Defect.

“I get to do shit now! Yes, oh my God. Do you know what this means?”

Brady swiveled to face me, and suddenly grasped my shoulders, “Venus, do you know what this means? It means that, shit-shit-shit I need to plan my outfit. This isn’t enough time, what the fuck? Henry!”

He let go of me and started running around the dining table shouting Alpha Henny’s name.

“What the fuck man! I need more time, 24 hours notice before anything big happens.” He began pacing back and forth on the other side of the table.

“Brady, Brady, breathe.” I began to say.

“I don’t want to go back to high school” Nick mumbled from beside me and arms crossed, “I already freaking graduated.”

I put a hand on Nicks arm, “Nick it’s going to be fine, we’ll figure something ou-”

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. I can’t go, I just can’t.”

“Brady, why-what’s-“

“Some classes were hard Venus, I studied I don’t want to do anymore.”

“I don’t have an outfit, I can’t let Criss see me like this-” he gestured at his post-run clothes, “not like this, my hair. What am I gonna do?”

“You’re going to calm the hell down.” Alpha Henny commanded coming into the kitchen with the rest of us, “and Nick, suck it up. I hired you to be a bodyguard and you can’t be guarding when the person you’re supposed to be protecting is away from you eight hours a day.”

Wait, what does it mean me? I’m the person that goes to school.

“But high school-”

“It’s part of your job description. It’s nothing for you.”

“Yes sir.” Nick replied, unfolding his hand and standing up straighter.

Alpha Henny then gestured towards me, “so now your Luna, the person you” he pointed at Brady, “and you” he pointed at Nick, “ are supposed to be watching over, is stressing out because of you two. That’s called not doing your job.”

“Serious Henny is a scary Henny.” Brady whispered in awe.

We all let out a small chuckle at that.

“Yeah,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “yeah, well since my Beta is having a life changing conversation his room right up the stairs. It’s a little nerve wracking.”

When Robin arrived Brady ran out to her car shouting at her that I was hurt. She hopped out the car, pulling out her bat as she did so, and ran inside the house. Nick yelled that I was upstairs.

I imitated a cry of pain from inside of Zaks room and my God, she sprinted up in there swinging her bat around. I ran out and locked the door. She started banging on the door demanding that I let her out.

At that moment I knew I was in trouble.

Then I heard Zak’s relieved voice and even though I couldn’t see I knew that he was hugging her.

His hug was calming her down.

I slinked away, and went downstairs to join the rest.

He shrugged, “it’s weird knowing that, that one girl can make or destroy my Beta—my best friend. “

If the outcome isn’t them together, then the results would be Zak’s death or turning Rogue—as most wolfs who lose their mates act.

Occasionally we would hear his whimper, or her voice, sometimes even his raised voice—which her shouting back would only follow.

I think Zak has learned that raised voices don’t work on Robin.

I rue the day when his wolf takes control and commands her to do something.

Hell will break loose then.

So far it’s only been a few minutes since we trapped Robin and Zak in his room. And it had been quiet for a while. The only thing it could mean was that it was either the quiet before the storm or the peace after it has passed.

Alpha Henny rolled his back and sighed before running his hands down his face. His whole body stance screamed stress.

Nick nudged me and nodded his head towards Alpha Henny, “go on.” He whispered quietly.

“What?” I mouthed.

“The only thing to calm him is you, as his mate.” He didn’t sound too happy to say that. I can’t possibly fathom why he wouldn’t be. I was the one with the crush when we were in middle school.

I opened my mouth to tell him wrong, but then I promptly closed it. He doesn’t know. I shot a glance at Brady, because I know they all heard, and he wasn’t looking at me. He purposely had his head hanging, facing down to the floor.

Nick nudged me again, harder this time. “Go.” His bulging eyes told me.

I grit my teeth to keep me from shoving him away and telling him that I wasn’t the one who could calm him with my touch, or my smile, “Lennox died years ago!” but I wasn’t just about to out my Alpha just like that.

Jaw tight, I reluctantly stepped forward holding my arms out awkwardly.

Brady broke out into snickers, “I can’t-I can’t!” he said and ran out into the living room.

Alpha Henny growled at him but accepted my hug with open arms. My head was crushed into his chest. There were no sparks tingling all over my body, just body heat warming me up a bit. Hugging your mates is supposed to be like… heaven.

But this didn’t feel right.

This wasn’t heaven.

He put his head down onto mine and sniffed my hair. From the corner of my eye I saw Nick silently slink out of the room with a tight smile.

What’s up with him? I sighed. “Hey now, don’t worry it’ll be okay. “ I patted his back awkwardly, “she really likes him. She wouldn’t leave him.”

But she would. It wouldn’t hurt Robin in the slightest to cut off a relationship, or friendship, with anyone if she thought it was best for her.

A sequence of strong knocks on the front door was heard. Then someones footsteps running to get it.

Alpha Henny gripped me tighter, “That may be true but she’s an uncontrollable human she-”

I jerked away from his embrace once his words that registered in my mind. Uncontrollable human?

Is he kidding me?

“Uncontrollable human?” I slightly narrowed my eyes, “you’ve got to be joking.” I whispered in disbelief. He was looking down at her for begin human? Then what did he think of me?

