You need to calm down

Grace felt as if her heart would stop, but it was beating faster and faster. Too fast for her liking so she clutched it, trying to slow it down. Her breaths start to become uneven and her vision started to blur.

"Grace, you need to calm down."

"But, you said," she took a deep breath. Her tent was silent which meant that the couple inside were either listening or sleeping. "You said that I was human. You said that only human children are born if one of their parents are human."

"I said that if a parent is human, then there's a chance. I didn't say that your's were and neither did I say that you're human." Malick tried to sound soft, but he could never and his voice came out rough. "Now breath and calm down, or you're going to faint."

Grace took in deep breaths but wasn't able to go clean. Suddenly, Mathew peaked through Jude's tent, "what's going on?"

He turned to see Grace struggling and was on his feet in a flash. He almost tripped on the tent and rushed to her side. "What happened Grace?" He grabbed onto her shoulders and rubbed her back with one hand. "Breath." He said softly.

For some reason, Mathew's soothing voice and his flawless hand rubbing her back, helped Grace take a deep breath and relax. Once she'd calm down, he turned to his pack mates and glared around, "why were you guys just staring at her?"

"We thought that she would be fine." Fred shrugged and Mathew held himself from jumping onto the guy and punching a few times. "Or, we might've just wanted to see your reaction. So, tell me Mathew, what are your intentions?"

"Nothing. You guys are absolutely out of your mind."

"Alright, stop Fred, that's enough interrogating from you. There's a reason why you're in charge of attack and defense and not interrogations and advice." Malick ordered him to sleep and glanced back at his niece. He felt bad for her, what she must be going through is unbelievable. "I'm sorry Grace, get some sleep though. We might have to meet unwanted travelers tomorrow."

"No," she said trying to clear her vision. "Tell me, why can't I remember anything? Why was my memory erased? Who did it?"

Grace waited for her uncle to speak but it was Lucas who answered, "Your memory was erased so you were kept safe and protected. And the person who erased it; it was your father."

One of the black wolves whined at the other when it was pinned down onto the trees. It snarled, trying to push free, but the other wolf was stronger. A few wolves passed by, not even sparing a glance at them but the leader of the pack couldn't take it anymore.

"Can you both stop the ruckus?" The man huffed, ignoring the cold weather sticking to his naked top. "I've been so patient with you both, but you just keep getting more annoying every second. Walk like normal wolves or shift back before I bite off your heads."

The two wolves stopped, whimpering in submission before they shifted back into their human forms. The one that was pinned down huffed in exhaustion while the other just patted his shoulders to calm down. They were given shorts to cover up and soon stood, walking to catch up with their leader.

"Stop using your rank to make us listen," the shorter one said.

"Not my fault that you're dumb and dumber." A few wolf snickered walking past. Only a few of them were in their human forms while the rest stayed animal; their fur kept them warmer. "You don't notice that I'm speaking to you if I use my normal tone."

"Whatever Luke," the other man said, running his fingers through his hair. "Not our fault that you dragged us into a pack hunt when we're newly mated. You know very well how mates are, specially the new ones, still you ordered us to come along." He let out a tired sigh, "I'm supposed to be cuddling with him on my bed, making love. Not, running around the woods, killing."

"Don't use that name on me!" Luke bitterly said, glaring at his friend.

"Fine, Rust…" the other rolled his eyes as 'Rust' continued their conversation as if he hadn't snapped at him.

"What can I say, you guys are my most powerful men." Rust's eyes turned red again, showing that he was sickly excited for something.

"I don't like that look," the shorter one said, moving closer to his mate, Tim, who securely wrapped his arms around the guy. "I also don't like the dark, maybe we should stop to rest and start in the morning again?"

"You know we can't," Rust replied. "We don't want to be late, or the King would be mad and I'd most probably get sliced off; no thank you. Plus, it's easier this way, we might catch up to those idiots."

"I wonder why they didn't attack last morning…"

"I don't know too, and I also don��t understand what they're doing in the mountains. They had two newly mated wolves too, something's not right." Rust rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched his two close friends cuddle with love. Something was not going as to their plans, and Rust knew it. He just didn't know what it was but there was only one way to find out: they have to get to the hikers fast.

