Jared wanted to die.

I'm sure of it.

There is no other reason of him being here and pissing me off. And increasingly growing agitated and tense was West, clenching and unclenching his fists. I have the feeling he was going to punch Jared again, but this time harder. Even if West was injured, he still could do some serious damage if provoked.

And it didn't take much to provoke West.

"Look, I know you guys aren't my biggest fans," Jared hurriedly continued, and he didn't dare try move either because West was on the verge of shifting. I saw his claws coming out and the low tremors of the sky shifting in the air, a sign that West's emotions took a turn downhill.

So I took his hand.

He turned back to me, his eyes softening in wonder and that adoration he has that makes me feel things I don't want to acknowledge. I averted my gaze from West to glare at Jared.

I told him, "You should leave."

"Now," West added.

"I've been doing wolfsbane for some time now." Jared looked guilty. "My relationship with Penelope-"

"Do not say her name," I gritted my teeth thinking about my best friend being hurt like that.

"I know I've done horrible things-"

"Don't tell us," I interrupted. I already knew.

"Please just listen-"

"I think we're done here," West's voice was too calm. "So I suggest you leave my sight before I break something more than your jaw."

"I know where they are. The rogues. Nicholas."

We both freeze. I feel West's hands tighten over mine.

"There are some wolves at the school that do it, but there's a mole who never showed which is Wyatt. Your brother, West. And they're not too happy about that. They're not going to come after you two until they've killed Wyatt."

Something unpleasant coils in my stomach and I want to throw up.

"Too bad they can't kill him without going through me," West said. "Show me where they are." My eyes widened. West was being too impulsive - and we needed to tell Wyatt and Theo this.

"We don't even know if this is a trap," I said calmly. "We don't trust you at all."

"I get that," Jared said quickly.

I scoffed, on high alert. This was so strange. "Why are you even telling us this?"

Jared took a deep breath, looking down. "Maybe to right some wrongs. I've been in the wrong crowd." I squinted at him, remembering even after West hospitalized him, Jared looked even more beaten up. Like someone beat him up. Could it be? Did someone else beat him up too? "And I know, it was probably deserved."

"You got that right," West growled. Even though he's calmed some, there's still this huge irritation that West can't shake off.

"How did you know we were here?" I asked. "Do they know we're here?"

Jared shook his head. "No, I- I've come and saw Wyatt and you, and how you guys just stayed in your dorm. My dorm building is just down there. I've been trying to get the courage to tell you guys this. Besides, they're after me too."

"Who cares," West said. "You did it to yourself."

"Look I'm trying to quit wolfsbane cold turkey but it's hard. But I'm trying." He sighed. "I just needed to tell you guys. To warn you. Whenever you want, just let me know. I can show you guys."

"One wrong move, Jared," West stepped in front of him, crossing his arms. "One wrong look. One wrong word. One wrong breath. Towards Edith? I'll break your entire body like a twig."

Jared shuddered at the threat, swallowing.

There was nothing in me towards him that I felt bad about because I've been wanting to do it.

"I feel that," he whispered, looking so despondent.

Once we got into West's room, I had to ask, "What should we do?"

"We aren't doing anything," West answered, turning his back to me. "I'm going to make Jared show me where they are, and I'll take care of it."

Oh my gosh. West was insane. "Are you crazy?! You're still injured from the last time they got you. You don't even have a plan."

"Go home Edith, I need to take care of this."

I stared at him, trying to understand where he's coming from saying this. He wasn't getting it. "You're not doing this alone." Especially since Wyatt, Theo and I told each other we wouldn't involve West into something exactly like this.

"They're after Wyatt. This has nothing to do with you."

I shake my head, pissed off. "In case you forgot, Wyatt is my friend. This has a lot to do with me too. I'm not going to stand around and do nothing. In case you forgot, these are the same ones who collared you. So yeah, it's personal you big gigantic idiot!"

My breathing comes out ragged because West is so getting on my nerves. West's mouth is open, slightly blinking open.

"And you're injured, did you forget that part too?"

Now, West's eyes narrow. "Of course I didn't. I feel it every single time I have to breathe."

"Good. Stop acting like a saint. We'll talk to Wyatt."

"I'll call him," West huffed, taking his phone out. "Hey. Yeah. Tell Theo to come tomorrow too."

"How could you say this doesn't concern me and asked me to leave?" I wasn't going to let this go.

West took his hands and rubbed it to his temples, momentarily closing his eyes before he opened them back up, his hazel eyes looking like they were almost glowing. In anger and something else. I feel his anger, but not directed at me.

"Because I failed to protect you once!" he exclaimed, exasperated. "I don't want to do it again." His voice gets lower and throaty, "I can't, Edith. I can't stand it if you get hurt again. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt again. The thought of someone hurting you makes me want to break someone apart." He clutches his hand over his heart, like it physically pained him.

Through the bond, I could feel his strong rush of emotion. It did bother him. "Don't count me out because you think I'd get hurt. I can help you. Trust me too, West."

