It's taken me a whole week to gather the strength for what I need to do. It's like a burden of knowledge has been slammed into my shoulders. I have to talk to the Alpha, and soon.

My body is deteriorating without Keifer, and there's only one person who can bring him back to me.

I am not going to tell the father of my mate what exactly is going on in great detail. That wouldn't be very smart of me. I'm not allowed to give away every little thing. My life is too private. Too personal. I've made a promise, and I plan on keeping it. But that won't stop me from trying.

I don't really speak to Alpha Veiler often. He's busy, and I'm just a mere pack member. There's not a lot of opportunity for me to chat with him. I'm a little nervous. Okay... really nervous. I don't know how observant he is, or how easy I am for him to read. But, I have to ask him some things, and I need to do it sooner rather than later.

So, I make an appointment through his Delta, the scary and very large Ryk. He's not someone I like being around. He's terrifying, nothing like his shy son, Rome.

I can still see his pale blue eyes and white eyelashes. I shiver, and it's not from the cold.

I march into the office, chunks of snow tumbling off my laces and onto the wood floors. The office building is cozy in the winter, just like the hospital. It's warm and cozy, and it's not large enough to get lost in.

The Alpha office is easy enough to find. It's the door at the very end of the short hallway. Only the Alpha and his Beta, Gamma, and Delta have an office here, and no one else really comes in here....except for the Luna. She visits her mate often, and also comes to council meetings since she is the other ruler here.

Glaring at the door, I already want to fight the old Alpha with my own two hands. I would lose, there is no doubt about it, but it would be satisfying to take my anger out on him. He did this to me. It's all too easy to blame it on him.

I sigh, realizing that I wouldn't have the gumption to even attempt that. It took me long enough to conserve enough energy to come here. I've been spending my days resting in bed, hardly able to move.

Wrapping my knuckles on the door, I wait and wait, my legs turning to jelly and my head becoming light like it's being pumped full of helium.

"Come in." The words cue me, and I open the door and walk in before I lose my bravery. The amazing office that lays beyond makes me jealous. It's roomy, and welcoming. A huge fireplace is crackling merrily with a fire, shelves are filled to the brim with dusty old novels and the walls splattered with pictures.

I can't help but stare at the photographs. They're filled with happier times in the Veiler family, when everyone was still together. I flick my gaze around to spot every picture that includes Keifer. He looks so right, so good. I miss him with every fiber inside me. I haven't heard from him in a long time. Three weeks. I should have gotten a letter by now. It's like he's forgotten me.

"What can I help you with, Opal?" Alpha Veiler has set aside his paperwork, his startling red eyes fixed on me with his undivided attention. Despite my dislike for him, I know he's a good Alpha. He really knows how to make you feel important when you're part of his pack.

"Well, I have a question, I guess." I don't know why I added those two words at the end. Stupid, stupid, stupid! That's definitely one way to make myself look like an idiot.

Alpha Veiler raises a stark, black eyebrow and motions towards the leather chairs in front of his wide desk.

"I'm okay. I don't want to sit, I won't be here long." I explain, my voice weak and rough and way too vulnerable sounding.

"Alright then, what question do you have for me?" He sounds so polite, so patient. His huge body is relaxed as if nothing in the world could bother him. I hate it.

"Can you let Keifer come home?" I try to keep any sign of begging out of my posture, I don't do a very good job.

Alpha Veiler sighs, leaning back in his huge chair and rubbing a hand over his scruffy face.

"I'm sorry, Opal, but Keifer is not ready to come home yet." He admits, and I want to slam my hand down and demand that he shut up and make his son come home as soon as possible.

But my bones feel like rubber, my mind melting into a puddle on the bottom of my skull. I don't know what to do. I resort to begging, because surely it's my last resort. I hate the idea of groveling and bowing down to get what I want, but this is a matter of life and death.

"Please." I sigh, biting my bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

Alpha Veiler looks sympathetically at me, but shakes his head.

