I stared absent-mindedly at my bowl of cereal. The fruity pebbles had long become soggy; it wasn't like I wasn't going to eat anything anyways, not after last night at least.

The bombshell that Mara had dropped on me had shaken me to my core. Philip was after me, there was no doubt about that anymore, but for what? I'd done nothing. I had to tell Osiris but it only seemed to make me feel as though I was only seeking help from him because I was fearful for my own life.

I was. I feared that Philip would one day just show up and take me. He was already sending his minions what's to say he wouldn't try to do it himself just to make sure it was a success this time?

My stomach was knotted and coiled as a tall figure made its way into the room. I paid no mind as I continued to stir the spoon around in my bowl.

"Uh- is everything alright?"

The voice was oddly soothing to my ears, it uncoiled the knots in my stomach that I had formed. I peered up at them hiding away any sense of apprehension that I felt. He didn't need to know anything yet. I would tell him, I just had to find the right way of doing so. If I said it wrong, used the wrong words, or simply just dropped it on him, I feared that he'd think that I had done all this on purpose. He'd think k was in on it. He already was a man that remained on edge. Something like this could throw him over board.

I faked a smile. "Oh- yea, I'm fine. I'm just not much of a morning person."

I peered over at the counter where Osiris was busy pouring himself a mug of coffee. The hot steam of the coffee drifted in swirling patterns above the mug. Entranced, I continued to watch as he brought the piping hot cup to his full lips. My eyes trailed up from him lips until they unfortunately and embarrassingly connected with his.

My face flamed with the searing hot sensation of a scalding blush. He stared with amusement as I turned away hastily.

I had previously despised this man, until now and it was becoming increasingly harder to avoid him.

"Sorry." He whispered with sincerity as he turned away an attempt to make me feel more comfortable, I imagine.

The small action indulged my growing curiosity. Why was he suddenly caring how I felt? He was already trying to show more effort; that he cared for me.

A small part of me wanted to believe it was one-hundred percent true but it still felt forced. Andy's words lingered in my head further amplifying the possibility that Osiris was still trying to secretly gain something from his help.

Was he just trying to gain my trust just to use me, keep me stuck here for ever? I shook my head ridding them of the less than pleasant thoughts.

"So," I begin, suppressing the thoughts that screamed at me to be more open-minded. "- what are we planning on doing today?"

Osiris peered over his shoulder as if testing to make sure I wasn't spooked. Once he saw I wasn't frightened or what ever he might have thought I would have react he spun around leaning his elbows against the island as he took another sip of his coffee.

"Well, you said that I effect your curse, right?" I nodded. "I think that the more time that we spend together the more your wolf side will come out."

I raised my brow at him. "This sounds like something only you gain from, Osiris. We had an agreement."

He raised his hand in a submissive motion. "Not at all. It's just food for thought, if you think that there is something better we can do we can do that. The ball is in your court."

"You think that spending time is the answer to my problems?"

"I don't know what the answer is to your problem, Phina." The nickname radiated in my chest as a buzzing warm feeling. "You were the one that came up with this idea, I'm simply following along. So... what would you like to do?"

My brows furrowed together. He couldn't be serious, as if I knew what the correct answer to fixing me. I had an idea, I hadn't tested it. Osiris was eyeing me as if I knew exactly what had to be done. If only.

My temperature climbed with the increasing speed of my racing pulse. I was nervous, I was unsure, I wasn't confident in myself to answer such a question. I hadn't put any thought into this before.

My head pounded with vigorous tension.

I turned away, letting my face fall into my hands. My hair cascaded down around me head like a protective curtain. May be I should just tell him. If I get it off my chest and into the air I'll feel better.

I didn't get a chance to test my hypothesis as pressure was placed on my shoulder. I froze. My breath hitched in my throat, just about choking me, but I didn't move.

There was an internal humming that radiate through me like a calming wave of tranquility. The relentless ache of my tiring thought evaporated leaving behind only this sedative touch. It was easy to invite it in, it felt more calming instead of the normal rush of adrenaline I was used to.

I didn't need to look up to know who it was. Only one person had this effect on me; and I was allowing it to have an effect on me. It was easier to look away than to solidify the fact that I was letting myself give in the the temptation.

"You're too hard on yourself. We don't have to do anything you don't feel like doing. I wouldn't make you ever feel like you have to do something you don't want to do. Not anymore, and I'm sorry for ever making you feel like that... if I have." His voice was leveled. There wasn't an ounce of just a single emotion, it was a concoction of several. I could only put my finger on a few though as I still processed his words.

