"Huh, so you're the Luna now."

I zeroed in on the little boy sitting on the lowest branch of the gigantic tree. His scar was more prominent in the morning light, slashing through his brow. He was still donned in his white clothes from the ceremony. He made no move to hop down as he studied my training equipment with a critical eye.

"You're Zaine." I greeted, instead of confirming his statement.

His brows lifted in shock. I guess the little man didn't think I would remember him. To be frank, I didn't want to. The only reason I recognised his scowling face was because he was the little twerp that called me a bitch when I had been out with Jude. Jude had given him a good scolding but seeing as the kid was still glaring, he hadn't yet recovered from the reprimand.

It was obvious he adored Jude.

I could see his similarities with Tess now. His features were more feline if that made sense. He sported a longer nose, jaw and pointed ears. His blond locks were the only soft thing about him.

"Where did the Alpha go?" He asked.

"Somewhere important." I concentrated on the thick ropes wrapped around my wrists as I continued to skip in brisk little jumps. My feet barely skimmed the ground with every lash of the rope.

"My mum doesn't like you."

I gave myself a pat on the back for not whipping my skipping rope in his direction. It was a small feat, but I was sure someone in the Pack would have hauled me into the next available dungeon if I placed a finger on him and he knew it judging by his irritating little smirk.

"Well, not much I can do."

"She was going to marry him."

"Really? Did he say that?"

"It was expected."

"Expected because they were childhood friends? Or that your mommy likes my mate?"

"He's good for my mum."

I kept my lips shut. Jude had entrusted me with his Pack. Surely, my first day on duty wouldn't result in an anonymous kidnapping of this child.

I moved to the metal rungs and began pulling my weight up and down. Zaine instantly followed, watching, since I could feel his little curious eyes drilling holes into the back of my spine.

"I don't like you."

"Because your mum doesn't like me?" I pulled myself up and felt my arms protest.

"Yeah."

"Zaine, what are you doing here?" Tess moved towards us with long strides. She had swapped her elegant white robes for the signature E.S black skins that hugged every inch of her toned form.

Damn, why did she have to look so hot?

I groaned inwardly but wielded a welcoming smile. "Hello Tess."

"Aella." She greeted cautiously.

Her grin widened when she took in her son who was unsurprisingly still scowling. "What are you doing out here mum? Shouldn't you be guarding the borderline or something?"

"Don't try to get rid of me. I know you're up to no good. What have you been talking to Aella about?"

"I wasn't being mean. I came to say hello since she's the Luna now." He rolled his eyes. "I thought it would be nice to say hello and introduce myself."

Tess blinked, "Honey, now I know you're definitely up to something. Go change into your normal clothes. You need to have a shower son."

"Fine. I want pancakes for brunch too." He declared. The little shit shot me a glare before he ran off. His blonde hair fluttered in the wind as he became a small blob in the distance.

"Sorry about that. Zaine likes to test everyone, especially those who are close to Jude." She laughed sweetly, her white teeth almost blinding me.

"No worries. He's very.... outspoken."

"Yeah, he takes after his grandad."

I nodded.

"So, you're the Luna now." She nodded; her hands firmly planted on the dainty curves of her hips. "Honestly speaking, it's a bit of a surprise and out of the blue for Jude to settle down so quickly like this." She remarked.

I controlled my breathing, hoping she wasn't going to go in the direction that I assumed she would take. I had nothing against her. Jude had already explained that they were childhood friends and that she used to like him. That was the end. There was no need to drag out something from nothing.

"I am your Luna now." I stated clearly. Her expression tightened into something akin to distaste. My wolf practically huffed, sensing the fight in her tight posture. "I understand that this may come to a surprise to some people, but it is done. We're mates."

She nodded, though I knew she was warming up to something else judging by the dark glint in her eyes.

"Can I just add something?"

"Of course." I straightened.

She made a show of nonchalantly picking at the dark blue nail polish she was wearing. "I didn't want to say anything earlier but since it has already gone this far, I can't just keep my mouth shut when I can sense trouble rolling in from a mile away." Her gaze hardened as she took in my well-worn leggings and baggy shirt smeared with dirt. My hair was slightly damp with sweat, and I probably looked half-animalistic at this point. "I don't think you're strong enough to stand side by side with Jude. He deserves someone more on his level."

