Chapter 2

A loud howl resounded from the barricade and Ash felt her heart lurch into her mouth. There was no other meaning besides the fact her father had returned from the search. She stayed put by her window, staring at the crowd that approached their home from above. She couldn't deny the crawling sensation that went up her skin as she tried to imagine what could have gone wrong. What he might have gone through.

Shaking her head, she slapped her palms against her cheeks and exhaled calmly. Being frantic wouldn't solve anything. After all, she was the eldest daughter of Alpha Dorian. It was only necessary for her to remain calm, even in trying times like the one they were facing. There had been several disappearances in their village and it had done nothing but trouble them. It was always happening when the villagers stepped out of the village. They left and never returned. They left not a single trace of them after.

After the disappearance of the first and finally the fifth, the Alpha went to find out the cause himself. It had been an event that struck everyone with worry and sadness. Parents didn't feel safe letting their young ones go out. Even her father had insisted on her and her siblings staying indoors, not that they listened anyway.

Now he was back, but as she peered through the window, she saw a body she could only recognise as her father being carried on a stretcher. Her heart lurched into her mouth, but she didn't move. Perhaps fear had struck her so much that she couldn't move. But she knew whatever he had gone to search for had been futile. The guards walking behind him with downcast expressions revealed that much.

So she waited.

She waited until she heard the scuffling of feet downstairs of their house. Knowing her father, it would be impossible to get him to go to the hospital. He would prefer to be treated in their house within the reach of his family. The thought made her uncomfortable, and she wondered what could have weakened him so much that he couldn't walk into their village himself.

Perhaps it was way more serious than she had expected, considering the hushed voices her mother and the doctor were using to talk. Ash stepped out of her room after what felt like hours so she could see what was wrong. She watched her steps, making sure to not attract attention to herself as she made her way to her father's room.

Upon getting to the door, she felt air leave her body, and she was suddenly left with nothing. She struggled to contain her questions and decided that no matter what had happened, she would do her best to not get mad at him. She pulled the handle and walked in as graciously as she could. Her gaze flickered all around the room. To the family portrait on the wall, a mock version of their family heirloom. All of those, but she refused to look at him. She was delaying the inevitable, and she knew it was only a matter of time.

Finally looking at him, Ash gulped as she approached the bed her father laid in. "Father…"

"Ashina… cub." He grunted, struggling to lift himself from the bed into a sitting position.

She stayed put in her spot, knowing that if she had reached out to help him, he'd misinterpret her actions. Her father had a bad habit, one that nearly got him killed. He denied himself the right to accept help. Perhaps her inability to depend on anyone was something she had gotten from him. As she stared at him now, though, she could see the fury blazing in his eyes and just how much he was going through.

Though after some beats passed, she was by his side on the bed. She pulled out the wooden chair and sat on it with a quick sigh. Her eyes moved back up to meet the gaze of her father, but he wasn't looking at her. His face was still squeezed in agony before he huffed and saw her face. She tried her best to make sure he couldn't see the look in her eyes, but she knew he did.

She wanted to take it all. If she could, she would have made his burden hers in a second. She wished he could see her like that, a daughter he could rely on and trust to carry on the legacy.

"It pains me to see you in this situation, father."

Dorian chuckled, bringing a hand to his stomach. "I've been through worse, cub. It's just… it's a little different this time."

"How do you mean?" She asked, her brows furrowing in worry as she took an unconscious step towards him.

"Well…" He cleared his throat, searching for the right words, "this isn't just an injury, Ashina."

She looked down at the bloodstained bandages he had wrapped around his ribs, then the one on his arms. "I don't understand. What is it then?"

"The fight was with the Alpha of-"

Without him finishing his sentence, she had jumped to her feet. "How could you let this happen, father?! Why would you even go to him? It's no joke that he isn't well in the head. We all know that, you know that! Yet you went to him?"

"You have no right to speak to me in that manner, Ashina! I might be bedridden, but I'm still your Alpha and your father!"

She pouted, but sat back in her chair, deciding it was useless to correct him any further. After all, there was no way he'd listen to her the same way she stubbornly refused to listen to him sometimes.