He sighed, closing his eyes, “Vee that’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“What did you mean then, huh?”

He opened his eyes and looked anywhere but at me, “I meant… well humans are uncontrollable.”

I opened my mouth to argue back with him, but Brady called my name from the living room. I snapped my mouth shut and listened to Brady’s next shout, “the Doc is here for you.”

“Coming.” I say quickly whipping my head away from Alpha Hennys stare and walking briskly into the living room. Its like he wanted me to receive some weird sort of mental understanding from his eyes.

In the living room, stood Brady, Nick and the Doctor—who all stood relaxed as could be.

“Doctor, how are you?” I asked putting on my most charming smile, which knowing me wasn’t really much…or charming at all. He turned and I saw the fight he put up to keep the relaxed smile on his face.

I see he hasn’t forgotten about my request for the Lunas Crest.

“Luna,” he bowed respectfully, gripping his medic bag in one hand while folding the other over his stomach, “shall we proceed with your check up?”

I glanced at Brady and Nick, “I think I’m perfectly fine.”
He gave a polite smile, “as your Doctor, and you my Luna, I must make absolutely sure you are healthy as can be.”

Luna-Luna-Luna-Luna-Luna-Luna-Luna

That’s all that comes out of this mans mouth!

“Yes, of course.” I whisper before leading the way to my room, where all checkups have been made. I could hear the doctors footsteps—as well as Nicks—following me up the stairs.

I opened the door to my room and walked in. It looked exactly how I had left it. Nothing moved out of place.

“I don’t think our Alpha would like it very much if there was an unmated wolf in the same room as his mate when she is gong to expose her stomach.” And that silenced Nick. He gave a grim smile and with a short nod he walked backwards and out into the hallway.

“I’ll be right out here, shout if you need me.” Nick managed to say just as the doctor closed the door on him.

“Now, Luna, let us begin.” He reached into his front coat pocket, “how has your injury been feeling since the medication I prescribed?” he finished pulling out a small slip of paper and putting it into my hand.

I unfolded the note and read it while he proceeded to talk.

“Its possible you may feel dizzy to the fact that the medication was created with shifter genes in mind, but I didn’t think you would have trouble with it.”

I will give you limited access to the Lunas Crest. But it will only be under my supervision and I must thoroughly agree with the procedures you are to use before it goes within a meter of your presence.

I cannot deny my allegiance to my Alpha. But my allegiance also lies with my Luna.

I almost wanted to tell him to forget it, because his allegiance did not lie with me but a woman who has been dead for decades.

“I’m great.” I croaked. If Alpha Henny was making me lie to everyone around me, including my best friend, then he could live with me doing things he wasn’t aware of.

“You must assure me that you are ready.” Then in a moments after thought he added, “for this examination to begin, yes?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He gave me a serious smile and proceeded on to complete his tasks. Everything was fine. There were no problems; I was healing steadily—faster than he anticipated actually. Of course, nowhere near as fast as a shifter.

“Okay,” he said packing his things up again, “everything’s fine, perfect almost. So there should be no problem with the physical activities you are doing.”

So he knew Alpha Henny was going to put me through training.

“Um,” I whispered. I didn’t expect him to hear me, but I know he did when he turned his gaze on me, “why... am I doing physical activities, exactly?”

He blinked and gave me a look that said I should know.

“For protection.” He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “one of our own attacked you, and therefore claimed your safety at risk.”

Did they all expect me to be attacked? Am I that hated?

I nodded and looked down to my hands. Of course, I knew I was disliked but no one had ever bothered to harm me. Then again, that was when my Uncle was in power, and now that they think I’m Luna, would they attack me?

Is it because now I’m actually someone of importance?

Werewolves are strong. A few training exercises isn’t going to keep me safe at all. A gun however just might help. One bullet would stop the whole lot of them. No one would want to go near the girl wielding a gun. Then again, I’m not going to carry around a gun.

I thanked him and led him out. Nick was standing right outside of the door, casually glancing up and down the hall. The chances of a crazed person jumping through the window and stabbing me—but he’s on full alert nonetheless.

He grinned at me, flashing his perfect teeth, “how’d it go?”

“Perfect.” The doctor said and began walking downstairs. I nodded as I watched his retreating back. Nick followed him. I put my hands in my pocket and felt the paper there.

Nick turned around and gave me a questioning look, “C’mon you’ve got to finish your Maths homework.” I slowly moved my hand out of my pocket, so as to not raise suspicion.

“Math.” I said as I walked to him.

“Yeah.” He said guiding me to the stairs.

I abruptly stopped walking, “No, its Math.”

“That’s what I said?” he turned his head to the side confused, “I said Maths.”

“There is no s, Math is not plural. Its… just one subject.”

Nick sighed and shook his head, “it’s just how we say it where I’m from.”

We began walking down the stairs and Nick muttered under his breath, “Besides maths has multiples problems not just one.”

I whipped around to look at him. He smiled innocently and I just narrowed my eyes at him. I walked down the stairs, sticking my hands in my pocket. I felt the piece of paper once again, the one based off of the biggest lie ever and I ripped my hand away so quickly it was like the paper threatened to combust.

