I hadn't had a nightmare in weeks. Not since I met Caleb.

The first few days after the crash were the worst. The images that I would see every time I closed my eyes would haunt me.

I had high hopes that the nightmares were gone forever. I realized I was mistaken when I woke up the next morning.

I sat up quickly, setting my hand on my chest trying to remind myself how to breathe. I was slick with sweat, wisps of hair sticking to my face.

"Are you okay?" Caleb asked, setting a hand on my arm.

I started, forgetting his presence for a moment.

After taking a second to run my hands over my face I gave him a curt nod.

"I'm fine," I said, rubbing the back of my neck, "it was just a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I said dismissively, laying back down next to him.

I settled against his chest, pulling the blanket up around my bare shoulder.

Caleb started to rub his hand, soothingly, up and down my back.

"What time is it?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep.

"Around six, I think," he said.

I hummed, nuzzling against him further.

"Are you ready for your introduction tonight?" He asked.

"I thought that's what we did last night?" My voice was quiet as I tried to convince my body to go back to sleep.

"That was just dinner, but tonight is the party," Caleb set his hand under my chin and lifted my head, urging me to look at him. Reluctantly I opened my eyes. "I'll get to show you off."

He leaned down, his lips meeting mine as he rolled on top of me. He supported most of his weight on one arm as he moved in between my legs.

I hadn't noticed how sore I was until then. It felt like I'd spent the previous week working out every inch of my body.

I set a hand against his chest, and gently pushed him away.

"I'm still really sore," I said.

Caleb moved back to my side, a gentle hand set on the side of my face.

"Sorry," he said, "I can't help it. I just want you all the time."

"Am I going to have to get you neutered?" I joked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Caleb let out a hearty laugh.

"Are you ever going to stop with the dog jokes?" He asked, getting out of bed.

I moved onto my stomach, pushing one of his pillows under me while I watched him get dressed.

"Probably not," I said, "do you have any clothes I can borrow?"

I hadn't planned on staying the night, so the only clothes I had were the ones I wore yesterday. My shirt was stained with blood.

I subconsciously scratched at the bandage on my neck.

"Here," Caleb said, handing me a tan t-shirt. I sat up and pulled the shirt over my head. "I have a meeting this morning, are you going to be okay on your own for a little bit?"

"You just want me to stay in here?" I asked.

"It won't be long, just an hour or so," he shrugged, "go back to sleep. I'll be back before you wake up."

I hummed agreeably, burying my head into the pillows. I listened as Caleb walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

After trying to fall back into unconsciousness for a few minutes, I gave up. I stood from the bed and searched for yesterdays jeans.

Caleb's shirt came down to my mid thighs. I brought the collar up to my nose and breathed in. I loved the smell of him. It felt so familiar now.

I brushed away a discarded blanket on the ground with my foot. Then I saw my jeans, folded nicely, on top of the dresser across from the bed. My blood stained shirt was no where to be found.

Next to my jeans there were a few miscellaneous items strewn around them. Deodorant. Cologne. Hair Gel. Lotion. I took my time snooping.

Then I noticed the picture frame faced down. I picked it up and saw a photo of Sophie.

She was laying in a pile of leaves, her eyes bright as she smiled up at the camera. Her long golden hair was spread out around her. She was beautiful, much more beautiful than me.

I found myself pitying her. One day she was this happy girl with the perfect boyfriend, and the next he had found his soulmate and she wasn't it. I would be broken.

I put the picture back where I found it and pulled my jeans on. I didn't want to wait for Caleb to get back from his meeting, since I didn't know how long he'd be gone, so I decided to explore.

After I'd left Caleb's room I did my best to remember how to get to the kitchen. The maze of hallways was slowly becoming less confusing as I found my way to the stairs. The mansion wasn't as empty this morning. There were people everywhere, all looking busy.

I was stuck at a cross roads, not remembering my way to the room we'd had dinner in last night when someone came up behind me.