"I sniffed out the scent of wolves from our pack scattered all across the woods, but the strongest scent was all coming from there. His little village." He replied, his hand in a tight fist. "We couldn't go further to see for ourselves because he knew. He had tricked us into walking in. Well, me."

Ash watched as the sunken expression fell over her father's face and it took all of her will not to walk out on him. She couldn't grasp how and why he brought it all upon himself. He was always the one warning them not to plunge into unknown territory like that. It was no news that some alphas used magic to keep out the members of other packs. She could see now that it wasn't a mere injury, after all. From the way he had avoided being direct about it, it could only mean that it was an attack with magic. Magic that was beyond the power of the pack's doctor or the seer.

"What magic was used against you, father?" She asked, looking down at her own clenched fists. "There is no use telling me the entire story. I know our village members are in trouble, but now I also know you're in danger."

Dorian chuckled and brought his hand to his mouth as he stared at his daughter. "You've grown so much. You're right, there's no use in me delaying the news any longer. I came in contact with the lilies of the blood moon. It's killing me, Ashina, and the chances of me making it out of this alive are almost impossible."

"How long?"

"Just about eight months. Though the doctor said it may be more or even less. The number isn't a certain one."

"Okay then." She said, rising to her feet and bowing before her father before turning to leave. "Get some rest, father."

"Sit down, Ashina. There's more we need to discuss."

She gritted her teeth while her entire posture remained rigid. The tears she had been holding back seemed to break their restraints, and she wondered what more she could do about them. Her father was dying and as for the poison that was slowly feasting away at him, there was no known cure for it. She knew that much, which was why she needed to leave. She knew she needed to be strong because now the pack would need her even more than ever.

Yet she turned back to her father with her face high. "What more can there be to discuss?"

"The pack… I know that you have done your best for the people and with the way things are now, I might not be able to meet their needs anymore."

"It's alright, father." She said, shaking her head. "Over the months that you've gone on expeditions, the pack has always been in good hands. I know my way around all of it, so if that is your worry, then you don't have to be bothered about that."

"No, Ashina. It's about who will be the next Alpha."

"Alpha? Do you have sons we're not aware of?"

Dorian sighed, leaning back in his bed. "You can't lead the pack. We've talked about this several times, but it seems you don't want to listen."

"So, do you intend to bring in a stranger to govern our people? Our family? Just because you believe I can't lead the pack?"

"Calm down, Ashina."

"No, father! Right now, in this instant, I refuse to calm down. I refuse to be swept to the side for some outsider to take what belongs to me. I tried hard, father. You know it, you've watched me grow into this. My wolf might seem weak, but I am not and if it will take me duelling with the general of the guards for you to believe me, then so be it!"

"Keep shut, Ashina. We have gone over this. Your wolf is weak, and that is final. Those colours aren't for royalty and you know it. Even your younger sisters are more pure blood than you are, but you're the first child, so it is your right. However, even if you were strong enough, I still can't give you the leadership role you're so desperate for. You're a woman. No pack has ever had a female leading them."

"Then our pack can be the first."

"It would lead to mockery from other packs. I can't afford that."

"The pack will be in safe hands. I can keep us safe. I'm one of the most skilled fighters we have and I have been dealing with the affairs of the pack even before now. What more do you need? Why is my wolf the one thing you're pointing out now, even though when you raised me, you kept saying it wasn't much of a big deal?"

"Listen-"

The door creaked open and her mother and siblings stepped in, their faces down.

Dorian smiled in an instant and opened his arms for the girls to come hug him. "Hey, hey."

"Don't scare us like that, father. We were all worried sick. Don't do this to us again." Nilsa yelled, cradling their father in arms. Her wavy, blue hair shone with the sun filtering into the room.

Ash suddenly felt guilty and hated herself for arguing with her father despite the condition he was in. She also hated herself for forgetting he was dying. He was dying, yet all she had yelled at him for was being a liar and being selfish. He had every right to be selfish. She looked back up to see her mother on his left-hand side while her sisters wailed in his arms. She watched the four of them and couldn't help feeling out of place.