"Keifer knows that it's not time for him to come back. He knows he would only put those he loves in danger. That includes you." He raises his eyebrows pointedly, obviously imagining the cliff incident. I cringe. That's all anyone seems to remember about Keifer, his accident will follow him for the rest of his life.

And the rest of mine as well, not that it will last much longer, not unless I do something about it.

"Maybe he can come back for a visit soon, I'm sure that would be good for everyone. How does that sound?" He offers in his deep baritone, as if he's just solved the entire problem with one idea.

I want to hate Alpha Veiler, but I simply can't. He's too nice. It's not his fault that he's ignorant to the problem that's right in front of his face.

When I leave, I simply nod and thank him, which is just out of respect instead of actual gratitude. There's nothing to be thankful for. He hasn't done anything but make me more dejected. I have to take things into my own hands it would seem.

I just feel so lost.

When I picture Keifer in my mind, I smile sadly. The memory of him isn't as painful as it was weeks ago, but more pleasant. I just want to be near him, feel his warmth again. I would do anything, give anything, to see my mate. To touch him. Hear his voice. Anything.

Leaning into the past, I let the memories overtake me. They warm me up inside. I try to forget the present, because it only disappoints me.

☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾

8 years earlier

The only sound in the woods was the noise of water slushing at the bottom of a pair of squeaking boots.

Opal's head snapped up from her work that was sitting on her lap. Practicing her nursing in the woods usually left her in solitude, but sometimes a person would appear to disturb her. Or, bring her company, and she believed it was the latter when she got a whiff of who was approaching on the breeze. She grinned.

"Did you get wet, Keifer?" She mused as the young lycan suddenly became visible through the thick trees and growing fog.

He didn't appear happy. In fact, he was looking more perturbed than anything else. His eyes were hooded, his jaw set and neck straining as he stomped right up to her side.

"How nice of you to notice." He huffed, plopping down on the forest floor, right in front of the fallen log. Opal noticed that he didn't attempt to sit on the picnic blanket she had laid out in the sunshine. He was too polite to get it wet.

She tried hard not to laugh, not oblivious to her friend's sour mood. Keifer was going through puberty, and he was moody all the time now. He was growing like a weed.

"They dumped me in the lake. Some stupid prank." Keifer explained in a low voice, staring at his soaked boots as he pushed his wet hair away from his burning eyes.

Opal's protective instincts roared to life. She was always looking out for her mate, but he seemed to attract trouble like a magnet.

"Who? Who did? Where are they, where did they go?" She demanded like a mother hen, barely concealed rage stirring under the surface as she worked herself up into a frenzy.

Keifer's lips twitched in appreciation, but he tried to cover it up, determined to stay mad.

"Just Melana and Thomas." Opal recognized the names of the lycans that were around her age, maybe a little older. They were part of the pack long before Opal or Keifer arrived, and they weren't very welcoming.

They were always teasing Keifer. They hadn't ever done anything this bad though, and Opal was determined to make sure they paid for their crimes.

"Let's go tell your Dad! Those losers should get what's coming to them." She insisted, looking fierce for a little werewolf.

Keifer couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. Opal faltered. She felt silly, but still determined. She fisted her hands at her side, and stood up.

"I'm serious, come on, let's go." She tried to march away, but Keifer stepped in front of her suddenly. He was a head shorter than her, and wasn't even matured yet, but he was much stronger than her already. He easily stopped her with a hand on both of her arms.

She grunted with effort as she tried to struggle away from him. He didn't let go, but his lips simply quirked up.

"You don't need to run off and fight my battles for me, O. You know that I'm not a little kid anymore. You don't have to protect me." Keifer explained, finally calming her down enough to where she sat back down.

Opal looked up into his spectacular blue eyes, chewing on the inside of her cheek bitterly. She reached down to pick up the book that had toppled out of her lap.

"Yes I do." She murmured under her breath, hoping he didn't hear it. He did. And he smiled.

☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾

If you're reading this, you are brave :)