I swiped up my water bottle from the ground and squirted a healthy dose into my mouth. The cool liquid acted as a distraction so I could pull my thoughts together. Her words were supposed to unnerve me. There was no way she didn't mean them any other way. She was laying down the framework of what she wanted but there was one error to her approach.

She didn't know me at all.

I calmly placed my water bottle back onto the ground and held my hips, "So you're saying that I'm less than what Jude needs?"

Her lips pinched tightly as she casually glanced around the oval, "Well don't be putting words into my mouth but if the shoe fits..."

"Wow." I sighed. "Stop being nasty now Tess. I assumed that was below you." My show of politeness dropped. There was no need to hide away my claws now that hers were out and gleaming with their abnormally pointed tips.

Her expression twisted and for once, I could say she didn't look as docile and pretty anymore. It was like watching the curtains being yanked back, only to reveal an ugly thing behind its dark recesses. Her chest flared up indignantly as her gaze flashed with fire, "You're just a little girl who thinks they can do better than what I can."

This woman really was something. "Interesting use of words there. Better than you can? Tess darling, do you still have feelings for Jude?" Although I was taunting her with a smirk, my insides grew unsettled with the possibility.

She scoffed, "Feelings? I love him." She said vehemently, "He was mine before he knew you."

I kept my expression stoic despite the roar of possessiveness that abruptly gripped me. "Tess, as your Luna, I suggest you stop now. I won't stand here and let you degrade me like this."

"You're just being sensitive girl."

"Aella. My name is Aella. Use it." I lifted my chin defiantly.

"I want a duel with you Aella." She spat my name out like a dirty curse.

My head jerked back in genuine surprise.

She wanted to face me in a duel?

They were archaic and usually old Pack members remembered the duels. They were literally fights until death unless the winner decided not to kill the losing opponent. No one these days engaged in duels, if so, not many. Pack members usually avoided them and had remedial meetings to solve the issue but sometimes duels happened, and Tess wanted one with me.

"You're being too hasty with your decision. If this happens, you won't be allowed back into this Pack."

She laughed. She actually had the gall to laugh. "I won't be the one who'll be leaving the Pack."

"Jude won't allow this." I said. I knew Tess was someone important to him but she was dancing on a thin line. She was challenging me. Her shoulders were square with confidence no one could fake. She was already so sure of herself. Her triumphant smirk didn't help matters either. She wanted me gone. Jude's mate or not, she didn't give two shits.

"What are you challenging me on?" I asked warily. "I have the right to know why you've decided to do this?"

"I just don't think you're suited to be here. I can be a better Luna than you'll ever be. Jude cares for me. He'll be upset if I'm gone. You two haven't known each other for long anyways. I'm sure whatever bond you two have is fragile. You're probably just a convenient fuck."

"Enough." I shook my head in disbelief. She was crazy. And disrespectful. It irked me off that she thought she could get away with it all. She probably thought I'd step out and surrender considering she was a ripe E.S Enforcer. She was making her move very clear and I was accepting her words as an offence against me.

She would have her duel.

"Sorry sweetheart but this duel cannot happen without Jude to witness it. Until he comes back, we'll see then." I smiled, despite wanting to throw one of my stars her way.

"Oh, we'll get our duel." She yelled at my retreating back.

***

It took hours to enter the Blue Cave Pack. Immediately upon arrival, two Enforcers had traced us. Jamison rolled the car to a slow stop at the boundary line. We waited for the men to approach us. They changed into their human forms and stepped into cargo shorts they kept stashed at the base of a tree.

"State your name and Pack." The bulkier one declared. The leaves rustled from the volume of his voice.

"For fucks sake." Jamison got out of the car, slamming the door.

"Here we go." Solkolov followed suit, a smirk unfurling at his lips.

We opted for a vehicle to appear less threatening which was failing based on the open contempt lining Jamison's shoulders. The two Enforcers that had caught us were shrinking under his hard gaze. I gave them props for not running away sooner. It was difficult to find someone like Jamison who could merely look at a man and make them want to drop to their knees in tears.

The tense atmosphere thickened when I appeared. Their attention darted to me as they took me in. I would be lying if I wasn't pleased by the way they sucked in startled breaths or exchanged looks of wariness.

I raised my palm- a gesture of goodwill though I wasn't feeling anything other than good towards these two men and they sensed it.

