A week later...

Sometimes things change. No one knows why but that's just something you need to find out yourself.

Creeping down the stairs of my mates home, I noticed two changes. One: the entire place was empty of people. Not even the woman who served me breakfast for the past few days. Alpha Thaddeus wasn't here, unsurprisingly. That one morning where he allowed me to accompany him to a meeting was the only time he woke up early to talk to me. Ever since, he has been avoiding me.

Anyway, I headed straight toward the kitchen but it was completely empty.

I opened the front door and slipped out. Two guards were stationed outside and they both glanced at me before one came up to me.

"Luna," the guard said calmly, "no one is to be outside of their homes until the Alpha and the trackers are done checking the perimeters."

"Why?" Seeing the hesitant look on his face, I knew whatever it is must be confidential.

Taking a guess though, I looked him in the eyes and said, "does this have anything to do with Alpha Brayton?"

The guard flicked his gaze behind me and as if to shoot a look for help, he raised his eyebrows and clearly looked nervous.

"You know what? Whatever," I said loving how the guard was so easy to read. "But may I please have breakfast?"

The guard nodded before turning to leave. He hesitated at first, clearly afraid of breaking his Alphas word. But as if he was having a personal talk with the Alpha using the mind link, he shook his head and walked towards the pack house.

Walking back inside, I headed towards the kitchen grabbing a water bottle. Breakfast might take a while anyways.

I then made my way towards the living room. I grabbed the remote off the coffee table and made myself comfortable on the couch before flipping through the channels. I frowned in disappointment. He only had news channel. He didn't even have entertainment, only mundane news channels.

I sighed before shutting the TV off and wandering around the mansion. Why was it that my mate had to be boring? He didn't even have games to play.

An idea crept into my mind, before I shook my head. I shouldn't … but I wanted to. Creeping to his room, I paused near the door. A fight was still happening in my mind. But then my wolfs voice spoke up.

Go in, what are you waiting for? She asks excitedly, while I roll my eyes.

So now she speaks to me, I thought. If wolves could eye roll, I swear I felt mine do an eye roll in my head.

So dramatic, she said back before being quiet again.

I sighed and reached out to touch the door handle when I heard a distant knock. I could already smell my breakfast before I reached the front door. The guard stood outside with a stoic expression. Smiling at him, I took my breakfast from his hold.

"Thank you." The guard nodded before returning to his position in front of the house.

I turned my back towards them and sat in the living room instead of the dining room. My reason: I'd much rather sit on a comfy couch rather than a wooden chair.

As I continued eating, I planned out what I was going to do for the day. I wasn't allowed to bother Mason and Rose since today was for themselves. Besides, I've been spending so much time with them last week they both told me to leave them alone for one day. Of course Mason said this, jokingly I think. Rose was more nicer to me then Mason, but I still got their message.

Halfway through my food, I felt Alpha Thaddeus about to announce something in the mind link.

As the Alpha of the Dark Moons pack, I've decided for everyone in the pack to go into the city to do whatever is necessary. Be warned though anyone who raises suspicions towards the humans will be in danger of threatening our secret to them. That is all.

Immediately, I dropped my breakfast and made a dash towards the door. Swinging it open, I took a step forward before crashing into a body, I was way too familiar with.

My breath was caught in my throat before I forced myself to breathe. Unfortunately, him being so close to me was making my mind think of naughty things. I glanced upwards noticing his intense gaze. Before I knew it, I was stumbling over my words.

"I -i was just g-going to the bathro- I mean I was- sorry I mean I was-"

Instead of telling me off for my blabbering, he walked inside forcing me to walk backwards. He stopped in front of me, but with space in between us.

"Isn't there some place you wanted to be?" The way he asked the question with his husky voice was making my wolf growl with lust.

Instead of answering him, I ran past him. Who knew when you first meet your mate you become some horny dog? From the way he was staring at me, I think he might have known what was on my mind.

