Sighing as I feel the warm water pelt my back, I watch the steam rise. I hold my hands to my mouth looking up seeing it swirl upon the ceiling.

Just to think, when I first came here this isn't what I was expecting at all.

Willa back then thought she was going to die in the cells. She never expected to find love, friendship, a complete clean slate.

She was weak, shy, and broken.

I hope the new Willa has excelled, and has become stronger.

I hope I'm stronger.

Suddenly I hear a foot slap on the tile making my head snap to the door.

My heart relaxes as I see my mate.

Peeking my head on the other side of the glass I give him a small smile. "How's the drawing coming along?"

He stops, leaning against the vanity. "Okay I guess. It's not turning out how I wanted it to."

I frown for him watching as he rubs his forehead becoming stressed.

He's trying to create a piece for Liam and Penelope's anniversary, this is his third attempt and nothing is living up to his expectations.

"Hey," I whisper quietly. Grey looks up to me raising an eyebrow. "Come here," I sigh giving him a smirk.

He chuckles quietly as I walk back to the water streaming out of the faucet.

Closing my eyes, I let it streak down my face. Like rivers, the water runs down my face soothing my thoughts from before.

Blinking, I watch as Grey steps in coming over to me.

He wraps his arms around me, smiling.

"You have time before their anniversary Grey. Don't rush it," I tell him over the loud rushing of the shower.

He groans, making me roll my eyes.

Turning in a circle, I push his chest making him step under the faucet.

Smirking he grabs the back of my neck pulling me with him, until his face is centimeters from mine.

I brush my lips on his, but he just presses down hard in response.

I pull away just as it begins, feeling my heart quicken rapidly. I watch him through my eyelashes as water continues to drop off of them. Studying Greyson's face as looks down to me.

He stays staring at me, his hand roaming my back. "You're killing me, don't look at me like that," he tells me closing his eyes.

"Like what?" I laugh, watching as he peeks at me through one of his eyes.

My laughter stops as I'm suddenly pushed against the wall, my feet threatening to slip on the tile. But Greyson's form holding me up just in case.

"Like I'm your prey," he whispers, sliding his hand down the side of my neck.

His finger glide against my mark, I take a deep breath looking up to him once again.

It only takes a second before I smash my lips to his.

With a towel firmly around my body, I take a different one to ring out the water my from hair. Greyson stands in the mirror with one wrapped around his waist.

He shaves his stumble that was growing too long, as I walk over to his drawing desk.

My head cocking as I look at the sketch on the canvas. He hasn't even started with the paint yet.

I remember when Grey told me about this project earlier in the week. He wanted to run his idea through me first to get a second opinion.

He wanted to paint a great tree.

Penelope and Liam in the middle, letting their ancestry branch out from them.

He then added that he wanted to paint a portrait of his immediate family on their branch spot, sort of like a family picture.

I thought it was a beautiful idea, thoughtful.

But also hard to execute.

I turn my head to the side when I feel fingers trace from one shoulder to another. "It just doesn't look right," Grey whispers from behind me.

Looking back to the piece in front of me I shake my head. "I think it looks good."

He chuckles kissing my cheek. "Thanks, I might try and re-sketch it tonight, again."

Sighing I take defeat already know that I won't be able to change his mind. He didn't come to bed all night, he just has too much on his plate.

Between this project, Alpha duties, not to mention the Lunar pack has been pestering us lately, he is becoming swamped with work.

I look to the side seeing him eyeing me. "Take it easy, okay? I don't like seeing you under all of this stress."

He hums pecking the side of my mouth. I turn my head further so his lips fully land on mine.

He pulls back quick, "I love you." He tells me making me smile.

"I love you too."

As soon as I step out of the closet, Greyson waves me down to where he's sat on the bed. He pats the space next to him where I sit gladly.

"Hey-" he starts rubbing his eyes. "So a last minute meeting has been arranged between us and the Lunar pack. They're still pressing for territory." He groans making my hand travel to his shoulder, rubbing it to relieve some stress. "But Koda and I have had plans for months to go to one of the schools and visit. So, instead of me going why can't my equal? Will you go for me?"

A smile urges itself on my lips as I nod. "Of course I'll go. It sounds like fun."

He sighs putting his head in his hands. "Thank you. Thank you so much." He shakes off whatever funk he's in.

He stands quickly, and I stand with him.

"I'll update you on the Lunar pack as soon as I know what's going on, love you." He pecks my lips rushing out of the room.

When the door closes I cross my arms feeling cold suddenly. "Love you," I whisper to myself kicking an imaginary rock.

My eyes flicker to Grey's project for a second, before I walk to it again.

He's being too hard on himself. He's being his own critic. But it actually looks amazing.