"I can't believe we didn't think to check the packs down south all this time," Tim thought out loud. "I mean, what if the girl was in that pack all along and we've been walking past her every single time? If the King finds out, we might as well be dead."

Rust flickered his eyes at his friend but chose not to open his mouth; he's been like this for a long time and might as well be the same for a few more months.

"I have a feeling-"

"Hey Rust, check this out." A member from the pack muted Tim's voice. "It looks like someone's been camping out late." He was referring to the group of people that they'd seen when arriving at the southern pack.

Rust walked towards the spot and kneeled down to touch the burnt wood. He could see that there were a few foot prints around the area, and saw a lead to where the hikers were walking to. The piece of wood was not hot, which only meant that they've been here last night. He stood up, wiping his hands, frowning as he saw foot prints from all over the directions; the night vision helped a lot.

"Do they know that we might be following them?" He asked to no one in particular, but a man answered anyway.

"Maybe, but then you can see more footprints on this side, which means that they went this way. But why try to confuse us?"

"A better question for you all," Tim started giving Rust a glance. "Why are they on foot? No paws, and defiantly no sign of hunting activity on the way here."

"Something's up, we need to catch them." Rust said telling everyone to walk ahead and follow the footprints. "What is he up to now? If he's here then that daughter must be too." He mumbled the last part.

"Do you think the King knows about these hikers in the mountains?" His friend asked oblivious to Rust's comment, half carrying his mates weight with him. Rust shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck.

"If he knew about them then he would've told us straight to attack the LightMoon Pack. If the girl's with them then he would've come out here himself instead of beating around the bush with us."

"Should we tell him about it?"

"And what will we get in return?"

"Why do you ask that?" He was confused on why Rust was suddenly talking against their pack. "What's going on in that head of your's Luke?"

"Rust!"

"Right, sorry. Rust."

"Have you ever thought of what life would be if we weren't born in this pack? Don't you want to live peacefully with your mate?" Rust glanced at his short friend to see him nod off to sleep a little as they walked.

"What do you think? Of course I have, I always will."

"When we were at the LightMoon Pack, when I was attacking the Delta and her mate," Rust sighed, not knowing why he was feeling this way. "I've never felt such things when we killed before but today, I felt something that I shouldn't have felt. And it's making me hesitate towards the King. I have a good idea that it's because of those hikers…"

He knew that he shouldn't say any of this out loud, he's not safe anymore, but he trusted this guy. He's been friends with him since his shift and he trusted him more than he trusted his own brother.

"I feel like, as if we've been wrong the whole time, Tim, I don't think I can keep this up. It's so sudden but so strong." Rust wiped his hands on his shorts and glanced around the woods to see if any of his pack members have heard.

Tim nodded, obviously understanding his friend, "I know, I feel the same way. But, it's better if we stay on the King's side for now, until we get the chance to leave. You need to follow his every word, so he doesn't suspect you. It's time you finally accept the truth."

"Yes, I guess you're right. Maybe it's just a phase and I'll get over it tomorrow."

Tim didn't comment on that but deeply thought that it wasn't the case. He wanted his friend to be safe and clean, but he knew it wasn't possible. It's a miracle that Rust feels uneasy to kill an innocent, and he shouldn't expect him to suddenly be all rainbows and unicorns about it.

"Alright," Rust spoke loud enough for his team to listen. "Let's rest for five and then keep going. We need to catch up to the hikers before they get to the top." Once everyone nodded and spilt up to rest, Rust sighed once again, "or chaos will come upon us and we'd get killed during the process of fighting for what we want." He muttered under his breath, but Tim heard him loud and clear.

Sarah picked up her daughters clothes from the guest room and sniffed it early in the morning, feeling the sadness flush through her body. She's only lost her mate-figure of a husband and all she wanted was to cuddle with her last child and wash all her worries. When she'd arrived at the town, she had made up her mind to tell Grace the truth, but now since she has time, she's switching sides.