I shivered before getting a hold of my emotions. Thinking positively, I focused on where I was going. Obviously, I couldn't go to Mason or Rose so I settled down for Ari.

Its been almost two weeks since I've last seen her. Our last time together, she wanted to go into the city late at night and we were caught. I remember Alpha Thaddeus telling her that he was going to deal with her later, but I don't recall what happened to her. I'm such an awful person; how did I forget?

Making it my mission to find out what happened to her, I sought her out.

I made my way to the pack house again and pushed open the door. Many people inside were chatting about -I think- the announcement and what they were going to do. Some were already moving towards the door.

Passing people, they bowed at me before going wherever. I still wasn't used to this whole bowing your head at the Alphas mate. Even though I am suppose to get used to it, I'm just not. I am not officially Luna until Thaddeus and I … um, yeah… you get the drift. But that was most likely not going to happen for a very long time. I blushed hard.

I did not know exactly where I should have gone, but I sort of just wandered about until I could smell her out. This was a pretty dumb plan since there are many people in the mansion.

Finally, I asked one of the ladies in the kitchen.

"I haven't seen her for a while," she said tapping her chin, "but you could check her room. Go up the stairs, left and the second door on your right. Has her name right on it."

I began following the instructions, after thanking her. I found the door immediately and before I opened the door, I knocked. Instead of waiting though, I slipped inside. That knock was pointless.

I slipped inside the room, just as Ari came out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around her. I closed the door just as her head snapped up to look at me.

"Anna?"

I heard her wet footsteps, as she paddled towards the now closed door. She opened the door just a crack.

"Anna?" She sounded so startled that I had to wave my hand in her face.

"Anna?"

"Yes, its Anna," I retorted, "aka me."

That seemed to snap her back into reality. "I'm sorry, its just what are you doing here?"

I shrugged."Can't I visit a friend?"

She didn't say anything but the look on her face said it all. She was afraid. Of me? I don't know.

"Oh, alright."

We stood in silence before I coughing. Boy was this awkward.

"So…" I began, "can I come in? After you put some clothes on?"

I tried to add some humour into it, which worked. Ari cracked a smile making me do one too. She nodded before shutting the door.

A few moments later the door was reopened and Ari came out in a pair of tight grey jeans and a short sleeve white t-shirt paired with black converses.

"Now I don't know about you but I really need to go shopping," She said with a smirk on her face. I nodded before following her out.

"So where have you been?" I asked keeping up with her pace.

"Here."

I raised an eyebrow at her easy short answer.

"I mean, why haven't you been coming over?"

She sighed as if all this conversation was physically hurting her. She stopped walking and turned to face me.

"I'm going shopping," she says, "if you're coming with me, then stop this nonsense."

She abruptly began walking at a faster pace now. I stood there dumbfounded before forcing my legs to move. OK then.

We practically jogged towards the front of the mansion. I wasn't sure what had happened to Ari but I was still very determined to find out. Maybe not now but sometime later.

"You have money on you right?" The question flew me off for a moment. Ari glanced at me. "There is nothing free in the city."

"I don't have any money," I replied quietly. Where was I suppose to get money?

"You can go ask your mate for money."

I nodded uneasily.

"If the pack goes into the city every once and a while," I began glancing around at people around us, "where do they get their money?"

"Your mate provides us with money and some members of the pack have jobs in the town."

I struggled to keep up with her pace now. She was moving very fast.

"Don't you have your own money then?"

"Yes, but it wouldn't be enough for the both of us."

We jogged back towards my mates home where Ari waited outside. I went inside and that's when the butterflies began flying around in my stomach.

My mate was changing his shirt; in the middle of the room.

He currently had his shirt above his chest. He pulled it off and snatched another shirt off the ground. I admit I began checking him out and loved every inch of him. Including his delicious eight pack. I opened my mouth to speak but something caught my eye. A faint long scar from his right shoulder to his rib cage stood out. What happened to him?

