Adilah:

 

I steer in my sleep with a heavy weight on my waist. I always don't like it when I am being restricted to move, so I try to pry whatever it is away. But it only held me tighter, and all of a sudden something is fanning my face. It smells like mint. I open my eyes slowly, and a peaceful Cole is what I see. The events from last night flood my mind but none of them seems to matter at the moment.

 

He's too close for comfort, and more importantly, he doesn't have a shirt on! I try to carefully move away without waking him up, but he only moves closer each time that I move. I bit back a groan. If he wakes up, with me in his arms awake it's going to be really awkward,  even though I am rather at ease right now. But still, it's the mate bond, not me. Talk about how he ran away from me these past days, and now he's touching me.

 

Before I can make my next attempt again, he decides to open his eyes. Green ones stare right into my soul like he has known me forever. I always like the color green, so to distract myself from being captive by them, I look up at the white ceiling above.

 

"Good morning." He whispers softly, his breath tickling my ears. Why are we acting like a couple all of a sudden? And why the hell do I seem to like it? I am such a hypocrite.

 

"Um... I think you are in the wrong room." That's the only thing that I can think of saying without making a fool out of myself.

 

"Is that so?" In my relief he finally let me go, and I quickly use that opportunity to get out of the bed, just in case he changes his mind.

 

He does the same and ruffled his dark curls that only make him look... unique.  It's my first time seeing him in the light of the day and in person.  It makes me wonder if I am just dreaming.

 

He gazes at me again, as I freeze on my spot. It seems like he's memorizing every part of my body, and I feel really bare even with my thick nightgown on me. He gives me a lopsided smile, "Hi." I don't respond.

 

He sighs, "I know that you are probably angry with me." Oh, no. I am furious but I am not feeling any of it right now. "For all I know you might not even want to talk to me. But please give me a chance." His green eyes plead.

 

I bit my lip. Should I? I suppose I do deserve some explanations. "Okay. But you need to tell me everything. "

 

His face brightens, "That's all?"

 

"No." I quickly add before he further congratulates himself. "I want to see my friends too. First."

 

He pauses for a moment. "I suppose I can fix that. "

 

"Lead the way." He goes to the door, and I follow.

 

***

 

Cole and I end up outside, tackling the line of trees as we walk to the end of the property. It seems that he has been here a lot to know the place. No one is around, it's still dawn. It's a good thing though for this man forgot to wear his shirt, something that I am not planning to point out or focus on right now. If someone would see us together they will probably assume the worst.

 

I am following him from behind, and he doesn't seem to mind. I'll give him credit for not annoying me like his friend did. I also don't utter a single word, for some unknown reason I know that he's going to keep his end of the deal. He better be.

 

Because it is being obscured, I didn't see another building at the end of the place before. Cole stops and turns to me when we reach it. "We're here."

 

So the girls are indeed on this property. As I inspect it closer,  I can't help but wonder why Benetha and Crimson not succeeded in escaping this place. There are almost no guards around,  and they are skillful enough to come up with something. What do they have inside? Don't tell me they are enjoying themselves why I was risking my life to find them... twice.

 

"All of the doors are equipped with advanced locking systems. If someone is trying to escape the alarms will go off. But almost none of the women attempt to anyways because they are being treated properly." As if reading my mind, Cole informs me. I can see what he's talking about as the metal door looks solid enough, and there is a pad where Cole said you need to scan your thumb in order for the door to unlock. Of course, you need to be an authorized personnel first. He scans his thumb and easily opens the door. It's quiet inside, everyone is probably still sleeping. It's a little dark too and a long hallway is what greeted us first.

 

Cole extends his hand for me to take. "What is that?" I ask as I stare at it dumbly. "You might trip inside since it's dark." I consider it, then finally give in. It's better than to embarrass myself and fall on my face later. I try ignoring the warmth and the sparks that his hand is causing, concentrating on the idea that I am going to see my friends soon. We move inside.

 

"You idiot, go faster! " Taking only a couple of steps we both stop in our tracks again.

 

"Don't be so loud you are going to wake up everyone. Wait, the door is open." Two familiar voices and running footsteps swallow the empty hall. Both skid to a stop when they notice us.

 

"There's two of them." I believe that it's Benetha. For all the years that I know the girl, I can tell that she's nervous by just hearing her. Cole stills beside me.

 

"One for you and me." Crimson, sounding as determined as ever.

 

They start moving towards us slowly. I let go of Cole's hand,  "The two of you better know what you're doing." Again they freeze on their spot. "Adilah?" Benetha asks carefully. I walk closer to them, "Who else?" Silence and shock. Then the two quickly run to me, my friend squeezing me half to death while Crimson watches us with a surprised smile on her face. I miss these two.

 

"We need to get out of here." Crimson finally breaks us apart and starts walking to the door, but stops when she spots Cole on the way.

 

"Who are you?!" She tenses.

 

"Um.... he's with me."

 

Benetha almost immediately look at me weirdly, "Why is he not wearing a shirt? His scent is all over you too." Okay, these dangerous questions.

 

"It's a long story." I try to drop the subject,  but knowing them it's just impossible.

 

"He's one of our kidnappers. " Crimson angrily states to me, like I don't know the obvious already.

 

"I'm aware of that."

 

"Then why is--"

 

"I'm her mate." I sigh. Finally, both of them stay quiet.

