-Titus-

When the people had slowly begun to go away, the music faded into the howl of the frigid nights air and the fire all but smothered out completely, I found my bride and took her cold hand into mine.

"Are you ready to call it a night?"

She smiled up at me tiredly, "I've been ready."

I couldn't help but chuckle a little at how adorable she looked right here and now, I kept her hand in mine and walked us inside, the warmth immediately encased us and I was grateful for it as I knew Everest must be freezing.

"I can't believe how well you did tonight, I'm genuinely proud of you Everest." I said as we made our way up the stairs.

It was dark but I could easily see her shy blush...she clearly wasn't use to being complimented.

"It's a lot easier when you're caught up having fun." She sounded, she meant the words to come out lightheartedly but I heard something else in her tone. I decided that I would save the talking for when we reached our private chambers.

It didn't take long for us to reach the tall double doors, of course Everest reached to open the doors first, "these damn new doors are too heavy." She grumbled when she couldn't easily open the door like she had anticipated.

I reached out and took hold of the door (from the small opening she had made) and held it open wider for her, "allow me" I smiled, little did she know that the doors were heavy because they were protective doors: bulletproof, soundproof...perfect for high profile Weres to keep a low profile if need be; I had them installed this morning after Everest woke up.

I watched as she slinked forward into the room easily, the fabric of her dress clinging dangerously to every curve on her body, swaying with every step she took.

The temptation to get her naked and ravage her was at an all time high...but I resisted the urge as I could tell something was bothering her.

I sat down on one of the high back chairs and watched her simply move about the room.

She stepped out of her heels before she began to withdraw her hair from its confines of being tamed for the night.

"Would you like for me to request a fire be start in our bedroom?" I asked gently.

"No I should be fine." She said as she turned to face me, a small smile gracing her face.

"Tell me what's troubling you Everest?"

"Why don't you tell me what's going on with you?" She countered, her face full of concern now.

"Are you referring to my wanting to leave the party earlier?"

She nodded.

I sighed. I knew in order for things to work between she and I, I would have to completely honest...and unfortunately I knew exactly where I needed to start.

I got up from my stiff seat and walked over to her, "I think there's something that you need to see."

She stared blankly at me so instead I took her hand into mine and lead her from the sitting area and into my study's the opposite end of the bedroom. "Please have a seat."

She obliged me, curiosity written plainly on her face.

I made my way over to my desk and opened the top drawer, I found my keys and selected the one in which I was looking for, I bent down toward the bottom left hand side of my desk and unlocked the last drawer, I pulled out the only thing in there and held it against my chest.

"I've been meaning to show you this for a while now...I suppose I've taken the cowards route about it as it is something that should've been brought up since our first meeting."

"Well what is it Titus?" She asked nervously.

I simply held the picture frame out toward her and she took it ever so carefully, she handled the frame delicately as I watched her examine the picture.

"That's Magnolia Pruitt, but we all knew her as Maggie...she was my mate."

"She looks..." Everest shook her head in confusion, "how is it possible ?"

"You two could've been twins." I smiled as I took the picture back from her. "Trust me, it took me more than a minute to regain my bearings after first having a look at you." I admitted.

Her lovely face contorted into one of anger, "this whole time...everyone knew and no one said anything!"

"Everest-"

"No!" She shouted.

It was a first, I had never seen her angry nor has anyone ever shouted at me.

"Do you remember what you said to me when we first met Titus?"

"We said a lot of things that day Everest."

"You said you didn't want us to enter this marriage with any secrets...this is a secret, and THIS makes me question everything now." She confessed.

"What're you talking about?"

"I'm beginning to wonder if the reason you agreed to marry me is because I look like her, do you even see me Titus, when we're in bed together who are you laying next to, me...or the memory of your mate?"

Her words were a stab to the heart.

"When I took you as my wife it was out of duty, when I consummated our marriage it was to fulfill an order...BUT when I made love to you afterward and shared a bed with you it was because I wanted to, I wanted to be with Everest...is it difficult to see past the similarities sometimes, yes...but when I hold you and take in your scent it reminds me that I have YOU so don't ever question wether I'm loyal to you or want you, because you've already been given the answer."

"Is there anything else I should know about that you've withheld from me?" She asked smartly.

"This evening when you saw me discussing business with a couple of my men, it was because they've finally found someone we've been looking for."

"I know I'm not officially the Luna yet, but will this affect the pack in any way?"

I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her professionalism. "It could."

"Anything else?" She asked.

"I believe the man they found is the same one who raped and left my mate for dead." There was a silence that shrouded us, she remained completely still. "I will find this man, and I will do the same thing he did to me."

"So you're going to kill him?"

I shook my head "killing him would be too easy, I am going to make him suffer, I want him to feel the heartache and loss that I've felt."

Once again she grew silent.

Minutes passed and I finally spoke again, "you never did tell me what was bothering you this evening."

She gave a non-humerus little smirk, "nothing new really, just the same old power plays from my father and my oldest brother."

"Are they pressuring you into something?"

At this she stood up and surprisingly gave me a light peck on my cheek, "nothing I can't handle husband...try and get some rest, I'm going to have a shower."

"I need to meet with my men."

She shrugged, "do what you must then husband."

I couldn't tell if she was still mad at me, fine with moving past everything and starting fresh, or she simply didn't care...the fact that I couldn't get a read on Everest put me on edge, I need things to work with her, I also want my wife to be happy as I've taken quite a liking to her. But now was not the time to dwell on this, I had bigger issues at hand, like find this piece of shit who took Maggie away from me.