October 29th

The next morning, I woke on the opposite side of the bed to Leo. He was staring at the ceiling and didn't turn to me even as I rolled over.

He eventually sat up before he sauntered without a word into the bathroom.

A long steamy shower later, he returned drying his hair with a towel.

"My mother is making lasagne for lunch and has invited us all round. I will be busy clearing up the mess you made last night, but you are going. Try to behave yourself or you will have Xavier to face."

I nodded.

"No promises."

He held his eyes on me for a second before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

At midday, Leo dropped me off at the Thorn household.

"Nelda!" Elora exclaimed as I came into the living room, "You're still alive."

She pulled me into a tight hug.

I swallowed and glanced around at all the eyes set on me.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Elora rolled her eyes.

"We know our brother well," she said, "He would never have agreed to the promise you made."

Xavier was leaning against the counter, his arms folded as his lips stayed straight and thin.

"That was a bold thing to do," Elora said, "I'm proud of you."

"Elora," Xavier scolded, "Defying our Alpha is not something to be proud of. I don't want to hear you speak like that unless you want to go back to prison."

Mateo rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Standing up against evil will always be something to be proud of," he said, locking eyes with his father.

Xavier narrowed his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you not to come by here until you have your attitude toward this pack and its Alpha straight? Why have you stepped through my door and started this moral bullshit again, Mateo?"

Rosa sighed and rested her hands on Xavier's chest.

"Xavier," she said softly, "This is supposed to be a pleasant family meal. Please, keep the peace."

Xavier nodded.

"No one will bring this up again. Nelda doesn't need any encouragement."

The meal was awkward. I sat at the end of the table with Mateo and Elora as Rosa forced conversation at the other end with Xavier, Luca and Nola.

"So..." Elora said, during a moment of silence, "That was a gorgeous dress you were wearing last night, Nelda. Where did you get it?"

Xavier dropped his fork and leant back in his chair.

"Elora," he groaned.

"What Dad?" she asked, "It was a beautiful dress and I just want to know where it was from. I'm sure lots of women in the pack want to know too. They might even want to buy one to wear next year. You're a trend setter, Nelda. I think this might be the start of a revolution..."

Xavier clenched his jaw.

"This is not the start of a revolution. The women in this pack are not that stupid."

Elora held her stare, "What do you mean? It's just a dress, isn't it?"

Total silence fell across the table.

"Okay..." Luca said eventually, "Mom, this was delicious, but..."

He stood up, his chair scraping back.

"I need to go and... be somewhere else."

After looking down at Xavier, who was still practically steaming with anger he nodded again, "Anywhere else."

After they he had fled the kitchen, it was just Mateo, Nola, Rosa and I watching Elora and Xavier stare at one another.

"The dress was from TJ Max," I said quietly, "It was in the sale though so I don't know if-"

"Stop talking, Nelda," Xavier said, holding up his palm, "Elora and Mateo, you can both get out of this house."

Elora was first to stand up, shortly followed by Mateo.

"Are you serious?" Mateo asked, "We're doing this again?"

"Yes," Xavier said.

Mateo muttered something beneath his breath before the two of them left, slamming the door behind them.

A few seconds later, the door opened again and Mateo reappeared. He held my jacket in his hand and threw it at me.

"Nelda's coming too," he said, "I'm not leaving her with you, Dad."

I offered Rosa a small smile before I left the table too.

"Thank you for dinner. The best lasagne I've ever had."

She nodded, "Thank you, honey."

I followed Mateo back out the door where we met Elora on the driveway.

"Can I crash at yours tonight, Matty?" Elora asked, "There's no way in hell I'm going back there until he's cooled off."

Mateo nodded, "Of course."

We walked through the forest toward Mateo's house. He lived a decent walk away but the fresh air did us all good.

"Does this happen often?" I asked.

"Xavier kicking us out?" Elora asked.

I nodded.

"It happens to me a lot. That's why I have my own place," Mateo said, "Not sure he's ever gone as far as kicking Elora out too."