"Please excuse me." She mumbled, rising to her feet and walking out of the room.

"Ashina!" Mizuki called, watching as Ash ignored her before stepping out of the room.

She staggered through the hallway as the reality of things finally hit her. Her rage had blinded her, and she had reacted without remembering it went beyond her just talking back. The situation at hand seemed like something that was beyond control. She had little to no say in the decision her father was to make. Whether she yelled mattered little, because it was still his duty to elect the next Alpha.

Her vision blurred and all her surroundings were suddenly grey. It only took a second for her knees to give in and there in that hallway, with her body tightly curled against the wall, she yelled. She screamed so loudly from the pain she was feeling. It almost felt like her heart was being gutted out of her body. Like someone invisible had tightened their hold on her system, making it harder for her to think straight.

But it wasn't just about the hand. It finally dawned on her that there was nothing for her to hide behind. Her father, the one who had made himself the rock in her life, was done. Now she had nothing to hold on to. Now she had to depend on the strength of an outsider even though she knew could handle it. The role wasn't one she simply wanted to hand over. That role had been the only thing pushing her forward, the only chance she had to prove to everyone that their words didn't matter to her. But it was gone now.

"Ashina…" A voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up to see the sparkling blue hair. "Hey… Dad told us."

Ash didn't bother to wipe her tears or hide that she had been crying. Instead, she watched as Nilsa took her seat on the floor beside her. She adjusted too, so they were side by side and they both stared out of the window, watching the light breeze sway the branches.

"I wish he hadn't plunged into battle like that. Things would have gone so much better if he had just calmed down and spoken to someone. Now his life is at risk and I can't help but blame myself."

Nilsa tutted and sighed. "It's hard to tell who is worse between you and dad. You're both so stubborn. I guess that's why you got your red hair from him."

She looked away at that, not wanting to be reminded of how uncannily similar they were. It was odd that her wolf had been the way it was because, right from her birth; she had been just like him. Her mother called her fierce, and she told her severally that she saw her father in her. The hair, the eyes and even their special stubbornness. So she couldn't understand why he was so hellbent on her not ruling.

"He asked me to come find you here." Nilsa said without skipping a beat. "We heard you two yelling at each other, and we were worried. Look, no matter what is going on between you two, you should know dad loves us and he wants the best for us."

"Did you hear what we were talking about?"

"We heard bits of it, so it wasn't hard to guess what caused the argument. You two always butted heads over it."

"Then you know what father decided. You know he has chosen to sweep me aside simply because he doesn't think I'm good enough. Heck, he barely showed up to watch me while I went out for mini competitions. He had discarded the idea of me being strong from the onset, so you and mum should stop covering up for him."

"That's where you're wrong, Ashina. No one here is against you and we all want what's best for you-"

"Then tell father I'm good enough to lead our pack." Ash interrupted, her voice slicing through the air. She kept her eyes on Nilsa, who held on to the hem of her dress.

"You know I can't do that."

"Because you're all too scared to face the truth." She said, getting up to her feet in a hurry. "I do not have the time for this. It won't help me much if we go over this again. We both know how it's going to end. Father will surely get what he wants and I will just have to act like I'm not bothered by his decision." She said, sighing and sparing Nilsa a glance over her shoulder. "I'm tired of pretending, Nilsa. I can't take this anymore."

•

Ash sat by the window once again, casually plucking at the petals of flowers she had brought to the room. It had been a week since she saw her father and even without his instructions; she had carried on with the routine checkups she did. She went to the houses of the victims and ensured no other member of the pack had wandered too far into the woods. She did all of this, but was barely appreciated anyway. That was all she wanted. If only he could just recognise her efforts and realise she was good enough to do all and more he searched for in an Alpha.

Someone knocked behind the door in a familiar tune, and she looked up. "Who is it?"

Her mother opened the door with a sigh and stepped into the room. "How long will this go on, Ashina?"

"For as long as father wants it. There's no way I'm apologising because I did no wrong!" She yelled, looking back at her mother with slits in her eyes.