 

"I told you it's a long story. First, let's get out of here before we wake up the others." I look up to Cole, "Would that be alright?"

 

Knowing that he doesn't have a choice anyways he ushers us outside. Even though confused, Benetha and Crimson follow along grateful to see the new place they're in.

 

"Woah. No snow."

 

"We are in the Western pack, dummy."

 

It's good to know that both of them are still the same.

 

***

"How much do the two of you know?"

 

"Only the fact the men are idiots." Crimson inspects my designated room that Alexander gave me while she and Benetha enjoy the comfort of the couch next to the bed where I am in. Cole excuses himself a while ago, giving us time to ourselves and assured me to come back later to fulfill his other promise of explaining everything to him. I am grateful for it because it would divert Crimson and Benetha from discussing my issue instead of ours.

 

"Do you think your mothers are furious?" Benetha inquires first. Crimson and I are future Lunas of our pack, but I know that my mom can cope up pretty well with things like this and are doing something about it in low profile. The whole pack might not even know that I am missing.

 

"My mom doesn't like drama. Although  I am surprised that she doesn't send a bunch of trackers yet to find me." Crimson answers. Trackers are weres that are trained to find people. They have powerful senses and most of them are from the Justice and Hope pack, where a quarter of our army are residing.

 

"We need to go back," I tell them as I stare out the window. That's the only sure thing that I know we should do.

 

"Tell that to that mate of yours who kidnapped us!" Back to this subject again. Crimson is glaring at me and even Benetha is sulking.

 

"What? I didn't know that he's my mate until I woke up in his house. I was kidnapped too!" They can't seriously blame me for this. "Besides I risk my life finding the two of you."

 

"We also tried escaping several times but each time the annoying --"

 

The door suddenly opens cutting Benetha's words. Alexander barges in the room with Cole, who is now in his business suit, and Travis behind. "Why we have a loud crowd today and look! Two of my favorite guests are here."

 

"That annoying guy keeps putting us to sleep every time we got close." She continues, killing the smiling Alpha with her eyes.

 

"In my part replacing broken windows and cracked walls are a hassle. I just give all of us a favor."

 

"Jerk." Crimson shouts with a second agreement from my still fuming friend. At least they forgot about me and Cole. I glance at him and find him staring at me. His face is clear of any emotions. Right,  his promise. "You said you have something to tell me when you got back." I encourage him to start. Crimson and Benetha listen curiously. Cole runs his hand through his hair in a show of frustration.  He clearly doesn't want to do this.

 

"Might as well sit down my friend. It's going to take a long explanation. " Alexander moves further into the room and soon they each find their place. Travis is sitting down on the floor next to the window, Alexander leaning on the wall next to him, and Cole chooses the wall closest to me to stand. Benetha and Crimson are on the couch while I am still in my bed.

 

"You know of our plan with integration. "

 

"Which is a very crazy idea." I give Crimson a warning not to interrupt.

 

"But we are also planning on overthrowing Samirah." Cole continues.

 

"Why?" Benetha questions,  scared. I have nothing to say. He keeps his eyes on me.

 

"She is imprisoning women who refused to go back to your territory. "

 

"Why won't they go back?" Crimson inquires unconvinced.

 

"Family. They don't want to leave their mates or child alone." Alexander explains this time.

 

I frown, "But that's what the treaty states. All of the packs agreed to it."

 

"Not the people. A lot are against it in the first place." Travis adds.

 

"Then why Samirah?" Why her? She's just the Luna of one of the packs even though she's really scary.

 

"Because she's the one in control all this time. She's one of the founders of the treaty and we are all her puppets. We do what she says and if you cross her you'll be dead." Cole states in angry. I don't know anything about this because my mother doesn't tell me anything. It is not helping that there is not a lot of information about the Hope pack either. They have a lot to hide.

 

"Then why start this now? And why you men? For all we know you are the ones who want us to be separated."

 

Cole sighs and shakes his head to Crimson, "That's what she wants you to think. She removes the memories of those who don't want to comply with the rules if it doesn't work the dungeon or worse death sentence. My father started this plan. The North and the South may want nothing to do with this but the East and the West does."

 

"Where's your father?" I can't help but ask. His mouth immediately turns into a tight line, "Dead." I only look at him as a response.

 

"By rogues hired by your Luna." Travis cuts in with raged. They really seem to hate her.

 

"Rogues? Why is she working with rogues."

 

"Tsk tsk. You girls probably know nothing about ruling." Crimson and I send daggers to Alexander who walks in closer. "In order to stay in control you have to play dirty, and Samirah is good at it. She fools you into thinking that she really cares while the truth she's only doing it to benefit herself."

 

I suddenly remember the night of the Annual Ball where Luna Samirah spotted the three of us in the crowd. Those uncanny eyes, that I know not to trust at all. Was this part of her plan all along and why? This is too much to handle all at once.

 

"We don't expect you to believe us or help us for the matter..." Cole sounds hurt while still focusing on me reading my expression, "But we can't let you go back there now that you know a lot of these. Especially with my situation." He's talking about me being his mate. I rub my temple to prevent a coming headache.

 

"She wouldn't know." Benetha reasons out.

 

To which Alexander chuckles at with no humor, "Trust me, darling. She knows everything."

 

***

 

I cut it short for it's getting too long. I'll continue it the next chapter. Enjoy!