Kris was tagging along and having him at my back was driving me crazy. All my wolf wanted to do was turn and attack, but I kept her instincts at bay. I was outnumbered and . . . they weren’t the enemy. They had helped us, were helping us. I had to remind myself I was on their turf. As much as they were unknowns to me, I was an unknown to them. Though I didn’t appreciate any of the warnings, verbal or physically, I was getting, I knew I had to be logical.

As soon as Sehun was able, we were leaving.

Where? The question popped into my head. Where would we go? I couldn’t stay here—this was Kris’s territory. And going back to Suho felt . . . wrong. But where else? As an Alpha, it was my duty to secure a territory, to call a piece of land my own. It was a driving instinct that came with the role, undeniable in its ferocity. I silently cursed Sehun yet again for doing this to me, but strangely, I didn’t hate him for it.

I sensed that Lay had stopped so I stopped too and looked at him. He gave me a worried look. “Behind these doors are the women we were able to rescue from the Feral Den. They’re all terrified and most are injured in some way.”

I knew all this. “Why are you telling me this?”

He hesitated. “We’re keeping them here until they can function on their own again. Until then, we need to keep them under our watch and care. When you go in here, there are some women who are going to demand to be released.”

“So release them.”

“We can’t. Not yet. As a doctor, I can’t let them go until I know for sure they’re fit to leave. And none of them are right now. I just want you to prepare yourself. Remember, we’re not bad people. We’re trying to help them.”

I was somewhat tense now. All that came to mind were images of women being locked up, chained, unable to do or go anywhere. Trapped. My heart started hammering. Had I made a mistake? Were these men just as bad as those Ferals? My hand gripped my heart, trying to massage it. My mind started racing, formulating ways to take these men down and let the women go.

Lay was about to open the door when he hesitated yet again and turned back to me. “Hyorim. We’re not your or their enemies. What I said is true. And maybe . . . maybe you can go around and calm some of them down. There aren’t any women here—all they’ve seen are males. It may be reassuring to see you. Would you be willing to do that?”

Without knowing it, my head was nodding.

Lay gave me a big smile. “Thank you.” He then turned a stern eye on Kris. “I need you to keep your distance. Better yet, stay by the door.”

Kris groaned. “Am I really Alpha?”

Lay rolled his eyes, mumbled something that sounded like ‘baby’, and opened the door that led into a courtyard. A really nice and big one too. And everywhere I looked there were women huddled together. And it was quiet. Too quiet. Like death had walked into the room. All of them were sitting down, nibbling on food. Except one woman. She was neither quiet nor sitting down. She was . . . gorgeous, with long black hair and delicate features. She was curvy in all the right places too. She was confronting Xiumin and yelling at him in a hostile manner. Xiumin had a plastered on grin but even I could tell that it was forced. He glanced our way and when he saw Lay, he looked like he was about to cry in relief.

Lay sighed and left my side, heading to the two. Xiumin gestured to Lay and the women diverted her attention to Lay. And something odd happened. The woman seemed to relax and a smile graced her features, but just as quickly she scowled again and returned to her hostile state, seemingly angrier than before.

“He’s got his hands full with that one.”

I had to agree. She reminded me a lot of what my first year had been like after the attack. I felt eyes on me and turned to see the other women watching me cautiously. And suddenly I didn’t know what to do. Lay had said to go around and reassure them. Reassure them of what? That everything was going to be okay? How the hell would I know that? I didn’t know what each one went through, how they were now scarred. But . . . I had an idea.

But if they were anything like me, they wouldn’t want to be reassured by what they considered one of the enemy. And that realization hurt a little.

“Are you . . . one of them?”

I started and turned to look at a young woman, maybe sixteen. Her eyes were terrified. I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t choke anything out.

Others started to join in.

“Are you going to change us into one of you?”

“I don’t want to be a monster!”

“Where are we?”

“Are they going to kill us?”

“Please, just kill us.”

The last question prompted me into action. I stepped forward and kneeled in front of them all. Some of them had started crying and in some cases, curled into themselves. “Yes. Yes, I’m a werewolf. But I . . .” I glanced at Lay and Xiumin. “And they are not like the ones who took us.”

“Us?”

“I was taken too. I may not know exactly, but I know what you went through. I understand.” Words just kept coming out of my mouth. “These people, they’re . . . they’re trying to help you.”

All I could think about was Suho and his pack. How they had taken me in and helped me, how Sumi had stepped in and been there. Maybe . . . maybe I could be there for these girls like Sumi had for me. The thought startled me a little. I never thought . . .

No. No I can’t be that person for these people. I may have survived but that was it. I was too broken for anyone to look up to.

“You’re safe here.”

“But they won’t let us out!”

“They need to make sure all of you are okay before letting you go.” I said quietly. “Lay is a good doctor. He’ll take care of you. You just need to be patient and trust him.”

I froze. Had I just said that?

But what I said seemed to reassure most of them and they turned away, much more relaxed. I turned around, feeling a little guilty—who was I to tell someone to trust when I couldn’t do it myself? I looked at Kris and I was a bit taken aback by the look on his face. Up until now, his face had been all hard edges and frowns. But now there was a softer look on his face, in his eyes, and that scared the hell out of me.

“What?” I snapped.

And the hard edges were back. “Nothing.”

“Would you shut up already! I haven’t done anything!”