A weird sound erupted through my throat and his head snapped in my direction.

His narrowed eyes caused me to look away from him very quickly, while blushing. I turned my gaze to the staircase.

"Ah, I came to ask if I can borrow some money to go into the city?" I was determined to ask in a straight voice but I lost my confidence near the end.

We stood in silence before I glanced at him. He was looking at me with mixed feelings but one emotion in particular stood out. Disgust.

Oh God, he must think I'm a gold digger.

Tears stung at the corner of my eyes but I fought them away. I shouldn't have even asked for money.

Alpha Thaddeus began walking towards me and reached into the back pocket of his jeans. He retrieved a wallet and pulled out a credit card passing it to me. Our fingers brushed but I pulled my hand back quickly.

And then he was walking away. Before he was completely out of my hearing, I thanked him. His shoulders seemed to tense up at the sound of my voice but then he relaxed and continued to walk away.

"So lets go now," says Ari turning away from me. I caught up with her quickly.

"Do we all walk to the city? I mean isn't far?" Ari gives me a look as if I was stupid. Which at the moment I probably am.

"Have you forgotten what we are?"

Ari and I both stood behind big trees and striped, quickly shifting into my wolf. It had been a very long time since I've shifted so the Change was pretty slow but eventually I did shift.

I picked up my clothes in my jaw and went to Ari. She had her clothes in her jaw too. She turned around and began to lead the way. As we ran side by side, I observed her wolf. She was a grey wolf with white patches here and there. She looked amazing.

How long does it take to go to the city?

About an hour and a half, she replies, but we're wolves so about half an hour.

We ran for a while passing areas that I haven't seen before. It is kind of sad how I am usually staying inside the mansion instead of roaming the territory even though my mate said not too. The scenery is so beautiful. Screw it, I'm coming here tomorrow.

I hadn't noticed this at all but a few pack members began piling out of nowhere and joining us. I don't know why they were running with us but one of the wolves mind linked me telling me how everyone wanted to see the future Luna and be with her. Apparently people I haven't even spoke to wanted to protect me from any danger. I had my own personal guards. I wasn't complaining though because it felt nice running with pack members knowing they just wanted to protect their future Luna.

More wolves kept piling in and soon we were in a sort of large group with maybe fifty wolves. An idea hit me like a brick. If they wanted to know me then I should start interacting with them. That might be a good start.

Before I knew it though, we were nearing the city. We stopped and I took cover behind a tree shifting quickly and covering myself up. I know we are all pack members but I doubt my mate would like to hear I changed in front of unmated males.

I pat my jean pockets to make sure I still have the credit card. Good thing I still do. I leave the tree and head back to the group where Ari was currently in the middle talking to some people.

I stopped to glance around. Many of the people around me were teens but some might have been older.

"So are we going or what?" I couldn't help it. I was very excited to see the city and do whatever.

Ari nods before looking around. "Alright guys, the girls already agreed to go shopping so unless you want to go into a store with bras and panties, I suggest you guys do whatever guys do."

Chuckles erupt from everyone- including me.

"A store full of bras and panties," a guy says, "I'd love to go."

"You're such a perv Dan," some girl says while giggling.

"Alright lets go." We split up into groups. Girls, going shopping and guys…well, I don't know what they plan on doing. From the excited faces, I don't even want to know.

As we enter the city we attract attention from many humans. Males specifically. Some began making comments while others tried to talk lowly with their friends. Of course with our advanced hearing, we could hear everything they were saying.

"Humans," I mumbled rolling my eyes. Some girls glance at me and nod.

"Lets go to the mall," some girls suggest. The rest of us all nod, as we don't want to wander around ourselves.

We make it to the mall in no time and take a look around. Ari suggests the very first store we all see; Forever 21.

As we enter the store workers glance at us before big smiles light up their faces. I guess they know they are getting big bucks today. We all split up and Ari immediately drags me to the dress section.

