Minzy's eyes swelled up with tears in her eyes. Looking up to the stars above, it looked as though they had dimmed. There wasn't that usual sparkle that brought her comfort as she wrapped her arms to hold herself. Holding back the tears she continue to walk in the quiet silence. Replaying the fiery moment in her mind, she almost lost all resolve. The way he kissed her set a fire burning deep into the depths of her soul that she had never felt before. She melted so effortlessly against him, but the brush of her hand on his mark reminded her that it was the damn mark. It was the damn mark that had him holding her, kissing her, tasting her because the mark was making him do so. Shaking her head as she almost gave into her selfishness, a stray tear fell from her eyes. Wiping the salty moisture from her cheek, it was the thoughts that had filled her mind as she healed his mark. She knew she was doing the right thing even if it was hard. 

"I under estimated you. You're stronger than what I expected," Chaerin spoke up as she walked along side Minzy. 

The thought of her being strong made the tears fall even more, "Barely, I almost gave in."

"But you didn't," Chaerin reminded her. "You healed him." 

Stopping in her tracks, she turned to look at the angelic woman, "I healed him but why does it feel like I was wrong to do so." 

Chaerin grinned knowingly, "It's not easy to do what's right sometimes." Reaching out to place a comforting hand on Minzy's she smiled, "Now it's your turn to heal." 

Minzy cried harder as she shook her head, "I'm so broken that I don't think I can. Just let me go to the other side already. I've been serving my fellow lycans and all I do is keep hurting Alpha Jiyong. The one person that I can't seem to chase away." Chaerin stood quietly as Minzy fell to her knees still clinging onto her hand for dear life. "Please don't punish Alpha Jiyong. Let him live a good life. He deserves it." 

"You want the Gods to stop punishing Alpha Jiyong, then go back to the beginning," Chaerin began to instruct. "Finish the last chapter of your past life so that the new one can finally begin." 

Gazing up through her blurry vision, Minzy couldn't understand, "What? I don't understand." 

Gently pulling Minzy back up onto her feet, Chaerin smiled brightly, "End what you've put off for far too long now." 

As Chaerin faded out, Minzy stood thinking on what Chaerin meant. Absorbed in her thoughts, she paused as she realized that her feet wasn't carrying her to the dessert area and instead towards the Night Walker lands. The realization had her heart feeling so heavy that it made her drag her feet. But even so, the Night Crawler packlands were calling out to her as she walked through the night and into the early morning. Coming to a stop at the borders where the guards stood patrol, she nodded and asked that they summon their Alpha. 

"And who are you to summon our Alpha unannounced," one guard spoke up. 

"I'm the Queen of the dessert packlands if you must know..." 

"Wait," one guard stepped forward and sniffed the air. "Minzy? She is the Alpha's sister. Go fetch the Alpha before we both lose our heads," the guard said to the other. 

Minzy stood staring at the young man, wondering why he seemed familiar to her, "Do we know each other?" 

He grinned, "Briefly you saved me in the war and I am forever grateful that you restored health." 

"I'm sorry you had to fight for a pointless war," she frowned. 

The guard shook his head and smiled, "It wasn't pointless. You gave me a second chance at life. I've never been happier since that day." 

"I'm glad to hear that it changed your life for the better," she grinned.

"Thanks to your sacrifice, Alpha Jiyong has sent soliders from other packs over to help rebuild our packlands. Our bond with the Crimson Crawler packlands has strengthen since the Future Luna treaty came into place," he nodded.

"Future Luna treaty, what is that," Minzy asked curiously. 

"Queen of the dessert lycans," Alpha Daesung called out to her to announce his arrival. "To what do I owe such an unexpected visit," he grinned. 

Minzy could help but rush into the man's arms as she embraced him tightly, "Daesung!" Clinging onto him she began to cry. 

Alpha Daesung was not known to show affection openly, held her in his arms, "Dear sister what happened?" 

"Please do me a favor," she continue to cry. "Let me see Youngbae's grave." 

"What is the meaning of this," Alpha Jiyong roared as he ripped Minzy out of Alpha Daesung's arms. Yanking her towards him, he glared at her with anger, "What are you doing?!" 

"Mind your hands when you're handling my sister," Alpha Daesung growled as the guards flanked his sides. 

"It's fine," Minzy held her hand out to stay Alpha Daesung before pulling out of Alpha Jiyong's grasp. "What are you doing here Alpha Jiyong?" 

"I asked you that question. Why are you returning to the Night Walker packlands? You're no longer part of their pack. When will you get it? You can't ever go back," he snapped. 

"I know," she softly said. 

"Then why are you here," he growled. 

"Would you like to come with me," she asked. This made Alpha Jiyong freeze in his tracks as Minzy turned her attention back to Alpha Daesung. "I would like to seek permission for Alpha Jiyong and I to see Youngbae's grave." 

Alpha Daesung gave a look over to Alpha Jiyong before turning his attention back to Minzy, "Yes you may as long as he doesn't put his hands on you." 

Minzy bowed gratefully as she grinned, "Thank you Alpha Daesung." Alpha Jiyong also bowed in respect as well as silently agreeing to his terms. "We will find our own way in and out." 

"I understand. Commander Taeyang or Beta Seungri will be by to check on you," Alpha Daesung nodded as the guards stepped aside to allow them passage way. 

Minzy entered with Alpha Jiyong following suit. Stopping in her tracks, she felt the presence of her ancestors and grinned. It gave her the courage she needed to track through town and towards the Night Walker grave yard. Of course there were various people gazing their way with such a foreign presence. But with the Alpha's permission it kept everyone away but that didn't stop them from having a weary eye on them. Entering the quiet fields of green, she closed her eyes and extended her arms out to sense out Youngbae's grave. As her sensed narrowed in on its location, she stopped and felt as if the wind was knocked out of her as she realized were it lay. 