I walked into the living room with Nick right on my trail. I don’t know how much longer I can go on lying to people. I need to talk to Zoltan. He needs to cure me. I need to be normal.

“Hey Vee, you alright?” I heard Robins voice.

I turned up to look at Robin. I had nearly forgotten that she was here. Wait, wasn’t she fighting with Zak? I looked around the room for him, and when I didn’t spot him anywhere I began to panic.

“Y-yeah. Um, where’s Zak?” I ask carefully gaging her reaction. She had her phone in her hand, and it looked like she was in the middle of texting somebody.

Suddenly Zak walked up beside her, “Right here.” He said handing her a cup of ice water. Robin thanks him and greedily gulped it down. Zak still looked tired, but at least he no longer looked sickly. I was really starting to worry about him.

A mates rejection, or even them ignoring you is enough to send the strongest of warriors crazy with grief.

She noticed that I was looking at her expectantly because she turned to say, “what? Arguing makes my throat dry.” She then took another drink. Meanwhile she’s enjoying her drink, I’m over here praying to all the Gods that I knew of that their chat went all right. Robin was spitting fire rights as she was tricked into going inside the room with Zak and now she’s on her phone acting nonchalantly.

“Venus?”

I snapped back to reality, “yeah? What?”

“ I asked if you were ready to go?”

I made a confused face at her, “What? Where are we going?”

Robin returned my confused face with one of her own, “Home? Because it’s getting late?”

“Oh?” I looked at Alpha Henny who was standing off to the side. He looked confused, and a bit annoyed as well. So this isn’t a apart of his plan? I thought I had told him that I was going back with Robin. That’s how we got Zak out of bed.

Alpha Henny cleared his throat; “ I think it’s best if Venus stays here. This is where her home is.”

Robin laughed, “Wow that was a good one. This is not her home. Look, I know how her parents are, but staying in a house full of guys is-”

“Are you saying we would harm her?” Alpha Henny asked rolling his tight shoulders backwards, the tension in the room suddenly got so thick it could be compared to jello. Zaks whole stance told me that he was conflicted, to stand behind his mate or to obey his Alpha.

“No. But imagine if word got out she was staying with four guys? Imagine the bullshit she would get for that.” Robin said, standing her ground.

Everybody stayed quiet as we weighed her words down. Robin wasn’t messing around today, she wasn’t joking, and she wasn’t smiling. A serious Robin was a scary Robin.

“To be honest, you guys have been doing a shit job at keeping Venus safe. I’m going to start doing it. Besides none of ya’ are in school with her, you guys are away from her for like eight hours a day.”

“Wait a moment now.” Alpha Henny was shaking his head, “Brady and Nick were just enrolled into your high school as well, so she will be looked after. So they maybe won’t be in all the same classes as her, but she’s have someone to fall back on.”

Robin nearly scoffed, “she has me. Like c’mon, I can take care of those bitches anyday!”

“Yes, right, I don’t doubt that. But you can’t be everywhere at once. That’s what happened with Criss, am I right?”

A loud thump was heard behind Alpha Henny. Brady had slammed the side of his fist right into the wall. Robins jaw was tightly locked. Alpha Henny knows how to utilize someone’s weak points. That’s something terrifying to learn about someone.

“Yeah. I know.” She mumbled while looking down at the ground. Robin wasn’t going to let herself live that moment down any time soon. Zak reached his hand out to her and pulled her in to a hug. I was surprised because Robin really isn’t that much of a touchy feely person, but here was this guy she barely knew touching her for longer than necessary and she didn’t mind one bit.

That’s love.

“Hold up, hold up.” All of our attention was turned to Brady, who hand his hand on his hip, “before anybody is going anywhere, we need to go to the mall. I need a good finally-back-in-school look for tomorrow.”

I smiled at him, “yeah Brady’s right. We could all use some, uh- what did you call it again?”

“Retail therapy.” Brady answered looking smug.

“Yeah, that! We could all use some retail therapy.” I turned to look at everyone while showing a small smile. It helped dissipate the tension that had quickly built up.

Alpha Henny only laughed, “Yeah you can all go do that. I have some more paperwork to get settled.”

“You know what, that sounds really cool actually.” Robin said, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, but shopping? My talents could be put to better use than wondering around the shops.” Nick commented. He nodded at Alpha Henny, “I’m sure Henry could use some help?”

Zak stood there looking between Robin and Alpha Henny. Alpha Henny spoke to him, “You should stay and help me sort out some things and then meet up with them. I could really use your help.” Alpha Henny said cocking an eyebrow. He was asking Zak but a favor from an Alpha is rarely a request and more like always a command.

“Yes. I think I’ll do that.”

“Good, it won’t take long. So you don’t have to stay Nick, go with them.”

Well he has to, since he’s supposed to be my “bodyguard”.

“No, don’t leave me alone with shoppers.” Nick whispered quietly.
“Let’s go, let’s go, lets get the show on the road!” Brady shouted while pumping his fist into the air.

Well, at least this solves one problem.

Now, I need to fix the other one. I need to contact Zoltan.