"When I walked in," Ari began, "this dress honestly screamed Anna!"

I chuckled before observing the dress. It was dark blue and lace. I mean only the sleeves were lace. The dress went down to probably mid thigh and it had a thin black belt going around the stomach. But all in all it was beautiful.

"Don't just look at it," Ari says taking it off the rack, "try it on."

She practically pushes me into a changing room. I easily strip and put the dress on. I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress did go mid thigh. But I like- no love it.

"Let me see woman!" Chuckling at Ari, I open the door.

"Oh my God," she whispers into her hands. Other girls hearing Ari whispering, comes to see whats going on. I feel uncomfortable suddenly being in the spotlight.

The other girls observe me head to toe. And then they break out into comments.

"You look so pretty."

"Pretty? She looks hot."

"You should but it."

"The Alpha should have a very hard time keeping his hands off of you."

That last comment had me blushing so hard, I'm sure I resemble a tomato.

"You need to buy it," Ari finally says.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I cover my ears at the girls all screaming yes.

"Wait don't bring it off yet, I saw some shoes…" the girl trails off leaving to apparently find shoes. It takes a few seconds but she returns with a pair.

She hold them out and I take them. These shoes were black ankle heels. I love it. I put them on and observed myself in the mirror. The shoes match the belt. I nodded in approval.

"Thanks…" I trailed off not knowing her name. She spoke up immediately.

"Cassie," she says grinning, "short for Cassandra."

"Thanks Cassie."

Ari breaks in at that moment. "Enough of this now. Anna you look hot, but now I'm going to go check some things out. But I guess it wouldn't hurt if you guys all introduced yourselves."

She left just as the girls began saying their names. Of course I wasn't going to remember them all but remembering some was easier than none.

At that moment we broke off and I changed out of everything and went to go get a shopping basket. I bought a few pair of shoes, dresses and some tops but that was it. There wasn't any bottoms that caught my eye yet.

After paying for our things- the manager was very happy, even insisting we come again soon- we left to go to another store. The next store wasn't much but we still looked around.

The girls bought some wacky things but I didn't want to spend my mates money on silly things. Besides, I'm almost 100% sure that everything I buy with his credit card will show up somewhere and he will most likely see.

The next store we didn't really buy anything but it was still fun to look around. We poked jokes but soon we left after the store keeper sent us glares. The next store we went into, I bought a little gift for Beth and Savannah. I haven't seen them in a while and the gift might make up for my absence.

"Okay," Ari says taking a dramatic pause, "I think the only reason we came here was for that."

We all look towards where she is facing and we all come face to face with the flashing words, Victoria Secret.

I go inside with the rest of the ladies, and I want to turn around and leave but Ari latches onto my wrist and tugs me to a rack of bras and … thongs? My eyes go wide and my jaw drops to the floor. Looking at Ari, I know she wanted me to buy some.

I shake my head. "I am not getting those things."

Instead of saying anything back, she randomly picks out thongs and motions to the bras.

"Whats your size?" Grumbling about how this was completely stupid, I picked my bra size out. Like Forever 21, Ari shoved me into a changing room.

I put the bra on and after a two minute debate with my wolf who insisted on getting the sexist pair I could I find- perv I know- I reluctantly put it on, while still wearing my own panties. It fit but the bra felt uncomfortable. I flung it off and was about to put on the pink lingerie but Ari had a different idea.

"Oh my God," Ari says throwing something in the stall at the top,"put these on."

I sigh with exasperation before glancing at what she threw. A red lace bra and a red lace thong. The other one was a black lace bra and a black lace underwear that almost resembled a thong but it covered everything. Mostly everything.

I put the red on first surprised that they fit. And after I switched to put the black one on. The door knob rattled as Ari impatiently tried to break in.

I went for cover immediately.

"There is no way you are going to see me Ari," I say quickly shoving off the lace undergarments and reaching for my jeans.

"Why?" She asked a little whine in her voice. "We are pack members after all."

