Thunder rumbled under me, stirring me from my sleep. The storm outside must've been raging for how much it shook me. Opening my eyes I saw it wasn't thunder shaking me at all. Alec was growling, his face twisted with rage. Then, I saw the reason for his anger.

Caleb was walking over to us, his steps rushed, but his movements momentarily paused with caution for what Alec might do. I guess even with his hands chained behind his back, he was still a threat.

I pushed off the floor to get up. My head was filled with fog, but my body didn't feel so hot anymore. It must've been over with.

For now.

Caleb began walking again, moving to my side to help me up. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah," I said, rubbing my eyes, "I think I'm okay."

"We have to get you out of here, quickly, if you don't mind." He said, scooping me up in one swoop of his arms. I gasped and held onto him tightly. "Get him up, we'll need him." He ordered the other people that had walked in the room behind him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, gripping onto his shirt a little tighter for his attention.

"Looks like Alec's pack came for him. They've been testing our boarders all morning, they broke through only minutes ago."

Opposed to last night, my blood ran cold. It was happening, it was really happening. We were at war.

"Let me take her," Alec called after us. Caleb paused in the doorway, his jaw clenched. "I know their plan she'd be safest with me."

Caleb didn't even turn to look at him. Other than stopping after he spoke he barely acknowledge Alec at all. Caleb didn't respond as he continued walking into the hallway.

He was deadly silent our entire walk, as was I, but I was only following his lead. At the end of one of the never ending hallways stood Alison and Charolette. Charolette was holding a bundle of clothes, both of them looked very disheveled. Caleb sat me down on my feet, his hands lingering on my waist.

"You're going to stay with Alison, she's going to protect you," he said.

I grabbed his arm before he could walk away. "Where are you going?"

"I have to protect everyone else," he said, kissing the top of my head. A low growl escaped his lips. I knew why, I smelled like him. "You'll be safe with Alison."

Then he turned and left, practically running to where all the other warriors were exiting out one of the back doors. I was filled with dread as I thought about what he was going to have to do, and how that conversation could have very well been our last.

Alison tapped my arm to get my attention. "We have to go Luna, he'll be fine." She shoved the clothes that Charolette was holding into my arms and pulled me along with them.

This was all happening so fast, too fast, I wasn't even able to form a thought. That seemed to be happening to me a lot lately. I was never given time to think. I didn't think before letting Caleb mark me. I wasn't given a chance to think about how to deal with Alec. I couldn't think before I was swept away from my grandmother and moved into this mansion, expected to help lead all these people. I was beginning to regret all of my decisions lately, but how could I when all of this came with meeting Caleb? I loved him so deeply, more than I'd ever felt anything before and now I was possibly faced with losing him.

He'll be fine.

Surely, Adeline was told the same thing. Hell, she was probably fighting next to Arthur, at least she was able to do that. I was only a useless human. I didn't belong anywhere near this.

"Here," Alison stopped us, we stood in front of one of the bathroom doors. "Change. Quickly." She commanded.

I walked in and closed the door behind me, grateful for a moment to myself. Focusing on my breathing, I pulled on the clothes I was given, rushed and clumsy. One of Caleb's sweatshirts was among the pile, after I put it on I bundled the collar against my face and breathed deeply. His smell was still there, that brought me at least a bit of comfort until there was a knock at the door.

I ran my hands through my hair nervously after splashing some water on my face. I'd finally felt put together enough to open the door, once again entering the chaos.

Alison placed a hand on my back, holding Charolette's with her free one, and lead us out the back doors.

The back yard was no longer decorated beautifully, covered in lights, and full of people dancing and laughing as it was when I had first seen it. The few people back here were scrambling, running, yelling orders at one another. There were giant wolves shaking the ground as they battled. I didn't even know who was on our side and who was the enemy, I began to think I should've stayed in the bathroom.

"This way!" The tone of Alison's voice made me feel as if she'd been caught off guard. This clearly wasn't the plan.

We took a sharp turn, and I knew then where we were headed. I could see the barn on the edge of the property, but once I'd made that conclusion a wolf jumped in front of our path. He growled deeply and bared his teeth, making it clear he wasn't on our side.

Alison pushed Charolette and I together with a shout to run, but both of us were frozen, stilled with the same fear. We were both human, with no way of defending ourself against these beasts.

Alison shed her human form and stood in front of us defensively. Her wolf was covered in mostly dark fur, white patches covered her giant paws. If she wasn't so terrifying with her teeth bared and snarls dripping from her jaws, I would've said she was adorable. For the moment, however, all I could see was another deadly beast.

Alison and the enemy wolf pounced on one another, clashing together, they tore with their big claws and clamped down on each other with their teeth. Their battle shook the ground beneath us, and then, for the first time, I looked at Charolette next to me. She was horrified. I knew the feeling.