"S-state your name and your Pack-"

"Jude Slater." I responded before he could finish his sentence.

Their defensive stances shifted with recognition and something akin to fear.

"Shadow Hunters." The other one who hadn't spoken yet, whispered.

The leaves rustled again but it had nothing to do with them this time.

They were stiff with shock. They were stumbling over their words, but Tatum stepped up beside me, his voice an octave lower than usual. "You have something I want in this Pack. It'll be rude of you to not let me have what I want with me having to lift a finger right?"

"We can't let you in."

I'm not sure whether to deem them brave or completely foolish.

"We'll see about that." Solkolov muttered. Her readied his dagger that was strapped to his side, but Tatum whistled, halting movement. His men that arrived with on foot surrounded the two men on all sides.

Tatum smirked and motioned towards the trees. "We don't have much time."

"Don't underestimate me." Jamison replied before transforming into his wolf.

I let the familiar rush of warmth hit me until I was covered in black obsidian fur. My wolf sniffed, digging its paws into the damp mulch. I broke into a run first, sensing the others fall behind me immediately.

It was a twenty-minute sprint in land until we reached the heart of the Pack. We assumed our human forms and racked up the clothes covered at the bases of trees people left behind for after they morphed. I managed to pick up a pair of worn jeans, a long-sleeved Henley shirt and a pair of sneakers someone had discarded because of the worn soles.

Jamison and Solkolov walked through the gaggle of Pack members a few metres apart.

I took in the laughing kids and smiling men and women. They were happy. Playing. Enjoying the sun on their faces.

This was my mate's Pack. She grew here. I tried to conjure an image of her. A baby Aella running along the same path I walked. I tried to imagine her as a little girl running through the field with her azure eyes gleaming with delight and her throat sore from laughing.

I paused in front of a small crowd. Dancers were swaying around while someone thumped a tambourine and shook the rattles.

"The Pack House isn't too far. Eight metres northwest from here and take a right turn at the fork. It'll be ten kilometres from there." Tatum walked by and moved in the direction swiftly. None of the Pack members stopped us. We were soaked in their scents, wearing these clothes. We were careful enough that no one paid heed to our faces.

The Pack House wasn't multi-levelled, but it sprawled across the field with so many glass doors. I spotted the Alpha immediately. He was on his phone, stalking up and down the hallway in long, irritated strides. I sensed his frustration in the way he carried himself and threw his arms in the air.

"I'm going to kill him." Tatum growled as a violent burst of fury emanated from his body.

"Before you go all King Kong, we'll do a quick search around." I stated, eyeing the house and its perimeters.

"I can sense her. She's close by." Tatum closed his eyes as if in pain.

"Solkolov, keep an eye on Bennett. Jamison, I want you to get rid of anyone in the house. Tatum, you, and I will search for Allison. Your men can keep guard outside the Pack house and notify us if someone comes in."

Fortunately, no one disagreed. We all dispersed and allowed Tatum to go ahead.

Jamison made quick work of knocking out the men inside the House effectively with little to no noise aside from their muffled gasps of shock. Tatum wordlessly moved inside the house, taking the right wing as I went left, feeling out the area. The scent of burnt wood coursed through the air. For someone so despicable, the man had somewhat of a taste for sleek, modern furniture and shitty paintings that would've cost the man thousands if the name I was reading on the canvas was legit.

The rooms were done up meticulously, with little evidence that anyone lived in any of the quarters. The living room, bathrooms, bedrooms, and study come up empty from each search. Tatum met me half-way, "There's nothing. It comes up clean. I sensed her closer when we were outside but the further we went into this House, the more I couldn't sense anything."

Cold pricks danced along my skin in warning.

"We need to leave." I ambled towards the door we entered from, but Tatum suddenly paused, sniffing the air. "Wait. She's here."

I immediately turned to see a woman with raven tresses and familiar, stark azure eyes. She was dressed poorly in a baggy blue dress that was too large for her petite figure. For a second, I was floored by how much she reminded me of Aella. Her tired eyes scanned the room for a long second. Tatum made a move to approach her. However, when her gaze met him, the man stuttered to a halt. Her name was a faint whisper on his lips.

She swayed as her eyelids fluttered.

Tatum cursed, catching her before she fell.

"How heroic." A voice spoke with unfiltered mirth.