Should I go?

I am sitting in class on a Tuesday afternoon while there is a dangerous virus attacking werewolves all over the world. The situation is so surreal that I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

It's been two days since the night we all sat in my brother's cabin and found out that our lives were about to change.

This was supposed to be my year of discovering myself and exploring the world outside my pack. But if there is a war between Legion and Shadows, my pack will most likely join. I can't abandon them at a time like this.

It feels almost cowardly to stay here, living life at Woodbridge, when there is a fabricated disease killing people and stealing their wolves.

It's also unfair for us to be the only ones who know.

There are only three other future alphas attending this year. One of them is Tyler Dagon, which means he must know. But Aiden doesn't trust the other two enough to speak with them.

No one is sure just how far the Council will go in order to keep this quiet. Old men always love holding on to their power, no matter the cost.

Aiden, embracing his role as future alpha of the Shadow pack, told us that night to remain quiet about this until we have any suspicion that the virus is close. If that happens, it's more important that people know than any repercussions from the Council. They need to protect themselves.

Until now, every case has been far away from here. But we don't even know how this thing spreads. According to River, who is already back with our dad, there have been 12 new cases since he first told us. The bizarre things is that they have not emerged from direct transmission.

The victims didn't know each other and weren't close to other cases before falling ill.

Nothing about this makes sense.

I know that my dad and Aiden's, along with other trusted alphas, are doing their own investigation. They can't trust the council, considering their behavior. Everyone is working tirelessly to figure this out, but it just makes me more nervous to know that the virus can strike anywhere, at any time.

Our teacher of "Healing science" is going on and on about how different wounds affect werewolves. He's excitedly explaining how fast our body is capable of recovering from something as serious as a bullet wound. All I want to do is put my hand up and ask how quickly we can recover from a deadly disease that is turning our wolves feral.

By the look on Cami's face, she's thinking the same. We all have been feeling really anxious since coming back to classes on Monday, the morning we were told about the virus. Aiden especially has been severally distressed with all the responsibility that comes with decision-making. I can feel his almost constant tension through the mating pull, meaning his feelings are significantly scaled up.

As soon as the bell rings, Cami and I are quick to get up and leave our last class of the day. Ivy, Caiden, and Marcus must be confused about our behavior and avoidance but are probably connecting it to the Bonfire scandal.

Considering the constant whispers I've been trying hard to ignore about that dreadful night, focusing mainly on Aiden and me, it's not much of a stretch for them to think I'm most likely running away from the gossip. I wish it were something that trivial.

The truth is that my best friend and I don't think we can disguise our distress if we're with them. They'll know something much more severe than boy (or mate) problems is happening. So we're avoiding.

"We're cowards," I tell Cami as we hurriedly make our way to her car.

"Yeah," she agrees. "Complete cowards."

Already inside the car, I let out a huge breath. "I feel so bad for not telling them."

"Me too..." Cami looks at me with troubled eyes. "But we can't, Vi."

"I know. It just sucks."

"You heard what Aiden said yesterday." she reminds me. "The alphas are trying to convince the council to release the truth. If they don't, we will do it as soon as there is a close enough case."

"I just hope that we tell people in time."

I'm in a constant state of tension; mine and Aiden's stress is flowing through the bond and intensifying each other.

I wonder if he felt my pain when he reject me. I think I was too overwhelmed by my own pain to be able to feel anything from him through the mating pull.

If there is a way to avoid someone becoming a victim if somebody had informed them, I'll feel responsible. We'll be accountable—all of us who know and aren't telling others. And the Council, who is keeping us quiet by threats and force, is the guiltiest of us all. They are supposed to keep us safe, but all they care about is keeping themselves and their positions safe.

When we reach the dorms, we make our way inside with heavy hearts.

As soon as we enter the building, many heads turn our way. There is a group of girls sitting on the couch of the common room.

I ignore their looks as I make my way to the stairs, intent on getting to our floor.

"Slut." One of them coughs.

Cami starts to turn around immediately, but I grab her arm and shake my head. "Not worth it."

She narrows her eyes but follows me to our dorm.

"Haven't girls evolved enough not to name-call each other?" She angrily questions as we take off our jackets and sit on the beds.

"I guess not." I sigh, my head aching. This situation is exhausting, and it's giving me a growing pain in my temple.

We chill in the room for a while when I feel the mating pull tug at me. A moment later, a knock sounds from outside.

Cami looks at me, confused.

"It's Aiden," I tell her as I get up to open the door.

"Oh." Her tone is teasing.

My eyes roll as I turn the knob. Aiden's right outside, standing there with a soft smile.

"Hey, little wolf."

"Hi," I tell him, crossing my arms. "What's up?"

When he doesn't answer right away, I frown. Panic starts to fasten my breathing. With everything going on, my mind takes me straight to the worst scenario. "Is something wrong? Did something happen? Is everyone okay?"

My mate widens his eyes. "No, no! Nothing happened!

Thank the goddess.

I nod and calm myself.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I was just working myself up to ask you a question." He confesses sheepishly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

My eyebrows scrunch. "What do you wanna ask?"

"I was thinking we could kill two birds with one stone." He says, confusing me even more.

"Our wolves need time together. I thought we could go for a run and then, if you're up for it, have a date."

My wolf immediately perks up inside me. Knowing that only the human half of our soulmate intended to reject us made her all the more anxious and excited to spend time with the wolf half. Honestly, I'm looking forward to it as well.

