The aftermath of the rogues was disheartening. Though only three pack members had died, it was still a great loss.

Bodies were scattered among the pack land, blood splattered as if someone had given a three year old red paint and set them free. The stench of wolfsbane, silver and sulfur filled anyone's nose who had come near.

But people were already beginning to recover-like an ant hill that had just been destroyed, the wolves began to clean up.

They piled hundreds of rogue bodies on top of each other to be burned, and setting aside the three pack members who had died-two of them being children.

The hospital was overcrowded, and doctors were working back to back on the clock to fix as many wounds as possible.

Rooms were packed like sardines with families and friends who had been injured in the fight.

But two alphas shared a room, not in the hospital, but in their house hooked up to countless machines.

Brook snapped her eyes open, and sat up rather quickly. She hissed when she accidentally ripped the IV needles out of her arm, which were supplying her with dozens of antibodies-All of which were battling the wolfsbane in her body.

She looked to her right, forgetting about the needles when she saw Connor. He too had just woken up, feeling like absolute shit.

"You look awful," Brook said. She was taken back by how raspy her voice was-It sounded as if it was made of sandpaper.

"So do you." Connor said, sending Brook a lopsided smile which she returned.

"You're lucky that I saved your ass," Brook said half-heartedly. "Without me you would be..." Brook finished her sentence with a whistle.

Connor cracked a large wolf-like grin, sending tingles down Brook's spine and into her toes.

"I'm grateful that you did," He said. There was something to his voice-Smooth like honey. It made Brooklynn, dare she say, turned on. "You looked pretty hot while saving me."

Brook felt her face heat up, embarrassed that he remembered what she wore while saving him-and that was absolutely nothing. She thought that his near death experience would've had a bigger impact than Connor getting to see her tits.

"Come here," Connor ordered. Brook was surprised that he was telling her what to do, but she was even more surprised when she found her legs carrying her over to the side of his bed.

He stared at her, observing her movements which were slow and painful. Her exhausted eyes greeted his, and even with all of the bruises and cuts and bags under her eyes, she still looked perfect to Connor.

The alphas both stared at each other, Brooklynn's hate for Connor had been dissolving day by day. And now, she couldn't bring herself to feel hate for him.

But even though it had barely been three weeks since Connor took Brook, he was already beginning to love her. His once frozen and unforgiving personality was melting, along with his possessiveness.

It had taken Connor a while to realize that though Brook was his mate, she was also still a person. She held memories and pain behind her bright eyes. Connor had taken her away from everything she loved as if he owned her. And she wasn't someone to be owned.

"I've been thinking..." Connor started, his brain scrambling to find a way to say what he had bottled up. "I know that I've hurt you both mentally and physically since you've been here. I stole you from your family, I kept you locked up, I hurt you and humiliated you and the list goes on and on. But no mate deserves that kind of treatment, especially not you."

Brook's gut started to churn uneasily, she knew what was coming next. But she didn't know what she was going to do about it, and that's what scared her.

"If you want to go home, I won't stop you." Connor spoke, his throat going dry. It was hurting him to say this, but he had realized why Brook hated him. And he didn't want that. "Nobody will stop you and I'll have someone escort you back to your pack."

The impact of Connor's words hit Brook hard.

She had the opportunity that she'd wanted since she arrived in this pack. And yet she didn't want it. She didn't want to go home anymore, or go back and be the alpha of her old pack. She wanted to stay right here with Connor.

She hated herself more than anything for forgiving Connor. After all, all she could think about in the beginning was how badly she wanted to strangle him.

But things were different now, they were more complicated.

She had a mate...And that threw a huge curveball that would have hit Brooklynn square in the face had it have been real.

Brook glanced back at Connor, who seemed to be growing more nervous by the second. He impatiently waited for her response.

In his brain, he hoped that she would do whatever made her the happiest. He wanted her to make her own choices whether that was to stay with him or to go.

But in his heart, he wanted her to stay. He wanted her to become his mate and Luna. He wanted to grow old with her and have children and so on. He craved her presence, and he knew that if she left that it would break him and his wolf.

"I think," Brook paused. "I think I'm going to stay. But I need your word that no matter what, you will kick that fucking bitch Percilla to the curb."

This took Connor by surprise, he didn't expect her to stay, but he most certainly didn't expect her to have such little requests for him.

"Why do you want Percilla gone? You do know she's my cousin, right?"

It was Brook's turn to be surprised, and she showed it.

"She's your cousin?!" Connor thought that Brook had already been aware of that, but he was mistaken. "You know what, I don't care. Just get rid of her."

"But why?" Connor asked, the wheels in his head turning rapidly. Percilla was his cousin, and his lead in command for fighting. Why would Brook want her gone?

Is she jealous? Connor wondered to himself, not realizing that Brook could hear him.

"No you dipshit, I'm not jealous." Brook glared at Connor. "She tried to kill me. During the attack she came out of nowhere and presumed to try and kill me. But Kai was there and-Oh my god!" Brook shrieked, making Connor flinch.

"Do you know if Kai's okay?" It bothered Connor a bit that Brooklynn was showing so much concern over another male. As if she heard his thoughts again, Brook spoke. "Kai helped us, he helped me get to you so that I could heal you. Don't be getting jealous over him."

Connor, not wanting to get too worked up over this, changed the subject back to Percilla.

"If what you said about Perci is true, then I guess she's out." Connor didn't feel bad about kicking his cousin out, especially if she went after his mate and tried to harm Brook. "But that means I need a new commander for the fighters." Connor looked at Brook, almost as if he was asking her for permission.

"If you're asking me to be commander, you already know that I will. But don't expect me to lay back on my training with the teens."

Connor nodded, elated at his the new commander that stood in front of him. It did surprise him that she was refusing to give up her time with the teens, but Connor didn't say anything. Instead, he glanced at side of her neck which was horribly bare.

And then a thought popped into his head. A thought that made Connor's heart jump.

He hadn't marked Brooklynn yet.