"Those yells will do nothing but get your blood hot." She chuckled, sitting on the bed and adjusting her dress. "I don't know how I ended up having two of you to look after when you can barely have a conversation without trying to knock your heads off."

Ash got up from the window and sat beside her mother as she tried to calm herself. "I apologise for yelling. That was uncalled for."

Her mother hummed, but said nothing in response. Instead, she pulled Ash's hands into hers. "You know he wants the best for you–"

She groaned, interrupting her mother. "Not you too, mother. If he wanted the best for me, he'd let me become Luna."

"It seems you're forgetting how hard it is on him. You realise he's dying, right?" Her voice broke, but she went on, "He's dying, but he's trying to put everything in place before he does. Why don't you just listen and hear him out? You know as much as I do, your father believes in you. He believes in all of you."

"He doesn't act like it!" She said, her body shaking in rage. "I don't see it, mother! Not even a single bit."

Rather than make her see reason, she stood up and walked to the door. "He wants to see you and I know I didn't raise a disobedient cub, Ashina."

"I'll think about it."

Just as the door was about to close, Ashina heard a whisper. She wasn't sure of what she heard, but it sounded like, "Believe in him, too."

She exhaled loudly as she brought her fist up against the door. If her mother hadn't dropped by to speak with her, she knew the chances of her coming to see him would be zero. But she had to do it. It wasn't hard for her to feel the tension in their home each time she bumped into her siblings.

"Father…"

"Now you decide to see me? Did I have to send your mother to you before you did?"

She chose not to respond, as it was only fair that he was upset, but she also had every right to feel upset as well. He had simply pushed her aside as though she wasn't of importance to him. But the words that came out of her mouth were, "I apologise."

He scoffed and adjusted in his bed, his face taking a pained expression. Once again, she was tempted to reach out to help him.

"Why did you call me, though? I can only imagine the matter of discussion is important."

"It is. It's about the Alpha of our pack."

She rolled her eyes, but remained courteous, as that was what her mother expected of her. "What about it, father? Have you decided on the man you want to choose?"

Dorian chuckled lightly and looked up at her. "I never said I was going to choose anyone, cub."

Her eyes flashed with surprise, and she looked up at him. "What are you talking about?"

"You never let me finish explaining to you the other day. I'm not the one to pick the Alpha. You are."

"How and why should I be the one to pick your successor? I think you should be more direct with your words, father." She replied, feeling the anger surfacing once again. It was a wonder how she hadn't blown a fuse as she thought about the meaning of his words. When he didn't reply, she spoke up again, "I need an explanation, father!"

"Cub…" He said, but paused as though he was gathering his thoughts. "You're the one to pick my successor because whoever you pick… will be your mate."

•

Ash had decided she was going to be a hermit, not because she was dying of embarrassment. The night she went to see her father had gone far more terrible than she could have imagined. Not only was she not becoming Luna, but she was going to get married to the person taking her place. It hurt her. It felt like someone had gutted her and take every piece of her being little by little.

Growing up, she had gotten used to the pushing around as well as the occasional teasing she got from her bullies. The only compensation she had was the position of Luna. She had daydreamed then that once she got to that spot, she would prove to everyone that she wasn't as weak or useless as they all presumed. Now though, wasn't she just going to seem just as useless?

Her father was going to use her as a tool to get an Alpha. She had felt even the tiniest bit pleased when he announced that was going to pick someone, but that had been snatched from her before she could even picture it in her head. The reasons behind the marriage made little to no sense to her and the idea of marrying a stranger she barely knew didn't sit well with her. Even though it wasn't a forbidden method of marriage, she just never expected that she'd be a victim.

A tear had slipped out of her eyes faster than she could wipe it, and she cursed. She cursed at everything she could, wailing and crying hard into her pillow. "Why in the bloody hell am I even crying?"

The tears didn't have an answer, neither did she. She couldn't understand why she was thinking about her father or why he had to let himself get hurt. If only he hadn't gone to the village, she thought. But he had, and there was nothing she could do about it. He wasn't dying and there was no cure for his illness. The faster she came to terms with that, the easier it would be for her to concentrate on the other matters at hand.