Ever since the day Jeramy walked into her life, everything's changed. At first, she didn't like it herself, but then the bundle of joy named Grace brainwashed her and she didn't care a bit. Her brother, Malick fought with her for the first time ever. Sure, they'd fight here and there when they were kids, but the day she made the promise to Jeramy, she was surrounded by a lot people but so alone at the same time.

Malick swore to never call her his sister; he talked, but never addressed her like the past. But after the storm, she didn't know how her relationship was going with her brother. He'd called her to find out about Jeramy's death and had called her by her name, sounding so tender.

The main reason for his hate was because of Jeramy. When he'd found out that his sister was going to marry and mate some stranger, he didn't care if he was being selfish. Sarah understood, she did. That's why she didn't fight back and kept her distance like she'd promised. Now, as she thought over it, she'd made a lot of promises. And most of them were being fulfilled, but the strongest of them all was still in process. All Sarah wanted to do was finish her part and be over with it. All she wanted now was to live peacefully and soon go to her mate in heavens.

She knew that he'd be there with someone else, but she'd hoped that he'd take her into his arms without hesitating; she deserved it. She knew, that no matter how much she loved him, and no matter the love he'd return; she'd always be the second. She should know, he'd always be the second for her too. But, sometimes, it hurts for her to think.

She wanted to be selfish.

She wanted him all to herself, alive or dead.

She wanted Grace to herself, and keep her safe till death brings them apart.

She wanted to escape the cruel world.

A knock on the door snapped Sarah back to reality. She sighed, tucking her daughter's blouse under her arms as she continued her search.

"You've been going at it since we've arrived, you missed breakfast too." Susan reminded her sitting down on the neatly made bed. Sarah shrugged, sure she was, but she hasn't found what she's been looking for. "Give it a rest will you? Maybe the thing got lost in the storm."

Sarah shook her head, "no, Grace isn't careless. She'd store it somewhere safe, I'm sure. Did you see her eat her pills before she went?"

Susan sheepishly smiled, "you know that we were a little busy with-"

"So you didn't?" Sarah didn't need a reply to confirm her worries. What if Grace had been forgetting the pills? She was sure going to get into trouble fast.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine."

"No she won't," Susan was starting to get on her nerve. Even if she's dearest sister-in-law, the one who supported her when her brother didn't. "She's probably forgotten like all of you have. And if she did, then she'll get hurt. No matter how many wolves are there to protect her, they'll find her and they won't be nice at all.

"And to top it all, she doesn't even know herself. She's too pure and innocent. She's too young to be hated on. She's a non-shifter Susan, I don't know if you know what that means-"

"I know what that means."

"Well, don't need to get all roughened up. All I'm trying to say is that she's alone on this. Being able to not shift means that she won't be able to find her mate. Her mate is the only one who can protect her." Sarah paused, stopping her search. "Now tell me, how is she going to survive the mountains? The one that has monsters running around to snack."

"Now when you put it like that, I think I get it."

"Good for you."

"Come on, I'm trying to cheer you up here!"

"Because you don't have anything else to do?"

"You don't mean that…"

"Yes, I don't." Sarah huffed sitting beside Susan, "I'm sorry." She was forgiven the next second, that's what's amazing about her sister-in-law: she had the heart of a feather; so soft yet with a bendable spine. "How is it for you without Malick?"

"Better than what you'd feel, so no need to worry about me." Susan knew that the comment didn't harm her, so she continued. "What are you searching for anyways?"

"I was searching for the pills at the start, but then, I'm looking for a jewel as well."

"A jewel?" Curiosity got the better of Susan.

"Yes, I don't know how it looks like, or in what form. But it's a jewel." Sarah fumbled with the blouse, "it might be a bracket, anklet, earrings, necklace… I don't know. But it's Grace's, so she must have it here."

"What is it about? If you don't even know about it, then it must be very important."

"Mm. It was the only 3D thing that was shared between the father and daughter. He'd told me about the jewel and what it does, but he never told me how it looked and why he'd given it to her." Sarah huffed annoying, returning to her search. She knew that she should've asked him about it years ago, but she was just not interested in it. It was something they'd shared and she didn't want to interrupt.

