His eyes are as white as ever but this time I'm not the only one witnessing it.

I told you I wasn't hallucinating !

'Well we can never be sure with you.'

I focus on him and realize he is glaring at me.

What now ?

'Might have something to do with the man hugging you right now.'

But I'm hot !

'Don't care. Move.'

I step back from Ben's embrace and Nate's jaw twitches. The whispers around us are growing at an alarming speed and the pack members are watching their alpha with worry in their eyes.

It's just a colour, get over it.

'You're only saying that because you like the fact that now he has a different eye colour just like you.'

But look at them, they are beautiful. Really pure.

'I wonder what your pups eyes will look like.'

I choke on air like an insane person and I can feel my cheeks reddening.

Are you going mad ?!

'Just saying.' My wolf scoffs and I roll my eyes.

I feel Jared growing uneasy beside me, he obviously doesn't know what to do or how to help his alpha and from what I can tell it's scaring him but most of all he seems frustrated.

Nate's eyes are shining brightly, no trace of gold or green and his breath seems shallow. He can't calm down for some reason and it's allowing his power to seep through the air in waves, hitting the ones around him, the weakest of them cowering away involuntarily. I move quickly to go around the table and stop in front of the alpha who hasnt stopped looking at me, his stare sending shivers down my spine.

"Close your eyes." I instruct and he clenches his teeth. "Just do it." I add my eyes softening.

He nods sharply and obeys, his lids fluttering shut. The tension disappears instantly and a few sigh in relief, the invisible hand pushing down on their shoulders no longer there.

"Try and count to ten." I murmur only for him to hear, the curious stares already grating on my nerves.

I knew tonight was going to be a headache.

Nate opens his eyes for a second as we both hear Jared come closer and they are still shining in pure white.

'This won't work. He can't calm down with so many people around.'

Then what ? I make them focus on me instead ? I offer starting to panic.

'Or you could both go somewhere else and help him calm down without all these onlookers.' My wolf replies as if addressing a five year-old.

That too.

I reach for his hand and sense the goosebumps forming on my arms immediately, his skin is warm and his anger and power are oozing off of him, hitting relentlessly at my skin. I smirk. I can't help it. Even in this situation I can't help but be impressed by this powerful man.

It's just hot.

'You and power... an unhealthy relationship I'll tell you that.'

"Sir." Jared tries calmly but Nate's shoulders tense in response.

"Jared, if you don't mind we'll step aside for a while."

"Sure." He nods instantly relieved as I seem to know what to do.

Which I don't. But I don't think now would be the best of times for the beta to lose it too.

'Just go back to your room, it's for the best.'

You sneaky little beast.

I pull Nate behind me and we leave quickly surrounded by curious scrutinizing eyes. I don't need to go too far, there is nobody inside the house, for good measure I keep going until I reach the kitchens and once I assess no one is in there I let go of his hand to face him. His eyes are closed and a deep frown is etched on his forehead. I get rid of my overall attire urgently, finally able to breathe without sweating when I don't have the hoody on.

"You can open your eyes now." I tell him softly but he refuses, shaking his head.

"No. My wolf still can't calm down." He whispers angrily.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does !" He growls still refusing to look at me.

"Nate, your eyes are just white, it's only a different colour, you don't need to panic because of it." I try to calm him.

"They are afraid of me." He glares at me, finally looking my way.

"So what ? They are afraid because they don't know. They don't know what it means."

"And you do ?" He grunts unhappily.

"No."

"Then you can't help either." He laughs bitterly, his white eyes looking straight into my soul.

"You didn't let me finish." I grumble rolling my eyes. "I dont know for sure but I can guess."

"Of course you can." He grits his teeth.

"You are a white wolf." I cut his snarky comment.

"So what, my wolf's eyes have always been yellow."

"And mines are red." I insist.

"Are you going to tell me you're a white wolf too ?" He scoffs. "But mines are white apparently."

He takes the first mirror-like object he can find and looks at his reflection, grimacing at the sight welcoming him.

