I tried to focus on everything the lawyer was saying, but it was almost impossible. The family lawyer was a Eagle changeling, who had a very small family that had sought protection from our tribe. Mr. Trent was a short men, with a shiny balding head and kindly expression that was complimented by the spectacles that slid to the tip of his nose.

"I no longer wish to be alpha."

Those calmly spoken words repeated over and over in my head. I couldn't straighten out my emotions. There had been a shot of happiness that had made me want to smile, followed by the suspicious weariness that I couldn't tamp down.

He no longer wished to be Alpha? Then why had I gone through with the wedding? Why had I taunted my father, and mother? I had done all of it to distract them from the fact I was gunning for the very thing they loved. The only thing they seemed able to love.

I clenched my jaw. He was reneging after he'd gotten the prize. It wasn't fair, he was ruining my future plans.

I love him. That's wasn't the point, no matter how much I loved Ewan, or thought I did. It didn't change that if, if I decided to leave I would be the bad person. I would the villain who left her husband high and dry to follow her dream.

"Exscuse me." I lifted my hand, cutting Mr. Trent off. He looked at me owlishly. He blinked slowly, "I-I'm sorry but can I speak with my husband. Alone." I added noticing my parent questioning look.

"Ah.Yes," He stood, his expression confused at my sudden interruption. While, I couldn't help smelling the curiosity off of my parents as they also stood and left. I was surprised they didn't ask or question my interruption.

I waited till the door shut, before I turned and faced Ewan whose own expression was stony. He knew something was wrong, but I was sure he had no idea of my true thoughts.

"Why?" I needed to know, I couldn't make another move until I knew. "Why have you suddenly decided that you don't want the tribe, or Light Company. It's the very reason you married me."

Ewan frowned, "Lass, I married because I desired you."

With a swift lift my hand I stopped him, "I don't need false platitudes," I couldn't stop the anger running through me, "We had an agreement, I marry you and you take over the Tribe. After which I can leave to go to school."

The temperature dropped, and I could smell the frustration Ewan felt at my bluntly spoken words.

He spoke quietly, "You still wish to leave?"

"Do I have a reason to stay?" I hadn't thought I would speak aloud but before I could the words were already out. I flinched when he growled, his eyes brightening with fury. Yet, some part of me wasn't scared but excited.

"Am I not reason enough?!" I'd never seen Ewan angry, but it was something I currently couldn't help feeling awe in. He was magnificence, sparking eyes, teeth barred and his aura nearly choked me.

Silently we stared at each other, icy blue eyes and firey amber. Both unwilling to back down. After what felt like forever Ewan droppe his gaze to the side and sighed, "Lass...I'll be the brave one and admit that I," He swallowed before he lifted troubled eyes to mine. "I love you." He voice was husky, it seemed like he was scared of saying the words aloud.

I didn't move. I didn't even dare to breathe.

Hate.

Hate was an emotion I could deal with, especially when coming from other people, but love? How could I deal with it, I never received it before. He stared at me waiting. Waiting for me to admit the same feelings or to completely deny them. I opened my mouth, but instead of speaking my lips trembled.

Uselessly they just stayed that way, my voice caught in a limbo of my thoughts and fears. Closing my mouth I cowardly dropped my eyes from his, and clenched my fist on top of my knees. A crushing pain entering my heart, why couldn't I say the words?

Why couldn't tell this man, the man I loved that shared his feelings.

Tears clogged my throat, it wasn't fair. I wanted to scream, but even that wouldn't leave my mouth.

Ewan didn't speak for a minute; the silence nearly drove me mad. Suddenly he stood, I would have whimpered at the smell of his despair. Instead I kept my head lowered.

He voice was gruff, "I can't be patient forever love," he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You have till the blue moon, to stay or leave."

With that offer he left the room, it felt lonely without him, yet I didn't have the courage to follow him.

The worse part was that I had no one to go to. No one to run to and hug, who would sooth me of my tears. I slowly stood, but I wobbled catching myself I continued out of the office. My eyes were dry, but something felt wrong. Like I was walking in a cloud, and everything around me was moving faster.

My mother stared at me when I exited, our eyes met and for moment I swore I saw pity in hers. She lowered her lashes and second later and the emotion was gone.

I wouldn't break, there had been worse things that had happened in my past yet I had never fallen during those times.

I would have continued towards the front door but just when I thought I would make it, my mother did something she'd never done.

