Howling Hearts

When we turned into the driveway of the parkhouse at Silvermoon, it was a massive modern mansion that was so bright it seemed like it could compete with the moon tonight. I was frozen in the seat of the car with my eyes glued on the mansion that was before me. I hadn't realized I was lying on the door whilst watching the piece of architectural masterpiece laying before me until the door opened and I fell out.

"Ouch now your nose is broken too" Damien laughed at his own joke. He raised his hand out to me to help me up. "Thank you for reminding me", I said, glaring at him.

We entered the packhouse and I realized it was very quiet. Unlike what mine was back at home where it was noisy all throughout the night. "Wow, it's quiet"

"I know Scarlet, it was weird for me the first time I came here too, but everyone here is very diligent and almost everyone here are perfectionists at what they do. It's what makes this pack so strong. With that said, everyone respects their resting time so they make use of it to recharge from their duties."

"You make me want to stay, Layla", I said, truly wishing that I could. The pack house was so big that it had a floor for the alpha and a floor for the betas. Also, a floor for office workers and the ground floor was the pack hall and the kitchen.

All were in a modern light style. It was warm and calming, making everyone feel at home, even me. "Does the alpha know of my presence? You know I wouldn't want to wake up to someone ripping my throat out for trespassing" Damien laughed louder than I had ever heard him before. "Don't worry Scar, he knows, of your presence and no need to worry he isn't here" I let out a breath in relief.

"Scarlet you shouldn't listen to the rumors regarding Silvermoon they are all mostly lies" Layla said reassuring me.

What she said was true. There were rumors everywhere in regard to Silvermoon. They were always described as territorial and merciless.

There were others that also went around but those were the only ones worrying me at the moment. They took me to the Beta floor in an elevator double the size of the one at home.

When we reached the beta floor I was amazed at the Size of their place it seemed like a massive house with floors of its own. It was beautifully decorated with a new traditional interior filling each and every corner of the house.

The perfect balance of everything from color to textures. It didn't feel like I was ripped back in time but instead, felt like I was in the present and appreciating the past. "You like it?" Layla whispered in my ear, obviously eager to hear my answer.

I knew she had redecorated it. She loved mixing old and new. She was always fond of the saying, something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. She always tried to follow it in every sense, from her outfits to her room. Even though it's something for the bride, she always says all she-wolves are a bride waiting to happen. So why not live like that.

"Is that my bedside lamp?"

I asked her and she had a naughty grin on her face. "Well, I needed something borrowed"

"Stealing something and borrowing something are two entirely different things. Plus, you already mated, shouldn't you be done with that new, old, blue and borrowed stuff". I mocked her.

I then bumped her on the shoulder in a playful manner. "It's beautiful Layla. Thank you for this"

"I didn't decorate my home for you". She mocked me back and we just giggled.

We then both got into pj's and I lent hers as a payback for my lamp that was sitting in the lounge. Also, the fact that I didn't end up grabbing some clothes on the way out was the last thing on my mind.

We made our way to the kitchen while Damien went out to go do business as he said. Layla grabbed some wine out of the wine fridge.

"I think we need some tonight", she said, looking between the wine bottles and the wine glasses in her hand. I nodded my head at her as my reply.

We made our way to the lounge and she poured each of us a glass of wine while I fell down onto the couch wishing it could swallow me up and never spit me back out again.

She gave me my glass and sat down next to me, tucking her feet under her. "Seems like you need to rant," "Oh, I do, but where do I start," I said in an annoyed tone toward the memories that are flowing through my head.

I started telling her everything that led up to this moment and she just sat listening to every word and occasionally giving me the 'are you that stupid look'.

When I was done, I took a big gulp of cabernet sauvignon, the iconic wine, to deal with the heartbreak of a total jerk. A wine that loves me back. Just what I needed. As I was savoring the taste, I saw Layla eyeing me with judgement written all over her. "What?" "Oh nothing, I just never took you as well....Stupid"

"Shut up" "I guess that's what the mate bond does to you... So what now... What's your plan going forward?" She asked me in a soft tone grabbing the wine bottle again and topping up my glass. In all honesty, I didn't think about it that far ahead. I sat back for a while and just thought about what to do now.

"Well, I guess I should reject him before he can reject me. I can't give him the advantage of surviving this better than me after what he's done."

"Do you think you can handle it"ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

"Not right now, no, but I do think I should sulk for a few days before rejecting him." "You do you" She said to me in a playful way but her eyes said nothing but pity.

"Layla I don't want your pity I just want my friend" "That's all you want?" "Oh and maybe a place to stay" She giggled at my reply and I was glad to make her happy even when I wasn't ok.

After sitting and chatting for a while, we both went to our own rooms. She showed me mine and i I was massive for a guest bedroom. I was so thankful for her being a great friend.

3 Days later

It's been a couple of days and nights filled with pain and nightmares. I went to Silvermoon's Pack doctor to find out what was going on and they informed me that it was the cause of my mate sleeping with someone else.

She also said that until the mate bond is broken it would continue. Over the last couple of days, I had endless missed calls from my parents and Ash, but I just don't have the strength to talk to them right now.

Especially Ash. I hate the fact that I keep trying to justify what he did even though I know what he did and continues to do is wrong. This mate bond makes it so hard for me to hate him even when I so desperately want to. I sent my mom a message "Mom I'm safe, please don't worry. I'm just visiting Layla for a few days. I'll be back soon. Love you xox"

"Love you too" my mom replied. I then shut my phone off and wrapped myself up in a ball of blankets and continued to sulk. Asher:

My parents have been on my neck every day since Red left and my beast has been out of control, ripping each and every wall within my apartment apart.

As every day went by, I began to get more and more frustrated and even ended up lashing out at my parents. Saige has been making her way here quite often, being just the perfect distraction.

I eventually got my head in gear today after sending Saige off. I came to the decision to make a Call to Lucian Silvermane, the Alpha of the silvermoon pack.

My thumb hovered a while over his number, debating if this was a good move or not. The lunar and silvermoon packs have been tolerating each other since the treaty came into place, but we never made peace in the past wars.

We tend to stay out of each other's territory and out of each other's hair. The questions in my head frustrate me all over again.

Do I call him and appear weak in front of him with my Luna in his territory or do I lose the opportunity to gain all the power back in my clutches if I don't call him? Eventually, I settled on calling him.

I would rather have my full power in case a war between the packs breaks out instead of him using her as a weapon against me. I pressed the dial button quickly in fear of changing my mind. One ring, two rings, three rings. "Hello Asher Stormclaw ...."