"Sir, we've been scanning our perimeter and the rouges are getting worse. When we crossed over to check on Alpha Ryland, his was way worse. Some of his pack members had already been killed. Houses that were built closest to the border had to be evacuated and sent closer to the center of the pack for security purpose. He has to stay to protect his pack." Caspian informed me.

"So what you're saying is that he can't come here to meet me."

"Yes, Alpha. That is precisely what I am saying."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Although we had a treaty, under pack laws two pack must be under a specific contract for another pack to fight with an ally pack that needs help. It was in case that if the helping pack lost to many warriors and members for helping, then the pack that needed help will have to give them properly trained, strong warriors and pack members.

"In that case, I need to go to him. I need this contract signed in order to secure us this win."

"Would you like me to call him so that he knows you are coming?" Caspian asked.

"Please, I will need time to pack and talk to Malia. Tell him I will be there by this evening."

"How long do you think you will be gone?"

"I'm not sure but you know what to do when I'm gone. Call me if things get to bad or if-" I trailed off. I didn't like the idea of leaving my lack in general but the though of leaving Malia here was a different story. The idea of her needing me when I wasn't there pained me but I didn't want to take her with me either. The rouges were after her and if she left the safety of the pack with me, she might get hurt.

"If Malia needs you. Yes, Sir, I understand completely."

"Stop with that 'Sir' thing." I barked put a laugh with the intent of lightening the mood. "You're making me feel old and your two years older than me. If anything I should be calling you that, you old man." Barking out his own laugh, he sent me a smirk.

"Don't you even think about it, Sir."

................................................................

Malia's POV

"You reek of him." Although most people scare me when they randomly show up behind me but Kai was clumsy and messy. The wind blew her scent right to me and I was sure she purposefully stepped on every stick she could find, sending a loud snapping noise echoing of the trees.

I found myself sitting in the forest again by the lake I found only after days of being brought to this pack. I haven't been out here, alone, in days and I was already missing the sounds of the forest. The faint sounds of the white rabbits hopping around the fresh snow and fresh, cool breeze through the bare trees.

"I don't know why you are pushing the though of him away so much." She said, after taking a seat beside me the rock after pushing the snow off. "He's only going to help you, let alone harm you."

I sighed, watching my air condense and turn into a smoke-like substance as it left my mouth. "I already told you what he did, what they did. You more than understand why I'm doing this, Little Wolf." Balling up snow between my hands and the squeezing it until it was almost a slush, running down the cracks of my fingers. "Besides, I survived this long without him."

"You may be able to survive out here on your own but you will come to see that you will need him, want him, no matter how much you try and deny it."

"Kai." I almost cried. "I can't."

"You can't what?"

"I can't do that to him. I'm already being such a burden. Right now, he an die because of me, because I brought them here." I felt her cold hand land on my shoulder, her long, slender fingers curling around to grab me in a form of comfort.

"Because you already care for him and deep down you know I'm right." Pulling me against her, she wrapped her slender arms around my waist. "And do you know he's doing all of this? In an effort to keep you safe, to keep you with him. Because he cares for you too, you are just not letting him show you how much."

"I'm just so scared."

"You're afraid that he'll hurt you, just like everyone else. That's he will hit you or use you and then leave you." I nodded against her.

"Exactly." I confirmed her statement even though she already knew she was dead onto my fears.

"But he wouldn't do that. If he truly didn't want you than he would have rejected you, but he didn't. He wouldn't be doing all of this stuff to ensure you safety of he didn't want you here, he would have just handed you over to Master."

A chill ran through my body every time someone utters his name. I was used to being the only one who still remembers who he was, want he did. For years I never heard another person say his name, or his alias, but it effects me even up to this day.

We sat there in silence, me still in her arms, watching the nature surrounding us. Rays from the sun reflected of the snow making it look as if there was a layer of glitter on top of the white fluff. A lone buck stumbled upon the frozen water, still hidden in the bushes that's lined either sides of it. A snowy owl was perched on a fairly high branch, looking back and forth across the dense forest, ultimately looking for its next meal. It's eyes, a beautiful shade of yellow amber, something that only a supernatural pair of eyes could see from this distance without help. The crisp winter air was relaxing, something that burn the lungs of a mere human if they were to be out here for too long.

"I want you to do something for me." Kai randomly said, a little to loud, making the deer dash of into the woods.

"And what would that be, Little Wolf?" I asked, sitting up, making her arms fall from my waist.

"The next you see Orion, I want you to touch him. Rather it be holding his hand, hugging him, I don't care. But I want you to think with your heart, not your mind. Listen to your heart and listen to what it's telling you, not the little voice in your head telling you to run. Listen for what you want, not what you think you need."