Cayton in hand, I pull him off to the side as I wait for Carter to enter the room. Carter hesitates at first, but I wave him in and shut the door securely behind him.

Dropping Cayton's hand, I stand facing both of them with my hands on my hips, feeling like I'm about to pull out my inner mother.

"Well?" I ask. They both stare at me as if they don't have a clue what I've brought them in for. I stare at them a bit longer, hoping that I don't have to actually say out loud that they're idiots.

When no one says anything, and it starts feeling more tense than before, I huff and cross my arms, trying to do what I've seen Cayton do so many times and go into "Alpha mode" or whatever.

"Tell me what is wrong with you two," I demand. "Both of you obviously have some tension going on, and considering everything was all hunky dory when I saw you last I'm going to need someone to start talking."

They both look at me, and then at each other. Cayton crosses his arms and stares Carter down with a steely look that would make me uncomfortable. Carter looks down at his feet and takes a deep breath before his eyes meet mine, and I'm immediately shocked at the amount of sadness and remorse in them.

"I'm sorry," he says, pausing for a good thirty seconds after. "I...said some things I didn't mean in the heat of the moment." I hear Cayton scoff, and we both turn our eyes to him. He looks, well, pissed.

"Tell her what you said," Cayton demands.

I start feeling a bit uneasy, unsure if I want to know or not. I mean, how bad could it be? I try to tell myself it can't be so bad, but then again I can feel a burning, red hot anger in my chest that doesn't feel like my own. But I don't need to feel it to know Cayton is fuming, it's clear on his face.

"Carter?" I ask, almost meekly, when he doesn't say anything. He's looking down at his feet, and before I know it he's on his knees, head in his hand. The whole scenario is so bizarre I have to look around to make sure I'm not being pranked.

Shaking his head, Cayton turns to me. "Here, let me tell you all about it." He relays everything to me, from the second they heard about the crash to now. Carter losing his mind over Bethany, the fight with Cayton, and everything he said that led up to it.

When he finishes, Carter's shoulders are shaking with emotion. I take a second to process everything.

On the one hand, I do feel a tinge of hurt at everything he said. I mean, I couldn't imagine saying anything like that about him, especially not to Bethany, his mate.

But, on the other hand, if the mess on the floor right now doesn't indicate genuine remorse--something, mind you, I never expected to see from Carter--then I don't know what would. Tensions were high, emotions were high, and frankly I would have expected Cayton to react in a similar way given his track record.

But above all, I'm tired of being a key piece in causing his failing relationships. First it was with his dad Warren, and now his relationship with his best friend and Beta is being threatened. However unintentional on my part it is, I'm putting my foot down.

With that in mind, I kneel down in front of Carter and shake his shoulder until he looks up at me. His eyes are a bit watery, but luckily he hasn't been crying. I might have lost it if he had been.

"Hey, it's ok," I say. He looks at me, baffled for a second, and then hesitantly looks up to Cayton.

"I'm sorry," he repeats, speaking directly to Cayton this time. I look up at him and he has a mix of emotions on his face, trying to hide behind that cold mask of his.

You're not forgiving him so easily, are you? Cayton asks me.

Of course I am, I say back. Look at him Cayton, he's your best friend and he's on his knees apologizing.

Cayton doesn't respond, instead going further into that hard mask. I know he isn't a quick forgiver, so I don't press further, instead turning my attention to Carter. He looks at me like a kicked puppy and I smile slightly.

"Carter, I know you didn't mean what you said. I know you were caught up with worry for Bethany. I won't lie, it stings a little. But. I forgive you for it Jellybean," I say, trying to lighten the mood with that nickname I know he hates.

Before I can get more out, he quickly grabs me and pulls me in the tightest hug I've ever received. It actually knocks the air out of my lungs. I'm taken aback for a second, and I smile, something snarky forming on the tip of my tongue when I feel it. And hear it. And. Dammit.