West cocked his head, "I've always trusted you, you know. I think you've never trusted me."

"Don't turn this on me," I admonish him.

"Do you?" he persisted, his intense eyes staring right through my soul. "Do you trust me?"

The next day, I tried calling Penelope in the morning after work. She wasn't answering neither calls or texts. Blaine texted me instead to meet him at the pack house. No one would be there.

He was holding Rosie's hand and she ran up to me.

"Eddie!" She yelled out, jumping up to hug me tightly. I hugged her equally as tight. I missed her so much. A part of me felt much lighter that I've seen her. Every single time I see her or Blaine, the burden I carry around lightens.

"How are you my little Rose bud?" I asked her.

She smiled at me, "Good! Where have you been?"

"Uh-"

"With her mate West," Blaine's response didn't sit well with me. I looked up at him, wondering what was up with his tone.

"With West?" Rosie asked, scrunching her nose in confusion.

"She really likes him," Blaine told her. Rosie's eyes popped out.

"It's a secret," I told her tightly, but I was glaring at Blaine what was his problem? "What's up?" my voice came out a little strangled.

"Could you watch Rosie for the day?" he asked me. "If it's no trouble."

"Of course," I assured him. "Always."

"Toby needs me to come with him some place. Wouldn't say where."

What did Toby want to do with Blaine? "I can't come with you?" I feel like everything had involved West recently that I didn't have time for Blaine or Penelope.

Blaine shook his head, releasing a deep breath. "You can't protect me all the time, Edith."

"He can't do anything to you," I said, ignoring his statement. Like the last time Toby did something. If I saw him, I would see red.

"Silas has to keep up appearances," Blaine explained. "If Toby may try to do something then he does. You can't always be there."

"I'm just -" trying to help you. Let me. That's all I'm good for. It seems like I can't be of help to anyone these days.

"Watch over Rosie. That's all I need from you." That's Blaine's clipped response as he walked away from me. It felt like each step he took away widened this weird tension from Blaine for miles. How could I help him? When did it get to this point? How much longer can I take this helplessness for the one I consider my brother? Winning against Silas is the only solution I knew. That's why I have no choice.

I took Rosie's hand, calling Penelope again. No answer again. It could be anything, really. I shouldn't worry. But I felt like I owed her an explanation of what happened with Jared. And what's been going with her life. Not mine.

Blaine didn't have to say it: that I sucked as a friend or being there for them both.

Each day I go feels like it would be wrong if I didn't. West's dorm is now like a second home to me. Seeing him felt like home to me.

When I get to West's dorm, Theo is the one to open the door, greeting me. He spots Rosie and steps aside.

"I guess we're just a babysitting joint today, huh?" he pointed to this cute brown haired girl that looked very similar to Theo, about Rosie's age who got up from playing with her dolls. "Parents are out of town so I had to watch her."

The little girl runs up to Rosie, and suddenly hugs her. "I'm Nora!" She clapped happily.

"Rosie," my little cousin isn't accustomed to making friends because Silas isolates her. Seeing her with another girl her age makes me want to take some moments to myself, but Nora whisks Rosie away to where her huge doll house is."

"Where's Wyatt?" I asked because usually he would be here. I could hear the shower in the bathroom, so West was probably there. Naked. Don't think that. I already know how incredible his physique is though. The muscles he has is a true testament to his position as future Alpha.

"In his pack," Theo said. "Safer there than here. West filled the both of us in about what happened."

"So Wyatt can be at his pack, but West has to be here?"

Theo gave me a look we both knew. West didn't care if he was not safe, as long as his brother was nothing mattered. I didn't want to be on that argument because both of them cared about each other a lot. Wyatt might have taken a lot of convincing to leave West's side. That is, if he didn't already have a plan.

His phone dinged. "Well the pizza is ready. Hope you're hungry."

Theo let his little sister stay with Rosie as he went out the door to get food. I pick up a water bottle from West's stash that Wyatt started because he claimed we need to be drinking more water. I stand next to West's bed where both the little pups were playing, watching as Nora excitedly tells Rosie all her dolls name and if she wants one.

After a few minutes West emerges from the bathroom, hair wet and thankfully fully clothed. Drawn like a moth to a flame, our eyes meet and West instantly gives me his easy smile that fills me with warmth. Making me feel too good. All fuzzy inside that I didn't know how long it'd last. I needed it with my weird encounter with Blaine.

I didn't know what I'd say, so I took a large gulp of water from my water bottle.

Rosie saw West too, and stopped, wondering who this other stranger was. She clutched my side looking up at him shyly.

"Who's this?" West asked, smiling down at Rosie. That's the thing about West- he just has that thing about him to make everyone around him instantly calm.

Rosie was shy. "I'm Rosie," she said.

"West," West bent to one knee, holding out his hand. Rosie's face lit with recognition at the name and she took a step forward to shake his hand.

