****Hi! I'm so sorry this is late but you know what I got my lazy ass in gear and I made sure this was done on Christmas so you guys got an extra gift today. Speaking of that I hope you all had a great Christmas and comment below what you favorite gift was. I hope the wait didn't kill anyone, wait, who am I kidding? No one would have died, I didn't leave a cliffhanger! Stupid Author!! Sorry I had to put myself in place real quick but here you guys go. New chapter! Sorry I need to sleep, but not before this is posted. So please for my massive bags under my eyes COMMENT, VOTE, AND FOLLOW ME! Enjoy!!****
Picture above is Vesper and Jordan ↑
****IMPORTANT NOTE!!!! JACE'S NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO CHRISTIAN!!! NOT TO CONFUSE ANYONE!!****
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Aris's POV
I almost stopped breathing. "Jasper, are you absolutely sure the little shit wasn't just bluffing?"
"I wish, but his parents have stepped down, he's Alpha of the Midnight Lake pack, and until he gets you back he doesn't care if his pack members die, or if ours do. He will have you and he won't stop until he does. So I hope you have a plan because in one week the kid's gonna release a whole rain of ass-kick on us and we don't stand a goddess-damned chance."
"Jasper, what the hell am I supposed to do?" I sighed and rubbed my throbbing temples.
"Don't know, ask one of your new friends," I snarled at his mocking voice from the other end of the line.
"Jasper," I growled and his mocking tone dropped like a brick.
"I'm sorry Aris, I really don't know. Now more than ever I'm being pulled between my pack and you, my sister." He sounded pained and I felt my chest throb when he called me his sister. It was true, when I had lost Ezra; he had filled the spot of an older sibling without hesitation. I owe him everything and doing this to him for my own benefits was truly selfish, but I couldn't. It wasn't even that I didn't want to; I couldn't go back with Logan. I just don't know if I can keep tearing Jasper up while I hide like a scared pup.
"How long can you give me to come up with a plan?" I asked, pain weighing my words down.
"Aris, we are running out of time!" He said.
"How long?"
He sighed, "A few days?"
"Give me three."
"Aris, you're really pushing it. Do you understand that Logan will decimate our pack? All those children and women you fought to protect all those years will be slaughtered."
I winced at the thought of seeing my pack lands painted red. "I won't let that happen, three days."
"I can't win with you. Ok, three days and you better come up with a plan," he replied.
"Understood, and Jasper!"
'Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"Ezra would have done the same." He said and I felt him give me a sad smile through the phone.
"Yeah, now go before the guards begin to worry about you."
"Fine, destroy this phone though." He reminded and then the line went dead.
I gripped the phone so tight my knuckles turned white. Three days, I had three days to come up with a way to save my pack and get Logan off my back forever.
I sighed and left my room, grabbing a long jacket, and walking outside by the lake. The breeze that weaved about the grass brushed my legs and I stopped at the water's edge. I gripped the phone and chucked it as far into the lake as I could, watching it splash about 100 yards in. I knelt at the edge and water the water rise and fall on the rocks.
I sighed and fell back onto the grass, watching the sky and hoping the answer would just come to me like any other battle plan. But this time, it was me against the Midnight Lake without the support of my old pack because they would just turn me over to avoid war.
I closed my eyes and just listened to the sound of the lake like they would whisper the answer in my ear. I guess I could ask Pandora but I knew she would just say to go back to him.
I could go ask Rowan, but that would mean exposing my true identity and even though they seem to close and loyal to turn someone in, I did lie to them and they might be more inclined to throw me out.
I thumped my head against the ground. I ran a hand up my arm and over my scared mark, they flesh still burned slightly but I knew Logan was getting the worst of it. I sighed and dropped my hand back to the ground. I rolled onto my stomach and closed m eyes, ignoring the grass tickling my nose.
I don't know I fell asleep but my eyes shot open when I felt the vibrations in the grass. I looked up to see Rowan walking towards me, a smile on his face. His long hair was braided and tossed over his shoulder which was oddly very attractive; he could do more with his hair than I could do with mine!
I sat up and welcomed him as he sat next to me, dropping a light jacket next to him. "It's nice here right?"
I turned to see he wasn't looking at me but rather the lake and the reflection of the sun.
"Yeah, we never had a place like this in my old pack," I replied following his gaze onto the water.
"You still won't tell me anything about your past other than you're running from your mate. No back story?" he asked, this time turning his curious eyes onto me. I stopped. I could tell him everything and ask for his advice. I considered my options before shrugging. "It's in the past."
"The past always catches up to the present, especially in a case like this, your mate isn't dead and I'll bet my head of hair that he's looking for you right now despite what you did to the mark."
I scoffed. "You think that highly of your hair?"
He flipped the braid and the few lose strands framed his face. "Don't hate because I have Goddess-given hair. "
I chuckled and flicked his hair with my fingers. "Goddess-given? Yeah right." Oh my goddess his hair was so soft!
"Stop lying to yourself, we both know you wish your hair was a nice as mine, or as soft." He smirked. I narrowed my eyes. "Boy, take that back before I skin you and wear your pelt during the winter."
"You wouldn't," he challenged I smiled through my murderous eyes. "Try me."