He hasn't started on the portraits yet, but I'm sure those will look amazing. I just need to help him see it through my eyes.

I just don't know how. He's so hard headed.

Sighing I walk away, I might as well go find Koda.

Skipping down the steps I look around finding no one in sight. Just the murmur of voices, muffled from the wall separating me and the meeting that's currently being held.

Stepping outside I find Koda talking to one of the guards. His face stoic, scary almost.

I never noticed how intimidating Koda really is.

Cocking my head, I take a step forward. Koda looks mad, almost. What're they talking about?

"You need to keep them under control. They almost-" Koda stops mid sentence as I step on a twig alerting them.

I cringe as his eyes snap to me. Waving slightly, he rolls his eyes at the gesture.

Koda whispers to the guard before he walks off. My ears not catching a word of what was exchanged between them.

What secrets are they keeping from me?

I run a hand through my hair, slowly walking to Koda. He stands with his arms crossed watching me come to him.

He looks down to me, his face still serious.

"What're these secrets you're keeping from me?" I ask him, not sounding happy at all.

"There's no secrets?" He tells me like I'm stupid.

I bite my lip keeping me from laughing bitterly in his face. "Koda, I overheard you two, and then you stopped as soon as you saw me."

Instantly, he sighs rubbing the back of his neck.

"Come on, let's start walking." He grabs my arm ushering me to follow him. My eyebrows scrunch in annoyance as I bat his hand telling him to let me go.

But he doesn't, he keeps walking eyes ahead, guiding me. "Koda," I whine grabbing his wrist.

When he still doesn't budge, I decide to take matters in my own hands. Literally.

Squeezing the pressure point in his hand, it causes his hand to lock and let go of me. Twisting it around he growls in discomfort. "What're you doing?" I state.

I twist it harder causing him growl louder. "I was getting you out of ears reach Willa!" He exclaims clamping his free hand around my bicep.

He squeezes, pushing me away.

Sighing I let him go, taking a step away from him. "Greyson told me not to tell you," he whispers rubbing his hand.

"What exactly am I not suppose to know?" I ground my words between my teeth. Where the hell did this even come from?

Koda blinks slowly before motioning me to continue walking. "Let's walk and talk, we have to be at the school soon." He tells me calmly before leading the way.

"So?" I press.

"So," he pauses taking a deep breath. "We think the Lunar pack is going to become a threat to us soon."

"Why?" I ask raising my eyebrow. I thought we were allies?

"We're not giving them what they want. And as the day goes by, they're becoming more aggressive. Like today," he pauses to run a hand through his hair.

"What happened?" I grab his shoulder making him stop his steps. He turns to me, his blue and brown eyes looking serious.

"We had a new trainee at the front door today guarding it. We weren't thinking," I'm assuming when he says we he's referring to him and Greyson. "The trainee has never encountered the Lunar pack, so he was obviously on edge when three unfamiliar guys came to the door. He might've said something along the lines that they didn't belong here, and that upset their Alpha. If it wasn't for Grey, the trainee might've been dead by now."

My eyes widen, my jaw slacking. "What happened?"

Koda shakes his head, "He tried to cut off his tongue." Gasping I put a hand over my mouth as he just looks to the ground. "Grey ran outside once the trainee was to the ground with a knife to his tongue."

"Why didn't Grey want me to know?"

Koda starts walking again. "You know him, he didn't want to worry you. But I thought it would be better if you knew, even if I get a punch from it later." He chuckles dryly as he absentmindedly runs his hands across each passing tree.

"What does this mean? I mean how are we reacting to this?"

"We're trying to call them down, the Lunar pack is all over the place. We just need to stay on their good side for now, we don't need the extra conflict." Koda sighs, his body drooping with tiredness.

I nod taking a deep breath, "Thank you for telling me." I tell him. "And if Grey tries to punch you later, I'll defend you." I try to joke which ends with Koda showing me a half assed smile.

Better than nothing.

Crossing my arms I let the silence consume us. The only thing making noise is the crunching leaves beneath our feet.

Hearing stories about this Lunar pack just makes me feel uneasy. We can't trust them if they keep acting like this.

"How're you Willa? I feel like we haven't been able to talk lately," Koda breaks the silence. He looks down to me as I shrug.

"I'm alright, just a lot on my mind. But what's new?" I chuckle even if there's no humor behind it.

He nods, his face set in a straight line. "What about you and Grey?"

Sighing I smile slightly before it turns into a frown. "Good. But we have our ups and downs." He's silent as he leans his head to the side. "You'll understand once you have a mate," I smile patting his shoulder.

I finally get a smile out of him as he blushes, "I haven't thought about finding a mate in ages."

"She'll be a lucky girl," I bump his side.

Though when his head snaps down to me shocked, he stops his steps.

