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Chapter 10

Alaya stood and walked over to the window with the mug of coffee still in her hand. She forced herself to focus outside, ignoring the pain in her chest. She didn't miss how her wolf instantly began to feel unsettled, pushing Alaya to be back where she belonged. But she ignored her, instead focusing on the view. At how the dusty road out the front looked dry in the morning sun, how the house opposite was the mirror image of her own. It instantly reminded her of her father and his vision for this place many moons ago. Protect one, protect them all.

"Luna?" Noah called out softly and she felt as he stood from the couch, ready to go to her. She turned to meet him ensuring her stoic expression held as she met his gaze.

"The name is Alaya. I'd prefer it if that was what you called me," she replied calmly, just like he had spoken to Alaris earlier. She saw the look of rejection in his eyes but looked away before need to go to him overpowered her completely, her wolf instantly calling at her to bridge the gap between them. She was done being with others who didn't want her, not truly. Not all of her anyway.

"If that is what you wish," he replied, still moving towards her. She stepped around him and sat again down on the couch, hoping he would accept that she didn't want his touch right now.

"Alaya I think you misunderstand my brother. There is so much you do not yet know, you have to understand-" Neve interjected as Noah stayed stood at the window.

"I understand completely. It's not the first time someone has changed their mind once they were aware of what I was," Alaya interrupted, a glare directed towards Neve for acting as if her brother wasn't out of order.

"That's not what is happening here. I am not rejecting you. I would never reject you, couldn't even if I wanted to," Noah tried to explain, coming back to sit with her as he took her hand in his.

"Oh well that makes it all better. You couldn't even if you wanted to? That says it all really doesn't it? Well, if it's all the same to you I don't want to be a curse on someone. I'm enough of a curse to myself!" Alaya shouted, snatching her hand away from his before standing. She hadn't heard Fen move towards her, too wrapped up in Noah to notice what was around her. She tried to keep the tears from falling as she gazed into his beautiful green eyes, eyes that had started to look upon her differently, even knowing what she was. It was too much, all of this. She was so fed up of things being out of her control, of not knowing how to feel or who to trust.

"Luna," she heard Noah breathe her name but ignored it, allowing Fen to embrace her instead. She softened against his hold, burying her head into his chest incase the sobs escaped her.

"No. Don't you dare," she heard Fen’s low tone as his embrace stiffened slightly. She guessed Noah had moved towards them and Fen was ensuring he came no closer, his voice alone full of warning. She resisted the urge to turn to Noah, feeling safe in Fen’s arms. She instinctively knew he would never hurt her. Her heart would be safe with him if she chose it. But was that even a possibility now?

Alaya felt her wolf perk up suddenly, as if she had been asleep until now. She did not like the idea of choosing Fen one bit, the feeling of disgust rolling over Alaya as her wolf rose and started to pace inside of her. She demanded that they be back with their mate. Alaya tried to focus on Fen, ignoring her wolf's distress but if anything it just made her grow louder.

"Alaya?" Fen’s concerned tone pierced through her wolf's whines as she pushed at the barriers Alaya had in her mind.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

That was literally all she could feel from her wolf. Incessant, overwhelming.

"God how do I make this stop," she yelled as she pushed out of Fen’s hold. She ignored his confusion, not having the head space for anyone's feelings but the ones her wolf were trying to suffocate her with.

"Luna?" Noah spoke and it was as if his words cut from the panic inside her mind.

"No! No you will obey me!" Alaya shouted, pushing past Noah and into the hallway. Her breath caught when she saw her father stood there, his face full of confusion and concern. Alaya stood there bewildered for a moment, unsure what she should say or do. Everything was so muddled right now inside of her that she didn't understand what she was feeling, let alone what she wanted. She needed her father to make this all better.

She raced into his arms and collided with his chest, tears falling as she felt his arms immediately wrap around her.

"Matyluyka? What is going on?" he asked her but she just nuzzled deeper into his chest, not even knowing where to start. She felt as others joined them in the hallway but didn't know who, worried if she stepped out of her father's hold then her wolf would not relent. His Alpha presence seemed to quieten her wolf a little, reminding her of her place in the pack. Or maybe, simply a father's hug was enough to calm the storm inside of her. For now.

"I think the five of us have a lot to discuss. That will be best done in my office. Alaya is that ok for us to do now?" her father asked, pulling her slightly away from his chest to hold her gaze. She nodded, not really knowing what else to say. He mirrored the motion before manovering her to the side of him, still holding her to him as he strode calmly and quietly out the front door.