"What is it to the jewel?"

"It's a piece of art, kind of. Like, magic, but not from the warlocks or witches. The jewel holds more power than any magic ever known." Susan sucked in a breath in surprise, but Sarah didn't seem affected as she continued. "No one knows the soul that lends the power, but Jeramy being Jeramy, he was able to find the soul and made a deal.

"He didn't tell me what the deal was about, but he'd said that he'd gotten the jewel in return. It's so perfect that no one would know it's powers even if it's right under their nose! It's sacred like that. He'd made it for Grace, he'd said that it would protect her if things went wrong. The pills were only after she'd turned eighteen but the jewel: she possessed it since birth.

"Obviously Grace doesn't know this, but Jeramy had her promise that she'd never separate from it. And it became their thing you know, they were so cute together." Sarah's eyes shined as a tear left its birth place. "My bundle of joys." She cried, not caring if Susan was near. After a while, she slowly stopped, rubbing her eyes tiredly and Susan took it as a cue to ask a question.

"And what made you think that she'd left it here?"

"No, I'm searching for it so I don't find it." Susan frowned at the answer. "I'm looking for it so I know that she has it with her to keep her safe. If I don't find it, then I can still hope to see my daughter."

So that's what they did. They searched the whole room to find the secret jewel. They didn't find neither the pills nor the jewel, which made Sarah happy.

While they were going at it for the last time, searching again, just to make sure, Ryne and Jake were outside planning to resettle the town to its original state. They had safely buried the bodies in coffins so they don't get disturbed or be a disturbance until the team returns. They'd also sorted out the guarding patrols and the training sessions.

Ryne was starting to get tired of working for the pack by herself. Sure, she was a very important person for the pack and her status held a big roll, but after Grace, everything in the pack quietened down. Now, to have so many problems all in one hand, she couldn't do it.

Ryne glanced at her brother, smiling slightly. He'd grown so much over the past year or so. When he'd left to explore the world, he was young, innocent and very single. Now, he's not so innocent and definitely not single. He's still young though, but Ryne didn't want to think of it any other way. If she did, then she'd have to accept the fact that she was growing old herself and she's still having trouble getting pregnant.

She had visited so many doctors around the country for why she couldn't, none of them made sense. She was a female with a womb and all the things needed for a baby to be formed. Ryne's mate is healthy, so there's no problem there. Then, there's the fact that they are both werewolves, which meant that getting pregnant should be the easiest out of all the work. Not for Ryne, no, she found it the hardest but she didn't give up.

Jake looked at the two sisters through the open door: they were searching something and the way they are acting made him laugh, "are they in a rush?" He teasing said to his sister. "What are they even looking for?"

"I don't know," she answered back not even glancing at the ladies, she was too concentrated on her brother. There was an uncomfortable silence for a minute.

"Okay, what happened?" Jake finally asked, stopping his work and placing both his arms crossed between his chest. He stood tall and brave; it almost made Ryne cry in joy.

"Nothing, I'm just enjoying my time with my brother whom I'm met after a long time."

"We were only away from each other for a few years, plus, you have your mate to keep you warm. I doubt that you missed me."

"Not true," Ryne replied, continuing her task. She knew that they had to finish sorting pack-works before something else attacks them again. "The love I get from my brother differs from the love I get from my lover. I'm a selfish person and I don't care, I want both." Jake kept his face poker, even though he knew it would make his sister feel worse.

"You're not selfish. You might be stubborn and annoying as hell for a sister, but you're defiantly not selfish. You know that," was his reply. When they were little, he never understood why his sister spoke different to all the other kids in school. He never really understood why she always degrades herself, but now he'd guess spot on.

"So, you found your mate." She was changing the subject and Jake didn't fight over. His mouth twitched a little as he let out a chuckle.

"Sure," the reminder of his mate made Jake want to crawl back into her lap.

"That's it? That's all you're going to say to your sister?"

"You've already met her at the hide out, what else?"