Osiris sounded remorseful, guilty, and apologetic even, something I clearly wasn't used to. Whether his apology is true or not, time will only tell, but until then I'd allow myself to indulge just a bit. I had to.

Lifting my head up I turned to face him. To face those wild earthy eyes.

It was like something snapped in me and an avalanche of pent up emotion fell loose. "Philip was the one that sent those wolves into your territory." He stiffened next to me but said nothing. "He had them looking for me."

Osiris dropped his hand. Taking a step back he eyed me up and down as if looking for some sort of sign, some sort of response.

I had none.

"Who told you that?" He sounded surprised.

"My friend reached out to me last night." I confessed, watching as the planes of his face hardened. I suddenly felt small.

"And you didn't think to mention this to me sooner?" He scrutinized.

I bit at my lip nervously unable to find my words. There was no way that I'd admit to him the truth. I wasn't about to tell him that I didn't feel up to sharing this information sooner because Andy rubbed me the wrong way. That's just start another endless stream of questions.

"I-I was going to." I lied. "But I-"

My mouth gaped open hopeless wishing that the words would find their way to my lips but they were lost, gone. They were unreachable.

Osiris sighed running his hand up the back of his head and back down several times. It looked as if he was refraining himself and his face told me it was painful to suppress. "Okay, uh- we can discuss this more in the office. We'll be spending much of our time there today, I guess."

He tried to hide the anger behind his eyes, but it was no use.

He didn't wait for a reply, instead turning on his heels and moved toward the sink. His arms were concealed in a long, but thin, black sleeved shirt. The once laidback Osiris was long gone, it was replaced by something sinister though he was trying to mask it.

The aggressive squeeze he held on the sponge told me all I needed to know about what he was feeling. He was upset.

That was an understatement as I watched him aggressively scrub the inside of the mug. It wasn't like he had to use that much force; it wasn't like the coffee stained the cup, but he had to release his pent up anger someway. At least it was the poor sponge that was the victim.

CRASH.

And the mug.

Osiris growled exasperated as he cursed under his breath. He moved his arm out of the sink and that's when I saw it. His hand was coated in a harsh crimson blood. The glass had sliced his hands in the mix of his violent effort to clean ever spec on the mug.

"Fuck." He hissed grabbing a nearby wash cloth.

Something over came me and before I knew it my feet had a mind of their own. "Uh- here, let me help."

I grabbed his hands that curled around the now soaking rag. It had rapidly turned into a deep dark color. Licking my lips I pulled out the draw near the fridge. I had been cooped up in the cabin for a decent amount of time so I came to no surprise that I had discovered where everything was and went.

Pulling out the first aid kit I placed it on the table and opened it. Inside was everything you'd need in an emergency. Bandaids, alcohol, gaze, tape, you name it, it was in there.

"I doubt we need to clean out the cut. You scrubbed every last thing off that mug. I don't think a single germ survived." I tried joking.

Osiris remained silent other than a small grunt in acknowledgment. I didn't expect him to bend over and laugh but it was something at least.

Unwrapping the soggy wash cloth revealed a deep wound carved into his palm like a lightening bolt. Blood poured out in endless streams without the pressure of the rag. His other hand was bleeding too. It wasn't on his palm this time. There was a deep gash from the base of his pal to the second knuckle of his thumb.

My stomach instantly twisted with the urge to throw up. A haze clouded my vision causing me to see duplicates.

"Sheesh- you really know how to slice up your hands." My attempt at brushing off my queasiness came out shaky and weak. My skin felt chilly all of a sudden and my palms grew sweaty.

"Phina,"

My hands shook as I tried desperately to untwist the alcohol bottle. Bleeding hands rested on mine and my hands stopped. "You don't have to do this." He assured me but I was already shaking my head.

"No, both your hands are cut up. I can't let you do this on your own." I took in a deep breath while moving his hands over the sink.

He retracted his hands completely. I found myself frantically trying to grab at them but Osiris held them just out of my reach.

"No, Phina, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I-"

"Look, their already healing." Flipping his palms over I watched as the skin slowly reattached itself. It looked like a web of skin slowly tightening together until the wound was completely sealed.

Of course, he could heal on his own. He didn't need help or bandaids or antibacterial creams; he was a werewolf and werewolves are quick to heal.