Once outside he stepped away from her and she felt the ripple as he phased, discussion closed. The urge to follow him, to be part of the pack was strong but she was getting better at silencing it. There was absolutely no way she was phasing now, not with an audience. Not when she was so unsure of her wolf. She looked over at Neve and Noah who eyed each other worriedly for some reason.

"Fen, I, we, will meet you there. Tell father I needed the air. Please." she pleaded, knowing he would understand. He eyed Noah sceptically before shaking his head, turning towards the door and not phasing. Instead he stared after his Alpha who had now stopped mid run, turning to see why no one else had followed his lead.

"I will not leave you unaccompanied," he reasoned, his eyes falling on Noah and Neve as he eyed them warily.

Alaya threw her hands in the air and walked out the front door and set off towards her father’s. Noah and Neve came into step beside her but she didn’t acknowledge them. She could sense Fen behind, not needing to turn to check he was following them.

"Why didn’t you phase with your father?" Noah asked softly and Alaya tried to speed up a little, not wanting to talk to him right now. Her wolf seemed more settled at his closeness, a fact that annoyed Alaya no end.

"Luna?" he persisted, obviously ignoring her request to use her actual name from now on.

"I don’t trust my wolf," she replied bluntly, staring ahead of her and not at him. He placed a hand on her arm, causing her to slow slightly so that their paces matched perfectly.

"Why not?" he continued and Alaya groaned before replying.

"Because my wolf is more of an Omega than I am. Its not who I am," she answered, although wishing he would just be quiet. She didn't want to have this conversation now. In fact she didn't want to have this conversation at all.

"That will change soon. I promise you," Noah replied, smiling like he had some grand surprise waiting for her. It unnerved her, not to mention she hated surprises.

Alaya sped up a little, eager to get to her father's and to get this over with. She felt like the conversation was hanging over her head, much like the one they had had yesterday. She wanted to be able to breathe without worrying what was happening next.

But the moment they arrived the house seemed foreboding, as if something called to her, telling her that she shouldn't go inside. But the thought was silly, she had nothing to fear in there, so she pushed it down, suffocating it as she forced her feet through the front door.

She ushered Neve and Noah through first, the same look mirrored in their eyes that she felt deep down in the pit of her stomach. Fen shut the door behind them once they were all inside, Neve and Noah frozen still in the hallway. Alaya wondered why the hell they were just standing around and not heading straight towards her father's office? As their eyes darted around she realised that they didn't know which way to go and didn't exactly want to wonder aimlessly in the house of an Alpha. And a powerful Alpha at that. Fen had already manovered around them at this point, heading down towards the office but the pair did not follow suit.

"Its straight down the hall. You really can't miss it," Alaya explained, pointing in the same direction but both of them just stayed staring at her then each other.

"I dont like this Noah. Not one bit," Neve whispered, glancing back towards the front door. Alaya reached out and stroked her arm reassuringly, squashing the anger that had flooded her earlier. She hoped this was over soon for all of their sakes.

"He is my father Neve and I wont let any harm come to you. I will explain that Noah is my mate and then we can all relax. Trust me, my father will be thrilled about this. He has been trying to find a way for me to remain a part of the pack ever since we found out, well, what I was. And now we have it. And that means you and Noah can be part of our pack too if you wish it," Alaya reassured and as she felt Noah's hand intertwine with hers, she didn't pull away. They had to stay united. For now. Show her father what they were to each other and explain what happened last night. This was not the time to be fighting over what their future held.

"Lead the way Luna," he whispered into her ear and she tried not to melt into a puddle on the floor as his breath seemed to send tingles down her spine. It frustrated her how being in such close proximity to him meant she seemed to have no willpower of her own, her wolf urging her to be close to him more than her body needed to breathe. It was infuriating and overwhelming.

Alaya led the way down the hallway but hesitated slightly as her hand gripped the handle. What if Neve was right and this was a mistake? She took a deep breath before forcing herself to open the door, making herself believe that wouldn't be the case. He was her father before he was her Alpha.

She opened the door to find her father stood by the window, Fen at his side, both staring out into the world beyond. The pair seemed deep in thought as the three entered, not even turning to look at them.

The air in the room felt heavy, weird, like her father was everywhere and nowhere all at once. It unsettled her wolf instantly and she started to pace inside of her, fearful about what would to happen next.

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