"No my fur is not white." I tell him and he looks at me as if it's obvious.

Cocky little mate thinks he's special.

'He is.'

Puh-lease. There have been three of them and only one of me.

"My fur doesn't matter. However if my eyes can be different why not yours, or anyone else's for that matter ?"

"True." He admits finally listening to reason. "But this is a mistake, this shouldn't be happening."

I spoke too soon.

He looks at me for a while, thinking.

"Why aren't you afraid of me ?" He questions, doubt plaguing his handsome face.

"It's not the first time it's happened." I shrug.

"WHAT ?!" He shouts angrily.

When I start to glare at him, fed up with his attitude he tries to calm himself a little.

"When ?" He demands through clenched teeth.

"At first I thought it was in my head. And then I figured it didn't really matter."

"When ?" He repeats himself.

"When what ?"

"When exactly did it happen ?"

I think for a minute not sure myself.

"Your eyes haven't glowed yellow since we came back." I inform him.

He closes his mouth shut biting the inside of his lip and I can feel he knows something.

"Did something happen ? Can you think of what might have changed ?" I asks curious.

"No." He grumbles looking away.

"You're lying." I tell him unimpressed, he's thousands of years too young to try and lie to my face and think he can get away with it.

"Just forget it. I don't know."

I watch him suspiciously.

What the hell happened ?

I cross my arms over my chest and his eyes follow my movement. They keep shining brighter.

"Will you help me get it under control already ?" He demands, his hands running over his face in frustration.

"Just calm down."

"Don't you think I would have already if I could ?" He rolls his eyes and I frown.

"Well, why are you so mad ?" I ask tentatively.

He looks at me with eyes so full of exasperation that I start to get annoyed myself.

I should just leave him like that.

"Do you want my help or not ?" I growl.

"Sheesh Hope, I don't know. What could have made me so angry ?" He says his voice full of sarcasm.

"Well obviously I don't know !" I shout irritated, my hands flying in the air around me.

"For starters you could stop flirting with everyone !" He shouts back.

"But I was hot !" I defend myself.

"Then stop being stupid and don't wear a hoody in the middle of summer !" He bellows.

"I can't." I tell him glaring at the ground.

Once again this is all her fault.

"Of course you can. Here !" He grabs my hoody on the counter and throws it to the other end of the room. "Done."

"What was that for ?!" I exclaim incredulous.

"Now there won't be any problem." He shrugs defiantly.

Unbelievable.

"I'll just get a new one." I state not at all impressed by his behaviour.

"No. You. Won't." He says each word with so much anger that a vein is starting to show on his neck.

"I won't turn into a torch just to make you happy !" I shout again, at my wit's end.

"What are you talking about ?" He frowns.

I lift my hand to show him the burn still clearly visible on my skin.

"What is that ?" He wants to know concern in his eyes.

"I can't go outside at night." I explain leaving so much out that even to me it wouldn't make any sense.

"You did before."

"But never in open space. She won't let me !"

"Who ?"

"The damn goddess you worship !" I spit.

'And once again you said too much.'

We fall silent each of us trying to calm down, red facing white.

I focus on my breathing, forcing the air out slowly, stretching my ears to listen outside where everyone is still enjoying there evening. I on the other hand just want to go to bed and forget everything about today. It has been too long a day for my liking. First Jared and all his questions and then Nate and his accusations. It seems like they won't let me rest and I'm tired.

"Focus only on one simple thing, whatever you want." I sigh when I see he still struggles to calm down.

"Easier said than done." He mumbles.

"Since you know why your eyes are turning white -and don't tell me you Don't because I can tell you do, you simply don't want to tell me- forget about it. Just put it at the back of your mind for now."

"Then what should I do ?"

"I don't know but you were right, I'm not helping. I'm making things worse, making you angrier."

"Yeah you tend to do that." He smirks.

"I don't even know why I still try." I roll my eyes.

