"I'm sorry, but what?" I asked my friend, who offered a strained smile.

"I can ask someone else?" She perked a perfect brow. I knew if I said no, she would do just that and it wouldn't bother her, but this was Alexei we were talking about. I was sure she knew I used to look at Alexei with love hearts basically popping out of my eyes but that was before I realised what a complete pompous ass he could be.

I wasn't going to repeat that same mistake ever again.

"No, it's okay." I replied, despite inner Pen shaking her head furiously with wide eyes.

"I'll let Jude know." Aella squeezed me into an embrace before she ambled off to deal with the other E.S Enforcers.

Once she was out of sight, I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "This can't be happening."

There were more sightings of those red-eyed changelings in the Mountains, beyond Pack grounds. Jude had been planning to go with Alexei and Jamison to investigate further but Jude was suddenly caught up into an important meeting with the Pack healer.

Aella explained that the trip needed to still go forward but she had no one to fill in Jude's empty spot just yet.

Like a fool, I accepted.

"Why the long face?" Kian approached me, smirking.

I'd spotted him earlier, speaking to Solkolov.

Well, he was nodding while Solkolov spoke in hushed tones.

Solkolov was one of the seven men Jude had in his inner circle.

It never failed to amaze me how Kian quickly had slipped into the role of an E.S Enforcer. Once he donned the legendary black skins of the Enforcers, he seemed to take on another kind of shine and confidence. He had just recently cut his hair, so the jet-black locks were missing, replaced with hair that was shorn closer to his head. A few of the females in the ranks showed interest but Kian pretended as if the female population didn't exist.

Females?

Pfft, don't ask Kian. He didn't know.

The only pussy he played with was Misty, who could meow her way into Kian's good graces- the absolute slut.

"You still haven't told me why you're scowling at me like that."

"It's your face." I dead panned.

"Hmmm, I've been told on a few occasions that my face could make a girl com-"

"-and we are done here." I snorted, rolling my eyes.

On top of the bold confidence, Kian had somehow become more talkative. I much preferred the time when he had been quieter but then again, quiet people always spooked me.

They were dangerous, the whole lot of them.

Before I could leave, Kian placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. His eyes were troubled as he studied my expression I fought to keep carefully blank. "You let me know if you need anything. I mean it Pen." He said softly, with meaning.

I was going to cry. Big, ugly tears of gratitude. I shoved the tumultuous emotions in a box and proffered a smile that hopefully reached my eyes. "Thanks. I'll let you know."

"Good." He replied.

When noon arrived, I made my way back to the Pack house, per Aella's instructions. I spotted both men standing on the porch, decked out in their combat gear. They paused mid-conversation, spotting me in the distance. They ceased speaking and descended the short flight of stairs to meet me half-way.

Jamison strode over with a short greeting. His intelligent copper gaze studied the tight smile on my face. I wasn't exactly sure what he was reading there but I knew I didn't like it. Jamison had a way of making people uncomfortable. It was evident that the Enforcer himself knew exactly what I was feeling because his lips twitched with slight amusement. He almost reminded me of Kian in this sense. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I answered, which roughly translated to 'never'.

Alexei immediately noted my empty hands, "You didn't pack a bag?"

I blinked, puzzled. "Bag? Was I supposed to?"

"It's an over-night trip." He replied, like I should've known.

I silently killed Aella in my head. Why had she left that out?

Because she knew I would reject the favour as soon as she mentioned it being an overnight trip.

"I'll go quickly grab some things." I moved to go-

"No, I have enough for the both of us. We'll stop by a place so you can grab some...things."

I blinked in confusion but nodded slowly. "Okay."

I could feel Jamison watching us with those dark, assessing eyes. He had to be picking up on the awkward atmosphere between Alexei and I. It was a small mercy that he didn't bring it to attention, but he did move away hastily as we meandered to the truck parked at the edge of the Pack field. Jamison immediately launched into the driver's seat. I jumped into the backseat, wanting to stay clear of each Enforcer. Once Alexei filled in the passenger seat in the front, Jamison revved the engine.

