7

Layla had led them from their room that morning. Maverick and Alec had just finished dressing when the bubbly woman had knocked on their door. She had said that she couldn’t let them stay cooped up inside their room while she could show them the beauty of their pack.

“Is it really necessary that you come and get us so early in the morning?” Alec had grumbled, and Layla bopped her head.

“Of course. It is absolutely necessary. You people have already woken up and gotten dressed, and all you would do is stare at your phones and laptops in your room before we had to talk again at the meeting.” She replied with a wide smile.

“And does it have to be only us? There are others too.” Alec said, and Layla rolled her eyes at him.

“You are the ones I find most likable among them all, except for that beautiful brunette and her sidekick, of course, but a woman must get her beauty sleep. I heard she’s the pack's doctor. She must have a lot on her hands already, poor thing must study till late at night.”

“A woman gets her beauty sleep and a man doesn't?” Alec asked, and Layla groaned.

“Fuck, I’m beginning to like only this Alpha of yours here. He’s the only decent man around.” Layla said, not hesitating to make it obvious she was checking the man out with her eyes. But Maverick hardly noticed, as he had been staring out through the numerous windows in the hallway.

Even though it had been early, the people of the pack were already up and about, the ladies smiling, giggling, frowning, and drooling at the men who were training in the field.

“Honestly, I don’t know why Aurora doesn’t just claim him and enjoy him for the rest of the night. I wouldn’t let him out of my sight if I knew he was my mate. Your Alpha is such a fine specimen.” Layla fawned, and Alec rolled his eyes at her.

“Finally, someone with brains. But it’s alright that she’s keeping her distance from us anyway. I don’t think I can really tolerate her.” Alec said, glancing at the dark rose with thorns tattoo that had woven its way around Layla’s hand.

“Don’t speak bad of her. She’s always been like that. There had been a lot of handsome men here who came for alliances but ended up wanting to be with her. Hell, someone had even gone to war with us because of it.” Layla said, flipping her blue hair behind her back because it had been too close to her black eyes, lined with black eyeliner that stood boldly against her pale face. “But our dear witch just turns them away with the flick of her wrist. She doesn’t do love. In fact, she doesn’t do men. There are only a select few that can get close to her.” She explained.

“I suppose Easton is part of those selected few,” Maverick asked with a tinge of bitterness in his tone, and Layla shook her head.

“Nope. Easton is practically her, and she is him. He can do anything to her. She trusts him more than life itself. Before you came, half the pack had assumed they would just end up together.” Layla answered Maverick, staring at him with a glint in her eyes. It had only been fitting that he was the man who had turned Aurora’s feelings on and off. She had always wanted to meet the man who had ruffled Aurora’s feathers so much, and she hadn’t been disappointed when she met Maverick.

“Of course, he can do ‘anything’ to her,” Maverick said under his breath.

They all stopped when they had reached the balcony that overlooked half the space of the whole pack, and they became speechless.

“Surprised, huh?” Layla asked.

Over the years, they had heard over and over again that the Night Pack had been a dangerous, deserted, and boring place that one needed to be careful in. The men there caught other werewolves, the women cooked them, and the whole pack had had them for breakfast. They always carried a dangerous weapon or two with them, and they had given some to their children right at birth. Once you got your wolf, you had to get a long scar that ran down your spine as initiation into the pack, then you had to kill another werewolf from a different pack to prove your worth.

There had been a lot of horrible news over the years, which made them amazed when they saw the beautiful valley in front of them. With green fields, the sun peeked over the tree line, providing natural light that surrounded the beautiful structure of the pack. The modern bungalows and duplexes expanded outward, complementing the deep forest behind. There was a lake with birds on the surface, reflecting the clear blue sky.

There was humming and bustling of the people going about their daily activities below them.

Everything was so different from what they had heard. The pack seemed even more normal, more carefree, and more humane than any other werewolf pack.

“Are you sure these people are all rogues?” Sadie said beside them, her hazel eyes pinned ahead. The woman looked fresh out of the shower and must have joined them recently.

“Yeah, all of us are rogues. Some people here are from all those big and small packs that had set us apart because of the little differences they couldn’t tolerate. Of course, there are some who have left by themselves, and we’re all different in our own ways. But in a way, a sense, we’re still the same. All of us have gone through the same thing—pain.” Layla replied ruefully, a small sad smile on her lips. “We aren’t as monstrous and huge as most people make us out to be. We just find strength in the fact that we don’t want to let them tear this little comfort—the haven we’ve managed to find—apart. And of course, we have our dear witch to keep us all going. Aren’t I right, Hilton?”