He starts shaking. Then, I hear the first sob break from his lips as he holds on to me tighter. Suddenly I feel my good shoulder becoming wet, and all I can think is Holy shit who is this and what did they do with my asshole friend Carter? Even Cayton looks shocked.

I wrap my arms around Carter, returning the bone-crushing hug. It hurts a bit, but I don't say anything because I'm at risk of losing it myself--

"I'm so sorry," Carter cries out, followed by another round of loud sobs.

And that's when I officially lose it.

There's about ten minutes of waterworks. He cries, I cry. He tells me he's so sorry, I tell him I forgive him through tears. We hold tight and cry like two actual babies on the floor. I glance at Cayton briefly and through the blurriness I see a sight that almost makes me stop crying and start laughing. He looks exactly like someone who's stuck in a room with two people who just burst out crying, not knowing what to do, eyes wide, debating whether or not he should come to us or let us ride it out. He settles on the latter, choosing instead to awkwardly step back and try to watch anything else.

Eventually we settle down and he lets me out of his vice grip, and I start wiping my snotty nose on my shirt, like the prim and proper young lady I am.

Standing up, dragging Carter with me, I wipe my hands on my shirt and pat my cheeks. "Alright, I'm glad we got that out of the way. Now we can go back to being our hardcore, badass selves," I smile. Carter gives me the smallest of smiles and looks over at Cayton, who looks similar to someone waiting for a bomb to go off.

"Do you mind if we have a minute?" Carter asks me, and I look briefly at Cayton. Asking if it's ok, but mostly trying to tell him he better behave. He nods, so I throw up a peace sign and walk out the door, shutting it behind me.

I huff, making sure my face doesn't have any residual wetness before I try and locate the bathroom. I briefly think Hmm, I could probably find it using this new super-detector referring to my newly enhanced sense of smell, but then I remind myself that the only thing worse than a smelly bathroom is a smelly bathroom with enhanced smell. So I decide to find Waylon instead.

*

By the time I'm back in the room where everyone is waiting, save for Cayton and Carter, Joshua and Bethany are already in there waiting. They were saying something to everyone before I came in, and as I enter they pause. I can see Bethany looking for Carter, but I wave my hand. "As you were lads. Cayton and Carter might be a minute or so."

"They might be more useful here," Joshua says, a hint of annoyance in his voice. I purse my lips, thinking of how to buy time.

"Joshua, is it?" I ask. He looks at me and nods after a second, eyebrow quirked. "Sorry, we never really got to properly introduce ourselves given the circumstances. The whole, you know," I motion to my eyes and then flick my hands up from the top of my head, trying to signal some wolfy ears. I consider howling for effect but I'm unsure if that's offensive.

"Thanks for that by the way!" The amount of sarcasm in my voice was unintentional, but obvious. "Crazy thing is though, that's not even the worst part of this whole thing. I mean, sure, you could have killed me but hey, occupational hazards I guess?" I can't stop myself, I can feel Wolfette in my head pushing me on, just like when I was in jail and she got me to bang those forsaken cuffs off my wrist. "But no, you really just wanted to spice up everything huh?"

I was hoping I got all my feelings out crying with Carter. But it appears I need to be angry now too. Or at least Wolfette makes it seem so.

Sadly, just as I'm about to give my colorful lecture, Trenton grabs my arm gently and pulls me back.

"While I 100% agree and think you could send them running with their tails tucked, I think we should wait for Cayton to come back," he whispers.

"This is oppression," I mutter, but agree and take the seat I occupied before. Joshua dismisses it quickly and I watch as Bethany, who had been standing off to the side, pats his shoulder gently before coming to stand by me. She takes a seat next to me.

How'd it go? I ask, suddenly giddy with the thought that I can truly annoy the shit out of everyone whenever I please now. Well, except certain people who like to throw up walls and block me out.

I'm not bitter.

Okay, I think. Lots of tears, but I think we've come to an agreement, She responds.

Hoo boy can I relate to that, I chuckle.

