Philip had hung up the phone leaving me in utter dismay. No amount of rubbing my eyes to dry up the tears would swipe away the evidence of my crying. No amount of deep breathing would alleviate the suffocating nausea that bubbled in my gut.

So when Ivy came back into the barn she knew instantly, something was off. It was written in every line of my forehead, the way my lips dipped in the corners fighting back a sob, and the glistening pools in my eyes.

I had to think of something to explain my sadness but my face was virtually blank, an empty void of nothing but panic.

Ivy rushed over to me her eyes flicking about the room on high alert. "What's wrong Phinny?" My bottom lip wobbled as an echo of my mother whimper sounded in my head.

"Phinny." She shook my shoulders snapping me out of my head.

Sniffling I pulled away fixing my scarf in an attempt to seem fine. I was far from fine and she knew it, but it didn't stop me from trying to conceal it.

"I'm fine, I just got off the phone with my mom." I explained, she remained unconvinced. "We got a little carried away talking and I miss her. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. You know?"

I forced an endearing smile. Ivy gave me a once over before taking a few moments to scan over my face.

"Yea, of course." She replied slowly. Ivy narrowed her eyes still not fully believing my answer. She could probably smell the fear coming off of me but I was relieved she turned away and waved at me to follow.

A sigh of relief left my mouth as I willed myself to keep a leveled head. There was no sense in losing my wits, it wasn't going to change anything and if at all it'll only make everything more complicated. I had to talk to Osiris.

The thought alone made me grimace. Our last conversation didn't go very well though I had been able to get my way. He was still a loss canon, someone that I was unable to easily read and I was good at picking up on people's emotions and intent. It was something I had to program in myself living amongst wolves that despised me.

Osiris was like a ball in a pinball machine constant back and forth, unreadable trajectory that left me guessing. He left me guessing his intentions, his kindness, and just about everything else.

It didn't help either that I was left with this urge to look at him. He made my heart race.

We soon arrived back in the middle of all the cabins. With so many prying eyes on me and sparked interest whispers as I passed by I soon felt overwhelmed.

All the buzzing noise overflowed my senses as I replayed the horrid conversation. I needed to talk to Osiris. The closer we got to the cabin the more the feel grew in strength. Ever second felt like an hour I was giving alpha Philip to do harm to her.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ivy wondered concern in her voice. We stopped in front of the cabin, the warm yellow light by the door the only thing lighting up our faces in the darkness.

"Yea, I promise. Just missing my family that's all." I twisted the door knob and pushed the door open only for Ivy to shut it closed. Stunned I stepped back.

"I feel like you're lying to me but I won't pry." She put her hands up backing away. "If you really miss your family that much you should ask Osiris to have them visit for a little while."

I peeked up at her advice. "You really think he'd do that?"

"I can't speak for the man but I'd say it's worth a shot. The worst that he says is no."

I nodded my head and carried myself inside. Shutting the door I instantly felt on fire; I wasn't sure if it was due to the loads of layers I was wearing or the fact that all the worry made me this way.

Quickly I had shed off all of my clothes except for the leggings I wear beneath my jeans and a t-shirt. Gathering everything someone approached me.

"I can take those angle." Lucky smiled reaching for the piles of clothes. When he recognized me distraught face his smile dropped into a frown. "Is everything alright?"

I cleared my throat trying to ease the pain in the back of my throat from fighting off tears. "Is Desmond here?"

Ever since the call had ended I had gone over how I would bring up the topic to Osiris. There wasn't anything that I could think of that would fully make me comfortable. He was going to push me away, he'd see me as bothering him. Even if I could get him to agree to talk with me it still didn't guarantee that I'd be able to convince him.

If I could tell Desmond about the situation maybe he'd be able to persuade brother. So, I had made up my mind to meet with Desmond first.

Lucky sadly shook his head.

"Where can I find him?" I asked.

"I believe Desmond is out scooting the parameter, he won't be sitting with us for dinner." He explained heading down the hallway.

I tugged my lip in between my teeth. I was pressed for time, I needed to relay this message to Osiris but doing it myself didn't seem like the most logical choice.

