Edith hasn't been coming to see me lately.

I made a comment to Theo about it as put some salve on my neck, trying not to wince at the pain that I thought would leave soon. The silver is excruciating. Theo watched me like a hawk, and narrowed his eyes.

"What do they call it nowadays? Communicate with her that you feel hurt..." Theo paused. "What am I- your therapist?

"What else are you good for, Theo?" I grinned at him, but stared at the open text message that I was about to send again. I sent one last night, but I got no answer from her.

"Don't annoy her."

I cleared my throat. Theo didn't get it. The pull I felt because of the mate bond, I missed her scent and just...her. "I just want to...see her."

"Goodness," Theo grumbled.

"Just one text message saying hi is all," I hoped I didn't seem like I was too intrusive. Theo is right- Edith is really busy. But she made time for me for the past couple of days which meant something, I know it did. It was weird that she would change it all of a sudden. Or that I might have expected too much.

Theo's phone rings and he mouths "Mom". He puts in on speaker, and I hear aunt Julia ask Theo how I'm doing.

Theo lied smoothly, "West is....Just great. We're just chilling. You know the usual."

"That's so good to hear, I talked to his mom the other day and she's worried about him. Ask him if he wants to stay with us until school starts in a few days?"

Theo looks over to me, wondering what to tell his mom.

I shake my head. I can't. Obviously. The scars on my neck are visible as day- and turtlenecks will take me so far. Theo bought me the entire section of turtlenecks from the store.

"He's going to his own pack. He feels a little home sick, whatever that is," Theo said to his mom.

"Yeah, if only you were homesick."

"Mom, I would always come home for you."

Aunt Julia laughs, updating him on what's been happening until she says goodbye to him, and I look away, missing my own parents.

The best place for Wyatt to be at is Noctis Luna. He's pissed off at me, but that's the safest for him to be at the moment. Theo offered to drop me off home even though it's in the opposite direction of his own home.

When I get there, Wyatt is talking to Carter.

"Hey West," Carter gives me a huge grin. "I couldn't reach you. It's been hard to do that and check up on you. I forget though how young-"

"Ah, yes young. Youth." a mop of brown curly haired and a smug smirk made the typical Uncle Bo. When he saw me he laughed. "West, what's up with the turtlenck? We're finally going to have a sense of style?" Uncle Bo gave me a warm embrace that made me actually hiss under my teeth.

The three of us walked into Dad's office, where Uncle Bo touched a semi clean desk. "Ah, this used to be my desk."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow at me, his lips curling upward. "It still is your desk, Uncle Bo. You always kick Carter out of it whenever you visit."

"I am the OG Beta."

"What brings you here, Uncle Bo?" Wyatt asked.

"Just checking on you two," Uncle Bo replied, looking at Wyatt and I like we were suspects of a crime.

"Why are you looking at us like that?" I asked nervously.

"You both have this look..." Uncle Bo mused. "Like the time you told me Zeke took you guys to Disney World, so I had to do one better." He sighed. "And there was nothing better than Disney World besides Disney World. So you guys went twice that month."

I couldn't help but laugh remembering how much Wyatt and I took having so many uncles and aunts love us and spoil us to our advantage. Suffice to say, when our parents figured out we had Uncle Zeke and Uncle Bo take us to Disney World for the weekend, we were grounded for months. Until Uncle Zeke got us out of it.

"We were definitely spoiled brats," I agreed.

"Were?" Uncle Bo raised an eyebrow. "Still are."

Wyatt agreed "West is super spoiled."

"Hey!" I argued.

"This was just my check up because you know how parents are. They need to make sure. I know your mom asked Julia and Zeke to take a peek at you guys."

"Well," I shrugged. "As you see here, nothing to worry about." Except the fact that my brother is wanted dead by some rogues who collared me.

Uncle Bo gave me a sad look. "But we'll still worry no matter what. Especially your parents."

I could tell him everything right here and now. I trusted him with my entire life. I wanted to tell him. It'd be better. I didn't have to do anything. We'd be better protected. But then I'd tell them how much of a failure I was and how much I screwed up.

Pride was an ugly thing, and the shame that came with my decisions left me not saying anything. I couldn't stand the look of disappointment on Uncle Bo. Especially Uncle Bo.

"I've never seen that serious look on your face about you before," Uncle Bo observed. "Everything okay, West?"

Nothing was. How did he know? He would know.