Slowly I turn to him as he slacks his jaw. "Willa," he states scratching the back of his neck.

"What?" I ask him quietly, taking a step towards him.

His face starts turning red before he starts laughing. Full on bending over, stomach clutching, laughter.

"Koda what?" Smiling I watch as he tries to catch his breath. He wipes a tear from his eye before he grabs my shoulder.

"Willa," he smiles. "I'm gay."

He squeezes my shoulder as my confused expression slowly turns into a smile. "Your-"

"Gay." He finishes for me. "Yes I'm gay. I'm surprised no one has told you yet." Koda laughs grabbing my hand to continue our walking.

"Wow," I laugh. "Then your mate will be a very lucky guy."

"If I find him," he looks to me as we step to the schools doors.

I lean my head on his shoulder, "You will Koda. You deserve to be happy with someone."

I never realized how nerve wracking it would be to stand in front of bunch of toddlers. Their eyes always staring at me or Koda.

They're intimidating really.

But I was very glad to see Lillie. Though Koda and I had to keep telling her to sit down while we were talking. She thought she had an excuse because her brother is my mate and Koda's best friend.

Her teacher wasn't very happy either.

We had to explain what we did for the pack. I then had to keep looking over to Koda so he could help me out. It's like the words were in my head, but they weren't coming out.

But in the end it went very well, and now Koda and I just made it back to the house.

The meeting is over -thank god- so now I need to get some information out of Grey.

Still having a resonating smile on my lips, I open our bedroom door.

Though my smile fades when I find the room completely black besides the lamp on the desk lit dimly.

"Grey?" I whisper quietly as I look around the room.

I finally find him mumbling under his breath as he sits on the bed. His head in his hands.

Willa, let him cool down. He looks on edge.

I'm not just going to leave him like this.

Carefully and quietly I walk over to the bed. I touch his shoulder softly, trying to comfort him.

Instead, he jumps from shock. In and instant he's across the room looking at me with wide eyes. "Willa," he breathes.

Crossing my arms I take a step towards him, but he holds his hand out telling me to stop. "Greyson, tell me what happened. I'm here for you," I tell him in just a mere whisper.

He rubs his eyes growling under his breath. He puts his hands in his hair, tugging on the strands like he's having an internal battle. "It's getting bad Willa. It's starting to get out of my control."

"Let me help you-"

"You can't." He interrupts me shaking his head. "They tried to cut off my guards tongue. His tongue!" He tells me. "And then he threatened more people, and now he wants me to travel to his territory." His first clench right as he flings then back to his side. His breaths coming out fast and heavy.

I press a hand to my mouth staying quiet. He's on hyperdrive right now, I should've listened to Amara.

"Then-Then I have to do this shit drawing," his voice gets louder as the second passes. "I don't have time!" He yells striding over to it.

In a second he picks up the canvas, and throws it across the room.

It knocks a frame off of the wall, making it shatter on the ground.

Jumping, I watch as he doesn't stop there. He grabs his pencil holder throwing it as well, knocking everything off his desk he fumes with rage. This isn't Greyson. He's the one that is always calm and collected. I'm always the one who starts acting out.

But he's always here for me when I lose control. I have to be here for him.

On impulse I walk to him to help calm him down.

I place my hands on his turned back, his muscles stiffening as I touch them. But instead of him calming, he retaliates.

He spins grabbing my wrists, holding them tightly. I gasp as he pushes me into the wall, my head pounding against the sheetrock, my ears ring.

"Stop trying to help me! You can't fix everything Willa!" He screams. His eyes glowing yellow, as he pins me to the wall.

I'm completely and utterly speechless. I try to say something, but I'm afraid that if I do so nothing but a quivered mess will come out.

I've never seen him like this, and it's terrifying.

Biting my lip harshly, I feel a tear run down my face.

I watch as his eyes move to the tear, he watches it making them slowly grow wide. My figure trembling in his grasp.

Realization flashes in his eyes making him gasp.

Grey let's go of my wrists, taking a step back. His eyes flushing back to blue. "I-" he pauses as I rub my wrists tenderly. "I scared you?"

He whispers his words so quietly. So broken.

Hurriedly I wipe the tear from my cheek. My hands still shaking from previous events.

I don't dare say a word. I don't even dare to move. I told you to leave him be.

"I'm-" he shakes his head rubbing his eyes. "Im so sorry." Grey tells me with wide worried eyes. "I'm s-sorry. I'm so sorry," he repeats over and over again as he stumbles backwards.

I watch as he runs out of the door letting it slam behind him.

As he leaves me alone, I slide to the ground with overwhelming emotions. Letting myself curl up, and giving myself time to let everything out that I've been keeping in.

I cry.