The next day I decide to meet up with Lilac. Since our argument I haven't seen Hunter. I asked Aiden where he was but he said Hunter doesn't want to see me right now. Did my suggestion really piss him off that much?

"Hey, sorry I'm late. Ready to go shopping?" Lilac says with her usual chirpy self. I don't understand how she can still be so cheerful despite everything.

"Is Amber coming?"

"Yeah, she is meeting us there."

Once at the mall I see Amber sitting outside the building. As she sees us approaching she stands up. "It's good to see you are back but are you sure it's all right for you to be here? I mean, you have been the talk of the pack. Everyone says that the evidence points to you." She says as we walk through the doors.

"I'm being set up but I will get to the bottom of this. All that matters is that I still have a few people who are still on my side."

"So you're not afraid that Hunter may think that you are guilty after all?" She asks.

"No, he knows that I'm innocent. He was with me when Calla was found in my room."

"Well at least you have someone on your side. But what about the rest of the pack?" Amber asks as she sips her tea.

"I will prove my innocence. That is why I need your help. I need you to lie for me."

Lilac's eyes open with shock. "What are you planning?"

"I'm going to try to get to the bottom of this and catch whoever is responsible. I need someone to cover for me."

"I can do that. I'll tell him that I'm doing a portrait of you." Amber smiles.

"Thank you."

"Well, now that that's sorted let's check out the stores." Lilac squeaks excitedly.

As the three of us shop store to store my eyes settle on a on a store of baby clothes. In the store window is a snap t-shirt with a little motorcycle that says "Daddy's little biker buddy" and I can't help but chuckle.

Noticing my gaze Lilac smiles and asks. "Have you and my brother talked about having children yet?"

Before I got a chance to answer our attention is turned to the sound of filled shopping bags hitting the floor which makes me jump.

"What are you two stopping for? We still haven't gotten to my favorite store." Amber whines, stretching her tired arms. "By the way, you and Hunter sealed the matebond, right? We should go celebrate, after all this is something that only comes around once in a lifetime."

"Yeah, we never did get to have our girls night!" Lilac cheers

"I don't know. Maybe, but I'll have to see if it's alright with Hunter. If I get to see him..." I mumble the last part.

Back home I put the stuff I got from the mall away and set out to look for Hunter. When I walk down the hall I hear him talking to someone in his office so I sit and wait for them to leave. Within minutes Aiden walks out and I step up to the door. I stare at the door as I bring up my hand to knock but it doesn't even touch it.

"Come in, Roxie."

Twisting the doorknob, the door swings open. I haven't been in here since the rock incident. As I walk in I glance at the wall where the hole had been but it has since been patched up.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asks, not removing his eyes from his paperwork.

"Um, I was wondering if I could go with Lilac and Amber to the bar for a few drinks?"

"I'm afraid not. With all that's going on I would rather you not make yourself vulnerable."

"But, I don't want to be imprisoned here." Me voice comes out as a whine as I cross my arms.

"Is that how you see it? Imprisonment? I'm trying to protect you. This is not the time to be careless. I will not lose you." Hunter glances up from his work and waves me over.

When I walk over Hunter pulls me into his lap and kisses my temple and I look down at the desk. Four long gouges adorn the surface, as if claws had dug into it. "What happened here?" I run my fingers through the grooves, tracing their path.

"That is a reminder. A reminder of what it's like when you lose your mate." His hand clasps the one I was using to trace the divots. "When my mother first came here she was a survivor of an attack that destroyed her entire pack. When the attackers found out that she survived and was here, they came to kill her but found my grandmother instead. They almost killed her. After that my grandfather blamed my mother for what had happened and that day my mother ran away because of the guilt and fear. My father almost lost control. A wolf without his mate is uncontrollable, and can lash out at any moment. It took all of my father's will power to control himself. This is the aftermath. This is why I don't want to risk losing you. I don't know if I would be able to hold myself back if something happened to you."

"Hunter, I never knew. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. You're right, I can't protect you if it means locking you away from the world. If you want to go with my sister, go on ahead. Just try to keep your senses about you." Hunter says and I can feel my face light up.

"You mean it?"

"Yes, but please be careful. Try to limit how much you drink and take Aiden with you."

"Aiden, but he's your beta? He has important duties here. Caleb and Jasper can come if they must but please don't make Aiden put off his job for me." I beg.

"I choose Aiden because he is my beta. I won't risk your safety. He will go with you or you don't go at all. Please, for my sanity?" He pleads and I sigh.

"Alright."