"Are you okay," Alpha Jiyong spoke softly with concern. 

"I..." she was choked up with emotion as she shook her head. 

In return she was touched as he reached over to take her hand in his, "Show me." 

Quietly she walked hand in hand with Alpha Jiyong until they came upon the grave. Shaking her head in disbelief, she looked to see her parent's grave. The tears fell effortlessly as she crumbled to her knees. Sobbing uncontrolablly she grieved for the people she missed dearly. Placing her hand upon Youngbae's head stone, she shook her head, "I've finally made it to you." Placing her head onto the cool metal she sadly smiled, "I...I've come to free myself from our bond. I've foolishly held onto it longer than I was supposed to. But I'm going to let the mark finally heal." Reaching up to where her mark used to be, she let the tears continue to fall. "Be well and live well. Also, say hi to my parents for me will you?" Bowing her head in reverence, she whispered a prayer to the Gods to help her heal the mark that Youngbae had left on her heart. 

Suddenly there was a strong comforting arm that wrapped around her. Looking over to Alpha Jiyong who gave her a crooked smile, he then looked to the graves. "My name is Alpha Jiyong. I hope you will bless me with the strength and courage that she posesses. I want to help her heal through her mark and hopefully be the one to give her the next one." Her jaw dropped as she stared at him in disbelief. "I mean no disrespect Youngbae, but I intend to make her mine." Gazing down at her he winked as he looked over at her parent's grave, "I hope to be worthy of your daughter." Minzy sat crying as he knelt before her and grinned, "I now understand why you wanted to let the mark fade. You had to let the mark fade from Youngbae as well." Minzy cried harder, letting the silence answer it for her. She was then enveloped in her arms as he held her letting her know it was okay for her to cry her heart out. And she did. Clinging onto Alpha Jiyong for dear life as she cried to her heart's content. 

Sniffling as a throbbing headache came on like a storm, she stayed leaning into his embrace as she stared at the graves they sat at. Slowly pulling out of the comfort of Alpha Jiyong's embrace she looked at him through her puff eyes, "So where do we go from here?" 

"It's best if we discuss this on our packlands. We don't want to over stay our welcome," he grinned as he nodded to the audience that was forming a ways off. Nodding, Minzy allowed him to help her up on her feet. And he kept holding her hand as they walked past the group of people and excused themselves off the Night Walker packlands. 

Minzy enjoyed the quiet walk with the comforting hand that held her own. It was all natural and not forced as they stood at the Crimson Crawler borders. Stopping in her tracks, Alpha Jiyong did so as well. Looking up at the man with the starry eyes, she sighed, "Alpha Jiyong we're both free from the marks we used to bare. You're free to go your own way now. Don't let your DNA force you into this." 

He stood quietly thinking on her words before turning to face her. Taking her other hand in his once free one, he grinned down at her, "Minzy I've never felt more free knowing that I'm standing here with you because I want to be. My DNA may have helped me look into your direction, but it is you that keeps me coming to you." 

She broke her gaze away, the way he was looking at her was making her melt, "How can you say I keep you coming back to me when you barely know me outside of the trouble I've been causing you." 

The feel of his strong hands craddling her face, had her gazing back into those starry eyes again, "Then let me learn how to love you outside of all the headaches you've been causing me." This made her chuckle as he too laughed and smiled, "What do you say? Can I take you out on a date?" 

Placing her small hands onto his, she grinned, "Is it already courting season? Aren't we a little old for that? Lycans our age don't do that." 

"We're the exception to the rule, unless you want to skip to mating then I have no arguements to that," he shrugged. 

She coughed a laugh as she pulled away, "I would love to go on a date with you." 

He gave her a knowing smile, "Perfect, how about tomorrow?"

She nodded at his eagerness, "I can delay my leave for a day. But I have to return to the dessert lands the day after." 

"Thanks for penciling me in," he said as he took her hand in his. "Can I walk you home?" 

Minzy nodded as they entered the Crimson Crawler packlands. She felt self conscious by the lycan guards who glanced their way and quickly looked the other way. Openly showing affection was telling others that they were an item, but seeing the pack leader in such a relationship meant that it was pack business. If Alpha Jiyong was really traditional she would have to go through a series of trials to prove to the pack that she was worthy to stand by his side. She wasn't so sure the pack would be open to her being the Luna. Tradition would have it that the Luna be of the pack, born and raised and she was neither of those. She was so wrapped up in the traditional ways of lycans that she didn't notice she had trailed a little behind. 

"Are you alright? It feels like I'm dragging you home," he teased. 

"I'm just thinking..." 

"Are you thinking of the next headache you're going to give me," he asked with a smile. 

She shrugged, "I'm just thinking as to what the pack will think." 

"Oh," his smile faded as his thoughts were now clouded by it as well. "We'll figure it out," he gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "For now we worry about getting you home before I take you here and now." 

"You're old enough to demonstrate self control," she laughed. 

"Believe me, you've tested me for far too long," he sighed. 

Walking up her steps she smiled up at his starry eyes that glistened down at her, "I can assure you it was all unintentional. Thanks for walking me home." 

"Thanks for letting me walk you home," he gave her a crooked smile. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" 

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow," she nodded before turning to slip into the house. Sighing as she walked in, she was greeted by Bom and little Jennie. Laughing as Jennie had leapt into her arms, she glanced over to Bom who eyed her suspiciously before walking up to her and hugging her as well.