They all turned to look at Hilton, who had been standing behind them, and the man nodded with a small smile on his face.

“I’ll get you to our lake house, Sadie. I’m sure you’ll like it! It’s honestly the best part of this place!” Layla said, and Sadie nodded before letting herself be dragged away by the blue-haired woman. She had some questions to ask her anyway.

“What would you like to do in the meantime? I’m sure this pack has almost everything to offer. Not in large quantities like you’re used to, but I’m sure there’s quality.” Hilton said, with a smile perched on his lips.

“We’d like to hit the gym or the training room, whatever you guys call it here,” Maverick said, and Alec nodded.

“Then come on, the training room isn’t going to come here by itself.”

---

“This private room can be used for the training you want,” Hilton said calmly, and they muttered their thanks to the only man who seemed to have all the patience and tolerance in the world.

He opened the door for them, and they entered the extra-large room. He then turned and walked away since he had other things to deal with.

Half of the room had been a training area with punching bags, a wrestling stage, and other things, while the other part was a gym. They kept hearing the sound of shots being fired, so they went to check. They paused when they saw Aurora standing there with a gun in her hand, shooting at the target.

She had been dressed in black tight leather pants, a sleeveless crop top, and heavy black boots, headphones over her sandy hair that had been pulled back into a ponytail. One of her hands, adorned with black bracelets, had been in her pocket, while the other had held the gun, her onyx eyes focused on the target as she had fired the shots.

She looked so beautiful and different. There was no trace of the woman he had once known, but at the same time, there had been something familiar.

There had been rumors of an unknown rogue among the Night Pack who could fire wolfsbane from a distance without missing her target. No one had ever seen her, though.

Staring at her relaxed posture as she did this made them realize that not only could she cast spells and strengthen barriers on the field, but she was also skilled with a gun.

Maverick wondered if there was some sort of battle coming that the rogue pack had to face which made her train or if it was purely for leisure.

Aurora swiftly turned with the gun in her hand, aiming it at the presence she felt beside her, but she relaxed a bit when she saw that it was only Maverick and Alec. She lowered her gun and removed the headphones from her ear.

“Those were pretty nice shots,” Maverick said, staring at the target she had hit. Even Alec hadn’t been able to hide how amazed he had been.

“Thanks. It’s nothing,” she replied curtly. Things had been awkward between them. It had been one thing when they had been former mates, but now that they had realized they were still mates, it had been uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry, Aurora. I won’t reject you,” Mavericksaid quietly, Alec having disappeared into another part of the room, leaving only them standing there.

Aurora turned to stare at him, her eyes meeting his for a long moment before she looked away, rubbing her thumb against her index finger. She had nodded non-committedly, but Maverick was able to tell how relieved she had been by his words. He had always been able to read her like no one else, and though there were changes, some things still remained the same.

It was very obvious to him that Aurora couldn’t reject him because another rejection would end her life, but Maverick could still do that. Rejection would only weaken him and bind him to his territory within his pack, but he wouldn't have the same consequences as Aurora.

“It won’t do either of us any good, but I still appreciate you saying that, make sure you explain the situation exactly as it is, — a business cooperation— to you Luna,” Aurora said, emphasizing the word "Luna."

"Luna?" Maverick started to speak, but before he could get another word out, the door was slammed open.

“Aurora! Fuck, if I don’t miss you!” A man’s voice called from behind them. They turned to see a man hurrying toward Aurora. He didn’t spare Maverick a glance before he rushed to hug Aurora, burying his face in her neck and inhaling her scent as though it was a lifeline.

Maverick knew he wasn’t supposed to feel the blinding jealousy that had surged through him at that moment, hell, it wasn't even in his right.

If he had control of his emotions he wouldn't feel this feeling at all because it is rather something he doesn't want in the complicated relationship between Aurora and him, but it was hard to ignore.

It had taken everything in him to restrain himself from yanking the man off her, punching him, and throwing him out of the room. Maverick knew that it was wrong so he was going to put all his bets on his wolf being rampant.

Alec’s hand grinding on his shoulder had been the only thing that had kept him from acting on his impulses.

How hard could it be for someone to get over their feelings? The man had been taking far too long to move on.