-Everest-

It wouldn't take a genius to see that something was clearly bothering Titus, his stiff and almost dazed demeanor was new to me. As we stood on the dance floor swaying side to side along with the cadence of the song playing, I could easily note that every move of Titus' was mechanical and calculated...almost like he was here, but his mind was elsewhere.

"What's going on?" I finally asked, only it garnered no response. So this time I reached up and lightly caressed his scruffy cheek, his brown eyes looked darker and full of sadness.

I offered him a small smile, "I can tell something is bothering you, you don't have to speak now, but just know you can tell me anything. "

He reminded silent and only brought me closer to his chest before he kissed my hair, I suddenly realized that he was thinking about her, his mate.

I felt so conflicted.

While my heart broke for him when I think about his mates untimely death, I also couldn't help but feel a little upset. The wolf in me whined that this is our night and our husband should be happy and proud standing here with me as his future Luna...but the romantic in me understood his longing for his mate, this should've been her night.

My stomach turned and I pulled away from his hold before the song was over, he obviously noticed.

"What's wrong?" He asked unsure.

I shook my head, "I just need to sit down for a moment."

He nodded and then began to follow me off of the dance floor before I turned to face him, "stay here, enjoy your pack members i'm just going to sit with my brother Ash."

He still looked like he was trying to figure something out before he carefully stepped toward a group of men. I on the other hand did as I said I would and found a seat next to Ash.

"I can always tell when something's bothering you little sister." He sounded quietly.

Ash was smart, amongst all these wolves surely a few would notice I had left my husbands side in favor of sitting next to my brother, but the platform was far enough away from the partygoers that a whispered conversation could easily be missed.

"Just worried." I confessed.

"About?"

I picked up my glass of wine and swirled it around to appear nonchalant and casual, and finally, without making eye contact with him I confessed what had been bothering me since first arriving here, "how can I compete for the love of my husband when the other woman is merely the memory of his late mate?"

Silence filled the void between us, clearly Ash hadn't expected that.

"You are here, make him create new memories and with time the ghost of mates past will be lost in the wind." He finally sounded.

I smirked and looked at him this time, "sounds easier said than done."

Still facing each other my brother smiled, "don't underestimate the pull you have over him, no she-wolf can just make a grown Were look at her the way Titus looks at you, I have to admit I was shocked when I first arrived here, but I can see that there is something there, something begging to blossom but being smothered by doubt."

I remained silent.

"Just continue being you Evie, and soon he'll love you for you and who knows...maybe you'll love each other like mates some day."

He looked down at his phone before answering a call, I could tell instantly that it was his own mate and I decided to give him a moment of privacy and instead got up to mingle with the people of my soon to be pack.

But of course before I could reach anyone my path way blocked by Rich.

"Brother." I sounded snidely.

He smirked, "sister."

He remained rooted in front of me, "what do you want Rich?"

"I've already told you Everest," he replied coldly, "I arrived looking for a treaty and I won't leave here until I get one."

"Well then you're shit out of luck because you won't be getting a damn thing so long as I have a say so."

"And who says you have a say so?" He asked stepping in a tad closer to me.

I held my ground, "if I don't want this pack to do something all I have to do is put in my two cents and guess what, no deal."

"You aren't the Luna yet baby sister."

I smiled coldly, "want to test how strong my bond is with my husband despite the fact that we aren't mates, I'd bet if I asked him to kick you off our land he'd more than happily oblige me."

His smile turned into a wild looking smirk, "I hadn't realized it was 'our' land already, getting cozy quickly have you... Let's not forget what happened to the last little girl who wanted to play Luna to this pack."

I grew extremely defensive, "get off of this land and don't ever come back unless personally invited by me."

"Make me." He challenged.

"Is everything alright over here?" My father suddenly sounded, upon seeing our faces he knew instantly that he needed to intervene before things got out of hand.

"Everything is perfectly fine, Rich was just congratulating me before he told me he had to go, apparently he won't be coming back for a while."

"Everest don't do something you'll end up regretting later." My dad stated knowingly.

"Oh dad, I didn't realize it was so late...shouldn't you be heading to bed in order to catch your flight tomorrow?" I said, essentially telling him he could go to hell right alongside my douchbag brother.

"You're playing with fire Everest." My father responded angrily.

I merely smirked at his words, "...oh but father of course I am, and you're the one who gave me the matches."

It was then that the tables were turned.

My father had made me marry Titus to use me like a pawn to gain power and further his status in the Were-community.

But he never thought his subservient daughter would defy his orders, no longer was I under his thumb and I'll be damned if I don't use the weapons he had personally given me...knowledge and power, and right now, I was the 3rd most powerful Were here at this party.