It wasn't that she wasn't tempted to abscond from home. She was. The idea even seemed like a far better option than sitting around and waiting for a man to sweep her into marriage. She cringed inwardly and gagged.

"Ash?" A meek voice called from the other side of the door. "Ashina? Are you in there?"

She walked towards the door, pressing her throbbing head against it and asking, "What do you want?"

"I have food here if you want some. I know you ate nothing last night." She squeaked, her footsteps sounding like she moved away from the door. "Or do you not want company?"

Any company was good at that moment, but she would have preferred it if it was Gavin or Elyse who had come to her rescue. Mizuki wouldn't understand and, with her meek nature, she wouldn't get to say the right words. The words Ashina badly needed to hear.

Yet her hand pulled the door open and her younger sister stepped in. Mizuki was short, fun sized if you'd have that. She barely reached Ash's stomach, or rather, Ash was too tall.

"Here you go. Some rice cakes."

Ash thanked her and started eating the rice cakes. Silence had fallen over them and Mizuki hummed as they sat together. Among the three of them, Mizuki seemed to have taken all the motherly instincts. Considering they were all just a year apart, the age difference wasn't all that grand, and it wasn't like they cared much about age.

"What are you going to do?" Mizuki mumbled suddenly, her eyes still trained on the window.

Putting the plate down, Ash quirked her brow. "Do about what?"

"I might have heard your conversation with father some nights ago…" She said, now looking down at the bed. "I was about to check on him when you walked out, nearly knocking me down."

Ash couldn't even remember bumping into someone because right after he had told her about the mate, she had run off into the woods. It wasn't her smartest decision, but she just needed the heat. Her body was burning up and the last thing she needed was to take her anger out on someone else. Just as she ran into the woods, her wolf had come out.

"I apologise. I wasn't… uh, in the right frame of mind."

"It's okay, Ashina. The question now is, what are you going to do?"

She froze. She honestly hadn't thought that far and no matter how she reacted, her tantrums were just tantrums. This was the reason she would have preferred Gavin or Elyse speaking to her. Mizuki was too blunt, and she didn't neglect the matters at hand. Clearly, Ash thought she could still avoid thinking about it, but Mizuki clearly had other plans. Also, she noticed her change in speech. It only took a second for her to know it wasn't really her, but the other her.

Beats passed before she picked up the plate again with a nonchalant shrug. "I don't want to talk about it now, Mizuki."

"Or do you mean you won't know what you want to do?" Mizuki had a smug smile that made Ash upset. It seemed like she knew more than she was letting on, or had she dropped by to simply mock her situation?

"And what do you suggest I do?"

"I don't know… I can't put thoughts into your head, so whatever you choose is still up to you."

"Then why–" Ash started, but stopped herself and shook her head. "You know what? I'm not doing this with you. If you know something, spit it out."

"But then I'd be taking the fun out of this, Ashina." She chuckled, rising to her feet and dusting her dress. "I'd rather watch the drama unfold."

Ashina grunted and placed the plate down. Of all the talents her sister could have gotten, it just had to be the worst kinds of abilities. It wasn't uncommon in royal families for some children to have powers from the Moon Goddess besides their wolf. Mizuki was one of those special kinds and Ashina believed if she wasn't born last, she might have had a better shot at being Luna than she did.

There was something odd about her ability, though. Whenever she spoke with it, it seemed like she was a different person. The Mizuki they all knew had been the one to walk into the room: meek, frightened by sudden sounds, always looking down. The other Mizuki, however, unnerved her. Though their mother had insisted that with or without her ability, she was still their sister, but Ash couldn't help the feeling she got.

Her departure, though, left her with more to think about, and it wasn't a sweet ride. She pondered, but kept coming short.

"Just what did you see, Mizuki?" She whispered before crashing onto her bed, knowing there was no way of her finding out. She just had to watch the events in the future happen the way they were meant to.

•

"I don't like your sister sometimes." Elyse grumbled, floating in the water with only her head visible.

"I can't exactly hate her. She's still my sister and though the other her irks me, she has her moments." Ash replied with a shrug.