Both of us turned to look at Lay. Xiumin took a step back, looking shocked. It looked like the girl and Lay were ready to attack each other.

“Yes you did! You did! Ever since you’ve left I—” The girl bit her lip, as if holding something back.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re on about. I haven’t drugged your food and I’ve only touched you to check your injuries. You’re just imagining things. Now, if you’re done?” Lay turned to walk away, Xiumin, uncertain, went to follow. The girl looked all around her. She spotted something bent over and grabbed it, then threw whatever was in her hand. She had good aim, I would give her that, since the small rock clunked against Lay’s head.

Lay whirled, snarling. While everyone else quivered, the girl just looked determined . . . maybe even a bit startled, like she herself was surprised by what she just did. “What is wrong with you!” Lay demanded, rubbing his now aching head.

She opened then closed tightly.

This girl was interesting. I couldn’t help the small smile that slid onto my face. In my head, I was rooting for her. That’s right, stand up to the bad guys. Well, supposed bad guys.

“Lay. I think it’s best if we leave for now.”

I looked at Kris as he issued the order disguised as a suggestion. Lay grimaced, grumbling, but obeyed. Xiumin, I noted, was holding back laughter as he followed. Kris raised an eyebrow at me. “You too.”

I bristled at the command and bared my teeth. He mirrored me. I huffed, again reminding myself that I was in someone else’s turf. I got up and followed everyone out. As soon as the door closed and we were a good distance away, Lay exploded.

“That woman!” Xiumin couldn’t contain his laughter anymore and broke out. Lay glared at him. “If she can be called that! She throws a fit, wanting to see me apparently, but as soon as I go to talk to her, she accuses me of drugging her food or some nonsense!” He groaned and clutched his head, cursing silently.

“It is odd though.” Kris commented.

Lay sighed. “Agreed.”

I felt somewhat like a traitor for what I was about to say, but . . . “She wasn’t telling you everything.”

All three faces turned to me and I felt my heart start hammering. I clenched my hands. Don’t lash out, don’t lash out.

“What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you anyway.” I glared at them though. “It wasn’t a smart move, though, to make her feel trapped.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You had three—no, four—of her supposed enemies in there, two of which were standing right next to her and both were losing their cool.” Lay and Xiumin suddenly looked sheepish. I felt Kris watching me but I ignored it for now. That girl . . . she needed help. And for some reason, she had a connection with Lay. “That girl has found an ally in you, Lay, and you made her feel trapped. You betrayed her.”

“I did—”

I literally snapped my teeth in warning, my Alpha instincts kicking in—my wolf didn’t like that a lower ranking wolf wasn’t listening. “Don’t interrupt. I made her feel that way and that’s what matters. Next time, go see her alone and keep calm. Even if she isn’t. Getting frustrated won’t help anything.”

“Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.” I glanced at Kris and I wasn’t sure what to make of the look on his face.

I turned back to Lay and I was a bit surprised to see him smiling at me. “Thank you. I didn’t see it that way.”

“Ah . . . yeah.” Xiumin left us to go do something else as we continued down the hall. And then I remembered the conversation Lay and I had been having before Kris walked in. “Lay, we need to finish what we were talking about earlier.”

“And what was that?” Kris cut in.

“I want to know what’s going on with these Ferals—if they really are Ferals.”

“Kris is probably more equipped to explain.” Lay hesitated eyeing me. “I’m rather tired, honestly. Would you be alright with talking to Kris instead of me?”

Suddenly, I realized how dependent I had become on Lay. And it was a bit insulting how he thought he needed to ask if I’d be alright alone with Kris. I needed to detach myself. Now.

“That’s fine.”

Lay smiled. “Well then, I leave it to you Kris. Don’t kill each other. Blood is terribly hard to get out of carpet.”

Lay walked away from us, opening and closing a door as he left. I turned to Kris and again, my wolf was agitated by his presence. I didn’t understand why she was so worked up. “We can talk in my study.”

I nodded my head and followed him.

Lay flopped down onto the chair and sighed.

“Hey, Mom.”

Lay gritted his teeth and glared at Luhan who had just entered the room. “I’m a man, Goddamnit. Stop calling me that!”

Luhan just grinned. “Okay, Mom.”

Lay snarled but was too tired to do much else.

Luhan sat down on the floor, setting down his plate of food and drink. “So . . . I hear there’s a female Were in our house?” He asked innocently.

Lay gave a mirthless laugh. “That’s right. Go ahead, go after her, if you don’t value your life.”

“That dangerous huh?’ Instead of being deterred, the revelation only seemed to excite him further.

“That dangerous.” They both turned to see Tao entering, his own meal in hand. He sat down across from Luhan and stared at Lay. Lay couldn’t help but look away at the kid’s intense stare. “She needs to go. Now.”

“It’s not that simple.” Lay sighed.

“Yes, it is.” Tao countered. “You don’t understand.”

“I understand—”

“No, you don’t,” Tao said emphatically. “None of you understand. You’re not as sensitive to it as I am, none of you are.”

“What are you going on about?” Luhan asked curiously.

“I’ve never felt power like hers before—the bond between her and her demon are incredibly strong.”

“Tao, how strong is she?” Lay asked, suddenly a little worried.

“She could easily kill Kris.” Tao looked at Lay. “And us along with him.”

Well . Lay had just left her and their Alpha alone together.