I am absolutely flabbergasted at the display of shyness my best friend is exhibiting with Ethan. "You have it so bad." I whisper close to her ear. Causing her to swat her hand at me, in a playful manner. A slight growl has us looking up, seeing Zane glaring at Claudette.

I can see Ethan glowering at him from the side. Deciding I need to put a stop to anything happening, I step in front of my best friend. "She's only playing." I bring my hands to my hips, staring my mate down. The corner of his mouth pulls up as his eyes look me up and down. I bite my bottom lip, at the lust over taking my body.

"Okay, enough with all the testosterone and hormones. The scent from all of you is filling up our den." Matty says with his nose scrunched up. As he, Fang, and Hunter glare the rest of us down. Daneth doesn't even look ashamed of his actions. My uncle doesn't hide it from anyone here how he truly feels for Lilly. It makes my heart hurt for them both.

Knowing how he feels about her and she in return, but both too afraid to go for it because of what my father's pack will do to retaliate. That's the first thing I'm making sure changes the moment we take out my father's pack. Everyone will be allowed to love whoever they wish, no form of punishment for it. With that thought, my eyes reach for Zane's.

The look of determination and power is looking back at me. I have no idea how we will win the war that is sure to come in the very near future. Something tells me, he and the rest of our pack here have plans. I beg him with my eyes. Please tell me you have a plan. I bite my bottom lip, hoping he heard my inner thoughts.

I'm not certain how to do all this wolf stuff. Mine has been dormant for years, so I'm just trying new things I haven't ever done before, and hoping they work. A full-blown smile forms on his face, as he tilts his head to the side, looking at me.

You're doing exceptionally well little wolf. I'm proud of how far you're coming along on things. I jump up and down for a moment, squealing like a maniac, gaining everyone's attention. "Sorry, he could hear what I said to him in my head." Realizing how crazy I sound, I bring my face close to my shoulder, rubbing it along my skin. As though I can rub away the blush that is clearly there.

"You're good sweetie. You haven't been around our kind for years. Meaning you are bound to get excited at every new thing you learn. I expect we will be getting the same thing from Claudette once she's fully turned too." My uncle smiles at the both of us. The man always knows what to say to make me feel better. Without thinking about it I run right for him. He opens his arms and wraps them around me. Engulfing me in a tight hug.

"I wish we could stay in this moment forever." I whisper against his shoulder. Knowing everyone in the room, besides Lilly can hear me. "I know, but that is not something that can happen." When I pull away and look up at the man who has been like a father to me all my life. I see a solemn look upon his face.

I can feel the tears welling within my eyes. Wiping them away with my hand, I turn to face Zane. He has a similar look on his face, only his eyes are filled with hatred. "We have to pack little wolf. We will be heading back there at sunset." When he says 'there' it comes out as though it leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

Not that I blame him, that place always has been my Hell. What the other wolves called home and felt safest in the community my father built. I always felt as though I needed to leave and never return. I succeeded in the leaving part, but unfortunately, it's now time to go back.

I must have zoned out for a moment, as Zane is standing right in front of me. Looking down at my arm, he has a disgruntled look on his face. Following his line of sight, I see my claws have grown, and I'm scratching my arm so much its bleeding. "I didn't even feel it." Without a word spoken, he pulls me behind me, as we make our way to the sink.

Everyone clears a path for him, as they look anywhere but at us. He turns the water on, ice cold, grabs a towel, bats my hand away and cleans the cuts. "I'm sorry, I..." Honestly, I just stop talking, not knowing what to say. I haven't done something like this in years.

"I know you're afraid." He turns away to tell Ethan to grab the first aid kit in the bathroom. I hear the scraping of a chair behind me, and see out of the corner of my eye, that my uncle has pulled one out for me to sit. Without giving me a choice in the matter, Zane brings me to it, sitting me down gently as though I'm porcelain.

When Ethan is back by his side, Zane tears the kit from his hands, opening it up ferociously. I open my mouth to say another apology, but when his eyes make their way to mine, I promptly close it. As he works a bandage over the area, he begins to talk with a low tone.

"I know what that place does to you. How you disappear inside yourself whenever you're around your father. Hell, just the thought of the monster has you doing something like this." The last of his words are grunted out in aggravation. "I'm not mad at you." He carefully, takes my hands in his. Being careful not to touch that spot with any part of his body. So, he doesn't cause me any unwanted pain.

"I'm pissed off at him. For everything he has ever done to you, that makes you do things like this. Even when he's not here physically he wins." The smell of salt gains my attention. Zane refusing to look up at me, tells me everything I need to know.

Bringing my hand below his chin, I lift his head up so I can look into his eyes. When I can see more clearly, I'm stunned as tears are rolling down the skin of his cheek. I wipe one away as it makes its way down to my hand. Looking at him, he stares right back at me. "I'm not afraid to show you my emotions. I am not our fathers." He emphasizes his words, bringing a calming sense to my broken heart.

With every passing day I am with this man, he's building me up a little at a time. The tears he proudly lets slide, has placed pieces of my heart back together. Without a thought, or care in the world I hop out of the chair, into his lap. Wrapping my arms around his neck, burying my face in his longer hair.

"Your arm little wolf." He whispers along the skin of my neck. "It'll be fine." Pulling away I hold both his cheeks in the palms of my hands, looking deep into his eyes, "Because of you I am going to be put back together in no time." The smile that forms on his face has my heart beating faster. Without a word, he lifts both of us up from the floor, walking us to our room. I have a feeling he's going to make me feel much more better these next few hours.