"You don't get along?"

Mateo laughed.

"I've never got along with Dad. Not since I was a little kid."

"Why not?"

Mateo shrugged.

"Because I disagree with him. And Leo and I used to be very close and he felt I was influencing Leo and getting in the way of him becoming a 'strong' Alpha. He was horrified when Leo picked me as Beta."

"You disagree about how people should be treated and how a pack should be run?"

He nodded, "But I was only ever saying what mom was too afraid to say."

"You don't seem so close with Leo anymore. Not even as his Beta."

He shrugged.

"We drifted apart and now he prefers to run the pack alone and I'm just his errand boy. It all started when he became Alpha."

"When he turned into a carbon copy of Xavier in other words," Elora muttered, "None of us have been as close with Leo since."

"Do you miss him?"

Elora sighed.

"It's been so long and he's so different now it's hard to remember what he was like. And things will never be the same again. There's no point pining after something you can't have."

Mateo frowned, "Never say never, El."

He glanced down at me before wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"I have hope."

I smiled.

"I'm trying my best, but it's not going to be easy."

"Even if Leo's a lost cause, just don't get pregnant," Elora said, "Don't let him create a monster to replace him in 17 years."

My smile vanished. Last night. No attempts were made to not get pregnant.

"Which reminds me, I have a favour to ask," I said through gritted teeth, "I need plan B."

Mateo stopped in his tracks as Elora spun around.

"What?"

Their faces turned ghostly, like I'd just suggested wizardry.

"Plan B, the morning after pill, emergency conception. Whatever you want to call it."

"You had sex... recently?" Mateo asked, his arm falling off my shoulder.

I bit my lip, "Last night."

"Last night?!" Elora exclaimed, "After..."

I nodded, "Regrettably."

"Fuck..." Mateo said, "Plan B is human shit. We don't even know if it works on us."

"And Leo will quite literally kill us if he found out we helped you get it," Elora added.

My shoulders deflated and I nodded, "You're right. It was a stupid idea."

I took a step forward, but they didn't move. Turning back, I caught them staring at each other, deep in thought until they both nodded.

"There's a pharmacy in the human town about 10 miles away," Elora said.

"We need to be quick," Mateo said, "Come on, Nelda."

We practically ran back to Mateo's house before piling into his car and speeding to the pharmacy. Mateo and I waited in the car, nervously bouncing our legs as Elora secured the goods.

She was out within five minutes and handed me two boxes.

"Take it now and we'll get rid of the evidence," she said, "I also got you some condoms..."

Mateo scoffed, "Good luck getting him to use them."

After ripping open the box, I did not hesitate to force the pill down my dry throat before leaning back in the car seat and taking a deep breath.

"Thank you so much. Both of you," I said.

From the back seat, Elora reached forward and hugged me.

"I'm not ready to become an aunt yet anyway."

"Also, um... I want you to have this."

I glanced down at the pink box she was holding out to me.

"It's a contraceptive pill. Take it every morning."

Mateo frowned and took the box out of my hand.

"I thought you could only get this stuff on prescription."

Elora swallowed, "Yeah... it's my prescription."

Mateo's lips parted as he snapped his head back to his sister.

"Why?"

"What like you don't have sex," she said, snatching the box and handing it back to me, "Between them the Thorn brothers have covered every woman in the pack."

"You're having sex?!" he exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes, "I'm a 21-year-old woman, Mateo. Of course, I'm having sex."

"With who?!"

She shrugged, "Whoever I like. It's none of your business."

"Is that where you are when I get calls from Dad asking me to confirm you're at my house?"

"Yep. Thanks for covering for me, by the way," she chirped, "Although, frankly I should be allowed to move out and go where I want too especially as I'm- "

"Three minutes older," I said, a grin on my face.

"Exactly. Thank you, Nelda."

Mateo sat there staring at Elora, his eyes wide and his face drained of colour.

"Are you going to get us home before someone realises we've gone? Or do you need me to drive?"

Without another word, he turned on the engine and we drove back in silence.