled back and stopped in front of them, turning my face to the girl.

I could notice she was annoyed by my sudden interference, but she tried to mask it with a smile that was nearly as fake as she was trying to make it sweet. The poor girl didn't know I was literally saving her life in the moment.

"Hey there! Are you enjoying the evening?" I was well aware making small talk or starting a fruitless conversation was not my strongest point, but I still had to try.

"Could be better but..." Kaito's eyes trailed of to Beta Harper's direction, but he shook his head and focused back on me. The message was obvious but, by the expanding grin on her face, I could guess the girl next to us hadn't received the proper signal. "Well, this is Sakiko, she's from the Old Moon pack and she's here for a visit. She happens to speak very good Japanese. "The girl was beaming, now puffing her chest with pride. I did not like the way this was rolling. How did she make it to interpret all of his words in a positive way? He wasn't even looking at her anymore! "Sakiko, this is Riley, daughter of the alpha of the Cockcrow pack. She and her brother over there are the birthday boy and girl we are throwing this party for."

She looked at me and then at my brother, assessing us. I waited a moment for her to address me first, showing the respect I deserved as the daughter of an alpha, but it didn't look like she was going to remember her manners any time soon.

"Nice to meet you Sakiko."

She mumbled a short greeting and stepped closer to Kaito, as if she was taking dibs on him. I was about to roll my eyes when I saw Kaito moving ever so slightly away from her. It was so natural she didn't even notice. She was too busy staring at me with a challenging sparkle in her eyes.

I decided it was the moment to order some drink and easy the tension she was building up. I stepped in between them to get closer to the bar counter, but she launched herself into his arm, trying to grab it. Kaito dodged her in a swift movement, which surprised her, but she did not give up. Soon they both where moving towards the dance floor with him taking a step back per each step she took towards him. Did she really not understand his message yet?

I was pretty surprised he was even able to dodge other people on his backwards movement. After a few more steps, I realized that, rather than people, he was avoiding touching other girls. I let out a small chuckle and decided to go and help him. He was going to bump soon against the opposite wall of the local.

"Sakiko, would you please refrain from touching me?" His voice sounded constricted and I could see his eyes flicker a bit. His wolf was unsettled with the situation. 

"And why should I?" The flirtatious tone in her voice sent an uncomfortable shiver though my body. My goddess he had bumped into a stubborn one...

She had finally cornered him against the wall and was lifting her hand slowly, directing it towards his toned chest. I sped up to avoid disaster, but before I could reach them, a hand grabbed her wrist in a quick movement and twisted her arm to paralyze her movements.

"Basically, because he asked you to?" The words melted with the low growl that set everyone around into alert mode. Beta Harper was trying to control her anger, but I could swear I saw steam fuming from her body. "If you need anymore reasons, I can give you a couple more..."

That was it. Gamma Brendan, Noah and me jumped around the pissed beta and grabbed her to calm her down. She blinked several times, successfully recovering control from her wolf, and let the girl's arm free.

Without saying a word, she turned around and stomped to the exit, leaving the whimpering girl behind. As incredible as it might be, she did try one last time sending a pleading look at Kaito, but he was already hot on Beta Harper's heels.

She pouted and trailed her gaze to me, expecting some kind of compassion, but I just shrugged and turned around in search for my brother. This party was over.

When I found him, he was talking with another guy, ignoring the girls fawning over him. I didn't need to get to close for him to notice me and a sign was enough for him to understand. I headed outside first, knowing he was going to follow after soon.

I slammed the door open and trooped outside, finding three boys sitting on the bench. They looked tired and happy about going back home already. I laughed lightly and got closer to them.

"Beta Harper and Kaito?" I looked around but they where nowhere to be seen. "Did they go ahead?"

Gamma Brendan shook his head and signed towards the alley next to the bar. I nodded, understanding they needed privacy. It just took a couple of minutes more for Max to exit the bar too, making us all ready to go.

I walked to the alley stomping my feet a bit, trying to warn them I was arriving. Still, the scene I found when I turned the corner confirmed I hadn't been loud enough.

Kaito was holding onto Beta Harper's body like for dear life. His head was buried into the crook of her neck and was obviously inhaling her scent deeply. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was caressing his straight black hair lovingly.

My heart squeezed at the sight. I would never have that. At least not until I was cured. And if my mate had decided to wait for me.

I brushed those thoughts away and cleared my throat loudly. This time they did snap out of their perfect world of two and I felt deeply sorry for disturbing them.

Beta Harper tried to push him away, but Kaito didn't relax his hold around her waist. He just looked at me and nodded. His wolf was showing in his eyes. I turned around to find Alpha Neil on the phone, probably calling for someone to pick us up.

When I arrived to the bench, Alpha Neil's face was white as a sheet of paper. He looked at Max and then at me, to land his eyes on Max again. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, but no words came out.

"What's wrong Alpha?" Gamma Brendan broke the tense silence asking what we were all wanting to hear.

"Guys, I am..." His voice died down, but he swallowed a couple of times and continued. "I am very sorry. They just informed me Alpha Donovan's vehicle was attacked. He..." A chill run through my spine and I could see my brother's eyes wide as plates. "He is dead."

A/N

Nice people that read this story, I have to apologize. I was supposed to finish and upload this chapter much sooner, but I got kind of bad news from my family and I couldn't cope with everything at once: preparations for the trip (thank god I am on my way home already), work, the news...

Still, in the end it looks like it is not as bad as they thought at the beginning, so I can take all of my planes with a much less stressed heart.

Chaaanging the topic because I do not want to be all depressing: Alpha Donovan is dead O.o
Did I just say I did not want to be depressing? Haha! Still, I cannot say I am sad about it...

What will happen from now on... Who knows! =P

Do not forget to vote and comment if you liked the chapter! (A pretty long one with a lot of filler, but well, I did say this one and chapter 13th were supposed to be only one ^^U...)

Love, Koe