"Birdie? Is everything alright?"

I turned to see Adeline with Molly propped up on her hip. She was in a sundress with bare feet, Molly still in her pajamas. She wasn't wearing any makeup and her skin was practically glowing. Her long dark hair was pulled into a loose braid, though her bangs hung on her forehead.

"Yes, sorry," I said, stumbling through my words, "I was just looking for some place to get breakfast?"

Adeline smiled and waved her hand in a 'follow me' motion.

Molly's small hands hung tightly around her mother's neck, though she was fast asleep. Only then did I noticed how much she looked like her mother, where as Caleb and Jack took after their dad.

Adeline led me into a room I had yet to be in. It wasn't the dining room I had expected, but more of a private breakfast nook. It looked like they had taken a small apartment sized kitchen area and hid it away.

She sat Molly down on a love seat in the corner as I took a seat on one of the bar stools at the counter.

"Most of the pack shares the dining hall, but I thought family meals were important. So I asked Arthur for a private area. Do you like it?" She asked, opening the fridge and pulling out a carton of almond milk.

"Yes," I said, taking another look around, "it feels very different from the rest of the house."

"Everything always has to be so formal around here," she said, rolling her eyes. "Do you like waffles?"

At the sound of 'waffles' Molly jumped up from the love seat and struggled her way onto a bar stool next to me. I laughed at her excitement.

"Waffles sound great," I said.

Adeline pulled out a waffle iron from one of the bottom cabinets along with a bowl. I watched as she floated around the kitchen grabbing everything she needed.

"So I see you and Caleb are officially official," she said, mixing together her ingredients.

I furrowed my brows, wondering what she meant. She looked up at me and then casually tapped her finger against her neck. I blushed and set my hand on the bandage.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

I shrugged, "Different."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" She asked, moving from around the counter and walking towards me.

"Um...okay," I moved my hair over my shoulder, flinching slightly as she peeled back the tape.

"We don't have many human mates around here," she said, walking away from me. She opened a drawer and pulled out a first aid kit, then grabbed a clean rag next to the sink and wet it before sitting in the stool next to me. "I don't think this pack has had a human Luna in almost a century."

I flinched as she pressed the cold rag against my wound.

"Is that bad?" I asked. I still had yet to learn about what being a Luna actually meant.

"No, not at all. You'll be treated just like every Luna that came before you," she said, ripping open the package to a new dressing.

"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, "What does a Luna do? Besides being the mate of the Alpha."

"Other than having kids? Not much," she shrugged as she packed up the first aid kit and washed her hands before returning to the waffles.

"Kids?" I felt the anxiety start to bubble up in my stomach. I had no intention of being a pregnant teen in high school. I was not equipped with the responsibility to take care of a fish let alone a child.

"You won't have to worry about that for a while," Adeline said, the waffle iron sizzling as she poured the batter onto it. "It will only become a priority when Caleb becomes Alpha, and that won't be until Arthur dies."

I saw a quick flash of pain cross her features before it was gone. Quickly, I made the decision to change the subject.

"So if the pack hasn't had a human Luna in a hundred years, then you're...you're a, um-"

"A werewolf?" She laughed, "Yes, my home pack is in a different part of Alaska, but once I met Arthur I moved here."

"How many packs are there?" I asked.

"I'm not sure how many are in the world, but there's only two in Alaska. Redwood and Riverbed," she set a freshly made waffle in front of Molly, who began to drown it in maple syrup.

Suddenly a warm feeling washed over me. That comforting feeling I felt after Caleb marked me. I turned around to see Caleb leaning against the door frame. I couldn't help the smile that took over my face, not only from seeing him, but because I could sense he was near. I liked it.

"Hi," I said, my voice soft.

"Hi," he said back. He walked fully into the kitchen, taking a seat on the stool next to me. He placed a warm hand on my thigh before turning his attention to his mother. "Do I get one too?"