I shushed her not wanting to raise suspicions. Humans didn't need to know to get any hints at all.

I put my clothes on before gathering the lingerie that I plan to buy in my hands.

"That's it?" Ari asks glancing at the objects in my hand. "At least get a bit more, and they don't have to be thongs."

I left her to go get things I was comfortable with and soon enough I was outside the store after buying them. It took the others a while because they wanted to buy a lot of things for their mates, but I wanted to just get myself out of there. I noticed a girl in the pack standing outside the store, so I decided to befriend her.

"Hi," I say, standing beside her, "I noticed you look a bit lonely so I thought you could use a friend."

The girl, Sasha or Tasha, smiled shyly at me before blushing. "Aha, yeah I was just feeling really weird in there so I decided to leave."

"I know what you mean," I reply placing my bags down. "If it wasn't for Ari, I would have left this store earlier."

She nodded before we descended into silence, just enjoying the company. I honestly had nothing else to say, so I kept quiet. Oh God, I am so terrible at this.

Eventually, the girls all came out and then we were just walking around with nothing else to do. We had to carry our bags around and some pack members roaming the mall also, offered to carry our things but we refused.

"What do you girls want to do now?" A girl asks us all. The majority of us shrug. And then one of them turns to me. "What do you think we could do know Luna?"

"Anna," I corrected and then answered her question by shrugging. "I've never been here so don't ask me."

"We could go check out the food court?" Someone suggests. I sort of just nod feeling very tired all of a sudden.

I follow them to the food court and notice how checking out the food court really meant, hey, I'm going to buy everything and stuff myself.

A very important thing about us wolves is that we don't care about weight. When you are in wolf form you practically burn off all the fat. If you didn't know this its OK because many wolves still don't know this to this very day.

I went to go buy some Chinese food and a drink. I sat down with Ari who was sitting to the left of the group of girls. She seemed to be deep in thought but I waved my hand in her face.

"Are you OK?" I ask feeling concerned.

"Yeah," she says playing around with her food, "I kind of just wish I found my mate already."

I don't really know what I was suppose to say so I patted her back just as she shook me off.

"Stop, you're being weird."

"I am trying to be remorseful here," I state while giggling.

"Has anyone ever told you how awkward it is with you?" She teased. I rolled my eyes and began eating.

"Hey," Ari suddenly speaks up jerking out of her seat, "we should go to the club tonight."

The girls all agree but I am not in the mood to do anything but eat my food.

"What about you Anna?" Ari speaks up.

"I'm kind of feeling tired," I begin but she cuts me off.

"Live a little," she says practically bouncing out of her seat. I think about it for a second before reluctantly nodding which makes the girls cheer me on.

"It'll be fun."

A few hours later…

"What do you think I should wear?" Ari says looking through her shopping bags.

"Wear that purple dress you showed me earlier," I reply shimming into the lace blue dress and slipping on the ankle boots.

"Which shoes?" She asks striping out of her clothes and replacing them with a no sleeve purple dress that clung to her sides tightly.

"I don't know," I retort. There was no reason I should look fancy as I already have a mate. I don't need to have other males lusting after me.

Ari slips on a pair of silver heels before slipping her arm in mine as we both walk to everyone else.

See, because it would have been a waste of time to run all the way to the pack and then go to the club, so we waited until the last minute when the mall was closing to go change in the restrooms.

The guys were with us and luckily one of them that hadn't ran with us earlier brought a vehicle. We- the girls, put our things in the back trunk.

It was getting pretty dark but some people still wanted to go to the club. Most left and headed back to pack territories calling it a night. While others argued that it wasn't a night until after the party.

We all headed out apologizing to the security guards waiting for us to leave. One of us takes lead and we all walk towards a club less than ten minutes away from our current location.

When we arrive, I notice that there was no security guard asking for id's. Ari pulled me closer to her.

"You my friend needs to loosen up."