Still, with everything going on, I'm not sure now is the right time.

"Aren't you super busy with everything that is going on?" I ask thoughtfully.

"Yes. But you're my priority, Violet. Earning your forgiveness is still the most important thing on my mind." He states firmly.

I'm going to ignore how those words give me a warm feeling inside.

"Thank you, Aiden. But I understand that you have duties. I don't want to get in the way; we need to stop this virus as quickly as possible."

"That's true, little wolf. But spending some time with you when I can is crucial. Or I won't be able to focus."

I yield. "Fine, I'll go for a run with you."

My mate smiles brightly, noticeably pleased with my decision, and offers me his arm. "Let's go, then."

I ignore his arm and pass him, walking in front of him. He chuckles but quickly catches up, walking beside me.

When we pass the common room, the group of girls is still there. This time, they stay quiet. But I'm sure gossip will start as soon as we exit the building.

At least I still haven't crossed paths with Erin.

When we reach the densest area of the woods, I don't say anything as I go behind a bush to crouch and get undressed.

Still hidden, I let the transformation take over me. It's not excruciatingly painful, like the first time I ever shifted, but it's still uncomfortable to feel my bones twisting and adapting to the wolf form. Thankfully, it doesn't last long.

When I emerge from my hideout, Aiden is already waiting for me.

His wolf is enormous, with brownish/blonde fur, much like his hair color. I can't help but feel entirely mesmerized by the energy that surrounds the powerful predator in front of me. All of him exudes alpha power, much greater than any wolf I know, even my father.

This is the wolf that will be the leader of the most powerful pack in the world...and it shows. It's hard to acknowledge that he is also my destined mate. It's even harder to think about what that means for my own future. Because he rejected me at first, I didn't even have time to process that having him as a mate makes me the future Luna of the shadow pack, which is terrifying.

My wolf makes us walk up to our giant mate and promptly rubs herself against him, finally enjoying direct contact with her fated other-half. Aiden, or his wolf, bends his neck down and locks us in a hug with his head resting on top of ours.

We stay like that for a minute, until he disengages from the embrace and licks my whole snout. I sneeze, glaring at his playful wolfy grin.

This seems like the perfect time to start running, while he is distractedly teasing me. So I shoot ahead, slightly bumping him with my body.

It's not long before he catches up, much like he did in the hallway outside my dorm, and we end up side by side. It honestly feels amazing to run with him, unbothered by human dilemas. If running feels like freedom then running beside him feels like home. A warm and cozy feeling of belonging to somewhere, or, in this case, to someone.

Even if the human side of our mate, Aiden, messed things up, being with him still feels right. I hope one day I will feel as at home with the human as I feel with his wolf. Because at the end of the day, I can't choose to be with Aiden's wolf without choosing Aiden too. They're the same. Just like me and my wolf. Two halves of the same being.

We run until the sun is going down and, even then, we keep playing. Rolling around in the grass and enjoying each other. Aiden manages to pin me down once but I fake a hurt sound and he instantly lets me go. He uses his head to bump me, wearing an apologetic expression. I stay still on the ground, not looking back at him, only to jump up two seconds later and tackle him to the ground. He let's out a rough wolf laugh as he takes the brunt of both our bodies falling, me on top of him.

It's only when it's completely dark that we make our way back to where we left our clothes. I step away from him to go behind my bush but notice he stays close. I'm slightly confused until my wolf conveys her feeling on the situation. She thinks he is guarding us while I switch forms. Ah.

When I return, already in human form, I use this chance to approach Aiden's wolf.

"Hey, buddy." I coo, reaching out to pet him. "It's so nice to meet you."

He's taller than me even as a wolf. His warm body glues itself to mine, warming half of my body with his heat. I can see the pleasure in his eyes as I continue to move my fingers through the fur coating his skin.

"I like you much better than you-know-who." I whisper, secretively, as if Aiden isn't listening to every word. I hope he doesn't catch the Harry Potter reference. "But please go change now. I need to talk to Aiden. I promise we'll do this again, soon."

The wolf points right with his head, softly bumping my side.

He wants me to follow him.

I walk with him to the tree where Aiden left his clothes and stop right beside it. That seems close enough to his satisfaction, because he says nothing else and moves behind it.

In a second, Aiden is front of me, his shirt not fully on yet.

Goddess, his abs. And the V. That freaking V.

"Let me just say that my wolf is now even more obsessed with you, little one. Your red hair is beautiful but that color on your wolf? Indescribable." He says, using his hand to move his hair back, away from his face.

"You're wolf is huge." I blurt, flushed.

Aiden laughs out loud, eyes twinkling. "You're adorable."

"So," I start, changing the subject. "That was a lot of fun. My wolf loved it."

"So did mine." He agrees, staring at me with a soft look on his eyes. "Thank you for running with me, Violet."

I nod, not knowing what to reply.

Aiden puts his hand on my back to nudge me forward, in the direction of the campus.

"Are you hungry?" He suddenly asks.

"I'm actually starving." I admit.

Running and playing with him in my wolf form burned a lot of calories, leaving me with a monster-sized hole in my stomach that needs to be filled quickly, or I'll become unbearable hangry.

"Would you eat dinner with me? Have our first date?" Aiden asks, sounding both hopeful and insecure.

Should I go? Or is it still too early for me to be able to say yes?

If I go, I need to be open to forgiving him eventually. Can I do that?

Is it even the right time for me to me to worry about that, with everything else going on?

"Aiden, I-