"We have to move!" I yelled to her. I could barely hear my own voice over all the noise around us. I turned around, still holding her tightly, and dragged her back towards the house. If we locked ourselves inside one of the rooms, barred it, maybe we'd be safe enough for the time being.

My plans were abruptly shattered when a new wolf jumped in our path yet again. This one was mostly white, with brown and black salted on its back. What caught my attention the most was the blood caked in its fur, and along its mouth. It took a step towards us, snarling, drool dripping from its bloody jaws. Its tongue came out as it growled and curled on its top teeth as it continued stepping towards us.

Charolette and I looked at each other, our fear mirrored on the other's features. I gripped her tighter and pulled her into an embrace, we hid our heads together, cowering in front of this giant beast. All I could feel was the ground pounding beneath us.

A moment later, someone touched my shoulder. I jumped and turned, falling to the ground, knocking Charolette down with me.

"It's okay, it's just me," Alec said. He crouched down to our level, his hands raised in surrender. "It's just me," he said again, reaching out for me. I let him help me to my feet, then Charolette.

The wolf that was stalking towards us was now pacing back and forth a few feet away, no longer snarling, but its deadly glare hadn't changed. The ground no longer vibrated with battle, it seemed like everyone had come to a standstill.

"Brothers!" Alec called, more wolves gathering around us. "We are not barbarians, this is not the way we should do things."

A few wolves I recognized began to gather behind me. Caramel brown eyes caught mine only for a moment before the timber wolf disappeared into the crowd.

I could still feel the tension around us. Soon Alec, Charolette and I were in the middle of an ever growing crowd, and I began to fear if things went wrong we'd be the first to die. I kept scanning my surroundings, trying to find Caleb again.

"We aren't rogues anymore, we can live in peace like you were promised when you first joined my cause-"

"What are you doing?" Alec's uncle broke through the crowd of wolves, rage covered his features. "Keep going!" he yelled at them, "Do as you were ordered!" I had no idea where he'd been hiding this whole time. He was just as much human as I was, and equally as in danger here.

"They are," Alec said, stepping towards him. "I am their Alpha, not you." He turned his attention to his pack. "Who are you going to follow? Some human? Or one of your own?"

Growls came from the pack, and a part of me realized they weren't targeted at Alec. One thing I'd learned about werewolves, they'd trust one of their own over a human any day.

Tom pushed Alec in the chest. "You are ruining your life's work! What was it all for if we don't take this pack down here and now?"

Alec grabbed his uncle by the collar of his shirt. "You used me." He stated. "I'm taking my life back. I finally have something worth more than revenge and I'm not going to fuck it up over something you can't let go."

My chest swirled with butterflies, but I pushed them down.

Alison broke through the front of the circle, human once more. Charolette spotted her immediately and broke away from me, running into her mate's arms. I moved to follow her, but my arm was seized by Alec's free hand before I could even take a step. He wasn't hurting me, but there was no chance I could break free. I watched as Caleb appeared next to them, also in his human state. He watched me hesitantly, his eyes flickering between me and Alec's hand on my arm. I could feel his rage swirling in my chest.

"You're going to ruin everything we've built for some whore you don't even know!" Tom screamed.

Alec grabbed his uncle's jaw, his grip so tight I feared he would break it. "It's over," He said, his teeth clenched. "You've only been in charge this long because I've allowed it. Go back home, move the fuck on." With those last words he pushed his face away, causing Thomas to stumble to the ground.

"I'll make you regret that," Tom said, rubbing his jaw as he pushed himself up to his feet again.

"We'll be waiting," he said, gesturing with his free arm to the wolves around him.

Then, as Tom made his way through the crowd to walk off, Alec turned his attention to Caleb. He jerked my arm slightly, pulling my back into his chest.

"What do ya say, mate?" I didn't have to look at him to know that familiar smirk was on his face. "I'll call the whole thing off. We've been camped up right outside your boarders, grant us that land and we can live in peace."

Alison walked to Caleb's side and whispered something in his ear, but his eyes never left mine. I could guess what she was saying, they were heavily out numbered. Even if Riverbed was coming to aid them, it wasn't guaranteed they could hold them off that long. This offer of peace might be their best shot, but what made Caleb hesitate still was the concern of what else Alec might ask for.

"We can work out the details of a peace treaty in my office," he said. "When your men are ordered off my land."

Alec turned to the wolves around us, nodding to them. He sent them off with the reassurance that he'd catch up soon. Once all of his men seemed to be on their way Alec turned back to Caleb, gesturing towards the house.

"Shall we?"

"Once you hand over my mate," Caleb said, reaching a hand out towards me.

"You've just had me send off all of my back up. I think I'll hold onto my leverage a little longer, thank you."

I felt Caleb's annoyance, but he just nodded and began walking towards the house.

"You're really going to give up?" I asked him, turning my head to look at him. "You'll live in peace?"

"As long as your boyfriend offers reasonable terms, and agrees to mine. I don't see why we can't."

"What are your terms?"