"Get us another drink," Ari screamed over the music to the bartender who was having the pleasure in serving the two girls who were currently giggling. Us.

When I walked in with Ari hours ago she tried to get me to dance but I didn't; so instead we just drank and drank and drank.

I wasn't really drunk but I was slightly tipsy at the moment. I glanced around trying to find the other teens but they were nowhere in sight.

"Hey," I clapped Ari on the shoulder getting her attention, "I'm going to use the washroom."

Ari nodded waving me away.

Getting up, I pushed past people to try and find the washroom. It wasn't hard because I had already been there earlier though so I found it quite quickly.

I went in and quickly did my business leaving the stall. I cleaned up quickly and left.

I tried walking around but it seemed in the last few minutes I was in the washroom, the club suddenly had more people than it had before. Steering away from the crowd I headed outside.

I sighed before trying to find out the time. Walking up to a kind looking lady, I asked her the time.

"Eleven o'clock," she retorted in a hard tone. I stepped back. Maybe she wasn't so kind after all.

I turned back to the club only remembering what she said. Eleven?

I practically ran inside to try and find Ari and the others but it seemed as if they weren't there. I ran around and spotted the bartender handing out drinks.

I tapped him on the shoulder making him turn around, startled. "Have you seen the girl I was with and the group of people I came here with?"

"I saw them all head out a while ago," he retorts. "I don't know but you could go check outside."

"Thanks," I reply shoving my way towards the door. I glanced wildly around, with my heart pounding in my ears. They wouldn't leave me right?

"Did you see a group of people leave?" She nodded and motioned to where the group and I came from earlier and the car that one of the guys came with was gone.

They left, Oh my God, they left.

I decided to mind link Ari but for some reason she was blocking me out. I couldn't mind link with the others since I wasn't really close to them. I decided to just run back; they might not have gotten so far.

I ran as fast as I could trying to remember which way we came from. I slowed down as a scent attacked my nose. It was pretty gross but it belonged to a werewolf. I followed it until I turned onto a different street where the smell got stronger. I froze on the spot when my gaze landed on the three dirty werewolves blending in as normal humans. I hadn't realized this until their gaze landed on me the same time.

These weren't normal pack wolves; they were rogues.

Before they took a step forward, I was already trying to use the pack mind link. Too bad it didn't work because of the long distance thing.

I turned on my heel and dashed down the street hearing their footsteps behind me. They were getting closer.

I ran into a group of humans and turned around to see the rogues easily pass the humans. The humans didn't bother to even look at the girl running from three dirty men.

I ran as fast as I could trying to force my wolf away. She wanted to shift in front of many eyes but I couldn't risk the humans finding out the existence of werewolves just because of me.

I turned onto a dark street immediately trying to find ways to outrun them but it was almost impossible.

I hid in a backyard realizing that I was nearing the way back to the trees I came from earlier. Unconsciously, I stepped forward forgetting about the rogues and focusing on getting back to my mates house.

Worst mistake ever.

Dirty hands gripped my arms while another pair pulled me up by my hair. I let out a scream struggling to get out of their grip. No one even heard me.

"It's her right?" One of them asks.

"Yeah," says another guy.

One of the men made the mistake of loosening his grip on me and I kicked him where he probably won't have kids anytime soon.

I was already running by the time he fell to his knees. I heard some people around the corner getting nearer. If only I could…

Just as I turned, I was violently pulled back by the hair and thrown to the ground. My skull connected with the cement immediately making me dazed. I swear I saw stars.

"This bitch," one of the men says. A kick to my head has me seeing the world move in circles. Black dots appear clouding my vision. I know what that meant.

I tried forcing my eyes to stay opened but it was clearly no use. I wouldn't be able to keep it up to call for help.

At a last attempt for help, I tried to send a message to Thaddeus:

Rogues, help.

And then I was out like a lightbulb.

Comment. Vote. Fan.

~MissieA out!

♥