I take a bite of my favorite mocha cake and eat my favorite spaghetti dinner—like a normal person. I drink the cup of water after—just like the everyday person.

I sip on the cup full of poison that made me more insane by the minute like it was normal. I smile and sigh in content just like how every other person does after eating a refreshing full meal.

But normal was a privilege I couldn't have.

Suddenly, my smile drops and my lips begin to quiver, a sob threatening to escape. I hiss out and let the tears drop down my cheeks until the familiar taste of saltiness reaches my lips.

"I—," I spout.

I wanted to shift. I wanted to prance around the room. I wanted to punch a wall. I wanted to do something—to move.

But I couldn't.

So I bring my trembling handcuffed hands and chained wrists to my hair and grip it tightly, then scream silently— a scream only to be heard by the four walls that caged me.

I gasp and subconsciously grip the sheets of the unfamiliar bed. Meanwhile, my eyes dart around the black walls, as well as the gold and white hints of stationaries and furniture.

A lavender fragrance tells me that it was Theo's room and I quickly wipe off the unreleased tears in my eyes.

I hope no one saw.

Then, my eyes land on a mop of long brown hair and muscle. A pool of honey orbs glare at mine deeply as Beta Felix crosses his arms across his chest.

Fuck.

I bring myself up and lean on the back of the bed before continuing the eyeing contest.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I try to communicate. Don't tell Theo. Don't tell Theo. Don't tell Theo.

Unfortunately for me, mind linking was an ability only official higher ups were gifted in.

In return, Felix narrows his eyes as well and his gaze remains fixated on me. Luckily, before the eyeing contests lasts for much more, the sound of the doorknob twisting has the Beta and I turning our heads.

The door opens and my gorgeous mate enters my line of sight. I frown when I feel Beta Felix's burning gaze on me.

I welcome Theo with a warm smile and he returns the favor. He leads himself to me and sits on a chair beside his bed, a tray with soup and a cup of water on his lap.

"Ahh," he drags on after blowing on the spoon full of soup.

I open my mouth and grin as he feeds me nonchalantly.

"Cute stitches," Theo points out as take another sip.

"Just like it's owner," I retort arrogantly.

With an amused smile, Theo says, "Suddenly I don't find them cute anymore."

He raises the spoon to my mouth again and I take a mouthful of the soup.

"Your immune system sucks for a wolf, Alex," he continues. "Your the first wolf I've ever met who needed stitches over such a small injury."

"I just came out of war and I'm injured, at least give me a compliment," I huff and roll my eyes.

"Fine. Give me 3 decades then. Compliments and you just don't blend well together."

Wow.

I cross my arms and glare at Theo, to which he gained amusement from.

"Fine fine," he chuckles. He hums and says, "You have great pain tolerance."

"Oh really?"

Theo laughs in the most indecorous way possible before continuing, "Doctor Walsh refused to 'waste' anesthesia on you and still, you were sleeping soundly while he angrily did your stitches."

As everyone can see, I was very well loved in this pack.

"Bitches don't cry," I reply.

Suddenly, an old figure makes his presence known. Beta Felix snorts ridiculously, making Theo and I pause and acknowledge his presence.

Theo raises a brow at me before asking, "Mind telling me why my Beta has been eyeballing like some predator you the moment I entered the room?"

I shrug and lie, "I don't know."

Theo eyes me like I was being suspicious and I eat the soup from the tray.

"Water?" I growl.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Soda."

Theo rolls his eyes then lifts his hand to caress my cheek. His brows furrow and pain shines through his grey orbs for a fraction of a second before it disappeared as his thumbs swipes over the stitches softly.

"Did it hurt?" He asks with a shaky breath.

Of course it did.

"N-no," I stutter like some idiot I am.

He lifts himself and moves the tray off his lap then to the spot beside me. I feel him place a light kiss from his soft lips on my forehead until he places his forehead against mine, his tight hand still on my cheek.

"Thank you," he tells me sincerely.

My heart warms up and my cheeks flush at the statement.

"Y-your welcome," I reply fully knowing what he was talking about. Still, the surprise of receiving such a heartfelt gratitude got to me.

This was the first time someone was truly thankful for me.

I feel his lips curl into a smirk before he caresses his thumb against my cheek one last time. Then, his hands travel and feel my the skin under my jaw. He leans down and places a soft peck on the spot.