"West?" she gasped a little, opening her mouth. "I know a secret about you!"

I coughed up my water. "Whoa! Okay Rosie, let's-"

West raised his hand at me, dismissing me, a sly grin on his face. He whispered, "No, no what's the secret Rosie since it's about me?"

Rosie looked at me briefly, giving me an innocent toothy smile that I knew meant nothing but trouble. Gone was the shy.

"Edith really likes you!" she tried whispering, but it failed. My face flamed.

"Oh yeah?" West's lips curled even more upward, looking straight at me now, his eyes turning into a darker shade of green. "You want to know my secret too?"

Rosie nodded.

He didn't break his eye contact with me. "I really like her too."

Rosie's mouth opened, and she turned to me. "Edith! Did you hear?"

I cleared my throat, looking the other direction. "I heard."

Thankfully, Theo never heard of knocking because he barges right at that very moment, holding a few boxes of pizza.

"I love pizza!" Nora said, looking at my little cousin, "do you?"

"Yes," Rosie nodded vehemently.

"It's the only thing she eats," I chuckled at Theo.

"Ha. Same thing with Nora. I never thought I'd see my dad have to beg her to eat a vegetable that wasn't tomato sauce," Theo said.

We all sat at West's floor, with West sitting on a chair because it still hurt him to bend down, we just watched what Nora and Rosie put on West's TV, some YouTube video about unicorns.

After we eat, Theo gives us both our alone time because he's such a jerk- maybe a nice one- who smirks at us as he tells Nora and Rosie he'll treat them out to ice cream.

For the past couple of days, our ritual of me putting on his ointment and wrap bandages.

As I'm done with his front part of his neck, I look up at him unconsciously leaning towards him, "How are you really feeling?" The mate bond is such a strange thing. Even though we're not marked or mated to each other, I could strongly feel his emotions whirling around him at different times when they're the strongest. I wanted to help him, but I didn't know how.

He collapsed on me, like an embrace, his forehead on my shoulder, his hands wrapped around me. I know what he's trying to convey even though he'll never say it- he's tired. He's using almost on his weight on me for support.

For a few still moments, all I can hear is his steady breathing, and I close my eyes, inhaling his familiar calming scent.

"Is this okay?" his voice is low and worn down.

I find my voice clutching his shoulders a little tighter. "More than okay." Because I needed this too.

"Of course since you really like me."

I smacked his shoulder.

Dropping off Rosie to Blaine sucked because I wanted to spend time with them, but Blaine wouldn't even look at me as he said it was getting late.

As soon as I got to my apartment, I immediately knew something was wrong. My heart hammered.

"Mom?!" I called out, stupidly. Like she'd really answer.

My home was a wreck. This wasn't supposed to happen. Silas shouldn't have done anything especially since I challenged him. The pack would be watching him.

I froze.

Mom was at the small dining table, amidst the mess, sipping on a cup. She didn't look at me, but it's been years since she has gotten out of her room.

"Did you know you were kidnapped when you were younger?" Mom asked me. Tears pricked my eyes. I needed to get a hold of myself, but it's mean years since my mom spoke to me. She wasn't looking at me, but this was a start. "Did you know that Derek almost waged a war on Alpha Lance because he thought that he kidnapped you?"

I didn't think West's parents would ever do something like that. I think that's how Ava became my godmother, but it wasn't really explained. I'd love to talk to my godmother about it one day.

"Who did?" I asked. Did they ever figure out?

"Rogue wolves," Mom answered. "We were in complete and total paranoia of you getting kidnapped again. How did it happen- we never figured out. Your father searched and searched for clues, any answers and nothing led to anything. It was his mission, his lifelong mission to figure out how it happened to you and why it did. For what reason and what purpose. It took years of his life. Until he got caught up in other rogue missions. One day it was a dangerous one. I told him not to go. I argued with him about it. I told him-"

Mom stopped suddenly, zoning completely out. At this point, my whole body was shaking at this information I never knew. No one has ever told me this about Dad.

"I told your father that I would hate him forever if he left me. Left you."

The hurt in Mom's voice caused a huge ache in my heart that wouldn't leave me, and it consumed her entirely.

"But it was about the rogue that might have kidnapped you. He took that chance. He took it, and he died." Mom looked at me then, really looked at me. Her eyes were empty, but I saw a small semblance of life in it. "And then tonight, you weren't here, some rogues attacked our home. I wanted to die, Edith. I wanted this life to end..."

I wouldn't let the tears burning in my eyes out. I knew she felt this way for years ever since she became in this lifeless state. But hearing my own mother tell me this made me want to crawl up to my bed when I was a young pup again, and be ignorant of everything.

"Except I know that the only reason my heart is beating is because of you. All this time I've been trying not to succumb to my grief. Seeing the rogues made something clear to me. These specific rogues. There was something- some feeling that I had as they were about to kill me and saw a picture of your father that I knew. I knew these rogues. They were the same ones who killed your father."

In that moment, my world shattered.