He laughed and then in a second he was gone and his wolf was there. I shifted and lowered my body as he curled his lips playfully and I snapped my jaw.
We collided and wrestled, even though he had a significant advantage being larger and stronger and of Alpha blood, but that didn't stop me from trying to kick his sorry ass.
After about twenty minutes, we shifted and collapsed onto the grass, huffing and puffing in pure exhaustion I grabbed my jacket and covered myself while Rowan laid his overt his lap, leaving his torso in my line if sight. Damn him.
"I...I swear...one of these days...I will...beat you..." he managed between breaths and I let out a forced laugh.
"Sure... keep on dreaming..." I stood up and offered him my hand. He grabbed it and instead of being a civil human being he tried to pull me down, luckily I wasn't too out of shape, and flipped over his head, landing gracefully on my toes, and wrenched his arm behind his back.
"Seriously, did you just try that?" I scoffed and he winced. "I had to try."
"Sure, get up." I hauled him to his feet and punched him. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"
"For making me shift and shredding Raven's outfit." I motioned to the pieces of fabric lying in the grass and he gave a nonchalant shrug.
"Oh you'll be fine, Raven loves you."
"Whatever. Oh they're back." He looked up at the house and sure enough I heard the engines of cars pull in.
I followed him up to the house and he slipped into his room to put some pants on while I grabbed my plat pair of pants that Jasper packed me and slipped those on. I entered the kitchen in time to see Jordan walking in with Adrian and Vesper. Soon after them came Raven and the twins and Christian followed them in. They greeted Rowan and Raven gave me a smile.
"Hi, how was your day alone Rowan?" She asked, an expecting smile crossing her face. I shoved her gently and shook my head. "We wrestled."
"Really who won?" She asked with a grin. I shrugged, "We had to tie; it went on for like half an hour."
Her eyes widened into saucers. "Seriously? You lasted that long? You must be incredibly strong."
"No, I just don't like losing."
"I can respect that." She left to go get water and Vesper started getting things ready for dinner.
About ten minutes later I heard the door open and Blaze walked in, he looked grumpy as usual but then his eyes landed on me. He pointed at me and then at the porch. He walked away and with weary eyes I followed him.
Once outside he turned, crossed his arms and tapped his foot.
"What?"I asked.
"Tell me the truth," he bluntly growled
"Huh?" Now he was just confusing me.
"I know you've been lying since the second Jordan brought you here. Tell me the truth now."
I stopped; how did he find out?
"Tell me!" he shouted and I refused to flinch. The door opened and Rowan stepped onto the porch followed by the rest of the wolves.
"What's going on?" Rowan boomed, his voice filling with power.
"Ask Titania," he sneered.
"Why do you say he name like that?" Raven demanded and I fell silent. Oh no, he really knew, and I didn't have time to break the truth.
"Because Titania isn't even her real name!" Blaze shouted and pointed an accusing finger at my paling face. Gasps arose and rowan narrowed his dark eyes. "Blaze, explain yourself now!"
"I heard a very interesting story at the shop today; some young men came by and asked for a fix, they were wolves, from the Ivy Eclipse pack." I gulped, what were Ivy Eclipse wolves doing out here?
"So?" Adrian asked.
"They said that their Gamma had run away a few days ago on account that her pack was planning on turning her over to her mate, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Midnight Lake pack. A powerful she-wolf who escaped off her pack territory just two days before you found her," He motioned to Jordan, now eyes were turning onto me. I gulped and I forced myself to look up meeting Rowan's disappointed eyes.
"Titania..." he started, but Blaze cut him off.
"How about you start telling the truth, starting with you real name! Was that your plan all along hide away with us and pretend that your past didn't exist? The Midnight Lake wolves are looking everywhere for you and if they find us harboring you, they will kill us. I will not stick out my neck for this lying little coward who couldn't even face her problems head on." Blaze snarled.
I didn't say a word, but I felt my world slowly starting to crumble again.
"Look at me." I couldn't help but raise my head to stare deep into Rowan's emotionless eyes.
"Rowan I..."
"No, tell us your name, tell us the truth. Now." He demanded and I forced myself not to take more than a half-step back. I took a deep breath and gave them my name.
"My name is Aris Titania Desdemona, and former Gamma of the Ivy Eclipse wolves. My mate is the Alpha of the Midnight Lake pack and my best friend form my old pack helped me escape before he could collect me because I can't let him dominate me. I never expected to come across you or put your family in any danger."
Without having anything to hold onto I took off, shifting and sprinting into the woods as fast as I could and not daring to look back. I couldn't help but wonder if the new life I was just beginning to build was crumpling just as fast as me last one did. I was gaining a new kinship with those wolves and while I was used to taking hits hard and with offensive stance, I never felt more defenseless.
I thought of each of them: Jordan, who found me and brought me there. Vesper, whom I respected so much for her protective manner. Raven and the twins, who made me feel immediately at home. Adrian, who made me laugh when I though I never would again. Christian who put up one hell of a chase that one time. Blaze, who always gave me cold looks. And Rowan, who gave me a home and gave me the chance to start a new life.
Was that the reality I was facing now? I didn't want to know that answer as I ran farther and farther into the woods wondering if I just saw that last of my new friends.