It was a typical work day at the pack house for Ashly. On the right of her desk sat a mug (lacking tea) and a frame with her family picture in it. To the left were some reports that needed her signature and review. She usually checks on food, children, and women. It's her duty as Luna to take care of everyone in the Moonlight Pack. Everyone really loves her and accepts her as her mate, but Ashly already knows it will never happen. For her heat, she is already taking pills; she really doesn't want to disturb Alex. She grabs the first draft and flips it open. "Trading yesterday,", it read. She was reading about an Omega woman who was a bit of a pessimist, but that was only because she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her Alpha had left her several months before, and now she spends most of her time in the hospital. Life could be rather horrible, Ashly thinks. She is on the fourth page when she places a check near the title, marking that this really needed to go to her mother-in-l

It had been 45 minutes, and Jasmine still hadn't replied to Alex's text. So instead of resting in his room, Alex came to Jasmine's place, in her room. Her room is warm and welcoming when he walks in and kicks off the uncomfortable shoes that make his feet smell weird. He sighs loudly and does exactly what Seth said to do, changing into some sweats. When he enters the bedroom, the bed is still unmade, and sitting on the dresser is Jasmine's cellphone. That would explain why she never answered, Alex thinks. The phone buzzes, and Alex wonders who could be texting her while she is at work. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he glances at the lock screen. Are we still up for tonight? I miss your face, and lunch isn't enough time to spend with you. Everything in Alex sinks to the floor, and his stomach feels like it has been punched repeatedly and multiple times. He recognized the name, Jace, and knew it was another one of the Alphas of the neighbor pack. Jasmine told him about her and J

Once everyone's seated again, Ashly wipes her nose with the back of her hand and then takes a deep breath. "My heat is coming," she blurts. Alex whips his head up to look at her, eyes wide. Ashly looks right back with an apologetic look on her face, wishing she hadn't said that without telling her mate first. Jenny gasps, holding her hand to her heart. She gets up again so she can scurry to the other side of the table and hug her daughter, kissing her cheek. "Oh, Ashly, baby, it's ok, we are not pressuring you for pups; you guys can take your time," she exclaims, becoming the clearest voice among all of the others. "Did you still take your pills, love?" Brandon asks; he understands that maybe both Alex and Ashly need some time. Well, they married each other out of peace, not because of love. Ashly has lost count of the days already; she doesn't even know when she takes her pills. She's been too busy worrying about what Alex and Pack are doing; it's hard to keep track. "No, I think,

The two end up looking each other in the eye again. Alex now holds his mate's face with both his hands, and he leans in and kisses her again and again, making Ashly feel like she is in heaven. It gets even better when they separate and their faces are still only a few centimeters away, and Alex's gaze switches repeatedly from his mate's eyes to her lips and backs up again. "Let's take this slow, okay? We need to know each other better for now, as Ashly and Alex, not as Alpha and Omega," he admits. Ashly didn't say anything; she was not in the right state of mind to say anything. She still smiles until her dimples show, which makes her even more beautiful. - The next day, Alex holds Ashly's hand at the hospital. Or just say Ashly grabs her partner's hand in the middle of a checkup and digs her nails into his palm so hard that they bleed, but Alex doesn't care because he can heal in just a second. When they go back to the pack house, both Rose and Seth welcome them and ask them about

The local club was humid and full of bodies of Alphas, Omegas, and Betas. Ashly could feel skin all around her as she moved in time to the beat, the crowd grinding on one another and not noticing the omega smell in their midst. Monika had wandered off to get a pint, chatting happily with some red-haired lass at the bar when Ashly had last looked over. Ashly took a long pull from her glass of juice before pressing the cold glass against her forehead in hopes of some kind of relief from the heat. She sighed when it didn't work and quickly put her hands to the bottom of her vest, tugging it up and off of her body to the sounds of catcalls and cheers from both men and women around her. She grinned, feeling buzzed and liquid from the five glasses of juice with a drop of alcohol mixed on them; she'd already downed in quick succession. When a fit man came up behind her and slid his hands to Ashly's hips, Ashly rolled her eyes and ground back against her, enjoying the feel of someone else's b