She walked over to me, her gentle yet callused hand laid on my shoulder. She stared at me with awkward concern and said the damning words. "Argo...are you okay?"

Such a simple question, and yet when she spoke those words. With the lilt of concern, I felt mu hard won composure fracture like glass to the floor. The unshed tears slowly filled my eyes and trailed down my cheeks, my heart felt like it was cracking in half. And in a near wail, I said.

"No!"

She caught me as I leaned into her arms and cried, and cried. I couldn't stop, and I didn't, not for a long time.

**

Ewan had taken a detour instead of going straight home, he was feeling restless. Argo hadn't responded at all to his confession, he'd felt embarrassed as well as pathetic. How such a weak woman had managed to bring him to her knees, he could comprehend.

He lived when she smiled, and felt like dying when she got the dead expression in her eyes around her family. As he walked deeper into the woods, Ewan knew he wouldn't be able to avoid everyone forever, but for now he would allow himself a time to pout. Though if anyone else called it such he would quickly remind them he was and is the Alpha and Laird of his people.

He frowned when he smelled the familiar cold scent. Stopping on the trail that wound around the Bellamy property, he was surprised to see Argo's mother standing at the end of the path.

She stood calmly, nude her dark brown eyes narrowed on him.

Uncomforatble with seeing Bellamy's wife nude, he lowered his eyes. "Madame, I did not you were running."

She scoffed, her foot silent as she walked towards him. "You wouldn't know, I wasn't planning on it."

She stopped in front of him, and lifted her hand imperiously, "Shirt." She fully expected him to take it off.

Ewan quickly did, more for himself then her. After she'd pulled it on he lifted his gaze, and frowned at her. "Then was brings you here?"

She glared at him, "My daughter."

Ewan hadn't once seen the women show any concern for her daughter in the time he'd lived here. He blinked, his brows coming together in confusion. "Argo?"

"Yes," She snapped with a roll of her eyes, "As usual an Alpha has managed to fuck up the one thing that should easy for your kind."

Feeling insulted, Ewan growled. "You dare?!"

Clearly unafraid, she waved off his show of anger. "You and my daughter were alone. What did you speak of?"

Ewan had no intention of telling this woman about he and Argo's conversation. He clamped his jaw shut, his expression becoming mulish.

Argo's mother smirked at him in knowing way, that caused his hackles to rise. "You asked her if she loved you, huh?" She chuckled, "You asked the daughter who's lived the role of omega about love." Her laughter was loud, and made Ewan clench his fist in fury at her amusement.

But before he could speak, she spoke her eyes dead and voice cold. "She won't be able to tell you even if she wanted to."

Ewan felt chill run down his spine at the Madame's look, she continued. "Argo, my daughter has been taught one thing all her life."

"What?" Ewan couldn't help voice his curiosity.

"Love, makes you weak."

Four words spoken perfectly, and clearly. Bellamy's wife eyes were so cold, "Whether it's family, lover's, your mate...love of any kind makes you weak." She crossed her arms, tilting her head, "You probably think my daughter is some poor, sad girl who's been bullied and punished all her life for something she can't control." She smile, it was cruel, and caused Ewan's stomach to clench. "That brat is calculating, and smarter than anyone else in the tribe. Sure~ she wanted freedom, and she wanted to be with you but...I'm sure there was some deal attached right?"

Ewan flinched, he lowered his lashes.

"You love her, that's nice, but even if Argo loved you...which she does." Ewan head snapped up at this, he couldn't hide the hope in his eyes. "She won't ever be able to speak of it, she was trained to be cruel, cold and calculating to get what she wants. We've trained all our children to be that way, well not the youngest she just doesn't get it."

With a sigh, Bellamy's wife pulled the shirt off her lips quirked. "Don't think that I will change how I treat her, but after you left my daughter did something in front of me and her father she'd never done before, it was distasteful and I wish for it not to happen again."

"What was that?" He had a hard time asking, over the lump in his throat.

She tossed the shirt to his feet, and smirked, "She cried." With that and a ripple of light, a large black furred wolf stood before him it let out a snuff, before it took off back towards the main house.

Ewan stood in the middle of the woods, so caught up in his thoughts he didn't feel the sting of something hitting his chest soon he was down on the ground , being swallowed by darkness. The last thing he heard was.

"Lucky me, I thought it would be hardf but, it was a piece of cake." Followed by a low chuckle.