He comes closer, silently reaching for a strand of hair and replacing it behind my ear, his finger slowly grazing over the skin of my jaw, following a path down my neck. I shudder at the touch. His eyes start to darken, going back to their usual green as he focuses on my face. His lips brush against mine, tantalizingly, his nose rubbing against my cheeks, his breath fanning over my ear.

"Won't you come and watch the movie with me ?" He asks seductively.

"I told you-" I start but his warm hand on my hip is distracting me.

"I'll do something about it. Give me five minutes." He whispers his lips on my throat.

I can only nod. He leaves a soft kiss on my skin and rushes outside.

'Well, damn.'

He comes back within minutes with a jacket in hands. He walks past me and grabs my hoody on the floor, folding it and placing it in the counter offering me the jacket instead.

"You'll only need this for a few seconds." He tells me securing my hat back on my head.

The jacket smells like him and I unconsciously inhale deeper, tightening it around me and push my hands in the pockets. That's when I remember what happened earlier with my hair so I decide to lift the fabric over my head as a precaution, making sure my hands are not visible either. I follow him outside. At first I think he'll want us to sit with everyone else but he leads me a little farther at the back until we reach a sheet spread over the grass under two large trees protecting us from the Moon. I loosen my grip on the jacket as soon as I'm in the shadows but hesitate to take it off completely, it really smells too nice for me to discard it.

I hear Nate chuckle behind me and when I turn around I see him smile happily at me. I sit across the sheet, taking hold of one of the plates filled with food already on it.

Now that's a nice gesture, I'm starving.

'When are you not ?'

Between 6:00 and 6:01 in the morning.

From what I can tell there's only thirty minutes left of the movie, which might be a good thing seeing as I wasn't able to convince Nate to watch The Wolf Man from 1941 directed by George Waggner.

'Thank the Sun for that'

We're currently watching one of the latest blockbusters but I can't seem to concentrate on it. Too predictable, too many loopholes. Just. Too. Much. So I'm focusing on my food, gladly, and making fun of Nate when he starts to grumble because I'm spoiling the movie for him, guessing things before they happen. At some point he just put his hand over my mouth to make me shut up and watch the thing in peace.

I might have bitten him and earned a glare at that one.

We're enjoying the moment in comfortable silence, his hands drawing soothing motions in my back from time to time or playing with my hair.

"See, I told you he wasn't dead." I nod in the direction of the screen where a man supposed to have died in the first scene suddenly reappears, and Ô surprise, he is the mastermind behind all the hero's predicaments.

What did I tell you, so predictable.

"I swear if you don't shut up..." He warns aggravated.

"Then what ?" I smirk.

"How is it going guys ?" Jared asks as he joins us, small traces of worry still embedded on his face.

I smile reassuringly at him while Nate rolls his eyes, looking ahead at the movie. He moves to sit next to me but when his alpha starts growling he rethinks his action and goes to sit on his other side. Now it's my turn to roll my eyes.

"So how do you like the movie ?" I question him over the jealous man.

"I've already seen it, so..." He shrugs.

Man, I'm already bored and I never saw it before. Being forced to watch it twice, what a torture !

'It's actually pretty fun to watch.'

Not you too ! I whine hiding my face in my hands in shame.

'Oh come on. There's worse.'

I'm really not sure.

Jared keeps glancing at Nate, studying him to see if he's going to lose it again.

"Jared I'm fine." The latest affirms sensing his gaze on him.

"Of course !" The beta catches himself rubbing his hand over his neck.

I get closer to Nate so that our legs are touching, experimenting actually. I have a feeling my presence calms him somehow.

'When you're not the reason why he gets more tense.'

His hand immediately reaches for my thigh, his thumb drawing circles on it.

"Nothing to worry about." I tell him in a sing song voice.

I'm tempted to add that he was trying new contact lenses but I have a feeling Jared wouldn't believe me.

'I wouldn't believe you.'

I can't heeeaaar you. I refuse to listen to my wolf.

"Wouldn't you see better if you were a little closer to everyone ?" He inquires intrigued as we can't see the left lower side of the screen from where we are.