I wanted to ask them why we hadn't opted to go wolf, but I didn't want to hear the flow of questions that would arise.

It was a secret that I rarely morphed into my wolf. I assumed that once my wolf found a Pack, she'd be easier to control but I could feel her slipping from my control bit by bit. It had been six months since I allowed her to surface and that was bad. Really bad. I hadn't told anyone yet because I was still freaking out, trying to make sense of the situation.

I felt her energy here and there but not like I used to. She felt like a whisper touch now rather than an active presence.

She wasn't pleased that I was restraining her.

Six months was a long time, even longer for a wolf to be suppressed.

I knew it wasn't wise, but I couldn't help myself.

The last time I transformed, I almost couldn't morph back without keeping all my faculties intact. The change had been so horribly painful, I refused to let my wolf come back out after that experience.

I'd been lucky so far that I hadn't needed to morph yet.

Jamison fiddled with the radio until a soft hum of classical music drifted through the vehicle. I recognised the piece as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. I was more than surprised when Jamison decided to leave the hauntingly beautiful piece play.

The ride was surprisingly relaxing.

No one really spoke over the echoes of piano keys. I found it relaxing, watching the scenery change the further we ventured away from the Pack.

Just as we hit the long winding road that would lead up to the mountains, Jamison pulled into a small parking spot where I noticed a strip of humble stores catered to the few travellers floating by as part of their journey.

Our truck didn't attract too much attention but as soon as Alexei and Jamison hopped out of the vehicle, eyes shifted to them.

I hesitated in my seat until Jamison knocked his knuckles against the metal door. I eyed him with a slight glare that he effectively shrugged off.

As he wondered off, Alexei still stood near my door, waiting. A family walked by the truck. A little girl who was tucked in her mum's arms gaped up at Alexei as they passed. Alexei conjured a charming grin. Both Mom and daughter blinked, as if caught in a daze but as soon as they disappeared from sight, that steely expression I was familiar with settled across his features again.

"You plan to stay in there by yourself Penelope?"

I sighed. I wondered why he called me 'Penelope' rather than 'Pen'. Even after I told him to call me just Pen, he blatantly refused and looked at me like I was the crazy one for suggesting such a thing.

I exited the car, closing the door behind me. It beeped as the locks activated.

Jamison had already disappeared into the quaint fruit store. The women in front practically eyed the hell out of his bubble-butt when he sauntered by their straying eyes. I really couldn't blame the women. The man had a great booty, although I wouldn't admit that to his face. I was more infatuated with another pair of buns and that man was out of the question.

I spared the man that walked by my side a subtle glance. The stares he garnered didn't bother him the closer we got to the shops. He moved with an ease that seemed to be engrained in his DNA.

"I have most things in my bag. I think you just need a toothbrush and spare underwear." Alexei led us to a small store with racks of clothing displayed in the front. I ignored how casually he said underwear. I wasn't going to linger on that titbit or the fact that he could possibly be thinking of me wearing just underwear.

Huh, maybe I needed to dissect the thought a little more-

"Welcome, what can I-" The vivacious woman that greeted us paused mid introduction as her eyes flickered to the two letters etched onto our combat attires. She gulped audibly as she took in the rest of us in with vigilance. Her fingers trembled but she hid them behind her back, supplying a small wary smile that didn't reach her eyes.

I had forgotten how outsiders of the Pack reacted in the presence of E.S Enforcers.

I'd also conveniently forgotten how different Alexei became when he was with any other female but me.

His lips curled into a placating but charming grin as he relaxed his posture. I knew he wanted to make the woman comfortable, so they could get their shit done and leave quickly. He didn't like the attention as much as I did but he knew when to wield those pearly whites. "We were looking for the underwear section. Would you mind pointing us to the right direction? My wife would really like to see what you have."