Frustration bubbled inside me as once again Desmond wasn't around. I knew that he was the beta and had duties but this is nothing like mates treated one another. My chest tightened as I accepted the fact that he was actively avoiding me.

"Can I have my jacket?" I asked pulling out the jacket that was bundled up in all the clothes. Lucky furrowed his brow in worry.

Not caring to be stopped I hurried toward the front door. If Desmond was going to avoid me then fine but I wasn't going to sit here and wait for him to come to me. I was going to him. He's my mate and I need to fight and try harder to make this work.

"Seraphina, I don't think this is a good idea." I heard Lucky's hoarse voice shouting behind me. Ignoring it I threw the front door open tugging my jacket zipper up.

This was probably one of the stupidest ideas that I had ever come up with. I didn't know how far away the boarder was from the cabin, nor which direction to head in to find him. Desmond could be anywhere in this isolated region and here I was wondering about in subfreezing temperatures.

I headed in the direction of the fields knowing that they were close to the edge of the territory, from there I could follow the edge. With the dim crescent moon it made it difficult for me to see far ahead. If it weren't for the layer of snow I would have been able to see a thing a foot in front of me.

It was a wonder that this pack could serve up here in the mountains. The temperature here was bitter cold and it was miles from any town.

Being raised in a pack that lived amongst humans really made me unprepared to live in such a barren place.

I had been out for nearly an hour as I jogged along the tree line of the forest. My fingers were turning numb from the temperature, so I tucked them under my arms to keep them from getting frost bite. The crunching of snow beneath my stiff foot steps travel far in the empty forest. I hoped that someone would here my clumsy self and guide me toward Desmond.

It never happened though and I began to panic as my intense shivering began to become unbearable.

"This was a stupid ass decision." I scolded myself. "I have no wolf and I'm out here wandering around like a chicken with its head cut off." I looked around, changing my mind on finding my mate, to figure out which way was back home.

Everything was dark and I had wandered a good distance from the fields. My heart sped up more as I searched for any landmarks that I recognized. When I realized that their weren't any I began to panic.

I was lost.

I was lost in the freezing wilderness with only a flimsy jacket and a pair of thin leggings. I was as good as dead if I didn't find my way back home now.

Panicked I stumbled in the direction I believed the cabins to be. I cursed as the cold felt even colder. I didn't remember it getting this cold before but then it dawned on me. Osiris had said that the frost was coming and the more I thought about it the more I realized how deep of a hole I had dug myself.

It was supposed to freeze tonight.

I was going to freeze tonight.

I hopelessly wandered around in hopes of at least finding some sort of shelter. As if the moon goddess herself had heard my thoughts a small remote and abandoned shed appeared. It didn't look like anyone had used it in some time. The wood had a few cracks and holes in them and the latch on the door was rusting.

Nonetheless this shed was like a gem in my eyes. I forced the rusty latch open causing the door to fly open from the roaring wind. Grabbing the door to close it I tugged with all my might until I could lock the door from the inside.

I panted finding the shed only a hair warmer than outside; at least it shielded me from the harsh winds.

Lying down curled up in a ball. I hoped that by now someone would have recognized that I was gone and come searching for me. I'm sure Lucky will tell Desmond if he had returned, he might even tell Osiris.

Somehow I felt as though none of those options would be wonderful. I didn't know which was worse having my mate that avoids me coming looking for me, or have the angry unreadable alpha find me. Either way I'd be relieved that I didn't freeze to death.

I had let out a spiteful chuckle. This was just like the time Natalie threw me in the walk in freezer the cafe I worked at. She never came into the cafe but once she noticed me working there one day she couldn't help herself not to mess with me. I swore she got a high off of tormenting me.

I was locked in that freeze for nearly an hour before Mara could come and unlock it. Thankful I had my phone to text her and when I think about that memory now I realized how dark that could have turned. If I hadn't had my phone I would have died. Natalie would have killed me.

I wondered if that was the goal all along.

