KATE’s POV

"Damn stupid beta. Damned bloody Paris. making me love you, making me suffer for you!" I let out an aggravated scream as tears burned the back of my throat, and unable to hold in my anger anymore, I tossed my phone on the wall. Because even though I knew the phone was guiltless, someone or something had to pay for how I felt right then.


PARIS'S POV

"So William really gave you a bloody nose?" Jackson asked observing my nose, after I ah recounted the encounter with William and Ember,

"I might have evened the game if Ember didn't step in. That bloke is far too lucky for his own good."


"or maybe you're going soft," Jackson said, smiling and I grimaced. My grimace turned to a frustrated groan when my phone began to ring, and I had to fight the urge to toss my phone to the side,

"What's the matter?" Jackson asked, and I showed him my constantly ringing phone. It was Kate. It was always Kate.


"She's relentless," I said wearily,

"She's in love," Jackson said and I shook my head,

"I don't think this is how love works. This is an obsession. It's more like if I can't have him, then no one else can. That sort of it. And it's weakening. She doesn't allow me to breathe. "

"Yeahh, women like that don't usually allow the ones they set their gazes on to breathe. But then again, there's also the mate bond."

"to hell with the mate bond," I said and began to reply to the messages about the legs hurting her. I sent her a physiotherapist’s number and hoped that would be the end of it. But minutes more, there was more, and I groaned in aggravation.

The woman was going to be the end of me!

"take it," I said, giving my phone to Jackson. "Tell her whatever you can to make her leave me alone. Just take it."

Jackson took my phone with a weary smile and while he got to dealing with Kate, I walked around the cabin site where the man was buried.

I wasn't sure what it was Jackson and I were looking for. But for the past week, it didn't matter where we went. We always wound up back in this place for some reason.

"alright. I think I've finally put her off. I told her it was me." he said, joining me, as I searched the forests, for heaven knew what.

"Thank you." I sighed, "I've never met a woman as stubborn as her."

"anytime. But if you really think about it, the both of you are quite mightily alike. In being stubborn and all. You won't leave Ember alone. She won't leave you alone. A match made in heaven." he drawled,

"oh shut the hell up, would you?" I said and he howled in laughter

"Sorry, just having a bit of fun. So, what do you think about this campsite and getting a bottle."

"We can't." I said, a bit distracted, "We're expecting someone."

"Who are we expecting?"

"you'll see," I said and narrowed my eyes when it caught something,

"I guess I will."

"Jackson, come closer. Come take a look. " I called out in anticipation as I squatted to the ground to pick up a brooch that was all too familiar,

"Well, I'll be damned." Jackson said and gave a low whistle, "There are only a few people with this brooch, sire."

"I am aware, Jackson. "

Jean's POV

I was still heaving when the psychopath they called Lara left us, and only Ember was able to calm my wolf down. All he wanted was to tear Lara to bits. The very sight of her raising her hand to strike Ember set him on edge,

"Thank you for being here Jean," Ember said, taking my hand in hers. It was remarkable, just how soothing that one move was, and I nodded once,

"You don't have to thank me. You being okay is everything to me. I'm only sorry I wasn't here in time to stop her from even having a chance to talk to you the wrong way."

"don't take her behavior to heart. That's the way Lara is. She thinks because she was able to make my life a living hell all those months, she could easily do the same now. "

"she better have gotten the message that you are no longer to be toyed with, otherwise I won't be so willing to watch her walk away. I just might break those legs of hers."

She ran a hand up and down my arm, soothing, and I sighed, before taking her into my arms,

"we should get you back home. I bet you've had a really long day."

"I actually have," she said, her words muffled against my shirt, and when she pulled away, I led her to the passenger seat of her car, and taking the driver's side, I took her home.

"catch you later," I said, when I dropped her off and got out of her car, she raised a brow at me with a hint of a smile,

"catch you later? That's a bit too modern for the old-school Jean that I'm used to."

"I know how to use modern terms. I just prefer to act like an old soul." but she shook her head at me.

"You aren't pretending to be an old soul, you really are an old soul. But lucky for you, I appreciate you that way."

"Lucky for me." I said, and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, "Good night, Ember."

"Good night, Jean," she said and stood outside her porch, watching me till I walked out her gate and got into the waiting car.

"I thought you'd take forever telling her goodnight." my beta said and started the car, I watched her go in,

"It was so hard being there and not feeling guilty. I feel terrible for going behind her back this way."

"but you're doing it for her. If she ever found out, I'm she would understand." at that point, I turned to my beta with a murderous look,

"If she ever found out, it's over for me. And if it's over for me, I'm dragging you down with me." I said seriously, and he nodded slowly,

"point gotten. She can't find out." and he drove us to meet the last person I was to have anything to do with. Praying to God that if Ember indeed ever found out, she would understand and hopefully forgive me. Because I really was doing this for her.

~~~~~

"I thought you wouldn't show up," Paris said to me when my beta and I got to the camp clearing. Paris and I didn't shake like friends or exchange pleasantries, and both our betas looked like they were expecting a brawl to happen any moment. They were so on guard.

"I told you. You're the closest link to the answers I'm looking for. I can put my pride and anger aside to do this one thing for Ember."

"fair enough. Good to see that we are on the exact same page."

"yeah," I said in reply.

"Well, before your arrival, Jackson and I found a brooch that belongs to our pack. Come see."

I stepped forward to look at the brooch and raised a brow, "the brooch is a pack signing?" I asked and he nodded,

"It's quite feminine. Does it maybe belong to a woman?" I asked and he slowly nodded,

"it does. A woman with high social standing and only a couple of women come to mind."

"name, Paris. I need names."

"Well, my mother, my sister, Jackson's woman, a couple of wives of some elders…and Kate."