"I believe that when you love someone and that person loves in return you're uniquely vulnerable. They have the power to hurt you like nothing else." - Elijah Mikaelson

My eyes blink open to an ornate ceiling. This one black unlike the white one in my room. A wave of nausea hits me and I rush to get up. This only intensifies the feeling and the pain from earlier crawls up my back.

"Ah!" I yell out.

"Stop!" I hear.

Zane approaches me with a worried look on his face. He brings a glass of water to my lips then pushes me back so I'm lying down.

"You can't move for a while," he tells me.

"Why?"

"The herbs have to kick in to dull your pain."

"What happened?"

"You were attacked by the spirits of the people who Lorenzo Moretti killed."

"Why? I thought Rosanna didn't do anything?"

"She didn't, but the best way to get to a wolf.."

"..is through their mate," I finish. Zane bows his head perhaps in anger or maybe in shame, I can't tell. I think we were just having a moment but it's ruined now. I can feel him pulling away again. The darkness that seems to follow him like a cloud seems to have thickened during the past two years.

"Would you like something to drink?"

I look at him with wide eyes. In all the years I've known him he's never cared about me. If I had a drink he would be the one to snatch it from my hands and down it in one gulp. I'm not even sure if he's ever offered me anything.

"I'd like a Shirley Temple," I tell him.

His face scrunches up in disgust and he levels me with a blank stare.

"Seriously? You still like those?"

"Of course I do."

"I guess some of us are stuck in preschool," he says quietly.

"Excuse you! I'll have you know that Shirley Temples happen to be the best drinks out there," I say with a pout.

"You were just attacked by ghosts! Your heat is about to start and you want a Shirley Temple? How about some water like a normal—"

"What did you just say?"

He looks at me with wide eyes.

"Valentina!" He calls out my mom's name and rushes out the door.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

The obnoxiously loud door creeps open. My mom's head peeks out through the small crack. She's still in her ceremony attire like I am but I'm certain I look worse than her.

"Oh, my baby! I can't believe it's happening," she says with tears in her eyes.

"Mom, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Alessia, you're heat is about to begin."

"What! No! It's too early mama, I don't even like Zane!"

"Sweetheart, it's not nice to talk about your mate that way," she says in a stern tone. I might be an adult now but to her, I'll always be the chubby toddler who threw tantrums when she didn't get chocolate. It's sweet but it's also annoying.

"What am I supposed to do? I'm not having sex with him, mama!"

She looks at me for a second and thinks.

"I've got nothing kiddo. I jumped on your father the second it started," she says with wistfulness.

"I didn't need to know that."

I know my parents are in love but no one wants to know that type of stuff.

"How do you think you and your sibling came about? "

"Okay, we are done with this conversation."

"Alessandra I want you to know that you shouldn't do anything you wouldn't do if you weren't in heat. It will only complicate things for you and Zane. The best thing to do is to keep your distance ok?"

I nod.

"It will be very difficult. Every single cell in your body will want you to give in but you can't."

"Trust me, it won't be a problem."

"Just talk to him about it Alessia. If you two are on the same page it won't be a problem."

"Ok, thanks, mama."

She gives me a hug and a pat on the back.

"You're going to be a great luna," she whispers.

I'm not sure if she knows how much those words mean to me. Once we get back home I'll be in a position I always envisioned my sister in. She was going to be the leader and everyone was ready for her. What will they think of me? Am I even cut out to lead a pack of wolves?

My mom stands up and gives me one last reassuring look before she makes her exit. Zane enters as she leaves. The small emotion I saw on his face earlier has disappeared. Darkness surrounds him once again.

What's haunting you, mate?

Gio walks in after him. It's hard not to call him Alpha anymore but I guess I'll have to get used to it.

"How are you doing Alessandra?" Gio asks.

"Much better," I say.

"That's good to hear. I know the timing isn't ideal, but there's something I need to discuss with you and Zane."

Zane and I both look at each other with puzzled expressions.

"The Oberoi family is hosting their annual Chandani Ball next week and you two must attend," he says.

"What? Dad, you don't even go to that anymore," Zane answers.

"Yes, but you two are now the new leaders of our pack. You two must make appearances. It's bad enough that everyone will be expecting Isabel," Gio says. He immediately winces when he remembers I'm in the room.

"I didn't mean it like that Alessandra, this is just a weird situation," he says.

"It's ok, I understand," I reply. I mean it too. It is a weird situation.

"Plus I don't mind. I've always wanted to go to the Chandani Ball, I hear it's beautiful."

"It is. Perfect for mates," Gio responds. His last couple of words are said quietly as if he's talking to himself. Suddenly, my heart aches for the man. It's not easy to be surrounded by people who constantly talk about mates and their importance when yours is dead.

Who would understand the importance of mates more than Gio? He had the most precious thing in the world in his hands but it slipped away from him too quickly. A flash of guilt hits me. Standing before me is a man whose mate is dead and here I am unwilling to accept what is in front of me.

But what importance does love hold if it's born out of obligation? What's the point of loving someone when their heart no longer exists?

It's a cruel thing to say but I can see it.

Zane's heart never belonged to Isabel and it will never be mine either. His heart belonged to the woman who birthed him and loved him unconditionally. Unfortunately for me, his heart died the day she did.

As for me? I locked my heart up that day at the lake. The last time I was home.

"That's perfect! I'll have someone get your outfits together," Gio says. He leaves the room while Zane stays behind. He doesn't speak to me. He doesn't even look at me. All he does is place a large glass swirling with bubbles and grenadine on the nightstand before turning around and leaving. I watch the cup and notice a small cherry bob up to the surface.

A Shirley Temple.

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