I took in a deep breath, smiling, lying to one of the closest loved one in my life, "Yeah, it's just a headache with my cold. Tell Uncle Sargon I miss him."

"Visit sometime," Uncle Bo smiled happily. "We always love seeing you guys. And don't think this is the last time we're checking up on you. You know you're grandfather or uncle is probably looking out for you."

I frowned, "Uncle Zeke isn't here." I missed him.

"Er, oh right. He's in, uh- Norway."

Wyatt stood up, eyebrows scrunching as he pieced it together like I did. He frowned, "Costa Rica." The air shifted from Wyatt's side as he crossed his arms, catching Uncle Bo on his mistake.

"Right," Uncle Bo looked nervous all of a sudden. "Costa Rica."

"Is he in Costa Rica?" Wyatt asked.

"If that's what he told you guys."

"Uncle Bo."

He held up both his hands. "Look, I'm not getting involved in this. I told you guys nothing."

"Where is Uncle Zeke? I haven't seen him in a few months," I said, hurt. How could he lie about that to us?

Uncle Bo looked at me softly, "That's just a conversation you'd have to have with him on your own, West."

What was he hiding?

"Uncle Bo, if you love me-"

"Don't use that please don't-"

"You obviously know where he is!" Wyatt said. "I'll ask grandpa then."

Uncle Bo groaned. "You guys, I wasn't supposed to let the cat out of the bag, so don't tell your grandpa or he's going to do his scary vampire thing and come after me."

Uncle Bo's phone was ringing, an urgent call from someone in Uncle Sargon's pack.

"We'll talk later," Uncle Bo promised us, giving us hugs as he says goodbye. Once he leaves, I release a huge breath.

"We're lying to our parents, our parents are lying to us. Go figure. They know, Wyatt I'm sure about Uncle Zeke."

Wyatt kicked off his shoes, leaning into the couch. "They have to have a good reason for doing so. Like you telling me to stay here in Noctis Luna and not with you."

"That you're safe? Yeah." Mom and Dad not being here meant just a little of the protection was off, but Dad always has strong warriors in his pack.

"Heard from Edith?" Wyatt asked me, staring at me with a knowing look.

"No." I was going to wait at least a day before I jumped into any conclusions. "I'm going to get my stuff from my dorm and come back."

"Let me come with you."

"Theo will probably be there anyways," I dismissed him.

Wyatt growled at me, "Why are you such a hard head? I'm coming with you."

I stepped in front of him, looking at my twin straight in the eyes, reaching out to grab a hold of both his shoulders. "Wyatt, just stay here until we handle this situation They want you. You're the one who betrayed them. Right now, your safest place to be is here in our pack with our most trusted wolves." He opened his mouth to say something until I added, "Please."

Wyatt reluctantly resigned, "Okay, but text me when you get there."

For a moment I thought about just shifting into Salvatore to my way back in my dorm, but then I remembered being the son of the Alpha had its perks and anyone was willing to drive me. The wolf that drove me was named Oliver, who was all too willing to be my personal Uber driver. He didn't really understand why I couldn't shift and let my wild wolf run rampant, but he didn't ask too many questions which I liked.

"My wife Gwen sleeps all day anyways, so I figured I might as well make the most of it," he said.

"Thanks, really," I said.

"Anything for you. Or Alpha Lance and Luna Ava."

I wondered how much of it was because of my parents. How everyone in the pack respected them. They earned their respects.

Oliver drove fast- just as I liked it. Once he got in the lower parking lot I instructed him I'll be back and I just had to pack a few things.

Walking up the stairs to the building, I saw a head of red hair sitting on the floor, waiting. Obviously for me. Abby looked up, her mouth lifting as she gave me a nervous wave.

She got up. "Hey."

"Hi..." I trailed off, unsure of how I felt. This was the absolute last thing I needed to deal with. I didn't hear Edith's voice for days, and here this current headache was in front of me.

"I didn't know you'd be alone...where is she?"

My head snapped up, not liking the way her tone was. "My mate's whereabouts aren't your concerns," and my voice gave away my anxiety.

"She's not even with you?" Abby asked accusingly.

"Abby, I'm tired. I don't want to do this with you right now. If you're going to speak ill of someone who is the most important to me, then you can get out of my way."

Stunned by my admission, she stepped back letting me through my dorm door.

As soon as I opened it, something hit me in the front before I even got a chance to react, hitting right in the side of my neck...

Not again.