I feel tingles on my skin and I almost broke out in giggles.

"I'll get you your soda," he concludes.

My eyes follow his back as he leaves the room then travels to Beta Felix who was leaning against the wall impassively.

His dark brows were furrowed together like always and his lips remained downcast, giving off the impression that one little move will make him blow up in anger.

He refused to say anything for the longest time.

"What's your problem?" I question.

"You are an idiot," was the only thing that comes out of his mouth.

"And you're worse than Anger from Inside Out."

"You are childish."

"You remind me of a fucking grenade."

Beta Felix huffs and continues to glare at me. "You are a crybaby," he adds.

"Oh no you didn't," I gasp lowly.

For the first time, the corner of his lips lift into a faint smile. "Yes I did," he puffs out his chest and says with pride.

I scrunch my nose and retort, "Childish."

"That's all you," he huffs out.

"Fuck you."

"You cuss more than my mother seeing uncooked rice."

I muster up my deadliest glare and reply with a, "Your brows are thicker than those birds from Anrg—."

A knock on Theo's bedroom door immediately pulls us out of our little banter. Beta Felix marches to the door to open it, but not before he squints his eyes at me for the millionth time.

My mood drops viciously when I see the horrid figure that awaited me by the door: Cara.

"May I enter?" Cara asks me with respect and an uplifting smile. Still, the insane glimmer in her eyes ruined her whole goody two shoes facade.

"Of course," I say hesitantly. I stop myself from feeling queasy about what she was planning to do.

"Thank you," she says. Then, she turns to the weirdo of a Beta and requests, "If you'd be so kindly and leave us, Felix?"

The tone in her voice made me feel like it was more of a demand rather than a question.

With a gruff, he leaves the room in an unsure manner. My wolf senses hear him whisper "You are a coward" to Cara before leaving the room.

The grimace on her face signal led that she too, her the insult.

Anyways, what is taking Theo so long?

"What do you want?" I question Cara abruptly.

"Now, is that what you're suppose to say to a victim?" she replies.

"Obviously, you're not gonna thank me for your cowardice, so drop the act and cut to the chase, Cara," I spit out.

A headache was starting to form and I was getting more and more irritated by the minute.

Cara's smile drops right away and she stares at me as if I was some disgusting bug.

"I'm not a mirror, Cara, stop staring at me like that," I snap. An ache pulsed through my head and my tolerance continues to lower.

Fire burns through her eyes and I take notice her jaw clench and unclench.

She releases a dry laugh before continuing, "Do you really want to know why I was out in deepest part of the woods?"

I don't reply and I stare at her with uncertainty.

She doesn't wait for my reply and resumes, "I was meeting a very," she pauses and eyes me. "very special someone."

"What's your whoring around have to do with me?" I sneer. Her brow lifts in irritation, but she remains composed and unbothered.

"It does if it's your brother I'm talking about," she scoffs.

My heart beats faster and faster on its own accord and my mind goes blank.

From my reaction, she only smirks and smugly says, "Ian is very fond of me, if I say so myself."

I grip the sheets and look down on an attempt to control my anger and jealousy.

"Instead of searching for his endangered missing little sister who he fully knows where her location is, he's spending more time helping another woman. Instead of saving his little sister, he's saving another woman. Short story, no one cares about you. I can't imagine Theo doing that to me. It would have broken me," she shares with an ugly, horrendous grin on her face.

"I don't give a fuck," I hiss out. My heart drops at her statement and my grip on the sheets seems to tighten as I control myself from throwing a punch or two.

Restrain yourself, Alexandria.

She cackles and sports a vicious, yet saddening smile on her face before proceeding in her rant, "Since you can handle all this bad news," she says. "Then surely this won't affect you at all."

"Just say it," I inform her shortly. Shut up. Shut up. Just shut the fuck up.

Even though there was a confident smile on her face and her chin was up, I see her take a small step back and I sensed a hesitant vibe throughout her. The last thing I heard was the sharp intake of breath before I blew up.

"Mother Catalina wishes you well."

That was enough to make snap and lunge towards her. My wolf's presence made sure to make her presence known as my irises turn into a sadistic shade of red and my teeth transform into canines, thirsty for blood.

"Monsters don't only exist under your bed, Cara," I growl at her.