Becoming something

"You are a weird man, Akyl. " Stephen said while handing him a wet towel. "And so is your mate. " They were in the training room reserved for their use. 

Akyl glared at him and applied pressure on his bloodied knuckles. He was so used to the pain that he wasn't fazed by it anymore. Sweat dripped from his forehead to his thighs. His beating heart was the only thing keeping him grounded to the earth. Everything recently had taken a toll on him. It had been years since Attic, his wolf had tried to surface. Years. 

And that mate of his was never in his plan. She knew everything about that pack. She saw him and the destruction he caused. On that aspect, he was confused about whether that angered him or if he was happy about it. The loss of control however wasn't disconcerting, it felt good uncertainty. 

"Call her, I need to talk to her. " he voiced out loud.

Stephen stopped putting away the boxing equipment Akyl had used and studied his friend. "Are you serious? "

Akyl finished washing his hands and stood up. He headed for the shower. " She isn't just a captain anymore or my unwanted mate. She knows for Blue Night's pack, she took the Luna. " He stepped into the shower and didn't say anything more. 

Stephen finished cleaning the place and went to make the call. After giving Edward the order, he went into the office where Akyl, after showering and dressing, had relocated to work. Again, he stared in astonishment at his friend, wondering if he was doing it consciously or unconsciously. He was the one that allowed her to take that woman. 

Walking into the front door, she was frightened. Raïna immediately went to talk to Edward. She still had no idea how she was going to explain her absence yesterday and didn't feel the need to explain how today may be the last day of her life. Entering his office, she was surprised. The absence of a woman on his lap and the seriousness of his traits told her something was amiss. It took him a while to notice her presence. 

"Sit down, Raïna. " He said, his voice like gravel. His elbows were on his desk, while his fingers were crossed. The grave face just kept getting more intense and as she took a seat, she began to grow concerned " I just received a call from up. " 

Her breath vanished. For sure, she knew that he would come after her, she expected it. But hearing it was different than imagining. " And... "

"The Master wished to see you in his office. The sooner, the better. Hurry. " His eyes were curious, scared for her, and sorry. Sorry for not being able to provide aid.

She stood up and walked out. In front of the elevator, she began trembling. It was better to not seem like a weakling than to have werewolves coming to her house and killing her. At least in this way, the runaway Luna could escape while they tortured her. 

She clicked on the 9th floor and felt nothing as it started ascending. The first floor was where everything happened. The second and third floors were the apartments where normal members resided. Fourth to 6th floor were offices and conferences rooms. Seventh and eighth were the higher-ups' apartments. Nine and ten belonged to the Master. The number 10 however didn't appear on this elevator. The number nine showed and the doors opened. 

In front of her was a long aisle. Everything was gray, from the carpet to the walls. The first door was opened and that's where she entered. It's where she felt him. And sure, when she entered, there he was. Behind a brown wooden table where documents of various kinds were amassed. A library on the right side wall, a couch on the left, and even further behind, a massive canopy bed. Everything of brown, grey, black, beige and red. The most surprising was the luminosity of the room in absence of any window. 

No. No, she was wrong, that wasn't the most surprising. It was just him. His every feature, his eyes fixated on hers. Stephen slowly creeped out of the room, and that's when she got her senses back. This time, she remembered. She knelt but before she could pay respect, he spoke:

"Stand up. It's too weird for you to do this shit. " he stood from his desk and went in front of it. She stood up and remained. She didn't have to wait for long. 

"Let's go straight to it. " His voice was laced with casualness and calm, something Raïna couldn't relate to. " You know about Blue Night pack. Therefore, I should kill you without further debate. " 

Her breath stopped and she straightened. She didn't want to be killed by her mate. If it was needed for her to die, better if she killed him and committed suicide after. 

"But I won't do that. " Instead of relaxing, apprehension came, not relief. 

"Why? " She asked. He paused, and let the silence extend before speaking.

"You are my mate. If that reason is not enough for you, it's enough for me. " So simple, too simple. Said with such casualty but filled with fondness. He said it out loud. He acknowledges her. 

" I thought you wanted to see whom it led us to, to just take it easy. You also wanted me to be chastised by fate. I thought I didn't change anything. " It didn't pain her to admit it. She was, on the contrary, quite shocked by the conversation. 

"I'm happy you remember. " She winced at having been caught, and she could see the shadow of a smile on his face. " I have to say, I was surprised by your presence at the glade. Maybe even happy, who knows? If I remember correctly, you asked what was the After and I said I didn't know. "

She cocked her head sideways and crossed her arms. She was getting too comfortable here. Wasn't he planning on hunting her? Hell, there were no longer talking about the glade or the pack but about them. She didn't like that. 

" I still don't know. " She raised her eyebrows, wondering where he was going. " I won't say I want to be with you, I don't. " 

" Same on my side. " She wished she could see Polaris. 

"Fair. But I still want to do something about this mating thing. First, we must stay a secret. I have too many enemies. " 

" I'm strong. And I don't want this to stay a secret." She startled herself with what she just stated. Was it really what she wanted? He didn't seem flustered. 

"Then, what do you want? "

What did she want?

" I don't want us to hide it. We don't have to love each other, but I want respect. If you love a woman now, stay with her but don't tell me. Let her be the secret. " 

This time, he raised his eyebrows and the corner of his lips lifted. "Go on. " 

" The Conquerors are not a pack, but close to it. You need a Luna. Let me be her. " She stopped talking but walked closer. The visceral need to kiss him was so deep. 

" Fine. " He was no longer dossed on his table. He was directly in front of her now. He could smell her, and see the same red in her brown eyes. He could see her searching him, asking herself if she was the only one lusting. She wasn't. Not now, not ever. 

"Why do you think Madoxe called you? Why do you think Milene told you everything?" 

"Why do you think I went into that glade? Why do you think I showed up today? " 

Again, silence. So loud, so powerful yet frightening and mesmerizing. They were back to their first encounter. 

"But before engaging furthermore in this deception, you must know everything. What you saw at the glade was the peek of the iceberg. Do you wish to see its entirety? " He whispered. 

Did she?

She was about to cry, it was too much. Too much intensity but she felt how knowing everything would ruin it. She wished he touched her. 

"Show me everything, mate. " 

"Understood, darling. "