"Now why would we do that ?" I grin enigmatically and Jared grimaces.

"Don't you have a bird to catch or something ?" Nate grumbles rudely.

I hit him upside down on the back of the head, exasperated with his behaviour. They both look at me with wide eyes,their jaw hanging open. Apparently it doesn't happen often.

"Did she just-" Nate asks him unbelieving.

'Did you just-' My wolf echos in my head.

"She did." Jared answers horrified, nodding his head.

"Get over it already." I roll my eyes.

I think they wouldn't be such a pain if someone actually took them down a peg from time to time.

"If you'll both excuse me I need to go talk to Ralph for a while." I tell them and get up.

I want them to have some time to talk so that Nate can explain what happened better without someone interrupting them. Maybe if I'm not there to bother them he'll be able to tell his beta what went on and Jared will be able to help him somehow since I can't.

I take the jacket and put it back on with the cap. I noticed a popcorn machine earlier on the side of the house and it was sheltered from the rays of the Moon so I decide to go there first. I'm pouring myself a huge load adding hot butter over it when something crashes onto me and makes my portion fall to the ground. I can feel a sluggish liquid running down my pants, colouring them blue.

Great.

"Oops." Cory says in a fake sweet voice. "I didn't see you there."

Just like I won't see you fall down the stairs.

'Fly out a window.'

Drown in the river.

'Burn to a crisp.'

Die from having your head cut off.

While my wolf and I are arguing about the best way to kill her a large group of women I passed by during my stay gather around us.

'I have a feeling this was premeditated.'

Hallelujah ! Finally ! I have an excuse to kick her to the ground !

'You sound a little too happy about this.'

Trust me, this is the best day of my life.

'Why don't you try talking it out first ?'

Are you kidding me ?! This is Cory. I remind my wolf. The woman that was all over your mate for weeks, the crazy person who threatened me with a knife, the banshee who lost it when she fell out of dreamland.

"Rogue, we have a problem." The seductress announces in a venomous voice.

"Really ?" I decide to play dumb.

"I'm afraid we do." She nods, feigning to be sad about it.

"We want you to leave." One of them glares angrily.

"Why ?" I asks innocently.

"Hope, Hope, Hope." The little leader of the group shakes her head condescendingly. "Don't you see everyone hates you ?" She questions rhetorically and some nod in agreement.

'AH AH AH ! You really suck at making friends !'

"Even Nate doesn't want you around anymore."

"This is about Nate ?" I ask amazed at their stupidity.

"You'll call him alpha." She growls, her eyes shining a feeble yellow.

"She's right." Another woman continues. "Alpha Nate isn't interested in you. He kept you around to distract his men."

"Then why can you call him Nate ?" I inquire ignoring the woman entirely, she's wasting my time with her crazy ideas.

"Because I'm his mate." She answers sharply.

"No you're not." I say slowly and she starts shaking in anger.

"I'm trying to be nice here. I thought you would understand that we don't want you here. I thought you'd thank me for opening your eyes to reality." She snarls.

I wonder who needs a reality check.

"Look, I don't really care if you guys don't like me but we're preparing for war and you might not like it but I'm actually helping you all. I'm doing what I can to protect this pack. This is not about your alpha, it's about this entire pack. So for now I'm going to stay." I try to explain myself.

"Listen to me !" She screeches. "He doesn't want you around. He hates you. He wants you gone !"

"But that's not what he said this morning in bed. Or last night." I tell her in a stern voice annoyed by this crazy argument.

I can hear them gasp and I regret saying it immediately, I shouldn't have said it. My relationship with Nate is something private. It doesn't concern them.

"You what ?" She blanches horrified.

"Youre lying !" A young brunette yells from my side.

It seems to help Cory decide. She takes a menacing step in my direction.

I'm going to have so much fun !

'Hold your horses !'

I tried talking now I'll just beat her ass !

'You poured oil on the fire !'

Don't know what you're talking about.