"So there's no way to know what she has seen in the future? You said she had a smug smile. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Ash placed her hand on her head because thinking was getting too tasking. "With her, it can be a mix of both. Just let it go, Elyse. If the future was going to kill me, she would have told me."

"Right." She nodded. "I take it you haven't gone to see your–"

"I came here for a distraction, Elyse. Can we… can we not talk about it?"

"Okay, okay." Elyse replied. "My dad's leaving and he's taking them along."

Ash said nothing in response, choosing to dip her legs into the water instead. Like her, Elyse had an extra hard time matching her words with her emotions. Anyone else would have heard words and thought she was indifferent about the situation, but she knew. Her body had been shaking when she had arrived and it had taken her getting into the water to calm. They all weren't the type to cry when something was happening. It was quite odd for them and over the years; they had unintentionally turned off their emotions.

"Do you want to stay over at mine?" She finally said, breaking the silence. "I mean, if you don't want to be with your mum for now."

Elyse growled and looked away. "You know I can't. Plus, who is going to make my mum guilty for losing her husband and kids?"

Ash nodded and stepped into the water fully, her body floating and her mind drifting. That was the end of their conversation, and neither of them made any effort to pick up where they had dropped it off. She knew if Gavin was around with them, he might have had a trick or two to keep the words flowing. But with just the two of them, it wasn't so easy. Speaking of Gavin, she still wasn't pleased he had gotten to work with the military of the pack while she had gotten treated funny.

It was an embarrassing day for her and even after defeating nearly half of the men, they still didn't think she was worthy enough to be one of them. She didn't tell her father about it, though, insisting she didn't want them to think she wanted special treatment. All she wanted was to be treated like any other normal wolf was. It seemed there would never be a break for her in their world, and she hated it.

"Hey." Elyse said, standing over her and dripping everywhere.

She hadn't even noticed her step out of the water or walk up to her. Her thoughts were distracting, and that was one of the main reasons she hated them. They distracted her from her present and left her dissatisfied because no matter how long she thought about something, there were little chances of her finding a solution.

"Is there a problem?" She finally asked, adjusting in the water so she was facing Elyse, who was patting her body down.

"I'm feeling hungry. Do you want to come with me?" She asked, her eyes darting. "I want steak."

Ash chuckled and shook her head. "You always want steak, Elyse. I don't mind getting some, too. All this thinking has gotten me famished."

She got out of the water and patted her body down as well before picking up her clothes from the floor and pulling them on. Though they had spoken little, Elyse had shown her concern in the best way she could, and that was enough.

"Ash?" She called out as they were walking. "Does Gavin know about all this?"

Ash chewed on her bottom lip, realising she had unintentionally forgotten to tell him about it. "I forgot to. I'll tell him, eventually."

Elyse tutted, but said nothing more. Ash was left looking at her for a moment as they walked. Once again, she got the same feeling she had gotten with Mizuki. Like there was something they knew she didn't, and she was unnerved by it.

•

As she stepped into their house, she felt lighter and even with the questioning stares, she couldn't care less. She had decided that she would let none of it get to her or make her feel less of herself. If the only way she could help their pack was to get married to someone, then she would. Even with her thoughts of compromising, she still gagged and hated the fact she was getting married.

The food she had eaten while she was with Elyse still left her full, so she hadn't bothered to check what they were having for dinner. They hadn't asked her anything either, choosing to stand on the sides and glance up at her. Their stares prickled her back, and that was when she realised something was up with them.

"What is it?" She asked, not bothering to hide her irritation. She heard Nilsa and Mizuki gasp before turning away from her. "Go on, I'm waiting."

"It's n-nothing." Mizuki stuttered, waving her hands frantically. "You must have had a long day, w-why don't you go get some rest?"

Nilsa nodded. "You should get some rest."

She stared at them from the corner of her eyes and she realized now that something was wrong. If they would not tell her, she was going to find out, anyway. The day had just been bouts of secrets being kept from her and some. It was like everyone had gotten their parts and she was excluded from the equation. Like always.

