"Geneva!" Alex called as he hurried after her. Her dress flew as she hurried down the dark, empty streets. When she heard his voice, she slowed down and turned. Alex was no longer looking at a woman who masked her pain with fake happiness. All he could see right now was a woman with so much pain and hurt. Her eyes were bloodshot; she had been crying. "You came after me," She whispered. "You shouldn't have." Alex, when he finally was standing before her, sighed. "I had to. Athena can be really mean sometimes." "Athena? You really call the Queen by her name?" Geneva asked as her eyes were filled with wonder. Alex chuckled and took her hand. "Come sit with me." Geneva looked unsure but with a smile from Alex, she felt like she could trust him no matter what. So she followed him. There was a stone seat built close to the tall walls of the palace. There, guards could sit down each time they needed to rest. That was where Alex led her. He helped her take a

Geneva had gotten home quite a long time ago but she found it hard to sleep. All she could think about was Trevor and those words he had said. Even if he was speaking nothing but the truth, she couldn't bring herself to forget the humiliation she had gone through all because she was mated to some Alpha King from a pack she didn't belong to. Trevor had locked her up, made everyone think she was crazy and severed their connection. It had been really painful and on some nights when she couldn't sleep, she lay awake watching the night skies or in the woods shape shifting and howling till her voice got coarse. Her own people had made her seem like an outcast just because she got rejected and it had taken months for her to get used to the stares and gossips that were never ending. Tonight, she had also been embarrassed and Alex, the good looking Alpha in his good graces had followed her, listened to her. No one had ever done that for her. Nobody tried to listen to her.

Alex returned to his table looking angry. His face was drawn and his lips were thinned as he pulled out his chair to take a seat. By now, people were either dancing, eating or preparing to leave. Daniel and Ciara were eating and conversing when they saw Alex. They noticed his demeanor and the couple exchanged looks, knowing that something bad had gone down. Ciara would have asked him but he was in a really bad mood and Alex in a really bad mood meant he would be rude. Alex leaned back on his chair and looked around. He was seething. Really angry at Athena but there was nothing he could do. His wolf whined in so much pain and he began to squirm in his seat. Daniel noticed his discomfort and tapped him. "What's up?" Alex shook his head. "Nothing. I'm good." Daniel didn't believe him but he said nothing after that. Instead, he turned to his wife and whispered into her ears. "Talk to Athena, please. We all know that she's also smitten by him. I don't know why

In the thick of the darkness, a snarl was heard. A villager was just returning home from her stall after a long day at work and it had been unfortunate that she chose this day to clean up her shop just as everyone was preparing to go home. She had stayed back and she had cleaned everything up and even if she knew that it was safer to move with everyone in the evening, she had chosen to be alone. She was an unsuspecting woman. She hummed a classic tune of old as she hiked her jute bag higher. She walked through the path everyone used through the woods and even under the full moon, the paths were foggy and she heard the chirping of crickets as she went. She was not afraid. She was used to this sound already. She remembered that every evening, when everyone trudged tiredly through the forest, they all heard this sound but everyone ignored it. It was the sound of the nocturnes. But tonight, she was alone and she couldn't ignore it for so long. So she began walking

Ciara and Daniel were talking when they both spotted Alex walking hand in hand with Athena. They weren't the only ones looking. Some people didn't dwell on it because they felt like it was just a random gentlemanly gesture. Ciara nudged Daniel. "Look what I told you? Athena's someone who isn't in tune with her emotions but she sure feels everything. That's why I told her that back when we were at the terrazzo. I knew she was going to go after him." Daniel was still watching them. He nodded. "I wonder what she told him to make him come back. I saw it in Alex's eyes. He was damn ready to leave and never return." "He can't. He wouldn't. Alex is madly in love with her. It's not just his wolf. It's him too." Daniel sighed. "I wished I was loved like that." Daniel said and sighed. "Ow!" Ciara was glaring at him. She had whacked his arm. "Stupid. What are you saying?" "Yes. I was the one who foolishly loved you and embarrassed myself because you didn't see m