I barely heard the words leave his lips, because I was still gaping from the audacity he had to call me the W word.

It wasn't something I took personally, considering he wanted the woman to see him as endearing but not available. Any other day, I would've applauded his genius if I wasn't the supposed wife in the said situation.

The woman immediately warmed up to Alexei, seeing him as less of a threat. Sure, he had dreamy eyes and that nice, wavy hair gig going on but that didn't mean she could sigh all over him like a dog in heat.

While Alexei buttered her up with his raspy laugh and low tones, I trailed behind them, ignoring the pair.

I was here to work.

The amount of those mutated changelings were increasing. There were rumours from the surrounding Packs that some of their members were disappearing. It wasn't difficult to conclude that the increase of the poisoned changelings and decrease of Pack members were undoubtedly interlocked.

Jude had suspicions that the mountains were housing groups of these changelings. Tatum -a total DILF by the way- had come to the same conclusion. If these two men were thinking the same thing, that could only mean trouble.

Tatum, Aella's Dad, assisted Jude and the Enforcers to investigate the issue of the poisoned changelings considering he and Aella could detect those mutated changelings unlike the rest of us. I asked Aella once about how she could tell there was a red eyed changeling nearby. She could only explain that there was a full body awareness that overtook her body when the time came.

As for Tatum, the man was sharp and undeniably scary when he wanted to be. Thank the Moon Goddess, he seemed to like me enough. I couldn't imagine having Tatum on the other side of the spectrum of people who didn't like Penelope Rivers.

Lately, the man had been occupied trying to trace the person who had put a hit on Jude. That had come as a surprise. Jude himself hadn't been alarmed by the fact when it was first unearthed, since he had an endless list of people who wanted his head on a spike. I gleaned from Aella that they were close to finding the guy, it was just a matter of timing now.

The lady who directed Alexei paused and motioned to the rack closest to her, "These are our women's underwear."

We pulled to a stop in front of the said rack.

Well, there was an assortment of underwear.

They all just looked downright scandalous. I had the urge to cover Alexei's eyes, but I reminded myself that he was a grown-ass man. He probably came across more than a good amount of lace in his lifetime.

"What colour would you like? or material? I can check the stocks if you can't find anything you like here." The woman added helpfully but she was watching Alexei, as if he was the one here looking for a pair of feminine silk under things.

"I think my wife and I can manage it from here." He assured the lady with a warm smile.

I picked up a baby blue satin G-string, decorated with lace accents. It had great, big wedgie written all over it.

"Hmm, not bad." Alexei picked up the piece between two fingers, assessing it closely.

I snatched the delicate fabric from his hand, "Do you mind? I'm trying to look for some decent underwear."

Alexei nodded but his gaze shifted to the rack. "I'd suggest this one." He held up a blush pink pair of panties, swirling it around his index finger. There was a glint in his eye that sparked with humour. For a second, all I could do was gape at him. I was genuinely surprised that he was intentionally trying to make me crack a smile. I hadn't seen that smile directed at me for months and I despised the fact that I noted that little detail.

I wanted to laugh but my cheeks heated instead. "Give me that and let me find something without you touching anything."

He handed me the panties albeit reluctantly, "If you get stuck, I recommend the blue one." He leaned closer to me, his lips a mere inch from the skin of my cheek. I caught a whiff of his earthy scent- rosewood and mint. There was a slight stir in my body as my wolf reacted to his close proximity.

I stole the panties from his fingers as he casually sauntered off, hands tucked in his pockets.

I glanced sideways only to see the shopping assistant fanning her face. She gave me an exaggerated wink, throwing up her thumbs and a nice eyebrow wiggle.

Clearly, she thought I was getting some tonight.

I didn't want to dim her hopes. She looked genuinely excited for me, so I wiggled my brows and winked, pretending as if I existed in a world that Alexei and I couldn't keep our hands off of each other.

Alexei, who was at the perfume section, threw her and I a certain look, clearly suspicious.

We instantly ducked our heads.