"I want details, idiot."

"Okay, so… she's a girl…"

"Jake!"

"Fine, fine." Jake laughed, holding onto the edge of the table with one hand, while the other clutched his stomach. Soon, he calmed down and glanced at his frowning sister. "She's everything I hoped to find in a mate, she's perfect. Not perfect in every way, no, she's nowhere near that. I didn't know that she snored like crazy until a week into our relationship. But she's perfect; she's perfect for me."

Ryne smiled, finally she could let one part of her shoulders down. Her brother was happy and safe, it made her feel ten times better and made her heart beat with hope; maybe she's not too late to keep trying.

"Hey," a voice interrupted their sibling moment. Ryne jumped, not liking that she was caught off guard and Jake placed a hand over his beating heart. "Sorry to startle-"

"It's fine Charlotte."

It took a second for Ryne to register who Jake was referring to, but immediately turned around, eyes wide. "Charlotte! What are you doing here?!"

"Um… I just wanted to come out and-"

"There's no reason to be out of the hideout. How did you get out anyways? It's too dangerous, what if we get attacked again?" Ryne was so focused on bombarding the girl with questions that she missed the frightened look. Jake moved around the table and placed an arm on his sister's shoulder.

"Ryne, calm down. You're scaring her."

Ryne stopped, then glanced at Charlotte's stomach. She's couldn't stop herself, but ever since she got told that young Charlotte was pregnant with a baby, she'd gotten a little jealous. She tried to remind herself that Charlotte's a friend to Jake and Grace, that she shouldn't get jealous.

Jake noticed his sister's sudden quietness and excused himself, dragging his friend away. "Can you try not to go near my sister?"

"Why?" Charlotte can be too oblivious sometimes, that it shocks Jake every time. He gave her a look but she still couldn't catch on. Jake sighed before enlightening her, "she's been trying to get pregnant since the time you turned sixteen. Give her a break and try not to shove your future-swollen-belly at her face."

Charlotte's eyes finally widen in understanding and gasped a little, "oh my god, I'm so sorry! I've totally forgotten that! Everything has been rushed and chaos is everywhere; she seemed fine and I'd forgotten how it might feel for her to be near me! Oh my god, I should go and never come back!"

"What?"

"Yes, that's probably a good idea! She wouldn't be seeing my face and I can come back, after she gets pregnant herself…"

"What?!" Jake was annoyed, girls can get too over-the-moon sometimes. "NO! Stop!" The girl sucked in a breath, eyes wide at Jake for shouting. "You're not going anywhere and don't need to. All I was trying to say is that try to do whatever Ryne tells you so she doesn't have to think twice about you for the time being. She's always going to be thinking too much from now on, but just because of that, it doesn't mean that you can't get pregnant and have a baby and a family yourself."

"A family?" Charlotte repeated softly, "Tommy always wanted a family… he wanted three children: two boys and a girl. You know, so she could be protected."

"Oh no, what did Jake get himself into?" Sarah's voice reached them just as the said girl started to tear up.

"Help me." Jake turned around, begin with his eyes. 'I'm so confused on why she's so sensitive…'

'I thought that you are a smart kid,' Sarah mind linked him back. 'She's pregnant idiot, what'd you expect her to do? Agree on everything everyone says and be pushed around? Leave her be.'

"Why is everyone dying to call me an idiot?" Jake whined out loud rubbing his face in exhaustion. Susan snickered behind Sarah, she's a human so she couldn't hear what the mind link was about. But, she's been around the pack for a long time to understand along the line.

"I can't wait to see your mate get pregnant…"

"As much I'd love that Susan, I'm not planning it for the time being."

"I don't know why you let him call you that…" Sarah scrunched her face, not supporting the idea of young children in the pack calling her by her name, as if they're 'friends'.

"It's only because I see him as my own son."

"You say that to everyone-"

"Because everyone's my sons and daughters."

"Now, to think that I was starting to feel special…" the three of them chuckled, but remembered that they had a crying pregnant woman to sort out and turned their attention to the said mascara smudged, stubborn, pregnant girl.