in italics is memory flash back while conversation in bold is by the wolf.

"I didn't think any good would come from this trip but look," Alpha Emmery said gesturing between us. "What do you mean Alpha Emmery?" I asked flatly, wanting nothing more than to lock myself in my 'room' and sleep this night away. He'd been holding me uncomfortably close all night.

"Darling don't be doing that to me, you just call me Emmery, my little treasure." I would've been flattered were the situation not manufactured to hurt me but, I had to play along. "As you wish, Emmery." He rubbed his big thumb down my cheek before pressing a kiss to my forehead. I couldn't do much resisting, I had a job to do and so I faked enthusiasm by leaning towards him a little.

"Jackson did good, I might just keep him." He mumbled against my skin. "What did Alpha Jackson do exactly?" He waved his hand, dismissing the question as he pulled me into a tight hug. "Oh it's nothing for you to worry yourself about my love." He placed open mouthed kisses on my neck, I had long since given up on the eeky feels that coursed through me whenever he did this thanks to some alcohol.

He turned to a couple conversing close behind him and luckily, it was his brother and beta, John.

"...get ... contract....be back." Despite all my eaves dropping skills, I still got this useless bit of information.

When he turned back to me I schooled my features back to innocence. "Darling I'll be back just now, seems I drank too much but, don't move okay?" He said kissing my cheek, however I knew the last words were a threat from the way he growled them while tightening his hold on me. I was his alone and he would less than appreciate it if he returned to find the situation different. I eagerly nodded my head, I wanted him gone, really.

Just as he excused himself off, someone harshly bumped into me, nearly knocking me over. I huffed angrily turning to investigate only to find a young man who looked quite panicked. On the floor was a mess of important looking papers, I assume they fell from him when he hit into me.

"I'm so sorry, I should've checked where I was going, so sorry Miss please forgive me-"

"It's okay, mistakes happen." I stopped his rambling with a hand to shoulder, hoping to calm him some. "Thanks." He said his eyes darting on all the papers strewn about on the floor with urgency, other guests were trying not to trample on them.

"I wish uncle Emmery was as forgiving but he's gonna have my hide for this--" There he goes again.

"I'm Johnny, I'm sure you've met my dad John?" No wonder he looked so much like John, and Emmery. "Nice to meet Johnny, here let me help." I said kneeling down being watchful of my dress. He apologized so, why not?!

"What is this anyway? And why would Emmery have your hide? He seems like a, um, gentle person" We started gathering the stray papers in singles while some were lying in messy stacks. "Only to you he's that way, you know until tonight I've never seen him so... happy. Its like you brought him back from the dead cause ever since--no, never mind." I raised a brow at that but refrained from pursuing the topic any further, he looked like he didn't want to delve into it so, I stopped.

We went back to gathering the papers that now looked like some kind of contract. It must've been stuff for the alliance. I was still on my knees when a photo fell out of the stack. In it was a girl with jet black hair, a pert nose and deep brown eyes just like---wait a minute, she looks like me! Huh?

"What is this Johnny?!" I demanded answers from the boy still bent in front of me, I was really freaked out. "What are-" He started but quickly trailed off when he saw what I had in my hand. "Shit, give me that!" His hand reached out for the photo but I yanked mine back before he could grab it, rising up from my position.

"No!" He jumped to his feet also, shoving his papers into a folder he got from somewhere. "Not until you tell me what's going on, are you stalking me?!" He quickly clamped a hand over my mouth frantically looking around, looks like I gained us some attention. "Shhh, keep your voice down you're causing a scene!" He scolded me but I did not back down, this night was getting creepier by the second. "Why do you have a picture of ME with YOU?!" This time I whisper-yelled.

He started pacing and cursing right in front of me, I had half the mind to report him to Alpha Jackson, it was a minute consideration but I sooner came back to my senses. I was on my own here, that much was clear.

"Look, its not you alright?!" He yelled looking just about ready to pull his hair out. "I AM looking and this IS me!!" I shoved the photo in his face.

"No it's not because the woman IN that photo died years ago!" He said the pain in his voice rendering me speechless.

"B-but---I'm here. I don't understand." I blubbered out, tell me what you do if someone looks you in the eye and tells that you're dead?

"Darling, her name was Darling Summers, uncle Emmery's mate." By now my mind was spinning as I tried to process his words. "She died giving birth to their first pup." He said in the wake of my silence, he was no longer trying to hide the quiver in his voice; he must've really been close to her. "You know what the bad thing is?" I remained silent, what do you say in a situation like this? "It's that their pup didn't make it. And here you are, the exact ringer of his dead mate."

"So he thinks I'm HER?" I asked, really feeling sad for Emmery. Johnny sighed wearily, I could tell he hated that I found out about this, that he blew it. "Look, your Alpha knew this, that's why we even bothered to bring my uncle here."

My body went rigid as my mind finally allocated each piece of the puzzle together, this means all this time, they-- Luna knew...

And Emmery?

"Moon goddess, she lives..."

"Look my darling, I kept this for you!"

"Darling, I knew I'd find you."

Tears trailed down my face as I understood, the same time that Emmery returned, the same time an angry wolf growled "MINE" behind me and the same time an excited Lara yelped inside my head.

***

Addict