"Of course," Adeline said, after placing the next waffle in front of me.

"How was your meeting?" I asked, stealing the syrup away from Molly. Chills ran up my spine and a feeling of anger radiated in my chest before he answered.

"It was fine," he shrugged.

"You're lying." It wasn't a question because I already knew. I could feel how angry he was.

He blinked, shocked at the fact that I called him out. His brows furrowed with confusion.

"What's wrong what happened?" I asked, setting my hand on top of his.

His gaze flickered to Molly, then his mother, then settled back on me.

"We'll talk about it later," he said, "eat."

Deciding to drop it I finished my breakfast. After thanking Adeline and saying goodbye to Molly, Caleb took me back to his room.

My phone was charging on Caleb's night stand, so I picked it up to see if my grandmother had texted or called. Before I had the chance to check my phone was ripped out of my hand.

"Hey!" I protested.

Caleb grabbed my wrist, turning me to him before he pushed my back against the wall. He was frustrated with me. I could feel his annoyance crawling up my throat, leaving a sour taste in my mouth.

"We have rules, Birdie," he said in an authoritative tone, "I know that you don't know all of them yet. So, I want you to know that I'm not angry with you."

I hated how he was speaking to me now. Like he was talking down to a child. A child who apparently spoke out of turn.

"I can't talk to you about what happens in the meetings with the council. It's confidential," he said.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said sarcastically, "I didn't realize what kind of dog food brand the pack bought was so secretive."

"Birdie," Caleb warned, but I saw the small smirk that began to crack his serious features.

"Caleb," I said, challenging him.

"It's official pack business. Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't," he said. I knew he was telling the truth.

When he lied I could feel a chill run up my spine. It was a distinct feeling, so distinct that there was no mistaking it for what it was. Just like when I could feel his love for me. It felt like I was being wrapped up in a soft blanket.

"Why not?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"Because, Alpha's orders get followed no matter what. As long as I'm a part of this pack, whatever my father says goes," he moved away from me, no longer trapping me against the wall.

That reminded me of something Jack had said to me yesterday.

He's the next Alpha, what he says goes

"What does that even mean?" I asked, sitting down on the bed.

Caleb handed me my phone and then sat at his desk. He sighed before answering.

"Think of it like this," he said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, "If I wanted to eat the last roll at the dinner table, but he told me I couldn't have it, I physically could not take that roll."

"So if he told you to eat dirt, you'd have to eat it?"

Caleb smiled, letting out a small chuckle before answering.

"Yeah, if he ordered me to, then I guess I would."

"So, does your mom get to know anything about the meetings?" I asked.

"Yes, but she's the Luna. She's my father's partner in literally every aspect of the word, so she would have to know about everything going on in the pack if she's expected to help run it," he shrugged.

I nodded, beginning to understand the ranking.

"Well," I stood and walked over to him, taking a seat on his lap, "then when do I get to hear all of the secrets?"

"Not until I become Alpha, then you'll replace my mother as Luna," he said, "but that won't happen until my father dies."

"Is that the only way for you to become Alpha?" I asked, "He can't step down?"

"It's never been done," Caleb shook his head, "once you're Alpha, it's kind of a life time gig."

I started to ask another question, but there was a knock on the door, cutting me short.

Caleb stood, moving me from his lap, to go answer the door. When he opened it a cheery strawberry blonde strode in.

"I brought a lot of options, I didn't know what you'd like," she said, dropping two arm fulls of dresses on the bed. "I'm Charlotte."

"Charlotte, this is Birdie," Caleb introduced me.

"Hi," I said, "I'm sorry, what's going on?"

"You're introduction tonight, it's sort of a formal event," Caleb said.

Charlotte turned to him and set her hands on his chest, pushing him out of the room.

"Sorry, girls only," she said, before closing the door, leaving him out in the hallway. "So," she turned to me, "what's your size?"