She gives me a questioning look and while we have time to kill, I relay everything to her that transpired between Cayton, Carter, and I. And when I'm done, she looks like she could kill, which shocks me to no end.

He really said something like that? she asks.

I hesitate on the response. I can't straight up lie to her, but if looks could kill Carter would already be six feet under. Though personally, I think the more effective method--

Macy I can literally hear everything you're thinking, she says. Oops. I haven't quite gotten the hang of Not sharing my every thought while mind-linking.

Well, I guess I don't have to answer then, right? I can't be held accountable for anything that happens if I didn't say anything. She doesn't respond but like I said before, her eyes scream 'Murder the Heretic!'

I can't decide if it's directed at Carter or not, because on the one hand the two are a pair of love-struck idiots who would throw caution and, I don't know, strategy to the wind for each other. But on the other hand. Like, yeah, Carter was rude, to put it simply.

I decide to let that whole thing come to a head later. For now, I occupy myself with my own thoughts. I think of home and all that entails. Friends, comfort, food....

The image of a burger pops into my head. My mouth begins watering. Quarter pounder, extra cheese, all the trimmings.

Soon, I see my life laid out before me. I come home and there he is, the burger. He's down on one bready knee. He asks me to spend the rest of my life with him, I gladly say yes. The ring is a pickle, and I take a bite. We get married, backpack across Europe, grow old together....

I snap myself out of it when I realize I'm actually drooling at the thought. God I'm ready to go home.

CAYTON, I start screaming in my mind, hoping the volume carries into his head.

We're coming, is all he says back.

*

Perhaps it's horrible of me to say this, but somewhere between the boring drabble about treaties and whatnot, and the emotions and the feelings, I realize just how tired I am.

I'm still sore, and frankly my shoulder isn't healing as fast as I would like, though I guess super-healing doesn't mean instant--honestly all these strings attached makes these super cool magical werewolf abilities less fun. I was hoping I'd be more like Superman or something but alas.

I'm tired, physically, but moreso mentally. To the point where if I hear Joshua say 'consider' one more time, I'm going to 'consider' shoving my foot so far up his ass I could wear him as some thigh highs.

Somewhere amongst all of that, I look to Cayton and the desperation hits me. Not to sleep with him, or kiss him, but to just be home with him, our home. Maybe go on a nice date, get a burger, just be together and able to forget everything that's happened over these past few months. Relax, unwind, enjoy each other...

That's the kind of desire my chest burns with, and for the briefest second I see Cayton look over at me, and I know he feels the same. Whether or not he read my thoughts, it doesn't matter because we need this.

But then I remember my mom, and what started this whole trip anyways. I shut that shit down real quick though, because honestly that's more to think about than this whole werewolf feud.

The back and forth goes on for some time, and I try to be more attentive, more Luna-like, but it's about as exciting as listening to Hunter talk about his training.

Oh god, what if they make me go through some sort of werewolf training? I don't know what that entails, jumping through hoops, maybe? Walking on those weird seesaw things? Sitting on command?

I get deep into thought, worried they're going to make me do physical exercise. So deep, in fact, it takes a good few seconds of someone waving their hand in my face for me to snap back. When I do, I see Cayton above me.

"Ready to go home?" he asks.

Suddenly pulling energy out of the depths of my body, I jump up with a smile. "God, please," I say.

He smiles, taking my hand. "Someone is going to pick us up, so we don't have to run all the way back," he says.

"Oh no," I say sarcastically. "But I just love running!" He laughs, rolling his eyes.

"I have firsthand experience that makes me agree with that statement," he says, referring to the good ole days, that seem so long ago.

Following him out, not even thinking to see where everyone else is going, I laugh. "Remember when life was as simple as me being kidnapped and you being an idiot."

"Honestly, can't say I miss it," he says. "Though, I do miss the days watching you fall on your face in front of the entire pack."

I laugh, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Don't worry, it certainly won't be the last time that happens," I say. "Also, about the whole conversation in the room..."

"I'll give you a summary on the way home," he says knowingly. I smile.