I took a step back embarrassment reddening my cheeks. Saying nothing I washed off the alcohol bottle where some of Osiris's blood had smeared onto it.

Drying off my dainty hands pressed the damp towel to my head. A thin layer of sweat coated my forehead.

"Have you always been like this?"

I closed my eyes to focus on my breathing. My heart was pounding, hammering away at my rib cage.

I sighed. "For as long as I can remember." I admitted.

I heard him shuffle closer. His body heat was easy to feel through the chilly morning air. It buzzed an electrifying wave that travel around my body and warmed me up. My breathing softened, slowed down, and calmed. My heart gradually settled into a normal rhythm, a sedative pace.

I felt at peace.

For a brief moment.

Dropping the towel from my head I turned around to rest my back against the edge of the sink. I peeked up at him through innocent lashes with a million thoughts scrambled in my brain.

What was he think? Was he still mad? He probably thinks I'm in on this. That I knew something for a while.

"For the sake of your pack, you should send me back." I mumbled the words heavy on my tongue.

"I'm not handing you over to him."

"You have to. What other choice do you have?" I said pointedly.

Osiris crossed his arms gazing down at me through willow green eyes. They were narrow and cunning. He meant what he said and he said what he meant.

"You're not going back to him. It isn't safe for you. You and I both know that we have no idea what he wants from you or what he'll do to you. You're not leaving." He ordered.

"You can't risk your entire pack just for me. I won't let you."

It was true he couldn't. What kind of alpha would risk an entire war over one person? Nobody is that special. Not even the president.

Osiris shook his head in disapproval. "Do you hear yourself. Like do you really hear yourself. You aren't just anybody. You aren't just some random person on the street. You're a luna of a pack... i-if you want to be that is." He stammered over his words, a slight bob in his throat.

I looked away. "I'm not the luna. We had an agreement."

"We did."

"So, we should stick to that. What I do after we are done is my decision."

His eyes deepened in color while his jaw clicked with tension. "You are still my mate, Phina. I'm not giving you up to him. He nearly ripped your throat out the first time I saw you. Or do you forget?"

I gulped. The memory felt like an eternity ago but Philips fingers digging into my neck was all too vivid, carved into my mind. I rubbed my throat as I recalled. He did look like he was keen on killing me. If it weren't for Osiris popping up that day I don't know if I'd still be alive.

Philip wouldn't have killed me. It would have caused chaos in the pack... right...?

You nothing.

My eyes froze, they were trained on his, I was unable to move them. The voice left me unable to steer my line of sight from his, but the voice was right.

"Phina."

Strong hands grabbed my wrists as I teetered forward unbalanced from the surprising voice.

Sparks erupted up my arms lighting my body up like a Fourth of July firework. My eyes widened as they took in every detail on his body. Osiris looked clear, more well defined as I stared starstruck in his hands.

"Phina, you need to calm down." He told me in a calming tone.

I closed my eyes letting my head fall forward into his chest. "I-I can't." I spoke through shaky breaths.

His hand rested in between my shoulder blades as it rubbed alleviating circles. My muscles freed the tension they had built up inside with only one soothing circle drawn in my back. Osiris didn't need to do much of anything else as I relaxed into his form.

"There you go." He cooed into the crown of my hair. "Just relax."

Regaining composure I pulled back, taking a few more steps back to take a hood look at him. He didn't look upset or fazed or condescending like I thought he would. He looked concerned as he studied me.

"I-I don't know- I didn't mean to-" The words couldn't come out fast enough.

"Shhhh, it's alright. You didn't do anything wrong."

I shook my head. I didn't believe a word he said. I was acting irate and unpredictable. He should be alarmed, but he wasn't.

"Why did I do that?"

Osiris tan a hand down his mouth as he searched for his words. "You're wolf took over for a second there. You were able to rangle yourself back in though. That's better than most young pups."

I was dumbfounded. "My wolf? B-but I- I mean I've heard it before but I never shifted," I paused contemplating the possibilities. "D-did I..."

Osiris eyes grew wide. "No, god no. You're eyes changed they weren't your own- I mean they were but they weren't your own though."

"I don't understand. I heard it speak in my head." I explained rubbing my temple. It was all surreal.

"That'll happen from time to time. You did good though, you were able to bring yourself out of the heighten emotions of your wolf." Osiris told me a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Maybe this deal wasn't a terrible idea after all, but through my positive thoughts the pessimis in me squashed them with Andy's voice.