She trudged up the stairs, glancing at the stairs that led to her father's room before looking away and walking to hers instead. It wasn't unlikely that they would just argue again if he tried to discuss the mate's situation with her again. She didn't even want to think about picking a man yet because her refusal mattered little if she was still going to make his last moments meaningful. Though she wondered where the men would come from and how she was meant to assess them.

Her pants came down first the instant she stepped into the room. Then she turned on the lights, sighing in relief that she was back in her safe space. If everything was filled with people keeping things from her, then she was at least safe in there. She pulled off all her clothes, deciding to take a brief shower before calling it a night.

She pulled out her shorts and a light shirt, throwing them on before throwing herself on the bed. At first, she had simply stared at the moon, waiting for the Moon Goddess to step down and tell her that her wolf had been a test after all. It was a dream and even as old as she was, she still hoped for it.

As she laid in bed, she heard the unmistakable sound of a body landing on her balcony and she stood up in an instant. No matter who it was, she could wrestle them and keep them pinned until someone came for them. She didn't bother turning on her lights to prevent the intruder from fleeing. These were dangerous times after all and someone breaking into her took was the last thing she needed to end the day.

She pulled her curtains open and cocked her head to the side, watching as he pathetically struggled to untangle the vines from his hair.

"Gavin…" She whispered low enough for him to hear before pulling her windows open. "Really?"

He ignored her, still pulling out the vines instead. He chose to curse under his breath, muttering something about how mean it was to keep vines as plants or decoration. Ash rolled her eyes, but waited patiently for him to finish struggling. The cool air blew at her clothes and she recoiled, moving away slightly from the window. Eventually, he finished pulling them out and met her gaze.

"What are you doing here? Aren't we a little too old to be sneaking around?" She asked, biting back a smile.

He clambered in, ignoring her question. He looked comfortable, and she didn't want to ruin his moments of peace. Her questions still stayed on the tip of her tongue, though, and she followed him as he walked into her room.

"You haven't changed your room over the years. I'm impressed."

"You have no reason to be. I'm too lazy to change anything and that's besides the point. Gavin, why are you here this late?"

"Do I need to have a reason?"

"With the fact that you're here, it's almost midnight, and I was asleep before you came, yes. You need to have a reason." She said. "If it isn't a matter of life and death, I'm shoving you out of the window."

This got a chuckle out of him and he folded his arms as if daring her. "I'd like to see you try."

She took a step forward, her legs apart and her upper body stable. He beckoned to her, standing in his spot with his eyes squinted. As she rushed to grab his lower body, he hurled her upwards and threw her on his shoulder instead, almost like he had expected her attack. Not long after, he started his own attack, wiggling his fingers along her sides, making her choke up in laughter. She struggled in his hold, trying to jump down.

He lost his footing, and they fell backwards, hitting the bed with choked laughter. Ashina was having a harder time pulling his long hands away from her sides as he tickled her. She hated how sensitive she was even after getting so much bigger.

"You win!" She rasped, finally pulling his fingers off and exhaling. "What has gotten into you? A normal sparring session was too much for you, uh?"

"I never said I wanted to spar with you. You're too bent on beating me and that's why you always lose."

"Nice try, Gav. Maybe when you don't cheat, I might get to show you just how strong I am."

He hummed, but said nothing in response. She watched as he laid in the silence. Only their heavy breathing filled the room and even then she could see he was still at peace. There was something about him that she couldn't tell and yet again, another mystery had blown up in her face.

"No reason, uh?" She mumbled, looking at him.

"Can I stay the night?" He asked, though he had already invited himself in and was already in her bed.

"Oh, of course. Make yourself comfortable." She replied, her voice dropping in saccharine.

He chuckled. Once again, she was left watching him as the moon illuminated his features. His scar that still made his almost perfect face look crooked. The red lips that made her envious and then his ginger coloured hair. She wondered why he hadn't gone to Elyse, but decided not to question it. She crawled into his embrace, inhaling the musky scent of cinnamon and something else she didn't exactly know.

Gavin sighed softly into her hair, pulling her closer and nearly crushing her bones. Whatever was on his mind, she decided she didn't want to know. Some things were better left unsaid.