Hours had to have passed as I laid there listening to the howling of the wind as I went in and out of consciousness. There was a seemingly odd peace in the noise but it was drowned out when my ears picked up another noise. A different kind of howl.

I jerked up in frenzy clutching my knees to my chest as I heard the howl again this time a bit closer. My heart leapt with joy, someone was close by.

The sound of snow crunching alerted me and as I listened more closely I faintly heard the sniffing of dog. I knew it wasn't a dog.

The sound of bone crunching and popping was clearly heard through the thin walls of the shed. The door was pulled as someone attempted to open the door. So cold from the freezing temperature I remained unmoved on the floor.

The lock on the door broke against the harsh tugging. The door was pulled open slamming against the side of the shed. Standing in the doorway was a tall and imposing figure that looked eerily familiar.

They were standing in front of me in two strides. I would have looked up to see who it was but I wasn't trying to look at their manhood right in my face. So I remained silent looking straight ahead shivering.

"Didn't I tell you not to go anywhere without someone?" His voice was harsh.

My lips wobbled as I answered. "N-no, you said don't walk h-ome with out Ivy." I corrected.

Osiris growled bending down to my level. He put his warm finger under my chin lifting my face to look at him. I couldn't see his face but as he placed his whole hand around my jaw turning my face side to side to examine it I could tell he was pissed.

He growled scanning my face. "Let me see your hands." He demanded.

"T-thre fine. I kept them w-warm under my arms." I explained not wanting to uncurl myself from my own body heat.

"I said let me see your hands Seraphina." Osiris demanded again this time reaching for my arm.

I pulled away tucking my hands behind my knees in the fold of my legs. I didn't want him taking care of me, that was embarrassing enough that I just about killed myself accidently. I didn't want to give him a reason to place harsher rules on me or give him another reason to see me as weak. So, I tucked my hands away.

Osiris wedged his fingers between my arm and my leg grabbing my arm and pulling my hand out from my leg. I pulled against his hold in a desperate attempt to hid my fragility.

"Seraphina, stop fighting me." He pulled harder than he had tried before causing me to believe that he purposefully wasn't using all his strength on me. It didn't matter though as I followed his tug with my whole body, falling into him and throwing him off balance.

His body radiated warmth like a heater and it slowly defrosted my limbs. With new found mobility I curled my hands towards my chest, away from his prying eyes.

"No, I said I was fine. You d-don't need to check them." I pleaded.

It was no use as he rolled us over so my back was laying flat against the cold wood floor. He hovered over me with my hands were pressed to either side of my head. He panted above me, his hot breath visible against the freezing cold.

He looked at my hands more closely using his index finger to touch and move my digits while he held my wrists down. I stopped struggling knowing I wasn't able to throw him off of me.

"Why the hell were you all the way out here?" He questioned.

"I was looking for Desmond." I admitted finding no use in lying, I was never very good at it.

There was a slight pause before Osiris spoke. "And you thought coming out after dark in freezing temperatures, with only a jacket on to look for him alone was a bright idea?" He scoffed. "You're more of a fool than I thought."

He rolled off me and I was more thankful than ever that the room was dark enough that I couldn't see anything.

"Thanks for sharing." I blurted out picking myself up. The sudden courage I had with speaking back to him was unnerving. I inherently knew it was wrong and out of line but something still urged me to push my luck. I just hoped I didn't push it too far that I regret it.

"I need to get you back home." He bend down to one knee and I blinked realizing what he was implying.

"We aren't walking home?"

"Why the hell would I let you walk home? Its freezing out and it'll take to long. Plus, I have work I need to finish up and having to stop to find your hopeless ass has taken up more of my time than I wanted." He huffed shifting before giving me time to reply.

A twinge of pain stroke my heart calling me hopeless, though I knew it was hearing it out loud just made me feel ten times worse.

His wolf moved outside, his fur a drastic contrast to the glowing snow. I couldn't tell if he was black or just a dark brown or gray. Not given a chance to look much more he laid down for me to get on.

I threw my leg over his back laying my body snug against the ridge of his spine. He smelled like pine and fresh morning dew. I curled my hands around his fur as he stood up and began his trot back to the cabins.