It was impossible to ignore the sparks running through my arm from his touch at this point, it almost felt like I'd hit my funny bone the way my fingers tingled. Alec didn't respond to my question, he didn't even look at me as we walked. I had a feeling I knew what he'd ask for, and this meeting would be rendered useless. Caleb would never agree to letting Alec have any part of me. This felt like a trap.

I'd never actually been in Caleb's office before. I doubt he'd changed anything from when his father worked in here. There were a few bookshelves and maps on the walls, various trinkets on the desk and scattered around the room, but it didn't seem like the kind of stuff Caleb would be interested in. It was clearly decorated by a middle aged man, with a sailing hobby.

Caleb pulled one of the maps from the wall, taking it out of the frame and spread it across the desk. It was a map of Alaska, but it was littered with dotted lines, showing where pack Redwood's and Riverbed's territories were. Caleb took a red pen, pulling the cap off with his teeth and circling on the edge of one of Redwood's boarders.

"Your camp is still technically on my land," he said after spitting the pen cap to the floor, "but it's been practically abandoned for over a decade. I'm willing to grant you permission to stay there."

"I'm not looking for permission," Alec said. "I want a treaty stating that this part of your territory is being given to me and my pack, to do with what we will. Not just this pitiful circle you've drawn here," he waved his hand over the map, "we'll need land to hunt. If my men take mates they'll need land to build homes, our population will grow."

Caleb sighed, handing the pen over. Alec took it and doubled the circle Caleb had drawn.

"We patrol this area, so we know you aren't using it anyways. Majority of your pack stays close to this house." Alec's hand had slid from my bicep down to my wrist, his thumb tracing soothing circles there. "We can hash out more detailed border lines, but we won't attack you or yours under the agreement that you'll do the same. We can live in peace, brother."

Caleb's jaw clenched at the sentiment. "What's the catch?" He asked, his tone laced with venom. "You had us, you know you did. Why'd you call it off?" His eyes flickered to me.

Alec let go of my wrist to brush my hair away from my neck and rest his grip at the base of my skull. "As you might've guessed, I have no intentions of just letting go of my mate."

"My mate will not be a bargaining chip for you," Caleb growled.

"Then we have no deal," Alec said, deadly serious. "I suggest you bargain little brother, or I will kill everyone you care about and take your mate and your land by force."

"Do I get any say in this?" I asked, brushing Alec's hand away. He quickly recovered by taking my hand instead, lacing his fingers through mine. "What are you even asking for?"

Alec cracked his signature smirk, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear with his free hand. "Well," he began, turning his attention to Caleb, "as we learned last night, Beatrice goes into heat because of me. Considering the consequences of us being separated during that time, I propose she spend some time with me, on my land, for a few weeks out of the month. The rest of the time she can be with you."

"Absolutely not-"

"Caleb," I cut him off. His jaw was clenched and his chest swirled with frustration as his caramel gaze locked with mine. "If the alternative is war, and I'm the only one that has to sacrifice anything I'll do it." He opened his mouth to argue, but I interrupted him again. "We can't win, and a lot of people will get hurt if we try."

After a long while Caleb turned his attention back to Alec. "I'll give you three months to play this little game of your's, then she has to reject you."

"A year."

"Six months." Caleb's patience was thinning by the second.

"And what if she decides to change her mind?" Alec asked.

Caleb looked at me again, I could feel his fear and pain at the thought burrow in my throat. "I understand this has been difficult for you. I'm sorry that you've been put in this position. I will give you six months to make a decision, and if you choose to be with him-" his voice broke for a moment, but he was quick to regain his composure. "If you choose to be with him, I won't interfere."

I could feel the tears pricking my eyes. I couldn't bare to hurt him.

"Then it's decided," Alec said. "She'll stay with me two weeks out of the month, then you for the other two-"

"You can have her for one week each month," Caleb countered. "She is already committed to this pack as it's Luna. She has responsibilities here, you won't take her away for half a month at a time."

Alec let out a small chuckle to himself. "Fine," he said. "When she makes her decision, however..."

"Neither will wage war on the other," Caleb finished.

Alec reached across Caleb's desk and they shook hands firmly. He then turned to me, bringing my hand that was still in his up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss there.

"I'll see you soon, love."

With that he let go of my hand and walked out of Caleb's office. I watched him leave in silence, but once the door was closed I turned quickly and ran into Caleb's arms. All of my emotions were bubbling up at once and all I could think about was how happy I was that he was okay. Tears streamed down my cheeks and onto his chest as he hushed me and rubbed my back soothingly.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice strained. "I'll figure out a way to get you out of it. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

I shook my head, but didn't say anything. I wasn't afraid to be alone with Alec for one week every month. I was afraid that by the end of six months, I might have to make a terrible decision, and I couldn't trust myself to make it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't deny what I felt for Alec. It wasn't that I felt more for him than I did Caleb. It felt completely different, and that's what terrified me.